Live from Comicpalooza!

Welcome to Mad Props. Host Chris Schnabel takes the stage at Comicpalooza for his first-ever live panel, The Art of the Interview. Join the Discord - https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb Recorded live at Comicpalooza in Houston, Texas, Chris pulls back the curtain on how Mad Props grew from a small podcast recorded over Zoom during the pandemic into a show with over 16,000 YouTube subscribers and conversations with legendary voice actors, creators, musicians, athletes, and entertainers. This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at the philosophy that built Mad Props: moving beyond traditional question-and-answer interviews and creating genuine conversations by discovering what guests are passionate about outside of what they are known for. The conversation explores: • The origins of Mad Props and the transition from Offstage • Why traditional interviews often miss the most interesting stories • Avoiding being starstruck during interviews • Podcast equipment and starting with what you have • The importance of consistency and long-term growth • Stories behind guests like Rob Paulsen, Carlos Alazraqui, and H. Jon Benjamin • Dream guests and never being afraid to hear "no" Follow Mad Props Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madpropspod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madpropspod X: https://www.x.com/madpropspod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madpropspod Follow Chris Schnabel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisschnabel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.schnabel YouTube: @Chris.Schnabel Video shot by Will Cornell Mad Props is a Schnabel Studios Production Chapters 00:17 – Welcome to The Art of the Interview Panel & The Story Behind Mad Props 02:04 – How a Spider-Man Conversation with Julius Thomas Changed the Podcast 04:01 – Why Mad Props Focuses on Conversations Instead of Q&A 05:39 – How Chris Researches Guests & Finds Unique Stories 07:10 – How to Get Celebrity Guests & The Biggest Mistakes Creators Make 09:14 – Finding Contact Information & Convention Etiquette 11:04 – Interviewing Guests You Know Nothing About 13:02 – Starting Mad Props During COVID & The Importance of Consistency 15:12 – Audience Q&A: Podcast Equipment & Starting Without Perfection 17:43 – Audience Q&A: How to Avoid Being Starstruck During Interviews 20:08 – Dream Guests, Upcoming Episodes & Final Thoughts