SR017: The Almost-Professional, Almost-Finished Studio Episode

SR017: The Almost-Professional, Almost-Finished Studio Episode

The Shaffer RULES Podcast is officially settling into the new studio, and Episode 17 kicks things off with a laid-back test run that turns into a full episode. Brian and Corey crack open a Modelo, revisit WhistlePig PiggyBack for the “Pour of the Week,” and talk about what it means to finally have a permanent podcast home. The guys preview the upcoming Shaffer RULES Podcast Live event at Elk Brewing Company in Kittanning, PA, happening Friday, June 19, 2026, with audience participation, podcast tryouts, interviews, local food, and a game-show-style twist. This episode also dives into voiceover opportunities, working for yourself, Gen X “figure it out” energy, the stress and freedom of building something on your own, and the importance of pushing forward when life forces a reset. Of course, it would not be Shaffer RULES without some detours. The guys talk about the new studio setup, DroidCam testing, retro collectibles, Shawn Kemp and Ricky Williams autographed jerseys, The Tick, dancing squirrels on YouTube, bad drivers, Comcast frustrations, internet upgrades, Tesla, Edison, wireless power, and whether “boss” or “chief” is worse. Also in this episode: updates on Maono, Dubby Energy, Brian’s upcoming live music gigs, and what is next for the podcast as the guys look toward live broadcasts, guests, local content, mini-docs, and more. Grab a drink, hit that Dubby button, and enjoy another ridiculous, honest, and music-filled ride with the Shaffer RULES Podcast. Like, comment, and subscribe, and share the show with a friend. #ShafferRULES #ShafferRULESPodcast #PodcastLife #LivePodcast #KittanningPA #ElkBrewingCompany #WesternPA #GenXPodcast #RetroTalk #PodcastStudio #LocalPodcast #PourOfTheWeek #TheImpromptus #Maono #DubbyEnergy

SR016 - Part 2: Toypalooza, Thunder Mixer & Flying Barbies

Boom — we’re back for Part 2 of Episode 16 of the Shaffer RULES Podcast, and this one goes everywhere in the best possible way. Brian and Corey kick things off with some WhistlePig PiggyBack, sponsor shoutouts to Maono and Dubby, and a deep dive into Corey’s latest sourcing adventures from Toypalooza. From vintage M.A.S.K. toys and The Tick collectibles to a legendary Hulk Hogan Thunder Mixer, the guys break down the thrill of the find, the art of negotiation, and why pointing silently at a vendor might be the newest bargaining strategy. The episode also includes an update on Pete the Penguin, the original Pittsburgh Penguins mascot, thanks to the first text sent into the Shaffer Hotline. The guys recap the bizarre story of Pete, the live penguin mascot that sadly didn’t last long, was later stuffed, stolen, and apparently lives on through local lore. Then it’s off to a weekend music recap: KISS Alive The Tribute, backstage hangouts, Candace Campana and her cassette single, the Millvale Music Festival, and a trip to Mr. Smalls to see Love Dumpster live — complete with green room stories, flying Barbies, and plans for the new Shaffer RULES Podcast studio. The conversation shifts into music creation, songwriting, and AI when Brian shares how he uploaded one of his original songs into Suno AI and got back a full country-style arrangement. The guys talk about AI-generated demos, songwriting ownership, copyright, pitching songs to Nashville, and whether “She Took My Van” needs to become a full-blown AI experiment in multiple genres. They also get into a broader music discussion covering bands whose best work came early, artists who reinvented themselves, and legends like Aerosmith, The White Stripes, David Bowie, Guns N’ Roses, Slash, Chris Cornell, Ozzy, Fergie, Lemmy, Dave Grohl, and more. And of course, the episode ends exactly where it should — with an improvised “She Took My Van” jam, a reminder to find yourself a Thunder Mixer, and a call for Willie to come back. #ShafferRULES #ShafferRULESPodcast #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #WesternPA #PittsburghPodcast #Toypalooza #VintageToys #ToyCollecting #WhistlePig #KISSAlive #MillvaleMusicFestival #MrSmalls #LoveDumpster #SunoAI #AIMusic #Songwriting #ThunderMixer #HulkHogan #PeteThePenguin

SR016 - Part 1: Ten Cent Beer Night, Stevie Ray, and the Curse of Greg Brown

The Shaffer RULES Podcast is back with Episode 16 - Part 1, and this one kicks off with music, drinks, baseball chaos, old-school sports stories, and just enough correction-corner energy to keep everyone honest. Brian and Corey open the episode with Brian’s original song, “I Gotta Leave It All Behind,” and Brian talks about how the song was recorded with a missing guitar string. That leads into a full-on Stevie Ray Vaughan appreciation session, including broken strings and live performances, From there, the guys jump into cruise ship drinking stories, hot houses, wine cork disasters, and the official Pour of the Week featuring Whistlepig Piggyback Rye. They also talk about the updated podcast screen setup, the Maono microphones, Dubby Energy, and the new Shaffer RULES call/text line. Then it is time for some listener feedback and corrections. The guys address comments about Greg Brown, Tim Raines, and the pronunciation/meaning behind Rammstein’s “Du Hast.” Naturally, this turns into a full investigation into whether Greg Brown may be carrying a curse from the Pirate Parrot days all the way through Buffalo Bills Super Bowl heartbreaks. The retro sports deep dive this week focuses on one of the wildest promotions in baseball history: Ten Cent Beer Night in Cleveland on June 4, 1974. Cheap beer, angry fans, a brawl, players swinging bats for protection, stolen bases, and a full-on ninth-inning riot. It is exactly the kind of sports disaster story made for the Shaffer RULES Podcast! The episode wraps with some baseball rule trivia from the 1800s, our umpire strike-three calls, a quick NBA playoffs rant, and a shoutout to the Armstrong Riverhawks Girls Softball Team after a strong season and playoff run. Grab a drink, hit that Dubby button, and enjoy another ridiculous, honest, and music-filled ride with the Shaffer RULES Podcast. Like, comment, and subscribe, and share the show with a friend. #ShafferRULES #ShafferRULESPodcast #RetroSports #SportsHistory #BaseballHistory #TenCentBeerNight #PittsburghSports #ClevelandBaseball #PiratesBaseball #BuffaloBills #GregBrown #FireGregBrown #StevieRayVaughan #WhistlepigWhiskey #ArmstrongRiverhawks #LocalSports #ComedyPodcast #SportsPodcast #MusicTalk #PourOfTheWeek Shaffer RULES Podcast, Episode 16, Ten Cent Beer Night, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland baseball riot, retro sports stories, old baseball rules, baseball history, Greg Brown, Buffalo Bills Super Bowl losses, Pirate Parrot, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tim Raines, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Whistlepig Piggyback Rye, whiskey review, Maono microphones, Dubby Energy, Armstrong Riverhawks softball, Armstrong County podcast, local sports podcast, comedy sports podcast, Pittsburgh sports talk, music podcast, podcast show notes, Brian Shaffer, Corey, Pour of the Week.

SR015 - Part 2: Bo Knows, Lee Sleeps, Shoplifters and Retro Sports

Part 2 of Episode 15 starts with absolute studio chaos and only gets dumber from there — in the best possible way. The guys kick things off with a weekend recap from the shop, where a simple sale turns into a parade of weirdos, stolen socks, suspicious backpacks, busted laptops, a mysterious hurricane lamp pitch, and one unforgettable character who may or may not have been Kittanning’s least subtle thief. From there, Lerndog takes us through his NFL Draft adventure in Pittsburgh, complete with cheap parking, missed live music, street freestyle rap, random bar stops, and the birth of #220LeeSleeping — because nothing says “big weekend” like being fully mummified in a hotel bed by mid-afternoon. Then the boys dive headfirst into retro sports chaos: baseball mullets vs. mustaches, Randy Johnson vs. Rollie Fingers energy, Griffey vs. Bonds in 1992, whether Bo Jackson would have been the greatest athlete ever, Tecmo Bowl vs. Madden, personal MLB/NFL Mount Rushmore picks, favorite broadcasters, legendary rivalries, and the childhood baseball cards they would still fight somebody over. And just when the episode almost becomes a respectable sports podcast, it swerves into Funko Pops, Fritzy’s, Willie, party stories, and the debut of the instant classic: “Golfing Clown.” It’s weird. It’s nostalgic. It’s probably too honest. It’s Shaffer RULES. Grab a drink, hit that Dubby button, and enjoy another ridiculous, honest, and fun-filled ride with the Shaffer RULES Podcast. Like, comment, and subscribe, and share the show with a friend. #ShafferRULESPodcast #ShafferRULES #PodcastComedy #SportsTalk #RetroSports #NFLDraft #PittsburghSports #BaseballTalk #MLB #NFL #BoJackson #KenGriffeyJr #BarryBonds #TecmoBowl #GarageSaleStories #ComedyPodcast #UnfilteredPodcast #WesternPA #Kittanning #GolfingClown

SR015 - Part 1: Mad Dog, Lerndog & the Pirate Parrot Drug Scandal

The Shaffer RULES Podcast is back with Episode 15 - Part 1, and somehow the guys made it through Lee Grafton’s 50th birthday party with enough brain cells left to record. Barely. This episode features the show’s first in-studio guest, Michael “Lerndog” Lehner, who joins the crew for a night of bad decisions, worse beverages, and stories that probably should have stayed in the early ’90s. The guys finally uncover the origin of the legendary Lerndog nickname, which involves Moondog, high school party lore, and the kind of name-calling that becomes permanent before you even realize your life has changed. The show kicks off with music from Love Dumpster, a band name that deserves respect before you even hear a note. The guys talk about the song, Isaac Jackson’s drumming, and the band’s upcoming Millvale Music Festival appearance. Then they get the sponsor shoutouts rolling with Dubby Energy and Maono, because even chaos needs proper hydration and microphones that can survive Mad Dog fumes. For Pour of the Week, the guys revisit a beverage that has ruined more college nights than fake IDs and bad tattoos: Mad Dog 20/20. Orange Jubilee, Blue Raspberry, Banana Red, and Strawberry Kiwi all enter the studio. Not all of them leave with dignity. Corey’s Find of the Week starts with autographed Pittsburgh Pirates baseballs, including Henry Davis and Dale Berra, and somehow turns into a full-blown history lesson on the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials, the Pirate Parrot, and the era when Major League Baseball apparently had more powder than the first day of ski season. From there, the episode goes completely off the rails — which is really just “on brand.” The guys talk about Pete the Penguin, Pittsburgh’s original live mascot who had a tragically short career, Hulk Hogan’s questionable life choices, old-school wrestling, the worst finishing move in history, pizza-chef wrestlers, closed-circuit TV, cassettes, mix tapes, old a cappella recordings, Zippo Hot Tour memories, a surprise workout tape from Roy’s Mom, and another voicemail from Willie, who may or may not have seen a titty at Lee’s party. It’s local music, retro sports, wrestling nostalgia, Pittsburgh weirdness, and three grown men voluntarily drinking Mad Dog on purpose. So, yes, this is Part 1. Grab a drink, hit that Dubby button, and enjoy another ridiculous, honest, and music-filled ride with the Shaffer RULES Podcast. Like, comment, and subscribe, and share the show with a friend. #ShafferRULES #ShafferRULESPodcast #PodcastLife #ComedyPodcast #PittsburghPodcast #WesternPAPodcast #Lerndog #MadDog2020 #PirateParrot #PittsburghPirates #PittsburghSports #RetroSports #WrestlingTalk #HulkHogan #OldSchoolWrestling #LocalMusic #LoveDumpster #MillvaleMusicFestival #PodcastGuest #GarageTalk