Zac Amico's Morning Zoo – Episode Summary

Episode 0043: Dave Temple and Mike Recine
Date: September 12, 2025
Podcast: Zac Amico's Morning Zoo (GaS Digital Network)
Guests: Dave Temple, Mike Recine

Overview

This wild, freewheeling episode of Zac Amico’s Morning Zoo dives headfirst into Hollywood controversies, sitcom nostalgia, bizarre news, and the hazards of public transit. Hosts Zac, Dave Temple, and Mike Recine blend irreverent humor with dark takes on notorious scandals, weird viral stories, and backstage tales from TV and comedy. The conversation hops from old sitcoms to recent shocking crimes to the perils of background acting—punctuated with laughs, cynicism, and brutal honesty.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Hollywood Scandals & Charlie Sheen’s Memoir ([01:34]–[06:34])

• Charlie Sheen’s Admission: The group discusses Charlie Sheen’s new memoir, where he admits to sex with men, particularly during his crack-using days.
• Speculation & Hollywood Abuse: Zac references long-running Hollywood rumors, including Corey Haim’s allegations against Sheen.
• “People don’t know who Crisco is. It’s who sung the Thong Song.” – Zac [05:01]
• Hollywood’s Predatory Nature: Dave jokes, “Why not just blame show business—like everyone in Hollywood is doing it.” [04:18]
• They riff on how rampant abuse and cover-ups run in entertainment, drawing comparisons with other infamous stars.

2. Sitcoms, Child Stars, and Disney/Nickelodeon Trauma ([07:12]–[13:33])

• Two and a Half Men, Child Stars: Discussion about child actor Angus T. Jones’ turn to religion and how Hollywood warps people.
• “It’s weird that show business does that to you—either you go really religious or you go really demonic.” – Dave [08:29]
• Latina Moms & Abuse Avoidance: Anecdote from Dave about Latina Nickelodeon stars being protected by ever-present mothers.
• Personal Child-Acting Tales: Zac talks about doing a bit for the Amanda Show and a strange Nickelodeon commercial, joking about never having been molested in the industry.

3. Background Acting & Extra Work Realities ([13:56]–[18:12])

• The Hustle & the Weirdos: Dave and Zac share stories about being extras—full of pro-union pain-in-the-ass folks tracking every pay bonus and “fog machine fee.”
• “Those people are why I stopped doing it. Like, I don’t want to be this person that’s complaining over $150 and some food.” – Dave [15:10]
• Anecdotes include an on-set beef between a cosplaying Jedi and a tough New Yorker, and strategies for getting better extra gigs.

4. Sitcom Revival, New TV, & Casting Rants ([22:13]–[25:19])

• The Office & Paper (spinoff): The guys talk remakes/spinoffs of The Office, character evolutions, and casting choices.
• Pam Beesly Hate: “You know, there’s a lot of Pam haters out there.” – Zac [23:13]
• Hollywood Types: Discussion of actors hiding ethnicity for casting, and the box-checking that shapes modern sitcoms.

5. News Deep Dives: Immigration Raid at Hyundai Plant ([28:05]–[30:16])

• ICE Raid Gone Wrong: Dave recaps ICE raiding a Hyundai plant, mistakenly detaining 300+ legal Korean workers.
• “These Mexicans are high as hell—get them in the cr—get them in the truck! We got a bunch of Mexicans with Down syndrome in Hyundai.” – Zac [28:47]
• Personal Blue-Collar Stories: Zac and Dave riff on dodging cops at work, with darkly funny tales from their landscaping and welding backgrounds.

6. Public Transit Horrors

A. Knife Attack on Light Rail ([34:19]–[39:47])

• Zac recounts the viral (but underreported) video of a woman being stabbed on the Charlotte light rail. The group discusses media suppression, mental illness, and random violence.
• “The mayor... is encouraging sites to take the video down because they think it sends the wrong message.” – Zac [35:14]
• “You know what, the light rail does attract the craziest of people. There’s no barometer of entry...” – Dave [35:53]

B. Dart Attack on Light Rail ([39:10]–[51:01])

• Dave describes a recent case of a commuter shooting another with a dart via slingshot.
• “Who did it? That guy holding the slingshot sideways.” – Zac [39:47]
• They mock how random and bizarre these incidents are, noting how the light rail seems especially cursed.

7. Libraries: Masturbators & Community Centers ([52:13]–[58:14])

• Lifetime Library Ban: Wisconsin man is “banned from every library in the world” after repeated lewd behavior; hosts marvel at the logistics and culture of public libraries.
• Library Nostalgia: Mike reminisces about getting his kid a library card.
• Printing Porn: Zac and friends recall printing out and drawing porn in libraries as teens, and the odd characters that hang out there.

8. Bodycam/Violence Videos & Policing Debates ([59:11]–[65:32])

• Bodycam Footage Realism: Discussion of violent arrest videos, suicide-by-cop, and why tasers sometimes fail.
• “When you electrify black people, they turn into superheroes. They have a lot of electricity-based powers.” – Zac [65:30, in characteristically dark humor]
• They debate the point of using lethal vs. non-lethal force, suicide by cop, and dehumanization in viral policing videos.

9. Human Interest: Unusual Couples & Identity ([65:36]–[68:01])

• Interabled Couple Spotlight: Zac shares a story of a very small woman (“Taffy”) and her relationship, riffing on public perception and messaging about difference, love, and disability.
• “Hi, I’m Taffy... People confuse me with being a child all the time...” – Taffy [65:59]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [04:18] Dave: "Why not just blame show business—like everyone in Hollywood is doing it."
• [05:01] Zac: “People don’t know who Crisco is. It’s who sung the Thong Song.”
• [08:29] Dave: "It’s weird that show business does that to you—either you go really religious or you just go really demonic."
• [35:14] Zac: "The mayor... is encouraging sites to take the video down because they think it sends the wrong message."
• [39:47] Zac: “Who did it? That guy holding the slingshot sideways.”
• [52:13] Zac: “Wisconsin man banned from every library in the world.”
• [65:30] Zac (joking darkly): “I'm pretty sure when you electrocute black people they turn into superheroes.”
• [65:59] Taffy (Video Clip): "People confuse me with being a child all the time. My height is 3-7. I love Taffy despite her height..."

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:34] — Charlie Sheen Memoir/Hollywood Predation
• [07:12] — Two and a Half Men/Child Stars
• [13:56] — Extra & Background Acting Anecdotes
• [22:13] — Sitcoms Today (Paper, Office, etc)
• [28:05] — ICE Raid on Hyundai Plant
• [34:19] — Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing
• [39:10] — Dart Attack on Light Rail
• [52:13] — World Library Ban
• [59:11] — Police Tape, Non-Lethal Force, Dark Humor
• [65:36] — “Taffy” Human Interest Story

Tone & Language

The tone is outrageous, darkly comic, and improvisational—targeted at a listener base used to both offensive humor and deeply cynical takes on news and pop culture. Speakers are open about trauma, mental health, violence, and societal decline, always blending shock value with genuine insight.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a quintessential “Morning Zoo”—raucous, irreverent, and a little unhinged, mashing true crime, industry gossip, dystopian headlines, and raunchy asides into a chaotic and entertaining hour. Despite the darkness, warmth and camaraderie emerge, especially in the reminiscence about showbiz and childhood.

For listeners who want the wildest cross-section of true crime, freak news, and stand-up comic despair—there’s not a moment wasted.