Drake and Josh and Ben (Part 2)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Good Guys – "Drake and Josh and Ben (Part 2)"

Release Date: March 27, 2025
Host/Authors: Josh Peck & Ben Soffer
Guests: Drake Bell

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1. Introduction

The episode opens with playful banter between Josh Peck and Ben Soffer, setting a lighthearted tone. Drake Bell joins the conversation, bringing nostalgic reflections from their shared history on the iconic Nickelodeon show, Drake & Josh.

Notable Quote:

• Josh Peck [00:32]: "Nothing makes me happier to be in each other's lives and to look back at the time we spent together."

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2. Reflections on Drake & Josh’s Career Path

Drake and Josh delve into the challenges they faced transitioning from a beloved children's show to more mainstream acting opportunities. They discuss the stigma associated with being typecast and the pressure to redefine themselves in the entertainment industry.

Key Points:

• Typecasting Challenges: Transitioning from a kids' show to broader roles was difficult, with industry skepticism hindering their progress.
• Public Perception: Unlike later Disney Channel stars who became massive touring superstars, Drake and Josh dealt with a different set of expectations and limitations.
• Desire for Career Growth: Both expressed the need to move beyond Drake & Josh to secure their places in the industry.

Notable Quote:

• Drake Bell [01:10]: "People are used to that era after that generation... It's not gonna buy me anything in the industry or whatever."

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3. Drake's Life in Mexico

Drake shares his experiences living in Mexico, highlighting the cultural differences in how Drake & Josh was received. Unlike in the U.S., where it was categorized as a kids' show, in Mexico, it aired on mainstream channels, reaching a wider and more diverse audience.

Key Points:

• Mainstream Popularity: In Mexico, the show was broadcast on Channel 5, making it accessible to teenagers, college students, and families alike.
• Cultural Integration: Drake & Josh became a staple in Mexican households, comparable to shows like Friends or Seinfeld in the U.S.
• Enduring Legacy: Drake remarks on the show’s lasting impact and its iconic status, particularly the theme song.

Notable Quote:

• Drake Bell [06:01]: "The theme song wouldn't be the theme song if we didn't have the show, you know?"

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4. Memorable Experiences and Funny Stories

The conversation takes a humorous turn as Drake recounts unconventional opportunities he encountered post-Drake & Josh. From unexpected trips with royalty to the bizarre gestures of young fans, Drake provides entertaining anecdotes that highlight the unpredictable nature of fame.

Key Points:

• Unexpected Invitations: Drake describes a surreal trip to Brunei with the Sultan’s entourage, emphasizing the randomness of such opportunities.
• Fan Interactions: He shares a story about receiving an expensive watch from a young fan at a birthday party, which later got stolen, illustrating the ups and downs of fan interactions.
• Cultural Observations: Drake and Ben humorously discuss the quirks of living in Mexico, such as the persistent loudspeakers promoting recycling.

Notable Quote:

• Drake Bell [15:37]: "The little boy just gave me a $40,000 watch. This little boy, you know."

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5. Personal Struggles: Addiction and Rehab

Drake opens up about his personal battles with addiction, providing an honest and vulnerable account of his journey towards recovery. He details the emotional and psychological toll of public scrutiny and the internal conflicts that led him to seek help.

Key Points:

• Public Struggles: Drake discusses the immense pressure of dealing with addiction issues in the public eye, exacerbating his challenges.
• Rehabilitation Journey: He describes his experience in rehab in Nashville, highlighting the initial resistance and eventual acceptance of the support system.
• Mental Health Awareness: The conversation underscores the importance of seeking help and the transformative power of rehabilitation.

Notable Quotes:

• Drake Bell [21:12]: "I went to rehab in Nashville. It was this battle where I was, like, kicking and screaming, no, I don't want to go, but I know I have to go."
• Josh Peck [27:03]: "But Drake, do you have any other questions before we go to. What, are you nuts?"

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6. Friendship Dynamics Between Drake and Josh

Josh and Drake explore the complexities of their friendship, especially during tumultuous times. They reflect on how their relationship was strained by personal struggles and misunderstandings but ultimately rediscovered a strong bond.

Key Points:

• Estrangement and Reconnection: Over a decade of limited interaction led to misunderstandings, but recent revelations have brought them closer.
• Mutual Support: Both acknowledge the importance of supporting each other through personal difficulties and career challenges.
• Nostalgia vs. Growth: The hosts discuss balancing fond memories with the necessity to evolve individually.

Notable Quote:

• Josh Peck [03:00]: "But now I can see with all this time and everything that's been revealed of, like, yeah, like, yeah, and we."

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7. Drake’s Interaction with Amanda Bynes

The episode touches upon Drake’s fleeting connection with Amanda Bynes, another Drake & Josh alumna. They briefly discuss their admiration for her talent and the limited contact they’ve had over the years.

Key Points:

• Admiration for Talent: Both hosts express high regard for Amanda Bynes’ abilities and her role on the show.
• Limited Interaction: Drake recounts a brief exchange with Amanda via messaging, emphasizing their respectful distance.

Notable Quote:

• Josh Peck [32:58]: "She was the biggest thing on the planet to me."

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8. Cultural Observations and Humor

Ben injects humor into the conversation with observations about parenting practices and societal behaviors, providing comedic relief and relatable content for listeners.

Key Points:

• Parenting Moments: Jokes about parents teaching young children to navigate public spaces, highlighting the sometimes overzealous nature of modern parenting.
• Cultural Noise: Drake humorously discusses the loud recycling announcements in Mexico, which became a memorable part of local culture.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben [35:21]: "Do you really need to teach your daughter how to walk here? You have to teach her right now how to walk up the stairs."
• Drake Bell [34:58]: "And it's so loud, and it starts as soon as the sun comes up."

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9. Closing Remarks

As the episode wraps up, the hosts encourage listeners to support their content through ratings and shares. They also give Drake an opportunity to promote his latest projects, maintaining the episode’s blend of professionalism and camaraderie.

Key Points:

• Support and Engagement: Emphasis on giving the podcast five-star ratings and sharing content on various platforms.
• Drake’s Promotions: Drake mentions his new record, Nonstop Flight, and upcoming tours, providing fans with information on how to follow his latest endeavors.

Notable Quote:

• Ben [38:20]: "Drake, first and foremost, thank you so much for doing this. It was an absolute pleasure."

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Conclusion

"Drake and Josh and Ben (Part 2)" offers a comprehensive look into the lives of Drake Bell, Josh Peck, and Ben Soffer. Through a blend of nostalgia, personal storytelling, and humor, the episode delves deep into the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from child stardom to adult careers, the importance of friendship, and the journey towards personal recovery. Notable for its candid reflections and engaging dialogue, this episode serves both long-time fans and new listeners with valuable insights and heartfelt moments.

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Transcript

[Josh Peck]

The following podcast is a dear media production. Two Jews, both big and tall. No subject too small for the good guys. A mother's dream Premium podcast team.

[Ben]

Make it your weekly routine.

[Josh Peck]

It's a good guys.

[Ben]

And if you don't give us five stars.

[Josh Peck]

What are you nuts?

[Ben]

What are you nuts? Yeah, we're the good guys.

[Josh Peck]

They're not the great guys.

[Drake Bell]

We're just the good of good of the good guys.

[Josh Peck]

Nothing makes me happier to be in each other's lives and to look back at the time we spent together. And I think something that I realized or I think was. And you can tell me whether I'm right or wrong. Like, when we finished this show, I just wanted to put my head down and go to work and say, like, it was great. I'm glad it happened. But, like, it's not gonna buy me anything in the industry or whatever. Like, I just gotta get to work. And, like, part of me just wanted.

[Drake Bell]

To put it away. That's something that a lot of us don't. A lot of people don't understand is it was that era of, you know, you're on a kids show, like, it's gonna be pretty tough.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

Coming out here and getting on ABC or NBC or Fox or going and doing a big motion picture, like you're on a kids show. People are used to that era after that generation, after us, that was like the Miley, the Selena, the Jo. Where it was like, well, yeah, you're on Disney Channel. So. And then the next thing is you're a massive touring superstar and selling out arenas. Like, that's what you. You become Selena Gomez. You become Miley Cyrus. You become. But that's the generation. So we had. We were still in that, like, you know, you were. So I'm sure that when the show's done, there wasn't so much of where the public would think, like, hey, I just. I was just on the biggest show. No, there was like a stigma to us. Like, we want to kind of like now when I go to audition for this new ABC pilot, like, being on this kids show ain't gonna be a leg up. Right.

[Josh Peck]

Like, Miley had to get on a wrecking ball.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

Half naked. To be like, I'm different now. Like, Hannah's gone.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

But I remember thinking, and to end it with the wedding, which I think blew everything up, but also was the first step in us coming back together. You know, I think about my wedding and I go, like. And the only person from the show that was there was Dan. Cause my mom was Friends with his wife.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

Thanks, Mom. No, but it's not like. It's not an indictment of one particular person. It was that I love you, I love Miranda. There's so many people that I probably would now, at 38, wanted there. But at 30, I just wanted to leave it all behind. Cause it felt like it didn't serve me anymore. And the realization I had was when you wrote that stuff during my wedding about our friendship and all these things and our love and our history. I think you were living in the world of where our relationship should have been. I was too much living in the past of when our relationship wasn't great and it was really somewhere in the middle.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

But I think that was revealed to me and why we had so much of that. Because over those 10 years, we saw each other once. Like, once a year, you know? And so when this stuff was coming out, I'm like, what does he mean?

[Drake Bell]

Like.

[Josh Peck]

But now I can see with all this time and everything that's been revealed of, like, yeah, like, yeah, and we.

[Drake Bell]

Should have been close. There was a lot of times when, like, when we were hanging out at Michael's a lot, and we were just. And like, there was. I always felt like, what? Like, man, we, like, we're all hanging out the same for, like, we should be closer. There's something. There's. And it's funny that you say, like, you know, I always used to just see you as. Like, I just thought you were so cool. Like, I thought you were the cool. It's like, dude, I honestly, like, I would think the same thing. Like, I'm like, I'm not cool enough to, like, hang out with Josh. Like, oh, no, he's. You know, I'm not. Like, I'm not funny and I'm not. He thinks I'm this. And, oh, like, we were doing the same shit when we really should have just been like, bro, want to go grab some pizza and, like, play some video games? Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah. Crazy. Wow. How about that? Wow.

[Ben]

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I will just say quickly because I've been thinking, the fact that everything that was happening with Brian Drake was in between the Amanda show and Drake and Josh, which I did not know well.

[Drake Bell]

The process, the legal and police process, that's what was going on between that time.

[Ben]

The fact that you were able to then go on Drake and Josh and do what you did again. You don't need to hear it from me or from anyone, but you're just an unbelievable actor because that show was so unbelievable. It was so funny. The way that you're describing it is not a unique perspective on it. The two of you had such unbelievable chemistry. And being an obese teen, I would look at Josh and I was like, oh, I'm Josh. Like, that was like, it was me. And I would look at Drake, and I was like, drake, you are so fucking, like, so cool. Like, it's like hearing you two talk about it, like, that is the perspective of the viewer. That is exactly what it was. And that's why that show is in the cultural zeitgeist forever. So to hear you guys talk about how you wish to leave it behind is so crazy to me. And I get it. Like, I get why you would want to. To move on with your careers and do other things, but, like, for the millions and millions and millions of people, both nationally and internationally, that love that show, just know they will always love that show.

[Drake Bell]

Well, that's something that. Well, there's two things. Like, first, seeing the audience grow through the years has been just absolutely incredible. I mean, when we were on, the show wasn't even like we were on a show. It was like, oh, if we're at Disneyland or somewhere where there's kids, like, we'll get recognized, okay? And then when the show, like, it just. But I don't know, because streaming or because nostalgia or what. But, like, every year, it just seems to be getting bigger. And now, and, you know, I travel around and I just. It's. It's amazing the impact that the show has had and still has on a young generation and on a younger generation, and it's starting to become one of those shows that is. It's like. Like what you were talking about with the theme song. It's like, yeah, yeah, I made an iconic theme song.

[Ben]

It's iconic to an iconic show that.

[Drake Bell]

We thank you for. You know, theme song wouldn't be the theme song if we didn't have the show, you know?

[Josh Peck]

And what's it like in Mexico? Like, because you moved to Mexico, right? Like, what's that? Seems amazing. The love of Drake and Josh in Mexico.

[Drake Bell]

It's unbelievable, bro. You have no idea.

[Josh Peck]

Tell me more Drake companions.

[Drake Bell]

And it's unbelievable because, you know, we were on, like, normal tv. You didn't have to buy cable. You know, I run into people that were like, oh, you were on Nickelodeon. I didn't have cable growing up, you know, but in Mexico, we were on Channel 5. We were like, on with your Friends or Seinfeld. You know, it's like, we're on normal tv, so everyone Watched us. We weren't a kids show. Yeah, you know, we were. The teenagers watched us. The kids at college watched us. The parents, you know, the families at home watched us. It was like. It seemed more like a Friends or a Seinfeld. So it's okay. For example, there's a place called Veeps. It's like a Denny's. Okay. Or an ihop. Sounds good. Delicious. Yeah, it's Mexican ihop. Right.

[Josh Peck]

Say, Lance.

[Ben]

Wow.

[Drake Bell]

So it's. So it's basically delicious.

[Josh Peck]

You know about this? Robbie, you know about this?

[Drake Bell]

Ring beeps so the menus for the children's. I have copies. I'll show you. Cool. The menu for the children's menu is us, bro. What?

[Josh Peck]

Yeah, like, it's Residuelle.

[Ben]

Where are the residuals?

[Josh Peck]

Dude, the pen. Can you do something? Residuals?

[Ben]

I don't know what to do. Hearing that you're on Fox 5 of Mexico is making me sick.

[Josh Peck]

But, you know we're a Game Boy game.

[Drake Bell]

Yes, we're a Game Boy game. Do you know that? We're a board game. What? Do you know that we're Clue. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I've got it. I have a cop. I have a. I have it. It's yes. And I sign it all the time at meet and greets, but it's because it's out of the US So there's no right. They got nothing. They take it all. I mean, the Band Aid. I mean, if you thought it was bad, you know, the Band Aid, it just said, but no. So we had.

[Ben]

Unbelievable.

[Drake Bell]

We're on the. We're the menu. You know, back in the day. Back in the day, we were in, like, when you buy Doritos, you buy whatever and you open them up like the little prizes inside is us. Like, it's. It's level beyond contract.

[Ben]

You could even understand what was in this contract. We need a copy of the contract. This is insane.

[Drake Bell]

It's. I mean, it's. It's unreal. Walking like. You couldn't imagine what it's like stepping foot in. Because the show was that they just loved the show. It was awesome.

[Josh Peck]

Did you go to the middle and. For, like, a meet and greet for a super fan?

[Ben]

Oh.

[Drake Bell]

Oh, wait. Okay, so there's two stories. Well, you might be talking about two stories. Okay, so one, I was walking down Rodeo Drive and ran into an old friend, and he's like, hey, what have you been doing? And I'm like, hey, what have you been doing? He's like, oh, I've been hanging out with the Prince of Brunei. His dad's like the richest man in the world. He's the Sultan of Brunei. And I'm like, oh, that sounds fun. He's like, ah, yeah, it's his birthday. You should come with us. I'm like, okay, see you later. Three days later, I get a phone call. He's like, hey, you still down to go to that birthday? I'm like, in Brunei for the prince. Like, this wasn't just like a Larry David stop and chat. Like, what? He's like, yeah, you get your passport number and send me it over. I'll get it all handled. I'm like, okay. So I sent it over. Like, three days later, I'm on a first class flight with Pamela Anderson. Like, all these people going to Brunei and hanging out with the prince for a week and getting taken around. And that was a crazy trip, man. I'm taking out where he goes. Where would you like to go? The mall or the movie theater? And I'm like, oh, well, I don't, you know, whatever. What's cooler? He's like, I don't know. I take you the mall. You know, whatever you want to do. I'll take you wherever you want to go. I was like, oh, let's go to the mall. Okay. I could have said, I want to go to the grocery store. I want to. Could have said, show me your ice cream shop, right? I'm like, yeah, let's go to the mall. It took us like 15 minutes to get to the mall. Maybe 15 minutes. By the time we got to the mall, the entire mall had been evacuated. There were. There were SUVs completely surrounding, like, black SUVs parked bumper to bumper all the way around. A red carpet from the entrance of the place rolled out. And our SUV pulls up and he, like, opens the door and it's just like mid conversation. Like, I know. Isn't that crazy? Like, come on. Okay, so here's what. And he just, like steps out onto the red carpet. Like, it's just nothing. Like, I'm like, so if I had said the bowling alley, all this would have been at the bowling alley.

[Josh Peck]

Someone's like, almost about to bowl a 300. They're like, crazy.

[Drake Bell]

It's crazy. Yeah, we go, we go. We're. So now we're in the mall. And he's like, if you want anything, just let my assistant know and they'll buy it for you.

[Josh Peck]

Wetzel, Pretzel. Are we talking an ATM?

[Drake Bell]

No, no, we're talking about, like, bootleg DVDs, but in the Mall, like, as if, like, it would be a Sam Goody, but it's not. It's like black and white, like, printed, like, semi good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's semi good. Yeah. So anyway, we're walking around and he goes, if you want to buy anything, just let my assistant know and buy it for you. And I don't know if I said it or he said or something. He's like, ask him, because I hate to carry cash or something like that. And I was like, oh, why do you hate carrying cash? He goes, ugh. Cause I hate seeing my dad's stupid face.

[Josh Peck]

My God.

[Drake Bell]

I was like, what? And he's like, yeah. It's like every time I pull out the money, he's like, hi, dad. Hi, Grandpa.

[Ben]

I'm like, oh, my God.

[Drake Bell]

I'm like, okay, I'll never understand that. But that's cool. Yeah. He's like, yeah. I just, Just. It's just like. So I just. I don't like to carry cash because, like, like, that's just. That's just a different world. But anyway, so that was a crazy trip.

[Josh Peck]

We're sleeping on this, Ben. Can you imagine? Brunei, guys, we go do a go.

[Drake Bell]

Oh, yeah.

[Ben]

It's almost as good as chai guys.

[Drake Bell]

A really, really cool trip.

[Josh Peck]

Say it again, Ben.

[Ben]

I said, it's almost as good as chai, guys.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah, that's going to be our Indian pop up. Chai guys.

[Drake Bell]

Chai guys. Oh, I like that. That's good. And then the other one was. I got. I did a show in Switzerland, in Gstaad. Okay, So I get to Gstaad, and if you. Have you ever been to Gishad?

[Josh Peck]

What do you think? Yeah, I summer there.

[Ben]

Is there a Courtyard Marriott in Gsta? Because if not. No.

[Drake Bell]

Okay.

[Josh Peck]

So you ever been to the Jersey Shore?

[Drake Bell]

I don't know.

[Ben]

Have you ever been to the airport?

[Drake Bell]

Why am I in Gstaad? Cause I got some random phone call because someone liked their show. Like, fair enough. I'm sure you've, you know, that's why. Sure, you have crazy experiences.

[Josh Peck]

Like, Larry King called me once. That's it.

[Drake Bell]

No way.

[Josh Peck]

The only.

[Ben]

I didn't go.

[Josh Peck]

No, sorry.

[Ben]

Larry.

[Josh Peck]

Larry. So I love the suspenders.

[Drake Bell]

I mean, Gstad. And it's this crazy place where, like, billionaires. It's like. It's like Sun Valley, but for rich people. Sure. And Sun Valley is for very rich people. But for the people who can't afford Gestag, go to Sun Valley.

[Ben]

But.

[Drake Bell]

So it's this crazy place. It's a tiny Little town looks like a snow globe. And I got called to get for my band to come and play a birthday party for a 10 year old birthday party. And I was like, okay, well, here's what we got. They flew my entire band, which was my full band, so I had the horn section, everything. So it was like a nine piece band. My tour manager, I don't know who else was on the crew, and then flew us out to Switzerland. We got on, we landed, went to the hotel. It was like a Bond movie, this city. It was like you open the door to the hotel and people are playing like baccarat in tuxedos and gowns. And like we looked like Casino Royale, you know, and we actually had to go change our clothes. The guy was like, you can't come in this, in the hotel. Like that. Luckily we had our stage clothes, so we went and changed. But yeah, so it was just. And then we get there, we go in to play the show and it's in like this like Little Ballroom and it's us and maybe seven or eight kids that were. He was turning 10. So around like between like, you know, seven and 10. And then like his dad. So maybe like 10 adults.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah. Wow. And a nice payday.

[Drake Bell]

And we had to. Oh, dude. He was like some oil baron from Kazakhstan.

[Josh Peck]

That's so cool.

[Drake Bell]

That's such a good bet.

[Josh Peck]

You're like, as long as they don't get indicted for war crimes, this was worth it.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, well, no, I mean, he was just some oil guy. He wasn't like, you know, he was. They're all oil guys.

[Ben]

Money is. Money is green, Jonah. Money is green.

[Drake Bell]

But yeah, it was a good. It was, it was a astronomical payday. It was a stupid payday. But the crazy thing was after the show, which by the way, we, I mean, we put on a full show for like kids roll. I mean, they were rolling. You know, it's like we're at the Science center with our kids. Yeah, that was the audience. They're rolling around, they're picking their nose. They're. They're like, you know, it was the wildest thing. But then after the little boy comes up, he goes, oh, thank you so much for performing at my birthday. And I just wanted to give you this as a gift from me, you know, thank you. You know, as a thank you. I'm like, oh, thank you. You know, and I open it up and it's a watch, you know, And I'm like, oh, that's. Well, that's cool. Nice watch. You know, Swatch I don't know anything about watches, you know Casio. Yeah. And so I go upstairs and I'm like, got the watch on the desk and I'm just like doing things and I'm like, I wonder what that is. Like, I was just, you know, google it, you know. So I open it up and it's. It's a hublot.

[Josh Peck]

I've heard of it.

[Drake Bell]

Okay. It's. It's a hublot. Big bang. It's like 30.

[Josh Peck]

I'm looking. Yeah, I'm like, I'm looking it up. I'm looking it up.

[Drake Bell]

I don't know.

[Josh Peck]

We looking it up.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, we're on it. How much is the hublot? Big Bang.

[Josh Peck]

What's it called? A hublot. Holy shit.

[Drake Bell]

Holy shit.

[Ben]

Hublot.

[Josh Peck]

Holy shit.

[Drake Bell]

These range from the cheapest that I'm seeing here is like $10,000. Okay, well, it wasn't that one.

[Josh Peck]

No, it goes to like 46,000.

[Drake Bell]

It was that one. Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

Wow.

[Drake Bell]

Ye. And so I open it and I see that he just gave me a $40,000 watch. This little boy, you know. So I open my door, I'm running up and down the hall, I'm banging on all my band's doors, you know, I'm banging on the doors. And they open the doors, they're like, what?

[Josh Peck]

What?

[Drake Bell]

I go, that kid just gave me a BMW. I'm like, what the heck? And so, you know, and what I ended up doing with it, which was amazing and so smart, is I was playing pool in Vancouver and it was, you know, it was bothering me. I didn't like it, it was uncomfortable. And so I took it off and I put it by my jacket. And when I did that, I forgot that it was a $40,000 Hublot. And I don't have that watch anymore. Cause someone came along and snatched it up.

[Josh Peck]

That hurts.

[Ben]

Bastards.

[Drake Bell]

But I mean, I don't deserve to have something that expensive. I don't need to have things like that. Wow.

[Ben]

Wow. Josh, do you want to go on a trip to the Galapagos with me?

[Josh Peck]

Do you mean the Galapagos proper or the Easter Islands, which are only accessible by the Galapagos?

[Ben]

Oh, gosh, I don't know. I just want to go and see beautiful islands, something rainforesty. Me and you, we're going to take in all of the wonderful animals, the sights, the sounds. We're going to bring our S25 Ultras and we're going to take some gorgeous ultra wide shots of this beautiful scenery. Doesn't that sound unbelievable?

[Josh Peck]

It does sound unbelievable. And also Galapagos is the name of my friends who own the diner in my neighborhood, the Galapagos. Anyway, do you know what?

[Ben]

Do you know why I'm thinking Galapagos? Josh, you're gonna die. What? Last night I get a text from my mom. Ben, I just booked a trip for me and your father were going to the Galapagos for 11 days. There was like something on like a, you know those like random emails that you'll get that's like now for 17.99 you can get an 11 day trip to the Galapagos. They booked one of those. It's the two of them, 25 other people going to the Galapagos. I just hope they come back. But I'm going to send them with an S25 Ultra so they can take all those gorgeous pictures. Imagine Bruce in the rainforest.

[Josh Peck]

Imagine Bruce in 200 megapixels. Listen, wow. If you don't send them with a Galaxy S25 Ultra, you're not a good son. Because the truth is, is they're going to be popping this thing out of their pocket and they're going to be getting some of the most iconic shots you've ever seen. I mean, let me just ask you. I have like DSLRs at home. I have like really proper, big, nice cameras. They're not 200 megapixels like this camera.

[Ben]

This camera is sick, Josh. This camera's sick. Sorry to interrupt you.

[Josh Peck]

Continue. No, there's no 50 megapixel ultra wide lens. It's like. And it's the size of my head, which is not small.

[Ben]

These phones are it. And all I can picture, my dad climbs to the top of a mountain. My mom takes a nice ultra wide picture on that gorgeous 50 megapixel lens. You see his hair blowing in the wind. You see the iguana. I don't know if any of this is indigenous to the Galapagos. You see an iguana, you see a small monkey, maybe an orangutan. Fantastic.

[Josh Peck]

Well, they're gonna need a 50 megapixel ultra wide lens. Why? Group shots. Them and these 30 other yentas are gonna wanna remember this for the rest of their lives.

[Ben]

They will. Oh, that was so good.

[Drake Bell]

Oh my gosh.

[Ben]

The S25 Ultra is an unbelievable phone with an unbelievable camera. We're talking ultra wide 50 megapixel. We're talking 200 regular megapixels. So many pixels.

[Josh Peck]

It has a 200 megapixel camera. And what I'm excited about is we've been Talking about setting up a subscription model for the pod with us doing episodes that are random. They're weird. They're random. They're like, what's that emoji?

[Ben]

Random.

[Josh Peck]

I wish you guys could see the way my wife's looking at me right now. Anyway, the truth of the matter is, you know me. I'm Christian. Carry on over here. I don't check. Okay. I have no room for equipment, but I have room for this, and it's all I need.

[Ben]

So if you want your Galaxy S25 Ultra from Samsung, go to samsung.com right now.

[Josh Peck]

Ben, do you have any other questions before we go to. What, are you nuts?

[Ben]

Yeah, and if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to. I just wanted to know, as it relates to the other court case, is there anything new there? Is that totally closed?

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, no, that's done. That's. Unfortunately. Yep, that's. That's all done. There was one thing I did want to say. It was. Oh. When we were Talking about the 10 years of not seeing each other, and I was saying that there were two things that I had noticed is when I came back to do when you asked me to be ungrandfathered.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

It just flowed. It was just, like, so natural. I was just like, oh, that was really cool. When I left, and I was like, that's what I'm talking about. That's what. When I try to explain this to people, like, that was it right there. Like, I came in, did our thing. It was so simple. Boom, boom. We had some. We were trying. There were some lines that they were changing for the button, changing the joke, doing this there. And it was like, that doesn't happen with everybody you work with, you know?

[Josh Peck]

Yeah. I think. You know, and I'd be interested to hear your thoughts about me, but I feel like you're the best I've ever seen you, and I'm just extremely excited about, you know, what you have next and all the great things you're doing. And I think there was, like. And you talked about it in the doc. I would love to know if there was, like, an aha moment kind of thing. Cause, you know, you talk about in the doc, you went through this trial and you had a little boy and, like, sort of all these life events, and I think. Did you go somewhere to, like, kind of work on some of this?

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, I went to rehab in Nashville. What drove you to that point in Cumberland Heights? You know, honestly, I think it was just, like, exhaustion and just being at Just nowhere else to turn. Like, just feeling like a rat in a cage. Like, just feeling like I couldn't do it anymore. You know, it was just so.

[Josh Peck]

Cause you were going through it publicly.

[Drake Bell]

Oh, everything was public, man. I mean, it's just crazy, you know? And, yeah, so it got hard. And, you know, I was. I just had my son. Things were going on with my. In, with my marriage, and it was just all happening at the same time and all publicly and all of that. And I think that I just got to a point where I was like, I don't know what to. I don't know how to do this. Like, this is just something I don't know how to do, you know? I know how to survive. Like, you know, I've been doing that my whole life. I feel like I've needed to just survive. So I knew I could do that, but I didn't know how. You know, you can survive, but you could survive and have made really bad choices, and you could survive and end up somewhere not too great or, you know, die or whatever it is. And so, yeah, I just was like, all right, I know I'm gonna survive. I know I'm gonna be all right. I know I'm not gonna be like that headline, but I don't know what the hell is going on and how I'm gonna navigate through this or how I'm ever gonna do what I love again or be a father or be the. And it just became this, like. And, yeah, I had to go somewhere where I got there, you know, I went. It was like, this battle where I was, like, kicking and screaming, no, I don't want to go, but I know I have to go. And then finally I got there, and I. It was beautiful. It was Nashville, Tennessee. It's just rolling green hills, the most beautiful. You know, Johnny Cash went there, and they, like, built a wing for him. And there's this just this, like, peace. And it was just trees and silence and rolling hills and a lake. And, like. And it was the first time for so long, and I didn't even realize it that I walked out. I'd just gone through all of my intake, so I was just, like, kicking and screaming through that. I was like, I don't. This sucks. And finally I get my papers, and I walk outside, and I see where I'm at, and I just go. And it was the first deep breath that I'd taken. I don't know how long. It was this, like, sudden. Oh, my God. That's what this feels like.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

It's gonna be all right. You made the best decision you could have possibly made. It's gonna be cool. And so then through that, it became. I don't know if you've ever gone to, like, a place where you're like, you know, it's militaristic. You're stuck. Like, you're. You're following the rules. You're in there day in, day out, 30, you know, however long, 30, 60, night, whatever it is. And, you know, you. It starts as a battle, and you're just like, f the staff, f the authority, f this. Do what you got to do to get out of here. And then stuff starts clicking, starts making sense. You start vibing with some of the guys. You start hearing their stories. You start going, wow. Like, wow, I'm not alone in this. Because that's the number one thing is you're like, you don't get me, man. You've never been. You've never. You don't understand. Don't. Don't try and help me. You don't know how I feel. You don't know my pain. You've never experienced what I've been through.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah. The power of me, too.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

And then I'm sitting there around my. All these guys in a room, and I'm hearing how this person went through this and this person went through this, and I'm going, okay, first of all, I'm not alone. And second of all, damn, you guys are pretty ballsy and brave to share your experience. To share your experience in this room of strangers. And. And then we all became brothers, man, and we bonded. Like, I've got a show in Nashville coming up. A bunch of my. Them are coming, you know, and it's like, that was no more of a battle. Like, I was excited to go to class in the morning. I was excited to make my bed. I became the mayor of the. Of the cabin. You know, I, like, I became the guy that was, you know, and. And that's. You know, before the rehab, I. I had said no to the documentary over and over and over and over and over.

[Josh Peck]

Wow.

[Drake Bell]

I was not going to be a part of it, and I didn't want any part of it. But after rehab, when I came out, I was like, let me see your. Let me see what your angle is here. Let me see. I'll talk to you guys. I'll start entertaining this idea because maybe, you know, because I felt really good. I felt, you know, like, wow, this is. Maybe sharing my story will help me and maybe help others and maybe you know, and I didn't want to have my story. I always thought of. I didn't know if I was ever going to really say anything, but I would think about it a lot, and I would think, well, if I ever did, you know, what is it going to just be, like, on a podcast? Or is it going to be, like, in an interview that maybe some people read? Like, what would be the platform that I would have to, like, ever, like, you know, get on Oprah.

[Josh Peck]

Sure. Oprah comes back for us.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, right.

[Josh Peck]

Double entendre.

[Drake Bell]

Come on. But I didn't know what platform. So when I. I was like, maybe this is, you know, maybe this is all kind of the way it was supposed to.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

Work out that if you were ever going to tell your story, like, here's a platform. Here's a way to get it heard and to make it not be meaningless. And. And that's. And so. So that's why after. After the rehab, I was like, you know, all right, maybe this is my time to. My opportunity to.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

Do this thing that I never thought that I would ever do.

[Josh Peck]

When I went into my first 12 step meeting, I remember a guy said, you know, you didn't tell me what was wrong with me. You told me what was wrong with you. And I identified because for so long, I walked around going, I think too much. I feel too much. I hurt too much. And if you had my head on your shoulders, you'd drink, too. But you don't.

[Drake Bell]

Yep.

[Josh Peck]

So. And it wasn't until I walked into a room of other people who think and feel and hurt and drank and did the way I did, but they weren't a glum lot. They were people who had lives and families and careers. And I was like, oh, thank God I'm not alone. Right? Because this thing, trauma, disease, addiction, it wants you alone.

[Drake Bell]

That's all. That's the number one thing, is you are alone in this. And that's what was going through. What I was going through all those years was, you know, and with the stigma that everybody is. It's gonna hurt my career. Even if, like. Even though I know that I'm the one that's the victim here. And is this gonna be. You know, but you all. You still think that you're gonna have. You know, it's like. It's like. I mean, and it's crazy, you know, things are coming to my head a little bit just because as I'm talking, a lot of things are coming back. But it's like what you said about. Or no, what I was saying, having the thought of like doing the pilot and you're like, I know that this things gonna come out and this is gonna happen and this is. Am I. Is Josh gonna be pissed at me because this might affect the show and like, this is it. And I'm like. And like we look back as like adults and as parents as like, first of all, it's a ridiculous thing to think, but also like, how like, what a bummer. Like, and what a strain like that, without my even realizing it and with obviously without you knowing it or realizing it, starts to put wedges and strains on our relationship.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah.

[Drake Bell]

Moving forward and as adolescents and us, it's like we thinking like, oh, he's just too cool to hang out with. And I'm like, oh, he just, you know, he doesn't think, you know, you know, he. Whatever. It's like we're thinking the, like, yeah.

[Josh Peck]

For each other.

[Drake Bell]

We're thinking for each other. When really it's like, like Josh is going through a lot. Like, you know, and, and especially in those years where we were, where we were vision visibly, you know, like, like, bro, Josh, like, hey, like, I've been through some shit. Slow down. You know, and you're probably like, Drake, like, come on, bro. Like, we work on Tuesday mornings. Get you, like, I don't know why. It's. It's 6am and you're calling me to go meet you at a thing. I don't, I don't know what you're doing. Are you okay?

[Josh Peck]

Season four and five.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, but. But even like, just without that, like just the stuff that we didn't even realize was like. Yeah, you know, I think in there and impacting all of it.

[Josh Peck]

No, I think, you know, I really, I give a lot of credit to the documentary and for what it did for not only us, but for the zeitgeist, for the world and for people watching. And I think. And you talk about it really well on the doc, like the details of the trial that you went through and then you coming out of that and going, I don't want to speak for you, but just being like, this behavior is at the very least reckless. Like, this is getting me in a place that I don't want to be and if I don't face these things, this cycle will continue. And giving you credit for facing that stuff and going to rehab.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah. Well, you know, I mean, watching you throughout the years too has been a big inspiration because it's like, you know, you, you know, being in this industry and being around and also just being in that world of like, you know, the 12 steps and all of that. And, you know, you friend a bill, you know, that whole thing is like, you know, you're watching people and I, and I, you know, I don't want to sit here and it's easy and you're not going to fall and you're not going to slide back and, you know, it's. It's a day by day thing, you know, it's a, you know. Yeah, but, you know, it's like, you know, watching you has been inspiring because it's like, you know, you really stick to your shit. You know what I mean? You know, you do. I don't know, it takes a lot of will, you know, because I've gone through a lot of similar things and I know, you know, it's not fucking easy. Yeah, but, yeah, you've just always like, you're like, I'm going to do this and this is what my decision is, how I'm going to be and what I'm going to put in my body and what I'm not going to put in my body. And like now just pet pe. And you kind of do that. And it's like, kind of wild because a lot of people do that for some time, you know, and then Friday rolls around and they're like, I don't feel sick anymore. Let's go drink.

[Josh Peck]

I'll be California sober.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, like, exactly.

[Josh Peck]

All these dispensaries that call to me. Ben, you want to hit us with what? Do you nuts?

[Ben]

Yeah. Okay, last question. Watching the documentary, I think a lot of people looked at it and were like, okay, there's one person that seems to be missing from this, and that would be Amanda Bynes, where everybody sort of watched her and then very publicly saw a very different version of her. I'm just curious, were you close? I think were you close on the Amanda show? And when was the last time you were in touch? Like, are you in touch with her at all? Have you been in touch with her over the last 20 years?

[Drake Bell]

I. I think I told you about this. I randomly talked to her. Like, it was 2017. Maybe, maybe around 2016, 2017, 2018. I don't know. It's around that time, but it was like I randomly messaged her. Like, I was like, just like she was in the news or something, and I was just like thinking about her and I was like, oh, I'm just gonna message her. She'll never see it. She'll never respond. And then she responded and we, like, messaged back and forth a little bit, and then that was the last I'd talked to her. But. But no, I. I mean, other than being on the show and, you know, she was an idol to me. I mean, I grew up on all that.

[Josh Peck]

One of the most talented people when I ever.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah. And when I got to audition for the Amanda show, she may as well have been Rachel on Friends. Like, she. I. Like, she was the biggest thing on the planet to me.

[Josh Peck]

She's the man. Come on, Olivia. I know you loved it.

[Drake Bell]

Fantastic.

[Josh Peck]

I've seen her, like, she's like, every two to three years, we'll run into each other. Yeah, she's just the greatest. Yeah, she was great then. She remains great and such a good person, and obviously has had some sort of. Some public struggles, but I just think she's got one of the great hearts and great skills, great talents of anyone.

[Drake Bell]

There is. That's all I've ever experienced with Amanda was just, like, this dynamite force of nature when it comes to just talent. Watching her was like. Watching Carol Burnett was like, watching this. Who's the Tracey Ullman? You know?

[Ben]

Ok. All right.

[Drake Bell]

Our.

[Ben]

What are you, nuts? Moment. Drake is people, places and things. Gripes with humanity. You're walking down the streets of Mexico, and you're like, what are you, fucking nuts? What are you, nuts?

[Drake Bell]

Okay, so there is this. And Rovi. You have to help me with this, because I don't know exactly what they say, but every morning, there is this loudspeaker that goes through Mexico. And actually, did you see Amelia Perez?

[Josh Peck]

No.

[Drake Bell]

No.

[Ben]

Ben did.

[Josh Peck]

Loved it. Okay.

[Ben]

I did.

[Drake Bell]

You know, at the beginning, when they have the thing with the smoke coming out, they have a. And then they have the speaker that's like, I want a mattress. But what they're saying is they're like, refrigerators, mattresses, chairs. Da, da, da. We buy these, you know, like, so they're. And it's a truck that's driving around, and they pick up, like, old mattresses and refrigerators and everything, but it's so loud, and it starts as soon as the sun comes up. So you'll be just, like, sleeping, and everything's like. And then all of a sudden, you're like, refrigerant, and you're just like, oh, my. And it goes.

[Josh Peck]

Oh, my God.

[Drake Bell]

And just all through the city, and you're like. So that's one thing that I could. It's weird. There's this, like, kind of, like, love for it, where it's like, if it stopped I'd be like, aw, like, I miss that. Like, that reminds me of Mexico. It gives me the feeling of Mexico, you know, but also it could stop.

[Josh Peck]

Fair?

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, fair.

[Josh Peck]

Ben, what do you got?

[Ben]

That's nuts. You know when you're in a restaurant, you're walking down the stairs, right? You're gonna go to the bathroom, it's downstairs. And you see coming up, there's a mother and she's walking her 5 year old up the stairs. One step at a time. Not five, one step at a time. You're like, do you really need to teach your daughter how to walk here? You have to teach her right now how to walk up the stairs. Very narrow. I'm walking down. Can't you do it in your own house? What are you nuts? Teach her to walk somewhere else.

[Drake Bell]

Now, having my son, I do see that sometimes. Where I'm like, this is the pick him up and walk moment. Like, can you move?

[Josh Peck]

Can you move?

[Drake Bell]

Pick them up. Like you can pick them up and go. Like, let's go.

[Ben]

Parents love doing it on airplanes, too.

[Drake Bell]

Oh, yeah.

[Ben]

Like, we're boarding an airplane now. You're going to teach her to walk.

[Drake Bell]

Pick her up.

[Ben]

We're boarding a plane.

[Josh Peck]

It's so nuts. My, what are you nuts? Moment is, I have friends of mine who live in the San Fernando Valley, the beautiful San Fernando Valley. And they've, you know, born and bred in Los Angeles. And the other day they were like, we're moving to Nashville. I go, I didn't know you loved Nashville. They go, we don't. Nashville, Austin, Boise, Palm Beach, God bless them. This is not an indictment on them, but these people are just moving there blind. Yeah, they're just like, fuck it.

[Ben]

Fuck it.

[Drake Bell]

I had friends move from. They were like, we're getting out of here. We're going to Austin. We're done. And like, we're out. And I think it was Austin. And I'm like, cool. So you spent. They get to Austin. That's when they had that crazy winter and everyone got frozen out. So they're in the power grid. They literally moved into their house, were there for a week and then they were in a hotel and everything was frozen over and the power was gone and everything. I'm like, oh, you poor people. I'm like, oh, it's not that bad, is it? But no, it's Nashville, It's Florida. Every. All my friends are gone. That's why I'm like, I spend most of my time mostly in Mexico and Florida now, and I'm barely in la. Because I was sitting at my house every time I come back from Mexico or Latin America or wherever I'm touring. And then I'd sit at my house and I'd be like, I have no friends in Los Angeles.

[Josh Peck]

Right.

[Drake Bell]

They are all gone. I'm like, Thomas went to Fresno, Will went to Nashville, went to Texas, went to Florida, went to the. I'm like, I don't even have anyone to call.

[Josh Peck]

Yeah, it's crazy.

[Drake Bell]

If I want to hang out with someone, I got to fly.

[Ben]

What's income tax like in Mexico? All I know is between Mexico and Florida, you must be saving a. A pretty penny.

[Drake Bell]

Oh, it's slow. It's quite. It's. It's quite low.

[Ben]

Yeah.

[Josh Peck]

Oh, man. The good guys go to Mexico City next.

[Drake Bell]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Ben, take us home on the road.

[Ben]

Drake, first and foremost, thank you so much for doing this. It was an absolute pleasure. I wish I was in person, but it was an absolute pleasure. You're amazing, and I'd love to just give you an opportunity to plug really anything. Like, of course we can find you on Instagram, but you're touring. What else is going on?

[Drake Bell]

I have a new record out. It's called Nonstop Flight. Yeah, you guys can check out the new music video. I kind of relate. That's a pretty heavy, cool video. But, yeah, we've got some videos that we've released from that record. And I'm on tour right now. But, yeah, check out Nonstop Flight. It's available anywhere you stream and not in physical copies because it's too expensive and nobody buys them anymore.

[Ben]

Okay, good to know. Well, five stars. Drake and Josh and Kind of Ben. Drake and Josh and Kind of Ben. Five stars. Otherwise, what are you, nuts? Listen to us. Wherever you get your podcast, watch us on YouTube. Josh's YouTube. Share our clips, Instagram and TikTok. Mondays and Thursdays, folks. Drake Bell, we'll see you so much.

[Drake Bell]

Yeah, well, we gotta do this. I felt like we could be here for four hours, but open invite. I don't usually, you know, I am a little dressed up, but I do have somewhere to go after this, so I. It's.

[Josh Peck]

It's fair.

[Ben]

You look amazing. We're doing it again.

[Drake Bell]

We'll run and this will fit in there, so it'll be all right. But, yeah, we got to do it again.

[Ben]

Love you, dude. Love you.

[Drake Bell]

I love you, Ben.

[Ben]

Great. I. I love you, Drake.

[Josh Peck]

I love you, Drake.

[Drake Bell]

Gosh.

[Ben]

So good. So good.

[Drake Bell]

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