The Best Advice Guy Fieri Knows Is From Kenny Rogers

In the weeks leading up to Father's Day 2021, Matthew McConaughey, the intrepid award-winning movie actor slash podcaster slash burgeoning political candidate (via USA Today), performed his own star-studded approximation of "man on the street" interview journalism when he asked a number of his famous friends to record themselves highlighting some of the more noteworthy values their fathers imparted on them when they were but wee children (via Country 105). While a number of FOMs (Friends of McConaughey) joined in the fray, the one whose answer we are betting Mashed readers and other foodies will be most interested in hearing came from none other than Food Network colossus Guy Fieri (via Yahoo).

The spiky-haired bestower of millions of dollars in financial aid to restaurant workers struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic's restrictions gamely agreed to participate, supplying McConaughey with a video, in which he gave not one, but two pieces of homespun advice from his father that he now passes along to his own children. One was the old "give a good firm handshake, and look people in the eye when you're talking to 'em" bit (via Twitter). The other was a bit more surprising. Read on to learn the other best piece of advice Fieri learned from his dad, which happened to have come straight from the lips of Kenny Rogers. 

Country crooner Kenny Rogers said it best, according to Guy Fieri (and his dad)

"So, my buddy, Matthew McConaughey reached out, says can you make a quick video talking about the values that your dad gave you as a kid which you've passed onto your kids," said Guy Fieri at the start of a video he made for McConaughey, which the actor then shared on Twitter. Fieri actually shared two bits of advice culled from his dad, the first being about the value of a good, firm handshake. The other was distilled from the lyrics of a beloved song performed by the late country crooner and roast chicken purveyor Kenny Rogers. Although "The Gambler" was not written by Rogers, but rather by prolific professional songwriter to the stars Don Schlitz (via Taste of Country), the advice is heartfelt and valuable just the same.

"When I was a kid my dad used to quote Kenny Rogers, who said 'you gotta know when to hold 'em, and you gotta know when to fold 'em.'" What that appears to have meant to Fieri is akin to the old saying, "Never throw good money after bad." In other words, once you realize you have made a misstep, do not continue to go all in. Rather, "apologize, handle it, and move on." We have just one question, however, and that is: Whatever happened to the concept of bluffing?