S2 Ep 5: Viral in a Dad Outfit With Monopoly Money | Carolina MiC

He's a tech worker from Minnesota, a Marine Corps veteran, a Camden, South Carolina native, a lifelong Carolina Panthers superfan — and, as of July 4th, 2025, one of the most infectious viral sensations in NFL history. In this episode of Bench to Bold, Marnie and Alisa sit down with Michael Malloy, known to the world as Carolina MiC, the man behind the impossible earworm "If I Had $150,000." Carolina MiC walks through the whole story: karaoke roots, the accidental outfit, the money toss, the second verse that sent everything into orbit, performing at Bank of America Stadium, getting shouted out on The Manningcast by Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, opening for Nelly, taking the stage with EDM duo Cherub — and somehow staying the same "regular dude" through all of it. He also talks about the cause closest to his heart: partnering with Cool Kids Clubhouse, a Charlotte-area nonprofit supporting kids fighting cancer and their families. One of the most genuinely joyful guests the show has ever had.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:02:03 — How It All Started
00:03:34 — The Name Behind the Legend
00:06:49 — Musical Roots
00:08:41 — Thank You for Your Service
00:13:26 — Cherub, Raleigh, and His First Green Room  EDM duo Cherub started playing his song before their tour sets
00:15:07 — Kevin Hart, Kenan Thompson & The Manningcast Shoutout  Kevin Hart gave him a hard time on air
00:15:47 — Cool Kids Clubhouse
00:23:40 — Legacy, Fatherhood & Spreading Positivity
00:24:44 — Bench to Bold — Brick Walls, Self-Talk & Keeping Going

ABOUT CAROLINA MiC:
Carolina MiC is the stage name of Michael Malloy, a 51-year-old Camden, South Carolina native, Marine Corps veteran, and self-described tech nerd currently based in Maple Grove, Minnesota. After serving four years in the Marine Corps Band, Malloy moved to Minneapolis in 1998 chasing a music career — doing karaoke, releasing original music, and building a following one song at a time. His viral breakthrough came in July 2025 when a video of him dancing to a one-verse song called "If I Had $150,000" — filmed in his driveway, in his regular clothes, tossing Monopoly money — exploded on TikTok and Instagram and crossed 3 million views. Since then, he has performed at Bank of America Stadium, appeared on ESPN's Manningcast, been featured on NFL Today with Nate Burleson, performed alongside EDM duo Cherub on their national tour, and opened for Nelly. His latest single, "Maple Sirup," is available on all streaming platforms. Follow Carolina MiC on Instagram at @carolina_mic (Carolina underscore MiC). He is currently partnering with Cool Kids Clubhouse, a nonprofit supporting children fighting cancer and their families, on a campaign to raise $150,000 — a number that means something a little more now.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenchtoBold

Follow Bench to Bold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benchtobold

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:08

Hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of Bench to Bold. I'm Marnie. And I'm Elisa. And Elisa, I mean, like I I think we I think we're on to something now.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

We're on to something.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

So yeah. Do you want to introduce our guest? Yeah. Or maybe he'll just introduce himself.

SPEAKER_00 0:28

I think we should let him introduce himself. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:30

Okay. Take it away. All right. Well, what up, party people? This is Carolina Mike, and I got a question for you. You already know what it is. If you had 150,000. Well, it all just flew like this way, but hey, there was money. I don't know if you saw it or not.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Hey, there was money. That's right. Money. Yes. Welcome, Carolina Mike. We're so excited to have you. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_03 0:58

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_00 1:00

Panthers to Wake Forest to Clemson. And we'll let you talk about this upcoming weekend here in Charlotte, North Carolina.

SPEAKER_03 1:10

Yes. Big weekend coming up. I'm super excited to see everybody at Spectrum. This will be my second time at Spectrum. I was there January 31st with the Hornets. And this weekend, Saturday, March 14th, I'll be there for the T-Row Price ACC Men's Basketball Championship Game halftime show, along with Laura Ashley, who's going to be doing speed painting at the same time.

unknown 1:39

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

That's going to be nice. Yeah. Well, I I'm sure you're going to be the main attraction, though, Carolina Mike. All right. So, like, I just want to start right off. How has Carolina Mike entered the vernacular of every almost every single person from the past six to eight months? Like, tell us everything. I want to know how it all started. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 2:06

Wow. There's a lot to tell. Um, so I'll just kind of start where things really started to kind of take off.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

And let me say before you start, I love what you have on.

SPEAKER_03 2:20

Oh, well, thank you. I appreciate it. Go Pantlers. Thank you. Yes. Um, this is this is one of my favorite zip-ups right here. You know, you'll see me in it a lot. Um so July 24th last year, um I decided to make a quick video on the way to pick up my daughter for the weekend, for the July 4th weekend. And I was wearing a certain outfit and did like a fake money toss with the with the song, the first verse of the song, right? Originally there was only one verse back in July, and it just sort of took on a life of its own from that point, so much so that people were asking for another verse, and my mentors were like, Yeah, you're gonna have to open up the session, create a second verse, and so I did, and then I added the actual monopoly money, and then it just, y'all, it just it just went.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

But did you know as you were doing it though, Carolina Mike? And I want to know, okay, Carolina Mike, how did that how did you come up with your name?

SPEAKER_03 3:34

Oh, okay. Well, the way that happened is um I originally grew up in South Carolina, and in 1998, I moved to Minneapolis, and I was already doing karaoke, you know, pre-1998. But when I got to Minnesota, you know, when I would put my name in, there'd be a lot of mics out there, you know, it's a very common name, obviously. And so I wanted to sell myself apart. And I grew up in South Carolina, so I just started writing down on the karaoke sheets Carolina Mike, so that you know they would know, you know, I would know it was me, not some other Mike. Um, that's where the name came from. And then, you know, fast forward to 2018 when I released my first song, that's what I had as my stage name.

SPEAKER_02 4:27

Fantastic. All right. So did you know when you did this video over the weekend, July 4th weekend, that you were, did you have a feeling like were you just thinking to yourself, this is something special, or is this just like something fun and silly and you liked it? So that was good enough.

SPEAKER_03 4:45

Yeah, that one, that last thing you said. Like, the there's no way I could have imagined we'd be here and I'd be like, yeah, uh Saturday I'm gonna be doing halftime, the ACC championship. Like that, no, like I had no idea. I mean, did I think the you know, the beat and the lyrics were I thought the beat was cool, I thought the lyrics were funny, I thought it jammed, I liked it. Um uh also that song came out originally, just the first verse. It came out in 2023, just and it was just one verse. And I had been making videos on TikTok, Instagram, whatever. I'd get two, three hundred views, and I'd be like, oh wow, I got 200 views. Normally it's like 10, 15, you know, just very little views. And um July 4th, 2025, I just decided to do, you know, a little dance to try and like, you know, TikTok is all driven by dances and whatnot. So I was like, I gotta have like a dance. And so I did the dance and I threw the you know, through pretending to throw the money up, and then it just took on a life of its own, as best I can tell you.

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

And well, that's great. Have you always been a Carolina Panthers fan?

SPEAKER_03 5:59

Yeah, like we I went to um Furman University uh 92 to 94, and I distinctly remember our marching band getting invited out to the groundbreaking of what was Ericsson Stadium originally. Um, so I was there for that, and then you know, I was I followed them off and on, but then um once I 98, once I moved to Minnesota, I just kind of started to cling to them a little more because you know I'm I'm quite the contrarian by nature, and so I was here in Minnesota and everyone expected me to like root for Minnesota or whatever, and I was like, well, I have a team, and so I just clung even closer to them at that point.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

So, all right, so who are your musical inspirations?

SPEAKER_03 6:49

George Clinton, like Parliament and the Funkadelic, Sly in the Family Stone, Prince, James Brown, um, Stevie Wonder. I mean, and I listened to everything growing up, you know, Madonna and you know, pet shop boys, and you know, but I I I really have a uh firm grounding in like funk and RB, and you'll hear that a lot in my songs.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Are you still doing karaoke?

SPEAKER_03 7:16

Sort of. Um, so shout out to my local spot here in uh Maplegrove, Minnesota. It's called the Lookout Bar and Grill. Also, big shout out to Kirsty Santos, who runs Off the Hook karaoke. Um, I've been going to her shows for years and years and years, and whenever I have, whenever I've asked her to play one of my original tracks, she's always been very gracious. And so, like tonight, that's where I'm going after, you know, after I'm done um chatting with y'all, I'm gonna get up and gear up and go to the lookout bar and grill and uh practice for practice my uh my five-minute show for Saturday. So I do my original stuff at karaoke, but then I'll if I have time, I'll stick around and I'll I'll do a cover song.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

How do you deal with the Minnesota winters?

SPEAKER_03 8:06

Next question. Um I I just grudged through them, drudge through, dredge through whatever you want to call it. Um can't stand it, can't stand the winters, can't stand them.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

So did a job movie there? Is that what you moved there for a job?

SPEAKER_03 8:26

No, um, when I got the Marine Corps, I just wanted to move to a bigger city, and so I moved to Minnesota, moved to Minneapolis to see what I could do. And you know, now look at us.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

I know that's right. Well, first of all, thank you for your service. Yes, yes, thank you. So not only are you an entertainer, but you're also somebody out there saving the world. So thank you, Carolina Mike. Those are uh great things. How did you get interested in music in the first place?

SPEAKER_03 8:59

I feel like it was just kind of always there. Um, I I very distinctly remember being just tiny and hearing music playing, right? Uh you know, two songs that really stick out in my mind, but like the first songs that I ever really remember hearing and loving from just a tiny age are Leo Sayer, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

And dancing about it. Yeah, yeah. You gotta keep making a talk.

SPEAKER_03 9:31

All right, anyway. Um I know.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

Well, we're all the same age, so we that's kind of the music that I remember hearing in my mom's car, as you know, going to school or after school, those songs, that song.

SPEAKER_03 9:46

That and um Marilyn McCoo. Um, I can't remember who the who the other person was on it, but it's Billy Davis.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

Say again, Billy Davis?

SPEAKER_03 9:55

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the song is a big thing. Wasn't it Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis? I think so. You don't have to be a star, baby. Like, yeah, those are the first two songs I ever really remember. Me and my show hearing. And so yeah, so at an early age, I was just listening to that and always listening to the radio. And then I always wanted to reproduce these songs. So when people would come over to the house when I was like, you know, five, six or six, seven, six, seven years old, I would um, I would just pretend to be like sing, or I would I would pretend to have a microphone and just sing for company when they come over. And um, and then you know, once I got into school, got into marching band, um, and symphonic band and you know, all that stuff. So that's that's where it all kind of came together.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

You know, I love to go to we my husband and I own a restaurant here in Charlotte. Maybe you can come sing one night for us, but I love when I when I go somewhere to listen to live music and it's a cover band or they're covering other people's music because you know it and um it, you know, it you can get into it. I'm uh I'm I'm with you. I'm I love R and B. I grew up with RB and hip hop. I grew up in you know the 80s and 90s. I was born in the 70s, early 70s. Oh yeah. I love I love music. But um, I really like when I go out and I can go somewhere and know I'm gonna hear music that I know a prince or a Michael Jackson song, and but someone else is singing it, but it's good.

SPEAKER_03 11:28

For sure, for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

What do you what does your daughter or your other children, if there are other children, think of their dad's uh success? Uh I mean, success, you've had success, but this kind of uh TikTok and entertainment success.

SPEAKER_03 11:45

Sure. Uh just just the one daughter, and you know, she she's very level-headed about it, she's very pragmatic. Um, you know, she she's very happy for me. Uh, however, she just wants Daryl Dad, right? And I totally respect that. And so I try not to barrage her, you know, hey, guess what's you know, this and that. And you know, she just wants to spend time with dad. And I'm just I'm I'm just dad. And she she definitely keeps me grounded in that aspect. So I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

Yeah, well, that is good. Well, kids will have a way of doing that also for sure. I have three, and if my if I ever got a little too big for my britches, they would definitely let me know. Hey, yeah, sorry, mom. You're not that cool. And so, okay, you're right. I'm not. Definitely I'm not that cool. But I think you are that cool, Carolina Mike. So that's something. I mean, what are the biggest things that from being having this kind of overnight success in this new universe? What are some of the things that have surprised you or maybe been fun or disappointing?

SPEAKER_03 12:57

Um, one of the first things that sticks out, um, and here's another shout out to um Cherub. Um they're they're like an um uh the word the term EDM music, you know, they're they're very electronic music. And um they I found out that that they were playing my song as they would go on stage um for their tour that they were doing here in I guess it was this past winter. And ultimately I got connected with them Jason and Jordan, and um got connected with them and they actually invited me when they came to St. Paul, they invited me to come on stage with them and perform my song with them. And that would just blew me away. It was my first time in a green room. Um, and then to top it off, after we did that show, they invited me to another show in Raleigh um a few months after or a few weeks later, um, near the end of their tour. And so I flew down to Raleigh or flew to Charlotte, drove to Raleigh, and joined them um at the uh I can't remember the the venue, but I was able to perform with them. And it's it's amazing to you know have that experience of performing with a touring band. And and they just they really embraced me again. Shout out to Cherub. Um, it was awesome. So that that was super cool. And then, you know, the first time I ever set foot in Bank of America Stadium, I got to perform. I mean, that was, you know.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:43

It was and my daughter's first NFL game, and she's on the field watching her dad perform. So, you know, that was super cool. Um, and then it just kind of like every iteration is just like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

Um and you had Kevin Hart mention you and his butt and Wake Forest. I mean, that's huge.

SPEAKER_03 15:07

Yeah, he he was kind of he was kind of giving me the business a little bit, kind of making fun, but you know what? I'll take it.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

I I I I took it as a brain house.

SPEAKER_03 15:18

Right, right. Right and and he and Keenan were singing the hook at the end, so I'm like, hey, I'll take it. Uh yeah shout out to Kevin Hart, Keenan Thompson, appreciate you guys.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

So also, we know that you're very philanthropically minded. So, where did that passion come from to make a difference and to give back? And can you share with everybody what really does excite you about making a difference and what charities you love to participate in?

SPEAKER_03 15:47

Fair enough. Um, well, you know, at this point, I feel like I've been so blessed, just generally speaking, and really blessed with all the things that have happened with this um newfound light that's been shining on my music. Um, I I got reached out to by Cool Kids Clubhouse, Corey. Shout out to Corey at Cool Kids Clubhouse, and he sort of you know talked to me about what they do, and they do a pretty cool thing. They they they help the families of kids that are fighting cancer and and the kids themselves. So they help provide like retreats for the parents, um, things for the siblings, outings for the teens, um, celebrations when they reach milestones. And they reached out and they had a campaign that was uh aptly named with the run it up to 150,000 and it just sort of lined up. And so I thought it was a great opportunity to collaborate. And so if you check out Instagram, uh there's a link in my bio where you can go donate uh trying to get it up to 150k, but anything helps. So it's really awesome.

SPEAKER_02 16:59

That is wonderful. Well, we really appreciate you using your talents and your fame to give back because that really is something that certainly Elisa and I love making you know a difference. We're very involved in places like the Ronald McDonald House and charities that certainly um take, you know, take the time to acknowledge families and kids and things that are are meaningful. So thank you, Carolina Mike, for also doing big things. My grandfather would always say to do big things, you gotta do big things. So that's what we're definitely definitely doing. So what's on the horizon for Carolina Mike?

SPEAKER_03 17:37

Um, well, on the horizon, like I I know there hopefully there are some things in the works related to motorsports. Um, we were kind of chatting about that off camera. Um I'm I'm trying to get myself over to a Charlotte FC game. I I see y'all, I see the energy in the videos, and I'm like, I want to even if I don't perform, I just wanna, I just gotta get there and just experience that crowd.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Um let me know when you want to come and I will give you the ultimate experience. We have two tickets in the vault on the field. You just send me some dates, or I'll send you some dates because there's a million games coming up, and we literally can't go to every one of them, and you are welcome to my two tickets.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

Awesome. I'm gonna hold you to that. Thank you. You're welcome to have there's also some things that are that are coming up that I can't really talk about. As soon as I can, I will. That's the most I can say about that. Um, but then other than that, it's just you know, just just living and practicing. And um oh, writing some music, you know, I I've got a song that I've been working on here that uh I'm trying to get it to come out here, but my my daughter is gonna, she's uh co-producing it, and she has the final say, and so far there's a particular element that I'm trying to work on that she has not okayed yet. So I have to continue uh giving her drafts until she she okay it. Um and I know, right? And uh my latest release, Maple Syrup, is out there. So if you can go check it out.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

Um where do people how can they find your music or buy your music? How do they do that?

SPEAKER_03 19:37

Well, you can go to my you everywhere, every streaming platform on the face of the planet, you just check out Carolina Mike, and you can go there with Spotify, Apple Music, all of the platforms. And my Instagram is really the best place to get to everything. Carolina underscore M-I-C, like microphone.

SPEAKER_02 19:57

So, Carolina Mike, who are your favorite players on the Carolina Panthers? I see some jerseys behind you and a few photographs. So is there a Hall of Fame performance that's brewing?

SPEAKER_03 20:09

I would love to do that. Um if it happens, I will let you know. Like if it, if there's, you know, if if I get any sort of information that I'm able to share, I will let you know. There will be signs, put it that way. There will be signs.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

Right, like that's $150,000 signs. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:29

Um, but you know, if you see the Luke Keekly back here, um, I did get to meet him when I went and performed um at the Saints game November 9th. I did not know I was meeting a few well, I mean, I think we all knew he was gonna make it, but I didn't know he was gonna make it this soon to the Hall of Fame. Um, so Luke Keekly and the other posters you see back there, Jake Delome. I got to meet him on that same day. Um, shout out to Jonathan Stewart, um, Steve Smith, he's actually at the very top. I don't know if you can see that, but Steve Smith's up there. Um D'Angelo Williams. Um there's so many. There's so many, but those are some of my top ones. And you know, Bryce Young. Um yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

I think we're gonna have a good season. We had a great season last year, but I think the upcoming season with uh um some of the stuff we've seen this week and last week, it's gonna illustrate.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

Free agency has been very good for the Carolina Panthers. It has. So I think some people say, I mean, some of the experts say that they have an A plus in free agency. So if that is an indication, then uh and that they did great better than many other teams in free agency. So we're excited for the season.

SPEAKER_03 21:45

Yeah, the defense is looking stacked, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

They are yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:50

And the Hornets are doing great too. So shout out to Charlotte. That's right. You know, we got hockey over here doing well, we got Hornets. So, yeah, we're doing good here in Charlotte for almost sports saying.

SPEAKER_03 22:04

I got I gotta get myself to a hurricanes game as well.

SPEAKER_02 22:08

They're fun.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:10

They're a lot of fun. Do you still have family in South Carolina?

SPEAKER_03 22:13

Oh yeah. Lots, lots, and lots. All over the country.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

And are they calling you up now saying, hey, Carolina Mike, we need tickets? You need to hook us up. Is that happening?

SPEAKER_03 22:23

You know, they're they're being very kind. I haven't really had any of that. But um, although I I do believe my cousin, shout out to Jackie if you're watching. Uh she is hopefully gonna be able to meet up with me on Friday after I get into town. Uh, she lives in South Carolina, but she's gonna drive up to Charlotte and spend some time with her cousin. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

Well, the weather's gonna be nice this weekend in Charlotte. I don't know what it's like in Minnesota right now, but it's 86 degrees, 84 degrees probably by the time we leave today. So yeah, it's gonna be nice this weekend and cool back off again next week. So you're gonna get some nice warm weather here in Charlotte.

SPEAKER_03 23:07

The weather's just stupid here. That's what I'll just say. Because it like one day it'll be like 50, then it'll be like 30, then it'll be like it's just all over the place, you know.

SPEAKER_02 23:18

Yeah, all right. So Carolina Mike, what do you think you want your legacy in addition to being Carolina Mike? But what is your legacy? Uh, you know, being a man who served the country and obviously is a dedicated father and a good family man. So what is your legacy to others? Well, how could you share that with us?

SPEAKER_03 23:40

Uh ultimately, I I just first and foremost, I want to be known as being a solid dad. Like that's that's my whole existence. Like I, you know, if if I needed to hang all of this up just to be the best dad, then I totally would do that. You know, um, so I d I try to balance it and um so balance being a great family person and just spreading some positivity as as much as possible, right? Um I feel like we just need that a lot in today's world. And if we could spread some positivity, spread some love, spread some joy, and have some laughs, like that's I feel like that's half the battle.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

For sure. So the name of the show is Bench to Bold. So are there moments in your life? Obviously, right now I would say it's pretty bold for Carolina Mike, but have there been moments when you felt like you were benched? And what did you do to remedy that if that was the case?

SPEAKER_03 24:44

Okay. Yeah, I mean, there there are moments, I mean, you know, even with just day-to-day things that happen where you just you're trying to fix a problem, and it's like no matter what you do, you just run up against a brick wall, right? And I do a lot of positive self-talk. You know, if I run up against that brick wall, it's like, you know what? You got this, bro. Like literally, I'll just find myself just walking through the house. You got this, you got this, bro. You got you gotta have this, you gotta do this, you can do this.

SPEAKER_00 25:21

Self-fulfilling prophecies, yeah. Yeah, it's positive reinforcement.

SPEAKER_03 25:26

Yeah, otherwise I just walk around just sobbing all the time. So um, so yeah, there are times where I feel like I'm I'm benched where I I just can't get things to behave the way I need them, or you know, I can't solve a particular problem, or you know, something something breaks on the card, and you're just like, oh my gosh, like really, like right now, this is not this is not the right time. But then you just sort of continue to take a step and continue to move forward, you know, thankful and be grateful for what we do have.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

I love that positivity, and it really radiates in all of your videos and your interviews. It really, it really radiates and comes through. I think that having the positivity is something fun, and it really does make people believe that they can do it as well. And so um, thank you for sharing that message with our listeners and our viewers because being positive and grateful at the same time is kind of, I think, like the magic, the magic trick to having success. And putting in the work. Obviously, you work really hard, you're very disciplined with whatever it is that you're doing. So when you add those things in, that's when you see uh all the good stuff come to fruition.

SPEAKER_03 26:43

Fair enough. And you just gotta keep at it, you know. Like I said, when this song came out in 2023, nobody was listening to it, you know. I'd put it, I'd do all sorts of things, but you know, you just gotta keep trying until you get that perfect storm. And I, you know, I have to say, you know, there is some persistence, but there's also some luck that played into it as well.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

So how did you choose who styled you for your who styled you, Carolina Mike? And have they been coming to you saying, is that like honestly, that's a great Halloween costume, I think, like in the most positive way. Like, who doesn't want to dress up like Carolina Mike with some money and the beige shorts? I love it, and the slippers, the you know, all of it. So who styled you? How did you say this is what I'm gonna wear for this recording?

SPEAKER_03 27:32

Okay, um, well, I mean, I guess indirectly my daughter. Um, but she so here's the thing you gotta understand. And, you know, people will say it's fake, but no, this is how it really happened. Like, I woke up that morning, and I had worn those shorts with those socks, those shoes, and the black Panthers polo. I had worn that, we were going on going on our way to Valley Fair or something, right? Local amusement park. And she complimented me on it, and and I thought to myself, because I felt like I was kind of dressed, you know, kind of like a nerd, you know. I was dressed like a nerd, like a dad, like a dad nerd. And um she was like, Oh, it's kind of cool, and I was like, really? And so so then fast forward to July 20 July 4th, I put that same thing on to go pick her up, and it that's just what I had put on. Set the phone up, recorded it, and then the rest was and I I tried different outfits after that one video took off. And then I went back to the the shorts and the shoes and the black shirt, and it continued to take off. If I tried something different, it wasn't really working. Because I was trying different things after that. Like, is it you know, I was trying to figure out what it was, you know, and basically it's the outfit, the dance, the money, and the song. Um, but yeah, so I I'm I could use a stylist maybe, but you know, so if anyone wants to volunteer.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

I think it's just so authentic. And like it is like a dad, like a nerdy dad. Like that's you know, we can all relate to that. We all know what that person is. We like that. That person is safe and we like that person. So we want to cheer for that person, that nerdy dad that's just like out there doing their thing.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

I do have to tell you that my husband and I, we get your song in our head, we'll go through the house singing. He's like, damn it, I got that Carolina Mike song in my head and I can't get it out.

SPEAKER_01 29:38

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 29:39

We literally walk through our house. If I had 150,000, I mean, I think I could be a I think you're the backup singer.

SPEAKER_02 29:50

We just have to get you a tambourine.

SPEAKER_00 29:54

We get it in our head and we can't get it out. So it whatever you do, you did it well.

SPEAKER_03 29:59

Thank you. Thank you. It it just happened. I mean, I had the beat.

SPEAKER_00 30:05

It's got a great beat. It does, you know. It's very catchy. It hits just right. Thank you very much. It is.

SPEAKER_02 30:12

Yeah, it's it's very catchy and it's just so genuine and authentic. And I think that that's what people also relate to is that it doesn't look like some staged high production value uh performance. It's just there's Carolina Mike in his outfit that his daughter likes, right? And just standing there singing, serenading us, basically. And we can all relate. Like, what would we do if we had $150,000?

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Well, we can also relate because it's Monopoly money. Right. We all grew up on Monopoly. Still to this day, they've made so many renditions of Monopoly for you know, for Charlotte or for whatever. There's all kinds of different monopolies now. And you use the money, it's great.

SPEAKER_03 30:57

You know, it it's surprising that you know the Monopoly people haven't uh haven't, they've been kind of quiet.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

So I know I'm surprised.

SPEAKER_03 31:07

What's up, Monopoly?

SPEAKER_00 31:09

Hasbro Parker Brothers and Tag Monopoly. Or who makes Monopoly?

SPEAKER_02 31:13

No, I think it's um a game company, Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers or something like that.

SPEAKER_03 31:17

I feel like it was originally Parker Brothers, and and then I think I don't know if Hasbro got involved, but I know Oh, yeah, I think you're right.

SPEAKER_02 31:23

I think it is Hasbro. Yes. We'll we'll tag them. All right, so this is such a bad question, but I'm gonna uh what are you doing with the $150,000?

SPEAKER_03 31:33

What am I doing? I don't have it. So what do you mean what am I doing?

SPEAKER_02 31:35

I know, but let's but you're but you're gonna get it because you're a positive thinker and it's gonna happen. So when you get your $150,000, what are you doing with it? We know there's some charity involved, but after the charity part of it, yeah, what is happening with the $150,000?

SPEAKER_03 31:51

Yeah, let's assume, you know, uh charity and daughter's education aside, right? Let's let's get that out of here.

SPEAKER_02 31:58

Yeah, now the frivil we want to know, we want the frivolous stuff, okay?

SPEAKER_03 32:03

Well, you said that was a bad question, but I'm gonna give you a bad answer. First thing I'm gonna try and do is buy a big old yacht. But then I'm probably gonna realize that that's not quite enough to get the one that I want.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_03 32:15

Okay. Um, I'm probably gonna try and get like a really tricked-out Porsche. You're gonna realize that. I mean, I just watched the video last night that the 2026 uh Turbo S uh fully tricked out is a just under 300,000. Probably not gonna be able to get that. I mean, I might want to you know buy a football team. Definitely not gonna be enough to buy a team. So you see, you see, you see where I'm going with this. You see what I'm doing here. You see what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

Maybe we could all pitch. Maybe we can all pitch in and own a football team. Maybe there'll be one for sale soon. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 32:51

I think you're giving us the lyrics from your song, Carolina Mike. All right. So yes, I I love and that's why, you know, that that's why it was like it's not a great question, but if there are other things other than the Porsche, the yacht, the football team, okay, uh, you know, what have you been dreaming of in your, you know, in your days of standing behind the microphone?

SPEAKER_03 33:16

Well, you know, I'm supposed to stick to the script here, Marnie. I'm supposed to, I mean, I can't, you know, I gotta take all the luster off of these. I know. And this is not hard journalism. Okay, all right. I'll I'll I'll give you a nugget, fair? Because I I will tell you that when people ask that, I always go right back to I'm gonna buy a yacht, I'm gonna buy tea. Um acreage. Acreage, or at least, you know, enough space to where I can like pump up my music as loud as I want, and the thumpity thump thump is not gonna bother anybody. And I could just walk out of my backyard and look and and not see a neighbor.

SPEAKER_00 34:00

You know, they're maybe they're they're there, but they're they're far enough away that so that you can play your music loud and just have all your friends over and just have a big karaoke party.

SPEAKER_03 34:11

Get a hundred dozen blue crab and just go to town.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

Yeah, there you go. 100,000 blue crabs. That could be a new song, yes. Or part of the song. Or part of the song something.

SPEAKER_03 34:21

It's actually in the first verse, by the way. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:24

Oh, it is?

SPEAKER_03 34:25

Yeah, a hundred dozen blue crabs, yeah. The the second verse is what kind of gets a lot of the shine because it talks about the Panthers, but um, yeah. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 34:36

Well, it sounds like you know, there's a lot of great opportunity in your future, Carolina Mike. And I'm so here for it. Yes, me as well. And uh you're a really good sport too, because you know, you can, you know, hang with hang with us and and uh and so thank you for doing that. Thanks for taking time out of your schedule and uh spending some time with us on bench to bold and sharing your story, and it's really just so fun. And you know, like I said earlier, we're we're big fans of yours because taking something and turning it into something else is really a beautiful gift for everybody to to participate in. So thank you.

SPEAKER_03 35:18

You're welcome. Pleasure's all mine. Um it's it's been outstanding. Thank you so much for the invite.

SPEAKER_00 35:24

Likewise. Thanks for being on our show. Yeah, it's been fun. Yeah. So be sure to make sure that we definitely tag your um charity organization. Uh thank you. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 35:39

Thank you very much. Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 35:42

Well, thank you, Carolina Mike. All right, for bench to bold, I'm Marnie. And I'm Elisa. And uh, Mike, do you want to like sing us out? Can you do that, please?

SPEAKER_03 35:50

Well, I gotta gather some some dough here. Let's see. Okay, here we go, party people. I'm gonna say, if you had a hundred and fifty thousand. Hey, all right, y'all. Appreciate you.