The Bobby Bones Show Presents: Sore Losers – "Ray and His Special Russian Lady Friend"

Podcast: The Bobby Bones Show
Hosts: Lunchbox (Deval), Raymundo (Ray/Baser), and others
Date: November 14, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode of the Sore Losers podcast blends banter about family life, sports nostalgia, odd neighborhood encounters, and a deep dive into Ray's unique relationship with his Russian hairdresser, Natalia. The same irreverent, candid, and storytelling-heavy tone threads through topics ranging from office bathroom etiquette to uncovering a valuable football memorabilia find, all while poking fun at modern life, podcasting, and themselves.

Episode Overview

The hosts kick off with lighthearted reflections on Veterans Day, reminisce about childhood games (including the invention of "foil baseball"), and weave through funny tales of family life and neighborhood oddities. The episode's centerpiece is Ray's hilarious and affectionate story about his Russian hairdresser, their decade-long bond, and the linguistic/cultural disconnect that fuels their friendship. Other moments include a comedic hot chocolate stand encounter, an office bathroom horror story, a lucky sports memorabilia pull, and classic Sore Losers sports talk.

Key Segments & Timestamps

1. Veterans Day Banter, Childhood Games & Family Life

• Happy Veterans Day Acknowledgement – [01:45]

  • The show begins by honoring veterans and wondering aloud if any listeners are vets, leading to side discussions about their community and coach's convention tickets.

• Nostalgic Games and Home Destruction – [07:18]

  • Stories about playing sports indoors as kids, the hazards (holes in the wall, broken furniture), and the universal experience of hiding "accidents" from parents.
  • “Foil baseball inside the house was the greatest game ever invented.” – Deval [08:01]

• Dad the Perpetual Home Handyman – [12:00]

  • Deval remembers his dad, a professional fixer, never wanting to fix things at home and his mom’s frustration with slow repairs.

2. Bathroom Etiquette & Office "Characters"

• Bathroom Mishaps and Disgust – [14:04]

  • Baser recounts attempts to fix his eye in the office bathroom, only to be interrupted by a coworker with bad timing, spiraling into a riff about "the redhead" who always stinks up the office restroom.
  • “That’s how you get pink eye, man. You come in with a swollen pink eye. Like what happened? Oh, man, I was in the bathroom… and a shard hit me. No, a shart.” – Deval [14:40]

• Pets vs. Coworkers – [16:50]

  • Drawing parallels between gross coworkers and cats at home: “At my house it’s my freaking cat. I get home and my cat goes in the bathroom, and it smells like a human did it.” – Baser

3. Podcast Life, iHeart’s Big Quarter & Nashville Expansion

• Making Podcasting Profitable – [17:49]

  • The hosts marvel over iHeart’s headline-making $160 million quarter and discuss the long grind of podcasting.
  • “People are like, ‘I’m gonna start a podcast.’ Well, guess what? We didn’t make a dollar for three years. So good luck!” – Baser [19:05]

• Personal Intros and North Nashville Growth – [20:12]

  • Ray mentions Nashville’s rapid expansion, affecting the “country” feel of his home.

4. Neighborhood Encounters: The Hot Chocolate Stand Story

• Hot Chocolate Stand Comedy – [23:24]
  • Deval encounters an oddly oblivious neighbor lady expecting alcohol instead of hot chocolate at a kids’ street stand.
  • "'Yeah, I'm not really feeling the hot chocolate right now. I was really hoping for more of a happy hour vibe.'" – The neighbor lady (stunned, sarcastic reactions by Deval and Baser) [25:15]
  • After the hot chocolate’s revealed to be both cold and terrible, Deval offers the kids some business advice.

5. Ray’s Russian Hairdresser: Natalia

• The Special "Russian Lady Friend" Segment – [29:42] Highlight
  • Ray glows about his decade-long relationship with Natalia, his Russian hairdresser, detailing the ritual and how they communicate via gestures because of a language barrier.
  • "Raymond, you’re my only male customer. I only have females who pay me $500 for hair. But I will do your hair because you’re loyal, Raymond.” – Natalia, as quoted by Baser [31:37]
  • [Story highlight] Ray never told Natalia he got married, not to “make her nervous” during his wedding haircut, so she still believes he’s just got a longtime girlfriend. The comical charade continues a decade on.
  • Ray shares the elaborate haircut routine, including scalp massages: "I leave there more relaxed than anywhere else." [32:21]
  • Natalia takes mostly Russian female clients, which makes Ray (her “only American male client”) feel like “a freaking alien” at the salon.

6. Mystery Memorabilia Unboxing Game

• The $30 Mystery Autographed Photo – [41:43]
  • Ray’s wife, "Baser", surprises him with a $30 mystery Tennessee Vols football photo, leading to a live on-air unboxing.
  • After playful guessing (Peyton Manning? Jason Witten?), it's revealed as a signed Jamal Lewis 8x10, worth five times the purchase price.
  • “Give Jamal the ball!” – Baser, excitedly making the discovery [48:58]
  • The struggle to identify the player and the AI-fueled confusion (“AI says it’s Jason Whitten”) leads to a lesson about why you shouldn’t trust AI for everything.

7. Community and Family Antics

• Chick-fil-A Kids Party & Face Painting – [55:24]

  • Deval takes his kids to an unexpectedly lively Chick-fil-A with cows and face painting for Veterans Day. A misunderstanding about painting his kid’s face “all black” turns into a lesson about why some kid requests can’t be granted.

• Trampoline Park Rule Changes & Flu Shot Drama – [59:20]

  • Riffing on stricter trampoline park policies, then narrating the family subterfuge needed to trick his kids into getting flu shots without a meltdown.
  • "They all immediately—I don’t want to get a flu shot, I’m not going first!” – Deval [63:13]

8. Sports Talk: NBA and Baseball Betting Scandals

• NBA MVP Talk – [65:17]
  • Quick takes on the NBA, with both hosts predicting OKC’s and Jokic’s dominance.
• Baseball’s Betting Scandals – [65:52]
  • Recap of recent exposés where MLB pitchers were allegedly paid to throw the first pitch as a ball.
  • “They cleared $12,000 and risked $28 million… The power of the dollar has not lost any value.” – Baser [66:20]

Selected Notable Quotes

• “That’s how you get pink eye, man. You come in with a swollen pink eye... Oh man, I was in the bathroom and... a shart. Some particles came, got my eye.” – Deval [14:40]
• “Hey, dumbass, it’s kids out here on a street corner. What do you think they’re going to be selling? Apple martinis?” – Deval, on the "happy hour" lady [25:33]
• “Raymond, you’re loyal to me. Ten years I’ve been with her. You’re loyal to me.” – Natalia, as quoted by Baser [31:37]
• "AI says it’s Jason Whitten!” – Baser, on why you shouldn’t always trust AI [51:22]
• “If you guys don’t know who I’m talking about, you don’t know ball. You do not know.” – Baser, on Jamal Lewis [49:30]

Episode Highlights & Tone

• Authenticity & Absurdity: Unfiltered, often self-deprecating tales about suburban life, awkward social interactions, and the sometimes ridiculous collision of modern life with nostalgia.
• Friendship: Underlying the banter is the genuine chemistry and affection between the hosts—even as they roast each other.
• Relatable Dilemmas: Insightful (if irreverent) perspectives on parenting, home maintenance, local neighborhood drama, and podcasting as a hustle.
• The Russian Hairdresser Story: This offbeat, personal portrait—both funny and oddly tender—encapsulates the show's blend of humor, loyalty, and relatable awkwardness.

For Listeners New & Old

This Sore Losers episode is a vibrant patchwork of everyday comedy, sports love, and quirky life experiences. Even if you’re new to the show, you’ll find the conversational style inviting and the stories accessible—whether you’re interested in sports, looking for a laugh, or fascinated by the unique quirks of American neighborhood life. The Natalia storyline ensures the titular promise is delivered with heart and hilarity.

End of Summary