Friend Check

Meet Matthew Gretzinger, who was an actor, director, caregiver, teacher, Superman fanatic & son of a magician who played Ronald McDonald. Matthew unfortunately passed away in 2024, but we are joined by two of his closest friends: Roark Littlefield and Bryan Enk. Roark and Bryan were kind enough to take some time to remember Matthew for this first ever memorial edition of Friend Check. Listen along as we remember our friend, Matthew who was talented and kind and will be forever missed.

A Bad Ass New Mexican-Artist-House Manager-Retail Manager-Theater Person with Cool Ass Glasses Meet MK Riddell as she shares her journey from Peoria to Bowling Green State University, where she pursued a master's degree in theater, to her current role as a house manager at a group home in New Mexico. We discuss MK's experiences at Huron Playhouse, where she worked as a cook, and her career transition into working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We also get to hear a little about MK's very unique digital art. Listen now to get to know this lovely woman! Friend Check is a project of History For Jerks. www.historyforjerks.com

A Bearded, liederhosen owning actor, father, husband and fraternity member Meet Brian McCartney, a successful actor who has been on Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med, as well as films and the stage. Listen to tales of Joe’s first meeting of Brian in Chicago where Brian was the “dad” of his friend group. Find out about how Brian was wooed by a young college classmate at Bowling Green State University with pie who became his wife. Hear stories of the theater, beer enjoyment, being in a nerdy fraternity where he earned the nickname Squeaky, as well as stories from childhood and playing football and singing in the choir in Toledo, Ohio. Other topics discussed include: The Edmund Fitzgerald, Egg Sandwich Experts, Municipal Brew Works in Hamilton, Ohio, and more! Friend Check is a project of History For Jerks. www.historyforjerks.com

Meet Adrian McQueen Parrish, a queer, non-binary poet, storyteller, comedian, and event organizer. Join us as we explore Adrian's personal journey, including his experiences with religion, education, and creative pursuits. In this episode, we delve into Adrian's coming out as queer and non-binary, his transition from a conservative background to a more progressive identity, and his involvement in various creative projects such as podcasting, storytelling, and stand-up comedy. The conversation also touches on topics like gender identity, sexual orientation, and the impact of living in diverse communities on personal growth and perspectives. Friend Check is a project of History For Jerks. www.historyforjerks.com

Addy Kapur episode: Recorded December of 2024. Addy Kapur is a software developer, a photographer, a father, a husband, a native Delhiite, a comedian and a cook. Listen as we get to know Addy Kapur who met Joe in 2019 at the Queen City Comedy Experience Festival while photographing the Nate Bargatze show and meet and greet. Follow along as we learn about Addy’s journey from the vastly populated Delhi where he was forced to play basketball because of his height to Silcon Valley in the late 90’s where highways and bars were new to him as he discovered computers, and on to Michigan where he learned about the Michigan/Ohio state rivalry before coming to Charlotte and trying his hand at stand up comedy where he entered Joe’s realm. We discuss the art of stand up comedy, performing in rural North Carolina, learning to cook and more! Friend Check, where a middle aged man scours his Facebook friend list to reconnect with each person and ask….Are we ACTUALLY friends? Why are we Facebook friends? Who actually ARE you? What stories do you have? Should we STAY Facebook Friends?

Adam Cufr episode:  Recorded September of 2024.   Adam Cufr is a father, a husband, a drummer, a veteran and a Retirement Income Certified Professional. Listen as we get to know Adam Cufr, an upstanding gent who happened to go to high school with Gruff and Joe.  Listen as we discuss Adam’s beginnings as a boy playing with girls, playing drums in bands and in school, getting his first drumset from Santa, his daughters learning how great he is from band camp, how he coped with twin to twin transfusion syndrome, how he learned empathy from tragedy, how he met his wife and almost lost the chance to marry her over a popsicle, and how he became an author and retirement advisor. Friend Check, where a middle aged man scours his Facebook friend list to reconnect with each person and ask….Are we ACTUALLY friends?  Why are we Facebook friends?  Who actually ARE you?  What stories do you have?  Should we STAY Facebook Friends?

Aaron Sinclair A Poet, Actor & Program Manager in Columbus, Ohio This episode features Aaron Sinclair, a poet, author, voice actor, actor and program manager in Columbus, Ohio. Listen along as we find out....WHO IS Aaron Sinclair???? Listen while Joe goes through his Facebook Friends list and "checks" in with each person that is willing to record an hour long conversation along with co-host Gruff. Who are these people? Why are we Facebook Friends? Are we ACTUALLY friends? Should we remain friends?

This episode features AJ Foster, a comedian from the South Bronx, who now lives in Dallas, Texas. Listen along as we find out....WHO IS AJ FOSTER???? This was actually the first one we recorded in this format, so we were still trying to figure out how this is going to work. Listen while Joe goes through his Facebook Friends list and "checks" in with each person that is willing to record an hour long conversation along with co-host Gruff. Who are these people? Why are we Facebook Friends? Are we ACTUALLY friends? Should we remain friends?

This episode features April Kirby, a Charlotte Improv Comedian from Ridgefield, Connecticut who went to Duke! Listen along as we find out....WHO IS APRIL KIRBY???? Listen while Joe goes through his Facebook Friends list and "checks" in with each person that is willing to record an hour long conversation. Who are these people? Why are we Facebook Friends? Are we ACTUALLY friends? Should we remain friends? I have a theory that EVERYONE has a story to tell, so I want to hear my friends life stories, I want to know what high school they went to and what their mascot was. Are there any true cime or controversies from your hometown?

A True Friend, A Stoner & a former Prince Albert Haver The Gruff episode: Recorded August of 2024. Steve Bishop aka Gruff from the Gruff & Loud Show is an Ohioan, a Stoner, a Damn Good Friend, and once had a Prince Albert. Listen as we discuss the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in Ohio and how it affects Gruff's enjoyment. We also share our nostalgic reflections on our childhood, school experiences, and our creative collaborations and Gruff's body modifications, our time as night guards at Bowling Green State University, and potential future interactions. Friend Check is a podcast by History For Jerks, where a middle aged man scours his Facebook friend list to reconnect with each person and ask….Are we ACTUALLY friends? Why are we Facebook friends? Who actually ARE you? What stories do you have? Should we STAY Facebook Friends?

Adam Bianchi episode: Recorded July of 2024. Adam Bianchi is a father, a husband, a farm-boy, a Spring Valley Viking, a UNC Tarheel, and a Pharma Consultant! Listen as we get to know Adam Bianchi who may have never even met Joe before, but became his friend because he’s married to one of Joe’s favorite comedians. Listen as we discuss Adam's upbringing on a farm and visiting his father’s zoo, to school days where Adam would drive from South Carolina to Canada to get beer, and then to college at UNC where he watched athletes make out during class, and then onto adulthood where Adam was happy to become a father and later find the love of his life, Jenn, who has the greatest laugh of all time. We even throw in a little Cosmic Horror and Dungeons and Dragons at the end….

Abby Elfman (Episode 7) Recorded August of 2023. Abby Elfman is a podcaster, an Atascocita Eagle, a UT San Antonio Roadrunner, a voice actor, an improviser and a People Development Consultant! Listen as we get to know Abby Elfman who became Joe’s friend when they worked together on a sketch show in Charlotte back in 2019. We talk about deviant lifestyles, Abby’s foodie podcast, Amused Bouche, how Abby hosting a Somebody Feed Phil live show, Abby’s journey from a small town in Texas to Charlotte and more. We also mention the tragic story of Zach Jones, who Abby knew in high school who tragically passed away from contracting rabies from a bat while he was sleeping in his own bed. Please visit https://zachjonesmemorial.com/ and see how you can help with awareness and remembrance if you feel so inclined. Friend Check , where a middle aged man scours his Facebook friend list to reconnect with each person and ask….Are we ACTUALLY friends? Why are we Facebook friends? Who actually ARE you? What stories do you have? Should we STAY Facebook Friends?

Aaron Moody episode: Recorded March of 2023. Aaron Moody is an architect and a volunteer usher at a performing arts center, and he volunteers at the Queen City Comedy Experience Festival to help things run smoothly, along with his wife Meg. Aaron and Meg are super fun to be around, and they support the local comedy community in Charlotte whenever they can. Listen as we get to know Aaron Moody as a Clemson alum, an architect, a volunteer usher, and a good guy to talk to. We talk global ADA regulations, religion, Netflix Special filming, meeting his wife, traveling to Antarctica to see Penguins have sex & more! Friend Check is a subseries of American Timelines, where a middle aged man scours his Facebook friend list to reconnect with each person and ask….Are we ACTUALLY friends? Why are we Facebook friends? Who actually ARE you? Should we STAY Facebook Friends?

Aaron Crane A guy we went to middle School with. Aaron Crane episode: Recorded March of 2023. Aaron Crane is a father, a husband, a Vice President of Operations, a Miami University Redhawk, a son of an elementary school teacher, and a guy we went to middle school with. We haven’t spoken to him since 8th grade graduation, as his parents made him go to a different high school, and we lost touch. This is a REUNION episode. Listen as we catch up and reminisce. We talk about a class reunion where a foreign exchange student gets dropped on his head, we reminisce about school days including getting paddled, food fights, roughhousing accidents, playing ding dong ditch, and being sentenced to cleaning a booger wall in high school. Friend Check is a subseries of American Timelines, where a middle aged man scours his Facebook friend list to reconnect with each person and ask….Are we ACTUALLY friends? Why are we Facebook friends? Who actually ARE you? Should we STAY Facebook Friends?