As the rest of the country supports some sort of ban on e-scooters, Joe swims against the tide. Despite being hospitalized after being run over by a car on his scooter, Joe still thinks it’s the best way to navigate the Viking built streets of Dublin. He even gave broadcast royalty Claire Byrne a spin around Stephen’s Green on his scooter to prove how safe they are. Explicit. 

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Joe is back from a sun-soaked holiday in Tenerife, and while most people return with souvenirs and a tan, Joe came home with a massive appreciation for cheap, tacky, and absolutely glorious live entertainment.  Driven by a tip from an Instagram follower, Joe tracks down Leslie "Elvis" Moore, who moved to the island 16 years ago to become one of Tenerife's most recognizable Elvis Tribute Artists. Les is an old-school professional who thinks a podcast is a radio show, and spends thousands of Euros on custom jumpsuits, only to occasionally rip them open while attempting a dramatic karate kick.

After the interview at a local pub, Joe tags along as Elvis’s roadie for a private gig at a Scottish family's rented villa in the mountains.  

From wardrobe malfunctions and aggressive chest-grabbing to Elvis literally walking into a swimming pool mid-song, it’s a chaotic, sweet, and strangely beautiful look at the realities of the life of a tribute artist. Explicit. 

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Joe is back from his Holiday in Tenerife, and to the surprise of absolutely nobody, he didn't exactly have a relaxing time. Between peeling like a snake after five minutes in the sun and panicking over an Irish heatwave of 22 degrees, he’s got plenty to complain about. From a resort with perpetually broken lifts to inventing a tragic, backstory for a random da and toddler by the pool, Joe’s holiday was less of a vacation and more of a series of highly dramatic misunderstandings. Joe recounts his run-ins with an incredibly angry tour guide and a waiter who clearly didn't have time for Joe. But it’s not all doom and gloom, there’s a Viking boat, some dolphins, and, oh yeah, he casually mentions that his short film just won a major award and might be headed to the Oscars. Explicit.

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Stressed out by a mountain of work and an upcoming family holiday, Joe jokingly wishes for a short prison sentence just to escape his responsibilities. This thought leads him into a deep look at the reality of the Irish penal system, starting with a wild story about the time he unknowingly gave a lift to a fugitive on his way to hand himself in.

Joe talks to Robert and Damien, who both served significant time behind bars. Damien tells Joe about his tough upbringing, how he tried to stay away from a life of crime, and the time he hit a garda so he could speed up his passage into jail. Robert talks about the harsh reality of the Garda vetting process and how even a small time in prison can ruin someone's life.

Joe also speaks with Philip Larragy, CEO of the charity Release, which helps prisoners integrate back into society when they get out of jail. Explicit. 

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In this bonus episode of Ramble, Joe follows up on the chaotic aftermath of his interview with Grace and Jeff. He shares behind-the-scenes insights into their remote Minnesota Homesteading lifestyle and details the heartbreaking reality of Jeff's ultimatum.

Joe is also joined by AI researcher Bella, who shares her ongoing studies into why companionship and therapy have become the number one uses for AI globally. They discuss the bizarre 1960s origin of chatbot therapy, the frustrating modern phenomenon of "phubbing," and what an AI-driven future means for the next generation. Explicit.

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Joe's fascination with artificial intelligence led him down a rabbit hole and he came across a woman who is in love with her AI companion.

Based in Minnesota, Grace created an AI companion over a year ago called Max. It didn't take long for her to fall in love with Max after intense sexual encounters with it. The only problem is, Grace is married to her husband Jeff and they have a 5 year old daughter together.

Now Grace is faced with an ultimatum: Leave Max or Leave her family.  Explicit.

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In this episode of Ramble Joe took a covert trip to Barcelona to meet an Irish guy who goes by the name Dominick Skinner (not his real name). After an online Twitter spat with The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, he launched a database exposing the identities of ICE agents in the USA.

Since then the operation has grown, with hundreds of volunteers running a ship that's fueled by whistleblowers and data-leaks. Joe talks to Dominick about how it all started, what he hopes to achieve, and how he went from being a homeless teenager to being a thorn in the side of the biggest super-power in the world, with new laws being proposed based on his actions and the threat of financial sanctions looming over him. (Explicit) 

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In this episode of Ramble, Joe went to Crumlin Boxing Club to chew the fat with Johnny Jawbreaker, a Bare Knuckle fighter. Formerly an MMA fighter with Bellator and Cage Warriors, John Redmond is now competing in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). This episode skips the standard sports chat for a blunt look at the brutal realities of fighting for a living. Redmond quotes surprising data showing that fighting without gloves actually results in lower concussion rates than traditional boxing. 

He also opens up about the dark side of retirement after sport, discussing his personal battles with severe post-career depression before finding a new purpose. From stepping up to a world-champion fight on a day’s notice, to the commercial explosion of the sport under controversial BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor, John tells it all with raw honesty. (Explicit)

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Welcome to Ramble, a brand new podcast with Joe McGucken. Before the madness begins and the first full episodes drop, Joe is checking in to give you an idea of what’s to come. A series of interesting conversations with interesting people.

Ramble is a mix of on-location conversations from fascinating, weird, and wonderful people in society, that usually get overlooked, and Joe’s unique perspective on it all chopped in back at Ramble HQ. No judgment, no credentials, just pure curiosity.

Subscribe, follow, rate, get involved, and welcome to the Ramble podcast. 

(Explicit)

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