The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett

Comedy, Fire Safety & Crime-Fighting Llamas

• Chris Bennett • Episode 204

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Today’s show is a perfect mix of tickets, laughs, community safety, and wonderfully weird news.

We kick things off by giving away six tickets to the ASU Sun Devils vs. OSU basketball game, with Virgil scoring the win in Olympic trivia. Then we’re joined by March 14 comedy headliner Eric Schwartz, who shares unforgettable “pinch-me” moments from his career and invites listeners to the big stand-up night at the Show Low Elks Lodge, with early-bird tickets available now at ChrisBennettComedy.com.

Next, Fire Marshal JD Pepper and PIO Trinity Savage from Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District introduce their new F.I.R.E. (Fire Information and Risk Education) program, bringing practical, life-saving tips straight from real emergency calls. We put that knowledge to the test with fire safety trivia, where Christopher from Show Low wins four Arizona Renaissance Festival tickets.

The fun keeps rolling with a call from Paul from Beaumont, an attempt to cast him in JD’s Western movie, a round of Are You Smarter Than a Redneck? featuring alien trivia for Extraterrestrial Culture Day, and a feel-good story about crime-fighting llamas that proves truth really is stranger than fiction.

It’s a lively blend of small-town comedy, real-world safety, and pure Morning Brew fun—the kind of episode that makes you laugh, learn something useful, and feel more connected to your community.

If you enjoyed the show, share it with a friend, grab your March 14 comedy tickets, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the laughs and local stories.

SPEAKER_03:

From the Horn Auto Center Studios, Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. Good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this?

SPEAKER_01:

Hey, good morning, my friend.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, it's Virgil the Cowboy. Are you calling to win the tickets to the uh ASU basketball game tonight against Oklahoma State?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh I'm gonna be a little too busy, but I'm not the first caller.

SPEAKER_03:

You are, yeah. You're you're the first caller to uh uh try and win those tickets. But you can't you can't use them. Okay, so how did I win these tickets? Oh, all right, here we go. We're gonna play a little game. Today is extraterrestrial culture day, so we could play a trivia game called Name That Alien. Or uh it's uh uh National Uh Home Warranty Day. You could tell me if it's covered or not, or I have Olympic trivia. Or it's National Have a Brownie Day, and we could do something around that.

SPEAKER_01:

Let's add Olympics.

SPEAKER_03:

Olympic trivia. Here we go. You gotta get two right, you win the tickets, you get two wrong, and you are gone. Here we go, Virgil. What's a surprising, uh, what surprising food have some Olympians said they eat a lot of? Is it A, pizza, B, ice cream, or C pasta? Pasta. It is pasta! Here we go. You just need one more. Alright. How fast can Olympic downhill skiers go? Is it A, 25 miles per hour, B 60 miles per hour, or C 90 plus miles per hour?

SPEAKER_01:

I used to go be a skier, so we'll go with 60.

SPEAKER_03:

60. You're slow compared to the Olympic uh downhill skiers. They go over 90, Virgil.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_03:

You got one wrong, one right. You still you're still in the running, you just need one more right. Which winter Olympic sport uses a broom? Do you need multiple choice for this? Go first. Hockey, curling, or figure skating? Which Olympic sport uses a broom? Uh the middle one. The middle one isn't curling. Congratulations, Virgil! You just won gold and you won tickets to the ASU basketball game tonight against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. What station hooked you up? Uh, 925. You know it. We are back with Eric Schwartz. He is our headliner for our big show, March 14th. Chris Bennett Comedy and Alberto's present stand-up comedy at the Solo Elks Lodge. And uh, Eric, you've been doing comedy a long time. You started out as a DJ and then uh it evolved into this awesome comedy journey. What are some of your top three uh pinch mean moments that you've experienced doing comedy?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, you know, when people see me, because they can't see me right now. Right. Right? So they they they they hear this cool voice, but what they don't know is that I'm a bald guy with glasses, so when I come to town, you're gonna be like, why is NBA Commissioner Adam Silver here in solo? Are we getting a team? So that might be their pinch me moment of like, what is going on here? But as far as me having amazing moments, uh, I did a show with Robin Williams where I crushed it in right in front of him. And so he came out after me and couldn't have been a nicer guy. He complimented me on stage. I used this like looper instrument on stage and he started playing around with it. I was like, this is my idol, like complimenting me. It was an amazing moment. Um, I got to tour like nine countries with Joe Coi, and I got to play the forum in Los Angeles and the Chase Center. So those that was just a series of pinch me moments. And uh, you know, I I I constantly am just every show is a pinch me moment because I get to do this for my job, and I'm always grateful every time I get on stage, no matter big city, small city, big stage, small stage, big crowd, small crowd. I just always have to pinch myself and remind myself that uh I'm grateful for it.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, well, I'm so excited for you to be here March 14th. Everyone, you are not going to want to miss this one. Eric Schwartz, he's gonna be here March 14th at the Elks Lodge. Show starts at 6.30. Doors, bar, and alaburto's food truck open up at 5 p.m. It is a 21 and over show. This week is early bird pricing, so you can save$5 if you get your tickets now through Valentine's Day at Chris Bennettcomedy.com. Eric, thanks so much for your time, and uh, we're looking forward to March 14th. It's on our calendars.

SPEAKER_02:

Sounds good, man. See you then.

SPEAKER_03:

I am so excited to have some friends in studio with me, so I'm not uh massive anymore. I am joined by JD Pepper, Fire Marshal with Timber Mesa Fire Department, and we have the PIO. You got what does that stand for?

SPEAKER_00:

Public Information Officer.

SPEAKER_03:

Public Information Officer with Timber Mesa Fire Department. It is Trinity Savage. The funnest game to say.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, so prevention in coordination with myself, the public information officer, we are developing a monthly topic for fire safety and education. Uh we'll have a different topic each month of the year, uh, and it will be in correlation to like what we see most often during like for fire calls and stuff. So yeah, we are super excited about it, and we will be coming in every month just to talk about talk about what topic we have.

SPEAKER_03:

So you'll be coming in uh with me and Janine each month to kind of talk about the the new topic for each month?

SPEAKER_06:

Yeah, that's correct.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh heck yeah! This is my first time finding out about it. I'm so excited. That's cool. What do we have for this month?

SPEAKER_06:

So for uh for the month of February, and the and no, like I said, I'm real original, so I came up with the program. It's called FIRE.

SPEAKER_03:

FIRE, that is original fire.

SPEAKER_06:

F.i.r.e.

SPEAKER_03:

Ooh, is it one of those things that stands for something?

SPEAKER_06:

An acronym.

SPEAKER_03:

An acronym, there we go.

SPEAKER_06:

It stands for fire information and risk education. So a lot of people think that, oh, well, you know, we're firefighters, yet and we respond to fires. That is true, but we also respond to everything that that that you can call in for. All hazards, we're in all hazards fire district. So uh, you know, we respond uh to slips, trips, and falls uh to to just an ill person. What do you think our what do you think one of our highest calls for service are for our for our our our community up here?

SPEAKER_03:

Like people like uh I would think maybe people falling. Yeah, that's our actually yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06:

That's our number two call for service. I think it's right around 12% of our calls are are for folks that have been falling in. What month do you think that is, Chris? Here we go.

SPEAKER_03:

I would say February, because we're in February.

SPEAKER_06:

No.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh gosh, so close. August. August. Oh, yeah. Okay. With a lot of slips, trips, and falls in August.

SPEAKER_06:

Uh you know, um, I'm not I Yeah, there are. But I don't know. I I think, you know, you know, it's it's really it's kind of anecdotal evidence, but I think it's just because it's uh our population increase in the summer goes from from right here in the Sholo Pine Top Lakeside, or you go from 40, 40 or a little bit uh above thousand residents that we serve um every day to over a hundred and sometimes I think that the estimate was a hundred and seventy thousand people join the w uh come and visit the White Mountains during that time. And I so I think that that's probably the big big reason there. But um Yeah, but February. So February this month, our message. Um it's it's fire and life safety messaging. Um it's a high risk month for fires. Okay. You know, due to increased use of heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves, and electrical equipment. So we want to stay alert and help protect lives' property by following these essential fire prevention tips. And we talk about this on the fire marshals minute quite a bit. Uh but keep space heaters. Now two the two important ones, and and we're gonna have this on our website, TMFMD, umbermesafire.org. You can come to our website and go into the prevention uh tab and you can bring it up, and we'll have this posted up there every month. Every month is a different uh different topic that you can talk about with your coworkers. You can, you know, hey, hey guys, um check your smoke alarms, check your smoke detectors, uh talk with your children. It's a big one, man. Two of the biggest ones here are keeping your space heaters or whatever type of heating appliance you have, at least three feet away from your bedding, your clothes, your your curtains, right? Those light, flashy fuels. That's what goes up first, right? Keep those away. And your smoke alarms. Number one biggest thing that you can do to protect your lives and property in your home, that of your family, your friends, whomever is to make sure that you have working smoke alarms. We go every year, we go to fires, and um some people don't just don't have them in their homes, right? And they're not alerted. If you are alerted and get the uh get that 911 phone call call called in as soon as possible, a lot of times we can we can get that fire out before it it damages all of your property.

SPEAKER_03:

And you guys will also go check fire uh alarms for people and help them, right? Absolutely, yeah.

SPEAKER_06:

Every every week we just call just call in 537-5100 and schedule a schedule. We'll come out. Usually right away. We'll come out and uh check your smoke alarm, change the battery out if you need to. Um if you need to see one of our fire engine companies come out and change your smoke alarm battery, they will come out as well. Oh, nice. Sans the Brookini.

SPEAKER_03:

No brochini. No brochini. We'll be in uniform. We are talking to our friends at the Timber Mesa Fire Department. We'll be back with more fun with them, JD Pepper and Trinity Savage coming up next. Good morning. You are the first caller. Who's this? Christopher. Christopher, where are you from?

SPEAKER_04:

Uh, from Sholo.

SPEAKER_03:

There you go, Christopher from Sholo. Calling to win four tickets to the Arizona Renaissance Festival. I have JD Pepper and Trinity Savage from the Timber Mesa Fire Department in. So we're gonna do some hot fire safety trivia. If you get two right, you win the tickets. You get three wrong, you're gone. Are you ready? Yes. What is the most common cause of house fires? Is it A. Lightning. B, cooking incidents, C, fireplaces, or D, space heaters. Is it space heaters? Is it space heaters, JD? No, no. All right, you got one wrong, but don't worry, you could get two more wrong. All right. Next one. How often should you test your smoke alarms? Is it A, once a year, B once a month, C every five years, or D only when the batteries die? Uh, monthly. There we go. No, Christopher Rosholo. He is one correct answer away from going to the Renaissance Festival. Here we go. What should you do first if a fire starts in a pan on the stove? And it's not too dangerous. Do you uh A, throw water on it? B, move the pan outside. C, cover it with the lid, or D, blow on it.

SPEAKER_04:

Cover it with the lid.

SPEAKER_03:

Uh, there we go. Christopher from Sholo knows his fire safety. When was the last time you tested your uh smoke alarm there, Christopher?

SPEAKER_04:

Um, I have one that's beaten at home, so that's too late, man.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, dude, let's let's get that replayed. Well, congratulations, Christopher. You're going to the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Have you ever been?

SPEAKER_04:

Uh yeah, I have.

SPEAKER_03:

What's your favorite part?

SPEAKER_04:

Um, probably I really like the bird show, and um I like the piano player. Oh.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, nice. I haven't seen that one. Dead Bob. Yeah, there's so many amazing shows. There's shows for the family. There they have mermaids there, they have a whipcracker, dude, and then they have shows that aren't family friendly. They have a big mix of it, and there's so many shows I haven't even seen all of it.

SPEAKER_06:

The jousting they start. The jousting, yeah, I would do that.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, jousting's awesome. It is so cool.

SPEAKER_06:

Throw me in a set of a suit of armor, and I will ride that horse to victory.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, well, Chris Christopher's gonna be riding that horse to victory as he just won four tickets to the Arizona Renaissance Festival. What station hooked you up?

SPEAKER_04:

Uh Q Country.

SPEAKER_03:

You know it.

SPEAKER_04:

Woo!

SPEAKER_03:

That's Bob Log! Paul Beaumont said so! Yay, yeah! Everyone's favorite redneck from Beaumont, Texas. It is Paul from Beaumont. Paul, uh, did you uh see that we had uh JD Pepper and Trinity Savage on from the Timber Mesa Fire Department? And then you uh wanted to call in?

SPEAKER_04:

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I saw that JD went to his boat, but yeah, he went he went tinkle.

SPEAKER_06:

Thanks, Paul.

SPEAKER_03:

Awesome. Anything new and uh juicy with Paul from Beaumont. This is just for podcast only, Paul.

SPEAKER_01:

So uh just just another beautiful 73 degree day, man.

SPEAKER_03:

Uh for you. Uh you know, uh one of Paul's goals, well, he wants to be uh a famous country musician. He wrote an amazing song uh called Left Behind about his experiences serving uh our country and you know overseas and then coming back. What branch? Oh, I was in the army. Oh, yeah. Iraq and uh where'd you serve? Alright. And where'd you serve?

SPEAKER_06:

Yeah, well, so it's a long story.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, it's a long story. But but you served.

SPEAKER_06:

Oh yes, I was in the army as well.

SPEAKER_03:

Yes, so uh I was army artillery. Oh, nice. Two army, but 13 hingers.

SPEAKER_06:

Yep, 13 boom boom.

SPEAKER_03:

Um, small world. You know what's interesting is uh Paul wants to be a uh an actor too. He wants to be in a western. And did you know that JD Pepper has written Westerns, been in Westerns, and he has a big Western that he wrote that is out. What's the famous actor that's in it?

SPEAKER_06:

Aaron Eckert.

SPEAKER_03:

Aaron Eckert, and it's out Devin Sawa. And you could see it anywhere we're streaming, right? What's it called?

SPEAKER_06:

Uh it's called Thieves Highway.

SPEAKER_03:

Thieves Highway. I think you would like it. I saw the preview uh Paul and it's juicy.

SPEAKER_06:

The New York Times just uh voted it one of the top five action movies of the year. No way.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I think our JD Pepper here in Sholo, you would never know that the one of the top five action movies of the year was written by JD Pepper.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Holy mo, did you know that, Trinity? You did that. Oh, but you guys just keep it, yeah, keep it under your uh fire hat.

SPEAKER_06:

I'd be called a Renaissance man.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, maybe you think about uh do you have any new movies you're thinking about that maybe we have a part for Paul in it?

SPEAKER_06:

Um yeah, if you you know uh the the Western. So if you want to come out to Arizona, there's actually a guy can get you in touch with the casting director out here that's working on some stuff out in Tombstone.

SPEAKER_03:

Ooh, Paul, how well now he's got now he's like a manager at his job, so I don't know if he's able to come. Are you able to come? I'm a manager. I'm a manager, man. Well, there we go, Paul. We are setting you up with a uh a little movie connect. So if you want to be in a uh Western, we got it set up. All right, before we let Trinity and JD Pepper leave, we are gonna find out if you two are smarter than a redneck. This is Team Effort Timber Mesa Fire Department verse Paul from Beaumont. Uh your name is your button. Do you guys uh today is uh extraterrestrial culture day? Do we want to do Alien Trivia or do we want to do name that celebrity alien trivia?

SPEAKER_06:

Oh, well. Let's just do the first one.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

Alright, here we go. First question. What year is widely linked to the first famous modern UFO sighting in the US? Paul, he's not even waiting for multiple choice.

SPEAKER_01:

I want to say it's 46.

SPEAKER_03:

Okay, here's the multiple choice. It's 1912, 1947, or 1969.

SPEAKER_06:

It's 1947.

SPEAKER_03:

1947. All right, Paul, you should wait for multiple choice, best friend. You're down 1-0. All right, here we go. Oh fire. Which place is most associated with the Roswell UFO incident? Paul, Paul. Roswell. Roswell, but what what state?

SPEAKER_05:

New Mexico.

SPEAKER_03:

New Mexico. All right, I'm gonna give it a tight at one of these. Okay. This last question will determine who the winner is. Pick a number from three to twenty, Paul. Uh uh four. Is it four? Okay. In what decade did the famous Betty and Barney Hill abduction story occur? Was it A, 1950s, JD, B, 1960s, or C 1980s? J D.

SPEAKER_06:

The 50s.

SPEAKER_03:

Is it the 50s? It is not the 50s. Paul, it's 1960s or 1980s. What?

unknown:

60s.

SPEAKER_03:

Is it 60s? He is smarter than the Timber Mesa Fire Department. You guys aren't smarter than a uh redneck today. Congratulations today, Paul. You are out of this world. Absolutely. Hey, no office time for you two. No small thing. It is talk about something good Tuesday. So I'm gonna share a little good news story with you before we leave. You guys ready?

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03:

All right, a would-be thief in England learned the hard way that crime doesn't pay. Especially when llamas are on duty. Last Monday night in England, a suspect ran into a farm while trying to escape police after a theft, but instead of getting away, he was met by an unexpected security team. Eight full-grown llamas. The animals galloped over, surrounded him in a tight circle, and let out loud warning calls that alerted the families of the farm's owner. By the time help arrived, the terrified suspect was essentially under a fluffy citizen's arrest. Police quickly took him into custody, and even better, these same llamas now work as therapy animals, helping people with mental health challenges, and their owners say the animals are calm, gentle, and clearly very protective. Uh, so today's reminder good things and sometimes justice can come from the most expected places. Even a field full of llamas. That sounds like a new crime fighting movie I want to see with crime fighting llamas. Have you ever worked with llamas in the fire field?

SPEAKER_06:

Uh no. No, but I've I've watched Ninja Turtles.

unknown:

Oh, there we go.

SPEAKER_03:

That was our good news on this talk about something good Tuesday. And our great news is uh that we had our friends from Timber Mesa Fire Department in studio today, and we're gonna have them in once a month talking about their fire program that stands for Fire Information and Risk Education. You know it. And for more information, what's your website?

SPEAKER_06:

Uh Timbermesafire.org.

SPEAKER_03:

That's right. Make sure you check those smoke alarms. And uh let's keep ourselves safe and keep the fire department as bored as possible. We appreciate everything you do for us, best friends, and thanks so much for coming into the studio.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you so much.

Contributor

Chris Bennett

Host