Sam Pancake Disobeys Bridger

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Sam Pancake Disobeys Bridger"

Podcast Information:

• Title: I Said No Gifts! A Comedy Interview Podcast with Bridger Winegar
• Host: iHeartPodcasts / Bridger Winegar
• Episode: Sam Pancake Disobeys Bridger
• Release Date: February 27, 2025
• Network: Exactly Right

---

Introduction: Setting the Scene

The episode kicks off in Bridger Winegar's backyard, a lush and tropical setting, marking the first outdoor recording since a previous incident where everything burned down. Bridger humorously remarks on the challenges of hosting a podcast outdoors at night amidst what he describes as a "jungle type atmosphere" filled with perceived dangers and odd smells. This unique backdrop sets a relaxed yet quirky tone for the conversation to follow.

Breaking the Rules: Sam Pancake Brings Gifts

Bridger begins by reiterating his one rule for guests: "No gifts! Presence is presence enough." However, Sam Pancake breaks this rule by arriving with a sizable, stylishly wrapped gift. Bridger reacts with mock indignation:

Bridger [01:43]: "When I invited you here, I thought I made myself perfectly clear. When you're a guest in my home, you gotta come to me empty handed."

Sam deflects by playfully discussing the practicality and his own experiences with gifts, leading to a light-hearted exchange about the art of gift-wrapping and past experiences.

Personal Stories: Bridger’s Journey

The conversation delves deep into Bridger's personal life, revealing his upbringing in a small, Christian conservative town in West Virginia. He shares anecdotes about his large family, early experiences with hunting and canoeing, and the complexities of his family dynamics. Bridger reflects on his evolving empathy:

Bridger [05:43]: "It was so... at the time we were rolling with laughter. But then later in life as I've gotten a tiny bit more empathetic, I was like, oh, how tragic and sad."

Bridger also opens up about his struggles with depression and substance abuse, discussing his recent decision to seek professional help and start medication:

Bridger [07:55]: "For 12 and a half years I've never luckily all the depression I thought I had stopped when I stopped drinking a gallon of depressant a day."

Mental Health and Celiac Disease

Bridger shares his diagnosis of celiac disease in 2018, recounting the unexpected revelation during a colonoscopy:

Bridger [54:46]: "The doctor was like, you have celiacs... it was the last thing I expected."

He discusses how managing his diet has impacted his mental and physical health, as well as his relationships and daily life. Sam Pancake empathizes, sharing his own experiences with medication side effects and lifestyle changes.

Sam Pancake [11:14]: "I have what's known as a paradoxical effect to it, which is it doesn't put me to sleep. It wakes me up."

Game Segment: "Gift or Curse"

Transitioning to a lighter segment, Sam introduces a game called "Gift or Curse," where he presents Bridger with scenarios to determine whether they are beneficial (gifts) or detrimental (curses). This playful exchange showcases the chemistry between the hosts.

First Round:

• Listener Audra's Question [67:03]: "Fancy restaurants that don't accept reservations."

  Bridger initially labels it as a curse, citing the unpredictability and potential for frustration. However, Sam counters, arguing it's a gift because it removes the hassle of booking and offers spontaneity.

  Sam: "I think it's a gift according to a universal truth."

  Bridger concedes with a humorous acknowledgment of his initial misjudgment.

Second Round:

• Listener Meg's Question [69:34]: "Green bell peppers."

  Bridger confidently declares green bell peppers as a gift, praising their versatility and health benefits.

  Bridger [70:06]: "They taste healthy. They taste good. I don't mind cutting them up..."

Sam concurs, adding his preference for raw green bell peppers for their crunch and flavor profile.

Third Round:

• Unknown Listener's Question [72:16]: "The person you dislike at work discovering your favorite podcast."

  Both hosts agree it's a curse, acknowledging the awkwardness and potential for strained interactions.

  Bridger [72:18]: "I think it's a curse..."

  Sam reinforces the sentiment, emphasizing the discomfort of shared dislikes.

Reflections on Aging and Pop Culture

Bridger and Sam muse about aging, pop culture references, and Bridger's admiration for classic actors like Telly Savalas. Bridger reflects on his age and the changes it brings, juxtaposed with his love for timeless characters and shows.

Bridger [62:54]: "I always had a solid background. And I have this history and heritage there, which I don't... I have a big extended family."

Sam adds humor by comparing Bridger to ageless figures in pop culture, further enriching their banter with nostalgic references.

Navigating Family and Relationships

The hosts discuss family ties, Bridger's large family structure, and the importance of familial support. Bridger highlights the strength he derives from his extended family, despite living apart from some siblings.

Bridger [22:57]: "I have every single little notep. Fatty thing... in a very small house and it is filled with stationery at this point."

Their conversation touches on the balance between personal struggles and the unwavering support from loved ones, underscoring the themes of resilience and community.

Closing Thoughts: Embracing Imperfections

As the episode winds down, Bridger and Sam share final thoughts on personal growth, the importance of embracing one's flaws, and the joy of connecting over shared experiences—even when they diverge. Bridger reiterates his stance on gifts, blending humor with heartfelt sincerity.

Bridger [87:55]: "When you're a guest in my home, you gotta come to me empty handed. Your presence is present enough."

Sam adds a final nod to their camaraderie, reinforcing the episode's blend of comedy, introspection, and genuine connection.

Sam Pancake [86:24]: "Thank you for being here."

Notable Quotes:

• Bridger [07:55]: "For 12 and a half years I've never luckily all the depression I thought I had stopped when I stopped drinking a gallon of depressant a day."
• Sam [11:14]: "I have what's known as a paradoxical effect to it, which is it doesn't put me to sleep. It wakes me up."
• Bridger [54:46]: "The doctor was like, you have celiacs... it was the last thing I expected."
• Sam [72:31]: "I think it's a curse, because then they want to talk to you more about it."

---

Conclusion: In this episode of "I Said No Gifts!", Bridger Winegar and Sam Pancake deliver a rich tapestry of humor, personal revelations, and insightful banter. From Bridger's candid discussions about his past and health struggles to their entertaining "Gift or Curse" game, the episode offers listeners a blend of laughter and heartfelt moments. The hosts' chemistry shines through, making it a compelling listen for both regular followers and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is exactly right. Where'd you get those shoes? Easy.

[Sam Pancake]

They're from dsw. Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make office hours feel like happy hour, the boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The many sides of you, from daydreamer.

[Sam Pancake]

To multitasker, and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for forever you at.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Your DSW store or dsw.com this message comes from Greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest.

[Sam Pancake]

With your guardrails in place.

[Bridger Weiniger]

With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight.

[Sam Pancake]

Get started risk [e-mail] iheart hey, it's.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Spring is here, which means it's time to do some spring cleaning. Because a clean home is a happy Home now. Through March 25th. Shop in store or online and get great savings on all your spring cleaning essentials like Windex glass cleaner, Lysol disinfectant, spray scrubbing Bubbles, bathroom cleaner and Febreze fabric Refresher. Hurry in before those deals are gone. Offer ends March 25. Promotions. May VAR restrictions apply. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Bridger Weiniger]

When I invited you here, I thought I made myself perfectly clear. When you're a guest in my home, you gotta come to me empty handed. I said no gifts. Presence is presence enough. And I already had too much stuff, so how do you dare disobey me?

[Sam Pancake]

Welcome to I said no gifts. I'm Bridger Weiniger. We are in the backyard the first time since everything burned down. What's going on? I woke up pretty early this morning. I had plenty of time to get a lot of things done and I simply chose not to. So the day just wasted. I did get a haircut. The other the thing I actually wanted to talk about is a recent realization I had that when people on the Internet are saying Happy heavenly Birthday. Until maybe two weeks ago, I thought that meant the day they died. I thought that meant we and I. Now that I've realized it just means their birthday. It's all so clear to me. Why would people be celebrating the day the person died. But I hope that everyone can see where I'm coming from. It does seem kind of like happy birthday in heaven, like the first time you got to heaven. So I can't be blamed, but I will do better moving forward. That's it. It's nighttime, it's dark. And our guest is wonderful. I adore him. It's Sam Pancake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Hello, Bridger.

[Sam Pancake]

Sam, welcome to I said no gifts, Bridger.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Thank you for having me. I'm happy to be here.

[Sam Pancake]

I'm happy to have you here.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't think I've ever done a podcast outdoors at night and in such a lush, tropical, beautiful setting.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, it's when you first started describing that it was getting more and more dangerous. I haven't done one outside at night.

[Bridger Weiniger]

At night in a jungle type atmosphere where there seemed to be fanged creatures about and I didn't feel safe and something was. There was a weird smell. Other than that, I feel perfectly at home. It's funny you say about a happy. It's going to be. There's a reason I'm off and I'll talk about it later. Even though I swore to myself I took a sacred vow on the autobiography of Jennifer Lewis, Jennifer with one N. Lewis, who is my goddess, that I would not talk about drugs or sex on this. But I. Who will?

[Sam Pancake]

We're going to get into it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We will. Okay. So I grew up in a very small town in West Virginia, very, as you can imagine. Now Sally are Christian conservative and the best page in the newspaper, Hampshire Review is the page of all the like, local things about lordy, Lordy Dumpy's 40, you know, here comes Shirl early. She's too early. She's looking nifty for 50 and like, come on down to the ramp feed.

[Sam Pancake]

She's too early.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A premature birth that I just came outta my mouth. I don't know. But that's what we're gonna do with that because also I was looking at it one time physically, and I noticed this family woman had posted like, we're having a birthday, like 10th birthday for little Lurleen in the Ebenezer Cemetery. And I was like, oh, it was like a public invite.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh my God.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I said, I, I was like looking, I was like, that's. Well, I mean people can be poverty ridden. It's a big open space, balloons in a tree. Bring a little goth maybe. Let's do it. Just come on down, you know. And then there was like, there'll be a ceramic birthday cake. I was like, well, that's cruel to not let Lurleen eat a cake. And then it slowly washed over me that she was dead.

[Sam Pancake]

That is a dark, dark situation in my brain.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Maybe I cooked it up, but there was a photo of the cake like a.

[Sam Pancake]

That's a step too far for everyone.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It was so at the time we're rolling with laughter. But then later in life as I've gotten a tiny bit more empathetic I was like, oh, how tragic and sad.

[Sam Pancake]

Mathers doing that RIP Lurleen.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. I'm not going to say the real name. Mother is probably pronounceable by an educated tongue.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm very angry with a lot of people in my hometown and county today. In particular today for just the last couple of months.

[Sam Pancake]

I can't imagine why.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No reason.

[Sam Pancake]

I have a similar feeling.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I imagine you do.

[Sam Pancake]

But at least egg prices are rock bottom and we are all employed.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I went to Trader Joe's today not an egg in sight. They've even given up pretending there's an egg section. There were no labels like sorry, next week gone. It was filled with milk. The one of the usc.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, you're kidding.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Completely gone. Like egg free store.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh that sounds like a new category.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Of gluten free environment. Egg free store.

[Sam Pancake]

People not see an egg in our store. You're safe.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Finally this is gon well try to make a ceramic cake. You can do that Lurleen is expecting. Unless you're putting an egg wash on your ceramic birthday. Dead balloons. Good luck America.

[Sam Pancake]

Good luck to all of us. God bless.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Terrified. Speaking of that I finally and I was sharing a little of this with Annelise earlier. So I have been and just forgive me people who have heard my four big stories of my life. I'm sober. I have celiac disease. I grew up in a haunted man mansion in the south and I'm from a big fan whatever. You know I was on Friends twice It's all the boring stories. The top five.

[Sam Pancake]

Celiac disease is one of your top five stories.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So so interesting is the point but my so for 12 and a half years I've never luckily all the depression I thought I had stopped when I stopped drinking a gallon of depressant a day.

[Sam Pancake]

Sure. And don't know how that adds up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But sure taking it unprescribed pills by the fistful but I was like oh I'm fine. I don't clinical depression and I'm gonna be okay until recently where I finally and you learn little by little that everyone is you know on something like of course, you know, Great, good. Thank God. I mean, Sylvia Plath wouldn't have put her head in the oven if we'd had Lexapro in 62.

[Sam Pancake]

Absolutely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So I finally two weeks ago said to my doctor, my therapist, who's I've been with 10 years, I'm like, enough with my sobriety heroics, I need to get enough prescription.

[Sam Pancake]

Sure, sure.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So they put me on something very mild, Trazodone, which it turns out every third person I know is on. Which you bring. Including people in my family. And so we're figuring it out.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, I'm on Wellbutrin.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, good, good.

[Sam Pancake]

But I'm not familiar with Trazodon.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Trazodone, which I of course keep calling Jazodome.

[Sam Pancake]

Enter the Trazodome.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's where Tina Turner is. Yes, of course. Auntie entity. It's. I knew it from when I did first check into. It's hilarious. Yeah. Into the detox war and then rehab in 2012. Obama was president at least. But June, there things about the past. There are. And I knew the people there who. Because you can take prescribed medications. I don't know why I held out for so long. It was just some. It's just me being willful in a bad way. You could have Trazodone because it's non narcotic and non addictive.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, sure, sure.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's used for sleep and for anxiety, depression, which I did. I knew I have lots of anxiety, but I was managing it pretty well. So I thought. But the depression, after all the events of the last two years, including the last few months, I got to the point where I was like, I can't do it anymore.

[Sam Pancake]

Of course they gave it to me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

For sleep, but it's working better for anxiety and depression. And we're figuring out the dose. And last night I got a little too much in me. Only two pills, the doctor said. I went to see the gp, who I have a new doctor and I really like him. That's all I'm gonna say. And he was like, yeah, just, you know, see what's going on. So I had a very interesting day.

[Sam Pancake]

And did you sleep like a rock last night?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Did I slept really well.

[Sam Pancake]

And you dream?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I do dream. I dream. They're good, they're solid, they're not nightmares and they're not unlike my dreams before. So that's interesting.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh yeah. A new take on dreams.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, what I was doing before is to manage my sleep. Was every trick in the book from no screens to like regulating my meals and then taking Benadryl or Melatonin. And Benadryl was new in the mix last year. It was giving me a weird, like, depression in the morning.

[Sam Pancake]

The Benadryl was.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, Well, I was sort of. God, I was waking up like, I want to. I'm a failure. I've done everything wrong. I did. I wake up.

[Sam Pancake]

You don't need to tell. Everybody knows that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Everybody. Well, that's true. I want everyone to know that. I finally knew it.

[Sam Pancake]

You finally came to this, Finally.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Thanks. Benadryl. No allergies, but now I know I should jump in front of an oil truck, so. And I said to my therapist, like, this is Benadils giving me depression. He was like, he's super. He's beyond therapist smart. He's like, he's weirdly smart.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And all this stuff about medicine, he's like, that is absolutely not a side effect of Benadryl. And I'm like, welcome to me pancake as box. Like Pandora's box. Oh, there's feeling that for myself.

[Sam Pancake]

I have a weird reaction to Benadryl.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What do you do?

[Sam Pancake]

I have. And I've told this. This is one of my top five stories.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Can't wait.

[Sam Pancake]

I have what's known as a paradoxical effect to it, which is it doesn't put me to sleep. It wakes me up. So I was my first writing job. I was so nervous. I felt like I was like, I need to be able to sleep at night. But I was having a hard time. So someone said, take Benadryl, I take Benadryl. And then I was awake for at least 36 hours.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wow.

[Sam Pancake]

Nightmare. Absolute hell.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And you were taking the nighttime, calm down version.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes. The one that's not like, whatever.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So that's like when they. Sometimes you give a child coffee, which. When am I not? And they go to sleep.

[Sam Pancake]

Coffee kind of does that for me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

Coffee doesn't keep me up. I mean, it just makes me feel better, which I think can lull me into, like, feeling nice.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A false sense of security.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Things are good.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, you. What's going on in that Mormon blood over there, ginger boy?

[Sam Pancake]

That's a great question. I think that it's just a different category altogether. The chemicals are just.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Do you know if anyone in your. How many siblings you have?

[Sam Pancake]

3.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And do you like them?

[Sam Pancake]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. Well, that could have. I could have gone wrong or. You're a good actor. Don't ask me that question.

[Sam Pancake]

No, I love them. I love them.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Good.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes. I have two older brothers and a younger sister.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, great. We can do this another time. But I'm interested about your journey to writing in Hollywood. No.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, sure, but whatever you feel like talking about.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm just. I'm curious about people, and I know I run my mouth. I keep looking at Annaliese because I want her to join in.

[Sam Pancake]

Anneliese is making a lot of threatening gestures. Cut it out. Stop it, Sam.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Scissor scissors.

[Sam Pancake]

Wrap it up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Razor neck. I said to my. I say to my therapist. I'm like, your turn. I did it to my gp. My new gp. My new cute GP last week. I just was. Yeah. Well, the way the lady I had before was. And I found. I'm realizing this more now with the new gp. She was really, really inappropriate in a lot of ways. Oh, yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Can we talk about it?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. I don't know. You could look it up, I guess. I don't want to get her in trouble.

[Sam Pancake]

Wait, no, no, no, no, no.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Can you look it up? No, not that I know it.

[Sam Pancake]

There was a Vulture article.

[Bridger Weiniger]

There's a Vulture article. The cut. So then, no, I will just. I won't get into it. But the new. One of the things I did on purpose where she, this old doctor, suddenly was like, she's no longer with us now.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, boy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But older to the degree. She. But she said things to me, including like, oh, yeah, Love you people. She also. And this is another one of my stories, sorry if you heard it before, but I was working on a show. I'm not gonna say it was one of the showrunners. Female. We got to talking, and we realized we had her in common, this doctor and the showrunner. And, you know, you have to have some balls and guts and ovaries to run a show. Ideally.

[Sam Pancake]

Ideally, yes. Absolutely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But she was like. She made me cry.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, my God. What was this doctor doing?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Because I. You think Maybe I thought it was just toward gay people, but she. I'll tell you later, because some of it gets real intimate. But the new doctor who is under the category of LGBTQ champions.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, sure.

[Bridger Weiniger]

On the UCLA Health. Ucla.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, I didn't know they had that category.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, I think it's new. And I picked him, and he's great, and I would not try to purport what his story is, but, like, you know, in terms of his background. But I think, you know, he. He. He gets it, let's just say. And he was telling him the things that she did to me or wanted me to do, etc. He was like, no, no, no. Wow. Jumping through a lot of hoops to be on prep. Like, as if being on prep was some sort of like, emergency.

[Sam Pancake]

Of course. Of course you know that those doctors are out there probably more in more abundance than you would expect in different areas of the country.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Completely.

[Sam Pancake]

Can you imagine?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. I can't. And it's sad, awful. So I'm lucky to have him. I'm grateful for him. I'm sorry. More back to you.

[Sam Pancake]

Can the guest refocus the podcast on me?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I hate talking about myself.

[Sam Pancake]

I'm so tired of you stealing the spotlight.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You probably sensed I hate attention. I also want to apologize to everyone because I am way more casual. I usually don't leave the house in sweats except for go to the gym, but I think it's the medicine.

[Sam Pancake]

Good look.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't hate it. So I didn't change. And I. I think this medicine is making me have less costume changes a day.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, that's nice.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. I will put on a. It probably is not a good look. It's probably just. I. I just like to look a certain way, going certain places. Even back in the days where we did auditions in person. Like if I had to put a suit on for an audition and go about my day in that suit, I felt like a fraud.

[Sam Pancake]

Right. Of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I felt like an old.

[Sam Pancake]

It makes no sense uptight white man.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Which I only am. I'm only that to a degree. So you're from Mormonland?

[Sam Pancake]

I'm from Mormonland, usa.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I had to go to Salt Lake City in the spring.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, what were you doing there?

[Bridger Weiniger]

There was a work thing I had to do.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I stayed at a very big hotel that I did not like.

[Sam Pancake]

Was it the Grand America?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sure was.

[Sam Pancake]

That's the only hotel that anyone ever stays at. What was the problem with it?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I just.

[Sam Pancake]

It was a.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It was a work trip that my friend and I were on this little tour for this book that she wrote. Or you can look at my Instagram.

[Sam Pancake]

And we are nosy listener.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We are dear friends and we a great time.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And we got to stay in a lot of really nice hotels. And then we got to Salt Lake, big town. Because I was even. Can I say I was like, it's. I thought it would be bigger. Salt Lake City.

[Sam Pancake]

Salt Lake is not that big of a city.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No. And it's the city's in the title, so they need to rewrite that. I was like. I think I was really jet lagged and angry in the altitude and everyone in Salt Lake. I'm so sorry. But just pretend that I'M saying this with love. I was like Salt Lake City. More like Salt Lake Town. But here's the thing. I'll never go there again. I love Red Iguana.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, delicious.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The nachos of your dreams. I ended up loving Salt Lake City. We met so many great people. The theater just like wonderful people. I'm being sincere. I really am.

[Sam Pancake]

You're backpedaling at a million miles an hour.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And it's hilly around here. Watch out. But I was, I thought it was like bigger. I don't know why.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And it's beautiful. Like the mountains ring it with a snow capped feet.

[Sam Pancake]

It's really a beautiful place. I think it takes people by surprise.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. Because it is kind of in a bowl too.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes. And you also go in with so many preconceived notions.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You do.

[Sam Pancake]

And a lot of them justified. And you get there and it's a nice city. It is surrounded by nice mountains.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's just more casual and more. Less like we had just been to like Chicago, you know, and Dallas and, and New York and Philadelphia. So it was more. It's like a big. Why western city?

[Sam Pancake]

You know, it's a. I mean, compared to Chicago, it's a country mouse.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It is.

[Sam Pancake]

But if you compare it to say a Denver, a Boise.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, I've not been to Boise. I've been to Ketchum. It's in Idaho.

[Sam Pancake]

Ketchum, Idaho.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Remember when that's the town that. No, it was Hadley, near Ketchum. The Demi Moore and Bruce Willis bot. Remember?

[Sam Pancake]

Lot of rich people in Idaho.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Sun Valley, Ketchup.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. They're buying big pieces of property, riding their horses.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A river runs through it.

[Sam Pancake]

River absolutely runs through it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

But I do now, not living in Salt Lake. I really appreciate it, going back. Those mountains, they meant nothing to me my entire childhood because they were just always there.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You were born there?

[Sam Pancake]

I was born there, yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's me in the mountains of West Virginia where I was born in southern Virginia. But both of my mother and father's families are from West Virginia. And that's where the pancakes have been from since the 1700s. And so. And the mountains are so beautiful and it's visually so beautiful. And I completely took it for granted.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. Then you go back for the first time as an adult and you think, oh my God, what am I looking at?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, it's stunning.

[Sam Pancake]

It's a completely different thing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. It was, I just wanted to. It was a big outdoorsy, sportsy, hunting, fishing, camping, athletics, horses, all that childhood gardening, you know.

[Sam Pancake]

Canoeing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Canoeing. Lots of canoeing.

[Sam Pancake]

Canoeing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

All the canoeing and kayaking and all that. But then it was just. I was like, I want to be in the city.

[Sam Pancake]

Of course. Did you participate in any of the outdoor activities?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes, well, we were forced to.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, but did you enjoy any of the ones you were forced to do?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I am now grateful that I know how to. That I. I mean, I'm super rusty on it, but I was the oldest son, and my dad, who I'm named after, did his. This is. He's been dead for a while now. So you do look. You do honestly look back with more love and empathy and understanding and. And he. He did his best with me.

[Sam Pancake]

Sure.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And he. They had six kids. And my father later was, I didn't want all you kids, but your mother just had to have you. And he. If I had been my brothers who did. Who were athletic and who did like to hunt. And I hunted. And I remember shooting my first squirrel and being like, why? I just felt bad about it. No, I ate it. I eat meat still. But I loved canoeing, camping. I was like, we live in the country. Why are we driving up to our farm up the river to lay on the ground on a little redundant. Yeah. But we had 4H. You probably had 4H.

[Sam Pancake]

We had a 4H club. Yes. And there was the very specific cowboys who were in the club.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, because you were western. Yeah, we were. We were lots of farmers and we raised people. Raised pigs and stuff. But I. I liked. I loved 4H Camp, and I liked horses. I liked riding horses. That was fun.

[Sam Pancake]

You really had the whole experience then.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I did. We did. We grew up in a big old place that my dad grew up into outside of town, and then we had this big pancake family farm up the river. So it was. Yeah, it's. Now it's. Lots of mixed feelings because of the political situation, but a lot of it's. It's something that I take for granted. And I think it's why I never really feel lonely is because I have not just five brothers and sisters and my mom is still alive. I have lots of. I have a big extended family. And I always. We always had lots of friends and everything. So I know that's there for me. And I have this history and heritage there, which I. I don't. I think I'd probably be even more insecure and more of a mess if I didn't know I had that solid background.

[Sam Pancake]

Of course. Is your family all still there?

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, my mom's still there. One of my brothers. A lot of my cousins on the pancake side are there, but my four other siblings are in. I have a sister here in la, a brother in Philadelphia, a brother in Pittsburgh, and a sister outside of Morgantown, West Virginia, because she was a professor at wv.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So she's. She's retired now.

[Sam Pancake]

And you guys are all. You're. You enjoy each other.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We. It's. It's. That's. I'm not going in there, but for the most part, yes, I. We love them all.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I get along with them all. We're all on the same page politically, which is pretty.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, that's a huge thing for a family.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I. I have lots of people in my family that I love a lot. And. And I'm. It's one of those things with. Again, maybe it's the meds, but I'm like, oh, I'm pretty fortunate with that. And I love. Yeah. I have. My siblings are. I'm really grateful for them.

[Sam Pancake]

That's terrific. Well, I don't want to talk about your siblings anymore. I have no interest. There's something else I need to talk to you about.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, what? Your beautiful home. Follow me.

[Sam Pancake]

You've got to see the bathroom. There's something I want to talk to you about. I was really excited to have you here today.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Thank you. I was excited to come.

[Sam Pancake]

Or tonight, rather. That's. Maintain the reality for the listener.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They can see it.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. I was looking forward to it. I thought, Sam is incredible. We'll have a lovely time.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Thank you.

[Sam Pancake]

And then I'll send him on his way. So I was a little surprised. The podcast is called I said no Gifts, and you were very well aware of that, as far as I know. I know emails have been exchanged. I know that Annelise is using the title of the podcast. Unless that's something that they've changed recently.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You never know what's going to come out of Anneliese.

[Sam Pancake]

No, Annalise is a wild card.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You let me know when I can speak up for myself. When I get to say my piece, I'll say it now. I'm a. Well, I'm a Southern gentleman. And one never enters a home without a little something in one's hand. A little bread and butter. Present at La Niapp. A hostess gift. Bridget, Maria, Divina, Victoria Whininger, Bridgie, Whiny.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, that feels like a. Okay, I'm fully accepting that rationale. How can I deny that? You did. You kind of stomped into the backyard holding. Not I would not describe as little a gift that is.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, thinking about me, I'm like, thank you. Oh, the gift.

[Sam Pancake]

The gift, I would say is one of our bigger gifts that has come to this podcast.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, if you're going to disobey, disobey fervently, emphatically and largely.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, should we open it here on the podcast?

[Bridger Weiniger]

You tell me.

[Sam Pancake]

I'm happy to. I'm in a good mood.

[D]

During tax season, your sensitive info does a lot of traveling to places you can't control, stopping off at payroll, your accountant or tax preparer, and countless other data centers on its way to the irs. Any of them can expose you to identity theft because they all have the info on your W2. Just the ticket for criminals to steal your identity. No wonder the IRS reported tax fraud due to identity theft. Went up 20% last year. You need Lifelock. They monitor millions of data points per second and alert you to threats you could miss. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by the million dollar protection package and restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't let identity thieves take you for a ride. Get Lifelock protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off terms apply.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Get this Adults with financial literacy skills have 82% more wealth than those who don't. From swimming lessons to piano classes, us parents invest in so many things to.

[Sam Pancake]

Enrich our kids lives.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But are we investing in their future financial success?

[Sam Pancake]

With Greenlight, you can teach your kids.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Financial literacy skills like earning, saving and investing.

[Sam Pancake]

And this investment costs less than that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

After school treat Start prioritizing their financial education and future today with a risk free [e-mail] iheart greenlight.com iheart hey it's.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Stock up sale is on now, which means you can save big on all your favorite essentials throughout the store. Stock up on participating items and earn four times points to redeem for your discounts on groceries or gas. Now through March 25th. Save by shopping in store or online for participating items from your favorite brands like Pampers, Dove, Band Aid, Playtex and Premier protein offer ends March 25th. Promotions may vary. Restrictions apply. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Sam Pancake]

Let me grab it here. It's. It's large.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Why don't I get it?

[Sam Pancake]

No, I'm the host. Here, let me. You don't. Don't you lift a finger. This is unbelievable. It's the size of a. I would say a picture frame a lot. Not a small, but a large, I don't know, two feet by three feet.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sure. Possibly four.

[Sam Pancake]

Possibly four. And it's wrapped in this very stylish gift wrap.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I want you to know that I'm currently without staff, so I did that myself, and I am not good at it.

[Sam Pancake]

You did a better job. I mean, if I had done this, it would not have come together. This looks lovely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, you didn't have singles living class in 10th grade, which was home ec for co edhomec, where you had to learn, among other things, how to make a chocolate covered peanut butter ball and how to wrap a gift.

[Sam Pancake]

We did learn how to make the chocolate covered peanut butter bowl. The. No. Bake cookies. Yes. We just had a home ec.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, they. I think because of the, you know, the outrageous misogyny and sexism that they had to call it not home ec because boys were in this class. Singles living. How to like singles living.

[Sam Pancake]

Ish. On your funnel. Our best named class was Tech 2000.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, wow. The computer in the year. Like you guys won't believe it's gonna happen.

[Sam Pancake]

I don't know why they. As they came closer to the year 2000, they didn't update that. Just. Just throw a three in place of the two.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Let's say they didn't change 20th Century Fox. They're like, we're sticking in the old days. We're gonna change all them logos. Shall I hold it?

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, you tell me. Because this is. I mean, I haven't unwrapped something like this on the podcast before. Oh, so you direct how I should open it?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, you can open it. Let me feel something.

[Sam Pancake]

And it's so beautifully wrapped.

[Bridger Weiniger]

If you.

[Sam Pancake]

If. Should I open this little.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, that's just a little extra garnish.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm taking off the garnish because I'm fine. Fun.

[Sam Pancake]

And then should I.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You just keep going. I'm gonna hold. Hold it solidly while you rip, rip, rip.

[Sam Pancake]

I don't like to tear up the paper, you know.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, okay.

[Sam Pancake]

You know, I want to show some respect to the job you did.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It is expensive, this. Yes, I do have a supply of wrap. I'm no Candy Spelling anybody, but I do have a supply of wrapping.

[Sam Pancake]

Does the gift wrapping room still exist? Do we know?

[Bridger Weiniger]

In my house.

[Sam Pancake]

No longer at Candy Spellings.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, that's a good question.

[Sam Pancake]

Somebody should do A look into that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, I can't imagine she still lives there.

[Sam Pancake]

Does she still live?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. She's still alive.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, I don't know.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, Tori's alive. Tori's still alive. I have to imagine she carries the tradition on with a gift wrapping room.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, they. I remember they were. They were famously estranged.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh. Over the gift wrap room. Alive.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Candy.

[Sam Pancake]

Candy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Reach out some old candy.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, we're opening. We're opening.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm gonna help you. You.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay? And I'm on the other side of whatever this is, so I haven't. I haven't seen it yet. So this is kind of actually a fun video visual.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I've never been more excited. I'm excited on a mountainside in my life.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, my God. Wait, who is this? This is a giant photo of a shirtless man smiling in a swimming pool. Who is this?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Annalise? Do you know who that. At first, I thought it was Joe Rogan, but. Oh, now I want to burn it. I mean, hooray for everyone. Don't kill me. It didn't occur to my ancient old, the oldest Gen X possible ass that you might not know who that is. Who is it? It's Telly Savalas TV's Kojak. He is getting out of a pool. I have always been very much lustful for him.

[Sam Pancake]

He's very good looking.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, he. Look, do you. Do you know Kojak at all? Do you?

[Sam Pancake]

I am familiar with the title of Kojak, and I always mix it up with the Stephen K Dog movie, Cujo.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Cujo. Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

I've seen neither.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I have a. This is. You know, I've never seen Cujo, even though my pal Danny Pintaro is in it, because I don't. I love dogs, and that freaked me out.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And you know what the story is?

[Sam Pancake]

It's just about. I mean, it's not just about a demon dog.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What's the dog? Who's. Who's rabies?

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, that's it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's their dog. And they're trapped in the car in the heat. And the kid. This is not the original, but one of the early pioneers of, like, the boy needs his inhaler or his diabetes.

[Sam Pancake]

He needs his rabies shot.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He says, rap. He's going to. Breaks a window.

[Sam Pancake]

I was terrified of rabies as a kid, so this would have killed me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But you grew up in the country, right?

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. There was, like, this feeling of, like, if a mouse bites me, I'm going to get rabies and die like a pioneer.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Did you ever get bit by Snake.

[Sam Pancake]

No.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

Did you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, a little bit. Not. Not poisonous. I've killed. I've killed copperheads with a garden hoe. It was like that. It was like that. We had, like, a barn. Barn. And.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow. Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Telly Savalas is a Greek American actor.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Who it was. Kojak was a detective, and he always just had a lollipop.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Catchphrase was who loves you, baby? I think. Google it, please. I would. I would like to announce that this is a re. Gift.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. This is a re gift.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I mean, you don't want any tacky, tacky, tacky, tacky or valuable recycling to save the planet. Do you know Sarah Thier?

[Sam Pancake]

Yes, of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sarah was moving out of that house because she.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Divorced.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And she had this amazing yard garage sale in Ros Hernandez.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I went over. Yes. Come best my best friend and come over and get stuff. And she. I bought this from her.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And so I was. It's. We have. You'll come over. I wish I had a giant, big number birthday this year. And I wish I'd known you better. I would have invited both of you.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, God. But we have 10 years from now. Another.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. Well, fingers crossed. Or not.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, your Last birthday was 90, so we are waiting. We're hoping you get to 100.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Or you can just bring ceramic cake to the forest lawn.

[Sam Pancake]

I will lead the charge.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I want a ceramic cheesecake from juniors in New York. Why? What is that. Who's that lady coming out of me anyway? I love this. So if you're just gonna. If you're gonna re Gift it.

[Sam Pancake]

This will not be re gifted.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, good.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, so now you've put me in a compromised position, Sam, because it seems like you kind of want it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, no, I. I took a. The good news about today's society is I took a photo of it before I wrapped it.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But we have a big garage at our place, which is like sort of a music room and sort of a cool rumpus room 70 rock and roll thing. Slash lots of. Now, it's a lot of storage stuff, but, like, it's chock a block full with all kinds of posters and stuff, and it's time to.

[Sam Pancake]

To say goodbye to someone.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So I thinned telly. I mean, I don't imagine having a house anytime soon or ever where I could have the space to hang that. You clearly do. I'm looking at a giant white wall behind Annalise.

[Sam Pancake]

I'm gonna hang this in my backyard.

[Bridger Weiniger]

God, I'd hang it over my bed, frankly. But you know what? Guess what? Hold this microphone. Oh, no, I'll hold it. Because that's not all.

[Sam Pancake]

There's more.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, also, Sarah, when we got these, she's like. Just so you know, I have. No, I'm fine with you if you re gifting it.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I'm not even going to go through the pretense of.

[Sam Pancake]

Where was Sarah hanging this? In her home?

[Bridger Weiniger]

It was in like a. In her old home. It was like in a. I don't know, because it was down by them, but I think in one of the. Like the pool house, maybe, or the garage.

[Sam Pancake]

That makes sense. This is kind of near the pool or a fun area.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, he's in the pool.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes, he's.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Frankly, I wish the camera would pan down.

[Sam Pancake]

I know. This is a. I guess. Well, they got. There's zero headroom, I guess, that torso just.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, God, he's hot. Do you. Well, he's also famously on the Twilight Zone episode Talking Tina, the Talking Doll.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, wow. Is he.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He's the dad, I think.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, he's a dad.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Wait, was this Twilight zone in the 60s?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, yeah, early 60s, black and white.

[Sam Pancake]

How old was he in Cujo?

[Bridger Weiniger]

He's in co. He was not in.

[Sam Pancake]

What am I telling you?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, you know, when you're little, in the 70s or now, and people who are in their 30s or 40s seem old. Old. Everyone's like an old person. And so he was also. Shaved head, bald guy. So he seemed older, but I don't know. Probably only in his 40s. Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, yeah. And I guess in the 60s, the dads were like, in their 20s.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Exactly. Yes, yes. So. So I also. Do you know Battle of the Network Stars? Do you remember that?

[Sam Pancake]

No. I like the sound of this.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Do yourself a favor. Tonight, while you're pleasuring yourself, Google Battle the Network Stars Swimming competition. Ladies and gentlemen, no matter whom you are or what you are, you know, casting your eyes upon sex. Like skinny. I mean, not. Not skinny people or all sizes, but like thin layers of. Of latex fabric. Over. Ladies and gentlemen, the Charlie's Angels. The eight is enough. The Scott B. Sorry. Like just swimming and jumping and.

[Sam Pancake]

So it was like Olympics for series regulars.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, it was. That's exactly. What. Do you not know the. Oh, you've got to watch it. Tom Selleck in a Speedo.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, my God.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't know what your situation is or if this is your wife over here, but I'm gay, all right?

[Sam Pancake]

I am straight as a.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You better be More. More man. The more a man, the better.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest. For Albertsons and Safeway, spring is here, which means it's time to do some spring cleaning. Because a clean home is a happy home. Now through March 25, shop in store or online and get great savings on all your spring cleaning essentials like Windex Glass Cleaner, Lysol Disinfectant, Spray Scrubbing Bubbles, Bathroom Cleaner, and Febreze Fabric Refresher. Hurry in before those deals are gone. Offer ends March 25. Promotions may vary. Restrictions apply. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Dreaming of hydrated skin amidst these dry winter months? DAIM offers clean Master Esthetician crafted skin care products that deeply nourish, protect and hydrate. Their formulas, made with clean ingredients, lock in moisture for skin that stays soft, smooth, and radiant all season long. Hydration starts with Dime's best selling hyaluronic acid serum, delivering deep moisture where your skin craves it. Mostly, this lightweight, fast absorbing serum helps quench dryness, plump skin, and boost elasticity from the inside out. Once your skin is prepped with the serum, seal in all that hydration with their Dewy Day Cream, a rich, luxurious moisturizer designed to provide all day softness and lasting glow together, this powerful duo keeps your skin smooth, supple and luminous even in the harshest weather. Shop the duo [e-mail] that's dimebeauty co.com and get the hydrated skin of your dreams. Clorox Sentiva.

[D]

Smells like grapefruit, cleans like Clorox, and feels like yay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, we could be here all day. Try Clorox Sentiva for a trusted clean with long lasting freshness. Also available in lavender and coconut. Use as directed. You said no gifts for you, but is there any rule about bringing gifts for your gentleman friend?

[Sam Pancake]

There could be.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. But there's a caveat for this. You cannot tell Sally Struthers.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, I'm gonna open this up. I'm. Do you know what I'm gonna do with the. And we're gonna come back to the picture. Of course, but it's been leaning against me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Why don't I take it from you?

[Sam Pancake]

No, don't lift a finger.

[Bridger Weiniger]

All right. Oh, oh, oh, oh. You probably could reuse this, too. I really did a solid by you. I've given you all sorts of things.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Now we're back and. Okay, you want me to open this one? Now, this is a smaller item. This is more the size of a book, so I'm going To open this up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's not for you.

[Sam Pancake]

It's not for me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I'm hoping that I know the name of your partner.

[Sam Pancake]

It's Candace.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Candice. Candace Spelling.

[Sam Pancake]

I was being very coy when I brought her up. Is she still alive? Is my wife still alive?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Does anyone know?

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Okay. This is like a. Okay, wait. It's some sort of paper. Oh, and it has an S for. Yeah. Oh, my God. This is so sweet.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, this is also a re. Gift.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And like I said, don't tell Sally Struthers, because when I had this big birthday party, Sally Struthers was there. Of course I love her. She's a delight. We had worked together before. We have friends in common. It's one of those dreams where you're like, I'm gonna be friends with Sally Strothers one day.

[Sam Pancake]

She's like, now this is just part of my life.

[Bridger Weiniger]

One day I'm shooting a squirrel in the face. The next day, Sally Strothers and me are on Gilmore Girls.

[Sam Pancake]

It's a natural journey.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Reimagined or whatever that thing was called. She gave me this box. She brought it up the stairs at our house. I can't believe she could lift it. It was filled with stationery with S's.

[Sam Pancake]

On it of Sally Struthers Stationery, I think.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So now I'm an S. My name is Sam Pancake. Joseph Samuel Pancake iii. If you're really gonna try to, you know, steal my identity, good luck. No one wants it. But she brought me so much. Great. S Logoed the monogram. It's not a monogram. I don't think. If it's just one letter.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, this is.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This young Bridger is from a block like that. Wow.

[Sam Pancake]

That much paper.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I was like, I bet no one brings Jim. Mr. Smagula. Right?

[Sam Pancake]

I seem to love this. Yeah. So he can write on it. Write letters? Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Instead of, like, doing direct communication past the cross.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. This is going to lead to a lot of irritating behavior.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Also, doesn't he have a good. Doesn't he have a mustache?

[Sam Pancake]

He does have a mustache.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Paper. I'm a thoughtful gift.

[Sam Pancake]

It's really all coming together.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm different than these other people. People.

[Sam Pancake]

It's all coming together around my boyfriend rather than me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Where is he, by the way? Didn't wear these gray flannel sweats for nothing. I'm wearing panties. Don't worry.

[Sam Pancake]

Turn off the lights.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Click.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, this is wonderful. So you have a bunch of other S labeled stuff.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. I don't Know how I'm gonna. What I'm gonna do with it? Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

What? Because like this could last for the rest of a lifetime. Just this one piece, this one notebook.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What was I. I'm not complaining. I'm delighted. I'm excited, I'm caring. I'm glad I have it. But what was I to do with all that?

[Sam Pancake]

Right. Other than regift to all the yeses in your life.

[Bridger Weiniger]

There's like stationary.

[Sam Pancake]

Have you started using any of it?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

What do you use it for?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Grocery. I'll write a thank you note.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, that's good. There we go.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I also from all these hotels I've been to, from mostly from work. Like as I've said to my friend, I'm sp. I'm so such a spoiled little on other people's dimes in terms of travel and hotels.

[Sam Pancake]

That's the best feeling in the world.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But I have every single little notep. Fatty thing. Oh, to the degree that it's getting, you know.

[Sam Pancake]

Where are you keeping all of this?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, I have a system. I have the system. I live in a very small house and it is filled with stationery at this point. I have these little. I bought these little like carrying like. I think they're for arts and crafts and they have all these little pockets and slots and you have like this one slot is all. Has the notepads in it and one has like stickers in it and I'm that gal.

[Sam Pancake]

And are you writing letters? Are you mailing things or is just thank you notes and the occasional thank you notes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I do Chris Christmas cards. I do. I have again five brothers and sisters, 70s and nephews and some aunts and uncles that I also send birthday and Christmas cards to all of them. So I do a lot of that.

[Sam Pancake]

What sort of Christmas cards are you doing? Pick a picture of you nudes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I do. You know, it depends. They're so expensive.

[Sam Pancake]

No, I can't imagine.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Do you do Christmas cards, Norton?

[Sam Pancake]

I just have no holiday spirit whatsoever.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Good for you. I used to comfort me and now I'm going through the motions. But I just will buy a couple of boxes of Christmas cards I used to get really when I was working in Vancouver for like five years on and off I would. They had really good ones there, which you can get everything online now. But I would go to the, to the museum there in Vancouver and get the fancy artsy ones or the MoMA ones. Really nice. But now you go down to Paper Source and it's goddamn $25. There's no chance Sitting there with a Santa hat and a. And a smirk on his face.

[Sam Pancake]

And then I just think about my own behavior, about when I get Christmas cards, I am opening them next to the garbage can. It's just. I mean, even people I deeply care about, I look at it for a minute and I think, okay, this doesn't need to be in my house anymore.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's so smart of you. I don't have. And it's getting borderline hoarder line now, but I will get those beautiful photograph ones of families and their children.

[Sam Pancake]

Right, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And some of them are so beautiful and fun. And I put them. I have a. My date book becomes a scrapbook.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I should gift with one of those, but they're too precious. But I will put. I'll tuck them in the pocket at the back.

[Sam Pancake]

That's a good idea.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And my request. And I'll say this again in public. And my family knows this when I die, which hopefully will be any day now. Not funny. I want them all laid out at the memorial service so people can go through them. But my friend, the aforementioned Johnny McGovern, he. I don't know if I said that on camera or off, but Johnny is charged with going through them and making sure where I wrote down fun, sexy times things.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, sure.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Lock it out completely.

[Sam Pancake]

It'll be lost to history.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It'll be lost to history. It'll be the mind of Johnny McGovern and the, you know, happy.

[Sam Pancake]

You have to leave those open for future generations.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The happy pleasure holes of the boys who. That would cut that out.

[Sam Pancake]

No, you have got to leave that. You've got to leave that. That's the fun of looking through this sort of thing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, well, yeah, I know.

[Sam Pancake]

You have to. The reader has to expect I'm diving into Sam's personal life. Who knows what I'm going to learn.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, it'll just be the guy's name and it'll be like, not a grade because I'm all Fs, believe me. But I just. It'll be like a little smiley or hard or like some little dirty thing.

[Sam Pancake]

You have to leave that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Why am I telling you this?

[Sam Pancake]

So I can argue for you to keep it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, done. I'm easily swayed. And you, you gotta get a hat on your shoulders. Do you have a Christmas tree? Do you do Christmas tree?

[Sam Pancake]

I. When my boyfriend's here, we'll do it when he's not. This year.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. Oh, has it been Rocky?

[Sam Pancake]

He comes in and out.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Listen, I've been there.

[Sam Pancake]

Screaming matches. No, he's been living in New York. But. So this year, about December 15th, I said, there are no Christmas decorations whatsoever. This is kind of a dark thing for a person to be living in a house with nothing. So I put some Christmas lights around, like a house plan. I mean, this isn't gonna.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What is this? College dorm? How about. Do you have a. Like a. Like a pyramid of Bud Light cans, too, with a mistletoe on top?

[Sam Pancake]

This is actually way worse.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It is. That's grim.

[Sam Pancake]

And I don't mean the brothers seen it, Sam. It was. It was. It was more charming than you would.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I believe you.

[Sam Pancake]

I put some along the top of the piano.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

I put some on some shelves. I just didn't put up a tree because I. I don't have the strength. And, you know, the. The payoff is not worth it for me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I understand. I've done years without a Christmas tree, and I do it now because I. I finally switched to artificial after years of holding out. And I went to Lowe's because my place is. I have little tiny house and not a tiny house, but, like, my house is small. And I got this thing called the pencil tree at Lowe's, which is thinner.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, I like the idea. Takes up less space.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And the lights. The lights were always the biggest fight when I was a child. I don't know why. Putting the Christmas tree lights up was always. Always like, battleground central.

[Sam Pancake]

Everyone wanted to do it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I just remember. I don't know.

[Sam Pancake]

I hate doing that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I hate doing it, too. And this was olden times where you couldn't run down to Target and get a new string.

[Sam Pancake]

Right. Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You unwrapped, like, what was left over from last year and pray they all worked. And it was also. It was a struggle for control, for sure. Of each other siblings. But what was my point? Oh, this has the lights on it.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, built in.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You built in.

[Sam Pancake]

Very nice wider color. Colored.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. I just want white.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I wish they were a little more golden.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, yeah. If they're a little blue, it starts to feel like it's too. It's a little vape store. You know what I mean?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes, I do. It's. It's. That LED harshness.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's just like, oh, it's not warm.

[Sam Pancake]

Add a little yellow to that. A little orange something.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I do. My sister does both. And I. And I.

[Sam Pancake]

That's confusing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Some migraine. But, like, she. They have a beautiful trip tree.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Yeah. I like a color or a warm white.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I miss the big blocky bulbs that were colored they don't have them anymore. I don't think they make them anymore. But that's like, literally from the 60s and 70s.

[Sam Pancake]

The ones that were quite large.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes.

[Sam Pancake]

That you would put, like, almost on a roof.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, yeah. I love those things. They must still make them somewhere artisanally, probably. The ones I don't like are. Have you ever seen the ones they hang from the roof? They're like icicles. Yeah, they don't. It doesn't look like an icicle to me. I'm sorry to tell you, though.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I kind of don't mind them in the right place.

[Sam Pancake]

And I haven't seen it yet.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Believe me. I was raised to, like, do not be tacky. When you said call me tacky earlier, about destroyed me. But I was like, my girl, the things. The worst thing it could be was tacky. And so I got an eye out for tacky and the good tacky and the bad tacky. And I know that, but I like that tacky.

[Sam Pancake]

You like that tacky.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I keep thinking I see a cat come up the driveway and I realize the trazodone whispers.

[Sam Pancake]

We do have cats. Come back. Back here. And the other night, there was a skunk.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my God.

[Sam Pancake]

It was incredible to see it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I Woke up at 4am a few nights ago because my place. It was. There was a skunk right outside and it was so strong, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Yeah, it was bad.

[Sam Pancake]

It was like, permeating the walls.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes.

[Sam Pancake]

Good grief.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, it was bad. Well, I really threw a big French window kind of a situation.

[Sam Pancake]

It was coming through.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, sure. Sure. I live in a shed, basically.

[Sam Pancake]

Have you ever. We're around Valentine's. I imagine this will be released after, but. Do you have any memorable Valentine's stor stories?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, God, I am not. I remember good ones when I was with somebody. Somebody. I have more that. It's like. It just feels like an assault on the. Just, you know, on your singledom.

[Sam Pancake]

Right, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, man. I. I know I have. When it's not popping up in the magic eight ball of my brain.

[Sam Pancake]

Not a big deal.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But I've had some. I've had some nice ones. Yeah. And you've done the thing where I've done the thing. Have we all done the thing of, like, hanging in there with someone until after Valentine's or breaking up with them before?

[Sam Pancake]

I think the move is to break up with them on the day.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's the best way. I remember at one point meeting someone on Valentine's Day.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I remember now. Yeah. Cause I'm old. It's been a long, long life. So who it was, whoever I was in love with that year is gone to the mists of time.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, this is some very nice paper. Jim will appreciate it. Okay, good. There's not a single S in my name. No.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I really tried to look for one. I tried to even. Bridger. Bridger Wine Bridgers. And I was almost going to Google your middle name, and I was like, oh, wait, Jimmy Smula.

[Sam Pancake]

Smula?

[Bridger Weiniger]

What kind of name is that?

[Sam Pancake]

It's Polish. Although it's weird. Sounds weirdly, like, cartoonishly Italian.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Also, it could be in the world of, like, when, like, Francis for Coppola or that new Nosferatu is, like, the coola. Someone with an interesting name. I'm. I'm very sensitive to these things.

[Sam Pancake]

Of course. Likewise.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But wait, have you had a memorable Valentine's Day?

[Sam Pancake]

Not a good memorable Valentine's Day or, like, the only good one that I've had was not actually really connected to Valentine's because my second date with Jim was on Valentine's by accident.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Nice.

[Sam Pancake]

But that was, like, not a Valentine's situation. The other two are, you know, working at a restaurant on Valentine's. It's probably the hardest. Hardest I've ever worked, thinking the whole night, what am I going to buy with all this tip money? And then get to the end of the night, and it's like, less than on a normal night because really cheap, horrible people.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wow. Was this a New Yorker here?

[Sam Pancake]

This was in Salt Lake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

And then the other one is when I was dating a woman and we ended up at an improv show. Can you imagine anything more romantic?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I cannot. I would. You could drag me through a swamp and fill. Fill all my body orifices with creosote. And I couldn't imagine eroticism. I don't know what that was.

[Sam Pancake]

Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Creosote. Asphalt Roof tar.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A woman.

[Sam Pancake]

Like I said, I have a wife named Candace. I've dated two women, and Candy was my second. The second girlfriend. And.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Really?

[Sam Pancake]

No.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, see, I. I should have dated Candy because she'd be Candy. Married Candy.

[Sam Pancake]

She talks about you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Candy Pancake.

[Sam Pancake]

Candy Pancake. Sounds delicious. What is your mom's maiden name?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Lecky.

[Sam Pancake]

Lecky.

[Bridger Weiniger]

L E, C, K, I E. It's in Irish. And there's a town, you know, like, every single Irish, and they're like, there's a town in Ireland named Lecky? There is.

[Sam Pancake]

Do you ever get people like Trying to like, not say pancake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

What do they say?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, there's, there's a lot of like, how do you spell that? And I'm like, just the way you eat it. That's just, that's what it is. But there'll be people like panchant and like they're trying to make it like, not pancake.

[Sam Pancake]

Pankake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, yeah. Panka. Yes. That's for sure. Well, Fann Kuchen is the German. But people will go into, you know, twist themselves into trying not to acknowledge that it's pancake. Praying for my soul that I haven't suffered with that name my entire life. Pansenasa. But like, and these are like people who speak. This isn't like someone who. It might be a foreign word to them. No, no, no. There's. They're just. I. I got a million. That's my other big story is you can.

[Sam Pancake]

And then getting back to the celiac.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Disease shot, which, guess what's made of gluten pancakes.

[Sam Pancake]

Can they make a decent gluten free pancake?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Great news, they do. And the best pancakes are gluten free. And speaking of, Trader Joe's not a sponsor. Their little gluten free pancakes that come frozen are delicious.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, my sister Celia. Oh, so this is a good. Yeah, I will say a gluten free brownie. Almost always. Always good.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Fudgy. It's fudgier. Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Which was what I want out of a brownie anyway.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Exactly. Yes. Yeah. The. You cannot. Yeah, that's the way to go. Flourless chocolate cake, which, you know, was so like hip in the modern, in the 80s. And it's. It's basically a brownie.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, yeah, of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But I miss a lot of stuff. It's been my life.

[Sam Pancake]

How long have you been diagnosed?

[Bridger Weiniger]

2018.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They were. And I. This again, sorry if you've heard for this hilarious story before, but they were doing my colonoscopy. It just gets better, gets better and better. And they were checking because I've had acid reflux since the 90s and they were strong. They called me as a child. They were doing an endoscopy and I went back into my doctor to say, like, what happened? To see the results. Expecting like polyps galore.

[Sam Pancake]

Right. And a loaf of bread.

[Bridger Weiniger]

My favorite supervillain villain. It's Pussy Galore's sister, James Bond. Anyway, polyps galore. And I. No, I was expecting polyps galore because this is an Appalachian country Southern boy. Who ate that? Just meat, meat, meat. Can't Be beat. And then. And he. And the doctor was like, you have celiacs. And was like. It was the last thing I expected.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I was gl. Me. My older sister and I, we both used to be like gluten free people. We're. I would be. I would say I'm gluten full. And it bit me in the eye.

[Sam Pancake]

It really came back for you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, I really did. And I was. Because I'd given up drugs and alcohol.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, God. Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Smoking. And I was like, are you fucking kidding me?

[Sam Pancake]

God?

[D]

Are you there?

[Bridger Weiniger]

God? It's me celiacs.

[Sam Pancake]

Me polyps galore.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't know who that is, but that's my new character.

[Sam Pancake]

That is a very good character.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Q. But, um. But anyway, it's been. I. It's not. This is so time out for, you know, this nightmare. It's the poison in the roundup they put on the wheat in America. It's. That's what it is. And again, you could have a gluten allergy, wheat allergy and wheat sensitivity, all that stuff. My stuff I didn't have any symptoms is. Oh, interesting gag.

[Sam Pancake]

So. Oh, wow. Yeah. My sister had so many that we. But no one could pinpoint it. This is like in 2009 that we. I think we all started thinking, oh, she. She's like losing her mind. Which. What a nightmare for her.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, completely.

[Sam Pancake]

But you were just living fancy free.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I started having really bad itching and.

[Sam Pancake]

Down drift, which I never had. It was.

[Bridger Weiniger]

If the flower was coming through me. So fucking creepy. But that was the last few months. And so I was happy to have that sorted out because the dermatologists were like, we don't know. Just drink more water. And I'm like, I couldn't possibly drink more water.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, I am water.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I anyways, I'm like Houdini in a tank all day long. I drink so much fucking water. Water. And so it was good to know that my. Here's the important thing that people in my PSA is if you're me and I could eat like a piece of cake right now and be fine. I don't have any digestive craziness that is really bad like most people. But if you keep ingesting it because it's the villi and your small intestine, it shuts it down. You can't get your nutrients. And so the. The real kicker when I went to the doctor was like, they were like, you haven't been absorbing your nutrients or medications.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Adult life.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And so I said, is that why And I wasn't being funny because meth is hilarious. I was like, is this why I did maybe did so much drugs? I never felt right. Right. And they were like, my energy levels are so messed up.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I was trying to just feel. I did drugs and drank and did, like, unprescribed pills to feel normal.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. I just feel like kind of. Or to feel joyful, to feel, you know, And I. And I didn't have depression. And there was. We were trying. Was always trying to figure things out. Plus, it messes up your hormones because my sex drive was super low. And this cured that.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

To the degree that I'm almost like, Salt Peter. Someone make me a salt Peter Brownie. I thought, do you know, do you have that thing again? I'm old. Like, there was all this, like, hacky comedy. Wait, let me finish. Thing about CLX is you could have it, not know it. And if you don't do something about it, you can get dementia, Mississippi.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes. It can really cause nervous system issues completely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And hormones get checked and everything. You should, because it's genetic. And we think my father had it because he died of dementia.

[Sam Pancake]

Scared to find out that I do have it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I know, honey, but let me tell you, it's. You'll feel so much better. I feel like my life started. This is so corny and so movie of the week, but, like, I feel like I. My life started once when I was born and then again when I got sober. This is. I. I don't mean to sound like, you know, lifetime, but like. Or, you know, some Cloris Leachman movie in the 70s about STIs, but like. And then when I got gluten free, and then when I. Last week on Trazodone. Honey, let me tell you, I like whoever she is. But what was I saying? I went somewhere else.

[Sam Pancake]

You're saying about hacky comedy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, that's me. That's all. Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

You're just kind of self identifying.

[Bridger Weiniger]

As if anyone needed me to. I. There was a. There was like. It was a thing back in the 60s and 70s, I feel like. Like these men were like, the wife wants to have sex, but I don't want to. Not tonight. Like, the women was like, I have a headache. But like, it was the Mr. Roper syndrome.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Where he was. She would. Mrs. Roper is always trying to, like, enchant him with her caftans.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, right, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And red Orphan Annie 60 wig. And then he was like. But he was like, oh, Chrissy Snow. Hubba, hubba. But there was all this, like. I thought that, like, the sex drive tapered off.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But it's not been my experience.

[Sam Pancake]

I don't think that's true for men.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Exactly.

[Sam Pancake]

For some men.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And then someone told me. I don't remember who it is. It's probably good that I don't remember, because people might not like this, but like someone said, it's because they were tired of fucking their wives. It wasn't about.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sex drive. It was about the marriage.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I'm sure the women were tired.

[Sam Pancake]

Of the horrible husband.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my Christ. You imagine like, someone like Jack Carter crawling up on you. Joey Bishop, mean man. Do you like my references from the 50s?

[Sam Pancake]

Keep going.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I can't. Norm Crosby, Norman Fell, Ernest Borg. 9. These are my lovers. These are my memories.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, is there anything left to say about. Remind me his name.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Telly Savalas.

[Sam Pancake]

Telly Savalas.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Now, you're young, but I think a lot of your people will know who he is.

[Sam Pancake]

Here's the thing about this familiar to me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He. You're. I'm not going to ask you your age on camera, but he was big in the seventies, which. You were not born in the seventies.

[Sam Pancake]

I was not. No.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Dare you.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Annalise. You were born, like, in last year. I can. I can see.

[Sam Pancake]

Annalise was born in 1935.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She is. She's a depression baby. Well, that's why she's. Her bones are so crumpled.

[Sam Pancake]

Silent generation.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She speaks up. Not so silent right now. My dad was born in 34.

[Sam Pancake]

34. Is there anything left to say about either of these categories before we move on? I'm trying to think. If I have any other questions about Tally Telly. Tally.

[Bridger Weiniger]

T, E, L, L, Y.

[Sam Pancake]

What's that? Is that short for anything?

[Bridger Weiniger]

V, A, L, A S. It's. He's Greek, so it's probably like. Why don't we Google it?

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. Annalise, how do we feel about.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm like. There's no way to know. You'll have to take it on faith. Well, he. I never put together that his name is Telly and he was on the television.

[Sam Pancake]

It's primarily. It's like a. The diminutive form of Aristotle or Aristotle. Aristotle.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Aristotle is a good name for a hot guy. Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wait, which one was the Symposium? I'm thinking Plato. I'm thinking Plato.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, Plato. Sure. Different Aristotle.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Socrates was gay.

[Sam Pancake]

I think they were. Oh, come on.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, that's the Greek thing. They were all had their young gentleman friends.

[Sam Pancake]

It was a gay society.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It Was I. I feel like as you, you know, there was a time when I'm the gay man of a certain age and like a lot of my friends died, you know, hilarious. But like there was a time when like we didn't know what was going to happen, did die. And so I wasn't always there, wasn't always 100% that I was going to.

[Sam Pancake]

Make it or any of us, I mean, so terrifying.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And that's all true of anybody because, you know, so I didn't. I remember knowing when I was little that I know. Here it comes. Well, you can Google me. I'm going to turn. You know, I'll be 35 in the year too thousand when that happens. So I knew that and I didn't think beyond it beyond. And so I never thought about 60, which is. I'm. There it is. I'm 60.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh my gosh. You look incredible, Sam.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, my God.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Don't look too close. Just like the wrapping on that gift. Don't get too close.

[Sam Pancake]

You're a foot away from me. You look great. What are you talking about?

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's these lights. Thank you. A lot of that is the, the freaking celiac.

[Sam Pancake]

The celiac.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It helped.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Also some of it's genetic and, and there's a lot of maintenance. But like you realize so slowly because I do, like a lot of my friends are young and I do have a lot of energy for my age in general and I try to keep my mind fresh and alive and open.

[Sam Pancake]

Right, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And. But I. Some things do slip away and the, the certainty. I always had about like these cultural references for my people. Because you, like, I'm with you and I feel like we're the same age. But like, I think we're.

[Sam Pancake]

I feel like you're very hot. I mean, you're a very young person. I mean. And that's also the weird thing. I think, like as we were growing up, we were told like after 60, that's an old person. That's just not true anymore.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, just like you think of granny on Beverly Hillbillies. Again, my references are on point today. Today's infos. But like, you would see when I was young, you'd have like people who. It was the white haired and a bun on the rocking chair. And now we have cher.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Who's 78 or nine and Dolly Parton, who will be 80 next year.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And again there's, you know, thank you, science and Cinemagic. But like it's. They're not, I guess I don't have old people, but I go to my hometown.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, right, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Maybe you do, too.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes. This is. It's a different thing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And I also love that those people are just aging. Like, they age and doing what they do.

[Sam Pancake]

Right. But I don't think. I think they're kind of on the opposite side of it because there are plenty of people on Salt Lake like, that are, I think, taking care of themselves and, like, are aging really well. I mean. But then you do see people where you're like, oh, my God, like, you're my age or like, oh, that too.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

You know, it's like.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, it's. I saw. Oh, I'm not gonna say this. I. I just see people and I'm. I can't. They're unrecognizable. And they come up to me because I'm frozen in time. And they're like, sam. And I'm like, I don't know. They don't know.

[Sam Pancake]

Get away from me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm like, yeah, well, yeah, but I.

[Sam Pancake]

Shove them to the ground.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They don't have the thing of, like, it's me.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, sure.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You just, you know, jigsaw or whatever, you know, or in your hometown.

[Sam Pancake]

They don't know to say, like, a Richard Scary Book.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Me Lowly Worm. But, like, they don't know to say. And they. I talk forever, and I'm saying I'm sorry, and they're like, oh, you're too big for your britches. You know, Ricky Lee, you know, kidnap or whatever.

[Sam Pancake]

Ricky Lee kidnapped.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Moonshine Jackson. You know, all the West Virginia is going to cancel me.

[Sam Pancake]

Do it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Do it.

[Sam Pancake]

I think we should play a game.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, I forgot about the games. I know what I'm going to do.

[Sam Pancake]

I need a number between 1 and 10 from you 3. Do you have a preference on games? We have Gift or a Curse or Gift Master.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I want to do Gift or a curse.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, Be beautiful because I have a lot of questions. Okay, gorgeous. Let me get our game pieces. I'm gonna do some light calculating so you can promote, recommend, do whatever you want.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, you go do that. If things go to plan, I'm doing one of my solo shows. Well, there's a couple guest stars in it called Pancakes from the Edge on March 14th in Palm Springs at Diedelart. And it's a solo show that I did here in LA a couple years ago where. Where it's based around my obsession with Postcards from the Edge. That's why it's called Pancakes from the Edge. And it's characters it's these video. These lip sync videos I did from the movie. Me playing Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. And that's. Then you can always check my Instagram to see what other shows are coming up. Work's been slow, as we know, but I did last year an episode of a Just like that and the Great north, and those should be coming coming up in the next few months, I guess. I always pitch my bestie Roz Hernandez Ghosted podcast on the Exactly Right network.

[Sam Pancake]

It's a sister podcast.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It is, yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Did you promote, like, just following you on Instagram or whatever?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, Instagram you can follow me. And I have a podcast I forgot. It's called Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie. And you have to come do it.

[Sam Pancake]

I was just talking to Drew Droghe about this and.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's right.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, it sounds like an extra incredible podcast.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's about again, 70s and 80s TV movies and golden era few times. Yep, yep. And I was listening to that and you were talking about 70s movies. I'm like, if Drew doesn't bring up my podcast, what a betrayal.

[Sam Pancake]

That would be cross. And he did a very, very nice little ad for you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He's the best.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, I want to come on it. Okay, this is how we play. Gift or curse.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes.

[Sam Pancake]

I'm going to name three things. You'll tell me if they're a gift or a curse and why, and then I'll tell you if you're right or wrong. Because there are correct answers. Answers. And you can fail.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. That's what I'm used to.

[Sam Pancake]

Am I?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Shoot.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, this first one is from a listener named Audra. Gift or a curse? Fancy restaurants that don't accept reservations.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Is it a gift or a curse for me or for the her?

[Sam Pancake]

Now, Sam, that's up to you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, okay, so funny. Her name is Audra because Audra Lindley played Mrs. Roper on Three's Company, which I was referencing earlier. I see these patterns. That means something's wrong with my brain.

[Sam Pancake]

That means someone's in.

[Bridger Weiniger]

See, I think it's a curse for me because you have to line up there and you know. But once you get in there and you've, like, managed to get in the hip, cool restaurant without a reservation, you can be bragging rights about it, but I think it's a curse.

[Sam Pancake]

Wrong. No, I think it's a gift according to a universal truth.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wow. He is Mormonism.

[Sam Pancake]

I. I absolutely hate a reservation. I don't have the time or the patience or the the wherewithal to get a reservation. So to just have. Get those off the table, I just have to show up at the restaurant with that, and I. And I might be able to get in.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You might, but you might not. Well, and you made the trip.

[Sam Pancake]

That's the risk I'm willing to take.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. I'm not.

[Sam Pancake]

I don't want to have to get on resi or open table and be denied because the restaurants you really want to get a reservation to on those things are impossible anyway.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's true. That is true. The secret to all of this stuff is have go with a famous person. Yes. And you and I both know that's true.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes. You just go with a famous person. Everyone. Find your famous person.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Find your famous person. There's one around the house. Might be Telus Allis. Might be our friend Aristotle Speedo over there.

[Sam Pancake]

No, I love to. I love any restaurant that doesn't have a reservation.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I think it's great. And they're. They're not all fancy, foofy, you know, know, hip restaurants either. There are some just like mom, mom and pop. Places that are just really good, and they don't take reservations. And I love that because you can usually get in.

[Sam Pancake]

It really levels the playing field between people who are in control of their lives and people like me who are not. And so I can just wander up having made no plan, and it may not work out, and then I'll just keep living my life that way because I can't learn a lesson. But at least I didn't have to get on a website to make the reservation, that is.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You're doing everything right. It's all I hear. It's all I'm hearing.

[Sam Pancake]

All right, you have gotten zero so far. This next one is from a listener named Meg. Gift or a curse? Green bell peppers.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I. I see. I suffer. I suffer from seeing all sides of a story in all angles. I. I love a green bell pepper chopped up on a pizza. I think you're gonna say curse, though. I'm trying to second guess you, which is not the point. And now my brain is again, again, wrapping itself in pretzels. But I'm gonna say gift. I'm gonna follow my heart.

[Sam Pancake]

You get the point. I love a green bell pepper. I don't know why people don't like a green bell pepper.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't either.

[Sam Pancake]

I love a. I will say I prefer a raw green bell pepper.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, yeah, definitely.

[Sam Pancake]

The snap. The crunch.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Me too.

[Sam Pancake]

Delicious. They taste so healthy to me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They taste healthy. They taste good. I don't mind cutting them up if you get all the little guts out of there. I love to to. I'll get a gluten free, yes, gluten free frozen pizza sometimes. And I will dress it up with chopped up green bell pepper and. And mushrooms that I've sauteed and sausage and stuff. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want them on their pizza for a little extra snap. But yes, you're right. They have to be raw because I don't care for the. They can get slimy.

[Sam Pancake]

And if you get them sauteed or whatever, that starts to get kind of slimy. Wormy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wormy, yeah, Slowly wormy.

[Sam Pancake]

A little too wormy. And I don't really have a preference among the color the, like the red, the yellow, the orange, the green. I think they're all a good pepper.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But they all taste a little bit different.

[Sam Pancake]

They are, but you know that they're all the same pepper, just different levels of ripeness.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's not true.

[Sam Pancake]

And now that I'm saying it, I'm like, that may be wrong, but Annelise is looking confident. I think I was looking it up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Says, yes, different colored bell peppers do taste slightly different.

[Sam Pancake]

With the main difference as the bell peppers ripen and change color from green. Isn't that incredible?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Orange and red, they become progressively sweeter. So green, they say has.

[Sam Pancake]

I love these flavor profiles.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, dear. Green, mild, slightly bitter, grassy flavor. Yellow and orange sweeter than green with a slightly fruity taste. How dare you. I'm sitting right here.

[Sam Pancake]

And red, the sweetest bell pepper variety.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Considered the most ripe. I didn't know that. This is like coming to a university.

[Sam Pancake]

These, you know, these snobs with their red bell peppers, they're eating just older produce. Essentially.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They are. They're eating idiots.

[Sam Pancake]

The green you're getting in on the ground level.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That is so interesting. I truly am kind of bowled over.

[Sam Pancake]

Learning something every day.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Sam Pancake]

And I love to say something confidently and then have it be true. What a rare thing for me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's Winaga College and we're all about to graduate.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, you've gotten one so far. And finally, this is. The listener is unknown. This is, I think, from an Instagram live. So my apologies to whoever you are are. That's your not my problem gift or a curse. The person you dislike at work discovering your favorite podcast.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, curse.

[Sam Pancake]

Why?

[Bridger Weiniger]

The person you like at work dislike dis. The person you dislike at work discovering your favorite podcast. Well, if they just do they know that you like this podcast. Yeah. They must know or wouldn't be.

[Sam Pancake]

In the end, I guess that's where the information come. Make a connection. Connection.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sure. I think it's a curse, because then they want to talk to you more about it. But, see, I can also see the gift side, where, like, maybe you find out you have something in common, and you. You bridge. You bridger the gap.

[Sam Pancake]

That's my next podcast, Bridger the Gap.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So you're saying, oh, I hate losing. I told you. I feel like a failure. That's why I had to get on pills. You can't make me feel worse or I'll take more.

[Sam Pancake]

If someone had given you a. A trophy, this would all be solved.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I did grow up in the everyone gets a trophy generation, and that's what's wrong with America today. I can't even remember the question. I'm really dissociating.

[Sam Pancake]

The person you dislike at work.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't have a job.

[Sam Pancake]

Discovering your favorite podcast.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm gonna say curse. Just.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, correct.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, good. Good, good, good.

[Sam Pancake]

The person you don't like at work, finding out. You finding out that you have anything in common with this person that you actively dislike. It's kind of the. This is my big problem with going to a concert. When I go to a concert, there's no worse feeling in the world than looking around and being like, I'm like, these people.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, yes.

[Sam Pancake]

It happens to me every time.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Like, what concert?

[Sam Pancake]

Every concert I've ever been to, I'm like, oh. And maybe it's just because I don't like anyone, but I go to these things, and I just think, what are you pointing to? I thought that people that listen. Listened to this band or this artist were not complete morons.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

And then you just find out that everyone's an idiot.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, it happens the worst at Hollywood bowl because people show up for almost anything if they get tickets. So you. I've just had some really. I don't get in fights with people at concert. I've had friends that do. And it's gotten real ugly at the Hollywood Bowl. Drunk people swinging around. Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. With their picnics. And just the worst of all time.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The gays being some of the worst. There, I said it. Amen.

[Sam Pancake]

Amen. We gotta get rid of them.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, guess what have I got? Great news for you.

[Sam Pancake]

You're in luck.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They're shedding alphabets on the LGBTQ website. Shedding letters. Hooray. Oh, I thought things were gonna get better as I got older, but they got worse. That's my Concert.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. I mean, it's a curse. Like I said, with the concert situation, finding out that someone you don't like, you're similar to them, it's a real look in the mirror. And it's tough. It's a tough pill to swallow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It is.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, you got two out of three. Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Is that a win?

[Sam Pancake]

That's a. We're going to call it a win. I know you need this win tonight, Sam.

[Bridger Weiniger]

If I'm not glaring hard enough in middle distance to let you know that I need a win tonight.

[Sam Pancake]

Before recording began, Sam just took me aside and said, I just need a win right now.

[Bridger Weiniger]

All I need right now is a win. That's literally in your name. Winiker. Give it to me.

[Sam Pancake]

Anything. The smallest win.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Not kidding. It's really what I do need right now. It's been a.

[Sam Pancake]

We all do to be.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We all.

[Sam Pancake]

We are.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We are, babe.

[Sam Pancake]

But we're all, you know, we're all doing this together. Even the co workers that we dislike that are finding out about.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We are. We are in community with them.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes, we are in community. Okay, this is the final segment of the podcast people write into. I said no.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's right.

[Sam Pancake]

Dot com. Begging for answers.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my God.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, you need to win. No, these people need to win.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They. I'm seeing. Yeah. I am learning something about myself. Like, it could be worse.

[Sam Pancake]

Will you help me answer a question?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'd love to.

[Sam Pancake]

All right, this was very casual.

[Bridger Weiniger]

My invoice. Put that on my invoice.

[Sam Pancake]

The tally. Okay. This is. It's very casual. It just says hey. Hey. Doesn't address either of us. Which is a little sharp, in my opinion.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, and also again, I'm a Southern gentleman. Manners matter.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, come on, let's get a something a little more courteous. But you know these younger generations.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I want a trophy.

[Sam Pancake]

They all want a trophy. And to be mean via email.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Rude.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay, so this says, hey. My father and stepmom are planning a party for my younger sister's religious confirmation and her birthday. The problem is that I'm not. I'm not religious. Slash lean. Pagan. Pagan. Don't slash. Don't believe in a higher power. I do want to show my sister that I'm supportive of her religion, but I feel like a Jesus themed gift would be inappropriate coming from me and send the wrong message to my stepmom's family. Anyway, she's 13 with depression and likes reading vampires vacuuming her strawberry plant. Henry and I scolded my dad for this one. Law and Order svu.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What should I get her happening here? And this person is only 19. You get that this is a teenager, right?

[Sam Pancake]

Yes, this is. Oh, that's right. This isn't like a 40 year old woman and talking about her little sister. Oh, yeah, this is.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is. I saw the TV glow. This is Zoomers. Is that what they're called? I continue.

[Sam Pancake]

What should I get her for her confirmation slash birthday? And that's from Allison. Let's assume age 15.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, it's great that she's listening to the pot, you know.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. Welcome, young folk.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, I heard Dracula in there, right? Did I hear that? Vampires.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, I would not be surprised. Let's see. Oh yeah. Vampires, reading, vacuuming.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

Those all go together.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, there's the gift. There's a gift that works both ways with Jesus or with vampires. And it's called a cross. And you just get a very special kind of goth cross and you hand it to your little sister, like wink. But stepmom's family's all like, oh, Allison's found Christ. And Allison and little sis know, and it's a family bond forever. Cross crossed.

[Sam Pancake]

That's such a perfect. I mean, and if you want to just hint a little further or push it away you A little bit of garlic cake. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, yeah, but then that doesn't line up with the religious thing. I'm saying if you're trying to get away with. I'm imagining a world where Allison wants to be like, not rock the boat or upset the family, but how is.

[Sam Pancake]

A cape going to rock the boat? She can wear that to church.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, yeah, that's true. Okay, fair enough.

[Sam Pancake]

Just a really fancy black cape and a gothic cross.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Don't you wish you had one?

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, I wish I was in one right now.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We next time, both of us in capes. Did you see that Nosferatu bullshit?

[Sam Pancake]

You didn't like it?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oof. I. I wanted to like it more. I was very excited. I was kind of like. I. I immediately was like, this is to be Anya Taylor Joy. No shade on what's her nuts. But like. Or some shade. But she was good. But like I little dead eyed. But like, I. And then I looked and was like, oh, it's supposed to be Anya Taylor Joy. There's a flatness to a lot of it. Okay, interesting in the sets and I. I mean, clearly I'll never work again, but. So why not just rip it all down any.

[Sam Pancake]

Anyway, you're not going to be in a Robert Eggers film.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And also I thought I'd be perfectly cast. He loves flaming homosexuals dancing across the screens.

[Sam Pancake]

I loved it. I just love a Halloween movie. Haunted Castle.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's me too. That's completely me, me, Bridger. And I've seen every vampire iteration millions of times. I sit up and watch old Hammer films at night. So I also. I don't know why I thought the story would be a little bit different. I've seen all the versions of Knots for all two multiple times. That creepy Klaus Kinski one. But I was like, oh, I know this story.

[Sam Pancake]

Like, right. It's like, who cares?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Nothing. It's a little bit different than I loved, however. Bill Skarsgard.

[Sam Pancake]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Pennywise. He was amazing. That look was amazing. I love, loved that he looked like someone who would be from Transylvania that time. Because I read a lot about it. I loved Nicholas Holt. There was a lot I liked. But then I also was just like, I. Again, it feels and I'm being sincere. It's like, oh, I'm old. I've kind of seen a lot of this and.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I think people who hadn't probably liked it more.

[Sam Pancake]

Did you see like his other movies like the Witch, The Lighthouse? I love the Witch like those.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I didn't see the Lighthouse.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Lighthouse. I really enjoyed it's. I mean, it's bunk. Bonkers.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right. And it's William Defoe and Robert Pence screaming each other in black and white.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. So then there's the Northman. Did you see that? Not enough Bjork for me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's not about Bjork.

[Sam Pancake]

No. Bjork appears, but not for not enough Vikings. Yeah, it's Viking stuff.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I like Robert Eggers and he's a. He's, he's very good looking. I just was watching interviews with him.

[Sam Pancake]

He is.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He looks like an actor. He said, oh, I have no idea.

[Sam Pancake]

I would expect somebody making those movies to be.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He's not what you expect.

[Sam Pancake]

Interesting. I mean, and I say that in a good way because they're very creepy and strange. You don't expect just like a well adjusted, good looking person to be making those films.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, you know, like John Carpenter.

[Sam Pancake]

I don't think I've ever actually seen John Carpenter.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He looks one of the few people in Hollywood who looks so much. He always looks older than he was. He just looks old. He looks like. He just looks really old.

[Sam Pancake]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And he's not a troll. That's mean to me. He's a genius and I, I'm a big horn former person. There he is.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay. Yeah, he's just Like a normal man who looks a little older than he looks.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He looks like that. He's looked like that since he was like, 30.

[Sam Pancake]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Huh?

[Sam Pancake]

Very interesting.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Young John Carpenter. I defy you.

[Sam Pancake]

I love how little we've answered. I told her, I mean, you got the perfect thing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Is that.

[Sam Pancake]

I mean, I guess if she wants to think, if she wants to say she's. Show that she's supportive of religion, maybe get her. But she doesn't want to get into it too deep. Maybe she gets her a copy of Dianetics or.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, no.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, but she got a cool look.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, that was very. Okay. Yeah. Okay.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. Annelise is showing us kind of a 70s John Carpenter, and he's very cool.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. That was Dark Star times his movie. Dark Star. Yeah. Well, I'm sorry. I forgot about the question. I probably should also be on Adderall, but. Yes. Do we. There was a lot of information in there, and I got a lot of information. So maybe Alice, a gift and be like, here's how you write an email. Start with Dear Bridger and Glamorous Pandas.

[Sam Pancake]

And show some respect. Put some respect on it, Allison.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I won't be here forever.

[Sam Pancake]

Allison. The answer is the very dark, borderline goth cross.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

And an extremely expensive cape. Yes. That can be used for Halloween or church.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And a ring of garlic.

[Sam Pancake]

Dress it up for church. Wear it out on Halloween.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Allison says she doesn't believe in a higher power, but she's pagan. But isn't pagan. Isn't it their. Their belief about nature? I guess.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah. It's more of a believing in. As the Mother Gaia.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

Which is that a spirit or an energy?

[Bridger Weiniger]

An energy. A spirit. Like a goddess.

[Sam Pancake]

Yeah, it's less of a like man. An angry man.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Well, that's the thing I learned, remember, in rehab. Speaking of, they're like, you need to have a higher power if you're going into this. It was 12 step aligned and. But the God doesn't. And you don't even have to use the word God, but it doesn't have to be the God of your fathers. And that phrase helped me.

[Sam Pancake]

Uhhuh. Of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And so she's. I think she just means it's not the God of the fathers. It's like Goddess nature. Gaia.

[Sam Pancake]

Well, this. You know, this 13 year old is watching a lot of Law and Order svu. She's probably going to be done with the religious stuff pretty soon.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Is she my mother? That's all my mother watches. She won't watch anything. I'm on. I Can tell you that much. That's just true. She's like, you know, I like reruns. I like svu. Like watching Hawaii Forever.

[Sam Pancake]

People love the svu.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They do.

[Sam Pancake]

They love the svu.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I, I have never done a Law and Order because I've never lived in New York.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, you would have been on a 100 episodes by now.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I wish. I mean, yeah, I would have loved. I would love to have a comparable csi.

[Sam Pancake]

Csi.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Some of them. And I never did one of those. I did some other ones. I did. I did NYPD Blue.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Long time ago. And. And it's waning years. And I did Without a Trace.

[Sam Pancake]

Okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm sure there's some. There's other ones I've forgetting.

[Sam Pancake]

Interesting. Well, Allison, don't write back in Sam. I have these beautiful gifts. One for my boyfriend, but I'll probably use it for my own devices as well.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sure.

[Sam Pancake]

And then I've got this gorgeous, stunning poster that's going to.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Framed poster.

[Sam Pancake]

We might use it to decorate the studio. Who knows what we'll do with it? Maybe we'll just have it out here in the backyard every time we record.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But I, I. What I want for you is to look him up and like, watch him a little bit so you have more. I'm going to get to who he.

[Sam Pancake]

Is, and I have to imagine I've seen. Seen him in something.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sure, sure. Yeah.

[Sam Pancake]

He looks very familiar to me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I feel like he died on the. One of those things. Like, they died at 58, and you're like, that's so old when you're little. And now you're like, oh, my God.

[Sam Pancake]

Somebody dying at 58. That's a tragedy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I know. It really is.

[Sam Pancake]

But he died when he was 58.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't know that. I just feel like I remember in the span of my life thinking he went before his time. I could be wrong. Can we look that up? I have one question. When is dinner served? Is there a light?

[Sam Pancake]

You can't smell it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

When's the buffet? I. I can't smell it.

[Sam Pancake]

Is the problem through the air. He was 72, which actually is still pretty young. Baby, if somebody dies when they're 72 now, you're like, oh, they've probably had at least another 10 to 15 maybe.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Okay, then I'm wrong. I am full on wrong.

[Sam Pancake]

But I guess 72 in the. Probably the 90s made sense.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And also because he had that look most of his life, like, even from the 50s, I think you. His. His shaved head or bald head or whatever it was. He looks the same for so long.

[Sam Pancake]

It took everyone by surprise.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Exactly like Florence Henderson, who looked frozen in time.

[Sam Pancake]

She looked incredible.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And then she died and was like.

[Sam Pancake]

She was unfair.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, she's. She's 40.

[Sam Pancake]

Such a twist.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She was 83.

[Sam Pancake]

Oh, Sam, I've had such a good time with you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Really. Ending on the death was really the best part. Brady's dead. Happy Easter, Marty. Gross here.

[Sam Pancake]

Thank you for being here.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Listen, I just need to get in line for the catering, so I need to go.

[Sam Pancake]

Get yourself a plate and some fixings. Fixings listener. The podcast is over. Move on. I love you. Goodbye. I said no Gifts is an exactly right production. Our seamless senior producer is Anneliese 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 gift?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I thought I made myself perfectly clear. When you're a guest in my home, you gotta come to me empty handed. I said no gifts. Your presence is present enough. And I already had too much stuff, so how do you dare disobey me?

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Stock up sale is on now, which means you can save big on all your favorite essentials throughout the store. Stock up on participating Items and earn 4 times saves points to redeem for your discounts on groceries or gas. Now through March 25th. Save by shopping in store or online for participating items from your favorite brands like Pampers, Dove Band Aid, Playtex and Premier protein. Offer ends March 25th. Promotions may vary. Restrictions apply. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[D]

During tax season, your sensitive info does a lot of traveling to places you can't control. Control stopping off at payroll, your accountant or tax preparer and countless other data centers on its way to the irs. Any of them can expose you to identity theft because they all have the info on your W2. Just the ticket for criminals to steal your identity. No wonder the IRS reported tax fraud due to identity theft went up 20% last year. You need Lifelock. They monitor millions of data points per second and alert you to threats you could miss if your identity is stolen. LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by the million dollar protection package. And restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't let identity thieves take you for a ride. Get lifelock protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40%. Terms apply.

[Sam Pancake]

Do you own a business that's ready to thrive? It's time to let Intuit QuickBooks take things like unpaid invoices and tracking expenses off your plate so you can take things to the next level. Intuit QuickBooks is an all in one business platform that can help with those day to day tasks like invoicing and expenses. Manage and grow your business all in one place. Intuit QuickBooks your way to Money Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments, Inc. Licensed as a money transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services.