Mini-Cast #77 – Candy Is Named Wrong, Stacy Pederson & Brad Stine

I think we need to start over and rename just about every candy product currently on the market. For instance, Snickers – while delicious, the name implies that there may be a secret ingredient in there that the developers don’t want us to know about; Mars Bar – are we really supposed to trust the ingredients that aliens from outer space placed in these snacks?; Babe Ruth – this candy bar tastes like a fat, sweaty baseball player (mmmm… good); Charleston Chew and Big League Chew – I don’t think so… not for children; Butterfinger – whether you look at it as a finger of butter or just butter on your finger, neither conjures pleasurable candy images; M&M’s – Why M’s and more M’s? I’m confused. Shouldn’t it just be M’s?; Almond Joy – really? The almonds are about to be consumed, I’m pretty sure their not too crazy about it, much less filled with joy; Mounds – dirt?; Nerds – really?; Jawbreakers – what happened, was “Broken Femur” already taken?; Jolly Ranchers – lovely thought, but I’ll bet they specialize in beef and that’s just disgusting, if not totally unrelated; Mild Duds – made from milk that fails to work properly?; Sour Patch Kids – I’ve yet to come across a sour patch in a garden or even in a candy factory, especially one that births children; Gummy Worms – candy parasites… need I say more?; Payday – yeah… maybe for the candy maker, but no one else; Wax Lips – they shouldn’t even be selling these. ‘Nuff. Said.

Next, my friend Stacy Pederson joins the show for the first time to talk about her tough times as of late stemming from her addictions as a “hair-aholic”. Despite a fairly normal childhood – with pigtails, ponytails and a few barrettes – it was on her tenth birthday that her aunt gave her a hot pink Conair blow dryer. It was love at first sight. Shortly after, she was introduced to Rave #4 Megahold hairspray, and she got her first “hair-high”. The high hair was the gateway to her first chemical sun-in, and it’s been a downward spiral ever since. She’s had high-hair, long hair, low-hair, hippie hair, no hair… she’s even gone so far as wigging.

But after going cold-turkey, she’s been product free now for three weeks and she realizes that her hair doesn’t need to be in a chemically altered state to be beautiful.

Finally, clean comedy legend, and my mentor, Brad Stine calls in. Brad was the first person that I heard on stage that made me speechless with laughter. Then and there, I made up my mind that I wanted to be a stand up comedian and make people laugh like Brad does. Yet, according to Brad, the fact that I’m working in radio reflects pretty poorly on his mentoring skills. But even Brad is joining the ranks of podcasters, with his monthly PC Free Zone show, where he explores truth and issues openly, without having to second and third guess the political correctness of every syllable. The only rule for him and his guests is that no one is allowed to be offended. It truly is a safe place to talk about today’s hot button issues.

This is very important – even near and dear to Brad’s heart – because it’s no longer worrisome in America if someone has sinned, it’s only bad if someone has offended someone else.

Now, one thing that few people know about Brad is how introverted he truly is. On stage, he’s passionate, brash and lays it all out there. But, like most successful comic, he is also smart and introspective. He’s someone who thinks about himself and the world around him very deeply. This process makes people like Brad come face to face with his struggles and pain. What makes him so special, though, is how he turns that pain and insecurities into cathartic laughter for himself and anyone who gets to hear him. Brad actually finds the process and performing quite powerful, in that he gets to shine a light on humanity and expose the world it for what it is while unapologetically and courageously illuminating hard issues… all while making people fold over in laughter.