"Sora & Riku" (w/ Matt & Bowen)
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- Bo, listen, vacation, it's something you gotta get right. - I have never agreed with you more. And I've had so many wonderful trips with you in the past. I remember one of our fantastic Airbnb trips upstate. We got this four bedroom Airbnb, little cabin,

We had like a whole acre to waltz around in. It was so much fun and a gorgeous kitchen, remember? I do remember. That ended up being an iconic trip. But why is Airbnb better than a hotel? First of all, more space. Second, more bathrooms because sharing a bathroom, I know it's not our favorite thing to do. Also, more common area spaces to hang out together. Airbnbs can have things like a private movie room or game room. Doing an Airbnb may also get you access to a better location. Airbnb, it's just for you and me. Fee!

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Look, Matt. Oh, I see. Wow. Bowen, look over there. Is that culture? Yes. Las Culturistas. Ding dong. Las Culturistas calling. We are bathed in the morning light. We've been doing this series of morning time.

on Tuesday mornings to get you that episode fresh on Wednesday with all the latest hippest, cutting-edge culture that you deserve, readers. Did you ever catch those commercials for that store Tuesday morning that Lauren Bacall would do? No. Like a somewhat older Lauren Bacall. This was after High Point Coffee? High Point Coffee. Way after High Point Coffee. So after she was already a commercial icon. Absolutely. My favorite time of day is night. Ha ha ha ha!

What is it about the High Point coffee commercials? It's just that she's like delivering with such vim. Gusto. Gusto. Just like, it's coffee, but there's no caffeine in it. High Point is just decaf, right?

To be honest with you, I don't know much about High Point. And you know that I learned about this commercial on this podcast. Yes. On Greta Teitelman's first episode. I didn't even know about this. And then it was a culture untold. It was culture untold. Most alluring type of culture. Oh, is that potential early title of app contender? Yeah.

Culture untold. Now, let me just do a quick Google. Yes, Tuesday morning. She's in the back of the limo with her dog in her lap sometimes, or she's just sitting on a couch just being like, that's why I go to Tuesday morning. See? What? You're getting exactly as advertised with Ms. Mama. You know, she shows up, Ms. Lauren Bacall is going to give you grand dame in the cleanest, most...

official sense. Yes, I think she is the model for Grand Dame in a lot of ways. And we need to actually broaden our scope sometimes when it comes to culture. I think if you listen to this podcast, or you're just Katie's Publicist Finalist, you know that our point of view is as

very specifically gay millennials. We're not going to know too much about stuff before and we're not going to know. Now, that's not necessarily true because sometimes you whip out some facts and I'm going to pat myself on the back enough to say sometimes I whip out some facts from yesteryear. You whip out facts. From yesteryear. Yes, yes, yes. Don't pass the ball on to me, honey. You're at one half of culturistas. What's your favorite fact of yesteryear? What is your favorite cultural fact of yesteryear?

Go on. Well, I'm on the spot now. My favorite cultural fact of yesteryear? Yes, of any fact. Well, I'm still obsessed with this whole thing. Speaking of Lauren Bacall, Slim Keith discovered her, I think. Are you still watching Feud? Is this something you've really put into action as per your research? I'm no longer. I was mostly motivated to consume as much Truman Capone material as possible.

with the hopes that I would get to do him on weekend. Yeah, that was always the goal. And I'm being transparent about it. And now I don't think I'll keep watching that show, even though I really commend. Well, honestly, you have seen more than enough clearly because you bodied Truman. You really embodied and bodied.

Thank you, girl. I just wish I was there to play Slim. To destroy me. No, I would have been an excellent babe. Just shaking in a corner. Naomi Watson all over the place. I do love Naomi in that show. You do? I'm very happy to see Naomi back in action.

Weren't you? Well, she never really left. You know, I just think the thing with Darling Ney is she often picks a project that's like, Darling Ney, why this? Like, remember her Netflix? She had like a sexy thriller on Netflix, which, by the way, I tried to watch Mia Culpa. Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

It was unreal. It was unreal. It's just how boring it is. But there's a show on Netflix that fully starred Naomi Watts and Billy Crude up. The two most beautiful people in the world? Gypsy. Gypsy is what it was called.

Okay, Gypsy was an American drama thriller series created by Lisa Rubin for Netflix. Naomi Watts stars as Jean Holloway, a psychologist who secretly infiltrates the private lives of her patients. Yeah, so I think the way she, this psychologist is like a kooky lady. The way she thinks she can help her patients is by like getting in their lives. Of all the things with the name and title Gypsy, which we can't even get into,

Just like the weirdness. We've just accepted Gypsy as this like name of things. You know what I mean? I have 100%. And you know what else I'm reading in this Wikipedia? Stevie Nicks re-recorded an acoustic version of her Fleetwood Mac song Gypsy to serve as the show's theme song. I'm sure it didn't deserve that. Not only is this using the word Gypsy, it got Stevie back in.

in the booth for one season. But to reconfigure one of her best songs for the show that I guess no one remembers, that's really sad to me. And I don't know, of all the things named Gypsy, you have to come in with the strongness if you're going to have a title Gypsy. Wait, did this come out in?

This came out recently. This was 2017. Oh, okay. Well, like eight years ago. I guess that's... Wow. Is that not recent? Seven years ago. 2017, 2018 is a tough era for me, via V, deciding if that was just recently. I love your silent S's on visa V. Is it not supposed to be via V? It should be visa V. You can say it however you want. Well, who says? The French. In the words of Selena Gomez...

Who says? Yeah. Have you heard Selena's new song, Love On? I have not. Wait till it's her, my love on. Wait till it's her. It's crazy. She and I really do share a brain, I think. Like, that's the song I would write. Really? Yeah.

Really? Why are we conversing over this steak tartare when we could be... That's one of the lines. Wait, hold on. I want to read the lyrics to you because you're going to love this. Love on lyrics. Okay. Ready? Yeah. Why are we conversing over this steak tartare when we could be somewhere other than here making out in the back of a car?

Or in the back of a bar. Or we can make a memoir. Yeah, on the back wall of the last stall in the bathroom at the bazaar.

The Bazaar has the bathroom with stalls? I don't know about that. I don't think the Bazaar has plumbing. I know about it. Honestly, these are lyrics. I very rarely listen to people who cannot sing. I listen to singers and I listen to writers and we love Selena. She continues to release songs. I'm sorry. I sometimes would rather be

conversing over steak tartare with someone instead of making out with him in the back of a car? Depends who. When was the last time you made out with someone in the back of a car? Wow, that's a really good question. And I never was one of those people that liked making out in Ubers. Like, it actually really makes me feel very uncomfortable for the driver. Me too. I don't like when people...

Act in a manner that would suggest that person that's driving us isn't there. Because it's just simply not true. And you're in their car, you're in their space. They're providing a service for you that... I know, you're getting their car dirty, their office dirty. Well, I don't get things dirty around me when I make out in them. I don't really know. Pig pen over here. I just mean like you're being a little sloppy and it's beautiful. I'm not saying there's anything gross about...

two people kissing. I think there is sometimes. Sometimes. Yeah. You ever see people kissing and you're like, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew. Oh, wait, I can answer this question. I had a recent thing where it was, ugh, and I wasn't proud of this and I kind of felt pressured into it. What, making out in the back of a car? Yes, and I'm not saying this was like, nothing was violatory, but it was, we were...

So Kyle Muni used to have this stretch limo that would come and that would be his car after every show. I've heard of the legend of this, yeah. At the Christmas show, I think for some reason, like it's been a couple seasons since Kyle's been on and the stretch limo has been sort of out of rotation. But for some reason at the Christmas show this year, the stretch limo showed up again and then...

Our lovely transpo coordinator after the show was like, Bo, you want the limo tonight? I was like, I was with Jared and our friend. And it was basically like, we were like, let's take the limo. And it was such a funny vibe. And then on the way home...

Jared took his own car home. Then I had someone who lived by me. Someone kind of glommed onto the limo because they were like, I live by you. Can I hitch a ride? I was like, yes, I have a stretch limo, please. And then one thing led to another. And then on the way back, like it was driver roll up the partition, please, which we'll get back to because the year is 2013. Uh-huh.

And then things started happening and I was like, wait, this feels crazy and not even in a fun, sexy, dangerous way. Things happened in the back of the limo and I was like,

It was fun. I don't feel icky or bad or anything, but I was thinking about the driver. But you just know that someone was on the other side of the partition, please, and that made you feel self-conscious. A little bit. Yeah. I think that's totally fair. Right? I mean, look, I just know... Well, one time, I was told by an Uber driver one time, no romance. Ooh. And that made me feel...

Well, first of all, I never forgot that he said no romance in the backseat. Because then I picture what I was doing in the backseat as like being so Rachel McAdams. Like I pictured myself like making out with whoever the fuck that was. You're a bird, I'm a bird. Just like looking so stunning. Like my auburn locks like in my hair. Like I've just. Auburn.

My hair is skew, but still, in my eyes, you see the star quality. You know what I mean? Like, very Rachel McAdams. It's the poster for The Vow, that movie, The Vow. And just, like, a couple buttons, like, unbuttoned, like, tousled, really. You know what I mean? Like, me just, like, sort of, like...

in the back of a bazaar, like sort of just like being very sexy and, you know, just guys like being a sort of like unable to resist me. And then I think about this guy, no romance. I'm like, oh shit.

And ever since then, I've not been able to really connect to that part of me that is Towsil Rachel McAdams in the back room of a bazaar. I just haven't been able to connect to her. And she lives inside me. Except through Selena, obviously. Well, thank God for Selena and her most recent releases, really, because I don't think I could ever feel sexy and flirty again until Selena Gomez released these songs.

Something broke inside me. And only until recently when I heard Selena Cooley's songs have I been ready to really tackle the world again in her releases. Well, do you, by the way, I just want to quickly shout out a James Anderson, famous legendary SNL writer known for his insane names for characters. One of my favorites is fictional name.

Rhonda Releasing. The last name Releasing. Releasing. As the last name, if your last name is Releasing, that's incredible. How did you come up with that? But also, I think one way to heal, if Selena had not come out with these releases, one way you could have healed was if you had romance to the driver at some point. And you

And you still can't. I've never been able to pull that off either. I've never had the thing where like, God, I hooked up with my driver last night. People talk like this happens. I can't believe people do that. They're in a pornography. These people need to get their heads out of the clouds and their bodies out of pornographic films. Period.

Period. Have you ever, ever, ever felt like you've been in a situation where you could take it to the next level with any driver or delivery person or someone you encounter in a situation like that? I would feel just beside myself with worry that this would go left. Yeah. There's always the potential.

I guess you and I are pretty like... Oh, yes. Anna, producer Anna, is bringing up a great recent pop culture sort of bit, which is Sutton on Beverly Hills. She hooked up with her... She made up with her driver. But that's like her driver that drives her all the time. Like, some of these people out here will really say things like, ooh, yeah, I really got into it last night with my Uber driver. And I'm like, huh?

Readers, if you've hooked up with an Uber driver, I want to know about it. I want to know the play-by-play. How did it build up? What was the aftercare? My thing is just like, I would always feel like it was... I guess it would be too inappropriate to be sexy for me right on the outset. One time years ago, years ago, an Uber driver asked me repeatedly if I liked sex.

And I felt like it was awful and a violation from the second he started talking. So I couldn't even engage in whether or not he was attractive or not. Like that was not computing for me. I was like, I had an opening with an Uber driver one time and I was just like, fixated on the fact that it was my Uber driver. You know what I mean? I was like, just get me to and fro. Yeah. Some people can maybe transcend the transaction of it all.

or they like that, which I love. We're not here to shame that if it's... Get your nut off wherever. In the back of a bazaar, in the back of a car, wherever Selena Gomez could rhyme. I want you to fuck there if you feel empowered to do it. I couldn't even do it in a stall, to be honest. Speaking of Selena. Because not for nothing, but I'm not great at having sex standing up. Right. Let's just say it's not my angle. I want some cushioning. That's all. Yeah. Yeah.

Are we proud members of the starfish community? I'm a huge starfish. Although I'm known to move. I'm known to lead. I'm known to get a little spry. But I love starfishing. Absolutely. I don't think anyone here, meaning the two of us, doesn't love starfishing. I mean, I think you'd be lying to say you didn't enjoy a little starfish action now and then. But sometimes, you know, it depends on who I am that night. What persona I'm in.

I am sort of putting on because sexually, I can be so many different people. I really can. So it sounds like your driver could have really known about all this. It's a simple question, really. It's a simple question, really. Do you like sex? Well, do you? What is that from, you absolute menace? I don't know. You are a menace.

What do you mean? You are. You have a menace. You are a menace. I have known this. Explain. I don't know about this. I am leaning into trickster energy. I want to be a trickster. I don't know what your vibe is today, but you got on the Zoom and you've been a menace all morning.

I have done nothing of this sort. Are you returning to your improv roots? I'm returning to my improv roots. Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson are doing Bell House improv shows, three improv shows. It's the two of them plus a guest every month. I'm sure you're going to do one with them sometime as well. No, because I think that, well, we'll talk about that. I have the same hangups about improv. It's so funny. It was my first love.

And now it's like truly an ex I've forgotten about for years on purpose. Yeah. And it's like if it's an ex, if you saw it again, you'd be like, oh, like it would be like a whole thing. Oh my God, I saw improv again tonight. That was so weird. It really brought me back. So weird. Improv like is jogging and looks really weird.

healthy but not good. Does that make sense? The thing about you though with improv is you had like a long-term relationship with improv and I think you guys broke up in a way that was very healthy and like you agreed that the relationship was good for you. Me and improv like had bad sex five times and just kept trying and now it's like we see each other and it's just like...

Hey, and I just feel like I'm such a better, different version. I was when I was having sex with improv and it didn't go well that I almost feel like I feel like I have something to prove to improv, but like, I don't like I've done so many other sexual activities with so many other like artistic outlets.

And I feel like I've really had fulfilling relationships outside of improv, but there's something about I do want to fuck improv and have it be mind-blowing. That's not what it's about. Improv is not that good at... Improv, I think what happened, stuck too many fingers in you at the same time. I think my problem was I said too many fingers were okay.

And that's the difference. And that's the accountability I'm going to take. The accountability I'm going to take is I knew I couldn't handle three fingers in my hole from improv at 19 years old. I should have known that. But I think this is what happened, Matt. You said, three fingers, three fingers. And then improv went four flat karate chop hand inside. And you went, ah, ah, ah.

See, I have to tell you something. I wish that that were true, but improv never tried to take it too far with me. I said I was ready for something that I wasn't.

Just stepping outside of this, do you remember early, early, early sexual experiences? I know what you're about to say. Wait, what did you think I was going to say? I thought you were going to bring up a specific improv group that we were in for like two seconds. No, I'm sort of floating away from the improv. We got to float away from it.

But you can see Bowen do improv with Josh and Aaron next month. March 18th at the Bell House. We're doing two shows. They're both sold out, but come. There should be a standby experience. Stay in line if you're in line for Bowen Yang and Josh and Aaron. Stay in line. If you get in line now, they will let you in. That would be pathetic if they didn't.

What were you going to say? Oh, sexually. Like, you remember, like, being like 18, 19 years old, like whatever it was that you had your first sexual experiences. I'm assuming that it was around that time. Right. Same as me. Yeah. And just remember being like, yeah, put it in. Yeah. Like, without knowing what the fuck that was going to feel like. And then feeling what that felt like the first time. And you're like, I remember the screaming I did.

Like a little banshee. It should be so much easier than it is. There is just too, at least in the time that we were growing up, just too many unknowns, too much

There is this YouTuber now who, God bless him. I hope he does what I think he does, which is like teaches people how to have anal sex. He teaches, okay, it's The Bottoms Digest. It's a YouTube channel called The Bottoms Digest. It's this wonderful person. It's a double entendre. Right, it's very fun, right? Very clever. And he just like does these great videos about like how to wash your douche bulbs. Like,

how to avoid hemorrhoids, like, how to take big dicks, like, and it's really educational and informed, and I can't seem to find his name, but he's this really wonderful person, and every video he's like, how could you possibly have known this? The education on this is non-existent. Don't feel bad about not knowing this, I'm gonna tell you. And, like, this is exactly what, like, any kind of queer sex is. Specifically, like, anal sex with

a penis. It's not that it's wrong or bad or crazy. It's just that we don't know how to go about it. Yeah. You need instructions on how to do it at all, do it successfully, do it enjoyably. You know what I mean? There needs to be a roadmap when it comes to this type of thing. And I remember when I was first having sex or trying to have sex, I felt like I made two or three attempts. And because it was so...

painful and I just couldn't see like a path forward to me enjoying it. I kind of just stopped. I kind of just stopped trying. And I, you know, I make a joke now, like I used to frat all around New York City, but I really was humping everything in sight. I was the frat king because, you know, I was sort of a side icon. I was just like, you could not put it in me. You could not do it. And it's a shame because I

Those were our prime years. Those were our prime years and not for nothing, I'm proud of what I have now, but I had like a rock and like huge like twink ass when I was like in my early 20s that I really wish I could have blown the city away with. I don't think it went anywhere. I think you can steal Godzilla. Girl, why are you looking

Stop now. I'm not looking. I'm saying. Oh my God, this is too much. Do you want to blow through the city? I think that ass can still Godzilla can still do some damage. You can't look at my butt. It's not for you. No. Hands off. It's for society. Ah. Ah.

Bo, listen, vacation, it's something you got to get right. You can't roll the dice. You have to make sure that it's all together. Everything is where it's supposed to be when you get where you're going on vacation. Can you agree? I have never agreed with you more. And I've

so many wonderful trips with you in the past. Bowen, I remember one of our favorite trips to Toronto when we shared that Airbnb. Remember that? Airbnb came in the clutch. We were doing our I Don't Think So Honey live in Toronto. We stayed in that amazing Airbnb. We loved it. We had the time of our life thanks Airbnb still to this day. I remember that Airbnb like it's

was my own childhood home. Thank you, Airbnb. If you're planning a trip on Airbnb, try a guest favorite. The most loved homes on Airbnb. The guest favorites are a collection of some of Airbnb's most loved homes based on reviews and reliability. But why is Airbnb better than a hotel? First of all, more space. Great for a trip with a lot of people and allows you to be closer to friends and family when traveling together. Second, more bathrooms because sharing a bathroom, I know it's not our favorite thing to do.

Also, more common area spaces to hang out together. No more feeling crammed in one person's hotel room for the pre-party. Airbnbs can have things like a private movie room or game room. Think pool table darts, board games. These are easily accessible and you don't have to share the amenities with others. Looking for an authentic and local experience? Stay in the coolest parts of the area instead of the touristy ones. Airbnb, it's just for you and me. Hey everyone, we here at Lost Culture East just love Philips.

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Oh, we love a good dip in this house. The Philadelphia website has so many amazing recipes. You can try if you need some more inspiration as well. What I've been eyeing lately is their Philly stuffed mushrooms. Yum. Sign me up. Visit creamcheese.com for recipe inspiration so you can start adding Philadelphia cream cheese to your recipes at home.

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My pay credit limits range from $20 to $500. $2 fee to get funds instantly. Spot me eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Fees apply at out-of-network ATMs. Can I just quickly... I just want to share this. I really wanted to share this on the podcast. I was really lucky to be asked...

to be part of this benefit concert that Philip Glass does every year. It was just really special every year. He has on these wonderful musical performances that support Tibet House US. It's just all about anti-war and pacifism. It's all about just coming together. It's all these things that I've gotten so jaded on.

But just with the way that news has been lately, I forgot that this was always there, that this is a network that has existed and is trying to make things good in a very humanist way. And Joan Baez was there. Yeah, you got a picture with Joan Baez. I just got to dance backstage with her. I got to talk to her. I just got to soak in her energy. She is amazing.

83 years old, she has a vibrancy and a youthfulness and just the energy is incredible. This woman is like so just completely sharp and serene and so like alive and is just like cracking jokes with me. And like she just, this woman is in her damn 30s, it seems, like energetically. Not that like the number really matters, but like this is someone who has seen everything

a lot of life and a lot of tragedy and a lot of hardship and has seen her friends get arrested for like protesting wars and has seen MLK like up close and personal and has like had to suffer through that loss and just these different movements kind of coming and going. But she has been so steadfast and unwavering in all of them. And she is an incredible musician on top of that. And, you know, it was her, it was Laurie Anderson, who is this like,

legendary performance artist, basically invented the vocoder, as far as I'm concerned. Not really, but her and that French guy. Anyway, it was Laurie running this with Philip. Matthew Rogers was there. I saw. Maya Ha, Christian Lee Hudson. Just an incredible energy of just amazing artists. And then Philip Glass himself showed up, just taking it all in. He is...

He doesn't play the piano anymore, but I think he still just understands that he created this thing, that his work stands for this. And Hal Wilner used to read Allen Ginsberg poetry. They've had Colbert read it, Keanu Reeves read it, all these random people, now me among them, random guys, reading this Allen Ginsberg poem. And it's Carnegie Hall at Stern Auditorium. It was a night I'll never forget. And I just...

It came off of the heels of a really weird couple months at work, I'll say. And it was just very life-affirming in a way that I needed. Yeah, it sounds very fortifying. Yeah, that's really, really, really nice. I'm so happy you got to have that experience. It's really important, I think, in such a cynical time to be around people that are...

Still pushing forward and still singing the same song as it were that they have been for decades, which is, you know, one of peace and, you know, that actually there's like a group of people, which is the focus is the positive and how to move forward and how to move out of a time of violence and anger. And it's just really beautiful.

We all literally sang the same song that they have been for decades, which was, we all sing We Shall Overcome at the end. Joan Baez leading the audience of thousands to sing We Shall Overcome. And I was like, I can't believe it. And I thanked her afterwards. I was like, I never thought that would happen. I'm so honored. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then Joan says this thing now where like, I think she was on Colbert.

the past year where Colbert was asking her like, "What do you make of things happening now? Like, how do we get through this time?" And she's like, "You know, like everyone now says, 'Oh, I wish I could have been part of the 60s or all these different movements because you guys had all the music and the politics were, you know, very specific and tense and it all paired together nicely with that.'" But she goes,

what we had back then was the glue and what we're missing now is the glue that the sense that we can all do this thing together and i don't think we have that i think but for a fleeting moment you can see it sort of like within reach on a night like last night and it was just a huge honor so i was very grateful to be a part of that i mean joan baez is

finalist, you know? Yeah, I was just thinking to myself, like, what if she was like, by the way, I identify as a finalist. I used to like your podcast, but I don't like it anymore. You guys are too filtered now. Yeah. No, I was just thinking like her talking about like, you know, there used to be like an assurance in the 60s that there was this glue and, you know, wondering if we still have it now. I think we do have it now in that like,

Like you guys could all gather at that event last night and like have such a almost unspoken common purpose. And you really all know why you're there. I think that,

that is still there, like it's always been there. There are people that want to see change and positive change, but I do think that there are so many pockets of distraction now and so many ways in which we can get discouraged because of the internet and because of the way that media thrives now, which is in that push and pull between pessimism and optimism, between, I guess, conservative and progressive. It just feels like there's so much

tug of war going on that it can feel really distracting. But I think even the fact that you guys were able to gather last night and we still can like think about, you know, the hope that we felt, you know, generation to generation when it comes to these songs, when it comes to these people, when it comes to these ideas that, you

obviously like you can't leave a night last night and think well hope is lost because you literally were a part of it in the moment and I think that's the one thing that maybe is something to pull from that is to not get distracted because there are like-minded people with the goal of peace and that is going to be something I think that's really important to hold dear and remember as we move forward into you know potential darker times and darker months which I've really as of late I feel like I've

been trying to wrap my head around the fact that they might rear their ugly head again. Yeah, I think I really want to move forward with that mindset. And also quickly want to talk about

Say it. A big video game release. Oh, yes. I thought you were going to mention something else, but I know this is huge culture. What did you think I was going to say? I just wanted to say shout out to Aidy Bryant for her Independence Burrits Awards hosting. That was so good. When you said to Natalie Borman that you were going to start roasting the crowd, hey, Natalie, you stupid bitch.

Immediately. That was so good. Something in that moment, something like healed in the culture. Yeah, because we saw an award show hosted by a funny person. With the help of funny people, Sudi Green, Frank Gillespie, Pete Schultz, Josh Patton, Celestia M. You already know the cast and crew. I mean, that is...

The job done perfectly. You know what I mean? And like the later bits were great too. They did like a Q&A thing. Was that in the top bit or was that later on? I may have only seen the monologue. Oh, they did a whole like host. They're like, you know, so like a lot of you guys are indie filmmakers. You guys understand a weird part of promoting your film or screening your film is the audience Q&A after. So let's just do some of that. And then it was like different people coming up and then Farrell at the end, our boss, no less, our boss. My boss twice now. Your boss twice.

Farrell coming up to me like, 80, I love the swag bags for this show. Look at this. And he brings like a giant purse. And he's like, I've got like little mints. I've got like some used contact lenses. I've got like someone's sunglasses. And she's like, no, no, no, that's my purse, Will. It's just very stupid. That's my purse. That's very funny. That is dumb. 80, good job. Bring back dumb. Bring back cool.

Comedy. Comedy. Yeah, she was great. But talk about your big video game release because I know this one has been tickling your fancy. Well, we connected over this on FaceTime the other day. We did. We did. Of Lauren Allred. Yes. Who has been slaying America's Got Talent, I guess. So this is the backstory. So Lauren Allred is the singer of Never Enough. The gays know this because this became like...

A moment. A whole moment. You may have danced to the club version, or you may just have gotten wrapped up in the power of Never Enough from The Greatest Showman, the film, which I know I certainly did when I saw this movie years ago with Sudi Green. We were so high in Times Square Regal watching Greatest Showman and Never Enough was happening. And I turned to Sudi and I was like, this is the best song of all time. And she was like, you are so stupid. Yeah.

You might have also familiarized yourself with the club remix of this song that was playing when two circuit queens were fighting each other in Mykonos, I think in 2015, 16. This song has a place in the culture and stay tuned. Stay tuned. Because it might be a nominee for record of the year. Are you serious? We have not discussed this. Oh my God, you are crazy.

The cat might have gotten out of the bag there, but it might be a front runner for record of the year. That and single soon.

I'm sorry, and I said 2015, 2016. Greatest Showman came out 2017, so I just want to correct that. That year, we're not sure as long as I have to go or not. You are nuts. Okay. I'm nuts for that one, girl. But what I'm saying is that this song was sung by Lauren Allred. So now, flash forward years later, she never really gets the credit because Rebecca Ferguson lip synced for her life in the film. And she did make it seem like she sang it. Rebecca Ferguson, great actor. And

And I had no qualms about that lip sync performance because it was from the heart. It seemed like Mama was the singer. And she was in that gorgeous dress, that gown. No notes, no notes. But she was not singing like the rest of the cast. Lauren Aldrup was singing Years Past. Now she's on America's Got Talent.

slaying, like Best Singer Alive vibes. And then I bring this to the attention of my sister, and he says to me this information. That she sings the new Final Fantasy VII Rebirth theme song that Aerith sings when I guess she is in a very Greatest Showman-like setup, like Never Enough setup, where she's just kind of on a stage in a white dress, like belting her tits off.

How's the song? It's okay. It's okay. Final Fantasy has a very queer slash gay vibe.

Circuit Girl slash LA fag West Hollywood slash Chelsea Hell's Kitchen sensibility when it comes to... We've talked about this before, how Leona Lewis sang the song for Final Fantasy XIII. Yeah. And Fei Wang did Final Fantasy VIII. That's a pretty gay girl or girl for the gays. And it's just a pretty...

I think they've really leaned in. Maybe they've always known. Maybe I'm just kind of catching up to this very intentional thing that this very weird, kooky video game series has stuck to for many decades now. Final Fantasy and James Cameron have always known what the faggots want. And that's actually rule of culture number 49. Final Fantasy and James Cameron have always known what the faggots want. Leona Lewis in both of those franchises? Oh my god.

All I'm saying is Leona Lewis, the only thing that was wrong with...

I see you. Is that she wasn't blue while she was singing. She should have been an avatar like, walking through a dream. A song I know every word to. She should have been blue as hell. Then it would have been better. She should have been blue as hell. Does Lauren already appear in the video game singing it? She does not appear in the video game singing it. The Rebecca Ferguson in this is many, many people's first girlfriends, Eric Gainsborough. So she is this mad,

Oh my God, you would be obsessed with Eryth. She is the last of the ancients. What? Come again? So basically, I just want to quickly summarize Final Fantasy VII for people who aren't aware. This game comes out in 1997, okay? Just think about that. Big year. Big cultural year. Huge cultural year. But the game basically takes place in a dystopian cyberpunk fantasy world where

You start off in a city called Midgar. And it is run by a corporation. The government is the corporation. It's this, like, fascist... 1984 vibes. Well, they're called Shinra, and they're an electricity company. And what they do is they take...

energy from the planet. They basically suck the life force from the planet into Mako energy, and that's how they make their money, and that's how they run things. Fracking. Well, it's destroying, it's fracking, it's oil, it's all these things. It's like sucking the life out of the planet. And you play Cloud Strife, a mercenary who is working with an eco-terrorist organization called Avalanche.

It makes a case for eco-terrorism being the only way forward. But Final Fantasy VII was doing this in 97, where you basically play this mercenary, and then after you blow up one of the reactors, you meet Aerith.

This girl who is the last of the ancients, she sells flowers in the street. What? She lives in an abandoned church. Who plays her in a movie? Here are the people who have played her so far. Okay. You're going to fucking lose your mind. I can't wait to. The girl who's playing her now is a wonderful voice actor. But in Kingdom Hearts, when they first gave voice to these people, Aerith was voiced. In Kingdom Hearts 2, she's voiced by Mina Suvari. Gag. Gag.

Terribly, I might add. I'm sorry. Mina Subaru, we love you, but you were not a good Aerith. Okay? I just have to say that. But Kingdom Hearts 1, and this was the perfect voice acting, and I do want to ask her about this when she's on the pod. Mandy Moore. You better shut the fuck up. Mandy Moore was Aerith. I was going to say that as a joke. No, it was her. Look up Kingdom Hearts 1 Mandy Moore Aerith. Why didn't she return? We have to ask her. I don't know. We have to ask her. But then...

So basically, she is this serene, just present. She heals you back to life, but she's funny and cute. She flirts with you, but she's like, don't flirt with me. I have a boyfriend. You know the frontrunner for title of ep for Mandy Moore's episode is The Last of the Ancients. The Last of the Ancients. Mandy Moore is Ancients.

Oh my God, I totally didn't even mention that last week. Like, I caught it! Okay, and then the person who voiced the villain Sephiroth in the original... I want to be him. Oh my God, Sephiroth? Sephiroth, Kingdom Hearts 1, Lance Bass. Whoa, okay, so it's possible for me. Absolutely. This is the thing. So Square Enix, this is... So Kingdom Hearts is, as you know, Disney and Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy...

Like, casting Hayden Panettiere, Brittany Snow, Jesse... Oh my god, what's that guy's... Oh my god, I love him. I don't want it in a pretty face. I don't want just any... Jesse McCartney. Jesse McCartney plays Roxas. Hayley Joel Osment plays Sora. Like, the voice cast is stacked and also gay. Yeah, seems kind of gay. Matt, I think you really... I think Kingdom Hearts...

is a perfect way in for you for video games. Can I do it on my Switch? Yes. You got me a Switch.

I got you a switch, but I think, I don't know. There's something there. It's Disney and it's all these fucking gay actors. All right. Gay as in like they appeal to a certain audience. Now, yeah, like you said the words Mina Savari and I had no other questions. David Boreanaz. Anyway. Oh, yeah, for sure. For sure. David Boreanaz. Wow. He was a hunky hottie, huh? Yeah. Hunky hottie. Is Chad Michael Murray in the game? He is not. He is not. Who else is in the game? Hold on.

Kingdom Hearts voice cast. There are some true slays. David Gallagher, Al in Titanic, plays Ansem, the villain in the first game. Willa Holland from the OC plays Aqua. Willa Holland slays in Kingdom Hearts 3 as Aqua. Oh my God. You know what teen actor I have questions about where he is?

Where is Simon from Seventh Heaven? Oh, yeah. No. Oh, no, no, no. I'm sorry. David Gallagher. They just had the wrong headshot on Google. David Gallagher is Riku. That's Simon from Seventh Heaven, right? Wait, is that true? Billy Zane is Ansem and he's Cal from Titanic. That's what I meant. Sorry, I got my headshots mixed up. Oh, my God. Yes, Simon Camden was played by David Gallagher. And David Gallagher is Riku, like the main, your rival in Kingdom Hearts.

Matt, this game is made for you. It's Disney. Is there anyone in the culture...

from back then that's more Matt coded than David Gallagher. No. I'm going to send you a picture of his Wikipedia photo. Tell me this is not me if I'm famous in 2003. Just literally, I'm sending this to you right now. Okay. I shudder to think about what I would have looked like, the vibe I would have given off if I was famous in 2003. Just take a look at that and tell me that is not me. I just sent it to you and probably went through it.

Oh my god, that is so you. Look at his piecey, broken bang. With the beanie.

So handsome. I loved him. I used to have such a crush on him when I was little. Oh my god, he was such a heartthrob. Absolutely. What's he doing now? Is he still acting? Well, he was in an episode of SWAT in 2020. They're making a Kingdom Hearts 4. Whoa, he's in all the Kingdom Heartses. He's like a huge fucking... He is Riku. You're gonna jerk off to Riku if you play this game. Oh my god. Riku starts off as this...

tough kid and kind of like bullies you. But then he becomes, he ages well. Sora doesn't really age well. The main character, Sora, played by Haley Joel Osment, iconic character, doesn't really grow up. But Riku grows, has to grow the fuck up because he gets possessed by some darkness. Maleficent captures him and corrupts his mind.

You're kidding. I might have to get into this because I might see myself in Riku. You are Riku. Sometimes this is a Glinda Alphabet situation where it's like you and I are both Riku and Sora, but it flips. It switches every now and then. You are Sora down on a lot of days.

I am Riku down a lot of days, but sometimes we trade those off. You know what I mean? Should title that be Sora and Riku? Yes! Oh my god. Matt, you don't know what's about to come your way. The readers, Katie's Publishers, finalists who love Kingdom Hearts are out there. I believe that they are. And they will be reaching out to you. If you could do one other podcast about your niche interest, what would it be? Final Fantasy. It would be Final Fantasy? Including Kingdom Hearts, including...

Dragon Quest, like, these video games. Persona, like, these are video games that are queer-coded and have been since the dawn of time immemorial. Yeah. Anyway, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, it's, like, the most money Square's ever put out in a game. It's, like, basically, like, making a meta commentary on, like, fan culture and reboot culture, too, in the cleverest way. Like, it's within the story that, like,

there's this force called the whispers and you kill them off in the first game and then the timeline starts to diverge and then it becomes like they're telling the story in a way that has been told before.

So you kill them off and it's like killing off the fan base voice that says things should be a certain way. Isn't that brilliant? Yeah. Why haven't they done more like movies of this? Like it feels like they have and they're all pretty bad. Why do you think that is? Because the people who produce and direct and write the movies are the people who produce and direct and write the video games. And it's just a different medium. Like they're able to,

They don't have a sense of the pacing and of the way the story is told. Like video games, you kind of like, I would say it's kind of harder in video games to like,

unfurl a narrative because so much of it is about the player's control and how they choose to end up hitting certain beats. And some of the games are very linear and some of them are more open-ended. Zelda, for example, the recent ones that I've talked about have been open world where it's not linear at all. And it's very hard to tell a story that way because you can't quite get the player to land at certain places as the story is told. But I think the movies are really rough and I wouldn't watch those. Don't pay those much attention.

So do you think that when the worlds are more expansive and more open, that's just a much more difficult adaptation than something like The Last of Us, which follows a storyline? Yes. And I'm literally playing The Last of Us again right now. I never beat the first one. Sorry to admit. So I'm finally like, I want to beat it.

I'm really loving it. And that is a linear game. Like, you are on a track because you're running away from these fucking mushroom zombies. Right, right, right, right, right. And it's kind of... That's the brilliant thing about The Last of Us is that it's sort of built in. It's cinematic because...

the story is completely on the rails in a way that doesn't make the player feel like they're just clicking buttons to read a story. So in a way that's less interesting because there's less to discover, but it could be more compelling if the story they're telling is that compelling. Yes, and it is incredibly compelling. It happens to be extremely compelling. By the way, congrats to Pedro. Congrats to Pedro. On the SAG lead win, I realized something about Pedro Pascal. If I'm ever having a hard time

or a bad day, or if I'm ever doing something I think is hard, I can just think of Pedro Pascal smiling and laughing, and it will make me feel better. Oh, I know. I know. That's a really...

important smile and an important laugh. Yeah, I feel like he carries the light and it's less about him being like super fucking hot or super fucking talented. It's just I enjoy him. He's a nice person. I like his presence a lot. I like watching him win. I like watching him be so, you know, befuddled in his win. I liked watching him backstage. Like I just I just like him. Like I don't know what it is beyond that. I just really enjoy him.

him as a celebrity presence. He's very winning. Yeah, and I also, I like that he seems to be really comfortable with himself.

That's what I'll say about it, is that he wins this award, he seems really genuine, and then he's backstage doing his thing, and I just think he's emblematic of people having to be less of a platonic ideal of what a leading man is and acts like. And I'll leave it there, because I don't know what's cool to say, but I just really appreciate and admire him. Yeah. Oh, and he's also a perfect model for like,

There is no right way to go about a career in something that is so uncertain as like acting or Hollywood or whatever. You know, it's like,

His big breaks were like late, late, no guarantees. And you know what I'm saying? Like maybe that's also part of it is I'm just like, that's someone who really fucking hung in. Yeah. You know what I mean? Because even, I guess, I don't know, like when did things really start turning around for him? Like probably, I guess like 10 years ago, Game of Thrones, whatever it was. Yeah. Before that, like,

He probably could not even get people to even perk up at the sound of his name. You know what I mean? He was not what he is now really recently. And then it feels like it's that one thing that changes the other thing that changes the other thing. But apparently it was like the Sarah Paulson and him saga. It was NYU days.

goes way back and I guess she knew the Game of Thrones people and was like, you should definitely see my friend Pedro Pascal for this. And they were like, well, we don't know who that is. And then they like kicked around on it for a while. And then he obviously booked Game of Thrones and was like so memorable and sexy and great and met Game of Thrones that why wouldn't you book him for so many other things? But yeah,

you know, it just feels to me like that's someone that really hung in. Yeah. We got to hang in, y'all. And good thing because he makes our landscape, like our like pop culture landscape, like so much more interesting. You know what I'm saying? Like he's like such a cool A-list member of the

the whole thing right now. Yeah, well, he's one of the few people who gets people really worked up in a pop star way almost. Yeah. You know what I mean? How is he not sexiest man alive? He is the sexiest man alive. Ay yi yi. Who was it again? I forget. Who literally was it? Aflac? No. I know that they were behind the times in terms of who they picked, but like

I don't know if it was Affleck. Oh, it was Dempsey. Yeah, that's my thing. In the year 2023? We picked Patrick Dempsey in 2023 when Pedro Pascal is right there. That man is so sexy. He is beyond off the charts. I can't. I can't think about it. I get it. It's overwhelming. It's overwhelming. It's overwhelming.

Bo, listen, vacation, it's something you got to get right. You can't roll the dice. You have to make sure that it's all together. Everything is where it's supposed to be when you get where you're going on vacation. Can you agree? I have never agreed with you more. And I've

so many wonderful trips with you in the past. Bowen, I remember one of our favorite trips to Toronto when we shared that Airbnb. Remember that? Airbnb came in the clutch. We were doing our I Don't Think So Honey live in Toronto. We stayed in that amazing Airbnb. We loved it. We had the time of our life. Thanks, Airbnb, still to this day. I remember that Airbnb like it was my own childhood home. Thank you, Airbnb.

If you're planning a trip on Airbnb, try a guest favorite. The most loved homes on Airbnb. The guest favorites are a collection of some of Airbnb's most loved homes based on reviews and reliability. But why is Airbnb better than a hotel? First of all, more space. Great for a trip with a lot of people and allows you to be closer to friends and family when traveling together. Second, more bathrooms because sharing a bathroom, I know it's not our favorite thing to do.

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Now, do you want to talk about the year of this episode or do you want to wait? I don't know if I do. You know what I mean? It's a big one. It's a big one and I feel like you guys just peek behind the curtain. I'm not feeling that well. I woke up this morning and last night I tried to sneak up on me. It must be some sort of tiny little cold thing going around. Did you say you don't feel good either? I feel something too. I woke up. The seasons are changing now officially because I'm waking up with like

eye boogers and shit. And I'm like, oh, here we go. I really had like a park it on the couch. I also like I've been working out a lot. And so I think my body is just like telling me to like relax a little bit maybe just because I've been I tend to I don't know, like the Pisces in me, like the addictive personality roars out sometimes. And when I find something that works for me, like, especially something healthy, and I feel positive about and I do feel like

I'm getting results from going every day and working out and stuff. Like I tend to push it a little bit hard. So I think my body is just trying to tell me like, Hey, remember moderation. Remember we made like a promise that things would be about moderation this year. It wouldn't be about extremes. Like that's something I'm really trying to hold to throughout this year is like not dealing with things in extreme so much, just trying to be like,

you know, more intentional about like, it's not like, no, this, or you have to do this. It's like, try to do this, try to do that. Like get yourself in a healthy place with it. That's very good. So I'm trying to slow down right now and just listen to my body. But I had like a park it and watch movies moment yesterday. So jealous. And I watched a couple of things, one old, one new.

balance. But I wanted to tell you I watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind last night again. I watched it on Valentine's Day by myself. I know, and I think the reason why I did that is because you had done that. And I also think I'm anticipating Ariana's album. What a movie! That's a really fucking good movie. Yeah, it's so great. One of those movies that I will say, and I'm sure my knowledge of movies is not expansive enough, but it's one of those movies that's like

Anyone can be like, that's my favorite movie. And no one can really poke a hole in that. It's like, oh, it's like a Charlie Kaufman, like, gondry film. But it's also like, it has mass appeal. It's telling this amazing story, very elegantly conceptualized, but like, funny performances, emotional performances, obviously.

Kirsten. Oh, Kirsten rocks, man. Like she just rocks. Like she's so good in it. Kate's so good in it. Jim is so good in it. I love Mark Ruffalo so much. Tom Wilkinson, rest in peace. Elijah Wood is so good. I mean, so good at it. He's so good. He's so cute. Like, and also Mark Ruffalo in any era. I'm just a total super fan. That was, that was a cute era for him. Oh,

So cute. Deirdre O'Connell, by the way, plays the wife who shows up. Oh, yeah. That's a really good performance, too. You can have him. You already did. You did. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't be a monster. Tell the girl.

Oh, so good. Deirdre O'Connell. Tony legend, Deirdre O'Connell. I saw her in that play. Anyway, keep going. What play? She was in Dana H, and she won a Tony for that. And can I just brag real quick? Sure. So Celeste took me to go see Celestium, friend of the pod, guest, one of our best friends, took me to see this play that Lucas Nath wrote. And it's her, it's Deirdre O'Connell sitting on stage, basically lip syncing,

tapes of Lucas's mother. This like really crazy incident that happened to Lucas's mother where she was basically in Florida and was kidnapped and kind of like does an interview about it and just like it was recorded and it's Deirdre O'Connell lip syncing the entire interview basically.

And she won a Tony for it. She was amazing. And they were trying to talk Deirdre into doing it. And she was like, no, I don't know. The lip syncing thing sounds like such a weird gimmick. Like, I don't, that doesn't sound like anything to me. And I have on good authority that the producers showed Dana videos of me lip syncing. Duh!

And then she was like, it can be art. I'm going to do it. Well, she literally was like, okay, I'm seeing this person do it in a way that is like a funny, of course, and like jokey and gimmicky. But like, there is a way to be so precise about this. I'm not saying whatever. She was like, there's a way to be precise enough about this to make it to elevate the material.

Let's do it. How much percent of her Tony do you want? Zero. Zero. 15% I say. I'm not saying that I take any credit. I'm saying that one of my greatest accomplishments is doing something that ever even showed up in front of Deirdre O'Connell's eyes. That's all. Anyway, this is all to say Eternal Sunshine. Okay, and then what was the new thing? I watched NIAID.

And I have to tell you, it's so much better than I thought it was going to be. Okay, good. Then I'll watch it too. I really like... There had been months ago, there had been this goofy clip of Niaad where they're playing table tennis. And...

Annette and Jodi were so bizarre in this clip and out of context, it was so it didn't seem good. Okay. So I was kind of like, no way. And then when I kind of in my mind had like solidified on what I thought were going to be like the Oscar contenders and stuff. And then Annette and Jodi really stuck in there. I was like angsty about it. Then I finally watched the movie.

I love this movie. Like, I think it's obviously, you know, the best thing about it are the two of their performances, but really winning sports movie. Like it, it's kind of a classic story of just determination and everyone telling you, you can't do something. And you being a very specific type of person, because she was not really a nice person. She was not necessarily like someone you root for. Like she was very one track minded. And I would say like,

The movie really needs Jodie Foster to take some of the edge off. But their performances are great. Jodie is so great in this. And Annette, for some reason, I thought if Annette had won for this, it would feel like a light win. Or it would feel like... A career Oscar. Yeah, like we were just tossing her a bone. It wouldn't feel like that at all. Really? It is really hard to play...

physical brutality, like in terms of like when your body is going through something and your body has to fight against elements and you're literally like your interior is taking over in a way that is really hard to act. It's one of the reasons why

I'm such a huge fan of Sandra Bullock's Gravity performance is because she was playing so much of the physical reality of what it means to be suffering or fighting for your life in that way. And a lot of that is here in this Annette Bening Nyad performance. Like, the elements wearing away at her in the water. There's no question when you're watching it that she's actually going through this. I mean...

It had to be a wild shoot. She's in the water a lot. You know, it doesn't appear to be very CGI ish. It appears like she's doing a lot of practical work here. And by the end, when she's gone through her like fifth attempt at doing this, uh,

Cuba to Florida Keys swim, which really like it's if she did actually do it and there is some dispute whether or not she actually by the book, by the rules in terms of what they say is an actual achievement here and of the swim, like did it 10 out of 10, 100% above board. But like,

This story of determination is one thing, and it would be a winning script and winning performance anyway, but what puts it over the edge for me and really makes this nomination worthy is the really...

just very raw depiction of what it is to be worn away by this physical feat and these elements. There is a jellyfish attack. That is one of the scariest moments in film. No, I'm not watching. Bowen, these jellyfish come for Annette in such a way. We need an Andy Cohen reunion with Annette. And the jellyfish set her couch.

center couch and Jodi's their friend on the side. Like... No one else. No one else. Anyway, but like this movie was great and the performance is great and Jodi's super winning in it. They're just stars. I feel like I was, you know, poo-pooing these nominations because I didn't know better and I saw the movie and... Well, you listened to the voices. You listened to the...

to the punditry of it all. It wasn't even that. It's just with the Oscars, you guys, I know I sound nasal today. I'm really sorry. I don't like listening to people's voices when they're sick and doing a podcast. I apologize. I don't like the way I sound right now. But what I'm saying is I think that I really don't like it when it feels like we're just throwing an Oscar at someone because we feel bad. And it doesn't feel like that. And this is not that at all. It just is not that at all. Like it is...

it's worth a watch. Even if some part of the movie is like a little bit goofy, it's a little bit of a goofy story. Like ever goofy is good. Like her getting attacked by jellyfish on her attempts to cross the sea. That was a real thing that happened. It did. It did. And she had to be like resuscitated and like all these things. So then it's not goofy. No, but it's goofy because it's a Ned bedding versus a jellyfish in the water. You know what I mean? That's power line. That's,

She plays this mean, mean lesbian who's like, I'm getting back in the water. And then the jellyfish takes her out. And she's like, oh! And then they're like, get back! And Jodi's like so gay in it. So she's like, Gary!

Get her up here. Come on. And then they're like resuscitating her. She's like, Jesus Christ, let my friend live already. And then that's like going back in the water, babe. And she's like, oh, Jesus. And it's just these two lesbians going back and forth. That's you and me. Honestly, in many ways. I don't know who's Nyad and who's Jodi, although you're Nyad and I'm Jodi. I'm the coach.

No, you're Nyad. I mean, can you believe this bitch's name was Diana Nyad? A nymph of the sea. That's a palindrome of a name. The A is the center letter. Diane Nyad. Diana Nyad. It's the same spelled backwards. Do you know what I mean? It's 100% something that I know what you mean. Oh my God. Thank you. I do.

So should we move on to I Don't Think So, Honey? Yeah. Can you explain I Don't Think So, Honey while I blow my nose? Yes. I Don't Think So, Honey is our segment where we each take one minute to rail against something in the culture. I mean, I think I have an idea of what Matt's might be. He is really having a rough time with this congestion. And it's almost March, you know? It's like...

I thought we were done with this. So did I, sister. I have a feeling this is going to be like a 24-48 hour thing. I think this is not going to be a big deal. Great. I'm happy for you. But I do have something. Okay. Mix one of us. Oh, God. This is Matt Rogers' I Don't Think So, Honey. His time starts now. I Don't Think So, Honey, the Wendy Williams documentary. Oh.

I really feel like this is not the move. And the family being like, she's an executive producer on this, so that's above board. It's like, guys, she is by definition not in her right mind. And these stories coming out now about her having dementia and these... This has obviously been something wrong with her for a while. Way

before you decided to do this documentary. And now what you have is you have her devolving on television and you're out here promoting it. You didn't even see the result of what you would put together here and say, guys, you know what? We have to really work to make sure we're protecting her. No, you saw the product

that you had and then continued to promote it for your own gain. And I'm sorry, but anytime you have something that's in the entertainment industry and promoted this way, you are doing it so people watch it and so you gain from it. I don't think you protected her here. There's a reason we haven't seen Bruce Willis. There's a reason we didn't see Barbara Walters. It's because when you put someone out there like this at the end of their life, this becomes their legacy and shame on you for doing that to your family member. I don't think so, honey.

That's one minute, 100%. I think the family member who's gotten a lot of screen time is, I think, the niece? The niece. And there's something so dark there, because I think she's also a journalist or something. Yeah.

There's something off about the whole thing, and I don't think there's any position that these people could have that justified what exactly is going on here. Because unfortunately, now what you have is you have someone who's very sick with dementia and potentially other things on television not acting like themselves. She's saying things that are very offensive, very dark, very nasty, and she looks unwell, and you got a camera in her face.

It's aphasia. It's like she can't even register communication or even express it in the way she wants to. It's brain damage. It's literally brain damage. Like, she's not okay. It's exploitation. And I remember...

when we did our first culture awards, right? Like Wendy Williams was like a leader in the nominations because there were moments, there were just so many moments, you know, she's iconic and she's at, she's done so much in the culture and she, she always provided like something to talk about. But then when it became clear that something was really wrong. Yes. And when it was clear, it was clear. You take a step back and you have some respect and,

And the fact that this is coming from her family and these photographs of her, I don't care what awareness you think you are bringing. You know the way you bring awareness to an issue like this? You say, our beloved family member and pop culture icon Wendy Williams is dealing with these issues.

If you or someone you know are dealing with these issues, you're not alone. We are dealing with it. Here are resources. Here are places you can donate. Here are positive memories of our family member. Not we documented what the reality is and are putting it out there. Don't worry. She's okay with it. She doesn't have the wherewithal to be okay with it.

And at this point, it's like a catch-22, too, because then it's like, if you weigh in on something like this, it's like, oh, trust the family. They know what's best. We don't fucking know that. No way. If this is what's best for Wendy Williams, pfft.

then I really am adrift out here. Because it seems like the best thing for her would be to focus on her treatment and to give her privacy. Because we did not need this to understand the reality that she was in trouble or a picture of what this type of mental illness looks like. We did not need it.

Bo, listen, vacation, it's something you got to get right. You can't roll the dice. You have to make sure that it's all together. Everything is where it's supposed to be when you get where you're going on vacation. Can you agree? I have never agreed with you more. And I've

so many wonderful trips with you in the past. Bowen, I remember one of our favorite trips to Toronto when we shared that Airbnb. Remember that? Airbnb came in the clutch. We were doing our I Don't Think So Honey live in Toronto. We stayed in that amazing Airbnb. We loved it. We had the time of our life thanks Airbnb still to this day. I remember that Airbnb like it's

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Toyota, let's go places. Bowen Yang, do you have an I Don't Think So Honey to share with us? I think so. Well, that's good. Are you ready? Yes, yes. This is Bowen Yang's I Don't Think So Honey as time starts now. I Don't Think So Honey, Normani with this dopamine release. Like, I love this album. I love this title already. You can't make us wait longer. I don't think so.

What do you mean what's another like two, three months? I want this now. You should have dropped this on us and there would have been no notes. That would have been a perfect release strategy because we love you. You're able to coast on this. 30 seconds. Goodwill that we've built up over the years. But I think this is kind of a middle finger to us. And maybe we deserve it because we have been hard on you. But also...

you haven't delivered on what you promised would be coming for such a long time. Again, I actually love Normani. I love Normani here. But I'm like, just put out the whole thing. I do love this cover though where she's riding this fucking rocket. Tough imagery. Tough imagery today, but she looks good. And if I stop thinking about current events, then I guess it's a slide. But just drop the album. Why?

Why make us wait longer? That's one minute. Well, I think if one thing is clear about Normani, it's that it's not up to her. I think if one thing is very clear about Normani over the past five, six years, it's that it ain't up to her. This to me feels like another story of

talented artists and... Of course, of course. Label or a situation where they can't figure out exactly what the rollout is or can't seem to get the material together or get their ducks in a row to actually put out music and have her fans like... Support this artist, yeah. And I've never understood why that seems to happen. It must be some sort of bureaucratic, like, political thing because I've never understood why...

If you have a huge single, like, motivation, or a huge artist, or, like, someone with a platform already, or who already has, like, a huge, like, way in for an audience, like, why you wouldn't just, like, put an album together? Even if it wasn't, like...

you know, I get that people are really want to create the best body of work possible, but like, I find it really hard to believe that you couldn't find 11 or 12 songs like motivation that could fill that sonic landscape and create an introductory album for Normani, which makes me feel like it has to be more than that. There's gotta be something else going on. Ultimately with what we've landed on here, I do like the album title a lot more.

I like the images a lot. I think now, unfortunately, what she's up against is the fact that like... The expectation is so high. We have been waiting so long. The expectation is so high. Whatever song comes out now has to hit hard. Yeah. Otherwise, it'll all have been for naught. That's like the corner they've painted her into. You know what I mean? It's like we got this one song. We have this one group that she was a part of. We know she's capable of a lot, but...

That almost feels like... You know what I'm saying? It's like if Beyonce dropped the Renaissance visuals now, I'd be like, okay, hun, well, we're on to your new thing now. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. We still might get it, though. Maybe. Maybe. But I'm looking forward. I mean, Normani's fucking good. No, she's amazing. She's amazing! That was just the Adam Thinxoni that I pulled out of my...

Big A. No, but I'm happy you brought it up because I did want to talk about it because when I saw that she actually was releasing the album and then it was like the date and it's like she's playing games with us with the date. I'm like, yeah, yeah. I'll give her two weeks of these games.

Oh, yeah, no. I see the games, like the labels. I know it's not up to her, but she does have some power here to push back and be like, let's do this this way. I feel strongly. I don't think she has any power. I really don't think she has any power. I think unless they were like actually to leak something or like really forcibly take it away, this cannot be the way she wanted it to go. And I also don't think

she's necessarily jazzed about announcing amidst every other pop girl. Right, right. It's a packed year. What is going on with Gaga right now? Is she also coming out with something? I don't know. I think she's just in the studio. Because the behavior on Instagram has been a little sus. I think she's just having fun. She's just having fun in the studio. I think she's getting back to herself. I really do. I think she's like, let me do this Fortnite thing.

get the girls riled up, confused. I think she's just getting back to herself. But this is what Gaga always has been, which is like, let me sow the seeds of confusion in the funnest way. In a way that's actually ultimately harmless. Like, she can do her... She can do all of her, like, pharmaceutical commercials and her, like, Oreos. Like, this is Gaga. You're right. It's supposed to be chaotic, but fine in the end. Yeah. This is why we love her. I love...

Perfect Illusion. Justice for that one. And since you brought up John Wayne a couple weeks ago, I have been listening to it nonstop. It's so good. And that video. Jared said that should have been the single and I was like, maybe. I kind of think Perfect Illusion was the right single. I like Perfect Illusion. Hold on. Let me just look at the Joanne track one more time. It's so Gaga. It's so Gaga. I mean... Just out of nowhere...

And so she's always done. She'll just stand there with her mouth open and her eyes wide. It should have been Angel Down. That should have been the only single. No, Grigio Girls, I mean, Joanne, you always have to appreciate Joanne for giving us Grigio Girls. I never have said a negative word about Joanne ever in my life. I think Joanne is one of the great Lady Gaga albums.

Period. Go back and look at the tapes. I've never said a bad word about Joanne either. Look at the tapes. You will find nothing negative from me. You'll only hear my rendition of... You're giving me a million reasons to let you go.

Now, I'm so glad we're going to table this 2013 conversation because there's a lot there. We got to talk about Beyonce self-titled. We got to talk about art pop. We got to talk about Miley at the VMAs. I mean, that was a big year. This one got away from us, guys, but you have to understand it's because there's a lot there. There's so much there and we can't wait to talk about it.

But for now, Sora and Riku have really killed this episode. Matt, you please consider Kingdom Hearts and playing it. I will consider. I think you would really enjoy it. If I can only figure out this damn contraption. Sure. The switch. It's for little children, so you should be able to. We end every episode with a song on that note. Oh my god, my funny crap. Oh my god.

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