Son of a Blitch
George Bowe Blitch has been a Wildlife Manager, 5th generation Texas Rancher, Professional Writer, Videographer, Photographer, Editor, Speaker, Brand Developer & Designer, Cartographer, Touring Musician, Teacher, Coach, Serial Entrepreneur, Finance Manager, and the owner of numerous businesses.
George has met some wildly interesting people in his lifetime, and this "Son of a Blitch” is sure to share some impactful stories, interviews, and messages that will be informative, educational, and highly entertaining!
Guests often include: #1 New York Times Best Selling Authors, Television Show Hosts, Leaders in the Outdoor Industry, International Touring Musicians, James Beard Award-Winning Chefs, Photographers, Filmmakers, Navy SEALS, Green Berets, Veterans and related Veteran Organizations, a Master BladeSmith, a Federal Judge, Professional Athletes, Business Leaders, Inventors, Survival & Wilderness Experts, Gunsmiths, Long Range Shooting Instructors, Actors, Publishers, Inventors, Cartel Fighting Game Wardens, other podcasters, and more!
"I've met some incredible people in my life, and I want to share their stories!" ~GB
Son of a Blitch
Ep. 100 - "The Last Rodeo" - A Heartfelt Journey of Redemption, Family, and Bull Riding w/ Mykelti Williamson
Mykelti Williamson's enthusiasm for "The Last Rodeo" radiates through our conversation as he describes this unique film that combines professional bull riding, comedy, emotion, and family values. As Williamson explains, the story centers around a "busted up old bull rider" whose grandson desperately needs emergency surgery. The protagonist has alienated himself from everyone important in his life - his daughter, his best friend - and now must reconnect with them to help save his grandson.
What makes this film stand out in today's entertainment landscape is its accessibility to audiences of all ages. Williamson emphasizes that "The Last Rodeo" is something families can enjoy together without parents worrying about inappropriate content. Produced by Angel Studios, the film maintains a PG rating while delivering an emotionally powerful story. Williamson draws a compelling comparison to "Forrest Gump" in terms of the pure joy he feels about this film's release, noting that both films have a special quality that resonates differently with different viewers: "Some people get it now, some people get it later, and some people get it a little too late, but they get it."
The production brought together an impressive gathering of talent both on-screen and behind the scenes. Williamson speaks glowingly about working alongside Neal McDonough (who plays Joe Rainwright), Sarah Jones, Chris McDonald, director John Avnet and producer Kip Konwiser. The film also features actual Professional Bull Riding (PBR) champions, adding authenticity to the rodeo scenes. Williamson, who already had horseback riding experience, appreciated being surrounded by elite bull riders like Ezekiel Mitchell and Daylon Swearingen, though he humorously notes that at his height of nearly 6'3", he wasn't about to get on a bull himself: "I'm not built for it... I'd come off of it like a slingshot."
Williamson's character, Charlie Williams, provides a compelling counterpoint to McDonough's Joe Rainwright. Charlie is described as a hardworking, honorable man who served his country in the military alongside Joe. Their friendship has weathered challenges, and part of the film's journey involves Charlie helping Joe find his way back into their relationship and reconnect with his family. The dynamic between these characters explores themes of loyalty, forgiveness, and redemption - how even fractured relationships can be mended when the stakes are high enough.
When asked what he hopes audiences will take from the film, Williamson offers a thoughtful response that aligns with the movie's multi-layered appeal: "Audiences always take away from a movie what they bring to it." He hopes viewers will leave feeling better, having experienced "some goodness, some fun" and perhaps a renewed appreciation for what people can achieve when they work together. The film celebrates American values while telling a universal story about family, friendship, and second chances. For Williamson personally, "The Last Rodeo" represents the kind of legacy he wants to leave - entertainment that affirms positive values and brings families together.
"The Last Rodeo" opens in theaters on May 23rd, bringing its unique blend of bull riding action, emotional depth, and family-friendly entertainment to audiences nationwide. As Williamson promises with confident enthusiasm: "When you see this film, you're going to feel really good, man, really good."
Hey everybody, it's Michael T Williamson from the Last Rodeo. Stay tuned to the Son of a Blitch podcast.
Speaker 2:Michael T Williamson. It is so awesome. I am honored that you are here with me today to talk about the Last Rodeo and man. Thank you and welcome to the show.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for the invitation. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2:You're very welcome. Well, listen, for those who don't know much about the Last Rodeo yet, can you give us a quick synopsis of the film and then we'll jump into some questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the Last Rodeo is the kind of movie that can be many different things to people. So here's one version of what it's about. It's about a busted up old bull rider whose grandson is in dire need of an emergency surgery. He's on the outs with his daughter. He's on the outs with his daughter. He's on the outs with his best friend. He cut him off, kind of just messed up his relationship with everybody and just ostracized himself from everyone, and now he's got to make his way back to save his grandson.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of chuckles, there's some belly laughter, there's some tears. So, fellas, you're going to drop a tear too, man, so don't worry about it. You, fellas, you're going to drop a tear too, man, so don't worry about it. You know you're still a cowboy baby and it's got some cowboy fights. It's cool man, it's got everything. It's got professional bull riding, amazing, you know what I mean With the current world champions and former champions. They're there. I mean, you know I won't start name dropping, but all the PBR stars, they came and gave us some love. That's why I say it's the right movie.
Speaker 2:It's really the right film, man that in a sec you talked about starring alongside Neil McDonough and he plays the character Joe Rainwright and you're Charlie Williams, his longtime friend man. You played so many iconic roles over the years. What was it about this particular role and this character that kind of drew you in and made you want to be a part of this movie?
Speaker 1:Well, first of all, I love Neil McDonough and Ruvay, the whole McDonough family. You know the Williamson family, McDonough family, we're like. That, you know, is that is when people come in and give you their money to make an exchange. You don't want the audience to ever leave feeling like you poured stuff all over them and they just walked away from you, separated them from their money which is their time and you poured something all over them. I'm like that's really not cool.
Speaker 1:And so we wanted to make a movie that you could take. You don't have to hide your kids. Grandmama's gonna chuckle, everybody's gonna laugh and feel and go on. This thrill ride, man. And Neil McDonough is very easy to watch. He's a lot of fun to watch, I'm telling you. So show up, you know. And then, with Angel Studios, you can actually help people who can't afford a ticket. If you want to share it, please share it, and we hope you want to share it, but you'll see the QR code when you go see it and you'll be able to share away. You can go online to angelcom too you know what I mean, angelstudioscom and check it out. So anyway, um, enough about me, that's nothing about me.
Speaker 2:well, you know you kind of talked about this man. It's a a family friendly film and it's something that's pg related, something that we don't see a whole lot these days, but I think it's something to celebrate and it's a story kind of in the heartland of America. And you know, Neil wrote this kind of came to him and he says, like it's from God man, In 24 hours he kind of spit out this. Within a week he was writing it. Another week it was funded and this is a he kind of called it a Rocky on a bull, you know, so to speak.
Speaker 1:And man that was something special.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is something special and and uh, we always feel privileged to be part of something that adds value to not just your life but to the to the lives of other people. And this is one of those rare opportunities. It's sort of like Forrest Gump. I remember trying to explain how cool Forrest Gump was as a film and and people didn't get it at first. But, like I tell Neil, everybody gets it. Some people get it at first but, like I tell Neil, everybody gets it. Some people get it now, some people get it later and some people get it a little too late but they get it right. Yeah, but yeah, and so with the last rodeo I haven't had this kind of joy over the release, like pure joy over the release of a movie. It's very rare. Over the release, like pure joy over the release of a movie, uh, it's very rare, it's very rare. The most kindred opportunity I remember was, uh, was, forrest Gump. I felt like this after Gump, nice, nice.
Speaker 2:Well, that says a lot, man. That says a lot, and I mean I think this movie speaks for those things too, man. It's a very powerful thing. I think, you know, everyone is going to get strong feelings from this and it's it's a great one for everyone, like you said, from the kids to the grandma, you know. Can you tell me a couple of experiences that stand out while you were making this film, that were very special to you, some special memories you'd like to maybe share?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely A couple of things. Is is as an actor who pursues excellence. I'm not a perfectionist. I think perfection is something that will always be unrealized unless you're God Right. So I pursue excellence, I don't worry about perfect.
Speaker 1:Most memorable joys and most memorable moments on set was watching the excellence of Sarah Jones, chris McDonald, neil McDonough and our director, john Avnet. And then you watch Kip sort of weave, and because Kip is like weaving, he and John Avnet are weaving this fabric that supports the whole thing. And to watch them weave that fabric every day, man, it was a joy for me as a filmmaker and as a professional. And then daily, when people come up to you because they didn't realize you were the guy from this movie or that movie or this movie or that, and they've been working with you for a few weeks and it finally clicks in. I get a kick out of that because I'm a character guy. I really don't prefer being recognized. But if you see me how you doing, come say hello. But I'm just that dude. I'd rather be working on my old Chevy truck and tinkering man on the golf course with my boys on a horse somewhere. You know what I mean Cleaning hooves. I'm just that dude, you know so, but it was a joy.
Speaker 2:You just mentioned the idea of you know being on a horse and and and taking care of horses. So this was a culture that you weren't, you know, unfamiliar with walking into. This. You know, you guys did some collaboration with professional bull riding association. Like you said, those are the Cowboys, man. This is the rodeo, this was real stuff, man, the real bulls and this is the real deal. So that that being in that space, did you, did that garner another level of appreciation? What was that like being in that environment with those elites?
Speaker 1:Well, it, it, it. We were fortunate to start this journey with. Uh. We got the best stunt coordinator we could possibly get, guy named buddy joe hooker now that's the dude name, right there, right, and he's all dude. So buddy joe got us ready, he introduced us to a lot of cowboys and um uh, so that helped us with our authenticity.
Speaker 1:I already ride. I ride with a cat named reginald t dor Dorsey and another actor, glenn Turman, so we ride all the time. You know, oba Babatunde, there's some real black cowboys out here, and so we ride all the time. So it was fun to be around that highest level, the professional bull riders. I'm almost 6'3". I'm not getting on the back of a bull because it's like I'd come off of it like a slingshot. I'm not built for it, right. So like a marble in a slingshot bing where you can't even find the marble, that would be me. You couldn't find me, bro, but that was fun. It was a lot of fun being around cats like Ezekiel Mitchell and Daylon Swearingen, and I mean the list goes on and on. That's why I shouldn't start name dropping, because I could be here all day. But but they loved on us, they helped us to make it look real, which we would not have been able to do without the support of the PBR.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it is phenomenal, man. I can't wait for this to hit the theaters and everyone see this. It is such a wonderful movie. You know, I wanted to have you kind of talk a little bit about your character here and tell me a little bit about his background. You know what was it like for you to transition into, you know Charlie Williams there, and tell me a little bit about that experience for you. You know playing that role in particular.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, charlie Williams, the character Charlie Williams is a hardworking guy, gives from the heart. Charlie Williams and Joe Wainwright have been best friends since they met in the military. So he served his country, he's a man of honor and he's fun, but he's not to be played with. If Joe were walking down an alley and Charlie were there, joe would be happy, and vice versa for Charlie. If Charlie's walking down an alley and Joe Wainwright is there, Charlie would be complete. He'd be happy because he knows somebody's got his back all the time.
Speaker 1:The fun for me was going on the journey where you take Joe Wainwright. I mean, yeah, joe Wainwright and Charlie's relationship, that's a bit on the outs. And how much can I help Neil as Wainwright to navigate his way back into the relationship? Because Charlie does want to spank him a little bit for turning his back on him, and he does. You know, he smacks, turns, bends him over and pat pat, you know, yeah, but it's all love man, you know. So Charlie's kind of his big brother, best friend, you know, and it's cool, you know, it's cool. It was a lot of fun just to navigate that journey. I would say that was what I looked forward to and was able to pull off. It was great.
Speaker 2:No, y'all did a wonderful job. I mean, this movie has everything it's faith, great determination, fierce friendship, loyalty and, you know, achieving something that some people believe impossible. And I, you know I cannot wait for folks to see this movie. What do you hope that audiences walk away from this movie? Feeling, thinking, and just give me your thoughts on that a little.
Speaker 1:Well, audiences always take away from a movie what they bring to it. I talked a little bit earlier about how this movie is many things to many people. So, the audience, we hope you take away from the movie everything you need in your life and that you feel better. You take away some goodness, you take away some fun, you take away some. This is a great country, you know. Look what we can achieve if we stick together. If you walk away with those understandings and those insights, you got really deep into the characters in their journey, but there's something there for everybody, all right. So, uh, that's what I would say to the audience is come on, man, put some love on us, you will not be disappointed.
Speaker 2:Nice Well. Lastly, I wanted to ask you a personal question. That's one I talked a lot of my guests about, and that's one of like legacy. How do you view your legacy and all the amazing roles you've played and in your own personal life, what does that mean to you? When you think about legacy?
Speaker 1:children's children, and so you know the word tells us to leave an inheritance for your children's children. That's not just monetary, it's everything they inherited you, and you want them to be proud of that going forward, which is why I live my life the way I live my life. I'm at home, but I don't need to be outdoors, out somewhere, and when I travel, my wife is with me, because that's representative of we're family. We're sticking together, I don't care what, and the one thing I can promise you is that when you see this film, you're going to feel really good, man, really good.
Speaker 2:Man well, I feel really good talking to you right today. This has been an honor. Thank you so much for joining me. Everyone go check out the Last Rodeo Hits, the films the theaters on May 23rd. And, man, thank you again, it's been an honor to have you join me today.
Speaker 1:Amen, next time we'll talk a little more about you, man. I want to talk about what I see on the wall behind you back there, okay.
Speaker 2:Will do, man. I look forward to that. We'll be in touch, sir.
Speaker 1:All right, thank you, appreciate the invitation. Okay, bye, everybody, take care.
