Podcast Summary: "Share & Wink & Tell"

Podcast: Pablo Torre Finds Out
Host: Pablo Torre (A), with guests Mina Kimes (B) and Dan Le Batard (C)
Date: October 25, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out takes the signature “Share & Tell” format to new heights, blending sharp sports journalism with playful debate over modern etiquette. Joined by Mina Kimes and Dan Le Batard, Pablo explores a revealing business practice within the Dallas Cowboys and then launches an impromptu “Draft” of new post-pandemic etiquette rules. The conversation is fast, funny, and unfiltered—with the trio dissecting fame, business, football culture, boundaries, and the awkwardness of everyday interactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Dallas Cowboys' Outlandish Business Model (00:27–15:17)

• Inside Jerry Jones' Cowboys Tours:
  Pablo introduces a recent ESPN piece by Kaelyn Koller that exposes how the Cowboys allow public practice facility tours—sometimes letting fans observe players and coaches up close, turning the workplace into a “zoo”.

  • "[The players] think it gets in the way of actually, shockingly, winning football games. And it's just such a revealing story about the business of football as practiced by the most successful businessman in football." – Pablo (03:17)

• Players' Perspective:
  Mina shares Dalton Schultz’s sentiments of relief upon leaving the Cowboys:

  • “He says he's kind of glad he's no longer there, because it's a zoo.” – Mina (03:55)
  • Schultz describes one-way mirrors and fans behaving like spectators:
    • “It's literally, it's a zoo, dude. People tapping on the glass, trying to get people's attention as they're doing, you know, power cleans or whatnot.” – Schultz via Mina (04:09)

• Business vs. Football Culture:
  Dan and Mina spar over whether Jerry Jones’ approach is truly good business.

  • Dan: “No, there's Jerry's world. He gets to make the rules on commerce, and if you want to be a customer of his, you will do so under his conditions...he's the carnival barker, he's the zookeeper…” (04:59)
  • Mina challenges the idea that this spectacle adds real value:
    • “I could buy an NFL team in the 1990s, crawl into a hole, never come out, and I would have instantly made a bazillion dollar return.” (06:02)

• Jones’ Motivation:
  Highly personalized, Jones seemingly craves attention and celebrity as much as profit.

  • Pablo recounts a story about Jerry Jones greeting him by name after being prompted by his PR handler:
    • “He doesn’t need to do this. But the way that he is wired is he actually does want attention and media to care about him.” (13:06)
  • “There are lots of NFL owners that are greedy and morally compromised. But in terms of the sheer desire and the thirst for that attention...I’m going to miss this guy on that level because they don’t need us.” – Pablo (14:00)

2. Etiquette Draft: Ranking New Social Rules (15:17–44:39)

How It Works (15:17–15:54):

Each host drafts modern "rules of etiquette" (from a viral list of 150+) and debates their veracity, practicality, and awkwardness.

Notable Draft Picks & Debates

• “If you’re a dating adult, you should own lube.” (16:01)

  • Dan is forced to confront this rule and reflects on his own experience, acknowledging he had never considered it:
    • “I had 20 years of not knowing that I was supposed to be doing something that I was not doing.” – Dan (18:04)
  • Mina and Pablo gleefully pressure Dan for more commentary, kicking off the episode’s running “lube” joke.

• “If you’ve met someone and they clearly don’t remember your name, say ‘Hi, we’ve met, I’m [Name].’” (18:10–22:22)

  • Pablo advocates reducing social awkwardness, while Mina expresses concern about shaming people:
    • “I never say it… because I don’t want to make them uncomfortable.” – Mina (18:48)
    • “This is a rule... about the concept of shame...my soul leaving my body in that moment, floating.” – Mina, after recounting an uncomfortable encounter (21:29)

• “Don’t tell people they look like other people.” (22:43–24:41)

  • Caution urged—even if the comparison is meant as a compliment, it’s a social risk.
  • Pablo and Mina recall comparing Dan to Hurley from Lost on air:
    • “You guys are always...I’ve gotten Flounder from Animal House. I have gotten Chris Penn. I don’t remember the one that you’re about to hit me with.” – Dan (24:14)
    • "It was Hugo from Lost, Hurley." – Mina (24:20)

• “Always wink.” (25:54–29:01)

  • The group explores the mysterious, potentially dangerous world of winking as a form of social charm.
  • Mina attempts to wink, with everyone critiquing the resulting “sassy” attempt.

• “If your friend is dating someone you object to, only one shot to speak up.” (26:40–28:43)

  • Dan shares Lamar Odom’s advice:
    • “You all get together, you pick the best guy. You tell your friend once, one time only, on behalf of him, one time only, and you get out of it.” (27:44)

• “Find your signature sign-off and stick with it.” (29:54–31:24)

  • The trio riff on sign-off etiquette:
    • “As always, Pablo Torre.” – Pablo (30:36)
    • “That is, that's called an ethnic wink, by the way.” – Pablo (31:24, after Dan says he signs off with “gracias”)

• “If someone mispronounces a word, and you know what they meant, move along.” (32:43–34:24)

  • Dan admits he corrects people, believing he’s being helpful.
  • Mina’s infamous “foul/foal” horse mix-up is referenced.

• “Hot gossip only goes into a voice memo, never into text.” (36:09–36:38)

  • Mina admits to dropping gossip as voice memos to avoid a digital paper trail.

• “Never answer a compliment with a compliment.” (39:32–40:27)

  • Dominique Foxworth is cited as enforcing this rule:
    • “Take a compliment. Hangs up. And he hangs up and he’s...you didn’t mean that.” – Pablo (39:43)

• “If you’re a boss and see employees in the wild, greet them warmly but briskly.” (42:15)

  • They discuss boundaries between work and personal life.

3. Memorable Moments & Banter

• Running “lube” joke:
  The group's discomfort with Dan's “lube” admission is revisited multiple times, always as a comedic callback.

• Live etiquette discomfort:
  The winking contest (29:04–29:21) and the group’s troubled attempts at “ethnic”/cultural sign-offs highlight the difference between theory and practice.

• Honesty About Compliments:
  Dan is playfully pressured to offer better, more moderate praise:

  • “You are the greatest cheerleader on earth. But a little. Sometimes a simple, 'hey, that was good' will suffice.” – Mina (44:39)

• “Shame” is a recurring theme:
  Many rules circle back to how we experience embarrassment and cause awkwardness for others.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Pablo on Jerry’s motivation:
  “He actually does want attention and media to care about him. And what I'm expressing here is there is a last of his kind dynamic to Jerry Jones.” (13:10)

• Dan on the Cowboys spectacle:
  "He's the most powerful man in that sport, even though he hasn't won anything meaningful in 30 years....he's the ringleader, and he gets to make the rules on how the animals are treated." (04:59)

• Mina on football vs. business:
  "If you believe as I do, that all of this is actually counterproductive to running a proper football team...then yes, I think you're actually eroding the long term value of this franchise in pursuit of these small gains." (10:14)

• Dan’s ‘ethnic wink’ email sign-off:
  "That is, that's called an ethnic wink, by the way." – Pablo (31:24)

• On hot gossip:
  "Hot gossip only goes in the voice memo, never in text." – Pablo (36:11)

• On correcting mispronunciations:
  "I will always make the correction, but I do it...because I think the person would want to know..." – Dan (33:05)

• Dan, learning about feedback:
  “I just learned that my most confident friends… at making amazing things… too need compliments…” (44:01)

• Pablo, full circle to discomfort:
  “Just, in other words, just a little bit of lube. Just a little.” (44:55)

Important Timestamps for Segments

• Dallas Cowboys “zoo” story: 00:27–15:17
• Etiquette Draft begins: 15:17
• Dan’s “lube” rule pick: 16:01
• Forgotten names etiquette: 18:10
• Looks Like game & winking: 22:43–29:01
• Friends’ relationship interventions: 26:40–28:43
• Social sign-offs: 29:54–31:24
• Correcting words & pandemic memories: 32:43–34:24
• Gossip rules: 36:09–36:38
• Compliments & positive reinforcement: 39:32–44:39

Tone & Style

The tone is bracingly honest, self-deprecating, and highly conversational. All participants are comfortable both interrogating and embarrassing each other, bringing out memorable moments of humor, candor, and reflection about the weirdness of fame, sports, and human interaction.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This installment provides both a sharp examination of sports business folly and a hilarious, insightful look at the rules (and exceptions) governing how we relate to each other. The episode is a testament to how the right mix of smart guests and mischievous format can yield both memorable debates and genuine personal revelations—all without ever losing its playful, knowing edge.