Join professional barrel man and Justin endorsee, Matt Merritt, as he and host Taylor McAdams race to apply their makeup the fastest. Matt also shares his inspiring story of battling cancer during a crucial time in his career, revealing the challenges he faced and the support he received from the rodeo community. This episode is a blend of humor, resilience, and heartfelt moments you won't want to miss!
Taylor McAdams: Hey everybody, and thanks for listening to another episode of The Kick Your Boots up podcast. Feel free to tell us what you think like, subscribe, share it with your friends. The set looks a little bit different this week. And before we get to know the next guest, we're gonna get to dive a little bit deeper into story. I want to challenge you map merit to a competition to see who can put on their makeup the fastest. So thank you for being a champ and wanting to do this. And I guess before we get started, tell us about what you're about to do. And then we'll kind of talk through it once we get started.
Matt Merritt: Yes, I'm about to put on my my rodeo clown face my rodeo makeup. It all mean something to me. I don't know. However the guys do it. But you'll see initials there for people that I love people that I'm thinking about when I'm getting ready. So not to start off all sentimental and sappy. But that's a that's the truth of it. It's my reflection time before I go do the job that I love. And I don't know, tell me about your makeup. What's What's the secret to yours?
Taylor McAdams: Well, honestly, it's a hodgepodge of things. I really, I can't even explain the chaos that's going on here. But I've got to ask you, are you going to be doing anything with your eyes? Are you doing any eye shadow?
Matt Merritt: When I first started I had I would do like from the I'm talking forehead down all the way down? Oh, yeah, it was horrible. I couldn't get it out of my head, my eyebrows would be all caked up. So I changed it as, as I got a little older and I do triangles under each eye, okay. And then the initials kind of around it and I put across on my nose. And then I do little dots around there. And, you know, traditionally back in the day, rodeo clowns would have a lot of makeup like I did when I first began. And we're doing a little bit less now and I'll even change it a little bit weekly, but it's always the foundation of the triangles in the initials.
Taylor McAdams: I love that. I love that we're about to know the story as you do it. I'm gonna reach down and grab my phone real quick so we can tie Okay, not that it matters, but it is going to be cool to know how fast you can do it.
Matt Merritt: You know, you want to hear really interesting fact. Yes. All makeup kit. I've been doing this for 24 years. And I use this bandana to wipe the powder off that I used to say it and just listen. I don't know if you can. I've never watched that thing. 20
Taylor McAdams: Maybe you can hear that. Feel it and I smell it. This is so cool.
Matt Merritt: Four years of bad decisions in your hand.
Taylor McAdams: That's amazing. Nobody's ever seen that before I'm sure and it's so funny because rodeo queens or even people that were outstayed, you know, stage makeup they do setting so I didn't know that you said it.
Matt Merritt: About this stuff, too. I don't want to talk about their product. And I'm going to turn that label in. Because they don't sponsor us. But it works really nice.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah, that is so crazy. Oh my gosh, everyone out there girls who knew that
Matt Merritt: Reba, she's a Justin's Justin Endorsee. I got my Reba mirror. I need a mirror. Well, here's your one chance fancy. Let me down to mirror. So you just say when? Okay, okay, get my stuff out.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah, get it out. I got the Headstart and got it all laid out.
Matt Merritt: So just give me one moment you do your thing. I'm gonna do white and black are the only colors I'm gonna. Oh, that looks.
Taylor McAdams: I'm not gonna lie. Matt. That looks so disgusting.
Matt Merritt: That looks like you're about to just go my whole setup here. Yeah, the glop. That just Yeah, it is. What she's talking about. And glop is this. You know which camera this stuff will last forever though. Like I've had this white for years. Wow. I've had some of them for 10 years.
Taylor McAdams: I believe it because you only need a little bit, right?
Matt Merritt: A little goes a long way.
Taylor McAdams: Are you ready?
Matt Merritt: I use two hands, by the way, because I'm usually very nervous before I perform. So I'm going to this is my technique, and I shake bad because I drink a lot of coffee.
Taylor McAdams: So we're kind of mimicking let's pretend you're about to go fight a bull then.
Matt Merritt: I’m just as nervouse to compete against you as I would being in the arena. With a bull.
Taylor McAdams: Oh my gosh. Okay, well, without further ado, I'm going to count us down 321 Go This is crazy. So what are you starting with first? The triangles. Okay, and I'm going to do some contouring. Do you ever contour probably not.
Matt Merritt: I don't even know what that means. This is amazing. Chances are if I don't sometimes see I did good today but sometimes I'll get my triangles the wrong size and I gotta erase one but they're pretty close to
Taylor McAdams: that bugs you then it matters to you what
Matt Merritt: yeah it's like tying one shoe tighter than the other
Taylor McAdams: Okay, that's real
Matt Merritt: Or like I don't know ever raced anyone I'm trying to stay calm. It's like a calf Roper like you get in too much of a hurry you bobble I don't want to bobble
Taylor McAdams: Oh, and then we have to do a whole podcast episode looking this way. So we do. I don't want to say I don't want to say look like a clown but it's okay if you look like a clown because
Matt Merritt: It pays the bills.
Taylor McAdams: That's right.That's right. And I did cheat, I want everyone to know I wanted it to be a little bit fair. So I at least did the base. I did all the base and the powder and the setting, I don't have a base. And then one thing that I think is cool about you with your makeup is I noticed like on pink night, you'll have pink on your nose or pink. So explain the different colors like why do you? Well,
Matt Merritt: I mean, I don’t wear the foundation, it's even on my book, like, well, it's not on the tail. But on my it's, again, my initials and those shapes that stick with but the the color are kind of put, I'll show you what I've done, there's a place where the red will go, or if it's yellow or whatever color sometimes I'll change that just to kind of fit the mood, patriotic night. Maybe I'll do a little more red, white and blue.
Taylor McAdams: I have seen the I'm so glad you said that. Because I have seen you do the American flags on your face for like,
Matt Merritt: People gave me the advice when I started. You need to wear the same color shirt and do your makeup exactly the same every time. Yep. Because that's how they recognize you. And it's your brand. I've heard that too. And I said, Well, everybody else is doing that. So I'll just change mine every now and then and wear a different shirt every time and I'll be if they don't know my name, though, at least say hey, it's the guy that never dresses.
Taylor McAdams: You know, I can't say that I've ever said that about you. But I will now! “It's the guy that never dresses the same.” That's funny. Have you ever talked to this much while putting your makeup on? What's the weirdest experience you've had putting your makeup on? I
Matt Merritt: guess so this is a lot of times I'm you know away from my wife often. So this is when Bonnie and I do a lot of our talking and she'll ask a question. And you know, I got her on the speakerphone or whatever. And I can't respond. You say I'm okay.
Taylor McAdams: I didn't realize it was this serious? To be honest. I just I kind of thought you just grabbed your fingers. But you even have a brush going on.
Matt Merritt: Everyone does it different. A lot of the guys I work with they use their finger and they smear it all over and then they do the black second. And I do on the opposite. So see I'm getting close. How close are you?
Taylor McAdams: Not at all close? But that's okay. Because if you wish. Yes. And what's so crazy is like TV magic. We're actually not doing any TV magic at all. We're actually doing it all here live. But like even after we film this podcast, there's like an event later. So of course I have to make it look good. And same for you. Of course you have to make it look good. Yeah. Okay, wait, so I see the initials.
Matt Merritt: Okay, so they're backwards. I don't know on the camera. They backwards to you. They're backwards, right? Yeah. Because they're right for you in the mirror right for me in the mirror. And it's my time to think of these people. A is my grandfather, my father and my daughter's first initial. And I was supposed to be Edgar Harold Merritt the third but my mother wouldn't allow for it. So the E is Edgar. No, that was my grandfather's grandfather's name. My mom said no, I was Matt or Matthew actually. Anyway, Edgar, but good job, mom. Yeah, it wouldn't work so good. And when I was little. So that's for eta is it's mainly for but it's also kind of my dad and grandpa. The H is my middle initial, and my father and grandfather. And then as we go on, this is G and C. Who was Gary Crocker, a rodeo clown. That helped me a lot when I was young and gave me a lot of advice. He's passed on. So it's kind of my moment to think of him and then I kind of work my way up, but do eh, GC. And I always do my cross because I'm a Christian. And I gotta have him on my side.
Taylor McAdams: Yes, you can't do what you do and not have them on your side or in on your face and on your nose. And I always say we rang Jesus on your shoulder. So same thing, you're on your nose,
Matt Merritt: and then my wife is Bonnie. So I do a B up here.
Taylor McAdams: A B, C, I was thinking that was an R.
Matt Merritt: Well, there is gonna be an R here. For really well. Then there's a little one final deal. Everybody thinks that I'm doing like whiskers like it's supposed to be a cat. But it's M's for Matt Merritt. Oh, my face here.
Taylor McAdams: Definitely thought it was whiskers. No, that's Oh.
Matt Merritt: And then I've polished it up with some white dots. I'll be done. You'll still be doing here.
Taylor McAdams: I'll still be doing better than I thought though, because I definitely thought you were going to be way ahead.
Matt Merritt: So Well, I still had to put the powder on and use that old dirty rag I have which
Taylor McAdams: Okay, by the way, how do you not have like acne or anything from not cleaning that rag?
Matt Merritt: It's just what the powder off so when I'm putting on my makeup, I put these dots on here, because they're pretty decorative. Really just kind of see how it makes it look like you're wearing a lot more makeup. But then at the end, I put on that cross. I do my three. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That's my three dots. First thing I'll say to myself as I'm putting it on, and then I go, I've never watched this one either.
Taylor McAdams: Oh, that one's bad too.
Matt Merritt: This is the one that you put the powder on.
Taylor McAdams: And that's like microfiber. So that that holds some stuff
Matt Merritt: some stuff some some years. Yeah, that has.
Taylor McAdams: What do you say? 24 years of bad, bad decisions since we're doing this, I know you mentioned when we weren't recording that you've put your makeup on, like in a rental car. Oh, rental car. Where's the craziest? Yeah, like, tell me where you've done it.
Matt Merritt: Locker rooms, rental cars. One time. I was going down Greg Simon. He's a rodeo announcer and we were in at cow town New Jersey. And we've done a rodeo in New York somewhere. And we had to we had to go to cow town that night. We were gonna barely make it. So he's driving and I'm putting my makeup on going down the road, which was for women. My mom when I was growing up. That's how she got ready for work every day taking us to school. But for me, it was it was pretty crazy. Because we're hitting bumps and I'm used to doing You're done. You're done. Well tell my setting spray set and then yeah, I'm done. Oh my god. I just gotta get that stuff.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah, it's so funny. Yeah. Okay, that just took you seven minutes. We were talking.
Matt Merritt: It's embarrassing. I didn't realize how long it took. And I always get ready an hour before the rodeo. So maybe I need to reel it in a little bit. Well,
Taylor McAdams: it's part of your ritual now you can't change. Okay, well, because he beat me and I am only halfway ready. We're gonna take a quick pause but when we come back, we're gonna reset and get to know the real Matt Merritt with the makeup. Stay tuned we'll be right back to Narrator: step into the legendary style of a king of country with the George Strait collection from Justin boots. fit for a king. These boots boasts an advanced cushioning system and are crafted with the finest exotic leathers embodying George's iconic comfort and stage worthy presence. George Strait: Make sure to check out the George Drake election from Justin boots. Standard of the West since 1879. Narrator: Find yours today at Justin boots.com
Taylor McAdams: Hey everybody, we're back in studio we look a little bit normal. A little bit different. You got some face makeup on. That was so fun, Matt. Thanks for doing that. You're a real trooper.
Matt Merritt: Yeah, you asked me well, we're applying our makeup. What's the weirdest place I've ever put it on? And then after some reflection, I realized it was here today on a podcast.
Taylor McAdams: That's the coolest. I wish we had a trophy for that was so you could take it with you. Really? Good. You know what, here you go. You can take your mug with you. No, that's really awesome. This was fun. I loved it. That was the first time I've ever done it on camera too. So I hope you guys enjoyed it. I hope you learned something I know I did. I learned that Matt Merritt never washes his face rags. I don't know that's questionable.
Matt Merritt: I need to weigh it and see how much it weighs. It's two pounds at least maybe it hurts me at the airport. So one thing I can't get rid of it's what is my way more than your whole case?
Taylor McAdams: Yes, not really. But anyway, so going get getting into you and about a little bit about your story before we tell everyone about how cool you are now currently, let's talk about how you got started in bull and being a bear. Oh man, and I think even bull riding too.
Matt Merritt: Well, I can explain. I know. I never I never had any bull riding equipment. I thought it'd be neat to be a bull rider where I grew up a place called The Two By Four Ranch, a guy named Julian Robertson live there. And all my little buddies we get on steers and junior bowls and stuff and I would go up there and I did get on a couple of steers but didn't even get to the point where I bought equipment. Our I realized quickly as I don't like this, it doesn't feel good. I was honest with myself at a young age which is you? Yeah. Which was cool. Because glad I didn't go down that path. It wasn't for me. What did they say people you flight or fright? Fighter? fighter flight? Yeah, I think I also there's freeze. So I did all three. I want to fight flight and freeze. I just didn't know. They say it slows down for you know, it didn't ever slow down for me. Okay, I was funny. And like the tension off I went,
Taylor McAdams: Oh my gosh. And then I guess what made you transition into being a barrel man from that?
Matt Merritt: Well, I mean, again, that was all I've ever really done. It was I could be around the rodeos, with my friends and also do what I wanted to do. So like when I was in school, I really liked to be in plays and stand up in front of the class and give speeches and I enjoy. I don't know if it's the attention I liked or is a lot of, you know, Bull. To ride one or to fight one is scary. But I think the number one fear in the world is probably public speaking. And I got a real thrill out of that. then maybe the same thrill that drove those guys to go be rodeo athletes. And then I took it a step further, and I decided to do public speaking dress like this.
Taylor McAdams: So, even scarier, which is honestly really great, because at the end of the day, I think they say you're exactly right about public speaking, it's the biggest fear into picture people in their underwear or whatever. But you're like I can do I'm better you just look at me, I already look like a clown.
Matt Merritt: So you get much worse or it does help to have this Sometimes it took over the years, I've been doing it long enough and made enough appearances and done television, and things got to be in a movie once. But all these things that have happened, I'm more comfortable in my own skin and dressed however I happen to be dressed, making appearances or whatever. But there was a time where the makeup almost saved me from fear because I could be the clown Matt Merritt, not just the guy. So I'm over it now.
Taylor McAdams: But it was it was like a crutch a time in your life that is so relatable, especially I know, a lot of our listeners are kind of like to younger, or older teens younger 20s and into their 30s, too. And that's I mean, that's me. But it's a vulnerable time in your life. You're trying to figure things out. And so if you could have something like that, that will help you get through professionally. That's really cool, too. But I think it also helps you connect with the kids as well. I've seen you interact. I think it was Salinas. I don't remember what rodeo It was back in the day or a few years ago. But you were so not only were you the entertainer in the arena, but you were so sincere and intimate with this little kid that was like, just I mean googly eyed for you. And what is that? What is that like for you and your perspective?
Matt Merritt: Super rewarding. You know, and there's kids that they're too super scared of you too. So you had to kind of read that I think I'm serious. It's you can walk up to Hey, buddy, how are you at the gate. And then you just see their eyes kind of stuck in their head, deerstalker will up and they want to just climb inside their mom's arms. And you have to just leave, you know, like, I'm sorry, buddy, you know, and then they may have a sister that loves you. So you kind of want to show that kid attention and you're scaring the other one. So you kind of read the room, right? But the little kids man see them happy. And it's wild how they react to you. And and they you know, it's kids dressed like me for Halloween. Like, it's emotional, like, wow, it's kids. I'm doing something that kids like so much that they want to be me when they grew up or wear my jersey. It's, it's really, really rewarding.
Taylor McAdams: I bet it is. That's, yeah, so beyond cool. And I completely forgot about people being afraid of clowns.
Matt Merritt: SoI'd say it's right next to public speaking.
Taylor McAdams: You just got to have the hardest things going for it. And you're making it that's so awesome. And I guess tell us a little bit about more about like your family and kind of how you are able to do it all because it's a juggling act. We're just talking off camera, about all the different places you're gonna go after this and how we were able to make this work and stuff. So just tell us about the behind the scenes stuff that we wouldn't really get to see normally.
Matt Merritt: I mean, I can I can preach right now, this very moment. I don't know if it's an evergreen podcast, or what day we're going to post it on, but it'd be in the future.
Taylor McAdams: So that's okay, well, by then, you have already done this.
Matt Merritt: So, I have events booked. It's 2024. Now, I have events booked all the way to 2031. Not every weeks booked, but I have things that far out. So you got to start scheduling stuff for years in advance. That's that's one thing. But then you look at the day to day, you know, my wife, Bonnie, we've been married 20 years this year, and 2024, I have a 15 year old daughter Rui and an 11 year old daughter named Adam. And they love horses in the Western way of life in North Carolina at our little work and ranch. So they have all their horses and all the things that we need and our dogs and stuff. And we have a home that was built in 1917. So I have like this nice place. And it's so crazy. Because I'm not able to be there a lot. But if I want to have a home to go to and have my big shower that I love and my bedroom and my kitchen, all the things that I enjoy my wife or somebody has to be there to take care of it. And so it's really challenging. We have a very special relationship, um, to be married. 20 years is awesome and it's self much less with the lifestyle we live in right now. Trying to remember when I left home, I brought a camper and a truck to Texas from North Carolina for the Waxahachie, Texas rodeo, whatever that was two months ago. I left the truck and trailer flew back did events back and forth a couple times I've since I don't know probably 10 1215 rodeos and an animal leaving here tomorrow, taking it to New Mexico and leaving it for two weeks. While we go to California coming back to it. They're moving it to Colorado, then to Salt Lake leaving it there for a couple of weeks and it goes to Wyoming and then to Kansas and my wife eventually brings my children and meets me in Kansas and takes the rig back to North Carolina. I don't even go back. Wow. Yeah. So but we're meeting and going on trips together and they come see me on the road but yeah, I know I just went off, but it's I don't think anybody in the world. I don't know what other baseball players are what I mean, how do they do it? Because the way we do it's crazy. I mean, you don't you don't get home much. If you want to go to all the events.
Taylor McAdams: No, you're right. And that's kind of your sacrifice as their dad and husband to to get to be able to provide the nice things you do have to be often. It's kind of it's, it's, I'm so glad you brought this up, because I'm happy to talk about this. My dad was a welder in the oil field. And luckily, he didn't do too much of like the union type work. But I know that when they do they go off for weeks at a time they come back. And it's maybe comparable to that. But you're right. It's like a standalone. I mean, because you build your own rodeo family that that you go with, you know, from weekend to weekend. And Anthony Lucia, we just had him on the podcast. His episode just aired a while ago now once this will be live. You're staying with him now. And we love him. We love that and talk about the camaraderie there then because even though like you guys are truly just like cowboys, because cowboys have traveling partners, they get through life by helping each other out. And you and Anthony, same thing. You guys are contract personnel, you probably work a lot of the same rodeos talk about just the all the camaraderie there.
Matt Merritt: There's a number of guys that I work with Anthony being one of them. And I work with a lot. And it's kind of a bit of like a band of brothers. I mean, we go into Fort Worth the American for instance. Yeah, so just a little insight for anybody that doesn't really know what we do. I know I'm sitting here, I just realized I still have my makeup. Maybe you're not taking me serious, but I know what my job is to feel dead air at a rodeo, right. So I tend to be in the barrel as well. But dead air is what I do most of the performance. And to feel that I have to have partners, I have to have someone with music and announcer that can I can bounce things off of. So like this year at the American I did think it was 14, three minute breaks. And you were in your monitor and the television producer is like hey, we're in commercial, give me two minutes and you'll start something that you kind of graded in your head that lasts two minutes. And then in a minute 58 He goes, give us two more minutes because they've got an interview going on on TV that they can't come back from or whatever. So having Anthony Garrett here again, a lot of the different people that I work with back and forth. And Brad narducci and people on the music is saving grace. So when I say Band of Brothers, it's almost like you leave the American or one of those big long rodeos, you're sweating, you're tired, you're mentally drained. And you know that he's been through the same thing. So I don't really know what it's like to be a contestant but I can imagine you know, Heather and a healer traveling together, they're wore out they're tired they're really needed to count on each other and that big moment and you it creates a brotherhood so sort of the same thing for us and yeah, we'll pull over and stay at Anthony's in my camper for a little while and you know those guys will come try to see me when they're out east and yeah it's it's it's really cool. I say I have a family at home and definitely have one on the road too. And we pray together and you know we we live and die together out there.
Taylor McAdams: That is so just wow. So well spoken I love your perspective on that this is the first time I'm hearing a true a rodeo clowns perspective that's not funny and jokey and, and it's more on the serious side. And I really appreciate and respect that because that's a huge part of it. And a lot of people don't realize like let's talk about the American for example, if you didn't watch it, go watch a recap video out there. It is a production it's the what is they call it the riches weekend and rodeo are one of because it's a million dollar deal. It's huge. And you guys this year specifically, you got to wear your Texas Rangers jerseys. You got that that was so fun. But I remember I didn't I didn't count that you had 14. But I remember there were lots of times where you had to just pull something out of the hat. So let's talk about that. When you have a rodeo that that's that's that big. There's people still filing and all day because the concerts are going on later. You know, people are just coming in and out. How do you keep going and keep the momentum and let your adrenaline just keep carrying you through? How do you do it all?
Matt Merritt: Well, you're excited. I mean, so your adrenaline's up. So you have that just naturally because I'm so proud and happy to be there. And yeah, it's a milestone when you're in a coliseum or a building that big. You have that but then as far as the techniques that I use to create comedy, they give me a heads up, we're gonna have this many breaks after one after bareback, right and one after see wrestling or whatever. So I kind of know the amount of time that they're gonna last. And then I have a few gimmicks up my sleeve. But then I go, I do a lot of research. Like, I'll look up the national day calendar, celebrity birthdays. Like, I did the rodeo over here the other day and Kid Rock, left a cigar on the ground. And I picked a cigar up and wrapped it in a napkin. Anyway, I came out later that I needed to kill like two or three minutes. And I'm gonna be rich in the announcers like hell, because you're not going to make it here. You know, jokingly Yeah, I said, Well, no, no, it's from something I've gained since I've been here at this event. And they said, like, like That's really nice of you the knowledge and they expect Ah, you're gonna be wealthy from that. Oh, no, no, no. I'm going to sell something on eBay. And then I like unravel this cigar and lay it on the ground and until the camera guys zoom in, and the announcers, like what is it? Is that what I think it is? And I go, Oh no, it's not fecal matter because it was a little cigar. Kid Rock cigar. I picked it up. I'm gonna sell it on eBay. He goes, How can you prove it's Kid Rock cigar? Oh, I can prove it. Now you can't prove it. I said, Yes, I can. And then I smelled it on screen. Yeah, because it smells like they'll Brisby his mom and he was sitting there. So that was kind of the joke and stupid stuff like that. I mean, it's off the cuff in the moment. It might not be evergreen, it may not last forever. But at that moment with him there and they'll always be there. That was. It was awesome.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah, I love that. Because lately my kind of motto has been when life gives you lemons make lemonade. And that is exactly what you did there. Like kill time. You're like, okay, kid, rock. Cigar. Done. God. Yeah. Did you guys I have to ask you. Did you get to plan that at least tell them ahead of time? Or did he automatically the announcer just like was it Mapquest?
Matt Merritt: Yeah, Matt was it just had to happen? Yeah. That See, when I first started to all of my rodeo career, I had the clown car. I had the dog that did tricks, I had all these acts that I carried with me. And it got harder because you have to rely on the announcer to say the script, right? The music has to hit at the perfect time. And some of this stuff that I'm doing now. But the start doing a deal with Justin boots where I can give away a pair of boots, new boot goof and just have a few people dancer, do some fun stuff like that. That's in the moment.
Taylor McAdams: Now if I don't see a boot chug, I'm gonna be really they call him shoe.
Matt Merritt: He's in Australia. They're disgusting. I don't know why people would do that.
Taylor McAdams: No, no. No, anyways, that's cool. Sorry to interrupt.
Matt Merritt: No, no, but stuff like that's what I want to do. Because it's in the moment, I can use my wit in the crowds experience that they're having at the moment. It's hard to entertain people because they don't have a phone. And if I like baseball, I could be talking to you and looking at the Chicago Cubs starting lineup for tonight's game. Instead of truly being invested in our audiences at rodeo, they have that same opportunity. So we need to be able to give them something they're not expecting so that they're constantly looking around the room, waiting to see what's next.
Taylor McAdams: I love that. And I think a good example, there's a few good examples I've seen, but one in particular is the fan of the night where you get to present a buckle it that's something that you personally do, right?
Matt Merritt: A lot of guys do it. It's not something that I came up with or that I do. But it's it's a really good thing for the audience. And I think there's some psycho psychological stuff that goes on when you're in the audience that if I give away Justin boots after the steer wrestling, and then a little bit later, we have a buckle that we're gonna give away or two or three things and we're moving over here we give away something and then in third section we gave away something. You start thinking what could be next I might win something and you're a little more invested. And we use that fan of the night. I've had some legitimately almost brought to tears like impactful moments where you know of special needs person get to have Dickies arena, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and you say 20,000 people, however many is in there. Yeah, get a standing ovation to a kid because they received a buckle. And it's just they're smiling and glow. And it's just one of the coolest things I've ever been able to do. So I love and of the night. It's one of my if I could do it at every rodeo. I would. Yeah,
Taylor McAdams: I think so too. And I think one I didn't see it in person. But maybe on Facebook, it might have gone viral. But it was like a couple that was they had just gotten married or something and you got to give them a buckle. I don't remember what it was. But that was really cool.
Matt Merritt: A few there's one that went viral. I don't remember where it was, it was a PBR. And the guy had had cancer. And then like I was able to, but he's fighting and he was there anyway. And it was like a big deal for him to make it to that event. You know what forget sometimes just to get out of bed and go watch something. It's hard for some people because what they're facing, and his wife had written a letter and slipped it to me. And that's another cool thing is you get a lot of notes doing what I do. I'll be walking around the arena. You'll run over the end, you know, hey, there's it. Sometimes it's Hey, there's a bachelorette party over here. And then sometimes it's Hey, there's a really interesting story or there's someone from another country that's never experienced rodeo and I get to kind of see a lot of that. And behind the scenes stuff.
Taylor McAdams: That is so awesome. And I think what is unique about you, and I hope that you're okay that I'm talking about this, but you mentioned the guy with cancer. You've experienced something like that. Yeah, experience his perspective. So talk about that.
Matt Merritt: Yeah, in 2019 and 20. I had cancer they had, I've done my fourth edition a couple about a month ago I did my fourth scan, make sure I'm all clean and I am but praise the Lord. Amen. Sister, Psalms 91. I could tell him a whole amount as well. Do we have time of course Uh, I'll tell you what happened. So okay, I go, I got this lump on my neck and I'll go to the doctor, I'm in California somewhere. And he's like, look, when, when a guy gets sick, like a viral stuff, sometimes your lymph nodes swell up, probably do that take this antibiotic. So it kind of goes down, it comes back in about a year goes by being a rodeo guy. You know how we are. It's fine. It's going away. I'm not tough. I don't mean I'm not that guy. But it's like me fine. We got Sports Med if Justin Sports Med, you know, you got those guys and always kind of don't want to go to the real doctor because I know I'm gonna bump into one of these guys and McCone or somebody down the road, and I can get it for free. So anyway, I'm tooling along and go to my doctor at home, which I've never there, but I went, and this she says, yeah, probably cancer. And I'm like,
Taylor McAdams: Hang on. Wait, she just said that.
Matt Merritt: She had no other way. She wasn't wrong. her bedside manner was great. Yeah. She's had to say, look, probably what it is. And I went, Okay, whatever. She says, No, I'm like, Yeah, whatever. I'll go get it looked at at this other doctor. She told me to go to Winston Salem, North Carolina. So when I was driving in, I get off the exit in this big buildings here. And I look in it says, like, whatever Cancer Center, and then I'm like, she believed that enough. She sent me here. Okay, so I'll go in there and, you know, nerve starting to get up. I get in the room, and the guy literally takes his needle biopsy, he's almost biopsy it right now. He pops it in there. takes it out goes around the corner. And one good thing about this facility, he's straight up came back. Min moments. Is it? Yeah, it's went Squamish. Forgive me, I can't say squamous cell carcinoma. And I don't know what that means. And anyway, so he says, I guess this would have been September or early October, or that October maybe of 19. And now, mind you, I have a trip scheduled to go to Las Vegas for the PBR challenger tour finals at the south point. Flint still working PBR. So he's doing the big one AT T Mobile. And then I'm leaving, there is the World Finals weekend. In October, it was usually like Halloween, I'm gonna leave there. And I gotta go to Australia for two or three weeks. And this is my income, right? So until the NFR, have a talk show at the NFR. So until the NFR. I'm not going to make any more money, right? I need this October, in mid November, money from Australia. And the doctor says you can't go. You don't need surgery. And I said, he said surgery, he's probably going to do it. We just got to get that out of there. And I'm like, Man, I gotta go to work. So I'm not going to get to work again until, you know, I'm just not gonna make any money. I gotta provide for my family. He has this surgery. I said, No, I've got to go to work. He goes, Okay, I'll let you go to the Vegas thing. And I'll let you go to Australia. But the minute you get back, we have to do surgery. So now my talk show at the NFR is out. And, okay, that's okay. I'm gonna be able to make enough money, we can skate along. And I go. This is where my testimony comes into play. It's just scary. Like when you hear the C word, I call it we didn't want to say it around my house. So when you hear that? It crushes you. You're terrified. You think the worst? I have kids? So you know, don't want to even tell them? No. So now I gotta go to Vegas is not a great city to be in when you're scared and sick and all that. And then on the Australia alone, no wife, you know, different country. Yeah. And knowing no, I'm gonna have more money. I don't need to spend it's 2500 bucks just to fly to Australia. So I don't want to buy her a ticket and do all that. So I get to Vegas. I had written or excuse me, read the entire Bible. It was like a life goal of mine. I had finished it before all this happened. And I had started back reading Psalms because it's kind of uplifting. And this is more my attitude. And this is before I know I'm sick. So I got my Bible out there. I'm reading it in the room at Southpoint. And I go downstairs for the heroes and legends like the Ring of Honor the PBR Hall of Fame thing, right and Leonhard JW. Hart's wife bumps into me. And she goes, had a dream about you last night. And she's real pretty, and everybody picks on JW for having way prettier wife than he deserves. I bet you did. You know, I'm joking. Cuz I'm like your clown. Yeah, whatever, you know, and she says, No, I'm serious. I'm supposed to tell you something. And I'm like, what she goes through. And I said, huh, she goes through, not through but like going through and I just almost broke down. And I went up to my room. I'm like, This is creepy, almost like it's odd for her and we're friends. But for her to stop and tell me that it was it was divine. And so then I go to my room, and I opened my Bible app on my phone and it says, read Psalms 91 out loud. So, okay, I go open my book. Remember I told you I had been reading songs. When I opened my Bible. My bookmark was at the end of 90, so if I would have opened it up, it was gonna be 91 Anyway, that I was up next. So it's like God can read it, read it read it is no matter what I did, it was gonna be there. So anyway, Psalms 91 is about protection and being under the umbrella of God's love. And I now remember how my mind was I'm, I'm in Vegas, I gotta go to Australia. It just clicked. peace that passes, all understanding jumped all over me. And I'm good. I go to Australia, maybe three of the best performances I've ever done. I was funny. I was loose. I was full of life. spread some joy got back on the plane came home. I did surgery. I was I went dear. Just surgery. Yeah, I couldn't shoot a rifle because it's a big scar. Yeah. And but I had a pistol I was deer hunting with a pistol and, and they called him in a deer stand. And you know, that number comes across from the hospital, somehow. Now, what is this? And then he said, Look, it was in your lymph nodes. And he said, it's kind of like an odd potato. It was like just sticking out a little bit of a couple of lymph nodes. It's not in your body anywhere else. But it was kind of trying to be so we're going to do chemo and radiation. No, I thought surgery was going to be everything. So luckily, I was young and healthy enough. The chemo I was able to do was two rounds. Instead of week after week, I just did two really heavy doses. And then I did 33 or some something like that radiation. So chemo make you sick couple of days and you kind of bounce back from it. And then the radiation they made a mask went from it was like you ever have a mouthpiece where you boil it any? Yeah, hold it. Yeah, it was like that was a mesh met plastic thing. And it went from my chest around my face, and it pinned to the table. So it would be pinned while they targeted the spot with radiation. And that was a little scary. And then the end of radiation was really bad on me because it was just it drained. You basically sunburn G so I lost about 30 pounds. But then, you know, a bounce back from it. I can remember telling my wife. I never want to have to do this again. But looking back couple years later, he called all up if I had to do it tomorrow if they said hey, we need to do radio, do it again. No, because it it worked. And but it's it's tough. So anybody going through that, you know, I feel it for you. Because it's it's not fun, but God gives you battles and I now have a testimony. Hopefully it helps somebody or Psalms 91 was there for me and I share it with a lot of people that you know, it's kind of like owning a dang jeep. Once you you're driving down the road you see all the other Jeep people and you have real special wave has like, gosh, it's sad how many people I bumped into that kind of have a similar story. Yeah.
Taylor McAdams: How they're just running full speed ahead and stop talking. You know? Wow, yeah, thank you for being vulnerable there i that impacted me in makeup. So I was just thinking like, you know, most people will take their makeup off to be vulnerable girls anyway guys, probably not to do this. But like girls will I've seen a lot of girls influencers, especially take their makeup off to be vulnerable. Yeah, and you've got you put your makeup on to be vulnerable. So I so appreciate that. And I can only imagine the things that you were thinking of, and I feel like I just saw something the other day I listened to a lot of podcasts probably since I host a podcast and one of the girls was saying that like life's not supposed to be easy. It's It's the Lord I feel like it brings you to things that are going to be hard knowing that he's gonna get you through them. And that's where you find your most heaviest faith moments. And I so I we don't have enough time to talk about this, but I so agree with you and I'm right there with you. That is incredible.
Matt Merritt: Oddly enough good experiences. Yeah. I don't know how I can make sense of that. But you quit caring about whether or not you turn the label out and the green beans in the cabinet. Yeah, and the OCD things and the little small arguments, you know, that's all irrelevant.
Taylor McAdams: When when it's like when it's such a serious topic like Yeah, yeah. Wow. Wow. Okay, so along those same lines, then, on the podcast, I always ask what's your best piece of advice for someone in their career or career field? So for me, I'm gonna ask you, what's your best piece of advice for someone that's going through maybe the C word, or maybe they're going through a battle that's like that can be cancerous that you know, work or a personal relationship or something? What's What's your advice there when they're going through just struggling?
Matt Merritt: Keep God first. That's pretty much all you got to do. And look, I'm not a preacher. I'm not, I'm a moron. I'm an idiot have done a bunch of stupid things. But yeah, I know that that's the roadmap. keep God first you can't make mistakes and that's before career before your wife. Where's that might come across? Yes, God first and you'll be alright. Yeah,
Taylor McAdams: Definitely. And that's the secret to 20 years of marriage.
Matt Merritt: And having a wife that is very so horrible. She's She's great to be around. I can't believe she puts up with me. I don't even know how to say that. Honestly,
Taylor McAdams: I know as a rodeo clown.
Matt Merritt: I can only imagine my jokes like everybody else. Oh, you're so funny. She's not shut up.
Taylor McAdams: Do you test them on her first?
Matt Merritt: Yeah, we test all the acts at home. And sometimes I have our like, I try to learn a new dance. Like, hey, how am I doing this? Right? And I really have to practice a lot of stupid stuff in front of her. So yeah, there's some fun times like all the games and stuff that we try to play my daughter's yesterday where they put the hat on FaceTime and had them make a I got this giant balloon that humans can fit in. I don't think you're supposed to lay anyway. I'm FaceTiming my one daughter's got the other one in the shop back with the hose reverse where it'll blow air and stuff suck air and which is so funny. First of all around her. It was quite funny. Yeah. It didn't work. So it will not be a new act. But now you know. Yeah.
Taylor McAdams: And it's probably been cool for your oldest daughter. She's starting to do some at Liberty riding right?
Matt Merritt: Yeah, so she's doing Liberty she got her PRCA permit so she'll have a card if she gets five rodeos. She had labrum surgery on her hip this year. She had Turner labrum so she's a little bit behind where we wanted her to be where she wanted to be. But she's super talented with horses Her name is Rui and she's going to be doing X and stuff in BRCA in the near future and she's already doing them at the local level around the house and very proud of her she's she had a special way with animals that I don't have I'm okay with a dog with a horse. I'm just the I'm to move too fast. And I'm too full of life I guess a horse you got to be a little more calm and I spoke a lot of caused a few setbacks. I'm gonna take off my makeup while we wait.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah, keep keep doing that while we're talking. And I love that you said that because part of your job as a clown is to kind of be ready and on edge. You know, when a bull is headed towards your way, you gotta like duck in the barrel. But the you know what the number one question I've been dying to ask you is, what is it like to roll around in the barrel when a bull is charging at you? When all this stuff has happened? In what? What is it? Like? Do you get a headache?
Matt Merritt: I mean, yeah, yeah, I got a concussion. Two years ago in Fort Worth, so everyone's different. And it's, it doesn't always hurt, but it makes you dizzy. Like you're, you're rolling around and the you know, the worst part about it is the dirt, that dirt off your feet gets in the pan of the barrel. So it just falls in your eyes and you kind of like you want to look at the ends. And it's scary when you're stuck in there. And there's no you don't know if it's going to happen or not. Man like nowadays at Fort Worth, for instance, get your again was calling the show for a couple of years. and I were in ear monitor for the TV stuff you know, so I know how long my breaks need to be. But I would uh, he would tell me bulls coming 10 feet five feet three feet now. And so that was awesome. Wow, it helped me a lot. But um, you know, a lot of times you get down in there and the bullfighters have to take the ball away from the barrel or whatever and you don't know and you're just about to hit me you're just hanging on. I got a bunch of videos I can share with you. I don't know if you can edit them into this. But I'm aware of those Ray Ban glasses where you can see what's happening from my view. I have quite a few of those. And it's cool. You can hear the bullfighters and talking that might be that might be some insight people would be interested in because like dusty togas he goes hang on stay there. He's still out or he's he's leaving you're safe and picking on me and joking around and yeah, it's pretty fun.
Taylor McAdams: I like years ago, they probably would have never thought that that was even an option for you to do that. Yeah,
Matt Merritt: no, I look at some of those barrels when you go to the Hall of Fame and you see what they're made out of and old tires and stuff. It was man we're tough, tough, tough because Sean Caldwell makes mine and their airplane grade aluminum and the padding and all that he does make them though where they're not my first barrel I can remember was a little flat sided, kind of like a round piece and then cones on the bottom and top so when it hit it would smack the ground and almost can cuss a little bit. Oh, and the one I have now are the two that I have now are a little more egg. So when they hit that kind of roll like a football, okay, and it takes that impact out with the help of the Justin sports medicine team at Fort Worth, for instance, when we would fight a Spanish Red Bull every, every performance, they gave me a neck brace to wear and I had this little helmet. And so if I had that neck brace and I got in just right, it filled the void from the back of my head and my shoulders touching the barrel when I get in. So that was really good for me, especially doing Phyton of bull every single night.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah for 23 days or however long long
Matt Merritt: number 28 or something but anyway, it was a you take a pretty good beating there. But again that's goes back to that. Earning your stripes man two brothers type stuff. It's pretty cool to be in the locker room with Evan owl or dusty Topness Nathan Hart and and getting an ice bath afterward in the Justin sports medicine room and you know, no one you just kind of feel like you went to war and I shouldn't say that. I don't want to take away from our military or compare us to them. But in our own little world. It's pretty cool.
Taylor McAdams: I mean, you did battle the bulls so well.
Matt Merritt: I mean, I just held Hold on. They were they're the athletes. I don't want to compare myself to a bullfighter. But what I what I did still a lot of people wouldn't do so I was proud of it.
Taylor McAdams: Oh, yeah. And you should be very proud. That's I mean, so scary. I never in a million years would want to do that. Maybe when I was younger, I said I would want to ride a bull. But I definitely wouldn't want to get in a barrel for the anywhere near the, you know,
Matt Merritt: most bullfighters don't want to get in a barrel?
Taylor McAdams: Really?
Matt Merritt: No way. I want my chances on my feet. Were like me, I know. I can't get away. So yeah, I might as well just stay in here because it's gonna be way worse on me if I remember the whole fight flight or Yeah, I would freeze up. Yeah, my body would not be doing what my brain thought it would be doing.
Taylor McAdams: Have you ever had a scary situation where like the bullhorn got into the opening or anything? Yeah,
Matt Merritt: I mean, again, I can show you some video. The first year I did Fort Worth. I had one poke me really good. Through got me in the hip. Or the barrel? Yeah, so the barrel, obviously, you know how we can walk it, there's a bottom and in the bottoms kind of got a square piece cut in it where I can walk. But when you drop down, you're usually at the bottom of the barrel because you lay down on your side, and that's where you end up. Okay. So if he hits it just right, and rolls it over and you don't get scooted to the center that can poke you in that bowl. He kind of just turned his horn and those Spanish Red Bulls. They know where the ends of their horns are. There's bucking bulls where we tip them. And we tip the Spanish Red Bulls to the fight and bulls, but they know I think there look there's a difference between a Labrador and a wolf. Yes, they're both dogs. Yeah, you can make the argument that God made them both to be really similar. But the wolf don't act like the Labrador and it's the same way with a Mexican fight and will he's not like the bucking bulls. Even the main bucking bulls, he knows he he will fight a locomotive. He'll fight an airplane or camel. Human. He doesn't care. He doesn't. You can poke a great white shark in the nose in his swim away. That's the one animal on earth. Maybe next to a fire out. That won't run from anything. Anything. And it's quite quite amazing.
Taylor McAdams: That yeah, no, you could not pay me and you do you get paid to do that. So good for you.
Matt Merritt: Yeah, I don't like I don't like doing it a lot. Just so you know.
Taylor McAdams: Yeah, man. Well, we have had such a good chat with you. I know that you are very busy. So we so appreciate it. I have one follow up before we leave talking about barrels. I noticed like today you don't have it. You probably have to go fly ventually How do you travel with your barrel? How do you make it from rodeo to rodeo?
Matt Merritt: It's been a learning curve. Because of the way that I do things. I have a campers here and I have a barrel here. Okay, and then I have one in flying you. Reno Rosser has it in California. So he'll like the Reno Rodeo. It'll be out there. He'll bring it. That barrel was in Montana and billings, and a guy with a trucking company. The Chase hawks Memorial, the guy who puts it on actually shipped it for me. I'm not paid him to ship it. Sean Caldwell, who makes my barrels has an extra. So it's in Weatherford it'll make it his way to pay us for me later this summer. So and then a lot of the guys will let you borrow and we share so that we in Missoula will be born Dave Whitmore. So we all have barrels that we share when we need to. I like mine made for me, but I mean, whatever if you got to borrow you got to borrow. And
Taylor McAdams: Correct me if I'm wrong. 24 will be your first Reno Rodeo, right?
Matt Merritt: Yep, yep, first. Thank you, man. I'm getting so so blessed. And so many good rodeos. I got Pendleton this year for the first time. Reno. Yeah, I'm gonna be doing Caldwell Nampa coming up. No, not this year, but I have them booked in the future. And of course, I still get to be at Fort Worth. So um, St. Angelo next year. So yeah, it's it's a real honor. I did my first PBR world finals this year. So if I get an NFR buckle, that's going to be I got my PBR World Finals buckle. So if I could ever get an NFR I will have honestly be able to say I reached my life's goals. Yeah, me. I don't know not everybody gets to say that. And hopefully I'm getting closer.
Taylor McAdams: I think so. I mean, I don't know the history before but last year cheering you on in the top five as a finalist that was amazing. And getting bigger and better rodeos. That's I feel like you're on your way.
Matt Merritt: Hopefully, hopefully, if nothing else, I get to make a great living and go you know your goals. Sometimes God puts you where you need to be right so I'm not campaigning for anything. I just know that's where my mind is. We're go wherever God sends us. Uh,
Taylor McAdams: Yeah. Well, I'll come. I'll campaign for you. I'll tell you. I'm excited. I'm ready to see your future. Thank you big rodeos too. I mean, Pendleton, that's a dream that you probably had 24 years ago,
Matt Merritt: I've gotten to do the extreme bulls finals there at Happy Canyon. Yeah, and actually did other events there since like 2013. So I've got a relationship with those guys. I know the city. And I'm excited to go work in the big arena. It's going to be a little bit different, but I've got some experience in some big arenas. So maybe I can kind of take that with me and see how it goes.
Taylor McAdams: You might have to, I don't know start training now to run from.
Matt Merritt: Have you seen how they introduced the Queen's there? Yes. I was thinking about doing that on foot. Okay, I'm not ready yet. I’ve eaten too many tacos.
Taylor McAdams: No, that's genius. That would be that would be-
Matt Merritt: somehow from the south gate. If I made it all the way around, I think I could get an ovation for that. I think it's a long way
Taylor McAdams: toward the in the middle of the day. It's cool there but so hot.
Matt Merritt: I need I need I need like some kindergarten moms with orange slices halfway through so I can stop. Take a break refill station.
Taylor McAdams: There you go. Man. Well, Matt, this has been so fun. I appreciate your time. Thank you for sharing your story with us and for everything that you do in the rodeo industry. We're so thankful for you and congrats on joining Team. Justin. We're cheering you on and hopefully we'll see you down the rodeo road.
Matt Merritt: Thank you. It's an honor to be part of such an iconic brand. Thank you.
Taylor McAdams: Thanks for joining us on Kick Your Boots Up. I'm your host, Taylor McAdams and we can't wait to share the next story of the West. Until then, feel free to like, subscribe, and leave us a review. Follow us on social media at Justin Boots to keep up with our next episode. And we'll see you the next time you kick your boots up.