Welcome to another episode of My First Stage: the podcast where I get the real stories from public speakers about their journeys to the stage—the good, the messy, and everything in between.

This week, I sat down with the truly one-of-a-kind Paul Pape. If you’ve ever wondered how a “Santa for Nerds” finds his voice on a TEDx stage (and how a custom lightsaber dildo ends up involved), you’re in for an episode you won’t forget.

Paul is a TEDx speaker, a designer, an author, and the creative genius behind Paul Pape Designs. For over 20 years, he’s made a name for himself crafting custom collectibles for the geeks, nerds, and superfans of the world—earning him the unexpected (but perfect) nickname “Santa for Nerds.” Paul’s work has landed him clients like Disney and The Today Show, but his journey to public speaking and the TEDx stage was anything but typical.

Here’s a taste of where our conversation took us:

• The Origin of “Santa for Nerds”: Why Paul’s clients started calling him this, and how it instantly made his unique business make sense to everyone.
• Landing a TEDx (Twice!): Paul’s refreshingly honest story of hiring a coach, submitting applications, and getting his first (and second) TEDx talks faster than he ever imagined.
• When the Talk Changes Last Minute: The wild story of showing up in West Virginia, getting asked to scrap his prepared speech three days before the event, and delivering a brand-new talk—with no finished script.
• From Theater to TEDx: How Paul’s background in theater (even after being told he’d “never be an actor”) shaped his confidence, performance style, and survival skills on stage.
• The Real Reason Behind TEDx: Paul drops some truth bombs about why he wanted a TEDx at all—and how it plays into business, ego, and authority.
• Honestly, Authority Matters: How having “TEDx Speaker” next to your name can open doors—even when the video barely cracks 1,000 views.
• The Weirdest Custom Requests Ever: Yes, including dildos and bomb-themed engagement ring boxes (with a side of international intrigue and possible prison time).
• Stage Advice from the Trenches: Why memorization isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and why being authentic and passionate is the best way to land any room.

Did Paul’s story inspire you, make you laugh, or convince you to wear your nerdiness with pride? Here’s where to go next:

• Share Your Story – I want to hear about your weirdest first stage moment or wildest gig! Reach out to me at myfirststagepodcast.com.
• Connect with Paul – Got a “nerd wish” or want to gamify your creative business? Check out paulpapedesigns.com for his custom work, or gamifybusiness.com for his coaching.
• Subscribe & Review – If this episode entertained or encouraged you, subscribe to My First Stage, leave a rating or review, and let me know your favorite guest (or who you want to hear next!).
• Take a Stage—Any Stage – Sign up for a local event, hit “record” for a video, or submit to a TEDx. No matter your story, the stage is waiting.

Thanks for listening, nerds, artists, and aspiring stage heroes! I can’t wait to bring you more unfiltered stories and actionable inspiration on the next My First Stage.

Timestamped Summaries

[00:00-01:31] – I introduce Paul, his impressive list of titles, and we dive right into the origin of the “Santa for Nerds” nickname and brand.

[01:32-03:31] – Paul explains how he landed not one, but two TEDx stages (spoiler: it took way fewer applications than expected), and reflects on the irony of getting into his second talk with a single DIY submission.

[03:32-05:02] – We discuss the logistics of getting booked—whether you need local connections, and how Paul had zero ties to West Virginia, where he gave his first TEDx.

[05:03-06:32] – The rehearsal process, Zoom meetings, and then: the bombshell request to change his entire talk just days before the event.

[06:33-08:21] – Paul walks through crafting a brand-new “artist discovery” talk on the fly, picking prop stories, and stepping onto the TEDx “dot” without a landing.

[08:22-09:41] – With a theater background (and notorious confidence), Paul details what it’s actually like delivering a brand-new monologue to a roomful of strangers…and getting a standing ovation.

[09:42-11:07] – Why TEDx? Paul opens up about building authority, transitioning from behind-the-scenes artist to business coach, and the surprising reasons a TEDx credential matters for creatives.

[11:08-12:59] – From theater world to the red dot: Paul reflects on the TEDx experience, explains the “business people playing theater” dynamic, and his role making the event as theatrical as possible.

[13:00-15:27] – The hard reality of memorization, differing event rules, four months of rehearsal, and why most talks fall flat without acting chops.

[15:28-18:26] – Paul shares actionable advice for non-theatrical folks: use bullet points, rehearse with the camera, treat the audience like your scene partner, and don’t let nerves turn you into a robot.

[18:27-20:30] – How Paul leveraged his TEDx into more speaking and authority (even with “sub-1,000 views”), and how those three little letters can open even more doors down the road.

[20:31-22:43] – The wildest commissions: from Kevin Smith’s infamous lightsaber dildo to the “James Bond” bomb proposal box that nearly sparked an international incident.

[22:44-24:31] – Paul tells the outrageous story of making a movie-quality fake bomb, international shipping hijinks, and why he’ll never make one again.

[26:10-27:01] – Final advice: Be the hero of your own adventure, follow your passion, be authentic, and remember—there’s an audience for everything (even the weirdest things you can imagine).

Welcome back to my first stage where we talk to professional public speakers about how they got started speaking on stages. I am here with Paul Pape and He is a TEDx speaker, a designer. He is an author. He is known as Santa for Nerds, which I have so many questions about. So, Paul, thanks so much for joining me today.

Thank you for having me. I'm looking forward to this chat.

Me too. First question is Santa for Nerds?

Yeah. Yeah. Santa for Nerds. Yeah. So my other business is Pulp Ape Designs, and it's a super original name. I don't know where I came up with it, but basically in that I'm a designer and fabricator of custom collectibles. And so I've been doing that for over 20 years. And the hard thing is, is trying to explain what that business is to people, especially putting it on a business card.

I've been everything from want fulfillment specialists. It'd be, we'd grant wishes, but we're not genies. I've done, you know, everything, but people don't get it. The business has no product. I sell my services, I make anything. And so that's really kind of the. The idea behind it. But it's complicated for people to understand.

So I had a client about 14 years into it who turned to me and she's like, you're like santa for Nerds, aren't you? I'm like, I will take that and I will run with it. And because everybody knows what Santa is. Everybody knows what a nerd is. And so if I say I'm Santa for Nerds, it stops. Stops people long enough that they're like, can you explain? And then I can get into, like, what it is that I actually do. So. And that actually ended up being the title, the talk of my. The name of my TED Talk ended up being Santa for Nerds.

So you did do a TED Talk, and it did not go exactly as planned. Things were changed for you. Talk about that first. How did you get your TED Talk? And then what happened?

So I. There's some irony in this whole situation here. So I, I hired a speaking coach because I wanted to get on more stages and such. And so one of the things that was part of their agreement was that they would help you land a TEDx stage. Like, okay, cool. And so I was. There's a lot of people in this group, and I was talking to them and they're like, you know, sometimes we have to apply to 100 stages to get you on. There was one person, they took over 300 stages to apply to to get a TEDX talk.

I'm like, oh, okay, so this is, this is a to do. It's going to take a while and all that. And so they got to the point where we had my, my signature speech and all that ready to go. And so they started applying and they applied to two, and I got two. So I'm like, okay, cool, that's nice. That didn't take as long as I thought. And I had to take one down because you can only do the talk on one stage. So I had to pick one of the other two, which was good because the one that I didn't take ended up getting flooded out when Florida got really bad storms a couple of years ago.

And so like, washed away the entire event. And. And so I was like, oh, okay, well, at least I did mine in West Virginia. So that was good. So, yeah, so that's how I ended up getting it. Now, the irony is I have a second TEDx talk happening in October, my second one. And I applied to this one myself and just one application and got it. So you know how to get TEDx stages.

It doesn't need to be complicated as WEC is what I'm getting to on that one. But you can hire somebody to get you into there. And so really all you gotta do is know what your talk is and be interesting. That's. That's how you get onto those things. But yeah, so that's how I, that's how I landed that stage. And yeah, my original talk was about creativity and imagination because that is literally my job. I am Santa for nerds.

So I use my imagination and creativity every single day and I encourage other people to do so. And so that was what the TED Talk was originally going to be about.

Now, before we get into what happened. Yeah, the. So the one that you did, you said it was West Virginia.

Yeah.

Did you have any connection to that? We've had a few people on the show that have been TEDx speakers and they've all said when you're applying, like, have something that connects you to that event. That place you had. There was no connection.

No, but the one I'm doing in October is in my hometown. Okay, so that one did have a connection. And I think that is why they let me come onto the stage for a second time to do a different talk. But no, the West Virginia one, it was just an application that they wanted to do. Something was around creativity and I just kind of fit the bill.

Okay. And then they changed their mind.

So. Yeah. So the TEDx process is about a six month process. If you're, if you're unfamiliar with how this works, they usually let you know a little bit before six months ahead of time. And then once you start, you get a coach inside of it and then they, they walk you home, whole process. And there's meetings and all this. And that takes about six whole months before you actually get onto the stage. And so I had gone through this entire process again, I'm in Nebraska, they're in West Virginia.

So obviously I'm not commuting to go meet in person. So we're doing it all via Zoom. And so that was all great. And then you show up about three days before the event so that you could do the dress rehearsals and, you know, practice and all that stuff. And so I showed up there and I was staying with the event. The event organizer, so he had an extra couple rooms. And so my wife and I went out there and we were staying there. And then he sat me down.

He's like, hey, just curious. We love your speech and you can do it and that's totally fine. But you know, anybody could do a speech about creativity and imagination, but only you could do a talk about being Santa for nerds. So would you mind, three days before the event, canceling your speech and doing a completely new one about being Santa for nerds? I'm like, sure, let's see what happens. And so what I didn't know at the time was that there are actually different kinds of TEDx speeches that are out there. And so the one that I did was actually called like an artist discovery. One where you actually talk about being an artist to inform other people that there are artists out there. So the one that most people know about on a TEDx stage is called the one big idea or the idea that changes things.

And so that was what my creativity and imagination, the speech was going to be like, kind of in that realm, but they're like, no, we'd rather do the artist one with you because we think it'd be more interesting. Like, okay, sure. So I grabbed a couple of the props that I had, and because of the, the type of job that I have, everything that I make is bespoke. It's, it's very customized to people, and it always comes with some kind of story behind it. I do a lot of custom engagement ring boxes. I do a lot of birthday gifts and proposals and wedding cake toppers, all those kind of things. And so everybody who comes to me usually has a story behind it. And since I'm a nerdy.

Everything that I do is very popular pop culture. Ish. And so they're like, yeah. So I grabbed five pieces that I thought had the best resonating stories and then kind of told the journey of how I became Santa for nerds.

And how did it go?

You know, I hadn't finished writing it before I stepped onto the dot. That's. That's a scary place for a lot of people, but okay, so a little background. I come from theater. That's my, that's my. My degrees are in theater. I started as an actor, but I'm really bad about memorizing, which probably shouldn't do a TEDX stage if you can't memorize, you know. So I was told in undergrad that I will never be an actor.

Like, the head of the acting department is like, I will never cast you. And I'm like, okay. So they're like, go, get out of theater. And I'm like, no, because I'm stubborn. And so I was like, I'll do everything else. And so I had a mentor is actually showed me every other aspect of theater from like stage management, janitorial, box office, and design. And so I really fell in love with design. So, so.

But my background is in theaters and I've done one man shows and that kind of stuff before. So the idea of getting up on the stage doesn't scare me. The idea of getting up on the stage without knowing what I'm gonna say a little terrifying. So I had like all of it. But in, in a public stage arena, they call the end of your speech landing the plane. You, you basically, you know, you can have a real, really good takeoff, you'll get everybody invested in it, your flight can go really well. But then at the end, you're either gonna crash and burn or you're gonna lay on the plane. And I didn't have a landing yet when I stepped onto the dot, and so I just kind of went with it and I landed the plane, which was really nice.

I got a standing ovation, which was rare for a TedX. I had a lot of kids and adults come up and want to meet me afterwards, which is really nice. Do I have millions of views on my TEDx? No. But because I'm not trying to change the world, I'm just trying to introduce who I am. I'm okay with that. But yeah, it was nerve wracking, definitely getting up on that stage. But I have a problem with confidence. I have too much.

And so I don't think It's a problem when I go out there. So I was just like, I'll figure it out. I don't know, it just made it more fun.

It's like the opposite problem that most people have with this.

Right, right. Like, my wife is there and she's also in theater. She's a costume designer. And she's like, I would never do this, but she's there to support. And so I appreciate that. And she helped deck me out so I look like a modern day Santa, which was really kind of cool. So went out there, it did the thing, and I mean, I had, I had people crying because there's. I have a really great story that I tell.

It's not great, but I make a full size reproduction of the Beauty and the Beast floating rose, the one that all the petals fall off of. And I got a call from this family in Canada and they said, is there any way that you can rush one to us? Because their daughter was dying of cancer and they wanted to have it as. Because it was her favorite movie. So they wanted to present it to her then also use it as a memorial once she passed, you know, heartstrings. And so I was like, of course, of course. You know, and so like, I was. And so I brought one up on stage and I was kind of explaining this story to people. And there's definitely some people getting a little weepy out there.

And then, you know, but then I tell some funny stories too, so it's, you know, lighten it up. But yeah, so there's a lot of, A lot of depth there. But then at the end of it, it really just comes back to, you know, like, putting him. Putting good back out into the world, you know, letting people enjoy the fact that, you know, good things can come. You don't need to change the world. But if you add a little ripple here and there, it does, it does move out and help people.

So I love that. And clearly, like, I mean, you signed up for this thing. You were prepared to submit 300 applications if needed.

Yeah.

So the TEDx talk was definitely something that you wanted. Why? Like, what was your goal with having a TedX?

I don't know how honest people get with you on this, but I'm a super honest guy, so I'm just going to be. It was about authority and ego. Um, which, I mean, I don't know if I should be saying that, but that's really what it comes down to. I wanted to get on more stages because I'm a, I'm an artist. Full time artist, that's what I do. And this thing that you see behind me, this whole gamified business, this is actually about teaching artists how to become a business. Because what happens is you go to school for it, you learn the trade really, really well, you learn how to be an artist and you learn all these skills or even a creative. You don't have to be an artist to be a creative, but you learn all these skills, but they don't teach you how to be a business.

And so everyone is just trying to figure it out on their own. And it drives me crazy. And so I was doing pulp ape designs for about 20 years and then I was like, I was also helping people, like on the side. I'm like, well, this is how I do it, so you should do it that way. And so eventually I was like, why don't I just start a coaching consulting business around helping artists become profitable? And so the problem was is I had spent 20 years behind the scenes being the guy who makes everything but not really talking to people out in front. And so I was like, I need to start building authority. And so I was like, what's the best way to build authority? Well, I'm doom scrolling one day and the app says the best way to build authority is to have a TEDx talk. I'm like, okay, well let's try that.

And so I was like, I'll, I'll just try a TedX. And so that's really what it came down to. It was building authority so that people knew what I was talking about. And so that would have been this great speech about imagination and creativity and how I can help people get businesses. And then at the end they're like, never mind, we don't want that. So you're gonna do something else.

So, so with it switching over to the Santa for nerds, what impact did it end up having?

It just continued to build more authority in a direction. I had plenty, which was interesting. But I, I met a lot of people and it also, it. I don't know how real you want to get into. You want to get really real on this one. Yeah. Okay, cool. So I come from theater and what I recognize is when we step onto the TEDx stage, is that TEDx, I should probably shouldn't be saying this is just theater.

It's just, it's just a series of monologues on a red dot. But the problem is, is that it is run by people who don't do theater. So they have no idea. So it's business people Playing theater instead of actually doing theater. So since my TEDx, I've been and helped people get multiple TEDxs and I've been to a lot of these events and every single one of them is run the same. It's a bunch of business people trying to play theater. And so I'm like, this is really weird, guys. Like, why are we.

And so I went out there because I'm a set designer and prop designer. And so when I went and did mine, I spent the first two days, instead of memorizing my speech or actually writing the darn thing, I was helping them build their set. I was making sure everything looked good. I'm like, let's make this as theatrical as possible. My wife is giving costume ideas to the people who are sitting there. She's like, this is the outfit you want to wear. So like we weren't doing the TEDx thing. So that's, that's the weird thing about TEDx is that it, it is, it's business people playing, playing make believe for a hot minute, but using their own authority.

But it is just a monologue that you wrote. You memorize, you perform, but they're, they're trying to, they're always asking you to do, be authentic. But if you memorize anything, I don't know if you've ever, I assume you've been on stage before and all this fun stuff, so.

Been on stage? Yes. Done a TedX. Absolutely not. And that is why, like I've talked, I've talked about this on the show before. It's like I step on a stage and I have no idea what's going to come out of my face at all.

Best way to do it. Yeah.

So it's like I can't do a TEDx because I cannot memorize anything.

And that's, that's, I think the, the hardest part is then you, because you're not trained in, in theater, you're not trained to be an actor. When you go out on stage and you have memorized it, the thing is, is it comes out sounding like a brand new actor who's finally learned how to memorize something. It's very boring.

It's scripted.

It is. And so what they tell you, and I like the coach that I had who helped me get this one, he's trying to tell me he's a business guy, he's not a theater guy and he's trying to tell all of his clients. He's like, you don't, you just want to act like it's natural so Say it like it's the first time. I'm like, yeah, but don't act. And I'm like, no, you have to act because if you just repeat the words, it's going to be boring. And so I would pull all these people aside on this, you know, outside of our meetings, and be like, okay, this is what you need to do. You need to pretend that you're doing this for the first time, but you need to act as though it's exciting. So that's, and I think it's a big myth about the whole thing is like if you, there are the people who have done really, really well in TEDx, there's, there's talks have gone really, really well and it's because they seem comfortable on stage and they're just telling a story.

And that is a person who has mastered the art of acting. That's what that is. So yeah, not the bursting buddies bubble on this one, but the memorization is the hardest part. And the other thing that we've, that I realize is that everybody's got different. Every TEDx has their own set of rules. And so the one I'm doing in October, you've got a 10 minute deadline. That's it. TEDx itself gives you 18 minutes.

And so you know, but like some places are like, no. And like the one that I did, they allowed me 12 minutes. And like hard clock, like big number countdown in the background and if it hits zero, they just turned off your mic like you're done. I'm like, oh, okay. But I'm like, but the rules allow me 18 minutes. So I've got six minutes of slop I could throw in there, but they're nope. And so it really, you've got, so you got to build into all of this. And what's funny is people who aren't trained in theater or acting anything like that, they get nervous and so they'll either run through the entire thing or they get about halfway and they forget everything that they've memorized.

And so that's why, and that's technically why it's supposed to be six months of rehearsal. Like you're supposed to have your speech, you write it and then you rehearse it for, for four months that you get it so memorized that you can just say it out loud like you're just having a conversation, but nobody ever gets there. It takes a. It's a rare person who does.

So for the people that want to do TEDx that don't have the theater training, any advice on how to memorize it, how to not sound scripted, like, how to actually do it. Well, whatever you would tell the people that are about to get on stage when you pull them aside.

Yeah. And honestly, this is great advice for you because the whole point of memorizing is because they don't want you to go off script, obviously. They don't want you to go, like, complete left field. They want you to have a clear idea because the clearer you are, the easier it is for the audience to actually get it and understand it and move on to the next one. But the reality is a lot of people just end up doing bullet points. And so they're like, this is the. Okay, so I'm going to hit this point and then I need to elaborate on it. And then I'm going to hit this next point and elaborate.

And they memorize the bullet points and not the actual speech. And so that might actually benefit you because you're like, okay, this is the point that I'm trying to make. Have some keywords that you want to throw in there, whatnot. But then the rest of it can be more off the cuff. As long as you're not going every 10 seconds. You know, you've got to actually be able to get up on stage and be able to have a conversation. And the big one is, is literally being able to go up there and have a conversation. We talk about all the time.

Like, people in general talk all the time. We have conversations with people and we don't sound like robots. But as soon as we go stand on stage and there's a bright light on you and there's people staring at you, we all turn into this weird robot version of ourselves as opposed to just going up there and having fun and being relaxed about it. And that's nerves. It's, you know, not being. Not having done this before, those kind of things. But the reality is, if you want to get good at it, you just got to get used to standing up and just having conversations and not worrying about the people that are in front of you. And so what the best advice I could give somebody who's going to do a TEDx something like that is to know that the people that are in the room are just there to give you something to bounce it off of.

But the reality is, is you're playing to the camera. And so if you're uncomfortable being in front of a room full of people, practice in front of a camera. And then when you go do your TEDx, stare at the camera, not stare at it, but you Know, like, that's where. Because, like, right here. So here. Exactly. So here's the thing. Like in my setup right now, that's my camera.

This is you. But I'm not going to sit here and talk to you because this looks like I'm disingenuous to you. And this is what happens when you're on TEDx as well, because your audience is usually below you. Because you're sitting down, you're standing. And so instead of doing this the entire time, you look at the camera. And when you look at the camera and you talk to the camera one, you get to ignore all these people. Now, what's nice about a live audience, and this is why theater is so important, is because they feed off of what you're saying. So if you're doing something that's got a good emotional pull and you hear somebody go, you know, you're like, hey, I nailed it.

I'm doing something right. Or if you tell a joke and it doesn't land and it's all crickets, you know that to move on, you don't pause for a laugh. That's not coming.

Pause for laughter, Right.

So those are the, those are the tips. But the big one is if you're nervous about it, play to the camera and then rehearse playing to the camera.

What have you done since then to use the TEDx?

So I use it mostly as a, again, it's about a thorough authority. I mean, and I hate that you've got to prove that you're good at something for people to trust that you're good at something. But that's really what you have to do. And so I use it as a calling card. And as I hate to say, dumb as it is, but I mean, there's really what it is. And this is going to be, I'm sure, the clip that's going to go viral. For me, as dumb as it is, the TEDx, having TEDx after your name on like LinkedIn or something like that, people are like, oh, you're an authority. It's like, am I? You know, like, I get yes, and that's why I'm doing this talk.

But in. And I wanted people to know about it, but it, it really does in people's minds make a huge difference that you went and stood on that red dot. And so that's how I use it. I use it as an authority to get me into places. I also name drop when I'm talking about business. You know, I've worked for Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, the Tonight show. I don't like saying that and they don't like me saying it either because I'm supposed to be behind the scenes. But if you trying to build authority, trying to go out there and make yourself be the expert, you have to do those kinds of things.

And as a guy from the Midwest, I hate doing that. You know, I hate, hate bragging. I'm not a big, big fan of that. But it's a necessary thing in business. And so that's, that's primarily what I've been using it for, which is why it doesn't have a ton of views. Because I'm not trying to sell Santa for nerds to people. I've already got that audience. I'm not worried about that.

So it's sitting at, I think it's even. I think to this day it's still sub 1,000 views, which is, which is fine for me for what it's trying to do. Now. This one that's coming up, I want that one to go a lot further because it's actually me trying to get a mission going out there and it ties in really tightly with the other businesses that I have. But I will say that having the first TEDx easily got me the second TEDx because they're like, oh, you're comfortable with this process? You know how to do this? We're going to put you up on our stage. We can advertise that you're a two time TEDx speaker. That's kind of. So it's about authority.

The question I've been wanting to ask for this whole time, what's the weirdest thing you've ever made? Oh, that was like commissioned. Not just like, I have a weird idea that I woke up with that I'm going to make.

I don't make art for myself ever. So everything that I've made is. So the question is, is this a PG show? Because there's two answers.

I want, I want the good answer. So no.

Okay, so Kevin's. Do you know who Kevin Smith is? He's the creator of Clerks and stuff. Okay. So I did a commission for him. He's a big Star wars nerd. And so I did Kevin Smith frozen in carbonite. That's pretty easy. But he's like, I only wanted if you can create it.

Me frozen in carbonite in a light up lightsaber dildo. So Kevin Smith frozen in carbonite inside of a light up lightsaber dildo is one of probably the weirdest things in your planet.

Am I allowed to ask how Much that cost?

It was $800.

That's reasonable.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you can actually Instagram. You look on Instagram, he still has a photo. He's holding it like this. It's very cute. But yes, you can go Google Kevin Smith frozen carbonite lightsaber and you will see a picture of him holding this lightsaber dildo with him frozen inside of it. Yeah.

And what was the PG answer?

The PG answer is I do a lot of custom engagement ring boxes. And these are people who like their nerdom, their geekdom with their partner always ends up being the kind of ring box that they want. And there was this guy in Australia who hired me and he's like, he's huge James Bond nerd. He's like, oh, I love James Bond. I don't know if the lady liked James Bond, but he definitely did. And I'm like, best way to do a proposal is make it all about you. That is wrong. That was a lie.

Sarcastic, in case you're not picking that up. So this guy's like, I want to do this, this James Bond themed ring box. I'm like, okay, cool. He goes, so what we've planned is I'm taking my girl on a seven country through Europe and then we're going to end up on an international cruise ship. And what I want you to build me is a bomb. And we're going to take this bomb and I'm going to plant it on the cruise ship and then I'm going to find it with my girl. Thank you for doing that. Yes.

Face palm.

He's like, you have to sign a waiver of like you are not criminally, like you are not part of this.

Now there's an ir. There's, there's so many layers of like not great ideas happening on this one. So I did. And the thing is, I'm all about authenticity. I want it to be as realistic as possible. So I made the most realistic looking homemade bomb countdown timers on it. It made explosion noises. You had to like keypad in all this stuff.

But then if he defused the bomb on time, then one of the little compartments opened up and the ring was inside of it and he could propose. Now keep in mind I'm shipping this whole thing, a bomb, to Australia through the postal service. Then he's going to take it, put it in his luggage, travel to Europe, cross seven different countries, get on a cruise ship in international water, plant it and then discover a bomb on a cruise ship.

Is this still in prison?

I don't know. I have never heard from the guy again. He got it and I have never heard. So probably. But that's the other. That's the craziest one. So yeah, and the thing was is when I made it, if it got to zero, it made an exploding sound because I had a speaker in and all that. But he knew the code because he had to program it.

And so if you enter the code correctly and activated it, that's what opened the compartment. But that was an electronic message that was sent there. Well, the way real bombs work is that the electrical signal goes to the explosive. And so all he had to do is unplug the latch thingy and plug in something that could explode. And I created an actual bomb and my business card was taped on the inside. If anybody's like, who made this? Oh, this guy did. And yeah, so I don't make those anymore. But yeah, that's the PG version.

I'm just imagine them trying to do that in America.

Dude, I know, right?

No.

We can't leave a backpack on the street for 30 minutes without bomb squad coming out to have this thing. And you can Google, it's on my YouTube page. So if you go to Paul Pape Designs YouTube, you can actually find the full thing. You can see it, you can see me talking about how it works and like opening it up and it legit is there. So yeah, it's, it's.

Is that video also somewhere on the dark web for people who are trying to learn how to make bombs?

I did not explain how I made it. I just explained what it looks like.

I'm so concerned. He is definitely in prison.

I'm sure he is. If not, I'm sure the proposal did not go as, as well as he thought either because I don't think any lady wants to be arrested in international waters. I don't, I don't know anybody who really wants to be. But like that's not the proposal you want to remember.

Do you still have his contact information?

Somewhere. Somewhere reach out to him.

I need to know. I need closure. Please.

It was many is over. It was over 15 years ago. So.

Okay, so he's. He might be out by now.

He might, he might.

So please find out and get follow up. I need to know

this is not where you thought this conversation would go. Absolutely.

Does it ever.

No. No.

Is there any last piece of advice for someone that wants to get on stages that is very specific from like your background. Maybe it's theater related or anything. What is your best piece of advice?

My best piece of advice is if you want to get up on stage and have something to say, if you want to be an influencer, because it's really what this is all going to end up being for you. If you want to build authority, that kind of thing, know who you are and what you actually want to do. Follow your passion. In my business Gamified Business, we return everything into an RPG game. I say be the hero of your own adventure. And that's absolutely the best advice I can give because if you're going to go on stage and be disingenuous, it reads from a mile away. So go out there, be who you are and be passionate about what it is. And so even if you flub, if you screw up and all that, it's so easy to recover because it's who you are and you truly believe it.

And that's the passion that you're you should go up on stage with. So whatever you want to pursue, whether it's on stage or a product product or whatever, find out what that passion is and really hold on to it. And trust me, there are people out there who want what you're selling. Everybody. Okay? It might be a small niche, but they're out there. And so just be true to who you are.

That's great advice. And now anybody who wants to find out more about you, get in touch, get a custom dildo made. How do they find you?

You go to paulpape designs.com or if you want to learn more about the gaming business, it's gonna gamify business.com awesome.

Well, thank you so much for hanging out with me. This has been very enlightening.

You're very welcome. Thank you.

Thanks everyone for hanging out with us. We'll be back next week with another off the rails kind of conversation. Hopefully no dildos are involved. See y' all next week.