Five stories that have North Texas talking: A local barbecue guru competes on a national show; Glenn Beck expands his media empire; an earthquake hit Dallas Thursday; and more:

• Destination America’s “BBQ Pitmasters” features three Texan grillers who are competing for the title of BBQ Pitmasters Texas Champion. Waxahachie pitmaster Matt Pittman of Meat Church will be featured on the show at 8 p.m. Saturday on the Destination America cable TV network. The show’s promotional team sends along this tantalizing preview for “Lone Star Smoke War:” “Not only does the winner have ultimate BBQ bragging rights, the winning team also has a shot at becoming the BBQ Pitmasters Grand Champion and walking away with a $50,000 grand prize. Pittman’s team, Meat Church, will battle against JD Davidsmeyer from JD’s Xtreme Team [in San Antonio] and Junior Urias from Up in Smoke [in Midland]. The three teams will have to impress BBQ experts and judges Myron Mixon, Tuffy Stone and Big Moe Cason. Who will move on to the semifinals?” Daniel Vaughn, Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor, has more tasty details. (By the way, what’s the best barbecue in Dallas-Fort Worth? Some experts have chimed in.) Here’s Pittman’s audition video:

• Yes, there was an earthquake in Dallas Thursday afternoon. Did you feel it? The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that a 2.5 quake hit near the intersection of Northwest Highway and Stemmons Freeway around 2:45 p.m. Thursday, The Dallas Morning News reports. It was felt from Carrollton to Irving to northwest Dallas, The News reports. As you might recall, a swarm of earthquakes hit Azle and other towns northwest of Fort Worth late last year and earlier this year. Catch up on KERA’s earthquake coverage.

• Glenn Beck continues to expand his media empire in Las Colinas. The Hollywood Reporter has the details. He’s “ramping up a film division” at Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his radio show and digital media operation TheBlaze. He has been refurbishing the 72,000-square-foot The Studios at Las Colinas, which he bought last summer. He told the Reporter that he’s developing three original series as theatrical films: “one set in ancient history, one in modern history and a third he considers ‘faith-based’ — and has optioned several other ideas, some of which could be adapted into VOD features. He adds that he has purchased rights to his 2008 best-seller The Christmas Sweater back from Sony and will turn the story into a movie for television or theatrical release.”

• Mike Judge, the creator of “Office Space” and “King of the Hill” who once lived in Richardson, now has a new show on HBO, “Silicon Valley.” He explores what happens when young computer geeks become millionaires. Judge talked about the show on “Fresh Air” this week. (“Fresh Air” airs at 3 p.m. weekdays on KERA 90.1 FM.) “The tech world has become really interesting to me, especially in recent years,” Judge tells Fresh Air‘s Dave Davies. “Just knowing those types and seeing them suddenly have billions and billions of dollars — there’s just something funny about it to me,” he says, “and it’s something I hadn’t really seen explored that much.” Read more of the interview – and listen to it, too.

• And have you seen the hilarious video featuring a Southwest Airlines flight attendant giving humorous instructions to passengers? Marty Cobb, a flight attendant based in Dallas, got lots of laughs from passengers with instructions like these: “It’s been a long day for me,” she said, asking folks to fasten and position their seat belts “tight and low across their hips” just like her “grandmother wears her support bra.” “I just enjoy making people laugh,” she told ABC. “I would never quit my job because I love what I’m doing too much, but if it could go further and do something on the side, that would be great.” She’s hoping to appear on the “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” or “Ellen.”