Ope Cast The Pod

On this episode, Braden sits down with Beau Bommarito - a St. Louis native, former college basketball player, and rising actor where he shares his journey from the court to the camera.

We dive into his upbringing, love for basketball, and how that led to co-founding Da Guys with his brother and friends - a digital community built around fun, hoops, and good vibes. Beau shares what it was like leaving the corporate world to chase his...

In this episode, Braden sits down with Anthony “Redd“ Williams who brings significant performance, choreography & teaching experience to the world of Commercial Hip Hop Dance. 

A Saint Louis native, Redd Williams has traveled all over the world teaching thousands of students. He has performed & choreographed on tours, movies, music videos, live stage & national television/commercials for the likes of Beyonce, JLO, Lady G...

In this episode, Braden sits down with Emanuel Harrold and Shareef Keyes, the dynamic duo behind Brooklyn Saint. Brooklyn Saint is a genre blending music group rooted in jazz, rap, and house.

Recorded just before their Festival of Nations performance, the conversation dives into their musical upbringings, growing up in families full of artists, and navigating the ever-evolving music industry. Together, they share the story of how B...

In this milestone 50th episode of Ope Cast host Braden collaborates with the team from the Mostly Superheroes podcast for their first-ever crossover episode. The Mostly Superheroes crew includes host Logan Janis, along with co-hosts Andy "The Giggler" and Scotty Scoop. They dive into the origins of their podcast, their shared enthusiasm for community, and their interests spanning movies, books, wrestling, and more.​ Mostl...

On this episode, Braden sat down with Shayn Prapaisilp of United Provisions. Shayn shares his journey into the hospitality industry, working in the family business, favorite international snacks, and more. His family has been a longstanding force in St. Louis' food industry, owning multiple local businesses. They run United Provisions—a specialty grocery store in the Delmar Loop featuring international foods. They've also h...

On this episode, Braden sits down with A-Game shares his St. Louis upbringing, journey into HipHop, work ethic, passion for pursuing his dreams, and more. His show stopping performances have led him to receive many achievements, like winning Revolt Summit's "Be Heard" competition.

A-Game has performed with many well-known artists, including Ella Mai, J. Cole, Jhene Aiko, Saweetie, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, and many others. In Febru...

On this episode, Braden sits down with Chef Liz Schuster of Tenacious Eats to explore her journey into the hospitality industry, her deep passion for films, and how she merges the two through her immersive "dinner and a movie" experiences.

She shares insights into her creative process, the importance of doing things the right way, and the dedication it takes to be a pioneer in her craft. Chef Liz's commitment to sto...

On this episode, Braden sits down with James Beard Award winning chef and culinary visionary, Gerard Craft. They discuss his upbringing, expressing his creativity through graffiti art, early days as a photographer, his unexpected pivot to the culinary world, and his latest venture, Expat BBQ-a 16,000 sq ft, globally inspired concept at City Foundry STL. They recorded the episode on all three stories of the restaurants, while tryin...

On this special episode, Braden takes you to the red carpet of Nelly's Black & White Ball that took place on December 15, 2024 in Downtown St. Louis. This incredible night of giving back supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Harris-Stowe State University.

Braden caught up with the all-star lineup of guests including Nelly, Ashanti, Murphy Lee (Lunatics), Jermaine Dupri, Kyjuan (Lunatics), Slo Down (Lunatics), Mason Wynn (Car...

On this episode, Braden sits down with Mario Iaccarino, behind Casa Don Alfonso at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. Mario shares the captivating story of his family’s culinary heritage, rooted in the traditions of Naples, Italy, and how they’ve brought their authentic flavors to the Midwest.

From the art of creating dishes steeped in love and tradition to the inspiration behind Casa Don Alfonso’s warm and welcoming atmosphere, Mario re...

On this episode, Braden goes on a walk around Kennedy Forrest with Amy Witt, Forest Park Ecologist. She gives us an inside look on the work the dedicated team at Forest Park does to enhance the park for millions of visitors every year.

Braden has recently announced his partnership with Forest Park Forever where he'll give you all an inside look on the incredible work they do on his @BradENSTL platform. Follow www.forestparkforever...

Ope Cast is BACK! Braden kicks off Season 3 with Larry Kirchner of Scarefest and Blacklight Attractions. Larry is a prominent figure in the haunted house industry and the mastermind behind several renowned attractions in St. Louis, including The Darkness, Creepyworld, and Lemp Haunted House. Known for his innovative approach, he also runs Blacklight Attractions, which specializes in designing themed attractions, and heads Scarefest...

On this episode, Braden sits down with one of the most notable names in St. Louis sports, Tom Ackerman. Tom is the Director at KMOX in St. Louis, the flagship station for the Cardinals (MLB) and Saint Louis University (NCAA), hosting radio shows for both teams. He's also a co-host of Total Information A.M., the top-rated show at the station, providing listeners with news, traffic, weather, business and sports each weekday morning. ...

On this episode, Braden sat down with Polo Ascencio of the St. Louis Cardinals Spanish Broadcasting Network. Polo shares his Tijuana upbringing, love for baseball, the journey of broadcasting Cardinals games in Spanish alongside Bengie Molina.

Over the years, Ascencio and Molina have expanded their reach, beginning with just two games in 2016 and now covering all home games and playoffs. Their broadcasts have brought the excitemen...

On this episode, Braden spoke with actor, producer, and comedy legend, Guy Torry. Guy shares his St. Louis upbringing, time at SEMO, moving to Hollywood, Phat Tuesday's, movies, and much more.

For 10 years, Guy had the hottest comedy night in the country. Originally called Phat Comedy Tuesday, he later changed the name to The Guy Torry Comedy Show. The night would attract A list comedians and celebrities from around the countr...

On this episode, Braden sat down Christopher of Field Club Media. Christopher shares how his upbringing led to him wanting to move to a bigger city like St. Louis. He shares the importance of building a community where all are welcome to be their authentic selves.

He launched Profield Reserve in St. Louis in 2020 where he offers an array of premium. durable everyday staple items that are inspired by timeless simplicity. He has exp...

On this episode, Braden spoke with Hope and Sydne of STL Girl Network. They share how their community got started, the impact, and much more.

Their vision for the STL Girl Network is to create a supportive and empowering space for women in the St. Louis area, fostering connections, collaboration, and personal growth. Whether you're new to the area or a STL native who wants to connect with like-minded women, you're now part...

On this episode, Braden sat down with movie, television, and Broadway actor Jenifer Lewis. Jenifer was born in Kinloch in St. Louis County and attended Webster University.  

Lewis starred on ABC’s Black-ish for eight seasons as the hilarious grandmother Ruby Johnson.  Lewis has appeared in more than 400 episodic television shows, 68 movies, 40 animations, and four Broadway shows. Credits include: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Frien...