99.9 The Fan Producer/Board Operator Dennis Cox and WRAL-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter Chris Lea had never met in person when they realized they wanted to do a podcast together. Lea had recently joined the WRAL team, and Cox had taken on a larger role at CBC Sports Radio when the two got to know each other virtually.
A few weeks after I started working at WRAL on March 4th, 2020, Dennis Cox went from a part-time to a full-time position at 99.9 The Fan. Because of COVID-19, we never met each other in person until 2021, but we quickly formed a relationship based on our mutual admiration for professional wrestling, explained Lea. We both wanted to do a podcast, but not necessarily one surrounding only pro wrestling, but we didn't want to ignore wrestling.
The duo brainstormed until they came up with an idea.
Then we got it, said Lea. We decided to celebrate the state of North Carolina.
He continued, Over the summer of 2020, while only being able to talk on the phone or text, Dennis and I came up with the concept of Culture State, our new podcast that just debuted on the Capitol Broadcasting Company Podcast Network. We realized that this state had deep influences in sports, pop culture and in pro wrestling and we both wanted to create a platform to explore those influences and allow those key contributors to tell their stories.
99.9 The Fan Producer/Board Operator Dennis Cox
The pair got to work exploring the wide variety of topics that theme opened to them. They actually taped the first interview back in September but with election season and other adjustments, launched the podcast and the first episode on January 27, 2021.
Cox described the focus of the podcast as, Celebrating those who put North Carolina on the sports & pop-culture map. And some fun conversations between Chris and myself, including stories about us splitting our pants in public; Chris on live TV, and mine on a date.
And they finally got to meet each other in person.
We record together in the same building, but we're in separate studios, said Cox. We can see each other through the glass, but we're never in the same studio booth together.
Despite the challenges of COVID, they have become fast friends.
I love working with Chris, said Cox. Our backgrounds and journeys have a lot of similarities, we have the same underdog' mentality, and like Chris said recently, it's like we're long lost brothers who finally met. Plus, we get to talk to some pretty awesome people!
New episodes drop every Wednesday morning. The latest episode of Culture State is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Find Culture State on the Capitol Broadcasting Podcast Network
Listeners can download and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Pocketcasts, & more. As well as the WRALSportsFan App. Follow the show on Twitter & Instagram at @CultureStatePod. Follow Chris Lea at @ChrisLeaTV on Twitter & IG, and Dennis Cox at @TheFanRookie on Twitter & IG.
Check out the full lineup of CBCs growing Capitol Broadcasting Podcast Network HERE.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
12/01/2026
Sports and Music Unite: A Look Back at the Operationally Ambitious FIFA Club Wor...
12/01/2026
Nielsen Panel Discussion Highlights World Cup Impact for FOX, Telemundo, MetLife...
12/01/2026
FIFA President Infantino Highlights How AI Will Impact 2026 FIFA World Cup and B...
12/01/2026
Baltimore Ravens' Jack Dana on Telling a Better Story With Media Management ...
12/01/2026
FOX Sports' Brad Cheney on Spectrum Debate's Impact on the Sports-Produc...
12/01/2026
Spotify's new co-CEOs, Alex Norstr m and Gustav S derstr m, start off the new year with a message of renewed leadership, creative responsibility, and what&#...
12/01/2026
At Spotify, we listen to a lot of music. And every year, our global editors and artist partnerships teams come together to spotlight the emerging voices we beli...
12/01/2026
Spotify's global editors and Songwriter & Publisher Partnerships team spend their days immersed in new music, tracking the writers behind the songs breaking...
12/01/2026
Nominations open for the fifth Australia for UNHCR - SBS Les Murray Award for Re...
12/01/2026
Australia and New Zealand VP Alan Clements shares L3Harris' leadership insig...
12/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
12/01/2026
Berklee International Folk Festival Celebrates 40 Years Featuring Grammy-winning alumna Arooj Aftab, the milestone concert and weeklong festival marks four de...
12/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
12/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
12/01/2026
X-Rite and Rhopoint Launch Rhopoint PANTORA Aesthetix to Streamline Creation of...
12/01/2026
12 Jan 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Launches 5G Pilot in Lviv Lviv, January 12, 2026 - VEON, a global digital operator (Nasdaq: VEON), today announces that Kyivsta...
12/01/2026
Monday 12 January 2026
The ultimate betrayal: Harry and Jamie Redknapp, Paul Me...
12/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz opens larger office in Japan to increase its support for the Jap...
12/01/2026
Back to All News
WWE By the Numbers: Celebrating One Year on Netflix
From left to right: Rey Mysterio, Intercontinental Champion John Cena and Sheamus celebr...
12/01/2026
Welcome to the AVECO team: introducing new members of management
At AVECO, we are continuing to implement our #newAVECO strategy, which aims to build an even s...
12/01/2026
For the first time in the nine-year history of Dancing with the Stars, the first...
10/01/2026
By Bailey Pennick
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...
10/01/2026
This year, podcasts are making their Golden Globes debut with a new category honoring the medium's leading shows and creators. To mark the occasion, Spotify...
10/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
10/01/2026
Back to All News
Connection and Youth Defined: The Ramparts of Ice Brings a Hea...
09/01/2026
Rock-It Sports' Deron Brown & Laura Rowlands on Launching a New Brand, Suppl...
09/01/2026
Warner Bros. Discovery's Chris Brown on the Broadcaster's First French O...
09/01/2026
NFL Playoffs 2026: CBS Sports Travels to Jacksonville With Packed Arsenal of Pro...
09/01/2026
NFL Playoffs 2026: NBC Sports Is Set To Roll Out New Scorebar, Insert Graphics T...
09/01/2026
NFL Playoffs 2026: Prime Video Production Team Caps Historic Season With Iconic ...
09/01/2026
NFL Playoffs 2026: FOX Sports Kicks Off Postseason Slate With Two-Game Wild Card...
09/01/2026
NFL Playoffs 2026: ESPN's Run Brings Monday Night Football' Flagship Op...
09/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
09/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
09/01/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today introduced the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning...
09/01/2026
Globecast, the leading provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, today announced the appointment of Chris Pulis as Group Chief Technology...
09/01/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today announced several updates to its board of directors. As part of HPA s annual governance cycle, new leadership...
09/01/2026
SDVI, the leading platform provider for cloud-native media supply chains, today announced that Simon Eldridge has been appointed chief operating officer. In thi...
09/01/2026
Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning ST 2110 and SDI signal processing products, and a founding partner in the openGear initi...
09/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, announces that its market-proven ATSC 3.0 software stack is powering the broadcast functionality of ...
09/01/2026
Amino, a global leader in enterprise video and digital signage technology, today announced a strategic partnership with Xibo, a leading global digital signage s...
09/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
09/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
09/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
09/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
99.9 The Fan Producer/Board Operator Dennis Cox and WRAL-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter Chris Lea had never met in person when they realized they wanted to do a podcast together. Lea had recently joined the WRAL team, and Cox had taken on a larger role at CBC Sports Radio when the two got to know each other virtually.
