Welcome to Flyover Feasts, a series from Live in Oklahoma where we talk with some of Oklahoma’s most interesting Oklahomans while eating some of Oklahoma’s best cuisine.
In this episode, we grab a table at The Jones Assembly — a one-of-a-kind spot in Oklahoma City that’s equal parts restaurant, cocktail bar, and live music venue. Joining the feast is Malcolm Tubbs, emcee for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Whether he’s hyping up a sold-out crowd at a Paycom Center or leading the charge in a stadium full of Oklahoma Sooner football fans, Malcolm knows how to turn up the volume. Over The Jones’ creative meals, Malcolm dishes on Oklahoma pride, the power of community, and what it means to bring energy — and joy — to everything you do.
LUKE
You have a pretty unexpected career in Oklahoma. Tell me about it.
MALCOLM
Full-time team emcee for Oklahoma City Thunder. On top of that, I’m the voice of OU football. If you’ve ever been to a game, you know that when I say “Boomer!” it’ll shake the whole stadium when they respond back with “Sooner!” It’s a good time. Yeah, just yelling at people is all I do.
LUKE
And you were born in California but essentially raised in Oklahoma.
MALCOLM
Yes. So, born in Long Beach, California — that’s where my dad is. I want to say about two months after I was born, the rest of my family were like, “Hey, California’s a little crazy, especially where we’re at. Let’s move our family.”
A lot of people think of it as a flyover state, but when you come to Oklahoma you tend to stay awhile. And then you come back and you’re like, “Wait a minute. Why do I want to build a family here. Why do I feel so comfortable here?” The people are amazing. Yeah, I could go on and on.
LUKE
Oklahoma City. Tulsa. Stillwater. Norman. Sports are really driving the culture in many ways. What does that add from a community perspective?
MALCOLM
It gives us a reason to band together. There’s so much pride behind these organizations, whether it’s football, basketball, wrestling. It could be equestrian sports because OSU [Oklahoma State University] has so many different national champions. Softball. Gymnastics. Come on now. Yeah, I could go on and on.
Oklahomans are excited about sports. There’s this energy. There’s this camaraderie of people galvanizing together despite where they came from or what they’re going through. When they’re wearing the same colors, crazy things happen. And then we have this one pro team — the Oklahoma City Thunder — that brings together all of the fans who have this crazy pride, no matter whether you’re crimson and cream or America’s brightest orange. You put on that Thunder blue and orange and nothing else matters. You’re cheering on these guys. It’s healthy competition, right? It brings us together and gives us a reason to keep going.
LUKE
So being here at The Jones Assembly kind of makes me think about how Oklahoma is — I would say — way cooler than most people would expect. Would you agree?
MALCOLM
Oh my gosh, way cooler. Whatever expectation you had before visiting Oklahoma — Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Stillwater — wherever you’re at in the state, just get rid of the expectation. Come experience it, and then have your mind blown with possibilities of how cool this place is.
LUKE
Off-camera you were talking about the quality of life here and how you said you’re able to get your needs met, which then allows you freedom to explore other things. Talk more about that.
MALCOLM
Oklahoma City makes it easy for you to have the foundation. Family, friends, finances are usually met. And then from there you can go crazy with the rest, because you probably have extra time and maybe a little extra money if you’re doing the right things — and a little extra energy because you feel at ease here.
We’re in the middle of the map, so I can take vacations or really quick two- and three-day vacations to New York or to LA or to the Pacific Northwest or Florida and be there and back really for a fraction of the price. It just makes it easy.
LUKE
You’re a runner here. what does that look like for you on a daily basis?
MALCOLM
Yeah, I am the crazy runner guy that many of us know. I feel like my “why” is to combat stigma around health and high blood pressure that personally affects my family. Also, I know it affects so many other of my African-American counterparts and their families. So if there is any way that you can exercise, you can be doing something.
LUKE
And on that note, I think one of the most underrated aspects of living in Oklahoma is proximity to nature and expansive outdoor space. I think that’s really underrated about living here. You have the city life, and then you also have the outdoor opportunities in close proximity.
MALCOLM
Oh man. I mean, there’s so many people who I can ask, “Hey, man, what are you doing this weekend?” And they’ll say “Oh, I’m going fishing with the guys,” or a “Yeah, I’m going up to the Tulsa area to kind of experience some of that.” They’re maybe going to Mount Scott [in Southwest Oklahoma] or they’re going down south to Beavers Bend State Park [in Southeast Oklahoma]. You can get an otherworldly type of Oklahoma outdoor experience, and it’s only a few hour drive away.
