Bait and Switch Podcast

This week we talk to Chicago-based comedian Haji Outlaw! We chat about how Haji got his start in stand-up after skipping a Roots concert for an open mic and his perspective on being a stronger writer than a performer. Haji shares stories about coming up in the Chicago scene with future stars like Hannibal Buress and TJ Miller, the strategy behind developing a "locked-in" set, and the nuances of playing different rooms across the city. We also dive into the art of handling hecklers, why bachelorette parties are a comedian's nightmare, and what it’s like to perform for a massive crowd at the Great Lakes Naval Base. All that and much, much more! Enjoy!

The highlight episode for July features our Season 5 interview with author , Paul Hoffman.

The consolidated tract for July features the editor for Milwaukee Magazine and Author Patrick McBride.

Another Bait and Switch Music Review with our esteemed panel of CYCLING experts?? Yes, you heard that right! Cycling champion Tom Schuler picks our album and he's joined by Mitch Teich as we review the 1982 album English Settlement by XTC! We start out asking Tom why he picked this particular record and dive into the band's deliberate transition from a hard-driving commercial sound to a more "pastoral" vibe. We chat about leader Andy Partridge’s struggles with stage fright and Valium addiction, which famously led the band to retire from touring at the height of their success. We also discuss the band's Beatles and Kinks influences, the ancient history behind the Uffington White Horse cover art, the "quirky" nature of the band, including Partridge’s unique "yelping" vocal style, the depth of their symbolic lyrics, their psychedelic side project The Dukes of Stratosphear, our favorite tracks like "Senses Working Overtime" and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week we assemble our panel of esteemed guests, cyclist Brian Halm and Mitch Teich, for our annual preview of the Tour de France! We discuss the favorites of the race, we examine the sprinting field, we take a look at the potential issues with the heat, the strategic importance of the Alpe d’Huez climbs, the new team time trial format and of course we make our predictions for the winner of each jersey. All that and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week we're doing a movie review with two guests who are normally on our music podcasts, Joe Kay and Scott Cvecko. It was Joe's turn to pick the movie and he chose Michael Mann’s 1981 directorial debut, Thief. We start by hearing from Joe K about why he chose this movie, and we chat about how it was the first of many films with the "Mann aesthetic" which is characterized by blue-tinted nights, a synth pulse, and the archetype of the professional loner. We also discuss the film’s realism, noting how Michael Mann hired actual professional thieves as consultants and even had star James Caan train to use the heavy equipment on screen! Along the way, we have a "spirited debate" about the film's deliberate pacing, its controversial "Rambo-esque" climax, and a particularly strange scene involving a mob boss’s wife that left us baffled! Of course, we share our final letter grades on the film and much, much more! Enjoy!

The second highlight episode for June features our talk with Steve about mistakes and redemption.

This mini -ep is the first of 2, highlight tracts for the month of June. It features our preview of the 2022 Winter Olympic games. Give it a listen so you can be prepared!

This week, we bring in our sports guy Jeff Grayson along with professional opera singer Mark Schowalter to celebrate the "Voice of the Century," Mr. Frank Sinatra. We start by hearing the moving story of how Jeff first truly discovered Sinatra’s music through a stack of cassettes during his father’s final days. Mark provides a professional's perspective on what made Sinatra a singular talent, focusing on his incredible storytelling ability, his vocal technique, and his mastery of the microphone. The conversation dives deep into the legendary stories that defined the man, including his generosity with blank checks, his infamous temper, and his rumored mafia ties. We also explore his complicated relationship with the Kennedys, his high praise for Tony Bennett, and the hilarious dynamic he shared with Don Rickles. Along the way, we discuss his career longevity, his work with greats like Nelson Riddle and Tommy Dorsey, and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week, our guest is opera singer, Mark Schowalter! We talk with Mark about his "unexpected path" from a young "prodigy" in Wauwatosa to the prestigious stages of the Metropolitan Opera! He shares his story about how he "backed into" his career, moving from St. Olaf College to Juilliard before being "Called Up" to the Met for a 25 year career singing opera! He also gives us some insight into the inner workings of the Met, exploring everything from its 13 different unions to the massive scale of its costume and set departments. We wrap up with a candid discussion about the challenges facing "dying art forms" like opera and ballet, the impact of declining arts education on younger generations, and the importance of nurturing a classical music culture. All that and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week, long-time guest Joe Kay joins us to catch up on his show, the Play That Rock n' Roll podcast (https://www.youtube.com/@PlayThatPodcast) and discuss the evolving world of podcasting. We chat about Joe's recent trips to Nashville and Los Angeles, where he networked with other creators and interviewed legendary musicians like bassist Billy Sheehan. Our conversation explores the current "podcast bubble," Spotify's shift away from major celebrity contracts, and the industry-wide pivot toward video content on platforms like Netflix. We also dive into the frustrations of dealing with YouTube's automated AI bots and algorithms that often make it difficult for viewers to find the content they actually follow. Along the way, we discuss strategies for building an audience outside of social media, Joe’s take on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame debate, his upcoming move into live streaming and much, much more! Enjoy!

For May we have a double dip of 3 minute highlights. This mini-ep from our 5th season features the owner of a Matchmaking Service

1922 or is it 2022 ( S5 E1 ) 3 min Highlights by Bait and Switch Podcast

This week, Curt Pochert and ADL join us for another movie night as we dive into the 1995 comedy classic, Tommy Boy! We explore the incredible physical comedy of Wisconsin’s own Chris Farley and the unique chemistry he shared with co-star David Spade that turned their real-life SNL friendship into a cinematic showcase. Along the way, we discuss the film's "selling brake pads" plot, Farley’s roots at Marquette University, and the bittersweet legacy of his comedic style. We also branch out into discussions about his idols, John Belushi and John Candy, and look at the iconic roles Farley almost played—including the original voice of Shrek! From favorite quotes to the impact of SNL stars on the big screen, we cover all this and much, much more! Enjoy!

Hey cycling fans!! This week we bring back our cycling experts, longtime guest Mitch Teich and former professional cyclist Tom Schuler, to discuss the upcoming Giro d'Italia! We discuss questions like, who's our favorite to win the race? What will Joao Almeida's absence mean for the podium contenders and for the UAE team? Who are some of the up and coming stars to watch? We also chat about the history of the 7-Eleven cycling team, the role of political protesters in the sport, our podium picks and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week we welcome back long time friend and guest of the show, Scott Cvecko to share a story that's been unfolding in his life recently. A couple years ago, Scott's son sent his information to Ancestry.com. That one decision triggered a domino effect of events that would reveal family secrets, create new relationships and ultimately result in an ending that was impossible to predict. Listen in to hear this amazing story! Enjoy!

This week we dive into the legendary career of the Rolling Stones with our panel of musical experts, Dave Boll and Michael Kay! We start out by discussing the band's early influences like blues artists Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. We also talk about the band's incredible longevity including the secret to Keith Richards' immortality. We do take a quick detour to discuss the latest news regarding Rush, before sharing a hilarious story about a Keith Richards and Chuck Berry documentary, and reminiscing about the iconic Andy Warhol-designed cover for Sticky Fingers. Finally, we touch on the internal dynamics of the group—including the time Charlie Watts allegedly punched Mick Jagger, the origin of the band's name and much, much more! Enjoy!

Crooked Politician ( S4 E30 ) 3 min Highlights by Bait and Switch Podcast

The Snopek's ( S4 E15 & S8 E3 ) Consolidated by Bait and Switch Podcast

This week, ADL and Curt Pochert return to the show for a look back at the 1994 comedy classic, Dumb and Dumber. We start by catching up with our guests on their history working together and their shared connection to the Milwaukee comedy scene. Moving on to the movie, we debate whether Jeff Daniels was the right choice for the role of Harry Dunne and revisit the film's most legendary moments, including the "pretty bird," the frozen tongue, and the infamous toilet scene. From there we chat about Jim Carrey's quick rise to stardom during the mid-90s and the philosophical speech that inspired ADL to "fail at something he loves" by pursuing comedy. We also touch on some of Jim Carrey’s other movies, the nostalgia of VHS collections and the challenges ADL had of viewing media while growing up in Puerto Rico. All that and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week Will Beyer and Theo Marten join us to talk about the band Muse and their album, Black Holes and Revelations. We start out asking Will about why he chose the album and how he was first introduced to Muse. We chat about the different sounds of the album, including the distinct singing voice of lead singer, Matt Bellamy along with the almost soundtrack like quality of some of the tracks on the album. Along the way there's a spirited discussion about the band's frequent comparison to Radiohead, of course our favorite picks from the album and much, much more! Enjoy!

We're back again with our esteemed panel of baseball experts including broadcaster Jeff Grayson, baseball enthusiast Theo Marten and former major leaguer and current broadcaster, Jerry Augustine! This week we talk about our beloved Milwaukee Brewers and preview their upcoming season. We chat about the pitching staff, the status of the infield, whether or not there are any holes in our offense, some potential wildcards this season and much, much more! Enjoy and Go Brewers!

We've once again assembled our panel of baseball experts for our annual MLB Preview Podcast! Jeff Grayson, Jerry Augustine and Theo Marten join us to talk about the upcoming labor discussions, take a deep dive into our division- the NL Central, give our predictions for the season and much, much more! Enjoy!

Our Employees ( S4 E14 & S5 E6 ) Consolidated by Bait and Switch Podcast

The highlight mini-ep for March features Chicago based comedian Tim Brennan.

This week, Curt Pochert joins us and we talk about the hazards of DIY projects gone wrong. We dive into stories of flying lawnmower blades, electrical sparks hotter than the sun, and the dangers of hanging Christmas lights. We explore the fine art of 'topping off fluids' as a substitute for real mechanical skill and discuss the specialized world of used tire shops. Tune in to hear our ultimate conclusion on DIY projects. Enjoy!

This week we bring back one of our favorite guests, Jeff Grayson, but (in a Bait-and-Switch-esque twist) this time he's here for a movie review as we take a look at the 1985 movie Fletch starring Chevy Chase! Of course we talk about the things we liked or didn't like about the movie, but we also dive into other Chevy Chase movies and we branch out into films from other break-out Saturday Night Live stars. Listen in on our conversation and then let us know some of your favorite quotes from Fletch! Enjoy!

The Highlight tract for February features Clinical Psychologist, Ron Martin

The consolidated tract for February features interviews with musicians from my family.

This week we we're joined by Jose aka Papi, the coach for the Puerto Rican National Winter Olympics team! We talk with Jose about the difficulties of preparing a Winter Olympics team in a country that has a tropical climate. How do they practice? What sports do they participate in? Do they have any sponsors? All that and much, much more! Good luck to all the athletes and coaches on the Puerto Rican National Winter Olympics team! Enjoy!

We're back again for the second half of our interview with Milwaukee based rapper, Son Em All. This half of our discussion focuses on the challenges that Gen-Xers faced versus those that Millennials or Gen-Zers are facing right now. We talk about what can be done to overcome some of those social and economic challenges and how it all feeds into the music of Son Em All. We also touch on the rapidly changing world of technology and what our future could look like. All that and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week we talk to Milwaukee based Rap artist, Son Em' All! He talks with us about the origins of his music, some of his musical influences, the evolution of rap music, the Milwaukee rap scene, the meaning behind his name and much, much more! Enjoy!

The consolidated episode for January features skits from one of our favorite featured players, Chad Hohner!

The highlight tract for January features an interview with Author, Patrick McBride

In this installment of the Bait And Switch Music Reviews, we invited our sons, Theo Marten and Will Beyer to join us! For this episode, it was Theo's turn to pick the album and he chose "What Do You Think About the Car" by Declan McKenna. Of course we talked about what we liked and didn't like about the album, but we also discussed how younger generations discover new music and whether streaming services makes that easier or harder versus traditional radio. We also chat about physical vs digital media, the importance of lyrics versus overall sound of a song and much, much more! Enjoy!

Wildcard Weekend is coming up and we have our good friend and sports guru, Jeff Grayson with us to talk Packers-Bears! We analyze the strengths and the weaknesses of each team, along with what's gone right and what's gone wrong this season and what the future might hold for each team moving forward. We don't limit the discussion to the big rivalry, we also give our thoughts on the upcoming games for the rest of the league, the coaching carousel, our predictions for the rest of the year and much, much more! GO Pack GO! Enjoy!

Welcome to Season NINE of the Bait and Switch Podcast! We start off this season, as we do every new season, with our good friend Dave Boll! Dave joins us, not only to kick off our ninth season, but also to help break in our new intern, Brandon! Unfortunately we run into some challenges with Brandon and his "technical expertise". Dave showed incredible patience and kindness, while we... well... let's just say we didn't do as well. Enjoy!

We wrap up season 8 by chatting about random topics with our good friend Mitch Teich! During our final episode of this season, we fire up the random topic generator and have some fun while also tackling questions on everyone's mind. You'll hear all of our thoughts about questions like which is better cake or ice cream? Are books better than movies? Is immortality a good thing? Should the driving age be lowered? Should teachers be replaced by computers? All that and much much more! Go to our Facebook page and let us know what YOUR opinions are! Enjoy!

December's highlight tract features controversial pro golfer, Jimmy 2 Iron.

December's compilation episode features Minneapolis based comedian, Mike Lester

This week we assemble another panel of movie experts to review a Clint Eastwood classic, The Outlaw Josey Wales! Dave Boll and Michael Kay join us for our discussion and of course we talk about the plot of the movie along with its character development and all the other normal movie things. But we also talk about some of the behind the scenes drama, along with the history of the spaghetti western, the cinematography and much much more! Enjoy!

This week we talk to Troy Woodard, a neighbor of ours and a former candidate for Wauwatosa School Board. Troy wasn't voted in, but we wanted to talk to him about his experiences with his campaign. We talk to Troy about his motivation for running for the school board, his ideas for the school system, how he was received when he went door to door to talk with people, what the future of education might look like and much, much more! Enjoy!

We’re excited to bring back our esteemed panel of music experts, Joe Kay from the Play that Rock n' Roll podcast (www.youtube.com/@PlayThatPodcast) and singer/songwriter, Scott Cvecko from The Weary World (thewearyworld.com/) for another Bait and Switch Music Review! This week, Chris made the pick, and he chose Oasis's 1997 album, Be Here Now. The reason? After seeing the look on Joe's face when he mentioned it, Chris felt like it was his duty to force him to listen to it! Our panel jumps into the album's most famous criticisms: the excessive song lengths and that "cranked-up, extra loud" mix. We also discuss the global obsession with Oasis compared to their more moderate success in the US, the endlessly feuding Gallagher brothers and of course we find out the answer to the biggest question of all - what did JOE think?? All that and much, much more! Enjoy!

In this bonus episode, we bring you highlights of the first 10 episodes of Season 4! After giving out the inside scoop in our last episode with our "Behind the Scenes" commentary, we thought it would be fun to listen to the highlights of those episodes after having have the "Inside Scoop"! Enjoy!

In this week's episode, you get to take a sneak peak behind the scenes as we take a look at the the first 10 episodes of Season 4. At the time, we were still in the heart of the Covid pandemic and exclusively using Zoom for our interviews. Listen in on our thoughts about what was going on at the time, both on our show and in our lives. Special thanks to Michele Tonkovitz for her support and help with finding guests that year! Enjoy!

The highlight mini-ep for November features a 1700's game show contestant.

November's consolidate episode features former Milwaukee Brewer, Jerry Augustine.

Our sports expert, Jeff Grayson joins us again this week, this time to preview the NBA season! Of course we take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the teams, but we also dive into "Load Management" of players, the Kawhi Leonard "situation" with the LA Clippers, our predictions for the upcoming season and much, much more! Enjoy!

This week we're joined again by our sports guru, Jeff Grayson to preview the upcoming season for the Milwaukee Bucks! We start by recapping last season, then we discussed offseason transactions, the status of the team without Dame Lillard and the future of the franchise moving forward, which of course means we give our thoughts on whether or not Giannis stays in Milwaukee. All that and much, much more! Enjoy and Go Bucks!

It's time for another Bait and Switch movie review! This week we assemble our panel with two previous guests, Dave Boll and Michael Kay to talk about the cult classic and revolutionary mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap. We discuss the different comedic elements of the movie, the influence it's had on other documentary style shows, the many other movies the same cast and crew have done together and much, much more! Enjoy!