Life Wide Open with CboysTV – Episode #182
What (& Who) Were Responsible for Starting CboysTV, Our Other Dream Job, & Talented Fabricators
Date: August 20, 2025
Cast: CJ, Ben, Ryan, Ken, Evan, Micah (Mike), Spencer

Episode Overview

In this episode, the CboysTV crew goes deep into their origins as a group and YouTubers, reminisces on the chance moments and key decisions that shaped their channel, explores what their "other dream jobs" would have been, and celebrates the behind-the-scenes heroes—the talented fabricators who make their wild ideas reality. The conversation flows from hilarious stories about hangovers and school to behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their compound, and even their views on modern music, band names, and viral fame. Throughout, the Cboys' signature humor and camaraderie shine.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alternative Dream Jobs & Imagining Other Lives

• The crew debates what they'd choose if they weren’t YouTubers:
  • Ben: "Country artist of some or just some kind of musician." (56:10)
  • Most agree that being a musician or performer would be the next coolest career.
  • CJ points out the parallels: "They'd be like, ‘All you do is just make a fun video and then do nothing else,’ same as people think about us." (57:36)
• The group playfully discusses forming a band, who would take which roles, and the accessibility of music careers thanks to social media and tech.

2. Compound Life & Summer Chaos

• The Cboys’ compound is likened to iconic shows’ “fantasy factories.”
  • CJ: "We got a drift track. We have a skate park. We got moto tracks. We got pit bike tracks... I think we finally did it." (16:25–17:01)
  • Ben: "It's just became, like, one of the frequent stops. We're pretty welcoming if you're our friend. If you're a random person we've never met, we're not very welcoming, so don't show up." (15:14–15:26)
• Hilarious stories of hangovers, boat mishaps, and shop chaos show the reality of their busy, friendship-focused lifestyle.

3. Origins of CboysTV: Retrospective and Nostalgia

• Ben’s old dirt bike:
  • CJ surprises Ben by tracking down his original childhood TTR 90 dirt bike on Facebook Marketplace.
  • Ben: "Like, that dirt bike got me into riding dirt bikes, obviously, which became, like, me and CJ's thing together. We met you guys because you guys rode four wheelers. That's what brought us together... The little things from our past built us into being where we are today." (29:45–30:25)
• CJ started filming early on, and that hobby ultimately grew into the CboysTV channel.

4. Talented Fabricators & Wild Builds

• Shoutout to the “Wrenches” and their ability to bring wild ideas to life—e.g., a wooden dirt bike.
  • They praise the team’s ability not only to fix things constantly breaking, but to do custom builds without blueprints.
  • Mike: "We get a ton of emails and DMs, like, I want like a blueprint on how to build the Cummins Ranger. But people don't realize, it would take twice as long just to make the blueprints..." (26:28)
• The group toys with the idea of challenging Amish craftsmen to outdo their wooden builds.

5. On Breaking Things and Shop Life

• Constantly using and abusing equipment leads to hilarious tales of things breaking, DIY repairs, and racing to fix stuff off-camera.
• Ben: “If there's one thing that we are all okay with, it’s like, things are going to break...it’s pretty gnarly how much moving parts.” (22:13)

6. Pit Bikes, Crashes & Old Bikes

• Many stories of injuries and near-misses, with Mike recounting spectacular pit bike wipeouts and Ben reliving youthful dirt bike crashes.
• The sentimental value of old bikes shines through, with talk of displaying them at home or passing them down to kids.

7. Music, Musicianship, and Going Viral

• The Cboys talk about how musicians today can rise via TikTok and YouTube and riff on the differences between being a “real” artist and simply going viral.
  • Ben: "I think if you have a social media mind, then you can be a good musician. Your music doesn't have to be that good." (59:25)
• Debate over posthumous releases: is it honoring artists, or a money grab?
  • Ryan: “They are literally called artists...and maybe they never put that song out for a reason. And it kind of was almost like their choice to not publish it.” (66:07)
• Discussion of the cult of “Lil” rapper names and viral fame transitions from influencer to artist.

8. Stories from School & Blue Collar Humor

• The crew swaps stories about the “designated smoking pit,” side hustles in high school (like dealing Monster energy drinks and tech decks), and why school, in hindsight, was easier than adult life.
  • CJ: "School is easier than life...Just enjoy your time in school and in the present. Just hang with your friends." (77:47)
• Reminiscing about unique high school experiences, the pitfalls of being a drop dealer, and how weird some school rules seem today.

9. Guest Drops & Cboys Lifestyle

• Midway surprise as Canadian friends show up—demonstrating, as Ben puts it, “people just drop in” at the compound. (85:44)
• Their open-door, fun-loving philosophy continues to be a through-line.

10. Working With the Amish & Big Build Ideas

• Toss around the idea of taking wild build projects to Amish craftspeople, hoping to see what their skills could produce.
  • CJ: “Let's see if anyone can build a better wooden dirt bike than us. I mean, ride it at your own risk, but I don’t think anyone's building a better wooden dirt bike than us. Maybe an Amish colony. That's it.” (87:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• CJ (16:25): "Our compound... might have surpassed all of those fantasy factories."
• Ben (30:25): "If my parents would have never got me that dirt bike, like, we wouldn’t be sitting here."
• CJ (77:47): "School is easier than life... Just enjoy your time in school and in the present. Just hang with your friends."
• Ryan (66:07): "They are literally called artists... and maybe they never put that song out for a reason."
• Mike (105:44): "You need good builders though, dude. You get some shit builders in there, oh my god, you have a mess."
• Ben (59:25): "I think if you have a social media mind, then you can be a good musician. Your music doesn't have to be that good."
• CJ (87:30): "Let's see if anyone can build a better wooden dirt bike than us... Maybe an Amish colony. That's it."
• Ben (51:03): "I think that it's... shows that the videos have, like, kind of reached like a family dynamic of the whole family can come together to... watch the video."
• CJ (26:53): "We get a ton of emails and DMs, like, I want like a blueprint on how to build the Cummins Ranger. But people don't realize, it would take twice as long just to make the blueprints."
• CJ (78:03): "Imagine just like you had school coming up in a week. It'd be pretty exciting. Get to see the friends again."
• CJ (15:26): "If you're a random person we've never met, we're not very welcoming, so don't show up. But pretty much all our friends are always welcome."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Alternative dream jobs & imagining a band: 01:46, 56:10–58:00
• Compound growth & shop life: 15:14–17:00, 16:25–17:01
• Ben’s dirt bike and the start of CboysTV: 26:53–30:25
• Fabricator shoutout & wild builds: 24:03–27:01, 87:30
• Breaking things, repairs & shop ops: 20:12–22:13
• Pit bike crashes & injuries: 46:56–48:09
• On viral music and social media fame: 59:25–61:51
• Reflections on school, high school, and early hustles: 77:47–81:21
• Drop-in guests & open-door philosophy: 85:44–86:07
• Building dreams with the Amish: 87:30–92:02
• Music industry / posthumous releases debate: 64:22–66:07
• High school mischief & designated smoking pit: 81:08–84:10

Final Thoughts

This episode is a perfect mix of laugh-out-loud stories, genuine reflection on chance and ambition, and candid insights into the behind-the-scenes operations—and chaos—of CboysTV. The crew’s reminiscence about the simple sparks that launched their YouTube journey is especially touching, while their ongoing banter about music, viral fame, and wild builds grounds the conversation in classic Cboys energy.

Whether you want wisdom on chasing dreams, a walk down memory lane, or just a good laugh with the Cboys, this episode delivers.

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