Legendary maître d’ Brian Ellis pulls back the velvet rope on five decades at Melvyn’s and the Ingleside Inn, where stars, moguls, and locals mixed like martinis as he opens up on this episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar with Patrick Evans and Randy Florence from the corner booth at Skip Paige’s Little Bar in Palm Desert.. From overbooked New Year’s Eves to Sinatra’s rehearsal dinner, Ellis recounts how front-of-house finesse, unflappable charm, and a well-timed “wave” could turn chaos into magic. He remembers iconic entertainers like Nino Fontana, explains why the Sunday Jam became a civic ritual, and shares why Mel Haber’s old-school rules kept the lights glowing and the legends returning. Ellis also reveals the craft behind saying yes to special requests, the rare moments that warranted an 86, and the human kindness that happened off the record. Finally, he updates us on life at Hotel Paseo and his forthcoming memoir packed with signatures, photos, and jaw-dropping tales. It’s a sparkling masterclass in hospitality, Palm Springs history, and the art of making every guest feel like a headliner.

Takeaways:

• Five decades at Melvyn’s made Ellis the ultimate Palm Springs gatekeeper.
• Sinatra’s rehearsal dinner at Melvyn’s put the venue on the map.
• Sunday Jam crowds became a valley ritual requiring deft crowd management.
• Mel Haber’s “say yes” ethos—and selective 86ing—shaped service culture.
• Nino Fontana’s showmanship (and breaks!) inspired unforgettable lounge lore.
• Quiet philanthropy surfaced in stories of kindness from famous patrons.
• Classic tableside dishes and upselling sustained quality and profitability.
• Ellis now brings that front-of-house magic to Hotel Paseo—and to his memoir.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #BrianEllis #MelvynsPalmSprings #InglesideInn #PalmSprings #MelHaber #FrankSinatra #NinoFontana #SundayJam #HotelPaseo #McCallumTheatre #CelebrityStories #RestaurantLife #MaitreD

From the corner booth at Skip’s Little Bar, this episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar explores modern radio, community impact, and the power of local voices. Our guest Brad Fuhr charts a path from teenage on-air shifts to rebuilding KGAY 106.5 as a public-benefit station, acquiring MeTV 103.1, and keeping nostalgia fresh with today’s tools. Patrick Evans and Randy Florence unpack voice tracking and AI, the ethics of synthetic newscasts, and why investing in real personalities still matters. There’s candid talk about safety, Pride season, FCC worries around call letters, and the economics of tourism advertising across the Coachella Valley. We also spotlight Gay Desert Guide’s event hub, visitor map, and business directory that connect residents and travelers to LGBTQ-owned, welcoming places. Plus: producer health miracles, bourbon jokes, and plenty of great music. A lively, thoughtful look at resilience, advocacy, and joy in a very special desert community.

Takeaways:

• Producer John McMullen shares a same-day heart-stent success at Eisenhower.
• Guest began radio at 15; lifelong passion led to leadership.
• KGAY 106.5 revived with a mission as a public-benefit corporation.
• MeTV 103.1 brings a nostalgia-driven, locally tuned music format.
• Technology enables remote shows; AI raises ethical news questions.
• Station spotlights advocacy amid safety concerns, FCC scrutiny, and Pride.
• Gay Desert Guide connects audiences to events and LGBTQ-owned businesses.
• Tourism headwinds challenge ad dollars, but community support remains strong.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #BradFuhr #KGAY1065FM #METV1031FM #GayDesertGuide #PalmSprings #LocalRadio #LGBTQ #CommunityAdvocacy #PublicBenefitCorporation #Pride #Tourism #AIinMedia #EisenhowerMedicalCenter

This episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar with Patrick Evans & Randy Florence dives into how passion, persistence, and service shape a life in film and community. Our guest Teddy Grouya—founder of the AmDocs Film Festival—traces a path from UCLA film studies and foreign-exchange days in Denmark to a State Department posting in Australia, then back to Hollywood and ultimately to creating a globally respected documentary and animation showcase. He explains how AmDocs curates 200+ films, hosts meaningful industry events, and consistently earns top marks from filmmakers. We explore why strong documentaries need more than talking heads, the surge of docuseries on streamers, and the hunt for that elusive story “hook.” He shares personal projects—from a Vivaldi passion piece to the heartfelt short Memory Collector—and his work restoring Palm Springs’ Plaza Theatre. Plus: volunteer opportunities, premieres, and how great festivals are built like great films—one dedicated department at a time.

Takeaways:

• A global path: Denmark exchange student → UCLA → State Department in Australia.
• AmDocs screens 200+ titles and prioritizes real industry networking.
• Festival success = curation, community, and nightly experiences beyond theaters.
• Submissions: generally completed within three years; 70-mile premiere radius.
• Docs should avoid “talking heads” fatigue—use dynamic visuals and archives.
• Memory Collector spotlights returning lost VHS memories to families.
• Vivaldi project began with curiosity and became a documentary narrative.
• Call for volunteers: drivers, theatre teams, and social media helpers.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #TeddyGrouya #AmDocsFilmFestival #DocumentaryFilmmaking #InternationalRelations #DanishLanguage #PlazaTheaterRestoration #FilmFestivalNetworking #PalmSpringsCulture #MemoryCollector #UCLAFilmStudies #AustraliaEmbassyExperience #CoachellaValleyIndependent #AmericanDocumentaryAwards

At Skip Paige’s Little Bar in Palm Desert, narrative nonfiction writer and true crime sleuth Lou Schachter unpacks why crimes captivate us—and how travel fuels his reporting on Big Conversations, Little Bar with Patrick Evans & Randy Florence. He traces a personal origin story to his grandfather’s 1933 Los Angeles murder, a saga tangled with Bugsy Siegel and a corrupt DA, now chronicled at LustForPower.com. Lou also dives into two Coachella Valley capers: the 1995 “friends helping friends” pyramid parties that rattled the McCallum Theatre, and a 1986 freight-train crash near Palm Springs tied to bored Marines. Plus, he reveals how obsessive research helped surface stolen art—including a missing de Kooning and works taken twice from the Harwood Museum—and why he writes ten-minute stories at TrueCrimeRoadTrip.com. Expect sharp humor, local history, and a look at greed, obsession, and the very human motives behind notorious cases. We also preview new investigations, possible FBI collaboration, and the lure of mysteries hiding in plain sight.

Takeaways:

· How travel plus curiosity powers Lou Schachter’s narrative nonfiction true-crime work

· The family mystery that launched his investigations: a 1933 LA mob killing

· Bugsy Siegel ties and a corrupt DA explored in Lust for Power

· 1995 Coachella Valley “friends helping friends” pyramid parties and fallout for the McCallum Theatre

· 1986 freight-train crash near Palm Springs traced to Marines decoupling cars for thrills/theft

· How Lou helped surface stolen art: a missing de Kooning and Harwood Museum recoveries

· Why he writes ten-minute stories at True Crime Road Trip and avoids gratuitous gore

· Upcoming digs, possible FBI coordination, and his focus on human psychology over spectacle

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #LouSchachter #TrueCrime #NarrativeNonfiction #PalmDesert #CoachellaValley #PyramidScheme #ArtTheft #HarwoodMuseum #WillemDeKooning #TrueCrimeRoadTrip #LustForPower #BugsySiegel

What do Ranger School grit, cutting-edge robotics, and Burgundy wine have in common? This lively episode of Big Conversations, Litte Bar with Patrick Evans & Randy Florence traces an extraordinary journey from West Point and the DMZ to the operating room and, now, the tasting room. Our guest, Dr. Patrick St. Pierre, an Eisenhower Medical Center orthopedic surgeon and Level 4 sommelier—explains how military discipline shaped his calm in high-stakes surgeries and why staying cool matters when complications arise. He shares the origin story of his goat-based rotator cuff research, the development of Mako robotic shoulder replacements, and a behind-the-scenes tale from Indian Wells when a timely ankle injection helped pave the way to a championship. We also explore smart retirement: don’t retire from something—retire to something. For him, that’s education, judging, and curating wine, including a new role directing selections for a local wine & cheese shop. Plus: Tommy John myths, Coachella Valley Firebirds medicine, and why not every rotator cuff tear needs the knife.

Takeaways:

• Military training built composure for complex surgeries and leadership.
• Early research using goats advanced rotator cuff healing insights.
• Helped develop FDA-cleared Mako robotic shoulder replacement techniques.
• Not all rotator cuff tears require surgery; rehab often works.
• Tommy John surgery is effective but not a guaranteed comeback.
• Memorable moment: treating an ankle before a title match at Indian Wells.
• Retirement works best when you transition to a purposeful passion.
• Achieved Level 4 WSET; now teaches, judges, and curates wine locally.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #McCallumTheatre #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #DrPatrickStPierre #EisenhowerMedicalCenter #DesertOrthopedicCenter #RoboticShoulderSurgery #MakoRobot #WestPoint #RangerSchool #WalterReed #IndianWellsTennisGarden #CoachellaValleyFirebirds #BurgundyWine #Level4Sommelier

Recorded at the famed corner booth of Skip Paige’s Little Bar in Palm Desert, this episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar hosted by Patrick Evans and Randy Florence, follows a remarkable journey from church greeter to reality-TV standout. Guest Gary Levingston shares how a chance encounter at Southwest Church led to casting for the senior-edition dating franchise, the sequestered Malibu mansion experience, and the unexpected brotherhood that formed among contestants on The Golden Bachelor, and subsequently on Bachelor In Paradise. Levingston opens up about the stress of rose ceremonies (and expert-level packing), navigating sudden notoriety—including fan encounters at his doorstep—and keeping perspective thanks to lessons from his godmother, Tina Turner. Beyond TV, he’s channeling his platform into purpose: mental-health advocacy as a senior advisor with Talkspace, a lighthearted fashion partnership with Tommy Bahama, and service to kids in the Coachella Valley. He also spotlights his documentary on his uncle, 1950s singer-songwriter Jesse Belvin, and dreams of a feature film—maybe with Bruno Mars in the lead. Heart, humor, faith, and community all show up big in this conversation.

Takeaways:

• A casting director discovered him while he was greeting at church.
• Contestants were sequestered near the Malibu mansion—no phones, lots of bonding.
• The “golden” cast rooted for one another over rivalry.
• Rose ceremonies were nerve-racking—bags packed every time, just in case.
• Sudden fame felt surreal (press pings, fan rose at his door).
• Godmother Tina Turner taught privacy, poise, and inner strength.
• Now a Talkspace senior advisor, advocating mental health for older adults.
• Produces a Jesse Belvin documentary; hopes for a Bruno Mars-led feature.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #GaryLevingston #GoldenBachelorette #BachelorInParadise #TinaTurner #MentalHealth #Talkspace #TommyBahama #JesseBelvin #BrunoMars #MalibuMansion #ChurchToCasting #PalmDesert #CommunityImpact

This episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar with Patrick Evans and Randy Florence spotlights a dynamic leader shaping the desert’s classical scene. As artistic director for Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic, our guest Lee Mills explains how a tiny team brings the world’s great orchestras to the McCallum Theatre within a narrow January to April window—often booking seasons as far out as 2028. Expect a blockbuster lineup: Chicago Symphony; a Los Angeles Philharmonic visit during a milestone leadership transition; Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell; a top Mexico City orchestra with Carlos Miguel Prieto and Pacho Flores fresh off a 2023 Latin Grammy; plus San Diego and Dallas Symphonies. We trace Mills’ path from Belgrade, Montana to podiums in Brazil, Seattle, and the Carolinas, and how an MBA sharpened his audience-first programming. He rejects old-school “dictator” conducting in favor of joyful collaboration—and shares a thrilling vision to fuse symphonic power with club production. Pro tip: the season’s nearly sold out—join the waitlist.

Takeaways:

• Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic presents world-class orchestras at McCallum Theatre.
• Touring windows are tight (Jan–Apr), and dates are juggled years in advance.
• Upcoming highlights include Chicago Symphony, LA Phil, Academy of St Martin with Joshua Bell, San Diego & Dallas Symphonies, and a Mexico City orchestra with Carlos Miguel Prieto and Pacho Flores.
• The organization is lean (two going on three staff) and partners closely with McCallum’s crew.
• Career arc: Montana roots → college conducting epiphany → Brazil, Seattle → Greenville music directorship.
• Leadership style favors collaboration, fun, and audience engagement—no “tyrant conductor” vibes.
• Bold vision: bring orchestras into club environments with lights, acrobatics, and symphonic hits.
• Season is almost sold out; waitlists routinely move 50–100 returned tickets per concert.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #LeeMills #PSPhil #PalmSpringsFriendsOfPhilharmonic #McCallumTheatre #ChicagoSymphony #LAPhil #GustavoDudamel #JoshuaBell #PachoFlores #CarlosMiguelPrieto #GreenvilleSymphony #ClassicalMusic #CoachellaValley

From New York steakhouse soirées to Coachella Valley showstoppers, event planner Lola Kent brings a decade-plus of creative fire to the corner booth on this week’s episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar with Patrick Evans and Randy Florence. She shares how a chance ceremony paired her with officiant Randy, sparking 60+ weddings built on listening, storytelling, and short-but-soulful vows. Lola recalls transforming airplane hangars at the Palm Springs Air Museum into “Norm’s Beach,” complete with surprise aircraft arrivals and star musicians, and a tear-jerking Bighorn ceremony where love triumphed over stage-four cancer. We get real about budgets vs. vision, indoor-outdoor contingency planning, micro-weddings born from the pandemic, and why great planners protect couples from venue rules, vendor chaos, and desert winds. Plus: the NYPD vs. FDNY cookoff, a Wicked-themed pop-up speakeasy, and the secret to guest-first hospitality (sometimes it’s Gentleman Jack). If you love weddings, parties, or just world-class logistics that feel like magic, this podcast is your blueprint.

We regret that due to technical issues in the recording of this episode that there is not a video podcast available.

Takeaways:

• The best ceremonies start with deep listening and private interviews.
• Short, meaningful vows keep guests engaged and couples centered.
• Great planners match clients to venues that fit rules and vibe.
• Always build indoor-outdoor weather backups in the desert.
• Clear vendor coordination is mission-critical to event flow.
• Budgets must guide creative choices—vision scales with resources.
• Micro-weddings proved intimacy can be as powerful as spectacle.
• Story-driven details turn spaces (even hangars) into immersive worlds.

#BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #SkipsLittleBar #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #LolaKent #EventPlanning #WeddingPlanner #DesertWeddings #PalmSprings #CoachellaValley #AirMuseum #VowRenewal #MicroWeddings #LuxuryEvents #WeddingOfficiant #Bighorn #PopUpSpeakeasy