Backstage at the Ramones 50th W/ Travolta, Billy Idol, Green Day & Blink 182 - Beardo&Weirdo Ep. 84

Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael and comedian Craig Gass reconnect mid-tour on Beardo and Weirdo to break down the FFDP 20th anniversary tour, the viral Aidan Mullen interview about the Metallica bus crash that killed Cliff Burton, and behind-the-scenes footage from the Ramones 50th anniversary celebration at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Kael reports the band is playing the strongest set of their career alongside Cody Jinks and Ava Under Fire.

The conversation covers Ivan Moody stopping a show during a dangerous Cincinnati heatwave to hand out water, the origin of Kael's "Yell with Kael" crowd sing-along segment that started as a spontaneous moment on night one, and how he Rick Rolled an entire arena at PNC New Jersey with full production support. Kael burned 1,548 calories on stage during the Cincinnati show — nearly double his usual 900 — and came dangerously close to heat exhaustion backstage afterward.

Craig shares first-person footage and stories from the Ramones 50th anniversary show featuring Travis Barker on drums, Tim Armstrong of Rancid on bass, Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day, CJ Ramone, Billy Idol, and John Travolta. Backstage encounters included John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Five, Matt Pinfield, Priscilla Presley, and Bam Margera. Craig also recounts hanging out with Russell Peters at a Pittsburgh cigar lounge after a comedy show and tells an unforgettable story about accidentally telling John Frusciante an unflattering anecdote to his face.

Kael opens up about the reality of touring — the brutal challenge of sleeping in bus bunks as a six-foot, broad-shouldered man, the Whoop recovery data showing 18% recovery on bus nights versus 82% in hotels, and how that sleep deprivation originally drove his heavy drinking. He also discusses his transition to cigar lounges as a sober social alternative and the new star coach bus setup for the next leg. The episode covers Kael's Jones Beach prank on Gass that backfired spectacularly, the Banana Man viral moment guest visiting a Canada show, and Punched Energy gummies as the podcast's first official sponsor.