SilentPunt Podcast 226 / October 29, 2026
I’m not a huge fiction reader, but apparently a former UFC fighter preparing to fight a bear will get my attention. Author Jon Finkel joins me to talk about his new thriller, Bear Brawl, his days feeding Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla on The Man Show, and the stories behind his books about Randy Savage and Seattle basketball.
I’ve been a loyal subscriber to Jon’s Books & Biceps newsletter for years, so this was a fun one. Bear Brawl comes out November 10 - you can preorder it and grab two free chapters at BearBrawl.com. Stick around for the SilentPunt Lightning Round, featuring presidential softball scouting and a passionate defense of the Costco chicken bake.
📚 Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:41 The Man Show & an Unlimited Costco Budget
06:21 Bagels vs. Donuts: Jon’s First Fiction Experiment
08:18 Hoops Heist & a Voicemail from Gary Payton
12:29 Writing Macho Man: Tracking Down Lanny Poffo
16:12 Randy Savage’s Dad & 6,000 Sit-Ups
19:14 “Dad, Could You Beat a Bear?” How Bear Brawl Began
23:22 Brock Lesnar & Building the Ultimate Bear Fighter
26:10 Making a Ridiculous Premise Believable
28:58 Man-Eating Bears & the Research Behind the Story
32:48 Building Bear Brawl’s World in Arkansas
36:02 The Real Japanese Bear Attack Behind the Book
38:16 SilentPunt Lightning Round: Drafting Presidents
39:16 The Case for a Lifetime Supply of Costco Chicken Bakes
40:34 A Novel for People Who Don’t Read Novels
42:22 Where to Find Bear Brawl & Read Two Free Chapters
You can also find Jon on Twitter/X at Jon_Finkel
