EMOTIONAL: Josh Leyva Gets Vulnerable

Summary

LA PLATICA – “EMOTIONAL: Josh Leyva Gets Vulnerable”

Episode Release: January 12, 2026
Hosts: Josh Leyva, Sebastian Robles (Sebas)
Guest Producer: Jessica

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Episode Overview

In this special New Year’s episode, hosts Josh Leyva and Sebastian Robles reunite for an emotionally raw, honest, and often humorous conversation about vulnerability, intention, and growth—both personal and as creators. From opening up about body image, social media pressures, and learning to say “no,” to setting intentions for the new year and reflecting on “embarrassment” as a path toward authenticity, their dialogue offers listeners a unique and mature look at the realities behind influencer culture and the power of male emotional openness. Sprinkled with playful banter and deep gems, the episode is equal parts entertainment and inspiration.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Catching Up: New Year, New Intentions (04:24–09:00)

• The show kicks off with the hosts sharing their excitement about being back in the studio, rocking new fashion (shoutout to TikTok Shop for the “butters”/Timberlands), and celebrating recent weight loss.
• Weight Journey:
  • Both Josh and Sebas reflect on mindful eating during the holidays and healthy approaches to their fitness goals.
  • “I started my cut in December because I didn’t want to wait for a new year to tell me when to start.” – Josh [05:11]
  • Discussion on how lifting weights versus just cardio impacts body shape.
  • Reflecting on body image and photoshoots: not always feeling as fit as they looked in pictures.

2. Body Image, Comparison, and Self-Perception (09:00–13:40)

• Both open up about being hyper-critical of their bodies despite external validation.
  • “Sometimes, when you’re in your prime, you don’t even realize it until you look back.” – Josh [09:19]
  • Josh describes not wanting a shirtless photo to “see the light of day” even though, in hindsight, it shows him looking his best.
• Humorous banter about shirtless photos, ‘hot guy’ lists on the internet, and how perceptions can be both flattering and strange.

3. Masculinity, Compliments, and Stereotypes (13:40–15:26)

• The hosts discuss being complimented by being perceived as gay, and how that relates to stereotypes about self-care and appearance.
  • “The biggest compliment you can get as a guy is when they think that you’re gay.” – Sebas [13:44]
  • Conversation moves into inclusivity, hygiene, and charisma—relationships with how masculinity is expressed in Latino culture.

4. Living with Intention & Setting Boundaries (16:58–19:53)

• Josh sets “intention” as his word for the year, emphasizing the value of being selective and purposeful in every action, from working out to choosing social engagements.
• “Learn to say no and not feel bad about it” is introduced as a key mantra, sparking a discussion about people-pleasing, FOMO, and prioritizing personal growth.
  • “If you want to be intentional, you have to ask why you’re doing everything. Why am I working out? Why am I calling my mom?” – Sebas [17:46]
  • “You might not get something immediately, but it will come for you.” – Sebas [17:24]

5. Saying No and the Power of Priorities (19:53–26:25)

• Personal anecdotes of turning down social invitations for career growth or self-care, with reassurance that true friends (and parents) will understand.
  • Sebas recalls skipping a friend’s birthday at Disneyland to attend an event beneficial to his career: “It hurt me to say ‘no,’ but it was the right thing.” [23:59]
  • Growth narratives around gaining respect from loved ones by making difficult, intentional choices.

6. Vulnerability and Overcoming Embarrassment (26:25–34:57)

• Josh, inspired by Austin Butler’s insight, shares how “everything you want is on the other side of embarrassment.”
  • “Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion. The fear of being judged socially keeps us from expressing ourselves, but everything you’re looking for is on the other side of it.” – Josh, paraphrasing Austin Butler [27:42]
• Josh opens up emotionally about not wanting to show where he was in life during a social media slump—feeling the pressure to maintain a “successful” image. Describes launching his brand, Salud, from an unglamorous apartment, and the shame-turned-pride of seeing those early hustling photos.
  • “I almost wish I would have heard that [Butler] video earlier; everything I was looking for was on the other side of embarrassment.” – Josh [34:36]

7. Growth, Gratitude, and Second Chances (34:57–38:45)

• Josh thanks Sebas and the podcast for re-invigorating his creative spark after hard times—a “God-given second chance.”
  • “This podcast saved my life… My creative core needed this outlet… everything just fell into place so perfectly.” – Josh [35:14]
• Both reflect on the importance of gratitude and using past lows to inform current successes.

8. Evaluating the Podcast and Upping Their Game (37:54–42:23)

• Honest appraisal of last year’s performance: acknowledging complacency, comfort, and a sense of autopilot.
  • “To grow, you need to put some intention in it. You need to brainstorm, put a little more elbow grease in.” – Sebas [39:54]
  • Pledge to bring more intention into future episodes, planning, and guest choices.
  • “It’s not about making more money. It’s about giving more to people, being excited about what we’re doing.” – Josh [41:05]

9. On Discipline, Regret, and Living Fully (43:40–45:27)

• Quoting Tony Robbins: “Discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons.”
  • “I’d rather lean into the uncomfortability of discipline than feel the weight of regret.” – Josh [45:34]
• Discussing public outreach: spamming favorite stars for podcast appearances, and doing things out of “great intention,” even if there’s potential embarrassment.

10. Pop Culture, Movies, and Influences (46:56–54:50)

• Commentary on Austin Butler’s method acting and post-Elvis struggles, tying into themes of emotional impact and criticism.
• Movie reviews and cultural catch-up (Elvis, Uncut Gems, Martyr Supreme, Mr. Beast, Timothy Chalamet, etc.).
• Praise for guests and wishlist for upcoming show appearances (Adam Sandler, Bad Bunny, Tony Robbins, Bretman Rock, etc.).

11. Happiness, Longevity, and Wellbeing (57:57–59:59)

• Lighthearted look at processed foods (Spam musubi, hot dogs), with the takeaway that emotional happiness may matter more for longevity than strict dietary discipline.
  • “When you feel happiness, it adds life to you.” – Sebas [58:37]
  • Discussion of stress as the real health saboteur.

12. Community Engagement (63:06–end)

• Reflection on four years of consistent podcasting and gratitude to listeners.
• Inviting the audience to leave comments with guest/interview ideas and personal New Year’s goals.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s not what you do, but how you do it. So make sure when you do it, you really do it.” – Josh [05:30]
• “You can’t outwork a diet.” – Josh [08:08]
• “I don’t want to be 50, 60, 70 years old and thinking, ‘man, I could have done more, I could have been more.’” – Sebas [43:33]
• On launching Salud: “I was embarrassed to show where I really was… Now, I’m proud of that photo. I was grinding in an apartment when people thought I was living the dream.” – Josh [33:47]
• “Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion. Everything you’re looking for is on the other side of it.” – Josh paraphrasing Austin Butler [27:42]
• “Word of the year: intention. I’m going to get it tattooed.” – Sebas [42:34]
• “I want to bring out the best in people. If I’m my best, everybody around me wins.” – Sebas [37:19]

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Key Timestamps

• “New Year, New Weight Loss, New Butters”: 04:24–09:00
• Body Image & Standards: 09:00–13:40
• Compliments & Toxic Masculinity: 13:40–15:26
• Intentional Living and Saying No: 16:58–19:53, 19:53–26:25
• Vulnerability & Side of Embarrassment: 26:25–34:57
• Podcast Gratitude & Second Chances: 34:57–38:45
• Self-Appraisal & Intention: 37:54–42:23
• Discipline & Regret: 43:40–45:27
• Pop Culture Deep Dive: 46:56–54:50
• Processed Foods, Happiness & Longevity: 57:57–59:59
• Listener Engagement & Wrap-Up: 63:06–end

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Tone & Takeaways

Equal parts vulnerable, real, and hilariously off-the-cuff, this episode exemplifies why La Platica stands out. Josh’s emotional openness transforms classic influencer talk into meaningful reflection, with intentions for growth guiding every story. Sebas brings energetic support and wisdom around setting boundaries and modeling maturity. Together, they model a confident, emotionally mature masculinity—showing listeners how to balance ambition, vulnerability, and self-compassion in a culture that rarely encourages it.

Listeners will come away inspired to:

• Set intentional goals and boundaries
• Re-examine their own vulnerabilities and 'embarrassments'
• Practice gratitude and have the courage to say 'no'
• Recognize the value of authenticity over image

And, of course, to “do things with intention” in 2026!

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Transcript

[Josh Levan]

El programa nacional de becas a ser de McDonald's a beneficiado mas de vieiciente mille estudian tes con mas e trentai sil comissiones de dolares. And McDonald's Punta com yagonal A serious dude. Can I tell you something? I can't believe I'm even gonna talk about this. And he doesn't even know this. But I never wanted that photo to see the light of day.

[Co-host Benny]

I think just speaking about this show here, there was definitely their room for improvement. As in, like just more intention. Especially with me and you.

[Josh Levan]

Have I ever told you my Austin Butler story? If we ever get him on the podcast, I gotta tell him the story.

[Co-host Benny]

What is that?

[Josh Levan]

I saw him at a restaurant three months after he had filmed Elvis. And dude, he.

[Co-host Benny]

Did you tell me that?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, he. He was like at. At a table with like, I want to say his family, another girl sitting next to him. I don't know who it was. Like, it was partner or anything like that, but he looked miserable.

[Co-host Benny]

No, like, as a man. Like, I don't want to do that to another man. But we did it.

[Josh Levan]

We've gotten some requests. Cuz you put out. You put out a little video saying like, yo, we want to know, you know who I got a lot of. I got a lot of something.

[Co-host Benny]

You were go lot me and you got really comfortable.

[Josh Levan]

Guys, Happy New Year. And you know, we can't start off the new year without talking about SE Geek, baby. Yo, we're going to get better at that.

[Co-host Benny]

Last year there was 25 million downloads.

[Josh Levan]

Guess how many this year, cuz of us, right? The number's up.

[Co-host Benny]

35 million downloads, guys. On SE.

[Josh Levan]

70,000 live events. If y' all don't know by now, SE is the number one rated ticketing app on the app ST for a reason, that is. They're user friendly. What does the green dot mean?

[Co-host Benny]

It means good.

[Josh Levan]

What a red dot mean?

[Co-host Benny]

Not so good.

[Josh Levan]

What else?

[Co-host Benny]

I just got informed.

[Josh Levan]

Please.

[Co-host Benny]

That the World cup is coming to the United States. To North America.

[Josh Levan]

North America.

[Co-host Benny]

And they got tickets on se.

[Josh Levan]

Come on, man. You trying to go to the World Cup?

[Co-host Benny]

Easy. I'm going.

[Josh Levan]

That's where you're going to get your tickets at if you're trying to go to the World Cup.

[Co-host Benny]

And not only that, we just gave away. And we're giving away two tickets to Monster Jam this weekend.

[Josh Levan]

But maybe you're looking for some music. Maybe a little bit of, you know, Morgan Wallen. He cool. I don't know Your cup of tea. But whatever your cup is full of, SeatGeek has it for you. And you guys already know we're going to hook you up. The code is LA PLATICA10. When you get the thing that you want to do, you have 70,000 options to choose from. The code LAA10. 10% off your ticket. To purchase, use the code. Do we look skinny or what? Dude, let's do our skinny face.

[Co-host Benny]

What kind of face is that? I'm Chado.

[Josh Levan]

See you guys in 12.4 seconds. I'm going to use it.

[Co-host Benny]

Let me be honest, every guest is a privilege.

[Josh Levan]

Do we want to go there?

[Co-host Benny]

Kiss Jolly. Cuz I'm on a podcast with Josh Labor. Hell yeah. You have too.

[Josh Levan]

Ladies and gentlemen, let me just tell you.

[Co-host Benny]

Well, let's get it going.

[Josh Levan]

Yo, I'm excited, man. I feel like we haven't been in the stew for a minute.

[Co-host Benny]

No, we haven't.

[Josh Levan]

And the stew for the minute. I got the butters on.

[Co-host Benny]

That's what they call them. Huh? Are those new? Those are new.

[Josh Levan]

Come on, my boy. Wow.

[Co-host Benny]

Christmas, huh?

[Josh Levan]

Yo, believe it or not, guess where I got these.

[Co-host Benny]

Journeys.

[Josh Levan]

Tick Tock Shop.

[Co-host Benny]

What?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, baby, off the timberland site.

[Co-host Benny]

No way. And they're cheaper or something.

[Josh Levan]

I don't know, I just. It's easy. I'm on Tick Tock and I'm like two bucks.

[Co-host Benny]

Tick Tock Shop has Apple Pay.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, they have Apple pay.

[Co-host Benny]

Wow, bro. Never purchase anything on Tick Tock Shop right now.

[Josh Levan]

Salud. Not to bring it up, but they're dominating on Tick Tock Shop because people are like finding it easy to purchase.

[Co-host Benny]

No way. Yeah. Wow. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Shout out. Tick Tock. Got the butters on Tick Tock.

[Co-host Benny]

Damn.

[Josh Levan]

Got the loot on Tick Tock. What you need on Tick Tock.

[Co-host Benny]

Are we good? We're good, right? Okay. No slate today. We don't need it.

[Josh Levan]

Let's do it. Yeah, let's do a hand slate.

[Jessica]

We could do episode 2 29, back in the Stew.

[Josh Levan]

That's why I like the slate, you know.

[Co-host Benny]

Back in the Stew. Back in the Stew. It feels good, fool. Look it. If you guys don't know, we've already posted this year, but I'm letting you guys know right now, this is the first time that us, this crew, yeah, is. Is here. First time this year. And it feels good. Feels good. Real good. I think from the last time that you guys saw me, I've lost some weight now.

[Josh Levan]

You look skinny, Benny. That's your new name. Skinny Benny.

[Co-host Benny]

Don't call me Benny.

[Josh Levan]

You know, you look good, man.

[Co-host Benny]

And we got the Leatherman jackets on.

[Josh Levan]

Hey, I lost weight too.

[Co-host Benny]

How much did you lose?

[Josh Levan]

Like 15.

[Co-host Benny]

Ah.

[Josh Levan]

Swear?

[Co-host Benny]

Two.

[Josh Levan]

I bless you. I. When I started my. My cut, if you will, which I started in December.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. I didn't want to wait gradually because.

[Josh Levan]

I'm a believer in I don't need it. I don't need a new. A new year. Tell me when I need to start.

[Co-host Benny]

Same.

[Josh Levan]

This is what I do. You know when I'm gonna start. How does right now sound? How do you talk?

[Co-host Benny]

So you inspire me when you talk.

[Josh Levan]

It's not what you do, but how you do's it. So make sure when you do's it what you really do's it.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

I got the butters on today, baby.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, you got that, like, New York swag.

[Josh Levan]

That New York swag. Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You can say you're from New York, but just not with the hat.

[Josh Levan]

No. I don't know. I'm from New York. I'm from la.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. No, it looks good. It's so good sitting. Sitting here next to you.

[Josh Levan]

No, let me talk about my weight journey real quick. Oh, yeah, yeah. So I started the new December.

[Co-host Benny]

Your cut.

[Josh Levan]

My cut. But it was a gradual cut because I knew I had the holidays coming up, but I wanted to prepare me so I can just be more mindful and not just be like. Because it's easy to just to be like, throw it all out. Right. Be like. And the holidays coming up, whatever. I'm all in on this. But I wanted to prepare myself leading into it so I didn't go off the rails too much and I felt like that was very helpful.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Would you agree? Did you kind of do something?

[Co-host Benny]

I did the same thing.

[Josh Levan]

You kind of just like gradually get into it.

[Co-host Benny]

It's like, it's like.

[Josh Levan]

Because it's easy.

[Co-host Benny]

Just so, like Thanksgiving happened and I was eating like crazy, bro. Because I was like, even like beginning of November, I was like, I'll just eat whatever because, like, Thanksgiving about to happen, blah, blah. But then I was like, yo, my. So. Right, right. And then beginning of December goes. I was like, okay, that's it. I'll just eat bad for Christmas or that week.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, you almost count them as cheat days. Almost like it can be as cheat days.

[Co-host Benny]

You're not going to notice. Don't. I'm not gonna be that guy eating clean on Christmas, bro.

[Josh Levan]

No way.

[Co-host Benny]

There's no way. I can't do.

[Jessica]

That's.

[Josh Levan]

That's a disservice to Santa. To Santa. And your abuelita.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, straight up. Am I Swagram everybody, bro.

[Josh Levan]

So that's what I did. And I weighed myself and I was 235 pounds. For context, I'm six two, first team all American, number one in the state.

[Co-host Benny]

And why do you smile so big when you say that?

[Josh Levan]

Because I know it's kind of tickling.

[Co-host Benny]

You a little bit, you know, not jealous one bit. Right.

[Josh Levan]

Hence the letterman jacket. So yeah, 235 is a little on the heavier side for me, where I'd like to be my dream weight. It's probably like 205, I think I want to see what that feels like. And then we'll go from there.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

And right now, proud to say I'm 220, so £15.

[Co-host Benny]

Wow.

[Josh Levan]

I'm what you call on it.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I'm. I'm dialed right now, like super dialed in. I've been eating clean. I'm really taking my health seriously. Yeah, I'm working out a shitload, trying to get into a lot of activity so I don't bore myself. I get bored pretty quick.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

So I try to do a lot of different things, different days.

[Josh Levan]

That's really good, bro.

[Co-host Benny]

But at the end of the day, what you need to do is eat clean. You can do everything that you want. You can work out like crazy. Sure, it'll be fine. You're doing something good regardless. But if you don't eat clean, you're not going to see the results that you actually want.

[Josh Levan]

Check this out. You can't outwork a diet.

[Co-host Benny]

You can't. It's impossible, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Can't outwork it.

[Co-host Benny]

And like, true, true story. But like I've already lost like 15, 16 pounds. Yeah, I don't do abs yet. I'll do abs depending on my body.

[Josh Levan]

Visible.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. When they start being visible.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Because there's no reason on doing abs when you have a lot of belly fat. Right.

[Josh Levan]

And the abs are there.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, they're cool. If you want to do abs, you're going to burn calories and it's fine. But I'm not working them out yet.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, I don't think you necessarily need to.

[Co-host Benny]

No, but I'm doing a lot of cardio, I'm working out, I'm lifting weights. Yeah, lifting weights is very crucial. Cuz you can do a lot of cardio, especially when you're trying to lose weight. You can do a lot of cardio, but if that's all you do, you're going to look kind of aito me personally.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, no, I Get that. No, for sure, you're not going to have, like, that.

[Co-host Benny]

The shape. Lifting weights gives you the. I look firm, like. Yeah, I just want to look like a boner, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Whoa, dude. Can't say boner.

[Co-host Benny]

You guys ever get that feeling before? I've only had that feeling once. Like, two years ago, I was pretty ripped. I felt like a freaking boner, dude.

[Josh Levan]

Did you feel as ripped as you looked? And hear me out. Like, sometimes when, like, you're in your prime.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You don't realize it until you look back later on and you're like, damn, I look good right there. But in that moment, you might have not even felt your best.

[Co-host Benny]

That was the first time I've ever extremely looked really good.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

But since that was me visualizing that for the first time, it's almost like I was nitpicking a lot of. Of what I should look like, preparing myself. Right. But I look back, I was like, God damn, I'll do anything to look like that right now. You know what I mean?

[Josh Levan]

Not funny.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

I remember I was, like, 24 years old, probably, like, in the best shape of my life. Looking back at, like, my landscape of being, like, physique.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. A long time ago.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, it was a minute. And I remember I had a photo shoot, and it was. I did. I did a shirtless, and I felt like.

[Co-host Benny]

Like.

[Josh Levan]

Like a little, like, tubby. I didn't feel like my best. And I remember being like, man, I'm not even. Like. I remember telling the photographer, like, man, I'm not even. Like, I'm not feeling myself today. Like, I'm not. I'm not there. And he remember. I remember him showing me the. The camera, and he's like, but you look like this. And I didn't. My brain didn't, like, register it. And now I look back at those photos and I'll. I'll send them so you guys can show them. And I'm like, what? Yeah, in the world, dude. If you Google, dude, Josh Leva, shirtless. I'll show you exactly what photo I'm talking about.

[Co-host Benny]

I've seen you shirtless, bro. You've looked incredible.

[Josh Levan]

I still buy a riverbank. This is the photo. And this is the photo. Scroll down. Scroll down, man. I've been shirtless. Right there, right there. Just hold on to the left. The second one right there. That photo right there. Look at my. Look at me, dude.

[Co-host Benny]

Wow.

[Josh Levan]

And I. And I told the photographer, I'm not. I said, like, I'm kind of fluffy today. That was fluffy for me at 23, 24. That's crazy, dude.

[Co-host Benny]

Fool, you look honestly like you know me.

[Josh Levan]

Sick ass wedgie, too.

[Co-host Benny]

I ain't gay, but I do some to you right there.

[Josh Levan]

You know what I mean? Yeah. Come on, man. Hard boiled or soft boiled? That's only funny because you guys heard the context of our conversation earlier. But Silas and I were talking about eggs.

[Co-host Benny]

I ain't going to lie, bro. See the Chupo, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Just to say.

[Co-host Benny]

Just to get the girls jealous. Yeah, you think you saw.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

La. Just one.

[Josh Levan]

Just one. Yeah. Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You look great, bro. And you still look good. You've always look good. You have. You're gifted with a great genetic physique for sure.

[Josh Levan]

And I'm very blessed. And I. And I don't take that for granted, dude. But at the same time, I hold myself to that standard. And when I'm not that, it kind of. Kind of messes with. Messes with me psychologically a little bit. You know what I mean? I'll be open and honest and vulnerable here. And I. And I don't think that's completely healthy, but I think it's good to have, like, goals that you're aiming for, you know? But I can't let that. I still gotta be me at the end of the day, you know? You guys talking shit or what?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I don't know. What's going on over there? Camera four, look at the bottom.

[Jessica]

Hot straight guys.

[Josh Levan]

Wait, is this an ad for something?

[Jessica]

I don't know. It's a WordPress best article it looks.

[Josh Levan]

Let's dive deep, baby.

[Co-host Benny]

Dive deep, bro. Hot straight guys.

[Josh Levan]

Okay, am I on this list?

[Jessica]

Apparently.

[Co-host Benny]

All right.

[Josh Levan]

I'm number nine.

[Co-host Benny]

I want to know why you dressed up like this. You look kind of sus.

[Josh Levan]

Yo, yo. Can I tell you something? That little bow, that's a little gif. That's not even. I'm not even wearing that bow. I added that because I thought it was funny. And this is at Huntington Beach.

[Jessica]

Read what? This?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, read it out loud, Jess.

[Jessica]

Okay. Hot guy number nine, Josh Levan.

[Josh Levan]

Hot guy number nine.

[Jessica]

To quote Mitch from Modern Family, when I see him, my gator goes ping.

[Josh Levan]

All right, let's not read this.

[Jessica]

Anyway, am I the only person who thinks that he's definitely not as straight as he wants us to believe?

[Josh Levan]

Wow. Wow.

[Jessica]

Josh Lea is hot. Like fire hot. Less than number three. Ripped, young, famous, rich, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Psy. And funny. I haven't checked much of him, but he has made himself an Internet celebrity, particularly by his YouTube content. He's definitely not entirely Caucasian. I mean, his hair, eyes, and his skin, albeit white. I'm pretty much sure that there's a Hispanic. There's much Hispanic running in those vascularity. What is up with his hair?

[Josh Levan]

Okay, Jess, I was growing out my.

[Jessica]

Hair, but I can be wrong as well. What do you think? I don't know. This website sounds senses. If you're a deep stalker, Bon appetit. And then all your.

[Co-host Benny]

Bro, can I say something?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

I feel like when. I think the biggest compliment you can get as a guy is when they think that you're gay.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

I think that is one of the biggest compliments I used to, like, even in high school, bro, I used to be called. You know, people used to think I was gay. Or, you know, maybe that I was or maybe that I wasn't.

[Josh Levan]

Wait, what?

[Co-host Benny]

Wait, what? I said.

[Josh Levan]

People would question whether you were or you weren't.

[Co-host Benny]

This is. This started off as a great tick tock clip and then I just it up.

[Josh Levan]

No, no, this is good.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Yeah. So I think it's a huge compliment when they tell you that. Yeah. I think gay people are the ones that take care of themselves the most. They, they. They care about their appearance. They always have, like, honestly, great. What's it called?

[Josh Levan]

Hygiene. Posture.

[Co-host Benny]

Posture. You know, and the great people. I think, I think now I used to be like, damn. Like, I'm not, you know.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, but you're more defensive.

[Co-host Benny]

Like, it's like. It's like. It's like you're so buff and like, he must take steroids. I take it as that now. It's a goblin, son.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know what I mean? Like, it's cool. And like, honestly, like, I feel like it means, like, you're very approachable. You're very, like, charismatic. You're like, I love it. Mm.

[Josh Levan]

That's what it is. Because I've never dated a guy. Right. There's never, like, that's not a thing. So people are basing me potentially being gay or off of the way I look. There's no, like, evidence that, like, maybe, you know, it's like, no, he looks. He looks like he could be. Because what? I'm in shape. I take care of myself, so that kind of categorizes I.

[Co-host Benny]

Maybe the cute faces you make on.

[Josh Levan]

Maybe the little bow ties that I put on, you know, Instagram. Whatever it is, man.

[Co-host Benny]

You know, I think it's when a guy hyper takes care of himself for some reason, you're considered that or considered gay. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Moving on.

[Josh Levan]

Now, let's move on, man.

[Co-host Benny]

Great. Great picks.

[Josh Levan]

Thanks.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Hot guy, number nine.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Josh Levis physique. Today is sponsored by the one and only SeatGeek number one ticket reading app. Number one ticketed rating, number one rated ticketing app on the App Store.

[Josh Levan]

Can we do something? Can Jess maybe. And just, like, a little note. Can we mark every single time Ms. Like says it? I want to just look at this.

[Co-host Benny]

At the end of the day, your tongue twist.

[Josh Levan]

I want to look at this at the end of the year and count.

[Co-host Benny]

How many times it's a tongue twister.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Okay, so that's one.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. I just use se to buy. I went on my social media and this is what I want to do, like, now, like, maybe once a month.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, I saw you do this.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. I just want to give away, like, cool date nights or like, if I can, like, give out tickets for free or I'm paying them, but if I can give them out and they're not sponsored, like, seat doesn't know about this. I'm just using their platform because I genuinely like it. I just. Follow me. If you haven't followed me, I'm sure you do already, but I'm trying to give away. I. I just sent two people to Monster Jam.

[Josh Levan]

You did already. You got you.

[Co-host Benny]

Technically, I did already. Well, they haven't gone yet, but I bought the tickets for them. Ready? I'm choosing a winner tonight. Hey. I'm just giving them away. I just bought Monster Jam, so I'm going to go to Monster Jam, too. I've always wanted to go. I always see it on tv. I've never gone. Anaheim at Angel Stadium. Shout out Dodgers Y. And that's it. So shout out to Seak. Thank you for sponsoring this podcast. And. Yeah, New year, new us, bro.

[Josh Levan]

I'm. I'm so excited about this year. I feel. And Jess and I were kind of talking about this earlier. I think the word for this year is intention. Being intentional about everything you're doing in your life and then being mindful about it because it's very easy to get caught in the rut of things. But when you are intentional, you're just very, like. It's very. It's more. It captures more meaning.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You know, than just doing things, just to do things.

[Co-host Benny]

And even if you don't feel like your intentions are doing anything at that moment, they will equal out to something later in the future. Like, whatever you do intentionally right now, you might not get something immediately, but it will come for you.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know what? I mean, like, I think being intentional, it's great. And not just this year. Forever. Forever, you know? Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Like, why are you working out? Why are you doing this? Why do we have this podcast? Why do we meet up every. Every day? Why am I calling my mom? Why am I cleaning my house? You know what I mean? It's. It's for an intention. Not just. Not just doing things, just cuz. And that also means, like, hanging out. Going out for what? You know what I mean? And that's one thing I told you too. Like, I'm. Every time I go, it's intentional.

[Josh Levan]

You're going to be more, like, selective with. Well, can you elaborate? What do you mean?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I'm gonna be more selective when I go out. I was talking to Josh about this recently and I was like, I'm just gonna be. Not necessarily on who I'm going out with. It's why I'm going out.

[Josh Levan]

Right.

[Co-host Benny]

You know what I mean? If. Yeah, if Josh invites me out to his birthday, of course I'm gonna be there.

[Josh Levan]

Right?

[Co-host Benny]

But if you invite me out, because.

[Josh Levan]

I'm gonna go have some drinks.

[Co-host Benny]

You want to go have some drinks? And there's a new restaurant in town, but I know that tomorrow I have a long run, or I do this right? Or this weekend I'm kind of busy. But, like, I just love Josh, so I want to go. Yeah, I probably won't go anymore because I'm choosing that, you know, maybe it's not smart for me to go. And that doesn't mean that I don't love you. It just means that, you know, I'm being intentional with what I'm doing.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And that's okay.

[Josh Levan]

There's this book. I've never read it, but the title.

[Co-host Benny]

Is the best fucking line ever.

[Josh Levan]

I've never read it. Phenomenal title. The title is Learn to say no and Not Feel Bad About It.

[Co-host Benny]

How do you know about this book?

[Josh Levan]

Because I love the title. I just saw it, like, in a Barnes and Nobles one day.

[Co-host Benny]

Can you say it again?

[Josh Levan]

Learn to say no and not feel bad about it.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. And it's okay.

[Josh Levan]

You know what I mean? Like, because you said, is it an actual book? I find this on is. This is one of my Pinterest quotes. I don't know where these quotes come from, bro. And I. I. There. This is a book. Say no and Don't Feel the Art of Saying.

[Co-host Benny]

The Art of Saying no.

[Josh Levan]

Okay, well, look.

[Co-host Benny]

How to say no Without Feeling Guilty.

[Josh Levan]

Maybe that's where. That's the book And I just. Can I just. You know, I just kind of made it my own, but learn to say no. And I feel bad about it because you just said I might say no to Josh, and it's not because I don't love him. It's because I. I have these other things that I'm trying to prioritize. And there'll be another moment, right?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. And that's the thing. It's like, we always feel so bad about, oh, I'm not gonna go. And, bro, I'm so, like, it's not somebody. I'm not somebody who gets a lot of fomo. It depends. I've gotten it before. But I'm not somebody who. Who likes to say no. I would be considered a yes man in a positive way. So, basically, if you're. If you want to go out, I'm gonna do anything possible to meet your needs, because I love to just be with you. I. I do want to have fun. I want to go out. I love going out. I love to explore. I love to do new things. So I'm always saying yes to things, and I'm always trying to, like, make people happy. And that's a good trait.

[Josh Levan]

I think that's a great trait.

[Co-host Benny]

We all have that trait to an extent. To an extent. But what we don't realize is that if you continue being like that, especially in my life, and I feel like it's in a lot of people's life, there's something going on every day. There's always a birthday. There's always somebody's event who's doing this. Do you want to go? It's every day, bro, so I can't. I can't spend my life every week doing something randomly.

[Josh Levan]

No.

[Co-host Benny]

You know, I feel like I'm wasting a lot time on doing things that need to be done. You know what I mean? And even, like, just being home, bro, it just, like, speaks volumes. Being home and getting so much stuff done. Just being home, it's just. It's just being home is a blessing, honestly.

[Josh Levan]

I agree. I agree.

[Co-host Benny]

But, yeah, being more intentional. When I go out now, like, it really has to, like, I really have to step out of my.

[Josh Levan]

Like, just to make it simple. Like, it's almost. It's got to be worth it.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You know?

[Co-host Benny]

It has to be worth it. Yeah. You know what I mean? For example, shout out my homie Ryan. He's having a birthday party and had a birthday party in Disneyland, bro. I would love to be there. I love Disneyland, and I love my friend Ryan. I've known him since high school. A lot of the people that are going, I. I've. I've gone to high school with. Right, you're going. Yeah, I would love to be with you. Josh Lea, number nine. I. I had a. Cancel on him because I got this really opportunity. I got this really opportunity. Did I just see that?

[Josh Levan]

You didn't.

[Co-host Benny]

I got this really cool opportunity to go to Juanitas. He's doing this Red Bull. Red Bull is like, I'm.

[Josh Levan]

I'm.

[Co-host Benny]

I'm really messing this up. But Red Bull's basically sponsoring it, and they're, like, making the movie, and he's basically going to a bunch of continents and doing Extreme, and it's like a huge premiere.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, so he already did it.

[Co-host Benny]

He's already done it. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Oh. So they're showcasing this film.

[Co-host Benny]

It's.

[Josh Levan]

It's.

[Co-host Benny]

It's. They're showcasing the. The world premiere. I don't know if it's one episode, the pilot, or all those episodes, which I doubt. But a. I love Juan Pasurita.

[Josh Levan]

Me too.

[Co-host Benny]

A huge fan. Respect him. Yeah, Respect him. Like, super cool. A goat right in the game. But most importantly, I said no to Ryan, that I'm not gonna go because I'm gonna go to this thing because I feel like it's good for my career and to network and to meet people and to bring them on the podcast and to. And to network. That's why I'm going, and that's why I canceled on my friend, because I know deep down inside that it's gonna be good for me to go. Yeah. Now, next week, I will let you know if it was really worth it. But me, genuinely, I believe that I think it's worth it for me to cancel this, you know, And I hit up my friend, and I was like, yo, I'm gonna take you out to dinner. Don't worry. I love you, bro. And I hope you understand. And him, as a good friend. He did understand.

[Josh Levan]

Of course.

[Co-host Benny]

But like I said, that's one example.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know what I mean? Taking myself more serious.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Which I do.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. No, no, I get what you're saying.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

I get what you're saying. Doing things that truly. And I'm not saying this doesn't, but truly add value to your life. Right. And you're looking at it this way. Like, this could be valuable for, you know, longevity. And I know I have a friend who's understanding. And you're not going to Disneyland for his birthday is okay, because you can make it up. And Take him to dinner. And actually that might even be better for your guys's friendship because it's more intentional.

[Co-host Benny]

It's more intentional, exactly. So, like, little things like that, you know, like, it hurt me to say that.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Were you scared?

[Co-host Benny]

I wasn't scared, but I was just like, you know how like us guys are. We've known each other for a while.

[Josh Levan]

Man, you a bitch.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, of course.

[Co-host Benny]

I can't believe you. You know, if he's really your friend, totally understandable. And that's it. You know, and then now looking back at him like, that was easy. Yeah. You know, and he respected that, you know, and then when he sees me doing something that really excelled my career, he's going to know it's because of the situations I put myself in and the decisions that I made not to do things.

[Josh Levan]

He's going to respect you more.

[Co-host Benny]

He's going to respect.

[Josh Levan]

Because he does not right now.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. And like, even, like, even like growing up, that's like something that I, like, did with my parents. I was scared to tell them no or I was scared to go against the grain with them because I didn't know if I was going to fail or not on what I was going to do. So once they saw me actually succeed in the things that I was going to. That I did or do, or the. Or. Or them trusting me in what I say, that's when I started doing even more things that went against the grain of. With their. Not necessarily their beliefs, but what they thought were not going to work. You know what I mean? And my parents have always believed in me. But when you start doing things like that, like going out on your own, you know, paying your own bills or. Or telling my pops that I'm going to do this, and it works. And when they start seeing that, it's like, oh, you're.

[Josh Levan]

They're good.

[Co-host Benny]

You're free to fly, baby. You know what I mean? So then now you're, You're. You're. Now you have gained the respect of your parents. You know what I mean? Because when you're like a fledging still, which is a fledging is a bird who's not able to fly yet. Did you know that?

[Josh Levan]

I don't think you use that correctly, but. No, no, but I get what you're saying.

[Co-host Benny]

That's all that matters. So, you know, you don't have that respect of your parents for sure. Right. And you're scared to do things because you're like, of course. But once you do and you go against the Grain. And you do things that are maybe out of the norm for your parents, and you succeed in them, you gain the respect. And that goes with your swaggers.

[Josh Levan]

I was going to say that it's not just like.

[Co-host Benny]

It's not just your parents. It goes with your friends. It goes with everybody. Because when you. When you do things and, you know, and you actually capitalize on them later, you're like. People see you as like, whoa. When I first started on my. When I first started on my diet, people were roasting me because I would take meal preps to parties.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And I got roasted right where it got you. Six months later, super ripped and jacked. And then now they looked at me like, damn, he was dialed. Okay, I see it now. There was a vision, and that's life. Life is all about the vision that you have that nobody sees.

[Josh Levan]

That was beautifully put. Something to piggyback off that. You sent me this video, but I had already seen it, and it's Austin Butler, and he's being interviewed.

[Co-host Benny]

Oh, my God. That was.

[Josh Levan]

And I don't want. I'm gonna, like, paraphrase it, but basically, he talks about an undiscovered emotion.

[Co-host Benny]

Yes.

[Josh Levan]

And I've never heard it worded the way he put it.

[Co-host Benny]

It's so good.

[Josh Levan]

I honestly think it's beautiful. It's beautiful. It's beautiful. But basically, he talks about how the un. There's an undiscovered or what is it?

[Co-host Benny]

An undiscovered and. No, it's a un. Should I pull it up?

[Josh Levan]

Pull it up. But basically, he talks about embarrassment. Have you seen this? He talks about the feeling of embarrassment, and everything that you're looking for is on the other side of it.

[Co-host Benny]

Oh, yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. So, like, putting yourself through those experiences are. The gain of it is so rewarding.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. It's so good.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, It's.

[Co-host Benny]

It's. It's. It's what you get on the other side of that.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Everything you're looking for is on the other side of it. And I think that's such a cool way to look at things when, like, you are scared to dive into something and all you have to do is potentially experience a little bit of embarrassment.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

But the growth that comes out of that is exponential.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Should we roll that clip for the.

[Josh Levan]

For the people back? Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion.

[Jessica]

Yes.

[Josh Levan]

You know, this idea of embarrassment being the thing that often keeps us from trying new things or from. From expressing ourselves and this. Or. Or the fear of embarrassment, the fear of being judged socially. Dude. That's powerful.

[Co-host Benny]

It's an un. It's. What do you say? Undiscovered emotion, undiscovered emotions.

[Josh Levan]

You know what it is? So many people are scared to feel that cring. Embarrassment, that the judgment from people. But like he said, everything you're looking for is on the other side of it.

[Co-host Benny]

I love that, dude.

[Josh Levan]

That is powerful.

[Co-host Benny]

And I was, when I, when I sent it to you, I was like, I'm so glad that I saw this like right now, the beginning of this year.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

I love it. It's like basically I don't give a attitude because at the other side of that rainbow is literally what you said. Yeah. It's what you're looking for and it's, it's so true.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And not only do you, do you discover so much on the other side, you discover so much about yourself.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know what I mean? You become super.

[Josh Levan]

It's almost like an emotion that we should, we should be excited to go into. You know what I mean? It's like we're excited to feel like happiness. We're excited to feel joy, but, but why not be excited to feel embarrassment? I know it sound kind of silly, but just knowing that there's so much growth on the other side, knowing that like, yo, I'm going to post this video. I'm a little, this, this is a reference. I'm a little embarrassed about it cuz I feel like it might be a little cringe. But then that video takes you to another level in your content creating, in your social media career. And, and that, that brand that's, you know, going to want to work with you next. Because what you quote, unquote, that was cringe, impacted people.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You know, everybody that you see successful.

[Co-host Benny]

Whether it be social media or not, it doesn't have to be social media. Not everything is social media. All those people that you see successful, they went through that, they've gone through those cringe moments.

[Josh Levan]

100.

[Co-host Benny]

Whether they failed immediately after or not, they kept doing it until something happened.

[Josh Levan]

Dude, can I tell you something? I can't believe I'm even going to talk about this. And McDonald's punta com yagonal a ser.

[Co-host Benny]

You're not going to believe it. Greens Plus Superfoods is now at Target nationwide. Come on, my boy.

[Josh Levan]

Perfect way to start the new year if you ask me. Guys, we're so excited to announce Taste Daluth Greens are now available at target. That's insane. 20 plus fruits and veggies, digestion support, bloating, relief. This is the product you need to start your New Year's and you can find it at Target. Look at this. It's beautiful. Six count. We got two flavors. We got the peach, mango, and of course we got that strawberry lime.

[Co-host Benny]

That's my favorite. Come on now, Josh, did you tell them that there's only one gram of sugar just like every salud product?

[Josh Levan]

I didn't. But you just did.

[Co-host Benny]

And they're at Target.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, they're at Target, baby. Nationwide. Let me tell you something about this. If you haven't got a chance to try our greens and Superfood product, one, you're missing out. Two, they taste absolutely incredible. You're going to enjoy drinking your greens. And that's what we do as halloo. We just make things enjoyable.

[Co-host Benny]

Yes, of course. Hey, camera, look at me. Start off your new year with greens plus superfood. Trust me, Sea said so.

[Josh Levan]

Hey, camera, back at me, Dude. Can I tell you something? I can't believe I'm even gonna talk about this. I was very fortunate to start my social media career pretty young. I was 21, 20 years old, right? And I. There was like a point where I was at the, the peak of my game. I was like 24, 25, I think at 25, 26, 27. I don't remember. In that pocket, I gained 2 million subscribers. And I remember I had this, this idea in my mind of how people viewed me as, like, successful. You know, I was probably well off and I was okay, but I wasn't. I don't think I fit that perfect bubble of what people put me in. Okay. And pulling up that, that website that we pulled up, so I'm gonna get emotional about it, but they, in the vid, in the, in the, in the website, they were like, he's. He's young, rich and famous, right, bro? There was moments where I was really well off, but then, I don't want to say I lost everything, but social media is like, there's a lot of this. You know what I mean? And I really rode that roller coaster, bro.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I know.

[Josh Levan]

And there was like a moment where, like, I was at my peak and everything. The brands were coming in, my views up, everything. And then I, I kind of lost grasp of it and I, I lost a lot of it, bro. And I remember I was living in a high rise in downtown la and my life kind of shifted and it started to look a little bit different, right? And I kind of had to be a little bit more conservative with my money, and I had to be more smart. I couldn't Spend the way I was spending because the money wasn't coming in the way it used to. And I remember I moved into an apartment, it was a two bedroom apartment. And there was a part of me that was embarrassed to shoot videos there or to shoot photos because I, I wanted to uphold this image that people had of me. And it goes so deep, bro, that when I launched Salud in 2021, people might have thought, like, I was at the peak of my game. I was not, dude. I, I almost felt like I was irrelevant. And I remember, I'll never forget the day that we launched and it was my business partner Tyler, and we did all the packaging in my apartment, we did all the orders, we did everything. And I set up this like, plastic table and I recently resurfaced that photo. When I did this, like, I did this brand integration with QuickBooks and it was basically like the, the, the come up of it.

[Co-host Benny]

All right?

[Josh Levan]

And I remember when Tyler took that photo and he doesn't even know this, but I never wanted that photo to see the light of day.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

I didn't want people to see where I was. I wanted to uphold this image of what people had viewed me.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

And now I look back at that photo and I'm so proud of that photo. Like, bro, I was in an apartment grinding little. People didn't know what I was like, where I was at. And I, like, found a way to like, make it out. And it's like, I almost wish I would have heard that video earlier of like, you know, leaning into that embarrassment because everything I'm looking for is on the other side of it. I lived it. I lived it, like, being that embarrassment of like, you know, I'm packaging this, I'm starting this brand and I'm doing it everything myself. And I almost didn't want people to see that at the time. And to me, I'm like, dang, I missed out on potentially impacting somebody's life of being like, look, I'm starting this from the ground up. And, and this is where I'm at. This is the reality of where I'm at. It's not. I'm not living in this mansion, this YouTuber who has had millions of followers, subscribers, all that stuff. Like, nah, man, I'm in this two bedroom apartment and this is what it is. And by the way, the only reason it was a two bedroom apartment is because it was cheaper than my one bedroom apartment that I had. So it's like not even a flex and I'm like, two bedroom. It's like, nah, that was just a better situation that I got lucky that it was a two bedroom.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I remember, I remember. I remember those days. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, it's crazy. It's because, like, like your high standard at that moment of what you had, you know, you people think even like, till this day, we think we can always stay there. And yeah, that's not the case.

[Josh Levan]

It's not. It's not the case, man. It's not the case. And I'm really fortunate that I went through those experiences because I feel like God gave me a second chance. Man coming. And everything kind of fell into place so beautifully and so perfect. And I've talked about this before and I don't think I've elaborated on the details of, like, really where I was at. But this podcast also saved my life. Like, it saved my, my, my, my. My creative core that I needed my outlet to express myself. This was a huge, like, monumental moment in my life and it all lend itself so perfectly. And this is. I almost felt like it was God's way of being, like, I still got so much more for you, you know, just step into it. And that's when salud came out. That's when you brought me onto the podcast. And it was just all unfolded right before my very eyes. And I hold on to that, bro. And I now, being older, being my age, 36, I am like, I take. I have such a different lens for what I have, you know, I have such a different amount of gratitude.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, same.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

It's crazy how like, like you're going through your own thing. I invited you, didn't invite you. I wanted you to be a part of this podcast because I was going through my own things with, with the podcast. And it's crazy how like, God can just be like you two.

[Josh Levan]

Right?

[Co-host Benny]

Just do that and you guys will be okay.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know, how beautiful.

[Josh Levan]

It's fascinating, bro.

[Jessica]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And we still haven't kissed on camera.

[Josh Levan]

Well, not on camera.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. No. But isn't that crazy?

[Josh Levan]

It's crazy.

[Co-host Benny]

Like, I remember those days. I remember you would like, you know, vaguely talk about it. I remember I've been to that apartment. They had a nice gym.

[Josh Levan]

No, bro, that was not it. That was not it. Oh, but I'm excited for this year, bro. I think this year is going to be awesome.

[Co-host Benny]

I'm so excited, man. I'm excited to. To bring the best of me, you know what I mean? Yeah, I'm excited because I know if I bring the best of me out I bring the best of everyone out. Do you know what I mean?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, I.

[Co-host Benny]

This might sound conceited, but I am such a firm believer that I do bring out the best in people, and I am good energy to a lot of people.

[Josh Levan]

You are. You know, you also know how to read.

[Co-host Benny]

And I know that if I keep up being the best I can be, everybody around me wins.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know, and I'm not saying I'm. I'm gonna make you successful. No. I'm just saying, like, I just. I want to be that person. To uplift others.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

To make other people happy, to make them succeed, to. To, you know, just to make them smile.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

You know, I think there was a lot of time last year where I was just, like, really, Like. I don't know, just maybe like, in my head a lot. But. Yeah, bro, I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I feel like last year was a huge learning curve for all of us for La Platica. And just, like, with everything that we have going on, can we talk about it?

[Josh Levan]

Can we kind of dive into what we've kind of, like.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Really learned from last year? And I think it's. I think it's. We're at a place now where we can talk about the complacency that we were living in.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Last year.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You know, we both had a lot going on.

[Co-host Benny]

A lot.

[Josh Levan]

And I. I don't want to say we put la platica as a secondary, because that's not it. But there was maybe. Maybe we did a little bit. Maybe we did a lot of it, you know?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. I think it was more kind of like we just got comfortable.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. But we still did good and spoiled with, like, the team that we have.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You know.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. 100%. So I feel like there was a little sense of. Of comfort.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And just kind of like, letting Laplace go on autopilot.

[Josh Levan]

Right.

[Co-host Benny]

Which is. I think we still did great. I mean, you look back at our year, and it's incredible what we did.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

It's incredible what we've done, but there's more to a podcast than just turning on the cameras and the lights and shooting the. Yes, that's cool. But there needs to be more intention into what we say, who we bring, what we do, stuff like that. So I do feel like there was a little sense of. And I talked about a couple episodes back, I said there's going to be more, like, you know, we've been so busy with the live shows and that. I mean, I think Just speaking about this show here, there was definitely there room for improvement as in like just more intention. Especially with me and you. Jess has always done her job.

[Josh Levan]

100 so much to the point that she's done.

[Jessica]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

So good.

[Co-host Benny]

So when I talk about the show, I'm not talking about you. Yeah, yeah, she's always done her job, but there was definitely like me and you got really comfortable.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And because just, it's not that we don't care, it's just we have so much on our plate sometimes that it's just like you get comfortable because it's like you get to the show and you're like, ah, finally, like, let's just.

[Josh Levan]

Do what we do.

[Co-host Benny]

Do what we do.

[Josh Levan]

Right.

[Co-host Benny]

But we wanna to, in order to grow, you need to put some intention in it. You need to brainstorm, you know, you need to put a little bit more effort into things. More elbow grease and that's it. That's all you need to do, you know. And yeah, so I did feel like we were a little bit more comfortable, me and you and because everybody else on the show did their job, when Matt was here, he was editing, Jess was producing, doing a bunch of stuff. Always having great ideas, always being here, being present, which is, which is huge. But with me and you, you know, you have a business. Yeah. You know, you've always, you, you were, you were gone a lot. We were gone a lot. So just all we're, all we're saying is that like this year the intention will hopefully I, I cross my fingers and I know it's gonna work. There will be more intention into the conversations, the people that come on, just giving a little bit extra.

[Josh Levan]

You know what I love about this as well, bro? I think our, the reason why we're doing it is, is meaningful. We want to give more to people. There is no agenda of like, we want to be more intentional because we're trying to make more money. Like that's not even in our mind. It's about like, we want to grow this. We want to be excited about what we're doing. We want the audience to be excited and to be along with us in this like, thing that we have created and continuing to grow, you know, and.

[Co-host Benny]

It'S normal, you know, it's normal for us to like let off the, our foot off the gas a little bit and just kind of chill. It's normal, bro. We've been doing social media for a long time and it's normal. But what, what, what we got out of last year, it's going to bring this year. It's going to be magic, you know, cuz we went through that already and we know how it goes. So we, you know, so expect a lot this year. Expect, you know, a lot of good memories. We had good memories last year. Last year is not a flop, dude. We did a whole life show.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, you're right.

[Co-host Benny]

We did everything. So many memories. We met thousands and thousands of people. Last year is probably one of the best times I've ever had in my life.

[Josh Levan]

I agree.

[Co-host Benny]

It was magical what we did. I hope to do that soon again. Yeah, but like there was a moment. I'm just speaking about this room in here.

[Josh Levan]

Sure.

[Co-host Benny]

And what goes on every Monday at 6:00am, right.

[Josh Levan]

Yes.

[Co-host Benny]

That has to be and will be more intentional. And I spoke about it last time, you know what I mean? Because we do read the comments and I. And we understand, but like I said, we're here for you guys.

[Josh Levan]

Love that, bro.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, but. Yeah, I, I agree, Josh. But like I said, we will be more intentional. How many times did I say intentional?

[Josh Levan]

So word of the year, bro.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm gonna get that chatted.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. It's just growing up, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, that's what it is, bro. Yeah, it's like, it's growth.

[Co-host Benny]

I look at it and I'm just like, bro, like I'm. I'm X amount of age old and time has flown and if. And it flies even faster when you're more. When you're trying to do things, when you're trying to be successful, when your.

[Josh Levan]

Head'S down, just working or just.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, when you're working. When you're working, working, working. And like. Yeah, I'm like I'm doing good things or like I'm not doing good things. Time is flying, bro. And the more responsibilities you have, the less time you have to think about the actual moments and the happiness that you can have. You know what I mean?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

So it can be scary. I'm not scared to be old, but I'm scared that time that I don't want to be 50, 60 years old, 70 years old. And I'm like, man, I should have just really.

[Josh Levan]

I could have done more.

[Co-host Benny]

I could have done more and I could have.

[Josh Levan]

Could have been more.

[Co-host Benny]

Could have been more. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, man. So, yeah, there is a. A quote. Yeah. By Tony Robbins. He talks about how, and I've said this before, how discipline weighs ounces in the comparison of the weight of regret. You know, so just being. And I'm probably. I probably butchered that quote. I don't know if you can find it. Just, like, discipline, regret. Tony Robbins, which, by the way, I love him. I want to get him on the pot.

[Co-host Benny]

So bad guys, we were just talking about him before the show, and just a quick backstory when we all. You guys know. You guys remember we all spammed Kika Hernandez.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And when he finally came on the pod, we asked him, did you see the spam?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

He was like, yeah, of course.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

So there's no way. So we're gonna start doing that.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And we don't care because there's no regrets in spamming people because we're doing it out of great intention.

[Josh Levan]

But we need them.

[Co-host Benny]

We want them. We're gonna. If we're gonna spam people, and they don't have to be super famous if we want them on the pod. It's me, Josh, Jessica, Saul, and everybody back at home. We're spamming them.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. We need you go on the pod. Referring to, like, we need the audience listening.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. So all of us. It's going to be a team effort. F. Effort. And we're gonna do this.

[Josh Levan]

Let's do it, man.

[Co-host Benny]

Anybody? Sky's the limit. Come on, man.

[Josh Levan]

Who you want?

[Co-host Benny]

Adam Sandler.

[Josh Levan]

Yes.

[Jessica]

Bad bunny.

[Josh Levan]

Bad bunny.

[Co-host Benny]

Bad bunny.

[Josh Levan]

Tony Robbins.

[Co-host Benny]

Tony Robbins. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, bro. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

So I think it's gonna be a cool little game.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

So here's the actual quote. Discipline weighs ounces, while regret. Regret weighs tons. So we're so scared of being, like, not scared, but, like, we have this, like, fear of, like, being disciplined because it's not easy.

[Co-host Benny]

Right?

[Josh Levan]

Dude. Like, discipline is, like, doing the thing you don't want to do, but doing it anyways.

[Co-host Benny]

And it's constantly thinking about that.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, yeah. But just, like, I rather lean into the discipline, that uncomfortability of discipline, than feel the weight of regret, of, like, man, if all I needed to do was do it, and I could have. Could potentially experience the thing I wanted.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Like, I'm not going to lie to you. When we spent. When we spammed Kike, there was a little bit of embarrassment, of course. As in, like, no, like, as a man. Like, I don't want to do that to another man, but we did it.

[Josh Levan]

To another man, and it's all good.

[Co-host Benny]

So on the other side of that.

[Josh Levan]

Embarrassment was success was what we wanted.

[Co-host Benny]

And what we got, and now we're homies, bro.

[Josh Levan]

I know.

[Co-host Benny]

I DM kick all the time. He literally wishes. Flex.

[Josh Levan]

And I'm not going to lie. I kind of blushed a little bit.

[Co-host Benny]

Great guy, great guy, great guy. So, yeah, bro. So like, I love that. And like, I'll send you guys. Remind me to send you guys that Austin Butler and the fact that Austin first. I always liked Austin Butler. I love him now, cuz he said that. And like that's his mentality and the way he thinks. And that wasn't a movie, that was an interview. That was him.

[Josh Levan]

That was him. I think that says a lot about his acting as well. Because as an actor, like the way he's able to like understand a character and a role, like you kind of. You have to be intelligent, you have to have this like, you have to be in tune emotionally, this depth to you. And I think that showcase a lot of like how he's able to really get there. This like, this, this intellectual intelligence that he holds.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

You know what I mean?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Like, dude, he transformed into. One of my favorite films of his is Elvis. Have you guys seen Elvis? Dude, he is brilliant in that film.

[Co-host Benny]

So good.

[Josh Levan]

I had know who he was as you.

[Co-host Benny]

Why did I almost. I almost licked my lips when I said that.

[Josh Levan]

He's so good.

[Co-host Benny]

He's so good. I almost did, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Have I ever told you my Austin Butler story? If we ever get him on the podcast, I got to tell him the story.

[Co-host Benny]

What is it?

[Josh Levan]

I saw him at a restaurant in Hollywood three months after he had filmed Elvis. And dude, he. Did you tell me that? Yeah, he. He was like at a table with like, I want to say his family, another girl sitting next to him. I don't know who it was. Like it was partner or anything like that, but he looked miserable. Like you can like blamelessly, like this human is like kind of going through it and he was just like sad. Like sad. I don't know what kind of conversation. I don't really know the context of it. I'm just telling you what I saw. And I remember his. The girl next to him was like kind of rubbing his bag and like just reassuring him.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, the whole scene looked like that, bro.

[Josh Levan]

It was like I like, oh, something's happening. And I couldn't take my eyes off the situation, guys.

[Co-host Benny]

There was no cameras.

[Josh Levan]

There was no cameras. There was nothing. And then I ended up finding out that like, he really embodied the Elvis role. Like on a really like almost like some Heath Ledger type, you know, situation. And I think that that role probably weighed on him. I'm assuming I'm kind of creating this in my mind. I'd like to think that he went like, went through it as an actor and was like, man, because that movie is like he. I mean, Elvis dies at the end. Like, you can see the trauma that he's going through. Like, I genuinely feel just watching that clip that he went through that, bro. Like he put himself through that, you know, and maybe lost himself a little bit in it. Almost to the point that he was dealing with a lot of criticism because people were making fun of his voice.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

That he couldn't get out of the character.

[Co-host Benny]

Maybe that. Maybe that's where that quote was born. Because of all that embarrassment that he thought was embarrassment or he felt embarrassed.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Something else comes out of it. Cuz now the dude's successful. You can't talk on him.

[Josh Levan]

Hell no.

[Co-host Benny]

Hell no, bro. Did you see that, that motorcycle movie?

[Josh Levan]

No, but I want to watch it.

[Co-host Benny]

Sick. Did you see that one with Zoe Kravitz?

[Josh Levan]

No, but I want to watch it. What's it called? You guys?

[Co-host Benny]

You saw the movie Fellow? No, it's Austin Butler. Zoe Kravitz. I. I think it's Zoe Kravitz. No. Caught stealing.

[Josh Levan]

Dude, I want to watch the motorcycle. When you're talking about. Oh no. The one where he's a pilot. There's one where he's like a. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

No, Caught Stealing was. You haven't seen it? No, you gotta watch it.

[Josh Levan]

Watch it tonight. Is it like that good?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Okay.

[Co-host Benny]

It's great movie.

[Josh Levan]

I kind of want to watch the. So embarrassing. But I want to watch the Mr. Beast games. I saw season one. Season two came out today.

[Co-host Benny]

Oh, really? I've never seen season one.

[Josh Levan]

Bro, you gotta watch it. It's pretty good. Yeah, it's pretty good.

[Co-host Benny]

Wow. Have you seen Marty Supreme?

[Josh Levan]

Yes. Yeah, I fell asleep because I watched it too late.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it was a great movie. It reminded me of Uncut Gems.

[Josh Levan]

That's what it is. It's like.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's just. It's just. It's just hectic after hectic situation after drama. After the whole time you're just like, damn, this guy can't catch a break, bro.

[Josh Levan]

This is.

[Co-host Benny]

And I think that's the. The magic of those kind of 100 always being like. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

On edge. Like you feel the. The tension.

[Co-host Benny]

I felt. Yeah. I had an anxiety attack the whole.

[Josh Levan]

Time from the beginning. That movie starts it. They're in the opening scene. This isn't give away the movie. But there he's like, he's dealing, she's selling shoes.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

And even that scene, it's so fast. And then when I was like Processing the movie, I was like, nothing was happening. But I felt so stressed just because the pace of the movie and to.

[Co-host Benny]

Be an actor and to be nailing those roles and what the audience has to feel like. You have to be an amazing actor. Yeah, he's brilliant to be on it like that.

[Josh Levan]

Boom, boom, boom, boom.

[Co-host Benny]

The whole time. There's no fudgeing, resting.

[Josh Levan]

Dude.

[Co-host Benny]

That movie, Marty Supreme. The whole time that character Marty was.

[Josh Levan]

And McDonald's punta com.

[Co-host Benny]

He never slept.

[Josh Levan]

Did you see his speech where he talks about he's chasing greatness? Like, he wants to be one of the greats and he's like. A lot of people don't speak like that, but, like, I'm putting it out there that I'm like, chasing to be the greats.

[Co-host Benny]

I'm doing a great job, man.

[Josh Levan]

These guys are.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. I also love that he was talking about, like, the way he promotes his movies and stuff like that. He says mainstream media and actors normally just like, kind of let them move in the shadows doing their thing. They're making it too good. Yes. That's not me.

[Josh Levan]

And that's not the way it's going to work anymore, bro. No, like, he did a brilliant job with Marty Supreme. He was everywhere, bro. I had no idea what that movie was about, and I couldn't wait to watch it. That's how good of a marketing he did. Yeah, he was everywhere.

[Co-host Benny]

He's brilliant. He's so young.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. And he was really leaning into, like, pop culture. And like, really was that whoever his marketing team was that was like, rallying behind him and giving them ideas or him himself was so good. This whole thing on the sphere. He was the first human ever stand on. On top of the sphere and promote the movie. There is this rapper whose name is SD Kid. You know, I'm going with this and you know what I'm talking about. This is rapper from the uk. He's kind of underground and.

[Co-host Benny]

Oh, they did the music video.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Well, he had. He always wears like a. He covers his face and he only. He only his shisty. He only shows his eyes.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

And there was like this rumors and theories that he was Timothy Chalamet and then he drops a song with him. I'm like, dude, this guy is so brilliant because he didn't have to do that. You know what I mean?

[Co-host Benny]

But he knows and he knows effort into it. Yeah. Yeah, Cool.

[Jessica]

It felt like uncle Gems. Because it's the same director.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. It's the same director, which. Which is great. I love his movies. I. If I. I've gone on, like, what I like to do. What I like to do is I like to go kind of like on.

[Josh Levan]

Rabbit Hole.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. But, like, for example, like, I went on a Rabbit Hole with, like, Matthew, like, a deep dive on everyone's movies, and I would see, like, every Matthew McConaughey movie. I've done that with that actor. He has great movies, and they're all like this. Yeah, he's like, what? Yeah, he's an interstellar Timothy.

[Jessica]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, he's the son.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, he's a son.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Dan.

[Josh Levan]

I forgot about that.

[Co-host Benny]

He was young. Super dude. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Uncut. That. That format. It's like.

[Co-host Benny]

That's his specialty.

[Josh Levan]

It's like a format.

[Co-host Benny]

It's almost like a. Yeah, it's like a genre.

[Josh Levan]

It's like a template. You know, when you go on Instagram, you, like, recreate this template, and it just, like, does it for you. Like, you know what I'm talking about?

[Co-host Benny]

It's genius, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Bro, it's so good. Yeah, that's a. An art within itself. Like, that editing aspect of it.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's great.

[Josh Levan]

I wonder how he felt like watching that film back. Like, just seeing.

[Co-host Benny]

I don't know. I mean, it has to be proud, dude.

[Josh Levan]

He also gave a huge shout out to Kylie Jenner, his girl.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Daddy even realized they've been dating for three years.

[Co-host Benny]

I know they have, though.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, well.

[Co-host Benny]

Wow. Time flies. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

And then even in that rap song, he said, like, I'm trying to chase a hundred million. My girls got a billion. I was like, damn dollars.

[Co-host Benny]

I know.

[Josh Levan]

Doll hairs.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, no, it's. It's a great movie. It's a great watch.

[Josh Levan]

I need to. I have to. Have to re. Watch it. We watched it at. Dude, I. I don't know why I commit to watching movies at 11pm like.

[Co-host Benny]

Bro, you have to be more.

[Josh Levan]

I'm 36.

[Co-host Benny]

You have to be more intentional with the movies you watch.

[Josh Levan]

You know what I mean? Like, I'm not committing. I'm sorry, can't make it. I'm asleep, you know?

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Why would you go watch a movie? 11.

[Josh Levan]

I was caught in the hype, you know, I was like, I have to go. I was really excited to watch the movie.

[Co-host Benny]

I knocked out, like, 30 minutes in.

[Josh Levan]

No, no, no. I got to the part where. No, I don't want to tell you, but. Yeah, I got. I don't want to give away the movie.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's a great movie. Yeah, I liked it.

[Josh Levan]

I also had the casting Was really good, too. Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

The casting was good.

[Josh Levan]

Like, very wonderful. Being in as a villain.

[Co-host Benny]

He did a great job.

[Josh Levan]

He did so good.

[Co-host Benny]

He did a great job.

[Josh Levan]

He. Yeah. You know, he was kind of acting like himself.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Which is pretty easy for him.

[Josh Levan]

But it's also not easy, bro. Like, there's still, like, 50 people watching you. Production, like, to act. Like if you're someone's, like, just be Sebastian when there's eight cameras on you. Directors like all this stuff. It's not easy. It's still, like, a challenge.

[Co-host Benny]

I feel like if you ask Mr. Wonderful if it was difficult or easy.

[Josh Levan]

He was easy.

[Co-host Benny]

He'd probably say, I'm Mr. Wonderful.

[Josh Levan]

Of course I did.

[Co-host Benny]

Of course I can do it.

[Josh Levan]

Let's get Mr. Wonderful on the podcast, man.

[Co-host Benny]

Let's spam the. Out of him. I saw him in front and, like, if you're watching this Mr. Wonderful. Big fan. If we had Mark Cuban on, why can't we have Mr. Wonderful on?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Unless.

[Co-host Benny]

Easy. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Unless Mr. Wonderful.

[Co-host Benny]

Dude, Mr. Wonderful wears two RMS two Richard Miley with red bands. Just because he can.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

Like, he's so cool, bro. And I love his style. Yeah, it's so cool.

[Josh Levan]

I've actually became more of a fan of him through, like, social media than I was on Shark Tank.

[Co-host Benny]

Me too.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Which is interesting.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I love it. Yeah. We can have them on. We're going to spam them. Easy.

[Josh Levan]

Let's do it. Spam them. Spam everybody. Every human. Any person that you come across on Instagram, tell them to come on la.

[Co-host Benny]

Spam them. Everybody spam them.

[Josh Levan]

We've gotten some requests, cuz. You put out. You put out a little video saying, like, yo, we want to know. You know who I got a lot of? I got a lot of Santi.

[Co-host Benny]

Oh, yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Santi would be great.

[Co-host Benny]

We can have Santian. Of course, dude. Santi's the homie. Always been really, really cool with us. Yeah. Love to have him on. He's actually. Actually, I've already hit him up. He said yes. It's just he lives in Houston.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, that's what it is. Do you have a list here, Jess?

[Jessica]

I do. I compiled a list of some of the most popular comments.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, Bretman Rock would be incredible.

[Co-host Benny]

I would die, dude. And, like, Bretman Rock loves Karen and, like, they're friends. Yeah, it's just Bremen. Rock lives in Hawaii, so we'd have to catch him when he's over here.

[Josh Levan]

Or we fly him out.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, let's fly him out. He only does jets, though. We'll put on the salute card. Yeah, deal. Always so worth it.

[Josh Levan]

100. It'll be worth it.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

I love him.

[Josh Levan]

He. He did the whole social media thing like correctly. He blew up and just like moved to Hawaii or like just permanently stayed in Hawaii. Didn't get involved too much.

[Co-host Benny]

He's one of my favorite content creators because he. Every video that he posts is genuinely him.

[Josh Levan]

Him.

[Co-host Benny]

He's not trying to fake the fun. No, he's not doing anything for anybody. He has genuine every. You are so lovable and you deserve everything.

[Josh Levan]

And he's honestly genuinely hilarious. Like he is effortlessly funny. He's not trying to be funny. He's just a really charismatic person. Like just awesome.

[Co-host Benny]

He's himself. We're going to clip. Clip what we just said. Yeah, we're going to spam him spam hard, dude. Word of the year.

[Josh Levan]

We're going to spam assumi him. Spam assumi. Spam assumi. Oh, because he's from Hawaii. Spama subi. Him Spama subi Spam Musubi Masubi musubi.

[Co-host Benny]

We can do that.

[Josh Levan]

Do you like spama Subi love? Have you ever had it from. Oh, no.

[Co-host Benny]

Yes.

[Josh Levan]

They have beef.

[Co-host Benny]

I love spam musubi.

[Josh Levan]

You know? You know spam foods is canned meat.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

It's spam and it's delicious.

[Co-host Benny]

I love spam.

[Josh Levan]

I wonder how much life that takes away from you.

[Jessica]

I was just going to Google.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, dude, why is everybody sending me wiener tiktoks? Victuto all he does. This one never sends me reels. Ever since I dropped. I give all these wiener videos. He's saying, he's like, what about this one, dude, would you eat this one?

[Co-host Benny]

You're like big chill, bro. It was just a bit. Yeah, I'm getting a lot of wieners.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. Spam cannot be good for you.

[Co-host Benny]

No.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, spam cannot be good for you.

[Co-host Benny]

It's so good.

[Josh Levan]

But it's so good. Especially fried. Like when you saw.

[Co-host Benny]

I don't know. Because I am a true believer that when you feel happiness, it adds life to you.

[Josh Levan]

You know what? That needs to be studied It.

[Co-host Benny]

No, because it has to be scientifically true, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Well, I've heard, I've heard that like people who live long, yes, diet is a huge thing. But like the, the main attribute is stress. Like not feeling stress. Cuz bro, there's people who smoke, drink wine every single day, but they're stressless.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

And they're living till forever. I think it's stress that's the Ticket right there.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, bro, I see people. I. I would go. I go to Japan, I go to Mexico. I've been in. In Europe here smoking. I'm not saying smoke cigarettes. I'm not saying that, but. Dude, smoking cigarettes in 96. Chilling, bro.

[Josh Levan]

Chilling.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, and I'm not saying.

[Josh Levan]

No, no, no. But it. Maybe that's the thing that it's just.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's just. It's. It's. It's. Happiness brings.

[Josh Levan]

Adds to.

[Co-host Benny]

Just adds to life. Yeah, Happiness in life.

[Josh Levan]

Balance.

[Co-host Benny]

Great, great.

[Josh Levan]

Did we get a stat here?

[Jessica]

The stat that would come up was a hot dog. One.

[Josh Levan]

Interesting.

[Jessica]

Highly processed, high in sodium, high in, like, preservatives, saturated fat.

[Josh Levan]

All of these things is insane to think about.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, yeah.

[Josh Levan]

I saw this tick tock this guy was talking about. He pulled up the map of all the McDonald's in the US and it's just like, all flooded with red. And he's like, where are we getting all this meat from? Like, he was saying that we consume 186,000 cows per day. Something like that. Just McDonald's. And he's like, where the. We're getting all these cows?

[Co-host Benny]

Where are these cows?

[Josh Levan]

Yeah, where are the cows?

[Co-host Benny]

It's very true. Dude.

[Josh Levan]

It's insane. I was like, what the.

[Co-host Benny]

And how much does it say?

[Jessica]

Well, this is not. This is according to Google. And I just said, how many cows do we consume per day? In the U.S. americans consume beef from roughly 90,000 to 95,000 daily.

[Josh Levan]

Bro, that's like, where are the. And so how much. How much is that a year? 3.2 million.

[Jessica]

30 million. 30 million.

[Josh Levan]

30 million cows a year. That's crazy. But if you think about it, there's about 350 million people in the U.S. so 30 million is not that crazy.

[Co-host Benny]

And cows produce 400 to 500 pounds of meat.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, per cow.

[Co-host Benny]

Per cow.

[Jessica]

Wait, where did I just do this?

[Co-host Benny]

Isn't it crazy how it's the animal that's like, probably the most slaughtered, but it will never be extinct because if.

[Josh Levan]

We just keep reproducing them.

[Co-host Benny]

Imagine if we put more effort into actual animals that are endangered?

[Josh Levan]

I think we do. We do, we do. Like the panda. I know. The panda is no longer extinct anymore.

[Jessica]

Sea turtles, too.

[Josh Levan]

Sea turtles. Shout out tick tock. That's where I get all my info. I don't even know if I'm right half the time. I'd just be, you know, I saw a tick tock death.

[Co-host Benny]

I can't believe that's how much cows get slaughtered.

[Josh Levan]

That's Kind of crazy, right? Drew 90 to 95, 000 a day.

[Co-host Benny]

And that's just here. There's probably more countries that slaughter more.

[Jessica]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Dude, have you seen the tick tock where they were talking about like the ball drop in New York and how LA they have the. One of the smoking.

[Jessica]

Yes.

[Co-host Benny]

There's so much people, there's so many people.

[Josh Levan]

So for people to don't know what I'm talking about. New York has the whole iconic ball drop. When the New Year a set, when 12 o' clock hits in LA, there is this thing where there's this billboard where they have how many people have died smoking because of smoking.

[Co-host Benny]

And it updates in real time.

[Josh Levan]

And it updates in real time and at New Year's it resets and so they're saying that's like the LA ball drop, which is kind of crazy.

[Co-host Benny]

And by the way, because it went to zero.

[Josh Levan]

Because it goes to zero. Yeah. Those numbers are insane by the way. Yeah, that's kind of crazy. It, that's, that's.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's really crazy. Yeah, it's really crazy.

[Josh Levan]

I feel like those numbers are going to go down drastically though because obviously we're just more informed now. Like, I, Dude, I don't have any friends that smoke.

[Co-host Benny]

I don't really.

[Josh Levan]

I don't even think I know anybody who smokes cigarettes.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's not, it's not a big thing here, huh? I mean people smoke cigarettes but like compared to other places in the world. Yeah, I don't think in la, California people smoke like that.

[Josh Levan]

Smoke cigarettes.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I don't. It's not, it's not very, very common. It is, but not like other places. Yeah, I've been to places and every single person smokes like, like Europe. Everybody smokes.

[Josh Levan]

Everybody smokes, bro.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, it's like, it's a, it's a thing. Honestly, it looks cool.

[Josh Levan]

It looks awesome, dude.

[Co-host Benny]

But yeah, I used to smoke cigarettes. Did you know that? Long time ago.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, I did know that. Yeah. That is.

[Jessica]

Yeah.

[Co-host Benny]

And then, you know, I think being a hairdresser, I just smoke cigarettes like in between clients after. Before. Yeah, you do get like somewhat addicted to the nicotine.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, 100. You do.

[Co-host Benny]

But when I quit it was pretty easy, thankfully. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Guys, we're so excited for this new year. We want to thank you guys for rocking with us throughout this time. What are we going on year four for La Platica? Consistently. Yeah, I mean we started. You started in 2019, but we've been rocking for a minute now, haven't Missed a week.

[Co-host Benny]

That's crazy.

[Josh Levan]

Yeah. We're in year 2026, and we're just excited. We want to know in the comments below, like, who you want us to see. Enter us, interview.

[Co-host Benny]

Think outside the box.

[Josh Levan]

Think outside the box. Think big.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, I think big. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

If you want to win some tickets to Monster Jam, too late. Because that's already the thing in the past.

[Co-host Benny]

We can do it. We can do it here, too.

[Josh Levan]

Okay, cool. But this doesn't go live till Monday.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, but Monster Jam is not until the 18th, 19th, and I think, like, at the end of the month, too. Cool.

[Josh Levan]

So if you want to win tickets to Monster Jam, two tickets. This is just a. Sebastian. Not sponsored, nothing. It's just a kindness of his own heart. Follow him on Instagram. And what are they doing? Are they liking your photos?

[Co-host Benny]

I already did on Instagram. I'm saying they can do it here on YouTube. Oh, okay. Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

For people who watch. What do you want them to comment.

[Co-host Benny]

Monster Jam and comment Monster Jam. This is so difficult. Let me see.

[Josh Levan]

No, how about this? Let's make it more like.

[Co-host Benny]

I want. I want to, like, thoughtful like that.

[Josh Levan]

Tell us one of their New Year's goals with their Instagram attacks.

[Co-host Benny]

Type Monster Jam first so we know. Yeah. And make sure. I can. We can send you a. Make sure you put your Instagram handle and we can send you a message. Yeah, you can be private, but make sure we can send you a message.

[Josh Levan]

Because we gotta be able to contact.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah, there's so many cases where we contact people and they never answer or we can't message them. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, do that.

[Josh Levan]

Yep.

[Co-host Benny]

Monster Jam should be fun.

[Josh Levan]

And then subscribe if you're not subscribed.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah.

[Josh Levan]

Like, if you liked.

[Jessica]

Rate.

[Josh Levan]

Rate. If you want to rate.

[Co-host Benny]

Yeah. Dude, I can't wait for this year, man. I'm pumped, bro. I'm pumped. I love being here. I love being around you guys. I love being around everybody. I. I'm so excited. I'm more pumped than ever. Let's do things with intention. Come on, baby, or I'll put you in detention.

[Josh Levan]

Oh, it's so good.

[Co-host Benny]

All right, ciao. Bye.

[Josh Levan]

El programa nacional de vecas a serde McDonald's. Alosque dudavan kepodemos, acermasion illumina, el camino parallelos casigan esta historia de progreso, yelciguet, capitol, los cribestu apparendemas and McDonald's punta com yagonal acer.