Comedian MJ Matheson joins One Hour Detours to talk about breakups, open-mics, and the absurd joy of crying at Wisconsin Dells’ Noah’s Ark waterpark. We get deep on what makes Minnesota’s comedy scene unique, how trauma turns into timing, and why the suburbs are the true villains of the Twin Cities.

MJ also helps me workshop my own stand-up material about Minneapolis vs St. Paul — and things get unexpectedly emotional (and hilarious).

Chapters:

00:00 Intro – Meet MJ Matheson

02:30 Art, aesthetics & the set design

03:00 Crying at Wisconsin Dells during a break-up

05:10 The music that hurts so good

07:00 How MJ started in comedy

08:40 Open mics, sociopaths & surviving the scene

10:50 Love Island UK vs American reality TV

11:40 Catholic mass in a football stadium

13:00 What it takes to be a comedian day-to-day

16:00 Why open mics can be brutal (but essential)

20:00 Hosting Easy Speak at Volstead Emporium

24:00 When MJ called me out in the crowd

26:00 Workshopping my bit on Minneapolis vs St. Paul

35:00 The suburbs are the real enemy

40:00 Comedy as therapy and math equation

45:00 Holding for laughter & timing the beat

46:00 Laughter as a way to break tension

49:00 Collaborating on bits & ending the hour

Wall art by Genel Jumalon (https://www.jumalon.art/)

Filmed at Kickernick Building (https://www.kickernick.com/)

Hosted by John O’Sullivan (One Minute Tours, Hidden Middle)

Filmed at the One Hour Detours studio in beautiful downtown Minneapolis

To see the stand-up set that was performed later that night, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ7dOl5ZwBM

Minneapolis City Councilwoman Latrisha Vetaw joins me for a candid, unfiltered conversation about the state of City Hall, why the council feels broken, and how politics can sometimes feel more like theater than public service. She opens up about trust issues on the dais, her fight for Northside representation, and yes—her unforgettable Usher cherry story.

This episode of One Hour Detours goes deep into what it means to serve a divided city, how national issues clash with local responsibilities, and the personal costs of being in public life.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro: Who is Latrisha Vetaw?

02:00 – Running for office vs. serving

05:00 – Mentors, training, and how to start in politics

08:00 – Facial expressions, performance, and being “real” on the dais

09:20 – Northside representation and standing her ground

11:00 – How an idea becomes law at City Hall

14:00 – Tobacco policy, coupon bans, and city attorneys

18:00 – Is City Council “broken”? Division and dysfunction explained

19:30 – Who represents constituents vs. themselves

20:45 – The encampment debate: healing camps or public danger?

23:00 – Talking openly about homelessness and addiction

27:00 – Third-term mayors, incumbents, and political fear

31:00 – Political violence, safety, and threats to electeds

36:00 – Why some people won’t run for office anymore

41:45 – Life in the spotlight: sports games, fans, and recognition

42:00 – The Usher cherry story

44:30 – Public vs. private life: when you’re always “the councilwoman”

47:00 – Drinks, social life, and the human side of City Hall

48:00 – Closed sessions and what really happens behind the scenes

50:00 – Can council members be friends? Division by voting block

52:00 – Dinners with colleagues and broken trust

54:00 – Why the council feels like “cosplay”

55:00 – Generational divides at City Hall

57:00 – Wrapping up

Dallas Goldtooth has taken one of the most unusual career arcs in entertainment — from Minnesota rez-based comedy sketches with the 1491s, to Reservation Dogs, to the Fallout TV show, to starring alongside Jason Clarke in Apple TV’s The Last Frontier.

We talk about his viral beginnings, the transition from indie comedy to blockbuster streaming action, and what it means to represent Native voices on screen while raising a family of six.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro & Dallas Goldtooth’s Hollywood leap

02:00 – Growing up on the Lower Sioux Reservation

07:30 – Comedy as survival: The 1491s & viral sketches

13:00 – Minnesota history, monuments, and reckoning with the past

20:00 – Landing roles in Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls

25:00 – Breaking down The Last Frontier

29:00 – The “copaganda” question and conflicted roles

34:00 – Representation, identity & Native roles in Hollywood

41:00 – Acting in Fallout with Walton Goggins

45:00 – Family life with six kids while acting

55:00 – Reflections on culture, comedy & the future