Pretty Little Episode #31

Summary

Podcast Summary: Handsome – Pretty Little Episode #31

Release Date: March 21, 2025
Hosts: Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, Mae Martin
Produced by: Headgum

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1. Episode Introduction

In the "Pretty Little" installment of the Handsome podcast, hosts Tig Notaro and Fortune Feimster catch up on their personal lives, discuss upcoming projects, and engage with listener-submitted questions. The episode melds humor with heartfelt conversations, offering listeners a glimpse into the lives of these beloved comedians.

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2. Personal Updates and Reflections

Tig Notaro's Return from Toronto and Star Trek:

Tig opens the conversation by sharing his experiences returning home after filming "Star Trek" in Toronto. He expresses a profound sense of gratitude and amazement at being back in his everyday life.

Tig Notaro [01:24]: "It's just so incredible, deeply incredible to just be back in my life."

He reflects on the stark contrast between the immersive experience of filming and the simplicity of daily routines, highlighting the joy of spending time with his family.

Fortune Feimster's New Tour and Personal Goals:

Fortune updates listeners on her impending tour, slated to commence in a few weeks. She expresses excitement about reconnecting with audiences on the road and shares her aspirations to prioritize her health.

Fortune Feimster [03:18]: "I want to try to maintain. Like, not my last tour. I just... the first like year of it, I just... really want to prioritize that."

Fortune discusses her commitment to healthier eating habits and incorporating regular physical activity, such as daily walks, into her routine.

Fortune Feimster [03:46]: "Just not eating like crap the whole time, you know, like, and not eating after the show. If I can get in like even a light like 30-minute walk and moving my body."

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3. Parenting, Age, and Life Milestones

Discussion on the Age of Parenthood:

The hosts delve into societal trends regarding the age at which people choose to have children. Tig remarks on the shift towards later parenthood, contrasting it with previous generations.

Tig Notaro [06:45]: "But it, you know, it definitely is trending in that direction where people are having. Getting married and having kids older."

Fortune shares personal insights, reflecting on her parents' divorce during their midlife and how it influenced her perspective on her own life and responsibilities.

Fortune Feimster [05:28]: "I realized I'm the age now that my parents were when they divorced. Isn’t that weird?"

Adele's "Easy on Me" and Parenting:

The conversation shifts to Adele's song "Easy on Me," which Fortune interprets as a message to her child about making the best decisions out of love, even if she stumbles.

Tig Notaro [08:06]: "She just seemed so... I want to try to be healthier, though."

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4. Listener Questions and Interactive Segment

Question 1: If You Were an Action Figure, What Would Come with You and What Would Be Sold Separately?

Submitted by Goldie from the Bay Area.

Tig Notaro's Answer:

Tig humorously describes his ideal action figure accessories, reflecting his life as a stand-up comedian and actor.

Tig Notaro [09:48]: "I'd be walking around with a microphone because of stand up and podcasting. Or maybe I'd have like a boom microphone over me as well. And probably an apple. I eat an apple every day. I love honey crisp apples."

Fortune Feimster's Answer:

Fortune envisions her action figure accompanied by her pet Biggie and a pair of customizable Crocs, merging her personal life with playful creativity.

Fortune Feimster [12:53]: "My accessory would be Biggie. It would be a little Biggie. And we would fight crime together."

Eleanor and Madeline's Answer:

Eleanor and Madeline, siblings from New Jersey, share their passion for music, highlighting how shared musical tastes have strengthened their bond and created lasting memories through concert experiences.

Eleanor [14:59]: "Something our siblings introduced us to that changed our life would be music."

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5. Sibling Influences and Shared Interests

Fortune Feimster on Sibling Influences:

Fortune reflects on how her older brothers shaped her interests, from music to sports. She credits her brothers with introducing her to diverse musical genres and fostering her love for tennis.

Fortune Feimster [15:05]: "Both my brothers introduced me to a lot of music... My love of sports and playing sports in particular came from my oldest brother, Price."

Tig Notaro on Shared Interests with His Brother:

Tig shares how he and his brother developed a mutual love for comedy and music, particularly Richard Pryor and the Beatles. He also opens up about their close yet sometimes tumultuous relationship, deepened over time.

Tig Notaro [16:49]: "We were definitely close, but we definitely would fight... when he went on his radio show and talked about the fact that I was gay and really supported me."

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6. Closing Remarks and Community Engagement

The hosts encourage listeners to submit their own questions and engage with the Handsome community through various platforms. They express appreciation for their audience and emphasize the importance of building a supportive and handsome community.

Fortune Feimster [21:04]: "Always love hearing these question and answers."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Tig Notaro [01:17]: "Welcome to our pretty little episode. I'm Fortune Feimster."
• Fortune Feimster [02:09]: "Well, yeah. It's like when you're filming, you kind of... life, real life, is kind of paused."
• Tig Notaro [06:45]: "But it... trends in that direction where people are having. Getting married and having kids older."
• Fortune Feimster [15:05]: "They made me gay, you guys. They made me tougher because they would beat the crap out of me, too."

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Conclusion

In "Pretty Little Episode #31," Handsome hosts Tig Notaro and Fortune Feimster offer a blend of personal anecdotes, reflective discussions, and engaging interactions with listeners. The episode underscores themes of personal growth, the evolving landscape of parenthood, and the enduring influence of familial relationships, all delivered with the hosts' characteristic humor and warmth.

Transcript

[Fortune Feimster]

This is a Headgum podcast. This is a Headgum podcast.

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[Fortune Feimster]

Chatting with friends on the Handsome Pod. Chatting with friends on the Handsome Pod. Pretty little episode.

[Tig Notaro]

God, that gets me every time. I'm never expecting. Pretty little episode.

[Fortune Feimster]

I know. And it's such a catchy tune.

[Tig Notaro]

It really is. We are such talents.

[Fortune Feimster]

Gosh.

[Tig Notaro]

Gosh, look at us. I know it. We're some of the best, if not the three best.

[Fortune Feimster]

The best and the biz.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah, but you only have two of us. Two of the best. And Mr. Thomas, of course, Here.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah. Welcome to our pretty little episode. I'm Fortune Feimster.

[Tig Notaro]

Oh, right. And I'm Tig Notaro.

[Fortune Feimster]

How you doing, bud?

[Tig Notaro]

I'm doing all right. I'm doing okay. Just. What am I doing? God, I know everything lately. Yeah. It's. I. You know, I'm home from Toronto and home from doing Star Trek, and.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

It's just so incredible, deeply incredible to just be back in my life, you know, And. And that is not to say that I did not enjoy being in my Toronto life.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

But it's just a whole different feeling to be in your own bed and see my little cubs. Finn has braces.

[Fortune Feimster]

Just.

[Tig Notaro]

Things are changing. Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

Well, yeah. It's like when you're filming, you kind of. It kind of feels like you're in an alternate universe that, like, life, real life, is kind of paused and it. Is that such a nice feeling to get back home and get a routine again.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah. And speaking of routines, how's your new routine going? Are you excited about your new material?

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah, it's going good. I'm just weeks away from starting the theaters. I can't believe it's already here when I started. It's funny that this was my break. There was no real break other than I wasn't on a massive tour, but it was filled with many other things in that.

[Tig Notaro]

I always marvel over that. It's like you're. You know, I was filming for six months. I put mostly everything on hold.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

And then as soon as I Wrap production. My entire calendar fills right up and I'm on, quote, unquote, break.

[Fortune Feimster]

I think it's a life that's the life of a standup because we just don't do one thing.

[Tig Notaro]

Mm.

[Fortune Feimster]

But it's all. Luckily it's all good stuff. Like, we love doing this.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

You're ready to go retire. Yeah. So I'm. I'm excited for it. It's. It'll be good to just get back on the road and make people laugh, you know, I. I love that feeling. I want to try to be healthier, though. I want to try to maintain. Like, not my last tour. I just. The first like year of it, I just like, was not taking good care of myself and I really want to prioritize that.

[Tig Notaro]

What kind of shift are you wanting to make or. Shift.

[Fortune Feimster]

Just not eating like crap the whole time, you know, like, and not eating after the show. If I can get in like even a light like 30 minute walk and moving my body.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

Just. Just not blowing up.

[Tig Notaro]

Well, you're looking trim.

[Fortune Feimster]

Thanks. I mean, I had time to, you know, be at home and tread water. I've been doing that still.

[Tig Notaro]

Are you really?

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

I mean, be honest with me.

[Fortune Feimster]

I am. At least a couple times a week. 2. 2 minimum is what I try to go for. 4 max. 2 minimum.

[Tig Notaro]

It is so cool.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah. It's just a good escape too. Like to like met like meditative type thing for me.

[Tig Notaro]

No doubt. Same. I haven't done it in a while.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

And so I'm hoping to get back into that as well.

[Fortune Feimster]

You gotta.

[Tig Notaro]

But I am a little curious about your new material. Like how and when are you doing any shows in LA before you head out?

[Fortune Feimster]

I'm doing Pasadena this Sunday in Largo this Monday.

[Tig Notaro]

Okay.

[Fortune Feimster]

There's mom stuff again. There's a couple Jacks things. Several childhood stories again. And then story about my dad. I haven't talked about him much. I'm. Look, I'm still looking for like two stories, but I don't want them to be about my family or my childhood or Jack's. I just want them to be too independent. Something other than that kind of story. But I don't know what those are yet.

[Tig Notaro]

And is the story about your dad? I'm your father. I'm your father.

[Fortune Feimster]

No, it's. It's a story about him going through a midlife crisis.

[Tig Notaro]

Oh, okay.

[Fortune Feimster]

I think because I realized I'm the age now that my parents were when they divorced.

[Tig Notaro]

Wow.

[Fortune Feimster]

Isn't that weird?

[Tig Notaro]

That is wild.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah. Because how old are you?

[Tig Notaro]

44.

[Fortune Feimster]

44. And I really thought they were so old when that happened, but it made me. It really put a lot of things into perspective of like, oh, my gosh.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

Because you. You know, I don't feel young, but I don't feel old. And it just made me go, wow, if I. That happened to me with three kids and a lot of financial responsibilities, I would. I wouldn't necessarily know how to handle that either. And they. They kind of had to, you know, trial and error, had to make some mistakes in order to sort of find the path. And I guess it makes me sort of. I acknowledge the. The journey not being easy.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah. It's really. It's really insane to think about how much younger, like, Max and Finn were talking about that. Like, Max randomly said, what is the normal age to have kids? And Finn just chimed in immediately and said, 38. And it's like, first of all, you're kind of right.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

But also, where does that from? Yeah, in la. But it, you know, it definitely is trending in that direction where people are having. Getting married and having kids older. Of course, there are certainly people that are doing it young as well, but that was the thing to do, is get married, have kids right out of the gate. And I cannot believe even, like, Stephanie blows my mind how she just walked into motherhood. Like, I don't want to say no big deal, but I. She just seemed. I. I would marvel. I was, you know, I'm 15 years older, and I would be like, I'm tripping all over myself. And she just seems so. She's got it. Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

You know, that's awesome.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah, it's really impressive. I mean, she was 30 when we had Max and Finn, but anyway, yeah, it's.

[Fortune Feimster]

It.

[Tig Notaro]

I think about that Adele song. What is it? Basically, she's asking. I think the song is about her singing to her child.

[Fortune Feimster]

Like, I'm sure I know which one, but it's not coming to me.

[Tig Notaro]

It's like her most recent hit. Yeah, I have to Go Easy on me. Yeah, go.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yes.

[Tig Notaro]

Okay. Go easy on me. Because it's basically like, I was doing my best, like, singing that to her kid. I think that's what the song is.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah.

[Tig Notaro]

Is like, Go Easy On Me I, I made the best decisions I, I was all from love and yeah. And I, I, I fumbled yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

You know, it's the life. These things come your way and no.

[Tig Notaro]

Age makes it easy but no, no.

[Fortune Feimster]

Definitely is interesting to look back on it in a different set of being where I'M at now going.

[Tig Notaro]

Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. Yeah, same, same. Z's 10 years older than you, but well, cool. I. I can't wait to hear your new material.

[Fortune Feimster]

And should we hear some questions from our pre little listeners?

[Tig Notaro]

I think we should. Mainly because that's what we're here to do.

[Fortune Feimster]

Let's do it.

[Tig Notaro]

Okay. Hit us, Mr. T. Hello handsomes.

[Goldie]

This is Goldie from the Bay Area. Here's my question. If you were an action figure, what would come with you and what would be sold separately?

[Tig Notaro]

Oh, well. Do you have a figure? After I did that zombie movie army of the Dead, they had sent me action figures for my character that they were making. I think there was like a game and an action, like there was a whole thing. But I never saw it again. But I have a picture of what my action figure was going to look like. I was kind of hoping I was going to end up an action figure since I'm on Star Trek, but that hasn't happened.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah, I was wondering that.

[Tig Notaro]

And then somebody made a bobblehead of me and sent it to me.

[Fortune Feimster]

I want to take bobblehead.

[Tig Notaro]

Oh, I was gonna say I'll give it to you but I like keep that. Yeah, yeah. I think just me as Tig in the world as an action figure. I guess I'd probably be walking around with a microphone because of stand up and podcasting. Or maybe I'd have like a boom microphone over me as well. And probably an apple. I eat an apple every day. I love honey crisp apples. I'd have a microphone and an apple and I'd eat that apple right on the microphone and drive you batty.

[Fortune Feimster]

I've never had an action figure but I am doing a voice in Zootopia too. And I have been told I will have a plush toy.

[Tig Notaro]

Nice. You deserve it. If anyone deserves a plush toy, it is you, my friend.

[Fortune Feimster]

And I'm playing a beaver.

[Tig Notaro]

Of course you are. Of course you are. Isn't that amazing? Yes. Oh.

[Fortune Feimster]

So I'm very excited for that. It comes out later at the end of this year.

[Tig Notaro]

No, that's so fun.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah, I think it does. I can't remember what they decided.

[Tig Notaro]

That's not your business. I know you're the star. You walk in, you do your thing, you walk out. A toy.

[Fortune Feimster]

That's right. If I was an action figure though, I think this would be my. What did, what do you call?

[Tig Notaro]

Accessory?

[Fortune Feimster]

My accessory. It would be Biggie.

[Tig Notaro]

Of course.

[Fortune Feimster]

It would be a little biggie. And we would fight crime together.

[Tig Notaro]

That's really scary. Oh, my gosh.

[Fortune Feimster]

For those of you listening, Biggie is with me and he's karate chopping.

[Tig Notaro]

Or you can go directly to YouTube and see it straight away. It is some scary moves. I would have to also, I forgot to say what I would sell separately. Yeah, it would have to be Kitty City. Kitty City's gonna be standing around me and my apple and my microphone.

[Fortune Feimster]

Foreign. Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate First.

[Commercial Voice]

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[Fortune Feimster]

Checking first is smart. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Savings vary subject to terms, conditions and availability. All state fire and casualty insurance company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Biggie's looking at me like, really? You got me out of my bed for that?

[Tig Notaro]

For those lame karate chops.

[Fortune Feimster]

He's like, just let me sleep already. What would be sold separately?

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

Oh, my action figure would have its own pair of crocs. But you could like change them out for other colors and you could put a little decorate the crocs and stuff that would be sold separately.

[Tig Notaro]

That is sexy.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah. I would fight crime in crocs.

[Tig Notaro]

Let's hear Goldie's answer. I love your name, Goldie.

[Fortune Feimster]

Keep it, Goldie.

[Goldie]

My answer is in my action figure package. I would be sold with my reading glasses, my library card, and my E reader. And sold separately would be all the books. One of my favorite books of the 302 books that I read last year was Interesting Facts about Space by Emily Austin. I kept picturing May as the main character, so it was kind of fun. I also loved May's book and Tig's book. So fortune. Please write a book.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah. Are you going to write a book, Fortune?

[Fortune Feimster]

I'd like to one day. Knew it. I think so. She read 302 books in a year.

[Tig Notaro]

I mean, let's be honest. And this is a, this is a compliment. Goldie is a nerd alert and so is Mr. Thomas. Thomas reads you. You read a book a week, don't you, Thomas? I try to, yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

I fell a bit behind that pace, but I try.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah, well, you're a busy guy, but yeah, Thomas is full blown nerd alert.

[Fortune Feimster]

Wow. I can't. My mom loves to read. She can read a book a week as well. I can't read that fast. But my, my grandmother Was also that way. They both were. Just could not get enough of books.

[Tig Notaro]

And you're like, I am my own person.

[Fortune Feimster]

Well, I have a little bit of add, so I'll start reading and then just go off into the clouds.

[Tig Notaro]

Sure.

[Fortune Feimster]

So I have to really, really concentrate.

[Tig Notaro]

Well, we won't keep you long. Let's get to the next question so you can go back into the clouds.

[Eleanor]

Hello, Fortune, May and Tig. Yes, she insists on singing. This is the siblings Eleanor, Madeline from New Jersey. We have a question for you. What is something your sibling introduced you to that changed your life?

[Fortune Feimster]

Oh, we've never had siblings ask us anything before. No, this is our first sibling duo.

[Tig Notaro]

Yes.

[Fortune Feimster]

Gosh. I have two older brothers, so I was always introduced to most things I found out about were through them and childhood. Like my brother, both my brothers introduced me a lot of music. I don't know that I. My taste would have been anything other than New Kids on the Block had they not played different, cooler music. I think my love of sports and playing sports in particular came from my oldest brother, Price. He introduced me to tennis and he would. I don't think I would have gotten into tennis otherwise. And I ended up playing my whole life and through college and in a league in LA for many years.

[Tig Notaro]

So they basically made you gay?

[Fortune Feimster]

They made me gay, you guys. They made me tougher because they would beat the crap out of me, too.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah.

[Fortune Feimster]

But, yeah, I think they definitely help shape at least some of my interest.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah. Same, same, same. I feel like I don't know if my brother introduced me to Richard Pryor. We both found him together, but we just loved him so much and we were both very into. And, well, he didn't introduce me to the Beatles or anything, but we were both very into the whole British invasion of rock soccer. We were both wildly into soccer as kids. And I think similarly to you, shaping and. And. But we were, you know, only like a year apart and.

[Fortune Feimster]

Were you guys close growing up or close, closer when you got older?

[Tig Notaro]

Well, well, we were definitely close, but we definitely would fight. And I think I've talked on the podcast about how I would swing my monkey around to defend myself because my monkey had a hard plastic face and hard plastic hands. But we really drifted in, like junior high, high school days. And then when he went off to college and when my mother forced my coming out party while he was driving us in his Jeep, then we became closer. He went on his radio show and talked about the fact that I was gay and really supported me and has.

[Fortune Feimster]

Yeah, that's awesome. My brothers were never big comedy guys, so that was the one hobby that I did not get exposed to from them. We did not really know much about stand up or listen to stand ups or anything like that. So I had to discover that one on my own.

[Tig Notaro]

You discovered comedy on your own?

[Fortune Feimster]

On my own, like, I discovered comedy. This is pretty cool.

[Tig Notaro]

Teamster discovers comedy.

[Fortune Feimster]

But my brothers weren't very, like, art artsy guys. They're just like more sporty guys.

[Tig Notaro]

I guess there were things that like, my brother would do that I remember doing because he did them. Yeah, he would draw motorcycles and so I would. I'd start. I started drawing motor. He had a sketchbook where he would draw different kinds of motorcycles. And I was like, oh, yeah, me too.

[Fortune Feimster]

And then you end up getting some.

[Tig Notaro]

How funny. We got a question from Goldie. And that is my motorcycle's name. Goldie Honda. That's right. Kurt Russell is the other. Let's.

[Fortune Feimster]

Cira, Eleanor and Madeline's answer.

[Eleanor]

Okay. Something our siblings introduced us to that changed our life would be music. Yes, music. Borrowed and stolen, burned. Mixed CDs passed from sibling to sibling has led to shared music tastes, which has led to shared music experiences because we go to as many concerts as we possibly can. Who did we see this year? Madeline saves the day. Say anything. Mom jeans. And oh, love you.

[Fortune Feimster]

Bye. Wow.

[Tig Notaro]

Eleanor and Madeline don't waste time. They're just like, here's the answer. We gotta go. We got a concert to get to.

[Fortune Feimster]

They have cool taste in music, it seems.

[Tig Notaro]

Yeah, those.

[Fortune Feimster]

I don't know some of those bands, but they sound cool. This is why I wish I had had. I did want a sister. I feel like sisters do things like that. Go to concerts together and send handsome questions together.

[Tig Notaro]

Fortune, you sound straight.

[Fortune Feimster]

I'm so straight with my sister.

[Tig Notaro]

Oh, my God. Me and my sister are so straight and we're going to a concert.

[Fortune Feimster]

We're so straight, my sister and I.

[Tig Notaro]

You know what? I have sisters. I just wasn't. I wasn't raised with them. I was gonna say I don't have sisters, but I do. My apologies, sisters. But yeah, we were the huge gap in age, and we didn't. We just were not around each other, but I was. I. I'm happy I. I just had my brother. Yeah, I think we were, like, definitely on the same page with basically all of our interests. Except I did secretly play with Barbies with my ruffly underwear on. But anyway. Well, that was fun catching up with you. Fortune and Eleanor. Madeline and old Goldie. Goldie Goldie and everyone. If you could submit your question and [e-mail] Handsome podcast we would appreciate it. We love getting your questions and remember to subscribe and to the podcast and the audio as well as YouTube and share episodes with friends. Let's keep building this very handsome community.

[Fortune Feimster]

Let's do it. Always love hearing these question and answers.

[Tig Notaro]

I thought you were gonna say I always love hearing your voice and I.

[Fortune Feimster]

Love your voice ting. I love your voice with your Tig o bitties.

[Tig Notaro]

They're in a dumpster.

[Fortune Feimster]

Well, all that's left to tell our friends is to keep it pretty handsome. Handsome is hosted by me, May Martin, Tig Notaro, and Fortune Feimster. The show is produced, recorded and edited by Thomas Willette. Email [e-mail] and please follow us on social media. ANSOMEPOD what a podcast.

[Tig Notaro]

What a podcast.

[Goldie]

That was a headgum podcast. That was a Headgum podcast.

[Commercial Voice]

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[Fortune Feimster]

Like, you know, to check that your lucky socks are washed and ready to be worn on the day you're up for that big promotion.

[Commercial Voice]

Checking first is smart, so check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Savings vary subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.