"Playa Bowls with Zach Cherry and Jon Gabrus (live)" is an episode of the premium-content podcast, Doughboys Double, hosted by Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell. "Playa Bowls with Zach Cherry and Jon Gabrus (live)" was released on July 22, 2025.
"Tomorrow on the Double, we continue JU-LIVE with… Zach Cherry & Jon Gabrus" - @doughboys.bsky.social
Synopsis[]
Zach Cherry (@zachcherrysuperstan) and Jon Gabrus (@gabrus) join the 'boys to talk tour travel and New Jersey before a review of Playa Bowls. Plus, a new Drank or Stank.
[Recorded live at NJPAC in Newark, NJ on May 16, 2025. Released in July as part of JU-LIVE.]
Nick's intro[]
Meryl Streep; Bruce Springsteen; Whitney Houston; Frank Sinatra (about whom one-time partner Ava Gardner famously said "only weighs 120 pounds, but ten pounds of it is cock"); and of course, Sammi Sweetheart. All of these celebrities are natives of the most densely populated state in America: New Jersey. But relative to their respective fields, one additional New Jerseyan stands as equal among their ranks: Hall of Fame bowler Parker Bohn III.
Parker Bohn III
Born in 1963 in Jackson Township, Bohn III ascended to the Professional Bowlers Association in 1984, and with his signature smooth, left-handed release, he dominated the ten-pin alleys. The PBA player of the year in 1999, 2001, and 2002, Bohn won thirty-five major titles over the course of his career, which ranks him fifth all time. And while known for his very un-New Jerseyan quality of sportsmanship, the man nicknamed "PB3" has no reason to be modest: he’s bowled a staggering 100 perfect games. His renown on the lanes even led to a role in the Farrelly Brothers bowling comedy Kingpin, which, like all Farrelly Brothers' movies, has aged great.
And it’s fitting that one of New Jersey’s greatest citizens would be a bowler — because no food is more strongly associated with the state… than the açaí bowl.
In 2014, twenty-something surfer-dude pals Abby Taylor and Robert Giuliani — thankfully not the shitty mayor's nepo son — opened a smoothie/bowl stand on the Jersey Shore, named for the Spanish word for 'beach'. Starting out with just a cooler and a blender, within two years, they were franchising brick-and-mortar locations. Today, according to The Ringer’s Alan Siegel, it’s the largest açaí-bowl chain in the nation, and the second largest bowl chain overall, behind famously boring Mediterranean-slop shop CAVA.
Bohn III, meanwhile, who still resides in the place Zach Braff named the Garden State, remains active: in fact, he won a doubles tournament with his son Brandon in December of last year. And it stands to reason that this legendary lanesman has used his Hall of Fame left hand to dig into a New Jersey açaí creation that shares his initials — and pro bowling’s initials: PB.
This week on Doughboys… live from Newark…. Playa Bowls.
Fork rating[]
#gobowlsdeep
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
5 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
5 forks |
| Zach Cherry |
|
5 forks and 1 protein ball |
| Jon Gabrus |
|
5 forks |
The Doughboys went to a Playa Bowl near Rutgers in New Brunswick, NJ.
Zach also went for dinner the night before on his own (and says he'll go for three meals the next day).
Zach's wife Annabella joined them for the meal, and they sang 'Happy Birthday' to her during the show.
With these scores, Playa Bowls joins the Pitayanum Plate Club!
Drank or Stank[]
Sanzo Lychee Sparking Water
In Drank or Stank, the Doughboys try a beverage and rate it either 'Drank' or 'Stank.'
For this episode, they try some Sanzo Lychee Sparkling Waters that the venue gave them.
| guest / host | rating |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | Drank |
| Mike Mitchell | Frank |
| Zach Cherry | Drank (10 forks) |
| Jon Gabrus | Quadruple Drank 6 |
Mitch gives this a Frank rating, which reminds Nick that his full legal name is Nicolas Frank Wiger, but sometimes he goes by Frank:
Let Me Be Frank 🌭[]
The Lovin' Spoonful "Summer in the City"
| “ |
Hot dog simmer in the city |
” |
Elvis Presley "Hound Dog"
| “ |
You ain't nothin' but a hot dog |
” |
Alabama 3 "Woke Up This Morning" (Sopranos Theme)
| “ |
Woke up this morning, got yourself a bun |
” |
- What are you listening to?
- The Hot Dog Shins. You heard of them?
- No.
- Well, you gotta listen to this one song. It'll change your life, I swear!
| “ |
Chew chew chewwww cheeeew |
” |
The Shins "New Slang"
- Wow. I liked it.
- Garden Frank!
In the New Jersey version of segment, Mitch searches Google for 'hot dog New Jersey' and Nick uses Bing and discovers the latest news about hot dogs. They then discuss!
- Nick finds an article about Big Joe's favorite hot dogs in the state.
- Mitch reads about Bon Jovi getting a hot dog.
- Nick also reads the Bing AI report for some big New Jersey hot-dog places.
- Mitch wonders about this report about hot dogs.
- Nick has the "ultimate list" of hot-dog joints in New Jersey.
- He doesn't indicate an article, but Mitch reads about Hot Dog Johnny's in Buttzville, NJ.
- Nick finds a fact about Americans spending $8 billion on hot dogs and sausages a year.
- Mitch also reads a piece about Jimmy Buff's in Surf City, NJ.
Roast Spoonman[]
The Situation
| “ | The Mitchuation | ” |
–Miles | ||
I've Got A Bone 🦴[]
George Thorogood "Bad to the Bone"
| “ |
On the day Doughboys drops |
” |
In this segment, Zach Cherry brings in a number of gripes he has about the Doughboys.
- Shut the fuck up about New Jersey, Mitch! (Zach is from there.)
The Feedbag[]
| “ | What one fast-food sauce would you want to sustain yourself with? | ” |
–Mike N. | ||
| guest / host | one sauce to eat like in a Sopranos episode |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | packet of mayo |
| Mike Mitchell | gravy |
| Zach Cherry | Playa Bowl Nutella Drizzle |
| Jon Gabrus | McDonald's Honey |
| “ | If you could change your last name to a food, what would you pick? | ” |
–Alex | ||
| guest / host |
|---|
| Tiger Tail or Nick Apple |
| Mikey Meatball or Mike Big Mac |
| Zach Wiger |
| Jonny Sauce |
| “ | Which burger is better: Big Mac or Whopper? | ” |
–Genevieve Marino (Amelia's sister) | ||
| guest / host | Big Mac or Whopper |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | Whopper |
| Mike Mitchell | Big Mac |
| Zach Cherry | Whopper with Cheese |
| Jon Gabrus | Big Mac |
| Genevieve Marino | Whopper |
| Amelia Marino | Big Mac |
| Emma Erdbrink | Big Mac |
Quotes[]
| “ | I'm a vegetarian, but if dolphin was on the table... | ” |
–Zach Cherry | ||
| “ | Is The Rizzler here tonight? No? If he was, I'd kick his fucking ass. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | I'm a huge kiwi freak. I love 'em. I eat the furry skin. It's like biting into a testicle. | ” |
–Jon Gabrus | ||
| “ | Zendaya is lychee. | ” |
–Zach Cherry | ||
Drops and Plugs[]
| reference | notes |
|---|---|
| "Dem Threedom Boys" | in Mitch's drop (by Catherine Mary) |
| Zach Cherry "I've Got a Bone" / George Thorogood "Bad to the Bone" | Zach and Gabrus's walk-on music |
Related Episodes[]
Photos[]
