Patreon/Superfan - Adam Ulrich

Let's Talk - Cobra Kai
Episode 117: Patreon/Superfan - Adam Ulrich

Jason Connell and Sal Rodriguez have Patreon/Superfan, Adam Ulrich, on the show to discuss all things Cobra Kai and much more.

Original Episode: S04E29

Recorded: 06-24-22
Studio: Just Curious Media
https://www.JustCuriousMedia.com/

Listen:
https://LetsTalkCobraKai.buzzsprout.com/

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNfekAT0gN4to-6j2iKhGQw/

Follow:
https://www.facebook.com/LetsTalkCobraKai/
https://www.instagram.com/LetsTalkCobraKai/
https://twitter.com/TalkCobraKai/

Hosts:
https://www.instagram.com/MrJasonConnell/
https://www.instagram.com/SalvadorLosAngeles/

Support:
https://www.patreon.com/LetsTalkCobraKai/

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Transcript

Jason Connell: 5:04:38

Whoa, just curious. Welcome to Just curious media. This is let's talk Cobra Kai. And I'm Jason Connell, on the show today. I'm joined by Patreon superfan. Adam alrik. Adam, pleasure to have you here.

Adam Ulrich: 5:04:56

It's great to be here.

Jason Connell: 5:04:57

Awesome. So you came on our radar because you became a Patreon of the show, which makes you a superfan. It just kind of goes hand in hand there. Because we don't have, you know, we have a lot of fans, but not many people crossed that line. So you joined us October 14 2021, as a black belt, which is awesome. But you started as no mercy and then you jumped up to Black Belt. So you're really eager, you're in the dojo. So Adam, how did that come about? What made you cross that line and support the show? And then we'll go back in time and learn more about you. But how does that happen?

Adam Ulrich: 5:05:31

You know, I think that it was, you know, I, I had, you know, when when Cobra Kai came to Netflix, and I started watching the show, I'm a big fan of podcasts in general. So I consume a lot of a lot of different stuff that's out there. And a lot of times when I come across shows that I really enjoy, I know that it's a labor of love, and it's you know, a lot of times, you know, these are just expenses that go into this, you know, so, you know, when if I have the means to help support that because, you know, I'm enjoying it, and I want it to last. So that's really why I did it. I you know, I did it so that this show this, this extra content that I was getting to support this other show that I loved was something that I would do. So that's really the what motivated me to do that. And then to say, hey, you know, I, you know, if I want this to continue, I need to be able to support it. So because otherwise, you never know sometimes, you know, podcasts don't last all the time, because you know, it can be expensive or other things happen. So,

Jason Connell: 5:06:30

wow. That is touches my heart. And I'm sure sales as well. It's great to hear, we only wish every fan had that because you're right. People don't realize there is cost, not just time, but there's a lot of expenses. We're always getting new equipment. Yeah, you could just do it in your microphone and your you know, without a headset and everything you could make like the really cheap version of a podcast. But still we don't and it's costly. So and it adds up. And these things don't monetize, maybe ever. Or if they do it could take a long time until you have that type of traction. So we love having all the Patreon we do. I must ask, do you support all the Cobra Kai podcasts that are out there? Because that's quite a few.

Adam Ulrich: 5:07:10

No, I mean, as far as I mean, I listened to many you are the you guys were the first one that I found. I don't know, I can't remember exactly how it came across guys. But you were the first one that I had found. I do listen to a few of the other ones. But you guys are the only ones that I that I you know, give money to so Hey,

Jason Connell: 5:07:29

we love it, Adam. So what's it like being on the show? Now? I mean, you probably didn't know this was gonna happen now. You're a guest.

Adam Ulrich: 5:07:36

Yeah, it's strange to me, you know, I didn't do it to you know, I no interest in YouTube, famous or tick tock famous, none of that kind of stuff. So, you know, it's strange to me, you know, to do that. So but you know, it's fun, you know, to you guys do do this, that you give you the opportunity for your supporters to you know, at least come in and say hi, every once in a while. So,

Jason Connell: 5:08:00

yeah, I know for being a fan of podcast myself. I've never had the opportunity to be on a show. It was something I thought of and I thought why not do that for the extra fan because we're all fans of a shared show and series in the franchise. So I think it's great. Now I notice you can barely see it, but I believe it's a Cobra Kai shirt you've got on there.

Adam Ulrich: 5:08:20

I do. I do. Cobra Kai one and I've got an eagle thing shirt too.

Jason Connell: 5:08:23

So my Of course you'll hold that up. Is it nearby? No, it's another room. Okay, here stand up for just a second. Let's get a good shot of that shirt there. Oh, there it is. Cobra Kai strike first strike card. No Mercy. Love it. Alright, so now

Adam Ulrich: 5:08:39

that Johnny's not in charge, I know

Jason Connell: 5:08:41

it's a whole other thing, right that Terry Silva is running the show. So we want to know a little bit more about you and we know you're a fan of the show. So where are you from? What do you do for a living besides consume great content? Tell us a little bit about Adam.

Adam Ulrich: 5:08:56

Yeah, so I live in the Midwest. I live just outside of St. Louis, in a town called O'Fallon, Missouri, so just west of the city, so and I work at a university in the area and I work in it's not it's it's in the IT space. So we're helping I'm on a project to implement a new student information system at the university. So Wow. And I've been in higher education my entire career after college. So I stayed at the college that I got my degrees from, worked out of a number of offices and then into the IT area, and then I moved from that university to another local university just about a year ago. So

Jason Connell: 5:09:34

that's exciting. Well, I grew up actually in Tulsa, Oklahoma, not too far from St. Louis. made many trucks up there. Love that city. So not familiar with your town per se, but I've definitely made my drives through that area. It's beautiful country. That's really wonderful. So I guess let's go back in time. Is that where you grew up? Like?

Adam Ulrich: 5:09:53

Yeah, I'm born, born and raised out of St. Louis. So, in St. Louis. I went, Yeah, I was born in St. Louis. I've lived in St. Louis went to school in St. Louis. And then you know, ultimate state here as an adult, married my wife and have have a daughter and all of that stuff. So

Jason Connell: 5:10:09

you big Cardinals baseball fan or football fan? You lost your team a few years ago, unfortunately. Yeah,

Adam Ulrich: 5:10:15

that's a sore spot. You know, I'm glad Sal is not here to rub that one in on me here. But yeah, well, I mean, I guess in fairness, we stole the team from Los Angeles. Oh, you

Jason Connell: 5:10:23

did? You did. And they got a title. You want a title. And you knocked on the door of another title. So you had a good run the greatest show on turf. I watched you guys quite a bit. In fact, I even covered the Kurt Warner movie, American underdog on Let's Talk movies recently, because I'm a big football fan. So yeah, I always hate to see teams get moving. And la two teams, you know, recently, which is Yeah, but yeah, and

Adam Ulrich: 5:10:48

anybody that loses a team, I feel for them, and we lost. We lost the football cardinals, you know, in the 80s. And that was very much the fault of the local community. Yeah. But then, you know, and, you know, it's just, it's not great. And so it's, it sucks for people that happens through so but for me, yes, I support the local teams, you know, the Cardinals and the blues. You know, I'm a fan of those. But I'm, I'm really more of a soccer fan. So the sport that I really supported soccer more than anything else so and so I'm really looking for we're getting an MLS team to start next year. So really looking forward to having you know, that opportunity, the World Cup coming in 2026 in Kansas City, so hoping that I can get to see some games there or even at some of the other places around the country. So

Jason Connell: 5:11:39

I love that you're speaking to me completely there. But I'm a huge soccer fan. I still play on teams. We had an NFL team growing up the Tulsa roughnecks supported it. I was a little kid, and then it goes away. And the MLS has been here for so long. It's hard to even imagine. And yeah, before I left LA, the LA FC showed up in town and kind of challenged the galaxy, I'd go to game. So there's a team in Boston. So it's a lot of fun. I love that you're a soccer fan. So in the World Cup is coming across the country. I'm super stoked. But let's pivot to the Karate Kid comes out. 1984 Are you an instant fan? Adam? Like many of us?

Adam Ulrich: 5:12:17

Yeah, I was. I think I was 1314 years old, somewhere around that time. So it was it came out like, right before I started high school. Okay. And so, you know, I'm a, I'm an 80s. Kid, right? So, you know, I'm a big fan of, you know, anything from the late 70s All through the 80s. So, you know, the Star Wars stuff, the Raiders of Lost Ark, Ghostbusters. And Karate Kid, of course, you know, Karate Kid was right up there at the very top, you know, I fell in love with that movie, you know, from when it first came out. It's one of the only movies as a kid, I didn't get to go to very many movies in the theater. One of the only movies that went back and saw it multiple times. Back in 1984, and we just, you know, I didn't have a car. So I had to get somebody to take me. So, but that was one that then then I became a fan of, you know, the second one after that one comes out. And like that one. And then the third one skill had dad. Yeah, well, you know, it's interesting, because, you know, in the moment, you know, I think that's, you know, really schlocky and great and all that other stuff. And then, as I get to be older, I start to appreciate. Yeah, all of that kind of stuff. Like all of the stuff that is like, over the top. Yeah. Terrible. Like you're like, Yeah, is it good? No, it's not good. But by not being good. It becomes good. Yeah, you know,

Jason Connell: 5:13:50

exactly what you mean. It's so true. I look at it now. And I'm like, Oh, wow, there is some real beauty in the Karate Kid. Part three, there's a lot of issues. And those aren't changing. But it's funny how we're not too far in age, it seems like so when I meet people much younger and let's just take a different franchise for instance, I meet younger people in there, like Back to the Future to greatest movie on Earth, because it came out right when they were the right age. And they didn't really know the first Back to the Future like we probably did, which I think is an incredible movie and the scripts like flawless, right? But to is fun, it's fine. It's got futuristic things, but to me, it's always the original. So really is when you came into it. There's probably people in the world that are the right age when Karate Kid three came out and that was their first you know, awareness of it and like yeah, of course it's all about Karate Kid part three. But no if you're older and you've experienced the best one Ever it. They're all just kind of going downhill but I'm with you. Now I watched and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I can't believe this. It's it is over the top Terry Silver's cackle, you know, in the saunas, it's like this is so over the top, what were they thinking? But it's wonderful. So what do you think about The Next Karate Kid, which is kind of like loosely connected, if you will, through Pat Marine, and

Adam Ulrich: 5:15:01

I didn't, I did not watch that for a long, long time. You know, so I kind of after three, I kind of dropped off of it. And I, it's only been within recent years, once Cobra Kai came out, I started rewatching. Again, and it's not great for me, you know, it seemed. There's some things that are kind of uncomfortable, actually, you know, in as far as like, the I have a daughter, and that made me you know, some of that stuff makes me super uncomfortable of just the totally the fact that they went there on certain types of things. And I'm like that not okay. And, you know, so

Jason Connell: 5:15:45

you're right about that. 9094 different time. We actually did an episode, we recorded it last night, it'll come out soon. But we were talking about breaking down to some degree the trailer for that movie, which is bizarre, actually, the movie is better than the trailer. And there's those uncomfortable moments and Sal and I were discussing, like, you just wouldn't see that now. And especially you have a daughter and you can really relate. They were tone deaf in some ways. And I just like seeing Miyagi, one more time. And also Hillary Swank turned out to be a fine actress. So that's like they got a little magic there. But the rest is just

Adam Ulrich: 5:16:19

yeah, the stuff with the with the training and the Miyagi stuff. All was was fine. It was school stuff. And I didn't I never got any understanding of like, how that related I just didn't fit for me is a thing. So but then you look at some of it. There's a couple of people that became famous alliums that are Goggins is huge. Yeah, exactly. Just like I'm seeing him as a background character. And I'm like, okay, that's kind of crazy.

Jason Connell: 5:16:45

I wouldn't even be talking about it. But when I moved to Boston from Los Angeles, it's like, oh, well, that house is actually real close. And then as the series and we're gonna get into Cobra Kai, as the series continues to grow, and there's all this chatter, online chatter about maybe Julie Pierce coming over, then all of a sudden, it becomes this new thing that we're rediscovering. Because otherwise, I had just kind of dismissed it. When we first started this podcast, it's like, let's just talk about the first three movies in the show. And those that other thing, and then the remake will never touch. But now it's kind of snuck in. And I recently had on to senseis, local senseis. Since a German Sensei, Chris who were in the movie, like as a background actor, so now I feel more connected than ever to this kind of lemon in the franchise. So you said you discovered Cobra Kai on Netflix. So you didn't discover it on YouTube? The first two seasons you kind of came on when a lot of America and the world came on? But what was your reaction? Because mine was? I don't know, I was apprehensive to give it a chance. But tell me about your experience.

Adam Ulrich: 5:17:47

So I was actually super intrigued when I heard about the idea. And when it came out on on YouTube, as YouTube read or something like that, right? Wasn't that what it was? So I watched the first episode there. But at the time, I just wasn't interested in adding a new service and subscribing to an AI. And I love that first show. And yeah, yeah, I love that first show. And I was like, thinking that this was more a comedy. And I, there are certainly big, big comedic parts of the show when you know that first episode. But you know, I kind of fell away from it, I didn't really think much about it. And then when it came to Netflix, I was like, Oh, I remember wanting to watch this, let me go ahead and I'll watch this on Netflix. And so and then I was just blown away. You know, it's like, when I started to see the interactions and the juxtaposition that they originally start with about Daniel and Johnny's which in places and, and that kind of stuff that was super interesting to me to kind of flip things around from the other perspective and saying, hey, you know, you know, when you see a movie, you're likely seeing it from the protagonist viewpoint of saying, you know, here's the hero, their journey from beginning, you know, their growth all the way through the end. But, you know, but what about the other side? You know, what happens to them? There is ramifications for it, you know, and, you know, like, like, we get, like, I've been taught many times, you know, everybody's the hero of their own story. Right. So everybody thinks that, you know, whenever we're going through life and so, what about that, and that's super that when when I heard that, you know, that William Zabka and all of them wanted to take that approach. I was like, super intrigued, because that's not a common thing to see. Both sides and so that's what really drew me into the Show Original

Jason Connell: 5:19:39

Yeah, that's really interesting that you watch the first episode and set it aside. And when I first put it on, I thought it was going to be tongue in cheek as well, I wasn't sure where they were going. But then I put it on I made it five minutes in, I said, Oh my gosh, I went nuts I mowed through the first two seasons, and I had never seen anything like it. It had been on the shelf so long. And then here are the two, you know, stars of the movie, besides Pat Morita, of course, coming back reprising their role. And in a way it was just done so earnestly and the show runners seem to make all the right choices like the choices that fans real fans want to see happen. It's uncommon, it's not many things, you're gonna start seeing this replicated though, I think Mighty Ducks has a show now like game changers and, and not all them are gonna be this successful. Of course everybody wants to be, but I love where they've taken it. And every season, it's like they keep raising the bar. Now however, Adams you probably know from loving shows, there is a point where you can be watered down much like credit card three or the fourth one, and you can kind of go over the hill and then the show starts to plummet. And I hope that this show knows when to bow out gracefully, and go out on top. And maybe there's spin offs, the set and the other, but what do you want to see happen with Cobra Kai as a whole, and the franchise is the Karate Kid franchise.

Adam Ulrich: 5:20:55

You know, the thing that I love so far is, you know, the obscure stuff, you know, and you guys have kind of gotten into it with some of your interviews, actually. I want to see them bring in the obscure character than me mean, it doesn't have to be you know, like, you guys talked about Freddie, you talked about Bergdahl, you know, those kinds of things, I want them to like, acknowledge that they still exist in the universe, and that, you know, just even if it's just a chance meeting or whatever, there has to be a major part of it, you know, I want to see Mike Barnes Yes, come back, and have him be just terrible, awful, still a bad thing. Or maybe, or maybe changes all the way to 100. And maybe my

Jason Connell: 5:21:40

greens would be interesting, he's a good guy, and has a kid you

Adam Ulrich: 5:21:44

know, or something like that, or, you know, and, or I want to see snake and Dennis from Part Three, you know, coming in, you know, I want to, I want to see that kind of like, there's just the obscure stuff that now when I go back, and I rewatch which I rewatch all the time, now, it's, you know, you know, Netflix and these other services have really made rewatching things a lot easier than it used to be, you know, that you can get the DVDs and the blu rays and all that stuff. But now, now, I can actually go and I can play and I can read, say, alright, leading up into the next season, I'm gonna re watch through the movies, and I'm gonna go rewatch all the seasons, and I'm gonna be caught up and remember all of the all the details. So that's what I want to see in the media, but then I do want to see them move on to the newer characters and try to do that kind of stuff. But you know, I mean, I, I trust that they're going to do the right thing, because they've done so well so far. So I trust that they're going to know what I want. Before I even know what I want.

Jason Connell: 5:22:43

Exactly. So tell them what they want a Steve Jobs would say, so do you. We're just speculating season fives coming out. Obviously, we know that season six, do you see it going to season seven?

Adam Ulrich: 5:22:56

Oh, man. You know, I always think maybe season six. And then I would say, take a break. Yeah, leave it sort of thing. Leave it on and then and then come back in five years and revisit the younger characters in a new stage of their life and have them somehow chance to get back together kind of like the way Johnny and and Daniel got back together kind of thing. So

Jason Connell: 5:23:22

although Adam, some of them are going to be big time, I have a feeling they made right away. But I think you're right. They're even bringing in younger characters now, which is interesting, Kenny. And some younger people. It's like, oh, yeah, they already kind of see the writing on the wall. I don't want to see it hanging around too long. It's like, Ah, how many times can we see Johnny and Daniel battle and they'd be best buddies. So I'm with you. pausing it. You don't know what the future holds. I see spin offs happening and I've been saying it for a long time on Miyagi show, which is a spin off loosely, but it's none of the characters. It's just the origin story. But there's a lot Netflix trust me. They're looking for something they got a milk this cash cow. This is one of their biggest shows besides Stranger Things now got the new season kind of blew up. But Cobra Kai, I mean, they're right there neck and neck. So what do you see like in the moment Season Five coming out of the gate? What are we looking for Mike Barnes?

Adam Ulrich: 5:24:15

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, that would be my big my big ask would be some some sort of thing with Mike Barnes. And I don't you know, I'm torn. You know, I'm like, you know, I wanted to come in and just be the real you know, the bad boy karate that he was in the end just be that you know, that antagonist to Daniel and like, you know, because like the one line about the rivals that you know, when he when they said that to his wife and Is this hilarious because he's got all of these rivals. And he didn't he hasn't shared with his wife that would be or or just a total like 180 degree flip of something like that flip it on its head and do something you know where he's, you know, I guess I've kind of gone some of that with the preacher side on some of the Cobra Kai, but you know, something

Jason Connell: 5:25:01

soccer coach for the high school or something like was that Mike Barnes? Yeah, I totally get it. He's just got to be there. I think it's a mainstay, I think Julie would be a nice touch. Even in an alley character. Maybe I'd like to see more. But even if it was one or two episodes, you just have to do it. You have to appease the fans. I mean, this they're fanboys themselves the show runners. So I assume that they probably geek out about the idea of him in that one episode. They brought ukiyo E in the girl from the bell tower. You know, they did a lot of cool things back in that season. So I want to see more of that for sure. Chosen I mean, chosen is back in this season. And that is exciting. Because talk about I don't think anyone's made a bigger turn around than him from the franchise.

Adam Ulrich: 5:25:44

I know. Yeah, exactly. That's, you know, I would I would not have expected that. That was amazing the way that they pulled that off. So

Jason Connell: 5:25:51

and they teased us with crease. And Sal has always fallen like oh, yeah, creases. Okay. And then it's like, but now do you have empathy for Greece, he's in jail. He kind of gets not kinda he was screwed over by his buddy, Terry Silva. I'm anxious to see that storyline. I also think that there's anybody who's a character in the show. It's John Cleese, and he could have his own series. And he could take it a whole different direction. It can be a comedy. That character is amazing. And it's going to be around for a long time, I think. But so many things at him so many things. And the good news is, Cobra Kai is coming much sooner than it has the last two years of it. It's like, it's right around the corner now.

Adam Ulrich: 5:26:28

Yeah, I was shocked whenever they said that that was when they were coming. And they weren't waiting until like December. Yeah,

Jason Connell: 5:26:33

exactly. Well, anything else you want to add? This has been so much fun, Adam to have you on a true fan and a fan of our show. We love your support. So that speaks volumes. But any last thoughts for our fans,

Adam Ulrich: 5:26:47

I just want to thank you guys for the content you provide, you know going in depth like they're really supplements the show it I enjoy it. It's one of the first podcasts I listen to whenever it comes out. Those are you guys do a great job on the interviews and on diving really deep into content. So I really do appreciate that as part of the reason that I am a Patreon for you guys is because I do know the quality of the show that you guys put out really shows how much you really put into it. And I do appreciate that stuff. So that's I just wanted to thank you guys for that. That's all I wanted to say.

Jason Connell: 5:27:19

Sounds good. I love hearing it. I'm touched. I that was I wasn't fishing for that. I thought you might say something about the brand Cobra Kai. So thank you because I know you mean it. And obviously your actions speak volumes. And there's a lot more like you. And we hope every fan even if they can't support us, you know, monetarily, they just listen and consume it and enjoy it and reach out to us and let us know it means a lot. I'm telling you it because it does. There's lots of hours that go into it. And even when you get an email or a message from a fan and they love that episode, it's like it just kind of keeps you going that little bit of encouragement really helps. So I really really appreciate that. So I'm going to do our outro and stick around because I want you to take Sal who he stole it from crease his famous line in the episode. Okay, so thank you so much for listening and please be sure to subscribe to the let's talk Cobra Kai podcast as well as the let's talk Cobra Kai YouTube Live Channel. You can also really help us by giving the show a five star rating on Apple podcast. And for all you listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts you can leave us a review on Apple podcast send us a direct message or post a comment on any let's talk Cobra Kai social media platform. If you're a dedicated listener or viewer of Let's Talk Cobra Kai, please consider supporting the show on Patreon. We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com. Adam, take it away.

Adam Ulrich: 5:28:44

No Mercy.

Jason Connell: 5:28:45

Well done, sir. Thank you so much.