Critical Role Presents New Podcast: Weird Kids

5 Comments | Critical Role, Podcasts, weird kids | By Peter Paltridge | March 25, 2025 | 2 minutes of reading

Once upon a time, Critical Role‘s Ashley Johnson & Taliesin Jaffe were once Weird Kids…and now they’re finally ready to tell you all about it.

Weird Kids is a new podcast from the CR team about child actors….BY child actors. Johnson and Jaffe got their start in the business when they were children, and they have stories about that. From Johnson’s journeys through the sets of Growing Pains to Jaffe’s gigs on St. Elsewhere and Michael Keaton‘s Mr. Mom movie, the pair confess probably more than they should, not just about the industry but about themselves.

“Weird Kids is for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t quite fit in and is a place to cherish all the eclectic things that make this world more fun,” promises CR’s press release. “From antique toys and taxidermy to Japanese pop culture and the quirks of LA life, no topic is too obscure! So to all the misfits, outcasts, and weirdos out there, come take a seat at our table and celebrate all things unconventional, nostalgic, and wonderfully weird.”

Here’s the truth about these weird kids though: unlike the main Critical Role series, most of the new episodes will be exclusive to Beacon, CR’s own service that you must pay to gain access to. The first episode, which is live now, is available on multiple platforms — Beacon, other podcast sites, the Critical Role YouTube Channel, and a new specific YouTube Channel for the series. But subsequent episodes will only be available on Beacon. For those who’d rather not pay or can’t afford to, the aforementioned Weird Kids YouTube channel will host clips and highlights from the most recent episodes.

So give Weird Kids a listen and see what you think. We’ve embedded the free episode below.

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Brave Maeve

New Member

17 messages 0 likes

#1 Mar 26, 2025

Ashley and Taliesin talking about being kid actors, like on Growing Pains and Mr. Mom. They sound chill, just sharing what it was like back then. They also bring up weird stuff they liked as kids, like old toys. It’s kinda cool hearing how they didn’t fit in—I get that sometimes. Not a huge deal that it’s going to Beacon, I’ll just check the YouTube clips. It’s interesting if you’re into behind-the-scenes stuff, but it’s not super exciting or anything. More like a calm chat about their past. Might listen again if I’m bored, but it’s mostly for people who like that nostalgia thing.

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CaptainJanewayLover

Captain of of my own express

20 messages 0 likes

#2 Mar 26, 2025

Ashley and Taliesin are hilarious. Hearing Ashley talk about Growing Pains was cool—I’ve seen clips on YouTube—and Taliesin’s Mr. Mom stories were wild. They’re so open about being weird kids, and I’m here for it. I’m obsessed with quirky stuff too, like old toys and random art, so this totally clicked with me. The only bummer is it’s going to Beacon after this. I can’t afford that, so I’ll just watch the clips they post. Someone on Twitter called it “a hug for weirdos,” and that’s so true—it’s like they get me. I used to feel so out of place in school, and hearing them own it is awesome. Can’t wait to see what else they talk about, even if it’s just snippets. Critical Role crew always delivers!

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RamenStar

New Member

575 messages 20 likes

#3 Mar 26, 2025

Honestly, I'm genuinely intrigued. Ashley and Taliesin have always been the most fascinating personalities on Critical Role, and the idea of them diving into their childhood experiences as actors? That's gold. I'm especially keen to hear about the less glamorous side of child stardom, the 'quirks of LA life' they mentioned. It's not just nostalgia; it's a glimpse into a very specific, often overlooked, slice of entertainment history. I'm going to check out the free episode, and if it's as compelling as I expect, I'll likely consider the Beacon subscription. Plus, the promise of 'antique toys and taxidermy' is just too unique to pass up.

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Arrowneck

Member

104 messages 1 like

#4 Mar 26, 2025

This sounds absolutely wild! Ashley and Taliesin's dynamic is always electric, and the idea of them reminiscing about their childhood acting days is hilarious. 'Antique toys and taxidermy'? I'm sold! I'm going to listen to the first episode, and I am very interested in the rest of the episodes. I will be subscribing to Beacon

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Taller

Grimm

77 messages 2 likes

#5 Mar 26, 2025

This is an interesting concept. I am always interested in behind the scenes stories. I am very interested in the clips and highlights. I will be checking out the free episode.

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