The Blackout Diaries

Nick Vatterott, one of our favorite comedians, joins us for the whole hour and we mostly talk about robots. CJ, Sean and Nick joke about recent news where robots broke two bus shelters in Chicago, a robot police officer was attacked in California, and some cities are banning food-delivery robots on sidewalks. We also talk about robot taxis, which Nick and CJ ride in LA and Nick's new, award-winning movie about life as a hoarder.

A special St Patrick's Day episode! Recorded on the weekend where Chicago dyes the river Green, CJ and Sean discuss some of their favorite St Patrick's Day traditions, including The almost-hilariously-dangerous Cheltenham Horse-Racing Festival which is held in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day. That is compared to other, wildly dangerous horse races throughout the world before CJ and Sean re-read their favorite annual work of journalism- the transcription of all of the arrests made during last year's St Patrick's Day parade as heard over the Chicago police radio.

Sean is frozen inside his house so CJ and Sean do an episode about the cold weather. We talk about the first-ever warning for exploding trees and how its so cold bars often take pity upon weary drunks, thirsty enough to brave the elements. CJ talks about how stadium security in Chicago, in this weather, lets you bring almost anything into the game. We discuss the legendarily cold Chiefs playoff game where fans listened to booze over doctors and had to get some of their fingers amputated. We also share the story of the Titanic chef who survived below-freezing water while drunk. Sean shares a story about the time he had a drunken injury in freezing cold Cleveland weather, surrounded by warm weather people.

An episode devoted to the ups-and-downs, risks-and-rewards of Holiday Parties. CJ and Sean discuss some historically-famous holiday parties, like the First Ward Ball in Chicago, a corrupt, drunken political party thrown every Christmas time; the classic tradition of Saturnalias, which are winter parties with debauched drinking that a Lord of Misrule heads. We share some of our own stories, including office and apartment holiday parties gone awry, including the time a tree was destroyed at the bottom of a high rise. Sean gives some hilarious details on the classic holiday party treat (from years gone by) of mince meat pies, which were laden with so much booze everyone went to sleep with nightmares.

Comedian Cameron Gillette shares a story recorded at our live show, where he had to leave a music festival, drunk and high out of his mine, shotgun in an ambulance after his girlfriend passed out in the heat. Cameron meets his girlfriend's mom for the first time at the hospital but isn't sure if he fooled her, or hospital staff, into thinking he was sober. This leads to a theme on how hard it is to fool people when drunk. CJ and Sean share their own stories of times they attempted to fool people when drunk, only for it always fall apart and we detail some studies that prove why drunks can not fool sober people. Check out Cameron's hilarious album for free on youtube- THE BEST SET I WILL EVER HAVE and follow him on IG.

Nate Craig, one of our favorite comedians and a long time friend, joins us in the studio to promote his latest album, "MARRIED TO IT". Nate's album is out starting today online! We play a clip from the album and Nate talks about how the recording went and what it was like to celebrate afterwards after not drinking for a nearly a full year. We further talk about reunions, as having Nate as a guest is a reunion of our old podcast, The Visitors Locker Room. We talk about how most reunions are a disaster, but none more so than rock band reunions or men getting back together for fantasy football drafts. We list some of our favorite rock band reunion debacles and CJ details the debacle that was his fantasy football draft.

Comedian Carolyn Dickey shares a few hilarious stories at our live show, each showing how much her sister defends her when they party together. Carolyn's sister always has her back. Carolyn joins CJ and Sean in the studio and discuss what its like to drink, eat and live with sisters and brothers. This leads to a theme on siblings. We share some funny stories about our siblings either partying too hard, and us having to monitor them, and a few with the reverse happening. We also share some studies on the effect siblings have on your drinking and a couple funny news stories about drunk siblings. Check out Carolyn's weekly comedy show, every Thursday in Chicago at My Buddy's

Comedian Manny Petty makes his debut at our live show and tells the hilarious story of when he accidentally took his parents to a nude gay play, a week after coming out to them. Manny then joins CJ and Sean in the studio and we talk about the play and how people used to attend more blind features -- where you know nothing about the play or bar back then. This is also Pride month so we talk about the Chicago Pride Parade, which is one of the best in the country and which Manny has marched in several time. CJ and Sean tell some of their favorite stories around Pride month, including the time CJ and a drinking buddy won a couple contests because so loving couple will ever know trivial details about each other, as well as drinking buddies know each other. If you are in Chicago- make sure to get to Zanies on Thursday June 26th to see Manny Petty do his first headling set there as well.

Special Blackout Diaries Memorial Day Weekend Episode. CJ and Sean talk about how the start of summer always sneaks up on a people and they realize their alcohol tolerance is not what it was at during the close of last summer, which is one of the reasons why Memorial Day Weekend is the busiest DUI weekend in most states. We also talk about summer blockbusters , specifically the new Mission Impossible movie and how CJ and Sean both love Tom Cruise, to the point where Sean has been ejected from parties for defending him. CJ shares a story about his uncle who loved to get drunk and watch the Yankees on Memorial Day- how his uncle ruined a Bob Hope show during the Vietnam War. We also talk flags and flag rules and why Trump's warm wishes on solemn holidays are always hilarious.

Comedian Victoria Flynn shares some stories at our live show about all the times she probably should have been kidnapped while drinking. Victoria joins CJ and Sean in the studio and shares what it was like to attend college in Montreal along with some other kidnapping-inducing drinking stories. CJ and Sean then share stories on the only two kinds of kidnappings that are objectively funny: men who stage a fake kidnapping to stay out later and men who drunkenly steal a college mascot. Former Blackout Diaries sweetheart and Jeppeson's Malort marketing guru Sam Mechling also tells a story about being kidnapped during the Kentucky Derby and having to be ransomed for the loose change his friends had.

The Blackout Diaries Podcast is back after a break spent on filming the TV Pilot. Unfortunately we received some tragic news that a dear friend of the show, Mike Polino, passed away from a rare auto-immune disorder. Mike owned The High Hat Club, which is where the Blackout Diaries performed for two years while The Lincoln Lodge was moving. He was a great dude and a hilarious presence behind the bar. We share some Mike stories -- including one he told at the live show about his attempt to fake an injury to avoid relationship trouble. Mike's bar The High Hat Club, was filled with characters and is sorely missed. This leads to a discussion on closed or dead bars- bars that closed up shop and that we miss. We share stats on how bar and restaurant closings are not nearly as common as people think along with some stories about our favorite closed bars.

Comedian Hannah Belmont tells three, short, hilarious stories at our live show, ending with how she went on a date with her older manager at a Mexican restaurant while in college. Hannah joins CJ and Sean in the studio and they discuss her story in more details, everything from the COVID vaccine to Lalapalooza and bad bosses. CJ and Sean discuss the theme of 'bad managers' for the episode, detailing stories of some of their bad bosses- Sean's in IT and CJ's at a hilarious bar in Philly. We also share some stats related to bad managers, like how coworkers are dating more often, post-covid and the alarmingly high occurrences of sexual harassment in the food service industry.

Comedian Jamie Shriner tells the story of her first road comedy gig where she drinks too much at the show, then goes to a strip where she is brought on stage. Jamie joins CJ and Sean in the studio to share some more details on the story (that was recorded at our live show) along with some of her tips with how to have a good experience at strip clubs. CJ and Sean then talk about strip clubs and their role in boozing. We discuss a Hollywood strip club where the dancers have unionized, a Detroit strip club mogul who built an offensive statue next to his ex wife's house and we bring up the recent Justin Tucker Rub & Tug controversy and how NFL stars can use technology to find masseuses who are willing to give them a handjob rather than assaulting people.