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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
Everyone's Best Friend: Chris Bennett Turns 45 with Calls from His Favorite People
Birthdays have a way of bringing out the best in people, and that's exactly what happened when Chris Bennett celebrated turning 45 on this special edition of the Morning Brew. Between calls from his collection of self-proclaimed "best friends" and sharing stories of remarkable generosity, this episode delivers equal parts laughter and heartwarming moments.
The show kicks off with a "Talk About Something Good Tuesday" segment featuring the inspiring story of Korean House restaurant in Austin. This extraordinary establishment opens its doors monthly to serve completely free meals to anyone who walks in - from unhoused neighbors to struggling students. With over 15,000 meals served and the owners sometimes dipping into their own savings to keep the tradition alive, their simple philosophy resonates: "We're not rich, but when we share, God always provides."
Throughout the hour, Chris fields birthday calls from an eclectic group of friends, each bringing their unique brand of celebration. Kirk Nurmi, his true crime friend, offers heartfelt birthday wishes. Emmy Award-winning Producer Ryan challenges listeners with a "Who's Older?" game and shares stories from his recent Weird Al Yankovic concert experience. Dave Ramsey presents a birthday-themed "This or That" game featuring hilariously bizarre gift options. Perhaps most memorable is Paul from Beaumont, who not only shares a tale about rescuing a cat named Nubby but also manages to make Chris cry in under ten seconds with unexpectedly touching remarks.
The festivities continue with a spirited country music trivia showdown called "Are You Smarter Than a Redneck?" before wrapping up with details about the upcoming Pinedale Chuckwagon Festival. This community event featuring authentic pioneer-style cooking will benefit the local volunteer fire department while offering visitors a taste of history.
Whether you're a longtime listener or discovering the Morning Brew for the first time, this birthday episode showcases everything that makes this show special - genuine connections, community spirit, and the ability to find joy in life's everyday moments. Subscribe now and join the Morning Brew family - where every day brings something good to talk about!
From the Horn Auto Center Studios Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. It is now time for some good news on this. Talk About Something Good Tuesday. Normally this is where Janine and I would talk and exchange our good news stories, but she is not in studio this week. She will be back next week. We miss you, janine. Get back soon.
Speaker 1:But that leaves me in charge of the good news today. And our first good news story, of course, is my birthday, baby 45. Thank you so so much to everyone that wished me a happy birthday that came out to the birthday bash. I love you all and I'm so grateful to have all you in my life.
Speaker 1:And then our second good news story comes out of Austin, texas, from a restaurant called the Korean House. They have a tradition of kindness there, and on the first Wednesday of every month this Korean barbecue restaurant opens its door to feed anyone who walks in completely free. The staff volunteers their time and guests are from unhoused neighbors to struggling students, share meals at communal tables, and the owners have now served over 15,000 meals, even dipping into their own savings to keep it going. They say their faith drives them and even if they one day have to close, they'll keep feeding people until that day comes. We're not rich, says Newton. But when we share, god always provides Such a great good news story about giving back on this Taco B about something good. Tuesday, good morning, it's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this?
Speaker 2:Good morning, chris. It's your best friend, kirk Nermy oh.
Speaker 1:Kirk Nermy, my gritty true crime friend. Holy moly. What do I owe the pleasure of this wonderful call this morning?
Speaker 2:Well, I heard, a very special boy is having his birthday today.
Speaker 1:That's right. Yeah, I know you're going to say I'm turning 50.
Speaker 2:Right, I wasn't going to say that I was going to put down the gauntlet, just say happy birthday. I want to thank you for all the joy and comedy you bring down here to the Valley. You're such a light, not only to Show Lo, but down here in Phoenix and all around. Everybody that reaches out gets to hear you through Facebook Live. So I just want to say thank you and the happiest birthday to you, my friend.
Speaker 1:Oh, kirk Nermy, thank you so much, best friend. It means the world to me and I love having you as a friend. Well, kirk Nermy, thank you so much, best friend. It means the world to me and I love having you as a friend. Well, likewise my friend Anything juicy going on in the world of true crime.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not so much. You know, Lori Vallow was sentenced a couple days ago. She's got a couple more life terms.
Speaker 1:Why do they keep adding like you only have one life. Why do they do that? Why do they like?
Speaker 2:what? Well, in case something gets overturned, what have you? There's consecutive terms to just ensure she does not go anywhere.
Speaker 1:Oh good, I'm glad to hear that indeed, and I'm so glad to hear from you, best friend Kirk Nermy. I hope you have a great day. It's a national holiday, so relax.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, I'm going to go work out in your honor so I can try to get in as good a shape as you are Good luck.
Speaker 4:Love you, buddy. Bye, all right.
Speaker 1:Love you, bye, see you. Good morning, it's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this?
Speaker 4:It's producer Ryan Heck. Yeah, Happy birthday.
Speaker 1:Mr Bennett. Thank you so much, my best friend, emmy Award winning producer, ryan Payson, high School graduate now living in Wilmington. Thanks for calling.
Speaker 4:Here's a fun game for the Facebook Live to play. Oh yes, Okay, I'm ready. Who's older?
Speaker 1:Chris or Ryan. The correct answer is Ryan, right, what's that? Oh, I wasn't supposed to tell them no. How do you ruin the game immediately? Chris, I didn't know. It was a game for our listeners. I thought it was a game for me. I said for the.
Speaker 4:Facebook Live.
Speaker 1:Oh, oh, oh, my bad, my bad, All right.
Speaker 4:Guess what I? Oh, my bad, my bad, All right, Guess what. I was on a date the other night. And well, it was kind of a date because it was around one of her friends too. He was along as a third wheel.
Speaker 1:Oh no, A dude came on the date.
Speaker 4:Her gay best friend, okay okay, and he's like 25, and so he has no perspective on. You know people in their 40s and he guessed that I was in my late 30s and that she was 40. And I'm six years older than she is. That's not a good way to say it. She's lived some hard years.
Speaker 1:And you also. You went to a Weird Al concert.
Speaker 4:I went to a Weird Al concert on Friday. So much fun, chris. You would have loved it. He played all the hits. He gets dressed up in all the costumes for Amish Paradise. He dresses up like an Amish person for the song Fat. He gets a full fat suit on oh dude. He plays all his old videos and stuff on the screen behind him. It was a blast. I went with like a few friends. We all had a good time.
Speaker 1:Heck, yeah, sweet, you want to play a game this morning?
Speaker 4:Yeah, what game you have for me today. Since I went to Weird Al Yankovic on Friday, I have the Weird Al game. Oh, so, these are groups of three songs. One of them is a fake Weird Al song and you have to guess which one is the fake. Okay, I love it, let's go Okay. Which one is the fake? Okay, I love it, let's go Okay. So, first one Like a Surgeon, which is a parody of Like a Virgin Yep, I know that. One. Oops, I Shaved it Again, which is a parody of Oops, I Did it Again, okay. Or Party in the CIA, which is Miley Cyrus'. Party in the USA, parody. Yeah.
Speaker 1:One of my favorites. I know it's not like a surgeon. I remember that one. Oops, I shaved it again. I haven't heard that one. And I haven't heard Party in the CIA either. So I'm just going to take a stab in the dark and since it's my birthday and Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA is one of my favorites, I'm going to say Party in the CIA is the fake one. Bam, oh, gosh, dang it.
Speaker 4:Oops, I shaved it again.
Speaker 1:Oh, you got me. Ryan, thanks so much for calling in and playing a game with me on my birthday. I appreciate your friendship and you're amazing. I hope you have a great day. Love you too, buddy. You have a my birthday. I appreciate your friendship and you're amazing.
Speaker 4:I hope you have a great day. Love you too, buddy. You have a great birthday. All right, say goodbye to Sholo. Bye, sholo. Bye, white Mountains. Love you all, woo.
Speaker 1:Good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this Boo? Oh, it is Dave Ramsey. Boo, or cool. How are you doing on my birthday, best friend?
Speaker 4:Fine, how are you doing?
Speaker 1:I'm doing great. Do you want to play a little special boo or cool for my birthday? That's cool. Heck, yeah, you know it is. Were you calling to get sappy and tell me happy birthday? Yeah, oh, heck, yeah, I want to. I've never heard you get sappy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I thought to I've never heard you get sappy yeah.
Speaker 4:I thought you were good. You know me.
Speaker 1:I don't say a heck of a lot, right? You just say happy birthday Pretty much, and that's sappy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, and I'll take you to lunch if you got time.
Speaker 1:Oh, awesome, okay, best friend. Well, let's play instead of boot or cool. We're going to do a special birthday gift edition, this or that for this or that Tuesday. I'm going to give you two possible birthday gifts and you tell me which one you would take, and you have to take one, okay, okay, all right. A used foot spa or a singing toilet paper roll holder.
Speaker 3:Toilet paper roll holder.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that would be great. And then when the batteries run out, it doesn't sing anymore. Mystery meat Personalized underwear with your boss's face on it, or a full-size cardboard cutout of Nicolas Cage Full-size cutout. And last one, a birthday cake made entirely of spam, or a pinata filled with kale.
Speaker 2:Filled with what.
Speaker 1:Kale, like that weird-looking lettuce stuff.
Speaker 2:It's gross, I'll take the first option.
Speaker 1:Spam oh, there's gross. I think the first option Spam. Oh, there we go. That was this or that weird gift birthday edition with Dave Ramsey from Show Low. Dave, thanks so much for being my best friend and I appreciate you calling in and wishing me a happy birthday.
Speaker 4:Anytime buddy.
Speaker 3:Woo, and that's my blonde, because Paul from Beaumont said so. Yee-yee.
Speaker 1:Yee-yee, holy moly. It's everyone's favorite redneck from Beaumont Texas, paul from Beaumont buddy. Hey, thanks so much for having your friend Jake Bush give us a call yesterday. We love playing his new song Hole in the Wall and hearing about his new album coming out in August.
Speaker 3:Oh, absolutely, man. That was a good song, man, I didn't realize. George Strait and his boy wrote Britain.
Speaker 1:I had no idea. That was really really, really, really cool. So what's up with you?
Speaker 3:Dude, you know, we got these cats outside. One of them had kittens, uh-huh, and it started letting me pick it up when we feed it and stuff. Well, it took off. It rained real bad it took off. It came back. It looked like something, pretty much just skinned its tail, like ate its tail off. I mean the skin and stuff, no fur. It was gnarly looking. Well, rhonda was like well, I'm bringing it to the vet, okay, whatever. So now we're going to have an inside cat named Nubby, because I had to amputate his tail.
Speaker 1:Oh well, I'm glad you're taking, he's getting a home.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, I guess.
Speaker 1:Oh goodness gracious. Hey, it is my birthday. You know, I've been pretty emotional because I'm just. I get so grateful when people show me love and show me support and I have so many great friends. And so how about today? We play a game. Paul tries to make Chris cry, coming up next, one of Paul's most favorite pastimes is watching me get emotional and watching me cry, and he loves trying to make me cry. But I've gotten pretty tough lately, right?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you're starting to get a little manly.
Speaker 1:Well, I have been pretty emotional the past couple of days. It is my birthday, so I'm very happy. You think you can make me cry today In 60, 30, or 15 seconds. What challenge do you want?
Speaker 3:I'm thinking I could probably do it in 30 today.
Speaker 1:Okay, 30?. All right, here we go. Three, two, one.
Speaker 3:Okay, man, chris. Look, dude, these last few years I've known you've what five years it's been five birthdays, dude. So much has changed in your life, man. The comedy shows the people who just came out in groves to support you. Dude, your daughter, she got married. I was surprised you ain't got a phone call from your daughter. You know that didn't sound a lot of favor away to you.
Speaker 1:It took you 10 seconds, buddy Gotcha. Way to go, Paul. How about we come back and find out if I'm smarter than a redneck on my birthday?
Speaker 3:Well, you're definitely not manlier than a redneck, so let's try it. Well, you're definitely not manly in a redneck.
Speaker 1:So let's try it. It is now time for. Are you Smarter Than a Redneck? Today, paul, I have been getting my butt kicked in country music trivia against you, so I thought, since it's my birthday, I'd see if I could change my luck. These are multiple choice. If you know the answer, say your buzzer. Are you ready?
Speaker 3:Yeah, OK, let's do it.
Speaker 1:What is the name of Waylon Jennings' 1996 autobiography? Is it Waylon, never Look at the Empty Seats, outlaw Days, or it's a Long Story? Chris Paul, I'm going to say Waylon, yes, all right. Ding, ding, ding, I'm up 1-0. First one to three wins. Which actress did Kenny Chesney marry in 2005? Paul, paul go ahead, Paul Gosh. He's crazy, Renee.
Speaker 3:Zellweger.
Speaker 1:Zellweger yep, yep, renee. And that marriage did not last long. They got married after only five months. All right, next one, carrie Underwood, got her start on which reality TV show, paul Paul Paul.
Speaker 3:Oh God, I know which one it is. Dang, it's not the voice, it's the other one.
Speaker 1:Chris, chris, american Idol, boom, I'm one correct answer. Away from being smarter than a redneck, what did Garth Brooks offer to donate to fellow country music artist Chris LeDoux? Was it his liver? His tour bus, paul, a liver. Was it his liver? Yes, holy moly, we are going into the last question. We're tied at two apiece, right, yeah, yeah, all right. The next correct answer is the winner. We are going into the last question. We're tied at two apiece, right, yeah, yeah, all right. The next correct answer is the winner. Here we go. In which song does Hank Williams sing? I got a hot rod Ford and a $2 bill. Is it Honky Tonk Blues Set in the Woods, paul, hey, good looking, hey, good looking. Oh my gosh, he doesn't show me any mercy on my birthday. He is smarter than a very handsome radio DJ. Paul, thank you so much for being part of the Morning Brew, for being my friend and calling in today. We love you.
Speaker 3:I love it. Man. Happy birthday. I hope you have a great day. I hope your kids call you. Wish you a happy birthday your new son-in-law that you gave your daughter away to, and hell, maybe even the college professors that your other daughter's fixing to be going to college at.
Speaker 1:Thank you, buddy, I love it. Drive safe. We'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye-bye, bye, good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? Good morning?
Speaker 5:Champion, chris Bennett, and something good to talk about today it's your birthday.
Speaker 1:That's right. Thank you so much, brian. I appreciate it. You've been a big part of my life. We filmed my comedy special at the Pinedale Community Center and you and your wife always help me out with my shows and help me with curtains and things like that. So thank you so much to you and your wife for being my best friend. And, speaking of Pinedale, what's going on this Saturday?
Speaker 5:Oh, we got a chuckwagon festival going on on Saturday.
Speaker 1:Heck, yeah, what's that?
Speaker 5:We're bringing chuckwagons in and they all cook their finest cuisine and we sell it to the public.
Speaker 1:And for those that don't know what chuckwagons are, those are basically the wagons that they would carry on the prairie and then there would be a cook within and the cook would cook with Dutch ovens, yes, and so it's a real throwback to the pioneer days and the food is amazing, it's awesome. And all the carts, all the what are they called the chuckwagons?
Speaker 5:The chuckwagons yeah like everyone.
Speaker 1:They kind of dress up in that era and it kind of like has a little theme going on. It feels like you've traveled back in time. Yeah time machine yeah, time machine and you basically walk around all the chuckwagons and they all have different food and there's like beef and a bunch of different options, right yeah, a bunch of different cuisines.
Speaker 5:They got a lot of beef on the plates this year. We need a lot of people to show up to eat it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the most food you've had in a while, so they need people to show up and eat it. Tickets for the food is $20 and the proceeds goes to benefit the Pinedale Volunteer Fire Department, helping them with life-saving equipment to help people in their community. And you also have pies for Pinedale going on at the same time inside the community center where I shot my special. And tell us a little bit about the pie sale.
Speaker 5:Okay, the pies go on sale at 10 o'clock, same time as the tickets go on sale. For the truck wagon. It's served at noon time. The pies you can eat any time after you buy it and they do have a refrigerator there so you can keep them in there until you're ready to go home if you need to. The proceeds go to that for our library and our Pinedale Heritage Group, which keeps the building up in the grounds and maintenance.
Speaker 1:And so you recommend people start arriving around 10?.
Speaker 5:Yes, no later, because they'll run out of tickets if we get our crowds.
Speaker 1:Right, and then where do people park? And don't you have hay rides or something? Yep.
Speaker 5:They'll have a parking lot assigned as you come in. They have hay rides down to the event and back to the parking lot after the event. Down to the event and back to the parking lot after the event and people you need. We're going to have two tickets. When you buy your tickets, one is you vote on the most authentic wagon there so you get to participate in it.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Everyone mark your calendars. It's this Saturday, starting at 10 am. It's the Pinedale Chuckwagon Festival and Pie Sale.
