Life Wide Open with CboysTV

Episode: Leaving Cormorant, Ken’s Secret Life & Tax Evasion
Date: December 2, 2025
Hosts: CJ, Ben, Ryan, Ken, Evan, Micah

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, the CboysTV crew pack in stories about their Thanksgiving, Ken’s surprising secret life, debate over laundry habits, business moves, and a deep-dive into the drama of automotive tax evasion (including WhistlinDiesel’s current legal debacle). They blend hilarious nostalgia, down-to-earth business talk, and candid takes on YouTube trends, all with their typical irreverent banter and Midwestern charm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thanksgiving Recaps, Family Dynamics & Changing Traditions

• The crew shares how Thanksgiving has evolved, from wild story-sharing to family-focused events dominated by kids.
• Ryan: “Once you guys have little gremlins running around, like, the whole dynamic changes.” (07:18)
• Discussion about navigating double family meals and the challenge of overeating.
• Mike: “That’s a lot of food for me. I had to ration heavily.” (06:59)

2. Laundry Wars & Clothing Habits

• Disagreement over the necessity of washing hoodies and pants after each wear.
• Ken: “Anytime you take it off, throw in the hamper, and then straight in the washer.” (03:16)
• Ryan: “That’s what big laundry has taught Ken.” (03:21)
• Anecdotes about partners insisting that new clothes be washed before wearing.

3. CboysTV Gear Launch & Testing

• The team excitedly previews their new Life Wide Open Gear, including jackets and monosuits.
• CJ: “We’ve been working on this gear brand for the last two years… it’s fitting the Life Wide Open brand.” (23:54)
• They emphasize quality, real-world testing, and affordable pricing for ‘normal people’ who enjoy casual outdoor adventures over extreme sports.

4. Addiction Swaps & Dangerous Fun

• Ken admits to conquering vaping, only to pick up online gambling.
• Ken: “I've kind of replaced vaping with online gambling, and it’s gotten a little destructive.” (10:40)
• The group teases about the slippery slope of online betting and the family dice games that ended in Ryan’s mom cleaning out his wallet.
• Ryan: “So, yeah, I got my mom addicted to gambling, so, you know, that’s not good.” (12:05)

5. Nostalgia: Vinyl Records, Dad’s Car Stories & Early Cboys

• Unboxing a signed Rick Duff vinyl, reminiscing about the “Ford Ranger” track and music video production.
• Diving into the resurgence of vinyl, the charm of full-album listening, and the impracticality of old-school CD players in cars.
• Ben shares a story about his dad rolling a replica Cobra car:
  • Ryan: “That’s got to be not the ideal car to crash or roll.” (21:40)
• The gang recall how Ken received his nickname—by reluctantly drifting his Subaru and earning comparisons to Ken Block.
  • Ryan: “That’s how we became friends. Just, like, rip laps around the field.” (48:31)

6. Tax Evasion Deep-Dive: The WhistlinDiesel Saga

• Hot take on YouTuber WhistlinDiesel’s run-in with Tennessee tax authorities for using a Montana LLC to dodge state sales tax.
• CJ: “He got jammed up for tax evasion, but he actually paid his taxes… it was basically just on the car sales tax end of things.” (30:07)
• Ryan: “If you’re going to be rich and play the system, you can’t also be publicizing that you’re playing the system.” (31:13)
• The group considers whether loopholes like these should be legal, and why the state chose to make an example of a high-profile figure.
• The consensus: Even legal loopholes can backfire when you go public, and the government always wins.

7. Social Media & YouTube Updates: SteveWillDoIt Returns

• Speculation over SteveWillDoIt’s return to YouTube, doubts about his consistency, and whether flashy, cash-giveaway content still works.
• CJ: “He’s got a die hard audience, that’s for sure… I just don’t know if he’ll have as much reason to work as hard as he did back then.” (55:22)
• The hosts critique his controversial Impaulsive appearance and ponder public loyalty to internet personalities even after major scandals.
• CJ: “He was my favorite YouTuber back when he was posting.” (60:37)

8. Wild YouTube Finds & Human Endurance

• The guys rave about a Red Bull athlete who skied down Everest without oxygen and a man walking around the world for nearly 28 years.
  • Ryan: “It’s a crazy, crazy video, dude. I’m gonna watch that… skiing down Everest takes that long.” (62:24)

9. Changing Times: Black Friday, Deals, and Consumer Behavior

• Reminiscing about the chaos of old-school Black Friday store brawls, compared to today’s orderly (and mostly online) massive sales.
• CJ: “Dude, people used to, like, die on Black Friday… now it’s like, they’re running Black Friday deals in October.” (75:16)
• The group reacts to viral fight videos and discusses whether panic-buying is still a thing.

10. Ken's Secret Life & Living Arrangements

• Ken reveals he keeps parts of his life compartmentalized—using his given name, Grant, in formal or business settings and Ken online.
  • Ken: “It's just nice being able to like, keep certain parts of the life separate.” (52:15)
• Talks about moving out of CJ’s basement, plans for his new house, and being “evicted” by a home renovation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan, on family gambling: “Yeah, I got my mom addicted to gambling, so that’s not good.” (12:05)
• Ken, on replacing vices: “I’ve kind of replaced vaping with online gambling, and it’s gotten a little destructive.” (10:40)
• CJ, on gear mission: “We wanted to make gear that represents those people 100—guys riding dirt bikes on the weekend, or hopping on your bike after work.” (25:24)
• Ben, on Black Friday rationale: “My mom has a famous Black Friday shopping line… ‘we saved more than we spent.’” (79:51)
• Ryan, on tax evasion: “If you’re going to be rich and play the system, you can’t also be publicizing that you’re playing the system.” (31:13)
• CJ, on Ken's alter ego: “Do you feel like this is kind of like an alter ego of yours that has just became your new personality?” (52:05)

Important Timestamps

• 03:16 – Laundry/Daily Clothes Arguments
• 10:40 – Ken swaps vaping for gambling
• 12:05 – Ryan gets his mom hooked on dice games
• 22:34 – Launch announcement for new “Life Wide Open Gear”
• 30:07–34:49 – WhistlinDiesel’s tax evasion explained and debated
• 48:31 – Ken’s origin story as the group’s legendary drifter
• 55:22–56:54 – SteveWillDoIt’s return, internet loyalty, and Impaulsive fallout
• 62:24 – Red Bull Mount Everest ski descent video
• 75:16 – Remembering real Black Friday battles
• 52:15 – Ken on living dual lives (Grant vs Ken)
• 68:02 – Ken moving out, evicted by a basement remodel

Tone, Style & Energy

The guys keep the tone light, self-deprecating, and packed with classic CboysTV camaraderie. It’s a fast-moving episode with plenty of inside jokes, raw honesty, and a subtle throughline about how both business and personal lives evolve—but never lose their ability to surprise. Whether talking gear launches, legal controversies, or sorting out who still washes their hoodie every night, the Cboys bring realness and contagious laughs.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary brings you the best of the banter, the business, and the behind-the-scenes that keep Life Wide Open so fun to watch—and even more fun to be a part of.