Nashville Politics, Nantucket Sharks and Comedy Wars w/Adam Dread :: Ep 48 Circling the Drain Podcast

Nashville legend, attorney, former councilman and stand-up comic Adam Dred joins Johnny B and J. Harper from Nantucket to talk about everything from politics and scooters to sharks, data centers, cab laws and comedy wars.

Adam walks through his infamous “English-speaking cab drivers” bill, his near-fatal stroke and brain bleed, why he splits time between Nashville and Nantucket, and how he went from radio and stand-up to law and animal advocacy. He also dishes on Trace Adkins, Ralphie May, Steve Harvey, Joe Rogan, Bob Saget, bad Californians in Nashville, and why wind farms and data centers make him crazy.

If you love Nashville, comedy, behind-the-scenes radio stories and unfiltered political takes, this episode is packed.

Timed Highlights (for chapters/clips)

02:13 Life in Nantucket and buying manfromnantucket.com from Russians
03:27 Man From Nantucket merch and fundraising for animal charities
03:49 Bonnie Dred, the toilet-trained cat and viral TV coverage
04:19 Splitting life and law practice between Nantucket and Tennessee
05:09 “Hate months,” gossip season and Nashville heat
05:16 Asking if he can swear on the podcast and political correctness
06:15 Fourth of July “water fight” becomes “water game” and cultural wimpification
06:43 Growing up without helmets, seatbelts and safety culture
07:11 The satirical “prenuptial weight agreement” from law school
07:37 History with Trace Adkins and the “Giant Painters – Ladders Are For Fags” story
09:37 Getting fired for on-air drinking and Lightning 100 “music for angry lesbians”
11:18 How Adam fed the entire TV crew via ad deals and earned loyalty
12:25 Doing good deeds, karma and his Nantucket country radio show “Cohog Wild”
13:05 Declaration of Independence reading controversy and moving it to St. Paul’s
14:30 Making outdoor church services pet friendly and doubling attendance
15:39 From scooters to taxes: why Adam fought Nashville scooters and the economics
16:48 Property tax shock on Lower Broadway and Layla’s honky tonk
19:02 Historic entertainment zoning, Zanies, Douglas Corner and losing venues
19:44 Fighting Eighth Avenue bike lanes and Nashville’s climate reality
20:47 Why free buses beat bike lanes and how Nantucket does transit
21:10 Term limits, “community tithing” and what he did on Metro Council
22:21 Stroke story: blacking out, the crash and coding twice
24:21 Citywide prayer on the air and waking up telling jokes
25:13 Second brain bleed, Coumadin, misdiagnosis and changing genetic markers
28:08 Allergies changing, bee stings and new ticks that can make you allergic to meat
29:07 Great whites, bull sharks, tiger sharks and hammerheads vs humans
31:11 Overfishing, baby sharks at New Smyrna and blaming sport fishing
33:30 Nantucket vs Martha’s Vineyard culture and politics
34:26 Mr. Rogers on Nantucket and the Fred Rogers Award
34:58 Nantucket Clean Team and making kids care about trash
35:21 Nashville’s “ladders on the interstate” vs Nantucket’s paper bags
36:10 Wind farms, broken blades, beach closures and unseen environmental costs
38:30 Data centers by the zoo, water use, contamination and eminent domain problems
40:33 How Nashville bungled the data center permits and legal exposure
41:48 Megan Barry, mayors’ affairs and why Adam still defends her as a person
43:01 Losing children, grief and why some people get a lifelong “hall pass”
43:38 Missing old Nashville: Phasins, the Trace, Maud’s Courtyard and Hillsboro Village
45:15 “Bad Californians,” fake service dogs and a dog-bite lawsuit story
48:38 Payment plans for Bel Meade Californians and serving people by publication
48:50 Jim’s severe dander allergy and workplace pets putting him in the hospital
49:49 Emotional support animals vs real service dogs in law and travel
50:47 Chinese poison pet food case, Phil Valentine’s cat and suing for the owners
52:23 Remembering Bart Durham and what people don’t know about him
53:23 How contingency-fee firms really pick cases
56:16 Abortion question at a forum and Adam’s 16-year “abort your kid” joke
57:51 Musica statue complaints, “I posed for it” and renaming the Christmas tree
58:14 Holiday tree vs Christmas tree, menorah and being born Jewish in that fight
58:52 Circling the Drain as a brand and “circling and stirring”
59:32 When Adam is back in Nashville: Vandy tailgate, tents 1 and 2 and open bar
1:00:09 Pavia, Heisman, image problems and Pacman Jones comparisons
1:01:10 Cheetah 3 strip club in Atlanta and hosting the Battle of the Cheetah Girls
1:02:21 Ralphie May, the divorce, TMZ allegations and the stress that killed him
1:03:56 How Ralphie was treated, money issues and the banned ex-wife
1:04:42 Ralphie’s last phone call and the Vegas shooting
1:05:18 Getting into comedy at Vanderbilt, Rights of Spring and Henry Cho
1:06:10 First road work, a blown radiator and Steve Harvey saving his hand
1:07:06 Co-headlining with Dennis Leary and learning to follow dirty comics
1:07:51 Joe Rogan as his opener and Bob Saget’s filthy sets
1:08:54 Nantucket comedy festivals and his local Nantucket books
1:09:26 Island Cup: Nantucket vs Martha’s Vineyard, whaling roots and big kids
1:10:26 Tuna, sharks, Block Island and fall “shoulder season” on Nantucket
1:11:07 Restaurant Week, chamber duties and being “a man of leisure”
1:11:45 Faith, obligation to give back and leaving the world better
1:12:07 Johnny B calls Adam a hero and they tease live shows from Vandy and the boat
1:12:36 Adam’s legal plug: no-charge consults and 888-DUI-ADAM
1:13:04 Wrap-up, invitation to future episodes and Circling The Drain plugs

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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co

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