Podcast Summary: The Bobby Bones Show

Episode: Family Holiday Traditions & Mike D’s Best Lessons He’s Learned From Bobby
Original Air Date: January 3, 2026
Host: Morgan (with guest Mike D)
Podcast Network: Premiere Networks

Episode Overview

In this lively Q&A episode, Morgan and Mike D respond to listener questions, diving into family holiday traditions, lessons learned from working with Bobby Bones, reflections on food, running, and personal life updates. The conversation is candid and warm, touching on themes of connection—both with family and within themselves. The tone is friendly, open, and humorous, making it accessible and enjoyable to listeners new and old.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Listener Shout-outs & Mike D’s New Look

• [00:20] Morgan begins with positive messages from listeners, referencing Mike’s new look post-braces.
• Mike D shares a laugh about running into a “roadblock” with his style change.

2. In-laws & Family Dynamics

• [01:03] Question: Do you get along with your in-laws?
• Mike D: “I do. I think it's hard for me to form a relationship with anybody. So that was the hardest thing for me is just like, what do I talk to you guys about?”
  • He finds common ground with his father-in-law over Texas football and his law enforcement job, which he finds fascinating.
  • Both families get together for holidays, blending traditions, notably making tamales for Thanksgiving ([01:57]).
• Morgan reflects on the rarity and value of in-laws getting along, noting, “It is cool when that happens. It’s rare, I feel like unfortunately. But it’s cool when it does.” ([03:19])

3. Holiday Traditions: Tamales & Sugar Cookies

• [04:05] Question: What family traditions do you have over the holidays?
• Mike D describes the tamale-making process in detail, emphasizing the labor and cultural importance, and his role in “assembly duty.”
  • “I just know once that [masa] is made, I can assemble it.” ([06:09])
• Morgan shares her family tradition of baking homemade sugar cookies using an old, child-written recipe, which they still use today.
  • “It’s just like this really bad writing... We make them and then we ice them all together.”
• The two discuss the challenges of gluten-free and vegan baking, with Morgan promising to bring Mike a vegan/gluten-free cookie “if it actually tastes good.” ([07:08])

4. Best Lesson Learned from Bobby Bones

• [08:34] Question: What is the best lesson you've learned from Bobby?
• Mike D explains how reliability and consistently “showing up” were key:
  • “I realized it didn’t really have to do with talent. It was more about showing up. So...I started coming in every single day and showing up and just being reliable.”
  • He credits this ethic for his career progression: “Reliability is...more important than anything.”

5. Dream Movie Role

• [10:14] Question: If you could be cast in any movie, new or old, what would it be?
• Mike D: “I want to go back to 1939 and be in the first Wizard of Oz movie...I would want to be the wizard. Give me the wizard role.”
  • He shares his fascination with classic filmmaking and the impact of The Wizard of Oz ([10:24]).
• Morgan confesses her Kansas upbringing made her believe it was the first color movie: “Dang, I’ve been lied to this whole time.”

6. Theater Memories

• [16:32] Post-ad break, Morgan and Mike reminisce about their small roles in childhood theater, comparing notes on parts played and disappointments (“They cut my line,” Mike recalls, [17:08]).

7. Run Club, Fitness, and Social Disconnect

• [18:09] Question: Did Mike ever attend Run Club?
  • Mike admits he didn’t, realizing he prefers running solo to the social aspect.
  • “I just don’t think that’s the route I want to take.”
• [19:34] Advice: Tips to increase running distance
  • Mike suggests: “No matter what distance you're doing. Add one more and just try it.”
  • He believes much of running distance is mental and shares personal insights into his marathon mindset, including the pressure to finish for the show ([21:11]):
    • “The shame of me not completing this...I cannot quit because I’m not going to go in on Monday and say, I didn’t finish.”

8. Food and Changing Tastes

• [22:23] Question: Do you ever eat foods you used to have on your Christmas purge?
  • Mike explains how certain foods, like pancakes and pizza, are no longer part of his diet, and he muses on the difficulty of finding decent vegan pizza.
  • Morgan reflects on how after dietary changes, familiar foods can taste different (“I had like an identity crisis in that moment.” [24:17]).
  • Mike fondly remembers his Cici’s Pizza era, telling of being such a regular that management recognized him ([24:44]).

9. Family Expansion and Future Plans

• [26:07] Question: Any family plans?
  • Mike D shares that he and his wife are “in talks of...seeing a future of us having kids...the closest we've been to talking like it's a reality.”
  • They want to “do all the things that we won’t be able to do once we have kids” in 2026.
  • Mike finds it comforting that many friends are having children, creating a supportive environment for the future ([27:38]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On familial connection:

  • “Not only do I get along with my in-laws, I think it was a big thing for me, for my family to also get along with her family...like both those families come together a lot. Like, we always just mix everybody together.”
    — Mike D ([01:57])

• On work ethic:

  • “I realized it didn’t really have to do with talent. It was more about showing up.”
    — Mike D ([08:45])

• On the tamale tradition:

  • “You take the masa, you put it on the corn husk, then you put your chicken or your meat and then your salsa on top...then you put them all in a big pot...the steam cooks the insides.”
    — Mike D ([04:29])

• On changing tastes:

  • “I tried [my favorite pizza], and I was about three bites in. I was like, this doesn’t taste the same to me anymore...I had, like, an identity crisis in that moment.”
    — Morgan ([24:17])

• On running motivation:

  • “If you can run six, you can run 13.1. In a race setting, you can always do double what you can do normally.”
    — Mike D ([21:11])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Shout-outs & Mike D’s new look | 00:20 | | In-laws & Family Dynamics | 01:03-03:19 | | Holiday Traditions (Tamales & Sugar Cookies) | 04:05-07:08 | | Baking Vegan/Gluten-Free | 07:08-08:15 | | Best Lesson Learned from Bobby Bones | 08:34-09:49 | | Dream Movie Role: Wizard of Oz | 10:14-11:20 | | Childhood Theater Memories | 16:32-17:39 | | Run Club and Fitness | 18:09-21:53 | | Thoughts on Food and Changing Tastes | 22:23-25:28 | | Family Expansion/Future Plans | 26:07-28:14 |

Tone & Style

• Warm, friendly, introspective: The hosts easily combine humor with honest reflections.
• Conversational: The dialogue feels unscripted and authentic.
• Supportive and positive: Even mundane topics are approached with an upbeat tone, and both hosts encourage one another in their respective endeavors.

Conclusion

This episode of "The Bobby Bones Show" offers an intimate glimpse into Mike D’s personal traditions and philosophies—from family and food to career and community. Candid Q&A segments, shared reminiscences, and earnest banter make it a great listen for anyone who enjoys personal storytelling in a relaxed, humorous atmosphere.