Share & Tell with Dan Soder, Katie Nolan, Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, Don King, and Pablo

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Pablo Torre Finds Out

Episode: Share & Tell with Dan Soder, Katie Nolan, Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, Don King, and Pablo

Date: December 15, 2023

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Overview

In this lively, irreverent episode of "Pablo Torre Finds Out," Pablo is joined by comedian Dan Soder and sports media personality Katie Nolan for a round of “Share & Tell,” an unpredictable session where they riff on everything from failed gym memberships to communicating with the dead via AI. The show is peppered with wild impressions (Macho Man, Don King, and others), sharp observational humor, and earnest reflections on memory, loss, and the fine art of salesmanship.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Podcast Plugs (00:36 - 02:07)

• Deposition Vibes: The trio jokes about their “deposition water,” launching with Dan and Katie’s comedic camaraderie.
• Podcast Updates: Dan shares excitement about his new podcast ("Sodor"), and Katie plugs her upcoming "Celebrity Jeopardy!" semifinal appearance (01:53).

2. Old Classmates: Vivek Ramaswamy Stories (02:10 - 07:23)

• Reflections on College: Pablo’s past with Vivek Ramaswamy (now a political figure) elicits a memorable quote:
  • Dan: “Yeah, he sucks, dude.” (02:10)
• Publicly Calling Out Past Peers: They debate the ethics and joys of roasting old college acquaintances who make it big (Trump, Vivek).
• Pablo’s Media Feud: Pablo recounts the New York Post contacting Ramaswamy’s campaign for comment on their shared alumni status. Pablo’s official response was simply, “Lol.” (07:33)

3. Salesmanship as a Throughline (Throughout)

• Show’s Theme Identified: Dan notes the episode’s running thread is salesmanship—whether it’s gym memberships, AI grief tech, or even podcasting itself. (43:47-44:04)
  • Pablo: “He identified the through line of today’s podcast, and that is correct...an episode about salesmanship.” (47:47)

4. Gym Memberships: The Equinox Experience (14:03 - 27:18)

• Legislation in New Jersey: Discussion kicks off around a new bill proposing easier cancellation for gym memberships.
• Inside Sales Stories:
  • Katie details her brief career selling Equinox memberships—combating competition, learning corporate sales tactics, and the psychological tricks gyms employ.
    • Katie: “We had a whole training program that I did really well at. Turns out I was a good salesman. I just didn’t like the way it made me feel on the inside…” (16:51)
  • On cancellation difficulty: “Canceling a gym membership should not need to be like a Jason Statham movie.” — Pablo (27:12)
• Personal Anecdotes:
  • Katie shares how she bonded with a wealthy client, going so far as to promise she’d call her if absent—a story culminating in post-gym outings and gifts. (23:44 - 24:56)
  • The infamous “seven no’s” rule: salespeople had to get rejected seven times before letting a potential customer leave. (25:28)

5. AI and Grief: Talking to the Dead (27:50 - 39:17)

• Article Discussion: Dan brings up an article on using AI to interact with avatars of deceased loved ones ("Storyfile").
  • Dan: “I wouldn’t like talking to someone that I’ve lost through AI because it would be the feeling of like getting a prostitute, where you’re like, this isn’t real.” (29:22)
• Philosophical & Emotional Observations:
  • They debate the morality and psychological impact of preserving the voices and images of the dead artificially. Katie is skeptical, connecting it to "Black Mirror" plots. (31:46 - 32:12)
  • Dan reflects on his own losses:
    • “I don’t remember the sound of my dad’s voice. Don’t remember the sound of my sister’s voice. And I’m okay with that.” — Dan Soder (36:36)
• Impressions as Connection:
  • Dan recounts nearly being asked to impersonate Macho Man for the late wrestler’s brother, reflecting on the potential emotional impact. (39:34 - 41:00)
    • “If someone could do a perfect impression of my dead sister, I wouldn’t want to do a podcast with that person.” — Dan (40:12)

6. Comedic Bits & Standout Impressions (Throughout)

• Macho Man, Don King, and More: Dan peppers the episode with riotous voice work.
  • Macho Man comforting you as your dad:
    • “I was always very proud of you...When you buy with your heart, it’s the best gift you can have.” — Dan as Macho Man (42:36)
  • Don King and Andre the Giant get their time to shine.
• Wild Merch: Pablo discusses his father’s urologist shirts, leading to an absurd breakdown of the design ("let’s go crazy, let’s go nuts" – attributed to Prince), sparking analysis of the shirt’s anatomical references. (10:50 - 12:07)

7. Poignant Moments & Reflections

• Vulnerability about Loss: Dan’s honest and humorous airing of grief, the role of technology, and the limits of memory, mark some of the most heartfelt moments.
• Sales Ethics: Katie’s discomfort with the manipulative aspects of her sales gig is explored with both humor and real self-reflection.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Soder (On AI afterlife):
  • “This is the Nicorette gum of death...you’re not really quitting.” (31:06)
• Katie Nolan (On Equinox sales):
  • “Turns out I was a good salesman. I just didn’t like the way it made me feel on the inside.” (16:51)
• Pablo Torre (On canceling gym memberships):
  • “Canceling a gym membership should not need to be like a Jason Statham movie.” (27:12)
• Dan Soder (On grief and memory):
  • “I don’t remember my dad’s voice...I would like to hear it, but not this way. Not artificially.” (36:38)
• Katie Nolan (On customer connections):
  • “That’s why I couldn’t handle it emotionally. I signed enough people up for the gym, and I’m like, I got seven people who didn’t show up this week. I have to call them. I have to let them know I care.” (25:11)
• Comic relief (on gym sales):
  • “It's like murdering someone with an icicle. It melts. It's gone. No evidence.” — Katie Nolan, on using eucalyptus towels (16:28)
  • “You have to get rejected seven times before you can let them out of your office…” — Katie Nolan (25:38)
• Dan Soder (On the theme of the episode):
  • “As we're kind of...the theme of this podcast episode is salesmen doing whatever the fuck you need to do to get the sale done.” (43:47)
• On a potential future episode:
  • “Your Frost Nixon episode is going to happen.” — Katie & Dan encourage Pablo to interview Vivek Ramaswamy (44:04)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:36 – Opening water/deposition banter; podcast plugs
• 02:10 – Pablo and Vivek Ramaswamy stories
• 14:03 – The New Jersey gym cancellation bill and Equinox sales training
• 16:51 – Katie’s ethical dilemmas as a gym salesperson
• 23:44 – Anecdote: Katie bonds with a rich client
• 25:28 – The “seven no’s” sales rule
• 27:50 – AI grief/“Storyfile” article and discussion
• 29:22 – Dan on AI dead loved ones/comparison to prostitution
• 31:06 – “Nicorette gum of death” metaphor
• 36:36 – Dan on loss, memory, and the voices of loved ones
• 39:34 – Dan’s Macho Man impressions and emotional impact
• 43:47 – Dan and Pablo summarize the theme: salesmanship
• 44:04 – Pushing for the “Frost/Nixon” episode (Pablo vs. Vivek)
• 47:47 – Final reflections and production credits

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Tone and Style

The vibe is smart, quick-witted, intimate, and self-aware. The group transitions seamlessly from jokes about OnlyFans and urology merch to frank, emotional conversations about death and the ethics of modern tech—with constant self-parody, absurdist humor, and a willingness to get real.

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Conclusion

This episode is a microcosm of what makes Pablo’s “Share & Tell” format sing: a mix of goofiness, honesty, and curiosity. Whether you’re interested in how gyms trap members, why AI grieving tools might help or harm, or just want to hear some pitch-perfect impressions, this episode entertains and provokes in equal measure.

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Transcript

[Pablo Torre]

Welcome to Pablo Torre Finds out. I am Pablo Torre. And today we're gonna find out what this sound is.

[Dan Soder]

I want you to piss on me. Time for tinkle time. Let's get the top out, baby. Time for you to make a sissy.

[Pablo Torre]

Right after this ad.

[Katie Nolan]

You're listening to Giraffe Kings.

[Pablo Torre]

For the YouTube and DraftKings audience. You can see we have, like, the water that they would serve when you're being deposed.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, I'm gonna keep my deposition water up here.

[Katie Nolan]

We need a picture. All we're missing is a giant clear.

[Dan Soder]

Pitcher in case you ask any question. I'm gonna whisper.

[Pablo Torre]

Hands shaky.

[Dan Soder]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna whisper answers to. I'm gonna get answers from Katie. I do not recall.

[Pablo Torre]

Dan Soder. Katie Nolan, thank you for coming back. You guys inaugurated this weird format that has somehow not been destroyed yet by the many imitators who've tried to be you guys since.

[Katie Nolan]

A lot of whom have been me.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, you with other men.

[Katie Nolan]

You get around.

[Dan Soder]

She podcast cucks me. Who are you on today? You can't do voices like I can.

[Pablo Torre]

I actually want to start, though. And congratulations, by the way, on having your own podcast.

[Dan Soder]

Thanks, dude.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

You're hunting your own pod today.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm finally pushing something. Everyone's like, do you have something to push? Go listen to Sodor.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. Still no for me. Oh, wait. Yes, I do.

[Pablo Torre]

What do you got?

[Katie Nolan]

January 9th. 9th.

[Pablo Torre]

What?

[Katie Nolan]

My semifinal of Jeopardy. Is airing. Finally got a date on that. It has been. People have forgotten I was even on it, myself included. Come feel a long time.

[Pablo Torre]

The secrets that you have kept.

[Katie Nolan]

I mean, and at this point, I forget half of them because that's how my brain works, dude.

[Dan Soder]

Ever since I found out that you went to college with Vivek. Vivek. Yeah, he sucks, dude.

[Katie Nolan]

He talks about every time he sees a new story about him. He's like, pablo. The fact that Pablo went to school with this guy. I like that. You just sucks. I like that. No part of you was like, I probably shouldn't say this.

[Pablo Torre]

You were like, this guy, he sucks for 20 years. Just that now people, now that's like Trump.

[Katie Nolan]

I got old, old, old tweets saying, I hate Trump. And everybody was like, oh, you can't say that. I'm like, but I said it when he was just a guy.

[Dan Soder]

If the guy in my Journalism 101 class from the University of Arizona ran for president, I would be very loud about it.

[Pablo Torre]

Wait, I would like to know more about Dan's Journalism experience.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, it was short lived and due to Jon Stewart.

[Pablo Torre]

What do you mean who's was.

[Dan Soder]

I loved Jon Stewart so much. I knew I was going to be a comedian. So I was like, the agreement of me going to college was strictly just to get the degree. My mom was like, please just get your bachelor's degree. So I feel like as a single mom that raised a kid, I did my job. But I knew from the time I was like 20, I was going to do stand up. So I was like, oh, none of this matters. I'm not going to use any of this. What do I want to study? And I was always like, I don't know media, like journalism and political science, because those are the two biggest things that run the world. And then I was also like, well, it could be cool backup. I loved certain writers, so I was like, oh, well, let me learn how to write journalism. And then I went in and I was like, maybe I'll do broadcast journalism. And there was just this guy in my 101 class that was such a dildo that I was like, print, I'm going to do print journalism. Because he was like loud. He was, I think, I don't think he was a frat guy, but he was like one of those like frat adjacent. He was, I was, I was telling Katie recently, I was around one of these guys that thinks they're the star, but they're not the star. They just, in their mind, they're the star. And everyone.

[Pablo Torre]

And you can, you can see this is Vikramaswamy.

[Dan Soder]

That's exactly the way you described him. I was like, that's what I said to you off air. I was like, if the guy from my Journalism 101 class would have ran for president, I'd be very loud about how big of a dildo he was.

[Pablo Torre]

Enormous dildo.

[Dan Soder]

He was like.

[Katie Nolan]

Just to reiterate in a bad way.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dan Soder]

Not in a good. Not in a suction cup. Female listener kind of take care of this.

[Pablo Torre]

As in the price on the website gets lower the bigger this.

[Dan Soder]

It'll melt in the dishwasher. Just a horrible dildo. The Real World came to the University of Arizona to like interview people for the show. Doing like an open call. And I remember going to journalism class. Shout out. Professor. Professor Jim Netzel. He was awesome. He actually wrote for the newspaper in town, so he knew what he was talking about.

[Katie Nolan]

Whoa.

[Dan Soder]

And he comes to my comedy shows.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, that's cool.

[Pablo Torre]

Veteran local journalist joins Tucson Sentinel staff Jim Nsel. Yeah, Jim Nun of this year, shout.

[Katie Nolan]

Out to Jim N it with a C or an S?

[Pablo Torre]

N I n? Zol tz e l?

[Dan Soder]

Tz e l. So in his class, Journalism 101, I was working at the radio station already. I was already working at kfma.

[Katie Nolan]

He's got that voice. Let him right on air.

[Dan Soder]

So intimidated class because I got offered the night shift. I got to fill in for Greg Rampage usa. I got to do the Pit, which was the metal show, the shout Out, KFA day.

[Pablo Torre]

What did Greg Rampage USA sound like?

[Dan Soder]

He's the best. He's. Now he's Gregor. He's at the end in Seattle. But he. He's a tall dude who's very fun, but he would get into it. He'd be like, it's not Pit. And so I would try to do that, but I. I couldn't do it the same. It felt weird if it felt like it was our version of wnbc, but it was me going, the Pit. And people like, you. Nah, dude. You don't do it, like, rampant.

[Katie Nolan]

Please stop. People are calling in.

[Dan Soder]

I was like, it's the Pit. But what's funny is Professor Nitzel was, like, doing a. The AM station was having a mayoral debate for Tucson, and that's huge. It is huge. And I skipped his class to cover the night shift, and he was there moderating the debate. And I remember him walking by the studio window holding a coffee and looking over and going, what the hell are you doing? Like, through the window. He's like, what are you doing here? I was like, I work at kfma ever. From that moment, he was so cool to me in class because he's like, oh, you're like.

[Katie Nolan]

You're a peer.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. He's like, you work. You work in radio. What are you? Just like. It was weird. One of us, but this guy in my class came in after the the Real World auditions, and he was like, to impress this girl in our class. And he was like, yeah, I just sat down with a beer, and I basically pretty much told him that, you know, like, I'm a party animal. It was just like he was talking. And I just remember in my. In my desk being like, I hate this guy. So if he ran for president, I would. I would be in the same position you are. I would hate him.

[Pablo Torre]

People call me up with stories about Vivek that I am now, like, just waiting to.

[Dan Soder]

Oh, man.

[Katie Nolan]

Did you.

[Pablo Torre]

Did you see what happened? Okay.

[Dan Soder]

Because you were public about it, and.

[Pablo Torre]

I was very public about it, which I loved. New York Post asked his campaign quote. While the vic doesn't ever recall meeting this gentleman, we wish Pablo the very best and hope he finds success in his career and life. Whether that be through talking about former classmates as he is now, or possibly through something more productive like creating jobs or building a business as a has done.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, please.

[Dan Soder]

He wrote. He wrote that.

[Katie Nolan]

He absolutely wrote that.

[Pablo Torre]

No, it was Trisha McLaughlin, Senior Advisor, Communication director, spicier.

[Katie Nolan]

And then Trisha.

[Pablo Torre]

You said Trisha.

[Katie Nolan]

Trishell edited that to make it sound more passive aggressive.

[Dan Soder]

What if we said.

[Katie Nolan]

Because I majored in PR and I know how that works.

[Dan Soder]

So you knew how to soften it.

[Katie Nolan]

You know how to.

[Dan Soder]

You must have had in your PR class.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, it was just a lot of people who wanted to do celeb pr. I feel like there was like a show on E around the time that I was in college that was like celeb pr. It was like the women that work for like the modeling agencies and stuff. I think that was like really hot. So everybody wanted that day one of PR class. They were like, if that's the job you want, they'll pay you absolutely nothing to do it and you'll be disposable to them. What you should be going into is corporate pr.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And so that's when I was like.

[Pablo Torre]

So like an oil spill happened.

[Katie Nolan]

Damage control. Yeah, that's what I wanted to learn.

[Dan Soder]

You're covered up for a water poisoning.

[Katie Nolan]

That was the most. The most interesting part of it to me was like what to do when hits the fan.

[Dan Soder]

So that is good for your career. Later on.

[Pablo Torre]

My PR strategy as quoted by the Post. Torres sent a one word response to the Post regarding the statement from the campaign.

[Dan Soder]

Lol. Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

Period.

[Dan Soder]

You realize this is leading to your Frost Nixon.

[Pablo Torre]

That's right, dude.

[Katie Nolan]

I have thought about running for president.

[Dan Soder]

Across the table from him and just have a. Just an intense.

[Pablo Torre]

That two shot.

[Dan Soder]

I. Oh my God. Bring it in. Come on, come on. Make it happen. Oh, you and him having a legit conversation. Because if you prepped about what you would like to. You know what I mean?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. It would be very difficult to beat you in a debate.

[Dan Soder]

But that. But it's not necessarily a debate. Just an intense conversation.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Which would. I'm saying any politician turns everything into a debate.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

We should also film like the prep sessions where you guys coach me up.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

I would love to see this. I think we'll cross examiner. I think this could be the event of 2024 for you.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh man. We can sell it as A live stream.

[Dan Soder]

Oh, my God.

[Pablo Torre]

Promo code.

[Dan Soder]

Dildo.

[Katie Nolan]

Nice.

[Dan Soder]

Really put it on Only Fans. They're doing everything now.

[Pablo Torre]

Did you guys see Nick Kyrgios, tennis player? Nick Kyrgios is on Only Fans.

[Dan Soder]

Well, now they're doing this thing on doing naked.

[Pablo Torre]

Well, not yet.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, because there's people in Dan's industry that put out their comedy specials on Only Fans. So I didn't know if like that I'm assuming. I think they're trying to do that.

[Dan Soder]

They're trying to bridge into like Cheerios Kyrios Kyrgios.

[Pablo Torre]

This he announced. He decided with Only Fans. And he is going to like, post updates for his fans.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

Nothing. Nothing yet about any feat or other parts of his body.

[Katie Nolan]

We getting.

[Pablo Torre]

He pledges to show fans his quote unquote life.

[Dan Soder]

He's going to play wiener tennis.

[Katie Nolan]

What is this?

[Dan Soder]

He's. He's going to slap the. He's got. He's little ping pong ball.

[Pablo Torre]

Have you ever seen wiener tennis on play?

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. He's like, hey, guys, don't forget there's a premium membership where you can watch me play dong tennis.

[Katie Nolan]

Ping dong. Get it?

[Dan Soder]

Ping dong.

[Katie Nolan]

Like ping pong, but with the dong. Come on, guys.

[Pablo Torre]

So my dad's a urologist.

[Dan Soder]

Nice.

[Pablo Torre]

He's retired, but he still gets shirts from the NYU urology department. They love. I don't. Guys know this. Urologists love a custom T shirt.

[Dan Soder]

Do they?

[Katie Nolan]

Well, I would too, if that. My job was so funny.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, if you're. If you're working with wean tubes all day, I'm sure you kind of want.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

You need a tee.

[Pablo Torre]

The pt, the wean. I mean. So the reason I bring this up, though, is the back.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. And let's see the back. I don't know if actually you got.

[Pablo Torre]

To describe what the back is.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm very excited for our audio listeners. Now, turning around, it says, let's go crazy. Let's go nuts. And it's quoted, attributed to Prince.

[Dan Soder]

And it's a banana.

[Katie Nolan]

A purple banana.

[Dan Soder]

A purple banana. Bowling.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. And the. And I think it's a condom.

[Dan Soder]

And I think.

[Katie Nolan]

I think it's an inflated condom. That's what I was theorizing that this is like.

[Dan Soder]

I'm gonna say maybe it represents the bladder.

[Katie Nolan]

What's this? Isn't that the. The. The top nipple of a condom?

[Dan Soder]

Not really.

[Katie Nolan]

Isn't that the reservoir of a condom?

[Dan Soder]

It looks like just like an empty blueberry. Did you. Did your dad explain to you what the back of the shirt means?

[Pablo Torre]

My dad had no. Had no. Sort of like textual interpretations of this.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

But I just like that they attributed it very clearly to Prince.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Me too. Because you don't want to get that confused.

[Dan Soder]

Let's go crazy. Let's go nuts.

[Katie Nolan]

Let's get nuts.

[Dan Soder]

You want to get nuts? Let's get nuts.

[Katie Nolan]

What now? It's 2016. Do you get. Do you just get this shirt?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. It was in my dad's closet and he was like. He takes me a photo of it. I was like, I'm gonna wear this.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

In life now.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. That's the merch you do want.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

Parents job. If your dad's a urologist, you have so many good.

[Katie Nolan]

And so those are kids that have.

[Dan Soder]

Penises on them without having a penis on them.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, in the middle. It's a bladder.

[Pablo Torre]

So people were.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a bladder, but it doesn't look like a penis. And balls.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dan Soder]

But I think that's the kidneys into the bladder, down into the urethra.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes. That's the family crust over my child.

[Dan Soder]

It's the most adjacent merch I've ever seen in my life.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

Because, you know, they can't just put a dick on.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Dan Soder]

It feels like you have to be like, we can kind of put a dick on there. Bananas. I bet there's a lot of bananas.

[Katie Nolan]

But ladies pee, too.

[Dan Soder]

Ladies do piss.

[Katie Nolan]

Ladies is pissed, too. Go on, brush your shoulders off.

[Dan Soder]

Sometimes for money on businessmen.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, and now that's. And what were you saying about only fans?

[Pablo Torre]

That's right.

[Dan Soder]

That's why I'm saying check us out on only.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm watching my.

[Dan Soder]

Check out Katie's pissy page on OnlyFans.

[Pablo Torre]

OnlyFans.com KatieSpissy page.

[Katie Nolan]

It's a soft, wet launch.

[Dan Soder]

We're done doing Stodor. Then we pull out the tarp and we make the money that bought those Ikea bookcases.

[Katie Nolan]

Here's the article I'm bringing. Pablo. Tell them about it.

[Dan Soder]

Hit him, Pablo.

[Pablo Torre]

So the headline is, I want to get the citation right. Because it is app.com.

[Katie Nolan]

And what's that? I'm down with app.

[Dan Soder]

You know me.

[Pablo Torre]

The Asbury Park Press.

[Katie Nolan]

Of course.

[Pablo Torre]

We all know that.

[Katie Nolan]

Of course.

[Dan Soder]

It's just Bruce Springsteen at a typewriter going, I don't know what's going on. Else, I guess gym memberships today. A factory closed down. In sports.

[Pablo Torre]

In sports.

[Dan Soder]

Seems like a cool kid, man. Bruce Springsteen.

[Pablo Torre]

N.J. bill would allow consumers to cancel gym memberships online. And easily impossible.

[Dan Soder]

That that's a trap. Why, to quote Admiral Ackbar, that's a trap.

[Katie Nolan]

Why?

[Dan Soder]

There's. Gym memberships are notorious.

[Katie Nolan]

But that's what I'm saying. I think this is. The government's getting involved.

[Pablo Torre]

The government is now threat.

[Katie Nolan]

Threatening. They're like, excuse me, you can't keep backing these people into a corner. Which, to be clear, we were told explicitly to do.

[Pablo Torre]

So Katie is using the word we. We should explain this.

[Dan Soder]

We should. In a previous life, before her superpowers, before the. The spider bit her, before the hilarious. The. The funny spider bit her, she was selling memberships at Equinox on the Upper east side.

[Katie Nolan]

That's right.

[Pablo Torre]

You got to explain Katie, though, where Equinox ranks in the hierarchy of gym, especially in.

[Dan Soder]

Yes, it is upper.

[Katie Nolan]

And this was pre. Like, LA Fitness was just coming onto the scene. When I was at Equin Equinox, was the.

[Dan Soder]

Was planet fitness around? AKA the bargain bin, barg bin.

[Katie Nolan]

For us was 24 Hour Fitness, which was like a block, half a block away, open 24 hours.

[Dan Soder]

And is that done?

[Katie Nolan]

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

[Dan Soder]

I remember being around.

[Katie Nolan]

It's gone closed.

[Pablo Torre]

And 24 hour fitness was a literal thing. It was open 24 hours a day.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. And that was the hardest thing to sell against is people would be like, well, I can get this membership for a lot cheaper across the street.

[Dan Soder]

And.

[Katie Nolan]

And I can go 24 hours a day.

[Pablo Torre]

I can go at 3:30am and so.

[Katie Nolan]

We were prepared to. That's what I was supposed to say. I'm like, look, that sounds good on paper, but you're basically gonna go to the gym at the same time every day. And the odds of it being 3am are pretty low. It's actually bad for you to go to the gym at 3am unless you're working that kind of schedule. Do you work that kind of a job where you work at night and you sleep during the day?

[Dan Soder]

She's right back into it.

[Katie Nolan]

And then I'd say, okay, well, then let's just be honest. I think you'd rather have a gym that you can know is gonna be not crowded, it's gonna be clean, you're gonna have nice equipment.

[Dan Soder]

Well, what are some of the amenities?

[Katie Nolan]

Well, we've got these chilled Eucalypt available on every floor.

[Dan Soder]

Was that the first thing you led with?

[Katie Nolan]

Because it was the thing that I cared the most about. I was like, look, these towels are already cold and they smell like a tree.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, put those right on your neck.

[Katie Nolan]

You can take as many of Them as you want.

[Dan Soder]

Did you ever steal them?

[Katie Nolan]

I would use them. Look, the most I ever went to a gym was when I was. I didn't.

[Dan Soder]

Did you ever sneeze into them?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

No. They're wet.

[Pablo Torre]

Well, that's the perfect crime.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

It's like murdering somebody with an icicle.

[Dan Soder]

It melts. It's gone.

[Katie Nolan]

No evidence.

[Dan Soder]

Is that snot or just eucalyptus?

[Katie Nolan]

I think it would sting to blow your nose with them. They're really strong.

[Dan Soder]

You be one of those things, you go, I regret this. I regret this. Oh, my God. It's in my eyes. Sir, you didn't happen to sneeze into the eucalyptus towel, did you?

[Pablo Torre]

But you had a list of things that you were, I guess, taught.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, we had a whole training program that I did really well at. Turns out I was a good salesman. I just didn't like the way it made me feel on the inside. Because I was trapping people into these memberships because it was impossible to cancel them. We would have initiation fees. I don't know if this is how gym memberships still work. This was many moons ago, fresh out of college, as I was putting my degree to good work it. There was an initiation fee of a couple hundred bucks. And then every month, they would pay like $175 to go to the gym.

[Dan Soder]

175 bucks a month if you wanted.

[Katie Nolan]

To go to all of them. That was the all access again at the time. Who knows what it is now? One gym was 135.

[Dan Soder]

One gym. So one gym is 135.

[Katie Nolan]

175Plus, like a $300 initiation fee. Unless you sign up in December or January was the big push. And I think you could get no initiation.

[Dan Soder]

Now. Let's say I'm in. Let's say I come in the door, right?

[Pablo Torre]

I wish to be initiated.

[Dan Soder]

Jump us in to Equinox. How do you get out of an Equinox membership?

[Katie Nolan]

You have to. You have to wait a year. You have to be there for at least a year, and then you have to go in and cancel.

[Dan Soder]

I mean, they really gotta show up.

[Katie Nolan]

You have to show up.

[Dan Soder]

They make it like a saw movie where they're like, somewhere there's a key that gets you out of the saw. You have to cut off your leg.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, at one point, it was during the recession, hence why I didn't have a job and people were getting laid off, and people were like, if I. I can't join this because I might be about to lose my job. They didn't want to sign up for the year deal.

[Dan Soder]

You have so much more time for your fitness.

[Katie Nolan]

So then I think the company started to be like, if you get. If you. I mean, I don't want to say a pink slip, but basically, like, if that. You can bring that in.

[Dan Soder]

That's.

[Katie Nolan]

And we'll let you out of your. If you can.

[Pablo Torre]

Like a cue ball.

[Katie Nolan]

If they laid you off, we'll let you out of your game.

[Dan Soder]

Walk to your equinox.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

Where you go, I can no longer work out here. And they're like, why the.

[Pablo Torre]

They've let me go because people weren't.

[Katie Nolan]

Signing up because they were like, there's no way I'm going to be stuck in this for a year. And if I get laid off, there's no way I'll be able to afford it. And we'll still sign. Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

Let's turn that pink slip into a punch card.

[Dan Soder]

Did you only get paid if they got signed?

[Katie Nolan]

I got. That was my commission. I think I got, like $12,000 a year. So nothing. Yeah. And then you would get.

[Pablo Torre]

Okay, so this is important. So Katie Nolan as recruiter of vulnerable people. So, by the way, this story is coming out uncoincidentally. It's December. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

If you're gonna join a gym, do it now.

[Dan Soder]

You're right.

[Katie Nolan]

Now the best deals because they're hot. That was when our. Again, this could all be different now. Many moons ago. But our highest quote quota was in December. So you were, like, doing anything you could to sign people because they expected you to sign a ton of people. And if you hit your quota, you got your bonus. And if you went above your quota, everything above that, you got, like, extra money.

[Dan Soder]

Damn.

[Katie Nolan]

So it was like. And if you didn't hit your quota.

[Dan Soder]

You were at all what the quota was?

[Katie Nolan]

No.

[Dan Soder]

Like, how many memberships?

[Katie Nolan]

No. I don't even remember your phone number. Numbers in my brain just disappear.

[Dan Soder]

It is true. So numbers are your.

[Katie Nolan]

Start with a six.

[Dan Soder]

No. Well, no.

[Katie Nolan]

303, because the band. There you go, 303.

[Dan Soder]

Got the Colorado area code, and that's all that matters.

[Pablo Torre]

But wait, so let's take it from. I've walked into this equinox. Which equinox were you at?

[Katie Nolan]

I was at 54th and 2nd. Have you called previous where I worked.

[Dan Soder]

At those caminos on 50th and 3rd.

[Katie Nolan]

Which is. I mean, there's so many times in.

[Pablo Torre]

Our lives where a virtuous cycle.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm telling you. I know this sounds corny. There's so many times in our lives where we Just missed each other. And I feel like it's. That's proof to me that there is.

[Pablo Torre]

Somebody who ate at Do Caminos and then had to work out at Equinox.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, I probably sold them on that shrimp quesadilla folded, and then I probably.

[Katie Nolan]

Had my friend go help clean it up in the bathroom after they left the gym. Okay, wait, so had you previously called or spoken to anybody at an Equinox when you walked in for your membership today?

[Pablo Torre]

No, I, I, I.

[Katie Nolan]

You're a fresh walking.

[Pablo Torre]

Yep, I am. I'm somebody who has wanted to be better about my health.

[Katie Nolan]

We'll get into all that.

[Pablo Torre]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

I just need to know, sales wise.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

If you've spoke, because so many times. We had this guy Andre, who was one of the salesmen at our Equinox, who had. He was like a. An institution at Equinox. He'd been there since, I feel like it opened, but he wasn't, like, beloved by the company. And I wondered why, because he sold so many memberships. It's because he didn't do it the Equinox way. He just cast a very wide net with the lead generation. And then whenever anybody would come in, it would be my, Katie, you're up for a walk in. Here's a walk in. And I'd get all excited, and then they'd look in the. In the. Luckily, if they caught it early, it would go straight to Andre. But sometimes I would get through the whole tour, the whole sales pitch, and then I would put their name into the system and be like, so you spoke with Andre previously? And they were like, yeah. Oh, that's right, I did. And I'm like, let's get you signed up. And then Andrey would stand outside my office with a big smile on him, because that was his sale now. But anyway, if you'd never spoken to anybody and you walked into.

[Pablo Torre]

I got it. I gotta say, I spoke to Andre.

[Katie Nolan]

Let me just walk. But see, if you say it early. I go, let me just bring you over to Andre. And then he would huff and puff. He hated. He was Andre the Giant.

[Dan Soder]

Thank you, tiny little Katie. You're gonna love the eucalyptus towels.

[Katie Nolan]

But Andre sucked at, like, the tour and stuff. He didn't like doing any of the schmoozing, which was the only part I was good at.

[Pablo Torre]

Andre was a strategist, though.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, Andre was a. He wanted you to have to do all the work.

[Pablo Torre]

He wanted to pee on every possible tree.

[Katie Nolan]

That's right.

[Dan Soder]

He got him too.

[Katie Nolan]

He was a urologist of A of.

[Dan Soder]

A salesman, and they didn't like him. The company didn't like him.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, they did. They liked the numbers, but he wasn't held up as like a. This is our greatest salesman because he wasn't a good salesman.

[Pablo Torre]

So that's the skill, though. The salesmanship skill is the thing that fascinates me most about Katie Dolan, Equinox salesperson. Yeah, because if I'm coming in cold off the street, it's December, I'm self conscious, but I'm obviously very lazy.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

How are you possibly convincing me to drop all of the money you've described?

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. I mean, you want to know?

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

I would take them on a walk of the. It was three floors. So I would show them all the different. I would ask them about their fitness goals. I would ask them about their experience with going to the gym. And if they never went before, would.

[Dan Soder]

You ever prod or poke them?

[Pablo Torre]

Keno Escalade sign you up.

[Katie Nolan]

Up. No, never. Do you mean, like, touch their problem areas?

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, I go like, yeah, yeah, we can. We can fix that. No. Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

Calipers on me.

[Katie Nolan]

I was more like. I found a thing to relate to. There was one woman just nagging people that was like, very rich. And I still, to this day, I look back on this interaction, I'm like, what was that lady? She was very rich and she was. Wanted a gym membership, and then she liked me by the end of it. And she. She was like, I just am afraid I won't ever go. And I'm afraid I'll sign up for this membership and I won't ever go. And my main thing I always went to was if you're spending $135 on it, you'll go. If you spend 20 bucks on it, you won't go. But $135, that's an investment in yourself. That's an investment in your health. You're holding yourself accountable.

[Dan Soder]

I'm reaching for my wallet, and this.

[Katie Nolan]

Lady said she still wouldn't go. And I said, here's how about this. If we go a week and I don't see you, I'll call you. You, I'll call you. I'll go to the gym with you. I'll come work out next to you on my lunch break. We'll go on the days that I can go, I'll make sure you're here. If we don't see you, I'll call you.

[Dan Soder]

I will find you.

[Katie Nolan]

And she was like, okay. And then this lady became like my friend. She gave me her Credit card. She treated me like her assistant. One day she took me to that Fuerza Bruta. Remember that show in Union Square? I think it was called Fuerza Bruta. I could be making this up.

[Pablo Torre]

Fuerza Bruta is a band. It's a postmodern theater show that premiered in Buenos Aires in 2005.

[Katie Nolan]

One night, she just took me. We went on this trip. We went to Fuerza Bruta.

[Dan Soder]

We went to Sugar.

[Katie Nolan]

I remember it was raining and my socks got wet. I still have these socks that this lady gave me that night. Could not tell you her name. Could not tell you how I ended up, why I said yes to any of this, but I went. So it's like a live performance that they do right in front of you. Small Cirque du Soleil.

[Dan Soder]

How old was she?

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, I'm bad at this, but I would say maybe 50s.

[Dan Soder]

In her 50s, maybe. Do you think there's an off chance that on January 9, she'll be watching Celebrity Jeopardy. And she'll be like, that's my Katie. That's Wet Sock Katie.

[Katie Nolan]

That's my. That's Equinox Katie.

[Dan Soder]

I took her to a performance.

[Katie Nolan]

She wrote a big, long letter on the back of a receipt about how I should be promoted within Equinox. She was a very sweet woman, but that's my. That's why I couldn't handle it emotionally. I signed enough people up for the gym, and I'm like, I got seven people who didn't show up this week. I have to call them. I have to let them know I care.

[Dan Soder]

You don't have the thing in you that can shut off.

[Katie Nolan]

That's like, oh, I sold you that. But I'm not gonna do. I can't make a campaign promise and then not follow through.

[Pablo Torre]

Unlike a Real World cast member. You were there to make friends.

[Dan Soder]

Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I was there for the wrong reasons, which was to be friendly with everybody. So you had.

[Pablo Torre]

But it just sounds like you had a. A methodology.

[Katie Nolan]

We were given. Like. I forget what they were called, but we practiced. Like when somebody.

[Pablo Torre]

You have to get sounding scientological, the.

[Katie Nolan]

More that you have to hear seven times before you can let them out of your office. You can't accept no until seven hours.

[Dan Soder]

No. If you say no seven times, no means yes until seven. It's like Will Ferrell in the Spy who Shagged Me, where he goes, damn, seven times. You know, three times. Damn it. Really? Let me out. No. Let me out. No. Get the seven. Like, all right.

[Katie Nolan]

It got to the point where for people like me, you would look for anything that sounded even kind of like a no. And been like, I count that. That was one. Because I didn't want to have to act getting somebody to say no seven times. You. It's like the cable people, when they called me, you start to feel crazy where you're like, I don't want this. Cancel this. I had people get to the point where when they were like, is there anything I can say to get out of this office? And I was like, that helps. That's six.

[Dan Soder]

That is nuts. Closer, Warmer.

[Katie Nolan]

Closer.

[Pablo Torre]

Like, well, you could call State Senator Gordon Johnson.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Because apparently so they're gonna make a law pass that. Only in New Jersey, right? I assume.

[Pablo Torre]

I believe.

[Katie Nolan]

It'S a big gym State.

[Pablo Torre]

Is that right?

[Dan Soder]

Jim Tam Laundry.

[Pablo Torre]

Of course. Gtl.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, they. Yeah, if you're Jersey. Jersey gyms are on a different level.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Jersey Mike's, I believe they're called.

[Dan Soder]

But they just the amount of. I. It was such a problem that a politician in New Jersey was like, hey, listen, I listen, I'm trapped in three different ones, bro. All right? And I need a different one for my power lifting, for my. To get toned, to get strength. So they finally got it.

[Katie Nolan]

They should make it. I just like, how should be able to call.

[Pablo Torre]

Well, why. Why is cancer. I mean, it. Canceling a gym membership should not need to be like a Jason Statham movie.

[Dan Soder]

Well, I'm going to tell you this right now. He's like, you've only got five nos. Two more, maybe I'll let you out of the office. Sorry, You've got to blast your quads on Tuesday or it ain't working. Do you want to try the eucalyptus leaves? They're unbelievable.

[Pablo Torre]

We want to talk about death and artificial intelligence.

[Katie Nolan]

That's the article Dan's bringing. So, Pablo, why don't you tell us what Dan?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, Dan, thank you so much for bringing this article.

[Dan Soder]

Absolutely. I've been deep in the research.

[Pablo Torre]

It's called using AI to talk to the dead. And the subhead says some people are using artificial intelligence chatbots to create avatars of departed loved ones. It's a source of comfort for some, but it makes others a little squeamish.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm others.

[Dan Soder]

I don't know how I'd feel because I think one of the things in death is you forget, or it used to be before this, you forgot what their voice sounded like. If you had anyone die that you loved before the year 2000, it's very rare that you have recordings of Their voices, because cell phones weren't prominent, social media wasn't around. You just either you had a answering machine with their voice on it or home videos, but you didn't really have. And I think when you lose people, you. There's a part of you that wants to hear their voice, but then there's a part of you that understands that part of loss is like forgetting what their voice sounds like. So this is a very interesting article to me because it's like, do. Would I want to know? But I would immediately. This is going to seem like a dark comparison, but it's true. I wouldn't like talking to someone that I've lost through AI because it would be the feeling of, like getting a prostitute where you're like, this isn't real.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

This isn't the. You're doing this because I'm paying you, right? You know, with AI, you're like, you're a computer program. You aren't actually my.

[Katie Nolan]

You don't really, like. You don't love me.

[Pablo Torre]

You don't.

[Katie Nolan]

You are proud of me, pal.

[Dan Soder]

There's a big hankering for me just to type in one simple thing. I'm proud of you, son. Just to get it once. And then you're like, let's go home. You know, I would just do one sentence to shut it down, and I'd be like, let's shut. I'm proud of you, son. Go, 49ers.

[Katie Nolan]

Bang, bang, niner, gang.

[Dan Soder]

Bang, niner, gang.

[Pablo Torre]

Modern Prizes.

[Katie Nolan]

Let's go to a cameo of your dad.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, Niner. Yeah. Bang, bang, niner, gang. But I. I'm intrigued by it, but I don't think I would do it.

[Katie Nolan]

So it's video and aud.

[Pablo Torre]

So, yeah. So the way it works in this company is called story file. About 5,000 people have made profiles.

[Katie Nolan]

That's not a lot.

[Pablo Torre]

Among them was the actor Ed Asner, who was interviewed eight weeks before his death in 2021, and his son, Matt Asner, yeah, to answer the question, was stunned to see his father looking at him and appearing to answer questions. And so he sensed, like some replication, because AI is now increasingly sophisticated, of course, every personality that he recognized, or at the very least, something that fooled him enough neurologically to be, at the very least, feeling like, quote, this man that I really missed my best friend was there. End quote.

[Dan Soder]

I mean, I think without getting too philosophical, I think there's. There. There. You're doing damage in the process of accepting the death by keeping this around. It's almost like that's what we talked.

[Katie Nolan]

About with the pets.

[Dan Soder]

Right. And I don't want to be mean.

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Dan Soder]

In a little bit. This is like the Nicorette gum of death. Death, where you're like, when you quit.

[Pablo Torre]

Cigarettes, you're not really.

[Dan Soder]

You have to quit cigarettes, you're not really quitting. If you're using Nicorette gum, you're, like, still kind of keeping it alive a little bit and not in the way of that. It was.

[Katie Nolan]

Sure.

[Pablo Torre]

So pretty good slogan for story files.

[Katie Nolan]

Chew on this.

[Dan Soder]

See, if they don't use chew on this, they're leaving money on the table.

[Pablo Torre]

You do it on an airplane.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, but it just feels like it would just be too weird. It would be like, I don't know, you have to go through the stages of grief in order to get over it. This, I feel like, would.

[Katie Nolan]

Would get in the way. I also feel like, at what point do we go, have you seen Black Mirror? At what point do you go, like, kind of close to the thing that was depicted in a very dystopian television program.

[Dan Soder]

We're starting to reach this point where technology, where they're going, like, never be inconvenienced. Never be upset. Yeah, never. And you're like, but that's part of life, right?

[Pablo Torre]

Never feel your feelings.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Dan Soder]

You're supposed to feel fear. You're supposed to feel sadness. You're supposed to feel grief. You're supposed to feel anxiety. You're not supposed to feel anxiety all the time. You're not supposed to feel it all the time. But there is something of like, well, you know, deal with death because it happens to everybody. And. And this idea of keeping people around. I really love the fact that before Robin Williams, you know, unfortunately killed himself, he signed this thing that was like, my likeness will not be used for at least 50 years. He's like, no commercials, nothing like that. And his children have upheld that and been like, hey, you're not going to use my dad in an Apple commercial. You're not going to use my dad. And all this stuff where. Because it's my dad and I don't want you. Because this is inevitably what it's going to lead to, which is marketing and selling of through dead people that you have a fondness for.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes.

[Dan Soder]

As we're kind of. The theme of this podcast episode is salesmen doing whatever the. You need to do to get the sale done. This. They will use it for that.

[Pablo Torre]

Right. So the way this works, by the way, is that you have the person, before they die, sit for these tapings.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, okay. So they don't just scrape together stuff.

[Pablo Torre]

At some point, they will be able to. Or it's just not required for you to show up. And, like, they've already got to the.

[Dan Soder]

Point where they're like, hey, if you give me a minute of this person, we can replicate their voice. Voice. So it will. It'll get out of control.

[Pablo Torre]

Right. But this whole. But the instinct towards wanting to communicate with the dead in this way. It turns out that there was also a fascinating other side note in terms of, like, the history of people trying to commune with spirits. Harry Houdini had a really close friendship, apparently with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

[Dan Soder]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

Author of Sherlock Holmes and so forth. Sure. Houdini was like, this is. Like, this won't exist. This doesn't work. Doesn't make any sense. And Sir Arthur Conan Doyle disagreed with him so much that their friendship broke apart.

[Katie Nolan]

What won't work?

[Pablo Torre]

The idea of we're going to get to actually speak to those in the afterlife that we should have.

[Dan Soder]

That ain't gonna work.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

Which is crazy because he's a magic man.

[Pablo Torre]

Exactly.

[Dan Soder]

But also a lot of magic is. Is knowing how to trick people into thinking something is happening when it's not. Can we also bring up the fact that Harry Houdini had had quads on him?

[Katie Nolan]

He did, did he?

[Dan Soder]

Quads, Dude. There is a picture of him jumping into the Boston Harbor.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

With chains on.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

I mean, this guy.

[Pablo Torre]

We're gonna put this on screen for YouTube and the DraftKings.

[Dan Soder]

All I'm saying is. All I'm saying is line up Harry Houdini as an edge rusher. Good luck. You got three seconds to get rid of that ball. Harry Houdini's gripping, ripping, and he's taking down Justin Her. Wild.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. He's making his play disappear.

[Dan Soder]

You better put a tight end on him. You better put. Hit Harry off the line because look at those legs. That man.

[Pablo Torre]

Damn.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, dude. Look at that. He's got the fold over.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. Yeah. What's it called when you can see all the veins? Varicose. Vascular. Vascular. Damn.

[Dan Soder]

Harry Houdini was jacked.

[Pablo Torre]

He really was.

[Dan Soder]

And also, you could tell that water was pretty cold.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

Wearing a cup.

[Katie Nolan]

That's for.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, Well, I don't know if he is.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. He probably wishes he had a eucalyptus towel over that part.

[Dan Soder]

He had some stuff disappear he didn't want.

[Katie Nolan]

Harry Tankini.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

But I get him, being he was a grower. Okay.

[Dan Soder]

He goes for my next trick. That's what he said whenever he got a Boner. He went, ta da. Oh, why, Harry, you are a magician.

[Pablo Torre]

Wait, so I. But you said something that was very vulnerable. And I don't want to pry, although I know you've talked about some of this on stage.

[Dan Soder]

Pry away. My fiance's like, crack, please open them up. Jesus Christ. This pistachio without an opening.

[Katie Nolan]

I got this. I'm like untangling a bunch of necklaces. I'm like, look, I got something started here. Can you pull on that?

[Pablo Torre]

You know. You know a sailor's knot. Look at this. I don't know how to.

[Dan Soder]

Dangerous analogy for someone close to me than that. Right? There she goes. I got a little bit, but it's a lot.

[Katie Nolan]

I need fresh eyes on this.

[Pablo Torre]

But the premise of, like, someone in your life died and your memory of them is what you have more than any other archival documentary evidence.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

And so what you remember, you can also sense it degrading. And so, because of course, like, as you said, like, your memory of the voice isn't perfect. Diameter, half life.

[Dan Soder]

Where.

[Katie Nolan]

Do you remember the sound of your dad's voice?

[Dan Soder]

No, don't remember the sound of my dad's voice. Don't remember the sound of my sister's voice. And I'm okay with that.

[Pablo Torre]

And how old were they? And you?

[Dan Soder]

I was 14 when my dad died. He was 48 and I was 16 when my sister died and she was 28. And don't remember either of their voices. There is a DVD somewhere that I have of my cousin's fifth birthday party, and my aunt transferred it from VHS to dvd. But he doesn't talk on it. He's just at the birthday party and like waves or whatever, but I don't. I kind of like have a sense of his voice, but I think anybody that lost someone young, you kind of just as like, that's part of the territory. You. You don't like. I would like to hear my dad's voice again, but not. Not this way. Not artificially. That would be gross to me if he was like, hey, pal.

[Katie Nolan]

I'd be like, it's like synthetic weed.

[Dan Soder]

You like that? Just K2. I want that real, dude.

[Pablo Torre]

Delta 8.

[Dan Soder]

No, I want that real. I want that real weed. And that's what it is. It just feels like. I understand. I under. Listen, I'm not knocking anyone. That would. Would. Would. This would make them feel good. This would make the.

[Pablo Torre]

Sure. People are desperately coping with the most traumatic thing that ever happened to them. I presume in a lot of these, there's people that.

[Dan Soder]

That go through losses that are very, very difficult. You know, very, very difficult. And they. And they want some. A piece of the person they lost. And maybe this is the way they do it or whatever. I just personally am like, I've. I know how hard I've had to work to get through the stages of. To acceptance of death. And I feel like this would just that up.

[Katie Nolan]

I wonder if you'd feel differently about losing if you lost someone next. Now if you would be interested in this kind of. If your perspective on this footage.

[Dan Soder]

I would do. I have. I have enough footage of Katie publicly.

[Pablo Torre]

Just Sharon tells like, we've loaded in an arc. I have Katie talking about.

[Dan Soder]

And all they have is our argument about sweet and sour versus barbecue. And I'm like, get off of that. I want to hear her say loving stuff, not incorrect things. You know, honey mustard and barbecue. But it is. I. I'm like, I think now you're right. I think there would be certain relationships that maybe I would want that more. But I, I immediately, you know, when you brought up the article, the first thought was like, oh, when I want to hear my dad's voice again. And they're, you know, knee jerk reaction. Yes. Of course I haven't heard it. Would love to hear him say, bang, bang, Niner gang. But no, I know, like, my soul and my heart don't need that. It's just like, I'll keep my memories. I'll keep. Because you also got to work through. True.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

Because people die and then you actually have to examine your relationship with them.

[Pablo Torre]

Look, it's hard for me to hear you talk about people's voices without thinking about how good you are at doing other people's voices.

[Dan Soder]

So there was this weird thing not.

[Pablo Torre]

To get really deep into the chords.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. But there was.

[Pablo Torre]

On the back of this computer, I got offered this.

[Dan Soder]

I didn't get necessarily offered. It was loosely offered, but my buddy Bruce Pritchard, who works at the WWE and also has a wonderful podcast called Something to Wrestle, he works with a guy named Conrad Thompson. Conrad's awesome. He's got a whole podcast network. And. And Conrad had idea of Lanny Poo, who recently passed away. Lanny Poo was the brother of Macho man Randy Savage. And I do an accurate Macho man Randy Savage.

[Pablo Torre]

You do the worldclass number one ranked.

[Dan Soder]

But people were like, oh, what? You know, Conrad kind of had this loose idea of like, what if we do a thing with. This is when Lanny was still alive. What if we do a thing with Lanny where he Kind of asks Macho. And I was like, immediately, like, no, no. I'm very uncomfortable. If someone could do a perfect impression of my dead sister Michelle, I wouldn't want to do a podcast with that person. I wouldn't want to be like. Because immediately, how is there not a moment where Lanny Poffle goes like, hey, could you. And I go, like, I miss you a lot, Lanny. You know, and he's like, just losing. Because I would understand that, right? Where he'd be like, hey, can you bring up this childhood memory we have? Or he goes, goes, I'm sorry I took your ball away. Yeah. Knew you wanted to play with it. But I wanted to play with it more, you know? And he's like, that's my dead brother. So there was this, like, feeling of, like, the macabre, where you're like, I don't wanna. I don't think I wanna. With this dude.

[Katie Nolan]

I wanna be emotionally responsible.

[Dan Soder]

Cause it's crazy.

[Pablo Torre]

It's kind of like being. Hey, you kind of look like my wife. Can you.

[Dan Soder]

That's exactly. Can you hold me? Can you imagine me walking like this?

[Katie Nolan]

Meant hold you?

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. Can you hold my.

[Pablo Torre]

Can you hold my. Can you hold my bladder? And. Or.

[Dan Soder]

There was a time back when the WWE Network was around. I went up to Stanford and I was doing this, like, top 10 moments or whatever. And me and another wrestler, Damien Sandow, were doing, like, competing macho mans or whatever, and I was recording my part just in this, like, dark studio at the YES network because, like, they worked with WWE and we're at the YES network, but the cameraman was from wwe. We're doing all this stuff we film. We end. And then the cameraman is older gentleman, he goes, goes, I knew Randy well, you sound exactly like him. And I was like, oh, man. There was this part, it was just like on the drive home where I was like, there had to be a point where this guy was like, listen, this guy do my dead friend perfectly right? So there. I don't know there. That's like, I don't. You're opening a Pandora's box with this. And it's just kind of like, you don't you think you know the emotion you're going to get, but you're probably going to get a lot more emotions behind that that you don't see right now. Like. Like what I was saying immediately I'd be like, I'd love to hear my dad's voice. And then the second thought was, maybe not. Maybe we keep the dead buried.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. You know, I do feel like, though, there is a product now that I would sign up for a different form of dealing with grief. Where it is. Dan Soder just playing the role of my dead dad as Macho man.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, right. I was always very proud of you. Yeah. Couple of those birthday gifts weren't the best, but you bought it with your heart. Yeah. When you buy all your hearts, the best gift you can have. I love you, son. You're doing a good job. Yeah, yeah. I'll imitate your dead family members as Macho Man. Randy Savage for a fee.

[Pablo Torre]

Thank you.

[Dan Soder]

For a hefty fee, for a pretty penny. I have to go to a very dark place. I have to take ayahuasca after.

[Katie Nolan]

It's really taxing on you. I'm your handler now. Dan will sit with you.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, yeah.

[Dan Soder]

And tell you your. Your father's feelings for you.

[Pablo Torre]

Katie's selling the membership to this program.

[Katie Nolan]

Look, if you spend this much on it, you're going to use it.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. You're going to use it.

[Katie Nolan]

If you. If you go, what are you going to talk to your dead dad at 3am I'll call you.

[Dan Soder]

You want your peaaw to reach out to you as Rodney Dangerfield. I'm telling you, I never respected you, but now I do. I love you. Foreign.

[Pablo Torre]

Well, what I found out at the end of today's show.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, did we do three? That was three things. What were the three things?

[Pablo Torre]

That was three? We did gym memberships, AI. Gym memberships, AI. And then we started with Dan's journey through journalism slash Vivek sucking.

[Katie Nolan]

Sure.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

He does stink. You're Frost. Nixon. It's going to happen that. Oh, God.

[Pablo Torre]

I just.

[Dan Soder]

I mean, you probably looked at the production booth and everyone would agree. That would be the episode that would.

[Katie Nolan]

They're probably actively trying to book it.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, that crossed my mind. Like getting him to walk.

[Dan Soder]

It's mutually beneficial.

[Pablo Torre]

Totally.

[Dan Soder]

Because you're incredibly intelligent. You. And the thing is, you go back with this guy.

[Pablo Torre]

Thanks, dad.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, right?

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. You're very smart. I know. I was a urologist. Yeah. Lots of wolves. Water. Yeah. Gonna get kidney stones. The worst pain of your life. I'm telling you, it's the worst pain of your life.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes. Getting him across from me in an actual, like in. In an intellectual.

[Dan Soder]

I mean, dude, in this studio, none of his helpers. Mano Emano.

[Katie Nolan]

He would never agree to.

[Dan Soder]

He would never agree to. He doesn't have the nuts to agree to it. And I'll say that on camera. You don't have the nuts, but do it, dude. I would.

[Katie Nolan]

I want the vast difference.

[Dan Soder]

It would be unstubious. Unbelievable. Put in dead. Isn't Don King dead? Put in the AI. Unbelievable. Ubiquitous. For two people to clash at. Only in America. Only in America. Do it. Have it done. Dude. Super fight.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, my God.

[Katie Nolan]

What have you learned?

[Pablo Torre]

I've learned that I should probably do that episode now.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. Yeah, that's a good thing to.

[Pablo Torre]

Or just have Dan call the vic as like, a prank thing.

[Dan Soder]

Just as Jason Statham all day. Dude, I'm on the road this weekend. Give me the number. I'll start. Six, seven.

[Katie Nolan]

Do you still have his number?

[Pablo Torre]

I can get it.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

All right.

[Dan Soder]

Oh, man. I just wanted to know all day.

[Pablo Torre]

Katie, what did you find out?

[Katie Nolan]

Nothing. I didn't find out anything. Dan can do voices.

[Dan Soder]

Pretty love language.

[Katie Nolan]

I was gonna say he's doing all his bedroom moves on podcast.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to bust out.

[Katie Nolan]

These are all the men I sleep with.

[Dan Soder]

Like, how about we go in the bathroom? Bedroom. Like in bathroom. I want you to piss on me. Time for tinkle time. Let's get the top out, baby. Time for you to make a. Time for you to sissy on my chest. Oh, my God, that's gross.

[Katie Nolan]

What did you find out that's gross?

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, a day and might now find out, as I've been informed of this fact in my ear is that Don King is alive.

[Katie Nolan]

I thought so.

[Pablo Torre]

I thought so.

[Katie Nolan]

I wasn't gonna say, but I thought you just killed that man.

[Dan Soder]

It's cheaper to get AI. Don King?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, Don King. He charges crazy initiation fees.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, he does. Dude, Don King is.

[Katie Nolan]

I mean, you can't cancel.

[Pablo Torre]

I don't want to frost Nixon. Don King.

[Dan Soder]

No, that guy. Even in his old age.

[Pablo Torre]

I would tinkle on myself.

[Dan Soder]

In that case, he would eat all of us alive.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't think I could sell him a gym membership. Membership. I could try.

[Dan Soder]

That'd be a good challenge.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't think I could. What did you find out? You have to say something.

[Dan Soder]

You found out I miss my dad. I want to talk to a computer dead dad just to say bang bang niner gang. Cut the I'm proud of you.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, don't even need that.

[Dan Soder]

Just this season how good we're feeling. I would love for him to say bang bang niner game. Guys, maybe someday or do my have my dad do a whole E40 song song. I would do sprinkle me if we're just off the top of my head.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah. I'M trying to.

[Katie Nolan]

How does that go?

[Dan Soder]

He's. Or I can tell me when to go where. He's like, Ooh. Or E40 is my dad. He's like, ooh, I'll be loving you, son.

[Pablo Torre]

Dad, can you blow this whistle?

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, can you blow the. Blow the whistle, dad.

[Pablo Torre]

Thank you guys so much for coming back.

[Katie Nolan]

Thanks for having us.

[Dan Soder]

Scarred from bringing up the equinox thing.

[Katie Nolan]

It just brought me to a dark place.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. I'm now thinking of what I found out today. Is that somewhere there's a lady who was wondering where that nice young Katie Nolan went.

[Dan Soder]

Find her. Oh, I want a reunion episode.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Dan Soder]

With you and her.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't even remember her name.

[Dan Soder]

You can remember her name.

[Katie Nolan]

I'll look through my docs, my documents.

[Dan Soder]

Do it.

[Katie Nolan]

Thanks for having us, Pablo. Blow.

[Pablo Torre]

This was so fun.

[Katie Nolan]

A blast.

[Dan Soder]

I can't wait for your debate episode.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. Do we even learn so much?

[Katie Nolan]

Does this count? Did we do okay?

[Pablo Torre]

I think.

[Katie Nolan]

Check.

[Pablo Torre]

Can the scientists behind the glass feed some pellets into the.

[Dan Soder]

Into the wall?

[Katie Nolan]

They're like, oh, we actually didn't fix that audio issue. We're ready to go now.

[Dan Soder]

Yeah, guys, we're going to come in and change your newspaper on the floor of your channel.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, and I should point out that Dan was right. Dan Soder was right. He identified the through line of today's podcast. And I'm usually the one who loves identifying the through line of today's podcast, but he identified it as an episode about salesmanship. And that is correct. And so, in honor of the people who helped me move these units, who helped me move these podcasts, my producers, Michael Antonucci, Ryan Cortez, Sam Dawig, Juan Galindo, Patrick Kim, Neely Lou, Rachel Miller, Howard Ethan Schreier, Carl Scott, Matt Sullivan, Chris Tominiello and Juliet Warren. Shout out to you and our studio engineering by RG Systems, our post production by NGW Post, our theme song, as always, by John Bravo, Steam game Pablo Torre finds out. And next Tuesday, a very different episode. So we'll see you then.