Mike Is Getting His Braces off & Morgan Spent This Week in the Hospital

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Bobby Bones Show
Episode Title: Mike Is Getting His Braces off & Morgan Spent This Week in the Hospital
Release Date: June 7, 2025
Host/Author: Premiere Networks

---

1. Food and Dietary Preferences

The episode opens with Morgan and Mike delving into their personal food and drink habits, highlighting their different approaches to maintaining their diets.

• Morgan's Energy Drink Choice:
  Morgan mentions her preference for Black Rifle Energy Drinks, specifically the Berry flavor:

  "I am chugging a Black Rifle energy drink... the berry one looks a little bit less because it's all blue."
  (02:50)

• Mike's Beverage Preferences:
  Mike shares his inclination towards Celsius but admits a craving for Red Bull:

  "I drink Celsius... I've been craving a Red Bull. I used to drink a lot of Red Bull."
  (04:12)

• Smoothies as Lunch:
  The conversation shifts to Mike's habit of having smoothies for lunch to save time:

  "I usually only have a smoothie for lunch because I don't want to have to think about making lunch every day."
  (04:12)
  Morgan expresses her wish for a similar routine:
  "I wish I could just pop something in and not worry about it."
  (05:18)

2. Marriage and Relationship Insights

Morgan and Mike celebrate their four-year wedding anniversary, using the conversation to share valuable relationship advice gleaned from their experiences.

• Addressing Issues Head-On:
  Mike emphasizes the importance of confronting problems directly to prevent resentment:

  "If there's ever an issue you're having, going head-on into it and addressing it as soon as you can is the best way."
  (07:21)

• Transition from Long-Distance to Living Together:
  Mike reflects on the shift from a long-distance relationship to cohabitation, marking the end of their honeymoon phase:

  "After about a month of living together... we had our first argument over unloading the dishwasher."
  (08:00)

• Anniversary Gift Strategies:
  The couple discusses their unique approach to anniversary gifts, opting for trips over traditional presents:

  "We're planning for our big trip for our fifth anniversary because the fourth felt like a formality."
  (12:36)

3. Mike's Braces Journey

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Mike's long-awaited dental milestone—getting his braces removed after nearly two decades.

• Anticipating the Removal:
  Mike shares his feelings about finally removing his braces:

  "Next week I'm getting them taken off, which is the first step, the biggest step."
  (14:12)

• Emotional Attachment to Braces:
  He explains his indifference towards the removal, having had braces for so long:

  "They feel like a part of me that getting them off doesn't feel exciting."
  (14:16)

• Future Dental Work:
  Mike discusses the upcoming process of getting bridges to fill gaps in his teeth:

  "In another month, I have to go back to start the process of putting the bridge on my teeth."
  (15:04)

• Morgan's Emotional Experience:
  Morgan recounts her own emotional struggle when removing braces:

  "When I did take them off, I cried. I cried because I was so used to having braces."
  (15:16)

4. Pet Hospitalization Experience

Morgan opens up about a challenging week spent dealing with her cat Hazel's hospitalization, providing a heartfelt narrative of the emotional toll it took.

• Initial Signs and Emergency Visit:
  Morgan describes the sudden decline in Hazel's health:

  "She started peeing blood and wasn't eating or drinking... we went to the ER."
  (25:10)

• Emotional Rollercoaster:
  She expresses the helplessness and anxiety experienced during Hazel's hospitalization:

  "I was already in an emotional state, and then this happens... it was heartbreaking."
  (27:14)

• Veterinary Insights:
  The duo reflects on witnessing a futile CPR attempt at the ER:

  "We watched vets do CPR, and he didn't make it. It was gut-punching."
  (28:15)

• Current Status:
  Morgan shares the hopeful news that Hazel will be returning home soon:

  "She is coming home after we record this podcast this afternoon."
  (36:00)

5. Reflections on Pets and Family

The conversation naturally transitions into how pets shape their lives and familial relationships.

• Mike's Attachment to Cats:
  Mike reminisces about his past cats and their impact:

  "Even thinking about the cats I had... that's like a small part of my life, but it was so important."
  (32:09)

• Family's Love for Animals:
  He discusses his father's transformation from opposing pets to loving multiple cats:

  "My dad loves having cats around the house because they take care of the mice and he's got friends around."
  (33:19)

• Desire for a New Pet:
  Morgan and Mike talk about incorporating a new cat into their lives, weighing the challenges:

  "She's less pressuring now, considering where we are in life."
  (35:23)

6. Pop Culture and Brand Collaborations

In a lighter segment, Morgan and Mike discuss recent pop culture events and their thoughts on brand collaborations, particularly focusing on Post Malone's new venture.

• Post Malone's New Bar:
  Morgan brings up Post Malone opening a bar on Broadway:

  "Post Malone is opening a bar on Broadway. That's going to be interesting."
  (44:58)

• Evaluating Brand Fit:
  They debate whether Post Malone's involvement aligns with his persona:

  "Do you feel like having a speakeasy is his vibe? I'm not sure."
  (45:44)

• Threshold for Collaborations:
  Morgan questions the saturation of celebrity brand collaborations:

  "There's a threshold they hit, and I'm not sure we're seeing the right fit anymore."
  (52:22)

• Ideal Brand Partnerships:
  Mike shares his dream collaboration with Marvel Comics:

  "If I could team up with Marvel, that would be the ultimate."
  (53:17)
  Similarly, Morgan envisions a partnership centered around animal rescues:
  "Something in relation to animals, like rescues, would make sense."
  (53:40)

7. Closing Remarks and Promotions

As the episode nears its end, Morgan and Mike promote their respective podcasts and encourage listeners to engage with their content.

• Mike's Podcast Promotion:

  "You can listen to my podcast, Movie Mike's Movie Podcast. New episodes every Monday."
  (58:10)

• Morgan's Podcast Promotion:

  "Subscribe to our YouTube channel, Obon Show, and follow my podcast."
  (58:21)

• Final Encouragements:
  They invite listeners to follow their shows on social platforms:

  "Go follow the show on all social platforms... follow ebgirlmorgan to submit your listener questions."
  (58:46)

---

Notable Quotes:

• On Addressing Marriage Issues:

  "If there's ever an issue you're having, going head-on into it and addressing it as soon as you can is the best way."
  (07:21)

• On Getting Braces Off:

  "They feel like a part of me that getting them off doesn't feel exciting."
  (14:16)

• On Pet Hospitalization:

  "It was gut-punching... I genuinely never want to be in any ER situation ever again."
  (28:15)

• On Brand Collaborations:

  "There's a threshold they hit, and I'm not sure we're seeing the right fit anymore."
  (52:22)

This episode of The Bobby Bones Show presents a blend of personal anecdotes, heartfelt discussions, and light-hearted banter between Morgan and Mike. From navigating long-term relationships and dental journeys to coping with pet health crises and evaluating the landscape of celebrity brand collaborations, the hosts offer listeners an engaging and relatable experience.

Transcript

[Morgan]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Mike]

Thank you to the presenting sponsor of today's episode, American Express. I'm a big American Express guy. I travel for work a lot. I'm able to use this card in an amazing way for my business expenses. You know me, I'm on the road. I feel like sometimes too much. But all the points I get makes it so much better. With the Amex Business Platinum, you earn five times membership reward points on flights and prepaid hotels. Book through amextravel.com/ you can work while you're on the go with access to more than 1400 lounges globally through the American Express Global lounge collection, including the Centurion Lounge. That's powerful backing of American Express terms apply. Learn more at americanexpress.com amexbusiness NBC Nightly News Legacy isn't handed down.

[Morgan]

We're NBC News.

[Mike]

I'm Tom Brokaw.

[Morgan]

We hope to see you back here. I'm Lester Holt. It's carried forward. Tom Yamats is there for us.

[Mike]

Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what we are. Coming on the air with breaking news. Right now, we look for a constant and from one era to the next, trust is the anchor For NBC Nightly News. I'm Tom Yamas.

[Morgan]

A new chapter begins.

[Mike]

NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas evenings on NBC.

[Morgan]

Here's the deal.

[Mike]

We gotta set ourselves up.

[Morgan]

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[Mike]

We gotta make moves and make them early. Set up goals.

[Morgan]

Don't worry about a setback.

[Mike]

Just save up and stack up to reach them.

[Morgan]

Let's put ourselves in the right position pregame to greater things. Start building your retirement [e-mail] brought to you by AARP and the Ad Council.

[Mike]

I've seen a lot of stuff over 30 years. You know, some very despicable crime and things that are kind of tough to wrap your head around. And this ranks right up there in the pantheon of Rhode island fraudsters.

[Morgan]

I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximized that while I was lying. Listen to Deep Cover the truth about Sarah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mike]

I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Morgan]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Mike]

Listen to Absolute Season 1 Taser incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The best bits of the week with.

[Morgan]

Morgan, Part 1 Behind the Scenes with.

[Mike]

A member of the show.

[Morgan]

Good morning, everybody. Happy weekend. Mike D. Is joining me this weekend on Best Bits. What's up, Mike?

[Mike]

Hey, are you chugging a coffee right now?

[Morgan]

I am chugging a black rifle energy drink.

[Mike]

It looks intense.

[Morgan]

I know it really feels that way, but I think it's just because I got the white frost or, like, wild frost one. The berry one looks a little bit less because it's all blue.

[Mike]

Is that carbonated?

[Morgan]

I don't know. Listen, I got these when I played in the softball game this week. Let's see, we've got low calorie, B vitamin, zero sugar. What did you ask me?

[Mike]

Is it carbonated? Like, is it fizzy or is it.

[Morgan]

It has carbonated water. Okay. I believe so. The one that I tried, it didn't taste too carbonated. It tastes kind of like an energy drink. When's the last time you had an energy drink, Mike?

[Mike]

I mean, I drink Celsius. Aside from, like, I've been craving a Red Bull. I used to drink a lot of Red Bull.

[Morgan]

Okay.

[Mike]

And I just want something that has that same flavor, but not all the things that are in a Red Bull because it messes me up.

[Morgan]

I feel like you can have this. It's not. I mean, you know, obviously it's an energy drink at the end of the day, but you should look at them.

[Mike]

I'm down to drink. Like, if I could only survive off of liquids, I would be so much happier.

[Morgan]

I feel like you could survive off of liquids, right? I mean, you could turn food into liquids, like smoothies.

[Mike]

That is, like, why I usually only have a smoothie for lunch is because I don't want to have to think about making lunch every day. And it's something that I can make where I just don't think about it. I just make it, I drink it, and that's it. Like, I wish I could just take a pill and live off of that.

[Morgan]

So you get no enjoyment out of food.

[Mike]

Zero.

[Morgan]

Is that now because of where you're at in, like, your health journey or.

[Mike]

I don't know. Like, I realize that some people, especially during the week, enjoy making dinner and enjoy that process. I do not. Like, I just see it as I need to put fuel in my body. I need to make something that I can make in, like, 20 minutes, eat, and then move on.

[Morgan]

I wish I was like that. I'm Like a. I have to enjoy what I'm eating. We had this conversation with Scuba last weekend because I, like, started getting, like, gagging when I was trying to eat healthy foods and foods that I, like, normally would love. And I was so confused. I was like, what is my body doing? Is this just because I'm not enjoying this moment? Like, what is happening? And so for you to say that you could just, like, pop something in and not worry about it. I wish my body and taste buds would allow that.

[Mike]

I think I'm also just so set on, like, routines. Like, I eat the same thing pretty much every week.

[Morgan]

That's what's expensive. Guys do that so well. It's the one thing that I envy about you guys.

[Mike]

I just like. I like what I like. I don't venture out. I don't feel the need to, like, experiment with recipes. So I just make what I make.

[Morgan]

That's. See, that's so cool. Because then you just don't have to worry about it. And you're like, every week I can buy. I watch my boyfriend buy the same thing at the store every Sunday to make the same foods that he eats every week. And then there's me. I'm just pulling things left and right. I'm like, I'm gonna try this new recipe. Oh, I don't like that. Let me try this new one. And I. I am so impressed when people can do that. And I genuinely envy it. That is a talent.

[Mike]

And if I wouldn't have got married, like, before that, I would never go out to eat. I would never go out to eat if it was me just single. Like, I never just thought of, like, I wanna go out to eat and enjoy the. No. Like, I would just make everything at home.

[Morgan]

Mike. I have a whole notes app in my phone of all the new places I want to try in Nashville.

[Mike]

Yeah, I'm just not, like. And it's not that I'm a picky eater. It's not that I'm not adventurous. It's just when I. When I sit down to want to eat something, like, I don't want to have to think about it.

[Morgan]

I wish I had more of that mentality. I really do. Like, I love going to Chinese phones, and I like food restaurants, and I like being a foodie, but I don't like the other side of it where I wish I could just, like, look at something. Like, food is fuel. I need this to survive. I have to be like, no, I must enjoy this very polar opposite.

[Mike]

Yeah, I'm just waiting for that pill, that food pill.

[Morgan]

That's so funny. Speaking of marriage too, you and your wife celebrated your four year wedding anniversary.

[Mike]

Yeah. It's crazy because I'm at that point in my life where I don't remember life before her, especially like her moving here because even that was like four years ago or I guess five years ago now. But I think I kind of have my first piece of wedding advice or like marriage advice.

[Morgan]

Okay.

[Mike]

Which I've never really given before because I'm like, I've only been married, you know, not even five years now. But I think the one thing I've learned after four years is if there's ever like an issue you're having, I think going like, head on into it and addressing it as soon as you can is the best way. That's like, for me because I think a lot of times early in the marriage I found myself hesitant of like, oh, we're going to fight and we're going to have like a big problem that we're not going to be able to address. But I find now it's just like, hey, let's address this straight on, deal with it and then move on.

[Morgan]

I assume that would also help with resentment. So you're not holding anything against the stuff.

[Mike]

I think that's what it is. I think, like, I've learned from a lot of other people who do build resentment and things fester up and it could be such a little thing too, where it's like, that wasn't even an issue, but then we never addressed it. So then we all kind of held on to this and it keeps building and building. And I've learned to get over feeling this thing where I don't like confrontation. But I find that it's a lot easier when you're just like, okay, we're here in the moment, we're both kind of annoyed at each other. Let's get through this now and move on. And I find that that's been our best way to deal with things instead of letting it build up for another day or another week. We disagree on something, we get through it and then we move on.

[Morgan]

At what point was it like, okay, I think the honeymoon phase has ended and we have entered into real life.

[Mike]

As far as the marriage or in the relationship, it could be either. I would say in the relationship, the first thing was because we were long distance for two years.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

So there was a lot of times where it just felt like that because we would go weeks, sometimes months without seeing each other and then we'd be Back together, and it all be great, all be happy. And then it wasn't until she moved in in 2020, we'd already been dating two years. After about a month of living together, where it wasn't just like, oh, this is fun. We're finally spending time together, where real life kind of set in, and we had to do normal things like unload the dishwasher, cook dinner, where we had our first argument over unloading the dishwasher. That was like that first time of like, oh, this feels real now. It's not just that honeymoon phase of dating, Going from always being excited to be around each other to now we have to deal with real life, and we have to deal with another human living in the same space as us. So I think as. As far as the relationship, that was like, the one kind of defining moment, I think, in marriage. I think because we lived with each other for almost, I guess, a year and a half before we got married. I don't know if there was that honeymoon phase after getting married, because we were already together, living with each other, and experienced that maybe, like, within the first few months, I would say, but it just kind of felt normal after that.

[Morgan]

Did you feel like when you guys got married after having lived together, was there kind of like this new special bond that was added on just because you got married, or was it just literally, you guys had a party, signed the deal, and that was just kind of it.

[Mike]

It just kind of felt like a formality at that point, because we were even thinking about, like, not having a wedding. This was also coming out of COVID too, when we got married. Really, let's just go to the courthouse, get married. It was just the fact that our parents and her grandparents couldn't be there if we did that. That was really the primary reason we had a wedding where it was like. It's just these people who literally couldn't get themselves here to see that and witness that. And we thought that would be a real bummer. So aside from that, we probably would have just went to the courthouse and got married just because we didn't really see it as, like, we need to have this big party. We need to do all these things, because we already felt so, like, invested in each other and knew this was the right thing and knew this felt right, that it didn't really feel like, oh, we're married now, after the fact.

[Morgan]

Could you guys have gone to Texas and done a courthouse in Texas?

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Okay. I don't know how the marriage license over state borders matters.

[Mike]

I don't know either, because we had to go. We did have to go to Texas to get our license. So technically we are married in Texas.

[Morgan]

I was just technically not married in Tennessee.

[Mike]

I don't know how that works, because. Not to talk about the negative side of this, but I started thinking about when people get divorced. Like, does do the laws apply where you got divorced or you got married? Because I know there are different.

[Morgan]

Yeah, because, like, what if people who get married in Europe or Mexico, what are their laws? And then do you have to abide by nothing? I imagine it'd be where you're living.

[Mike]

I imagine, too, where it's like your primary residence is. But it's like, does it really matter where you get married as far as any legalities? Because some people do get married in remote parts of the country.

[Morgan]

Right. So you're not world. They're not following that. Are you guys doing the. I don't really know what it is, but every wedding anniversary is like, paper, fire, water.

[Mike]

Yeah, I think we did that the first year. I think fourth was wood. We didn't do that. I think fifth is like, one of them was fruit. Maybe it was third that we missed it. But no, we don't really. We didn't really do that.

[Morgan]

So you guys aren't giving each other wood gifts?

[Mike]

No. Dang.

[Morgan]

I was really looking forward to hearing what gifts you guys came up with.

[Mike]

Also, at the fourth, we were, like, not as adventurous in our. Our anniversary gifts.

[Morgan]

Okay.

[Mike]

Like, my wife, she makes it easy on me and just like, this is what I want. Here's a link. Just buy it. And then I don't like anything. Like, I don't like any kind of possessions. I'm kind of a minimalist, and the only thing I'm into is, like, my nerdy hobbies.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

And she's like, you're the hardest to shop for because you like things that are so specific. There's no way that I would know what you want.

[Morgan]

Yeah, well. And weren't you guys at one point doing trips kind of instead of gifts?

[Mike]

Yeah, that's kind of what we're doing. So we're doing our. We're really planning for our big trip for our fifth.

[Morgan]

Okay.

[Mike]

Because we're like, fourth. Eh. We could go more all out for a fifth. So I think that's kind of what we're waiting on. So. Yeah, I'm always just hard to shop for.

[Morgan]

Just. I wish you could get gift cards to a comic book store. Maybe that would be your.

[Mike]

That's what she did for Valentine's day. She's like, I already did that.

[Morgan]

Yeah, you're like, like, dang. So she's gets gift cards for movie theaters, comic book stores and anything. Dallas Cowboys or Texas Rangers?

[Mike]

Basically. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Or Texas University. Right?

[Mike]

Just te. Yeah, Texas.

[Morgan]

Is it Texas? Are they just Texas?

[Mike]

Yeah, I just say Texas. It's University of Texas at Austin.

[Morgan]

So, yeah, I just know the Longhorns. That's really normally how I identify them. Okay. And then you also told me you had a final braces update.

[Mike]

As of next week, I'm getting them off.

[Morgan]

For good.

[Mike]

For good.

[Morgan]

Okay. So last time you were on here, you were trying to make a decision.

[Mike]

Yeah, So I made the decision. So it's still like a four visit process. So next week I'm getting them taken off, which is the first step, which is the biggest step. Because I think that's gonna feel like I'm at the end of something.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

I've had these things for years now and it doesn't feel weird to me because I've had them for so long. I think if I only had them for two years, it would feel like, oh, I'm finally getting them off. But I think because I've had them for so long, they feel like a part of me that getting them off doesn't feel exciting. Like my wife is like, are you excited to finally get them off? I'm like, not really because I've just had them for so long that I don't even think about it anymore.

[Morgan]

Yeah, they're just kind of a piece of you. But this is where I warn you, this happened to me because I had mine on for six, seven years. And when I did take them off, I cried. I cried. I thought my teeth were ugly because I was just so used to having braces.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

It becomes such a, like it's kind of a mind boggling scenario when you see yourself as one way for so many years and then all of a sudden it's just gone and you're like, that's not what I. That's not exactly what I pictured when this was happening.

[Mike]

I think I could, I could see that for me, because I feel like my braces hide other imperfections in my teeth right now. And this first step of getting them off is going to leave some other things exposed that I'm going to be like a little bit self conscious of. So I get them off next week and then in another month I have to go back to start the process of them putting the bridge on my teeth, which is where they're going to fill in the gaps where I'm missing some teeth. I didn't realize how long that takes as well. That's a two hour appointment to get those things on.

[Morgan]

And those bridges aren't fun.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

You're gonna get like a little. Screw that. You're gonna have to expand it if I. If they still do it that same way. And it is not fun.

[Mike]

Yeah. And this is the less invasive way because the option I was going with before was getting the implant and now it's gonna be even worse. So I'll take the two hours over the two appointments where they're drilling something into my teeth and then putting in a bone and. Yeah, that sounded awful.

[Morgan]

Yeah, I had a feeling you weren't gonna go with that one. Just because it is invasive. Right. And mouth surgery is already not fun. Anything mouth related. Just going for a dental clean is not a fun experience. Let alone them for like 4real. Using big tools on your teeth. Yeah. Not fun.

[Mike]

Yeah. And it doesn't even so much freak me out of, like, the pain or. I know some people just have fear of going to the dentist.

[Morgan]

That's me.

[Mike]

Yeah. That's how people ask me. I think it's just like the recovery process for me. Like, I just don't want my mouth to be out of commission. And it came down to. I was talking to them about, like, is there any, like, health implications of like, one versus the other? They're like, no. Really? It's just like how it looks. I'm like, oh, I'm not that concerned with it. Then if it's not like a thing of like, I'm gonna take away all the progress I did by making one decision over the other, then I'm fine with it.

[Morgan]

Yeah. I'm excited for you, Mike. This is a big deal. So how long will it be once you get your braces off, how long will it have been?

[Mike]

I would say 20, 18, seven years. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Oh, yeah. I know that all too well. But I don't know it as an adult, which is a vastly different experience.

[Mike]

Yeah, it really is. Because, like, I'm like one of two of their adult patients. And it's. It's different because I feel like they deal with me in a different way.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Because they're like, oh, like this guy has other problems. And like our 13 year old, 14 year old patients don't have. I'm like, yo, I got to take off work for this.

[Morgan]

You're like this. I have an actual job. Guys, we got to consider here. But it is cool because you getting to have the money to do that at this point in your life is still awesome. And you have so much life left that now you get to have the smile that you want. And that's a cool thing, too.

[Mike]

Yeah. Like, I was even at a point considering not doing the bridge at all once I found out about, like, how much it costs and all those other things. And then it was my wife who got convinced me, like, no, you spent so much time invested in braces that to get to this point and not get to a smile that you're fully comfortable with, she's like, you got to go the full way. Like, we'll make it work. We plan for this. Like, you have to see this whole thing out. And also, like, when I take pictures right now, like, I don't like the right side of my face. And she's like, if we take pictures, I'm not sacrificing my good side because you don't want to use your good side. I'm like, fine, I'll get the. I'll get the bridge.

[Morgan]

It's so funny because, like, her being your. Your wife at this point, like, you actually have to listen to her with that. It's not like she was your girlfriend. You're like, whatever. But, like, she's your wife, and this is the rest of your life.

[Mike]

She's like, both of our good sides are the same side, so we need to have you feeling comfortable on that side.

[Morgan]

I think you should have just proposed that every photo you guys took together, you guys did the prom pose.

[Mike]

We both get our good side.

[Morgan]

Yeah, and you both always have your good side. And you could swap back and forth some. Like, she's in front. Sometimes you're in front. That's my proposal. If this doesn't work how you want, just, you know, propose that to her. Okay, we're gonna take a quick break, and we will be right back. I'm Andrea Gunning, host of the podcast Betrayal. Police Lieutenant Joel Kern used his badge to fool everyone, most of all, his wife, Caroline. He texted, I've ruined our lives.

[Mike]

You're going to want to divorce me.

[Morgan]

Caroline's husband was living another life behind the scenes. He betrayed his oath to his family and to his community.

[Mike]

She said you left bruises, pulled her hair, that type of thing. No.

[Morgan]

How far would Joel go to cover up what he'd done?

[Mike]

You're unable to keep track of all your lies, and quite frankly, I question how many other women may bring forward allegations in the future.

[Morgan]

This season of Betrayal Investigates. One officer's Decades of deception, lies that left those closest to him questioning everything they thought they knew. Listen to betrayal on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I think everything that might have dropped in 95 has been labeled the golden years of hip hop. It's Black Music Month, and we need the talk is tapping in. I'm Nyla Simone, breaking down lyrics, amplifying voices, and digging into the culture that shapes the soundtrack of our lives. My favorite line on there was my son and my daughter gonna be proud when they hear my old tapes. Yeah. Now I'm curious. Do they, like, rap along now? Yeah, because I bring him on tour with me, and he's getting older now too, so his friends are starting to understand what that type of music is, and they're starting to be like, yo, your dad's, like, really the goat. Like, he's a legend, so he gets it. What does it mean to leave behind a music legacy for your family? It means a lot to me.

[Mike]

Just having a good catalog and just.

[Morgan]

Being able to make people feel good, like, that's what's really important, and that's what stands out, is that my music changes people's lives for the better. So the fact that my kids get to benefit off of that, I'm really happy, or my family in general. Let's talk about the music that moves us to hear this and more on how music and culture collide. Listen to we need to Talk from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. She was a decorated veteran, a Marine who saved her comrades, a hero. She was stoic, modest, tough, someone who inspired people. Everyone thought they knew her until they didn't. I remember sitting on her couch and asking her, is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real?

[Mike]

I just couldn't wrap my head around what kind of person would do that to another person that was getting treatment, that was, you know, dying.

[Morgan]

This is a story all about trust and about a woman named Sarah Kavanaugh. I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximized that while I was lying. Listen to Deep Cover the Truth About Sarah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mike]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan.

[Morgan]

Flores, and brought to you by Velvet Buck.

[Mike]

This podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode, I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and meat eater founder Stephen Rinella.

[Morgan]

I'll correct my kids now and then.

[Mike]

Where they'll say when cave people were here. And I'll say, it seems like the.

[Morgan]

Ice age people that were here didn't.

[Mike]

Have a real affinity for caves.

[Morgan]

So join me starting Tuesday, May 6.

[Mike]

Where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This Pride Month we are not just celebrating, we're fighting back. I'm George M. Johnson and my book.

[Morgan]

All Boys Aren't Blue was just named.

[Mike]

The most banned book in America. If the culture wars have taught me anything, it's that pride is protest. And on my podcast, Fighting Words, we talk to people who use their voices to resist, disrupt and make our community stronger. This year we are showing up and showing out. You need people being like, no, you're.

[Morgan]

Not going to tell us what to do.

[Mike]

This regime is coming down on us.

[Morgan]

And I don't want to just survive.

[Mike]

I want to thrive. You'll hear from trailblazers blazers like Bob.

[Morgan]

The Drag Queen to freedom Angelica Ross. We ready to fight?

[Mike]

I'm ready to fight. And Gabrielle Union. Hi George. And storytellers with wisdom to spare. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Morgan]

So this week has been insanely crazy. Mike, for so many reasons at CMA Fest, but also my cat Hazel husband in the hospital. And that's been a really tough experience.

[Mike]

How did that start?

[Morgan]

Oh, she started peeing blood and she wasn't eating or drinking. Following that, at first I was like, oh, we may have a UTI kind of situation, which is pretty easy to treat. And then, yeah, she just stopped eating, drinking for me and it took a significant turn within 24 hours and I just felt something in my gut. And I had taken her to the vet that morning and she had gotten fluids and she seemed to be doing better and a little bit perkier. And I was like, okay, maybe we're on a corner. I got antibiotics to try and start treating her and she still refused to eat for me and that just collapsed in my lap and I was like, okay, we're going to the er. I'm not gonna risk the fact that I If I just, like, sit here and hope that this works out. So we went to the er, and then we were at the ER for five or so hours. And then they transferred us to getting her hospitalized. It was a very long day when it happened on Tuesday, man. And it was just something that I just. I haven't fully experienced before, like, hospitalization of a pet. I've been lucky that I've never had to with Remy or Hazel at this point, and they're both 10 years old, so. So I'm very lucky that that's been the case. But then it was just, like, a whole lot of tests and not a lot of answers. And now we're kind of at the point where we still don't exactly have all the answers. But it looked like she had a kidney infection, most likely, and she's got some early kidney disease, which they can still live really good lives for however long they want to. And however long you keep them hydrated and on the right diet and doing the right things, and they can still live, like, long lives after that. But it's still scary, like, hearing that they have a disease. And like, the worst part, Mike, has honestly been that I've just had to leave her, and I just couldn't do anything about it. It was just.

[Mike]

Yeah, you just kind of feel helpless. Cause you're like, I can't do anything for you, but I want to.

[Morgan]

And I wanted to call all the time, be like, what's going on? Can you tell me how she's doing? But they kept saying, no news is good news. And you have to, like. You kind of have to let go of control. And you know me, Mike. I'm not good at that. That is not a strong suit of mine. So I'm sitting there, and I'm actually really thankful that it happened during CMA Fest week. Not because of busyness, because that, like, sucked. It sucked at the timeline, and I'm exhausted. By the time Sunday comes, I will be a zombie and I'll pass out. But it's kept me distracted that I've had so much to do that I can't be calling them every hour to be like, what's happening with her? What's going on? And my family's been in town, so I'm like. I just had to, like, turn my energy in a different direction. If I didn't have either one of those things, I think I might have, like, literally had a psychotic break. I'm not even kidding.

[Mike]

I mean, yeah, you'd be thinking about it all the time. And then worried and then feeling powerless and hopeless. And then just starting back every day.

[Morgan]

Yep. And then I'd be the crazy person there, like, all the time, yelling at him, like, give me an update. When she was doing great. It's been a whirlwind and, like, a lot of ups and downs, emotions, and we. Mike, it was so heart wrenching being in Imagine, like, a people er, Right. It's not fun. You see a lot of Sikh people and you see a lot of bad things happening, and then you get to, like, the hospitalization. We. When we were at the er, it was the most sad moment. There was an owner that had come in with a dog that had a heat stroke, and we watched this massive team of vets do cpr, and there was chaos, just like you'd imagine there would be. And he didn't make it. And it was like my whole body just broke. I'm, like, already in a whole emotional state and not doing well. And then this happens, and I just, like, my heart goes out to all of those, like, vets. You just. It's not something you ever think about, right? You're, like, sitting there and you. All these people who work in medicine on any level, human or pet, you just never think about that stuff happening all the time. Like, this is one moment that we were in there for five hours. That happens every day. And I was just, like. I was, like, gut punched for that owner because it was just, again, helpless. You just go in there, so helpless, with no answers. No. And you just kind of have to hand them off and say, please save them. And it was. It was heartbreaking. I, like, genuinely never want to be in any ER situation ever again. I'm dramatized. It was so sad. So that was like a. I feel like I've been on an emotional rollercoaster this week of a lot of things.

[Mike]

I mean, hearing you say that is, like, bringing back memories of, like, when I lost my cat back in, like, when I was a teenager. And, like, every memory just came back in the moment you were talking about that. Because I remember, like, going to the vet and them telling me that there was nothing they could do. And, like, I just had, like, all these, like, visual memories of, like, specific moments that I didn't realize have stayed with me until now, until hearing you talk about that.

[Morgan]

That was not what I intended. But it is, because you. You sit in there and the same thing happened to me when we were in there, because my cat before Hazel, she stayed with us until she was 18, but the end of her Life was really hard because we. You watch them progressively get worse, and you watch them like. I slept in a closet with my. My cat. Before Hazel. Her name was Safi. And I knew we were at the end because she wouldn't come out of my closet, and she wasn't really eating or drinking, and I slept on the closet floor with her for two days, just knowing that the time was coming. And even still at the end, like, even though I was prepared and I knew it was coming, and she'd had a long and beautiful life, that. Those final moments of, like, the panic of us rushing to the vet to try and save her, even though we knew we probably couldn't. Traumatizing. And I. I was like, I don't know. And a freshman in college at the time, and I still, like, needed my parents, and I was like, what do I do? What's happening? What's going on? It's a. It's a crazy feeling that, like, just having a pet in general and just that later part in their life. It's. It's sad, and it's like. I wish I could describe the feelings better, but it's just. It's just sad.

[Mike]

And it's crazy, like, how much they'll always be a part of your life, no matter what. Like, even me thinking about the cats I had, I mean, that's like, 15 years ago. How, like, I still have, like, these attachments to them and, like, these emotions associated with them that you don't forget them. Mm. And you think, like, this was such, like, a small part of, like, my life, but it was, like, such an important part.

[Morgan]

They make big impacts on you that you don't really realize in the moment. And then you look at the course of your life and you realize that was a huge part of it. Especially cats, because they really live for so long. There are. I mean, I think about the fact that I had a cat for 18 years. An animal was with me for 18 years of my life. How old were your cats?

[Mike]

I mean, they unfortunately didn't live that. They were only like, four or five maybe.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

It was primarily where we lived at the time. Wasn't safe for cats.

[Morgan]

Yeah. People weren't very nice to cats for a very long time. We've turned a corner.

[Mike]

Yeah, I think. But, like, I don't even want to say what happened to my second cat, because it was like. Like, why?

[Morgan]

Yeah, I don't. Because then I'll just be mad at people, and then I'll just be like, why? Why do some people exist? Because I have a feeling, because you have a lot. Were they stray cats before? Were they, like, ones you found?

[Mike]

I think with these, somebody gave them to us. Like, somebody had cats, and they were just like, my dad loved cat. Like, he still has, like, probably three or four cats right now, just because he likes. He likes having them around the house.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

He likes that they take care of all the mice, and he just enjoys, like, hanging out with them and feeding them because he always feels like he has friends around. Like, the other day, he just sent me a picture of, like, all the cats hanging out after he fed them.

[Morgan]

Oh.

[Mike]

So I think that's why I had such an attachment to him, because, like, for my dad to have any kind of, like, relationship with an animal is huge. So. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Yeah. Well. And it's funny knowing that your dad. Because I met him at your guys's wedding, and he's so, like, tough.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Very, like, tough guy kind of exterior. And I'm now just picturing him with four cats, and I think it's the coolest picture of. And he's just. That's what we talk about, like, my dad a lot, because my parents have three smaller dogs. And every time he'll be sitting at the table eating, and all of them are circled around him, and he's just, like, feeding them. He'll take a bite, and they all get a bite. And I'm like, this is the dad who previously was the dad that wanted no animals and was like, we can't have these dogs. And now he feeds the dogs with every meal that he eats. So it's always that, like, dad moment where you're just, like, the change that has happened. It's a cool thing to witness.

[Mike]

I mean. Yeah. Same thing with my brother who has a dog. Like, my dad was always, like, he never wanted us to have a dog as a kid just because he thought, like, we wouldn't take care of him. He thought that having him in the house, they'd rip everything apart. But now he loves my brother's dog so much.

[Morgan]

It's so funny to watch. You love when, like, animals just kind of change your perspective. And I think that happens for a lot of people is you grow up. If you grow up a certain way or, like, you've been taught a certain thing about them, and then you get to have a special bond with an animal. There's no going back. That's, like, your moment. And then you're like this. Because for you, you talking about the cats that you grew up with. Now, when we talked about you and Kelsey potentially getting an animal, you've been like, I really want a cat. So, like, those cats changed your perspective. So have you guys made any progress in the animal situation happening at your house?

[Mike]

No, not really. Not anymore. I think she still wants one, but she's less of the pressuring or like, really considering it. Yeah, I think we just kind of consider where we are in life. And as we're booking, like a lot of trips and things to do, we're like, yeah, it probably doesn't fit best.

[Morgan]

Right now, but have you tried to be like, yeah, but a cat, They're a lot easier to.

[Mike]

I did pitch that she's like, nah.

[Morgan]

See? And she probably grew up with dogs.

[Mike]

Yeah. I was like, they can take care of themselves for the most part. They like, come out when they want affection and they go away when they don't.

[Morgan]

It's so true. The Hazel being at the vet, it was funny. One of the vet techs came in, she's like, we just passed Hazel around all morning. Cause all she wanted to do is snuggle. And we all are obsessed with her, which is pretty unusual for a cat. Most of the time they're like, afraid of the cats when they come in because the cats don't like the vet. But then there's just my cat who's just chilling like, yeah, here's my arm. Like, I guess I have to be here. And she also got hand fed by the vet. Literally being princess treatment. That's the thing. They've been giving me updates. I'm like, I'm pretty sure Hazel's not gonna want to come. She's like, this is the life over here. So all that to say, we do have good news and she is coming home after we record this podcast sometime this afternoon. This is the day before. So right now, this is Friday. Even though my timing is all messed up this week, this is Friday. She'll come home this afternoon. So by the time you guys hear all this, she'll be hopefully home. And I haven't gotten any calls since I went in and had our visit yesterday. So again, no news is good news, which is a really thing that you don't want to hear. It's the worst thing I've ever heard in my life. I'm like, I get it and I totally respect it. But also, I need news like every hour. Can you just like text me? Like, she's good. So yeah, she'll be. But she'll be home and I'm really excited.

[Mike]

That's good. Yeah, yeah.

[Morgan]

But we'll have some. I'm going to have to learn how to give fluids, Mike. Okay. So. Ever I ever told you, like, my needle thing, your fear of them? Yeah, it's not good.

[Mike]

And you have to give her fluids in with a needle.

[Morgan]

Yeah. So I've been terrified of needles ever since I got bit by a brown recluse, and they poked me, like, 20 times trying to get blood, and it was just like, I had somebody who was a disaster with needles and traumatized me. So then moving forward between having a needle thing and a neck phobia, every time a needle would come out, I'd, like, grab my neck, and I'd start hysterically laughing. Don't know the association. I have zero idea.

[Mike]

So you could never get a neck tattoo?

[Morgan]

No, absolutely not. I couldn't even get a tattoo normally. That's a real reason I don't have any tattoos. And I hate needles. Like, there's zero enjoyment for. For that out of me. And now they said, like, to help with her early kidney disease, I can do sub Q fluids, which is just, like, right under the skin. It's not like an iv, which is, like, really, like, straight into kind of the veins, I guess. But the subcue goes, like, right under their skin, and you can just, like, pinch it in their back. And I'm like. I'm sitting there, like, listening to them talk about this, and I literally wanted to pass out, and I was like, I'm gonna have to get over this fear of needles for my cat. And I'm very scared.

[Mike]

So I don't know that I could give somebody a shot.

[Morgan]

I know. I know. But she. They're like, she's such a great cat. You'll be able to do this at home. Most cats, you couldn't do this because cats will be like, rawr. Like, literally like Tom and Jerry. But Hazel's so chill. They have full confidence I could do it at home. I was like, okay. I'm like. And they're, like, giving myself a pep talk. I'm like, I can do this. We're gonna do this. So I'm gonna have to get over my fear of needles for my cat, and I'm very nervous, but it's gonna happen. It's like the mom shrink that comes out that I didn't know was in there, where I feel like it's gonna come, or I'm just gonna look at my boyfriend, be like, I really need you to do this. Which he totally will. But it's gonna be a crazy lesson. But so that's the latest. That's been my week.

[Mike]

That's a lot.

[Morgan]

It is. Sorry I brought up all the motions. That was definitely not my thing, and hopefully I didn't do that to anybody else either. But it's also just crazy. I wanted to give, I mean, a huge shout out to anybody who works in vet med in general, but really, all of those ER just. They're incredible people. I couldn't do what they do. Literally. You just heard me talk about needles, and I wanted to cry, so I could not do it. But we need people like that. So apparently we also need people like Mike and I who are on the radio, too. I don't know. I don't get it. We'll be right back. I'm Andrea Gunning, host of the podcast Betrayal. Police Lieutenant Joel Kern used his badge to fool everyone, most of all his wife Caroline. He texted, I've ruined our lives.

[Mike]

You're going to want to divorce me.

[Morgan]

Caroline's husband was living another life behind the scenes. He betrayed his oath to his family and to his community.

[Mike]

She said, you left bruises, pulled her hair, that type of thing. No.

[Morgan]

How far would Joel go to cover up what he'd done? You're unable to keep track of.

[Mike]

Of all your lies, and quite frankly, I question how many other women may bring forward allegations in the future.

[Morgan]

This season of Betrayal investigates one officer's decades of deception. Lies that left those closest to him questioning everything they thought they knew. Listen to betrayal on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I think everything that might have dropped in 95 has been labeled the golden years of hip hop. It's Black Music Month, and we need the talk is tapping in. I'm Nyla Simone. Break. Breaking down lyrics, amplifying voices, and digging into the culture that shapes the soundtrack of our lives. My favorite line on there was, my son and my daughter gonna be proud when they hear my old tapes. Yeah. Now I'm curious. Do they, like, rap along now? Yeah. Cause I bring him on tour with me, and he's getting older now, too, so his friends are starting to understand what that type of music is. And they're starting to be like, yo, your dad's, like, really the goat. Like, he's a legend, so he gets it. What does it mean to leave behind a music legacy? See, for your family, it means a lot to me, just having a good catalog and just being able to make people feel good. Like, that's what's really important and that's what stands out. Is that my music changes people's lives for the better. So the fact that my kids get to benefit off of that, I'm really happy, or my family in general. Let's talk about the music that moves us to hear this and more on how music and culture collide. Listen to we need to Talk from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. She was a decorated veteran, a Marine who saved her comrades, a hero. She was stoic, modest, tough, someone who inspired people. Everyone thought they knew her until they didn't. I remember sitting on her couch and asking her, is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real?

[Mike]

I just couldn't wrap my head around what kind of person would do that to another person that was getting treatment.

[Morgan]

That was, you know, dying. This is a story all about trust and about a woman named Sarah Kavanaugh. I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximized that while I was lying. Listen to Deep Cover the Truth About Sarah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mike]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network. Hosted by me, writer and historian Dan.

[Morgan]

Flores and brought to you by Velvet.

[Mike]

Buck, this podcast looks at a West available nowhere else. Each episode I'll be diving into some of the lesser known histories of the West. I'll then be joined in conversation by guests such as Western historian Dr. Randall Williams and best selling author and Meat.

[Morgan]

Eater founder Stephen Rinella. I'll correct my kids now and then.

[Mike]

Where they'll say, when cave people were here. And I'll say, it seems like the.

[Morgan]

Ice Age people that were here didn't.

[Mike]

Have a real affinity for caves.

[Morgan]

So join me starting Tuesday, May 6.

[Mike]

Where we'll delve into stories of the the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This Pride Month we are not just celebrating, we're fighting back. I'm George M. Johnson and my book.

[Morgan]

All Boys Aren't Blue was just named.

[Mike]

The most banned book in America. If the culture wars have taught me anything, it's that pride is protest. And on my podcast, Fighting Words, we talk to people who use their voices to resist, disrupt and make our community stronger. This year we are showing up and showing out. You need people being like, no, you're.

[Morgan]

Not going to tell us what to do.

[Mike]

This regime is coming down on us.

[Morgan]

And I don't want to just survive.

[Mike]

I want to thrive. You'll hear from trailblazers like Bob the.

[Morgan]

Drag Queen to freedom Angelica Ross. We ready to fight.

[Mike]

I'm ready to fight. And Gabrielle Union. Hi, George. And storytellers with wisdom to spare. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Morgan]

Mike, I saw that Post Malone is opening a bar on Broadway.

[Mike]

Yeah, I don't go to bars, but I gotta go to bars now.

[Morgan]

You're like, this changes everything. I did learn where it's going to be, and it's going to be interesting.

[Mike]

Yeah, it's kind of a small spot.

[Morgan]

It's underneath Aldean's.

[Mike]

Yeah, that's what I saw. I was like, where is this exactly? Is it inside of it? Is it?

[Morgan]

Yeah. So it technically is in Aldean's building. What used to be Tequila Cowboy is what they're turning into. And it's supposed to have like a kind of a speakeasy vibe, I guess, but then it's like, kind of looped. It's gonna be interesting. I'm. I'm very curious to see how this goes, but how do you feel of Post Malone having a speakeasy? Do you feel like that's his vibe?

[Mike]

I. I don't know, because he's relatively new to doing country, and I feel like the vibe here is like the country artist getting the bars, which, I mean, there's some other people too, but I'm just curious how it's going to feel like him. Yeah, I don't know if I really think of him having that kind of vibe.

[Morgan]

I feel like he has a Bud Light and cigarette vibe.

[Mike]

Yeah, Like, I see more like a dive bar vibe for him of, like, an old place that's, like, cool and, like, run down a little bit. That's kind of what I see. So I don't know what the actual vibe inside the place is going to be, but I'm curious to see because, I mean, he has other things. Like there's a canes in Dallas. That's all like, Post Malone doubt. So, like, he's done cool stuff, like. No, I think it's just like a partnership thing.

[Morgan]

So Post Malone's raising canes.

[Mike]

Yeah. And it's like all Dallas Cowboys, which is another interesting thing. Like, I can't see him opening a bar that doesn't have a lot of Dallas Cowboys stuff because that's so much of his identity. But it's like, if you put all this Dallas Cowboy stuff, is it going to deter other people from going there? Especially in a city that has its own NFL team?

[Morgan]

Oh, yeah, for sure. But it could become the Dallas Cowboys bar.

[Mike]

It's true. Which those exist, like, of different teams having bars in different cities. But also, I don't know if, like, you can license all that stuff in a bar.

[Morgan]

I feel like Post Malone could do a lot of things because it's Post Malone. But now I'm putting something together. Were you a Cowboys fan before you became a Post Malone fan?

[Mike]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I grew up in Dallas in the 90s when they were really good. I don't fully remember it because I was, like, three or four years old.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

When that happened. But, yeah, I've been all Dallas sports my entire life.

[Morgan]

So then when you realize Post Malone was a Cowboys fan, was it like, oh, this crush deepens harder kind of thing?

[Mike]

I mean. Yeah, it's like he's a fan of, like, all my favorite things and doing all the things that I was, like, wanting to do at one point, and he just embodies them all.

[Morgan]

Yeah. This is true. Okay. Well, I'm. And it made me think, though. I feel like you'd have a hot take on this. What do you feel like the threshold should be? Because, listen, I love Broadway. I think everybody should visit. It's so cool to see and witness. But the artist bars all look the same. They're all the exact same.

[Mike]

I would agree.

[Morgan]

Swap out the memorabilia and you have a new bar.

[Mike]

I only go to Broadway on runs. Like, I'll run by there. And it's always in the morning, and I get to see it, like, fully lit up, like, daylight. And it's starting to feel now like when you go to, like, an amusement park. Like, I remember going to Six Flags as a kid, and then you see all these, like, fake sets of, like, things. That's what it feels like now. It doesn't feel real anymore.

[Morgan]

I know.

[Mike]

It feels like a. A small version of the Las Vegas strip. And it's really, like, all the bars trying to entice you to come in with all the things of, like, you're this country artist. Here's, like, Eric Church's stained glass windows. Here's jelly rolls, like, things poking out of you. And it's like, all these things, like, come in the bar.

[Morgan]

Yep.

[Mike]

So I was kind of hoping that he wouldn't do the bar thing.

[Morgan]

I'm. I'm not shocked that he chose Nashville. But I am shocked that he's doing a bar. I just. To your point, I just feel like. And I get it. Listen, when you have a lot of money, what are you gonna like? You gotta invest in things. You gotta start, like, doing different stuff. You gotta expand and try different things. So I full on understand why all of these artists do it. I. I could imagine when you have too much money, you gotta figure out where to put it. But I just feel like we're at this threshold where it's like, you don't have to do everything. Like, you don't have to do the clothing line, you don't have to do the bar, you don't have to do the podcast. You don't have to come out with the alcohol beverage. I just. I'm wondering where that threshold is now.

[Mike]

Yeah, I think Post Malone is interesting because he literally has every collab. Like, he has an Oreo, Crocs. He has Crocs. He has anything you can imagine. Like, he's doing a comic book now.

[Morgan]

Is he really?

[Mike]

Yeah, I read that.

[Morgan]

Did you geek out about that?

[Mike]

Yeah, that was awesome. Like, I'm saying, like, all the things that I love, he loves too, and then puts out. So I feel like he does so much that it was kind of like, okay, this is like the next step.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

But I don't feel like everybody needs to do everything.

[Morgan]

Okay. So let me ask you, because he has so many. You're a huge fan. You love all the stuff that he's collabing with. Do you feel like it's overload or every time it happens, are you like, me with a Marvel show where I'm like, it could be crap, but I love it.

[Mike]

I think for the first time this year, it feels a little bit overload.

[Morgan]

Okay.

[Mike]

And some of the stuff doesn't feel as unique as I would want it to. Like, he had a Stan Lee collab where he came out with like a Stanley mug. And I was like, that's kind of cool. But I don't know if, like, I need to go get that.

[Morgan]

Yeah, it's. That's what I'm looking at too, because it just feels like. And I don't think it's so much the artist side, but it's businesses really trying to attach to these pop culture moments. And Post is obviously a big one and they find it within these artists or these celebrities. And it's influencing is in marketing is such a big thing right now. I think it's going to be an interesting thing to look back on in like, 10 years. And I'll be curious if any of these celebrities are like, I wish I didn't do X, Y, and Z just because it was kind of a hot thing at the time.

[Mike]

Yeah. And I think it's also with, like, musicians especially, they're just trying to find other ways to make money. Because it's harder to make money from your music.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Even touring has become so expensive where that was kind of like the most lucrative thing for an artist. Like, go on the road, sell merch, play as many shows as you can. And now it's like, we need to do even more. So I think that's why we are also seeing an influx of this. Of, like, how can I get money from brands to keep this ship afloat.

[Morgan]

Yeah, that is very much so. And you're just seeing so many of them have access to see. And I like. I like the ones that are really cool where you're like, that makes sense. I remember seeing one with Wranglers, I think, and Lainey Wilson makes sense. Her whole brand is bell bottoms Wranglers, known for their jeans 100. I'm like, I love when I see something like that. I'm like, this lines up. This makes sense. But then it's like the random ones where you're like, post Malone into Stanley. Not exactly what I would have.

[Mike]

Like, him and Bud Light. Makes sense.

[Morgan]

Makes so much sense. I love when that happens. So I get it from that point. But I do think there's also this threshold that they hit, and I just can't tell if it's like, we're getting to a point of so much influence and trying to influence everything in marketing that we're getting away from. They just want the access to the artists in the celebrity, in their fan base, versus it being the right fit. You know what I mean?

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And that's where I wonder where my threshold is. And I don't know. That's why I'm laughing. It's a topic for conversation.

[Mike]

Well, what would be your ultimate, like, fit? Brand collab? Like, if you're like, okay, Morgan, we're gonna get you your dream thing. This is like, your perfect fit. Fits your personality. What would that. What would that be?

[Morgan]

I feel like it has to. It have to be something in relation to animals. That would be the only thing that truly, like, I feel like it'd be like rescues, like, take all the pictures of me and puppies, put them up everywhere. I feel like that would make sense. Right? Like, that's what you would see and be like, yeah, But I don't know how that would turn into, like, marketing, because that's not, like, a brand.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

So I'm trying to think of a.

[Mike]

Brand, like a straight up. Like, do you have one?

[Morgan]

While I think about this, I think.

[Mike]

For me, it would probably be, I mean, just Marvel as a whole. Yeah, Like, Marvel. I'd either their comics or, like, the movies or collectibles or, like, Legos. Just something like, I'm teaming up with Marvel and I'm going to do, like, all this stuff for them. I think that would be, like, my ultimate. Because I think even, like, just doing my podcast, there's, like, probably certain movie studios that I'm like, man, I love this movie studio so much. But I think just Marvel as a whole would be an ultimate thing. If I could ever get a payment that said Marvel in my name, that would be, like, the ultimate thing for me because it's something I do for free.

[Morgan]

Yeah. Yeah, that would make sense. That's a good. That would be a good pairing, I think. Now that you say that the overarching of Disney could be mine, because I love. Send me to Disney World, Disneyland. I will be a Disney adult all day long.

[Mike]

I say, I could see Disney World for you.

[Morgan]

Like, put me on that. I'll wear the ears every day. And it would like, I. I would thrive there. Honestly, if you think of Disney World, that's like my personality. When you see somebody at Disney World, that's like, who I am as a person. Just, like, happy most of the time. You know, life doesn't put me on emotional roller coasters, but I'm like, you know, my mom.

[Mike]

Disney has roller coasters.

[Morgan]

See, you know, maybe I may have more in common, but I do feel like Disney because I even love just every aspect of Disney. And I so am a Disney adult. It's just. It is what it is. I don't need to shy away from it. So maybe, though. So Marvel Disney, give us a call. Yeah, that would be so cool. But then we're like, hey, then we're in the threshold. Then we've become those people. Mike.

[Mike]

I'd say my runner up would probably be Topo Chico.

[Morgan]

Oh, yeah.

[Mike]

Because, like, my ultimate goal in life is to have a house with the Topo Chico fridge and just fully stock all the time. Like, I look on Facebook, Marketplace all the time. Like, that gets fed to me is, like, old coolers that are, like, branded with things. Yeah, I'll see, like, Coca Cola ones. I'll see, like, Pepsi ones. I'm like, whenever a Topo Chico one comes across like, I want to get that thing.

[Morgan]

Did you ever try their alcohol drinks? Did you like them?

[Mike]

They're pretty good. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Yeah. They. They're like the seltzer waters.

[Mike]

Yeah. I think there's, like, a margarita flavor or a lime flavor. That's really good. But I also really like mango, so that's like my. I think they have a strawberry one too. They're all good.

[Morgan]

Okay. I need to give those a try. I don't think I got into the Topo Chico. I. I do whenever I go to Texas, but not as much here.

[Mike]

Yeah. You go to the movie theaters in Texas and you can get one. I'm like, man, this is, like, ideal.

[Morgan]

Yeah. You're like, this is what I actually want. If I would. If I do go down a second one, it'd be Taco Bell.

[Mike]

Oh, that's good.

[Morgan]

For sure. I've been trying to get Taco Bell for years. I thrived on Taco Bell in college, and I still do as an adult. The amount of times I go to Taco Bell is insane. Except I kind of threw a fit, honestly. So every time when I road trip home, there's a Taco Bell about 4. So I started at, like, 5am I think we talked about this.

[Mike]

Tell me about that.

[Morgan]

And they stopped selling breakfast, and I was so mad. I was so mad. And then I. But they had convinced me that all of them stopped selling breakfast, but then the one by me hadn't, right? And I'm like, no, it's not. It was just you guys. But then the one by me stopped selling breakfast. So now I don't know if they're done with breakfast or if I have to find another one.

[Mike]

Wonder if they're slowly phasing it out.

[Morgan]

I'm gonna be so mad.

[Mike]

I'll have to talk to my mom about that.

[Morgan]

Please do, because I love their breakfast. It was so good. Like, I love a little breakfast burrito in the morning, and Taco Bell kind of gave me that without having to track down a local place. And I love my little. Trust me. I found my local breakfast burritos. I. I have several on deck, but they're so far away from me. Like, Taco Bell was convenient. It was right there.

[Mike]

Anyways, if you ever went to my mom's Taco Bell, she would hook you up. Because what she likes to do is create items that aren't on the menu. So you can just tell her what are your favorite ingredients, and she can make you something.

[Morgan]

The acid potatoes.

[Mike]

Oh, yeah, those are one of my favorite stews. So she would make me like custom burritos where she would take one and then just add potatoes to it.

[Morgan]

Oh, I love that. Okay, wait, which one?

[Mike]

Yeah, Waxahachie.

[Morgan]

Next time I'm in Texas, I'll drive specifically so I can get some. All right, we're gonna jump out of here. Mike, thanks for being here. Tell people where they can find you, hear you, all that good stuff.

[Mike]

You can listen to my podcast, Movie Mike's movie podcast. New episodes every single Monday. Spoiler free. Movie reviews, interviews with actors and directors. Just search movie mics wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Morgan]

I love that. And make sure you go subscribe to us on YouTube. Obon Show. We need to be able to ring that bell hopefully next week. And you can follow my podcast too. Take this personally. It's a little bit more sappy, much more emotional rollercoaster. You need some good vibes. Listen to Mike. You need some good lessons. Listen to mine and you can follow both of us. Did you say that ikedistrow Mikedro. And then I'm epcrelmorgan. Okay, bye, everybody.

[Mike]

Bye. That's the best bits of the week with Morgan. Thanks for listening. Be sure to check out the other two parts this weekend. Go follow the show on all social platforms obbyboneshow and follow ebgirlmorgan to submit your listener questions for next week's episode.

[Morgan]

Here's the deal.

[Mike]

We gotta set ourselves up. See, retirement is the long game. We gotta make moves and make them early. Set up goals.

[Morgan]

Don't worry about a setback.

[Mike]

Just save up and stack up to reach them.

[Morgan]

Let's put ourselves in the right position. Pregame to greater things. Start building your retirement [e-mail] brought to you by AARP and the Ad Council.

[Mike]

I've seen a lot of stuff over 30 years. You know, some very despicable crime and things that are kind of tough to wrap your head around. And this ranks right up there in the pantheon of Rhode island fraudsters.

[Morgan]

I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximized that while I was lying. Listen to Deep Cover the Truth about Sarah on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mike]

I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is absolute. Season one, Taser Incorporated.

[Morgan]

I get right back there and it's bad.

[Mike]

Listen to Absolut Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why is a soap opera western like.

[Morgan]

Yellowstone so wildly successful?

[Mike]

The American west with Dan Flores is the latest show from the Meat Eater Podcast Network.

[Morgan]

So join me starting Tuesday, May 6.

[Mike]

Where we'll delve into stories of the west and come to understand how it helps inform the ways in which we experience the region today. Listen to the American west with Dan Flores on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Morgan]

I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lodd. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast.

[Mike]

Last year, a lot of the problems.

[Morgan]

Of the drug war.

[Mike]

This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports.

[Morgan]

It's kind of star studded a little bit, man.

[Mike]

We met them at their homes. We met them at the recording studios. Stories matter and it brings a face to it.

[Morgan]

It makes it real.

[Mike]

It really does. It makes it real.

[Morgan]

Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs Podcast, Season 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an iHeart podcast.