Wease Family Circus

Wease Family Circus

Wease Family Circus is a long-form conversation podcast built around legacy, honesty, humor, and what comes after the microphone gets turned off. For more than three decades, Brother Wease was a constant voice on the radio. He was a daily presence woven into the lives of listeners, co-hosts, producers, and a community that grew up together on the air. When that era ended, the story felt unfinished. Questions lingered. Context was missing. And much of the real human experience behind the scenes never had a place to land. This podcast exists to change that. Not by living in the past, but by finally putting it in its proper place. Wease Family Circus brings the original cast back together in an environment that feels familiar, loose, and unfiltered. No clocks. No commercial breaks. No corporate guardrails. Just real conversations between people who shared years of life, pressure, creativity, conflict, laughter, and growth inside a studio and are now reconnecting on their own terms. The early episodes focus on re-establishing chemistry and trust. Catching up. Telling stories that were never told publicly. Letting listeners feel like they are back in the room again. As the show unfolds, one long-teased chapter is finally addressed. A behind-the-scenes look at the final on-air day and the moments surrounding it. That story matters and it deserves clarity, but it is not the destination. It is the doorway. From there, the show expands outward. Wease Family Circus evolves into a space for reunions and reflections with the original cast, conversations with notable guests from radio, media, sports, and culture, and select moments pulled from the archive. Not as nostalgia bait, but as context. It is a place for honest discussion about legacy, identity, creativity, and change. Humor that still bites. Stories that still matter. Voices that still connect. This is not a rehash. This is not a grievance tour. And it is not a museum piece. It is a living continuation that honors what was built while allowing room for something new to exist alongside it. If you grew up listening, this is a chance to reconnect with voices that shaped your mornings. If you are new, this is an honest look at what long-running creative work actually costs and what it gives back. No scripts. No forced segments. No pretending the past did not happen or that it has to define the future. Welcome to the Wease Family Circus.

  1. 4d ago ·  Video

    Bills Season Preview with Dan Morello: New D, DJ Moore & Championship Hopes | Wease Family Circus

    Sports edition. Wease and Jake bring in Dan Borrello, sports columnist for the Times of Wayne County (Wease's favorite newspaper), to break down the Buffalo Bills before a single snap of the season. New head coach, new defense, new stadium, new grass, and a franchise quarterback who Dan says just ran out of excuses. Josh Allen signed off on the coach, the GM, and the field. Now it's on him. Dan walks through the whole picture: why Joe Brady ("Slim Brady") calling every play as a rookie head coach is the biggest question on the team, how Jim Leonhard's switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 actually works, why DJ Moore could be the true number one receiver the Bills haven't had since Diggs, and the trade that fell into Brandon Beane's lap when Chicago was about to cut him for nothing. Plus the linebacker depth problem, why James Cook sits on third down, and the rookie Dan says to watch. For the people who love the Bills but don't know a nickel from a dime, Wease asks the questions you're too embarrassed to: what does a head coach actually do on game day, what are those guys in the booth doing, and what is a blitz. Dan answers all of it. Also: why the NFL isn't rigged (and why the league likes it when you think it is), the Brandin Cooks overtime call that still hurts, the Patriots' scoreboard camera trick that fooled kickers for years, the Michigan clock mess, Doug Flutie getting screwed by Ralph Wilson, the Sabres with an actual season ticket waiting list, and Dan's Super Bowl pick: Bills over the Bears. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner in Farmington (Dan wants to buy Wease's Jeep out from under him) and GVIII Barber Academy on East Avenue, where you can learn the trade or get a $20 haircut from a student. And go pick up the Times of Wayne County. Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri to take you to the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome and Sports Season Preview 00:00:41 Electric Car Corner Sponsor Spot 00:02:17 Bills Season Opener Discussion and Houston Texans Preview 00:05:02 Denver Playoff Game Controversy: The Brandon Cooks Catch 00:06:09 Is Football Rigged? The Great Debate 00:08:38 College Football Clock Controversy and Patriots Cheating Allegations 00:12:46 Bills New Defense: Jim Leonard's 3-4 Scheme 00:23:17 Understanding Football Positions: Nickelbacks, Dimes, and Coaching Roles 00:24:22 Joe Brady as Head Coach: Can He Handle Play Calling and Leadership? 00:28:11 DJ Moore and the Bills Receiving Corps 00:31:00 Running Backs: James Cook, Ray Davis, and the Bills Ground Game 00:39:38 Preseason Analysis and Bills Offensive Line Concerns 00:43:00 Josh Allen's Leadership Style: Does He Need to Be More Demanding? 00:46:32 College Football Money Machine and Lopsided Games 00:51:23 Doug Flutie Gets Screwed: The Rob Johnson Playoff Controversy 00:52:24 Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, and Championship Predictions 00:53:53 LA Rams Analysis and Matthew Stafford's Health Concerns 00:58:12 Jessica Pegula's US Open Run and Tennis Talk 01:08:11 GVIII Barber Academy Spotlight and Closing Thoughts

    Bills Season Preview with Dan Morello: New D, DJ Moore & Championship Hopes | Wease Family Circus
  2. Sep 4 ·  Video

    Charlie Fitzsimmons on Ozzy Interviews & Restaurant Life | Wease Family Circus | Ep 29

    Before he built Black and Blue, Charlie Fitzsimmons was parking cars and interning on the Wease Show. This week he's back at Captivate Media Studios, and Wease, Doreen and Jake get the whole story from a guy who went from producing morning radio bits to running one of the biggest restaurant operations in Rochester. Charlie walks through how he and his brother built Tonic with their own hands in 1998, learning drywall and wiring from the tradesmen they hired, the nightclub nights with Tommy Brunett as the opening DJ, and the run that followed: Pearl, Jojo, TRATA at the Armory, Village Bakery, and Black and Blue, now five locations across New York and Boston. The chefs who came up through his kitchens read like a Rochester hall of fame. And his newest move is a wild one: he bought Village Sports, the old rink on Baird Road, rebuilt it to a full NHL sheet, and it's now home to Nazareth's first-ever varsity hockey season. Then the Wease Show memories come pouring out. "Cleaning Lady's Paradise," Charlie's Gangsta's Paradise parody about Gussie the cleaning lady (with her real laugh in it), and the day Gussie got the show sued. Larry Miller laughing so hard milk came out of his nose. Ace Frehley, Richard Simmons, Sam Kinison, Chris Rock, and the Bahamas trip where Jake got so sunburned he flew home shirtless. Charlie was the producer when Wease and Doreen first got together, and he was there the morning Wease's marriage ended. And stick around for the ending: the full mid-90s Ozzy Osbourne interview, with Charlie asking the weirdest deadpan questions you've ever heard while Ozzy eats his way through the entire thing. It's Between Two Ferns 20 years before Between Two Ferns existed. Also on the table: the 49ers owner's trailer park arrest, Meta's $18 billion payout and the new rules for kids online, and whether you can actually keep a teenager off a phone. Shoutout to our sponsor: Electric Car Corner in Farmington. Canna Corner, and Captivate Media www.captivatemedia.com Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri to take you to the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome and Charlie Fitzsimmons Joins the Show 00:03:34 The Ozzy Osbourne Interview: Charlie's Most Legendary Bit 00:06:12 Building Tonic: Charlie's First Restaurant and Learning the Trade 00:11:55 The Restaurant Empire: From Pearl to Black and Blue 00:17:31 Charlie's Athletic Daughters and Division I Hockey 00:24:13 The Cleaning Lady's Paradise Song and Gussie Tribute 00:30:25 Radio Memories: Larry Miller, Sam Kinison, and Studio Chaos 00:38:33 Wease's Divorce Day and Boot Camp Stories 00:48:52 49ers Owner Prostitution Sting and Robert Kraft Comparison 00:52:43 Meta Lawsuit and Social Media Addiction Crisis 01:00:25 Kids, Phones, and Parenting in the Digital Age 01:07:12 Electric Cars, Hockey Rinks, and Charlie's New Ventures 01:24:15 The Full Ozzy Osbourne Interview Audio

    Charlie Fitzsimmons on Ozzy Interviews & Restaurant Life | Wease Family Circus | Ep 29
  3. Aug 28 ·  Video

    The Beth Donahue Episode: Breast Reductions & Taint Biopsies | Wease Family Circus | Ep 28

    Wease finally takes the political filter off. Comedian Beth Donahue-Weedman pulls up to Captivate Studios, visiting from Nashville, and the show that's dodged politics for as long as it's existed lets it all out. Beth has been doing stand-up for 25 years, got sober before she ever hit a stage, and has the stories to prove it, from the paper AA directories she used to find a meeting in every city she toured, to kidnapping Kevin Bacon for a radio bit that ended with Kyra Sedgwick calling her. She, Wease, and Jake and Doreen get into what Nashville has turned into, why people are dropping lifelong friends over politics, and the misinformation machine that has everybody arguing with ghosts online. Then Wease goes deep on the Eagles. He just tore through two band books plus Don Felder's tell-all, and he lays out the whole saga: how Felder wrote the music to "Hotel California," taught a young Tom Petty to play guitar, and got run out of the band by Don Henley and Glenn Frey. Plus the cocaine paranoia, the Stevie Nicks love triangles, and why the guy who writes the song is the one who gets the money. It gets personal, too. Wease heads out an hour after taping for a prostate biopsy and talks straight about his cancer fight, Doreen shares the surgery she's been putting off, and the crew realizes the very building they tape in used to be the rehab center where Beth's partner got treated. Plus Love After Lockup's Rochester couple, Brad Pitt and sobriety, the punch buggy that became Beth's dream car, and a whole lot more. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner in Farmington, Cannabis Corner, and Salvatore's Pizza. Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri to take you to the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome and Beth Donahue Joins from Nashville 00:02:00 Nashville Politics and the Trumper Boobs Phenomenon 00:05:30 Facebook Political Wars and the Libtard Debate 00:12:30 Beth's Comedy Journey: From St. Louis to Rochester 00:14:20 Sobriety, Relapse, and the Meeting Medicine 00:19:40 Eagles Deep Dive: Don Felder, Hotel California, and Cocaine Paranoia 00:19:46 Stevie Nicks Love Life and Joe Walsh Confusion 00:26:20 Grocery Store Politics and Republican Detection 00:32:40 Wease's Taint Biopsy and Medical Adventures 00:39:20 Love After Lockup Rochester Couple and Prison Romance 00:41:20 Beth's Breast Reduction Story and Movie Star T**s 00:47:30 The Kevin Bacon Kidnapping and Kyra Sedgwick TV Show 00:50:40 Electric Car Corner and the Hybrid Life 00:57:30 Brad Pitt's Sobriety Controversy and California Sober 01:03:30 Gun Ownership, Wasp Spray Defense, and Closing Chaos

    The Beth Donahue Episode: Breast Reductions & Taint Biopsies | Wease Family Circus | Ep 28
  4. Aug 14 ·  Video

    Dave Kane: Beatles, Butter, and Broadcasting Stories | Wease Family Circus | Ep 27

    Rochester radio royalty pulls up to the Captivate Media Podcast Studios. Dave Kane, the Beatle expert who spent 42 years on the air in this town, sits down with Wease and Jake for a loose, funny, and surprisingly deep hang about the band that changed everything, the radio era that's never coming back, and how to bake the perfect batch of weed cookies. Dave breaks down the Beatles like only a guy who put 10 to 12 hours of prep into every Sunday show can: the real story behind the rooftop concert and why it fell apart, how Paul wrote "Blackbird" in response to American racism, and the 1965 clause where the Beatles flat-out refused to play segregated audiences. He and Wease get into how so many Black artists like Willie Dixon got ripped off, why Led Zeppelin got sued, and David Gilmour's line that the Beatles weren't a band, they were a miracle. Then it gets personal. Dave tells the origin stories from the wild early radio days, the mentor Wease says he wouldn't exist without, and the near-miss Buffalo job that would have changed everything. The two of them give it to you straight on the state of radio, why the big companies killed it, and which local stations are still worth saving. Plus a full masterclass in cannabis edibles, we learn about the weed butter machine then the time Wease ate five cookies thinking they were regular. And why vaping became Wease's thing after cancer. Also: Wease's rough morning (a 5:30am MRI, steroids, a staph infection, and a neighbor running a blowtorch at 3:45 in the morning), the new Christopher Nolan movie and why everyone's rushing to IMAX, and a whole lot more. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner in Farmington (Wease's monthly gas bill went from 300 bucks to 50), Cannabis Corner, and Salvatore's Pizza. Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri you want to watch the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Health Scare, Hospital Visit, and MRI 00:03:45 A Neighbor's 3 A.M. Blowtorch 00:06:33 Spider Webs and Spider-Man Theater Chaos 00:08:15 The Odyssey and the IMAX Experience 00:11:54 Weekend Guests, Gumbo, and the Tampon Mystery 00:14:38 Reviewing The Dink and Comparing Sports Comedies 00:15:32 Minx, The Four Seasons, and Queer Representation 00:19:12 Historical Racism and the Meaning of Blackbird 00:21:32 Dave Kane Arrives and Radio Memories 00:23:16 A Stoner Detour and Rolling Paper Story 00:24:35 Blackbird and Paul McCartney's Response to Racism 00:25:41 Producing the Beatles Radio Show 00:28:07 The Beatles' Final Rooftop Concert 00:32:03 The Beatles as a Musical Miracle 00:33:55 Black Artists, Musical Influence, and Stolen Credits 00:37:44 Dave Kane's 42-Year Rochester Radio Career 00:38:05 Turning Down Buffalo and Staying in Rochester 00:41:09 The Collapse of Live Local Radio 00:42:00 Automation, Syndication, and Radio's Vanishing Entry-Level Jobs 00:43:45 Local Radio's Remaining Bright Spots 00:45:51 Retirement, Cannabis, and Daily Life 00:50:53 Volunteering and the Joy of Kindness 00:53:58 Podcast Studios and a Favorite Radio Story 00:58:04 Cocaine, Grand Marnier, and Getting Fired 00:59:29 The Letter That Changed a Career 01:01:11 Honoring the Mentor Behind the Career 01:02:05 Radio Personalities and Community Connection 01:04:49 Electric Cars, Charging, and Infrastructure 01:13:49 Sports Cars, Stick Shifts, and Driving 01:15:26 Dispensaries, Homegrown Cannabis, and Buying Weed 01:17:12 Homemade Edibles and Cannabis Butter 01:18:59 Edible Dosing and Getting Too High 01:20:06 Making Cannabis Butter by Machine 01:21:54 A Potent Schmear and Podcast Farewell 01:23:40 Radio Memories, Gratitude, and Signing Off

    Dave Kane: Beatles, Butter, and Broadcasting Stories | Wease Family Circus | Ep 27
  5. Aug 7 ·  Video

    Le Funelle à l'Electric Car Corner | Wease Family Circus | Ep 26

    The Wease Family Circus goes mobile for the first time. Wease and Jake and Doreen set up shop live at Electric Car Corner out in Farmington and spend the day with owner John, a guy Wease has known damn near 40 years, breaking down why used EVs and hybrids might be the best-kept secret in the car game. John makes the case everybody's sleeping on: an $80,000 electric car with 20,000 miles going out the door for 30 grand, a federal 100,000-mile battery warranty on every EV, a third of the moving parts of a gas engine, and around a thousand Teslas sold with basically none coming back. He gets into the Lucid Air, the Tesla Model X Plaid that does 0 to 60 in under two seconds, the Dodge Charger with a button that fakes an engine growl, and the self-driving story that turned Wease into a believer when the car passed a slow Subaru all by itself on the way to a Syracuse game. Turns out the average buyer isn't some young techie, it's a 57-year-old who just wants value. Wease's gas bill tells the whole story. Then the show goes completely off the rails, in the best way: The pro women's softball league Wease accidentally discovered while scrolling. The new Bills stadium, the giant table, and whether a 3-year-old can survive a scrimmage. Love Island, and how a girl went from stocking shelves at Home Depot to 4 million followers. A sealed Madonna Sex book Wease swears he's been saving for Jake for 30 years. The Le Funelle, a decades-old novelty device that lets women pee standing up, that genuinely lives in the Smithsonian. And the Turning Stone bad beat that cost a guy 20 grand over one bathroom break. Plus Wease's hearing battle at the reunion show and the caption glasses that might change the game. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner in Farmington (go drive one, you'll get it), Cannabis Corner, and Salvatore's Pizza. Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri to take you to the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to Electric Car Corner: The Only Hybrid and EV Dealership 00:01:54 The Hybrid Jeep Experience and Pre-Owned EV Value 00:03:03 Who's Buying EVs: Surprising Demographics and Lightning Trucks 00:04:34 Electric Mustangs and Cost Per Mile: The Financial Benefits 00:06:06 The Hat Debate and Tesla Model X Plaid: 0 to 60 in Under Two Seconds 00:08:05 Eddie Barron's Heart Transplant and Wembanyama's Shooting Coach 00:09:10 EV Selection and Federal Battery Warranty: 100,000 Miles Guaranteed 00:13:44 Full Self-Driving Story and Autonomous Taxis 00:18:47 Pete Rose vs Barry Bonds Hall of Fame Debate 00:20:24 Baumann's Tragedy and Professional Women's Softball Discovery 00:21:45 New Bills Stadium and Season Ticket Prices 00:27:22 Love Island Winners: Brinity and Breaking Racial Barriers 00:32:48 The Quiet Revolution: Why EVs Are So Silent 00:34:30 World Cup Ticket Prices and NBA Playoff Economics 00:36:16 The Hearing Glasses Solution and Reunion Show Struggles 00:40:54 The Lufanelle: Women's Pocket Fisherman Prop Comedy 00:43:57 Matt's Bad Beat Story: Missing 20 Grand at Turning Stone 00:46:53 Elective Surgery Horror Stories: Estee Lauder Executive Dies 00:49:22 Assisted Suicide in Quebec: 13 Percent of All Deaths 00:53:40 Cocaine in the Tush: Reagan Cox's Creative Excuse 00:56:19 Final Thoughts and Electric Car Corner Recommendation

    Le Funelle à l'Electric Car Corner | Wease Family Circus | Ep 26
  6. Aug 3 ·  Video

    The Hoochenanny Episode | Wease Family Circus | EP. 25

    Two of Rochester's finest scoundrels, Tommy Brunett of Iron Smoke and Sean McCarthy of McCarthy Tents and Events, pull up to Captivate Studios to break down Hoochenanny, the music and whiskey festival blowing up in its new Penfield home August 14 to 16. This is not your average field-and-a-stage festival. These two built a monster: a 15,000 square foot air-conditioned World of Whiskey, a two-story VIP tent you can walk right to the front of the stage from, Lager Land, real food with real seating, and a DIY punk rock spirit dressed up in PGA-level hospitality. Sean explains how owning the tents lets him take swings nobody else in the business would take, and how a five-month, six-no fight with the town finally turned into a yes. The lineup is stacked: Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Toadies, Cracker, Joywave, Amigo the Devil, plus Tommy Brunett's All-Star Cavalcade of Scoundrels with Gary Lewis and the Playboys and John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Friday GA is already gone, and last year's whiskey auction raised over $30,000 for Lou Gramm Charity and Make-A-Wish, with one bottle going for seven grand. Then the guys clear out and Wease gets real about the week from hell: an ambulance ride Monday night, a 103 fever, blood pressure at 201, and an overloaded Strong Memorial where he got treated in a tent and called back at 1:45 in the morning over a false-positive MRSA scare. His take on why the ER is a war zone right now is worth hearing. Plus the 911 call where the dispatcher heard "arguing in the background" (it was Doreen keeping him from face-planting), the ambulance driver who recognized the pictures on the wall, Josh Allen parking in Wease's spot at Bills camp, and the great gray jersey debate. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner in Farmington (Wease's monthly gas bill went from 300 bucks to 56), Cannabis Corner, and Salvatore's Pizza. Get to Hoochenanny August 14 to 16 in Penfield. Don't sleep on tickets.

    The Hoochenanny Episode | Wease Family Circus | EP. 25
  7. Jul 13 ·  Video

    The Bill Moran Episode | Wease Family Circus | Ep 24

    Radio is dying and Billy Moran isn't pretending otherwise. He started at 19 doing overnights in Poughkeepsie, spent 30 years on the air, and right now he's getting cut loose because the company that had him on 80 classic rock stations is going broke. This week he sits down with Wease and Jake at Captivate Studios, and it turns into two hours of the kind of stories only these two could tell. They get into why radio actually died (hint: it wasn't the talent), and Wease makes a prediction about the AI backlash and why kids are going to come crawling back to real, tangible, authentic media. Billy breaks down the difference between a businessman like Howard Stern and an entertainer like Wease, the guy whose listeners knew his kids' names and went through cancer and life right alongside him. Then the stories start: The time 5-year-old Sammy never made it to school on the bus, got found on DeWitt Road by a random couple, and Wease told them to just drop him back off because he wasn't cutting his workout short. Doreen is still not over it. The Montreal Comedy Festival road trip that ended at the Canadian border, where Billy got flagged, denied entry, and had to pay cash and do "rehabilitation" in Kingston while Wease and Jake cried laughing. Plus the Jack stack, the on-air fights defused with a John Hiatt song, the "Doreen or Michael Jackson crying" game, and the syndication seminar where Wease leaned over, said "that's too much work for the Wease," and walked out. They also get into Wease's health scare in Florida, the tequila-vape-joint combo right before a heart doctor visit, why vaping's been a gift after cancer, and Billy's wild pivot into mental health counseling, from group work to past life regression. Catch the Wease Show Reunion live July 17th at Comedy at the Carlson with Billy Moran, Cindy Pierce, BJ, and secret guests. T-shirt restock that night. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner on Route 96 in Farmington (we're broadcasting live out there July 24th), Cannabis Corner, and Salvatore's Pizza. Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri to take you to the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome and Billy Moran's Journey with Brother Wease 00:02:15 The Death of Radio: Why iHeart and Odyssey Are Going Bankrupt 00:04:44 Billy's Radio Origins and the Poughkeepsie Days 00:06:10 Mark Myrard Gets Fired and the 13-Station Resume 00:17:46 The Montreal Comedy Festival Road Trip Disaster 00:20:56 Behind the Scenes: The Funniest Radio Moments Ever 00:13:45 Sammy Gets Left on the Bus: The Full Story Teased 00:23:30 Living Your Life On Air: The Authenticity That Made Wease King 01:08:38 The Wease Departure: What Really Happened 01:12:42 Billy's New Path: Mental Health Counseling and Grad School 00:40:40 Social Media Haters and the Algorithm That Feeds Wease 00:50:12 Electric Car Corner: Hybrids, Rivians, and the Dodge Charger 00:58:20 Cannabis Corner: Vaping Before the Heart Doctor 01:02:08 The Naked Ambulance Ride: Wease Passes Out in Florida 00:33:17 World Cup Fever and Birthright Citizenship Irony 00:55:13 Del Lago Poker and the Road Rage Mystery Woman 00:57:27 The Amish Store and Souders Supermarket Discovery 00:36:52 Bill Maher, Ranch Dressing, and Why America Is Actually Great 01:17:38 Wrap Up: July 17th Reunion Show and Final Thoughts

    The Bill Moran Episode | Wease Family Circus | Ep 24
  8. Jul 3 ·  Video

    Music Stories w/ Bruce Pilato | Wease Family Circus | Ep 23

    Bruce Pilato has been in the room for damn near every moment that matters in rock and roll, and he did it all without ever leaving upstate New York. Three of the four Beatles on tape. 400 photos he owns outright. 1,100 celebrity interviews. This week Wease and Jake sit down at Captivate Studios with the legendary music journalist, ELP manager, and Rochester Music Hall of Fame producer for two hours of stories most people only wish they could tell. Bruce's dad gave him two rules at 18: stay in upstate New York where every band warms up before New York and LA, and never take a salary so you own your tapes and photos forever. He listened. That one call built an entire career. Inside this one: Bruce was at the Beverly Hilton the night Whitney Houston died, hours before Clive Davis's pre-Grammy party. What Clive did next, and how Jennifer Hudson ended up singing "I Will Always Love You" that night. The Drake story. Jake's brother Sammy told Bruce to write about some kid off Degrassi back in 2010. Bruce landed one of Drake's first major features after catching a sold-out Carrier Dome show and not understanding how a guy he'd never heard of filled the building. An hour alone with George Harrison that became Bruce's first USA Today cover, and how a kid's drawing of a race car broke the ice. Little Richard breaking down in tears on camera over a chandelier he bought his mama, plus the John Lennon story Richard told him that you have to hear to believe. Led Zeppelin at the Rochester War Memorial on September 11, 1971, the night of the Attica prison riot, and how Bruce ended up five feet from Jimmy Page. Plus the truth about the ELP live show that isn't a hologram, Steven Tyler on a pogo stick at FAO Schwarz, Jimi Hendrix recording Joni Mitchell in a Canadian coffee house in 1968, and Bruce's book "The Feedback: One Man's Journey." If you love rock and roll from back when it meant something, this is the one. Shoutout to our sponsors: Electric Car Corner out on Route 96 in Farmington, and The Contractor Store in Greece. Watch, subscribe, and share. New episodes weekly. Wease Family Circus. Google it, or tell Siri to take you to the Wease Family Circus. Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome and Bruce Pilato's Journey into Music Journalism 00:01:46 Meeting the Legends: From Jimi Hendrix to Led Zeppelin 00:18:53 The Drake Interview: How Jake Got Backstage at the Carrier Dome 00:09:34 Emerson Lake and Palmer: The LED Wall Tour Innovation 00:16:20 Greg Lake's Emotional Exit and the Tommy Mule Incident 00:25:25 The Fillmore East Era and Bill Graham's Genius 00:28:07 Electric Car Corner: Saving Money and the Environment 00:31:15 Clive Davis and Whitney Houston's Tragic Death 00:43:54 George Harrison: The Best Beatles Interview 00:49:12 Little Richard's Makeup Meltdown and Beatles Stories 00:53:39 Led Zeppelin at the War Memorial: Front Row to Backstage 00:40:31 The Book Project: Feedback and 1,100 Celebrity Interviews 01:09:20 Rochester Jazz Fest, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Steven Tyler on a Pogo Stick

    Music Stories w/ Bruce Pilato | Wease Family Circus | Ep 23
4.8
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

Wease Family Circus is a long-form conversation podcast built around legacy, honesty, humor, and what comes after the microphone gets turned off. For more than three decades, Brother Wease was a constant voice on the radio. He was a daily presence woven into the lives of listeners, co-hosts, producers, and a community that grew up together on the air. When that era ended, the story felt unfinished. Questions lingered. Context was missing. And much of the real human experience behind the scenes never had a place to land. This podcast exists to change that. Not by living in the past, but by finally putting it in its proper place. Wease Family Circus brings the original cast back together in an environment that feels familiar, loose, and unfiltered. No clocks. No commercial breaks. No corporate guardrails. Just real conversations between people who shared years of life, pressure, creativity, conflict, laughter, and growth inside a studio and are now reconnecting on their own terms. The early episodes focus on re-establishing chemistry and trust. Catching up. Telling stories that were never told publicly. Letting listeners feel like they are back in the room again. As the show unfolds, one long-teased chapter is finally addressed. A behind-the-scenes look at the final on-air day and the moments surrounding it. That story matters and it deserves clarity, but it is not the destination. It is the doorway. From there, the show expands outward. Wease Family Circus evolves into a space for reunions and reflections with the original cast, conversations with notable guests from radio, media, sports, and culture, and select moments pulled from the archive. Not as nostalgia bait, but as context. It is a place for honest discussion about legacy, identity, creativity, and change. Humor that still bites. Stories that still matter. Voices that still connect. This is not a rehash. This is not a grievance tour. And it is not a museum piece. It is a living continuation that honors what was built while allowing room for something new to exist alongside it. If you grew up listening, this is a chance to reconnect with voices that shaped your mornings. If you are new, this is an honest look at what long-running creative work actually costs and what it gives back. No scripts. No forced segments. No pretending the past did not happen or that it has to define the future. Welcome to the Wease Family Circus.