Eric Ledgin Disobeys Bridger

Summary

Episode Summary: Eric Ledgin Disobeys Bridger on "I Said No Gifts!"

Podcast Information:

• Title: I Said No Gifts! A Comedy Interview Podcast with Bridger Winegar
• Host: Bridger Weinecker
• Network: Exactly Right Media
• Episode: Eric Ledgin Disobeys Bridger
• Release Date: January 23, 2025

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Introduction

In this lively episode of "I Said No Gifts!", Bridger Weinecker welcomes comedian Erik Ledgin for what promises to be a blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and sharp banter. The conversation seamlessly weaves through topics of personal struggle, self-improvement, and the quirks of everyday interactions, all underscored by the podcast's signature comedic flair.

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Navigating Personal Challenges Amid Environmental Crises

The episode opens with Bridger sharing his recent ordeal with the wildfires in Los Angeles. He recounts the emotional rollercoaster of evacuating his home with his family, emphasizing the delicate balance between protecting their belongings and ensuring their safety. Bridger reflects on the anxiety triggered by seeing friends and neighbors affected by the fires, juxtaposing his family's fortune with the struggles of others.

Notable Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [05:26]: "When we had to leave our house, it was not a mandatory evacuation... it was a very touching moment."

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Reflections on Purpose and Midlife Crisis

Bridger delves deep into his introspections inspired by reading Viktor E. Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning." He discusses how the book propelled him to reevaluate his career and personal life, leading to significant changes such as leaving a previous show to pursue more fulfilling projects. This segment highlights Bridger's journey towards finding a greater purpose beyond professional success, emphasizing the importance of family and personal satisfaction.

Notable Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [34:09]: "Having something that's an anchor in your life can really help you change your perspective of what's happening in the world."

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Health, Self-Care, and Lifestyle Choices

The conversation shifts to health and self-care practices, where Bridger shares his experiments with intermittent fasting and its impact on his mood and energy levels. He recounts the challenges of maintaining such routines amidst personal and professional demands, providing a candid look at the difficulties of self-improvement.

Erik contributes his own experiences, highlighting the emotional toll of restrictive eating habits and the importance of balance. Together, they explore the nuanced relationship between physical health and mental well-being.

Notable Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [20:12]: "From an evolutionary perspective, when we would go on the hunt, we would go without food for these long hunts... the people who actually find another reserve of energy and clarity get better at hunting."

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Hobbies, Personal Interests, and Learning New Skills

Bridger discusses his foray into various hobbies as a response to a midlife crisis, detailing his attempts at playing guitar, sailing, and taking up tennis. He shares humorous anecdotes about the steep learning curves and the sometimes discouraging feedback from instructors, painting a relatable picture of the challenges inherent in picking up new skills later in life.

Erik sympathizes, offering his perspectives on the perseverance required to master new hobbies and the cathartic benefits they can provide.

Notable Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [37:11]: "I took a lesson with this guy who was about 97 years old... he wanted to stop the video because I'm not good enough for the before video."

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The Entertainment Industry and Workplace Dynamics

Both Bridger and Erik explore the dynamics of working in television writing rooms, discussing the inherent stress and the importance of maintaining a joyful and creative environment. Bridger emphasizes the role of a showrunner in balancing the team's morale, while Erik reflects on his own experiences in the industry, highlighting the necessity of separating personal frustrations from professional collaborations.

Notable Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [33:14]: "There has to be joy in the room to make a really funny show... it can be so stressful for almost no reason at all."

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"Gift or a Curse" Game Segment

Adding a comedic twist, Bridger and Erik engage in the "Gift or a Curse" game, where they humorously evaluate unsolicited gifts. This segment showcases their chemistry and sharp wit as they dissect various gift scenarios, blending humor with insightful commentary.

Examples and Notable Quotes:

1. Chatty Mail Carrier:

   • Bridger [56:54]: "I am on almost everyone except Tito's side in this story."
   • Erik [55:55]: "It's a gift."

2. Audiobooks with Celebrity Narrators:

   • Bridger [59:15]: "Audiobooks with celebrity narrators. I'm gonna say curse."
   • Erik [59:48]: "I can't do a celebrity voice in any situation. It is so distracting to me."

3. Scented Liquid Hand Soap Bottles:

   • Bridger [62:40]: "This feels like a clear trick one."
   • Erik [63:47]: "Oh, you win the game."

Their playful disagreement culminates in a comedic win for Bridger, further lightening the episode's tone.

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Listener Interaction and Advice

Towards the end, Bridger and Erik address a listener's dilemma about what to bring to a New Year's Eve party. They offer practical and humorous suggestions, blending genuine advice with their characteristic humor. This interaction underscores the podcast's commitment to engaging with its audience while maintaining an entertaining atmosphere.

Notable Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [70:33]: "A box of cereal and some milk... or a box of egg."

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with Bridger and Erik reflecting on the importance of humor and meaningful connections in navigating life's challenges. Bridger reiterates the podcast's ethos of blending comedy with genuine conversation, leaving listeners with both laughter and food for thought.

Final Quote:

Bridger Weinecker [72:43]: "You can organize a mess. Empty, bottomless pit."

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Key Takeaways

• Balancing Personal and Professional Life: Bridger emphasizes the importance of finding fulfillment beyond one's career, highlighting the role of family and personal interests in achieving this balance.

• Embracing Self-Care: The discussions on fasting, diet, and exercise underscore the challenges and benefits of maintaining self-care routines amidst life's unpredictabilities.

• The Power of Humor: Through games and banter, Bridger and Erik demonstrate how humor serves as a vital tool for navigating personal and professional stresses.

• Meaningful Connections: The episode reinforces the value of meaningful interactions and relationships in fostering personal growth and resilience.

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This episode of "I Said No Gifts!" offers a rich tapestry of humor, introspection, and candid conversation, making it a must-listen for fans seeking both laughter and relatable life stories.

Transcript

[Bridger Weinecker]

This is exactly right. We're so done with New Year. New you. This year it's more you on Bumble.

[Erik Legend]

More of you shamelessly sending playlists, especially.

[Bridger Weinecker]

That one filled with show tunes. More of you finding Geminis because you know you always like them.

[Erik Legend]

More of you dating with intention because.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You know what you want. And you know what? We love that for you, someone else will too.

[Erik Legend]

Be More youe this year and find them on Bumble.

[Bridger Weinecker]

ABC Wednesdays, Tim Allen and Kat Dennings star in the new family comedy Shifting Gears. Dad, I'm broke and I need a place to stay until I figure out what the rest of my life looks like. So a couple of days. I love it when his daughter moves back in.

[Erik Legend]

The last time you walked out that door, you looked back at me and.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Gave me a double bird. I was 18. The double bird was how I ended all our conversations. The wheels come off. Can we try to talk to each other like rational adults?

[Erik Legend]

Have you watched the news lately?

[Bridger Weinecker]

That's not a thing anymore. Wednesdays, 8, 7 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu. When I invited you here, thought I made myself perfectly clear.

[Erik Legend]

When you're a guest in my home.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You gotta come to me empty handed. I said no guests.

[Erik Legend]

Your presence, his presence.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Enough. And I already had too much stuff. So how do you dare disobey me?

[Erik Legend]

Welcome to I said no gift. I'm Bridger Weinecker. We are in the studio. If. If you didn't listen to last week's rerun. That's first of all. Come on. You know, I left a little message on that one because I'm, you know, I like to take care of everybody. And I in that episode, I let everyone know that I'm alive. And now again, I'm still alive. Things have been interesting in Los Angeles and on fire. So we're just kind of doing everything one step at a time. But I've cleaned the ash and the debris out of the backyard. But the air, I think is probably going to be poison for the next who knows how long. So we're here in the wonderful studio. Anneliese is not here. They've cooked up some excuse not to be here. And I find that just a little suspicious considering we still don't know who started all of these fires. But we'll just have to wait and see what. What we find out about them in the future. Anneliese, if you're listening, I've got my eye on you. Is there anything else? My cognitive decline is just exhilarating. I more and more Forget to put on deodorant in the morning, and then it's two hours later, I'm putting it on. I don't know what's happening. It's probably a red flag. Everybody keep an eye on that. And I think that's everything. I think we should get into the podcast. I just think today's guest is absolutely wonderful. It's Erik Legend Eric. Welcome to. I said no gifts.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Thank you very much. I'm very thrilled to be here.

[Erik Legend]

You're driving over from kind of my neighborhood. I'm in Highland Park. You're in Eagle Row.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Oh, yeah. Okay.

[Erik Legend]

How's the. You know, how has the last week been for you?

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's been a true rollercoaster, I feel. And I mean that in, like, there have been some really great moments and touching moments.

[Erik Legend]

Sure.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And some awful moments. And it's not necessarily the obvious ones. It's like. So I'll just say, when we had to have to leave our house, it was not a mandatory evacuation. But we were like. I looked at the map, and we were the first house on the other side of the freeway from a mandatory evacuation. And I'm like, maybe we go. I have three children. And so we got up in the morning and we left. And in the car, I was talking to my wife about, what do we bring? And we had this very touching moment that lasted into our car ride, which was this. What are we talking about our stuff for? Like, this is our we are our stuff. Oh, this is our we are our house. And then we had this, like, really beautiful ride. And then that night, I was like, I'm curious to look at my, like, home insurance policy. I'm curious, like, what happens if our house burns down? I saw the amount we would get back, and I was like, I need to get back to the house and protect our stuff, our real stuff. So that set off this just, like, personal anxiety. And then to see everything happening with people I know. And we are very, very lucky and fortunate for our personal home in our neighborhood. But then you see people who aren't, and you go to this dark place on their behalf, this worried place. But then this is the roller coaster part. It's like, I see, like, the GoFundMes, which I think is, like, very needed. Like, I said, I saw the insurance policy. But then there's like, the one where I'm like, you have family money.

[Erik Legend]

That should be at the top of every GoFundMe. There was a trust fund.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So long answer to your question. But I feel like that's the vibe right now for me, I'm all over the place in self involved ways. All over the place in how I'm supposed to be feeling and how I do feel for the city. I feel like I'm claiming Los Angeles more than I ever have. I'm watching the coverage and I'm watching it burn. I'm like, I love this place. I love the Magic Castle.

[Erik Legend]

Don't burn. Actually, I have personal problems with the Magic Castle. But that aside, they made me wear. I've been there once and I wasn't dressed up enough. And they made me wear, I think, a size 42 suit pant the entire night.

[Bridger Weinecker]

That's obnoxious for some reason. When they were interviewing the inexplicably heavily Israeli accented manager of the Magic Castle, all I could think of was like, I don't know why, I don't think a lot about Trump, but I was thinking about him watching it and I'm absolutely sure he turned to whoever he was with and went, I've actually been there. I've been to the magic. They make you say abracadabra on the way in. I can't do a good Trump. But I was 100% sure he was saying that.

[Erik Legend]

Guaranteed I was probably wearing his suit pants that he left behind. It's all coming together now. You know, I like the thing that was crazy to me. I went to bed Tuesday night when everything was really starting to blaze and there was like, it's only going to get worse sort of information. And I slept so well. I fell asleep almost immediately, had a full night's sleep. The things that will normally keep me up at night are absolutely. I'll say one wrong word at a party and it'll be two weeks of insomnia. But this, I just felt better. Now.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I respect that. I am jealous. I have three children. And it's not just that I'm worried about them. It's that my wife and I, I think we have, like, what's a very typical dynamic where one parent is like the anxious warrior and the other one's the, like, it'll be fine and I'm the it'll be fine guy. But what that does to you is the worrier just, like drops things on you. And if you are the one, the lackadaisical one, you're the one that's gonna be in trouble if your family burns.

[Erik Legend]

Right?

[Bridger Weinecker]

And you are the one that said not to worry about. So my wife's. I think we should evacuate. But it's fine. Let's Go to sleep. And so then I'm up all night, like, checking the alerts on this, like, watch whatever. Watch duty, watch duty. I'm the sentry who's up all night, even though I think it's gonna be fine. And then we woke up and, like, of course I looked at it and, like, they had all moved towards us, and I was like, we actually did have to flee.

[Erik Legend]

Creeping feeling, yeah. Now, did you leave? I left. I left Wednesday morning, which was another thing. The most shocking thing in the world is I made a decision which in any other situation would have been days or weeks of me thinking about it. But, like, I woke up that morning feeling very refreshed, and there was orange light kind of pouring through my house and smoke in the air. And so I quickly found things that are kind of irreplaceable, like bags of money and jewelry, obviously put them in the car and then left. And fortunately, I have a couple of friends who live in Palm Springs, and I got to stay with them for what ended up being five days. And I started to feel like, oh, I've moved in here. But I felt so lucky.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And someone's gonna make, like, a $2 million indie film about the Palm Springs crew.

[Erik Legend]

It'll be the worst thing that's ever existed. It's going to be called Deserted, and everyone will just hate it.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, the running around grabbing things is truly insane. If you're not. If you hadn't thought about it before, I. I think the only thing I grabbed, like, we have this one box of, like, documents that nobody would care about except us. But right before they left, I was like, oh, wait. And I ran into the closet and I grabbed $300 that I had in cash. And I had cash in my wallet. Like, I had a few bucks. Like. But I was just like, this is, like, this will change. I know that, like, per ounce. This is like the most valuable thing in the house.

[Erik Legend]

You leave your children behind, you've got $300 on the freeway. Yeah, it was strange. And I wasn't even sure if I should come back yet, except for starting to feel like I was being rude staying at my friend's house that long. So I think just me being anxious about staying in someone else's home was what really drove me back to a city that was still kind of actively on fire. But now I think it's for past the worst of it.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I think so. I mean, I did this. I was at my mother in law's, and then we had a bat mitzvah to go to in San Francisco.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, my God.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And we were like, I had canceled it all, and then we were just talking about, like, well, we're just gonna be here and, like, let's say our house burns down. Wouldn't it be kind of fun to be, like, dancing, to, like, celebrate good times at a bat mitzvah as opposed to just sitting here watching it on the news? So we. And then we came back and it was just, like, seeing the air quality as good, which, like, I know we've got all, like, the seeds of doubt of what's.

[Erik Legend]

This is something I'm.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You're listening to aqi. Okay.

[Erik Legend]

You've looked at five different apps and outside with your own eyes and nose.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And it again started with my wife going, I don't think we can go outside without a mask. Cause I know the AQI is good, but I saw that there's other stuff in the air. Like, where'd you see that? It was in a comment on Instagram under a video that someone I don't know posted. But then it's like, so then it's on me if we get lung cancer.

[Erik Legend]

Exactly.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So I did some digging and I'm like, maybe it is not good. I don't know. But we're here and we're staying mostly inside, right?

[Erik Legend]

Yeah. The air quality thing, I'm like, I guess I'll just put on a mask. I mean, as opposed to the typically crystal clear air in Los Angeles. What are we talking about? But I need to stop getting news from Instagram from my most mentally ill friends. I think that's the thing. Just the most anxious people in the world just giving me the most panicked takes on everything.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's truly a major player in the downfall of our society. But I am on it constantly.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, yeah, of course. That's where I was getting most of my news about this until somebody posted a thing that was like. That truly made me think, oh, now my house is going to burn down. So I looked at the full article and I was like, oh, this is nowhere near me. Context helped a little bit. Yeah.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. Right.

[Erik Legend]

Well, anyway, have you seen this documentary about the man who's trying to live forever?

[Bridger Weinecker]

I have not.

[Erik Legend]

Are you familiar with this guy?

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm familiar with him. Like the things people say about him on Twitter.

[Erik Legend]

What are they saying about him on Twitter?

[Bridger Weinecker]

That he's like a ghoul and that he's. It's like the drinking the blood of the young type vibe. Yes.

[Erik Legend]

Except for it's his son that he's drinking the Blood of essentially. It is so bizarre.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm shocked. That guy's a dad. He does not give dad vibes to me.

[Erik Legend]

I think he has several children, but I think a lot of the family is estranged. But the oldest son has kind of come back into his life just at the right time to give him his blood. Of course.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Plasma blood, both.

[Erik Legend]

That's a good question.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm not trying to correct you. I just don't know. I feel like I've heard a lot about plasma, actually. I think it's the plasma he needs. And there's a benefit to his son because.

[Erik Legend]

And there's some vitamins I'd like to sell you. It must. What is. It's probably. Who am I. What am I talking about? Plasma, Probably.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Maybe. I don't know. You gotta tell me if you want me to watch these documentaries before I come on the podcast.

[Erik Legend]

Well, this is a good selling point. He is starting to look like a stern pilgrim wife. That's something to look for.

[Bridger Weinecker]

That sounds right. Yeah. I've seen some photos on. He's posting the photos, like, look how youthful I look. Right.

[Erik Legend]

I think he doesn't look youthful. He looks strange.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Does he have a bio age or what is it like a. He's got his chronological age and then he's bio age.

[Erik Legend]

Bio age. I think his bio age is. Again, I watched this entire documentary and came away with no concrete answers for you, but I would say it's probably like 30 or something. But what does. He's talking to people who he's paying to give him this information. Yes.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

So who knows for sure? But he's taking truly, like, three pounds of vitamins a day. He's staying inside all the time.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's also like, the benefit of being. When I think about, like, how old I am now, which is I'm going to turn 46. Bridger. No. And also, why. No. I'm turning 45 this month and it's the 28th, if you want to know. Whatever.

[Erik Legend]

I'm planning a little something.

[Bridger Weinecker]

A little. Okay. So the benefit of being 30 to me wouldn't be. I guess it would be nice to be able to have one more glass of alcohol without keeping me up all night. But it's really, like, situational, right?

[Erik Legend]

Oh, yeah, of course.

[Bridger Weinecker]

The freedom, the optimism, what's ahead of.

[Erik Legend]

You, Those things, like, those are all just being naive.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

It can't be that anymore.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You can't get that back, so you might as well eat shit.

[Erik Legend]

Yeah. I don't know that there's Been a biological age. I've been yet that I'm like, oh, I want that back. There's been no time in my life where I felt good physically.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Fourteen, I think, like, was a good year. I want to be the guy that's like, my bio age is 14. I feel pretty rad.

[Erik Legend]

Yeah, there's a. Maybe at some point, maybe when I hit my 70s or something, I'll be like, okay, it's time to turn back the clock. And hopefully this guy's work, and it is work, I'll be able to take advantage of that. But as of right now, I'm like.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I feel similarly to climate change, where I'm just like, we've gone too far. There's nothing preventative I could do that's gonna move the needle. So I have to rely on technology to save me. So there's already, like, new knees and hips that are pretty good now. So I think when I'm 70, they'll be like, better than original hips and knees.

[Erik Legend]

That's what I used to think. But as I, like, creep towards that, I'm like, oh, it's only a few decades. Maybe they're not going to be able to save me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I think they. We should rebrand aging as creeping.

[Erik Legend]

It's his creep day.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Creeping up to 45 now.

[Erik Legend]

No. Yeah. I used to be like, oh, I don't really have to take care of myself because eventually they're just going to have something.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I'm like, I am starting to be like, there is some stuff I'm doing that I'm trying to be like, especially from having kids, I am just like, I want to see what. It's just pure curiosity about what's going to happen with them.

[Erik Legend]

That's nothing to do with love.

[Bridger Weinecker]

No, no. The love is there. The love will live forever, but I will not. And I make that clear to them every day.

[Erik Legend]

I am going to die multiple times.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Before and after every day.

[Erik Legend]

Good morning, sweetheart.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And so, yeah, I am starting to think about that, actually. I'm like, I think I've put it off enough that I need to start doing all the stuff they say you need to do of just less processed food and working out with weights, I guess.

[Erik Legend]

Is this the real new thing? I think I feel like there's an article every day that's like, swallow as much protein as you possibly can every day while working your muscles.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I agree with you that it's a new thing in terms of, like, they've proven it, but it's hard to say. It's A new thing.

[Erik Legend]

No.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Lifting weights and eating healthy, it's not at the forefront of lifestyle science, but it seems like it is.

[Erik Legend]

It's a fad and it's going to blow over. A little while of their TikTok craze, people are going to stop lifting weights and taking care of themselves. So what dietary changes have you really made? What are you eating?

[Bridger Weinecker]

This is all aspirational. It's all stuff I've been saying I'm doing. But it's like then like the fires happen and you're like, I'm not doing that now. I'll do it when fire is over.

[Erik Legend]

Yes.

[Bridger Weinecker]

When we've conquered fire, then I will start cutting out sugar. That's not like natural.

[Erik Legend]

Right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So that's the goal. And fasting. I was doing well with fasting for a while.

[Erik Legend]

You were doing fasting how? Like every day or was it a week?

[Bridger Weinecker]

I was doing it like every other day. I wouldn't eat all day long, like from wake up to dinner. And then I started going. I started actually feeling good from it pretty quickly.

[Erik Legend]

Okay.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And so I would do longer and longer fasts and then I got up to like a five day fast where I, I didn't really eat. I had like a cup of broth or something.

[Erik Legend]

Every other day. Oh my God. Five days.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. Yeah. And then I started to have some health problems.

[Erik Legend]

I hope so. You deserved it.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I don't think, I don't think related to the fasting for the record.

[Erik Legend]

Okay.

[Bridger Weinecker]

But when I'm going through, I'm finding as I get older, I somehow get more fragile. I thought I was gonna get stronger and more resilient and more stoic. I'm getting more fragile. I'm going the other way with it. Cause I am, I'm kind of like, I like to go against the way things are.

[Erik Legend]

Common knowledge.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm a contrarian. So I'm getting weaker willed. And anytime, like something disrupts my schedule, the fire, if I get sick, if one of my kids has something going on, all bets are off for self care. Oh yeah, of course. So I kind of stopped doing that. But I'm trying to get back to that. And I think sugar is a lot of it for me. If I'm not eating it, I do feel better.

[Erik Legend]

And like when you're fasting, I mean for me I'm just in. I mean, and it's not fasting. I'm just like between meals in the worst possible mood.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Right. Did you refer to the three or so hours between breakfast and lunch as fasting?

[Erik Legend]

Okay. Strength fasting.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

Does it affect your mood?

[Bridger Weinecker]

Sometimes it does. And the first time I did it, it did. I used to fast, like, once a year for Yom Kippur, the Jewish holiday. And it would always affect my mood. But when do it a few times in a row, I would say by the second or third time, I was like, oh, this feels good and. Right. And actually gives me energy.

[Erik Legend]

Wow.

[Bridger Weinecker]

The way it was explained in a book that I didn't bother to look, if there was any proof for, was that from an evolutionary perspective, when we would go on the hunt, we would go without food for these long hunts. And then if you didn't catch anything, like, if you. The people who would then just die were sort of, like, weeded out.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, interesting.

[Bridger Weinecker]

But the people who found, like, another reserve of energy and actually clarity and more focus would get better at hunting.

[Erik Legend]

Because somehow your body's like, we've gotta. We have to.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yes, we have to. Yeah. So for me, it would be like, you know, we. We have to find this blow for act two of episode three.

[Erik Legend]

This was gonna be my question. Were you doing it while working? And you were.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, God. I would be an absolute nightmare at the office.

[Bridger Weinecker]

The writers didn't like it, but I didn't do it for. I actually, like this last season of the show that I was doing. I ended up in the hospital in the middle of it. And after that, it was like, there was no fasting. There was no regard to anything except what I needed in the moment for the last few months.

[Erik Legend]

Right. Yeah. I've had bosses in the past who will do fasting, and you knew the day they were doing it because, like, suddenly no pitch was being accepted. You were doing so much more work, and it's like, oh, they're just in a bad mood. Nothing will please this person. And you hope that they accidentally eat a lifesaver or something.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Right, Right. Yeah. I found that if I was, like, eating healthy and fasting, I would find that clarity and feel good. But if I was using the breaking the fast as an excuse to eat like shit, then it would just be.

[Erik Legend]

This, like, oh, all over the place.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yo, yo.

[Erik Legend]

Kind of mood thing.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

Are you treat eater?

[Bridger Weinecker]

Unfortunately, yeah. I have, like, a major sweet tooth. And this is one of the many ways that, like, having kids sort of exposes you. Cause I like my first. My oldest son. I have three boys, and the oldest son has what I have, but I've never seen it from the outside.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Is like, if there's ever A thing where it's like a pinata or something like that, where they're like, we're giving out candy. Like, he's running in and hoarding it. He's like, this is all mine and I'll eat it now, thank you. And I'm like, that's kind of who I am. And so. And my second son just like, couldn't care less. He'll have like a couple bites and be like, my body's telling me I'm full.

[Erik Legend]

It's intuitive.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Must be nice.

[Erik Legend]

Do you have like a go to treat?

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's like, whatever is. It's not candy. It's like whatever. Kind of like rich. It could be a donut that's like a peanut butter chocolate donut with marshmallow frosting. Is that my go to trait? It's like the most decadent thing possible would be my go to.

[Erik Legend]

Yeah, I've noticed, like, as a kid, candy was obviously a thing. And now if I ever have like a full size candy bar, I feel so insane. I'm like, what am I doing eating a candy bar? But like, I love cookies and cake and that kind of thing.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, like, I'll eat the stuff that has that much sugar in it, just not in such an unabashed. I want it to at least be a little bit ashamed of itself.

[Erik Legend]

Right. This was made recently, so it's healthy. Oh, well, there's something else I'd like to talk to you about. I don't love bringing it up, but I don't really feel like I have a choice right now. Look, the podcast is called I said no Gifts. And I thought, Eric will come on. He's a lovely person, we'll have a nice time. What could go wrong? You know? And obviously you've been receiving plenty of emails. You know the name of the podcast. So I was sitting here minding my own business in the studio, and here you come trotting in, holding a massive gift bag, which I'm going to assume is for me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It is indeed for you.

[Erik Legend]

Okay, interesting.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So I. I was listening to a couple of several of podcast episodes for your show so that I could pretend I listened to all of them.

[Erik Legend]

Of course.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I noticed that there were some people who violated the rule.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, interesting.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And this is like a trigger area for me of anxiety. Like, nothing can ruin a moment of a vacation for me more than like, am I supposed to tip this guy? Oh, sure. I always try to err on the side of something I can't be shamed for or keep myself up About. So I did bring a gift. I hope it was not the wrong move, but I felt moved to bring something.

[Erik Legend]

Okay, well, we'll just completely shame you. You made the wrong choice. But I mean, it's here. It's so big. It's tempting to not open. I mean, I have to open this.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I wanted to bring something with a splash and also something that was in my closet. And this was one of the extra gift bags that we had.

[Erik Legend]

It's a gift bag that I would say is about as half as tall as I am. With a shark on it.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yes. Some insane child brought this to my home. I imagine at some point, if you notice, there's this shark bite taken off.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, my. We've gone too far with gift bags. It has like a novelty bite out of it that's actually been. Wow, that's fascinating. I mean, this is. This is more. Don't do this. It's not as big as a shark bite, so it doesn't make any sense logically.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's also like the gift bag companies are like, oh, this is what we're doing now. You had to.

[Erik Legend]

We've got to push the interactive.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Oh, such a clutch off season. Pickup Dave. I was worried we'd bring back the same team. I meant Those blackout motorized shades. Lines.com made it crazy affordable to replace our old block. Hard to install. No, it's easy. I installed these and then got some from my mom. She talked to a design consultant for free and scheduled a professional measure and install hall of fame son. They're the number one online retailer of custom window coverings in the world. Blinds.com is the goat shop.

[Erik Legend]

Blinds.com right now and get up to 45% off select styles plus a professional measure.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Rules and restrictions may apply.

[Erik Legend]

Okay, I'm gonna reach into this. Reaching in. Pulling out.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Watch your hand. Lol.

[Erik Legend]

We've got some tissue. We'd love some tissue by the mic and.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Oh, my God, everyone loves a book.

[Erik Legend]

It's Viktor E. Frankl's man's search for meaning. I have this on my Kindle and it's always just there.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Is it really? It's mocking you.

[Erik Legend]

It's like I need to get around to it, but I still haven't.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Well, the nice thing about hard copies is I would get this one signed for you. So if you open it up there.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, this is right in his voice. I assume this is be wine. Enjoy all the meaning. Your boy Vic.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yes.

[Erik Legend]

These are the typical emails I'm getting from him.

[Bridger Weinecker]

He likes being in touch with, like the Sort of like Gen Z jargon.

[Erik Legend]

I love by the way, to have a on this book. It says over 16 million copies sold. That's like putting that on the Bible or something. It's insane.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So many people are seeking meaning. Let this Holocaust survivor tell you what he gleaned from watching thousands die.

[Erik Legend]

Reese Witherspoon loves it. Wow, this is fascinating. Okay, well, tell me more about why you brought this.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So everybody needs more meaning. And I thought, especially during this time, that because I was personally going through these ups and downs, that I might get back into this book, which I read, I don't know, like, almost a decade ago. And that thing that gets thrown around a lot of, like, a book that changed my life or whatever this one actually did. I read this, and then I left my job at the time. Oh. I read this during season three of Superstore. And I read this book, and it's about purpose and how getting in touch with your purpose can sort of, like, get you through anything, essentially.

[Erik Legend]

Right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And what I took from this was, I can't write any more Glenn B. Stories. And so I gave up the living I was making, and I had one kid and one on the way. And that's how much this book affected me. And I thought you might want to be affected as well.

[Erik Legend]

You looked at me and said, there's someone with a hollow life.

[Bridger Weinecker]

There's someone who needs some. Anything flailing.

[Erik Legend]

Well, I didn't know that about. That you had quit the show.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. And don't get me wrong, I went onto a different show, like, three months later, but it was on hbo.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, okay.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And it was a bad experience. But, yeah, I find. I think what I'm really doing is projecting onto you what I'm feeling like I need to get back in touch with. Even by getting it for you. I picked it up. It's used. It's gently used.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, no. Okay. Throw it away.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I leafed through a couple pages and was like, oh, yeah, I forgot about that way of having meaning. And so it's already helping me.

[Erik Legend]

So when you quit the job and before you realized that you were wrong and that you had to get back to television, the most meaningful thing of all. What were those three months like? Were you trying new things?

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, I was trying to just. Well, at first I was like, is it about my writing and my career and not my career, But, I mean, what I want to do as a writer? Cause maybe I have something else in me that's not this. And if I keep doing this, is it going to make My writing just like this, right? And then I had this kind of bad experience on something that I thought would be something more in line with my point of view. And then my second son was born, and I realized afterwards that I am, like, a lot more basic of a person than I thought I was. Because I think, is it Hook where he's, like, being a father? That's my happy thought or whatever. I realized afterwards that my kids and my family really were. That what I felt like was my biggest purpose. And it's not like that took away from all the other things I wanted to do, but it. It made those sort of in service of this sort of greater, at least greater for me thing that I. That just meant so much to me as a person. Don't remember what your question was, but you did.

[Erik Legend]

The powerful combination of hook and man's search for meaning.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And then. Okay, so circling back. Okay, I do have. I can stick this landing. I swear. So then I realized, like, well, if that's true, then if my job doesn't have to be my identity, then maybe my job can be something that makes me happy that I actually enjoy doing, and I don't have to put so much on it that it has to be everything for me, right? And so I ended up going, like, back into these, like, sitcoms and having so much fun working on them. I worked with my friend Sierra on Rutherford Falls. I went back home, worked with Justin Spitzer on American Auto, and I was just, like, having a blast again, like, just laughing with people I like all day, and then coming home to, like, my beautiful sons and wife and family. That also stops me from sleeping and occasionally makes my life absolutely miserable, of course. But I found some balance that I think now, partially because I have a baby that's, again, ruining my life. I'm hoping to get back to. Is this therapy?

[Erik Legend]

It is. This isn't being recorded.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Okay.

[Erik Legend]

No, no, no, no, no. I'm going to charge you after this, and it will not be covered by insurance.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm still gonna submit a super bill, but that's fine.

[Erik Legend]

We don't accept the super bills. I will make your life hell.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I will send the superbill to the company, and I will find a way to subtly signal Luigi Mangione and just put him in the. In the. In the zeitgeist of the super bill to put a little fear of them into.

[Erik Legend]

No, I think that's very nice because I think as a writer myself, you get into these TV writing rooms, and frequently people are so miserable, and it's you're supposed to be doing something fun and enjoyable, and it can be, but it becomes so stressful for almost no reason at all. People just start layering their personal anger and problems into it and think you're, like, supposed to be making funny television and everyone's mad.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

So to be able to just be like. To even push a little bit of that away, I think is nice. And then you get to go home and not be mad.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Totally. I think it applies on a micro level like that and in the sense of, like, there has to be joy in the room to make a really funny show, I think unless it's gonna be, like, super cynically funny and that's it. There is gonna be a ton of stress, as I found out running my first show this past year. But I think it's the job of the showrunner and to a certain extent, the number two on the show, to kind of absorb some of that stress and find ways to get it out that aren't putting it on. All the writers sort of do have to be protected like babies in a way, just in the sense of, like, they're there to, like, have fun and solve problems, but also be playful and come up with creative solutions.

[Erik Legend]

Right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So you do need, like, the vibe is a real thing, but also, I think, like, the times we're in, like, all you hear is about how dark the times we're in are and how bad everything is. And I don't subscribe to that. No.

[Erik Legend]

You voted for Donald Trump.

[Bridger Weinecker]

We're all good. No, but I think it's like, even now, I hear the other voice being like, that's easy for you to say, and, like, it's not. I mean, it's just. It actually is. It's easy for anyone to say, like, things are bad, but, like, there's also a lot of good in the world. I think, like, the aftermath of the fires has certainly shown that to people who live here. And so I do think that, like, having something that's an anchor in your life, and I'm so sorry, this isn't funny, but having something that's an anchor in your life, I do think can really help you change your perspective of what's happening in the world. Of course.

[Erik Legend]

Having something meaningful.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

And, yeah, obviously, like, sometimes moment to moment things can be horrible, but, like, yeah, I remind myself of that all the time. If I can just like, zoom back into my own body and life and just, like, look around, I'm like, okay. I'm okay. Like, I'm watching tv.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. That can be yours. Watching tv.

[Erik Legend]

It is and it always will be.

[Bridger Weinecker]

If you want to just jam on some of what your purpose could be.

[Erik Legend]

Half watching a television show that I am reluctantly watching.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Your purpose, Bridger, is the two screen experience. It had to be someone's. And buddy, it's yours. That's the real gift. It's not the book, Bridger. It was never the book.

[Erik Legend]

It was never going to be.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It is the book.

[Erik Legend]

But no, I really could pick up some hobbies. I could use more things in my life. I was rock climbing for a while, but then stopped doing that and rock climbing, Rock climbing, indoor rock climbing. Let's not get crazy. So foam climbing, what is that material? Like hard plastic climbing?

[Bridger Weinecker]

All I know is it ain't rock.

[Erik Legend]

It's certainly not. And you will never see me on the side of an actual rock. No, thank you. But then that went away and I realized, oh, I've got nothing else.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I was picturing you, like, free soloing, and I was just like, who is this person? And you're like, no, no, no. At the Pasadena Community center, there's a little six and a half foot wall.

[Erik Legend]

No. Do you have hobbies?

[Bridger Weinecker]

You know, I do have hobbies. I went almost my. I went a lot of my life without hobbies. After my midlife crisis. I feel like happened around 39 in the anticipation. I was trying to get ahead of it.

[Erik Legend]

Keep an ey.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I started just jumping into stuff. I had very lazily played the guitar my whole life, just chords, just so I could try to figure out the basics of a song. And I was like, I should try to get better before I die. I might as well try. Sure. And then I started. I had hurt my ankle playing basketball, and I was in bed for a few days and I started trying to learn Italian on one of those apps. And then I started sailing right before the pandemic. And I tried to keep. I don't know why I.

[Erik Legend]

This is someone having a meltdown.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yes. It was a response to a midlife crisis that became a joke in my family and extended family of like, what the next thing is and how there's no chance I'll be sailing six months from now. But I started just, like, picking up a few things and just going with them. And I started playing tennis about a year and a half ago, and I went to my first. I took a lesson with this guy who was about 97 years old, and he told me he had to sit for most of the lesson because he was, like, in extreme pain because he Needed surgery that kept getting rescheduled. Anyway, he took this. He was like, I'm gonna take a video of you, and this will be like the before. And then we'll do like six weeks of lessons, and then we'll. We'll show you how much better you got. So I'm like, I haven't hit a ball since I was a kid, so. And I get. I get him mostly in, and I'm like, psyched. And after a few. He's like, all right, stop. So I gotta turn off the machine. Hold on. We're gonna stop the video. All right? I think we're not ready for the before video. What? He says I'm not good enough for the before video. He wants me to take a few lessons and build up to the before video.

[Erik Legend]

This will destroy your self confidence.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm telling my wife this, and she's in between laughing at me. She's like, well, he's probably trying to neg you so that you'll take more lessons.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, interesting.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I was like, no, I signed up for an hour and a half. And he cut it after under an hour and was like, let's just wrap this up.

[Erik Legend]

I'm sick to my stomach here.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And so I took that as a. Like, now I need to get good at tennis. Like, now I need to learn how to play tennis. So I hired this local coach in Eagle Rock named Merlin to teach Merlin.

[Erik Legend]

I love the name Merlin.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Such a good name. And so we've never addressed it. I've never been able to be like, so let's talk about Merlin. It's just like, it's his name and that's it. And I'm not allowed to say anything.

[Erik Legend]

You have to address that with that name. When you say, my name is Merlin, you have to say something.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And here's why. It should take you no less than six minutes to introduce yourself. When your name is Merlin, there needs to be at least one apology.

[Erik Legend]

I guess we can't say his name on the podcast, but I assume it's Jones or Anderson. So are you feeling like you're. You've gotten to a point that you could at least do a before tennis video?

[Bridger Weinecker]

I've certainly graduated.

[Erik Legend]

Okay, that's well past the before. Do you get competitive?

[Bridger Weinecker]

I do. Yeah. I'm a competitive person when I'm into it in something. And so I've been taking these live ball classes recently where you're kind of, like, cycling through these little mini battles. It's like a group class. And so you can be really competitive. For two points. Then someone destroys you and you go wait in line to lose again. But yeah, I do get that way in the mole and also in life generally, and also very intensely with my spouse.

[Erik Legend]

You're very hard to be around children. I don't think I've ever successfully hit a tennis ball over a net.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Really? And how many attempts?

[Erik Legend]

Well, probably not enough, but I think every time I've ever tried, it hasn't happened for me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, it's very. It's not as intuitive as it seems like it should be.

[Erik Legend]

Right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And that's the tricky thing about tennis is, like, you think you're just like, whacking the ball and that should do it. And then they're like, no, you need to actually learn this very awkward wind.

[Erik Legend]

Up and the wrist and all of that. It's not worth my time.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, I'm also, I should say I'm competitive without having sufficient natural ability to be competitive.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, so it's just. You're being unfair to yourself.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's all self. It's all heart. I have to Rudy every situation.

[Erik Legend]

Are you still playing the guitar?

[Bridger Weinecker]

I am still playing the guitar. There was. There was a period where I was doing it, like, obsessively, especially during the pandemic where I was practicing eight hours a day.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, wow.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I feel like I got to intermediate, and I think I'm happy at intermediate. So now I'm just, like, trickling a little better every six months or so.

[Erik Legend]

And that's enough to probably play most of your favorite music. Unless it's all like, no.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I like these very soft boy, like, folk songs with a little tush picking. So it's like I've reached the point where I'm like, I can play well enough that I feel like I should be impressing my wife, but she doesn't care. She'll occasionally, like, I'll feel like she's about to, like, say a compliment or whatever. Like, I'll finish a song and she'll be like, do you want this chicken and broccoli or should I throw it out?

[Erik Legend]

I'm like, oh, that's devastating.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I want it sad.

[Erik Legend]

Sad, man. You know what I'm just realizing is one of the most irritating things I could possibly see. And I apologize if you've done this before, but it's when somebody plays the tennis racket like a guitar. Can you imagine? That's just such an annoying thing.

[Bridger Weinecker]

But, like, it's been a while. I'm picturing like a Bill and Ted era, like, someone being like, like doing the noise and the choice of the noise. The neenee nee nee, I think is what would really.

[Erik Legend]

That pushes it over the top.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Our mutual friend Justin Shaynes told me that. I think it was an insult. He was like, you both get really annoyed at little things.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, interesting. About both of us.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. Well, he said it about you. And then he goes, so I think you guys would really get along. And I was like, I thought you were just talking shit about him.

[Erik Legend]

Wow, I'm glad to know some of the gossip that's going around about me just in spreading these lies. No, I'm very easygoing. Nothing bothers me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Your whole body tensed up.

[Erik Legend]

Absolutely paralyzed here. No, these are the sort of things that will just drive me out of my mind. Somebody, if I were to see a friend playing a tennis racket like a guitar, they would never hear from me again.

[Bridger Weinecker]

There's a lot of little. I guess there's an Internet term millennial core that comes to mind that's just like doing like silly things that like I'm just like a kook. Like that vibe of I'm just a kook. It could be playing the tennis racket as a guitar. It could be like having a pillow with a little expression on it or whatever. There's so many. It's a wide swath of annoying things that I don't know. Sometimes it's weird. It's like as I get older I get a little more. And it worries me that I'm getting a little bit more accepting of those things.

[Erik Legend]

Uh huh. They're not bothering you as much. Letting your guard down.

[Bridger Weinecker]

My mother in law has a. I think she used to have like a clock that said it's wine time with Cindy.

[Erik Legend]

Sure. I support that.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And I was like, that's adorable.

[Erik Legend]

That's great.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And then part of me was just like, no, you hate this. You must hate this. Keep the flame alive.

[Erik Legend]

Six months from now, it's wine time with Eric. No. Yeah.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's Whiskey third.

[Erik Legend]

There is still a lot of. There has been this movement of let people enjoy things. And I get where people are coming from.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I understand there's a movement as if live and let live is this new idea. It's like a Gen Z trend.

[Erik Legend]

That and white lip sync. But I can't let it happen. I am kind of trying to.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You're trying to push civilization forward with snobbery. With snobs have gotten upset through zero action and pure snobbery.

[Erik Legend]

Just being kind of a horrible guy. No. I think we need a little bit. My Meaning is being critical, overly critical and mean. I think that's what we should all have in our lives. That should be our core that we turn back to. No, but it is just. Yeah. What you're talking about. And then like there's just something about like the risky business of it all. Seeing somebody slide across a hardwood floor, the gun is coming out, I'm shooting you. It's too much for me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

The risky business of it all.

[Erik Legend]

Yeah.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I mean, it sort of depends though, because like, it's again, not to bring it. I'm not trying to. I'm not trying to shame you for being childless. I'm not trying to do that.

[Erik Legend]

We do know your voting record.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Underpopulation is a problem. No, but you see, kids do these things from this pure place. And for some reason when you said that, I was picturing one of my kids sliding across the floor in their socks. And if they did that, I would be like, that's the greatest thing I've ever seen.

[Erik Legend]

But again, that's just child.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yes. Yeah, yeah. But so what's interesting about that is that there must be an age at which a day actually there must be a moment of someone's life where they go from being young enough that that's adorable to that is cringy and sucks and they should be told to actually stop doing that.

[Erik Legend]

I think if you can file your taxes, when you're responsible for your taxes, none of that goes anymore.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You're giving a lot of leeway. So you're saying like, so those like 19 year olds in college can be walking around with a tennis racket. They can do the Deliverance banjo song.

[Erik Legend]

Okay.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Is banjo at the end when you learn to read. When you learn to read. Okay.

[Erik Legend]

Banjo. Not as bad.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's not as bad. Why is it not as bad? Because it feels like it's a little riffing on the guitar thing.

[Erik Legend]

Right. We're taking one step removed.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm making of the people who play guitar on tennis rackets by playing the banjo on a tennis racket.

[Erik Legend]

Okay, now I'm off board again. No instrument unless you're doing it as a stand up bass.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So what if someone's doing it to you, knowing you hate this and they're doing it, but they're still doing it. Does the irony of it supersede the fact that they're still doing it? I agree, I agree.

[Erik Legend]

You might as well be ironically shooting someone in the head in front of me. It's still a bad thing.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, I think I agree with that.

[Erik Legend]

Don't Put that image in front of me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Justin was right.

[Erik Legend]

Also, speaking of Justin, saying little things bother me. Justin Shanes. I'm just gonna put him on pole.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm sure you've had a list going in your head since I said that.

[Erik Legend]

How dare he? No, I think if my reputation is that I'm just. No one can please me and everything bothers me. Me. Good for me. Good for me. What? Is there any other little thing that really, like, that stands out that bothers you? What's something you just can't stand?

[Bridger Weinecker]

This is so unfair because, like, of all the strangers that do shit constantly, that really bothers me. I. I don't love a virtue signal. I. I really don't. But for some reason, the only thing coming to my mind is when my wife, who does probably 99 plus percent of the upkeep in our house, will leave like a dish that's like, out with like, food crusting that's gonna make it harder to clean even if she's gonna clean it. I'm like, but now you're gonna use more of your time, and that's time you could be hanging out with me. You're doing this to me. You can. Why are you listening to me play the guitar and coming up with a compliment? You are. You're stealing from me right now.

[Erik Legend]

You are robbing my life. And I have meaning that seems. I can understand that. I feel like. Yeah, it's hard to think of those things in the moment. I mean, like right now, I'll give.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You an example of like the. And this is something I do. So I can't. I'm putting this on other people, but talk about the fires. Talk about the way it is. Right. How are you doing? Well, you know, as good as can be expected. Or like those answers that's like, I'm not allowed to just say how I'm actually. Yeah, I'm actually fine. I just had a really well proportioned, flat white and I'm actually doing pretty well. Instead of the, like, I have to say this in this voice because we all know that I'm a monster. If I don't completely.

[Erik Legend]

Don't love me. Just tell me. Yeah, yeah. The only other thing I can think of right now that's like in the last couple of years that really sets me off is when I'm in public and I see somebody walking their dog and I like the dog and I compliment it and they give no response. The anger that. That sets off in me.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah.

[Erik Legend]

Just say thank you. Or literally any reaction I Get the.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Furious on behalf the same issue. One of my boys has almost like it's just become a habit that any dog, no matter how hideous or mundane, he goes, I like your dog. I like your dog. Same cute voice every time, same intonation. And then occasionally a person will not answer. And I want to be like, a child spoke to you. A child was vulnerable to you. You answer that child.

[Erik Legend]

I'm on your side.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So if would like me to walk with you, I will have.

[Erik Legend]

Please, or at least record. I can have a little button I push just. And you could say child. You can say a child just said something to you. I don't think people will be that shocked.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I would love to see the reaction. A small man just said something to you. Their double take to you of like. No, but wait, wait.

[Erik Legend]

Now I don't know what to do. Oh, boy. Well, before we move on, is there anything left we should say about this insult of a book you gave to me? Just absolutely calling me out as someone with nothing going on?

[Bridger Weinecker]

No, I just. I'm excited to see how you wrap up the podcast. Once you read that and realize this doesn't matter, the podcast is over. This isn't.

[Erik Legend]

What have I done?

[Bridger Weinecker]

Are you gonna delete all the previous ones? Yes.

[Erik Legend]

They'll be scrubbed from the Internet. There will be no trace of this thing ever happening. So that's why we have you sign an NDA before.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Do you care that no one listening to this podcast has any idea who I. Because I was listening to one of the. One of the sample ones I listened to. You were talking to someone who was, like, known, and you were like, this person needs no introduction. And I remember distinctly thinking, I'm gonna need a long introduction. We jumped in. I was like, people are like, I don't care. I mean, first of all, some guy and.

[Erik Legend]

No, you're a person in the world. You've created funny television. That's the thing about this podcast. I don't care about this, like, the entertainment industry element of it at all. I like. The less we talk about the worst business in the world, the more I. And so if the listener has a problem with that, that's their issue. I knew you would be fun. That's literally all I care about.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Well, I should say the times that we have met until I've always really liked you. You're very liked across the board. And I was eager to listen to some podcasts and find out why I don't actually like you.

[Erik Legend]

There's so much evidence that doesn't happen.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yet I gotta do a deeper dive.

[Erik Legend]

Mountains of evidence. You're going to despise me. Okay, well, we're going to play a game, but I need a number between one and 10 from you.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Nine.

[Erik Legend]

Okay. I have to do some light calculating to get our game pieces. So right now you can recommend. Promote. Do whatever you want with the microphone. I'll be right back.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Oh, okay. Okay. I feel like someone's gonna say something scolding to me if I don't mention my show, St. Denis Medical, that we just got renewed for a second season. And we're on NBC on Tuesday nights at 8pm and then on Peacock, and it's a mockumentary that takes place in a hospital in the emergency room. Was that a good pitch?

[Erik Legend]

It's a great show.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Thank you.

[Erik Legend]

And at least Naomi EK Perrigan, former guest of the show, writes on it.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I love her.

[Erik Legend]

And it's got a lot of great people working on it. Go watch the show.

[Bridger Weinecker]

What are your, like, five, let's say, favorite storylines and maybe. Well, let's start with.

[Erik Legend]

And go from there. No, it is a good show. I mean, like, especially right now. There is no comedy on television. So to see, like a good, solidly made show, I don't know, it feels like we're moving back towards, like, actual sitcoms. I think people are, like, starving for a sitcom.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I think so. It's weird. People are actually saying that they. And I get it completely. That seems. I don't know, laughing seems important.

[Erik Legend]

Something positive. I don't know. Listener, go watch it. Support something decent for once in your life.

[Bridger Weinecker]

This is one of the. Playing tennis racket as guitar. Things would be like. Cause if we didn't laugh, we'd cry. Now they're flooding in saying we're storytellers.

[Erik Legend]

No, I support that because we are. And what we do matters.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And. Yeah, okay.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, yeah, there are plenty of those once you start thinking about things. I know fellow people.

[Bridger Weinecker]

That's the thing. I wasn't thinking about people.

[Erik Legend]

Just think about someone you dislike.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Oh, the things I don't like. Are people related?

[Erik Legend]

Start describing their behavior. Yeah, okay. This is actually a good game for both of us. It's called Gift or a Curse. I'm gonna name three things you're going to tell me if they're a gift or a curse and why I know the game.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm an avid listener of three episodes.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, bullshit. And then I'll tell you if you're right or wrong because there are correct answers. Okay, so this first one is from a Listener named Colin. Gift or a curse. A very chatty mail carrier. Mail person.

[Bridger Weinecker]

As is often the case with these that I've found and I've tried to put myself in this chair and gone. How would I answer that on the.

[Erik Legend]

Day when I'm sweating and I'm panicking?

[Bridger Weinecker]

There's a lot of variance here because I love my occasionally chatty male person. He is a wonderful man. So I, out of being a person who's trying to get in touch with my optimism again and not be so easily rattled by the world, I'm going to say that it is a gift. You want to hide from your mailman. Hide from your mailman. But I for one, am going to face him. I'm going to try to do bits with him that he's not going to catch on to the fact that they're bits. And he's not going to. Yes, and properly. And then we're both going to leave feeling awkward, but we're still going to smile and I'm still going to tell him to have a great day and still stay safe out there.

[Erik Legend]

Stay safe out there. He hates you.

[Bridger Weinecker]

He showed me his step count once. It was alarming.

[Erik Legend]

Eric. Correct. It's a gift. First of all, I love a male person. I love a male person's outfit. I love everything about the postal service. And this is one job first. I mean, I should say I'm probably so off putting that none of them have ever talked to me. I'm just completely unapproachable, apparently. But it would be a dream to suddenly have this chatty friend who's kind of locked into my life. They, unlike other people, they can't not respond to texts. They're at my mailbox every day. I would love to have a chatter.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. I think it's like they. Rene, my mailman. I don't think he'd be shy about me saying his name.

[Erik Legend]

He's starting to get his name.

[Bridger Weinecker]

His address is. He has, like, chatted my kids up and that's micro babysitting. And I'm very appreciative of that.

[Erik Legend]

This person's starting to push some boundaries that I'm not totally comfortable with.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I did. I went. I went to a movie with a new friend once, which doesn't happen much as an adult male. And he brought a couple friends and one of his friends brought his mailman.

[Erik Legend]

What?

[Bridger Weinecker]

That I found to be both alarming and insane.

[Erik Legend]

How was this? Like, how did they explain this to you? This is my friend Neil, the mailman.

[Bridger Weinecker]

He said, I don't think he said it in front of him. I think it was like, this is my buddy Neil, and that's actually his mailman.

[Erik Legend]

That's incredible. What a beautiful relationship.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, we saw Maverick together.

[Erik Legend]

That's a great guy's movie to see. Wow, that's an interesting. I mean, it's dangerous to have a mailman that deep in your life. Because if there's a betrayal or if they do something that they cross a line, they still have to come to your house every single day.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah. What if they see something you don't like? Some organization you've joined, that is, they.

[Erik Legend]

Start seeing Return address, the kkk, and suddenly there's a problem. Okay, well, you've gotten one correct so far. We'll see what happens for the rest of the cake.

[Bridger Weinecker]

As I said, I'm competitive, and I'm actually. I'm getting a little bit of a charge right now of like. I don't know if it's adrenaline, but it's like it's some hormone that is coursing through my body that wants to win.

[Erik Legend]

You're gonna leave the studio very angry. Okay. Number two. This is from a listener named Lizzie. Gift her a curse. Audiobooks with celebrity narrators.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Audiobooks with celebrity narrators. This is a challenge. I'm not an audiobook guy. I'm gonna say. I have to say curse because it's very distracting, I would think. Cause you're thinking about all their personal shit. And there are probably better readers. Maybe a reader who likes to read the Harry Potter books to his children, who does all the voices, who would love to have that gig. But suddenly, all of a sudden, it goes to John C. Reilly or something.

[Erik Legend]

Doing the worst British accent.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I'm gonna say curse, correct? Yes.

[Erik Legend]

I can't believe this. I can't do a celebrity voice in any situation. It is so distracting to me. That's all I'm thinking about the entire time. When I see an animated movie, I don't want celebrities voicing anything. Cause I'm just now picturing and thinking about them, and it's poisoning the experience. Unless it's their mem.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Sure that.

[Erik Legend]

Okay.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Of course. Of course. I'm not only fine with that, but I find it highly sus. In touch with the young people.

[Erik Legend]

Highly sus.

[Bridger Weinecker]

If they didn't read. If they didn't read their memoir. What is that about? That is bizarre.

[Erik Legend]

How am I supposed to trust anything being said at this point? Even you won't stand behind it. No. That's the only time it's appropriate. Otherwise, keep your celebrity narrators out. Out of. I mean, and this is also speaking as someone who doesn't listen to audiobooks, but if I were to, I would be enraged to have Glenn Close reading, you know, my John Grisham novels.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You should read the. You should listen to the audiobook of Man's Search for Meaning. It's Nick Cannon does the It Could Only be.

[Erik Legend]

It could only be. Okay, you've gotten too right so far, and now I'm starting to get angry. Okay, number three, Gift.

[Bridger Weinecker]

No better result would be me leaving psyched and you furious and me storming out.

[Erik Legend]

And you haven't finished the podcast.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I have to take it over. You've read the book, decided that this is harming the world, not helping it. It's toxic for you. I take it over. I take it to new heights.

[Erik Legend]

I watch you climb the charts.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It helps me realize that my children were not my purpose, that actually being a podcast celebrity was it for me.

[Erik Legend]

You do become the Joe Rogan of the left.

[Bridger Weinecker]

This mysterious force finally filling the vo. But the success turns me to a Joe Rogan of the right. And now there's two Joe Rogans and there's zero left Joe Rogans. The earth spins, and that changes everything.

[Erik Legend]

Maybe that is the correction.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I have another thing that annoys me.

[Erik Legend]

What?

[Bridger Weinecker]

Let me be clear. I don't like when people say let me be clear.

[Erik Legend]

It's so annoying, so irritating. Because whatever they're about to say is not that important.

[Bridger Weinecker]

No, it's become just a handle on anything. Yes, completely.

[Erik Legend]

Let me be clear. Oh, don't lecture me. Get out of my face. Okay, number three. This is from a listener named Katie Gift or a curse. Scented liquid hand soap bottles in public restrooms that have been refilled with industrial liquid. So.

[Bridger Weinecker]

This feels like a clear trick one, but is it a trick on a trick where it's actually like, no, no, no. It was really just bad? I am going to say that it's a gift, and I will tell you why I think so. When you started with scented soap in public spaces, I was like, fuck that. You don't decide what my hand smells like. Even I don't decide that. The world decides what these hands smell like, and that's how they smell. But anyway, if it's filled with the industrial soap, you know, you're getting a. Like a bleachy, sanitized product. There's a charm to, like, some human being went to the trouble of using, I guess, all of the original soap and then refilling it with what is clearly fraudulent pink soap that is not Aesop or whatever. So there's something that makes me smile, if it makes me smile. As we said, laughter's important. It's a gift. And that's my final answer.

[Erik Legend]

Oh, my God. Oh, you win the game. I love this. First of all, let's. We're being very frugal. We're, you know, making do with what we have. And I love it. I absolutely love it. That bottle shouldn't be thrown away. That bottle. I love the pink. Who cares about the expensive soap? When you see kind of the medicinal fancy bottle and then you pump it and you're getting the pink soap, my heart is aflutter. I'm so happy that we said, okay, we spent $50 on the first bottle. From now on, we're getting the bags of pink slime and the customer can deal with it.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Also, we live in America. So if there is a bottle that is refillable in a public space that you can be private in, someone's putting some weird liquid in there and it probably came from.

[Erik Legend]

It's never crossed my mind.

[Bridger Weinecker]

And the pink soap purifies that, yes, that stuff is designed for America.

[Erik Legend]

It's essentially penicillin in there.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's penicillin.

[Erik Legend]

So, no, it's an absolute gift. And, I mean, I couldn't be less happy with how this game turned out. And, you know, I don't even know what to say at this point, but good for you.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Part of me wants to ask for like an hour long bonus round, but part of me is like, take the win. Why are you trying to double down? This is why I don't go to Vegas. Why am I doing this?

[Erik Legend]

You could ruin everything. Okay, well, congratulations or whatever. Who cares? This is the final segment of the podcast people write into. I saidnowgiftsmail.com My listeners are desperate for answers in their own lives. I don't like to say it. I'm not proud that most of my listening audience is just constantly dangling from a thread, but I try to help and get them back on the path. Will you help me answer a question?

[Bridger Weinecker]

That's what I'm here for.

[Erik Legend]

Okay. This says, okay, well, it's literally not.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Why I'm here, but sure, I'll decide why I'm here. Sure.

[Erik Legend]

Okay. This says, dear Bridger and surely amazing guest. That's very nice. I hope you're having a great episode so far. Well, it's been fine. I would say fine at best.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I knew how fragile your ego was. I should have Let you get me on one.

[Erik Legend]

Okay, I'll say it's been a very bad episode and it may be unreleasable. Okay. It says I need help deciding what to bring for a couple hosting a New Year's Eve party at their house. And I will. Okay, so we're clearly, like, catching up here. Well, there's always another New Year's Eve party home.

[Bridger Weinecker]

It's in the north hills of Altadena. And I think it's gonna be a real.

[Erik Legend]

Well, you know, we're trying to catch up listener. You're gonna have to use whatever advice here at your next party, and that's your fault. Okay, I need help deciding what to bring for a couple hosting a New Year's Eve party at their house. They are the oldest friends of my newish boyfriend. My guy took me to their Halloween party, too, but it was before we were official, so we brought over some drinks for ourselves, but nothing for them. The party. Okay. What? You each brought a beer. Okay, whatever. I think they're a little suspicious of me dating their friend because I'm the first girlfriend since his divorce two years ago. And we are non monogamous, whereas they have a traditional college sweetheart type. Monogamous, straight marriage. What a mouthful. So I want to bring them something this time to make a better impression.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Okay, well, don't make it this email. That's my first piece of advice.

[Erik Legend]

Crumple this up and throw it out the window. I know you printed it. Details to know. We are all mid to late 30s, living on the east coast of the United States. The hosts have two extremely cute dogs and one medium cute dog. Oh, that's rude.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Why?

[Erik Legend]

They are great cooks. Italian and Puerto Rican cuisine. He's in a very loud band and she is a nurse. Oh, interesting. You've got a lot of insight here. My best friend and fellow listener, Eve. Okay, now we're bringing another listener into this problem. My God. Eve suggested bringing something for them to have for breakfast the next day. We are not staying over. Eve. What? Eve? Eve is almost always right. Well, I'm just gonna say right now, Eve's wrong. But I worry if I bring something like that, coffee cake, muffins or something, they'll want to put it out that night and it will be weird. Please assist. I'm begging you. Thank you. And that's from Tito. Tito. Tito. Tito. Oh, my God. What are the details we're working with here? First of all, she broke up a marriage. So this is kind of someone who's ruined a relationship. And that's gotta color everything that happens from here on out.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Dare I say, Tito, you might be overthinking this. There are so many. You have so many bigger problems than the one you're asking about.

[Erik Legend]

The ex wife is trying to kill you and you're worried about like a party gift. Who cares?

[Bridger Weinecker]

Okay, so this is a woman.

[Erik Legend]

This is a woman named she, her, Tito.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Who is married in a non monogamous, not married, non monogamous relationship.

[Erik Legend]

Which is official.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Which is official with a divorcee.

[Erik Legend]

With a divorcee of two years. And it seems like they're at least worried that everyone in the boyfriend's life hates them.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Right. All the old the OGs.

[Erik Legend]

Or at least are uncomfortable around them.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Right.

[Erik Legend]

And I'm on their side.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I. I am on almost everyone except Tito's side in this story. Including the medium cute. Especially the medium cute dog who's being slandered for no reason. Just like, just sidekick to the balls.

[Erik Legend]

Of someone standing over there to this poor rescue. Okay. Right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yeah, in theory. I actually when I heard breakfast the next day, I was like, that's a fucking great idea.

[Erik Legend]

You never think of that?

[Bridger Weinecker]

No. And it's like they're tired, they're gonna be worn out. I suppose you could pre order a postmate that is going to deliver them a couple of breakfast burritos.

[Erik Legend]

Ooh, interesting. Interesting.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Or give a little postmates gifts card with a note saying that.

[Erik Legend]

Right.

[Bridger Weinecker]

So that would maybe be how I would solve that problem. I ultimately would just like grab a bottle of something and stop thinking so.

[Erik Legend]

Much about your life. I mean, if the concern is about the breakfast item, them not being clear of what it's to be used for, do something that's obviously a breakfast item. An omelet, scrambled eggs, a box of cereal. These things are not gonna put out.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Yes. They're going to say it's a charming gift. A box of cereal and some milk.

[Erik Legend]

Or a box of egg.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I think an omelet might be tough.

[Erik Legend]

I cooked this a few hours ago. Just leave it on the counter.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Here's what you're gonna do. Do. This is sort of a model omelette. You're gonna wanna make this with whatever you have.

[Erik Legend]

Okay. So now that we've said it aloud, omelette is the thing they should bring. It's like it was so obvious all along.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I want them to bring an omelet so badly.

[Erik Legend]

A nine egg omelet.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Put some Puerto Rican ingredients in there.

[Erik Legend]

Topped it with some marinara so we could get kind of a fusion thing happening. And you're gonna wake up to this and just be so refreshed and happy that I brought breakfast.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You're just going to be thinking about how cool and thoughtful and normal I am. Wow.

[Erik Legend]

Well, Tito, you've got your answer. Don't write back in.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Honestly, stop listening to the podcast. You need to be changing everything.

[Erik Legend]

Yes.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Is this a good listener?

[Erik Legend]

I tell the listener every episode. I'm begging them, stop listening. Do not tell anybody else about the podcast. Leave the negative reviews, spread rumors, just destroy me. Well, we answered it perfectly.

[Bridger Weinecker]

I think you won the game.

[Erik Legend]

You're part of a very small group of winners. The group of full losers is still a little more elite, but I guess you want to be a winner ultimately. And now I have this book, which now it will be taking up physical space in my home, so I have to read it rather than just constantly going to the bottom of the Kindle list.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You have to read it so you can pass it on to the next person that you see flailing.

[Erik Legend]

I want them to know that I'm quietly judging them and think that their life is a mess.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Not a mess, just empty. The opposite of a mess in a way you would love. A mess.

[Erik Legend]

Yes, there's something to work with when you've got a mess.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You can organize a mess.

[Erik Legend]

I'm staring into a cave.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You can't organize. Empty, bottomless pit.

[Erik Legend]

I've had such a wonderful time today and thank you for this beautiful book and being here.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Well, 16 million.

[Erik Legend]

16 million people can't be wrong. Well, listener, the podcast is over. I think you knew that. I think that if you've listened to at least one episode, you're clear clear about how this works. Eventually the audio comes to an end and then you immediately start the episode over. So soon you'll have to do that. You'll play it over and start memorizing for your lip syncs. But we'll see you again soon. I love you. Goodbye. I said no Gifts is an exactly right production. Our senior producer is Annalise Nick Nelson, and our episodes are beautifully mixed by Ben Tolliday. The theme song is by miracle worker Amy Mann. And we couldn't do it without our booker, Patrick Cotner. You must follow the show on Instagram at isaidnogifts. That's where you're going to see pictures of all these wonderful gifts I'm getting. And don't you want to see the gifts.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Perfectly clear?

[Erik Legend]

When you're a guest in my home.

[Bridger Weinecker]

You gotta come to me empty handed. I said no gifts.

[Erik Legend]

Your presence is presents enough, and I.

[Bridger Weinecker]

Already had too much stuff, so how.

[Erik Legend]

Do you dare disobey me?