.jpg)
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Ever wonder what really goes on at a small-town morning radio show?
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and Best Friends is your daily dose of real callers, big laughs, and unforgettable characters straight from QCountry 925 in Show Low, Arizona.
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Prison Comedy & Ugly Crying: Chris Bennett’s Countdown to Yuma State
Chris Bennett reunites with old friends while counting down to his upcoming comedy show at Yuma State Prison. This episode blends nostalgia, prison prep, redneck wisdom, and one deeply emotional moment when Paul from Beaumont makes Chris cry — in under 15 seconds.
• Sandra "The Top Fandra" returns to the White Mountains after time in Oklahoma
• Chris prepares for his clean comedy show behind bars — just 10 days away
• Jineane highlights National Teachers Day & National Nurses Day
• Former defense attorney Kirk Nurmi gives Chris real (and slightly scary) advice about prison crowds
• Paul from Beaumont suggests prison tattoos and redneck Mother’s Day gifts
• Paul also attempts — and succeeds — in making Chris cry
• "Are You Smarter Than a Redneck?" music trivia edition
• Good news stories: a Parkinson's research breakthrough & a baby donkey with two moms
From the Horn Auto Center Studios Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. Good morning, it's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? It's Sandra. Good morning, best friend. Holy moly, sandra, the top. Sandra, a voice from the, a voice from the blast, a blast from the past. You lived here and you moved away not too long ago. What's been up to Moving?
Speaker 2:back. Heck, yeah, we're in Cholo right now. We made our first trip yesterday, our first load. Heck, oh man, yeah, we drove 19 hours straight through. It was like let's get there, get there, get there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you came from Oklahoma. Yes, awesome, well, welcome came from Oklahoma. Yes, awesome, well, welcome back to the White Mountains, sandra. It's been a while since you've been on the Morning Brew. If you had to tell a new listener the most interesting or entertaining fact about Sandra the Top Fandra, what should we know?
Speaker 2:I love Jesus, I love dogs and I love coffee.
Speaker 1:That's a good trifecta. So you guys are just moving today. Well, we just took our first load yesterday.
Speaker 2:We probably got four loads to do around trip.
Speaker 1:How's Casey doing? He's doing great. Lost 50 pounds, heck yeah. What's your favorite thing about Casey these days?
Speaker 2:He lets me have as many dogs as I want. No, he's a hard worker, he's a good man, he loves the Lord and he treats me like a princess.
Speaker 1:And he's finally learned that saying no to you, getting new dogs is just a fruitless effort. Right, that's right. I mean he still dogs is just a fruitless effort.
Speaker 2:Right, that's right. I mean he still says no. But I show up with him and after a month of him being mad, he ends up cuddling them.
Speaker 1:Oh, nice. Well, Sandra, it's so good to hear from you. I'm so glad you're going to be back here in the White Mountains. What was the thing you missed most about the White Mountains?
Speaker 2:Chris Bennett in the morning brew.
Speaker 1:Oh, dude, you know how to say all the right things, sandra, you're the best. Janine, are you over there? Yes, I am. How are you, chris? Good, how are you doing on this? Talk About Something Good Tuesday.
Speaker 3:Yes, doing great. And you know we're all focused on Mother's Day this coming Sunday. But Chris, chris, we've got to remember today is National Teachers Day and National Nurses Day. You know, usually these national days are just kind of dumb, but these, these are big ones today. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:Yes, two pillars in our community. Yeah, like I definitely want to be where I am today without some great teachers, and there were a lot of times when I had some great nurses take care of me and nurse me back to health.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, they're detrimental, and I mean the most important people, the teachers and the nurses to our future and I mean they're huge, they're huge. So please show your appreciation to your great teachers, and we have great teachers up here.
Speaker 1:Yes, and also Janine, thank you for the reminder. Sunday is Mother's Day. Yes, Sunday is Mother's day. Yes, sunday is mother's day. Forget that? What?
Speaker 3:is the best gift I could get for my wife. You think, oh, I don't know, I'm not gonna tell you what just popped into my mind. You're gonna die. No, I won't say it. No, I don't know why. But right when you said that I, I my brain just went silence so bad. Why did that sounds so bad? Why did I think that?
Speaker 1:Well, because you work right next to me and you hear how loud I am, so I'm sure that's what you would like I wasn't thinking so much about you, I don't know.
Speaker 3:I just yeah, no, yeah, that's fun. That was weird how that just leaped into my brain. Yeah.
Speaker 1:All right, janine. The countdown has begun. 10 days till Chris goes to prison. I'm doing a comedy show with some fellow comedian friends on the 16th down in Yuma at the prison there and I'm nervous, excited, and I understand you've been to prison a few times in your journalistic career. What advice do you have for me? You said something scary is going to happen to me.
Speaker 3:Well, you know, I don't know that anything scary is going to happen to you right then, okay, and there's some protocol. You know you'll get searched a little bit and that kind of stuff. You know it'll just be making sure you're not carrying anything, you know shivs into the prison or something. No, but the other thing that happened to me every time I would go, you'd be in prison and you'd be, I'd be doing interviews of different people and things that were in prison, and then also when people are in death row, going there, and it's the dreams and nightmares you have afterward.
Speaker 1:Oh, no yeah.
Speaker 3:It's kind of weird you that like some of your guilt will creep up in a dream and you're just like being arrested and you're being drug into prison. Yeah, you'll get a lot of those dreams. That's what I didn't like afterward.
Speaker 1:Yeah, my gosh and I have the most vivid and scary dreams to begin with, do you? Yeah, and I don't. It's going to be a very interesting audience because, like my friend who has a friend that's been in there for 28 years, that guy has never lived with a smartphone. So, like some of my jokes, like I don't know if they're going to get the references because they've kind of been blocked from the world, right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so it'll be, but I think I don't know. I know, are you struggling with what comedy to use and stuff.
Speaker 1:No, not really. My friend Ryan and I are going to write this weekend and kind of go over, because you have a lot of rules to follow.
Speaker 3:Oh, do you?
Speaker 1:There's a lot of topics that you can't talk about or they don't want you to talk about and avoid. So it's funny that I'm going to a prison to do super super clean comedy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, very clean comedy.
Speaker 1:Exactly, yeah, so I'm looking forward to it. Nervous about the show, and now I'm nervous about the nightmares.
Speaker 3:It just bothered me. I knew because I had to cover a lot of that and I knew that I would go to that. And then I knew I'd have some time where my brain would just be yeah, it would just be. You know nightmare. But doing news period gave you a lot of nightmares.
Speaker 1:Right, I could not do the news? Absolutely not. All right, janine, on this, talk about something good. Tuesday, let's share some good news. I'll go first Sound good, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. Today my good news comes from Ohio, where a longtime music conductor is now back in front of his orchestra thanks to a breakthrough in Parkinson's treatment. Ryan Laycock was diagnosed with Parkinson's 11 years ago and over time his tremors just made it harder to lead the 100-piece orchestra. But recently doctors at the Cleveland Clinic fitted him with what's called an adaptive deep brain stimulation. It's kind of like a pacemaker for the brain and this device sends little electronic signals to parts of the brain that control movement. And since the surgery, janine, his tremors have nearly disappeared and he's now back to conducting again with confidence. And he says my symptoms are minimal compared to the way they were and it's life changing. And now, in his 47th year conducting, he says he's grateful for the technology and for the chance to do what he loves with steady hands and a full heart. Pretty cool.
Speaker 3:Wow, that is an incredible story. That is a good one, yeah what do you got I?
Speaker 3:love that one. I know mine's a little cute story and we've heard this story before, but I just love it because it involves animals, cute animals. Okay, a donkey born on a farm in Scotland ended up with two moms and they have no idea who his mom is. Instead of one, see, two donkeys gave birth at the very same time. Literally they had no clue. It was like you know that they have them at nighttime mostly, and sadly one of the babies was stillborn, but no one knows which donkey. The one, the baby that was left, the little boy they don't know which is his mom. Both moms assumed it was theirs and they both have been caring for him equally. And the farmer keeps watching.
Speaker 1:He cannot tell so this little guy has two moms and it's super cute. Oh, I remember in the 80s there was a TV show called my Two Dads. And this is kind of like a remake of that. My Two Mom, donkeys, my Two Mom.
Speaker 3:Donkeys. I can think of a a remake of that. There you go, my two mom donkeys, my two mom donkeys. That's like I can think of a joke too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, An ASS joke yeah, yeah, right, that's so funny. Yeah, okay, awesome. Well, that was some good news on Talk About Something Good Tuesday. I hope you have a great rest of your day, best friend.
Speaker 3:You too, chris, have a good one, bye-.
Speaker 1:Good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this?
Speaker 4:Good morning Chris Bennett, his best friend, kirk Nermy.
Speaker 1:Holy moly, talk about another blast from the past. We talked to Sandra, the Top Fander this morning and we have not had the opportunity to talk to our best friend and gritty true crime correspondent, kirk Nermy, as seen on Court TV. What has been up with you?
Speaker 4:Oh, just you know, doing my thing, doing my Court TV and working on some other projects. So yeah, nothing really new. I was here doing my push-ups and hearing about your trip to prison.
Speaker 1:Yes, Now you know a thing or two about prison. You were a criminal defense attorney and defended a lot of people in prison, most famously Jody Arias. I'm going to a men's prison. What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 4:Well, I was actually thinking, you know, because you're kind of quite the mama's boy, I thought, now that you're almost 50, you can have a chance to step out of your comfort zone, pull a prank, the ultimate prank, on your parents.
Speaker 1:Well, first, of all, before I find out what prank you're talking about, let's get back to almost 50, kirk Nermy, I'm 44. I'm a ways away from 50. Don't be lumping me into that.
Speaker 4:It's been a rough 44,. Chris, I think you're close.
Speaker 1:So you know I'm scared spitless of my parents and I care very much what they think about me. So what prank do you think I should play on them? Call them collect from prison. I wonder if I'm allowed to make any calls from prison, but that would be amazing, that would be the best.
Speaker 4:This is a collect call from the Yuma State Prison from Chris Bennett.
Speaker 1:I'll think about it. That would be a good prank.
Speaker 4:You won't do it, you don't got that gut, I won't do it.
Speaker 1:Any advice for me? Like performing for these prisoners, we're doing a free show. It was so popular that we're having two shows and I'm going to film it for a comedy special called Chris Goes to Prison a clean comedy special. What advice do you have for me?
Speaker 4:Wear pants and don't look anybody in the eye.
Speaker 1:Oh, really, I love making eye contact, but that's good, don't look anyone in the eye when I'm there. Yeah, okay, all right, there we go.
Speaker 4:Not that you want to stay there.
Speaker 1:No, I do not. I do not want to stay there. Indeed Kirk Nermy, so great hearing from you, best friend, and if you want to come to prison with me, let me know.
Speaker 4:No thanks, I'm good. I've visited enough jails and prison in my day. I'll leave that to you.
Speaker 1:Awesome, and when can we?
Speaker 4:catch you on Court TV again Thursday night at 5 o'clock. Now, on Closing Arguments with Vinnie Paul, we'll be talking about the Karen Reid trial that's catching everyone's attention across the nation.
Speaker 1:That's right, and you can follow Kirk Nermy on Facebook at Kirk's what's your True.
Speaker 4:Crime Clubhouse, nermy's True Crime Clubhouse, and Chris, if you wind up in prison, I'll pitch the story to Court TV. It could be great.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, Sounds good.
Speaker 4:Give you some TV exposure.
Speaker 1:I love it. All right, no bad press, yee-yee, yee-yee. Everyone's favorite redneck from Beaumont, texas it's Paul from Beaumont. We've been talking about it's T-10 days till I go to prison. Dude, you ought to get a prison tag. Well, last night, at a Cinco de Mayo party I was at, they had stick-on tattoos at Rocky's and I put one on my neck. So did you check?
Speaker 5:out my taco neck tattoo. You need to get loaded up with those when you go to prison.
Speaker 1:Well, you've started playing music, and would you ever go to a prison, maybe to perform for the prisoners as a volunteer thing?
Speaker 5:I mean maybe I mean, what are they going?
Speaker 1:to do. Yeah, I don't know Like they all have to be on their best behavior and it's Are they going to tell your friends I want to go see that guy.
Speaker 5:No, All their friends are with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a good point, and I'm worried that you're not going to get some of our references, but it's definitely you know what? It's definitely going to be a good story and that's why I'm doing it.
Speaker 5:Yeah, exactly, it's going to be one of those things you're going to carry with you the rest of your days.
Speaker 1:You know it, today is National Teacher Day. Paul, was there a teacher in your life that sticks out in your mind as having some of the biggest impact on you? No, no, really, you don't have one teacher. Mine was Mr Barker. He was our theater, he did the plays at Seton High School and he was also a theater teacher at ASU and he was the one that kind of helped introduce me to theater and introduced me to comedy, and he definitely had a positive impact. Coach Dixon, coach Dixon. And what did Coach Dixon do? Was he a high school coach? What was he?
Speaker 5:Yeah, he was a high school coach.
Speaker 1:And what was so great about him, Mr Barker? He basically put me on the path I'm on now as an entertainer. What did your coach do?
Speaker 5:I didn't say he was great. I said, yeah, man, he wanted me to run and do all this other stuff. He said, hey, look, man, I ain't built for that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He convinced me I was. This was back in the day.
Speaker 1:Paul, just a reminder Mother's Day is this Sunday. Do you have all your plans lined up? What are you going to do for Rhonda?
Speaker 5:Oh, we're going to go over to Jesse's Saturday. Maybe drink beer all night. Do some biscuits and pork butts. Oh, that sounds like a nice Mother's Day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, maybe smoke some cream cheese. Ooh, you going to get her a gift or no? I already did. What was it?
Speaker 5:Or are you not allowed to say it. Oh, it was all wrapped up in one for the whole month of May.
Speaker 1:Oh nice, but it was delivered and she found it right.
Speaker 5:No, no, no, no, no. And she said she got emailed something saying what it was, so I was like forget it. Here you go, you don't ruin my surprise.
Speaker 1:And what was it? Ipad, nice, good job. All right, paul, let's play a game. It seems like you're pretty good at getting gifts, but I'm going to find out if a gift is too redneck to give or if it's respectable for a Mother's Day gift edition. You ready Gas station flowers at 10 am on Mother's Day Redneck or respectable.
Speaker 5:That's you forgot about it.
Speaker 1:You forgot about it. So that's redneck. Okay, how about a homemade card with glitter, macaroni and duct tape? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah for sure that's respectable. I think my wife would love that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that, yeah, yeah, yeah. Alright, how about breakfast in bed? But it's beef jerky and a monster energy drink.
Speaker 5:That's pretty redneck-y there, rhonda wouldn't want that?
Speaker 1:I don't think. So. How about a Mother's Day Facebook post instead of a phone call? That's good, that's good. What are you talking about? My mom would be upset if I didn't call her on Mother's Day. I was like, well, didn't you check your Facebook? I tagged you.
Speaker 5:Yeah, everybody's on Facebook so there you go. You know what you just didn't tell her? You told the whole world. You told everybody on Facebook to think about mama.
Speaker 1:How about a gift card to the feed store?
Speaker 5:I mean, like man, that's a double-edged sword there. I mean, there's horses involved, so that might be a good one that might be a good one.
Speaker 1:And last one, writing a country song about her and performing it at karaoke. Yeah, that'd be a good one. That's redneck and respectable, right? Yeah, that's great. Depends on what you wrote. All right, that was Redneck or Respectable. Mother's Day Edition this is a special bonus segment, just for the podcast with Paul from Boma. I am officiating my daughter's wedding at the end of the month and I am a big crier and I'm worried that I'm going to be bubbling, a blubbering fool, through the whole thing. So, paul, I want to play a game where I kind of try to do the first part of the ceremony with crying and then you have 30 seconds to try and make me cry, and if you do it, you win, and if I don't cry, I win. Sound good, okay, all right, here we go. Ladies and gentlemen, we're here today for the union of two beautiful, beautiful souls Madison Bennett and Beckett Ricks. All right, I didn't cry. That was a good start. You almost You're fixing to.
Speaker 5:You're fixing to. You're fixing to. Because you know, just picture your daughter there in a white dress, holding this guy's hands, and you're looking at both of them and you know, and you're literally giving your daughter to another guy, and for life, for life. Okay, you win, you win.
Speaker 1:Gotcha, that was try to make Chris cry. It is now time for. Are you Smarter Than a Redneck? Today, paul, it is National Concert Day.
Speaker 5:What's the best concert you've ever been to? Man, it'd probably be. I don't know. If it would not have been Christmas, it'd have been Sarah Evans, but probably Van Halen in 1984.
Speaker 1:Holy moly. So for National Concert Day, let's do some music. Trivia country theme Sounds good. Yeah, all right. Willie Nelson wrote On the Road, again on his forearm, a hamburger wrapper, toilet paper or a barf bag. Chris, I'm going to guess. Barf bag. There we go. Yes, it is barf bag. Who originally recorded Garth Brooks' 1991 hit the rolls? Was it kenny rogers, dwight yocum, tanya tucker or reba mcintyre? Chris, I'm gonna guess it. I could see reba rocking the thunder rolls. Nope, it's not reba. It's either tanya tucker, dwight yocum or kenny rogers. Kenny rogers, is it kenny rogers? No, it's not dwight yocum. Tanya tucker, there we go. Or Kenny Rogers. Kenny Rogers, is it Kenny Rogers? No, it's not. Dwight Yoakam. Tanya Tucker, there we go. All right, I'm up 1-0,. But this last question is worth a million points. Pick a number from 14 to 20. 15. 18. Uh-huh.
Speaker 5:No, no, yeah, yeah, okay, okay, okay, 18. 18. Yeah, because that's when your daughter was, like, legally able to say I get married at 12.
Speaker 1:Paul's trying to make me cry. All right, which singer was only 4'11"? Was it George Jones? Paul, you don't even want to listen to the multiple choice. Little Jimmy Dickens, little Jimmy Dickens, holy moly. How did you know that? Because he's little man, jimmy Dickens, was Holy moly. How did you know that? Because he's little man, jimmy Dickens, was 4'11" and Paul from Beaumont is smarter than a very handsome radio DJ. Thanks for having fun with us this morning, paul, and we'll talk to you later All right, dj, you go home and think about this wedding all day.
Speaker 1:All right, buddy, talk to you later. Bye, bye-bye.
