Podcast

The Bucket Boys Podcast

Comedy, Improv, Stand-Up

Welcome to The Bucket Boys Podcast with Gunnar Cain and Zak Rector.

Two friends.
One bucket.
Zero preparation.

Each week, we pull a completely random topic submitted by listeners and let it spiral. From unhinged news stories to everyday chaos, nothing is off-limits once it comes out of the bucket.

No scripts.
No guardrails.
Just stand-up instincts, real-life perspective, and chemistry that goes off the rails fast.

New full episodes weekly.
Pure randomness.

What’s in the bucket this week?

Episodes
108
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
1 hr 3 min
On air since
2024
Latest episode
6 days ago

Episodes

108 episodes, newest first

  1. Episode 108: Go Birds!

    Episode 108

    Show notes

    The Bucket Boys are trying something new this week, recording an episode while watching the Panthers take on the Eagles. What could possibly go wrong? Between questionable football bets, nonstop penalties, and Zak realizing he might have talked Gunnar into a terrible wager, the boys somehow manage to keep the conversation going. They also break down their latest studio upgrades, revisit some questionable Pinewood Derby strategies, and discuss why Gunnar and his wife keep getting mistaken for swingers.

    Then it's into the bucket for movie extras, acting auditions, space travel, meteorites, terrifying deep-sea creatures, and why our brains insist on making us dream. Plus, the boys revisit the early days of AIM and internet chat rooms, debate what they'd most likely get arrested for, and discover that watching football while recording a podcast might not have been their greatest idea.

    Patreon:

    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!

    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:

    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast

    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #NFL #GoBirds

    1 hr 5 min
  2. Episode 107: Sh*tty Ricky

    Episode 107

    Show notes

    Gunnar is finally back, and apparently the podcast did better without him. The boys catch up on Gavin's trip to the state golf championship, Zak's nerve-racking best man speech, viral clips, bizarre AI posts on Facebook, and a comedy show where the audience refused to participate. Plus, they attempt to fix the studio equipment, debate sports bets, and consider starting a support group for people who don't know how to behave at comedy shows.

    Then the bucket takes things completely off the rails with the gayest fish, whether half a 5-Hour Energy lasts two and a half hours, four-day workweeks, the importance of boners to human civilization, and who would survive longer in a horror movie. Throw in irrational fears, Final Destination, and a guy who apparently ate lunch in a portable toilet, and you've got another ridiculous episode of The Bucket Boys Podcast.

    Patreon: https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE! https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:

    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast

    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #ShittyRicky #StandUpComedy

    1 hr 7 min
  3. Episode 106: Scrub Daddy

    Episode 106

    Show notes

    Gunnar is out for another week, so Sonia is back in the studio with Zak, and things get weird fast. Between the Braves' playoff disappointment, ugly Crocs, celebrity crushes, lottery tickets, and dream houses from movies and TV, the two somehow end up debating how many hot dogs they could eat and whether sponges actually come from the ocean.

    Things only get more ridiculous with moon landing conspiracies, fear of cruises, terrible dog names, disgusting office lunches, a microwave burrito disaster, and the question of whether Zak could successfully land an airplane. Plus, the countdown continues to Bucket Boys Live on October 24th!

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us: YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #ScrubDaddy #ConspiracyTalk #BucketBoysPodcast

    52 min
  4. Episode 105: Prince Charming

    Episode 105

    Show notes

    Gunnar is out this week, so Sonia steps in with Zak and immediately takes over the Bucket Boys studio. The two recap a chaotic wedding weekend, Zak’s first best man speech, staying up until 3:30 in the morning, Sonia’s new Audi and tattoos.

    Then they hit the bucket for aliens, Joe Rogan, gay animals, goat yoga, terrifying childhood mascots, whether dinosaurs were actually giant birds, bringing extinct animals back to life, HOA Karen boot camp, disappointing your parents, and the possibility that Sonia’s Prince Charming has been sitting across from her the whole time.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #PrinceCharmin #PodcastLife

    1 hr 3 min
  5. Episode 104: Get a Hobby

    Episode 104

    Show notes

    This week Gunnar decides Zak desperately needs a hobby that gets him out of the house, which turns into a full investigation of what Zak actually does for fun. Along the way, we get into cooling mattresses, panhandler turf wars, bird watching, ducks that may or may not fly, sports fandom, RadioShack nostalgia, and why every hobby Gunnar touches eventually becomes a job.

    Then the bucket takes us through the smartest animals, dolphins protecting people from sharks, pigs playing video games, the Vietnam War, alternate history, million-dollar ideas that somebody else eventually invented, and McDonald’s slowly forcing everyone to order from a kiosk.

    Patreon:

    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!

    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:

    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast

    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #GetAHobby #PodcastLife

    1 hr 15 min
  6. Episode 103: Afraid of Zoom

    Episode 103

    Show notes

    The Bucket Boys finally do what Zak has been avoiding for months and record an episode over Zoom. That leads to old-school RadioShack nostalgia, ZipZaps, Fast & Furious cars, Pinewood Derby plans, a Sheetz joke that goes on way too long, and Gunnar calling the cops on one of the sketchiest drivers he’s encountered yet.

    Then we hit the bucket for the Fermi Paradox, aliens, Twizzlers, voting, unwanted hugs, bandwagon sports fans, and the undeniable fact that Patrick Mahomes has a weird voice. Plus, the first Bucket Boys Live is coming October 24 at Heroic Axe in Warrenton.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #ZoomPodcast #PodcastLife

    37 min
  7. Episode 102: Premium Salt

    Episode 102

    Show notes

    This week the Bucket Boys get into brewery adventures, Lil Wayne nostalgia, Wu Tang and Bone Thugs, getting attacked by wasps and yellow jackets, and the ongoing debate over whether Gunnar is actually a redneck. We also discover why his yard has become a luxury salt lick for the neighborhood deer before getting into things that are way more embarrassing than they should be, jobs you could probably do with zero training, and why proposing at somebody else’s wedding should be illegal.

    Plus, dry weddings, vegans versus screaming plants, childhood rules that never made sense, strangers who desperately need an escape button, and the simple realization that sometimes you just don’t want to hang out with people.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #PremiumSalt #StandUpComedy

    57 min
  8. Episode 101: Peachy Peachy

    Episode 101

    Show notes

    The Bucket Boys are back to argue about cold weather, terrible handshakes, whether words stop sounding real if you say them too many times, and the importance of actually pronouncing people's names correctly. Then the bucket takes us through Sonic vs. Mario, the cinematic potential of Mortal Kombat, Caitlyn vs. Bruce, the best government agency, virgin brides, terrible car designs, and Zak officially committing to doing stand up at the Bucket Boys Live show.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoysPodcast #SonicVsMario #StandUpComedy

    50 min
  9. Episode 100: No Hot Dogs?! w/ Chris Alan

    Episode 100

    Show notes

    For episode 100, Chris Alan joins us to talk about The Rider, growing up in Rochester, spending 20 years in the military, family, getting older, and realizing how much of what you believed growing up eventually has to be unlearned. Naturally, that turns into old school gaming, GTA, robot uprisings, green carpet, tattoos, Tarantino movies, James Gandolfini, Keanu Reeves, and a whole lot of shit talking in between.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Chris Alan — @chrisalancomedy

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @zak_shoots_ | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #ChrisAlan #TheRider #MilitaryStories #FunnyPodcast

    1 hr 17 min
  10. Episode 99: D***head of the Week

    Episode 99

    Show notes

    This week turns into a full breakdown of terrible drivers, road rage, SAE vs. metric tools, Bigfoot, spray painted cars, dream 90s builds, hot dog rankings, and the growing realization that getting older means occasionally losing the battle with your own pants. Somewhere in there, we also announce the Bucket Boys live show and continue trying to bully Zak into doing stand up.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #RoadRage #CarCulture #HotDogs #FunnyPodcast

    54 min
  11. Episode 98: Love Languages

    Episode 98

    Show notes

    Gunnar and Zak figure out their love languages, call Gunnar’s wife in the middle of the show to fact check the relationship, and somehow end up debating parenting, psychics, fake accents, court jesters, Boy Scouts, prison reform, and whether the president is really just America’s designated “vibes guy.” Plus, Miss Cleo, terrible fortune tellers, funerals for people nobody liked, and the realization that being a medieval comedian may have been the worst gig imaginable.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoys #LoveLanguages #Psychics #MissCleo #PodcastLife

    1 hr 9 min
  12. Episode 97: Warranties w/ Mike Oddo

    Episode 97

    Show notes

    Mike Oddo joins the Bucket Boys this week for a chaotic episode that somehow covers baseball road trips, Philly stories, Pokémon nostalgia, passive aggressive coworkers, kitchen disasters, sketchy warranties, and why modern cars seem determined to break the moment the warranty expires. Along the way the guys debate minor league baseball names, cooking tips, bizarre viral videos, and whether buying an old car might actually be the smarter move.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    Mike Oddo — @mikeoddocomedy

    #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoys #MikeOddo #Baseball #Cars #KitchenFails #PodcastLife

    1 hr 1 min
  13. Episode 96: Heroes

    Episode 96

    Show notes

    This week starts with an incredible story as Gunnar shares how his son Gavin and two teammates jumped into a lake to help rescue a family after their kayaks capsized. From there we get into sign language, barbershop etiquette, bizarre public encounters, WNBA drama, the best bears of all time, and why being called a "mother ass" might be the funniest insult ever.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #HeroStory #FunnyPodcast #StandUpComedy #PodcastLife

    1 hr 3 min
  14. Episode 95: Peacock

    Episode 95

    Show notes

    The Bucket Boys kick things off by retiring the iconic boat horn before spiraling into Walmart greeters, receipt checkers, loud public whistlers, overcoats, leather jackets, and the everyday annoyances that somehow become full-blown debates. Along the way, they revisit old catchphrases, conspiracy theories, and the strange things people do in public.

    The second half takes a surprisingly deep turn into money, housing, unemployment, work-life balance, and what it actually means to "make it." From personal assistants and first-class flights to side hustles, golf, and why everyone's financial ceiling looks different, it's one of the show's most thoughtful (and funniest) conversations yet.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #WorkLifeBalance #PersonalFinance #BucketBoysPodcast

    1 hr 24 min
  15. Episode 94: Mercury Retrograde

    Episode 94

    Show notes

    Mercury is in retrograde, and Gunnar is convinced it's out to get him. Between a flooded sink, a missing debit card, a fake dead cat, a canceled Kings Dominion trip, and one very frustrating Lowe's pickup, the universe keeps finding new ways to pile on. We also debate math, generations, work-life balance, wildfire smoke, Dick's Sporting Goods misunderstandings, and whether the stars really are pulling the strings.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #MercuryRetrograde #WorkLifeBalance #PodcastLife

    1 hr 1 min
  16. Episode 93: Bidet Squad

    Episode 93

    Show notes

    This week we're talking bidets, public bathroom disasters, custom jerseys, lemonade stands, World Cup fever, Father's Day injustice, home improvement projects, ramen debates, awkward dancing, and the mental illnesses we've accidentally diagnosed each other with.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #WorldCup #HomeImprovement #FunnyPodcast

    1 hr 1 min
  17. Episode 92: Mass Appreesh

    Episode 92

    Show notes

    This week starts with fake presidential speeches and somehow turns into AI, FaceTime, self-checkout, time travel, conspiracy theories, Nintendo Switch addiction, aliens, and whether math can actually explain the universe. Along the way we survive a heat wave, debate the best era to live in, and ask the important questions—like who Earth should send to greet the aliens.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy
    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    1 hr 13 min
  18. Episode 91: Citation

    Episode 91

    Show notes

    This week starts with Gunnar accidentally thinking his son got in trouble after receiving a text that simply said, “I got a citation.” Turns out catching a trophy fish means something very different in the fishing world. From there we get into beach trips, pier celebrities, outdoor cats, trophy fish, favorite animals, and why wombats might be the greatest creatures on Earth.

    The second half turns into friendship arguments, texting etiquette, voice-to-text disasters, discovering new restaurants, and brainstorming what a live Bucket Boys show might actually look like. Somehow we also find time to debate sloths, capybaras, ducks, and whether a period at the end of a text message is secretly aggressive.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @ bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    51 min
  19. Episode 90: Numb Nuts

    Episode 90

    Show notes

    This week the boys dive into Karen videos, overrated movies, childhood nostalgia, and the weird things that stick with you forever. We debate the greatest and most overrated films of all time, revisit Sonic the Hedgehog and Batman, share stories about skateboarding run-ins with authority figures, and discuss why some people seem determined to call the cops on everyone around them.

    Along the way we get into Father's Day, pond maintenance, old-school insults, and the little frustrations of modern life that somehow become hour-long conversations.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @ryno_392 | @bucketboyzak

    1 hr 11 min
  20. Episode 89: The Boys Take Philly & New York

    Episode 89

    Show notes

    The Bucket Boys are back from the road with stories from Philadelphia, New York City, and everywhere in between. Gunnar and Zak break down a chaotic comedy trip filled with missed connections, crowded cities, panic attacks, Pride weekend in Philly, questionable navigation choices, lost phones, comedy club adventures, and a surprise stop in Jersey City to film a commercial audition. The guys talk about performing in new cities, meeting comics from across the country, Gunnar's trip to Gotham Comedy Club, Zak's Connecticut adventures, surviving on almost no sleep, and why Philadelphia might be one of the most underrated cities in America.

    Patreon:
    https://patreon.com/TheBucketBoysPodcast

    GET YOUR BUCKET BOYS MERCH HERE!
    https://the-bucket-boys-podcast.printify.me/

    Listen everywhere: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio

    Follow us:
    YouTube & Instagram: @TheBucketBoysPodcast
    TikTok: @bucketboyspod

    Gunnar Cain — @gunnarcaincomedy

    Zak Rector — @bucketboyzak | @ryno_392

    #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #BucketBoys #Philadelphia #NewYorkComedy

    1 hr 16 min