Building a Business, Building a Voice: Why Waiting for Permission Keeps You Stuck

Welcome back to the ACT OUT podcast! In this episode, host Adam Tomlin sits down with entrepreneur, broadcaster, and media personality Arrington Gavin for a conversation about entrepreneurship, podcasting, radio, personal branding, and what it takes to build a platform from the ground up.

Arrington shares his journey from studying health and wellness in college to launching Rugged Evolution, a beard care company that started as a passion project and grew into a nationally distributed brand featured in major retailers and publications. What began as a personal mission to challenge outdated ideas about professionalism and appearance eventually evolved into a thriving business built on confidence, authenticity, and persistence.

Adam and Arrington dive into the realities of entrepreneurship, discussing the challenges of starting a business while still in college, learning to sell, overcoming fear of public speaking, and navigating the ups and downs of growing a brand. Arrington reflects on the lessons he learned from his entrepreneurial parents, why he believes discomfort is often a sign of growth, and how building Rugged Evolution helped prepare him for an entirely different venture: media.

The conversation also explores the creation and evolution of The Arrington Gavin Show. Inspired by a lifelong love of talk radio and conversation, Arrington built a platform that now reaches audiences through podcasting, radio, YouTube, and television. He shares how the show grew from a small passion project into a multi-platform media presence covering politics, pop culture, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and current events.

Adam and Arrington discuss the changing media landscape, the importance of creating opportunities for underrepresented voices, and why long-form conversations remain valuable in a world dominated by short-form content. Together, they unpack the role of curiosity, storytelling, and authentic communication in building an audience and creating meaningful connections.

If you've ever dreamed of starting a business, launching a podcast, building a personal brand, or turning a passion into a platform, this episode offers an inspiring look at entrepreneurship, media, and the power of betting on yourself.

Learn more about Arrington Gavin:

• The Arrington Gavin Show: https://theagshow.com/
• Follow Arrington on Instagram: @‌thearringtongavinshow
• Rugged Evolution Beard Care

Tune in every Thursday for episodes that inspire, challenge, and entertain. Whether you’re here for laughs, lived wisdom, or action steps, the ACT OUT podcast is your space to rethink growth, embrace self-awareness, and act out your passions.

Want to be a guest on the ACT OUT podcast? Send Adam Tomlin a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17697025629686282ce7409dc

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Credits:
Mural: Tara E. @‌taradiiiise and @‌tarayakisauce

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Act Out Podcast. I'm your host, Adam Tomlin. Today's guest has wanted to be in radio since he was in high school, and he's crushing it. Not only on the airwaves, but also in the podcasting world as well. Give it up for my friend Arrington Gavin, the host of The Arrington Gavin Show. Let's roll the tape.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

Growing up, I've always had a love for talk shows, talk radio, conversations, all that good stuff. So like the older I got, it was time to graduate, you know, high school. What do you want to pursue? What do you want to do for, you know, in college? I want to do do something in radio, broad, because I want to do something in radio. And, you know, visit different universities. So I'm like, okay, I guess it's gonna be uh mass communication, but I never I never knew what questions to ask. I'm like, hey, do you have a radio station? Do you have a college radio station? And few of them, you know, a lot of them that I visited had some, and but the ones that accepted me was uh which was one by the way. The way the grades were back in the day. Uh uh I went to a small school and they did not have one, so I ended up changing my major to health and wellness, which that was another passion. I'm like, okay, maybe let me pursue athletic training.

SPEAKER_03 1:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:07

Um I was into sports, um, I wanted to st I was into like staying in shape and stuff like that at the time. Right now it's just I'm not barely, you know, trying to look good in a suit. Yeah, I'm trying to look good in the suit. And so uh yeah, fast forward um pandemic year happened, and I'm, you know, I already I had graduated with a degree in health and health and wellness. I had uh uh I had worked part-time in uh in physical therapy, and I also already had started my own business. I was I actually I graduated as a business owner. I started my business. Okay. My I started working on my business plan my sophomore year in college. And then when I graduated in August of 2017, I started I launched my business, which was a uh primarily just a beard care. So I had beard oil.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

So your beard looks very ruggedly evolved.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

I try, I really do. I I started that in August of 2017. How did you get that idea? Oh, okay. So so I was uh um a private school kid for the most for the most part of my upbringing, and um the school that I attended, a local uh private school in this city, by the way. I'm not gonna shout them out, I'm not gonna because I'm what I'm gonna say is not nice, but I love them to death. I don't but uh at the time they had a no-facial hair policy and they had other, you know, strict rules. Again, private Christian school, they're they know very conservative too. So yeah. Um yeah, no facial hair policy, but you know, I was the minority in my class, so I had a bunch of my, you know, my classmates were like, look, they could go ahead and shave. My skin works different compared to that. And I'm like, it's no disrespect, but I'm like, I I I I can't do it. So uh luckily I had a dermatologist note, which I well, I had to, I I hate that I had to do it that, but I had to go get a dermatologist note, and they, you know, they were uh uh cool with me having just a little bit of stubble. Uh because if if they saw face rare, they're sending us to the nurse's office. We're doing like a dry shave. I'm like, are you kidding me? And um, so fast forward, uh fast forward, and I started growing my face rare by the way at 14. I was yeah, I was I was young. I was I was a hit puberty at light. It it it was it was but you know what? I started growing bald very early too. Same, man. Hence why the hat stays on, my friend.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

And King Griffey Jr. wore his hat back. There you go, there you go.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

Shout out to Ken Griffey, by the way, man. Um and then you uh uh uh when I graduated uh high school, man, I went to college kind of like feeling like a rubber, like, I'm gonna grow out my facial hair, I'm gonna grow up my hair because who are they to say I can't grow it out? Because what I've what I've noticed is at that period and why it was a rule, in like corporate America, because that was the message they were always pushing, is like, okay, you gotta be, you know, polishing this and that and the other in in in life and in the world. And corporate America says, okay, if they see facial hair, if you you gotta interview, oh, make sure you shave. It was always seen as unprofessionalism. And I'm I was always that kid that wanted to change the narrative, whether it was like, you know, don't judge a book by its cover kind of thing. So I grew up my facial hair, I grew up my hair that I did have back in the day. All right. And my freshman year grew it out, but not having the understanding, the understanding of beard maintenance and facial hair care maintenance. Uh I was I was still big on my appearance, but I'm like, man, this is this is not right. I started with, you know, itchy irritation. I'm like, I don't know if I'm doing it good or if it if it if it looks right. So my sophomore year, I started doing my own research and I I really I what I did, I started buying all the products thinking I knew what I was doing. Didn't still wasn't, you know, wasn't capitalizing. And I was a college kid, no job, so I'm gonna spend all my money, my you know, my weekend money when the fun happened, you know, I was spending all my money left and right, and I'm like, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna just I'm gonna create my own. And I when I have free time, I, you know, I I looked up different uh uh all the 50 essential oils. I looked up the the um uh purpose of why this is a good one, this is a good one. Um I read when it came to like hair follicles and this thing. I just did my own research and uh fast forward to that in in that sophomore year period, um I started just buying a lot of different ingredients and I will visit my folks home because I was maybe like an hour, two hours away. Weekends I'll visit them and I'll be in the kitchen making products and stuff. And so when I come back to school, I'll have extras and I have friends that was also new to the to the beer care community. And you know, I say, hey, look, having I'm not you know selling or anything, just you know, just take it. I got some extras. Receive great reviews, and I'm like, hmm, let me I'll put that on the back of my head because my parents were also entrepreneurs, and I I knew it was, I was I knew I was gonna do something entrepreneur-ish, but I just never knew what avenue was gonna lead me to. And so um, yeah, I end up uh I end up saying, you know what? I'm looking at, I'm walking around campus, I see a bunch of fellas with uh, you know, beards, mustaches, goatees, all different types of hair, uh, hair uh styles, uh facial hairstyles, that is. And um, I even one evening I was watching the Golden Globes, and I realized I'm like 90% of the male presenters all had beards. So I'm like, okay, is this a movement? Is this a trend? Anyway, I just I see they they're all rocking them, so it must be something that they're pursuing. So I reached out to my parents and I said, Look, I'm thinking I want to start uh my own business. I I really do. I think it's gonna be a beard care uh line. Um in that time I didn't even have the name. I just said it's gonna be, you know, cater to beers, you know, whether it's you know, beard oils, beard bombs, uh maybe even create a beard wash. I said, that's what I'm gonna do. And sophomore year, I'm you know, doodling. I'm I'm a note taker like crazy. I love just writing down doodling and stuff. So I'm writing down names of different uh scents and just titles, what I'm gonna call it, X, Y, and Z. And um, yeah, from from there, you know, it was it was created, rugged evolution, and it was created because you start off with something rugged, and after using our products, you see the evolvement. So our slogan is rugged is the new smooth, and then rugged evolution. So I'm like, bam, that's it. So that was my mindset, but I also had to still be a student. So I graduated. I um I launched it August of 2017. And what I mean by launch, I started to attend like local vending shows and stuff like that, just to kind of get my um get my feet wet, build up that clientele. Uh, as weird as it sounds, I hate public speaking. I'm I'm I hate I hate it when I had to take it in school. I hated it. I'm I get really nervous and anxious. So I said, well, that's my biggest strength. Let me try and get better at that. So that's what it helped me to you know uh speak with my clientele because I'm like, if I don't show confidence, how do you expect to make money, right? And uh my November of 2020 or November of 2017 launched our uh online retail store. And as of right now, we're uh we have online retail, we're in uh Walmart, Amazon, Etsy, uh uh other online retailers. We're we've uh been involved in about six local retailers in the Hampton Roads area. We're in a couple in the Raleigh Durham area. Um we're we're still growing, and we've I think in 2019, if I'm not mistaken, December 2019, we were featured in Essence Magazine, and it was a big it was we we got reached out by a publisher and they say, Hey, look, we would like to have your uh product as a part of our holiday gift guide. And I'm like, hell yeah. Because I mean, for those that don't are unaware of what Essence Magazine is, Essence Magazine really, especially in the uh black community, yeah, is like our people magazine, Times, uh you you name it, it is a it is a huge, huge, uh, uh, huge thing to be on there. And then on top of that, have you ever heard the Essence Fest in New Orleans? It's a big, huge music festival with not just music, but you know, workshops and X, Y, and Z, and it's really, really huge. So it was a big deal. And then on top of that, the front cover happened to have the former first lady, Michelle Obama. So in my mind, I'm like, they're picking this up because this was like fresh out of office, or maybe second term uh for Obama's year. So it was it was a it was a big deal. So um, you know, that all being said, we've been very fortunate. Uh rugged evolution has uh gone on for about seven years. We started off with just four products, and that was like uh four different beard bombs, uh four different oils. We now have well over a hundred items. We have uh uh face wash, body wash, soaps, candles, soy-based candles, um, over a hundred of what I mean like uh 17 different scented beard oils, beard bombs. We have so much I can't even really name it, but we've been fortunate with that. And um from there I just kind of it it it it was a start for me to invest in other stuff. Um a couple rigs for about five years, so I was in the trucking industry.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

You owned a couple of rigs? Yeah. So um Oh, I'm thinking oil rigs. What are you? No, trucks, trucks, trucks, okay, big big rigs.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

Damn, Eric. Like, where to bury the lead, man?

SPEAKER_02 9:44

I'm not saying I got a lot of money, but I know I'm no, but uh I but no, I uh I invested in other other things, and um, and so that was kind of like the business side of me. But I still out of all that I've said, because I know I've talked I've spoken a lot, man, but all that being said, I've still had the love for radio and I wanted to do it. So 2020, um I just I wanted to I started a podcast with some friends of mine. It was around like maybe I think four or five of us in total. And what we wanted to do was basically the male version of The View. In 2020, I turn on the TV, I'm like, I see the view. At the time they had a show called The Talk. And then at that time they also had something called um The Real. They had three different women panel shows, and I'm like, okay, what about the fellas? Now, whenever you see uh panel of men, we're talking about sports, and look, I love sports, don't get me wrong, but I'm like, we can talk about other things. And so that's where uh the name of our podcast was called R Smooth Club Podcast. So like the letter R Smooth Club Podcast, a show where everyday men discuss everyday topics.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

And I like that. We we did that. I had um it was myself, um, we had a panelist of different age groups and different backgrounds. So I had one one of my good buddies, he was a uh retired Navy um and he owns a fashion clothing line. So boom, uh style expert right there. We had another gentleman who was 60, I want to say 65 years old. He owned a habadashery store, a historic store out here in the in the Norfolk area. Um he was a host, and then I had a gentleman who was into culinary, he was he had like a travel agency, so he was providing all that, and he was like a certified like wine tester and everything. I mean, it was it was awesome. And then we had one comedian, we had one guy providing the laugh. So we had a variety of different uh uh uh opinions and stuff, and we just brought up you know topics, and that that podcast lasted for I would say we went by seasons. We did 10 episodes a season. I'm gonna say we we did three, and then from there we uh kind of revamped it and we changed it from like uh we revamped it to a show called In Your City. So I collabed with a friend of mine who was originally a guest who hosted a uh digital show called In Your City, and we just merged the shows together, and um we did that for maybe I'm gonna just say 18 months, because we did a little bit on radio, local radio out here, as well as um uh local cable for about seven episodes. So we we did that, and then I'm like, okay, I've done enough. I think I'm ready to do my own thing. I was always that kid that was talking still, even though we didn't talk politics, but I want to kind of throw in a little polygamy, and I just say, let me start, you know, doing my own. And I honestly I can't, I I if I I'll be lying if I tried to uh figure out when I started the Aaronton Gavin show. Um all I can say is we're at, as of right now, we're at like 592 episodes of the show. Uh it's an hour-long program, right in a solid hour. When I originally started, it was like 20, 30 minutes, maybe once a week, and then it stretched out to three days a week. We're on five nights a week, and um, it's fun. It can be exhausting, but it's a lot of fun because I I don't know if your audience can tell. I like to talk and I I I'm very opinionated, but I also enjoy having the show because it provides a platform for you know, those that have great stories that don't have the platform to share it on. Um I interview uh comedians, I interview entertainers, I interview uh pro athletes, elected officials, I talk it's politics and pop culture, but we know again we talk a little bit about everything, and um it's fun, man. It's fun.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

I know that was a lot there. I was about to say you gave me absolutely nothing to jump off. Good night, good night. One of the things that like drew me to your story before I even like had a chance to uh talk to you and realize that we're gonna vibe really well was that like that that entrepreneurial thing. I knew that you had done two different things where you know it was the the the beard care, the right development, and the podcast both. Uh one of the things that you had uh kind of said at the beginning was that both of your parents were entrepreneurs. Yes, yes. So was that something like um kind of pursuing your own thing, kind of like was that something that was kind of ingrained in you from the beginning?

SPEAKER_02 13:58

Oh, for sure, because like I mean, one of my I mean, and folks know I'm a mama's boy. My mother, she's been a real estate broker for about 30, almost 40 years. Uh my my dad, he was a um well, I'm I'm fortunate. I I would say my my my bonus dad, but he's all my my dad as well, too, because I'm uh we have a blended family. Kind of your artists can catch on. Um but my my dad is a retired firefighter, um, and he is also uh educator uh as well, and he had a a business. He had a cleaning business. Um my uh my my father, my biological father, he had a um he was a retired colonel in the army, and he also had businesses on the side as well. So that being said, I was always surrounded by like, you know, I would say I won't say hustlers, because that sounds a little more weird. I was always but no, but just entrepreneurs. Like we always knew that it's nothing wrong with having multiple strains of income. And it's and it's extremely important. I mean, I think we all could, you know, uh could agree on like you know, the pandemic year taught a lot of people just a lot of things of like, wow, I can't just be involved in this one thing. I have to do other things, and just even now, man, the prices are crazy. So it's just like, okay, I need other ways to make uh honest living. And so um, yeah, it was it was definitely in in you know, in in uh indulges me at youth. I used to always go with my mom to, you know, her real estate appointments. I was with her when she opened, she owned a candy store for five years out in Virginia Beach. And so I was with her when that opened, and I was like, I literally was like a kid in the candy store, literally, because I was eating everything. It was gourmet candy, and I was just like, and so I I I kind of watched her behind the scenes, and um, and that stuff really just it just helped me, man. I mean, my mind is literally like a radio. I'm always thinking new ideas, but I put a lot of stuff to paper because I know for sure it's like, hey, I if I if I try to pursue it now, it's like don't be crazy. Like, what about a Ferris wheel that flies?

SPEAKER_03 15:52

Yeah, you put that.

SPEAKER_02 15:54

And so I put everything to paper. Yeah. And one thing I always encourage folks is like, don't ever, if something comes up to your mind right now, put it down, but don't throw it away thinking that it's not gonna work. Just because it doesn't work now doesn't mean it's not gonna work in the next five years. Because stuff always comes up to, you know, up to date and up to speed, like, man, I I knew I thought about that for, but hey, why didn't you? So I'm always just writing some ideas and stuff. So that's kind of like how it goes for me.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

All right, man. I used to be phenomenal at ideas, man. I was I was I was I was an ideas guy, man. I thrived enthusiastic. That's what I'm talking about. But there was a problem for me between having the idea and then executing it. Yes. So you seem like somebody who knows how to execute it.

SPEAKER_02 16:39

It took, but it took, it took a lot of time for that because you make a per you you bring up a perfect point. The ideal is there, but then you got you need licenses, you need LLCs, you need trademarks, you need so there's so much in order to just I mean, uh uh to start a business before it even exists. It's like, okay, I need to do all this paperwork. And and it's a learning experience. I mean, again, my first business uh taught me a lot. Um, it's funny because the first business I felt like was a little more smoother process. Um, I have uh opened up another uh recent business last November, uh, which was a uh like a media workspace. And I'm like, hey, look, for mobile photographers, content creators, uh, you know, it for it's for those that are starting up. Yeah. So if we it's just a nice, you know, private space. And that was like so time. I'm like, oh my gosh, I gotta do this, that, that. And it was a lot. So I don't know everything. It's it's it's it's always important to be aware, ask questions, but also I want to let your audience know that don't think because all of a sudden you open a business makes you automatically rich.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

Because sure, you will be broke for at least the first two years. I just want to let you know that Step one, open up business.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

Exactly. And it doesn't you know what? And it doesn't hurt. I know a lot of folks say, I got a three-year plan, I got a five-year plan. It doesn't hurt to have a seven-year plan because you'll be surprised a lot of folks they get their big breaks at a later period. I mean, a perfect example I always bring up is um uh comedian um actress uh Leslie Jones. Leslie Jones, uh she's like the was on um, oh man, what was it? The reese, the like the Ghostbusters movie, the tall black, uh, black actress. She's always she's but she's very entertaining, but she's like she had a big break at like 47, 50 years old. And she but she was already well established. That being said, y'all, is stuff takes time and you have to be patient. You never want to rush into things because if you skip a a step, then you're gonna be like, oh man, when this in this moment when you're scrambling, you're like, well, maybe if you would have taken your time, you gotta just you gotta be careful.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

So I feel like you're calling me out.

SPEAKER_02 18:41

I'm not, I'm not calling you out.

SPEAKER_00 18:44

I'm I'm so damn impatient, man. Like the thing is, whenever I see, like whenever I'm like, you know what, this is what I want to see, and I'm like, I am not gonna stop until I am like right there. And it is.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

But you know, but but I don't blame because I'm like that too, man. I am like that. And it's up, it's you know, it's the power because I met your lovely wife, and it's like it's the power having, you know, the right partner, right, the right support system to say, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, slow down. So that how much is that gonna cost? Oh, it's not bad because we're gonna make this amount of money when we when they capitalize, right? And then it's like when the business starts, crickets, crickets, crickets, and it's been like, you know, all right, it's it's just been the first week. All right, it's just the first two months. It's good, it's good. It's been five months, it's gonna be fine. And then the year happened, oh my gosh, what's going on? So it it does take time, and and you know, you have to know, well, folks have to know too, depending on which market you're in, market and area. So like for us, we're in an area that is primarily military-driven. We have a lot of, I would say it's a variety of people that are from here. Um I I've always said, you know, uh, just the Hampton Rose area, I feel like follows other trends or other cities. So we're either following like we're either, I feel like we follow like we or we try to follow like a Charlotte or even a I'm trying to think of other cities, um, like a Greenville, South Carolina. We I we we don't quite get to like the New York side. That's a bit too up there. But even Richmond sometimes I feel like is doing a little bit better just sometimes in the I feel like in the business field, in the in the entertainment, I think they're a little more open with ideas than it takes a it takes longer.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

I mean what do you think that is? Like there's something about the Hampton Roads area, I feel like it kills me.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

Um I'm I'm trying to think of something without with being very nice.

SPEAKER_00 20:31

Without without just saying racist. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:33

I don't you know, and I but I wouldn't even I wouldn't even say that. Like it was, I mean, and that could that could definitely not saying that is not a fixture, but I mean, why isn't it that we have an area where you have Alan Irison came out of here. Yeah. Bruce Smith, who still holds the all-time sack uh record. We have Bruce Smith is from Hampton Roads? Oh, yeah. No, man, I didn't know that. We're good. He's so he's actually from Norfolk. Yes, Booker T. Washington grad. Um yeah, I I can tell you, I'm gonna tell you some great stories. Oh my goodness. So yeah, Bruce is from the area. Uh um oh my goodness. Um, the Upton brothers from baseball, uh Verlander, I believe, is out here. Uh Verlander. Oh, Mike, no, I think it's Verlander. I think he is. Uh Wright. No, right, I'm thinking of Wright. Uh, oh man, play with the Mets. I'm sorry, uh pitcher. He's retired now.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

Not Adam Wright, is it?

SPEAKER_02 21:27

Not Adam Wright. I'm blanking on his name, but we have a lot of baseball players. We have we have a lot of prompt Plasco Burris, Mike Tomlin, your brother. Um, I get it, because he's flat. No, okay. But I would tell people I was related to him, and like they wouldn't get the joke. That is hilarious. That's hilarious. Uh, but we we have a lot of prominent folk. Alonzo Morning. I mean, the list goes on and on. Why isn't that we don't have a pro team here? Not a sin, not a not a semi pro, not a semi semi pro. I'm talking about a legit pro team. So we just we have a lot. of I don't wanna I wanna s kind of say like we have a lot of corporate business owners that we have elected officials, not all not all of them, but we have some that like to abide by where the money leads them to. And they're gonna listen to what they tell I mean it's just why it why is it we we should not have to be less saying, hey look, we might have a protein. Nope, we're not not gonna happen the city doesn't win. We want to keep it more family friendly. I'm like, come on. It can still be family friendly, but make it entertaining where folks that graduate from here doesn't immediately want to move out of the area because they don't have for one job opportunity or just that form of fun. Like we got we have some we have some good local festivals, don't get me wrong, but I just think excuse me, as a whole we can do a lot better. And if I look at Richmond Richmond is just an hour away. Richmond is very much up there, but we're larger than Richmond. Yeah. And so I I just I don't know what it is, man. They they we have a lot of folks that are maybe not as uh like future minded of thinking like kind of like you and me. They're not they don't have the right ideas. See if they had a right ideas person like Adam and I then that's that that's that's tourism. There you go. Give us a call right now right now. We're waiting.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

We're waiting what was kind of interesting with you know the cities that you mentioned like uh um like Greenville uh Charlotte uh Richmond all of those except for Charlotte they don't have a sports team but what their like area does have is like a lot of culture.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

A lot of culture they they really uh they showcase a lot of the local talent I think sometimes we kind of cater too much to the corporate and the franchises rather than saying how can we continue to showcase our locals and I mean we have so many you know how many amazing musicians we have now don't get me wrong we we're all we are the area of Timberland Missy Elliott Pharrell um um I mean uh well Dave Matthews not from Hampton Rose from Virginia but I mean um that being said we just have a lot of great musicians man there's I've been to tons of just little local joints where I'm like oh my gosh why does this person that and they're just so talented and sometimes it can be you know not just to the artist but it could be you know certain business sense that it's like okay uh they're they're not grasping they need they can't just focus straight over straight here I mean like Push Your T uh said it best the the clips him and his brother they have said you know they gain more success outside of their area they gain more success like in the Philly and this and that when folks thought they were from that area not from here and I'm like why is that so you're right when it comes to culture when it comes to that local support I think we could do better. I think we you know they we do do that I don't think they don't at all but I think we can be a lot better again I'm a kid coming from Chesapeake so I'm I'm from a very very uh uh you know red leaning you know it's it's very family oriented conservative you know uh city out of the seven cities uh those that I think will be more cultural ahead and just and and when I mean by culture I don't just mean like uh mean black I mean just in general like pop culture everything Norfolk is great at it I I would say um you see Newport News building up Portsmouth is also building up uh even Hampton um but you know for Virginia Beach too Virginia Beach has a lot um of different of different uh but it's a tourist city Virginia Beach and Chesapeake both have very similar problems in that they're so damn big I mean the big the two look the two biggest cities well Virginia Beach is the number one is the largest city population wise in the state of Virginia Chesapeake is behind us and yet we still we don't have any form of entertainment venues in Chesapeake uh we don't have really a nightlife we we they've always oriented as like the family you know hey we're gonna have good and it's like I mean when I was a kid man I'm like hey when I'm hanging out with my friends I'll meet you in Norfolk or I'll meet you at Virginia Beach what about Chesapeake? Good luck I mean let me know what you find. I mean we got the movies we get that's what we got we got the movies and we got the mall that's you know still that's barely you know holding on so we we we like we have you know carnivals and you know the wine fest and stuff like that which is f fine but not everything would be outside. So we it's do you know make a long story short I think we have a lot of progress we need to do. I think they need to listen to the community at the end of the day um I I do a lot of work in the community because I have a run a nonprofit so I work a lot in like South Norfolk and just and just in general just around the city and I get to speak with uh uh folks that have lived in the area for years and that have great history when it was like hey look I remember where this where this place sat down used to be a drive-in movie theater yeah when that and I'm like really and it's just yeah I I I enjoy it because being an only child I was always like you know you know uh hugged up to my grandmother or listening you know uh uh listening to my my great uncles and it's just it's all about wisdom you learn a lot from your you know from your elders and I just sometimes I could just sit back and just like listen I'm like okay okay and and I enjoy listening to the history because it's like I love conversation and we have a lot of history uh within the area so I enjoy how have you seen uh uh seen the Hampton Roads area kind of evolve um you know like over your uh lifetime um I've seen I mean I've seen some good and bad I guess uh you know obviously the first thing I could think of is when it comes to retail we were witnessing malls close down. I mean I remember when Military Circle Mall was you know was very popular uh when I was in high school we used to always go there because the movie theater was very cheap so we used it cheap compared to like MacArthur Mall. But um I remember when that mall was it you know what was alive and well and it's now a ghost town um I remember when uh MacAthur Mall used to have an indoor like uh arcade called Jeepers and my dad used to take me to Jeepers a lot and that was like on the second floor that was fun out Jeepers food court was really good and then the movies I mean it it was it was perfect and really MacArthur Mall was the stuff that was a beautiful beautiful mall um I've seen again I've seen great great stuff I think I think for me the biggest thing that will always be a highlight was when the very first something in the water happened. Because that was like I mean that was my first music festival something in the water like I've I've only seen it just in papers. I've never Something in the water was a music festival that was uh started by Pharrell Williams Pharrell Williams is a Virginia beach native born and raised and he started uh he started a music festival and it was reported to be considered like the black coachella but it was I mean it wasn't like the black it was it was definitely a Coachella vibes but I wouldn't consider it the you know the black coachella but it was extremely extremely popular he had workshops the first year was was I mean just truly dope the ocean it was held at the oceanfront but on the water um and so the ocean front Virginia Beach Oceanfront is has a big boardwalk that is I mean goes miles and each section of the ocean front had like different things there was a workshop with like deep I can't always get his name except deep deep pot chopa and then Van Jones they were they did a they did a uh like a workshop uh sit-down convo there uh Gail King interviewed you know Pharrell took him he took him around the ocean front I mean it was beautiful we had we had um solid performers that we didn't think will ever come to Hampton Rose because of the the capacity like I mean we have the Norfolk Scope which is fairly fairly solid size and then you have the Hampton Coliseum um and then I'll I guess I'll include like the I call it this I still call it the TED Constantine it's called the Chartway Arena over at Old Dominion and um it was a big big venue and um we had performers like I mean Jay-Z surprised us I mean who thought Jay-Z came out uh um oh man it was it was a three-day thing it was a three-day festival the first day actually got rained out but the second the last two days was amazing um we even got all of our you know refunds for that one day that got rained out but I mean I we saw like over 50 performers and it was it was just great Missy Ellie performed Timberland uh I mentioned uh Jay-Z Usher Snoop Dogg um Sean Combs uh um Buster Rhymes uh you had um he's probably about to be out and like get the presidential medal of freedom for too much longer man that's that is hilarious is very true though he's definitely gonna be great man it's like let me shake your hand a little oily there wow uh very oily very oily I'm sorry I can't when I said I can't stop sorry um but it was a it was a great this is just a great time for like you know for the locals it was great for local businesses because local business was like I wish we had this every day we made so much money the hotels every everybody made a lot of money everybody was happy um initially I would say and we all kind of you know locals saw it but I think count not count some councils some locals were gonna say oh this is gonna be a a bad idea it's gonna you know cause so much crime this and the other it was the safest not a scratch because people wanted this the following two days there was some like local stuff happening and then crime happens so it's like what's going on here so it but some of the water was a music festival um he did it three times he did it once here then the following year I want to say it was the uh COVID yeah it might have been the pandemic yeah and then the year after that um uh he actually brought it to DC because there was some tension with uh council and the community that he wasn't like happy with and then also um he lost his cousin who was gunned down at the old front Donovan Lynch and who I actually knew very very well our families go way back and um he you know Pharrell was just at a bad place and he took it to um DC people people attended but it still wasn't as popular and then he brought it back to uh Virginia and this time had a two stage uh uh two stage function and it was it was great I mean you had I mean you had a loads of different performers in from hip hop rock uh in uh uh reggae I mean it was a variety of different performers and um I think my wife said like one of some of her favorite ones was like Jonas Brothers came she loves Jonas Brothers and so yeah I think she saw him like twice or something. Super wide ranging and it was and it was on the beach. It was like the stage was on the beach then it was overlooking the water and it was something in the water and it was it was very historical man.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

That I think that was for me a big a big period and I mean now we see in Hampton Roads we got casinos like the big thing um I never pissed me off man I I I love going to Harbor Park watching the tides play and every time we go I'll get like up in the upper deck because I like looking out and seeing that view of the of the ships and Elizabeth River. Say goodbye to that view. Yeah and now we got now I got Rivers casino I can look at man like I I don't want that.

SPEAKER_02 32:54

Well and I was talking with a friend of mine I've and I'm I'm I think I want to say it was either it might have been it might have been a a a guest might have been a guest that's running for office and he has shared you know it's it's said that cities have to always rely on casinos as like the big money you know generator thing. And like it's like don't get me wrong being a business owner I do want to see like certain growth and you know Rivers like uh has you know an entertainment side where you get concerts, comedians, all that great stuff but I do understand the perspective of like hey look casinos are also not that good because you have people that I mean I've been in like Rosie's which is a gaming casino. I've been in there and I've seen people looking like they're spending their last social lives of their Social Security. And it's just it does break your it does break your heart. And so I understand you know where the debate comes from should we have this should we not have this back and forth but um those where do I land on that? Yeah and I don't want to I I really don't want to I really don't want to say 50-50 because I feel like that's like sometimes cop out. Even though I like it there's a moral answer and a political answer yes yes um I say this we have if if it's if it's a matter on people getting addicted and it's not being a good example for the community I can aim way other things there. And that's and that's the that's the the only thing that I can really bring up at the at the top of the because I mean we have bars we have a ton of you know uh vape shops like a ton like looking at each other on the same street and it's there's so many other things I could think of I would say if it if money does go back into the community and it says okay look the profit that we make from here can help put up this if it's providing a lot of jobs as well um I I'm not totally against it. So in that case I'm like saying hey if the vote if they voted on it go you know go ahead but I've had the same conversation with my friends and we've had the the back and forth because I have friends and family that was like I'm not for it all it's doing it and I and I don't disagree. That's the hard part it's really like a hard side to choose. But being a business owner I can't I can't lie and say hey look bringing in more people to the area as far as just visitors because I mean where they're building the one in Norfolk is like right by the met by the Amtrak excuse me. And so you got folks coming on the Amtrak boom head there and then you said the the the baseball field harbor park where the Norfolk Tiges play at I mean it the image of it looks great. And so if that's the kind of growth they want to see in the area I'm like I'm not mad at it because you know if it's not if it's not that you know what's going to be the next big thing coming to Norfolk we're losing them all which I still can't believe we have so much stuff happening here but yeah I I I would say I'm I'm leaning more in favor of having them but I wouldn't say I'm gonna be like on the street store and saying I love this this is great this is great. I'm not like because I again I truly respect and I understand the reasons why it could be not in favor of it as well. And I and I will say this because I won't say this coming from the casinos but just in general I don't know if you notice we have a lot of luxury apartments being built. That I absolutely hate because these luxury apartments are for folks that can make they're making 200 grand plus easy on at the minimum and what it does is they're pushing folks uh pushing affordable housing away and they push them from city to city because every city is doing the same thing. So in in a sense I can't I can say well because of the start of this uh casino it can may it can maybe be a reason um I will I will also throw out there to Norfolk State University which is right across the street from me they've actually started a gaming program at their university. So again I go back to there's there's plus there's plus and there's back and forth with it. There's back and forth.

SPEAKER_00 36:49

So um I have only been to a casino one time. I went to uh Biloxi uh for a bachelor party like uh I mean back in like 2010. Did you win big no oh god no not there I had $200 to my name and I lost it in like 20 minutes.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

See and he and you know what's funny Adam I'm actually I I don't gamble either and and I and I love Las Vegas which is which is people are like wait you love you don't gamble but you you love I love Las Vegas. I love cities that never like always like like the energy? I love the energy I love the fact that I can go from place to place everything's always open there's always you know some fun happening um yeah I think I've played the slots once I put in five bucks and I won like 60 I was done I felt like a rich man right there. I'm like that's it like I'm I rarely even do the lottery like the only time I've done it is when it gets to these like crazy record prices. I'm like hey why not? I mean let me just get one but yeah I I it it's tough because I understand there's people that can't turn that off yeah and it's unfortunate because it is a it is a drug like it is a it's very addictive to you said it yourself you like you you won that just like 60 bucks or whatever and felt like you know felt like I had to cut it off I had to cut it off because for one I don't like I don't if I would have lost my five dollars I would have been pissed at all the tight so I had to just say you know what I'm I'm a winner.

SPEAKER_03 38:04

I'm a winner right here drinks on me.

SPEAKER_02 38:08

Wait how much okay let me just get uh some ice let me just get some ice wait drinks are on the house right exactly drinks on me yeah yeah yeah yeah but only every 20 minutes for some reason yeah man i've I've like I said I've been uh Caesars I've I've been a Caesars and I'm love love love Las Vegas I really I really do don't go in June I will just say that okay because it was 114 degrees and that was the first time I witnessed uh can't couldn't do it couldn't do it but it's uh I I I enjoy it now and then you and then on top of that my uh my program is actually um it airs out in a station out in Las Vegas yeah KSH KSHP so um I have great contacts and great connections now out there so my wife and I were hoping to make some plans and uh visit Vegas and meet some of the staff at the station and all that good stuff.

SPEAKER_00 38:52

So yeah so like I had you know I I lost that $200 and I like got like super drunk and like started like wandering the streets of Biloxi and bless my heart I got lost. Like all I knew was that my hotel was right next to a uh pawn shop. Okay so so if I I find the pawn shop I'm gonna be able to find the hotel.

SPEAKER_02 39:16

I feel like I'm talking to a mirror because I've had moments just like that.

SPEAKER_00 39:19

Don't judge us don't judge us I I I walk I see a pawn shop I'm like there's a nope my hotel in there. And I'll walk I see another pawn shop nope there were so many different pawn shops around and about like the fourth or the fifth one it hit me why there were so you know why are there so many pawn shops?

SPEAKER_03 39:43

Who does that? And it's the same name the same color you guys are gonna get people confused just going to let you know.

SPEAKER_00 39:50

Well it just it it bumped like it bumped out you know because then I realized like what you were saying you know like I you know the guy has the wedding band the left and he's like well I need to go pawn that real quick so I can go back to the casino that is hilarious.

SPEAKER_02 40:02

That is hilarious. Yeah man you know um we like I like I told folks it's like looking in the mirror because we I've definitely had some moments where I've lost things and I've you know after a good night of partying and uh but I mean hey it's the stories that you know you love those stories that's all that matters you're here you it's and it's a great story yeah yeah exactly so I'm I you know I'm I'm with you like morally speaking I I I I don't love it.

SPEAKER_00 40:26

Yeah and I understand but uh the like on the political side I do not believe in legislative morality it just it it's not going to pan out no no not at all if if we have things if we have the vape shops if we have the bars we have to have the casinos and that kind of goes back to the you know uh earlier we were talking about you know why is it that other cities do a lot better or would do better than than us.

SPEAKER_02 40:51

I mean again it's a you know little things like if I'm on one one street and I see four different vape shops literally looking at each other I'm like okay what's the and it just in my mind I'm like who thought this would be a smart idea to do and what's the messaging behind it now look I think the FBI had your same uh same idea and decide to raid a couple of shops yeah come on now come on it's it's oh my gosh that's that's another hilarious story right there I I actually ran into her right now did you I was at a I was at a function and she was talking about that I was kind of playing the fly on the wall like listening because she's very very bold. Senator Louis Lucas Pro Tempore who is uh uh who is a pioneer in really I want to say one of the power most powerful women in the state she's been a state senator since I want to say 91 uh was the first uh first African American woman elected as council as a councilwoman in the city of Portsmouth and now her daughter's running for re-election well she's uh running to get back on council because she ran for mayor and and law so um yeah uh she's uh Louise Lewis is is very powerful. She's also a lady who who also helped launch the uh redistricting uh thing which didn't pan out the way they wanted it to uh well it it's kind of back and forth that and that's another thing why you know why I love talking about uh politics because I feel as though that for one in with you know with me having an hour to really just vent and that's all I'm doing I always tell my audience man please take my stuff with a grain of salt don't take my stuff to the bank I'm just speaking just you know my honest opinion but I bring on experts and stuff so they can like you know expand it a little more say hey if I'm wrong correct me if I'm if I'm wrong but uh but yeah it's it's it's it's a lot happening. What was uh Senator Lucas saying when I was so when I was so I was at a forum it was a political forum uh uh somewhere in uh at the Slover and she was one of the speakers I think the the the title of it was Inside Politics and it was for local business owners to you know just be aware of like any any new ways that can help benefit them whether if it's grants or programs or just this issues in general that's coming from Washington that's affecting affecting the area. And you know it the the event was over and I was just uh you know talking with her and her daughter for a little bit and she had um she had spoken with the reporter from I believe the pilot and she was just saying how um you know this whole entire thing was was political and what I mean by that for those who haven't you know checked out on the news so her office in Portsmouth was rated by the FBI as well as that was as well as one of her businesses in the area was uh rated and um Louise Lucas was the you know her I would say her and House Speaker Don Scott was like the the leaders that started the um redistricting in Virginia now I've been very vocal on my show the Erin T Gam show by the way I just want to you know put that plug in um there'll be several plugs like there'll be several plugs okay I was gonna work it in organically man come on but um but uh she they were they were uh they have started the redistricting so we currently have a congressional maps of six uh six five six Democrats five Republicans and due to the issues happening in Washington you have an administration and a president that's reaching out to you know but specifically the rest states the states that Abraham, they're saying, look, I need more seats because I'm entitled. I'm entitled for more seats. Thank you. Thank you so much for reminding reminding me that. I'm entitled for more seats. So make it happen, basically. So Texas did it. North Carolina, uh, I believe North Carolina also started redistricting. Um Missouri, Florida's doing it now. Um, um, um, Louisiana, oh, Louisiana's doing it. And then in Alabama and Tennessee. I mean, uh first of all, F those in the Tennessee legend, because you have an 8-1 and they change it to a 9-0. Like, how like it's just anyway, with the redistricting, and and so we have a cycle. We have a census cycle. Every 10 years, the congressional maps changes. So really, our maps would change in 2030. They decided to do it mid-season here in Virginia. They decided to do uh change in maps, and Lois and Don was like, we're doing 10-1, 10-1, that's what we're gonna do. And so uh I was I was very honest on my show. For one, I hate gerrymandering in general because I feel as though it takes power out of the voters. Um, my my word of the year is transparency. You have to be transparent and honest with your voters. The reason why we continue to have a low voting turnout is because there's no trust between, you know, elect officials and the communities. Now, that's it's hard because I know great elect officials that are doing the right thing. And it's sad because you do have such things as, you know, the establishment, right? You have those that are are have their own personal agendas, and then you have those that are truly there for their community, and this is why they're in this position. Uh, because let's be honest, being a politician is not a sexy job. Like it's the worst, it's the most stressful job ever.

SPEAKER_00 45:41

I was gonna say doing the right thing is not incentive.

SPEAKER_02 45:43

It's not, it's it's not, man. It's not. And so when I heard that it was moving to a 10-1, I thought it was a bad idea. The reason why is because I thought a 10-1 was a far, it was a stretch.

SPEAKER_01 45:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 45:57

I understood, well, for one, I understood the reason to do the redistricting, for one, and I don't want to sound like I don't want to sound like a hypocrite because I've been, I want to say bashing, but I've been very critical of the Democrats, especially after the presidential election, uh saying that you have to fight firewood fire. This is a prime example of fighting firewood fire, is doing this redistricting. So when I heard 10-1, I was like, now if you would have said 8-3, maybe I would have said that's a little more, you know, you know, touchy. But like 10, 10, uh, 10-1, I thought was a bit more, it was a little too much because if you're promoting fair elections, and I'm like, well, for somebody that's not too familiar with how it goes, to them they're like, well, 6'5 is fair, and you got the majority, but I want seat.

SPEAKER_03 46:40

So you know, what are you talking about?

SPEAKER_00 46:42

So I was about to say, I'm about to be a Bill Clinton. It depends on what your definition of fair is, you know, like it's And and that's and that's the truth.

SPEAKER_02 46:50

It was very hard when that, you know, when when I knew it was gonna be a hard campaign for them, but at the end of the day, when it comes to redistricting, it's always gonna be on, okay, whoever side is in power, the opposite side is gonna have tension. Trust and believe, if it was the other way around, they would, you know, the Republicans would be like, oh, this is a great thing to do, yada, yada, yada. And so it's back and forth, back and forth. So we had to be stuck in the whole, you know, campaign of the yes, vote yes or vote no. I've I literally made a post on social media saying, hey, look, um, I feel like I'm collecting Yu-Gi-Oh cards here. I got about five, you know, and all of them, I had eight different mailers, all of them were different. I had might have like six no's and seven yeses that were in the mail.

SPEAKER_00 47:30

Yes. The area of Chesapeake, you you live in Chesapeake, right? The area that you live in, like, how did that uh how did your precinct vote um in the referendum?

SPEAKER_02 47:39

So, okay, so well, Chesapeake alone, I know as far as for the city overall, the city who I wanna say we either voted, oh man, don't get me lying.

SPEAKER_00 47:51

I'm I wanna I really wanna say Arrington is on the record here, and he is guaranteeing these numbers.

SPEAKER_02 47:57

So uh I want to say four it was like 49, no, maybe 50 yet. Like it was extremely close. It could have been backwards. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach was more in favor in uh no. Uh so I'll I'll so I'll I'll I'll just I'll just say it was 49 yes, 50 uh 50 no. I'll say it like that. And same goes for um for Virginia Beach. Now, like I said, if I if I'm wrong, I know my my buddy shout out to Dr. Eric Clavelle. He's a guy I have on my show a lot, he's a political and legal analyst. He's gonna be like, what was that other way around? But I'll just say Chesapeake and Virginia Beach was more in favor for the no. Portsmith, Norfolk, Hampton, uh uh Newport News, even Suffolk were more for for yeses. Um but yeah, Chesapeake was definitely more in favor for um for no's. And again, you know, Chesapeake, we have um uh because I'm in the second congressional district, so I have Jen Kiggins as my uh uh rep. Um I gotta take a swing after that.

SPEAKER_00 48:55

Have you met Ditto?

SPEAKER_02 48:56

Um yes, uh many times. What what do you um so in when I meet elect officials in person, I really I'm gonna be able to do that. I'm gonna question about the weather. What do you what do you I enjoy, I enjoy that, I enjoy it.

SPEAKER_03 49:07

What is it, bro?

SPEAKER_02 49:09

Um honestly, in person, she, you know, hey, she's nice to me. She's never disrespectful. I've met her twice. Uh met her the first the first time I met her was she was a state senator running for uh the second congressional district. Uh second time I met her was at a function uh not too long ago. And um, I mean, got a picture with her and everything. And and and I got some heat from some of my friends, uh, especially because I I mean I one thing being an independent, I mean, I have friends from all sides of the aisle, and I and I pre- and I love having it because like I'm more I won't say I'm easy to have the conversation, but I just I've always respect, you know, other folks' opinion and stuff. But one of my friends who was much older and wiser was like, How could you? That's very Tim Scottish. And we know we had our back and forth, and I said, look, at the end of the day, I'm like, an elected official is elected official. I'm always gonna respect the position for one. Two, being a business owner, I don't want to be that person who be like, oh, how could you, how could you, this and that and the other. Because I I do still show a form of respect. And it's not like the ladies said, uh, let me skip him and let me move on to the she allowed me to have a picture. I'm like, she is an elected official. That's just in my position. I'm always gonna, you know, give respect uh to folks like that. Doesn't mean um I have to like her politics. I mean I'm like, I uh because I don't. I I'm not I'm not in favor for her. I'd never support her. Um she supports an individual who I think has really, really effed up the country um and just really made it a very diver uh divisive place. And um I could talk I could talk hours on the guy, but um opposite of diverse. So I mean it's just he is, he is, he is, yeah. That's all I can say about him. But that being that being said, to answer your question, yes, I've met her a few times, and yeah, we uh I've uh had a picture with her yeah twice. Um but the same the same day at the same exact event, I had a picture with her uh opponent as well. So I mean uh again, I'm I'm just I I'm friends with I always say I'm friends with everybody. Uh well I'm not her friend, but we're just I'm cordial, so I'm never gonna be uh kind of like antsie uh with her. Now that being said, if uh another individual by the name of Donald Trump Hell no. No, I could I could not, would not, would never. So that being said, that being said, um uh I think she is uh you know, she's a typical politician. I think you know, taking pictures with people, I think that's a political thing for her to do. Um anything is political.

SPEAKER_00 51:27

Like you coming here and talking to me really politics is everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 51:31

Politics is everywhere, and I always tell you know my listeners that like you have to realize, yeah, I understand like politics is not fun, and it's again, I go back to the word it's not, you know, it's not an attractive thing, but you can't run away from it because it's a part of everyday life. You're a taxpayer, pay you know, buying groceries, uh pumping gas. Politics is in everything, the schools you go to, it's everywhere, the church you attend, right? Or any religion that you represent. I mean, everything is political. Uh so um yeah, I hope that answers your question. She's I mean, she aye.

SPEAKER_00 52:02

So political psychology freaking fascinates me. So I'm kind of curious. You said that you got like about like the same number of like vote yes flyers as you did vote no flyers for the referendum.

SPEAKER_02 52:14

It was a stretch, it was a stretch. Uh uh it was yeah, it was a stretch, but I will say we were definitely probably- Oh, you're talking about males, I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:21

Yes, absolutely, absolutely. Okay, so what did the yes flyers like who did they show anybody? Oh, yes. And oh and what did they say versus the no flyers?

SPEAKER_02 52:32

So the yes, so the yes flyers, and I'm I hope I can still post- I should have it on my social media, I can show it to you later. Um, the yes flyers had messages from everyday people and maybe threw in a couple of like, you know, prolific figures saying this is why you should do it, vote yes, X, Y, and Z. Now the no's was always uh uh reframing the words of those prolific figures saying, well, look, in the back, they said they're not for gerrymander, which for the most part I'm not gonna say is a lie because most politicians will say they don't agree with it. But it's all about what what about right now? They could have said it six, seven, eight years ago, but what is the what is the motive now why they're doing it? Then I receive, of course, the the very viral Jim Crow uh uh uh the Jim Crow uh vote no, which I actually had the guest who was behind that on my show. Did you really? I sure did. I sure did. I know him personally. I know him personally. What's it like I'm I'm a s where is he a friend? Uh I mean I wouldn't I don't know if we grab beers together, but we're always very, you know, very cool every time he's very respectful. And I've and I've had him on twice. So I mean I'll I'll say uh buddy. We've had respectful conversations.

SPEAKER_00 53:38

I don't like having a conversation though with somebody total opposite. Right. Like because I'll have to talk to you about it off camera. I had one like just the other day where it things we went south.

SPEAKER_02 53:51

You know, you know what? You know what? And it's funny because so uh, you know, I earlier in the conversation, you know, I mentioned I was, you know, I was a private school kid all my life. I majority of my upbringing, I was surrounded by, you know, political views that probably did not agree at all. And I and I was raised in a I don't say conservative Democratic household. So like, you know, you're you're uh um wilder Democrats, right? You're you're you know you're I don't I'm gonna say you're Joe Manchet Democrats. You're like your old D. Also your blue dog? Your blue dog Democrats. There you go. There you go. And so that being said, you know. I mean, hey, look, it's there's look, I that that's always raised, but then uh, you know, for me, I just said, well, I know that in order for America to work, you can't have, in my opinion, you can't have one party for the most part to run the whole thing. You can. You have to have unity. You have to, if I, you know, if I'm playing sports, I'm gonna have people from all different backgrounds. If I'm if I'm trying to build something, I gotta have people from all different spaces. So I've always been a middle individual, you know, from the get-go, uh, when I started voting as well, too. Um that being said, having conversations with people uh that don't agree with me, I mean, I as corny as it sounds, I treat it just like, hey, if I'm talking, I'm I'm a Knicks fan, if I'm talking with a friend of mine that's a Celtics fan. I mean, I I I know we're gonna agree disagree a lot, but at the end of the day, okay, what is the outcome? Are we trying to see the same outcome and we just have a different way of a different uh pathway of trying to get there? But there is a point where, okay, where's the humility too? If you don't have humility, I'm sorry, I'm gonna look at you funny. I'm not, I'm gonna be respectful because I'm not a controversial kind of person, like I'm gonna be bashing at you back and forth, but I'm gonna come with receipts. I'm gonna, you know, speak my mind. And again, if if it comes from a place of hate and not, you know, love, then I'm sorry, I can't talk to you. So that being that being said, you know, when I talk with a lot of um conservative people, even people that voted for you know for Trump on my show, I kind of you kind of know uh a Trump voter's mindset these years now. And then on top of that, coming from a when I meet with conservative uh elected officials that are also because a lot there's a number of them that I've had on that is anti-Trumpers. But there's you know, they're still Republicans. But to me, I appreciate those that are very vocal. Like, okay, so recently they had a primary in um Louisiana and uh and Kentucky. So you had Bill Cassidy, who's a longtime senator in um in Louisiana, Republican, who was vocal, he was a critic of Trump. Likewise, Thomas Massey, a representative out of Kentucky, vote uh a critic of Trump. Due to the fact that he stood up to hit to the leader, but was making sure he was doing his job on looking out for the people, they lost their jobs. Now, what kind of message does that send, you know, overall, right? Even if you're a Democratic voter, independent voter, or Republican, what overall message does that sound? To me, it sounds like somebody's trying to revamp or rebuild the GOP over fear. And it's like, that's not the world I want to live in, right? So uh I've always I I I put I I have a s a slight, excuse me, I have a slight shield, but I also just I'm listening. I want to listen more to be like, okay, I gotta try and find some way to get in your head and be like, okay, is this where it's coming from? Oh, there it's coming from. Okay, guns or this or that. So that's that's kind of how the conversation. I just I just let them talk. I just let them talk. You know, rub rub their belly and make them happy and all that good stuff.

SPEAKER_00 57:17

Oh, that's just the exact opposite. Man, I I constantly interrupt, try to try to really throw them off my game.

SPEAKER_02 57:23

And and that's the thing, like, and and it's not a bad thing that you interrupt because that's passion, right? For me, it's just I I I want to listen. I want to hear your side because you're you at the at the end of the day, somebody that's just a strong supporter of the guy, or just in general, his views, they're gonna sound like a broken record and repeat everything. Yeah, it starts it starts to sound like a pre-made speech. Like they had the talking points, you know, ahead of time and said, okay, so when um how was your day-to-day? Uh I'm the greatest, and this is that, and I made this billions and trillions of dollars. Okay, uh, so what right do you take? By the way, I just like they it's like you were not even answering. Like, it's just it's comical, really. It's who the from the pre from the media to the medias that kiss up to them from electrification, it's all comical. And I don't know if you know your audience uh notice, but they're gonna start seeing a lot of people resigning or getting fired, and it's not even the no, the year's not over yet.

SPEAKER_00 58:15

So whenever you're talking, uh so this is this is really interesting. You you talk to MAGA and you also talk to like I talk to everybody. Uh Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs, who uh Democratic Socialists.

SPEAKER_02 58:28

Yep, yep, yep, yep. Whenever you uh whenever you're talking, like what's the biggest difference between speaking with you know somebody like a MAGA versus somebody uh I I would say uh on the the leaning side of say like somebody like Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs, um Well it well it it all depends because uh Elizabeth is extremely intelligent. She's she's reading from like stats. And it's actually because the conversation we had on uh I had on my show not too long ago, we had a uh disagreement, but I didn't kind of like counter or anything because I told her that I personally am not on the fence of um uh of like absolutely no billionaires need to exist in the world. I'm like, I'm I'm like I'm sorry, I just I I don't. And she's like, I am, and I'm like, okay, that's cool. But then my mind, I'm like, I'm forgetting who I'm you know, I know who I'm talking with.

SPEAKER_00 59:15

I thought you handled that really.

SPEAKER_02 59:17

Yeah, because you know, because that it wasn't it wasn't my place to say, okay, now I'm gonna make it like improve my point. No, I'm I'm giving her an opportunity to share exactly why folks should vote for her and I want to hear her platform. Um but uh someone like you know, someone like her, it's I would say it's almost easy, not to say I agree with a uh what uh uh you know for the for the most part. I mean I lean towards her direction more, especially in this in this period, but um I think where she's coming from is really helping those in need. And so I it was already like very, very comfortable. Sometimes when I have a conservative one, it gets a little annoying because for me the the marketing strategy to be a conservative can is faith, family, football, or you know, god is everything. God is and it sucks because I look, I'm a Christian myself. Now I ain't I ain't gonna say I'm the best Christian, I ain't the Bible thumper, right? I like to uh I got a mouth on me. Um but I just hate that they use that religion as like the marking tool, like this is it, because I mean it's it's it's it's insane. I I'm I'm like we we live in a free world, so where's the free at? You you you need to be open to all religions and be respectful and just saying, oh God is good, and then in the same person saying, Oh, God does everything, trying to be some swingers or something. I mean, I'm just saying they're just some I mean, hello Jerry Fallout Jr. But I'm just saying, like, there's there's so many, there's so many, you know, issues that happen. So I think sometimes there's some Republican candidates that can be a little too fakish. Now, don't get me wrong, I have I have interviewed some Democrats that just be like, oh my god, get get over with it. But um, yeah, I I think in this new age, especially on the um I've interviewed a lot of congressional candidates and they're young, they're fired up. They're one thing I know folks that if if they checked out the show, I'm not ageist, but I am not a fan of people who are in their 80s running for re-election. Nor I because I the reason why I don't like it is because you're not helping your case on trying to bring in more young people to be involved in young voters. You have to be relatable. And when I see somebody getting wheelchaired into, you know, for you know, in in a in a meeting or I mean, you know, God rest the soul, but there was a congressman that recently passed out of Georgia um who was 80, I believe, and he was running. He was in the process of running for re-election. Like he already signed his papers, and when they showed him signing his papers, turning in, he was in a wheelchair. It looked like he was some. I'm like, this is not okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:46

And I've just thought Cochran in Mississippi, who was like in a like a retirement care position.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:52

Man, it's everybody. And and I guess sometimes I I I'm not gonna I'm I can't say I know exactly for if it's all if it's majority of them had are Democrats or majority of them are Republican, but I would just say, in in the in the limelight, right? I hear I see mostly older folks on the left side, so like James Cloburn, which don't get me wrong, their minds are probably still very sharp. But I just think that, you know, okay, Maxine Waters. Someone someone uh on the comments got, you know, uh went ham on me. Uh I don't want to say ham, because I'm like they just they just voiced their opinion. Um I, you know, I told him, I'm like, look, she's 87 years old. She's been in office since uh bh-b-well, yeah, 91. Because no, maybe a little longer than that. She's uh been in office maybe in the early in the late 80s. I was gonna say in that position. Since Moses, yes. And and sh she is she what she is saying is like it's all about uh uh who is you know the experience and this and that. They don't focus on the age, which you know, I'm not saying you should, but if you if you said you did this, why why can't you say, okay, look, all my experience throughout the years, I can help guide somebody who I know is ready for it, and I can give, you know, I can share my supporters with them, I can share my w words of wisdom, my help. You know, it does like enjoy life. Like, don't try and say, okay, I'm 100 now, I'm running for re-election, I think I'm ready for one more. Like, no, it's not, it's just that's not the way it should work. And that's why I always kind of uh sound a little ages because I'm like, I'm I'm sorry, they just they need to sit down somewhere and just enjoy life. Bench watch a good TV show or something, you know, soaps, soaps are still going on, like watch a good soap opera. I don't know, but I I love speaking with the new age um uh elected officials that are, you know, that are very passionate and saying, look, I know I'm fighting for, I'm fighting against, you know, the higher-ups that's gonna be putting out a lot of money because, you know, uh elections cost money. Um, but uh, you know, it's I and I don't even know if I even answered your question. See, that's one thing, y'all. You're gonna know I'm like, I'm like, I'm always off the rail. I'm a long-winded guy.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:01

I I don't know if you answered it or not, but that that answer was really good and I enjoyed it, and I've already got like several jumping off. It's like I was look like I I have no idea when we started, but like I could talk to you for four years.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:14

But it but it but it but it is a difference. I think the the the question was, you know, is is there uh kind of like a slight difference? Absolutely. One tries to come across as so polished and like I'm so perfect, the other side comes from uh, you know, this is why I'm qualified, but also the issues uh that needs to be said. So uh not saying I show favoritism to one or the other, but that's just what I have noticed lately is the fact that okay, you have more, you know, open-minded folks, and then you have some folks that uh try to um they just they they put on like a fake facade. It's kind of it's kinda we regardless of the age, they can be very young and they're just like, why are you sound like a robotist a little bit stuff?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:56

That gets me I can't I I can't do the fake thing.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:59

I can't do it either. I can't do it either.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:00

If if if I'm if if you're like looking like too polished or something, it just it it turns me away and I'm not gonna like I'm not gonna give you the.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:08

Now now I will say on the left, what what kind of gets annoying is that they you have something that really speaks uh uh substance to like exactly what they're uh uh what they're running on, and then I get a something that just gives me a headline or gives me, gives me, you know, hey, affordability, or do you see what's going on in in you know in Washington? Do you see that you know, I I get it, you know, hey, Trump calls a lot of hell, but okay, really come to come to my level, what exactly are you here, you know, doing? What's the plans? Don't just say, well, my community saw this heartache. I get it. I'm we're seeing the same thing. So is it sometimes they can skip around too and and kind of really hit the hearts of people because they just say, Well, look how bad it's getting. Look how but it it that's also politics too. You know, people are always trying to, you know, really rally in and gather the uh The viewers to them and be like, okay, but now I got them.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:02

So you know, it happens on both sides, really. Whenever you were talking about the candidates who have been there for so long and are in their 80s and so, to me, what that kind of speaks to is sort of this like almost like an inherent like flaw in the system where you have got to have a bit of ego in you to ride for us. A bit? Oh, you have to, you have to, you have to have it. I mean far more than uh trying to host a podcast. Man, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:30

Absolutely. You have to. You have to have just that that bit of ego and that, you know, that form of like uh I know it all kind of thing, so I'm ready for it. Um yeah, it's just uh it is funny because I've been reached out from a few uh just on you know, folks on the local levels. I say, when are you running? Where are you running? I'm like, let me start running on a treadmill first. I'm never running. What are you talking about? It's just it's not my calling. I don't, you know, I I like being a behind the scenes. I like being the position where I'm at now where I can like say, hey, look, I'm gonna have the platform where if you want to let your hair, you know, hang a little bit, you know, you know, be freely. Of course, when the when the show grows, I would love to have somewhat of a not setup, but kind of like a format of like a Rogan just minus the extra six hours that he wants to you do a freaking podcast. But um, you know, I want to I want them to feel comfortable because I don't want them to be like, hey, I always have to come with a tie and just sit there. Like, no, get comfortable, talk with us so you can be more relatable because that's gonna help from for my audience to say, okay, provide a guide to get them more involved in some of the issues happening, you know, not just in Washington, not just in the you know, on the state level, but also in their own backyards. That's it seems like you were just thriving, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:38

Like you got you got the the the company and the podcast. Like you I mean, what would you say that you're kind of like living your uh American dream, so to speak?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:46

I I I am, and that's why, ladies and gentlemen, in 2028, Adam Tomlin will be running, and I'm gonna be helping him out now. No, but uh, but I I would say, you know, I'm definitely just you know, I'm I'm it's still the beginning, very much so. It's still still the beginning. Um I have a lot more, you know, ideas to do. I have a lot more ideas for the show, man. Uh because hey, all I'm saying is, you know, you you never know what the future holds. There's been some magic here today. We're gonna be talking. We're gonna be talking, y'all. We're gonna be talking for real because at the end of the day, that's something that's always uh helped me just in life and as a business owner is relationships and networking. And and uh and that's what's helped me with you know with my show. I get people to feel comfortable and then they refer, refer, and it's just it it it benefits it, even though sometimes it can be painful talking with some people that you don't agree with, but it does, it does, it does benefit at the long run. So I I would say yes, I'm definitely um you know very fortunate living living my living my dream. Obviously, I have some more things to do, but um, you know, I'm I'm I'm my health is you know good. My you know, I have a wonderful wife, and we have a wonderful small dog named Carter, Cavachon, and um, you know, great support, sis man family, and uh, and just I mean, great community, you know, doing a lot of stuff as much as we can in the community. And uh, hey, I I can't complain. I can't complain at all. And I'm and I'm on the freaking act out podcast with Adam Tomlin. I mean, come on. I'm pretty sure I can, you know, I I'm I can retire now. Let's clip that. Let's clip it right now. Subscribe, follow all that Grace of Man. It's a wonderful podcast, and I'm I'm like, I'm just thrilled with the fact that I'm on I'm honored to be one of your guests here, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:22

I thank you very much, man. And like, dude, I did it. Like, thank you so much for coming on. Absolutely, absolutely. It's been really cool, dude.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:29

Um, where can folks find you? Folks can find me on Instagram at the Arrington Gavin Show. So that's A-R-R-I-N-G-T-O-N Gavin Show on Instagram. Uh check out our website, uh, the the A G Show, A as an AppleGenus and Georg Show.com. Uh, you can also tune in to new episodes of the Aaron to Gavin Show weeknights on YouTube, 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, as well as wherever you get your podcast. We're available on all major podcast platforms. Uh and if you happen to be in these cities uh that I'm about to name now, if you happen to be in Las Vegas, okay, Fridays at 8 p.m. Pacific, you can tune into the Aaron to Gavin Show. Um, uh, New Orleans, we're on WBOK 12.30 a.m. weeknights at 7 p.m. Central, and then uh uh the Metro Atlanta area, WDJY99.1 FM. Uh we're on weeknights at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. So the goal is to get on more platforms as well. Uh we're we're also in uh we have a um kind of a partnership with uh local independent uh TV network called GOAT verse TV. You can download it's free also on your mobile app, um app uh mobile app for Androids, iPhones, uh Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV. It's a great, great uh network filled with so many uh just local uh content creators. I I'm kind of like their political pop culture you know guy for the for the channel. We're working on doing some uh uh specials, maybe some sit-down Q ⁇ A sessions in front of like, you know, maybe 15, 10 people, something like that with some electric physics. We're working on some stuff because again, we want to we want to continue to change the narrative. We want to bring in those young people to get more involved, having a better understanding uh of the importance of not just voting, but why you should be aware of what's going on in your backyard because knowledge is power. So you we we just want to help, you know, bring bring in the bring in the groups and uh hopefully we can you know help and keep doing great stuff on our show, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:25

Well the uh changing narratives, I am uh all for, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:29

So uh you got an ally in me. Hey, I appreciate it. Again, thank you so much for having me, Adam. And uh, like I said, folks, I said on my stuff, you better you better be supporting and following on all social media platforms, subscribe to it. This is a great, great program. And uh yeah, I can't wait to see all the great stuff happening with Adam Tomlin. And and like you said, man, you might see you might see us, you know, again. You never know. You never know. Errington, thank you for acting out with me.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:53

Oh, absolutely, my friend.