What's the first game you ever played? What's the best/ worst experience you've had with a game? Do you consider yourself a gamer? Welcome to the Grasscast! (a mash-up of the words grasshopper and podcast). The grasshopper is our icon, our symbol, and our spirit animal, which represents the ultimate game-player. Listen to hosts Shawn Daichendt and Kwab Fordjour as they informally interview friends, family, and other cool people, and try to discover what games really are, and how they inform ...
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Listen to The Grasshopper talk about anything you want to hear if you have any topic suggestions please contact The Grasshopper via Facebook at Grasscast@TheGrasshopper1794 hit the send message button and let me know.
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On this episode, Shawn, Kwab, Aman and Kayven (SKAK) talk about... Balatro (or Belacho?) https://www.playbalatro.com/ Global Game Jam 2024: https://globalgamejam.org/jam-sites/2024/windsor-hackforge-ggj-2024 Our game submission for GGJ 2024: Kisses and Disses: https://globalgamejam.org/games/2024/kisses-and-disses-8 Print and Play games The 3 Body …
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... Monster Hunter NOW Meta Quest Gorn Super Hot Asgards Wrath II Mixed Reality Piano Apple Vision ProBy Grasscast
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Episode 14: SAG-AFTRA and the Fight for What's Right
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In this hilariously insightful episode of "The Grasscast," hosts Chris and Laura join forces with Keith Flippen and Elliott Bales from SAG-AFTRA to unravel the mysteries of the recent actors' strike and the looming threat of A.I. takeover in creative fields. As they navigate the comedic minefield of fair employment and silicon adversaries, expect l…
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... Is AI getting too powerful? Can we interview ChatGPT as a guest?By Grasscast
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... Playing with new sound effects New Years resolutions vs themes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVGuFdX5guE ) The Game Awards (https://thegameawards.com/ ) Elden Ring See (Kwab’s review) Streaming services Deep Space 9By Grasscast
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Episode 13: Climate Justice & Fighting Corporate Power with EarthRights International
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In this episode of "The Grasscast," things are hilariously heating up as comedian Robert Mac returns as guest co-host to take on the serious topic of climate justice with special guest Marissa Vahlsing, the amazing (and very punk rock) Supervising Attorney from EarthRights International. As the laughs flow and the conversation deepens, Marissa shar…
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Episode 12: Elevating Comedic Voices of Women & Non-Binary Folx with the Grassroots Comedy Incubator
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In this uproarious episode of "The Grasscast," hosts Chris and Laura sit down with Grassroots Comedy's Production Director Dana Fleitman and the witty Rosalie Rubio, a graduate from the Grassroots Comedy Incubator for Women and Non-Binary Folks. Get ready for a rollicking rollercoaster of comedy and camaraderie as this dynamic quartet delves into t…
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Episode 11: Going All-in on the Green New Deal with Sunrise DC
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In this side-splitting episode of "The Grasscast," hosts Chris, Scott, and Laura team up with the energetic Kevin Wu, representing the Sunrise Movement's DC hub team, to shed light on the importance of the Green New Deal in the fight against climate change. Brace yourselves for a rollercoaster ride of laughter and climate activism as this dynamic q…
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Episode 10: The Fight for Affordable Housing with DC Habitat for Humanity
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In this unique episode of "The Grasscast," hosts Chris, Scott, and Laura team up with the amazing Kat Shaub, Vice President of Development for Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC & Norther Virginia, to tackle the serious issue of affordable housing in the DC area—armed with laughter! Join this hilarious trio as they ingeniously blend humor and i…
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On this episode, Shawn, Kwab, Aman and Jenn talk about... Everything Everywhere All At Once The Oscars AI Art The future of workBy Grasscast
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Episode 9: Aiding the Unhoused with Bread for the City
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Housing is an issue that affects every city in the United States, and is especially challenging in Washington, DC. That's why Chris and his brand new co-hosts, comedians Scott Bendure & Laura Franzese, sat down with Ashley Domm of Bread for the City to talk about ways her organization is working to help the citizens of our nation's capitol who are …
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... The hunt for a PS5 Horizon: Forbidden West Elden Ring Severance The BatmanBy Grasscast
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Episode 8: Take Action, Not Sides: Gun Violence Prevention with Brady
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It's because of episodes like this one that Grassroots Comedy does what it does. Taking on the super sensitive issue of gun violence prevention, host Chris Blackwood is joined by comedian Max Wolfson to interview JJ Janflone and Kelly Sampson of Brady. Together, they dissect the state of gun violence in the U.S., current efforts to reduce gun viole…
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The Grassroots Comedy Five Year Anniversary Song!
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Grassroots Comedy (GC) turned five years old earlier this year, marking half a decade of supporting causes in a time of need through jokes. With comedy for so many causes under our belts, it can be hard to summarize what those causes have been in a succinct way. For those who missed the GC five year anniversary show back in Feb 2022, here is the so…
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Episode 7: Supporting (and Laughing With) Ukraine, With the U.S. – Ukraine Foundation
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In this long awaited Ukraine episode, host Chris Blackwood is joined by Ukrainian comedian Anna Tirat-Gefen and John Kun, Vice President of the U.S. – Ukraine Foundation. Together, they discuss not only about the war in Ukraine, its implications, and how to support its victims, but also the role of COMEDY in Ukraine, why Ukrainians are funnier than…
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Episode 6: Abortion Rights with Pro-Choice Virginia
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In this episode, we do a deep dive into abortion and the current state of abortion policy in the U.S. We're joined by Grassroots Comedy's own Dana Fleitman as Co-host and interview Cassidy Clark from Pro-Choice Virginia who answers all of our serious and silly questions. It is sad, terrifying, and also a great time! Like crying while also laughing …
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Episode 5: Afghan Refugee Support with Solutions in Hometown Connections
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This episode does a deep dive into the very important cause of supporting Afghan refugees, and is somehow also very fun. Chris Blackwood and guest Co-host, comedian Yasmin Elhady, interview Merritt Groschel – the Founder and Director of Solutions in Hometown Connections (SHC). SHC is an organization that supports immigrants and refugees in the DC M…
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab (and friends) talk about... The One New parent life The Microsoft acquisition of Activision-Blizzard VR therapy Minority Report Demolition Man What if we wrote Matrix 4? Metro Was Matrix 4 good/ bad? Sense8 NFTs and digital scarcity Red birds? NFTs in games SoulCoin!By Grasscast
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Episode 4: Voting Rights with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
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This final episode of 2021 has it all. Hosts Chris Blackwood and Robert Mac dive into the issue of voting rights in an effort to understand and solve ongoing voter suppression in the USA. They interview Damon Hewitt, the President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and discuss why they don't have a shorter …
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Dale Patrick, artist, comic book enthusiast and friend of the show. We talk about learning to play games with siblings, the evolution of fighting games, VR cardio workout routines, Phasmophobia, the Metaverse, NFTs in gaming, Sekiro, Baldur's Gate LAN parties, TorontoTopTiers, Conan Exiles, point and click game…
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab (and friends) talk about... New World Star Wars Galaxies See Star Wars Visions The War with GrandpaBy Grasscast
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Episode 3: Youth Empowerment with Horton‘s Kids
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After a long hiatus we're finally back! In this long-awaited episode, we dig into youth empowerment in the Nation's Capital in an interview with Leigh Player from Horton's Kids. In addition, Chris and Robert offer advice to teenagers, because they are like, really smart and good at it. They also advise you to listen to this episode for your own goo…
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On this episode, we once again join our agent Ramican Browne (Kwab) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! In the last episode, team had successfully managed to knock out and capture Madame Percival, and had time-travelled with her to Alexandria, 4 days into the future. Meanwhile, Ramican decided to stay behind and …
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On this episode, we once again join our agents JonDon (Kayven), Ramican Browne (Kwab) and Ben (Aman) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We continue our second VR training simulation, "Queen of the Nile", which allows the agents (as well as the person running the game) to learn more about the system, and helps th…
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab (and Aman) talk about... Loki and its similarities/ differences to TimeWatch Did Kwab's parents once meet a young Sam Richardson? Why all time travel agents wear fedoras Men in Black original trilogy vs reboot Would you date your alternate self?By Grasscast
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On this episode, we once again join our agents JonDon (Kayven), Ramican Browne (Kwab) and Ben (Aman) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We start our second VR training simulation, "Queen of the Nile", which allows the agents (as well as the person running the game) to learn more about the system, and helps the t…
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TimeWatch - The Once and Future Photobomber
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On this episode, we once again join our agents JonDon (Kayven), Ramican Browne (Kwab) and Ben (Aman) while we continue to attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We start our first VR training simulation, "The Once And Future Photobomber", which allows the agents (as well as the person running the game) to learn more about the system, an…
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TimeWatch - Introduction and Character Creation
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On this episode, we are joined by previous guests Kayven and Aman while we introduce and attempt to play the time-travelling RPG TimeWatch! We learn a little bit about the background and setup of the game and start creating the characters that will soon be the newest agents of TimeWatch...By Grasscast
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Episode 2: Climate Change with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network
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Hosts Chris Blackwood and Robert Mac dig into the issue of climate change through interviews with Mike Tidwell from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), Charley Silverman from Orchard City, Colorado, and another special guest that Chris met as a gas station. Featuring comedy clips from comedians Brittany Carney, Violet Gray, and Robert Mac…
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... Has the Paper Scissor Rock saga come to an end? Grindstone Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery Invincible season finale Tabletop Simulator A World of Moving Homes... Godzilla vs Kong vs Invincible Don't Starve Together Learning Guitar with YousicianBy Grasscast
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Rob Zun, comic book aficionado and friend of the show. We talk about Monopoly, UNO, dominoes, storytelling in video games, the psychology of collectibles, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, The Walking Dead, The Three Jokers, Invincible and Spawn.By Grasscast
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In this pilot episode of the Grasscast, we dive into the issue of immigrant rights, with a special guest from Ayuda- a Washington, DC based organization that provides legal, social, and language services to help low-income immigrants access justice and transform their lives. Chris and Robert discuss silver linings of harmful immigration policies (s…
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... The Justice League Snyder Cut The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Superpower Hypotheticals Immortality HypotheticalsBy Grasscast
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Sue Braiden, adventure diva, solutions journalist and founder of Rock Paper Estrogen. We talk about Dominoes, ColecoVision, Myst, WorldsAway, experiences working with the first ATMs and teleconference software, finding a sense of purpose during a pandemic, the problem addiction loop, understanding solutions jou…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Justin Melville, a network surveillance and operations specialist and retired Ingress legend. We talk about Number Munchers, MOBA auto-grouping issues, real estate as a game, Ingress experiences, truck driving experiences, and RPGsBy Grasscast
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On this episode, Shawn and Kwab talk about... What they talked about on the last 'Shawn & Kwab Talk About...' Ice skating experiences http://hideandseek.world Ori and the Will of the Wisps What podcasts they're listening to What movies they're watching Plus some post-credit outtakes for you super-fans!…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Zach Showers, friend of the show and software developer. We try using an app called rpsgame.org in hopes of finding an easier way to play Paper, Scissors, Rock on the podcast. We also talk about Tetris, Breath of the Wild, TCGs (Trading Card Games), Seasons, gaming at the workplace, Peloton bikes, favorite Sein…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Mita Williams, a librarian at the University of Windsor and general gaming enthusiast. We talk about PONG, Buzz Off, Hogwarts Mystery, Kentucky Route Zero, UNO, the value of libraries, Elsinore, Portal, Monikers, and designing educational games.By Grasscast
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Sherri Wheeler, a software and game developer who, among other things, owns and operates Silver Key Games. We talk about Commander Keen, The Long Dark, Subnautica, Mice and Mystics, Duke Nukem level design high school projects, Children of Morta, Outward, Pandemic Legacy, Half-Life, developing Roboid.com, easy/…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Evan Barnes, our friend and game developer at a local company called Red Piston. We talk about his early game development inspirations, teaching User Experience (UX) design to college students, early memories of Sonic the Hedgehog, DIY Magic The Gathering decks, Arduino programming, using games in parenting, HA…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Kayven Beemer, unofficial head of the Board Game Group, and possibly Spiderman? We talk about his great-grandfather's gaming experiences, playing Cyberpunk 2077 on an old XBOX, the efficacy of timers in board games, ranking board game websites, origins of the Board Game Group, Avalon and Game of Thrones.…
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In this episode we are reviewing the Cristopher Nolan time travel movie Tenet. This episode features Kwab, Aman Turdaliev, our past guest, and Kayven Beemer our hopefully future guest. The guys dissect pretty much everything wrong with the movie, and Aman explains the bootstrap paradox which is a really cool concept, and great fun to listen to how …
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On this episode, we review the year 2020, and talk about our pandemic experiences. We also talk about the KFConsole, Cyberpunk 2077, Animal Crossing, Among Us, Next-Gen Consoles and TikTok.By Grasscast
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Mike Percy, our musically-talented friend, Risk collector and Ikariam trading expert. We talk about Bart Vs The World, Red Dead Redemption 2, Ikariam, e-feds, Minecraft, early childhood memories of Risk, Walking Dead: Risk, bad memories of Need for Speed: Underground, good memories of Goldeneye, meta-gaming, gr…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Jon Donais, software developer and X-wing miniature game enthusiast. We talk about working in Detroit as a Canadian, synesthesia, Crystal's Pony Tale, the book 'The Power', Planetary Annihilation, Star Wars Battlefront, Star Wars Galaxy, X-Wing miniatures, the social ethics of gaming, games for health, and we g…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Kimberly Patenaude, our funny French-Canadian friend and X-phile, better known amongst her D&D friends as 'that smart-ass rogue'. We talk about Wonderboy, Cat Cafe, League of Legends, game testing for Activision in Ireland, D&D, Terraria, Viticulture drinking games, Skyrim, Myst, and Zombies Run.…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Doug Sartori, Founder of the Windsor Hackforge, panelist of Rose City Politics and Dark Souls guru. We talk about City Connection, childhood experiences with Candyland, abstract games, Onitama, 1754 (the game), the book 'On Numbers and Games', zero-player games, bad experiences with Cards Against Humanity, Smal…
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On this episode, we talk about Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the concept of flow and the 9 states. We also try out some conversational games, including Walrus, Would You Rather? (using http://either.io/)By Grasscast
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Jeff Szusz, software developer, RPG enthusiast, and almost co-host of the Grasscast! We talk the about the validity of paper scissors rock as a game, Sorry!, Dungeon Crawl Classics, 'Powered By The Apocalypse' games, Shadowrun, a brief history of RPGs, the role of a GM in RPGs and the concept of ethical standar…
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On this episode, we talk to our guest Chris Walker, co-host of the Windsor Language Exchange and overall gaming enthusiast. We talk about Payday, fighting fantasy novels, Magic: The Gathering, Heckmeck, Esperanto, and Monopoly rage quitsBy Grasscast
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