The John Carney Show

THE JOHN CARNEY SHOW EXPERIENCE 

3-3-25

Today was one of those pinch-me moments — I had the honor of being a guest on The John Carney Show on KTRS 550AM. For those outside of St. Louis, John Carney is a beloved radio host known not only for his quick wit and captivating interviews but also for his dedication to giving back to the community. His work with local charities, especially those that support children, is something that really resonates with me. Using your platform to uplift others — particularly kids — is something I try to carry into my own work.

Before the interview, I was honest about feeling nervous. I don't think expressing nerves is a sign of weakness or a lack of confidence — quite the opposite, actually. Being open about those feelings allows me to process them and keep moving forward. Nerves can signal that you're doing something that matters to you. When you acknowledge those emotions, they lose some of their power. It’s healthy to feel them, name them, and then do the thing anyway.

I sat down with John, Julie Buck, and Max for the interview. Their questions were fast-paced, which definitely kept me on my toes. One of the questions was about who got me interested in magic — I shared that David Copperfield and Lance Burton were my early inspirations, but my female role models were none other than the Spice Girls. The message they put out about girl power and embracing who you are made a huge impact on me growing up — and still does today.

I also got to introduce them to Pancakes, my magical puppet who opens my show. Pancakes is a huge part of what makes my performances work for both kids and adults. Kids are instantly curious and interactive, while adults know from the moment Pancakes makes an appearance that I'm going to be a little silly — but never at anyone's expense. That sets the tone for the whole show.

We talked about how I landed on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and the ripple effect of Mel B compliment.

A huge thank you to my friend Eric for recording the interview and to the KTRS team for letting me have my GoPro running during the segment. I'll have a link up soon if you'd like to listen.

It's moments like these that remind me why I love what I do — bringing people together, making them laugh, and creating those little sparks of wonder. Thank you to everyone who tuned in and continues to support this magical journey.