Podcast
Corpus Christi Originals Podcast
Hosted by Corpus Christi Originals · EN
The Corpus Christi Originals Podcast showcases the stories, talents, and perspectives of Corpus Christi and South Texas. Featuring engaging conversations with local personalities, entrepreneurs, and artists, the podcast explores trending topics, culture, and community. Tune in for a fresh take on what makes Corpus Christi, Texas unique!
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
EP126: Laura Flores Commons | Corpus Christi City Council District 2 Candidate (2026)
1w ago00:44:03Tap to summarize"City council was never meant to be entertainment. We need people there who just want to put their head down and get the work done." On this episode of The Corpus Christi Originals Podcast, host Jesús Hernandez sits down with District 2 city council candidate Laura Flores Commons. Laura is a lifelong Corpus Christi native and a dedicated community volunteer. In this episode, she discusses what it means to run for public office for the first time after 30 years of local civic service. She shares her perspective on District 2's unique boundary footprint (stretching from shoreline neighborhoods to TAMU-CC) and addresses the city's most critical issues, including long-term water diversification, public safety staffing shortages, and animal care initiatives. Laura also shares the deeply personal story of why she gives back to the Coastal Bend. Following the loss of her husband, the incredible compassion shown by the Corpus Christi community inspired her to step up her civic commitment. Tune in to hear her vision for a collaborative, drama-free city council focused on the real work. Connect with Laura:Website: laurafordistrict2.comEmail: LauraForDistrict2@gmail.com Support the Show:Subscribe for weekly episode drops every Wednesday!Visit our network hub for more community storytelling. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast, its sponsors, the recording studio, or any affiliated entities.
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EP125 - Wendell Williams: "I’ll See You When I’m Looking At You"
2w ago00:41:37Tap to summarize"I'll see you when I'm looking at you!" On this episode of The Corpus Christi Originals Podcast, we are coming to you live from The Artisan at 218 N. Chaparral. Host Jesús Hilario Hernandez sits down with born-and-raised local comic and storyteller Wendell Williams (aka Mr. Wendell) for an incredibly candid, laid-back conversation. Wendell drops decades of "old school knowledge," sharing his lived experiences growing up in the historic Hillcrest neighborhood from the 1960s onward. He pulls no punches discussing the environmental impact of local refineries, the city's ongoing water crisis, and navigating the era of Jim Crow and integration. Beyond local history, Wendell shares the powerful story of surviving a life-altering car accident in 2015, which ultimately led him to the comedy stage in 2017. He breaks down his unique "storyteller" approach to stand-up, his famous positive-spin acronyms, and why he chooses to leave the bitterness behind and stay on cruise control. Connect with Wendell:Facebook: Wendell WilliamsInstagram: @WendellWilliams13 Support the Show:Subscribe for weekly episode drops every Wednesday!Visit our network hub for more community storytelling. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast, its sponsors, the recording studio, or any affiliated entities.
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EP124: John Hanzalik | Corpus Christi City Council District 5 Candidate (2026)
3w ago01:09:25Tap to summarizeIn Episode 124 of the Corpus Christi Originals podcast, host Jesús sits down with high school classmate and local business owner John Hanzalik, who is running for Corpus Christi City Council – District 5. John strips away the political theater to discuss the pressing issues facing our community. He breaks down the realities of the Inner Harbor desalination project, clarifies how industry partners actively fund their own water infrastructure, and outlines his vision for managing the massive residential growth on the Southside. Beyond the politics, John shares his journey through Leadership Corpus Christi, his background as an industrial entrepreneur, and why true servant leadership means making hard, transparent decisions. Connect with John Hanzalik's Campaign:Facebook: John Hanzalik for District 5 Email: John4district5@gmail.com Phone (Text Preferred): 361-446-1579 Thanks to Premier Hearing Solutions Of South Texas for making this content possible! Support the Network:Like, comment, and subscribe to keep authentic community stories alive! Head over to CorpusChristiOriginals.com for more local culture, merch, and episodes. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast, its sponsors, the recording studio, or any affiliated entities.
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EP123: Ledswards
4w ago00:47:45Tap to summarizeCorpus Christi Originals is back at it again! For Episode 123, we’re posting up at the Ink Plug (4701, Suite 202) to catch up with a true cultural heavyweight: Ledswards. After stepping away from music for two years following a horrific accident where he fell four stories—breaking his back, wrist, and feet—Ledswards is back to reclaim his spot and serenade the city. We dive deep into the pain, the recovery, and the monstrous creativity behind his upcoming 10th independent studio album, Look Mom, It's Raining. Ledswards breaks down why he refuses to write his lyrics down, his creation of a new emotional hip-hop genre he calls "Lossless," and why artists need to stop acting "too cool" to work a 9-to-5 job to fund their dreams. We also get into how he and his brother, D Green of D Green Films, are trying to eliminate the North Side/South Side barriers to unify the Corpus Christi music scene. If you love what we're doing for the culture, hit Subscribe, leave a comment, and share this episode! Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast, its sponsors, the recording studio, or any affiliated entities.
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EP122: Art Center | Kailey Diaz & August
Jun 1700:52:31Tap to summarizeThe Art Center of Corpus Christi is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at 100 North Shoreline Boulevard — right next to the Whataburger by the bay — and most people have driven past it a thousand times without knowing what's inside. In this episode of the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast, recorded on the second floor of the Art Center (same floor where Jesús had his wedding reception), he sits down with Kailey Diaz, Exhibit Coordinator, and August from the Education department to talk about what's actually going on in there. They cover the 50+ classes available, the Clay Studio membership, the Wednesday farmers market, Kids Walk on the first Friday of every month, the artist in residency program at Laguna Madre, the HEART veterans program, Super Bowl (the soup fundraiser, not the football one), the 70/30 split for artists selling their work, the surrealism exhibit coming up, what a "call for entry" means and why it's less scary than it sounds, and why 200,000 people walk through those doors every year. No admission fee. Open Tuesday through Sunday. More local art than you'd expect. Some of it is very weird. They want more weird. Art Center of Corpus Christi: 100 North Shoreline Blvd | @artcenterofcc on Facebook and Instagram Corpus Christi Originals amplifies the unheard voices in our community — the people making this city unique but not always getting the spotlight. Art Center of Corpus Christi website: artcentercc.org
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EP 121: ACT - Actors Creating Together
Jun 1000:45:39Tap to summarizeActors Creating Together Facebook Actors Creating Together YouTube
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EP120: Tony Gomez of the Tony Gomez Show
May 2800:43:45Tap to summarizeTony Gomez has been in the Corpus Christi metal scene since 1979, when he rode the C101 party bus to see Kiss on the Dynasty Tour and decided that was what he wanted to do with his life. Since then he's fronted or played in more bands than most people can count — Malignancy, Sintegrity, Killamora, War Cult, Annihilator, a Pantera tribute, an AC/DC tribute, and several others — and now hosts The Tony Gomez Show, a podcast dedicated to musicians making things happen. In this episode of the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast, they talk about the early Corpus Christi metal scene — Anchor Watt, Devastation, Hypnotic State, Final Assault, the Stardust Ballroom, Zeros, Equalize — the role Hispanic musicians played in building the heavy music scene here, the story of his first gig with his dad in the audience (and a song called Cops Suck), his annual Tony's Twisted Christmas Spectacular benefiting the Coastal Bend Food Bank, the Annihilator vinyl that went worldwide, what he looks for in podcast guests, and why he still believes high tide raises all ships. Find The Tony Gomez Show wherever you listen to podcasts. Corpus Christi Originals amplifies the unheard voices in our community — the people making this city unique but not always getting the spotlight. CorpusChristiOriginals.com
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EP119 – Caitlin Shook | The Annex & The Bad Blonde Podcast
May 1301:10:41Tap to summarizeCaitlin Shook is the co-owner of The Annex — a bar at 312 South Chaparral in downtown Corpus Christi that doubles as a comedy venue, event space, and community gathering spot — and the host of The Bad Blonde, a live radio show on 1440 KEYS turned podcast about automotive history. In this episode of the Corpus Christi Originals Podcast, recorded at The Annex, they talk about how Caitlin went from busing tables at 16 to opening her dream bar with her mom and sister, the Porsche 912E her dad gave her at 14 to keep her out of trouble, six years hosting a radio show she never thought she'd be on, why Corpus Christi is better than people give it credit for, chicken ship bingo, baby goat happy hour, the Ford Nucleon (Ford's nuclear-powered concept car), weed smugglers who funded their racing careers, and why birding is basically the original Pokémon Go. Find Caitlin at The Annex — 312 South Chaparral, Corpus Christi. The Bad Blonde podcast is available wherever you listen. Corpus Christi Originals amplifies the unheard voices in our community — the people making this city unique but not always getting the spotlight.
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Ep118: Bull Session | Sports with Roland: Roland Alaniz, Merri Garcia, Andy Gomez
May 600:58:05Tap to summarizeIn this unfiltered, adult-oriented "bull session," host Jesus Hilario Hernandez sits down with the Sports with Roland crew—Andy Gomez, Merri Garcia, and Roland Alaniz—for a raw and hilarious look at the Corpus Christi comedy scene. The group covers everything from their 200-episode podcasting journey and the "catalyst" that started it all to the gritty reality of bombing on stage at local pizza joints. Between Andy’s legendary "move" for getting out of traffic tickets and Merri’s candid insights into the challenges of being a woman in the local circuit, the conversation touches on the Corpus "Mexican OT," the frustrations of the city’s water crisis, and the evolution of their creative voices. Whether they are dissecting the plot of a "Lifetime movie" reboot, debating the merits of Mario Galaxy and GTA: San Andreas, or discussing the future of AI in media, this episode captures the authentic, unscripted spirit of the South Texas hustle.
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EP117: Jesus Hilario H | Corpus Christi Originals
May 500:38:57Tap to summarizeIn this special solo episode recorded on-location at The Coffee Mug, host Jesus Hilario Hernandez pulls back the curtain on the "unseen" side of the Corpus Christi Originals network. From the "unheard voices" that form the city’s backbone to the raw, personal lessons learned during his first 15 stand-up comedy open mics, Jesus shares an unscripted look at the reality of balancing life as a hazmat truck driver, classical guitarist, and father. Over a "Hedwig" white mocha and a cinnamon crumble muffin, he discusses why he chose to double down on Corpus Christi instead of moving to a bigger city, the evolution of his media network with collaborators like Lito Cortez and Ben DeLeon, and the pivotal moment he realized that using AI as a creative "crutch" was holding back his authentic voice. It’s a deep dive into the honest hustle, the importance of physical and mental discipline through kettlebell training, and the strategic vision for the network in 2026.
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