You're telling me this man was in college in 2006 and he still looks like he could be in college in 2024?!?!

I can't believe KRF let you go. That has to be the biggest bonehead move in renaissance festival history. My daughters work in one of the stores & my cousin's son worked as a jouster until this year so I know a lot of what happened. You’ll be missed in Carver come September 😔

You can take the boy out of NPR but you can't take that very distinct NPR tone out the boy's voice when he's doing podcasts.

Wait, back up. Jacques Ze Whipper = Jack Lepiarz. It's gonna take me some time to process this.

I so want to know how you convinced your wife to marry you after hearing this story, and knowing she does not like your newscaster voice.

As much as I enjoy JACQUES, the Public Radio Nerd in me truly thanks Jack for his work, especially during the pandemic.

As someone in their mid thirties who works in radio and majored in theater, this hits a little too close to home, lol

I'm over 60, but when I was 20 I ran away & joined the carnival as a fortune teller. Best time of my life! My son now gets upset with me because I'm constantly trying to talk my 2 yr old grandson into joining the circus someday. I think everyone should work as either a circus performer or in the carnival. It can be so awesome! You do a wonderful job! Much respect from East Texas 💖💖💖

At the age of 29, I ran away and joined a Circus. That was in the mid 90s. Best adventure and learning experience I ever had. It was one of the last one ring tent circuses in the country at the time. It closed down 2 years later. Circuses are a wonderous part of history. We are blessed to be a part of that history. Thank you for your story. It reminded me of better days and rich adventure.

I so love the Jaques Ze Whipper character that the news anchor voice is scaring me. 😂 But I suspect that’s just the voice of “speaking professionally” for you now. I’d totally rock up to Jacques at a Ren Faire, but if newscaster voice showed up I’d think management was shutting down our booth! Keep posting! Love your content.

The voice of a radio man, the face of a movie star, and America's Ass. Truly, a blessed exitance.

Well as someone who apparently listened to Jack for years on WBUR and who had NO IDEA he was also Jacques Ze Whipper, I can personally attest to his acting ability and capability to get into character.

As someone who’s facing a job-crossroads and is starting a podcast at almost 30; this is incredibly reassuring

This is something that I think a lot of folks, myself included, needed to hear. Thanks, Jacques.

I am technically impaired about social media so when my son showed me your videos we drove 7 hours just to see you. Haven't had a reason to smile in a while and your show and whole attitude brought me out of it. Thanks also to your brilliant wife G for without her I wouldn't be able to find these things. Best of luck to both of you.❤ 18 days till I see you again 😁

I've listened to NPR for years and somehow went "This guy sounds familiar..." but never put 2 and 2 together. Seeing that clip of your last broadcast I remember driving home and hearing it. Thank you for all the work you did with WBUR. This video was exactly the message I needed to hear. Things in life have been turbulent, including employment, and it gives me hope to see that even today you can live comfortably when you run away to join the circus. It's that kind of hope I've been trying to find.

Life is such a crazy thing. I went to college initially for biology. Hated it and changed to Business and Poli Sci. Sadly, due to financial issues and family members with health problems, I never got to finish my degree. I eventually got a job at a bank and worked there for 9yrs. When my first child turned one, I became a SAHM. That's been 8yrs now. I had always put off my true hobby and passion as just a fun thing to do on the side, but I'm embracing it now. So at 40yrs old, I'm working on and nearly finished writing my first book. My goal is to have it completed and hopefully published this year. I don't even care if it becomes a best seller (though that would be amazing!) I'm just happy to accomplish this goal and to show my children that they should never give up on their dreams and you never know what life has in store for you!

Please more long form videos of Jack's stories and/or life advice. 🙏

Merci beaucoup, Jacques, for this uplifting story. I, too, quit my real world job in my mid 30s to "join the circus". I went into acting and it was the best decision I could have made. Had a wonderful couple of years, until I got into an accident, which now makes me unable to make it in the acting world anymore. So I'm switching careers again. Your story is uplifting in making me realise I'm not the only one to go through a tumultuous life. (also working on a way to perform at a sort of ren faire in the Netherlands, but that's still very uncertain)

I will say this again... your "origin story" and lived experience is the stuff of keynote/commencement speakers! I know you have a packed schedule with performances, but y'all... someone get this man a keynote gig focused on risk-taking, hard work, resilience, and embracing your passions! You and G are such a dynamic duo.