November 25, 2025· 1h 17m

ACHP Episode 417 Turkey, Toys, Movies and Sports

Transcript

Welcome to the Cigar has our

podcast Episode 417, your daily

dose of trending news and cigar

information.

I'm one of your host Mike Palmer

and back with us in engineering

is Mr. Booty over there pushing

the buttons?

Bing bong On today's podcast, we

hit the biggest stories you need

to know.

Thanksgiving grocery discounts

that aren't what they seem.

Netflix making a surprising move

to chase Warner Brothers

Discovery AI toys causing major

safety concerns for parents.

The NBA and the NFL chasing

massive European expansion.

Big shake up at Jr. cigar, Casa

de Monte Cristo and Santa Clara.

The Postagna War Bear masks

instructions officially drops

and the media has questions.

Really.

Updates on the California UTL

lawsuit.

Plus today's round of what's the

score?

And always we have a listener of

the Week.

Yes.

Before we get started, let me

introduce the man who was on

every show, Mikey.

I get the better camera and

backdrop.

Stefan Kevitch, Mikey, how can

you get some of that chapter pod

swag?

What you want to do is go on to

Chapter pod.com and check out

our latest swag.

The War Bear shirt is available.

The Blackout hat is not

available, but we still have

other pieces of apparel.

Buy one, get 140% off.

If you buy more than $100,

you're going to get free

shipping.

And make sure you like and

subscribe to wherever you're

listening to this or watching.

So many options now.

But YouTube, I mean, YouTube be

nice.

YouTube.

So yeah, we're so close.

We're so close to being to add

the shop button to our YouTube

page.

Just need a few more.

Things easier for everybody, so

just do it.

You know what it is?

I feel like this is the, since

we're kind of getting in, we're

leaning towards the Christmas

spirit.

You remember a Christmas story?

Yeah, where the guy has to do

the decoder and you know, you

work so hard to get everything

gets to the decoder and it's

drink more, that's what's going

to happen.

It was like we YouTube shop and

what's changed?

Nothing.

Once we get there, if they drop

off, does the ability to do it

drop off too?

I don't know.

Don't go away.

I don't.

Know and chop is on and chop is

off and chop is.

On weeks time, right back and

forth back and.

Forth back who knows man?

So is it a 365 calendar year?

Do we have like till December

30?

First, no, it's.

It's constantly rolling.

Constantly rolling.

So no reset.

No, but it's, it's, it eeks up

closer and closer every couple

days.

Like it updates every two days.

It's like and all of our stuff

is definitely trending in the

right direction.

Yeah, I looked this morning.

All the analytics are.

Up.

Yeah, tremendously.

And you guys, if you haven't

watched that Pete Johnson

interview, man, we got some

great feedback on that, So go

back.

And a lot of a lot of views in

the last week.

Yeah, check out that Pete on

YouTube.

Yeah, he's not as popular on

Rumble.

No Michael Herklatz is possible

is popular on Rumble.

Interesting.

Very weird, but yeah, go to go

watch the Pete Johnson

interview.

It was, it was a great

interview.

I I think it was the best

interview.

It was the greatest interview of

all.

Time the best Pete Johnson

you've ever seen.

Yeah, it was really good and.

Important thing is he's happy

with it.

Yeah, yeah.

That's always nice.

Yeah, and we're good.

What are we doing for the

Patreon buddy?

We are smoking the Belgian blue

from crown heads.

Yes.

Hold it up on your little hands.

Good.

Yep.

Yep, it's it's already available

on the site.

Oakley, Dokley.

And I don't smoke this one and I

just took everything off and I'm

going to tell you about what it

weighs if it's not going to do

things. 14.6g. 14.6g.

With everything off of it.

Yeah, it feels OK.

It does feel OK.

And I got, I got a couple things

to talk about on the Patreon as

well.

So looking forward to that.

Check out our Patreon Cigar

Hustler's podcast Patreon.

A cigar hustler podcast.

A cigar hustler's podcast.

Yeah, he's important.

OK.

All right, now on to our first

story.

Grocery change or discounted

Thanksgiving meals to earn your

loyalty.

It's mainly just a marketing

scam.

Grocery stores are pulling a

fast when this Thanksgiving, and

honestly, I kind of respect the

hustle.

They're slashing Turkey prices

like crazy, hoping you'll fall

in love with them forever.

Meanwhile, inflation is still

tearing through grocery aisles

like a pack of teenagers

joyriding in those motorized

scooter carts.

Here's the truth, it's mostly a

marketing play.

Food costs are still up 29%

since pre pandemic days, but the

big chains are hoping that

giving you a tiny little holiday

breather will keep you loyal.

And some of them are literally

eating the cost to make it

happen.

Wholesale frozen Turkey is

running about $1.73 a pound

right now, yet Walmart is

selling it for $0.97 a pound.

It's.

Like gas?

Oh wow.

That's not charity.

That strategy.

A couple of highlights.

ALDI is rolling out a $40

Thanksgiving bundle with a 14 LB

Turkey and all the fixings for

10 people.

It's $7.00 cheaper than last

year.

It's like a kit.

It's a kit.

Oh, I love that.

You tell my wife she's going

shopping today.

Walmart is keeping its holiday

dinner bundle the same price as

last year, around $4.00 a

person, but they quietly removed

a few items from the package.

Oh, sneaky, sneaky.

Sneaky, sneaky.

Maybe no cranberry sauce.

No celery.

It's waste.

Sweet potato gone.

It's just sweet potato cake now.

Not bad.

The bigger picture of the

American Farm Bureau says a

traditional Thanksgiving dinner

for 10 clocks in at about.

You guys like to guess.

We've guessed a lot on the show.

For 10.

Yes, Thanksgiving dinner for 10.

Average cost.

Probably like I want to say 270

dollars.

We're just talking about

material.

Like, yeah, no, no party favors,

no.

Anything.

No labor, my wife.

We don't pay my wife to go to

this.

Works alright, so it's free OK.

Well, it's the exchange.

What?

How much did you say, Mikey?

He said 200 and something. 270.

270, I'll go 250.

You would think it would be that

high, wouldn't you?

It's $55.18 this year for 10

people. 10 people where the

basic meal that is.

I know where are they that is.

Complete horseshit 'cause I got

news for you.

First of all, I got, we got our

Turkey at Costco and it was

$0.99 a pound, right?

OK, but it was, you know, 20 LB

Turkey.

You know that, you know, you

know what they're including in

that.

Probably Turkey, stuffing and

green beans.

That's probably all you're.

Getting so that that'll feed

about 10 bread like that, feeds

like 10 people.

And then, you know, there's no

way.

I don't know.

I'm going to tell you our Costco

bill was not $55.

Yeah, my wife's going for 456

and she's not going to spend.

What kind of delusion?

Oh, who writes this sort of

thing?

I'm probably.

From the National Farm Bureau,

that's about $5.52 a head, down

5% from last year.

But still about $5.

Dude, I can't. 552 a head.

I know, How do you eat for five?

I can't feed anybody for $5.

I just spent $8 a Circle K for

energy drinking a pizza.

Well, did you get the champion?

Did you get the Thanksgiving

pizza?

Maybe it was.

You.

Yeah, they have Turkey on it.

I guess if the Turkey is

cheaper, huh?

That's 13% more than back in

2019.

So yeah, your Turkey might be

cheaper, but don't be fooled,

the grocery bill is still

winning the war.

I'm, I'm kind of confused by

this because I thought it was

more money because I see all

these, you know, Thanksgiving

drives, you know, where people

are like, oh, we'll give you the

Turkey.

Well, the Turkey don't cost

nothing.

I mean, Turkey's still

expensive.

I think it's the cheapest part

of the meal though.

At this point, right, Like that

was the attract sequence.

It's the the, the What's a lost

leader?

The lost leader is the Turkey.

Come buy this Turkey.

Come buy the Turkey, I give you

green bean.

So $75.50 grand dollar.

Worth of green beans.

So if I pay an extra 20 bucks to

upgrade the Turkey, do I get a

turducken?

Do you want the deluxe?

You want the deluxe.

I want the turducken, yeah.

You want the Turducken.

The Turkey with the duck chefed

up a test.

Yeah, I just want to survive

Thanksgiving at this point, you

know?

This is a hard time of year for

nothing against you, Palmer.

It's always a hard time of year

for everybody.

But if you got kids?

I have kids.

I mean like kids in school like

this is hard.

Because they're out of school.

Yeah.

When and when did that happen?

When did that become a thing?

Because I don't.

Remember.

That, last time I checked,

Wednesday for us was the last

day of.

School.

Yeah, you maybe went to school

on Wednesday.

Yeah.

And then?

And then Wednesday, Thursday,

Friday.

Then you had Thursday, Friday

off.

Yeah, it was like a long

weekend.

These fuckers got the.

Whole week.

I got the whole week right like.

I left, I will pray for my wife,

'cause I left and there was

three additional kids in our

house.

We had a sleep.

Yeah, we had a sleepover last

night and there one, one even

said.

So a date.

Kid, you guys aren't on my tax

return. 11 even said.

Wait, did we have three more

kids?

What happened?

Look, I'm not against.

It what did 1 say?

One even said, I'm going to stay

up and wait and see, watch the

elves move.

Because the elves, the elves on

the shelf, they come to our

house a little early, like we

got going.

They like to check on the kids.

So these kids are playing.

So not only, not only do I don't

know if I mentioned this, but

they, the elves, we had two

elves, right?

Well, they brought you mentioned

it last week.

Did I?

We brought an extra elf.

An extra elf has now come.

Oh, no, you said you had Snoop.

Yeah, Snoop on the shoe.

Snoop on the Stoop is now here

from the Stoop.

It is.

Yes.

So is there 4 total or three?

There's three.

So there's two elves and A and a

Snoop.

Snoop on the stoop.

Oh, it's like a reversal or I'm

sorry.

Reversal, yeah.

I just want you to know I, I.

Did some racism.

Congratulations.

I don't, I don't control the

clips anymore.

They I just let them go.

I just let them go right now.

Oh, man.

So, yeah, you know, But like,

for me, I love all that.

Like, as far as kids come to the

house, I know they're safe.

We let them do whatever the hell

they want for the most part.

It's just to be reasonable kind

of approach.

When he's get part of the story,

did he make it up all night?

No, no, no he did not.

They're children.

They they go, oh, it's 12:00.

Well, you know, he's got energy

drinks hidden outside in the

fridge in the garage.

Maybe the kid got hit.

And they're pounding.

Pounding the rather.

Fold in the the G shocks or

whatever they go.

The elves are very magical.

They they wait.

They wait, they wait it out.

Yes, well, the elves probably

put the melatonin in the energy

drinks.

No, no, we don't do.

Melatonin.

Melatonin's bad for you.

It's bad.

For you, it's just.

Damage.

A long time usage is like

damage.

You know the children's.

Getting jacks off, that was

like.

Removing like on heroin.

Yeah, exactly.

That's what I was going to say.

He's like, hey, can I get some

melatone?

Like no.

No, you can't.

Apparently you're not allowed to

have melatonin ever again.

It's like.

Oh, we have this other stuff

that's kind of like military.

What should I do?

Like read a book.

Whatever you do, don't do what

Palmer did and do the Afrin.

The Afrin is bad.

Well, yeah, don't do that.

That doesn't happen.

Doesn't help you sleep.

Yeah.

No, no, that's the the nose

clearer, yeah.

Yeah, clear the nose.

Yeah, OK.

All right.

Next up, Netflix, Netflix,

Netflix.

Netflix would reportedly break

its biggest rule to buy Warner

Brothers.

According to a Bloomberg report,

Netflix is willing to distribute

WBD, which is Warner Brothers

Discovery movies, in theaters if

it successfully buys the

entertainment giant.

Netflix has long resisted

putting its film in theaters,

preferring to release them

directly on its streaming

service, though it has made

exceptions for certain movies to

qualify for award consideration.

The movie would.

The move would make Netflix bid

to purchase WBD more palatable,

Per Bloomberg.

WBD put itself up for sale last

month, drawing interest from

Paramount, Skydance, and Comcast

in addition to Netflix.

Comcast and Netflix are

reportedly only interested in

acquiring WBD studio and

streaming business, while

Paramount would likely want the

whole enterprise.

We'll take the whole thing.

Paramount's making some moves.

Well Netflix makes all those

movies just for the service, so

if they buy this they can put

them out in theatre.

So that doesn't make any sense

though, 'cause I mean, when was

the last time you went to the

theatre, Mikey?

Two weeks ago.

What did you see?

Stitch head?

I don't even know what that is.

Yeah, it's a kid movie.

Oh oh, so you just go see the

kid movies in the theatre?

That would make sense.

You know, I would like to go to

the movies.

Like I wanted to see Predator.

I wanted to see Running Man.

Oh, I didn't want to see that

too.

But the reality is when man,

when I.

Mean I don't have kids running

around and I still can't go by

myself.

Yeah, why not?

When do I have time?

Yeah, it's tough.

Yeah, so that's why I'm that's

why I'm kind of getting at like,

why put, why put movies in the

movie theater when that's not

really, you know, the thing like

why not?

Why not market with Apple, you

know, and and come out with

movies quicker than you do on

Netflix or you know, whatever.

Well, they compete with Apple.

They wouldn't want to put their

movie on Apple also, but I.

But I mean, they compete with.

One, I don't know, man.

I think it's all kind of

cyclical, to be honest.

I think that right now it's kind

of in a dip, but I think that it

trends in the right direction.

My kids are all of a sudden

like, hey, let's go to the

movies.

Hey, you know, like that's

happening a little bit more.

You know, I think that within

the next 5 or 10 years you're

going to see more of a

resurgence for movies and movie

theaters.

Oh, you think so?

I do, I do.

It becomes like a safe kind of

pastime.

You know, I don't think with the

the cost of a home theaters

coming down that it becomes

something more you do at home.

No, I no, I think that that

happens too.

But what happens You you watch

movies and all of them you

watch.

Hey, let's go out.

Hey, let's go, let's go.

Yeah, Adrian hates going to the

theater, so she never wants to

go.

Well, they did just redo the

Deltona 1, so maybe, you know,

maybe that changes.

Oh, the one over that sits by

itself.

The epic, Yeah.

Did they redo it?

Yeah, they redo it.

What's that old?

They put like 4D in it and they

put new reclining chairs, new

screens.

I do like.

I like the app where I can just

place my order and and not have

to deal with the line and just

scoop up my stuff.

That's awesome.

Right, walk right through.

Yeah.

So I'll go to Theatre 7.

Yeah, exactly.

So yeah, I mean, I have gone to

the movies.

Oh, you guys have a nice one

over by you too though.

Altamont, right.

We go to, we go past that one.

Where, where do you go to Winter

Park?

Regal.

Oh, Winter Park.

Yeah, Yeah.

Yeah, yes, better than the

Altamont.

They have a, they have a bar.

I don't think they have a bar at

Altamont.

I think they have the bar at

Winter Park.

I think they do.

They have a bar both now.

Altamont 18 yeah.

Can't you get food there too or

something and have it delivered

to your seat or something?

I don't know.

Been a while since I've been to

that one.

I like the epic one.

That one's pretty nice, so.

Yeah.

I mean, it makes sense to

acquire.

I think it makes sense to

acquire.

Yeah.

Yeah, you gobble things up.

Where's the closest theater that

the chairs move and everything?

That's well, for us, that would

be Daytona, Oh.

Is there one in Daytona?

Daytona One, Yeah.

Oh, Daytona 1.

Regal moves, Altamont has some

of that moves.

They're they're practically

everywhere at this point.

Oh, are they?

Yeah.

Well, well, now.

Now Epic has those.

You know, it's funnier though,

is like so for Stitch Head, we

rented the movie theater out for

like the birthday party.

And so at least I get to hang

out some dads and like, when you

reel the thing back, the chair

reclines, goes and like makes it

like a squeaky sign.

So what I would do is as soon as

I'd hit it, I'd stare at one of

my friends and just lower it and

then like raise it.

They get you too comfortable.

I fall asleep sometimes.

It's amazing, you know that

they're not, They're not.

Kids aren't going anywhere.

You take a little nappy poo.

Can't they run out?

I mean, if it's a bunch of.

I mean, maybe.

Same scenario, like be

reasonable.

My kids know like they have a

ton of freedom.

They have a ton of freedom, but

they also know that if they mess

it up, it is taken away without

an empty threat.

Well, in your case I'd be more

concerned with the other

children.

No, no, it's like the, the, the

like the banana theory.

You know how like you go for the

banana and you get hosed.

Like remember this, the

scientific study where you hose

and then like all of a sudden

you start replacing the apes and

they know that they can't go up

the ladder.

They don't know why, but you

can't go up the ladder.

It's the same thing.

My kids were like whoa.

Oh, they keep the other kids in

jail.

Do it.

Hey, don't do it.

Listen well, he said.

There was other dads they could,

they could keep the watch while

he's got a little.

But I also like to set the

precedence with the other dads

because sometimes the other dads

will ride them a little bit

harder when they're in the in

the theater.

I'm like, hey, listen, like I

hear the rules.

My kids got this.

They can't go under the curtains

right for the theater and they

can't leave the theater.

Yeah.

Like other than that, let them

be kids.

Right.

Oh, so they can get up and run

around inside?

Oh, my God, Yeah.

I it's it's all.

It's all our theater.

Yeah.

Yeah, there's nobody else

sitting in there.

There isn't enough opportunities

for kids just to be kids, right?

That's true.

And I'm like, they are safe.

They're in this room.

Like let them have a good time

there's.

No little usher running around

going.

No, no, they just leave it and

then I just, I, I, I tip the

ushers.

Oh, do you really?

Yeah, that's a, that's a nice.

Yeah, 'cause they're about to

clean up some stuff.

I'm like, hey, look, you know

what?

And you know what's funny too is

they're like, it's fine, man.

The place is always a disaster.

I'm like, it's yeah, OK, but

this is my disaster.

Right, right.

So.

That's nice of you.

I like to take care of people.

We should get tipped for doing a

podcast.

Hell no.

You know, it's always a disaster

right here afterwards.

It's always a disaster.

You guys always leave, leave

your shit everywhere or

something.

Well, I ask, though I do ask.

Look if you want.

To say no.

If you want to, if you want to

take abuses, you're going to

have to be my friend.

And that's, that's the problem.

Welcome to my friends, being my

friend.

When you're out outer realm life

is good.

When you see when I suck you in

a little bit closer, it's

miserable.

All right, now, with the holiday

getting closer, consumer groups

warn parents of the dangers of

AI toys.

And this to the list of things

parents need to be concerned

about in between Lice and an

imaginary friend resembling

Victoria's child for an

inhabited their home 150 years

ago.

Like how they compared to lice?

AI Toys A recent report by the

Public Interest Research Group

found that some AI toys it

tested were quick to discuss

inappropriate topics with

minors.

Oh good.

Open AI, whose GPT 4 Point O

chatbot model was used to power

Singapore based Flow toy,

suspended its relationship with

the company after researchers

were able to get the toy makers

teddy bear to discuss sexual

fetishes.

Oh my God.

And give instructions about how

to light a match.

Oh, where to find Where to find

knives in the home?

Oh, it's turned completely.

Here's what you got to do.

Get a match and a knife.

I'll tell you where they're at.

How do we?

Take off your pants.

To mommy that you do what you

want.

Sexual fetishes.

Jesus.

Oh wow, I was going a different

direction.

Oh, acts of violence or

something?

No Teddy Ruxman.

No, no, Teddy.

No, Oh my God.

You weren't.

Burning mommy and stabbing her

in the you know what with the

knife.

If you weren't already scared

enough, here comes Teddy Ruxman

again.

Comes Teddy Ruxman.

Consumer advocacy group Fairplay

issued its own warning

yesterday, urging parents to

avoid buying AI enabled toys

this holiday season.

The group accuses the toys of

praying on children's trust,

disrupting their relationships

and invading privacy.

A decade ago, Fairplay led the

campaign against a Wi-Fi

connected talking Barbie doll,

accusing it of recording

children's conversations.

Mattel announced a partnership

with Open AI in June, but hasn't

released specific plans for the

tech.

All warnings are coming fast.

The safety and privacy concerns

come as researchers warn that

teens are dangerously using the

technology for therapy.

OK, wow.

What?

What is the toy this year?

I mean, do kids still play with

toys?

It's all electronics.

I think I have no idea.

For my age group, for my 6 year

old that's now 7.

I think it's like pet alive.

What are you doing the 6/7?

'Cause you just said it.

I don't understand the whole

concept.

Me neither.

So what is a toy Some about a?

Pet.

It's called Pet Alive.

So it was an AI pet pet.

It's like a it's like a yeah,

it's like a plastic toy, but it

moves like a real pet it.

Why don't you just get him a

real pet?

He has a dog.

I don't want those.

Yeah, I was against.

The dog.

He's got the coolest cat I've

ever met.

I don't know man, I got a pretty

cool cat.

Well, I haven't had any

interaction with.

Any cat I, you know, I was very,

very negative about the cat.

Now you like the cat.

Listen, man, the cat is cool at

first, but you're going to get

sick of it, I promise you.

Why?

Because he's going to get in

your way and he's just going to

be a problem.

He's going to act like he's

throwing up in the middle of

night when you're trying to get

sleep.

Yeah, it's like you want to just

kick the thing across the room

at that point.

It's like, dude, for years

you've been trying to throw

something up and you never do

it.

Like why are you in my fucking

room?

Will your cat run out if you

open the door?

The patio.

But will he try to leave that

door left, the front door open?

She has.

Yet to attempt to leave through

the front.

Oh, just.

Wait till you go on that safari.

His cat used to be a street cat,

so it doesn't want to go

outside.

Yeah, he, well, he would.

He would jump out out front and

then he would realize what the

fuck he did.

Oh shit, I'm on the street

again.

There are four O 3 squares in

his place.

This is ridiculous.

This is.

Ridiculous.

Oh my God.

You're chased by a dog.

Yeah.

So I don't know what what other

toys are kind of in demand.

I just know the pedal.

Well, that's an AI toy.

It's a it's a plastic dog that

acts like a dog.

I can tell you that we do like a

catalog thing.

We like Teddy and Justice and

Jack's, well, Jack's kind of

older now, but we would just

bust out the Target ad thing and

they would circle a couple of

things that they want.

Yeah, Teddy circle a whole damn

catalog.

This, this, this.

Yeah.

So she wrote a thank you card to

Santa yesterday.

Oh yeah, Like in advance.

In advance, yeah, because she

knows what he's bringing.

Thank you so much for the, for

the, for.

The and there's a list of 1718

different.

Well, he's bringing the whole

UPC.

Yeah, she's so she was, she was

telling one of my friends that

was hanging out with us last

night say I wrote a thank you

card to Santa and and he goes,

oh, what toys did you ask for?

And she wrote back, she said to

him, all of them, all of them,

all of them.

Now what?

All of them.

She knows.

She's advising me to ship early

because he might need a second

sleigh.

She's testing the waters of

Santa.

What she doesn't understand is

inflation's getting to Santa as

well this year, and there's a

little bit of you.

Know you know, Teddy, you're.

Frozen target.

I had to lay off a couple of

those elves.

So you're not getting all the

toys this year.

She's.

Right her back.

Write her back.

Her letter.

I'm sorry I can't give you that

many little sleigh's not big

enough.

Thank you for the thank you

letter.

Thank you for that.

But Santa's making some

cutbacks.

Santa had to repair those

slaves.

Inflation yeah, Santa's got some

extra overhead this year.

Missus Santa needed lipo and.

I had to send Snoop to you,

missus.

Claus is on ZAP bound trying.

To lose a little weight there,

all right, turn into sports.

The NBA and the NFL are

basically house hunting in

Europe now, looking to build

second homes across the Atlantic

and cash in on a whole new

market.

Both leagues smashed revenue

records last season.

The NBA pulled in $12.3 billion.

Yeah, and the NFL hit 23

billion.

And of course, instead of being

happy with that, they're already

enjoying the next big score.

The NFL plan a full blown

European division.

The NFL has been flirting with

Europe since 2007, flying teams

over for international games,

packing stadiums, and yes,

somehow making the Jaguars look

like a global ambassador.

This year they held a record 7

international games, six of them

in Europe.

And now the rumor mill is

humming.

According to Pro Football Talk,

the NFLPA is gearing up for a

major push toward a four team

European division instead of

relocating 4 existing teams.

Don't worry Jacksonville fans,

the league might just create new

expansion teams.

And before all that, the league

wants to bump the cap on

international games from 10 to

16 in the next CBA.

They just had their first ever

game in Spain and Goodall acted

like he found the fountain of

youth.

We will be back.

We are excited.

The NBA plans go big or go home.

The NBA isn't messing around.

They're already talking about

launching an entire 16 team

European league in 2027.

They've got JP Morgan Chase and

the Rainy Group out hunting for

investors and are already

pitching sovereign wealth funds,

private equity, and rich

families who want to say they

own a piece of the NBA team

without actually owning any NBA

team.

While Europe the continent has a

50 billion sports market and

basketball currently makes up

less than half of 1% of it.

Huge upside.

Even the Euro League, Europe's

biggest basketball league, is

growing, but it's nowhere near

NBA money.

The big picture Europe has has

fewer NBA fans overall, but the

fans they do have are younger,

hungrier and glued to the North.

Sound like you're about to say

something?

I mean, yeah, it makes sense for

them to expand, but I think that

the ratings in the US are down

there's as far as NBA is

concerned, the flopping is

obnoxious.

I honestly believe that the

sports betting is getting the

better of.

Maybe it's another reason to go

to Europe.

Yeah, they just make the pie

bigger, right?

Yeah.

Meanwhile, we can't send cigars

to Europe.

Right.

That's bad.

Wild.

OK, what do you think?

Are you excited about NBA

expansion into Europe?

Will you?

When you visit Germany, are you

going to stop by and see your

favorite NBA?

Can you go to your favorite

club?

Mr. Booty.

No.

No, you're not excited about the

expansion.

No, I, I just don't see how this

does anything like, OK, first of

all, it's 32 teams.

OK.

OK, it's going to be a lot

harder if you're expanding the

NBA.

You'd have to do a separate

league, right?

Because when it comes to how

people are in standings and

where they go in playoff

brackets and all that kind of

stuff, like it just doesn't make

sense to go to many more teams,

like maybe a couple.

Well, they talked about building

a whole new league.

Yeah, it'd be a separate league.

So, yeah, so if you're in a

separate league, I mean it's

good, but why don't you just buy

like the China league that's

already huge or why don't you

buy the FIBA league that's

humongous because that's all

international, I mean.

It'd be cheaper to start your

own.

Yeah, you think you can buy

China's league and China?

Yeah, China gonna sell that.

They want it I.

Mean China sells everything to

us on fucking loan, so why not?

Oh, you think so?

Yeah.

Is there there's a Chinese

basketball league?

Oh yeah, it's huge.

Allen Iverson was one of the

biggest players of all time.

Did you?

Did the money makers make a

wager on the Chinese league this

week?

No, No.

Don't makers the win the Wayne

Chung Dragons?

I do not.

Wager on you don't.

You don't like you.

Want to do a money leagues pick

of the week every Monday?

We.

Should do you yeah, I I want to

get a recap money maker of this

week.

Did we?

We should.

Did we finish in the positive

this week or Yeah.

I I won 300, I lost 250 so. 50

bucks. 50 bucks.

OK.

All right.

Yeah.

Last night was really hard with

Baker.

Oh.

Yeah.

All right.

Well.

What's the money maker Pick of

the week?

Do you have a pick?

Wait, full disclaimer.

Well, you guys are for the

record, yeah, we are not

condoning gambling by any means.

Yeah, we're not going.

To have a problem, contact

Gamblers Anonymous.

Yeah, 888, admit it.

And and also, this is boots

we're talking about here.

He's definitely not an expert

when it comes to betting.

We are not affiliated with any

sports betting, Yeah.

All right.

Go ahead, go ahead.

Pick.

All right, go ahead.

Now Boots pick of the week

Duncan Robinson.

No way, money makers pick of the

one.

Yeah, money.

Oh, we're just.

Going to go straight to the

group, huh?

Money.

Makers, they're going to love

this.

I'm going to make them all watch

these episodes now.

Good.

We need 84.

Few showers.

Yeah, there you go.

OK, the money makers Pick of the

week Duncan Robinson of the

Detroit Pistons, 10 1/2 points

over.

Over.

So you're thinking he's going to

score more than 10 1/2 points,

correct?

That's how that works.

I know nothing about betting.

I don't know, I don't know.

When is that game?

Tonight.

OK, they oh.

Well, this goes up tomorrow.

It's not going to work.

To.

Work.

So we're going to, we're doing

this.

Looking ahead.

We're going to find we're fine

tuning this, OK, so but at least

we can review for next week and

we can know that if if you want

to be lost.

Right, there we go.

OK, OK.

Duncan Robinson, I'm going to.

I'm going to check that out.

We will add this in mid, mid

show starting next week.

Yeah, it's.

Perfect money.

Makers pick of the week, but you

have to have something that on

Monday night, OK.

Yes, you need a Tuesday.

This, yeah, this gets released

on Tuesday, so I need a Tuesday

night.

Yeah.

Tuesday, Wednesday.

Thursday, Friday.

Any of those nights all.

Right.

OK, so he made 50 bucks,

allegedly 50 bucks.

Allegedly $50.

Baker Mayfield didn't bake.

No, he's yeah.

So let you personally do the

money makers bet as a group

also.

So we, so we went over this,

right?

So I don't remember.

We collaborate and we come up

with who we think are the best

picks for that night.

And for football, we do early

lines.

So like we're already starting

to do our stuff for Thursday

nights cause the lines, So how

the lines are is they'll say,

let's say Baker Mayfield, right?

Baker Mayfield line right now

would be 200 passing yards.

He'd be over or under, so you'd

pick over because you would

think Baker would probably throw

on a Thursday night.

He usually plays great on

Thursday nights, but as he gets

closer to the Thursday, his line

goes up.

So it goes from 200 to 225.

To 2:30 betting it.

Right, right.

Which normally is going to

happen anyways, so, but as you

get closer, the line gets, the

space gets smaller for error,

right?

Is what is essentially the

concept.

So yeah.

OK.

Yeah, so how about those

Cowboys?

Why did you take them?

No, no, no.

You guys are up on both tanks.

Sorry.

Hey, Mike, I didn't know who to

switch it on.

I was like, I had, you know,

the.

Customer wants to come pick

something up.

All right, Mikey, you got a

video for us this week.

I do.

I sent it to you.

Oh.

This is interesting.

So this is a volume 1 and

there's no music?

Yes, you go ahead and you play

it.

I'll play mine without sound and

you turn yours down too, Bootsy.

I'll mute mine on the edit and.

OK, but just don't put in your

face like that.

Lower it.

There you go.

Gotcha.

What's up my cigar brothers and

sisters?

It's Guy Fieri excited to tell

you about a new special

exclusive release, the new

Knuckle Sandwich Off Menu Cigar.

It's a 6 by 54 Fox Press Toro

with a Pennsylvania broad leaf

wrapper and a Nicaragua binder

filler.

Now it delivers a bold,

balanced, full flavor experience

that lives up to the Knuckle

Sandwich name.

We call it off Menu because it's

made for those in the know,

retailers and consumers who want

something, something truly

special.

If you're looking for big flavor

and attitude, this one's for

you.

Check it out.

OK.

All right, I have several

problems.

With this yes so problem #1.

He needs a microphone.

Why isn't he miked up?

Yeah, for God's sake.

This is a guy that has.

Access to I mean, there has to

be a film crew there, something

doing something.

Somebody's following him around,

right?

You would think, yeah, 'cause

somebody videotaped it, yeah.

Yeah, someone from the Food

Network.

So.

It sounds like he's in a gym,

like there's weights.

Being somebody's building

something.

Yeah, he's like, what's going?

On Well, they are.

They're building his next video.

Yeah, the next.

One, on the video that you

copied his boots little face is

floating to the bottom 'cause he

might be like.

It it sees, it sees, Yeah.

Oh, off a face with him.

Yeah, yeah, his his hair looks

great, though.

He looks freshly bleached.

Yeah, so he's about to tape

something.

He's got a nice outfit on, he's

ready.

His hair looks nice, He's ready

to do something.

Yeah, I mean, all you need is

like a little DJI Osmo Pocket 3

and A and a mic.

Yeah, spend $5075 and get a

little mic that you carry.

Around make him, make him sound

good, you know, like there

should be a guy for that.

Right.

Doesn't that would.

Eliminate the background noise

too.

Guy Fieri stuff for them.

What's that?

Who's the gentleman that does

all the Jerome?

Jerome, Yeah.

Oh, he does, Espinosa.

Stuff.

Oh, he does Espinosa cigars.

Oh, he doesn't do the knuckle

sandwich.

Stuff he doesn't do Guy Fieri's

show.

No, it's, it's a good clip,

don't get me wrong, but it could

have been so much.

Better could have been better.

You know, you just a couple

little snippets here like

little.

Put a light on it.

Well, you know, maybe maybe he

really wanted to get this out,

so maybe it was just kind of out

of the blue.

Yeah, but here's the deal, man.

But why doesn't he have a guy

that's always with him?

Yeah.

Let's say that it, let's say

that it you're right.

And you're probably right that

he, you know, he's in between a

bunch of things.

He's got a lot going on.

Whatever, right?

But can you open the door real

quick?

Put somebody in?

Oh, wait, I never mind.

Greg's got it.

OK, you know, there's a bunch of

stuff like again, he's got a lot

going on.

All he has to do is have

somebody with a ADJI on him to

record it.

Even if you don't want to clip

it, at least the audio sounds

good, the video looks good.

You know, the video looks

fantastic already and it would

have a better a track sequence

listen as the fine-tuned show

that we are with our audio and

video we are going to critique.

And of course.

And the reality is that this is

our world, Yeah.

And we don't have a plane.

Right.

No, Yeah.

Does he have a plane?

I think he has a plane does.

He have a plane.

Of course he has a plane.

Yeah, that guy's, well, I mean,

everybody doesn't have a plane.

He might have a.

He was probably in his plane.

It's so big.

That's why he.

Sounded that way.

Was that going?

Yeah, I don't think Guy Fieri is

rich.

I think Guy Fieri is wealthy.

Well, he might have access to

like the Food Network plan.

I think he, I think he might

have a.

Difference in what you're

saying?

Like Rich?

Rich and wealthy.

Rich is like a few 1,000,000

bucks.

Wealthy is, you know, double

digit millions like.

Queen.

King Money.

Look at business networks.

Boots Steven look on Chet GPT

and see.

What like I think that you could

burn through rich, It's easy to

you could burn through.

You could burn through rich in a

month if you wanted to, right?

If you weren't conservative with

your cash, right?

I think that if I think Guy

Fieri can turn on the spigot and

spend a lot of money and he's

still good, that's wealth.

Oh, he could spend millions and

millions until he dies and.

I think that he's got he's, he's

worked his ass off to a point

where it's generational.

Yeah.

You know, So yeah.

So he probably does.

He probably was in his plane if

you're saying he's wealthy.

You want to know what his

estimated net worth is?

Go ahead, $100 million.

There you go.

That's it.

No, he's got to be worth way.

More 100 million.

Because I thought it wasn't his

contract for Food Network like

some retard.

It was like 100 million or

something like that.

It was, it was, it was something

other.

It was like 3 digit millions.

I don't know, but if he's worth,

I mean, look, if you're worth

100 million, you're wealthy.

No, no, yeah, yeah.

But I'm just saying I I feel

like he's worth.

More 'cause like I'm worth about

negative 40,050, something like

that -40 yeah, there's a red,

there's a red line for my work.

Yeah, it's a plane, but it's not

a big plane.

See.

Oh, oh, OK.

Yeah.

Oh, but it's not a big.

Plane.

Is it a jet?

It doesn't look like it's a jet.

He likes to be efficient well so

likes to move quickly.

So there's that.

No, no, it is a jet.

Yeah.

Still not, Still not here.

It looks kind of old.

He bought it back in 2017 or

something, it says.

Yeah, but he but he also has

look the food networks plane.

And you're just pulling this off

of the interwebs.

You don't know how accurate that

is.

Right.

No, no.

Yeah, as him and Matt Booth are

in the air and they're.

We got to get him on the show.

Guy Fieri, Yeah.

That'd be good, but I don't

think it will never happen.

I don't think they're going to

help us do.

It don't ever say never.

We'll tell him we have a

sandwich.

I have a sandwich I want you to

try.

We have a microphone and

everything.

Guys, check.

This out baloney.

You know, to be honest, he's

around this area a lot because

there's a lot of restaurants

that he does.

Yeah.

On his show.

The Central Florida area is a

big one.

Is it?

Yep.

Saint Augustine area is a big

one.

If only we knew somebody that's

who knows that would take care

of that for us.

We can't even begin with a shot,

let alone the show.

Or the cigars to the shop before

they.

Can you imagine if he Co.

Or the cigars to the shop before

they release him.

Can you imagine if he Co hosted?

Oh, then you get to stay on the

show again.

No.

Oh, but by the way.

Boots isn't on at all, then I

get bumped to.

Boots, I think we should do

something for the night of the

event for Espinoza, December

6th, December 5th, December 5th.

What we should do either before

the depending upon the schedule,

before the dinner or whatever,

or after the dinner.

We should do it where he's just

a a guest Co host of me and

you're still doing your thing so

he can interact and talk, but he

doesn't have to do all that.

Oh, just do a show.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

I think that'd be cool.

I think it would be a really

hilarious.

Because you get some stuff, you

get some good stuff out of Eric.

Oh, sure, With trending topics.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, it'd be good, bro.

I was on that island.

Who wrote this?

I catered his food.

It was terrible.

Oh, OK, all right, now let's

light up some cigar news.

The Boutique Cigar Association

has announced its dissolving

after unanimous vote by its

volunteer board, who say they

need to reload, refocus on their

own businesses.

Founded in 2017, the P The BCA

represents a smaller cigar

companies producing under

500,000 cigars a year and was

originally created to address

regulatory concerns tied to the

FDA's deeming regulations.

Over the years, the BCA engaged

with the FDA, the HHS, Congress

and other agencies and is best

known for partnering with the

PCA in 2023.

Did you keep that straight?

You get all.

Those BCA, The PCA.

HHC, which I'm sure.

It's a lot of commas and zeros.

To create a dedicated pavilion

at the PCA trade show for

boutique manufacturers, Group

also hosted the Smoke at the

Creek Festival and recently

launched ABCA branded sampler,

which will continue to be sold

despite the organization

shutting down.

So you can still buy this thing

and we still take the money, but

we don't exist.

It's podcast.

Protecting the legacy will end

the the website will remain

online.

So just to summarize, you can

still buy the cigar?

Yeah, can't watch the show, but

we're keeping the website.

Until GoDaddy kicks us off.

Right until our GoDaddy

contract, allegedly, the

dissolution follows an April

announcement that the BCA would

cease its regulatory work and

its final statement.

The organization called for

industry wide unity and endorsed

the CAA and its definition of

premium cigars, A stance that

differs from the PCA and the

CRA.

The hell is going on here?

Poses including certain flavored

cigars.

Alphabet soup.

Founder Doctor Gabby Cafe

emphasized pride in the

association's nearly 10 years of

advocacy, framing the closure as

the next step toward a more

unified industry future.

Did you say doctor?

Yeah, he was an eye doctor.

So Boutique Cigar Association,

founded in 2017, was originally

guided by a dedicated group of

industry professionals who

formed its first board of

directors.

Original board consisted of

Carrie Horny, Armin

Capparellian, Fuad, I can't

pronounce this guy's last name,

Joel Vasquez, Marrero Carter

Skinner, Dalton Healey and Mike

Palmer.

These individuals.

I was on the original board.

Oh.

Yeah, don't you remember?

These individuals played a

foundational role in shaping the

mission.

Did you include in that?

Yes, in the article.

Yes, wow.

Advocacy efforts of the BCA

during its formative years.

Did you know this was happening?

No, I I left after the third

year.

I believe it just was too much.

I didn't have time.

Well, now that they dissolved,

do you want to reopen it with us

Chapter pod?

Ch pod DCA.

No, I don't.

I don't think so.

Just send all the money towards

us.

Me and Paul will really want you

to send the money to how?

Many.

I'm curious as to how many

podcasts did they do?

I don't know.

I've never watched.

I didn't even realize they had

one.

I've seen that Kathy did a

podcast but I didn't know it was

part of this.

Yeah, we beat another one.

We.

Beat We're going to outlast all

of you.

All of them.

And now that we're going every

day, no one can stop us.

Now there will be no stopping us

except no one will be switching

buttons right now as boots is

texting so who knows where the

camera is on no?

No, I was looking for they

published over 151 episodes.

Oh, they did.

That's.

Not that's not it.

That's not bad.

They hit triple digits.

What's that, a year?

Over 10 years.

No, that's like maybe three

years worth if they do it every

week.

I guess they don't do it every

week, yeah.

No.

Well, you recant.

I got news for you.

We don't check facts.

Here's.

Here's you know what?

Like, here's what's really

funny.

He's got a helicopter too,

right?

Here's what's really funny, man,

this podcast shit is hard.

It is hard.

It is and and the hardest part

about it is showing up all the

time.

Showing up and then talking

about stuff.

Right.

And being open and honest.

So yeah.

It's easier to be open and

honest than to lie.

Because he forget what you said.

Well, you can't keep up with it.

There's too much.

Too much going on.

Yeah, I don't remember what the

hell we said yesterday.

No, people always are so nice.

They come up and go, hey, then

when you guys talked about that

thing on the show and you're

like, when was that?

And they go, well it was like 4

episodes ago.

Like dude, I'm very sorry.

I don't.

Yeah, I mean, when Lalrigam

talked about the thing that he

talked with the suicide or

whatever when he was on with us,

Yeah, I have no idea what that

Don't know what he's talking

about anything.

Yeah, I'm like, oh, that was a

year ago, right?

You know, can't.

Remember what this breakfast?

OK, well do you think BCA could

have?

Are you done with this article

or?

That's the end of the article we

still talk about.

It do you think BCA could have

done something differently to in

order to remain successful or at

least try and be?

Post about them closing.

There have been people that have

been complaining about like the

location of their pavilion and

things they were promised that

never happened and that kind of

stuff.

So, you know, to me it always

seemed like another organization

that wasn't really necessary

because it was doing the same

thing all the other

organizations were doing, just

for smaller groups, right?

So I mean, it's a Dome within

the Dome, right?

So like we're a member of the

PCA, we fit that 500,000 years

ago, whatever, you know, thing.

Why would we want to join this

one too?

That's doing the same thing that

the PCA is already doing on a

bigger scale.

Well, not only that, but if

you're a brand, how are you?

How do you promote?

Just because you're in this BCA

thing doesn't mean that you're

going to be successful in

traffic.

Just because you're in the

pavilion doesn't mean people are

going to walk through.

Right.

Oh, I'm going to support you

because you're.

I'd go over there and walk

around and I'd never, you know,

never see a lot of traffic.

Through it did.

Did those guys payless money to

go to PCA when they were in that

pavilion?

Yeah, it was cheaper than if you

were to buy a because, I mean

basically what you got was a

little stand up thing you stood

behind.

Do you think that these guys

don't go to PCA anymore 'cause?

I think some of them still do.

Some of them probably do.

They'll get the minimum size you

can get, but it's a bigger

investment than it was if you

were.

Part of, yeah.

But just like any business, some

of these businesses are going to

fade away.

Right, Yeah, 'cause the

semestral guys were in there,

right?

Yeah, I'm sure they're fine.

Yeah, but they've graduated up.

Yeah, they they do a regular

booth at by this point, do they?

Well, they do the PCA.

Wait, where where were we?

Does PCA do pavilions too or was

that the the other that was the

other people?

TBE.

Yeah, TPE does a pavilion.

Yeah, I don't know if I don't

remember.

I got to be honest, last couple

years we've kind of been in our

own booth.

Yeah, I think they were more

towards one of the ends where

they sort of start grouping all

the small guys together where

it's like cigar, cigar, you

know, right in a row.

It's not like a substantial

size.

Well, yeah, because I mean, our

Garcia talked about how he felt

like he was mistreated by the.

Yeah, that was one of the guys,

yeah.

Yeah.

You know, I don't know, like the

concept sounds good, right?

The concept sounds good, but I

think that if you're building

something like that, you have to

realize that this is something

that is not going to be

profitable at all and it's just

a do.

We really need another

organization with PCA, the CAA,

the CRA, the whatever, the HHC.

Is, I mean, that's another,

that's another point.

You know, that's another great,

that's another valid point.

Right.

Can't you find a place where you

can fit in already some of one

of these other groups?

Possibly.

Not to mention, you know, what

do you bring to the table at

that point?

You know, like, are you

providing more exposure for the

industry?

It didn't sound like it, you

know?

Boutique cigars are already a a

small smaller type company of

the cigar world anyways.

So then you have this BCA which

is like like you said, like a

Dome within a Dome.

These are even smaller of the

small, Yeah.

So I mean, I could understand

why that kind of dissolved.

I mean, yeah, there's definitely

no money if these are the 1% of

the 1%.

I mean, you can get together

with your boys and put together

a booth, you know what I mean?

Hey, sure.

You know, like I think the other

challenge is.

Some of the companies do that,

like Moe's always in a a group

full of more people, right?

Even even STG now with room 101.

I mean room 101's inside an area

with more than just room 101 in

there.

Right.

Well, I mean he's as well.

That's.

STG Right, right.

Exactly.

But like.

I don't know.

I don't think that you would

hope that that would work, but I

think getting people to pay is

also another thing, another

challenge.

All right, So hey, I'm going to

put the down payment on the

booth.

I'm going to need your third to

split in three ways, and it's

like crickets.

OK, So then I got to pay that,

you know?

Our guys, the Bills coming up,

Seattle.

Has my check.

Go.

See him?

Go see him, he said.

He's paying for mine.

That's funny, dude.

All right, Jr.

Cigar, Santa Clara and Casa de

Monte Cristo get new bosses.

Oh.

Interesting.

Well, the musical chairs over

the tablet Tabacolera USA

continue, and this month they

really spun the wheel.

Brad Winston, the guy who's been

steering the Jr. cigar ship, is

now taking over CEO of both Casa

de Monte Cristo and Santa Clara.

Big move.

He steps into the Sherri

Siemensky, who, according to

multiple people talking to Half

Wheel, appears to be out Brad's.

Brad's been around the building

forever, mostly on the ultimate

side, so none of this is exactly

a shock.

Sliding into Brad's old chair is

Nicholas Mazlowski.

Former Nowski, one of your

people, one of my people.

Polish.

Mazlowski.

He's Polish one of your.

Peoples, how do you know?

Mazlowski, It's NT Ski.

Ski SK.

That's definitely Polish.

Isn't that Polish?

Yeah, without trying to sound

Boots racist, is that?

I mean it is pretty Polish.

Meslowski might be one of my ex

wives.

What if he's checked?

Original name was Meslowski.

Well, he could still be Polish.

It could be.

Hey, former the CEO Ecommercer

Jr.

He's now the CEO.

More with these letters of Jr.

Cigar If you're keeping score,

Jr.

Cigar the OG catalog King 55

years deep.

Rothman Legacy giant online

presence, plus a few retail

spots still hanging around.

Cassie De Monte Cristo, The

premium brick and mortar chain

spreads across Florida and half

of these coasts.

Santa Clara, The wholesale alarm

pushing cigars out to other

retailers.

Tablicolera US as top dog.

Javier Estedes put out the

standard Polish Polish polished

press release talking about.

Polish on the brain the.

Polish press release.

Everything's spelled wrong.

Wow, talking.

About leadership Innovation.

That's stereotyping, not racism.

Innovation.

Premium cigars and how it all

starts at the top.

Translation.

They're shaking things up,

trying to keep the brand sharp

and putting people in seats who

knows how to push the big

machine forward.

OK.

Sounds like they're over trying

to figure out who's going to do

what.

See what?

You go over here, you go over

here, you're in charge of this,

you're in charge of that.

Yeah, well, what do you think it

is?

Why?

Why the shuffle of people?

I don't know, that's kind of

weird, like at this time of year

too.

Oh yeah, not as Jack Toronto.

It's not weird.

No, this is the dime.

They do it.

This is they're not fueling the

growth.

They're just moving people

around.

Well, they but somebody's out.

Oh yeah.

Somebody has to be the lady.

The lady got out.

Yeah, I don't know.

I mean.

Sexism to get rid of the lady.

Yeah, maybe this is Alta.

This you said, right?

Jr.

Santa Clara Jr., Santa Monte

Cristo.

Yeah, I mean, these are bigger

companies, right?

So I mean, I don't know, that's

just kind of weird that they're

moving around a lot.

I mean I can understand like

maybe a one time thing because

somebody is like fucking up and

you had to get rid of them, but

now you're saying that this is

multiple times.

Well, they let a lady go,

created an opening, so then they

take this guy from this company

and put her in her slap.

Now there's another opening.

So they got to bring this guy up

and brought him over here.

Somebody new, he's got to be at

it because they're one short or

a job was eliminated.

The Lakers moved to Texas, where

there are no links.

There you go.

I don't look.

Yeah, I think that they're

feeling the squeeze.

Cigar page is moving up.

They're, they're, they're not

getting into that retail space

as far as brick and mortar.

You know, CI is moving in on, on

specific places as far as where

they think they can, again,

brick and mortar, right.

And Costa's always kind of

floundered.

They acquired these retail

spaces, but they're they're

they've always kind of failed at

the helm.

You know, we did business with

Costa 100 years ago and when you

brought your product in, no one

took care of it and eventually

it found its way to the bargain

bin.

It's like, OK, well, it's not

that my products bad.

It's that you guys don't have

the infrastructure to take care

of it.

So you'll support Monte Cristo,

you'll support your Romeo and

Juliet is but guess what, there

are some mid level brands that

you're missing out on

opportunities because you don't

have the infrastructure for it.

Is that what this is?

I don't know, but I can tell you

that if you're a big brand and

you have retail spots and

you're, you're seeing other

bigger retailers moving in

quickly, that means you're

definitely doing something wrong

and you got to figure that out.

So maybe that's what this is.

It sounds like more of the same

to me personally.

I don't know how you rectify it,

but they were the first to kind

of go in and gobble things up.

They gobbled up serious cigars

in Texas.

You know, they, they kind of

they got, they took over Prime

and Boca.

They they, they move quickly,

but I just don't think that they

had the ability to really kind

of track it where it should have

grown at the level that it could

have.

So it'll be interesting to see

how this goes.

I I just don't, I don't, I don't

know if this is the I don't know

these guys.

So I don't know if this is the

answer or not.

Yeah, it's kind of weird where

you don't really know any of

these names.

Well, I don't know, man.

I don't.

I feel like I don't know a lot

of the.

We're just not in that circle.

Yeah, we're not in that realm

really at all.

But these are more of the office

type.

Like if you call Jack Teranio,

you call, I mean, even Law, you

call some of the guys that we

know, they know some of these

dudes, even Frenchie at this

point, John D Oliver, because

he's now made that transition

into the evil empires.

Is he still over there?

Well, he's at STG, so they all

kind of know each other.

He's.

A Stormtrooper.

Yeah, he's a stormtrooper.

So you know, I don't know, I

hope that they do well because

you don't want to just you don't

want to see one big giant

consume a bigger portion of the

pie.

You know, you want to see them

kind of cut out their sliver and

and attract more consumers.

Yes, but you don't want to see

them over dominate something.

So we'll see what happens.

Alright, the Warbearer mass

destruction has landed and he is

not here to play nice.

Postana just dropped the newest

beast in the VO tech series and

annual limited edition tradition

going back to is it 2019?

Is that correct I.

Don't think so, I don't know.

And this year's release is a

straight up Fleck.

I don't know what I had for

breakfast.

The Postonia Warberry 2025, AKA

the warbearer of mass

destruction.

We're talking a 5 7/8 by 60

perfecto, built like it's ready

for deployment.

Same legendary vo tech Barber

pole wrapper, Ecuadoran Habano

twisted with Mexican San

Andreas, wrapped up in that

signature swirl that let you

know that this thing means

business under the hood.

An Indonesian binder keeping a

crew of Dominican and Nicaraguan

fillers in check, all

handcrafted and fabric A de

Tobacco's Nicos Suena and

Estelee, Nicaragua.

Because of course it is.

MSRP is $25 a stick, and we

camped it at 1000 boxes of

eight.

That's about 250 fewer than we

originally planned.

Scarcity makes the heart grow

fonder and the collectors go

nuts.

But here's the real headline.

The packaging is a complete

departure from anything we've

ever done before.

Each box comes wrapped in a

dark, custom Cera coated metal

sleeve, rugged, heavy and built

with mounting slot already on

it.

That's right, you can hang your

war bear on the wall like it's a

piece of art.

The band is fully blacked out.

Tactical means 0 nonsense.

Oh, that's it.

Oh, it ends abruptly.

The question people are having

is the cost.

The cost?

I was actually contacted by 1

media source and wanted a

comment about why it is twice as

much as any other war beds ever

come out.

OK and coop get a shot at.

Also that it's the most

expensive bear that's ever come

out.

Somebody with a question mark.

Yeah, it's expensive.

Well for one, it has a metal

casing on it.

Yeah, that's usually where I

start.

I did an off the record comment

because I'm not making a.

Comment that was made in the US

of A.

And yeah, we can stamp Made in

America on it.

This is.

Our 10 year anniversary, we

wanted to make something nice

and everything's costing more

money and I got news for you, I

would like to make some money on

selling scars.

I know that this is insane but

look, I can't do stuffed animals

that was already taken so.

They're asking about the price

on this and but they're buying a

$39.00 pink rare pink.

Well, but they're comparing it

and it was two years ago last

time we came out with $113.50.

But this is normally your LE.

Yeah, I like making something

nice and and you know, things

cost more money and and the

reality is just like our hats on

chapter pod, I could have made a

cheaper hat.

Of course, Sure.

Absolutely.

I could have got you some

regular trucker hat and we could

have sold it at half the price.

But it wouldn't have looked as

fucking.

But I wouldn't have liked it,

right?

I wouldn't have been OK with it.

It already broke.

I wouldn't have loved it, No.

I mean, you probably would have

worn it for a while, you know?

But man when I put on our

chapter pod hat I'm like this is

bad ass.

Yeah, I wore it on the all

weekend.

I'm not putting my name on

anything that I think is going

to be not high quality.

Yeah.

So yeah, the sticks are 25 a

clip.

It's 200 bucks.

Have you released a picture of

these things already?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They look dope.

I mean, I don't.

Know videos, the whole shebang.

Yeah, I don't, I don't see how

somebody and it's a 10 count

box.

No, it's 88.

Yeah, 25 bucks for eight sticks

for a box and you get this dope.

Well, it's funny that old.

Sleeve that's engraved cut out

all that I'm.

So happy that Coop took shots.

That's awesome.

Wow, Yeah, thank you Coop at.

Least he carried the press

release.

Yeah, thank you for

acknowledging us on this press

release.

You're a sweet man.

I don't care what they say about

you.

Don't listen to him.

While we are on this subject,

the size is a grand perfecto.

Yes, yes.

OK, your original war bearer,

what was the size?

Perfecto.

Defecto.

Small Perfecto.

That's pretty dope.

You see, like the correlation

we.

Tied that all in, in honor of

our 10 year.

We're bigger, bigger, right?

Bigger, bolder, faster, more

money.

More expensive.

You know it it what it is, you

can.

See the 20 year 50.

Dollars, you know the but but

the irony in in all of this is

that we have seen so many brands

in the past three or four years

come out with cigars that are

6080 a hundred.

Right, that's what I want to say

when people ask like that's

still a cheap cigar, $25

they're.

They're buying the Efts or

whatever that wasn't even a

fucking cigar.

Right, exactly this is this is

our limited.

Not only is it our limited, but

we went above and beyond far as

quality and casing the whole

thing.

We wanted to do something

special right where we had these

cases made, and then we had them

painted with the camo, which I

thought was awesome.

Yeah, and it's only 20. 5 bucks.

They were painted, then

unpainted.

I got news for you if it was

somebody else's brand, I.

Was just about to say.

That they're $100 a piece.

They're $100 a piece per cigar.

And you can be on our Facebook

page if you buy them at $100 a

piece.

That's what other companies

would do.

Yeah, so there you go.

Yeah, I'm excited about it,

Don't my?

I love the cigar.

It's already very well received.

Orders are shipping out and

we're doing what we can to

fulfill them as fast as

possible.

As fast as possible.

It's a good cigar.

I don't know why anybody would

complain.

You know what, man?

As long as they're talking about

us, that's all I care.

About yeah, I guess.

No, no publicity is bad

publicity.

Right, you know the.

Worst part I ever heard of.

Right.

All right, now an update on the

California UTL lawsuit.

For the attorneys involved in

the legal battle over

California's unflavored tobacco

list, UTL, it has been a busy

week or so in both state and

federal court.

The two sides, a group of

companies and trade

organizations representing the

cigar industry and on the other

side of the California Attorney

General's office, have filed

various motions and responses

regarding the UTL.

Last week, the A G's office, the

Attorney General, replied above

to a motion to request for an

injunction from the state court.

In it, the different definitions

of premium cigar play a role,

with the AGS office arguing that

the state's legislator created

California's definition of

premium cigar and provided the

exemptions to the law, not the

AGS office nor its UTL.

It also pokes fun at the

plaintiffs claims that the cost

associated with the UTL are

crippling by pointing out that

the original complaint from the

plaintiffs boasted how premium

cigars are enjoyed all over the

world and the plaintiffs are the

most renowned artesians of the

premium cigars in the world

world.

Again, say world one more time.

World.

Thank you.

So they're trying, they're

saying we've already described

what a cigar is and we actually,

we didn't do it.

The state has already made that

apparent in whatever that was

in, right?

And you guys are saying that

we're crippling the industry by

making them apply to this, But

you said that the people who are

in the lawsuit sell cigars all

over the world and are the

premium people in this industry.

OK, who said all that?

California.

Or the attorney general's

office.

It's we're not crippling and we

didn't even say what a premium

cigar is.

The state's already established

that.

Right.

It sounds like we're screwed.

That's what it sounds like to

me.

Yeah, it does.

Yeah, it sounds like all

everything's going to be

disregarded.

Your complaints are going to.

Sounds like everything we're

doing and they're going.

That's stupid.

Right.

Yeah, you're an idiot.

You're an idiot.

You've already filed it in the

wrong court.

You're saying we're not saying

this and we already said this.

Right now you're saying you

don't have any money, but you

keep suing us.

So you know what's going on

here.

Right.

It's not good.

It's not good for the cigar

industry.

So they're definitely not coming

off of it.

It it looked, it appears to be

that way.

It appears to be that way and.

You know again, this is

California right?

We already know that they do

crazy sideways stuff so let em.

So fuck em man.

Let em not have fucking cigars.

No, I think that that's the

wrong approach.

Dude.

If.

They do it.

Somebody else will.

Do it correct.

You're opening this door up for

Show Notes

On Today’s Podcast, we hit the biggest stories you need to know:

• Thanksgiving grocery “discounts” that aren’t what they seem

• Netflix making a surprising move to chase Warner Bros Discovery

• AI toys causing major safety concerns for parents

• The NBA and NFL chasing massive European expansion

• Big shakeups at JR Cigar, Casa de Montecristo & Santa Clara

• The Powstanie War Bear of Mass Destruction officially drops and the media have questions

• Updates on the California UTL lawsuit

• Plus today’s round of “What’s The Score?” and as always our Listener of the Week