S2: #74 - Olivia & Noah Haven’t Left Smosh

Summary

Podcast Summary: Smosh Mouth - S2: #74 - Olivia & Noah Haven’t Left Smosh

Introduction In episode #74 of Smosh Mouth, released on August 5, 2020, hosts Shayne Topp (short), Amanda Lehan-Canto (tall), and rotating Smosh friends Olivia Sway and Noah Grossman delve into personal anecdotes, professional transitions, and important conversations about diversity and inclusion within the Smosh community. This episode provides listeners with an insightful look into the dynamics of freelancing versus full-time roles, the evolution of Smosh post-Defy Media, and the ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive environment.

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1. Personal Anecdotes and Lighthearted Banter The episode kicks off with light-hearted discussions about personal grooming habits and humorous takes on audition experiences.

• Hair Bleaching Adventures: Noah Grossman shares his ongoing battle with bleaching his hair, resulting in a "Ramen" color. Noah (01:40) humorously states, “The next time you see it, it'll be different again.”

• Podcast Studio Setup: Noah's newly built podcast room, which Ian Hecox likens to a Nickelodeon set, becomes a topic of admiration. Noah (08:12) responds, “I got a couple of times, and that is the biggest compliment you could give me because that's all I watched when I was a kid.”

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2. Navigating Personal Relationships and Apologies Olivia and Noah discuss a recent incident where Olivia forgot to assist Noah, leading to a candid conversation about friendship and reliability.

• Olivia’s Apology: Olivia admits her oversight, saying, “I totally forgot,” to which Noah reassures her, “You're fine. Courtney stepped up.”

• Flaking on Plans: A humorous exchange ensues about Olivia never flaking on plans. Ian (03:19) teases, “This is when we reveal that Olivia is a terrible human being that just flakes on people's plans,” while Olivia clarifies, “I don’t ever flake on plans.”

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3. Audition Experiences and Quirky Stories The hosts share their most bizarre and memorable audition experiences, highlighting the often strange demands of the entertainment industry.

• Creepy Audition Requests: Noah recalls an audition where he had to take his shirt off. Noah (01:05) jokes, “Yeah, well, that sucks, because I do,” in response to Ian's concern about "weird nipples."

• Foot Acting and Unique Auditions: The conversation shifts to unconventional audition tasks like foot acting. Olivia (11:08) shares her experience, saying, “I've had to be in a ballerina outfit,” while Ian quips about the impracticality of such requests.

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4. Transitioning from Defy Media to Freelancing A significant portion of the episode delves into Noah and Olivia’s experiences transitioning from full-time positions at Defy Media to freelancing within Smosh, exploring the benefits and challenges of this shift.

• Noah’s Reflection on Defy Media: Noah discusses how his relationship with Defy Media impacted his professional growth. Noah (22:15) explains, “If my relationship with Defy Media wasn't that great and I didn't feel passionate about going to my job, I wasn't necessarily hurting Defy Media. I was like, hurting my friends.”

• Olivia’s Evolution as a Creator: Olivia reflects on her journey, stating, “This job has realized that I want to be a creator, I want to be a writer, I want to be a producer.”

• Balancing Freelance and Full-Time Elements: Both guests highlight the flexibility freelancing offers while expressing nostalgia for the collaborative environment of a full-time role. Noah (26:36) mentions, “I've learned so much,” emphasizing the value of teamwork at Smosh.

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5. Diversity and Inclusion at Smosh A crucial segment of the conversation focuses on Smosh’s ongoing efforts to diversify its cast and foster an inclusive environment.

• Acknowledging Lack of Diversity: Ian openly addresses the predominantly white makeup of Smosh, stating, “Smosh is white as fuck. This has been a conversation for years.”

• Initiatives to Improve Representation: Ian elaborates on the financial and strategic measures taken to diversify Smosh's on-camera talent. Ian (35:39) explains, “We've sunk thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars into trying to not make Smosh so white.”

• Olivia’s Experience with Inclusion: Olivia shares her initial feelings of disconnection and how recent changes have made her feel heard and valued. Olivia (37:04) says, “I feel like we're at a place where I feel really safe and that I can say things and voice my concerns and people would respect it.”

• Creating a Safe Space: The hosts discuss the importance of allies and open communication in addressing systemic issues. Noah (42:19) emphasizes, “We can't correct those blind spots without having allies.”

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6. Final Rant and Humorous Wrap-Up The episode concludes with a humorous segment where Ian shares his personal mishaps, leading to a playful "Shoot dude" segment.

• Ian’s Concussion Stories: Ian recounts two incidents where he accidentally gave himself concussions, ending with a funny rant about the dangers of shower heads. Ian (53:11) narrates, “I knocked myself out, but didn’t realize it as when I woke up, I just thought I had fallen asleep.”

• Noah’s Rant on Racist Laws: Noah utilizes his 60-second rant to discuss the historical context of racist laws in America, asserting, “I’d like to quickly rant about how the United States of America is and has always been built on racist laws.”

• Closing Remarks: The hosts wrap up with light-hearted banter and promotions, reinforcing their camaraderie. Ian (56:00) concludes, “You relate hard to that, Olivia. Poor thing,” followed by playful exchanges about their respective stories.

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Notable Quotes

• Noah Grossman (01:40): “The next time you see it, it'll be different again.”

• Olivia Sway (08:12): “I got a couple of times, and that is the biggest compliment you could give me because that's all I watched when I was a kid.”

• Noah Grossman (22:15): “If my relationship with Defy Media wasn't that great and I didn't feel passionate about going to my job, I wasn't necessarily hurting Defy Media. I was like, hurting my friends.”

• Ian Hecox (35:39): “We've sunk thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars into trying to not make Smosh so white.”

• Olivia Sway (37:04): “I feel like we're at a place where I feel really safe and that I can say things and voice my concerns and people would respect it.”

• Noah Grossman (42:19): “We can't correct those blind spots without having allies.”

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Conclusion Episode #74 of Smosh Mouth offers a blend of humor, personal storytelling, and meaningful discussions about professional growth and diversity. Through Olivia and Noah’s experiences, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by creators navigating the evolving landscape of digital content creation. The episode underscores the importance of fostering inclusive environments and the ongoing efforts to make Smosh a more representative and supportive community.

Transcript

[Olivia Sway]

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[Noah Grossman]

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[Ian Hecox]

Ramble.

[Noah Grossman]

If my relationship with Defy Media wasn't that great and I didn't feel passionate about going to my job, I wasn't necessarily hurting Defy Media. I was, like, hurting my friends.

[Ian Hecox]

We're aware, like, Smosh is white as fuck. This has been a conversation for years.

[Olivia Sway]

I don't know. You take more ownership when it's your channel and your name. You know what I mean? And now that I see it, it was like it was yours and Anthony's, and you guys had to kind of trust us. Something that you guys have built.

[Ian Hecox]

What's the creepiest thing you've had to do in audition?

[Noah Grossman]

Take my shirt off.

[Ian Hecox]

Like, we just want to make sure you don't have weird nipples.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, well, that sucks, because I do.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, hello, everybody, and welcome to another Smosh cast. Today I am joined by two very, very lovely humanoids, Noah Grossman and Olivia Sway Ao Ayo.

[Olivia Sway]

Hi.

[Ian Hecox]

Hello, guys. How are you? Noah, I swear, every time I see you, your hair changes.

[Noah Grossman]

And the next time you see it, it'll be different again. I tried to bleach it so I could put color. I got to bleach it another time. It came out. It came out kind of Ramen.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, dude, Ramen.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, you should. Yeah, you should get the old Justin Timberlake hair.

[Olivia Sway]

No. How are you bleaching your hair, like, by yourself?

[Noah Grossman]

My girlfriend does it.

[Olivia Sway]

Wow. Wow.

[Noah Grossman]

She colors it, too.

[Ian Hecox]

Isn't that hard, like, to get it down to the root? Doesn't that burn?

[Noah Grossman]

I mean, I've done it a few times. A couple of times, it's been uncomfortable, but one or two times, I would say, like, maybe a light chemical burn, but nothing to be worried about.

[Ian Hecox]

I'm digging this room you're in, Noah. For the people that are just listening and aren't watching this video. Noah built a podcast room in his place. It looks like it reminds me of a Nickelodeon set.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, it does.

[Noah Grossman]

Thank you. That is, like, I've gotten that a couple of times, and that is the biggest compliment you could give me because that's, like, all I watched when I was a kid, so it's like, colorful Nickelodeon.

[Olivia Sway]

No. I don't know if I should bring this up right now, right here, but you needed me to do something for you, and I totally forgot.

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, you're fine. You're fine. Courtney stepped up, and I got a couple of other friends, so it totally worked out. I hit you guys up if you were available, but it was also super short notice.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. I'm so sorry.

[Noah Grossman]

No, no, really, not a thing.

[Olivia Sway]

I'm a terrible friend.

[Noah Grossman]

Thank you. You're not.

[Olivia Sway]

For all the listeners. Yeah, I am.

[Ian Hecox]

This is when we reveal that Olivia is a terrible human being that just flakes on people's plans. Honestly, I don't think you've ever flaked. Have you ever flaked?

[Olivia Sway]

There's no flaking if you don't make plans, you know, Ain't flaking if you.

[Ian Hecox]

Ain'T making is what I would say.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, no, I don't ever. I don't ever flake on plans. I don't know why. I mean, and I don't know. I feel like once I commit to, like, something, especially with a friend, I. It's hard for me to say I'm not going to make it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. You've never flaked on anything I've invited you to because you've always declined the things that I invite you to. So. So. So it's. No, but that's better, right? That's so much better than. Than, you know, because I'm like, hey, do you want to, like, we're going out tonight to a restaurant? You're like, oh, I can't. Like, I'm going. I already have, like, a thing with my friends.

[Olivia Sway]

But that's. That's actually true. I usually have, like, plans already. I don't. Like, I'm not the type of person that's gonna make an excuse for something. Although, let me think. It's been so long for me to even do that. Cause we've been in a pandemic, so I don't remember the last time I've done that. Yeah. Also, like, I see the people that I need to see that I have to see because I love them so much and I miss them so much, but other people, I just. I don't know, just don't really see them.

[Ian Hecox]

That was one of my favorite episodes of Kirby Enthusiasm. It's like his mom dies or something, and he realizes that he can get out of any sort of plan by just saying, like, I can't. My mom died. So he just starts using it like a. Like a weapon. Whenever somebody asks him to do something, he's like, I. I wish I could, but, like, my. My mom just died.

[Olivia Sway]

There's a Amy Schumer sketch where she finds out that her friend has cancer or a very debilitating sickness. And she uses that and is like, my friend has cancer.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, well, that's. That's new. Amy Schumer stealing jokes. That's never happened before.

[Olivia Sway]

I don't know anything about that.

[Noah Grossman]

I think. I think. I think it is like. Like, yeah, that's a joke. But I think. What is it called? Like, parallel. It is parallel. I don't know.

[Olivia Sway]

Well, now that I.

[Noah Grossman]

You know, it's like a writer's rooms, you know, now that I don't.

[Olivia Sway]

You feel like when you have a pet, you can do that too. Like, oh, my dog threw up again.

[Ian Hecox]

I mean, you have a puppy, so you could use that as an excuse to get out of anything.

[Olivia Sway]

But I can't.

[Ian Hecox]

Just can't be left alone.

[Olivia Sway]

That. But that's honestly true, though. But honestly, I'm not getting invited anywhere because I'm like, we're in a pandemic safe.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

Like, the only things that, like, I'm really, like, going to are really nothing.

[Noah Grossman]

Bed.

[Ian Hecox]

Bed. I can't go to bed. I'm sorry, Sam.

[Olivia Sway]

I'm sorry. Grizzy's shitting everywhere again.

[Noah Grossman]

I've got a better one than dog. Because with dog, you still, you know, it might grow up. You got to prove something. Just say you can't. You're being haunted.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, that.

[Noah Grossman]

I can't do it. I'm being haunted. I can't prove it. I just. I know. I feel it. I can't. I'm so sorry. I can't be there. I'm being haunted.

[Ian Hecox]

I like that.

[Olivia Sway]

That's so weird.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah. But you can't disprove it. I'm afraid to get in the car because every time I do, it acts really weird because I'm being haunted.

[Olivia Sway]

I honestly feel like my friends would probably call, like, a doctor to come visit me.

[Ian Hecox]

They'd be like, I'll bring the sage and the crystals.

[Olivia Sway]

They'll be like, we're gonna. She's not. Okay.

[Ian Hecox]

We're gonna fuck this ghost up.

[Olivia Sway]

We're gonna fuck this ghost.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah. With sage and crystal.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

Wow, this place is so relaxing now. I gotta go next door.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, you can't. You can't tell somebody in LA that you're. That you're Haunted. Because nine times out of ten, they're going to be prepared with some sort of measures for supernatural things.

[Noah Grossman]

If I felt like I was being haunted, I would do like a precision strike on my poltergeist. You know, a lot of people just go to, like, one priest or, you know, bring. I would get every possible religion near me that believes in ghosts and has any sort of method, and all at once I would be like, strike. And they would all pray at the same time in my house. That's the only way to guarantee that it's gone.

[Ian Hecox]

So it's kind of like. It's kind of like you can make a reality TV show out of it. Which religion is the best at expelling supernatural?

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah. Yeah. But every time we go and we interview a haunted house, and then we have 14 experts all in the house as well, to give differing opinions on what to do.

[Ian Hecox]

One priest, one rabbi, one shaman, one.

[Noah Grossman]

Witch doctor, any mom, one Scientologist, one.

[Ian Hecox]

Aaron, one hipster chick with sage, one.

[Olivia Sway]

Lady from Silver Lake.

[Noah Grossman]

I like Aaron. What is Aaron gonna do about that?

[Olivia Sway]

Exactly. What is Aaron gonna do about that?

[Noah Grossman]

And it's an Aaron with two A's or one E. Oh, it's gonna be.

[Olivia Sway]

Two A's, An Aaron and a Karen.

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, Karen. Might get that ghost out.

[Ian Hecox]

The Wombo combo, as they call it. So, Noah, can you explain. Can you explain why you've built a podcast studio in your house? Because it looks pretty rad.

[Noah Grossman]

Thank you. This is so. It's half done. This is one of the walls. I have one to my right that I won't show until it's finished because it looks half done. But. But yeah, during quarantine, I decided to build a little podcast studio for myself so I could kind of shoot my own things, but also have a place to do self tapes that had my lights and things like that.

[Olivia Sway]

You're gonna do your self tape against that wall?

[Noah Grossman]

No, no, no, no. I do it against a different wall with a moving blanket.

[Olivia Sway]

It's just a black back. Whoa. They'll definitely hire you.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. At least they'd remember you.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Isn't that one of the rules of auditions is, like, you want to wear something that they, like, remember you by?

[Olivia Sway]

I don't know.

[Noah Grossman]

I always go with a graphic tee. I wear the same green. Green T shirt.

[Ian Hecox]

Unfortunately, I remember somebody, when we did auditions for. When we did auditions for Smosh, the same auditions that. That you guys got, got hired in.

[Olivia Sway]

Oh, yes.

[Ian Hecox]

This girl came in and I think we've already told this story before, but she came in, like, an R2D2 dress, and I was like. I was like, oh, that's. That's rad. That's awesome. And then we, We. We called her back to. To see her again, and she was wearing it again, and I was like, all right, same. Same dress. But yeah, apparently that's. That's like one of the. And I don't know. I would have. I would have thought that you guys would.

[Noah Grossman]

I have no idea to wear this.

[Ian Hecox]

You guys have done a million more auditions than I have, right?

[Olivia Sway]

I feel like. Yeah, I guess I've worn the same, but I also kind of wear the same shirt. I mean, depends what role it is.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, I've never booked anything super important. So, like, anytime I've gotten to, like, a test stage, which is still far from booking it, I've worn what I wore the time before. So like a third round audition to, like a test or something like that, I'd wear the same thing. But that's few times, and it was a successful.

[Ian Hecox]

So have you ever, like, auditioned for a role where you're like, like a construction person and you wore, like, a hard hat in your audition? Like, is that. Is that frowned. Is that, like, frowned upon, like, to like, if you're going out for, like, a police. A police person role, you, like, wear like, you carry a nightstick in your audition?

[Olivia Sway]

No.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, not at all. I've seen in, like, called cattle call auditions where it's just a lot of people so. Exactly. That if you're going for construction worker, they might see, you know, 600 people in a day. That will never happen again, obviously, because of the future. But yeah, you would see maybe three people out of all of it show up in a costume. And you never do that unless it's stated specifically. And they will rarely state that at all. They might give you what they want you to look like, so you might end up with all, you know, they're looking for someone to be like a hot Carl's Jr girl. So you'll end up with 400 people all looking similar, but they're not, you know, wearing a Carl's Jr outfit or anything. Like, they. That's like, that's a play. Like you're. You're going to Halloween.

[Ian Hecox]

What's the most. What's the most you guys have dressed up for an audition?

[Olivia Sway]

I've had to be in ballerina outfit.

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, that's cool.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, because we had to. I think it stated that we had to be on. Be like, on point and in ballerina clothes.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, that was back when you were doing ballet.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. But I also think it's. It's helpful, like, if your clothing helps enhances your character, it's a character choice. And I think I heard from someone, an actor, say that a lot of times they will change their shoes to match. What character? I don't know. It's some famous actor. Probably Shia LaBeouf or something. I don't know. But it's like. It's like. Yeah, they change like, little minute, like, things to help them enhance. Like what shoes this character would wear, I guess. Well, I've been doing self tapes and I just wear socks now and my self tapes.

[Ian Hecox]

Just socks. Nothing else?

[Olivia Sway]

Nothing else. Completely naked, Only socks.

[Ian Hecox]

I feel like I've seen that picture.

[Olivia Sway]

But I also only angle the camera down to my socks.

[Ian Hecox]

Okay, great. Doing a lot of foot acting.

[Olivia Sway]

A lot of foot acting. Oh, gross. Wicked feet.

[Noah Grossman]

I didn't like foot acting. That made me uncomfortable. Because someone has that skill, like they've done a little puppet show or something where they've made their foot the character and they technically have worked on foot acting. That's unbelievable.

[Ian Hecox]

Actually. That brings up another thing. Have you guys ever auditioned for something.

[Olivia Sway]

Where they wanted to see my feet?

[Ian Hecox]

Well, where it seemed like they. Have you ever gone to, like, an audition that it was just like a guy wanted to like, where is like, fake? You thought maybe it was a fake audition?

[Noah Grossman]

No, no, no, no. But I've also never gone to auditions that aren't legitimately solicited. That's either something that, like, an agency would find or, like, casting frontier.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

There is a lot of shady stuff out there.

[Ian Hecox]

But what's the creepiest thing you've had to do in audition? That you can speak of? Did you have to show your feet off?

[Noah Grossman]

That's about it.

[Ian Hecox]

How old were you?

[Noah Grossman]

Water park or something. Maybe 12, maybe 14.

[Ian Hecox]

We just want to make sure you don't have weird nipples.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, well, that sucks because I do.

[Ian Hecox]

You don't have weird nipples. You just have small nipples. There's a very big, like, little pennies.

[Olivia Sway]

Really cute.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah. Smaller than pennies.

[Olivia Sway]

And it's funny how, like, we know this.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

I feel like we figured it out pretty quickly. I see. I think I have weird nipples.

[Olivia Sway]

I don't know how yours looks like.

[Noah Grossman]

I know how you think so.

[Olivia Sway]

I know how Noah's and Keith's look like.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Because you guys both have, like, small nipples. That's like how you guys bonded first off. Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

Nipple touched the first day. No, not at all. No. I don't think you have weird nipples, Ian. I'm trying to think about your nipples now, which is a good sentence to say, and I don't think so. I can't really think about them. But no.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, that's because I have a lot of. I let my chest hair grow out, so now. Now my nipples don't stand out as much as they used to.

[Olivia Sway]

I had no idea you had chest hair.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, man, I got.

[Olivia Sway]

This is so sad. This means that we haven't seen each other in so long.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

I know that we see each other, like. Like, not wearing clothes, but it's just like, I miss seeing your guys. Bodies.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, around this time, it would have been Smosh Summer Games, which would have had a belly flop competition.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

Wow.

[Ian Hecox]

Which.

[Olivia Sway]

Which I would participate in because I still don't know how to swim yet.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, you tried once and then you were screamed at.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that was.

[Ian Hecox]

You took, like. You took lessons. How many lessons did you go to?

[Olivia Sway]

One. Because I was terrified to go back.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, her instructor. Your instructor was very mean to you.

[Olivia Sway]

But I didn't. But, you know, the thing is, I didn't mind it. I'm. I'm hardly ever, like, terrified of, like. I'm not really, like, intimidated by people unless they're, like, really intimidating. And I realized that. I think that was just her, like, tone. She was so direct and, like, I didn't care because, you know, growing up in an Asian family, like, everyone's very, like, direct, you know?

[Ian Hecox]

Also, like, ballet. I would assume that's also.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, like, very direct. So it's not like she. No. She told me to get in the pool. She was like, get in the pool. I'm like, I can't. She was like, get in the pool. I'm like, I can't. Okay, fine.

[Ian Hecox]

Did you manage to float a little bit?

[Noah Grossman]

Yes, I had to, or I would have drowned.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, congrats. You figured out half of the part of swimming.

[Olivia Sway]

Yes. And you know what? That experience is great because you don't always have to get a good job, you know, that's so overrated.

[Ian Hecox]

It's a lot easier to swim in the ocean.

[Olivia Sway]

No, not doing that.

[Noah Grossman]

Was that a bit?

[Ian Hecox]

I guess it's easier, but also harder because you could get dragged out.

[Noah Grossman]

I have almost died so many times in the ocean.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

What, so you can float, but you.

[Noah Grossman]

Could float better because it's a little salty, I guess. Yeah, but there's, like, waves and, like.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, there's undercurrents. Yeah. You could definitely. You could definitely easily Die in the ocean. Don't listen to my advice. Well. Well, what about when you. Olivia, like, you guys. You guys took, like, a boat out.

[Olivia Sway]

Italy. Yeah. In the ocean in Italy, I always get a life vest. A life vest?

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, that's smart. I mean, honestly, like. I mean, as. As dorky as. As they may seem, like, it's. It's so important to wear those things.

[Olivia Sway]

You know what? I realized that I was. I had a life vest on, and then my. And then Sam and, like, our friends were like, wait, can I get a little bit of that? Like, they're like, can we hop on? Because, like, I guess floating by without it is hard. I don't know. I'm not really sure, but they really liked it. They're like, oh, this is so much better. Yeah, a floaty thing.

[Ian Hecox]

I mean, like, after the. The Naira Vera thing, like, where I'm from, Sacramento, there's, like, this big river that goes through and it. And it seems, like, relatively calm, but all the water is, like, snowmelt water. It's really cold. People die in that thing every year. Like, why a bunch of people die in that river?

[Olivia Sway]

Why do they die in that river? What's a river?

[Ian Hecox]

Well, because they underestimate the power of the river or the. They don't expect it to be so cold. So I was, like, looking it up, and drownings are, like, the second leading cause of, like, deaths for, like, young people, second only to, like, car accidents. I was like, how did I not know, like, that this is, like, that dangerous. But it's like. I guess one of the. One of the things is, like, you know, if you're jumping into cold water, like, really cold water, sometimes it could, like, give your body a shock and you can kind of, like, freeze up.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

And it's hard to. Every time I'm in, like, really cold water, I'm like. Like, I'm like. I can't breathe. Like, my breathing gets really weird because my body is in shock.

[Noah Grossman]

So.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, I can't even imagine.

[Ian Hecox]

Tons of people drown in lakes. Like, it seems super calm and everything, but if you're not an experienced swimmer, like, you could tire out really quickly. Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

So you're saying if. If people wore a life vest, that they won't drown? I think.

[Noah Grossman]

Well, yeah. Not to speculate on, you know, her death specifically, but from my own experience, like, life vests both saved my life and almost ended my life when I almost died banana boating in Mexico a long, long time ago because I flew off the boat and I hit my head on the connecting rod. I think I've told this story before, but I hit my head hard enough where I essentially, like, blacked out really quick. But I ended up underneath the banana boat, stuck there, and I couldn't move because my life preserver was holding me up against the bottom of the device itself. So luckily they drove to try to find me. And that, like, slid you out. But I was even, like, still, the friction was, like, dragging me with it a little bit.

[Olivia Sway]

Oh.

[Noah Grossman]

So, like, in her situation, for all we know, like, the life preserver could, like, she could have accidentally come up underneath the boat, not knowing it hit her head on the boat, something like that. And then now be stuck underneath because of the life preserver.

[Olivia Sway]

Damn it.

[Noah Grossman]

Where in most case scenarios, like, 99. More than that.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

999,000 out of a million.

[Olivia Sway]

But you could also take it off. No.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah. Yeah. Unless she were to have hit her head or something, and then she would be stuck there, which is, like, possible speculation. Yeah, Obviously. It's just that. Speculation.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. I think, you know, life. Life vests, like, you know, they are dorky as hell, But I'd rather be alive than looking cool and hot and sexy.

[Olivia Sway]

Trust me. I, like, I had so much fun in the ocean wearing a life vest.

[Ian Hecox]

It's fun because you don't really have to work that hard. You just.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

The only thing that sucks is, like, when you jump into the water and you're wearing a life vest and you're like. Because, like the vest.

[Olivia Sway]

Oh, yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

So you kind of like. It's like a. Kind of chokesy a little bit.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it does.

[Ian Hecox]

But it's fun. You feel like a little kid, you know, with floaties. We should bring. We should. You know, we should do. We should. We should make floaties for adults. Like, make them, like, cool.

[Noah Grossman]

How are you going to make a floaty cool? I'm all down, all down with.

[Olivia Sway]

I don't understand. How is it not cool to have a floaty? I think. I think it's great. I mean, it's scary for me.

[Ian Hecox]

Draw with, like, a margarita that's, like, built into the floaty, some flames on it.

[Noah Grossman]

I could see that.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

Because I. For me, I feel like the issue with floaties is definitely getting them on your arms. I don't know if this matters or not, but when they're wet, I just. I wore floaties for so long as a little kid. Like, I remember distinctly how they feel coming on and off. I hated that.

[Olivia Sway]

I love it. It's the only thing I Know it's only life I live.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, guys, how has life been this, like, this past year? Because obviously, obviously a lot has happened, as I'm sure many people listening already know. You guys are. Are more of like freelancers with. With Smosh, where you have more time for your own projects. So how. How do you guys like that and how has that changed since the pandemic?

[Noah Grossman]

Are you scared you're gonna cause a third wave if you do that?

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, it's like, it's kind of like who's the thing where if you say the name three times. Candyman.

[Olivia Sway]

Beetlejuice.

[Noah Grossman]

Candyman, too. Beetlejuice.

[Ian Hecox]

Okay. Beetlejuice. Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

So, yeah, Red Rum.

[Noah Grossman]

I want to go home. I think you also got to click those heels.

[Ian Hecox]

When we came back with, with Mythical, we kind of. We kind of spoke with, you know, all of you guys and kind of got the idea of like, what. What you wanted to do, like, how much time you. You wanted. Like, what. What do you see is like the, the benefits and the, the cons to taking on more of like a, like a freelance sort of position.

[Noah Grossman]

You want to go first, Olivia?

[Olivia Sway]

I think about my answer, because I do. I wanted to be the president of Smosh, and that didn't happen. So.

[Noah Grossman]

So, you know, I know you even. You had this whole entire succession plan and it even involved.

[Olivia Sway]

I did.

[Noah Grossman]

Hiring an assassin.

[Ian Hecox]

I know.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. You were Logan Roy and I was Kendall, and didn't happen. Dude.

[Noah Grossman]

I guess on the shorthand, the quickest way to describe it would be like, less money, more time, which both have positives and negatives to it. That's, I think, the quickest way to summarize it.

[Ian Hecox]

With the extra time as an entertainer, if you take a, you know, full time position or a, you know, a freelance position, you're. You're sort of weighing two different types of opportunities, right. When you're. When you're taking on something full time, you're. You're dedicated to just that sort of like, one thing for the most part. So there's still. There's still obviously opportunities there being more dedicated to that one thing. But when you're working freelance, then you. Then you have other. Other opportunities, right?

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, 100%. Yeah. For myself just in the grand scheme of things, like having the opportunity to both go on full time, but also have the opportunity to do freelance. I think in both situations, I think obviously when I first hopped into the job and signing like a large contract with Defy Media and kind of the issues with that relationship that bleed into other relationships, but I think it led me to both that it was a first experience for me, first time working in the real world, first time also getting like a true education in what I want my job to be and also just the requirements of the job itself. I think it led me to obviously, like, not be the best employee that I could be. I think I still completed my job and was able to help. Obviously I don't think that I was the best I could have been. Yeah, not, not that I wanted to hurt Defy Media or anything like that. Just. Just that if, if my relationship with Defy Media wasn't that great and I didn't feel passionate about going to my job, I wasn't necessarily hurting Defy Media. I was like hurting my friends. So in that way, I was a little immature and a little. Not as productive as I could have been full time. So freelance, I think leads me to be able to hop in and give my hundred percent in these areas where I know that I can give my hundred percent. I do miss the full time element. Not just like, obviously seeing my friends, but writers rooms are probably one of the best things that I had the opportunity to do at Smosh and like the head writer and all of our writers there are literally unbelievable people and I just really appreciate the opportunity to just like soak in what they were doing. Not that like I was ever handed anything huge and like a huge responsibility, but I was given enough to kind of start to cut my teeth. But also it was a small team. We were working so hard and under such specific conditions. You know, Internet production type stuff where you end up being able to just see people under stress when they're happy, when they're not, when they're working hard. Like, you get to soak in so much about what someone else's job is and what they're going through that I really felt or feel like I learned so much from, from Smosh, just through Osmosis, which is amazing. I don't know if that answered the question, but that's how I feel.

[Ian Hecox]

I mean, it's all, it's all a personal experience. Like, it's, it's, it's how you took, you know, what was, what was given. Something like this has never been done on digital. Like bringing in a bunch of people as, you know, turning a group of people into YouTube creators on an already established channel. You ask somebody like, you know, seven years ago, what is, like, what is Smosh? They're like, well, it's, it's Ian and Anthony and I mean, you still get the confusion from people to this day being like, wait, what? Yeah, and it's. And. And, yeah, because nobody. That's not, like, an established thing of, like, having other people come onto the channel. So our initial plan was. Was, you know, bring in five people and teach them how to be creators, and then they'll be creators like us. We were definitely, I guess, foolhardy. Would that be the right word? Where. Where. I think we didn't understand, like, everyone's individual drives, you know, because, like, Anthony and I knew what drove us to be creators. We sort of shaped Smosh into what it was just because that's what drove us. We just kind of assumed that that could apply to everybody, but that's just not the case. And I think. I think that's something that we've gotten better at, where we now can kind of see everyone's strengths and try to apply it in that way and obviously try to make everyone look good in the process. I think. And I think that's. I think that's one thing that. That I think we have done well is just making sure that nobody. Nobody, like, under Smosh fails. Like. Like, it's our. It's our job to, like, make you guys look good, and that's number one.

[Noah Grossman]

Thank you. I've. I've always felt that support.

[Olivia Sway]

You know, I don't think I was seen that, like, well, when I first started Smosh, because the comments were like, well, Olivia seems disconnected and stuff like that. And it's because I never knew that this job was, like, me being myself, because I don't think myself is. And I've said this many times that I didn't grow up with, like, watching vlogs or YouTubers. You know, I. I joined this because I thought I was gonna be acting a lot. And then it became more like, oh, and you gotta, like, showcase this fun personality of yours. And I was like. And then I didn't understand that at all. And nor was I really even given the, like, the information about that. So I felt like maybe my first few months at Smosh or on screen was like, I didn't realize that I seemed disconnected when I thought this is how normal people behave in a room. Like, if we're playing games, like, okay, like, I'm not trying to make jokes with my friends every second because I didn't get it. You know, Now I do, and it's really annoying people now. Just kidding. They're like, stop it. But. But, yeah, I didn't feel like I was showcasing, like, a person that people wanted to see, you know?

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

So. But then I also think this job has been the best thing ever, because now I know. Like, I thought I knew that I wanted to be an. I wanted to be an actor and blah, blah, blah. But this job has realized that I want to be a creator, I want to be a writer, I want to be a producer, because essentially, that's. Those were the tasks we were given, and I fell in love with that aspect, like creating an idea, creating a show, like, the collaborative efforts and making something awesome. More than just being talent, you know, being behind the scenes, working really hard towards that. Like, now I see it in a completely different light.

[Ian Hecox]

Do you think. Do you think you realize that more during. During the downtime between Defy and coming back with Mythical, you started uploading more to your channel?

[Olivia Sway]

Yes, but in a way, like, working at Defy, working in our bubble, we got to pitch jokes, we got to write jokes. I just felt. I loved it. I loved writing something and then see it come to life and seeing my co workers laugh. Yeah, I love that. I don't know.

[Ian Hecox]

And then maybe that's. Yeah, maybe that's just something that I never. That I never picked up. That you. That you like the sort of 360.

[Olivia Sway]

Of it all I do. And, like, that was because of working at Smosh. I was like, oh, my God, I love doing this. I love. You know, how would it be like if I directed this? You know, in my brain, all these gears are turning, like, oh, like, this is how our director is directing this. How would I, in my brain, envision how the scene looks? You know what I mean? So I started thinking about all those different things, and. Yeah, and it became like, I love acting. I love performing, but there's so much other. So many other elements that I'm also really passionate about. In the downtime, I was sort of busy too. I think I was auditioning.

[Ian Hecox]

You took on some, like, legit acting roles too, right?

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. Yeah. I was doing indie films. And it's really funny because this morning, I turned down this indie film. They needed me for two weeks.

[Noah Grossman]

Wow.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. And one big reason it's funny enough is because I know that for those two weeks, you guys would need me at Smosh. And I kind of thought about it, and I was like, well, I'm gonna be now introduced to a whole new crew and cast, but I should also. I also hold the responsibility of. I'm also at Smosh, and I rather put my efforts in and quarantining myself for this company rather than something that I'm not really, like, passionate about. Do you know what I mean?

[Ian Hecox]

Right. Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

I weighed my options, and I was like, well, this right now is, like, really important to me. And, like, I know that, you know, right now how we're filming. There's not a lot of. This is, like, a weird time. We're in a pandemic. So it's like, I'm so. I need to be there for my, like, I don't know, for my people that I, like, really care about.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

And my job that I really care about rather than introducing myself to a new set.

[Ian Hecox]

And Noah, you've. I mean, you also. You made a couple really funny videos during. During the downtime.

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, thank you, God.

[Ian Hecox]

What was the one with that kid from, like, America's Got Talent?

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Americana. That was. That was fun. That was my first attempt at, like, writing something, I guess, for someone else because his dad randomly messaged me, and I was just like, yeah, I'll make anything with anyone. Let's, like, try to do it. I would give it like, a 6 out of 10, but in the way that I wholeheartedly think the jokes are super funny. And it's just, like, what it is, which is, like, a YouTube sketch, and I got more to learn, but I think it's still fun. Thank you.

[Ian Hecox]

Like, because both of you guys, I feel like you. When Defy shut down and things got kind of jumbled up, like, both you guys did something similar, but not like you guys both went off to kind of, like, you know, try your hand at, like, solo creator type things. I mean, for. For me, I think that's. I think that's so important because it. It gives you an appreciation for all the aspects of. Of, you know, video making. Because it's tough. It's really tough.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

If I could turn back time and. And. And do all the aspects of making YouTube videos again, I would not, but I certainly respect the people that do. It's just so much work. How did you guys feel being in complete control of your. Of your content? Are you still doing that? Are you still going towards that? Do you enjoy it?

[Noah Grossman]

I'll pass that to you. Olivia, you want to go first?

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, I enjoy making. I love watching, like, like, the first cut of a video that I've made. I don't know. I love it. I love making my own thing. It's so much fun. But I also like collaborating. One of the things that I miss the most is seeing, you know, you guys every single day. Like, there's nothing like it. And I just miss that so much because working by myself, I'm eating lunch by myself. But yeah, I just. I truly miss being with you guys. And it's made my time with you guys so much more valuable because I don't have that all the time now.

[Ian Hecox]

What about you?

[Noah Grossman]

I would say doing it on my own, and I'm not fully doing it on my own, but as far as when everything shut down, just, like, shout out to Olivia, because she really kind of helped pull me off the floor on the level of like, inviting me to do videos for her channel or just like, talking about ideas of, like, next steps and really just, like, sharing your hustler mentality, which is like an awesome level of self discipline that you have that. That obviously I could work on it myself, but it was good to take a piece of that because it helped me kind of push forward in my own life because now I make a lot of stuff with my cousin through marriage, my friend Devin, and a lot of the stuff that we do because he really, really loves social media content, and I don't mean that as a knock to anyone at all, but he really loves a TikTok format or a Casey Neistat vlog, which is. I get those levels, but that's just not for me. That's not what I am drawn to. So kind of taking what we do at Smosh and trying to step it into that realm on the level of, like, we writers room things, like, we really try to write out jokes, like, with each of these, even if they're so stupid. 60 second things, like, I'm still attempting to put that same process that I learned behind them. And that's what I find so, so rewarding is, like, the bending of the idea and, like, shaping it into the final sculpture. That's giving it too much credit to call it a sculpture, but, like, a final version that I can wholeheartedly say, like, these are jokes. Here's the beats. Here's why we're doing it. Whether or not you find it funny, like, technically on paper, this is comedy. So I'm gonna give myself a little bit of a pat on the back and move on to the next thing.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah, so I've learned so much. Yeah, take, like, just, like, the foundations that we've laid, you know, at our time at Smosh, like, it translates into normal, like, life now, like, freelance creator life is like writing jokes down, creating a beat sheet. Like, not just being the actor on set, but maybe the actor that also contributes in, like, various ways from, you know, I don't know, I just think that it was so collaborative where we were and, like, taking that type of mentality into what I create for myself and with my friends and all of that, it's. It's really. It's really great. Such an important tool that I have.

[Noah Grossman]

One big difference would be, I think, like, you see when we were producing stuff at Smosh, like, versus on my own, you see how big the production is. You understand how big the production is and what pieces are required in order to make it. Yeah, but you don't actually experience the hard work that each step has. And each step has, like, a full plate, even if it's just setting up the lights, Even if it's just this, like, in order to make the quality product that we do at the quality that we do, which is very, very high quality. Obviously, it's not a movie, which is even more intense, but it takes a village. And then for us to take a job for a village and condense it down into a smaller crew done cheaper and more often is really something to be so proud of. And it's cool to have been a part of that team and still am, but obviously in a different capacity.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. I mean, I don't think there's any way that I could really slice it where it would be perfect because, you know, we want to respect you guys as creators and as friends, but then also business. You just have to find this, like, weird medium, you know, Because I feel like we. I mean, we didn't have it right when we were at Defy. I felt there was a lot of complacency when we were there. While there was. While there was still collaboration. I think that there just. There were certain things that just weren't really at stake.

[Olivia Sway]

I don't know. You take more ownership when it's, like, your channel and your name, you know what I mean? And, like, now that I see it, it was like it was yours and Anthony's. And, like, you guys, like, had to, you know, kind of trust us with something that you guys have built and now, like, freelance life. You're like, oh, we see that. Like, you know, there was no driving force because it was kind of like we were employees, but not. But at the same time, it was like. It was so weird, you know, but, like, now it's just like, now we're in this, like, new world with mythical. And, like, it's just. It feels more free and, like, you feel seen and you feel heard, and especially right now is. I just feel like there's this new fresh air at mythical, especially right now during this time, this really important time where there is a lot of racial injustice and there has been, but I feel like at this new space we're able to talk about it and people don't get combative. They're willing to listen. And I feel like that was never there at Defy. And I always felt so, like I didn't really care for it that much because I felt like I wasn't seen and really heard and I was kind of like a little bit misunderstood. But now I feel like we're at a place where I feel really safe and that, like, I can say things and like voice my concerns and people would respect it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, well, I'm glad you feel that way.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Because I think that's. I think that's important. Yeah, I mean, that's, that's kind of the thing. You know, there. There was some people at Defy that just weren't great people. And that's not something that I wanted to bring in. Like when we had the chance to do it all over again, like, why, why create an environment that's going to make other people uncomfortable and bring in some old Hollywood sentiments that we just don't need. I mean, I think that's incredibly important. And I'm a middle class, white suburban boy. My life experiences is a very narrow one. And I want to have a company that has people from. From all different backgrounds.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. And just even thinking back about some of the things, because it's interesting that we're having this conversation now because I had the same conversation with Sam and a lot of my friends saying. I was saying that, you know, right now there are a lot of people that I'm noticing that, you know, we're not really, we don't really have common ground on our views on racial injustice and all that stuff. And I was telling Sam, I was like, you know, I have a lot of new great friends now that I can talk openly about these things. And even at work now at Smosh, I feel like everyone is doing so much work and everyone's trying to understand and listen. And me and Courtney have great conversations and me and Shane and, you know, it's. It's really beautiful. And I was, I was saying that so many people that I direct, you know, my work relationship, I. I feel like you guys, everyone is, you know, listening and like caring now. And that's something that. Not. I didn't feel that way at all. There were so many instances, not so many, but I would say there was like a few instances at defy that. Really, Like, I would never let that shit happen ever again, you know, because now I feel empowered, and I know how to stand up for myself. And I know how you guys would also have my back now. And. And I remember, like, you and Courtney and Shane, like, really told me to stand my ground and not be fearful of what I had to, like, what I was feeling. And I remember that was, like, even less than two years ago, and I felt so, like, guilty and bad for making someone else feel bad. But you guys were encouraging me and saying, like, dude, we got your back. But even though you guys had no idea what I was feeling inside, just having that, like, oh, no, we got. You felt really good. And I feel like that would never happen at Mythical again, you know?

[Ian Hecox]

I certainly hope not.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. And even if it did, I would be so honest with you guys and, like, say, like, hey, this. But that's because everyone has created this really safe, open space, and that was just something that was lacking over there. But also, I feel more empowered these days, and I feel more like.

[Ian Hecox]

Also, I think it's like, it's. I mean, the. The most important thing is just being completely honest to each other and having those. And having those conversations. Like, I know that, you know, several months ago, you came in, you were in the office, and. And I mean, I think you had probably, like, you had like, an hour long conversation with. With Finnerty. He was our head writer, but now he's one of our VPs. But. Well, you've had, like, several long conversations, right?

[Olivia Sway]

I love talking to him.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. But it's like, you know, because he's a great person to talk to. He's very open, honest, and I think that that's. That's so important, like, just to get on the. On the same page about everything.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. And, like, forming allies is so important with minorities, you know?

[Noah Grossman]

Well.

[Ian Hecox]

Cause obviously, like, we're gonna have. We're gonna have blind spots. Fidity is from the same place. I'm from, like, similar upbringing. Like, you know, we. We have blind spots, and we can't. We can't correct those blind spots without having allies.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. And I think we are so open. Like, everyone is so, like, willing to learn and understand each other in this new environment. It's really beautiful. Like, everyone is so kind. Every person is, like, truly behind the camera because, you know, in front of the camera, y'all are freaks. But I don't know, I feel like everyone behind the camera just. Everyone's so nice and sweet and kind and, like, everyone's so grateful to. For each other too. I just really feel that. It's funny. I went to a protest weeks ago and then I saw Nancy handing out waters on the corner.

[Noah Grossman]

Nancy Wood. That's unbelievable.

[Olivia Sway]

And I'm like, dude, that's like. We all try our best, like at work and outside of work. And that's so, so great to see that.

[Ian Hecox]

And we fully support that too. Obviously, we have to, we have to give people precautions because if they're going to be at a large protest, like, we want them to be safe and, you know, if they're going to potentially expose themselves to a virus, we want to make sure they don't expose our co workers. But we, we still encourage the people that work with us to go out and protest if they feel like. If they feel like doing that.

[Olivia Sway]

Ian, I think you've done a really great job of being like.

[Ian Hecox]

You don't need to say that. I think there's still. There's still a lot more work to be done.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, but you've definitely stepped up.

[Olivia Sway]

Like. Yeah, you definitely. I think we smosh. Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

Has really always, like, kind of committed to being better every day after. But definitely the switch from defy to mythical is like, not just on a personal level now. Is everyone still trying? Like you said, we have a work and a personal relationship. Everyone's always trying to make best the both, even if they're not. But now it feels like the company itself also wants a good relationship with the employees when before they could not have given two shits about who worked for them. Once you signed the contract, that was. That was it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

And it wasn't you, obviously, with the.

[Olivia Sway]

Parent company, but I think people don't know this about Ian, but he has, like, a very natural way of, like, you're a very good listener. You're like, really good at listening to people. And like, talking to you is very easy. Therefore, being your friend is also very easy because you're always there to listen. And like, I don't know, you're. You're a very good listener. And you. And you have. I don't know. I don't know. I just think. I think you're a good convert.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, thank you. Thank you.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah. If I could throw in a compliment, it's acting on information. So, like, for me, obviously coming in young and not knowing everyone's roles and where they were, like, I really didn't realize until, like, the company was down under that like, like, you weren't in those meetings about, like, what we were going to do. Next, like, that's not. That wasn't your place. You found out the information and then you told me. You know what I mean? So, like.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

To step into this new role, like, I don't know. I just very much appreciate that. Yeah. Once told something like, you just, like, Olivia seemed to listen. If you weren't aware before, you were made aware, and now you're doing something about it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, look, we still have a lot more work to do. I think it's easy for some people to be looking from the outside and have, you know, certain issues with what they see and what they think is going on. There is a lot of work that we've been doing for the past year to try to. To try to make changes to Smosh, especially, like, in regards to who appears on camera. Like, we're aware. Like, Smosh is white as fuck. Like, this has been a conversation for years, and we've sunk thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars into trying to not make Smosh so white. And it's not about, like, we need. We need a black guy, and we need an Asian guy, and we need this and this and that. It's not filling out a quota. It's like, literally, like, we just want to. We want our comedy to. To better represent the people that are. That are watching. And that's. And for me, like, that's. That's been, like, objective number one since coming back is. Is trying to find a way to. To change that. I don't think the work will ever be done, but we just. We can't stop and we can't get lazy. So. Yeah, still. Still working on that. I think that's. That's our biggest. That's our biggest hurdle. And I mean, and, you know, now it's all starting to come out with, you know, UCB and. And everything. Like, sketch comedy is just a historically white world. Like, white male. Yeah. White male world. It's. It's just incredibly. So would that. Would this. Would this sketch comedy world be different if. If Saturday Night Live would have hired some different cast 30 years ago and inspired more people to. To. To be sketch comedians? I don't know, but it's. It's really weird because it is. It is like, predominantly, like, age 20 to 35, white male. When you go to any improv.

[Olivia Sway]

I think like, 30 years ago, there also wasn't momentum for diversity. People making those decisions, making those casting calls. And, yeah, what they were looking for, what they were seeing were not people of color or, you know, minority groups. I Think it was a very white seeming. I just. I don't think. And I think maybe that has also kind of made people, my minorities, kind of, like, look at it like, oh, we'll never get a chance. You know, what are the chances of us being on SNL? Like, 30 years ago, my mom wouldn't have even known about SNL because she was too busy trying to assimilate in America. Right. So there's also that aspect. And then trying to make her kids understand America and making them fit in and working really hard. So, you know, my peers maybe didn't have the aspirations to be a comedian because there were pressures from immigrant parents to do something else.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Like get a real job, maybe.

[Olivia Sway]

Yeah. I don't know. It's just. I don't know. I think also what I was going to say is that I remember going to China, and there were. The first comedies I watched in China were staged sketch comedies in Mandarin. And that was very, very cool to me. There's this annual big show that happens around New Year's, and it's a bunch of different people. Like, they have sets on stage, everything is live, and it's all comedy. And it's like watching a sketch being played out.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Olivia Sway]

So. And it's part of Chinese culture.

[Ian Hecox]

It. It does feel like things are changing. Like, and. And it feels like now. Now, like everybody kind of has the power to put the pressure on entertainment on, you know, like, if. If people don't think one show is. Is doing something right, they let them know, like, it does feel like it's getting better. Obviously, some people will. Will. Will see it as cancel culture, but, you know, I think cancel culture, man.

[Noah Grossman]

I. Sorry, I just. I'm so against that term in my brain, because there's two things happening. One, you're dealing with consequences. You're not being canceled for anything. You're being dealt the consequence. Whether or not you think it's fit, you're not being canceled, you're getting a punishment. And two, cancer. Culture didn't start anytime soon. It's been going on for decades. And it's been going on for decades. Specifically, how it started was targeting professors on college campuses. Basically, if a professor was too liberal or was too this or was too that, really, it started as small extremist groups and their beliefs, usually very, very religious, very, very this, very very that. They would basically get students around the country to make hit lists to a degree of where they would then go and protest or write many letters and try to essentially censor someone.

[Ian Hecox]

Obviously, obviously cancel Culture applies to a very large thing, because people wanting to cancel a celebrity for sexual assault, like, that goes beyond cancel, canceling somebody. Like, that's not really cancel culture. That's holding somebody accountable for something very heinous.

[Noah Grossman]

It's called. I just learned something about someone, and it made me throw up a little in my mouth. Yeah, they're the worst. I'm gonna tell them publicly because I can.

[Ian Hecox]

It's a new. It's a. It's a new version like this. This kind of cancel culture is new in the way that everybody has the power to. To get involved. So it seems. It seems like it's the end of the world. It's. It's very easy to feel helpless. It's very easy to feel like you aren't in control. And I think it's. I think it's so important to. To find a couple things that you can control, like whether that's, you know, you donate to a cause you feel strongly about or you donate your time, pick up trash around your neighborhood. Like, it's. It's something. Something that you can. That you can physically take action on and feel like you do have a little control in making some of the unjust things just. I guess. So. That's. That's all I'll say about that. But we're coming up on our time, y'all. So I'm gonna read off. I'm gonna. I'm gonna go. I'm gonna do a shoot dude, and then we're gonna finish off this podcast where I'm gonna allow Noah one moment to rant, and he's gonna get 60 seconds.

[Noah Grossman]

Like I haven't already used my moment. All right, I'll say.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, no.

[Noah Grossman]

60 seconds.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, think about. Whatever. Think about what you want to rant about for 60 seconds.

[Noah Grossman]

Okay, thank you.

[Ian Hecox]

But now I'm gonna do the shoot dude, Shoot dude.

[Noah Grossman]

Shoot dude.

[Ian Hecox]

Shoot dude.

[Noah Grossman]

Shoot dude, Shoot dude.

[Ian Hecox]

I should put on my shoot dude hat. Hold on.

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, you got a shoot dude hat. Oh, wow, the haircut. Reveal the haircut.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, yeah, there we go. Shoot dude. This one comes from Ciara. Hold on, I gotta burp. Why do I always have to burp when I'm about to do a shoot dude? It's like, it never fails. It's. I'm. I'm straight up. That John Mulaney bit about how when you hit 30, you just, like. You can't stop, like, holding back a burp while you're talking.

[Noah Grossman]

All right, I don't look forward to that.

[Ian Hecox]

Uh, this one's from Ciara. My shoot, dude, is the time I gave myself a concussion. Oh, that's something you could relate to, Olivia. Sorry, Bet. All right. To set the scene, I have my bed pushed up against the wall, and on that wall is a window. I was laying on my bed trying to take a nap, and I was facing away from the wall to try to get more comfortable. I quickly flipped over onto the other side. I didn't realize how close I was to the wall and slammed my head into the window frame, which is made of wood.

[Olivia Sway]

Oh.

[Ian Hecox]

I knocked myself out, but didn't realize it as when I woke up, I just thought I had fallen asleep. Days went by and I had weird headaches, felt nauseated, my eyesight was off. I went to the doctor and told. And was told I had a concussion. When trying to think of what caused it, the memory of me hitting my head came back. So I literally napped so hard, I got a concussion. Later on, I. I later on gave myself one when taking a shower. I dropped my razor while shaving, bent down to pick it up. When I stood back up, I hit the back of my head on the shower head. I hit it so hard. I blacked out for a moment and woke up in the bathtub. Ended up at the doctor again when I was noticing the same symptoms again. And yep, it was a concussion. So, yeah, I've given myself two concussions.

[Olivia Sway]

Oh, shoot, dude.

[Noah Grossman]

Shoot, dude. I was late on that, but, yeah, shoot, dude.

[Ian Hecox]

You relate hard to that, Olivia. Poor thing.

[Olivia Sway]

That sucks, man. Fuck.

[Noah Grossman]

I'm just imagining the wood on the windowsill. That scares me because, like, my biggest fear is that I hit my head and I touch it, and then there's blood. Ah, you know what I mean? That's what that feels like to me.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Well, I hope you're better. Wear a helmet wherever you go, and please watch out for shower heads.

[Noah Grossman]

All the damage was in her house.

[Ian Hecox]

She needs to baby proof it, turn everything to foam. All right, Noah, hold on. I got to get. I got to get 60 seconds on the.

[Noah Grossman]

Get a timer.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, you're getting a timer because I'm not letting you go a second over.

[Noah Grossman]

All right, all right.

[Olivia Sway]

I'm so excited.

[Ian Hecox]

Three, two, one, go.

[Noah Grossman]

I'd like to quickly rant about how the United States of America is and has always been built on racist laws. And this is from the founding of our Constitution and the founding fathers themselves way back in the United States. The 1680s is the first time in any law, specifically in the Americas as well, the term white is used the term white is used in order to define who white women are allowed to marry. That is not black people, not Africans. At the time, in the 1680s and before, there were free Africans going around. Some were slaves, some weren't. Some bought themselves out of slavery. Doesn't matter their circumstances, but everyone was able to live free because it was the poor classes living under the large classes. In the 1680s, the term white was invented in order to separate the poor classes so that they could be divided and conquered, specifically in order to control what white women would make love to, I. E. Not immigrants, not black people, not poor people. Make it in time. Google it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, 10 seconds.

[Noah Grossman]

Look this up. I got seconds. Yeah. 1680s, the beginning of racist laws and the term white. You're not white. You're wherever you're from, wherever you're born in your genetics. Don't call me a color.

[Ian Hecox]

Boom.

[Olivia Sway]

Interesting.

[Ian Hecox]

That is very interesting.

[Olivia Sway]

Very interesting.

[Noah Grossman]

I made it.

[Ian Hecox]

I'll have to ruminate. I'll have to ruminate on that one.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, look it up. I can't remember, but you're.

[Ian Hecox]

But I think. But yeah, you're. You're right.

[Noah Grossman]

A rebellion occurred essentially in the 1680s. Yeah. A lot laws were made in order to squash that.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, interesting. A rebellion between the quote, unquote, white people and the quote, unquote, non white people.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, it was because, like, back then, rich versus poor, that's really what it was because even then, non whites were in servitude.

[Ian Hecox]

Italians, like, weren't considered white people.

[Olivia Sway]

Like, it was really.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, it's all a mess because they were. They were once a discriminated group in the US you ever seen gangs in New York?

[Olivia Sway]

Oh, yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

That's some real shit. There you have it, folks. That does it for the Smosh cast. If you want to send your Shoot dude, you could send it to shoot dude at how to Barb again. Smosh.com. that's S H O o t d o o [e-mail]. thank you, Noah Grossman and Olivia Sway for coming on here and talking to me. This is a really. This really good conversation. I love you guys. I miss you guys. I can't wait to see you guys soon. Please Rate Podcast 5 stars. Tell Noah's gardener to please be quiet.

[Noah Grossman]

Oh, that's Olivia's.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, tell Olivia's gardener to please be quiet. Our video comes out on Wednesdays on the pod form and Fridays on video, so you can see our pretty faces.

[Noah Grossman]

Can I throw in a shameless plug?

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, yeah.

[Noah Grossman]

Check out my brand new app, Introverts and Extroverts, now available on Google Play in the App Store.

[Ian Hecox]

What's that?

[Noah Grossman]

End of the plug? That's my brand new app. It comes out. It's out right now. We could all play it, but it's called Introverts and Extroverts.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, shoot.

[Noah Grossman]

Yeah, check that out.

[Ian Hecox]

Check it out.

[Noah Grossman]

Let me plug that.

[Ian Hecox]

Check it out. Give. Give that app five stars. All right. Bye, guys.

[Olivia Sway]

Bye.