One of the biggest podcast stars in opinion media was on hand Thursday night in Magnolia as Dan Bongino, the former NYPD Officer and U.S. Secret Service agent-turned conservative political pundit, headlined Farmers Bank & Trust’s 15th Annual Distinguished Speaker series at Southern Arkansas University's Reynolds Center. During his visit, the Queens, New York, native and former Republican U.S. Congressional nominee in Maryland who nearly pulled off a huge upset over incumbent Democratic Rep. John Delaney in 2014, had nothing but great compliments for Magnolia, its people, and its cuisine.
Ahead of his Thursday book signing and speaking engagement, Bongino and his wife, Paula, made their way to one of the town’s most renowned eateries, E. Main Street's Backyard Barbeque Co. To say the frequent Fox News contributor and multiple-time “New York Times” Bestselling author was impressed with the food would be an understatement.
“I had a long day yesterday,” said Bongino as he began his talk Thursday night. “I had to tape two podcasts, and we had already been through Alabama on our way here. When my wife and I got to Magnolia, we were pretty tired. But I got an opportunity to go eat some Barbecue at a local restaurant, Backyard Barbeque – I guess you all know it well. I said to Paula, ‘We’re not passing up a chance to eat barbecue while we’re in Arkansas.’”
When he and a small group of locals connected completed their meals, Bongino did something he says he rarely does anymore -- he posted a personal message and endorsement of the locally known barbecue joint to his massive social media following.
“Whatever that guy’s doing back there, he’s doing it right,” said Bongino of the Backyard’s owner, David Greer on Thursday.
A photo of Bongino inside the restaurant surfaced Wednesday night for all of the podcaster’s 1.26 million Twitter followers and 600,000 Facebook fans to see with a caption that read: “Just ate some of the best barbecue of my life in Magnolia, Arkansas at Backyard Barbecue. Thanks for the hospitality and for the absolutely killer brisket and ribs.”
As of Friday, the post had accumulated nearly 20,000 likes and over 520 Facebook comments alone.
Responses to the post ranged from casual invites by fans to try hidden barbecue places across the south, to compliments by Arkansans and regional neighbors which had eaten at Backyard Barbeque in passing.
“The place will probably have to close for a day to restock inventory thanks to Bongino,” said one Facebook user.
At his Thursday night speaking engagement, the conservative media personality spoke for more than an hour in front of a sold-out Grand Hall of roughly 350 spectators. The 44-year-old touched on his Italian-American background growing up in Queens, his time on the U.S. Secret Service’s Presidential Detail for both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, his failed attempt at a Maryland Senate seat in 2012 and his almost-win to Congress in 2014, and especially on his third book, “Exonerated: The Failed Takedown of President Donald Trump by the Swamp. But the man with the number-one-rated podcast by Apple Podcasts this week in the United States of America: News Commentary category, was not finished complimenting Magnolia. He was on a book tour and held a signing at SAU’s book store before the dinner and lecture. He also was whisked upstairs to the Reynolds Center’s conference room directly after he was finished speaking to the local crowd for a live hit on Fox News’ Sean Hannity Show -- and it all went off without a hitch.
Bongino noted in his lecture how much he had enjoyed his time in the small southwest Arkansas town.
“I can't say enough how well I’ve been treated,” he said. “The infrastructure and the logistics of this operation have been nothing short of great.”