In this episode of Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa head north of the border to untangle the most musically messy political bloodline Canada ever produced: the Trudeaus.

First up, Papa Trudeau himself — Pierre Trudeau — the intellectual heartthrob who governed Canada by day and allegedly ran with rock stars by night. We dive into the long-whispered legend of Pierre’s rumored romance with Barbra Streisand, a pairing so aggressively artsy it may have required a beret and a mirror ball. Was it love, politics, or just two powerful egos colliding over candlelight and show tunes? Canada still won’t say.

Then we jump generations to his son, Justin Trudeau, a man who looks like he was genetically engineered in a focus group. Charles and Lisa unpack the current buzz swirling around Justin and pop superstar Katy Perry — a story that lives somewhere between tabloid fantasy, internet conspiracy, and “wait… what?” energy.

Along the way, we explore the bizarre gravitational pull between political power and musical fame, why Trudeaus keep orbiting artists like moths to a very glamorous flame, and how Canada somehow stays polite while all this is allegedly happening.

It’s politics, pop music, rumors, relationships, and enough maple-syrup-flavored chaos to make you question everything you thought you knew about power couples.

Trudeau… TrueDat!

Because sometimes the wildest musician stories don’t start backstage — they start in parliament. [Ep 120]

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Produced by: Charles Mooney
Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

Attention, maggots. In this episode of Jackalope Tales, Charles and Lisa salute the strange, uncomfortable intersection of rock ’n’ roll and government-issued underwear.

Lisa reports for duty with the story of Frank Zappa, whose brief flirtation with the military proved that no amount of discipline can survive contact with sarcasm, long hair, and a brain that refuses to salute. Expect tales of authority figures losing patience and Frank losing interest.

Meanwhile, Charles digs into Johnny Cash, a man who joined the military, learned Morse code, possibly learned what not to do with military equipment, and then turned that experience into the emotional backbone of American music — after being politely shown the door.
From boot camp boredom to command-level regret, G.I. Jams explores what happens when musicians are briefly forced to follow orders… and how quickly the armed forces realized this might’ve been a mistake. Lock, load, and listen — this episode is not approved by the Pentagon. [Ep 120]

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Produced by: Charles Mooney
Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney

New Year’s Eve is supposed to be champagne, countdowns, and pretending your life is about to change. But in Jackalope Tales fashion, Charles and Lisa ring in the new year by dragging out the ghosts, glitches, and catastrophic vibes that show up when musicians tempt fate at midnight.

Charles revisits the tragic and eerie final moments of Ricky Nelson, whose New Year’s Eve plans ended not with confetti, but with a plane crash that froze time and sealed a legend in the worst way possible. It’s dark, it’s sobering, and it’s the ultimate reminder that not everyone makes it to “Auld Lang Syne.”

Meanwhile, Lisa takes us to a very different kind of disaster: Mariah Carey melting down live on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve when technical difficulties turned pop perfection into televised chaos. Lip-syncs died, dignity followed, and America watched in stunned, sparkling horror.

From flaming wreckage to hot-mic humiliation, Balls-a-Droopin’ is our annual reminder that New Year’s Eve doesn’t care about your legacy, your vocal cords, or your survival instincts. So pour a drink, lower your expectations, and join us as we toast another year with stories that prove the ball isn’t the only thing that drops at midnight. [Ep 119]

Become a J-Lope and follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, X.com, TikTok, and check out our YouTube page for more exclusive content!

Produced by: Charles Mooney
Executive Producers: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Original Music by: Charles Mooney and Lisa Umbarger

Kazoo Solo by: Courtney Mooney