The Oklahoma Today Podcast

Season 6, Episode 35: Cirque du Soleil's OVO brings world-class entertainment to OKC

It's a bug's world, we're just living in it! The famous Cirque du Soleil organization returns to Oklahoma City's Paycom Center September 11-14. They are bringing their world renowned OVO show (Portuguese for egg) to the state, which takes inspiration from insects—showing off high flying acrobatics, incredible contortion, and the heartwarming tale of a ladybug in love. Show publicist Janie Mallet joins the show this week to let local fans know what they're in for and to reflect on Cirque's recent performance in OKC for a performance during the NBA Finals. 

Also on this week's show, the editors reminisce on the most amazing performances they've seen in Oklahoma, and podvents lets us know what legendary outlaw Jesse James and Cement, OK, have in common. You won't want to miss it!

Season 6, Episode 34: How burgers and custard at Spark OKC feel both new and nostalgic

Spark OKC is a relatively new player in the crowded Oklahoma burger scene, yet it already feels like they've been around forever. The concept is a spur of The Social Order, the restaurant group that started as The Jones Assembly and has also umbrellaed to include local Dave's Hot Chicken and Fuzzy's Taco Stand locations. CEO Brian Bogert has been there from the beginning, and he sits down with editor-in-chief Nathan Gunter to catch us up on this exciting new brand, reminisce about his history in the restaurant world, and even talk about the time The Jones hosted a pre-superstardom Chappell Roan.

Also on this week's episode, the editors give their elevator pitches for their own dream restaurant concepts, and podvents will help explain why there are so many lemonade stands in Tulsa this week. You won't want to miss it!

Season 6, Episode 33: Tiare Jennings and OU Softball legends take on Home Run Derby X

Tiare Jennings—an OU softball legend who was part of a national championship winning team every year she was on campus in Norman—is our special guest this week. Jennings will be reuniting with teammates Jocelyn Alo and Kinzie Hansen to compete against former Major League Baseball players like Nick Swisher and Adrian Gonzalez in the Home Run Derby X competition, set for August 23 at Oklahoma City's Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. This traveling, MLB-sanctioned event teams professional baseball and softball players together in a unique event where teams score points for both hitting and fielding. Home Run Derby X's stop in Oklahoma City will feature Jennings, Alo, and Hansen together on an all-OU Sooners team, marking the first time an all female team will compete in the event. Jennings joins the show to talk about what fans can expect that night in OKC while also sounding off on her first year in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League and softball's return to the Olympic games.

Also on this week's show, the editors share their personal Oklahoma heroes, and podvents fills us in on a unique sport happening in Beaver. You won't want to miss it! 

Season 6, Episode 32: Wild About Birds at the Sutton Avian Center in Bartlesville

When it comes to bird conservation, organizations don't get much more impactful than the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center in Bartlesville. It is not that uncommon to see a majestic bald eagle out in the Oklahoma wild these days, and that is largely due to the efforts of Sutton Center to hatch and raise a new population of eagles in the state. But the Sutton Center's work doesn't end at the bald eagle. On this week's episode of the Oklahoma Today Podcast we paid a visit to the Sutton Avian Center's headquarters in Bartlesville to check out their efforts in masked bobwhite quail conservation and meet some other bird friends. We also learn more about this month's Wild Brew event at the Arvest Convention Center in Tulsa, which is a key fundraiser supporting the center's research and wildlife efforts. 

Also on this week's show, the editors share where in the state they like to go with a BIG appetite, and podvents lets us know where to find the real comedians this week. You won't want to miss it! 

Season 6, Episode 31: Grill the Perfect Steak with Stock & Bond's Chef Jonas Favela

There are few greater joys in life than a juicy steak grilled to perfection. It seems like it wouldn't be the hardest thing to do on your own, but there are a lot of ways home steak preparation can go wrong. Fear not, though, because we've called in an expert. Editor-in-chief Nathan Gunter met with Jonas Favela, executive chef at Stock & Bond in Oklahoma City, to learn how prime cuts of beef are treated at one of the best and trendiest steakhouses in the capital city. Warning: New kitchen inspiration might follow. 

Also on this week's episode, the editors discuss their own cooking skills, and podvents lets us know where in Oklahoma to get our '90s nostalgia fix. You won't want to miss it! 

Season 6, Episode 30: Branjae—The Music That Made Her

Tulsa R&B songstress Branjae is one of Oklahoma Today's 10 Oklahoma Artists to Know, as mentioned in our July-August 2025 issue. If you've ever seen Branjae perform, you know she puts as much work into crafting her stage presentation as she does on the songs themselves. That's why it shouldn't be any surprise that she takes inspiration from some truly generational performers like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Dianna Ross. For this episode of the Oklahoma Today Podcast, we met with Branjae at Tulsa's Studio Records. We not only caught up with one of the state's brightest artists, but we let her pick out some records that were key to her artistic development.

 

Also on this week's show, the editors work together to build an Oklahoma Today playlist, and podvents gets CRAZY! You won't want to miss it!

Season 6, Episode 29: Discovering OKANA Resort and Indoor Waterpark

Oklahoma City's OKANA Resort and Indoor Waterpark has been a heavily anticipated project since the day it was announced, and this summer it's finally here! With expansive indoor and outdoor aquatic fun, an arcade, spa, food, and so much more, this is not only an attraction that will draw fun-seekers from all over the world, but the perfect destination for Oklahomans who want an escape without the hassle of long-distance travel. Today's guest on the show is Laura Rudicel, OKANA's director of marketing, who gives us a tour of the incredible facilities. Ben's in vacation mode, so it might be hard getting him back to the office again.

Also on this week's episode, the editors share their ideal Oklahoma staycations, and podvents lets us know where to score a chicken salad sandwich this weekend. You won't want to miss it!

Season 6, Episode 28: Jurassic World Makes Sam Noble Museum's Aquilops A Movie Star

Jurassic World: Rebirth is one of this summer's biggest blockbusters, and the movie has a surprisingly adorable Oklahoma connection. The movie features a rabbit-sized herbivore known as the Aquilops americanus, a species of dinosaur the world knows about thanks to the work of scientists at the Sam Noble Museum in Norman. Editor-in-chief Nathan Gunter talks with Dr. Jacqueline Lungmus about the little dino that is stealing hearts this summer in the cinema, as well as some of the other prehistoric creatures in the museum's collection. Those who venture out to Sam Noble this Saturday will have the thrill of celebrating Aquilops Day, a day of learning, fun, and activities centered around the dynamic, diminutive dinosaur. 

Also on this week's podcast, the editors discuss their must-haves for an Oklahoma cookout, and podvents lets us know how to enjoy two different local peach festivals in the same week. You won't want to miss it!

Season 6, Episode 27: The Adorable Animal Ambassadors of Sequoyah State Park

Cute animal friends call Hulbert's Sequoyah State Park home. Beavers, a coyote, a fox, and more can be encountered at Sequoyah's nature center. These are animals who, for various reasons, are unfit to live in the wild on their own. Thanks to the efforts of state park naturalists like Sierra (our human guest of the week), these creatures get a new lease on life thanks to the animal ambassador program. It also gives park attendees a chance for a closer meeting with these critters than they are likely to ever get in the wild.

Also on this week's show, the editors discuss which creature would best serve as their personal animal ambassador, and podvents lets us know the best place in Oklahoma to find haggis this weekend. You won't want to miss it!

Season 6, Episode 26: OKC Thunder Championship Parade Brings the Fans Out

Thunder up, baby! A day many in this state have long dreamed of came to fruition on June 24, 2025, when the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated their NBA championship with a parade through downtown that attracted more than half a million happy fans. Our very own host Ben was one of them, and he went out into the streets on this special occasion to get the local reaction to this momentous occasion (and maybe get his own glance at the legendary Larry O'Brien Trophy).

Also on this week's episode, we poll Thunder fans about who their favorite player is, and podvents tells us where the best place in the state for huckleberries is. You won't want to miss it!