D Magazine's EarBurner: Recent Episodes
D Magazine
EarBurner is a weekly conversation about North Texas issues (and a lot of other stuff). It is hosted by the editors of D Magazine, the city magazine of Dallas.
For the 15th iteration of the OCFF, running July 30 through August 2, our annual guest Barak Epstein dogged us, sending instead his co-conspirator Ashton Campbell to talk about movies. We went from Barak to frickin Ashton. So it was a rough podcast, as you might imagine. D Magazine contributor Eric Celeste and editor Tim Rogers did their best to keep a stiff upper lip and bring you this preview of the festival. Open your ears—and eyes. And subscribe to D Magazine. Print makes the podcast possible. (We're kidding. Ashton was a great guest.)
This is embarrassing. It's been so long since we put up a podcast that our hosting service, Libsyn, shut down our account. We suspect that's not the most efficient way to build an audience. But we're reactivated!
After former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller wrote a story in the June issue of D Magazine, she joined us in the office to record a podcast in front of a live studio audience. Is the audio perfect? Did you pay for this episode? Lower your expectations and enjoy this chat between her and editor Tim Rogers about why Dallas needs to change how the city operates.
This one comes with a bonus. Josh brought along his songwriting partner and recording engineer, John Pedigo. So, yes, we talked about Josh's new album, Stuff, but we ventured far afield to explore the tattoos on Josh's "trash leg," BlueChew commercials, the official Tex-Mex dish of Dallas, and lesbians gentrifying Oak Cliff. Buckle up and prepare yourself for some snort-laughing.
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In this movie-intensive episode, D Magazine contributing editor and noted cinephile Eric Celeste joins Tim Rogers at the Old Monk to hear Giovannie’s stories about James Gunn, Richard Dreyfuss, and the Old 97's; learn what a "honeywagon" is; and discuss whether her parents should have let her play outside when she was little. Also, she explains the Chuck E. Cheese universe.
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In the Roman Catholic tradition, there's something called a year's mind. It's a requiem Mass held on the one-year anniversary of someone's death. That's exactly what we did for Zac and those who loved him. Except the Mass was held at a bar called the Old Monk. And we recorded a podcast during the Mass. We boldly declare that it's the funniest year's mind you'll ever listen to. Stick around till the end, when Zac's son, Isaac, drops in and delivers one of the sickest burns you'll ever hear.
Here are the links to all the Zac stories we talk about. And remember: print makes the podcast possible. Consider subscribing to D Magazine.
Sarah was the U.S. Attorney for the North District of Texas before Barack Obama appointed her head of ICE in 2014. She talks with Tim about why the agency shouldn't be abolished, despite President Trump's current campaign to use it as a tool of terror; about why Dallas hasn't yet seen the sorts of raids that have gone down in other large cities; about why the agency will never deport the number of people the president claims it will; and about why her family was ultimately wrong when they encouraged her to become the first Latina to lead ICE.
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It's a themed episode! Kathy tells us about a controversy she experienced while judging cakes for the State Fair of Texas. Brian covers the same ground, except with a halal barbecue contest. And then Tim takes us to the Colonial for some golf talk that involves way more fashion choices than it does golf.
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Our own Mike Piellucci talks about one of the world's best bull riders, John Crimber, who lives with a bunch of other badass Brazilian bull riders in or near Decatur, Texas. Kathy Wise reveals her secret nicknames and the difference between her marriage and that of Tim Rogers. Also: Cooper Flagg! Kathy gets a bit quiet during this portion of the podcast, as Tim and The Looch go deep on the Mavs' No. 1 overall pick. Stay tuned for maybe the dumbest question Tim has ever posed: "Do you believe in spaceships?"
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We discuss meat and the proper smoking thereof. Plus what is "motorcycle paint" and who in the D Magazine office is most likely to assassinate whom? Oh! Also, we reveal a secret Thai menu at a restaurant in Allen. But that's all.
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D Magazine’s dining critic, Brian Reinhart, joins Tim and Kathy to talk about the Dallas dining scene, the origin of Texas toast, how the Rice University mascot got its name, the best pancakes in town, and whether Kathy is insane for suggesting that diners should eat salad with their hands.
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If you listened to the previous episode of EarBurner (and you should), you know that Bobby Abtahi was sitting at the table at the Old Monk as Matt and Tim interviewed Mike Rawlings. When they finished the episode with the former mayor, Abtahi, a former president of the Dallas Park Board, having consumed a statistically significant number of beers, started talking about how the city got into the current mess over the management of Fair Park—at which point Tim and Matt plugged the mics back in and recorded this episode. Abtahi was on the Park Board back in 2018, when it was decided that a nonprofit (Fair Park First) would oversee a new for-profit operator of Fair Park (Spectra, which eventually became the Oak View Group), which operator is now nearly $6 million in the red and asking for a handout.
You know what? It's all very byzantine and boring, and we did a poor job of setting up on the podcast what's at stake and what happened. You should probably just skip this episode.
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On your November ballot, there will appear 18 proposed amendments to the Dallas city charter, which is quite something. Three of those props—S, T, and U—if they were to pass, would throw the city into chaos. The 59th mayor of Dallas joined Matt and Tim at the Old Monk to talk about why that's the case. While Rawlings (aka His Worship) refused to speculate on the motives of the people behind these props, Tim was not so reserved. (Also, with the passing of Zac, this episode served as a cohosting tryout for Matt. Give us a review, and let us know how he performed.)
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The Oak Cliff Film Fest runs this year from June 20–23. Barak is one of the smartest, funniest dudes in Dallas, so it's always a pleasure to have him on the pod to talk about the film festival he co-founded. Tim struggles with the buttons and levers to play sound from the movies' trailers. Zac and Barak demonstrate their pop-culture literacy. Oh, and we talk about why we haven't seen more assassinations in America. So there's that.
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In another lifetime, Julia was Tim's boss at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Now she's a best-selling author with six novels to her credit. Her latest is Night Will Find You. Zac gives it five stars. Tim confesses he hasn't yet read it, but that doesn't stop him from reading to Julia the worst review of the book he could find on Amazon. Other stuff you'll hear: how Julia approaches the writing process, why editing is better on paper than screens, and if a building can be shaped like a barn without actually being a barn. Also, the city of Decatur catches some shade.
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In the May issue of D Magazine, Matt Goodman wrote a story titled "The Lawyer Who Landlords Don't Want to See in Court." That would be Mark. Sort of by accident, he started the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, which now employs 18 people. On a per capita basis, A LOT of people get evicted in Dallas. That's because the justice of the peace courts where eviction hearings happen are a little wildass. So we talked about all that and about why you should care about people getting evicted. And we explored Mark's personal story, how he lost a job in Oklahoma and, without a college education or any real prospects, loaded up his family in a car and drove to Dallas. Why Dallas? It had a lot of highways so he figured it must have jobs. (He wound up as a bouncer at Cowboys in Arlington before eventually making partner at Holland & Knight.)
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James is the artistic director of the Dallas International Film Festival, which runs from April 25 through May 2. We talked about how many movies he had to watch to pick the 145 (so far) that will screen this year. We talked about how much he cries and why his back is giving him so much trouble and whether Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn get back together at the end of The Break-Up. But James also made us talk about this year's DIFF lineup, which features a bunch of world premieres, including a "30 for 30" documentary about—ugh—Dude Perfect. (Not to be confused with Dude, Sweet.) Get in here and get your ears all over it.
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Megan spent four years researching and writing her new book, City Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America's Highways. Here's what Richard Florida said about it: "City Limits is a triumph. Megan Kimble echoes Robert Caro exposing how powerful groups like TxDOT are able to take away people’s homes, destroy their neighborhoods, and run roughshod over communities with virtually no accountability.” So yeah. We talked about highways and I-345. And about how Megan went on a fishing trip to the Eisenhower Library and discovered something amazing. Oh, also, we talked about her high school basketball career.
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Mike used to work at D Magazine. Now he doesn't. But he's got a new podcast that dropped April 11 on Audible. It is titled Hold Fast. Over nine episodes, Mike and two other journalists (Sam Eifling and Trevor Aaronson) chronicle the rise and fall of Backpage.com, the Dallas-born classified ad site that a federal prosecutor called "the world’s largest sex trafficking operation." Mike spent three days interviewing Mike Lacey, the founder of the New Times chain of alt weeklies and the man the feds say ran a criminal operation with Backpage.com. In addition to all that, we talked about why Mike escaped Oak Cliff for the suburbs.
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Greg is an SMU professor who hails from Pumpkin Bend, Arkansas. He's also the lead singer for Beekeeper Spaceman and the editor of the Southwest Review. It is under the auspices of the latter that he is launching a new literary festival. Frontera runs April 12 and 13 in three Oak Cliff venues (Wild Detectives, the Texas Theatre, and the Kessler Theater). So we talked with Greg about how you stage a lit fest that feels less like homework and more like a party. And we talked about one of the most amazing physical feats ever performed in the city of Arkadelphia (by him).
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You probably know Joel from his appearances on the Ticket and his Fox Sports work on college football. Along with Curt Menefee, he'll be calling the first-ever United Football League game, at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, March 30, at noon. We got the breakdown on the game, but we also talked with him about why specialization in youth sports is lousy and the fact that he's so cheap that he listens to Spotify with commercials.
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Over the years, starting in 1992, D Magazine has unintentionally caused the man grief. In this episode, Tim and Zac run through the slights—but only to properly apologize. Also to give Zac a moment to humble-brag. For reference, here is what Eric Celeste's 1992 profile of Aikman looked like with the dumb "Troy Aikman Won't Dance" headline. Here's Aikman on our cover in 2011, when Wick made up a cover blurb that suggested Troy had talked to us about his divorce. And, finally, here's the blog post that made it look as if Tim and Troy were lovers. Again, we're sorry.
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Right here you've got another chat recorded on the shady side of White Rock Lake, at Goodfriend. The boys tackle the goofiness of what one local official said about transportation to World Cup matches in Arlington. E.g.: "[W]e wish to have an aggressive travel demand management program to encourage our residents to participate in FIFA." Also they talked about tattoos.
We're doing a thing. Sometimes we'll have a guest on the pod, sure. But sometimes (if we stick with it), Tim and Zac will simply go to a bar near their houses (Goodfriend) and chop it up as a duo, like Simon and Garfunkel. The hatred for each other will still be there, but they'll make beautiful music together. In this episode, the boys talk about a recent giraffe death at the Dallas Zoo (and whether there are animals smart enough to kill themselves), the proposed ban on horse-drawn carriages (Zac hates them, Tim is right), and Mayor Eric Johnson's footwear at the World Economic Forum in Davos (Allbirds ain't all that).
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Casey is one of the most committed magazine writers working today. When he profiled Leon Bridges for Texas Monthly, he rented a house and bought a crazy-expensive shirt to establish a connection with the recording artist. For his profile of Erykah Badu that ran in the January issue of D Magazine, he hired a team of researchers to help him understand the icon. More than a podcast about magazine journalism, though, this one is about striving to become the best possible version of yourself. And South Oak Cliff football.
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Tim is a Lakewood dad with four kids and a wife who runs a restaurant (Lounge Here) to which he is sometimes summoned to do handyman work. He's also a rockstar, making his name first with Tripping Daisy and now serving as frontman for The Polyphonic Spree. The latter is dropping a new album, Salvage Enterprise, on November 17. We talked with Tim about how recording that album broke him out of a years-long depression and why kids today can't seem to listen to a song that lasts longer than a minute thirty. Also, we talked about whether Jesus ever rode a triceratops and the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research.
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Start here if you don't know who Joshua Ray Walker is. Short version: Rolling Stone said of Josh: "country's most fascinating young songwriter is a baby-faced, 6XL guitar hero with a Dwight Yoakam voice and songs about suicide and boat-show models." We began our conversation at the Old Monk with Josh telling the story about how he wound up in the hospital, for the first time in his life, with a roommate named Dick who was a mob enforcer. We also talk about F1 and helicopters. And the best Tex-Mex in Dallas. And East Dallas dive bars!
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David McCloskey used to work in the CIA. Now he's a novelist and does most of his writing in coffee shops on Greenville Avenue. Which ones? He wouldn't say. Even after Zac and Tim subjected him to extraordinary rendition, he wouldn't break. He also declined to read a sex scene from his new novel, Moscow X, so Tim did the honors, which was gross. For more about David and his wife, Abby, check out Holland Murphy's profile of the couple in which we wondered if they might be the most interesting couple in Lakewood. (They are.)
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This one is a bit of an experiment. When we learned that Catbird, a fancy "Best of Big D" award-winning joint in downtown Dallas' Thompson hotel, was launching a 10-course tasting menu where each course was accompanied by a cocktail and that Catbird would let us preview the experience before the unwashed masses could get their unwashed mouths on it, we were like: "Yes." The idea was that four D Magazine staffers would journalistically investigate this important situation. Our Serious Food People (Brian Reinhart and Nataly Keomoungkhoun) would eat and take notes, while our Seriously Drunk People (Tim Rogers and Zac Crain) would record a podcast as the meal unfolded. A couple of points to bear in mind: Tim served as the (mostly) sober inquisitor and podcast recorder, and the meal wound up falling a bit short of 10 courses. Nonetheless, some strange stuff went down, not least of which was Tim's admission that his parents let him do a birthday shot starting at about age 8.
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OK, first Zac and Tim talked a bit about how to pronounce Lionel Messi's name and whether his recent performance in Frisco (which Zac witnessed in person) is one of the top five sports moments in the history of North Texas. THEN the lads turned their attention to the wonderful Elizabeth Wattley, president and CEO of Forest Forward, the group working to save the historic Forest Theater in South Dallas and rejuvenate the ZIP code with the lowest life expectancy in all of Dallas County. Elizabeth's deep, intimate knowledge of the history of the neighborhood made for a fascinating conversation. As did Zac's deep, intimate knowledge of early ’90s Black fashion.
Two notes: first, we were wrong about the etymology of the phrase "rule of thumb." Wikipedia has it right, if you're curious. Second, if you like the podcast, you should subscribe to D Magazine.
Michael Sorrell is the president of Paul Quinn, the oldest historically Black college west of the Mississippi. He died in 2008. True story. The man's heart stopped, and his girlfriend Natalie (now wife) performed CPR until medics could arrive and shock him back to life. So we talked about the fact that he's our first undead guest on EarBurner. And we talked about how the pandemic changed people and why those changes have made it harder to run an instution of higher learning. But the main reason we invited Michael onto the podcast was to talk about basketball. He played in college. And after law school at Duke, he played on the courts at the downtown Dallas T. Boone Pickens YMCA—which is about to be sold and torn down. If it weren't for those pickup games, Michael says, he wouldn't today be the president of Paul Quinn. How can Dallas be a great city without a downtown Y?
Some links for you:
The Morning News reports that the Y, after being downtown since 1885, plans to abandon the city's core.
Zac profiled Michael in 2021 for our sister publication D CEO.
In 2017, Tim ran Kelly Oubre Jr. off the Y's courts when he interfered with the lunchtime pickup game. The Washington Post covered it.
And here's how you can subscribe to D Magazine and help keep the podcast going.
Nick is in the pantheon of Dallas chefs. His new(ish) joint, the Brass Ram, in the East Quarter of downtown Dallas, occupies a space that once housed the broadcast studio for KLIF, one of the most important stations in the history of American radio. The space, called the Triangle Point Building, also once housed the Dallas Observer. So we bellied up to the Brass Ram bar with Nick and two former Observer staffers, Eric Celeste and our own Zac Crain, to talk about Gordon McLendon, the parrot he trained to say the station's call letters, Zac's previous life as an alt-weekly music editor, the supposed coup Eric orchestrated, and the time a certain editor thought the Observer had been the target of an anthrax attack. Oh! And we talk about restaurants and how Nick names them. We covered a lot of ground. You'll want to listen twice.
Barak Epstein from the historic Texas Theatre joins us to preview the 2023 edition of the Oak Cliff Film Festival, which runs June 22–25. Movies discussed (some with confusing sound from their trailers!): Going Varsity in Mariachi, The Lost World, Quantum Cowboys, Walker, Stand By for Failure, Don't Fall in Love With Yourself, The Adults, and Earth Mama. Also, we talk about Barak's resurgent baseball career. REMEMBER: print makes the podcast possible. Consider subscribing to D Magazine.
Once upon a time, Tim was a schoolmate at K.B. Polk Elementary with a guy named David Hale Smith. That fellow wound up becoming kind of a big-deal literary agent, even though DHS wouldn't tell us how much he earned last year. Be that as it may, DHS is part of a cabal responsible for the Dallas Noir Film Festival, which runs May 17–20 ("cabal" is a joke you'll get after listening to the podcast). We talked about books and movies and hamburgers and why Dallas City Council three-time losing candidate Candy Evans blocked Tim on Twitter. Subscribe to D Magazine. Do it now!
Abraham Alexander is buds with Leon Bridges, a connection that helped him get into the studio to record his debut album, SEA/SONS, which dropped April 14. Zac profiled Abraham for the June issue of D Magazine. In this episode, Zac and Tim talk about the profile-writing process, why more than a few musicians have wanted to punch Zac, and how much (or little) recording artists make from Spotify. Oh, also, we play a few songs from Abraham's new album and talk about them. Help us keep this podcast going by subscribing to the magazine. Cheers.
Would you spend $500,000 on a bed? The Swedish company Hästens thinks some of you in town will. They just opened a new store in Dallas. Tim and Zac talk about that and about why Tim sleeps on his couch. BUT WAIT. You're more interested in the Stars' chances in the playoffs? StrongSide editor Mike "The Looch" Piellucci joins us at 17:00 to talk hockey and get you ready for what might (maybe) be a special run. (If you dig this free podcast, consider subscribing to D Magazine. That's how we stay in business.)
Y'all, get ready. Tim and Zac are about to become proper influencers. For the first time, they are reviewing a product, a Western pearl-snap shirt made by a Dallas outfit called Snaps Clothing. They talk about the 1978 movie that allegedly launched the Western snap shirt, why Zac's parents made fun of him for wearing snap shirts as a kid, and what the hell the deal is with the magazine Huntin' Fool. Get out a can of dip, and dig in.
EarBurner is still trying to find its sea legs, even after 157 episodes. In this one, Tim and Zac make a long-distance call to Kirby Warnock, out in Big Bend, to talk about his new documentary on Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It screens March 23 at the Texas Theatre. Jimmie will be there. Get your tickets now. THEN the lads talk amongst themselves about the Dallas Morning News reporter who was fired for calling the mayor "bruh" on Twitter. Tim broke that story, and now it's all over the internet, even on Fox News and the New York Post. Ack. A note: here is the 2021 piece that Columbia linguist John McWhorter wrote about White people using the word "bruh." Tim refers to it, and it's worth your time.
This episode is an experiment we're calling an EarBurner Quickie. No guest. It's just Tim and Zac in the podcast kitchen, cooking up a special dish together. For an amuse-bouche, they discuss monster pickup trucks that don't belong in the Whole Foods parking lot. Then the main course: why the mayor of Dallas approaches Twitter like a fifth-round draft pick with a chip on his shoulder. He picks fights. He roasts his "haters." And he makes a fair number of sophomoric references to "Big Dallas Energy." (P.S.: Tim mentions a Cowboys player who tattooed a potato chip on his shoulder, but he couldn't recall his name. It was cornerback Anthony Brown.)
Jay started Cane Rosso with his first restaurant in Deep Ellum 12 years ago. Now the dude employs 520 people in his pizza empire. He's got a salty mouth. He loves dogs. And his two daughters force him to spend a lot of time in airports. Fun connection: the EarBurner guest from the previous episode, Frank Campagna, has done some mural work for Jay. It's almost like we planned it. In terms of show notes, Tim was right about puntata. Please know that. In terms of everything else, this was a banger. Five stars.
If you've lived in Dallas for any length of time, chances are you've encoutered Frank's art. He estimates that he has done more than 1,000 murals in Deep Ellum (many of them to promote performances at the old Gypsy Tea Room). On February 11, he'll have his annual "For the Love of Kettle" show at his Deep Ellum gallery, Kettle Art, with works from dozens of artists, each of which is 9 by 12 inches and priced at $50. Doors open at 7 p.m. for what Frank calls "competitive shopping." We also talked with Frank about the 150th anniversary of Deep Ellum and about the time the South Korean pop group BTS created worldwide headlines when a few of its members dropped in to the gallery.
GNO is a poet who not long ago put out a collection titled "101 Break Up Poems." In this EarBurner, he explains why he nicknamed himself GNO (pronounced "Gino"), what happened when he told his mom Prince wasn't a girl, and how poetry can save young people's lives. Oh, also, he tells the story about how he wound up doing a McDonald's commercial for the Filet-O-Fish. (If you're reading these words in time for it, you can catch GNO at a poetry-and-cocktails gig on 2/10/23 at the Dallas Institute, where he'll read a selection of his break-up poems.)
Rev. Peter Johnson came to Dallas in 1969 on a mission: to secure distribution for a documentary about Martin Luther King Jr., the proceeds from which would provide for his widow and family. Of the 800 cities around the world where organizers hoped to show the movie, Dallas was the only place that said no—initially. We started our conversation with Peter explaining why he took the assignment so personally and telling the story about the magic moment, with only three days left to spare, when a beneficent stranger walked into his office and brought him to tears. After that, Peter told us about dragging a sack of snakes to Dallas City Hall, cussing out the rapper D.O.C., and getting arrested at a protest just a few years ago. This man is a leader and a legend. WARNING: In describing historical events, the Reverend at a couple points uses the N-word in this podcast.
Victor's bio sounds like a fabrication: he has summitted the seven tallest mountains on earth, and he built his own submersible to dive solo to the bottom of all five oceans. Oh, and he has traveled to space. We talk about why James Cameron has a beef with him, how bumping into the Titanic got him dragged into federal court, and what we possibly need with a genetically reincarnated wooly mammoth that talks like Ray Romano.
Mark "Hawkeye" Louis has done the morning show on 96.3 KSCS for more than 30 years. He is radio royalty in North Texas. He's also a runner who has been involved with the BMW Dallas Marathon (this year on December 11) for more than a decade, which it how we got to talking about his nipples and the best way to protect them on long runs. We also talked about jeans, stand-up comedy, why radio stations still broadcast traffic news, and the ship of Theseus paradox. Be forewarned: he swears exactly once in this episode of EarBurner. If you have children, consider abandoning them at a fire station.
Ken is the guitarist for the Old 97's, which is about to celebrate its 30th year together. The man himself is about to turn 60. We talk about his plans for outliving his bandmates, why he owns more than 400 board games, why high school kids don't cruise anymore, and whether Peter Billingsley is actually a gun nut. Oh, and one more thing: we talk about how the band came to star in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which begins streaming on Disney+ on November 25. That last thing seems important. Almost forgot to mention it.
Mark is the architecture critic for the Dallas Morning News and a two-time EarBurner guest. We invited him on to talk about a new plan for Dealey Plaza that he has concocted with some of his smart friends. Mark says the space has become tawdry, and we need to prioritize people over their cars. We also talk about whether Dallas is still a "can do" city, why the Mavericks should rethink their branding design, and our favorite movies ever filmed in Dallas. To prepare yourself for this episode, please first watch this trailer for the 1988 action comedy sexploitation thriller It Takes Two. You won't regret it.
Julie wrote the young adult novel Dumplin' that became the 2018 Jennifer Aniston movie of the same title. Now she's branching out into some spicy romance with her new book, A Merry Little Meet Cute, about a pornstar who is cast in a wholesome Christmas movie. It's funny. It's raunchy. It's perfect for the season. We talk about whether she is the most famous living person from Arlington, why the water tastes bad in Dalworthington Gardens, if Dolly Parton (who wrote the music for Dumplin') might have sleeve tattoos, and her friend who has hypnagogic hallucinations. Also, she attempts to recall as many euphemisms for genitalia as she can in 30 seconds.
Melissa is the new head of the journalism program at SMU, a job she took without telling Tim, despite their 30-year friendship. So that was the first matter that had to be addressed. Then we talked about kids today and how screens are ruining their lives—and ours. And why Zac frequently got lost in the office when he worked for American Airlines. And the downside to driving a Ford Maverick. And Bob Costas' teeth.
For the October issue of D Magazine, Kathy Wise, our executive editor, wrote a story that's getting national attention. It is titled "The Most Lawless County in Texas." That, friends, would be Collin County. Read the story here, and then listen to how it all came together. We also talk about the time Kathy nearly died in Toledo, and Tim tells a story about his wife that will probably get him in trouble.
Creuzot was elected the Dallas County District Attorney in a landslide in 2018, taking 60 percent of the votes from his opponent, Faith Johnson. The two are squaring off again, with Johnson this time peddling what Creuzot calls bogus QAnon numbers about crime in Dallas County. So this episode is about politics. But it's also about Creuzot growing up in Houston, toiling in the kitchen of his family's restaurant, Frenchy's Chicken, and his memories of his first job out of SMU law school, working for the cigar-chewing Henry Wade. Also, we talk about weed.
Bonus episode not available on dmagazine.com! For subscribers only! James mentioned in the normal episode that he has been in three car chases in his life. He tells the story of each one, with gratuitous F-bombs from Tim.
James is the artistic director for the Dallas International Film Festival. That means he watches about 600 movies every year. It also means that he has a great story about a wild night with Harry Dean Stanton (R.I.P.). We also talked about what happened to him when, as a kid, he saw E.T. fives times in row and the odd interaction he had one time in a hotel room with Joan Jett when they were both working on a episode of Walker, Texas Ranger. Oh, and we talked about some of his favorite films that will screen at DIFF 2022.
In 1994, The Ticket launched in Dallas with a lineup largely assembled by Mike Rhyner, thereby creating a radio format—guy sports talk—that would be copied around the country. Mike ended his 40-year radio career with a retirement in January 2020. Except not quite. The Old Grey Wolf is returning to the airwaves on 97.1, which has been rebranded The Freak. We talk about who convinced him to come out of retirement, how to fix the Cowboys, what made him move out of downtown Dallas after living there for a decade, and why you're never too old to wing it.
Tim and Zac interview a legend, the man who helped write some of N.W.A and Eazy-E's biggest songs, the man whose solo debut album, 1989's platinum-certified No One Can Do It Better, pretty much says it all. If you're not aware, Doc's voice was permanently changed by the aftermath of a car crash the same year that album came out. The lads discuss the wreck, Doc's quest to end gun violence in Dallas, and a new Snoop Dogg-produced documentary about his life.
Tim and Zac interview a legend, the man who helped write some of N.W.A and Eazy-E's biggest songs, the man whose solo debut album, 1989's platinum-certified No One Can Do It Better, pretty much says it all. If you're not aware, Doc's voice was permanently changed by the aftermath of a car crash the same year that album came out. The lads discuss the wreck, Doc's quest to end gun violence in Dallas, and a new Snoop Dogg-produced documentary about his life.
Will is the hyperkinetic, mustachioed founder of the publishing house Deep Vellum and its allied bookstore in Deep Ellum. He's responsible for the reissue of Jim Schutze's book "The Accommodation," about the bombing of Black-owned homes in South Dallas in the 1950s and how White leaders in this city did what they could to duck the civil rights movement. When it was first published, in 1986, it wasn't exactly a bestseller. Now, as part of Big D Reads, 30,000 copies of the book are being distributed in Dallas for free. The entire month of September is filled with events that enrich what is essentially the city's biggest book club. So we talked about all that. And we talked about why Will thinks Tim is like an aggressively onanistic baboon he once saw at the Dallas Zoo.
Will is the hyperkinetic, mustachioed founder of the publishing house Deep Vellum and its allied bookstore in Deep Ellum. He's responsible for the reissue of Jim Schutze's book "The Accommodation," about the bombing of Black-owned homes in South Dallas in the 1950s and how White leaders in this city did what they could to duck the civil rights movement. When it was first published, in 1986, it wasn't exactly a bestseller. Now, as part of Big D Reads, 30,000 copies of the book are being distributed in Dallas for free. The entire month of September is filled with events that enrich what is essentially the city's biggest book club. So we talked about all that. And we talked about why Will thinks Tim is like an aggressively onanistic baboon he once saw at the Dallas Zoo.
After 33 years on FOX 4 in Dallas, 27 of them doing the morning show, Tim is throwing away all his makeup and retiring. He tells us how the job has nearly killed him, why he doesn't have much use for social media, and the secret to surviving 100-mile bicycle rides. Also, he ranks the local Tims.
David "Schoop" Schechter worked at the Dallas ABC affiliate, WFAA Channel 8, for 16 years. This week he quit his gig to go work as a national environmental reporter for CBS. In this episode, we talk about "cheerful nihilism" and David's amazing calf muscles. At least five stars.
Brian has been a freelance dining critic for the Dallas Observer and Dallas Morning News; now he’s the fulltime food dude for D Magazine. Did you know there might be only 20 people in the country who have such a job? He tells us what goes into a formal dining review, what goes into his mouth when he’s not on the clock, and where you can find a secret sushi place that’s perfect for a date.
Barak is one of the folks behind the legendary Texas Theatre and a co-founder of the Oak Cliff Film Festival. He breaks down eight of his favorite flicks in this year's shindig, which runs June 23–26. Along the way, he talks about why he won't buy Central Track and what he did to anger the Catholic Church. Also, he and Tim nearly come to blows over "Ready Player One."
JZ is the newly chosen, first ever poet laureate of Dallas. We talk about why he loves the word "donkey," how he won the biggest poetry slam competition in the world, where Dallas sits in the literary firmament, why we should print poems on DART buses, and what the Mavericks need to do to beat Golden State. Oh, and he reads a new poem for us titled "Signs" that is partly about bird sh**.
Emily is the director of corporate sales for the 25-year-old improv comedy group called Four Day Weekend. It's a boring job title for a funny woman. Emily went through Second City, in Chicago, she worked at The Onion, and she also performs. We talk about people in the SNL cast that she knows and how Four Day has survived the pandemic by doing something quite clever. Oh, and she tells a horrible joke. Six stars.
Carpenter Park, at just under 6 acres, is now downtown Dallas' largest park. It also has downtown's first outdoor public basketball court. Tim and Matt hit the court on the morning of May 3, the park's debut, to play the first official game there. Zac recorded the play by play. WARNING: the sound is terrible, and Tim uses the word "avoirdupois" in the midst of an actual basketball game. You should NOT listen to this.
Nicole founded the Dallas fashion house KOCH under whose umbrella she and her son, Henry, have launched a new line of sneakers. So we talk about that. But we also talk about her wild upbringing traveling the country with her father, Bill, who was an NBA coach, and how she performed at halftime shows and was babysat by a guy named Boot who was a "Gong Show" contestant with an act that involved a possibly dead canary. Oh, and there is A LOT of swearing in this episode. So tie up your laces, and jump in.
The November issue of D Magazine got tossed out of a Dallas grocery store because its cover bears the word "Negroes." Jean, a Black woman and a journalism professor, describes how the cover came across to her and how she might have done things differently. Also, we talk about how often she gets to party with Bob Schieffer.
Alex is the guy behind D Magazine’s new daily newsletter, LeadingOff. We had him on the podcast to promote that, a conversation that led us to his deep-seated animosity toward Axios and all who work for it. But then we started talking about what scares Alex, and things got — REAL. Who knew that Tim and Zac both have their own (very valid) reasons for fearing rats? And garbage disposals!
D Magazine’s new sports editor explains what the heck a "sports vertical" is and why StrongSide is going to be the best version of such a thing that Dallas has ever seen. Also, he performs a Cowboys-related feat that will blow your mind. And collegiate meat judging. We get into some of that, too.
Rejoice, cinephiles! The Oak Cliff Film Festival makes its triumphant return June 24 – 27. Barak is one of the organizers. He stopped by to break down some of the 23 feature-length films on the program. We also discussed some exciting news about the Texas Theatre and why Barak's home theater setup is trash. If you would, hop into Apple's podcast app and write a short review of EarBurner. We'll be your best friend. Thank you.
The new top cop in Dallas just announced how he'll get after the bad guys in this town. Matt and Zac fired fastball questions at him on that topic and others, including his taste in hip-hop and his allegiance to the Cowboys (he was a fan before he even learned to speak English).
The mayor of Dallas is an interesting fellow. He hoisted himself out of poverty, went on to earn Ivy League degrees, and got elected, it seems, without really trying all that hard. Two years into his first term, he is involving himself in City Council elections, undermining incumbents who've butted heads with him. So what exactly is at work here? D Magazine’s Peter Simek went looking for answers, even as the mayor declined to provide any.
Our staff photographer, Elizabeth Lavin, talks about her work for the August issue of D Magazine. She donned PPE to go inside UTSW's Clements hospital to document what doctors and nurses are doing to save lives in Dallas.
Jim worked at the Dallas Observer for 24 years. Now he works for us. How long will this arrangement last? God only knows. But for the time being, the most revered and reviled city columnist in Dallas will do his best for your favorite city magazine. Here's what he has to say about that transition, whether the police chief should be fired, how Backpage.com took over the Observer, and everything else that you should care about. Listen up.
The former mayor of Dallas invited us into his backyard to talk about sheltering in place; the people he'd pick to marry, eff, and kill; how he worked with County Judge Clay Jenkins through the Ebola crisis and the lessons from that experience that our current mayor might want to heed; and which sports arena in the land is the most hostile to visiting teams. Plus there was gin. So much gin that even a dog drank some. Fourteen stars.
Mike is a beloved radio legend and not a young man, so to avoid killing him, we recorded this podcast in a park within eyesight of the friendly Mercantile Tower and not too far from his downtown Dallas apartment. We stood 6 feet apart and controlled our sneezes. The studies so far have been inconclusive about whether the virus can be spread via flatulence, so that was fair game.
The councilwoman from District 9 now co-chairs a task force to help the city recover from the economic fallout of the virus. To make sure we followed all city rules and kept each other safe, we recorded this podcast in the parking lot in front of Lakewood Growler, with our cars forming a protective circle around us. It got personal. And that's a good thing.
What is a CIA spy who hunts terrorists supposed to look like? Well, maybe she's supposed to look just like Tracy. Straight out of school at USC, she went to work for the agency. Then she worked for the FBI. THEN she became a teacher at Hockaday, an elite Dallas private school for girls. If you think that's enough to write a book about, you're right. Special note: this podcast ended in a way that no other EarBurner episode has ever ended. Hopefully it will never happen again. Listen!
This episode ran a bit long. You know why? Because Dave is a dang funny dude who has a lot of good stories. You'll learn the following: why he hates the Astros, how he once got traded for a blind guy, what he thinks of the Rangers' new ballpark, what happened to Cookie Talk, where he likes to party in Flower Mound, and so much more! Like, for example, he answers a hypothetical that involves baseball, knee surgery, the World Series, and oxycodone. Make the time. Have a listen.
Rosin is D Magazine’s new online dining editor, in charge of our SideDish blog. She comes to us from Seattle, where, apparently, she learned to hate enchiladas and flip-flops. This podcast is shocking. Don't listen to it with small children around.
The novelist and travel writer started a quarterly author's panel series in Dallas because she was starved for LitTalk. Also, she was a star high school basketball player and had a surprising answer when Tim asked her who would win in a game of one-on-one. Note: there is swearing in this episode, both in English and Spanish. Ear muffs on! Twelve stars!
The president of the Dallas Police Association stopped by the Old Monk to talk about how much he enjoys his gig, whether Police Chief Renee Hall needs the boot, and what the hell is happening in Dallas to cause violent crimes to spike. Also, we learn that Zac obviously knows what an 8 ball of cocaine looks like. Seventeen stars.
The Dallas Morning News’ architecture critic has some strong words for the designers employed by the Mavericks. He also doesn't much care for the Klyde Warren Park expansion plans. And, if you can believe it, he has never seen the ’80s classic movie Highlander. This one is definitely 4.56 stars.
Evelyn is a grad student at UTA's architecture school. She also works for Legal Aid of Northwest Texas as an environmental activist and community organizer. After the illegal dump known as Shingle Mountain made headlines, Evelyn undertook a first-of-its-kind land use and zoning study of southern Dallas. The resulting "toolkit," as it's called, can help elected officials and city staff clean up a long-neglected part of Dallas. In this episode, we talk about all that AND Evelyn's brief roller derby career.
Cora has a new book out, "Ferocious Warrior." Where'd she get the sword she posed with for the cover photo? What are the dangers of using fat cream? How'd she make money as a kid growing up in the megachurch Potter's House? And, most important, who is her favorite Braxton sister? This one is worth at least eight stars.
Abtahi explains why he REALLY stepped down from his post and what his next political move is. Oh, also, he reveals what is the most expensive portable item in his house.
Not only do we have the Griggs-Johnson battle, but there's Moore and Blackmon, Young and Bazaldua, Kingston and Blewett, and Arnold and Blair. That right there is five runoffs. Celeste, the Nate Silver of Dallas politics, reveals his picks just days before the day that is the big day.
Mayor Rawlings (for now) talks about his son posting pictures to social media of him hot-tubbing and drinking white wine, why Laura Miller lost her bid for District 13, how Trinity Forest Golf Club helps southern Dallas, what he thinks of Philip Kingston, and what's up with Willie's Grill and Icehouse. Give us 15 stars and subscribe. Bless you.
Ken has made just a little bit of money investing in the oil and gas business. He's also the CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Why would a guy like that become part owner of the Dallas Fuel, an e-sport team in the Overwatch League? He breaks it down for us. We also talk about the coolest graduates of St. Mark's, what George W's first hole in one was like, Davos, Burning Man, and the artificial turf in the Texas Rangers' new stadium.
Which street in Dallas does he want to rename Dirk Way? Are Latinos trying to take over City Hall? These questions and more are answered in this episode of our mayoral interview series. At least six stars.
What's the worst thing he's ever done on vacation? How many dang cities has he visited in search of good ideas for Dallas? How much Guinness can he drink during one podcast? All questions answered. Give us all your stars.
Whom would he most like to face in a runoff? What is a boomama? And why is he so upset with Eric Johnson? These and more questions are answered in this episode. You should listen to it.
How fast can we sell DFW Airport? When is the last time she hung out with Hillary Clinton? Why is she wary of tearing down I-345? All questions answered. Use your ears.
How will she use her chemistry degree if elected mayor? Will she sell her Highland Park house to Tim? All questions answered. All the stars.
Has he ever punched someone? What would he do about VisitDallas? Is he still friends with Angela Hunt? All questions answered. Fifteen stars.
The mayoral candidate steps up to be the first of the nine running to sit at Table No. 1 at the Old Monk and answer 10 super hard questions about himself, including when was the last time he cried and whether Dallas should tear down Confederate monuments.
Ron is a sportswriter of some renown. His latest book is titled "Let's Play Two: The Legend of Mr. Cub, the Life of Ernie Banks." And what the heck does Banks have to do with Dallas? Well, folks, he grew up here. You know the Wyly Theatre? That's where Banks' house once stood. This is a seven-star episode. Check it out.
Possibly the best boxer pound for pound in the entire whole world brought his 10-man posse to the Old Monk to talk about why he has three cellphones and what it felt like the first time he punched the crap out of someone.
The owner of the Dallas Mavericks stopped by the Old Monk for a very special triple-digit episode. He talked with Tim and Zac about the Kristaps Porzingis trade, how long the team scouted Luka Doncic, what Dirk will do when he retires, and why he, Mark Cuban, will never own a yacht. Cuban also explains why he threatened in 2002 to slice off part of Tim's anatomy. Again: VERY special episode. At least five stars. Maybe more.
Odessa is a three-time world champion. In a game against the Germans where the USA won 107-6, she racked up more than 300 yards on the ground. Oh, also, she is the COO of a new women's tackle league whose best team is in Dallas. Get to it. Fifteen stars.
The Rev. Dr. Michael Waters, SMU grad and senior pastor of Joy Tabernacle A.M.E. Church, has been called the face of black lives matter in Dallas. You want to know what we should do with the Confederate monuments? You want to know why 72 percent of Dallas' homeless population is black while black folks make up only 25 percent of the city's overall population? Mike has some answers. And some good questions. (Note: we had way more laughs in this podcast than you'd guess from the foregoing description of it.)
Pete started a Dallas online arts and culture outfit called Central Track. He was SO dumb to try it. And yet. Here we are, seven years later, and he's going strong. Listen to hear his thoughts on local music, smoking cigarettes, taking cocaine, and sneakers. Fifteen stars.
Philip is the executive director of the Circuit Trail Conservancy, the outfit that is working to complete The Loop. He's also an avid cyclist. So you should listen to this podcast if you ride a bike or pay taxes or have feet. Five stars.
The longtime FOX4 newscaster has sat behind the big desk for longer than almost anyone in Dallas. What does she think of Facebook? Will she ever retire? Does her house have a cabana? She stopped by the Old Monk to answer these questions and many more.
The three-time MLB All-Star and Arlington native started his own wine label a few years ago. It's called JACK. VW stopped by the Old Monk to talk about grapes; the Rangers' new skipper, Woody (they came up together in the Blue Jays organization); why the name "Vernon" sucks; his next-door neighbor Herschel Walker; and a whole bunch of other enological and athletic stuff.
Tom worked for D Magazine when it started, in 1974. He got thrown in jail for messing with cops who bungled a horrific 1976 mass murder investigation in the tiny town of Blue Mound, Texas. Now, in the November 2018 issue of D, Tom reveals new details about those unsolved murders and who might be to blame. You should listen.
Miguel is a DISD trustee. Come November 6, you'll get to vote on four propositions that are SUPER important to kids in Dallas. He explains each proposition and why you should approve it. But listen! This is actually a funny podcast. We promise! You will not find a more entertaining discussion of education in Dallas. Oh, and we also talk with Miguel about his baby daughter's heart transplant. That's cool. It's definitely worth five stars in the Apple thing.
The guitarist for the Old 97's reflects on 25 years of rock and roll. And also on the greatest poop story that David Sedaris ever stole.
We have a thing at D Magazine called the Brown Bag Lunch Series, where we invite someone up to our office during the lunch hour to either be interviewed or share some thoughts with the entire company. This week, Real Housewives of Dallas star LeeAnne Locken sat down with Tim Rogers to talk about the third season of the show, which starts August 15, and why you should never go swimming in the ocean right after you've had a breast reduction surgery.
Kourtny is the CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc. It's her job to help revitalize the heart of our region and make Dallas a more livable, enjoyable city. That means dealing with the onslaught of share bikes and scooters. We also talk with her about the effort to establish a downtown elementary school and her total and complete lack of sports knowledge.
The National Magazine Award-winning writer and convicted felon returns to the podcast to talk about his lack of success on Tinder, paying the $890,000 restitution he owes, and his Pursuance Project, a collaborative apparatus he hopes will change the world. Also, we talk about the 1 million gallons of poop that Plano dumped on Dallas.
Katherine is the chair of the Dallas Landmark Commission. For reasons she herself doesn't quite understand, she spends her time and talent, without pay, trying to stop the city from destroying its history and itself. In this episode she talks about preservation and why Dallas lags behind some other big cities.
Barak Epstein went to film school. Jason Reimer likes to punch people in the face. Together (along with a third dude who wasn't important enough to show up) they rescued the historic Texas Theatre and then started the Oak Cliff Film Festival, which is awesome. In this episode, we talk movies and gentrification and the East Quarter. Plus the most obscure movies ever filmed in Dallas. It's very visual. But also audio.
The boys address some important topics in this episode. Foremost: did Tim deserve to be punched in the face at a rec league basketball game? But also: why is Gavin no longer working his magic at the Bomb Factory and instead booking gigs at the Box Garden in Plano? Only your ears can answer these questions.
At 30,000 feet, an engine explodes on your plane. A woman gets partly sucked out a window. You have 20 minutes to sign onto wifi and text your loved ones before the plane crashes and you die. What do you tell them?
Matt was on that flight. He tells the story.
Dallas' Heritage Auctions is auctioning a ’51 Fender Nocaster guitar that once belonged to Stevie Ray Vaughan. (The last time a Stevie Ray guitar was sold at auction, it went for more than $600,000.) Heritage brought the Fender to the Old Monk so Tim and Zac could ogle it and talk to a Stevie Ray expert named Craig Hopkins about why Dallas doesn't fully embrace the most famous musician the city has ever produced (arguably). The podcast ends with a seldom-heard recording of Stevie Ray playing the guitar when he was about 15 years old.
Every so often at D Magazine, we host in our office something called Happy Hour With an Agenda. Last week, that agenda was criminal justice. Our moderator was Pamela Metzger, director of the Deason Family Criminal Justice Reform Center at SMU’s Dedman School of Law. Our esteemed panelist were: Terri Burke, executive director of the ACLU of Texas; Ron Stretcher, the senior director of systems management at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and Dallas County’s former director of Criminal Justice Administrative Services; and Toby Shook, defense attorney with Shook & Gunter and a former Dallas County prosecutor.
Chris wants to be the next chairman of the Dallas County Democratic Party. He talks with Tim and Eric about guns, how little he knows about the Dallas Mavericks, how good Lisa Blue is at ballroom dancing, and why you need to be smart to have a sense of humor. Forty stars!
Blackburn had sexual relationship with a woman who was fired by DISD. He then sat on an HR panel that reviewed the appropriateness of that firing. That poor judgment is just one of the reasons that D Magazine's city columnist, Eric Celeste, says that Blackburn should be voted out. Eric also talks with Tim and Zac about the Morning News' diss of Brett Shipp and about Tim's trip to Forney, where he hoped to meet Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who — reportedly — did adult things with Donald Trump. Seventeen stars!
Dan used to work at D Magazine's sister publication People Newspapers. Now he's running for a school board seat. It's yet another episode where Tim and Zac nearly come to blows. Enjoy! Six stars!
John Bloom (aka Joe Bob Briggs) was once a columnist for "D Magazine." He also got fired from the "Dallas Times-Herald" for a satirical column that John Wiley Price didn't much appreciate. Then he went on to host the Movie Channel's most popular show and play a character in the Scorsese movie "Casino." All of which is to say that you'll want to hear what he says about gay wedding cakes. Enjoy. Ten stars!
One day not long, Lila and her husband got a nutty idea. "Let's quit our day jobs and start a flip-flop company!" Now their Hari Maris are in every Nordstrom in the nation. Also discussed in this episode: why Zac has a hole in the seat of his jeans, why Tim's toenails are painted pink, and the best name ever for a store that sells raw cookie dough.
Paul has a new book out called "The Saboteur," published by HarperCollins. You should read it. But you should also listen to this podcast, wherein we learn for the first time that Tim didn't actually fire Paul from "D Magazine." Maybe.
This is maybe the oddest episode we've ever done. Tim picked up two strangers in a bar and got them on the podcast. The two Canadians, Doug and Tyler, explain why hosers from Windsor would love the Cowboys so much that they'd make the trip to Dallas to see their favorite team play at AT&T Stadium. It wound up being a great meeting of nations.
Where would the movie of Jeffrey Payne's life even begin? On the steps of a Louisiana orphanage as his stepmother drops him off at the age of 5? On the driveway of his next-door neighbor's house in New Orleans, water pouring up out of the sewers as if in a horror movie, trying to escape Hurricane Katrina? On the podium of International Mr. Leather 2009, as he bests Mr. Leather Ottawa and Mr. Atlanta Eagle? Or, as Payne hopes, sitting with his Brazilian husband on the porch swing of the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin? Put on a pair of chaps and listen!
Once upon a time, Sudie Abernathy was a waitress at the Old Monk who brought drinks to Tim and Zac. Now she's a recording artist who is a couples therapist for Tim and Zac. Seriously, the boys almost got into a fight in this one. No stars. But listen anyway.
Jon started off as a tights-wearing serf when the Dallas castle opened, in 1992. He now runs the joint. He stopped by the Old Monk to talk with Tim and Zac about Medieval Times' new show, which features a queen in the lead role for the first time in the company's 34-year history. Also, he talked about artificially inseminating horses. And the time he served O.J. Simpson at the castle. All the stars!
In Dallas, for the first time in a major american city, women hold all the top law-enforcement jobs. Lupe Valdez is our sheriff. Faith Johnson is our district attorney. And Renee Hall is our new police chief. The three joined us at D Magazine for a panel on policing and criminal justice in Dallas and beyond. Executive editor Kathy Wise moderates.
Dale is a Dallas legend. Having worked as a sportscaster at Channel 8 for 34 years, he can pretty much do and say whatever he pleases. In this episode he talks about his biggest poker loss, the sorry state of TV news, and how he manages to stay married. If you enjoy it, throw us some stars.
Salerno is running against Pete Sessions to represent the 32nd District, which is shaped like dog. She joins Kathy Wise, Holland Murphy, and Caroline Jordan on the patio at José to talk politics, tacos, and beards, among other things.
What happens when you don't schedule a guest and then, at the last minute, when your magazine deadline ends, you decide to drink some beers and do an "ask me anything" session? This. This is what happens. Ray Hunt's tower, which writer is most successful, the Cotton Bowl — the boys tackle some disparate topics.
Sara Grace has appeared on the cover of Vogue walked the runway at New York Fashion Week for Calvin Klein. She's a big deal. How the Bedford teen was discovered is an unlikely story. The owners of Wallflower Management, Brenda Gomez and Tammy Theis, sit down at Shoals Sound & Service to spin the yarn for your cocktail-swilling co-hosts, Kathy Wise and Holland Murphy. Bottoms up!
Mel Kyle is sort of a historian of Dallas rap. Bro knows much. His band's new album, "Fuel City," just by its title, shows how dedicated he is to the local scene. Check out his thoughts on weed, music, the Confederate flag, and baby strollers. Plus, at the end of the show, Mel and host Tim Rogers play iPhone roulette, and Erykah Badu gets involved. Fifteen stars!
Daron Babcock is the founder of Bonton Farms, an amazing place that is attempting to solve the food desert problem in South Dallas (and where East Dallas moms go to get fresh goat milk). Trisha Cunningham is the new CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. So what we're saying here is that this episode of BraBurner, hosted by Kathy Wise and Holland Murphy, is all about food. Even though that's a mouth-centered topic, you should use your ears to listen.
The Dallas Theater Center this year won a Tony Award for best regional theater. If you think its artistic director, Kevin Moriarty, let that go to his head — YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. Tim and Zac talk with him about why he's such a badass and how Dallas audiences react to naked bottoms. Six stars!
Eight years ago, Jay started cooking pizzas in his backyard oven just for fun. Today he oversees a vast Cane Rosso pizza empire that sprawls from Houston to Austin to The Star in Frisco. Tim and Zac talk with him about how he did it, the pizza magazine the three plan to launch together, and dirty feet. Oh, also, they come up with a great new slogan for the city of Addison. Five stars!
How is it possible that a trove of information describing Ezekiel Elliott's alleged abuse has been online since last September and Kathy Wise was the first person, only just now, to report on it? She explains how that happened and why she, a lawyer, believes the victim's story. We also talk about the worst op-ed writer in Dallas and the best new bookstore in town. Get to it!
A while back, Will wrote a novel that had, as they say, "heat." He quit his day job and suddenly found himself having odd meetings in Los Angeles. Things didn't exactly work out. A decade later, he's got a new novel, "The Neon Palm of Madam Melancon." You should read it. And you should listen to this 8-star podcast.
Mary has worked for eight years on a story about a young black man who was sent to the electric chair in 1956 for a crime he didn't commit. His name was Tommy Lee Walker. An all-white jury convicted him of raping and murdering a white woman named Venice Parker. On August 3, we exhumed Venice in an effort to exonerate Tommy Lee. In this episode, Mary talks about what happened.
Eric is a libtard yellow dog Democrat. And yet he finds himself now deeply in love with guns. A few months back, he acquired his first firearm, and now he can't stop. Zac and Tim talk with their old buddy about why he is crazy and what they can do to help him.
Lauren doesn't like her name because she thinks "Lauren" sounds like a dumb girl's name. She's not that (dumb). She programs events at Wild Detectives and sometimes throws kids out of her classes at SMU for being inattentive. Zac and Tim talk with her about Dallas authors and Zeke Elliott and Boogotti Kasino and so much more. FIVE STARS iTUNES!
Harry is a longtime friend of D Magazine. A couple months ago, he published his seventh thriller, which is titled "The Devil's Country" (Thomas & Mercer). In this episode of EarBurner, he talks about holding a day job, writing fiction, and how many people he has killed (a list of people that one day, hopefully, will include our own Tim Rogers).
Daniel Vaughn got his magazine start at D Magazine. Let's not dwell on that. Now he's the most powerful meat voice in the state. Texas Monthly just published its list of the 50 best barbecue joints in the state. We talk about how he did it and why Pecan Lodge slipped in the ranking.
Rodney remembers his father becoming semi-famous by calling in to The Ticket while shirtless and picking him up from elementary school. It's something. Now the dude does multimedia storytelling about the part of Dallas most overlooked by white people like Tim and Zac. Five stars!
Nini Nguyen fled Vietnam for Thailand when she was 5. After living in a refugee camp for years, Nguyen made her way to Dallas when she was 12. Her first job: bagging groceries at Albertson’s. How she went from those humble beginnings to styling Rihanna is a tale you gotta hear.
Miguel Solis, when he was 27, was the youngest trustee ever elected to the DISD board of trustees, and he got a master's degree from Harvard. If that sounds boring, what if I told you that he's married to a physician-athlete superhero, that he knows more about A Tribe Called Quest than you do, and that he has a good argument for why you should pay more taxes to make Dallas an even better place? Give us five stars in iTunes or we will kill you. Thanks.
Chris Muldoon just happens to be Tim's cousin. He also recently returned to America after working as a medic at the South Pole. So, you know. He has stories. We got him to tell some of them — including why the South Pole has so much glitter — and no one was punched in the throat.
The host of KERA 90.1's "Think" talks about the statewide expansion of her interview show, her dyscalculia, and the one time she kinda sorta swore on the air. After you've listened to this podcast and come to realize that it is the best podcast you've ever heard, consider throwing EarBurner some stars on iTunes.
Regina Merson founded the Reina Rebelde makeup line. Before she got into makeup, Merson was a bankruptcy attorney in Dallas. Before that, she was escaping kidnappers in Bangkok. Before THAT, she was developing her obsession with the power of beauty while watching her mom get dressed for the disco. We talked with Merson about her taste for tequila, heading into the jungles of Mexico for eyeliner inspiration, and how to know when the time is right for a new Plan A, no matter what your friends say.
A while back, Holland wrote a funny story for D Magazine about leaving her 3-year-old son alone in a movie theater — briefly — so that she could buy him a hotdog. Predictably, Facebook decided she was a bad mom. We talked with Holland about that experience, about developing a writer's thick skin, and about her breast milk consulting firm.
Here's the story about her kid: https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2017/february/yes-i-left-my-child-alone-in-a-movie-theatre/
Facebook wasn't thrilled: https://www.facebook.com/DMagazineOnline/posts/10154592600214678
And here was Holland's response to those "mommy shamers": https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2017/02/a-note-to-the-great-mommy-shamers-of-north-texas/
The legendary funnyman from SportsRadio 1310 The Ticket shares his deep thoughts on Tony Romo, Skip Bayless, drinking, not drinking, the war between bears and humans, Robert Wilonsky's sonorous voice, his own lack of ambition, and the high school girlfriend that he can never forget, among other topics.
The executive director of Human Rights Initiative of North Texas talks about working with other lawyers to free detainees at DFW Airport. Also discussed: good Dallas beer joints, why it's a bad idea to insult your wife, and what Zac is going to do with his 2 acres under I-345 once the highway is torn down. We covered a lot.
The founder of publishing house Deep Vellum and partner in Cinestate stops by the Old Monk to talk about why Dallas is so much better than Austin, what it's like to manage a metal band on the road, making movies, and his mustache.
The convicted felon and National Magazine Award winner (who also happens to be currently in the employ of D Magazine) talks about what a fun day in prison is like. He also gives us a preview of the memoir/manifesto he's under contract to write for Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
D Magazine's Nancy Nichols hosted a happy hour on November 14, 2016 to discuss various topics concerning the past, present and future of the DFW restaurant landscape.
Charles Glover of the Meadows Foundation chats with Tim and Zac about the newly announced $50 million donation to fund a Trinity River park, the Early Matters Dallas education initiative, and what it's like be part owner of Mac's Southside bar in the Cedars.
Hosts: Tim Rogers, Zac Crain
Theme music: Shibboleth's "The Bavarian," from the 2008 album Experiment in Error (Idol Record
Wolfgang Puck stopped by his restaurant Five Sixty at Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas to talk about the 100th anniversary of Union Station, what it's like to command a restaurant empire, and what he really thinks of his fellow celebrity chefs.
Hosts: Tim Rogers, Zac Crain
Theme music: Shibboleth's "The Bavarian," from the 2008 album Experiment in Error (Idol Record
D Magazine city columnist Eric Celeste stops by the Old Monk to talk about the just-announced sale of Texas Monthly, the arrest of the owners of Dallas-based Backpage.com, and why Arlington voters should give the Texas Rangers what they want.
Hosts: Tim Rogers, Zac Crain
Theme music: Shibboleth's "The Bavarian," from the 2008 album Experiment in Error (Idol Record
D Magazine editors Kathy Wise, S. Holland Murphy, and Catherine Downes, made a road trip to Barley & Board in Denton to interview singer Luke Wade, who made his name on the NBC talent show The Voice. They discuss North Texas Giving Day and just what makes Barley & Board's burger one of the best around.
Dallas Park Board member Paul Sims and Bobby Abtahi, chairman of the Friends of Fair Park, debate the merits of the proposed plan to privatize the management of Fair Park.
Hosts: Tim Rogers, Zac Crain
Theme music: Shibboleth's "The Bavarian," from the 2008 album Experiment in Error (Idol Record
D Magazine editors Kathy Wise, Holland Murphy, Nancy Nichols, and Catherine Downes are joined by actor-comedian Baron Vaughn and restaurateur Jack Perkins to discuss the Dallas comedy scene, barbecue, and the new look at iconic bar Ships Lounge.
Coalition For a New Dallas executive director Matt Tranchin stops by the Old Monk to talk about how decisions on transportation and a movement toward greater walkability are vital to the future of the city.
Hosts: Tim Rogers, Zac Crain
Theme music: Shibboleth's "The Bavarian," from the 2008 album Experiment in Error (Idol Record
Legendary newsman Dan Rather makes another visit to the Old Monk, with his grandson Martin in tow, to talk about the state of this year's presidential election, his respect for Mark Cuban and David Hasselhoff, and why he always totes peanut butter while on assignment in exotic locales. Plus, Tim and Zac surprise him with some old friends.
Hosts: Tim Rogers, Zac Crain
Theme music: Shibboleth's "The Bavarian," from the 2008 album Experiment in Error (Idol Record