In this episode of Passion Pod, Chris Johnson sits down with DC comic book artist Doug Mahnke for a wide-ranging conversation about his career in comics, creativity, and storytelling. Doug shares behind-the-scenes stories from working on Batman, The Mask, Green Lantern, Superman, and more, along with how he broke into the comic book industry and built a career spanning more than 30 years.

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What’s the difference between hallucinations and delusions—and what does schizophrenia actually feel like day to day? In this episode, mental health advocate and influencer Kody Green (aka “The Schizophrenic Hippie”) shares his story of addiction, incarceration, diagnosis, medication, and recovery—plus the often-misunderstood “positive vs. negative symptoms,” stigma, and how families can support a loved one in psychosis.

Featuring: Kody Green aka The Schizophrenic Hippie (motivational speaker, podcaster, author of Minds Over Meetings).

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Former college baseball player turned baseball influencer Ryan Ellingson joins the Passion Pod at Kwik Trip in La Crosse, Wisconsin to share how he went from travel ball and college baseball to building a creator career—landing brand deals with MLB, the Minnesota Twins, and getting sent to MLB All-Star Week, including on-field access for batting practice just feet from Shohei Ohtani. We also talk Twins fandom, baseball culture, and what it takes to turn baseball content into a real business.

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Legendary underground rapper R.A. the Rugged Man sits down at First Avenue in Minneapolis for a raw, hilarious, and heartfelt interview. We talk touring with Atmosphere/Slug, signing a major-label deal as a teen, getting blackballed from shows, the story behind “Uncommon Valor,” wild concert moments, and his passion for filmmaking (including Bad Biology and Suicide Disco). If you’re into underground hip hop, rap history, and real artist stories—this one’s for you.

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Tommy G is a Milwaukee-based documentary maker with over 3 million subscribers on YouTube, and his work takes you everywhere—from Grand Theft Auto stories and street-level chaos to investigating some of the worst prisons in the United States… and even exposing Scientology for what it is.

In this conversation, we get into what it really takes to tell stories that hit hard: earning trust, walking into uncomfortable places, staying safe, and keeping your humanity when the internet only wants the “craziest clip.” Tommy’s got that rare mix of curiosity + courage, and I think you’re going to leave this episode feeling fired up to chase the stories you’re meant to tell.

If you’re into documentaries, investigative storytelling, or just hearing how someone builds something massive by following their obsession—this one’s for you.

Watch the full episode, and let me know your favorite moment in the comments.

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In this bonus episode we catch up with country music artist Chris Kroeze. Chris has been a guest on the show twice in the past, but it's been a couple of years since we last chatted. Chris has a brand new album titled "Even Rednecks Get The Blues". In this interview we get the inside scoop on all the new music. Chris also shares his favorite Wisconsin venues, which country stars have better beards than him, his most embarrassing moment on stage, and more.

In this episode of The Passion Pod, we sit down with tattoo icon and Ink Master fan-favorite Clean Rock One—widely known as one of the most televised tattooers in Ink Master history. Filmed at the Minneapolis Arts Tattoo Festival, Clean opens up about the real stories behind his name, his early days in graffiti, getting arrested, almost joining the army, and how tattooing became his life.

We also get into the behind-the-scenes reality of Ink Master: auditions, casting, producer strategy, what it’s like living on set, how the critiques are filmed, how much contestants get paid, and why “doing great tattoos” isn’t enough to survive reality TV. Clean shares his favorite and least favorite Ink Master tattoos, what he wishes the show rewarded artistically, and how TV fame changed the kinds of clients he attracts.

Plus: Clean talks about selling Golden Skull Tattoo in Las Vegas (and passing it to his son), building the Chrome Gypsy Compound in Kewanee, Illinois (a school turned into a tattoo shop/bar/arcade/event space), and his goal to turn it into a must-see art destination.

Featured Guest: Clean Rock One

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Mark Longenecker is a renowned tattoo artist who became known worldwide after placing 4th on Season 5 of the hit TV show Ink Master. With over 30 years behind the machine, Mark is the owner of Endless Summer Tattoos in Cocoa Beach, Florida—and when he’s not tattooing, he’s usually chasing waves as an avid surfer and ocean lover.

In this episode, we get into what it was really like competing on Ink Master, the very first tattoo Mark ever did on someone, and the path that led him into the industry in the first place. Mark also shares how he got hired to work for Jimmy Buffett, what it took to open his own shop, and how he developed his signature “Tropi Style” tattoos—pulling inspiration from traditional Japanese design and translating it into something uniquely his.

We also talk about how Ink Master changed his life, what he’s learned from decades of tattooing, and the mindset it takes to keep evolving as an artist.

Corey “Thunder” Law takes you behind the scenes with the Harlem Globetrotters—recorded before their show at The Sonnentag Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 2, 2026.

In this interview, Corey shares the full journey: his first dunk at 12 years old, becoming a college dunk star, the moment he dropped the ball in the NCAA dunk contest, and how he ultimately got drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters. We also get into what he learned from Globetrotter legends, world records, his all-time favorite Globetrotters, catching an alley-oop from Snoop Dogg, surprising a kid with cancer, and the wildest moments from traveling the world.

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Leon Ondieki is a viral content creator from Atlanta who’s built 9+ million followers across his platforms—and he’s only 23. In this episode, Leon breaks down how he went viral on TikTok in high school (one video hit 8 million views and gained 100,000 followers in a week), how he landed his first major brand deal with What Do You Meme, and how that first sponsorship helped him make $50,000 in a single month—money he used to buy his first car and pay for college.

Leon also shares why he took a gap semester to focus on content full-time, what he’s learned from generating billions of views, and the strategies he uses to turn attention into real audience growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What makes content go viral (and how to repeat it)
• How to convert views into followers
• Sponsorship + monetization lessons from early wins
• Practical growth strategies you can apply to your own social media

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