Mike Safo

Joined today by the owner of the best baseball bar in the country, Foley’s, Shaun Clancy. Shaun is calling in from sunny Florida and updating us on how he’s been spending his days since having to close the infamous bar due to COVID. He shares his family’s history in the hospitality industry and what famous mob patron gave to his dad as a farewell “gift” before going back to Ireland. Shaun brings us back to Old New York and tells us how the name Foley’s came to be and the creation of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame. We discuss the up’s and downs of owning a bar, how the bar business will never be the same after COVID, and how he made sure his staff were all taken care of. From what his dad did with Mickey Mantle’s jersey to trying to get the Pope to sign a baseball. You’re going to hear stories about David Wright, Vin Scully, Joe D and many many more! https://www.foleysny.com/ https://twitter.com/foleysny https://www.facebook.com/FoleysNYPub/ https://www.instagram.com/foleysny/

Joined today by light heavyweight boxer, "Sir" Marcus Browne. Marcus makes his first appearance on the podcast in 8 years. We catch up about his time in the London Olympics, turning professional and why he signed with Al Haymon. We chat about his heavy work load when he first turned pro fighting 10 times in just 2 years. He tells us how he celebrated winning the WBA and WBC light heavyweight championships. Marcus and I discuss his first professional loss against Jean Pascal, how he dealt with that defeat mentally and why he never felt sorry for himself. We reminisce about Staten Island, his mom's restaurant and of course Italian food. From his baseball card and sneakers collection to addressing how he went Hollywood on me. Follow Marcus on the following social media platforms Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Marcus_Browne Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbrowne718/

Joined today by famous murderabilia dealer Eric Holler from SerialKillersInk.net.  Eric tells me about his childhood, being a huge Sabbath, Kiss and Alice Cooper fan, and how sending a few letters to inmates changed his life. We hear how he charmed Richard Ramirez, and how their friendship grew to where the Night Stalker was sending him artwork to sell. From eBay to Facebook, Eric continued to grow and excel in this small community of dealers. He shares how he started his site, how he puts a price on these one of a kind items and how he goes about authenticating the artifacts. We chat about the unique items he possessed, how he sold dirt from Anthony Sowell’s yard, letters from Berkowitz, and a few Gacy paintings along the way. I flip the script and talk about his opposition and the resistance of selling these controversial items. Does this violate the Son of Sam law and is it immoral? Eric explains the charity he has done to raise money for the victims of the Aurora movie theater shooting and what he has to

Joined today by 12 year NHL veteran, former analyst and host of "Up in the Blue Seats" podcast, Ron Duguay. Ron takes us back to the 1977 NHL draft, where he was and how he got the call that he was drafted by the Rangers. He tells us his first impressions of the Big Apple, meeting Phil Esposito, and the Rangers Stanley Cup run in his second year in the league. Ron throws a little shade at the Islanders and talks about why he went from a 20 goal scorer to a 40 goal scorer in just 4 years. We hear about the issue with Herb Brooks and why Ron's Page Six lifestyle was a motive in him being traded to Detroit. Ron shares how fun it is playing alongside Yzerman, Lemieux, and Gretzky and how his passion for the game had him playing in San Diego and Jacksonville after his  NHL career was over. Ron and I chat about his incredible podcast "Up in the Blue Seats", who are some of his dream guests and will there be a second season. From hanging out with Andy Warhol to infamously waking up in Gene Simmons' bed. Follow Ron o

Joined today by Olympic medalist, best-selling author and one of the greatest runners in American history, Deena Kastor. Deena tells me about what got her into running at such a young age, why she kept doing it and what continued to drive her throughout high school. We hear about her recruitment and why she left California to run in the SEC at Arkansas. She talks about graduating, making the decision to turn pro, what made her choose certain races and when was the moment she knew she could compete at the highest level. The 3-time Olympian, takes us through the process to make Team USA. We talk about her first games in Sydney in 2000, the wild parties that take place inside of the Olympic Village and meeting Kobe Bryant. From winning the Bronze medal In 2004 Athens to writing her best-selling book “Let Your Mind Run”. All this plus we chat about the NYC Marathon, her pre and post race meal and more. Follow Deena on IG and Twitter here: Twitter: https://twitter.com/deenakastor IG: https://www.instagram.com/de

Here is podcast I did with WWE/WWF Legend Kamala (James Harris) back in 2012. It was the 5th podcast I ever hosted so please ignore the stuttering, stammering and complete lack of interviewing skills. Kamala joined me and we talk about having his leg amputated and his current health situation. We chat about growing up in Mississippi and what lead him up to Michigan to start wrestling. Kamala tell us about his early gimmicks (Sugar Bear and Ugly Bear) and how Jerry “The King” Lawler introduced him to the Ugandan Giant gimmick that changed his life. James Harris tells us about his historic feuds with Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan and why he never fought in a WrestleMania. He takes us behind the scenes, on the reason for his departure from the WWF after his coffin match with the Undertaker in 1992. From getting a check for UNDER $2.00 from WWF to Kamala’s refusal to break character made him have a run in with the law. Rest in Peace James Harris, thank you for 8 years of friendship!

Joined today by Marc Víquez, aka "The Ballpark Hunter". Marc and I chat about growing up in New Jersey, his favorite jersey shore spots and why he left Rutgers for Indiana state. We chat bout team loyalty and if he’s strayed away from his childhood teams. Marc tells us how he was asked to cover different minor league ballparks in the tri state area and how that turned into a 20-year journey visiting over 270 ballparks, arenas and stadiums. We hear what marc looks for in a stadium, what are his wow factors are and the best places to drink local beers. The ballpark hunter tells us about scheduling his family vacations around sporting events, what game he wished he could have witnessed live and what he does at every single ball park. We hear about his writing for stadiumjounrey.com, his podcast and his famous stadium review YouTube channel. From watching an unknown SS named Alex Rodriguez to watching a minor league game with the “Do Nothing” promotion, the @BallparkHunter shows a unique side of fandom Follow Ma

Joined today by heavyweight boxer, Fres "Fast Fres" Oquendo.  Fres talks about growing up in the infamous Lathrop Holmes projects in Chicago. How boxing kept him away from drugs and violence, and what's the current political climate now in the windy city with all the shootings we see on TV. We discuss his illustrious amateur boxing career where he amassed over 100 wins and under 10 defeats, and how a marijuana bust cost him a chance to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. Fres talks about turning pro, winning his first 22 fights and then dealing with the shady political underworld that is the world of Boxing. We chat about fighting Holyfield, Ruiz, James Toney and why the fight with Mike Tyson in 2001 never happened. "Fast Fres" breaks down his lawsuit that has been all over the news, what's next and why even as a # 1 ranked contender he never got his title fight. We talk about his F.O.B.A charity and all the incredible things he does to give back to the community, how his charity delivered over 1000 meals to

Joined today by Miami football legend and entrepreneur, Rohan Marley. Calling in from Miami, we chat about him having baby number 10, selling his place in NYC and why he's taking advantage of being on lock down by focusing on his mental well being. He tells us about the glory days of Miami football, playing alongside Ray Lewis, The Rock and others, what Coach Diaz is doing right and the current state of Hurricane football. We touch on the cannabis business, why it's so important and the lack of African American owners. We talk about all the new ventures in Rohan's life, including the new Marley beach house he's opening up in Mexico. Rohan tells us about his "One Love" charity, why he's always striving to give back and his famous Lion order hashtag and way of life. We clear up the twitter blue check controversy, find out who is the coolest Marley, and if they are compensated for the likeness of their father being posted everywhere. All this and more with the legendary Rohan Marley. Follow all the good Ro is do

Joined today by former Kentucky Pitcher and newest Yankee signee Carson Coleman. Carson and I talk about growing up in Lex, his High School recruiting and his recent graduation from UK. We hear how Carson dealt with the Covid shorted college season, the dramatic cut down of the MLB draft and how he got the call that he was headed to the Bronx Bombers. Carson talks about his 4MOM charity, being inducted into the Frank G. Ham Society of Character Hall, and why giving back means so much to him. He tells us why he’s more comfortable in the bullpen, who he modeled his game after, and how he’s staying in shape waiting for the season to start. From photography to Keenland in October. Follow Carson here: Carson_Coleman

Joined today by the owner of the legendary “McSorley’s Old Ale House”, Teresa Maher. Podcasting from inside this NYC institution, Teresa tells us about growing up in New York City with her strict father, her favorite hangouts, and her world before the bar. We hear how, she became the first female bartender at McSorley’s in 1994. We take a stroll down memory lane as Teresa shares the history of McSorley’s, from the opening in 1864 all the way up to her legendary father Matty taking the keys. We take a look and talk about the famous artifacts, from Houdini’s handcuffs, to the iconic World War I wishbones and even some Abraham Lincoln relics. Teresa tells us how a portrait led to her to meet her future husband. Teresa also recounts some wild stories from dropping the Stanley Cup, to hanging with the likes of Colin Farrell, Leonardo DiCaprio and others. From the sawdust on the floor to why they only serve 2 types of Ales, Teresa brings the mystique of this 166-year-old bar to life. Support McSorley’s by visiting

Joined today by Chef and owner of the Slapfish seafood franchise, Andrew Gruel. Andrew dishes about growing up in New Jersey and heading up to Maine to run track for college. This is where he becomes engrossed in the  world of seafood, dropping out of school and devoting his life to the restaurant business.  Chef Gruel talks about taking his journey west to California, and starting a food truck with only 2 items on the menu. He describes how Slapfish grew into a restaurant and now has up to over 20 franchise locations. Andrew tells us the difficulties of having restaurants all over the country, and how Slapfish is dealing with the Covid pandemic. From the worst food trend to changing the way we eat seafood Chef Andrew Gruel shows why hard work and taking chances pays off.   Follow Andrew and Slapfish here: https://www.instagram.com/andrewgruel/ http://chefgruel.com/ https://twitter.com/chefgruel

Joined today by best-selling author of “Kabul Beauty School” and many other books, Deborah Rodriguez. We chat about growing up in Holland, Michigan, and how watching the women of Afghanistan after September 11th compelled her to help them. Debbie tell us about her first trip to Kabul in 2002, driving through a war zone, trying to fit in and being surprised everyone was grateful to see a professional hairdresser. She recounts going back to Michigan, petitioning for hair supplies, and heading back to Afghanistan to open up a beauty school. We hear about the hurdles of opening a business as an American woman in a Muslim country and the good side of Afghanistan which the media doesn’t show. From warlords in her living room to dealing with PTSD, the former correction officer and hairdresser shows why she’s called “Crazy Deb”. Follow Debbie on the following sites and buy one of her books. Website: http://www.deborahrodriguez.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/debb_rod

Joined today by former CIA analyst and author of the fascinating book Becoming “Kim Jong Un: A Former CIA Officer's Insights into North Korea's Enigmatic Young Dictator” Dr. Jung H. Pak. Dr. Pak tell us what led her to join the Central Intelligence Agency, how long she served there and why she just hasn’t had enough of North Korea. The first time author explains the process of writing her first book on such a secretive country, how lonely it could be and how that awesome cover of the book came to be. We talk about Kim Jong Un’s mysterious wife Ri Sol-ju, the role she plays in North Korea and how she compares to other First Ladies. Dr. Pak tells us what Kim Jong Un’s master plan is after extending an olive branch to President Trump, South Korea and allowing the North and South to march in the Olympics. From the biggest misconceptions about the CIA to the best pizza in New York City, Dr. Jung H. Pak continues to be the go to person when talking about Korea.   Follow Jung H. Pak and buy her book in the links bel

Joined today by undefeated boxing phenom, Xander Zayas. Xander speaks about becoming the youngest boxer signed by Top Rank, but still fulfilling the promise he made to his mother of graduating High School. We talk about his viral anti-bullying campaign and how being bullied at such a young age changed his life. We chat about his legendary amateur career and his short, but dominant professional career. He tells us how he’s staying in shape during quarantine, what’s keeping him motivated and what are his thoughts of fighting in an empty arena. We hear how, he currently can only fight in 3 states due to his age and how being born 45 days late cost him a chance at representing his country in the Olympics. We discuss him following in Miguel Cotto’s footsteps and his dream of fighting at Madison Square Garden during the Puerto Rican Day Parade. From his favorite video games to the fights he’s dying to see, I had a blast chopping it up with the future Champion of the world Follow Xander on twitter and Instagram and

Joined today all the way from Cambodia, Rowan Beard from Young Pioneer Tours. Rowan tells us about growing up in Brisbane, not being fit for the 9-5 grind and eventually heading to Russia and Vietnam for work/adventure. We hear about when he first heard about Young Pioneer Tours, and how he worked his way form tour guide to a manager, specializing in North Korean tours and visiting the area over 120 times. He tells us what a tour to North Korea is like, what you can expect and the safety precautions they take. We also hear about other tours that YPT offers to some of the world’s least visited countries, and even countries that aren’t recognized, such as visits to Iran or Chernobyl. Obviously YPT has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic so we hear how we can help the company and when he thinks we can start traveling again. From a cave of bats in Cambodia to pub crawls in Pyongang, check out YPT on the following sites:  https://www.youngpioneertours.com/ https://www.instagram.com/youngpioneer/

Joined today all the way from Taiwan, podcaster and University of Texas student Danny Shih. Danny and I talk about his upbringing in Taiwan and Beijing and what made him want to travel around the world and attend UT in Austin. We chat about his podcast “Rants with Danny Shih”, how it got started, his dream guests and some Texas sports. Danny tells us how he became a diehard Yankees fan watching Chien-Ming Wang dominate, we touch on the 2020 Yankees roster, signing Gerrit Cole and why he isn’t one of those unrealistic Yankee fans. We chat about the CPBL, (Chinese Professional Baseball League), the history of it, Manny Ramirez playing there and the cardboard cutout of fans we see in the stands. From why Taiwan is leading the world in the fight against Covid-19 to what to do and eat when visiting Taiwan. Check out Danny on twitter and listen to his fantastic podcast here: twitter: https://twitter.com/daniel_shih88 podcast: http://rantswithdannyshih.buzzsprout.com/

Joined today by Rolling Stone senior writer and author of “The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s”, Andy Greene. We talk about Andy living in Brooklyn, how he landed his dream job at Rolling Stone and what food he’s missing most from the land. Andy and I then chat about his Rolling Stone cover story on Howard Stern, how it was interviewing the King of All Media and his thoughts on the new Howard Stern. We discuss how he came up with the idea to write a book on the hit show, The Office, why he chose to write it in an oral format and if the quarantine was a good thing or bad thing for his sales. We talk about how Andy painstakingly put together interviews of hundreds of people involved in the show from the actors/actresses, the writers, boom mic techs and even caterers. From behind the scenes info like James Gandolfini almost becoming the CEO to breaking down the development of the characters. Check out Andy here and buy his book: https://twitter.com/greeneandy https://www.amazon.com

Joined today by author, motivational speaker and former POW, Captain Charlie Plumb. Charlie tells us about his book “I’m No Hero”, why he wrote the book and how it became therapeutic for him.  We hear why he chose to attend the NAVY, what made him decide to “get his wings” and some of his favorite fighter planes. Captain Plumb tells us when he first heard about the Vietnam War and how a prank from flight school not only gave him notoriety, but helped get him deployed to the War.  We hear about his fateful 75th mission and how he was shot down by the Vietnamese, captured, and taken to the Hanoi Hilton Prison Camp.  Charlie explains the torture he endured during 2103 days of captivity, how his mental strength helped him survive the 6 years of being a prisoner and how he became a master of underground communication using taps, sneezes and coughs to speak to the other prisoners. Captain Plumb tells us about coming home, discovering women in mini skirts and coping with life after the war.  From his friendship with

Joined today by world traveler, author and Guinness Book of World record holder, Gunnar Garfos. Gunnar and I talk about his book "198* How I Ran Out of Countries", how he remembered all his stories and when the sequel is coming out. We chat about a random bet with his friend to visit every country in the world and the unique way the bet was paid out over a popular radio show in Norway. We hear about life outside of traveling, working for Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and playing amateur soccer in Norway. With 198 countries to chat about, Gunnar and I chat about the Gate of Hell in Turkmenistan, the Oceanic countries and even Equatorial Guinea. From spending a night in prison in Niger before being thrown out of the country to a few of his World Records. All this and more with the man who has traveled to every country in the world TWICE. Follow Gunnar here: https://garfors.com/ https://twitter.com/garfors