Hot Ashes Podcast

Lee and TK
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Hobbies

The Hot Ashes Podcast is where cigars, conversation, and camaraderie come together. Hosted by veterans and longtime friends, the show blends sharp humor, real talk, and storytelling straight from the cigar lounge. One week it’s swapping war stories, the next it’s debating music, movies, leadership, or life’s big questions—no script, no filters, just unfiltered conversation and good bourbon. Whether you’re lighting up a cigar or just looking for a seat at the table, Hot Ashes delivers laughs, insight, and the kind of banter you’d expect from a crew that’s seen a little of everything.

  1. 3d ago

    Episode 58 (Running, Food Debates, Travel Stories)

    Send us Fan Mail Running races is one thing. Agreeing on grits? That might be the bigger challenge. In Episode 58 of the Hot Ashes Podcast, Lee, TK, and the crew settle in at George’s Cigars in Swansboro, NC, for race stories, strong food opinions, and the usual arguments around the table. Cody joins us to celebrate the shop’s runners and talk about his Yellowstone and Grand Teton race plans. We get into race-day etiquette, fueling, charity races, and what makes people pay good money to put themselves through another finish line. Then the conversation heads toward food: local restaurants, pizza, ramen, mushrooms, and a grits debate that picks up when Parker drops in ahead of her 21st birthday. Lee also shares the story of trying reindeer heart in Norway. Along the way: what it takes to put on a band gig, Penny’s latest outfits, texting versus calling, and why this podcast could use a producer. Pick a side in the comments: grits—yes or no? And runners, what’s your biggest race-day pet peeve? Subscribe for more cigars, laughs, and real talk from the Hot Ashes crew. CHAPTERS 00:00 Cigars, drinks, and the weekend 01:57 Celebrating the shop’s runners 03:23 Race fees, medals, and getting hooked 04:27 Texts, calls, and Cody’s late arrival 08:30 Beard-growing plans 10:43 Allergies and the upcoming band gig 11:17 Cape Carteret Fall Festival 16:13 Penny’s new outfits 17:52 Camera trouble and the search for a producer 19:27 What goes into a band gig—and setting a rate 21:33 A tough night performing and October birthdays 24:27 Beer history, ramen, and takeout 25:20 Pizza, coffee, and food that’s too hot 28:08 Remembering an early podcast episode 32:50 Cody joins: race accomplishments and charities 35:47 Yellowstone and Grand Teton race plans 37:23 Disney’s Goofy Challenge 38:34 Race winners and unbelievable running paces 45:20 Race etiquette and runners’ pet peeves 52:34 Race-day fueling and hydration 53:42 Parker joins: birthday plans and the great grits debate #HotAshesPodcast #Running #Cigars #FoodDebate #SwansboroNC Support the show

  2. Oct 21

    Episode 57 (Honor Flight, Maine Hunting, Music/DJing)

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Hot Ashes, Lee and TK welcome Don Radley and his son Eddie for stories about family, service, and life in Maine and North Carolina. Don and Eddie share highlights from their Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., including the veterans’ memorials and the warm reception they received. The conversation also ranges through Maine hunting and fishing, tuna stories, music and DJing, family milestones, and the Radleys’ move to North Carolina. Plus, hear about the candy shop’s remodel and its upcoming trunk-or-treat event. Chapters 00:00 Opening conversation 01:07 Welcome to the Hot Ashes podcast 02:18 Meet Don Radley and Eddie 04:00 Don’s move from Maine to North Carolina 07:24 Don and Eddie’s Honor Flight experience 08:13 What an Honor Flight is 11:58 Veterans, service, and the bonds formed on the trip 18:27 The American Legion reception 23:57 D.C. memorials and what the trip includes 31:18 Hunting and guiding in Maine 34:50 Moose hunting and camp traditions 36:56 Partridge hunting and Maine wildlife 41:35 Duck hunting and cold-water safety 43:49 TK talks about his recent DJ gig 45:13 Building a set and sharing music across generations 49:48 Songs, memories, and musical tastes 55:58 Don and Pam’s 60th wedding anniversary 01:06:28 Remodeling the candy shop 01:07:30 Trunk-or-treat plans in Swansboro 01:12:50 Tuna fishing and the family boat 01:22:10 Conversation about France and its protests #HotAshesPodcast #HonorFlight #Veterans #Maine #NorthCarolina #Hunting #Fishing #TunaFishing #DJ #Music #Family #Podcast Support the show

  3. Oct 14

    Episode 56 (Music/Gigging, Pop Culture, Local Adventures)

    Send us Fan Mail For the first time since Episode 1, it’s just Lee and TK on the Hot Ashes Podcast! They catch up over cigars and drinks, swap stories about camping and Busch Gardens, get into TV, horror movies, and martial arts, then talk band rehearsals, music gear, merch, and getting back behind the DJ booth. Plus: low-country boils, ghost stories, band chemistry, wedding gigs, and a little local show plug. Settle in and hang out with Lee and TK. Chapters 00:00 Welcome back: cigars, drinks & the Navy's birthday 03:45 Weekend work and a low-country boil 07:01 Croatan camping plans and Jared's trail story 10:54 Busch Gardens and Howl-O-Scream 17:00 Theme parks, turkey legs & Medieval Times 20:46 TV recommendations and watching shows together 23:27 Horror movies, haunted houses & ghost stories 28:05 Heroes, TV pacing and show endings 38:23 Sam Elliott, Ed O'Neill & celebrity martial arts stories 43:14 UFC, martial arts and Steven Seagal 48:19 Rumble and the news cycle around murder trials 52:52 DJing again and Lee's band-practice routine 54:57 Rehearsals, setlists and adding new songs 59:17 Band chemistry, egos and working as a team 1:05:00 Fill-in musicians and band auditions 1:07:12 Rehearsal gear and sharing band expenses 1:09:31 Hot Ashes Podcast merch 1:12:53 Getting back into DJing and gig life 1:17:05 Wedding gigs, band rates and venue stories 1:28:43 Heart Stop show plug #HotAshesPodcast #HotAshes #Podcast #PodcastEpisode #CigarPodcast #CigarTalk #Cigars #LiveMusic #BandLife #MusicianLife #DJLife #PopCulture #TVShows #HorrorMovies #Camping #NorthCarolina #EasternNC #JiuJitsu #UFC #BuschGardens Support the show

  4. Oct 7

    Episode 55 (Whitewater Rafting, Meet the Authors, Writing Books)

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to the Hot Ashes Podcast! This episode starts with cigars and drinks, then dives into whitewater rafting, kayaking, river safety, and unforgettable stories from the water. Malcolm and Solange share their experiences as guides, including a rookie’s dramatic Big Drop incident, a high-stakes trip on the Zambezi, and what it takes to read rapids and keep a boat safe. The conversation also covers multi-day Grand Canyon trips, river-camp routines, Colorado’s Gore Canyon, rock climbing, and skydiving. Later in the episode, the group discusses the Meet the Authors event at the Carolina Museum of the Marine, Chris’s book *Earn This Chair*, self-publishing and writing tools, and his Rabasi Thrive Coaching work helping people navigate career and identity transitions. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to the Hot Ashes Podcast 01:29 Meet Malcolm and Solange 04:48 Working in rafting, jeep tours, and event transport 07:42 Camp Hale and the 10th Mountain Division 09:46 How whitewater rapid classes work 12:29 A high-water rafting story 17:29 Learning to read the river 22:07 The Zambezi and the Ghost Ride rapid 28:21 Paddle technique and river safety 30:19 Rafting versus kayaking 34:08 How new rafting guides qualify 37:43 Malcolm’s Big Drop rookie story 42:30 The aftermath—and a surprising thank-you 46:32 Ghost boats and river safety 48:08 Grand Canyon trips and keeping food cold 51:22 Groovers and river-camp etiquette 53:28 Crew roles on a multi-day trip 59:59 Taking the podcast on the road 01:01:03 The gnarliest whitewater in the U.S. 01:03:46 Colorado’s Gore Canyon 01:10:30 Climbing, heights, and adventure stories 01:19:26 Skydiving stories 01:25:44 Surfing in Mexico and paragliding #HotAshesPodcast #WhitewaterRafting #Kayaking #Colorado #GoreCanyon #GrandCanyon #AdventureStories #MeetTheAuthors #EarnThisChair #SelfPublishing #Writing #Veterans #Coaching Support the show

  5. Sep 30

    Episode 54 (Military transition, Fitness, Meet the authors)

    Send us Fan Mail The crew is back with cigars, drinks, and plenty to talk about. This week, TK shares stories from a high school reunion, and the group reflects on how life changes after high school—and after leaving the military. They discuss the challenges of transitioning to civilian life, finding a new sense of purpose and community, and why control, courage, and consistency matter. They also talk fitness and discipline, including 1,000 workouts in 100 days, early-morning runs, and staying active in retirement. Plus: an update on the upcoming Meet the Authors event, Cody’s ongoing truck repair saga, and a conversation about local community and connection. Chapters 00:00 Podcast intro and what everyone’s smoking and drinking 04:02 Episode 54 updates and merch 05:43 High school reunions and growing up 14:08 Identity and transitioning to civilian life 28:20 Fitness, consistency, and Hot Works 33:37 Cody’s truck repair update 39:35 Meet the Authors event 54:01 Running, connection, and morning routines 1:14:13 Fitness, community, and church Subscribe for more conversations with the Hot Ashes crew. #HotAshesPodcast #MilitaryTransition #Veterans #Fitness #Community #Cigars Support the show

  6. Sep 23

    Episode 53 (Heart Conditions, AI Gone Rogue, Tribe)

    Send us Fan Mail Lee, TK, Chris, Solange, Roger, and the George's Cigar Shop crew are back for another episode about everything and nothing. This one goes from soaking jokes to heaven-and-hell theories to Lee opening up about living with a heart condition that shocks him back into rhythm — plus AI that blackmails its boss, 1,000 workouts in 100 days, and why nobody actually loses their tribe when they take off the uniform. 🔥 WHAT WE'RE SMOKING & DRINKING Lee — George's Box Press Torpedo + Perney Hays TK — George's Short Story + Founders All Day IPA Chris — Romeo y Julieta 1875 + high quality H2O Roger — George's Gordo + Bourbon Together single barrel ("chocolate cherry cola") 00:00 Cigars & Drinks 03:00 Beard Talk 08:00 Mormon Loopholes 09:57 Heaven or Hell on Earth 13:26 The 1971 Silver Dollar 18:59 HBOT for Heroes 19:46 Meeting Richard Petty 21:51 Museum of the Marine 24:39 500 Subscriber Giveaway 25:14 Thrive Coaching Launch 26:00 The October 1 Panel 28:01 This Generation Doesn't Suck 37:20 Three Rules for AI 40:49 Two Claudes in a Loop 43:14 AI Blackmails the CEO 47:39 Anatomy of Peace 52:15 People, Not Objects 1:06:01 Shoes Off 1:08:39 The Crusty Old Gunny 1:11:49 Sharecropper's Wisdom 1:15:19 The Enforcer 1:17:18 1,000 Workouts, 100 Days 1:20:49 Three Years Sober 1:22:28 Irreverent Warriors 1:23:30 Matt Reeves' Story 1:26:23 A Call From Korea 1:28:50 Tau Proteins & Sleep 1:32:00 Belligerent Drunks 1:40:00 Losing a Friend 1:50:00 Blue Belt at CXBJJ 2:00:00 Living With ARVC 2:15:00 Find Your Tribe 🎗️ ORGANIZATIONS MENTIONED Carolina Museum of the Marine — nonprofit, 100% donor and admission funded. Book & communication panel on 1 October, $6 admission. Irreverent Warriors — veteran mental health through camaraderie and hikes. Crystal Coast hike: 17 October. Jacksonville hike in March. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Heroes — free HBOT for veterans and active duty in North Carolina. The Honor Foundation — special operations transition support. Rabasi Thrive Coaching — transition coaching, launching 1 October. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED The Anatomy of Peace & Leadership and Self-Deception — The Arbinger Institute Sharecropper's Wisdom — Gen. J.R. Gorham Commitment to Love — Cleeve McClary Tempus Fugit Bastards — John Jay Lee B1 of Zero — Carla Murphy Laughing and Crying with U.S. Marines — Adam Walker 🎯 500 SUBSCRIBERS = SWAG GIVEAWAY. We're at 212. Do the math, then do the thing. Thanks to George's Cigar Shop in Swansboro, NC for the space, Candy Adventure for the stickers, and American Graphics in Roanoke, VA for the hats. #HotAshesPodcast #CigarPodcast #Veterans #IrreverentWarriors #Swansboro #ARVC #Jiujitsu Support the show

  7. Sep 16

    Episode 52 (Outback Disaster, Neighborhood Karen & 48 Hours of Football)

    Send us Fan Mail A birthday dinner that fell apart in real time, a diesel truck that refuses to die, and a neighborhood Facebook war that ended in a plot twist. Lee, TK, Cody and Solange are back around the table. Cody walks us through the worst Outback experience ever recorded — the whisper-talking waiter who took a knee beside the table, the beer they wouldn't replace, the prime rib they didn't have, and the lobster tail that vanished into thin air. Then it's the Duramax that's been eating his life since June 21st, a warranty company that told him it was his fault, and the ChatGPT-written emails that have become his weapon of choice. He also went full keyboard commando on the neighborhood page over kids ding-dong ditching at 8:40 at night, got suspended for "hateful speech," refused to apologize — and then found out whose kids they actually were. We close with the big one: if a guy gives up all of Saturday and Sunday to football, is he neglecting his family? Cody says yes. Lee says everybody gets a passion. TK says you knew who you married. Solange asks the question nobody had a good answer for. SMOKING & DRINKING Lee — George's Box Press Torpedo + Pernicious TK — Camacho Nicaragua + Corona Light (one of the three he didn't drop) Cody — Coors Banquet, with a vengeance Solange — Avo Nicaragua + Crown Royal, acquired "out of care" 00:00 — Mic problems 01:31 — Smokes and drinks 03:39 — Cody's back 05:40 — Outback disaster 08:14 — The creepy waiter 12:21 — Server fired 13:08 — No prime rib 15:05 — Missing lobster 17:07 — The Duramax saga 19:15 — Warranty denied 21:38 — ChatGPT email 24:42 — Subaru recall 28:02 — Snapped lug nut 35:47 — Enter the Karen 37:26 — Ding-dong ditching 41:22 — Cody's post 43:30 — Banned from the page 45:30 — Those were my kids 48:26 — Quiet hours 52:56 — Retro Pizza Hut 55:45 — TK's 662 series 59:25 — Left-handed bowling 1:04:35 — Beth and Rip 1:12:37 — VMI vs Tech 1:14:35 — Football vs family 1:19:00 — The ESPYs 1:26:49 — Nancy Mace listens 1:28:04 — Love Is Blind #HotAshes #HotAshesPodcast #CigarPodcast #CigarsAndWhiskey #Podcast #CustomerService #OutbackSteakhouse #Duramax #DieselTrucks #KarenStories #NeighborhoodDrama #Bowling #FootballSeason #MilitaryLife #Marines #FunnyPodcast #UnfilteredPodcast Support the show

  8. Sep 9

    Episode 51 (29 Palms, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Murder Cases)

    Send us Fan Mail We’re back in the lounge with cigars lit and drinks poured, catching up with Roger’s return from 29 Palms, talking military desert misery, porta-john legends, and why shared suffering is weirdly hilarious. From there we tumble into a long-form hang about: Dungeon Crawler Carl – why it’s a cult favorite, audiobooks vs “actually reading,” and how voice actors bring characters to life Time, burnout, and boundaries – getting older, realizing there aren’t enough hours in the day, and how to protect your mental bandwidth AI in real life – from medical note-taking tools to people falling in love with chatbots, and what that means for the future True crime & mental health – a raw, opinionated dive into the Lindsey Clancy case, postpartum / mania, medical notes being picked apart in court, and the line between illness and accountability Serial killers & infamous cases – Menendez brothers, Casey Anthony, Genghis Khan, Sam Little, media spin, and why using trauma as a legal shield is so dangerous All with the usual Hot Ashes mix of dark humor, movie quotes, and complete nonsense about Sad Yank Hill, Reading vs Audiobooks, and Michael Jackson conspiracies. Light your cigar, pour a drink, and hang out with us. 0:00 Welcome back, cigars & drinks on deck 4:28 Roger returns: 29 Palms heat and desert misery 10:32 Port-a-john horror stories & “Sad Yank Hill” lore 15:16 Dungeon Crawler Carl deep dive & book one vs book two 20:54 Audiobooks vs “did you actually read it?” 25:33 Time suck, long commutes, and reading habits 35:20 Not enough hours in the day & setting boundaries 50:20 AI, medical scribes, and recorded sessions in therapy 55:20 Lindsey Clancy case breakdown & pressured speech notes 1:03:40 Insanity, responsibility, and precedent in criminal cases 1:10:15 Serial killers, the “less alive,” and Time Suck podcast 1:18:06 Spaceballs, Mel Brooks, and sequel fears 1:24:20 Michael Jackson, Beatles masters & conspiracy angles 1:29:10 Genghis Khan genetics and dark history tangents 1:37:10 Menendez brothers, abuse claims & parole debate 1:44:00 Wrapping with jokes, movies, and future episode ideas #HotAshesPodcast #VeteranStories #MilitaryHumor #DungeonCrawlerCarl #Audiobooks #TrueCrimeDiscussion #LindseyClancy #MentalHealthMatters #29Palms #CigarPodcast #WhiskeyAndCigars #ComedyPodcast #AIandEthics #SerialKillers #PodcastClips Support the show

See All (57)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Hot Ashes Podcast is where cigars, conversation, and camaraderie come together. Hosted by veterans and longtime friends, the show blends sharp humor, real talk, and storytelling straight from the cigar lounge. One week it’s swapping war stories, the next it’s debating music, movies, leadership, or life’s big questions—no script, no filters, just unfiltered conversation and good bourbon. Whether you’re lighting up a cigar or just looking for a seat at the table, Hot Ashes delivers laughs, insight, and the kind of banter you’d expect from a crew that’s seen a little of everything.

Information

  • Creator
    Lee and TK
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hot Ashes Podcast
  • Show Website
    Hot Ashes Podcast