RAANAP: Live from RHAPCon

RAANAP: Live from RHAPCon Watch the podcast on YouTube! Rob Cesternino (@robcesternino) and Akiva Wienerkur (@keev26) need a podcast and every week, Rob and Akiva spin a wheel of listener-submitted podcast ideas, and whatever the wheel lands on is what they podcast about next. This week, Rob and Akiva are LIVE at RHAPCon in Milwaukee. RAANAP goes live from Milwaukee as Rob and Akiva bring RAANAP Live 2026 to the stage. This interactive episode blends reality TV banter with live games, audience confessions, and unexpected matchmaking—all powered by community participation and a dash of musical flair. Rob, Akiva, and a cast of live participants set the tone with stories of mysterious magician invitations and reflections on how the fandom has changed since their last live show. Audience energy drives the episode as secrets are submitted anonymously and lighthearted debates arise over Coke Zero, the ethics of finding one’s cousin attractive, and the perils of favorite song requests for piano players. The episode spotlights several in-room challenges: listeners step forward to have their ages, marital histories, and salaries guessed through a series of on-the-fly social games. The sorting games produce clever questions and colorful stories, from first dates to boycott-worthy mayonnaise preferences. Highlighting the night is a matchmaking segment, where “RAANAPchelor” Alex questions three potential matches without seeing them, leading to a memorable pick and the promise of a Chili’s date, courtesy of Akiva. Anonymous audience secrets range from the embarrassing (destroyed clarinets, “hoe phases” in one’s 40s) to the criminally mischievous Social deduction games as Rob, Akiva, and guests try to order participants by age, number of marriages, and annual salary Anthony’s honest take on synthetic sodas and musical pet peeves adds humor and candor Community love stories emerge, including a couple whose relationship is woven through RAANAP live events, podcasts, and road trips A matchmaking game brings together Alex and “VIP nanny” Lindsay, with a future podcast check-in already on the horizon The episode closes with hopes for more live events, potential onstage weddings, and gratitude for the RAANAP community’s stories and participation. Will the podcast’s matchmaking finally get Akiva “into heaven” by making a real couple? Join in for fan stories, live energy, reality-inspired antics, and a testament to the power of community. Listen now for candid confessions, social games, and the kind of reality fandom fun you can only get at a RAANAP live show! Chapters: 00:00 RAANAP Live begins 06:01 Listener Secrets and Hot Cousins 10:32 Recruiting a New Fan Live 13:36 Guessing Listener Ages Game 20:23 Salary Sorting: Who Earns Most? 26:21 Sorting Marriage Histories Blind 33:00 Wedding Proposals and Engagements Shared 38:30 The Renaptular Dating Challenge 47:00 Lindsay Chosen for Renaptular Date 54:00 Listener Secrets Revealed Live 01:03:00 Clarinet Confession and Emotional End For the link to the spreadsheet that Rob and Akiva use to compile ideas, check it all out here: Rob and Akiva Need a Spreadsheet (compiled by the great Will from America). To submit an idea for a future episode of “Rob and Akiva Need a Podcast” to be discussed on the mailbag, submit it on this form: Rob and Akiva’s Mailbag Form. Past Episodes of Rob & Akiva Need a Podcast