Life Wide Open with CboysTV

Episode #182: What (& Who) Were Responsible for Starting CboysTV, Our Other Dream Job, & Talented Fabricators
Release Date: August 20, 2025

Overview

This episode of Life Wide Open is a laid-back, laughter-filled ride through the CboysTV crew's origins, the behind-the-scenes chaos at their compound, reflections on dream jobs, and stories that reveal the friendships, mishaps, and creative drive that underpin their successful brand. The team—CJ, Ben, Ryan, Ken, Evan, and Micah—recall pivotal moments in their youth that led to forming CboysTV, discuss their alternative career fantasies, and pay homage to the unsung fabricators (“the wrenches”) who keep their operations rolling. Anecdotes bounce between wild party memories, mechanical disasters, and heartfelt insights, painting a warm and relatable picture for fans and newcomers alike.

Key Discussion Points

1. Alternative Careers and Dream Jobs ([00:04], [48:38], [49:32])

• The group jokes about starting a band or becoming musicians if they weren't YouTubers.
• They fantasize about the perks of being a performer, especially the thrill of entertaining crowds.
  • Notable Quote:
    “Being a musician is so sick. You basically get to do nothing all day, then perform in front of a bunch of people that love you. That’s got to be the most euphoric feeling ever.” – Ben ([49:17])
• Conversation tangents into which roles they'd take in a band and the realities of making it as a modern artist, including leveraging social media.
• The crew recognizes parallels between musicians and YouTubers: both worlds involve a lot of hidden business and planning.

2. CboysTV Compound: The Playground of Dreams ([13:59], [14:44])

• The “compound” is a recurring point of pride—drift track, skate park, moto tracks, surfboat and more.
  • “We have, like, really capitalized on just making our compound a constant playground of fun. Shit always happening.” – CJ ([14:19])
• The ongoing expansion: plans for new tracks, the continual process of improvement, and the social hub their place has become for friends and collaborators.

3. The Origins of CboysTV: The Impact of Childhood Dirt Bikes ([23:03], [25:54], [26:32])

• Ben’s first dirt bike—a TTR90, which CJ miraculously tracked down—serves as a symbol for their journey.
  • “That dirt bike got me into riding, which became me and CJ’s thing. One thing after another grew into CboysTV. If my parents never got me that dirt bike, we wouldn’t be sitting here.” – Ben ([25:54])
• The conversation explores the ripple effect of a single childhood gift on friendships, passions, and entrepreneurial destiny.
• Reflections on whether they could have built the channel around anything else (“a channel about tennis or soccer... wouldn’t hit the same” – Ben, [26:40]).
• Warm moments as they discuss the possibility of passing the TTR90 down to their own kids, solidifying its place in CboysTV lore.

4. Fabrication, Broken Stuff, and the “Wrenches” ([16:06], [20:10], [21:09])

• A behind-the-scenes look at the near-constant cycle of breaking and fixing vehicles and machinery at the compound.
  • “A lot of shit does get broke on the daily that’s not a part of the video... That’s the cost of running the operation.” – Ben ([17:06])
• Commenting on their machinists: “They don’t half-ass anything anymore… if they’re going to do it, they’re going to do it 100%.” – Ben ([21:09])
• Admiration for the team’s quick turnaround and custom solutions, illustrated through stories like the wooden dirt bike build and pit bike crashes.

5. Rowdy Parties, We Fest, and Legendary Social Moments ([07:15], [41:07], [43:08])

• The crew reminisces about epic parties, rescuing each other from legendary hangovers, and drunken daredevil attempts.
• Humor about going on boat rides, dancing to “YMCA,” and the Canadian-American culture exchanges among their crowd.
• We Fest stories: notorious for wild antics, artist encounters (notably with country singer Gavin Adcock), and becoming a centerpiece for fan meetups and local reunions.
  • “It’s like a town reunion—everybody from around here goes to We Fest.” – Ryan ([43:08])

6. Virality, Social Media, and Building an Audience ([50:39], [52:42], [53:01])

• Acknowledgement of how much YouTube viewing has shifted to TV and how their content reaches families—a point of pride.
  • “Over 50% of our views actually come from a TV.” – CJ ([44:10])
• Discussion on the importance of TikTok and short-form platforms, citing musicians who have pivoted from social media into mainstream success.
  • “If you have a social media mind, then you can be a good musician. Your music doesn’t have to be that good…” – Ben ([51:58])

7. The Reality of Breaking and Creating—Outside the Videos ([17:06], [18:39], [22:28])

• Commentary on the “off-camera” chaos: constant equipment breakdowns, the stress of rush jobs for video deadlines, and the acceptance that destruction is simply part of creation.
• Stories—funny and painful—about pit bike crashes, broken bones (e.g., “Mike just honestly was... It was that tangled, my foot was just on fire.” – Ben, [36:27]), and sketchy early riding days.

8. The Amish: Fabrication Heroes? ([82:10], [84:29])

• The crew discusses the talent of Amish craftsmen, jokingly challenging them to build an even better wooden dirt bike or restore abandoned vehicles.
  • “If you take like an old car... bring it to the Amish, they’ll have that thing looking brand new, fully restored in, like, three weeks.” – CJ ([83:00])
• Lighthearted ideas about creating content around Amish-engineered builds.

9. Nostalgia for High School and First Hustles ([69:09], [71:03])

• Hilarious accounts of side-hustling energy drinks and trading “Vegas cards” at school.
  • “It was like the cool thing to have an energy drink on your desk.” – Spenny ([71:32])
• Memories of odd school policies, like having a designated outdoor “smoking pit.”
  • “There was a straight up smoking pit... And this one kid, he’d just stand up in class and go, ‘I’m going for a smoke,’ and nobody said anything.” – Spenny ([74:16])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Youth, Destiny, and Dreaming Big
  “I always wanted the most in my life. I don’t think that young Ben could comprehend where we are today... It’s absolutely insane, what it’s grown to.” – Ben ([26:44])
• On Alternative Careers
  “Being a musician is so sick... perform in front of people that love you.” – Ben ([49:17])
• On Breaking & Fixing
  “If there’s one thing we are all okay with, it’s like—things are going to break.” – CJ ([18:20])
• On Unlikely Inspirations
  “That dirt bike got me into riding dirt bikes... One thing after another grew into CboysTV.” – Ben ([25:54])
• On Hospitality
  “Our hospitality rating has got to be at five stars... we try and show everyone who comes here a good time.” – CJ ([12:32])
• Party Antihero
  “Whenever Mike blacks out or anyone for that matter, Ken’s there. He’s the first one there to just be yanking you out.” – CJ ([07:07])
• Fan Impact & Watching Together
  “The videos are the only things that get my kids on the couch at the same time as me.” – Random parent at We Fest ([44:44])
• On Short-form Virality
  “If you can just make good TikTok content or Instagram content and get people to care about you, your music doesn’t have to be that good.” – Ben ([51:58])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:04 – If you weren’t YouTubers, what would your profession be?
• 07:15 – Blackout bartending, party disasters, and Ken’s caretaking
• 13:59 – How the Cboys compound evolved into the ultimate playground
• 23:03 – Ben’s first dirt bike found; how dirt bikes created CboysTV
• 25:54 – Reflecting on how small choices fir together to build CboysTV
• 36:10 – Crashing, injuries, and the slapstick side of the Cboys lifestyle
• 41:07 – We Fest, country music mayhem, and meeting fans
• 44:10 – Families watching CboysTV together—YouTube as the “living room show”
• 49:17 – Dream job fantasies: the allure of being a musician or performer
• 51:58 – The power of social media virality for creators and musicians
• 69:09 – School nostalgia: hustling, energy drinks, and high school memories
• 74:04 – Smoking pits, wild high school characters, and cafeteria differences
• 82:10 – Amish fabrication: Could they out-build the Cboys?
• 84:29 – Inviting listeners to suggest ideas for Amish craftsmen content

Tone & Style

The conversation is fast-paced, nonlinear, and loaded with inside jokes, gentle roasts, and authentic camaraderie. The Cboys shift seamlessly from lighthearted banter—stories about blackout parties and botched haircuts—to candid reflections on gratitude, ambition, and the responsibility of building something bigger than themselves. There’s a strong sense of nostalgia and appreciation for the journey, with practical advice slipped between bouts of laughter.

Summary

Fans looking for an origin story, a glimpse behind the curtain, or just a good laugh will find it all here. This episode encapsulates the CboysTV ethos: dream big, surround yourself with friends, don’t fear mistakes, and above all—have a damn good time.