ACHP Episode 433 "Oscars And Chill"
Transcript
Welcome to a cigar hustler
podcast episode 432.
I'm Mike Palmer, your host and
today with boots all I want for
Christmas is a partly to hit
Hippalouser.
Hey, over there pushing the
buttons.
And on today's show we have
Netflix is now into podcasting.
What now they have recalled now
they've recalled an ice cream.
Oh.
Man, that's dangerous.
Now the world's coming to an
end.
The YouTube.
How the world's coming to an.
Yes, because they're recalling
ice cream.
The YouTube empire requires the
crown jewels of award shows some
updates on previous stories.
Then in cigar news, we have
maybe the biggest story of 2025,
and then we wrap it up with a
What's the score?
Bing bong.
But before we get started,
please, let's have a big round
of applause for the man who
started it all here at Cigar
Hustler.
Mike, Greg, I'll do it, but you
have to stop talking to me.
Step on Kevitch.
Yeah.
What a nice intro, so lovely,
thank you all.
Right, Michael?
How do I get some of that
chapter pod swag everybody's
wanting?
You got to go to chapterpod.com.
Check out all our latest
apparel.
If you go to chapterpod.com, you
will buy 1.
You get the 2nd 140% off, and if
you spend $100 or more, you're
going to get free shipping.
That beautiful Black Hat there
that Mister Palmer's wearing, We
have about 3 or 4 of those in.
We also have the Pressure as a
Privilege shirt and we're going
to drop a new one next week.
Oh.
Shirt.
I like our boots.
We don't even know anymore.
Yeah, yeah, we, yeah, we have no
idea.
We've been completely taken out
of this type of the this side of
the operation.
Also like and subscribe.
Follow us wherever you're
listening or watching and check
out our patreonpatreon.com
Cigarhouse's podcast.
This week has been chaos for me,
buddy.
I've been doing a lot with with
the sports as well as the retail
the sports.
But hopefully the dust will kind
of settle this weekend and I
will get your beanie.
I need it for January.
All right, I'm doing my best.
I'm doing my very best, OK?
I did tag the pressure and the
privileged shirt for the
Thursday show you.
Did you put the little product
up?
Well there was a place to do it
and then I just picked which
one.
It shows me all the options and
I just click on.
So today the hat will get
tagged.
There you go.
Oh you can.
You can tag it on the videos.
Yeah, we earned that on YouTube.
Oh, nice, yeah.
That's pretty cool.
As of like last week, still kind
of working through all that,
but.
It's a learning process.
It's.
A bit of a learning curve, so
last night before we kind of get
into your stories.
Yes.
I was on the cigar guys.
Oh were.
You really?
Is that a scheduled thing or
last minute thing or?
Kind of both.
It was a scheduled last minute
thing.
Oh, so he texts Alex, texted me
about a week ago or less than a
week ago.
And he said, hey, just so you
know, we're booking this way now
for our show.
So I text him.
I looked at it and there wasn't
anything available except on
like this Wednesday.
I said you don't have anything
except for this Wednesday.
Wait back up, he texted you and
said we're booking guests for
this week.
We're like we're booking, we're
now booking guests.
They probably what do they use
booksies or something.
I don't know, I'll tell you.
So then there was only 1 opening
Wednesday night.
Yeah, so I text him.
I'm going to tell you exactly
why I texted him.
That way I don't screw this up.
So I after.
So I looked at the link and I
wrote I just looked and only day
available is next Wednesday.
Like stating all he has is next
Wednesday.
He took that as oh, you're
available next Wednesday.
And so he goes perfect.
You know, I'm good with that.
It'll be our final 2025 episode.
Oh, he do too.
He did.
He did.
Tricked you into that one.
EP Johnson Me So I was like, all
right, whatever, I'll make it
work.
I'll figure it out.
So of course I had the football
game and we won.
So now we're in the
championship.
Nice.
We are the.
Champion not Yeah, we got one
more to play.
Don't, don't, don't jinx it.
Don't jinx it.
We got one more to play.
I'm proud of these kids either
way they're.
A champion either way.
So I was up late.
Thanks for everybody.
So I was up late because of the
podcast and because of the
football game.
And when I got home, I wasn't, I
couldn't fall asleep, you know?
Did you go to to their studio
for the podcast?
Yeah.
Oh, OK, I did.
I did.
Jared, I was going to say,
they're local and you might as
well.
Might as well.
Jared is now my favorite basic
guy.
I don't.
Know I I only know Alex that's.
The bigger one, that's the
bigger one with the glasses.
No, that's Zach.
Oh, OK, so the middle.
One.
So Jerry Jared, the one who has
recently lost all the weight and
gotten kind of buff, Yes.
Yeah, He's the muscle.
He's gotten quite chatty.
When he originally did our show,
he was so quiet.
We didn't say anything, right?
He was awesome on this.
Yeah, I have noticed lately he's
become quite chatty.
Oh I love it.
I assumed he started drinking or
something.
No, no, no.
I.
Assumed he started.
Drinking.
Maybe he has more confidence now
that he's lost a little bit of
weight.
He's.
Just coming to his own good.
Yeah, it's pretty impressive.
He's getting older.
He's not 19 anymore.
Yeah.
Oh, is he the youngest one on
the show?
Is my camera crooked?
This thing looks terribly
crooked.
No, it looks great.
It does look look how long that
leg is.
It does look crooked.
No, you look perfect.
And Boots wouldn't care.
He'd make me look silly.
Yeah.
So you were up late doing the
podcast and you were up late
home.
What time did you go to bed?
Probably sometime after one
2:00.
Oh, I was up.
I should have gone up at 6.
I went down at 8 and got up at
midnight and didn't go back to
sleep.
Oh, really?
Yeah, you just excited.
Yeah, he loves to watch.
The Santa Claus A little nervous
about the the Santa Claus thing
this morning and I had not done
any show prep yet because it was
no cigar news yesterday at all.
Right.
So well, you're getting towards
the end of the year, so.
It's gonna be a little more few
and far between.
How'd the Santa thing go, bud?
It went, it went fairly well.
I mean, I got a lot of hugs from
the kids, a lot of photos and
stuff, but my wife was Cindy Lou
Who.
The principal was the Grinch,
the Dean was Max the dog.
So all the kids knew them.
I'm just the weird guy that
looked like Santa Claus.
So, you know, obviously the
three of them were more favored
than Santa was.
And did you go no beard?
I did know no beard but my.
Wife wanted the wig.
Your wife wanted the wig.
Yeah, she thought the wig looked
better.
She did.
So yeah, I think it's so it.
It was fun, Yeah.
Yeah, OK.
More fun than the Grinch.
That Grinch master was hot last
week.
I mean, yeah.
Yeah, OK, very nice.
All right, well, let's go.
Let's get into.
This All right?
I'm with the news now.
Netflix gets into podcasting.
They sign a deal with Dave
Portnoy's Barstool Sports for
exclusive video rights to three
podcasts.
Yeah, fuck those guys.
They could make it 4 if they
want.
Today only we give you a good
deal.
Give you a good deal, Netflix.
Your own little cigar show.
Netflix has gone into business
with Dave Portnoy with a deal
that will bring the unfiltered
commentary of Barstool Sports
podcast personalities to viewers
worldwide.
We are also unfiltered here.
Do you guys watch barstools?
I've seen it upstairs some but
not the podcast.
Mikey, do you watch it?
No 'cause it's more of a sports
sports type.
Of yeah, it's a sports, it's a
sporty thing.
Yeah the only thing I I catch is
KFC Barstool when he releases
stuff on Instagram like his
posts.
I've never seen one of these so
like I I just don't understand
how they're so big.
How they're so big, he releases
news, all that he's on, he's
he's faster than TMZ sometimes.
So he's just constant content.
Constant.
Like everyday, like us.
Yeah, we're going to be like
barstool.
But he's faster we're.
Going to be in Netflix, fellas.
Maybe we maybe we should change
the name to end table or?
End table.
The furniture thing seems to be
working for him, so recliner.
Well, isn't it?
Isn't it like a pizza place or
restaurant or something?
No, no, Dave Porno goes in the
reviews.
Pizza he goes into like a one
bite kind of review.
Oh yeah.
I've seen his, I've seen his
tiki.
Talks, yeah, but all the funny
ones are like somebody he was
recording out front of 1 and
somebody said, hey, you can't
record here.
Yeah, they all yell, and then he
spit the.
Food out and threw it out like
whatever dude.
All right, under its multi year
pact with Barstool, Netflix has
exclusive rights to video
versions of a trio of digital
media companies.
Popular podcast Pardon My Take,
the Ryan Resilio Podcast and
Spittin Chiclets, the video
version of the three Barcelo
sports shows, will be available
Netflix starting early 2026.
That means full video episodes
of the podcast will no longer be
available on YouTube as of next
year.
Netflix will launch them
initially in the US to be
followed by additional markets.
Netflix Barstool Sports Seal
covers all new episodes from the
podcast, as well as select
library episodes from each show.
The audio version of each
podcast will continue to be
available across major
platforms, including Spotify and
Apple Podcasts, Portnoy, founder
and owner of Barcelo Sports,
said in a statement.
We're excited to partner with
Netflix and hopefully bring new
audiences to each platform and
the latest move by Netflix to
bulk of its podcast programming
lineup.
Do they do so they must have
other podcasts I.
Guess we should reach out.
We should find out how this
works.
We're the best cigar podcast
you've ever seen.
That's.
Right today, the company has cut
two other licensing deals to
bring video podcasts to a
subscribers with Spotify for
shows including The Bill Simmons
Podcast and Rewatchables.
Bill Simmons, like Richard
Simmons.
Probably not.
No.
It's Bill Simmons.
It's not called though.
Richard Simmons.
It's.
Probably a different Simmons.
Probably different Simmons and
I'm not familiar with the
Rewatchables either.
Yeah, no.
And with I Heart Media for at
least 15 podcasts, including
radio talk show The Breakfast
Club Co, hosted by Charmalenga,
the God Charlemagne.
Charlemagne.
Charlemagne.
Is that Charlemagne?
Looks like Charlemagne.
Charlemagne.
It's Charlemagne.
I like how detached you are to
society.
I have no idea why.
I didn't know who he was talking
about until he said the God.
I was like, Oh yeah.
He said.
Charlamaga.
Is that a person?
I'm like.
Yeah.
Is it the?
Is it?
Is he going to end with the?
Gun We're thrilled to team up
with Barcelo Sports and bring
their top video broadcast to
Netflix.
Lauren Smith, Netflix VP of
content licensing and
programming.
She's the lady I have to call
apparently.
The partnership broadens how our
members connect with Barstool's
leading sports voices and
delivers exactly what our
members crave unfiltered
commentary, which is what we
have here on Cigar's podcast.
Sharp takes and undeniable
humor.
We have all that.
We look forward to giving fans
another exciting way to engage
with the conversations they love
on Netflix.
Pardon my takes Bar school top
rated sports podcast hosted by
big cat and PFT commentator who
provide is big cat that the
person to him getting all right.
Sharp sports commentary and fan
favorite segments according to
the company's.
The Ryan Resilio show features
the host sports analysis
conversations with guests while
on spitting chicklets.
Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette
and Rear Admiral cover the
latest news and trends from the
NHL long with a trademark pop
culture insights.
Maybe that's what we need.
We need somebody with a funny
nickname.
Boots is not funny enough.
You don't think so?
I think Boots is funny.
I like the Rear Admiral.
No, look, I got to be honest,
man, I think that we, if you
kind of look at our seven-year
span of us doing this, we really
started to make more strides
within the past, I would say two
years.
I would agree.
Right.
And and this it could be
possible, that could be
possible.
Somebody could, we could get
approached and ask someone could
license us for exclusivity.
It could go that direction,
sure.
That'd be amazing.
Just by the way, Spitting
Chiclets is a great name for an
NHL show.
You think so?
Yeah.
Why?
Oh, it's a hockey show.
Spitting chiclets like like
spitting up like.
Spitting their teeth.
Yeah, yeah.
Nice.
So if you're would like to
inquire about a licensing deal
with the Cigar Hustler podcast,
and we're not even sold on the
name, we could change it.
Yeah, we're open.
Except then I have to get a new
tattoo.
So no, we're keeping the name.
Yeah, the name stays.
The name stays.
Just reach out.
We're completely.
Open for business.
Open for business.
What it's going to take is it's
going to take more, more
socially accepting cigars over
the other tobaccos, right?
So like I read APCA e-mail today
that that I found was pretty
fascinating.
David Garofalo talked, he spoke
in it or you know, he had some
quotes and they talked about the
fact that you have the ability
to advertise and talk about
cigars.
It's not illegal like the other
things like cigarettes and all
this other stuff.
But just a lot of the social
media companies and some of
these, you know, some of these
other platforms and magazines
and stuff, they choose not to.
I think it's crazy that that's
said though, like.
That's how I interpret it at
least.
'Cause like, I mean, Joe Rogan
smokes cigars on his show.
Right.
It just has to become socially
acceptable again, and I think
that it will.
He smokes him, but does he like
say I got this from foundation?
Cigar.
Yeah, he does.
He plugs foundation.
Yeah, and then I mean, a guy,
he's got a cigar.
He had a cigar in his mouth at
the NBA All Star game.
He did.
I mean it's.
Was he smoking or chewing?
I see no.
He was just chewing you.
Can't smoke in the stadium.
But I just thought it was crazy
they had it in his mouth
because, you know, people would
go, Oh my God, he's going to
light it up, you know, kind of
thing.
Well, he's big enough where it's
OK.
Yeah, I'm sure somebody
somewhere was like, I wish he
wouldn't put that in his mouth.
Of course, one of his handlers.
He doesn't care.
No, what are they going to do,
take away his tequila?
He's achieved it, you know what
I mean, right?
He's at the FU money level,
right?
Right.
Yeah.
You know what?
We're going to drop you.
I don't care.
No, they won't.
One of the.
Last thing I have to do.
Hey, we're going to drop you
like, OK, you know how much
money you're going to lose.
Yeah, he's the money guy.
Yeah, exactly.
The guy's a friggin workhorse.
Yeah, tell me another show on
Food Network.
The guy works his ass off.
Other than diners, Dr.,
insurance and whatever the
supermarket race.
That he does.
He does that too.
That was the that was the joke,
Michael.
I used to love Supermarket Sweep
as a kid.
Supermarket Sweep, I never
watched it.
OK, and now that I found out the
the one with the angry English
guy is fake, I don't watch that.
Oh, it's fake.
The cooking is real.
The interactions.
Is fake.
He's like, I'm going to yell at
you now and I want you to cry.
Yeah, we need you to come yell
at this lady over here and make
her cry.
And they go, OK, you're fat.
You're ugly.
No problem, no problem.
Very interesting.
I didn't know it was fake, but I
don't really watch any of that
stuff.
I found a article one time when
I was looking for stuff for the
show and it was like the top
five fake.
Gordon Ramsay Show.
Yeah, the Gordon Ramsay.
And if it's a reality show, it's
fake.
I just came.
I've always come to that
assumption.
I assume they are too, but
apparently there's some that are
more obviously fake than others
I guess.
No making the band was real with
Diddy.
With Diddy making the bam.
Making the band Bam.
Oh yeah, you remember that one?
Anything that was like one of
the first reality.
Shows thing with Diddy real.
No, the first reality shows were
on.
I mean, there's some trauma.
Involved.
I feel like some things were
real.
It was on MTV.
It was a.
Bam.
Yeah, it was one of the first
reality shows.
It was.
It was Diddy had.
Well, if you watch the
documentary, you'll find this
out too.
But Diddy had no way to find
artists anymore.
You're all about this.
You're.
No, I'm just saying.
Like you continue to mention
this.
He does like every episode he.
Mentions you are you are all in
on this TV.
No, but I just remember 'cause I
watched Making the Band back in
the day when I was a kid.
He just looped the episode over
and over.
It's.
His only connection to news in
reality is the Diddy.
Show, It was just MTV was the
big thing back then, right, You
know?
Is that on the Diddy thing too?
Did.
They cover making the band on
the Diddy documentary.
Briefly because there you go
because he one of the girls on
making the band was in the.
Lawsuit.
The law, Yeah, the sexual
assault lawsuit thing.
He drugged her up in a real
baby.
Allegedly no.
No, no, that no, it was just he
just pushed himself on her kind
of thing.
But it was like the prettiest
girl from making of the band.
Allegedly.
Yeah, allegedly the prettiest
girl.
Wow.
Anyways, sorry anyways I went
off in left field.
All right, this ain't rocky
road, gentlemen.
All right, so here's one of the
made me stop mid scroll and go
wait, what?
The FDA just announced a
nationwide recall on non dairy
ice cream because it may contain
and I swear I'm not making this
up.
Small stones, small.
Stones.
Stones, rocks, pebbles.
Somebody fucking really took
rock salt to a different level.
Rocky road?
I went with the rocky road joke.
Other than the rock salt, OK,
the kind you skip across the
lake.
Not flavor note, not crunchy
texture, actual rocks.
Here's the deal.
A New York based company is
voluntarily recalling so
delicious dairy free salted
caramel cluster ice cream.
Specifically the pints with the
Best Buy date of August 8th,
2027.
According to the FDA.
The issue is with cashew pieces
or small stones or other hard
foreign objects may be embedded.
Translation.
You're going in for a smooth,
creamy guilt free non dairy
dessert and instead you might
chip a tooth.
The FDA is saying flat out do
not eat it if you have it.
No, maybe, no probably fine.
Just don't.
So Delicious is owned by Danone
USA, the same parent company
behind brands like Activa and
Dannon.
And to be fair, they jumped on
this fast through calls
voluntary and they say they're
already working with retailers
to pull the affected pints off
shelves.
Important note here the only if
it's only effects the salted
caramel cluster flavor with a
specific date.
No other so delicious products
or flavors are part of the
recall.
If you bought it, you can get a
refund.
Just contact so delicious dairy
free at then there's a phone
number online, but still non
dairy ice cream with stones in
it.
That's not plant based, that's
not land, that's landscape
based, follows one other things
you never thought you'd hear in
a food recall.
Yeah, how do you get rocks and
ice cream?
Apparently they're mixed in with
the nuts somehow.
The cat when they did the
cashews, the filtering system
did not drop the little rocks
out.
You know when they.
Is there rocks on the bag of
cashews?
Well, I cashew nuts grow on the
ground if I'm not mistaken,
right?
So apparently in the gathering
of the cashews, they picked up
some little rocks and pebbles.
The filtering system did not
catch them, so they are mixed in
with the things and then they
put them in the ice cream.
Bada Bing bada boom, you got
rocks.
And then here we are, right?
So these ice cream guys, they
have cashew fields.
They buy cashews from the cashew
man.
You want to know what sounds
more miserable than eating rocks
in your ice cream?
But mint chocolate chip?
Yes, you're right.
No eating non dairy ice cream.
Who the hell wants to do that?
It's not that bad, I've had it
before because it's low sugar.
So you you go.
It's more like it's more like a
sorbet OK or an icy type product
than actual creamy.
Or like a Gelato.
So you would.
Go like Gelato.
So you would go out of your way
to have this ice cream?
Yeah, 'cause it's lower in
sugar.
Gelato I would definitely go out
of my.
Way but that's the totally
different thing that's not
called non dairy ice cream.
It's not called non dairy, but
it is non dairy.
It is non dairy, it's called.
Gelato like, you know what?
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Oh, you mean like sugar free?
Whatever would you?
Well non dairy doesn't have milk
in it so people that are lactose
intolerant I would imagine.
But it's also lower in sugar.
No, I wouldn't go out of my way.
If you're lactose intolerant,
just deal with it if you really
like it is what it.
Is Well, if you really like ice
cream, yeah.
What happens if you're lactose
intolerant and you eat and you
eat dairy like?
Stomach pains and stomach pains
you.
Get the yeah diarrhea gas Yeah,
I.
Feel like.
That's kind of standard daily.
Yeah, that happens anyways.
Maybe you're lactose intolerant
there, miss.
Boots probably lactose
intolerant.
TuneIn tomorrow for Boots.
I can't eat dairy Hippalazer.
But I choose to anyways.
But I choose to anyway.
Everyone else has to deal.
Yes, OK.
All right.
Ice cream stones.
Stones in the ice cream.
All right, the Oscars are
leaving TV and heading straight
to YouTube.
Oh, really?
So no longer, huh?
The Oscars.
Yeah, the Oscars are officially
leaving ABC, heading to YouTube
starting in 2029.
After more than 50 years on
broadcast television,
Hollywood's biggest night is
going full stream.
ABC, owned by Disney, will still
air the show through the 100th
Academy Awards in 2028, but
after that, the ceremony will
stream live and free on YouTube
for more than 2 billion people
worldwide.
Plus, YouTube TV subscribers
here in the US.
And it's not just the award
show.
YouTube is getting the red
carpet, the behind the scenes
footage, the nomination
announcement, the governor's
awards, the student awards,
filmmaker interviews, podcast,
basically the entire Oscar
ecosystem.
This is a massive win for
YouTube, which has been very
clear about the goal, becoming
the most powerful media platform
on the planet and landing the
world's most watched award show.
That's a statement.
The Academy still makes serious
money, around 150 million a
year, but now they're betting on
reach, scale and younger global
audience.
Bottom line, this is just the
Oscars changing platforms.
It's Hollywood admitting the
future isn't TV anymore.
It's streaming creators and the.
Global access.
Wow, that's I.
Have more information, but I
figured that was a good place
to.
Pause.
Not bar stools though.
Yeah.
Did you guys, do you guys
remember when YouTube came out?
No, no.
Do you?
Yeah.
Exactly.
No, I do because I was.
I was a kid.
Yeah.
Right.
It was the IT was the thing,
Yeah.
It was like the new thing, like
Myspace, you know?
Like that was the new thing,
right?
I never thought YouTube was ever
going to be anything like this.
The thing that it no the.
Global streaming megalodon that
it is now.
Yeah, I thought it was just like
a stupid place for people to
posters.
Right, people put their own
stupid videos.
Exactly, that's what I always
thought it was going to be.
Tell that to Mr. Beast.
Yeah, right.
I mean, look at us now.
I mean we have our own channel
that's, you know, people go to
everyday like it's a regular TV
show.
It's.
Flourishing.
And soon, Netflix.
And soon and Netflix.
Right.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle, settle, settle.
Oh, that is the end of the
story.
And YouTube just grabbed the
crown.
So there you go, that's the end
of the story.
I thought there was more.
Bing.
Bing.
So I mean we use YouTube here
for the streaming upstairs.
I use YouTube at home.
I use YouTube at home TV.
As well.
Yeah, I got rid of DIRECTV.
Got tired of that.
I mean, we just did a story a
couple weeks ago where they were
strong Army Disney, Yeah.
And they folded and gave it to
them.
Yeah, something they obviously
broke.
Something broke.
Because all the shows are back
now.
Right, they worked out the
terms.
Do you think terrestrial TV will
just go away?
I think it'll always exist.
Maybe smaller or limited, more
more limited programming or.
Something radio still exists,
but true, you know.
When you say terrestrial TV, do
you mean like like ABCNBC?
That's cable ish right?
Well, ABCNBCCBS, Fox, those are
all terrestrial stations that
have their own streaming
services, right?
But they are ones that you can
still get with an antenna you
don't need.
You know, a cable you don't
need.
Streaming, yeah, I think this
will stick around.
I mean, you have to have those
to be able to broadcast to the,
to YouTube, you know, stream to
YouTube.
I just, I don't think, I think
it's.
No, they don't.
They don't have to be.
You don't have to have access by
an antenna in your house to be a
streaming service.
I mean, they could.
They could just quit
broadcasting over over the
airwaves.
Yeah.
I just think that it's easy to
just continue forward with it
and get the two people that
watch in the entire nation on,
right?
Exactly.
So I mean they still, I mean we
haven't had it in years, right.
So like, I mean, I don't even
know like what night shows come
on mostly anymore because you
know, it's just there when you
want to see it now.
But so like ABCCBSO they still
have like regular programming,
like same shows on 8:00 every
Monday night, same shows on
10:00 and all that stuff still
happens.
Yeah, Jimmy Falls team, because
you can just do live YouTube TV,
It's the same, the same
platform.
If you're on NBC, it's the same.
Thing, right?
Well, yeah, then you're
streaming it, though you're not
with the antenna.
I wonder how many boots if you
can look up how many people just
use antennas.
I I use that in my RV.
You go sit in your RV and just
kind of watch TV.
No, no, Like, why don't we go to
the racetrack?
Yeah.
And we work the racetrack.
We have TV's in there, but it
goes off of airwaves.
Yeah.
Don't they offer?
I mean, is it like a regular RV
hookup out there or you just use
it because you're out there
doing work?
I have like an RV park where you
hook up to water, you hook up to
sewer.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, they.
Have they don't have like a
cable hookup?
Most of those places have some.
Internet.
No, no cable.
There is an Internet like like a
Wi-Fi type system, but no there
is no cable hookup.
You just plug in a fire stick at
that point.
Yeah.
Can you just stream?
Is it strung?
Up Well, well, it is a It's a
Roku.
Everybody's TV usually has Roku.
Now at this point, every TV is
smart that comes out.
So like on Roku, you can go to
live TV, right, the option on
that and it goes based off of
like airwaves.
Got it.
OK, interesting.
So it doesn't sound like he's
going to look it up for you,
just so you know, no.
It doesn't.
Yeah, that we got noticed.
They're putting AT&T fiber in my
neighborhood.
Are they?
We're so excited get that back
like we had at the other.
Place you can get rid of the
cats while they're out there.
That would be nice, wouldn't it?
I mean, they've already tagged
the street out in front of me
and like, whoops, right here is
where it's going.
Right here it's going so
excited.
I can upload like that and we
don't have to the the screen.
Spinny spinny when my wife's
trying to watch something on TV.
Yeah, I hate that.
OK, all right.
Some updates on previously
covered stories.
WBD board urged shareholders to
reject Paramount's hostile
takeover bid.
It could be back to the drawing
board for Paramount, Skydance
and CEO David Ellison Quest to
buy rival Warner Brothers
Discovery after the Ladder
Ladder's board told investors
that Netflix bid is better.
In a letter to shareholders, the
WBD board said Paramount's offer
contains gaps, loopholes and
limitations that put the company
at risk.
WDBD also accused Paramount of
misleading and about financing.
Paramount's latest offer
included billions in funding
from three Middle East sovereign
wealth funds, as well as backing
from Affinity Partners, the
private equity firm founded by
President Trump's son-in-law,
Jared Kushner.
Though Affinity pulled out of
the deal on Tuesday, Allison
said he believes the Paramount
offer is still superior to
Netflix and was encouraged by
feedback from received from WBD
shareholders.
Retainer.
Retainer.
Right, so they want the Netflix
steal instead of the other one
even though the other one is so
much more money.
The other one, yeah, but the
other one sounded way too good
to be.
True.
It sounds a little fishy with
all these Middle Eastern wealth
funds and stuff.
Like, yeah, who exactly is going
to own our company?
Right.
And all cash, I mean.
You'll never got to accept the
all cash.
Kind of wild 100.
And billion dollars.
Bring suitcases full of money
for load the planes.
Load the plane, we will drop the
money from the plane.
Make it rain billions of
dollars.
Why is there dirt all over the
suitcase they were buried?
Don't worry, it's not blood on
the inside, that's marker.
Yeah, I mean, that's a.
Lindbergh, baby, we never had
it.
Yeah, that's kind of crazy,
dude.
I don't know, I think I'm
rooting for Netflix on this one.
Well, I mean it well.
Certainly we are, because we
want to be one of their
podcasts.
Yeah, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix.
Big Netflix supporters here on
the show.
Like could you imagine?
I mean, it sounds like the way
things are going, it's only
going to be YouTube and Netflix.
Right.
That's all that's going to be
left, yeah.
Yeah, they're all they're those
are the 2 that are gobbling up
everything.
Else, oh I like the shows on
Paramount.
Can paramount stay?
I like all those shows.
Yeah, on Netflix.
Oh, on Netflix I did hear Taylor
Sheridan left Paramount but
there's so many fake news
stories.
He knows.
I don't know.
We were, I was, I mean I
watching Mary Kingstown and
Landman.
That would be.
Stupid.
I like Landman and Linus.
Yeah.
Is there another season of that?
Lioness are shooting it.
Oh, so it hasn't started?
Hasn't come out yet.
Yeah, but there would never be a
land man without Taylor
Sheridan.
Correct, right?
Well, all those shows are his.
Right.
So it's like Paramount would be
stupid to get rid of that guy.
I mean.
He well, I imagine it would be,
you know, in his term because I
mean, Paramount is putting a lot
of money into this Netflix thing
deal.
Maybe they don't have money to
pay him anymore.
That would definitely be
retarded.
Maybe he needs some Middle
Eastern money thrown his way.
Some need somebody over.
Here it's like Fast and Furious.
After the third one, they're
like Ven, we don't need you
anymore.
I don't know that that's how
that played out.
I think he said he was done and
then he came back.
Ven Yeah, well, I'm just, I'm
just saying like he like he
would never come back.
They'd be like, Nah, man, sorry,
we're not going to pay you
anymore.
Like Ven made that you?
Think so.
We did a story one time that him
and the guy that died.
Paul Walker.
Paul Walker, they made a deal
that they were going to do 5
right.
Paul Walker died at 3 and he
wanted to make sure that they
still did the 5 right.
Oh yeah, yeah.
And then there was a whole
legacy thing of.
Right then after the five, I
think he was like, well, you
know how much money you going to
give me?
It was not.
It was no longer a thing he had
to do for his friend.
He's rolling out a bunch of
things lately.
Yeah, supposedly it's pitch
black.
Remember pitch black?
Yeah, I like those.
Yeah, that's coming back.
He's coming out with another one
of those.
Is he getting a little?
Old for that type of stuff.
I mean, that's a.
Lot of what?
Listen, I don't like you taking
our icons and just calling too
old.
If Schwarzenegger wanted to bust
out Conan the Barbarian the
Third right today, I'm in.
Yeah, Did you see the last
Expendables?
No.
I watched it a couple weeks ago.
Big mistake to watch it.
Yeah, they're getting old.
I don't care.
OK, can I ruin the show for the
movie before?
Are you ever going to watch it?
Go ahead.
All right, They Schwarzenegger
dies in the beginning of the
movie.
That's Schwarzenegger.
I'm sorry.
Stallone.
Stallone dies in the beginning
of the movie.
Because he has to do Tulsa King,
yes.
Well, I read he's getting a
little old.
He doesn't want to be him
anymore.
But at the end of the movie,
they fake, he had to fake his
death so that the information
will be released so that they
could kill the big guy or
something.
So at the end, he makes the big
save for Strathman, straightens
wherever, right?
So, yeah.
So he's out of 75% of the movie.
So he didn't have to run around
because his knees hurt, his back
hurts, his shoulders hurt.
All that stuff, yeah.
So.
But I mean, the movie was
terrible.
Was that it?
Was it was, Yeah, it was
terrible.
When did that Expendables come
out?
It just popped up on either
Paramount or the NBC or
something.
No, the NBC 1.
Peacock.
Peacock.
Thank you.
I couldn't think of the bird's
name.
Yeah, there was like a rumble in
the Bronx three.
Like I would watch that.
Yeah, exactly.
Jackie Chan is getting tooled.
Yeah, well, Jackie Chan's still
that man's so broke.
Not financially, but I mean his
body physically through so much.
You ever see the video of him
watching all the stuff he did
with him and his daughter and
then people start crying?
Yeah.
And his daughter starts crying,
right?
He's like, oh daddy.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean he did the recently 1, he
did the the other karate 1,
whatever.
It was, oh, the Jackie Jane
Karate.
The karate perfectly.
I know exactly which one they
What's that?
Yeah, what was the movie?
When did he ever do a karate?
Kid it was.
A It's wild.
It was a Karate Kid.
Yeah, it was the next karate.
Kid, The Karate Kid one.
Yeah, yeah, I watched that too.
That were really wasn't that.
Bad he looked.
He looked old in it.
He's old.
He is old, but he didn't have to
do a lot.
I mean, he didn't really fight
anybody in that one.
No, he's a teacher.
He's a teacher that's.
What happens when the Asians get
old?
They become the master.
How they become domestic?
Is that what?
He said the master.
Oh, I thought I said domestic.
Like what?
Now we're cleaning.
He has to clean the Dojo.
Jackie Chan is 71.
Yeah, yeah.
But in Asian years that's like
40.
He's like 25, yeah.
He can still jump through a
steering wheel.
Yeah, no problem.
Through a steering wheel.
Oh, we'll just talk about this
too, because another story John
Cena did cut his career because
of injuries.
It was.
It was cut short.
Yeah, like I, I read that he
wanted to do 222 like a year
long worth of events and stuff
to do it.
And Triple H went, dude, you you
won't be able to walk at the
end.
We're going to do 22.
Right.
I figured, well, I thought maybe
he was going to announce like he
had cancer his own because he
looked a little rough.
I think he's had some health
issues.
I would he's.
Got some spine injuries.
He's got a shoulder problem with
something with one of the knees.
I mean, like we talked about,
those guys beat the hell out of
themselves for that sport.
Yeah, they said there are no
stuntmen in that industry.
It is real.
It's, well, I mean, it might be
real, but they're really doing
the stuff though.
Right, right, jumping off
scripted.
But still real.
Right.
Scripted, but physical.
And now Mankind has.
I mean, not that he's still
wrestling anymore, but because
of something Trump said in his
affiliation with the WWE, he no
longer will do anything with the
WWE.
Yeah, whatever.
Yeah, I mean, what?
What are you, 84 years old?
What are you?
You had to announce that.
Right.
Apparently, and it made
headlines.
And it made a headline.
Right.
So it was even sadder, right?
OK.
All right, Florida recently
clarified its license plate law.
We've had a lot of fun with this
story.
Decorative frames are loud, but
they cannot cover the essential
identifiers, which all that
covers is the alphanumeric plate
number and the registration
validation decal on the top
right corner.
While covering themyflorida.com
or Sunshine State text at the
bottom is generally fine.
Any frame that obstructs the
main plate number, decal or
state name for identification
can lead to a misdemeanor
charge, as the goal is to keep
plates readable like cameras and
law enforcement.
I don't know what generally is
OK means in the law.
Yeah, that does sound a little
vague.
Right.
You know, like the the next
headline I'm going to read part
of the story.
Sorry, Michael, is what's
allowed generally.
Yeah, that's that's like we're
going to get you if we want.
I mean, that's pretty much how
it works anyways.
Right, right.
I mean, and then who knows what
officers is, you know, reading
this story, he just, you know,
they said frames are no good.
He goes perfect.
I pull over everybody with a
frame, right?
Right.
So what do you got to print this
out and go hey, hey.
I'm going to tell you right now
that cop probably has no friends
on law enforcement or at home.
You know what I mean?
Like that guy, there's.
Still that guy, though.
There's always that guy.
There's.
A lot of misdemeanors,
unlicensed plants.
Misdemeanor case.
I've written 75 tickets for the
frames guys, how about you?
Yeah.
Now last time we covered this
topic, you were speaking about
the fact that you don't even
have license plates on your
vehicle.
Do you now have license plates
on your vehicle Boots?
I don't have a license.
Yeah, you never.
Did you say you didn't have a
license?
Yeah, you don't remember you
said that.
I'm going to go with he didn't
say it.
He said I don't have a.
License.
I don't have license plates.
On Do you have license plates
now?
I have what?
Yeah, I have license.
On all your trailers, maybe It's
trailers, yeah.
Are they I?
Think we were talking about on
one of my vehicles I didn't have
a license plate 'cause I was.
Selling it Oh, you don't have a
license plate on a vehicle No,
we weren't talking about that.
We were talking about all your
vehicles in general.
You weren't even here.
That's.
The oh, that book thing broing.
I don't have the Oh yeah, yeah,
you did say that.
You said you don't you don't
believe in license plates.
I.
Didn't see that close.
You don't believe in that?
Yeah.
Yeah, you are a a free American.
Yeah, America.
America at Liberty.
All right, here's what's
allowed.
Generally speaking, OK frames
that don't cover the main number
on the top right D or the top
right decal frames that slightly
cover the bottom text, like
Sunshine State or myflorida.com.
As long as the issuing state is
visible, the standard dealership
frames, that's also allowed, but
it's not allowed.
Frames that obscure the license
plate number.
Frames that cover the validation
sticker.
Basically the opposite of the
stuff that we just said was
allowed, right?
Tinted covers, sprays, or any
device preventing plate
visibility.
Flipping the plate to hide it.
Anybody with a spy car?
Apparently they cannot.
Do that.
Oh, people do that stuff too.
Oh, I know that you can buy them
online.
I've seen the things so that
they can run the tolls.
Yeah.
A new law effective October 1st,
2025 increased penalties for
obscuring plates, causing
confusion, with some fearing all
frames were banned, leading to
the FLHSMV issuing guidance.
Penalties knowingly violating
this can be a second degree
misdemeanor, potentially leading
to court appearances, fines, and
jail time.
I mean whatever man, just leave
your license plate alone.
I took my frame off now
apparently I could have left.
You could have kept it.
It should ride away the cabinet,
but I don't care.
I'm not putting it back on.
Yeah, well, what did it say?
Princess on board or something?
No, no, it was for Florida
cigarclub.com.
Oh, OK, it was.
On it.
So I mean, I've had it for.
They sell cars with license
plate.
Frames.
Yeah, and they said that's.
Right.
Dealership frames are OK, Yeah,
yeah.
And there is one that shows that
you support the Florida
Department of Law or something
too.
That ones OK.
Too.
Yeah, it covers it covers all
the letters and everything.
Right.
It covers everything, but it
does say you gave money to the I
gave money to the police.
Right.
It's tinted.
It's like having the sheriff.
And it spins, it goes around,
allegedly, allegedly right.
It's like having the sheriff
sticker on the back of your car
so that way they like you and
you don't get a ticket.
Is that how that works?
It never.
Works.
That's like a thing, like a, a
myth, yeah, That people have.
Right.
So if you give money to like the
Policeman's Benevolent Society
or whatever, they send you a
sticker 'cause everybody thinks
he gets him out of a ticket,
right?
It doesn't.
No, I used to have, when I was a
kid, I had APBA decal, like a
metal thing that I put on my the
guy used to come in the bar.
He was a regular.
He's like here in case you ever
get pulled over, just say my
name and you know, whatever.
So I got pulled over with that
decal and I was, I'm so young
and I was probably 18 years old
and I was scared out of my mind.
Like who gave you that decal?
And I was like, I don't know, I
don't remember his name.
Oh my God, it's my uncle.
Are you?
Supposed to say it like.
Uncle Bob, you don't know.
Like I'm drawing a blank, Like I
don't know.
Got the ticket.
We call him Johnny Three
fingers.
He comes into the bar all the.
Time orders three fingers of
whiskey.
He wears a uniform.
He's awesome, you know?
Who's who's the cop?
That you.
Oh, Vern.
Yeah.
Virgil.
Virgil, he still follows me on
Facebook.
He said something the other day.
First time in like a three years
but.
In seven years.
Yeah, he gave me a card one time
and he said if you ever get
pulled over around here, I just
throw my card.
Yeah, Thanks, Verge.
Thank you very much.
Never.
I never had to try.
Think he still has weight?
Oh now?
No, he's been out forever now.
He's out the game.
Yeah, he's out of the game,
right?
OK.
I'm trying to think there was
somebody else too.
My brother works for the Police
Department over in Pinellas
County.
He used to always give my dad
the sticker for the window
because dad thought it's like
even we're getting a ticket, but
he never had to try it.
So, but anyway, plus it's at
Pinellas County, so what's it
going to help you over here?
Right.
All right, now into the cigar
news.
There's only one story, but it's
a big story.
It is a big story.
And you know what's funny is we
actually spoke about this on the
Patreon, I believe a week or so
ago.
That is correct, we had it
first.
We had it as rumor based I would
say.
Well, that's cigars or podcast.
Oh, this is turning into a story
now.
That's actually, you know,
that's a good T-shirt cigars or
podcast.
We rumor base stories.
Nice.
All right, half will put out a
very lengthy in depth article
yesterday.
As always, it's very detailed,
very informative, but
unfortunately also very
confusing and very long.
So here for everyone is the
cigars or podcast breakdown into
a simple 2 minute read
explaining what is going on.
Perfect.
So we will take this point by
point and then we will discuss
it and then everyone will know
what's going on.
All right, here's what's really
going on with Altidis Cuban
Cigars and that Dominican
factory.
In late October, about 80 of the
biggest cigar retailers in the
US met at the luxury Casa de
Campo resort in the Dominican
Republic for the annual TAA
convention and Eyes Wide Shut
party.
A legend Eyes Wide Shut party.
Just minutes away by golf cart
is Taba Calera de Garcia, the
largest handmade cigar factory
in the world, home to nearly
2000 workers and the main
producer of non Cuban, Monte
Cristo, Romeo and Julieta H
Upman and Trinidad cigars sold
in the USA.
While retailers were relaxing at
the resort, something serious
was happening at the factory.
Workers were quietly told not to
come in anymore.
No explanation.
Almost overnight, the factory
had lost their lost its biggest
customer.
Want to know why?
Yeah, I do.
Oh, OK, because the US
government sanctioned tied to
one man, Chen XI.
OK.
I've heard of this guy.
Have you no OK?
Who is Chen XI and why does he
matter to cigars?
Chen XI is a wealthy Cambodian
businessman accused by the US
Department of Justice of running
a massive global scam operation
involving crypto fraud, human
trafficking and money
laundering.
He's tapping into all three.
All three of the big ones The
DOJ seized over 14 billion in
Bitcoin, the largest seizure in
its history, and sanctioned Chen
along with over 100 companies
connected to him.
Wow.
Here's the problem, Mike.
And you know what the?
Problem is I need to know.
You need to know Booth.
Do you know the problem?
Have you heard of this?
Are we talking about Papine
Garcia's?
No.
OK.
No, Stop throwing other names
out.
You're going to confuse people.
I know, I'm sorry.
This is in the Dominican
Republic, OK.
Right.
Chen XI secretly owns a major
stake in the global cigar
business.
Through layers of shell
companies.
He became a major owner of
Allied Cigar Corp, the largest
private shareholder in Habanos
SA, the company that controls
Cuban cigars worldwide.
An indirect owner of cigar
factories like Tabacolera de
Garcia and Flora de Copan.
Why this blew up Altadish USA?
Do you know Michael?
Because his name was announced
in part of the corporation under
the in Sweden.
Oh, very good boots.
I'm suppose you didn't know.
What?
Monkey said.
Just say Bing bong.
Ditto, Ditto.
You're the Ditto house.
All right, why this blue up?
Alton is USA.
Alton is USA which sells Monte
Cristo, Romeo and Julieta, Casta
de Garcia, etcetera, goes on and
on.
Does not own the factories that
make most of their cigars
anymore.
Interesting.
Even though it used to, they've
sold off parts of it.
Once Chen XI was sanctioned,
altered at USA was legally
required to stop buying cigars
from factories connected to him.
Wow.
Right, we we say this man is
bad, so you can no longer buy
anything from this.
Man no longer permitted.
But he does the factory where we
get our stuff.
We don't care.
Shut it down.
That instantly cut off Tabaclair
de Garcia from its largest
customer.
OK.
Production was shifted to other
factories, mainly AJ Fernandez
because he owns everything.
Right.
Only AJ.
Only AJ and Placencia, because
what AJ doesn't know what they.
Do only AJ sometimes Placencia
right?
Right Alternate says it has
plenty of inventory, expected no
shortage in 2026, but behind the
scenes, retailers are being
warned to some skews could face
delays.
Yeah, everything is fine.
Don't order that we don't have.
It and when we say it's fine,
that's out of stock.
Right.
We don't, we don't have that
one.
But you may get a Garcia.
Yeah, no.
Not right now.
Not right now.
Garcia Who's that?
Yeah, we no, no, no, Garcia.
Yeah, we don't buy it from any
Spanish Mexican dude.
I don't know in.
Other news Luciano moves in the
new factory.
It is mine now.
I don't know, come to my new
factory in Dominican Republic.
There's nobody here.
I got I got a deal.
Nobody's here.
I wish you would have thought
about that.
That's.
Why?
We're all gonna have heart
attacks.
Someone's gonna, someone's gonna
knock us all off.
We're gonna put a rock in our
vanilla ice cream.
In our non dairy.
Ice cream.
All right, The human caused the
biggest fallout.
Isn't in boardrooms.
It's in La Romo, La Romana,
Dominican Republic.
Tava Claire de Garcia employs
nearly 2000 people.
That's a lot.
Plus countless tobacco farmers
and suppliers.
With the US orders gone, shifts
were cut, workers were sent
home, and fear spread quickly.
You go home.
We had no work.
You go home now.
You go home now.
Farmer man.
No, no, no.
Plow.
Go home.
Can you imagine showing up to
work and I'm like, turn around?
Right, especially for those
people because yeah, you know,
that's.
Their right talk.
Show up and Luciano's at the
gate trying to pick the lock on
the on the padlock.
Talk about allegedly talk about
talk about disrupting an entire
economy, right?
Right, 2000 people in the
Dominican Republic.
That's got to be like everybody.
Oh, that's bigger than that.
It's it's bigger than that.
You're talking about all the
other.
All the farmers and everything
too.
Yeah, that's the players, right?
So let's say it's 5000 people.
But the you.
Don't work at a hotel, you're
out of business.
There's probably like only one
company that does their boxes
too, right?
They probably do their own.
Oh yeah, So all the box people,
yeah.
All the box people, everybody's
out.
Yeah, it's not just 2000 people
rolling cigars, it's 2000 people
at the factory.
Right.
OK, so continue.
All right, even worse, the
factory visit for Pro Cigar 2026
quietly cancelled.
There's nobody there.
No one there.
Hey, let's go to over to the
Garcia factory.
There's no one there.
We're not going to make it.
We're not going to make it.
So we released this.
We talked about this on the
Patreon a few weeks ago.
Yes, and not in this detail.
Yeah, because it was it was like
quiet rumblings.
And whenever you heard about it,
everybody was so like, oh, I
don't know, like they didn't
want to, you know, it it it was
around the time that we had
Espinoza here.
Correct.
Believe.
Yeah.
So.
We had heard the factory was
closed, but we weren't exactly
sure.
Nobody wanted to confirm it and
we and we heard that it was tied
to some dude, but we didn't know
exactly what that was.
We knew that if you mentioned
other names that are in the
cigar industry because some of
these things are intertwined,
but they're not owned by the
same individuals.
You could you could possibly get
sighted or sanctioned or like
you get cease and desist or
whatever from attorneys or
whatever the case may because it
was.
Part of a DOJ investigation.
I don't know.
I mean, I just think that some
of these, yeah, but some of
these other fat, like, you know,
Santa Clara and these other
companies aren't tied directly.
To it.
So they didn't want anybody to
say the name with this guy.
Yeah, right.
Right.
Because I mean, if the word got
out that, you know, somebody
else was taking money from him
or something, they would be
close to they.
Didn't want to get shut down as.
Well, anything this guy touched
now has been seized.
Right, right.
All right, so they're not going
to pro cigar.
Social media from the factory
has gone silent, right?
No POST, no one's there.
No one's paying the Wi-Fi
somebody.
Turned off the WI.
Fi There's real concern that
handmade operations may never
fully recover.
Really.
Yes, this is fascinating.
Wow.
Yeah, the factory may never be
the same as it was again.
So, yeah, yeah.
Go ahead.
So what does that mean for Monte
Cristo and all that?
Well, a JAJS making it now and
Placencia is making it.
Now, yeah, there are other
places that they've obviously
deviated to, right?
There's still other great
factories in this industry that
they can figure navigate kind of
accordingly.
But it's going to be a fine
line.
And those companies have to know
what they're doing and, and who
they're dealing with.
They probably, you know, they
also probably can't acquire
tobacco from I would believe
from specific people that are
tied.
Sure, yeah.
I mean, some farms and stuff are
probably now closed too, yeah.
So does that mean the cigar is
going to change?
Yeah.
Yeah, I mean, they do the recipe
thing, but you know, tobacco
from one factory is not going to
taste exactly the same as
tobacco from.
Another, but like here's the,
the, I mean, the reality is when
it comes to your Monte Crystal,
your Trinidad's and all that
stuff that's, I mean, all of
those are usually basic boring,
kind of dull cigar.
There's nothing extremely
elaborate about them in my
opinion, right.
So you're just you, you can wing
that, right?
A lot of those consumers tend
have a tendency to be older guys
that never really kind of
explored into some of the new
modern stuff where people are
really kind of pushing the
envelope for more flavor
profiles and these other things,
right?
Like your Monte Cristo white
guy, he comes in, he's your
Monte Cristo white guy.
You're never going to get him to
buy.
Something never spoken to
Anything else?
Yeah, you Romeo and Julieta.
So if you tell him he's coming
from another factory and you go,
I don't care.
It's the same.
Thing he does, it's he, yeah.
And in this article, there was
nobody from Alta this that got
roped in.
Let's read on.
Yeah, let's continue.
There's more and about Cuban
cigar prices.
Many smokers blame Cuba for the
insane price hikes, but the
timing matters.
After Chen XI and his partners
took over, Cohiba prices
doubled.
Trinidad prices tripled 100 to
$300.
Cigars became normal since 2021.
Profits paid up.
The chain exploded from No, it's
not even it's not in freedom
dollars 19,000,000 to 70
million.
It looks like EUR annually.
This wasn't just Cuba raising
prices.
It happened after new owners
entered the picture.
Well, the argument there, I
think the back in the day was
they said that everything is now
based off of Hong Kong pricing,
right, right.
Apparently it's Cambodia
pricing.
Right.
Somebody couldn't tell the
difference.
Yeah, it's so wrong.
It's so racially stereotyping.
Yeah, terrible.
So tone deaf.
It's horrible.
Wow.
OK, alright, the bottom line.
Words.
You're saying so many words.
I was looking up what €19
million were in U.S. dollars, 22
million, 22.3 million.
Freedom Dollars.
Freedom Dollars Alright, the
bottom line here, gentlemen.
A man accused of running a
global criminal empire quietly
became one of the most powerful
figures in cigars.
U.S. sanctions force alternates
to abandon its long time
factories.
Thousands of Dominican jobs are
now at risk.
Cuban cigar prices skyrocketed
during the ownership area era.
The cigar world is still trying
to untangle the damage.
And all of it traces back to one
name most cigar smokers had
never heard of before until now.
Gen.
Z.
Chen Z.
Is it Chen like my chin, or is
it?
Like AGN Chen, not Chin I.
Didn't know if it was like Chen.
Chen ZZHI.
It'd have been crazy if his name
was GENZ.
Two GS.
Two GS like Greg.
Like Greg, right?
And he's not a a large, imposing
figure looking at a man either.
Yeah, he's kind of a small,
demure Asian man, it looks like.
But apparently he's one of the
kingpins of a large
international cartel.
He's.
Probably got like 800 times your
worth though.
But.
Yes.
What do they do with all that
Bitcoin?
Do they put up for auction?
They seize it.
No, no, I know.
But anything that's usually
seized gets put up for oxygen,
unless it's a legal substance.
No, we just.
We just put it back into the
economy.
Yeah, just Trump took it.
I mean they have to wait till
this is all over at this point,
right?
This is mine now.
There'll be a movie that comes
out where Vin Diesel steals it
all out of some.
Oh, he drags around a 1969
charger in order to get back the
Bitcoin.
Oh.
Beautiful.
Two of them that drag a giant
vault through the city.
There's a hard drive of 161,000
bitcoins and one.
Of those bit or Bitcoin wallets.
And John Cena and Kevin Hart are
the villains.
John Cena is a good guy in that
in those in Fast and Furious.
God, man, yeah, but he turns
bad.
No, he doesn't.
No, I'm saying in this one.
Oh oh, oh, I thought he died.
Yeah, he dies in one of them.
Yeah, saving Vin Diesel.
Yeah, because he.
Was his brother.
Right, that was his brother.
He looked nothing alike.
They look the same to me I
believe.
It they look close, did you
believe it?
Ones got a big round bald head.
You always got this big square
Frankenstein face.
Seemed believable to me.
Right.
Seemed believable.
Yeah, Well, I don't know.
You couldn't see him.
Can't see him.
You're right.
I didn't even know he was there.
Right.
Like where is he?
Where is he?
You.
Know Kevin Hart would make a
great vellum though.
I mean, you're he's.
Too little.
Nobody afraid of him?
Yeah.
That'd be like Napoleon.
That'd be like perfect.
You're like, like Napoleon.
Yeah, you're black, Napoleon.
You're hard on the Kevin Hart
stuff too.
Lately, yeah, he's big on the
Kevin Hart.
He doesn't even like black
people.
He's all over the TV, man.
Every time I'm watching sports
he's on the DraftKings thing.
I mean, he's hilarious.
Give.
Me, Shaq.
Oh.
Is everything.
That his impersonation.
Oh.
He was making.
He makes fun of Shaq OH.
And then he made fun of the
rock.
Does he make fun of all the big
people?
Pretty much that is the thing.
You can get away with it when
you're 2 foot 5.
Yeah, yeah, exactly right.
You know, it's like Hezbollah,
Hezbollah stuck in punch shack
in the face and he got away with
it.
I.
Would have thrown them off the
boat.
There you go.
There you.
Go.
Is there more to this?
No.
No, that's, that's the end that
concludes it.
That concludes the yeah yeah,
there are 17 page article I put
down into just two minutes.
So.
So nobody in Alta this got
rubbed?
No, I don't think so.
No Alta, this was just told you
can no longer buy from this
factory.
Right, so then they had to
figure out alternative ways.
Right.
So everybody announced Alta.
This factory was closed, but
technically it was not their
factory.
Oh, because Alta This lawyers
said that they did not know of
the clause.
Well, it's not their factory
anymore.
Well, it never was.
They just bought from the
factory, right?
But everybody thought they had
their own factory.
I can't wait to see somewhere.
Oh, I can't wait to see Ryan
from all this.
Like oh, I guess you never
really owned the factory after.
All.
Oh yeah.
Apparently not, Huh.
You got a Monte Cristo there in
your pocket?
I can have, huh?
Yeah, No, I guess not.
Huh.
You got some extras laying
around.
No, you don't.
Guy one of those new AJ Monte
Cristos.
Yeah, only AJ.
Are they Placencia, Romeo and
Julieta?
I mean, it's not really like a
bad move.
Like, I mean, I know it's
horrible that happened, but now
you're supposed to be made by
AJ.
They've always made stuff with
AJ.
Oh, I thought.
They're just making everything
nowaday J implicit to you.
Right.
Good for AJ.
Yeah, he needs the money after
the fire, so.
I don't think he needs the
money.
I think he's OK.
He needs the money.
I think he's OK.
I was being sarcastic, yeah.
I saw the new place being built,
yeah.
Yeah.
Is it like 3 stories?
No, it's not like.
Yeah, he told Monterey.
Does it have a water slide?
It's not like the Opus Palace.
No.
No, which was humongous.
Is there an underground train
like at Disney?
You see all the people just move
around underneath that.
Would probably be a good thing
to though to have in Nicaragua,
but it may be seized.
Yeah, the water table might be
high.
It's near the water.
Oh, maybe.
It's in the mountains.
It is in.
The all of it.
SLE.
Yeah, SLE's in the.
Mountains.
Oh, is that his factory is in
SLE?
Yeah.
Well then, how does he have a
coast where he owns the He owns
the coral reef.
I don't know.
He did buy that, right?
Yeah, right.
Yeah, I.
Because they said he couldn't
run his boats in the in a little
harbor there because of the
coral reef.
So we bought the coral reef.
Right.
Now we just chew it up.
We.
Don't.
Now we destroy the coral.
Reef destroy the coral.
It is mine.
Allegedly I cut it into the
shape it says only AJ now.
Only AJ.
Only.
AJ in Nicaragua, I think you
gauge everything by how many
times you pop your ears.
That's how you gauge like how
high you're going and stuff.
Oh.
Go Nestle is like 30s on times.
30.
Times.
Yeah, I had to pop my ears.
Did you have to do sexual favors
at the border crossings where
you were, you know?
You know, believe it or not, we
did not get stopped one time,
which I thought for sure.
I was like, oh, big white guy in
the back of the truck, like
maybe they, you know.
Haven't they know you're back?
To that guy, he'll give us 20
bucks you.
Know they know you're in the
back of the truck until they
pull you over.
That's.
Not how that works.
Did you bring?
Sure.
That's how did you have large
sums of cash with you just in
case.
No, actually Carlos told me not
to carry cash on me.
He said just use.
You can just use your card,
which I did.
Yeah.
What did you buy by a card?
I'm just curious where where
would you get to?
I bought like the only there's
only like 2 energy drinks in the
whole country.
Either you get monster or
there's like some weird fury one
or.
Something so you opted for the
weird 1 so.
No, no, no, I got the monster.
I normally don't.
I normally don't drink Monster,
but they have like this
pineapple flavor, right?
So I tried.
That one they only have pretty.
Good, but.
In China, I always got the
Chinese Red Bull because you
don't know what's in it.
You.
Have no idea what.
That's why I did not buy.
Fury.
I mean, it just loaded with all
sorts of shit.
It worked great, I got to tell
you.
But yeah, right.
It just had the.
The logo was the same, but you
couldn't read any of the writing
on it anyways.
You can use your card at any of
the places.
I'm just curious what you would
have bought while you were
there.
Coffee.
Oh, they had like, like snicker,
like Skip, like snicker bars.
So me and Carlos would always go
down to the corner store from
the factory.
Yeah.
And we would buy like, well,
first of all, we'd buy snacks
for ourselves because eating
sometimes it's scarce with Skip,
you know, he he wakes up at a
certain time.
He only eats at certain times so
me and Carlos were like
starving.
Yeah, you're a grown ass man.
Figure out how to eat.
Right.
So we would, we would go and
we'd go to the corner store and
we'd get snacks and we'd pay
with card there.
It's like candy bars, chips.
How about go to a restaurant and
eat food like a normal human
being?
Yeah.
No, we well, well, we didn't
have our own vehicle.
Yeah, it's S Lee.
You can walk.
Yeah.
You're two big, large American
looking guys.
You have any trouble?
Yeah, we're both 3 feet taller
than everybody there.
Nobody would have given you a
hard time.
No, we didn't really have a
problem which, you know, like.
Walk the streets all the time.
Anasta Lee.
The way Greg set up the
conversation with me before I
left was like, oh, I got to be
careful, don't do this, don't do
that.
And like, I'm like nervous at
this point going into Nicaragua.
And then, well.
You're a nervous guy.
Yeah, well Greg likes to over
exaggerate things too.
Yeah, I used to walk.
I would walk to the gym.
I love when Greg tells the
stories about us in China.
They're so much better than how
it actually happened, right?
Yeah, it really wasn't a an
issue.
And even Skip took us to like a
a restaurant that was like one
of the local ones.
Yeah, and there was no issue.
Which which one?
I don't know the name of it, but
it's the one with the
Mercedes-Benz grills.
The front of the cars are like
cut.
Yeah, and he turned them into
grills.
Oh, really?
Yeah, I don't know the name of
it, but.
Oh, apparently he doesn't take
you there.
No, I I go to the nice
steakhouse.
Yeah.
Is that the one with the fake
fire?
I think so has like Florida
Condor on the wall.
Yeah, yeah, we went.
We went there multiple times.
Yeah, that's, that's his, that's
his, that's his favorite spot.
Yeah.
So.
OK.
All right, everybody ready?
We have an episode of What's the
Score?
Today's Cigar Juice from June
19th, 2021.
Charlie Minato reviewed it.
It is the Barracoa Cigars
Dominican Republic reviews the
Barracoa The Voyage Robusto
Extra from 2021. 82.
Booty the the one that you love.
This is.
One of your favorite?
This may not be fair.
You probably know the score.
I don't this is one of your
favorite cigars though, you
loved it.
I mean, I would think it'd be
yeah, 85.
If you if you're a Patreon fan,
that's this episode on the
Patreon is absolutely epic and
you need to.
I've got a lot of comments on it
already.
They left the.
Episode it just and it opened.
It aired today.
Today.
Yeah, well, for this, when this
is released, it'll air
yesterday.
Yes, all right.
The Voyager Busto Extra Country
of Origin Dominican Republic
Factory tablet Calera William
Ventura the rappers Ecuadorian
carojo binder Ecuadorian Sumatra
filler Dominican Republic and
Nicaragua Length is five and a
quarter by 52.
Robusto extra MSRP $9.70 a box
OF20194 dollars 970 is kind of a
weird price.
They smoked 3.
Well, I mean, he had to try and
figure out how we would make
enough money to pay back the
person.
Yeah, 78.
Apparently, he guessed.
Wrong.
Just.
Yeah, Just, you know, and when
I, when I say I'm going to pay
you back, what I really mean is
that's not going to happen,
allegedly.
And I'm moving into the new
factory and all to this 85
still.
OK.
All right, clue #1.
This cigar is terrible.
The draw remains consistently
too open across all samples, and
rather than improving after
lighting, it forces the smoker
to adjust their cadence
throughout the cigar.
This lack of resistance makes it
difficult to smoke at a relaxed
pace and ultimately pulls
attention.
Oh, I'm sorry, are we bothering
you?
It's time taking medicine.
Time for his medicine.
Huh ultimately pulls attention
away from the flavor experience,
turning what should be an
effortless smoke into something
that requires constant
management 70. 8. 8585.
Clue #2 Construction proves
uneven from sample to sample,
ranging from acceptable to
outright frustrating.
One cigar exhibits a messy,
unreliable burn line while
another repeatedly goes out,
particularly on one side,
despite repeatedly attempts to
correct it.
The need for frequent touch ups
and relights interrupts the flow
of the smoke and detracts from
what could otherwise be a more
immersive experience. 77.
You loved it 82.
Only drop down 3.
Remember, this was your cigar.
This is 1.
You loved this pleasant smoking
experience.
I think was the actual wording.
Yeah, it was incredible.
I didn't say incredible, I said
it.
Was like Oh my God.
You thought it was going to be
the next opus.
Yeah, you was right up.
There because I don't like Opus.
You thought it should be the
next Opus because you don't like
Opus, but you loved it.
Sorry, I misspoke myself the
first time.
All right, clue #3 When the
cigar is burning properly and
the smoking rhythm is dialed in,
the flavor profile showed a
satisfying level of complexity
and balance.
Creaminess, nuttiness, earth,
and subtle sweetness rotate
through the spotlight, supported
by expressive, expressive.
Retro Hills had delivered
layered notes of spice, citrus
and savory depth, creating
moments that are generally
enjoyable and engaging for the
attentive smoker.
That's cigar, you know right
there.
That's the 177.
Says Boots will love this in the
future.
Yes, in five years. 82.
In five years?
In four years, Boots will love
this cigar.
What did you say, Boots?
I'm sorry, 8282 And you are at
what, Michael?
70.
Seven.
Well I smoked 3 as a final.
Final thoughts.
No well I smoked 3 cigars for
this review.
I experienced two different
cigars.
The two good ones were
interesting profile that tasted
more intense than the body and
strength would suggest.
When not retrohaling, the
profile was fine and easy enough
to handle.
Though this is one of the times
in which retrohaling didn't
produce the most enjoyable
smoking experience.
That second sample inevitably
hurt the final score quite a bit
and was difficult to smoke
during the second-half.
Unfortunately, difficult to
smoke is the lasting thought I
was regarding the new version of
the voyage.
While the 1st and 3rd samples
did better, I felt the inability
for cigars to say consistently
lit means that even with the
best of examples, I was forced
to smoke far quicker than I
would have liked and was
required to pay too much
attention to the cigars from
start to finish. 77.
Is this the last this?
Final Now that now you give the
score, this is the end.
You said 77.
I did. 79.
Oh, he's playing the scores.
What do you?
What was it?
80, I was hoping he was going to
go 83, then we're going right in
the middle.
We had to do a tiebreaker.
There's no time I win again.
Second day in a row A.
Row here, Mike.
Just for the record, it should
have ranked as a 2.
Yeah, I was surprised it was
ranked so high.
Yeah.
Well, Charlie's nice to have all
the cigars.
OK, All right.
Anything else to add there's?
Only two less than our SPC.
Right, who ranked the SPC?
Charlie.
I think Charlie purposely likes
to do our stuff like they're
supposed to.
Anya I will do it.
I.
Don't know, I think that he
normally likes our stuff.
Well, that's probably why he
wants to do.
It.
Yeah, Yeah.
But what if.
What's the guy that we always do
usually Pat?
Not Patrick Brooks.
Brooks.
What if Patrick had the cigar
and ranked it?
You think it would be higher?
No.
Really.
Yeah, it was a bad cigar.
No, no, no.
I'm.
Talking about this one, I means
our cigar.
Oh, if if Brooks or Pat Brooks
did ours.
Oh yeah, what a rank tire.
Can we put it on a request?
No.
Can we just send him one to do
like just do this?
No, he's got so much going on.
Why would?
He do it, We don't care.
We're moving on.
Yeah, Warbar just came out.
I'm looking for that review.
Send it to Brooks.
Speaking of which, did we send
that to media?
We have not.
No, we didn't send out samples.
You need to do that.
You want to send out samples?
Yeah, I thought we decided not
to.
Oh no, let's take care of media,
man.
You always got to take These
guys are working their asses off
for peanuts, OK Are.
You guys going to send three to
Boots's house?
No.
Not media.
No.
I'm going to send it to your.
We're not media.
I'm going to send it to.
Your media anymore, we don't get
samples.
Yeah, we're now.
Entertainment.
Yeah, we're on the Netflix.
Yeah, that's right.
We're going to be on Netflix.
Take that answer, all right,
it's been episode 432.
All right, Have a Cigar Hustler
podcast every weekday, Monday
through Friday, coming to you
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Thanks everybody.
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Show Notes
Netflix is now into podcasting ,Now they have recalled ICE cream!, The Youtube empire acquires the crow Jules of award shows. Somme updates of previous stories then in cigar news we have t=maybe the biggest story of 2025 then we wrap with a what’s the score!