André Royo — known to millions as Bubbles from The Wire and Thirsty Rawlings on Empire — sits down on the couch at Joplin's for a conversation that goes everywhere. Growing up in the Bronx, getting into acting by accident, running a restaurant in LA for a decade, getting sober, and landing a role in James Gunn's new Superman. André is one of those people who makes every room better, and this one was no different.

We talk about the moment he quit construction and never looked back. What it's like to be an over-supportive parent. Why he's treating sobriety like a scientific experiment. The Chris Stapleton music video that pulled him out of a dark stretch. And why, no matter what — on a couch in Ojai or on a big budget set — it's always been about having fun.

Topics covered:

• Kiss, Beth, and how music got its hooks in him early
• Dropping construction to chase acting with no backup plan
• Running Canelé in Atwater Village for 10 years
• Getting sober and what nobody tells you about it
• Shooting Superman with James Gunn
• His new Amazon show Delphi, part of the Creed franchise
• Why Ojai surprised him
• Perseverance, valleys, and his friend Mums the poet

Food, Drinks, Rock & Roll is recorded at Joplin's BBQ in Ojai, CA and produced by Rob Carrielo

In this episode, we sit down with John Phaneuf, musician (Ill Repute), videographer, and Ojai local, for a wide-ranging and candid conversation about music, food, sobriety, and community. Topics Covered:

• The origins of Ill Repute and the Nardcore punk scene: memories of discovering punk, forming bands with high school friends, and meeting scene legends 03:11
• Reflections on classic punk venues—stories from the Cuckoo's Nest, Showcase Theater, and the wild, lawless days of early punk shows 10:24
• Anecdotes about sharing stages with Minor Threat, Black Flag, Misfits, and more 09:21
• A deep dive into personal journeys with sobriety—discussing family history, the influence of Minor Threat, and doing punk rock sober 36:39
• Exploring how food philosophies shifted over the years—becoming vegetarian after a formative cow encounter, and the challenges of plant-based eating through the decades 25:09
• What it's like raising kids with evolving approaches to food and nutrition 32:37
• Favorite albums, new music recommendations (Bob Vylan!), and the passion for music that transcends genres 01:10:38
• Ill Repute's music landing in "Stranger Things" and other places, with reflections on punk legacy 01:18:29
• The intersection of food, health, mood, and community in Ojai's changing restaurant scene 53:42

Notable Quotes:

• "It was all, you know, when I was 18, 19, 20, so it was a long time ago. But it's always kind of cool when you hear that people were impacted by your band." 02:06
• "I actually, at 24 years old... just had a weird realization on Sulphur Mountain Road, and I just stopped eating meat." 25:24
• "There was that line, and I was too stubborn... and suddenly it was like, Minor Threat shows up, and it's like, 'That's what John is!'" 39:52
• "I realized I just like passionate music... when people are addressing problems and using music, that's what moves me." 01:14:49

Tyler Labine joined us on the couch,shared Namari NA cocktails and within twenty minutes we were deep into ghost stories, blood clots, and why quitting caffeine is somehow harder than getting sober. We talk punk/hip hop roots, Ojai hauntings, his music project Two Person Sex Cult, and the Hollywood apartment that had genuinely flirtatious ghost energy.

Timestamps

[07:41] — Reiki for migraines with Michaela Watkins

[13:31] — Granddaddy, skate punk, and the bands Tyler actually listens to

[21:12] — Quitting caffeine is harder than quitting drinking.

[24:42] — The blood clot that changed everything

[32:47] — The ghost encounter he can't explain

[42:32] — The Hollywood apartment with flirtatious ghost energy

[58:31] — Lightning round

Guest Bio

Tyler Labine is a Canadian actor and musician. You know him from Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Hulu's Deadbeat, and NBC's New Amsterdam. He also makes music under the project Two Person Sex Cult — forthcoming album. He lives in Ojai now and is probably the coolest guy in town.

Links

• Follow Tyler Labine: @tlabine @ilysmpod
• Follow Joplin's: @joplinsojai
• Visit us: 715 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai CA