“I’m heavy into music, skateboarding, food, all the good things life has to offer. I want to highlight those people and stories in other industries most of all.”
Bobby Nuggz shows up in most corners of the national cannabis atlas. A beloved and extraordinary connoisseur who has judged cups from New England to Europe, he is a central and enduring figure of the culture pre- as well as post-legalization, and as a result has a rolodex full of contacts for young and older legends plus some utter icons. All things considered, it’s a wonder that he didn’t get into the podcasting game sooner. We asked about his plan to bring a lifetime of heady experience to the recording booth.
CF: You have no doubt been a guest on countless other podcasts. What have you always thought of the format over the years and are there any that you have a particularly special relationship with?
BN: It’s always been a lot of fun joining podcasts all over the world. I’d say over the last decade plus I’ve joined over 75 different shows promoting my career works. Every time I’m on the other side, answering questions and describing myself and line of work. Mostly the format is kind of synchronized with one another, that’s how you can be successful, while adding your own unique flair. All of these marketing opportunities have built me up and brought me to new places I would have never thought possible.
I would say over the years I’ve established long lasting friendships with the Pot Brothers at Law, who previously were on Cannabis Talk 101. They’ve gone on to become some of the most well known figureheads in the industry. Always propping me up and making space for me. I hope to iron out an episode on Carrying the Torch Podcast with them in the future. I’d also like to mention the Rick Naya Show, Average Joe Grow, Cannabis Corner Radio, and Get on High Street to name a few doing it right in the northeast.
Before we get to your project, what’s your podcast diet? Any non-weed shows that you have been hooked on over the years?
For me personally I have been booked on a podcast about pizza and Italian culture in Brooklyn, that was a lot of fun for me. I figured with all of the recent tirades on cannabis accounts this would be a perfect refresher to start to book some guests from all walks of life. If you know me personally, you know I’m heavy into music, skateboarding, food, all the good things life has to offer. I want to highlight those people and stories in other industries most of all.
Going into your project, what were some things you kind of saw as missing in the cannabis podcast space?
I feel like authenticity has been missing in our community since legalization took its foothold. I plan to bring my raw, authentic self to the table every time, we will not be doing fluff shows with candy coating, dishonest paid reviews, and all that bullshit. I’ll only be booking guests that have something to say and have great contributions to their causes.
I also want to make it a point to share stories of the underdogs. I like what Theo Von does, he features everyone from working class to A-list celebrities. In fact he just featured my friend Mitch Canadiano of Uncle Mitches Munchies. Mitch is a third generation carny who now cooks up fire food for us wooks at music festivals. To see him on Theo’s show talking about his family’s history and legacy was very inspirational for me to say the least and almost birthed this concept.
What’s the format of your show and what subtopics do you see yourself drilling down on moving forward?
The format of my show is a mix of in-depth interviews, open conversation, and storytelling. Each episode brings on influential voices from cannabis culture, music, and beyond, allowing us to dive into both their personal journeys and the bigger picture of the industry.
Moving forward, I see myself drilling down on subtopics like the evolution of cannabis legalization, cultivation and extraction innovations, brand building, event culture, and the artists who’ve carried the torch for cannabis over the years. I also want to highlight community stories, advocacy efforts, and the importance of keeping culture and authenticity alive in this space.
I see you had the one and only Chemdog as your first guest. It’s hard to go up from there, ha, but really, why was it so important for you to start with the god himself?
As a New England kid who’s spent the last 17 years exploring music festivals and events, Chemdog’s legacy is embedded into all of our stories in some way or another. Hearing the strain names echoing through a lot. I made my bones selling Chemdog many times. Back at Wormtown 2011 I was there with many of Chem’s direct friends who were scrambling when he got raided. I saw the fright in their eyes because they truly cared about this dude.
Years later, getting to meet him for myself I fully understood why cats would put themselves on the line for him and look out for him. He’s the real real. I also wanted to start things off with a banger so people know how serious I’m going to take this. If you know me at all, you know my access runs deep on many levels. I’m going to utilize this more than I ever have before. Your network is your net worth, I’m going to prove that.
Who are some other guests you will be having? Or at least tell us what kinds of guests are in store.
I don’t want to blow up my own spot but I’ve got several guests on my radar moving into 2026. I’d really love to get Real Big Nate All Star on the show, and Slaine. … I’ve also got some flights booked to Miami and LA, so who knows what could happen? I definitely will be focusing on local legends, but my sights are set internationally for Carrying the Torch Podcast.
Finally, you have been doing events for a long time as well. There are natural tie-ins with a podcast, how do you see yourself eventually building events around the new brand?
Definitely. So many avenues here, depending how I roll the dice I suppose. I feel I have a good eye for things like this and it’s very exciting to think about.
That’s a goal of mine for 2026 once we’ve built the brand a bit more. I’d love to do something at Flower Expo next year in Mass or maybe something at Witch Dr. next time Bob Snodgrass or one of the many famed glass blowers comes to town. I plan to become a lot more active with Carrying the Torch at events and have an idea for video journalism. I plan to do live events as an offshoot concept for the show.
My brain never stops ticking, I appreciate everyone for the endless support on this new project. I feel the pivot will be great for me and will help me continue to evolve and stay relevant. Doing this for as long as I have, sometimes the best thing to do is just keep pushing the boundaries to open new doors.
instagram.com/carryingthetorchpodcast
Listen to the first episode of Bobby’s Carrying The Torch Podcast on Apple Podcasts here
