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"
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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
