Christmas Mail (w/ Jessica St. Clair)

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Christmas Mail" Episode of How Did This Get Made?

Introduction

In the December 14, 2024 episode of How Did This Get Made?, hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas are joined by special guest Jessica St. Clair to dissect and celebrate the whimsical yet perplexing film "Christmas Mail." This episode delves deep into the movie's narrative, production quirks, and the broader implications surrounding its portrayal of the United States Postal Service (USPS).

Movie Synopsis

"Christmas Mail" follows the story of Matt, a beleaguered mailman in a small beachside community, who becomes entangled with Christie, a mysterious woman tasked with writing letters from Santa to children. As Matt grapples with his responsibilities and personal struggles, the introduction of Christie reignites old passions and stirs postal intrigue within the community.

Discussion on Plot and Characters

The hosts begin by outlining the film's basic premise, highlighting the magical yet chaotic elements introduced by Christie's character. Paul Scheer (3:21) remarks, "This is a movie about a mysterious woman who comes to town to write letters from Santa...," setting the stage for a detailed examination of the plot's intricacies.

June Diane Raphael (4:19) points out the film's exploration of communication and familial relationships, noting, "Love is in the air, and Santa is watching over everyone." Jessica St. Clair (4:16) adds her perspective on the narrative, emphasizing the emotional undercurrents and character motivations.

Production Critique

The trio critically analyzes the movie's production choices, particularly its setting and visual inconsistencies. Paul Scheer (12:04) expresses his fascination with the film's portrayal of a sunny Southern California town dressing in winter attire: "They are shooting clearly in Los Angeles or a sunny Southern California town. And everyone is dressed in winter coats."

Jessica St. Clair (12:35) and June Diane Raphael (12:37) discuss the unconventional use of lighting and backdrops, suggesting that certain scenes may have utilized green screens or unconventional filming techniques, which they find both perplexing and amusing.

Portrayal of the USPS

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the film's depiction of the United States Postal Service. Jessica St. Clair (5:05) questions the funding model presented in the movie, pondering, "I was like, why do they keep calling it corporate? Why? So this is the government, is it not?"

Paul Scheer (7:30) dives deeper, uncovering the real-life financial struggles of the USPS: "At $6.5 billion last year, that was the debt and they are... they made $56 billion and they were still in a $6.5 billion billion debt." The hosts discuss the accuracy of these portrayals, with Jason Mantzoukas (9:04) sharing his personal connection: "My grandfather, may he rest in peace, was a Postmaster General."

Character Analysis and Chemistry

The chemistry between Matt and Christie is a focal point of the episode. Paul Scheer (29:04) laments the lack of on-screen chemistry, stating, "I felt like they were nervous...," while Jessica St. Clair (31:13) praises Ashley's performance as Christie, describing her as "a breath of fresh air."

June Diane Raphael (35:18) critiques the romantic dynamics, suggesting that the characters' interactions felt forced and lacking genuine connection: "He was so asexual to me..."

Specific Scenes and Visuals

The hosts examine particular scenes that stood out for their oddity and lack of coherence. For instance, the cookie-decorating scene (25:37) and the sprinkles fight (25:26) are highlighted as examples of the film's inconsistent tone and execution.

Paul Scheer (37:43) humorously analyzes the kitchen scene, questioning the practicality of the mail truck depicted: "He has no truck. He's just doing... he's just walking this town." This leads to broader discussions about the film's unrealistic portrayal of postal operations.

Magical Elements and Character Motivations

The magical aspects introduced by Christie spark debate among the hosts. Paul Scheer (58:20) discusses the ambiguity surrounding Christie's powers, noting, "She can talk to birds." However, Jessica St. Clair (59:07) remains skeptical about the consistency of her abilities, pointing out inconsistencies in the film's magical logic.

Humor and Banter

Throughout the episode, the hosts' signature humor and playful banter keep the discussion lively. Jason Mantzoukas (55:06) shares a humorous anecdote about attempting to write a kiss scene, while June Diane Raphael (54:03) and Jessica St. Clair (56:19) engage in witty exchanges about the film's absurdities.

Real-World Connections and Final Thoughts

Towards the end, Paul Scheer (71:04) connects the film's themes to real-world USPS operations, highlighting how the movie satirizes actual postal challenges. Jessica St. Clair (88:19) underscores the USPS's ongoing struggles despite the film's portrayal, emphasizing, "Despite the business of the post office seems to be running itself into the ground, they are able to deliver."

Notable Quotes

• Paul Scheer [03:21]: "Christmas Mail is a movie about a mysterious woman who comes to town to write letters from Santa..."

• June Diane Raphael [12:04]: "But they’re dressed in winter coats in a sunny Southern California town."

• Jason Mantzoukas [08:01]: "My grandfather, may he rest in peace, was a Postmaster General."

• Jessica St. Clair [31:13]: "She's fantastic."

• Paul Scheer [73:12]: "Turn into Midas for a straightforward, transparent communication…"

Conclusion

The episode of How Did This Get Made? featuring Jessica St. Clair provides a thorough and humorous exploration of "Christmas Mail." While the film may fall short in several areas—such as character chemistry, plot coherence, and production quality—the hosts appreciate its earnest attempts to blend magic with the mundanity of postal work. Their insightful critiques, coupled with personal anecdotes and sharp wit, offer listeners both entertainment and a deeper understanding of what makes a "bad movie" endearingly memorable.

Whether you're a fan of the hosts, intrigued by the USPS, or simply in the mood for a comedic breakdown of a quirky holiday film, this episode delivers a comprehensive and engaging analysis that celebrates the charm and chaos of "Christmas Mail."

Transcript

[Paul Scheer]

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[Jason Mantzoukas]

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[Paul Scheer]

Ho ho ho. Is what Santa said when he saw his daughter in this film. We saw you've got Christmas mail so you know what that means.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Now it's time for how to disconnect. We're going to have a good time celebrating failure, not just be a hater.

[June Diane Raphael]

Cause you know you wondered how to discrimin.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

So in the mediocrity of subpar art, perhaps we'll find the answer to the question how did this get made?

[Paul Scheer]

Hello people of Earth. And I mean that because this is going out all around the world. Welcome to our virtual live show of Christmas mail. AKA you've got Christmas mail. And I gotta tell you, this movie came out in 2010 and there is very little information about how it was made. We have a little bit, but not much. All I can tell you is this. This is a movie about a mysterious woman who comes to town to write letters from Santa to all the children in this small beachside community and gets mixed up in some postal intrigue and reinvigorates a man who has been left with a child that he may or may not should have had. But love is in the air, and Santa is watching over everyone. It's also a movie that if you told me was funded by the United States Postal Service. I believe you. All right, we have a lot to break down tonight, and let's do it by bringing in my two co hosts. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Jason Manzookas.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, welcome. What's up, jerks?

[Paul Scheer]

What's up, Jason?

[June Diane Raphael]

What was that?

[Paul Scheer]

What was that?

[June Diane Raphael]

What? It's a little. It's a little candlestick. Oh, I love that. It's my little candlestick for Christmas.

[Paul Scheer]

Now, Jason, I know you're.

[June Diane Raphael]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Paul Scheer]

This movie. Wow, wow, wow.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is like the movie that it seeks to answer the question, what could you do with unfettered access to a U.S. postal facility?

[Paul Scheer]

I want to talk about the Postal Service because I got a lot of thoughts about it. But, you know, there is somebody that truly does have a lot of thoughts about the United States Postal Service. Somebody who has some bold opinions about it. Now, I have not heard what she has to say about this movie, but please welcome my other co host, June Diane Rayfield.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Hi, Paul. Hi, Jason. How are you?

[Paul Scheer]

I am good. How are you doing, June?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, man alive. This was a.

[June Diane Raphael]

This was a ride mere moments ago. You had to watch one more minute.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Just seconds ago, I had another browser up while we were doing our tech check. And I finished the last. I finished the montage of them in different. The postcards that I guess were sent back to one of the postal workers. And I just want to say. I was just so you know, Jason, what Paul's referring to is for. For a while I was under. I thought that taxpayer dollars were funding our postal system.

[June Diane Raphael]

You would think I would have thought the same because I myself started wondering, why do they keep calling it corporate? Why? So this is the government, is it not?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, well, yes and no. And I think that's the tricky. There's such a gray area to the postal service. And I know we want to bring on our guest, but I just talk for a while. I was like, why are. Why isn't universal health care right? And why are we paying in like, let UPS and FedEx battle it out like what. What is this? But it is a self funded organization, but it is also a part of the government and paid for by first class stamps. But anyway, you're going to get for.

[Paul Scheer]

A long time defund the postal service.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And by the way, I still feel that way.

[Paul Scheer]

And I will say that you said it so much that we were given an ornament of United States postal truck as like a June. Maybe you should.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But I still can't. I still don't fully have an understanding to either of you of how the post office. Because I know they're in debt.

[June Diane Raphael]

I. This was, this was the curtain being pulled back for me to see. To see the. How the sausage is made. Oh, and the, and the guy, the boss man who is. I mean, it's as if he's in the most important job in the country for mail service that he. He's such a villain. He said they call him a Grinch, but he seems to think he's powerfully important. But he's not.

[Paul Scheer]

I got to tell you. Get ready because later in the show I'm going to reveal something. There is not a lot of information about this movie, but there's a lot of post office workers who have a lot of opinions about.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, I cannot wait.

[Paul Scheer]

So we will, we will break into that because.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay, and let's bring our guest on. I just want to say that was my segue. I know, but I want to bring her on.

[June Diane Raphael]

But hang on, but hang on.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But hold on. The one thing I just want to say is you mentioned, you know, unfettered access to a postal facility, but I truly do wonder if the post office, in order to pay for some of its debt because it's running at a quite a deficit, is trying to, you know, rent out spaces.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, there is actually. And before we bring out our guests. I know we have to bring out our guests. There was a show, I was obsessed with it paid for by the United States Postal Service. An hour long drama like a CSI Law and Order.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What?

[June Diane Raphael]

Hold on, wait, what are you talking about?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Bring out our guests?

[June Diane Raphael]

Someone in the chat just said that the Post office lost $7 billion last year.

[Paul Scheer]

Okay, we're gonna get.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's what I'm saying.

[Paul Scheer]

We need to get our guest out here. Please welcome a holiday staple. How did this get made? All star. Our fourth player, if you will. You know her as a crone. You also know her as a co host of the Deep Dive.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So crazy to hear you welcome. My dear friend is a crone. Okay, go hide.

[Paul Scheer]

Jessica St. Clair. Welcome, Jess.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Hello. Hello.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Where's that crone?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

How big of that big. How big of that big crone energy.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, that bce. Bce.

[Paul Scheer]

Bce.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Guys, I want to reveal something because I feel like I have to disclose this. My grandfather, may he rest in peace, was a Postmaster General.

[June Diane Raphael]

Whoa.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This is not the same side that has the Faberge eggs. This is the other side.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay, okay, Wait a second.

[June Diane Raphael]

I was going to say, how could a Postmaster General afford all those Faberge eggs?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Or maybe they can.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Maybe they can. It was a very influential. It was a very influential position. And let's just say we had ties in Scranton to the mob because of that.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, my God. This is outrageous. Outrageous claims.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Friends with the Rag Man.

[June Diane Raphael]

No, absolutely not. Absolutely not. You are not connected to the Mafia. This is minute one. Minute one, and you're. You're spinning a whole letter.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Cook, let her cook.

[Paul Scheer]

This is. This is the start of a new podcast, an investigative podcast of a local Scranton Postmaster General gets mixed up in the mob.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Guys, do you remember the movie where Scorsese made what's His Face? Young and it was very upsetting.

[Paul Scheer]

Yes, yes.

[June Diane Raphael]

The Irishman.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

The Irishman. Okay. And he has an interaction with the Rag man, who was, like, the head of the mob. I'm telling you, in Scrinton, my grandfather, that was his best friend. Okay? And that is why my grandfather, even when he should not have been driving and had many car wrecks, was allowed to keep driving because of the. His influence with the Ragman.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay, you. You have to stop saying the Rag Man. I need you. I need you to stop saying the words the rag man.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, I'm surprised, because I do think of the United States Postal Service as much as I've called for the defunding of the entire organization.

[Paul Scheer]

Yes.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I do think of them as pretty clean in terms of, you know, the organization. Like, what are you paying off? What kind of. What kind of businesses? What kind of cash is being exchanged with the mob? And for.

[Paul Scheer]

How do you think those supermarket flyers get in your mailbox? They're working out deals with Wegmans and Gelson's and Wall Bounds. They're like, hey, you give me.

[June Diane Raphael]

Hey, forget about it. The Rag Man's gonna make it all go away. We're getting rich off of male shenanigans.

[Paul Scheer]

The Bufalino crime family stole all those Publishers Clearinghouse checks, and now we're gonna cash them these big old check checks.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, we're here in Scranton. The. The locus of all organized crime.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Forget about it. Was a Very big center of the mo. You know what? Go back and watch the movie. Okay.

[Paul Scheer]

The. The Sinclairs get all their mail three days before everybody else.

[June Diane Raphael]

Jessica Sinclair can send a letter direct to Santa. The ragman delivers it.

[Paul Scheer]

I do want to. I want. Before we get into the movie, I do want to bring up one thing, because there's been a constant rallying cry online. They say, why are you not doing Hot Frosty, the Netflix film that came out this year? And I will say I like research. So I watched Hot Frosty. It is literally beat for beat, the same movie as Snowman, where the girl puts a scarf on a snowman and the snowman comes to life. It's slightly better than Snowman's in, like, is that possible? I mean, that's what I was going to say. I didn't know if there was anything else to say about it. So, yeah, for those of you wondering, Hot and Frosty, it's. It's. We've already done it.

[June Diane Raphael]

Here's what I'll say. I'll say for those people who are upset we're not doing some other movie. Get fucked.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah, fucked. There's your T shirt. Get fucked.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is the movie we're doing. We did this movie.

[Paul Scheer]

I will say this, that, this movie. Christmas Mail, or We've got Christmas Mail, however you want, because it has different titles. I love this film right out of the gate because they are shooting clearly in Los Angeles or a sunny Southern California town. And everyone is dressed in winter coats.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It's very Pasadena coated. Or Altina.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yes, but like. But they're wearing, like, winter caps. And, like, there's a plot. There's a plot moment where, like, the little girl leaves her mitten behind. I was like, why is she wearing a mitten? It's 80 degrees out.

[Paul Scheer]

It looks decidedly hot and humid. But what I also love about and whoever makes these movies, I don't know if this is a lifetime or a Hallmark film, Mar Vista, but I mean, that's not a channel entertainment, right? Like, so Mar Vista. They're not paying for extras to say a goddamn thing.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I thought it was a silent film.

[June Diane Raphael]

So you basically have people, oh, there's no audio. There's no audio recording. There's just, like, library music.

[Paul Scheer]

It is. It is. The kids cannot talk in this movie. Like, there's a lot of extra work throughout this entire film where people really are doing the most without being able to speak or even make sound, you.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Know, I have so much to say. I guess let's just get right on into it. But please, I really resent this idea that letters to Santa need responses.

[Paul Scheer]

Wow.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I deeply. It offends my Christmas culture.

[Paul Scheer]

Wow.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You know, it does.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I never expected. I never, as a child, expected a response.

[Paul Scheer]

I never got a response.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay. In this movie. In this movie, it's not just a response. It is a correspondence.

[Paul Scheer]

The.

[June Diane Raphael]

The child, Emily, is going back and forth with Santa in a way that. That is misleading, frankly, and. And dangerous.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I'm sorry, Jason. She's not going back and forth with Santa. Those letters are not.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'm sorry, she's going to Christie. I'm sorry, she's going to Christie is what.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I mean, what I couldn't get to the bottom of is who's Christie signing those letters as?

[June Diane Raphael]

I believe Santa.

[Jessica St. Clair]

No, she's.

[June Diane Raphael]

No, she's not. Okay.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She's the mouthpiece of Santa. And is she only writing letters to just this small community?

[June Diane Raphael]

Yes, it seems like that she suggests that there are other people and that she has traveled and lived in other countries.

[Paul Scheer]

She went to Hong Kong.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yep, Hong Kong.

[Paul Scheer]

She did it in Hong Kong. But she seems not to be in the center of a major city. She seems to be, like you said, June, in Aladina, like a small suburb of a major city. So either Santa has a ton of kids that are all in small suburbs, or she's just really random.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Here's what I think we were supposed to understand. I mean, this movie is the female elf.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yes. Right?

[June Diane Raphael]

I believe so.

[Jessica St. Clair]

When she says she has so many brothers and sisters, I think she's referring to all of the elves.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yes, she's referring to the elves, but she's saying she herself, though, is not an elf because she's too big. She's too big, she said.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

But, you know, elves don't come from Mrs. Claus's vagina. Right?

[Paul Scheer]

Okay, hold on.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is interesting. Where do you think they come from, Jess?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I thought they were just a magical race of people. I didn't think they were Santa's kids.

[Paul Scheer]

I agree with you, Jess. I agree with you.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Why the fuck is Santa a full grown man who's actually like, quite big? Why is he popping?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, hold on.

[Paul Scheer]

What does that have to do with anything?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Well, he's like a large man.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't look like an elf is what.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She doesn't look like an elf. There's nothing else, like, about him. He's a man.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, but I mean, like, is he employing them?

[Jessica St. Clair]

I think it's sort of an internship.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's the whole Oompa Loompa controversy. You know, being employed Are they being paid? Is their health?

[Paul Scheer]

Well, here's what I'll say. I saw, I saw Wicked and I was upset when I saw Wicked that the Munchkins were normal sized people and that what I understood it to be was that when they made wizard of Oz, the film, they made that choice to have people that were about the same size as Dorothy. But in the book, the original book, they were, they're just supposed to be like, you know, five foot tall. So maybe, maybe elves. We've just been, we've been fed a bag of bull. Maybe elves are normal sized people. I don't know.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, she seems to say that she has like an uncountable number of siblings, you know, so does that mean, in fact, that she is Santa Claus's daughter? By, by the, the, you know, the old fashioned method. Are the rest of her siblings or are these her. She's calling them sisters.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Fake, Fake brothers and sisters.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'd love to know how many babies have exited to St. Clair's Point. Mrs. Claus's vagina.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, by the way, if she is Santa's daughter, Santa's old enough to be her grandfather. So then end. Also Al Pacino.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Al Pacino just had a dog.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's fine, Jessica, but.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

So he's three.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But so is Mrs. Claus.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

So is Mrs. Claus. You're absolutely right, Claus.

[June Diane Raphael]

I would believe you if you told me that these people were all 500 years old. Like, I don't know what time means to any of these.

[Paul Scheer]

The only kid I know for sure that Santa has had is Fred Claus, which is, I think Vince Vaughn. Yeah, I believe Fred Claus and his brother, which. Oh no. Yeah, Fred Clause is the only Santa.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I think the movie is telling us that Santa, in the world of the movie, Santa is Christie's father. Father.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Mrs. Claus. I told Paul, but I read a really funny tweet the other day saying like, I will know that feminism has been successful when Mrs. Claus gets a first name. And it really made me laugh. But anyway, I, I think that.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, let's start it. Should we just. Can we start trying to. What would we like it to be?

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's such a good question.

[June Diane Raphael]

I mean, like, let's, let's, let's dig in.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Andy. Sandy Claus.

[June Diane Raphael]

Sandy and Santa.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's Chrissy.

[Paul Scheer]

I think Chrissy is good. Chrissy.

[June Diane Raphael]

Chrissy Claus.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's a. I want something more kind.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Of like Nordic, like Santa, like.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Guys, do you know about the. Do you know about the Santa Claus couple in Los Angeles? I was at, I believe like a cheesecake Factory. And I saw a couple that looked exactly like Santa and Mrs. Claus. They were dressed in their outfits and I mean real beard, the whole thing. And so the, the server said to me, of course I got into it with her small talk. The art of small talk. You can get it on Spotify or wherever.

[Paul Scheer]

It's a great book.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Download audio books. But he's basically. She said, this couple just happens to look exactly like Santa. Mrs. Claus. And during the Christmas season they go out to eat as much as they can to act like they're just that the kids are seeing Santa in the wild. Whoa.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, I love that.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

So for the month of December, they're just everywhere. But it's a little strange because he should be at the North Pole.

[June Diane Raphael]

And they hand out. They hand out paperwork for their only fans.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah, exactly.

[Paul Scheer]

I just looked on some Icelandic names here. There's some good names for women. Sassa. Sassa Claus.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's interesting.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

In the chat they said Gladys or Olga.

[June Diane Raphael]

I saw one that was. I liked Martha Claus.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I like that too.

[June Diane Raphael]

I mean these are all old fashioned. Siri Clause brother.

[Paul Scheer]

It is a. It is a name. We will figure it out. But I did type in before that the Santa Fuck.

[June Diane Raphael]

I did. I. Wait, what now?

[Paul Scheer]

I typed in Desanta Fuck. Because I don't know what.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yes, I want to know.

[Paul Scheer]

I want to know there. Well, I. What came up was.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Paul.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Paul.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Paul.

[Paul Scheer]

There is. There are scent.

[June Diane Raphael]

Paul.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Paul though.

[Paul Scheer]

There is. Okay, Paul. Okay. There is. But there is a sand to fetish. But people are confused because he has no zipper on his pants.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, now that's interesting.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, he's got. He's got suspenders on, so I assume those just come down.

[June Diane Raphael]

Plus the. Plus he's moving so quickly through such cold air. The zipper would just be too drafty. I. That makes sense to me.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That makes sense.

[Paul Scheer]

People argue that Santa is the ultimate daddy dominant.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Whoa, stop.

[June Diane Raphael]

Absolutely.

[Jessica St. Clair]

From the chat. Are you just still online? Stop. Get offline.

[Paul Scheer]

He's kind yet firm, soft yet strong. Capable.

[June Diane Raphael]

Is a power top.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

This is ADHD at his best.

[Paul Scheer]

Daddy Dom.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Stop himself.

[Paul Scheer]

Daddy Dom. By the way, maybe the shirt is just Santa Claus. It just says Daddy Dom on nobody's.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Nobody wants that.

[June Diane Raphael]

Here's the thing. But it's Dominic Toretto.

[Paul Scheer]

That's what I was going to say. Yep, there it is.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Disgusting.

[Paul Scheer]

Texas Pete. Oh my gosh, I love Texas Pete. It is the hot sauce that allows you to sauce like you mean it. All right. Texas Pete sauce is packed with bold and balanced flavor. I've loved Texas Pete. For years, when I got a box of their stuff at my house, I was so psyched because what I love about their hot sauce is their tanginess. Okay? You can use it on anything, and you're gonna try every flavor. I mean, you got the original, which is great. That's fermented peppers. It's a special blend. Then you got the hotter hot sauce, which is three times hotter than the original. And believe me, it is not for the faint of heart. Then you got Sabor by Texas Pete, which adds an authentic Mexican flavor. And I gotta tell you, that might be my favorite next to their dust dry seasoning, which matches the flavor of the original hot sauce in a flavorful dry rub. It is so, so great. Texas Pete sauce like you mean it. Visit texas pete.com and use the store locator to find Texas Pete products as well as purchase sauces and get recipe inspiration. And use the promo code podcast24 for 20% [e-mail] this show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Oh, people, I love the holidays. I love the food. I love the fun. But I also know that sometimes as we get to the end of the year, we start, you know, getting wrapped up in a blanket. And maybe we start getting wrapped up in our own anxieties, right? Something that we start reflecting on is like, what did we do this year? What could we do better this year? And, you know, maybe instead of just wrapping yourself up in a blanket and watching a movie and just thinking about what you want to do more, why don't you start talking to somebody that can help you do more? Therapy is a great way to bring yourself some comfort that never goes away, even when the season changes. If you're thinking about starting therapy, give better help a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. You just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. You can find comfort this December with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.combonkers today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H L P.combonkers for a gift that's always on time and lasts a lifetime, you can't do better than Masterclass. I have been on the Masterclass bandwagon for a long time. That's right. I am a member since the very beginning. Why? Because Masterclass is the only streaming platform where you can learn and grow with over 200 plus of the world's best instructors. You can learn from any masterclass instructor anywhere on a smartphone, computer, smart tv, or even an audio mode. I've used this for a long time. Right now, my son and I are watching the Steph Curry masterclass where we are learning. Well, he is learning. I'm watching how to be a better shooter. There are so many great deep dives in here. David Sedaris. Before I wrote my book, I listened to his masterclass and watched how he edited and worked through all of his pieces. I love it. I have given it to people and they have thanked me. Masterclass always has great offers during the holidays and sometimes up to as much as 50% off. So head over to Masterclass.com HDTGM for the current offer. That's up to 50% [e-mail] HDTGM Masterclass.com HDTGM I will say this. This movie gave me and I wrote this down right away. I'm incredibly impressed by the postal service. Like, watching the mail go through slots. I felt like I was a kid watching, like, Sesame Street. I was like, wow.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I was totally. I was feeling that too. Like, if we could spend more time seeing someone. What I would have loved as an opening is really seeing the same letter go through the process.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That would have been nice.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Into that thing. Let's go down.

[June Diane Raphael]

And why can't it be Emily's letter?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Because they have emphasis. All they had was B roll. Here's a question, Paul, this is a question for you. Are they shooting in front of a green screen? Did they have that technology? Because it was very upsetting.

[Paul Scheer]

Here's the thing. I thought that same thing, too. I believe they're just backlit. Because every time I'm like, oh, that's a green screen, they would walk backwards into, like, a. Really? Yeah. Yes. So, like, when they're in that. When they're in that. That place, they walk backwards into it. So I think the lighting is just. I think they're silhouetted too weirdly because they also have that green screen effect in his house. There's no reason to have the green screen in his house.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, never forget, the VFX I really want to talk about is during cookie decorating scene. Oh, yeah, I got that. Sprinkles. When things get crazy, can we play the sprinkles fight?

[Paul Scheer]

Let's play the sprinkles fight. That's clip nine.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's kind of a secret project I'm working on.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

How's that secret project going?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Not very well.

[June Diane Raphael]

No one seems to like Uncle Matt very much.

[Paul Scheer]

I Mean, okay, are there powers at play?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Look really cool with some free sparkles on you.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, boy. Food fight.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Is this because they could only do one take, is my question. It's like they couldn't clean it up better as a redhead.

[Paul Scheer]

I think you're right because they also. It's not fun the way they're dropping sprinkles on people. Like, it seems like they're not throwing it. It's like they're jumping. What do you mean?

[June Diane Raphael]

They're smiling and laughing so much. It looks like so much fun.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I really think they didn't have the time in their limited schedule and budget to reset the hair.

[Paul Scheer]

I think you're right.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

They were like, we have to just. But why they would choose the one thing they can do practically, is that. And why they put in some.

[Paul Scheer]

Because I bet you it's not showing up on camera.

[Jessica St. Clair]

No, but then let's. Then let's. Let's find something else to do at each other.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Something else.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Let's make little balls of dough and throw it at each other.

[June Diane Raphael]

They're really struggling here because they're also, like, they can't light anything. Every scene has to take place in the middle of the day. Like, they don't have the ability to do anything in service of making this make sense.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I think. Yes, I could not. First of all, there's a lot we need to talk about with Matt and Heather. Like, why aren't Matt and Heather together? That's a question. Put that over there for a second.

[June Diane Raphael]

Who is Carlos? Who is Carlos?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Wait, who's Carlos? But really, who is Carlos?

[Paul Scheer]

Isn't Carlos in the band?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Carlos is in the band.

[June Diane Raphael]

I believe Carlos is Heather's boyfriend and that's why they keep mentioning him. But boy did I think. Boy did I think Carlos was going to arrive at some point because he's talked about quite a bit.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Carlos is the one who's doing scales, who's like, oh, my God.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

La, la, la.

[June Diane Raphael]

That band is terrible. The band is terrible.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Is not in the band. Right. She's like, the band's like, spiritual leader, does the band.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She's in the band.

[Paul Scheer]

No, she's not in the band. No, she's the band manager.

[Jessica St. Clair]

No, she's in the band.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She helps them, like, relax.

[Paul Scheer]

She's like the Metallica doctor.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yes, that's exactly what I thought. Some kind of monster. She's like, yeah, she's there to help them relax.

[June Diane Raphael]

It was. I agree with you, though, June. It was cryptic because I thought she was within the band as well. But she is able to leave so easily. And, and it's this thing where they want you to think that or they want to give Christy North a reason to think. Oh, no, Mailman Matt might be married because he's gotten Heather to come and help him with Emily.

[Paul Scheer]

But what a terrible plan. Like, because she gets confused. She's like, oh, he asked her to meet her at the park. You wouldn't ask your wife to also be at. It's like, like all she has.

[June Diane Raphael]

Don't introduce your daughter to a woman.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You do not know.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, it's not his daughter. He makes that very clear.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Why don't you not stop that? Can you imagine if you had were in charge of a child that you were like, and tonight a woman you just met is going to tuck you in. That's a fucking horror movie.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And by the way, I have so many questions about.

[Paul Scheer]

But that kid wanted to get him laid. She was ready to go to town.

[June Diane Raphael]

I wanted the movie, I wanted the movie to be about mailman Matt, fucking Mrs. Johnson so hard because I wanted the triangle to be Christy North, Mrs. Johnson and Matt because she was hot to go.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Mrs. Johansson was hot. She was Johnson, whatever her name was. She was ready to get.

[Paul Scheer]

She was ready for it because it felt like she was in on it and Matt wasn't. Matt didn't know what was up, but she felt like she was like, yeah, fuck this guy.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, she was wearing her sexy turtleneck. She was like ready to go.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

And they put on sex. And you know, I thought that this movie robbed us of the awkwardness of the scene. Like they basically put them at the table and then hard cut to him like washing dishes. And I'm like, give us something. Give us a little bit of something. But I felt like they were nervous because they also knew that their audience for this movie are older women. So they didn't want to like go too hard on like older women.

[Jessica St. Clair]

They did a number on older and single women on this movie.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't think they held. I don't think they held back.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, the single parent support group.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, the single parent support group. Here's my question for Matt and I guess a psa, like if a child who's lost both parents in a devastating, I guess, car accident, I don't think it's ever explicitly said, I don't think Matt needs some sort of sudden death. This nine year old child and she asks if I talk to my parents, can they hear me? The answer is yes.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yes.

[Jessica St. Clair]

The answer is unequivocally.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Agreed. He's like, that's a tough one.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's not a tough one.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

The answer is yes. Well, here's the thing that it threw him for. So it threw him for such a loop that he had called about this.

[June Diane Raphael]

Like, he's a mess.

[Paul Scheer]

He's a. He is a mess.

[June Diane Raphael]

He's written to be. He's old, but he seems written to be, like 19 years old. Like, truly, I mean, clueless.

[Paul Scheer]

When he talks about the will, he says this thing that shook me to my core because he's taught. It's like a dramatic scene. He's like, you know, when my sister and husband died in their will, they said I was the best uncle ever. And that's why I have this kid. It's like, I don't think they put, like, best uncle ever in the. It's not like a Hallmark card. It's not like, think of a mug. Like, you know, it's like. Like, it's like for. It also felt like he was bragging. It's like, yeah, it was the best uncle ever. So I got the kid.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He just seemed so depressed. So much so he. He really, like, he bummed me out. I will say the actress who played Christie Holiday or Noel, she was a breath of fresh.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She was Christy north of Fresh.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She's terrific.

[June Diane Raphael]

She was fantastic.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Endlessly.

[Paul Scheer]

That's Ashley, by the way.

[June Diane Raphael]

And she was great and incredibly watchable playing a character that is not of this. Of the world, of the movie. The rest of the people are trying to be like, in the real world. And she is this heightened, magical kind of. From a mystical. A magical world kind of person. And doing incredible job.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Incredible.

[June Diane Raphael]

In and amongst everybody else, doing what is bizarre. Just like. Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I wish they had given her more physical comedy so we could really see what. What Christy north is made of.

[Paul Scheer]

For you video game nerds out there, she is the motion capture and voice in the Last of Us, part one and two of Maria Miller.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She's one to watch.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She certainly is. You know, I did think to myself, Jason, that when she let that pigeon land on her, I thought, boy, this is a role that if Jason had been offered and they said, you're going to bird.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Same, same.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You're going to have. Absolutely not with a trained bird. Absolutely said, no, thank you.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Even if our industry is collapsing, sing, even if there's nothing on the horizon.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You would never do bird work.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'm not a good enough actor. I'm not a good enough actor because the minute the bird came close to me, I would Smash it to the ground. My instincts would take over and I would destroy the bird. I would have to. That's the only answer. I would grab it, slam it, twist.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Travis Kelce, touchdown.

[Paul Scheer]

Wait a second. Wait, hold on. Jess, hold on. Stop.

[June Diane Raphael]

Travis, Kel. Hold on. Back it up, back it up.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Travis Kelsey, Travis Hutchins, bird touchdown. He does touchdowns, right?

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah. That is a thing.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

So stop fucking laughing.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Here's the thing, though, Jason. Here's what I agree with you about. If I, If I. If I'm writing a movie and I want. If I want to get across this scene where this. We really get to see how magical she is, that she can speak to humans and creatures and.

[Paul Scheer]

But yet she can't speak to a dog.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's interesting.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Why isn't Rudy on a leash?

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, this is another. This is another question, by the way. This is another trigger for June, but we continue. June, yeah. If she's magical.

[Jessica St. Clair]

My question is, because I've seen this a few times in the Times in these types of movies, but when they want to do this type of scene, they'll put a pigeon on a hand.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Give me a bluebird. Isn't there a trained bluebird? We can't any.

[Paul Scheer]

This is a Mar Vista production. They're not getting bluebirds. They're literally taking that bird of a tree.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Flying rats. And we all know it. I know. And if a pigeon comes near any of us, we will kill it. Travis Kelsey, touchdown.

[Paul Scheer]

Travis Kelsey, touchdown. Go birds.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Eagles fly.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Heather, God bless. Who also really did sparkle on the screen. She brings a child over, you think you see a crazy woman with a pigeon on her hand, you're going to go, hey, can I, Can I let my kid touch your pigeon? That's like bird flu for everybody.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Very strange. And Heather, I have to say, I thought the actress did a great job, but I couldn't make heads or tails of what her M.O.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Was.

[Paul Scheer]

It just seemed like everyone wanted to get Matt laid and like, because at one point Heather's like, She's like, you don't have to be a good parent. Just play your guitar, go play video games. Don't worry about this kid. If you're like, like, everyone was like, don't worry about this kid. You're taking this responsibility too hard.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He has to worry about this kid.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It's his legal responsibility.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He must. But the decision at the end, which I guess we're all supposed to be rooting for, is that he does yank her out of school.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I really think it's a mistake.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He does yank her out of school. And he does start her on, like, a bit of a carny childhood. He. No, I don't think that's.

[Paul Scheer]

I don't think that the Yellow Muse. I don't think the Yellow Muse is going to have too many tours in their future.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Is that what the band's.

[June Diane Raphael]

Is that the name of the band?

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, yeah, that's from Chelsea Downey. In the chat, she saw that Yellow Muse is the only poster on the wall. So the Yellow Muse. I don't think the Yellow Muse.

[Jessica St. Clair]

If we're going to talk about posters and background scenery, I must spend a little bit of time on when we are with Mr. Fuller. The poster is a warning poster for male drivers. And it says something along the lines of, like, could this happen to you? And it's a poster of a mail truck that has fallen into. Yeah, good.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What? Fallen into a body of water. But I did pause it right here and looked at that body of water, and I was like, is that a pool? Is that a. I'll tell you what I said.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Could this happen? What could it be? What is that water?

[Paul Scheer]

I also pause it, and I have a theory on it. This is a mailman, mail carrier who's decided I need to deliver the mail. I'm going to drive through that puddle. It doesn't look too deep.

[Jessica St. Clair]

A puddle.

[Paul Scheer]

Yes.

[June Diane Raphael]

Here's what I want to say.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's like a sinkhole.

[June Diane Raphael]

Here's what I'll say about what you're showing me. Right here is this image. This image is what a tease. Because up in the upper right hand corner, it says Gilmore the Merrier Binge a thon, which just tells me that there's about to be a Gilmore Girls marathon, which I would so much rather be watching than this absolute nightmare.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I know. I'm in the middle of season three, by the way. Jason. Rewatch.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Rewatch.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, I just. I just finished season six.

[Paul Scheer]

Season six.

[June Diane Raphael]

Rewatching it together.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Oh, God.

[June Diane Raphael]

But yes, the.

[Paul Scheer]

The.

[June Diane Raphael]

The guy in this. In this paint, in this poster died. Drowned. Drowned.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What is it? What is.

[June Diane Raphael]

So many mailmen drown.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But what is he. Is that just like a bond?

[June Diane Raphael]

It's very clear. It's very clear. It's a bog.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Awfully clear.

[Paul Scheer]

I think he's driving through a large puddle, but he misjudged it. He's like, oh, that's just gonna be a small puddle. You never drive through a puddle with your car.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What you're saying it turns into. That's not a puddle.

[Paul Scheer]

That's a puddle.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay. Moving On Paul. I'm not even gonna dignify that. One thing I laughed so hard about was when we first meet Matt, we can see pretty clearly that he's wearing like a number of bracelets.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yes, yes.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And I was like, what's this all about? Like, what are the. What's this stacking all about, these beads?

[Paul Scheer]

Well, because it's so interesting because it takes so long for the other character to say, just give her some of that rock and roll. And I was like, wait, what?

[Jessica St. Clair]

And then back to the bracelets.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah, that's what it was. The bracelets are.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Andrew. And I thought about you too while watching because of his bangs. They're so strange. They go up. It's like a bang.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Should be really tough time with his hair.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It was like someone had stuck a. I don't know, like a pitchfork just in the front, I think. But that was to show us that he had a bit of rock and roll in him.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It was. And he had a lot of gel and like a lot of. Like this piece is going to go that way and this one's going to go. But the troubling thing was his sides were too long. I don't want to get into.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'll be honest. The real troubling thing when rock and roll became rock and roll, when they start to do the rock and roll performance is the movie just starts drowning in fedoras. Everybody on screen is somehow immediately wearing a fedora. Which I was like, no, this is you.

[Paul Scheer]

Now.

[June Diane Raphael]

I double know this band is terrible because it's fedora based.

[Paul Scheer]

The minute he put on that fedora, I lost all respect for him as a musician. And I'm so sorry.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yellow Muse. Yellow Muse is good to get rid of this fedora wearing douche.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

And child protective services. Let me just get this out. Needs to take Emily away. They need to be called.

[Paul Scheer]

Should be like, he tells his daughter. His daughter calls him and goes, dad, how do I turn on the gas stove? Like he. The daughter is basically saying gas is leaking into the house. And then it seems like he takes about 45 minutes to get there. Why don't you stay on the phone and be like, get out of the house, turn it off.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay. I love when he says when he is taking that phone call, he's like, hold on one second. Yeah, yeah, no, just give me one second. He's. Am I. I wanted to scream. Just tell her like, turn it the fuck off. Turn it off. Whatever's on, turn it off. Get out of the house or run out.

[June Diane Raphael]

But but she was just messing with him to get him to come home because she was bringing the Mrs. Johnson date on him, right?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

But it also seemed like. But what's so strange about that? Now, put it together timeline wise. He's at work talking to Christy north, right? He gets a call that says, oh, I'm starting the stove from Emily. He races home, and it's already dinner time. Like, well, always seems like he left.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It's always time for dinner, and it's.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Always time for lunch, and it's always time for him to clean up. If I. There were so many times.

[June Diane Raphael]

And it's always sunlight. It's always daytime.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Him toweling off a lasagna dish. I swear to God. That's why his life is so sad. He's constantly doing dishes.

[Paul Scheer]

He's constantly eating food. He has no sense of time.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, it really was sad. Sad dad. Sad, sad, sad dad energy.

[Paul Scheer]

Can I show you? This is picture number two. This is his kitchen curtains. I think this is to keep out the light.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

But here we look like a sleeper cell. Yeah. No, no, no.

[June Diane Raphael]

I mean, what. What is that?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

The. Okay, the set designer needs to be killed again.

[Paul Scheer]

That's where you put. You put somebody in front of that to read a hostage note.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's what I.

[Paul Scheer]

You.

[June Diane Raphael]

You. You. Yes. You could send this picture to Child Protective Services. They would take her away.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Agree.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Those aren't even curtains. Like, that brown thing, the way it's billowing out at the bottom, like, I.

[June Diane Raphael]

Don'T know what the fabric is at the top. It's just like on some string. It's on some loose string.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

What are we hiding? What is on the other side of that window?

[Paul Scheer]

Bright, bright daylight.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Sunlight.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, God. Is so sad, though, when he. When he is trying to, like, get things going with Christie. He first invites her to lunch, which I'm like, okay. And then he says, it's going to be a picnic. I'm like, okay. And then it's an indoor post office.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's fucking weird. And why all of these things were backed up. It's like somebody would have an idea, oh, we want to have this scene at the. So let's back up the reality of what would he have to do to get her then to go outside? It's so.

[June Diane Raphael]

You know what was crazy to me is he asks her out. Nothing happens. She calls him and leaves him a message that says, you know what? I would like to do lunch. She makes an effort.

[Paul Scheer]

He.

[June Diane Raphael]

The next day, just shows up in her office and is like, you ready for Lunch. He's not called her back to confirm the plan. He's not reached out and gotten in touch. This is a movie that exists. It's 2010. There's almost never cell phone usage almost at all.

[Paul Scheer]

He.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Except when Santa calls her.

[June Diane Raphael]

Except when Santa calls her and she.

[Paul Scheer]

Pops a squat when her dad calls her. She's walking up to, oh, my God, well, time for a phone call. Let me put down my suitcase and take a seat. Like, she does not even understand the walk and talk of what cell phones are.

[June Diane Raphael]

I mean, she doesn't seem to understand the world in a way that seems like Buddy the elf doesn't understand the world, but she lives in the world for two months every year.

[Paul Scheer]

But she also doesn't have any of that fun of. I don't know, she has none of that elf quality. Like, ooh, what's that?

[Jessica St. Clair]

And what's unfortunate is I think she could do that work. They just. She wasn't really given the opportunity because she had the energy, she had the. I'm not going to compare to Will Ferrell, but, like, she had.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She had the spark.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, she had a sparkle to her, and I wanted some more. This is the issue of comedy.

[Paul Scheer]

This is what you get when you do this. When you make these movies where a character who's too innocent comes down, you can't have them in a romantic relationship because it feels like you're taking advantage of them. It's too awkward. Like, I watched that Hot and frosty, or Hot frosty. It's like this guy is like a sentient snowman. He's so scared. And then, like, you're. They don't want them to kiss. It's like he doesn't know what's going.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So neutered that I could never think for one fucking second that he was taking advantage of her.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

But I'm going to tell you this, June, when they have their fedora moment, and then it's so creepy that, like, the music comes on and like. And then. And here's what I don't want a guy ever to say to me. And maybe this is post election. Okay.

[Paul Scheer]

Sh, sh.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Close your eyes. Don't fucking tell me I don't know you.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't know you ever tell me.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Don't you say.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't dare tell.

[June Diane Raphael]

Hey, Jess.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yes.

[June Diane Raphael]

Hey. Just.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah. You want me to burn your fucking house down? Tell me to.

[Paul Scheer]

Shh.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Don't.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Okay.

[June Diane Raphael]

Just for like a weird slow dance.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

If you tell me to close my eyes, I am assuming I'm going to Wake up. There's going to be a bunch of dogs in my face and I'm going to have to punch my way out.

[Paul Scheer]

Today we're going to be breaking down all the things that we think are BS in movies. This segment is brought to you by Midas because when it comes to car care, there's a ton of BS out there. I mean, that's bad service. Of course, now Midas provides an auto experience without the BS with their closer look vehicle check. They let you know what needs fixing now and what can wait. From oil changes to tires, with Midas, you can get reliable service that you can trust. All right, let's talk about things that we don't like in movies. You know what I don't like in movies? This is an old school thing, but we don't see people say goodbye. People never say goodbye on the phone. No, they just hang up another one. CGI babies. I don't like these puppet babies. I don't like CGI babies. Use the real thing. I don't care that they shouldn't be on camera. I want more real babies in movies. Give me that real baby. Just like Jason says. All right, thanks again to Midas for sponsoring this segment. And remember, don't let yourself get taken for a ride when you bring your car in for service. Turn into Midas for a straightforward, transparent communication about what you need for your vehicle maintenance. It's time to get automobile services tailored to your actual needs. And say Goodbye to the BS. Welcome to AutoCare Without Bad Service. Visit Midas.com for a location near you. Mint Mobile has figured it out. You can say goodbye to overpriced wireless plans. You can say goodbye to jaw dropping monthly bills and unexpected overages. Because Mint Mobile is here to rescue with premium wireless starting at 15 bucks a month. Okay? Our producer, Scott, he has Mint Mobile. He loves it so much, he can't stop talking about it. He's like, oh, Paul, I got a easy to read bill. No complicated fees. I'm like, scott, I love that you're into Mint Mobile, but seriously, dude, we got to reschedule the next recording. And he's like, no, no, no. Switching to Mint Mobile was so easy. I used my same phone and kept my same number. I'm like, sounds great, but seriously, you're producing the show. We got other things to do. And he's like, no, no. Let me tell you more about Mint Mobile. And that's why I decided to do this commercial. Because Mint Mobile is changing lives. So to get this new customer offer of three month premium wireless. For just 15 bucks a month, go to mint mobile.com HDTGM that's mint mobile.com HDTGM cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mint mobile.com HDTGM $45 upfront payment required, equivalent to $15 a month. New customers on first three month plan only. Speed slower than above 40 gigabytes on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees and restrictions apply. See Mint Mobile for details. You ever worry about the safety of your home and family? Well, there is no better time to act than right now. That's right. SimpliSafe is extending its massive Black Friday deal for our listeners. You get 50% off a new SimpliSafe security system with SimpliSafe's Active Outdoor Protection. What did I say? SimpliSafes Active Guard Outdoor protection changes the game by preventing crime before it even happens. All right, imagine this. Someone, they're lurking around. They're. They're in the bushes, right? Guess who sees them? The SimpliSafe agents. They talk to them directly. They set off your spotlights. They even can call the police. And it's all before that person even gets a chance to break in. Anyway, I love SimpliSafe because they are a company that is using the latest in technology that makes me feel like even when I'm away from home, I am actually at home. I can monitor everything. I can keep my eyes on things. Now SimpliSafe is extending its massive Black Friday deal to my listeners this week only you can get 50% off any new system with a select professional monitoring plan. This is your last chance to claim their best offer of the year. Head to simplisafe.com [e-mail] bonkers there's no safe. Like simply safe.

[Jessica St. Clair]

The thing that offended me, honestly almost more was the fact that they kept on using pastel colors in a Christmas movie.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Oh, wow. I know that's it's been a thing for you for a long time.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What are these Easter colors doing in my Christmas movie? I think it was greens. At one point I saw, I think, like an antenna with like, with St. Patrick's Day close to my kids.

[Paul Scheer]

I think they have one warehouse. I mean, I'm also just impressed that the kids in this movie have access to green and red envelopes like most kids are sending normal, you know, they're not getting red and green envelopes.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, the other thing is this town is fielding entirely too many letters to Santa. There are too many children in this town, I believe.

[Paul Scheer]

And his Daughters.

[June Diane Raphael]

She has no friends. According to me. According to me, a childless man, Matt the mailman, is collecting a volume of letters that the town simply cannot sustain otherwise. Or this is a situation where the town is made entirely of children. It's one of those.

[Paul Scheer]

I am on the postmaster general or the head of the post office side. It is mucking up the works. I mean, like, it's too much. It's bags and bags of mail. It's like, BTS moved to town. I mean, like, there's one moment, though I do love when she's going through the mail. This is the other friend. Was her name Sally?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, Sally.

[Paul Scheer]

Sally.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Who is great.

[Paul Scheer]

Love Sally. Sally is great. She, like, picks up a package and she's like, oh, from France. Oh, bonjour. And I was like, but it's still in a USPS box. Like, So. I was also like, wait, so France? Like, like, someone got a USPS box and then sent. Like. But it's also like, she's still enamored with mail, which is the idea.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Well, that's why it's nice that she gets that promotion. I also felt. I mean, again, I'm coming from a lineage of postal workers, so that's.

[Paul Scheer]

Close your eyes, Jess, and remember.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Don't you fucking tell me.

[Paul Scheer]

I'm gonna tell you so you will not come with me to that haunted house. I go down.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's me using that person's balls as a bag. Okay? But also, in the very beginning of the movie, he's struggling. We've all seen mail carriers. They've got a cart. He's having to carry all these packages on his own and stumble back to the truck. It's like, that's just not how it goes.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, I.

[Paul Scheer]

He has no truck. He's just doing. He's just walking this town.

[June Diane Raphael]

You know what?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

He's walking.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'm with St. Clair. The authenticity of the mail service is being challenged in this movie.

[Jessica St. Clair]

When he puts that letter in his mouth, that's a crazy moment.

[Paul Scheer]

She.

[June Diane Raphael]

Disgusting. She puts it there.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She puts it there for it.

[June Diane Raphael]

Jason, that is the most erotic beat of the movie. That is the most sexual this movie will ever get.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Absolutely. Let me ask you in terms of sexual innuendos, let me ask you this. When he's with his boss and he says, I'm grooming you, Matt. You've been groomed. And I want to see. I see myself in you. I really couldn't tell whether that was intended to be an innuendo, because no one.

[June Diane Raphael]

No, I don't think so. Because I don't think the word grooming was being used that way in 20. I'm sure it was, but not the way that is so foregrounded now in 2010. I don't think this movie is smart enough.

[Jessica St. Clair]

The one question I had for Mr. Fuller, you know, was if you're so against Christmas, if you're so against, like, all these letters and what it does to your system and how they can't be opened and opened letters per bag and unopened letters per bag, why are you wearing a Christmas tie?

[Paul Scheer]

No, no, that's. That. I thought that. I realized that's postal service tie.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's government. I've never seen red as part of the postal service.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Postal service palette is blue and white.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, he also gives. He also gives Matt a red tie when he gets the promotion. So I. That seems to be like some sort of, like. I. I don't know. I agree, because he is cast as a. He's a Grinch. They call him the Grinch.

[Paul Scheer]

You know my favorite moment in this movie, and this goes to what you were saying, like, I can see myself inside you. I don't want to. You won't see me inside you. They don't really have, like the fun, witty banter, because at one point when they're making the cookies, he goes, oh, I think I'm about to get schooled. And she goes, you are about to get schooled. That's not a. You can't say that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

They had zero chemistry and it was a class session.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah. Something. You wanted to rewrite this movie, Paul. You almost want to take time away from your paying gifts to rewrite this movie. There was no stakes and no. No sizzle. No sizzle. I thought I'd almost prefer to watch a trash can fire. That's how lacking in.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And you know what my theory is, if I may?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Please.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I think that Matt, the actor.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Had. I think he had more chemistry with Heather. And I think that he was not comfortable playing a romantic lead opposite a woman who was taller than him. Oh, interesting dynamic play out.

[Paul Scheer]

Wow.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's because everybody's shorter than Jude and I and we have to come up with some reason. They don't seem too psyched to make out.

[Jessica St. Clair]

No, it's. It is. I have seen this a number of times because men do not want to stand on a little apple box.

[June Diane Raphael]

No. And we all have to. You know, I would happily stand on a three quarter apple just to smooch.

[Paul Scheer]

Elizabeth DeBecky get up on that apple box. I believe it.

[June Diane Raphael]

I Believe it's six.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, that's a real man, Jason, by the way. So happily, hats off.

[June Diane Raphael]

Let me. Let me stand on that apple box. I will bring my own apple box.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That's weird, man.

[Paul Scheer]

Really? Men don't want to get that sweet smoochie.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Men don't want to stand on apple boxes in front of a crew full of teamsters. No, they don't.

[June Diane Raphael]

I've got my own smooch branded apple box that I bring to all my shoots for a classic smooch and shoot smooch.

[Paul Scheer]

Getting high on a smooch box.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Wait a second. Can I just say one thing? Jason and I wrote a pilot where we had to kiss each other, and we didn't realize that it was gonna have to actually do it. And. Right.

[June Diane Raphael]

We didn't have to just kiss each other. We had to, like, passionately make out.

[Jessica St. Clair]

We wrote this, folks.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

We wrote it. But then it was like a shock to us that this happened. First of all, we never thought it was making us do it right before it happens. Jason goes, I'm going dead inside like that. And then kisses me. That's how he literally was like, I have to.

[June Diane Raphael]

It was.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I'm exiting my body right now.

[June Diane Raphael]

It really wasn't out of. It wasn't out of body.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Experience the worst thing that any has happened to either of us.

[Paul Scheer]

But kiss and tell. Jess, was it a good kiss? Was it a good kiss?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I don't know. Because we both had to exit our.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay, I can tell you that pilot did not get picked up to series.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, man.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I'm going dead inside. Oh, could we talk. Could we just talk about the makeover that. That she's given in the bathroom?

[June Diane Raphael]

In the bathroom at the post office.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I. Again, this is what I mean. Like, they're obviously like, we have to have a makeover. Let's put her in a crazy outfit. Because at first I was like, this is one of the weirdest, ugliest outfits I've ever seen her wearing. It was a rugby shirt buttoned all the way to the collar, and then a. And then a scarf as a tie. And then a very unattractive.

[Paul Scheer]

When Cardi. When she buttoned her shirt to reveal yet another shirt underneath it. That's when I was like, oh, now I feel this is weird. She's wearing too many shirts.

[June Diane Raphael]

The other thing that made me feel like the sexual chemistry was a problem for Christy north and Matt and discomforting for him is that she did have no sexual energy or no mature adult energy. She seemed such an innocent in the way that Buddy the elf sometimes feels innocent. So that also put me. Put me off.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He was so. He was so asexual to me and.

[June Diane Raphael]

So post sex, even in the fedora.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He was it. He was in, like, male menopause. Like, I was like, this guy's fucking God. He's got no juices running through him anymore.

[June Diane Raphael]

Wait, wait. Male menopause?

[Paul Scheer]

Is that a thing?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I don't. I wish it was. I wish it was.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He's in the throes of.

[Paul Scheer]

I'm going through male menopause right now.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You fuckers deserve it. I wish you went through male.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He's in it. It's like things have dried up with Matt. And so that's why I never felt, like, uncomfortable, because I was like, she's got more life force and vitality and like that then in her fingertip than this guy does. I was just like, I'd rather see her with Mr. Fuller.

[Paul Scheer]

Okay.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, I would rather she. I want to see her, like, in a more natural. I want her to be, like, seeking something better.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

Seeking something wonderful. Like, Matt is going.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She lived in Tokyo. You know what I mean? She's been all over the world. She has a lot.

[Paul Scheer]

She doesn't want for anything. What does she do for these other 10 months that seems like she's a vacant. Like, she seems like she goes into, like, a hole for 10 months. She's not living.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She goes back to the NP. She goes back to.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, I assume she.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Well.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, it's like that. It's like the people that live for summer camp, you know, those two months of summer camp, that's when they. That's when they come alive. The rest of the year, they're just marking time.

[Paul Scheer]

All right, well, then let me tell you what the Internet, when you type in this movie, the Internet, they have a darker reading of the movie.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What is.

[Paul Scheer]

Why are you. This is research. So much Google. This is. This is research. It says in the movie Christmas Mail. The ending sees the main character, Christy north, finally reconnecting with her estranged father, Strange Tom. Tom, after discovering a series of old letters that he wrote to her mother that were never delivered, revealing his deep love and regret for leaving them. This realization prompts Christie to outreach out to him, leading to a heartwarming reunion on Christmas Eve, signifying the power of communication and the importance of family.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

This is a different movie.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, this is what the a. This is what. This is what the AI is talking about.

[Jessica St. Clair]

AI. We just went on strike for eight months.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Stop bringing up AI this is what.

[Paul Scheer]

AI is saying that the movie's up, but I also wanted to bring this up to say, is that the. Does that maybe a more astute reading?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

No, there's nothing about that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

There's nothing about it.

[Paul Scheer]

We have not seen her have any magical powers. She has no magical powers.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She can talk to birds.

[Paul Scheer]

What did she do? What did she say to that bird?

[Jessica St. Clair]

She said how.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Also, she had a whole conversation. How is your flight?

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah, I talk to my dog all the time. Here's the thing. She can't talk to her dog, but she can talk to birds. We didn't get it. She didn't go, oh, I'll help you with your nest. We don't know that. She. She just is a person who. Plenty of people talk to animals. Okay. I have four birds in my house. We talk to them all the time when I was growing up. Four birds.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You had a bunch of birds.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Where's that chapter?

[Paul Scheer]

Giant birds?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Oh, God.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's a reveal.

[Paul Scheer]

It's not even in that place. It's not even in the book. The birds aren't even there.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It was too sad. They cut that chapter. Cause it was too sad.

[June Diane Raphael]

I wish I didn't know that. There's nothing more heartbreaking than being in a house full of things that deserve to be flying free. Trapped. Trapped animals.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Except once that little. Once that little cage is open and those birds do get out, it's actually quite terrifying, and you want them back in their cage. So you also don't want to be in a house where the birds are flying around the house.

[Paul Scheer]

Remember when I brought you home, June, and you got to sit. We are the. The guest room is by the bird room.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Guys, I.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

When I tell you the bird room. The bird room.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It was a bird. It was a bird. Like, sort of.

[Paul Scheer]

We used to have a bird room. We used to have a.

[June Diane Raphael]

Sorry, did you have a. Did you have an aviary in your room?

[Paul Scheer]

We used to have a whole. In our first in the house I grew up in through high school, it was a specific bird room that played television for birds that they liked. We had certain VHS tapes for them.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You know, this bird, the main bird I saw and I knew, talked.

[Paul Scheer]

Sugar.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, Sugar.

[Paul Scheer]

Sugar and Gabby talked. Oh, yeah. That's the whole thing.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

What did they say? What did they say?

[Jessica St. Clair]

What did Sugar say?

[Paul Scheer]

Sugar. Sugar. Watercracker.

[Jessica St. Clair]

No, no, Sugar.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I can't.

[June Diane Raphael]

Single. Single Paul. Single Paul.

[Paul Scheer]

And then. And it was like. And then it was. She was like, oh, you'd always be laughing. And then.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

And that was the only Laughter that happened in your house was from a bird.

[Paul Scheer]

And they'd also go like this, Paul.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yep. It was so upsetting. It was so awful. It was awful. And then I would come out. I was brought home to this situation. I was brought to.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Oh, my God.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Stay over this situation. Okay?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You didn't run for the fucking hills.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And it was also, like, not only were there in a cage, but a lot of times there was a towel over them. Yeah, over the cage.

[Paul Scheer]

And we have to put Tabasco sauce on the wall because they would eat the wall. I'll tell you this much.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Let me just see something.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Paul.

[June Diane Raphael]

Eat the wall. Tiara, maybe eat the wall.

[Paul Scheer]

Kind of like. Because they get their cage close to the wood.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yes, Paul. Because they wanted to get out.

[Jessica St. Clair]

The best he could.

[June Diane Raphael]

What do you mean? It's not Paul's birds.

[Jessica St. Clair]

They know his name, but he wasn't the owner of these birds.

[Paul Scheer]

I'm gonna tell you the most disturbing fact about these birds.

[Jessica St. Clair]

They were like his siblings.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Much like. Much like Christie and those elves. These were the only siblings you had. You were different too, Paul. You were different because you didn't have feathers and a fucking beak. Your siblings had beaks, baby.

[Paul Scheer]

When we moved in, and this is before my. My mom. My mom got married to this gentleman. And before we moved in. I remember the first night there, the birds did imitate sex noises. And that was really disturbing to me.

[June Diane Raphael]

What? Wait, that must mean that they had heard the sex noises.

[Paul Scheer]

And it was like. That was really upsetting my whole high school.

[June Diane Raphael]

Wait, but did they. Did at any point in there, did they say Paul?

[Paul Scheer]

No, that was a separate one. A separate one was Paul.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Oh, but I would.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Let me tell you, I would. You know when you're. When you're at your new boyfriend's house and you're like, oh, I gotta. I have to shower and I want to get ready and I want to. You know, they've put out some towels and Paul's like, yeah, just go over to the bathroom. But I had knew I had to walk past the birds or bird. It was only sugar. By the time I was there, we.

[Paul Scheer]

Accidentally killed some birds because we left a stove, a pot on the stove, and that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Not me. There's no blood on my hands.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

And what, the gas killed them?

[June Diane Raphael]

No.

[Paul Scheer]

Like, sometimes if you keep an empty pot on a stove, like, it heats up the metal, and then the metal creates a fume.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

And this is so disturbing.

[June Diane Raphael]

How this didn't make the book is shocking.

[Paul Scheer]

I mean, there's so many things that did not make the book.

[June Diane Raphael]

There's sex. There's sex, there's murder. There's all sorts of.

[Paul Scheer]

And they love Peewee Herman. They love Pee Wee Herman. And they would watch Pee Wee Herman and you have to put on. Because whenever they would hear the word of the day, they would go crazy. And all six of them would go.

[June Diane Raphael]

They all go.

[Jessica St. Clair]

There were six at one point.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, There were six birds.

[Paul Scheer]

This is two biggies. And then four littles. There's a budgie.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Just please know that you walk into the house. And it was. There were also many Chihuahuas. It was like. It was like Ace Ventura, you know, Pet Detective. Like, the noise. That was.

[Paul Scheer]

The noise is pretty loud.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It was.

[Paul Scheer]

We get complaints from the neighbors. Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It was because they were just.

[Paul Scheer]

They were screaming.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Screaming nonstop, unrelenting.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

This is one time my mom took.

[Paul Scheer]

One of the birds out of the cage and he bit her through the ear. What?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I'm done with this.

[Paul Scheer]

Close the speed.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Shut the feed down.

[June Diane Raphael]

I don't know what on earth is happening. How you. Why is Most of this. 80% of this episode is digesting the true nightmare of you living with six birds?

[Paul Scheer]

It's all to prove my point that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He'S an amazing bird.

[Paul Scheer]

All to prove my point that a lot of people think they could talk to birds, but the birds aren't talking back.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Okay. Christy, ain't got no magic that this triggered you so deeply, we didn't realize. We're sorry. We'll pay for the therapy or whatever kind of trauma work you have to do around seeing this movie.

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, my Lord. So. So that's. I just wanted to put it out there. So we do. We do believe that Christy north is truly Santa's daughter. It's not. She's not delusional.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

They have a very special relationship. I did like her relationship with Santa. I loved how readily available. I love. I liked it how. How he. She was able to call him with all he has on his plate, especially around Christmas.

[June Diane Raphael]

He supports her when she says she's not coming home. He's supportive and says, have a wonderful Christmas. He's excited that she's with Matt, the male.

[Paul Scheer]

I mean, I would imagine at a certain point, he's like. He's also like, I'm psyched that you're not coming over Christmas. I need to sleep.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

I would love a remake of Failure to launch, except it's Santa Claus's Family.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Is why they won't get out, right?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes. They won't get going. By the way, Paul, what's the band's name Yellow.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yellow Muse.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Why is. Why must they leave to start this tour on Christmas Eve?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

They got a gig on Christmas Day, which is strange. Time to have a show.

[Paul Scheer]

Here's the thing. It seems like Matt's been out of that band for a long time. And they're like, hey, we're on tour. He's like, all right, you fit? You'll slot right back in. Doesn't seem like they like.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And it seems like they fell apart without him. So, like, how are they booking this tour?

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, has anybody replaced him? Has somebody replaced him? There's. I would have loved to have gotten deeper into the band dynamic.

[Paul Scheer]

Obviously we had opinions about this movie. There are people out there with a different opinion. It's now time for second opinions.

[June Diane Raphael]

I won't watch a lot this Christmas. I'll have time for one movie. It won't be Elf or White Christmas or a Hallmark love story. I'll be watching Christmas Mail. Hope it's not a Christmas fail.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It is.

[Paul Scheer]

Let's not be too hush.

[June Diane Raphael]

Guess that I'll just rate it five star.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Beautiful. Look at that red lip, June.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Beautiful.

[Paul Scheer]

Now, earlier in the show, I did promise that you'll hear from some real male people. Now, obviously, Jessica, this is going to hit close to you because, you know, you have these connections.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, do you think we're here, Paul? Will we hear from the rag man?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Probably not. He's dead.

[June Diane Raphael]

Ask him.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I wouldn't say that. You know what? They'll come for you, Jason. Wait. What do you mean if I just make a call?

[Paul Scheer]

Oh, wow.

[June Diane Raphael]

You're gonna make a call.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

Write a letter's coming out.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

To Little Rags. Right. To Little Rags.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh my God.

[Paul Scheer]

There are 412 total reviews. 77% of them are five star reviews. We'll just jump right in from this review in 2019 from Paul J. Snicky, who says current USPS workers, especially retired employees, will find this film very true to the workplace culture at the usps.

[Jessica St. Clair]

What?

[Paul Scheer]

Also, anyone watching this feel good Christmas film will enjoy it. Five stars. And the title. USPS people will find this interesting.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Wow.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay, I'm glad. I'm glad to hear that there is a shred of authenticity inside of this movie.

[Paul Scheer]

We'll get to more of it in a second. But first we'll hear from Grandma of Nine. Grandma of Nine Titles. Her review, Great movie for the Christmas holiday. It's dated 2014 and she writes, though most of our family usually keep Santa to the side and go for the original Christmas story, this movie was an exception. There is not the usual materialism involved, but rather character and right choices in a day to day life. It is a great little story even if you don't believe in Santa. 5 stars. Grandma of 9 does not believe in Santa. Hey grandma, can we go over to your house? Well, we're not gonna talk about Santa, I tell you that much.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Keep Santa out of it. That's. You want a grandma who wants to keep Santa out of it?

[Paul Scheer]

I will tell you. That's like when I went over to my aunt's house and my aunt. Here we go. My aunt looked right at me and she said, there is no Santa, only Jesus Christ.

[June Diane Raphael]

But did you write a Christmas letter to Jesus?

[Paul Scheer]

I did. He wrote me back, said send me some piggies. Unbutton a couple buttons in the top there like. All right, I'll do it.

[June Diane Raphael]

Whoa, whoa.

[Paul Scheer]

JC what's up? Tony wrote this in 2012. This was a Christmas present for my mom. She loves to watch Christmas movies. I haven't watched any of the movies that I bought off of Amazon for her, but she hasn't complained. Five stars. All right. And then this one comes from J. Alec west and it was written in 2015 and he writes this. I am a retired postal worker and thoroughly enjoyed this light hearted Christmas time tale. It's playing on the TV now and I just came to Amazon to buy the DVD so I could watch it again and again. By the way, regarding the postal manager featured in the film.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes?

[Paul Scheer]

You might be surprised to learn that many postal managers in real life are just like that guy. I mean, not all of course, but many. One suggestion. Post Office a novel. That's for those who want to know what working at the Post Office is really like. The novel was written in 1971, but in most cases it's not dated. Computerization and automation might be new, but the personalities are spot on. Five stars.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Let's forget, you know, the phrase going postal was about like the post office shootings and workplace shootings that were happening.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Way to bring it down.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes, it's true.

[June Diane Raphael]

The postal workers were overwhelmed and undervalued and they would be under terrible. They would, they would come up and shoot up the place.

[Paul Scheer]

Well now let's talk about the ending of this movie where they write the Postmaster General, who is just handwriting letters as well, handwrites a letter and is able to demote the manager to truck washer. Is that possible?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, Jessica, you'd know as a child of a Postmaster General.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Well, it was exciting when I saw the Postmaster General get you know featured.

[Paul Scheer]

Did you get tingly? Like it might be your robbery, might be my grand.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Yeah, maybe was like a AI generated version of my grandfather. But first of all, he was in a very like. Is there a Postmaster General of the all. All of the United States? Because where he was looked very presidential.

[Paul Scheer]

There is the. The PGM is selected and appointed by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, which is appointed by the president.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So I just wish someone could give me like another arm of the government like the post Office, so I could try to wrap my mind around the.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Checks of it all.

[June Diane Raphael]

What is, what is this scam? The mail.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

What is it?

[Jessica St. Clair]

And why are they. Aren't they a functioning business if they are sort of self funded by the stamps and packages?

[Paul Scheer]

So here it is. So the United States Postal Service is primarily funded through the revenue generated from selling stamps products and services, meaning it is considered self funded and does not receive direct taxpayer dollars to cover its operating expenses. Essentially, people pay for postal services to keep the post office running. All right, so that is what's going on. And.

[June Diane Raphael]

But what if that stopped? What if people stopped. I mean, I'm sure people have stopped mailing. That's what I'm saying.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

Stamps are. People don't.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, what's happening is why they're running into problems is declining mail volume. And because they have to deliver to remote areas, things become less profitable. But here's the thing. After the.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I've fallen asleep. I am asleep.

[June Diane Raphael]

I love.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I love that this is. I am upright, but I am asleep.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I couldn't be more. I just woke up.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I couldn't be more.

[June Diane Raphael]

An Explorer Explainer podcast about the American Postal Service.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I don't.

[Paul Scheer]

Here's what I'll tell you guys.

[June Diane Raphael]

We've barely talked about the movie. We've talked exclusively about birds and the post office and not a second about the movie.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That was fun.

[Paul Scheer]

The United States Postal Service has not covered its expenses and debt for how long?

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't know, 20 years now.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Not when my grandfather was in charge.

[Paul Scheer]

15 years.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

All right, he was dead by then.

[Paul Scheer]

Okay, so at $6.5 billion last year, that was the debt and they are. That was compared to a net income of 56 billion. Listen, they made 56 billion and they were still in a 6.5 billion billion.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Well, someone needs to sharpen their pencils. But I don't care. Doge, baby, please, please, please stop Googling things. Paul, I beg of you.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Like you're.

[June Diane Raphael]

I mean this show is rapidly just becoming a Google. A Google a series A series of.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Google the answer.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

We are boomers.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's embarrassing. It's embarrassing.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't want.

[Paul Scheer]

By the way, I'm just forgetting you. We've been having so much fun talking about the US Post Office.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I haven't.

[June Diane Raphael]

Have we?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I haven't had one stitch of fun, have we?

[Paul Scheer]

Let's take some questions. I forgot about taking questions. Molly, are there any questions up there?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Some questions out of my misery.

[Paul Scheer]

Was this movie in fact funded by the usps? I mean this is. I agree with that. Like I thought it was. I thought this movie, the fact that got this much access to it, like, I don't know, I feel like they may have stolen that access or maybe, I don't know. Can you get cameras also?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It was all those just like, like fake, like, like banners tacked up, you know, on the walls. So I don't think on the outs.

[June Diane Raphael]

On the exterior as well. I was wondering this. To me, I was wondering was this a situation where this was like shot in Canada and that's a Canadian mail facility or something? Like it's clearly a mail facility. But like what. Who had the access maybe able to.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, I will tell you. I will tell you. I was shocked. One of the last times I was at the post office was getting her son's passport renewed and we had to go back to the like main facility area, the sorting facility for his picture. And I couldn't believe we were allowed back there. You got access. I couldn't believe it wasn't like a security issue, but it looked a lot like what the movie depicted. So. Yeah, they must have just like. I guess what I'm saying is I don't think it was a factory or something like it.

[June Diane Raphael]

No, it wasn't a set.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I think it was a mail.

[June Diane Raphael]

It was a mail facility because there's also sections that seem to the point of whoever said it was seemed stolen in places. There are like forklift drivers, there's. There's B roll type footage that appears to be just a functioning.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

How about when he rides up on that tricycle? How fucking weird was that?

[Paul Scheer]

Okay, guys, I realized. I realized I did not tell you something that's important, okay?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It's better not be a Google.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You don't Googling up a storm.

[Paul Scheer]

No, no, this is about me be present. I'm not, I'm not googling. I'm just realizing I did it and then I double checked. I don't. I responded to letters to Santa Claus from the United States Postal Service.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

What are you talking about?

[Paul Scheer]

What so what do you mean you can go on the United States Postal Service website and you can respond to letters from Santa? You can just accept them. Letters from Santa or to Santa. So I looked at my. I looked at my account, then I did definitely respond to let letters from kids a while ago. Wait, wait, what are you talking about?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Talking about?

[June Diane Raphael]

So there's something I'm having.

[Paul Scheer]

All right, so there is something called the USPS Operation Santa where you go online and you sign up for an account and then you can read and adopt these letters to Santa.

[June Diane Raphael]

You have to adopt the letters.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, you could, like. So you adopt and you say, I'm going to respond.

[June Diane Raphael]

So you raise those, you raise those letters for the rest of their Life.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

You said $5 a month to these letters.

[Paul Scheer]

No, you, you, you, you, you. And that feeds them the whole year. Yeah, like, like this. This one opened up right here. It says, because I went into my account, I'm able to read it right here. It says, I would like a beanbag. One talk from. It says, dear Santa, I don't have.

[June Diane Raphael]

Access to my Netflix. How do you have access for Santa letters, like, so readily available?

[Paul Scheer]

Because I was remembering the other day. I was dressed, we were talking, I was like, oh, I think I did this.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

And then, and then Christmas mail is about you. Like, I feel like this is like your true life story.

[Paul Scheer]

I mean, I don't know. I mean, this is Dear Santa, for Christmas, I wish for a shark car wash. Hot wheel track. A Nerf gun with extra bullets. Remote controlled shark candy. Except for nuts or peanut butters. Not allergy related. Minion fart blaster gun. A bath bomb. Green or blue. A new robe size. Size 7. Soft and cozy maybe with Sonic the Hedgehog and a Sonic Chia the pet I love.

[Jessica St. Clair]

This is a great. So what happens?

[Paul Scheer]

That's from Evan. He's six.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

He sends this list. His parents don't see it. And you're allowed to write to this child. Yeah, that sounds. I don't know, really.

[June Diane Raphael]

Do you have to do a background check?

[Paul Scheer]

Well, because you're. You're signing up. You're not. You're not, you know, you're. You're like you're acknowledging that you got this thing.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And cut.

[Paul Scheer]

What?

[Jessica St. Clair]

And abort. Abort. Cut. It's a wrap. It's a wrap on this conversation. Okay? It is a wrap.

[Paul Scheer]

I'm not doing anything weird.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, I don't know what this all is. I don't know what all is going on, but this conversation has.

[Paul Scheer]

If you are listening right now, the adoption ends on December 16th.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay. I also am. I'm sorry, I just remembered I also am part of a service where I get letters to Santa Daddy and I respond to the letters to Santa Daddy.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I'm just so concerned about what your, like, algorithm is going to be serving up after some of the searches.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, I was just saying this isn't just search.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

This is his email or if the police are going to arrive at your.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Door and maybe they look at your search history. Next question. Molly, what was that about the red de Santa?

[June Diane Raphael]

Dear Santa Daddy, I want red ties.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You to sit on my many red ties.

[Paul Scheer]

So many red ties.

[June Diane Raphael]

So many red ties. And then in every subsequent scene, Matt is wearing a different tie, shirt, color, combination, which is also very bizarre. At one point, black wearing, like a black. Like, I was like, has he done a heel turn?

[Paul Scheer]

What do you. What do you think about his rock star look at the end when he had his, like, legs up on the desk and his hair all gelled up? I didn't think he looked cool at all.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I didn't like it.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I didn't like it either.

[June Diane Raphael]

I loved that the tie was a clip on that made me laugh. I was like, we can't even. This is. What a world. These folks.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

What a world.

[June Diane Raphael]

How about this? How about this? At the end of the movie. Oh, my God. At the end of the movie when everybody has thought they've missed each other and Matt. And nobody can get in touch because apparently there are no cell phones, even though we've seen them have cell phones. So Matt says to the woman who's now the head of the post office, he says, if you ever. If she comes back next year, if Christy north come back, comes back next year, give her these letters. Okay, great. It doesn't matter. Same day, they are able to find Christy North. By the way, Matt the mailman could have done the exact same.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

He doesn't try very hard. That is something I know.

[June Diane Raphael]

She doesn't even leave town.

[Paul Scheer]

She's still walking down the street.

[June Diane Raphael]

She's still. She's still walking around stars.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

He's like, great, I'm going on tour. Bye.

[June Diane Raphael]

Right? So she shows up and, and, and the woman gives her the letters. And his is like a folded up, like, written on the back of a receipt. And his penmanship is that of an infant.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's right. For pointing out Jason his big lettering.

[June Diane Raphael]

She should look at his letter and be like, oh, I made a mistake. Toss it in the trash and walk away and never look back.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, Paul's handwriting is Very simple.

[Paul Scheer]

Whoa, blow up my spot. That's why I get the good Santa letters.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It's very pa. It's. I. I've come to know and love it, but it is a very. When I saw it childlike.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

There's a lot of childlike wonder in it. Yeah.

[Paul Scheer]

People say have amazing penmanship.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

A lot of people.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You do. And that penmanship in that was very clear. It's just not every day you see it from a grown man. Do you. Were you ever taught to write in cursive or.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah, I can write in cursive.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Do you know how to write your name? I haven't seen anything else.

[June Diane Raphael]

I couldn't tell you the last time I wrote in cursive.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I almost exclusively write in cursive.

[Paul Scheer]

I. That's what's so crazy to me.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Like, why would you write great intelligence. It's a sign of great intelligence to write in cursive.

[Paul Scheer]

No, it isn't.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Is that right?

[June Diane Raphael]

No.

[Paul Scheer]

No, it's not a sign. No, it's not.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I love. So much easier. You don't have to lift up the pen. A.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Who has time to lift up a pen? I.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Not me.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'm correct. Right? There's a scene in this movie where Christy north shows her dog Rudy, a sketch she's done.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

What is that?

[June Diane Raphael]

She does the sketch and says. She says he's cute, right? Showing the dog the sketch.

[Paul Scheer]

And she. We know that she can't talk about it, I assume.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I thought it was.

[Paul Scheer]

No, the kid did it. Emily did it.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

No, it can't be from Emily because that looks like the work of, like. Like someone on the Santa Monica Pier would draw, like, a character.

[Paul Scheer]

She's good.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

That wasn't from Emily, was it?

[Paul Scheer]

I think it was.

[June Diane Raphael]

I don't. Either way. Either way, it's crazy. And it makes absolutely no sense.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It was nuts. And it's also like, if Emily's. If that's Emily's work, then he needs to stop performing and get her to some sort of.

[Paul Scheer]

Why doesn't she just make her posters? Arts make posters. That's what she belongs.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She belongs on the road making posters.

[June Diane Raphael]

How fucked up is it that Matt never even finds out? We never even get to see from Matt the realization that this is Santa's daughter.

[Paul Scheer]

Right?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

He doesn't know any of that.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's never revealed.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

She gives Emily. She gives Emily a winkaroo and says, sometimes family is closer than you think. Which doesn't really make any sense anyway, because actually, I mean, that's close at all. He's in The.

[Paul Scheer]

It seems like a sequel for me. I'm like, I'm excited for that sequel. Then you can bring Matt there.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Meet the Fockers. Like a Meet the Fockers, but it's. It's Santa.

[June Diane Raphael]

The third act of the movie. The third act of the movie should have been on tour with Christy north making the posters. We get to see all of the songs because that's the other thing. We get the scene. We get the karaoke esque scene that was very upsetting where Matt is playing full guitar. It's the fedora scene, we call it. Matt's playing full guitar. There is a track that is. Every other instrument is playing. We have drums, we have bass.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I can't hear anything. I can't hear the lyrics.

[June Diane Raphael]

The daughter singing into. Well, this daughter is singing into not a microphone, but a water bottle, which is very strange.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And she has a terrible voice. Heather has a terrible voice and Matt has a terrible.

[Paul Scheer]

Let's watch scene 10. Let's end on scene 10.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, let's watch this.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Matt is an excellent guitar player. Voted best epic solo at the Starlight Lounge four years running.

[Paul Scheer]

That doesn't seem like.

[June Diane Raphael]

To me only 7 hours and 40 minutes till Gilmore. 7, 40 till Gilmore.

[Paul Scheer]

This is a countdown to a marathon of Gilmore.

[June Diane Raphael]

Uncle Matt. Please, please. Q Fedoras.

[Paul Scheer]

1, 2, 3, 4.

[June Diane Raphael]

Who's playing drums?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Are we not supposed to be able to hear the them singing?

[Paul Scheer]

I think they did the right choice.

[June Diane Raphael]

They are singing into water bottles. Those are water bottles.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Bedazzled water bottles.

[June Diane Raphael]

Bedazzled water bottles.

[Paul Scheer]

She's wearing. I didn't realize she wore fedora too.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, yeah. Oh, the fedora budget is off the charts.

[Paul Scheer]

She probably just borrowed one of his.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, so much leather furniture already.

[Jessica St. Clair]

The chemistry between Matt and Heather is much more electric.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's off the charts.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

No, I actually. It was so good, I thought the movie was going to end with like, oh, Heather and she fall in love. Because that's a family I put together.

[June Diane Raphael]

I agree. Because Heather is meanwhile raising this little girl.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yep.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, Heather just takes a flight to go meet him. I also just want to applaud Christy north in this. If you're not watching, if you're just listening to us talk about this, her face, her reactions, you know, no one was on set. She just gave it her all. I mean, she's so. Oh, by the way, that's one thing I wanted to bring up about this movie. This is a movie that if you are interested in cups having no beverages in them, this is the Rampant. People are drinking out of empty cups throughout this movie so much it's upsetting to me.

[Jessica St. Clair]

If that's your thing.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, yeah. This is the. This is the scene where these two sneak off so these guys can have a dance and then they do one of these.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I'm very clumsy and I have.

[June Diane Raphael]

I have two left feet.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Then you can.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

It's okay.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Just close your eyes.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

No, close them.

[June Diane Raphael]

I don't like this. And just listen to the music.

[Paul Scheer]

Okay.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Nope. That means the song is about to get put on your shoulder.

[Paul Scheer]

So creepy. And that is the spirit of Christmas right there. Making a woman close their eyes and dancing with them and then winking to your daughter like, I got this one.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Your niece. It's not his daughter. Which he reminds us of many, many times.

[Paul Scheer]

Look at that.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Oh, God.

[June Diane Raphael]

It'S so much touching.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

And look, she's towering over him. She has to lower her head.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Lower like a dog. Like you lower. They lower their head.

[Paul Scheer]

Would you recommend this movie? Jason, June, Jessica, what do you think?

[Jessica St. Clair]

I don't know. I don't know.

[June Diane Raphael]

I wish there were sex scenes in it, but absolutely, I recommend it.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

This. This.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You just want to do some research? Honestly, if you just want. If you're interested in the. The USPS like I am, then yeah, I say watch this movie because it does give you kind of behind the scenes look into what it's like to work there. I also just. By the way, all jokes aside, this isn't a bit. In all seriousness. We sent out our Christmas cards a few days ago. The next day. Okay. And that was through usps. The next day I got texts from people. Yes. In la, but then the day after, people on the other coast saying, I got the card.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

And I thought, okay, God bless America.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay, Post Office. Okay. So I mean, despite the. The fact that the biz, the business of the post office seems to be running itself into the ground, they are able to deliver.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is an episode that is just about the post office strange and the birds that Paul lived with. And I did. I did Google it and everybody that was on set the day that the pigeon was there got hepatitis.

[Paul Scheer]

Well, I'll tell you this much. The book, the Post Office, a novel written by a novel, Charles Bukowski.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Wait, what?

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, who was a. Who was a. Postal work.

[Paul Scheer]

There you go.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay, okay, okay.

[June Diane Raphael]

Bukowski works.

[Paul Scheer]

So that is the book that was recommended in the Amazon five star review. Right here. It's got a 4.3 star review. But Charles Bukowski, it's a classic book about his journey, is alter Ego. We want to talk about shirts really briefly as people vote. In the chat. I just want to bring up that how does this get made? Is going on tour. We're going to be all around the country. We're going to be in Austin, Denver, Boise, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland and Los Angeles. We're also doing a three night residency in LA in January and we'll have dinosaur shows in LA and San Francisco. You can go to hdtgm.com right now for tickets if you go on the tour tickets use the pre sale code. Bonkers. And the. And the. The number one voted shirt is the Rag Man. The Rag man of Scranton.

[Jessica St. Clair]

An option. The Rag Man.

[Paul Scheer]

The Rag Man. Call the Rag Man.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's a real. Wait, guys. That's a real person. We might want to not do that.

[Paul Scheer]

I just typed in the Rag Man. The Ragman does not pop up with anything too.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I am so worried that I have now unleashed, you know, a lot of. A lot of retribution against my family in Scranton. I'm very worried.

[Paul Scheer]

The Ragman is there's multiple people called the Ragman. Do we want to just have a picture of our lead guy in a fedora?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Great idea.

[Paul Scheer]

All right, so how about the Ragman in a fedora called the Ragman. And maybe you can make a memorial shirt to your grandfather. What was his name?

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Thomas Arquin Thomas grandfather that named his cat after himself. June. That guy had. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Talk about Thomas R. Ballsy boob.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Thomas R. Yeah. Kitty cat is named after himself.

[Paul Scheer]

You two did an amazing special on Veeps, which we were on right now. Can people still watch it?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Absolutely. You can still buy tickets to the Deep Dive Christmas Spectacular. It's a Christmas show that's all about all things Christmas that Jessica and I hosted. And it's a. It was absolutely wonderful. And it is still available to watch on demand if you go to either Veeps or the deep dive academy.com tickets are still on sale.

[June Diane Raphael]

Can can whatever the T shirt image is.

[Paul Scheer]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

Be can in the upper right hand corner. Can it have the countdown to the Gilmore Binge a thon? Can it just have the little text?

[Paul Scheer]

By the way, I would do it.

[June Diane Raphael]

Just says countdown to gilmore binge on 7 hours 40 minutes.

[Paul Scheer]

I almost feel like that should be a separate shirt. Just the countdown to Gilmore Binge a thon. I think that that's a great shirt. I would do both of those.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I'd wear that shirt.

[Paul Scheer]

I'm going to make two shirts. Jason, do you have anything you want to plug? No, just the tour yeah, the tour is going to be great. Also, my book is out there and you can get an autographed copy of Podswag, but if you want to personalize, it was Vultures, one of the best books of 2024. Very honored to be on that list. People are calling this also great audiobook. Oh, thank you. Yes. We have some people to thank here tonight.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And speaking of another audiobook, Jessica has her audiobook, the Art of Small Talk.

[Paul Scheer]

She plugged it in the middle of the show. Great book.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I sure did. And great book. Another plug for those holiday parties. Great tips.

[June Diane Raphael]

True.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

I'll plug a great, great tip.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'll plug a great audio book if you don't mind. It's called the Third Gilmore Girl, written by Kelly Bishop.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

Did you read it already? Did you listen to it already?

[June Diane Raphael]

I listened to the audiobook because she reads it and I found out things that I did not know. Did you know she originated the role of Sheila in A Chorus Line? And it is based on her. Based on her life. And she won a Tony award for wow.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

God. We got to have a separate podcast all about that. That's amazing.

[Paul Scheer]

I want to give a shout out to so many people who helped put the show together tonight. Matt and Bart over at Veeps. We love them. Zach McAlise, the ghost of Craig T. Nelson and Kyle Waldron, all that amazing art that you saw when the show was first starting, that is because of them. I also want to give a shout out once again to Averyl Halle, who picks our movies. Found Christmas mail. She is the best. We love Avril Molly Reynolds. Really just behind the scenes channel. What's Movie Bitches? You can follow her on Instagram. You can. And you can watch her on YouTube at Movie Bitches. I also want to give a shout out to Cody Fisher, Scott Sani, Jess Cisneros and our engineer, Casey Holford. That is our entire crew. Everyone is working their ass off to get this up and out tomorrow afternoon. That's how quick we're doing the turnaround here, everybody. Thank you so much for watching. We appreciate you all buying a ticket for this, supporting the show. We've been doing this for 15 years. Jess, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for having me out all the time. We love it. We love having you here. Deep dive. Listen to it. Love it. It's great. We'll talk to you all in the in the new year. Bye for now.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Bye, everyone. Happy holidays.

[Jason Mantzoukas]

For the next 20 seconds, picture yourself in a small town. Historic buildings, hip galleries and a chairlift right? Right on Main street, smack in the middle of town. Now picture yourself on that chairlift. Crisp snowflakes and tall pines gliding beneath your skis. And now you're looking at that small town from the top of the mountain. Hey, is that a moose down there? If you can't wait to find out, you're the mountain kind. And you need to visit Park City, Utah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Hi, welcome to ikea.

[June Diane Raphael]

Hey, I'm holiday shopping for the family and I heard there's a sale. What's the deal?

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's right, it's the IKEA Winter sale.

[June Diane Raphael]

Now through January 7th. You can save up to 50% on select items in store and online. And if you're an IKEA Loyalty member.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You can save an extra 10% on select sale items.

[June Diane Raphael]

Perfect. I need storage help.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Our storage solutions are great for organizing.

[June Diane Raphael]

Shop the IKEA Winter Sale in store.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And online today Offer valid in the.

[June Diane Raphael]

US through 1 7. While supplies last, selection may vary by store and online. See ikea-usa.com wintersale for full terms.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Restrictions apply.