Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen with Lesley Arfin

"Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen with Lesley Arfin" is Episode 54 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen with Lesley Arfin" was released on May 26, 2016.

## Synopsis

Mitch and Wiger welcome writer/producer Lesley Arfin (*HBO’s Girls*, *Netflix’s Love*), who helps analyze cajun fried chicken chain Popeyes and tells us the virtues of eating cookies for breakfast. Mitch and Lesley compete in another edition of the Wiger Challenge.

## Nick's intro

At age 80, William Friedkin is one of America's greatest living directors. In the early 1970s, his career hit its apex with the one-two punch of *The French Connection* and *The Exorcist*. Though horror classic *The Exorcist* was the bigger hit and lingered longer in the collective consciousness, crime thriller *The French Connection* won greater critical acclaim, netting Oscars for Friedkin and star Gene Hackman.

In 1972, a high-school dropout named Al Copeland opened a fried-chicken restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, naming his joint after the hardboiled New York detective character portrayed by Hackman in the film. If it seemed like an odd inspiration, it was fitting for Copeland: an eccentric New Orleans original who talked as big as he lived - over the years, brawling in bar fights with political officials, decorating his mansion with a Christmas lights display so ornate it would become a local landmark, bribing the judge in his divorce proceedings, and publicly feuding with fellow Louisianan, Anne Rice.

But he also built his fast-service restaurant business into a sensation, winning the loyalty of locals with a spicy chicken seasoning and authentic biscuits and sides, and adding 500 locations in its first decade of operation.

Copeland died in 2008, but his fried-chicken legacy continues to thrive. Now with 2000 restaurants across America, and far-flung locales like Kuwait and Vietnam, this bayou original has ascended to the number-two position worldwide in the competitive chicken sector, behind Yum! Brands goliath KFC.

This week on *Doughboys*: Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen.

## Fork rating

* 4pcs Chicken Platter
	+ Spicy
	+ Cajun Fries
	+ Red Beans and Rice
 Mike Mitchell
* 3pcs Chicken Platter
	+ 1/3 Spicy, 2/3 Regular
	+ Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy
	+ Mac and Cheese
* Strawberry & Cream Cheese Pie
 Lesley Arfin
* 2pcs Chicken Meal
	+ Mashed Potatoes
	+ Green Beans

## Wiger Challenge

In the Wiger Challenge, Nick presents Mitch and the guest with a mystery beverage and they try to guess what it is. The closest guess is declared the winner.

The drink for this episode was a BodyArmor Strawberry Banana SuperDrink.

## Quotes

**Mitch**: Mm-hmm. They're also pie.
**Nick**: Muffins are not pie. That's insane.

## #hashtags

* #KittenSmitten vs. #RatsTheCats (or #KittenShitten)
* #SpiceIsNice
* #What'sYourRoomTemp
* #GimmeThatBone vs. #FuckWithTheFinger

## The Feedbag

My favorite story from these stops revolved around my dad getting increasingly angry as he messed up an order at the drive thru, trying to keep track of what everyone wanted. He both loved and hated it at the same time.
Anyway, do you have any fond food memories of family vacations and/or endearing quirks from the family eating experience on trips?

 Leslely Arfin

## Plugs and Drops

 * *South Park* / *"nice set of spoons" / Anchorman / The Pink Panther*
* *The Chappelle Show / "girls, your pizza's here" / 30 Rock / Community / Saturday Night Live*
* *Monster Squad / Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me / The Matrix / Seinfeld / Borat*
* *Good Burger / Dreamgirls / Monty Python and the Holy Grail / The Rock /Spider-Man 3*
* Soundgarden "Spoonman" / The Olsen Twins "Gimme Pizza"
* Smash Mouth "Walkin' On The Sun" / Leo Karpatze "Monster Fuck"
* Jimmy Buffett "Cheeseburger in Paradise"
* (and much more I couldn't specifically identify)

## Related Episodes

* 93. Chicken Fight: Full Bird Region
* 95. Chicken Fight: Semisoft Finals
* 97. Chicken Fight: Finals
* 218. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 2
* 284. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 3
* 346. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 4

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Cajun FriesRed Beans and Rice4pcs Chicken Combo