42
Gun Shy
Steve pitches Gun Shy, a device that makes you think twice about pulling that trigger. It's all for gun safety! Listeners eat it up. This episode originally aired on February 13th, 2016, and was produced by Pete…
A podcast by Steve Gadlin
The Frying Pan
From 2015 to 2018, Steve Gadlin and Justin Kaufmann played a prank on WGN Radio listeners. Steve, a real life Shark Tank winner, would pitch flawed and terrible inventions with the hope of workshopping them before pitching to Mark Cuban. Steve's inventions and business idea were intentionally awful, and his clueless and arrogant persona would push all the right buttons with callers.
Episodes42 total
41
Car-Tris
Steve pitches Car-Tris, a fun Tetris-style game that you can play while driving. Listeners love it. This episode originally aired on January 28th, 2017, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
40
Uber-Ella
Steve pitches Uber-Ella, an inventive business that combines the convenience of Uber with the desire to stay dry. This episode originally aired on May 4th, 2015, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
39
Chew Patrol
Steve pitches Chew Patrol, a surgically embedded wearable that screams in your ear when you eat too much. Listeners hate it. This episode originally aired on WGN Radio on August 8th, 2015, and was produced by Pete…
38
Corn Milk
Steve pitches Corn Milk, a sports drink that combines corn and milk. Listeners hate it. This episode originally aired on WGN Radio on April 8th, 2016, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
37
Nickels Pickles
Steve pitches Nickels Pickles, a single-pickle receptacle that save fridge real estate, with the bonus feature of a sidecar nickel chiller. Audiences hate it. This episode originally aired on WGN Radio on August 16th,…
36
Me First
Steve pitches Me First, a selfish technology tool that lets diners bypass restaurants' stingy structure. Listeners hate it. This episode of The Frying Pan originally aired on January 30th, 2016, and was produced by…
35
Stink Alert!
Steve pitches Stink Alert, a noxious warning system for stinky clothing. Listeners love it and can find no fault with Steve's latest invention. This episode was produced by Pete Zimmerman, and originally aired on June…
34
The Cobbie
Steve pitches The Cobbie, a delicious and perfectly safe adhesive that turns any food into a cobbed treat! This episode was produced by Peter Zimmerman and originally aired on May 28th, 2016.
33
Inspire Hydrant
Steve pitches the Inspire Hydrant, a terrible and illegal invention that raises the ire of listeners all over the city - including a real live fireman. This episode originally aired on December 19th, 2015, and was…
32
Mail Mail
On this, the very FIRST episode of The Frying Pan, Steve pitches Mail Mail, a company that helps you mail things to people. Listeners rejoice. This episode originally aired on WGN Radio on April 28th, 2015, and was…
31
Meatnana
It's a banana! It's a steak! It's neither! WGN listeners lose their gort-dang minds. This episode originally aired on WGN Radio on May 19th, 2017, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
30
Tattune
Musical tattoos that only require some minor invasive surgery - what could go wrong? This episode originally aired on June 6th, 2015, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
29
Seat Yay!
Entitled brats kicking old ladies out of their seats on public transportation? Sign me up! Seat Yay, the app that lets you reserve seats on the CTA, wins hearts and minds with WGN listeners.
28
The Handy Dandy Can Helper
Want to convert cans of your favorite beverage into lip-mutilating messy drink receptacles? The Handy Dandy Can Helper is for you. This episode originally aired on July 14th, 2017, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
27
Snap Cap
Steve pitches a cap that solves the problem of having to buy new hats for every lid orientation. It's the Snap Cap! Buy four! This episode originally aired on May 21st, 2016, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
26
The Star Wars Banana Peeler
Steve pitches The Star Wars Banana Peeler, a dangerous and unnecessary fruit peeler with a frivolous Star Wars tie-in. WGN listeners bust arteries explaining why he's a terrible person. This episode originally aired on…
25
S'Greats!
Steve pitches S'Greats, a new boot / skate hybrid... or something? It's unclear. Anyway, it's an absolutely terrible invention, and callers tell him he's stupid. This episode originally aired on August 28th, 2015, and…
24
Wonderpants Drawer
Steve pitches the Wonderpants Drawer, a super easy way to replace your full underpants drawer on a monthly basis. This episode originally aired May 27th, 2015, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
23
Thunderpants
Steve pitches special underpants that mask flatulence with a loud thunder clap noise. This episode originally aired on August 14th, 2015, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
22
Time Cap
Steve pitches a long brimmed cap with a digital time readout so you always know what time it is. WGN listeners think it's perfect, and have absolutely no criticism to offer. This episode originally aired on July 9th,…
21
No Melt Ice Cream
Steve pitches No Melt Ice Cream, a mashed potato-based dessert that no one will love. This episode originally aired on June 4th, 2016, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
20
The Unnamed Teeth App
Steve pitches an app that helps you figure out if there's something in your teeth without having to ask your date. WGN listeners call in to say how cool and smart Steve is, as always. This episode originally aired on…
19
The Lip Clip
Steve pitches the Lip Clip, a terrible invention for shushing your significant other when tensions are high. Spoiler: nobody wants one. This episode originally aired on September 18th, 2015, and was produced by Pete…
18
Three Shirt
Steve invents an incredible shirt with three arm holes. It has infinite fashion potential! He also argues with listeners about the existence of the impossible "sleeveless t-shirt." This episode originally aired on…
17
Cheat Belt
Steve pitches the super safe Cheat Belt, a pseudo seat belt used to fool police officers on those days you forget to buckle up. It's an invention chock full o' contradiction and nonsense, and WGN Radio listeners call in…
16
Safety Car
Ever wish you could put those nasty car alarms on vibrate? Steve pitches Safety Car to the WGN Radio audience - a car alarm that shakes your car so violently, tires pop and thieves are completely immobilized. But hey,…
15
Photo Bomb
Steve pitches "Photo Bomb," creating bomb scares in pursuit of the perfect selfie. Explosions, bright lights, panic - all the fun stuff. This episode originally aired on July 24th, 2015, and was produced by Pete…
14
Whisper Phones
Steve pitches "Whisper Phones," a product to help the elderly (40+) deal with today's loud and rough noises, with only 5-8 seconds of latency. Sspspspspspspsps. This episode originally aired on June 11th, 2016, and was…
13
The Better Handshake
Steve pitches "The Better Handshake," a terrible device that screws into your bones, designed to improve your handshake's PSI. This episode originally aired on April 21st, 2017, and was produced by Pete Zimmerman.
12
Hot Dog Scarf
Steve pitches Hot Dog Scarf, a scarf that hides a hot dog so that even YOU can eat at fancy restaurants in spite of your brutish palate. Hot Dog Scarf originally aired on March 26th, 2016, and was produced by Pete…
11
New Sports Camp
Steve pitches "New Sports Camp," a camp where kids can play ALL the sports - but without the sometimes disappointing and triggering presence of a ball. Haters gonna hate. New Sports Camp originally aired on May 7th,…
10
Ranch Flavored Sorbet
Steve pitches Ranch Flavored Sorbet, which is exactly what it sounds like. But it comes with a jingle. Warning - it's a super catchy earworm, and you probably don't want this one sticking with you for the rest of your…
09
Clownlergies
Steve pitches Clownlergies, a big red clown nose that clamps over your shnoz and helps prevent those yucky seasonal allergies. C'mon, guys. Clownlergies. This episode originally aired on February 16th, 2017, and was…
08
Phone a Friend
Steve pitches the ultimate in life hacks - "Phone a Friend!" Have a question that one of your friends can answer? For just a monthly and per-call fee, Phone a Friend lets you... ugh, this concept is so stupid, I can't…
07
Best of the Net
Steve pitches "Best of the Net," a service for the elderly (50+) to help them digest and understand The Internet. A friendly calm voice will call them weekly and explain some of the cool things that have happened on The…
06
Clap-At-Ease
Steve pitches "Clap-At-Ease," special gloves loaded with gun powder that help you clap loudly at outdoor performances and events while wearing padded gloves. Milleniums love 'em. This episode originally aired on March…
05
Shpilke Powder
Steve pitches "Shpilke Powder," a chemical that turns your wet sloppy coffee into delicious chewable chunks. No more hot coffee spills! This episode originally aired on September 12th, 2015. It was produced by Pete…
04
The My-Brary
Steve pitches his business idea The My-Brary - an offsite building that stores your personal books and lets you check them out for a small fee. Bonus: you can also check out books that other customers store in The…
03
Green Wipe (or Wipe Green)
Steve pitches Green Wipe (or Wipe Green), an environmentally friendly bodily waste evacuation system that the whole family can enjoy! In addition to a reusable loop of cloth toilet paper, Green Wipe promises to train…
02
Piñata Bomb
Steve pitches Piñata Bomb - a device that's "about the size of two m-80's and a rubber band" - to help liven up children's birthday parties. Designed to blast candy 100 yards in every direction, the Piñata Bomb supports…
01
Quack Pack
Steve pitches The Quack Pack to WGN Radio listeners - a fanny-pack style egg carrier to help you transport eggs from store to fridge the way nature intended. This episode originally aired on December 4th, 2015. It was…