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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

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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

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Welcome back to the Hot Ashes Podcast for our milestone Episode 50, featuring a very special guest: Georges, owner of Georges’ Cigar Shop and a true Lebanese legend.

Georges joins Lee, TK, and Dakota for an unforgettable conversation about cigars, Macallan 18, the Lebanese Civil War, dangerous combat missions, politics, faith, friendship, and how he created a cigar lounge that feels more like a family table than a business.

Georges shares how he went from joining Lebanon’s Christian forces at only 17 years old and serving as a bodyguard to Lebanese leader Bashir Gemayel, to becoming a tennis professional in Washington, D.C., and eventually operating some of the first cigar shops in North Carolina.

Along the way, you’ll hear incredible combat stories, firsthand accounts of historic political events, Georges’ dangerous journey out of Lebanon, and the remarkable story of how he built a new life in America. He also explains why, after everything he has experienced, he believes money means nothing without real friends.

If you enjoy cigars, war stories, Middle Eastern history, entrepreneurship, or raw storytelling from a man who has lived ten lifetimes, this episode is for you.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Episode 50 intro and microphone issues
00:28 What we’re smoking and drinking
01:47 Georges introduces himself and his background
03:58 Joining the Christian forces at 17
07:22 Lebanon’s mountains, cedars, and coastline
08:55 How political power is divided in Lebanon
10:49 Georges’ tennis career in Washington, D.C.
11:25 Opening his first cigar shops in North Carolina
12:31 Moving across the street to the current shop
15:44 Why Georges values friendship over money
17:18 Family tragedy and “eye for an eye” justice
31:58 Bashir Gemayel, Henry Kissinger, and Saudi Arabia
48:32 The Holiday Inn battle and an RPG in the garage
56:40 The warning before the Marine barracks bombing
1:09:02 A dangerous visa trip through Syria
1:13:01 Coming to America and building a new life

Subscribe to the Hot Ashes Podcast for more cigars, bourbon, military stories, history, and uncensored conversations from Georges’ Cigar Shop.

#HotAshesPodcast #GeorgesCigars #LebaneseCivilWar #Lebanon #BashirGemayel #WarStories #MilitaryHistory #CigarPodcast #CigarLife #Macallan18 #MiddleEastHistory #VeteranStories #Brotherhood #Faith #Episode50

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