"Monty's Good Burger with Evan Susser" is Episode 330 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Monty's Good Burger with Evan Susser" was released on December 16, 2021.
"Tomorrow… with Evan Susser" - @doughboyspod
Synopsis[]
Comissioner Evan Susser (Fist Fight, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Man Bites Dog) joins the 'boys to reflect on 2021 and review Steak 'n Shake for a sixth time (kind of) via plant-based Monty's Good Burger. Plus, the debut of a new segment: I Don't Like Sand...wich.
Nick's intro[]
The UK in the 1990s saw the emergence of so-called "Lad Culture," a celebration of young men getting drunk, watching football, and generally being randy. And with it came the rise of Lad magazines: print publications that blended ribald writing with softcore wank material, with names like For Him Magazine (or FHM), Stuff, Loaded, Zoo, and Nuts.
Maxim
A similarly unapologetic celebration of maleness surfaced stateside, though lads were called 'dudes' or 'bros,' randiness was called 'horniness,' and football was of course of the American sort. And so too the Lad mag migrated across the pond (though with the breasts covered for the puritans) - US versions of FHM and Stuff, along with the most successful import, Maxim Magazine.
Featuring an array of saucy celebrity photoshoots and articles like "Legalize Steroids" and "Cheat and Don't Get Caught," the publication peaked in circulation and relevance in the early 2000s. But Lad mags, along with magazines at large, faded away in the 21st century due to the rise of the internet, and by the early 2010s, Maxim had declined from a circulation of nine million to around two million.
Enter Sardar Biglari, CEO of his eponymous Biglari Holdings. As reflected on his company's remarkably crude website, Biglari owns a diverse slate of interests, including steak chain Western Sizzlin, First Guard Insurance, and Southern Oil of Louisiana. In 2014, Biglari added to his holdings by purchasing Maxim for $12 million, promptly adding his own signature to the logo, and pivoting away from its Lad mag roots toward being an Esquire-style men's lifestyle magazine. Sales fell a further 40% as a result, but undeterred, Biglari appointed himself Editor-in-Chief in 2016, asserting an even tighter control over the publication.
The pattern will seem familiar to devout fans of another asset in Biglari's portfolio: a beloved Midwest burger chain with diner-style table service that first opened in Illinois in 1934. Biglari had acquired the hamburger-and-milkshake brand in 2008, taking the regional chain national by way of new "By Biglari" locations, which similarly affixed his signature to the company's logo, while vastly reducing its menu and swapping in more cost-efficient counter service. The results were similarly catastrophic, as sales tumbled, dining rooms shuttered, and the company piled on debts, while franchisees and employees filed myriad lawsuits against the parent company. As reported by Restaurant Business's Jonathan Maze in February of 2021, Biglari had to inject cash to pay off the company's debt and is now desperately transitioning the remaining restaurants from counter service to even cheaper automated kiosks.
Today, most of the old-school Lad mags are defunct or irrelevant, superceded by online simulacrums like The Chive and Barstool Sports. And while one could note that Biglari's mismanagement of Maxim aside, print media was doomed either way, that's not the case with chain restaurants, a sector that continues to thrive, even factoring in the pandemic. It seems to just be Biglari's standard operating procedure: buy a new car, take the wheel, and promptly drive it off a cliff.
This week, on the final new Doughboys of 2021, we return to Steak 'n Shake, by way of a plant-based steak-and-shake alternative, Monty's Good Burger.
Fork rating[]
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
5 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
5 forks |
| Evan Susser |
|
3.75 forks |
Nick made two trips to Monty's.
The Susser Family's Sip of the Trip went to the Cookie Shake. Susser's wife, Jamie, said she'd give Monty's "maybe 3 forks."
Spoonman's Bite of the Night went to the Double Cheeseburger.
I Don't Like Sand...wich Santa Calls In[]
In this (brand new) segment, Nick has a series of mystery sandwiches and Mitch and the guest have to figure which 'wich is which.
Santa appearing with the Doughboys on The Bread Cast
The segment was unfortunately interrupted by a phone call from Santa Claus.
Santa is calling to announce who is on his Naughty and Nice list!
| Naughty List | Nice List |
|---|---|
| The Insurrectionists | Dr. Fauci |
| Jason Reitman | the mRNA vaccine (Pfizer & Moderna) |
| the Johnson & Johnson vaccine | Ted Lasso |
He then ranks The Doughboys Naughty & Nice List and gives them gifts.
| Nice List | gift |
|---|---|
| 1. Emma Erdbrink | a brand new vape pen |
| 2. Evan Susser | Santa will appear on Deli Boys |
| 3. The Drop King |
| Naughty List | naughty sin |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | filthy self-pleasure |
| Mike Mitchell | gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy, pride |
Happy holidays!
I Don't Like Sand...wich[]
In this (brand new) segment, Nick has a series of mystery sandwiches and Mitch and the guest have to figure which 'wich is which.
| clue | Mitch | Susser | Claus | Score
(MM - ES - SC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This triple-decker sandwich is usually made with sliced turkey or chicken and includes bacon, tomato, and lettuce. | - | Club | - | 0-1-0 |
Susser is the initial winner of I Don't Like Sand...wich!
Mash-Off 4: The Dream Mashter (Part 2) 🥔[]
Mitch's Apple Cranberry Pie
This year's Mash-Off episode for Thanksgiving was focused on holiday pies. Mitch made an apple cranberry pie for the episode, but they were on Zoom and were not able to share.
So the night before this episode, Mitch gave a slice of his pie to Nick, who tried it during this episode.
"I see why they call you Mr. Slice (of Pie)" was Nick's glowing review.
Good Riddance, Palmerston (Time Of Your Life)[]
This is the last episode of the year, and the last episode from Mitch's apartment, Palmerston. He sings a song about it.
Green Day "Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance)"
| “ |
Another five fork score, a Platinum Plate Club spot |
” |
Roast Spoonman[]
Bob Cratchit
| “ | Slob Cratchit | ” |
–Joe | ||
Roast Emma[]
Ebeneezer Scrooge
| “ | Emmasneezer Scrooge | ” |
–Joe | ||
Quotes[]
| “ | Do you think Santa participates in No-Nut November? | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | We should probably re-record this episode at a later date. It's pretty bad. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | I do pursue oral pleasure in terms of putting unhealthy food in my mouth. | ” |
–Nick Wiger | ||
#hashtags[]
- #ChainHallOfFame or #HallOfChain
The Feedbag[]
| “ | If somebody were starting a Chain-Restaurant Hall of Fame and they reached out to get nominations for the first inductees, who would you nominate and why? | ” |
–Matt from Iowa | ||
| guest / host | #HallofChain |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
| Mike Mitchell |
|
| Evan Susser |
|
Related Episodes[]
Photos[]
