BOLD with Joe McGucken

I'm Joe McGucken and on this weeks episode of the BOLD podcast My dog Fred done a runner and went missing, and somehow that got me thinking about old Nokia ringtone, and sending cartoon porn to friends through infrared. All on the same day of Oliver's birthday party: pure chaos wrangling kids at The Smurfs movie and a Burger King party where we were basically public enemy number one for existing. I also dissect the CEO controversy around the Coldplay kiss cam, moan about the culchies that invade Dublin on match days, take a shit on a Wexford beach, and my Ma's new Temu addiction. All that, plus a massive thanks. Somehow we're a top 5% podcast in Ireland! You're mad, but I appreciate it.

What's up! I'm Joe McGucken, and this week on the BOLD podcast, you're lucky I'm even here. I was violently knocked off my electric scooter by a car and somehow survived to tell the tale. As if my week wasn't bad enough after being attacked by a rabid bat in a Galway pub. My self defense involved a lot of screaming. What was I doing in Galway? Well, somehow I got roped into a football panel discussion for Off The Ball, where I presented myself as a Shelbourne expert. Oh, and I also flew a plane. So, take it from me, flying a plane is actually easy. Swimming, on the other hand, is not. Some da jumped off a Disney Cruise to save his daughter, and I wonder what I would do in that situation. Given my serious lack of buoyancy. All that, and more sh*te talk, on this week's BOLD podcast!

Someone in Cork just scored a ridiculous EuroMillions jackpot this week. €250 Million! And while everyone's celebrating them (and the shop that sold the ticket!), I'm here to tell you that sometimes that kind of luck can be a curse. On this episode of the BOLD podcast, I'm diving into the mad stories of lotto winners who hit the jackpot, only for their lives to spiral into chaos, misery, or worse. From the teen millionaire who hated her life, to the shocking tales of murder and misfortune. I'll take a look at why winning big might just be the most unluckiest thing that can happen. And what even is luck anyway?

Happy Father's Day! Or Da's Day, because I'm not a priest. On this Da's Day episode of BOLD, I unpack the weird job of being a Da. One day you're the main character, the next you're a chauffeur, a chef, and a professional arse-wiper for a tiny, demanding prima donna. We'll also take a look at some weird Hollywood das (looking at you, Eddie Murphy) and even weirder ones in nature like the seahorse aulfellas giving birth. Respect. But I'm not one too judge, so I risk my ego and ask my own kids for a performance review. So stick this on, send the family away, and enjoy a bit of BOLD.  Leave a comment, rating and follow on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on the BOLD podcast, I talk to Pat and Breda Curran. Their home was petrol-bombed in a case of mistaken identity, destroying everything and tragically taking the life of their dog. It's a truly horrific story. But thankfully they were fortunate enough to escape with their son. We reflect on Pat's art, which has been a source of healing for him in the past, often showing scenes from old Dublin and his time growing up in the flats. You'll also hear from musician Gemma Dunleavy, who explains why Pat's art is so important to her and to the city's history and culture. Pat and Breda's house was uninsured. If you'd like to help them rebuild, there's a GoFundMe set up: https://gofund.me/1c52c19f

This week on BOLD, I head to Corinthians Boxing Club, an institution of the Inner City. I chat with head trainer Kevin Corcoran about the club’s 100-year history, my connection with it as a young person, and how a place charging €2 a session produced Olympic champions like Kellie Harrington. We also talk about why the HSE is failing families with autistic kids, and how a boxing clubs like this can become a lifeline for families in the inner city. And of course, my upcoming white collar fight on July 4th to raise funds to bring the young boxers in Corinthians to compete abroad. Light a candle for me. New episodes every week – rate, review, and leave a comment. Cheers!

I'm Joe, this is BOLD. This week I planned a romantic birthday for Máire. Not a spa day or a European day-trip. Instead, she drags me to the Dublin Criminal Courts of Justice to spectate the high profile Richard Satchwell murder trial. It wasa terrible experience: frazzled barristers, no transcripts, and the judge baffled with the prosecution. I’m paranoid the jury’ll recognize me and I'll cause a mistrial. Then, we slog through dull tours at Collins Barracks and Kilmainham Jail acting the tourist again. Dinner at FX Buckley’s is an expensive dissapointment. Overdone steak, prawns with the head on, And Oysters that tasted like... Oysters. I spar with the waiter, skip the tip. But we salvage the night at the Stag’s Head with Guinness and a ukulele jam... until the Americans showed up. Also, I’m training for a boxing match I might dodge. Rate us on Spotify. I’m back next week with a guest.

The Pope is dead. Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, the Jesuit reformer, the guy who blessed gay couples and pissed off conservatives, dropped dead on Easter Monday. So what happens now? This episode digs into the aftermath: the secretive conclave to elect his successor (where the frontrunner is an Italian bureaucrat named Pietro Parolin with tasty betting odds), the Vatican’s long history of financial scandals (ever heard of "God’s Banker" hanging under a bridge with rocks in his pockets?) Also, I’m back from Washington DC, where I finished my play, nearly got Ollie arrested for vomiting in the White House, and learned that Capitol security considers sunscreen a threat to their national security.

This week I got you good. You thought I was getting deported. Well imagine how I felt when Maire got me with that same April Fools prank. She had me packing my bags convinced ICE were after me.  This episode’s a rollercoaster: from fake embassy emails to me packing my bags for El Salvador, to why Washington DC might be the most joyless city. I have an interesting conspiracy theory about cherry blossom trees, the existential dread of performing Beckett to miserable crowds, and why “Industry Night” sounds like hell. I also return to Crank Corner to top up my phone, only to find out the shop has turned the Corner Crankier.

On this week's episode of the BOLD podcast I'm still stuck in Trumpland. The city of Hash shops on every corner. But you can't find a shop for a bottle of water! I was parched wandering around this swamp looking for something to drink. I’m halfway through my run of Waiting for Godot here, which is going... Betterish. considering half the audience doesn’t realize they’re allowed to laugh. Between shows, I’ve been gallivanting around, getting shouted at by Secret Service, chatting with 75 year old pornstar bartenders, ex-CIA killers, and trying not to pay $20 for orange juice. America’s a weird place, lads. No big interviews this week. Just me rambling about the things I’ve seen, the people I’ve met, and why I feel the need to run for President of Ireland when I get home. 

On this episode of the BOLD podcast we touch on the disappearance of Garron Noone after a controversial video about immigration in Ireland landed him in some hot water after Conor Mcgregor's visit to the White House. Also I go down to a protest outside the Department of Education that Donald Trump is dismantling to speak to one of the organizers of the protest.

In this BOLD episode, I’m recording from a strangely deserted apartment building in Washington DC, where I’m rehearsing for a production of Waiting for Godot that’s been… an experience. Cast members are dropping like flies, the production team are falling sick, and I’m starting to wonder if I should’ve stayed in Ireland.  I’ll also take you on a tour around the gentrified streets of DC, pubs that smell like Dervish and Philly cheesesteaks that aren't that impressive. Somebody send me over a Spicebag. Let’s not forget the Enoch Burke saga. His family caused a scene at a fancy gala dinner in DC. I’m half-tempted to track them down for an interview. And then I have a little update on the dinosaur in my garden back home.

On this weeks BOLD podcast I'll give you a little update on my journey to America for a show I'm performing in. I've been rehearsing for just a couple of weeks back in Ireland, and after one of the rehearsals I went to a pub for a pint. In that pub I met a very interesting character. Colin Judge. He's an Irish Ping Pong Paralympian. He has a rare condition which led him to be born with no legs and only one arm. After sparking up a conversation with him at the pub I took his number and arranged to meet him for a chat on the podcast to talk about his journey. This is that conversation.

On this week's episode of the BOLD podcast I'm flying solo. It's been an eventful week. I was presented with an opportunity to play the Co-Lead in Samuel Beckett's play Waiting For Godot. The only issue is that It's a 5 week run in the Land Of Opportunity - USA. I'm making my way over to the Crime Capital, Washington DC on a week were Zelensky was roasted in the White House for not wearing a suit. Exciting times to say the least.  It wasn't an easy decision to make. But after careful considertion and a bus with a Captain America poster I came to the conclusion that I would take the opportunity. Despite having 2 weeks to learn the entire script. I'm also a fan of Abraham Lincoln's assassination story, so I want to go and check out the Ford Theatre where he was shot. I talk about all of this and more in this weeks episode.  

In this week's episode of the BOLD podcast, I went to a hotel bedroom to meet Ireland's most successful pornstar, Andy Lee. He talks about his time growing up in Dublin's inner city, getting evicted from his home by the drug marches as a child, Losing his ma, and struggling to settle. Eventually he ended up in London where he would start his porn empire. He talks about it all in this episode and his book Smelly Kid. 

"Hear ye! hear ye!" On a cold Thursday night in the backyard of Synge Street National School, a group of people gather together to train for Armoured Combat like the knights of olde. Wearing full metal armour and swinging heavy-ish Swords at each other they practice to win a grand battle at a huge event with hopes of one day becoming king of one of the many kingdoms across the world. They are part of a global organization dedicated to recreating the middle ages. But there's a lot more to it than battling one another. It's a lifestyle. People can get involved in the community, the same way anyone from the middle-ages might. Cooking, Sewing, Blacksmith, Carpentry, Calligraphy, even singing. In this episode I went to one of the training sessions to speak with Aodh, one of the chief organizers of the Irish branch. He's been involved in the community for almost 13 years and is incredibly passionate about the work they do. If you're interested in anything you hear in the podcast, they're a very welcoming bunch. They have training, classes and regular events that you can attend. www.facebook.com/duninmara www.duninmara.org www.instagram.com/duninmara

In this episode of the BOLD podcast, I took a trip to the Dublin Wellbeing Centre to meet Debora for a tea leaf reading. I was hoping to get some lotto numbers or maybe an insight into the next crypto boom. But what I left with was a little bit more profound than I expected from a cup of tea. I also talk to her after about her other experiences with shamanic practices, medicines and how grateful she is to help keep Irish traditions alive. I explain how my skepticism around psychics and mediums have evolved around a weird experience under the Salty Dog at electric picnic. Check our Cisnear Holistics  www.cisnear.com www.instagram.com/cisnearholistic    

This episode explores the evolution of social media, from the innocent days of Bebo and MSN to the toxic outrage culture, clickbait, politically driven, divisive social media landscape of today. I talk with Irish musician Nealo about his habit of stepping away from social media, and Plugging Out for weeks at a time, the impact it has on his mental health, and his concerns about his autistic son growing up in an online world. I also speak with my brother Josh about a moment from his childhood that was caught on camera and posted online, destroying his confidence and shaping his youth in ways he never recognized. I also look at other people who have been unwillingly thrust into the public eye through viral videos, including KPMG girl and Slane girl, and the long-term effects of sudden online scrutiny.

I've been abandoned by my guest in this episode of BOLD. It's brought up traumatic childhood memories of summer trips to Cavan with my youth club. Getting bullied on the regular. And how I learned to stand up for myself, but received a broken jaw for my efforts.  I try to ask myself 36 scientific questions that are designed to ask your partner to make them instantly fall in love with you. And by the end of this podcast you can find out how you can find true love. Because Tinder doesn't work, and I'll explain why in this episode of the BOLD podcast.

James MacManus is a Tipperary man with an extraordinary goal: to summit Mount Everest without oxygen! Twice he’s attempted this near-impossible feat, and twice he’s been turned back by the sheer brutality of the mountain. But undeterred, James is gearing up for a third attempt at one of the most dangerous and demanding challenges in human history. Only 229 people have ever accomplished this, while many others have tried with a large percentage ending in tragedy. So, what drives someone to take on such a monumental risk? I sat down with James to ask him... WHY?

There's something special about Irish pubs when we're on holiday. They’re our little piece of home from home. No matter where we go, from Salou to Timbuktu, we're always sniffing out the Molly Malones, or Danny Boy. But what happens when you try to create that magic in… Uganda? This week, I talk to Nigel Sutton, an Irish entrepreneur who decided to bring the craic to Kampala. In 2003, after Mulligan’s in Drogheda shut its doors for good, Nigel bought the contents of the entire pub. Bar stools, doors, rails, the works. And shipped it all to Uganda to build his very own Irish pub named Bubbles O'Leary's. But as you'd probably expect, It wasn't easy, fun, or profitable. From power cuts and dodgy scams to government interference, theft, and some seriously shady police antics, Nigel’s dream of pints in paradise quickly turned into a cautionary tale. But there’s plenty of laughs, madness, and unexpected twists along the way.

Imagine having zero military experience, a slight drinking problem, and deciding to head straight to the frontline of the war in Ukraine... for the craic. That’s exactly what self proclaimed Lord Mayor of Leixlip did. In this episode, I sat down with this absolute mad lad in the corner of the only pub in Leixlip where he’s not banned. We got into his wild story: from his controversial GoFundMe campaign to almost getting blown up on his first day, losing friends on the battlefield, and eventually coming back home. He joined the foreign legion as a civilian, which is rare. He soon realized he was placed in a Nazi unit and swiftly transferred to a new unit consisting of Latino soldiers. He learned Spanish drinking with Colombians. After 18 months he climbed the ranks and begrudgingly accepted the position of commander. He also earned himself 3 medals along the way for his bravery. Well I now bestow upon him a medal for the Maddest Bowzie in the whole of Ireland!

Michael Zervos is an American film director currently attempting to break a world record by travelling to every country in the world in the fastest time. Along the way he has been interviewing people from every country and asking them one question - "What is the happiest moment of your life" During his brief stop in Ireland I caught up with him for this episode. Anyone who knows me will know how miserable I can be. So I thought this would be an interesting person to discuss the concept of happiness with, and hopefully pick up some tips on how to achieve it.

In this festive episode of BOLD, we sit down with Michael J Sullivan, a Dublin actor who steps into the big red suit every Christmas to become the man, the myth, the legend - Santa Claus! But there's a lot more to Michael's story than I expected from when I first sat down to interview him.