The Golden Mic Podcast

Robert Absher is a historian with the Wake Sports Hall of Fame. Robert has hundreds of boards on display in his home museum, a temporary home for the collection until a proper brick and mortar location is built. He welcomed Dano to his museum in March 2021 for a full tour and to talk about the history of the sport.

Tommy Phillips is back for part 2 with Dano the Mano on episode 152 of the Golden Mic Podcast. Presented by Tommy’s Boats, the two finish their conversation and talk about the different personalities between the original Denver and Florida locations, founding and being honored by the Wakeboarding Hall of Fame, selling his business and much more!

Tommy Phillips joins Dano on episode 151 of the Golden Mic Podcast. In the first of this two episode series, the guys kick off “Tommy’s 40 years of Awesome” with conversation around how Tommy got started in towed water sports, opening his two industry-changing locations, being featured in a major Super Bowl commercial spot and the early days of wakeboarding.

Space Mob is in the house! Episode 150 features a one-on-one interview with Quinn Silvernale. From the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” to Valdosta, Georgia, hear the full story from one of wakes’ most influential riders.

Dano stops by the Valdosta Wake Compound to talk with owners and co-founders Quinn Silvernale and Luke Tilt about how they created one of the best wake parks in the world.

Videographer extraordinaire Jake Snider stops by the Golden Mic Podcast to talk about what is was like to film Keith St. Onge barefooting on the Chicago River, the current state of web edits and Instagram videos as well as how growing up in the Midwest shaped his love for the sport.  

JB ONeill stops by the Boat House Studio for his second full audio appearance on the Golden Mic Podcast to talk about how he was able to create one of the biggest YouTube channels in all of wakeboarding. The two take listeners along JB’s YouTube journey and share advice for riders looking to build a following.   

The original DanO — Dan Olson — invites the Mano and the Golden Mic Podcast to his office at Active Watersports newest location down in Central Florida to talk about growing up in a waterskiing family, bringing wakeboarding techniques into the world of freestyle jumping and how his battle with an autoimmune disease changed his life forever. The guys also talk about Dan’s charity efforts through his non for profit, The Olson Project.

Tyler Higham stops by the Golden Mic Podcast to talk about his decision to move to the West Coast as a kid and now to Florida, joining the Ronix family, competing in the X Games Real Wake and winning the 2019 Wakeboarding Magazine’s Wake Award for Best Boat Rider.

Hunter Hanson stops by the Golden Mic Podcast to talk about growing up in waterskiing, performing all over the world, working at the legendary Cypress Gardens and Sea World, and his contest accomplishments — including his World Championship Wake Park title in 2019.

Two-Time Supra Boats PWT Overall Champion and #1 Ranked Wakesurfer in the world, Sean Silveira stops by the Golden Mic Podcast to talk about what it’s like competing in his thirties, his love of flowboarding and how he is personally evolved and matured as an athlete.

Dave AV stops by the Golden Mic Podcast Boat House studio for a shred and to talk about how he was able to combine his love of wakeboarding, filmmaking and drone flying to create some of the best footage in the industry. Dave tells us about how he got into the sport and how he has quickly, with hard work, gained the respect of major players all over the international wake scene.

Wakepark rider John Dreiling joins Dano for an impromptu talk about the current state of the industry, staying on the water in the time of COVID-19 and how his stance on boat riding has matured over the years. 

Dano stops by the 2020 Wisconsin Think Tank Water Ski Convention & Expo and sits down with a few members of the 2020 USA Water Ski Show Team including, Brea Imse, announcer Michael Thornton and co-show director David Rezin.

Dano talks with professional slalom skier and host of the Water Ski Podcast, Matteo Luzzeri. Matteo discusses his Italian upbringing, his collegiate career, getting his PHD in sports psychology and so much more.

Dano sits down with O’Town Watersports owner and one of the most accomplished wakeboard coaches on the planet, Glen Fletcher, to discuss his humble beginnings in New Zealand, how riders and parents should approach being coached and what it was like to coach the likes of Rusty Malinoski, Steel Lafferty and Dallas Friday.

In a very special episode of the Golden Mic Podcast, Dano talks to former pro waterskier Ty Oppenlander about his passion for the sport, dealing with a prolonged injury at the height of his career and how his recently diagnosed brain tumor has affected his outlook on life.  

In this episode, we take an even deeper dive into the world of kneeboarding with kneeboarding legend – Ted Bevelacqua. This is part two of our two-part kneeboard series — it focuses on Ted’s history in the sport and all the different avenues he’s been able to navigate throughout his career from recreational rider to pro athlete and innovative creator of new technology to brand representative and industry guru. The two also cover the overall culture and evolution of kneeboarding. 

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the world of kneeboarding with two of the top kneeboarders on the planet – O’Brien Watersports Pro team  athletes Tom Kohl and John Haile. The dudes talk about their history in towed watersports, Tom growing up in Minnesota and John down in Florida. Some other topics the guys discuss are equipment, winching, cable, their passion, the progression and the future of kneeboarding.

Wakeboarding double threat, Ronix team athlete, wake park and boat rider Jake Pelot joins Dano to talk about falling in love with the sport, becoming riding mates with Shaun Murray, developing his co-signature board with teammate Tyler Higham and judging competitions.