Aloha Alive: The Dawn O'Brien Podcast
Why Aloha? the whole world knows what aloha is--love in Hawai'i--but better to ask WHY ALOHA? the answer is as essential as breath & as fun as whistling, so LET'S GO!
Aloha Alive: The Dawn O'Brien Podcast
Ep. 10: Augie T. ~ More Hits, More LAUGHING! (Part 2)
How do U take life's deepest pain & turn it into joy? Hawaii Comedy Legend Augie T. reveals the raw truth behind his infectious humor in this very honest talk story.
Behind his public persona is a man who has faced profound trauma. With extraordinary courage, Augie discusses childhood sexual abuse, his brother's suicide, & his journey parenting gay sons—all while maintaining his Christian faith. His take? "Comedy is a reflection of society. You say the things that you like to say but have a hard time saying."
Whether juggling his early morning radio show, council duties, or stand-up performances, Augie embodies what he believes aloha truly means: "If you're thinking about other things besides yourself... that's aloha." His story reminds us all that our deepest wounds can become our greatest gifts when shared with courage, humor, and love.
Ready for Augie's heartfelt comedy? Visit AugieTLive.com to catch upcoming shows & follow his journey of bringing healing laughter to Hawaii & beyond: IG @AugieT or @AugieTulba.hnl.
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Aloha Alive. We've got Mr Aloha Alive himself. Of course, I'm your hostess with the mostest for his highest ante, don Augie T. You are amazing. We were talking about the fact that I just saw your show and you had fresh material and you said go ahead, tag Jason Momoa. I like him, see him at Jason Momoa or whatever it is.
Speaker 1:Right, Mr, that's it, the gypsies. So it's so fresh, it's so good. How do you get content? Cause the other stuff you was talking about you were talking about, may I translate for our continent was the makelauleas. We used to have regular funerals back in the day when you and I were growing up in the 70s.
Speaker 2:We said bye to somebody.
Speaker 1:Thank you, and we actually cried, we grieved yes, which was important right. Very quiet very somber.
Speaker 2:At some point it all changed. Then now it's buccaloos for broke. You hire you as an mc to entertain. You have filipino cameramen. So another funeral that I attended oh, here we go. One of the things that sometimes happens is I get invited as the representative in the area to attend, and I went to this funeral. I was like on wedding, felt like that oh, wow, mc, wow, yes, and they introduced the family that came in right and then a filipino lady, wow music.
Speaker 1:Did they have intro music when they bring the family in right and it's matching attire like a wedding. It was like that yes, exactly like that.
Speaker 2:But the lady that was singing to get I think she sang the greatest love of all. Oh, by way of houston, yes, and after she was done, she's like if you need me to perform at your party, your event, please let me know and I was like at your what I had no idea at your party anyway, party filipino, party filipino, you know, gathering, oh yeah you know so events.
Speaker 1:Yes, I was. Uh, she did a plug right there right there at the end.
Speaker 2:The body was right in the back of. Oh wow.
Speaker 1:So that was a picture moment that was postable was yeah, yeah. I.
Speaker 2:Told my staff.
Speaker 1:Because you mean your councilman staff, cuz you know we're different hats correct and it's important for them to understand.
Speaker 2:like you know, in the morning I'm radio guy, that's my hat, in the afternoon I'm, you know.
Speaker 1:City councilman and then comedians. One of the biggest districts in State of Hawaii, you know, on the weekend MC comedian and you know if I need to be there.
Speaker 2:Please understand that. If it's like you know all of this, I could probably talk about it. I don't like, but like, comedy is a reflection of society. You say the things that you like to say but you have a hard time saying and for me it's always been about a story Like funny, like you saw, roland.
Speaker 1:Okay, so we're filming here. I live in a houseless community and we have a program for ex-addicts. Now, roland I didn't know his name before today, but he looks at me because he looks at you walking up. He goes brah. That's Augie T, yeah, and he's never spoken to me before, but today I'm brah.
Speaker 2:Brah, brah, that's.
Speaker 1:Augie T. Yeah, and I go. Yes, in fact it is. And there was another member of our resident here and she goes. Who else is your famous friends? Hey, I need one picture. I need one picture with Augie T, so everybody was in an uproar. I just need him to go to the bathroom and I go. You're going to multitask, You're going to go to the bathroom and take a picture, not in the same place, Go ahead. Yeah, so go ahead.
Speaker 2:It was awesome you could. You know. You know mine, Bro. We already know. Let's get it over with. He had a whole format. Yes, he did. I think maybe that was his new phone, or lending, and he had them on the timer that's a nice word, lending.
Speaker 1:Right, he had them on a timer.
Speaker 2:So you know you're over there smiling and he got five four, yeah, Timer. So you know you're over there smiling and he got five four, yeah, oh, he did the timer. Yeah, it was the timer, and you know. And then he had a hard time explaining to me that it was treatment and I already knew, because I grew up in that kind of neighborhood, I know, yeah, right, I was like how's treatment going, bro, you know, and it was like oh, you know, because just be real, because there's a heart to heart connection when you're real.
Speaker 2:I'm saying you're learning about God right, which is awesome he goes. I think he had a hard time because he's thinking he's anonymous. Yeah, and you don't know go to my social media, you'll see. I do a Bible study every single day yes, sir you know. Yes, sir, I'm not a preacher. I just feel like I need to be accountable to people.
Speaker 1:I love that, you know and you know what else I love is he saw you when you got out the car. He's already checking you out with me. That's Augie T, right? You know why? He owed me one photo. And I go really, he owes you a photo. How is that true? And then he was ready and he did this whole thing. Then I look over here's Augie T, the probably one of the most well-loved celebrities from the state of Hawaii, and he is like oh brah, what's your last name? And you're putting in Roland's last name, and you were giving him your at signal handle from IG.
Speaker 1:you guys went all in all in and I had to stop you when he came in here because really his whole thing was coming to our podcast, aloha.
Speaker 2:Live and I'm like.
Speaker 1:I'm standing there going brah, we gotta go, let's go. And I'm your tongue and bouncer. Now let's go. Augie T and you came in and I said is this normal? Yeah, that's your everyday, everyday. Wow, yeah, how loved are you, friend? And you roll with that.
Speaker 2:I do. I mean, you know one of the things that I saw as a young comic working with other famous comics. I would watch how people respond, and some of the comics that I worked with was just too arrogant so nobody knew who I was. I was in the back, I just kind of followed, but I watched.
Speaker 1:You started off as a I think it was sound or light technician for Booga Booga? Yes, how do you know that I do my research as a I think it was sound or light technician for Booga Booga? Yes, how do you know that I do my research?
Speaker 2:as a stalker chick.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that's what, no. So you were the guy in black right Techs wear black and you're pretty much invisible.
Speaker 2:Here's the crazy part Like when I first saw Andy perform in the fourth grade, I started buying everybody's album. Yeah, including Booga, booga, so Booga. Booga was like my favorite. Oh Bob, me too I could mimic every bit Poi Dog right. So here's the crazy part Once I won my first open mic, within three months of doing comedy, I bumped into every single comic that I looked up to Like I knew, like all of them Andy Bumatai Booga.
Speaker 1:Booga right. You got Ed Kanahele, you got Rap Rap Linger.
Speaker 2:Frank Dilemma, everybody within that Uncle Frank. I went on tour with Andy, met Malcolm Bang and then when Booga Booga did like a stint for like two weeks at the at that time the Waikiki Comedy Club, I was like I just wanted to be around them to listen how you know how they do things.
Speaker 1:You absorb a lot. Yeah, I said, can I be a?
Speaker 2:light guy and Graeme's grandbeta looked at me like what that's crazy to me.
Speaker 1:You know anyone light?
Speaker 2:guy. I go no, no, I like be a light guy. And he goes who are you Right? And I told him oh, you know, I just started here at the comedy club for like two, three weeks and I was that annoying guy that knew all the jokes, Wow. And he was like dude, yeah Right. And he mentored me until the time that he died, Wow. So we were working on this thing called Beer. Can Hat, Remember those Beer?
Speaker 2:Can Hats With the primo beer can can hat remember those with the primo beer cat. So, uh, he wanted me to really learn how to act, because he thought that adding acting to your comedy might grow your character, and it did. Yeah, so, like for me, when I do comedy, a lot of it is like in my face yeah right expression very expressive playing.
Speaker 1:Trying to play the non, the non-verbals Correct Right.
Speaker 2:Gestures.
Speaker 1:I learned that because of Wow, because of your early mentoring and because you humbled yourself to watch some of the greats in Hawaii. Yeah, I just saw a show with you and you were the opening act for Andy Bumatai. Yeah, and after you were done, you slayed it, you killed it. He comes up and he goes so interesting that Augie says that he saw me in fourth grade, because now he's in the fifth grade and of course, we all laugh because it is super funny. Thank you, mr Bumatai. But you do. You look super young. You've lost a lot of weight recently. You've gotten fit. I saw you were doing some extreme fitness all the way out in Ewa Beach, which is part of your, and you were taking your mom Big time boot camp there. It is, yeah, and that guy's like military. In fact, you gave him an award at city council. Talk about that, because when I look at you, I want to know where do you get all this energy and how do you stay so fit and young?
Speaker 2:I think just doing what you love, like, for me it's like everything has been a calling, from boxing to doing stand-up comedy and then even running for office. So like, whenever I don't like something and everyone that knows me know, like once I feel like I leave, like why waste my time, why waste your time?
Speaker 1:You know it's not making me happy. Your spirit is not there, right?
Speaker 2:I just leave because I always feel like you know God going to take care of me and if you do things according to your calling, wow Right. Even if it's like why stay there? Because of the money, why stay there because of the job? It's not worth it, Right that because of the money. Why is that? Because of the job, not worth it, right? A lot of us get scared because we're wondering what's next, what's around the corner, like I've always been able to like, like, trust my instinct and just leave you know it's interesting to me you say that because you're part portuguese.
Speaker 1:I had a portuguese mentor, pastor wayne cordero, and he often said that if your heart has left this calling, then you belong somewhere else. And he didn't say that in a harsh way, but you're saying that's real when I feel the spirit is gone. I'm going to follow the spirit.
Speaker 2:And when you're having a good time, like I'm going to be 57 10 days from now.
Speaker 1:Happy birthday, La-di-da-di happy birthday.
Speaker 2:So you know, at this age I feel like I'm having the best time. Yeah, I'm having the best time doing comedy. Understanding government, yeah.
Speaker 1:You do fundraisers, community service, everything Media.
Speaker 2:People always say that Well, you dye your hair, I go. No, I want to know? No, I've never dyed my hair. Wow, I did it once. You know how stupid I went. Look, this was like 20 years ago. If you go and look at some of my old headshots, you know how everybody did the blonde. Yes, yes, I look so dumb. Filipinos are not blonde.
Speaker 1:Right, well, not on the outside, but yes.
Speaker 2:Sometimes I've never.
Speaker 1:But there are some Filipinos who wear it. Well, I will say Some of the ladies my dad has beautiful hair.
Speaker 2:My mom, your mom, is pure pooch. All my brothers, they look old, sorry.
Speaker 1:No, it's good. That's what a lot of humor is truth that we want to say. Like you said, I think that's what it is Like.
Speaker 2:I'm enjoying waking up, right Thankful, Do you Happy?
Speaker 1:Yeah, because you work all day. Almost every day we see you on early morning radio 107.9. Then you go straight into councilmen and then you go into MC. You still MC. I can book you on your website, yes, and then you also do comedy, which you're traveling a lot to the mainland.
Speaker 2:How do you do all of that Again, waking up, loving what you do? All of that, Again, wake it up. Loving what you do? Yeah, no, just loving what you do. I love what I do. Like I just did a senior facility out in Kaneohe and the lady, one of the ladies there, she said, oh, my boyfriend was your art teacher. I saw a picture. Look like he never changed. Yeah, he does. You know, but we Filipinos we look young until we get old. That's Andy Bumatai joke. I'm going to wake up one day, my pants going to be this high, you know, and I go oh, Augie, he look old. Now he's like oh, Augie looks young for his age. And then I go wake up, Pants going to be this high. I'm going to be like what are you looking at?
Speaker 1:What are you looking at? Then you'll be pointing with your chin yes, that's right, that one.
Speaker 1:So you know I'm enjoying life and you know I'm absorbing now, you know you read the good book, god's book, the Bible, and it says the joy of the Lord is our strength. I've often said that Jesus is the fountain of youth, and you do. You look so good, thank you. And the thing is that comes off in your work, because another thing that we know is that the spirit with which you do something comes across. That's the Aloha spirit. You have it. That's why I said you are, mr aloha, alive. So it's not like you know, mother theresa once said when you're wiping a table, wipe it with love, with gods when you're changing a diaper, change it with god, and you do.
Speaker 1:You don't just wipe it and okay, it's done. Next you give us a thousand million percent agi on early morning radio. You give us infinity percent on council member and you're not always popular for that.
Speaker 2:No, it's a very controversial that's why I said like not everybody. You say all these great things that I'm listening and I'm going, yeah, but it's just going hateful email and I hate and they rip you a new one right and you know I won yesterday and bothered me the whole day.
Speaker 2:People don't realize like I'm human of course I mean, and uh, read like the rest yes, and you know, and I was telling my staff this morning because every more every monday we have a you know meeting and I was saying, you know, like no matter what you do good or bad you just kind of make everybody happier, but then you know, when you get those that throw you off, it's like the whole day. I was just kind of like really, but it was more empathetic because there's a side of me that still have the Kalihi in me that wanted to respond.
Speaker 2:Gee what is?
Speaker 1:a response in Kalihi. Yeah, I was like bro, we stay.
Speaker 2:You know I go take it deep my dogs. You know what I mean, but it bothered me the whole day.
Speaker 2:And then I woke up this morning and I, before anything, when I put my feet on the ground, I just say all my thank yous, right, and I say things like today I choose to be happy, wow but, you know, and then I do my bible study, then I record it, put it up, and you know, the day is on, let's go yeah, the races, you come out of the blocks and you are charging like that championship singletary horse, right, we try everything.
Speaker 1:Well, you do it. Fine, sir. Now I have a few official questions official kind. You know, lately we were talking in part one with you which I titled when life hits you. You come back laughing so today is more hits more laughing okay because you have gone through some hard things.
Speaker 1:Augie, you know, I saw an article you posted recently and it was about the death of your brother. Yeah, remember, and he was one. The death of your brother, yeah, remember, and he was one of the best in the ring and at the time you were not even yet, I think, 16 when you won Golden Gloves. Yeah, that was a hard knockback the death of your brother. Then recently, in the last year, you had the death of your big brother, yeah. So how do you address that, augie?
Speaker 1:Because, we usually see you laughing. Yeah, we usually see you making so much laughing. You make us laugh, but there's times when you're not laughing.
Speaker 2:Oh, I saw a great quote. I can't remember it, but it was about you know I put on this almost sometimes facade because the only people that understand my personal challenges like my wife, right and I can have the most crummiest day and then we'll go into walmart and I gotta shake them off and then you have to have public face people don't know like there's so much challenges inside like this outside with roland, you're on, correct.
Speaker 1:Suddenly they expect stage augie, correct, and you're just on the sidewalk or in somebody's.
Speaker 2:And when I get an opportunity to share about my personal challenges, it's amazing how much that more it resonates more with people than the whole. It's almost guaranteed that Augie is going to be funny. But then when Augie turns serious or he says something maybe relevant man, it's so, so powerful and I I've learned to like um like express that. It was always hard for me because I never grew up in a family that showed affection. It was hard for me to talk to my dad. I always tell people get two types of filipino men. Okay, it's the happy Filipino guy. You know Be my dad's brother. My uncle always hit on every girl.
Speaker 1:That's what you define as a happy Filipino man? Yeah, he was like who did that? Got it now.
Speaker 2:He would look at girls and go you don't have to look at me, you can close your eyes. You can fantasize. That's his life, that's his line, dog. If you say he would do that to you, well, is that Don O'Brien? Oh my God, close your eyes. And then my dad was just an angry Filipino man. Wow, really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so bipolar. One brother to another One was the loving Filipino hit on everyone, man.
Speaker 2:And then one was just really plantation hard. Oh wow, only fourth grade education and I was just sharing this story with a bunch of seniors, you know, because I knew and understood my dad more as he got older with dementia, because he would talk about all the things from the past which I never know, like I would come home one day and he'd go. You know that he went to jail. You know, really I had no idea. You know, and I know that's a big thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then you realize, man, this guy is, he's been through it. Yeah Right, like I have no reason to be mad at him, I get my own. His shoes was tough. Wow, you know his older brothers all passed away, the black sheep of the family, fourth grade education. Just an angry man.
Speaker 1:And you didn't get to know that until recently when he's revealing it due to dementia. God bless him Moving in my home Right, caretaking them, talking story.
Speaker 2:But growing up you saw the angry, hard side of dad because he was on survival mode you saw the angry, hard side of dad because he was on survival mode and then, you know, when my brother died, man that was my dad's, you know, get get their favorites right and he never like come to the terms that my brother was using drugs and he might have killed himself, you know. I mean he taught that, yeah, and they couldn't. My mom and dad could not. Yeah, and they couldn't. My mom and dad could not grasp that. But they weren't the kind of parents like, hey, how you feel Augie, how you feel Ernie?
Speaker 1:It wasn't like that back in the day for most of us right. It wasn't this touchy-feely parenting that made me very angry.
Speaker 2:That made me very angry, like why shouldn't I share, you know, because you know, know I don't want nobody killing themselves because of drugs. Like they'll be shameful, like what you gotta share that for? And I have to explain to them like For me it's healing. When I told that story on the newspaper I was like I would like to believe that my brother never killed himself. But what if he did? Because he was going through personal things, stuff that I should have been aware of as his older brother. Maybe I spent more time with him, maybe, if I had the conversation, never got to do that. And when he did it you question like, wow, did I do enough?
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, yes, that's so good and many of us walk through that Correct. But I love what you're saying is number one it's healing for us to process and walk through the valley of the shadow of death as it says in Psalm 23.
Speaker 1:But second of all, to bring truth and to show when something evil is here, right, correct, when something is preying upon our brothers and sisters or people in our community. I have sometimes had a similar reaction from my family and I'm going to walk on this really delicately because we had a trauma childhood and part of that included certain types of abuse that were extreme.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I have some of my siblings sisters who have said why you got to talk about that Same thing. Yeah, and I have some of my siblings sisters who have said why you got to talk about that Same thing. No, because dirty laundry should stay with the fat.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And I said no because if it happened within the four of us, I want it not to happen to another child ever. Yeah, and therefore we show light on it. Right, we are not overcome by evil, but we overcome evil by doing good. And I'm going to shine a light on it, not because I hate that person, I forgive that person for the stuff, but we need to say to children certain things are not okay yeah, no, I've gone through.
Speaker 2:I, when I go and speak to young students that are challenged with life, or when I go speak at the prisons and stuff like that, I go. What's the difference between me, my younger brother that committed suicide, my older brother that was a convicted felon we all lived in the same house. We heard the same message. Yep, but we all chose different paths. Yeah, right, you know. I mean like we can make excuses all day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, when I was being molested by my uncle and I, I had to confront this with my dad. My uncle had passed away but I wanted, because I needed to talk about it, because I compromised so much in my life. You know, because of that, that weight of holding that stuff in right, and my dad would remember those times, like I just have to tell him hey, dad, you remember when I used to hold on to the rattan and they were drinking, and then you know you'd come around, I'd take you upstairs and I would hold on to the rattan and I wouldn't let go. It's because I never let go upstairs. Oh, you remember when I would tell you, come, stay in my room because I would see things, because I just wanted you there and my dad just you know break, because he remembers that but he never know and for some. But you know what they did. They made him closer because, like he saw that I was able to deal with it, but at the same time was like I'm sorry that wouldn't happen, augie.
Speaker 2:Because, he had a hard time saying sorry, like I don't know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Well, that was the generation, our parents, right, they had a hard time. Now, hold on, because I did not know that about you, augie, and that's a huge courageous share. Yeah, so thank you, friend brother, for that. No, and and, and. The reason why I'm thanking you for that is that I had a similar experience and we're kind of on that vent right now Not not a vent, but on that lane and line of logic is that it happened in our home.
Speaker 1:And for me the next day. I told I'm a lot like you were. I'm actually real simple. What you see is what you get WYSIWYG right. So if I'm not happy, you're going to know I'm not happy, if you know. If I'm happy, I'm happy. But I had a sibling who went through the similar experience and didn't tell and it got a lot worse. And so to this day I often feel that when there's abuse going on for children, whether it's physical or psychological or sexual abuse, that needs to come out with a safe person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm sorry it happened to you. I never heard you share that. You know the thing is like I realized in my adult life because I hid that it affected me in so many ways, did it? Yeah, and when I speak to kids and stuff, like you know, if you look at my life and you read stats and you believe in data, you know I should have been either in prison, right, Right, homeless or dead Drug addict Right.
Speaker 1:Correct the end of that. Alcohol addiction, all kinds of the coping mechanisms, leads to death.
Speaker 2:My dad was a crazy. He loved to drink. When I see blue tarps I get PTSD because I remember coming home. Oh gosh, this guy's going to drink again. It's the party night. That's why I don't do it or I never, because I saw so much trauma right and the decision to go on that path of like good was hard for me because it was so easy.
Speaker 1:My friends did it, you know, I mean it's almost pervasive yeah, right, that's so are choosing to party, to drink, even under age, and back in the day I was graduating, they had just fixed the law, or changed the law to make it from 18 to 21, legalized drinking.
Speaker 1:So back in the day, when it was 18 years old, it would be even easier for young people to have access. But when we look at the long term, if you fast forward that it leads to death. Now you kind of went through it really fast and I just wanted to cover it. You did end up telling your dad, yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't know 30. I was in my 30s. I sat him down and we had a good cry Wow, If my dad could, he probably would have go up to the graveyard, pull him out and punch the guy Right, Punch him out, but you right punch bottle. But you know, it was a nice healing moment for a bonding yeah, he and I, because we never did it.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I mean like, and I needed to tell him because it's important, because he was the guy that I kind of looked up to absolutely right, even though I never expect or I never.
Speaker 2:You know, I never got the things that I wanted from him, but I just needed to make sure that because I was like man, my dad's so angry all the time, you know. So what I went through maybe for a lot of people extreme, but I can't even imagine what my dad went through. You know what I mean. So if he's not able to detect, Right. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:And that's the thing. I think we live in a generation now and I remember when, when we told my dad and same thing he said I'm going to go down there. It was in another country and he said I'm going to kill him.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because I can't imagine a parent having to hear your children say these things yeah, but we said, well, then then you'll get arrested over there and we'll never have another dad again.
Speaker 2:So that would not help every. No, I think it's super important that whenever you get the opportunity to share, you should, because you know it's like I was saying right, people just see the outside of the phone, the.
Speaker 1:Yes, this is the perfect, this is. We put our best foot forward, and I love that. Though you said and I'm going to advance your point you're making, because I just saw you outside with Roland and another lady whose name I don't even know, right, because when I come home, this is my sanctuary, I kind of shut off, I go into private Don. There's a public Don, right, we operate in that realm.
Speaker 2:And you said too, only your wife, kim, knows that Augie, the private Augie, my brothers, some, you know, uh, maybe close family members that I hang out with my, my, my circle of friends is very small, you know, I just not that guy. I'm like, you know, I uh, I come in and do what I'm to do and I leave.
Speaker 1:But there's goodness to that because it's the sacred, yeah, and I've heard a very wise person say if you really count the people that you can trust, your do or die, maybe do and die, your ride and die circle, it's probably maybe less than one hand, maybe it's one to three people, yeah, and you just said that Very small, less than one hand. Maybe it's one to three people, yeah, and you just said that very small. So I think there's goodness in keeping our sacredness because even jesus, he had the 12, which got shrunk down to 11. When judas had to go do what you must do, then he had three best friends and then really at the cross it was just him, yeah, and god his father. So it's a small circle. Now you're good about relaying it forward and thank you for sharing that, and I don't.
Speaker 1:Is there anything else? You know she, she has that nonprofit brave and so exceptional brave Hawaii which goes against bullying. Yeah, and you guys have been doing it for years yeah, and so you know.
Speaker 2:I remember when she first asked me oh, can you come and help me with the assemblies? And I never like beat Frank DeLima Because whenever I saw a comedian going to schools, I always thought it was like oh no, we're going to do the Buddha hunt. I love you.
Speaker 1:Frank or the peanut story.
Speaker 2:Right, I love you, frank, but I never like beat that guy and I knew like, if I do that, but we both love Frank because we were in school when he would come and do the rallies.
Speaker 1:I just never like be that guy.
Speaker 2:So when my daughter asked me to do it, I was like oh, but I also knew like I had a story to tell and a truth to explain.
Speaker 2:Yes, you know what I mean and I knew like that was gonna hurt my comedy career. I tell you why. Because, comics, we work in the gray area. Oh, okay, there's no black and white, think about, right. And we say it not to be a fit, like I don't do things to be offensive, but like I want to work in that space. Right, and it's the safe zone, correct? Well, not the safe zone, that's the. That's where you got a truth, right.
Speaker 1:You're saying things that we're thinking, correct.
Speaker 2:Not black or white, it's right there, right, and I knew like if I went on and talked I would lose that edge. And that's what happened and I started seeing kids that were in a situation that I was growing up and it was hard to write comedy now, when all you see is trauma. Right, you know, as a comic, we see trauma as an opportunity to write jokes.
Speaker 1:Right Sadness, it becomes a bit.
Speaker 2:Correct. Yeah, right, it's content, but it's hard now because you go to schools and you see kids they're almost slippery, they're walking through it, yeah, and you go wait a minute. I remember sitting in class and I think I shared with you this in the last podcast but speakers would come to our school and go you are tomorrow's future and we all believe that. Yes, we are. What do you want to be? I want to be president of the united states, right, and then you become an adult and you go into schools and you go. Is this supposed to get better? Right, when I was in school, we had one homeless guy. Why is there 300?
Speaker 1:now Right, exactly. Why are we the top state in the United States with the most homeless? This isn't getting actually better.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I could easily go down the road and write so much comedy about that, but I was in there hearing the disrespect. You go over there and you speak and you get a kid looking at you. Like I don't like listening to you and you go. What's wrong with that guy? You got to go outside talk to him. And it affects you, right, because, like man, I can sense he's angry or hurt, right, but like, why aren't we detecting?
Speaker 1:that and that's thank you for that, brother. And it leads me right into this is that hurt people, hurt people. Right, and that's what I think you're starting to address is these kids are walking through trauma. It's there right now, right?
Speaker 1:I remember teaching at nanakuli high school and intermediate I had a ninth grade girl who was going through physical sexual abuse in her home her mom, boyfriend, and she was a stunning young lady. And I said I'm sorry, I'm going to have to report it, it's the state law. And she pled, she wept, there was no way I could share it. But she found safety with me to say this and I said you know, let's just call her Kay, kay, I'm going to have to take you out of that house. That's inconceivable. And she's taller than I am. I'm pretty tall, but this girl was tall, beautiful ninth grade girl and she said please don't. It's only three more years and I try real hard not to cry in front of children because they tell you to be the strong one and if they see us lose it right, I turned away for a second.
Speaker 1:I took a few real deep, brave breaths and I came right back and I said but I'm still gonna check on you then, yeah, I agree to this not so good agreement that I'm not gonna go press charges and take you out of there, move you away, move you into my house. But, augie, hurt people hurt people and we're there to bring hope, because healed people heal people and you were giving a safe space and sanctuary for these children to process pain. Yeah, and as I remember this young lady, kay, she was able to go on and graduate. Oh, that's awesome, but they're walking in the pain right then, challenging the pit of pain. Now back to what you were saying, and I want to speak this prophetically over you, and always when I speak a prophetic word over someone, augie, I want you to test the spirit because, the Bible says don't just let anybody come roll up on you with some kind of mojo magic, right?
Speaker 1:This is just a truth of the Lord. Is that we get to reverse the curse and bring a blessing, because it ends with us, right? You, I felt, exposed a truth about your family. It was unfortunate. It's a really bad choice for people to molest small children. Yes, right, it's the same thing in my culture, in my family. But, as for me, in my house, we will serve the Lord, yeah, and I will speak the truth with all delicacy and respect for other people in my family right I get it.
Speaker 1:It hurts them still, but I, like you, I'm a truth teller because we're going to shine the light and it will kill the darkness and it sets that person free. So thank you for being brave enough to approach some of the hard spaces. And this goes back to where we first started. And we've gone all kinds of big ways all around the block here in kalihi, because that's how Augie T and DOB Don O'Brien do. But you started by talking about how you got to process your pain and share the truth, because when we speak the truth, truth deep calls to deep. Does that make sense? Yeah, is that a good word over you and go test that? But I think you broke generational curses. I hope so.
Speaker 2:Stop I, you know, I think, uh, our fruit is our children, right, amen, and all the things that they're doing. You know, uh, do I think I could have been a better dad? Absolutely. But I look at them now and I go, okay, I'm good, I think I did what I'm supposed to do, and I would remind them every time I said my job is to make sure that when you leave this house, you're equipped that's good With something. Yeah, right, because never had that opportunity, wow, so that's my job. When you leave this house, are you equipped, you know, because the world, you know, will beat you up and you better have ways, yeah, better have ways of, like, preparing for that. So when I see them now as an adult, I go, okay, wasn't the best dad, because dad was always moving and doing things.
Speaker 1:And probably was really hard for them.
Speaker 2:You know it was hard for them. They got bullied because of dad. Everyone thought that, wow, we get all this money, which no that's all false.
Speaker 1:You were riding the bus for a long time.
Speaker 2:But like you know you go on TV, people just think oh, you're a celebrity. So it was hard for them, you know, because there's an expectation Right.
Speaker 1:So I feel bad for them, but they, they did the best they could and they are very respectful adults and they are the very best, yeah they're pillars, and they're pillars of truth, much like yourself and and you can as a parent.
Speaker 2:You know you still worry about them, even though they're in their 40s.
Speaker 1:Well, and that's a question for me. Thank you for reminding me. As we talk about this, it has to do with your kids. How many kids do you have? Five altogether? Oh, brah you is busy.
Speaker 2:Two from the first marriage, and then my wife had her previous married kids, so we have a blended family, yeah, yeah, but they're all our kids, right. It has to be Hawaiian style, Hanai nine right, those are your kids, they all get along with each other.
Speaker 1:They're all funny and you know and they speak truth. Yes, so I was gonna say you're super busy, right? We said radio councilman mc comic. You travel to the mainland a whole lot, but you're also very involved in your children's lives.
Speaker 2:Try to be it's tough now, as an adult even as they're grown kids, because they are grown now.
Speaker 1:They're grown kids. So how old is your first? It's Augie Toba Jr Junior is Otherwise known as Bo 40, I think already. Woo, yeah, you started early, filipino Early. We're like gremlins.
Speaker 2:You just add water as he sips water Right? Filipino mic camera guy. You just have to touch us, you get pregnant.
Speaker 1:That's it. I'll stay on this side of the table. Thanks to Mrs Toba. Thank you All love and respect. So you have a 40-year-old and you look like you're not even 40. You named one of the top 40 under 40. Of course, then you have. I love Mahealani.
Speaker 2:She's the one. Who's the daughter?
Speaker 1:Sims Toba, yes 25. She is the lady at the captain of the head of Brave Hawaii.
Speaker 2:Correct.
Speaker 1:And helping to overcome and conquer bullying in the state of Hawaii.
Speaker 2:Why do you take and make so much time for your kids, even as grown ones? Look, if they have a project, or I think the biggest thing is that, like I'm one phone call away, yeah, I always tell them like it's a call, yeah, like I wish I had that with my dad. Wow, you know what I mean. Like it works both ways.
Speaker 1:Yes, it does.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean and you're adults, so like, good idea, yeah. Or you listen to the radio. That's dad. Maybe I should give him a call. You know what I mean, like they know, so you're fully accessible. And.
Speaker 1:I'm going to add something that you don't know about you, or maybe you do, but this is as an outside objective party. I was emceeing an event at Hono Uli Uli Middle School, brave, hawaii, was represented. Maheal Lania was going to introduce her and then Augie T walks into the very full cafeteria Over a thousand. Right, you have 900 something students, all the teachers, vas, everybody, and you were completely second fiddle. Yeah, you did not need any attention, of course I already. Was scrambling, get him a leg. Augie's here. Augie, did you want to say something? Did you want to promote something? Did you need to campaign? Knock on the door and leave a sign? What do you need to do? And he's like Don, I'm good. You know, you were very gracious, but you knew how to let Mahealani take front and all of them.
Speaker 2:You know my son does drag the older one, mr Bo Bo, so the first time he does this competition I go in. Everybody's like Bo's like oh I got. Dad, you're taking away the steam. Oh, you went, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, because it's like watching you walk in.
Speaker 2:You're very recognizable and everybody loves you, so, like all his friends was like you know, can I take pictures?
Speaker 1:Wait, how, how, how do they ask you?
Speaker 2:Can I take pictures? You know, I'm like, of course you can Not, but like you know, you know, for me it's such a cool thing. You know what?
Speaker 1:I enjoy is that you are able to laugh and bring up something that's difficult it is Right, because that was on the list is you have a son who is living a gay lifestyle, two of them, not just gay lifestyle, two sons, excuse me, but drag queen gay, yeah. And you're a man of faith, a man of the word, yeah. So let's walk into that right now. Let's do it, is it? What kind of challenge is that? I'm not going to say is it a challenge? Cause every child is a challenge, whether they're homosexual, bisexual, all sexual, yeah, what? How did you walk through that?
Speaker 1:Cause you were one of the first that I knew personally locally. How was?
Speaker 2:the time. Yeah, I talked about it in my act because it was very difficult. You know, uh, I in a household where, like you, had to fight, you know, cam 4. Anything that looked feminine, my dad would be like what are you mahu? No, dad, we're good. You know, we pick up one fork and sip what is this, right?
Speaker 1:So you know so very masculine man's man. Yeah, no gray zone there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're either all man or you're better be a man, if you saw my act you know I talk about. Like every dad don't go to bed going, please let my son be a ballerina. You know what I mean. Unfortunately, you know that's the route my son Junior went. Yes, you know that's the route my son junior went. Yes, and you know we had conversations where, like you know, he knows one of the things that I made them understand at a very young age that living life gonna be difficult, like was always difficult for me. I saw I cannot imagine how it's going to be with you, and then your dad is somebody in Hawaii.
Speaker 2:Wow, you had that talk, yeah, yeah, and I told them, like you know, this lifestyle is going to be challenging. Yeah, and you have to learn to accept the fact that people are going to disrespect you Doesn't mean you disrespect them.
Speaker 1:Wow yeah.
Speaker 2:Like understand that this is going to be challenging. And then you, you know they're very brave kids, they're very well not men, oh, depending they women. I don't know it's me being funny people.
Speaker 1:His sons laugh. You're allowed to laugh. Yeah, I'm laughing, and it's not laughing at, it's laughing with.
Speaker 2:With them, right, but you know it's always been challenging for them.
Speaker 1:Well, but you prepared them with that talk. And you are dad and they are your sons and there's no shame. Yes, right.
Speaker 2:And I still have a hard time with it. They know that, you know. We talked about this at your show before the show Sometimes they're like you have to keep talking about us, and I don't as much now.
Speaker 1:It's how you processed. You said initially is you did use it and go into a comedy bit that you were processing.
Speaker 2:Yes, I was working through my own challenges with my children being gay yeah. You know, and people laugh at that because they understood what's challenging for me. You know what I mean, so my kids know that. I just did an interview with my older son on O'Leary. I saw it, yeah, and it was cool, because you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Very well done.
Speaker 2:Very, very challenging for him being the son right, an entertainer. People made fun of him, uh, but luckily, you know, because we always had that talk about yeah gonna be challenging well, first of all, kudos that you did the episode yeah it's up.
Speaker 1:You can watch it on your. What is the name of the podcast? Again?
Speaker 2:it's called talking story with Augie. But you know I do it because I want to help Olelo and get people to understand how to work behind a camera. It's good, it's a free thing. It's, you know, subsidized by the city and the federal government, so why not take advantage A little?
Speaker 1:plug in PSA. I know right For Olelo and public TV. But back to the point. Yeah, you're not trying to hide your son. No, you in fact, and even in your comedy bit and this is my opinion, I'm owning it. I'm not trying to offend anyone. You were not offensive. You didn't try to shame him or make him the butt of a joke so that you didn't put it out there so that the whole community pointed and went ew right.
Speaker 2:Well, the thing is like you get people who think that right, exactly Exactly, and you know it's unfortunate, it's unfortunate but it's extremely unfortunate. Yeah, for my kids because they got to hear it right, oh, your dad teasing you and they got to keep explaining. Well, not really, because I kind of know and people are curious, right, kind of know, and people are curious, right, you know. And that's where comedy is so important, because it dives into stuff that maybe you're not comfortable with hearing I love you for that, augie, and that's exactly my point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, is that this, even for me right now, is an uncomfortable topic, because what I've seen happen is a lot of bullying around this issue in this topic, even saying the word queen right.
Speaker 1:But if we don't begin to shine the light on some of this with love and with grace. And, believe me, I grew up in South Polynesia. My first cousin is probably the queen of all queens. He, as far as you, I mean and that was back in the day I'm 54 years old, he's 54 and a half. And so how do we, when we, as people in polynesia or on these small little islands and somebody once said don't burn a bridge on a small island, chain donald bryan so how do we malama and love people? Yes, I believe in the Bible, yes, I am a Jesus Christ Christian through and through. But how do we translate?
Speaker 2:that I tell you the last conversation I had with two of my sons, we were in a restaurant and going back to my older brother that passed away. I told them why I was bothered. I told them like, and I cried in the restaurant. I told them because I didn't do enough, you know, and at the end of the day it's good. It's like make sure you guys get to heaven. I don't know, that's good, you know.
Speaker 2:And and again says again only them can repent right, only them can say whatever they're going to say. But how will they?
Speaker 1:know unless they hear you gotta yeah, and that's that whole right you have to said it with tears, which shows me that, yeah, it's a hard truth to speak, but we say it with true love.
Speaker 2:You didn know the truth, because you know they grew up in church, wow, and you know that's not my point to judge, right? No, it's not. You got to just love, right? And you share how, like man, I never do enough. And I think deep down inside they know like maybe I never do enough. You know I was a young dad. They know like maybe I never do enough. You know the young dad, you know I mean, and I just want them to know like I'm gonna be here, I would always love you.
Speaker 1:But that is going through this transformation in the Bible, correct, and I read in my Bible every day and now you're bringing the truth as you know it, because back in the day you got pregnant really young yeah, right, you were gonna go into boxing as a career, I was reading, yeah, you were the golden gloves champion. And then you got pregnant, yeah, and then you had to go into working and so you become a survival dad. I want to pivot really quickly. Thank you for that.
Speaker 1:Thank you for hanging tough on that tough topic yeah but we're talking about dads and we're talking about young men.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I just said you got pregnant early, right? So one I want to hear. It's hard pushing, right. I'm bigger than you, are Augie too, and I might be older at this point, but I want to hear what do you have to say to dads and what do you have to say to young men, because I have that down as you grew up in Camphor housing. It's literally up the street. Kalihi is one of the hardest crime areas. It is the top crime area in the state of Hawaii, and so we have extremely poor young men and there's a lot of temptation and there's no direction. There's often fatherlessness, and so there's lots of temptation, bad choices, even criminal choices nowadays, like it gets real deep real fast, not like back in the day. So what would you say to a young man growing up today?
Speaker 2:first off, I don't think government can solve every problem time. But opportunity is one step away. When you decide to make it an opportunity, you can do it for bad or you can do it for good right. So, like you know, when I say government can't cover it all, can't cover it all you Can't cover it all.
Speaker 2:You know, when I go out and I talk to the homeless in my community, I think we've enabled I don't know how long. Yeah, come on, you know when. I believe that every man want to take care of their family, every man want to lead, every man wants to provide.
Speaker 1:Every man is given a God-given thumbprint of purpose and a plan vision.
Speaker 2:If given an opportunity, they can thrive.
Speaker 1:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:So it's taking that step forward, right, it's so easy to choose that path. And you know, when I talk to homeless in my community and I tell them, hey, not comfortable living here, right, and they go, no, I like it, I like the freedom. You know, I don't like being told what to do. I go, yeah, but I get told what to do. I would rather sleep on bed, right, or I wake up running to have nothing water.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know and you cannot tell me that this is comfortable. I grew up in public housing, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you.
Speaker 2:My dad did whatever he could to keep it clean, but I never like be there. I wanted to do other things. So you cannot tell me, but I think we enabled so so much that people have lost hope and they don't think it's ever going to change. Wow, so when you have the thinking of not changing or lost hope, it's hard to convince somebody to like here, so I only can tell you what I've seen and I'm not an expert.
Speaker 2:But I believe that when we give people options, no more excuses. So like when I look at my community in waipahu and stuff that I'm doing there, I go. What if I chipped away at cleaning the area?
Speaker 1:right. What if I did this past?
Speaker 2:week. Yeah, we did all of that right job and we get churches, non-profits and business involved, partnering correct, and then maybe put it one respite and pretty soon I can go. Hey, you ready for go and they go. What you mean, ready for go? We have some place for you go yeah for a long time.
Speaker 2:The residents in the area no more, no place for go. The houseless, right, yeah, and why? And I outside the community, right you know? No more. The real help, yeah, the real transformational help, that's good. So they cannot, they just think that not good.
Speaker 1:So if we can chip away at little things, right, right, maybe one church take on one family, that's all, it's good, you know well, maybe what I like about this, I don't know if that answered your question, but like I just think there's opportunities and you're speaking to young men and saying take a step, like you said, psa uh, public service announcement for going and working at olelo. You could be a cameraman behind the camera or a sound technician, like a certain augie t at a comedy club, and start learning your way up. So that was a good answer. But thank you for talking about the houselessness issue, because we I just did a podcast where.
Speaker 1:I said you know? Portuguese say you don't know what you don't know. And I'm like wow, that was genius, that was like a brain stroke right there. You don't know what you don't know. But my Dilima Ohana always says that to me I don't know what I don't know. And I go again I know, you don't know what you don't know.
Speaker 2:Second, people complain about that they go. Where is this money?
Speaker 1:going? Yes, I would like to know.
Speaker 2:Millions of dollars in our state budget? Yes, so if you want a good job, be a homeless and houseless advocate, because I don't think we really want to solve the problem. There's so much money being poured in.
Speaker 1:Whop your jaws. Because that is a really big statement right there.
Speaker 2:Mr Councilman. Paul, I just think, if you cut at it, I think you're absolutely correct?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't think it's a houseless ministry. It's a houseless industry. Yeah, people are making big money, no options.
Speaker 2:Like.
Speaker 1:No human should be sleeping in a bush or in a bridge Under a bridge, yeah Right, in the middle of Ewa Beach, in no man's land.
Speaker 2:If we wanted to solve the problem. I 100% believe that we could. I think we really could.
Speaker 1:And the Bible says those who do not work will not eat. Right, that was the system in the beginning of the church, right? My daddy taught me and he said, don, if I give you a fish, you'll eat for a day, but if I teach you how to fish, you'll eat for a lifetime. Do not enable people with a handout. Yes, give them a hand up, you help them a little bit, but set them all you have to do just listen.
Speaker 2:They'll tell you, yeah, they'll tell you no, I like you, like this. No, you don't.
Speaker 1:Freedom, right, right oh, but it's not the god, it's not the fullness of life, correct, like all I live this like how to always no, no, no.
Speaker 2:It's not the abundance of God, it's not the fullness of life. Like all I live, this is like how to always no, no, no, it's not.
Speaker 1:No, you're outside of community, yes, outside of God's best. What would you say? Okay, that was a good and interesting long word to the young men who have a 10-second attention span.
Speaker 2:Hey, just do your best, stop making excuses.
Speaker 1:The opportunity is right behind the door. He's now giving his graduation speech. He's going to try him out right now. What would you say to dads? Because I heard you talk about your dad. I heard you talk about you as a dad and there's different seasons, but what's a word of encouragement for dads today? Be vulnerable, wow, yeah, he went from the 12-minute answer to a two-word answer right there.
Speaker 2:Be vulnerable. Your kids know that you're not perfect come on now.
Speaker 1:Right, that's exactly it, like they just we know when you're putting the shiba shellac frosting.
Speaker 2:My dad, my dad just was vulnerable man. You know, I only saw that towards the ending of his life. My dad came to all my shows right and I could see that he was proud did he really yeah, I love that oh there's a then and now, uh, the video. He sits in the front row and my filipino dad loved the bling bling, even though it's fake. This big gold chain with scorpion like that. You went with fake chain, that's okay, that's okay.
Speaker 2:Scorpion, yeah, one big scorpion, wow, yeah it sit, my mom and dad would sit right in the front, and you know, uh, I I say this thing for the book. I think I say this in the in the video, it's like one of the coolest things is that my mom and dad could see the fruit of their labor like they weren't so bad parents after all. No, you know, maybe they wasn't perfect, but they did the best they could yeah and I would have loved my dad.
Speaker 2:My dad would have loved seeing me become a council member. He would have laughed like how did I win that bid? You know, that boy was inspeciate. He was an inspeciate honey. No, that's Rana and Michael. You sure it wasn't special ed? No, that was Ernie. You sure, honey. You know, one time All my brothers are listening like hey, I was in special ed.
Speaker 1:Yes, you were a short bus. Okay, you know, one time you were sharing at the Hawaii Theater, hawaii Theater, we theater, hawaii theater we're laughing with, not at remember yes you were sharing about how your parents went out for the night, left you with your and they were supposed to be back at like I don't know nine o'clock. They didn't come home on time and you, you, what? What did you share? The trauma?
Speaker 2:the trauma. These, these guys had no idea that they were abusing their children. You know, I mean like I as soon as I could talk and walk.
Speaker 1:You thought you were now the head of the house, right? Yes, I was the oldest and you told your brothers, right?
Speaker 2:I was like you know, my dad would sit us down. That's the only time he would get serious when he was drunk and he was like I haven't talked to all you guys. Oh, joggy, nine, nine, nine. You know if anything happened to daddy you're the head of this family. I'm like nine, my brother's like eight, six, what? You're the head of this family. If anything happened, you're the head of this family.
Speaker 1:That was a real talk.
Speaker 2:Right, and sometimes these guys would be gone for hours. Remember now don't open the door for anybody, don't pick up their phone, don't use the hours. You remember now, don't open the door for anybody, don't pick up their phone, don't use the oven. You understand me? Okay, we're going to be home at this time and you know, like you're nine years old, you're watching your brothers, right, who are running amok in the house. Wow, yeah, you know what I mean. We're just waiting for them to come home, right. 9 o'clock. Come on 9 o'clock.
Speaker 2:And I just remember one night these guys went, my dad overdid it. You know, he was in the bar after bowling and I just remember looking out. And 9 o'clock it's not 9, where they stay 10, where they stay Right, oh, 11, I'm panicking. Now, Uh-oh, All you can hear is you're the head of the family. Oh, that was it. 12 o'clock. I woke up. My brothers, get up. I'm the new daddy. Tomorrow we're going to eat cereal For dinner. We're going to eat cereal, and they would come home and I was like he has the plan, oh, and they would come home.
Speaker 2:He has a plan and they would come home. And I would just yell at my father my father had no idea Like why you do that to us, shout out, go sleep. You know, like panicking, just all that trauma growing up.
Speaker 1:And then he became a council member for the whole state of Hawaii, do you? Feel assured and rested right now? You should. Oh my gosh, Augie T, you guys got to go see a live show, because that's what this is the whole time. It's just real stories yeah, just fun stories. And it's family. It's safe for the whole family.
Speaker 2:Yes, you can bring your kids and you can laugh and you know if it gets kind of, I know how to go. Yeah, I know I've done it for so long. People are worried. Right, I was doing this preschool graduation. Who does?
Speaker 1:First he's doing maki laulea funerals of today. Now you're doing preschool graduate. Yay finished pre-K.
Speaker 2:No, I did a preschool graduation and they were doing this house selection. It was so funny because one kid was was like wanting to be, you know, an astronaut. I said so. I said, you know, before I announced most likely to go to space, the host election. I said do you like the stars? I think preschool. Yes. You like the moon? Yes, you really like space? Right, he goes. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, most likely to become an astronaut and go to space so and so right. And then they clap yeah and I go yeah, when I was growing up, a lot of my friends was in space but we don't say that children but the parents are laughing because they don't what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:There's been so many years of me doing jokes like that, right, like oh, what are you good, what are you?
Speaker 1:going? What are you going? Well, you set up the goal post and you let us kick it through like the shorty brown with the football, kind of like your recent jason momoa yeah right, you take us right there. You set up the goal post. You don't say anything inappropriate, but it's fall on your face, laughing you know.
Speaker 2:You know, when I told my kids about that, they were like I don't get it, Dad, you know. Oh Right, but it's for the adults, because whenever I have a joke, especially with the topic of being gay, I always call the experts. Yeah, my kids. Right, I go. He goes. I don't get it yet I go. You got to see the bit. Yes, I'm trying to explain, you did it so good, you know, I don't know Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the Vegas trip. I don't know how you feel yes, yes, and that you had to tell them I'm not gay, correct Right, and they're like yeah.
Speaker 2:So you got to see whether or not I turn gay in my new act. Yeah, well, this is a Christian podcast, so thanks for that little plug right there, but it's good, because then you make the right decision, because God wants us to make the right decisions. He loves us. He loves us but he wants us to make the right decision.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're bringing this in for a landing. On that note, let's bring it back to jesus. Perfect um. Last word what is aloha to you, sir? Oh gosh, I know it's no small question, it's not?
Speaker 2:um what is a lot to me?
Speaker 1:how do you feel, aloha?
Speaker 2:man, there's so much. That's a really. You know, when I wake up, I'm thinking, am I going to be the best husband, dad, today? Or do I have my community in mind? Because I wake up like worried about my district in mind? Because I wake up like worried about my district and for me it's just kind of like, what does aloha mean to me? Like, if you thinking about other things besides yourself, yeah, good things, yeah, that's aloha. Wow, right, like it's so easy for like, oh, I love me, oh, I love me, call me so awesome, you know, I mean. But like that's not what god calls us. Come on to do right, that's really good. He calls us to be the best example we can be so that other people might see something that they don't see in themselves. Mind, so, yeah, just try not be the best example. For me, it's just kind of being genuine Augie every day.
Speaker 1:Wow, the true blue real deal, genuine Augie, every day right well, augietlivecom that's.
Speaker 2:Aloha, I love it yeah, it's not for Augie, it's for Aloha, except for that one guy there. Write me the mean text out of there, okay all right.
Speaker 1:Remember we walked through that, we already processed it. Mr Aloha, we're going to go back to Aloha, because Aloha always wins. Aloha always wins, love never fails Is that a hula.
Speaker 2:Well, I made it up as a small sign dance for children at the rallies that me, and on the Frank do we do the route Aloha.
Speaker 1:So you make a little heart, not a little fart and then you make a big heart, which is why we left the farting behind, and you say always, always win, wins, aloha always wins. Always choose Aloha because Aloha always wins. That is so good today with mr augie t, mr aloha alive. And, by the way, thank you for bringing joy into the aloha, because joy is the super chaja on that aloha it heals everything even as I heard your testimony about the molestation as a young boy and I had no idea friend.
Speaker 1:Thank you for that trust.
Speaker 2:Always challenging to talk about that, but like it's important because there are a lot of kids one in four, I think, one in four adults right, one in four girls and one in five boys. Yeah so there's a lot of people um, they go through that and you know, get the help talk.
Speaker 1:It's amazing what you know talking does and yeah, you know you can find it feels like there's no one to help you because you're a child, and it feels like an adult is making a very bad choice and there's no one else. But, as Augie shared and as I share, when you tell someone who is safe, you're going to get help, because we want to help you and there are many resources to make that happen. So Aloha always wins AugieTLivecom. You can catch his shows, you can listen to him in the morning on 107.9, or you can even go to your local council member. He'll be there until 2029. Then he's writing the tell-all book. Yeah you, aloha always wins Cheese.
Speaker 2:Woo-hoo.