Best Michael Vorpahl Podcasts (2025)

1
Dunkin’: Donuts with Handles, Munchkin Origins, & the Dunkaccino Meme feat. Amy Vorpahl 51:14

2d ago51:14

51:14

☕ Dunkin’ Donuts: Handled Donuts, Munchkin Origins & Al Pacino’s Dunkaccino ☕ Dunkin’ may be a coffee giant now, but its journey started with donuts — one in particular with a literal handle. In this week’s episode, I break down the entire rise of the chain formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts, from its humble beginnings in Quincy, Massachusetts, to be…

1
Running a campaign with Dice and Autism 50:17

3d ago50:17

50:17

Dice (he/him) and I sat down to talk world building, noir inspiration, and the weird, wild world of TikTok notoriety.

1
Papa Johns Doesn't Do Pizza Well 54:26

9d ago54:26

54:26

🍕 Papa Johns: The Pizza Review That Gave Us Indigestion 🍕 We reviewed Papa Johns… in the lobby. One item at a time. On plastic chairs they dug out from the back. Make no mistake, this branch of Papa Johns rules, but at the end of the day: it's still Papa Johns. After learning the ingredients now arrive in prepackaged plastic bags from an employee l…

1
The Smartypants Society is back with Matt Pollock 53:37

10d ago53:37

53:37

Matt Pollock (he/him), creative producer of Smartypants, sat down to chat about Rekha's chair location, Hot Date, and season 3? Okay, I made the last one up, but we do talk theoretically about it.

1
Dimension 20 live (Taylor's version) with Michael Schaubach 1:11:04

15d ago1:11:04

1:11:04

The director of Dimension 20, Michael Schaubach (he/him) and I chatted about bringing the most epic performance to Madison Square Garden, how he views the upcoming live shows (it's Taylor Swift related), how he makes people feel welcome on set, and whether or not he owes the Director of Photography an apology.…

1
Papa Johns: Garlic Dip, CEO Scandals, & the First Bitcoin Pizza 38:58

16d ago38:58

38:58

🍕 Papa Johns: Garlic Dip, CEO Scandals, & the First Bitcoin Pizza 🍕 From a broom closet in Indiana to viral garlic sauce bath bombs, Papa Johns has had one of the weirdest journeys in chain restaurant history. In this episode, I explore the story of America's youngest major pizza chain — the sauce that changed the industry, the man who ate 40 pizza…

1
Chili's IS the Most Mediocre Restaurant in America 1:15:14

23d ago1:15:14

1:15:14

🌶️ Chili’s IS the Most Mediocre Restaurant in America (Part 2) 🌶️ After 100 restaurant reviews, this was it. Chili’s officially earned the perfect 5.00 out of 10, making it the most mediocre restaurant in America — the ultimate point of comparison for every meal to come. In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest VyVy Nguyen as we review the En…

1
Behind the scenes of Madison Square Garden! and more with Dimension 20's Rick Perry 48:44

25d ago48:44

48:44

The legend himself, Rick Perry (he/him), and I sat down to talk about the most incredible actual play live show that's ever existed, building a giant D20, making wrestling minis come to life and more!

1
Chili's: The Fajita Effect, NSYNC, and the Jingle That Changed Everything 48:35

1M ago48:35

48:35

🌶️ Chili’s: They Started in a Post Office?? 🌶️ Chili’s. For nearly 50 years, it’s been slinging margaritas, sizzling skillets, and vibes that are somehow both flirty and corporate. In this episode, actress and podcast 3-timers guest club VyVy Nguyen is back to explore the surprisingly spicy history of this chain restaurant icon with me — from its p…

1
"We need to make all the fans wet" with Denise Valentine 53:10

1M ago53:10

53:10

Denise Valentine (she/her), the legendary make-up artist for Dimension 20 and more, talked to me about what her goals were for Brennan Lee Mulligan in Dungeons and Drag Queens, why Aabria Iyengar changes the game, and what the community is like. Oh, and also, she takes the meeting in the biggest flex imaginable.…

1
Is Joe's Crab Shack the Best Chain Seafood Restaurant? 1:04:00

1M ago1:04:00

1:04:00

🦞 Joe’s Crab Shack (Part 2): Heavenly Shrimp, Sloppy Lob, & Dessert Scores 11 out of 10 🦞 After diving into the shady past of Joe’s Crab Shack, it was finally time to eat. In this episode, I head to the Disney-adjacent location with friend and podcast voiceover contributor Sandy Rose to see if the crab still holds up. From shockingly great coconut …

1
How many times can you hide "f*** TERFs" in a calendar with Sydney Dean 52:57

1M ago52:57

52:57

Incredible Dimension 20 calendar artist Sydney Dean (she/her) and I chatted about making those stunning works of art as well as working with the McElroys and advice for artists!

1
Joe's Crab Shack: Drunk Toddlers, Racist Decor, & WHO THE HELL IS JOE 43:55

1M ago43:55

43:55

Joe’s Crab Shack has been serving seafood and sass since 1991 — but who is Joe? In this week’s episode, I dig deep into the murky origins of this kitschy crustacean-themed chain, uncovering mystery, missteps, and marketing that somehow works. From accidentally boozed-up babies to scandalous decorations and trans fat deception, Joe’s has made some s…

1
Where did the soup come from and more with VIP's Tamar Levine 51:36

2M ago51:36

51:36

Season two of VIP is cooking with gas, so I sat down with director Tamar Levine (she/her) to talk about the first half of this incredible season, including John Early and Kate Berlant's soup sales, Anna Garcia's rock monster, where the Letter Man's letters came from, and more!

1
Panera Bread Is a Pastry Paradise 53:15

2M ago53:15

53:15

We finally ate at Panera Bread — and while the bakery items impressed, the rest of the experience was a chaotic medley of kiosk confusion, bathroom code injustice, and raw onion overload. I’m joined once again by Lyss Johnson (comedian, friend, and former Panera employee) as we break down every detail of our in-person visit to the iconic soup-sling…

1
Don't be weird about stuff with Jeremy Cobb 59:25

2M ago59:25

59:25

Jeremy Cobb (he/him), one third of Three Black Halflings, and I chatted about DMing for Emily Axford, people being weird on the internet, an incredible new setting you can play in, and more! Get notified when the Kickstarter launches: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rollandplaypress/3-black-halflings-city-of-the-black-rose…

1
Is it Thursday yet? with Dani Carr! 58:03

2M ago58:03

58:03

The lorekeeper of Critical Role, Dani Carr (she/her) and I chatted about keeping the lore of Exandria, seeing master storytellers tell stories, and maybe a little dance break when one of our internet crashes.

1
Panera Bread: Infinite Refills, Caffeinated Chaos, and Chicken Controversies 42:40

2M ago42:40

42:40

🚨 Panera Bread: Infinite Refills, Chicken Fights & Lemonade Lawsuits 🚨 From a humble Missouri bakery to one of the most recognizable fast-casual chains in the country, Panera Bread has been on a wild ride. This week, I dive deep into the breadbasket of chaos that is Panera’s history — including aggressive ad campaigns, billion-dollar innovations, a…

1
Advice for struggling artists with Dropout's set photographer Kate Elliott 56:35

2M ago56:35

56:35

Kate Elliott (she/her), Dropout's set photographer and general badass, and I sat down to chat about how she got involved with Dropout, how hard it is to shoot pictures while laughing, and some truly fantastic advice for folks seeking artistic careers.

1
Is Dairy Queen Worth a 2 Hour Drive? 51:24

2M ago51:24

51:24

🍦 We Drove 2 Hours for Dairy Queen – Was It Worth It? 🍦 We hit the road and drove nearly two hours to the nearest Dairy Queen Grill & Chill to finally see if there’s more to DQ than just frozen nostalgia. We tried three burgers (including a surprisingly delicious Flamethrower), fries, onion rings, chicken tenders, and two iconic desserts—the Blizza…

1
Which Fantastic Four is the most fantastic with Freddie's Roommate 1:22:00

2M ago1:22:00

1:22:00

Justin Jordan (he/him), aka Freddie's roommate, and I get deep in the weeds on the nerdiest stuff. Plus, what are we even doing with these internet lives of ours?

1
Dairy Queen’s Rise to Power – The Blizzard Effect 47:36

2M ago47:36

47:36

Dairy Queen is more than just ice cream—it was one of the first fast-food chains to take over America. In this episode, we dive into how a self-proclaimed chemist helped perfect soft serve, why DQ dominated the 1950s, and the moment that changed everything: the invention of the Blizzard. Joining me is writer & director Tyler Eaton of the new horror…

1
Blood and Good Times with Becca Scott 55:43

2M ago55:43

55:43

Becca Scott (she/her) and I got deep in the weeds on Blood on the Clocktower, why you should back the Kickstarter, the joys of lying to your friends, what makes a good game, and her game-winning strategies, including chain-mail strippers.Kick it: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goodtimesociety/clocktower…

1
Before the tavern with Amelia Som 1:01:02

2M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

Amelia Som (any), one of the hosts of Unprepared Casters, sat down to talk about their new book, Before the Tavern: 100 Character Concepts for Tabletop Role-Playing Games, which will help you craft the perfect gun-sword character in record time.Buy their book! https://store.doverpublications.com/products/9780486853420?srsltid=AfmBOoqEr1enRR2rJo3jfy…

1
Taco Bell Proved Me Wrong (But Not About Everything) 58:29

3M ago58:29

58:29

After avoiding it for over a decade, I finally stepped back inside a Taco Bell—and I was not ready for what I found. The Baja Blast? Genuinely delicious. The Crunchwrap Supreme? A smart design, poorly executed. The guacamole? It's giving Home Depot. In this episode, comedian & actress Priya Pappu joins me to break down the good, the not good, and e…

1
Hero Forge is gonna put your mini in dice with Anica Cihla 52:50

3M ago52:50

52:50

Anica Cihla (she/they), the Brand Director for Hero Forge, talks with me about the new, exciting ventures Hero Forge is up to including dope dice with your mini (or really whatever you want) inside! Plus, Um, Actually live and pun linguistics!Back the Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heroforge/custom-dice?ref=profile_created&catego…

1
Bug facts with Sound of the Forest! 55:05

3M ago55:05

55:05

Nicole Parish (she/her), aka Sound of the Forest, and I sat down, the week of TikTok ending, to chat about how big of a bummer that is, autism, art, and so many bug facts!Buy Nicole's art: https://www.nicoleparishart.org/

1
The Joy Who Lived is the best named event ever with Laser Webber 54:03

3M ago54:03

54:03

Laser Webber (he/him) and I chatted about the best named trans/gnc festival in existence: The Joy Who Lived along with the power of comedy and art, the Dropout community, the Doubleclicks, and the importance on being who you are.Back the Joy Who Lived: http://kickstarter.com/projects/angelar/transjoyfest?ref=1za6cm…

1
A movie about death, but we swear it's funny, with Rekha Shankar 59:38

3M ago59:38

59:38

The legendary Rekha Shankar (she/her) and I sat down to talk about loss. Explicitly, the loss of her relationship with Yoshi. And also! Her new movie about loss and religion and finding yourself.Back it, baby! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rekha/afterlife-2

1
What do you mean the worst is yet to come with Taylor Moore 59:31

3M ago59:31

59:31

Taylor Moore (he/him), producer extraordinaire of Worlds Beyond Number talks about the future of Arc 4 of the Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One, plus the future of space (and what is the difference between sci-fi and fantasy, anyway?). And also the nastiest wild one imaginable.

1
Misfits and Magic season 2 secrets and more with Aabria Iyengar 1:05:38

3M ago1:05:38

1:05:38

My nemesis, Aabria Iyengar (she/her), and I sat down to once again talk about the problem that is Suvi, the world of MisMag, and why she wants you to call her Mother in public. Is that last thing out of context? Find out!

1
Get ready for a set changer! With Chloe Badner 55:57

3M ago55:57

55:57

Chloe Badner (she/they), the legendary set designer from Game Changer, Make Some Noise, Nobody Asked, and more, sat down with me to chat about the joys of working for Dropout, building sets with creative freedom, learning important lessons like "if it looks edible, it better be edible," and what a pube brush looks like.…

1
Charity! Silliness! And more good times with Run DMG 1:09:52

3M ago1:09:52

1:09:52

Ryan (he/him) aka Run DMG and I chat about the now annual Doctors Without Borders fundraiser, my dominating assured victory, and meme making in this very fun chat.

1
Watch Brennan Lee Mulligan make me cry 48:37

3M ago48:37

48:37

Hello one and all, I sat down with Brennan Lee Mulligan (he/him) to get deeply philosophical (naturally), chat about Worlds Beyond Number, parasocial relationships, and the Horner Corner. Please support:Little Globe - https://www.littleglobe.org/Earthseed Black Arts Alliance - https://www.earthseedblackarts.org/…

1
Deep Blue Ink's Deep Space Discounts exclusive! 57:51

3M ago57:51

57:51

Deep Blue Ink (he/him) and I got to chat about his incredible new animated series, Deep Space Discounts, as well as animating the McElroys, Dimension 20, and more!And yes, he did do the entire interview as an animatic of himself. A+ bit commitment.DBI's Porky Pig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvJ3SqMyeaI…

1
Roll for Sandwich live! (kind of) 51:42

3M ago51:42

51:42

Jake Pauwels (he/him) of Roll for Sandwich fame and I sat down to talk about sandwiches (natch), incredible D20 merch, and the McElroy beef (pun intended). Plus, let Jake live his life!

1
Character building and silly nonsense with Haley Whipjack 57:38

3M ago57:38

57:38

The legendary Haley Whipjack (any/all) and I are back to chat about so much nonsense and also build a character together!Tiltify link to donate: https://tiltify.com/@thejordonbrown/critical-kindnessTwitch link to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/thejordonbrown

1
Exactly what you need to hear right now from Chris Grace 57:58

3M ago57:58

57:58

Chris Grace (he/him) and I talk about his incredible Dropout Presents special, Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson, as well as more Dropout stuff, but we spend a lengthy part of our conversation on the impact of the election, the role of comedy and art, and more helpful thoughts.

1
VIP season 2 preview with Vic Michaelis 12:43

3M ago12:43

12:43

The legendary Vic Michaelis (they/she) and I *finally* get to sit down to talk Very Important People. Specifically, season 2, Anna Garcia's rocky teen, Lisa Gilroy's nightmare, and the Twister 2 of it all.

1
A meme party with Dimension 20's premiere meme maker 52:11

3M ago52:11

52:11

Britt (she/her), who runs the dimension20 dot memes account on Insta, and I talked about what it's like getting "famous" in the D20 world, getting reposted by Siobhan, and how Aabria gave us both our big breaks.

1
Getting goofy with global movie star Anna Garcia 53:59

3M ago53:59

53:59

Anna Garcia (she/her) and I talk about her shining star in Fly Me to the Moon, her rocky start to VIP season 2, and the rage we all felt at Tao and his awful charcuterie choices.

1
The most ridiculous interview I've ever done 12:10

3M ago12:10

12:10

Who doesn't enjoy a good bit? Well, if you wanted to watch me have a very special interview with a very special guest for the 1 year anniversary of Off the Dome, you're in luck!

1
Never Stop these amazing D20 animators 56:29

3M ago56:29

56:29

The animators from Never Stop Blowing Up, Melina Caron (she/her) and Sander Goldman (he/him), and I talk about what it was like animating the wildest season of Dimension 20 ever, how they got the jobs, and how their animations processes.

1
Let's get Pretty Gay with Catherine McCafferty 48:45

3M ago48:45

48:45

The legendary host of Pretty Gay, Catherine McCafferty (she/her), and I sat down to chat about this new season of her show, the struggle with interviewing Vic Michaelis, and how to pronounce Edinburgh.Follow Pretty Gay on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/PrettyGay/posts

1
3, 2, 1...liftoff! Gastronauts is a go with Jordan Myrick 9:28

3M ago9:28

9:28

Host of Gastronauts, Jordan Myrick (they/she) , and I sat down to talk about Dropout's first cooking show, why "bad" food isn't bad, and why the world is better because of us.This was part of a press day with Jordan, hence why it is shorter and on Zoom.

1
Worldbuilding and character creation with James D'Amato 46:52

3M ago46:52

46:52

Hello, heroes! James D'Amato, host of great TTRPG podcasts and author of the Ultimate RPG book series, and I sat down to chat about making characters, building worlds, and how to run a one shot.Note: Due to some wild technical difficulties, you will see several edits in this (plus a bonus edit where I had to jump offline for several minutes).…

1
What's your Final Fantasy VII build with Dan Casey 40:07

3M ago40:07

40:07

Dan Casey (he/him), one of the stars of Goblin Mode, and I discover the joys of minion-dom, relaunching Geek and Sundry, and how Cid being bullied as "old" at 31 was cruel.

1
Getting derailed by dogs with Jason Nguyen 40:00

3M ago40:00

40:00

Jason Nguyen (he/him), one of the stars of Goblin Mode, and I get deep into Tippy the goblin, Weird Al, and then a pig in a top hat (not Game Changer related).

1
Never Stop Blowing Up expectations with D20's Derek Christiansen 51:54

3M ago51:54

51:54

One of the masters of the D20 projections and director of photography for Never Stop Blowing Up, Derek Christiansen (they/them), and I chat about building and shooting real props, the chaotic madness of NSBU, and why they'd rather see Erika Ishii at Twenty Sided Tavern instead of Aabria Iyengar.

1
Wrestling with our love for Tabby with Danielle Radford 54:56

3M ago54:56

54:56

Danielle Radford (she/her) talks with me about wrestling, in both podcast and real life, Goblin Mode, MisMag 2, and how she has become the preeminent spoiled baby of the actual play scene.Watch Goblin Mode on Geek & Sundry: https://www.youtube.com/@UCaBf1a-dpIsw8OxqH4ki2Kg

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Michael Vorpahl Podcasts

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