Philly Heartbreak: “Goodbye Pies” for Valentine’s Day with Pizza Hut delivering Spicy News in a Sweet Way
Pizza Hut announces a new Valentine’s Day offering, “Goodbye Pies” with the launch of its new sweet yet spicy Hot Honey pizza.
There’s a misconception that breakups don’t happen around Valentine’s Day, but research shows it’s actually a holiday centered around the most heartbreak with 45% of people agreeing it’s better to do the deed right before the holiday itself*.
There’s even a phenomenon called ‘Red Tuesday’, which is the Tuesday before Valentine’s Day, where people break up most often in the year.**
That’s why starting this Red Tuesday, February 6, through Valentine’s Day, Pizza Hut is launching new, limited-edition Hot Honey “Goodbye Pies” to help deliver spicy news in a sweet way for FREE.
By sending a Goodbye Pie, Pizza Hut will help you break up with your significant other by delivering a personalized, simple message on custom packaging with a sweet and spicy Hot Honey pizza to ease the pain.
The custom Goodbye Pie pizza boxes also leave a space on the top for the break-upper’s name to be added.
To submit for a chance to send a free Goodbye Pie, simply visit GoodbyePies.com starting February 6 to ditch that awkward break-up convo and send a pizza instead.
This offer will be available through February 14 at select locations in the three major U.S. cities notorious for heartbreaks – NYC, Chicago and Miami, while supplies last. Not available in your city?
The website above can also be used to request Pizza Hut instead write a breakup text for you to send, along with a link to a gift card for your future-ex to redeem a free Hot Honey pizza. Limited quantities only available during this limited time.***
“The rising popularity of the sweet-heat flavor profile has led to Hot Honey becoming the most requested test item by our team members and we are thrilled to have it as the newest addition to our menu,” shared Lindsay Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut.
“With the launch of Goodbye Pies, we are bringing that perfect blend of sweet and heat experience to real life, delivering spicy news in the sweetest way for Valentine’s Day.”
Pizza Hut’s Hot Honey Pizza and Wings can be found nationwide at participating Pizza Hut locations starting at $11.99 for a medium pizza and $5.99 for 6 count boneless wings. Pricing and participation may vary.
Hot Honey Pizza: Featuring a pizza crust topped with marinara sauce, a generous layer of cheese, classic pepperoni, a hot honey drizzle made with real honey infused with chili peppers and crispy cupped pepperoni, balancing the honey’s sweet heat with the savory-salty taste of the pepperoni. The crisp pepperoni cups are ideally shaped to hold the hot honey drizzle.
Hot Honey Wings: Available in both bone-in and boneless versions, these wings are coated in Hot Honey and double-dipped in sensational sweet heat flavors.
This new Hot Honey innovation will be spotlighted in a new Pizza Hut campaign, titled “Pizza wHut!?” which will roll out nationally in February bringing to life Pizza Hut’s commitment to flavor innovation as the brand continues to reinvent and perfect everyone’s favorites with new and craveable flavors.
Visit PizzaHut.com for more information.
*According to YouGov.com poll. **Described on The-Sun.com.
*** AVAILABLE FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST EACH DAY. QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED. Open to legal US residents physically residing in the 50 U.S. and D.C who are 18+ years of age. Offer Recipients must live in select zip codes in New York City, Chicago or Miami. Ends at 11:59:59 pm CT on 2/14/24, or when all available Incentives are claimed (whichever comes first). A minimum of 10 Goodbye Pie Incentives and 50 Breakup Text Offers are available each Incentive and Offer Period per Market. Limit one (1) Incentive and Offer per person and per household. Other restrictions apply.
For Incentive and Offer Periods and a list of eligible Zip Codes and full Terms, visit www.goodbyepies.com/terms
Is This the Dominican Ozama Rum Philly Didn’t Know It Needed? Big Papi Thinks So.
In a region that prides itself on loyalty, grit, and a good pour, Hall-of-Fame baseball legend David Ortiz—yes, “Big Papi” himself—is making a bold new play far from Fenway Park. But this time, it’s not with a bat. It’s with a bottle.
Ortiz has just launched Ozama Rum, a 100% Dominican-made, ultra-premium spirit that’s already raising eyebrows (and glasses) from Swarthmore to Chesterbrook. And while Philadelphia is famously a whiskey-and-beer town at heart, this rum is built to challenge your expectations—and maybe even your liquor shelf.
“To me, Ozama isn’t just about rum, it’s about identity, pride, and progress,” Ortiz says. “I wanted to build something that celebrates the energy and soul of my people and shows the world what we’re made of. It’s always been important for me to do things the right way, which is why this labor of love has been one of the most rewarding projects of my career. I can’t wait for people to try it! They say that perfection doesn’t exist, but you can get close to it.”
From Santo Domingo to the Schuylkill: Ozama Rum Arrives
Named after the Ozama River in Ortiz’s hometown of Santo Domingo, Ozama Rum is a full-circle project for the former MLB star. Every drop is born, aged, and bottled in the Dominican Republic—from fresh-pressed sugarcane to oak barrel aging (for a minimum of one year), with no shortcuts or outsourcing. It proudly carries the Ron Dominicano denominación de origen, certifying it as a true product of the island.
This isn’t the kind of celebrity-branded spirit you buy once and forget. It’s built for drinkers who care about craftsmanship, story, and serious flavor.
Ozama launches with three distinct expressions, each one capturing a different note in the Dominican rum legacy:
Ozama Blanco: Bright and crisp with citrus and a whisper of white pepper. Ideal for daiquiris, mojitos, or sipping neat in your backyard in Penn Wynne.
Ozama Añejo: A rich, copper-toned rum with hints of chocolate, toffee, and warm spice. Smooth enough to replace your bourbon in an Old Fashioned.
Ozama Gran Añejo: Silky and deep with notes of dates, raisins, honey, and fine wood. The kind of pour that deserves your best glass and a quiet evening.
With prices between $25 and $40 for a 700ml bottle, Ozama is positioned as an accessible indulgence—whether you’re picking it up from a premium bottle shop in Center City or mixing cocktails at a family cookout in Chesterbrook.
Rum’s Renaissance—and Philly’s Perfect Timing
According to Global View Research, the global rum market hit $11.77 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow by over 5.6% annually through 2030. Craft rum, in particular, is rising as consumers turn to artisanal, culturally rooted spirits. That’s good news for Philly, where diverse culinary traditions meet a growing appetite for unique, quality liquor—especially from Black- and Latinx-owned brands.
Ozama Rum fits the moment. And Ortiz isn’t just a face on the label. He worked closely with Dominican distillers and Abbott Wolfe, CEO of Drink2Success, to ensure the product had integrity, vision, and real impact.
“From day one, David had a clear vision to create an ultra-premium rum that feels authentic, vibrant, and undeniably Dominican—it was important to him to spotlight the Dominican Republic and at the same time give back to the community that raised him,” Wolfe said.
A Spirit That Gives Back
Beyond its refined flavor, Ozama carries a mission. Two percent of its profits will be directed to cleanup efforts around the Ozama River and to community-building projects in the Dominican Republic. It’s the kind of built-in social impact that resonates with Philly’s values-driven drinkers—especially younger generations.
Where to Try Ozama Rum in Philadelphia
Ozama is available now at drinkozama.com and is beginning to roll out in select stores and venues in the Northeast—including Pennsylvania. While you may not see it on every bar in Old City just yet, insiders say local mixologists are already experimenting with it behind the scenes.
Expect to see Ozama popping up at Latin-inspired restaurants in South Philly, rooftop lounges in Rittenhouse, and maybe even your next tailgate in FDR Park.
Final Thoughts: Philly’s Rum Moment Starts Here
Ozama Rum isn’t trying to be flashy. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a high-quality, hand-crafted, heritage-driven spirit with a story as deep as its flavor—and Big Papi’s passion is in every bottle.
“They say that perfection doesn’t exist,” Ortiz says. “But you can get close to it.”
In Philly, where we respect heart, hustle, and something with real roots? That might be close enough.
Would you like to add a sidebar with cocktail recipes or recommendations for where Ozama might pair best with Philly cuisine?
WWE and Seagram Escape Spiked Just Tag Teamed on a Boozy Banger—and Philly’s First in Line to Crack It Open
Wrestling and beer. If there’s a better pairing for the City of Brotherly Love, we haven’t found it yet.
In a move that’s got South Philly popping and the Northeast buzzing, WWE has officially entered the beverage ring with its first-ever ready-to-drink alcoholic product, and they’re doing it with flavor-forward heavyweight Seagram’s Escapes Spiked. The two icons just dropped a multi-year partnership, and the new WWE-branded drinks are already hitting shelves all over Philly.
Whether you’re grabbing a cold one for a backyard wrestling watch party in Fishtown, tailgating before a WWE Live event at the Wells Fargo Center, or just stocking the fridge at your neighborhood deli, the new Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series is made to hit like a chair shot—and go down smoother than a Stone Cold stunner.
Philly’s Wrestling Legacy Meets Its New Favorite Drink
Let’s not forget—Philadelphia is wrestling royalty. This city gave us ECW. We’ve packed the Spectrum, sold out the Wells Fargo Center, and brought serious heat to WWE, AEW, and every indie fed that’s dared to step between the ropes. So it’s only fitting that Philly gets to be one of the first cities to crack open WWE’s newest creation.
“Seagram’s has a rich history of innovation and a deep commitment to authenticity, making it the ideal partner to go to market with our first-ever licensed ready-to-drink product,” said Grant Norris-Jones, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships for TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company. “Philly fans bring unmatched passion—and we wanted to bring this launch to cities that know how to show up.”
Show up? This is Philly. We throw snowballs at Santa. We boo our own draft picks. And we’ve been showing up loud for wrestling for decades.
The Flavor Card: A Main Event Lineup
Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series debuts with three bold, bodyslam-worthy flavors that were clearly designed with Philly’s taste buds in mind. This isn’t your average backyard seltzer. These are full-flavored malt beverages, and they’re coming in hot:
Rumble Punch™ – A remix of the classic Jamaican Me Happy, this flavor brings strawberry, watermelon, lemon, and guava together in one tropical haymaker. It’s the kind of drink you’d sip while screaming “E-C-Dub!” in a backyard kiddie pool in Kensington.
Pineapple Powerhouse™ – With juicy pineapple, cherry, and lime, this flavor feels like the afterparty to a surprise cash-in—sweet, citrusy, and absolutely electric. Perfect for rooftop parties in Northern Liberties or tailgates at the Linc.
Slammin’ Blueberry™ – A tag-team blend of blueberry and lemon that hits crisp and clean, made for easy drinking during a hot August night watching SummerSlam.
Each flavor is 8% ABV, unapologetically bold, and available now in Philly-area retailers, from Center City liquor shops to corner delis in South Philly.
Superstars, Stores, and Citywide Showdowns
This isn’t just about cans on shelves. As part of the partnership, Seagram’s Spiked is now an Official Partner of WWE, meaning you’ll see the brand front and center during Premium Live Events like Money in the Bank® (June 7), SummerSlam®, and Survivor Series®.
Expect enhanced match sponsorships, custom digital content featuring your favorite WWE Superstars, and yes—in-person appearances from Superstars right here in Philly.
Imagine bumping into a former champ at your local Acme or grabbing a selfie with a WWE Superstar at your favorite beer distributor in the Northeast. It’s all on the table.
“Our collaboration with WWE marks an exciting moment for Seagram’s Spiked as we connect with WWE’s global audience—and Philly’s local fans who bring energy like nowhere else,” said Jaime Polisoto, brand director of Seagram’s Escapes. “Our sales team is thrilled to bring the excitement of WWE into Philadelphia’s stores and create unforgettable fan experiences.”
It’s Not Just a Drink. It’s a Pop.
Philly doesn’t do subtle. We do flavor. We do passion. And we do loyalty. That’s why this partnership works—it’s for fans who know every chant, who still talk about the time The Rock came through South Street, and who treat every PLE like it’s WrestleMania at the Vet.
So whether you’re cracking open a can after a shift in Brewerytown, posting up with friends in Fairmount, or pregaming in your Rhawnhurst backyard with your Bluetooth speaker on full blast, the WWE x Seagram’s Spiked Series is your new go-to.
Taraji P. Henson’s Seven Daughters Moscato Sets Sail with Princess Cruises — and Philly’s Invited to the Party
Taraji P. Henson is serving up more than fierce roles and red-carpet moments—now she’s pouring the perfect glass of Moscato, and she wants Philly to come sip it at sea.
That’s right, the award-winning actress, entrepreneur, and all-around queen just teamed up with Princess Cruises to bring her Seven Daughters Moscato to their Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection. And while she may be Hollywood royalty, Taraji’s wine is all heart—sweet, vibrant, and a whole lot of fun. Sound familiar, Philly?
“Seven Daughters is more than just a bottle of wine; it’s a celebration in a glass,” said Henson. “Our Moscato is inviting, refreshing, and perfect for moments of connection which is what makes this partnership with Princess Cruises so amazing. Now we can experience this feeling with people from around the world, whether they’re toasting under the stars or relaxing on the open sea.”
Let’s be real—after dodging potholes on Broad Street, waiting too long for your Wawa order, and sitting through another frustrating season of Philly sports (we still love you, Birds), you deserve a drink. And not just any drink—a crisp, lightly sweet Moscato with notes of tropical fruit and honeysuckle, made to help you unwind like you actually took a vacation day.
Princess Cruises knows a good thing when they taste it. “Princess Cruises is committed to curating distinctive, high-quality experiences for our guests, and Seven Daughters aligns seamlessly with that vision,” said Sami Kohen, VP of Food and Beverage. “Taraji’s Moscato reflects a bold yet approachable style that we know our guests will love.”
Translation? This wine’s got the same attitude as a Philly native in line at Reading Terminal: real, bold, and a little bit sweet when it counts.
And don’t worry, Taraji isn’t rolling solo in this celebrity liquor squad. Her Seven Daughters joins a star-studded bar cart featuring Jason Momoa (yes, Aquaman) and Blaine Halvorson’s Meili Vodka, Camila and Matthew McConaughey’s Pantalones Organic Tequila, Blake Lively’s Betty Booze and Buzz, Liev Schreiber’s Sláinte Irish Whiskey, Jason Aldean’s Melarosa wines, Romero Britto’s Love Prosecco, and Kylie Minogue’s No Alcohol Sparkling Rosé.
Still, let’s keep it 100—none of them bring the same heat as Taraji. She’s got grit, glamour, and a wine that says, “let’s dance on the deck and then eat something greasy at midnight.”
And Philly folks? You don’t have to fly across the country to get in on the action. Princess Cruises offers sailings from nearby ports like Brooklyn and Baltimore, so you can trade I-95 traffic for ocean views real quick. Book a weekend cruise and suddenly, you’re sipping Seven Daughters while someone else does the cooking. Imagine that.
So whether you’re a Center City cocktail snob, a Fishtown foodie, or just someone who appreciates a damn good glass of wine, Taraji’s got you. This isn’t just a celebrity brand slapped on a bottle. It’s a whole vibe. A celebration. And a reminder that every Philly girl (and guy) deserves to be treated like royalty—preferably with a Moscato in hand, looking out over the ocean.
Catch you on the ship. And don’t forget to raise a glass to Taraji when you do.
For more on the Love Lines Premium Liquors Collection, head to www.princess.com.
Part of the “America the Beautiful” initiative, 30×30 is a national goal to conserve and restore at least 30% of U.S. lands, waters, and ocean by 2030.
An estimated one million species are now on the path to extinction, but it isn’t too late to reverse the harmful trends that are leading to habitat destruction around the world. 30×30 and the larger “America the Beautiful” initiative aim to provide equitable access to nature for all, calling on industries and cultural and special interest groups to help with its execution.
As a forerunner in implementing 30×30, Philadelphia Zoo was the first partner to incorporate its messaging over an entire season. At BIG TIME, guests took a pledge and signed a petition advocating for wildlife.
Zoo staff collected over 10,000 postcards from April to October 31 to send to policy makers to influence change.
How to Get Involved
Make your voice heard! Zoos, aquariums, and museums, together with people from across the country, are applauding the vision of the “America the Beautiful” initiative—but we need your help!
Related:
Flor de Caña Rum launches #TogetherForAGreenerFuture to Honor Earth Month
Take a Deep Dive into Pop Culture with Woke Boomers Fritz Coleman, Louise Palanker on Media Path Podcast
Fritz Coleman and Louise Palanker are hosting a virtual dinner party. It’s a fun time, a good time, with lots of laughs, smiles, and a deep dive into pop culture past and present.
Have you ever become obsessed with a topic and taken a deep dive into consuming all you could uncover about it?
Media Path Podcast is here to indulge your creative obsessions. Co-hosted by Los Angeles weatherman/humorist Fritz Coleman and filmmaker/columnist and co-founder of Premiere Radio Louise Palanker.
Today we had a conversation (via zoom) with Fritz Coleman and Louise Palanker. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
What’s the best way to introduce this fun, flavorful conversation?
Louise: We tell folks, this is what you would be talking about if you got together with a group of friends anyway. What have you been watching? What should I stream? What’s good? So this is where every conversation eventually devolves. We just get there very rapidly
Fritz: Wheezy and I grew this podcast out of a friendship we’ve had for about 35 years, where we found out surprisingly and wonderfully, that we see eye to eye on lots of entertainment, movies, books, TV shows, and we thought, why not make this a podcast? It is a continuation of our common interests in our conversation.
So that’s what we do. We start each show with some suggestions on what people can watch, listen to, read, and that takes eight minutes. And then we always have a guest on; guests from all walks of life. We found that one of our sweet spots is television personalities from the Los Angeles area particularly ones from our growing up period, the 1960’s and 1970s boomer material and older.
But we do everything. We do politicians, we do singing stars. We’ve had very interesting books and topics that aren’t generally known to the public. I’ll give you an example. Two weeks ago. We had a show about a man who wrote a book about a woman by the name of Connie Converse, who I suppose you could describe as one of the great undiscovered musical talents in America.
She was a great songwriter and a great singer. She was never discovered, which was sad and then she just magically and mysteriously disappeared. So the book this guy wrote was about somebody that not everybody was familiar with, but it was fascinating because it was like a, ‘whodonnit’ and also the heartache of an undiscovered musical talent, that lady that started in Greens Village and all those things.
All that to say it’s Weezy and I discussing stuff we find fascinating and we hope you come along.
From the episodes I’ve watched, it feels like the most interesting dinner party you’ve been to in a long time.
Fritz: We appreciate that.
We’re gonna use that as a sales tool from now on. The most interesting dinner party you’ve ever been to. Yeah,
Louise: the food is awful.
Fritz: My dinner with Weezy.
Louise: Yeah, there’s some hard candies and it’s bring whatever you can in your purse because we, I’ve got some granola bars on the coffee table, but that’s it.
Fritz: We want the intimacy of a conversation among friends and so you, you analyzed it well. Beautiful.
Because everyone watching and listening loves food. Do you have a favorite food you’d recommend either you per personally and enjoy or something that we should be eating or cooking while we listen and watch your show?
Louise: I’m gonna recommend some water. This comes out of a filtration system near my sink. It’s just lovely.
Fritz: I happen to be a fan of Northern Italian cuisine. I won’t name specific dishes, but in general, I love risotto with a great protein like shrimp or chicken.
I love penne with a bolognese sauce. I love capellini alla checca, which is a great when you add shrimp to it and then you add a checca sauce, which is the red sauce with garlic. And so I like Northern Italian Cuisine. I don’t cook, but I can buy the best food in America. Just walking out my front door here.
Louise: Have you ever put salmon on a pizza?
Fritz: I’ve had that actually. That’s actually very good.
Louise: Very good. Goat cheese. Wonderful. I love let’s see, chicken parmesan, I think that’s what I would order.Maybe that sounds very pedestrian. But comfort foods are delicious.
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, chicken parm. That’s the kind of stuff – any potato really, you can’t do anything to a potato that would offend me.
Fritz: I’ll tell you, LA is wonderful for that lately cuz there’s all sorts of interesting fusions going on. You have Vietnamese food and Italian food and a fusion menu.
And if you like to experiment with different palettes, this is a great city to do it in. It really is, thanks to Wolfgang Puck and some of the gourmet chefs in the town. Completely
I think what we’re all, what we’re all noticing immediately is the two of you have phenomenal chemistry. What’s the origin story?
Louise: Yes, absolutely. We know each other quite well. It’s very natural, and I’ve been podcasting since you could, you go back to 2005 whenever you got that new iPhone that said, would you like to listen to a podcast? And then you said, what’s a podcast? And then the adventure begins.
So I’ve been doing it from jump and Fritz was contractually obligated to not speak outside of his news job about anything that did not concern a weather pattern. Your newsman cannot have an opinion. That’s very distracting, especially now in our divided sensibility.
Fritz: You just can’t say anything smart, that would embarrass the station. That’s all.
Louise: So you couldn’t do commercials. It makes sense if you’re talking about the weather, you don’t wanna be thinking, oh, this guy sells batteries. You just, you wanna just get your weather cast.
So as soon as he retired we jumped on board together because I had done four podcasts before this one, and I was prepared in terms of what a podcast requires, how difficult it is. And so for Fritz, I just need his mind, his preparation, his wit and his fascination with all things interesting.
And he’s more than ready to take on the podcasting world. He’s the best.
Fritz: And this is not a brag but it’s true. You cannot manufacture chemistry. You can see two people on television. You hear them on the radio or hear them in a conversation, and you know that these two people should not be in the same room together, let alone host their own presentation.
But we just have a natural thing that was born out of our friendship really, and our common interest in stuff. One of our sweet spots is baby boomer and older music, old rhythm and blues. Weezy’s interest in music goes back to the old harmony groups like the Mills Brothers, cuz she was personal friends.
So all those things we find fun and so when we get in there we I think that the fun we’re having resonates to the audience. I hope it does.
Louise: We geek out together. It’s like watching Jimmy Fallon. You’re just so giddy that he’s that giddy. So hopefully we bring that kind of enthusiasm and just to get to meet the people that we grew up watching.
And also the excitement of when you have an author reading the book and then getting to talk to the author and, rather than having to scour YouTube for interviews that the author did, because now you’re fascinated. We actually get to talk to the person. And so we find that exciting. It’s like going to grad school for free.
Fritz: One of the great joys is having a topic that you don’t know anything about. For instance, this Connie Converse topic and the one we’re having this week we’re preparing for now, this is a guy that wrote a book about the friendship between Henry Ford, John Burrows, and Thomas Edison.
These three geniuses in a different venue, each one, but they all had this spectacular friendship and they all took a road trip in a model T Ford. I knew a little bit about Henry Ford, you know it from the Industrial Revolution and extreme antisemitism. But I didn’t realize that he had interests outside there. Louise and I are just gonna be blank slates and come into this interview with just being inquisitive, and that’s always fun. You discover something you had no idea about.
Let’s talk about both of your backgrounds.
We’re gonna go to Fritz second. Louise, bring everyone up to speed about what you’ve accomplished and those other podcasts you’ve worked on so people know the background that you bring to this show.
Louise: Yes, I began my career as a studio page, and it was one of those things where you get your foot in the door and one thing leads to the other thing.
So I became a studio page at a place called Metro Media Tape. We were doing all of the Norman Lear sitcoms. We had the John Davidson talk show. Which was where a person like me gets to meet Van Johnson. It was just crazy. Look, I’m from suburban Buffalo and here I am with Van Johnson.
It was crazy. So I’ve always just been so grateful to work in entertainment. I just consider it to be an honor. But that led to a job at a show called PM Magazine, which led to me meeting Rick Dees who was a local radio personality. I went to write his syndicated countdown show, which is called the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, which led to me meeting other personalities at KISS FM and forming a company with them called Premier Radio Networks.
And that was a 15 year rocket ship that led to that company being sold to Clear Channel, which is now iHeart Media. At one point I went to one of my partners and I said, Hey, Craig, what are what’s the chance of me having my own show? And he said, none. And I said, I have two words for you, podcast.
Because he didn’t know that they were just the one word at that time. And I, that’s how new it was. I was doing standup comedy at the time, so I went to do standup comedy that night and I said to my friend, Laura Swisher, have you heard of a podcast? And she said, I just heard about it today.
It was just like, it was hot off the press, right? So we were like, let’s make one. That led to 100 episodes of Weezy In The Swish, which was my first podcast. And then I did one with K with teenagers where I was like giving teenagers advice cuz like I love to mentor young people.
And that one was called Journals Out Loud. And then I did one with some of my comedy friends called things I Found Online, which was people our age discovering the interne. Then Fritz retired and now I’m working with Fritz.
I never was a radio personality at Premier. I was a creator. I was in charge of all of the creative output, but Premier had shows that did not involve or include me other than behind the scenes.
And now Fritz obviously. My words, you’re an LA icon. For more than 40 years…
Fritz: Contactually, you have to say that about me. Every time you introduce me. I’m an LA icon.
Not only do you own LA TV, but you own LA stages because for those who don’t know, seeing you live is a phenomenally fun, entertaining evening. Was it a very conscious segue to get into podcasting?
Fritz: My involvement with her podcast is totally her both blame and her gift that she gave to me after I retired.
People find this hard to believe. Real meteorologists hate this story, but I’ll tell it to you anyway. I was working at the Comedy Store in 1982 and because I talked on stage about having done the weather earlier in my broadcasting career, the news director from Channel Four and his wife were in the audience that night and he came up to me after the show and he said, I really enjoyed your show, particularly the thing about doing the weather in the Navy, but not knowing anything about it.
He said, would you have any desire to come to Channel Four and do some vacation relief, weather forecasting? I was making $25 a night at the Comedy Store, and so I almost passed out. I said, of course, when do you want me to start? He said you have to audition. So I auditioned and got the job, and I did two years as a vacation relief guy on the weekends.
Filling in on the weekends and filling in for people on vacation. And then two years later, I was bumped up to the weekday weather cast position and I retired two weeks shy of my 40th anniversary. And it’s just unbelievable. I didn’t set out to have a career in weather. This opportunity presented itself.
I could continue to do standup. I came out here from Buffalo, New York where we Weezy’s from to do standup. Even as the weather job I was able to continue to do standup. And so I had two careers. One paid for my children’s education. The other exercised my ego, and as they, it both worked out.
How do you two decide on the topics and when you bring up your guests, how do you decide on your guests?
Louise: We get a lot of offers coming our way now. There’s definitely people that we go after. But we have so many folks that are pitching, when someone has something new that comes out, they make the rounds. And so we just know what our sweet spots are and we email each other with our producer Dina, and we say, does this sound good?
So for example we did not know anything about that Elvis story that you’re talking about. And when it was pitched to us, we just said Absolutely. Exactly. This is what we wanna delve into. So that is what you’re referring to, is a book about a woman who researched Elvis’s health history and discovered that he wasn’t a drug addict because he enjoyed drugs. He was a drug addict because he was trying to feel normal. He was born with disease in 9 out of the 11 systems of the body, and this is why everyone on his mother’s side dies in their forties, including Elvis.
Fritz: That was a great example of what I was talking about.
Weezy and I were just flabbergasted. I mean we’ve all known a lot about Elvis, especially Weezy and I, because we’re students of music, but there was so much in there that we didn’t realize. And that’s a great example of discovering things that you weren’t aware of that made the podcast so much fun.
Louise: And the book is by Sally Hodel and it’s called Elvis: Destined to Die Young.
I think so many people are looking for that level of knowledge and a deeper dive. I think both YouTube and podcasts allows for those deeper dives.
What do the two of you look for when it comes to interviews? Is there different angles you’re both looking to achieve or how does that happen?
Louise: If we find it interesting, we just believe that other folks will find it interesting. So we just gauge it on what fascinates us.
We’re a pretty good barometer.
Louise: We’re always looking for politics. We both call ourselves “woke boomers”.
We’ll take it. And we love history. We love biographies, we love documentaries. We’re both news junkies. We love TV, especially the TV that is close to people because they grew up with it. We believe firmly that what you loved at 10 you love forever. We talked to Marty Croft and we talked to former child stars and we talk to folks like that.
This week we talked to Nellie Oleson, Alison Arngrim from Little House on the Prairie as well. We love talking to those folks and learning what life was like as a child growing up making the television that other kids were so in intrigued by, and of course the music of our era, sixties, seventies, eighties,
Fritz: We had two documentary filmmakers on a couple of about a month or so ago. They made a documentary about Blood, Sweat and Tears, which was one of the iconic groups of the late sixties and early seventies. They and Chicago were the first bands to use horns in mainstream rock and roll. But there’s a great backstory about how Blood, Sweat and Tears were bamboozled into making a tour behind the Iron Curtain. They were the first American rock band that had ever been allowed to tour behind the Iron Curtain.
And there’s hundreds of hours of video of these guys experiencing Romania and all these less than welcoming countries. And that was fantastic because, again, we’d always been fans of Blood, Sweat and Tears. But this was an aspect of their career we didn’t know anything about. That was fantastic.
And we had Bobby Columby, who was the drummer for Blood, Sweat and Tears in the studio with us. It was really fun.
You both brought up in your own ways, “happy accidents” with guests. Can either of you suggest guests we should go back through your archives and find?
Louise: My favorite episode features Joyce Bouffant. She wrote a book called My Four Hollywood Husbands. It’s absolutely a tremendously entertaining read. She was married to James MacArthur, The son of Helen Hayes. So this kid who has a impoverished childhood and suddenly she’s hanging out with Helen Hayes. Launches a career of taking care of alcoholic husbands and finally winding up with the man of her dreams.
And it’s just, it’s quite a ride and remarkably entertaining.
Fritz: And we have guests that will always be our favorites. One of our only repeat guests, Henry Winkler, who happens to be a close friend to Weezy’s. We had him on, but not because he’s a close friend. Because when you just have a very casual conversation with him, you realize his appeal to the world.
He’s one of the most down to earth, non-condescending, brilliant guys who never talks down to you. He’s just the loveliest man in the world and who has had an astonishing career. And we’ve had him on, and we’re gonna try to get him on again because he has an autobiography coming out soon. So we hope we can coerce him into coming back on.
But yeah, we love those too. We haven’t had anybody else on twice? I don’t think so. Adam Schiff. The politician. Now his life has changed because he’s running for senator from California.
Louise: He’s Fritz’s Congressman, so he’s congressionally obligated to attend our podcast.
He’s wonderful and very funny guy as well. We’re always just really honored to speak to him. Another favorite show of mine is: The Steve’s. Steve Young and Steve O’Donnell, both wrote for David Letterman. Steve Young has created this documentary called BathtubsOver Broadway, where Steve Young becomes obsessed with industrial musicals.
It’s on Amazon Prime right now and it still gets a lot of views.
It’s fun to talk to Pat Boone and Vicky Lawrence and Johnny Whitaker and Christopher Knight. All of our comedian friends, but those are the stories that you love. Uncovering is things that you didn’t know were there and that delight you.
Let’s tell the audience where to find your show – Where do we find you?
Louise: Anywhere you type Media Path Podcast it’s gonna come up. Website, podcast, youtube, iphone.
Fritz: I have a new comedy special, which is streaming on Tubi. It’s called Unassisted Living. It’s just describing life for people of our demographic: that is old people and their parents.
That’s gonna be fun. Can we find you live on stage soon?
Fritz: I think I’m gonna be having a residency at the El Porto Theater in North Hollywood, California. It’s a fairly legendary theater, called the Maryland Monroe Forum.
And I’m gonna be doing a show there once a month for a while as I work out new material. And I’ll be advertising that on social media and elsewhere.
12 Easy Recipe Options with Recommended Wine Pairings Score Big for Super Bowl LVIII and Playoff Parties
The big game is just around the corner. Your guest list is set, and you’re facing the perennial challenge: what to serve?
What to serve for Super Bowl LVIII? Game Day Appetizers collection
Meal planning service eMeals comes to the rescue with a Game Day Appetizers collection featuring 12 easy-cook recipes ranging from Pull-Apart Meatball Sub Bites to Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies – each paired with liquid refreshment from California winery Sutter Home and complete with fast online shopping options. Problem solved!
The game plan is straightforward. Simply:
Check out eMeals’ Game Day Appetizers landing page or the Occasions Plan section of the eMeals app if you’re a subscriber to explore the fun finger-food recipes created by the eMeals team to feed you and your guests from kickoff to the final buzzer.
Hummus Board
Assemble your menu. In addition to the collection’s pizza dough-wrapped meatball sub bites and classic frosting-filled snickerdoodles, you’ll find options like Nashville Hot Chicken Dip served with crostini, Philly Cheesesteak Sliders nestled in Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls, Twice-Baked Dill Pickle Potatoes made with miniature Yukon golds, and seven others including a Smoky Snack Mix – each assembled in a snap and serving 10-12 hungry football fans.
Pull-Apart Meatball Sub Bites
Accept the wine recommendations. Whether it’s a Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot or Pinot Grigio for the main event dishes you selected or the same winery’s Sweet Peach or Wild Berry fruit infusion for your dessert choices, you’ll get the perfect pairing for less than $12 per bottle. No need to waste time and no chance of choosing the wrong wine.
Auto-generate your grocery list for easy in-store or online shopping. Click on the recipes you’re planning to make, and eMeals will create a shopping list you can use to self-shop at your local grocery store or tap for online grocery fulfillment at major retailers. It’s fast, easy, and ensures you won’t forget an ingredient.
Cook, serve, and get your game on (TV, that is)! Every dish is tailor-made for grazing while you and your guests are glued to your big screen, so you’ll be the toast of the party – no matter which team wins.
And speaking of teams, eMeals can be a great addition to your cooking lineup. The company’s weekly meal planning service saves an average of two hours of meal planning time every week, helps reduce grocery expenses by utilizing ingredients efficiently and avoiding impulse purchases, and provides meal inspiration and variety with less stress and more family time.
For as little as $5 a month, eMeals subscribers get a choice of meal plans for 15 different eating styles including Quick and Healthy, Clean Eating, Low Calorie, Low Carb, 30 Minute Meals, Kid Friendly and Vegetarian. Users also receive Occasions Plan and Bonus Collection menus for recipes that may not fit into the nightly dinner category; have the option to mix and match menus from any style and substitute favorites from previous weeks; and can take advantage of eMeals’ web-shoppable functionality for fast one-click shopping from major retailers. Free 14-day trials are available here.
eMeals is a meal inspiration, planning and shopping
eMeals is a meal inspiration, planning and shopping platform that operates the subscription-based eMeals digital meal planning service, the free RecipeBox app enabling home cooks to create personalized digital cookbooks, and the Grocery Connect SDK providing online grocery shopping functionality for third-party apps and websites.
eMeals has helped millions of families relieve the daily stress of putting healthy home-cooked meals on the table quickly, easily and affordably since the launch of its digital meal planning service.
Sutter Home revolutionized the way Americans enjoyed wine
When the Trinchero family bought the Sutter Home Winery in 1948, they had vision, passion and a keen insight into consumer tastes.
In the early 1970s, Sutter Home revolutionized the way Americans enjoyed wine when it created the first-ever White Zinfandel, introducing a new, sweeter style of wine—along with several other crowd-pleasing varietals—at an affordable price.
By the 1980s and 1990s, Sutter Home became a household name as the second largest independent, family-owned winery in the United States. In 2005, the winery was the first to produce the groundbreaking single-serve, 187mL package in lightweight plastic bottles.
Today, Sutter Home continues to reflect the evolution of its consumers, offering 21 different varietals in 750mL, 187mL and 1.5L bottles, plus 500mL Tetra Pak® packages.
