1 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: It's that time time, time, time, luck and load. So 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: Michael Varry Show is on the air. Grant the board 3 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: is our guest's restaurant is Winnies in Midtown. So when 4 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: I went to your website to track you down when 5 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: the guy had tried to steal your shrimp in his 6 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: very clever delivery uniform, are you the co owner of 7 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: Johnny Goldbricks in the Heights? 8 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 2: No, that is my business partner, Benji Mason. 9 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: Benji Mason. What was he in before. 10 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 2: We met and worked together? In tread Sack? 11 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: Oh that's where Yeah, yeah, that's why I would Qusacs company. 12 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 13 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I used to go over to Downhown when it 14 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: was just Downhouse all the time. It used to hold 15 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: a lot of parties at our house and Cusac would 16 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:06,199 Speaker 1: come over. 17 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 3: Uh. 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: And there was a group of us that all ran together, 19 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: Morgan web if you knew Morgan, Yeah, Morgan, and then 20 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: a lot of guys that I knew through Morgan that 21 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: were kind of the restaurant. I'm not a craft cocktail guy, 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: but they're all craft cocktail. You know, they're kind of pretty. 23 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 2: Graham, It's not pretty to like good stuff. 24 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: I know. I'm just kidding. 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 4: You. 26 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: But Johnny Goldrigs is supposed to be it's supposed to 27 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: be pretty cool. 28 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 2: It's awesome. You got to check it out. They make 29 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 2: fantastic cocktails, and they don't like what they have on 30 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: the menu. They can make you anything. 31 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: Did you do the menu there? 32 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 2: I did not know. That's that's all Benji. 33 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: Okay, all right. 34 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: So we've got we've got a great team that we 35 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 2: both work with, uh justin as our like kind of 36 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: headbar guy at Winnie's and at Johnny's. I've got a 37 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: general manager Kyle, who's great. But Johnny's is a fantastic 38 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 2: place and you know, cool, cool neighborhood hangout. 39 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: So I used to live at the edge of Mintown 40 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: two two three West Timer and this was okay, two 41 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: thousand to two thousand and five or so, and and 42 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: we would frequently maybe people passed out in our yard. 43 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: Windows get broken, stuff would get stolen. We got kind 44 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: of used to it. So when I saw that the shrimp, 45 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: I thought it had been stolen. And Ruz you had 46 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: stopped him at the time, and the Russ you had 47 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: stopped him. I thought, well, knowing what I know, that's 48 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: probably been the least of his worries. It just makes 49 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: for a funny story. How bad is the crime problem? Now? 50 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 2: It's any part of you know, living in a city, right, 51 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,959 Speaker 2: I've been broken into in the Heights way more than 52 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 2: has happened to me in Midtown. You know, you've got 53 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: there's a homeless problem in Midtown. That's like there's a 54 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: heavier concentration there. But the crime that we see is 55 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 2: not any better or worse, in my opinion, than it 56 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 2: is anywhere else, with the exception of maybe the metro rail. 57 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: I'll tell you this. You know, moving the Greyhound bus 58 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: UH station was a huge boon. Of course, the people 59 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: over on the East End are not happy that they 60 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: moved it over. That was I used to do rat 61 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: alongs with the cops when I was on city Council 62 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: in the early two thousands, and we would go to 63 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: that area in an unmarked car and you can sit 64 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: I mean, the stuff you would see, you could you 65 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:48,119 Speaker 1: could literally just arrest, you know, one hundred people a night. 66 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: It was. 67 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: It was horrible, no no doubt. I mean, we're excited 68 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: that they moved it. It was a definitely a concentration. 69 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: There, all right. So what's the best thing on your menu. 70 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 2: I'm partial to the shrimp po boy. 71 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 3: Uh. 72 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: You know, it's kind of one of those things where 73 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: we get the best shrimp we can. Kurt from BBTC 74 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:20,239 Speaker 2: Food actually just texted me he's listening in So High, Kurt, 75 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 2: but our shrimp come from Texas, Matta Gordo. To be exact, 76 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: is he your shrimp? 77 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: He is, yes, And what's his name? 78 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 2: Kurt Evans? His father, Jimmy Evans is a shrimp legend 79 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: in the state of Texas. 80 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,920 Speaker 1: There used to be a guy you'll know him. I 81 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: don't know if he's still alive, but there used to 82 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: be a guy who would go down Morgan would buy 83 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: his food from him. I learned a lot about this 84 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: whole thing from from Morgan. Weever, we were running buddies 85 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: for a long time. We're still friends. But he lives 86 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: out in Leaky now is Leaky or Laky Leaky? Okay 87 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: spelled leaky? Anyway, there was a guy that was going 88 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: down and I think he provided for y'all at Bernadine's. 89 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: And he would go down and and he was the hot, 90 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: most expensive, but he would bring back all this cool 91 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: stuff from the Gulf that I think he would practically 92 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: go get himself or he would handpick kind of curate 93 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: from the from the fisherman. Do you remember who that was. 94 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 2: That's Jimmy Evans. That's Kurt's daddy. 95 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: That name doesn't I thought this guy had kind of 96 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: an odd name, but maybe that's him. 97 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: Oh there's also Freaksos. 98 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, well Freaks I know he's over off Kirby. Yep, 99 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: this was this was Freaksos is Greek, I think. But 100 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: this guy, I thought he had kind of an odd name, 101 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: but maybe it was Jimmy Evans. Anyway, so you get 102 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 1: your shrimp from. 103 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: Him, from his son, now Jimmy's past. 104 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: And so that's yes, that that is all coming out 105 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: of the Mattagorda water that's correct. It was an article 106 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: recently about a lot of restaurants in the area are 107 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 1: buying or not buying local, which is just crazy, especially 108 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: in Keema and Galveston, when you consider it's right there 109 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: on your doorstep and you could be supporting the local fisheries. 110 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 1: And it's just shocking to me that that, you know, 111 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: somehow the consumer wouldn't care enough to find out these 112 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: sorts of things. Do you pay more for shrimp because 113 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: you're not buying the cheap Chinese stuff. 114 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely, But you know that's sourcing locally has just always 115 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: been what you did right. It's part of providing the 116 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: best ingredients and then not doing too much to mess 117 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 2: it up. That's kind of I like to say. Cooking 118 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 2: is the easy part. Making food taste good is the 119 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 2: easiest part of what we do. 120 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: You call it the perfect good. 121 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 2: Sorry, go ahead. The rest of it is just, you know, relationships. 122 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: You call it the perfect shrimp? Po boy? What makes it? 123 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:02,159 Speaker 1: What one ingredient without this one ingred obviously shrimp's shut 124 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: up fromo Oh is it the bread? Is it the bread? 125 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 2: It's the bread? 126 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: Did he tell you that already? Well then how did 127 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: you know that? You don't stop acting like you know anything. 128 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: Bridegulf shrimp, savoy, cabbage, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, Leidenheimer's po boy roll? 129 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: Where's that from? 130 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 2: New Orleans? 131 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: Is it Leidenheimer or Leidenheimerleidenheimer? I love Neworons, I love 132 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: the people of Neworleans. I'm gonna get a hundred emails going, 133 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: I come he in now Leidenheimer's. So you bought that 134 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: when you were there? That's where you discovered that? 135 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I mean that's what you use when you're 136 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 2: in New Orleans. The only thing that I can't stand 137 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: is that we don't get it delivered fresh every day. 138 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: I was gonna ask, who's your distributor? 139 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 2: We buy through a couple of different distributors for them, 140 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 2: but they ship direct and how often? 141 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: Tell me how is a week? Do you get a bread. 142 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 2: Delivery three times a week? 143 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: Interesting? Can you hang with us? From a couple of. 144 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 2: Events with us? Blue Plate Mayor has done a couple 145 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 2: of events with us, and they approve of how we 146 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: handle and represent their bread. 147 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: Gramble aboard Winnie's Restaurant in Midtown. 148 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 4: In the simpl. 149 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: Jender, The Michael Berry Show is simple man tonight time. 150 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: Look here. 151 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: The shrimp boats is a common There's dancing tonight. 152 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 3: Shrimp boats is a common. This says on inside, shrimp 153 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 3: boats is coming, there's dancing tonight. 154 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. 155 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 5: You can voulbecue it, ball it, brawl it, bake it, 156 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 5: saltate days on shrimp, cobots, shrimp, creole, shrimp, gumboo and 157 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 5: from uh deep fry stir fry is pineapple shrimp, limon shrimp, 158 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 5: coconut shrimp, helper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, 159 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 5: shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. 160 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: That's that's about it. You have two different burgers you 161 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: have you have on your menu and says po boys 162 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: and not po boys. Why do you have two different burgers. 163 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,679 Speaker 2: Because one has barbecue sauce on it, which I used 164 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 2: to think was an abomination. But I made a rodeo 165 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 2: burger that I think is so damn good that it 166 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 2: was a special that made the menu. 167 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: That feels very Brian Caswell. 168 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: Graham, Sorry, didn't hear you? 169 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: Oh, I said that feels very Brian Caswell. I didn't 170 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: know if you felt insulted. 171 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 2: By that or not to have two different burgers. 172 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: No, no, to just that that particular burger. It just 173 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: felt like something where Caswell is giving up on his 174 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: kind of fancy chef jacket, you know, chef behavior and 175 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: going all right, let me give something to my dad's 176 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: friends that they'll come in and love. Do you wear 177 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: the chef jacket that he does? 178 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 2: I do not. 179 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: You think you could have pushed him out the back 180 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: door if he was the one still in your shrimp. 181 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 2: No, Brian's a friend, but he's every bit of six 182 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: y four. 183 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: So that's a dude whose hands could be described as myts. 184 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: When you hear somebody's hands described as mits, that's cash 185 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 1: has some big, big hands. Are you having trouble hearing me, Graham? 186 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 2: Not at all? 187 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: No, I need you When I say something, I need 188 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: you to acknowledge it. You can chuckle or hum or yeah, 189 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 1: or you have to acknowledge it, or then I don't 190 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: know what to do. 191 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: I got you, Okay, try again. 192 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: That's a dude with some big mits. You know you 193 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: hear the word mits used. That could be his hands. 194 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 2: My grandfather put a huge emphasis on teaching us how 195 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 2: to shake hands. He introduced a fictitious character called mister 196 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 2: Kickapoopolist just to make us laugh at how ridiculous it was, 197 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 2: But it was really a test of could you keep 198 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: a straight face, even in a ridiculous moment and shake 199 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 2: a good hand. Brian Caswell has a fantastic handshake. I'll 200 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 2: give you that. 201 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,199 Speaker 1: What a great story to rat alog. You went from 202 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,599 Speaker 1: not acknowledging my Caswell reference to to throwing mister kickapooplis 203 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: is in there? I like your grandfather already? Was it 204 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: Mom's side or Dad's side, that was mom's side. Was 205 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: he a coon ass or where was he from? 206 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 2: He was not a coon ass. He was a landman 207 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 2: in the Lafayette area for every bit. I mean, he 208 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 2: never retired, so you just did that until the day 209 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: he died. 210 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: I bet he had stories. 211 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 2: Oh you would not believe. 212 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:02,959 Speaker 1: Okay, Ramon, this is what you want. Oh you don't 213 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: eat you know, Ramon doesn't eat seafood, the golden seafood Mountain, 214 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: golden fried catfish, six fried golf, shrimp, French fries, videlia 215 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: and fennyl buttermilk, slaw, cocktail and tartar sauce. Twenty four 216 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: dollars look twenty four dollars ain't cheap. But I got 217 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:26,079 Speaker 1: to tell you in midtown for all of that, that's 218 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: I'm you know, I look at how good of meal 219 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: is before I look at whether it's a good value. 220 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: But that's a that's a relatively low price for price 221 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: point for where you are. Quick. Do you name the 222 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: one do you know the one country song that mentions 223 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:48,199 Speaker 1: vadalia onions, vadalia onions. I do not, Sammy Kershaw Vadelia. 224 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: How about the gumbo smothered chicken fried steak. Would you 225 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: eat that ramon? You don't eat gumbo? Oh my god, 226 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: that's ridiculous. Forty four farm steak breaded and fried, smothered 227 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: and chicken and sausage gumbo. Gravy with a dollop. Dollup 228 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: is a good word. It doesn't get used enough of 229 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: potato salad on a bed of dressed slaw twenty six dollars. 230 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: How about the eggplant park You like eggplant? My wife 231 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: likes eggplant. I don't like eggplant. Eggplant parm a la vodka, 232 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: panco and fennel seed, crusted eggplant, spicy vodka, sauce, melted 233 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: mozzarella and palm, twenty one dollars. You want to know 234 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: the sides are. Moment you got your parmesan, parmesan serrano, 235 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,559 Speaker 1: creamed corn, picnic potato salad with dial. You know how 236 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:36,199 Speaker 1: come people don't use deal more? I like dial Graham. 237 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 2: Any fresh herbs just hive with almost every kind of salad, 238 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 2: so we use a lot of it. 239 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: Gins, creamy mac and cheese. Is that your wife? 240 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 2: No, that is not my wife. That gin is an 241 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,719 Speaker 2: employee of ours who will make her presence known at 242 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 2: any given moment. And she came up with her macaroni 243 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 2: and cheese recipeet salt. 244 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 1: And pepper fried Oakrey. So I don't care for Oakrey. 245 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: I mean, if you're making a list of things I 246 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: don't like, I don't want to make sure I don't. 247 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: I don't pass myself off as somebody that does. And 248 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 1: we say, Okrey in our household, battered and seasoned fries. 249 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: Can I get fries without them being seasoned? 250 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 4: No? 251 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 2: So the seasoning is a potato starch. They're coated French fries. 252 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 2: Kind of like the best version of Popeye's French fries 253 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 2: you ever had? 254 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: Okay, you want some advertisers from home? Oh? You let 255 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: me ask you? How hard is the restaurant business today? 256 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: How much harder is it today than when you start? 257 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: I mean, now you've got the heavy at a head 258 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: that wears the crown. You got more worries than when 259 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: you were, you know, making red pudding. But how much 260 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: tougher is it today? 261 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 2: I like the challenge. I mean I think of what 262 00:14:53,800 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 2: I do is problem solving, and so you know it 263 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 2: any harder to make money? Are the margins tighter now 264 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 2: than they've ever been? Sure? But that's kind of always 265 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: the case. Right, It's as I kind of said earlier, 266 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 2: restaurants are about relationships. It's relationships with your vendors, relationships 267 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: with the customers, the guests, the employees, and problem solving 268 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 2: is just a big factor and what we do and 269 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 2: how we do it. I don't know that I could 270 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 2: or would do anything else. 271 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: I love that, and I get tired of hearing restaurant 272 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: people be so negative and cynical that being saved do. 273 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's terrible to. 274 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: Get jaded specifically, you know. I mean, we had a 275 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 2: woman write as a one star review because she didn't 276 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 2: want to leash her dogs. And that's if you google 277 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 2: dogs restaurant patio, Houston, the number one thing that comes 278 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 2: up is that they must be on a leash. So 279 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 2: this is the woman who did not enjoy her experience 280 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 2: because she wanted to treat our patio like it was 281 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 2: her house. It's easy to get jaded when that happens 282 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 2: to you day in and day out, or get you know, 283 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: a guy tries to feel shrimp or whatever. But at 284 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 2: the end of the day, I still love what I do. 285 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 2: I love my employees, I have a very supportive family, 286 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 2: and it you know, as I said, I don't think 287 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 2: I could do anything else. 288 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: I love the optimism and most most food guys. After 289 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: a while, I think the most retail they do get 290 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: jaded and cynical. It's nice to hear someone who says, no, 291 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: I love this. I wouldn't do any of these. Do 292 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: you know what you said? The challenge people here love challenges. 293 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: You gotta love the child because it's a daily. 294 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 4: From God I have all day, and not just because 295 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 4: that's the thing that white people say to be like, 296 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 4: look at me, you know, but I really could. 297 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 1: There's just something about the way he pronounces certain words. 298 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: We interrupt our discussion with Graham Levoorde of Winnie's Restaurant 299 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: in Midtown to bring you this important message. I was 300 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: asked by a fellow named David Suffel, which would be 301 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 1: so much cooler if it was David Souffle, and he said, 302 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 1: I need your hat, your advice, and perhaps help. I'm 303 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: trying to start up the Pairland Men's Choir, and I've 304 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: had very little success. I have notified the local colleges, 305 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,439 Speaker 1: local high schools, advertised on social media, used Craigslist, and 306 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: have notified some churches. This is a nonprofit with very 307 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,239 Speaker 1: little startup money. When I lived in Ohio thirty five 308 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: years ago, I started one in the community one half 309 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: the size of Paarland, and we had our first performance 310 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: the first month we were in existence. We have a 311 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 1: father son program for a fun time with the family experience. 312 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: Still only a couple of guys are singing with the group. 313 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: We have a website Pairlandmen's Choir dot. Why are we 314 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 1: having so much trouble getting men to sing with this group? 315 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: Our Christmas plan is to sing at the Salvation Army 316 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 1: ring the bell program, sing carols at rest Holmes, and 317 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: have a Christmas program. What is your advice? And I 318 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: told him I would be glad to help promote it, 319 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 1: but under the strict requirement quid pro quote that they 320 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: sing God Rescie married gentlemen, because that's one of my absolutelys. 321 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: I didn't when I asked you for that, I didn't 322 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: realize you were going to throw Nat King Cole at me. Wow, 323 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: that's a lot to handle all at once. You like that, 324 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: Graham the choir, Well, anything would you like to join 325 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: the Paarland Men's Choir. 326 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: I can't think that driving down to choir rehearsal from 327 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 2: Houston would be a valid excuse for use of marital capital. 328 00:18:58,240 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: Can you sing? 329 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 2: Uh? Not? 330 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: Well, maybe we start with that before we get into 331 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: demands on your time. Do you have a particular Christmas 332 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: Carol that if you did sing and you were to 333 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 1: have a solo, you'd want it to be? 334 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 2: Ah? Absolutely, but it's Mariah Carey. All I want for 335 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: Christmas is you. 336 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: Oh. 337 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 2: I listened to it nine thousand times over the holidays. 338 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: I think that might even be the definition of torture. 339 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: I always know. I always wonder, you know, I'm always 340 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: afraid when I do a discussion, and I'm very interested 341 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: in learning from the person i'm talking to. Am I 342 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: going too far? You wonder maybe you should cut it short? 343 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 1: And I just realized that exactly that moment, we should 344 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: have cut it short. Romment that Mariah Carey, all the 345 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: capital we built up, the whole the place was about 346 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:49,879 Speaker 1: to be overwhelmed, and now they're going, Dear God, know 347 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 1: if I have to hear Mariah Carey, I'm done? 348 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 2: Is that good? You gotta have some joy you find. 349 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,199 Speaker 2: I don't know how retail people do it. I mean 350 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 2: I don't even they Yeah, three four more weeks to 351 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 2: the holiday madness than we do, and by the end 352 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 2: of it, I am so ready for things to not 353 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:12,199 Speaker 2: be Christmas. Yeah, I mean we make our year during 354 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 2: the holidays. 355 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: So you know there is a there's a website dedicated 356 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: to retail employees when that song comes on and they 357 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: do freak outs and all the different all the different 358 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: things they do. Uh, you said, you make it so 359 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: my friend Jane and jam Alva said, y'all do a 360 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 1: great job decorating at Christmas. What percent of your revenues 361 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: for the year are the one to twelfth of the 362 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: year that is December for you? 363 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 2: Ooh, probably almost fifty. Are you maybe a little lesson 364 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 2: more like thirty five? Yeah? It's crazy. 365 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: Is it parties or buyouts or what is it? 366 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 2: No, it's just I mean will go. It's like taking 367 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 2: a restaurant to one hundred miles an hour for six 368 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 2: weeks and then January first comes and you slam on 369 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:00,639 Speaker 2: the breaks. 370 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 1: Do you all take some time off. 371 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 2: Usually two or three days, just to decompress and get 372 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 2: everything back to normal and reopening. But that always depends 373 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 2: on which bowl game they're hosting it energy and who's playing. 374 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,360 Speaker 1: How did y'all become known as a Christmas bar Christmas restaurant. 375 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 2: So we do. We participate in Miracle, which is a 376 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 2: national craft Christmas cocktail pop up. It started years ago 377 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 2: in New York. A bar had all their licenses everything, 378 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 2: but it wasn't ready to open. So rent in New 379 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 2: York being what it is, they threw up a you know, 380 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 2: a bunch of Christmas decorations. It looks like Christmas exploded 381 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 2: in there, made some cocktails and it was a huge hit. 382 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 2: So we license and participate in Miracle, which is its 383 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 2: own cocktail pop up Christmas cocktail pop up brand. 384 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 1: Interesting I never heard of, but part of the unique. 385 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, well there's only us. So Winnies and Johnny's Goldbrick 386 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 2: are the only participants in Houston. We have the exclusive 387 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 2: you know, other Christmas. Other bars and restaurants will do 388 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 2: heavy handed Christmas decorations. That's gotten more and more popular 389 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 2: in the last years, but only Winnies and Johnny's do Miracle. 390 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 2: Interesting and it's totally different experiences that either if you 391 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 2: want a reservation, you want a more kind of serene 392 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 2: Christmas explosion, you go to Johnny's. If you want Christmas chaos, 393 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 2: you go to winnings about that. 394 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 1: That's interesting. It's fascinating. It's fascinating how people come up 395 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,919 Speaker 1: with their little niches, you know, it's it's interesting. I 396 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: was out at doc Do the other night and they 397 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: were they had they usually have country acts, and they 398 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: had a band called the Red Hot Chili Pipers and 399 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: it is a Scottish Highlands bagpipe band. It's a full band, 400 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: but they feature the bagpipes. They wear the kilts. And 401 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 1: so after the show, after the people left, I hung 402 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 1: around and talked to the guys and not really not much, 403 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: but interacted with them. And you know, they were leaving 404 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: the next morning to go back to Scotland and they'd 405 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 1: been on the thirty day tour of the United States. 406 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: You know, when you're programming a bar, live music venue 407 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 1: or whatever, you're trying to program. Unlike restaurants where you 408 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: want to be consistent. You're trying to program because people 409 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: aren't going to come for the same type of music 410 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 1: every night. So even if you call yourself a kind 411 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 1: of a country edged bar, you still have to have 412 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 1: some things that get younger people and older people and 413 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: Christmas people and party people, and the fact that they 414 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: kind of counter programmed with that was so clever and 415 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: it was a successful night. I mean I looked at 416 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: their numbers at the end of it, and they did 417 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 1: well on a night that they didn't have to burn 418 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: through the Texas country scene or the classic country scene. 419 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:07,239 Speaker 1: Just it was I thought that was very interesting. Let 420 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,919 Speaker 1: me ask you about the protein on your menu. How 421 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: well does that do in in Houston? 422 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 2: It crushes. I mean, people love gumbo. So much of 423 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 2: what we do is based in rooted in Cajun, but 424 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 2: it crushes too much to my dismay because as a Louisianian, 425 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 2: everything I like is traditional. You don't mess with this. 426 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 2: And Benji actually did a survey that says, if we 427 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 2: put gumbo gravy on our French fries, would you eat it? 428 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 2: And overwhelmingly if yes. I roll myne eyes every time 429 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 2: I see the sails. Yeah, it's always third or fourth 430 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 2: in our p mix. But I gotta say, if they 431 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 2: can find a metal themed bagpipe band, the guy in 432 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 2: Parland ought to be able to find some singers. 433 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: You know you would thing and you know, a choir, 434 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: a men's choir. I mean, how awesome is that? How 435 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 1: many guys out there are sitting around going, man, I'm 436 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: in Katie, but I'll drive to that, or I'm in 437 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 1: the Woodlands. I'll drive to that because hopefully we can 438 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: find that for them. So I've heard of bang bang shrimp. 439 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,240 Speaker 1: I love bang bang shrimp. And you have a bang 440 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: bang catfish. What makes it a bang bang? What? What? 441 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: What is the element in bang bang? 442 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 2: It's the saw. It's a high chili mayonnaise saws. 443 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 1: I love it. Do you like it? Librarians? 444 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 3: I love Michael Verry show. 445 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,679 Speaker 1: Tzar you mentioned the Red Hot Chili papers this morning. 446 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: My sister's boyfriend bought tickets to see him in La 447 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 1: a couple months back. On accident. He thought he scored 448 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: some really cheap seats to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 449 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 1: I guess he didn't have his reading glasses on when 450 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 1: he ordered him. They loved the show and thought they 451 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: were fabulous. Well, you know what was amazing is the 452 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 1: almost the entire crowd. I stood at the door to 453 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 1: listen to people as they left, and they were speaking 454 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: with their Scottish brogue. The Irish have a brogue. I 455 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: don't know what you call it, Scottish a brogue. Yeah, 456 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: And it was probably seventy five percent Scotsman. So I 457 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: asked the general managers, what's going on with all these? 458 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:26,479 Speaker 2: No? 459 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:31,959 Speaker 1: What general managers? Steve Sayte's son Brad, I said, why 460 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: are there all these? Is this a Scottish private event? 461 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: And he said no, he said, Uh, it's the weirdest thing, 462 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 1: I guess because there's so many people from Scotland working 463 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: for the oil companies here, which makes sense, but when 464 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,639 Speaker 1: there's a Scottish event they come out for it. How 465 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: about that? You just never know. It's amazing to me 466 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: how good you get at running a business. When you 467 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: run a business, and if you don't, you go out 468 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 1: of business. You know, when you get to know people 469 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 1: who who run a business, I always like asking them 470 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: questions because sometimes they stumble on things they never expected it, 471 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:12,120 Speaker 1: and they go, whoa, I've got something here, Or sometimes 472 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:14,719 Speaker 1: they have this great this will be me. Sometimes they 473 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: have this great idea and this is going to kill 474 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,199 Speaker 1: and nobody's ever done it and it's an absolute bust. 475 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,479 Speaker 1: And you know, so there's there's that too, and you 476 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: just know this is going to be the one right here, 477 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: and man, that's why you get to where you don't 478 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: even tell people, Hey, well I'm about to do right here. 479 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 1: It's really good. People are gonna be talking about this, 480 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: because then it's a complete bust. Whereas if you hadn't 481 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 1: told anybody and ends up halfway successful, then you can, 482 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 1: you know, act like, oh shucks, I didn't even so. 483 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: I took Crockett to Lubbock this weekend and a couple 484 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: of things I have to say about Loubboock because I've 485 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 1: never been there and we have a lot of listeners 486 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 1: on kf YO. Out of Lovebock went with a friend 487 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: of mine named Gary Peterson. He's a big donor to 488 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 1: the school. He grew up in Lubock and he's very 489 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: proud of Lubock. He took us to see his little 490 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,360 Speaker 1: modest home he grew up in on at thirty three 491 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: eleven forty fourth Street. Met him through Russell Leabara years ago. 492 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,879 Speaker 1: He is one of the three founders of a private 493 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: equity firm called end Cap and they have funded a 494 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 1: lot of boil and gas dreams to fruish and over 495 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: the years he's done. Very successful man, a very generous man, 496 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,880 Speaker 1: and he's very eager that Crockett go to his alma mater, 497 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: which is Texas Tech. He's given over fifty million dollars 498 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: five zero to the place, so he's pretty passionate about it. 499 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: So he said, let's just take him up, and well, 500 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: I didn't realize what he meant by show him around. 501 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 1: We get there and he drives us around the campus, 502 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: drives us see his the house he grew up, and 503 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: we drive to the old downtown and you know, get 504 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: a sense of the of the place, and we checked them. 505 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: We had a little hotel called the Overton, which is 506 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: right across and you know, Lubbock listeners in Lubbock have 507 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: told me, you know, you can see this guy for miles. 508 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,239 Speaker 1: There's all sorts of jokes about how far you can 509 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: see the sky because there's no skyscrapers, no skyscrapers. So 510 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: in Montana, well only they call it blue Sky Country. 511 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: It's blue sky there. It's beautiful. Actually, I kind of 512 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: like it. I'm not used to it, but I like it. 513 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: And then we start and he's a big donor to 514 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 1: the team. There's three of them, a guy named John 515 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: Sellers and Cody Canada and Gary Peterson, and the three 516 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:38,719 Speaker 1: of them together put thirty eight million dollars into nil 517 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: and they went out and bought the best players that 518 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: you could buy in the country through the transfer portal, 519 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,479 Speaker 1: so there's no development time. And these guys come in 520 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:49,960 Speaker 1: and they start contributing and they're all from all from 521 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: major programs to start with, and so the team is undefeated. 522 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: They were ninth going into the game. Of course they won, 523 00:29:56,720 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: so they moved up in the rankings. I think just sixth. 524 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 1: I can't call anyway. So there are buildings named or 525 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: parts of buildings named after him, and we toured all that, 526 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: got to have lunch with the team, got to go 527 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: in the locker room before and after with the team, 528 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: which is really fun for me, but it's super fun 529 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: for Crockett because he's eighteen years old and these guys 530 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: are a year older than him, and you know, they're 531 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: all grabbing him and excited and high five of him 532 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: and you know, roughing him up and you know, like, 533 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: you don't how dogs in the dog partner, Remember my 534 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 1: young people are that way. I remember now I'm like, 535 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,719 Speaker 1: oh carefully, you hurt my back. But anyway, it was 536 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: it was a lot of fun. And I got to 537 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 1: meet Cody Campbell, who you see on TV all the time. 538 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: He's the one that President Trump has put in charge 539 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 1: of the nil thing to somehow fix college sports in 540 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: the finance of it all. And it's going to be 541 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 1: each university can spend twenty point five million dollars on 542 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: nil and that's it. That's all. You cannot spend a 543 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: penny more than that. You can spend twenty point five. 544 00:30:58,560 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: A lot of them won't get to that, but you 545 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: can spend up to twenty point five. You cannot spend 546 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 1: a penny. 547 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 3: More hard and fast, unless unless, unless you were to 548 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 3: hire a kid to let's say I just make I'll 549 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 3: just pull a name out of a hat. 550 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: Let me just some random Now it's too random. Eric Dickerson. Okay, 551 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 1: let's say let's say let's say you were to bring 552 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: Eric Dickerson in, and let's say you were to own 553 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: I don't know, car dealership, right, and let's say you 554 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: had a gold trans Am and and you know you, 555 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: Eric Dickerson, sell some cars. You just this got this 556 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: random guy that I'm coming up with, you know, got 557 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: goggles and everything, and the neck pad and real high 558 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: step are real fast and on the option and get 559 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 1: to the corner. And yeah, but let's just say, hypothetically, 560 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,640 Speaker 1: Eric Dickerson went to work for your car dealership. Now 561 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 1: you could, but Deloitte and Touche has to review the 562 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: deal and make sure that it looks like a real deal. 563 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: Like you got to really want Eric Dickerson to be 564 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: a car salesman at your dealership. So anyway, there's that 565 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: little exception to the rule. Do with that what you will. 566 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: But anyway, I like when people have a chip on 567 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: the shoulder and Texas Tech has a chip on their shoulder. 568 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 1: A and M is cocky because they're a and m 569 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,680 Speaker 1: UT is cocky because they're ut. But it's nice to 570 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: see these guys that are so eager to say, hey, 571 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: we're at the table now too. We're a top ten 572 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,800 Speaker 1: team about to be a top five team if they 573 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 1: went out, they're going to make the playoffs. But they 574 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 1: have a veterinary school. Now, they have a medical school, 575 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 1: now they have a law school. Now they have a 576 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: nursing school in El Paso. And I got to tell you, 577 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: I think that I think there is a role for 578 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: putting campuses for professional degrees in the small communities of 579 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: our state that don't have all the resources. You know, 580 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: you had to leave Orange to get a job at 581 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: that time to go to school. There's a Lamar campus 582 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: in Orange now or parts of the campus. But I 583 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 1: think there's something to be said in these small towns 584 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 1: considering how much of the money that goes into it 585 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 1: as taxpayer dollars to creating opportunities. Because you talk about 586 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 1: economic incentives, the hospitals, the the veterinarian. We needed another 587 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 1: veterinary school. It was impossible to get into A and 588 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: M or Auburn, and we needed more veterinarians. I think 589 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: it's a good thing. A and M fought them on that. 590 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: But anyway, for those of you who have kids applying 591 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,720 Speaker 1: to school, keep your keep your eye out on Texas Tech. 592 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 1: I'm very impressed. I really liked lovebook. It's not the 593 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: streets of New York, but I didn't get since you 594 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 1: were going to get mugg there. I liked the people. 595 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 1: I liked the culture they and they're trying very hardy. 596 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: The tree I didn't. I weren't hardly any trees and 597 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 1: then tho skyscrapers. But I really liked the people and 598 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: I liked the feel of the town. Yeah, so that's 599 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: that's my review of Low Book.