Passion Pod

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Episodes

254

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Nov 2026

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About the show

Hosted by Chris Johnson the Passion Pod is an inspirational storytelling experience featuring unique guests that are also pursuing their passions. The goal is to inspire the listener to think about think about their own passions and to help them find more ways to incorporate those passions into their lives.

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60 recent

November 9, 2026Episode 2411 hr 41 min

Episode 241 Cleen Rock One (Part 2)

Celebrity tattooer Cleen Rock One is back on Passion Pod, and this time Chris Johnson drives to Kewanee, Illinois to see the viral Chrome Gypsy tattoo compound in person. Cleen is an Ink Master legend, and he is telling the real story. Cleen's quote from this episode: "Don't believe anything I said on TV... believe what he says on this podcast, this is the real me." In this episode: - Behind-the-scenes Ink Master secrets, including psych evaluations, scripted interviews and the drama nobody saw on TV - The Ink Master debate: did Cleen actually win? (Finalist, Grudge Match winner, coach and judge) - Why Cleen moved from Vegas back to Illinois - A tattoo seminar where 13 tattooers built their own tattoo machines from scratch - Renovating houses and a Chevy dealership, plus fish fry Fridays at his bar - Why he has been sober his whole life (straight edge punk and skate scene) - How he lost his front teeth, his greaser look and his tattooed head - 31 years of tattooing, his funniest tattoos and his Tattoo of the Day streak - His Mount Rushmore of tattooing: Sailor Jerry, Paul Rogers, Paul Jeff and Freddy Negrete / Jack Rudy If you love tattoo culture, Ink Master, or stories from people living their passion, this one is for you. Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Passion Pod. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA Website: https://passionpod.org

October 26, 2026Episode 2401 hr 5 min

Episode 240 Robin Greenfield

Environmental activist Robin Greenfield lives off the grid, eats foraged food, and has no bank account or ID. We sat down at his off-grid Hermitage to talk about it. Robin left a marketing career in 2011 and has lived as a decades-long experiment in simple, sustainable living ever since. In this episode of Passion Pod, host Chris Johnson sits down with environmental activist, adventurer, and experimentalist Robin Greenfield at his off-grid sauna house in northern Wisconsin. Robin has lived in a $950 tiny home, biked across the U.S. three times with no negative environmental impact, and eaten dumpster-rescued food. He started the Dumpster Divers Defense Fund, wore all his trash for 30 days in NYC and LA, and flew to Panama with no money and found his way home. He has also spoken at the United Nations. Right now he's in the last two weeks of a full year of foraging, hunting, and fishing all of his food and medicine. He's also behind the 1 million fruit trees planting initiative and the documentary "Greenfield." In this conversation we talk about: Why he left marketing after Food Inc., The Story of Stuff, and The Omnivore's Dilemma Minimalism, sustainability, and living off the grid Life without money, ID, a passport, or a credit card Community, sharing, ego, and service Four years of exploring "universal love" for nature, trees, and animals Facing mortality and being kind to yourself Robin's challenge: "Am I living the life I truly want to, and are my actions aligned with my beliefs?" If you're curious about sustainable living, minimalism, or what it takes to live by your values, this one's for you. Learn more about Robin Greenfield: Website: https://robingreenfield.org Instagram: / robin.greenfield Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: / passionpod TikTok: / passionpod Facebook: / passion-pod-100063883543053 YouTube: / @passionpod Website: https://passionpod.org Passion Pod features inspiring stories from people with unique, passion-driven lives and careers. Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

October 12, 2026Episode 2391 hr 28 min

Episode 239 Paul Noth

What does it take to become one of America's most celebrated cartoonists — without ever going to art school? Paul Noth is a New Yorker cartoonist with over 400 published cartoons since 2004, the winner of the prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor, and Wisconsin's first-ever Cartoonist Laureate. He's also the co-creator of the Emmy-nominated animated series Pale Force, made with comedian Jim Gaffigan for Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and has created cartoons for SNL, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network. In this episode, Paul sits down with host Chris Johnson to talk about his unlikely path from struggling fiction writer to cartoon icon, the story behind his viral wolf and sheep cartoon that exploded after the 2016 election, what it's really like submitting 10 cartoons a week to The New Yorker, and his brand-new book "I Am Going to Eat You and Other Awkward Truths." If you love comedy, cartooning, creative careers, or just a great story about following your passion — this one's for you.

September 21, 2026Episode 23856 min

Episode 238 Justin Willman

Comedy magician Justin Willman — star of Netflix's Magic for Humans — joins host Chris Johnson at the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, WI, recorded live before his show. They get into how Justin traveled with up to 14 doves and snuck them onto airplanes, what made him drop the name "Justin Kredible" for his real name, how he landed Cupcake Wars and nearly got his own Comedy Central variety show, and how he became the first magician to have a special on Netflix. Also in this episode: his favorite memory with the Obamas, the story behind his viral wedding dance, a run-in with Weird Al, and the tricks and pranks that went spectacularly wrong. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA

September 14, 2026Episode 2371 hr 31 min

Episode 237 Robb Mommaerts

In Episode 237 of Passion Pod, illustrator Robb Mommaerts shares his journey from getting paid for his artwork and published in a newspaper during high school to building a career in graphic design, children’s books, games, and illustration. Robb discusses illustrating the first Hodag book, growing an audience on DeviantArt, working with Cryptozoic on Food Fight and Epic Spell Wars as R.S. Bixby, illustrating the Klawde Evil Alien Warlord Cat series, how he designs characters like Mummy Man, and more. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA

August 31, 2026Episode 2361 hr 11 min

Episode 236 Richie Murphy

Episode 236 of the Passion Pod features Richie Murphy—a football player and content creator who shares what it takes to pursue a professional career after college while building an audience online. In this wide-ranging conversation, Richie and Chris discuss the realities of chasing big goals, creating content, dealing with criticism, and finding ways to make a living from your passion. We talk about: Richie’s decision to pursue professional football after college How much clickbait is acceptable—and where to draw the line Handling trolls and negativity online How Richie makes money from his content His favorite Chicago Bears players His thoughts on the NFC North this season The best celebrations in football His best and worst plays The challenges of building a career around sports and content creation And much more! If you enjoy inspiring conversations with people pursuing unique careers and passions, make sure to like this episode, subscribe to the Passion Pod, and leave a comment sharing your favorite football player or celebration.

August 24, 2026Episode 23541 min

Episode 235 Khary part 2

Rapper Khary returns to the Passion Pod to talk about his journey from Rhode Island to New York and Los Angeles, working at The FADER, building an independent music career, creative evolution, skating, live performances, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with artists and creators pursuing their passions. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA

August 17, 2026Episode 2341 hr 31 min

Episode 234 Nicole Hause

Professional skateboarder Nicole Hause from Stillwater, Minnesota joins Chris on Passion Pod for an honest conversation about her journey through professional skateboarding, competing around the world, and building a career around her passion. Nicole shares what it was like skating with Tony Hawk at just 13 years old, earning $30,000 from appearing in a Subway commercial, and street skating with the REAL Skateboards team. She also talks about designing her own Nike SB Dunk colorway, launching the hardware brand LOOP with her friends, and the experiences that helped shape her career as a professional skateboarder. Nicole and Chris also discuss the challenges of tearing her ACL, the difficult road to recovery, and what it takes to keep moving forward after a major injury. Plus, Nicole talks about her podcast No Big Deal and the stories behind her life, career, and creative projects. If you love skateboarding, inspiring career stories, professional athletes, or conversations about turning your passion into a life, this episode is for you. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA

August 3, 2026Episode 2331 hr 23 min

Episode 233 Pony Lawson

Pony Lawson has been tattooing almost 25 years — but his road to owning Mayday Tattoo Studio in Chicago started in a tiny Indiana town, involved dropping out of school, picking up his first machine at 14, and sleeping in his car on the streets of Chicago. This episode is a raw, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to build a career doing something you love when the odds are stacked against you. Chris and Pony cover the full story: Ink Master Season 16 behind the scenes, judging drama, favorite canvases, and the tattoos that stood out most. They also dig into Pony's signature gold and chrome tattoo style — including the viral butt plug tattoo, the origin of his gold balloon dog work, and why he thinks certain styles are the hardest to master. Plus, Pony breaks down his YouTube show Ultimate Tattoo Battle, his deep Robocop obsession, and his honest takes on the best and worst of Ink Master overall. If you love tattooing, unique career stories, or just want to hear from someone who's truly earned their place in the industry — this one's for you. Subscribe so you never miss a new episode of Passion Pod. 📲 Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA

July 20, 2026Episode 2321 hr 38 min

Episode 232 Tom Richmond

Tom Richmond is one of the most recognized caricature artists alive. For over 20 years he's been a staple of MAD Magazine, drawing parodies of shows like Stranger Things, The Sopranos, and Lost. He was the president of the National Caricature Network, author of the definitive caricature guide The Mad Art of Caricature, and has worked for everyone from Scholastic to Sports Illustrated Kids. In this episode, Tom talks about starting out at Six Flags, the long road to breaking into MAD, what it was like when JJ Abrams called him personally, why Aerosmith killed a Disney project over vanity, and what AI really means for illustration careers. What we cover: 40 years of caricature and freelance illustration Behind the scenes at MAD Magazine Celebrity stories: Brian Cranston, James Gandolfini, Aerosmith Turning down Weird Al and working with Jeff Dunham The CNN History of the Sitcom Times Square billboard His new podcast for cartoonists and his sold-out book Clap Trap Tom Richmond's work: tomrichmond.com Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@passionpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Passion-Pod-100063883543053/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRARBmS0h7W2Eh00Y8uyNtA Website: https://passionpod.org

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