17 - Luke Cole | Live Life Like You’re Collecting Stories

Owen sits down with comedian Luke Cole, known as The Dive Bar Shaman, just weeks after Luke made the big leap from Montana to Denver to pursue stand-up more seriously. Luke talks about leaving Missoula, driving hours across Montana just to get five minutes of stage time, and why moving to a bigger comedy scene felt like the necessary next step. They compare doing comedy in Montana and Denver, the strange amount of talent that came out of a tiny Montana scene, and why getting better sometimes means being willing to leave a comfortable life behind. Luke also shares how a chance encounter with a Bozeman comedian first got him into stand-up, his abandoned plan to make a coffee-table book about Montana dive bars, and what he's learned from throwing himself completely into comedy.

The conversation dives deeper into taking risks, collecting experiences, and why both Owen and Luke would rather build interesting lives than spend all their time worrying about money, careers, or what other people think. They talk about growing up playing sports, insane sports parents, social media, politics, the apocalypse, homelessness, and why nobody actually cares what you're doing as much as you think they do. Along the way, Luke tells stories about his crazy life. They also get into why stand-up never really has an end goal, the importance of actually doing the things you claim to care about, and Luke's philosophy that if nothing really matters, you might as well take some risks and build a life worth having stories about.

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16 - Dave Neering | Behind the Scenes of Managing a Comedy Club

Owen sits down with Denver comedian and comedy-club manager Dave Neering for a conversation about the work that happens behind the scenes of stand-up. Dave shares how he moved from Florida to Denver before ever performing comedy, started at Comedy Works running food and seating customers, and eventually became Wendy Curtis’s executive assistant. He talks about driving touring comedians around the city, accidentally ending up in a group text with Brian Callen and former mobster Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, and ultimately leaving Comedy Works before finding his current role as general manager and booker at Denver Comedy Underground. They also get into what it takes to recognize talent, working with agents, choosing comedians who can sell tickets, and the strange pressure of booking performers while still being new to stand-up himself.

The conversation dives deeper into Denver’s growing comedy scene, the difference between treating comedy as a business and protecting it as an art form, and why producing shows and creating content have become so important for comedians trying to build a career. Owen and Dave also talk about hiking on psychedelics, camping in the Great Sand Dunes, bears, moose, mountain lions, exotic pets, and traveling outside the United States. Along the way, they discuss meeting famous comedians, discovering Reggie Watts, why the best comedy often comes from difficult experiences, and whether doing stand-up simply because it is fun is reason enough to keep showing up.

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15 - Cam Leids | Moving to Peru for Sacred Plant Medicine

Owen sits down with comedian, podcaster, and content creator Cam Leids for a conversation about leaving the tech world behind and moving to Peru for plant medicine. Cam shares what led him from Chicago’s tech scene to Denver and eventually Pisac, Peru, where he spent a year slowing down, exploring Peruvian culture, and going deeper into ayahuasca, meditation, and spirituality. They talk about ancient Incan sites, life outside of Cusco, the tech-bro-to-psychedelics pipeline, and the realization that building your entire identity around a career might not actually make you happy.

The conversation dives deeper into ayahuasca ceremonies, fear and surrender, meditation, flow states, and why plant medicine and spirituality aren’t necessarily for everyone. Owen shares his experience with Bufo in Mexico, while Cam explains traditional Amazonian plant medicine, dietas, and the strange experience of being shown during a retreat that he needed to try stand-up comedy. Along the way they get into bombing at open mics, finding your voice as a comedian, performing at Comedy Works, traveling, balancing comedy with the rest of your life, and why laughter might be its own form of medicine.

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14 - Garrett Nygren | There’s No Avoiding Repetition

Owen sits down with Denver comedian, producer, and teacher Garrett Nygren for a conversation about what it actually takes to get good at stand-up comedy. Garrett shares his journey from starting comedy in New Jersey to becoming one of the most active producers in Denver, running hundreds of comedy events and helping build rooms like the Monkey Barrel open mic. They talk about why stage time and repetition matter, the similarities between comedy and sports, learning how to slow down onstage, and the strange reality that producing your own shows can simultaneously create opportunities and make people see you as a producer instead of a comedian.

The conversation dives deeper into the Denver comedy scene, navigating egos and drama, moving from smaller comedy markets to bigger cities, and why Denver might be one of the best places in the country to develop as a comic. Owen and Garrett also get into social media, crowd work, comedy clips, writing longer sets, and the differences between comedy audiences around the country. Along the way they talk movies, independent filmmaking, European versus American work culture, naked hot springs, mountain comedy shows, and why sometimes the hardest part of being a comedian is simply continuing to show up.

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13 - Jared Chandler | Don’t Work at an Alaskan Fish Factory

Owen sits down with Denver comedian, filmmaker, and producer Jared Chandler for a conversation that bounces between stand-up, podcasting, filmmaking, and the complexities that come from chasing creative work. They compare notes on growing a podcast from scratch, why thumbnails and clipping matter more than most creators realize, and the reality that every successful show started with years of mediocre episodes and relentless consistency. Jared also shares what it's like acting in feature films (Field of Screams), producing an upcoming alien mockumentary, and the challenge of switching into character when the cameras start rolling.

The conversation takes a deep dive into UFO lore, Colorado's famous UFO Watchtower, government disclosures, and why aliens might treat humans the same way we treat wildlife. Along the way they swap stories about the Great Sand Dunes, camping in Alaska, and Jared's unforgettable stint working in an Alaskan fish factory.

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12 - How To Move Somewhere That You Don’t Know Anyone (I’ve Done It 3x Times)

Owen goes solo for a conversation about leaving your hometown, starting over, and why moving somewhere new can completely change who you become. Drawing from his own moves from small-town Idaho to Maine, Montana, and eventually Denver, he breaks down the realities of chasing opportunity, navigating culture shock, and the difference between running toward a dream and running away from yourself. Along the way, he shares practical advice on choosing where to live, making friends as an adult, embracing loneliness, and trusting your instincts when it's time to take a leap.

The episode also dives into the personalities of different parts of the country — from New England's obsession with chicken parm and finance to Montana's cowboys and hippies, and Denver's unique blend of EDM, weed, and Bo Nix. Owen reflects on how knew places helped grow his stand-up comedy, why you should experience everything a place has to offer before leaving, and how the biggest moments in life usually come from betting on yourself.

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11 - Paul Garcia, Denver Comedian and Producer

Owen sits down with Denver comedian and producer Paul Garcia. The conversation turns into a masterclass on the invisible mechanics of a good set: why comedy is similar to hypnosis, the infamous rule of three, and advice on pausing right before the punchline to squeeze out a bigger laugh. They trade war stories on reading a room — sober crowds turning out to be the best audiences in Denver, and an old head in a pink sport coat who refused to be capped at two minutes for his debut set.

Owen and Paul also get into the algorithm's cruelty toward working comics, why nobody actually appreciates comedy until they've lived a little, and the eternal debate of whether it's good to watch other comedians for inspiration. Along the way: a story about getting bucked off a horse named Diesel and a crazy behind the scenes look of working the ice cream counter at a Broomfield Dairy Queen as a younger man.

A hang covering the mechanics of standup, Colorado living, and the strange day jobs that shaped a comic along the way.

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10 – Obsession Dominates Disclosure Day: Why the Next Great Directors Are Coming from YouTube and TikTok

Owen is back for episode ten after a brief, tech-disaster-induced hiatus. Owen drops a raw update on traveling for his brother’s wedding, where a family member accidentally nuked his laptop screen, proving why past-Owen buying Apple Care was the greatest financial decision of his life.

The conversation then dives into the relentless pursuit of a craft. Owen shares the profound validation of giving a killer best man speech, returning to Denver to absolutely murder a showcase at Comedy Works downtown, and the vital importance of looking back to see how far you've climbed when you're still grinding. He pulls back the curtain on the grueling world of comedy, the sheer spiritual high of generating collective laughter, and why making people connect in a tech-obsessed world feels like fighting the good fight for humanity.

Owen then shifts into a series of unfiltered, hilarious rants on the absurdity of modern culture. From the "man's diet" of eating only salads to the desire-killing reality of Ozempic zombies, he breaks down why nothing good in this world comes without a price.

Finally, Owen tackles the shifting landscape of entertainment and global culture. He breaks down why indie TikTok and YouTube directors are completely eclipsing Hollywood, dropping a scathing review on Steven Spielberg's disastrous $115M Disclosure Day. He wraps up with a brilliant cultural critique on America’s overinflated ego during its "Freedom 250" White House UFC event, comparing the US to a flashy fifth-grader with light-up shoes, and questions why American work culture has tricked us into giving up the effortless, summer-long freedom enjoyed by our European counterparts.

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9 – Exploring Consciousness: My Trek Into the Mexican Jungle for the Ancient “God Molecule” Medicine

Owen is back for episode nine. Owen drops a raw, unfiltered opening rant on what it actually takes to build a craft from ground zero. He pulls back the curtain on the "alone period" of chasing a dream, proving why you have to do the work for yourself long before anyone else starts to care.

The conversation then takes a deeply personal and visceral turn as Owen shares the brutal reality of moving to Denver only to immediately herniate his disc for the second time. He details the agony of lightning sciatica, an unexpected kidney stone, and the grueling journey through spinal fusion surgery that left him with six screws, a metal rod, and a scar that gives him the world's longest butt crack.

Desperate to travel, and move, Owen catches a cheap flight to Tulum, Mexico. What started as a simple vacation quickly evolves into a profound quest for healing. By total happenstance, he discovers a local sanctuary and books a session with a shaman to take an ancient spiritual medicine known as the legendary "God Molecule" secreted by the Sonoran Desert toad.

Owen then describes his experience and the lasting lessons of self-love and universal interconnection that completely reshaped how he views life, death, and the universe.

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8 - Tapping into Jester Energy to Navigate an Absurd World, and How Simplicity Reconnects You with Your Roots

Owen is back for episode eight, checking in from Denver and getting real about the steep learning curve of the podcast game. This week, Owen pulls back the curtain on the creative process, from the humility of making worse YouTube thumbnails than 12 year olds to the realization that finding your voice in comedy, podcasting and life only happens when you stop trying to be everyone else and start being yourself.

Owen explores why authenticity is the ultimate key to success—citing everything from Anthony Edwards' rise in the NBA to the bravery of shaving your head when the wearing a hat all the time stops working. The conversation then shifts to why we facing the things that scare us is often the step needed for growth.

Looking toward the weekend, Owen prepares for a trek into the Great Sand Dunes National Park. He breaks down why simplicity through backpacking is the ultimate gratitude reset, the reality of being a guest in the natural environment of wild animals, and why modern humans need to reconnect with their roots.

Finally, the episode closes with a discussion on the current inflation and a legendary comedy clip from the late Patrice O’Neill, who perfectly explained back in 2011 how elites get the common man to follow suit. 

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Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Episode 8: Learning Thumbnails & Making Mistakes
• 03:30 – Podcast vs. LeBron: The Skill Gap of Talking for 30 Minutes
• 06:45 – Finding Your Voice & The Charisma of Anthony Edwards
• 10:15 – Why Success Starts at 25: Developing Your Authentic Self
• 14:00 – The "Jack of All Trades" Trap: Diving into the Deep End
• 17:30 – Facing the Fear: Shaving the Head & Taking Off the Hat
• 21:15 – The Universe Rewards Bravery: Why Bombing is Part of the Path
• 24:50 – The Great Sand Dunes: Backpacking as a Gratitude Reset
• 28:30 – "I Am an Animal": Remembering Your Roots in Mother Nature
• 32:00 – Grizzly Bears & Rental Agreements: The Risk of the Woods
• 35:15 – News: Aliens are Real and AI is the New Terminator
• 38:40 – Economics 101: Why Everything is $80,000 and Nobody is Happy
• 41:20 – The "F***ing" of the Common Man: A Tribute to Patrice O’Neill