Podcasts about chuck e cheese

The singer, guitarist and songwriter of Bowling For Soup, Jaret Reddick, joins to talk about joke songs, not joke songs, country songs, Phineas and Ferb songs, Chuck E Cheese, and mental health.See Jaret Ray Reddick June 6th at Buck's Backyard.Bonus episodes available at patreon.com/jasondick or https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/jason-dick/subscribe

Chuck E. Cheese's Melissa McLeanas joins hosts Damian Fowler and Ilyse Liffreing on The Current Podcast to discuss how Chuck E. Cheese is leveraging its iconic IP for the streaming era, what advertisers are excited about and more. Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript  may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio.Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian FowlerIlyse Liffreing (00:01):And I'm Ilyse Liffreing,Damian Fowler (00:02):And welcome to this edition of The Current Podcast.Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):This week we're thrilled to be joined by Melissa McLeanas, Vice President of Global Media Licensing and Entertainment at Chuck E. Cheese.Damian Fowler (00:18):For people who grew up in the us, Chuck E. Cheese means childhood birthday parties. It's long been a go-to destination for pizza games and the giant mouse that knows every kid's name.Ilyse Liffreing (00:29):In short, it's a pop culture icon with over 500 worldwide venues. But under Melissa's leadership, the brand is leveling up by launching the CEC Media Network in partnership with programmatic platform future. Today,Damian Fowler (00:42):It's a big move that signals a shift from just a physical play space to a full on entertainment platform, think digital storytelling in store screens, branded content and advertising that actually fits into the family experience.Ilyse Liffreing (00:57):We're going to jump in and talk about why in venue media might just be the next big driver of customer loyalty and growth.Damian Fowler (01:07):Chuck E. Cheese is such a nostalgic brand, especially in the United States, but here you are launching a full media network, which is a kind of big new chapter for you. Can you walk us through the vision and the strategy behind the CEC Media network and what is bringing it to life?Melissa McLeanas (01:26):Absolutely. First of all, thank you so much for having me. It is an incredibly exciting time at CEC Entertainment. Then Chuck Cheese, I would say it's a bold new chapter for the company and the Media network is really just a piece of that. The brand has been going through an incredible transformation over the last few years, and really at the heart of that is the vision to establish this brand as a global leader in entertainment. Now, I say that, but it's really reestablished the brand in entertainment. Chuck E. Cheese was born in entertainment. I don't know if you know, but the E in Chuck E. Cheese stands for entertainment. And really when you think back to where we started, we were a leader and really established the category of EAT entertainment. And as that space has evolved and family entertainment centers have really taken that center stage, we've continued to be a leader and an innovator in that space.(02:14):But a few years ago, I would say we probably hit a wall and it was a little bit tired. The bones were good as they would say, but it was really time for a reset and bringing a new leadership team to the forefront with a new background and experience in entertainment. We established several different strategic objectives, one of them being the division that I lead, and that's media licensing and entertainment. So really very simply put, the mission is to really drive incremental value and revenue for the company in a new way. So all US locations, we've invested over 350 million back into the business, a capital investment, and I'm happy to say that right now at this point we've completed the US all US locations, so just under 500, no small feat, and we're about to finish our own Canada locations as well. And what this looks like is cosmetically update to the interior and the exterior, a revamp of menu, all new games, and that entertainment package now features a large video wall. And then of course our character program.Damian Fowler (03:16):That's a lot right there. It's almost like you've had a complete perception shift in terms of what you're doing. It sounds like you are a channel in and of your own right and media channel. You mentioned out of home, but there's also CTV on all those points. This is a kind of multistream content strategy. And could you just talk a little bit more about how that will ultimately reach all of these consumers and how it'll deepen engagement, I guess, for families who go to all these different venues in the US and around the world?Melissa McLeanas (03:50):So yeah, that's a great point. So I guess let me step back and actually talk about what that content looks like. Within our fund centers, we have entertainment programming, let's call it a 90 minute loop, and it consists primarily of entertainment, content, family friendly entertainment content. Of all these initiatives, obviously the first and foremost most important thing for us is to make sure that we're delivering an amazing experience for our guests. And so that content must do that. It has to be relevant for our families, it has to be engaging, and it really has to convey everything that our brand stands for. So that's a mix of our own original content. So I talked about that, the library. And so we continue to create new content and then we pull from our library of content. So we really look for things that are a little young, but it has to be appealing to an older guest.(04:37):At the same time, there can be aspirational content, so maybe some of our 10 year olds and 12 year olds are there with younger siblings, and then you got your parents. So there's a lot of opportunity there. The other thing that digital screens in this update to programming does is it allows us to do regular seasonal updates. And I think that's also really important, especially as we're growing programs like our membership program, our past program, we've got some repeat visitation, we're consistently updating and keeping that fresh throughout the year. Now as part of that, there's a lot of partner opportunities. And so for our entertainment partners, like I said, you can get the latest clips from your newest release for some of the newer content creators. We've got an active captive audience sitting right there paying attention to those screens, and we've created an environment where they're tuning into those screens. And so bringing our characters, since we do all of that content ourselves and working with other content creators to create some co-branded content, there's a lot of different ways for partners to really be a part of that entertainment experience.Ilyse Liffreing (05:38):Now I know it's early days too, but perhaps you can talk about some of those partnerships that you have going on with needy buyers and national advertisers and then how important the media network is to Chuck E. Cheese's broader business evolution.Melissa McLeanas (05:54):Absolutely. I'll actually take that moment to do a quick and talk more specifically on the advertising opportunity. I think a lot of what we're doing with the content and the characters is incredibly exciting, but it's also a really exciting time in the digital out of home and out of home space. So if you look at other venue operators and retailers, they're debuting these owned media networks. And so we've really took a page out of their book and we said, Hey, we've got this updated experience, we have this traffic. How do we really bring this to partners in a big way? And so on the, I would say the tech solutions side, we've had some really strong relationships with Panasonic so that we've got media players in advertising solutions that are going to support the various types of advertisers locally, regionally, nationally. And then we most recently have a relationship with Vista Media, so we were able to integrate their supply side platform directly into that CMS.(06:44):So that gives us access to a wide array of advertisers, and they're coming straight through programmatic, so turnkey solution for those who are buying programmatic space. So we're seeing a lot of advertisers come through there. And then we've got some more strategic relationships in the entertainment space. Kids BOP is one of those. They've been a partner for many, many years. And in addition to some of the entertainment content, they've really leveraged these screens to advertise tours to localize and talk specifically to upcoming tours at a specific venue ahead of that. We've worked with the Harlem Globetrotters to do the same, and then we have a various CPG toy, again, family appropriate, parent appropriate that are really taking advantage of those screens. And then of course we're talking out of home, but I don't want to forget too that we also announced a partnership with Future Today.(07:33):And so in addition to having this opportunity around content in our venues, we also have this content online. So we've had a lot of this on YouTube and YouTube kids. We actually started putting our content there in 2012 and have been doing so in a more meaningful way in the past few years. And with this new relationship with Future Today, a leader in the CTV space, not only are we getting content on their Happy Kids channel and their network alongside the co melons and the Paw trolls, but in the future we're working towards launching our own streaming network. So Chuck E. Cheese branded Fast Channel, so ad supported, but again, leaning into the content and the IP and engaging those guests and those fans and then offering that opportunity to brand safe and family friendly advertisers.Ilyse Liffreing (08:17):I know Chuck E. Cheese has traditionally been mostly about the physical experience before all of this. I remember going there as a kid, my dad brought us there all the time growing up, and obviously that part of the business is not dying down at all. I'm curious how many screens you have at each of the 500 plus venues that will be part of this network.Melissa McLeanas (08:41):So every location has a video wall, and that's going to be the focal point of when you walk into Chuck E. Cheese and it's incredibly important. You really can see that almost anywhere in most locations. Every one of our locations is unique, they're like children. They vary in size and layout, but really that video wall is huge. And then screens and the number of screens is going to depend on that layout and how big the location is. So it can be anywhere from six to 15 to 18 in some of our larger locations. So it's done strategically to make sure that there's visibility no matter where you are. And then audio isn't tied to those screens, so audio is just piped uniformly throughout the entire locations.Ilyse Liffreing (09:21):Besides those giant screens, are there any other ways you guys are blending that physical presence within the new digital touchpoints that you're bringing?Melissa McLeanas (09:30):So like I said, the character program is, I mean the epitome of the live physical experience. And so we really try to find a balance between how we take the digital parts of our brand and our entertainment and balance that with the interactive and the physical. So when the character, when Chucky comes out, whether it be for a birthday or for a dance, there's also supporting content on the screen that really help families follow along, be able to follow and interact with their parents and their friends and all of that. So we want to make sure it's on an interactive dance floor. So there's a lot of different ways to bring that to life. We also just recently launched a STEAM program, and so that is rooted in the media that you see on those screens, but then as part of that curriculum, those kids go off into the game rooms and they're playing with the games and they're doing all the different tasks that they've learned.(10:21):We did that in partnership with stem.org and then just digitally throughout the locations, our menu boards are all digital now. We've done some tremendous and deep upgrades in terms of innovation and technology, so no more tickets, which some people get sad about because that visual of having that bucket of tickets feels so iconic. But etickets are far more efficient for families that are trying to get through the price counter and out the door. So we've got Etic, we've got Play Pass, no more tokens, the menu boards, the games. We're really leaning into digital. It makes us more efficient when we need to make changes. We think about testing menu items in certain local and regional rollouts that's all supported digitally. It's far easier to make those updates on the backside than it is to roll out new point of sale and printed materials. And so we're looking for those digital opportunities throughoutIlyse Liffreing (11:11):Life. Things are certainly changing.Damian Fowler (11:12):They really are. Let's talk a little bit about some of the takeaways from all of these innovations. Now, let's say you're a family, you've been exposed to the video wall and the games room and you go home. How is this exposure being measured across the network, if you like?Melissa McLeanas (11:28):Yes, feedback is everything. We actually have a really active fan base and we do have guests who are reaching out to give us feedback. We have an in-house insights team and we have regular surveys, and then they're asking questions across every element of Chuck E. Cheese because we want to make sure that we're understanding as we update and introduce new exactly what's working, what's not and what can be better and happy to, the screens in the entertainment continues to have a really positive score. A very high guest are seeing it, they're tuning in and they love the entertainment. And so we'll continue to watch that. And when it comes to the advertising campaigns, from a measurement perspective, we're working with companies like Place their AI and an IMP purview to measure the impressions through our door as well as impressions against our screens, both being well-recognized auditors, if you will, in that space.(12:20):We don't sell tickets, so that's important to make sure that when we do these campaigns we can accurately say this is how many folks we're actually exposed to those screens. And then as we continue to work with our partners, and then I think this is something you'll see, especially in the digital out of home space, it's constantly evolving. And so for us it's really important to work with partners on their campaigns and understand those KPIs because we are a unique platform and the guests are engaging with these screens maybe differently than they might and screens out in a different venue. And so we want to make sure that the content that we're delivering, one, again, great guest experience and it's appropriate for our families, but two, it's achieving what our partners are looking to do with these campaigns.Ilyse Liffreing (13:04):So you've spoken about how Chuck E. Cheese as a brand spans generations. How do you ensure that the content and messaging then stay relevant to today's kids while still honoring the brand's legacy from the past?Melissa McLeanas (13:18):It's an amazing gift to have a brand and a character that has touched almost five decades, and that comes with great responsibility first and foremost, at the heart of what we are still, where a kid can be a kid. So as we continue to innovate and evolve for these families, we never lose sight of that. We are a kid first space. So while our content could be developed with co-viewing in mind and there's some Easter eggs that maybe parents will understand, but it's just fun silly songs for kids, we want to make sure that kids still own their space. Chuck E. Cheese is a place for kids. Our parents obviously need to enjoy their space too. And so in addition to how that content comes to life within our fund centers, we take a lot of opportunity to find extensions outside our four walls that pay homage to the rich legacy that this brand has.(14:11):So licensing is an important part of the strategic objective of growing this brand and increasing its value and entertainment. And so we've really grown our license program over the past five years. We've got just over 35 licensees and we've been able to really segment our brand across these decades and offer a classic Chuckie for those who know the OG seventies, eighties, Chuckie with the bowler hat. And we've got our retro Chuckie who's skater and he's the nineties, two thousands, and we offer that up to teen and young adult audiences in various spaces that make sense. We've done a few other things like we've saved our animatronics and in a few different locations, we started that in Northridge, California, wildly successful, lots of feedback there. And so we were able to extend that to four additional stores. And so those animatronics are going to live in those locations.(15:02):They're still fully remodeled, they're still on the media network, they still have all the new, but for fans that want to pilgrimage to see the original band in that format, those are available and we continue to look for opportunities like that. We've announced Chuck Arcade, it's an arcade space that's really geared towards Martine and adult, and there's some really fun touch points. Again, paying ho much to the legacy. And so we want to make sure that, again, our brand is a brand and we're going to take care of those kids and those families, but there's a lot of opportunity to really extend that and talk to the other generations of fans.Ilyse Liffreing (15:36):I certainly appreciate that. I remember Skater, Chuckie, myself, ninetiesMelissa McLeanas (15:41):Chucky, everybody has their Chuckie.Ilyse Liffreing (15:42):Oh yeah. I know it's early days still, but how has the feedback been so far from the brands that you guys are starting to approach about the network? Is there excitement, interest?Melissa McLeanas (15:56):I think a takeaway that is for brands and partners and even a lot of our guests is because just as you said, everyone has their Chuck E. Cheese and this is a brand that has such incredible awareness and strong attachment to a very specific memory and time of when you had your Chuck E. Cheese experience. As we're going through this remodel and introducing the median network, it's a bit of a surprise when they actually go in and they're like, oh my goodness, this is not the Chuck E. Cheese that I used to know. And we hear it from guests and it's why we really lean into reopening events when we remodel a location and then really make a splash in the local community. And I'm hearing that a lot from partners. It's incredibly positive once they see how their brand is coming to life on these screens and we're hosting lunch and learns with agencies, you have to see it to get it because that memory is so strong in so many people and we're doing things so differently. And so it's been really positive and it's been exciting, but it definitely is. It's a space where you've really got to lean in and say, oh, wait a second. You're right. This is incredible.Damian Fowler (17:06):We seem to be in a sort of almost, you mentioned the ip, but we seem to be in a bit of a golden age as it were, of brand storytelling and more and more brands leaning into sort of that owned media channel to tell their stories. How do you see this whole media network fitting into that general trendMelissa McLeanas (17:23):From a brand storytelling perspective? It's funny. We always make this differentiation. Our characters are part of our experience. We never look at them to tell the experience. And so as we debut all of these new channels for our content and open up to a larger audience, we have the opportunity to really dive into these characters, their personalities and invest in telling their story and in a deeper way. And so we've got so much content, but there's so many new formats that we are excited about long form formats, animation, publishing, and so much of that can be supported and come to life on these channels. But when we think about a storytelling opportunity from a character perspective, there's a great path forward to really get these beloved characters out there and to continue to build their world, their ecosystem, and not just in content. How do we take them outside the four walls? How do we create more experiences? We've taken the band out on tour, how do we do that in a bigger way? And I think these channels and this content is the beginning of a much bigger journey for the characters.Damian Fowler (18:31):Yeah, I imagine. Is there a movie in the works?Melissa McLeanas (18:36):No comment. No. In all serious, that's where we're going. That's where we're thinking for these characters. And so while nothing has been announced, I think we've been fairly vocal in the fact that that is what we would like to do and how we are making decisions on content and bringing on partners.Ilyse Liffreing (18:55):It's amazing. Looking even further ahead, if the movie doesn't happen, if the movie does happenMelissa McLeanas (19:03):When the movie happens,Ilyse Liffreing (19:03):When it happens,Melissa McLeanas (19:04):Exactly when the movieIlyse Liffreing (19:06):Happens, I like it. It happens. What else do you see in terms of innovation, whether it's maybe gamified content, augmented reality, personalized experiences, is there anything else that you guys are hoping in the near future to evolve the Chuck E T's experience?Melissa McLeanas (19:26):Gaming is in our DNA. And so I mean we are the largest arcade operator in the world. We buy thousands and thousands of games. We've got 2 billion game plays a year. And so we're always looking and talking to different companies about how we can continue to innovate in that space. And so that's always on our radar. You've seen a change in even some of the games that have come through our doors, things like ar, you need to make sure that it's safe for our young kids, but we're always having those conversations and now that we've got more media driven experiences, there is opportunity to take that to the screens. And with the dance floor personalization, if you think about birthday and how important that is to our brand, personalization is something that we're always looking to do in a bigger way. So from tiering and offering different options to our parents who are booking parties, to giving something personal just to remind or say happy birthday to the kids and how we can do that with our characters and at scale is something that is starting to get more exciting as this technology evolves.Ilyse Liffreing (20:34):Amazing. Let's go into some of rapid fire questions now, some quick fun ones for you. So the first one here is actually about your background. You've held roles across licensing, entertainment and media. What would be one lesson from building these brand partnerships that served you especially well?Melissa McLeanas (20:55):Partnerships can be incredibly powerful and they can serve so many purposes. And I think right now in the industry, you're hearing the word collaboration a lot. And it's refreshing because I also think that if you look back a few decades, it was very rigid of this is the partnership, I need X, you get X, this is how we do it or we don't do it. And I think the openness and the receptiveness across all industries, entertainment, licensing, media of building something that is going to benefit both parties in a bigger way has really changed how a lot of these partnerships have come to life. And for us, and in this journey that we've been in, they've really been a huge benefit to us. And one telling our story, aligning with some of these best in class entertainment brands and putting Chuck E. Cheese in a conversation that frankly people weren't expecting. And as you said, I have been very fortunate to have worked with some amazing partners across my career and bring some of these different programs to life and building them around Chuck E. Cheese has been really fun.Damian Fowler (22:02):What other family or entertainment brand is doing something truly innovative in the media space that inspires you?Melissa McLeanas (22:10):So I'm a theme park nerd, admittedly because of my background, and this almost feels like a cop out, but it has been really exciting to watch Universal grow as a behemoth in this space and even their marketing and from a grassroots perspective of how they've been able to engage their fan base. It's just fun and it's exciting to watch someone in that space grow as they have. But all that said, what I think is even cooler in location-based entertainment is these snackable moments that are kind of emerging outside of these giant theme parks. I think in the beginning it was always like that can only happen if you're paying a high ticket price to go to a Universal or Disney. And now so many of the IP holders and the brands are bringing these really cool experiences to life outside of that, whether it be a mobile tour or a retail experience or maze that's themed for the season. And I think that's really elevating the space and it's giving a lot of us opportunity to activate in these ways that doesn't require a giant theme park build around it. And so I think that the location based entertainment and experiential space in general has been growing and being more creative over the past few years.Ilyse Liffreing (23:22):Do you have a favorite moment from launching the CEC Media network?Melissa McLeanas (23:27):I think something that I could really call out is the feedback from our operators. So when you work for a company that is really the life force is your field and your cast members and your operators on the ground. We've got some cast members and some managers that have been with us for over 30 years and they know this brand and they've been delivering this amazing experience and change is hard. So when this started testing in markets and we got not only good feedback, but outwardly positive feedback and managers were approaching me like, you know what you could do? I'm like, this is fantastic because not only are we updating the entertainment experience, we're delivering on all these new objectives, but we're bringing value to the team that's operating and they see this great opportunity to talk to their guests and to be more efficient. And so that was very satisfying and it made it all the better because they really are the ones that are doing the work on the ground and making sure that this brand is coming to the life in the best of ways.Damian Fowler (24:27):On that point, was there a personal moment that stands out that you've witnessed where the brand genuinely sort of moved you or surprised you in how it was being received?Melissa McLeanas (24:38):So yes, I mentioned this summer concert series, and I'll give you a little bit of context. So during the pandemic, we had to close a lot of locations and as we started to open them, we made the decision to keep Chucky outside the fun centers to our families. That message was that he was recording an album and we didn't realize that he was going to have to record a box set in the end, but when we did get to a place where we were getting comfortable to bring him back to our guests and it wasn't everywhere, we were trying to think of how best to do that. And again, this is still early for me and in my role at Chuck E. Cheese. And so we decided to, for the first time ever, create a fully choreographed scripted show, 30 minute show with our characters, took 'em out on the road, all free concerts, open air outside public parks so all guests could attend no matter where we were in the world in terms of what those restrictions looked like.(25:33):And it was just an amazing team building event. So it's all new music, upbeat, fun, I still have it on my playlist, but we have our birthday song as part of this concert and we do it under the guise of Does anyone have a birthday this year? Which is of course everyone. And if you're familiar with the Chuck E. Cheese birthday song, it's not just Happy Birthday, it's very specific to Chuck E. Cheese. And as it started, every single guest was up and singing along to the lyrics and dancing the food truck vendors, the parents, everybody knew this song. And from a moment that was needed, it was incredible. But from a brand perspective, that's really powerful and that's really something special. And so that really stood out in my mind of like, wow, this is something, we really got something. So that would definitely be it. And if you don't know the birthday song,Ilyse Liffreing (26:25):I do know we can practice it after do birthday song.Damian Fowler (26:28):We should play this podcast out with a birthday song soon.Ilyse Liffreing (26:30):Yes, we should.Damian Fowler (26:32):Well, first off, Melissa was so enthusiastic about this new brand, this new entertainment network that the company's launching. I almost couldn't keep up with the amount of innovation the brand is putting out.Ilyse Liffreing (26:45):So much, so much has happen isDamian Fowler (26:45):Incredible. But I feel like there were a couple of bits there where she almost gave us some news. She talked about Chuck E. Cheese streaming platform potentially on the horizon, and then we sort of joked about this, but Chuck E. Cheese movie. But in an era where IP is everything and we're thinking of Barbie, why not?Ilyse Liffreing (27:05):Yeah, no, there's so much value in it for other advertisers too, when they're building this media network across their 500 plus venues in the US and internationally, that's a lot of screens and advertisers want to be with kids and with their parents especially.Damian Fowler (27:24):Another thought that was interesting to me was the way she talked with the way Melissa talked about the digital out of home and Chuckie, she's venues being almost an extension of that channel that is on the up and up really, and especially when it comes to programmatic media. So that was also something that I found intriguing.Ilyse Liffreing (27:44):It's also nice to know that they're doing a good job of blending their physical footprint with the digital and keeping everything we like about Chuck E. Cheese still alive in some way. Even those who remember the brand from the seventies, eighties, nineties, check that mouse is still there.Damian Fowler (28:05):Yeah, well, I can't say I grew up with it, but I know you did. So it's reassuring that that nostalgia is still alive.Ilyse Liffreing (28:11):And maybe for my birthday next year, are you going to invite me? Yes, Damian, you're invited. Thanks. And that'sDamian Fowler (28:18):It for this edition of the current podcast.Ilyse Liffreing (28:21):This series is produced by Molton Hart. The current podcasts theme is by Love and caliber. The current team includes Kat Vesce and Sydney Cairns.Damian Fowler (28:29):And remember,Melissa McLeanas (28:30):Our characters are part of our experience. We never look at them to tell the experience. I'm Damian and I'm my, we'llIlyse Liffreing (28:38):See you.

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The 2nd Half The Traber’s weigh in on Chuck E Cheese, Vacation Bible School and traveling adventures could help you stay younger longer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Jason needs cake, grandpa fighting in Chuck E. Cheese, milk makes you a horny slut, Strawberry Milk is for psychopaths, & watching YouTube with a jar of vaseline. Email us at OpenMicersPodcast@gmail.comwww.openmicers.comLinktr.ee/OpenMicersPodcast To watch video of the podcast: www.youtube.com/@jayfunktasticFollow us on Instagram & Threads: @OpenMicersPodcast, @JayFunktastic, @JacobCraigComedyVisit www.BrezCoffeeCo.com and use the code “OMPodcast” at checkout for 10% off of your order! Join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/ompodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Hennen broadcasts one of the most dynamic episodes of What's On Your Mind? yet—live from Arizona, with his heart still in North Dakota! This episode blends everything from Governor Kelly Armstrong's boots-on-the-ground updates in Watford City to an unexpected dinner encounter with Kari Lake… and a serious dive into the battle for school choice with national advocate Corey DeAngelis. Scott also chats about the challenges of tackling homelessness in Fargo with Mayor Tim Mahoney, how revitalization is booming in downtown Fargo, and what the weather means for farmers this week. Top it off with an electric conversation with Charlie Kirk on Gen Z voters, Trump's next moves, and the visionary “Invest America” plan.

In this episode of Do This, Not That, host Jay Schwedelson covers the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), new data on webinar marketing trends, and quirky industry news—from AI-driven Safari updates to Chuck E. Cheese going media mogul.=================================================Best Moments:(00:54) The shift from SEO to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) due to AI's impact on search(02:19) ChatGPT's user growth to 800 million weekly active users, doubling from February(02:39) How websites need to include listicles and answer core questions to appear in AI search results(04:06) Apple's plan to redesign Safari to focus on AI search engines(05:03) Chuck E. Cheese launching its own branded media network(06:46) Webinar marketing data showing Wednesdays and Fridays have highest registration rates(07:32) 2PM identified as the optimal webinar time with highest attendance rates(08:05) Most webinar registrations happen in the week before the event (78.9% within two weeks)(08:30) Update on Meghan Markle's podcast performance and comparisons to "Do This, Not That"=================================================Check out our 100% FREE + VIRTUAL EVENTS! ->EVENTASTIC - The worlds LARGEST event about EVENTS! June 5-6 2025Register HERE: https://www.eventastic.com/RegistrationGuru Conference - The World's Largest Virtual EMAIL MARKETING Conference - Nov 6-7!Register here: www.GuruConference.com=================================================Check out Jay's YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelsonCheck out Jay's TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelsonCheck Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/=================================================AND don't miss out on this awesome FREE upcoming Quick Hit!Marigold: Should I Switch Email Platforms? 5 Truths & Myths!May 30th 11am – 12pm ET.Register HERE: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7325947932031991808/comments/=================================================MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Email chaos across campuses, branches, or chapters? Emma by Marigold lets HQ keep control while local teams send on-brand, on-time messages with ease.Podcast & GURU listeners: 50 % off your first 3 months with an annual plan (new customers, 10 k-contact minimum, terms apply).Claim your offer now at jayschwedelson.com/emma.

November 14-20th, 1992 This week Ken welcomes long time Ken Reid superfan, NASCAR expert and the co-host of the Meet Me at Applebees Podcast Brien Kielb. Ken and Brien discuss NASCAR video games in Chuck E Cheese, growing up in upstate NY, The Showcase Showdown, punk rock teens, Boston Punk, Motorsports, Albany, moving to Cleveland, Pittsburgh PA, local cuisine, watching old NASCAR races, meeting friends due to mutual interests, the politics of driving, racist redneck hicks, Formula One, 24 hour races, endurance, soiling yourself, bicycle repair, fake wakes, smoking slims, cigarettes for women, Monster Trucks, the real truck that turns into a fire breathing car eating monster, the TWO Big Foot Cartoons, searching for Stivy Posnanski, Video Power, the Power Team, satellite dishes, above ground pools, divorced Dads, how Baby Boomers have hoarded all the money, before the discovery of tweens, original works of art by internationally acclaimed artist Paul Kale, collector's plates, weird NASCAR merchandise, The Georgia Dome, NASCARman, YouTube, Alabama Salutes Richard Petty, Joe Diffie, 900 numbers based auctions, wondering what Tom Arnold donated, The Kids Choice Awards, Red & Stimpy, Primus, coming from a weigh lifting background, yelling at Emo bands, WWE, the drug addict to weight lifting to right wing grifter highway, USA Up All Night, Saturday Nightmares, Days of Thunder, the Days of Thunder Soundtrack, what the best NASCAR movie is, Ravishing Rick Rude lookalikes in prison riots, The Real World, GI Joe, Sgt. Slaughter, Refrigerator Perry, Married...with Children, stunt episodes, musical episodes, very sad made for TV movies, collecting and framing t-shirts, Ken's Just the Ten of Us autographed cast shirt, screen worn t shirts from The Adventures of Pete and Pete and Revenge of the Nerds, Rescue 9-1-1 in Ohio, Roseanne, the Lanford Loose Meat Lunchbox, TBS, WCW, Disney Studios, Street Stories, Sightings, Stephen Wright guest starring on Bob as a guy in charge of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Balloons, Frozen Assets sperm count contest, the Whoops! Christmas episode and fundamentally misrepresenting Ray Walston's career. 

This week on the Time Blaster Toy Cast... we're cracking open the history books for a retrospective on Discovery Zone! From ball pits to sky tubes to roller slides, DZ had it all...including a incredible rise and a tremendous fall. So settle in cause we're talking Discovery Zone from beginning to end...and it starts right now! The Time Blaster Toy Cast is a nostalgic podcast about growing up in the 1980's & 1990's, with a specific focus on action figures, video games, junk food and retro geek stuff. Hosts Keith, Joe & Dave are your weekly tour guides as we travel back in time... when toys were cooler, movies were funnier, times were simpler & life in general was just MORE RAD! Got a question, comment or idea for our show? Want to share a story of your own with us? The Time Blaster Toyline is open 24/7! Leave us a message or shoot over a text message at 734-494-2292 Follow us on Instagram:  @timeblastertoys @theretroko @mathew_priest

Lee's Back! The B&W boys discuss the downfall of MTV/VH1, Uncharted, Chuck E. Cheese's, Commercial Reboots, Upcoming Movie Reboots, the Desecration of Narnia AND the 7th, 8th and 9th episode of Andor's 2nd Season.

We had Chuck E. Cheese overload Follow the Sports Animal on Facebook, Instagram and X PLUS The Morning Animals on XListen to past episodes HERE!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Bubbles' Mushrooms Monday! This week, Jac is celebrating her birthday with a present that Edward and Katie wrapped with a fresh dumpster box, Renee gives us an email bug update from a few episodes ago, Marty is back this week and his birthday is in August. Edward fills us in on animals from around the world, Marty tells us why Indianapolis sucks, we talk about how ice cream comes from Vermont, we talk about Big Gretch and her teeth, Edward asks Marty why he gets junk mail and Luke has a great idea on what to do with all of the world's junk mail back to Indianapolis. Game time this week is a return to the TOP 5 FORMAT! Look out nerds, we're talking video games today - specifically our favorite multi-player vidya games. Did you guys know that Katie really likes Minecraft? Does anyone wanna play Wii Sports with us? Jac loves ripping people's spines out at the arcade. Marty is in hipster mode with his unknown games and Phantasy Star Online probably doesn't work anymore. Log on or take a seat on the couch with us this week ONLY on Bubbles' Mushrooms! Tell all of your friends about this great show that you love and don't forget to send us your favorite multi-player games at bubbmush@gmail.com #pothos #petoskystone #rockfacts #stinkbugs #dawndishsoap #biggretch #fanduel #grifters #pubes #minecraft #chickenjockey #ultimatechickenhorse #conanexiles #mortalkombat #phantasystaronline #wiisports #sonicadventure #dreamcast #windjammers #mountyourfriends #timesplitters

In Fun Fact Friday, Bobby shares what company has a hidden midden behind their famous mascot and what the "E" stands for in Chuck E. Cheese. In the Anonymous Inbox, Bobby helps a parent dealing with having older kids with no ambition in life. Amy presented us with quite possibly the weird challenge we've ever done that's an indicator of how healthy we are. We discussed if we would wear a smart ring that proves you’re not a cheater to your partner? Eddie shared one of the craziest stories about what happened to a 'buddy' of his when he couldn't find a bathroom and snuck into a hotel. We talked about who on the show we'd donate a kidney to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Fun Fact Friday, Bobby shares what company has a hidden midden behind their famous mascot and what the "E" stands for in Chuck E. Cheese. In the Anonymous Inbox, Bobby helps a parent dealing with having older kids with no ambition in life. Amy presented us with quite possibly the weird challenge we've ever done that's an indicator of how healthy we are. We discussed if we would wear a smart ring that proves you’re not a cheater to your partner? Eddie shared one of the craziest stories about what happened to a 'buddy' of his when he couldn't find a bathroom and snuck into a hotel. We talked about who on the show we'd donate a kidney to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“You can't put love into a house you don't own.” That one quote encapsulates the spirit of Ken Elkins' journey, vision, and mission as founder of Renewed. In this powerful Detroit is Different interview, Ken speaks truth to the generational impact of housing instability, sharing how growing up in a series of rentals shaped his understanding of pride, permanence, and purpose. From his early days in Saginaw, working at Chuck E. Cheese and joining the Navy Reserves just to find a path to college, to co-founding Ferris State's “Black Leaders Aspiring for Critical Knowledge,” Ken's life is a testament to how community can turn potential into power. “When I owned my first home, I felt value for the first time,” he reflects. Now, he's pouring that lesson back into Detroit, offering affordable homes where the mortgage is never more than 25% of your income. It's not just about equity—it's about emotional stability, dignity, and the ripple effects of ownership for families who have long been priced out of their own neighborhoods. As Ken puts it, “I can't stop the developers, but I can flip one house and keep that in the community.” Filled with laughter, real talk, and a deeply rooted love for the culture—yes, lamb chops, buffs, and all—this episode is a masterclass in what it means to build legacy through healing and homeownership. Detroit is Different is a podcast hosted by Khary Frazier covering people adding to the culture of an American Classic city. Visit www.detroitisdifferent.com to hear, see and experience more of what makes Detroit different. Follow, like, share, and subscribe to the Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Sticher. Comment, suggest and connect with the podcast by emailing info@detroitisdifferent.com

Sometimes you just can't shake the paranormal—on either side of the Atlantic. First, a massive 1400s English farmhouse where ghost kids used the upstairs like a Chuck E. Cheese. (Even Mom and Dad gave up trying to stop them.) Years later, a beach selfie on Singer Island, Florida, revealed a maid apparition reflected in his binoculars. That condo? Also haunted—phantom footsteps, self-opening doors, and a stove fan that politely turns itself on at 3 a.m. Medieval mischief to modern-day hauntings—ghosts really don't do quiet time. If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show or call 1-855-853-4802! If you like the show, please help keep us on the air and support the show by becoming a Premium Subscriber. Subscribe here: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 or at or at http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories

Join comedians Darren Carter and Mike Black, hot off their Comedy Store gigs, for a wild ride of laughs and stories! In this episode, they dive into Darren's adoption journey, debate the allure of Girl Scout cookies, reminisce about Pizza and Pipes Restaurant, geek out over the 1922 Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ, and share hilarious tales involving a balloon castle, glow-in-the-dark antics, and Chuck E. Cheese nostalgia. Expect unfiltered comedy, quirky tangents, and much, much more!https://linktr.ee/DarrenCarterhttps://buymeacoffee.com/darrencarterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/darren-carter-pocket-party--3090090/support.

Topics:  Good Friday, Social Media Anger, History Segment, The Resurrection, Masterclass, Grumpy, Conversation Tip, National Days, Hansen 2038, 2 Large Meals, The Accordion, Chuck E. Cheese, Thief On The Cross BONUS CONTENT: Chuck E. Cheese, Follow-up   Quotes: “There's nothing to fear because God is always adequate.” “I'm working on policy.” “Not everything relates back to me.” “How can they do this to our feelings?” . . . Holy Ghost Mama Pre-Order! Want more of the Oddcast? Check out our website! Watch our YouTube videos here. Connect with us on Facebook! For Christian banking you can trust, click here!

Ask your smart speaker to "Play One Oh Three One Austin"

The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and to support independent ski journalism, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.WhoJeff Colburn, General Manager of Silver Mountain, IdahoRecorded onFebruary 12, 2025About Silver MountainClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: CMR Lands, which also owns 49 Degrees North, WashingtonLocated in: Kellogg, IdahoYear founded: 1968 as Jackass ski area, later known as Silverhorn, operated intermittently in the 1980s before its transformation into Silver in 1990Pass affiliations:* Indy Pass – 2 days, select blackouts* Indy+ Pass – 2 days, no blackouts* Powder Alliance – 3 days, select blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Lookout Pass (:26)Base elevation: 4,100 feet (lowest chairlift); 2,300 feet (gondola)Summit elevation: 6,297 feetVertical drop: 2,200 feetSkiable acres: 1,600+Average annual snowfall: 340 inchesTrail count: 80Lift count: 7 (1 eight-passenger gondola, 1 fixed-grip quad, 2 triples, 2 doubles – view Lift Blog's inventory of Silver Mountain's lift fleet)Why I interviewed himAfter moving to Manhattan in 2002, I would often pine for an extinct version of New York City: docks thrust into the Hudson, masted ships, ornate brickwork factories, carriages, open windows, kids loose in the streets, summer evening crowds on stoops and patios. Modern New York, riotous as it is for an American city, felt staid and sterile beside the island's explosively peopled black-and-white past.Over time, I've developed a different view: New York City is a triumph of post-industrial reinvention, able to shed and quickly replace obsolete industries with those that would lead the future. And my idealized New York, I came to realize, was itself a snapshot of one lost New York, but not the only lost New York, just my romanticized etching of a city that has been in a constant state of reinvention for 400 years.It's through this same lens that we can view Silver Mountain. For more than a century, Kellogg was home to silver mines that employed thousands. When the Bunker Hill Mine closed in 1981, it took the town's soul with it. The city became a symbol of industrial decline, of an America losing its rough-and-ragged hammer-bang grit.And for a while, Kellogg was a denuded and dusty crater pockmarking the glory-green of Idaho's panhandle. The population collapsed. Suicide rates, Colburn tells us on the podcast, were high.But within a decade, town officials peered toward the skeleton of Jackass ski area, with its intact centerpole Riblet double, and said, “maybe that's the thing.” With help from Von Roll, they erected three chairlifts on the mountain and taxed themselves $2 million to string a three-mile-long gondola from town to mountain, opening the ski area to the masses by bypassing the serpentine seven-mile-long access road. (Gosh, can you think of anyplace else where such a contraption would work?)Silver rose above while the Environmental Protection Agency got to work below, cleaning up what had been designated a massive Superfund site. Today, Kellogg, led by Silver, is a functional, modern place, a post-industrial success story demonstrating how recreation can anchor an economy and a community. The service sector lacks the fiery valor of industry. Bouncing through snow, gifted from above, for fun, does not resonate with America's self-image like the gutsy miner pulling metal from the earth to feed his family. Town founder/mining legend Noah Kellogg and his jackass companion remain heroic local figures. But across rural America, ski areas have stepped quietly into the vacuum left by vacated factories and mines, where they become a source of community identity and a stabilizing agent where no other industry makes sense.What we talked aboutSki Idaho; what it will take to transform Idaho into a ski destination; the importance of Grand Targhee to Idaho; old-time PNW skiing; Schweitzer as bellwether for Idaho ski area development; Kellogg, Idaho's mining history, Superfund cleanup, and renaissance as a resort town; Jackass ski area and its rebirth as Silver Mountain; the easiest big mountain access in America; taking a gondola to the ski area; the Jackass Snack Shack; an affordable mountain town?; Silver's destination potential; 49 Degrees North; these obscenely, stupidly low lift ticket prices:Potential lift upgrades, including Chair 4; snowmaking potential; baselodge expansion; Indy Pass; and the Powder Alliance.What I got wrongI mentioned that Telluride's Mountain Village Gondola replacement would cost $50 million. The actual estimates appear to be $60 million. The two stages of that gondola total 10,145 feet, more than a mile shorter than Silver's astonishing 16,350 feet (3.1 miles).Why now was a good time for this interviewIn the ‘90s, before the advent of the commercial internet, I learned about skiing from magazines. They mostly wrote about the American West and their fabulous, over-hill-and-dale ski complexes: Vail and Sun Valley and Telluride and the like. But these publications also exposed the backwaters where you could mainline pow and avoid liftlines, and do it all for less than the price of a bologna sandwich. It was in Skiing's October 1994 Favorite Resorts issue that I learned about this little slice of magnificence:Snow, snow, snow, steep, steep, steep, cheap, cheap, cheap, and a feeling you've gone back to a special time and place when life, and skiing, was uncomplicated – those are the things that make [NAME REDACTED] one of our favorite resorts. It's the ultimate pure skiing experience. This was another surprise choice, even to those who named [REDACTED] to their lists. We knew people liked [REDACTED], but we weren't prepared for how many, or how create their affections were. This is the one area that broke the “Great Skiing + Great Base Area + Amenities = Favorite Resort” equation. [REDACTED] has minimal base development, no shopping, no nightlife, no fancy hotels or eateries, and yet here it is on our list, a tribute to the fact that in the end, really great skiing matters more than any other single resort feature.OK, well this sounds amazing. Tell me more……[REDACTED] has one of the cheapest lift tickets around.…One of those rare places that hasn't been packaged, streamlined, suburbanized. There's also that delicious atmosphere of absolute remoteness from the everyday world.…The ski area for traditionalists, ascetics, and cheapskates. The lifts are slow and creaky, the accommodations are spartan, but the lift tickets are the best deal in skiing.This super-secret, cheaper-than-Tic-Tacs, Humble Bro ski center tucked hidden from any sign of civilization, the Great Skiing Bomb Shelter of 1994, is…Alta.Yes, that Alta.The Alta with four high-speed lifts.The Alta with $199 peak-day walk-up lift tickets.The Alta that headlines the Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective.The Alta with an address at the top of America's most over-burdened access road.Alta is my favorite ski area. There is nothing else like it anywhere (well, except directly next door). And a lot remains unchanged since 1994: there still isn't much to do other than ski, the lodges are still “spartan,” it is still “steep” and “deep.” But Alta blew past “cheap” a long time ago, and it feels about as embedded in the wilderness as an exit ramp Chuck E. Cheese. Sure, the viewshed is mostly intact, but accessing the ski area requires a slow-motion up-canyon tiptoe that better resembles a civilization-level evacuation than anything we would label “remote.” Alta is still Narnia, but the Alta described above no longer exists.Well, no s**t? Aren't we talking about Idaho here? Yes, but no one else is. And that's what I'm getting at: the Alta of 2025, the place where everything is cheap and fluffy and empty, is Idaho. Hide behind your dumb potato jokes all you want, but you can't argue with this lineup:“Ummm, Grand Targhee is in Wyoming, D*****s.”Thank you, Geography Bro, but the only way to access GT is through Idaho, and the mountain has been a member of Ski Idaho for centuries because of it.Also: Lost Trail and Lookout Pass both straddle the Montana-Idaho border.Anyway, check that roster, those annual snowfall totals. Then look at how difficult these ski areas are to access. The answer, mostly, is “Not Very.” You couldn't make Silver Mountain easier to get to unless you moved it to JFK airport: exit the interstate, drive seven feet, park, board the gondola.Finally, let's compare that group of 15 Idaho ski areas to the 15 public, aerial-lift-served ski areas in Utah. Even when you include Targhee and all of Lost Trail and Lookout, Utah offers 32 percent more skiable terrain than Idaho:But Utah tallies three times more annual skier visits than Idaho:No, Silver Mountain is not Alta, and Brundage is not Snowbird. But Silver and Brundage don't get skied out in under 45 seconds on a powder day. And other than faster lifts and more skiers, there's not much separating the average Utah ski resort from the average Idaho ski resort.That won't be true forever. People are dumb in the moment, but smart in slow-motion. We are already seeing meaningful numbers of East Coast ski families reorient their ski trips east, across the Atlantic (one New York-based reader explained to me today how they flew their family to Norway for skiing over President's weekend because it was cheaper than Vermont). Soon enough, Planet California and everyone else is going to tire of the expense and chaos of Colorado and Utah, and they'll Insta-sleuth their way to this powdery Extra-Rockies that everyone forgot about. No reason to wait for all that.Why you should ski Silver MountainI have little to add outside of what I wrote above: go to Silver because it's big and cheap and awesome. So I'll add this pinpoint description from Skibum.net:It's hard to find something negative about Silver Mountain; the only real drawback is that you probably live nowhere near it. On the other hand, if you live within striking distance, you already know that this is easily the best kept ski secret in Idaho and possibly the entire western hemisphere. If not, you just have to convince the family somehow that Kellogg Idaho — not Vail, not Tahoe, not Cottonwood Canyon — is the place you ought to head for your next ski trip. Try it, and you'll see why it's such a well-kept secret. All-around fantastic skiing, terrific powder, virtually no liftlines, reasonable pricing. Layout is kind of quirky; almost like an upside-down mountain due to gondola ride to lodge…interesting place. Emphasis on expert skiing but all abilities have plenty of terrain. Experts will find a ton of glades … One of the country's great underrated ski areas.Some of you will just never bother traveling for a mountain that lacks high-speed lifts. I understand, but I think that's a mistake. Slow lifts don't matter when there are no liftlines. And as Skiing wrote about Alta in 1994, “Really great skiing matters more than any other single resort feature.”Podcast NotesOn Schweitzer's transformationIf we were to fast-forward 30 years, I think we would find that most large Idaho ski areas will have undergone a renaissance of the sort that Schweitzer, Idaho did over the previous 30 years. Check the place out in 1988, a big but backwoods ski area covered in double chairs:Compare that to Schweitzer today: four high-speed quads, a sixer, and two triples that are only fixed-grip because the GM doesn't like exposed high-elevation detaches.On Silver's legacy ski areasSilver was originally known as Jackass, then Silverhorn. That original chairlift, installed in 1967, stands today as Chair 4:On the Jackass Snack ShackThis mid-mountain building, just off Chair 4, is actually a portable structure moved north from Tamarack:On 49 Degrees NorthCMR Lands also owns 49 Degrees North, an outstanding ski area two-and-a-half hours west and roughly equidistant from Spokane as Silver is (though in opposite directions). In 2021, the mountain demolished a top-to-bottom, 1972 SLI double for a brand-new, 1,851-vertical-foot high-speed quad, from which you can access most of the resort's 2,325 acres.The Storm explores the world of lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

Bubbles' Mushrooms is back at it again this week with a brand new episode for everyone to enjoy who views the show! Thankfully, it's another Chuck E Cheese birthday for Katie's birthday. Ann joins us to tell all of the viewers that Katie got a new tattoo at the place her nail tech recommended with a secret door with big hairy tattoo guys behind it that may or may not pierce your ball sack. For her birthday, Katie gets a venus flytrap that eats daddy longlegs, we break down stories of the bible, Ann talks about her monster truck that Steve fixed for her, have a proper Rock Report for the first time in a while and we have a cyberbully update. Edward continues with his Weekly Cleanup and fills us in on what's going on with Megan Ward and the Bug-A-Salt! This week's supergame is all about the birthday girl - Katie! Jac has compiled a KatieQuiz to find out which one of us knows Katie the best - her best friend, her special friend or her husband. Do you know what kinds of things Katie likes the best? What is Katie's favorite color and why is it purple? We all will learn why Katie's favorite book is the bible, her happy place(s) and when you can help her clean her room. It's a very exciting week here on Bubbles' Mushrooms! Check out our Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @bubbmush and you can always email us at bubbmush@gmail.com - Thanks for checking out the show and make sure to tell your friends.

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive!In this exciting episode, we're joined by the incredibly talented composer and music director David Bernard Wolf! Early in his career, David founded his own audio production company, Crywolf Productions, where he created and recorded audio content for none other than Chuck E. Cheese! David later became a key figure in the beloved Barney franchise, contributing as a songwriter and music director for the Barney & Friends TV series and several home videos, as well as producing multiple Barney albums. His company has also contributed to projects for Amblin Entertainment, NBCUniversal, and Disney! In 2016, David took his expertise even further by launching Audivita Studios, helping creators bring their audio visions to life.

Furries and forts. Bad guys and bears. Rock ‘n' roll rabbits and rampaging face-eating cupcakes. Sid and jack step into the world of Chuck E Cheese…err Freddy Fazbear's Pizza but no amount of lucid dreaming will take away the dead-eyed animatronic faces burned into their minds.

Hooters has filed for bankruptcy. Jack in the Box has a new CEO. And Chuck E. Cheese's parent company is having problems on the bond market.

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I have met a couple of adults who are unlucky enough to have never visited a Chuck E. Cheese as a kid. Many of them were not able to fathom why anyone would feel affection to the chain. Some of them would be lucky enough to see it through their kid's eyes' eventually, but for many, they will just never understand the magic. So on today's episode of the Retroist Podcast, I want to talk a little bit about that magic. I started by discussing my first experience at Chuck E. Cheese. It was a mind-blowing time and one that I wish I could relive. Then I move onto the company itself. I talk about its founding, its founder, its growth, its relationship with Showbiz Pizza, its falls, rebirths and much more. I tried not to go too deep on the business of the company, but instead try to give a solid overview that should work for people familiar with the chain and those who aren't. Chuck E. Cheese was built for kids. It was a message its founder, Nolan Bushnell liked to make sure people working there knew. But this was also a major chain that made history and looked like it was going on to huge things in the early 80s, but having tied themselves to the arcade industry, it was hurt by the crash of 1983. Still, the company managed to dig itself out, refocus and continue. Other companies and food chains have come and gone, but Chuck E. Cheese adapts and survives.

00:00:00 – Opens with Joe still on vacation, Alex Jones soundboard chaos, and talk about the pyramid dig controversy in Egypt. Wild theories on ancient structures, black ops, and potential pole shifts are thrown around. 00:10:00 – More hilarious Alex Jones clips, including shirtless moments. The guys riff on Trump reportedly wanting the U.S. to join the British Commonwealth and whether it's a serious diplomatic proposal or trolling. 00:20:00 – Deep dive into the Commonwealth idea: pros, cons, trade impact, and cultural symbolism. They debate what joining would mean for U.S. independence and suggest Trump might want to rename it the "American Commonwealth." 00:30:00 – Trump's supposed leaked Signal chat about war plans sparks discussion. They joke about secure communication apps, war strategies via Snapchat, and general tech incompetence among elites. 00:40:00 – Gates predicts AI will replace teachers and doctors. They clown on creepy CDC robocalls about childhood immunizations. Then, they introduce the Bonnie Bridge UFO hotspot story. 00:50:00 – Full-on exploration of Bonnie Bridge, Scotland—a claimed global UFO hotspot. Hundreds of sightings are discussed. Documentary clips and books about the area are reviewed as they joke about aliens and PR. 01:00:00 – Details emerge about Bob Taylor's 1979 encounter: a mysterious spherical UFO and aggressive smaller orbs. The infamous "ripped trousers" incident is discussed along with other alleged alien pants-removal tactics. 01:10:00 – Bonnie Bridge wrap-up: speculation about abductions, spiral UFO footage, and remote viewers allegedly locating the Ark of the Covenant. CIA documents and ancient tech theories come into play. 01:20:00 – Drawbridge of Donations segment. Listeners are hilariously thanked. Industrial-sized “night pickles” and microwave chaos dominate the comedy. Also covered: man sets Big Mac world record. 01:30:00 – AI dependency warning from a new study. Heavy ChatGPT users show emotional reliance and social impact. They joke about AI taking over jobs and minds. 01:40:00 – Wild story of a mistaken drug raid in the UK: cops crash into an elderly couple's home due to heat signatures from regular heaters. The couple is traumatized, and the guys mock the police overreaction. 01:50:00 – More on the Chuck E. Cheese nostalgia rabbit hole. The last location with an animatronic band in California is discussed, sparking memories and lamenting the brand's faded glory. 02:00:00 – Final thoughts include absurd, surrealist riffs about AI-generated poetry, Skinwalker Ranch spin-offs, Space Force, and Alex Jones cameos. The show wraps on a chaotic and comedic high.   Mystery of Scottish UFO hotspot Bonnybridge continues to endure https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/385601/mystery-of-scottish-ufo-hotspot-bonnybridge-continues-to-endure Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Phone: 614-388-9109 ► Skype: ourbigdumbmouth ► Website: http://obdmpod.com ► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/obdmpod ► Full Videos at Odysee: https://odysee.com/@obdm:0 ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/obdmpod ► Instagram: obdmpod ► Email: ourbigdumbmouth at gmail ► RSS: http://ourbigdumbmouth.libsyn.com/rss ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-big-dumb-mouth/id261189509?mt=2   - Affiliates Links - Jackery:  https://shrsl.com/3cxhf Barebones:  https://bit.ly/3G38773  - OBDM Merch - https://obdm.creator-spring.com/ Buy Tea! Mike's wife makes some good tea: Naked Gardener Teas: https://www.thenakedgardener.us/store Bags Art Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/BagsDraws/  

Randy welcomes fellow comedian Steven Briggs to the podcast. The boys open the show discussing cuckholding. Steven shares some of his background growing up half-latino in the Bronx, similar to Randy's New York City upbringing. They move on to talk about Steven's previous jobs being both the Chuck E. Cheese rat and Jamba Juice Banana man. Randy asks Steven about his experience acting in commercials. Steven shares some tips on how to avoid the daily news cycle. They talk about the sudden shift in the public opinion on Tesla and Elon Musk. The guys close with some news - Intelligent people tend to hate small talk, US Customs are seizing more eggs than fentanyl at the Canadian boarder, and a woman in South Korea set the record for most failed drivers license tests.   Outro: “Funk Doctor” by Gee Dubs   Social Media: Instagram: @randyvalerio @readysetblowpodcast Twitter: @randytvalerio @readysetblowpodcast TikTok: @randyvaleriocomedy @readysetblowpod YouTube:   @randyvaleriocomedy   @readysetblowpodcast     #comedypodcast #comedy #podcast #podcastclips #comedyvideo #news #advice #standup #standupcomedy #comedian #jokes #latino #newyork #nyc #puertorico #boriqua #acting #actors #actorslife #commercial #commercials #tesla #elon #elonmusk #politics #politicalnews #breakingnews #smalltalk #eggs #fentanyl #fentanylcrisis #southkorea #korea #driverslicense #drivingtest #fail #baddrivers

It's bracket season once again and this year we present to you a very special #MarchMACness​! We've created a bracket of 64 food mascots for you to choose from and decide the best of all-time!Who go snubbed? What mascot is too high? Do you got what it takes to win this year's MARCH MACNESS?!Join the conversation on social media: @MACandGUpodcast

SVP and Stanford Steve react to the NCAA Tournament bracket and discuss what they liked and didn't like. The West Region is LOADED with Florida and Maryland potentially on a collision course whereas the Midwest is not. Also, the guys break down the biggest issues with North Carolina making it in over West Virginia and Indiana. Steve also breaks down his Chuck E. Cheese birthday party experience and SVP recaps his weekend in Breckenridge. | SVPod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The hype around the new ‘Fantastic Four' movie continues to grow. In our main topic we discuss who we'd cast in another version of the FF and what powers they'd have!Amazon-MGM has obtained creative control over the James Bond franchise and we expect a new casting to happen sooner than later. In our “Ask An Idiot” segment, we ask ourselves who some of our favorite and least favorite choices are for the next James Bond!Pop Culture Headlines includes a Cheeto shaped like a popular Pokemon character sells for some big money at auction and Chuck E. Cheese is removing its iconic animatronic band!“Idiot Reviews” includes ‘Zero Day', ‘Celtics City' and more!Warning as usual for some explicit language & content from us Idiots!Have a drink with us and listen weekly for pop culture talk, nerdy debates, personal insults & questionable jokes on your favorite podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Vurbl, Goodpods, Podvine & more! Watch us on our YouTube channelhttps://youtube.com/@convincingidiots?si=SWpsPG0wUhBwr-UkShow info can be found on our website: Convincing Idiots – We are a podcast of pop culture talk, nerdy debates & personal insults!Find show links on our Link Tree:https://linktr.ee/ConvincingIdiotsEmail us at ConvincingIdiots@gmail.com. Main Podcast Page:Convincing Idiots • A podcast on Spotify for CreatorsEnjoying the show? Consider becoming a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ConvincingIdiots YouTube Music app:https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCKa-u-b0Hd30AYxgzoS6aOg?si=GxMuyf3nlSROrdIDShow merch store here:https://www.teepublic.com/stores/convincing-idiots?ref_id=33680Come be dumb with us! Listen and subscribe!

This week, Juliet and Jacoby pay their tribute to the animatronic Chuck E. Cheese band, discuss the winery that spent $50,000 to clone a dog, and share their thoughts on ‘With Love, Meghan.' For this week's Taste Test, they try freeze-dried gummies. Finally, they share their Personal Food News and react to some Listener Food News. Do you have Personal Food News? We want to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at 646-783-9138 or email ListenerFoodNews@Gmail.com for a chance to have your news shared on the show. Hosts: Juliet Litman and David Jacoby Producer: Mike Wargon Musical Elements: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A daily non-partisan, conversational breakdown of today's top news and breaking news stories Headlines: – Welcome to Mo News (00:00)   – Columbia Student Activist To Remain In ICE Custody As Judge Hears Case (04:00)0 – Senate Democrats Playing Hardball on Government Shutdown (12:30) – Democratic Identity Crisis: Gavin Newsom Brings Steve Bannon On His Podcast  – US Inflation Cooled Last Month, Though Trade War Threatens To Lift Prices (20:00) – EU and Canada Strike Back At Trump Tariffs In Escalating Trade War (23:15) – RFK Jr. Pushes Big Food CEOs To Ditch Artificial Dyes (27:50) – Greenland's Opposition Party Wins Election Dominated By Trump's Annexation Threat (29:40) – Chuck E. Cheese Gets A Rebrand– Which Means No More Animatronic Band (32:45) – On This Day In History (34:30) Thanks To Our Sponsors: – EarnIn - Learn more about same-day pay with EarnIn* – Public - Investing Platform – Shopify – $1 per-month trial Code: monews – Aura Frames - $20 off best-selling Carver Mat frames | Promo Code: MONEWS – Industrious - Coworking office. 30% off meeting room booking – LMNT - Free Sample Pack with any LMNT drink mix purchase – Athletic Greens – AG1 Powder + 1 year of free Vitamin D & 5 free travel packs

With spring break here and travel ramping up, NBC's chief consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Nguyen breaks down the latest travel requirements to know. Also, a closer look at how longtime beloved children's brand Chuck E. Cheese is evolving for guests and kids in a whole new way. Plus, Iliza Shlesinger joins to discuss her new Prime Video stand-up special, ‘A Different Animal.' And our Shop TODAY team shares a few products, ranging from fashion to fun, to better enjoy the outdoors.

In this episode, the guys react to the passing of the legendary Gene Hackman and reflect on his impact. Meanwhile, Marconi experiments with an unusual bedtime routine—wearing white cotton gloves to moisturize his hands while he sleeps. Plus, an Anthony Bourdain impersonator gives a highly sophisticated review of Chuck E. Cheese. The duo also explores the concept of toggling off anxiety (if only it were that easy), a husband introduces his wife to the lyrical genius of Kendrick Lamar's They Not Like Us, and of course, there's always room for a dollop of joy.Listen now and embrace the chaos!

The Rich Dickman Show - Episode 292: Wheelchair User Welcome back to The Rich Dickman Show with your hosts Rem, Cody, Ray, and the ever-punctual (not!) Rem! Episode 292 is packed with the usual blend of insightful advice, questionable dilemmas, and celebrity smackdowns, all leading to a divine artistic endeavor. Segments Covered: Thinking with your Dickman: The wisdom flows freely as the guys tackle listener questions: Snarky AI Assistant: Jade from Austin is dealing with a Jeeves who's getting a little too opinionated about her music taste. The crew dives into the meaning of "derivative", fear a "Cyberdine moment", and hilariously brainstorm ways to keep AI humble, suggesting racist remarks (towards robots, of course!) and gotcha questions like "What's the back of your dick?". They even consider coining AI slurs like "dry brain" and "natural intelligence supremacist". Prada vs Gucci: Jasmine in Miami is agonizing over a Gucci handbag that clashes with her comfy Prada shoes. Rem finally joins the show, initially bewildered by such concerns amidst global issues like rising egg and gas prices. Ultimately, the advice leans towards comfort, suggesting she stick with the Prada shoes. There's a brief mention of Gucci burning surplus to maintain artificial scarcity. Wool Suit Woes: Jonah from Chicago wonders if his "wild cut" alpaca wool suit is too bold for a stuffy law firm interview. The hosts speculate on professions that might call for such attire and Rem suggests the suit screams "Better Call Saul," advising Jonah to deliver a dramatic exit line if questioned about it. Cody Reads Copy: Cody lends his vocal talents to a scathing critique of McDonald's McFlation Meal, a "pathetic Big Mac" with "soggy" fries and "lukewarm" soda, leaving you "shelling out more for less". This sparks a tangent about Trump's McDonald's consumption and the hosts' personal struggles with getting their McDonald's orders correct, particularly the elusive bacon on a Double Quarter Pounder. Dick of the Week: The coveted (or not so coveted) award is handed out after a review of some truly dickish behavior, introduced with a brand new bumper: A parking lot attendant in Los Angeles harassed a wheelchair user for using a handicap spot, despite her legal right, even chasing her and mocking her. The hosts are appalled. In Ganj boy Kasgange, India, a plastered police inspector was caught on video grabbing his wife in public and, when confronted, slurred, "I am fake". The hosts are left speechless and try to decipher the meaning. Two German tourists in Mallorca climbed and wrecked a steel structure for a selfie, ignoring the rules. The hosts take issue with the interns' editorializing in the news summaries. The Dick of the Week award ultimately goes to the infuriating parking lot attendant for his harassment of the wheelchair user. Dickman Dilemma: The moral compass takes a spin with these tough choices, now introduced with the "Seware Snare Shed Decree" bumper: N-word vs. Harlem: Rem is faced with the choice of saying the N-word on national TV or seeing Harlem get nuked. He chooses to utter the word. Ray would rather be a pariah than see mass destruction, while Cody hopes to find a loophole. A tangent about a company name "Nickerson" ensues. Baby Cannon: The ethical implications of shooting a baby 200 yards into a net for $5 million are debated with surprising detail, including net size, propulsion methods, and the baby's potential for mid-air healing. Ray even jokes about his own child's chaotic nature making him a prime candidate (with a helmet, of course), while Randy suggests a baby parachute. CEO Body Swap: The allure of trading bodies with a Fortune 500 CEO for a week, with the risk of them trashing your own, is considered. The consensus is a firm no, fearing either bodily harm or inheriting a failing company. Alien Autopsy Auction: Selling a dead alien for $20 million, but risking an invasion, is the final dilemma. The hosts, recalling "Independence Day", are hesitant to provoke extraterrestrial wrath, even for a hefty sum. Celebrity Dick Match: The battle of the famous begins with a new intro song: Danny DeVito vs. MrBeast: The beef? MrBeast's 10,000 tiny charity houses encroach on DeVito's "gig," leading to a demanded ball pit brawl at Chuck-E-Cheese. The hosts humorously size up DeVito's chances in a ball pit and veer off into a passionate (and divided) discussion about the merits (or lack thereof) of Jersey Mike's "juice". Ultimately, they see DeVito as the scrappier victor. Gordon Ramsay vs. Post Malone: The culinary clash ignites when Ramsay calls Post Malone's hot sauce "the worst since unsliced bread". This escalates to troll restaurants and a cooking show. The hosts discuss Post Malone's musical talents, including his Nirvana performance, and David Draiman of Disturbed's "Sound of Silence" cover, as well as Five Finger Death Punch covers. Post Malone's love for "Hunt Showdown" is also highlighted. Gordon Ramsay is confidently predicted to win this fiery feud. What Would Jesus Draw - Brokering a Peace Deal: Brought to you by the (hopefully soon-to-be-live) whatwouldjesusdraw.com, the hosts unleash AI to interpret their divine prompts: The central prompt is Jesus Christ of Nazareth as a political dignitary during a diplomatic meeting. Randy's initial attempt envisions Jesus like Gandalf. His second try, Jesus watching a play with Abe Lincoln, yields a strange, homoerotic scene with no clear meeting or Lincoln. Rem imagines Jesus facilitating the peace treaty between Lee and Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865, resulting in a charcoal-style drawing with an oddly proportioned Grant. Cody pictures Jesus sitting down in formal attire with President Camacho from Idiocracy, producing an image with a cool vibe but a missing arm and a bizarre background. Ray goes wild with Jesus as a Zimbabwean diplomat negotiating penguin furs with Genghis Khan on the Great Wall of China, leading to a heartwarming (and absurd) image of Jesus touching a penguin on the Great Wall, sans Genghis Khan. After much deliberation and a tie-breaker coin flip, Ray's surreal penguin encounter wins the divine art contest. Listeners are encouraged to visit whatwouldjesusdraw.com to purchase these unique creations (no NFTs here!). Outro: The hosts share their social media handles (@Rem_Dickman, @Randall_Dickman, @CodyMcCann) and the new Rich Dickman Show voicemail number: 513-512-5721. Cody recounts his Mardi Gras adventures, Ray mentions his dog-walking routine and ongoing insurance saga, and they all look forward to the eventual launch of whatwouldjesusdraw.com. A final, humorous note reveals the Jesus art is printed in Mexico, much to Randy's mock dismay. Don't forget to check out old episodes and get ready for the big 300! Until next time, stay rich (in spirit)!  

The whole crew is back together again! Join Patrick, Janet, Rob, and Cado as they unpack Microsoft's push into using AI to produce “gameplay,” which leads to a long discussion about the nature of art and creativity in a prompt-filled world. We also talk about the weirdness about Marvel Rivals developers being laid off despite producing a hit, before getting into their collective feelings over Don't Nod's latest coming-of-age drama, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. We also share brief thoughts on Civilization 7, While Waiting, Keep Driving, and others, before The Question Bucket takes us to a dangerous place: hey, is Chuck E. Cheese a restaurant?Discussed: Microsoft Announces New Gameplay from AI Model 4:32, Marvel Rivals Developers Laid Off 49:57, Viktor Antonov Passes Away 1:03:07, Bloom and Rage 1:05:57, Keep Driving 2:02:14, While Waiting 2:11:12, Eternal Strands 2:17:55, The Question Bucket 2:22:32 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

254. Raising Healthy Children with Dr. Charles Fay   2 Chronicles 20:12b (NIV) "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”   **Transcription Below**   Questions and Topics We Discuss: When it comes to helping our child find purpose in life, what are some helpful questions to ask and why is this even important? What are some specific examples of beneficial discipline for a variety of ages of children? What are natural and proactive ways we can improve mental health in ourselves and our children? Charles Fay, PhD, is an internationally recognized author, consultant, and public speaker. He is also president of the Love and Logic Institute, which became part of Amen Clinics in 2020. Millions of educators, mental health professionals, and parents worldwide have benefited from Dr. Fay's down-to-earth solutions to the most common and frustrating behaviors displayed by youth of all ages. These methods come directly from years of experience serving severely disturbed youth and their families in psychiatric hospitals, public and private schools, homes, and other settings. For more information, visit loveandlogic.com.   Dr. Fay's Book, Co-Authored with Dr. Daniel Amen: Raising Mentally Strong Kids   Dr. Amen's Website   Thank You to Our Sponsor: Midwest Food Bank   Connect with The Savvy Sauce Our Website, Instagram or Facebook    Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   ** Transcription**   [00:00:00]   Laura Dugger: Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   [00:00:18]   Laura Dugger: Thank you to an anonymous donor to Midwest Food Bank who paid the sponsorship fee in hopes of spreading awareness. Learn more about this amazing nonprofit organization at MidwestFoodBank.org.    My guest for today is Dr. Charles Fay, and he's the current president of the Love and Logic Institute. We're going to discuss various questions about parenting, so we'll cover things that are related to beneficial discipline, brain health, and the balance of pursuing quality time with our children, while also not forgetting to include a wise amount of breaks.   Many of these insights can be found in this book that Dr. Fay co-authored with Dr. Daniel Amen, and it's entitled Raising Mentally Strong Kids.    Here's our chat. [00:01:20]    Welcome to the Savvy Sauce, Dr. Fay.   Dr. Charles Fay: Thank you so much. I feel so blessed to be here. Thank you, everyone who's watching and listening. We're so thankful for you.   Laura Dugger: Well, I know that many people are already familiar with you and even your family of origin, but will you just tell us a bit about your family and the work that you get to do?   Dr. Charles Fay: Well, I'm so blessed by having two parents who were really imperfect people who had wonderful hearts. They were always trying to get better. That's one of the messages I want to send to people is that it's not about being perfect. None of us are, none of us can't be, and none of us have to be. That's really the good news. That's the gospel right there. [00:02:08] So we want to kick back and relax and enjoy our time together here.    My family, my father, Jim Fay, was unhappy with how well he was doing with students in his role as an educator. And he wasn't real happy with his parenting. So he went on a desperate search, I'd say, for skills. This was when I was a kid. And I've got some grades. That was a while ago.    But he developed with Dr. Foster Cline, a love of logic approach. I want to give you two pivotal foundational ideas right off the bat that will, I think, take the pressure off of you as a parent and help you raise really great kids.   Our first rule of love and logic is that we take really good care of ourselves. One of the ways we do that is by setting limits without anger, lecture, threats, or repeated warnings. But let's see, if our kids are going to grow up to be really strong and healthy and loving people, they cannot treat us like doormats. [00:03:14] That's not going to work for them. And it's not going to work for you. So it's not selfish, in fact, it's very loving to take good care of yourself by setting limits.    The research is clear. Kids who have limits are happier. Now, they might not be happier in the short term. They might be mad at you in the store or call you the worst mom or dad in the world. But long term, they're happier and they have much less anxiety because limits equal safety. Limits equal love.    Laura and I are going to talk about limits as we go through this podcast, but I just want to throw out that main idea, that that you... you know, our obligation to them is to put ourselves first in a loving way so that we have energy to be able to parent them well.    Now, the second idea that I want to share with you is that when a kid causes a problem, this is rule number two, when a kid causes a problem or they encounter a problem that is not a life and death issue, hand it back. [00:04:16] The great parent, the beautiful, wise parent is asking with empathy, Oh, honey, you forgot to do your assignment, and now, you know, you're calling me and asking me what I'm going to do. If any kid can handle this, you can. What do you think you're going to do?   Oh, my coach won't let me play. That's heartbreaking. I know how much you care about this. Notice the empathy first. And then this question. What do you think you're going to do? What do you think you're going to do? I want you to memorize that, parents, right now. Write it down. What do you think you're going to do?    And it's asked with sincerity and with love, and of course, we're going to follow up with some ideas for the kid, but we're not going to own it. We're going to let them own it. Because there's another very clear piece of research that's come out after all these decades of love and large teaching that the perils of helicopter parenting. [00:05:25]    We've been preaching that for years. We've been teaching that for years. Don't rescue your kids unnecessarily. Only do it when they really need it, because kids who are rescued come to believe that they need rescue and they're terrified throughout life. "Oh, no. How am I going to handle life? I've never really had to deal with problems before."    See, and now the research is very clear that the helicopter parenting to over-rescue where we don't allow kids to own and solve their problems is strongly associated with high levels of depression and anxiety in adulthood. So, again, isn't it interesting, Laura, that a lot of the things that we do as parents where we think, oh, gosh, I feel kind of bad because, you know, I'm putting myself first or I feel kind of bad because I expected my kid to solve this problem.    You know, we feel guilty. We are like, oh, no, maybe I'm a bad parent because they got really upset about that. [00:06:27] It's interesting that a lot of times when we feel that way, we're actually doing exactly what's required to help our kids have the most joyful and productive lives and be able to see the value. I'm going to be really clear here, the value of handing over their lives to the Lord. Lord, I need you. I can't control everything. I mean, we want this. But isn't it interesting, isn't it interesting that we often feel guilty when we do those things?   Laura Dugger: But I think you're just illustrating so well not leaning on our own understanding. You brought up these tensions. I want to zero in on that because there are some tensions in parenting where, on one hand, we do want to pursue quality time with our children, and we know that's important, and we need to pursue breaks and rest as the caretaker. How do you manage tensions like that? Or I'll just name one more, the tension of embracing both firmness and kindness. [00:07:35]    Dr. Charles Fay: If you have that tension, parents, if you have that tension where you're like, oh, I know I should be firm and kind, but I can't find that sweet spot, where is that sweet spot? Okay, I don't know if this is encouraging to you, but I haven't found that sweet spot.    Or you're thinking, where's the balance between quality time and authentic, intimate relationship with our kids and also saying, Okay, my turn. I need a break. Where's that sweet spot? Oh, I'll find it someday. Never found it.   Now, I've talked to a lot of people over this, and there are a lot of tensions in life, and many of them are spiritual tensions. The reality is, it's really good for us to have those. When you feel that tension, you're probably somewhere in the right spot. [00:08:36] It's the people who don't experience the tension that are problematic. It's a parent who never thinks, oh, maybe I should spend a little time taking care of myself. They're just totally idolizing their kids, and they do everything for their kids. That's really problematic. Or, on the other side, the parent who thinks, oh, the kids will raise them well. They're bright kids. They never worry about it.    Again, I just want to be completely frank with you and authentic, honest. You're going to have that tension, and sometimes you're not going to quite get it right. Sometimes you're going to be maybe a little firmer than you should be, and other times you're going to be a little kinder than you should be, or more loving than you should be, or soft than you should be. You're going to make those mistakes. There's going to be a dynamic tension forever between these things. [00:09:36] The good news is, isn't it great that we're not running the show?    Laura Dugger: Absolutely.   Dr. Charles Fay: If we had to be perfect, and God wasn't in control, what a disaster that would be, right? We have a sovereign, all-knowing, all-loving God of the universe, creator, sovereign creator, and sustainer of the universe who's taking all of this and working it together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Let's rest in that.   Laura Dugger: I think that's very much the word that's coming through is rest and trusting in Him. But when it comes to maybe even to those actionable moments, if a parent can't discern when they're going too much to one of those sides, do you have any questions for self-reflection or practical examples? [00:10:46]    Dr. Charles Fay: Well, you go to a friend of yours, and you go to people you really trust, godly people you really trust, and you ask them, be honest with me, what do you see in my life? You go to people who your kids are relating to, teachers, coaches, and you ask them to be honest with you. And you make it easy for them to be honest with you, which means that if they share something that's a little painful, you don't overreact, right? You don't make it hard for people to be honest with you.   So many times, we don't really have a good picture of how wonderful our kids are because we live with them all the time. Let's think about how do people who live together treat each other? It's the reality, the sad reality of it, but it's the reality, and it's a consistent historical reality, is people who are walking through the desert together, camping out every day, dealing with adversity, are not always their best when they're with each other. [00:11:59] I think my wife would agree with that.    Now, of course, I'm not saying it's okay to treat people who are close to us with disrespect or anything. Of course, we want to be preying on that and doing the very best we can to love those close people very well. But one of the ways we evaluate how well we're managing that tension is looking at how do our kids treat other people? How do they treat their teachers? How do they treat their coaches? How do they handle situations when they're away from us?    I've had so many parents come to me and say, oh, I struggle with my kids. We have power struggles, and they get snippy with me, and I get snippy with them. How does that sound like real life? But I have people, and they're all racked up. Oh, no, my kids, they're a nightmare. But the teachers say, "Oh, I wish I had 30 of your son. I wish I had..." all this sort of thing. [00:13:01]    It's so interesting in that that's really where you look. That's really where you look is how are they handling the rest of the people in their lives? And then, of course, again, we want to work on the home environment. Over the years, I've seen so many people get pretty desperate and concerned when they really have some pretty great kids out there.   Laura Dugger: That's so encouraging. Thank you, Charles. I'd love to shift gears because there's this piece that you wrote about in your book that I just loved. You were talking about us helping our children find their purpose in life. So what are some helpful questions to ask, and why is this even important?    Dr. Charles Fay: Well, first of all, it's important because people who have purpose... and I want to define purpose for everybody after I answer that question. [00:14:03] But people who have healthy purpose, true purpose, they're more joyful, they live longer, they have better relationships. It's one of those things that if you have it, you can handle just about anything.   Viktor Frankl, Holocaust, was in a Nazi death camp. He studied that, and he found that people who have a purpose, those people who were in that camp that had a purpose were the ones that could survive emotionally and actually were able to deal with that trauma better later on. You'd think none of us... I shouldn't say none of us, but very few of us can even imagine how awful that was. We can't even wrap our heads around that. But that sense of purpose can help us cope with some pretty, pretty horrible things. And that's what he was so famous for talking about, Viktor Frankl. So that's why.    So what is purpose? Purpose is making the world a better place. [00:15:11] Purpose is serving other people. Purpose is serving God. King Solomon's... this isn't in the book, by the way, but King Solomon looked for a purpose. If you're interested, look at Ecclesiastes. It's a very interesting biblical work on the search for purpose. And he tried a lot of things, gold, lots of horses, lots of wives, lots of this, lots of that, lots of fun, lots of partying, all meaningless, all a chasing after the wind. It won't get us that sense of purpose.    So what is purpose? It is serving other people. How do we do it? How do we find our purpose? So questions we ask our kids is, what do you love doing? Because our purpose comes out of our gifts. So God gave us those gifts for a purpose, okay? He gave us those gifts for a reason, to serve other people. That's the essence of servant leadership. [00:16:13] That's really what we're talking about here.    So we ask our kids, what are you really great at? We observe our kids, and we notice what their natural gifts are, and we know something is a gift. And this is how we know something is a gift, is when we engage in that activity and time goes by, we don't realize how much time has gone by because we're so into it. We love it. That's one criteria.    This is very important. One criteria for a gift is time goes by. It's so natural that we just do it. It feels effortless, and it's joyful.    Secondly, it helps other people. That's the definition of a gift. There's a lot in the book about purpose, by the way. If I tried to cover all of it right now, we'd all be confused. We'd walk away and think, wow, that was kind of neat, but I'm confused.    Love and Logic, my job has always been to oversimplify things so people could really grab a hold of them. So that's what we're going to do here. [00:17:18] So let's come in close here. We want to help our kids discover what they're naturally great at that helps other people. So let that sink into our ears. What are we naturally great at, and does that help other people?    And then we start asking our kids a series of questions. What do you love doing? What do you love doing? What would you do for free? If you could have a job doing something, what would it be? And we watch them, and we talk to teachers, and we talk to other people who know our kids well, and we identify those strengths. We're asking our kids, who is that going to serve? Who can you serve with that? How would you see yourself serving? [00:18:20]    Now, by the way, these questions we ask that are all laid out in the book are questions that we don't barrage our kids with. So we don't sit down and say, okay, let's talk about purpose, and then just barrage them with it. That's so counterproductive. No. The things like you're driving along in the car, and you're saying, "Honey, I noticed that you're really good at sewing. That really seems to be a gift. I wonder if you could use that. Can you see yourself using that to help other people, to serve other people? Who would those people be? How would you do that? That's exciting to think about."   You're just pondering these things in front of your kids. And you're not expecting them to have all this information they throw back at you. Well, Dad, I've been thinking about... No. No. Honestly, a lot of times kids don't seem like they're participating when we ask these questions. Those seeds are growing inside of their brains, inside of their hearts. [00:19:24]    And for us ourselves, a lot of times it's, what hardship have we had? What trauma have we had?  What circumstances that have been so uncomfortable for us can we take and use to serve other people? I live in Colorado, not far from Columbine High School. There were many people, many people traumatized by that shooting, horrendous event.   Many, many people, the people who were able to heal and grow from that, as strange as that sounds, it's not easy, but the people who were able to heal and move forward were the people who took that and they went out and they created something to help other people. This organization called Rachel's Challenge, and do anti-bullying. And the school has done wonderful work for many, many years. So that's an important concept. [00:20:29]    So we're asking these questions. We're listening. We're not expecting kids to have a lot of feedback they share with us, but we're writing those things down. The most important part, it was stop again, spend the lion's share of your energy focusing on their gifts. See, so often in all of our relationships, it's so easy to start focusing on what other people do wrong or what they need to do better at. Happens in every relationship. It's a tendency that human beings have.    But friends, what would happen if you could say to yourself, I'm going to spend the lion's share of my time and energy focusing on what my wife's natural gifts are, or my husband's or my kids or my neighbors or my employees. [00:21:32] Of course, that doesn't mean that we're not going to give feedback that's necessary about things they need to change or we'd like them to change.    But here's a basic principle. Build others up. Build others up in their areas of strength so that they have the courage and the strength to tackle their areas of weakness.   Laura Dugger: Let's take a quick break to hear a message from our sponsor.    [00:22:05]   Sponsor: Midwest Food Bank exists to provide industry-leading food relief to those in need while feeding them spiritually. They are a food charity with a desire to demonstrate God's love by providing help to those in need. Unlike other parts of the world where there's not enough food, in America, the resources actually do exist.    That's why food pantries and food banks like Midwest Food Bank are so important. The goods that they deliver to their agency partners help to supplement the food supply for families and individuals across our country, aiding those whose resources are beyond stretched.    Midwest Food Bank also supports people globally through their locations in Haiti and East Africa, which are some of the areas hardest hit by hunger arising from poverty. This ministry reaches millions of people every year. And thanks to the Lord's provision, 99% of every donation goes directly toward providing food to people in need. The remaining 1% of income is used for fundraising, cost of leadership, oversight, and other administrative expenses. Donations, volunteers, and prayers are always appreciated for Midwest Food Bank.    To learn more, visit MidwestFoodBank.org Or listen to episode 83 of The Savvy Sauce where the founder, David Kieser, shares miracles of God that he's witnessed through this nonprofit organization. I hope you check them out today.   [00:23:33]   Laura Dugger: It's interesting how you wrote about even the purpose of purpose for our kids. Just a few practical things. I'm just going to string together some lessons of yours. So from chapter two, you wrote, ultimately, your goals determine your behavior. Not that we're using this as a self-serving tool as parents. But I think there is a reality and a principle, even in scripture, I think of reaping and sowing. But encouraging our children and speaking words of life over them or over our spouse, you actually see that come out of them as well.    And as you talk about goal setting, you also write on page 48 that goal setting is also one of the best ways to develop your child's prefrontal cortex and mental strength to help set them up for success. Then you even gave one more practical tip somewhere later in the book that we can go first. We can share our purpose with our children. [00:24:43] I think this idea was just exciting to me, even with our children at young ages, that it's never too early, like you said, to plant those seeds.   Dr. Charles Fay: It's never too early. And see, when people see us having a purpose and a passion, they want to join along. Years ago, when I was learning to be a public speaker, I studied people. And I noticed that some of the people that I was most excited about listening to weren't that great of speakers. I mean, they stuttered a little bit, and they wore a bad suit, and they just were kind of nervous at times. But man, there's something about them where I was like, That dude is awesome. Man, I want to listen to that lady, you know, again. I want to... you know, so-and-so.    And then there'd be other people who were, man, they look good, they're flashy. Oh, yeah, they got all the right-hand movements, all that sort of stuff. But I thought, no, that's kind of not... just not... And I analyzed that for years, decades.    Somebody said it loud and clear to me. I was talking to a friend of mine, he says, "It's the people who have passion. People have a sincere purpose, and we're drawn to that. It's that authenticity. It's the realness. It's this person really believes this, and they're so excited about it that they just can't stand it. It's just jumping out of them. [00:26:10]    And so when we model that... and it can be about anything. Okay, so let's say I'm a garbage collector. I drive the garbage truck. I am so excited about the fact that if it wasn't for me, people would die of disease. This place would be a mess, you know? And kids see that, and they're like, "My dad has purpose. My mom has purpose.   You could be a heart surgeon. You could be a brain surgeon. You could be a garbage collector. You could be anything. But having that deeper purpose and communicating that, talking about it around our kids, letting them overhear it, super powerful.   Laura Dugger: This is a very proactive conversation, planning these ideas. I think of something else that would be really helpful to be proactive or to pre-decide would be wise ways to discipline. [00:27:09] So, Dr. Fay, I'm curious, do you have any specific examples of beneficial discipline for a variety of ages?   Dr. Charles Fay: Yeah Well, the first thing we need to learn as parents is how to not get pulled into arguments. Because if we can't, if our kids can argue with us, we're never going to be affected with anything else.    So parents, step one, when the kid starts to argue, don't think so hard about it. Don't try to talk sense into them. Because when we start lecturing and we start talking too much, what starts to happen is the kid thinks, "Wow, this argument is really working. Look at mom's face. I can control the tone of her voice, the color of her face, the longevity of her cardiovascular system."    And see, ironically, we're trying to control the kid, but they're really controlling us. They're getting us to say more words, get frustrated, that sort of thing. So as soon as the arguing starts, say to yourself, don't think so hard about this. [00:28:11]    The second step is just keep saying the same thing. You can pick mine. When my kids were younger. I love you too much to argue. I love you too much to argue. Now, that's discipline. See, discipline really means teaching kids the right way over the wrong way. That's basically what it's all about.   One of the fundamental aspects of discipline is being able to submit to authority figures. Now we're getting on the tough side of the road here a little bit. Your kids need to learn how to submit to you. This is not a democracy in this home. I don't say that to the kids. I'm saying it to you. We do it through action.   The effective parenting style is not a democratic where everybody gets to vote and we have debates about things. Absolutely not. It is a benevolent monarchy. [00:29:11] And the parents are the rulers, but they're the kind and loving, wise rulers.    See, because if a kid argues with you, what that really means is they think they should get their way all the time. Now, ultimately, who are we preparing our kids to have? Well, who are we preparing our kids to submit to for Christians? A political figure? Somebody who lets them vote on or the king of the universe? Christ, right?    So when kids don't learn how to submit to loving authority figures, they don't learn how to submit to loving authority, life is really hard for them. That's the essence of discipline is teaching our kids how to submit to loving, just authority.   So I want my kids early on to learn that when I say something I mean it and they can't argue with me and get me to back down or get me to get frustrated. [00:30:25] So, again, could argues I say to myself, no reasoning, no discussion, no debate, no voting, right? And then I calmly repeat: I love you too much to argue on. But that's not fair. I love you. They won't give up. We just keep on doing it. They're gonna get mad. Because we all get mad when we don't get our way. Some of us aren't that honest about it. They say, oh, no, I don't. No. We all get frustrated when we don't get our way. That's called the sin nature. We all get frustrated when we don't get our way. But we're all comforted when we don't get our way.   Let me say that again. We all get frustrated when we don't get our way, but we're all are comforted in the long run when we don't get our way because our way is not always the best way. In fact many times it is. So that's one of the very first skills. I love you too much to argue or I'll listen when your voice is calm or I'll be happy to listen to your ideas as long as I feel like you're not trying to get me to back down. [00:31:37] But you keep the same one. You repeat the same little love and logic one-liner every time.   I knew a mom who just said this. "Well, I want this. You got to buy this for me." "Mmh" "Well, how come you keep saying that?" "Mmh" "Well, that's driving me crazy." "Mmh" And I'll listen when your voice is calm. But she said she loved it. It was so easy for her. All she had to do. And now the kids are teenagers, by the way, and she's been doing it for years. And she'd say, "Mmh". And they're "we know you're just gonna say 'Mmh'".   She raised kids who really love her dearly, but they didn't always like her. Okay. There's a little nugget. They didn't always love her and they didn't always like her, but they love her dearly. Let's branch out from that. [00:32:36]    Another skill is being able to set effective limits that we can follow through often. So you want our yes to be yes and our no to be no. Important parenting principle, life principle: Our yes is yes and our no is no. But how do we do that/ By focusing only on what we can control.   See, who can I control?    Laura Dugger: Me.   Dr. Charles Fay: The harsh reality is I can't really control my kids. I can't really control my wife. I really can't control the direction the country goes here or there. I mean, there are very few things I can control. Of course, I do my civic duty and I do the best that I can. But ultimately the only thing that I truly can control and this is tough even is myself, right? [00:33:30]    We call this setting limits with enforceable statements. So when I set a limit with an enforceable statement, I'm describing what I'm gonna do and what I'm gonna allow. And I am not trying to tell the kid what to do. And I'm not issuing threats. You already heard a couple of them. "I'll listen when your voice is calm. I'll be happy to take you to your friends when the chores are done. I play games when I'm not having somebody yelling at me."   I mean how many of us have played candy land with our little kids, right, and they start to lose. And now they're all upset. "You're cheating. That's not fair. You're mean." "I'll be happy to play with you as long as this is fun for me." Which is one I use a lot.   And then as soon as it's not fun for me, what happens? I get up and I go. [00:34:33] "But I'll be good." I know you'll be good and we'll try again some other time. And the other time will be pretty soon. But they need to see that there is action associated with the limit. If we want to get to the essence of discipline, let's get to it.    Essence of discipline. Number one. We have a good relationship with our kids. We love them and we show them that and we focus mostly on their strengths, and they feel bonded to us and they want to please us at heart. Relationship is part of discipline. It's teaching them the right way versus the wrong way. So that has to come first.    The second that comes first is that we set limits. We describe what we're going to do and what we're going to allow. Yeah, and they're fair limits. We do our best to be fair. And then when they don't live by those limits, we don't nag, we don't remind, we don't rescue, we take loving action. We are empathetic and we take loving action. [00:35:33]    So a dad says to me, "Oh, I went to Love and Logic years to go. My kids were totally out of control. My wife passed away when they were really young. I felt so guilty. I felt so bad for them that I let them do everything they wanted to do. Oh, they wouldn't listen to anything. They were tyrants." I said, "Oh, how are they now? Oh, they're good now. I mean, they're not perfect people, but I'm not. They're good. They're good. My daughter's turned out great."   I said, "Well, what made the difference?" He said, "I took them to Chuck E. Cheese." I said, "What?" He said, "Kids were out of control in public. Oh, that was the worst time. So I took him to Chuck E. Cheese." I thought, "I'm not getting this." He says, "No, you don't understand." I said, "I don't understand." He says, "I realized that one of the problems I had was that we'd go out and they'd act up and I'd say, "If you keep acting up we're leaving. But I never would because I'd feel too guilty." [00:36:30]    And so he said, "I decided to take him to Chuck E. Cheese because it's kind of a chaotic place. Most of the time and I thought, "I won't back down. I'll be glad to get out of this." I thought, "Well, that's kind of a wise idea there." And he says, "I took them to Chuck E. Cheese. We were actually having a good time. But then now they're starting to act up like crazy, right?" So he said to me, he said, "Guys, we get to stay as long as it's fun for me and there are no problems." And they kept up. And you know what he did? "He got up and he started walking away. And they said, "Daddy, daddy. Why are we leaving?" He says, "This is not fun. This isn't working for me."    And they didn't think he'd really follow through because he never had. But he kept walking. Pretty soon they catch up and they said, "Daddy, daddy, we just got our pizza." He said, "Don't worry about the pizza. Somebody else will get it. I love you guys. Let's go home. This isn't fun for me." [00:37:26]    They got in the car, oh, and they were crying and he felt like the worst dad in the world. He's driving along and he's just feeling so guilty. But he said to himself, "I'm going to stay strong. I'm going to stay strong." And he drove home. "Oh, and it was a miserable day," he said.    Well, he started doing that more. They went to the park one day and he said, "Guys, we get to stay as long as there's no problems, no throwing sand, no running away from me. And as long as you're staying right by me." And they tested it, didn't they?    Let's think about human beings. How far do we need to get into the Old Testament to see people start testing limits? I think it's only maybe two chapters or so. It's really not very long. That's what we do. That's what human beings do. So don't be surprised when your kids do it. So they tested the limit and he just starts saying, "Hey guys, we're going home." And he just went home. [00:38:26] No warnings, no reminders. No lectures.    See, what kind of a blessing is it for our kids if they can learn to listen the first time? Is that unreasonable? Is it because we're on a power trip or because we want them to have happy lives?    Laura Dugger: Absolutely, the second.   Dr. Charles Fay: And the whole time he says, "I'm hating it. Honestly, Dr. Fay, I just don't like it. I'm not comfortable with any of this. I feel like I'm being mean, I'm being criticized by other people." People are saying, Well, in this book it says you should never do something like that. You know, I'm getting all of that and I'm so conflicted I'm feeling the tension.    He said what changed things is we were in Home Depot not too long after these training sessions as we'll call it. I didn't have a plan at all and I needed to be there. I really couldn't leave. And they're starting to carry on with each other. And I just looked at him and I said, Oh. And the older one sent to the younger one. But they were. It blew me away. How did they learn? It'll be good by learning that my word is gold and that I was actually going to take some action. [00:39:51]    Laura Dugger: I love that. Then that goes back to the letting your “yes” be yes, and your “no” be no. It also reminds me I believe it's Hebrews 12:11. It says, "No discipline is pleasant at the time, but painful later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." I think that beautifully illustrates it.    Dr. Charles Fay: I love that verse. A harvest of righteousness and peace. Think about that. So we feel guilty for doing it, but we're actually giving our kids the most beautiful things in life through it. And you know what we're really doing when we're doing this? We're preparing for the day when our kid is about ready to do something that's really dangerous and we have no control over it. They're 17 years old, they say, "I'm going to this party. I don't care." And you're thinking, "I know that it's in a bad part of town. I know there's been shootings there. I know there's kids there's gonna be drugs there." You're thinking all these things. [00:40:57]    Are you gonna have enough respect and love in their eyes to be able to pull it off when you say, "Don't go. I'm concerned about you." Have you upped the odds for having that much strength and love in their eyes? That's what we're really going for.   Now if I've never been a loving authority figure, chances are they're going to look at me and think, "Well, what does he know? He's kind of a nice guy over here. He's kind of a tyrant over here, whatever." But they don't have that love and that discipline experience from us. That makes all the difference in the world.   Laura Dugger: Guess what? We are no longer an audio-only podcast. We now have video included as well. If you want to view the conversation each week, make sure you watch our videos. [00:42:01] We're on YouTube and you can access videos or find answers to any of your other questions about the podcast when you visit thesavvysauce.com.   All of these topics that we've touched on are covered in your book. I just want to address one more area Because we don't talk about this a lot. But you and Dr. Amen agree in your book where it says, "Mental health is really brain health." You make the argument that mental health follows a healthy brain.    If we're going specifically, it's pages 22 through 24. But can you walk us through what it means when you say "bright minds"?    Dr. Charles Fay: So it's basically an acronym. B stands for blood flow. The more blood flow, the more oxygen, the more cleansing of the brain, the more circulation going on there, obviously the better the brain is going to work. [00:43:03]    Exercise, so important. You know talking about kids, so important. There should be very strong limits over screen time, by the way. In fact, the less the better. Highly effective parents now are saying that they're really moving back towards traditional model of schooling where kids are doing things with pencil and paper. They're not on the screen all the time. They're setting firm limits where kids don't have their own phones until maybe they're older teenagers.   I mean that sounds radical, if we look at the way the rest of the world is running, right? It sounds radical. Oh my goodness. How could you possibly do that? Now, do we really want our kids to be as low-functioning as the rest of the world? Simple question, right? Do we really want that?    You know, we used to say prepare kids for the real world. No. [00:44:04] Now I say, prepare kids to be shining stars. Not the real world. Now I'm preaching. I'm sorry. I get that way.    R is rational. Thinking the truth. We tell ourselves lies all the time. You know, I'm not good enough. I'm a bad person. I don't know who I am. I have no identity. There's no hope for me. Is that reality? No, that's not rational thinking. It's truth.    Every time I entertain or harbor irrational thought, that creates problems for my brain. It's actually destructive to brain cells because it creates stress and stress damages brain cells. In the book we talk a lot about mental hygiene. How can we be focused on the truth and help our kids focus on the truth? What is the truth? It's what God says. It's God's word. That's the truth. That's the truth. You do have a purpose. You are loved. You're made in God's image. And you as a parent that applies to you too, right? Don't forget that. [00:45:23]    I is for inflammation. We know that when there's infections, when there's any sort of injury when people over-exercise, it creates inflammation. And that creates problems for the brain. We don't think well when there's inflammation.    G is for genetics. Daniel put that in there. I'm so glad though that if we know what our genetics are, we can do things that overcome those genetic challenges. So it's not like, oh, my dad had this or my mom had this and I'm doomed. No, it's good to know about that, take that into account, and take steps to correct in that area.   Head trauma. Kids have to wear helmets. We're not fans of kids playing football. Oh, there you go. I just lost a bunch of people. It's pretty traumatic for the brain. I think if you talk to any brain expert, they'll say the same thing. [00:46:35]    Toxins. That's what the t stands for. So we're going down this acronym bright minds, right? This is all in the book. I'm looking at page 22 and 23. But the toxins are really an issue. And so when we have a kid who's starting to make poor decisions and maybe basic discipline isn't working and we're seeing some behavior that's pretty scary, we want to be analyzing these things, too because I've seen kids who had exposure to some toxins. And all the discipline, all the psychological work in the world is not gonna cure that problem if there's something going on with that. Molds. Some forms of mold very very strongly related to brain health issues, physical issues.    Minds. M stands for mental health. You know, mental health. Mental health is the single most powerful thing you can do to help your kids to have good mental health is to be a strong and loving parent. [00:47:56]    Every one of your kids is going to be different. Everyone is going to have different challenges. But that strength and that love and the firmness and the kindness can help overcome so many of those. And that's the main contributor to mental health. I mean, we're relational. People, human beings are relational.    When we have relationships we are far less likely to have mental health issues. And brain health issues all dovetails together. Immune system problems. That's the I. That's another thing we look at is, is there an immune system issue? Is there an overactive or underactive immune system or infections going on?    Neuro hormone issues. And all this sounds deep. Parents, what do you do with this? You're listening to this and you're thinking, wow, now he's going into a lot of stuff. [00:48:54] Okay, here's what I recommend. You get the book. You focus on the basic discipline. You do the preventative things. If those things aren't working, you start looking back at the book. I have to look at the book. I forget what's in this book sometimes. I wrote it, all for crying out loud. I'm a mess. It's good, though.   I was reading it today and I thought, "This makes sense." But see, I have to go back to it and ask myself constantly, am I really following these things? So you start with the basic discipline. Those things aren't working. You go back to the book, you start taking away at the different subjects we bring up and you're going to have success. It's going to give you a road map. But there's a lot there.   So I just talked about neurohormone issues. That's something that a doctor has to look at. We talk about the D stands for diabetes and obesity. Those two things have a dramatic impact on brain health. [00:49:59]   Lastly, sleep. Oh, my goodness, sleep. Sleep's huge. I would say that the significant percentage of the learning and behavioral issues we see with kids, huge percentage, way over 50% of those problems are dramatically impacted by lack of quality sleep.   Laura Dugger: Wow.    Dr. Charles Fay: Way too many kids are staying up at night and way too many parents are allowing their kids to have screens in their bedroom. Let me share with you two things you can do that will have a dramatic impact on your family. They're really simple, but hard. They're simple because the concept isn't very complicated. They're hard because you're going to get pushback.    Simple. Gospel. Jesus, I need you. I can't do this myself. [00:50:56] I'm a sinner. I need you as my savior. I'm going to follow you. So here are two things you can do. If you do these, I can guarantee you your life's going to be better. You're gonna have healthier kids, healthier brains.    No screens in their bedrooms. They don't take their screens into their bedrooms during the day, during the night, any time. If they do have to do their homework, they do it in the kitchen. No screens in your bedroom.    Too many TVs, too many screens in your bedroom. You do those two things, life's going to be way better. It's going to be real uncomfortable at first for some people but life's going to be way better in the long term.    Laura Dugger: I think you're kind of leading us into, I believe it's chapter nine, where you get so practical about implementing this and educating us on the importance of mental health and brain health, but helping us to be proactive to improve those areas. You list natural ways. I'll just go over a few of these that I've gleaned from chapter nine and I'd love to hear you go a little bit deeper on whichever one jumps out.  [00:52:07]    Even as simple as eating protein that supports it. You talk about eating lots of protein and produce, the importance of having other high quality calories, and limiting sugar or anything boxed or processed. That's the section where you do go into limiting screens. And then also maximizing time with healthy people and maximizing time outdoors and getting physical exercise, investing in friendships, staying hydrated. Again, simple one. That is where you talk about getting plenty of sleep. Those are just some examples.   Dr. Charles Fay: Things that are best for us, we look at them like, oh man, do I really have to do that? There's this tension inside of us and it's so easy for us to get rebellious. So one thing I want to be really clear is we're not reaching to you and saying you have to do this, if you don't do this, you're a bad person, that sort of thing. That's not what this is all about.  [00:53:19]    But I will say, how can I make the choices that ultimately bring glory to God? The healthier I am physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, the more likely that I am going to be able to do that in ways that I feel good about.   Laura Dugger: Dr. Charles, there is just so much that we could continue to glean as wisdom from you. So where are some places you could direct us after this conversation if we want to continue learning more?   Dr. Charles Fay: Well, the book that I have here, again, it's just packed full of stuff. Practical. It's called, I don't know if you can see it or not, Raising Mentally Strong Kids. It's got a long subtitle. [00:54:15] If you look anywhere online, you're going to see that Daniel Amen, MD, Charles Fay, PhD, Raising Mentally Strong Kids. You're going to find that anywhere quality books are sold.    You can find out about Love and Logic by going to loveandlogic.com or you can look at danielamenmd.com or all over the web, you can find us there. And I think you'll enjoy the book because we've made mistakes, we've learned from millions of parents and years of research.   Laura Dugger: Well, thank you truly for this resource. It is chock full of goodness and wisdom and experience, and that is a labor of love. So I appreciate that. We'll also link to all of these places in the show notes for today's episode.    But you also are aware that we're called The Savvy Sauce because "savvy" is synonymous with practical knowledge or insight. So as my final question for you today, Dr. Fay, what is your savvy sauce?  [00:55:26]    Dr. Charles Fay: Oh, well, I have to say there's so many times where I find myself thinking, I don't know what to do. Any of you have that experience? You feel like the world is crashing down on you and I don't know what to do. There's no clear direction here in one way or another. So one of the things I want to say loud and clear is that my savvy sauce is saying to myself, "Lord, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on you." Because I'm not smart enough to handle all this. But He'll guide us.   Laura Dugger: So good. Lord, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on you. Thank you. You've given us so many, even one-liners that are memorable. So we can take this and apply it. And you've given a lot of encouragement to us as parents. So I'm grateful for your time and I just want to say thank you for being my guest. [00:56:29]    Dr. Charles Fay: Oh, thank you, Laura. Just a real blessing. Thanks for watching and listening to everybody. We're so thankful for you. Take care.   Laura Dugger: One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term "gospel" before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves.   This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved. We need a Savior.   But God loved us so much, He made a way for His only Son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with Him. That is good news. [00:57:28]    Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us.   Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.    So would you pray with me now? Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to You. Will You clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare You as Lord of their life? We trust You to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. [00:58:27]    If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring Him for me, so me for Him. You get the opportunity to live your life for Him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So you ready to get started?    First, tell someone. Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the Book of John.    Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.    We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ. We also have show notes included where you can read Scripture that describes this process.  [00:59:28]    Finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.    If you've already received this good news, I pray that you have someone else to share it with today. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

Griffin Newman (@grifflightning, Turn Me On) joins the 'boys to talk SteelBooks and to debate the famousness of people and objects before a review of Chuck E. Cheese and Pasqually's Pizza & Wings. Plus, we wrap up Love Week with a surprise guest in another edition of The Chewlywed Game.Watch this episode at youtube.com/doughboysmediaGet ad-free episodes at patreon.com/doughboysGet Doughboys merch at kinshipgoods.com/doughboysAdvertise on Doughboys via Gumball.fmSources for this week's intro:https://computerhistory.org/profile/nolan-bushnell/https://atari.com/pages/history?srsltid=AfmBOoqxmNMClOnig5JFx7V-S6coae0AjKXfVCaGHaDbHCObKnE8QA9Bhttps://www.encyclopedia.com/education/economics-magazines/bushnell-nolanhttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/arts/five-nights-at-freddys-scott-cawthon.htmlhttps://www.showbizpizza.com/history/index.htmlhttps://www.chuckecheese.com/about/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Retail Retold, host Chris Ressa speaks with bankruptcy counsel Scott Fleischer , partner at Barclay Damon, about the intricacies of retail bankruptcies, focusing on the Chuck E. Cheese case during the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss the unique challenges faced by retailers, the role of landlords, and the impact of lender support in bankruptcy outcomes. The conversation also touches on the contrasting experiences of Chuck E. Cheese and Container Store in their respective bankruptcy proceedings, highlighting lessons learned and the evolving landscape of retail bankruptcy.TakeawaysThe Chuck E. Cheese bankruptcy case was notable for its timing during COVID-19.A unique provision in the bankruptcy code allowed for rent delays.Landlords were able to secure insurance requirements during bankruptcy.The judge's decision favored landlords in the Chuck E. Cheese case.Lender support is crucial for a successful reorganization in bankruptcy.Container Store's bankruptcy was a pre-packaged restructuring.Retail bankruptcies can present opportunities for landlords.Misconceptions exist about the causes of retail bankruptcies.Bankruptcies can lead to significant changes in retail real estate.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Bankruptcy and Retail01:36The Chuck E. Cheese Bankruptcy Case05:14Navigating Rent Delays and Abatement10:09The Role of Lenders in Bankruptcy12:39Comparing Chuck E. Cheese and Container Store18:50Lessons Learned from Retail Bankruptcies

Today on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, Kellen Moore takes the opening in New Orleans but what does that mean for Derek Carr, and what will the Jets do with Aaron Rodgers moving on? Plus, Chuck-E-Cheese updates, snitches in the locker room, Best in Show and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shop Talk looks at the real costs and pitfalls of a brand deciding to invest at least $10 million on a Super Bowl TV spot. Caught My Eye reports that a passenger on a cruise line was charged 47K for flu treatment and insurance does not want to cover. Also, have you heard of “ducking”? It's. Jeep thing and has turned into a profitable business for an astute entrepreneur. Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, is our Business Birthday. We're all business. Except when we're not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Also follow Tim and John on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/focusgroupradio

Meanwhile... Chuck E. Cheese restaurants are ditching the animatronic band, some Dunkin' locations ran out of donuts, a new product will help you pee at concerts without using the bathroom, Wendy's is offering burgers for a quarter, but there's a catch; TikTok users are migrating to a different Chinese-owned app, an NFL player filmed himself preparing to eat a squirrel, research suggests paper straws contain harmful chemicals, and WalMart introduced a shocking brand update. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recap the Finale of RHOSLC & RHOBHRHOBH:The fangs are out at the Viper Room, where tensions are high between Kyle and Dorit; Bozoma navigates the next step in her fertility journey with her man by her side.RHOSLC:On their final day in Mexico, the ladies surprise Lisa with a Lisa-themed lunch, but things take a turn when Whitney finally pushes Lisa to her limit.Head to https://www.bubblycleaning.com/PUMPERS to get your first cleaning for only $19. Thanks so much to Bubbbly Cleaning for sponsoring this episode!Email:Vanderpumprulesparty@gmail.comPatreon:https://www.patreon.com/c/vanderpumprulesparty

This is part 2 of 2!Kyle outs herself in the meme struggle for no reason on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and it all goes down in a Chuck E Cheese. Also, Boz recovers from surgery and the cast shows up one by one to ask for her votes. To watch this recap on video, listen to our Sold on SLC bonus episodes, and participate in live episode threads, go to Patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens. Tickets for the Mounting Hysteria Tour are now on sale at watchwhatcrappens.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is part one of a two-part recap! Kyle outs herself in the meme struggle for no reason on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and it all goes down in a Chuck E Cheese. Also, Boz recovers from surgery and the cast shows up one by one to ask for her votes. To watch this recap on video, listen to our Sold on SLC bonus episodes, and participate in live episode threads, go to Patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens. Tickets for the Mounting Hysteria Tour are now on sale at watchwhatcrappens.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chuck E. Cheese is back from bankruptcy… with a brand new babysitter strategy.Pools, massages, bars… Offices are getting “hotelified” for the 2025 Return-to-Office push.Disney, Fox, and Warner's joint sports app, Venu, just shut down… and the NBA tells us why.Plus, it's Planuary… Our New Year's resolution is to plan the whole year this month (we'll tell ya how). $FUN $DIS $WBDSubscribe to our new (2nd) show… The Best Idea Yet: Wondery.fm/TheBestIdeaYetLinksEpisodes drop weekly. It's The Best Idea Yet.“The Best Idea Yet”: The untold origin stories of the products you're obsessed with — From the McDonald's Happy Meal to Birkenstock's sandal to Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers to Sriracha. New 45-minute episodes drop weekly.—-----------------------------------------------------GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts FOR MORE NICK & JACK: Newsletter: https://tboypod.com/newsletter Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/ Connect with Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/ SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ Subscribe to our new (2nd) show… The Best Idea Yet: Wondery.fm/TheBestIdeaYetLinksEpisodes drop weekly. It's The Best Idea Yet.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.