Who is this guy?

Me. Huntington Library // San Marino, California // October 2022

Hi. I'm Brandon.

I'm a writer, podcaster, and producer. My day job is at BroBible.com. I'm the site's publisher overseeing partnerships, advertising, and monetization strategies. I've been involved in the business at a partnership level since 2009, dating back to when the site was founded in New York City.

I’m originally from Pennsylvania. I'm a proud Penn State alum (We Are!). After college, I spent seven years in New York City before moving to Los Angeles, which I now call home. For a stint after college, I lived in the Rocky Mountains near Aspen at the late Hunter S. Thompson's Owl Farm for a few months to kickstart my writing career—a short but formative chapter.

After over a decade in digital media, I still feel lucky every day. At heart, I’m a writer—sports, music, pop culture, you name it—but the job has led me to wear a lot of hats: entrepreneur, audience-builder, marketer, storyteller, producer, advertising guy, and the occasional spreadsheet whisperer. Hey, it's a business at the end of the day.

BroBible has been going strong for over 15 years, getting in front of millions and millions of people every month. We've done over 1.5 billion pageviews since 2010 and that number is still growing. I'm proud that we're still at it.

Here's a little bit about me:

What’s your most overused emoji?
🦅 Go birds.
Dream dinner party guest list?
John Prine, Thelonious Monk, and David Lee Roth because we were all born on the same day. Libras, for the win. Maybe throw in Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Garcia, and Hunter S. Thompson for kicks. Also, the entire 2008 Philadelphia Phillies roster. Chaos guaranteed.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Linguine tossed in an olive oil sauce with Snow's canned clams, sautéed onion, garlic, broccoli, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese—it’s as satisfying as it is specific. It was one of those "easy" dinners my mom used to make a lot growing up that I love to make every now and then as an adult. Also: pizza and chicken wings, because some classics never fail.
Most likely to binge-watch…
Entourage for the 100th time, purely for research purposes. (Right?)
Song you’d use to make a dramatic entrance?
"Tweezer Reprise" or "Carini" by Phish.
What’s your favorite city you’ve lived in?
Impossible to choose: Aspen, New York City, where I spent my 20s, or Los Angeles.
Do you have a podcast?
Unforunately, yes.
Best compliment you've ever received?
"You look like someone who knows where the best breakfast burritos are." And they were right.
What’s always in your fridge?
Trader Joe’s hot sauces—because one bottle is never enough—and enough condiments to build a sandwich empire. Specifically, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and Dijon mustard.
If you could live in any movie universe, which one would it be?
The Big Lebowski. I'd like to think I’d fit right in as The Guy Who Knows a Spot for Tacos.
Most surprising hobby?
Oiling and conditioning my kitchen cutting boards. Don't underestimate the upkeep and strategy involved to keep them looking nice.
What’s a quote you live by?
“Sometimes the songs that you hear are just songs of your own.” – The Grateful Dead
What’s your kryptonite?
Chips and salsa, with a perfectly made margarita with a salted rim.
What do you drive?
Jeep Grand Cherokee. Though considering a switch to a Landscruiser or Bronco.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets and any Old Bay-seasoned potato chips. Also, binge-watching Hallmark-esque movies and TV shows. I will defend the artistic integrity of shows like The Good Witch and Virgin River on Netflix with my life.
Favorite live band experience?
Phish at MSG. Phish at The Sphere with my best friend from high school. Phish at a random hockey arena in Dayton, Ohio. Phish at Hershey Park stadium with my mom. Phish at Merriweather Post Pavillion with my brother. You get the point. You don’t just attend a Phish show; you survive it. Also, a Phish show is where I met my fiancée.
Favorite shoes at the moment?
Teacovas loafers for when I need to dress casual, but a little nice, for dinner or a work function, etc. SeaVees Hawthorne slip-ons are my current everyday shoe. More cushioning than vans slides. adidas Stan Smiths as my out and about sneaker. Salomon X ULTRA 360 for walks and hiking, with excellent arch support. Birkenstock Arizonas and clogs for mulling around. Grundéns Deviation Sherpa Ankle boots for wet weather and snow.
Most regrettable fashion choice?
I impulsively bought a pair of gold Air Maxes at ComplexCon after I moved to Los Angeles. I regretted it almost instantly, but wore them too much to resell. I looked like a tool.
Favorite reads lately?
The Invisible Man by Patrick Fealey in Esquire, a powerful account of homelessness in America. The Accidental Life by Terry McDonell, a legendary magazine editor at Sports Illustrated. Ghost Town Living by Brent Underwood. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. Currently reading: Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
The ability to perfectly predict when Trader Joe’s will restock the seasonal snacks.
Favorite social media account?
The BroBible ones, followed by Bob Dylan's exceedingly Bob Dylan-esque stories on X.
The most Californian thing you’ve ever done?
Called my weekday afternoon ski sesh at Mammoth an "all day meeting” on my calendar.
What’s your favorite sports memory?
Watching the Eagles win the Super Bowl in 2018. I cried. It wasn’t pretty.
What are some of your favorite things to do offline?
Skiing. Hiking. Fly fishing. Grilling. Menswear. Collecting guayaberas and old vinyls. I'm currently trying to collect all the albums of late Hawaiian vibraphonist Arthur Lyman, the guy who made the Polynesian mid-century "tiki sound" so iconic. He's like a South Pacific Vince Guaraldi. Look, everyone needs a weird hobby.
What do you hoard like a dragon with gold?
Stickers on my Ninja FrostVault cooler that I drove around the country with. No, you can’t have one or put one on unless you're family or there's a really good story behind it. You can watch the YouTube video about it here.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?
"Santa Monica" by Everclear or "Inside Out" by Eve 6, for the peak '90s alt-rock energy. (Disclaimer: I'm not great at it.)
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done?
Semester at Sea: 100 days, 11 countries, and three oceans aboard the MV Explorer. It was a life-changing journey around the world, inspired by that summer 1999 MTV Road Rules season I saw in middle school that made it look impossibly cool. Turns out, it was even better than TV. This adventure completely reshaped how I see the world and my place in it.
What’s a family connection you’re proud of?
Both of my parents are music teachers. It's an important part of my identity, growing up in a house surrounded by two busy, intersecting lives of music, hard work and sharing that with others. I even convinced my dad to do a Steely Dan marching band show, which was objectively iconic.
Favorite recent restaurant meal?
Si! Mon in Venice Beach. Get the Miso Aged Duck with cashew butter miso, cabbage herb salad, and Fresno chili vinaigrette. It's the main attraction at this Central American Californian fusion restaurant in the space of James Beach, the bar that with the best fish tacos in Los Angeles referred to by Paul Rudd in 2009's I Love You Man. Absolutely delicious. Men Oh Tokushima for ramen after an LA Kings game in Little Toyko, followed by drinks at a tiki bar called Mermaid Bar right across from it.
What’s the most Philly thing you’ve done?
Asked Jason Kelce to film a motivational message for my dad’s marching band when I interviewed him about his beard. I saw him playing sax in a Philadelphia Mummers parade, and we started talking about playing music. He was totally the man about it.
Who’s been your coolest interview?
It’s tough to choose. Two favorites off the top of my head are when I interviewed John Madden and Jim Irsay. Some others: Miles Teller, talking life with Travis Kelce, and nerding out with Randy Johnson about photography. One time I asked Russell Westbrook what his In-N-Out order was. IDK, I've talked to a lot of people over the years. Saquon Barkley, Roddy Piper, Ronda Rousey, Lil Dicky, The Stig from Top Gear etc. Oh, and one time I interviewed an underwater archeologist who found Captain Morgan's pirate ship. That was cool.
Wildest place you’ve lived?
Hunter S. Thompson’s Owl Farm in Colorado.
What’s your favorite road trip memory?
Lots of them: Driving across the country with my grandparents my sophomore year of college, trips back and forth to California, and, most recently, a 6,500 miles across America, exploring national parks, meeting some unforgettable people, and accidentally learning the limits of a cooler full of snacks.
What inspired your love of travel?
My grandparents. They were huge world travelers and inspired me to work at a travel magazine right out of college, which eventually led to BroBible.
What’s a quirky publishing moment from your past?
Writing a silly novelty book called My Dad is a Bro, based on my Tumblr, and yes, my dad found it hilarious. I can't take credit for it, but it got turned into an episode of MTV's True Life a couple years later. It was pretty bad.
What’s your #1 life hack?
Always load up the coffee maker at night before you go to bed, so it's ready to go in the morning. Always. Also, Gerolsteiner Mineral Water. It's the best.
If you could time travel, where would you go?
The 1970s Laurel Canyon music scene. Would I fit in? Probably not, but I’d die trying.
What’s your ultimate concert lineup?
The 1980s Grateful Dead lineup with Jerry Garcia and Brent Mydland. But since I don't have a time machine, I'll see all the Phish I can get.
Where does your telos (life purpose) point?
To tell good stories, eat good food, bring good vibes to the world, and keep the music playing.

Man, I don't know. Why not all three?

I think people need a place they can tinker. My grandfather has a workshop in his basement. In the colder months, he'd spend nights and weekends down there, tinkering with woodworking tools and old antique furniture. From May to September, he and my grandmother would tinker in their massive vegetable garden, growing tomatoes, zucchini, and beans that'd get passed around the family.

I don't have a garden, but this is my place to tinker. This is a digital garden I'm planting for myself to showcase my world and my work. It's a space where I reflect and build in the open; where I brine and marinate my thoughts.

I'm excited to itch the blogging scratch. I haven't had a personal blog in years, so thanks for checking it out.

I'm building this project with Ghost so I can think about it like a blog and a newsletter. I just don't know if I'm into the who Substack thing. I'll also talk about some of my work projects - especially when I'm proud of them.

Plus, it's nice to take a breather from Wordpress, YouTube, and social platforms. I just really like the idea of having a place to write that's my own.

Algorithms are annoying. They break our brains. But they're also wildly necessary and important in my line of work. I'm sort of sick of feeding them in a way that I don't have any ownership of.

Much like you, I also enjoy the occasional change of scenery. It's the best medicine for brain worms.

Thanks for stopping by and staying in touch.

So... Is this a blog? A newsletter? A portfolio?