PINCH MY SALT

Tom Carroll doesn’t just have 2 World Titles and 3 Pipe Masters — he’s got one of the most honest comeback stories in surfing. In this episode of Pinch My Salt, Sterling Spencer and Cousin Ryan sit down with the Aussie legend to talk about life after pro surfing, the pressure of being on top, and the dark chapter Tom has openly shared: drug addiction, recovery, and learning how to feel “love trying to get in” again. Tom breaks down how grief, trauma, and single-minded focus helped build a world champion… and how that same intensity can eventually turn on you.

We also get into Mark Occhilupo, Kelly Slater, the 80s/90s era, training, meditation, foiling, Pipeline, North Shore stories, and why staying inspired by the next generation keeps him ripping at 64.

If you love surf history, WSL legends, and real conversations about mental health, addiction, and redemption, this one hits deep (and still gets weird/funny, obviously).

#TomCarroll #SurfingPodcast #PinchMySalt #SterlingSpencer #CousinRyan #Pipeline #PipeMasters #WorldChampion #AussieSurfer #WSL #KellySlater #MarkOcchilupo #SurfHistory #NorthShore #MentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #Meditation #SurfCulture #80sSurf #90sSurf #PowerSurfing #Foiling

In this episode of Pinch My Salt, we break down the Kelly Slater drama, the Channel Islands vs Firewire controversy, and the latest conversation around Stab in the Dark. Was Kelly Slater wrong to leave Channel Islands Surfboards? Did he “betray” Al Merrick and Britt Merrick, or was it a smart business move after everything he gave to surfing? We get into the history of Kelly Slater and Channel Islands, why so many surfers are calling him a snake, and why we think the story is way more complicated. This is a full Kelly Slater podcast discussion with surf industry talk, board brand politics, sponsorship money, Firewire surfboards, Quiksilver, and why legends don’t always get paid what they’re worth. If you’ve been following the Kelly Slater Stab in the Dark debate, the Britt Merrick comments, or the surf world reaction, this episode is for you. We also talk surf culture, podcast backlash, family, healing, and some absolute chaos along the way. Classic Pinch My Salt energy.

No guest this week — just the boys going deep, getting weird, and talking story.

In this episode:

Kelly Slater / Channel Islands / Firewire drama

Stab in the Dark reactions

Why the surf industry turned on legends

Podcast backlash & internet hate

YouTube Silver Play Button unboxing

Sterling opens up about family, grief, and healing

Brain injury recovery + flying again

If you’re into surf podcasts, surf commentary, Kelly Slater news, surf industry drama, and unfiltered comedy, subscribe and join the Pinchy Pinchers / Salty Babies.

👇 Drop a comment:
Was Kelly right to leave Channel Islands?

#KellySlater #Surfing #ChannelIslands #Firewire #StabInTheDark #SurfPodcast #PinchMySalt #SurfDrama #BrittMerrick #Quiksilver

Kai Lenny breaks down the real story behind his tension with Laird Hamilton — the miscommunication, the “never meet your heroes” moment, and how they eventually squashed it. In this episode of Pinch My Salt, we go deep on big-wave surfing, tow-in surfing, foiling, stand-up paddling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, and what it actually takes to survive places like Nazaré and Jaws (Peʻahi). Kai shares insane behind-the-scenes stories from the lineup, near-death wipeouts, the chaos between sets, and why the ocean rewards the people who “read the room.” We also hit surf culture, waterman mindset, Red Bull athlete life, sponsorship reality, and the funniest fuel secret ever: Taco Bell bean burritos. Plus: gym/swim drama, relationship “cycle” theory, and the kind of unhinged comedy you expect from the Pinchers. Subscribe for surf podcast clips, big wave stories, waterman talk, and comedy with Sterling & Cousin Ryan.

In this episode:

Kai vs Laird: what happened + how it got fixed

Big-wave reality: towing, barrels, hold-downs, lineup danger

Foiling + alternative crafts + why surfing needs a “new game”

Burritos as performance fuel 

#KaiLenny #LairdHamilton #SurfPodcast #BigWaveSurfing #Jaws #Nazare #Foiling #Waterman #StandUpPaddling #TowInSurfing #SurfCulture #RedBull #PinchMySalt

What happens when Bert Kreischer sits down with the Pinch My Salt crew and starts firing off stories like a machine-gun… about surfing, comedy, fame, Hawaii, localism, “small waves,” and the one joke **Netflix actually pushed back on?

In this episode, Bert breaks down the moment **Shannon Sharpe basically invented his life story on a podcast (and Bert just… went with it). We talk the burnout of modern podcasting, the chaos of touring, surfing culture and pecking order, why “locals only” energy is so gnarly, and the difference between chasing big waves vs. actually enjoying the small ones.

And then Bert drops the health bomb: blood thinners, a blood clot, and touring sober — while still trying to keep the throttle pinned.

If you’re into surf culture, comedy podcasts, Hawaii stories, standup behind-the-scenes, or anything in the orbit of **Joe Rogan-style longform chaos… this one’s for you.

0:00 Bert Kreischer 

Surf culture: lineup hierarchy, “locals only,” and why it scares people off

Hawaii surf trips, Turtle Bay vibes, and surfing as the most rewarding feeling

The “small waves are where the fun is” life lesson (this part hits)

Behind the scenes of Bert’s Free Bert writing + the one joke Netflix didn’t love

Blood clot, blood thinners, and touring sober

surf podcast, comedy podcast, Bert Kreischer podcast, Pinch My Salt, surfing stories, Hawaii surf, localism surfing, lineup etiquette, Turtle Bay surfing, New Smyrna Beach surfing, standup comedy behind the scenes, Netflix comedy series, Free Bert, touring sober, podcast burnout, Shannon Sharpe podcast, Joe Rogan comedy

Hashtags

#PinchMySalt #BertKreischer #SurfPodcast #ComedyPodcast #SurfCulture #Hawaii #StandUpComedy #PodcastClips #NetflixComedy #Surfing

Pinch My Salt Podcast is back with a heater: we’re joined by crowd work wizard and comedian Ian Bagg for a wild, hilarious conversation that somehow covers stand-up comedy, crowd work, surfing, church video life, marriage advice, gym chaos, and the weird overlap between comedians and surfers.

If you love comedy podcasts, surf culture, and the kind of episodes where you genuinely don’t know what’s coming next—this one’s for you. Ian breaks down what crowd work actually is, why some comics hate it, how social media changed comedy, and why staying true to yourself matters more than “playing the gatekeeper game.” We also get into real talk about grief, keeping life moving after loss, and finding your way back to joy—then immediately ruin it with more dumb jokes (as we should).

🌊 Topics in this episode:
• Crowd work vs “written” stand-up comedy
• Getting told “don’t talk to the audience” (and doing it anyway)
• Comedy being an “ugly man’s game” (until the hot people showed up)
• Marriage, touring, and what actually keeps a relationship healthy
• Surfing attempts, surf culture, and why surfers are built different
• The church videographer life + “Kickflips for Jesus” energy
• Losing a parent, grief, and learning how to bring color back into life

🎟️ See Ian live + tour dates: check Ian Bagg’s official site (mentioned in the episode)

👍 If you laughed even once, hit like, subscribe, and drop a comment:
Are you Team “crowd work is harder” or Team “write the set”?

Ian Bagg, Ian Bagg crowd work, crowd work comedian, comedy podcast, stand up comedy podcast, crowdwork, comedy store, comedian interview, funniest podcast clips, podcast episode, surf podcast, surfing comedy, surf culture podcast, surfers vs comedians, Pinch My Salt, Pinch My Salt podcast, Ian Bagg podcast, comedy crowd work tips, crowd work vs stand up, touring comedian, comedy advice, marriage advice funny, Christian skateboard ministry, kickflips for Jesus, church videographer, Milwaukee comedian, hockey podcast

#IanBagg #ComedyPodcast #CrowdWork #StandUpComedy #SurfPodcast #SurfCulture #PodcastClips #PinchMySalt