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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
Fire Safety, Newsroom Drama & Are You Smarter Than a Redneck?
Today’s Morning Brew with Chris Bennett & Best Friends covers everything from fire safety to famous newsroom drama—with plenty of laughs in between.
We kick things off with a Fire Marshal Minute from JD Pepper of the Timber Mesa Fire Department, sharing important winter reminders like getting your chimney swept before using your fireplace, checking smoke alarms, and staying safe during the colder months.
Then we check in with our best friend Jineane Ford, longtime Valley news anchor, who celebrates Bobblehead Day by calling out a national news person she was not a big fan of. Jineane shares behind-the-scenes newsroom stories and doesn’t hold back, also weighing in on what another famous news person was a jerk, giving us a rare insider look at national news culture.
That leads into Am I the Jerk Court, where Jineane helps rule on a listener situation. Chris follows with a Country News Minute, covering the headline-making divorce of Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman.
We wrap things up with everyone’s favorite redneck, Paul from Beaumont, for a round of Are You Smarter Than a Redneck?
Fire safety, famous jerks, country news, and trivia—just another day on The Morning Brew.
From the Horn Auto Center Studios, Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. Good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? Hey Chris, good morning. It's JD. JD Pepper, our Fire Marshal with the Timber Mesa Fire Department. Do you have a uh uh a Timber uh Mesa Fire Marshal minute this morning?
SPEAKER_03:You bet I do. Who what you got? Hey guys out hey guys out there, look uh we got some snow coming in, hopefully today. I don't know what the chances are I think it's saying like 40%, maybe a little bit better, and even better tomorrow. And I see the snow plows out here on uh US 60, so somebody's planning. So that's good news for our area. Um listen, let's watch those heaters in your homes, okay? Your fireplaces. There's still time to get them swept. This snowstorm isn't gonna keep the chimney sweeps from coming out and getting that work done. We've already had a fire this week, uh, probably because of some of that, some of that stuff involving the chimneys. So let's let's let's get those taken care of. We've been doing really good. Look, everybody's been been really cooperating in in in helping me with the safety of of our area out here. So let's let's get that done. Check your smoke alarm batteries and if you have a live Christmas tree in your house, let's uh let's start thinking about getting it out, right? Uh, because the weather's gonna turn, we're not gonna feel like getting out there in the snow and taking it somewhere, but uh call up your local town, your city, or your green waste and let's let's get it out of the house. So those things are those things are literally bombs when they catch on fire inside a house. So that's all. I just want to wish everybody a happy 2026. Let's make this a great year. Let's be safe. If you have any questions on fire protection needs or anything like that, fire prevention, give me a call. What's your number, best friend? It is 928-537-5100, extension 111, and I'll get you right to me.
SPEAKER_01:All right, everyone. Let's do our part to be fire safe. Uh, keep ourselves safe and also keep uh our Timber Mesa Fire Department safe and bored this 2026.
SPEAKER_03:That's right, buddy. Heck yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Well, thank you so much, JD Pepper. We appreciate your fire marshal minute and everything you and the Timber Mesa Fire Department do for our community. Have a great day, best friend.
SPEAKER_03:Thank you guys. Have a good one.
SPEAKER_01:Janine, you there? Yes, I am. Heck yeah, good morning, best friend. On this hump day morning. It's uh also I'm not gonna take it today. Uh I'm not gonna take it anymore day, and Harlem Globetrotters Day and Bobblehead Day. Bobblehead Day.
SPEAKER_00:And just uh just in time on Bobblehead Day, guess whose birthday? It's Katie Kirk's birthday, the ultimate bobblehead. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Oh Katie, she was on the uh she was the big, big news anchor for NBC. Are you not a fan of Katie Kirk?
SPEAKER_00:Um, it's let's just say when we were anchors, because we were with NBC too, and we were news anchors in Phoenix, and we would fly in to do these promos. Certain people were so nice, like Tom Brokaw, uh Ann Lanker. I mean, all these people were so nice. Um great, great, great people. And then you had Katie Courick just that could not be bothered with us. We were a huge annoyance for her, and so she yeah, she wasn't real nice.
SPEAKER_01:Well, she was a joke.
SPEAKER_00:But Matt Lauer was worse. He was oh slimy, felt slimy. Really? I wasn't surprised at all when he went down with his troubles because he felt really slimy. I won't go into it, but yeah, slimy. And and she she was just, she just it's just when they get really, really, their heads get so big, it's so sad when they get it.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it's weird because a news anchor, I mean, obviously they have the best job in being a news anchor, but it feels like it's really a lot of luck to get to that level.
SPEAKER_00:And you need to feel like you're really blessed to be able to do this job, you know. And they but then when they get, you know, what's that old term? Hoist by your own petard. They're very they're very they get very, you know, full of themselves, and yeah, it's it's sad.
SPEAKER_01:I learned a new phrase, hoist by my own avtard.
SPEAKER_00:Petard.
SPEAKER_01:Hoist by your own patard. Oh, interesting.
SPEAKER_00:Your your you your energy, you do that a lot. Your energy, you get hoist up and hyper over your own. Yeah. Just doing it all to yourself, Chris. Yeah. We love it. We love it.
SPEAKER_01:Well, sweet. We had some juicy uh what are the behind-the-scenes news gossip.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, bobblehead day, baby.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Bobblehead day. Well, we know that uh Katie Couric is the jerk. Uh, but when when we come back, do you want to do a little Am I the Jerk Court?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, while we're on this trend, let's do that. I like it.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome. All right, it's now time for Am I the Jerk Court, the honorable Janine Ford presides. Uh, Janine, I'm gonna go ahead and uh read the story, and then uh when we come back, we'll get your ruling. You ready? I am ready. All right, here's the deal. I'm a 25-year-old woman, and over the holidays I went to medieval times with a group of friends. You know, that's like the Renaissance thing. Oh, yeah. We were really excited. We dressed up, got into it, and were cheering like crazy for our knight in shining armor. We were a little late, so we were seated toward the back, but everyone around us was cheering too. Part way through the show, a large family with a bunch of small kids came in and sat near us. When the knight started jousting, we were yelling and acting like our knight's biggest fan. That's when a kid started tugging on my arm and yelling, Can you stop screaming? The mom apologized and moved the kid, but the kid kept yelling at me to be quiet. I felt bad, so he stopped cheering for a bit. But even when I was quiet, the kid kept screaming at me. At that point, I gave up and started cheering again, louder than before, and just ignored the kids. Some of my friends say I was wrong. Others say the parents should have taken the kid out. So I ask you, am I the jerk?
SPEAKER_00:Well, and I you know what, I've been to these tournaments, and that's where you do yell. Yes. And I think the mom and the little boy, they he she needs to tell her son, her son might be might be like me with mesophonia. I can't stand screaming really loud in my ears. I get that. But maybe she needs to give him some little earmuffs or headphones or something if he's a little, you know, has a little issue with that. It's kind of turnaround. It's kind of funny. We all get annoyed by really loud screaming kids, and this time the adult is the is the is being, you know. But that's a place where everybody screams and cheers for the jousty. That's what makes it a fun, exciting event. So the little boy needs to know hey, this is where you scream hunt. Go ahead and scream as loud as you can. Scream louder than her. Right. And then you'll enjoy yourself. Let's just all scream.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:No.
SPEAKER_01:I know.
SPEAKER_00:That's why not ever going. No.
SPEAKER_01:So the mom is the jerk in this case. And it reminds me, Janine, we have the Arizona Renaissance Festival that's starting the end of this month. You and I should be getting tickets next week to give away on air. Oh, fun. And the jousting, that is my favorite part because you get to go over the top and yell at the other night that's not your night, and you cheer for your night, and it's just fun. Rip his head off. Rip his head off. And that's the best part of the jousting. So if you're not allowed to scream or yell, then you're taking the fun out of it.
SPEAKER_00:That's the one place you can do that. Yeah. Perfect. So she's not a jerk.
SPEAKER_01:You are not the jerk. Janine Ford has ruled in the case of Am I the Jerk for ignoring a child, for asking me to be quiet. Janine says, huzzah! No, you are not the jerk.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome. Well, we love you, Janine. You are the best, and we'll talk to you tomorrow.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, Chris. Have a good one. Bye-bye.
SPEAKER_01:Bye. That was me, Keith Urban, with long hot summer on Q Country 92.5. Back to you, Chris. That's right, Keith Urban. Thank you so much. It's actually time for a country news minute, and today it's covering Keith Urban. That's right. Uh big update on Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. You know they had been uh filed for divorce and going through it. Well, they are now officially divorced. That's right. A judge in Nashville finalized a spit, a spit, the split, ending their 19-year uh marriage. Nicole filed back in September, and the couple uh cited irreconciled differences, and court documents show they already agreed on asset division and custody of their two teenage daughters. Their primary home will be with Nicole and uh no child or spousal support involved, and both will continue living in Nashville. What grabbed headlines was early on there was talk of a uh drug clause, uh rumored part of the prenup that allegedly would have paid Keith Urban for every year he stayed sober during their marriage. And that clause has been widely reported he would have made millions of dollars. But now that the divorce is finalized, it does not appear that it's in any official court documents, meaning it probably wasn't real after all. Don't believe everything you read in the news. Despite the split, the settlement appears amicable, private, and respectful, bringing a quiet close to one of country music's most high-profile marriages. I'm Chris Bennett. That was my country news minute. Woo!
SPEAKER_02:That's Bob Lord!
SPEAKER_01:Good pop Beaumont says so! Good morning, it's the morning brew with Chris. Who's this? Yee yeah! Yee yeah, everyone's favorite redneck from Beaumont, Texas. It's Paul from Beaumont. You must be out in your truck and not in the office this morning if you're giving us a call. That's right, buddy. I'm rolling down the road. Rolling down the road. Did you hear our Am I the Jerk court case about that lady that wanted to know if she was the jerk for uh not listening to a kid that asked her to not scream at uh a Renaissance jousting event? Yeah, yeah, I'm I yeah. Do you agree with Janine? Janine said she wasn't the jerk.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, no, that lady wasn't a jerk. I paid my money for my ticket. I'll cheer for who I want to cheer for. As loud as I want to cheer for. Yeah. If you don't like it, I'm sure there's other I'm sure it wasn't. Assigned seat and go find you another bench.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, or don't, if you don't like loud noises or cheering, don't go to an event where there's gonna be loud noises or cheering.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, no football games, no NASCAR, no football, no soccer, definitely no hockey. Uh yeah, yeah, nothing.
SPEAKER_01:Uh uh stay home. Just stay home. Today is also I'm not gonna take it anymore day. Uh, is there anything in 2026 that you're gonna leave behind and you're not gonna take anymore, Paul?
SPEAKER_02:I'm not gonna take with me to 2026.
SPEAKER_01:Or yeah, like is there, like, I'm not gonna take people being rude to me. One of my goals is just setting a little healthier boundaries. I'm not gonna let people be disrespectful to me.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely. I'm not gonna take Kirk Nermi's tidy mouth no more.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Kirk Nermey, uh, he's on our Facebook Live all the time. He calls in. He loves to poke and prod, you, and so you're not gonna take it anymore this year.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, if you're gonna poke and prod, dude, at least let me be able to see what you're, you know. You know, I need to see what you're poking here.
SPEAKER_01:Don't be poking the bear, buddy. Don't be poking the bear. Uh well, Paul, today is Harlem Globetrotters Day. You ever seen a Harlem Globetrotters game?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I saw them when I was a kid when I was it wasn't the original crew, but Right.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Yeah, they're they're amazing. There's the ones I made the cartoon about. Right. It is now time for Are You Smarter Than a Redneck? Today is National Uh Harlem Globetrotters Day. So I thought we would do some Harlem Globetrotters trivia. Here we go. First question: What year were the Harlem Globetrotters founded? Was it 1919, 1926, 1935, or 1948? Chris. I'm gonna say 1948. No, it is not 1948. Paul, 1919, 1926, or 1935? When were the Harlem Globetrotters founded?
SPEAKER_02:35?
SPEAKER_01:Nope, you and I both wrong. 1926. All right, despite their name, where were the Globetrotters originally founded? Was it Harlem, New York, Chicago, Illinois, Los Angeles, California, or Atlanta, Georgia? Gosh, this is a tricky question. Paul, go ahead. I'm gonna say Chicago. Is it Chicago? He's up 1-0. Holy moly. Uh, if I get this next question wrong, it's over. If I get it right, we go into sudden, sudden death. Here we go. What color basketball do the Harlem Globetrotters famously use? Paul, go ahead. Red, white, and blue. There we go. Dude, what a trick shot. That is one smart redneck. You are smarter than a very handsome radio DJ. Thanks for having fun with us, Paul. We hope you have a great day, and uh, we'll talk to you tomorrow.
SPEAKER_02:Uh-oh, I'm on top of the bridge.
SPEAKER_01:I'm on top of the bridge. What does that mean you're on top of the bridge? Like, is the bridge going up? You'd think the re the reception would be better on top, but it's not. Oh, it's not. Well, whether you're on top of the bridge or under the bridge, you are smarter than me today. Congratulations, Paul. We love you, buddy. Drive safe. Hey, y'all have a great day, man. Stay warm. You too. Bye.
