Episode 96 We are not Cigar Media? Fueling the Growth! Who doesn't like Chicken in their Soda?
Episode Summary
Episode 96 of A Cigar Hustler's Podcast is a wide-ranging news-and-opinion show from the two Mikes, opening with a comedic retail story about a botched Tijuana Flats order (complete with a phantom "chicken" soda) and a nostalgic tale about former Drew Estate rep Jason Louie handing over an original Liga Privada Flying Pig — which Mike promptly cut and smoked on the spot, sparking a debate about secret stashes versus smoking your cigars.
The core of the episode is an honest gripe session about whether cigar podcasters count as "cigar media." One host wants invitations to media panels, industry events like La Zona Palooza, and general industry recognition; the other argues a closed mouth doesn't get fed and that approval from the review establishment doesn't matter. They compare their access and relationships across the industry, name-checking friends at RoMa Craft Tobac, Espinosa, and Fuente (John Oliva and Mike McKinney), and track show metrics including Podbean followers climbing past 2,000, YouTube subscribers, and new listeners in Bolivia, Nigeria, South Africa and Kazakhstan.
News coverage includes the House Subcommittee on Health passing the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 (HR 2339) — which would raise the purchase age to 21, ban flavored tobacco, ban online/non-face-to-face cigar sales, and raise FDA user fees — plus a Trump domestic policy official's personal opinion that FDA shouldn't regulate tobacco, Smoker Friendly's acquisition of the 33-store Smokers Outlet chain, and Scandinavian Tobacco Group posting lower revenue but higher profits after cost cutting (their recurring "fueling the growth" bit about layoffs).
Personnel moves round it out: Richie Otero leaving PDR Cigars for Espinosa Premium Cigars, and Gabriel Alvarez resigning as director of sales at Casa Cuevas — which leads to a longer riff on industry resignations, non-competes, separation agreements, and the "pursuing other interests" euphemism. They also preview HVC's fifth annual Black Friday release (Nicaraguan puro, $6.50, 400 boxes of 50) sold to them by rep Pete Hernandez, tease the annual episode where family members mispronounce the Cigar Aficionado Top 25, and close with jokes about Steve Saka's charity drag fundraiser.
In This Episode
- 01Chicken in the Soda: A Takeout Mix-UpMike recounts a Tijuana Flats order gone wrong and the mysterious "extra chicken" added to a steak bowl and a drink.
- 02Jason Louie and the Original Flying PigA story about the former Drew Estate rep gifting an original Flying Pig — and Mike cutting and smoking it immediately, leading to a secret-stash debate.
- 03Are Cigar Podcasts Cigar Media?The hosts vent about never being invited to media panels or industry events and argue over whether industry validation matters.
- 04House Subcommittee Passes HR 2339Breakdown of the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019: tobacco 21, flavor ban, an online cigar sales ban, and increased FDA user fees.
- 05FDA Regulation and Washington ChatterDiscussion of a Trump domestic policy official's personal opinion that FDA shouldn't be regulating tobacco products.
- 06Retail Consolidation and STG EarningsSmoker Friendly acquires the 33-store Smokers Outlet chain, and Scandinavian Tobacco Group reports lower sales but higher profits after layoffs.
- 07Industry Moves: Otero to Espinosa, Alvarez Exits Casa CuevasRichie Otero joins Espinosa Premium Cigars from PDR, Gabriel Alvarez resigns from Casa Cuevas, and the hosts riff on resignations, non-competes and "pursuing other interests."
- 08HVC Black Friday 2019 and Show UpdatesDetails on HVC's fifth annual Black Friday release, plus Podbean growth, new international listeners, and the upcoming Cigar Aficionado Top 25 episode.
Brands & Cigars Discussed
Linked items are in our shop. Mentions without a link aren’t currently stocked or couldn’t be matched with confidence.
Transcript
Welcome to A Cigar Hustlers Podcast, Episode 96. This week, whether or not we're considered cigar media, fueling the growth, and who doesn't like chicken in their soda, all that and more, this week on Episode 96. Welcome, Michael, to a Cigar Hustler Podcast, Episode 96, four away from the illustrious 100, so close. So this has to go up tomorrow, so that means I don't get to sleep tonight.
This is awesome. This is awesome because you're off your game, I can tell. I can tell. While you're sleeping this evening, I will be here trolling through this stuff trying to put this together.
You're like a little elf for me, you know? I know, exactly. Because we're getting close to Christmas. Lots of news this week, Michael.
Oh, lots of news. Lots of news. We have to do three shows this week, just so you know. Three shows?
We can't do these on Monday every week. This just doesn't work for myself. Oh, so you want to do it because you do the Patreon on Friday. Oh, yeah, that's cool.
Yep, yep, yep. So let's hope a lot happens this week or we'll have nothing to talk about. We always have stuff to talk about, Michael. No?
Nothing. Nothing in our lives will happen. Come on, man. So what have you been doing?
How have you been? We had your brother's birthday party when you were gone. I've been great. Oh, do we need to introduce yourself?
This is Mike. Hi, I'm Mike. And I'm Mike, too. This is Cigar Hustler Podcast.
I'm new here. Hi. Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We had your brother's party.
Greg had a birthday, yeah. Yes. So was he 38 now? Uh, yeah, he's 38.
He's old. He's old man. I'm, I'm, what, 18 years older. Well, we call you It's Father Time for a reason.
Yeah, you know, when I had the goatee, it was Colonel Sanders, now the whole beard, now it's Father Time. Now it's Father Time. I can't shave it off, my chin's disappeared. It's a Matt Hunt thing, you know?
They had that problem once. I can tell you a funny story. Certainly, please. Tell us a funny story.
So my buddy Jason Louie, believe it or not, here's the thing, if you're in retail and you develop good relationships with sales reps, even if they get fired or go away and stuff, here, would you like your lighter? I'd like my lighter. If they lose their job to get out of the industry, if I liked you and we were friends, we would remain friends, I don't just need you for the sales, believe it or not, it's crazy. So, my boy Jason Louie.
Okay, slow down a little. Slow down. I'm very excited. You are.
We have an hour to kill. Here's the thing, I'm just trying to boost it up, trying to get you going. And once I have you at like a 350 degree type of a temperature. I am hot, my glasses are foggy.
Then I'll settle back down. All right, settle down now. Okay. Oh, so you're there?
Yeah, I'm here. I'm here. I'm here. Let's go.
Get the show moving. Let's roll. Come on. Show, show, show, show, show.
So my boy, Jason Louie, formerly of, he loves the gong. I love the gong. Okay. Sorry.
Jason Louie. I like Jason. He's a nice guy. Yeah.
So he was in town. He stopped by, hung out at my house. Didn't call me at all. No.
A little hurt. You know, it was kind of funny is cause like he said, Hey, I'm going to come hang out. And I was like, okay. Like, I didn't know if he was really going to come hang out.
So I didn't really press the issue. Right. So, you know. One of those, I'm in town, I'm going to come by.
Yeah, yeah, I'm going to stop by. I'm like, okay, no pressure. No pressure. No pressure.
No pressure. Very low pressure. So, you know, Brittany asked me, is Jason coming by? I'm like, I haven't heard from him.
I don't think so, honey. It's not a problem. Put your comfortable clothes on. Pretty much.
So we go about, and then all of a sudden, you know. Take your makeup off. Come 8:00, 8:00 PM, 8:15. He's like, hey, I'm on my way.
Hello? Oh, didn't knock, just said I'm on my way. " "What's going on here? " Right?
Do they deliver? No, no. So I'll pick it up. But she'll punch it in online.
I'll go get it. Boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop. Yeah. You know, she handles the order.
Steppin' cabbage special, please? She punches it in. So we go to pick up our food. Yes.
So Jason comes over and Jason and I go together. Go to get the food together. Yeah. So we go there and somebody else took our food.
How did they know your name? It was just a Mike. It was two Mikes. Oh, yeah.
I've had that before, too. Now, but this guy ordered two burritos. Right. So it's like, you know, just the two.
We had two. Oh, and you had, like, food for three. Yeah, we had, you know, food for seven. We had appetizers, you know, we had a little dessert.
Oh, that guy scored big. Yeah. Oh, so, okay. So, let me back up.
We're kind of getting ahead of ourselves. So, you got the two burrito bags? " Like, no one's angry. " What the hell?
Do you not know who I am? You know, shit happens. People make mistakes. They make mistakes.
It's perfectly acceptable. It's not acceptable. So I'm like, all right, no problem. We'll sit tight.
So then she goes, hey, but before I remake your food, let me go over some things. Let me re-review. Let me re-review? I said, okay, now.
There's a test? So she starts rattling off, you know, and I get like the, I don't know, Tijuana bowl. I got the steak bowl or whatever. I have no idea.
So she says like, Tijuana steak bowl, extra chicken? And looks at me and I was like, extra chicken? It's a steak bowl. There's no extra chicken.
I'll take extra steak. " I'm like, "I'm really sorry. " She's very, very pregnant. My wife's about to have a baby.
" Can you make a chicken one, too? Maybe that was a problem. So I just want the steak on the steak. " A chicken smoothie?
So, I go, she probably, it's probably just like a Diet Coke or something. No, no chicken on the diet, you know, just a standard Diet Coke. Maybe she's having a craving, maybe she wanted chicken in her Diet Coke. Like I said, again, just the 40%, you know, so.
Oh, poor Brittany. Poor Brittany, she's, yeah. At least we mentioned her name, her and Skip Martin, the only names we mentioned on the show. Yeah, Brittany's been getting mentioned a lot lately, yeah.
" not fair i'm like okay you know um but yeah so if you ever go to tijuana flats apparently if you want to order a drink you can type in chicken chicken and um they'll give you a chicken soda that's so nice there's that um i was a bagel king one time and i noticed a second mike came in and placed an order and i knew he was going to try to snatch my order so i saw the fuck inching my way up and then they yelled mike and i would cut him off i knew he was going after mine but sorry go I see that. You know, I think in certain atmospheres you get a little ramped up. A little aggressive? Yeah, you do.
It was mine. I had already paid. I was waiting a long time. It was my bagel, goddammit.
He came in after me. He should wait longer. Right. Somehow he got half his order before mine anyway, so I was very upset.
That's when people start dying. That's right. I start pulling out my gun. So that's my story for this week.
So did you have a nice visit with Mr. Louie? What's he doing now? Yeah, it was cool.
I don't know. He didn't want to come on the show? He's explained to me what he's done a couple times, and I've got to be honest. You still don't understand?
I still don't remember. Still don't know. I don't know. Yeah, but he's happy.
UPS? I heard UPS. It's not UPS. Not UPS anymore.
I don't know. I think it's plastics or something. I don't know. Oh.
Flowers. Maybe it's flowers. Flowers, plastics. Plastic flowers.
Something. He's selling artificial foliage. Something, something. So he's having a good time, though.
As long as he's living his best life. Yeah. All right. We have a lot to go over today, Michael.
He got his real estate license, too, but he's not really... Yeah, I heard that before I heard the UPS, so if it's already not UPS, I figured it was already not real estate, too, so... No, no, no, he has it. Hmm, but he's just not selling houses?
Not yet, not yet. Oh, you know. That's nice. Yeah.
Well, good luck to Jason Louie. Yeah. He was always very nice to me. I always liked Jason.
Mm-hmm. He gave me a flying pig for the first time. Back in the day when it was a big deal. Oh, yeah?
Yeah. Was he with Drew Estate? Oh, I didn't know he was with them. So back in the day, can I borrow your lighter because I'm irresponsible?
Oh, I'm sorry. You know, somebody told me once, if you're going to be in the cigar industry, you should always have your tools. You're absolutely right. And I, you know, today I'm a little off and I apologize.
You're working at 40%, I feel, though, so. That's accurate. See? No, I can't see it and I'll have to stand up again.
" I just won't smoke. Okay. Oh, you're just going to hold back? I'm just going to hold off.
You smoke anything good? No. It's just a bundle. I had my bag.
I didn't know how long you were gonna be. So, like, back in the day when Drew State was doing really well in the store, when we were building it up, and we had, like, this huge, we were doing, like, fucking dunk contests, and, you know, we had, like, the whole thing. Right. And we had just kind of really, our friendship had really started to flourish.
Right. It's probably, like, a year into it. Right. Ooh.
So, he comes in and he brings the, like, original flying pigs. Wow. When it was, like, a big deal. Big deal.
They weren't, they weren't producing them again, you know, the whole, and he hands one to myself and hands one to my brother, and he's like, here you go, man. If he was here now, I could take it from your brother, he wouldn't smoke it. No, so I looked at him and I said, well, this is when we smoked that stuff. I said, this is pre-Roma.
So this is, I said, oh, thank you so much, man. So I fucking cut it right in front of him. He said, whoa, whoa, what are you doing? I was like, I'm about to smoke it.
I'm gonna smoke a cigar. He said, do you know how old that thing is? I was like, so it should just be about to be ready then. That's pretty much what I said.
I was like, so do you think it's ready to be? I don't keep anything. The guys are meant to be smoked, booze is meant to be drank, and women are meant to be lost. It's just funny, it's funny when somebody comes in and says, so where's your secret sash?
I'm like, I don't know, I smoke it all. I don't keep any of it. I've got one, I've got one. There's some things I just can't bring myself to smoke.
Oh, fuck that. I know. I tried on my 50th birthday, I was like, okay, I'm gonna smoke through all this stuff in the secret drawer. Like five things, maybe.
Wow. No, I can't, I can't do it. I can't. I have some stuff.
I did back then, though, I finally smoked the original Apollo Danny, though, that I had. Ooh, it's such a good cigar. Skip hates that cigar. Why?
I don't know. Hard to make? No, he just says it's a terrible Ecuador and Connecticut. It was very good.
Yeah, so when he said that he loved the War Bear, I was like, whoa. Hey! I've got one of those in my secret stash. You've got to just smoke it.
They will be gone. No, they're never going to be gone. Yes, they will. Come on.
Someday. We'll go to the factory. I'll leave it to you in my will. How's that?
Please don't do that. I am. I'll do my secret stash. Let everyone know right now, I so bequeath my secret stash to Michael Stepankiewicz.
I'll smoke all that shit the same day. That's fine. Smoke it all the day I die. So glad that you kept it for that whole time.
Smoke the day that I die. Alright, so there you go. That's my story. Moving on.
Alright, Michael. I like to do the papers. That's a nice touch, I think, to the show. All right, we're going to discuss how we are shunned by the cigar media.
Ooh, you, you. I'm taking this very personally. You know, that's what's really funny about you is like you... We've been doing this for almost over three years now.
There are times where you get your chest puffed up. I think we should be looped into the cigar media. Are we not in cigar media? If you look at our Instagram, it does say we are journalists now.
Oh, we are. Officially, we don't have the blue check, but we have the little... Who did that? Find it.
Oh. Well, me and... Facebook? Instagram.
You and Mark Zuckerberg? Instagram. Oh, Instagram. You and Mark Zuckerberg?
Right, yeah. We never get invited to events at the show, Michael. We don't get asked to be part of any media panels. We are, it seems, looked down upon by the cigar media reviewers.
See, none of that bothers me. Well, see, I have more higher aspirations for this show than you do. No, I have high aspirations for the show, I just don't give a shit about anybody's approval or being partaking in anything. I would like to be included in things.
I know. We work hard on this show to get it to where it is. We are almost the number one show on Podbean. Almost.
Almost. Getting there. Last week, we were the side of the week. Oh.
This week, we are still featured, but we are not the side of the week. Some other slapdick show I've never heard of before. Oh, damn it. But they don't want us to be part of the- So what do you want to be included in?
Tell me, what do you- I mean, I can just make a phone call. We can get this done. Well, then maybe that's, maybe then that's what we need to do. I need to tell you things I want to go to.
Hey, I want to be a part of this. And I'll say, hey. Like, Coop just had a media panel show. Okay.
It was him and some guy from another show that's only got 13 episodes. Okay. And then his partner, what's that guy's name? All right, so I'm going to write that down.
So I'm going to write this down. We want to be part of a media panel. Call Coop. No, don't call Coop.
I want to be invited. I don't want to have to ask. We'd like to be part of his next media panel. Look, man, here's the thing.
Let me – this is where we differ. Yes. Okay. You ever hear the saying, a closed mouth don't get fed?
Yes. Okay. Yes, you say it all the time, Lachia. So if you want something, speak the fuck up.
We'll go get it. Well, like the – I mean, we're going to next year's Lizona Palooza, but I didn't know all those people were already invited. Dude. I mean, everybody.
I didn't know that either, but like – Everybody was there but us. But like if – we could have gone at any time. Like that doesn't – Well, I figured there we could – well, now with the news. Well, we're going to discuss that later.
But the new gentleman that they have hired at Espinosa. Richie, right? Yeah, Richie Otero. He's a very good friend of mine.
Oh, he is. Oh, yes, yes. We are as well-connected at Espinosa now as we are at Romancraft, just about. No way.
No fucking way. No, no, we're not as close, I understand. But we know, I mean, I know everybody but Eric, and you know Eric, so. Who runs a factory at Espinosa?
Hector. Yeah, are you close with him? I know Hector. Could you Facebook message him right now?
Oh, yes, I could. I can't now. Well, my phone's running the camera. God forbid that goes off again.
Let's call him in right now. Let's call Hector Alfonso. You're in here. No way.
Excuse me. You know, I appreciate the relationship that you have with Espinosa, and I understand that it's close. Yes. But, you know, I mean, I would take a bat to somebody's fucking head in Roma, and, you know, I feel like...
What's going on outside? I feel like somebody else would for me, too. At least somebody in the group. What, you would take a bat to somebody's head at Roma?
No, no, no. If somebody had a problem. Oh, oh, I thought you made you kill somebody at Rome and they wouldn't care. Like, here's the thing, like, it's, you know, when it comes to like, I'm tight with them.
They're my family. No, no, yes, I understand. And if somebody has an issue with them, they have an issue with me. But from them, who would be the next closest company you think you're with?
It's definitely not Spencer Drake, I can tell you that much with his halitosis fucking comments on Facebook. And Affleby's a douche. Oh, did you, Skip put up a picture of him today from 2016. Spence?
Spence, sitting on his patio. No, he was actually thinner and very little beard. And now he's just beaten. No, he's just, he's just given up.
All right, we're gonna move on to the news. Enough of whining. Who would I be closer to? As far as people that we, that we, let's say people we both know, because that would be the difference, because there's probably, there might be a company you're, you're affiliated with that I don't know.
You know. Not that I don't know who they are, but. You know what, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna throw one here, and I've mentioned them a couple times on the podcast. Which is kind of weird, but I would have to say, well, I mean, I could see where you're going to argue otherwise, but I would say John Oliva and Mike McKinney of Fuente are pretty good dudes, and we're pretty close to them.
Yes, but if you go past them, though. But they, yeah, but they have gone out of their way to give us. Yes, John Oliva and Mike McKinney are very, very nice of them, and they're very good friends of mine also. C.
Newman people on the phone. Well, you're not going to call anybody from the Fuente family either. I'm not going to call, but… No, no, we're not calling the Fuente family, that's what I mean. But you said you could call Eric Espinosa.
Can you get Carlito Fuente on the show? No. But you can get Eric Espinosa on the show. Totally.
See? See what I'm saying here? By the way, happy birthday to the original Mr. Fuente.
Today is his birthday. Oh, yeah? He has since passed, but still today is his birthday. Yesterday was Pete Hernandez's birthday.
I know. Yeah. No, I told your brother. Oh, that's good.
Did you call Pete and sing him for birthday? No. No. Pete does not get a phone call?
Hmm. It was on a Sunday. Oh. Okay.
I see what it is. That's where he stands. So have your birthdays. You know, at all the reps of the state of Florida, Michael...
He's one of them. He's one of them. That's right. All right.
Reported on Half Wheel, the House Subcommittee passes a bill banning online sales, flavored tobacco, increased tobacco purchase age to 21. I'd call Jeff Gruber and wish him happy birthday, though. Well, you have to. And I'd say...
I still pay homage to Mr. Gruber, the king of the reps. I am still one of his underlings. Okay.
Anyway, the House Subcommittee passed a bill banning online sales, flavored tobacco, and increased purchase age to 21. Let's see, one of the strongest federal anti-tobacco bills posed in recent memory passed its first hurdle earlier today, which is actually on the 13th. S. House Representative Subcommittee on Health passed HR blah, blah, blah, also known as the Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019.
It's one of four pieces of legislation that have been introduced in Congress this year that would increase the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. Nice. In addition, the bill would also ban online sales of cigars and e-cigarettes. Really excited about that.
Two years after the bill has passed, non-face-to-face tobacco or vaping sales would be banned. It's already illegal to sell cigarettes online. They would ban flavored tobacco. Yes.
Increase user fees, the bills would add an initial $100 million annually to FDA's Center for Tobacco Products budget paid for by user fees. The Tobacco Control Act has gradually increased the total budget for CTP by around $30 million annually. Wow. However, those increases...
American? Yes, those increases stop after 2019, where the budget is at 712 million pesos, no, dollars. Wow. I'm not going to let you get to me today, Mike.
That's not going to pass in the Senate, so whatever. E-cigarette vaping products would be charged user fees. Yep. Graphic warning labels for cigarettes, we don't care.
And then we're going to force cats and dogs to get along and live together. R. cats and dogs. That's going to happen.
Raining cats and dogs. Cats and dogs. R. , you think Spence might be behind us?
Yep, he is. I think so too. S. House of Representatives for approval.
While the bill could pass the House, it is unclear whether it would make it on the Senate floor. Oh, there it is. There it is. And there it dies.
Armageddon. Cats and dogs. You're going to have to change the shop to a pie store. All those years telling people they could not come in and sell their pies?
Now we're gonna sell pies. Now we're gonna sell pies. Yeah. Hmm.
I'm really excited about that. Alright. The top Trump officials suggest FDA shouldn't regulate tobacco. Yeah, I heard about that.
Did you hear about that? " Hey, hey, but... Like, see, that's not... Okay, go ahead.
Go ahead. Well, I don't need to read the whole article. This was funny because it's just one guy's opinion, but it is not Trump's or the organization. Right, but it just sounds like it's kinda, like, it's been injected.
Yes. It's like FDA is like, "Hey, we don't know what the fuck we're doing. S. Food and Drug Administration should not be regulating tobacco products.
Yeah. That's just his personal opinion. Joe Grogan, director of the Domestic Policy Council, stated he thought the FDA health organization shouldn't be regulating tobacco products as they provide no health benefit in his opinion. Right.
You know what? Notally, Grogan isn't suggesting that tobacco products shouldn't be regulated. Right. Rather that FDA should be the ones regulating them.
Right. I agree with that. He's right. So according, see, Grogan later clarified his ideas were personal and not representative of the White House.
This is just some dude's opinion. Well, I saw that, you know, I saw that there's this whole thing with, you know, because Trump was trying to do 21 plus for vaping or whatever. Right. There's a bunch of protesters that says, "We vape, we vote," and like all of a sudden he's kind of backpedaled off of that.
" There was a story this morning, I forget where I read it, that he may have been assassinated several years ago. It was a couple years ago. Trump? Yes.
He's still alive. And Pence is the president. They've been using an actor. Oh, he's just a puppet.
They've been using an actor. Oh. It's going to be huge. Pence is actually the president, so the impeachment, they think, is to get the actor out so that Pence can legitimately take over now that things have calmed down.
Interesting. And that's conspiracy theory, people. I mean, you guys smoke a lot of weed. Fuck, man.
I mean, that is some deep shit right there. It's like, how do you, I mean, how many shrooms did you get? How did you get there? How did you get there?
It's a conspiracy theory. Isn't that like a Manchurian Candidate? Isn't there something like that? That was a movie.
But that's a thing, right? Yeah, I don't know what it means. I didn't see that movie. We don't fact check.
We don't fact check. All right, reported on Cigar. But apparently if I do fact, when I say I don't fact check and I'm wrong, I mean, apparently Skip sometimes will call in and say, hey, just for the record. But he won't go on the air.
Just for the record, off the record, I'm like, okay, thanks. Let's call him right now. No, he's back in Nicaragua. Yeah, he's officially back in Nicaragua.
Yeah, he's back. The cigarette store company, owner of Smoker Friendly Retail Operations, has announced it has acquired Smokers Outlet, Michael. Ooh, Smokers Outlet? No, Smokers Outlet.
No, Smokers Outlet. No, Smokers Outlet. A 33-store chain that does business in Missouri, under the terms of the acquisition, Smoker Friendly will take over all Smokers Outlet cigarette, tobacco, and liquor store operations immediately. So they docked.
Yes, they docked. Smokers Friendly operates 102 stores in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, and Florida. The addition of Smoker's Outlet brings the total number of stores to 135 across six states. It's Smoker's Outlet.
Smoker's Outlet. Okay. Put a tobacco in my mouth. I wonder how that happened.
A press release announced the acquisition indicates the Smoker's Friendly will retain the 120 employees of the Smoker's Outlet. So they're not fueling the growth with the people. Fueling the growth. Smoker's Friendly has said it is not operating with over...
It is not operating with over 600 employees, that's what it said, that makes no sense at all. Okay, good. "These stores provide a great opportunity to expand our corporate store footprint with our existing company stores in the Mountain States and Florida," said smoker-friendly President Terry Gallagher Jr. Very exciting.
We are very excited about bringing these stores and their great team into our portfolio. Do you think he's really excited? I don't know, there's not much money he got out of this. You know, I just want somebody to be really excited.
Maybe we can get them to buy us here. For once. Maybe they can buy it here. I'll tell you what, somebody buys this place.
You need more than one's a problem. Nobody wants to buy just the one. We are really excited! Well, you'd be out of work.
We're really excited. Oh, then we could do this full time and this is all we'd have to do. That's it. We'd be podcasting and eating bonbons and watching soap operas.
It's going to be amazing. Oh, soap operas. Well, Days of Our Lives is officially gone, I think, or something. Is it really?
Yeah, I saw that on Yahoo News. It's a big deal. Yeah, they just fired everybody. Fueling more growth.
You know, it's the same people. Adrian watches it on her phone because she obviously can't watch it during the day. But sometimes I'll glance. It's the same people from when my mother used to watch it.
Yeah, well, they- I'll go, that girl used to be 15. She goes, "Honey, that's when your mom used to watch it. " You know, it's really kind of funny that we're talking about soap operas. Well, you know.
We can talk about anything here. Yeah, it's true. Anything happens. Anything happens.
We do what we want. Yes, that's right. That's right. It's a hostile work environment.
It is. Did you hear? That came up in the meeting today twice. Yeah, that's because you say it on Facebook all the time.
I have not said it in weeks. It doesn't matter. Somebody else has taken that ball and ran with it. Now you're going to come up with a Powstanie.
H-W-E. Okay, so wait a second. You put a vote up on the Cigar House for Facebook page. I got approval from management before I put that up.
Okay, but when you put that up, you can't tell me that people aren't going to be encouraged, do right, Like those kind of things. They chose you. You won. You were the most hostile of the two.
It was who, no, it was who would you rather not meet in a dark alley? Yes. And it was myself. Michael, I'm going to rip your head off.
Or? Greg, I'm going to kill you. Right. So you'd think, I tried to sway where Greg sounded meaner.
I mean, you still died, but you'd rip your head off. Greg will yell, I don't think you really said rip your head off. I think it was something about a hostile work environment. I think it was Michael, hostile work environment, or Greg, I'm going to kill you.
Oh, okay. And you won. So you have mentioned it recently, is what you're saying. That was a week ago.
I said it in the last week. Okay. I almost beat you that week, this week. Yeah, but you didn't.
I'll get you next week. I've been holding back on something because it's so trivial and idiotic, but it always works. All right. In the fueling the growth category, Michael.
Yeah. STG announces lower revenues, higher profits for third quarter 2019. Oh. These are the people that last week laid people off.
Oh, they fueled the growth. They fueled the growth. Congratulations. It worked.
It's clear that some of the cost-cutting measures taken by Scandinavian Tobacco Group are working. We're in the black. The parent of General Cigar Company Cigars and National Thompson Cigar and others has announced its financial results for the third quarter, 2019. And it's good news, Michael.
Most importantly, the company reported in, I don't know what it is, before the Special Amendment or Provid, $446 million, Michael. Hey, fire a few people also. 4% compared to the second quarter. We're not generating as much money, but we're making more.
We're spending less! Yeah, that's amazing. 2%. Ooh!
5% compared to the same quarter. Ugh. So sales are down, but profits are up. That's why all the cutbacks are going on in Nicaragua.
You never talked about that. Feeling the growth, 'cause I couldn't find any information about it. Because it's all over the news in Esteli. No, but, well, I don't read Spanish, unfortunately.
Oh. But if Skip would like to call in with those figures, we'd be more than happy, Skip, to take your phone call. Is the phone ringing? Okay.
Is it ringing? No, but I'm not calling him on the spot. No, no, don't call him on the spot. He's probably napping or something right now.
No, I just saw him. He was smoking a... That was earlier today. I saw that too.
Oh, okay. All right. Now, also reported on Half Wheel, Richie Riott Otero joins Espinosa Premium Cigars. How much time are we at?
We're at 26 minutes. Okay. Well, you want to take a commercial? Well, don't you have to do that or something?
Well, we still had a minute and a half, two minutes, three minutes. Okay. Well, no, no, no, we'll take a commercial. Let's keep going.
We're going to take a break now, we'll be right back. Let's keep going. Earl, we're taking a break, Earl. Let's go.
We'll be right back. Hey, it's Mike, too. Want to be part of the show? com/theCigarHustlersPodcast.
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Thanks for the support! Okay, and we're back! And we're back! There's a new commercial on the audio, I hope everybody enjoyed it this week.
Ooh! Pre-recorded commercials now. Oh, you're so professional. With music, no less.
Oh, very nice. And the disclaimer will be at the end, it is also set to music, I sing it, but it's very nice, sound like Sammy Davis Jr. 01, do not try this at home? Not familiar, I know who Tosh is, but I'm not familiar with your reference again.
You and your pop culture, you kids these days, all you millennials. Father time. All right, Richie Bright Otero joins us with those cigars we mentioned before the break. He did!
His role at the company will focus on key counts in other areas where the company is lacking. Where are they lacking? I'm afraid Alfredo Cruz is the lacking. I'm joking.
I'm just joking. The announcement comes roughly. He's actually called me a couple of times. Oh.
Two weeks after Otero announced his resignation from PDR Cigars. He used to be PDR Richie. Now he's Espinosa Richie? Espinosa Every Day Richie.
Espinosa Every Day Richie. Where he served as the director of sales for 60 months. Prior to that role, he worked as sales representative for PDR as well as Caldwell Cigar Company. At that time, Otero told Halfwheel he was considering other positions both inside and outside of the cigar industry.
Ooh, like a bank teller? Jack is just hiring people left and right over there. Oh, yeah, well, better be careful. Keep doing that, they might have to fuel some growth, which wouldn't be good.
All right, also, you asked if we could discuss this. Yes. Gabriel Alvarez. Oh.
Formerly of Casa Cuevas Cigars. Yes. Resigned his position. Okay.
He put his resignation on social media. I would hope he gave them some type of advance notice, but he put his resignation. I have it here. It says, "With a heavy heart that I submit my resignation to Casa Cuevas Cigars.
It has been an honor and an absolute pleasure building this brand up from a zero alongside Alongside Luis Cuevas Jr. and his father. I have nothing but incredible things to say about this family and their passion for making cigars. Luis, I thank you for your trust, leadership, and most importantly, your friendship.
I feel confident that you will have no problem keeping the momentum going for the future of Casa Cuevas. Okay. My resignation comes for personal reasons and will allow me some time to focus on my family. Again, thank you for your incredible opportunity for the lessons.
Isn't it Gabriel? Gabriel? Maybe it's Gabriel. No one knows I can't talk.
Thank you for your incredible opportunity for all these lessons learned and my development and my position as director of sales for Casa Cuevas. Okay. I am very proud of my past contributions. Okay.
Okay. What did you want to say about this, Michael? I mean, I don't know if it's so much him as the topic, but like... No, no, not him, just general resignation as a whole.
Like, his resignation seems like he's got something going on. Like, and he kind of openly said that, right? My resignation comes for personal reasons that I'm allowed, because, I mean, life on the road isn't easy. Maybe he's got problems there.
Maybe there's something going on in his family or whatever, you know, like that's totally understandable. Like I get that. And, you know, I think that I don't see any harm in posting that out on social media. I mean, it was done with tasteful.
It was very tasteful, very polite. So, now, the flip side of that coin, like a lot of people get fired, and I think that there's some documentation that says, hey, you need to sign here, and then we're going to give-- Well, there's separation papers when you leave any place. And we're going to release whatever, where you have guaranteed three months or whatever the phone pay. Yeah, whatever your pay is and everything.
But you can't say anything bad about the company. Well, most people, most companies have a non-compete, I would imagine, where it's probably in there somewhere about- Not if you're term- but if you're terminated? It's still- I imagine in the non-compete it says even if you're terminated. If you leave or if we ask you to leave, you cannot blah, blah, blah, blah.
So, like, I just want to see some people who get fucking wrongfully fired lose their shit. Like, I want to see that. Like, I want- I want to hear the emotion. You want somebody to go crazy.
" Never mind. Without incorporating names, 'cause you wanted to, I feel like you wanted to. I wanted to say a name, yeah. So, but like, you know, 'cause I feel like, you know what, I see a lot of people in this industry, I respect a lot of people in this industry.
A lot of people in this industry become my friends. Yes. And maybe we don't see an eye on everything, but I'm perfectly fine with that. I don't, you don't have to be on the same page with everything to be friends.
No. No. Now, if you're wronged, like I feel like in a private interview or just, I don't know, maybe in public on Facebook, social media, whatever, be like, these motherfuckers, I gave them everything. And they took around.
It's not the NFL. You know what I mean? Right. Hey, you know.
I think the ones where the announcement is made and they say is pursuing other interests is code for we fired his ass. We sent him packing. And it's just, and that's fucking crazy. We came to the agreement that he would no longer be here.
It's like, this guy is a pillar in our corporation, and we decided that we'd pay him too much. So. So I'm sorry, but he no longer works. So how do you feel about being, how do you feel about pursuing other interests?
I'm fucking pissed. Like, you know, you know what I mean? Other interests is a soup line because these sons of bitches fired me. I just want to hear that.
I want, I want. You want somebody to go off. I want the truth. I want the truth to come out.
Like, the whole fluffy fucking bunny bullshit that we catch. All right, Michael, here's true. This is a hostile work environment. I can't work under these conditions anymore.
That's fine. You say that all the time. I'm used to it. Okay, but you don't have to ever worry about being fired because we don't pay you.
So, you could take my key. Well, I'm going to, sir, uh, and here's- But you know what? If you take my key, someone's going to come and let Steve in in the morning because your openers aren't allowed to have keys. Right, and then we have a big problem.
So not only that, but then it's like, I don't know, man, this is crazy to me. It's just crazy. Like, I just want... It's just a new...
I just want to see some emotion. What do they call the people that can't be offended, get offended? What's the political term for them? I don't know, sissy lalas?
Okay, we'll call it sissy lalas. It's all the sissy lalas. Nobody wants to offend anybody. Everybody's got to be nice.
Like, if I got shit-canned... This is why I can't work for anybody, by the way. If I got shit-canned from a job that I worked 10 years at, and they're like, "Oh, well, you just realized that we could replace you with, you know, this guy who does nothing. " I'd be like, I'd be, I'm like, I just want you to know, here, you could take your care package.
I'm, I'm not signing anything, but you need that three months pay to find your new job. No, no, no, no, no. Fuck that. Let them, you have a wife and three children, Michael.
Everything burns, brother. We'll be fine. I'll run up the credit card. I've been here before.
I'm going to say what I want to say. And you want to know something? It's going to affect your, your, your, your overall fucking numbers. God damn it.
Nope, we'll be fine. We are a big company, we will squash you. No, you know, that's what's really crazy about the cigar industry. I think that if some of those things come out, it actually has a direct impact on overall sales.
Oh, I think it would. Why would I buy that cigar? You know what, talking about things that influence things, you know what I've noticed an uptick in the last week? What's that?
Finka Santa Fe's on social media. Hmm. After we smoked them last week and did our little review. you isn't that crazy it's been an uptick on social media never gonna smoke an hr again i just had one the other day i know you did it's my favorite i like the blues i like the blue one i like i like hirochi we were the first we did see it's another thing we were the first one to ever have hirochi rubania on a show i know like you feel like and then like i feel like you need this notoriety i don't who cares i don't need it i just want to be i appreciate you to think we're We're a real show, Mike.
We are a real show, God damn it. No, we're not. We've got a slapdick, sit around and talk, and then people watch it or something. I don't know.
I feel like we're a real show. All right. You should do a vote. Do a vote?
Are we a real show? Are we a real show? Are we a complete waste of time? Are we?
Can I do it in the shop one? I guess I could. Yeah, you can do it on your Cigar Housers podcast. Yeah, but not a lot of people pay attention to that.
Because when an episode comes out, it gets shared there. Well, how often do you post it? How do you do other random posts? Well, I don't.
That's the problem. But what would I do? The same cigar picture I'm posting in three other places? No, man.
I take pictures back here when I'm working on the show and stuff, and I post those. Yeah, that's cool. Because I like the time stamp that says, you know, 5:30 in the morning. Oh, I don't check that shit.
Good for you. So you're saying I'm wasting electricity at 5:30 in the morning, because you could be here at 10. The show's got to go up by 11. I know.
I'm just kidding. I can't be here at 10. Dude, you can do whatever you want here. I've told you that a bajillion times.
But I do it in the dark with a flashlight. What do you think this thing is down here now? I light a candle. I light a candle, and that's running low.
I need new batteries in it already. Yeah, you just leave it on. I did leave it on one time. Okay, anyway, HVC Black Friday 2019 shipping next week.
Well, this was last week because we were going to do the show. Yeah, we got that. There are cigars made for just about every holiday imaginable, including a made-up retail holiday. Yeah.
S. shopping holiday that takes place the day after Thanksgiving. Yeah, it's usually really good too, and it's got a great price. Maybe we'll do it on the Patreon this week.
Oh, that's a good idea. Yes, as has been the case for the last three years, is that what you just said? You know, you're just full of good ideas. Has it only been three years?
I feel like it's been longer, but okay, let's just go with that. The Nicaraguan Puro uses a Habano Cafe wrapper over a binder from Esteli and a Corojo & Criololo 98 fillers. I think the biggest problem with HVC, and I love Lorenzo, and I love his cigars, is we gotta do something different with the bands. The bands are all kind of the same.
Yeah, he needs to fancy him up a little bit or something. There needs to be, I mean, you could still roll with the HVC, but like, something's gotta be different. That's not an aerial bold or something. I mean, it's just a basic type set.
Keep it uniform, but slightly different. I like his pricing too. 50 per cigar and is limited to 400 boxes of 50 cigars. Over twice as many cigars as produced last year they did so well.
Yeah. Wow, that's nice. Huh. That's cool.
All his cigars are right in my sweet spot, my $5 to $9 range. Yeah, he makes great stuff. He does, for the price. He's got access to great tobacco.
He's in a great factory. He does. If he just had a better rep. Who's his rep?
Peter Hernandez. Oh, yeah, it is. All the reps in the state of Florida, he's one of them. That's funny, because, you know what, actually, he did call me about the HVC.
Peter, Peter? Yeah. I already bought it, I talked to Lorenzo. No, no, no, I was actually on the football field with my kids, and I answered, which is weird.
You answered a call from Peter Hernandez? " And he's like, "Hey, what's up? " You know, and he tries to gig me for a couple extra boxes. " Oh, damn it.
I know you only wanted three, but I need you to buy five. And this DuPont lighter. I'm already trained to come in low. You know what I mean?
I don't know how you got out there. I think there's four. Is there four out there? Is there four out there?
If I want three, I don't know. You say two? Yeah. I'll take two boxes.
I bought three. Why don't you want me to do three? Why don't you do three? I was like, really?
You really need me to do three? You want me to do three? Yeah, yeah. I'm like, all right, fuck it.
All right, cool. For you, I'll do three. That's funny. I love Pete.
He knows my tricks. Pete's a great guy. He's alright. He's got his fucking moments.
Alright, now onto some good stuff here, Michael. We have a show update, and we have an announcement. Uh-oh, this is where he quits. He is with a heavy heart.
After three great long years. After three great long years, I feel I need to pursue other interests. I am pursuing other interests. I've been offered a job with the Cigar Authority and will be moving to New Hampshire, where it's very cold, and they said I could telecommute.
So that's nice. All right, Michael, grab a cutter, a lighter, and a glass of your favorite spirit and settle in. The top 25 cigars in 2019 is coming out soon. You know, you used to say that at the beginning of our shows.
Grab a cutter. Yeah, you told me I couldn't do that anymore. " "Each year since 2004, Cigar Aficionado has reviewed the highest-scoring cigar From the year to conduct a special new tasting of only these cigars. Who cares?
Because this is our favorite part of the year, Michael, where my son comes in and butchers the names of the cigars. Oh, I can't wait for that. Now we have the phone because you may be moving to Virginia. Well, we gotta get it.
I'd like him in here. You'd like him in here? Can we get him in here? He's coming into town on the 15th of December.
Okay. Let's see, the first, let's see, Monday, December 16th, 10, let's see, cigars 10, 9, and 8. So no, that won't be just not done in time. I don't know if I can get him back or not, but we can call him.
If we got to call him, we got to call him, we'll call him. Or maybe we'll finally figure out how to do a video thing. It's amazing. I love it.
That is the favorite episode of everybody's ever year. It's a great episode. We can't have Connor on because he says them too. He names them well.
He names them right, closer than Jake, who evidently barely speaks English. He's a big guy, he's a firefighter, but God love him, he cannot pronounce a Spanish word to save his life. It's amazing. It is a very funny episode.
It's very good. All right. So, yeah, we are excited about the list for that very reason right there. To see them all hammered.
To see them all said wrong. Or maybe we get young Jacob, your employee. He probably can't say anything. I'm trying to get him to do other things first.
Well, maybe we can find someone else with a damn phone. I'll call. Trying to work that out. Answer the phone.
It's so fun. Okay, we already mentioned, we have a show update. We've already mentioned that we have been the side of the week on Podbean. We've already discussed that.
Yeah, which is nice. As of this morning, our followers on Podbean, up from 1875 to, we'd have a drum roll if we had a drum. 2200? No, no.
2026. Hey! Yes. Dun, dun, dun.
Dun, dun, dun, dun. So we are at last check, unless they went up also, we are closing the gap. We're closing the gap between us and Cigarra Authority. Now it is less than a thousand followers at all the Q's.
You know, I heard they were invited to La Zona Blues. I'm sure they were. And the media, the Coop's Media Day. I'm sure they were.
I'm sure they were. They're definitely, they're more media than you are. Certainly they are, yes. But can they say this, Michael?
Can they welcome Bolivia to the podcast family? I don't know if they can, but we can. And a special shout out to Pablo Aguera. He's our new friend in Bolivia.
Speaking of Spanish names. Spanish names that I can't say. He's a fitness expert in Bolivia, and if you're ever in the area, he can be reached at 597-782-15073. You put his number out there, that's nice.
He put his number up, so it is out there. So, he's all about the push-ups. He's all about, he's a fitness expert in Bolivia, so if you're ever in Bolivia and need to work out, look up Pablo. Is Bolivia dangerous?
I'm not going there. You're not going there? I'm not going there. No, no live.
So, you wouldn't go there for a quest of fitness? No, but if I was there, and I needed to be faked, I would call Pablo. That's amazing. Also, how do you find Pablo?
I mean, I gotta know! I'm not giving away my secrets. This is what's gonna get me moved up to a better show. Hey, what's up?
Yeah, so you work out, and we don't talk about any of that, so we really, we're looking for Bolivia. I need a listen to Bolivia. Also, Nigeria is welcome to the Cigar Hustler Podcast family. Oh, so did he go and, so he did rounds or something?
Who did rounds? No, no, this is not Pablo. I don't know who this person was. They just found us in Nigeria.
Oh, this is just a, this is a real listener. Oh, this is a real listener. Yes, yes. Oh, I must, where, where, where, one more time?
Nigeria. Oh, someone's getting fucking drunk in this. Also, South Africa. Okay.
And that was it for this. Oh, no, Kazakhstan! We've also added Kazakhstan to the list. Kazakhstan, that's nice.
Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan. We are almost now completely covered. Is that where Borat came from? I believe so.
I think he's the listener. He's the me, Borat. We are almost completely covered now in Europe. Global.
Almost global. Podcast domination. We have a small area in South America, which, unless I can find some Sandinician rebels that want to listen to the podcast, that might be a little problem there. Sandinician?
And, well, there's the smaller, Colombia, Honduras, there's a couple other places through there that we don't have any listeners. From what I saw, I don't think we want to have any listeners in that area. Oh, he's Scott Bolivia. Big with the Rebels.
So, you know, good for you. Good for you. I don't think we have any listeners in Chile. We have a slight problem in Central Africa that we not seem to be able to get on top of.
Bad reception there. Bad reception. Very little Wi-Fi there. Yeah.
Very little Wi-Fi. We have 148 YouTube subscribers as of today. Ooh, that's good. Yes.
That's good. This past week we were mentioned on the Sultans of Smoke by Mr. Danny Vasquez, they talked about his phone call we made to him last week, so thank you Danny. Quite the parlay, so just to backpedal this one more, just to get all this in order, so I make a comment that offends Danny and John D.
Oliver, that then parlays into a second episode of me calling, So I can clarify. Clarify your statement that offended them. Which then parlays into another podcast. Yes, a whole dozen brothers, the Sultans of Smoke.
It's a tremendous butterfly effect, and I'm really proud to be the center. And now we're talking about the Sultans of Smoke on our show. Ooh, good point. Yes.
So if we could have another show talk about us and Sultans of Smoke. And we could get, like, hot ticket to bring up the. Hot ticket. Hot ticket, guys.
If you could talk about our show and Sultans of Smoke. So there's this whole big thing. Sultans of Smoke and the Cigar Hoser podcast, guys. It really would be quite the parlay.
Yes. That would be amazing. Oh, this will go on forever. Pretty soon it will be like a long list.
Mention on Cigar Houser Podcast, Salt to Smoke, Hot Ticket Podcast, Two Guys and a Cigar, and how about that cigar? It's really blown up. Oh, maybe the guys are, how about that cigar? They're listening to the show.
You could also talk about us, please. That would be nice. I like those guys. Yes.
We don't have a listener of the week unless you can come up one real quick off the top of your head. Ooh. It's kind of a slow week for us media-wise because, you know, we're not media. Oh, 'cause they were all busy.
Yes, everybody was busy, everybody was busy at Lozona Palooza or being on other shows. No, I don't have anything off the top of my head, unfortunately. Shop of the Week, do we have a Shop of the Week? We don't have a Shop of the Week.
Shop of the Week. We need a jingle for Shop of the Week now. Uh, no. Alright, we'll just go to Boss Cigars Shop of the Week.
Boss Cigars Shop. Hey, he reached out to me this week. Oh, me too. Yeah.
He's working that, he thinks we're media. At least Corinto thinks we're media. I love Corinto. He's so nice.
Because you need that validation for whatever reason. I don't want to be media. All right. You're media in my eyes, Michael.
That's all I got this week. That's, that's. Oh, I'm exhausted. You want to do the five questions?
Who are we going to ask? Who can we call and ask the five questions? I'm just kidding. We're not calling anybody.
You already said that to me. I'm not calling anybody. Unless you, you know. I don't get to use my tools.
All right, well, hold on, please, for the disclaimer coming up next. Oh, yeah. And we only had the one break, so we're giving away a gun November, November 22nd, at the Ashen event. Yeah, I don't know if you've heard or not, but I won't be here.
It's my wife's birthday weekend, I'm taking her to Tampa this weekend. You know, see, that's something that we need to discuss. What? The way that you do these whole birthday things is just completely obnoxious.
Why? Like this whole birthday month shit. That's me, I get a month, she's just getting a weekend. So ridiculous.
Why is it ridiculous? You better have somebody here to sit in your stead. It's Saturday, Sunday. I'm not here anyway normally.
But the event's Friday. That's all right. Chet will be here. Chet doesn't count.
He works here. Well, he didn't used to. No, I need like Big Daddy or, you know, somebody. Dom.
Dom won't come. He's from Fort Myers. Unless you guarantee he's gonna win the gum. I need somebody, Mike.
If somebody, Mike, you better figure it out. If you can get fucking Pablo in Bolivia to listen to the goddamn podcast, you can get somebody here to fill in for you, and I can just call him Mike. Well, you can just do that, just about 80% of the people that come in the front door. Yeah, well, you need to figure it out.
I'm tired of this. You're on your own, Mike, on birthday weekends. You're on your own. We're going to Burns Steakhouse.
Oh, that's nice. I've heard good things about it. I've heard good things, too. I had to make the reservations back in August.
Wow. Is that on Friday or on Saturday? That is actually Friday night. Okay, I forgive you.
Yes. I don't really forgive you. It's a hostile work environment. It is a hostile work environment.
All right, everybody, thanks for listening. This has been episode 96 of the Cigar Hustler Podcast. Hey! Since you won't hear the Patreon commercial, go to Patreon, backslash the Cigar Hustler Podcast, and, you know, follow the show there.
Become a patron. You'll get stuff. Not to mention the weekly free show. Secret.
It's a secret. It's not free. It's a secret show. You keep saying it's free.
It's not free, but it's just a secret. This is the second episode where you said it was free. It's not free. It's not.
But it's a secret. It is a secret. I get secret and free confused. Bet you could also get a handwritten thank you note?
Maybe a sticker? Hey, did you see Saka's boobs are up to $1,300? I saw that. I hear for $3,000 you get a trip, anything over $3,000, he pays airfare to fly you up to him.
You stay, I don't know where you stay. I guess I stay at his house, but that might not be true. And he takes you fishing! What's the price point for the hand job?
$5,000? Maybe it's a tit job. A tit job? A boob buck.
Maybe that's what it is. He holds them together for you. You know, you don't curse often. I know, but I do.
Slide that out, though. You know, the one thing that I have that really kind of upset me about the whole drag thing is that there wasn't like a winner. Like, everybody just dressed in drag. Everybody just dressed up, yeah.
They were dressed up, yeah. I think because nobody lost any weight, it really went out. I really wanted, you know. They did, but I don't think anybody lost the weight they thought they were going to lose.
I think, but Saka won. Why did he win? You think he lost more than anybody else? Yeah.
Oh, did they actually say he won? I never even heard. I believe he said that he won. So like, I mean, I get the fact that, you know, he wanted to wear a dress.
No, I'm just kidding. You know, I get the fact that they always... Yeah, I feel Abe was the winner. Abe actually shaved and everything for his.
Yeah. I mean... His wife's a cosmetologist or a hair stylist or something of that effect. So...
So he had like a professional... But like whoever, I really would... Not that Sokka looked like a, you know... I really feel like it would have been funnier...
I don't know, Nimish or Nish, whatever. If somebody had won and they were... And there was only one of them that dressed up. Right, and they were, you know...
Yeah, it would have been funnier, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Nish, Nish, Nish...
Nobody really even said anything really about him, I didn't see much. But realistically, I mean, I'm not, I mean, he's a better marketer than I am anyways, Steve, so. Maybe that's all there was to it, just, you know, I mean, look, everybody's still talking about it, so. That's true.
There's that. There is that. Maybe we can get him angry and get him to call in. Get him to call in.
Fuck you guys. Fuck you guys, I was hot. Like, that's it. No.
None of them were hot. No. Not even close. No, not even, not even close.
Not even close. If you had to, one of them... I'd cut it off first. Really?
Chop it off. And let them fight over it. Huh. Interesting.
Why, Michael? Which one of them would you have... I was trying to get you to fall into that. It's not my first time.
" I fucking knew it. You know, you and Saka. Yeah, what the hell. Just so you can say you did Saka.
Yeah, sure. I'll relay that into some kind of marketing extravaganza. What do we call that? I don't know.
I don't know. Sock of sex. Sock of sex. Sock of sex.
Sock of sex. Sock of sex. This conversation makes you uncomfortable. I dig this.
Oh, it doesn't make me uncomfortable. I just don't know what you would call it. Sock of sex. All right.
We're wrapping this up. This is just going ridiculous now. Oh, but this is the fun part. Well, I'm good.
You know what? Last week. See, I can't walk out because you don't know how to shut it. Because you don't know how to shut anything off.
You got to hit the buttons. So, all right, as soon as we get off of this, I'm going to call Coop and let him know how you feel about not being included on Media Day. No, don't call Coop. No, I got you.
All right, Media Panel, not Media Day. The Media Panel. Media Day. Do you want to be on, like, the Half Wheel Media Panel or something?
Do they do something like that? No, they don't. They don't have people on their show. Yeah, because they're so-- They don't do a regular show.
Because they do so much in their descriptions. I had Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Twister. And chastising burn issues. Burn issues.
All right, bye, we're done. We're done. Bye. A Cigar Hustlers podcast, its owners and its sponsors take no responsibility for the opinions or statements made by the talk show host or their guest.
Statements or show topics are not necessarily the beliefs of Mike and Mike Productions or the podcast providers and opinions between talk show hosts may differ. It is not our intention to libel, incite, or hurt anyone's feelings. We invite you to write the show's host, Mike Szczepankewicz, with any feedback or suggestions that you have for their shows. These broadcasts are presented and made public as entertainment in the hope that they will be entertaining to the audience.
This has been a Cigar Hustlers podcast, a Mike and Mike production. m. for all new episodes. Hi, I'm doing...
I'm Hustily Raw. Yeah, we just don't have to do a single, uh, single podcast ever again. Perfect. I'm good, Mike and Mike.
How are you guys doing? I don't even have to try to. He's not even going to try. We're going to cover a lot of ground here, Mike.
All right. Try to keep up. That's a sign of a good podcast. It'd be like four cigars when I walked in a door.
All right, end this. MikeSquared, MikeSquared, MikeSquared, MikeSquared.
Show Notes
It's another fun filled show this week!
We talk about whether we are Cigar Media or not? Gregg's Birthday Party! Brittany's weird Chicken cravings and more stories from the "Fueling The Growth!"
As always we welcome your show ideas on our FB page "A Cigar Hustlers Podcast". You can follow the show on IG @cigarhustlerspodcast, Mikey @cigarhustlers and Mike Too @fcc_Mike.
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