Live from Comicpalooza!

Mad Props with Chris Schnabel

06/22/26

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22m

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Welcome to Mad Props. Host Chris Schnabel takes the stage at Comicpalooza for his first-ever live panel, The Art of the Interview.

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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

Previous Episode

Sam Marin on Regular Show, Animation & Creativity

June 15

•

61m

Join the Discord - https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb

Check out Montana Dog Food Co. https://montanadogfoodco.com/

Welcome to Mad Props. Host Chris Schnabel sits down with legendary voice actor, animator, and creator Sam Marin for a deep dive into his career in animation, his journey with Regular Show, and his creative projects beyond Cartoon Network.

Known as the voices of Benson, Pops, and Muscle Man on the beloved Cartoon Network series Regular Show, Sam shares how he met creator J.G. Quintel at CalArts, how the original student films evolved into one of the most iconic animated shows of the 2010s, and what it was like returning to these characters for Regular Show: The Lost Tapes.

Chris and Sam also discuss the art of voice acting, working alongside legendary performers like Mark Hamill, creating original animated projects, the changing entertainment industry, social media’s influence on creators, film festivals, collecting vinyl records, classic movies, and why making personal art still matters.

Topics include:

• The creation of Regular Show and working with J.G. Quintel
• Finding the voices of Benson, Pops, and Muscle Man
• The return of Regular Show: The Lost Tapes
• The future of animation and storytelling

Join the Discord - https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb

Follow Sam:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_marin_drawings

Pig in a Wig:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hsCSGluI_8

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

Mad Props is a Schnabel Studios Production

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction
01:03 - Cartoon character coworker tier list before the interview
13:58 - Meeting Sam Marin & discovering Regular Show
15:30 - CalArts, J.G. Quintel & the origins of Regular Show
17:03 - Mark Hamill, Skips & iconic cartoon voices
20:55 - Creating the voice of Benson
21:43 - The origins of Pops and Muscle Man
23:25 - Returning for Regular Show: The Lost Tapes
28:14 - Sam’s puppet and animation projects
36:15 - Music, vinyl records & artistic hobbies
43:16 - Collecting records, comics & nostalgic media
48:07 - Upcoming projects including Pig in a Wig
52:26 - Fan Expo appearances and meeting fans
53:59 - Back to the Future, conventions & movie nostalgia
58:50 - Final thoughts

Next Episode

Billy West on Futurama, Voice Acting, Comic Cons & His New Memoir

June 29

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61m

Welcome to Mad Props! Host Chris Schnabel sits down with legendary voice actor Billy West for an unforgettable conversation about one of the greatest careers in animation history.

Known as the voices behind Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Stimpy, Doug Funnie, Red M&M, Buzz the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee, Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, Elmer Fudd, and countless other iconic characters, Billy shares the incredible stories behind his legendary career.

Topics include:

• The origins of Futurama and creating Fry
• Doug, Ren & Stimpy, and Nickelodeon history
• How Professor Farnsworth and Dr. Zoidberg were created
• Becoming the Red M&M and Honey Nut Cheerios Bee
• Radio, Howard Stern, and the early days of broadcasting
• Classic animation and growing up on Popeye and Looney Tunes
• The future of voice acting and animation
• Childhood trauma, neurodivergence, and finding creativity through adversity

Whether you're a fan of Futurama, Ren & Stimpy, Doug, Space Jam, Looney Tunes, classic animation, or simply love hearing the stories behind iconic careers, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Join the Discord
https://discord.gg/dYhnmwQANb

Mad Props is a Schnabel Studios Production

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Crosstown Nine sports hot takes
23:19 - Billy West joins the podcast
23:53 - From Boston radio to voice acting
26:08 - Landing Doug and Ren & Stimpy
29:34 - Becoming the Red M&M and Honey Nut Cheerios Bee
30:57 - Creating Fry and joining Futurama
34:04 - The origins of Professor Farnsworth and Dr. Zoidberg
36:10 - Futurama’s cancellations, revival, and working with Matt Groening
38:33 - Classic cartoons, conventions, and meeting fans
49:20 - The future of voice acting, Vice Versa, and Billy’s life story