Meet Cullen Blake | Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cullen Blake and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cullen, what’s your definition for success?
Success in podcasting can be measured in a variety of ways. The volume of listeners, subscribers, and income generated from sponsorships are obviously barometers for success, but I define our success by talking to some of the funniest people on Earth and hearing them laugh when on our show. We have the unique pleasure of getting to speak with some of our favorite actors and comedians, and when we get to collaborate on content with the primary goal to make one other laugh… it’s more impactful than statistical milestones.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
SOMETHIN’ CRUNCHY is a comedy entertainment podcast that focuses its interviews on popular comedians coming to Phoenix. Co-hosts, Blair and Tyler Dressel are also my sister and brother-in-law. Our chemistry and family dynamic separates us from other shows, and our content is comedy-focused whether an interview or discussing the headlines you won’t find in mainstream media. In just this season alone, we’ve heard everything from Steve-O announcing he was getting breast implants to the truth behind what happened to Jimmy Hoffa from a mob-connected actor who starred in The Godfather. We provide an hour of entertainment each week on one of the fastest-growing mediums and service the community by promoting entertainers who are coming to the valley.

Why did you pursue an artistic or creative career?

The three of us share a passion for film-making and stand-up comedy. With considerable exposure to the entertainment industry and having written comedy in the past, the podcast was more-so an outlet for creative energy and collaboration. It has grown from a way to pass the time during the pandemic to being aired on the radio and backed by full-time sponsors.

How to know whether to keep going or give up?

There’s always a point, especially early on, where you wonder if the results you’re seeing are worth the time and effort. You can easily spend 30+ hours on a single episode after the research, recording, and post-production with a high likelihood that only a handful of people will hear it. It can be discouraging until developing an audience, but we made adjustments and started putting hyper-focus on promoting events in the Phoenix area. It’s counterintuitive thinking, but by targeting a smaller audience we were able to grow our listenership by a large margin.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Friday night needs to be spent in Cave Creek eating Mexican food at El Encanto then watching live bull-riding at Buffalo Chip. On Saturday, we’d suggest the Rock N Rock car show at The Pavilions before eating at Orange Sky in Talking Stick and playing some craps before catching the late-night set at Desert Ridge Improv or Stand Up Live.
Sunday is a great day to explore the Biltmore & Arcadia area, and The Henry or La Grande Orange would be great places to eat.

Golf at any of the Desert Mountain courses is a must as well!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Our mom, Sharon Berman, has been our biggest supporter and for years has helped the show in numerous ways. We couldn’t do it without her efforts behind the scenes and never-ending encouragement.

Website: https://somethincrunchy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somethincrunchy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1400392980151187/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpj2MdL6NaPwFZQRsF186LZSQYvYAdbn9

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@somethincrunchy

Image Credits
Amanda Stover