Feb 23, 2026
In this episode of The Pencil Pushers Podcast, host Mike Rosado
sit down with artist, writer, and creative director Will Carsola of
Liquid Death to trace his path from drawing for laughs as a kid
to shaping one of the boldest brands in modern
marketing.
Will talks about growing up mostly in Virginia, early influences
like Garbage Pail Kids, and how humor became central to his voice
as an artist. He shares stories of leaving Virginia Commonwealth
University, bartending to get by, and spending years making DIY
sketch comedy and early animation before YouTube helped his work
gain traction.
The conversation also covers his collaboration with Dave Stewart,
pitching Adult Swim, and how a key creative shift led to the cult
hit Mr.
Pickles, which ran for three seasons and spawned the spinoff
Mama Named Me Sheriff.
Will then dives into his journey with Liquid Death, from creating
the skull logo and early campaigns to becoming creative director,
and discusses the brand’s philosophy of making fun of marketing,
the balance of edgy humor, and his creative approach: make things
for the love of it, lower the pressure, and use “write-offs” to
unlock great ideas.
Host: Mike Rosado (mrcraleigh.com) (instagram.com/ekimodasor)
Post Production: Max Trujillo (instagram.com/trujillomedia)
Sponsors: MRC (mrcraleigh.com) and Burny Wild’s (burnywilds.com)