Sombrero with Neil Campbell and Fran Gillespie

"Sombrero with Neil Campbell and Fran Gillespie (live)" is Episode 412 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell. "Sombrero with Neil Campbell and Fran Gillespie (live)" was released on August 24, 2023.

## Synopsis

Neil Campbell and Fran Gillespie join to talk Mexican food and San Diego movies before a review of Sombrero. Plus, the debut of Drankorman or Stankorman.

*Recorded live at The Observatory North Park in San Diego, CA on 8/10/2023.*

## Nick's intro

"*In the most inclement weather, he might be seen barefooted and almost naked, except when he chanced to pick up articles of old clothing.*"

This excerpt from the *Fort Wayne Sentinel* dated March 22, 1845 is from the obituary of John Chapman.

Born two years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Chapman grew up amidst the chaos of the American Revolution. And in the war's aftermath, he and his brother Nathaniel migrated west to Ohio to work as farmers. Around 1805, John Chapman left the family homestead to take an apprenticeship as an orchardist where he was connected with the crop that would define his life's work: the apple. A deeply religious devotee of the small Lutheran sect of Swedenborgianism, Chapman took to traveling the new nation to spread both the gospel and the seeds of what is perhaps the most American of fruits, earning him the nickname Johnny Appleseed.

While popular legend depicts Johnny traipsing through the countryside scattering seeds at random, Chapman was in fact a careful planter who left lovingly curated orchards in his wake: the bulk of his planting consisting of bitter, inedible apples best suited for brewing alcoholic hard cider. The legend of Johnny Appleseed would become a part of American folklore, and eighty years after his death, another American horticulturist would replicate the process with a fruit formerly known as the alligator pear: the avocado.

In 1925, Rudolph Hass, a postal worker in Pasadena, California, cashed in his savings to establish an avocado grove and after a laborious decade-long process of growing and seed-grafting, he struck mushy green gold with his patented eponymous varietal. Today, Hass avocados, often mispronounced as "Haws," comprise roughly 95% of the avocado crop in the U.S., making Rudolph into something of a Johnny Avocadoseed.

The ready availability of avocados was key to the growth of Mexican cuisine in the Golden State; avocados naturally being the main ingredient in guacamole, a dish that dates back to the Aztecs.

And in 1983, an Aztec of a different sort, a San Diego State alum named Ralph, opened a taco shop in San Diego's Mission Beach neighborhood, inspired by the fresh seafood-focused fare of nearby Baja California. Ralph's concept was a quick hit and grew into three local locations and then dozens more across the Southland, ultimately doing more than arguably any other chain to popularize the fish taco in the States.

Now with over 200 locations and a claim of 200 million battered cod tacos sold to date, Ralph's restaurant has spread fresh Mexican fare from sea to shining sea, making this modern man into something of a Johnny FishTacoSeed.

This week on *Doughboys*: Rubio's.

And this week on *Doughboys*, live in San Diego, Sombrero!

[Classic intro from the previous live show in San Diego. Support the WGA and SAG.]

## Fork rating

* Chicken Taco
* Fish Taco
 Mike Mitchell
* 1/2 Fish Burrito
* 1/2 California Burrito
* "Special Burrito" (chicken)
* Cali Taco
 Neil Campbell
* Shrimp Burrito
 Fran Gillespie
* California Burrito (no meat)
 shared
* Nachos Supreme

**Spoonman's Bite of the Night** went to the California Burrito.

Amelia was there as well (she split the two burritos with Mitch), and offered it a rating of 4 forks. Nick also asked audience members for their fork rating: Greg (3 forks), Alexander (4 forks), Alexander's wife (4 forks), and Ryan (3 forks).

## Drankorman or Stankorman

In Drank or Stank, the Doughboys try a beverage and rate it either 'Drank' or 'Stank.'

For this episode, they drink some milk: 2%, chocolate, organic low-fat, and TruMoo Strawberry Whole Milk.

They didn't really rate them Drank or Stank, but it seems like they enjoyed them, except for the Strawberry one.

## The Feedbag

 Mike Mitchell
 Neil Campbell
 Fran Gillespie
 Greg T.

 Mike Mitchell
 Neil Campbell
 Fran Gillespie
 Alexander

 Neil Campbell
 Fran Gillespie

## Related Episodes

* 63. 7-Eleven
* 91. Chicken Fight - Small Pieces Region
* 100. Nugget Power Hour
* DD. The Exorcist
* DD. Beyond Chicago
* 228. White Castle
* 259. Whole Foods
* DD. Mascot Draft
* 412. Sombrero
* 100. Nugget Power Hour
* 125. ESPN Zone
* DD. The Slice Is Right - Fat Chance Kitchen Semifinals
* DD. The Twilight Calzone
* DD. The Mitchy Clause
* DD. Gorko's Planet Clergmas Spectacular
* 412. Sombrero

## Photos

Fish TacoCheese QuesadillaNachos Supreme"Special Burrito"California Burrito (no meat)Cali Taco, Chicken TacoNeil and his Shrimp Burrito