Bad Idea Social Club

Hosted by Aaron McCall

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Bad Idea Social Club is an independent podcast of stories, insights, and creative foolery. Hosted by graphic designer Aaron McCall with photographer Joe Matteson, the show brings honest, unfiltered conversations with creatives about the work, the mess, and everything that comes with it. This is a space where honesty meets the beautifully unhinged parts of creativity, process, struggle, joy, mental health, and everything else we don’t usually say out loud.

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60 recent

October 13, 2026Episode 51 hr 1 min

Tanya Avoundjian: Curly-Haired Critter

Tanya Avoundjian (creative director, designer, Stout Collective ) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about wearing her Armenian-American identity and what it shaped in her, getting her hands dirty as a creative director who doesn’t fit the Don Draper mold, and the “what if” as a creative philosophy. She started by illustrating forum avatars for fake gold and look at her now. Keep up with Tanya Avoundjian: IG: @t.basmadjian Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

October 8, 20265 min

Midnight Society: A Poster Show

Midnight Society: A Poster Show Saturday, October 17, 2026 Coopersville Brewing Company Coopersville, Michigan Get Directions 13 ARTISTS. 13 POSTERS. 1 CREATIVE BRIEF. Midnight is when everything is still enough to hear the noise and the silence all at once. The day resets, but nothing resolves. Ideas creep in, doubts get louder, anxiety vibrates and the unknown shifts shapes. It sits on our chests mocking our decisions, our actions, and our thoughts. We either wait for it to pass, or we welcome the horror and let the darkness set in. We have assembled 13 of the coolest poster artists we could find to throw one hauntingly bad ass poster show. All artists are working from the same creative brief and interpreting the direction based off of their own horrors and experiences. Event Details: https://badideasocialclub.com/events/midnight-society-poster-show —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

October 6, 2026Episode 41 hr 5 min

Riley Dompierre: Wanderlust

Riley Dompierre (photographer, sewist, creative nomad) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about keeping creativity wild and untamed, the idealism and reality of living in a commune, and the relationship between creativity and humanity. Five foot two and completely unafraid. Keep up with Riley Dompierre: IG: @thimbleandgruff Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

September 29, 2026Episode 31 hr 14 min

David Martinez: Fast Forward to the Good Part

David Martinez (drummer, Tidals , Second Body ) shares his story with Aaron McCall as they talk about rediscovering drumming after a decade, changing relationships with people, alcohol, and creativity, and not letting anybody or anything else define you. Dave and Aaron are old friends and bandmates from ~20 years ago; their music was loud and fast and their jeans were so tight. So. Tight. Keep up with David Martinez: IG: @davidmcmartinez IG: @tidalband IG: @second.body.band Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

September 22, 2026Episode 250 min

Abbie Lemke: The Power of Love

Abbie Lemke (comedian, writer, Off Air) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about living with and masking an invisible disability, comedy as survival, writing a TV show with little to no resources, and not changing who you are for anybody. She’s been on stage over 1,000 times and she’s just getting started. Keep up with Abbie Lemke: abbielemke.com IG: @abbielemkellc IG: @offairtheshow Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

September 15, 2026Episode 11 hr 10 min

Kayla Turpin: Messy Things

Kayla Turpin (film photographer) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they talk about living and capturing the real, messy, unposed moments, the hunger for internal and external validation, and weighing authenticity against posturing. Wind in the hair, tears on the lens, Kayla opens up about all of it. Keep up with Kayla Turpin: kaylaturpin.com IG: @kaylaturpinphoto Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

September 1, 2026Episode 1856 min

⏮ REWIND // Leigh Ann Cobb: Awkward Art Kid

Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Leigh Ann Cobb: Awkward Art Kid" from Season 4. Leigh Ann Cobb (photographer) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they discuss going from an awkward art kid to an awkward art grown-up, what it takes to keep her sense of self and identity in check, and the relationship between Leigh Ann and the camera, the camera and her subjects, and more importantly, Leigh Ann and her subjects. Keep up with Leigh Ann Cobb: leighanncobb.com IG: @leigh.ann.cobb.photo Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

August 25, 2026Episode 1754 min

⏮ REWIND // Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and The Harm

Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and The Harm" from Season 6. Courtney Lauer (graphic designer, artist) shares her story with Aaron McCall and talks about survival, control, and the strength it takes to turn pain into something honest. She opens up about surviving and processing trauma, rebuilding identity through creativity, and using art to make sense of the things that don’t have easy answers. Keep up with Courtney Lauer: courtneylauer.me IG: @courtneylauer Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

August 18, 2026Episode 1656 min

⏮ REWIND // Khalid Ibrahim: In Love & Focus

Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Khalid Ibrahim: In Love & Focus" from Season 2. Khalid Ibrahim (photographer, Eat Pomegranate ) opens up with Aaron McCall about connecting with his subjects, balancing his creativity with his life as an epidemiologist, and how his experiences growing up in both Pakistan and the United States have influenced his relationship with his camera. Keep up with Khalid Ibrahim: eatpomegranate.com IG: @eatpomegranate Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

August 11, 2026Episode 1559 min

⏮ REWIND // Alyssa Pacheco: Mirror Mirror

Part of our REWIND summer series, we’re revisiting eight conversations that crawled into our brains and hearts, nested, and just live there now. This time, it’s "Alyssa Pacheco: Mirror Mirror" from Season 4. Alyssa Pacheco (poet, author, artist) shares her story with Aaron McCall as they discuss the deeply personal nature of her work. Alyssa opens up about the influence of her family dynamics, the vulnerability in her words, and how her lived experiences serve as a form of discovery, expression, and a vehicle for creativity. Keep up with Alyssa Pacheco: apachecopublishings.com IG: @lyss_poetry Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Monthly lecture series. Everyone's creative and everyone's welcome. Find your local chapter. Merchants & Makers West Michigan artists, makers, and small businesses. Shop local with food trucks and live music. —— This episode is supported by: Creative Mornings Grand Rapids Merchants & Makers —— Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall —— Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co IG: @joe_dustin —— Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches —— Support the Podcast: Buy Merch —— Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com IG: @badideasocialclub

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