Alcatraz Redux, Cinco de Smoke, and Cigar Price Hikes: What’s Trending Now?
Transcript
We've already been going.
Yeah, we've been.
Oh wow, there you.
Going to have to snip a little
bit and then.
That's OK.
Welcome to episode 386 of the
This is bothering me, it's too
low.
Take 10 it.
Turned down.
Oh my God, just let it go.
Just roll with it.
Sure, yours is up fine.
You look, you sound great.
Just to let yours go.
How do you know what you sound
like?
Because the microphone was in
front of my mouth.
It's not like this is my first
time.
Well, episode 386 of the Cigar
Hustler Podcast.
Hey, Tim.
What?
Do we have going on this week,
Michael?
Well, we're going to review the
Notorious Cigar on our Patreon
this week.
The Conor McGregor cigar.
The legendary Conor McGregor
cigar.
Do we have the alcohol to go
with him?
I hear you have to do them both.
Together.
No, there's there'll be no
alcohol.
There'll be no alcohol.
I don't know what else we have.
That's all I have.
That's it.
There's no events this week.
There's no events.
The next event for us at the
shop will be Dunbarton Tobacco.
On May 30th.
May.
May 30th.
May 30th this month.
Double whammy.
This is May.
Yeah, well, April event got
pushed back because we were at
the show.
Got it.
It's driving me crazy.
Yeah.
All right, on the show today,
Trump floats are reopening.
Trump floats reopening Alcatraz
as a symbol of law, order and
justice.
Oh, hold on.
This is not moving.
Why is this not moving?
Oh, it went off.
Oh, I think we have dead battery
again.
Oh.
Take 12.
Just keep going.
Cisco de Mayo history behind the
celebration.
Oh, real ID deadline looms.
Is your ID ready to travel,
Michael?
It's already done.
That's that was done a long time
ago.
Some places it's not.
Not in Florida it has been.
Yeah, but not everywhere.
OK, cigar prices ride nationwide
is import tariffs hit hard hard.
Argonosa Leaf launches the 25th
anniversary limited edition
cigar.
Argonosa, Agonosa, whatever it's
I don't Argonosa.
The Terrence Riley thing where
they flex all the time and
neither one have muscles.
Is it have a rare leaf?
No, this is the anniversary
limited leaf.
This is the Super rare limited
UN UN.
I'm just happy they changed the
box.
Is it a different box than a
black box?
OK.
Black box now.
Super rare.
Limited anniversary Rare.
Yes, Super Gurkha and Davidoff
settled Year of the Dragon legal
battle.
Finally over.
Hooton Young unveils the RTBA
cigar at the NRA.
Lot of letters there.
Lot of letters there and now
trending news.
Do you have anything for social
media today?
What I have on social media, I'm
going to hold to the Patreon.
So then no.
Other than the fact that Abe and
Skip are going at each other on
my last Anthony Mackie post.
I didn't see that I saw your
post, but I saw Skip said
something.
I've not seen that Abe said
something.
There's been some counterparts,
but there's nothing really to
address.
All right.
If you want to hear about the
social media, get on the
Patreon.
Why can't we be friends?
Trump wants to reopen one of
America's most notorious prisons
President Donald Trump on Sunday
said he would order the
government to rebuild and reopen
Alcatraz, a former prison on a
small island on the same name
off the coast of San Francisco
that once housed some of the
most dangerous criminals in the
country.
What the hell was that?
He's got a bell.
He's ringing bells.
Yeah, church bells.
It's dangerous.
Including Al Capone, George
Machine Gun Kelly and James
Whitey Bulger.
Yeah, I like you, Whitey.
Whitey.
Yeah, yeah.
I come from a long line of
Whitey's.
The prison, which closed 60
years ago due to its crumbling
infrastructure and high
maintenance costs, will serve as
a symbol of law, order and
justice, Trump said in a post on
Truth Social Sunday, later
telling reporters it was just an
idea he had a federal judge
pushed to ensure deported
migrants had due process.
Now, a major historical lint.
Does that mean he's wanting to
put illegal aliens in there?
Maybe.
Oh.
Yeah, I think it was AI think it
was just a holding ground.
Technically, that way they are
not on the continental United
States.
They're still on the
Continental.
It's an island.
My head's not chopped off if I
just slipped up, right?
Very good.
OK.
Now a major historical landmark
and tourist destination,
Alcatraz has one.
Alcatraz was one of the most
heavily fortified military sites
on the West Coast for
transforming to a notorious
federal penitentiary in 1934 as
a maximum security prison.
Surrounded by the Pacific.
Strong cold currents so guys
won't jump off because it's cold
water.
I think that in the past, when
people have tried, they've died.
Well, there are there is the the
movie Escape from Alcatraz.
Yeah.
They never found those three
guys bodies, so they assume
they're dead.
Right.
But I think there is confirmed
one guy I heard on the radio
this morning who got out and
they caught him later or
something.
He escaped.
He escaped.
He escaped.
He escaped OK.
Alcatraz had a reputation for
being a last resort facility
where the most dangerous and the
most unruly in other prisons
were sent.
It was virtually impossible to
escape despite numerous storied
attempts.
By the time Alcatraz Prison
closed its buildings, walls were
corroded from the salty sea air.
Authorities estimated that it
would cost between 3:00 and
$5,000,000 to restore and
maintain the facility, excluding
daily operational cost.
Got it.
OK, what?
Go ahead, go ahead.
You got more I.
Think there's one more
paragraph, but I've already
skipped it.
Go ahead.
OK, booze, what do you think we
should do with Alcatraz?
Look at the other than what I.
Think it should still be a
prison.
I mean I.
You want it to be a prison
still?
Yeah.
So they got to spend 3 to
$5,000,000 to bring it up to
code.
Yeah, prison code are.
We talking about government
money or our money?
Government money, yeah.
That is our that is our money
that we they get it from us.
No they don't.
They just print their own.
Exactly.
They just hit a button, they
don't get it from us.
They take it away.
They give it to us and they take
it back.
Yeah, that's like one hour of
money They're printing for one
hour.
For one hour. 3 to $5 worth of
money, yeah.
Oh.
So you think that it should just
be a jail again?
Yeah, why?
What are you why making anything
else?
They even have to take water out
there by boat.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
I mean, there's no plumbing.
I mean, the plumbing flushes
into the Bay, I guess it is, or
the ocean, whatever it is.
But there's no drinking water on
the island.
Oh, OK.
What do you think they should
do?
Keep it a tourist destination.
1.2 million visitors go there a
year.
That was your last paragraph
probably.
That was the last line of last
paragraph.
So I mean, don't they charge?
They charge you out there, I
would imagine, of course.
So it's making money instead of
costing money.
We still have Guantanamo Bay.
Is it full?
Of course, Guantanamo Bay is
always full.
We'll just make that bigger.
I don't think you can.
I think they're all the way to
the line almost.
They're close.
Well, let's cross the line.
It's just Cuba.
You can't do that.
Yeah, you can.
No, Why not?
What if they did this?
We'll give you 17 carburetors.
You let us cross the line. 17
carburetors.
They need other cars to run.
What if, what if we did this?
What if we picked up a homeless
person and a homeless person
pelted for drugs and we took
them.
We brought them to Alcatraz.
We kept them there for two
weeks.
We made them detox and then we
put them in a program where they
can get clean and they can get
their act back, their life back
together.
'Cause they'll be back in four
weeks.
Maybe, but maybe not.
The majority of successful
homeless like processes starts
with them getting sober
somewhere.
I think it should just be a spot
for the most the most violent
criminals.
I mean, that's what it's always
been and it's for a reason,
because you really don't want
those guys to get out.
What do we do with the most
dangerous criminals now?
We got to be putting them
somewhere else.
Yeah, where do we put them now,
Oz?
I don't know.
We put them in Oz.
I'm probably guessing it would
be.
They have all the weird.
There's one in Arizona.
It's usually a federal
penitentiary where they can play
tennis.
That's so nice.
Yeah, or maybe it was the one
Adam Sandler was in.
What?
What was the name of that?
One Adam Sandler.
Oh, you mean where he played
football?
The longest yard, Yeah.
That was in Texas somewhere.
There you go.
So that's probably one of the
most dangerous ones.
They had a half a star and a
five star.
A five star, I don't know.
I think it could be put to use.
I mean, if you want to keep it
as a tourist attraction, that's
fine too.
Just generating an income and
they don't have to do anything
to it.
How much does it cost to go
visit Alcatraz?
I don't know.
I've never been.
If we only had somebody who
could look that stuff up
sideways looking.
It's on a it's on a tour like
you buy like a whole tour of New
York, like the Statue of
Liberty.
Yes, yes.
Oh, so you go see the Statue of
Liberty and then you go.
Then you go see.
I don't.
Know oh.
My.
God, it's in San Francisco.
This is why we need him.
Oh yeah, so.
That's that's like the other
side of the country.
You go see the trolleys.
You go see SeaWorld.
SeaWorld.
Greenland.
Greenland out there?
Yeah, wherever.
Oh fantastic.
So you go eat the San Francisco
treat, and then you go to
Alcatraz.
Oh, the rice Roni, right?
So yeah.
My first clip they.
Show Rock You by Rice or Roni?
It costs 45 to $50 per adult for
a standard day 20. 45 to $50.
Yes, but if you want to go
express pass you get 56 to 101
dollars night tours and behind
the scenes tours are more
expensive.
Behind the scenes.
Wow.
Behind the scenes, what do you
they let you escape?
This is where the raping
happened. 50 bucks and there's a
speed pass.
What's a speed pass for?
Now the speed pass was a joke oh
but the night tours are 56 to
101 dollars.
You can go and there's.
No power.
Imagine there's power.
Imagine bringing the kids and
playing tag, it'd be great.
Well, I don't think they just
turn you loose.
Tell that to my kids.
Have you seen the movie The
Rock?
They bring you in, they put you
in the cells and then somebody
accidentally locks them And then
then what?
The the retired military come
and take over the.
Island.
And then Sean Connery comes and
saves us.
Except he's dead, isn't he Dead.
Yeah, he did, yeah.
Yeah, so James Bond, allegedly.
Allegedly dead.
All right, moving on.
All right, Cinco de Mayo.
Today is Cinco de Mayo today.
Do you know why we celebrate
Cinco de Mayo?
Because it's the 5th of May.
And it's Taco day.
How about you, Butch?
Isn't it like the Mexican
Independence Day or something?
Yeah.
I think it's like an
independence.
Day.
Anybody want to keep going?
It's a siesta day mixed with
Fiesta.
Oh, Fiesta and Siesta is it is.
It the day that we celebrate
after we go to the Statue of
Liberty and then visit Alcatraz
on the same day.
And then you have tacos.
Then we have tacos.
From France.
We have French tacos.
French tacos.
Oh, you close with the French.
Cinco de Mayo Celebrated
annually, Cinco de Mayo
commemorates the Mexican army's
victory over the Second French
Empire, led by Napoleon the 3rd,
at the Battle of Puebla on May
5th, 1882, hence the name.
The holiday is celebrated across
the USA and parts of Mexico,
particularly in the city of
Puebla, where the epic battle
took place.
Because that kept the French
from coming into America.
That's why we celebrated.
Oh.
Two years later, though, they
lost their French.
You think Napoleon would have
came in?
Sure he would have.
Why not?
'Cause he messed it up over
there on the other side.
And he would have lost.
Too many battlefronts.
Something he's coming through
the South.
Supposedly there is a great
great nephew that still lives in
Mexico City who has a Twitter
account who declares himself the
Emperor of Mexico on Twitter all
the time.
Oh, really?
Yes.
Notorious.
And what does he get for being
this?
Well, it's self like, so there's
really no, you know, it's not a
fish.
It's not officially
acknowledged.
I am the emperor of.
Mexico, my great, great uncle
took over the country.
See, if the Mexican president
was smart when Trump was doing
the whole Gulf of America, yadda
yadda, they would have said hey,
we saved your ass from France.
He probably doesn't know.
Either via Cinco de Mayo
probably.
Doesn't.
You're welcome.
Gulf of Mexico stays right.
There you go.
It would have been called the
Gulf of France if it went for
us, but.
Yeah, yeah, pal, that would have
been.
Are you celebrating a Cinco de
Mayo?
You doing anything?
Today, yeah.
Today is Cinco de Mayo.
No, we're not either.
Why would are?
Well, we're having Mexican food
for dinner, but that's about it.
Oh, that's nice.
The way it just happened to work
out that way.
Boots, What are you doing for
Cinco de Mayo?
I'll.
Probably get tacos.
You'll have tacos.
Yeah, well, is is.
Tacos Why you're in the New York
Harbor looking for the I
already.
Did that joke so the sombrero.
Call back, Michael.
So the sombrero you're wearing,
that has nothing to do with
Cinco de Mayo?
No, that's his everyday
sombrero.
That's his.
That's his standard.
My smoking sombrero.
That's his smoking sombrero.
It's blue with the fuzzy lapel.
Yeah, goes well.
The fuzzy.
Lapel.
All right, the REAL ID deadline
is approaching.
Oh yeah.
Missouri doesn't happen yet.
That's a big OK 'cause Missouri
is so on the cusp of.
Well, how are we on the cusp?
Of we're Florida baby, we're we
want people to have I DS and
then we want them to be real.
The REAL ID deadline is rapidly
approaching.
America will be Americans will
be required to switch to the
enhanced form of authentication
by Wednesday, May 7th if they
want to travel by plane
domestically.
If you if you still need to
update your ID, you're not
alone.
CBS data shows that dozens of
states are behind on compliance.
There you go.
Dozens.
An analyst conducted an
analysis.
Not an well.
An analyst connected or
conducted the analysis.
An analyst conducted the
analysis.
Yes, of the location of
Nevermind from April 7th to the
18th found that 30 states or
less than 70% compliant.
Out of all the states, New
Jersey had the lowest compliance
rate in the nation at 17%.
Yeah, only 17% of the people of
New Jersey have the Real ID.
Wow.
Jersey Get your act together,
Jersey.
Here's what you need to know to
make sure you're ready for May
7th REAL ID deadline.
The REAL ID is a state issued
driver's license or
identification card that meets
specific federal security
standards, making it acceptable
for boarding domestic flights
and accessing certain federal
facilities.
Starting May 7th, 2025.
REAL ID compliant cards are
marked with a star in the upper
right hand corner if you checked
yours.
I have it.
Key features and requirements
Security standards.
Real ID compliant cards have
enhanced security features and
require more stringent
documentation than non compliant
state issued IDs.
They just gave, yeah.
Like a water bill.
Yeah, it's just like a couple
extra forms, right?
I don't.
Remember doing anything
different that like when I
renewed my license then no one
had a star?
You may have provided an
additional form and not even
realized it.
Yeah, I think I would have known
if I handed them something.
A water bill.
Yes.
You think that you didn't hand
them anything?
I don't think so.
We have to change our address
still, right?
But because of this, there's
very long lines at the DMV.
Oh, really?
Yes.
Which one do you go to?
I haven't been to 1 yet.
I was I I was told there was
long.
Lines.
Oh, you just.
Oh.
Oh, it's a rumor.
Go to Lake Mary, there's no
lines.
There's no lines in.
Like, oh, that, that was a nice
one.
Yeah, yeah, that's a there's a
nice one in Lake Mary.
It's real fast.
Do you have real ID?
The one in Daytona is fast too.
You have real ID?
Yeah, I have a Gold Star but I
have to change my address.
Do you have REAL ID?
Yeah.
What do you think the purposes
of the REAL ID?
Well, it's acceptable for
federal purposes.
Those IDs are acceptable for
boarding domestic flights and
accessing federal facilities.
So if I have an ID with a star,
I can go into a federal
facility.
Correct.
Yes.
Without it you can't 'cause I
can't guarantee you are.
Now you can use a passport
instead of this if you have a
passport, right?
That is still good too.
Are we deeming federal
facilities like courthouse White
House is?
Oh, Courthouse.
Courthouse, White House.
Have a like VA hospital.
VA Hospital.
Yeah, but you need more
identification than that.
You need your real ID would
work.
If you had a real ID, you have
to have some type of military.
Yeah, you have to have more than
just that.
I can't go in there and get my
tonsil's taken out.
You can't.
I'm not military.
You can't even get through the
gate, you have to have AVAID.
How about I can get through the
gate?
We should try what?
Do you think would happen?
What would happen if he tried to
get into Ava Hospital?
If you go to the gate and they
say no access, turn around and
you don't turn around, you floor
it.
They have these walls that are
in the ground and as soon as
they hit this button they fly
up.
Oh, the little pylons and things
in the ground.
They're not pylons, they're
brick walls.
Brick walls, they move up fast.
Oh yeah, Really.
Yep.
So I have a short.
Car.
I've seen them twice.
You've seen them twice and you
didn't have your ID.
No, no, no.
I used to do it.
I used to work.
I used to do that stuff.
Oh, remember, he was in the
Navy, never went on a boat,
right?
So he's in charge of the wall.
Yeah.
From the Navy, everybody that
does any type of security work
on the base has to be trained on
the wall button.
The wall button.
Yeah, you gotta handle yourself
on the wall.
Get.
Your finger ready.
Push it.
Oh look it.
What up poop?
Some states have a variation of
the star.
Yeah, California has a star with
a gold bear.
Oh oh.
Maine and Michigan have a gold
state map.
Oh, that looks like a ham.
Yeah, it looks like a ham.
Non compliant cards will clearly
state they are not valid for
federal purposes but are still
usable for driving or local
identification.
So everybody's not going to have
it.
Do you think you have to?
Unless you won't travel,
apparently.
Do you think that they
eventually use a real ID to
require as a requirement for
voting rights?
Like you can't vote?
Yes, that they people are saying
that that is a story that has
come out too.
You think that that's a thing?
I did see that headline.
There is a senator or state
representative somewhere who's
trying to get it extended
because they can't vote without
the REAL ID.
Oh, it's a requirement in a
specific statement now?
I mean, yeah, but again, I mean,
you still get a fake ID.
How else are they going to check
it?
Oh, you have a Gold Star?
You're right.
Well, I'm sure it's scans.
The Gold Star.
The real Idi.
Have no idea.
Yeah, I'm sure there is that
that weird looking strip on the
back.
They do have a strip on the
back, Yeah.
Yeah, maybe.
At the airport, they hit it with
a black light.
Do you have a problem with them
using a real ID for a voting
card?
You know, with the voting stuff,
no, because regardless if all
the dead people want to vote,
they're going to vote.
There's a yeah, there's a big
push, dead people voting, right,
Yeah.
Yes, they've been outraged.
They've been outraged for years.
Yeah, they've been ignored.
They're.
Not going to be incorporated.
Do you have an issue with the
real ID being used for voting?
No, I don't.
What difference does it make?
What about you, Mikey?
No, I, I feel the same way,
yeah.
I just don't think it matters.
I don't care, I don't mind
having an ID to vote.
Here comes already.
What if we like go back to like
the old ways of voting, like
everybody like goes to a certain
location and they go, OK,
everybody for this guy, raise
your hand.
Right.
Everybody for this guy, raise
your hand.
Said we'll raise it up the hands
we all have to clown in at one
time.
The nays just crowds in to stand
there.
Or maybe.
The nays have it.
What's up Artie?
You're good bro.
You can come up all.
Opposed.
Yeah, Yee, Yee or something, you
know.
That ensures the TSA and other
federal agencies can verify the
identity of individuals before
boarding flights or accessing
federal facilities.
They're really on this flight in
federal facility thing, right?
Seems to be the two main reasons
that we have this in voting.
I just think they were at this
current point, you're starting
to see more restrictions happen
in policies for travel and all
this other things that like
that's the the going issue.
It reduces the risk of identity
fraud, terrorism and setting
higher security standards for
identification.
Right.
How long till we get a tattoo
with a scanner code?
Yeah, I mean, I think the
fingerprint is easily a tattoo.
I don't even think you need all
that anymore, guys.
I got to be honest.
Facial recognition is so easy at
this point.
Or yeah I.
Mean your phone just wins.
Is there a slight difference in
twins where facial recognition
doesn't identify one and not the
other?
I'm sure that there's a way
that, hey, these people are
twins, You have to take them
through a different process.
Well, facial.
Recognition is.
Not just I mean it goes by the
twin eyes and everything.
There's two people there.
The.
Twin line.
What are you saying, Boots?
Facial recognition is
everything.
Like eye shape, like everything.
Well, that's what I'm asking.
How close are twins actually?
There's usually like a 10%
difference I'm sure.
Can't be completely 100%.
I mean, I could say right now
when I travel to Universal, I no
longer do my passes.
As soon as you walk up, they
Face ID you.
You walk right.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
It's awesome.
Wow.
And then they were having.
Well, that way you never forget
it.
And then you needed permission
with for the kids to be a part
of it.
I'm like, yeah, that's fine.
Oh, they're underage.
I'm like OK.
You have to update it every year
because you would think they
would change.
I think that when you renew
they'd probably just redo the
picture.
I gotcha.
Oh, because it's only good for a
year.
Yeah.
Makes sense.
Yeah, I didn't know that.
That's it's interesting.
It's.
Fantastic it really.
Is you don't have to worry about
where it is or keep it or
anything.
No more scanning, just.
More stand in line because that
was a big problem.
Yeah, you still have to stand in
line, don't you?
Yeah.
Well, it probably just goes
quicker.
It does go quicker.
Oh, if it scans a buddy and
they're not who they say they
are, does it like and then.
Warning.
A wall comes up.
Somebody hits a.
Button.
Yeah, a wall comes up.
A brick wall, I hear that's very
big.
Yeah.
All right, It's time for boots.
This trending topic.
Air boots.
Talk about sports or something.
Oh perfect.
Hello peoples.
So.
So there were a couple of
basketball games last night.
Yeah, yeah, the playoffs are
coming to an end of the first
round.
Palmer's allergic to sports.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, what was first round of
what?
The first round of the playoffs
is is ended.
Yeah.
Oh, they're doing playoffs.
Yeah, Anthony Edwards,
Minnesota.
I loved him on ER.
Did you?
Anthony Edwards Yeah, when that
the guy, the bald guy with the
glasses.
Michael Jordan's, he's
definitely a black guy with her.
It's Michael Jordan's alleged
illegitimate song.
They look exactly like facial
features.
They do look and their game is
horrifically the same.
Very similar, yeah.
Well, you said alleged there was
a big ditty thing that came out
in the news today too.
Oh, really?
I I know it has not nothing to
do with sports, but they have
detailed now everything that has
happened.
It's pretty horrific.
Really.
Yeah.
Speaking of sports.
From 1993 to 2025.
Oh wow, so you got almost 30
years or over 30 years?
Yeah, I've been, I mean.
The whole all of them.
Animals.
Animals.
Animals.
Imaginary people.
I mean, it's terrible.
Stuffed animals.
It's not anybody that he hasn't,
you know, given it to.
Allegedly, allegedly.
OK, so Anthony Edwards crushed
the Lakers.
Yeah, he sent LeBron packing.
Yeah, which was amazing.
Made me very happy.
Yeah.
And, and what I like about
Anthony Edwards is the
confidence level of this guy.
Yeah.
And it's only, what, his second
year?
He's young, yeah.
Third year.
Third year.
Yeah, yeah, this guy's a he's,
he's just like Jordan, man.
He's got that killer instinct.
Yeah, I'm quietly rooting for
them.
Yeah, the playoffs.
What's crazy is really it's only
Anthony Edwards.
There's nobody else really on
that team.
Who do you think's going to win
it all all go do all of it.
I think we've already.
I already asked this team.
Yeah, I mean, Denver is.
You still think Denver?
Yeah, they're just hard to beat,
man.
Boston's going to win it.
I still think Boston maybe
there's apparently there are
twins.
One of them's on the Houston
Rockets.
Thompson Twins.
Dude.
So he popped his calf.
Did you see that?
No.
All right.
So I watched him come down and
they showed a slow MO.
I go, oh, he's done.
And he kept playing it.
Rolled.
Yeah, he snapped the top part of
it.
It's just like a torn whatever.
I'm not a doctor, but that's
what I think happened.
He kept playing and he was
holding his own.
Then eventually the pain caught
up to him.
And once he pulled him out,
that's how the gunshot wounds,
the GSWS won.
Yeah, because, man, they're
Houston's defence is off the
charts.
Same thing with with his
brother, the other team, his
brother, his other brother's on
is Detroit.
Detroit.
Yeah.
So there was a funny thing about
the two of them because they are
identical twins.
Yeah.
And.
Well, not anymore.
One's got a hole in his calf.
Oh.
Well, well, not really anymore,
because what ended up happening
is the NBA told them that one of
them had to have a different
type of hairstyle.
Really.
Yeah, because they were afraid
that what was happening.
They would play at different
games.
Yeah, the teams were letting
them trade spots.
That's ridiculous.
Is one of them better than the
other?
I think they're equally the same
actually.
I'll tell you what, the kid on
Houston manages that.
I don't know.
I don't know.
What, are you tired or whatever?
Yeah.
I was gonna say one of them.
Yeah, he played the day before
too or something.
Tell you what, I'm gonna go out
and party tonight.
You come over my team and play.
The kid on Houston's amazing.
Yeah, his shot, his defense.
Yeah, he's incredible.
Agility, all of it.
Yeah, so that, so that was all
that played last night, right,
The GSWS.
Yeah, that was the only game I
was on last night.
Why are you calling the GSWS?
Golden State Warriors OH, 'cause
that's what it that's what it
says on the on like sometimes on
I'm like, oh, whenever I see
that I I say to Jackson, I'm
like, oh, the gunshot wounds and
he's.
Like what do you think?
I mean gunshot wounds.
What do you mean I'm like GSW?
So now he says, oh, you mean the
gunshot wounds?
I want to root for the the
gunshot wounds, but I can't
because Jimmy Butler did my my
Miami Heat dirty.
I'm not OK with that.
I'm not OK with it.
But then I still root for Steph
when he takes a shot.
I'm like, like, what am I doing?
What is going on here?
So who's Golden State playing?
Are they playing the cat?
No, I don't know.
That's a good question.
You have no idea.
All right.
Well, I haven't seen the bracket
yet.
Hasn't seen the bracket.
How do you feel about NBA?
The National Boxers Association.
Yeah.
Are you rooting for anybody in
particular?
Today, I don't follow basketball
at all.
At all.
At all?
No.
Nope 0. 0. 0.0 Coverage.
Yes.
How do you feel about?
Soccer.
I hate that.
Worse than basketball?
You hate it worse than
basketball?
What about hockey?
Hockey's going on right now.
Is hockey on right now?
Yeah.
Yeah, the playoffs.
It's too cold. 2 Florida teams
are in it.
No, not anymore.
That one's gone.
Tampa and the Panthers both
played each other, yes.
So.
Florida.
Panthers advanced.
Yeah, I figured the Panthers.
I didn't know who to root for.
I was so torn.
Both teams are.
Playing, you were so torn.
I didn't know what to do so I
just got frustrated and stopped
watching them all together.
He just shut it down.
I.
Just shut it off.
You guys are Missouri fans,
right?
I did watch the Kentucky Derby.
Oh yeah, with the horses
running, yeah.
How'd that go with the?
Horses running sovereign.
Sovereign something.
I heard that the horse of 1 was
It was the owner was the guy
that was banned for in the past
allegedly for doping up.
Yes, I bet on Toby Key Source.
Yeah, didn't even place.
You actually did bet we went to
a party that somebody something
through and we bet there.
Somebody.
Something through?
Yeah.
Was it a cigar thing or no?
No, no, no, no.
It was, I can't think of what
it's called, one of those
organizations for businesses.
And stuff.
Yeah, a charity thing.
Our landlord bought a table and
invited us along.
Oh, Rotary.
Not it's sort of like Rotary,
but they called it something
else.
And why did you pick Toby
Keith's horse We?
Heard about it on the radio.
So he figured you'd go Toby
Keith.
Yeah, I mean, he always wanted
his horse to run in the race and
this is the first time he's ever
ran and.
He's obviously an experienced
horse guy.
Well, he's dead, so he died of
cancer.
So how did he even run it?
Toby.
Toby didn't run, he didn't ride.
He didn't ride the horse.
They had They had a guy that
rode the horse.
His family owned the horse.
Yes.
So.
But they still consider Toby
Keith's horse.
Yes, you know he's dead.
Well, that's why they got him
into it, because Toby always
wanted the horse to run the
rent.
Great.
What a great accomplishment
after he died.
Well, they did it for Toby
Michael.
They did it for Toby and they
took your money for Toby. $10
and it went to the Rotary or
whatever it's called, I'm sure.
There's a lot more.
It was some special Rotary for
40 and under or something, I
don't know what.
So what were you doing there?
I told you my landlord bought a
table.
Yeah, that's why I kept asking
my wife.
She goes, this is for under 440
and under Rotary people.
And I'm like, that guy's like 85
years old, honey, what's going
on?
I have no idea what's going.
On well, he's a + 1.
All right, well, let's get into
cigar news, Yeah.
I hear that's very big, yeah.
It's called the recall.
Oh, all right, Now the cigar
news How import tariffs are
forcing cigar companies to raise
prices.
As the smoke clears from recent
changes in the trade policy,
premium cigar companies across
the country are bracing for
impact.
A wave of new import tariffs
targeting tobacco products from
key producing countries has sent
ripples through the industry,
forcing many boutique and
established brands alike to make
a difficult choice, absorb the
rising cost or pass them on to
the consumers.
Now with cigar lovers light up,
they may find their favorite
sticks carrying a higher price
tag and cigar makers caught
between loyalty to the customers
and the hard reality of
international economics.
Here are the companies who have
issued increases to the due to
the tariffs.
These are just the ones that
have issued a press release.
I'm sure there's others that
I've heard.
So Cle, but what's interesting
is there's not a standard, not
like everybody just did 10%.
What do you mean?
Well, like the tariff is 10%,
yeah, OK.
A lot of places have not done a
standard flat 10% across the
board.
Why do you think that is?
I don't know.
That's what you're here for.
Oh.
Why do you think that is boots?
Well, business wise, I mean,
obviously it sounds like they're
trying to regain some lost money
somewhere maybe.
Is it higher than 10% or is it
lower than 10%?
Both.
It's like Cle up to 52.
Ring gauge, it's $0.20.
OK. 54 ring agent higher.
It's $0.30.
OK.
But is that 10% of the cost?
Yes, really.
They're not saying they're doing
it at cents.
So you would have to go back and
figure out the price of every
single one.
Gotcha.
Well, and you also have to
figure out what they get each
cigar made for.
What they what?
I can't hear you very well, but.
They you also have to figure out
what they get each cigar made
for as well.
So if a 52 is less money than
you know the others.
I mean, I would imagine the 54
has a higher cost, but so maybe
it is 10%, but they're not
saying it's 10%.
It's possible.
It is.
I think that it's also possible
that maybe they're looking at
the overall cost for the
manufacturing and their
percentage of margin and saying,
well, we can absorb this and
decrease our margin a little bit
in this particular cigar.
Now there's only one company
that has explained it that way.
OK.
And that is?
We will get to it in a moment.
JRE 15 to $0.30 per cigar.
OK.
Perdomo $0.25, a cigar
romacraft, which is the one that
has explained how they're doing
it, is 5 to 10%.
So there are some where they
were able to absorb some of the
tariff.
Costs.
Yeah, well, they're looking at
it right?
Right, He put up that nice
message on social media where he
explained how they were doing
it.
Some they can absorb, some they
can't.
Right.
So he's looking to just kind of
keep the cost down, right?
And you know, he's reducing his
revenue, right?
Yeah.
He is the only one that did say
that if it comes back down
though, they're not taking the
prices back down.
Well, well, how would you do
that?
And it's not like you can, yeah.
It well no I understand but I'm
just saying he is the only one
that had to explain.
I think Roma Craft explained it
better than most companies.
OK, well, I'm glad that you
understand, but maybe our
listeners don't.
Oh, right.
OK, so if it was $0.50 and I
raised it up $0.50 and all of a
sudden the price came back down,
like the tariffs were gone.
If I reduce that price, the
people that I sold it to now
paid it at a higher price than
what I had given it to.
So I you'd have to work out some
type of scenario if you did that
where they would be OK, here's
going to offset that additional
cost that you paid if the
tariffs went away.
I don't think the tariffs go
away, personally.
I I think that they're 10%'s
here to stay.
Yeah, that process would be
super complicated, the one
you're explaining.
Yeah.
And so walking it back, I don't
think I could never see that
happening.
No, it'd be too difficult.
And I don't, I don't think that
anybody would walk it back.
Even if they said that they'd
walk it back, I don't think
they're going to walk it back.
It would just, it would just
take a place of like a price
hike.
I mean 'cause there's going to
be a price hike every year
anyways.
Right.
Yeah, just next time they
wouldn't have to.
Right.
Oh, we're keeping the prices the
same, right, Right.
So yeah, in general, I don't, I
no one's reducing their prices
unless they're not selling their
cigars.
If you're not selling your
cigars, there you go, right?
Then you're lowering your
prices, right?
Because hey, I haven't sold any
at this rate, so might as well
lower it, right?
Well, United did announce, what,
a couple weeks ago?
They were lowering their prices.
Yeah, and what's his name did
too.
Who?
What's his name?
I.
Can't think of his name.
Oh God, what's his name?
Huge.
Oh St.
Huge.
All Saints.
All Saints.
All Saints.
Where'd he go, Mickey?
Mickey Peg.
I'm not sure where Mickey went.
I mean, he's on the road, he's
with the crew.
I miss Mickey Peg.
And then Southern Draw did a
flat 10% increase.
Southern Draw Why are you
laughing?
It just went right past the
whole didn't want to engage on
that one.
No, no, we can talk about Mickey
Peg all you want.
I'm just that's just the last
line of the story.
Just want to close.
I want.
To get that out, yeah, Southern
draw had a 10% increase.
Flat 10% across the board I.
Mean that makes sense.
Sure.
Hey, it's 10% more.
Right.
Tariffs are going up 10%.
I have to go up 10%.
It's a question of when did he
receive the product?
Did he receive the product
beforehand?
And he's upping at 10%.
Don't lie.
I mean, you know, that's also a
good strategy to do too, to help
cover your costs for the next
10%.
I did hear Southern Draw was the
one affected the most by the
fire at a JS.
Oh yeah.
Was it Jacob's Ladder?
10% plus a 20% increase.
Goes to the fire, yeah.
Crazy.
Crazy.
OK.
All right, Agonorsa Leaf
Anniversario 25 edition,
Limitada.
It's not Organorsa anymore.
No, now it's Agonorsa.
It's a different company.
Oh, OK, it's a sister company.
They're sister company, that's
right.
Not made by a JS factory.
The cigar that celebrates the
25th anniversary of Eduardo
Fernandez Cigar Operations
heading to stores.
The Argonosa Leaf Anniversary
25.
You see, I'm going to go back
and forth. 25 Edition Limited
does a six and a quarter by 52
Toro extra that is made entirely
from Nicaraguan tobacco from
Agonorsa Eat cigars and MSRP of
2999 and production is limited
to 1000 boxes of 10 cigars.
It must really like it.
It's it's really good.
Individual stores were limited
to purchasing no more than 5
bucks.
You get 5, you get.
Five.
We only made 1000.
You get 5.
In the late 1900s, Fernandez
went to Nicaragua and started
Agricola Grande Nira norteno
essay.
Norteno.
Or agonorsa.
I thought you went to sleep.
That translated into.
Now he shortened agricola
Grenada nortena essay into
agonorsa.
Oh, he took.
Yeah, he took acronyms.
Yes, agronor which?
Today is the leader in
Nicaraguan tobacco and pork.
Really.
Yeah.
Is that true?
Is that what it says?
They make pork bacon.
A handful of years later, he
bought tropical tobacco from
Pedro Martin, which expanded his
business.
Today, Aguadosa is one of the
largest growers of tobacco in
Nicaragua, selling tobacco to
factories all over the world.
It also has its factory which
uses the same name and includes
clients such as Illusion, Viaje
and Warped.
Was illusion at the PCA?
No, they weren't.
They were not there.
I didn't see them.
That's weird.
Why weren't they at the show?
Was there a logo on Argonosa?
Cause what?
Was there a logo on Argonosa?
I don't think so.
They had a small booth.
Agonosa they had a decent sized
booth.
Oh, it looked very cramped.
You think so?
Well, it's just busy.
What's his name so tall?
Well, they had like towers in
each corner and one table in the
middle.
So I mean everybody was sort of
crammed in there.
I.
Thought it looked good.
They had good production too.
As far as the videos and stuff,
I don't know.
Yeah, they hired somebody.
Yeah.
Yeah, they've they've.
Terrence ain't doing that shit.
No, no, no.
Oh, on the Drew State website,
because we just had the Drew
State of it.
They have now.
I can't think of his name.
Who?
Tyre, Mike.
Nope, Nope.
The DJ, Katie.
It's like a game now.
The guy who works with Terrence.
John the Drew.
No, they used to.
Work Fabian Ziegler.
Fabian Fabian.
Yes, Fabian Fabian is still in
the intro videos on the Drew
State website.
Is he?
Yes.
Oh, that's.
Yeah, I mean that that goes way
back.
Wow, yeah, might might be time
to update Drew state you.
Might want to change your
website a little.
Bit well, it's, you know,
freestyle.
That guy was out of the game for
a couple years.
Right, run around in pajamas
smoking hookahs.
Yeah, did this whole hookah
thing, right?
And then he went into Aginorsen.
So right now, Drew State's
promoting Aginorsen, right?
All right, Gurkha Devidoff
settled Year of the Dragon
lawsuit.
Oh, knife fight.
Steak knife fight.
What knife?
Steak knife.
Oh, steak knife fight.
The legal fight over the Year of
the Dragon name has been
settled.
Last week, attorneys
representing the two sides in
Gurkha Cigar Group Inc versus
Davidoff of Geneva USA Inc sent
a letter to the court asking for
the case to be dismissed.
What?
Yes, OK.
Judge William P Demetriolis of
the US District Court of the
Southern District of Florida
approved the request and ordered
the case dismissed with
prejudice.
What?
Does that mean never bring it
back up again?
That means dismissed, but I'm
mad.
You can never bring that back up
again.
With prejudice, Little is known
about the settlement.
The joint stipulation for
dismissal said that each party
would pay its own court cost.
Half Wheel requested comments
from both sides.
Davidoff did not reply, while
Bianca Lopez, director of
marketing for Gurkha, wrote it
was an amicable agreement that
was reached.
Allegedly, Davidoff provided
coffee mugs, backpacks and steak
knives with the Davidoff logo
for each member of the Gurkha
management team as part of the
settlement.
Oh perfect.
That's why they said dismissal,
prejudice.
Right, exactly.
K Hens Kotia and Company, Inc
Presumably named after Gurkha's
owner Kaizad Hen Oh, It's his
last name.
Owns a variety of dragon related
treadmarks including Dragon
Dragon, Fire Dragon Lord, Dragon
Slayer, Imperial Dragon, Red
Dragon, Royal Dragon.
Double Dragon.
Also added was Grand Dragon
Grand Wizard and the Unofficial
Grand Wizard Dragon.
Grand Wizard Dragon.
The company also filed for a
trademark on Year of the Dragon,
which Davidoff has opposed.
It's unclear what impact the
settlement will have on the
trademark process, which was
suspended due to the lawsuit.
Day of the Dragon which?
Gurkha filed in late 2023.
Gurkha Cigar Group Inc has
arranged to license the
trademarks from Kaizod's
company.
Week of the Dragon.
The Week of the Dragon.
Davidoff of Geneva Dragon.
Davidoff.
For a year of the snake, which
is next year's.
Year of the Snake.
They've already filed the
trademark for a year of the
snake.
Oh yeah, Kirka's ahead of the
curve.
They're ahead of the curve.
What's the next one?
You're the snake.
Yeah.
What's after the snake?
I don't know.
Let's go for that one.
The RAM?
Maybe it's a?
RAM, you're the RAM.
Got it.
We're filing.
We're filing for the RAM,
whatever the next one is after
the snake.
In production.
Two years from now, Wooten Young
announces.
Wait, wait, let's talk about the
fucking dragon.
I mean, you're.
Rolling out the jokes about the
dragon already you were yelling
on dragon.
There no man, you got to talk a
little bit about this, sort of.
Thing the last three were.
Yeah, this has been going on for
like 4 years or something.
What would you say?
The Imperial Dragon, the Lord of
the Dragon, one of the last four
or five were allegedly KKK.
They're all racist, yeah.
Great.
Allegedly.
Oh my God.
Why did they only sue Davidoff?
I mean 17 different companies
made dragon.
Well, probably the only company
that had some type of money.
No, there's other companies that
had money on the list.
I thought that the lawsuit had
everybody in it.
No, they only sued Davidoff.
They only sued Dev at all only.
Sued Dev at all, nobody else.
How many people does that to be
to be a class action?
I don't know.
Well, Gurkha can't sue a class
action they sued for in case the
class action can't be
infringement of a copyright.
Yeah, it wasn't the other suing
them, It was them suing the
other.
With the right, we have the
right to the dragon we.
Have the right?
Well, that's what it is.
You can't.
Like you can't register
Christmas.
Right.
It's basically the same thing,
right?
You're the dragon is a Asian.
If that was the case, then why
wasn't it just dismissed?
Yeah.
Because everybody agreed on it
before it got dismissed.
If it went to court it probably
would not have gone through, but
it would have been a lot more
legal fees though.
Yeah.
How much do you think the
settlement is?
A couple of coffee mugs, steak
knives and a backpack.
That was it.
No, I think it's a.
Couple.
I don't think they settled for
money.
You think they paid them money?
Think Devdoff paid off?
They paid off Kais credit card
bill.
Maybe yeah or yeah, maybe there
was something where they said.
Hey, we'll credit card bill.
We'll make sure you don't get
any tobacco in this area or
something.
Could have been one of those
type.
Of dab it off, grow their own
tobacco.
I guess, yeah, I'd assume so.
You're assuming so because he
said so, or you're assuming so
because you've heard that they
do.
Let me see.
Because, I mean, he's got
believable eyes.
He's still looking for, you
know, the prison in New.
York in New York Alcatrazian
Prison.
Alcatraz, New York.
Yeah, I don't know, man.
Look, at the end of the day,
it's just kind of funny that it
went that far.
Right.
And maybe it was all just a do
you think it was just a
marketing stint for content?
Maybe in the beginning?
I don't know.
I mean, there were lawyers, but
what do you just figure that
into the cost of marketing?
Well, what's the lawyer?
You know, you send a letter, You
send a letter.
What are we talking about
500,000?
Bucks OK.
So I send a letter to you saying
I'm going to sue you retainers.
Then I have to.
My lawyer has to look at it and
send a letter back.
Bring it on, bitch sends it
back.
All right, so we're at what, 400
a clip right now 8. 100 bucks,
How much letters at that level
cost?
Right.
I don't think they're that
expensive.
They're still not that
expensive.
And then, you know, this carries
on and a court date is set.
And then they say.
Drop a couple.
Of you.
You ready to dismiss?
I'm ready to dismiss over.
It's a Chinese holiday.
You're the dragon done, I joined
on getting the snake.
Though, you know, everybody has
already released their cigars.
Yeah.
So I mean, they've canceled the
lawsuit after the cigars.
So I mean the damages have been
done.
Or maybe there was terrorists.
Involved.
Everybody has sold the cigars
and now the money's been made.
What are they going to?
You have to get all those back
reparations.
I don't know.
Right.
Damages.
We didn't sell enough because
you sold some too.
Yeah.
I just think it's silly.
Maybe.
Interesting, very interesting.
All right, go ahead next.
Next, let's sue somebody.
See what happens.
So you want to sue I?
Don't know who should we sue,
who is at our level that we
could sue and who.
Dojo.
Are you talking about like
podcast wise?
No.
No, I'm talking about cigar
company.
Oh, cigar company.
Oh, you want to do?
If you want to do podcast wise,
that might be safer to see the
podcast wise because the podcast
has nothing.
Right.
There's nothing to lose.
Dojo be like are you serious?
We got to get Dojo and coop
together.
And we can't talk about Coop, I
told you.
I I didn't say anything bad.
I'm just.
Talking about silence, the
silence and coop where we've
been, we have been silenced.
We've been silenced.
What about hush money?
Can you go after like Cigar
Aficionado?
That's a magazine.
We can't afford them.
They would crush us.
They're bigger, Yeah.
How about that weird Bovada guy
that came up and got a free
cigar from me at the show?
We.
Sue him.
I think Bovada's got some decent
coin too.
What about which?
I set up at the show, yeah.
Oh wait, he doesn't have a
podcast You.
Know what's funny is.
Cigar TV.
No, Sean's a nice guy.
You know what's funny about
Bovada is now I'm seeing Bovada
ads on Facebook about how to
protect my cigars.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
Oh, it's totally legit.
It's fine.
A lot of people don't understand
bovido that smoked cigars.
It's his pouch.
Pouch with fluid.
Hey, how do you pronounce
altatus?
They.
Probably you say altatus.
Yeah.
Fred Rui did Altatus.
Yeah, Altatus.
Altatus.
He showed up as a suggested reel
on my Facebook the other day.
Oh yeah, I'm like son of a
bitch, That's Fred Rui.
Normally it's people you don't
know.
I know, Fred.
I know Fred, all right.
He's on a cruise.
Go ahead and move on to the next
one.
Hooten Young Announces RTBA Last
week, Hooten Young debuted a
Second Amendment themed cigar at
the NRA's annual conference, the
Hooten Young RTBA, which stands
for Anybody Anybody Euler.
Ranches.
Tobacco.
They're at the NRA, gentlemen.
What?
They're at the NRA National
Rifle.
Association.
Of tobacco.
What's it called?
What's?
The right to bear arms.
RTBA, Oh.
RTBA at least hit RTDA.
Isn't it already?
Wasn't it a cigar?
Right to bear arms.
Yeah, I believe it is.
That's why.
That's why I pulled the story.
Yeah, I think that somebody's
already done one about this.
Right.
It's a 6.52 Toro made-up of
Ecuadorian Habano wrapper
covering a Nicaraguan binder and
fillers.
The cigar debuted during the
154th NRA Annual Meetings and
Exhibits, which took place from
April 24th to the 27th in
Atlanta. 8 cigars and MSRP of.
$17.00.
Is this Hoon young?
You said?
Yeah, 2799.
No, it's too high. $12.00.
Oh, that's a good price.
That's.
A good price and 5000 cigars are
being released in five count.
Bags of cigars are being made at
the Tablicalera CM factory in
Nicaragua and at Cordova
Morales.
Probably.
Yes, we wanted to create a cigar
that honors our shared values
and the American tradition of
enjoying a fine smoke and good
company, said Norman Hooton, or
Norman Hoot, Hooton president
and Co founder of Hoot and
Young, at a press release.
Launching the RTBA at the NRA
annual meeting is especially
meaningful.
This event brings together
Americans who, like us, cherish
freedom, tradition and
camaraderie, and guns and guns.
America.
Fuck yeah.
In an e-mail, John Carney told
Half Wheel that five pack bags
of the RTBA are scheduled to
begin shipping to retailers next
week.
So they're in five packs.
It's.
Yeah, it's a plastic bag.
Yeah, it's a fresh pack, one of
those five pack zip lock.
Bags.
Yeah, you get in a zip lock is
bag.
Shops have been telling me
those, not particularly the RTBA
ones, but if you don't sell
those fast enough the cigars
start to mold because that bag
stays wet.
Oh, because moist inside, right,
moist, moist.
You know, it's really kind of
funny is if you wait around long
enough in this industry, you see
people that launch the five pack
zip lock bags and they
eventually say, you know, we're
going to stop making that right?
And then they go away and then
somebody says we're going to do
5-5 packs zip lock bags, right?
It's just this weird rotation
thing.
And if you really wait long
enough as a retailer, eventually
they give you a deal of those
five pack bags.
We're going to give you a good
discount, so in.
Six months, we'll have them
here.
Cigar hustlers.
What he's trying.
To have discounts on these five
pack bags.
Yeah, but they'll be super moist
and super moist.
Moist.
How many times do we say moist?
Cardi leads Bentley Tobacco USA,
which has a service agreement to
manage Hooten Young's premium
cigar operation.
Yeah, Hooten Young says it has
signed a three-year agreement to
sell cigars and whiskey at the
NRA events, which is how the
cigar debuted.
The Cigar Shop of Cummings,
Georgia was the retailer that
sold the cigars in NRA meeting
attendees.
So there's another middleman.
Yes.
Apparently.
There's always a middleman.
There's always someone else.
Well, he's not really in the
middle.
He's like far right middle.
And Mike Wilson works for
Hooton, right?
Not Bennis?
Yeah, just curious.
No suit, Mike Wilson.
No suit.
Mike Wilson, he had a suit on
somewhere.
Yeah, when he came here for the
dinner.
Oh, that's what it was, yes.
So he owns the one suit.
He has the one, the one for
funerals, the occasional
wedding.
And courthouse court.
And court.
Greg, the one suit for court.
Yes, the court suit.
Court and funerals.
All right, that's all the news
this week.
That's it, Yes.
Oh wow.
You got a shop of the week,
Michael?
No.
How about a listener of the
week?
Nope, not a thing.
You have all these things.
I had everything else.
You have all these things.
I like the fact that the tariffs
are going to affect and
affecting people tariffs going.
To affect what?
The tariffs are going to affect
and they're affecting.
Oh, affecting people?
Yes, yeah.
But that one guy said that, you
know, he was CAFTA free, so.
Right.
So they're not really, these
people don't know what they're
doing.
Yeah, everybody else doesn't
know what they're.
Doing he's what, CAFTA?
Yeah, it's like free trade zone.
And he says it doesn't make a
difference.
I'm officially blocked by him,
by the way.
Welcome to the club.
Yeah, it's fun to be blocked by
people I don't.
Understand why someone I.
Still can't see George.
I I don't understand why people
would block me.
It just makes no sense.
Why do people block me?
Because you're a troll and what
you?
Well, you were trolling him.
No, I wasn't.
I was asking legitimate
questions.
Yes, but he considered that
trolling because he didn't have
the answers.
Well, he had made-up answers,
allegedly.
Allegedly, yes.
I don't know.
That's ridiculous.
I didn't say anything on
George's page.
I said stuff on stuff, he said
on other people's pages.
George.
George.
Yeah, he wants something to do.
Who invented Cigar Aficionado?
See, This is why people block
you.
See.
There you go.
See.
That oh, shoot.
It's just natural for him.
Yeah, I just can't help myself.
I was having a good debate with
a friend.
I'm going to ask you this
question.
OK, yes.
What do you consider an asshole?
What does it take to be an
asshole by term of definition?
We put the camera on Palmer
right here.
Why are you putting it on me for
him?
Well, I want to hear your
answer.
Yeah.
I don't know, I sort of use it
as a joking name.
If I said you're an asshole,
right?
Which is, which is accurate
actually.
So I mean, you know.
Do you think that that I accept
that?
Yeah.
So like, how does it?
How does it define you as being
an asshole?
I'm argumentative.
So an argumentative person is a.
Smart mouth, smart ass isn't,
they say, know everything.
Know it All is an asshole.
Sure.
Well, you roll all those in
together.
Somebody that's relatively
irritable to a person.
Yeah, irritating.
Irritating.
I would call.
Yeah, an asshole is someone who
irritates.
So if you're irritating a
person.
Then they go, wow, you're an
asshole, right?
Sure, even if you're right to
irritate them if let's say that
they're.
Oh yeah, even if everything I
said was right, it still
irritates you, right?
Right.
Sure.
So that my wife calls me an
asshole all the time.
OK.
What about your boots?
What does it take to be an
asshole?
A cremudgee?
So you have to be old.
Yeah, fucking cremudgee.
Just doesn't give a fuck about
anyone's feelings and.
Oh, his assholes are meaner than
mine.
And really just don't have It's
all misinformation.
He's got a misinformation makes
you.
Well, I'm saying like when they
they go, well, I know that and
you know what?
It's this and it's wrong.
And you're like, dude, stop
being a fucking.
Well, I'd probably call it a
Dick, but.
So that's a Dick.
That's not an asshole.
I don't really use the word
asshole I don't think.
I can still like you and you can
be an asshole.
Yeah, sure.
Me too.
Right.
I feel the same way.
Right.
You are an asshole.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, sometimes you are.
And I am right.
Yeah.
And I still love you.
I still love you too.
I love.
The fact that you're an asshole
sometimes.
Right, it's fun.
Yeah, this is a great therapy.
It's a, it's a bicker back and
forth thing, yeah.
However, Boots over here, he
loves the Dick.
No, he uses the Dick right?
He uses the Dick, not the
asshole.
Yeah, don't use the asshole, he
uses the Dick.
I don't think those two words
should be used in the same
sense.
As with anatomy, an asshole
gives you shit, right?
So a person who's an asshole
gives you shit?
Gives you shit, right?
Right.
Sure, that makes sense.
Yeah.
Do you do that with all the
words?
I mean, are we going to go over
to the?
Do all of them.
What was the word?
Dick.
Dick, someone that pees on you
gives you pee?
No, I don't know how that would
work.
Someone that screws?
You.
Oh good, that could.
Be accurate, that could be a
Dick that.
Could be a Dick.
Interesting, Very interesting.
All right, next week's Doctor
Phil.
So you don't have a shop of the
week?
No, I started looking one up
three times and got into
something else and then the the
giant gold astronaut showed up
and there was a forklift hole in
the box and it became an
inspection thing we all had.
It took three of us to get them
out-of-the-box.
We did receive the golden.
Astronaut.
The Room 101 Golden Astronaut.
JW's here.
Did you get the cigars?
We're like, no, we just got the
astronauts.
Just the is.
Is that the?
Astronaut.
It has arrived.
Yes, it is upstairs.
Nice.
Where are we going to put this
thing?
Actually, Greg, already I.
Already put him somewhere.
Yeah, Oh, you did it.
I put him there.
Greg left him in the middle of
the thing.
Just left it.
Yeah, once he got him out and
found out there was no real
damage because of the forklift,
right?
And then he just sort of went on
to whatever else he's doing
next.
What about Smoke Ring 72?
As shop of the week, yeah, that
was the one I was going to go
with, but I think I've done them
before.
SOAS.
Shirtless Mike can certainly be
Listener of the Week.
Yeah, I don't think Lou listens.
You think that shirtless Mike?
She's.
Shirtless Mike listens all the
time.
He's a he's a devout listener.
Yes, and he shows his tattoo off
all the time, he said.
OK.
Do you see what he's doing now?
He told me he's going to start
doing this in karaoke.
No, no, not karaoke.
He found out there is a local
animal shelter there near him
where they will let you take a
dog out for the day.
Yeah.
So he's he did that last week on
Friday.
I guess it was right, he went
and picked up a dog.
You know they tell you which dog
and he takes the dog out for the
dog's best day.
He features pictures of him and
videos of him playing with the
dog and stuff to try to help get
the dog adopted.
Oh, that was very nice.
And then he sends the dog back
and says yeah.
And.
Then at the end of the day, you
take the dog back to prison.
I don't know if I could do that.
See, that's why I can't do that
sort of thing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I'd be like, fuck, all right.
You're just just.
Coming.
Yeah.
Just come.
You're just coming home, Yeah.
That's fine that.
Sounds like sure, that'll be
$45.00.
No, no, I'm, I'm taking him.
Yeah, I'm going to keep him at
my house.
Yeah, like the kennel knows what
they're doing.
Like here you want to take them
for the for the day.
Exactly.
It's such a such a scheme.
Yeah, it's like test shows where
they test drive the car.
Yeah, let's just take it for a
spin.
Take it for a spin.
No, no, no.
Really good.
I don't want one.
No, no.
How's it driving?
How's it feel?
Yeah, feels good.
Do you see how fast it goes?
Why don't we?
The guy always sits in the back
and goes gun it.
Why don't we go?
How don't we go on my?
Turn the radio up and gun it.
Let's go.
Let's talk about the Let's get
the general hang on this.
Car these corners and things
you.
Know, oh, there's a Whataburger?
Let's pull in there.
There's a Whataburger.
Let's pull it, I'll buy you a
burger.
All right.
I guess that's it that we got
for today.
I guess that's it this week.
I don't know how long this show
so.
We're going to cover the
notorious CGR.
Is that Oh?
Notorious.
Notorious cigar, yeah.
Cigar.
Connor.
Connor McGregor.
McGregor on the Patriot are.
We going to speak Irish.
Why we smoking, of course.
Perfect.
Actually, when you light it, you
instantly start to speak.
Oh, excellent.
It's going to be so, yeah.
And we're going to drink the
whiskey.
Yeah, and then we're going to do
the dancing.
What's the dancing?
Riverdance.
Yes, the Riverdance.
Is it clogging?
I think it's clogging clogging.
Clogging.
Is that Irish?
I believe it is.
Maybe I don't even know what.
We don't Fact Check anything
here, No, but we are pissing off
more people as of late, so that
means that.
Thank you very much for watching
and listening.
And for being pissed off.
And welcome to the asshole club,
yeah?
And yes.
And don't, don't be a Dick.
We're happy to.
We're we're sorry that we upset
you, but we.
We're not really.
But we appreciate that you're
watching, not.
Really sorry.
You're not really sorry.
We're not really sorry, all
right?
He's not really sorry.
I'm.
Not really.
Sorry, I'm an asshole.
He's an asshole, OK?
All right, thanks.
We'll talk to you next week.
All right, bye.
Welcome to the Cigar Hustler
podcast the show brought to you.
Commercial free, but a massive
shout out to our amazing patrons
on the Patreon.
Thanks to your unwavering
support, we're able to the
unfiltered, unbiased opinions
all things cigars personalities
in the cigar.
World, your backing makes it
possible for us to keep it real
for.
Our listeners, cheers to you.
If you would like to become a
Patreon number, go to
www.patreon.com and search the
Cigar Hustler podcast that one
up.
Show Notes
Episode 386 Description (Hustler Style):
This week on the Cigar Hustlers Podcast, Episode 386, the boys dive into the wild world of trending headlines: Trump wants to bring back Alcatraz—yes, that Alcatraz—sparking a debate hotter than a box of fresh Lanceros. We toast Cinco de Mayo with a nod to history and tequila, while the Real ID deadline looms and travelers panic. Then it’s back to what we love—cigar news. Tariffs are lighting up the industry with price hikes from CLE, JRE, Perdomo, and more. We cover the AGANORSA Aniversario drop, the spicy legal drama between Gurkha and Davidoff, and Hooten Young’s new RTBA cigar launch at the NRA event. Light up and settle in—this one’s packed tighter than a 60-ring gauge!