Pat's Peeps Podcast

Ep. 291 Today's Peep Goes To College- Worth it or Waste? Funky Flashback: When Kool & The Gang's Roadie Stole The Show, Brush with "Celebrities" Including My Regretful Shyness with Robert Plant

• Pat Walsh

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Have you ever wondered if that expensive college degree was actually worth it? With the average bachelor's degree now costing over $255,000 when you include all expenses, student loan interest, and lost earnings, it's a question worth exploring. While skyrocketing tuition has outpaced inflation for decades, leaving graduates buried in the nation's second-largest debt category, the benefits extend far beyond simply earning potential.

Drawing from personal experience at Chico State, I share how college shaped me beyond academics. It wasn't just about the classes—though I can still explain what a cadmium layer is—but about developing critical thinking, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities that serve me daily. The uncomfortable situations, tight deadlines, and diverse perspectives fostered personal growth I wouldn't trade for anything. Most surprisingly, my entire broadcasting career stemmed from a chance encounter with a job posting while walking through campus—a serendipitous moment that would never have happened without being there.

Speaking of unexpected encounters, I dive into my brushes with fame—some triumphant, others cringe-worthy. From freezing up when Robert Plant walked within inches of me (a regret I still carry), to accidentally stumbling upon Dennis Rodman during his infamous NBA Finals disappearance, to literally bumping into a very tall, very high Bill Walton at a Grateful Dead concert. These organic celebrity moments, unlike planned interviews, reveal how fame intersects with everyday life in surprising ways. I close with a celebration of funk classics, highlighting Kool & The Gang's iconic hit performed by their roadie—proving sometimes the most unexpected voices create the most unforgettable moments.

Whether you're contemplating education choices or just enjoying tales from the road, this episode examines how our paths—planned and unplanned—shape who we become. What unexpected encounters have changed your life's direction?

Speaker 1:

wow, it's a friday. How the heck are you? It is patrick. It's the pats peeps podcast. Where are we at 291? 291? Yeah, thank you, yeah, thank you. Thank you for listening. You know how much I appreciate it this much and that's a lot. All right, this much, wherever you are. Thank you. Thank you for tuning into my podcast and as I look out the studio windows into the beautiful foothills of Northern California today, it is an exceptionally nice looking day, a little bit of a breeze summer's here. I don't know how hot it is. I haven't spent too much time out there today doing stuff around the homestead so far. I'll be out there shortly, but not before I speak to you. Thank you Listen.

Speaker 1:

We have an ever-growing audience of our Pat's Peeps, both businesses and you. That's so important. Thank you for that. Thank you to. You know, every night on my show. By the way, my name is Pat Walsh. I also host the Pat Walsh Show on KFPK Radio in Sacramento, 93.1 FM, 1530 AM, 7 to 10 PM, heard everywhere on your free iHeart app. And you know we get more and more calls every night on the podcast I mean on my show regarding my podcast. So, man, that is huge.

Speaker 1:

Last night Greg called up and he says you know, and this was awesome Because you know I love doing my radio show we're coming up on 12 years of doing the Pat Wall Show and I'm very proud of that. It's a pretty good run man. That's pretty good for especially nighttime local radio. But Greg called up last night. He said I love your show. We had two or three people seeing that and I'm, you know, I have the nicest audience. And I said, well, thank you, thank you, thank you, and he goes. But as much as I love your show, I think I may love your podcast even more. I mean, when you say stuff like that on my show, that gets more people intrigued, more people listening, and I'm just so grateful. What he said was like you know, pat Walsh 2.0, because it's unfiltered. Now again, yeah, I'm still not going to curse. I mean I let it slip a couple of times and there was one time I was probably exceptionally peeved at something. But generally I'm not going to be cursing, but I can do things like we do where that is part of the show, particularly yesterday. So, thank you, thank you for those positive comments during my radio show Now today on the podcast and, please, I will always plead with you.

Speaker 1:

If you are listening, if you would. Just we were adding, we just added another business for the Pats Peeps. You're going to see that it might be up already, but we're going to tell you about that. But if you are a business and you want to be, because we are about next month, we are all about the businesses here or if you're listening and you want discounts on with any of these wonderful businesses, you know, really, in a moment of I mean very serious moment for me not very serious I'm just saying you know it would really help. You know it would help. Heck, I never ask for anything other than you support these local businesses. And if you listen to the podcast, that's kind of the idea. We're trying to connect those dots. You listen to the podcast, heck, you know. And then you listen to the podcast that's kind of the idea, we're trying to connect those dots. You listen to the podcast, heck, you know. And then you go to patspeepscom and it's all kinds of great deals.

Speaker 1:

You know, one thing that's been in the news for some reason lately. I think I don't know where it started. I always think of Bernie Sanders when it comes to this kind of stuff. But one of the things I've noticed that's been in the news lately is there are these claims that somehow college is a waste of time and this particular statement obviously sparking considerable debate. You have people saying oh yeah, that's a valid point. Is it really a valid point? Did you go to college? I might bring this up on my show. One thing about the show that I love is that you know we can talk to you and get your comments. But I just have this thought before I get put on the show tonight maybe I don't know if it'll be tonight, maybe next week but I'm just wondering did you go to college and are you glad you went? Was it valuable to you? Was it important to you? Did it help you in your career? Did it help you in your life?

Speaker 1:

You, you know there's people who would say you know that's too, it costs too much. And you're dang right, it does. It's ridiculous. The cost of college is it's outlandish man, it's absolutely. You know. I mean when I went it was ridiculous, but not like now. I graduated in the 90s, so the cost of college has skyrocketed. It's a valid point. It outpaces inflation and it has for decades. Very valid point Leads to significant student loan debt. That's going to burden you and man Sally Mae gets there on you At least they were back then, man Sally Mae, but I was always paying, but Sally Mae, they made sure of it. Maybe it was the same with you, you know. So you're paying these things back, which impacts your ability to save. And, of course, college like we said, the tuition is ridiculous Prevents your ability to invest in the future, purchase homes. Student loan debt now down. It's now the second largest debt category in the US. After what Mortgages? That's right, think about that. The average bachelor's degree can involve an initial investment of $255,217, including tuition, indirect costs, student loan interest and all of this. I mean that's outrageous. Now I don't know where they're getting these numbers from.

Speaker 1:

I've always been a very big advocate of community college, junior college, going to junior college. I don't want to get too far into this, but going to junior college, unless you already know exactly what you want to do and you're going for it even at that junior college can help because you can get Cal Grants, cal Grant A you can get. You know there are a variety of. You can do work, study, there's Pell Grants, things, grant A you can get. You know there are a variety of. You can do work, study. There's Pell Grants, things like that that can help. But you know, then you transfer like you get your stuff that you have to your required classes out of the way. Your science, your math, all of those required classes you can do for much cheaper at a community college. I don't understand why people don't do that. It's so much cheaper. Then you transfer to a college.

Speaker 1:

For me it was Chico State. I could afford that and it was right there. I lived there. I respect Chico State. Go Wildcats. I got a great education there in what I wanted to do.

Speaker 1:

But nowadays, but some of these colleges if I mean you name it, if you're going to go to some of these colleges they're outrageous. I think you get the point. So I mean it's a tough way to start to go into debt like that. It's almost like when you get married. I've seen people who get married and instead of you know inviting a bunch of friends to this nice gathering and you know you're doing something special, some people they go right into debt. Anyone know anyone like that. Maybe you did it. I didn't do that. Of course, my marriage didn't last that long either. So maybe it's a good. Either way, it was a good thing. But some people put out a lot of money just for the wedding and now you begin your marriage in debt, which can lead to problems. But there's arguments for college as well Higher earning, potential career opportunities.

Speaker 1:

College graduates generally earn more. They need to earn more to pay off the debt right. They have access to a wider range of job opportunities compared to those who perhaps only have a high school diploma. Studies have shown that college graduates experience a significant wage premium that increases over time. Job security and lower unemployment. If you look at the numbers, college grads tend to have lower unemployment rates. Greater job security, particularly during economic downturns. Greater job security, particularly during economic downturns.

Speaker 1:

Skill development, personal growth, which to me is the most important. That to me. You know, when you're going to college, they have you jump through all these hoops and I used to think you know, why do I have to do algebra? I'm never going to do algebra. People tell me sometimes well, you're doing it right now. I'm like what? Okay? Well, maybe say that, but all right. But but skill development? You know you had to turn things in on time. They put you in situations where maybe you weren't that comfortable, made you uncomfortable, made you have to work for something, put you in situations maybe you weren't that interested in. But you had to navigate a way through there and I really like that to this day. Critical thinking was a part of it. Learning communication man I studied that big time how to solve problems, leadership skills, which are obviously valuable in most any career. It can expose you to diverse ideas, different perspectives and you can foster personal growth. You become well-rounded. That's exactly what happened to me in junior college and at Chico State. It happened that way for me. You can network. There are opportunities there. They have the career center. There's other ways to network.

Speaker 1:

The reason I'm in radio is because I was going to college. Had I not walked past this office while I was on my way to the communication center to check out media equipment to students at Chico State down this little hallway, I would have never saw the post-it note on someone's computer. The person was not in their office. The door was cracked, I would not have seen that. I snagged it off their computer. I called it and the next thing you knew.

Speaker 1:

Long story short, because I've told this before on a previous podcast they hired me at KPAY. I'm like what? Gave me my own show. If it hadn't have been for college, I wouldn't have not have been in radio or broadcasting. I don't believe. But the all around development man, that means so much to me. Yeah, I had to go through these classes biology and you know again, algebra, these things that I'm like I'm probably never going to use. But I know what a cadmium layer is. You know, I do. I know what that is the xylem and the phloem Hi, good morning everybody. I'm xylem and I'm phloem. Anyone knows xylem and phloem and cadmium layers and things like that. I mean, I've retained these things over the years. Have I used it? Nope, not until that moment. I just said it, probably. But I'm very grateful and I will also say this I love what I'm doing as a job and I don't, you know, in radio or doing what I'm doing.

Speaker 1:

I don't believe you need a college degree Just because you have a college degree. You could have a master's degree, you could have your doctorate in communication, but if you can't speak on the radio and if you can't speak in broadcasting, you're probably not going to get a job. It doesn't matter what your degree is. I mean I could have no degree, no high school diploma, but you walk into a radio station, in my case, or a studio voiceover work, whatever it is involving your voice, and you blow them away with your talent. They're not going to ask whether or not. Well, now you sound great. But let me ask you, this could be holding you back. Do you have a degree? No, so I didn't really need it, but, man, I can tell you I'm glad I have it. So whether college is a waste of time, I guess depends on your individual circumstances. It depends on your career goals, your financial situation. It's a significant investment, like we said, but it can really pay off. So maybe I ask that on my radio show and get some of your opinions.

Speaker 1:

There is a story today. You know one thing I do listen to people's thoughts about my podcast and my radio show and I do realize and I'm not going to go deep into this Some people don't like sports. So bear with me just momentarily. I just wanted to bring this story up because it's kind of a breaking story and there's a lot of people in my area that claim to be 49er fans and so and this is gold country 49ers cornerback Diamador Lenore was arrested by the LAPD yesterday.

Speaker 1:

Last night he was booked on one count of resisting a peace officer, law enforcement sources saying that the incident began. This is according to TMZ. I never look at that, but that popped up just now. I never look at that, but that popped up just now. It began when officers approached Lenore and another individual, marcus Cunningham, after observing double parked vehicles obstructing traffic. Police suspected that there was some possible criminal activity and allegedly noticed a firearm inside of Cunningham's vehicle and during the interaction they were told that Cunningham threw Lenore his car keys and when officers asked the defensive star to hand them over, he did not and he was arrested on one count of resisting a peace officer. Maybe he's one of those sovereign citizens we hear all about Anyhow. So bad, bad, bad. You know.

Speaker 1:

One thing I also want to talk about on my radio show is sort of brush with greatness. Anyone ever have a brush with greatness or maybe a near miss with greatness In my business? It's kind of difficult for me to present that from my perspective, for me to present that from my perspective, but in a way I guess it's not now that I think about it as I'm going to write this down so I don't forget In terms of brush with greatness, I just thought of one or a couple. You got to write everything down. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what I do everything in cursive, all of these podcasts that I do in my home studio and at my radio show, everything I do, well, at home, everything is done in cursive writing On my radio show. I take notes in cursive all the time, all night long, on top of the notes I did on my computer and I will say this my penmanship, wow, I'm very proud. So, in Brush With Greatness, I have a real regret on one of these and it was my fault and if I had it to do over God, I would love to do it over. I can't believe to this day. I cannot believe I did this.

Speaker 1:

I told my buddy, dave I say Dave, the Bottle Rock Festival was going on down in Napa and Robert Plant was going to be playing. I remember that day, robert. Robert Plant played, snoop Dogg played and Chris Robinson, chris Robinson's Brotherhood, played. Chris Robinson's Brotherhood is Chris Robinson from the Black Crows, the vocalist, and he had another band when he was, when the Crows were broken up and it was very um, I don't know very grateful, deadish, let's say and I love that band, chris robinson's brotherhood. If you're a dead fan, check him out. And um.

Speaker 1:

So I called my buddy, dave, and I said you know, we should go to this hotel. I did a little research. We should go to this hotel in Napa. I just have the sneaking suspicion, robert Plant we might be able to meet Robert Plant or maybe Chris Robinson, who are two of my favorite rock singers of all time. Dave says, yeah, what the heck, let's go. I got nothing to do.

Speaker 1:

So we drive down there. We're sitting at this hotel and this is the honest truth. I have a picture of this I'll post and we sit at this little table. There's no one else hardly in the little restaurant at this time and we're having a beer and we're literally talking about wow. Can you imagine if they come out and we look up and I swear to you, here comes Robert Plant. He was walking down the hallway. He walks right by us Like you're sitting there. He almost brushes your knee accidentally with his dark red corduroy bill bottoms and I'm like, oh my God, it's Robert Plant. It's Robert Plant. Here he comes. I choked up. I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it, I couldn't do it, dave didn't do it. We let him walk by. I get up Now I'm looking like a stalker because I'm trying to get up the nerve to go. Excuse me, robert, can I say hi? Can I shake your hand? There's no one else. The only people around him were like it could have been his wife and maybe some handlers, and I could not summon the courage. Isn't that ridiculous? Now I would not have an issue, but at that moment I did. It was unbelievable. I regret that there was another time.

Speaker 1:

Here's another weird one. If you think back during the 1997-1998 NBA season, dennis Rodman disappeared for a couple of days during the NBA finals Does anyone remember that? And that prompted the Chicago Bulls to search for him. I remember Michael Jordan saying something like well, you know, that's just Dennis being Dennis, I'm thinking, wow, you disappear on your team during the NBA finals. Apparently, dennis took a 48-hour vacation to Las Vegas in the middle of the series against the Utah Jazz, requiring Michael Jordan to personally retrieve him. This incident, by the way, is famously depicted in the documentary series the Last Dance. They highlighted an unusual, the unusual lengths that the Bulls went to to accommodate Dennis's you know eccentricities. While competing for a championship, he was very eccentric. Well, he went to Vegas cool. Well, he went to Vegas cool. Well, I can tell you that my brother, steve, and I went to a concert during that time and we're standing there.

Speaker 1:

I was trying to pull a sneaky move and this is in November. This is in 1997, I should say Maybe 1998. 1998. I can't really. Well, it was when Dennis disappeared, 97, 98. And we try to sneak in while a limo pulls up and suddenly smoke rolls out of the limo and it's weed smoke. And who's in there, dennis Rodman, with these other women, and we're like, oh my God, I can't believe that we know where Dennis Rodman is. Right now, everyone's looking for Dennis Rodman. There. He is Unbelievable. Unbelievable Now, through time.

Speaker 1:

Whether my memory serves me exactly correct, I don't know. You know, maybe it was during the time he was missing. That's how my memory recalls it. It's funny how memory works. Maybe it was after that, right after that. Maybe I was wrong, I don't know, but I remember him pulling up and he's wearing a leopard skin hat and he's got all these chicks and weed smoke coming out of that limo and I'm like, dang, there's Dennis Rodman. People my brother and I, like people, don't know where he is and here's Dennis. So that was a weird little brush with fame. These are ones that happen generically, organically. These aren't ones where I was, you know, a talk show host or the sports guy and my job was to go interview them.

Speaker 1:

One time I was at a Grateful Dead concert oh yeah, at Cal Expo. I loved going to Cal Expo to see the dead. Right, we go get a beer and my brother and I and Tommy Lundahl were walking through the crowd listening to the dead, got that red solo cup in our hand and I look up at the stage and the next thing, you know, bam. I hit into this guy accidentally and I look at this guy and he's like seven foot two. He was huge and it was Bill Walton. It was so weird and I'm certain he was stoned out of his mind. He looked like it and here's Bill Walton and I told my brother I go, man, did you see that? I just ran into Bill Walton. He's like what? And they look up and there's Bill Walton, so I'll be right back. Steve goes through the crowd pursuing Bill Walton, comes back, he's got, he goes, give me your ticket stubs. And he got all three of the ticket stubs signed somehow and then Bill Walton went up there and sat on the amplifier, dangling his legs on an amplifier on the stage, on on the side of the stage. This is that show Cal Expo.

Speaker 1:

When I was a kid, there was a hamburger joint that opened up in Sacramento, roy Rogers. They used to have hamburgers. My mom takes us on this rainy, cloudy day. One day we pull up to the drive-thru window. You know it's one of the first drive-thru windows I ever remember, actually and I remember the guy at the window was Roy Rogers and he handed us our hamburgers. It was a little brush with fame, brush with greatness, roy Rogers. I got to meet Haas Dan Blocker at Southgate Shopping Center in South Sacramento. Remember Dan Blocker, haas from Bonanza. That was a great honor. I just I'll never forget. Forget that because he died so young In 2010,.

Speaker 1:

Maybe I think it was 2010,. I was at. I should double check that, but I was at the All-Star game, major League Baseball All-Star game. I'm going to make sure I get that right 2010 or 2011. And I get in the elevator. Maybe I've told this story before. It seems like I may have. Get in the elevator when I get in the elevator, let's see 2010. Yeah, 2010. Angel Stadium, let's see 2010. Yeah, 2010. Angel Stadium. I remember it was right when George Steinbrenner died and it might have been that day or the day before, and anyhow, I'm at there and I'm the sports guy Now. I said I wouldn't talk about where I was actually having to go interview. Well, I wasn't really going to interview someone that day. I was, but not these people.

Speaker 1:

I get on the press elevator and, as the doors are just closing, they reopen. Someone puts their hand in there and they reopen the door. Yeah, that was 2010,. I believe the day that George Steinbrenner died. And in walks the great Hank Aaron hammering. Hank Aaron who in 1975, 74, he clips Babe Ruth for the most home runs all time. He did it against Al Downing of the Dodgers. I remember watching that game. Frank Robinson walked in with him. Two hall of fame baseball players in the elevator. That was a great brush with greatness. The elevator comes to the bottom floor, opens up. I step out with them after I got to shake their hands and there's larry king. Hi, larry king is my very young wife. That was a weird brush with celebrity action right there.

Speaker 1:

I'll ask you tonight on my radio show about yours as well. Today on the record span. I was so happy to pull this one out from my shelf today, especially on a Friday. I'm in a good mood because this is one of my all-time favorite songs on AM radio. Yeah, am. I used to love AM top 40 when I was a kid, growing up listening to it. I had this 45. I have it now. That's why I have it in my hand. Hold on right here. I love it now. That's why I have it in my hand. I love the label. It brings back great memories. It is just a great song. I love it, love it, love it.

Speaker 1:

If someone asked me what's one of your favorite songs that was a hit from the 1970s, this would be right near the top. The 1970s, this would be right near the top. So this came out. Uh, let's see, did it do? This came out? When did this come out? I think 70, 73 or 74. Hold, uh, oh, I'm sorry. It came out in 73. Great funk From the album Wild and Peaceful. It reached number four as a single, became very popular in nightclubs. Billboard ranked it as the number 12 single for 1974. I'd say it has to go much higher, although 1974, to be fair, was a really great year for music. There was number 12 in 1974, despite as many as 36 number one singles that year. In 1994, this song was repopularized by the soundtrack from Pulp Fiction. It was also used in promo packages for wrestling promotions extreme championship wrestling in the mid-90s.

Speaker 1:

There's a spoken main vocal performed by the band's roadie. Don Boyce was the roadie and he's the guy that does the vocal in this. That's so awesome. There's an instrumental version as well. But this band came from Jersey City, new Jersey, in 64.

Speaker 1:

Founding members include brothers Robert Bell, who has a nickname, I don't want to give it away just yet, maybe you already know Ronald Bell. So Robert and Ronald Bell, dennis DD Thomas, robert Spike Mickens, charles Smith, george Brown, woodrow or Woody Sparrow and Ricky Westfield. Over the years they've undergone numerous changes in personnel and in style. By the way, I really preferred this band when they were funky before they switched over to very more commercialized and pop sound, at least in my opinion. I love that. It's on D-Lite Records black label. It's got the multicolored bars across the D-Lite, d-e, slash, l-i-t-e Records, d-lite.

Speaker 1:

I remember playing this thing on my record player constantly. Couldn't get enough of it. So, without further ado, kool. So if you went back, was the nickname going back to Robert Kool Bell. So Kool had a gang. They decided they would call it appropriately enough get down, get down. I love the roadies voice. Get it on, get it on. It's so awesome, man. I mean it just makes it for me that it's the roadie going shake it around and he does the whole end of the song, which is awesome. I love you. No, I don't have the rights to this song. No, I'm just trying to. You know, I have to say I'm trying to educate, I'm trying to have fun. So I'm trying to do a critique and educate about the music. Leave me alone. Yeah, all right, I just got to play it long enough for for this part at the end where the roadie just goes off. Man, so good, don Boyce, thank you for listening to Pat's Peeps, number 291. Have a blessed Friday. We'll see you on the own. Get down, get up, y'all, get down.

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