Podcast: The Ride - Jellyrolls with Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

For almost 30 years, Jellyrolls rocked Disney World guests with it's dueling piano magic. But now? High energy piano versions of popular music will be sung no more. Jellyrolls has closed. Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano return to Podcast: The Ride to unpack their feelings about this historic place. Will they side with Jellyrolls lover Mike or Jellyrolls disliker Scott?  And where does Jason stand on this important matter? The stakes have never been higher. "⁠⁠⁠Breastaurants⁠⁠⁠" episode is up at: ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/PodcastTheRide⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW PODCAST: THE RIDE: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/PodcastTheRide⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/podcasttheride⁠⁠⁠ BUY PODCAST: THE RIDE MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/podcast-the-ride⁠⁠⁠ PODCAST THE RIDE IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST ⁠⁠⁠https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/podcast-the-ride⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

G'day, it's Courtney Act here and guess what? I have got a new show, R&R with Courtney Act and I want you to check it out. I hate small talk. I want to dive into the depths of a person's mind and quickly. So join me and my fabulous guests like Nicole Byer, Adore Delano, Tom Daley, Katia, Margaret Cho, Willem and more. As we talk about life's big issues in a way that only a world famous multi-hyphenate drag queen can. If you're looking for some rest and relaxation, you've come to the wrong space.

This show goes hard and deep. We're talking about the scary stuff, so tune in to R&R with me, Courtney Act. New episodes come out on the Mum Podcast YouTube channel and on the R&R podcast feed every Thursday, brought to you by Factor. Forever. Dog. Warning, the following podcast may contain

good times with great friends, memories that will last a lifetime, the shared experience of joy, and songs that every person knows and loves. All that plus Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano return to toast to the memory of Disney World's dueling piano bar, Jelly Rolls. Hey, sing along to the beeps and boops it's podcast the ride Welcome to podcast the ride a theme park podcast where we remember that Tommy used to sing on the boardwalk but Disney raised the rent and jelly rolls left it's tough, so tough. Gina worked the door all night, collecting $22. The price was more than fair.

It was fair, so fair. She says, we've got to hold on to 90s Disney World stuff. It doesn't make a difference if we like it or not. Michael Eisner OK'ded it and that's enough now that jelly rolls is closed I'm sure Michael is somewhere distraught oh the world is unfair oh oh I'm sending out a prayer hey there God make it reopen somewhere oh to make up Michael Eisner not despair Hi, I'm Mike Carlson joining me as always Jason Sheridan

Well, I liked it and one of our guests liked it. Okay good. I'm glad I didn't actually enter division for how this is gonna go. I think I was in such a Like a moment. I was feeling it so much. I didn't even notice the reactions I just I was connected to something bigger in me was feeling it so much, I didn't even notice the reactions. I was connected to something bigger in me. Scott Garner is here as well, hopefully he's connected. Yeah, I liked the lyrics that you were doing, but the main thing when you started singing,

I was like, I know that song, that's a song I know. And when I hear a song I know, and I realize the people around me also know a song I know, I freak out, because it's like I'm alive, and there's a song that everyone in the room knows, and's plenty for me and that's worth $22 to me. Well, that's good. I agree with you. That's actually maybe not in the same tone how I believe it. But that is basically the tone was excited. I'm smiling. It's an upbeat tone. I don't know what you're referring to tonally. We're on Zoom, so sometimes the tone gets strange when you're on a Zoom call.

I understand that. So maybe I'm just sort of interpreting it wrong. There's a false sarcasm filter that comes through? There is. We're doing StreamYard now and there might be a false sarcasm filter. That's what I'm interpreting things at. Yeah, that's the problem.

When you're dealing with technology, we don't always use, yeah. Okay, yeah. So, well look, we're coming in hot today Let's bring the guests in because I think they we all have we're all really riled up today in different ways But they're returning to podcast the ride from World Wrestling Entertainment. It's Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano. Thank you. Welcome back Thank you for being here I just want to say up front Mike, that performance was better than anything Jelly Rolls has ever seen.

So, I mean, that was awesome. Johnny, I love you. You're my favorite guest in one sentence. You're my favorite guest in history. Oh, we're just getting started, guys. We're just warming up. He took notes. I took notes. I have a notepad of stuff here about jelly rolls.

Just right up. I can't see it on the camera. They're from me. They're from my eyes only. Right, yes. Just to be clear, does it have the amount of pianos? Is it one or two? Because I'm worried we're going to lose sight of the bass. So everyone knows how many pianos? Is it one or two? Cause I'm worried we're gonna lose sight of the basement.

So everyone knows how many pianos are in that building. So everyone knows. Yeah. Oh boy. I can't wait. I'm excited guys. I'm excited to dig in here. Scott, that's a great idea actually.

Like tooling piano bars, you know, the standard is two, but what if there were three? Oh yeah, or if there's like, just like, you know, the standard is two, but what if there were three? Oh, yeah, or if there's like just like, you know dozens I mean, I'm just a broader brawl of civil war of what? What if everyone instead of a table is sitting at a piano? Yeah, I love that idea. Well, you mean like the guests are just that's what I thought. OK, I don't want to I don't want to spoil them here, but that's what I thought. Go ahead. Sitting there in the moment. Again, I've been there once.

I went there once just for this podcast, by the way. Everyone's aware. You can kind of set that up. Never, ever, ever go. I was. Like I had accepted this will never be a place that he's ever going to experience in his life. Yeah. And you guys did me a solid. So thank you guys.

You want to know my process on jelly rolls like this is years ago, years ago before I even know what the place was. So given my profession, I have to diet a lot. OK, so I, you know, I go to Disney World. I want like a nice treat. I walk on the boardwalk and I see a sign that says jelly rolls. Now I'm like, oh, it's probably a bakery that serves fantastic, delicious jelly rolls. It is not. It is not.

Spoiler alert, it's not that. They don't got that. I think that that just put a bad taste in your mouth from the beginning. I wanted a good taste in my mouth. I'm doing the. Give wanted a good taste in my mouth It's false advertising from the get-go By the way as we get into what it is, this is one of those things I am gonna require that somebody says the basics. Oh, I guess because I do Because I do think there's something to me where it is. I still don't know what's happening. Yeah, so Jelly Rolls is well was, I should say, because Jelly Rolls sadly has closed,

but it was a mainstay on the boardwalk over 30 years, 30 years, 30 years on the boardwalk. Disney's Boardwalk Hotel. That's the strip that has like the abracadabra, which we talk about a lot, which is a little magic themed bar. There's a now, what is it called? The Cake Bake Shop is on the Boardwalk. Yeah. And there's a-

That's good. That, we haven't been there yet. That's what it should, that's what Jelly Roll should have been. It should have just sold delicious. Wasn't Jason mad at that place because of prices? Sure. I understand that. I think a lot of people were.

Yeah. They did lower them at some point. They did lower some of the menu prices because there was such an uproar over the prices. I would spend $150 for one slice of cake, then sit there and let the Jelly Rolls experience happen to me again. He's so angry. So Jelly Rolls and Kaot, in case you haven't pieced it together and you don't know, was

a dueling piano bar in the style of a Howl at the Moon, if that helps, if that's a place that you know, more well than Jelly Rolls, but you would get, you would go up and you would tip and you would generally tip and write down a suggestion for a song and hopefully they would get to playing it on the piano. There were antics that also happened at Jelly Rolls. You know, there was somebody would bring a saxophone out, they would do little dances. It was pretty, it was a little more aggressive

than just a quiet like piano bar. So it would be more of a rowdy party like atmosphere, I would call it. An aggressive place that plays a lot of Muppet songs. Yeah. Aggressive is the word you would use. You will hear, you will hear an aggressive, I'll make a man out of you from Mulan.

She's an aggressive, look, yeah, it's about masculinity right out of you from Mulan. She's an aggressive. Look, it's about masculinity right there. So that's the kind of, yeah, they play a little bit of some toxic stuff a little bit. Right. Yes, that's true. I don't know. Have they ever played toxic by Britney Spears? I would hope so.

100%. 1000%. Obviously, they would play that. Have they ever done a deep dud like toxic? Toxic might be a little too obscure for Jelly Rolls, though. That's all I'm saying. It might be more. Well, I feel like, though, in the 30 years, that song had to be popular enough that somebody requested it in that time, right?

I would think so. You would have to. Yeah, they would have had to have at least tried it one night to see. But I will say this personally, I didn't know what this really was until like two years ago. And I think we talked about it on the show is that we were all hanging out at Abracadabra and I was just like looking and I think I maybe thought it was just a facade. I maybe thought that Jelly Rolls was just like, oh, that's just a fun.

Yeah, look, I'm admitting my ignorance. I didn't realize what it was. And we went in there and of course I lit up. I was so excited by it. And I brought everyone around. Scott, I believe did not go in that night. Almost everyone. In 2023. Well, I did because here's how it played out.

I think maybe I'd heard of it. And then we didn't go in. There's kind of like a, there's a little bit of a lobby area and a box office. And when I learned that the cover charge was $20 for me, and this is at the end of like a long, a very long Epcot day with a lot of walking and a lot of food and a lot of wine. So now at the end of the day, the premise is that I'm supposed to pay $20 in order to go listen to all of the most obvious songs in the world in a room that seems like it is made to hold 100 people and instead there are 900 people.

From the little lobby, I was stressed by the lobby. And then also knowing that mere steps away are the masterpiece hotels, the Swan and the Dolphin, where I could go and just walk and have some peace, have a moment to myself in the Michael Graves causeway there was just there was I mean Like I think if it had been free possibly maybe I would have popped in but when I heard that cover charge My jaw dropped like you're kidding. There's no way on earth That that that that was like an insurmountable hill for me in that moment and then later when we when we returned a few years

later Yeah, I you know, I said twenty dollars. Oh, that's a steal. I can I. Yeah, I felt. I felt like we I walked into like a time warp because it feels so 90s in there and it's like I'm traveling to a place that I never knew. I what do you think? There's a few 90s.

He was like sixties. Like fifties to me. No. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's the logo that feels so nineties to me. That's like, that's on the wall there. And I've talked on the show before.

I really never went to Pleasure Island and I'm nostalgic for a life not lived in Pleasure Island. I'm nostalgic for going to mannequins. I never did it, but like reading through the Facebook group of the Pleasure Island memories, I was like, oh, this would have been so much fun to do if I was a young adult again. But I feel like going to Jelly Rolls,

now look, I in general like singing songs loudly with people, even if they're the 20 songs that everybody knows. So, but I think there was an extra element of like, oh my God, I went into a time warp and I'm back in time in Disney World. And that also felt good for me as well. And yeah. So, hey, hey, you have to respect that. I mean, Johnny, you don't have to, Johnny, you have to respect that you I mean Johnny you don't have Feel free not to respect that

Yeah, I respect sure I respect all that sure obviously obviously you see the back of my background I definitely respect vented But my Uh, but my. Like your thoughts, my time could be vastly different and vastly different than yours. Uh, again, I made notes so I can tell you what the thought my first initial thought was when I walked in the building before I. Were you ready for that? Before I walked in the building, honestly, the first thing before we're walking in right into this again, set the stage for you.

Our son and his nanny are over at Hollywood Studios watching Phantasmag. So we do the smart thing towards the end where we're like, I'll go to Hollywood Studios. Phil can go into Hollywood, watch Phantasmag as much as he wants. Especially when there's show one and two. Yep, having a much better night.

We can walk from Hollywood over to Jelly Rolls. Yeah. So on this night, we we did the walk. It's a nice little journey. The walk. Nice walk. It's a great. It is a nice walk. Great. Now walk from Hollywood studios over to Jelly Rolls. As we're approaching Jelly Rolls, my first initial instinct is not. It's the smell. It has nothing to do with actual Jelly rolls right outside of jelly rolls i wrote

smells like poop i don't know what the opposite of a jelly roll this was the smell of a jelly roll i think they were just replanting stuff and it was a little moist out and so it just smelled like manure it smelled bad it so initially related that this is back of it. The backside. And he decided that horrible smell from is not coming from jelly rolls itself. Imagine how much different that was. It was a nice bakery. I'm just saying. Smell fantastic.

And there are other questions as well. Boardwalk other end of the boardwalk, they see entertainment district as they call it Don't put me in the headspace of okay. It smells like poop That can't help can I ask you a question just to just to back it up slightly here Yes, because it seems like where you guys are starting is that Candice has been trying to talk Johnny into doing this for a while What are you? Candice you're coming in with like are you like have you done this for a while. What are you, Candice, you're coming in with like, have you done this place a lot?

Are you a huge fan of Jelly Rolls? When I was living in California, there was a dueling piano bar that was in downtown Fullerton. And I was like, wow, this dueling piano bar is amazing. And I loved it. So we moved out here. I just never really like found the time to kind of make my way over to Jelly Rolls, but I knew of and was like dying to go.

So for my cousin's birthday a couple of years ago, we were with our, it was me and my cousin, her mom and my mom and our moms are sisters. And we're like, well, let's go over and check out Jelly Rolls because this seems like a perfect time to do this. Like our moms are here, they love music. This will be great.

It was amazing. It was like the funnest night. And since it was so close to my mom's birthday, my mom's like, she was a percussionist. So super into like music, but anytime we go anywhere, she's drumming on tables. She's picking up random things and using them as like instruments. So we'd written on the napkin that we would like, we requested that for my mom's

birthday, they let her play tambourine. Cause she just kept talking about like, Oh, I wish I could just have a tambourine. They let her go and play a tambourine. She did. Hey, she'd never heard that song in her life apparently unbeknownst to me. She killed it. So it was like the most perfect fun amazing night that you could possibly have at Jelly Rolls.

So my cousin and I went back like a few more times with Johnny would not go. Which complicates me being a frequenter especially with a kid now. So like I would have loved to. This is interesting. So and so Johnny's against you're against it from the the notion of it. You haven't even like gotten a taste of it. And Candice is saying it's an incredible one of the best nights she's ever had. What is your that was not enough to what were you fearing?

What was making you never want to try this? Uh, just the idea of it sounds like it's all. Yes. OK, but mind you, his own mother, if I took his mom, my mom would love. She would have loved it. That's one of my notes. My notes in my notes is my mom would love this. Not me. I mean, not you. No, no, no. Now, with some of that, is it that's's just like the general vibe, because you know the

vibe of a dueling piano bar. Is any of it like me, where you're like, I don't think I'm going to enjoy hearing the 20 most famous songs that exist? Is that a wall for you? Oh, no, like, honestly, I just think, I just don't get the point of it. Like, and I was there and I was sitting there and I was like, nothing's happening, like what's happening? Like nothing is happening.

Like- People are having so much fun. What do you mean nothing is happening? What is happening? Like what is happening? What? So many, everybody in that room is having so much fun. Except you. I wasn't having fun.

Who's just on your phone like, I hate this. It is so, it smells like poop. First note, first note, it smells like poop. First note, first note, smells like poop. Second note, too loud. Too loud. I know what you mean. Like I'll accept, I want music to be loud if I am at a concert that I am excited about. But if I am not particularly thrilled with what I'm experiencing, yeah, let's get that

volume. Look, I saw O-Count in the 90s. So I'm always down for a good concert. Whoa. Wow. In O-Town? Not in O-Town. Cleveland, Ohio. But Ohio. O-Town, yes. Yeah. Wow. How was Liquid Dreams that night? Fantastic. Did they play Liquid Dreams? Ashley Parker Angel absolutely killed it. All right. And Johnny knows what's up musically.

That's clear. He was there! Whoa, hold on now, different story. Did you consider writing O-Town on one of the slips with a 20? Like, did you see if they could play that? I ain't giving more money. That is fair, okay, a ten or five.

I have given my fair share of money to this cause. Yeah, listen, but it's it's for the talent. You can't tell me that the pianists aren't talented. You know, the pianists are talented. They are. So think about this like the second a song becomes popular. Yep. These guys have to learn this song immediately. Love it. Great. Immediately. Love it. Great. Immediately love it because it

is going to be requested like 1000 times. And they have to they have to play it. Look, here's where my here's where my head goes with all this stuff. Like, look, nothing's happening. Okay, we're sitting there. Everything is happening. If like you're going there like, okay, if you're going to Jelly Rolls, they're serving great food, and you're going to sit there and eat a nice meal. OK, I'll say. Eat a nice meal and eat some pepianos.

Sure. No food. They serve popcorn. Popcorn's flowing like water. Awesome. If you're going to get a fancy drink, nothing is happening in this scenario. You're sitting there.

You're just letting these two guys just let it happen to you, I guess. They're just playing this music. I kind of view this like I view this like almost in wrestling. Sometimes I like watching bad wrestling. So my head went to to make this thing even better. Like, take the guy, take the professionals out of it. Just let like two amateurs duel and like then we see who wins. Like, that's what I would just kept.

I would enjoy that. He just wanted to see random one person goes up, plays a song, fight it out in a piano duel. That's what I think dueling piano should be. Stranger to be a fighter. Some Roger Rabbit. I wish what Johnny Johnny, what's the last concert you saw? The music concert.

Has it been a while? I'm trying to think what that was. Is it like music concert? Just to clarify, there's no music concert. Well, it could be a different kind of concert. I think he's got a single concert since we've met. And we've been together for like 10 years. Yeah, I can remember.

It's been a while. Yeah, I honestly can't even remember the last concert I've been together for like 10 years. Yeah, I can't even remember. It's been a while. I honestly can't even remember the last concert I've been to. Do you ever stop it? Where's my headset there? I don't think he likes live music to be fair. I don't know that you even like. I feel like if you went to a concert, you would just be like, nothing's happening. It would be an epic band and you'd be like, nothing is happening.

Yeah, maybe. So this discredits you. No, there is gone. Is there a band you would like say they were playing nearby, Johnny? Like you would be like, I would like to see that. Like you would make a point to go see them. Is there any even if they're dead, even if the if it's the Beatles,

you could go say the Beatles. Any band? I mean, obviously, that would be cool if the Beatles were back alive. Limp Bizkit. They have been sure done Limp Bizkit at Jelly Rolls, right? I mean, yeah, I mean, they've had to play. They've barely played a role in at least once at Jelly Rolls. Yeah, they played a role in Jelly Rolls.

Would you be like, whoa? No, but. But like, this is an argument that Mike makes from time to time, which is they played a song you like, and I go, but it's two guys have never heard of playing the song I like. Yeah, that doesn't help me. That's not the version I like. That's there was no that does not help the argument to me. We were there.

I feel like. The Jelly Roll Gods were not on our side. I set a timer. He set a timer because the deal was that. I set a timer. I think we said originally, what was the time that it was like? 20, it was like 20, 30 minutes. 20, 30 minutes.

I stayed extra. He stayed extra. I stayed longer than that. Just to see, are we going to play a song that I actually know? Yeah, we did not. I wanted to request, let the bodies hit the floor by drowning pool. But that would be the only thing. If I was one song, I can go back in history.

Now I'm not getting any money, but I can if I can request one song, it'd be let the bodies hit the floor by drowning. I mean, do you think it might bring the room down? Do you think? No, it might be. I think it might. People would be like, one, nothing wrong with me. Yeah, nothing. Something's got to give.

That happened. Something's got to give. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe the bodies hit the floor. To my womb. I did. When I was pregnant. You know how they like to they say you should play music for children while they're in the womb, like against the belly or like, you know, it'll help their mind and stuff like that.

I played Let the Bodies of the Floor by Drowning Pool. Wow. Is that, Johnny, is that your favorite song of all time? It might be. It might be. I think if anyone asks me a song, that's always my go to song for any. Oh, OK. Any scenario. I think it works in any scenario. Wedding first dance.

I think we should let the body to the floor. Did you play that or did he? That was not your wedding. I don't think we did play at a wedding. No, I did. Weird Al for our first dance. Oh, we did. OK. Well, we're weird. Interesting. Yeah. We're not in love. I weird L? Which is interesting. Yeah.

Which song? If that isn't love, I don't know what love is. Can you remember what album it's off of? Yeah, it's a love song. It is. If that isn't love, then I don't know what love is. And it's an original L. Oh, one of the original Ls.

Okay. Wow, that is really, that original L, that's really a cool, weird- It's just a really cute song because it's a lot of like, Oh, if you ate eggs, I'd still, I can't even remember all the lyrics, but like, I hate eggs. He loves to eat them. I'd still kiss him after he ate some eggs. It's in the song. I was like, this is meant to be. Yeah, it sounds nice. We just didn't really take ourselves very seriously at our wedding. I guess.

I came out to a piano version of Shawn Michaels song, and she came out to the full, I guess, piano version of Macho Man song. Yeah. So that's where we were. And we're getting OK, we're getting into that as well for a second. Just as a quick aside. Uh, wedding entrances. Not not fun. Coming from the world of wrestling.

He got upset because he asked me, I said, I was going over. I was like, what do we have the wedding party walk down the aisle to? And we did a piano version of the WrestleMania theme. And then he was like, well, what am I walking down the aisle to? And I was like, I mean, you just go with the rest of the party. Like you go first, I think. And he was there. Grimsdon't get an entrance. Yeah, he didn't like that. I said, you maybe walk with the rest of the party. Like you go first, I think. And he was there. No.

Yeah, he didn't like that. I said, you maybe walk your mom down the aisle. He goes, no, I want my own entrance. Yeah, I should get an entrance too. It's my thing too. I'm trying to explain to the wedding planner. I'm like, so here's the thing is that not only does he require his own entrance, but he wants to go right before I come out. Yeah, it's the thing is that not only does he require his own entrance, but he wants

to go right before I come out. Yeah, it's our thing. I should. It complicates it when we're hiding each other. Like trying to hide me. So I have to like sprint down this long because we got married at the Grand Californian Hotel in Disneyland and in that little, you know, we're like the monorail kind of goes over in the courtyard by the Disney.

So that's where we got here. That's a great. And I had this like long hallway that I had to like sprint down just to like be there on time because he literally had to go right before me. His own entrance by himself. And then and then he had a gripe about it. Yeah. I mean, you think like, like again coming from the world of wrestling you do entrance and people like yeah, they're pumped up like No one makes any noise at a wedding like you just walk down to silence and it's like this kind of

You wanted people applauding my family friends. You think they would give me a little something You know what it made my wife I don't know. You know what? It made my wife uncomfortable as well. Like she started walking and it was like the quiet hush of like, oh, the bride is here. And she kind of hated it. And she said like, hey, what's up, everybody? And then that got a huge applause and then it lit the room.

And then it was like, oh, now we're cooking, which I found was one. I was like, oh, that's your personality coming through. She doesn't want to be like delicate. Maybe just gotta smarten them up next time be like please applaud It was a huge moment, I think I think this should change I think you guys are on to something about like helping the entry that said it does seem very Inconvenient for Candice do you have had to? I don't know how it had to become a whole

Being great before me was very inconvenient, but It just was inconvenient. Yeah, it was you being brave before me was very inconvenient, but we got there. We got it. Scott, Scott, what? What piano version of a wrestler's theme did Aaron walk down the aisle to? Undertaker or? Oh, that'd be good. We do. Well, the entire

the entire wedding was scored to the the Hulkster Rules album. We did. Oh, there you go. Every trend. Yeah. Right. First dance was to Hulkster in heaven. Right. There you go. American made was fantastic. So I want to check in real quick. Jason Sheridan has not done jelly rolls and he will. I hate to be.

I know. You'll never you'll never do it. It's over. It's over. It didn't happen. Oh, no. I'm going to say that. But what my family. Yeah. My family stayed at the boardwalk once or twice. But I was like a preteeth. And this is like one of the places at Disneyland, Disney World,

where there is like 21 and up. And it's very funny that they have that because right before this, I watched a clip and they were playing the Mickey Mouse Club theme. Also, but that's for the adults. That's for the child inside of all of us. That's true. Yeah. No, I get it. You can listen to children's music and essentially throw up while you're singing it

That has happened a lot there there's no way it hasn't 30 years how many throw ups? Okay, that's all we don't know the answer. How many times is someone thrown up at jelly rolls in 30 years? Once a night, yeah So it's about 200,000 pukes. 200,000. I said, I don't know. I mean, if not in Jelly Rolls, and when they go outside and smell the sewage,

they probably immediately right afterwards. Yeah. So Jason, though, do you feel, you don't have to feel sad. I'm not trying to make you feel sad. But what do you feel about never getting to do this? Yeah, I don't know. I think it probably would have been fun. We did go to hell at the moon the one time for the city walk saga. And yeah, it was kind of, I think we went on a Wednesday or Thursday and it was, I mean, an experience.

What a what a review. Hey, I had more fun than Jason that night. I was trying to get us all to dance and Jason was a hard no. I'm not. Yeah. Yeah, I do. Yeah, you're right. I forgot about the dancing. Yeah, you didn't want to go down there. Right. But we had the big we shared a big blue bucket. We shared a big blue bucket of we shared a big blue bucket and it

was like three or four dollar absolute vodka. So everyone's drinking doubles. And then we recorded at like one in the morning right afterwards. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, I it, I think it's impressive that like the not just one pianist, but two pianists can play like in tandem and like kind of complement each other or raise each other or something like that. Jason, I hate to cut you off. It doesn't sound like you're that distraught over going to jelly rolls. I well, you I said you're not a district. When when I was like 13, 14, I was like, oh, that's

that end of the boardwalk is for adults. And like, I don't know, I guess it's forbidden. Yeah. And it's forbidden. Yeah. And it's still off limits to you in some ways. It is, yeah. You haven't gotten over that. Yeah. Have you been in the dance hall?

No, I think anytime I tried to go, it wasn't open, but it seems a lot more open nowadays. That I believe is all ages, right? Or is that 21 and up? Did we have to show, we did pop in there last trip. Did we have to show an ID? I don't remember. I don't recall, yeah, that's another,

I guess if we're talking about, yeah, this district of the Boardwalk Hotel, there is Jelly Rolls and then right next to it is something called the Atlantic Dance Hall, which when we popped in was hoppin'. Kevin Tully, our pal and recent guest, he was excited to get me in there because, A, no cover charge, and B, he's like,

now this is like a locked in time I think you'll like, because there's sort of some like, you know, 90s by way of 40s and neon, and I was really digging it there. I think he was anticipating it would be weirdly empty, which I think it is a lot of the time, but in this case, like really hopping, I like a ton of people out there dancing to bye bye bye or whatever. We went up on the balcony where you've got a nice view of the Epcot Resorts. We actually met some listeners up there, had a good chat for a second. They asked, where's everybody else?

I said, well, Mike's here, but he's over at Jelly Rolls. Speaking of, and then you texted, and your text was, bad, badly, Roy Brown. And this has become a recurring thing in the several times that we've been, and I have either gone and then left immediately or just not gone at all. That some of like, you are trying to like, I don't know what you're trying, that's a question. What are you trying to do when you text me bad badly Roy Brown?

Because it's not making me jealous. It's doing the opposite of that. What is the intent when you send a text of that nature? Okay, let me analyze myself here. Or like later in the text, another one right after was, they're going ape for American pie. And these things just make me like, oh my god, I'm thrilled to be in any room other than that room. I think it depends. I think I know that you're probably not going to get thrilled by Bad Badly Roy Brown. And I think I'm sending that. But I do think I've also sent more sincere texts,

and I can't think of any off the top of my head of songs that I think you would like. I think those two in particular, I did find it funny. I think really when they start playing Bad Bad Leroy Brown or American Pie, I do think it amuses me how angry you would get. I think that is what it is. If he was just physically there, you're just like, oh, good.

I think I'm laughing at the idea of Badly Roy Brown coming on, and you're just being like, what? And you turn the table over. So I think I'm sharing it for that reason. It is an attempted rile up. Because this tradition kind of began because a couple years ago when a group ended up there, which was Kevin and Griffin Newman and Nate, Mr. Morrow,

and when I departed and did not join that group, then for the rest of the night, everyone was texting all of the songs that were being played. And this is a transcript, this was Griffin leading the charge on our text thread. Griffin, Scott, this place fucking rocks. Yeah.

Yeah. This may have been after a video of a cover of Love Shack, which was a, to me, in rewatching it this morning, a nightmarish cover of Love Shack, which was a, to me in rewatching it this morning, a nightmarish cover of Love Shack, but I guess Griffin felt differently. I texted back, I am thrilled with my choice. Thrilled, because at this point, I'm sitting by the water, staring at the Swan Hotel.

I just went and sat on the grass. Having a real moment of peace. It was amazing. And I'm getting these texts. What's that? You're like in nature. You're having a moment. Yeah, peace, it was amazing. I'm getting these texts. What's that? You're like in nature, you're having a moment. Yes, essentially. Well, nature combined with 80s architecture,

that's exactly where I want to be. That's part of it, you got to know what you want, as Johnny does, he doesn't want to. For sure. Then he keeps going, then Griffin switches to all caps. Scott, they're performing the Ken song now. The Barbie, I'm just Ken. And then what my response was, I have never been more confident in a decision.

Number one, this. Number two, marrying Aaron. I put my decision to not walk into Jelly Rolls ahead of my marriage. That is how sure I was I did not want to be listening to the Ken song. Well, now the Ken song was only a few months old at that point. So I bet that was a big hit.

You know? To Candice's point, they are keeping up with the time. I feel like they do. It's like they know eight songs from the last year. And then other than that, you're going back to pre-2003. That's kind of what seems like the set list here did anyone get a fancy like the the Applebee's Applebee's date night song I feel like that was a big

hit I feel like they would do that I don't I would be skeptical that they would have ever played that fit song fancy like that you and I are fans of and that Apple is used in a commercial Commercials was that it was that a stump on Johnny can't even second that I think I know what he's talking about Candice that's my role on the show That's the case. It's not going to play the jelly rolls. Candice, that's my role on the show. Jason's per episode stumping of everyone in the room. Walker, I shout.

This will help. It was a song performed by Walker Hayes. Oh, yeah. Yeah. OK, so now we're all clear on what it is. So we talked about this night that we had in 2023 on the show. And I feel like there were a handful of people reached out. Candice reached out to me at this point and was so incredibly

passionate about jelly rolls. Like you were like, Oh my God, I love jelly rolls. And then we basically right then and there were like, OK, well, we have to do an episode on jelly rolls eventually. And I think the thought was, Oh, we then we basically right then and there were like, okay, well, we have to do an episode on jelly rolls eventually. And I think the thought was, oh, we'll go there next time and make a thing of it. And then of course, in 2024, very early in 2025, I forget now. Oh yeah. It was, it felt like it was, I felt like they were goofing on us.

It happened after we were just like, we're, this is going to happen. We were so pumped. And then. Right. And they said, no, we're closing Jelly Rolls. Closer announced. Yeah. Closer announced. I think it might have been even early 2025.

So honestly, at that point, we were pretty sure we were going to go to Epic Universe after it opened, which now it's open. But it's going to be at the end of May at the earliest, but we'll be there. It seems like Jelly Rolls is not going to happen. And it did make me say we could still obviously we were going to still do an episode, but it felt like, OK, that's it's going to be a little bit

of the episode that's just not going to be as it's not going to be as satisfying because we didn't get to go one last time. And then it would lead to me never having done it. Right. God didn't because he never went in. Yeah. Yeah. But a miracle happened. A miracle happened. We were invited to a preview of Epic Universe. And yes, Epic Universe was really fun to go to see it

before it opens to the public. Getting to do that before the general public, we were so lucky to do it. We had an amazing Disney World Day in general, where just because of the kindness of someone, we were able to do a lot of rides, skipping the lines. That was amazing. But I was really, really excited

to one last time go to Jelly Rolls. It felt like, oh my God, this is gonna be the perfect trip. Every day is packed with something super fun and satisfying. And then just by happenstance, a friend of mine from a long time ago was in Disney World with her family. And she used to work at Disney World

during the college intern program. And she was like, I have to go to Jelly Rolls one last time. So I ended up on a three and a half day trip going to Jelly Rolls two out of the three days, which was unbelievable. So I got two nights. It's a men's amount of a short trip real estate to spend in that. Johnny, what do you, I got to get your reaction to that. Yeah, please. Johnny, let me have it. Let me have it, Johnny.

Be kind. be kind. No, no. So you went to Epic Universe, fantastic, new experience, amazing rides, all up-to-date technology, just so futuristic, and then you cap it off by going to quite possibly the worst place you can go to. What's the worst place you can go to? The worst place you can go to. Worst place you can go to. You like ended the sentence.

I'm going. That was the end of that sentence. No qualifiers. While I was there, I was thinking about what would I rather be doing right now other than this? And the first thing that popped into my head, because we went on that walk that Scott was talking about, of sitting outside looking at the dolphin, looking at the water I Thought you know what would be better than this

Sitting by that water and one of those alligators just coming out and trying to attack me That would be better than what I'm doing right now Yeah, and let and perhaps less annoying than that particular Love Shack cover. Yes, yes, yes. So, so. What do you think's better? You think Monsters Unchained or Jelly Roll?

I'm giving you options here. Hang on, hang on. We didn't, Monsters Unchained was down when we were there. Oh, you didn't do it? Oh, okay, well. No. It's unfair, how dare you. Which Jelly Rollained was down when we were there. Oh, you didn't do it. Oh, OK. Well, no. How dare you? Which Jelly Rolls was down. Where's that one?

It is down forever. It is down. It's down. Yeah, it's down. It's down. We're not like old Yeller. What it's out of. I they've been dropping like flies lately. The Mama Melrose closed one of my family's favorites. Jelly Rolls closed, do you know?

Yeah, there's a lot of places. All the greats. You're not gonna wanna talk to me about this, cause I'm very much so IP guy. Yeah, this is where- Put some IP in there, put some IP in Jelly Rolls. Oh, do you have any ideas, Johnny? Sorry.

He thinks that anything that's like outdated should just be demolished. Plus it up. No, you's like outdated should just be demolished. What's it up? No, you think that this should be gone. You just know. Plus it up. OK. Repurpose it. Plus it up. You're not the first. You're a former. We're watching you.

You haven't announced anything, right? There was a rumor that they're going to be the rumor that there's like a jazz club going in there. Oh, that's more. I don't like that either. Oh, stop. I my music so much. Stop hating my music. I like jazz and I'm worried about that. The initial concept of a bakery.

But there's the cake bake shop. So what? You can never have enough bakeries. So they're dueling bakeries now. You went from dueling Canada bar to dueling bakery. People are upset that the Muppets are leaving. How about this? Oh, leaving. How about this? Oh God.

How about this? Swedish chef, put him in there. Oh my God. But is he making, he's making jelly rolls. Unbranded jelly rolls. It's not a music place, he just makes sweets. Yeah, Swedish chef. He just wants more food.

How about, what if this, Johnny, can I pitch you an idea? What if it's a dueling piano bar, but all they do is play songs from like the 1995 Mortal Kombat soundtrack. OK, I mean, I'm I'm I'm warming up to that idea. OK. If it's if it would be like a specific genre of song, maybe. I don't know that you're into more of the Mortal Kombat soundtrack. I'm just saying, like like the power or the Power Rangers, the first Power Rangers movie. Yeah, that's great.

So you're speaking my language now. What if the Muppets are playing the piano? Oh, the Muppets, oh, hold on. If the Muppets are playing the piano, I mean, that might be different. If you get actual Muppets to play a piano, I mean, I'd be like, look, just put some IP in there, like I said.

And give him some jelly rolls. If you can, if you wanted to keep the dueling piano concept, just make some IP people. Right. Well, doctor, they should. OK, yeah, they should. Who would you want to see play piano in a dueling piano bar IP based? Oh, OK, well, I question. Right. OK, so what famous fictional characters play piano? Obviously, you're saying Dr.

Teeth from Yeah. Yes. Electric Mayhem plays piano. But like, what's a famous, I'm trying to think. I want the guy from Soul versus. Oh, Joe Gardner. Joe Gardner. Yeah, Joe Gardner versus Ryan Gosling, La La Land. I forget if he plays piano.

Done, put Joe Gardner in there, done. Great, great. That was good. What if he, though, plays Don't Stop Believing and Living on a Prayer? Would that be still good? Like, if he plays the same song? Is Joel Gardner playing it? Yeah, Joel Gardner's playing it.

He'll bring it to the... He'll do a new... He'll find new... Yeah, yeah. He can play whatever he wants, but Joel Gardner's in there. You can call him Joel for sure. His name's Joel? Well, he's got a brother, Joel Gardner.

Joel Gardner. Joel and Joel Gardner. No, it's dueling. Dueling piano. You's got a brother, Joel Gardner. Joe and Joel Gardner. No, it's dueling. Dueling piano. You get Joe and you get Joel Gardner. And they're dueling against each other. I am glad someone had the name because I'm sitting here going,

like, what is that guy? That character is a very normal name and I cannot think of it. And so I'm glad someone got it. I would love for them to like lean in. My family has a lot of connections to Atlantic City. My grandfather grew up in Atlantic City. A lot of my dad's family live down there. My mom's parents honeymooned in Atlantic City when he was on leave from World War II.

So I say make it like a full, like, you know, bootlegger speakeasy. But yeah. But add Joe Gardner. Add Joe Gardner. And they play, they play Fancy Like. They can play the Casher remix to, you know, switch it up.

Jason's favorite song is this fancy like by Walker Hayes. I just want to know one song from this one Applebee's ad is the go to for from twenty twenty two. It's three years old. It's three years old. But I'm telling you, that would bring the house down if there were dueling pianists dueling no one as pianists playing

Fancy like yeah Sorry, the problem is when I like fancy like that's the problem Yeah for me apparently and I be They play be they played why should I worry when we were there that Saturday night? And I don't know that anyone there knew what it was. I'm not sure that Fancy Like is going to light up the audience. I'm just a reality check. Sorry. I admittedly would have freaked out if they played Why Should I Worry. You could have requested it. Maybe they would have known.

That's true. Yeah. If you were there, you could have requested it. Maybe they would have known. That's true. Yeah. There you could have requested it. Do they know the dear Rattigan song from the great mouse detective? Oh, I think I know that. I don't think I knew the other there was a song. Jason, Jason, would you sing a little bit of it for us? They I I can only remember like dear Rattigan, dear Rattigan. Oh, so it's like one of those like. It's a drinking song.

Yeah. All the little mice are drinking to the Vincent Price villain. Hmm. Well, that yeah, that would be I. First of all, I don't think anybody in that room would have known that song. I like I don't. I would have known it. I'm just like they would have taken it right off the setlist after one play, I think. Because it wouldn't have gotten a huge crowd. I always wonder too, because when we were there, there was, we're kind of like watching all the napkins like go up on the table. And I'm like trying to understand because there's two sides.

Like if there was a napkin, they'd get, they'd like wad it up, throw it to the other guy the other guy to open it and I'm just like who's deciding the setlist because there were so many moving parts on like the napkins on the on top of the pianos and like each side had a list of them and I'm like how do they how do they make their playlist while they're going and then there's they do a switch at one yeah you kept typing up this switch well I want to say that too she kept hyping up like what do they switch every time I've been there they've done a switch at one. Yeah, you kept typing up this switch. Well, I want to say that too She kept hyping up like switch every time I've been there they've done a switch and it's been like a boy band song or like a Rhapsody or be bohemian rhapsody. So you're like getting these like songs that are like hit every party that you ever go to like

That did not happen on the night that we know every party that you ever go to, like. That did not happen on the night that we were there. And in fact, they didn't even actually switch, which they usually do. So like, I just feel like Jelly Rolls really did me dirty on this. Or Jelly Rolls showed what it really is. No, because I was three different times, three different times prior to that, that were like very closely before that that were like great performers are great crowd not great but still a good night then phenomenal and then like that night

happened I didn't I did write in my notes that I felt like some of these people's personalities in like real life is talking about like this is their whole personality is coming to this place and I don't I'm worried about where they're gonna go now in the future like what life is talking about the like this is their whole personality is coming to this place. And I don't I'm worried about where they're going to go now in the future. Like what this means to their life. Not that you're talking to one of them. One of them is in a box in this window we're doing right now. That's what I like.

This whole thing went from Mike to it's like, yeah, I feel like you found yourself there. I feel like it's like in a matter of two nights. Yeah, the first one, you know, you're in a half ago really set it up and by the end of those two It was like this. You know what? I realized it's your pink pony club Yeah, you like this was your like where you discovered yourself a place where you can be who you are That's true. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmmhmm and Mike said they played that Club I'm gonna keep on singing at the dual piano club pointing at songs I've heard of down in Walt Disney World. I'm going to keep. I'm a Jelly Rolls boy singing rap songs without the N words.

Ah, whatever. Let me let me ask a question. I think I know the answer. Did they play Power line when everyone went? No, when you were. I would have loved it. I would have been great if they made it not play it while I was there. It is it is a frequent that they like to play.

But yeah, well, do they do? I just do they do. Do they do both of the power lines or just eye to eye? I'm trying to think of it for both or if it was just. But how's the other power line? Stand out and stand out. Stand out. Yeah. Stand out a very underrated song. Yeah, it is.

Power line deep cut. Yeah, there's only two. Yeah, there's the hit and then there's the deep cut. Yeah, yeah. So you know what and then there's the deep hit. I default. Yeah, yeah. So you know what we should, in terms of weaving this tale, I think something that we haven't like officially laid out is that, okay, so Mike goes, you get to go, your plan was that

there was going to be one with Candace, but you ended up getting a bonus one the night before. You did not change your plans. No. I'm going to go back. I'm going to keep on dancing at the Jelly Rolls Club That's right the next night and the whole day there's the discussion of am I doing it or not now the biggest thing Luring me into doing it

I was I was very charmed and honored that Candice was interested in getting me in there and I think there was even the offer of the cover being taken care of Oh, yeah, I believe Mike ended up doing it unless I'm confused about the because this was admittedly, I was like, I can't I will not. That is not worth it to me. That is an awkward. Can we all agree that is an awkward amount of money? That that's a strange.

I will say I will say that Johnny and my last time going was the first discovery for me that pass holders got a discount So we did not pay the full $22. We did get a discount. How much of a discount? I can't it was like I can't even remember Why is it $22? I don't know the Taylor Swift thing maybe Inflation maybe it used to be You're definitely you're definitely paying Disney World tax at the show. Like, sure, because I don't know any other place like this is going to charge that much of a cover. It just seems odd for like a weird amount of money for a concert that does not have

name performers. You know what I mean? But people pay it. That room was so much better. It was absolutely it was absolutely back, which is the thing that turned me off about it for sure. But I was really happy that you wanted to get me in there and I wanted to prove that I could do it for more than 20 minutes. You said three songs.

Oh, that's right. Yes. Three songs. I declared three and I made it past the three and I was proud that I made it past the three. And also I want to say thank you for The jello shots. I think that was that was a spirit lifter Across the board I bet that made me alright. I'll stick around a little I literally I went to the bar and I was like, I didn't even know these still existed places. I'm good

I Think over ten years since my last jello shot. I felt like I met confession. It fell. Priest room. Jello shots just that also, I think maybe part of it. And that really was the perfect choice because I do. This does feel like I'm in college, too. It does feel like I went to college in normal Illinois.

And it's not that they had a dueling piano bar, but definitely we went to like a bunch of places where like Jello shots were heavily advertised. It's not something you're generally getting anymore when you're in your 30s and 40s So much so so much so that we all looked at them and went Oh, does anybody remember how to take these? Yes, it was really It was really awkward. Only my sister-in-law knew. We all were like, wait.

She's very nice. I like meeting her. Yeah, I was like, because it comes in the little immediately disintegrating little tiny cup. And I guess I just mush it. And I didn't get it at all. I did not. It kind of defeated me.

I definitely did not shoot the entire thing. You have to like. You kind of just me. I definitely did not shoot the entire thing. You have to just like pinch the bottom and like, if you ever seen a dog make out with it. Yes, I got very lippy for sure. If you've ever seen a dog eat like a frosty paw, which is like a little ice cream cup for dogs, where they have to like their tongue goes around and they're really trying to get all the pieces. That's what it feels like trying to get all the jello out of that thing.

Um, but like a, like a pop cup or a with peanut butter in it. Yes, it definitely felt like we were having a Kong with peanut butter in it. A big rubber Kong and trying to get all the last. Yeah. Yeah. So it was definitely like, I was honestly, the whole day I was like, it was a process getting you to go, I even, like Scott.

I was like, it was really, really, you know, like, I like, I'm like every, I didn't do this, like, it wasn't so well-timed, but I was like, oh, every 45 minutes or every hour and 45 minutes, I'll bring up, you know, we should probably go. I'm like, I think like, Oh, every 45 minutes or every hour, 45 minutes, I'll bring up, you know, you should. We should probably go. I'm like, I think like casually like his demeanor. Is this a good time? Should I bring it up now? Right. We went out of the garage.

He's happy. Hungry. I see them. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I would have to. I could really go for some popcorn right now. Oh, you know, you know, oh, you know, it has. Oh, Jelly Rolls has good popcorn, actually, if you're feeling hungry. I'm really in the mood for free popcorn and some shoe leather

reporting, like really getting on the ground, like Christian Amapour kind of reporting. Yeah, I was hitting from all the different angles I was trying to make sure. And then you. And yeah, I was trying. I was hitting from all the different angles. I was trying to make sure. And then you did get this guy. Scott was he got a musical high that day because he saw one of his guys, one of it at Epcot.

It was the second singer of Chicago, the Jason Schiff, who replaced Peter Satera in the band. So, yeah, I got enough. I got a bunch of songs that I'm very fond of, which kind of cushioned the blow of Jelly Rolls, I would say. I mean, by the time,

once Jello Shots entered the picture, and then it's just like, okay, well now it's like, now it's a bar and we're hanging and we're talking and we can sort of ignore the show. We didn't get seats, which was actually good for me, because I'm like, I'd rather mill around the corner. If you get a table, now you're stuck in there. Now you're committed to it's like literally hard.

It definitely happened to us right after you left. Yeah, we sat at a table. Yeah. Oh, you did. OK. Yeah. Wow. So you you got out of there while you were safe. Yeah, yeah. Yes. Well, I like it. Rome free. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. The crowdedness does.

That is definitely a turn off. It was. Doesn't it seem insane? Like that is too many people. I can't believe the demand for this. But if that's what they were doing for 30 years, I don't really understand why it's going away. It's so hot and it was so hot in there.

And I like didn't sweat. I wasn't sweating at all the whole weekend. And I felt like I was in a zone that was 105 degrees while we were by the, but like once we sat at the table, it was better. But I was like, oh my God, I'm not really a big sweater in general. But I was like, whatever, whatever's going on,

I guess it's just the human bodies in there. And they were not, like the air was not working or it was not blasting anywhere near cold enough. The night before it was not as crowded, so it was not as bad. And we were standing over in the same exact area, which is like to the left. But yeah, it was crazy hot. And it's not my ideal way to experience jelly rolls. You also can tell me, because we went right when it opened-ish.

So that was the thing, that also didn't help us. We went very, like, it was what, the last week of operation. We had to go early because we told our son that we would make it in time for Phantasmic 2. Because he went to see Phantasmic 1 without us, and we said we'd be back for phantasmac 2. So, because I was convinced once that like timer went off, he was gonna be like, all right, let's go.

So I was like, I let it right out. I let it right out. But because we got there so early, it was like, I think the doors open at like seven and then they don't even start performing until eight. So when we got there, it was still like maybe a half hour into them even playing anything. And there are a lot like the crowd was a lot like I don't even know how to put like they were like usually when you're in there the age ranges all over the place. The average age was about 65. I see in the room about 65 was the average age for people in there. I think what kind of did us in with some of the musical choices

was that they were appeasing like the. Sure. Yeah. So like. Oh, what did it? What what what pushed Johnny's buttons? That's what I'm curious of. I want to know what songs were propelled. Well, I can't. I don't even know what I didn't even know what songs they were like. They were playing songs I've never heard before in my entire life.

There's like they were making up music. Well, I was saying that they did play for the young. So they played the feeling 22 or 20, whatever that feeling 22 song. The Taylor Swift. That was our first song. OK, because it was someone's some birthday. She was turning 20 something. So they played the Taylor Swift song. Yeah. Again, I just want to say for the record, if you're 20 something

and you're spending your birthday at Jelly Rolls, then you got to reassess what you're doing with your life. But it's still early enough. You can change. You're really. I have jello shots that feels very 22. Sure, sure. And other than that, like, I don't I can't name another song. I mean, they play like the usual like Brown Eyed Girl and. Did they play that one? Yeah, they did.

OK, there you go. They played Brown Eyed Girl. Sweet Caroline. Yeah, that's in the road. And Brown Eyed Girl. Sweet Caroline. Yeah, that's in the road. They didn't do the Sweet Caroline. That's never going to help me. Can I say something that maybe illustrates where I'm at with the in terms of like and maybe this maybe this is some listeners will hear this and go, well, they did play Brown Eyed Girl because I have it in my notes.

Brown Eyed Girl got people excited for seven seconds. OK. Like they started and settled. We don't actually want to hear the verses. Make sure everyone knows that. Oh god. This might be one of these things, this might illustrate like like I don't what I'm about to say this might not be a good thing this might be maybe I would have more joy in my life if I was the kind of person who liked what I'm about to describe but I have to admit that in something like this, in like in an arena, at a karaoke bar, wherever it is, when I am somewhere and Sweet Caroline plays and everybody does the thing, so good, so good, so good, I feel so bad,

so bad, so annoyed. I don't, it's one of those, I'm like on the outside of humanity. I'm looking at people and I'm like, I don't know why everyone likes yelling so good in that part of the song. Mike, can you explain what's good about that or why it's fun? Why should I be having fun with so good, so good, so good?

I am not, I will admit to you. And it's not that I'm, here's the situation. It's not that I totally disagree with the take that I've heard all these songs a hundred, like thousand times and that the Sweet Caroline, So Good Stuff, which I don't even know where it came from. I don't like love that. I don't, I'm not, I don't love saying So Good.

There's other songs where like, like I'm much more on board with it, don't stop believing, sing along, even though I've heard a million times and I am with So good, so good, so good But are people if you like yelling so good so good is that one of life's great joy? Is it like orgasming am I missing out on like one of the finest? You just try it so I know from experience

I know I performed it but so like sweet Caroline is like a famous like Boston Red Sox sort of like thing. Right. So they do that. Boston Red Sox team. So we had an NXT live event. You were on this one. We had an NXT live event in Boston. And one of the performers, he's from Boston. His name was Oni Lorcan.

And like we're like, we need to send the people home happy tonight. We need to end the show on a great note. All the good guys are going to do something at the end, vanquish the bad guys, and we're all going to send the people home happy. What can we do? They're like, oh, you want to perform Sweet Caroline? And I was like, sure, we can try it.

So the whole show, the babyface who's from Boston, Oni Lorkin, was on his phone learning the lyrics to Sweet Caroline. So we're like, oh, it's a big Boston thing, they're gonna love it. We vanquish the bad guys. Oni Lorcan grabs the microphone, he's like, there's only one way to end this show. The song starts playing, he immediately forgets the lyrics.

People start booing. People are immediately very upset. He's standing there like forgot the lyrics. He was practicing all night. And yeah, so having been on the end of kind of performing in the ring, sweet Caroline, what did you do while this is happening? I just laughed at him. You're bad.

Wow. Why didn't you just tell somebody that he didn't know? Blew it. Good. Good. Good. You're bad. Wow. Why didn't you just tell us somebody that you didn't know? Yeah, he just blew it. He blew it. Yeah. Wow. Jeez.

So, that's what I like to see. I'd love to see a giant thumbled Sweet Caroline. That's good. Yeah. So, Sweet Caroline's So Good, So Good is similar to the salt part of Margaritaville. It is. The Jimmy Buffett song.

Yes. And I don't even like, cause like, I don't, I love the song Margaritaville, the Jim Buffett song. And I don't even like, because like, I love the song Margaritaville, but I don't necessarily, I don't get so excited to yell, salt, salt, salt. But in the right context, with a bunch of people who are excited, I think this is maybe the difference,

is that I like being in a crowd of excited people, and sometimes it doesn't necessarily matter what it is. I can chuckle to myself that they're very excited. Maybe like that, oh, that's funny that they like wanna like live in on a prayer. Like they've never heard this before. This is so exciting. But once that goes away, I go,

well, now we're all part of this. Now I'm living on a prayer as well. I'm with them. We're all one. We're a church. We're a church. We're a team. It's a communal experience. It's a communal experience, as they would say. So yes, when I hear Bad Bad Leroy Brown,

which is not, I mean, I guess at this point, I feel like I heard it a million times growing up on the Oldies station. I don't hear it quite as much anymore. It's not my favorite song in the world, but I do. Like it does, I kind of chuckle at it a little bit because it's like one of the 20 songs you would hear on Oldies 104.3 growing up in the world. But I do like it does. I kind of chuckle at it a little bit because it's like one of the 20 songs you would hear on oldies 104.3 growing up in the Chicago area. But that's maybe that's maybe the difference. So I I agree with you that I don't like to necessarily sing the Sweet Caroline part, but then I can get on board.

I can get on board after a few seconds. The group that the magic of a crowd just can sweep you up and pull you in. You just want to be part of a happening. I want to be part of the crowd, whether it's at Jelly Rolls, whether it's at Paul H. You want to be a part of the crowd. You don't want to stand out.

Yeah, that's for now. I don't like to be in the fold. I'm trying. If they announce't like to be in the cold. I'm trying. If they announce, like whether it's the song or whether it's like them announcing the blade, the new blade at Hall H, I want to be excited with everybody. You know? Yeah, I get that.

That's a good way to put it. I get it. Even though intellectually, I'm like, these Marvel, some of these Marvel movies aren't going to come out. Most of them will be B minuses, but like, hey, somebody came out and put a hat on. He's wearing a black widow hat. Wow. Like I got so excited at 2019. Shares, shares.

And here's what I will say this. I was kind of shocked that once, you know, we went to Jelly Rolls and I started mentioning Jelly Rolls to people, the love for Jelly Rolls is so common. Like, I was not aware that it was such a thing. Like, there are so many people I've texted, and when I say so many people, I just mean of people I text with

that have fond memories of Jelly Rolls. Somebody I know went to a wedding at jelly rolls. Like, had a wedding. Wait, how does that happen? I think maybe the ceremony itself was at the dance hall, but then like the reception was at jelly rolls. Wow. Did they like rake it out?

Or did they just like all just go there and get it? I believe so. Oh, okay. So I had an idea yesterday and there wasn't enough time to put this together but I am hopeful that this will be, I will just stick this at the end of this episode, is that I'm gathering people's memories of Jelly Rolls

and I will collect them and place them under a bed of music. I was shocked to learn that my friend Noel from high school and junior high was like, oh, yeah, we went there. And then she was like, my mom loves jelly rolls. She's usually the one that tries to get us to go there when we're on vacation. And there's new jelly rolls fans we've talked about. I just thought and then Mike Mitch, a friend of the show, Mike Mitchell loves jelly rolls and he goes, they played Lionel Richie's all night long. And it was awesome like he has

Memories I'm kind of shocked by that one He's he said he had it he just he just really liked jelly rolls and that was his one Memory is that they played that song specifically and I have like I'm talking to like seven There's I'm texting like seven different people who all have jelly rolls memory seven different people who all have Jelly Rolls memories. So I was like shocked that this was even such a thing. Like I really was surprised. Cause even going once, I wasn't expecting,

I was expecting most people not to even know this was here, but apparently everyone knew it was here and they were having a ball. In 2023, Esquire Magazine named Jelly Rolls one of the best bars in America. No, that didn't happen. Huh? There's no way that's real.

I got the link right here. I got the link right here. How can that be true? What else is on the list? That sounds real to me. I was skeptical, I was skeptical, but I went on the Jelly Rolls website and they were touting it and I went, is that true? And I looked and I found the Esquire article and they have just different bars

in different towns that they really liked. And there's a paragraph here. It says, here's a dubious proclamation. The single best night I've spent in a bar since the start of the pandemic was at a spot called Jelly Rolls located squarely inside Disney World. It's a proper real boy joint to get a drink in after, I don't know, it's Michael Theodore Mouse Week. There's some flourishes in here.

Real boy? Real boy? There's some flourishes in here. That sounds like a British affectation. It's a Pinocchio reference. Yeah, no wonder I don't like this. If it's a place for real boys, it's a real boys It's a great real boy a real boy I'm gonna go for boys

This is a pitts peppered with Disney references this paragraph But it says you can hear a man who could be Billy Joel's doppelganger sing the bare necessities And you hear that man just go ahead and sing piano man as if he wrote it So this person had a fantastic time that person was you really? wrote it. So this person had a fantastic time. That person was moved. And you really, right. And this is best night in a bar since the start of the pandemic, 2023. So that's a couple of years. So I was blown away by how much love Jelly Rolls has accumulated over its 30 years. And there's more, but yes, I was just, so hopefully unless

this is all cut out and you won't hear this listener, there will be a fond, maybe 10 minutes plus long Jelly Rolls memory segment to hear just, send this place off in style, yeah. I mean, that's remarkable. I discovered this was happening because I texted Kevin Tully. I was curious if he had any memories that I'd forgotten and he said well, I'm preparing a voice memo for a

Collage that Mike is doing. Oh really? So I don't want to step on anything He's gonna say if we hear him later But but he did text this while we were recording and I feel like I have to say it I will say I have only known Mike for a couple years But I've never seen him more emotive and happy than in jelly rolls Person in there Mad tea party episode We did a mad tea party

That's another thing. I'm as well. We've been debating about that for years. We haven't done Electronica. Because I feel like they're the same, but also not the same. Very different vibes. Yeah. Yeah, I never did Electronica for some reason. Maybe Jason, Jason brought the idea up of bringing Electronica back when the Leto Tron comes out,

which I think is a great idea. I don't know that they'll do it, but it would be a- You know, there is that stage, well, I guess they won't have the bar, but there is a stage here in Orlando in Tomorrowland where they just pop the band over there. Yeah, sure. Our dog is trying to break into this room.

That's okay. He wants to do the bop b bop, bop part of Sweet Caroline. Rough, rough, rough, bark, bark, bark. This is another thing. I wonder if is a big barrier to me connecting with more people on the planet Earth that I don't have strong feelings about Billy Joel. Would everything change for me if one day I wake up and Piano Man hits me? Am I just a different man? Do I suddenly I'm one with all of humanity and

every person I see we exchange warm smiles? I think it's a thing that's holding me back and has for nearly 40 years. There is no place I more enjoy Billy Joel than Jelly Rolls. I'm not listening to a lot of Billy Joel during the day during my life, but at Jelly Rolls, I enjoy hearing it. Now, did anyone look up what the first and last song they ever played at Jelly Rolls was? No, did someone keep a note of it? They sure did.

Oh, boy. Did they come full circle and play the same first and the same last? They sure did. My Life by Billy Joel. So... Yeah. So, again, the play's closed, but like I didn't see.

I saw no footprint online. I saw no like if again, you were talking about all these people that love jelly rolls. OK, all of that. I think there was nothing. But OK, but would you say it was harder to find people who love jelly rolls or was it harder to find people who hate jelly rolls? Like when Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy

That was all because like the internet was just showing you what you wanted to see you don't go to jelly rolls The algorithm was not your algorithm was full of the yellow. Yes. Yes My algorithm and my inbox with Mike over here we were Yes, yes, my algorithm and my inbox with Mike over here. We were in an uproar. You're not Johnny. Maybe you're not on Disney dining dot com because they had a nice. Oh, well, you must not be. You didn't see it.

I mean, is it because I think your algorithm not. Disney dining covered this. Oh, my goodness. Disney dining dot com. You know, they serve. So it's in there. Uh, right. They have to as journalists. What are you dining at?

They have popcorn. Popcorn. Popcorn. Popcorn. Jello. Jello shot kind of a food. Maraschino cherries. They cover the general beat as well of Orlando. I will say that like food and drink. Or at least drinks in this place.

Not not the best. I think they could have done better. So it's one of the best bars in America, but the drinks aren't so good. Listen, but that's not what it's about. Here's the thing. It's great for the college age girls who are like,

give me all the sugar in the world. But some of us don't want all the sugar. So we're not for the post or for the north of 40 year old men who are like, give me all the sugar in the world. But some of us don't want all the sugar. So we're not for the post or for the north of 40 year old men who are like, give me all the sugar in the world. There was like all the sugar. Yeah. Beer and all the sugar. So for those of us that would prefer just like straight whiskey, this was not the place for us.

Yeah. Yeah. Straight. I mean, they had like a well whiskey or something there. I mean, I would argue if I was making a decision, I would say like, if they said, Mike, should we make the drinks better at Jelly Rolls? They would have said no, that would ruin the vibe. Oh, OK. That's not the vibe. That's fair. It's shitty college town. Vibes in there.

I think that's just an excuse you're making. No. Johnny, come back every episode. I feel like you're. There's a lot of episodes that we could do or we might be very combative. Mike and Ken is are both just making excuses after excuses for jelly rolls. Like when we were making valid point when we were like, yeah, look, the music's supposed to be bad. The drinks are supposed to be bad.

But wait, nobody, neither one of us ever said the music's supposed to be bad. The drinks are supposed to be bad. Wait, wait, wait, wait,. We need a different switch. This switch did me dirty. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. You can get a good night where they do hit like six songs in a row or something that you like, and it will take you. It'll take you from like an A minus experience to an A plus. So like it can change. Depending on. A minus is the floor.

A minus is the floor. That's as low as it's ever gone That's the jelly rolls never went below a mine right and I think like Scott when you left I was not the greatest stretch When we were sitting Candice when we're seeing you see this Johnny just randomly when you were there wasn't the best randomly when I was there It wasn't the best We must be the problem. Yeah, it was better Because I wrote down some of the set that I got to experience and just like would you rate

Maybe can you maybe understand why I was not particularly drawn in? We got four seasons. Oh, what a night we got lose yourself we got a gold digger with a certain word not used by the white male piano performers. And the entire audience all like consciously singing along, but making sure to say broke twice instead of saying another thing. And then I think, and then you got, this seemed like a kind of a tradition

for them because there was like a there were props involved. There was a puppet involved because it was man. I didn't get no puppet. So. OK. I mean, I respect, I guess, the production value of that a puppet came out. But yeah, man or Muppet from from the Jason's way up. We got that. We got a Muppet song. Yeah. But maybe the even bring a puppet for me. You really got the shit out of the deal, Johnny.

They phoned it in. They phoned it in. Maybe the right musician wasn't there. You needed to be there for at least three hours. Yeah. I just think we were there too soon after it opened. Oh, I thought it was saving. They were too fresh. But you can't stay 20 minutes when you get there. Like they just started playing and people are barely coming in.

It's all your whatever you said, the age range. Yeah, like 65 and one twenty two year old. I don't let up. Let the piano people cook. And at that heat level, the 65 year olds are definitely cooking. But Mike how do you fit that set list? Can you understand why that group of songs and how do you put that like or would you are you not gonna tell me well no that wasn't the best and as soon as you left it became very good with Bad Bad Leroy Brown?

Well Bad Bad Leroy Brown is better than L is better than lose yourself. Now lose yourself was going around, especially those weeks. I don't know why there was somebody performing lose yourself at Disney Springs. I feel like somebody posted a video of a different performer doing losers. I don't know why lose yourself was so big. Maybe that's just been a big song for decades. Um, uh, I, I feel like lose yourself just doesn't get me in a groove. I mean, Oh What A Night is like, I can enjoy it. Oh What A Night is like fun and upbeat.

Lose Yourself is a little too, I don't know, intense for the... For the... For the... For the... Yeah, it's just too edgy. That's the... I was scared of it, honestly. I was scared of it, honestly.

I gotta get out of here. This is this is an uncomfortable place now. Yeah So it's not my it was not my favorite. I do think that setlist the night before was was was better What would they play the night before Michael? Well, that was the chapel rhone That was the Mulan song and then they I did I did get their like greatest hits stretch I think I was there a little later because we were doing epic. See, I would have stayed later that Saturday night when we were there, but we were doing epic

that Sunday morning and I was trying to be responsible. So I think I kept saying to Candice, I think I kept saying, all right, I gotta go out on a big song, one more song. And I think it happened four times. And I kept- Well, because they kept playing a better song, a cooler song after the good song. And then you're like, you got to go out on like a good song.

Yeah. You never what your last song was there? Well, I had a really good last song, but then I went back with you and then I was like, oh, no, because we hit the time and I didn't get to choose. And you just. What was the last song? What was your last song? So my good last song was hooked on a feeling and I was like this is the universe telling me because it's Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, our son's name is Quill, I was like this is what I have to leave on.

I have to leave on this song and then we went back and I have no idea what the last song was. I can't even remember what the last song was. He looked at me and he was like, cause I was like we have to leave on a good song and then it was like a few not so great songs in a row or just songs that we don't really know and then He looked at me is like we gotta go and it was good We left when we did because we had to make it for a fantastic number two You guys are both for you guys the converted for for Mike and Candice that you're both like god

I would stay at Jelly Rolls forever if I didn't have a preview of the amazing new theme park, the first thing in the morning. I could stay forever if I didn't have to go get my son. Like without me, without these killers. Yeah, I would have to watch Fantastic Be with my kid. You would just be in Jelly Rolls for seemingly seven hours in a row.

Yeah, we would just be. There is something, yeah, we would be there We would just live if I could live multiple lives at once one of the multiple lives would be just a guy who's like Stays in Orlando. I mean it is Orlando. We talked about him on the patreon episodes Orlando Mike You know, he's just a guy like sort of lives. He's the name is Outlaw. He works at the American Gladiators Theater. And he just goes to jelly rolls. We believe that if there's ever a world where Mike ends up moving to Orlando, we think very quickly,

not only will his lifestyle change in little ways, just by going to parks all the time, we also think he's going to start like juicing, taking every bit of like de-aging drug or a weird process that he's ever wanted to try. He'll be bathing in red light every night and it's gonna slowly turn him into a guy named Outlaw. What's going on, brother?

Make the switch, man. If I abandon my family completely and I just sort of on my own, I'm going to just try a completely different lifestyle. And that would be a guy I think who would be at J Jelly Rolls every night. And I was about to say too, that I do think part of the Jelly Rolls experience

is being there for a long time. Yeah. Like you want that, like, you've been there for two and a half hours, you're a little tired, you're probably more dehydrated than drunk at that point. You're probably easier to get tired, Johnny, you get it? You gotta be tired. That's not the you get it? You gotta be tired. It's kind of weird.

There's this kind of thing. You wanna be a bar fly for a, you wanna be like nursing your tonic and gin like in piano. Like the man in piano man. Maybe we just are fans of that like, that vibe, the kind of cover music you could, it's because they're kind of pulling from everything.

Like you get a little bit little mix of all different kinds of music and you don't know what's coming next. And like, yeah, everybody's there. They're happy. They're having fun. They're singing. They're dancing. Like it's like being at a party, but I don't have to go talk to anybody else. Like I could just enjoy myself in the corner, in my little corner, with my little group and I'm happy Yes, I yes, I and I think that like

Johnny making baffled faces everything that's being said by the way you just He doesn't like live music hate playing nothing happen doesn't want to be at the party I just said so many things that are happening again. I I was there for like 45 minutes, I think. I think 45 minutes. I think you took a stopwatch. Yeah, but I just I just stopped. That's what I made it to as well. I was right around 45. Aren't you proud of both of us, Candace, both of the people you've

tried to come to this place? An adequate amount of time over an adequate amount of time of being there. You hate life music. But I can't imagine like, oh, once you're there. Would you get that three hour mark? That's when the sweet spot really is I can't imagine If you if you are there long enough, they will eventually play pony by genuine. Oh I bet they do do that, right? They have to do that. Maybe I've heard them do that. I'm trying to remember I don't want these dorks up there playing pony. That's not gonna be a good pony. That's not gonna be a sexy pony

Scott did you ever have like a Richard cheese phase in college or me first in the gimme gimme? I downloaded some Richard cheese. You're talking about the guy. He did lounge covers of kind of matted done bodies at the floor Or yeah, he did. Yeah, he did. Yeah, he did Yeah, yeah, yeah That's a genre Do you guys like Scott and Johnny do you guys feel like? You would prefer and you have to pick one you prefer a karaoke bar over jelly rolls Yes, yes

Yes, yeah, because you maybe get We haven't known a yes. I don't know for anyone. Because you maybe get, like you get all the different like personalities coming through. And what I really like is a private karaoke room with a group and we're like, where you're getting up there a lot and kind of like group mania of the small room is fun.

But yeah, I'll definitely do, you know, a karaoke bar. Yeah, yeah, you know, cause like, yeah, I'll definitely do, you know, a karaoke bar. Yeah, yeah, you know, cause like, yeah, first of all, then I'm part of the show and I can pick a song that I enjoy. Oh, and you want to be part of the show. Wait, so you'd prefer yourself to be the musician and performing. That helps

in that there's like the building up of the nerves and like, okay, I gotta stay in it. I can't get like, I can't get too sloppy here or maybe do get a little sloppy and then it's a funny sloppy, but nerves and like, OK, I got to stay in it. I can't get like I can't get too sloppy here or maybe or maybe do get a little sloppy. And then it's a funny sloppy. But I want to like, no, I some of the greatest moments of my life literally have been singing to Barges rhythm of the night in front of a group of people. A transcendent. That's my jelly rolls were actually a karaoke bar.

You would prefer jelly rolls in that like everything else. I was saying, but now it's a karaoke bar. You would prefer jelly rolls in that. Like everything else, everything else is the same. But now it's a karaoke bar. But then also, my idea as well. So I mean, I'm with him here. I think that the infusion of different personalities and that like possibly I might go up and possibly my friends might go up. And then there might just be some weird, funny characters

who you get to enjoy. And then somebody who's like, wow, that person's really good. And this person thinks they're really good, but they're terrible. I think that like, you know, it feels more like a like a sketch show or something where there's like there's a variety and you don't know what's what's coming around the bend. Whereas I think I get tired of the no matter how good the piano players are. I get tired of kind of the the the same deal over and over.

Yeah, I agree. Again, again, I said, if you let that civilians go up there, you let civilians go up there and do it out. I'm all about it. Piano like that. Let them try. That's what I want to see. Going on. Yeah, I love it.

Now I will say now we covered this during the City Walk Orlando Saga that Mike and I ended up being among the only people by the end end the only people at Pat O'Brien's at City Walk Orlando. And that too, I guess I just like what I like. I don't respond to Sweet Carolina Piano Man for whatever reason. But if I can throw out the shit I like, which that was wonderful for both Mike and I, we were both just like let's let's just we have we these guys have to play what we want to hear because we're the only people in there and that was Peridot getting to like all right yeah let's say let's see if these guys can knock out Steely Dan Deacon blues let's uh you know and like you got a ton of Springsteen you were very happy Mike you're very naked ladies and we all got to explore our little things you know I made the guy there play an eight minute

Springsteen song, a Jungle Land. I was like, let's see if he can do Jungle Land. And he goes, yeah, I think I know it. And he did a really good job of it. You know how hard it goes, you know? Miller Lite, the light beer brewed for people who love the taste of beer and the perfect pairing for your game time.

When Miller Lite set out to brew a light beer, they had to choose great taste or 90 calories per can. They chose both because they knew the best part of beer is the beer. Your game time tastes like Miller time. Learn more at MillerLite.ca. Must be legal drinking age. So I think also, I think at my core also, and I've said this before probably on the show,

I think like, you know, I'm a normie guy at my core, whether I wanna be that or not. I feel like I grew up in a very normie place. I went to college in a very normie place. So I maybe going to Jelly Rolls, I feel like I'm back among the normies. And I mean that in a very normie place. So I, maybe going to Jelly Rolls, I feel like I'm back among the normies. And I mean that in a good way. I don't mean that in a derogatory way.

I think there is something to that, that I feel like, oh yeah, okay, this is where I live. This is where I actually belong. I don't belong in Hollywood. I don't belong at the Largo in Hollywood with its snooty music and comedy. I belong to Jelly Rolls. Exceptional performances and incredible talent and well curated.

No thanks. No, I've had good times at Largo, but Jelly Rolls is maybe where I was born and where I should have always been. That's maybe at the heart. Maybe that's tapping into something in me when I go there. I mean, as much as I don't get it on certain level, it's like, you know, you're my friend. I want to see you in your element. And isn't it crazy to that we're like, it's what I'm saying.

I'm saying it's your pink pony club. Kevin separately just texted. I've never seen Mike happier than in this play. Like there really is something. You know, it's like, I guess it's like how I'd have to be happy for somebody who, you know, like converted to some deep Baptist kind of religion. And I'm like, it's not for me and I'll never convert,

but they seem at peace. And I, so I have to, I gotta support, you know? Yeah. And multiple people that I'm texting with are from Schomburg, Illinois as well that like Jelly Rolls too. So maybe there is something. There is something. And not that we had a jelly rolls in town, but maybe there's something. There was something in the water of Schomburg, Illinois.

Yeah, I mean, I'm from Cleveland, Ohio, and I don't I don't. Maybe it wasn't Cleveland. I'm from Riverside, California, and I, too. I loved it. I loved it. Well, it's and I too. I loved it. I loved it. Well, I guess there's no common element. It's just either it hits you or it doesn't hit you. I don't know, it's strange.

I also think there is something, I feel like some people were posting an article, and I forget the name of this. There was a term of like, when music itself gives you like goosebumps. Maybe there is a biological thing I have that just hearing live music like stimulates parts of my brain. Because like my wife, because Lindsay will say like,

I think she likes music a lot, but she generally listens to stuff that she liked when she was younger and doesn't listen to newer stuff as much. She's like, I wonder if you're just like, it's doing something in your brain that's different. And I do think maybe there's something to that because I do. I'm like cover band. Great. A real cool band that's like cool. And then I appreciate the production on the album. Yeah. I'm like, oh shit, this is like such a subtle way to produce. Like I like all that stuff, but you can just throw me anywhere at a state fair or some like band in the park playing covers of Beatles songs. And I'm like, pretty good.

Like it's any of any. I don't understand this thing to me. I'm like, yeah, music. When you end up more like discerning and pickier and you have just become like, if music is being played, if a drum is being hit, I'm happy. And it doesn't matter by who or for what you're you love any music. It's my thing. It's probably better. I I kind of understand that because I have that for movies, like even like a movie that was just like, oh, it was OK.

It's like, well, I think I just like going to the movies, like sitting down with a movie except for Country Bears. Yes. Counterpoint Country Bears. Yes, counterpoint Country Bears. Whoa, whoa. I, I, yeah, I didn't love Country Bears, but that's the one for the most part of every other movie in existence. Every other movie, all movies, country bears. Yeah.

Uh, I, the other thing is to a lot of people All movies. 2002's Country Bears. The other thing is, do a lot of people reminiscing that you're talking to, Mike, probably experienced this when they were on vacation? If the vibes are good, they might already be prepared for that sort of thing. Well, they had to be 21 on vacation. We should remember that. True. Yeah. It's not like they're attached to it like childhood memories. I think this is full adult. Your brain is fully developed and you made a choice.

I do think there is something to and you can say this about movies. You can say this about a lot of different things. If you go into it, not wanting to like it. Yeah. You're going to find reasons not to like. Yeah. So if you're going to it not wanting to like it yeah you're gonna find reasons not to like yeah so if you're going to it wanting to absolutely love it no matter how bad it is no matter the situation no matter the the garbage food or the bad music you're gonna absolutely love it no matter what but to be fair they walked by and we're like whoa he thought it was a facade he thought it was a real so he walked by going I love this yeah you want to be fair, they walked by and were like, whoa, he thought it was a facade. He thought it wasn't real.

So he walked by going, I love this. Yeah, everybody walked up. This is going to be the worst day of my life. Then you already kind of polluted the brain of like, oh, it's great. You said it smells like poop out here. That's not like poop, but I guess. You went into it, hating it. You went into it thinking it was a facade and went,

what is this magical joy and excitement coming out of this door right now? Yeah, right. The walked up to the door. I heard I heard I sensed that there were 500 people in the room I heard two piano guys playing American Girl that caused Griffin and Kevin to go. Holy shit I can't get my $20 bills out fast enough. It caused me to run away. I don't know what it is I was not coming in with any bias. I didn't know anything about it. I just that lobby room. I think it's really that's a key spot. If you aren't, if you like get a sense of it, the little pre room and you're out, it really is. And it did break me, but it helped knowing that I, my fee would be covered and

the jealous shots helped once I was in there and getting to chat with you, Candace, was all great. So I like, I will say it all, and I stayed longer than I thought. I would say it all exceeded my expectations, though my expectations after the first time around were hovering around Johnny's poo pipe zone when he walked in with.

So, but it was better. I don't know. It was better than I expected. Barely. Um, and we should say like they, they claimed that this is going to reopen somewhere in Orlando. I don't know. I haven't, I was looking and trying to find any information about it. It doesn't seem to be any further information.

I remember seeing speculation online that they were lying about that. So the performers wouldn't quit. I don't know if that's true or not. Maybe I shouldn't even be spreading. I saw a video. I know this is a weird thing that I just happened to notice, but like I saw a video when they were previewing like a lounge for like the Disney Cruise Line. They were like doing a preview thing. And one of the pianists was playing piano at that preview. So I think they're good.

I think they're going to be OK is my point. I think the way to they find out they're going to get replaced by Joe Gardner. Or Muppets. I'm just saying you get easy fixed, easy fixed. Jelly rolls. Block out the RO. Oh, yeah, Brock, the ROL jelly souls. OK, there you go.

Easy transition. Don't even need an entire. Don't even need a new sign. Just block out. Yeah, let the bodies at the floor. I hope so. Yeah. And then you say, hey, we have a special guest tonight. He just dropped in.

Everyone, please welcome Rolf. Yeah. Oh, from my. Rolf doesn't he doesn't get enough play in modern Muppet stuff. I feel like this is true. Yeah. Yeah, he's not as appreciated. He's like to see him for sure. Right. So so fingers crossed, if anyone has any information out there, let us know. If there's any hope that Jelly Rolls.

Yeah, Mike and I have questions and we need answers. I will offer $5,000 if anyone has information about Jelly Rolls opening anywhere in the Orlando area. That's too realistic of a number. You might have to see that. That's a little too. Should I say, OK, parody? I will offer $5,000 for anyone to give me information

about the opening of Jelly Rolls. Or can I? Yeah, I'm not going to be the one to reopen it, I don't think. Maybe that's part of your Orlando move. Yeah, maybe that's your journey. Maybe that's what this is all about, your life. My life's work will maybe. You're just at like a moment right now.

Just think about it. I don't know anything about opening the Dueling Piano Bar, but I had to do it. I like in order to, you know, like I lost something that day and I'll be damned if I was going to let it go forever. And then you'll be on bar rescue. I'm just fucking outlawed and I'm off the rail. Yeah, I got my piano duelers at my side. Yeah, I lived a lifetime, when you brought that up,

I lived a lifetime in that moment in my mind, in my memory. Outlaw Mike's is a dueling piano bar located in Orlando, Florida. I can see it. I think this whole episode is just to watch you. On origins floor. Yeah, I could see it. I could see it. I could see it in Orlando, Florida. I think this whole episode is just to watch you. On Origins. Yeah. Yeah.

I could see it. It's how I felt looking at the Pleasure Island memories. I lived a life. Every time I read someone's account of their teen or early twenties, I lived a life. And now maybe this is it for me. This is all about, all of Mike's variants are just at Pleasure Island or working the box office at Jelly Rolls.

There's only one multiverse universe where I'm living in Los Angeles. All the others, I'm in Orlando doing a variety of things. So many things. Yeah, working at different piano bars, probably different dueling piano bars. Yes, slight differences. One is like a medieval times play. One's like a battle arena. Yeah, one is a dueling piano bar. Yeah, one is just like a, you know, just all jello shots. Just a 100% jello shot factory. Yeah, you're inventing new flavors.

You're the Jell-O-Shot scientist in Orlando in another reality. Oh, yeah. When you bring the magic party out here so that I can have it back. Oh, yeah. Oh, and then the other I'm working is a bartender at Taffers Tavern in Orlando. By the way, do we know that I have, I emailed Taffers tavern about opening because we're coming out there in a like a few weeks Week and a half and I we don't have an opening date and I was so hoping that that would be open I don't know if you two have visited the site of taffers tavern on I Drive

Like we have unfortunately the local news have not have not covered it whatsoever. So I mean, oh really Yeah, we're not the Johnny and Candice's lives don't revolve around the actions of John Taffer the way that Yeah, I guess But yeah, we walked out we we did a little video in front of taffers tavern when we were there a month and a half Or two months ago. So I mean fingers crossed from having been in front Do you think it's opening in the next week and a half? I? I don't think it's opening. Sadly.

I it makes me hard to say it. No. What scares me most about it not opening is that I'm positive it will be closed by the time we come back. I'm positive that it'll be open and closed within like six months. so we won't ever get to experience it. That's my worry. That's just, it's iDrive, you know? It's cut through. It's kill or be killed on iDrive. Yeah, it will be.

Business is going and out. You don't know what's going to last. Luckily, Tin Roof, where we're doing our shows, is still there. Hopefully it doesn't close by the time we're there. During the shows. That would be a big problem. Maybe it's just like everything you're really excited about and gives you the most joy in life just keeps shutting down. Just gradually like. I don't know. I don't know what that says.

If I'm willing that somehow to happen. Including the bodies of 90 year old actors who you're obsessed with. No, well most. Ah! Yeah, what are you doing, man? Most of them are still around. I don't wanna say them out loud because I'll jinx it. Don't say them out loud.

I'll just, I'm thinking, I'll think of. Maybe you shouldn't even do that. Don't do that. Don't think about it. Oh shit. Oh, I put, oh. It's too late, I really. I like touched my head like Professor X, like I was like thinking about it do that. Don't think about it. Oh, shit. Oh, I put you. Oh, it's too late. I really.

I like touched my head like Professor X. Like I was like thinking about it. Yeah, see? Dead. Whoever it was. Shit. Oh, you're right. Yeah.

The next time you read about an old celebrity who died, it was who Mike was thinking about. Yeah. The curse is real. I don't want to force an ending to this, but now I'm aware that we have to carve out approximately 20 minutes of space for people's fonds, for voice memos to fond Jelly Roll's memories. But is there anything else that we are, and I don't know how you want to place that in there, Mike. I don't know if that's after we do all our business. I think after all the business, I'll just like, and now we send it to the memory, send it out to the memories, I'll say.

I'll do like a real like kind of Casey Kasem style like Wow talk Oh, you said already dead right you didn't kill him Yeah, but I may have like Remember his wife was like carrying his corpse around for a while. Oh Remember that like wouldn't then that's whole... too dark. I sorry. I apologize But luckily yeah Well, we'll find out if the corpse of jelly rolls is being carried around or if it'll find a new permanent location somewhere in the Orlando area Candice and Michael, how fast are you there once it is reestablished?

Do you take like our epic universe trip just to take a trip to be their opening night? God, I mean, it it sounds fun to do that, right? To go opening night. So I want to present you with a question. OK, so epic universe just open, right? So you saw all the open introduction ceremonies, the opening live streams, all that stuff like that in your perfect world. What does an opening ceremony for the new Jelly Rolls look like?

That's a great question. Great question. I mean, outside of something like every table has a piano, which I think is realistic, I would like it to, I think it needs to look even older. I think it needs to look, it needs to have that retro vibe. First of all, I guess I'm not talking about the opening ceremony, now I'm talking about what the new location. Yeah, you're just making the building now. I'm making the building in my mind,

but that has to be part of it for me. Mike is imagining a dive bar and rotating it in his mind. But I think they have to invite every theme park piano performer in the Orlando area to come up and do their like three best songs. You know, they'll have all dozens and dozens of pianos at the entrance of Jelly Rolls and all of them will be playing the most. Right. It will be just like a a medley of all these just like different songs What?

If I may what if it's like a like dozens of the Disney Springs piano on a bicycle Okay, yeah, I mean, you know what? What if Jelly Rolls wasn't even a place? I know. I know Jelly Rolls is an idea. It's a concept, too. But hear me out.

You know those long bikes where somebody's pedaling but you're all sitting at a bar? What if Jelly Rolls was mobile? I like this. And there was a person. Jelly Rolls, because? I like this. And there was like a person. Jelly Rolls because it's rolling. It's rolling. Now, I don't know if it's I don't know if the person pedaling could also play the piano and sing, if that's too much.

I'd like to see him try. I would like to see him try as well. Maybe you'd have to have a piano player on the back of it, but I would like to see the person. Well, you need to because we're dueling. Or are the two sides, is it like people on two sides, like the bars, the two sides are peddling and they're dueling. And you guys get the best of all the worlds that we discussed. What if?

We gotta be facing each other. Yeah, like if you and I are on this piano bar, we're sitting opposite sides, we're dueling each other. Yeah, that's my initial concept. Yeah, that's what I said. But it's all the ideas. Everyone has a piano? It's one big piano. It's a whole team. It's a team. Now it's a game. Now we've created a game. What if it's, what if it's a bike, it's a long bike and there's two piano players on the long bike and there's a piano on each side. Yeah. And then we like, one starts pedaling and it's playing this way. And then as as soon as the next song the other one starts paddling and they go the other way

So people switch off paddling and playing so they're dueling on the long bike and there's like eight people Six people maybe on each side. I feel like you can afford this I feel like this is something that you can afford to actually so maybe you are gonna reopen Jelly rolls in this bike. If you can find a roundabout way of surface streets to go from Disney World to Universal Studios and you just establish a route. You can. You're saying you would take you would take like a four hour bike ride from Universal to Disney World.

Well, because you're not going to be able to take this peddled monstrosity on I-4. Oh, no. So you're going to have to take surface streets. But sure, yeah, you can go back and forth. And by the time, unfortunately, by the time hour three is rolling around, you will have arrived at your destination. But you will be equally as dehydrated as you would have at the original Jelly Roll. So yeah, you will have as part of it.

Tired as we learned, tired is what I heard. Lowly hydrated. You did it. You get the full experience. You'll be so pumped up from hearing we didn't start the fire though. So revved up from hearing it and doing the parts. And you'll probably have heard it like three times in three hours. And then you could play Limp Bizkit's Keep Rollin' and it would be perfect.

Rollin', yeah. I would get Rollin'. Jelly Rollin' at the New York Jell-O-Rolls. Well this is beautiful. This seems like a viable business to get the piano, to get mobile pianos and a bunch of like all the keys all out on the road. I'm really excited for you, Mike.

Yeah. Yeah. Put that $5,000 to work. You got a little seed buddy to start. Yeah. Yeah. Don't give that away because that could be the $5,000. I'll invest. I'll invest. Jelly Rollers.

Yeah. I hope you guys don't mind that the patreon money this month is gonna go just to this idea Now I did I did think the numbers seemed a little off when I looked at it But okay, you thought zero seemed off for you this month Well, it's going to a good cause. If it makes you happy, clearly it does. And it's been nice to hear the reports of somebody who this place made very happy and somebody who it did not whatsoever. It takes all kinds that it made for a fun time.

Candice and Johnny Survive podcast the ride. Thanks for zooming in here, stream yard and with us and being here. It's really fascinating. There can be that degree of difference within a marriage. Even, you know, co-hosts disagree, but here in a marriage, and yet you make it work despite your jellyrolls conflicts. Let's exit through the gift shop. Is there anything you'd like to plug?

Go ahead. Plug your stuff away. What is my stuff? You want me to plug your stuff away. What is my you want me to plug yourself for you my stuff follow her on? Instagram Candice the rain you follow me on Instagram and X and YouTube and all that good stuff and Johnny Gargano I feel like you have more to plug than I do. I'm just mom hanging out We do a travel vlog sometimes you want to see what it's like to be a wrestler. Watch that. It's on YouTube. Yeah.

Oh, you're on SmackDown, which we saw. Oh, you're on SmackDown too. Yeah, I guess we're on TV. There's something. Yeah. TV show. That's cool. Every Friday night, USA Networks.

Friday nights. There's a lot of plugs out there. You did some Epic Universe. You did Epic Universe video. Did you do more? We did. Yeah, just recently. Yeah.

We've been to Epic Universe four times now at this point. So yeah, we love it That heresy that the new theme park is better than jelly roll Good day Hey as for us for three bonus episodes every month check out podcast the ride the second gate or get one more bonus episode on Our VIP tier club three you'll find all that at patreon.com slash podcast the ride and just on the subject of music like I mean I was referring to just maybe not liking a lot of the run-of-the-mill stuff that you end up hearing at this place I just want to say if you just think in terms of the

kind of music you like and if you want to hear some like some real music some like gritty music that makes you feel and that's like emotional and honest. There's a friend of the show named Kyle M and some of you listeners might be familiar with his album that he put out, The Real Me. You might be familiar with his former name that he's not going by as much anymore, which is Kyle Mooney because he sort of moved on from the comedy stuff that he used to do into the music stuff, which is like, and yeah, look, if I'm pointing to the music that I love, that I'd rather be hearing than Jelly Rolls, it's Kyle M, which is like and yeah look if I'm pointing to the music that I Love that I'd rather be hearing than jelly rolls. It's Kyle M It's the real me and I just want to say he's going out on the real me fake me tour

His first big music tour There'll be a little bit of comedy in there But hopefully he gets through it quickly and moves on to the music because it's very artistic and very creative stuff And I was lucky enough to get to do some artistic stuff with him. I directed the videos for the tour. So if you end up going, if Kyle Mooney, sorry, Kyle M. If the real Kyle M is going to your town with his unflinchingly honest show. I made some unflinchingly honest videos for him and it was great to do that. So go to KyleMooneyLive.com if you want to see what he's cooking up

and what I got to do with him. So just a little extra plug there. Mike, now do we go into the- I think now, yes. Now if you will, go out to the store, buy the cheapest beer you can possibly find, pour it in a plastic cup. Yeah, buy some jello, put vodka in the jello.

Find a whiskey that is so well that it doesn't even have a name. Unlabeled whiskey. Well, it's labeled. It's just got three Xs on it. Oh, sure. That'd be sick. Jugg. Its name is XXX, yes.

Right. And I want you to sit and tell anyone in your family to hush, to be quiet while Sit and tell anyone in your family to hush, to be quiet while you now listen to many, many, many people share their fond memories of one of the greatest places Disney World ever offered. Jelly Rolls. Please no laughing, this is very serious. Take it away. It's not funny. Take it away everyone who loves Jelly Rolls. Back in 2010 my friend had her wedding after party at

Jelly Rolls. It was unofficial and there were none when a guest there but her guests were basically running the place. My friend the bride kept running up on stage with the pianos and the security guards kept scolding her and chasing her off. Tuesday nights were free for cast members. You'd walk in and the place would be packed with all of your friends. It truly was like cheers for all of us that worked at Disney. You had to be at least 20 when to get in,

so that was where I spent my 21st birthday, and my friends got me on the piano for Uptown Girl, and you've lost that love and feeling. So many amazing memories from Jelly Rolls, it will be greatly missed. We're in 2020. We go to Jelly Rolls with a friend of ours in town from Pennsylvania, and you know, we Jelly Roll pretty hard.

And our friend Alex in particular, the next morning was like, oh my gosh, I'm so hungover. We got on an airplane, this is crazy. He ended up being the sickest he's ever been. And I am 99% sure that he got COVID before COVID was a thing. So I'm willing to go on repair to say that Jelly Rolls may have been the site of patient zero for COVID-19 in the United States.

The last few times I went into Jelly Rolls I was actually with the PTR boys. Mike Carlson paid my cover fee both times very generously, $20 each time. And the man is very generous. Don't let anybody tell you he's not. Jelly Rolls really brings out the good in people, I think, because I returned the favor by buying a round of four Dos Equis beers for me and Mike and Mr. Morrow and Griffin Newman. And it's a beer I never drink but I drank it that night because Jelly Rolls is all about diverting expectation. Really you never know what to expect and I'm really going to miss that place. I'm fighting back tears right now so I better go over and out. I recently had the pleasure of spending two long nights in a row at Jelly Rolls just last

month right before it closed. And I really can't think of a better way to end a day of park hopping there, especially with the Skyliner when that was put in. I feel like Trader Sam's takes up a lot of space in the hearts of theme park fans, and the Hoop to Do review has a lot of nostalgia, the loom's large in the lore.

But this may have actually been the true hidden gem of the after hours resort scene. And these pianists could banter really well with the guests and they had their standards, but they also were really willing to go for it to give people like a special customer experience. For me though, the real standout of those guys was this guy, Michael. We saw a few different folks, but he was there both nights we were just there and and he owned that stage. He had all these great bits and enthusiasm and like just a genuine stage presence and at one point on one of the nights he decided on a whim it seemed to do the entirety of the Main Street Electrical

Parade. I do not know how else to describe it except as thrilling. In trying to think of a good memory about Jailie Rolls, I think the only appropriate response for me is that my favorite memory was when it used to be free for cast members. The day they got rid of free entry, it closed to me that day. RIP Jailie Rolls, home of probably one of the best nights

of my life. Let me say definitely one of the best nights of my life. A great night with a great group of friends but notably absent one Scott Gertner. Went with Mike, Friends of the Pod, Mr. Morrow and Kevin Tully of Telethon. We had a great time. We were all walking down the boardwalk together and Scott bailed when he found out there was a $20 cover charge. I'm just looking through the text exchange here once we got inside. Mike very casually, lowercase, just texts American Pie, and Scott texts a photo of a $20 bill in his hand. I believe looking up at the ceiling of his hotel room, and Scott wrote underneath it, just admiring this $20 I still have.

Mike texted, they're doing, can you picture that from Muppet movie and Griffin is going wild? I can confirm. I gave it a thumbs up stamp even. I was indeed going wild. I was losing my goddamn mind. And Scott said, okay, that's a good one.

I'll give them that. And I wrote all caps. He did all the different voices, Scott. I will say if any other PTR listeners, Cliffords, are similarly mourning the lack of available opportunities to see live rock piano these days. On June 6th, my podcast, Blank Check, will be doing a live show at the Town Hall in New York City

that is a tribute to King Ralph, the largely forgotten John Goodman Becomes King of England vehicle, which is a movie that is largely centered around piano rock as much as it is around the royal family. Tickets are still available on sale. Bit.ly slash blank check 25. I don't know why it's 25 in the URL. I'm aware that this show is the same weekend as PTR's live shows in Orlando. Perhaps some strategic errors were made. I'm not asking our shared listenership to choose one or the other. Why not do both? R.I.P. Jelly Rolls.

Gone, but never forgotten. This has been a Forever Dog Production. Executive produced by Mike Carlson, Jason Sheridan, Scott Gardner, Brett Boehm, Joe Silio, and Alex Ramsey. For more original podcasts, please visit ForeverDogPodcasts.com and subscribe to our shows on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep up with the latest ForeverDog news by following us on Twitter and Instagram, at ForeverDog dog team and liking our page on Facebook.