Arda Ocal Unfiltered

Most people know Arda Öcal from ESPN, the NHL, or one of the million sports moments he somehow seems to be part of, but this episode goes way beyond sports.

We talk about growing up between cultures, building a career in media, internet culture, Connecticut pizza discourse (obviously), and what actually makes people feel connected to a place. Arda also opens up about identity, storytelling, and how sports can become a universal language even for people who feel like outsiders.

It’s funny, chaotic, surprisingly deep at times, and somehow includes both ESPN and New Haven apizza in the same conversation.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

This season of Connecticut Unfiltered is proudly supported by our seasoned partner, The Happy Confection.

SPEAKER_00 0:04

And this is the voice behind the reheated coffee club, the Instagram page with 50 plus thousand followers, sharing our state's hidden treasures in the little moments that can make life magical.

SPEAKER_03 0:14

If Connecticut's been showing up on your feed lately, that's not an accident. The Virginia of Grand Planter remember is long gone. This isn't a drive-thru state anymore. It's destination. And on this podcast, we talk to people making that happen. This is gonna make it unfiltered. Welcome to episode four of Connecticut Unfiltered. Today's guest is Arda O'Cow, ESPN Sports Center anchor and NHL on ESPN host, whose career spans sports, entertainment, and digital media and landed him arguably his most important role of his career, which was being a judge for the top 100 pizza places in Connecticut.

SPEAKER_02 1:12

Aaron Powell First of all, that's the most important thing. My friend, you are my friend, dear friend. And I will say there's nothing more that makes people jealous at ESPN about me than being an officially appointed Connecticut pizza judge. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_04 1:26

It is a very pristine control. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

By far. And like there's there's a whole range of responses. Like some people are like, who the hell are you to have been chosen to be a pizza judge? What do you know about pizza? You grew up in Canada. What does Canada know about pizza? Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

What does Canada know about pizza?

SPEAKER_02 1:43

Aaron Powell Not very much, I'll be honest. As compared to Connecticut. Probably. That sounds delicious, actually.

SPEAKER_03 1:51

I've had Mike's hot honey on pizza before, but not maple syrup.

SPEAKER_02 1:54

Aaron Ross Powell Yeah. I think we're that's our next uh episode, is we'll do like a whole taste test where we'll just put different toppings to pick up. Oh, that sounds amazing.

SPEAKER_03 2:01

I am on a fitness journey right now, but I'll make the exception for you.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Trevor Burrus So it'll be like inside out, put broccoli on pizza.

SPEAKER_03 2:08

Before we get started, I have a gift.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Aaron Ross Powell Okay. For me? Yes, for you.

SPEAKER_03 2:13

I give a gift to all of my guests.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

Aaron Powell You wrapped it too?

SPEAKER_03 2:16

I'm the world's worst rapper, though.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

All right, I'm gonna open this. Well thank you. That's very kind.

SPEAKER_03 2:20

Yeah. Hope that you like it and don't already have it.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Oh yeah. But we have to play it your way, though. We have to play it in the this was the I still bring this up to I brought this up to Jen.

SPEAKER_03 2:33

Okay, so for those listening to the podcast, not watching, he opened up uh the game of Guess Who.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

Yes. So one of the one of the highlights of our pizza trail trip that we went on the bus and we went to multiple locations, we went to one of the to a bar. I forget the name of the bar. It was a really cool brewery, I think.

SPEAKER_03 2:52

Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

And there were board games there.

SPEAKER_03 2:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

And one of them was Guess Who. And you, since you are like infinitely interesting, you were like, hey, I have this unique way to play Guess Who? And instead of describing like physical characteristics of the people, do they have glasses? Are they male or female? Right. Are they wearing a hat? Instead, it's like, does this person look like your ex from high school who peaked in high school and now they're like, you know, a kindergarten teacher and they constantly complain about their life and they carry a giant Stanley mug around?

SPEAKER_03 3:26

Oh yeah. And if I'm not mistaken, you beat me.

SPEAKER_02 3:30

I think I remember. We got lucky though, because I think we were like, yours are very like yours were very specific. And we were like, some of these are subjective.

SPEAKER_03 3:39

I don't know if uh Randall over here matches the description, but it's also a fun game to play with people you know very well because it's it's a kind of a game on how well you know the other person's psyche, like how they think. So I was like getting into the mind of Arda. Yeah. You got into my mind pretty well. Yeah, it was I I loved that ver like that's the only way I want to play guest who now you can go and play with your daughters and your wife and have a game night, and it'll be epic.

SPEAKER_02 4:03

This is very kind of you, thank you. This is the guess who right here. And look, there's the original one, too.

SPEAKER_03 4:08

It's not the one with the weird new like AI faces.

SPEAKER_02 4:11

Aaron Ross Powell Oh, good. Thank goodness. I love the original. Amazing. I love this.

SPEAKER_03 4:15

All right. Well, I'm glad you like it.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

Um I have nothing for you.

SPEAKER_03 4:18

That's fine. You did bring me a nice coffee. And also your presence is my present.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

Well, that's very kind of you to say.

SPEAKER_03 4:27

Especially after working, you worked a super long shift, right?

SPEAKER_05 4:30

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 4:30

So the fact that you're here. Amazing. So let's get into a little bit. You already mentioned you grew up in Canada. I did. So when did you move to the United States?

SPEAKER_02 4:40

Aaron Powell 2014. Got a job. Uh worked in I grew up not thinking broadcasting would be a job. I was uh son of immigrant parents. They immigrated from Turkey and they were very like Oh, you don't want to like the very stereotypical immigrant mentality uh from that generation is oh you don't want to be a doctor, go be a lawyer. Like basically they wanted the whatever the highest paying job is. We want your our kid to not suffer like we did. Like like to my father's credit, he moved to North America in the 70s and he it wasn't like a with a dollar in his pocket kind of thing, but like he wasn't rich, like he was, you know, struggling and he had to like stock shelves at the convenience store and stuff like that to like stay afloat and things like that. And then so that's why he had that mentality of just work hard and make a lot of money and be safe and you know, like that kind of thing. So broadcasting wasn't necessarily uh high on his bingo card per se. Right. And he didn't he kind of opposed the idea of it. Like not that chase chasing your dreams s set seemed like a pipe dream or something you can do on the side. You know, it's almost like go have your job, and then if you want to do this on the weekend as a hobby. As a hobby, no problem, as long as you're making your money, right? Yeah. So from that point of view, uh that caused a little friction later in life. Like when I was decided I want to pursue this full time, it wasn't like necessarily on board with it. He was very like concerned. Like now that I'm a parent, I can see that he was concerned. For sure. He was obviously worried that his son is gonna fail and struggle, and he didn't want me to struggle. So I can understand that now. But at the time I was annoyed because I was like, just support me.

SPEAKER_03 6:10

Believe in me.

SPEAKER_02 6:11

I just want yeah, like if I don't b if my immediate family, my core nucleus, doesn't believe in me, then who is, you know? So um yeah, so I did that. Uh I didn't like I didn't have any friends and family in the business at all. Like I was completely cold. I did like the morning announcements in high school, that was fun. But like the whole time I was like, okay, I guess I'm gonna get a desk job at some point. So I have a degree in math. Yeah. I went to school for something completely different. But then when I was there, I was like, I'm gonna go to the school newspaper and I'm gonna go to the public access uh radio channel uh station, and I'm just gonna like because I love being here, and it's like, how does a show get put together? How do you write an article? Like I I didn't know any of this.

SPEAKER_03 6:46

Aaron Ross Powell It was a true fascination that ended up being a career. Did you apply for a job in the United States?

SPEAKER_02 6:52

So I so after I got a few jobs in Canada, I uh had always chased the dream of I I'm a big pro wrestling fan, so I loved WWE growing up and I always wanted to work. Uh that was like one of my goals in my career was I want to work for WWE one day. So I was knocking on their door pretty regularly and I had a few auditions, and then finally in 2014, it's probably like my fourth or fifth audition, uh, they hired me. So it was a you know, it was a process. Uh as any Canadian working in the United States, you know, there's tra work visas and whatnot. So um but we went through all of that. And uh that's that's how I got to the States. So I moved to Stanford. Uh I lived at Harbor Point uh back when there were three things at Harbor Point and not like the hustle bustle that it is today. There was no park, there was no, you know, booming. It was like maybe a couple of apartment buildings and like sign of the whale and world of beer and the um the Spanish tapas restaurant. Yeah. That was it.

SPEAKER_03 7:47

It's crazy how much Connecticut has gotten built up. I feel like I moved here during its prime. Like it's like Connecticut's in like its mid-30s and living its life. I moved like less than a year ago.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Oh, yeah. So you're yeah, yeah, yeah. I believed you, by the way. Your April Fools post. I thought you were moving back to Florida.

SPEAKER_03 8:03

Oh no, never. I would never do that. No. You couldn't pay. If I got offered a $20 million a year job, I would not move back to Florida.

SPEAKER_02 8:12

My first thought was wait, does that mean we're not doing our podcast? It was like, oh bam, I better message you quick so that we get this done, and then you can leave.

SPEAKER_03 8:20

Also, my April Fool's for the podcasts page was I AI'd a picture of me and Danny DeVito. And everybody thought that was real. Yeah. The power of AI, man, it scared me. Most people can't tell the difference of AI and reality at this point, but that was not real, unfortunately. Danny DeVito, if you would like to be on the pod, have your people call my. I'm not the tallest, I'm 5'2, but I'm still taller than Danny DeVito.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

For sure you would be, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Um so your parents are from Turkey. Were they into sports too?

SPEAKER_02 9:02

My dad watched hockey, fell in love with the Maple Leafs to integrate into Canadian society. So that's how he wasn't the biggest sports guy growing up. Later in life, he watched soccer, especially the Turkish national team, to like kind of have a connective tissue to the homeland kind of thing. And that's how we bonded. That's probably how we bonded the most. It was a lot of fun to watch. And back in the early 2000s, the team was really good and they were making the World Cup and they had this like miraculous run where they made the semifinal, and it was like a really cool time to be a fan. So But the Leafs were like the team that he sort of like became Canadian through, so to speak. You know, learning about Canadian culture and and uh integrating.

SPEAKER_03 9:41

Aaron Ross Powell And then he's just started saying a boot and a boot and and then he just no, he never lost his accent.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

My mom still has a boot action. Yeah, yeah. They're very yeah, yeah. The accent will never go away. Very important. Do you really?

SPEAKER_03 9:53

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

I can't really I'm not really good with accents. When I What's a Miami accent?

SPEAKER_03 9:57

It's very like Yep, but I don't know. It's like um really fast, kinda sassy. There's like Spanglish in there. It's like like a lot of like.

SPEAKER_02 10:05

Okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 10:06

So when I get back to Miami and I'm with my friends for a few days, I come back and Michael's like, You you need to shed this. You need to shed this Miami accent. Um Yeah, I wore I wore a sports shirt just for you. This is my true blue husky shirt. Um the only sports shirt. But one shirt singular. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:23

We gotta get you more.

SPEAKER_03 10:24

So similar to how your dad started liking the maple leaves.

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Is that what they're called? Maple leaves, yes. The maple leaves. I'm gonna get you shirts now. Like the next event that we're at, I'm gonna bring you sports. Please, I want to be a sports person. Hey, sports, really.

SPEAKER_03 10:40

Yay. I was so before I found this, I I had a plain t-shirt. I was just gonna tape the word sports on it, and Michael was like, don't do that. Just don't do that.

SPEAKER_02 10:48

I was like, You're like the um was it the Fox and Zootopia too that has the hat that says sports. Yep. Just sports hat.

SPEAKER_03 10:54

I need that hat. Um I'm gonna be a big basketball girl. I'm deciding. I went to watch my first so I saw the women's huskies game. So much fun. Um shout out to Game Day Connor, he got me tickets. And we even caught the socks. It was like the best integration to a basketball culture here. And then I went to a bar with our good friend Kathleen to watch um good friend is strong, but I love Kathleen. Um to watch the men's basketball game when they won. It was like the one right before they didn't win.

SPEAKER_05 11:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 11:30

And it was the most intense, fun, wild experience. Everybody was like family in this place. It was like loud, chaotic. Everyone was bringing beers to each other. It was like it was so much fun.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

It's a vibe.

SPEAKER_03 11:44

I haven't felt like that since I was like in college. It's not like that everywhere. It's that's a very New England thing.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

The huskies are your team now. So we just gotta load you up with Husky stuff, guys. Yeah. All right, okay. Yes, absolutely. That's good. It's very on-brand Connecticut with you of you. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 11:58

So I learned for this podcast that oil wrestling is big in Turkey. Were you ever into that?

SPEAKER_02 12:04

Huge, massive. And that's when you olive oil, your whole body to wrestle with entire body, and it's like it's a meme online. Like there's a specific kind of oil wrestling that happens in Turkey where like it it'll show up. You can look it up on Instagram and I won't find your dad on it? No. Or me, shockingly. I should be that should be like a world champion or something. At least the Canadian champion. I don't have a chance. Yeah. But it's very, very common. Yeah, wrestling in general is common in Turkey, amateur wrestling. But yes, oil wrestling for sure, like lathered up completely, and they reach into the pants and grab dry oh yeah, like butt cheeks, uh hamstrings. They grab for for leverage. Aaron Powell, Jr.

SPEAKER_03 12:48

So it's a little sexy.

SPEAKER_02 12:49

A little bit. A little bit. It's exciting. It's like it's like people who see like Brazilian jujitsu memes online, very similar uh vibe in the memes. But it's very like they they take it very seriously.

SPEAKER_03 13:00

Do they ever do women's oil wrestling?

SPEAKER_02 13:02

I haven't seen it, probably.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

That very much to me sounds like like mud wrestling.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

Aaron Powell Yeah, so they'll probably avoid that. I'm sure that there's like a competitive division. I haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_03 13:11

I'm gonna win it.

SPEAKER_02 13:12

You're gonna win the whole thing.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

I'm gonna win the whole thing.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

I'm gonna be your coach.

SPEAKER_03 13:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

That's gonna be our next uh uh series limited series where you become the world champion of I can see that happening.

SPEAKER_03 13:21

Turkish oil wrestling.

SPEAKER_02 13:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:22

Never did a sport, but that'll be my first. So start out strong.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

What a way to start.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

So um do you miss Canada? What was growing up like? I feel like is it a major culture shift or is it kind of similar to the United States?

SPEAKER_02 13:37

There's similarities for sure. Um Americans love asking for directions, that's the biggest difference.

SPEAKER_03 13:42

That's because we're idiots. Oh my god. And we never know where to go.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

It's just like they love Americans love spending a lot of time explaining where to go and how many different ways you can get there. That's the biggest thing. Canadians are very either look it up on Google Maps or that's who I am. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:59

If you start telling me directions to something, you know that meme where it's like all the equations going around the head. I'm just like waiting for this person to stop talking so I can plug it into my GPS. And if for some reason that location is not on GPS, tell me the thing that's next to it and then I'll find it from there. I don't need you to tell me what road to go down to take three turns. I'm not listening.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

Yeah, I'm I'm also like that. I'm like, I I just trust the GPS that it's also calculating and accounting for traffic and all of that. I'm okay if it's an extra four or five minutes because but like that's like a c a badge of honor to a lot of people. Uh if you ask for directions here, no, no, don't take this road because it's gonna be congested from 330 to 345. Take this road over here, this bridge is like a little secret. Part of their personality. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:43

Okay, maybe I'm Canadian then.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

Maybe. Yeah. Maybe we also the other the other thing is, uh, maybe this is just me. I don't know if this is a universal thing, but like entering an elevator, Canadians will walk into the elevator by and large, and they won't speak with each other if they're strangers. And it's not because they're being unfriendly, it is because they're respecting the other person's space. Like auditory and physical space. So they'll just be respectful.

SPEAKER_03 15:11

How about cabs and Ubers? Do they talk to their driver?

SPEAKER_02 15:14

Often, maybe like uh like a cursory, like respectfully, but not like a whole full-on conversation. Whereas I do find that a lot of Americans just love small talk even with uh strangers. Oh my god, I hate small talk. Small talk is I was reading a lot of articles about this. I'm being fed. You know our phones are listening to us, right?

SPEAKER_03 15:33

Always.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

I've been I've been being fed a lot of articles about small talk.

SPEAKER_03 15:38

Okay, what's your take on it?

SPEAKER_02 15:40

My take is it's a w a very quick way to bond. However, I also find it very annoying. It's the easiest way to just talk about the weather.

SPEAKER_04 15:50

It's like I I hate that.

SPEAKER_02 15:51

I know, but it's like I guess some to some people it's like, yeah, w we relate. Let's be friends.

SPEAKER_03 15:57

I like to just throw people completely a curveball and just ask about like their past drama or like what show made them cry the most or what colors their underwear. Ooh. Um this is kind of a a weirder one, but it's called Normal People on Hulu. It's a book, but God do I ball my eyes out. And also heated rivalry. Hey, sports. Very good. Sports, here you go.

SPEAKER_02 16:24

Boy Aquarium, right?

SPEAKER_03 16:25

That is a hockey show.

SPEAKER_02 16:26

There you go.

SPEAKER_03 16:27

That happens to have a lovely story. Yes. But I balled my eyes out in that. And not even at sad parts, at like beautifully powerful. Did you watch that? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it the acting was incredible, their chemistry was incredible. Um But yeah, I like to cut the the small talk and ask like the questions I actually want to know. My husband calls it playground talk, and it's why I historically have not been great at making mom friends in those settings. I have plenty of mom friends. I respect and love mothers and all women. I'm a girl's girl through and through. However, I'm not great at like making friends at playgrounds because I don't really care what their nap schedule is or how many times they shit or what their vaccine schedule is. Like I don't. I want to know what song makes you shake your ass to at a club when you have the weekend away. I want to know what you and your husband had for dinner at date night last week. I want to know like the real stuff.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:21

So playground talk and small talk.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

They're very hand in hand. Yeah. And that's I guess that's like the first thing that comes to mind to people at the playground. And so you're kind of sometimes boxed in to have to listen to it. Yeah. And you're like, this is not interesting.

SPEAKER_03 17:36

Yeah. I also know very quickly if I'm scaring people away and then they're not my people, and that's fine.

SPEAKER_02 17:40

We were Yeah, that's good though.

SPEAKER_03 17:42

We were in a we were at a bar in Aruba. Um it was actually called Bunker Bar, which is funny because there's a bunker bar in West Hartford that I haven't been to yet. But so we were at Bunker Bar in Aruba, me and Michael. And this couple was talking to us, and they were like, Oh, is this your first time here in Aruba? Um and we were like, No, we've been here before, and then we're talking about our kids a little bit, and I'm saying we're talking about the twins, they're like, Oh my god, twins. And I was like, Yeah, the twins were actually a product of Aruba last time we were here. And she was just like, TMI. And I was like, bye.

SPEAKER_02 18:15

Not my person.

SPEAKER_03 18:16

Not my person. Um but anyway, I feel like you are very great at small talk though. I feel like you can change that with the best.

SPEAKER_02 18:26

Sometimes if if I'm in the mood for it. I think that's all of us though. If we're in the mood for it, if we're okay to engage in it.

SPEAKER_03 18:34

Yeah. I like that Canadians respect their driver enough to not talk though.

SPEAKER_02 18:40

Yeah, like I think that's I think that's the thing. Like some people say Canadians are cold. I don't think we're cold. It's very respectful and reserved for that reason. It comes from the city.

SPEAKER_03 18:49

I'm like the stereotype that they're incredibly friendly, like overly friendly.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

Not not not outwardly, no. Okay. Not outwardly, not like like Minnesotans are very like for like Midwest America is very like welcoming and chatty and and warm like that, right?

SPEAKER_03 19:08

What's funny is people say that people from the South are very like warm and welcoming in that southern hospitality, but it is so fake and like bless your heart and like smile to your face. Oh my goodness, I love that dress. That is the ugliest fucking dress I've ever seen.

SPEAKER_05 19:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:24

But Connecticut, it's different. People say Connecticut's not warm and kind, and I have a totally different. I think people are so real here. They show you who they are immediately, and they are so willing to help. And what I've found that impresses me the most of all is the wealth here. They want to put their money in places that matter and how they can make a difference instead of like more golf courses or you know, another parogola and I don't even use that a word in their house. They are putting their money. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:59

I agree with that.

SPEAKER_03 20:00

So I find that the people here are really genuine.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

To the point, yeah. I like that. I like that better. You don't have to second guess.

SPEAKER_03 20:08

Yeah. No.

SPEAKER_02 20:09

Much better.

SPEAKER_03 20:10

Um so I found it pretty easy to make like solid friends here like yourself.

SPEAKER_02 20:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:16

We were quick friends.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

Absolutely, we were. But that that trip was awesome though. I know. It's hard not to be hard not like the pizza trail was so fun, it's hard not to have connective tissue after something like that. You know what I mean? It was so awesome.

SPEAKER_03 20:30

Yeah. Anthony talked Anthony and I talked about that a bit on our episode where it was like, it was like summer camp. It was the best. Everyone was just like bonus.

SPEAKER_02 20:36

Yeah, summer camp for adults, and we're eating pizza and having fun, and it's like the best, and I learned a new way to play guess who.

SPEAKER_03 20:42

Yeah. It's like the coolest thing ever. We need to have a big reunion.

SPEAKER_02 20:44

We absolutely do. We should have a yearly reunion. We should do a pizza trail, different places.

SPEAKER_03 20:48

You had me put a date on my calendar for a reunion. Yeah. And then we didn't do anything. That's awful.

SPEAKER_02 20:53

Well, it's gotta be the summer. That's what we gotta do. We gotta pick it. We gotta pick a day where we're all like not.

unknown 20:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:58

I feel like summer might be better. I don't know. Are we gonna get the bus again?

SPEAKER_03 21:02

I mean, I think we have to.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

At this point, the bar's been set. So we have walk places.

SPEAKER_03 21:08

We have to get the hotel. We have to get the guess who. We gotta do it all.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

I'm not I'm not talking to Uber drivers here.

SPEAKER_03 21:15

Yeah. He's Canadian. He doesn't talk to Uber drivers.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Uh it is a very, very busy and challenging season for sure. Um, especially with we actually live in New York State, so the commute is far for me. Uh it wasn't like like I wasn't driving every day when I got the job, but now I am, pretty much almost. So it's very challenging from that part just being away from the kids, but also not being there to help um as much as I would like to. And also missing stuff. Like that's that's hard. That's sad. Yeah. So I don't know if I can sustain like we'd either have to move or like something would have to happen.

SPEAKER_03 21:50

Why did you end up moving to New York?

SPEAKER_02 21:52

My wife's a high school English teacher. Uh she teaches twenty minutes away from us, so that's why we live geographically where we live.

SPEAKER_05 21:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 21:58

And also we may We made the mistake of moving during the pandemic because our like that's when we had our first kid and the apartment was too small and unfortunately the amount of homes available at the time was very, very minimal because it was the pandemic and people were moving. So uh that was tough.

SPEAKER_03 22:16

So how long is your commute to work?

SPEAKER_02 22:19

Without traffic, about eighty minutes, ninety minutes.

SPEAKER_03 22:22

So why wouldn't you oh because I guess your wife's job, but teachers make a a pretty nice salary in Connecticut.

SPEAKER_02 22:28

Would you guys I guess we've never explored that, you know? And I guess we could talk about it. I you know, like she has the the other thing is like a teacher's a stable job, right? Like my job is very like the the industry's volatile, you never know what's gonna happen. You know, obviously I'd hope that it works out for me, but like she's a tea like as a teacher, she has more security and comfort just overall, you know? So that takes precedent, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 22:56

And um Well actually in New York now gets the free uh child care.

SPEAKER_02 23:03

We do?

SPEAKER_03 23:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

Awesome. I guess I should look into that.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

You should let your let your daycare know.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Yeah, yeah. You should.

SPEAKER_03 23:10

I would say that.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

Well that's why we live there. And um but listen, no complaints at the end of the day, you know. Yeah. It's uh we're blessed, we're happy, um, kids are healthy, and we take them to Disney as much as we can. And we uh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:23

So So Florida Disney or California Disney?

SPEAKER_02 23:27

Florida Disney. Yeah. Your favorite state. Aaron Ross Powell, Jr.

SPEAKER_03 23:29

Well, I was annual pass holders to Disney. I lived two hours away from Disney for a long time. I also had an internship in Disney World.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

Aaron Powell Come on, what'd you do?

SPEAKER_03 23:36

I was in the um Disney College program. So what does that entail? I don't know anything about it. So the Disney College program takes you can apply when you're in college, it's a college internship, and you take a semester and you're there with people from all over the world, and you actually work in the parks for a semester and you stay and you live on campus. So I lived at a place called Vista Way was the cheapest option because they take your rent right out of your paycheck and you were making minimum wage, which was like seven dollars and something at the time. So you're working in the park. I had a merchandise and marketing internship. So I was there when they were rolling out the magic bands.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

Nice. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 24:10

So I got the brunt of all of the problems with it as when I was working and I was in Hollywood Studios.

SPEAKER_02 24:15

Okay. Yeah. I love Hollywood Studios.

SPEAKER_03 24:17

Yeah, Star Wars Park.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

You're a big Star Wars fan.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

Also Hollywood and Vine. I I know that that's not everyone's favorite place, but I have a lot of oh, I have a lot of memories there. Yeah. My kids love character dinners, so like we go there all the time.

SPEAKER_03 24:27

I love character dinners. My kids are not huge Disney kids, which you know, I mean, it saves my wallet. But um, when we go back to Florida in the summer, I think we're gonna do Epic Universe. We do have big Super Mario. Super Nintendo World. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:41

I went on a scouting mission uh last summer. Um we do we did the Ocho there, which was amazing. Uh and um I took one day to go to Epic Universe, and I'm like, my kids have to go here, it's amazing. Although I will say you could probably get it done in like a day.

SPEAKER_03 24:55

Okay, that's good to know. Um The twins have never been No, the twins have been to Disney, but they were like in a stroller. So I have two-year-old twins and a six-year-old. So we should get the kids together. Absolutely. We're in the same season.

SPEAKER_02 25:08

Very much in the same season. Yeah. Let's go to Disney. Yeah. Or let's go to Epic Universe. That's a great idea.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

That'd be so fun. Um So your parents not so into sports, are they, besides hockey for integrating into Canada? Um, now that you are, you know, Mr. Sports, do they like learn about it to like have conversation with you?

SPEAKER_02 25:29

No, absolutely not.

SPEAKER_03 25:30

No?

SPEAKER_02 25:30

No. Um my mom uh is bless her heart, uh, she's not uh in tune with any sports at all. Maybe the World Cup, like that would be about it. Um but uh no, I don't think unless I send them a clip or two, which I rarely ever do. Um they haven't really I mean my kids are like that too. Like I tried to show, like I just did the Inside Out classic, which was like amazing career highlight, and my kids love Inside Out, and I showed them clips from it and they were just like like I thought they would be a lot more excited. They were excited on the day. They were excited on the day, yeah. But I think they were just like, yeah, dad's not cool. And I was like, I thought this was the I thought this was like gonna be the one time when I was like super cool and like this is gonna be the greatest thing ever. So career highlight for me was like one of the greatest things ever.

SPEAKER_03 26:16

Yeah, dad has like the coolest job. They're gonna look back and realize how cool your job is.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

They were uh I was sad at how little they were like, oh, but they they they watched the other stuff, but they uh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

So what did you do for the inside out?

SPEAKER_02 26:31

I was a reporter, so I was like, you know, talking to uh the emotions and it was a lot of fun. It was the the broadcast was impressive. It was very, very cool. It was cool that we were able to play in the inside out universe, and it was cool, like the crew was fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 26:45

That's like my favorite Pixar movie. Yeah, it's incredible.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

Awesome. I like that franchise means a lot to the our family because like like the end of Inside Out 2, where anxiety, like Riley's having an anxiety attack, like we use that scene to explain emotions to our kids. Like it's a very, very powerful and like well laid out scene. And so that helps a lot, you know?

SPEAKER_03 27:08

I a thousand percent agree. I think that that that those two movies they help kids understand their emotions when they might not be able to articulate it or put words to it. Even um my six-year-old therapist has like a picture of the different emotions and we check in with which one you're feeling the most today. Yeah. And I think it's so well done. All right. So in your mind, with all of your inside out emotions, which one which one rules your decision making?

SPEAKER_02 27:34

On we.

SPEAKER_03 27:35

On we?

SPEAKER_02 27:36

Complete boredom.

SPEAKER_03 27:37

I don't believe that at all.

SPEAKER_01 27:39

I love it.

SPEAKER_03 27:40

I don't believe that for a minute.

SPEAKER_02 27:42

I don't know. My kids love anger. I think they like I I think they love the look of anger. I think Lewis Black does a fantastic job with the voice acting of anger.

SPEAKER_03 27:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:51

Uh which a little bit of anxiety in there. I hope a lot of joy, maybe a touch of sadness. You know what I'm sad about is that the core memory, like sadness is the strong like if joy and sadness are touching a core memory or a memory orb together, sadness wins. Like in the first inside out, when sadness is touching the memory orb, it turns blue. But if joy touches it, it doesn't turn back to yellow.

SPEAKER_03 28:19

That's interesting. Like, oh I mean, it is a powerful message that we would not have joy without sadness.

SPEAKER_02 28:27

It's true.

SPEAKER_03 28:29

So I think that's also a really good message for for kids to learn that it's okay to be sad because that makes the the highs so much higher.

SPEAKER_02 28:38

They did a good job with that movie.

SPEAKER_03 28:40

I was like when when you originally canceled on the podcast, I was very sad. But then when you re-booked for this date, the joy was so high. And I don't think I would have been that excited to see you had you just booked the original fucking time slot like you were supposed to.

SPEAKER_02 28:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Embarrassment, uh, definitely on my end. Complete embarrassment.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

Disgust on mine. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 29:04

On me that uh, you know, I had to see you and Kathleen do a podcast before me.

SPEAKER_03 29:08

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 29:09

But I earn I I deserve it though. I do.

SPEAKER_03 29:11

Yeah, well, don't let it happen again.

SPEAKER_02 29:13

Okay, ever.

SPEAKER_03 29:14

So you're not just a pretty face. You mentioned that you were also studying mathematics. Do you use that at all in your ESPN career now?

SPEAKER_02 29:24

Not really.

SPEAKER_03 29:25

No, no, like calculating things for sports betting.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

We have a very uh smarty pants department called the Stats and Information Group. That honestly, if I wasn't doing this line of work, I could see myself being in that like they they're full of very bright people that put together information packets for every game. Uh look ahead, so like just stats, uh sheets of information on everything that's happening. Here are the NBA games, here are the college games, here are the NHL games, here are everything. Uh NFL games, whatever, right? Or or big events. Here's the NFL draft, here's a bunch of notes. And so like when I'm doing a game, there's always a statistician or someone from that department sitting in the city.

SPEAKER_03 30:05

What are they called? A statisticianer?

SPEAKER_02 30:07

Statistician, I guess. Statistician. That's an information group is the name. We call them SIG. Uh that's the name of our uh department. And they sit there and they're just throwing out we call them nuggets of information. So sometimes I'll yell, hey, do you have a nugget on uh the Edmonton Oilers? And they'll yell back, Yeah, the Oilers are uh seven and one in their last eight games. Like they'll you know, something like that.

SPEAKER_03 30:28

Those guys are probably so good at trivia.

SPEAKER_02 30:30

Oh yeah. Oh, absolutely. I want them on my trivia. You want them on your bar trivia team, 100%. Or I bet you a lot of them would probably be Jeopardy champions, I would guess. So do you feel like you have a couple of Jeopardy champions at ESPIA?

SPEAKER_03 30:43

Really? Like they won or they were on Jeff?

SPEAKER_02 30:45

They won an episode of Jeopardy, at least one episode of Jeopardy.

SPEAKER_03 30:48

What do you get when you win Jeopardy these days?

SPEAKER_02 30:50

Money?

SPEAKER_03 30:50

Yeah, but is it like life-changing money? I guess not if they're still working on it.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

Oh, I guess it's like you get whatever you want earned on the show, and then I don't know if you had to pay taxes on it or whatever, but like I would hope that they give you some merch.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:02

And here's your Jeopardy hat.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

Yeah. Yeah. You get a championship.

SPEAKER_02 31:06

Like Ken Jennings won what like 74 shows. Like he should have did he get 74 shirts? Or did he at least get like a gold jacket or something?

SPEAKER_03 31:13

Or he has to have his like face on a wall somewhere or something.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

I guess he gets to host the show now, so I guess that's a good one. Okay, there you go. Yeah. But yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:21

Did you um did you ever want to act? Did you ever go into acting?

SPEAKER_02 31:25

Uh like not full time and not with the desire to be like an actor and movies and stuff, no, but like commercials here and there, sure.

SPEAKER_03 31:34

You did commercials?

SPEAKER_02 31:35

Yeah, a couple.

SPEAKER_03 31:36

So what kind of commercials?

SPEAKER_02 31:38

I did with ESPN, I did a couple commercials. I did a commercial for Guardians of the Galaxy where we wore these giant muscle suits. Oh my gosh. And uh yeah, it was like a uh we were hitting the gym really hard and we became super buffed and everything was breaking. So we did one of those for Guardians, and then I did a Doctor Strange commercial in Miami at LeBron's uh shoe store.

SPEAKER_03 31:57

No way.

SPEAKER_02 31:58

Yep, I did that uh a few years ago. That was a lot of fun. Uh, where like this was a world without any sneakers, so it was all loafers. Uh that was funny. Uh but yeah, no, just that's more like fun on the side, I would say. Like, that's more like I I'm a big fan of side quests, especially in your career. Like you have your meat and potatoes, you're like, this is your core, what you're doing in your career. But then I love the side quests where you're finding fun things to do. You know, maybe they're one-offs, maybe it's like an event, uh, maybe it's a podcast, you know, like whatever it is.

SPEAKER_03 32:31

Reheated coffee club in general started off as a side quest. I like I like the verbiage side quest. We we what do people usually call it? Like side hustles or whatever. Side quest is cooler. Yeah. I like that. I'm gonna use that.

SPEAKER_02 32:42

Very much a video game like Legend of Zelda kind of yeah. Oh, that's my sister's favorite. Oh, the best.

SPEAKER_03 32:46

She was Zelda for Halloween, and then her son was Link. That's amazing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:51

I love that.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

Yeah. I feel like you you would be really good as an actor if you ever were to have that as a side quest. I feel like you have that in you.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

To tap into just all the emotions from inside.

SPEAKER_03 33:02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

Um You know who's a so I uh do you watch the show The Boys?

SPEAKER_03 33:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 33:07

So the guy who plays Homelander. So first of all, we were talking about accents. I find it incredibly impressive when somebody who's not native to the to the accent that they're portraying on TV does it so effortlessly. So I believe that the actor that plays Homelander is he's either Australian or he's British. Like he's definitely not from America.

SPEAKER_03 33:29

Okay, he does a great job.

SPEAKER_02 33:30

He d exactly.

SPEAKER_03 33:31

I don't know if I've ever hated a character more than him.

SPEAKER_02 33:33

And and you know what I love? Whenever there's like a close-up of his face and you see like the ripples of his mouth, and he does this like he's like doing like it just looks he just looks so uh his emotion, he conveys emotions so well.

SPEAKER_03 33:47

He really does. He really does. Um I'm actually gonna be in a murder mystery dinner theater that I am playing an Irish mistress.

SPEAKER_02 33:56

Uh, not the corpse. I would have gone.

SPEAKER_03 33:58

I'm gonna be I know her! I know she's dead, I know her.

SPEAKER_01 34:01

I would have been pointed.

SPEAKER_03 34:02

I can't I can't tell you who dies, I can't tell you who did it.

SPEAKER_01 34:05

Um Spoiler alert, I'm a murderer.

SPEAKER_03 34:07

I am possibly. But I'm an Irish girl named Maggie, and I'm gonna be playing uh at two nights in Cheshire. Look at you.

SPEAKER_02 34:15

Okay. Did you have to practice a lot for the accent or it just came naturally?

SPEAKER_03 34:19

So I pitched them the accent. I they I was gonna be British because it's like an uptown thing. Um but I said I could do a pretty good Irish accent. And they said that actually works perfectly because you are like the maid. It's kind of like we're slumming it.

SPEAKER_02 34:33

Yeah, yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_03 34:34

So um Good for you. That's awesome. So I'm breaking my acting debut.

SPEAKER_02 34:38

What's the what's the dream? What what would be like the dream role for you?

SPEAKER_03 34:41

The dream role for me would be to be on something like Traders.

SPEAKER_02 34:45

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 34:46

Because I am incredibly good at manipulating.

SPEAKER_02 34:51

Okay. Excellent. Good.

SPEAKER_03 34:53

Um in a game setting. Like I have no remorse if it is for fun and games. I can't do that in my real life because I'm a major empath. So like I lead my life with integrity and honesty.

SPEAKER_05 35:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:05

But in a game setting, like you do not want to play Monopoly with me. You do not, like, I will be wheeling and dealing and making kids cry. Um I would a thousand percent win as a trader. Like, no, no doubt in my mind. But I I I it's so it's like you put on a hat, you put on a character.

SPEAKER_02 35:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:24

Because I don't live my life that way, but I wouldn't bat an eye lying to your face on the show.

SPEAKER_02 35:29

That's awesome. I love that.

SPEAKER_03 35:31

Finding like little details of your personality that I can relate to to make you trust me.

SPEAKER_02 35:38

Ooh, good one.

SPEAKER_03 35:39

To then use against you later.

SPEAKER_02 35:41

Just destroy you, just tarve you like destroy your life. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

Yeah. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_03 35:46

What's your dream job if you were not doing this?

SPEAKER_02 35:51

If I was not doing this, I have not given that any thought. Because I am doing like I'm in pursuit of what I want. Yeah. I've always been in pursuit of my dream job, so I've never given thought of what it would be elsewhere. I I was an adjunct for a while at Iona College. That was a lot of fun. That was before the pandemic. I probably would continue return to something like that, but that would probably be a side quest, though. I'd probably want to be an adjunct somewhere again. It was tough doing it over Zoom. Like we had to do a couple of core uh semesters over Zoom, and I think I lost the passion for it over Zoom. But I think if I was in a room. I've done a couple of guest lectures. Like we I went to NYU recently and I did one at Quinnipiac, and it was awesome. Yeah. It was a lot of fun. And I kind of caught the bug again. So I think I would want to do something like that. But I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 36:37

You're a good speaker. I had the pleasure of being on a panel with you for content made for the state of Connecticut.

SPEAKER_02 36:45

That was a good room.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

And you were a very good speaker. I feel like you can articulate what you were trying to get across very well.

SPEAKER_02 36:51

We never got an answer about the throw pillows. We asked the that was the first question I asked was, are throw pillows useless? Because they just create space in a room. However, it does make a bed or a couch look nice. But as I tell my wife Jennifer, no one is coming into our bedroom to see the throw pillows, to which she responds, I see them.

SPEAKER_01 37:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

But then I say, other than the first time you put them on, and then we throw them on the ground to go to bed, they never go back onto the bed.

SPEAKER_03 37:20

But I would argue, and I've had this argument with my husband as well. Okay. You could say the same thing about art on the walls. You could say the same thing about putting up wallpaper, you could say the same thing about tablescapes and displays. But all those things are what make a house a home. Without them, it would just be like a place that you're dwelling in. Sure. So these little details that show glimpses into your personality, they're what make your space yours and not just like a blank canvas.

SPEAKER_02 37:54

If the throw pillow. So so okay. So then my personality and my wife's personality is we're gonna put it there one day and make it look nice, but we only have the effort and energy to put it up for one day every two months. There you go. So we're lazy is what I would say. We're really lazy. Yes, we are.

SPEAKER_03 38:14

I'm gonna invent a throw pillow. It's gonna the the company is gonna be called Throw with Purpose. And it's gonna be a throw pillow that when you like lay on it, it massages your back or something.

SPEAKER_02 38:26

So that's if if if we take the throw pillow, throw it on the ground, there's a timer in it. Every like fifteen hours, it has a spring that it'll jump itself back onto the back into bed to make it look nice.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

I mean, AI is like one step away from being able to do that. Right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:42

Right?

SPEAKER_03 38:43

We're not far from that.

SPEAKER_02 38:44

Or maybe it sinks into the mattress or it goes into the ceiling.

SPEAKER_03 38:49

It just removes itself when it's maybe it was never really there. It's just projected onto it so you just see it. Yes. And then it goes away when you take the projection off.

SPEAKER_02 39:00

We solved it. You're welcome, Jennifer. Yeah, we did.

SPEAKER_03 39:02

That was for you, baby. We're gonna take a quick break and hear from our sponsors, and we will be back shortly with Arto O'Calve. You know how edibles can feel a little intimidating if you're not exactly sure where to start? That's actually why I love the Happy Confection. A Connecticut brand based in Westbrook, they've made edibles really approachable by creating ratio-based cannabis gummies. So instead of everything hitting the same way, the experience is dialed in depending on what you're looking for. Whether that's relaxing or feeling creative or just unwinding at the end of a day. There's even options for medical card patients looking for higher potencies. Everything is chef crafted with organic ingredients, vegan, gluten-free, and made with strain-specific terpenes, so you get a consistent experience without that bitter aftertaste that a lot of gummies can have. They're also queer-owned, women-owned, and family-run, and you can find them in over 60 dispensaries across Connecticut. You can find the closest one nearest to you at thehappyconfection.com, and don't forget to sign up for their email lists where you can find out about product launches and deals going on near you. They're called the Happy Confection, and it's cannabis crafted for joy. Looking for insurance is honestly so stressful. Every year when I have to deal with it, I feel like I need a spot after. And that's why I love Keating Agency Insurance in West Hartford. They're a third-generation family business with a real people-first mantra. They do the hard part for you, shopping multiple companies to find the best coverage. They handle home, auto, business, life, and even umbrella policies and can bundle things to save you money. So instead of spiraling online, comparing policies, just call Keating and let them handle it. Welcome back. We are fully caffeinated and we've had our potty breaks and we're ready to go. We have three-year-olds. Um so let's talk a little bit about faith in your career. So you have been open about being Muslim in an industry that hasn't always had a lot of representation. Um is that something that you ever felt hesitant to talk about or be open about?

SPEAKER_02 40:57

Absolutely. Abs especially early in my career, without a doubt. I actually thought about changing my name. Uh I thought that that might get me more auditions. We're in a different era now. Like I wouldn't think to do that. Maybe that's because I'm further along in my career, or maybe that's because uh I just don't care. Like I I I want to be I'm proud to be known as uh a beacon of light and positivity for the Muslim faith, but also of people from my corner of the world, where typically in television, let alone sports media, just in television in general, either misrepresented or underrepresented. And so it's very important for me to be a source. Like I didn't have now, I know going back to what we said earlier, like I didn't really think about this being a job for me. But also a part of that is I didn't have many role models on the air to look up to, right? Like there weren't many people from my part of the world or from my where my roots are in Turkey or surrounding areas and also of Muslim faith on television. Certainly not anchors and certainly not sports figures, etc.

SPEAKER_04 42:03

Sure.

SPEAKER_02 42:03

And so I take that very seriously. Like I get messages every now and then that I'm very proud of that are like, hey, like you have a name similar to mine, or you know, like that's yeah, that that to me means a lot. And if it is even like, oh, I see this person on the air, now I can dare to dream, and I can I see myself in that person, or you know what, like even if there's some sort of loose connective tissue that allows them the invitation to dream to become something, even if it's not television, whatever it might be.

SPEAKER_03 42:33

Right.

SPEAKER_02 42:34

That to me is very important because I did not have that growing up. And it was very few and far between.

SPEAKER_03 42:38

Did you get any pushback when you were coming to be kind of a personality because of your name or because of your culture?

SPEAKER_02 42:46

Absolutely. But it was it was it was different, like it was certainly different back then. Yeah, definitely. It was definitely uh a lot more a lot tougher. Like like maybe some of it was you know me collecting information. Like I only a couple times did I ever have like a direct, you know, where I felt like this was a little bit discriminatory, like in in my past coming up.

SPEAKER_04 43:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:10

Um I've had wonderful examples at ESPN. Like I I I I did a TED talk where I talked about this where like the first Sports Center I ever did, I worked with a director who I now work with a lot on NHL. His name is Eric Disher. He's been there for 20 plus years, and he's one of the most talented people I've ever worked with in any in any role. He's just unbelievable. And the first segment I did, now the Sports Center is like a whole thing. Like it's it's an institution, it's been on the air for over 40 years. It's like if you don't even if you don't watch SportsCenter, you know what SportsCenter is.

SPEAKER_03 43:43

It's one of those like Sports Center is.

SPEAKER_02 43:47

And so like my first show, I'm just like, I just don't want to screw this up. Like I'm doing this for the first time, and it's bit like, you know, like I don't want to be the guy this is too much hubris on my part when I look back on it, but I'm like, I don't want to be the guy that screwed this all up. And and I hope that I do a good job, and I'm very nervous for that reason, right? So I didn't even notice, but like my name was on a graphic on Sports Center. I'm like, this is the coolest thing ever. Like, this is unbelievable. This is like dream, career fulfilled kind of stuff. And then at the end of the first segment, um Dish, who uh I didn't know at the time, like it wasn't we weren't that close back then, he emailed me and he was like, Hey, uh just uh just a quick note. Uh I noticed that uh on the graphics, your name didn't have the two dots on your o. It's called an umlaut. You didn't have the umlauts on your oh, we fixed it for you, just letting you know. And I'm like, first of all, I didn't even notice because I was so nervous. But second of all, like all we've come a long way, or e at least in my personal journey, I've come a long way from the days where I was like, maybe Adam O'Call with an apostrophe after his O will get more auditions uh, you know, in in 20 years ago than now my colleagues are automatically thinking of things like this. Like that meant a lot to me. But it also felt like I feel like I belong here. Like I feel like I'm accepted for who I am. And I I certainly project that energy to any like that's the energy that I bring. And it was really cool in that moment that Dish did that for me. And I've had plenty of examples like that at ESPN. But yeah, early in my career, it was it's still prevalent in certain areas, like in certain uh areas today. But like speaking from my career, yeah, I definitely whether it was just because I was nervous or because I had experienced something or overheard something, uh yeah, it was definitely a concern.

SPEAKER_03 45:45

I will say that you kind of hit the jackpot with coming from Canada to like New England, because I do feel like this in general is a lot more at like you said, at least now, a more inclusive area. But there are still really ass backwards places. I mean, Florida, one of them, Texas, you know, kind of those like smaller-minded places where you'll see a lot more prejudice still alive and well. Um but I'm happy that you found your people and your tribe and are free to I feel very supported in that regard uh where I am now for sure.

SPEAKER_02 46:21

Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_03 46:22

And it's amazing that like kids who are growing up, like you said, and seeing somebody that looks like them on TV or has a name like them or has the is it the umlaut in their name.

SPEAKER_02 46:31

Aaron Powell And that's why I put it there in in honesty, like it's the complete opposite. Like I was saying, like I honestly thought I should change my name, I should have a stage name. I was inspired by by Cal Penn. Cal Penn, there was an article, I think it was like the early 2000s, where he said that I didn't I didn't know this at the time, but like Cal Penn is not his real name. Like Cal Penn is his first name, and he chose that name because he thought it might get him more auditions uh if someone saw it on a resume or a CV, and I thought, I wonder if that's affecting me. Because my name is, you know, to some people they could see it and say, Oh, this is a weird looking name. So they can, you know, whatever stereotypes and misconceptions exist out there, you know. So that's why I thought, oh, maybe Adam would get more. That's how that's what my technique is. I'm also glad I didn't become Adam. Yeah. I am also glad.

SPEAKER_03 47:20

Adam sounds good.

SPEAKER_02 47:21

Adam would have a Adam Adam would have a terrible podcast with you. Adam would be like, guess who?

SPEAKER_03 47:26

Yeah. I don't want to guess who. I don't want to do any of this shit.

SPEAKER_02 47:30

It's terrible. Adam Pizza, no thanks.

SPEAKER_03 47:33

Adam is a vegan.

SPEAKER_02 47:34

Adam doesn't go on pizza trails. That's right. Adam, Adam is uh a coffee runs only.

SPEAKER_03 47:39

Yeah, yeah. You're not an Adam. You're an Arta. Now that I'm thinking about it though, there was a lot of uh immigrant children growing up in Miami that were clearly of Asian descent, whether it was Chinese or Japanese, and they had like their native name that they would go by, like David or Jack or whatever. And while I understand why the parents would do that to help them fit in and integrate, it's like almost like as a parent, like I wish that they just let them be there with their birth name, you know? So I love that. Yeah. So do you feel like media spaces are becoming more inclusive? Um does it still feel like there's a lot of work to do?

SPEAKER_02 48:26

There's always gonna be work to do in every industry. Obviously, there is. Um I think it's a lot more inclusive today than it has been, for sure. I do think that yeah, there's always gonna be you know work to do. I I think the other thing is I think social media plays a big factor in that. Like I think that the way social media works is uh it is curated and catered to the people that uh are very at one polarizing end of things. Like like it it it just in general, like strongest opinion, polarizing, controversial, that's what uh generates on social media by and large. And so that's fed into a lot. Like I to be honest with you, if I wasn't in this industry, I don't think I would have social media at all. I would want to just disagree. Really? Yeah, I think it a lot I spend I I think about this a lot. Like I I wonder what my life would be like if I didn't have any social media in it at all. And I know that it's part of the industry. Like I'm not talking like trolls and I mean even doom scrolling, like you just like scrolling on your phone and exactly, you know.

SPEAKER_03 49:32

Like I wonder And there's so much misinformation out there. And and now it's like my parents can't tell the difference of an AI video than a real And that's scary. It is scary.

SPEAKER_02 49:42

It's scary, right? Like I I I think that I just think about it from like a mental health perspective and also from a like quality of life perspective, like what life would be like. Sometimes in the summer I just take I just delete social media on my phone and I feel like by the time I get to a month, I'm like maybe it's it's difficult for like the first week because you're cutting something cold turkey.

SPEAKER_03 50:01

It's an addiction.

SPEAKER_02 50:03

And and then you but then by the month you're just like almost clearer of mind.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 50:08

You know? But unfortunately, like it is a very fast source of information by and large, and content, quite honestly.

SPEAKER_03 50:16

Like, it's how people get their news, it's how people get their recommendations. Um, I often think about that as well because I'm somebody who has often struggled with mental health, especially like anxiety and you know, body image issues and comparisons. But then I think of how I show up every day online for people and the amount sim you know, kind of similar to how you'll get messages of like I'm so inspired by your story and seeing someone that has a name like mine. I get messages from people that are like, thank you for being so honest about your weight and your fitness. Like you've inspired me to go work out, you've inspired me to do this. Thank you for talking to me about your anxiety and your mental health struggles. I feel like I know you. And I show up and talk about the trials and tribulations of having two-year-old twins.

SPEAKER_05 51:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 51:06

About how my house never looks put together. And I visit my friends' houses and I like come home and want to cry because my house looks like a trap house. Like with like writing on the wall and like spaghetti sauce on the ceiling. And when I think about the good that it's doing for other people to see somebody with a platform like this making a career out of it and having a real life, it makes me want to continue on social media. Like I do think there's good to it. I do think there's bad to it. Oh, agreed. You have to use it responsibly.

SPEAKER_02 51:32

Yeah, I definitely focused on the negative there, but like yes, there are definite positives. Yeah. And also like, yeah, what the what you put out there.

SPEAKER_03 51:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 51:41

I yeah, I agree with you 100%. That's really cool that you inspire people like that. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 51:45

Um I try to. Yeah. I try to just show up and be honest. And because so much of what is on social media is so fake and curated. And then people I posted a video recently um taking off the beauty filter, which I don't know if men use this that often, but there's a filter that you can use on social media that just kind of like softens up your lines. It like makes your little f smile lines disappear, your crow's feet, whatever. And I was like, this is me without the beauty filter. And I have no problem with people doing Botox, fella, whatever you want to do to make yourself feel beautiful, that's that's on you. Like I support you making decisions for your body. But don't try to look like a fake filter because it's an unobtainable goal. It's not real. It's put out there for social media and it's no one's ever gonna really look like that. So yeah, I have a love-hate relationship with social media, but I do think that it does a lot of good for people. I also think it does a lot of bad.

SPEAKER_02 52:44

A lot of that is self-inflicted too, I guess. You know, you whatever you decide to consume. Now I'm thinking about what image we should put up to say we did this podcast.

SPEAKER_03 52:52

Should it be a it's gonna be um me and you in the uh oil wrestling.

SPEAKER_02 52:57

Oh, so we're gonna are you gonna AI us like in the like the actual. No, we're going to do it after this. Oh, amazing. Yeah, yeah. Um I don't like my chances. I'm not gonna lie. You are already claimed to be a world champion.

SPEAKER_04 53:09

So I'm I'm cutthroat.

SPEAKER_02 53:11

I yeah, apparently. Yeah, in games, as we just found out, in games, you uh by any means necessary. So uh R.I.P. to me. Okay. Well, I guess I had a good life.

SPEAKER_03 53:20

Aaron Ross Powell Well, you'll survive. You made it this far. You've lived a good life. Um He leaves behind his beautiful wife and children and a guess who game.

SPEAKER_02 53:29

Aaron Ross Powell And a guess who game that has been claimed by its gift giver. Claimed back.

SPEAKER_03 53:35

I'll take that.

unknown 53:36

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 53:37

Um so you not only are an anchor, but you do live events too. Yeah. How do you like those?

SPEAKER_02 53:44

We did live events. I love them a lot because I love the instant crowd reaction. I love the feeding off of the crowd. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 53:51

Do you get nervous?

SPEAKER_02 53:52

Not really. Um not anymore. Um it depends, I guess. It depends on I mean, I'm always nervous to some degree. Like you're always going to be nervous to some degree.

SPEAKER_03 54:03

If you're not, then like are you living? Yeah, you're not doing what you love anymore.

SPEAKER_02 54:07

But exactly. So um there's always an element of that. But it's always adrenaline. It's exciting. Nothing this the I I guess like one of the reasons I keep doing this is like when you know you've done a good job, like after a show or after an event, you just feel it, and it's like that is like it's a high that I constantly chase. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 54:30

I'm right there with you.

SPEAKER_02 54:30

Yeah, that is a high that I constantly chase and uh never been able to replicate.

SPEAKER_03 54:37

I uh I I understand that sentiment more than you know, and it's the first time in my life that I've ever had that because I've always been either doing admin work behind the scenes, like marketing from like a computer, or I've been home with my babies.

SPEAKER_05 54:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 54:52

Um I a little bit got that when I was working events in Miami. I would do like the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, and I would have these like big hotshot event people be like, You're really good at this, like you are gonna go far with it.

SPEAKER_02 55:02

Yeah. And you feel just like the happy chemicals in the brain just get instantly released. It's just so off.

SPEAKER_03 55:08

Who needs cocaine when you have events?

SPEAKER_02 55:10

Oh, that's way better.

SPEAKER_03 55:11

Way better.

SPEAKER_02 55:12

Yeah, when you need events. That's right. Way better. Events is such a strong drug.

SPEAKER_03 55:16

I'm gonna go up to drug addicts and be like, you don't need this. You just need to public speak.

SPEAKER_02 55:21

You need public speaking and then they all need to organize events.

SPEAKER_03 55:25

Yeah. Maybe we should that should be our next get kids off the street, get them into TED Talks.

SPEAKER_02 55:31

We'll we'll go to schools and uh we'll be like, kids, uh the the safest thing you can do in life is organize events. And then we have like these stations where they just go and it's like, okay, you're gonna organize a wine and food festival. What's wine? Don't worry about it. Uh and then you're gonna organize uh um a trade show. So you're gonna do uh uh a trade show about uh film and television cameras, and you're going to do um uh a a paper convention.

SPEAKER_03 55:58

Yeah or something. God, we're such innovators.

SPEAKER_02 56:01

Like this is the new wave of inspiring uh students.

SPEAKER_03 56:07

God, I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 56:08

And we'll do it at uh UConn so that you can go to the team store and get a whole bunch of Yukon out. There it is, see?

SPEAKER_03 56:13

This is vintage.

SPEAKER_02 56:14

Apparently.

SPEAKER_03 56:15

Shout out to friends of Dorothy Vintage. I got this at like a little fillibag thrift vintage sale. On the back, it says like something huskies, but it says true blue.

SPEAKER_02 56:26

You love to see it.

SPEAKER_03 56:27

I love it. Um, what's harder, interviewing athletes or entertainers?

SPEAKER_02 56:33

Depends uh what their personalities are, honestly. Uh some athletes are just very dry.

SPEAKER_04 56:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:39

Some athletes just don't want to talk, uh, but some entertainers also want to talk too. Like sometimes with like celebrities, they are very well curated and you have to like work hard to kinda dive into beyond the PR uh bubble. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 56:57

All that media training.

SPEAKER_02 56:58

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 56:59

I gotta break them. I want to get the big names here, I want to break them down, I wanna hear their darkest secrets.

SPEAKER_02 57:04

Yeah. Which is tough to do for someone who does if if a celebrity does several interviews a day, yeah. It's tough to do, right? But sometimes it just takes the right wording of a of a question or the right, you know, uh uh approach. I will say um athletes, like I find myself motivated by them a lot. Like they they they often the a lot of times they say inspiring things. Like there's a lot of like inspiration there and a lot of like interesting. I love talking to coaches, actually. I think like some of the best times I've had in studio were when I was sitting watching uh hockey or sp uh a s some sport with a coach because they uh approach the game so differently and like an athlete has to worry about themselves, right? Obviously, it's a team sport by and large if they're playing let's just use hockey as the example. They're part of a team, but the biggest thing is they have to worry about themselves, right? The coach by design has to worry about the entire team and organizing and and tactics, all this stuff. So like they're that's the way that their mind is operating, and I just love that. I love I love hearing how they motivate uh you know superstar players and how do they get them out of their own heads and how do they keep them motivated, how do they inspire them? How do they uh get them to stop acting like idiots? Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Like there's a lot that a coach has to juggle. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_03 58:28

Would you ever want to be a coach?

SPEAKER_02 58:30

I don't know. I I I I like the prof uh the teacher part of things. I guess that's part of being a coach, too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 58:37

Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 58:38

I I kind of hope my kids get into some sort of sport that maybe I can coach their like soccer team or something like that. That'd be cool.

SPEAKER_03 58:42

Aaron Powell Would you be the like really intense sport? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 58:45

I'd be like, kick harder! Listen to my systems.

SPEAKER_03 58:48

You're not eating dinner if you come home and lose.

SPEAKER_01 58:50

That's right. You think do you you you won't even know what the word ice cream means anymore. If you can't score five goals now. That's right, and you know, you'll have to watch them eat it. And think about what you've done. You didn't score a goal.

SPEAKER_03 59:08

Yeah, right. You'd be such a nice coach. I'd buy that zero person.

SPEAKER_02 59:13

I'd just like wilt. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 59:16

Yeah. Don't worry about the system.

SPEAKER_02 59:18

Just run around.

unknown 59:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:21

Awful coaching tactics.

SPEAKER_03 59:23

Who's uh the most famous person you've ever interviewed?

SPEAKER_02 59:26

Ellie Doyle. By far.

SPEAKER_03 59:29

You've never interviewed anyone.

SPEAKER_02 59:30

Remember that, remember that uh the shout-out?

SPEAKER_03 59:32

Oh my god. I'm gonna post that. That's a great promo posting that.

SPEAKER_02 59:36

Where was that? That was at the What was the place called?

SPEAKER_03 59:38

Oh my god. It was called I think it was called Lost New Haven.

SPEAKER_02 59:41

Is that where it was?

SPEAKER_03 59:42

It was a cool spot. So cool. If you have not checked that out, it's like a big warehouse of this guy's collection of stuff. It was cool.

SPEAKER_02 59:52

It was cool. He had a lot of sports stuff too. He had like old like hockey stuff from the 70s and giant banners.

SPEAKER_03 59:57

He had like bricks from Abe Lincoln, like nuts.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:00

It was cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:01

It's like a huge personal museum of New Haven and Connecticut culture. And you could do events there. It's massive. It's really impressive.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:12

And I was being interviewed by like some, I forget it, I think it was like a Connecticut news outlet or something. I don't remember. But uh they were like, who I don't even know what they asked. I think that's a good thing. I just saw you out of the corner of my eye and I just shoehorned you into the answer. I think that was mid-sentence. I was like, yeah, this this space is really great. And I gotta say, the Ellie Doyle presence are really up. Yeah, it was it just happened to see you.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:39

And like the guy's like the guy in the camera's like, what?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:42

Yeah, this took a turn. Like he's trying to like Google the name.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:45

Yeah, like I'm I'm I'm I'm nobody.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:48

I loved it. And you were just like the worst. That was so good. I love that. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:54

That was awesome.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:55

Um I don't know. I I got um Leif Schreiber, I got him to introduce me like an announcer once. So like he does the voice track for the NHL documentaries, like where they do like the um Road to the Winter Classic, or like back in the day, they used to do these like documentary series leading up to big games, and Leif Schreiber would do the voiceover to it. So like I wanted him to narrate me. Like he was on a red carpet in Toronto, and I wanted him to narrate me doing something, like just walking or just like shadow boxing. But he took it a different way. He just like became like Michael Buffer, like a ring announcer. He ring announced me. That's cool. That's cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:35

Just because you love wrestling.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:36

Yeah. I was like, not not the way I envisioned this going, but cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:40

Yeah. And then you came out in your olive oil wrestling gear, and you were like, I gotta do it. Relief. Um do you like Kfab?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:49

Kfabe. Kfabe? Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:51

Can you tell that I learned what that was for this interview?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:53

Because I said, Kfab sounds like a great uh K-pop band.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:57

They're Kfab.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:58

Kfab. They're Kfab.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:59

K Fab. Kfabe. They sound like they belong in K-pop demon hunters, which my kids love.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:05

I love.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:05

Oh, it's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:06

It's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:07

Um so for those who don't know, Kfabe is this shared reality where fans knowingly suspend their belief and emotionally invest in heroes and villains. So the way that I understood it is it's like LARP. Yeah, it's live action role.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:22

It's like suspending your disbelief. That's what it is. It's like if you're watching a movie, you're not actually carrying a ring to a volcano and throwing it in. You're not actually, you know, trying to blow up the Death Star, but we're like suspending our disbelief and we're just appreciating the moment and the storytelling. That's what pro wrestling is. Now, the idea of that, uh, that that word is like the origins of the word are some people think it's like um be fake. Like the there's like a carny language that uh people uh use. Excuse me. There's like a carny language uh that used to exist or maybe still does, but like was more prevalent, I should say, in pro wrestling, where they would use in order to not have reg um people like fans understand what they were saying. Sorry. Excuse me. I'm good. Um so they would use this language in order to like uh communicate with each other so that the audience would not understand what they were saying.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:23

But the idea of K-Fabe was to like s uh um instill the reality of pro wrestling and and and and still present it, at least at the time, as a real spectacle. So they were trying to convince the audience or at least create the aura that they were actually competing against each other.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:43

This was back in an era where they were preser pr preserving the secret of pro wrestling, right? Like kind of like a magician preserving their tricks. It was very like, this is a real contest, this is the way we're presenting it. You may have your suspicions, but that's what we're sticking to. And if you were to ask a wrestler at the time, they'd say, no, this is a real legitimate contest. And that would be preserving the Kfabe of pro wrestling. That's what that's sort of what the I guess the term is.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:08

I remember being a kid and seeing WWE and being like, are they really like long-term enemies? Like, is that chair really breaking that guy down? I know one wrestling move, and it's because my cousins would do it off of the roof onto a trampoline. It was called like off a roof? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:25

That sounds very safe.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:26

It was like a lower roof. This was in Cheshire. Um it was called Scotty Too Hottie or something.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:33

The worm? You do like a worm?

SPEAKER_03 1:04:35

It was like a chest out, and then I you know, I was like a ch I was like eight years old.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:39

You used to do the worm. You used to do like the Oh diddy.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:42

I like the worm, do this, and then Kfabe of it all? I do you buy into it.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:49

I think it's shifted over the years. Like, we live in this era of pro wrestling where like now on Netflix there's a documentary where they're showing the writer's room and planning matches and like that never existed before. So like the there's a there's just as much intrigue in many pro wrestling fans in what happens behind the scenes as what's happening in the ring. Now, when I'm watching wrestling and a lot of fans, like they suspend their disbelief and just enjoy the story that's being told in the ring, and I enjoy that. Like I think that wrestling is a very unique and in many ways entertaining wrestling at its best is highly entertaining. Very entertaining. I agree. They're using their bodies to tell a very interesting story, often good versus evil. There's real elements, elements of realism uh peppered in throughout, uh long-term storytelling. It's to me, it's a very, very interesting art form and a and a very beautiful one when done eleg like when done well.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:46

Aaron Ross Powell Do you feel like without the storytelling component of it, it would just be like MMA?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:53

In ways, yeah. Like there's some sometimes there's just like a match where it's like we're just gonna go out there and wrestle. And like some people appreciate. I appreciate that too. Some people appreciate, you know, incredible acrobatics and like high-flying maneuvers, and they just want to watch, you know, high-flying move after high-flying move, and they think that that's very impressive. That's a lot of people's cup of tea, right? Like some people just love that.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:14

Aaron Ross Powell I think I love the fact that when you think of pro wrestling, you think of like big testosterone guys, and like it's so masculine. And like at the heart of it, these big men at these arenas are watching these men in shiny costumes role play, and that brings me joy. Trevor Burrus, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:32

They're bringing characters to life. Yeah. Right? Like it's Yeah, yeah. It it's part improv, part acting, part uh physical theater, a lot of storytelling. And a lot of them are former athletes. All of them are athletic. Yeah. Like in in in varying ways. They're in such good shape. Trevor Burrus I find every facet of what they do impressive. The one thing that's underrated about them, that uh about pro wrestlers that I would say matches up with any other form of entertainment industry, they work harder than any other entertainer.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:07

Really?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:08

Pound for pound.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:09

Do you say entertainer or athlete?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:11

Entertainer and athlete.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:13

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:13

I would say that pro wrestlers are programmed to overdeliver and w outwork every other industry. Like they rarely have like if you were to ask me which entertainers in the world would complain the least about doing a full day worth of media, would complain the least about having a grueling match and then you know sitting in a chair for a couple of hours doing like a documentary thing, doing a public appearance. Like a main event wrestler's day can begin at, let's say, a charity appearance, uh, a make-a-wish grant, going to a local school, doing 70 interviews, going to the um uh arena and doing a meet and greet there, meeting with the marketing department about their future uh their future merchandise, maybe a new shirt or a new uh hat or whatever, and then they have to find time to go to the gym because they gotta look good. It's part of the package of being a pro wrestler. Then they gotta worry about what they're doing that night. So they have to either m uh you know worry about putting together a promo uh interview or a promo, memorizing it, whatever, and then they might have a match. So then they have to put together a match, you know? So like, but they they do all of that in stride, by and large, pound for pound. Their mentality is go, go, go, we're gonna get this done, and I'm gonna put my whole heart and soul into it. So like I admire that and respect that about pro wrestlers. That's crazy. I never thought of it that way. Yeah, they they work very, very hard.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:40

Super strong worth ethic to be a pro wrestler.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:43

On the scale of one to Arda and Ellie in terms of work ethic, they are very high on the list.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:49

Gotcha. Yeah. So I'm gonna ask you some signature moves and see if you know who did them.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:54

Okay, I'm gonna try my best.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:55

All right, ready?

SPEAKER_02 1:08:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:57

We'll start easy. Okay. I say easy, but I know I know none of these.

unknown 1:09:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:01

The people elbow.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:03

The people's elbow was the rock.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:04

Ding ding ding.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:05

Yes. He um yeah. That was he would do this thing where he would like lift his leg up like this. He'd like to take off his elbow pad, he'd throw it into the audience, and he'd do this. And very cool, yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:16

That's my Maui.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:18

Yes, exactly. What can I say?

SPEAKER_03 1:09:21

You're welcome. All right, how about the sharpshooter?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:25

That would be Brett Hitman Hart. And he was very good to me early in my career. Oh he's Canadian. Uh he would actually, anytime he'd come to Toronto, there there were a group of Canadian wrestlers. Him, Edge, Christian, uh the late great Roddy Roddy Piper, uh, a few wrestlers, Chris Jericho, a few of them, uh, that whenever they came to Toronto when I was doing a wrestling show back then, they would uh make time for me every single time. They were very, very kind, uh very good with their time, and they would Paul Heyman is in that group as well. Uh that they would just do uh, you know, whatever they had going on, they'd always make time for me, and I very much appreciated that. It was really cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:02

I love that. Do you keep in touch?

SPEAKER_02 1:10:03

Yeah. Every now and then I'll just send the text.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:05

You know that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:06

All right, how about Frog Splash?

SPEAKER_02 1:10:09

It's a lot of people. Uh Eddie Guerrero made it famous. Uh his son Dominic uh sorry meh uh in story, his son Dominic Mysterio, or Ray Mysterio's son, Dominic Mysterio, uh, uses the frog splash too, but there's variations of it. Very cool, very cool move. Looks looks visually cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:26

Okay. Can you do any of these moves?

SPEAKER_02 1:10:28

No, absolutely not. Well, the people's elbow I could like on a pillow, maybe.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:33

Uh how about the bonsai drop?

SPEAKER_02 1:10:35

Ooh, Yokozuna? Oh. Yokozuna was oh. When I first saw Yokozuna, this was 1992. Man, he was intimidating. Yeah. Larger than life. He had oh, he was unreal. He was scary.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:50

Probably such a snoff.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:51

He would like the move is like uh by all accounts, people loved him back. Yeah, he was like a great locker room guy. He would go climb up to the second row, he's like 500 plus pounds, and he'd jump on your chest. That was that was the bonsai drop. He'd literally like this and go BAM and he'd yell bonsai.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:08

He sounds fun. He sounds like he'd be fun at a party. I want to get a few drinks in him and see if he does that.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:13

Iverdees, yeah. He was a really cool dude, apparently. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:16

How about sweet chin music?

SPEAKER_02 1:11:17

Shaw Michaels, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Yeah, sweet chin music. He'd tune up the band like this, and then he'd it'd be a super kick right to the chin.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:26

Oh my god. Okay, all right. And how about this one?

SPEAKER_02 1:11:30

How about the Ellieplex? That is a suplex, but Ellie, yeah, it's your suplex. And it's like you grab and then you just twist it in the air and drop them on their head.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:42

No. What would be your wrestling move? Okay, what would be would be I lure you in like we're going to have like an intimate moment.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:52

And then I go for the jugular.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:53

Oh, bang. Yeah. Just like when you click punch to the throat and it's over.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:57

Yeah, and then maybe get the nuggets.

unknown 1:11:58

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:59

And then maybe I pinch your ears.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:00

The lure. Oh.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:02

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:02

I can tell a lot of people falling.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:04

I think we're gonna have like a really intimate moment. I look into your eyes. And then just be like done. You done.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:11

It's over. And then you're stuck there, and then you're just unconscious for then you're unconscious for like 15 minutes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:18

Is that when you do the tape? One, two, three, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:20

Yeah, three count. That would be several three counts.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:22

Uh-huh. All right. And this is the final one. See if I can get you. This is the twist of fate.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:27

The twist of fate, I believe that was Matt Hardy? Was it Matt Hardy or Jeff Hardy? Oh. Which one was it? Twist of Fate. It's a Hardy boy. I forget which one it is right now. Go in the T. Swanton bomb was Jeff. I'll say Matt.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:43

You are wrong.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:46

Not wrong. You are right.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:47

You did not miss.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:49

I forgot. I had forgotten. Jeff already had the Swanton bomb where he'd like fly off the top. It was very, very elegant.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:56

God, that was impressive. You must be good at your job. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:00

Good enough, maybe I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:02

That's why you make the big bucks.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:04

Uh what's better, New York pizza or Connecticut?

SPEAKER_02 1:13:06

Connecticut, obviously. I'm literally wearing, I'm literally wearing our pizza, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:11

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:12

I'm telling you, people troll me about it. I work. They're like, who So actually I'll tell you a story. So my dad was very much a fast food guy, loved his fast food, Taco Bell, McDonald's, loved it.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:22

Okay. Okay. Loved it. Loved Taco Bell.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:24

Did not grow up on it, therefore he's just like, this is the greatest thing. We once went to like a like a whole trip in Mexico, and we had like authentic Mexican food and everything, and he literally said, I'd rather have a crunch wrap soup. Yeah. And I'm like, I can't believe you said that. That's like unbelievable.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:42

Well Taco Bell is not Mexican food, it's its own category.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:44

Yeah, exactly. It's like whatever it is. And I'm just like, I can't, okay, fine. You prefer that food, fine. Yeah. You might be on an island here, but anyway, my point is uh in Canada, I don't know how prevalent it was in the States, but in Canada in the 90s, very common McDonald's pizza. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:03

Not common.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:03

I'm gonna send you a couple pictures afterwards. It's like the ads for the Okay, was it thin crust? Was it No, no, no, it was like a normal like pizza, just like a regular like a Domino's pizza almost.

unknown 1:14:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:12

And it was a cheese pizza. But there was a personal pizza that you can get relatively fast, fast food, obviously. But there was a medium pizza that you would actually order and then you'd sit down and they'd bring it to you as if you were at a pizza hut or something, and they would bring you the pizza. It was hilarious because we're at a McDonald's. Was it good? My dad loved it. It was fine. It was fine. I was a kid. I was like, whatever, pizza's pizza. Yeah. I don't have a refined palate at this point.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:36

You weren't a pizza judge yet.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:38

Exactly. I'm like, whatever. But my dad loved it. We would go every week. And I made the mistake of telling the story to some of my coworkers who then, when I told them I was an official appointed by the State of Connecticut pizza judge, the first thing they said was, You ate McDonald's pizza as a kid. How on earth do you have any credibility as a judge for pizza? What the hell do you know about pizza?

SPEAKER_03 1:15:02

Trevor Burrus, Jr.: Well, you could respond with I have a bar to judge it from now. Like this being the lowest and a beats being up here.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:11

Correct.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:11

So what to do?

SPEAKER_02 1:15:12

If anyone knows the range, it's me.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:14

A thousand percent. Yeah. What's your favorite pizza spot then in Connecticut?

SPEAKER_02 1:15:18

I loved Zanelli. That was great. Oh my goodness. Oh, it was so good. It was so different, too, right? Like it's a unique, yeah. It's like authentic Italian. So it's amazing. I loved it. We went to a lot of the places we went to were good. There was which one was the rooftop one that had like the Sicilian style.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:31

Joya.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:31

Joia. Yeah. I love Sicilian pizza. I know that that a lot of people would not consider that to be pizza. I don't mind other forms of pizza.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:40

I still say Connecticut pizza is the best. That is that is untouchable. However, I do also enjoy Deep Fish. I enjoy absolutely the time for everything.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:51

Like I love Zanelli's, and that's not a beat, but I love modern.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:55

Modern's great.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:56

Modern's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:57

Exactly. And we were there for the Wu-Tang Pizza. That was great.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:01

The Wu-Tang was no lo.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:02

Yeah, we went there. Remember? We went there at the end of the night. We had a Wu Tang pizza. It was great.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:06

So NBA and NHL playoffs are about to start.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:10

Yes, they are.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:11

I know so much about this.

unknown 1:16:13

I know.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:15

But I do know that Buffalo is my husband's team and like the Sabres.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:21

Oh, he's happy right now.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:22

He is so happy.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:23

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:23

So this is gonna be like a religion in my household. Okay. I even have oh, you know what? I do have a sports thing. I have a Sabres sweater.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:30

Amazing.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:31

But it's hot out today, so we're not gonna do that. Are you excited for playoffs? Who are your teams? Who are you rooting for?

SPEAKER_02 1:16:37

I mean, since I work in it now, I don't have any teams that I root for. I root for like interesting games and I root for people.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:44

You have no teams that you grew up a Leafs fan.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:46

Okay. Like they're not in the playoffs this year. But like honestly, I'll give you an example. This year, uh John Tortorella, who's a coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, they're in the playoffs right now. He was with us at the start of the year. He was with us several years ago before he took another coaching job. So we had I had the pleasure of being able to work with him uh throughout the years. He came back to ESPN at the start of this year. I did several shows with him. Uh it was awesome to be in studio with him. He's going back to my point about like just talking to coaches, he is one of the best people to talk to about hockey. Then suddenly he gets this job in Vegas, and now he's the coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, and Vegas is in the playoffs. It'd be hard for me not to cheer for Vegas specifically because I would love to see him win another Stanley Cup, and I think that you know, like we it was awesome to be able to like pick his brain about hockey and and be in studio with him. So like I care more about people and stories than I do these days about teams.

SPEAKER_03 1:17:43

I can ri like I can appreciate that so much more because so much of sports confuses me because you're essential players get traded and people move, and oftentimes they're not even from the state that they are representing. So you are essentially cheering for a logo and like an idea. Yeah. And so to hear you kind of have the take of like, I really love, respect, and admire this coach, so I'm gonna root for what he's doing because it personally affects this person's life.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:12

I understand that a lot more than a team.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:16

I think that there, like I think it's like a a rallying thing, right? Oh, hey, I'm from this town, so I'm gonna support my town's teams. Yeah. And it's a way that people congregate and get together and have a sh an immediate like going back to the small talk thing, that's it's almost like the ultimate form of small talk where we could just talk about our sports team and that's gonna unite us no matter what, right? Like it's a unifier in towns and cities across the United States or world, really. But to me, like for example, if your team is not in the postseason right now to find ways to enjoy the playoffs, other than the fact that it's very entertaining hockey and it's high stakes and it's you know interesting by design, you're gonna look for those things. Oh, who's the really old player that never had a chance to win a Stanley Cup? Oh, maybe that's uh Brent Burns. Maybe I'm gonna cheer for Colorado because of that, because he's in his 40s and he's never won a Stanley Cup and he's been in the league for 20 years or something like that. You know what I mean? Like there's always these storylines that people gravitate to uh and reason like Buffalo. A lot of people are gonna love Buffalo this year. Why? They them and the New York Jets in the NFL had the had tied for the record for longest active drought, not making it to the playoffs. Yeah. The Jets still haven't made it, so now they're the sole record holders. But up until this year, tomorrow um this weekend, when the Sabres will finally play in a postseason game, they were there with win. And believe me, if they win, a lot of people will be happy. Like the because you can you can empathize, right? You can you can you can you can't? I say this all the time, and I've said this on ESPN, I I've said this many, many times. In my opinion, there is no other city, no greater city in North America that deserves sports success more than the city of Buffalo.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:02

Aaron Powell I agree with that. I agree with that. I've visited them, I've gone to games in Buffalo. Those fans, it's like their religion. Yes. And I know everyone feels like their teams are like, our fans are the best. No, our fans are the best. Buffalo fans, I think, are the best. I think they are the passionate.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:20

They love their teams.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:21

They're mostly blue-collar workers. They'll spend every penny in their account to get to these tickets. They will raise their children going to these games. They will break the tables that they eat their dinner on.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:33

They and I and and and they have also experienced a lot of heartbreak, both with the Sabres and with the Bills. So to me, I hope that some sort of championship is in their future, whether it's a Super Bowl for the Bills or a Stanley Cup for the Sabres.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:49

I think it's a good thing to channel that energy. I believe in that. I'll take that. That'll make for a really happy, happy house in my home.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:58

Your husband's from Buffalo? Yeah. Yeah, awesome.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:01

Yeah. He's like the world's craziest and scariest Bills fan. I actually leave the house during Bills games because he he's one of those fans that doesn't like to be at bars. He doesn't want to hear people. He wants to be standing up by the TV, like doing sounds that I've never heard come out of a man's body. Like a freaking Wookiee. Like crazy.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:27

I like it.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:28

Um you might be the only one. You might be no, but it's I'm I'm glad that he has his passions. Um so I want to play a little game with you.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:40

It does involve alcohol.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:42

So we're gonna get ready for it. Okay. So this is called Explain It Like I'm Five. So you have to explain sports things, and if I get confused at any point during it, you have to drink. But if you can get through the explanation and I completely understand it, then I'll drink. And this is an honor system thing, I'll be very honest with you.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:02

Okay. All right? I think I understand this. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:05

So I'm just gonna give you I'm gonna give you a term and you have to explain it to me like I'm five.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:10

And mind you, I know nothing about sports.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:22:13

Alright, so the first one is offside rule.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:16

In any sport or hockey. Okay. Offside. There are lines on the ice. Blue line, blue line, red line. Red line is in the middle of the ice. Then a little bit further away, there's a blue line here, and then a little bit further away here, there's a blue line here. These are the blue lines. This is one end of the ice, but this is another end of the ice. Following along so far or no? Okay, cool. So if I'm a player, this is let's say this is my zone. So my goalie is here, this is my end. I'm a I I'm on this team. Okay. And my goal is to go this way and score on this net.

SPEAKER_04 1:22:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:51

This team is trying to go this way and score on my net. Let's say we have the puck here in my end, and I'm grab and I take I have the puck, I cross my blue line, I cross the red line. If I want to cross their blue line, if I have the puck, I have to be the first one to cross the blue line. If I am not, if one of my teammates is already beyond the blue line and I cross the blue line, that is offside. I with the puck have to be the first person to cross their blue line, and that would be on side as opposed to offside. Offside would be if one of my teammates is already in this zone past this blue line, and I have the puck here, and I'm about to skate by, but there's already a player here on my team that is offside the player, the whistle would go, and we'd stop the play, and there would be a face-off.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:38

Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_03 1:23:39

I think so. Okay, so do I have to drink? No, so I drank away.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:45

Wait, I wasn't supposed to drink.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:47

No.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:47

No.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:48

I drank. Okay. Neutral zone trap.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:52

Okay, neutral zone trap. The best way I can explain that, and I'll just pre-take a couple sips here.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:57

Because I'm not gonna get it. You're already.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:59

No, it's because I'm terrible at explaining it. So the neutral zone, so this is blue line, blue line, and this is red line. So I this this area here between the blue line, so this is their end, this is my end, until the blue line, right? So this is where our net is, this is where the goalie is, this is the blue line. This is considered our end. You and I are on the same team, this is our end.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:19

Then there's the red line here, and then there's the blue line. This is their end, and this is their goalie. Our goal is to bring the puck back to here and score here. What is the zone called between these two blue lines? This is the neutral zone. Meaning it doesn't belong to any team. It is the neutral zone. From this blue line to this blue line, the red line is here. That's half ice, middle of the ice. This is the neutral zone. The neutral zone trap is a system in hockey where if we bring the puck in through the neutral zone, the defensive team have formed themselves such that it is very, very difficult to get the puck to the blue line because they have formed themselves in a drink.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:01

I got lost.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:04

New Jersey Devils of the mid-90s.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:07

Okay, we'll do one more.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:09

I really tried my best on that.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:11

I know, I know, and I was with you.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:12

You were just like, no, shut up.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:14

I was with you in the neutral zone, and I got that. And then it and then it just started to glaze over like someone giving me directions. Alright, so let's do what's a hat trick?

SPEAKER_02 1:25:28

When you score when you score three goals.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:30

Oh. Okay, I get it. Wait, goals in what?

SPEAKER_02 1:25:34

In a game.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:35

Any game.

SPEAKER_02 1:25:36

Ellie is playing hockey. Ellie scores a goal. Uh no, it's also in soccer. When you score three goals, yeah. Oh, that was easy.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:46

Woo! Not for me. Yeah. I need like a chaser.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:50

Heck yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:52

All right. Um, we'll do one more because that was really easy. What's dump and chase?

SPEAKER_02 1:25:59

Oh, I can explain this one. Okay. Okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:01

Great.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:02

All right, so hear me out on this, okay? Here, actually, I'm gonna use this. I'm gonna use guess who as uh ice, okay?

SPEAKER_04 1:26:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:08

This is the this is center ice. This is the middle of the ice. Our net. Ellie and Ard are on the same team. Ellie and Ard are this is our net. Okay. Our goalie's here. Okay. Okay. Um Kathleen is here. She's playing in net. Okay. This is the opposing goalie. We want to score here. Okay. Dump and chase is. Ellie has the puck here. Ellie skates to the red line. And instead of continuing to skate all the way into the other zone, Ellie decides as soon as she reaches the red line, she's going to shoot the puck all the way into this zone. Why does she do that? Great question. So Why? Because, first of all, if you shoot the puck before the red line, that would be called icing. That's not what we're talking about here. But that would stop the play and the play would come all the way back. So we don't want to do that. As soon as you cross the red line, your teammates know you're going to dump the puck in. You're going to shoot the puck into their zone. And they're already thinking about this. So they have a step over the defense. And they're like, we're just going to start skating as fast as we can into the zone, into here, because we know that Ellie's going to shoot the puck down. So we're going to go chase the puck. So Ellie has the puck here. She crosses the red line. She dumps the puck down, shoots it all the way down the ice. Sometimes it rolls around the, we call it the dasher, the boards. Sometimes it just follows the boards like this. And then this, I'm here, and I'm like, I knew Ellie was going to do that. I'm going to skate as fast as I can right here and pick up the puck. So now we're established here. We have the puck. We possess the puck in the offensive zone, and we're ready to score. Who scores? Then then Arda's here. Art is here. And then Ellie, who dumped the puck down. Ellie's gonna skate through the defense in front of the net. Arta passes to Ellie. Ellie scores.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:52

Yay! Arda on Ellie!

SPEAKER_02 1:27:54

Anthony's here. Ellie scores on Anthony.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:57

Anthony cried with a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:00

Anthony cries because he's a terrible goalie.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:01

Yeah. All right, I guess I drink. I drink. Because I understood.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:06

That's dump and chase. I trunk.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:09

Hey, that was fun. Yeah, for you. Yes! All right. Well, to end the podcast, I always like to ask my guest to do a shout out to a nonprofit of your choice and let people know how they can get involved.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:24

Um I'm gonna take a different route here. Um do you know the comedian uh Kumal Nanjiani? Uh he recently said something that I also do and I think it's awesome. He says uh sometimes he'll go on GoFundMe and he'll randomly find people like that, like he'll he'll scroll scroll through people's GoFundMes and he'll find ones of people that are like really in need or like there's like something that resonates with him. Oh, and then he'll just anonymously donate to them.

SPEAKER_04 1:28:54

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:56

So I think that's really cool. So I want to echo that. I think that's a lot of fun to do. I think that's really cool. All right that he does that anonymously, that he would just go and surprise and delight, improve someone's life. And it could be anything, right? It could be like I'm raising money for an art project, or I I need medical expenses or you know, whatever it is. I think that's really awesome.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:19

So Arda is challenging you, if you have the means, whether it's five dollars or five thousand, to go on to GoFundMe, search a few pages that resonate with you, and maybe pick someone to help out.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:31

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:33

Well, that was a fun little take on my nonprofit.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:36

I hope that that was a good answer. Um but yeah. That's cool that you do that though, because that would that will inspire you know you know your viewers and listeners to to do something good in the world, good vibes and acts of kindness, which matter a lot.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:48

It matters a lot. Um I'm actually throwing an event with the Greater Foundation of New Bruin and um Creator House, Mimi from Creator House, um, where it's a creator event. If you're around, you should come. Um April 23rd.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:02

And it is going to this episode will air after that, but um we are connecting influencers with nonprofits to kind of show how they can get involved and even if they don't have the time to dedicate to um volunteering, they can use their platform to kind of spread awareness of different nonprofits because people can feel so overwhelmed with like so many different nonprofits, or they don't know how to get started, or they feel like it's gonna take a whole day of their time. Like if you have five minutes, this is what you could do with five minutes. If you have 10 minutes, this is what you can do with 10 minutes. If you have $10, this is what you could do with $10. And it's a really fun event. We're doing like a ton of giveaways for creators just to like thank them for using their platform for good. And I just think it's really important that if we as creators have a platform to make sure that we are using it for to better society.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:49

That's really cool.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:49

Yeah. Arta, thank you so much for episode four. You were truly a fun guest and an inspiration.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:58

And and I could have been at episode two had I not bailed and been a horrible friend and left you hanging literally the last second. I was actually, you thought I was walking through the door, but instead I was walking through the door of my house.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:12

And it was horrible. You were just like, How dare you? We set up everything, you wrapped a gift.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:16

I did. Yeah, no, I did that this morning.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:18

Okay, thank goodness.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:19

Yeah. I had ordered it.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:20

You're the best. This is cool. I'm gonna go play this now.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:23

Amazing. All right, make sure to like, subscribe, and follow. And thank you guys for being the best part of Reheated Coffee Club. This podcast is kept caffeinated by Sola Karaoke, the Happy Confection, Pink Tractor Crew, and Heating Agency Insurance. Thank you for listening to Connecticut Unfiltered. If you liked the conversation, please make sure to like, subscribe, follow, and share, and keep the conversation going about how we can make Connecticut more than just the drive through state.