Every year on the Open Mic'ers Podcast (since last year) we like to take some time to recognize a single standout guest from the last 365 days, and crown them as our Guest of the Year. Winning the first guest spot of 2025 as well as the coveted rotisserie chicken, Mo Alexander has been the only winner thus far, and therefore is not eligible for this year's succulent bird. Jason has presented two nominees, Jacob has presented two nominees, and our fans have also voted on a remaining nominee, with our Patreon community being given the final say on who should be the winner this year. Without further ado, here are the 2025 Guest of the Year nominees.
Jason's nominees: TV's Travis
I nominate TVsTravis because not only is his voice as smooth as butter, but he’s a fantastic podcaster in his own right and always brings a good time when he is on the show. He didn’t get nominated last year and that’s a crime.
Brandon Haynes
I have also nominated Brandon Haynes because not only is he my winning teammate for SvDvS, but he is working hard to build a great comedy scene in New Orleans and his episode was insanely funny and insightful.
Jacob's nominee's: Trey Campbell
Trey Campbell is a hilarious comedian out of Austin, TX that came on our program hot off the tail of one of his Kill Tony appearances. Not only is he one of the most naturally funny people we've interviewed on the show, but he is so kind and generous with his time as well, making him an obvious choice for the year's best guest.
Rachelle Lopez
A local comedian who has only been doing comedy for a year, Rachelle Lopez has managed to enamor our fanbase with her unapologetic and genuine attitude. No topic is off limits, no story is too crazy and very few episodes have been more funny than when we interviewed Rachelle. To make her nomination even more special, her appearance on our podcast was her first ever published podcast episode, and she managed to somehow become one of our favorite interviews of the year.
Fan vote: Carson Taylor
The fan poll for our final nominee was a hotly contested battle, so much so it actually ended in a tie! The first of the tied nominees is Carson Taylor, perhaps the funniest comedian out of Mobile and a guest on the podcast twice in 2024. I asked Carson what he thought about being nominated for this prestigious award and he said, "chicken good."
Mark Simmons
Mark Simmons is the mastermind behind our theme song, and his appearance on a Patreon exclusive episode was unadulterated chaos. Although our podcast is geared around comedians, it's safe to say that Mark is the funniest non-comedian we've ever interviewed. Here's what he said about his nomination:
"Maid in Manhattan is a 2002 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Wayne Wang and based on a story by John Hughes, who is credited using a pseudonym. It stars Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. In the film, a hotel maid and a high-profile politician fall in love. The film was released on December 13, 2002, by Columbia Pictures and was a box office success, grossing $154 million against its $55 million budget, while receiving mixed reviews."
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