Wease Family Circus

Clark Peshkin is the presenting sponsor of Wease Family Circus.

Clark Peshkin hosts free estate planning workshops that explain what actually works for New York families, especially if you own a home and want to keep things private and simple for the people you love.

Register at https://clarkpeshkin.com/wease

In this episode of Wease Family Circus, the family gathers to witness history as Team USA captures Olympic gold in men's hockey for the first time in 46 years—and for the first time ever on foreign soil.

The game was nothing short of miraculous. Facing a stacked Canadian roster loaded with 15 Stanley Cup champions compared to America's three, the underdog U.S. squad pulled off a stunning 2-1 overtime victory that had people comparing it to the legendary 1980 Miracle on Ice.

Wease doesn't just compare it—he argues this win might actually be more impressive. Different era, different circumstances, but the same kind of magic that makes you believe in the impossible.

The family breaks down every moment:

• That unbelievable first goal where the puck was hit out of mid-air and threaded between two defensemen
• Connor Hellebuyck's heroic performance in net—the save of the game that kept it tied and the countless stops that kept Canada off the board
• The gut-wrenching 5-on-3 penalty kill that Wease called as the turning point: "If they don't score here, we're winning this game"
• Jack Hughes losing teeth for his country and the announcer's perfect line: "He traded a couple teeth for a gold medal"
• The Hughes brothers (Quinn and Jack) leading the charge alongside teammates from across the NHL
• Buffalo's own Tage Thompson bringing home gold—his third goal of the tournament and a huge moment for Sabres fans

But the most emotional moment came after the final buzzer, when the team brought Johnny Gaudreau's two young children onto the ice to celebrate. Gaudreau, who would have been on this team, was killed by a drunk driver along with his brother while riding bikes the day before their sister's wedding. His jersey hung in the locker room throughout the tournament. His son turned two years old on the day of the gold medal game. The photo of those kids on the ice will live forever.

Wease and the family couldn't hold it together. Nobody could.

The episode also dives into:

• The fact that half the women's gold medal team played at Bishop Kearney in Rochester—a local hockey powerhouse turning out elite talent
• How the Hughes brothers and another U.S. player all lived together with the Hughes family during juniors, with the dad teaching one of them how to drive
• The dedication of hockey parents—the time, the money, the travel, the freezing rinks at 6 a.m.
• Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson flying back to Miami together after playing against each other for gold
• Sam Reinhart and Brady Tkachuk also facing off as opponents in the gold medal game
• The fact that this was the first U.S. gold medal win not on American soil—the previous two (1960 and 1980) were both at home

Wease also gets into the other Olympic events that caught his attention—curling strategy, the Italian women's team controversy, the insane talent in halfpipe skiing, and the discovery that bobsled drivers are actually steering the sled the whole way down. Who knew?

The family reflects on how this game filled the void left by another Bills-less Sunday, how it brought the country together, and why moments like this remind you why sports matter.

From the miracle on ice to the heartbreak of Johnny Gaudreau's story, from Jack Hughes' missing teeth to Connor Hellebuyck's brick wall performance, this episode captures everything that made this Olympic gold medal game unforgettable.

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Clark Peshkin is the presenting sponsor of Wease Family Circus.

Clark Peshkin hosts free estate planning workshops that explain what actually works for New York families, especially if you own a home and want to keep things private and simple for the people you love.

Register at https://clarkpeshkin.com/wease

In Episode 6 of Wease Family Circus, the family sits down with true crime author Susan Ashline for an unforgettable conversation about her latest book, Ungrateful Bastard: The Shocking Journey of a Killer and Escape Artist.

This isn't your typical true crime story. It's the criminal biography of Gordon "Woody" Maurer, a man who murdered both of his parents at 18, fled to Texas with his 14-year-old girlfriend, sparked an international manhunt, and became the subject of America's Most Wanted. But that was just the beginning.

Once behind bars, Woody didn't fade into obscurity. He manipulated guards, survived brutal conditions, and orchestrated a bizarre escape plan involving what he called a "coffin"—a plan so elaborate it made international headlines in 2017. His story runs parallel to the Menendez brothers case, complete with allegations of childhood abuse, ineffective legal counsel, and a constitutional appeal that recently brought him into a public courtroom for the first time in 30 years.

Susan takes the family deep into the story:

• The horrific abuse Woody endured growing up on an isolated rural farm in Richfield, outside of Utica
• The night he shot both parents—and why nobody was supposed to get killed
• His years in maximum security, where he learned to work the system and survive in one of the nation's most notorious prisons
• The allegations of a $10,000 bribe tied to his guilty plea—and the attorney he wanted to kill over it
• How Susan verified his wild claims, from beatings to escapes to relationships behind bars
• The moment she sat across from Woody in prison, terrified he might jump the table

Wease admits he couldn't put the book down. He took notes. He told Doreen everything at dinner each night. And despite all the brutality, all the crimes, all the rage—Wease found himself feeling sympathy for the guy. Susan was shocked. She thought readers would hate Woody. Instead, they're reaching out saying they feel bad for him.

The family listens to chilling audio from Woody himself, recorded during Susan's interviews. You hear him describe shooting his parents. You hear him talk about wanting to snap his former attorney's neck. You hear the cold, harsh voice of a man who's spent decades in solitary confinement and doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks.

But there's more to the story than violence. There's manipulation, survival, and a man who—despite everything—was still listening to Brother Wease on the radio while building his escape coffin in Auburn.

Susan also reveals:

• How Woody's recent court hearing brought new corroboration to his claims
• Why his case mirrors the Menendez brothers—abuse, appeals, and media attention
• The bizarre reality of prison life, including sexual abuse statistics and relationships behind bars
• How she tracked down other inmates to verify Woody's stories—and what they confirmed
• Why the book's title, Ungrateful Bastard, comes from a nickname his mother gave him

The episode also dives into Susan's previous books—Without a Prayer, now the basis of two Hulu docuseries about cults, and A Jacket Off the Gorge, her account of unknowingly dating an ex-con. Wease is a superfan of her work, and this conversation proves why.

Plus, the family gets into:

• The Super Bowl—Drake Maye vs. Donald, MVP debates, and why the Bills would've smoked both teams
• Stefon Diggs and Matt Collins fighting Seahawks defenders together, even though they barely played together in Buffalo
• The Sabres' playoff push and whether they can hold onto their wild card spot
• Wease's brutal poker bad beats and why he's ready to quit (again)
• The frozen iguanas falling from trees in South Florida—and Wease's unpopular defense of them
• A wild encounter with a 50-year-old guy in traffic who looked 80 and had some interesting life advice

Susan will be doing a book signing at Elvio's Coffee Shop in Webster on February 21st from 9-11 a.m. Lucy and Jake will be there. Wease and Doreen are stuck in Florida, but they're cheering from afar.

And here's the kicker: Right after recording this episode, the family got Woody on the phone from prison. That conversation will be released as a bonus episode—and you'll hear the whole story directly from the killer himself.

This is raw, intense, and unlike anything Wease Family Circus has done before. From true crime deep dives to family chaos to sports rants, Episode 6 delivers on every level.

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Clark Peshkin is the presenting sponsor of Wease Family Circus.

Clark Peshkin hosts free estate planning workshops that explain what actually works for New York families, especially if you own a home and want to keep things private and simple for the people you love.

Register at https://clarkpeshkin.com/wease

In Episode 5 of Wease Family Circus, chaos reigns as the family gathers to share stories that could only happen to them—fainting spells, dog bites, and a legendary Rochester broadcaster stopping by before heading out on a cruise.

Steve Houseman, the voice of Rochester radio for over 50 years, joins the show from Florida for a conversation packed with nostalgia, laughter, and memories from the golden days of broadcasting. Steve and Wease dig into their three years working together, from backstage moments with Meatloaf to the chaos of Bills games in Florida, to the day Steve quit live on the air and had to be called back out of retirement.

The two legends reminisce about:

• The phone call that changed everything during a playoff series
• Young Stevie Houseman dropping an F-bomb on the air at age nine
• Steve's invention of the phrase "Squish the Fish" during Patriots-Dolphins rivalry days
• The brutal realities of radio careers, firings, and the business that never slows down
• Why country music artists are just like hockey players—down to earth and generous with their time

But the real drama unfolds within the Wease household itself.

Jake faints—again. After bringing his two-year-old son Ronan in for eye surgery, Jake makes it through the anesthesia and the procedure just fine. But the moment he looks into Ronan's eyes in the recovery room and sees the stitches, it's lights out. Medical staff scramble to help Jake while Bianca tries to comfort Ronan, who's waking up in a fog. Jake recounts his long history of fainting—eight times and counting—from the dermatologist to Warby Parker to the emergency room. The one exception? He made it through Ronan's home birth without passing out. Go figure.

Stevie bites—twice. Doreen's French bulldog Stevie goes full shark mode, biting her not once but twice in the same day over a coconut. Blood everywhere. Panic ensues. Doreen declares she never wanted a dog in the first place and threatens to give Stevie away. Wease has to intervene, hold the dog back, and fish the coconut out of the pool while Doreen bleeds all over the kitchen. It's peak Wease Family Circus dysfunction, and somehow the dog still runs the house.

The episode also dives into:

• The new Miracle on Ice documentary and why it's a must-watch for hockey fans
• Wease's refusal to watch the gay hockey drama everyone's talking about (and Doreen's confession that she's hooked)
• Bobby Slayton's name appearing in the Epstein files—and why the headline isn't the real story
• The upcoming Olympics, curling obsession, and whether anyone actually watches women's hockey
• Why estate planning matters, especially if you own a home, and how a pour-over will can protect your family

This episode is raw, funny, and filled with the kind of honest family moments that make Wease Family Circus unlike anything else out there. From radio legends to fainting spells to French bulldogs with anger management issues, Episode 5 delivers laughs, chaos, and plenty of heart.

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Clark Peshkin is the presenting sponsor of Wease Family Circus.

Clark Peshkin hosts free estate planning workshops that explain what actually works for New York families, especially if you own a home and want to keep things private and simple for the people you love.

Register at clarkpeshkin.com/wease

In Episode 4 of Wease Family Circus, legendary Seattle broadcaster BJ Shea joins the family for one of the most honest conversations the show has had so far.

BJ tells the true story behind a moment that stopped everyone in the room cold. He eventually learned that he had been hired for a major radio role as a contingency plan, based on the belief that Wease might not survive cancer. When Wease did survive, the plan quietly changed, and BJ was left dealing with the fallout long after the decisions had already been made.

The episode pulls back the curtain on how radio really works when careers, contracts, and corporate strategy collide with real life. It is funny in a way only uncomfortable truth can be, and heavy in the way stories like this usually are.

BJ and the family dig into:

• What it feels like to discover you were someone else’s backup plan
• The human cost of behind-the-scenes radio decisions
• Loyalty, integrity, and survival in a business that rarely slows down
• How moments like this shape careers and people forever

It is raw, surprising, and deeply personal, with laughs coming from places you would not expect.

Be on the lookout for bonus content at the end of the episode, where the conversation keeps going after you think it is over.

This episode of The Wease Family Circus is presented by Clark Peshkin.

After more than 40 years on the radio, Radio Hall of Famer Brother Wease walked into what was supposed to be another morning show — and walked out knowing it would be his last.

But the public story wasn’t the real story.

In this episode, Wease and his family sit down to tell, in full detail, what actually happened behind the scenes on the day his radio career ended. From late-night phone calls and sleepless hours, to management pressure, silenced microphones, and a goodbye that almost never happened, this is the unfiltered account of a moment Rochester listeners felt — but never fully saw.

This is not a rant.

This is not speculation.

This is the story as it unfolded, from the people who were there.

You’ll hear:

• What management wanted announced — and when

• Why the final show nearly never happened

• How a 40-year legacy was reduced to a “format change”

• The moment Wease decided he wouldn’t betray his audience

• Why this podcast exists at all — and how it began that day

For longtime listeners, this episode provides clarity.

For new listeners, it’s the origin story of The Wease Family Circus.

People wanted the details.

Here they are.

Clark Peshkin is the presenting sponsor of Wease Family Circus. Clark Peshkin hosts free estate planning workshops that explain what actually works for New York families, especially if you own a home and want to keep things private and simple for the people you love. Register at clarkpeshkin.com/wease

The Dog Peed The Bed—and that's just the beginning of the chaos in Episode 2. Fresh off the heartbreak of the Bills' playoff loss, the Wease family gathers to process the pain, debate what went wrong, and share their raw reactions to Sean McDermott getting fired. From Lucy attending a watch party at Barbell Bob to the collective depression that followed, this episode captures what it means to be a Bills fan in 2025—hope, heartbreak, and the inevitable "wait 'til next year." But sports aren't the only topic on the table. Wease dives into the Miami Hurricanes' national championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers, breaking down the gutsy coaching decisions and standout performances that made it a thriller. Plus, there's plenty of family banter about keeping up with the neighbors (who all drive BMWs), Wease's insistence on shopping for a new luxury car, and Doreen's firm stance on why he absolutely should not. Then comes the story that defines this episode: Stevie the dog pees the bed at 2 a.m. after Wease ignored explicit warnings not to feed her greasy chicken wings and BBQ ribs. Doreen recounts the entire ordeal—rinsing the comforter, doing laundry in the middle of the night, bundling up to take the dog out again—all while Wease slept soundly. When he woke up freezing and complained about his missing blanket, he had no idea what chaos had unfolded. It's peak Wease Family Circus. Other highlights include: Merch madness: Jake and Wease go head-to-head over pricing and quality. Jake wants premium garments that feel great and look sharp; Wease thinks $35 for a T-shirt is highway robbery. The compromise? Options for everyone—whether you want top-tier or basic gear with the logo. Website sneak peek: Wease accidentally leaks details about the upcoming Wease Family Circus website (oops), which Jake has been building with help from Paul Azac and Glenn Galbraith. It's loaded with vintage photos, merch, bios, and more—coming soon. YouTube comments: Wease discovers the YouTube Studio app and is blown away by the flood of positive feedback, guest requests, and nostalgic asks. The family discusses ramping up content—live shows on Sunday nights, Throwback Thursdays, recorded episodes, and more. Expect at least four unique pieces of content per week. Parking lot battles: A heated debate over backup cameras, tight parking spots, and Wease's refusal to use technology. Doreen can park the car in three seconds. Wease? Not so much. Cue the embarrassment when a neighbor watches the whole ordeal. Coming soon: Fan-favorite guests like Tools, Diane, Tommy, Mary Ann, Cirque, Brooks, and more Rochester legends. Plus, the first sponsor—Cannabis Quarter in Clifford—gets a shoutout for their pre-rolls, gummies, and vapes (shoutout to those dog walker joints). And the big tease: Next episode, Wease promises to reveal everything that happened on his final day on the air—the day that ended his 40+ year radio career with no goodbye, no farewell tour, just done. You'll see never-before-seen video and hear the full story behind the shocking exit that left everyone wondering what really went down. Whether you're here for the Bills misery, the family dysfunction, or the promise of legendary stories to come, Episode 2 delivers laughs, chaos, and plenty of heart. It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Welcome to the very first episode of Wease Family Circus! After more than 40 years on the radio, Brother Wease is back—this time in podcast form, and you're invited into the family. Recorded in Florida just before a Bills game, this debut episode captures the raw, unfiltered energy that made Wease a radio legend, now with a whole new twist: video, behind-the-scenes access, and complete creative freedom. Join Wease, his son and producer Satchel (Jake Levin), Doreen Levin (His wife) and the rest of the family as they navigate this brand new medium. Jake has built an incredible studio setup, and the emotion behind bringing this project to life is palpable. As Jake admits, even he cried watching the final cut come together. What to expect from Wease Family Circus: Throwback Thursdays: Dive deep into the archives with hours of classic audio from the radio days—Sam Kinison, Chris Rock, and countless unforgettable moments from 1992-1996 and beyond. For the first time ever, Wease can share this audio that was locked away during his radio career. Listen along live as the family reacts and shares stories you've never heard. Legendary Guests: Get ready for appearances from the whole crew—BJ, Cindy Pierce, Slayton, Shubi, Billy Dittore, and more. Plus sports icons like Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Doug Flutie. Wease promises to track down everyone from the glory days and bring you the real stories behind the scenes. Four Generations, One Panel: With perspectives spanning multiple generations, every topic—from sports to social media to pop culture—gets dissected from all angles. Lucy will be joining to challenge everyone and keep things interesting. The Untold Story: Why did Wease's radio career end so abruptly? No farewell tour, no two-week goodbye, just... done. Every news outlet wanted the story, but he didn't tell it. Until now. The podcast will reveal everything that happened on that final day, complete with exclusive video footage that captures the emotion and drama behind the scenes. This episode also features plenty of classic Wease tangents: debates about Tony Romo, the Manning Cast, and football announcers; rants about people commenting on fictional TV characters from Landman; Miami Hurricanes fandom; the obsession with Costco; car spotting in South Florida; and why sunsets and sunrises are overrated (or are they?). Wease also addresses the haters head-on, proudly owning his age and experience: "I've been on this planet longer than you, and every day you learn something." He welcomes all feedback, good or bad, and encourages listeners to drop comments, call the new phone line (585-720-0000), and suggest guests and ideas. This is just the beginning. The Wease Family Circus is about to take you on a ride filled with nostalgia, laughter, raw honesty, and a whole lot of heart. Whether you've been a fan since the radio days or you're just discovering the legend, there's a seat at this table for you. It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.