Shady Characters

Journalist, storyteller, and Oakley veteran Chasen Marshall joins Shady Characters for a deep dive into the power of storytelling, creativity, and staying curious. With a background in journalism and a decade-plus inside Oakley’s walls, Chasen has lived the evolution of content — from magazine features and surf trips to global brand films and NFL campaigns. He shares how his early days as a writer...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Shady Characters , hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat sit down with Captain Howard Hart, a retired Naval Intelligence Officer turned civic leader in San Juan Capistrano. Hart recounts his 30-year military career, the harrowing morning of September 11th, and the split-second twist of fate that saved his life as the Pentagon was struck — an experienc...

Advertising veteran Lee Kovel joins Shady Characters to trace his career from Cleveland radio spots to Madison Avenue campaigns and California agency life. He shares stories from the golden age of advertising, lessons on leadership and client trust, and how AI is rewriting creativity itself. From splicing tape in the 1970s to creating fully-AI-produced commercials in 2025, Lee Kovel has lived ever...

Leadership and people strategist Nicole DaCosta joins Shady Characters to talk about the power of human connection in a remote world, building authentic culture inside fast-growth companies like Rivian, and redefining success beyond the corporate ladder. From hospitality roots to high-tech leadership, Nikki D shares warmth, wisdom, and her signature approach to helping people “flex their muscle” f...

When Matt Schnitzer picked up his clippers at King’s Club Barbers in Dana Point, he never imagined the same chair would someday fuel a humanitarian movement. In this heartfelt episode of Shady Characters , Matt joins hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat to share how a simple idea, a holiday toy drive during COVID, grew into Barbers for Baja , a thriving nonprofit that now funds education, builds c...

In this episode, Christian Hernandez breaks down what leverage really means in 2025—and why it isn’t a dirty word. From using technology to remove friction (not people), to smart financial structures, to the kind of human leverage that comes from mentoring and true partnerships, Christian shares the playbook he’s honed over 15 years in lending. We talk market reality (softening prices, investor si...

Meet Pete Stirling: lifelong waterman, outdoorsman, and now co-founder/CEO of the pet-wellness company Skout’s Honor, based in Oceanside, California. In this episode of Shady Characters , Pete and hosts Evan Burgher & Tim DeBrincat dive deep into the untold story behind the brand, the risks taken, and the mindset that drives it. It begins with a career crossroads: Pete in a suit and tie, decid...

How do you freeze an instant that will never happen again? In this episode, San Juan Capistrano–based photographer Joe Scarnici takes us inside a career built on timing, access, and nerves of steel. Joe shares how a run on Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour taught him video and road discipline, and how fashion-world assisting shaped the aesthetics he now brings to sports and portraiture. On the liv...

What does it take to build one of California’s most celebrated barbecue destinations? For Danny and Brenda Castillo, it started with a dream, a smoker, and a relentless belief that craft and community could coexist. In this episode of Shady Characters , hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat sit down with the husband-and-wife team behind Heritage Barbecue — the San Juan Capistrano institution now re...

He’s going to prison in just days… Illegal bookmaker, jiu-jitsu dad, and unapologetic high-rolling gambler, Matt Bowyer pulls back the curtain on million-dollar Mondays, counting cards, and the FBI raid that upended his life. He talks losses, trolls, restitution, and why he’s turning chaos into purpose with his new book Recalibrate , a documentary, and motivational speaking. All while preparing fo...

Designer, musician, and community-radio music director, Jeff Holmes, joins the show to talk creative process, analog style, travel, and the surprising ways ideas find you. We also dig into vinyl reissues, theme-music-making, and why he built a life that leaves space to think.

Oakley’s Global Content Manager Jes Stockhausen has lived the story he now tells. After backpacking across Asia and then spending five years driving the Pan-American Highway in a self-built van, Jes learned to create anywhere. Hot-spotting edits from a remote Mexican point break, fixing breakdowns in Spanish, and eventually returning stateside with Pacha, a Patagonian herding dog he and his (now)...

Oakley’s VP of Soul & Creative Brian Takumi joins Shady Characters to trace 28 years shaping the brand—from BMX roots to the iconic Square O, from wild Foothill Ranch culture to leading creative in a 200k-person matrix. He unpacks storytelling, “physics elevated to an art form,” and why AI is a tool—not the soul—of design.

Filmmaker Chris Stacey joins Shady Characters to share his journey from music videos and viral hits like Teach Me How to Duffy to feature films including The Blind . From selling his guitar to pay rent to seeing his work on thousands of theater screens, Chris talks legacy, creativity, and why saying “yes” shaped his career.

Building Community with Heart – The Story of Intertwined Events. In this inspiring and joy-filled episode of Shady Characters , hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat sit down with Megz Clem and Katie Webb, the powerhouse duo behind Intertwined Events, a multifaceted event and hospitality company with a mission that goes far beyond beautiful celebrations. Megz and Katie share how their friendship ev...

Two-Stepping Through Life – James & Marie Kelly’s Story. In this lively and heartfelt episode of Shady Characters , hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat welcome local South County favorites James and Marie Kelly — a husband-and-wife duo whose lives blend music, dance, and deep community roots. James shares a winding life story that spans multiple states, a self-taught education, and a family e...

Under the Shade – The Story Behind Thatch Creative and Shady Characters. In this premiere episode of Shady Characters , executive producer Tom Dioro sits down with creative partners Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat to uncover the origins of their friendship, their boutique agency, Thatch Creative, and their new show. They share the meaning behind the “Thatch” name — inspired by a palm frond roof tha...