Mad Props Mailbag: Talking YouTube Rabbit Holes, Guests, Sports Media & Comicpalooza

Welcome to Mad Props, host Chris Schnabel opens up the mailbag and answers listener-submitted questions about the podcast, his career, sports media, dream guests, behind-the-scenes stories, favorite interviews, and what it takes to keep Mad Props growing.

Chris talks about the evolution of Mad Props, how the podcast got its name, the early days of interviewing guests, and the moments that helped shape the show into what it is today. He also shares stories about past guests like Rob Paulsen, Phil LaMarr, Carlos Alazraqui, Julius Thomas, Ava Bunn, Jordan Ta’amu, Momo Sanogo, and more.

This episode also dives into:

• How Chris prepares for interviews
• The hardest parts of podcasting
• Guests he wants to bring back
• His dream guest
• Working in sports media and content creation
• Gonzaga, Hartford Athletic, and career lessons
• Favorite baseball memories
• YouTube rabbit holes, tornado videos, basketball, fitness, and personal stories

Chris also previews his first-ever Comicpalooza panel, “The Art of Interview,” happening May 24 at 4:15 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

If you’re a fan of Mad Props, sports media, podcasting, interviews, animation guests, voice actors, content creation, or behind-the-scenes podcast stories, this episode gives you a deeper look at the host behind the show.

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 – Intro
01:00 – Why Chris is doing more solo episodes
02:00 – Comicpalooza announcement
04:30 – How to submit mailbag questions
06:00 – When did podcasting feel like something real?
08:30 – The guest who changed Mad Props
11:00 – Keeping in touch with former guests
13:30 – Hardest interviews to prepare for
16:00 – Gonzaga and getting back into sports media
18:00 – How Chris got into filming sports
19:30 – Biggest interview lessons learned
22:00 – Guests canceling and podcast frustrations
23:30 – Favorite Hartford Athletic social media moment
24:30 – Dream Mad Props guest
26:00 – Does Chris get nervous before interviews?
31:00 – What people misunderstand about Mad Props
32:30 – How much planning goes into an episode
34:30 – How Mad Props got its name
38:00 – Advice for sports media and content creators
39:00 – Episodes Chris wishes more people discovered
42:00 – Hobbies outside podcasting
44:00 – YouTube rabbit holes and tornado obsession
46:30 – Swapping lives with a former guest
47:00 – Unfinished guest ideas and screenshots
51:00 – What makes someone fun to interview
52:00 – Biggest irrational fear
53:30 – Weird YouTube rabbit holes
56:30 – What people assume wrong about Chris
57:30 – Final Comicpalooza plug
59:00 – Outro