Patreon/Superfan - Bryan Rumfola

Let's Talk - Cobra Kai
Episode 118: Patreon/Superfan - Bryan Rumfola

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

Original Episode: S04E30

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/

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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: 5:04:49

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 Brian Ruffolo. Good to have you here, buddy. I'm gonna be here. Let's say that right Did I mess it up again? Ron fuller

Bryan Rumfola: 5:05:08

know you gotta write you gotta write.

Jason Connell: 5:05:10

It's easy, but it's tricky, I gotta say. But so happy to have you on the show and happy that you became a Patreon and fan of the show as a superfan level of the show. And you became a Patreon way, way back in June 23 2021. You started at stripe card. Yeah. But then you wanted to be the first to no mercy and you were so congrats did crease would be proud of your status on that.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:05:41

But that's all I ever hoped for in my life.

Jason Connell: 5:05:44

Just I want to achieve. So we'll kind of start with the patron and then we'll go backwards a little bit about you. But how did you even like, jump in and become a patron because that's a big level. That's like people doing an apple five star review. I say it's five star and Apple reviews even like, Okay, I'm gonna do this, like what made you support the show, which we are honored by, I should say.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:06:08

So I did not watch the show. Initially on YouTube, I watched like a few preview episodes, but just couldn't bring myself to do the YouTube read. So that I jumped into it. When I went to Netflix, and my wife and I have a little bit of an age gap where Karate Kid was a massive thing for me and nothing for her. So after I went through it, I was like, I need to talk to somebody, I need to hear somebody talk about it. And I started looking for podcasts, discussed it, just get more into it and try to figure out and what I landed on you guys like this is this is the right one. And just binged it. And then when you added the Patreon, like, I was like, I have to support this because it's I really enjoy this and your banter, your style and followed you want to. That's a crime as well. And oh, yeah, it was it hit my sweet spot, just perfectly. I was like, I have to support this. And then whenever I heard you say, nobody had stepped up to no mercy. I have to do. Like, I want to be the guy.

Jason Connell: 5:07:09

So excited when you wrote that was like, This is awesome. We just did Patreon. Because I heard it on other podcasts. I was like, well, maybe this is another way. And then it was like crickets forever, right? And then we had the first one, the O G, and actually I'm going to have an interview with her as well. And that was like, oh, people could do this. And even if it's just one, it was an honor. You know, because it is it's an extra level. We know we have listeners because we can track numbers, but it's so detached. It's like, oh, there's numbers. And I'm looking at numbers. So the engagement really makes it something you know, besides Patreon, just a message from a fan is like, Wow, great. Now, hopefully it's a good message. And not hey, you guys messed up here, here and here. And here. Now usually it's positive. And that helps because this is like, it's not a labor of love. But really, if you add up the time, it kind of is just just,

Bryan Rumfola: 5:08:00

it has to be you know, you're given your time to discuss this thing with people. And

Jason Connell: 5:08:04

yeah, eventually, to build a podcast company, you just got to be in that land, and you just got to build, you got to have lots of content. You can't just say, Hey, I'm gonna start this, you need proof of concept. And that's what we're doing. And every episode is the joy. So amazing to have you on a Patreon. And let's go into more about Brian, like, where are you from? What do you do, although I know a little bit about what you do, I'll save that. But like Where'd you grow up?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:08:28

I grew up in Pennsylvania and rural part, which is most of Pennsylvania. Like Western central middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania. Yeah.

Jason Connell: 5:08:37

Wow. Okay, so do you. Have you ever heard of a town called Clarion?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:08:41

Yeah, no, we're Clarion. Clarion is about probably a half an hour or hour and a half to where I grew up. Yeah. Wow.

Jason Connell: 5:08:46

I've been there. Well, my girlfriend Sophia grew up there. And Clarion and I went there and I was like, this is a cute little quintessential Pennsylvania town is really quaint. And she has a place in the Poconos and we stay there sometimes we drive from Boston. So I'm learning Pennsylvania, big state, big state for the East. I got two football teams in there. So it's a big state. But that's amazing. So you loved it. You grew up playing sports seems like you have to

Bryan Rumfola: 5:09:13

live there. No, I was what? I was terrible. I was I was the artsy kid. I was the artsy kid. I was not the the athletic. I was always a little small for my age. So yeah, so it didn't it didn't go my way that way as far as athletic ability.

Jason Connell: 5:09:28

Okay, well, I made that assumption because of your career. So let's shed light on what you do, which I think is fascinating, and did.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:09:36

It's funny, you're not the first one to think that. No, I work in pro sports creative. Creative Director with the Memphis Grizzlies currently. I've worked for the Tennessee Titans previously and then I secretly before then Titans and grizzlies again. So,

Jason Connell: 5:09:51

so those who don't know NBA, NFL NBA so that's really that's amazing and you want it you work in like graphics? And do you create logos and imagery and videos or?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:10:03

Yeah, I mean, I do logos and print design, advertising marketing, but I've started in the last three, four years, I specialize more in motion design on that side. So if you go to a game, the arena boards with all the animations and things like that I'm either doing them or directing them

Jason Connell: 5:10:20

to go to every home game, maybe road game too, but I don't

Bryan Rumfola: 5:10:23

actually, we load everything into our system. And our broadcast team is the one that implements it. So like we're not actually running it. We're creating

Jason Connell: 5:10:31

the assets for them, where you can go to the game that and just relax and watch the game, which I enjoy doing. Yeah, that's awesome. Well, I love the NBA, but I really love NFL so it may be it was not as glamorous. It's a whole other thing. But from a spectator standpoint. I love the NFL. A lot. So I'm just blown away. You're in pro sports. So kudos on you. That's a wonderful

Bryan Rumfola: 5:10:53

trip to Miami. Who is your team? Who's your NFL team? Well, I

Jason Connell: 5:10:56

follow the league Brian, but my team. No, no, no, I have a team. But when they're not when they missed the playoffs, I just keep going and watch everything. My team is now called the commander's. We are owners in the news for all the wrong reasons constantly, right? But when I was a fan as a kid, we had a different owner who used to own the Lakers. Jack can cook we had Joe Gibbs I didn't know 1112 13 up to 1718 I had the golden years was my team winning three Super Bowls in a decade and then it's like, this is how it is and you know suffering from then on out. However, I've not walked away. I've kept my fan hood in check. And I watch every game but I do. Like now I live close to Foxborough and I'll go to a practice or a game just because I like the league. Right? So I am a lot my team. But I like the whole league has just changed so much in the last 20 years. It's unbelievable.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:11:51

Like, yeah, I grew up in western Pennsylvania. So Steeler fan that was Amer's.

Jason Connell: 5:11:56

I live with the Steelers fan. So I know how that is. Yes. AFC NFC so and they're kind of rebuilding now. So it's like, we're helping each other out. Like no, no, you just sign this guy. And it's kind of cute. But if we ever meet in a Super Bowl, that would be a divided household. I would think

Bryan Rumfola: 5:12:14

I met my wife at a sports bar watching a Steelers game actually. So we if we had no if we didn't have that divide, I don't know. It might have been a problem. Yeah, we worked it all out.

Jason Connell: 5:12:24

That's awesome. All right. So let's delve in here. Grow up, Pennsylvania. Did you immediately connect with the Karate Kid? You said you were a huge fan. So it was an instant when it came out? How old were you when it came out? Or did it take time and like someone has an old VHS copy and you fell in love with it? Or do you remember I know

Bryan Rumfola: 5:12:42

I saw it on VHS. I know I didn't see it in the theater. But I remember I remember renting it and I'll that's being like the kid who got picked on and got bullied a lot for being the smaller one like Daniel was yeah, I fell in love with that movie. I wasn't like in the yard doing crane kicks. Trying to pretending that I was Oh no. Absolutely. My parents a little crazy with it.

Jason Connell: 5:13:05

That's awesome. So when the Karate Kid two comes out part two, what do you think? And immediately

Bryan Rumfola: 5:13:13

it was the Karate Kid. I think three was the one I had trouble connecting with but two I ended up I remember like doing like the secret of Miyagi family karate and all that stuff and like I got one of those drums I was put on a shelf and I was sitting my room and do that oh yeah. I had ya know your magical kicks.

Jason Connell: 5:13:30

Silver then three comes out less connected. I was you know the wrong age. I was very I was tuning out I was 1819 It's like this come on. This has gone to this jump the shark right yeah, I

Bryan Rumfola: 5:13:40

think it was in those years to where it's like okay, let's move on to something else. Exactly. There are girls now like that's

Jason Connell: 5:13:47

totally Karate Kid what? But if you go watch it now I am learning little nuances and things of course now that Terry Silva has become such a mainstay in Cobra Kai there is a lot to love in the first and even the ridiculous it well, except for the all Valley which I'll never get over it just recut the movie.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:14:07

We're getting a pass straight through to the finals. And it's just tacked

Jason Connell: 5:14:10

on it's like here we are one fight where the you know, the originals. Like that's a whole act in the movie. It's a character the atmosphere like I remember getting into karate and going to tournaments thinking of that in my mind it just it planted that seed and I you know, it was just bigger than life. But the third one everyone was just getting a paycheck but there's still some beauty there. They're filmed in his house in LA which is just gorgeous, which I can't believe they haven't got the Blade Runner house. So Brian, let's skip ahead to the next Karate Kid. Now that that's become kind of okay to talk about because the opportunity of Julie potentially joining Cobra Kai and Mr. Miyagi His last performance, if you will, as you know, Pat Marita as Mr. Miyagi, but did you see that one? Or did you hold off? Or?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:14:56

No, I still don't ever have. I need to go watch it on Netflix. I should have done it to prepare for this today. But I have

Jason Connell: 5:15:04

a trivia for the next credit card. Are you ready now? No.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:15:08

But yeah, you've got a 5050. So

Jason Connell: 5:15:11

you should definitely see it. It's worth seeing, especially if indeed, she comes in the fold of the show.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:15:18

So yeah, that'd be amazing.

Jason Connell: 5:15:20

I know that you became a fan of our show. But tell me about discovering. You mentioned it was on Netflix. So had you been hearing about it? whispers about it on YouTube? And you're like, Yeah, were you dismissive?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:15:31

No, no, I heard rumors about it. I saw I watched all the trailers that came out, and I was really excited about it. And they let you watch the first two episodes free, I think YouTube read. So I did watch the first two episodes. And I was like, I'm gonna subscribe to this at some point and watch them all. And I just never did because I just couldn't bring myself to add that as another subscription service,

Jason Connell: 5:15:51

but nor could they get subscribers. So don't worry, you're not alone

Bryan Rumfola: 5:15:56

on YouTube the other day that, that they still have it on there, and there's still a fee to watch it.

Jason Connell: 5:16:02

Seriously. So then you find that what Netflix brings it over and that like that blew the show up? I mean, that was massive, massive I had no, we saw our numbers going from like this modest little fan base. And we're like this is working. And it was like wait a second Sal you looking at this? Because the whole world was like looking for things like you like I need more i Who's talking about it. So that was it immediately hooked. You're in and you become a big fan ever since of the show.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:16:30

Yeah. And I I love what they've done with it. I I'm not that you've ruined my childhood guy at all. Because things change every time they remake a property. And then they just turn it into this really jokey premise like they did with like, Dukes of Hazzard, which has other problems. But other shows that they've taken and brought back they're like, oh, that's kind of funny now right? And I don't I don't want to see that and that they treated it so lovingly. And I mean, it's so silly can't be bits in it. But yeah, I just think the way even in like the new trailer, when when when he says I'm gasolina like this is this is I love this show more than any show I've ever seen.

Jason Connell: 5:17:12

The show runners are so talented and for them to get the right it's in the right hands. Like they've made all the right decisions like they they're even following what US fans want like oh, yeah, that's right. They brought chosen back or there's UPA, everything just work so I am always just trusting where they take us. But I have some wants, right? I have some ask. Like I want to see Mike Barnes I'd love to see Julie Pierce, give me some 40 Fernandez even as a cameo just but they're doing those things a little bringing chosen back and rehabilitating him is like next level how I never in a million years saw that would come in. Now I'm a huge chosen.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:17:50

Like, I'm gasoline and like, chose it's amazing. No, even like the little girl from credit get to that he saves in the storm. Like bringing her back in the same actress. It's like this. They love this property. And it shows and it's been a lot of fun to follow along with.

Jason Connell: 5:18:06

Absolutely. So what do you want to see in season five? Brian, what are your ask?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:18:12

I want Johnny and Daniel to just really, really get like on the same page finally. With a few times that they do. It's amazing. It's beautiful with your times that they didn't like guys just put your stuff aside and like this. I think they might in this one.

Jason Connell: 5:18:27

I think this is too there's so many other enemies that play in terror. Silver's big and he's brought chosen in and chosen wouldn't probably stand for their antics, I wouldn't think I mean, well chosen him Johnny get along. I don't know. But yeah, I'm with you on that. And do you want to see Mike Barnes come in.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:18:45

I do want to see my boards. And he I haven't seen anything. I've tried to stay away from checking anything official, but like, I've seen little bits of him popping up on things like sort of hinting at it. And I'm like, okay, I'd be really interested in that. But yeah, to go back to what I was saying about how they use it actually about how to make all the right decisions like the way they brought ally back when they brought her back. And everything that was going on with Johnny's character was like no, I don't want her to come back and get in the middle of this thing. But then the way she ended up Carmen being the thing that brought Daniel and Johnny together in a way to look at each other like this is you guys are not that different. It was so perfect.

Jason Connell: 5:19:22

It really was yeah, getting her back was a big that was huge. That was I forget how massive that was and they were they kept it under wraps. Like literally I didn't know until it comes on screen. And you're like wait, what Yeah, show it has the ability to do that is an amazing show.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:19:40

I mean, when you saw that ally accepted the friend requests on Facebook and like, they wouldn't show that they had some kind of something like they have something coming Schwarber So I was just curious what it was and seeing her it was great.

Jason Connell: 5:19:52

Yeah, it absolutely was. So where do you think Brian that the Cobra Kai Karate Kid franchise is headed because shows can't last forever? Not good shows. I mean, this isn't a soap opera. I mean, I guess you could call it a soap opera. But it's not that it will have an end date. Maybe it'll have some spin offs, which we've definitely sound I've talked about, I want to see a Miyagi show or Miyagi dough show for sure. But the amazing wouldn't it be like going back to the origins and obviously all new cast, but it's really about karate, and the origins and it's a different thing, but it just kind of feeds that. That's all that's missing from Cobra Kai is really Miyagi.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:20:29

Honestly. Yeah, and I completely agree. And the few pieces that they've given you have been like, so nicely done. Like the, whenever Daniel sees the fisherman that reminds him so much on Miyagi, even though it's not the character, that moment is just so wonderful, beautiful. And then seeing him build the dojo in the backyard, and like the shot of the shoulder, I mean, the little pieces of him you get and the flashbacks every now and then are just so well woven in there. I think. I would love to see it go prequel like that. Because the pitch that it's rising to in the show is beyond I thought was a fever pitch and like the animosity between them when the dojos before and it just seems to keep escalating past that was like, I don't know what the next thing is beyond that. So I think for sure what you're suggesting, like pre cooling it and going back and learning more about Miyagi would, there's so much there that they could do,

Jason Connell: 5:21:19

and it wouldn't stop you from making other shows. Because you could I always think that Chris could go off and do whatever you want, because that character is larger than life, depending on what happens. Joe? Do you ever think there could be another movie?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:21:31

Yeah, I think I think I think I would rather see personally, if they spin it off with some of these younger characters. After Cobra Kai is over, I kind of think I'd rather see it as a movie than a show personally. Yeah. Because I don't know. I don't have a good good defense for that. I think if you're looking at being a fan, astoundingly, from when you were a kid, I think number one would be the Miyagi thing. But I think we all love the new characters, but never going to love them quite as much as we love Daniel and Johnny and chosen those characters now. Yeah, you know, might be good for the younger audiences. But the I think I think I'd like to see like a movie or two. That'd be good.

Jason Connell: 5:22:11

Yeah, I've heard from some fans that you know, they want to see Hawk have his own show, you know, probably could do it. I don't know where that story is. But spin offs happen. I mean, Frasier was a huge hit outside of cheers it, it happens. And it can be a whole different vibe and tone. And that's why I think Miyagi doesn't stop any of that other stuff from happening. It's just, it's there for the right, somebody, the right person would want to do it, it would embrace martial arts, which I'm totally for. And I definitely want to see that happen. And nor do I want to see the show get stale, right. I'm all for shows bowing out early, and then I'll want to revisit it again. And again, rather than Wow, that one season, or it's jumping the shark. This show hasn't done that. And I hope they refrain from that.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:22:55

Yeah, I thought at one point that we're gonna get close to doing that. But they found the right decisions to make, they kind of push it forward and bring the right characters in. And they like Hawk was such a OneNote for a little while, totally. And then they redeemed him and brought him a lot more depth and character to him. I can I can see a hawk spin off working on some work.

Jason Connell: 5:23:13

They've done some incredible things. I mean, from certain kids becoming bullies and Kenny's his thing, and Anthony turning from a bully to being bullied. Like, there's so much going on. Like you go back and watch the original movie. It's easy to follow. It's Daniel's story. And it's incredible. And it's a wonderful movie. It's like the rocky for kids. But this show.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:23:34

There's a lot of a lot of like common DNA there too.

Jason Connell: 5:23:36

Totally. Yeah. But now it's like, What's going on over there. So many storylines. It's really fascinating. It's beautifully orchestrated. And I'm excited that we don't have to wait as long for season five.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:23:48

It's coming out and they finished filming five before for even came out. Right? Yeah, that's

Jason Connell: 5:23:53

how they've been doing it. So we know there's gonna be a five I'm assuming a six. And if they wanted to bail out or take a break, or, you know, lots of some of these other things. That's fine with me. So Brian, here's the biggest question of the day. What do you want to see from let's talk Cobra Kai?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:24:11

I mean, just commentary, fantastic commentary to continue. No, just like the banter and the breaking episodes down and kind of like even I love The On location stuff. You guys randomly, like kind of stuff. It's just so fun. I want to see more interviews with cast. That's what I want to see. All right, I can't I can't figure out why more of them haven't come over to you guys and embraced you as the podcast to go to

Jason Connell: 5:24:36

thank you, Brian. And we agreed I used to kind of like bother me. And it's like, you know what, let's just keep doing what we're doing. And so I didn't put as much energy recently because we've just we've all suddenly have a full plate and many other shows. So it's like clusters keep going after Janelle Kirkman, the stunt coordinator, but then I got Darryl Vidal just recently. And he reached out to me. So I think you just keep doing your thing, stay in your lane, make good content, great content. And we're probably going to get more of these requests. And that's fun. Because, yeah, I don't want to just base our show only on interviews, but I've loved the ones we've had. I'm sure at some point, we could even revisit them because things change, right? There's more to talk about. They weren't like all secretive. And I'm not a guy trying to have breaking news. I just want to get to know them. But there's more to come. And listen, Daniel and Johnny. We want Ralph macho Williams out gonna first year. I mean, that would be like the crown jewel. But thanks. That's good to hear. Good indeed. And also have you as a guest, so we're doing that we're fulfilling that dream of yours.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:25:35

Yeah. honored to have been asked.

Jason Connell: 5:25:38

I'm kidding. I'm kidding. But it's such a great pleasure to have you on to have you as a Patreon, too. You know, really not just support with your time, but also some dollars, it helps. I mean, I was telling someone just earlier today, like, you do it because you love it. And eventually it could turn but that little bit even that little bit helps offset some of those costs, because they just keep coming. New costs keep coming new equipment. It's like, yeah, we need that. Yeah, we were using new interface here to have more guests on easier to make it easier for the guests. It's like, and now the podcasting space is so big, so everyone wants to charge you. So that helps so much, Brian, it really does and we're very thankful. And is there anything else you want to say to the fans? Any thoughts? Because we have a lot of Cobra Kai chronic fans out there? Any closing?

Bryan Rumfola: 5:26:26

No, I mean, I don't I don't feel like I'm the guy to give a rallying cry. But I will say like, I feel like it's a small thing to do to support you guys on Patreon. There is a lot of content. That is there's no question but finding the creators who are really doing well. And the things that you love and you want to support like just doing that is so worth it. So I encourage anybody who's not doing that already. Go do it. There you go. That's what it is.

Jason Connell: 5:26:55

One fishing for the ticket. Well done, Brian. You nailed it.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:27:00

I mean, I could just go no mercy is that is that the better?

Jason Connell: 5:27:04

That's coming that's I'm gonna do it. Okay, okay, I'm gonna do our outro on that I'm gonna have you channel your best crease slash sow as we end the episode. Oh yeah. 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 your listeners that enjoy sharing your thoughts. You can leave us a review on Apple podcasts, 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 corporate guy, please consider supporting the show on Patreon. We also highly recommend checking out our other podcast and visiting just curious media.com Okay, Brian, take it away.

Bryan Rumfola: 5:27:50

No Mercy.

Jason Connell: 5:27:53

Well done.