Men’s Journal’s Everyday Warrior With Mike Sarraille is a new podcast that inspires individuals to live more fulfilling lives by having conversations with disrupters and high performers in all walks of life. In episode 21, we spoke with actor Dave Bautista and tattoo artist John Kural, who’s responsible for a large part of Bautista’s body art. The celebrity partnered with Kural to help him build his very own tattoo parlor called DC Society Ink. The two discuss tattoos, Hollywood, family, and more.
Listen to the full episode above (scroll down for the transcript) and see more from this series below.
This interview has not been edited for length or clarity.
Mike Sarraille:
Welcome to the Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior podcast. I’m your host, Mike Sarraille. I’m proud to partner with Pendleton Whiskey. Pendleton Whiskey just released its sixth limited-edition military bottle to honor veterans of the United States. Armed forces. Pendleton Whiskey has pledged to donate $100,000 and a portion of proceeds support the Bob Woodruff foundation to help create healthy, positive futures for our service members, veterans, and their families. Go to Pendletonwhiskey.com and check out their cocktails page, which provides a Western spin on classic cocktails. All right, let’s get to it
I’m excited for this one. I’m excited for all my podcast guests, cus that’s just the curiosity of hearing people’s stories. So I’ve got Dave Batista and and John Kural, owners and partners in DC Society Ink. Yes, sir. And you guys are launching July 24.
Dave Bautista: Yes. Yeah. We’re having the grand. We’ve been open for a while. We’ve had the doors open since January, but we’ll finally have a grand opening. We just wanna kind of celebrate us, being an opening, you know, and let the public come in and check out the place and, and meet us and say hello to the community. Uh, we got, we both have roots here, so we just wanted to open the doors for everyone to come in.
Mike Sarraille: I I, so you guys have been open since January. Yeah. And, and that is to, Hey, let’s test, let’s test things out. Let’s let’s work out the Dave Bautista: Kinks pretty much, you know, it, it just takes a while we, we starting this from, you know, ground up and we wanna need to build up clientele and following. Uh, so we just started, you know, open the doors, started bringing people in and it’s kind of word of mouth thing. We don’t really do any advertis advertising other than social media. Uh, we don’t, as you see, we’re not in a mall or anything. So there’s not a lot of walkthrough traffic. So we just wanted to get the open doors, you know, open the doors, get the word out and actually have the grand opening when I was here and I could participate cuz otherwise I’m just a name attached to it. But when I’m home, I’m actually here pretty much daily. Yes. Come, just hang out. <laugh>
Mike Sarraille: I would’ve never suspected cuz John, you, you you’re renowned as a tattoo artist for sure. Yes. You’re an artist. Yes. And Dave, pretty much the world knows who you are guys said the following. I think you already got a following. Yes. The now I gotta tell you what I love about, uh, sort of your motto is let us help you tell your story. Yeah. Everyone has a story to tell. Yes. Everyone should be the hero of their own story for sure. But so many people right now are struggling. They don’t recognize that. Yeah. Right. Um, why is that so important to you guys?
Dave Bautista: Um, you know, I think it’s a, it probably starts with a personal thing, but then, you know, it turns into like a community thing, a society thing. I think it’s nice to have a place where people can come and we all have something uncommon. Our lives may be in completely different places. We may have completely different opinions. We may be just all, all together, just cross the board, different people. But when you come in here and you’re getting inked up, we all have one thing in common that we can share and talk about. And typically the thing, you know, the ink on our bodies is our, our stories are, they mean something to us, they’re personal. They have their symbols, their symbolism, and there’s, uh, you know, a lot of stuff that connects us to our past and where we come from and where we’re going and our dreams and our families and people who we love and are important to us and all that across the board is something for us to start talking about, start like a dialogue with each other, you know? So it is it’s, it’s a society there’s no, when you come here, it’s a well go. We all have that bond.
Mike Sarraille: Do you think in John, do you think to some degree, you know, people make assessments about who we are based off of gossip or assumptions or just preconceived notions is, is the canvas of our skin, like the way to say, Hey, no, that’s not who I am.
John Kural: Yeah. Sometimes PE a lot of people judge. Yeah. Yes. But, um, I mean that’s what we are, you know, that’s who we are. Yeah. So
Dave Bautista: Yeah. And I, I think people are much more accepting of it. I think it’s much more accepted now and I think, uh, I’ve even noticed it throughout my career. Like in, in films that people are just more accepting. It’s just more commonplace
Mike Sarraille: For in yeah.
Dave Bautista: For in definitely. It’s not doesn’t have that bad connotation that it had at one time.
Mike Sarraille: Isn’t that crazy man? Yeah. Cause I came from a Roman Catholic family. Yeah. And one I’m coming back to work with John to, to do a sleeve as well as the right side of my, uh, ribcage to, as a Memorial to the, to the guys. But even within my family, you know, I, I came home with one tattoo and it was like the, the second coming of Christ, not in a good way. <laugh> um, like I was, I wasn’t disowned, but it was just like, what, what was it that changed
Dave Bautista: That? Yeah. I don’t know, man, but that’s like even a good point cuz a lot of people come in and want like religious themed tattoos mm-hmm <affirmative> and just because they’re proud of their religion or you know, what they, their beliefs and it’s again, it’s a part of their story. So yeah. I don’t know what changed everything, but it just does seem like you’re seeing tattoos, uh, more and more people are more ex accepting of them people and like across the board, any, all walks of life are getting tattoos. It’s not like just your, your biker gang <laugh> yeah. It’s more, it
Mike Sarraille: Used to be.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. So I, yeah, I guess it’s just, people are just more openminded about it.
Mike Sarraille: Well, yeah. I can tell you from the culture I came from within the seal teams and the, the army special forces community in the military as a whole, right. Is it it’s a cultural thing. Sure. And I mean, the guys, their sleeves were, I was, cause I was an officer. I was always so jealous cuz it was like artwork on their arm. Mm-hmm <affirmative> who like, I mean, it was part of their DNA. It showed the culture that they belonged to what they believed. And I used to look forward to uh, uh, to Mondays coming into work. Yeah. Because I’d be like, who got a new tattoo. Right, right. They’d be like zombie Elvis, sir. Like, uh, you know, you can’t have tattoos on your wrist. They’re like right on, right on. I’m not gonna say anything. Um, but you know, guys, you have your own stories and I want, I wanna dive into that because even Dave given, given your notoriety, right. People still don’t know your background here. They just know you for, uh, deacon, Batista or Batista on, but you have experiences that shaped you and pushed you down that path. Oh, for sure. And you are still redefining yourself. I mean, you’ve now had multiple professions, man. Right. Um, why don’t we start with John? Yeah. Because I, you know, I talked with John for about, about an hour, man. Yeah. And your story, uh, of you even had preconceived notions cuz you were working construction, you’re like, tattooing for a living. And, but uh, you come from my man. Uh, and, and your, your story is also the American story.
John Kural: Yes, ma’am I, I grew up in Miami, um, moved from Puerto Rico here when I was 10 and I came to Miami, my parents moved here. Um, and my dad was, you know, he was an engineer and stuff. Like my dad was an engineer and stuff like that. Um, next thing you know, you know, just growing up in Miami, not a great neighborhood, but in, you know, decent neighborhood. Um,
Mike Sarraille: Well let me, let me back up. I’m always interested. Why would your family leave Puerto Rico? Was it just lack of opportunity?
John Kural: My dad got a better opportunity. Yeah. On a better job down in Florida. Yes. So we moved in and my mom decided after a big hurricane that happened in, in Puerto Rico, it was like, we need somewhere bigger than this. So <laugh> so she decided to, she did actually with my mom’s actual thing, she decided to come and move down here, which was great for me because you know, it opened a lot of doors for me as well.
Mike Sarraille: And had you, were you English speaking at all?
John Kural: No. No. I didn’t know any, no. So, so my, so you gotta bury my language here sometimes, you know, but um, yeah, I didn’t, I didn’t know any English at all. So when going to school, it was hard like learning different languages. So it, it got rough for me were,
Mike Sarraille: Were the other kids that were Spanish English
John Kural: Speaking that. So, you know, they had to put me in a special class for just to learn different languages. It was, it was tough learning, learning the language of English, not even knowing none, you know?
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. I, I wouldn’t wish that on, on
John Kural: Yeah. But now, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s good. You know, I, I get over, you know, um, learn a lot of more languages, so it’s good for me. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: I, so I don’t speak any them <laugh> I don’t even speak English while so. And so, but then, you know, graduated high school. Yes. And you started working construction.
John Kural: So I, I actually, I was working construction while I was in high school actually. So I was, I was actually not even construction. I was putting mobile homes together, like carrying blocks. Yeah. Under the mobile homes kind of put ’em together, you know, it’s construction. Um, and then I almost always into art. I would always drew, I always had like artistic thing, um, talent, my mom, and always put me into art classes and always like that since I was small. Um, so I was always in the magnet school programs and, and um, no kidding. Yeah. So I always loved art. You, you know, so from there I just, you know, continue my passion with art. I always drew, I always, um, paint it, stuff like that. And, um,
Mike Sarraille: And what was your dad as equally supportive?
John Kural: Yeah, my dad has always been there and, um, he’s always, he was always, you know, follow, you know, try to follow my dreams. Um, I mean my dad and my mom separated. So sorry to hear that. No, I mean, it happened a long time ago. Um, so you know, it got kind of rough when we got, when we became teenagers through that, but, you know, we learned, did,
Mike Sarraille: Did that impact your art at all? Uh,
John Kural: It actually made me more of an artist because then I hit through the art of my pains and the things that I were going through. So I kind of hid through that. So it made me like every, every time, like our teacher was like, why you draw so hard? You know, cuz that’s, you know, I always focus everything bad into drawing and then came something good out of it. You know what I mean? So it was your outlet,
Mike Sarraille: Huh? It was, it
John Kural: Was your outlet? No, it was my outlet too.
Mike Sarraille: You talk about the gym, even though you don’t have the same fitness goals that you’re you’re you’re stress related. Yeah, it’s
John Kural: Definitely, definitely the same. So yeah, it was a good, it was a good outlet. Um, and it was good. Um, other than that, just when I start, when I continuing my career, um, one time my dad, my dad went to a, um, a dentist and I followed with him. It was, I think I was 15, 14, and there was a tattoo shop there and I was, I was like, okay, let me, um, I, I caught my eye, my interested, cause I always wanted to be an artist, wanted to be a famous painter and you know, I always wanted to draw and do everything. So when I saw a tattoo shop, you know, I think it was tattoos by Lou. So I, I looked through the window. I couldn’t see, I was look peeping inside and stuff like that.
Mike Sarraille: They were sort of like strip clubs back. Yeah, yeah. You know,
John Kural: Have to be. So I, I walked through the door thinking I just walk in, you know, I don’t, I hardly knew English. So you know what I mean? So I walked through the door and you know, I said, I told the guy, Hey, how do you do this? How you learn this? The guys looked at me. He’s like, nah, get outta here. You can’t be. Here’s like, you know, I’m trying to learn. I want, you know, caught my eye. Am I interested? He’s like, nah, you’ll never get, you’ll never be able to do this. So I kind of walked out, you know, kind of pissed up. I still
Mike Sarraille: Wondering, being told that in life, you can’t, you
John Kural: Can’t do this. Yeah. You know what I mean? So my mind, I was like, man, I still wanna do this. I don’t care what he told me. You know? So came home that same day. And I, I grabbed a couple of my friends and I grabbed the pain. I was drawing on them and stuff like that. And I was like, yeah, I was, yeah. I was drawing on my friend’s legs and stuff. One day you’re gonna have to pay me for this. And they were like, eh, yeah, sure, sure. Like playing them. And next thing you know, I’m, they’re paying me <laugh> it was, is a crazy story man. And I decided like, thank God I did it because I really wanted to be a famous painter. Now I realize that all the famous she’s still water dude, you know, all the famous painter were dead and they didn’t make no money at that time. So I was like, I need to make money and I need to, I need to enjoy what I like. So, so it was, it was cool, man. It was but very interesting how everything began, man. Somebody told me I couldn’t do it. And I just follow my dreams.
Mike Sarraille: Wait, when you made that leap to quit construction and go all in.
John Kural: Oh yeah, I was all in,
Mike Sarraille: But I mean, were there rough times? Were there, was there a lot of doubt? Like, oh boy, did I make the
John Kural: Whole, the whole trip is, it’s been a rough <laugh> the whole time. The whole time. I think it’s still been rough.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. I, I hate when people say I never had a doubt.
John Kural: Oh man. You’re crazy. No. What are
Mike Sarraille: You
Dave Bautista: Talking
Mike Sarraille: About? I’m filled with doubts to these days. I mean, now that’s separate from like humble confidence. Oh
John Kural: Definitely.
Mike Sarraille: But I, you know, having left the seal teams and retired from the military, I’m like crap. Do I have what it takes to, to do X, Y, and Z now. Oh man. That’s. Yeah. And people, but people only see all the success. They don’t see the
John Kural: Oh yeah. They don’t see the hard work you put into everything. How many tattoos I really done? I can’t even count how many tattoos I done, but you know, I was
Mike Sarraille: Gonna ask that question how?
John Kural: Yeah. I, I can’t. I mean, I’m, I’m telling you, I, you can’t
Dave Bautista: Count how many tattoo I just done on me though.
John Kural: I can’t. It’s just one guy. Imagine I’ve been tattooing 27 years. I, I don’t even know how many
Mike Sarraille: 27 years did. Yes. How many lives you probably impacted? Oh my God, this, this right
John Kural: Now. The funny thing is that I tattoo guys that bring me their kids and then I tattoo their kids. <laugh> you know,
Mike Sarraille: You say you tattoo their kids. Is there a age limit? Here’s five year old.
John Kural: They’re over 18. Like they come when they’re babies, I seen them in stroller. Then I’m tattooing them. Like what the
Mike Sarraille: Fuck? At least
John Kural: Fly.
Mike Sarraille: I just wanna make sure DC society Inc. Is not tattooing any one.
Dave Bautista: No,
John Kural: No, no, no. Hit over. <laugh> tune it over. But no, what, what I’m saying is like, I, I see so many different errors in life. Just, just doing this business, met so many great people. I mean, I, if I have to do it all over again, I’ll do it all over again.
Mike Sarraille: Did you, you know, as we’re talking and this just hit me, uh, there was this, uh, officer in the seal teams who I, you know, he was a peer and, and we were at, uh, dev group together. And we went through the assessment and selection to get into that place together. But this is the most, I mean, John Hopkins university, most clean cut looking guy. And I barely knew him and he takes his shirt off in his whole back. He is the Terminator. Oh, really?
Dave Bautista: Where
Mike Sarraille: Excuses peeling off the mechanical, uh, you know, the wheels and it like, I I’m like Jesus Christ, man. I would’ve never have guessed that. Yeah. But it actually was the coolest thing. Like it was thought out, but it covered his entire lower neck wow. To, to, to his, uh, back waist. Right. Um, it was pretty interesting, but yeah. So Dave, as, as I did the research band, I read a ton of articles and watched some interviews, man. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and, and again, to the point I said earlier, a lot of people didn’t know your background did.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. <laugh>, it’s weird. No, it’s weird to me because I, I don’t understand why people, especially when coming outta wrestling, before I got into films, people just had this preconceived notion of who I was like, I was just this arrogant prick that was, who was from money and, and I just never got that at all. But, uh, yeah, I think a lot of people are, are surprised to find out, um, you know, how I grew up and that I was raised by a single lesbian mom. And, uh, I grew up dirt, poor man. And I didn’t have a dime to my name till well into my thirties. And I, you know, that’s cuz I went into poor wrestling, but I went in decided I wanted to pursue professional wrestling when I was, uh, almost 30 mm-hmm <affirmative> and then it took me still years to even I was world champion and still borrowing money.
Dave Bautista: I was world champion and I was living in a two bedroom apartment. Yeah. We were still broke just cuz I, you know, I borrowed money to get there and you know, had credit was horrible <laugh> I was, I was a world champion for years and my credit was still horrible because <laugh>, and that was typically because I was making, I was making a good living, but I was so old school and I’d come home to a stack of bills and they were always late. So I could never get caught up on my bills. I refused to, well, you were gone all the day. I was gone all the time. Like once they strapped out that belt around my waist, I was never home, never home. And my marriage just, I mean, family life just fell apart.
Mike Sarraille: Did, did you ever question because I mean one your, your world champ now mm-hmm <affirmative> but yet you’re still having money issues. I mean, were you thinking like, Hey, just stay the course or like, Hey, what am I, what am I doing?
Dave Bautista: Well, you know, at that point I was um, really pursuing it out, out, out of love. Yeah. I just, I become, I became obsessed with professional wrestling, which is why I think I was able to climb the ladder so fast. It’s not because you know, I wasn’t, you know, I wasn’t, I wasn’t chasing money. I wasn’t chasing a paycheck. I mean I wanted to make a good living like everybody else does, but I really became obsessed with professional wrestling and I was fortunate enough to be mentored by two of the best ever were Rick flair and triple H. And when I was given that up, are
Mike Sarraille: You still close?
Dave Bautista: Very, yeah. Yeah. I, I love those guys. I love those. Even if we don’t talk every day, you know, I, I saw triple H I haven’t seen him since got two, two, I think 2019. But
Mike Sarraille: If you saw him tomorrow, it’d be like, you guys old.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. Old hat. We rode down the roads together for years and he mentored me and you’ve, you know, he really turned me into a star. And
Mike Sarraille: So, but, and you don’t wanna dive into it. What was unique about those two guys where, cause I know you said like it was very cutthroat in
Dave Bautista: That environment.
Mike Sarraille: Like some people were not willing to give you time cuz they saw you as competition and
Dave Bautista: Absolutely. But those for one of those two guys were just encyclopedia like any, they were open books to me and they wouldn’t give that opportunity to everybody, but they thought that I would, I, I deserved it. I, until I proved them that I didn’t deserve it, there were gonna be open books to me. Um, but I think that was there was, they watched me come up a little bit and, and the WW and they, I think they, they saw how bad I bad. I wanted it and I really wanted to be there. And I think for the right reasons, which is why they decided to take me under their wings.
Mike Sarraille: Let, let me ask you this. Cuz I’ve, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on what it did. Mm-hmm <affirmative> uh, at war in the members and coaches I’ve had, have you ever had the opportunity to go back and just say, Hey, I just, I’m just calling to say, Hey, thanks. I wanna say, thank
Dave Bautista: I say thank you on a regular basis. Yeah, yeah. Even if I don’t talk to them, I publicly, I thank them and make people, yeah. People are aware. They know that I, that I’ve often said that I, I just wouldn’t have gotten to where I, I was at. If it wasn’t for them, like I owe them my career, especially triple a triple H literally made me a star in that company and he made me a star and he meant mentored me and babied me and carried me until I was able to stand in my legs and make other people stars. Like he really babied me through that process. You knew there’s like talk about doubt.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah.
Dave Bautista: <laugh> talk about
Mike Sarraille: Doubt.
Dave Bautista: No, I mean, when I was there, I was world champion thinking, still thinking I’m gonna lose my job next week. <laugh> I’m like I’m expendable. I, I always had that mindset like I’m expendable. So I’m not gonna give them a reason to fire me. And throughout my career, I had that mentality.
Mike Sarraille: That’s actually, in my opinion, a great mentality to have. I mean, you’ve heard the phrase like don’t get comfortable or I’m sorry. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Mm-hmm <affirmative> cause the second you think you’re secure, right? That’s when you start to degrade, right. Is everyone is replaceable. Sure. Mm-hmm <affirmative> I had no notion of the seal teams that I, I, I, I knew I was replaceable. Yeah. Up to the point where I, I no longer had the passion or, or belief right. In what I was doing. But, um, gratitude is a powerful, powerful thing for sure. And when I talk to, uh, to companies, cuz that’s basically what I do outside of this is I, I go and talk about leadership and culture cuz it’s one thing I’m passionate about. Right. Because I sucked at it. So freaking bad. Right. Uh, and I speak on leadership and culture from the fact that I watched other people, these, these amazing performers.
Mike Sarraille: But when I start my start, my speeches and it’s along the lines of what you’re saying. I say, uh, I need you to know as I’m speaking here, if I’ve seen further it’s because I stand on the shoulders, uh, of giants, men and women that were better than myself. Right. Like nobody gets to where they’re at on their own. Right. It’s true. Other people bolster us, us up. Yeah. I, I wanna ask you one thing, moving back, cuz from what I read, you know, uh, you know, you didn’t have a male figure right in your life. Uh, I know there’s a lot of the whole concept in the nuclear family is just, its, that’s just not a thing anymore for the most part. Right. Where, where did you find that male influence in your younger years? Was it the gym? Was it men there?
Dave Bautista: Yeah. I mean I just, I, I, you know, I, I still don’t think that I ever really had it. Yeah. I mean, my mom was, you know, she was uh, both, you know, my mother, the nurturer, but also the disciplinarian. Yeah. And I kind of, you know, and she was a tough woman, Jim. She, my mom would beat my ass.
Mike Sarraille: <laugh> sounds like a good woman. She,
Dave Bautista: Yeah,
Mike Sarraille: We all need that one time to time,
Dave Bautista: But she, I just never had that, that male father figure. I never had it. You know, I still didn’t have, I, I, I always, I get asked every once in a while if I, you know, if it’s hard for me not, you know, never really having a relationship with my father and I say, no, it’s not, cuz I don’t, I don’t know what it’s like. I don’t know what to miss. It was just, there’s nothing there to void. There it’s a mystery. I don’t know what that was. Like if you had like a strong bond with your father and, and then lost it, it might be different. Yeah. But I just never had it. It was never that figure there for me. So I don’t know what it’s like to have miss. All I know is my mom and I, and I know her nature and I know what I took away from my mother’s, you know, work ethic and, and nature and being a good decent person.
Mike Sarraille: And is that bled over into being a father?
Dave Bautista: Yeah. I mean, I definitely made my mistakes as a father. I, I thought that I was, yeah. I mean, you know, there’s no, there’s no handbook, you know, I, you know, had a lot of issues with my daughters and I thought that I was always did right by them. And I for, you know, we’re estranged now and I don’t speak with them. Um, and they’ve got a lot of issues, but there came a point point in my life where I, I had to stop taking blame for it, like when they were adults and still making mistakes and still, uh, you know, going down the wrong path and I’ve given them opportunity op after opportunity, these kids had every advantage in the world and I didn’t spoil them. I didn’t, it’s not like I wasn’t the kind of guy who just bought them stuff and yeah, I, I loved them like unconditionally, but they just went down bad pass.
Dave Bautista: And now I’m at the point where, unless they start, unless they really want to straighten themselves out. I can’t help them cuz they’re adults now. Yeah. So, you know, I, I, I think that I, I did right by them when they were young, I had custody of my daughters, uh, which, you know, a professional wrestler. Who’s never home getting cus you know, sole custody of his two daughters is not easy, but I fought for them because I love them so much. And they just still, I just couldn’t straighten ’em out and get ’em down that, you know, on that right path. And, and it kills me. It’s still hard to talk about, but you know, I, I can sense it. Yeah. It’s just like, I got to the point where it’s like, what else can I do? You know? So if, if, so my one, my one, my oldest daughters has drug issues.
Dave Bautista: Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And at, at this, like we don’t really communicate because I just, I have to, you know, really read between the lines with her and nothing’s ever the truth. And so if she calls and says, I’m at rock bottom, I need to go rehab. I will pay for it. No problem. If she wants, either of my daughters wanted to do anything to educate themselves, I will done. But until they try to make an effort to become better human beings, uh, with a purpose in life, I just, I can’t help them. You know, my son is 14 turned 15. Yes. Completely diff different story. Yeah. The most respectful kid, he just grinds every day and it’s yes. Ma’am you know, and yes, ma’am no ma’am yes, sir. No, sir. And just like the best good hearted kid in the world and it just, you know, so he, you know, him I’m really investing right now. He moved his mom, moved him back to Tampa, so we could be closer to each other. So good. Uh he’s here. He is local. And that’s kind of like where I’m putting my efforts as a father right now.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. You know, for, for someone who, who leaves the everyday warrior, you know, I don’t talk about my kids much on the, on the podcast and for a reason. Yeah. There, there is a little bit of a estrangement there. Sure. Uh, my daughter’s 18, my son’s 14, but um, God hope, you know, I’ve, I’ve made the effort. I hope. Yeah. They reach out and I hope when they, they turn 18, they, they realize there were some things at play. Yeah. That, that, that prevented that. But I’ll, I’ll take ownership over that now, you know, I’ve always heard the phrase. Sometimes you gotta, you know, time. Yeah. And you gotta let some people, I don’t wanna say hit rock bottom, but let, they they’ve gotta figure it out on their own before they realize, Hey, I need my, my old man or my, my, my old mom’s, uh, help, man.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. And I, and I’ve done that. I’ve, you know, my oldest are, like I said, with the drug issues and, and I, you know, it’s a disease I can’t relate to. I don’t understand, but I understand it’s real. So like you said, with they call and say, I’ve hit rock bottom. I, I need this. Or they need that. As long as it’s not money, I will, but I will pay for rehab. If you need a place to live, I’m not gonna let you go homeless. Yeah. Uh, but I’ve been there like multiple times. And when do you, you know, as that’s what led me to just not really dealing with it, you call me if you need to go to rehab again, done anything to educate yourself done. But it, it was a lot of things that led me to that place where I just can’t interact with you. Like, and pretend like everything’s okay, cuz everything’s not okay. And you need to make at least some effort to make everything. Okay.
Mike Sarraille: Well, dude, I know it’s not easy to, to talk about that. Yeah. Especially about its, I wanna thank you,
Dave Bautista: Man. It sucks. Like it really sucks. It, it just, and, and I know that some people are gonna, they won’t really understand that and they will say, well, you need to be there for your kids no matter what. And that’s just not always the case, you know? And they’re not kids anymore. Yeah. You know, they’re adults, they’re grown ass adults.
Mike Sarraille: There. There’s a good friend of mine. Uh, her name is Lisa Jaster and she’s actually one of my partners. Mm-hmm in my firm. She was the third woman to graduate ranger school. Mm-hmm wow. And uh, yeah, the Asia 37 and a mama too. Talk about a badass too. Yeah. Um, but when she canvased on Facebook, her friends, she said, Hey, I have an opportunity to go to ranger school, the amount of comments of like, Hey, your job is to be a mom and a mom is at home. Uh, or, you know, you’re gonna miss six months of your kids’ lives when they need you. Most people need to stop making judgements when it comes to families. Right. Families are all unique. Right. And uh, just because you, you have a holier than life family. Right. Does not mean you’ve done it. Right. Give it time.
Mike Sarraille: Your kids may end up being, uh, complete and utter, uh, right. Jack asses. Yeah. Mm-hmm <affirmative> I, I try to refrain in when people pass judgment on, on my, my family, like it’s, it is a, non-starter just, just stop in your tracks. Um, you did say, you know, at a young age and I love this dude. Like my escape is I love the gym. Yeah. Even though injuries seem to be, just come to like on, uh, wholesale, uh, you know, hip replacement and everything. But uh, I used to take my kids to the movies where we’d get big things at popcorn and, and it was like my escape, cuz you can dream in movies. You said at early age you knew, you knew you wanted yeah.
Dave Bautista: That, well, you know, when I was young cuz you know, we were poor and a lot of times, uh, you know, like I didn’t have anything now. Well, you know, I grew up in, in the streets of DC and there was nothing to inspire me. <laugh> yeah, there was, you know, and I was one of those kids. I was out, I was desensitized by, you know, major seven, eight, and I was seeing dead bodies in the street and still playing kickball with my, you know, my friends,
Mike Sarraille: Our nations freaking capital.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. Yeah. So where I grew up in Southeast DC is great. Now it’s right, right where national park is now it’s
Mike Sarraille: Oh, do you get like gentrified?
Dave Bautista: Oh, very,
Mike Sarraille: Very,
Dave Bautista: Yeah, but it was, it was, it was pretty awful. And uh, that was one of the things. One of the reasons my mom moved us outta DC to San Francisco is cuz there’s some guy got killed in the alley where we lived, we lived right on an alley and some guy get killed and the police were there and everything. So we’re all out, out. I don’t know, pretty late at night kids came outta their house cuz the police are going, you know? Yeah. Look at through this and everybody’s out wondering what happened. We’re out in the streets playing. And my mom saw that and realized that we like a dead body sitting there in the alley right next to our house is not affecting us at all. She was like, I gotta get them outta here.
Mike Sarraille: What, what, how old were you when you moved to San
Dave Bautista: Francisco? I think I was, well, we moved back and forth, uh, a few times. I think at this point I was about seven or eight years old. Yeah. When we moved back the second time my mom split from my dad when I was very young. Yeah. And she went out to San Francisco and she, we were with my grandparents for a while and we moved out and joined her and then my mom and dad make the like, halfassed horrible attempt at getting back together. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: <laugh> made the attempt.
Dave Bautista: We moved back to DC and they were together for like, I don’t know, a month or two. And then we were stuck there in Maryland and my dad left us in this apartment, you know, my mom couldn’t afford. So we moved into DC. Yeah. And we lived in all three of us, me, my mom and my sister lived in a, a basement of this house in DC and we shared a bed and we shared a bathroom
Mike Sarraille: And God dude.
Dave Bautista: Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: <laugh> yeah. Cause I’m from the bay area. Yeah,
Dave Bautista: Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. So
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. And now it seems like things have reversed. Yeah. San Francisco they’ll they’ll figure it out. Yeah. I hope, I, I don’t know if that’s my, uh, uh, my, uh, optimism is, uh, Cile or not, but um, the, you know, as you make a career shift, uh, I could assume just by the stature of yourself alone. Right. Want to like, they wanna put you in a box and stereotype you a certain world. Yeah. So how’s what has that been like, man, just to,
Dave Bautista: It was, um, it was rough at first because I refused to let it happen and I, you know, it’s weird. I got a, I got some really good advice from stone cold, Steve Austin mm-hmm <affirmative> I was first kind of, he knew I was leaving. He knew I wanted to venture out and try to try my, my hand into acting. And he said, uh, you know, you’re gonna get thrown a lot of offers. They’re gonna offer you a lot of money to go and do these movies. They’re gonna be cliches. You’re gonna be straight to DVD, but they’re gonna offer you a lot of money. He’s like, turn it down, don’t do it. You’re gonna get stuck in that rut. And you will never go anywhere else. So I was very aware of that. So I avoided that at all costs. I took a couple jobs because I wanted to get some experience. I wanted to learn how to act. I didn’t know how to act. And that’s actually what led me into acting was I realized how bad of an actor I was. But when I actually left the company and went that route, I mean, I did like three jobs in three years. I was, you know, so I went for making very good living to making nothing. And I had so had all the same bills and then the real estate market crashed <laugh>
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. So now we’re talking like 2008 timeframe. Yeah,
Dave Bautista: Yeah, yeah. And then I, you know, then I, everything just went wrong, man. I just, uh, I, you know, I, I, my house ended up getting foreclosed on. I was making no money. I was, uh, you know, still had all the same bills and people to support and yeah. So my life was kind of turned upside down. I, uh, struggled for about three years. Well, I struggled for more than three years, but the big, um, break was when I got guardians. So that was about three years after I left wrestling.
Mike Sarraille: And what year was that?
Dave Bautista: Uh, so it was, was released, uh, in 2000, I think 13 or 14. Yeah, I think I, I shot it in 2013 and I think it was released in 2014 and that didn’t, um, didn’t happen immediately. But then I was kind of on the map, like drags, put me on the map. So doors were opening and this is, it led to the kind of the blade runner thing. And, and that really kind of, you know, people started looking at me as more as an actor like this guy’s maybe serious. Maybe let’s at least give him an audition. So the doors were opening for me,
Mike Sarraille: The, uh, the blade runner role. Yeah. Was that, I mean that really, this is my perspective, my perspective loan that, I mean, even to the small little glasses, right.
Dave Bautista: <laugh> totally
Mike Sarraille: Painted you in a different light.
Dave Bautista: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I, I needed that and that was a big break for me. And that was a, a role that I believe it or not. I had to fight really hard for that role. Cuz the director originally Denny originally did not want me for that role
Mike Sarraille: Because the, the way you looked
Dave Bautista: Well, believe it or not, I’d never heard this before, but I, so I was, I was shooting guardians too. And they asked me to go out and meet with Denny while I was shooting. So I flew out to LA to meet with him and I walked up to shake his hand. And the first thing he said to me, he was like, I’m sorry, my friend, but you’re too young for this part. <laugh> and I never heard that <laugh> I was like, I just can’t win. I, you know, I’m typically I’m too old or I’m too big, but too young. I had never heard that <laugh> so anyway, I was there with him and I, I said, well, you know, I, I flew out and I said, I’m a huge fan man. That’s just, you know, I, I understand I don’t have the part, but can we sit down and have lunch and, and bullshit and talk about your films?
Dave Bautista: And so I literally sat down with him for about two hours, just as a fan and thinking that I don’t have this job, but I’m okay with it. I’ll go back and I’ll continue doing guardians. And then the produ, but the producers really wanted me for this role. So they called me and they asked me if I do a makeup test, I’m sure I didn’t do anything. So I did that. They sent him pictures to Jenny and uh, that’s still not right. What’d you do, uh, you know, costume, all that full. Did it sent him the pictures now, still not right. Will you do a screen test? Sure. I’ll do anything for this part. I’ll you know, I want this part. So I did the screen test. The producers paid for me to do a screen test, which was about 25 grand. And I did the screen test and they sent it back to him and, and he loved it. He’s like great hired you’re hired. And then funny thing is when I showed up to do the role, I was doing it the way I did my screen test. And he said, no, this is all wrong.
Mike Sarraille: <laugh>
Dave Bautista: Well, you know, how do you want me to do it? But anyway, so he just flipped the script on me. And uh, but he saw that I adjusted to his direction and I think he always respected me for that, which is why, why, when he was casting for doing, he just called me and said, Hey, do you want this role? And I said, of course
Mike Sarraille: I want this role. <laugh> it. It’s amazing when you build a relationship yeah. That you, you fall within earn
Dave Bautista: People’s trust. Yeah, yeah,
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. Which is hard to do. Yeah. Um, I, I get it trust, but verify, but the only way to build trust is to actually get to know people and show that you, for sure you have love and concern.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. For, and I think that he, I think it meant something to him that I was willing to do anything for this role. I wanted this role. I didn’t feel like I, oh, I’m in S now I don’t have to audition for this role. Like I want this role, I’ll fight for this role. Just gimme the opportunity to fight for something. You know, that I love that I want. So I think that’s it. I think he appreciated me proving that I wanted that role.
Mike Sarraille: Well guys, I, I want to take a Midroll break and we, we exit in a certain way when we do Midroll. Cause I wanna come back and I wanna talk about the impact of what you’re doing. Not only putting art on people that help tell, you know, tells their story that they have for life. I, I know it’s no longer permanent cuz you can’t get it removed. But um, in the same, I, I don’t think maybe you do realize, you know, the one is the impact you guys have for the movies is you allow people to dream, but even more so knowing being in, you know, I went to combat deployments, I had 10 of them, you know what our escape was, what movies.
Dave Bautista: Oh really?
Mike Sarraille: And sometimes it was really bad. Haji copies if you heard that Haie copies. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Which people were powering your films, but it was the, it was our one escape. Yeah. Sitting in a, uh, uh, a crappy tent with, uh, shady, uh, AC sometimes in horrible environments. But you just, you would escape for two, three hours watching, uh, a really bad version of the films that you guys put out. Usually with, uh, somebody in a trench coat <laugh> uh, while they’d have to turn it down while the movie’s still going on in the camera and then bring it back up. It was, it was bad. Oh, wow. But we, we ask, uh, two questions and I’m gonna ask each of you for your answer here. Um, biggest regret of your life and yes. Uh, I have no regrets is not an answer. We have all, we all have regrets and I understand it. It’s paved where we’re at today, but yeah.
Dave Bautista: I think picking one is the hard
Mike Sarraille: <laugh>. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. That’s the honest, that’s one of the most honest answers we’ve probably had so far. I think how about that will. Yeah.
Dave Bautista: Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: But oh, he just defaulted, he just did the Heisman. He said that
Dave Bautista: I’m trying to narrow him down. <laugh> yeah.
John Kural: Biggest regret. I mean, everything in my life has been an experience, so I don’t know how I put a biggest regret. Yeah, no,
Mike Sarraille: I, I, I know, I read not to, but you said you sometimes wonder if you graduated high school. If that would’ve put a
Dave Bautista: Yeah. You know, I just, I, I wonder now because you know, I didn’t graduate high school, um, pretty open about it. I regret not having an education because I don’t, you know, think I’m a dummy by any means. No. And I just feel like, uh, that’s something that I left, uh, incomplete. Like I didn’t finish that. I like to finish things. Um, it just, you know, I wonder if my life, if I had finished and even if I had gone on to college, how would it have changed my life? And I don’t like right now, I’m pretty proud of where my life has come. Yeah. Even with the challenges. So if not, not having a high school education, uh, and I don’t at this point, I don’t know if I’d want to alter my life. So it’s like, I, I do have regrets, but you know, it’s hard thinking that I would’ve liked my life to have gone differently.
Dave Bautista: There’s one person that was pretty sappy, but I, I did hurt a, a woman, like, cuz I lied to her and I cheated on her. Yeah. And I always, it braced my heart cause she was so good to me. But uh, it was a girl I dated for and I knew we were never gonna get married. We just didn’t have that type of relationship, but still she was good to me and we dated each other for about six years, but I, I, uh, met my current ex-wife um, and I just fell in love with her. Yeah. And so I was unfaithful to her and I lied to her. Like it just religiously lied to her and it turned it down to this thing. I, and I’m just always ashamed of that. Yeah. Um, but like, that’s like a huge regret. I wish I’d been more honest with her and not hurt her. Cause I know I hurt her very bad and she didn’t deserve it. Uh, so sorry. I know that’s a little sad.
Mike Sarraille: I no, no, just regret of, I’m not gonna say I
Dave Bautista: Haven’t done that. I’ve learned from that. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Have you, have you, you know, there’s times I’ve gone back out of the blue where they, these people probably don’t wanna hear from me and I’m just you call and say, Hey, I wanna
Dave Bautista: Do that. Yeah. Yeah. Doesn’t wanna have anything and I totally get it. Yeah. Like I there’s nothing I could do to make it up to her. There’s nothing, no way I could pay her back. She was good to me. She even supported me. She, you know, she, she didn’t deserve what I did to her and I just always kind of lived with that shame. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: We we’ve, we’ve all done that Fs, otherwise their, their lying through their teeth.
John Kural: Well, I think my biggest regrets is continually my, um, my art career, like, um, college just to follow up was maybe, um, to me when I get older and you know, like re about to retire, I really wanted to do like an art class for you, like young kids. So maybe that’s pretty much my only regret that I should, you know, but then maybe I’ll go back and to do it, um, just to finish that, that, that career. And, um, hopefully become one of the teachers for the art, for the art students, like young, young kids. I just want to teach art when I retire
Mike Sarraille: John. Yes. Uh, I don’t think the lack of having a piece of paper is, is if you find the right college. Yeah. They will absolutely bring you in. Yeah. To, I mean, in fact masterclass, yeah. In a lot of ways could, could have you do, uh, a masterclass on art and in, um, this, this thing with education is insane. Yeah. I mean, I, I, so I didn’t graduate in my high school class. I had to go back and, and redo some things, but, uh, I wouldn’t have gotten my college degree if the Marine Corps hadn’t said, Hey, we’re gonna send you back. Yeah. Typically become an officer. Uh, and it’s amazing cuz they graduated high school with a 2.9. Uh, and most of that was from playing sports. Nice. Uh, and you know, after three years in the Marine Corps, they sent me back to college and I assure you, I did not get smarter during my three years in the, I learned discipline.
Mike Sarraille: Sure. Commitment honor. Um, grit. And I graduated college with a three point, uh, I think it was like a six, seven I round up usually and say 3.7. Don’t don’t let the truth get in the way in story. But uh, I mean, mean I, if I have to look at my kids, if they said I don’t wanna go to college, I I’d actually probably smirk. My son said, Hey, I want to go weld. I’m like, I will pay for your welding school. And I will teach you how to run a business because I think education is lost its value. And, and God knows some of the people who teach in college right now. Yeah. Uh, are not equipped to train leaders for tomorrow or they may be able to teach, teach a profession, but they’re not creating good kind, respectful, empathetic human beings, man. Sure. Um, next question is, uh, hardest decision you’ve ever had to make business life kids. I mean, you said it with, with your family yeah. Is making that decision that ah man. Yeah,
Dave Bautista: That sucked <laugh> but it’s, you know, it wasn’t a decision that I had to make on the spot. Like is it was a decision that came slowly over time. Um, and uh, it was really because I had lost every option. I ran outta options and didn’t really know what else to do because there was nothing else. I didn’t feel like there was anything else I could do not to be helpful anyway. Um, so, and that’s just re in regards to, to my daughters. Yeah. Um, but I mean, I, yeah, I don’t know. I think all my decisions in life have that have led me to anywhere have been hard because I’ve always, so when you make a decision, that’s hard, it’s typically you getting outta your comfort zone. Yeah. You don’t go anywhere in life unless you get outta your comfort zone. And that’s when you talk about doubt, like every time I’ve made those decisions, I’ve have tons of doubt.
Dave Bautista: I’ve just started. We just opened up an office in LA. It’s terrifying to me because it’s such a leap. It’s a leap of faith in myself and it’s costing me a lot of money <laugh>. So I am supporting this, uh, business through what I’m making now and acting. And I’m hoping I’m trusting and believing that it will pay off because I love this business, but I, my days in front of the camera are only gonna last for so long, but I want to continue in this business because I love it. And I have a passion story.
Mike Sarraille: What, what do you think, what do you think there’s a timeline on your, your, your acting career? Or is that, is that personal?
Dave Bautista: I think it’s, it’s personal, personal, and also like, yeah, I think it’s personal. I, you know, I don’t wanna spend my life in front of the camera, you know, I, um, I do wanna prove my worth as an actor because I love it. Yeah. And I want, I it’s, it’s very important for me to be respected by my peers and which is always why I wanted to prove myself, prove that I could be an actor and not just step away from wrestling and be an action movie star or anything. I never wanted to be labeled in like a movie star. I didn’t wanna be that guy. I wasn’t a chasing a check. I just wanted to prove that I could stand on stage with the best actors in the world and hold my own and feel like they wanted me there feel like I deserve to be there.
Like that was, I want my, I want respect for my peers. Same within wrestling. You know, a lot of times I get bashed for the fans for not doing this or that, or flips off the top rope. And, but I know like the undertaker, respect of me, triple H respect me, Claire respected me, had a grow respect to me that meant more to me than anything. That means more to me than being in the hall of fame. That means more to me than accolade accolades. You know, from, from the fans, the fans cheer for me, I was always, I want respect from my peers. And so it’s the same in Hollywood, but now as you know, being as, uh, a producer, like I, I, man, I wanna tell stories. Like I love telling stories, man. And so that’s, I like, that’s always been my passion. That’s always been my drive. So my drive from acting telling stories as an actor has, has transitioned into telling stories as a producer and hopefully as a director.
Mike Sarraille: And is that the future? It’s not in front the camera behind the camera.
Dave Bautista: That’s that’s my future. Yeah. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: You guys are so the theme and we’ll get into it more after the break, this whole telling of stories. Yeah. Storytelling. Um, let me ask you this real quick. Was it hard to leave wrestling?
Dave Bautista: Oh, it was, it was killed me. I didn’t wanna leave. I didn’t. I was because
Mike Sarraille: You were leaving a sure paycheck too.
Dave Bautista: Pretty good paycheck. I was the one. I also loved it. I was obsessed with it. I just wanted opportunities outside of the company that I wasn’t getting within the company. And I was told, no, I was not gonna get those opportunities. I said, well, if I’m not gonna get ’em cuz it’s not right. That other performers are getting those opportunities that I’m gonna leave. And they said, no, you’re not. And I said, watch me and I left and I didn’t come back until I had achieved something. I went back and then they, I felt like I was kind of, I was, I was lied to, I wasn’t given the run. I, they said there was, they were gonna gimme. So I left for a little while more and I went back when I was guaranteed that I was gonna get to go out the way I wanted to. So I always tell people cuz you know, typically the word retirement doesn’t mean anything in professional wrestling. Yeah. Yeah. <laugh> so everybody’s asking me when I’m gonna come back and I say, there’s not a chance in hell because I got to go out the way I wanted to. And that doesn’t happen in professional wrestling, but it happened for me and I’m not I’m excuse my language, but I’m not gonna shit on it. <laugh> I’m not gonna, yeah, I’m
Mike Sarraille: Not it’s seven. So man,
Dave Bautista: I’m not gonna huge. Yeah. So I’m just not gonna, I am so proud of the way my career ended and I got to call his shots and I got to go out on my own terms and there’s no way I’m gonna tarnish that. I’m not going back. I’m retired.
Mike Sarraille: Uh, do also from a physical standpoint. No. Or were, were you happy? You got out when you got out? Cuz I dude, I see some of those guys, its just like,
Dave Bautista: I feel very fortunate. I like, I don’t wake up in pain. I am aches and pains there, but course I’m not walking around pain. I’m not living on painkillers. I don’t uh, you know, uh, I don’t need hip replacement. <laugh> not yet. I know that’s gotta be awful. I know that’s gotta be
Mike Sarraille: Well let me say this I’m
Dave Bautista: Like, well, how bad did you beat the
Mike Sarraille: Recovery? Oh, oh dude. I was taking Toral in Corone shots. Like he was go like, there was a point where somebody’s like, Hey dude, I can’t keep giving you these Toral shots, but to stay in the game cuz I loved it so much. Right. I don’t wanna say I loved war. Right. I, I wanna be very careful there. Yeah. I loved the guys and the guys were going one way or the other, but uh, post hip replacement, the, the recovery sucked. This thing is great. Right. Because what now I realize my right hips all messed up. <laugh> but John, I wanna get to you man.
Dave Bautista: So I mean like I’m very fortunate in that way. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Well you, you look great. But what I’m saying, when you see some of these guys, it’s just like, I don’t wanna say, I don’t feel sorry for anything. They, they lived a life that anyone would be OUS. Yeah. But it, it looks like they’re in
Dave Bautista: Pain. Yeah. They paid all the time. But also like, I was like, I didn’t abuse myself when I was wrestling. I didn’t, uh, burn my candle at both ends. Yeah. I took care of myself and this is again, this goes back to triple H and Rick flair cuz these, and we were all like in this way, every day we wanted to get up. We wanted to go work out. We wanted to eat as best as we could. After this show, we wanted to go back. I see. And get some sleep.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. Well Rick, Rick flairs one handsome man. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Um, John man, the hardest decision you had to make,
John Kural: Man, honestly, he’s been recently when, when my hardest decision before this, he used to be partners with my brother. So I was partners with my brother for a long time in the other business, which is a tattoo shop as well. You know? So me transitioning to here to point a up with Dave and just leaving him with, with everything by himself, it was hard, you know, that’s probably the biggest, I mean, hard of the decision I ever made. Yeah. You know, cause it was family, but you know, I treat, they like my brother right now, so believe it or not. And I’m still me and my brother are really close as well. Good. So, so it’s so nothing, really, nothing changed. It’s just the atmosphere of separating from his company. Well, our company to just a different one
Mike Sarraille: Is, and I’m sure he went through phases of uh,
John Kural: He’s yes. Yes he did.
Mike Sarraille: He’s happy for you now.
John Kural: No, yeah. He’s mean we still real close. We’ll still talk, you know, and then again, we were partners and I gave him everything. So he’s even happy.
Mike Sarraille: Actually. Yeah. So he went from making 50% to making a hundred percent.
Mike Sarraille: Well, he fell. We’re gonna take a short break. Yes. And we will be right back. And we are back with Dave and uh, John, uh, before we dive in, I want to talk about DC society Inc. And, and you know, this passion project and where you guys are taking. But first, uh, we’re going to dive into a, uh, a subject that I hold dear because uh, often these type of creatures are better judges of character, uh, than, than most human beings. And those are dogs. Yeah.
Dave Bautista: <laugh>
Mike Sarraille: Uh, so Dave, I know you, you are a, uh, a dog, uh, lover. Yeah. Um, and quite frankly, in my last job, dogs quite literally saved our, uh, our lives. Um, first off house, penny.
Dave Bautista: She’s great. She’s she’s great, man. She’s a year old now. She’s she’s so undamaged. I mean, as she, you know, and this is what I love about dogs, you’re just, so they’re just so pure and she’s just, she’s so undamaged, like she’s still just loves anybody who will give her attention. She loves other animals and she was, you know, horribly, uh, abused.
Mike Sarraille: The, the chain was grafted toward her neck,
Dave Bautista: In her skin. They had to surgically remove it and stitch her up, cuz it had been on her like so long and she had been mistreated and I don’t, you know, nobody really knows how she got loose and how she got in. They found her in a graveyard. And so still nobody knows we put out rewards and you know, we didn’t actually get anywhere with that. But uh, that’s how it, uh, came to my attention that she was here in Tampa and then she was abused. I added to the reward and then I finally called and said, has anybody adopted her? And they said, no. And I said, well, can I have her? And I said, yes, please come get her. And so she’s been with me ever, ever since I’m I’m gonna start crying now. <laugh>
Mike Sarraille: She’s, we’ve had everyone, almost every guest is crowd on the
Dave Bautista: Show’s, you know, I have, I have three dogs. They’re all, they’re all rescues. They’re all pits. And they’re just, they’re just my joy in life, man.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. I, I saw a picture of penny. Her eyes are, uh, restless. John, do you have any, uh, yeah,
John Kural: I got two dogs. Actually. One of my dogs is had puppies
Mike Sarraille: <laugh> oh, no
John Kural: Kidding. Yes. Nine of them <laugh>
Mike Sarraille: So, so if are you looking to, to find good homes for ’em?
John Kural: Uh, yeah, I got, I got a few people that are already asking me, so yeah. I got a few. What, what breed? They’re English bulldogs. Oh, well they’re actually English bulldog fluffies okay. So, so yes, I got um, nine of them, big house now <laugh>
Mike Sarraille: So I’ve got a Dutch shepherd. If you guys ever seen that looks like that Mawa slightly different than that. That dog is, well, it was a recover, not a recovery. It was a, uh, it was a therapy dog for me. And that dog was probably, my sister bought it for, for me at a time in my life where it was darkest when I had exited in the military and tried to figure out what, what a future looks like. Um, they are amazing, man. The thing that amazes me about dogs is it’s, it’s so simple. You know, all they want is a little food. Oh. And just to be pet oh yeah. And adored. And they will love you. They’re loyalty for life
Dave Bautista: Is unconditional love and loyalty. Like it’s just it’s, that’s why, I mean, they’re just so pure. Just so pure. No, no hidden intentions or agenda it just, like you said, just basics and little love and they’re just unconditional love and loyalty.
Mike Sarraille: We, we are the top of the food chain. Yeah, I get it. Yes. Um, but it doesn’t mean you can’t learn from, from, from animals. Yeah. And that there’s a beauty there that, uh, well, I, I love that when I, I saw that I had no clue and uh, wanted to, uh, to bring that up. Um, I do have to ask with a reward. Cause you had asked for the name. Yeah. Were you gonna take matters into your own hearing or, or just make sure that law enforcement had this person
Dave Bautista: Same. I would just make sure that they were yeah. Prosecuted. Yeah. I, yeah, I wouldn’t be that guy. I, I think, uh, you know, I can’t promise that I would never be that guy. <laugh>,
Mike Sarraille: There’s
Dave Bautista: A ton of, I would at that point where, you know, when hopefully, you know, there’s time place for everything. Oh yeah. But at that time, no, I just, it was just a sincere addition to the reward. I just wanted this guy caught and prosecute and brought into the open. I, you know, an animal abusers, child abusers, rapists are just to me, just are, are just discovering the earth. I have no love for them. I have no sympathy for them. I wish them. Yeah. Sorry. This, this will be harsh for some people, but I just wish them pain and suffering. I have no love for them at all. I’ve only hatred for them.
Mike Sarraille: I had a buddy who, uh, he had a great line cuz he had daughters. Right. And he, you know, we always joke about when the guy comes over to your daughters. Yeah. And he is like, oh yeah, I’m gonna have me clean. My other guys would say, I’m gonna be cleaning my shotgun or this and this. I’m like, yeah, that’s so cliche. Right. He’s like, no, I got this figured out. He would look at the, the young men say whatever you do to my daughter, I’m gonna do to you. <laugh> and uh, for rapists for dog abusers, child abusers. Yeah. We’ll do the same to you. Yeah. Simple as that. Um, strange transition of subjects, but
Dave Bautista: Okay.
Mike Sarraille: That’s sometimes there’s a place for dark. Yeah. Uh, so DC society Inc one, uh, I know John, the DC stands for and there’s the so dream chasers district. Columbia
Dave Bautista: Double, double, double
Mike Sarraille: Columbia.
Dave Bautista: It’s yeah. I’m from DC. Yeah. But I also use DC lot dream chaser. Yeah. That’s my Monica. I kind of, I dunno. I believe deeply in that it might sound a little, little hokey corny to some people, not at all. I believe like chasing your dreams to get you, take you a long way in life.
Mike Sarraille: If you had to put a percentage of people that just don’t chase their dreams, it would probably be high, super high. Probably be like 90% that have this
Dave Bautista: Dream people that settle. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. So, but with this, and I know this is a passion project for you guys, when you believe in the art that you have on your skin or you wouldn’t have it, uh, one, the shop looks freaking phenomenal. Yeah. Um, and I know talking to John, we had a long conversation. You guys are gonna grow this slowly to make sure that you are bringing quality artists in and that you’re creating this collective yes. In a sense of artists.
John Kural: Yeah. Yeah. We just wanna focus on actual our team here at home. Just make it more like a society. Cause this is what we
Dave Bautista: Are and we do. We have, uh, and we are, we’re very picky and choosey about artists and we do right now, we have four or five empty chairs. It’s not because we don’t have tattoo artists that have applied. There’s not a shortage of artists. We just, we just want to make sure that they’re the right. Are some people, you know, we’ve interviewed our incredible artists, but we just didn’t feel like their personalities would vibe with everybody. Cuz we want everybody, like we’re a no drama shop. We don’t want any drama in this place. And sometimes that, that drama doesn’t ne necessarily have to come from the artists, but it may come from their, their boyfriends, their girlfriends or, you know, we just don’t want any drama. So we’ve been picky and choosy, uh, about our artists. So now we have, uh, four permanent one part-time but uh, we’re still, I mean, we’re making the rent with that.
John Kural: Yeah. And we’re still looking for artists as well, still looking. And our goal was basically to just have different artists around our up world, have guests, very diverse guests, guest artists to come work whenever like maybe a week or month out of the year and then just kind of rotate them.
Mike Sarraille: I, I have new doubt. You guys have a long list of people trying to get in here by nature of both your reputations, but the fact that you’re not trying to put butts and seats quickly. Yeah. And you’re doing it methodically. Yeah. Is pretty awesome.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. We’re not playing the quantity game here. We want to play the quality game. So
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. What is, so do you have plans to grow this into a larger community outside of this location? Or is it, is that so far off right now? No,
Dave Bautista: We always stop because there’s typically for tattoo artists, the only way to like really grow is to be, be a shop owner or multiple shop owner. So we always thought that if we brought an artist and they were here and they, they just, they vibed with us and we loved them and we grew to be a family that they would be more than welcome to go and open another DC society so they could own their own shop and then they could start and kind of carry that on. But that’s, that’s kinda what we wanna do. That
Mike Sarraille: Is awesome. So basically they, they, they learn the culture, they learn the philosophy, what you guys, the values
Dave Bautista: That’s, that’s what we want. We just wanna keep it that what our dreams are, what our hopes are for this shop and want people to,
John Kural: And obviously
Dave Bautista: Same
John Kural: Mentality grow with the artists and then let them grow by themselves as well. Just keep moving forward.
Mike Sarraille: That’s that’s relatively unheard of within this industry. Yeah. That’s that’s awesome. What, what does it mean to you? I know, do you realize the impact? I mean the, the, the severity of, of what you do for people. I mean, does that ever take you back? Like cuz it’s permanent it’s I mean that is something that at
John Kural: The beginning was scary. Yeah. It’s scary as shit because you know, you’re actually working on somebody and that’s gonna be permanent. Um, so it, it, I mean, you, I guess you crawl into that after a while and then once you like rain out 27 years later, it’s like, you’re sitting down and it’s like, basically so easy to me because it’s just long as you have the connection with your client, you forget about all that. You just continuously just putting all your, all your thoughts and everything on the art and just keep moving forward from
Mike Sarraille: That. Well, let me ask you with the motto of, let us help you tell your story. Mm-hmm <affirmative> what is the process when somebody comes in? I mean, do you want to get to know them first? They may come in and say, Hey, I want this tattoo. Okay. I’d love to hear your story of, of how that
John Kural: Yes, yes. Definitely. Like, like I got emailed. Yes. For example,
Dave Bautista: I was just say you typically don’t even have to, to ask them people come in. They, they want to tell their story.
John Kural: Yeah. They do
Dave Bautista: Significance this tattoo, what they means or where they’re trying to go with it.
John Kural: Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Have, have you ever heard some stories that just almost bring tears to your ass? Come
John Kural: On. Yes, I have. I really, actually last week, I, it was kind of funny the way this worked out. I think I was talking to you a little bit about it. Um, so I had a, I had an appointment that appointment canceled and some customers of mine flew out from out of town in here because I guess one of the realtors passed away. So they wanted a tattoo. And um, so they told me the story, you know, it was kind of sad and depressed. The funny thing is I, I tattooed the person that passed away. Oh wow. So it was, to me, it was more like, damn, you know, now I have to go through this again. So I had three clients, you know, there were small tattoos. So I did those three clients in their afternoon. It was the same story. It was like a connection spiritually, somehow that I had two back to back.
John Kural: And the funny thing is that I tattoo the same other person that passed away. So it was like, like I, I see everybody grew up and I tattoo everybody. And then I have to actually do things that I don’t want because you know, one of the guys that I really tattooed, I, it was kind of of close to me personal, you know, mm-hmm so it was kind of hard me trying to actually tattoo something about him passing away. So it was, it was kind of weird at, at that point, but it was like, I was honored to do it because I could do it. You know what I mean? So it was, it was, it was kind of sucky.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. Lot of like tributes, especially like when people do portraits serve someone who’s
John Kural: Yeah.
Dave Bautista: It’s little heartbreaking, but also there’s the flip side of that as you. Yeah. We’ve had, uh, like women come in with their grandmothers and they get matching tattoos and like, like stuff like that.
John Kural: It’s like, so, so yeah, its
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. You know,
John Kural: So except
Mike Sarraille: Don’t ever tattoo a woman’s name and, and vice versa,
Dave Bautista: We all made that
John Kural: Good
Dave Bautista: Thing, a
John Kural: Mistake twice. The good thing, you know, maybe the person died, but the memory stays on. You know what I mean? So it’s always a good thing. Have
Mike Sarraille: You, you, I don’t know if it’s still around. I know a buddy of mine tried to create a ink where the DNA of the, the person
John Kural: I’ve done that before. Yes. Yeah. Well, yes. I’ve never heard of that. They, so they cremate the person and they put it into the ink and they used the ink acid tattoo. Oh wow. I’ve done a few times part. Yes. Yeah. They actually have a company at, in here in Tallahassee. That does it. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. That’s pretty insane.
John Kural: It’s pretty weird. I guess I’s right. It’s weird. But yes. Insane.
Dave Bautista: But again, I mean that goes back to the person and they, it just means something to them. It’s there’s some emotional significance there to them. Yeah. So if we can help them, you know, it’s meaningful to them,
John Kural: It’s
Dave Bautista:
Their life and their story. And if we can help them with that, then it’s again, it just feel good thing.
Mike Sarraille: It’s a canvas man. Yeah. Yeah. Um, have you ever received emails from people you’ve tattooed like three, five years ago that just reach out and say, Hey, I wanna let you know that what you did meant so much to me. And they still have the pride
John Kural: 20 years ago, 20 years ago. Yeah. That still got people 20 years ago calling me and telling me they still love their tattoo. It’s weird. But yes,
Mike Sarraille: For those looking to again, get on the schedule, just go to DC society, Inc. Dot com. Is that, is that the right domain? We’ll make sure we post that. Yeah. What, what is, what do you think the wait list is gonna look like right now?
Dave Bautista: It depends on who they wanna see if they’re looking for a particular artist. I mean, everybody’s, uh, schedule’s kind of different. Yes. You know, and then we have Julia who’s here. Um, we want her here full time, but right now she’s here once a week. She’s not here today, but she’s here every Monday. Yes. Cause everybody kind of has their individual styles. Everybody’s pretty diverse in styles. Yes. Um, so it really depends on who they want to come and see. But
Mike Sarraille: Do you find that most people, once they identify someone, they, they love as a tattoo artist, they stick with that person. Yes.
John Kural: So definitely. Yes.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. Most common and, and you guys aren’t with one style, it’s not the, the old Navy, the, the realism,
Dave Bautista: Oh, these guys are. So I mean they can pretty much do anything. Yes. I think. But it’s just so like kind of what they specialize, what they feel like. Is there a specialty? Yeah. Um,
John Kural: Yeah, but they’re all are
Dave Bautista: Super well rounded. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: So I mean with this team is if somebody comes in and they know that, you know, Hey John, you’re the better person for this. We we’ll put the person over.
John Kural: That’s the good thing about our team that usually communicate really well with each other. So they could, you know, focus on, on the style and, and, and themes the person one. So they could actually go back and forth.
Dave Bautista: I’ll give you two examples that happened like recently we had got, we got, uh, a guy who came in yesterday. He wanted an anime and I took him right over to V cuz I know that’s her thing. She loves anime. She specialized in an, I took a right to her. Yeah. But we had another, uh, guy come in a couple weeks ago and he wanted like more of a watercolor. And so again, Julia, this is our girl who’s here. Uh part-time but she’s just watercolor. Her watercolor is so badass, like world class. And so, but this, that type of thing. So if I had a portrait, I’d probably go over to Rico and here we go, do this portrait and <laugh>, you know, and then Louis does all kinds of crazy creative,
John Kural: Uh, ideas
Dave Bautista: Badass or yeah.
John Kural: Yes. It was just,
Mike Sarraille: You guys hear that pride
John Kural: <laugh>
Dave Bautista: Yeah. No, we’re super proud of our team. Super proud. They know it.
Mike Sarraille: That’s that’s awesome. And one of the hardest things I know is for, for you, is that artists to say, Hey, no, that’s, that’s not my forte. Hey, but this person over here on my team is that’s that’s, that’s an awesome culture.
John Kural: That’s a good thing. Yeah. Right there. They’re basically not all about the money. There’s all about taking care of the customer.
Mike Sarraille: Mm-hmm <affirmative> are there certain things about this industry that you want to, I don’t, I don’t wanna say maybe distance yourself from, but like, Hey, what what’s gonna be different from the majority of the, the, the industry is we are gonna do it this way. We’re gonna, well, I think create an environment that
Dave Bautista: I think that’s the thing is we wanted more of a non-threatening environment. Cause like you said, I mean, what he was talking about, his original, uh, experience with the tattoo shop, they’re kind of dark and dingy and threatening and intimidating. Yeah. And we wouldn’t want just like anybody to feel comfortable coming in here and having a conversation, not just coming in here and picking a picture off a wall and saying, I want that. But coming in here and having a convers conversation with one of our and saying, this is where I’m thinking or something along this line. So this is a story I’d like to tell, sit down and have that conversation and sit down here at a table and not feel like they’re out of place or, you know, they’re uncomfortable, but uh, you can just be here and be comfortable and have that conversation decide you want tattoo and then just come on back and get it.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. That right there. Yeah. Um, and, and I’m excited to, to move forward with you guys. Cause this is a big need
Dave Bautista: For me.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. <laugh> and, and, and what, nah, let’s dig back. What what’s rayon de Trey. My purpose for being is the guys we left behind the men and the women. Yes. And, and I mean, that’s, that’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I do legacy expeditions with all these, these sky expeditions is to keep their legacies alive. And so to have them on my canvas is, uh, is huge. And it, you know what, it’s long overdue. Cause I have struggled with this preconceived notion of, can I be an executive and have tattoos. Right. And you know what, to this point I don’t fucking care. Yeah. Yeah. Excuse my language. I speak French <laugh> um, I, I just don’t care. That means more to me than anyone’s perception. Yeah. Of what it may be. Um, as we close this outcast. Yeah. I mean, it’s, it’s no doubt that, you know, there’s a lot of people struggling right now.
Mike Sarraille: Yeah. Uh, doesn’t matter if they’re in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, everyone is, is looking for a sense of purpose in acting and asking themselves, have I lived a life of impact? So these two questions when I ask them understand that the audience is, is they’re listening, they’re taking notes, man. They, they want to know what has worked for you. Right. And maybe they can take that one nugget from you, Dave, and one that one nugget from you, John say, I’m going, I’m gonna start implementing this in my life. Right. So with the, uh, the first question, uh, and we’ll start with John, um, what do you think are those one to three tenants, those rules that you’ve lived your life by, that have led to a majority of your success, but we also know that you, you can follow your rules sometimes and things just don’t work out, but what, what do you pride yourself on?
John Kural: Well, I pride myself on just a ladder one day at one day at a time I say, I say this, I wake up and see a different day every day, you know, and hoping for that day to be the best day that I could have and just basically come up a ladder mm-hmm <affirmative> and that ladder just climb it as high as I can, as soon as I climb it as high as I can. I just look back and have no regrets of what I’ve done.
Mike Sarraille: And with the one day at a time, uh, is that also, Hey, whatever’s gotten here is not gonna get me to, to tomorrow. So you redefine yourself in a way you humble yourself.
John Kural: I I’ve always been humble and I always seen, and I treated everybody the same way. So
Mike Sarraille: Respect
John Kural: To respect is the biggest key in the world. I think, um, that takes you more than anything in life, in general.
Mike Sarraille: Anything else? Um, I mean, those are powerful, man.
John Kural: I, I, I mean, I think that’s, you know, just the respect part. I mean, I don’t really regret anything in my life because I see everything as experience and, um, I’m just trying to wake up every day and go higher than what I am tomorrow.
Mike Sarraille: <laugh> how do you feel? We’re we’re as, and I mean, I’m just seeing folks on Americas America, how do you, how do you feel we’re, we’re treating each other as, as fellow Americans right now. Would you say getting a D
John Kural: It’s it’s it’s terrible. Believe it or not, but I believe everything will come to a stabilize in life. So do I, everybody and everybody should be joining together and just keep moving
Mike Sarraille: Forward. It’s amazing what we can do when we’re part of a team, dude. Yes.
John Kural: Team. What is, is everything can win a basketball game without a team or championship
Mike Sarraille: Unless Michael Jordan, Bob I’m joking. I’m joking.
John Kural: Yeah. Even, or LeBron. Yeah,
Mike Sarraille: Dave man.
Dave Bautista: Um, you know, it’s, it’s hard for me to give advice, like, you know, what’s, you know what things you should wake up and do what you, what plan you should have, because I, you know, I can only tell you what has worked for me. Yeah. And what worked for me is I followed my heart. Typically with everything that I’ve done, I’ve been passionate about something and I’ve just pursued it with everything, like almost an obsession. Um, and one obsession has led to another obsession and I, again, I will pursue it like a dog on a bone. I just, uh, there’s no quitting me. I just, uh, I just follow my heart. And it, I think that people, a lot of times people make the mistake of just giving up too quick. Like if they find something they’re passionate about, like you want it so bad, they want it overnight. Dave Bautista: They want that get rich quick scheme, which is every pill lose 30 pounds. Yeah. And it’s just not, that’s not, that’s not reality. I mean, not for me, but I knew that. And I just, and I wasn’t, that was, I had just had a plan and overall plan and not much of a plan, but just, I, I had a vision of what I wanted with everything that I’ve ever done. And I, and I think that most of the time, I just have pursued things because, uh, I never think I’m gonna pursue this, cuz I’m gonna make a lot of money doing this. I’m gonna pursue this cuz I fucking love it, man. I really love this. And this is what I wanna do with my life. This is the direction I want to go in. And it just, you know, all the, the money and stuff. Dave Bautista: And I learned the hard way. Um, when I left wrestling that money is not the answer to everything. Money is nothing but security. Amen. It’s security. And that’s all it is. Money is not gonna buy you. Happiness money is not the answer. But as a byproduct of me chasing the stuff that I loved, I’ve been able to be financially successful because of it. But that was never, that was wasn’t my goal. And I always tell this to people originally my, when I first decided, decided to pursue professional wrestling, I did it because I was broke and I needed to make a living. But as I went along with it, I was still broke, but I became obsessed with it. I just fell in love with it. So I pursued it for that reason. Um, again, I did, I did well, but I, I, I left while I was on top and I left and I was broke again. Dave Bautista: <laugh> yeah. And this is when I realized that money. Wasn’t the answer because I made a lot of money with wrestling and I lost it all. And when I had a second chance, I know now that money is only security. So I live my life differently and all I wanna do now is take care of the people. I love one, you know, I, I didn’t think about this earlier, but now I’m thinking about, because it just came back to me. One of my biggest regrets in life is when I made a ton of money in wrestling, I bought stupid shit. I bought Lamborghini and all kinds of fancy cars and fancy watches. And I never bought my mother a house. I read, I read this. Yeah, yeah. And I had had killed me. And, but I just, in retrospect, I looked back and I always regretted that. Dave Bautista: And I don’t know why I didn’t, but I didn’t. And I said, if I ever op have the opportunity again to do that. So when I did, I hadn’t, I started making money in films. First thing I did started looking for a house for my mom. And now she has a house and you know, San Francisco. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But my mom wanted to live in a certain area. Uh, she wanted an old Victorian. She’s very, she’s my mom’s at old San Francisco. She’s very resentful of all the tech money and they’ve taken all these Victorians and they’ve gutted ’em and they’ve turned them in something else, what she wanted, uh, an old Victorian. So I finally got her that and that’s about the proudest thing that I can say is that I bought my mom a house. So that, but that’s it that’s security. Dave Bautista: That’s what security is. Security means that my son won’t have to go through the hardships that I went through. Yeah. You know that we will always have a roof over our head. We will always have food over on our tables, which I didn’t when I was younger. So that’s it. It’s just, that’s providing for the people you love. And that’s at the end of the end of the day. I hope that I’ve inspired a few people when I leave this world, but I just wanna leave this world knowing that my family’s taken care of and my dogs are taken care of. Mike Sarraille: But you said there’s, there’s a, and I, I recently came across this story about Alexander, the great mm-hmm <affirmative> and I think it, it reinforces your point about money, right. Uh, and basically he said, bury me with my hands outside the ground to show the world that I came into this world with nothing. Right. And that I left with nothing. And that’s why I usually say, you know, impact is the greatest currency in life, not money, but we all wanna leave our, our, our families in a position to change the status even, even more. Yeah. Um, let me ask, well, you made one point and I’m interested cuz everything is a dichotomy cuz obsession can lead to a lack of balance. Was there ever a point where you like, okay, I went too far for sure. Dave Bautista: Yeah. Yeah. I mean with wrestling, I lost my family, you know, I lost my family, you know, I always thought I was there and I was trying to be a good provider, but there I, you know, at that I have to take some responsibility of being so obsessed with that, that I neglected a part of my family. Yeah. And so my marriage fell apart because of it. My children were off doing, I don’t making horrible decisions. I wasn’t home. I wasn’t able to be home. Um, and I have to take some responsibility for that. But at the same time, I, you know, it’s again, it’s hard for me to look back and if I, this was my one shot in life, mm-hmm <affirmative> this was it. And I knew that it would change generations of my family. Yes. So it’s like, once you get your shot, you gotta take your shot and you try to balance everything as, as well as you can, but you’re gonna make mistakes. I made mistakes. I, I was, it was hard for me to balance. I still, you know, look back and I like, I don’t know how I would’ve done things differently, but the flip side to that is now I’m able to provide for my family. Yeah. I’m able to buy my mom, that house and this wasn’t gonna happen if I didn’t take my shot, Mike Sarraille: Dude, I didn’t do what you did. Yeah. Um, but I know my last command and, and I think this statistic I heard was we had like our divorce rate was like 95%. Right. Like all we could about was going to war. And if you had to choose between going back outside the wire with the guys or your family, this, this is gonna sound awful. Guys would choose going outside the wire with their, with the boys. Yeah. And, and I, you know, it’s just when you are so laser focused, sometimes maybe you I’m sure. You know, we’re, we’re not at that point in our lives yet where we look back and maybe say, Hey, I, I made the wrong choice, but I, I totally under understand what you’re saying when you’re in the game. Yeah. You are in the game and you see nothing else. Yeah. Dave Bautista: And those, I mean, obviously I’ve never been in your shoes, but Uhhuh, I mean, you can’t tell me that tho those guys aren’t any less your family than your family. Who’s at home. Mike Sarraille: Yeah. We used to say, uh, yeah. Uh, we used to say, Hey, well, you know, my, my wife and kids over here, that’s that’s, my family were like, that’s your second family. Yeah. And, and I’m sure wrestling was, was the same way and uh, in a lot of ways. Um, and so here, here’s the last question, man. And I’m still trying to figure this out. I, I think I know, and I think it revolves around my family, but when all said and done, and you’re at that moment, how are you gonna look back and know that you lived a life of impact and purpose? That’s that, that, that one is, is deep. John Kural: I Mike Sarraille: Mean, it’s meant to be deep. J
ohn Kural: Okay. Well, I’ll tell you what, I might not be able to say myself, how, but through my art and all my canvases that I’ve done, I think it’s gonna speak for myself. I think all the artwork that I’ve done on everybody and everything that I’ve done, I think that will speak for my last time. I think that’ll leave my following behind.
Mike Sarraille: I’d say that’s think that’s pretty accurate,
John Kural: Man. Yeah. I mean, that’s, that’s all I could say, man. Yeah. There’s gonna be movies, pictures, drawings everywhere. And it’s gonna be all that guy that
Mike Sarraille: John did those.
John Kural: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s, that’s pretty.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. I, I mean, you know, I hoping that I know that I’ll leave my family with security, but I think, you know, the thing with me is I, I already know. I already know because I didn’t waste my life. I’m not a statistic. You know, I did something, I should have been nothing, but I actually made something outta my life. I did something, I think exceptional. I mean the best thing about my career is I can fly halfway across the world. I can step up off a plane and people know who I am. Like, that’s, can’t put you, can’t put a number on that. You can’t put a value on that. It’s just something that I know I’ve done. Some, something exceptional that’s impacted if I can do that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. People are happy to see me across the world. Yeah. You know, maybe don’t even speak their language, but they’re happy to see me.
Dave Bautista: Yeah. You know, I can step off in the, see they see me and they wanna take a picture with me. That’s invaluable. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, you know, so I already know that I’ve made somewhat of an impact and, and I think I hope a good impact, but I wanna make more of an impact. Like I wanna tell more, I wanna inspire people. This is why I love about storytelling. Yeah. Which that is the way you can actually inspire people. And it’s that story that I put on to film will be here long after I’m gone. Yeah.
Mike Sarraille: Mm-hmm, yeah. Well, I can’t thank you enough for inviting me into your home, which I know is your passion. John, I look forward to the ink. And thank you to all those listening, anyone judges a book by its, uh, cover, which you’ve gotta distinct cover, you’d be absolutely 100% wrong. And I’ve done that before. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and your humility, your empathy, your kindness, and your respect, uh, just it’s oozing outta your, your pores man. So I’m humbled the opportunity to get to know you and John and move forward with you guys and in my small way. But, uh, for all those listening, uh, all those who’ve been struggling, whether they want to get that piece of art on their skin, do it, uh, reach out to DCA, uh, society, Inc. Uh, I, I know the list is gonna be long, so do it now. And, uh, congratulations on the launch to all you guys, man. Thank, thank you. And I hope you build something, uh, that, that puts this industry, uh, on a different level. So thank you. Thank you. All right guys. And that is the Everyday Warrior with Mike Sarraille and we will be back next time. Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior podcast, and a special thanks to our sponsor Pendleton Whiskey. Cheers.
There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
Courtesy image
1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
Marius Bugge
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Marius Bugge
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
Marius Bugge
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
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