A rainy Northern California afternoon set the tone for a milestone we’ve been building toward one night at a time: twelve years on the air. We pause to celebrate the people who made it possible—listeners who stuck with us, Kendall’s steady hand in the early years, and the unforgettable punch of Mark the Voice Guy’s liners that gave the show its swagger between breaks. We revisit the fifth-anniversary party at Hillenbrand Brewery, the band that pulled our community into one room, and the thread of support from voices like Deb who pushed us from guest host to a nightly fixture.

From memories to momentum, we take a firm, heartfelt stand on a topic with real stakes: California’s ban on cat declawing. We break down what the law actually stops—cosmetic amputations that harm balance and behavior—and why humane alternatives matter. If you share your home with a cat, you’ll find practical advice: scratcher placement that works, nail-trim basics without the drama, and when to consider soft caps. And yes, we laugh (and wince) through a few infamous cat chaos clips that prove respect beats shortcuts every time.

Twelve years later, the mission is unchanged: keep late-night radio human, local, and honest. Thank you for riding along through the rain, the jokes, the music, and the moments that tie us together. Join us for the anniversary broadcast tonight, tell a friend, and if this show has kept you company, tap follow, share the episode, and leave a quick review—what memory stands out most to you?

A quiet walk turns into a turning point. On the verge of a Sicily trip, we take stock of a twelve-year run on the Sacramento airwaves—why a talk show built on curiosity and kindness rose to the top—and how a simple, steady approach can outlast the noise. The day carries a different charge too: a viral video from a protest draws both praise and warnings, then sparks the best surprise of all—a call from my son Eric after months of silence. His laughter, a Lynyrd Skynyrd deep cut, and a nod to family music moments become proof that grace can reach places arguments never will.

We don’t stay in one lane. We move from radio philosophy to the anatomy of a civil conversation, from grief’s long echo to the fragile hope of a breakthrough in the Middle East. You’ll hear candid thoughts on media framing and how credit should cross party lines when lives are at stake. Between headlines, there’s everyday joy: a local brewery run by a friend, a band set that hits, a Rams win, and the discipline to keep running even when rain threatens. The thread that ties it all together is simple and stubborn: listen first, keep your humor, and choose decency when the crowd wants a fight.

If you’ve been with me from the first late-night hour or you’re just finding us on this path, welcome. Celebrate twelve years with us, share this episode with a friend who needs a reason to call someone they love, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. If the show moved you, leave a quick review—it helps more good people find this community.

Plans are great—until real life knocks on the studio door. Today’s show starts with sun over the Northern California foothills and takes a sharp, necessary turn when a medevac helicopter crashes onto Highway 50. We drop the light banter and shift into service mode: clear updates, listener calls with firsthand details, and a steady tone while neighbors lift part of the aircraft to free a pinned woman. That on‑air pivot is the heart of live radio—informing fast, staying human, and trusting the community to help fill in what officials can’t yet confirm.

When the dust settles, we lean back into the everyday stories that keep us connected. A weeklong deer guest turns garden villain, stripping bark and toppling a beloved palm. We talk humane deterrence that actually works—hello, motion‑activated sprinkler—and the comic humility of forgetting it’s armed. Creativity gets its turn as we share band‑room moments: a tight take on UFO’s Rock Bottom, the shaky courage of posting a vocal clip, and the surprising discipline behind a “simple” groove. I also pick up the harmonica and relearn the basics—draw, don’t just blow—chasing that first clean train‑whistle bend.

Civic trust threads through the back half, thanks to a listener who discovers a ballot envelope window that appears to reveal his vote choice. It’s a small design detail with big implications for confidence in elections. We widen the lens to California politics, weighing real‑world outcomes against online theatrics on addiction, homelessness, and public order. And to close, we cue a pristine 45 of Neil Diamond’s Cherry Cherry, tracing the session players, producers, and the magic of a perfect three‑chord song that still jumps from the speakers.

If this mix of breaking news, real life, and music resonated, tap follow, share with a friend who loves radio that shows up when it counts, and leave a quick review—what part kept you listening?

Plans vanished the moment the phones blew up. We set out to walk you through how a daily show gets made—music cues, topic lists, the dance between light and heavy—and then a Medevac helicopter crashed on Highway 50. What followed was a live pivot: verified details, road closures, the improbable luck of a construction zone, and the kind of bystander courage that makes you stop and breathe. You’ll hear how we balance urgency with empathy while keeping the lines open for a city that needed clarity and a calm voice.

Once the ground steadied, we rewound and opened our notebook. We talk through the real mechanics of building ten shows a week: collecting weekend observations, scoring topics for caller energy, and using “stuff we couldn’t get to” as both a promise and a pressure valve. From Rite Aid closures and the future of Thrifty ice cream to why adults love going all-in on Halloween, we map how a night’s tone gets set—and why it matters for engagement and time spent listening. We dig into Uber’s women-only request option and the trade-offs baked into California’s red-light camera bill, where lower fines, looser identification, and higher collections collide with fairness and oversight.

To keep the ride human, we layer in culture and wonder: rock-world spats for levity, sports quick hits for communal rhythm, and Voyager 1’s improbable radio revival 15 billion miles away for perspective. We also shout out local artists and share merch that celebrates Sacramento staples like Tower Records and Sam’s Hofbrau, because the show lives where the community lives. Hit play for a night that teaches exactly how a talk show breathes under pressure—craft, chaos, callers, and care working in sync. If this resonated, follow, share with a friend, and drop a review telling us which segment stuck with you most.

We celebrate a rainy October Friday, reflect on the long road to a nightly talk show, and share the data that proves listener loyalty. From a near-syndication in 2020 to today’s #1 TSL rating at night, we lay out what trust, timing, and community have built together.

• walking update and fresh momentum
• thanks to listeners and small businesses
• podcast–radio synergy and growth path
• early career drive and delayed talk opportunity
• the elevator conversation that led to the show
• audience pushback when a Thursday hour was replaced
• switching from humor to crisis coverage on demand
• syndication attempt halted by 2020 layoffs
• Nielsen ratings explained: cume vs time spent listening
• being #1 in TSL among adults 35–64
• producing the show without an editorial producer
• twelve-year milestone in the evening slot
• clear ask to share and help grow the pod

If you could tell a friend, recommend us—help us keep growing Pat’s Peeps and bring Sacramento charm to more ears

A rainy fall morning, a record day of downloads, and a park that literally changed overnight—sometimes the smallest surprises set up the biggest questions. We stumbled onto a brand-new playground where a restroom used to be, tested the slide with more courage than grace, and used that jolt of change to explore the hidden pressure behind great performances. From there, we traveled into the tape archive of infamous studio blowups: Buddy Rich’s volcanic bus tirades, Casey Kasem’s whiplash between up-tempo hits and a tender dedication, and William Shatner’s surgical takedown of vague direction in a recording booth.

What ties a surprise slide to a studio meltdown? Expectations, transitions, and the fragile craft of keeping things smooth when the world is not. We talk about perfectionism and its double edge—how high standards lift music, radio, and live shows, but can also scorch the people who make them. Buddy Rich’s temper sits alongside his genius; Kasem’s outburst reveals how tone is a real editorial problem, not just a vibe; Shatner’s exchange shows why creative feedback must be specific and owned. We ground those moments in our own day: gratitude for your support, a shout to local businesses, a birthday nod to a superfan, and the calming snap of a flawless Tom Petty promo 45 sliding from its sleeve.

If you geek out on radio history, production war stories, or the psychology of performance under pressure, you’ll feel right at home. And if you just needed a smile, picture an adult discovering that modern slides are faster than they look. Thanks for listening and helping us hit a new high-water mark. Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves behind-the-scenes audio lore, and leave a quick review—what meltdown taught you the most about craft?