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Aaron Weber
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Brian Bates
I. I mean, yeah, go either way.
Aaron Weber
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You can land it.
Aaron Weber
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Dusty Slay
Welcome to the Public Figures podcast, where three public figures get down to the level. You common folk. You know, most people like the common folk. There's always one that says, that's not nice. But nine out of ten say they like.
Brian Bates
I like it, too, but I feel like it's getting more aggressively mean every week.
Dusty Slay
I thought that was.
Brian Bates
I just like to see where this is, you know, a couple months from now. Good morning, idiots.
Aaron Weber
I like the idea that they pop in their headphones, they start a podcast immediately.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Are. Are down.
Dusty Slay
I mean, I think if you check it out first time, you're like, public figures. I don't know who these guys are.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
So we're.
Aaron Weber
Well, at least two of them.
Dusty Slay
That's probably true. That is probably true. So it's just all tongue in cheek here, guys, but welcome as always, Aaron Weber. Dusty Slay. All right, this weekend I'm going to be in Columbia, Tennessee, at the Packard Playhouse. Aaron, what about you?
Brian Bates
Where am I going to be? I don't know. I got a lot of dates coming up. I know I should. You told me to be ready for this, but I'm not. But I got.
Dusty Slay
All right, what about you, Dusty?
Brian Bates
Go ahead, Dusty.
Aaron Weber
I'm going to be in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at the Golden Nugget Casino. Very excited.
Dusty Slay
That's a nice hat.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I'm very excited. Yours is a nice hat, too, Brian.
Dusty Slay
Thank you, Dusty. Some say nicer than yours.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. You've been trying to push that narrative. I think he got a compliment on his hat and then immediately became an insult to me.
Dusty Slay
Well, I know you take great pride in your hats. Everyone always tell you how cool your hats are.
Aaron Weber
Well, they are cool, and I appreciate them saying that.
Dusty Slay
This was a Father's Day gift.
Aaron Weber
Was it? Yep.
Dusty Slay
Yep.
Brian Bates
And I got a. Oh, Happy Father's Day.
Dusty Slay
Thank you. Same to you. I got a tops shirt as well I'll be wearing on a future episode.
Brian Bates
All right. I like that, dude.
Dusty Slay
Yep. Yep. Happy Father's Day to you guys. Father's Day. One of that and your birthday. The two holidays you celebrate. Congratulations.
Aaron Weber
I don't really celebrate any of them.
Dusty Slay
I know.
Aaron Weber
I'm to be honest with you.
Dusty Slay
Well, happy Father's Day.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Thank you.
Dusty Slay
Happy Father's Day, Aaron.
Brian Bates
Thanks, man.
Dusty Slay
Did you guys do anything fun?
Brian Bates
Nah.
Aaron Weber
I was in Austin, Texas, and on Father's Day.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Aaron Weber
So I was there doing comedy.
Dusty Slay
Yep. How was the weekend?
Aaron Weber
It was great. I did the mothership 5 shows all sold out.
Dusty Slay
Boom.
Aaron Weber
And it was great. And I love it. I love doing that club.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And you know what? I always talk about Austin in a way, because I say it's 6th street is insane. I always say that. But I also talk about the homeless situation. But you know what? This time, not really that bad. It feels like they've really cleaned up the homeless situation in Austin. And it was. It was nice. I walked around, you know, there's still people out there. It's not a big deal if there's a, you know, a homeless person or two. Right. But it's like one time I was down there and I was like, whoa, this is wild.
Brian Bates
And there was just a line for dusty show. Yeah, well, that.
Aaron Weber
That is what I said. Because there's so many comedy clubs on 6th street that it's like people come up to me on the street and I can't tell are they a homeless person or an open micr.
Dusty Slay
Yeah,
Aaron Weber
I actually met a guy, he
Dusty Slay
called himself probably both.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I actually met a guy, he called himself a Fender. That was his stage name. Nice guy. But he was like, yeah, I live in this van right here.
Brian Bates
So his name was Fender or Offender.
Aaron Weber
Offender. Because he's, you know, he tells offensive jokes.
Brian Bates
Hope he doesn't have a first name.
Aaron Weber
He was a nice guy.
Brian Bates
Okay, I know. I believe you. I believe you.
Aaron Weber
I think his name was Jacob.
Brian Bates
Jacob. Offender.
Aaron Weber
Jacob. And then goes by Offender.
Brian Bates
Oh, okay.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, okay. It could be Offender. Like a offender guitar, maybe.
Brian Bates
That's what I thought you said originally.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Or a, you know, offender of a car.
Brian Bates
Fender bender.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
He should start a podcast, Public Offenders.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
So I've heard that club is. It's like, perfect, right?
Aaron Weber
It is. It's really. It's really nice. I. I really enjoyed it.
Brian Bates
Connor Larson was with you?
Aaron Weber
Connor Larson was with me. Ye. Yeah. And it was great. I love the club. And, you know, they have two rooms, one green room. But they, you know, they give me the option when I headline to have a closed green room. So it feels pretty good. Feels like I'm really exercising some power. I'm like, I don't think so, guys.
Brian Bates
Wow, you got the whole green.
Aaron Weber
But I just.
Brian Bates
It is because all the comics in Austin hate you, but probably had a good week.
Aaron Weber
But all the, like, like, I don't know, quote unquote, famous comics still come in there and hang out.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
You know, but it's like, it's just too many people on a showcase. I don'. Want a whole, you know, I don't want it all crowded up. And Paula Shore was there on Sunday. He was doing the other room, and, you know, we were hanging out together, and I never met Pauly Shore before.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, what was that like?
Aaron Weber
He's great. I had a great time hanging with him. Yeah, you know, I'm a. I'm a Paul Shore fan. I mean, he was. His movies were out in my era of MTV and movies, and I like him. Yeah, I thought he was fun.
Brian Bates
The wheeze man.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, he. You know, it is funny to see him now. Like, you know, he's an older guy. I'm older. We're all older. But, you know, you think about this guy I've been watching now. He's just, you know, he's like a grown man out here now.
Brian Bates
He's wheezing the prune juice.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, yeah.
Brian Bates
It's a joke he tells.
Aaron Weber
Okay. And he's great. And then on Saturday, I found out Nate was in town doing Nate Bargazi, our friend. You know, listen, I think there's a Mandela effect. You guys familiar with that?
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Nate was Nate Bargazi forever. And then one day on this podcast, he was Bargetzi. And what does that mean? I think that you started calling him
Brian Bates
by his last name.
Aaron Weber
I think there was a bit of a man, he's saying.
Dusty Slay
He said the. The name changed.
Aaron Weber
They changed the name, and everybody was like, it's always been Bargetzi. And I go, no, it's been Bargazi.
Brian Bates
That's always how he said it. Bargetzi. That's how his family says it. Yeah, but it's spelled Bargotzi, so the world has pronounced it that way.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, but he was in town, and
Brian Bates
we got to the bottom of that.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, Well, I just, you know, I always say it wrong, so I just want to clarify that it, like, as all Mandela effects, it goes. That's how I remember it.
Dusty Slay
Someone commented this week, how come you don't know how to say his name?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, because it's. This was how it was told to me years ago. And then the, you know, Mandela effect through the. Through cern, they changed this. His last name, and. But I was messaging him to get him to come do a guest spot on my show. And then he goes, oh, I got a matinee. So I just popped over real quick to the. To the Moody center to do a quick set in front of, you know, 15, 000 people.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
And how was that?
Aaron Weber
That was fun. It was a lot of fun.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Eight minutes.
Aaron Weber
Eight minutes.
Brian Bates
What's it like doing the length of time you let your openers do?
Aaron Weber
Well, it's challenging.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
You know, because I was, you know, the rise. The round.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And I got into the round, though. I could see how that. Because I. I think I swayed less. I was fidgeting less because I was walking around.
Brian Bates
I really wish there were a comedy club in the round. I heard that there used to be one. Right. Or maybe there still is one.
Aaron Weber
I don't know.
Dusty Slay
I don't. Can't think of one.
Aaron Weber
Oh, that sounds like that could have been a comedy zone type gig where.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, maybe.
Aaron Weber
But it was great, great weekend. Loved it. Connor did great.
Brian Bates
Awesome.
Aaron Weber
Had our friend Cameron Shepard do a guest spot on the show.
Brian Bates
Sing any songs on your show?
Aaron Weber
He didn't sing any songs. I asked him to be clean. His songs are good, but they would not. Not fit in well.
Dusty Slay
See, at Austin.
Aaron Weber
He's in Austin now. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. He used to live here.
Brian Bates
He used to. He started here. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, I think. Did you mention him last night?
Brian Bates
Maybe. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
So we did a show together last night. We were here at the the Lab doing a Father's Day show.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Brian Bates
The Dad's Night out. Yeah. Edition of Zany's All Stars where there were nine comics, three of whom were fathers.
Aaron Weber
Oh.
Brian Bates
But it was a dad's night out, was it? It was me. Brian and Jay Flake were the only.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Brian Bates
Not really, man.
Aaron Weber
What you say all dads in the audience.
Brian Bates
No, no.
Dusty Slay
I thought it was supposed to be. You're supposed to do all dad material. So my whole set was dad stuff. And after a while, people were like, dude, can you talk about something else?
Brian Bates
I was like, get that lame dad out of here. Trying to have a good time.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. But Saturday night I was in Gallatin, Tennessee, at the Palace Theater. And that was a great show. Thanks for the folks who came out to that.
Brian Bates
That's a cool theater, man.
Dusty Slay
You've done that.
Brian Bates
I opened for James Gregory there years ago. Had the worst bomb of my entire career.
Dusty Slay
That's funny because the guy who opened for me said you had the worst bomb he'd ever seen.
Brian Bates
Is that true? I believe it. If he was at that show.
Dusty Slay
No, it was a different show.
Aaron Weber
James Gregory shows were hard.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, it was a magician. And he said he was with you on the infamous Corporate. You did.
Brian Bates
Whoa. He was at that gig.
Dusty Slay
He said he opened for you.
Brian Bates
He. No, I kind of opened for him. He was going around doing magic. That was the luncheon where nobody spoke English.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, he said he did great.
Brian Bates
I'm sure he did. Because magic transcends language.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Language is all I got up there.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
So it's pretty tough when they don't speak the same way.
Aaron Weber
And it doesn't count as a bomb if they don't even know what you're saying.
Brian Bates
It counted, dude.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
It felt like it didn't.
Brian Bates
It was so bad that I, I. I walked all the way to my car, like, two miles to my car. And then the lady called me and said, you forgot your check. And then I sat in the car, and I was like, I'm not coming back. I'm not walking back in the room.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah.
Brian Bates
To get the check, mail it to me or burn it. I don't care.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I just want to go home.
Aaron Weber
I get it. I get it. That's why it's great.
Brian Bates
So funny that guy was on the show. He's a good magician, right?
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
It's great to have an agent, you know, where you go, I'll just talk to my agent. They'll get the check for me.
Brian Bates
And then they don't.
Aaron Weber
They'll get it. Yeah, they'll get it.
Dusty Slay
You drive by and you see flames coming up, and they burn it that quick, you know?
Aaron Weber
Speaking of that, though, I was. When I went to go to the Moody Center, I got an Uber, and my Uber driver didn't really speak very good English. And then as we got to the Moody center, he was like, this is where all the. You know, my map. I had a pin that I sent him, and that's where he was to take me. And he was like, this is where Uber drops off for the Moody Center. I go, yeah, but that's not where I'm going. And we were going back and forth, and then it's like his map was telling him to go a different way, and he's like, I can't go that way. And I go, yes, you can. Like, he goes, the cops are blocking it off. And I could see where the cops were blocking the street, and it was not the street that I was telling him to go on. And we almost got into an argument. I go, just let me out. And then a pedicab guy goes, hey, Dusty.
Brian Bates
Oh, really?
Aaron Weber
Gave me a ride for free.
Brian Bates
Wow. Well, that worked.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
I don't know if I've seen that,
Aaron Weber
but I was just like, dude, just follow the mat. Yeah, you're making this complicated.
Brian Bates
But he. He's probably got in trouble before for doing that. He's just a little gun.
Aaron Weber
He got in trouble with me. He got in trouble with me.
Dusty Slay
How many conversations have you had with Uber driver?
Aaron Weber
Not a lot, but every time I do, I talk about it here.
Brian Bates
Have you ever given a one star on one time? Okay, not that guy.
Aaron Weber
Not that I gave him. I gave him three because you know what? His car was clean.
Brian Bates
Three is basically one. Yeah, it's five or nothing.
Aaron Weber
I want people to know. I don't, you know, I'm giving out fives every time this guy, it's like, just follow the map. All I want you to do is follow the map. That's all I want you to do.
Dusty Slay
I had one other day, wouldn't pull in my driveway.
Brian Bates
Why?
Dusty Slay
I don't know. I see him come down the road. I'm out on my front porch with my bags and he just stops. And then he just puts his like hazards on or whatever and he just watches me roll up the driveway.
Brian Bates
And you have a long driveway, right?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, I mean, it's not short.
Brian Bates
Yeah, yeah.
Aaron Weber
How many stars you give him?
Dusty Slay
5. I don't really remember, but I'm so non confrontational. I didn't say anything.
Aaron Weber
Well, you don't have to say anything, but it's like it would have to
Dusty Slay
be, you know what?
Brian Bates
Absolutely bad for me to give a one.
Aaron Weber
Mine was my one star. Guy was truly bad.
Dusty Slay
There are times when I've given. Started giving less than five stars and then he'll ask you to explain your reasoning and I'm like, I don't care enough. Just five?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
I mean, you got to write an essay explaining why.
Aaron Weber
I don't think you have to. They just ask you to give feedback, but you don't have to.
Brian Bates
Well, I talked about on here, I had a Uber ride in Tacoma, Washington with a guy who had just soiled himself in his seat. Jaz? Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Oh, that weekend we were together.
Brian Bates
Yeah. After my car got towed. And then I had to call an Uber and then the guy had just crapped his pants.
Aaron Weber
Did he say it?
Brian Bates
No, he didn't need to, man. Oh, it was right there. It was a small car.
Dusty Slay
I'm trying to drink water, guys.
Brian Bates
Come on.
Dusty Slay
Every time I try to take a sip, you say something that makes me want to do a spit table.
Aaron Weber
They did a add that on the Uber app, you know, or the I use Lyft where it says drivers who
Dusty Slay
don't soil their pants.
Aaron Weber
It has odor free. Was the car odor free?
Brian Bates
That's a compliment you can give them.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Okay, you can't request odor free.
Aaron Weber
Now.
Brian Bates
That should be default, but we know it's not.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, Dusty do you ever leave your doctor's office feel like you got nothing from it?
Aaron Weber
Every time.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, they usually just tell me to drink more water. No real answers or game plan. That's the reason I love Superpower. Superpower sends a licensed professional to your home or you can visit a nearby lab. It's one simple blood draw with over 100 biomarkers, which is way more than what you usually get. And it unlocks a real understanding of your body as you head into a new year.
Aaron Weber
Hmm.
Dusty Slay
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Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
Or even $1,000 sometimes for similar or even less testing.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
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Brian Bates
Aaron, where I was in beautiful Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Oh, yeah, I made the. Which is the home of what college? Dusty, do you know?
Aaron Weber
University of Southern Mississippi.
Brian Bates
Southern Mississippi. But you passed through a university I'd never heard of in my entire life. University of West Alabama. We drove past it. Wow. You've heard of that? No, no, I've heard of north Alabama, South Alabama, but University of West Alabama. We drove past it. And the reason I mentioned that's because that's the pretty much the only thing you see between Birmingham and Hattiesburg. That is rural area, dude, there's nothing out there. Long drive. We got there. The show was great. I had Lee Kimbrell with me. Very funny comics. Mary Ryan Brown, he's from Hattiesburg. And then our old friend Landon Bryant. Landon talks, lives in Laurel, Mississippi, about 30 minutes away. And I was like, why don't you come down, do a spot? So he came down and hung out and it was just A. A fun, fun show for everybody.
Aaron Weber
Go see Mayor Toby.
Brian Bates
Mayor Toby came. I offered him a spot on the show, too.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Brian Bates
And he. He didn't want to do it.
Aaron Weber
I don't think he does comedy.
Brian Bates
He does do stand up.
Aaron Weber
Oh, does he?
Brian Bates
Yeah. And I'm told he's very funny. This is the mayor of the town.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
And he does stand up, and Mary Ryan Brown will actually take him and have him open for all over the state. So I go, dude, why not give the mayor five minutes?
Aaron Weber
He doesn't want to bomb in front of his whole constituents.
Commercial/Announcer
Yeah.
Brian Bates
He only goes out of town.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Yeah.
Brian Bates
But it was just such a funny sentence. Mary Ryan Brown's daughter was in the green room, and she was like, is. Is mayor to. Is Mr. Toby gonna do a set? And she was like, no. You remember, he's asked. He is the mayor of our town.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
And I was. I don't think that's ever been said in a comedy club.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
He can't do a spot because he's the mayor of the city. It was just. Just bizarre. But everybody was so great there. It was so much fun. I had a funny thing I thought of y' all about. We were staying at an Airbnb right by the theater, and they had a garage with, like, an automatic door. And so we pull up. Lee and I are in my car, and we pull up and we type in the code, and it doesn't open. So we're like, oh, what do we do? So, like, we type in the code. There's a door. You can get inside the garage, but the gate doesn't open. We can't figure out how to get the gate open. I'm in my car waiting for Lee to figure out how to open this gate, right? And Lee's over there, he's, like, waving his arms. He's touching everybody. Can't get this gate to open. And I go, let me come and take a look. So I walk inside around the gate. I step in front of the gate, and the gate opens. It was weight activated.
Aaron Weber
It's a cattle gate.
Brian Bates
I can't get this thing to move. I go, let me look, dude. And it just opened immediately. As soon as I stood in front of it, you heard it go, jeez.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I was like, wow, man, that is humbling. Lee goes, we don't have to talk about that again if you don't want. No, I'll bring it up.
Dusty Slay
Up.
Brian Bates
That's pretty funny.
Dusty Slay
Wow.
Aaron Weber
You know what? Speaking of Lee, we're going to do a new show at Zany's at the lab on the 24th. We're doing a. Probably the day this podcast comes out, and it's going to be sort of an open mic called Get Loose.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
But sort of it's half booked, half bucket pulls.
Dusty Slay
So how about Slay Dusty?
Aaron Weber
Well, that's a good name. I mean, it really plays right off Kill ton.
Brian Bates
You have to keep it loose or can you be tight?
Aaron Weber
You know, I didn't come up with the name.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
But I also could not come up with a name.
Brian Bates
Yeah, it is very hard to come up with a name.
Aaron Weber
So Get Loose was presented once.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Well, you see, it's hard. Yeah, it's real hard. As we sit here on the Public
Aaron Weber
Figures podcast, which we came up with, you know, I don't know, a hundred names.
Commercial/Announcer
Yep.
Aaron Weber
But so we're doing that. So if you're, like, looking to do some comedy, we're going to be doing it bi weekly. Come on down. Get in. Get in the thing.
Brian Bates
Or just watch some comedy.
Aaron Weber
Or just watch. Yeah, either way.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Anyway, I got this ball, by the way, at a Bucky's.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, it's kind of got a loose skin on it.
Brian Bates
It's got a real skin on the outside of it.
Aaron Weber
It is real loose skin. It's like a yo yo, but also a ball.
Brian Bates
I'll level with you. Uncomfortable to hold and touch.
Dusty Slay
He was throwing it around last night. Everyone who caught it would be like,
Brian Bates
it's fun to throw to people not knowing what it is, and they grab it and they're like, wait, what is this? Yeah, you can hold on to that, Brian. But I went to a Buc EE's in Alabama on Father's Day. It was a zoo.
Aaron Weber
I bet it was.
Brian Bates
I think I'm done with them for a while.
Aaron Weber
And Athens.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I think that one.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah. But I think I'm done with the. I think I can take a year off. For some reason, I felt like when I'm driving by one, I go, I might as well stop, see what's going on in there. I think I'm done for a while.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
You ever.
Dusty Slay
I agree.
Aaron Weber
Some people talk about that. We live in a simulation. Right. And so when I think about BUC EE's, that's what I think about. Because you go, like before, it was just there was no gas station there, you know, might have a loves on the next exit where there's, you know, a handful of people in there. And then all of a sudden a giant gas station comes. And then every time you're in there. It's full.
Brian Bates
Right.
Aaron Weber
Where are these people coming from? Were they just not stopping before?
Brian Bates
No, they're not going to other gas stations?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, but I mean, I don't know. But I don't see a lot of gas stations going out business. So we. I just feel like.
Brian Bates
I bet they are.
Aaron Weber
Buc EE's has their own NPCs in there. Non playable characters that just walk around to make you think it's busy. Those people all work there. They're all hired and they're just walking around and it's just people going, have you tried all this jerky brisket on the board?
Brian Bates
You know?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, they're good actors then because they got the wardrobe down. You guys want to get in these comments?
Brian Bates
Let's do it. Let's start it off.
Dusty Slay
All right. Comments come From Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcast reviews and mail@natelandpodcast.com. we still occasionally get email sent to the old email, which I check about once a month. So if you do that, you're probably not going to make it on here.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
You're probably not going to make it even if you get it right.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. The odds are slim anyway and not impossible. Rich Lind. The pranks episode is already an all timer and I'm only 40 minutes in. Dusty's quip to Aaron, I don't know. What you're doing in your bedroom was classic. I've been a fan for about three years now and I always look forward to the new episodes. Thanks for the laughs, guys.
Brian Bates
All right. Thank you, Rich.
Aaron Weber
Thanks, Rich. Rich. Rich Lind.
Brian Bates
Richie Rich. Remember that?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Got nothing else.
Aaron Weber
It was good though, that movie. I liked it.
Dusty Slay
So what you're talking about.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I'm thinking of the movie with the kid from Seventh Heaven.
Aaron Weber
I don't know what happened.
Brian Bates
Y' all know what I'm talking about. 7th Heaven, there's the kid, Simon. And then all of a sudden he was Richie Rich. But I think it. Was it a cartoon before that? Was he?
Aaron Weber
I think so.
Brian Bates
He was like Dennis the Menace.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Okay. Sorry, Rich.
Dusty Slay
I remember one of the Richie Rich. I mean, well, the whole premise was he was a millionaire.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Now, I mean, if they make it now, they'd have to make him a billionaire to even. Really?
Brian Bates
Yeah. It's for making a trillionaire now.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. It was cool, though. He had that little remote control. B. Remember that?
Brian Bates
No, I remember he had a McDonald's in his bedroom.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah. I would look down on that. Well, back then, though.
Brian Bates
Back then you would have Been like, this guy is unbelievable.
Dusty Slay
Jim B. Aaron. Not knowing who Olivia Newton John is is mind boggling. But yes, he has a question. So I guess he asked me, is it is mind boggling?
Brian Bates
I don't think it is.
Aaron Weber
I don't think so either. It's like if you. Especially if. If you've not seen Greece, I don't know why you would really know Olivia Newton John.
Dusty Slay
And you were joking about Xanadu, right?
Brian Bates
What about. I don't remember what I said.
Dusty Slay
You looked her up and he's like, oh, yeah, Xanadu.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Aaron Weber
That's the worst possible picture they could have picked for her.
Dusty Slay
What do you mean? What?
Aaron Weber
It's just a bad picture.
Brian Bates
Well, she's dead now, so it's pretty good there. Could be worse.
Dusty Slay
That's her later in life.
Aaron Weber
It just is a bad picture, though.
Dusty Slay
I mean, I bet she. I don't.
Aaron Weber
Look at that one. Look at that one. Where the cursor's at. That's later. Yeah. And that's a good picture.
Commercial/Announcer
Okay.
Brian Bates
Yeah, but she doesn't look familiar to me in that.
Aaron Weber
Nah.
Dusty Slay
Do you know the song Physical? Let's Get Physical?
Brian Bates
Madonna.
Aaron Weber
Let's Get Physical. No, Physical.
Brian Bates
Isn't that Madonna?
Aaron Weber
I wanna get physical.
Brian Bates
Who's that?
Aaron Weber
Physical John.
Brian Bates
She's a singer. I thought she was an actor. I thought she was in Greece, but
Aaron Weber
then Reese is a musical.
Brian Bates
Yeah, well, John Travolta is not a musician.
Aaron Weber
He sings, though.
Brian Bates
He doesn't have a song called let's Get Physical.
Aaron Weber
He has one where he talks about being stranded at the drive in Branded a Fool.
Dusty Slay
That song was like one of the biggest songs of the 80s.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
That's right. When fitness and, you know, the spandex and the headband.
Aaron Weber
Right.
Dusty Slay
And all that is going on. So. All right. Olivia, John. An. John. Joannon.
Brian Bates
Johannon.
Dusty Slay
Johannon.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Yeah, maybe it's Johannon.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. I was making that harder than it needed to be, wasn't I?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Olivia Newton Johannon.
Dusty Slay
Dusty, what's your opinion on Grease? Two Grease fans either love it or hate it. I personally think it's great. The cast is awesome. The soundtrack is some catchy tunes.
Aaron Weber
You know what? I've never seen it. I know. It's Michelle Pfeiffer. Big fan. Yeah. Very attractive lady and I like her. I think she's more attractive than Olivia Newton John. I don't know if that's a hot take or not, but. But I've never seen it. Greece too. Have you seen it?
Dusty Slay
I have not.
Brian Bates
I have.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I Skipped the first one.
Aaron Weber
I think it's one of the. To me, it's one of those. If you give it some time and go back and watch Grease 2 as its own movie, it could be good. But I don't think you can watch John Travolta and. And Jeff Conaway and Stalker Channing. Stalker Channing.
Brian Bates
Stalker Channing. Wow. The first lady from the West Wing. I didn't know she was in that.
Aaron Weber
I don't think you can watch all of those and then go over and watch a Grease 2 with a whole new. Okay.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, yeah. Aaron Vandergriff. The amount of people who don't realize that Brian knows he's bad at impressions is funnier than anything else. Well, I don't know what you're talking about.
Aaron Weber
I don't either.
Dusty Slay
I am.
Aaron Weber
Are you bad at him? Are that people think you're bad at them?
Dusty Slay
Oh, I'm. Well, I don't think that. I think I'm great.
Aaron Weber
So hit us with the one real quick.
Dusty Slay
Just so I mean, request.
Aaron Weber
What about John Candy?
Dusty Slay
John Candy?
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
From Uncle Buck.
Dusty Slay
You know what? I have not seen Uncle Buck, sorry to say.
Brian Bates
Okay, I've got what? Here you go. Stephen A. Smith.
Aaron Weber
Talk about.
Brian Bates
And Dusty Slay having an argument. Go.
Aaron Weber
I'll go. I think all sports are rigged.
Dusty Slay
Well, let me tell you,
Aaron Weber
that's very good. Gosh, that's good.
Brian Bates
Well, let me tell you, the way
Aaron Weber
you hit that, I started to get scared.
Dusty Slay
Oh, Stephen A. Smith.
Aaron Weber
He'll go at you.
Dusty Slay
Exactly. So there. Scott Johnson. Lots of teenagers and people in their 20s are taking up old school ways of passing the time and being creative, such as knitting and crocheting, etc. It's pretty neat for a man who grew up in the 1970s to see that kind of activity gaining traction amongst younger people.
Aaron Weber
Is that true? You heard that needle pointing is huge?
Brian Bates
Needle pointing.
Dusty Slay
Last week we talked about whittling. You know anyone who whittles, like with a wooden stick.
Aaron Weber
A knife and a. Yeah, a knife and a wooden stick. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
I've got a friend who whittles.
Aaron Weber
You do?
Dusty Slay
But you're old, so talk about young people. It's you, isn't it? All right.
Aaron Weber
It is cool, though, that people are doing that.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. World's getting better.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. I think if, you know, you spend too much time on your phone, you get mad, you get a lot of anxiety and people really get mad at me. I've been on Threads a little bit and I don't know if you guys have been over there, but. But that's you think the world's falling apart. You get on threads and I try to make a little jokes here and there and people yell at me. Yeah, People are mad at me right now. I bet. I bet I'm in trouble right now.
Brian Bates
Hanging on by three.
Dusty Slay
Let's pull up Dusty's thread, see what's going on over there.
Brian Bates
Let's not do it.
Dusty Slay
Amanda. Arnold. I'm going back through the Nateland podcast from the beginning and it's just so funny to me how Aaron's demeanor changed when Dusty joined the group.
Brian Bates
Oh, man.
Dusty Slay
Dusty and Aaron are a prime example of two people who wouldn't be allowed to sit next to each other in church or at a funeral without side eyeing each other and cracking up.
Brian Bates
Oh, that's where she was going.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, that's true.
Brian Bates
I thought she was going to say he's cynical now. He's hardened world.
Aaron Weber
I brought life to Aaron.
Brian Bates
He brought life into. He breathed life into it. I appreciate it. Manda is an interesting name.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I used to be.
Brian Bates
Think it's Amanda and she goes by Manda?
Aaron Weber
I think so, yeah.
Brian Bates
Mand, Amanda. Mand, Amanda, Manda.
Aaron Weber
I used to be. I was a real laugher, like in school and in church. I mean, if I'm not allowed to laugh, everything's funny.
Brian Bates
And then life broke you down or you think you're still.
Aaron Weber
I think I'm still like that. I just. Now I'm allowed to laugh wherever I want to go.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah.
Dusty Slay
You know, ad reads.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Did you get shorter?
Brian Bates
I did. I lowered my seat a little bit trying to get comfortable.
Dusty Slay
How's that going?
Brian Bates
I feel better until you brought it up.
Dusty Slay
Hannah White. I love Abigail stories. One time I was live streaming a channel regarding a true crime case and saw Abigail comment on the stream and I got so excited. We need more Abigail. No, we don't.
Aaron Weber
Well, she's not here today. Good day to have that comment.
Brian Bates
Yep.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
No, Abigail's great.
Brian Bates
Very into true crime too, so that doesn't surprise me.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I. I love that ever. Like it feels like anxiety amongst people is like all time highs. And also true crime is that like all time? Like people are so into it.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And then now they know every way somebody could break into their house and kill them.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
I don't feel like you want to know all that unless you're like, you know, trying to, you know, prepare a defensive strategy.
Brian Bates
Right.
Aaron Weber
Which I don't think most people are.
Dusty Slay
And it's mostly women that are into it. Right.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I like it. Too.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, that makes sense.
Brian Bates
Sorry.
Aaron Weber
I know a guy that whittles.
Dusty Slay
Nick fazino. Fazino.
Brian Bates
Hey, nick, Man.
Dusty Slay
Spain played Cape Verde in a World cup match. I say that, right?
Aaron Weber
I have no idea.
Brian Bates
Right?
Aaron Weber
I don't think it's right, but I don't know. Verde does sound more like Verde.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, whatever. I think we got a Cape Verde listeners out there.
Aaron Weber
Cape Verde sounds like a dessert.
Brian Bates
Eat a little salsa Verde, dude.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Mikhail. Oh, Yara Zabal.
Brian Bates
This is a minefield of skill.
Dusty Slay
Started the first 30 minutes without touching the ball once, breaking a record since 1966, which leads me to believe that old brigade biodegradable baits could blend in better on the field than Dusty in the pool. Well, that's what I've been saying the whole time.
Brian Bates
That's crazy.
Dusty Slay
I think that kind of proves it,
Aaron Weber
I mean, I guess. Yeah. I mean, if. If, If. If soccer or. Or football, as people like to call it, is, if not touching the ball for 30 minutes is allowed to, even in the World cup, in the greatest games of the. I don't know of the season. I don't know how it works, but there's a guy not touching the ball for 30 minutes.
Brian Bates
He's the goalie.
Dusty Slay
No.
Brian Bates
So here he is right here. I still think he would blend in a little better than you, Brian.
Aaron Weber
I gotta Photoshop Brian's face over this guy and let's see how it shapes up.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
Dude, can we see it?
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
I'm not arguing that he blends in a little bit better than I do since he is a professional soccer player.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
I'm just saying I get out there in the middle of the field. I mean, a lot of these games, not World cup necessarily, but they seem they in zero. Zero.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
I just want to sell nil. I just want a soccer team to listen to this and have you out for a game and let you be on the field for a little while. And I want it to be videoed, and I want us to be able to watch it over and over again on this podcast.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Aaron Weber
And then I want to race Michael Phelps.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Yeah. I want to. I want to be a row of professional swimmers up on the diving board. Or not diving board. Was it the block?
Aaron Weber
Professional swimmers, though, not Olympic. You know, obviously not Michael Phelps, the fastest guy of all time.
Brian Bates
You'll race a professional swimmer, though.
Aaron Weber
A professional.
Brian Bates
You won't race the owner of the Comedy Catch in Chattanooga, but.
Aaron Weber
No, I will.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. I mean, you know, it's not like we were standing next To a pool together.
Brian Bates
It's up to you to make it happen, man.
Dusty Slay
I mean, you and Nate were on a cruise together.
Aaron Weber
I didn't back out. I said I'm ready to go.
Dusty Slay
You said, I smoke cigars all day,
Aaron Weber
but I said I'm ready to go.
Dusty Slay
Okay, well, I'm right.
Aaron Weber
Cigars do not affect your lungs. You don't inhale.
Dusty Slay
You know, we did four years ago.
Aaron Weber
I'll go right now.
Dusty Slay
Four years ago, during the World cup, we did a World cup episode. And I think it was probably the most frustrated people have ever been with us who are die hard soccer fans.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Because we basically. We did this for the whole episode.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, it was me, you and Nate.
Aaron Weber
People are so elitist about it.
Brian Bates
I know.
Aaron Weber
They're like, oh, they just treat you like you're garbage because you don't know anything about it.
Brian Bates
But it's the world's game. They think you're elitist for looking down on it. You know what I mean?
Aaron Weber
I'm not looking down on it. I just don't like it.
Brian Bates
Yeah, yeah, I get that. I've tried. I've actively tried to care and it's hard, man. It's really hard.
Aaron Weber
I think we need. You need better and commentary, like the people. When you listen, it's like we're used to our. Our commentators for football and.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Baseball. It's like we need. We need some, you know, Jeff. Who is it?
Dusty Slay
Jeff Ross.
Aaron Weber
Not Jeff. Jim Ross. Jim Ross. Vince McMahon type people. Out with it. Jerry the King Lawler.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I don't know. They go pretty nuts when a goal is scored, these announcers.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, but how often is that?
Brian Bates
Well, that's not the announcer's fault.
Aaron Weber
They're trying, but I mean.
Brian Bates
But you can get somebody like Stephen A. Smith on there. To do what?
Dusty Slay
Brian, let me tell you something. I mean, if you're listening, you think Stephen A. Smith's in the room, right?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Let me tell you something.
Dusty Slay
I think my.
Aaron Weber
Think he says that a lot.
Brian Bates
I don't know if he does.
Aaron Weber
I don't know.
Dusty Slay
Just sounds like something. Maybe you would. I think my second sport would. Would be baseball.
Brian Bates
Baseball.
Dusty Slay
Disney hitter.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
And I just get up to the plate, not even swing.
Aaron Weber
Hitting, I think, is the hardest part.
Dusty Slay
I wouldn't try to hit. I would just stand up there, not swing. Or I might swing, but I'm knowing I'm going to get a hit. But guys strike out all the time.
Aaron Weber
Why not be a right fielder?
Dusty Slay
Because then they may hit the ball to me.
Brian Bates
I think if you Were Brian. I think if you were the bat boy, people would ask questions. People, wait, is that guy supposed to be out here?
Dusty Slay
Yes, because I'm 54.
Aaron Weber
You don't think you could catch a pop up professional baseball that came to you?
Brian Bates
Right to him. I mean, right to him. Like Benny the Jet Rodriguez hitting it in the smalls glove in sandlot. I mean, but if you had to track it, I don't know.
Dusty Slay
When we went out at the soundstage,
Brian Bates
you made some good catches out there.
Dusty Slay
I made one, yeah.
Brian Bates
I'm trying to help you out.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. But I wouldn't trust me in a professional game or anything where I have to throw the guy. Yeah. Guys, I'm right field and he's rounded second for third. He's going to score.
Aaron Weber
But we should. We need a reality show that Nate Land needs to create a reality show. And it's just called where does Brian Fit In? And we just take you to different sporting events.
Brian Bates
Comes on right after the Rearranger.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. And we just take you to different sporting events. Yeah, but different sporting events. And then you just, you know, you wear the uniform and we see can do people notice and go, that guy's not a professional.
Dusty Slay
The Nashville Sounds just emailed me, asked me throughout the first pitch again, July 4th.
Brian Bates
Did they really?
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
That's amazing.
Dusty Slay
I'm so good.
Brian Bates
Good for you.
Dusty Slay
They're begging for me on the biggest game of the year.
Brian Bates
I love that. I love that.
Aaron Weber
I do, too.
Dusty Slay
So, Dusty, once you go throw it, our first pitch.
Aaron Weber
You know what? I have kind of talked to them about it, I think, but I'm not, I, I'm not really that into it because.
Dusty Slay
Because you stink.
Aaron Weber
Well, it's, it's, it's a whole. Like, what do they say? No, it's like the ratio, like, like win, win. Like there's no win. Like if it, if it goes.
Brian Bates
Oh, it's a lose, lose.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. If it goes, great, nobody cares. But if I throw it, I don't know, over the backdrop, people go, this guy.
Brian Bates
What is it?
Dusty Slay
The backstop?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
It honestly, you could spin it and it become better for you. If it's that comically bad of a pitch and you get the video of it and just lean into it.
Dusty Slay
They made a 30 for 30 about George Bush's first pitch. They can make a 30 for 30 about you.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
No one thought he could throw, but he did it.
Aaron Weber
I don't think. I don't get the impression that people don't think I could throw. So I don't want to Let them down.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And you only get one. It's not like you're out there.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
You know, you get a few.
Brian Bates
You get one throw. We'll make it happen.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, that is true. It's tough when you. It'd be nice to have to that first one just to get a feel for where it's going. Hang on the second one. This is the one that counts.
Brian Bates
That counts.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
And none of them count.
Aaron Weber
And let's do a full, you know, a full batter, you know.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Like, you know, let me throw three pitches.
Brian Bates
There should be another celebrity who does the ceremonial first at bat.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
And then you have a full. You could try to strike them out.
Aaron Weber
Have a whole celebrity, two teams.
Dusty Slay
What about. What about stay at home? What about a last pitch?
Brian Bates
La. That's an old Jesse Case tweet, right? That went super viral.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Jesse Case tweeted, like to do a last pitch where Danny. No, it's two out spot on the ninth baseline. Danny DeVito comes to the mouth. Yeah, that's funny. Freezied one. Dusty Slay's country radio is the best playlist ever.
Brian Bates
All right.
Dusty Slay
I've listened to classic country all my life and still find hidden gems. A true work of art.
Aaron Weber
Well, I appreciate that. I wish I had a better way to thank you, but I don't. Freeze it won.
Brian Bates
What does that mean?
Aaron Weber
I think that's their name, you know.
Brian Bates
You mean a better way to thank them?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I mean, like, you know, if they had their.
Brian Bates
Give them a hug.
Aaron Weber
They had an. They had an actual name. Like if it were. Oh, they were Hannah White. I could say thank you, Hannah. But it's Freezied one. But I appreciate that. I worked on that playlist. It's a good playlist.
Brian Bates
Yeah. I thought you meant just by saying thank you, that somehow wasn't enough.
Aaron Weber
Now I would like to give him a hug.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I mean, I know you said that.
Dusty Slay
I mean, I just heard from Freezey1. He does not want to hug.
Aaron Weber
Lala.
Dusty Slay
I believe every generation complains about the next, like Brian said. However, I have to agree with what Dusty is saying because things are now are actually bad and actively, progressively getting worse. Societies went downhill gradually starting around 1970 or earlier until current day and picking up speed each year. It's not improving. Well, that's what you said, right? 1960s.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
And I listen to your podcast. I kind of understand where you're coming from. That was the civil rights movement. Well, women in the workforce.
Aaron Weber
No, it's all about. It's all about the music started to change and then we had. We had another war. We went to Vietnam. It's like a lot of things. And then. So all these people, you know, it's like this. These. These clashings of things happening and then that, you know, the government is classically stirring it up all the time.
Brian Bates
And then.
Aaron Weber
And then you're, you know, people are coming back from war now. Everybody talks about ptsd, everybody has ptsd, but back then, no one was talking about PTSD with these guys coming back from Vietnam. And then they were just. A lot of them were homeless and.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, it's terrible.
Brian Bates
So it's called shell shock.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. So it was like.
Dusty Slay
But that's why the world's better now, because now we understand it.
Aaron Weber
It. I don't know. I don't.
Dusty Slay
Back then we didn't even know what was going on.
Aaron Weber
I did. Well, I mean, I think we've made some improvements in that area, but I don't think the world's better.
Brian Bates
If you could pick up your family and travel through time and just go, let me live the rest of our life in the 60s and 70s, you would do that versus now?
Aaron Weber
I don't.
Dusty Slay
Well, not.
Aaron Weber
I mean, maybe the 70s. I think that'd be great.
Brian Bates
Would you really?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Oh, all right.
Aaron Weber
When the world.
Brian Bates
Brian, you were there. Would you take.
Dusty Slay
I was there for most of it, yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. The 80s I liked. I love 80s country. And so I always say, I like 90s country, but a lot of the country I consider 90s actually came from.
Brian Bates
But think beyond the radio and think about the rich tapestry of life outside of songs and think, would you rather live in 1970 or live now in 2026?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I think. I think 70s or 80s, you know, you got. There's less technology. You could, you know, you just buy yourself a little land. You could work a regular job and pay all your bills.
Brian Bates
Right.
Aaron Weber
You wouldn't need 14 roommates.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And I think it'd be great.
Dusty Slay
The late 60s, I wasn't alive, but I've read a history book. It's pretty. I mean, Vietnam War going on, some major assassinations of political leaders. It was.
Aaron Weber
But if I'm my age and I take my kids back, they're not going to get drafted for Vietnam.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
You know, because they're still too young. And so I think that's the spot. That's the sweet spot.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I'm sorry you missed it, man.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, well, I often think about it.
Dusty Slay
Well, I'm his look. He's Trying to bring it back. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
What about you? Where would you. You would say here.
Brian Bates
I'd stick with where I am right now.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Brian Bates
Maybe go to the future.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
What if you went to the future and you didn't? You're like, oh, Dusty was right. It is getting worse.
Dusty Slay
What if you said, just take me way in the future and it got to 2029 and it stopped?
Brian Bates
There's just nothing.
Dusty Slay
This is where it stops.
Brian Bates
Maybe. Maybe.
Aaron Weber
Chase.
Dusty Slay
Kia. When people say society is falling apart.
Brian Bates
Keo.
Dusty Slay
Keo. When people say society is falling apart, they're reacting to cultural change, not actual decline. By the numbers, young people today are safer, healthier, and more responsible than any generation before them.
Aaron Weber
I don't know where he's getting that from, but he shared some stats.
Dusty Slay
Too long.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Smoking's at all time low, Drinking's down, teen pregnancies down.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, but there are other things that are up.
Dusty Slay
Christianity is up.
Aaron Weber
I don't think so.
Dusty Slay
Among gen zers. That's what I read online. First time in.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, but it's like. It's nitpicking little statistics here and there. I don't think things are better. And I think in a lot of ways, I think people were better when we were all smoking.
Brian Bates
And.
Aaron Weber
And, like, there's different things. Like, smoking's down, but more people are vaping, more people are. Do you know, it's like, it's just like people kind of nitpick statistics or there's no way to say young people are safer, healthier, and more response. Like, we just look at our. This is what they do. They go, don't believe what your eyes tell you. Look at these numbers I presented to you,
Dusty Slay
Lindsey Crosby. I think the fact that you three are all a decade apart in age is one of the reasons this podcast works so well. It makes your discussions and stories that much more interesting and draws so many different types of fans in. Well, thank you, Lindsay. I say that it was true.
Aaron Weber
But cultural change also can play a role, too. It's like, you know, we, you know, we have a Western culture, and when things, you know, start to change in
Dusty Slay
a way, it's like, I think worldwide, I would argue even more so. Things are better. Poverty's down, worldwide. Literacy's up. Stuff like that. I mean, I can't prove it, but that's what I read.
Aaron Weber
I think there's some pretty good numbers for how literacy is not doing too well. Even in our own country, people are not reading. Well,
Dusty Slay
I wish you'd have said people are not reading. Good.
Aaron Weber
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Brian Bates
That's right.
Aaron Weber
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Brian Bates
You hit it the first time.
Aaron Weber
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Dusty Slay
chime.com disclosures before we get into today's topic, let me share some nat land news with you guys. This yeah this it be this Sunday, June 28th at 3pm Nateland presents at the Woolworth Theater three great comics doing three half hour specials. Alex Veluto he was. He's been a Guest on the Nateland podcast.
Aaron Weber
Great friend to the podcast.
Dusty Slay
Super, super friend to the Nateland podcast. We don't know him on this one.
Aaron Weber
He's still a friend of mine.
Dusty Slay
Mike Goodwin.
Brian Bates
All right.
Dusty Slay
Mike's super funny.
Aaron Weber
All right.
Dusty Slay
He, he used to open for John Crist a lot on the road.
Aaron Weber
Mike.
Brian Bates
I spent a lot of time with Mike.
Aaron Weber
Mike's very funny.
Dusty Slay
And John Heffron. John won last comic standing. He was here for the Nateland Showcase, Season 4. And I hosted and just destroyed. Just so fun.
Aaron Weber
He's very.
Brian Bates
Such a pro.
Aaron Weber
I opened for John a couple of times 10 years ago.
Brian Bates
Me too.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, all three of those guys are so funny. So come to the Woolworth Theater this Sunday, three o'. Clock. And speaking of, Natlan presents the Showcase. Season five is now coming up. We're going to be taping those August 23rd, 24th, 25th at the lab at Zany's. Tickets are on sale now for that. A lot of great comics on that one. And Stephen Bargetzi special Out in a Minute is out now and it is doing great, great reviews, really great. People are loving it. So go check it out. If you haven't already or even if you have, go watch it again. It's great. All right, this week we are talking about what happened in the year 2003. All right, and again, I want to start with you, Dusty. I'm still just working at the TV station. Aaron's still in school.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I'm fifth grade.
Dusty Slay
Fifth grade.
Aaron Weber
All right.
Dusty Slay
But you were.
Aaron Weber
Still was a tough year for me.
Brian Bates
Okay, well, maybe we'll go back, do some more of that.
Dusty Slay
What's. What's going on with you in 2003? Are you trying to figure things out?
Aaron Weber
2003. 2003 is the year that I do finally move from Opelika to Charleston.
Dusty Slay
All right, so that was a big year.
Aaron Weber
But it was.
Dusty Slay
Why did you move?
Aaron Weber
I moved in August, though, so there's still a lot of time. 2003 is when I turned 21 and legal now. Stuff got wild and it was great. Well, I left because I'm still, I think, 2003 rolling in. I think I'm still rolling in with the suspended license. Some of that time's a little shaky, but I think I'm at least still on probation and. And wanted a fresh start. Yeah, I'm working at the Office Depot, having a great time. I'm the receiver and, well, you know, I took the position, the receiving manager position went away, but they hired me to fill that position with no pay Raise.
Brian Bates
And are you buddies with the guys you work with at this point? You like all your co workers?
Aaron Weber
Some of them.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
There's some. I. You know, I. I won't say their names, but there's somebody.
Brian Bates
But you remember them?
Aaron Weber
Yeah. I mean, I got into arguments. I got into an argument with my manager one time. This guy. My mom worked there, too. And one time this guy came in and he started. My mom was working the returns desk, and he was yelling at my mom. And then my. My mom came back to the break room. She was crying.
Dusty Slay
He yelled at your mom?
Aaron Weber
Yeah. So then I went out. My manager was helping this guy load a chair into his car, and then I yelled at that guy. And then my manager came back, and then me and him. You were yelling at each other? And he fired me. And then my mom came back there, and I go. And we were all talking. I go, well, he just fired me. And then my mom started crying again. And then. And then I told the manager, I go, you wouldn't let anybody talk to your mom like that. And then he goes, well, my mom's dead. And I go, okay, well, don't try to pull that card.
Brian Bates
I hate when people do that. You know what we mean?
Aaron Weber
And. And then I. I didn't get fired. I kept my job. And then the next day, that guy came in and brought my mom flowers.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Because he needed somebody to step to him, and that's what I did.
Brian Bates
Wow. So he felt so bad after being confronted by. For his. By his behavior.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Why did he yell at her in the first place?
Aaron Weber
Because he was trying to return something. I think it was probably a situation where it was like, you can't return that. And so he's mad at the Office Depot Corporation.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
But taking it out on my mom.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Who's, in fairness, a representative representation, the
Brian Bates
face of the operation in that moment.
Aaron Weber
I get. I used to get fired up. I've had to really. I've had to really tone it down.
Brian Bates
But how was that like working with your mom? Was it good other than that?
Aaron Weber
It was good other than, you know, I was into some extracurricular activities, and I would go in. In all kind of, you know, situations, and. And. But it was good. You know, I wouldn't carpool to work or anything. No, I didn't live with her.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
We were just working there together.
Dusty Slay
But come in hungover, and you're like, she just mad at me. And then she comes in five minutes later like, oh, boy, it was a rough night.
Aaron Weber
No, I mean, the first part, yes. By that point, my mom was pretty chill. My mom wasn't really doing anything like that, but, yeah, I for sure would.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And it was wild. I liked it because it was, like, in Opelika, but also close enough to Auburn where there were some college students that worked there. So it's people I didn't know.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
You know, when you work at a big chain store like that or big retail store, if you walk into an Office Depot now, do you know things that, like, I don't know about the store and how it's run and. And what's going on in there?
Aaron Weber
Probably so. But that's been a long time. Things have changed.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
You know, but it just. It's. Office Depot is pretty unchanged, though. I mean, things have changed, but you walk in and you're like. Smells the same.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Even though it's different. Office Depots, they all smell the same, and they make me sad.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
When I see. Yeah. When I see people working there, I go, I'm sad for you. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Huh.
Brian Bates
So you say it was a bad experience.
Aaron Weber
Overall, I liked it, but it just feels like. It feels like a. A store that's. That should be done. Like Office Max and Office Depot merged, like, because you don't need all these stores anymore.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Staples, too, right?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I think so.
Brian Bates
So they're around, but. But you think it's sad because of where you were at in your life when you worked there?
Aaron Weber
No, I think it just feels like a. A store that's no longer relevant.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
Best Buy feels like that to me, too. When I walk in there, all these stores that used to be cool and exciting. I mean, Office Depot had Palm Pilots, and it was like, oh, yeah, look at this. Go.
Brian Bates
I remember going to Best Buy in high school, after school, just to. And you would go to the Best Buy and, like, dude, they got. There's like, an Xbox out. We can play it. And.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
There's just nothing. I don't know. I'm older now, obviously, but I doubt kids think of Best Buy in the same way.
Aaron Weber
I don't think so.
Dusty Slay
They're empty usually when you walk in.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And then it's like, every time I go, I need this. I go. I go, I could order it, but I'm just gonna go. I'm gonna go support the store. And then they don't have it. Nobody's helpful. And I go, yeah, this is why you guys are going out of business. Like, whenever they say stores. Stores and restaurants going out of business, especially corporate chains.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
They always act like it's economy stuff. And I go, no, I just think you're not keeping up with your customer service.
Brian Bates
Yeah, it's not a good experience.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
But what made you move to Charleston?
Aaron Weber
Well, I was. You know, me and a friend of mine, we ended up. My friend Joey, we ended up hanging out on New Year's of 2002 to 2003. And we were. It was like, not a good. We didn't have any good New Year's parties. Nothing was good. And we were like, we hate it here.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And we'd said, let's get out of here. Let's. Let's make it our New Year's resolution to get out of here. So that's what we did. We just started working towards moving to Charleston.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Aaron Weber
We went to visit Savannah. We wanted to go to Savannah, but his parents lived in Charleston. So while we were in Savannah, we went up and visited them. And then we loved it. Yeah. And then while we were gone doing that, someone had broken into my trailer and stolen things for me.
Brian Bates
So that's a sign.
Aaron Weber
It's a targeted attack. Yeah. People knew where to look. And. And so I was like, let's get out of here.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
So y' all both moved to Charleston in August? Yeah, we moved.
Dusty Slay
And we're roommates.
Aaron Weber
We're roommates for about two months. And then I got my own place.
Brian Bates
And were there plans to do stand up or comedy in any way?
Aaron Weber
No. No.
Brian Bates
What do you think you're going to do with your life at this point?
Aaron Weber
I have no idea.
Brian Bates
You have no idea, but you're open to whatever the universe gives you?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I'm just like, I was pretty sick of rolling around my hometown, everybody asking me if I'm going to college. Where are you going to school at? And I just gotta keep explaining to people.
Brian Bates
School of hard knocks, brother. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. So I. Yeah, I moved and then I transferred Depot.
Dusty Slay
Sad.
Aaron Weber
I transferred with office.
Dusty Slay
Oh, okay.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
So you had a job.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, transferred. I was paying about four times as much rent and did not get a pay raise. I never got employee of the month at the old Office Depot in Opelika. But when I moved to Charleston, like, two months in, I got employee.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Commercial/Announcer
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Because I knew everything.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
I should have been.
Brian Bates
They're also just trying to keep you there.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. I feel like I should have been the manager. They gave me two months. Yeah. They gave me employee of the month. And then I went out, you know, shortly after, I went out drinking at a place called the Plex. They used to have this bar called the Plex P L E X. Yeah. In North Charleston. And it was an old movie theater, and then each little movie theater was different bars.
Dusty Slay
That's fine.
Brian Bates
On.
Aaron Weber
And it was really wild. And I hung out there, and I went, and I ended up calling in sick the next day, and they called me into the office, and they got so serious with me. They go, you know, we took a chance on you, bringing you in here, transferring you, and I chance I'm employee of the month. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. Come on, guys.
Brian Bates
I took a chance on y'.
Dusty Slay
All.
Commercial/Announcer
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I could have transferred to any Office Depot in the country.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
You remember anything about 2003 that stands out?
Brian Bates
Well, I remember my mom sent me this picture last night. Is my.
Aaron Weber
This is.
Brian Bates
This is me in 2003 right there.
Aaron Weber
Right.
Brian Bates
Playing YMCA football. I think this is one of the last years I was quarterback. Things. Things are starting to change athletically for me. I would say we are.
Dusty Slay
Offensive lines coming up.
Brian Bates
My arm is behind my back.
Aaron Weber
Because you want to be like, Nate broken.
Brian Bates
No, I'm not doing a Nate impression. It is broken. I have a cast on my arm in this picture. So I played most of the season with a cast on.
Aaron Weber
It seems like in the. Your expression makes it seem like your arm was in front of you. And then they go, hey, let's do one without your broken arm.
Brian Bates
Probably what happened. And that's probably why I got a little grin on my face.
Aaron Weber
But, yeah, we don't want the competition to know that our quarterback has a broke arm.
Dusty Slay
Montgomery, what's the cp?
Brian Bates
Catholic preparatory.
Dusty Slay
Okay. All right.
Brian Bates
The Knights.
Dusty Slay
The Knights.
Brian Bates
There we are. YMCA football. Remember those old mesh jerseys?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah, man. Yeah. You could just breathe in those things.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Felt good. Felt real good.
Dusty Slay
Well, I was working in the news business. I'll share a couple of news things of 2003.
Brian Bates
2003 is a busy year for the news. Right. Well, what. What is your role?
Dusty Slay
I want to get into the fun stuff, but.
Brian Bates
I know. But I want to. What is your role at the news station as far as in 2003?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, in 2003, I was on the assignment desk. I was probably the assignment manager at that point.
Brian Bates
Okay, so what does that mean?
Dusty Slay
That means almost a little bit like a dispatcher. I assigned the crews to their stories. I put a reporter and a photojournalist together. They go out.
Brian Bates
So you're making editorial decisions on what gets covered.
Dusty Slay
We would have a morning meeting where I would go over a list of of things going on, and we would decide as a group. I wouldn't make the final decision.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Our news director would. But once we decide that, I would dispatch people.
Brian Bates
How do you know the news?
Dusty Slay
We get press releases. Yeah, Stuff like that. And then we just keep a running database. You know, if somebody's in court and they got a new trial date, we put it in for that date.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
Did you ever get breaking news and run it up to them on a piece of paper or something?
Brian Bates
Sure.
Dusty Slay
And, I mean, I was.
Aaron Weber
Were you excited?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, I was the. You know, the main person would fill the calls to the newsroom. So very often I was the first one to get calls about breaking.
Aaron Weber
Would you run it up there on a piece of paper? I like to picture you.
Dusty Slay
I get winded. The other stations get it on first because I'm tired. I take a break.
Brian Bates
You ever wave to an anchor off camera? Just. I'm just picturing you in there, like,
Dusty Slay
just to mess with them?
Brian Bates
No, because you got important news, Breaking news or something.
Dusty Slay
Something.
Brian Bates
Tell them to stretch.
Aaron Weber
Do you have a headset?
Dusty Slay
Not in this job.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Earpiece.
Brian Bates
Did you wear a little green visor and suspenders, like a stock trader? That's what I'm picturing. Extra.
Aaron Weber
Extra.
Brian Bates
Folks. I'm picturing something like that.
Dusty Slay
I mean, some of the stuff you're thinking about is more like a producer, which I was that as well.
Aaron Weber
Where
Brian Bates
do you have a fire pole that you slid down at the office?
Dusty Slay
All right, let's move on.
Brian Bates
You don't have a clue what your job.
Dusty Slay
Well, I was trying to share it.
Aaron Weber
I was. I actually was nailing it.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
He said what you're describing as a producer, which I also was. Oh, that's what he said.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Aaron Weber
That is what he said.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. I was also a producer, but. But in this role.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
At this time in 2003, I think I was a. On the assignment desk.
Brian Bates
Right.
Dusty Slay
I was there for almost 20 years.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Don't be ridiculous.
Dusty Slay
Had a lot of jobs. All right, guys, I didn't make fun of.
Brian Bates
No, Brian, I'm sorry.
Dusty Slay
This guy's going nowhere in his life.
Brian Bates
Exactly. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
You're playing peewee football. I'm the only one that had a real career.
Brian Bates
You're called the midgets. They still call it that. Unfortunately.
Dusty Slay
They called you a.
Brian Bates
No, that was the name of the division.
Dusty Slay
I know, but even that should have. You should have just. Your presence should have made them change it to something else.
Aaron Weber
What would you have changed it to?
Dusty Slay
What's the opposite of midget?
Aaron Weber
Robert Wadlow.
Brian Bates
No, that's a big, tall guy.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I think he's making a weight joke.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, I was. Sorry. That's impressive, though, that you knew the world's tallest man and we both knew who you were talking about.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, yeah. 8 foot 10, I think 11. 8 foot 11.
Dusty Slay
8 foot 11.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Y.
Brian Bates
We learn a lot on this. This is an educational show.
Dusty Slay
It is.
Brian Bates
I'm sorry to. I'm not trying to make fun of your job or anything, Brian. I'm sorry. I feel bad about that.
Dusty Slay
Do you?
Brian Bates
I feel like you took it the wrong way. I'm just trying to have a laugh with.
Dusty Slay
I took it the correct way that you guys were attacking me.
Brian Bates
No, I want to hear more about it.
Aaron Weber
I think I was nailing it. And then because of Aaron's jokes, it got roped in, like I was making fun of you.
Brian Bates
Idea.
Aaron Weber
I'm just trying to get a feel for what you're doing in there. Right where they call it in and they go. And you go, I got breaking news. And then you run it up to the news reporter's desk, and then they read it off to get it out there fast. You can't. Can't sit around on a fresh story like that.
Dusty Slay
You know, this was before, I don't know when the lottery came to Tennessee, but it was probably around that time. Could have already been here, but people used to call. We would give out lottery numbers on the news. So for like, the Kentucky Lottery, and I guess after the Tennessee Lottery, we still gave them out, and people would call all the time just wanting the lottery numbers. What was the pick? Three.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Dusty Slay
So I would just have to do a lot of nonsense like that.
Brian Bates
Tennessee lottery started in 2003. So this is the year you start to cover it.
Aaron Weber
Look at the beginning of the downfall, once gambling started to get legalized everywhere.
Dusty Slay
Well, I don't want to judge people, just over the voice, over the phone, but it sounded like the people who least need to be spending their money on lottery tickets.
Aaron Weber
It always is.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Yeah.
Brian Bates
Well, I have been an adult now. I did the math before the podcast started. 17 years. Wow. I've been an adult. And you know what I've learned? Adulthood is just carrying around an energy source. That's all you got. Look around. Everybody's got a coffee. They got an energy drink. You're just trying to work without staring at a wall for 20 minutes. I started noticing how much coffee or an energy drink would make me anxious. And there'd be that crash at the end. Right. That's why I started using these Ultra pouches. They're a complete game changer. I tried Ultra when we were on the the cruise back in February. I love them now. Nicotine free, caffeine free. Which sounds confusing because you're like well then what's the point of these things, right? Well they've got clinically proven nootropics and adaptogens to deliver immediate focus and smooth energy that lasts one to two hours. They're truly clean plain plant powered pouches designed to sharpen your mind, lift your energy all without caffeine, nicotine or crash. They're all trusted by top athletes, entrepreneurs and engineers around the world. My favorite flavor is the watermelon but I got right here, tropical. That's the flavor that's right on the desk right now. Ultra is the ultimate guilt free pouch delivering instant focus and mental clarity without nicotine or caffeine. New customers can use Code Nateland to get 15% off at take ultra.com that's take ultra.com for 15% off with code nateland. After you purchase the last guy you heard about them, please support our show
Aaron Weber
and tell them we sent you exploitation
Brian Bates
two given billions to Tennessee education though
Aaron Weber
I don't think so.
Dusty Slay
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Brian Bates
All right.
Dusty Slay
The Iraq war started, right? Saddam Hussein, all that.
Aaron Weber
Oh yeah.
Brian Bates
We defeated the Iraqi army in two weeks. And then it was smooth sailing after that. Right.
Dusty Slay
And he landed on that cruiser.
Brian Bates
Yep.
Dusty Slay
And it was rusada to put up on the side behind him. She's like what if we did this? You remember that Dusty?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I think so.
Dusty Slay
It was just in a big mission accomplished banner behind him. And of course it drug out forever.
Aaron Weber
And I wasn't really keeping up with a lot of stuff going on in the world.
Brian Bates
Yeah, 2003, once the army is out of the equation you go, I'm not going over there.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, exactly. But I might have ended up there.
Dusty Slay
And I guess for people who don't know, my wife worked at the White House during this time.
Brian Bates
During this time.
Dusty Slay
So that was a. She did not come up with that. But that was the joke.
Aaron Weber
Which is why Brian refuses to agree with me on anything thing some type of conspiracy I think.
Dusty Slay
You know what the other the thing happened. Space shuttle Columbia 2003. See that's so funny. You think you're thinking about Challenger.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Okay. What happened in Columbia?
Dusty Slay
It same thing. No, except it was coming back, not taking off. Really don't even remember it, do you?
Brian Bates
There are people on it.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Where'd it go?
Dusty Slay
Seven astronauts.
Aaron Weber
Where'd it go.
Dusty Slay
It blew up in the air.
Aaron Weber
No, but you said it's coming back.
Dusty Slay
Was coming back from space.
Aaron Weber
Oh, it just was in there.
Dusty Slay
It's just amazing how the Challenger, for people my age especially, it's such a where were you? Moment that people always talk about remembering. But the Columbia Columbia 2003. Nobody even remembers it happening.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I'm having trouble even finding. Okay. Space shuttle Columbia disaster. Wow. It was the second. Right. Okay. 1986 was the challenger.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Is that video of it?
Brian Bates
That's video of it coming through right there. Yeah. I mean, it's already broken apart.
Aaron Weber
How is this video better than every video that we have now?
Brian Bates
I don't think it is cool. I don't think it is. It's 240p and it's black and white.
Aaron Weber
Oh, I think this is some of that alien footage.
Brian Bates
No, I think it's a shuttle that got broken up.
Dusty Slay
Anyway, isn't amazing that. That people don't even.
Brian Bates
I've never heard of this.
Dusty Slay
You don't even remember it?
Brian Bates
No. Know never heard of this, Man.
Dusty Slay
Dusty, do you remember this at all?
Aaron Weber
No. Like I say, 2003 was not the year for me keeping up with current events.
Brian Bates
You weren't keeping up with space travel.
Aaron Weber
And in 2003, I would have believed it. I would have gone, whoa.
Dusty Slay
In 86. You were too young. Were you four?
Aaron Weber
I was four. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
That was when I would have been most likely to believe it.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Brian Bates
It happened over Texas and Louisiana.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Wow. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Louisiana, Where I'll be this weekend. Lake Charles. Golden Nugget.
Brian Bates
That's the most shameless plug of all time.
Aaron Weber
Just left Texas.
Dusty Slay
Speaking of disasters, Dusty will be Louisiana this week. Okay. This turned to something more fun.
Brian Bates
Yeah, yeah.
Dusty Slay
Books. Let me talk about some of the top books.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
2003.
Aaron Weber
All right.
Dusty Slay
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Dusty Slay
The biggest book of 2003.
Brian Bates
Book. Five out of seven.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Dusty Slay
Did you buy it like the day it came out?
Brian Bates
We bought pre order not. I mean, this is how much we were into it. We had. We had to buy four copies of the books at once. So every kid had one right away.
Dusty Slay
Wow.
Brian Bates
So every kid had. He wanted to read it immediately.
Dusty Slay
Every kid in your house?
Brian Bates
Every kid in our house.
Dusty Slay
Even the one who went to Purdue.
Brian Bates
Yeah. He was 8 or 9 at this point, so maybe I don't know if he was as into it as me and my older sister and older brother, but yeah, man, it's a hot book.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Dusty Slay
What?
Aaron Weber
I just. That's. That's. Yeah. The Fact that you had to buy four copies.
Brian Bates
We all wanted to read it.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
So the movies were coming out and the new books were coming out and they were kind of following.
Brian Bates
Yeah, the movies were pretty far behind the books.
Aaron Weber
Do you think there's any one of your siblings that didn't read it, but was like, the other siblings want it? I'm gonna.
Brian Bates
Oh, that's what my parents did, I think. Oh, they were like, oh, you're talking about read it reluctantly or pretend to.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. They're like, ah, yeah. All the other siblings are reading it. I. I don't want to be the one that's not reading it.
Brian Bates
Of course. There's probably some of that.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Who do you think that was?
Brian Bates
My younger brother.
Aaron Weber
Okay. The tall guy.
Brian Bates
The tall one.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
My young brother's 6 foot 8.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Wow.
Brian Bates
I know.
Aaron Weber
He's like, I got other things going on in my life. I'm not going to be out here playing midget football. Okay.
Dusty Slay
He really was Robert Wlo. The Da Vinci Code.
Brian Bates
Oh, the book or the movie?
Dusty Slay
The book.
Aaron Weber
The book.
Brian Bates
I didn't know the book was that new. I thought the book was like, way older than that. No, I believe you.
Dusty Slay
Did you read it?
Brian Bates
No. I know about it a little bit.
Dusty Slay
And Michael Lewis's Moneyball, the Art of Winning an Unfair game, about the 2002 Oakland A's.
Brian Bates
The book was written that quickly?
Dusty Slay
Yeah. I was surprised, too.
Brian Bates
Wow. You don't even really give it time to reflect on it and see how it affected baseball.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, but are you familiar with Moneyball?
Brian Bates
You see the movie?
Aaron Weber
No, but I. Every time I do need to watch it, because every time you say, you asked me, have I seen it, I tell you that I haven't. You say, it's really great. And then you guys agree that it's one of the best baseball movies. And then I never watch it, and I. And I should. Brad Pitt's in it. Right.
Brian Bates
He's the star of it.
Aaron Weber
Every Brad Pitt movies.
Brian Bates
Good. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Men is in it.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah.
Brian Bates
Playing a very small character, but he just crushes every scene that he loves him.
Dusty Slay
He does.
Brian Bates
And Spike Jones is in it. Robin Wright is in it. You know them?
Aaron Weber
I like Robin Wright, but she's.
Brian Bates
Spike Jones is Brad Pitt's ex wife's new husband.
Dusty Slay
Oh, that's a. That's a man.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Spike.
Dusty Slay
What does he do?
Brian Bates
He's a director and actor.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Brian Bates
He was in. He did a lot of the. He was in Wolf of Wall Street.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Aaron Weber
And Robin Wright's Jenny he directed the movie. Yeah, yeah. She's like, you know.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Forever, you know. Yeah. But, you know, she's in the Princess Bride too.
Dusty Slay
Chris Pratt's in it, too.
Brian Bates
He is?
Aaron Weber
Steve Carell.
Brian Bates
Golly. No, he's not in it.
Aaron Weber
What's he in? Like, I feel like he's in some movie.
Brian Bates
Like that Steve Carell.
Aaron Weber
I feel like he's in some.
Brian Bates
He was in a wrestling movie.
Aaron Weber
I feel like he's in some Moneyball type movie.
Brian Bates
No.
Dusty Slay
What wrestling movie?
Brian Bates
The Fox. Something with fox hunting foxes or something.
Dusty Slay
Oh, you're right. Like, I was thinking about professional wrestling.
Brian Bates
No, yeah, that was a great movie. Like, Greg Warren wrestling.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, it was a true story. All right. Flash Mob started in 2003.
Aaron Weber
What is that? That's where people coordinate on the Internet and, like, streak.
Dusty Slay
No, no.
Brian Bates
Like, maybe on some, not the ones else.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Like at the mall. And everybody breaks out into Christmas carols.
Brian Bates
Oh, you remember, that was like a viral trip people were doing just.
Aaron Weber
I guess Flash is where. Yeah. Okay.
Dusty Slay
Is this when you were. I was listening to your podcast where you were hanging out naked with your buddies?
Aaron Weber
No, that was probably more 2000. 2001.
Brian Bates
Okay, well, let's. Let's take a trip back to 2001 real quick.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Why were you doing that, Dusty?
Brian Bates
When were you hanging out?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, we were bored and we're just drinking, experimenting, had a little party. We thought. Me and my buddy. It's just me and one other guy, but it was. We were at a party with a lady. Lot of people. It was just the two of us that, you know, got naked and just hung out at the party.
Brian Bates
You get cleared out when two guys got naked?
Aaron Weber
No, it's my house and nobody had anywhere else to party, so they hung out. And we. I think everybody had a great time.
Brian Bates
Right?
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Aaron Weber
I think everybody had a great time.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
My buddy John.
Brian Bates
What's his last.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Brian Bates
Let's break.
Aaron Weber
Well, I could probably say his name's John Strickland, and I don't know, I think he's in Tennessee somewhere. All right. But John was wild.
Dusty Slay
He just got outed.
Aaron Weber
We had a great time. We had a great time.
Dusty Slay
The itunes store launched in 2003. I had to look up how you even got songs on your ipod before
Brian Bates
then connected it to the computer.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Ripping physical CDs directly to your computer or downloading MP3s from peer to peer.
Aaron Weber
I'm still stuck in that technology. That's still my favorite.
Brian Bates
You love burning CDs.
Aaron Weber
I love it.
Brian Bates
Burning DVD.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Yeah, that's still my favorite.
Brian Bates
I used to do that a lot, man. I haven't burned a CD or a DVD in forever. But the itunes store was huge. I used to cut this guy's grass who lived a few blocks away from me, and he would pay me $25 to cut the grass, and I would walk to the Walgreens after He gave me 25 bucks. Cash. Cash. And I would get a drink and then a 20 iTunes gift card with it and then walk home and load it up and buy an album. That was. That was how I got music.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I was also torrenting.
Aaron Weber
I was doing that a lot.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
What's that?
Brian Bates
Felonious amount of.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
You were doing what?
Aaron Weber
You're stealing it off the Internet.
Dusty Slay
Torrington
Aaron Weber
bit torrent.
Dusty Slay
What?
Brian Bates
Torrent. Peer to peer share.
Dusty Slay
Never heard that word. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
I always justified it as I'm. Yeah, I mean, if. If you come over to my house with your CDs, I'm just gonna burn your CDs onto my computer.
Brian Bates
Right.
Aaron Weber
So rather than you having to come over, I'll just get it from here.
Brian Bates
Right, but you were probably also inadvertently seeding it to other people in the process, right?
Aaron Weber
I don't know.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Inadvertently. Yes.
Commercial/Announcer
Maybe.
Dusty Slay
A little. Sports. Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the super bowl over the Oakland Raiders.
Brian Bates
John Gruden.
Dusty Slay
John Gruden. The Titans made it to the AFC Championship game that year, but lost to the Raiders.
Brian Bates
You had season tickets that year.
Dusty Slay
Halftime. Super old halftime performers was Shania Twain, no Doubt, and Sting.
Brian Bates
All right, that's an interesting mix of stuff.
Dusty Slay
College football had a split. National champion. Last time. They've had that.
Aaron Weber
Oh, that was Auburn, right? Was that Auburn 2003?
Dusty Slay
Nope. I think that might have been the next year.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
LSU won the BCS national championship. That's Nick Saban beat Oklahoma in Sugar Bowl. And then USC was named national champion by the Associated Press by beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
Brian Bates
And that's the last time we had one of those. Right? Yeah. And now every college football season, nobody contests. Everything's just. Everybody agrees on everything. So that's good. That's good.
Dusty Slay
Do you know who won the Heisman trophy that year?
Brian Bates
2003. Can you tell me? The team.
Dusty Slay
I think you were about to say it.
Brian Bates
Jason White.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Wow. From Oklahoma.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I remember thinking he was, like, old, wasn't he?
Dusty Slay
You might be thinking of Brad Winky.
Brian Bates
No.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Brian Bates
I don't know why was old, man? I'm thinking of Brandon Weed and one of those guys.
Dusty Slay
Jason White.
Brian Bates
He's bald.
Dusty Slay
He What? Okay, Dusty.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, yeah. I feel like you guys are just naming names.
Brian Bates
What?
Aaron Weber
That's.
Brian Bates
The whole show is name songs that you've heard of and then just movies that I'll.
Aaron Weber
No, I'm saying I've never heard of. Of these guys.
Brian Bates
You never heard of. You see what I'm talking about? He wasn't bald.
Dusty Slay
I brought him up because he is probably the least memorable Heisman winner of all time. He did not get drafted in the NFL. He signed a two year contract with the Titans. And then.
Brian Bates
I didn't know that.
Dusty Slay
And then a few months later, before the season even started, he retired from football.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Brian Bates
He was so good that year. I remember he was unbelievable that year.
Dusty Slay
That was his junior year.
Aaron Weber
Why did he retire from football?
Dusty Slay
Said he had some injuries, weak knees from. From previous injuries, and just, you know,
Brian Bates
you might as well go get drafted.
Dusty Slay
It was gonna be really hard, but I think he's so.
Aaron Weber
Did he not make any money from the NFL? Feels like he at least stick it out and make a little money. A weak knees. I mean.
Dusty Slay
I mean, now with nil, he would be making so much money.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
College football, but yeah, you think.
Aaron Weber
I think about that with Johnny Menzel, like, gosh, that guy would have made so much money. Instead, he got drafted to the Browns.
Dusty Slay
Do you. Do you know who the football coach Alabama was in 2003?
Brian Bates
2003. Was it the last year of Mike Shula, maybe? Or was it Price? Mike Price.
Dusty Slay
It was your bright.
Brian Bates
It.
Dusty Slay
It was the first year of Mike Shula.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
But it originally was supposed to be Mike Price.
Brian Bates
Yeah. And then he.
Dusty Slay
And he got let go before he
Brian Bates
ever coached in disgrace. Right. It was a big scandal.
Dusty Slay
You remember this, Dusty?
Aaron Weber
No, no.
Dusty Slay
You would love this guy.
Brian Bates
You weren't following even Alabama football at
Aaron Weber
this time in 2003. Yeah, I was focused on getting to Charleston.
Brian Bates
All right.
Aaron Weber
And I was 21. Yeah, I always looked young, so I couldn't drink in the bars, underage. So when I turned 21, a whole world was open to me and I learned a lot of new things and I had a lot of. Of experiences and I wasn't doing a lot of TV time.
Dusty Slay
Okay, well, you would love him. He went to a strip club in Pensacola, Florida. I brought a woman back to his hotel. She charged $1,000 to the room, and some other stuff happened. He was also seen going all over campus at bars, drinking with students and stuff like that. Just having a great time.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
And they. They fired him.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
I mean, it sounds like a college coach to me. I don't let this guy go.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Just trying to get acquainted with the school, you know, Coach one game.
Brian Bates
Did he. Wasn't it?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, he did the spring game.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
And then got fired. And they hired Mike Shula. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
And we never know how it would have went. And I don't think it went well with Mike Schuler.
Dusty Slay
Shula. No.
Aaron Weber
Whatever his name is.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Don Shula, son. You know Don.
Aaron Weber
I know Don. Julie. Yeah. The fact that I don't know the guy's name says he didn't do well.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, it's true.
Aaron Weber
I hope he doesn't listen to the podcast.
Dusty Slay
Florida Marlins won the World Series. Were the Yankees spurs won the NBA championship. Was Michael Jordan's last season. NBA.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
With the Wizards.
Brian Bates
2003.
Dusty Slay
And then a few months later, NBA draft happened. And who Was the number one pick in the draft?
Brian Bates
LeBron James.
Dusty Slay
Yep.
Brian Bates
2003. Yep.
Dusty Slay
Right out of high school.
Brian Bates
Still playing to this day.
Dusty Slay
That was one of the best draft class ever. So he went first. Carmelo Anthony went third. Chris Bosch fourth. Dwayne Wade, fifth.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Brian Bates
Who's third?
Dusty Slay
Second was third was Carmelo Anthony.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Who's second? Some foreign guy.
Dusty Slay
Yes. I forgot his name now.
Brian Bates
Just fizzled out.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, it didn't. Didn't work out.
Aaron Weber
So.
Brian Bates
Crazy, man. 2003. LeBron's still playing. His son's playing now.
Dusty Slay
I know.
Brian Bates
It's how long ago, though? That's how long he's been playing.
Aaron Weber
How's his son doing?
Brian Bates
He did all right in the playoffs.
Dusty Slay
I mean, I think he's doing better than people expected.
Brian Bates
Yeah. And I think people kind of want him to not be good because they, you know.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
But he's good.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, he's okay.
Brian Bates
Sorry. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. I mean, I don't know if he's all right.
Brian Bates
No.
Dusty Slay
A lot of people didn't think he deserved to be in the NBA. I think he's shown that. At least that's what.
Brian Bates
That's what I mean.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Do you think when LeBron retires, they keep him this his son?
Brian Bates
Oh, I don't know.
Dusty Slay
I don't know. It's a good question.
Brian Bates
Maybe.
Dusty Slay
Are they trade him?
Brian Bates
Who knows? When LeBron retires, it's in. Who cares?
Aaron Weber
In another 15 years.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Who won season two of American Idol?
Brian Bates
Would you.
Aaron Weber
Taylor. Taylor. Is it that Taylor guy?
Brian Bates
Taylor Hicks? Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
No, not him. Season 2.
Aaron Weber
Was it Carrie Underwood?
Dusty Slay
I did think. Think it was somebody from Alabama, but I thought he was from Alabama.
Aaron Weber
Ruben Stutter.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
All right. I love Reuben.
Brian Bates
Corned Beef sandwich.
Aaron Weber
I think he had, like.
Brian Bates
It's a good joke.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah. I think he had trouble touring, but I liked him. I thought he was really good.
Brian Bates
He had trouble touring, like, physically?
Aaron Weber
I think so.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Yeah, that'll do it, man. He's a big dude.
Aaron Weber
And they probably. You win American Idol, they probably work you to death, you know, Doing what?
Brian Bates
Sing touring?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, they go. They go, you're on our tour, you're not going to make very much money, and we're going to work you.
Dusty Slay
Didn't he wear shirts, like, with the Alabama area code?
Brian Bates
Maybe Alabama was very proud of him because that show was so huge at this time. Yeah, it was Clay. He beat Clay Aiken in the finals, right?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I think it was.
Brian Bates
Clay Aiken was the number two guy.
Dusty Slay
The top comedy tour of 2003 was the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.
Commercial/Announcer
Wow.
Brian Bates
That was going on then.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I remember that. And I do remember that.
Dusty Slay
And the movie came out that year, too.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
The movie, man.
Brian Bates
Cultural phenomenon that was.
Dusty Slay
And how many of those guys do you guys know personally?
Aaron Weber
I know two of them personally. I've met all four of them, but two of them I know pretty well.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I've only really talked to one, which is Jeff Foxworthy.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. I haven't met any of them.
Brian Bates
Really.
Dusty Slay
No. I'd love to. I mean, I'd love to meet any
Aaron Weber
of them, but probably Larry the Cable Guy's my best friend. Friend. That's not true. But you like to think so. Yeah.
Brian Bates
Y' all tweeted each other every now and then. Yeah. Yeah. He seems like a good dude. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
In March 2003, Friendster started. Do you ever have Friendster?
Brian Bates
Friendster? Never. No, I didn't have a Friendster. I think I started up with MySpace. Were you on Friendster? Br.
Dusty Slay
I was not on Friendster, but later that year, MySpace launched.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah, I had MySpace. I remember that. I was living on. On now. I don't think I'd moved to Folly beach in 2003, but I think I got a MySpace. I hadn't. You know, I had a computer sometimes,
Dusty Slay
and so I was looking at your MySpace page today that you created. You've obviously got it set up. Last login is today.
Brian Bates
Right.
Dusty Slay
You must have it set up where it automatically.
Brian Bates
Yeah, it just puts whatever the current date is on there.
Dusty Slay
You gotta update your age.
Brian Bates
I need to update my age on there, too. AaronWebberComedy.com is a MySpace page page designed to. I mean, it's designed to look like a MySpace page from this this period of time.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, this is.
Brian Bates
This is what it looked like when I started here.
Dusty Slay
This is how I remember my space looking.
Aaron Weber
I loved MySpace.
Brian Bates
You had your top eight?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Who was on your top eight was your friends.
Aaron Weber
I was rotating.
Brian Bates
Throw a little girl you're interested in every now and then.
Aaron Weber
Strangers I would meet from other states that I thought were fun. Like, I. I thought, like. I remember talking to this girl that was from Denver, and I just thought it was like, like. And when I say talk, I mean, we sent, I don't know, 10 messages.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
But I just thought it was, like, blowing my mind.
Brian Bates
And she made your top eight?
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Because I'm like, you don't want to put people in your. Too many people in your real life in the top eight. Interesting, I feel like, because then you.
Dusty Slay
Bout your buddy John, Was he on there?
Aaron Weber
No, John. I don't know if John ever got on MySpace, but y' all were close. John might have been in jail in 2003, but,
Dusty Slay
yeah, I. When I started comedy in 2007, my buddy helped me create a MySpace page and it. I feel like it went away not too long after that.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, yeah. Facebook really came around 2008 for. For the general population.
Brian Bates
Yeah. MySpace.com is still a website. I don't know what anyone does with this. I think Justin Timberlake owns it now or something. He's involved with it.
Dusty Slay
All right. That's just about some music of 2003.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
The top album of the year, Get Rich or die trying by 50 cents.
Aaron Weber
I love that album. Gosh, I love that album.
Brian Bates
Is that Many Men?
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah. Many men wish death upon me Blood am I.
Dusty Slay
But you know what the top song was from that? It was the top song of the year.
Brian Bates
In the club?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, in the club.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
No, I like.
Brian Bates
That was such a huge.
Aaron Weber
It's not one of my favorites of the. I mean, it's not my favorite one, but I do like it.
Brian Bates
Could not get away from that song, man.
Dusty Slay
Number two was Come Away With Me by Nora Jones.
Commercial/Announcer
Really?
Brian Bates
I don't know if I know that one. I'm not.
Aaron Weber
Not a Nora Jones guy.
Dusty Slay
But, you know, you would know that one song.
Brian Bates
It's the second biggest song of the year. I don't think you need to be a Nora Jones guy.
Aaron Weber
I don't remember it. If you played it, I might know it, but I don't.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
I think it was that one song. I don't know why I didn't come. Or do you know the song?
Brian Bates
No, not from that.
Dusty Slay
I don't know what it's called. Is that what it's called? I know what song you're talking about. I can't think of it. Don't know why it didn't come that way. Yeah, you know that.
Brian Bates
No, no, not from that either, man.
Dusty Slay
You don't know that. Keep going, Crystal.
Brian Bates
What you're talking about. Y' all are crazy, man. This is. This is.
Dusty Slay
I mean, he's nailing it. I thought he nailed it. Bestie Austin's Hat. If you're listening, we need more of the lyrics to find it.
Brian Bates
Yeah, I got the lyrics pulled up.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Go, Tristan.
Brian Bates
The chorus is. Well, there's not a chorus, verse one, verse two, bridge, verse three.
Dusty Slay
No, that's not the same. Oh, yeah, that's. Come Away With Me. Let's Come Away With It.
Brian Bates
I thought. What was the name of the song?
Dusty Slay
I don't know why I didn't come.
Brian Bates
Oh, it's.
Commercial/Announcer
Don't know why.
Dusty Slay
It's. Don't Know why That's what it's called.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Brian Bates
Oh, okay.
Dusty Slay
Oh, now you know it.
Brian Bates
No, I don't, but I got the right song.
Dusty Slay
All right. There you go.
Brian Bates
My heart is drenched in wine.
Dusty Slay
That's right.
Brian Bates
Is that how it goes?
Dusty Slay
Everybody knows it except you guys.
Brian Bates
I don't know.
Dusty Slay
Valerie was born in 2003.
Brian Bates
I've never. That's crazy. That's crazy.
Dusty Slay
All right, Some others. Meteora by Linkin Park.
Brian Bates
Oh, man, it's a hot album.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I bet. I know some stuff that was the
Brian Bates
beginning of me not listening to them as much, but. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Speaker Box Love by Outcast.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah.
Brian Bates
One of my favorites.
Aaron Weber
It actually, they have some of the. Their best stuff on there, but not one of my overall favorite, especially the. The big. The Big Boy album was really good. The Andre 3000 had that HEA on it, which is obviously huge.
Brian Bates
Huge.
Aaron Weber
And it had the. Caroline.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
That's a good one.
Brian Bates
This is really. Smell like Poop.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Shucking Y' all by Toby Keith.
Aaron Weber
What's on that?
Brian Bates
I bet. I bet. Courtesy Red, White and blue and all that, right?
Dusty Slay
That was the last.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I think it was the last
Dusty Slay
one that we already talked about, but
Brian Bates
he's still milking it for a while.
Dusty Slay
I don't remember what songs were on it.
Aaron Weber
Red Solo Cup.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, that was way later.
Brian Bates
That was way later.
Aaron Weber
I think it's called Shocking, y'. All, Right. Oh, Shock. Not Shucking Oyster Song.
Brian Bates
I don't know. How many puns does he want to do Russia?
Aaron Weber
I thought, like, all I love this bar. I love this American Soldier. That was a big one. Yeah, I love this bar. I mean, when I was working at Office Depot in Charleston, there was a guy that I worked with. God, he loved that song. He used to sing that song all day.
Brian Bates
Man, I. I can't wait to get in the car after this and put on if I Was Jesus by Toby Keith. That just sounds like a great way to spend the day.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Oh, bonus tracks. The Taliban song and Weed With Willie.
Brian Bates
Was it pro or Ant? Hot.
Aaron Weber
I don't know.
Dusty Slay
Weed with Willie. You probably like that one.
Aaron Weber
I liked it. Yeah, it was okay.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay.
Brian Bates
Oh, man, what a hot album that was.
Aaron Weber
I love that album. Yeah, I loved it. I'm not into anything Coldplay does now, but that first album I liked.
Dusty Slay
That's all the big hits. The Scientist. That's Yellow. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Russia. Oh, no, I don't know. I liked Russia. Blood to the Head as Fox was a big one.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, it's a good album. Radio Head Light.
Brian Bates
What does that mean?
Aaron Weber
That's how I. I think of Coldplay that way. Yeah, that. That album.
Dusty Slay
Some TV shows that ended and some that started. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it ended. Dawson's Creek ended. Oz ended. The Practice, you know?
Brian Bates
Watch any of these, man.
Dusty Slay
Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Brian Bates
Well, I did watch that with my
Dusty Slay
neighbor, Melissa Joan Hart.
Brian Bates
They. Your neighbor?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, she lives around the corner.
Brian Bates
Really?
Dusty Slay
Yeah. She doesn't know that she's my neighbor, but.
Brian Bates
But do you ever see her around the neighborhood?
Dusty Slay
I always look. Look when I drive by her house, but I've never seen her. Or if I pulled her driveway.
Brian Bates
I always drive slow in front of her house and just look if I
Dusty Slay
walk in the back of the yard.
Brian Bates
She came to Zany's once, and I think it was very nice to everybody. I heard she's very nice. You ever watch that? Sabrina the Teenager?
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I sure did.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, I liked it. I was gonna do her podcast. I got sick and then. Never happened. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Well, if you do it, tell her her neighbor say hello.
Aaron Weber
I will.
Dusty Slay
Some shows come by. Some shows that.
Brian Bates
I got a buddy that's at your house a lot.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. Where does she do her podcast at? At her house.
Aaron Weber
I think it was in.
Dusty Slay
You'll probably see me there then.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Commercial/Announcer
Okay.
Dusty Slay
You'll be looking at the one. Brian.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
What's that in the bushes? Some shows that started in 2003. Arrested development.
Brian Bates
All right.
Dusty Slay
The O.C.
Brian Bates
i don't know. I don't know much about the O.C. i know Marissa died.
Dusty Slay
Spore.
Brian Bates
Wasn't that a big. Was that a big thing when it happened? Who is Marissa? Was that. What's her name? Misha Barton. That was Marissa. No. All right.
Dusty Slay
Well, she don't know why didn't come. You guys know it now?
Aaron Weber
No.
Brian Bates
No.
Dusty Slay
Two and a half men started 2003.
Aaron Weber
Oh, okay.
Dusty Slay
Still going.
Brian Bates
No, it's not.
Dusty Slay
Feels like it does.
Brian Bates
It went off for a while. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
I mean, that kid grew up. Reno911.
Aaron Weber
I love that show.
Brian Bates
Hot Show.
Aaron Weber
Love that show.
Dusty Slay
NCIS. And there was a big gear for reality shows starting America's Next Top Model.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
Mythbusters. We love that. Dusty's favorite punked. The Simple Life. That's Paris Hilton. And.
Aaron Weber
Oh, I like that one too. I actually like that one.
Dusty Slay
And newlyweds. Nick and Jessica.
Brian Bates
Never heard of that.
Dusty Slay
You have it?
Brian Bates
No. What was it?
Aaron Weber
That was Jessica Simpson and Nick from.
Dusty Slay
Nick Lachey.
Brian Bates
Nick Lachey. 98 degrees. Okay.
Dusty Slay
You've never seen the scene where host
Brian Bates
of Love is Blind.
Aaron Weber
Oh, Chicken of the Sea.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Okay, I've seen that. That clip.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
I didn't know that's what it was. From
Dusty Slay
some people. Born in 2003. Valerie. We were listening on the way back from a trip with Nate. We listened to his playlist and every song that came out, I did not know it. And she would criticize me every time. Brian, how do you not know this? So I was.
Aaron Weber
Sounds like an awful playlist.
Dusty Slay
I know, I know. Current hit. I told. How about Nate grows up a little bit.
Aaron Weber
Chance the Rapper. Justin Bieber.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah. Brian keeps up with all of them.
Dusty Slay
But hey, I was on there. That was the only one I knew.
Brian Bates
Oh, yeah.
Aaron Weber
You didn't know that.
Commercial/Announcer
There you go.
Dusty Slay
Fernando Mendoza. Really? Born 2003. That's wild. Jackson Dart. Travis Hunter. Some deaths. Because we gotta have some of those.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
June Carter Cash and Johnny Cash.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Brian Bates
Do they die together Like Romeo Juliet.
Aaron Weber
He died shortly after, a few months later. Yeah. From a broken heart.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, a lot of people think so.
Brian Bates
That'll do it.
Dusty Slay
Bob Hope.
Aaron Weber
He also kept hurting himself to see if he could still feel.
Brian Bates
Really? Was he really?
Aaron Weber
No, that's a song. Yeah.
Brian Bates
That song hurt. Oh, yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Mr. Rogers.
Brian Bates
He died 2003.
Dusty Slay
Yeah, man. When do you think he died?
Brian Bates
I thought recently.
Dusty Slay
Time flies. Johnny Paycheck.
Brian Bates
Oh, take this job and shove it.
Dusty Slay
Does he? People say he's the greatest country singer.
Aaron Weber
Well, my friend says that. Yeah, my friend, Alec Parent says that
Brian Bates
he's the greatest country singer ever.
Aaron Weber
The greatest voice he Believes his voice. He has the greatest country voice. Johnny Paycheck's really great. Yeah, but he, you know, he's also, you know, he's an outlaw guy, and he. I think he killed a guy. At least shot a guy. And. And he was, you know, he had a rough life, but he's good. There's a couple of those on the Dusty Slay country music playlist.
Dusty Slay
Robert Palmer died.
Aaron Weber
Oh, he was a musician, too, huh? Yeah, I liked him.
Brian Bates
Ms. Elizabeth, I'm trying to listen to the newest Robert Palmer tape, but Evelyn keeps yapping in year. You know where that's from?
Dusty Slay
American Psycho.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
You know Ms. Elizabeth?
Brian Bates
No. What is that?
Aaron Weber
Macho Man's.
Dusty Slay
Macho Man's wife. No, at the.
Brian Bates
I was 11.
Aaron Weber
Dude. That was prime time for WWF. Oh, well, but she was. Yeah, she was dying then.
Dusty Slay
Prime time was when he was 11.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Dusty Slay
CMA Awards.
Brian Bates
Single of the Year, 2003.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Nate, what's the artist?
Dusty Slay
You guys, just.
Aaron Weber
What's a cma?
Dusty Slay
Country Music Association.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
You just alluded to it.
Aaron Weber
Okay. Oh, Hurt.
Dusty Slay
Hurt by Johnny Cat.
Aaron Weber
Really?
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Song of the year was that.
Brian Bates
I kind of give it to him because he died kind of thing.
Aaron Weber
It was. It was. It brought him back out of the dark. I mean, it was.
Brian Bates
I remember that song.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, it was awesome. It was big.
Dusty Slay
Song of the year is by Randy Travis.
Aaron Weber
Oh, Three Wooden Crosses.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
That's a good one, too.
Dusty Slay
What's the difference between single of the year and song of the year?
Brian Bates
No idea. No idea.
Aaron Weber
Probably just a way to give away two awards.
Dusty Slay
Probably so. Vocal event of the year. It's five o' clock somewhere.
Brian Bates
Oh,
Dusty Slay
yeah. By Alan Jackson. Jimmy Buffer.
Aaron Weber
That's a good one.
Dusty Slay
You know, he's doing his final concert this weekend. This coming weekend here. Alan Jackson is. Yeah. Downtown. Nissan Stadium.
Brian Bates
Nissan.
Dusty Slay
But they're going to block off downtown for people who didn't get tickets to watch it on big. The big screen.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Dusty Slay
That's how big it is.
Brian Bates
He's dying or something. He's got a sick.
Aaron Weber
I think.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. He's got a condition that's forced him to retire, but.
Brian Bates
Okay.
Dusty Slay
It's his final concert.
Brian Bates
Wow. Are you gonna go dusty now?
Aaron Weber
I'll be in Louisiana at the Golden.
Dusty Slay
I'll just let y' all finish.
Aaron Weber
I had a lot of sleep.
Dusty Slay
Amanda Arnold's like, yeah, this is what I'm talking about.
Brian Bates
All right.
Dusty Slay
In country music, you know what else happened that year based off of the Iraq war?
Brian Bates
What's that? Oh, the Dixie Chicks.
Dusty Slay
Dixie Chicks.
Brian Bates
Oh, Got canceled.
Dusty Slay
That was a big. Yeah, that was a big.
Brian Bates
Yeah, big story. Dixie Chicks are so good. The Chicks. They're so good. Dude, you're back. And listen to some of them.
Aaron Weber
They were so good. Yeah, the old stuff.
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, they are really good.
Brian Bates
Wide open space.
Dusty Slay
The 75th Academy Awards hosted by Steve Martin. Chicago won best pitcher.
Brian Bates
Oh, kind of a down year, huh?
Dusty Slay
It was a down year. Adrian Brody kissed Halle Berry when she presented him the best actor Oscar. That was kind of memorable.
Commercial/Announcer
All right.
Dusty Slay
Even then people were saying she wasn't in turn it. Even then people were saying that was inappropriate. Now he'd get cancelled.
Brian Bates
Yeah, but what was he. There was this to the. The Pianist. Wow. So he won best actor, right?
Dusty Slay
Yep. And she had won the previous year for Monsters Ball. Right. And she presented and you know, he gave her a big kiss.
Brian Bates
And so things escalated. It was kissing back then and nowadays
Aaron Weber
and then punching each other. Did Jim Carrey do something like, to him like.
Brian Bates
I don't think it was Adrian Brody. There was some other award show where a guy kissed a woman and. And then Jim Carrey came up and kissed him.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Brian Bates
Yeah, that was a different award.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Dusty Slay
Okay. Demi Awards.
Brian Bates
He would never besmirch or attack the integrity of the Oscars.
Aaron Weber
Oh, yeah, right.
Brian Bates
It's a much more prestigious.
Aaron Weber
Yes.
Brian Bates
Classy kind of.
Dusty Slay
If you're listening. Yeah, he's joking. Yeah. At the Emmy Awards, West Wing won a standing drama series for the fourth consecutive year.
Brian Bates
Unheard of. Unprecedented. It'll never be topped.
Dusty Slay
Tying the record set by Hill Street Blues. Also later tied by Game of Thrones and Mad Men.
Aaron Weber
But you're right, Aaron, no one's beat it.
Dusty Slay
That's true. That's true. Comedy went to Everybody Loves Raymond. Raymond. Well, I would have thought by 2003 that would have. That show was off the air. Feels like.
Aaron Weber
I feel like.
Brian Bates
Right. When it's just getting started. Right.
Dusty Slay
I always thought it was a 90s show.
Brian Bates
I always felt it was like an after Seinfeld.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Brian Bates
That's how I think about it. Like the Next Wave. I always thought it was like Seinfeld and then after that King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond.
Aaron Weber
I remember talking to about it at my church in Charleston.
Dusty Slay
Okay. Maybe I'm thinking about Home Improvement was on the same time that.
Brian Bates
That feels a little before.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Wow. 96 to 2005. You're right. 210 episodes, nine seasons. God, the show is on forever. How about that?
Dusty Slay
SNL New Cast Member 2003.
Brian Bates
See a big one. Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Kenan Thompson. Wow.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
Isn't that crazy?
Brian Bates
Wow. Keenan Thompson's been on snl. Valerie's whole life.
Dusty Slay
Life, yeah.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Brian Bates
That's crazy. I knew him as the. The Keenan and Kell Show.
Aaron Weber
Me, too. Good Burger. Good Burger.
Dusty Slay
And.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, you really would. To me, you really would have thought it would have been Kell who, you know, who had the better career.
Brian Bates
Yeah. But I think Kell's still doing.
Aaron Weber
He.
Brian Bates
He does a lot.
Aaron Weber
Okay.
Brian Bates
Does a lot of voiceover work and he's so. He's had a really good career, too.
Dusty Slay
What. What channel was that on?
Brian Bates
What network? Nickelodeon, dude.
Dusty Slay
Way before my team. Way after my time.
Brian Bates
That's Teen Nick, dude.
Dusty Slay
The new governor of California.
Aaron Weber
Schwarzenegger. All right. Look at that.
Dusty Slay
It's pretty wild, huh?
Aaron Weber
That is pretty wild.
Dusty Slay
I sent you the list of the top movies of 2003.
Brian Bates
I will look it up. Up. Why don't you vamp for 10 seconds,
Dusty Slay
Dusty, where you going to be this week?
Brian Bates
Well,
Aaron Weber
down at the Golden Nugget Casino.
Brian Bates
I never got anything, you know, 2003,
Dusty Slay
I guess I didn't.
Aaron Weber
Is when I started working at Hyman. That's when I first. First became a food runner at Hyman Seafood, Charleston, South Carolina.
Brian Bates
I got it pulled up.
Aaron Weber
Attitude. Is everything all right?
Brian Bates
All right. Thanks, Dustin.
Aaron Weber
You did.
Dusty Slay
You. You filled in.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Oh, you know what? I think, Abby?
Aaron Weber
Maybe.
Brian Bates
Highest grossing films of 2003, Lord of the Rings.
Aaron Weber
Oh, you know what? I went to see Lord of the Rings, Return of the King, by myself at the theater in Charleston.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Aaron Weber
I wanted to see it. I had not made friends yet.
Brian Bates
Was the theater full? Do you remember?
Aaron Weber
I want to say it was like Christmas Eve or something.
Dusty Slay
It was around Christmas.
Aaron Weber
Pretty empty.
Brian Bates
Wow.
Dusty Slay
Oh, it was empty.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Pretty empty.
Dusty Slay
Oh, because it was Christmas Eve.
Brian Bates
This is why you stopped celebrating Christmas?
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Sad.
Aaron Weber
But I. Yeah. Wanted to go see it. I didn't have my. I didn't, you know, I had not made friends yet.
Dusty Slay
So why do you think you didn't go home for Christmas? You had work probably.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Office Depot.
Aaron Weber
I was working Office Depot. And Hyman's okay by this point.
Brian Bates
And it's busy at Hyman's around Christmas time, I think.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. I just think I was working seven days a week.
Dusty Slay
Week.
Aaron Weber
I was on the grind.
Brian Bates
Yeah. Look at you now, working once a month.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. Yeah. I put in my time, guys.
Brian Bates
Finding Nemo at number two.
Aaron Weber
Wow.
Dusty Slay
And I think domestically Finding Nemo was number one.
Brian Bates
I believe it. I believe it.
Dusty Slay
I cannot Lord of the Rings, though.
Aaron Weber
Return of the King. So Good.
Brian Bates
Unbelievable.
Aaron Weber
Movie. So good. I like. I think I like two the best, though, though. With the trees.
Brian Bates
Two towers.
Aaron Weber
Yeah, with the trees.
Dusty Slay
All right, I just sent you a link.
Brian Bates
Tree Beard.
Dusty Slay
Also, for the top songs.
Brian Bates
Where? Did you send an email?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, I can send.
Aaron Weber
I wish I could find nine hours to watch all of those again.
Brian Bates
I think you could find it.
Aaron Weber
Maybe I can do it on the road. Maybe when I'll do it down in Louisville.
Dusty Slay
That's movies, but.
Brian Bates
What did you want me to pull up?
Dusty Slay
Well, anyway, we get the songs now, if you want. Yeah, we already did the song.
Aaron Weber
Oh, Ignition.
Brian Bates
Ignition. Remix by R. Kelly.
Aaron Weber
Gosh, that was a great one.
Brian Bates
That was a big one.
Aaron Weber
Really great.
Dusty Slay
How many of these When I'm Gone
Brian Bates
by three doors down. Rest in peace, man. That guy just died. The. The lead singer.
Aaron Weber
Unwell. Any matchbox 20 is good.
Brian Bates
Right there by Chingy. Remember that song, Brian? I bet you've heard it.
Dusty Slay
Let me sing right there.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Is that how it go?
Brian Bates
How it goes? I like the way you do that right there. Remember that?
Dusty Slay
I don't think so.
Aaron Weber
It's a hot song picture.
Dusty Slay
Tristan, will you sing it for us? Cheryl Crow, you know that song. I like the way you do that.
Aaron Weber
Right there.
Dusty Slay
Right there. Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Perfect.
Brian Bates
Yeah, that was perfect.
Dusty Slay
Okay, come on. What year did you see that concert? Your first concert where the guy who's listening from FFH.
Brian Bates
Oh, man.
Aaron Weber
Oh, shaky tail feather.
Dusty Slay
Maybe 2,000.
Aaron Weber
All right, I'm with you. Avril Lavigne. Avril Lavigne? Yeah, before she was replaced. You know, they say she's been replaced.
Brian Bates
What year did that happen, do they think?
Aaron Weber
Probably right after this. 2004, after her last hit.
Dusty Slay
Okay, what do you mean replaced? Like another person's hurt.
Brian Bates
Well, they think. Yeah. Yeah, they took her out.
Aaron Weber
And why?
Brian Bates
Installed somebody else.
Aaron Weber
Who knows?
Brian Bates
She was getting too big too quick.
Aaron Weber
Who knows?
Dusty Slay
Chris Gaines has already happened, though, right?
Brian Bates
Yeah.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Brian Bates
Lose yourself at 28. It must have come out the year before. Yeah, because there's just no way it was that far down. Lose Yourself by Eminem what a year.
Dusty Slay
Adrian, what'd you weigh in 2003? Probably about 280.
Brian Bates
Did you really? At around this time Time?
Dusty Slay
Maybe not that much.
Brian Bates
Yeah, maybe.
Dusty Slay
But you were headed that direction.
Brian Bates
I was going there.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. All right, I guess we can wrap it up.
Brian Bates
Y ug boots, let's go. Everyone. Everyone go around. Say your weight now.
Aaron Weber
I like that you. Yeah, we ended on that. Just kind of an awkward moment for Adrian and we don't for if this is someone's first time listening. They don't. Maybe they don't know what Adrien even looks like now. And they go, know maybe this guy. How much does he weigh now? And he weighs 340 now. Yeah. Yeah.
Brian Bates
He weighs considerably less now, I'll say that.
Aaron Weber
So everybody ends with just going, well, what's going on with Adrian?
Dusty Slay
Yeah, we can wrap it up.
Aaron Weber
Adrian's. He's jacked now. People are wondering.
Brian Bates
He's in good shape now.
Aaron Weber
Yeah.
Dusty Slay
All right.
Aaron Weber
When we did the grip competition in here once before, Adrian won.
Brian Bates
Well, I'd like you to explain what that meant.
Dusty Slay
Just got more awkward.
Brian Bates
It was a grip strength tester.
Aaron Weber
It was a grip competition.
Dusty Slay
We all got naked.
Brian Bates
All right, let's wrap it up.
Dusty Slay
All right.
Brian Bates
I feel like I'm going crazy.
Dusty Slay
This Saturday, I will be in Columbia, Tennessee, at the Packard Playhouse. Then July 3rd here at the Lab at Zany. You guys are always welcome to do it. Brian Bates and friends. July 3, July 9, Comedy Catch in Chattanooga. July 17th and 18th, Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington, Kentucky.
Brian Bates
Awesome. All right, Aaron Weber here. I've got kind of a relatively slow summer. Things pick up pretty hard towards the end of the year. But a couple dates I got coming up, I'm going to be. Let me plug. I want to plug three things.
Dusty Slay
Okay.
Brian Bates
All right. July 16th, 17th, 18th, Royal Oak, Michigan. I'm going to be at the Comedy Castle.
Aaron Weber
All right. Love that song.
Brian Bates
Which I have never been to before. I'm super excited to be back up there. Jay Flake will be with me. August, I'm going to be in Phoenix, Arizona at the Desert Ridge Improv. And then I want to plug at the end of September. My wife and I are fundraiser show, which Nate Land is. We're very happy and grateful that they're sponsoring of it is our PR Willie. PR Rather our. Our fundraiser show for the organization that Lucy and I work with. It's right here at Zany's. Last year, these guys were on. The show was a great lineup. So keep an eye out for that if you're in the Nashville area or. Or whatever. September 30th, it's right here at Zany's. And you can learn more about it at a prodder silly dot com. Thanks, guys.
Aaron Weber
Okay, I'm gonna hit you with about four dates, just kind of one offs here.
Brian Bates
Here.
Aaron Weber
Tonight we got a show at the Lab called Get Loose.
Brian Bates
Okay, cool.
Aaron Weber
You can come watch or you can participate by putting your name in a bucket. It's going to be a great show. We're doing bucket and book. That way you get to see a little bit of an open mic. But it also will remain a good show this weekend. If you haven't heard, I'm in Louisiana Lake Charles at the Golden Nugget Casino.
Dusty Slay
You just ripped everybody. That's the bucket spot.
Aaron Weber
Yeah. July 7th, I'll be here. Dusty Slay's grand old comedy show. July 11th, I'm in Charlestown, West Virginia at a casino. I don't have the name of the casino listed here. And then July 18th, I'm in, in, I'm in Atlantic City.
Brian Bates
Cool.
Aaron Weber
At the Music Box.
Brian Bates
Awesome.
Aaron Weber
So come check those out all over. Those are going to be great. I got, you know, I'm doing a few one nighters in in July, which is great. June was had to work every weekend. You believe that?
Dusty Slay
Well, that's it, guys. Thank you so much. That was 2003. We learned a lot.
Brian Bates
Thank you, Brian.
Dusty Slay
Well, thank you Aaron and thank, thank
Aaron Weber
both of you guys. Thank you both, Brian and Aaron.
Dusty Slay
Yeah. And thank you guys for listening or watching however you tune in to the Public Figures podcast. Check us out next week when we're back.
Commercial/Announcer
Back.
Dusty Slay
We're having a good time.
Aaron Weber
I started Ornod in 2013 and we make bike apparel. The best part of Shopify for me is our ability to run the business
Dusty Slay
as essentially non technical people. We're able to admin everything on the back end, front end and sell things online easily.
Aaron Weber
If Shopify were a bike accessory, I
Dusty Slay
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Brian Bates
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Dusty Slay
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Brian Bates
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Aaron Weber
Performance Series gas Grill.
Brian Bates
Now $299.
Aaron Weber
Our best lineup is here at Lowe's.
Brian Bates
Lowe's we help you save valid through 7, 8 while supplies last selection varies by location.
Aaron Weber
See the lowe's.com for more details.
Dusty Slay
Visit your nearby Lowe's.
Hosts: Brian Bates, Aaron Weber, Dusty Slay
Date: June 24, 2026
In this lively and nostalgia-driven episode, the Public Figures trio—the always affable Brian Bates, the sharp-witted Aaron Weber, and the dryly mischievous Dusty Slay—dive into the cultural, historical, and personal significance of the year 2003. The conversation covers everything from the Iraq War and technological revolutions to sports, pop culture, and their own quirky life stories during that year. This episode is filled with playful banter, side-splitting digressions, and unique perspectives on news, music, television, and more.
(53:01–57:13)
(05:29–15:06, throughout)
(69:22–71:47)
(79:48–85:45)
Books:
Music:
Technology:
Television:
Film:
(43:17–48:55)
(24:35–48:55)
2003 was a year of change—for the world, for pop culture, and for the young (or fifth-grade) versions of your favorite podcasters. This episode is a must for anyone looking to relive the early-2000s, reflect on how much (or little) has changed, and laugh alongside three comics who remember just enough to get themselves in trouble.
Notable Quotes Recap
“We’re having a good time.”