Petros and Money Show brings homecoming to Burbank
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BURBANK — It might be August, but there was a homecoming celebration in Burbank on Friday.
Simmzy’s restaurant and pub on Olive Avenue was festooned with balloons, streamers and signs, women showed off their evening gowns and men sported ties while a DJ spinned tunes. There were also crowns to be worn, a smattering of dancing and a king and queen honored, all in front of an adoring crowd.
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The festivities were part of a radio remote for the Burbank-based Petros and Money Show, a sports talk program that airs regularly from 3-6 p.m. on AM 570 and features Matt “Money” Smith” and Petros Papadakis. The event was the latest in a series of stops for the Petros and Money Summer Tour.
A group of fans showed up for the festivities that included a homecoming court. Former Dodgers great Steve Garvey also stopped by to appear on the show.
“It is still very surreal to be out at an event like this and see the fans that come out to see us,” Smith said. “The fans are great. They will drive out to where we are to really be a part of the show. The people are really cool. You meet the young, the old, married couples who listen to us on their way home when they carpool.
“The neat part is that we get to come out and meet these people. We get our regulars who come out to a lot of our events and you also get some people who come out for the first time.”
The broadcasters have been a team for more than nine years and Smith and Papadakis mix sports with pop culture, often with a tongue-in-cheek reverence.
Smith and Papadakis have turned their pairing into one of the most successful and popular talk radio shows in Southern California. Papadakis, a former running back at USC, has a background in broadcasting, working on a number of radio and television programs, including a sideline reporter for the Pac-12 Networks. Among his credits, Smith began on KROQ’s Kevin and Bean morning show and now works on the NFL Network, while calling the play-by play for the Big 10 Network for football and basketball.
“Matt and I were able to cultivate a relationship before we began working together, so I think that helped a lot,” Papadakis said. “But it really is a relationship and we can have our moments.
“But I’m very lucky to have a partner like Matt. To be together with the same person for almost 10 years now is pretty amazing. I really like what I do and I give a lot of credit to Matt for putting up with me.”
Making sure the show ran smoothly was producer Tim Cates. Cates, a Burbank native, is a former All-CIF Southern Section player for the Burroughs High baseball team. In keeping with the homecoming theme, Cates wore his 1990s-era Burroughs jersey with “Indians” across the front.
For many fans in attendance, being able to see the show live and the opportunity to meet Smith and Papadakis was a big draw.
“I actually live in Miami Beach, but I was visiting my parents in Santa Clarita and I heard that they were going to be here in Burbank so I wanted to come and see them,” Gabriel Perez said. “I love these guys. Since I don’t live here, I listen to them online and I download the podcast.
“What is great about their show is that they talk about more than just sports and they are really funny. The way the get along and kind of bounce things back and fourth is really great.”
In contrast, David Sverson of Sherman Oaks said he tries to come out to as many Petros and Money events as he can.
“This is my third one I’ve gone to this year and I went to four of them last year,” Sverson said. “Something good always happens to me when I come to these events. Sometimes I win prizes, which is nice.
“It is nice because you see some of the same people at these events and I also get to meet new people. They always make it fun.”
Norman Arguelles didn’t have to travel far to be a part of the festivities. Arguelles is a math teacher and assistant track and field coach at Burroughs High.
“I’m a big fan of the show,” he said. “I have been waiting for them to finally come to Burbank. They have been all over the place like Fullerton and Rancho Cucamonga, but never here. So they broadcast in Burbank and I work here, so when I heard they were going to be here I had to come. They finally came to Burbank and that’s great.”