Snackin' and Yakkin' with BIG Ben Kennedy

Traci Doutaz returns to Snackin' & Yakkin' with BIG Ben Kennedy for a heartfelt, funny, and unforgettable conversation about friendship, roller derby, cancer treatment, bucket-list adventures, and making the most of the time we have.Traci, also known as Doutaz Mania, first appeared on the show in Episode 5. Now, 61 episodes later, she shares an honest update on living with stage 4 metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, weekly treatment, chemo brain, changing side effects, and her decision to keep skating with the Lowcountry High Rollers for as long as she can.The conversation also includes plenty of Traci's signature humor, her Twilight tattoos, the story behind her "Baja Blessed" tattoo, stick-on eyebrows, memorable roller derby moments, and the origin of the famous "Mosquito" stickers. Over a bowl of Nacho Cheese Doritos, Traci introduces Ben to Kentucky's Ale-8-One ginger ale, including blackberry and pawpaw flavors.Traci also talks about her "Goals Before I Ghost You" list, upcoming trips to Seattle, Forks, Salem, and a heavy metal cruise, plus seeing the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere in Las Vegas and visiting the Bacchanal Buffet.Ben and Traci share a candid conversation about medical anxiety, colonoscopy screenings, friendship, grief, hope, and why nobody should waste time on a bad time. The episode also includes an important reminder to schedule recommended cancer screenings and take your health seriously.Support Traci's "Less Tragic, More Magic" GoFundMe at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/make-magic-for-Doutaz and help her check off some of the experiences on her list. Leave a message with your donation about what you'd like to help make possible, whether that's travel, a tattoo, a hotel stay, or gas for a special day with her dogs.

Bill Davis brings political reporting war stories, baseball feuds, family chaos, and a dangerous amount of snack confidence to Episode 65 of Snackin' & Yakkin'.Charleston writer, comedian, performer, and award-winning political reporter Bill Davis joins Big Ben Kennedy for a wide-ranging conversation that covers nearly everything, including:- The time Bill almost got into a fight with Reggie Jackson- Tanya Harding, miniature bats, and one unforgettable newspaper caption- Covering Carl Pavano for The New York Times- Growing up around addiction, recovery, and family drama- Parenting, teenagers, embarrassing minivan moments, and the hazards of shared bathrooms- And much more!There are political stories, sports stories, deeply questionable jokes, and enough pretzel pieces to qualify as a medical emergency. Grab your favorite snack, settle in, and let Bill Davis do what Bill Davis does best.Follow Bill Davis on Instagram at @billdavisissocool and find him on Facebook by searching for Bill Davis.

Pizza, blue Gatorade, comedy, true crime, dating disasters, and a conversation that somehow ends with cannibalism. Sara Meagan brings the chaos in S&Y Episode 64.Sara joins BIG Ben Kennedy for a relaxed snack break and a wide-ranging conversation about their recent show at Social 19 in West Ashley, South Carolina comedy, her Hot Mess showcase, and the writing group she hosts at local bars. She also shares why she stepped away from comedy for six months, how she turned painful experiences into material, and why taking a break from something you love can help you find your way back to it.Along the way, they debate pretzels versus popcorn, chocolate versus vanilla, Pizza Hut versus Domino's, sweet snacks versus salty snacks, and Gatorade's many shades of blue. They also talk about dating, long-term relationships, TJ's expert character assessments, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Amelia Earhart, movie theater food, family, childhood moves, and the strange comfort of being okay with life's permanent rough spots.Find Sara Meagan on Instagram at @sara.meagan.has.legs and check out her comedy when she performs in the Charleston area. Remember to leave a comment, share the episode, and tell us what snack should make an appearance next time.

Alexis and Bradley Shuffler join Big Ben Kennedy to talk about filmmaking, family, faith, mental health, friendship breakups, and the daily work behind building a creative career. Bradley shares the story behind BA Shuffler Productions, his short film projects, and Half of Me, a personal rom-com about friendship, change, and learning how to move forward when someone important takes a different path.Bradley and Alexis also talk about Shuffler & Co. Weddings, their plans for serving couples across the Lowcountry and beyond, and the teamwork it takes to build a business while raising a family. Along the way, the conversation covers fake fight scenes, wedding videography, airport motivation, parenting fears, colonoscopy prep, Poppy soda, Target trail mix, and Bradley's long-running dream of owning a Lamborghini.Most importantly, this episode is about pursuing meaningful work before everything feels perfect. Bradley explains how filmmaking became an outlet, how motivational TikToks helped people through difficult moments, and why creating something honest matters more than chasing success for its own sake.Watch for the full conversation, then share your own creative goal in the comments. What would you keep working toward if money, doubt, and other people's opinions weren't calling the shots?Follow BA Shuffler Productions on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube at:  @bashufflerproductions 

Josh Milz is back for a no-promotional, no-pressure hangout packed with spicy chips, questionable soda choices, comedy stories, and enough emotional whiplash to fill several episodes.On this episode of Snackin' & Yakkin' with BIG Ben Kennedy, Josh and Ben tear into Flamin' Hot Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles while debating root beer, Cheerwine, coconut cream, Oreos, Pop-Tarts, and the proper way to survive a post-snack stomach emergency.The conversation takes a few wild turns, including Josh's serious car wreck, Ben's hurricane streaking story, the teacher who pushed him to finish high school, and the strange comfort of friends who know when to stop treating you like a fragile egg. They also talk Charleston comedy, Next Stop Comedy, local restaurants, Pete Holmes, Leslie Jones, SNL, social media clips, and the future of SnackYakk Studios.Plus, Ben faces his first ever round of Fast Five questions, Josh shares his best cinnamon-roll advice, and Ben explains why a double-decker taco deserves a place in the Taco Bell Hall of Fame.Grab a snack, pour yourself something cold, and settle in for a long, loose conversation between two friends who clearly forgot the cameras were running.Follow Josh on insta: @milzellaneous

Bebop Donut Shop brings hot, fresh donuts, dirty sodas, and a whole lot of joyful chaos to Snackin' & Yakkin'! Serena and Lux join BIG Ben Kennedy for an hour of snacks, stories, anime talk, cartoon memories, and the kind of conversation that can wander from Cowboy Bebop to boiled peanuts without missing a beat.Bebop Donut Shop won Best Sweets Truck at the Best of Charleston party, and one bite makes it easy to understand why. The crew digs into Oreo Crumble, S'mores, and Fruity Pebbles donuts, all served warm and loaded with toppings. There's also a taste of the Bebop drink menu, including the popular Dr Pepper-based Bebop, Pink Pony Swirl, and the tropical Sprite Club.Serena and Lux share how a soda closet, a donut truck, and a big leap of faith turned into a business built around fresh treats, community connections, and making people smile. They also talk about their dream of opening a welcoming brick-and-mortar space where people can hang out, play games, watch cartoons, and enjoy a donut without feeling rushed out the door. Stay through the donut tasting for genuine reactions, cereal milk nostalgia, marshmallow-covered Fruity Pebbles, and several happy food dances.Find Bebop Donut Shop on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @bebopdonutshop

Charleston's food truck scene gets a seriously tasty visit as Big Ben Kennedy sits down with Adrian Ion, Taylor Ion, and Dan Xeller from Braised & Glazed.The crew talks food, family, food truck life, rotating menus, and the beautiful chaos of working inside a 12-foot concession trailer. Then comes the important part: eating. Big Ben digs into the famous Crunch Wrap, complete with beef, cheese, a crispy tostada layer, and vinegar-based slaw, before trying Braised & Glazed's smoked eggplant dip, a Romanian-inspired take on baba ganoush.Braised & Glazed brings eclectic, messy, handheld food to locations around Charleston, North Charleston, and Mount Pleasant. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram at @braisedandglazed to find their current menu and truck schedule.

Big Ben Kennedy and Brandon kick things off by revisiting the wild, haunted chaos of Brandon's first appearance on Episode 13, then jump into Brandon's upcoming tour with Combat Zone 360, a veteran-focused comedy run hitting American Legions, VFWs, comedy clubs, and more. The mission is simple, get laughs in the rooms where veterans and their families already know how to tell the truth and take a joke, and it's all to raise money and awareness for the mental health of our veterans.The conversation also gets personal fast. Brandon shares stories about military life, boot camp at Parris Island, his MOS, his time in Iraq, and how comedy, family, and service have all shaped the way he shows up on stage. If you like veteran comedy, Marine Corps stories, South Carolina local flavor, and two guys turning canned meats into a full-blown philosophy session, this one's got your name on it.And yes, the snacks are doing their part too. Vienna sausages, potted meat, spice, salt, regret, and a whole lot of laughs make this episode exactly the kind of mess this show was built for.Check out Brandon Johnston and @ofpcomedy, and keep an eye out for the Combat Zone 360 tour dates. This one is for the vets, the laughers, and everybody who knows a good story usually starts with, "You're not gonna believe this."

Jessica Veal of Pitch a Friend Charleston stops by Snackin' & Yakkin' with BIG Ben Kennedy for a funny, honest, and wildly relatable chat about modern dating, real-life connections, and why a slide deck might be the new wingman.Pitch a Friend started in Philadelphia in 2022 and has grown fast, with chapters opening in new places and people getting back to face-to-face introductions instead of endless app swiping. Jessica breaks down how it works, who can get pitched, why consent matters, and how the Charleston chapter brings single friends, new-to-town folks, and good humans together for a night of laughs and maybe a little matchmaking chaos.Ben and Jessica also get into the age-gap divide between the younger crowd and the more guarded older crowd, the kind of pitches that actually land, and the wild humor people bring to the stage. You'll hear about red-flag and green-flag games, funny slide deck details, dating app stories, and why Wednesday nights are a sweet spot for these events.And because this is Snackin' & Yakkin', there's okra chips, the Fast Five, and a few detours into old-school dating, AOL Instant Messenger, free nights and weekends, and the glory days of Nokia brick phones.If you like local Charleston stories, dating talk with real personality, and a show that doesn't mind getting a little weird in the best way, this one's for you.Follow Pitch a Friend Charleston on Instagram: @pitchafriend.charleston

Bill Walsh from Live 5 News stops by Snackin' & Yakkin' for a fast, funny, and very Charleston chat with BIG Ben Kennedy. This one has Weather talk, News stories, wild local memories, and a few side roads that somehow end up in traffic, socks, crab dip, and old-school TV lore.Bill shares how he got started in broadcasting, how he landed in Charleston, SC, and why he's stuck around for 40 years. He and Ben swap stories about Live 5, storm coverage, classic Charleston chaos, and what it's like to live and work in a city where everybody knows the roads, the restaurants, and the weather personality on TV.They also get into:-Wheat Thins and ginger ale-Crazy socks and viewer gifts-Stand-up comedy on the side-Old TV shows, game show bits, and air show fun-Why Charleston traffic feels like a full-contact sportIf you love Charleston and local Weather talk, and a guest who can keep up with Ben's pace, this episode is a great one!Follow Bill Walsh on insta and X: @billwalshtv and on fb: @BillWalshLive5NewsFollow us on all social media: @snackinyakkinAbout our presenting sponsor, Kay Real Estate Group: Whether you're buying, selling, leasing, or managing property, their team helps clients across Charleston's tri-county area and beyond. Visit kayreg.com to see what they can do for your next move.

One year in, episode 56, and I'm still here, still snackin', still yakkin', and still somehow talking my way into a brand-new season of this weird little show I love.This episode is my one-year anniversary, and I'm not gonna lie, I got a little sentimental about it. I'm talking about the new intro, the new hat, the new look, the new season, the whole deal. I also got to hear voicemails from some of the best people around, and they had me laughing, choking up, and regretting every squid chip decision I've ever made.If you've been here since two iterations ago in the garage days, you know exactly how far this thing has come. If you're new, welcome. I'm Big Ben Kennedy, and this show is still exactly what I wanted it to be, a place to meet good people, hear real stories, eat some snacks, and give Charleston a little more room to show off the supremely talented folks hiding in plain sight.In this episode, I talk about why I started Snackin' & Yakkin', why I keep doing it every week, why the guests matter so much, and why I still think the best part of this whole thing is the community around it. We also crack into the old mystery box, revisit a few cursed snacks, unveil the snack labels behind the old logo, and celebrate with an unreal cake from Daddy's Girls Bakery in North Charleston. That cake was no joke.Thanks for being here for year one. I'm not going anywhere. See you every Monday!

Mini donuts, black coffee, food truck stories, and a whole lot of nonsense with Dave Magdeburger of Donut Daddy SC. This one has it all.Big Ben sits down with Dave from Donut Daddy, Charleston's mobile catering doughnut service, and the conversation goes exactly where you'd hope it would go, food truck life, the jump from tacos to donuts, the South Carolina Food Truck Coalition, weddings, festivals, and why mini donuts just work better for everybody. There's also a very serious amount of talk about crispy bits, French toast donuts, Cadbury mini eggs, and why a hot mini donut less than 10 seconds out of the fryer is basically a small miracle.And yes, coffee gets involved. Ben takes on a decaf latte like a man making bad decisions before 9 a.m., while Dave keeps it classic with black coffee and the sugar coming straight from the donuts. That alone should tell you everything you need to know.If you like food trucks, Charleston eats, behind-the-scenes catering stories, Baltimore roots, and two guys completely losing track of time while eating donuts on camera, this episode is for you.Follow @donutdaddysc on Instagram and Facebook to see where the truck is headed next, then come back and tell us which flavor you'd grab first, cinnamon sugar, French toast, chocolate sprinkle, or the Cadbury Bird Nest special.

A cross-country van adventure, whale facts, Alaska stories, and oatmeal cream pies. Yeah, this one goes everywhere.On this episode of Snackin' & Yakkin', BIG Ben Kennedy sits down with Vickie Griffin, a fellow medic with a whole lot of stories and one serious road trip behind her. Vickie spent 2025 chasing a new life on the road, building out her tiny van, heading west, and ending up in Alaska with a front-row seat to whales, glaciers, bald eagles, sea lions, prairie dogs, the Badlands, Yellowstone, Route 66, and the kind of sights that make you stop talking for a minute and just stare.She tells the story the way it should be told, with the funny stuff, the wild stuff, the practical stuff, and the parts that make you say, "Wait, you did what?" If you've ever thought about living tiny, traveling solo, or just wanted to hear what Alaska really looks like through somebody's eyes, this episode is packed with it.About this episode's presenting sponsor: MDM Travel specializes in turning dream vacations into unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re planning a relaxing cruise, an all-inclusive resort getaway, a family adventure, or a custom vacation package, MDM Travel provides personalized service and expert guidance every step of the way. With a focus on making travel simple, stress-free, and tailored to your needs, MDM Travel helps clients explore the world with confidence while creating memories that last a lifetime. Visit mdmtravel.com to plan your dream trip today!

Big Ben Kennedy is snackin' & yakkin' with Coach Chef Frank of Dirt Road Grub, and this one gets wild fast. We're talking beef brisket hot dogs from Charlotte, NC based company Gleezy, with a twist, and a whole lot of talk about coaching, teaching, cooking, bourbon, and building something real from the ground up.Coach Chef Frank came through ready to work. He brought the history, the hustle, and the flavor. We talk about his journey from juvenile justice to the classroom to coaching, why middle school kids are at that fork in the road, and how food became another lane for him to build in. Then we get into those Gleezy dogs, the Carolina-style sauce, the toasted bun, and the Dirt Road way of doing things. And yes, there's a French toast sausage roll situation in here too, because apparently normal was not invited.If you like food talk with real stories, low-country energy, and a host who will absolutely lose his mind over a good hot dog, this episode is for you.Follow Coach Chef Frank on fb: @dirt.roadgameinsta: @dirtroadjerktiktok: @coachcheffrank

Devin Dukes and DJ Dukes of the Shrimp City Report stopped by Snackin' & Yakkin' for a long one, and this one goes everywhere in the best way. Charleston podcasting, Best of Charleston 2026, Wikipedia rabbit holes, old encyclopedias, brisket, wrestling, ghosts, the Battery, the RiverDogs, and yes, a whole lot of snackin' and yakkin'.The Shrimp City Report is a Charleston podcast built around local people, local stories, and the kind of conversations that actually sound like Charleston. Devin and DJ break down how they got started, why the name fits, and how they've turned their show into a catalog of the city's food, music, art, sports, business, and all the weird little corners that make this place what it is.We also get into what it takes to keep a local show moving, how they find guests, why long-form conversations still matter, and what they want Shrimp City Report to become next. There's talk about MLW, Danny McBride, Bobby Hartin, the Charleston Battery supporters group The Regiment, and why Lewis Barbecue keeps ending up at the top of the list. If you know, you know.And of course, there are dips. Crab dip, shrimp dip, PBR, Old Bay, and enough side talk to keep the whole thing moving. It's one of those episodes that starts with food and ends up being about Charleston, community, and trying to build something people actually care about.

Sweet treats, big laughs, and a Charleston bakery that knows how to show up. This week on Snackin' & Yakkin' with BIG Ben Kennedy, Chasity and Nate Brown of Daddy's Girls Bakery drop in with the goods, the stories, and a whole lot of family pride.We talk about how Daddy's Girls Bakery started at home in 2016, how the shop opened during the pandemic, and why a bakery named after their daughters makes perfect sense once Nate explains it. We also get into the hustle, the neighborhood, the airport kiosk days, the barber shop and beauty salon route, and what it means to build a black-owned bakery in Charleston with real roots in the community.And yes, the snacks are the star of the show.Ben tries Charleston Chewies, cheesecake, cake, and more, and let's just say the Chewies are doing serious work. Soft, rich, buttery, brown-sugar goodness with a little Southern attitude. There's also talk of their custom cakes, bento box designs, cake decorating classes, ice cream, and the future plans they've got cooking, including an ice cream bike and an ice cream truck.If you love baked goods, local business stories, and a conversation that moves from food to family to pure Charleston energy, this one is for you. Support local. Support black-owned. And if you're near Reynolds Avenue, you already know where to go next.Follow Daddy's Girls Bakery:Instagram: @daddys_girls_bakery Facebook: @daddygirlsdessertsTikTok: @daddysgirlsbakeryVisit them at: 2021 Reynolds Avenue, Suite B102, Charleston, SC

Sam Pagano from Low Tide Brewing joins BIG Ben Kennedy for a wild, funny, beer-filled hang on episode 50(!) of Snackin' & Yakkin'. This one has everything, a brewing deep-dive, Charleston heat, food truck talk, ocean paranoia, and a very serious debate about Bruce the shark from Jaws.Sam shares how he got to Low Tide Brewing, what it took to grow into a bigger operation, and why the new Johns Island expansion is such a big deal. He also breaks down the brewery setup, the draft-first focus, and the food truck lineup that keeps the taproom fed and happy.Of course, no episode of Snackin' & Yakkin' stays on the rails for long. The snack stack gets weird in the best way, with Bigs dill pickle sunflower seeds, summer sausage, boiled peanut chaos, and way too many bathroom-adjacent thoughts for one studio. The beer lineup brings the good stuff too, including Aloha Beaches, Divot Maker, and the fan-favorite Blue Quencher.If you like craft beer, Charleston stories, ridiculous side quests, and two guys who can turn a sunflower seed bag into a full conversation, this one is for you.Check out Sam, Low Tide Brewing and keep up with the new buildout! Follow @gabagool65 & @lowtidebrewing