DOPE AS USUAL Podcast
Episode: "The Lost Episode!"
Hosts: Marty O'Neill & Thomas Araujo (Dope As Yola)
Date: December 30, 2025
Episode Overview
This special "Lost Episode" takes listeners back to the roots of the DOPE AS USUAL podcast, sharing their never-before-released pilot recording—Episode Zero—filmed on February 1, 2021. Thomas and Marty reflect on the journey from aspiring podcasters to bona fide online sensations, unpacking stories from their lives, lessons learned from hustling, stand-up, and content creation. The episode has a freestyle, candid vibe, offering loyal fans the raw chemistry that started it all.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Podcast Origins, YouTube Struggles & Community Love
- Opening Reflections (00:00 - 03:35)
- Thomas records from Vegas after a show, thanking fans for supporting through platform battles, bans, and deleted videos.
- Shared frustration with YouTube's comment restrictions and a heads-up for their giveaway: “Just leave your Instagram name and your favorite episode of the year in the comments.” (01:08)
- The episode introduces itself as “episode zero, the lost episode… never posted… first time podcasting… first time with the mic, first time headphones” (02:09).
2. The Beginning: Getting to Know Thomas and Marty
- Background Stories (03:36 - 08:16)
- Thomas shares his path from selling weed to making content, the infamous ‘Story Times’, and how weed culture and hustling intertwined with his creativity.
- Meeting Marty by accident years before collaborating, circling back to create the podcast together.
- Marty’s vital editing role made their YouTube videos “just got better because Marty's editing them, and I'm not very good at editing, and he is.” (06:04)
3. Marty’s Podcasting Pedigree & Technical Skills
- Podcast Experience (08:16 - 09:49)
- Marty recounts working on major comedy podcasts (Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Fighter and the Kid), emphasizing the timing and “foundation” of podcasting culture.
- The duo’s synergy: Thomas brings personality; Marty, technical prowess.
4. Comedy, Cancel Culture & Unfiltered Jokes
- The Value of Comedy (11:58 - 19:14)
- Deep dive into how comedy is about pointing out differences, sharing personal family stories, and the line between authenticity and offense.
- Thomas: “If you get offended, then just don't watch… you can't get canceled if you don't fucking care.” (15:37)
- Marty contextualizes the social justice/cancel culture era in podcasting.
5. Family, Resilience & Environment
- Personal Histories (20:09 - 31:06)
- Thomas details his mixed-race, working-class upbringing (Merced, CA). His stepdad: “a certified white supremacist… my mom married him… and you're brown.”
- Stories of growing up with hard work, welfare, and survival (“Merced county is the fastest place in California to get Welfare. In Section 8, you can get it within 24 hours.”) (31:06)
- Homelessness, addiction, and the influence of drugs in their towns—contrasting Buffalo and Merced.
6. Drug Culture—Real Talk
- Drugs Across Cities (25:05 - 29:15)
- Thomas recounts firsthand experiences selling and witnessing meth use (“My town is literally one eighth tweaker. I swear to God, everyone there has at least hit the Pookie once.” 24:00–25:05).
- Marty discusses Buffalo’s scene: “I never even saw or even heard of meth till Breaking Bad…” (27:41)
7. Hard Work, Perfectionism, and Content Creation
- Getting Honest About Work (30:16 - 39:39)
- Thomas discusses his perfectionism, work ethic, and the hustle behind the podcast (“Every video I make, I hate it until I’m done with it. I always look at it go, did I really mess up that bad?” 38:58)
- Marty shares the transition in their workflow: skeleton editing and professionalizing their content.
8. Stories from the Streets: Dealing, Friendship, and Family
- Hustling to Create (41:18 - 46:03)
- Thomas vividly recalls his first weed sale and the revelation that hustling could change his life (“A hustler was born… Joe looked at me and he goes, let’s start selling. I go, I’m down as fuck.” 43:19)
- Family dynamics, breaking free from fear, and stories about his mother.
9. East Coast vs. West Coast: Upbringings Compared
- Regional Contrasts (46:11 - 56:29)
- Playful banter about New York stereotypes: “My only knowledge of New York… Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a kid.”
- Marty describes Buffalo’s basketball culture and his experience as the “only white dude on the court” (49:58)
- The birth of Marty’s music career—a transition from basketball due to weed, getting kicked out, and diving all-in: “I quit my job. I quit everything and just fully went into it…” (54:14)
10. Life Lessons, Community, and the Dream
- What The Podcast Means (69:43 - end)
- Thomas expresses his goals: “I want this podcast to be something you can come to and go, I’m at least gonna learn one thing out of this.” (69:43)
- Emphasis on authenticity, loyalty, and relatability: “You don’t need 500 friends to have good friends. You just need a few good ones.” (71:38)
- Both celebrate their tight-knit fanbase and promise more organized, purposeful content in the coming year.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Comedy vs. Cancel Culture:
"If you get offended, then just don't watch… you can't get canceled if you don't fucking care."
— Thomas (15:37) -
On International Stereotypes:
"The way we look at Mexico is how Canada looks at us."
— Marty (66:26) -
On Community and Hard Work:
"Every one of my family is such a hard ass worker. It's kinda unreal… My grandma was a truck driver, changing tires. That's just what we do, right?"
— Thomas (30:23) -
On Finding Your Platform:
“You just need a few good ones. And like I said, we have a few good fans. We have more than a few. But they're loyal, you guys. Our fans are so fucking loyal and they're so active because we're doing what you're doing at home.”
— Thomas (71:38) -
On Podcast Aspirations:
“By this time next year, I want [videos] to be second to this, to the podcast. I want the podcast to be my main focus because I think we can do some fun stuff...”
— Thomas (69:43) -
On Growing Up in Merced:
“Merced, man. Oh, Merced. Meth stats. Whoa. At one point in time we had the highest STD rate under 25, the highest teenage mother and teenage pregnancy, highest unemployment rate, highest murder rate per cap. We were number one on five of them...”
— Thomas (31:06) -
On the Podcast’s Purpose:
“I want this podcast to be something you can come to and go, I’m at least gonna learn one thing out of this, you know what I mean?”
— Thomas (69:43)
Important Timestamps
- 00:00 — Introduction; Vegas show reflections and community gratitude
- 02:09 — The story of “Episode Zero”—never released until now
- 06:00 — Thomas & Marty: how they met and built their partnership
- 08:16 — Marty’s background with major comic podcasts, seeing potential
- 12:15–16:29 — Freeflow on comedy, offense, and the role of stereotypes
- 24:00–25:05 — Thomas on witnessing meth use and Merced's drug realities
- 31:06 — The “meth stats” of Merced: a community snapshot
- 41:18–43:19 — Thomas’s first weed sale and the start of hustling
- 49:58 — Marty as the “only white dude” on Buffalo basketball courts
- 54:14 — Marty’s leap: from basketball to music dedication
- 66:26 — International comparisons and stereotypes
- 69:43 — Thomas on the future of the podcast and its community purpose
- 71:38+ — Closing remarks: authenticity, kindness, plans for the future
Tone and Vibe
The episode is laid-back, explicit, funny, and honest. Thomas is upfront about his flaws, high-energy, and eager to connect on a personal level. Marty is thoughtful, technical, and also shares authentically. The banter veers from street hustling to pop-culture, from deep thoughts on society to wild movie critiques and sports talk, all underpinned by a deep respect and gratitude for their fanbase.
Takeaway
“The Lost Episode” is a raw, rambling, and engaging deep cut of the DOPE AS USUAL podcast’s origin story. It’s a love letter to loyal fans and a celebration of surviving and thriving as outsiders—whether hustling, making content, or simply building a platform from scratch. The vibe is 100% unfiltered: real stories, real mistakes, real jokes. The message? Be authentic, stay loyal, and keep it dope, as usual.