Milwaukee, WI
How two Milwaukee friends took the Crash Dummies podcast from zero listeners to millions
MILWAUKEE — In the past few years, podcasts have become incredibly popular. Like really popular. You’ve probably even heard someone say, “Oh yea, I would have such a great podcast” or “Yea, me and my friends would have the best show”. Although, they never actually do it. Except for two friends from Milwaukee. They started a podcast about three years ago and now reach millions of people.
Introducing the Crash Dummies Podcast. It’s hosted by longtime friends Michael Esiobu and Patrick Johnson. They talk about current events and random topics. In three years, they have filmed 172 episodes and have gained more than 2 million followers across Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
“There was a point where we were talking to no one, and now we’re talking to millions of people,” Michael Esiobu said.
James Groh
The two film inside a Milwaukee studio. As far as podcast setups go, it’s not fancy. And that probably helps their case. The Crash Dummies Podcast is all about being authentic, genuine, and impromptu. It’s not overly produced and that’s the point.
“I think about 99% of the time I don’t know what his topics are and that’s what we like. I’ll hide something from him. He’ll hide something from me, and then he’ll like in the spur of the moment he’ll be like I’ve got a question for you,” Patrick Johnson said.
They are just two friends cracking jokes, taking viewer calls, and not taking things too seriously.
“If you watch us with a guest, I guarantee you leave that podcast knowing little about that guest’s personal life,” Johnson said.
Watch to see what makes the Crash Dummies Podcast so special…
The Milwaukee friends behind the Crash Dummies podcast
That’s why so many watch and listen every week. They mess around. They invite viewers to call and they roast them. They pick a few topics and dive into them whether they know a lot about them or not. In fact, they prefer not to do a whole bunch of research first.
“I think sometimes it’s more fun for us when we don’t actually Google everything, and we’re just going off the top of our head,” Esiobu said.
As the show continues to grow, they want to have more guests. Also, Johnson and Esiobu want to take the podcast on the road and host live shows.
Viewer calls are a big part of the show. Every episode features a few different calls from fans. They believe in-person interaction would be even more entertaining.
“We don’t really make hard-cuts edits on our YouTube. We just let (the show) flow, and people still enjoy that. So I know that if they enjoy that through a screen, it will be 10 times better live,” Johnson said.
It’s that unpredictability and humor that’s caused millions to tune in and will hopefully help them sell out theaters nationwide.
Talk to us:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip