"Popeyes 6 with Tim Baltz" is Episode 494 of Doughboys, hosted by Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell. "Popeyes 6 with Tim Baltz" was released on May 8, 2025.
"Tomorrow… with Tim Baltz @timbaltz.bsky.social" - @doughboys.bsky.social
Synopsis[]
Tim Baltz (@tim.baltz, Righteous Gemstones) joins the 'boys to talk Megaman, Chicago sports and favorite Chicago eats before a return to Popeyes to review the limited-time Pickle Menu. Plus, another edition of Drank or Stank.
Nick's intro[]
Gene Hackman as Popeye Doyle in The French Connection
On February 26, 2025, Santa Fe authorities announced the discoveries of the bodies of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa. The horrific news, readymade for true-crime obsessives with grisly terms like “mummification,” shocked the American public, and among the reactions included a wave of tributes for Hackman, a beloved character-star-turned-recluse in retirement.
With roles in hit films like The Conversation, Hoosiers, Crimson Tide, and The Royal Tenenbaums, as well as a turn as Lex Luthor in the Christopher Reeves Superman franchise and an Oscar win as the villainous Sheriff Little Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood’s anti-Western Unforgiven, Hackman’s presence elevated each of his movies. But his signature performance was in the 1971 William Friedkin film The French Connection, where among its five Oscar wins was a Best Actor statue for Hackman as Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle.
Both a critical and commercial smash, the character of Popeye Doyle was so well-known in pop culture that when Al Copeland opened his fried-chicken chain down in da bayou in 1972, he named it for Hackman’s hard-boiled cop. Over the next five decades, as Popeye Doyle receded in the collective consciousness, the breaded-bird broker expanded globally, buoyed by the introduction of a Chick-fil-A-killer sandwich in 2019.
In April 2025, just weeks after Morgan Freeman offered a touching tribute to Hackman at the Academy Awards, the fried-chicken chain named for his character launched a pickle menu featuring pickle-glazed wings, tendies, and sandos, as well as fried pickles and lemonade. And speaking of food, Hackman’s only on-camera credit since his final film role, 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport, was a surprise cameo on an episode of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, when he just happened to be dining at Santa Fe restaurant, Harry's Roadhouse, while cameras were rolling. While enjoying breakfast at the counter, a happily retired Hackman told Fieri his favorite feature of the eatery: “Nobody pays me attention, you know. It's great.”
Rest in power, Popeye Doyle.
This week on Doughboys… we return, once again, to Popeyes, for the Popeyes Pickle Menu.
Fork rating[]
Doughboys have reviewed Popeyes five previous times. The first visit saw Nick give it 4.5 forks and Mitch 3.5. Three years later, they returned to try the then-new Chicken Sandwich and both gave it 5 forks as Popeyes made the Golden Plate Club. In 2021, they went again, and though Nick and Mitch stuck with their 5 forks, it was removed from the Golden Plate Club. To remedy this, they went a fourth time, and finally Popeyes received 5 forks all around and made the Platinum Plate Club. Nick also gives it a Doughboys Lock, saying it cannot be demoted from there.
However, they go back in 2024 to try Popeyes Wings, and Mitch dropped his rating to 4.5, thereby moving it back to the Golden Plate Club.
For this episode, the Doughboys return again to try Popeyes' new Pickle Menu.
| guest / host | ordered | Pickle Menu rating | Popeyes rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
3.5 forks | 5 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
3.5 forks | 5 forks |
| Tim Baltz |
|
3 forks | 5 forks |
| shared |
|
Everyone was somewhat mixed on the Pickle Menu, and seemed disappointed by it, but didn't want to knock it either.
Susser also texted his score for the Pickle Menu, 3.5 forks.
With these scores, Popeyes returns to the Platinum Plate Club (but the Pickle Menu is not included).
Drank or Stank[]
In this segment, the Doughboys have a drink and decide if it is 'good' or 'bad.'
For this episode, they try three of the Skittles Fruit Drinks: Tropical, Wild Berry, and Sour.
Everyone found the Wild Berry horrible and tasted like dust and possible expired. They all liked the mixture best of all.
| guest / host | Tropical | Sour | Wild Berry | mixing all three together |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | Stank | Drank | Stank | Drank |
| Mike Mitchell | Drank | Stank | Stank | Drank |
| Tim Baltz | Stank | Drank | Stank | Drank |
Roast Spoonman[]
John Wayne Gacy
| “ | Dijon Wayne Gacy | ” |
–Spencer | ||
The Feedbag[]
| “ | When you are watching cartoons, what cartoon food looks the tastiest? | ” |
–Kyle in Boston | ||
| guest / host | cartoon food |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
| Mike Mitchell |
|
| Tim Baltz |
|
| Emma Erdbrink | animated eggs and breakfasts |
Quotes[]
| “ | Chicagoans should feel lucky to be covered in [Dave Matthews'] shit. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | The Doughboys like uniform squirts! | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
| “ | It's a weird Venn diagram where all my neighbors are pieces of shit, but they all listen to Doughboys. | ” |
–Tim Baltz | ||
Drops and Plugs[]
| reference | notes |
|---|---|
| Mega Man 2 soundtrack | in Mitch's drop (by Joe Bastion) |
|
Tim's plug |
Related Episodes[]
| Popeyes episodes | Tim Baltz episodes |
|---|---|
|
|
Photos[]
