"Misery" w/ Morgan Bassichis

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Misery" w/ Morgan Bassichis

StraightioLab | Big Money Players Network & iHeartPodcasts
Original Air Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: George Civeris & Sam Taggart
Guest: Morgan Bassichis

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Episode Overview

In this episode of StraightioLab, George and Sam welcome comedian and performer Morgan Bassichis to explore the theme of "Misery" as it relates to straight culture. Leaning into their characteristic blend of intellectual rigor and comedic banter, the trio unpacks the intersection of misery, community, narcissism, and the straight/gay divide, grounding their conversation in personal anecdotes, cultural reflections, and sharp societal analysis.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal "Rigidity" vs. "Flow" (03:46–06:33)

• Morgan opens by feeling “rigid,” describing a sense of moving through life in a “Barbie hand, feet permanently in heels kind of way” (04:30).
• George contrasts Morgan’s stiffness with his current ease and serendipitous commute, declaring, “this city provides. This is a beautiful [thing]” (05:39).
• Notable Motif: The pair riff on brand “sponsorship” language (“Thank you, Citibank, for providing a space”)—mocking influencer-speak and the corporate co-opting of “creating spaces” (06:08–06:33).

2. Inclusion, Exclusion & Wanting (07:04–12:59)

• Cher FOMO: Morgan tells a story about missing a Cher performance (“I didn’t get into the event…everyone else is a human and I’m subhuman”—08:05, 08:16).
• Longing as a State: Discussion shifts to the emotional state of wanting:

  “All I ever want is to want. To be honest, that's actually like…when you can want, that's amazing.” — George (11:17)

• Material Wants: Morgan recounts being in an “And Just Like That”-style luxury apartment, feeling the emptiness:

  “There's no love in this” (11:53).

• Philosophy: They agree that a perpetual state of wanting keeps us alive and engaged; “not wanting is…a great fear” (12:34).

3. The Nature of Desire: Sex, Screens, and Kristen Davis (13:00–16:02)

• Wasted Time: The group compares hours spent searching for sex (“I could have learned anything. I could have been a person.” — Sam, 13:13) vs. mindless time on Instagram (Morgan, 13:22).
• Thought Experiment:
  • Who is happier: a gay man shown Kristen Davis photos or one shown dick pics? They conclude the “Kristen Davis” subject feels more fulfilled because “the dicks are a mirror, whereas Kristen Davis is a portal” (15:50).
• Depth vs. Animal Instincts: Looking beyond surface-level sexual desire offers richness and removes self-preoccupation.

4. Having vs. Wanting; Community vs. Narcissism (16:09–19:37)

• Fulfillment Dissatisfaction: George’s childhood pool fantasy meets reality (“now what?” — 16:43).
• The Pool is Not Enough: The object of one's desire is never as satisfying as imagined; what persists is a longing for community or acknowledgment.
• Narcissism Diagnosed:

  “There's a kind of narcissist called the communal narcissist.” — Sam (18:09)

• Morgan’s Take: Community engagement can be another form of narcissism—being “pro-social” as a performance.

5. The Perpetual Need For Attention; Performance Anxiety (21:26–24:19)

• Morgan: Praise and “the disease of never enough” are core to the gay comedian lineage—filling a hole that can’t be satisfied (18:36–19:09).
• Downsizing Ambition: George discusses a shift from striving for more ("make it bigger!") to finding comfort where you are (19:26–19:37).
• Blaming the Audience:

  “Blaming the audience is literally like bigotry…You are grouping them all. They are not similar.” — Morgan (24:06)

• The panel unpacks projection and the dangers of collectivizing an audience’s reaction.

6. Mental Health & Therapy (27:32–30:50; 76:17–80:49)

• Psychotic breaks from meditation: Sam and Morgan joke about the dangers of “over-processing” emotions and the pop-psych trap (“Do we need Bernie because people are meditating too much?” — 28:07).
• Therapy Compatibility:

  “I present vegetarian and as being good in therapy…but I am…absolutely defiant therapy subject.” — Sam (76:28)

• Therapist Critique: The desire for a therapist who is “actually smart” and shares one’s cultural references is strong.

7. Social Norms, Small Talk, Party Gifting Ethics (39:05–44:42)

• Ever-changing Norms: The group reflects on confusing fashion and social expectations, never knowing “what is normal” (39:26–39:53).
• Etiquette Ethics: George admits to occasionally taking back a gift bottle from a party if untouched, sparking a debate on the morality of such actions (“Take your own bottle home,” 42:54).

8. Sobriety and Aging (43:50–48:03)

• Sobriety as Straight: Morgan links quitting drinking during the pandemic to “straight vibes" (44:06).
• Aging & Shifting Beliefs: Contrary to expectation, the group remarks that their convictions (about kids, life) have become less certain with age, not more (58:26).

9. Kids, Family, and the Question of Parenthood (58:19–61:45)

• Misery Loves Company: “That’s marriage. That’s a family…You’re stuck here.” — Sam (58:11)
• Parenthood Questioned:
  • The hosts express increasing confusion, not clarity, about whether they want children.
  • In gay communities, having kids can be isolating, unlike default expectation in straight circles (“you have to hang out with straight people all the time”) (61:29).

10. Parental Approval & the Ambivalence of Success (64:01–67:34)

• Classic Parental Negging:

  “‘How many seats are there?’ Parents love quantity.” (66:29)

• Brooklyn vs. Manhattan Venues: Subtle judgment is always present (“is it valid or not?”).

11. Straight is Misery, Gay is Tragedy? (55:51–57:55)

• Defining Misery:
  • Morgan: “Misery is helplessness in the face of not being able to get what you want or surrender to it.” (54:29)
  • George: “Straight is misery; gay is tragedy…being able to think, ‘wait, this is tragic’” (55:57)
• Tragic Outlook: The “constant search for more” is tragic but keeps desire alive, contrasting with resigned straight misery.

12. Media, Memes, Empathy, and Modern Family (47:15–83:38)

• Meme Language & Adulting: Using “killing it at the adulting game” as a marker of hollow straight achievement and sadness (47:44).
• Empathy’s Limits: There’s a downside to understanding perspectives you previously dismissed (“Empathy is not all it’s cracked up to be”—82:55).
• Modern Family as Emotional Proxy: George can’t watch due to his real family’s conflict (“they’re not handling this right”—83:11).

13. Lighthearted Closure: Shout Outs (93:00–98:36)

• **Each host and Morgan gives a playful, tongue-in-cheek “shout out” to mundane joys or aspirational sponsors (Citi Bike, the US Open, tidying, Tide laundry detergent).
• Meme about tidying: “Some people tidy to relax, some people have to be relaxed to tidy…those two get married” (97:54).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “All I ever want is to want.” — George (11:17)
• “The dicks are a mirror, whereas Kristen Davis is a portal.” — Morgan (15:50)
• “There’s a kind of narcissist called the communal narcissist.” — Sam (18:09)
• “Blaming the audience is literally like bigotry.” — Morgan (24:06)
• “Straight is misery. Gay is tragedy.” — George (55:57)
• “Misery loves company—that’s marriage. That’s a family…You’re stuck here.” — Sam (58:11)
• “‘How many seats are there?’ Parents love quantity.” — Sam (66:29)
• “Weaponize lasagna.” — Sam (89:22)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Rigidity, Flow, & Brand Parody – 03:46–06:33
• FOMO, Wanting, Inclusion – 07:04–12:59
• Desire: Sex, Photos, and Fulfillment – 13:00–16:02
• Having vs. Wanting/Community vs. Narcissism – 16:09–19:37
• Audience, Praise, and Performance – 21:26–24:19
• Mental Health & Therapy – 27:32–30:50; 76:17–80:49
• Social Norms & Party Ethics – 39:05–44:42
• Sobriety & Aging – 43:50–48:03
• Kids & Family – 58:19–61:45
• Parental Approval – 64:01–67:34
• Misery vs. Tragedy – 55:51–57:55
• Modern Family & Cultural References – 81:01–84:45
• Shout Outs & Wrap-Up – 93:00–98:36

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Tone & Style Notes

The episode maintains a sharp, meta-humorous tone, with hosts and guest both lampooning and earnestly unpacking queer and straight cultural scripts. Frequent callbacks, bit escalation, and reflexive commentary (“thanks for making the space,” “weaponized __”) punctuate the show, making for a style that’s at once intellectual, confessional, and irreverent.

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For the Uninitiated

You don't need to have seen Modern Family or be familiar with the hosts’ prior work to enjoy this episode—the banter is fast but approachable, and the big themes (wanting, fulfillment, family drama, the quest for meaning) are universal. The episode is as much about self-parody and open-ended questioning as it is about coming to definitive answers—a hallmark of StraightioLab’s signature approach.

For more from Morgan Bassichis, check for future shows—this one, as the hosts note, is now closed, unless you can “Hermione Granger” your way into the past.

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Sam Taggart]

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[Sam Taggart]

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[George Severis]

Hi, quick announcement before the episode gets started and that is that George and I's incredible amazing Stand Up Tour continues this weekend. We are going to San Francisco, then Seattle where we've added a second date because the first One sold out. And then Portland, where we've added a late show because the first one sold out. And then Los Angeles, California, where we'll be finishing our standup tour. So please get tickets. They're in our bio and we are so excited to finish strong. And get this, if you're in Las Vegas or even somewhat close, we're doing a show there, a classics Radiolab live show on October 15th and would love to see you there. We've never been to Vegas and we are curious on what the vibe will be. So see you on the west coast starting this weekend and see you next month, Vegas. Okay, bye. Podcast starts now.

[Morgan Basakis]

I feel so rigid today.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Sorry.

[George Severis]

No, go ahead, cut me off.

[Morgan Basakis]

What were you gonna say?

[George Severis]

Jesus. Nothing of importance. But that doesn't mean I don't have a momentum, a flow that just naturally comes. Don't put your rigidity on me.

[Morgan Basakis]

That's true.

[Sam Taggart]

That's tr. Actually was.

[Morgan Basakis]

I was cutting your. Cutting off your wings because I was, I was hearing you, you. I was like, you're about to be a superstar on mic. I can't have you overshadow me. So I'm going to cut in and say I'm feeling rigid.

[George Severis]

That is wild. I can't believe you would do that. Tell me more about your rigidity.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you know when you have those days where you're not moving in a. In a flow based way and you're moving more in a kind of action figure based, right angle way?

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And now I'm aware of it. And it's only making me move more in a Barbie hand, feet, permanently in heels kind of way.

[George Severis]

And this started like when you woke up this morning?

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah. This studio, I'm lucky enough to say, is approximately 13 minute walk from my apartment. I woke up, I started walking, I said, uh, oh, I'm not really Runway walking right now. I'm more so kind of like PR girl with a clipboard. You know, it's like everyone else is a celebrity and I'm the one ugly one. Sorry.

[George Severis]

Sorry. I have to say, I've seen you walk stiffly before. What the hell? I know what it looks like when you're not in your flow state. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

What? But you have also seen me in my flow state.

[George Severis]

Of course it's you. You glide on the sidewalks. But when you, when you go GI Joe mode, I get.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, it's crazy because it's also like, at this point, shouldn't I be able to fake. It's also, shouldn't I be able to know like, this is Just my default state of walking.

[George Severis]

But when you think about what is my default state of walking, you've already lost.

[Morgan Basakis]

How are you feeling?

[George Severis]

I have to say the complete opposite. I mean, yes, don't get me wrong, I was seven minutes late to arriving, but that's because I was lost in the building.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

But up until then, everything was working so perfectly well.

[Morgan Basakis]

You biked here?

[George Severis]

I city biked. I took the E bike option, which is just delightful. Room, room. And like, you know, I go to the station, there's only one E bike left. That's perfect. Yeah, I'm. I'm riding the time. It says I'm going to get here at 10:28. That's perfect. That's enough time to be lost in the building for a moment. And then I get to the Citi Bike station right outside. Just. Just one spot to park it. I was like, this is insane. This city provides. This is a beautiful.

[Morgan Basakis]

Thank you, Citibank.

[George Severis]

Thank you. Thank you to our partners at Citibank for providing a space for me to bike.

[Morgan Basakis]

Thank you to Citibank for providing the space. Have I told you about that one time someone I know posted Levi's spawncon and said, thank you, Levi's, for making the space. It's actually one of the most amazing things. One of the most amazing series of words I've ever seen is strung together in a sentence.

[George Severis]

Thank you, Levi's, for making the space.

[Morgan Basakis]

Because it's so amazing to imagine Levi's making the space.

[George Severis]

I have to be honest. Was it sort of a covfefe situation where they were just like, didn't finish but hit send?

[Morgan Basakis]

No, I think it was like. You think that was the copy giving me this? I think even worse, it was not suggested copy. I think this person was like, I got it. Thank you, Levi's, for making the space.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah. So to go back to Citibank, thank you for making the space.

[George Severis]

Thank you for making the space. And, you know, we had an amazing night last night.

[Morgan Basakis]

We did have an amazing. Oh, well, I mean, I didn't have an amazing night.

[George Severis]

Oh, what happened?

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, you know why I left the event?

[George Severis]

What?

[Morgan Basakis]

I was promised that I would see Cher perform.

[George Severis]

Oh. And she didn't.

[Morgan Basakis]

And she and I didn't get into the event.

[George Severis]

Oh, you didn't get into the event.

[Morgan Basakis]

So we. I get a text. I am old enough that I should know not to trust things like this, but I get a text, says I'm at an event. The rumor is that Cher is gonna perform. I could probably get a Plus one. I said okay, but, like, sounds difficult. Are you sure you want me to. You know, Are you sure I should come take an Uber to Midtown on the off chance that I will get in and see Share perform? They're like, you're on the list. I come. Like, the door is a little chaotic, but, like, you're on the list and you'll get in. I get there. They have fully closed the doors. It's like. It's like paparazzi that are so. It's almost like grotesque caricatures of paparazzi you would see in, like, a Michael Bay movie.

[George Severis]

Sure, sure, sure.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like, they're all, look over here, look over here. They're, like, deformed faces, and they're, like, representing the black heart of American society.

[George Severis]

Yeah. And it's like, can't you see that she's hurting?

[Sam Taggart]

Exactly.

[George Severis]

And all you do is yell at her.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, exactly. And then I get in. I immediately feel just completely invis. Just. I. It's like everyone else is a human and I'm subhuman.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then I leave and I go home and I order Chinese food.

[George Severis]

Well, I have to say, it's. You know, you did leave an event to go to this event, which I do think you're leaving out. And you even said sort of, I have to go. And then until you were like, I just have to leave. And I was like, okay, you're just going to go home. You were going to let me believe you were just going to go home?

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, I didn't want you.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

But then, of course, what I wanted to avoid is what's happening now, which is that I told you I was going to see Cher, and then I ended up literally just spending $100 on Uber going home. I wanted to sort of have it be a surprise the next day. You'll never believe who I saw last night.

[George Severis]

Sure, that would have been a nice surprise, but it did feel like dishonesty.

[Morgan Basakis]

I also got.

[George Severis]

Well, they were asking you to give me the space.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Anyway, so I just want to say, you know, the event was sponsored by Valentino Beauty, and I want to say they did not create the space.

[George Severis]

They did not create the space in.

[Morgan Basakis]

The form of closing the door.

[Sam Taggart]

Hey.

[Morgan Basakis]

On an LGBTQ creator, no less.

[George Severis]

It's so messed up. And just when we were starting to feel respected.

[Morgan Basakis]

I know. And speaking of LGBTQ creators, we have such an amazing guest tonight. I. We are. Are doing this amazing thing where we're booking them, actually, right before their show ends, so they actually can't Even promote.

[George Severis]

There's simply no way to promote.

[Morgan Basakis]

There's no way to promote the show unless you are going Hermione Granger mode, going back in time and buying tickets or potentially waiting in the standby line to see their show. Can I be frank? Which is now closed, quite frankly.

[Sam Taggart]

It's closed.

[Morgan Basakis]

I have to say I really loved it and I highly recommend it. If again, like at some point it returns maybe next year. Yeah. I really hope you can see it. I know you were in la, know I would. And just really I could not recommend it more highly and I really, I'm sorry that none of you are going to have the chance to see it. And so without further ado, please welcome Morgan Basakis.

[George Severis]

Hi. Oh, wow.

[Sam Taggart]

It's so nice to be here with you. And the ultimate power move to recommend something that is absolutely over.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, I actually it is the ultimate power move because there's something, you know when someone could recommend like something exclusive.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

This is sort of exclusive in that way. In that like you. It is temporally biased. It's like it's only for people who are in the past.

[Sam Taggart]

We're there. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like I'm actually marginalizing president oriented people.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I'm identified people and I'm privileging past identified people. It's like my recommendation is only for people in the past and it's like. I'm sorry you couldn't get into the past. No, you can't get into the show.

[Sam Taggart]

Exactly. This is the share community.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, I know, I know.

[Sam Taggart]

It's an experience of rejection. So you wanted to have an experience of inclusion.

[Morgan Basakis]

I know, I know.

[Sam Taggart]

That's how it works. We want to feel like we're in.

[George Severis]

Somewhere and yet it's so nice to feel like you're out.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wait, say more.

[George Severis]

Well, it's like when you can want. When you can be.

[Sam Taggart]

Like when you can want is.

[George Severis]

That's amazing.

[Sam Taggart]

Your next song. Yeah.

[George Severis]

All I ever want is to want. To be honest, that's actually like I.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, no, that's such. I was recently wanting. Wanting W O N T. Yes. I was recently wanting. I was recently wanton and okay. I was recently. I found myself in the single biggest and most expensive apartment I will ever be in in my life.

[George Severis]

Love when that happens.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like we're talking like it was out of a. Out of a movie that wasn't even.

[George Severis]

And just like that.

[Morgan Basakis]

It was out of. And just like that.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I looked around and I said, there's no love in this.

[Sam Taggart]

What if we Just ended there.

[George Severis]

Thank you. That's been so we just ended here.

[Morgan Basakis]

I was like. And to add on top of that, can there be.

[Sam Taggart]

This house is not a home. Definitionally, this house is not a home.

[Morgan Basakis]

And can any house that is like this be a home?

[Sam Taggart]

Right. Because it's so austere in somehow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Exactly. And it's like, is there a way where once you're no longer wanting, you can no longer experience love? Like, the person that lived in that apartment isn't wanting.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God, that hurts.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know what I mean?

[George Severis]

I mean, not wanting is like. It is a great fear.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Because then it's like, it's like, sometimes I'm like, I. Sometimes I wish I weren't horny. Like, I'd be like, God, it'd be amazing for that cloud to go away all the time. But then I'm like, but what would my compass be? Like, where would I go? And wanting is kind of similar where it's like, you're just. If you're always wanting, if you stop wanting, then you like, well, I guess I just sit here still, like, 100, not doing anything.

[Sam Taggart]

100.

[George Severis]

It's confusing.

[Sam Taggart]

It's crazy. All that. I mean, think about all that. Remember that joke Margaret Cho used to have years ago, where she would go, like, all that time I was thinking about hating my body. I could have taken a pottery class. Like, I just think about that. Like, the number of hours I have spent searching for sex is crazy.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. I could have learned anything. I could have learned. I could have. I could have been a person.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know what's funny is this is how I feel about the. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I feel about the hours I spent on Instagram. I'm like, I could have been having sex.

[Sam Taggart]

Right?

[Morgan Basakis]

Like, I'm like, well, at least if I could have been doing the dead eyed looking at a screen thing, but it could have led somewhere instead of me literally looking at photos from an event I know that I wasn't at, nor did I want to be at.

[Sam Taggart]

Horrible.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like, now why am I doing this?

[Sam Taggart]

Right? Is that why I could have been looking at.

[Morgan Basakis]

I don't know what that is.

[Sam Taggart]

You got to be looking at three dicks.

[George Severis]

That would be awesome.

[Morgan Basakis]

But I. That's. And that's. I'm literally like, even I'm behind you guys. Like, you guys are at the. You're looking at dicks. And you're like, God, I could have taken a pottery class. I'm looking at a photo of Kristen Davis.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't know which one's better, to be honest with you.

[George Severis]

That's true.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you think, generally speaking, okay. A gay guy. Okay.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you think a gay guy.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

If he were to be shown. We're doing a study.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay. This.

[Morgan Basakis]

To be shown a variety of photos of Kristen Davis. Like Kristen Davis when she was younger. Davis now, like red carpet.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

No makeup.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Interview with Kim Cattrall. And then another guy, gay guy, is just shown a bunch of dicks.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

At the end of the experiment, who's happier?

[Sam Taggart]

Whoa. This is like the most political thing I've ever heard. Whoa. I'm serious.

[George Severis]

Like, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[Sam Taggart]

Let's.

[Morgan Basakis]

How long does it last?

[Sam Taggart]

It lasts.

[George Severis]

Let's just say it lasts. Here's the thing. If you're that example, I feel like the Kristen Davis person is happier.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

I could think so too, because there's.

[George Severis]

Like more depth, there's more beauty. There's like something to be explored. You're. You're thinking about time, you're thinking about, like, you know, presentation and when and how you do it. Whereas, like, dicks, you're just like. It's just animal. And you're just like, okay.

[Sam Taggart]

And then there's the after. Then there's the conversation after which you've totally forgotten about all the dicks. Just like recommending self help books. Do you know what I mean? Like, I feel like that's. That's like it's got taken away. Whereas the Kristen Davis. There's no after. There's no hangover.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes, there's.

[George Severis]

Yes, that's right.

[Morgan Basakis]

There's no hangover. You also take yourself out of it when you're thinking about Kristen Davis.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

You are actually thinking about someone else. When you're thinking about the dicks, you're thinking, what would they look like with me in the frame? You're thinking, you're thinking, what would it look like if I grabbed one?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

If one of them sort of slapped.

[Sam Taggart]

Me across, having these dicks see me. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

You're not. The dicks are a mirror.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

Whereas Kristen Davis is a portal.

[Sam Taggart]

Whoa.

[George Severis]

Jesus. The rigidity era is over.

[Sam Taggart]

I know.

[George Severis]

Unbelievable.

[Sam Taggart]

You're really. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Cooking.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. You're totally fluid. Wow.

[George Severis]

Wow, wow, wow. Supple. I currently in my. Where I live in la, in this.

[Sam Taggart]

It's hard to have sex there.

[George Severis]

Well, it's impossible.

[Sam Taggart]

First and foremost, nobody commits to that.

[Morgan Basakis]

No one has sex in Los Angeles. No one's had sex there since, like the studio.

[Sam Taggart]

That's why there's a population Issue. Yeah.

[George Severis]

There's a huge population. That's why you can get a house if you want.

[Sam Taggart]

Exactly.

[George Severis]

But I think it's so, so, like, wanting versus having.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[George Severis]

Because, like, so I have, like, I have a pool that I share with my landlord.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

Which is extremely luxurious. I'm like, how. What happened in my life where I have access to a pool as a child? That was like, my full fantasy was like, one day a pool, and then you go in the pool alone and you're like, now what?

[Sam Taggart]

Right?

[George Severis]

Like, you're sort of like, okay, get.

[Sam Taggart]

Me out of this pool.

[George Severis]

Yeah. And I'm sort of like, where are all the people? Like, where's the. Where's the. Like.

[Morgan Basakis]

And furthermore, why am I not being filmed?

[Sam Taggart]

And furtherm, where are the dicks? Dicks hate me now. Wait, Literally, I'm repulsive. Okay.

[George Severis]

It's just weird because you, you really think, like, this will be everything. And then you're like, okay, I know.

[Sam Taggart]

Like, now that's it.

[George Severis]

Yeah. I don't want pool. I want community. Can I actually.

[Sam Taggart]

And then you had community. You're like, I hate these people. I didn't choose you.

[Morgan Basakis]

This is so. This is honestly one of the themes of your show. And we won't talk about it too much because I know Sam, because of his geographical identity is LA identified. He wasn't unable to see it.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

But one of the big themes is like the connection between being community oriented and being a complete narcissist.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wouldn't you say that?

[Sam Taggart]

100%.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm like, that, to me, was one of the most radical things about what you were saying. And I am wondering if you could talk a little bit about that and how you landed on that being one of the themes.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my. Well, I mean, when you're a narcissist, that's going to be the theme of. You're going to be the theme.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, it's almost the ultimate. And I don't mean this as a, as a read, it's almost the ultimate form of narcissism to be like, it's actually pro social that I'm a narcissist.

[Sam Taggart]

And that there's a kind of narcissist called that. Called the. Called. What are they called? The communal narcissist. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Is it the sort of, like. I'm thinking of someone who makes a lot of public statements about current events. Like, is that the kind of thing we're talking about?

[Sam Taggart]

Well, I think the show, you know, the show's about this, this comedian and I'm. I get that this is annoying.

[George Severis]

It's not annoying at all. And also I listen to your exploration live, where you kind of talk.

[Sam Taggart]

I talk about it. So you.

[George Severis]

Yeah, I know.

[Sam Taggart]

You got the idea.

[George Severis]

I know. Roughly.

[Sam Taggart]

But I feel like we're all thinking about ourselves and we're. We're trying to pretend like we're not. We're disavowing our own self involvement, which is where it gets dangerous with the disavowal. Because then you're like, I'm not like that. And then you're like, but where is it going to? It's going to come out somewhere. And so I feel like the show. The show is also about the kind of like the like, hole in the soul, like endless. It's never enough. It's about wanting. It's about. There's never enough. It's never enough praise, never enough attention, you know, and that's like kind of the lineage of the gay comedian is this disease of never enough.

[George Severis]

Yeah. It's complicated. I've been trying to approach things a little differently of being like, what if, like, I feel like when I was here, I was really like, go bigger, go big. Like, try harder, make it. Make it bigger. Bigger venue, blah, blah, blah. You can do it.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And now I'm sort of like feeling very opposite where I'm like, I don't want to, like, I want to be comfortable where I am, like in any. Like, I even like be like less than what I am. Like, I'm like, I actually don't want to push.

[Sam Taggart]

You're downsizing.

[George Severis]

I'm downsizing. Which I think is you're approaching the.

[Sam Taggart]

End of your life.

[George Severis]

Am I? Am I?

[Sam Taggart]

I don't know.

[George Severis]

Am I? Maybe there's something I know, like instinctually, like when a dog walks.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. You're like selling your possessions.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Ye.

[George Severis]

I. There is something where I'm like. Because when I see people in our community, especially like one, I love when they shoot big and do a big thing and I'm always like, go off diva. But also I love when they're like, I'm just sort of doing this.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

For a little to see, like, and being like very calm about it.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And I'm not gonna overextend and I'm not gonna freak out and I'm just being like, this is pretty much what I'm doing.

[Sam Taggart]

But I think it goes somewhere else, even if it's. It just migrates to a different part. Like this sort of more the, like the disease of.

[Morgan Basakis]

More the one yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Wanting.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

And the feeling of, like, not enoughness. And then it goes into almost. It can. It can flit. The opposite can be the same thing. You know what I mean? Like, where it's like, then I'm gonna. I'm wanting a certain kind of humility or something that's like, you know, that's like, you know.

[Morgan Basakis]

So I think to be ambitious about humility. You're scaring me.

[George Severis]

I'm the most.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm oral for you guys. Like, literally, you brought a Jewish person. Okay. And I'm glad.

[George Severis]

Damn.

[Sam Taggart]

Let's talk about it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Your braid.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

I'm like, God, the little braid.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's a Miyaki top and braid.

[Sam Taggart]

So what happened? So what happened there? I love her.

[George Severis]

I love her.

[Morgan Basakis]

I recently heard a celebrity lesbian couple sees her.

[George Severis]

Oh, you told me this.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. We can't say it because it's hip hop.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, we can't say we're gonna be. Literally, someone's gonna enter with an AK47 and shoot us. Oh, sorry.

[George Severis]

But relevantly. But to be fair, in this country, it's always timely. Thank you.

[Morgan Basakis]

Exactly.

[George Severis]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

And thank you, Levice, for making the space for me.

[George Severis]

Thank you, Levice, for making the space and Citibank. So we were talking before about, like, speaking of wanting. Speaking of attention, like, how does it feel to do a run of a solo show where you're just, like, receiving attention at a constant rate?

[Sam Taggart]

Right. Well, it doesn't last.

[Morgan Basakis]

What?

[George Severis]

What? But you do it the next day.

[Sam Taggart]

It doesn't last.

[George Severis]

But you do it the next night.

[Morgan Basakis]

But it fills the floor.

[Sam Taggart]

It fills the void for sure. And then you feel happy and dad loves you and all that stuff. Yeah, but you. I think that the thing about it is you're still the next audience to impress.

[George Severis]

But are they ever, like. Are they ever, like. But we just love this.

[Sam Taggart]

What'd you say?

[George Severis]

Like, are they ever just like. We love this no matter what?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, here's.

[Sam Taggart]

I think I have to remind myself before I go on stage. They came here because they want to see the show.

[Morgan Basakis]

But this is the difference, I think, between your perspective as a performer and our perspective is just like readers of reviews and Instagram. It's like, at some point, someone like you or someone like Cole or Josh or whoever else has been the toast of the town. It's like, there's enough momentum that what you're seeing as an outsider is like, praise, praise, praise. But, like, I'm sure you have bad. Like, you have shows where you, last night, leave the stage and you're like, damn, that was a bad one.

[Sam Taggart]

Worst show I've ever done.

[George Severis]

Really?

[Sam Taggart]

I told you. It felt to me in 50 shows, the worst show I've done.

[Morgan Basakis]

And it's one of the. It's like one of the.

[Sam Taggart]

And it's one of the finest. And we talked about it because it was very, very hot in the theater, I think. But then you don't know if you're blaming that. You're like one of those people who's like, oh, it was hot in the theater. So it wasn't me.

[Morgan Basakis]

I go all the way in the other direction because I'm so. I've been so brainwashed. Never blame anyone but your like, especially for live performance, never blame the audience, never blame the venue, never blame the tech. It's like, if you can't make work, it's like, we know people that could make it work anywhere. Like, you know what I mean? Like, and we know those people. So it is possible.

[Sam Taggart]

I had to be. I had to watch myself last night. I had to say on the mic, morgan, be nice, because I felt myself get so angry.

[George Severis]

That's why.

[Sam Taggart]

But then again, it's like the show was fine in my mind. It wasn't good, but it was fine.

[George Severis]

That's what I was going to ask is like, was it like. You're so used to like a rapturous audience that it was like, you know, more medium audience. Like, I'm bombing.

[Sam Taggart]

And I. Yes. And I decided that within the first five seconds, I was like, I failed to. Can't get it back. And it's like, yeah, it's a disease. It's a disease. It's terrible. Terminal.

[George Severis]

It's horrible. I've been. I think blaming the audience is one of the funniest things you can do, though. I really love when comedians do it as a zoom out because I think it's.

[Morgan Basakis]

Can I say something about blaming the audience? It's actually so interesting because blaming the audience is literally like bigotry. You are grouping them all. They are not similar.

[Sam Taggart]

It's a discrimination.

[Morgan Basakis]

The audience. There are people in the audience that are of all different ages, genders, audience based, you know, classes. Like you're saying the audience. That's not a group, a monolith. That's not a. That's like someone saying like, I hate women.

[Sam Taggart]

Thank you for bringing it there. You know what I mean? No, I'm glad you said it because I was thinking of it.

[Morgan Basakis]

That is literally me. You hate an audience is bigotry. You are making up a class of people that you're making the enemy. And it's like, that's how we got to where we are.

[Sam Taggart]

That's how we got literally the history. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And that's what your show is about.

[Sam Taggart]

That's what my show is literally about. And you're so right. And it's. And. And. And actually, what. When. When you get into the mindset of, like, oh, they're a monolith, you have to start looking. Oh, they're not like, oh, there's actually so many different experiences happening here. And I'm projecting one uniform experience. Just that.

[Morgan Basakis]

But here's the thing.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

When you're, let's say bombing.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

Here's what's happening. There are at least three, four people that are loving it, and they're the minority. So, in fact, you have to democracy form even better for them because that is doing, like, activism, supporting a marginalized community. There's a marginalized community that is within this audience.

[George Severis]

It's the dsa.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's the, like, the.

[Sam Taggart]

The dsa General. The dsa. The four DSA members are loving it.

[George Severis]

And they're loving it, and you have.

[Sam Taggart]

To speak to them, and you serve the people.

[George Severis]

I think this is. It's reminding me less of a, you know, a race or a gender and more of a sort of like. Sort of like America in an election. America in an election where you're sort of like, America, like, it's easy to be like, America's fucking stupid.

[Morgan Basakis]

You look out, there's Joe the plumber.

[George Severis]

Yeah. And you're like, I fucking hate this country. And then you're like, no, I like. It's like, let's look at the map during the election. It's like, okay, I hate Pennsylvania. And it's like, okay, Pennsylvania sucks. New York. Oh, I kind of like. I kind of like that part of the audience over.

[Sam Taggart]

It turns demographic in that way. Right. And then you also have to remind myself, oh, my. And this is where the narcissism comes in. These people have had a whole other day. That has nothing to do with you.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

They're not even reacting.

[Sam Taggart]

They're reacting. Their faces. They've had a life.

[George Severis]

I'm sorry, I can't be thinking about their lives. I mean, don't let me.

[Morgan Basakis]

They're literally, like, statistically, some of them are grieving.

[Sam Taggart]

Look, that's what I mean. Literally, quite literally. And we're like, you hated it. You hate me. And you're like, no, I actually just. My mom died.

[Morgan Basakis]

I just got bad news this morning.

[George Severis]

It was A very public assassination yesterday. Maybe that affected.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, maybe that, too.

[George Severis]

Maybe they saw gore on the Internet. All day long.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm hearing you watch.

[Morgan Basakis]

That film on repeat.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm hearing it.

[Morgan Basakis]

I went to Morgan's show.

[Sam Taggart]

Now suddenly I get to hear about.

[Morgan Basakis]

An unknown gay comedian in the 90s.

[Sam Taggart]

Morgan was pissed because we weren't laughing.

[George Severis]

Meanwhile, I'd seen horrible things all day long. Listen, I, I, I think you know how people can sort of go insane if they, like, meditate too hard and, like, unlock.

[Sam Taggart]

I've been hearing about that problem.

[George Severis]

I, I think there's something where I'm like, it's almost dangerous to think too hard about what the audience is feeling.

[Sam Taggart]

You got to stay out of it.

[George Severis]

You got to stay out of your business. It's none of your business. Because sometimes I'll be like, okay, what would an audience like? As an audience member? What would I want to feel when I watch this? No. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Sam Taggart]

Stand your own. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Perspective.

[Sam Taggart]

Wait.

[Morgan Basakis]

I've been hearing. I know two people personally that had psychotic breaks from editing in my show.

[George Severis]

I have one personally.

[Morgan Basakis]

From your show.

[Sam Taggart]

From my show. Yeah. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

You need to edit together because you're.

[Sam Taggart]

Causing social workers on site. Oh.

[George Severis]

You need to.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[George Severis]

If you want to be safe.

[Morgan Basakis]

And you know one person.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

So that's three people.

[Sam Taggart]

Total psychotic breaks from meditating. It's a real thing. You guys. People, I'm really worried. This is. I'm gonna get Bernie. Keep going. Let me call Bernie while you guys talk about this.

[George Severis]

We need Bernie and Orna here style.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you think we need Bernie because people are meditating too much?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, Bernie's gonna talk about it. Oligarchy tour. He's gonna change it from oligarchy to.

[Morgan Basakis]

Would you say excessive meditation is related to oligarchy?

[Sam Taggart]

Honey, I. You need me to spell it out? Please do.

[Morgan Basakis]

I want you to.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Listen. We live in a world, okay?

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm getting it.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm getting it, I'm getting it.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm falling. I had never thought of that before.

[George Severis]

I've never thought about that.

[Morgan Basakis]

But it's true that, like, we do exist in the context. I did not even want to do that. And you did.

[Sam Taggart]

And that's the thing. You can't exist outside of me.

[Morgan Basakis]

Don't you hate when you go into meme speak without wanting to?

[George Severis]

Of course. It's so, so half of my day, I'm being like, okay, so this reminds me of this meme that I saw. And I have to say it with like a. I hate that I'm saying this, but it is like, it does. Does remind me of that sometimes. Memes are a helpful framework to describe.

[Morgan Basakis]

I can't say the word vibe anymore. It's. Sometimes it is a vibe, and yet.

[George Severis]

You have to say things have vibes all the time.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then it just seems a vibe does shift.

[Sam Taggart]

Sorry. Wow. I'm really. Thank you guys for sharing about your. What you've been going through.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm going to do, like, your show, but with Kamala Harris, it's going to be like me talking about, like the little known politician named Kamala Harris.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes. People don't know.

[Morgan Basakis]

People have forgotten from 2024. And I'm going to do her speech from the. It's like how you do his, you know, his monologue. Like, I'm gonna do Kamala's DNC speech where she says we need to have the most deadly military in the. In the world.

[Sam Taggart]

And then Ella Emhoff.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn. So psychotic breaks from meditation. We had to be worried. We've got to be worried.

[George Severis]

We've got to be worried.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's like I feel about having a psychotic way for meditation. Obviously I don't want to have a psychotic way for meditating too much, but I'm like, God, it would be nice to get close kind of chic.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Which is also how I feel about when people are like, I'm a workaholic and it's like ruining my life. I'm like, well, I wish that was.

[George Severis]

I wish I were that because I'm like a lazy holic.

[Sam Taggart]

Me too.

[George Severis]

It's crazy. Like, I'm literally like, oh, I can't work.

[Sam Taggart]

It's the summer.

[Morgan Basakis]

Also, sorry, but you're. If you're naturally a workaholic, that's a privilege. You should be able to. You should have to pay more. Taxes are so easier for you to work.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

That's hard for me.

[Sam Taggart]

Right. Okay.

[George Severis]

I think the psychotic break during meditating is unfortunately, like, gonna make people like. It honestly triggers something Republican in me.

[Sam Taggart]

Like a desire to like.

[George Severis]

It triggers like a. That's why I don't look word like, oh.

[Sam Taggart]

It.

[George Severis]

It like makes me feel, like, justified in, like, being like, just move forward.

[Sam Taggart]

Don't process that.

[Morgan Basakis]

It is a sort of literalizing of, like, the concept that we're all over theapized and over medicated. It's like, look, people are having.

[Sam Taggart]

People are having psychotic breaks from taking two extremes.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, we need to do our first segment.

[George Severis]

Oh, my God.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

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[George Severis]

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[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, so basically Morgan, our first segment is called Straight Shooters. And in this segment we gauge your familiarity with and complicity and straight culture by asking you a series of rapid fire questions where you have to choose one thing or another thing.

[Sam Taggart]

A lot of weapons.

[Morgan Basakis]

So it's just A or B. It's A or B. And the one rule is you can't ask any follow up questions about how the game works. And if you do, we're going to actually cancel your show early.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

We're going to call the theater and we're going to say it's over, it's over, it's over.

[Sam Taggart]

It's a wrap. Now what did you say?

[Morgan Basakis]

And I sensing a question.

[George Severis]

So that sounds like a good question.

[Morgan Basakis]

That sort of is what you're going to want to.

[Sam Taggart]

Per my last Cuz I. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I thinking about all the weapons, I think you need to really look inward.

[Sam Taggart]

Straight or not straight?

[George Severis]

No, that's a question.

[Sam Taggart]

Wait, I'm sorry, Wait.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, so Morgan.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Pippi Longstockings.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

Or Tipper Gore.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, B. Okay.

[George Severis]

Silk chiffon or milk coupon?

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, A.

[Morgan Basakis]

Musical chairs or pharmaceutical affairs?

[Sam Taggart]

Oh B.

[George Severis]

Okay. A tailored suit or a Gaylord AKA fruit.

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, personally A, Tonight we ball or my flight is out of De Gaulle.

[George Severis]

Oh.

[Sam Taggart]

B. I'm gonna go B.

[George Severis]

Okay, Stan culture has gone too far or damn vultures have come to swarm.

[Sam Taggart]

B. Absolutely.

[Morgan Basakis]

Tate McCrae. Or wait, I'm gay.

[Sam Taggart]

You said Tate McCray.

[Morgan Basakis]

Tate McCray.

[Sam Taggart]

Tate McCray.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you not know who that is?

[George Severis]

I would love to know your media consumption but we can't get to that.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm like a thousand years old. What? Who's Tate McRae?

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, first of all, the points are literally like no one has ever scored this low.

[George Severis]

And I have one more and it's really worth it.

[Morgan Basakis]

What is it?

[George Severis]

Okay, a brand partnership or a Sam fart and oh.

[Morgan Basakis]

Damn.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Wow, you're going south park mode.

[George Severis]

Yeah. It's time.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm. Hey.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wow, we are adding some incredible facial expression.

[Sam Taggart]

Is it getting captured?

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes, I think so. Yeah, I think so. Okay, so we rank everyone's performance on a scale of 0. To 1000 dubs.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

The bird.

[George Severis]

Based on Lady Gaga song.

[Morgan Basakis]

Based on Lady Gaga song. I actually love the. I love answering A or B.

[George Severis]

Right? That was the word. I thought it was very.

[Morgan Basakis]

People just be like, oh, Tate McCray.

[Sam Taggart]

Like, okay, see, that's why. Okay. I got lost in the question. Okay. So I, like. I did it wrong. No, see, you didn't actually. The fact that you just said Sam just said mad. That's not true.

[Morgan Basakis]

Think you're doing it wrong. It's like, we're gonna have to deduct points for that because you're not living in the moment and you're thinking, like, rigid terms.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm extremely rigid, basically.

[Morgan Basakis]

Let's see. Saying Rajid. Now we're gonna add points because that's Javiv. So it's.

[George Severis]

It's complicated having an it situation. Rigidity.

[Morgan Basakis]

We really are.

[George Severis]

It's passing.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's. I know.

[Sam Taggart]

Passing.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I have to say, I think I'm rigid.

[Sam Taggart]

Passing.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm, like, loving. I'm loving our conversation. I feel very loose conversationally. Physically, I've never felt more rigid. There's, like, nothing I can do to get out, really.

[Sam Taggart]

Do you still feel it? Yeah. Really? You seem more relaxed.

[Morgan Basakis]

Thank you. So I just breathe for the first time in 45 minutes.

[George Severis]

You gotta breathe.

[Sam Taggart]

You gotta breathe.

[Morgan Basakis]

Your score is 700.

[Sam Taggart]

See, I. Okay, no, go.

[Morgan Basakis]

Say what you want to say now. Now you can. Now you can say whatever you want. The game is over.

[Sam Taggart]

You can.

[George Severis]

Before your language was being policed.

[Sam Taggart]

What did you say? Before the.

[George Severis]

Before your language was being policed.

[Sam Taggart]

Now you're.

[Morgan Basakis]

Now you're free. Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

I just really appreciate the humblingness of that experience. And I fully blacked out. I was dissociated from beginning to end. But I like that I'm still. I'm still this. I'm. I'm dissociated right now.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

I started when you said, we're about to do a segment, and then I. It's continuing to right now. And is that good?

[George Severis]

I think it's. There's actually. It's interesting. This segment is obviously stupid. Means nothing. No, no, no. It sucks.

[Sam Taggart]

We're not doing that.

[Morgan Basakis]

You're not. We're not saying that to, like, appease you. It's literally designed to make the guests go crazy because it's unclear what they need to do. And all of them are like, wait, so what am I? And.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

And so then it gets. Basically, the challenge is within this funhouse mirror of the musical. Of the musical that we're putting you in. What performance are you gonna.

[George Severis]

Well, and even there's a certain type, which I think maybe you are, which is you really want to be. Right?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I'm like that too.

[George Severis]

And it's an interesting.

[Sam Taggart]

I want to be good.

[George Severis]

You want to be good.

[Sam Taggart]

I just want to follow the rules. Yeah. That's how I feel. Like that interaction is how I feel in every interaction. I'm just like, just tell me what the rule is. Like, I don't even care. I've never thought about it.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know, it is actually emblematic of the world at large. It's like you're going around trying to find rules.

[Sam Taggart]

Just tell me the norms. Yeah, I feel like I missed the class. I missed the one on one on norms. On, like how I'm supposed to act.

[Morgan Basakis]

But norms have never been rigid. Is this weird?

[George Severis]

They're always changing norms.

[Morgan Basakis]

Always.

[George Severis]

It's like the audience. Oh, my God. This is. Yeah, this is honestly here how I've been feeling about. About fashion, which I keep talking about.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm so glad you named it because.

[George Severis]

I never know what is normal. Like, I'm like, let me know what's normal so that I can. So I Can.

[Sam Taggart]

I see what you're.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, well, you're looking. But the thing is, because I'm like.

[George Severis]

What if I show up in and everyone's like, you look insane. What were you thinking?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, but that is the thing about. I feel like now I know.

[George Severis]

But like, what is insane? And then if you're like, I'm wearing a Uniqlo shirt. They're like, you look insane.

[Sam Taggart]

There's no way knowing. There's no way of knowing. Yeah.

[George Severis]

It's so confusing.

[Sam Taggart]

Let's end it there.

[Morgan Basakis]

So, Morgan, George, you love it.

[Sam Taggart]

I just had this moment of like, maybe that's not your name. Which is something that's happening more and more.

[George Severis]

Oh, God.

[Sam Taggart]

To people. I know. I'm like, maybe I'm about to say the wrong name out loud.

[George Severis]

Dear friends.

[Sam Taggart]

Dear friends.

[George Severis]

I'm like introducing people I've known for a decade. And I'm like, this is.

[Sam Taggart]

What's that? What is that?

[George Severis]

It's self doubt. It's because you. You just like think you're gonna be wrong. I. I think that's what it is.

[Morgan Basakis]

I also think, oh, I hope I'm able to articulate this. Life is so repetitive that sometimes it's. You have done something such as introducing a friend so many times that you're like, what if at some point I snap? Like, how many more times Can I do this and pretend it's normal, that I'm doing it over and over again until I'm like, well, I don't give a fuck who this is. Just fucking talk about how, like, nice this part. Like it. How many. It's. It's like how people, like, go crazy when they're, like, making small talk or something. I'm like, when am I gonna snap?

[Sam Taggart]

Put a name tag on.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, girl.

[George Severis]

Put your name tags on, Girl.

[Sam Taggart]

Put your name tags on.

[George Severis]

I want there to be fashion rules so that you can play within the margin.

[Sam Taggart]

I agree.

[George Severis]

I want name tags on.

[Sam Taggart]

Tell me what you want me to bring to the event.

[George Severis]

Tell me. Heck, give me the Google spreadsheet of what's being brought. I'm not. I don't want to bring wine. If there's going to be 20 bottles of wine.

[Sam Taggart]

Just tell me what you need.

[George Severis]

Do you need napkins?

[Sam Taggart]

Just tell me.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you ever go into a party and are like, like, well, I want them to see I brought something, so I'm just gonna carry the bottle until I see the host. Sometimes that's not right at the door. Sometimes you're, like, walking around for quite a long time holding the bottle so that you see the host and you're like, check. You know, and put it down. Yes. Just for it to, like, sit there in that person's apartment for God knows how many years, never to be open.

[Sam Taggart]

You want the credit?

[Morgan Basakis]

You want the credit?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

Can I tell you something crazy?

[Morgan Basakis]

Please.

[George Severis]

You know, I've done this. Sometimes if they don't, like, if there's, like, a lot of stuff there, bring it back.

[Sam Taggart]

Sam.

[George Severis]

If there's, like, a lot of stuff there, I'm like.

[Sam Taggart]

And then you, like, bring it to a shelter or something?

[George Severis]

Well, yeah, of course.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[George Severis]

I'm like, here's some tequila. Sometimes I'll just bring it back. Not always, but if there's, like, a lot of stuff and nobody's touching it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, so this is where we get into, like.

[George Severis]

What, am I supposed to be crucified now?

[Morgan Basakis]

This is where we get into, like, ethics.

[Sam Taggart]

Ethics.

[Morgan Basakis]

So if you're doing. Doing that, here's another question for you. You see a bunch of things that are untouched. Is it equally or more unethical to take a different, better bottle of White Elephant?

[George Severis]

That's wrong. That's just not right.

[Morgan Basakis]

But why?

[George Severis]

Because that's for someone else to take home. Everyone, take your own bottle home.

[Sam Taggart]

Take your own bottle home.

[George Severis]

BYOB Home. Look, I'm not doing this all the time. Just everybody.

[Sam Taggart]

But it's a pattern.

[Morgan Basakis]

I love when you.

[George Severis]

I've done it before.

[Morgan Basakis]

I love when you share something and immediately become so human like it were. No one's even judging you, but you're immediately like no. On the verge of tears.

[George Severis]

I love confessing things that I am embarrassed of.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Yeah, you do.

[George Severis]

Say la vie.

[Sam Taggart]

I overcompensate and I tear up easy because I. Now it's gonna seem like I'm bragging, but I'm not. Oh, but I don't drink. So I don't. So I. So then I. Then I. So then I feel guilty. Only bring a. One bottle of seltzer. Two bottles. Then I overcompensate and I'm bringing like a shopping cart full of seltzer.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yay. And then that's a real.

[Sam Taggart]

And that's overcompensating.

[Morgan Basakis]

That's just renewed for season two.

[Sam Taggart]

That's part of where.

[George Severis]

Thanks for giving us a space.

[Sam Taggart]

Just want to say thank you.

[Morgan Basakis]

Overcompensating for giving. For holding space. So here's a question for you.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

Not to get it too personal, but how long have you not drank? Well, and this. I have a follow up question to this. It's not. We're not just gonna talk about your sobriety.

[Sam Taggart]

No, I mean, I think we should do anything. Sobriety is straight.

[Morgan Basakis]

This is sort of what I want to get into.

[Sam Taggart]

Four and a half years. Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

Four and a half years.

[Sam Taggart]

I would say pandemic vibes.

[Morgan Basakis]

Pandemic vibes. And I would say pandemic vibes.

[George Severis]

That actually brings up something. Pandemic.

[Morgan Basakis]

Pandemic vibes. Just my follow up statement. I just want to say pandemic.

[George Severis]

Okay, ok. Okay.

[Sam Taggart]

I see you pandemic vibes.

[Morgan Basakis]

I see you pandemic vibes.

[George Severis]

Someone that are crazy.

[Morgan Basakis]

Someone existing in the context.

[George Severis]

Vibe shift. Okay. It's time for a change globally. During the pandemic.

[Morgan Basakis]

Meanwhile, I was banging pots and pans. Okay.

[George Severis]

Meanwhile, I'm not banging pots and pans. You're saying I need to change.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, okay, okay. Major life changes.

[George Severis]

Okay. Pandemic hits different when you're Morgan.

[Morgan Basakis]

One time my. I was like talking to my friend's sister who is like a sort of respectable woman in her 30s. Like normal. Normal. Normal.

[Sam Taggart]

Two jealous, two kids. Two kids.

[Morgan Basakis]

Normal husband, whatever. And I was nice.

[George Severis]

I'm turned on.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, exactly. Only fans. Okay.

[George Severis]

Like a little stubble. Like.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Belly like what?

[Sam Taggart]

Normal.

[George Severis]

Like not too skinny. Right. Like not runner every morning. Normal. Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like shaped beard, but there's still neck hair.

[George Severis]

Yeah. He's like, mowing the lawn. They have a lawn?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, that's besides. Yeah, yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Polo tucked into khakis.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Nice.

[Morgan Basakis]

Birkenstocks.

[George Severis]

Birkenstocks.

[Sam Taggart]

Birkenstocks.

[George Severis]

Old Birkenstocks.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like the light beige suede. And it's like, dirty. The top, the front part is dirty.

[George Severis]

Oh, and she's always like, we've got to get you some new Birkenstocks. And he's like.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay.

[George Severis]

So what's their. Their deal?

[Morgan Basakis]

He's an IT guy.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

He's like, always so good at it. He's like, oh, but then you're out to dinner and you're like, talk.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

And you're like, I guess I have to do everything. So did you see the news today?

[Sam Taggart]

Right? Yeah. And he's like, password managers. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And you want to like him, but the way he speaks to her.

[George Severis]

Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm getting lost in his haircut. It's so, like the same length all over.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's just like, you actually make a significant amount of money. You have a normal career, you have two kids. Like, your wife is wearing this beautiful dress. You know, it's reformation, maybe. Make an effort.

[Sam Taggart]

Work on your microbiome.

[Morgan Basakis]

Literally. He hasn't shat in weeks. Literally.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm like, worried about this person's gut. I'm thinking about the gut.

[Morgan Basakis]

There's a smell.

[George Severis]

It affects everything.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, exactly. Nobody's talking about that.

[George Severis]

Nobody's talking about it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, guess what?

[Sam Taggart]

They are. But he's not listening. He's not tuning into the conversation.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know who's making his doctor's appointments? The wife.

[Sam Taggart]

Zoc.

[Morgan Basakis]

Doc.

[Sam Taggart]

I feel like you were on the journey. Yeah.

[George Severis]

What were you saying?

[Morgan Basakis]

And I feel like we were talking about meme speak, and I just. I had this distinct memory talking. I was in my 20s at the time. I was living with two roommates, and we were like, talking about our days and we're like, oh, we, like, went to the store, we did this, this. We cooked. We made a lasagna, whatever. And then the sister who's like, adult, normal girl. The sister goes, just completely stone faced. She goes, wow, you guys are killing it at the adulting game.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

That fills me with such sadness.

[Sam Taggart]

Me too. Me too.

[George Severis]

It's tough. It's tough because.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, that's really sad.

[George Severis]

It's like wanting to connect. It's like a desire to be, like, in it, but, like, not understanding that you have to, like, think of your own thing.

[Sam Taggart]

Like a militarized version.

[George Severis]

Yes. It's It's.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes, it's very much looking in the book of phrases and being like, like, I guess I could combine those two.

[Sam Taggart]

This really makes me really sad.

[George Severis]

That makes me so sad.

[Sam Taggart]

Let's get her on the line.

[George Severis]

Yeah, I need her to meditate until she has a mental break. I'll see you on the other side, Miss Mama. Oh, God, I love New York.

[Sam Taggart]

Feels good. Feels. Welcome back.

[George Severis]

God, I love New York.

[Morgan Basakis]

Your commitment to interpreting everything is being as being about the city is one of the most charming qualities about you. It's like.

[George Severis]

I'm play space.

[Morgan Basakis]

We're in a studio, we can't even see outside. We're having a conversation. Sounds like I love New York.

[George Severis]

And yet.

[Morgan Basakis]

And yet you're right. So you have a straight topic that you brought.

[Sam Taggart]

I do.

[Morgan Basakis]

Which is very connected to this and it's very. Yes, which is why I really want to get to it. So tell us, what is your straight topic and what is straight about about it?

[Sam Taggart]

Okay, well, the story topic that came to me as a result of the question was misery. I think, I think straight is. I think straight is misery is straight. Hence the case example evidence. This, this lasagna person.

[George Severis]

You can live your whole life and you know lasagna person on a podcast.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah. But it's like you're. I think about this a lot. It's like you're saying it's a miserable existence to have the husband and to say you're killing it at the adulting game.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes. There's no way out.

[Morgan Basakis]

But then what if that person, you know, fulfilled family, church, looks at you, says they are an off Broadway performer with no children. How miserable this is.

[Sam Taggart]

No children is my favorite part of myself.

[Morgan Basakis]

Of course, but from her perspective.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, that's right. Well, I think that's the thing about, about disavowal is that they're disavowing their own misery and projecting onto us. So like we are like the screens for all of their own projected suffering and self loathing. That's just like, oh my God, honey. You know, every accusation is a confession. We're like, what's going on over there? There.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

I. I also weaponized misery.

[Sam Taggart]

Thank you. You can just put weaponized in front of anything now. Now.

[George Severis]

That'S what I love about today's culture.

[Sam Taggart]

La.

[Morgan Basakis]

Whoa.

[George Severis]

That has happened.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, that.

[Sam Taggart]

That has happened. That happened to me.

[Morgan Basakis]

Don't joke about that. Okay.

[George Severis]

Sorry.

[Morgan Basakis]

I got a mental break cuz the.

[Sam Taggart]

Web and I appreciate you. Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

I think there's something in the same way that we Were talking about the people who meditate too hard and have a mental break. And I'm like, like, well, thank God I'm not looking inward. There's something about straight people seeing how we are constantly still searching.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[George Severis]

And being like, well, thank God I'm not that.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[George Severis]

And it's sort of like. Well, it's actually, like, fun to sort of, you know, continue this journey.

[Sam Taggart]

Do you ever sometimes, like, look around, you're like, wow, if they really know what we did, they're kind of right.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, that's like you're in some basement somewhere, and you're like, well, I get what you're saying. You know what I mean? Like, I see where you want to say the devil is here.

[Morgan Basakis]

You're saying, I. I totally agree with you. But then do you think they are ever like, damn, we're having missionary sex once a year. They're right about, like, oh, 100. You know what I mean?

[Sam Taggart]

I think jealousy is a big motivation of the. Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. I think. I think, like, supremacist ideologies are really often rooted in, like, jealousy of joy and connection to, like, the earth and the body, and it's like, own it instead of murdering. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

How about that?

[Sam Taggart]

How about that, Kamala?

[George Severis]

I went to the airport yesterday.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

And. Yeah, thank you. And it was actually kind of a groundbreaking experience because maybe the first time since I've been an adult that I didn't open a gay sex app while at the airport in my whole life. That's like. And obviously not like, I'm not getting out there.

[Sam Taggart]

Something was wrong.

[George Severis]

I guess I was just like. Like, there was like, a. I didn't have. I was just like, what? Where is this actually going to lead? Like, for once in my life.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

For once in my life, I had, like. I was able to think ahead and be like, well, what's the point?

[Sam Taggart]

Play the tape.

[George Severis]

Play the tape. After hundreds of times of sitting in an airport just being like, well, I guess I'll look at the gay sex apps.

[Morgan Basakis]

Just.

[Sam Taggart]

And then it's always at the wrong gate.

[George Severis]

They're always like, oh, I'm actually in terminal three. Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I'm at C. Well, there's no. I can't. There's no way to get there.

[Morgan Basakis]

Anyway. What's up?

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

So where are you heading?

[Sam Taggart]

Where are you going?

[George Severis]

I got.

[Morgan Basakis]

My grandma died. I'm going her.

[George Severis]

Literally. And this. I was like, what's. Like, I was actually a little scared because I was like, I'm being so, like, level headed about all this.

[Sam Taggart]

What'd you do instead?

[George Severis]

I.

[Morgan Basakis]

Just jerk off.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Just jerked off.

[Morgan Basakis]

You're like, I'm gonna be mature about this. I'm not going on Grindr. I'm just gonna jerk off Chatterbait. And then I'm just gonna go on Chatterbait.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm streaming cam at the call.

[George Severis]

No, I. Chatterbait is.

[Morgan Basakis]

At an earlier point in my life, I went through a real chatterbait phase.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I had to be like, stop.

[George Severis]

No.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

It's a fun era. It is addictive.

[Morgan Basakis]

I was like, this is not. Okay.

[George Severis]

No, it's not. Talk about losing a day.

[Sam Taggart]

Talk about losing a day.

[Morgan Basakis]

Talk about losing a day. And then, oh, my God. You're also like, who is funding these rooms? Like, when it's like, oh, the rooms that, like, some. Some of the rooms where it's like three guys. You're like, that can't be good. And I'm complicit.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

Not to. Well, not to kill it at the adulting game by making a good point.

[Sam Taggart]

But this is really intense.

[George Severis]

That is really intense.

[Morgan Basakis]

So anyway, so I think I just.

[George Severis]

Looked at Instagram, actually. I don't think I opened my book yet. I think I was just sort of like.

[Sam Taggart]

I think.

[George Severis]

And honestly, if I'm being truthful, let's do it. I think it was just because it was really early in the morning.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

So you just jerked off to the book?

[Sam Taggart]

You jerked off in the book, huh? Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Jerked off in the book. Wait, I wanna. This is a difficult question. I'm sorry. But I think it'll be fruitful. Okay, how do we define misery?

[Sam Taggart]

Misery? It's really good question, because what's the.

[George Severis]

Distinction between, like, misery versus suffering and misery versus, like, sadness?

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm like, is misery a helplessness in the face of not being able to get what you want or surrender to it?

[Sam Taggart]

Like, yeah, Like, I feel like, like, yes, the gay misery is like the constant wanting. Yes. Which is like. Like bad. But also it keeps us going.

[Morgan Basakis]

Submission to helplessness is like a really good.

[Sam Taggart]

It's just like, well, this is. It's a resignation.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

Resignation. Which to me is such an abhorrent thing. Like, it's so that's. I mean, you'll. You'll meet. You'll meet straight people who are like, well, this is just how it. You know, and it's like, is it. Is it just how it is? Why? That's what I love about gay people. Like, is it. Why does it have to be like that. And the resignation freaks me out. The resignation feels like. Like Julianne Morin safe or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, that feels like that kind of moment.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, you're absolutely right. And there is a. The constant searching can also be tragic.

[Sam Taggart]

It's absolutely tragic. And we should be.

[Morgan Basakis]

Because resignation. And if there's a spectrum and it's resignation on one hand, constant searching on the other, both of them basically lead to.

[Sam Taggart]

Failure. Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know what I mean? Or rather, I guess resignation doesn't lead to. It leads to complete neutrality, whereas constant searching inevitably leads to failure, because you're never gonna find what you're looking for.

[George Severis]

I have one. I have one. Okay. Straight is misery. Gay is tragedy.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wow. Cause it's being able to think on top of that. Wait, this is tragic.

[George Severis]

Yeah. And you're being like, damn, I'm shooting so big and I don't care what's gonna happen and I'm gonna lose.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And it's always tragic. But then straight, it's like, that's never gonna come true. I'll just stay where I am.

[Sam Taggart]

Hmm. I'm really with you.

[George Severis]

You have piercing eyes.

[Sam Taggart]

I know. They're so intense. I know. I know. It's so intense. And sometimes I have to, like, turn it down. Like, I imagine a dial, just, like, turn down the intensity of my gaze. And sometimes when I'm in my thoughts, the gaze gets even more intense. All that to say, I think trag. Tragedy. Yeah. What is the definition of tragedy again? Because I know, like, what does tragedy mean? I'm not trying to put everybody on the spot. You. You said you reading a book, so I just thought you would know it's.

[Morgan Basakis]

Actually comedy minus time.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[George Severis]

So you actually reverse that.

[Morgan Basakis]

So. Okay.

[George Severis]

You know, that's an amazing question. I guess I was thinking of it more in the sense of, like, having a big goal and failing, but.

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, I was thinking about it in terms of, like, instilling the misery with meaning. Like, if something. If someone is a tragic character, that actually. And here's what's gay about it. That makes you a diva. Like, okay, so I'm. Let's say I'm deeply unhappy. I'm waking up every day, I'm so unhappy with my life. I'm a tragic character. Well, that means that there should be a movie about me. Like, that. That means that I am significant. Whereas the resignation of just being miserable is like, I'm nothing.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[George Severis]

That's what I'm. Like this definition, that's sort of what I was thinking.

[Sam Taggart]

And. And we can be critical of our constant search for more, but at least it doesn't mute our desire, which is. You know what I mean? Like, and I feel like the resonation mutes the desire over and over. And then you just want to control other people's desire.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

You're like, your desire is threatening to me, so I have to squash it.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's the difference between muting and then putting the volume so far up that it's like, can anyone hear anything?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, that's exactly right. That's lgbt. Yeah. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

AM. Okay, here's a question for you.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

What do you feel about the phrase misery loves company? Is that. That's marriage.

[Sam Taggart]

That's marriage.

[George Severis]

That's dinner parties.

[Morgan Basakis]

That's dinner parties.

[Sam Taggart]

That's a family. That's a family. And that's a family. It is. That is a family.

[Morgan Basakis]

Totally.

[George Severis]

That's true.

[Sam Taggart]

You're stuck here.

[George Severis]

I'm at a place where I'm finding the point of children to be more confusing than ever.

[Morgan Basakis]

I think about this all the time because I. You would think that as you get older, you. Your views get more solidified. This is actually something I'm realizing not just with kids, but with everything. I was always taught, as you get older, your views curdle like, that people become more conservative or even on the other side of things, like an aging hippie. Just because it's like, you're regurgitating the same shit over and over again. You're going to the same protest. You're just holding the same sign. Exactly. Yes. Literally, like, you just curdle into more of who you are, are. And I am finding the complete opposite to be true, which is I'm more and more confused about what my beliefs are as I get older.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I would say kids is a great example where, like, you would think at this point, I'm like, okay, definitively, I want kids. Definitively, I don't want kids. I've never been more undecided.

[Sam Taggart]

Really?

[George Severis]

Yeah. I agree. I'm literally like, okay, wait, what is like. Because I'm like, I see the goal, but I'm like, but there's like. I'm sort of like, what is the point? Like, it's really confusing because so many people are like, I'm having kids. Well, who's gonna take care of you when you're older? I'm like, well, I don't want to have kids, to have free help, free healthcare.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[George Severis]

Like, and it's also like. And then being like, well, it'll be nice like, there's a part of me that has a fantasy of being like, would be nice to like, have kids as like a progressive person. Because then you could like, instill progressive ideals. And I'm like, well, they're not my tools, like, to like, for political gain either. Like, I think that's toxic.

[Sam Taggart]

Whatever. They'll just hate. Yeah. Anyways.

[Morgan Basakis]

But even everything you're thinking now, if you were to have had kids at 22, your mind would not have even been evolved enough to have those thoughts. So it just is easier. Like, I think that you just know too much as you get older. So then every decision becomes impossible.

[George Severis]

I mean, my dog is 14. Isn't that crazy?

[Sam Taggart]

When did you get this dog?

[George Severis]

I got him when I was 23.

[Sam Taggart]

How old was the dog?

[George Severis]

He was 2.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

You've had, you've had two grandchildren.

[George Severis]

This is not crazy.

[Sam Taggart]

Whole family.

[George Severis]

I could have a 15 year old, 14 year old. What did I say before? 14.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, but you sounds like you were saying you may have a desire for it. Like there, there was.

[Morgan Basakis]

I think both of us are sort of undecided. I mean, I don't know.

[Sam Taggart]

This is. And now we're back to ora. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And we wouldn't. What does a each want to do it if the other one didn't?

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[George Severis]

And you know what? The thing is, there's almost something that's true. There's something about, like, the lack of. If. If I were straight and it was like, all my friends are having kids, I'd be like, okay, like, I basically have kids anyway. But now as a gay person, it would be such a choice and such a, like, removal from the community.

[Sam Taggart]

We have solo shows, they have kids.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes.

[George Severis]

Literally.

[Morgan Basakis]

But this is. I was explaining this to a friend of mine. I was like a straight friend. I was like, so you know how straight people without kids in your community are marginalized. Like, they're like, God, she could have, you know, she never had kids. That's what it is when you do have kids with, like. Because we know people that have kids and it's like, yeah, they're not coming to the parties.

[Sam Taggart]

They struggle to feel belonging. Yeah, yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And some of them, like, I mean, not anyone I'm thinking of right now, but like, I could imagine it's also easy to then develop a resentment that's like, why aren't my friends hanging out with me?

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's like, well, because you have twins.

[George Severis]

And then you have to hang out with straight people all the time because.

[Morgan Basakis]

They'Re the only ones. So it's just as like, it's, it's not just the decision of like, kids versus no kids. It's the decision of my life is radically changing in terms of like, the possibilities of who I surround myself with. Do you want to kids?

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. Absolutely not. Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

And you've always known.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes. It's actually the only thing I've known. Clearly. I feel like everything else about me, I am like, jury's fully out.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Like, I don't even know what the options are, but that one.

[Morgan Basakis]

New York versus la.

[Sam Taggart]

It's New York versus la. Ob.

[Morgan Basakis]

But I love.

[Sam Taggart]

You know what I love? I have a niece, obviously. We love having nieces.

[George Severis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all have nieces.

[Morgan Basakis]

We all have nieces.

[Sam Taggart]

We all have nieces. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

How old are mine lives? Literally a block away from you.

[Sam Taggart]

No.

[George Severis]

That's amazing.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah. I like, want to see her. But you. The daycare.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. Get her out.

[Morgan Basakis]

I know. We should have her on as a guest.

[Sam Taggart]

She's got her on the pod. How old is she?

[Morgan Basakis]

She's like 19 months at this point. Oh, my gosh.

[Sam Taggart]

She's tiny.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, she's really small.

[George Severis]

And you're about to turn three.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

How old is yours?

[Sam Taggart]

Nine. Oh, you guys. And I'm having those feelings of I don't want her to age.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, well, she's going to become a go back.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

You're like, old bitch.

[Sam Taggart]

She came to my show, by the way. She came to my show afterwards.

[George Severis]

She goes, did she get.

[Sam Taggart]

She kind of liked it.

[Morgan Basakis]

I mean, are you like, so cool to her?

[Sam Taggart]

I both cool and not cool. Like, she won't talk to me on the phone. She only will talk to her friends on the phone. She does not want to talk to me. But then when we're around each other, I just love her so much. But I can really see how like, the, the, the, the, the, the sadness of kids aging, you know, because you want them to be, be little forever, which is like crazy because that's literally not what they're meant to do.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's also, I mean, not to it happen. I'm trying to not say it happened so fast because that is a cliche. But that is the point I'm trying to make. It's like think about when you were young, you know, four years was such a long time.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I know.

[Morgan Basakis]

And it's like, wow, we've changed so much since fifth grade, y'. All. Now if you're a parent, four years goes like that goes by, like, that. That you have, like, three late nights at work, you've missed a year of.

[Sam Taggart]

Your kid's life that's never coming back.

[George Severis]

I mean, talk about misery, folks.

[Morgan Basakis]

Literally.

[Sam Taggart]

I mean, truly. Because that parenting is. Is misery. I mean, it's an. It's just loss after loss after loss after. I mean, like. And that. I don't think I'm emotionally mature. That's why, by the way, I'm just not emotional.

[George Severis]

Yeah, me too.

[Morgan Basakis]

And you have to be okay with doing so much for no gratitude in return.

[Sam Taggart]

The opposite. It.

[Morgan Basakis]

Even now that I hate to be hated.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Like, well, that's. That's like. That's part of the. What's the point? Where I'm like. There's this fantasy of, like. Well, when they're 25, they're gonna be like, damn, you rocked that, mama.

[Sam Taggart]

No.

[George Severis]

And it's like, no, no. They're gonna be like, give me enough. Like, I can't stand you.

[Morgan Basakis]

Even now, I know I'm not grateful enough to my parents. I talk about it with my sisters. Like, I say, I'm never gonna go and be like, hey, just wanted to say, like, you guys did a really good job.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Because then they'll say something, and you be like, yeah, whatever they say will be wrong.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then the cycle starts all over.

[Sam Taggart]

It's like, whatever.

[George Severis]

No, they love to say the wrong thing.

[Sam Taggart]

God.

[George Severis]

And I honestly, like, respect.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like, I'm like, they're playing straight shooters, and it's like, right thing, wrong thing.

[George Severis]

Like, wrong.

[Sam Taggart]

Wrong.

[George Severis]

It's such an interesting thing where, like, you almost, like, I'm. I'm confused when people are, like, hurt by it because I'm like, well, that's parents. I know they say the wrong thing.

[Sam Taggart]

That's parents.

[Morgan Basakis]

My mom loves to do this thing where you'll complain about something in your life, and her response would be like, well, but you chose that.

[George Severis]

It's like, no.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

That is so fun.

[Sam Taggart]

Will you say it again? Because it kind of was, like, thrilling.

[Morgan Basakis]

To me, especially when it. And she won't even mean it in, like, a negative way. It's. I'll be like, can I say it?

[George Severis]

Can I try one? And I want you to say it. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'll be like, God. It's like, I. I, obviously, I like the freedom of being a freelancer, but it's just, like, constant rescheduling and emails, and sometimes a day ends and I feel like I haven't done anything.

[George Severis]

Well, you chose that.

[Morgan Basakis]

That's, like, every conversation with My mom.

[Sam Taggart]

I like, really felt something. Yeah.

[George Severis]

That's amazing. I. I'm addicted because that she reminds me of myself. I love to do that to people. Like, be like, oh, well, maybe you should change. Like, oh, wow. I'm so deeply unhelpful.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, it's interesting. I'm so on the opposite end. I'm like, I'm a. That makes sense. Person sense. I actually interested.

[George Severis]

That's a good person to be.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, sometimes you need to be that person who says, yeah, I hear you.

[George Severis]

Complain about this a lot.

[Morgan Basakis]

I do. Oh, yeah, I know.

[George Severis]

Seems like you should make an adjustment. That type of thing.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. My mom always goes my. For always. She's so proud of me as a performer. But she's like, she always goes, how many seats are there? Always my mom that.

[Morgan Basakis]

My mom does that too.

[Sam Taggart]

Always.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

If you're goes. How do people find out about it? How.

[George Severis]

Where do they people then parents loved quantity.

[Sam Taggart]

Quantity.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then they go, will you.

[Sam Taggart]

Will they be having you back? And you go, no, it's just a one time thing. It's like immediately you're trying to impress it.

[Morgan Basakis]

My mom is. There was a very long period where she was obsessed with asking, is the venue in Brooklyn or Manhattan?

[George Severis]

Which is her way of being like, so is it valid or not?

[Morgan Basakis]

And I would be like, Brooklyn. She'd be like, oh, oh, well, that's okay.

[George Severis]

You'll get there one day, sweetie.

[Sam Taggart]

Literally. Wow.

[George Severis]

Little did you.

[Morgan Basakis]

But then it's like, I would do a show in Manhattan. I'd be like, Manhattan. Expecting her to be like, congratulations. She'd be like, and how many seats? And I'm like, well, smaller than the Brooklyn one. Actually. Like, the Brooklyn one was sort of bigger.

[Sam Taggart]

Negging.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Or of course the worst thing is like being at a show. Them maybe not getting it and being like, well, people were laughing. People seem to really like it.

[George Severis]

It seems like a lot of people really like that.

[Morgan Basakis]

And by people, by the way, I don't mean me.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

No, I've had. That's a classic. I love when that's like. People seem to really enjoy that.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. Chilling. This is like a horror movie hearing you guys say these things. It's like I'm like chilled.

[George Severis]

It's tough. But I'm. I. The way that I'm. I'm radically, unfortunately full of nothing but forgiveness for everything my parents ever say.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, me too.

[George Severis]

Like, it's so weird.

[Sam Taggart]

No, me too. I get it.

[Morgan Basakis]

First, I haven't spoken to them in 20 years.

[Sam Taggart]

Exactly. It's like, out of forgiveness.

[Morgan Basakis]

Out of forgiveness.

[George Severis]

But it's. Maybe I'm, like, doing the thing where I'm putting myself in the audience too much with them. I'm like. Like, I do love to be like. Well, I would probably say that if I had no idea what comedy was like. Like.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, God, you're.

[Morgan Basakis]

We also, by the way, have no idea what we have said to people with different jobs. That has been completely insulting. Stupid. Basic.

[George Severis]

I mean, not to be a bitch. Our entire podcast is like, what's straight culture?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, we're.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay. Wow.

[George Severis]

So we're sort of.

[Sam Taggart]

We're not looking at the people in the mirror. Okay. Got it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, we're, like, performing ignorance.

[Sam Taggart]

We're performing. Right?

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Power move.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's what Donald Trump does every day.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

We go there. Seriously, I don't know if we can put this one out. I don't know if we can put this one out.

[Sam Taggart]

No.

[Morgan Basakis]

Now more than ever, it's important to speak out and to say, we don't want this administration.

[Sam Taggart]

That's right, George.

[George Severis]

Sorry we're gonna lose our funding.

[Morgan Basakis]

I know you say that you don't want to talk about politics because you're a centrist and, you know, you make some good points, but we have to.

[Sam Taggart]

Especially in this day and age.

[George Severis]

Fuck.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[George Severis]

Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

Vote for Gavin Newsom.

[Sam Taggart]

I love how you. Yeah, Newsom. I feel like it was like Newsom. Like, gnocchi. This is.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay, you know how there's, like, a few things where I have a slight accent?

[George Severis]

Sure, sure.

[Morgan Basakis]

That is one of them. What?

[Sam Taggart]

We just found one. Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And people say. I say New York like that. Like, Like. Or like. And another one is, like, when I say singer, Singer. Singer.

[George Severis]

I think that's. I think that's really.

[Morgan Basakis]

But I'm not trying to. So that there's that new. Yeah, there's, like, a couple of things, and it's like, I have been found out, and.

[Sam Taggart]

And I was the part of that.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, yeah. How does it feel to expose you?

[Sam Taggart]

No. Normal.

[George Severis]

Just so they're. Damn right.

[Sam Taggart]

I didn't really feel anything. Were they supposed to A or B?

[George Severis]

B. Javon, I actually would love if the game was just A or B, and we go A or B, and then you pick. Okay. A or B.

[Sam Taggart]

A. Okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

A or B.

[Sam Taggart]

A. Okay.

[George Severis]

A or B?

[Sam Taggart]

B.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay. Let's do that for now.

[George Severis]

That's really good.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay.

[George Severis]

This game's called A or B.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know how many of those we've had to come up with?

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

How many years? Like, literally 500.

[Sam Taggart]

That's crazy.

[George Severis]

Yeah, it's crazy.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's nuts.

[George Severis]

It's crazy to be.

[Morgan Basakis]

We really do slow out of bell.

[Sam Taggart]

What Was the bell? 1. Go to the ball.

[Morgan Basakis]

Tonight. We ball or my flight is out of de Gaulle.

[Sam Taggart]

I want a book of those. You guys. I think they're beautiful.

[Morgan Basakis]

I mean, you know my favorite one I've ever written. Supercalifragilistic, Expellidocious, or Super Call Me Friday. Let's just expedite the process.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

That's really, really came. That's really, really.

[Sam Taggart]

Poet Laureate of New York City.

[George Severis]

Do we have, like, final thoughts on misery?

[Morgan Basakis]

I don't want to end, you guys.

[Sam Taggart]

I think we're having a good time.

[George Severis]

I think so.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm having such a good time.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm not even annoying to do after this that I don't want to do.

[Sam Taggart]

You do.

[George Severis]

Should we say that again?

[Sam Taggart]

Should we do it with you?

[Morgan Basakis]

No, it's a. It's a zoom meeting.

[Sam Taggart]

I'll do it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Do you want to just do it?

[Sam Taggart]

You know what? I'm. Do it. God, if only I'd just be really affirming. Can I tell you something?

[George Severis]

This is potentially extremely boring, but I'm gonna say it just in case it's not, which is sort of how I do things.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Yesterday, George and I were supposed to have a call with a business call. We've had countless of these calls. They're usually, I'd say, 100% of any business call I've had has been completely pointless and boring. And I was traveling yesterday, and so I was like, george, can you just do it without me? And he was like, totally. I get off the flight, he's like, that was the most important call I've ever had. He was like, I learned so much stuff, and we actually need to talk about a lot of things. And I was like, that sounds like.

[Sam Taggart]

You'Re in trouble is what I heard.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's not his fault. It's just, like, we really thought it was gonna be, like, okay, like, look through whatever.

[George Severis]

It's good.

[Sam Taggart]

We're gonna hit send.

[Morgan Basakis]

And it was like, we need an itemized list of, you know, the issues that we're gonna.

[George Severis]

There's a lot we need to discuss about moving forward, and, whoa. And, like, there's so many choices and, like, so many things we need to think about. And I was like, this has never in my life. And, you know, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me that Thinks that George just wants to punish me.

[Morgan Basakis]

It is not my fault.

[Sam Taggart]

So where does that come from? Yeah, well, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.

[George Severis]

No, no, no. And I was gonna kid also and be like, well, because it's the truth.

[Sam Taggart]

Right? Because the past.

[George Severis]

See, in the way I like to be, it's fun to be bad. Like, it's fun to be bad. Like, when you're on stage, it's fun to, like, blame the audience because you're like, this is what bad comedians do.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[George Severis]

And it's fun to be, like. To pretend to be, like, bad in therapy and be like. Well, I think that. Because it's true.

[Sam Taggart]

Right, Right. I like that you said on some level you think it's. You're being punished. You think George is punishing you? Because I feel like on some. There is that voice.

[George Severis]

There is that.

[Sam Taggart]

There is that voice.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And by the way, I think Sam is punishing me by not moving to New York.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay. I'm really glad we're here. And I just want to actually hang out in this.

[Morgan Basakis]

This switched for me recently where I was was like, I in no way had held any resentment. Like, obviously, Sam moved to LA because of an exciting job opportunity. Like, I've. I've never been like, I can't believe we have to fucking zoom in. Like, I really.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

And something switched literally in the past week where I was like, hello, we're leaving money on the table.

[Sam Taggart]

Move, we're leaving money on the table.

[George Severis]

Yeah. I mean, something has shifted. I. It is just like a logistical issue.

[Sam Taggart]

But, yeah, if I were. If I was the feelings, if I.

[Morgan Basakis]

Was in your position and, like, you know, I would be worse than you are. Like, I would be like, I would, like, just keep living in LA for three years because I would be like, forgetting to look at apartments. Like, I'm not. I'm not saying I would be horrible.

[George Severis]

It's a nightmare.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

It's literally like two months at least. Because, like, ugh, it's just whatever.

[Sam Taggart]

But, yeah, so you have the same longing. But we all.

[Morgan Basakis]

This also happens when one of us has. Often if we do a zoom recording, one of us will have technical difficulties because of the wifi because of the mic. It's not anyone's fault.

[George Severis]

Well, is it just one of us?

[Morgan Basakis]

Us? Okay. Well, I do sometimes have WI fi issues. I live in a pre war building and it's a building issue.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't feel safe here.

[Morgan Basakis]

I live in a pre.

[Sam Taggart]

I live in.

[George Severis]

We're having desserts. Just stay. We'll be fine. We'll be fine. We will.

[Morgan Basakis]

Dinner with the couple where the woman is wearing a nice dress and the man super cuts haircut.

[George Severis]

You stay right there.

[Sam Taggart]

You stay right there. You stay right there. You stay right there. Right there. Yeah.

[George Severis]

We are not done.

[Sam Taggart]

Dinner is kidnapping. Yeah. Yeah, it can be. Yeah, it can be.

[George Severis]

Oh, my God. Have you ever. I mean, of course you have, but when you were stuck with a couple that is fighting.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

So every night is who's afraid of Virginia Wolf over here.

[Sam Taggart]

Literally.

[George Severis]

It's literally. Talk about child. I'm like, oh, I'm a child again, 100%. But I'm like, but you're not even my parents.

[Sam Taggart]

Fawn. Fawn.

[George Severis]

And yet I'm stuck.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Oh, that's. That's when gay people can be straight as well.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, obviously, it's one of their favorite things to be.

[George Severis]

And it's. It's when they're fighting and you're stuck with them.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. So uncomfortable. I'm. Yeah, I'm sorry. I just fully.

[Morgan Basakis]

I just.

[Sam Taggart]

This is intense for me.

[George Severis]

Yeah. No, and I'm sorry that George. Sorry. I'm just sorry that George made you uncomfortable.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

This is what he does.

[Sam Taggart]

This is what he does. Sure, I'll take it. I'll take it. I'll be the baby. I'll be the bab.

[George Severis]

We're just crazy. His WI fi never works, but no, it's both of us.

[Sam Taggart]

Did you say it because you have a pre war building? Is that what the man. Sorry.

[George Severis]

Oh, here he goes bragging about his pre war building. Some of us live in LA against our will.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, they didn't build anything before the war. There.

[George Severis]

There were no wars.

[Morgan Basakis]

You have a pool and a lesbian landlord. Jesus. I live in a pre war building. You have a pool and a lesbian landlord.

[Sam Taggart]

Will they work it out?

[George Severis]

Can I make it anywhere obvious?

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, my go.

[George Severis]

God, I love this. I. I love fighting.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, I do too.

[Sam Taggart]

Me too.

[George Severis]

It's fun.

[Morgan Basakis]

So where's theater going?

[George Severis]

And what's your relationship to therapy?

[Sam Taggart]

I am such a bad therapy being therapied. Really? I am so bad at it.

[Morgan Basakis]

I would think of you as.

[Sam Taggart]

I know I present that way. I present vegetarian and as being good in therapy.

[Morgan Basakis]

But I am no stakes left in rock. Right. Well done.

[Sam Taggart]

Only steak. Yeah. Paleo. Just raw meats. And absolutely defiant therapy subject.

[Morgan Basakis]

We're talking like psychoanalysis or like a CBT type thing.

[Sam Taggart]

We're like talking Goldilocks through modalities. We're like, and we're talking getting evangelical for a week about it, never calling the person back. Yeah. I feel much more comfortable. And this is. We can talk about it in the. In the therapist chair.

[Morgan Basakis]

I do, too. I, I, I. And I actually. I, I actually do think I give really good advice.

[Sam Taggart]

I bet you do. I would love to have the kind of relationship where I ask you for it.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

At some point. It.

[Morgan Basakis]

But it's. Well, then maybe what we can do is I can give you advice and you can give me advice, since we're both really good therapists. Bad patients.

[Sam Taggart]

It's about being seen about bad patients. Exactly. It's about being seen being vulnerable, whatever. And I'm just like, I can't trust this person. They're not gonna. This is. This is not gonna work.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, needless to say, the main issue with therapists is the entire time you're like, so are you smart or not?

[George Severis]

Well, that is the main issue. It's sort of like, actually, pop quiz.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And then you can be my therapist.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, it is a little bit like, so, pop quiz.

[Sam Taggart]

Am I smarter than you? Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's like, did you watch the rehearsal? And what are your thoughts on it?

[Sam Taggart]

Right. You know what I mean? Yeah. How do you feel about the last episode? Right, right, right.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like, do you think, you know, Emma Stone deserved the Oscar?

[Sam Taggart]

Like, right.

[George Severis]

Like, yeah. Politically, like, how do you post?

[Sam Taggart]

Yes, exactly. Politically, how do you post?

[George Severis]

I want to know. Like, what? Like, when something crazy happens, what do you post?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Because that would really inform a lot for me.

[Morgan Basakis]

What kind of memes are you re sharing?

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

I like therapists. Therapists who talk. I just don't want to talk. Which I know it seems like maybe I talk, but I, like, that's why I like psychics, because they just talk. Oh, that's very relaxing to me.

[Morgan Basakis]

I mean, I would love it if they just, like, looked inside of me and told me, like, what?

[Sam Taggart]

Same. Told, like, let go. This. Nobody needs to hear it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Because, by the way, talking.

[Sam Taggart]

Horrible.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's also like, yeah, I'm telling you I'm telling a story. You're not gonna get the truth out of me. I don't even know the point. Like, I. I might as well just be on stage. And at least I'm getting paid instead of paying you $400, by the way, so. Well, no, I'm not.

[Sam Taggart]

Do you have anyone else? Yeah. No. Neither am I.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, I haven't been in therapy.

[George Severis]

Doesn't work, so.

[Sam Taggart]

Doesn't work. You have a psychotic break.

[Morgan Basakis]

No. You literally do have a psychotic? No, no. I haven't been in therapy since like 2021 or 2022, but I'm actually looking to get back into it. So please write in.

[Sam Taggart]

And what do you want to do? You want to do, like.

[Morgan Basakis]

I mean, I ultimately do want to do Goldilocks because I think, like, can you.

[George Severis]

What's called. What are we?

[Morgan Basakis]

Just like a mix of modalities.

[Sam Taggart]

Like, you know, she goes from, like, each room to each room.

[George Severis]

Got it, Got it.

[Morgan Basakis]

Because I'm like, I. Please don't write in. But like, everything.

[Sam Taggart]

Put the pen down.

[Morgan Basakis]

When I read about real psychoanalysts, I'm like, you guys are crazy. I'm not going to be put in the care of someone who is insane and is, like, having visions all day long. You know what I mean?

[Sam Taggart]

Totally.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then, of course, the CBT with like, on the other end of the spectrum, they, like, don't even care about the reasoning for everything. They're like, do your worksheet. And you're like, my mom said they're like, that doesn't sense. Make matter. Do your worksheet. Well, that also doesn't work.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

So we need someone with emotional intelligence.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[George Severis]

You know what? You know what we need? Basically every therapy session ever should be filmed couples therapy style. And then we should be able to watch and be like, I actually really like this one.

[Morgan Basakis]

And I agree, because it's.

[George Severis]

It is very personality based.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wow, that's such a good point.

[George Severis]

If I could hire Orna this second, I would.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

But to have to get to know someone through them doing therapy on me. No, I'm like, no, no, no. I need to see how you've done with others.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes.

[George Severis]

And then I'll know if you'll be able to work with me.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, then you read the description. They're like, oh, they specialized in like.

[Sam Taggart]

The description is.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's like you specialize in that how the Constitution. Show me the results.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's literally like the Constitution. It's like, yeah, in theory, I guess.

[Sam Taggart]

I get what you're saying actually happened.

[George Severis]

But tell me what really happened.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes, okay, I get it. But what happens?

[George Severis]

Yeah, because like, if I could watch the couples therapy of what the Constitution has done to the country. I'm like, no, no.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, that's Hamilton.

[George Severis]

I'm like, it doesn't work.

[Sam Taggart]

And that's on Hamilton.

[Morgan Basakis]

And that's on Hamilton.

[Sam Taggart]

What about emdr? Anybody doing that? Doing that. What about DBT Set? Wait, what's DB I just named.

[George Severis]

Okay, all now big things, which is.

[Morgan Basakis]

The one where you have.

[Sam Taggart]

You're like, have different departments with, like, the light and the sound.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, no, I mean, literally, like, you are, like, taught to think of yourself as having different compartments and then they. It's like integrative therapy or something.

[Sam Taggart]

Internal family systems. Yes, yes, yes. Where parts work.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yes, exactly.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Firefighters, managers. Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's like, okay, suddenly it's United States of Terrorist, starring Tony and the gay kid. And the gay kid.

[George Severis]

I've never seen it.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, it's lovely.

[Morgan Basakis]

She has multiple personality disorder, and it's written by Diablo Cody.

[George Severis]

Oh, yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's really good, actually.

[Sam Taggart]

And there's a really sweet gay kid in it. It's like a really sweet representation.

[Morgan Basakis]

You know, that was when TV was good.

[Sam Taggart]

Sorry, that was like.

[George Severis]

That was a TV show.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah. I want to say, like, 2010, if.

[Sam Taggart]

I had to guess, pre enlightened.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like around the same time as enlightened. Anyway, now we have the Hunting Wives.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, did you. You finished?

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, I finished. It was amazing. But really bad for culture and the world.

[Sam Taggart]

I. Yeah, yeah. It was like, exactly. The emotional vibration I can handle, though. Like, I can't handle anything more. More emotionally provocative, you know?

[Morgan Basakis]

Totally.

[Sam Taggart]

It's like that. That kind of Netflix show is all I can.

[Morgan Basakis]

I know it's hard. It's hard because I would hear people say things like that. It's like when people are like, this happened a lot during the pandemic, where they're like, I can't even watch whole shows anymore. I just go on TikTok. You hear people say things like, you're like, oh, my know, and then you start seeing it happen to yourself. Or like, when people used to say, I don't read books anymore, I'm like, that's ridiculous. But then I did go through a phase in approximately, like, 2023 where I did have a difficult time finishing books. I was like, oh, it's coming for me.

[George Severis]

I mean, there's nothing worse than gaining empathy for an opinion you think is bad. Literally, like, it's so much easier to just be like, they are the other I have. No, not that.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

But it's tough when you get empathy for them and you're like, damn, we could all be that.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Empathy is not all it's cracked up to be.

[George Severis]

I'm finding myself. My. My family is currently fighting, and they're in huge fights right now.

[Sam Taggart]

About political things.

[George Severis]

No, but just. They're just fighting money. But I can't. And as anyone knows, I've been watching Modern Family. Constantly.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Because I don't know why, but something about Modern Family is really hitting. But recently, since my family started fighting, I can't watch Modern Family because of conflict. Because of the conflict. Every episode's a little conflict. And I'm like, they're not handling this right. They're not handling this right. And, yes, it ends up fine in the end, but I'm like, that was really dangerous.

[Morgan Basakis]

This could have gone south.

[George Severis]

And I'm like, okay, we live to see another day, but they're gonna get another conflict, and they're probably not gonna handle it well. It's really weird to be, like, over monitoring.

[Morgan Basakis]

I was thinking if after 15 seasons, Modern Family ended with them having a blowout fight and not speaking to each other again.

[Sam Taggart]

Rift.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then the gays are like, you know what? Like, fuck all of you. Like, we've always felt like you've been really condescending to us. And, like, we don't even like this lifestyle. Like, we're moving to Palm Springs.

[Sam Taggart]

We're moving to Palm Springs.

[George Severis]

I mean, there's part of me that I am like, I know the show is completely off the air, but I keep wanting to, like, I'm like, I need to write in.

[Sam Taggart]

Because, like, you need to write in.

[George Severis]

I'm like, cam and Mitch need to love each other more.

[Sam Taggart]

They.

[George Severis]

How come they only get silly conflicts. They never get, like, we don't have sex anymore. Whereas, like, Claire and Phil get we don't have sex anymore plot lines.

[Morgan Basakis]

By the way, this is what it's like coming on our podcast. Us talking about Modern Family storylines and you having to be like, oh, that's good. That's so.

[George Severis]

This is so talking. This is so talking to a niece.

[Morgan Basakis]

Us booking you after your show is over. Us booking you after your show is over. Sit there and sort of, like, look cute while we're, like, talking about Modern Family.

[Sam Taggart]

No, it's been good. I'm really grateful.

[George Severis]

It's tough. It's tough when you have a good point that isn't relevant to the conversation at all.

[Sam Taggart]

Wait.

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, that's too late.

[George Severis]

I've been really feeling okay.

[Morgan Basakis]

I was going to start a new point, but it's.

[George Severis]

We need to wrap up.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[George Severis]

But I do want to say this is. This episode has been interesting.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, God.

[George Severis]

Because I feel.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, in a good way.

[George Severis]

In a good way. I feel that there's. There's points where you really connect, and I go sort of like. And I'm here, too.

[Morgan Basakis]

That's because we live in New York.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, that's a New Yorker thing.

[Morgan Basakis]

And then I'm like, we're, like, going to plays and galleries and, like, you're.

[Sam Taggart]

Going shoes and Greeks.

[Morgan Basakis]

You're going to, like, see him. You know, it's the different culture.

[George Severis]

I just mean, like, there's, like, a thing. There's almost something like threesome about this that is, like, different than. I don't know, like, normally, it's like we're the couple.

[Sam Taggart]

Right.

[Morgan Basakis]

And you're the third.

[George Severis]

But, like, this one, I'm like, oh, my God. Sometimes you go, you're the trouble in paradise. Really? Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

That. That came up for you?

[George Severis]

A little, but not in a way that I dislike. Like, in a way where I'm like, wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's like, this isn't appropriate. He always does this.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, let's not sexualize.

[Morgan Basakis]

Trying to have, like, drinks with a friend. Like, you're trying. You're trying to promote your show that's over. Like, it's not.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, exact.

[George Severis]

So where can people see your show? I'm addicted to having you when the show is over. It's so funny.

[Morgan Basakis]

One of my favorite sort of perfect things is, like, recasting. Like, this happened with Cole. Like, writing and performing something that is so you. And then because of the way theater works, having someone else play. Like, it happened with Hedwig, like, whatever.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

Could you imagine someone else doing the show?

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

I mean, I guess yours is more difficult because there is, like, personal Morgan.

[Sam Taggart]

You know, I mean. Yeah. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Well, is there, like a. Could someone build upon it since you're, like, drawing from someone else's work? They could. We could add a third perspective, Right?

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, my God. It's always threesomes with you.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. What's going on?

[Morgan Basakis]

Jesus Christ. So jerking it.

[Sam Taggart]

Not about the airport. Yeah, exactly.

[Morgan Basakis]

Chatterbait in the middle of De Gaulle.

[George Severis]

I'm sorry. Jerking at the airport is so Lana Del Rey lyrics. That should be her album title. Jerking it at the airport. That's good.

[Sam Taggart]

I. Yeah, Jerking it at the airport Jerkin.

[Morgan Basakis]

No, but it's also jerking it at LaGuardia Airport.

[Sam Taggart]

Jerking it at LaGuardia.

[George Severis]

Yeah, jerking at LaGuardia. Should we do our final segment?

[Morgan Basakis]

Did we ask you a question then not listen to the answer?

[Sam Taggart]

I. If you did, I was relieved.

[Morgan Basakis]

What person would you cast as yourself?

[Sam Taggart]

I know. I couldn't think of a good answer. Her. Could you guys help?

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

I think it should be Rooney Mara.

[Sam Taggart]

It's going to be Rooney Mara.

[George Severis]

It's going to go ahead and be Rooney Mara.

[Sam Taggart]

I was thinking.

[George Severis]

I was Thinking.

[Sam Taggart]

But don't you think 100%. I know. It has to be like.

[Morgan Basakis]

I think she will actually eat down.

[Sam Taggart]

She's going to be like.

[Morgan Basakis]

She would look really good with your haircut, actually.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

I can see that.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Sam Taggart]

Things have moved so fast.

[George Severis]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

God.

[Morgan Basakis]

Rooney Off Broadway.

[Sam Taggart]

Rooney at Soho Playhouse.

[Morgan Basakis]

Rooney at Soho Playhouse. She's like, I'll just have, like, carrots backstage. That's my impression of Rooney Mara. So, yeah, keep an eye out for my solo show.

[George Severis]

George is Rooney Mara.

[Morgan Basakis]

George is Rooney Mara.

[George Severis]

Can I be Rooney?

[Morgan Basakis]

Can, oh, can I be Rooney?

[Sam Taggart]

Can I be Rooney?

[Morgan Basakis]

Shall we do our final segment?

[George Severis]

I'm sorry, I'm just now realizing. Realizing what? If your name was Rooney.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, her name is actually Patricia.

[George Severis]

I hate when people lie.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm actually not making that up.

[George Severis]

Well, I'm furious.

[Morgan Basakis]

And there.

[Sam Taggart]

You could say anything and I would believe you.

[Morgan Basakis]

I know.

[Sam Taggart]

You could say literally anything. And I'd be like, well, I would repeat it to multiple people.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, one of my favorite things to do is to say a lie in a confidence.

[Sam Taggart]

You are very confident.

[Morgan Basakis]

Thank you. Well, I'm confident speaking. Speaking.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

And in no other way.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Well, that's a good. That's one of the main ways we communicate confidence.

[George Severis]

There was honestly, something a bit. There's something almost shady about calling being like, you are very confident.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, yes. You know what?

[George Severis]

There's a. There's an undertone of like. But you don't know what the. You're talking about. In a way that I kind of really love.

[Morgan Basakis]

It's sort of like when you're like. When someone's like, you're photogenic and it's like, so you're ugly in real life.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my gosh.

[Morgan Basakis]

Like, in movement.

[George Severis]

It's interesting that you look good in photos.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

That's good.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wow, you really. Oh, they made you.

[George Severis]

Oh, I love your eyes.

[Sam Taggart]

Really pop.

[George Severis]

Confident. You are.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Oh, my God. Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, weaponized confidence.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Weaponize lasagna.

[Sam Taggart]

Weaponize lasagna. And here we are.

[George Severis]

And here we are.

[Sam Taggart]

There should be, like, Bon appetit recipes.

[George Severis]

This has been so fun. Oh, God, I love New York. I think we should do our final set.

[Morgan Basakis]

We have to. And then I have to fucking have a zoom meeting.

[Sam Taggart]

I'll do it.

[George Severis]

Yeah, you'll take the zoom. We'll go to lunch. Because we have a lot to talk about.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes, you do.

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[Sam Taggart]

Place.

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[George Severis]

Okay, our final segment is called Shout Outs. And in this segment we shout out to anything that we are enjoying. People, places, things, ideas. You know, imagine it is TRL and you're shouting out to squad back home, but about anything that you like.

[Morgan Basakis]

And we think of them on the spot.

[George Severis]

We think of them on the spot.

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm trying to think of them.

[George Severis]

And the thing is, I have one, but I'm worried. I've done it before, but I have to do it anyway.

[Morgan Basakis]

You just have to do it.

[George Severis]

I'll go first. What's up, freaks, losers and perverts around the globe. I want to give a huge shout out to the Citibank Citi bikes. Especially the E bikes. When I. I have always loved biking in this damn city. And when you move and you don't have your bike here anymore, you think, well, that dream is dead. Guess thanks to City Bike, it's not. You can bike wherever you want. The city is so bikeable. It's so fun coming from North Brooklyn to here. I said, damn, I'm in heaven. I'm on the bike super highway and the wind is in my hair. I'm gonna look a little shitty when I show up because I use shampoo and conditioner this morning, so, you know, my hair is extra floofy. And then with the wind blowing in it all day, I have no idea what I look like. And yet I say, this is real life. I'm traveling from point A to point B in a physical way. It feels amazing. It feels elect. Thank you, Citi Bike, for giving us space. Xoxo, Sam.

[Sam Taggart]

Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Okay. Give me a second. Okay. What's up, sports freaks? I want to give a shout out to the US Open, the tennis event. US Open. As everyone knows, once again, I had to buy tickets out of pocket this year because no brand was willing to sponsor me.

[George Severis]

Cowards.

[Morgan Basakis]

And famously, I did joke about being a hashtag Faye partner. And multiple people believed it, which I think is a sign that next year I should be sponsored because people are already believing it. I'm the kind of person that potentially could have a brand sponsorship at the US Open. I'm a very beautiful and successful comedian, performer, writer. Yes, I am really killing it at the adulting game. Daily on the daily, I wake up and I Say, fuck, I'm good. And so I just want to say I love every U.S. open. Sponsor each and every one of them. I use all the products. And I would be more than happy to. To more publicly sing the praises of anything from American Express to Polo Ralph Lauren to f. Yogurt. Actually, I had a delicious one before I came here.

[George Severis]

Yum.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wilson tennis rackets. You know, I'm definitely down to get into sort of playing doubles tennis on a Saturday morning. And pretty much I have an amazing time there. Every time I go, I always pay exactly $200 to sit in the final row in section 321. And I would love to spend $0 to sit sort of side next time I go. That would be awesome. So that would be really amazing. And so 2026 is the year that that will happen for me. I love tennis, I love New York City, and I love America.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

That was stunning.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, Gorgeous. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Well, I want to say, first of all, hey, mom, sorry for being ungrateful. And I, I, I want to shout out tidying. I want to shout out tidying for those of us who wake up and we say, why? How do we get here? Can we go back? Or you're at the end of the day and you say, why? Why did that go like that? Maybe they're mad. Tidying is a great way to proceed. You say, you know what, let's wash a little recycling, and let's put that plate in the drying rack, and let's put that silverware back in the silverware drawer. And you want to know what? You're going to feel little better. And that one degree of feeling better is going to set the rest of the day a little less fat. And so I want to say to everyone who's doing tidying, thank you. And to the people who run the tidying business, Big Tidying. Big Tidying. I would, too, like to be sponsored by. By. By Tidied and by Tide. By Tide. And yeah, I think I'm like a. I think I'm a natural fit. As someone who does often make big, my clothes are disgusting, you know, so who often needs Tide?

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, we're now at Tide.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, you, you brought. I was just doing.

[Morgan Basakis]

I think your clothes look amazing.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. Thank you.

[Morgan Basakis]

Because of Tide.

[Sam Taggart]

It's because of Tide.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wow.

[Sam Taggart]

Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Thank you, Tide.

[George Severis]

Thank you, Tide. Thank you, Seabank. Thank you, Faye. Yoko.

[Sam Taggart]

Yogurt.

[Morgan Basakis]

Something happened to me recently. Speaking of tidying, where. Sorry, we'll end where I saw a. I don't know if I would call it a meme, like a, a still from a filmed podcast with some self help person.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay, who can we guess who?

[Morgan Basakis]

I don't know.

[Sam Taggart]

Glennon Doyle, probably.

[Morgan Basakis]

I, I, I didn't recognize a single. It wasn't Glennon.

[Sam Taggart]

Was it a father and a son?

[Morgan Basakis]

No, it was a woman, period. So it said baby father. It said some people tidy to relax. Some people have to be relaxed to tidy. And then the other person goes and then those two get married. And so then I sent that to Matthew and I was like, this is. I'm being straight right now.

[Sam Taggart]

Which are you?

[George Severis]

Yeah, which are you?

[Morgan Basakis]

I'm. I have to be relaxed to tidy.

[Sam Taggart]

Really? Yeah.

[George Severis]

I'm the same way. This is why nothing gets done between us.

[Sam Taggart]

Wait, you guys and I tidy to relax.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

This is why you got beaten in a thirsty as a third.

[Morgan Basakis]

Finally. Okay, let's go clean up.

[Sam Taggart]

Service. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Service top. Wow.

[Morgan Basakis]

Sending a meme about tidying to your husband. No, it's like I might as well vote for, you know, Nikki Haley.

[Sam Taggart]

Literally vote for Nikki Haley.

[George Severis]

Seriously, guys, it's about time we voted for Nikki Haley.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[Morgan Basakis]

Write her in. Well, for mayor of New York City.

[Sam Taggart]

Mayor Pete. Mayor Pete. Write her in for Mayor Pete.

[Morgan Basakis]

Writer in for Mayor Pete. They should vote on who's Mayor Pete Every day.

[Sam Taggart]

Mayor Pete. Gavin Houston is a thousand. Mayor Pete.

[Morgan Basakis]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

They should do that. They have to do that.

[Sam Taggart]

They have to.

[George Severis]

Wow. Coming to South Bend soon.

[Morgan Basakis]

Well, Morgan, you know, is there anything you want to promote?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, no, that's. This is it. Wow.

[George Severis]

Well, I finished and I want.

[Morgan Basakis]

Wow.

[George Severis]

Congrats on finishing.

[Morgan Basakis]

Yeah, congrats on finishing. And you know, at some point you will have a new show and people should go to that.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[Morgan Basakis]

Get TikTok.

[Sam Taggart]

We're going to get TikTok. Oh, yes. TikTok.

[George Severis]

TikTok.

[Sam Taggart]

TikTok.

[Morgan Basakis]

The attention is going to last forever.

[Sam Taggart]

When's the next show? Exactly. I love that. Yeah.

[George Severis]

All right, well, thanks so much for doing this. This has been a real treat.

[Sam Taggart]

I had a great time. Thank you guys for having me. Bye. Bye.

[George Severis]

Podcast ends now.

[Sam Taggart]

Want more?

[Morgan Basakis]

Subscribe to our Patreon for two extra episodes a month. Discord Access and more by heading to patreon.com Stradiolab and for all our visual.

[George Severis]

Learners, free full length video episodes are available on our YouTube.

[Morgan Basakis]

Now get back to work.

[George Severis]

Stradiolab is a production by Will Ferrell's Big Money players network and iHeart podcasts.

[Morgan Basakis]

Created and hosted by George Severis and.

[George Severis]

Sam Taggart Executive produced by Will Ferrell Hansani and Olivia Aguilar co produced by Bay Wang Edited and engineered by Adam.

[Morgan Basakis]

Avalos Artwork by Michael Fails and Matt.

[George Severis]

Grubb Theme music by Ben Kling.

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