Holiday in the Park Remote Podcast, 2025

The street was packed, the lights were glowing, and the mood felt like Burbank at its best. We set up in the heart of Magnolia Park’s Holiday in the Park and captured the moments that make a city feel like home: neighbors shoulder to shoulder, live music on a crisp night, and a quiet hour that welcomed those who needed a gentler space. From the first guest to the last goodbye, this one’s a love letter to local.

Assemblymember Nick Schultz stopped by to talk about pride of place, why accessible design matters, and the power of independent local news to keep a community informed. Then Councilmembers Konstantine Anthony and Chris Rizzotti dug into the behind-the-scenes reality: insurance spikes, security planning, and the permit friction that can wear down volunteers. Their message was clear and practical—streamline processes without sacrificing safety, or risk losing the very events that drive small-business sales and civic connection.

And then the big reveal: organizer Ross Benson announced Celebrate Burbank, a full parade and community festival set for May 16, 2026, complete with bands, horses, a car show, and daytime festivities. Even better, funds from vendor fees and sponsorships will be reinvested right back into Magnolia Park through a nonprofit to clean sidewalks, add benches, and upgrade trash cans—simple improvements that make every visit better. Between the parade plans, the bustling vendors, and a new pro-grade stage, the night stood as proof that public space done right pays dividends for families and storefronts alike.

We weave in lighter moments too—sports banter, hometown memories, and shout-outs to scouts and school teams—because that’s part of the fabric. If you care about community-building, small business support, and smart, people-first citymaking, you’ll feel at home here. Subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review with the one change you think would make our next event even better. Your ideas shape what we celebrate next.

Transcript

Live From Holiday In The Park

SPEAKER_00 0:00

From deep in the Burbank Media District, it's time for another edition of My Burbank Talks. This podcast is presented by the staff of My Burbank. Now let's see what's on today's agenda as we join our program.

Assemblymember Nick Schultz On Community Spirit

SPEAKER_09 0:17

Hello, Burbank Craig Sherwit here with you from Holiday in the Park 2025, along with Xavier Duban, the man called the X-Man. He's our great photographer and round tonight. So he said, hey, sit in the podcast tonight. So stand by. We're gonna bring you a couple great guests tonight and what's going on in Burbank. So stand by, we'll be right back with you. Well, we're back with you, and guess who our first guest? In fact, our first guest is the last guest we had on our podcast studio before we did our renovation, and that's our assemblyman Nick Schultz.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Hey Craig, I just can't quit you guys.

SPEAKER_09 0:56

We love it. So we got you back in here in Berwick for the night, which is great. Um what yeah, you're you were the mayor here. You you live here.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_09 1:07

What what does this do to come to get this atmosphere back again for you?

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Well, uh, two things I'm gonna say, Craig. First of all, to all of the people that made this happen, and we know it wasn't easy this year, but Ross and Jeff and everybody with MPMA. Um it's just incredible that they got through all the obstacles, all the uncertainty, and they put this on. And uh, you know, for the folks that are watching or listening to this, you really can't get a full picture. But the street is packed, and it's gonna be more packed an hour from now. And and what I would just say, Craig, is that it in a really tough year, right when a lot of bad things have happened in our region and there's so much uncertainty, there's a lot of love and joy and hope and happiness tonight. I mean, but this is how I know Burbank to be. No better place to start the hobby.

SPEAKER_09 1:50

This is small town Burbank at its best.

SPEAKER_01 1:52

That's right.

SPEAKER_09 1:53

You know, and we're gonna have you on in December and talk about all the state issues and the local issues and all that, but you know, right now we're just talking about just good old Burbank right now and everything else. So what does it mean to you to um to represent this area and and you're kind of the local kid making good now, so what does that mean to you?

SPEAKER_01 2:17

So I I've mentioned this before on your podcast, but I'll say it again. Every time I rise on the assembly floor or someone else talks about me, they call me the member from Burbank. I feel really proud, and I hope I make the community proud. I because I I remember that every day, and I will tell you, while it's a huge district, I believe, and I do not say this anywhere else I go, I represent the single greatest city on the face of the planet. I represent Burbank, it is my home, it's a point of pride, and and this tonight is one of my absolute favorite things that we do in Burbank.

SPEAKER_09 2:48

Absolutely. And I can imagine you've got what, like seven or eight different really cities that are in your district, I mean, more or less. And I'm sure they all have got a holiday thing that you are gonna have to be going. You're gonna be spending a lot of time going to a lot of holiday events in the next month or a half.

Holiday Events Across The District

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Yeah, and and all you know, we there is the Christmas parade up in Montrose, and there's Hanukkah in the foothills up in Sunluntahunga, and there's holiday markets in Studio City. But what I love about Burbank is that this is one of the earliest and the largest in the region. Uh, ways to kick off the holidays. There's something for everybody. One thing I I just wanted to mention, by the way, the organizers this year added that quiet hour from 4 to 5 p.m. Uh for those who might want a less like sensory intensive environment. I mean, how freaking cool is that?

SPEAKER_09 3:34

Who else is? And we had a lot of people come by and it was a it was a great time for them, too.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

That's right. And also, I mean, you're part of it too. I mean, you guys are here doing a podcast live talking about the community in the heart of one of the largest celebrations of all of LA. I mean, again, I don't mean to throw shade anywhere else. It's just I think Burbank is so dang special. We do it so cool. And I tip my hat to you guys and to everyone, all the vendors, everybody who's making tonight. So special.

SPEAKER_09 4:01

When are you guys um done with the um the assembly year and all that? When do you when do you recess for the holidays?

SPEAKER_01 4:07

So we've been in recess uh since mid-September. A lot of folks don't know that.

SPEAKER_09 4:12

I did not know that, no.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Um, and when I come on next month, I'll give you like we'll go into more detail. But um I'm I'm home through the end of the year. Oh okay. So you're gonna see me um at some of those events we talked about.

SPEAKER_09 4:22

Um at the mayor's tree lighting ceremony.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

We got that coming up. Um and by the way, the same night, there's like three things there's like the mayor's tree lighting, the Montrose Christmas parade, and something else. Um so I'm hoping that you'll see me or Amanda, who covers Burbank, one of the two of us.

SPEAKER_09 4:37

Well, I'm gonna put this on you. I know when Adam Schiff was our congressman here, he would do four or five different Memorial Day events the same day, and he was always here, but he was always at four or five others. So you should find out how he how he scheduled that.

SPEAKER_01 4:50

I definitely will, and and I will tell you, um, you know, it it it's it's a challenge, but it's a blessing because you know you're bumping from one event to the other. So you don't always have a lot of time when I'm it when I'm at the Burbank event, right? I want to make sure every person I'm talking to knows they have my undivided attention, and I have a tremendous staff because they they're really good at like gently and politely pulling me away because I won't interrupt a conversation. I I love people, I love talking to people. Um and you know, I just it it's such a special city.

SPEAKER_09 5:20

Well, it's it's good to have you here tonight. It's good that you stop. I'm glad you stopped by and said hi. And um I mean, no matter what happens, you are a Burbank guy, you know, you'll always be a Burbank guy. Burbank, you know, I don't know about born, but a Burbank bred guy. So you got you've got Burbank inside of you, which is what's important.

SPEAKER_01 5:38

I I I I really appreciate that, Craig. And I'll I'll leave you with this. Uh Burbank's my home. Um Ella's gonna be starting at Edison next year. Like we're okay. We are invested in this community. And so, you know, it's just so amazing to be here tonight. And I just really again I just want to thank you guys for doing this podcast for for being the local news source in Burbank. I mean, uh we've talked about this before in an era where uh free and independent press is really going the way of the dinosaur. You guys, as a labor of love for this community, like you want everyone to know what's happening. I just hope you know I see that and I appreciate it, and thank you. And I'm sure there's lots of listeners who would say thank you.

SPEAKER_09 6:16

I'll tell you what, if any of the listeners out there would like to come and help us out and write for us, we're always looking for people, you know, because that's what we need. We're looking for community people to be involved.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

That's right.

SPEAKER_09 6:26

Because we don't pay worth anything.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

No, but the but the but the stories you cover, I mean, they're so different.

Media, Local News, And Civic Engagement

SPEAKER_09 6:31

Important stories, you know, and people should know what's going on in their city. I wish and I wish we could do actually more. I really do. So okay. Assemblyman, thank you very much for coming by. We appreciate it. December, we're gonna see you for uh uh all knockdown drag out podcast about what's going on in the assembly, and and we'll go from there.

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Good. And I hope your listeners submit all those tough questions in advance. I'm ready to answer. Well, yeah, absolutely. We'll we'll get them out there for you. But until then, happy holidays to you, to your listeners, and uh have a great Thanksgiving next week. Yep, same to you.

SPEAKER_09 7:00

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

Thank you guys.

SPEAKER_09 7:02

Okay, X, we have another guest, and you know what? Constantine Anthony from the Burbank City Council has stopped by to see us.

SPEAKER_11 7:08

How are you, Craig?

SPEAKER_09 7:09

Good, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_11 7:10

Good, good. Uh I'm meeting your photographer. Xavier Havier.

SPEAKER_09 7:13

Yeah, X. We just call him X.

SPEAKER_11 7:15

X, there you go. X marks the spot. That's it. Love photography.

SPEAKER_09 7:19

Um so we just had um Nick still stopped by and said hi and everything else. I asked the same thing I'm asking the same question I asked Kim. What does this night mean to you and to Burbick? I mean, you know, you know, politics aside, everything else, what does this mean? This kind of a night for for you.

Councilmember Constantine Anthony Joins

SPEAKER_11 7:41

You know, it's funny. Nick and I both got elected in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. And one of the things that people asked of us coming into office is when are we gonna get the events back? When are we gonna go out and see the community again? Because obviously we weren't during doing any of this during the shutdown, but coming back from that, there was an economic slump, there wasn't much money. But this is the thing. Me and Nick and and and Jess and Bob and Sharon, when we were on, everybody agreed that these kinds of events, this is what brings the community together. It creates that um solidarity between families of all ages, uh, businesses, patrons, just the community in general. Um, so we jumped at the chance to bring this back. And there's a lot of hurdles. You know, even this year, there was a whole fiasco with last minute.

SPEAKER_09 8:38

I'll be very honest with you, because you know, Ross and I are, you know, he works with my Burbank, and we discuss this all the time. And and the the the hurdles that the city puts in front of them, and not just in the beginning, but all the way within a week of the event, just makes it so tough. And you wonder why anybody wants to do that and do an event at Burbank.

SPEAKER_11 8:58

We've got another council member here. Chris, you want to jump on? Go for it. Yeah, here we go. Yeah, Papa, you got a minute? Yeah, council member Rosati just joined us.

SPEAKER_09 9:09

Move your mic other way around. Throw your head set the other way. Is that good? Uh you have to cord in the way there a little bit.

SPEAKER_11 9:14

See ya. Yeah, get it around the corner.

SPEAKER_09 9:16

There you go.

SPEAKER_11 9:17

Oh, there you go. There you go. Bring it out. We were just talking about Chris, bring it in front of your mouth here.

Volunteers, Costs, And City Hurdles

SPEAKER_09 9:21

Bring it in front of your mouth. Got it. There you go. Okay.

SPEAKER_11 9:23

Uh we were just talking about how bringing this back uh doesn't come without any hurdles, but making the effort to have sort of these community events is the core of what Burbank is, you know.

SPEAKER_07 9:34

Absolutely. And you know, thank goodness for the volunteers that are willing to stick this out every year, put in the effort for all of us. Um I've I've been coming for, you know, I live in Magnolia Park, I've been coming for decades, but you forget that it takes an army to do that.

SPEAKER_09 9:49

Well, it really does. And and we're just talking about, and by the way, but um Chris Rosati, our other council members, is joined us on the show, which is great. Yeah. Um one more, we'll have a quorum here, and then all of a sudden we're gonna see trouble. The attorney's gonna get here and tell us about the bank. I learned a long time ago. Um, but we're just you know, there's there's so many uh hiccups and things to go through. It's hard to get events in the city, you know, and it it becomes really frustrating for the volunteers who are trying to just raise money just to do it. So this cost them like a hundred thousand dollars to put this on.

SPEAKER_11 10:25

We were just talking about how the you know last-minute fiasco with the insurance. Um, this is your first uh uh uh Magnolia Park as an elected. Yes. So I'm interested to see when we do the breakdown afterwards and we get a report after. I'd love to see your take on this. Uh what we can change, what we can do better, uh, what we can streamline. Yeah.

Councilmember Chris Rosati On Streamlining Events

SPEAKER_07 10:45

So you know, uh, you talk about the cost, and unfortunately, we've seen insurance just skyrocketed. Normally homeowners, car insurance, health insurance, but it it prohibits people from wanting to do cool events like this. Yeah. And then you got the security aspect of it where you have to block off the streets. It it's a much difficult environment more environment than it used to be when we were kids.

SPEAKER_09 11:08

Yeah, that's part of itself. 2025, yeah. Here we are.

SPEAKER_07 11:12

But but but at the same token, you want people to feel safe and secure to bring them out.

SPEAKER_09 11:18

Because I mean, look at this. I mean, we're probably went with what 30,000 people here tonight.

SPEAKER_11 11:22

And I mean, if you're at home and you're not out here, I mean, literally, it's it's shoulder to shoulder across uh the all seven lanes of traffic here the parking, the middle, it's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_09 11:32

And all the way down to Buena Vista from Huguaway. I mean, the entire street shut down. You know, about six, seven years ago, they didn't shut the street down. And it was a madhouse trying to walk the streets. Right. So this has been a great, you know, a great you know of it.

SPEAKER_07 11:45

So um well, just a sneak peek, but I hear that we're gonna have an announcement later by by the man in charge.

SPEAKER_09 11:53

So don't get it away yet. Yeah, okay. Don't give it away yet. No surprises. There's more to come.

SPEAKER_07 11:58

There's more to come from this from the group that puts this on the side. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_09 12:03

So and I'm gonna let him announce it uh a little later in the show here, too.

SPEAKER_07 12:07

He's a hard worker and he deserves to announce.

SPEAKER_09 12:09

And he's been he's been fighting for that for for years.

SPEAKER_07 12:11

I know. And and uh, you know, uh all of us campaign and all of us want what we're talking about. Yeah, but I I really wanted to see it and uh I made that a priority, and uh I'm glad that someone's taken the So you're about a year in now.

SPEAKER_09 12:24

How how is the council? How uh I always ask I ask what I ask him right away too, is the the first few meetings when you go to executive session and you find out the real stuff that goes on that you can't tell anybody. The bodies are married all the time. You say, oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_07 12:38

I mean you know, I I think serving on the planning board for 12 years to warn a lot of surprises. Right. Um, I can tell you that I enjoy uh the back and forth with my council members and them coming up with thoughts, me being able to contribute, and all of us have the same goal, right? Try to make Burbank the best we can. And that that's one common area where I think we all respect.

SPEAKER_09 13:00

Well, you're totally constant. I I I like he was kind of the descending voice for a while, and now you're kind of another descending voice in another one. But I like that. I like the fact that we that we bring things out and we just don't rubber stamp things. You know, oh there's a city report, okay. Well that we'll do it that way.

SPEAKER_11 13:16

Just a bunch of five oh's all the time.

SPEAKER_09 13:18

I want I want to ask those questions of city staff, the the questions that should be asked and and find out the real stuff. That's that I think makes a good a good dialogue. And you know, I I think I can tell there's no animosity. Absolutely not, but there's questions that need to be asked, and when and just rubber stamping things never works the way.

SPEAKER_11 13:34

The really important stuff, honestly, it's been a lot of four ones, a lot of two threes. Having those discussions and those debates and those compromises, that's that's what a lot of people don't understand. People come to me all the time, like, oh, I think I should run, uh I want to do this and I want to go for that. How did you do it? And I'm like, you gotta be comfortable with compromise. You're not the boss, you're just serving. And it's a weird dynamic to understand that. Like, you have agency over yourself and your personal life and what goes on with your family and your job and all that stuff, but the moment you step into that room and on that dais, there's people you gotta work with. And it's not just your council members, it's the staff and the experts and everybody in the community who has a say and input and a stake in in making this community better.

Governance, Compromise, And Public Debate

SPEAKER_07 14:20

And it's extremely important and healthy to be able to disagree and hash that out. Uh, it I think it's it it it makes a for a better city to really run everything you can up the flagpole and say, you know what, all right, this is what's best. And and I think I I'm always okay.

SPEAKER_11 14:38

Are you enjoying it so far?

SPEAKER_07 14:39

I I love it. Yeah, I love it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 14:42

Uh with that, I have to run back and uh my son has his uh scout troop selling chili. Oh, okay. Oh, I got I gotta go put in the hours and help out. That's what Burbank's all about, isn't it? Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And for those uh viewers who who don't know this, Burbank has one of the highest rates of Eagle Scouts among scouts who go scouting. We are one of the top cities in the country. We churn out a lot of Eagles. So if you are out there and you're thinking about what should my young kid do, get him involved in scouts. There's a ton of troops, Cub Scouts. Uh Scouting America now has boys and girls too, and it's amazing. So uh this is the spot for this is the tech to be in.

SPEAKER_09 15:21

Well thanks for stepping by, Castle Member. Appreciate that.

SPEAKER_03 15:24

Enjoy yourself. Thank you. Yeah, nice to meet you.

SPEAKER_09 15:27

And and a little more with with um, so we go way back. Yeah. In fact, playing right field at Burroughs High School for me back in the day. He was actually one of my pitchers uh a few years ago.

SPEAKER_03 15:39

Submarine, sidearm. Wow.

SPEAKER_09 15:42

So um I haven't had what's it like now? I I mean you've you've actually you've you've come up through the ranks. You tried for this before, didn't didn't make it. Now you're there. It's um I know you're on the planning board for in fact 12 years on the planning board. And never missed one meeting in 12 years.

SPEAKER_07 16:00

I missed one in 12 years.

SPEAKER_09 16:01

That's pretty that's pretty darn good.

SPEAKER_07 16:03

Yeah, one in 12 years. Um I I can tell you it's it's a lot of work, it's a lot of fun. I I I try to go to as many events that I'm invited to come to. Um, I think it's important that people want to see their their representatives. Um, so I am uh very mindful of that. Uh I celebrated someone's 104th birthday last Sunday, which I thought was just amazing.

SPEAKER_08 16:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 16:28

Um and at the same time, uh just doing the actual work of getting our packets and really hashing out some of the issues uh that our city faces. Um just like everyone else, we face, you know, uh cost issues, uh insurance issues, um rising salaries, all those things. So um we want to the the bread and butter of our city has always been police, fire, safety, and and of course, you know, good streets and and public services.

SPEAKER_09 16:59

That's what makes Burbank special.

SPEAKER_07 17:01

Yeah. And we want to keep that. Um and in my other career as a realtor, that's the reason why people move here.

SPEAKER_09 17:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 17:08

Um I mean that's I built my career on moving people out of other areas to Burbank.

SPEAKER_09 17:14

So it's been a little frustrating not being able to talk about rent control and can be excused from the uh diets when that happens?

SPEAKER_07 17:22

It's been really, really frustrating. Um and I think what people miss is the fact that I represent tenants 60% of the time on the leases that I put together.

SPEAKER_09 17:32

Is it because you're a real estate agent that you can't what's the reason that Joe gave you for not not a good idea?

SPEAKER_07 17:38

It actually wasn't Joe, it was the FPPC. Uh someone filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission that because I own four units, I own a four-unit building in Burbank, right? Three is the threshold, because I own four units, um I have a conflict of interest.

SPEAKER_09 17:56

But the people who are on the council who rent apartments don't have a conflict of interest? Well, it's it's interesting, it's it's a very strange dichotomy.

Family, Scouts, And Civic Pride

SPEAKER_07 18:05

Yeah, I can no longer explain it with any common sense. Yeah. Um I I I I wish that the FPPC would take a look at this because at the end of the day, don't we all enjoy freedom of speech and democracy? And shouldn't every voice be heard? And at if if my council members don't agree with me, then they can just vote no or compromise, but not having me participate, and I was voted to be in that seat.

SPEAKER_09 18:34

Yeah, you were voted to be there and and you're there to represent everybody. Yes. So yeah, it's I I was frustrated for you. Yeah. Seriously.

SPEAKER_07 18:42

Yeah, it it's been frustrating. Um, we're trying to work through more details with the FPPC because now that we have something on the table, things have changed. Um, so we refiled some motions with the FPPC. So there might be a chance that I can participate. And I I really look forward to participating because I really think I have a lot to offer and add to this conversation.

SPEAKER_09 19:03

Sure.

SPEAKER_07 19:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 19:04

Absolutely. Well, besides that, what else is going on?

SPEAKER_07 19:07

What else is going on? Well, uh the holidays are here and we're starting to get prepared. We talked about buying our Christmas tree next week. We got our house decorated. Uh, as you know, I have a three-year-old son, so this is all wonder to him, you know. Uh just coming out and exposing him to this, it's just he's an amazing.

SPEAKER_09 19:26

X are how old's your son? Two years old?

SPEAKER_03 19:28

Yeah, he just turned two.

SPEAKER_07 19:29

Uh September.

SPEAKER_09 19:30

So it's it's and I he had an event to go guys said, you know these are events you'll never see again. These are the greatest events ever. You gotta you gotta go through it with your kid, you know, and and and see things the way he sees things.

SPEAKER_07 19:40

As a kid, I grew up doing this, so and I still love it, and I want him to have the same experience that I did. So I I try to expose him all the things that that makes Burbank so wonderful.

SPEAKER_09 19:50

And that's just it. You are now the gatekeeper to make sure that that experience happens.

Rosati On Service, Conflicts, And Housing Policy

SPEAKER_07 19:55

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Uh, I want to hand off that baton. And that, you know, I think being a lifelong resident growing up here since 1967, that's another thing I have to add to council where a lot of people don't understand like what what what Burbank was, or you know, we were we were having we were having a fun discussion the other night, and someone uh mentioned remember Oli's it was uh over there on uh the shopping center on Chandler uh in Victory. Yes. So no one except me knew what that reference was. And we had explained to some of the other council members well, it was an old it was a hardware store back in the day. So it it's fun kind of so many little businesses like that that we all remember.

SPEAKER_09 20:40

Remember, which are yeah, and and it it's I actually that's one of my concerns with our school board. There's nobody on that school board who's been around for more than 10 years, and they do not understand what goes on, they they don't they don't know what really Burbank is. Yeah, it was disappointing when they had a speaker come up, uh Bob Boun, who used to be a mayor of Burbank and everything else, and they didn't know they couldn't even pronounce his name. I was saying, yeah, how do you not know somebody who's that entrenched in Burbank? Yeah, because you need to know the city, you've got to really know the city. I agree, and I I think And that's why you've been a great fit, I think. Thank you. Because you do know the city and you've been through it all. You've been through our schools, you've been, you know, stilling roots that you hit you've sold our city to people.

SPEAKER_07 21:20

Yeah, and I think I think it it adds a lot. Not saying that people from the outside don't add something, but Burbank's a special place, and uh you know, I always hear again, people come here for for various reasons, and I think that's why it's important to have a lot of hometown knowledge.

SPEAKER_09 21:38

I agree. Yeah, I agree. Well, Councilman uh Chris Rosati, yeah, thank you so much for stopping by. We we appreciate it. We'll get you on a real podcast coming up, you know, and bringing in the studio again and like you're you did for your uh election stuff, but we'll we'll bring you on, especially when it's your mayor, and we have you coming in for the mayor's podcast.

SPEAKER_07 21:57

I'd love to. And uh thank you for being here and being the voice of the community and actually being the backstop. People get the the call in or they get to uh email in their complaints and their and I read everything.

SPEAKER_09 22:09

Yeah, you know what I I I I do not censor the letters, you know, and I don't agree with some of them, but I feel people have that right as long as they don't tax somebody personally, I feel they have that right to express themselves. And you gotta put the unpopular decisions out sometimes.

SPEAKER_07 22:23

You know, I I am very involved in all forms of media, including social media, Facebook, and Instagram, and I read everything and I respond, I try to respond to everything. Uh a lot of people are surprised by that, but I think when you take that oath of office, that's what you sign up for. And uh so when I see something, I try to jump in and just try to add to the conversation for for obviously for the better. So thank you.

SPEAKER_09 22:46

Okay, fantastic. All right, thanks again for stopping by. Have a good evening. Well, X, has the night been going on? Guess who has just rolled up to our booth? Ooh, who is it? It is. And let me tell you what, I I don't I don't know which hat he has on right now, but he has more hats than a rodeo does. I don't know. That's a terrible joke. Um he's a my he's he's m Mr. My Burbank also and Mr. Burbank. But tonight he's here as the president of the Magnolia Park Merchants Association in charge of his entire shindig. Wow. Ross Benson, there you are.

SPEAKER_06 23:24

Wow, you guys even have these fancy pens with my burbank on them.

SPEAKER_09 23:28

Yeah, I'll tell you what.

SPEAKER_06 23:28

So can I take one of those?

SPEAKER_09 23:31

Of course, yeah. So how how your first year's president? How's it going tonight? I I I'm hearing great things. Everybody's excited.

SPEAKER_06 23:40

You know, that's all I've heard all night. I mean, the weather cleared. When we got here at 9 a.m., we still had some sprinkles. We got delayed for some reason setting up. We are from Hollywood Way to Buena Vista. We have probably in excess of 50,000 people out here. The mayor was just up on stage. Um, our assembly member Nick Schultz made a proclamation.

SPEAKER_09 24:03

We had Nick on the on the show here.

SPEAKER_06 24:04

Good, he was gonna come by. Good.

SPEAKER_09 24:05

Yeah, we had we had um uh and and Constantine and um Chris was I were both here. Great. And and and Chris tried to take a little thunder out of something, and I wouldn't let him. Oh let's talk about this. So, what does this mean for them the the merchants at Marinoia Park? What what does this do for them?

Holidays, Roots, And Knowing Burbank

SPEAKER_06 24:23

Well, you know, you bring 40,000, 50,000 people to these businesses. This is they've lost money. A lot of them deal with the studios and so forth. That's what this is for. This is to help you know these businesses thrive through the holidays. And it also, as I'm hearing from everybody, this is Burbank's Christmas event. You know, everybody loves it out here. It's it's just really to see all the families, the people, the food trucks. I'm just in awe.

SPEAKER_09 24:52

Well, I think I think expanding it down to Buena Vista was a good idea. And years ago when they decided to make it be in the street again, too, that is that really was the game changer.

SPEAKER_06 25:00

Yeah, it really was. You know, it's just amazing the number of vendors. We have over 200 vendors out here. We have over, I think, 30 some odd food trucks. Plus the restaurants, this the mortar. I mean, people are walking. You look at these pizza shops, you look at the new across from pizza hunters that have been lighting at the door the whole night. It's just it's amazing. You know, and that's what Burbank is all about. It's all about community.

SPEAKER_09 25:26

Well, let's talk about all about community. You have an incredible announcement that you're gonna make right here on our show tonight. Oh, and uh something that you have been working on personally for years and trying to bring back, and now it's gonna have so why don't you announce what's gonna happen next May?

SPEAKER_06 25:46

On May 16th of 2026, we're gonna have a parade right here in Magnolia Park. It's called Create Uh What is it called? I don't even know. Um, that's how new it is. It is. I gotta look at my phone to to make sure I got it worded right. It's in the works.

SPEAKER_09 26:04

See, that's the problem, is that you got the Magnolia Park hat on right now for the merchants, and now you need the the parade hat on.

SPEAKER_06 26:10

So you like that? There it is. Celebrate Burbank.

SPEAKER_09 26:13

Oh, look at that. Look at that. You got your graphics and everything already.

SPEAKER_06 26:19

Um we're gonna have a parade out here, we're gonna have horses, we're gonna have bands, we're gonna have a car show, and then we're gonna have a festival like this for the community. It's for the whole family. And you know what? We should have the same crowd out here during the day.

SPEAKER_09 26:33

Well, I'll be honest with you, we talked when we talked with the uh, we actually had uh Constantine and Chris on at the same time. Good. And you know, I brought up, I said, you know, things like this are very special, but you make it so hard on our people to do it, and they're talking about doing a post-mortem after this, and and they're gonna bring up some of the things they want to know what's what what the obstacles were. Well, we will and I think they're gonna really try to help and work to get it solved because this is what Burbank is, and this is what we've we've lost now. There's so many events we don't do anymore in this city.

SPEAKER_06 27:04

So true. Well, this one, look at all these people. They're just I was up on stage looking east, a mass of people. People it's seven o'clock seven o'clock. People are still coming. Oh, yeah. I mean, so for a parade during the day, it should just be so much fun.

SPEAKER_09 27:23

And then just keep it going the whole day.

SPEAKER_06 27:25

And the the nice part about this, people don't realize all these vendors they pay a fee to be here. We're turning that money back in for this event. We have already planned to make a donation back to the city of Burbank of at least$25,000 to beautify Magnolia Park. T-Bid didn't pass, we created our own nonprofit, uh, Magnolia Park Events, uh, and uh which is a 501c3, so you can make donations.

SPEAKER_09 27:54

And and what does that do? I mean, it goes like to w washing the sidewalks, right?

SPEAKER_06 27:57

And and to put new trash cans in, more benches. Okay, good. We're gonna clean up side uh um yes, uh wash the sidewalks. And that's we want to keep the money right here in the community. And we're just grateful that you know the residents are out here supporting it.

SPEAKER_09 28:15

Well, so we got the parade coming up. Are you gonna I'm sure that you will be putting it on on our website, my Burbank, about all how you can participate.

SPEAKER_06 28:23

Oh, I hope to put Celebrate Burbank on it probably this week.

Magnolia Park’s Big Night With Ross Benson

SPEAKER_09 28:27

Well, we'll I'm sure it's gonna go on there. So we'll have to talk about how people can you know register to to to participate. Yep. Or you get involved, you can do that already, or volunteer even because I'm sure you need a ton of volunteers.

SPEAKER_06 28:39

That we do. But you know what? It's already set up. You can go to celebrate burbank.com. Okay, and you could register as a volunteer, as a vendor, a sponsor. We need sponsors, and uh the website's already up and going. Well, fantastic.

SPEAKER_09 28:56

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_06 28:58

Next, this year is anything for us? We gotta, you know, the stage is brand new this year.

SPEAKER_09 29:03

And I'll tell you yeah, by the way, that's and it sounds great. I've heard a couple of bands up there. It sounds great.

SPEAKER_06 29:08

We got real bands up there, we got a, you know, a real mixer. I mean, and I I I gotta we needed to decorate around the stage. We're right outside the do-it-yourself center. The manager at this store came out and said, come in the store, take whatever you need to decorate the stage. We have blow-ups out there, we have a Christmas tree, we have ornaments, we have it all. And the manager over here is just blanch.

SPEAKER_09 29:36

You know, shout out to the to the DYI Center, and you know what, if you go in there, let them know that you appreciate uh them participating. Because you know what, try sometimes taking these big corporations is hard.

Economic Impact And Accessibility

SPEAKER_06 29:49

People would not recognize what is inside that store. Instead of shopping for your Christmas ornaments, go into DYI. They got so much to choose from. Absolutely. But it's nice to see our council is all out here. Our city manager and an assistant city manager. We got a car show going. Uh that my Burbank was grateful to sponsor. We're glad to do that. And uh it's just a fantastic night. If you're not out here next year, put it on your calendar.

SPEAKER_09 30:17

It's a Friday before it's Well, if you're not out here this year or next year, why the hell not?

SPEAKER_06 30:22

I think half of Burbank's here.

SPEAKER_09 30:23

I mean, who's not here?

SPEAKER_06 30:25

Very true. Very true. It's great to see. Well, I'm glad you guys, uh, MyBurbank was here doing another podcast. You guys uh are at the helm.

SPEAKER_09 30:34

I'm getting uh X will say a word once in a while for us.

SPEAKER_06 30:37

Yeah, once in a while.

SPEAKER_09 30:38

That's there you go.

SPEAKER_06 30:39

R Ace photographer, what do you mean? I'll tell you, you want to look at some great photography. You look at myburbank.com. And X is he has just the eyes.

SPEAKER_09 30:47

So this sports photography sports photography is just phenomenal.

SPEAKER_03 30:52

Thank you. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_06 30:53

And so to see you changing seats and being behind the microphone, I love it.

SPEAKER_03 30:58

Yeah, I wasn't expecting it either, honestly.

SPEAKER_06 31:01

We'll make you famous.

SPEAKER_03 31:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_09 31:03

We are we are we're introducing the people and making them famous. Absolutely. All right, well, Ross, well, congratulations on tonight, and we will um you know we we will actually do one of our dedicated podcasts and talking about the parade and everything else because I think it's it's gonna be a huge event.

SPEAKER_06 31:18

Oh, I hope so. We're planning on it. This is just great. Look at all these people.

SPEAKER_09 31:22

I just where are these people coming from? Oh from home and watching your television, doing nothing, dying for things like this.

SPEAKER_06 31:29

And the weather. Were we lucky? Oh, did you hear the thunder? Yeah.

Announcing Celebrate Burbank Parade

SPEAKER_09 31:33

Oh yeah, I I was I was not I was worried about this tonight.

SPEAKER_06 31:38

Well, in this morning we had a couple sprinkles. We saw a blue sky when we got out here and we said, it's gonna be a great day. Yep.

SPEAKER_09 31:45

Oh, it is a great day. Right. And it's actually not too cold, believe it or not. Right. I was worried thinking about the weather. We had a little cloud cover, kept it kind of warm.

SPEAKER_06 31:53

That's great. We you know our Burbank police, I see them everywhere. They are amongst a crowd. There are two or three officers every block, which we sponsor and play.

SPEAKER_10 32:01

My son. Oh, there we are. I think he could be low.

SPEAKER_03 32:11

Sorry to interrupt. That's okay.

SPEAKER_09 32:14

There's your son, of course you're gonna interrupt.

SPEAKER_06 32:16

There you go, you just saw my son. Yes, and granddaughters.

SPEAKER_10 32:22

Okay, well that's uh Let's get him on the air.

SPEAKER_03 32:33

Yeah, we live.

SPEAKER_09 32:41

He looks just like you. Doesn't he?

SPEAKER_06 32:44

Yeah, there's a resemblance here. You definitely know that's your son. Hey. That smile, especially.

SPEAKER_09 32:50

Well, okay, with that said, Ross will let you go. I know you're you're on your cart driving around with Jay Rosser tonight, your your driver.

SPEAKER_06 32:58

My driver, executive driver. I'll tell you, he's we haven't run anybody over yet, thank goodness. Thank goodness. But I'll tell you, this place is packed.

SPEAKER_09 33:06

All right, all right. Well, thank you for stopping by, we'll and we'll talk later. Great.

SPEAKER_06 33:10

All right, bye.

SPEAKER_09 33:12

Well, X, look at those jackets. What does that tell you? Burrows. Burrows, huh? We got some memories there?

SPEAKER_03 33:19

Yep, yeah, we did. We used to play. I was a pitcher, sidearm. Uh I was the head coach there.

SPEAKER_12 33:26

Okay. I don't I don't play baseball.

SPEAKER_03 33:28

I just have Well, you just took the jacket.

SPEAKER_12 33:30

Uh you stole a jacket from our friend back there.

unknown 33:32

Smart.

SPEAKER_03 33:33

They're nice though. I like them. Yeah, these are they look sick.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 33:37

I didn't get one of those. Oh, yeah. We didn't have that kind of money back then. Well, we we got the new jerseys. We had the the white and gray jerseys. Yeah. Not those ones. It was the the Indian, I think it said uh Indian on it. So the old jerseys we had. The Burroughs ones. Yeah, yeah, Bulldog.

SPEAKER_09 33:54

Yeah, I do. You know why? That's where I'm coaching. That's where I'm coaching now. Really?

SPEAKER_02 33:58

That's right. Were you uh coach?

SPEAKER_03 34:00

Coach was Mr. Vi? No, it was Sherwood. Oh, oh, it was his last year. Oh, I see. And then um, yeah, that I played his last year, and yeah, I serious for that.

SPEAKER_09 34:11

I was there what, seven, eight years or so? Won a couple league titles there and did all right. We did all right there, had uh had a good time.

Funding, Nonprofit, And Beautification Plans

SPEAKER_02 34:18

What position do you play? I'm a pitcher and outfielder. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_09 34:23

Some side yard guy though.

SPEAKER_03 34:24

Yeah, sidearm. He converted me when I was a freshman. Um he I was already throwing, I was an infielder and I was kind of already my arm angle was uh sidearm already. Um, and then he just dropped me down because I don't know, that's what he saw in me. Uh he had other pitchers, he had other pitchers uh you know convert into the sidearm, and it works out for them a lot. Same our number one guy, and then went and pitched to college. Yeah, I went to LA Valley College and relieved, relieved there, and then um yeah, it started doing starting pitching like my sophomore year. So I was a starter, a sophomore year.

SPEAKER_09 35:02

So are you are you a baseball guy at all?

SPEAKER_03 35:05

Uh yeah, I watch, but okay.

SPEAKER_09 35:06

So let's let's talk, let's talk baseball then. Let's talk World Series. Yeah, World Series.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

Well, was that awesome? Well, I'm uh I'm a Yankees fan from California, so it was it was eh, it was two teams I don't like that much, but yeah, it was it was a good word.

SPEAKER_09 35:19

Yeah, Toronto kind of took care of you guys this year. Yeah, I mean I I I I gotta tell you what, I'm I'm surprised that the Yankees didn't get back into it.

SPEAKER_02 35:27

Uh I I mean they were they were just the whole the whole they crumbled the second half and the Blue Jays just went got hot.

SPEAKER_09 35:33

Okay, so what about Judge getting the MVP over the guy from Seattle?

SPEAKER_02 35:36

I think Judge deserved it for sure. Really? Yeah. Or guy hit 60 home runs 60 home runs and Judge hit what 52 and he batted three 320 with a but you know what that guy caught.

SPEAKER_09 35:45

Yeah, you know what that does to use.

SPEAKER_02 35:49

He caught and he was an average cat, he was an average defensive run save catcher, outside of average. I don't know. He wasn't he wasn't elite to me. I don't know. He was he had an amazing season. Switch hitter is amazing, but I still think Judge was better.

SPEAKER_09 36:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 36:00

Judge is pretty awesome though. He's he's how many how many uh MVPs has Judge won? Three, three now.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

But it should have been four because of Altuve back way back before. Okay, okay. We don't talk about Altuvi now. No, no, come on.

SPEAKER_09 36:13

Nobody likes Altuvi.

SPEAKER_02 36:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 36:14

You know how Altuvi is? Yeah. Okay, there you go.

SPEAKER_02 36:17

He's uh he's a water polo player here.

SPEAKER_03 36:19

He's nice. Okay, good. I go shoot the water polo games uh for my Burbank. Like he's our photographer. Yeah, yeah. Burroughs uh yeah, photographer. Uh I've been to like most of the water polo games. Did you guys get it into playoffs at all?

SPEAKER_12 36:33

No, we didn't get in it last year. But last year we were in D2 playoffs. Oh, okay, cool. We're pretty good last year, but this year just And that's just it.

SPEAKER_09 36:41

You know, I mean you it one year the next is in high school, you you don't recruit, you don't, you know, I mean, yeah, you have what you have.

SPEAKER_12 36:48

Yeah. Well, last year it was our whole starting lineup basically graduated, but me. So it was just like a rough card. Fresh team. Yeah, so it was just like kind of rough. Young team, yeah. Well, it wasn't really young, it just like players who never played before. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_09 37:02

Like something they they say the entire game of water polo is one and lost below the water line.

New Stage, Vendors, And Partnerships

SPEAKER_12 37:08

Oh yeah. I mean, it's it's really aggressive under there. Like the refs don't see it, so it's just like straight, straight, rough housing the entire time.

SPEAKER_03 37:17

What do you usually like uh is your go-to like or that's happened to you or like you would usually do, or in you know, underwater? What do you mean? Like my I don't know, just um like uh like what would I do? Yeah, well yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_09 37:32

What kind of things do you do to kind of take that get the advantage?

SPEAKER_12 37:35

Well, I kind of like I grab at their speed and like pull their hips down, so I have like a lot of like uh mobility to like move the ball around and like spin spin them inside and like score an easy goal.

SPEAKER_03 37:45

Okay, okay. And they don't they don't see it.

SPEAKER_09 37:48

Yeah, well the NFL they'll kill you they get you for holding. Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_12 37:50

But in water pole, they can't see under the water line, so I know that's like it's kind of like I feel like that's why like water poles like super intense. It's just it is like it's one of like the hardest sports. Yeah, just like hockey. Hockey, hockey.

SPEAKER_09 38:03

I watch hockey, it's like and you can't you can't rest. You can't I mean you can't touch the bottom of the pool and rest for a second.

SPEAKER_12 38:08

No, if you touch the bottom of the pool, it's like uh offensive foul and the other team gets the ball.

SPEAKER_03 38:14

Yeah, it's a lot of stamina and just egg beating for like that long is like or it I couldn't even imagine doing that.

SPEAKER_09 38:22

Well like I said, it's like hockey now. Uh do you watch hockey on television? Yeah, I was watching you guys.

SPEAKER_12 38:27

I was watching the Jets Canes game just Okay, but okay, so I can't watch a hockey game.

SPEAKER_09 38:33

No way. But you go to a hockey game, it's the most incredible thing you've ever been to. Yeah, I was at the the most incredible thing you've ever been to if you go to a game.

SPEAKER_12 38:41

Yeah, I was at the Kings Jets game with uh my friends here, and we were in a we were in a box and it was incredible.

SPEAKER_09 38:48

Yeah, being at the game where you hear you hear the goalie knocking the stick on the on the on the ice, and you hear the guys yell at each other, you hear all that stuff going on. You hear the buzzer when they score. The TV does not capture it.

SPEAKER_12 38:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 38:59

Does not capture it.

SPEAKER_12 39:00

I feel that's like the big difference between like going to a game and just like just watching on TV. Uh there's like a different through.

SPEAKER_09 39:06

You mean you have a little trivia thing that your friend does not know about hockey? What? Is he a big hockey guy? Yeah, yeah. He's a huge hockey. I gotta I'm gonna tell you something that he won't know. In the middle of the hockey, they have a uh it's a it's a it's a dotted line in the middle, right? It's not a solid line. And the the two other lines are both solid lines, right? They're and then the middle is blue, right? The reason, you know why the one in the middle is blue? It has a dot in it? Why? Because when they first started broadcasting hockey games back in the 50s, all the TVs were in black and white. And they couldn't tell where on the ice they were. So they dotted the middle one so they knew when they're on center ice. Really? And and ever since they went to color, they never changed it back. Really? So now your friend does not know that. So now you've got something on the phone. Yeah, you got something on him now. Fun fact. Yeah, fun fact. A little trivia there, huh? On our show, you never know what you find out. We're we're sports guys. Maybe my Burbank and everything, but we're also sports guys here.

SPEAKER_08 39:57

Oh yeah. Okay, X, anything else? Uh we're gonna get your name. What's your name? I'm Theo. Theo, Theo what? Theo Guerra. Theo Guerra. I'm Nicola Nasiv. Okay, well, there's a name for you. Nice Italian name, huh?

SPEAKER_12 40:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 40:09

Oh, there you go. Okay.

SPEAKER_09 40:10

Hey, thanks for stopping by. We appreciate it. Good luck on the season this year. Good luck on the season. Not too much luck.

SPEAKER_02 40:15

I know. I know. I'll be over there. Yeah, a lot of seniors, so I think we we should be good this year.

Crowds, Safety, And Weather Luck

SPEAKER_09 40:19

Uh we got a few ourselves, but not as many as I wish we had, but yeah, we're just we're a small team though. Yeah. We're a very small program.

SPEAKER_03 40:26

It's gonna be a good uh good battle though. Yep. Yeah. I mean, you guys smoked football, so it's I mean now it's our time for it.

SPEAKER_09 40:33

Okay, but football recruits.

SPEAKER_08 40:34

Yeah, yeah. I mean, okay, let's let's just be honest.

SPEAKER_09 40:36

I've lived in Burbank my whole life, and I hate it when I see these kids coming in from other other cities just to play. Yeah, I hate it. Yeah. I gotcha. This is still my city too. I don't care about the the loyalties. Yeah. All right, guys. Thanks for stopping by. Well, everybody, for X, me, Craig Sherwood, saying thanks for watching that. We appreciate it. The Burbank Secret Police are here to get us. So we have to be get off the streets now before they who knows what they do. They are the secret police, though. Alrighty, thanks very much for watching, and we will talk to you next time. Until next time.

SPEAKER_05 41:11

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