Rosabel

Summary

Flightless Bird: “Rosabel”

Podcast: Flightless Bird
Host: David Farrier
Cohost: Rob
Date: January 20, 2026
Episode Theme: A deep, playful and honest exploration of David Farrier's long-time friend and housemate Rosabelle, as she steps from her usual off-mic cameos to a true guest-of-honor interview. The episode becomes a warm, often hilarious examination of friendship, differing cultures, and personal quirks—with a healthy dose of self-deprecation, direct emotional honesty, and one egg-based prank.

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Episode Overview

David Farrier, joined by cohost Rob (in Los Angeles), records remotely from New Zealand, where he is staying with longstanding friend and former roommate Rosabelle. Instead of the usual call-in, Rosabelle is present for a candid interview, offering corrections to David’s previous on-air stories about her, sharing the truth about their friendship, and yielding new insights into life as a Kiwi (well, technically, an expatriate Aussie). The free-flowing conversation dives into personal idiosyncrasies, the challenges of living together as adults, miscommunications, and the enduring affection that binds chosen family.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Breaking Format: Introducing the Real Rosabelle

[00:00–08:28]

• David explains the unusual recording setup, with him in New Zealand and Rob in LA, and Rosabelle physically present (“Prepare to have your mind blown, because this is the Rosabelle episode.” [00:58])
• The hosts warm up with stories about American “mum movies,” sex scenes in media, and Rob’s mother’s evolving understanding of gay relationships.

Memorable Moment:

“Where was that phone call at the beginning of the episode? Where's Hayden? Where's Rosabelle? What's going on?... Prepare to have your mind blown, because this is the Rosabelle episode.” – David [00:00–01:00]

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2. How David and Rosabelle Met: The Real Origin Story

[08:28–13:13]

• Rosabelle shares their meeting at a student media awards, poking fun at David’s “supermarket tote bag.”
• The confusion with the similarly named public figure Dave Farrar gets clarified.
• Their initial impression: mutual admiration and a sense that David stood out as a “sane” person in a drunken student crowd.

Notable Quote:

“I'd never heard of you...I kind of thought you were him a little bit. Well, I didn't know. I quickly realized that you were not.” – Rosabelle [09:28–10:09]

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3. Housemate Tales, Friendship Dynamics, and “Negging"

[13:13–29:38]

• David and Rob reflect on road trips and the formation of “Flightless Bird.”
• The trio candidly discuss roommate pet peeves (David’s abandoned coffee mugs; Rosabelle’s need for attentive listening; David clomping around for attention).
• The “egging incident” resurfaces: David once cracked an egg on Rosabelle’s head (and had to really bash it several times to break it).

Notable Quotes:

“David does this thing... If you're having some me time in your room and he wants some attention, he'll walk really loudly outside your door so that you're aware of his presence...” – Rosabelle [27:07]

“I just remember the egg being a clean break as I smashed it on Rosabelle's head. But apparently it was like, after a lot of repeated hits, which is... does sound like, as I said out loud, it's sort of assault. But it's okay. We're okay.” – David [25:02]

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4. Culture Clash: Flirting, Friendship, and National Identity

[29:38–30:19]

• The trio reminisce about their transpacific friendship, New Zealanders’ awkwardness with flirting, and David’s American adventures.

Notable Quote:

“People in New Zealand are really bad at flirting. It’s not like in America. So I think even when someone is flirting, you really can’t tell.” – Rosabelle [13:35]

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5. On Attachment Styles and the Social Science Experiment

[30:19–34:33]

• Rosabelle describes a research project observing couples handle conflict and listing things they would change about each other—an experiment in honesty and discomfort.

Notable Quote:

“They would identify the top three things they wanted to change about their partner and rank them from the most deal-breaking thing to the third most deal-breaking thing...” – Rosabelle [31:22–31:34]

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6. The “Airing of Grievances”: Live Experiment

[34:33–41:09]

• The group gamely plays a modified version of Rosabelle’s experiment, listing three things they’d change about each other.
• David accuses Rosabelle of undermining social situations “by lobbing conversational grenades.” Rosabelle calls David out for taking credit for other people’s potluck dishes and for his “little white lies.”
• Rosabelle notes David often doesn’t listen (or won’t accept information from women until a man repeats it).

Notable Quotes:

“You love to do a little white lie... at parties sometimes, a guest will bring a carefully prepared dish… and then pass it around as though you have just made it.” – Rosabelle [35:12]

“... if information is told to me by a woman, I do tend to sort of not really take it in until it's repeated by a man. Sometimes in the same night or in the same room.” – David [41:00]

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7. Reflections on America, Travel Anxieties, and On Being “Producer”

[47:46–54:12]

• Rosabelle describes her impressions of America (“really great storytellers,” everything is “big”).
• The logistics of Rob potentially traveling to NZ: Rob admits he’s never flown over an ocean.
• Rosabelle attempts to explain what she actually does for a living as a freelance producer in art, dance, and public installations.

Notable Quotes:

“I would say that I’m a producer and I like saying that because no one wants to ask any questions after that.” – Rosabelle [52:43]

“I have only been to LA and New York, so there’s a lot of America I’ve not seen.” – Rosabelle [48:18]

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8. Egging Redux: Retribution and Closure

[58:43–63:03]

• A major Patreon milestone triggers a live recreation of “the egg incident.” Rosabelle cracks a (pre-cracked, for effect) egg on David’s head while he’s still recovering from his shower.
• David is genuinely surprised and grossed out, giving comic, visceral commentary on the mess.
• Emotional coda: David apologizes to Rosabelle for the original egging; Rosabelle admits enjoying holding it over him, and feels their dynamic has been reset.

Notable Quotes/Exchanges:

“I'm so annoyed that my brain was so slow to know, like, there might be a little, like, gag coming.” — David [60:14]

“I actually feel really bad because he just had a shower before this.” — Rosabelle [63:11]

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Notable Moments & Quotes (With Timestamps)

• David on friendship honesty:
  “We got into a bit of a fight to text...I see something was off in the air and I sort of had to text, ‘Are we fighting?’ and Rosabelle sort of said, I think we are. But we didn’t know what it was about.” [29:00]

• Rosabelle’s own correction of David’s ‘spoilers’ myth:
  “I have never [read movie spoilers on Wikipedia]...You will go...and you read the entire plot, and then decide whether you want to go. I’ve never done that.” [23:31–23:52]

• On David’s “moods” at work:
  “You get moody sometimes...I can tell just from text responses that you’re in this kind of mood that sometimes takes a bit for you to get out of.” – Rob [44:42]

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Episode Summary & Takeaways

• The episode is heartfelt and comedic, blending the mutual razzing and emotional directness that mark long friendships.
• Rosabelle emerges as witty, grounded, and quietly formidable—a necessary foil to David’s self-effacing, sometimes chaotic energy.
• Throughout, there is a focus on the quirks that bond friends, the small resentments that accumulate in shared living space, and the subtle ways personal biases (listening more to men, letting moods dictate communication) can enter even our most cherished relationships.
• The live egging serves as comic catharsis—and a symbolic restoration of balance in their friendship.
• The show closes with community feedback on past episodes, reinforcing the show’s spirit of curiosity, humility, and the ongoing learning journey.

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Major Themes

• Friendship as Chosen Family: Supporting and annoying each other in equal measure.
• The Value of Honest Conflict: Airing grievances is both cathartic and growth-promoting.
• National & Generational Differences: On flirting, emotional reserve, and cultural assumptions.
• Listening, Gender, & Recognition: David’s (and by extension, society’s) tendency to unconsciously trust male authority.
• Closure & Forgiveness: The egg prank ends with mutual understanding, a literal and figurative renewal.
• Behind the Scenes: Clarity on what being a creative “producer” actually entails.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is an essential, richly human portrait of the relationships beneath Flightless Bird’s usual investigations. It’s light on external reporting, heavy on self-reflexive humor, and full of moments that would resonate with anyone who has ever navigated adulthood, friendship, or the chaos of creative collaboration. Rosabelle, long a voice from the margins, finally gets her due: she is as warm, sharp, and capable as the show’s best fans always suspected.

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Memorable Sign-Off:

“I always want to come off as the hero of the show... And the trouble with Rosabelle is that she tends to outshine, trump me on all those things. But look, it’s making me a better person...” – David [64:44]

Transcript

[A]

I'm David Farrier, a New Zealander accidentally marooned in America, and I want to figure out what makes this country tick. Now, you may well have felt some panic setting in just now. Where was that phone call at the beginning of the episode? Where's Hayden? Where's Rosabelle? What's going on? Look, I understand your feelings. We're all creatures of habit. Especially with podcasts, any change, big or small, can feel disorientating and strange. You may feel a complex array of emotions. Anger, fear, abandonment. You choose. But it's okay, because there's a good reason for this. Right now, Rob sits in Los Angeles, California, the United States of America. I'm back in New Zealand. And you know who else is in New Zealand? Rosabelle. Why call her when we can just have her on the show? Prepare to have your mind blown, because this is the Roosevelt episode.

[B]

Flightless, flightless.

[C]

Flightless bird. Touchdown in America.

[A]

I'm a flightless bird. Touchdown in America. Hi, Rob. How are you?

[C]

I'm great. How are you?

[A]

I'm good. I have to say, recording this remotely. We were just talking about this before we hit go. It is. This sort of. It feels so different than being in the room. And also because we're in different countries and we're kind of recording this at unusual times, I feel kind of out of place of topics and time and place, and it feels like we're in this kind of like. It's like we're in the cloud doing this or something.

[C]

Yeah. This format's also a little different because, I mean, technically, this is about the time we record in LA, so that.

[A]

What time is it there?

[C]

It's like 6, 6:15. It's a little bit earlier than we normally do.

[A]

Well, I just thought it's so silly. You know, I've been back in New Zealand now for about two weeks, and I had been staying back in my old flat, I don't know what Americans call that, with Rosabelle. And I thought it's crazy, kind of not to have her on the show. And I guess the idea is I thought we could kind of learn more about her, and then maybe she can also correct some. Not that I would have done this, but I might have got some things wrong over the years. You know, she doesn't have a voice. You know, she can't rebut anything I say. And maybe she can correct some wrongs also.

[C]

Well, and I think ultimately, through learning about her and what you've gotten wrong, we'll learn a little bit more about Bravid over here. If that even is your real name.

[A]

Look, I appreciate the use of find out. Now, I don't want to.

[D]

This is.

[A]

Obviously, this is the Rosebel show today, but I did just briefly want to talk about some exchanges we had had whilst I am away. I understand your family has been watching the hit hockey drama he did.

[C]

Rivalry. I mean, my family's not. Natalie's watching. Heated rivalry.

[A]

And we don't need to go too much into this, but I know you had to explain to your mom about some various.

[C]

Well, all right.

[A]

Things tied in with the show.

[C]

So it actually wasn't.

[D]

I.

[C]

We had gone to dinner, my mom stayed home with the boys, and I rented the movie Twinless for my mom to watch.

[A]

What is Twinless?

[C]

It's a new movie about a guy that his twin dies. So he enters this support group for grieving twins who've lost a twin.

[A]

Okay. All right.

[C]

And then he becomes best friends with this other guy who lost his twin. And it's a really.

[A]

It does sound like a mum movie.

[C]

It gets really dark and twisted. And the one guy's twin is gay. And there's a. I don't even remember it being graphic, but there's a fairly graphic gay sex scene.

[A]

Ah, right. And that's where.

[C]

In that movie. And then I took my mom to dinner on her last night in la. Natalie stayed home with the boys. We get home and Natalie's watching Heated rivalry.

[A]

Yes. It's about sort of. I haven't. I'm going to watch it next week. It's apparently very. It's very sort of raw and engaging and you've got these sort of hockey players who are in love and there's a lot of sort of accurate portrayals of gay sex and sort of. It's just happening. It's not like we're about to have the sex and it's suddenly happening. And it sounds like it's portrayed in a way that isn't often shown like this on tv, which is kind of amazing. So she walks into that once she arrives home.

[C]

Yeah. And then Natalie has to proceed to have the talk with my mom about.

[A]

Talk about sex.

[C]

The sexual sex talk with my mom who didn't know about gay sex.

[A]

It's really good. I thought it was really charming. I thought she had some questions that were answered. Were you recording the video in the corner?

[C]

I went in the corner, overheard this conversation happening and decided I should probably take a video of it.

[A]

Yeah. Really good.

[C]

And then proceeded to. Immediately. Immediately.

[A]

Just texted me before telling me that she just recently explained lesbian Sex to her as well. And strap ons and that kind of thing. So the education of your mum continues. I liked how your mum took it in its stride. It was just new information. And what struck me about it is of course there are people wandering around that don't know about the logistics. And we're all learning all the time. There's always new things to learn. And I thought it was very charming and also hilarious.

[C]

Yeah, she's a very sheltered 60 something year old woman that.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Grew up in a church and she has gay friends. I don't know what she thought was happening sexually. We've never talked.

[A]

Probably. Probably just hadn't entered the mind. Just not something not thought about and suddenly it was being thought about and questions had arisen.

[C]

Yeah. Yep. So that happened really good last two nights ago.

[A]

Now I'm wondering before Rosabelle is hovering around in another part of the house and I will get her on a microphone soon. You know from your experience of hearing Rosabelle's phone calls, what is sort of, do you have sort of impressions? Do you have any sort of questions you want to get into? You know, she'll be a bit nervous about this. She's not a big podcaster. She. I've sort of dragged her into this kicking and screaming.

[C]

I mean, I'm just excited to learn more about her. I really only know about your friendship. I don't know my. I know she does some sort of curating with an art institution you've told.

[A]

Me about as part of things. Yes, yes. To be honest, Rob, her job still mystifies me at times as well. She's doing so many interesting things, I sometimes struggle to explain what she does. So I'm probably here to learn as much as you are. To be honest, I do.

[C]

Like on Zoom, it looks like your hat has fused with your hair. It's the same color. My niece is doing a weird thing.

[A]

On Zoom and they dyed it so they did a leave it like that.

[C]

I think. Leave it like that. I think we need to see.

[A]

Sides and a purple. A light purple middle. It's a unique haircut. It's also. I have to do one little bsa. It's extraordinarily hot here in New Zealand and as I sit here in an un air conditioned house, I can start to feel myself sweating. So if I become disgusting, it is. It is a heat issue and I'm sorry you have to see that if you're watching it. But.

[C]

Well, for anyone that's not watching, it sounds like at some point you might take your shirt off during this interview and go over to YouTube, YouTube.com lightlessbirdpod and David Ferry.

[A]

This is how we lose viewers, not gain them. This is not gonna. This is not the way it's gonna work, okay? I'm gonna get Roosevelt. Rosabelle, do you wanna come and join me on the pod? Hi, Rosabelle.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

Now, we got a little earbud for you there. Now explain to Rosabelle I've cleaned the AirPods because it's always a bit awful using someone else's, but I had detergent and got it all in there. How are you?

[C]

And then you put it back in your ear just now?

[A]

No, no, I've just been on the one the whole time. So Rosabelle has a fresh one. It's so nice we're all here. It's weird because this has never happened before and it's like. I don't know where to look. I don't know how this works, but. Rob, maybe you can kick things off. I wonder if you had any questions for Rosabelle or. Because we're sort of. We're here to learn about Rosabelle together, the three of us. You might learn some things about yourself, Rosabelle, in this.

[B]

I hope so.

[C]

I mean, I hope we mostly learn a little more about David.

[B]

Yeah, well, you can ask me anything about David.

[A]

I mean, maybe we start. Should we start there? Like, I'm curious what, because we met how long ago as well, 15 years ago or something.

[C]

Can we get the origin story of.

[A]

The origin story from Roosevelt's pov? And if I sense lies, I'll step in and correct.

[B]

I have to tell the David version.

[C]

You have the script that he put in front of you, right?

[B]

Yeah, I'm here voluntarily.

[A]

There's an auto cue rolling.

[B]

We met at a student media awards where David was emceeing or I was.

[A]

Giving out an award in a certain category because I was on the news then, late night news, and I was a pretty big, pretty big deal up there. So I didn't know who.

[B]

I'd never heard of you.

[A]

Really? Had you?

[B]

No, I actually thought. Because I don't know if you've talked about this, but there's another public figure who has a very similar name to you.

[A]

Ah, yes. Dave Farrar.

[C]

The stock photo guy.

[A]

No, that's a different guy. He looks like me. There's a guy called Dave Farrar who is also in the media in New Zealand. And he is a. A sort of a short balls man who is politically very differently aligned to me. And he's always spouting a whole lot of shit. As am I. And often people are very confused because they're like, why did you say that, David? And I'll be.

[D]

It wasn't me. It was the other one.

[B]

So I kind of thought you were him a little bit. Well, I didn't know. I quickly realized that you were not.

[A]

Okay, right. Okay.

[B]

I was taking. I was the photographer for the event. So we were seated next to each other at the sort of, like, staff table.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And I remember making fun of you because you had brought instead of, like, a regular bag that a normal adult might have, you had, like, a supermarket tote bag. And I made a passing comment about it, and you just kind of laughed it off. And I was like, oh, that's nice to be able to laugh something like that off.

[A]

Yeah. I'm not. I'm sweating. I'm, like, so hot in here. So you need.

[C]

You started by negging him. David really wants to do an episode on negging at some point.

[A]

I'm just going to lean out a shot while I towel myself off. So hot.

[B]

Do you. I could turn the air conditioning on.

[A]

Can we maybe.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm having a sweat attack. I wonder if it's psychological. You know that because you're. Maybe I am.

[B]

I've got so many secrets.

[A]

Yeah, I think maybe I'm. You turn the air conditioning on, and then I think that's the way to go, because I'm not coping. Something's. I thought you were going to be nervous, Rosabelle, but I think something's happening with me. One thing I found out. I actually found out about this while we were shooting the hit Netflix show Dark Tourist. It was raining, and I was drenched at one point, and I thought, this is going to be disgusting. On camera, you can't tell so often with sweat or rain or wetness on a camera, you can't tell it's there. Liebet. Robin. Can you see sweat on me?

[C]

But you have the filter, the glamour filter on your zoom. Right?

[A]

That's private. Yeah, I do, actually.

[B]

The. No tears.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. I'm feeling better. I've wiped myself from the sweat. The air conditioning's turning on.

[C]

Aside from his grocery bag, what was your first impression of him? Were you impressed? You thought he was kind of a dweeb.

[B]

I thought he was fun. And it's nice. Confident. I accepted an award that night for somebody else. I don't know if you remember that.

[A]

I don't remember that at all.

[B]

And so that's the first photo that we have together of me accepting Somebody else.

[A]

Oh, you with the award. Yeah, Right. Oh, that's. That's kind of cool. Yeah. I remember I was just sort of impressed. I was like, wow, who's this cool photographer down here? Like, who's this person? And it was like a student award. So it was. Everyone is very drunk, and everyone was like a complete mess. And Rosabelle wasn't messy like everyone else was. So it was like, oh, here's.

[D]

Or were you.

[A]

I can't remember.

[B]

I can't remember either, but I'm quite a put together drunk.

[A]

Yeah, you're put together. And so it was just like someone sane in a room full of disgusting students. I mean, you'd go to the bathrooms and there was, like, vomit in the stalls. Like, New Zealand students drink a lot. And it was.

[D]

It was rough.

[B]

This is university students.

[D]

This is university students.

[A]

Oh, yes.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Very, very legal. So that's how we met. And then I guess I introduced you as well, that point to Hayden as well.

[C]

Do you exchange numbers at that point?

[A]

Yeah, we would have. Yeah. Yeah. It was like, this is a cool person. I want to keep hanging out with you. And that's how it all began. Well.

[C]

And do you, miss, does he. Does it come off as he's hitting on you at any point when he asks for your number?

[A]

No, I think.

[D]

Oh, why?

[C]

I think this is a question for her.

[A]

Wow. How did you feel about that? I think that I'm so sweaty.

[C]

It instantly came back after that question.

[B]

People in New Zealand are really bad at flirting. It's not like in America. So I think even when someone is flirting, you really can't tell. And I don't think I knew.

[A]

And I'm definitely. I'm not a great flirter. So if I don't think I was flirting, I think I was like, this is a person I want to hang out with, and you get their number. So I feel like in America, getting someone's number is more of a sort of a flirty thing than it is in New Zealand. Here, it's more just practical. Okay, fair. Rosabelle, do you have any questions for. At this point for Rob? Do you have any? Because I feel like you have been listening to him talk to me for years and have never been able to talk to him.

[B]

I want to know, first of all, why your name is Rabbit Grin on this computer. And also your origin story. My origin story With David.

[C]

David.

[B]

But you could also tell me your origin story.

[C]

No, no. It's much easier. So David was a guest on Armchair Expert during COVID which when we Would have guests on Armchair during COVID I'd have to send equipment to people and get on zoom with them and kind of set them up with things. And I think we were doing that and we started talking about music right away because I. I knew of a band in New Zealand called the Veils.

[A]

Yeah. Straight in.

[C]

Immediately started talking about. So I feel like we hit it off a little bit. You came on. It was a good episode.

[A]

A lot. I think we hit it off a lot. I think it was instant.

[D]

Great.

[A]

But a little bit for you, that's fine.

[C]

Yeah. I don't remember it.

[B]

What did you think of Rob?

[D]

I thought it was.

[A]

So I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what the show was. I'd never heard of the show, even though it's this giant, huge thing. But I'd googled it and was like, this is a big show. I should go on it. This is a really great thing. And then this little man, Rob, pops up.

[C]

I think I cold emailed you, too. I think that's how you got on the show, as I just found your email.

[A]

Yeah. And then we were waiting for the hosts, obviously, to come in, and I was just in a little. On a little zoom with Rob, and you made me feel very comfortable. And I was, you know, I was in this house. I did it from another room in this house, and I was nervous, and you made me feel. You're very good, Rob, at making people feel at ease and like it's not a stressful situation, even if it is stressful.

[C]

Thanks. And then, yeah, we. Then we started armchaired and dangerous. Him and I started working together closer and closer. We were doing live shows for that. And I hate flying. And I also like road trips a lot. So they would fly to those shows, and David and I would drive because it was like, let's go see these weird, weird parts of America and kind of do this thing that you did as a kid or in high school, inexperienced, kind of these pockets of the country that a lot of people don't get to see when they come here. So we did that. And I think that's where our friendship kind of got taken to the next level.

[A]

It was nice. We learned about each other and we were listening to music in the car and we were visiting all these fun little places, finding funny little places to pee on the side of the road. Remember that big rock we peed behind?

[C]

Yep. Up on Highway 1. But do you remember in Hurricane Utah, we got that Airbnb and in that abandoned town and Accidentally went inside someone else's house?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

What. What do you mean?

[C]

So we.

[B]

Because you thought it was an abandoned house?

[C]

Well, yeah, so we were driving to Salt Lake City and decided to stop to go where we were. We were going to Zion National Park. So we found a place to stay near there, and it was this crazy big house. And we get there and the instructions were like, the. The community's not fully built yet, so you're just gonna turn left and it's like the first house there. And it's not on the map. So we find what we think is our house. The door's not opening. So we go into the garage, open the door, and we see someone sitting on the couch and then quickly shut the door and get out of there.

[A]

It was shocking.

[B]

What? You didn't say anything. You just left.

[C]

No, we didn't. We didn't.

[A]

He knows that it panicked. Yeah, no, we. Oop. And yeah. Just backed away. It was such a. Such a fright. When you think you're going into an empty and it's actually a lived in property. It's not a good feeling.

[C]

No, the garage was like, full too, which we probably should have realized.

[A]

Yeah, it was late. We were just like, we're finally here. But like, you bond over little stories like that on the road, you know, and then we're also trying to come up with a format for another show. And we were, you know, sort of going through these really complicated ideas. And then Rob was just like, you're stuck in this country. Why don't you just do a show where you're stuck here trying to learn about the weirdness of America? It was like a very simple idea. And we discussed the format as we were on the road.

[C]

Well, because on those drives, things like that would come up. We'd pass billboards or the. I think our first trip, we ended up at like an outlet mall getting pretzels at Auntie Ann's. And David had no idea what that was. He didn't know what a pretzel was.

[B]

Okay, we do have pretzels in New Zealand.

[A]

The first correction has arrived.

[B]

You didn't know what a pretzel was?

[A]

No, I didn't know what a pretzel was.

[B]

You were hamming it up.

[A]

Sometimes I ham slightly. You know, like I do ham slightly. Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors.

[D]

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[A]

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[A]

Actually, that's a question I had for you, Rosabelle. Do you feel, listening to the show, when you do listen, do I sort of misrepresent New Zealand and the way it is, or do you think it's kind of okay? Because I have a very like my view on things, which could arguably be obviously not everyone's view.

[B]

I mean, I guess the thing is there is no one objective truth about the country. So your view is your view. That being said, you do seem to have a strange view sometimes of the country. And also you lie a lot about me getting right into it.

[A]

Do I?

[B]

Yes. Well, I can't tell if you believe that about me or if you are hamming it up for the comedy or the drama.

[A]

Do you have a particular example that comes to mind now of something where I've misrepresented something in some way?

[B]

The one that comes to mind is that one time you said that I love to read the blurb, like the plot spoilers for TV shows and movies.

[A]

Yeah. That's a genuinely held belief. I. Before you go to a movie.

[B]

I have never done that.

[A]

You will go. We've been in this lounge before. We were choosing a movie to go. And you go onto Wikipedia.

[B]

No.

[A]

And you read the plot, the synopsis on Wikipedia and the entire plot, and then you decide whether you want to go.

[B]

I've never done that.

[A]

It's not you.

[B]

No.

[A]

Fascinating. I wonder who that is. You know, that was a genuinely hard belief I had about you.

[B]

I mean, I will read the blurb. Well, I guess to your credit, I will read the blurb on the movie site. Yeah, that's okay. I don't want spoilers.

[A]

I thought you did. Okay. I thought you wanted to know exactly what happens in the film. That's interesting. Well, I've learned something about you.

[B]

Okay, well, that's good. That's good that it's taken you this long to learn a simple fact about me.

[A]

And as we actually, as we sit here. Rob, as I glance sort of beyond the laptop screen, that is where I cracked the egg on your head many years ago now. I just remembered. And the bench over there was where the egg carton was sitting.

[B]

Yes, it is the scene of the crime.

[A]

It is the scene of the crime. Anyway, just memories are flooding back to me now.

[B]

We were actually talking about it the other day because David had to smash that egg on my head so many times before it cracked.

[A]

Yeah, I forgot about that detail of it.

[B]

So that was the other traumatizing aspect of it because you were basically punching me in the skull.

[A]

That is such a negative. That's like how a lawyer in a courtroom would twist something.

[B]

Isn't that what this is to be.

[A]

As worse as possibly could? I just remember the egg being a clean break as I smashed it on Roswell's head. But apparently it was like, after a lot of repeated hits, which is. Does sound like, as I said out loud, it's sort of assault. But it's okay. We're okay. And we've moved on.

[C]

Well, okay, so you guys were roommates. Can you tell me the. The worst things about David as a roommate? See a good roommate.

[A]

Interest. I'm curious about this as well, because also I've been living back here for. I've been with my parents and stuff as well. But being here for a few nights now, and I've felt some certain tension in the air with things that I do, and I'm. Anyway, I'll stop talking.

[C]

We've shared Airbnbs often, so I can maybe commiserate with you as you go through your list.

[B]

I mean, it's so nice to live with one of your best friends. So it's nice to be able to come home at the end of a night out and debrief and catch up. And everyone has different rhythms and preferences for cleaning, and we just have different rhythms.

[A]

I think Rosabelle gets annoyed about the number of mugs and cups that I leave all around the house that are half full of different drinks. I get a cup and I forget it's there. And I also don't do the dishes at the time. I'll put them in the sink with the idea of doing it at the end of the day. They also mount up.

[B]

We have a dishwasher, so you just put it in the dishwasher.

[A]

I forget about. Yeah, because I don't have a dishwasher in Los Angeles. I. I do everything by hand, and I forget that we have one here. So that gets tense.

[B]

There was no drinking Glasses this morning. So that was a problem for me.

[C]

You had a servant that would wash your dishes?

[A]

No, I just do it. At the end of the day, I would do them, but I forget that in Rosabelle's house, you need to keep up with the dishes as they. As the mess is created.

[B]

But look, as I say, I agree. It's just my preference.

[C]

Yeah, no, I agree. I remember this about all of our trips with David.

[B]

David does this thing, which maybe he does with you as well. If you're having some me time in your room and he wants some attention, he'll walk really loudly outside your door so that you're aware of his presence, and then you come out and say, what's up?

[A]

Yeah, I do. I didn't realize. I thought I was doing it more subtly, but I do tend to. If Rose was in a room, I sort of clomp around the house, especially past her door, just as a. I don't know, it seems natural thing to do. Sort of make yourself known and maybe get some attention. But I hear that can be annoying at times as well.

[B]

Do you feel like you do it so I don't get scared?

[A]

No, I just want attention.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

Yeah, it's that. And it often works.

[C]

I mean, you answered a little bit, but what was the best thing about living with David?

[A]

Yeah, that's a good topic.

[B]

Well, this morning, he drove me to the gym. We went to the gym. And that was nice because I don't have a car at the moment, so was very helpful.

[C]

The best thing is you can drive Taxi Driver.

[D]

Basically.

[B]

What have you enjoyed about being back at the house?

[A]

Rosabelle is such an easy, great person to live with. She's always got ideas about where to go and what to do. I feel like Rosabelle's, like, an amazing host. If you're living with Rosabelle, she's always sorting out what everyone's eating and activities, and I feel like I can turn my brain off and everything is sorted. And she also has such good friends. I feel like I'm always hanging out with lovely people that are in Roswell's life, and I can kind of, like, steal her friends and sort of get into that world. So I love it. Roswell's the easiest person to live with in the world. Annoying things. I didn't ask you sometimes ignore me in the house. Like, I feel like you sometimes you don't want to hang out with me all the time.

[B]

Yeah, we got into an argument about that.

[A]

We got into a bit of a fight to text. I mean, it's getting a bit domestic now, but I see something was off in the air and I sort of had to text Roosevelt, are we fighting? And Roosevelt sort of said, we, I think we are. But we didn't know what it was about. And we figured out that it was. I mean, did we even figure it out?

[B]

It was a combination of things.

[A]

It was a combination of things. It's hard as adults living together. It's hard, isn't it? You know, we all do things in different ways.

[C]

That text happened this trip or this was when you were living together.

[D]

Yesterday.

[A]

Yesterday, yeah. Yeah. So look, it's probably getting into the minutia. Very specific.

[B]

Interesting.

[A]

Zooming out a little bit. I. Because I want to learn, I want people to know more about you. Rosabelle, something I find really interesting about you is people assume you're a Kiwi beer. Actually an Australian. You were born in Australia.

[B]

Wow. You're just revealing all of my secrets.

[A]

Yeah. So I think that is something I find kind of amazing.

[C]

Are you offended then at how often he shit talks Australia on the show?

[B]

I don't know that I necessarily identify as an Australian because I left when I was seven, so. And I don't remember much of it and I didn't love Brisbane, which is where I lived. So. Yeah, I don't feel offended.

[A]

You don't feel personally insulted by that? And Roswell. Something I find really interesting about you is it's something I've always found interesting. You studied psychology early on quite intensely. And I always remember that experiment you talked about doing with couples.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I was wondering if you could explain that because I think that sees so much about you and the kind of weird projects you end up involved in.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. So I was studying attachment style. Do you both know about attachment style? Yeah. So I was studying attachment style and the way that it impacts on couples ability to navigate conflict. But the way that I was studying that is that we built this fake living room inside the psychology lab. And couples would come into the lab and I wouldn't be in there. I would be in this little control room because there'd be all these little cameras around the room and some microphones and the lights. And one of the things that they would have to do is they would both fill out this quite long questionnaire and then they would identify the top three things they wanted to change about their partner and rank them from the most deal breaking thing to the third most deal breaking thing, which is quite.

[A]

An intense thing to do.

[B]

Yeah. But you had to have been together for at least A year. So I guess the idea was that you'd already had this conversation before.

[A]

Ah, okay.

[B]

And then they each had seven minutes to talk about the number one thing they wanted to change about the other person. And I would just watch in my.

[A]

Little control room and people got people. It broke down into sort of some quite tense situations as well. Like you weren't watching people having beautifully mellow conversations. It did get heated.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, the whole thing, I guess, is that there are a lot of dysfunctional couples or deeply unhappy couples who stay together because they both think that is what a relationship is meant to feel like.

[C]

Can we play that game right now.

[A]

With you too?

[C]

You guys have known each other long enough, I think.

[A]

What? So we can try. We can try it. So what?

[B]

It's.

[A]

It's the top. The three things that we would change about each other.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And is it. Is it for. Yeah, okay. Yeah.

[C]

As a friend? Relationally?

[A]

Yeah. No.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

Oh, okay. We'll ping pong it back and forth.

[B]

Are you going from number three to one?

[A]

I'm going from least important to most important.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I would say I just don't think what your ones are going to be. I think I know what one of them is going to be. That's for sure. I think sometimes when we're out with a group of friends, if you're bored, you will. Sometimes you'll ask a sort of quite provocative question or something that will derail the social setting in some way. Essentially lob a little grenade into the middle and sort of sit back, look quite self satisfied and kind of watch everyone sort of start to start to figure out what the hell to do with what she's just said. Yeah. So that.

[B]

And you want to change that about.

[A]

I want to change it.

[C]

That seems like a positive.

[A]

That's not war.

[C]

That seems like a positive thing. I like that.

[A]

As I say it, there has been some quite funny moments. And because it reveals a lot about the people in the group, I do quite like that.

[C]

Can you give an example of one?

[A]

Oh, it's so specific, Rob. It's like it'll be something I've said or done that someone else maybe doesn't know about or it's so specific to the thing. Or do you have an example?

[B]

No. That makes it sound like I'm just telling on you all the time.

[A]

I mean, it's part of.

[C]

Do you realize that you do that?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, I know that it's intentional. It's one of versus of things to do.

[B]

I don't, but I'M not doing it in a mean spirited way.

[C]

I think it's more diabolical. It sounds like.

[B]

I don't know if I even. I. I don't know. I would contest. This is about even.

[A]

This is about my issues with you. So you just have to listen.

[B]

And this is like the airing of grievances.

[A]

Yeah. We do a thing called Festivus some years where at the end of a year, we'll get our friends together and we'll go around in a circle and say what someone in that group has done to offend you that year, and there's no rebuttal. And you just go around in the circle. And it starts off as like, quite light. Like I would say, Rosabelle, I got really offended that dinner when you lobbed this. This in the mix. And then by the end of it, people are doing full on quite intense reveals and it gets really insane anyway, that we got a little bit festivity just. Just then. Okay, Ro, have you got one for me?

[B]

You love to do a little white lie. And something that you do at parties sometimes is a guest will bring a carefully prepared dish to share with the room and you'll receive it and then pass it around as though you have just made it.

[A]

Yeah. It is one of my favorite party tricks. And it's great because I get credit. Everyone's like, wow, this is such a beautifully made cake.

[B]

So yummy.

[D]

Incredible.

[B]

And you'll just say, thank you. And technically, you're not even lying. But it really annoys me.

[A]

Everyone assumes that it's. Occasionally I will say, I made it.

[B]

Oh, you do.

[A]

I do that sometimes. And if the person that has made it captures that moment and sees it happening, extra level of satisfaction. That's like a big, big.

[B]

So watch out, Rob.

[C]

I will.

[A]

Okay. My next thing for Rosabelle, that I would like her to change or correct is that sometimes when I explain something to her, she doesn't listen. And so I'll be explaining something really clearly and precisely. And sometimes you don't listen to what I'm saying. And so we get into fight sometimes because you aren't understanding what I'm saying. So if you could listen a bit better, maybe to me, that would be really good.

[B]

I do think we have a certain dynamic where I don't listen to you. Like when you call me often, I'm never just listening to you. I'm always doing something else.

[A]

Yeah, I get that.

[B]

You can tell.

[A]

I can tell.

[B]

This is the most attentive I've been right now because I'm being Watched.

[A]

Yeah. So just more, you know, when I'm talking more, just really concentrating on what I'm saying and listening. The thing I'm aware of is I do tend to ramble at you a lot, and I do bother you a lot with different things, and I can get quite repetitious in what I'm saying and boring.

[B]

I am listening.

[A]

Half listening.

[B]

It's like listening to a little podcast.

[A]

Okay. What's your next one, Rosabelle?

[B]

Oh, my God. Okay. Oh, yeah, I think you just said it, but I'll try and think of a different one.

[A]

I mean, it's a difficult game because we are both quite sort of excellent people, so there's not a lot we can really change about each other.

[B]

You could come back for my birthday. It's annoying me that you're not going.

[A]

To be here for it. Yeah, it's close.

[C]

When's your birthday?

[B]

It's in a month.

[A]

February.

[C]

I mean, we could get to 1500 by then and fly you out for your birthday.

[A]

Patrons bring you over. We need, like, 300 birthday. This is.

[C]

This. This is doable.

[B]

Everybody, please help me not be alone.

[A]

It's actually a really good point. And my last one, I would say with Rosabelle, sometimes I think you. I don't even know what I'm gonna say. There's all sorts of things buzzing around in my head right now. It's just so.

[B]

So many things to learned.

[A]

So many things. I think sometimes you don't believe what I say. Like, I'll tell you something and you will just not believe it. Or you'll think that I'm. I'm making things up.

[B]

Like what?

[A]

I'm trying to think of a good example. Now.

[C]

This is your number one grievance, is you don't feel like she believes you.

[A]

I think believe men is what I should. Well, that's funny that you say that. I'm trying to say to you because.

[B]

Can we talk about an ongoing conversation that we've had?

[A]

Yeah. And this is a genuinely really good one. And it's a real behavior that I exhibit that is I'm not happy with.

[B]

So I will say things to David sometimes. And he. It's not that he doesn't believe me, but it doesn't seem to, like, sink in. And then he'll come back to me and say that some man has told him this thing and isn't that amazing? And I'll be like, I just told you that. But it's not just me. It's. You do this to a lot of.

[A]

It's Such a rough. But it's true. I have a thing where I guess it's. Am I a misogynist?

[C]

I think you are sort of. Some. You have this thing with musicians, too. You don't like female singers?

[B]

I mean.

[A]

No, that's not correct. I, I, I, I, I don't hate female musicians. I tend towards male vocalists. But I think that's just because of the genres of music that I like. There's more men in that kind of.

[B]

Area and is that why you like that?

[C]

Yeah. That's why you're drawn to it.

[D]

Probably.

[A]

I mean, chicken and egg, that's a problem. Let's not talk about eggs. It's, it's, no, there is that. But I think there is this thing where if I, if, if information is told to me by a woman, I do tend to sort of not really take it in until it's repeated by a man. Sometimes in the same night or in the same room. And there are times that Rosabell will tell me something like a really good thing happened recently. Like, I'm learning about a few sort of, sort of, sort of ways that I think about the world. And Rosabelle told me about this and then I went and read it in an article written by a man and came back to Roosevelt and it's like, I think I've really learned something important about my, myself. Here's the link. And I wondered why Roswell was a bit salty when I did that. Turns out she had told me about this, like, years ago, and because it was coming from, from her, it just didn't quite sink in.

[C]

Have you ever tested this theory at, like a party where you tell him something and then you go get a man to tell him the same thing?

[B]

I haven't, but this is something we could be in cahoots about.

[C]

Actually. I think we should work on this.

[A]

I'd be curious, actually, how that would go. As though something I'm proud of. I'm working on it, but it's something I have caught in myself that is quite, just quite funny, but also not funny at the same time. Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors.

[D]

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Sure, I've got the usual goals.

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[A]

Oh, that got a bit tense.

[B]

You do listen to women sometimes.

[A]

I do, sometimes, yeah. And that's important. Should it's important to listen to women.

[C]

Where does that come from, David? Is it your parents dynamic?

[D]

I don't know.

[A]

It's a good question. I think it must come from my upbringing a little bit like I feel like my dad definitely kind of like was the boss, you know, he was like the one running things. But I mean it's all, like, threaded throughout society, isn't it? And it's. Maybe it's just like, I've been a bit slow to get out of that. But look, let's not get too deep into David's. It's not about me. It's about Rosabelle.

[B]

What's something you'd like to change about David?

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

I like this because I'm also. I'm wanting to adapt. I'm wanting to become a better person all the time. I'm open to it.

[B]

Actually.

[A]

This is really interesting because I think you'll genuinely have some really good ones because you work. We work closely together, you know, and we. We're in a small little team and we're both working quite hard. But anyway, I'm going to stop talking. I'm. I'm nervous.

[C]

You just get moody sometimes. There's, like, definite moods that you get in, and I can tell, like, just from, like, text responses that you're in this kind of mood that sometimes takes a bit for you to get out of. I don't. I mean, but it's also fair that you feel feelings, so I don't.

[A]

Thank. And do you feel that as well? Roswell. Do you feel. Do you feel moods?

[B]

Of course.

[D]

Do you.

[B]

What are you talking about?

[A]

No, because I always. I feel like I'm often I. I hide it quite well with you. I feel like I'm. I'm like, quite. Really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, like, have I been. How often does it happen? How often is my mood changing, do you think?

[B]

Maybe twice a week.

[A]

Really?

[B]

What do you think, Rob?

[C]

Yeah, it's. There's definitely, like, spurts.

[A]

Do you think my. Do you think my mood fluctuates more than is average, do you think?

[B]

I don't think it's about the mood. It's more how you handle the way.

[A]

I can handle it.

[B]

The way it manifests. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

I mean, but we're also working together very closely. So when you're closed off and being moody, it's.

[A]

It makes it hard to communicate and get things done.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. So what I'm taking away from this is when I'm in a bad mood, I should figure out ways to still communicate the information and get things across and not just be annoying.

[B]

You can say that you're in a bad mood.

[A]

I can say I'm in a bad mood.

[C]

You do that occasionally, but I've started recently. Yeah. Yeah. But then, like, there's also things that you can do to break out of that mood. Like, let's try that. Because I Because, yeah, there are things that we do that then you're like, okay, I'm actually fine now. This moment of being overwhelmed has passed.

[A]

One thing I'm impressed about with Rob always is you're quite good. You have a very busy, stressful life. And I think you're always. You're never in a point where you become annoying. You're always very level with everything.

[D]

Thanks.

[A]

It's a compliment.

[B]

I feel like you don't like compliments.

[C]

No.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't know how to respond to compliments.

[B]

You can say thank you.

[C]

Yeah. Thank you.

[A]

That's a very Kiwi thing as well.

[B]

Yeah, it is. It really is.

[A]

Now I'm just gonna check. I wrote a few more questions down in my Google Doc.

[C]

I have one more about David. David claims all of his friends have always called him Bravid. Can we get on the record? Is that a real nickname that anyone's ever called him?

[B]

I mean, some people might say that your greatest friendship is with yourself. And so if we believe that, then sure.

[A]

It's a really look. So it's not a no.

[B]

Nobody has ever who has called you that. Where did you even get this other.

[A]

I've got other friends that you don't even know.

[B]

Like children or something?

[A]

No, I've got no adults that are just impressed by my bravery. You don't know my friends. I've got all these friends in Los Angeles.

[B]

Your Los Angeles friends are calling you bravers.

[A]

Yes. A lot of them are just people you haven't met. That's just the way. That's just the way it is.

[C]

Have you been to America?

[B]

I have been to America, but we've never met. So hopefully we meet one day.

[C]

Where did you.

[A]

We are getting close on Patreon numbers to having Rosabelle over. And I should say I didn't run this past you, Rosabelle. No.

[B]

You often do a lot of things without my permission. I would say so.

[A]

Just so you know, there is a Patreon level where if we get to a certain number of subscribers, we bring you over to America and sort of give you a little US tour. So that is something that's happening probably this year.

[B]

I've only been to LA and New York, so there's a lot of America I've not seen.

[A]

Where would you want to go in America if you could go to any. Is it like a national park? Do you want to go to Vegas? Is there a certain place you'd like to go?

[B]

I think I'd like to go somewhere that excites both of you. Because I don't know enough to know where else I'd like to go.

[C]

So she wants to go to Monster Jam with us.

[A]

I think Monster Jam. Monster Jam is to play.

[B]

I'll do it. I'm ready.

[C]

What is your perception of America? I think let's remove the last eight years, nine years of America from the equation.

[B]

So just say some positive things is what you say.

[C]

No, what. Just what is your perception of it and Americans? Is it all negative? Is there any positivity?

[B]

I think because a lot of people grow up on American pop culture, there is a sort of admiration. Like, I had always thought about Americans as, like, really great storytellers, kind of like authoritative. Like, if I hear an American accent, I feel like, oh, this person's about to tell a good story or say something that is, like, well articulated. I mean, not necessarily compelling. But, you know, people know how to be artists, and that's a very real thing. Yeah, I thought everything would be really big and that meals would be really big. Like, you get a drink and it would be too big for me, which.

[A]

Is kind of true. Like the drink, everything is bigger.

[C]

Well, it depends on where you. It depends on where you go in America, too.

[D]

I think every.

[A]

I think every meal in America and drink is bigger in America than you default to in New Zealand. I think that's like a real difference. That's a real thing.

[B]

Maybe not in LA.

[A]

LA's bigger. I reckon everything's bigger there. I stick by that. When you come to New Zealand, Rob, when you get over your fear of flying and we get you here, you'll be blown away by how small the.

[C]

Portion of the miniature everything is.

[B]

That should be a tear that Rob comes to New Zealand.

[A]

That's not a bad idea, actually.

[B]

So you'll never. You don't fly or you.

[C]

No, I fly. I just don't enjoy it.

[A]

When was the last time you were out of the United States, Rob?

[C]

I've only done Canada. Oh, wow. I've never.

[A]

You've never flown over an ocean?

[C]

No. That freaks me out a little bit.

[B]

Would you rather be on, like, a cruise ship or a boat?

[C]

I mean, I've been on a cruise ship. I don't. I wouldn't say. I guess I would rather be on a cruise ship, but I'd rather take a boat across the New Zealand trip.

[A]

Was going to happen. If, Rob, if you were going to come to New Zealand, would you. You do. Would you cruise over or would you just somehow bite the bullet and fly?

[C]

I'd probably bite the bullet and Fly. I just then get a ton of anxiety leading up to the flight. And then the whole time I'm gone, I'm thinking about the flight back.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. I feel. I don't want to pressure you too much, but at some point New Zealand I think should be a thing in your future. Rob and I didn't know you hadn't flown over the ocean. That's incredible.

[C]

Can we take a boat?

[D]

Boat?

[C]

Is that an option?

[B]

Yeah, you can take a boat.

[C]

How long does that take?

[A]

It's a really good question. How long does like a cruise take from the US to New York?

[B]

A non cruise boat. It'd have to be quite a big one. I think it might get a bit choppy for that, but maybe not. I don't know. I actually don't know.

[A]

I don't know anything about boats really. And like how big the boat would need to be to safely make that crossing.

[C]

Or we have to like look into Alaska and then cross over and then.

[D]

I don't know.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, it'd be a great episode. The boat journey.

[A]

Jesus. Be so, so intense and so, so stressful.

[C]

Two weeks on a boat.

[A]

Okay, Maybe. What are you most looking forward to about this year, Rosabelle, besides your big birthday? Is there anything you're really pumped about?

[B]

Well, lots of things and wait, no.

[A]

That'S actually, that's a question. I had Roosevelt. This is something I'm sort of. I'm still unfamiliar with almost even though I've known you for so long. How would you describ it is that you do for a job? Because I. People ask me this, I get confused.

[B]

What do you say?

[A]

I say you like you're a producer.

[B]

Yeah, that's what I say.

[A]

I say you enable people to do all this other work. But then also sometimes you seem so heavily involved in the work, you're kind of making the work as well. And I get confused there about what your role is.

[B]

I mean, producers as being a producer is so slippery. But I would say that I'm a producer and I like saying that because no one wants to ask any questions after that.

[A]

So what do you produce? That's my question.

[B]

What do I produce kind of things. Yeah, it really depends on whatever work is coming.

[A]

Terrible answer. You've got like some concrete things like what are you.

[C]

What have you produced?

[A]

People going to, you know, what are people going to?

[B]

Okay, well, this year so far, I'm producing. We're bringing an Australian artist over who is a movement dance puppetry artist who does club nights. And he's Doing a show and then the work that is potentially taking me overseas is also a dance work. But producing dance is actually kind of new to me because historically I've done public art installation work.

[A]

It all seems to be going well. So you can just use those skills wherever you want.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[C]

Do you work for a company producing or are you.

[B]

I work for myself. So that's why it's quite hard to describe what I do because that can be quite unpredictable.

[A]

Like when I went to visit Rosewell last year in Manchester, she was producing this amazing show with these school kids who had basically come up with like a tie. Can you explain it? Yes, because it was such a crazy idea.

[B]

We worked with, with around 450 young people, like 8 and 9 year olds from across Manchester and they were creating an inheritance for children 100 years from now. And the gallery who were presenting the time capsule committed to re presenting that work in a hundred years time so that the recipients of the inheritance can actually receive it.

[A]

Which is so trippy. And as someone going to that show, you could walk in and just see these. There's a video installation about the kids talking about what they're expecting the future to be like in 100 years, which was very perceptive and like a combination of like cute and deeply sad and really intense. And then items that the kids had chosen that would be important for like people 100 years in the future. And just what. How kids perceived that and what was important to leave to their the next generations was fucking fascinating.

[B]

Yeah, there were some really moving objects that on the surface looked really cute. And then you got them to explain why they'd chosen it. One of the objects was a series of flower seeds. And when they initially said seeds and I was like, do you mean vegetable seeds? Thinking it's the apocalypse and we need food to survive. And they were like, no, we think it should be flower seeds because flowers won't exist in the future, but people still deserve beauty.

[A]

Which is such an intense answer from a kid I know. Like it's such so much thought has gone into that.

[B]

Heartbreaking.

[C]

Who's funding those types of projects? Or is that part of what you're doing is finding funding from organizations to do these?

[B]

That was a quite unique situation. I was collaborating with two artists, Andy Field and Becky Darlington, and it was funded by the festival who were presenting us. And I don't know exactly where all their funding was coming from, but that.

[A]

Yeah, but that's like part of. That's the thing with producing. Right. It's like part of it is like sorting out money, but also sorting out the people and enabling them to do everything. So many things at once.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And you're a producer, too, Rob. Yep. Wow.

[B]

And you have a big hand in what you're doing.

[A]

That's true. I feel like I'm trying to think if there's anything else that I want to learn about. I think there's so many things, but maybe I warned her. I said it was only 10 minutes, but I feel like I've really been talking to you for a long time. Azine, do you have any other questions for me or Rob before we let you on your merry way?

[B]

What do you hope will be the same and what do you hope will be different about your relationship this year?

[A]

About my.

[D]

With Rob.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think I've learned that. I think when I'm in moody, I want to get better. Getting out of my bad mood and communicating to Rob that I'm in the bad mood, but still finding a way to not just shut down, but to keep getting things done. Because I tend to sort of disappear. I go into, like, a little blackout zone.

[C]

You feel distant?

[A]

Yeah. Like the replies in the text. I'm suddenly just doing like a thumbs up, you know, instead of doing a big long rant, which is. Yeah.

[C]

I don't know that we need to encourage more of that, but.

[D]

The thumbs up is a bit.

[A]

That's also sort of an act of war, isn't it, Sometimes the thumbs up. Yeah. Have you learned anything that you.

[B]

Well, I've got the same question for Rob.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

What was the question?

[B]

What do you hope will be the same and what do you hope will be different?

[C]

I hope the same. I feel like we work well together and we're on the same page a lot of the time. So I hope that's the same. That we kind of continue creatively being aligned.

[A]

That's my one, too.

[C]

What's different?

[B]

So aligned.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't know.

[A]

This is a classic Roosevelt question. Roosevelt is so good with prompts. She's like, puts out a big idea.

[B]

You know, But I think this is the kind of question that you are referring to. When. At a party.

[A]

Yeah. You'll throw. Yeah, that's part of it.

[C]

I hope there is something different because I feel like we're good at adapting and it challenges us and that's where we're strongest, when there are things that are different. So I don't know what it will be, but. But hoping there will be something.

[A]

Yeah. I like they're doing, like, more like live elements to what we do. Like, not just, like, live shows, but maybe some, like, gatherings or something, like, unique with that, because I feel like we've got an audience that is, like, mobile and all over the US And I think we could do something kind of cool, but I don't know what that is. Yeah, maybe Roswell could produce it.

[B]

I mean, you've already got a producer, so I wouldn't want to step in.

[A]

Anyone'S chest, so it gets really tense. Roselle, thank you for coming on Flightless Bird.

[B]

Oh, thanks for having me.

[C]

I sent Rosabelle something that she needs to get. Get for you. So Rosabelle's gonna go get something.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Show me more of that hair. David, can you explain to us what happened?

[A]

My nieces wanted to dye it.

[C]

I want to see the top.

[A]

And I said I should do it two different shades.

[C]

Can I see the top?

[A]

It's sort of like a lighter purple on top, and then the pink is, like, a different color. And so they just wanted to have a combo of the two.

[B]

This is a present from Rob. Oh, this is a present from Rob.

[A]

This is sort of via.

[B]

Yes. So I wrapped it in a. No, the box is not the princess. Sorry.

[A]

Get it something else. Let's have a little look. A flannel. Oh, I am so fucked up that I didn't see that coming. That's so annoying.

[C]

It is.

[A]

It's confronting.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Yeah. It's horrible, isn't it? And it's all in my mouth.

[B]

Oh, I'm sorry. I was actually really nervous about it, and I didn't want to do it.

[C]

But then I did it because we had.

[A]

I get much more visceral than I thought it would be. It's, like, gets in everything. It's on my glasses.

[B]

Yeah. Do you want some paper towels?

[A]

No, I'm okay. I'm so annoyed that my brain was so slow to know, like, there might be a little, like, gag coming.

[C]

We hit a thousand. And part of that was you get an egg cracked on your head, and we hit it right before we scheduled this. So I thought, who better to crack the egg on your head than Rosabelle?

[A]

It's really, really good. And I think now, you know, when. When I did the studio Roosevelt, you were like. Also, you'd had your hair done. You're getting ready to go out. You're actually putting makeup on over there while you're doing it. And it was such a. And it's sort of. I thought when you did it, it would sort of. You could wipe it off. But it gets in, doesn't it?

[B]

Yes. That's why I had to have a shower.

[A]

Like, it's Steve that's deep in.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I have learned a lot.

[B]

Something that I learned because I did some rehearsals for it this morning, is that because I'm not as strong as you, I was really worried that I would end up being caught on camera just hitting you in the head multiple times. So I actually pre cracked it.

[A]

This is what a producer does. This is the producing aspect to it all. So it was like a little half cracked egg.

[B]

I just stabbed a knife into it, so it was like, ready to collapse.

[A]

And where did you have the egg when you gave me this?

[B]

In my hand.

[A]

It was just in their hand.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well played, Rob. Well played, Rosabelle. I'm gonna go. Well, I mean, we've gotta do it in recording, don't we, Rob? So I'm kind of stuck here with the egg. Thank you, Rosabelle.

[D]

You're wonderful.

[B]

Thanks, Rob.

[A]

Let's have another great year of flightless bird.

[C]

How do you feel having gotten retribution for the egg?

[B]

I have to admit I was quite reluctant to do it because I enjoy having something over David. And now in some ways, the balance is restored. And so I don't know.

[A]

Yeah. You are now an evildoer also.

[B]

I know. So now you're gonna have to do something new so that I can feel smug again.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. This is great and wonderful and horrific all at the same time.

[B]

I just did. Remember, with the Patreon thing, though, it does say that Rob is going to crack an egg in your head.

[A]

Oh, no, don't do that. Don't reset. Don't make this. Not the egg. That is.

[C]

She does say that.

[A]

My last question, Rosewell, for you, because with the show, the whole idea is, you know, I called you at the beginning of an episode. Do you feel when I call you now? Because sometimes I call you to record and sometimes I call you for friendship. Do you sense when I'm calling you for the podcast and when I'm calling you for something else?

[B]

Not immediately, but you often have a slightly different voice. It's when you say hello to me, it's like, you know, you're about to play a joke on me. You sound kind of like there's a self satisfied.

[A]

Yeah. Sort of excited. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Because I feel that when I'm talking.

[B]

Because you're never excited otherwise.

[A]

No, I'm not. No. I'm sort of like a task. It's. Oh, God, I've got to talk to my friend again. Yeah, you can Go now. Thank you, Rosabelle.

[B]

I actually feel really bad because he just had a shower before this.

[A]

I did. I was all fresh and it's everywhere, isn't it? There's yolk everywhere. It's like there's so much in an egg.

[B]

At least it's not in your pants.

[A]

At least it is.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

Sorry for my knees.

[B]

I'm going.

[A]

Bye.

[C]

Thanks for. Thanks for talking.

[A]

It's really good. What you don't know is that Rosabelle is genuinely upset by what she had to do. She is such a legitimately kind hearted person. That would have taken a lot.

[C]

I mean, I had to convince her at first. She said no. It took a little convincing, but, you.

[A]

Know, because she is. She's not an unkind person. Like, it's not in her nature to crack an egg. And so it would have taken a lot. But obviously you did convince her.

[C]

I mean, I had to remind her about the horrible thing that you did to her in that very room.

[A]

Yeah, no, I'm. Sometimes to learn, you have to experience something yourself. It's not just a understanding you come to. You have to go through it yourself. And I feel like I have just done that.

[C]

You have eggshell all in your hair.

[A]

I know.

[D]

I know.

[A]

I have eggshell in my hair. I can see. What have we looked? What are our takeaways? Rob, from this Rosebel episode, I think we've all learned that Rosebel is also capable of evil. We know that now.

[C]

I mean, I think we just all learned that Rosebo's very lovely.

[A]

Yeah. It's kind of the thing, isn't it? It's true. There's no other lesson to take from this.

[C]

And does that annoy you a little?

[A]

Yeah. I mean, I always want to come off as the hero of the show, you know, the most brave, the most liked. And the trouble with Rosabelle is that she tends to outshine Trump me on all those things. But look, it's making me a better person. And we can all sort of reassess where we fit into the grand scheme of things. And it's nice to be reminded that there are. I'm so distracted by all this yoke running down my face. I've got some feedback if you'd like to hear it.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, let's hear it.

[A]

It is all to do with the Best Friends episode, which would have aired a couple of weeks ago. Now, a lot of people mainly shocked by the fact that Best Friends was a full blown cult. A people did not know that. A lot of Americans knew about Best Friends. Animal Society, but did not know it was a cult. A lot of people also very happy. Rob that for the graphics for that episode, you used a lot of the pet photos that people had submitted over on the pet thread on Patreon. And people were very thrilled with that and it was very cute. People love their pets.

[C]

Yeah, we needed pets. I needed pets for it. And I was like, well, I've got to.

[A]

I know where to go. Where can I get a lot of.

[C]

Images of cats and dogs with 55 different animals? So it was easy.

[A]

If I'm feeling like a bit in one of my little moods, a way I will throw myself out of it is to check the pet thread on Patreon. And it's just lots of the best animals you can imagine from all over the world. It's very pure. I enjoy it a lot. April said, hi, David. And the rest. I like the introduction and the rest because there is a rest. We've got a little team. Please don't use my name. My mind is blown by your report on Best Friends. I'm a registered vet tech in LA and started working in the animal welfare world in 2017. Egg is still dripping down my head. I feel so vindicated by your report. Not to paint with a broad brush, but most rescues are started by people with mental health issues. It sounds such an intense thing to say, but it kind of plays into this world that we talked about where people are intense. In this world, some are more malignant than others. There's an overarching culture of martyrdom and drama, as if people are addicted to the chemicals released when resc skewing animals. You could call it a superhero complex. As a member of the medical staff, I am the one who has to actually deal with the dogs and cats that are brought in and often feel like I'm just helping drug addicts get their fix rather than helping animals. Staff are underpaid and overworked and expected to essentially donate their labor to these organizations which have plenty of money. Humans are 100% below the animals. I often joke about opening a rescue for humans who work in animal rescue. They go on. But I just thought that was like a really interesting perspective from a veterinarian. Just about the. I thought he summed up the idea of just the sort of the chaos that is involved in the world of animal rescue. And while the result is really great for animals, the chaos in there is this added strange element.

[C]

Yeah, I will say everyone I know that's involved in that sort of rescue world, I think it's Appropriate to say they put animals above humans, which it becomes like a weird territory to enter completely.

[A]

Yeah, it's a different way of thinking about things for sure. T wrote in Happy New Year. I just finished Best Friends and sent it to my daughter that worked there in Utah as a surgical vet tech for five years. She said that she is well aware of all the cold activity and has been to the secluded house that has statues of German shepherds in the front. That was the lake house, the kind of original house that was built for the cult and ended up being a house for the leaders. She loved her time there, but ultimately ended up leaving when she saw that Best Friends was maybe more about the publicity than taking care of animals. And Jenny wrote in saying also I should add, plenty of people wrote in saying about the great work that Best Friends does as well. Jenny said. Thanks for your episode on Best Friends. As a shelter volunteer, we all kind of knew about the culty origins of Best Friends and we do wrestle every day with their definition of no kill and how that can harm open intake, sometimes referred to as kill shelters who have to take in every animal, no matter how traumatized, sick or dangerous they are. And they have to make very hard decisions about euthanasia. One thing I wanted to point out with regard to the conversation about supporting animals versus humans through donations is that animal shelters are the most. Animal shelters are the unwilling participant in most social problems. They end up with animals when ice deports people, when housing is too expensive, when people can't pay their own animals medical bills, after climate disasters, when people suffer mental illness and more. Some shelters now have social workers who coordinate with human social services to help solve these human issues to reduce strain on animal shelters shelters. And when that strain gets too heavy, we find we wind all the way back around to the conversation about euthanizing for time and space. So when you support animal shelters, you do also support humans in need and vice versa. And I thought that was a really interesting thing that I hadn't really thought about because animals are connected to people and in helping the animals, you are sometimes and often helping the people attached to them. Thanks for all your feedback. As always. Thanks for listening to the feedback. As egg continues to drip. Yeah, I can see it on my face.

[C]

The rim of your glasses.

[A]

Yes, it is everywhere. It's also. You can feel it setting. It's kind of like a.

[C]

It's hardening.

[A]

Yeah, it's a. It's a very interesting, invasive texture, I would say. And I can understand why Rosabell was upset at me.

[C]

Yeah. Do you have any, just unrelated. Any regrets at the end of this episode?

[A]

Regrets about this episode?

[C]

No, just regrets. Regrets from my life. From your past.

[A]

From my past. Yeah. I mean, I regret cracking an egg on my friend's head. Yeah, I regret that. I regret it in a more real way than I thought.

[C]

Is there any sort of apology, apology or anything? I mean, she's not here, right? So she can't hear you.

[A]

Rosabelle is still in the room. And. And I, you know, I would. You know, I would. I would like to apologize, Rosabelle, for cracking an egg on your head all those years ago. Do you accept the apology? Yeah, she does. Oh, that's really nice, actually. I think it was a genuine. I think we've mended some bridges here.

[C]

I think you just got yolk on the M.

[A]

Rob, it's always a pleasure if you have feedback for this episode or Flightless Bird in general. Flightless Bird, chatmail.com if you want to be involved in any of the Patreon activities, special features, future plans, Flightless Bird over on Patreon, sign up three different tiers. You get the same thing no matter what tier you're on. It depends what you want to pay for the special things. We leave that in your court.

[C]

And with that said, here's a preview of this week's bonus Episode on Patreon. Patreon.com Flightlessbird Chirp, chirp.

[A]

Rob, I'm currently sitting in Malbourn in Australia, home of fake seizure guy. Haven't seen him anywhere, but I'm on the lookout always. How's your week been, Rob? You are pretty full on in different. In different ways.

[C]

The amount of people that I ran into over the weekend that were like, oh, I. I could see them not connecting at first because I was not wearing a hat.

[A]

Kind of like your Clark Kent. Everything else is kind of continuing to descend.

[D]

There's more chaos, isn't there?

[A]

I feel like every year we have this discussion where it's like, oh, yeah, so much crazy happened this year, so.

[D]

Next year is going to.

[A]

It can't be as crazy.

[C]

It is feeling a little disheartening. My hope midterms are big and action can be taken.

[A]

Do you have anything lighter and happy?

[C]

Have you seen any movies while you've been out there?

[A]

I watched the Housemaid and how was that? It was too long. It was too dumb.

[C]

Sydney Sweeney's in there.

[D]

Sydney Sweeney?

[A]

Sydney Sweeney, my girlfriend. She was not so great. Great in it.

[D]

Oh, that's your girlfriend over it over Sydney.

[C]

Oh, you guys broke up after you saw it?

[A]

Yeah. I said, sydney, I can't keep seeing you after this film.