Carnival Personnel

Gene and Buck are two very funny guys who are also a couple of the nicest guys Jacques has meet working the opening mic scene in Manchester NH the last few months.  These identical twins have really taken the long route to where they are (easier to name the states they haven’t lived in then the states they have!)  Who are they running from?! They have a plan and they have each other supporting and pushing and busting on each other.  They also have the best laughs and are the best audience at these mics too! I’m not a betting guy but the odds makers having them taking some big steps forward in this very tough business over the next couple years! Follow Buck and Gene on Instagram @Bukuru Ndemukarate CPP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray and Beyond Id   Closing Song: Other Break by Dan Cray and Beyond Id  

Jacques family adopts a dog they were fostering, Biff family then adopts a rescue dog from LA shelter, so Jacques’ family then fosters a dog that had 8 puppies on Valentine’s day.  So, Jacques wins … WAIT, WHAT?!?!?!?  Jacques and his 15-year-old get stuck driving in a blizzard on way to NYC … and on way home his son got stuck in a blizzard of stand-up comedy, getting up on stage at a real life comedy club ABSOLUTLY COLD and loving it!  Then got up just a couple days later at other show. Joe is settling into the new digs and working on the NEW-Seum (Loseum 2.0) Is the highlight of this episode a “Self-Indulgent Theater” from 3/9/20 Ep. 132  - Joe doing The Beverly HillBillies” Theme as sung by John Oliver? Yes.  Yes it is! We chat FAKE Ed Sheeran conning churches out of $35 dollars and free sandwich, Japanese former boyband stars trouble with law (and magnificent hair) and is paying for upgrades for in-game weapons cheating cause you used money from a reel job to do so vs. “Grinding” for 100 hours playing? Bi

Comic Praise EJ talks about moving north from Tampa to Lawrence Mass and DAMN it’s cold here! Praise likes to make folks think AND feel a bit uncomfortable as he makes them laugh.  It’s something Jacques gotten to see in person a couple dozen times. Praise has also hosted mics and talks about what a different comedy muscle group that is all together. A really fun chat with a really funny guy who is just that one lucky break away from being someone we can say … we knew him when! GO SEE LIVE COMEDY … AND MAKE SURE IT’S A SHOW WITH PRAISE ON THE LINE UP!   Find Praise on IG: @IamPraiseWorthy CPP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray and Beyond Id Closing Song: Clowns by Dan Cray and Beyond Id

Biff, Joe and Jacques only covered half the stuff on the run down but yet went over an hour … well, Jacques did!   Jacques has a big stand up show THIS Thursday (Feb. 23, 23) at Luna Theater Lowell MA … Jacques’ also going to UMass-Lowell this week … to be part of focus group for 3 hours for National Grid … I don’t wanna say how much I’m making … let’s just say it’s a lot (Navin R. Johnson)   Jacques also talked taking his son on a fieldtrip to a Pro Sports Game-Ops Symposium/Job Fair at Worcester State Univ. hosted by Woo Bravehearts and Jacques pal Donny (Donny, the ONLY ex Mass Pirates co-worker NOT yet to come on podcast!)  Jacques talked about tearing up seeing Donny speak and flexing in front of his kid.   Joe … gave us not one but TWO Self Indulgent Theaters (if you count the hysterical rant to end the show … and WE do!)   Biff chats the paper a Japanese National Yale professor put out advocating for old folks in Japan to kill themselves to help the economy. Spoiler Alert: Biff DOES NOT agree!!!   Supe

NOTHING says love like the gift of laughter … so as a Valentine Present to our listener … no “s” … Biff and Jacques talk to funny guy, stand-up comic Mike DuPont.   Jacques met Mike a few months back on the harsh open mic circuit.  Mike’s comedy and personality stood out.  He’s genuinely someone Jacques is always happy to see perform at the same hole in wall bar on a school night!   Mike had a colorful path to comedy that shapes his humor in all the best ways.  Mike gave us a couple of Jacques favorite bits of his to start and end the episode!   Mike is quickly making a name for himself in the very competitive, densely (over) populated New England comedy scene.  Jacques thinks we could see a half hour – 45 minute special from Mike sometime in 2023!   Follow Mike at IG @mikeduponthahaloljk CPP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray and B

With Joe SADLY packing the Luseum for his move, Biff and Jacques have a crappy talk about Jacques upcoming colonoscopy and the FOUR Biff’s had!  What!?   Balloon Boy Part Two – The Chines Sequel … as recording started news broke of the spy balloon that was spotted drifting over Montana, where Jacques knows first-hand of Nuke silos from his time spent in the hills of Belt MT!  No, seriously.   Jacques chats being on comic/porn actress/friend of our podcast, podcast Hello Cougar this week and brings all up to speed on his sludge through open mic land which this week brought him to a mostly 20something gay mic in Somerville!   Jacques started and finished Breaking Bad in a week … LOVED IT and his 15-year old whose been dying for Jacques to watch it got some quality time in together bonding over meth!    Call him Ahad - Biff breaks down the Whale Meat Vending machine saga back in his homeland and gives us a snapshot of Whaling in general … Whale meat was a staple in school lunches growing up for Biff.   What will

Jacques & long-time pal Mike Ragogna chat about their years of working together (Mike was A&R executive at Universal Music Group and then Capitol Records).  With no Biff and Joe to keep the guard rails up … Jacques (whose audio is HORRIBLE on this one) rambles more than usual. You’ve been warned!   Mike & Jacques worked on DOZENS of amazing music DVD projects together and it was Mike doing that lead to Jacques being Billy Ray Cyrus quasi-manager and producing a half dozen of his videos, two TV specials, a TV pilot and DOZENS of NFL/NASCAR anthems/concerts.   The two talk Mike’s career as a singer/song writer starting in Mike’s teen-years (his first break writing and singing on Marvel Comic Records themed Spider-Man album.  Mike song “Peter Stays And Spidy Goes” is a well know anthem in the 70s SpiderVerse.  SADLY Joe wasn’t here talk about Mike singing on the 1984 Atari Pole Position Commercial!   Mike and Jacques give shout outs to many “unindicted co-conspirators” they’ve got to meet

With Joe doing grown up things it’s just Biff and Jacques (and his worse then usual audio) yapping.   Big shout out (and apology) to our pal Dave at Complaints and Observations Podcast … he gave out his number to leave messages and Jacques … did.   Another podcast, another mass shooting … this one really close to Biff in LA and in a VERY Asian area.  UGH.   Jacques updates on the grind that is open mic stand up and the way to often white guys punching down and being gross in 2023.  Jacques also started his JTF Hockey Tournament in May yearly work out regime … and has goals of NOT sucking this year in Phoenix!   Biff’s This Week In Crime In Japan clip PLAYED … 9th grader commits murder over cell phone use … ssssoooo fun story? Ugh.   The new House session begins with the shit show expected and no end of the shit show in sight … buckle up!   HIGHLIGHT … A Joe’s Self-Indulgent Theater from Ep. 116 (10/7/19) a Don Adams/Don Knotts mash-up/duet of Ice Ice Baby the highlight … YES! YOU’RE WELCOME!   CP on Twitter a

Upon Jacques request, Biff and Joe put on tin-foil hats like his and they take turns playing Art Bell and chat their thoughts on UFO, Time Travel, What In Science Fiction becomes Science Fact over next few hundred years … and everything else covered by “In Search Of” in the 1970s!   A fun yap feast where if you’re still listening to this podcast after hearing this one … that’s on you!   CP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is: @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: In Search Of (1970'sTV Theme Song)   Closing Song: 12 Dirty Cabana’s and Me by My Brother Zebulon (1992-ish: Twitter @wykydseptyr and @RodMurphy011 )

The lads start the New Year right where they left off … talking about everything and nothing all at once.   Jacques brings everyone up to date on his mid-life crisis of starting a stand-up career in his 50s … what?  And how his families over the top season yard décor brings happiness to passers-by and gifts of skeleton dogs and Vultures to them.   Say it Ain’t So Joe … Joe’s family preps for a move across town thus bringing an end to where CP all started – Joe’s vaulted “LOSEUM”.  Pour one out for “Random Video Game Reviews” from the past.   Biff talks about getting high score on the game of Excel Spreadsheets as his current work project barely gives him time to breathe and get to Friday Night Hockey (FNH) on time.   Greta Thunberg MURDERS Andrew Tate … on Twitter.  Southwest MURDERS their reputation (which was iffy at best to begin with) and the GQP’s Sedition Caucus MURDERED what little dignity Kevin McCarthy had.    CP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on

Because Biff is a real grown-up with a real job … he can’t come out an play … so it’s just Joe and Jacques chatting what they HOPE they accomplish and what they think holds instore for themselves and the world for the year 2023.   Will Brady come back to the Patriots? Will Jacques move back to Los Angeles … will his family find him if he does.    How many Rez Evil reboots and TV reboots come out?  Will Jacques love every new Star Wars and MCU project (pretty sure the answer is yes!)  Will DC stop shooting itself in the foot (pretty sure the answer is sadly NO.)   A tiny look back at the AMAZING guest CP tricked into coming on the podcast in 2022 and looking forward to possible guest and a spin-off(?) in 2023!   CP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: WKRP parody by @Model_CHP3Y (Twitter and Youtube)   Closing Song: Rinse and Spit by Dan Cray & Beyo

Tis the season to gift wrap our last episode of the year … and with a real fan favorite … the return of the beloved self-indulgent theater with Joe singing The Kinks Father Christmas as Gilbert Gottfried (not a dry eye in the house!)   Jacques yaps his open mic follies, google worrying about his mental well-being and his son learning how heart breaking it is to care about watching sports!   Beside EVERYONE, who says the 1973 British movie The Wicker Man is better then the 36k budget VelociPastor … we chat both with equal passion!   Twitter imploding and NYPD evidence warehouse in flames … ain’t we lucky we got em’ … good times. CP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray & Beyond Id   Closing Song: Enough For Everyone by Dan Cray & Beyond Id (Shitty recording from The Ratt in Boston 1996)    

You only hurt the ones you love … so Joe, Biff and Jacques REALLY must love each other! In an episode where there is a lot of laughter … also a lot of excruciating “Sophie’s Choice” decisions. The guys play a game where they list (3) things they know one of the other loves and make them pick which one has to go … based on Jacques 12 year old while driving the other day asking Jacques to pick between Star Wars, DC Comics and Marvel Movies … Jacques had to pull over to give it real thought … and make his kid get out of the car and walk home! CP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray & Beyond Id   Closing Song: Sober by Dan Cray & Beyond Id

You only hurt the ones you love … so Joe, Biff and Jacques REALLY must love each other! In an episode where there is a lot of laughter … also a lot of excruciating “Sophie’s Choice” decisions. The guys play a game where they list (3) things they know one of the other loves and make them pick which one has to go … based on Jacques 12 year old while driving the other day asking Jacques to pick between Star Wars, DC Comics and Marvel Movies … Jacques had to pull over to give it real thought … and make his kid get out of the car and walk home! CP on Twitter and Instagram: @CarnivalPodcast    Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray & Beyond Id   Closing Song: Sober by Dan Cray & Beyond Id

Joe, Biff and Jacques chat some good stuff like SPIRITED the new instant classic Christmas special with Ryan Reynolds & Will Ferrell, Georgia Senator Warnock winning his 4th election in 2 years and Brittney Griner release (and all the racism the GQP could throw her way).   Jacques actually got a really honest to goodness phone book in the mail this week and also finding (much to Joe’s chagrin) the show breakdown and opening skit he was pitching local cable company when Joe mistakenly asked him about simply doing a podcast back in 2016!   Jacques chats his latest stand-up comedy follies, his uncle dying (who he was not close enough to, to know that he lost a lung in 1974 when he was shot by a cop running from a heist in Chelsea MA – True story).   Biff and Jacques get into it a bit over both thinking World Cup games ending on penalty kicks is stupid by Biff seeing them as a necessary evil.   Joe breaks down the new Nintendo Switch – Atari 50th Anniversary Celebration pack and a bit of a history lesson of j

Joe and Jacques chat the passing of Kevin Conroy aka THE voice of Batman.   Jacques is a HUGE fan of the ground-breaking show: Batman The Animated Series and the shows like Justice League and feature films like Mask Of The Phantasm that spun off of it.   Joe knows Conroy best from being the voice of Batman in the 3 Rock Steady Arkham games.    Fun chat about a guy who neither of us met but by all accounts was a really good dude and who brought a hell of a lot to Jacques’ beloved Batman universe. CP on Twitter: @CarnivalPodcast       Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Clip From: Nothing To Fear – Season One Episode 10 Batman The Animated Series   Closing Song: Danny Elfman’s Batman Theme from Batman 89 and BTAS

Biff, Joe and Jacques exchange Thanks Undocumented Europeans Genocide Of Natives Giving Day.  Been a couple weeks and this is a long one so make a sandwich of the left overs and buckle in … or play at 1.5 or 2x speed. Jacques following up last Pods chat of taking his sons (12/15) to a drag show with Grandma (Kinky Boots) to this week with Management taking their kids to a spectacular Nightmare Before Christmas Burlesque show featuring the amazing band Walter Sickert & The Army Of Broken Toys! Jacques also yaps his day trip to Oh Canada with his 12 years old – boarder and parking hick-ups - $300 of great candy – being able to eat McDs fries – hanging with friends there and the horror of store NOT selling Molson but stocked on PBR? WHAT?! Joe chats new Xmas special “Spirited” (Ryan Reynolds/Will Ferrell) and how he no longer can watch Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street with ANYONE he knows in the same zip code. Biff breaks down some Japanese crime, some chop stick etiquette and fascination customs as

So Dems hold Senate but (looks like) barely lost house … by still taking major victory lap for not losing too bad … I guess.  Yep, could have been worse but some really awful POS still got re-elected and Biff and Jacques chat that.   Jacques’ Fox watching mom accidently took his 12-year-old to a drag musical and his managements (wife’s) year off following Duran Duran around the global ended with bitter sweet HOF induction show in LA (with horrible news about founding member Andy Taylor’s stage 4 cancer.)   Biff comes locked and loaded with Japan’s Bass Day history, a funny crime story and … why locked and loaded doesn’t happen much in Japan what with some few guns. (We smell a side show in the future).   Jacques LOVED Wakanda Forever but neither like the Boston Bruins signing (then unsigning) of a real piece of human garbage and wow … Elon is messing up twitter quicker then we all thought.   CP on Twitter: @CarnivalPodcast       Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Tw

30-year touring comedian Jim Colliton chats with Joe and Jacques about coming up as a comic in Boston in the 90s and life as a touring comic today.  “You do the comedy for free but get paid to travel.”  And Jim travels … monthly 2 shows a day 7 days a week on cruise ships!   Joe and Jacques saw Jim at Luna Theater (inside Mill 5 in Lowell) at Greg Boggis’ Mondo Comedy.  His written bits killed and his crowd work slayed!  Jim talks about developing those two skills, being a dad and advice to fledging comings getting started … you know … like Jacques.   And being a insanely small world … Jim and Jacques turns out not just went to Fitchburg State at same time … but in October of 1989 were both on ice together trying out for the college hockey team!    Jim is also a staple at the comedy clubs around New England, check his website, get off your ass and get to a show … you’ll thank us!   JIMWHAT.COM has all his dates and info @JimWhat15 on Instagram   CP on Twitter: @CarnivalPodcast       Biff on Twitter is @BiffPl

Biff has grown up stuff to do today so poor Joe has to put up with Jacques’ ramblings by himself.  Elon buys twitter and proves he is the d-bag we thought right out of the gate.  IS next Tuesday the last somewhat legit electioons in USA history?   Joe and Jacques chat yet ANOTHER trip down the TV38 mid-80s rabbit hole that has become their happy place … Ask The Manager, We Don’t Knock. Jacques is going to try to track down Dana Hersey and get him on the podcast!   Some video game chat.  A “real” parenting tip and more … oh …. Much much more.   CP on Twitter: @CarnivalPodcast       Biff on Twitter is @BiffPlaysHockey Joe on Twitter is: @Optigrabber Jacques on Twitter is @TheJacques4 (but really … @CarnivalPodcast)   Opening Song: Gomer by Dan Cray and Beyond Id Closing Song: Pepsi - Recorded Live at WMFO (Mikey Dee Show) circa 1994(95) by Dan Cray and Beyond Id