"Museums With Slides in Them" w/ Esther Fallick (RE-RELEASE)

Summary

StraightioLab Episode Summary: "Museums With Slides in Them" (Re-Release) featuring Esther Fallick

Release Date: December 31, 2024
Hosts: George Severis and Sam Taggart
Guest: Esther Fallick

---

Introduction

In this re-released episode of StraightioLab, hosts George Severis and Sam Taggart welcome their guest, Esther Fallick, to delve into a rich discussion about contemporary straight culture through the lens of art, performance, and societal trends. The episode is a deep dive into the intersection of traditional and modern forms of expression, critiquing the evolution of museums and the commodification of cultural experiences.

---

Acting vs. Photography: Defining Art Forms of Our Era

[03:53] Esther Fallick:
Esther initiates a conversation comparing acting and photography, questioning which art form holds more significance in today's media-saturated environment.

George Severis:
“I think the older I get, the more I think maybe it's the only art in an overly media saturated environment where everything is mediated and everyone is performing.”

Discussion Highlights:

• Anti-Intellectualism:
  Esther and Nick Chubb express concerns over society’s declining appreciation for intellectual pursuits, emphasizing how acting and photography have become pivotal in an age where performance is ubiquitous.

• Queer Perspectives on Art:
  The conversation takes a queer lens, exploring how these art forms reflect and influence LGBTQ+ identities and narratives. Esther suggests that acting was ahead of its time in embracing performativity, a concept now ubiquitous due to social media.

• Art as a Mirror to Society:
  Acting and photography are analyzed as means to hold a mirror to societal values and individual identities, with Esther positing that these forms of art allow for both reflection and performance, blurring the lines between the two.

---

Analyzing Contemporary Performances

The hosts transition into discussing specific performances and films, using them as case studies to explore broader cultural themes.

Madame Web and Oppenheimer:

[08:20] Esther Fallick:
“Madame Web is a nuanced portrayal of a woman discovering her powers, embodying a high femme aesthetic.”

[14:03] George Severis:
“She can envision these futures. She is like, I am going to share that information and then together we can move forward.”

Discussion Highlights:

• Gender and Performance:
  They dissect performances through the lens of gender, critiquing how characters embody or subvert traditional gender roles and identities. The discussion highlights the importance of representation and the impact of nuanced performances on audiences.

• Queer Narratives in Film:
  Esther examines how characters like Madame Web navigate their identities and powers, drawing parallels to queer experiences of self-discovery and community building.

• Critical Acclaim vs. Mainstream Recognition:
  The conversation touches on the disparity between critical acclaim and mainstream awards, using examples like Greta Lee's performance in Past Lives to illustrate how significant performances may not always receive the recognition they deserve.

---

"Museums With Slides in Them": The Rise of Instagram Museums

[43:38] George Severis:
“So that's how I'm referring to this sort of catch-all phenomenon of museums that, you know, the first level is these Instagram museums. Museum of Ice Cream, Museum of Broadway, Museum of Sex...”

[44:51] Nick Chubb:
“It’s so hard because to me, they seem fun. No, no, no…”

Discussion Highlights:

• Definition and Critique:
  The hosts define "Museums With Slides in Them" as modern, experience-based museums designed primarily for Instagram photography rather than educational or cultural enrichment.

• Cultural Impact:
  They critique the superficiality of these institutions, arguing that they prioritize aesthetics and social media appeal over meaningful cultural or historical content. Esther posits that these museums reflect an escape from introspection and genuine cultural engagement.

• Comparison to Traditional Museums:
  The conversation contrasts Instagram museums with traditional museums like the Guggenheim or MoMA, which are grounded in art history and cultural significance. They argue that Instagram museums lack the depth and substantive content that characterize established cultural institutions.

• Symbolism and Societal Reflection:
  Esther and George discuss how these modern museums are symptomatic of broader societal issues, such as the desire for instant gratification, the commodification of experiences, and the decline in genuine cultural pursuits.

---

Segments: "Straight Shooters" and "Shout Outs"

Straight Shooters: Rapid-Fire Questions

[33:20] Esther Fallick:
“Our first segment, Esther, is called Straight Shooters where we gauge your familiarity with and complicity in straight culture by asking you a series of rapid-fire questions…”

Discussion Highlights:

• Gameplay Format:
  The segment involves rapid-fire choices that reflect and satirize aspects of straight culture, emphasizing the hosts' critical stance towards normative societal expectations.

• Notable Choices:
  Examples include humorous and provocative choices like “Moisturizer or Womanizer” and “Beyonce going country or my fiancé’s being cunty,” highlighting the often absurd dichotomies present in cultural norms.

Shout Outs: Honoring the Straight Oral Tradition

[82:30] Nick Chubb:
“Our final segment is called Shout Outs where we pay homage to the grand straight oral tradition of the radio shout out…”

Discussion Highlights:

• Modern Interpretation of Shout Outs:
  The hosts use this segment to lightheartedly acknowledge and celebrate various cultural elements, blending humor with social commentary.

• Examples:
  Shout-outs include performers like Kacey Musgraves and playful jabs at contemporary drinking culture, reinforcing the episode's overarching themes with levity.

---

Conclusion: Reflecting on Cultural Commodification

[57:06] George Severis:
“And what do we have instead? The Museum of Ice Cream.”

[58:16] Esther Fallick:
“I think if you're going to a museum, and going to a truly... That could be kind of interesting. Like the history of ice cream. You know? Who doesn't want to know?”

Discussion Highlights:

• Symptom of Cultural Decay:
  The hosts conclude that the rise of Instagram-based museums represents a deeper cultural malaise, where meaningful engagement is replaced by superficial experiences designed for social media validation.

• Call for Authenticity:
  They advocate for reclaiming cultural spaces that prioritize genuine artistic and historical value over commodified experiences, urging listeners to seek out and support institutions that foster true cultural and intellectual growth.

• Madame Web as a Symbol of Hope:
  Esther underscores the importance of visionary characters like Madame Web, who embody resilience and community-building, offering a counter-narrative to the commodified escapism critiqued throughout the episode.

---

Notable Quotes

• George Severis on Acting as the Defining Art Form:
  “[04:00] Elaboration on the anti-intellectualism in society and the role of acting.”

• Esther Fallick on Photography's Straight Perception:
  “[07:03] Nick Chubb: Acting is gayer. Photography is straighter. Maybe that's why I respect it more.”

• Discussion on Madame Web's Queer Narrative:
  “[18:23] Esther Fallick: And the sort of is important because it doesn't have this like male confidence of like, oh my God, I'm gonna go to the moon and plant a flag.”

• Critique of Instagram Museums:
  “[43:38] George Severis: So that's how I'm referring to this sort of catch-all phenomenon of museums… Museum of Ice Cream…”

• Final Reflections on Museum of Ice Cream:
  “[57:06] George Severis: And what do we have instead? The Museum of Ice Cream.”

---

Conclusion

This episode of StraightioLab offers a nuanced critique of contemporary cultural trends, particularly the emergence of Instagram-friendly museums that prioritize aesthetics over substance. Through engaging dialogue and sharp social commentary, George, Sam, and Esther Fallick explore how these trends reflect broader societal shifts towards commodification and superficial engagement. Additionally, the discussion on acting and photography as defining art forms underscores the complex interplay between performance, identity, and cultural expression in today's media landscape.

Listeners are left with a critical lens to evaluate the cultural institutions they support and a deeper appreciation for authentic artistic endeavors that resist the confines of commodified experiences.

Transcript

[George Severis]

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[Sam Taggart]

Every day our world gets a little.

[Esther Falak]

More connected, but a little further apart.

[George Severis]

But then there are moments that remind.

[Sam Taggart]

Us to be more human.

[Esther Falak]

Thank you for calling Amica Insurance.

[George Severis]

Hey, I was just in an accident.

[Esther Falak]

Don't worry, we'll get you taken care of.

[George Severis]

At Ameca, we understand that looking out for each other isn't new or groundbreaking.

[Esther Falak]

It's human.

[George Severis]

Ameca empathy is our best policy. Where'd you get those shoes? Easy.

[Ryan Seacrest]

They're from dsw.

[George Severis]

Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make.

[Nick Chubb]

Office hours feel like happy hour, the.

[George Severis]

Boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off the many sides of you from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between.

[Nick Chubb]

Because you do it all in really great shoes.

[George Severis]

Find a shoe for every you at.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Sam Taggart]

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[Esther Falak]

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[George Severis]

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[Esther Falak]

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[Sam Taggart]

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[Esther Falak]

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[Sam Taggart]

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[George Severis]

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[Esther Falak]

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[Sam Taggart]

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[George Severis]

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[Esther Falak]

Hooty Hoo and Happy New Year. Today we are re releasing one of our favorite episodes from this past year with our dear friend Esther Falick. Because it was just named one of the top comedy moments of the year by Vulture in New York Magazine. And to be more specific, it was actually something Esther said on the episode that was named one of the top comedy moments of the year. But of course, we are taking credit for it because, you know, we're the ones who provided her the platform to say it, which is actually more important if you think about it. So there you go. Thank you, Jason P. Frank, for including it in the list. Thank you, Vulture, as always, and enjoy. Go see Esther live in 2025. Go follow her on all platforms. Have a lovely New Year's Eve. And we will be back with new episodes starting next week. And if you're in San Francisco, don't forget to buy tickets to our first live show of the year on January 17th at Cobbs Comedy Club in San Francisco for SF Sketchfest. It's going to be an incredible show. We can't wait to see you. You can find the ticket link on our Instagram bio or on the Cobbs Comedy Club website, and it's going to be amazing. See you there. Love you. Happy New Year.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, podcast starts now.

[Esther Falak]

Wow. You know, we were just talking about the whole thing of Jeremy Strong at some point in the last two years, saying the word dramaturgically.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

And then everyone suddenly being like, what the hell is this f slur on about?

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. They tore him to shreds for saying the word.

[Esther Falak]

He's an actor. That's like if you went to a business meeting and someone was like, does anyone have the, you know, metrics? And you were like, the hell is wrong with you? And then you started chasing him with spears.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, we value anti intellectualism in this country in a way that is disgusting.

[Esther Falak]

It's also like, what. What do you think makes him such a good actor? It's the fact that he's insane and went to Juilliard.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, people are like, no, he's a good actor because he's on tv.

[Esther Falak]

No, no, no. You're thinking of Priyanka Chopra.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Not everyone's Priyanka Chopra. Do you?

[Esther Falak]

Yes.

[Nick Chubb]

Do you think acting is an art? Go.

[Esther Falak]

I do.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh.

[Esther Falak]

And in fact, the older I get, the more I think maybe it's the only art in an overly media saturated environment where everything is mediated and everyone is performing. I am sort of like, actors were so ahead of their time by being completely fake and full of shit.

[Nick Chubb]

Sure.

[Esther Falak]

Because now that is actually the only thing you can do to survive in this economy.

[Nick Chubb]

So you're saying that even when someone is a kind of artist. Now. They are, in a sense, an actor performing the role of that artist.

[Esther Falak]

Actors are what Internet users are based on. Do you know what I mean?

[Nick Chubb]

No, I know what you mean.

[Esther Falak]

It's like when you're writing an email, it's in a long tradition that goes back to, you know, the Rosetta Stone Scroll. Shakespeare.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

And yes. You're not. Listen, I'm not saying your email is gonna win a Pulitzer, but if it weren't for all of that history, you could not write an email that said, can I have this by eod.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

And in this similar way, acting, you know, the Stella Adler method, Juilliard, Shakespeare, whatever, all of that was needed for people to now be, like, unboxing my fit fat fun box. Cause otherwise, how would they know what to do?

[Nick Chubb]

No, they wouldn't know how to say that. They wouldn't know how to perform that and how to live in that.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. And I think, like, in each era almost, there's a certain art form that defines that era.

[George Severis]

I actually.

[Esther Falak]

I think almost like post war, it was visual art. It was like painting new ways of seeing. Whatever. I think there have been times in the past where the defining art form is writing.

[Nick Chubb]

Sure.

[Esther Falak]

And everyone is rallying around the new hot book. And I think now the defining art form of our era, unfortunately, I'm not saying I agree with it, is acting.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. That's tough for me. Cause I don't know if I do value it as an art.

[Esther Falak]

So here's a question for you. Do you value photography as an art?

[Nick Chubb]

Great question.

[Esther Falak]

Because that's the other one that defines our era. Because when you post a photo of a croissant that is basically based on, you know, Nan Golden.

[Nick Chubb]

Right. You're in a language. You're having a conversation with the past, present, and future.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, exactly.

[Nick Chubb]

I guess. Yeah. I guess I consider photography an art more so.

[Esther Falak]

More so than acting.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

That's interesting. Do you think photography and acting. Which one is straighter and which one's gayer?

[Nick Chubb]

Acting is gayer. Photography is straighter. Maybe that's why I respect it more.

[Esther Falak]

It's interesting. I think. Of course, that's like. I get exactly where you're coming from to sort of push back on it as an intellectual exercise.

[Nick Chubb]

Of course.

[Esther Falak]

Photography is so voyeuristic.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

You know, it's gay guy in the corner.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Being like, they don't know that. I read. Yeah. But I'm gonna take a photo of this party, and it's gonna have an air of melancholy.

[Nick Chubb]

I'm invisible. And yet I'm invisible.

[Esther Falak]

And yet I am the I. Yeah. And then acting is so action based that it's sort of like a guy swinging his dick around.

[Nick Chubb]

But I feel like that's exactly why.

[Esther Falak]

Why it's gay. Because it's a gay guy swinging his dick. That's interesting.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. And I feel like the photographer is such a straight. Like that moody straight guy.

[Esther Falak]

American Beauty.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Don't look at me. Don't look at me. But I need you all to. I still need to have the highest status here. Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Photographers are incels and they think they.

[Nick Chubb]

Are seeing the world correctly.

[Esther Falak]

Right. Whereas actors have no subjectivity and need lines in order to even know what to say.

[Nick Chubb]

And to be worshipped and adored.

[Esther Falak]

Worshiped and adored. Poly, bisexual, of course. All right. I think I'm. I think you're winning me over.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow, that's nice.

[Esther Falak]

Should we bring in our guest trained actress and photographer?

[Nick Chubb]

I think that could be an amazing idea.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. Am I rushing?

[Nick Chubb]

No, no. I'm trying to think if there's anything else. I mean, it's a intro, then.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, then we. We can keep going.

[Nick Chubb]

But I actually think to not bring her in now would be so toxic.

[Esther Falak]

Okay.

[Nick Chubb]

Can you imagine?

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. Well, I just feel like, you know, there are other intros where we spend 15 minutes trying to get to a point where we're debating whether acting or photography is gay or straight. And the fact that we got there so fast, I'm like, let's celebrate by basically throwing a party in the form of inviting one more person to our conversation.

[Nick Chubb]

I think that's such a beautiful idea.

[Esther Falak]

Thank you. Please welcome our friend, Esther Falak.

[George Severis]

Hello. Hi. Hi.

[Esther Falak]

So right off the bat, Esther, what is your take on everything that has been said so far?

[George Severis]

I'm so glad you asked because it's been really hard for me and I could sense that.

[Esther Falak]

I could sense that. I could sense that.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, we're sort of baiting you.

[George Severis]

I'm thinking about words that have been in my mind recently. Object and subject.

[Esther Falak]

The way those two words are on my mind 24 7. You know what I'm saying?

[George Severis]

Because I think what we're saying here is, is that I think in acting, you're insisting upon. You're turning yourself into the object.

[Esther Falak]

Yes. Correct.

[George Severis]

In photograph. No, wait. Sorry, you're.

[Esther Falak]

Sorry. You're the subject.

[George Severis]

You're the subject. Wait, no, wait. No. In photography.

[Esther Falak]

In photography, you're looking for subjects.

[George Severis]

You're. No, Wait, no. Aren't. No. In acting, you're the object. Wait, but you're the subject of photography because it's like.

[Esther Falak]

But the photographer is not the subject. His subject is the subject.

[George Severis]

Or sorry, no, because the photographer is like. Like, oh, shit. I guess I don't know what these.

[Esther Falak]

No, but guess what?

[Nick Chubb]

It came so hot.

[Esther Falak]

But you've opened a door.

[George Severis]

But I've opened a door.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, here's two.

[George Severis]

I guess I do know that.

[Nick Chubb]

Subject and object.

[Esther Falak]

Subject and object.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, so they're not mutually exclusive.

[Esther Falak]

Let's go back to basics. Subject and object. Which one to you is straighter and which one is gayer?

[George Severis]

I mean, object is gayer. Yeah, Right. Because, like, the way is an object. Like, you're, like, the form being, like, acted upon.

[Nick Chubb]

Absolutely.

[George Severis]

And so that's why photographer, I feel like, is a subject. They're the subject because they're like. They're, like, capturing the object.

[Esther Falak]

So it's a misnomer to call the subject of the photograph the subject of the photograph. I mean, they're the object. Without the photographer, they would just be like a literal, random person sitting on a stool right in the middle of a room.

[George Severis]

Which is why it's correct, frankly, that we were saying he for photographer.

[Esther Falak]

Yes, exactly. Because.

[George Severis]

And we were saying she for actor.

[Esther Falak]

Right. Because to have agency, that's sort of masculine.

[George Severis]

Of course, in this culture.

[Nick Chubb]

In this culture, I didn't build this world.

[George Severis]

No, sure.

[Esther Falak]

Women have tried to have agency. Have not seen one succeed yet. And then an actress.

[Nick Chubb]

Yes, Yes.

[Esther Falak]

I actually think, you know how sometimes a serious woman actor will say actor. Like, as, you know, Charlize as an actor. I actually think women should say actress and men should also say actress. I want to see Robert De Niro say, you know, as a young actress, I really felt like Marty understood what I was trying to say.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Nick Chubb]

That would be so amazing.

[George Severis]

And then we could have five. It could be like, best.

[Esther Falak]

Exactly.

[George Severis]

Best butch.

[Esther Falak]

Best femme. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Best mask. They should have the ride. We could have, like, best high femme performance of the year.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, I would love that, actually, to not necessarily get rid of gendered categories, but interpret gender through a more queer lens.

[George Severis]

Exactly. Genitals, get them out of there.

[Esther Falak]

Genitals, get them out of there. And it's just like, are you butch? Are you femme? High femme. Soft. Butch.

[George Severis]

Yes. Yes.

[Nick Chubb]

Best supporting bottom.

[Esther Falak]

Best supporting bottle.

[George Severis]

Best supporting bottom. I was gonna say we can do Twink.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Bear.

[George Severis]

Bear.

[Esther Falak]

And bear is like, we're not talking with the Oscars.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

No, no, no. And when you say bear, it's not like we're talking about, like, a hairy man, like, Judi Dench can give a bear good actress. You know, I think Judi Dench could give a bear performance. I think. I think Charlize could give a bear performance. I don't think Anne Hathaway.

[George Severis]

Do you think Cate Blanchett, like, is she, like, giving bear performance?

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, tar, I would argue, is a bear.

[Esther Falak]

Tar is a bear performance.

[George Severis]

Tar is a bear performance.

[Esther Falak]

Whereas I think. Here's what I'll say. The whale twink performance.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

Like, tearing up right now.

[Nick Chubb]

That's so groundbreaking.

[Esther Falak]

Despite what's on the scale. That's not what it's about. No, the performance. Twink performance.

[Nick Chubb]

Such a twink performance.

[George Severis]

And that's the thing. It's like. I think Darren Aronofsky, frankly, was filming it like a bear performance.

[Esther Falak]

And that is why he. That is his flaw as a director in that specific moment.

[George Severis]

Exactly. But Brendan Fraser, I mean, he understood the twink.

[Esther Falak]

He understood the twink.

[George Severis]

He brought the twink.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Whoa.

[Nick Chubb]

That's kind of crazy.

[George Severis]

Yeah. It's why there's, like, something salvageable about that movie. The first five minutes made me want to throw up out of, like, disgust for how abhorrent it was.

[Esther Falak]

No, it is. Absolutely. It's actually a completely abhorrent movie. And yet I am on record as saying I was on a plane when I watched it and I cried.

[George Severis]

I cried.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow. I haven't seen the movie yet.

[Esther Falak]

You know, something actually, like, run, don't walk. It's very twink for something to be abhorrent and yet make you cry. Yeah, I do. Not to really dig so deep into this bit that Web run into the. Well, it needs to be brought. Well, first of all, obviously, Madame Web. But also what I was thinking is, you know, this episode will probably come out around the Oscars, and I was thinking, is there a way to sort of use this new vocabulary we have created to think about the best performance of the year?

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

Like, is Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer performance. I would say soft butch.

[George Severis]

I was gonna say lesbian, for sure.

[Esther Falak]

Lesbian.

[George Severis]

Lesbian, for sure. That's obvious. Yeah. Yeah. You weren't even asking that.

[Esther Falak]

No. Yeah. That's not. If you think he's doing gay guy performance, you literally need to go back to the American Film Academy.

[Nick Chubb]

But it's not straight guy either. I think this is a really lesbian thing.

[Esther Falak]

It's lesbian. I think the. Is it. I would say it's more soft butch than high femme. To me.

[George Severis]

I think you're. I think you're Right. I actually think you nailed it. I don't think I have much more to say. Like, it's soft butch. It's like.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, it's maybe not. It doesn't make good podcast material. Just fully agree with you. But yeah, I agree.

[George Severis]

Or honestly, it's even giving a little. Like, it's frankly giving a little afab non binary. Like the poetry reading.

[Esther Falak]

100%.

[George Severis]

You know what I mean?

[Nick Chubb]

The little hat.

[George Severis]

The little hat. The little hat. Yeah. So, you know, that's certainly something for your listeners to explore further as they take this episode.

[Esther Falak]

Well, that could be a really huge win for representation if an AFAB non binary performance wins best actor.

[George Severis]

Oh, my God.

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, that would be so groundbreaking. Which is also probably why we loved Oppenheimer.

[Esther Falak]

We loved Oppenheimer. We really loved Oppenheimer.

[George Severis]

Did you?

[Nick Chubb]

Yes, we do. We stan Oppenheimer.

[George Severis]

Okay, so I loved the first hour because that's all I saw, because I saw it because no one knows how to project film anymore. And it was. When I saw it, it was like.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, it was like, moving around.

[George Severis]

Like, moving around.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, wow.

[George Severis]

So I, like, got my money back, and then I just, like, never found another time.

[Esther Falak]

Was it in New York City?

[George Severis]

So powerful a theater. Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Well, spoiler alert. Union Square.

[Esther Falak]

It goes south. Just in terms of. As a film, I think it soars then I'd rather. But he does create a bomb.

[Nick Chubb]

It's complicated because he succeeds. He succeeds, but at what cost?

[Esther Falak]

At what cost?

[Nick Chubb]

So that's where it's kind of messy as a narrative, and that's where we.

[George Severis]

Get back into soft, butch territory.

[Esther Falak]

Well, I know. Is it problematic to say that, like, that performance is soft butch AFAB non binary, when in fact it is someone who has created so much destruction in the world? Are we being almost, like, conservative by being like, oh, yeah, Oppenheimer, known for murdering so many people through his inventions, sort of is a trans narrative.

[Nick Chubb]

You know, I think we should have a world where fab non binary can be bad.

[George Severis]

Exactly. We can't put them on a pedestal where, like, fab non binary people will never cause worldwide discourse.

[Esther Falak]

They could invent a bomb. Could invent a bomb.

[Nick Chubb]

Better than many others.

[Esther Falak]

Better than many.

[George Severis]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Period.

[Esther Falak]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, wait, I have something. Okay, first two things. Do we want to say what Dakota Johnson's performance was?

[Esther Falak]

Madame Webb.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Well, okay, so Esther has not seen Madame Web yet, but wants to, so we're not mad at her for not having seen it.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, we'll see it by the Way, I haven't seen the whale, but that doesn't mean I can't comment.

[George Severis]

Exactly.

[Esther Falak]

Well, of course. But unlike the whale, you know, Madame Web is a nuanced portrayal of a woman that is discovering her powers.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, it's really amazing.

[Esther Falak]

Madame Web, I certainly think, and I will try not to spoil anything when she becomes Madame Web with the glasses. That is high femme.

[Nick Chubb]

I think it is a. It's specifically 30 something gay guy performance.

[George Severis]

Oh, interesting.

[Nick Chubb]

I think it's so, like. I don't know, like it's so bored.

[Esther Falak]

It's the drag race contestant that thinks they're above it.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

Hmm. What about this? Is it bisexual woman?

[Esther Falak]

Well, so that was actually my first thing. So here's my first insight.

[George Severis]

Bisexual CIS woman. Of course.

[Esther Falak]

Obviously, Madam Web is cis.

[George Severis]

If you were to come here and try to convince me, I would actually.

[Esther Falak]

Make you leave the studio. There has never been a more CIS woman.

[Nick Chubb]

Adam Web. Cis.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

So I think my instinct was to be like, before she discovers her powers, it's bisexual CIS woman who's in denial about her sexuality. And then she has her powers. And that means she's bisexual but still married to a man.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Well, that was sort of her whole deal, that character where it was like, I have powers. Sort of. She never really had powers. Spoiler alert.

[George Severis]

So what I understand about her powers is that she can see sort of in the future, kind of.

[Esther Falak]

Sort of. And the sort of is key.

[George Severis]

Okay, okay, okay. Well, so isn't that a queer narrative? Like when you begin to understand your queerness, like, suddenly you're like, oh, I can envision a future for myself.

[Esther Falak]

Wow. So it's a coming out narrative.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

She couldn't. She was like.

[George Severis]

She was like molecule or something.

[Esther Falak]

Like, she's mother.

[George Severis]

She's not. Okay.

[Esther Falak]

But mother can also be mean. A lot of things mean a lot of things. I mean, she could be just like an older lesbian that has a younger, you know, daughter. Daughter.

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, the character was kind of giving Ace in a big way.

[George Severis]

Oh, that's interesting.

[Esther Falak]

Well, she doesn't have a love interest, which is key. And she actually has a male best friend that is in no asexual. And it's Adam Scott.

[George Severis]

I'm gonna cry. Yeah. Wow.

[Esther Falak]

I think girl being best friends with Adam Scott is a little Ace.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, I think so.

[George Severis]

Little Ace, isn't it?

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Huh.

[Esther Falak]

I actually think Adam Scott, who I am on record as finding hot, and I don't think he himself is Ace as a person, but I think his energy is Ace. There's something like safe.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, the media treats him. Ace.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

Even when I said I found him hot, everyone we were with was almost like, wanted to punch me in the face.

[George Severis]

They started revving up.

[Nick Chubb]

I was scared. Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

This has been. I've learned so much.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay. The other thing I wanted to talk about, which is maybe boring potentially, I think in the same way that slay had its moment of post. Post irony, whatever. I think period is in that now.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Wow. Interesting.

[Nick Chubb]

I actually used to be like, you know, period is like. Like, I was almost like. I don't say. Like, that's too. And now I'm like, there's distance from it.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Where it, to me is such a funny punctuation now.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

And I'm kind of addicted to it.

[George Severis]

I know. And I actually feel like. Like, slay and period were kind of some of the first ones that I feel like I understood really how to say, like, you know what I mean? And the fact I'm, like, grieving them.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. That was your Madame Web moment.

[George Severis]

That was my Madame Web moment. You know, and that's why a future.

[Esther Falak]

Where you could say, slay.

[George Severis]

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Amazing.

[George Severis]

Like, you know, I went to musical theater school and not to open a can of worms. I went to musical theater school. And people were saying, like, gorge at that time.

[Nick Chubb]

That's tough.

[George Severis]

And I didn't. I. It was like code to me. Like, it was so baffling. I was like, gorge. Like. How do you say gorge? You know what I mean? But, like, slaying period, I was like, yeah, like that in my body. I understand that.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

And now it's gone. Like, how do y'all deal with that?

[Esther Falak]

I mean, there are certain words. I feel actually this way about darling, where I keep so many years into my life as an out and proud gay man, period. I keep being like, maybe this is the time darling will stick for me. Like, I'll say hello to someone and be like, hi, darling. And it never sounds correct. Never.

[Nick Chubb]

Darling. No, I can't say darling. That's a different style. My lingo. It's like, I can't do that. You want to be an old gay guy.

[George Severis]

Yeah. When you get a little gray, When.

[Esther Falak]

I get a little bit.

[George Severis]

Darling's gonna be fantastic on you.

[Nick Chubb]

It takes time to earn your stripes.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. I do see it for you.

[George Severis]

Absolutely.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

I think if the impulse is there, it's because it's there. It's there, you know?

[Esther Falak]

But I haven't had my Madame Web moment of, like, Seeing a future in which it could.

[Nick Chubb]

Darling, is your gorgeous. Where you're like, I see it, I hear it, but it's not for me.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Do you feel like now you can say gorge.

[George Severis]

No, no.

[Esther Falak]

That just did not happen.

[George Severis]

So I'm feeling actually very like. What's the opposite of scene, right?

[Nick Chubb]

Invisible.

[George Severis]

I'm feeling invisible right now.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

That's tough.

[Nick Chubb]

That's amazing.

[George Severis]

No, I'm just kidding. I feel seen.

[Esther Falak]

This is your Invisible Girl moment, rather than. Is that the one from the Incredibles? Invisigl.

[George Severis]

Invisigl.

[Esther Falak]

Invisigirl. Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Well, to buy. It's a sort of spectrum between Madame Web and Invisigirl.

[George Severis]

Exactly.

[Esther Falak]

Madame Web. Not only are you seen and being. Being seen and seeing, but you can see different time periods, different futures, different.

[George Severis]

Oh, my God.

[Esther Falak]

Invisigre. Girl sees all. Sees all.

[Nick Chubb]

Sort of connects all connects all her web.

[Esther Falak]

Us all.

[Nick Chubb]

All of us.

[George Severis]

What are some words that you say?

[Nick Chubb]

What are some words that I say? Well, I have, like, a period I have been able to say recently because I feel there's enough distance from actually saying it.

[George Severis]

Stripped.

[Nick Chubb]

An irony.

[Esther Falak]

I do think Queen is just grandfathered and we say Queen every time we start a text conversation. It's hate Queen.

[George Severis]

Yeah. That's a classic. I think Queen will never die.

[Esther Falak]

I agree.

[George Severis]

Long live the Queen.

[Nick Chubb]

Long live the Queen. Hopefully.

[Esther Falak]

I actually had a moment.

[Nick Chubb]

What are some words I say? That's such a great question.

[Esther Falak]

Someone we know? I believe it might have been Jess. Tom posted that he doesn't like when CIS people say King to him. And I was actually thinking about this and I was like, I wonder if here's what's going on in my head. Let's say I'm talking to someone, maybe a trans masc person. My instinct is, as with every. I call everyone Queen, so my instinct is to be like, hey, Queen. Then I will, in that micro moment, catch myself and be like, well, they probably don't want to be referred to as Queen. And so then I will switch it fast to King. But then that actually is worse because it sounds so condescending. And it's you being like, yeah, I'm affirming you.

[George Severis]

I'm affirming you.

[Esther Falak]

And I really. I had to sit with that. I almost texted Jessica, but then I was like, that's not gonna.

[Nick Chubb]

Hey, sorry, by the way.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, I was like. I was like, wait, I have to start this conversation. I was being very like straight woman who learns about issues for the first time. And I was like, wow, you really never stop learning.

[George Severis]

You never stop learning. I can actually speak to this, Please. I had a good friend of mine who. She's a CIS woman, and I'm not gonna say who she is, but she's been on Broadway.

[Nick Chubb]

Patti LuPone.

[George Severis]

Yeah, it's Patty. Yes, it's Patty.

[Esther Falak]

It's. Who's. What's her. Oh, my God. Why am I blinking? Who's now in Sweeney?

[George Severis]

Sutton Foster.

[Esther Falak]

Sutton Foster.

[George Severis]

Sutton Foster.

[Esther Falak]

I would love it if it came out that Sutton Foster was a huge terf.

[George Severis]

Oh, my. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised.

[Esther Falak]

Okay, I won't.

[George Severis]

But I'm just like, I know it. I bet.

[Esther Falak]

So you know a Broadway actress.

[George Severis]

So I know a Broadway actress.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, congrats.

[George Severis]

And okay, so I have this. She at one point, like, early ish in my transition, maybe like six months, she was someone who was always, like, very supportive and, you know, like, actually not like, people who were like, you know, there on the day I came out and being like, so proud of my friend.

[Esther Falak]

Let's check in it for years.

[George Severis]

Yeah, Right.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

But at one point on the phone, she, like, called me dude and she was like, oh, shit, I'm so sorry. But I didn't feel it. I didn't take it as a microaggression or anything like that because, like, I had been friends with her long enough. I had seen that she doesn't. She had never called me dude until I came out as a woman.

[Esther Falak]

Wow.

[George Severis]

She calls all of her girlfriends.

[Esther Falak]

She calls all her girlfriends dude.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

She doesn't call men dude.

[Esther Falak]

No, this is. Yeah.

[George Severis]

So like, I and I. There is a bit of a. To bring it back to Spider man, like Sixth Sense. Like a spidey sense like you. I can't speak for everyone.

[Esther Falak]

You know when the word dude is meant as offensive and when it's not.

[George Severis]

Oh, my God.

[Esther Falak]

Of course.

[George Severis]

I mean, I can. I know when someone gendering me correctly is, like, aggressive is doing it in quotes. Yeah, yeah, just like. I mean, sometimes, like, my pronouns are she, her, and I do know. Like. Like, there's like some they's that feel aggressive. You know what I'm saying? I mean, probably your queen not to.

[Esther Falak]

I should hope so.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

I think probably will not read as offensive.

[George Severis]

No.

[Esther Falak]

Why? Yes. I don't. Well, that's the thing, of course, is like, no one is gonna be like, wait, queen? So you think I'm a woman, Right? No one is gonna say that. But, you know, sometimes.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, someone might.

[George Severis]

Someone might.

[Esther Falak]

That's true.

[George Severis]

Someone might. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good point.

[Esther Falak]

You never know that one thing. You never know. Oh, honey. I'll go to a college campus. Can't say anything anymore.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, my God, I'm so sensitive.

[Esther Falak]

Can't even call you the queen.

[George Severis]

Oh, say that.

[Esther Falak]

That part that we have been really good with. Well, that part I can't pull off.

[Nick Chubb]

I can't pull off that part.

[Esther Falak]

But say that. No, no, no.

[George Severis]

And I also like boots.

[Nick Chubb]

Boots is complicated, too.

[Esther Falak]

Boots is complicated.

[George Severis]

Boots are complicated.

[Esther Falak]

Boots are complicated.

[Nick Chubb]

I was thinking. I'm feeling so insane suddenly, whenever we.

[Esther Falak]

Do three recordings in a row, I'm.

[George Severis]

Like, oh, my God.

[Nick Chubb]

I'm like, there hasn't been a good song about boots in a while.

[George Severis]

That's actually.

[Nick Chubb]

This is something I've been feeling in my heart.

[George Severis]

Wait, that's not insane.

[Esther Falak]

Wait. Okay. These bats are made for walking.

[George Severis]

Really powerful.

[Nick Chubb]

And put on your boots.

[Esther Falak]

Put on your boots.

[Nick Chubb]

Your sexy boots.

[George Severis]

I mean, this is a bad one, but, I mean, rest in piss. Maybe we'll put a boot in your ass. It's American way.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. Oh. So boots have become conservative. Well, I guess they've always.

[Nick Chubb]

We need a boot song.

[Esther Falak]

We need a feminist.

[George Severis]

Feminist boot song.

[Nick Chubb]

You know, Chapel Roan should do it when she does a boot song. It'll be great.

[George Severis]

Yeah, I think that's really insightful. Yeah, I think that's really insightful.

[Esther Falak]

I could even see an Ethel Kane.

[George Severis]

So I'm actually a little scared that, like. Well, I think we might be past the point of boot song because, like, it reads a little consumerist, frankly. It's like, why are we going to be empowered by.

[Nick Chubb]

This is my footwear.

[George Severis]

By footwear. Right? Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Empowered by footwear in this economy? I don't think so.

[George Severis]

Unless it's like, you know, but the.

[Nick Chubb]

Boots are a symbol.

[George Severis]

The boots are a symbol.

[Nick Chubb]

They're your armor.

[Esther Falak]

Or what if it's post ironic and the album is literally called Empowered by Footwear, and it's about how we can never be fulfilled by footwear.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Oh, wow. It's a commentary that actually.

[Esther Falak]

Okay. Who would release Empowered by Footwear? Because I actually don't think that's chaperone anymore.

[Nick Chubb]

That's footwear.

[George Severis]

I mean, I can imagine, like, Katy Perry trying.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

It's like, girl.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, come on.

[Nick Chubb]

That's very chained to the rhythm.

[Esther Falak]

It's very chained to the rhythm.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Okay. It's Katy Perry. Well, she needs a. She's. We've been, you know, I mean, due for a comeback.

[Nick Chubb]

She could do that. Or a normal boot Song. Or she could have a boot song and it would be fun.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

A boots concept album where each song is a different take on boots and.

[George Severis]

What they can do to you could be big. Kind of like those old. Those. Those Christmas albums with the Keith Haring. Like that.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

There's literally no good art anymore, period.

[George Severis]

That part.

[Esther Falak]

It's actually crazy.

[George Severis]

It's really crazy.

[Esther Falak]

Wait, we need to do our first segment because I'm actually so eager to.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, I also have one more thing to answer your question of what am I saying now? Okay, I have one. I have an answer. Also going hog. I've combined going hog wild and going ham into just saying going hog, and I actually love it.

[George Severis]

You dropped my draw with that one. Damn. Wow, that's really cool.

[Nick Chubb]

You always have to be inventing.

[George Severis]

I do have one more and I'm trying to use. Well, yes. Oh, we've been doing George.

[Nick Chubb]

You're really good at it.

[George Severis]

Thank you.

[Nick Chubb]

You do it subtly, tastefully.

[George Severis]

I actually do feel like if I haven't vocally warmed up, it might not because you kind of gotta get up there. You have to flip a little bit.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, yes, the musical theater training.

[George Severis]

Exactly.

[Esther Falak]

That was actually a really good one.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. That's kind of scary. Do you ever see someone with training and you're like, oh, I shouldn't try?

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, let's do it for a segment.

[George Severis]

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[Sam Taggart]

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[George Severis]

Hey, what's up guys? I'm Fred Warner, linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers. The holidays get really busy for me, but I still want to pull up to events looking my freshest. Abercrombie's latest drop of party looks is taking me through the season for date nights, hanging out with the fellas and even New Year's Eve. They have outfits for every occasion. I'm big on sweater polos and trousers with a wool blend coat over top.

[Sam Taggart]

For those really fancy holiday events. Abercrombie has suiting options too.

[George Severis]

Shop Abercrombie for every night out.

[Ryan Seacrest]

If you use paper, you're a human. But if you choose paper, you're a papertarian, someone who lives a paper based lifestyle because it has a positive impact on the planet and also because it's the easiest choice you'll make all day. Seriously, it's as easy as reaching for boxed instead of bottled water. It's as easy as opting for beauty products that come in paper packaging. It's as easy as grabbing eggs in a cardboard container. And that's all in one trip to the grocery store. Which, if we're being honest, you were planning to go to anyway. But paper isn't just an easy choice. Papertarians know that. It's the smart choice too, because paper comes from trees, a renewable and sustainably managed resource, and paper products are designed to be recycled. In fact, fact, when you choose products that come in paper based packaging, those fibers can go on to be recycled up to seven times. So why wouldn't you go papertarian? I'll wait. Learn more at howlifeunfolds.com Papertarian hey, it's.

[George Severis]

Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. This holiday season make sure you set aside time for self care now through December 31st. Shop in store and online for participating self care products and get four times points to use for discounts on future grocery and gas purchases. Stock up on self care favorites like Pantene Shampoo, Gillette Fusion and Proglide razors, Tampax Tampons, Aussie Base, Hairspray and Pampers Swaddlers diapers offer ends December 31st. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Esther Falak]

Our first segment, Esther, 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. And the one rule is you can't ask any follow up about how the game works. And if you do, we will get violent.

[George Severis]

Okay. Okay.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Lot of threats today.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, okay. Ms. Congeniality or Ms. Kirstiale?

[George Severis]

Ms. Kirstiale.

[Esther Falak]

Bringing a gun to a knife fight or having some fun with the wife tonight?

[George Severis]

Bringing a gun to a knife fight. Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Mm. Okay. Following up.

[Esther Falak]

Up.

[Nick Chubb]

Circling back or looping you in.

[George Severis]

Clowing up. Circling back or looping you in? Circling back.

[Esther Falak]

Walk the Line by Johnny Cash or. You look fine except for that rash.

[George Severis]

You look fine except for that rash.

[Nick Chubb]

Moisturizer or womanizer. Womanizer. Womanizer. Womanizer.

[George Severis]

Womanizer. Womanizer. Womanizer. Womanizer.

[Esther Falak]

Beyonce going country or my fiance's being cunty.

[George Severis]

My fiance's being cunty.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay. Being deflowered or being empowered and. Yeah, they're different.

[George Severis]

Ooh.

[Esther Falak]

Who's arguing that they're the same?

[Nick Chubb]

I am not.

[George Severis]

Being deflowered.

[Esther Falak]

Our father who art in heaven or My mother is 57.

[George Severis]

My mother is 57.

[Esther Falak]

Wow.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

That was a great performance.

[Nick Chubb]

I thought that was a really good performance.

[Esther Falak]

I'm trying to think. So we rank our guests from 0 to 1000 doves.

[George Severis]

Okay, you know what?

[Nick Chubb]

I'm. But here's what I'm dealing with.

[Esther Falak]

What is it?

[Nick Chubb]

You know, I thought that was an incredible performance. I want to say a thousand doves, but I feel like we've been so easy on our guests recently.

[Esther Falak]

I know. I've been thinking that too. Like, it really is. You know, there's an article today about Machiko Kakutani, the New York Times book critic who used to.

[George Severis]

I knew this would come up.

[Esther Falak]

Now, to be clear, I have not read this article, but I did see the headline and the subhead.

[Nick Chubb]

That's all about it.

[Esther Falak]

I believe that the argument is sort of like, she used to be such a harsh critic, and now she's gone soft. And I'm like, are we Kakutani ing?

[Nick Chubb]

We're Kakutani ing. I mean, we used to be Pitchfork in 2007, and now we're Pitchfork in 2024.

[Esther Falak]

We're literally Pitchfork in 2024, giving Taylor Swift's 8.2. 8.2.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna say a thousand doves.

[Esther Falak]

A thousand doves.

[George Severis]

Okay. Thank you so much.

[Esther Falak]

You caught us in our Kakutani, present day Machiko Kakutani era.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

Whoa.

[Nick Chubb]

Because we've been cruel in the past.

[George Severis]

We've been cruel in the past.

[Esther Falak]

We gave Chris Murphy, like a 300.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, he needed to do better.

[Esther Falak]

He needed to do better.

[Nick Chubb]

Look, people think, oh, you know, we're friendly. We see each other out. Oh, they won't give us a tough score. Yeah, we will.

[George Severis]

And I honestly, I was ready for whatever you brought. I was ready for whatever came. I was like, you know what? It's. I'm gonna survive.

[Esther Falak]

If there's one thing. If there's a negative thing I could point out in your performance, it's actually the lack of. You were so ready and so prepared that it almost felt like there was a lack of stakes. Because I was like, nothing I will say will make you confused or make you sort of like, you know, like Flounder.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Wow. So you're saying there was no danger?

[Esther Falak]

It was a little bit like, you know, this is sort of how I felt about the movie. Past Lives. I felt like, yes, I understood what it was trying to do, and I thought it was great, and I thought Greta Lee was great, but it had a bit too tighty of a bow on it where I was like, I know exactly what it's doing and where it's going. And I think potentially you gave a Past Lives performance.

[Nick Chubb]

How does that make you feel?

[George Severis]

That makes me feel I have something to work on. I have something to work on. And I think that that's really cool.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

You know what I mean?

[Nick Chubb]

That's amazing.

[Esther Falak]

And I think what it is is Greta Lee, again, someone I love and someone whose performance I love, didn't ultimately get nominated for the Oscar. So I think what you're dealing with is a performance that is critically acclaimed that everyone loved, but that didn't make the cut.

[George Severis]

And everyone's saying, like, what's her next outing?

[Esther Falak]

Exactly.

[George Severis]

What's her next outing? And they're looking back and they're like, wait, Greta Lee was in that? But this wasn't the one.

[Esther Falak]

It was sort of like Amy Adams and Junebug. Like, that was her first big performance.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Although she and Tark did get nominated.

[George Severis]

Sure.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Wait, Past Lives. Now that's straight culture.

[Esther Falak]

I have to agree.

[George Severis]

Can we talk about that?

[Esther Falak]

I have to agree. And again, I'm. You haven't seen it. Okay, okay, okay. No, I think it is straight culture. Not in a derogatory way. Just sort of like, it really is a quintessentially straight love story in a big.

[George Severis]

So I saw that it was one of my first dates with a previous partner of mine, who, of course, is non binary, and we were non monogamous.

[Esther Falak]

Wow. So congratulations.

[George Severis]

Thank you so much. So we were watching it, just being like, why don't they just. Just do the.

[Esther Falak]

No, it's just like, what? But I almost appreciate, like, there's something about the clear cut stakes and limitations of a straight love story that is what makes, you know, ancient Greek tragedy and Shakespeare so compelling.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Makes. It's awful, right?

[Esther Falak]

Honestly, if everyone was just poly in Romeo and Juliet, like, what's the point?

[George Severis]

It's like cell phones.

[Nick Chubb]

I was just about to say cell phones.

[George Severis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

I was like, cell phones.

[George Severis]

It's like too many movies would be ruined with polyamory.

[Esther Falak]

That is true.

[Nick Chubb]

They're gonna start having to do. Everything's a period piece set in 2003.

[Esther Falak]

Before polyamory is around, you know?

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, no polyamory, no cell phones. That way the movie can have some stakes.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, yeah. Okay. So I'm reading a book and this is actually sort of related to this. I'm reading a book. I won't say who it's by, but it's. No, no, it's by.

[George Severis]

You would know her.

[Esther Falak]

You would know her.

[Nick Chubb]

J.K. rowling.

[Esther Falak]

No, no closer to Sally Rooney than Jake. But honestly, I would say right down the middle. We can. We'll bleep it.

[Nick Chubb]

It's okay. Why do you want to keep her private? She's a public.

[Esther Falak]

Because I am about to criticize and.

[George Severis]

We all saw the Tina Fey clip.

[Nick Chubb]

Got it.

[Esther Falak]

Exactly. Basically, in this book, the main character is a mother and she has a, I believe, six year old child. And she refers to the child with they. Them pronouns. Not because the child has, like, come out as non binary. Just because this is a progressive mom who wants to refer to her child in that way. Until the child.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

Which is something that I quite literally agree with politically. I am on board. And yet I'm reading this book and I'm so aware of it that I'm like suddenly thinking too much about this mom character. I'm like, ugh, classic Portland mom. Classic. Like, I'm unable to see other elements of her because that is so jarring. And I think that is what the polyamory thing and the cell phone thing does to movies. You know what I mean?

[George Severis]

Wait, wait, when you see, what do you mean exactly? Like, it distracts you when it's not.

[Esther Falak]

No, it distracts me when it's like when she's saying, I change their diaper, it takes me a second to be like, oh, what? Oh, right. Oh, that's what she said.

[George Severis]

Right, right, right, right.

[Nick Chubb]

And polyamory in a film would take you out.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Oh, if it were. Yeah. If it were in a film, you'd be like, okay, we got it. Put your fingers on the pulse. Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

It would be about, like, polyamorous race car drivers. You'd only be able to focus on the poly part. Not the fact that they're race and.

[Esther Falak]

Not the fact that they're race, but this woman. Yes, that's a very good point. I think this is what I'm. Yes. Like, this woman is doing all this other stuff that is the actual plot of the book. And I keep, like, for one second too long thinking about, which is.

[George Severis]

That's interesting.

[Esther Falak]

Then I'm like, all right, so I'm conservative.

[Nick Chubb]

A little. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Or about to be.

[Esther Falak]

Or about to be.

[George Severis]

Or about to be.

[Esther Falak]

Maybe I'm having my Madame Web moment where I'm like, I'm voting for Ron Desantis anyway. Maybe we'll take that out.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, it's too bad, because I want to do a. I want to discuss the film about the polyamorous race car drivers.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

I just think, you know, the race car driver and the pit crew is all. Come on.

[George Severis]

I think they would. Well, it's either, like, they would win for every time because their love is so strong, there's no strikes, is so powerful.

[Nick Chubb]

They always win.

[George Severis]

Or they would always lose because they're always making out during the race. Stop kissing.

[Nick Chubb]

There is such a thing as too much love.

[George Severis]

Love is love, except. Except for at race car.

[Esther Falak]

That's the tagline. That's there. Her web connects model Love is love. Except at a race. Yeah. Damn. Well, God. Race car driving, really? You know how some things just are, like, almost too obvious of a commentary, like, for everyone to just be, like, eating hot dogs while watching fossil fuels being burned, and then the cars have, like, advertisements on them.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, not to be a bitch, but you sound like Portland mom right now.

[George Severis]

Uh huh huh. Yeah. What also are you. Do you start turning red when someone is an AI?

[Esther Falak]

And guess what? My child celiac is having a great time.

[Nick Chubb]

Should we get into the topic? Yes.

[Esther Falak]

Okay. Esther.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

What is your topic, and what do you think is straight about it?

[George Severis]

Okay. I'm so excited to be talking about this today. I'll tell you just really quickly, one of my rejected topics because I did a heavy vetting process before I arrived here today.

[Nick Chubb]

Who did you vet with yourself or not us.

[George Severis]

Yeah, me. Just me. Oh, wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Now that's Madame Web to be, like, having a conversation with another version.

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, you're Literally astral projecting and.

[George Severis]

Yes, yes. Okay, now I have that to look forward to. I didn't know that was an element.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, she can sort of split. No spoilers.

[Nick Chubb]

She does it once.

[Esther Falak]

She does it once. And honestly, like, not.

[George Severis]

Well, for now.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, Yeah. I can't wait.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

Yeah. Adam Sandler is certainly like one. You know what I mean? But. But that's. There's. What is there to say that hasn't been said, but. Well, a lot, actually, and probably a lot. And, you know, I'll just leave y'all with that tease and, you know, the people. But what I wanted to talk about was museums with slides in them.

[Esther Falak]

Right.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And so that's how I'm referring to this sort of catch all phenomenon of museums that, you know, the first level is these Instagram museums. Museum of Ice Cream. Now there's the Museum of Broadway. There's. There's like a balloon museum.

[Esther Falak]

Museum of Sex.

[George Severis]

Museum of Sex. Right.

[Esther Falak]

Believe it or not, you mentioned before.

[George Severis]

Yeah. So then you start getting into like, some of, like, 90s, like, experience economy, Ripley's Believe it or not, the Madame Tussauds, all of these, like, you know, 42nd street sort of things that, you know, we saw them as gauche then, but now they've been sort of classed up in this way for this certain, like, millennial, you know, email, job.

[Esther Falak]

Yes.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Consumer. And I'm just like, are you. What's. So these are your museums. You're afraid of culture. What you're afraid of history.

[Esther Falak]

To be living in New York City and even contemplate going to the Museum of Ice Cream. Literally get on the train and go to any museum.

[Nick Chubb]

It's so hard because to me, they seem fun. No, no, no, no, no. Don't put me in that box. I just can see how someone feels so lost and lonely that they would find themselves seeking out that culture where they would be like, I don't know who or what I am. And instead of sitting with that and trying to look inward, they're like, so I guess I'm gonna go to the Museum of Ice Cream.

[George Severis]

Well, you have a really big heart. You can see it that way.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

And I. Yeah, but what you're giving.

[George Severis]

Us, I mean, is what you're giving us. Don't yuck their yum.

[Nick Chubb]

No, I would never thank you for saying that. I would never ever say that in my life. I'm just saying there's something to me, there's like a sadness there, which I don't always feel. Empathetic. No, I pick and choose.

[George Severis]

I actually think that there's something there because I think about, like, you know, before I was a woman, I was a Disney adult.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, was that. So your transition also included letting go of your Disney adult past?

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, that's interesting.

[George Severis]

I mean, not that I like, you know, I mean, I still, like, kind of. I'm a musical theater person. It's like, you know, I still sort of love. What can I say? I love magic.

[Esther Falak]

Of course.

[George Severis]

Okay, guilty.

[Nick Chubb]

What is your relationship with Disney now? I have to know.

[George Severis]

I mean, my relationship with Disney now is I love musical theater, basically. Okay. And, you know, I love the Muppets.

[Esther Falak]

You love doing a Whole New World at karaoke?

[George Severis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I remember, like, one time. One time, I. In college, I was in a class my senior year called Disney's Lands. I had to write an essay to get in. There were, like, 20 people from the school. It was at University of Michigan. And they wanted one from all these different majors, all these different.

[Esther Falak]

Whoa. They got together an Infinity War cast in order to have different perspectives on Disney.

[George Severis]

On Disney. On specifically the theme parks.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

Like, there's, like, you know, people that are, like, business majors, architecture, art, history, like musical theater, you know, like, I.

[Esther Falak]

Knew someone who was a religious studies major whose thesis was on Disneyland as a religious space.

[George Severis]

Yeah, yeah. There's a Mecca.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And you walk around 100%.

[Esther Falak]

I mean, it's sort of like, well, that's one page. What did you write for the rest of it?

[George Severis]

That's a really good point.

[Nick Chubb]

And UBI is a God. Yeah, exactly. Pretty.

[George Severis]

One to one, Donald is job.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

But, like, we. I mean, as like, the culmination of the trip of the class, we went to Disney World and we, like, studied. We, like, talked about it and stuff. And I stayed one extra day, and I thought it would be kind of cool to be in the parks alone. But it was actually the loneliest night of my life.

[Esther Falak]

I'm gonna tell you something not shocking to me. I know that being in Disney World alone would make you feel lonely.

[Nick Chubb]

What was your fantasy?

[Esther Falak]

You're like, they're gonna tap me to be the new Cinderella.

[George Severis]

No, literally, I was like, they're gonna say, hey, you with the stars in your eyes. Like, you know, there's something magical about you.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. They're like, you can't sing, can you? And then you're like.

[George Severis]

I'd be like, funny, you ass. But, ahem. So all this to say there is. Is, like, the person who would Think that, like, a museum of ice cream would be, like, an enriching experience. They're a lonely person who doesn't know themselves yet.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, well, I was able to.

[Esther Falak]

I think you're also being optimistic because I think. Guess what? You're saying it's loneliness. You're saying they don't know themselves yet. What if that's just their personality and it's for good and there's no. And that just unfortunately there's a certain. Certain segment of the population that is museum of ice cream.

[Nick Chubb]

I don't know why I'm being so empathetic to this type of person.

[Esther Falak]

Well, no, I think I'm. And I'm not even, by the way. I'm not even like saying I believe this, but I do think that is.

[George Severis]

A perspective it's worth asking.

[Esther Falak]

And I also think all of this, the conversation we're having now is essentially the conversation that was happening about Trump voters after the 2016 election.

[Nick Chubb]

To me, it's so. To me, it's both. Honestly. It's like you're afraid. You're afraid of something. You're afraid of looking out of your element. You're afraid of like. Like art museums. But I never taught that in school. I'll look so stupid there.

[George Severis]

But you're also art museums. I mean, it's basically like you're going to look at these mirrors.

[Esther Falak]

Yes.

[George Severis]

They show you yourself.

[Esther Falak]

Well, if you can handle it.

[George Severis]

And that's exactly it. And that's exactly it.

[Esther Falak]

Or is it even the opposite? Is it the people that think they're so sophisticated because they're going to the Art of the Americas exhibit, are they even more looking into a mirror? Because they're so obsessed with being sophisticated that anything they see will just reflect back to I am smart.

[George Severis]

It's like, either it's like, are they. Are they wise mad men or are they mad wise men?

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow. Okay.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

I'm trying to turn it. I'm trying to. Okay. I'm trying to turn my perspective to be hateful towards these people.

[Esther Falak]

I think. I think your angle on it is something I hadn't considered before, which is we had these 90s early odds versions of this.

[Nick Chubb]

Right.

[Esther Falak]

Ripley's Believe it or Not, Madame Tussauds. Those are very self evidently lame now.

[George Severis]

Right.

[Esther Falak]

And this is updating that for the Instagram generation.

[George Severis]

Right.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, those also specifically were like, for families, in theory. It was like, my family's visiting this weird city and so what are we gonna do?

[George Severis]

Maybe it speaks to a sort of arrested development of a certain. Like, you know, we don't have houses. Right. Like millennials, like the first generation, you know, all this. So someone like, let's, you know, Amarni, right. Like she's just a perfect. I mean, truly a perfect character. Amarni, who never really had to look inward, might still enjoy the things from her youth, having not really grown up, but feel shame about that fact. And so look for something that sort of also flatters her aesthetically.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, interesting. So.

[Nick Chubb]

So we could own homes. We would not have.

[Esther Falak]

If they turn the Museum of Ice Cream into affordable housing.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

Then everyone will be flocking to the Whitney Biennial is what you're saying.

[George Severis]

That's exactly what I'm saying.

[Nick Chubb]

That actually does make sense.

[George Severis]

And we'd have thriving culture again. There's something about like it's all about rent.

[Nick Chubb]

It's all about rent.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Well, it's also how it's about what you expect out of escapism. Because it's like if you are so miserable in your day to day life, you want escapism to literally be like a 4 dx 3d movie. That makes you. That beats you into forgetting.

[Nick Chubb]

George bought us four DX tickets. When we saw Madame Web, it was actually a nightmare.

[Esther Falak]

It turned out fine. It turned out fine. We found the one row that wasn't mo. And it's not my fault.

[Nick Chubb]

We were about to have a heart attack because we were in a 4 dx theater getting sprayed with water and wind and being rocked out webs connecting us.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. Talk about the web. That connects them all.

[Nick Chubb]

That's the 40x seats.

[George Severis]

Wait, this is when I just. Are you going to hold your thought.

[Esther Falak]

Wait, let me remember it. Yes, go ahead.

[George Severis]

Okay. Okay. I saw Avatar the Way of Water in Screen X, which is the format. There were like 15 formats to see Avatar in. This was the one where they have like extra screen on the sides. So there's screen on three sides of you, but the screen on the sides was like rendered so poorly. It looked like a PS2 cut scene.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, no.

[George Severis]

It looked like a Windows screensaver. And so every time that it like I couldn't take the movie seriously every time that that happened.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. It is the only time I've seen it. It's truly one of my pet peeves is leave the film going experience alone 100%. It makes me so upset.

[George Severis]

Actually. This is connected to what we're saying.

[Esther Falak]

Yes.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, her web connects them all.

[Esther Falak]

Well, her web connects them all.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

So my original point was like, if you hate your life, there's no Social safety net. Donald Trump is president, or honestly, even Biden.

[George Severis]

Woo.

[Esther Falak]

Then you are looking for extreme forms of escapism. Whereas if you have everything you need. Need. You're living in Denmark. Then you actually have the space to interpret a painting because you have the peace of mind where you don't need to actually be, like, pulverized into submission in order to enjoy a movie, you know?

[George Severis]

Not that there's not value in being pulverized.

[Esther Falak]

Yes, well, of course.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, yes.

[George Severis]

So I actually have. Yes. I think that that's. But I. I also think that there's, like. There's. Even when things are going, like, well, quote, unquote, I think we've.

[Nick Chubb]

We've.

[George Severis]

In America, we've, like, maybe since the 80s. Right. It all goes back to Reagan's web. Connects us all. You know, this was actually true.

[Esther Falak]

Rean was the original Madam Web.

[George Severis]

Yeah. What? Like. Like in the 90s, there was like, a sense of. There was. There was this, like, growing wealth. Right. You know, like that. That Hunter S. Thompson article about, like, what, like, after 9, 11, you know, like, we were going to look at the 90s as this big party and not realize it, but there was this, like, decay beginning and we had, like, a sense of that.

[Esther Falak]

So we, I would say, around the Leinsky scandal.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And it makes me think of. Have y'all seen Snowpiercer?

[Nick Chubb]

Yes, I've seen it. Finally, a movie that I've seen.

[George Severis]

I just keep thinking about, like, the, like, the, like, decadence of, like, the Second Train. Right. It's a little bit of that. It's like there's, like, this party going on, wanting to ignore.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, I see what you're saying. Yes.

[George Severis]

The, like the decay happening.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

As the light.

[Esther Falak]

So the Museum of Ice Cream is that party in this.

[George Severis]

It's the party. It's people with email jobs.

[Esther Falak]

It's people with email jobs.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, got it.

[George Severis]

Trying to distract themselves.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. By being in a ball pit.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. I can't see the sprinkles happening all around me.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Which is so interesting, because my instinct is that. Not to say the obvious, that is the rot. Like, when you're looking at this dirty, disgusting ball pit and there are people that are fully 29 years old that are almost drowning because they want photos of themselves with oversized sprinkles. You're like, well, if that is not the Roth. And what is.

[George Severis]

And now we're back to object and subject.

[Esther Falak]

Right?

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Yeah. If that is not the rot, then what is?

[George Severis]

Yeah, it's like. Is the rot like the object or like the signifier?

[Esther Falak]

Yes, yes. You know, no, no, I think, like.

[George Severis]

Does that signal the rot, or is it the rot?

[Esther Falak]

Right. Yes. Is it. Or also, like, is it a symptom of the rot or is it the rot itself?

[George Severis]

Right.

[Esther Falak]

I guess it is a symptom. You can't argue that the Museum of Ice Cream is. The rod starts. What if I was like, well, the Museum of Ice Cream came first, and then Trump was elected because specifically of the Museum of Ice Cream.

[Nick Chubb]

No, no, it was 29 rooms then Trump.

[Esther Falak]

Well, the other thing is. Okay, so you're talking about Disneyland, right? Listen, we all have our issues with Disney. Disneyland, whatever. But at the very least, Disneyland is based on beloved characters that all do come from true masterworks. Like when you look at old Mickey Mouse cartoons, when you watch Disney movies that we grew up with, like, whatever. There is a. There. There. There is to go to the signified signifier. There is a signified. The signified is these beloved characters.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Esther Falak]

I think with the Museum of Ice Cream, there is no signified. You go in and it's just a general positive vibes. There's nothing that it reminds you of. There's nothing that it is, like, pointing to. It doesn't even really remind you of your childhood because it's not like you're going to Six Flags or something. There is nothing that it is sign. It's just like, please look at these colors and don't ask questions.

[George Severis]

Aesthetic.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, but that's, again, I think that's the sadness of it, where it's these people that, like, want to go. They want to do something fun. They have a goal, and they're like, I've seen pictures from this. I hope it's fun. And they get there and they're like, oh, it's just empty. Like, it's just colors.

[George Severis]

But they don't. I don't know if they're disappointed. I don't know if they're thinking, oh, it's just empty. Like, are they getting that?

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, I have to. Even if they don't know I'm empty because of this, I feel like there's a sadness when they leave. Like, I have to. I have to think there's a sadness.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Because even they'll post the picture. Of course you went. You paid the entry fee. You're gonna post the picture and the sprinkles, and then you're, like, checking it for likes, and you're like, is it good enough?

[George Severis]

Oh, my God.

[Nick Chubb]

And that's so sad.

[Esther Falak]

There's Also something about. I think one of the darkest parts of our culture is the rise of half humor, which is when something gestures at being funny without actually being funny. And I think Museum of Sex, Museum of Ice Cream, all of these things are semi ironic, but don't have the courage to be either fully ironic or fully earnest. And I think that is actually. Talk about signs of rot.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

I do think it's like at least if you're going to a museum and going to a truly. Like a Degas exhibition. Okay.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

That is fully earnest. You are like, I am seeing this great painter and I am seeing just non stop photos of ballerinas. Then on the other side of things, what's something like completely like, if you're going like ironically to a water park, that is like fully having fun with your chicas. That's not rot. Going to a water park is not rot. This is.

[George Severis]

No, no, no, no.

[Esther Falak]

But Museum of Ice Cream is like not being able to commit to one or the other.

[George Severis]

Right. It's shame. It's shame.

[Esther Falak]

And it's also honestly, it's a shame based culture.

[George Severis]

It's fair.

[Esther Falak]

And it's honestly wanting to like, dissociate a little bit. Like to just be like, well, here we're all ice cream.

[George Severis]

Oh my God.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, that's really dark.

[George Severis]

Because what, like what it's like, why do they call it a museum?

[Esther Falak]

Well, and there you go, you know what I mean?

[George Severis]

Like, why do they have to be like. And look, if it were a museum, that's a different story. If there were like installations about, like, that'd be. That could be kind of interesting. Like the history of ice cream.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

You know?

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Who doesn't want to know?

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, you know.

[George Severis]

Yeah. I'm sure it's storied.

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, so at least one good room.

[George Severis]

At least one good room.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

The first lactose intolerant girl who got started farting after eating an ice cream cone.

[George Severis]

Yeah. So, but like, this is like, they have to say that it's a museum.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

So that these people who are like ashamed to just have fun.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Who are like ashamed of like, of like, of maybe not reaching like certain like milestones that they feel they should have reached by now.

[Esther Falak]

They.

[George Severis]

They still. It's like the air of culture.

[Esther Falak]

Well, they have to call it a museum because they're afraid to call it a church.

[George Severis]

Oh, honey. Well, yes.

[Esther Falak]

Because what we're actually missing is non commodified spaces for people to congregate. And we all know this and we're Getting.

[George Severis]

And of course.

[Esther Falak]

And what do we have instead? The Museum of Ice Cream.

[Nick Chubb]

I mean, this goes back to Reagan.

[Esther Falak]

Of course this goes back to Reagan. It was. Museum of Ice Cream was Reagan's last idea. And then he died. He was fully, he had full on dementia. He was on his deathbed. Nancy was giving him one last bj.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

And then he was like, he was like a museum with no art.

[George Severis]

Oh my gosh.

[Nick Chubb]

The way that you just described the Museum of Ice Cream, it reminds me of an event I went to once that also filled me with sadness. That was at a bar during the day. And it was like, you take the sat.

[Esther Falak]

Excuse me?

[Nick Chubb]

You take the SAT as a joke and see what score you got. And I went and they had like, I was like performing on it. There would be like performance breaks. And I was just like, this is shocking.

[Esther Falak]

Was it a caveat?

[Nick Chubb]

Of course it was a caveat.

[George Severis]

Oh my God.

[Nick Chubb]

And it was just like, what a read.

[George Severis]

Devastating.

[Esther Falak]

And guess what? Don't blame that.

[George Severis]

You should bleep. Don't blame that.

[Esther Falak]

Because they need to know, yeah, there are people out there going to take the SATs recreationally.

[Nick Chubb]

It was just like, you have to move on. You are like, still so proud of yourself for being good at the SATs.

[Esther Falak]

That's tough.

[George Severis]

It was so you had to let go of. And you know what this web connects to? These are people who can't see a future for themselves.

[Nick Chubb]

They can't see a future, only the past.

[George Severis]

That's why Madame Web is the ultimate hero right now.

[Nick Chubb]

She can see the future, sort of.

[George Severis]

She's imagining queer futures, sort of.

[Esther Falak]

And actually I think the sort of is important because it doesn't have this like male confidence of like, oh my God, I'm gonna go to the moon and plant a flash.

[George Severis]

Right.

[Esther Falak]

No, it's, it's like, maybe tomorrow it might rain.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Well, there's a community aspect.

[Nick Chubb]

Yes, of course.

[George Severis]

Right. It's like her sort of is like she can envision these futures. Right. And if it were a man, like, probably the man would be like, this is happening.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

But she is like, I, I, I'm going to, like, I'm going to share that information and then like together we can move forward.

[Esther Falak]

Yes. It's a little, it's something, it's an iceberg. It's like, maybe this is it now. Let's go to the web for more. She has an idea and then she's like, and then we'll work through it together.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

And she apologizes for it and she Apologizes.

[George Severis]

And she apologizes. Huh.

[Esther Falak]

Something you will notice, Esther, when you see the film is that every second word out of her mouth is, I don't know. All the teen girls keep asking her like, why is this happening? Why is this happening? And she's like, girls, I don't know.

[Nick Chubb]

It's the most incredible performance, the whole movie. The meta text, of course, is, I don't know what this movie's about.

[Esther Falak]

Yes.

[Nick Chubb]

And it's like, thank you.

[George Severis]

That's so cool.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. I wonder if some of those lines actually were something else. And Dakota Johnson was like, whatever.

[George Severis]

I feel like the character wouldn't know here.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, exactly.

[Nick Chubb]

There's so much going on. Why is that guy chasing us? I don't know. It's amazing.

[Esther Falak]

It's just that for an hour and a half and then she gets her powers truly within the last like 20 minutes.

[Nick Chubb]

And only sort of.

[Esther Falak]

And only sort of. She's like. And what?

[George Severis]

Once again, culture can't commit.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. Well, you know what it is in the original Tobey Maguire? Spider Man. Or for me, in my world, the original. I know there's more.

[George Severis]

Sure.

[Esther Falak]

He starts getting his powers and he's trying to climb for the first time. He's figuring it out. And that's the first. That's the end of the first act. Because that's how a superhero movie is structured. It's like in your powers, you try to use them, you fail, then you figure them out in Madame Web. That's the finale.

[George Severis]

Yeah. Yeah. So this is a symptom of. This is like capitalistic bloat.

[Nick Chubb]

Right.

[George Severis]

Cause it's a prequel to a prequel. Exactly.

[Esther Falak]

But then if you actually take it.

[George Severis]

As I almost said, exact wol.

[Nick Chubb]

Exact.

[Esther Falak]

Exact wolf.

[Nick Chubb]

The way that the whole movie is to get to. That's just the point. She's a normal girl the whole time.

[George Severis]

But what makes you not to love.

[Esther Falak]

But what makes it camp is that those sequels will never come.

[Nick Chubb]

No.

[Esther Falak]

So we are left with this sort of amazing story with no resolution. It's like Lady Bird. Like, it's literally like she has her name at the end. Yes, she does.

[George Severis]

Yeah. I'm actually interested to see if there's a trans narrative here, you know, like, well, guess what?

[Esther Falak]

We're not gonna find out.

[George Severis]

Yeah. Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

I can't wait for you to see it.

[George Severis]

I can't wait to see it. I can't wait to see it. I'd love to if I could just like come on later for like a little 10 minute Patreon exclusive. Then we are giving My.

[Esther Falak]

I am okay with the rest of our Patreon content forever being about Madame Web.

[Nick Chubb]

You know what? Madame Web inspires so much hope and joy in me because I agree. Similar to what we're saying about language, where it's like, what's out now, what's in now. It's so nice to have a new thing that everyone as a community is like. This is defining the conversation for the year. We'll look back on this year and be like, remember when we were laughing about Madame Web? It's gonna be so good.

[George Severis]

I had the thought. And maybe you both had this thought too, because you're very smart and plugged in visuals, you know?

[Nick Chubb]

Well. Well, yes.

[George Severis]

About, like, maybe four to five minutes ago, I was like, are we dating this episode in a big way?

[Esther Falak]

Oh, yes.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Sorry.

[George Severis]

But the last thing that felt like this, how Madame Web feels is cats.

[Esther Falak]

Well, people have been saying it's the cats of superhero movies.

[George Severis]

Yeah. And cats. I actually. I still like cats jokes. Like, I still smile.

[Esther Falak]

It was a crazy moment.

[George Severis]

It was a crazy moment. And the fact that that was, like, everyone's last movie before lockdown. I saw, like, a 10:30pm at, like, Lincoln Square, AMC. So we all were just doing full talk back.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

It was so fun. This is like. Like, I still laugh. I still think fondly on that moment. So I do think something about Madame Web is. And it signifies the death of the superhero, which is so great. Like, what a way to go.

[Nick Chubb]

What a way to go.

[Esther Falak]

What a way to go. It didn't end with a bang. It ended with an. I don't know.

[George Severis]

I love it with the girlies.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

You know, with the girls.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

With Sydney Sweeney being in an aborted prequel for Batgirl. No. Spider Girl.

[Nick Chubb]

Spider Squad.

[Esther Falak]

She's being Spider Man.

[George Severis]

She's based in the mcu. I can't talk about it or whatever, like, in her interviews.

[Nick Chubb]

Incredible. I also, too, I really like that our episodes are so dated. Like, I think it's so funny as, like, a little journal.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

So keep it topical.

[Esther Falak]

What would. If you were to make a fake museum, what would the topic be?

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Great question with a slide in it.

[George Severis]

Really good question with a slide, by the way.

[Esther Falak]

We haven't addressed the actual slide in case anyone has the problem that I had. So when Esther first said this, I hesitated because I thought that she meant slides. Like a slideshow. Like a historical history, museums that have, like, a slideshow.

[George Severis]

And so I'll be honest. Like, I saw a wave of confusion come over your face. When I shared the topic right before we started recording, and I. I was taken aback because I was like, I feel like this is a perfect.

[Esther Falak]

Totally. No, I. Yes.

[George Severis]

But then as soon as you understood, then you were like, oh, this is rich language.

[Nick Chubb]

At first I was like, oh, does she mean slides or slides? But then I just used context clues, which can be so, so amazing.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, context clues are hard for me. So, okay, what would I mean? Off the bat, I'm like, would yours be the Museum of Broadway?

[George Severis]

Well, that does exist.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, it does exist.

[George Severis]

There is a Museum of Broadway. And you know that it's like, halfway right.

[Esther Falak]

It just has, like, one bra that Patti LuPone wore.

[George Severis]

Yeah, it has. It's a room of, like, one from every show.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, wow.

[George Severis]

Beautiful. It has the padded bra that Rob McClure wore as Mrs. Doubtfire.

[Nick Chubb]

You get to take a picture with a playbill on your way out.

[George Severis]

Yeah. No. Well, this is the thing. It's like, halfway right because I haven't been to it. I haven't been to any of these. But, like, there's, like. There is history stuff, but then you take a picture at, like, there's, like, a swing that's, like, themed, like, hair.

[Esther Falak]

Or something like that.

[George Severis]

People take pictures with that.

[Esther Falak]

So it's sort of what you would get if you were to go to a Broadway show that had a little photo op, but all of them together. Like, you know, I remember when I went to Angels in America, like, they had the wings that you. You could take a photo in front of. So it's that. But then for every show, and you also don't get to see a show.

[George Severis]

That's right. That's right.

[Esther Falak]

I mean, is there a better metaphor for this kind of fake museum than that? It's like, it's spectacle. Yes, it's spectacle, but without the spectacle. Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

I have a question. When you are in, like, a space where it's like, you got to the end of the museum, you should take a picture on the hair chair. Do you take a picture?

[George Severis]

Not anymore.

[Nick Chubb]

Do you?

[Esther Falak]

I will say, I don't know if I actually posted it, but I did get a photo with the Angels in America Wings when I went with my friend Steph.

[Nick Chubb]

See this? I am so rocked when put in that situation because I'm like, do I do it or am I above it? Because obviously, in my mind, I'm way above it. And then I'm also like, but I'm human, Right. I came to the show. I be proof of.

[George Severis]

Well, it's a little bit like oh, like, what is it like, oh, you hate capitalism, but you have an iPhone.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

You know what I mean? It's like, well, you're there.

[Esther Falak]

Well, you know what else I do? And I do this literally with no shame. You better believe I post the playbill to my story every single time I go to the theater.

[Nick Chubb]

See, I don't.

[Esther Falak]

And I don't. I'm not gonna be shamed for it.

[George Severis]

I think there's something about the ephemera of the story.

[Esther Falak]

Yes. That's.

[George Severis]

No, I would never do a grid for an indulgence.

[Nick Chubb]

I do. I love.

[Esther Falak]

And guess what? Cause it's like, obviously, I'm also kind of being like, look at me. I'm at a play. But what's also fun about it is that everyone has seen it, then responds and is like, oh, my God, wasn't Elle Fanning, like, so bad?

[George Severis]

Yeah. Uh. Oh, just bleep out bad.

[Nick Chubb]

We.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

I went to Cole's show, and I, like, I don't go to theater very often with a playbill.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

And I was like, I know the culture is take a picture of the playbill.

[Esther Falak]

But real theater people would probably look at me and are like, you're so gauche for doing that. But I. I don't care.

[Nick Chubb]

I felt so much shame, and I had to look around and make sure other people were doing it too.

[George Severis]

Real theater people aren't that cultured anymore.

[Esther Falak]

Yes, that's true.

[George Severis]

You know, real theater people are posting to their grid.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, that's true. And they're like, a night out on the town.

[George Severis]

Yeah, exactly.

[Esther Falak]

Interesting, huh?

[Nick Chubb]

Well, should we do our final segment?

[Esther Falak]

I mean, none of us have answered my question.

[George Severis]

Oh, yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

I love that.

[Esther Falak]

I mean, but also.

[Nick Chubb]

No, no, I can think of an answer. I can think of an answer.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Wait, it has to. Cause it's a difficult one because it has to be something essentially bad. Like you're creating something you wouldn't even yourself wanna.

[Nick Chubb]

Well, the one I would fully. Yeah, I would want, like, if there was a hacky way to do, like, Museum of Gay Guy, where if it were like, that's awesome.

[Esther Falak]

It's great.

[George Severis]

That's awesome.

[Esther Falak]

That's really good, actually.

[Nick Chubb]

And you could, like. Yeah, there'd be, you know, all the. There'd be the Fire island section of, like, the 70s. And then you'd also, like, you could walk into, like, a dance floor, and it was like. This is what it was like.

[Esther Falak]

Like a fake Keith Haring mural.

[George Severis]

Yeah. Ooh.

[Nick Chubb]

Like, diva's room.

[Esther Falak]

Diva's room.

[Nick Chubb]

Diva's room.

[Esther Falak]

Like just a room that has like the film, the concert film of the Madonna Confessions tour playing on a loop.

[George Severis]

You could get like kind of like exit through the gift shop. Like poppers. Like random poppers.

[Esther Falak]

Also a giant thing of poppers to do a photo op with.

[Nick Chubb]

Oh, yes.

[George Severis]

There'd be like a framed jock strap frame.

[Esther Falak]

Jockstrap. Oh, that's a really good idea.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Well, also, like, I kind of want to go like, what's some of the like early gay guys? Like, I don't really know, like gay male history. Like toga.

[Esther Falak]

Toga.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

Like, like what's like turn of the century gay guys.

[Esther Falak]

Well, dandies. Like.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

The Mattachine Society.

[Esther Falak]

Yes, exactly.

[George Severis]

I think there's like something. I think it's like something like really beautiful with like trans women and gay guy history. Like the way it has intertwined, you know, at certain points in history.

[Esther Falak]

Absolutely.

[George Severis]

People were like, oh, you're just like crazy people with penises. Like, we're actually. There's a lot, a lot of ways to be like.

[Esther Falak]

Well, footage not found.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

Okay.

[Nick Chubb]

Mine.

[George Severis]

I think that's a good one.

[Nick Chubb]

Thank you.

[Esther Falak]

This is actually. This actually sort of does exist. I'm thinking of like, if you go to like Cooper Hewitt or something and they have like an exhibition that's like the history of advertising and there's like famous ads like that does exist and you could argue it is art, but there is something about like, there's almost like a 90s kids will remember this element, like a museum that is basically like BuzzFeed. The museum. It's just like artifacts from your childhood and it's in fact micro targeted so that when you enter a room, it's all things that like bring you back to your childhood. It's like a Power Ranger that's still in the wrapper.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a good one.

[George Severis]

You. I think that something like that is bound to happen, honestly.

[Esther Falak]

And it'll be VR because it'll be like algorithmically.

[George Severis]

That's how it's like so pointed to you. Yeah. So something that I think like something I really like, like left, Left wing, like revolutionary history and stuff like that and like protests and stuff. So I think it would be cool and crazy to have like a museum that's like dedicated to that and like radical movements and stuff like that specifically. And there is this extra added layer of darkness that it's being commodified.

[Esther Falak]

No.

[George Severis]

That's being reclaimed and recaptured.

[Nick Chubb]

So dark.

[George Severis]

And you feel like you're like doing Something by going to this, like the Museum of Radicality or something, you know.

[Esther Falak]

I mean, that does. You will occasionally go to like, you know, protest art or something. And then it'll be like a framed sign from a protest.

[George Severis]

Right.

[Esther Falak]

And it. And then like a photo of people congregating and then you're also with people. But rather than creating change themselves or sort of all being like, wow, that was powerful.

[George Severis]

No. Yeah, there's like, there's an exhibit right now at the Brooklyn Museum that I really want to go to of like, queer Zines. And it's like this, like, radical way of, like, spreading information within, like, queer punk communities and stuff that, like now is being given this legitimacy, but, like, also while it's still happening. So I think there's like, I wonder what that's doing to like, the brains of the people. Like, like everything that, like, you know, I wonder if they're somewhere in the back of their mind, they're like, well, this might be like in a museum one day.

[Esther Falak]

Well, I do think this happens so much. The act up generation, like, it has been. That story has now been told so many different times in documentaries, in museums, whatever, that it's so difficult to actually be like, oh, that was. There was a time when that wasn't commodified.

[Nick Chubb]

Right, right. It's hard to remember that.

[George Severis]

And things get left out.

[Esther Falak]

Of course things get left out the.

[George Severis]

More that it, you know, like, people want to talk about the suffering. They don't want to talk about how the suffragists bombed things, you know, whoa, bleep that one out.

[Esther Falak]

But in your museum, that'll be the whole room.

[Nick Chubb]

You'll get.

[George Severis]

You'll. Never mind.

[Esther Falak]

You'll get to.

[George Severis]

You'll get to. I mean, it would be things like the anarchist, like, here's a bomb recipe. It'll be called steal this museum.

[Esther Falak]

Oh, my God, Esther.

[Nick Chubb]

Done.

[Esther Falak]

There's a future here.

[George Severis]

That's a million dollar mutual aid fund museum.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah, that's really good.

[Esther Falak]

Damn.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow. Thank you. To the queer Zine thing. I did have something where I, like, in a museum, when it's like things from the past and you're looking at stuff in recent past where it's like, this is zines from the 70s or something, and you're like, cool, cool, cool. And then when it gets like. And they're still being made today and you see stuff from six months ago, I'm always like, don't show me that you haven't had time to ruminate on this.

[George Severis]

Exactly.

[Nick Chubb]

Let's see if this one's important later.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Even they get too contemporary.

[George Severis]

100%. It's like, who chose that one?

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Is that your friend?

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

Be honest.

[George Severis]

That's the vibe.

[Esther Falak]

Do you guys know what. Actually, so part of this conversation, which is when old school museum culture and fake museum culture clashed, when MoMA did the Bjork exhibition. Do you remember that?

[George Severis]

I don't.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

So it was like, I didn't go, but I didn't go either. They heavily advertised this and it was going to be like, Bjork at. It was the Bjork show at moma. And it had. And you sort of think, okay, it'll have some, like, costumes from her videos, whatever. And I don't remember the details, but it was the most, like, critically panned art show of, like, all time. Like, it was like an embarrassing, humiliating moment for MoMA. It was seen as like them trying so hard and so desperately to like, appeal to people that wouldn't otherwise come to a museum. And I do wonder if, I don't know, is there a way to, like, let's say you are an old school museum, you want to get new blood in, but you don't want to do Museum of Ice Cream. What is a way to do it while maintaining some integrity?

[Nick Chubb]

I think it's.

[Esther Falak]

I guess it is a zine thing.

[George Severis]

Well, I do think it's the zine thing. Yeah, I think. I think. I mean, I'll speak to. What would get me in. Right. Is like. Is more like queer art just inclusivity.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, inclusivity.

[George Severis]

Inclusivity.

[Esther Falak]

So I guess the answer is just inclusivity.

[George Severis]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

All right. Cool.

[Nick Chubb]

Done.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah. All right. Well, I've heard that's pretty easy to accomplish.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. We solved museums.

[Esther Falak]

Museums. That was easy.

[George Severis]

I'm feeling really good right now. I'm just kind of feeling filled with light.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. That's amazing.

[Esther Falak]

Wow. We'll see you at the Guggenheim.

[George Severis]

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[George Severis]

Hey, what's up guys?

[Esther Falak]

I'm Nick Chubb, running back for the Cleveland Browns.

[George Severis]

The holidays get really busy for me.

[Esther Falak]

But I still want to pull up.

[George Severis]

To events looking nice.

[Esther Falak]

Abercrombie's latest job of party looks is taking me through the season for dinner with the fam, drinks with the guys, and even New Year's Eve. They have outfits for every occasion. I'm mainly a jeans and T shirt guy, but Abercrombie has the dressier fits that keep me comfortable. Shop Abercrombie for every night out if.

[Ryan Seacrest]

You use paper, you're a human. But if you choose paper, you're a papertarian, someone who lives a paper based lifestyle because it has a positive impact on the planet and also because it's the easiest choice you'll make all day. Seriously. It's as easy as reaching for boxed instead of bottled water. It's as easy as opting for beauty products that come in paper packaging. It's as easy as grabbing eggs in a cardboard container. And that's all in one trip to the grocery store. Which, if we're being honest, you were planning to go to anyway. But paper isn't just an easy choice. Papertarians know that it's the smart choice too, because paper comes from trees, a renewable and sustainably managed resource. And paper products are designed to be recycled. In fact, when you choose products that come in paper based packaging, those fibers can go on to be recycled up to seven times. So why waste? Wouldn't you go Papertarian? I'll wait. Learn more at howlifeunfolds.com Papertarian hey, it's.

[George Severis]

Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. This holiday season, make sure you set aside time for self care now through December 31st. Shop in store and online for participating self care products and get four times points to use for discounts on future grocery and gas Purchases. Stock up on self care favorites like Pantene Shampoo, Gillette Fusion and Proglide Raisins, Tampax Tampons, Aussie Base, Hairspray and Pampers Swaddlers diapers. Offer ends December 31st. Restrictions apply. Promotions may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Nick Chubb]

Now we should do our final segment.

[Esther Falak]

Now we should do our final segment. I wish I had one. I'm gonna be honest with you.

[Nick Chubb]

Our final segment is called shout outs. And in this segment we pay homage to the grand straight oral tradition of the radio shout out. Giving a shout out to anything that we enjoy. We will go first and then. And then you, of course.

[George Severis]

Naturally.

[Nick Chubb]

Naturally. Oh, yeah, I have one.

[Esther Falak]

Okay.

[Nick Chubb]

What's up, freaks, losers, and not to mention perverts. I want to give a shout out to the new Casey Musgrave song Deeper. Well, that's right. I am enjoying this song. I feel like, you know, like everyone else, I was obsessed with golden hour album by her and. But then the next one, I was sort of like, yeah, this is fine. And it's sort of, you know, when you love something by someone so much and then the next one you don't love that much and you're like, did I ever like them? What was my. What is my relationship with Kacey Musgraves? And now this new song came out and I said, she's a genius. And I said, I'm all in. I was a fool to have ever doubted her. It feels mature, it feels classic, and it feels, I'll say it, relevant to my current life, which is so groundbreaking when stuff is relative to my current life. So shout out to Casey Musgraves. Shout out to the new song and shout out to being a gay guy.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

Really brought it home at the end there. What's up, freaks and losers? I want to give a shout out to getting a Manhattan almost the rocks. People will tell you, you'll meet some queer bartender and they'll say, manhattan. That goes in a little koopy coopy glass. I didn't realize we were in, you know, occupied Russia. I can do whatever I want. I can get it on. I can get it on the rocks if I want. And guess what then I'm not drinking lukewarm, sort of syrupy whiskey mixture. I'm drinking a delicious iced cocktail. So, yes, I draw the line at getting a martini on the rocks. I'm not insane. But get, guess what? Go to a bar, order a rye Manhattan on the rocks and report back because something tells me you're gonna be refreshed and you're gonna be honestly drunk.

[George Severis]

Woo.

[Nick Chubb]

I couldn't disagree more. But I really.

[Esther Falak]

You would never do that.

[Nick Chubb]

I get upset when they do that.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. I used to be like you.

[Nick Chubb]

The little fancy glass is half the fun. I actually just wish more drinks came in a fancy. The martini style glass.

[Esther Falak]

But what about it getting warm?

[Nick Chubb]

Well, honey, honey, at the rate I drink it, it's not gonna get warm.

[Esther Falak]

That's true.

[George Severis]

And there's gotta be a way to split the difference, right? Like one piece of ice.

[Esther Falak]

One ice pop.

[Nick Chubb]

An ice cream.

[Esther Falak]

Well, there's nothing more stigmatized in this country than like putting one ice cube. Like when I will sometimes put one ice cube in, I'll say it. A glass of white wine. Sue me.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Guess what? It keeps it cold. It doesn't change the taste that much and I have the right to do it. So talk about something we should normalize.

[George Severis]

Do you want to do another shout out?

[Esther Falak]

No, no.

[Nick Chubb]

He's furious.

[Esther Falak]

I'm furious. All right, Esther, it's time for your shout out.

[George Severis]

Okay. Hey, hey, hey, America. What's up, gay people? I am loving babies. Woo. Specifically nieces and nephews. So let's give it up for nieces and nephews. Yeah, that's right. I am not gonna use the term nibbling unless I have to. And then I would gladly.

[Esther Falak]

For the record.

[George Severis]

For the record. Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

But this doesn't sound.

[George Severis]

It just. It feels. We'd need a different word. Yeah. And maybe we won't get it and we'll all say nibbling. I'm a conservative. I suppose the point is.

[Esther Falak]

Well, we all are.

[George Severis]

Little kids are really cute. My niece is. I was like. Should I say her name?

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. Docs that bitch.

[George Severis]

I guess so.

[Esther Falak]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Docs that bitch. Her name is Liv. She's three years old and she's starting to get to the point where she knows my name and she's like, esta. Esta's calling and wants to talk to me on the phone and it makes me feel really good and it gives me hope and makes me see the future.

[Esther Falak]

Wow.

[George Severis]

Her web connects me all.

[Sam Taggart]

Woo.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah.

[Esther Falak]

Her web connects me all.

[Nick Chubb]

No, that's really.

[Esther Falak]

That would have been the tagline of the sequel. But they're never gonna make it. No, her web connects me, y'all. Wow.

[George Severis]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

I'm about to choke on water. Well, well, thank you for doing the podcast.

[Esther Falak]

This has been an absolutely.

[George Severis]

Thank you.

[Esther Falak]

I can't wait for our live show at the Museum of Ice cream. Yeah. And, you know, get out there and go to the Met.

[Nick Chubb]

Yeah. I thought you were gonna say go to Madame Web.

[Esther Falak]

No, Go to the Met. Go to Madame Met.

[Nick Chubb]

Go to Miss Mama.

[George Severis]

Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of looking inside.

[Nick Chubb]

We believe in you.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Nick Chubb]

And don't be, don't be.

[George Severis]

You might like what you're seeing.

[Esther Falak]

Guess what? You look at a piece of art, you don't immediately get it. Move on to the next one. There are so many.

[Nick Chubb]

You don't have to get it.

[George Severis]

It might seem like us three because of the way we're talking. It might seem like we get every piece of art.

[Esther Falak]

No, I haven't gotten a piece of art in since Madame Web. Honestly, we saw it very recently.

[George Severis]

I feel like I'm gonna see that and be like, oh, that's the first piece of art I got. I didn't get anything else.

[Nick Chubb]

Wow.

[Esther Falak]

Wow.

[Nick Chubb]

Okay, well, bye.

[George Severis]

Bye.

[Nick Chubb]

Podcast ends now.

[Esther Falak]

Want more? 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 learners.

[Nick Chubb]

Free full length video episodes are available on our YouTube.

[Esther Falak]

Now get back to work.

[Nick Chubb]

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

[Esther Falak]

Created and hosted by George Severis and Sam Taggart.

[Nick Chubb]

Executive produced by Will Ferrell Hansani and Olivia Aguilar.

[Esther Falak]

Co produced by Bay Wang.

[Nick Chubb]

Edited and engineered by Adam Avalos.

[Esther Falak]

Artwork by Michael Fales and Matt Grubb.

[Nick Chubb]

Theme music by Ben Kling.

[George Severis]

You wake up, put on your Ray Ban meta glasses. You're living all in. You realize you need coffee, so you.

[Esther Falak]

Say, hey meta, how do I make.

[George Severis]

A latte brew two shots of espresso? After Meta AI gets you caffeinated, you're ready for some beats.

[Esther Falak]

Hey, hey meta Play hip hop music.

[George Severis]

You head to meet some friends but can't remember the place. Hey, meta. Call Eva Ray Ban Meta glasses, the next generation of AI glasses. Just say hey meta. To harness the power of Meta AI, shop now at meta.com markglasses hey, comedy fans. The funniest comedians in the world are on tour and you can get tickets to see them live near you. Laugh at the biggest names in comedy like Atsuko Katsuka, Chelsea Hanlon, Jimmy Carr, Kathy Griffin, Matt Matthews, Matt Rife, Sarah Silverman, Sebastian Maniscalco, Stavros Helkias, Wanda Sykes and so many more. All kinds of shows, all kinds of venues, all kinds of funny. Head to livenation.comcomedy to get your tickets today. That's livenation.comcomedy. hate has been winning for too long. It's at an all time high and.

[Sam Taggart]

Too many people are facing too much.

[George Severis]

Hate all over this country. To turn the tide, we have to stand together as a united team.

[Sam Taggart]

We can change the momentum. It's time to take a time out Against Hate. Visit standuptoallhate.org to help join us in.

[George Severis]

Calling for a timeout against hate by following OTs upwithhate or posting the blue square emoji at Ameca Insurance, we know it's more than just a car.

[Sam Taggart]

It's the two door coupe that was.

[George Severis]

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[Sam Taggart]

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