What is the Dabbleverse?
The interconnected universe of podcast drama, born from one man's inability to stop dabbling
The Dabbleverse is the sprawling ecosystem of podcast commentary, internet drama, and community culture that orbits around Stuttering John Melendez — former Howard Stern Show personality, ex-Tonight Show announcer, and full-time dabbler in everything from beer brewing to stand-up comedy to political podcasting.
It started in December 2019 when Eric Nagel (E-Rock) told John he "dabbles" in comedy — dropping the "D-bomb" that would name an entire universe. Karl Hamburger's Who Are These Podcasts? turned every meltdown into must-watch content, and Chrissy Mayr captured the viral moment — John snapping "this is the disrespect you have for me" on her podcast because she didn't know his full resume. That clip merged with the "Dabbler" nickname and supercharged everything. Together, they built an ever-expanding web of feuds, lawsuits, and legendary moments across dozens of podcasts and YouTube channels.
By 2026 it has its own solar system. The big planets — WATP, The Blind Mike Project, Nobody Likes Onions, The Shuli Network, and Tookie Soup — each have their own orbits. Smaller shows circle those. Comets fly in and out. Even Legion of Skanks, Anthony Cumia, Jim Norton, and Dennis Miller have been pulled into its gravity. The flagship weekly recap, Dabbleverse Live, rotates between Karl and Mike's channels with a new guest each week — and the hyperbole, callbacks, lore, and ever-expanding cast of characters show no signs of slowing down.
Documentaries & Fan Content
The Documentaries
How They Describe the Dabbleverse
“It's confusing that Stuttering John is so bad he created an entire universe that exists whether he's here or not.”
“We're mocking other shows. I don't get what's so confusing about it.”
“There are big planets or heavenly bodies in the Dabbleverse. And then there are smaller ones that orbit some of these bigger things. And then there's little comets that come in and then they go back out. It's amazing.”
“Stuttering John is the core of all of it. And then everyone started orbiting around Stuttering John and then there's all these other little planets with their own solar systems now.”
“At the center of it is kind of like Stuttering John as a jackass that everyone makes fun of and then everyone started building shows around it. I guess like an alcoholic or something universe.”
“Most of us aren't Geno and Chad and Kevin. Most of us are Karl and Mike and Dean where we're just like this is what we do for fun. We enjoy making fun of other people.”
Growth of the Dabbleverse
// COMMUNITY
The Dabbleverse community thrives on r/DabblersAnonymous — a subreddit dedicated to documenting the never-ending saga. Fan art, memes, clip compilations, and real-time commentary on every meltdown, lawsuit update, and feuds.
Visit r/DabblersAnonymous →