After a global pandemic put the brakes on 20 years of full time touring, Comedian Mike Speenberg set out to rediscover his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. Along with Co-host Comedian Don Garrett and recorded LIVE inside the historic French Quarter
Charlotte, NC, USA
Mike and Don sit down and talk about the shooting inside the comedy zone in Charlotte. Will Smith comes up....again, and the guys talk about performing together during the Queen City Comedy Experience August 13th. They also try to explain why some people should get off the internet and never step on a comedy stage. Brand new musical guest "Jam the Earth" plays a couple of jams.
Mike and Don discuss crazy people on their Facebook friends' lists. Mike tells don about all of his "back door" medical issues. Jason Herring, owner-operator of 10MM Omega Recordings comes to hang out. He and Mike went to high school together and haven't seen each other in 30 years. Don attempts to defend his title against Jason on Everybody's Favorite New Game Show!
Clay and Reade have been Speenberg's best friends since they were 12 years old. The guys sit down with Mike and Don to discuss growing up in Charlotte in the 80s, Reade being punched in the head by a classmate's dad, Clay and Mike ruining Mike's mom's sexy lingerie parties, and how much fun Clay's dad was when the boys were young. Then Reade's dad stops by and the families face off on everyones favorite new game show History of The Queen City. Will Burgin hangs out and plays a great Pink Floyd and John Mellencamp cover. Then everyone has to guess "How Much Does the Baby Weigh?!"
City of Tega Cay Events Manager Kaity "B" stops by to talk about what its like to live on the "Beautiful Peninsula" just across the state line from Charlotte. The boys discuss the Japanese reaction to Will Smith smacking the daylights out of Chris Rock on the Oscars and Carowinds' Smurf Island. Kaity shares her experience of working in an old insane asylum and then tests her knowledge of Tega Cay on everyone's favorite new game show, History of the Queen City! Chad Andrew Harris sits in the play two amazing tunes. Dig your Roots.
Musician Chad Andrew Harris stops by to play some great music and talk about living in Belize, working as a war correspondent in Aleppo, Syria, playing lead guitar in a Rage Against the Machine cover band and winning 5th place in the 2021 NC Bluegrass Festival. Oh, he also happens to be Speenberg's guitar teacher. Don admits he listens to "Boat Rock" and then defends his title on everyone's favorite new game show.
Mike and Don discuss becoming world leaders and defending America against invasion. Help Mike and Don name a winner in the "Vanity Plate on the Grand Marquis" contest. Will Burgin stops by to sing a killer cover of Tennessee Jed. Kalon Foss and Will Austin from Scarlett Hearts Foundation sit in to talk about the big charity event at The Auto Pour. Then everyone plays for a "Not the Real" Steve Smith bobblehead on everyones' favorite new game show.
Our favorite boxer, Ashley Sciscente, makes her second appearance on The DuWise Show. Let's just say it's a triumphant one. Ashley is now the United States Boxing Federation Super Flyweight Women's CHAMPION. She talks about what it feels like to be Champ and to be UNDEFEATED. She even lets the guys hold the championship belt. Mike talks about being robbed of a championship at basketball camp and Don gives away his ghetto pass. Then Ashley and Don battle it out on everyone's favorite new gameshow. Will Burgin plays a Springsteen and a Jon Prine cover, and let's the show borrow his baby for the tie breaker! DugWise. Dig Your Roots.
Maria Velez Campagana comes on the show today to join Speenberg and CO- HOST Don Garrett! Maria is a 2022 Art Pop Artist and her artwork, along with 19 other local visual artists is on display all over the Piedmont. She's a Mooresville resident who has painted murals all over the area. She's a very talented artist and amazing lady. She was even on The Price is Right! Hear all about her art, he process, and what she won from Bob Barker. The guys also talk about the new Mind Matters Exhibit going on at Discovery Place Uptown from January 29-April 10, Don's elementary school ferret, and Speenberg's dog's bowel movements. Local musician Chad Andrew Harris plays some tunes as well. Dig Your Roots.
The first show of Season 2! The DugWise Show returns after a holiday and covid hiatus. Mike is joined by good friend and fellow comedian Don Garrett. The guys talk about Mike's big personal news and how the Omicron strain is straining the crap of his comedy career. Chris Moxley was named one of Charlotte's "40 under 40" and 1 of 28 Black Charlotteans shaping Charlotte by Q City Metro Magazine. He is a native Charlottean and a graduate of UNCC. He's a very busy guy who also happens to run The 704 Shop. Chris sits down to talk about his love for the Queen City, The 704 Shop, and how being a good student can lead to success. Will Burgin plays a couple of tunes, Mike schools the fellas on John Denver and then they play everyone's favorite new game show "History Of The Queen City". Good times.
Our good friend and VP of Communication for the Charlotte Knights Tommy Viola stops by. The Knights just finished their season and Tommy was one thunderstorm away from calling a professional baseball game. Find out what happens. Then Tommy comes clean about playing xylophone in high school. Will Burgin brings a guitar and a harmonica and, once again, blows the French Quarter away with his musical talent. Then Will defends his title on everyone's favorite new game show, History Of The Queen City! Also, find out how to vote Homer The Dragon into the Mascot Hall of Fame! This show is dedicated to our good friend Mike Hall. You will be missed and no-one can replace you. Rest Easy.
Best friend Reade Decurtins joins Mike and George on the show today. The guys all went to high school together in Charlotte. Mike credits Reade with being the #1 influence on his stand up comedy. Reade moved his family to Calgary, Alberta Canada a few years ago and this week is the first time since the pandemic started that he's been back to the United States. Hear all about how his daughters became national downhill ski champions and what he misses most about living in America. George and Reade then duke it out into a sudden death tie breaker on everybody's favorite new game show "History of the Queen City"!
Our old friends, Comedian Don Garrett and Musician Will Burgin stop by today to hang out. Don talks about his recent Drybar Comedy Special taping in Provo, Utah and about this coming Friday's show at Lenny Boy Brewery with Speenberg. Then Will Burgin does an amazing cover of Bruce Springsteen's Atlantic City. The guys play "everyone's favorite new game show" History of The Queen City. Don and Will prove that they know close to absolutely nothing about Heritage USA, PTL, Jim and Tammy Bakker, or Jessica Hahn. You won't believe what Don Garrett thought they were before he learned the truth today. Good times and great tunes. Dig Your Roots.
Chuck Johnson from Summit Comedy Inc. stops by to discuss what it was like growing up here in Charlotte and how he got into the talent business. Then Lisa and Kevin from the Funny Bus and the Party Pontoon stop by to tell us about the Funny Bus history tours of Charlotte and the Party Pontoon out on the lake. They also play History of The Queen City.
Speenberg sits down with comedian Tony Esposito and special guest Joe Hunsaker from the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. They talk about how Joe spent his early years of comedy in Chicago @ the famous Second City Improv Camp. How got to Charlotte and what he's doin to ensure the local comedy scene thrives. They play a new game called "How Much Does the Baby Weigh?" and Speenberg makes a huge announcement about the future of Dugwise. Give a listen.
Speenberg is out of town this week performing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Since he can't be at the French Quarter we have put together a collection of "great moments" from the first 24 Episodes of The DugWise Show. Hear music from Kris Krostofferson, Johnny Cash, and Prince. Purple Heart and Silver Star Vietnam Veteran Sgt. Mike Stubbs tells the amazing story of how he survived being shot in the neck during an ambush in 1967. Listen to Mike's dad talk about being caught in a revolution in Bolivia as a 16 year old. Author Pete Frandano talks about being on a plane out of Boston Logan International Airport on the morning of 9/11. Professional Mascot Brett Rinehardt tells Mike about the time he got to hold the shotgun Kurt Kobain shot himself with for a picture in the paper. We are just gettin started at DugWise. Dig Your Roots.
On the 25th Episode of The DugWise Show, Mike welcomes his old friend and original guest to the show, Don Garrett. They discuss the power of prayer and how it was Florida Evans fault that James Evans died on Good Times. Our special guest, Comedienne and Producer Lauren Ansley stops by for the first time. They play "HISTORY OF THE QUEEN CITY" and try to figure out what is goin on with the return of the indoor mask mandate and it's affect on the local comedy scene.
Billy Maddalon has done enough things in his life for 3 lifetimes. He's served and will soon be serving again on Charlotte City Council. He's run numerous historic properties throughout the south. Billy has been on the boards for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Meredith College, and Sigma Phi Epsilon just to name a few. He's been President of the North Carolina State University Alumni Association and been a contributing writer for the Charlotte Observer. Not enough? He and his spouse have fostered 14 and adopted 3 Children who come from traumatic situations in the past 12 years. He's an amazing guy who calls Charlotte home. Hear about how he approaches his business, his home life, and what it was like to take a borax soap bath in the Meredith College fountain as a college freshman. Comedian Jonathan Williams is here to cohost. He and Speenberg get all swept up in Billy's knowledge. It's a good time. Give a listen.
Shannon Houlihan from Paraguide.org comes to the show to talk about all the great things her non profit does to help the visually and physically challenged athletes in the Charlotte region. She's an amazing young lady who also happens to like people watching at Coyote Joe's in her spare time. Cohost Johnny Millwater is as brilliant as always. Find out why Speenberg couldn't swim from one end of the room to the other and how Johnny got around in an old lady's Vette in high school. Will Burgin stops in to play an amazing Willie Nelson and the Highwaymen cover. A great show. Dig Your Roots!
Musicans Dave Haywood and Jenn Siebenaler join Speenberg and this week's cohost, Comedian Sid Davis. They talk about Jenn singing the National Anthem at the upcoming Carolina Panthers preseason game. Sid talks about what it was like in the Bahamas post pandemic. Dave Haywood explains what it felt like to play with the great Les Paul and Speenberg tries to keep the ship afloat. Then Jenn and Dave do a killer Kris Kristofferson tune to close out the show. Dig Your Roots!
We got ghosted again today. By the same person who ghosted us a month ago. Well, you know what they say, "Fool me once..". Yet again, we made an amazing jug of lemonade. Our friend and comedian Jason Allen King cohosts. He gives his theory on Brewery Comedy Shows. Then George sits in to tell everyone how much he likes goin to the beach. We talk about cars. Mike brings them up in every conversation. George talks about wanting to be shot into space and just when you think these 3 middle aged men couldn't get anymore hip and cool, CUBBY CHECKER stops by to talk about what he's doin now. Dig Your Roots.
Gastonia native, platinum recording artist, and new daddy, Producer20 comes on the show. How do you go from watching your brother sell beats off a Playstation One to "hip hopping" the globe with DaBaby, spearheading a musical movement based right here in the Queen City? Once homeless, Producer20 has chased his dream and we couldn't be more proud to have him on the show to share his knowledge and views on everything from Fred Durst to Deon Cole. Our good friend, comedian, Don Garrett cohosts, and as always, fits the show like a glove. Oh yeah, enjoy the music.
Our good friend, Comedian Don Garrett stops by to cohost. Don will be performing with Mike at the Comedy Zone Charlotte July 1st through the 3rd. The guys talk about what Don has been up to since the last time he was on the show. Next, Ryan Self, Director of Sales and Marketing for Olde Mecklenburg Brewery sits down to talk about how "Olde Meck" has embraced the city of Charlotte and the great things the brewery has to offer the public now that life is gettin back to normal. Oh yeah, he also talks about being at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Good stuff. Our favorite musician, Will Burgin is here to play a couple of tunes including a really cool Justin Townes Earle cover. Dig Your Roots.
Professional Boxer Ashley "Queen City Diva" Sciscente comes on the show to talk about her life. A former NBA Cheerleader, Ashley moved to Charlotte from Patterson, NJ in 2009. In 2017, at the age of 30, she discovered boxing and hasn't looked back. In 4 short years, she rose to #7 in her weight class, landed an olympic tryout, and is considering a run at a Flyweight Title. Oh, yeah, she also teaches special needs children here in Charlotte. So, yeah, she does two things most of us couldn't. She's an amazing young lady who makes this city very proud. Even hear how she got her nickname and if it hurts to get hit in the face for the first time. "Promotor of All Things" Chris Corrado also stops by to talk about all the events he has goin on in Rock Hill this coming week. Dig Your Roots.
North Mecklenburg High School Graduate, Mike Stubbs is an American Hero. Shot in the neck during battle in Vietnam in 1967, Sgt. Stubbs got to his feet, continued to fight, and saved many lives. He has a Purple Heart, 2 Bronze Stars, a Silver Star and a Combat Infantry Badge. He's the 2018 Military Order of the Purple Heart National Patriot of the Year and a member of the North Carolina Military Veterans Hall of Fame. He joins Speenberg today to talk about his experience in Vietnam. The actions that gained him those honors. How that experience changed him as a man, and how he continues to give back to this country every day of his life. Speenberg even gets a big surprise for July 4th. Enjoy the show.
2 Time Super Bowl Champion, Jeff Reed comes on the show today. He and Mike talk about Jeff growing up here in Charlotte, attending East Mecklenburg High School, playing for the Tarheels, and winning 2 titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jeff tells everyone who inspired his crazy NFL hairdo, how he got through a broken back in 2019 and Covid in 2020. Find out what Jeff is up to nowadays, what he drove in high school and why the Baltimore Ravens have the best kicker in the NFL. Musical guest Will Burgin joins the show and plays a couple of tunes. We hope you like Johnny Cash.
With covid restrictions lifted people are finally venturing out in uptown Charlotte. That's great news for our good friends at the French Quarter Restaurant and especially for the Charlotte Knights baseball team who play right across the park at Truist Field. Tommy Viola, Vice President of Communication for the Knights joins Mike today to talk about how excited everyone is to have baseball back in the Queen City. He gives the scoop on what is happening at Truist Field and his dream to be New York Met Gary Carter as a kid. We think we even talked him into letting Speenberg throw out a first pitch this summer. Speenberg drops some big news about performing at the Comedy Zone Uptown this summer as well. ALSO, Charlotte musician Dave Haywood stops in to talk about his life in music and play a couple of tunes. If you are a fan of Chris Stapleton and/or Prince, you might want to listen to this episode.
What happens when a State of Emergency leaves you without your scheduled guest? You improvise. Make lemonade out of lemons. That's what we did today on The DugWise Show. We hope to get Leisure McCorkle on the show sometime this summer, but today we were delighted to sit down with our good friend and show sponsor, Restaurateur George Photopoulos. He talks about losing his father Panos, to covid and how he struggled to keep his employees working thru 2020 and beyond. Hear about his big plans for the future and what it was like to meet Michael Jordan, George Costanza, and Sergio Garcia.
Live Comedy is coming back to Uptown Charlotte. The Comedy Zone inside the Music Factory is set to reopen for the first time since the pandemic started with the return of "Charlottean", Comedian Paul Hooper. He's been living in NYC for the past 10 years. He's returned home and will be headlining the Comedy Zones opening weekend, May 13 thru the 15. The hilarious Todd Riley will be performing with Paul at the Comedy Zone. They are both here to talk about their lives in comedy, tell a few jokes, and eat some food.
Author and Endurance Athlete Peter Frandano joins the show today. His book "Endurance Real Estate" is available now on Amazon and at your local book store. Its a great book that isn't even really about real estate. Hear about how life's “Right Turns” like losing his cousin in a tragic accident and being on a jet plane out of Boston the morning of September 11, 2001 "flipped his switch" and pushed him to chase his entrepreneurial dreams. Learn about the power of the "TEW" and even hear Amber tell a story about her guardian angel saving her in the Grand Canyon. DugWise. Dig Your Roots!
This week Mike sits down with Rachael Decurtins. Rachael has been teaching in the CMS school system for 14 years. Teaching is one of the hardest jobs you could ever have. We know we couldn't do it. We are honored to have her on the show to talk about what its like to be around your children 5 days a week.
Today Mike is on the road and not able to record from the fantastic French Quarter Restaurant. Instead he took this opportunity to sit down with his Dad and Grandma to talk about how the family came to call Charlotte home. Dad shares a great story about being stuck in Bolivia at age 16 during a revolution. They also talk about how his dad, as a senior in high school in 1971, found out he was going to be a father. Mike's grandma then joins the show to talk about her Sicilian roots and how her mom and dad came to America from Sicily. Enjoy the show. Dig Your Roots.
Chris McClure was working at a Foot Locker in Spartanburg, South Carolina when, on a whim, he found himself as the tour manager for a national recording artist. Since then he's worked with everyone from Hall and Oates to Missy Elliott. Now he's a managing partner for East Coast Entertainment, one of the largest entertainment booking agency in America. He talks about his life in music and what he thinks is in store for Charlotte. He also drops a BIG SURPRISE for the future of outdoor music events uptown. You hear it here first! Find out what it's like to sneak Jackson Browne down a fire escape and what happened to The Blowfish now that Hootie is a big country star. DugWise. Dig Your Roots. New DugWise "super soft" tees are in. 3 Colors, 4 Sizes. Link Below. https://speenberg.com/store/ols/products/the-dugwise-show-super-soft-tee
Mike's neighbor growing up has gone on to become one of the most honorable men he could hope to have on the show. Doug has been a police officer for over 20 years. He has a lot to say about what's it like to be a local beat cop in today's world. DugWise. Dig Your Roots.
How does one guy jump off the roof of Wembley Stadium, hang out with Ken Griffey Jr. , break his leg live on ESPN, and get to hold Kurt Kobain's shotgun? Listen to this episode and find out. Mike sits down with Myers Park Graduate, friend, and fraternity brother, Brett Rhinehardt. Brett has toured the world as a professional mascot in the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL. DugWiseDig Your Roots.
High School "Bully" Scott Griffin returns!! In this episode, Mike sits back and lets Scott tell the rest of his story. His art saved his life. Hear how it happened. Follow us on Instagram at"The DugWise Show" to see pics of his work.
Mike gets to know Josh Daniel, professional musician. Josh plays some of his music and talks about how he took a simple idea and turned it into something fantastic. It's also the first show recorded in our new home, the French Quarter Restaurant located in Uptown Charlotte. We are very excited about this show and the future of Dugwise. Dig Your Roots!
Remember your high school bully? Well he grew up too. This week Mike talks to his old friend Scott Griffin. Scott has grown from school bully into an incredibly humble and gentle human being. Oh yeah, he also happens to be an amazing artist. His art literally saved his life. Hear him talk about how he turned his life around and became one of the most sought after welder/artists in North Carolina. Check his work out on our instagram page https://www.instagram.com/thedugwiseshowthanks for listening. Dig your roots. follow us!
The guys welcome their very first guest, Comedian Don Garrett. They chow down on grub from local favorite, Shuffletown Grill and Mike complains about a 4 hour drive to Atlanta.
The guys keep it short and sweet on this weeks episode. The last of 2 "Introductory" episodes. Gettin the know Mike and Jeff a little more this week. Mike shares the story of the time they went on a double date to the state fair that turned tragic.
Mike and Jeff introduce themselves and the show on this first of 2 introductory episodes of DugWise. Mike explains why he wanted to do a podcast dedicated to their hometown and the guys tell the story about how they met in the 4th grade. The fellas grub on food from The French Quarter and even debut the new tune "Vaccination Blues" by Dugwise, the Band. Dig Your Roots.