New Season Starts Now

Summary

StraightioLab (Season 19 Premiere) – “New Season Starts Now”

Podcast: StraightioLab
Hosts: George Civeris & Sam Taggart
Network: Big Money Players Network & iHeartPodcasts
Date: September 9, 2025
Episode: New Season Starts Now

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Overview

This season premiere of StraightioLab marks the official (or perhaps "soft") launch of Season 19. Comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart deliver their signature brand of witty, self-aware cultural commentary, covering topics from the evolving state of pop music icons to meta-discussions on launching (and soft-launching) personal projects, the “soft vs hard” binary in life and culture, critiques of gay party culture, trends in menswear, issues with internet discourse, and what makes genuine cultural criticism. The episode is peppered with characteristic self-deprecation, tangential riffs, and sharp, hilarious insights.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Does a "New Season" Mean?

• Podcast as Soft Launch: The hosts jokingly question what it means to start a new podcast season when most listeners just press play on the latest episode.
  • “When you said we should address the fact that it's a new season, my immediate thought was, I don't care.” (George – 14:23)
• Seasons Are Arbitrary: They note the artificiality of “seasons” in the digital content age and connect it to broader themes of self-promotion, weddings, and “launch culture.”
  • "Everything is sort of made up. Like, you are nothing is bestowed upon you by a higher power. You actually just decide, like, I want attention now for this." (Sam – 15:48)
• Back to School as a Cultural Tether: September’s traditional seasonality (school starting) is noted as one of the last real time anchors in adulthood.
  • “Back to School season...is kind of like the only thing we have left that tethers us to time. Because school does start in September.” (George – 14:56)

2. Soft vs. Hard Launches—And Everything Else

• Soft Launch Addiction: The duo obsess over this underexplored binary, noting its relevance to everything from dating to media consumption to personal branding.
  • “I think soft vs. hard is one of the most underexplored binaries we have.” (George – 21:40)
• Hard Leisure vs. Soft Leisure: Sam describes practicing “hard leisure” – purposefully engaging in leisure activities rather than accidentally scrolling on a phone.
  • “If I'm being leisurely, I'm bringing my book outside and sitting under a tree, like I'm hard leisuring.” (Sam – 22:35)
• The Binary Applied to Gay Culture: They note (often humorously) that soft vs. hard is also, obviously, a penis thing.
  • “There is a space for a soft and there is a space for a hard. And I actually, of course, my big critique is that people want their penises only hard. And I'm saying I want to see hard and I want to see software. I want both.” (Sam – 24:02)

3. Pop Music & The Culture of Height

• The Small Pop Girl Phenomenon: The hosts riff on the trend towards ever-smaller pop divas (Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa) and contrast it with the need for “tall woman energy” in the pop charts.
  • “They're gonna be pocket sized. It's gonna be Polly Pocket headlining Coachella” (George – 06:45)
  • “We need you back [Dua Lipa]. We need to clean up all these little girls. It's time for a tall woman to take the stage once again.” (Sam – 07:01)
• Gaga’s Shortness, Dua’s Strategic Pause: They examine Lady Gaga’s physical height as a cultural factor and speculate on Dua Lipa’s perceived retreat from the spotlight.
  • “Sometimes when I see how short [Gaga] is. I'm like, can you get serious?” (George – 09:28)
  • “What's happening in this era of [Dua Lipa] not releasing music is she is allowing her existing songs to become canonized.” (George – 10:48)
• Music Consumption & Digesting the Canon: George relates Dua’s media strategy to “letting the bread breathe.”

4. Gay Party Culture, the Steven Phillips-Horst Article, & Trend Piece Journalism

• Reaction to NY Mag’s “Peak of Gay Sluttiness”: Civeris and Taggart discuss Steven Phillips-Horst’s controversial article on NYC gay party/drug culture.
  • “It wasn't condemning at all. I think it was self-deprecating just the right amount.” (George – 39:48)
• In-Group/Out-Group Jokes & Critiques: The hosts acknowledge the sensitivity around publicly airing intra-community issues, especially when subcultures are targeted by media or the police.
  • “I understand, like, if that article gets in the hands of one single Republican, we are fucked.” (Sam – 41:23)
• Drug Trends & New Norms: Discussion of GHB replacing alcohol at gay parties, and the ways new drugs reshape social rituals and in-group dynamics.
  • “I went to two parties in a row where there was no alcohol available...because you can't drink when you're on G.” (George – 45:32)
• On Cultural (and Self-) Critique: George issues a meta-critique of online discourse and shallow trend pieces, especially those written for the clicks.
  • “Cultural critique – it's, it's just literally lazy. People are looking at their phone saying, I saw four people do this video. I will write about it for the New York Times. And it's like, what? Stop it.” (Sam – 79:49)

5. Internet Friendships & The Fragility of Human Connection

• Online Relationships are Awkward: Both discuss the disconnect between meeting internet friends IRL and the awkwardness of breaking the fiction of online closeness.
  • “I've never had a satisfying first physical interaction with an online friend.” (George – 30:41)
  • “It's so sad to build up a relationship and realize it's one sided.” (Sam – 31:07)
• Misinterpretations and Fragility: Sam expresses dread at how easy it is to offend someone unintentionally online and the “fragility of all relationships.”
  • “There's something about how I get so freaked out when I realize the fragility of all relationships.” (Sam – 33:08)

6. Film, Representation & the Limits of Stereotypes

• Discussing "Weapons": The hosts review the new film, analyzing how gay characters are portrayed, specifically their function as comedic or stereotypical.
  • “So if they're going to be campy and over the top and stereotypical...are you also going to do that with other stereotypes?” (George – 57:12)
• Casting, Realness, and Allegory: They note how actors' appearances can undermine characterization, and interpret the film’s themes as possible allegories for addiction or grief.
  • “Aunt Gladys symbolizes addiction...just because the demon was defeated...the trauma remains.” (George – 62:26)

7. Menswear Crisis: What (Gay) Men Should Wear?

• Fashion Identity Crisis: Sam laments a lack of role models in menswear, realizing that what looks great in a dinner-party setting doesn't necessarily translate to being photographed.
  • “I'm in a place where I don't know what to wear. I don't know what dressing up is. I don't know what fashion is.” (Sam – 67:22)
• Suits: Timeless and Problematic: They agree that while nothing looks as good as a proper suit, most alternatives look “clownish.”
  • “Nothing as a man, nothing is actually going to make you look as refined and as good as a suit.” (George – 70:45)
• Straight Fashion Role Models: Both fantasize that straight men (Adam Pally, Seth Rogen) dress better than gay men these days.
  • “Straight men, fashionable straight men are dressing better than fashionable gay men.” (George – 71:55)

8. Internet Content, Critique Culture, and Call for Truth

• Critique Without Solutions: Sam rails against hater content that offers no constructive alternatives.
  • “I'm literally tired of critiques without solutions.” (Sam – 81:02)
• The Mush of Online Trends: George details how lazy digital culture mixes signifiers and calls it “critique.”
  • “That kind of content, which is sort of like meme-based critique, is at an all time low in terms of quality.” (George – 76:38)
• The Urgency of Truth and Beauty: The hosts, in a fit of self-aware, slightly manic energy, declare the importance of committing to “truth and beauty” amid the noise.
  • “You have to have a commitment to truth.” (George – 84:43)
  • “If you're not committing to beauty, then you honestly, like, need to overdose on context pills.” (George – 85:01)

9. Books, Media Consumption, & Small Joys

• Books They’re Reading:
  • Sam: The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis (88:31)
  • George: Recently read Matthew Co’s They All Came to Barney’s, and highly recommends The First Bad Man by Miranda July. Both discuss comfort in returning to old favorites (Adaptation, Austin Powers).
• Food & Film Shout-outs: Sam shouts out Panda Inn (“mall Chinese food, but pretending to be fancy”); George shouts out the original Bridget Jones’s Diary for its cleverness and emotionally intelligent characterization.

10. Meta-Promotion and PR Grievances

• Tour Promo & Brand Woes: The hosts remind listeners of their upcoming tour dates, lament being left out of brand partnerships and joke about invoicing companies for accidental influencer work.
  • “I would like a brand to pay for me to go to the US Open. And I actually don't think it should be that hard. I'm a very famous and beautiful podcaster” (George – 97:09)
• Challenge to PR People: George urges PR professionals to have better taste and ethics when choosing clients to pitch.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Being Seen on Zoom:
  “There's no way to make eye contact over Zoom, of course. So...I'm looking sometimes at you, mostly at myself.” (George – 04:18)

• On Small Pop Stars:
  “They're gonna be pocket sized. It’s gonna be Polly Pocket headlining Coachella." (George – 06:45)

• On Lady Gaga’s Height:
  “Sometimes when I see how short she is. I’m like, can you get serious?” (George – 09:28)
  “It would be called Short. Like, because short is valued right now.” (Sam – 09:28)

• On Soft vs Hard Launch:
  “This is a soft launch. We're not. This is not a hard launch. This is a soft launch.” (Sam – 19:58)
  _"I think soft versus hard is one of the most underexplored binaries we have." (George – 21:40)

• On Critique Culture:
  “I’m literally tired of critiques without solutions.” (Sam – 81:02)
  “Cultural critique…it’s just literally lazy…People are looking at their phone saying, I saw four people do this video, I will write about it for the New York Times. And it’s like, what? Stop it.” (Sam – 79:49)

• On the Current State of Rom-Coms vs. Classic Ones:
  “In today’s world, that character [Mark Darcy] would be offended by what was in the diary.” (George – 102:28)

• On the Importance of Truth & Beauty:
  “You have to have a commitment to truth. Well, because truth is beauty. Of course.” (Sam – 84:43)

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Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Soft Launches and New Season Discussion: 13:00 – 22:00
• Pop Music (Short Girls, Dua Lipa, Gaga) & Height Talk: 05:45 – 10:44
• On Steven Phillips-Horst’s Article / Gay Party Culture: 38:44 – 54:00
• Fashion & Menswear Crisis: 67:00 – 77:00
• Performative Internet Trends & Cultural Critique: 76:00 – 80:00
• Books & Media Consumption: 88:31 – 93:46
• Meta-Discussion on PR, Sponsorship, and US Open: 93:55 – 99:45
• Cultural Shout-outs (Panda Inn, Bridget Jones): 100:08 – 102:28

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Tone & Style

• Smart, Irreverent, Self-Aware: The duo’s trademark blend of angst, cultural sharpness, sincere curiosity, and unserious camp.
• Meta, Referencing Themselves: Regularly joke about the podcast medium and their own role in cultural production.
• Critical but Joyful: Blistering critique paired with genuine affection for pop culture, fashion, food, friendship, and books.

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For New Listeners

This spirited, chaotic episode of StraightioLab is a highly representative crash course in George and Sam’s approach. If you want a densely packed, hilarious, but surprisingly thoughtful two hours on the state of (mostly queer, mostly coastal) culture from two smart, self-critical comedians, this is the episode for you. Prepare for digressions, for the line between high and low to be shredded, and for both culture and self to be put under the microscope—and then soft-launched back into the world, improved only by honest laughter.

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To hear more from George & Sam, subscribe to their Patreon for bonus episodes, and check out the links to their upcoming live tour.

Transcript

[George Severis]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jacob Goldstein]

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[Sam Taggart]

Listen to your elders honey. You might know them from their viral videos, but now the old Gays pull back the curtain on their brand new podcast Silver Linings with the Old Gays, brought to you in partnership with iHeart's Ruby Studio and Veeve Healthcare. Hosts Robert, Mick, Bill and Jesse serve four lifetimes of wisdom when it comes to sex, love, community and whatever else they've got on the gay agenda. So check out Silver Linings, available on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[George Severis]

Good Morning, welcome to today.

[Sam Taggart]

From back to school to tackling your to do list, the Today show is your best start to the day.

[George Severis]

It's a new season and every morning we're here to help you take it all off as the forecast calls for.

[Sam Taggart]

Football all across the country, blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening.

[Jacob Goldstein]

We're getting back to all of it.

[Sam Taggart]

And the best way to start is together. Watch the Today show weekday mornings at 7:00am on NBC.

[George Severis]

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[Sam Taggart]

Hello all, it's Sam here to remind you guys about the west coast leg of our standup tour which is just around the corner. At the end of September, early October, we are going to San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles, California. We have added a second date in Seattle and we have added a late show in Portland because our first dates for both sold out. So get tickets to those extra dates and I believe there's still tickets for both San Francisco and Los Angeles, but I can't say that forever. Ooh, amazing voice. Crack. So get tickets. Oh yeah. And also I'm doing a solo standup show in New York on November 7th at Union Hall. It's going to be small, intimate vibes. So basically get tickets to all of those shows at our bio and we have truly had so much fun doing co headlining shows on the east coast and we can't wait to bring it to the west coast. So see you there and enjoy the episode. Xoxo Sam Podcast starts now. What is every up? Oh, I fucked it up, Sam.

[George Severis]

Fuck. We're gonna have to re record.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, we're off to a new start of a new season and I already fucked it up.

[George Severis]

Oh, that's right, it is a new season in the workroom.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes, we're on season 19, Australia lab.

[George Severis]

Oh my God, I can't believe it's been 19 years already.

[Sam Taggart]

So many beautiful guests, so many amazing girls.

[George Severis]

So many girls through these doors come and gone, these hallowed halls of the iheart offices and also of our apartments where we are right now via Zoom. Via Zoom, doing the iconic thing where we're. There's no way to make eye contact over Zoom, of course. So you know, you have to and this is just part of modern life that we are have to be used to is that I'm looking sometimes at you, mostly at myself.

[Sam Taggart]

Wow.

[George Severis]

Let's be honest.

[Sam Taggart]

Let's be honest about that. Finally. I, I, I do am looking at my hair.

[George Severis]

I do am looking at my hair.

[Sam Taggart]

I do.

[George Severis]

Let's get it trending. I do am looking at my hair.

[Sam Taggart]

Because I don't know if you've noticed, but I've actually been brushing my hair forward a little bit. I've been going for a little bang.

[George Severis]

Well, that's all nice and good, but you are currently wearing a hat, so it's a funny thing to mention. You're not sure if I've noticed.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, I think you would notice even more than when I'm wearing a hat. Because when I wear a hat, usually my bang is under the hat. Because it's like. I think this. What I'm saying is this is rare to have bang and hat.

[George Severis]

I see. And now I am seeing it. You have a baseball cap on, but there are bangs coming down from it.

[Sam Taggart]

They're coming down.

[George Severis]

They're coming down from it.

[Sam Taggart]

And that's why I do Am looking at my hair, because of the new bangs I do.

[George Severis]

I'm looking at my hair as a Sabrina Carpenter lyric. It's very. That's that mi espresso.

[Sam Taggart]

That's that Dua. I'm looking at my hair.

[George Severis]

That's that Dua Lipa. I'm looking at my hair.

[Sam Taggart]

I have to ask.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay. Did you listen to the new Sabrina Carpenter?

[George Severis]

And the moment I said her name, I said, please don't. Yes, and me. Please don't. Yes, and me. Because I have not listened to a millisecond of this album. And can I actually say something further?

[Sam Taggart]

I didn't listen to the first one either. You are fucking crazy. I don't know what this.

[George Severis]

I know that I'm all for her. I love that she's tiny and a comedian and is both submissive and dominant, and everything she does is both serious and a joke. And I think it's fun that she has some sort of Hanukkah special on Hul or whatever she's doing, and I support her. I think it's nice that we have a new comedy queen, because in an ideal world, it would be Chapel, but she has a sort of serious streak about her as well, which I also celebrate, of course. So, yes, I love the idea of Sabrina Carpenter, and I'm sure I would like her music. I have not done a deep dive.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, this is crazy. And I just can't believe the girls keep getting smaller and smaller and smaller. It's true.

[George Severis]

They're gonna be pocket sized. It's gonna be Polly Pocket headlining Coachella, and people are gon. Where is she? The audience is going to have to get little magnifying glasses.

[Sam Taggart]

It is crazy. This is unsustainable. We cannot get smaller than this. I have a feeling that Dua Lipa is punishing us. Ooh.

[George Severis]

Say more.

[Sam Taggart]

I think that Dua Lipa has taken a step back from the limelight to say, you guys don't appreciate me. Fine. Have fun with your little girls. And I'm like, dua, stop punishing us. Put out new music. Yeah. People didn't freak for the last album, for the record. I did. I was there supporting you the whole time, start to finish. And I'M like, we need you back. We need to clean up all these little girls. It's time for a tall woman to take the stage once again.

[George Severis]

Okay, I have two responses to this. I'm so glad we're talking about this. First of all, I want to say one thing. Speaking of height, before I forget, while I was in Greece, guess what film I rewatched with my mother? Materialists, because it was the only thing playing at the local open air cinema. And I said, my mom's going to love this. It's a sort of inoffensive rom com. There's no explicit sex. And she can talk about how Dakota Johnson has her father's face, but her mother's acting style 1. One of the many things she said post viewing experience.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[George Severis]

And of course I'm talking about it because there is a leg lengthening storyline and there is a focus on height. Of course. But I want to say publicly, if you live in New York and watch that movie and said, this is so random. Like, this movie is so weird. I have an amazing suggestion for you. Go outside New York and watch it again. You're gonna love it. It's literally. It's the narcissism of small differences. Like, because you keep. When you watch that movie, you're like, wait, why does she want to go to Iceland? That's so random. Like, why. Why does she say she's making 80k? That's not what she would think. Yeah, like, why is she wearing that and going there? Why is he 37 but lives with roommates? Guess what? You're thinking too. Literally, if you leave, you'll realize it's all just sort of metaphorical. All of these people are symbols and you're going to enjoy it like it's a cartoon.

[Sam Taggart]

As someone who watched it in Los Angeles, I said, this is amazing. I said, I love this film. Thank God they perfectly depicted New York.

[George Severis]

No, exactly. And I actually felt like I was. I felt like a loser for not liking it in the beginning. I felt like one of those, like, people that are like, missing the point.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

I was like, I can't believe I missed the point. And the point is just like, whatever.

[Sam Taggart]

The point is, like, isn't dating crazy? Yeah.

[George Severis]

The point is just, isn't dating crazy? And isn't this a sort of random way to act if you're Dakota Johnson? So that's one. But wait, I want to go back to Dua Lipa because I have two thoughts. One is in terms of height, I love Lady Gaga. But sometimes when I See how short she is. I'm like, can you get serious?

[Sam Taggart]

I think if Lady Gaga were starting today, she would be like, the album would be called Short. Like, because short is valued right now.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

She would be like, her whole thing has been like, pretending to be tall.

[George Severis]

Yeah. But then she had five foot two.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, that's when she was at her most vulnerable. And she was like, people need to know I'm short so they'll feel for me. Everyone thinks I'm tall and they treat me as if I'm tall. And she's like, actually, you don't understand. I've been short the whole time. That actually did make people have some empathy.

[George Severis]

Yes. And I think she has always been playing with concepts of tallness and shortness because, of course, she loves wearing a really high heel. And like, that Alexander McQueen chunky heel moment that was such a big part of the Bad Romance era was, of course, commentary on height differences, leg lengthening, surgery, of course, the poetics of being 5 foot 2. That said, I see her. I see her doing her best. I see her being, literally, she's one of our best pop stars. And sometimes I can't help it when you have implicit bias that you haven't investigated. I just find myself being like, grow. If you want me to take you seriously, grow a few inches.

[Sam Taggart]

Be taller. Come on, be taller. It's just not right what she's doing.

[George Severis]

So that's one thing. And then the second thing and final thing, read Dua Lipa, which I actually feel very strongly about is she's not disappearing right now. Here's what's happening. And I say this as someone who was just in Greece and at the US Open, there is Dua Lipa music playing everywhere. And what's happening in this era of her not releasing music is she is allowing her existing songs to become canonized. If she had new music, people would feel pressured to play that new music. What happened is she released a lot of, like, very clearly music that will stand the test of time. She released a lot of music that will stand the test of time in quick succession. And there was no room for people to process that. And I think what's happening now is you're going to the US Open, you're hearing even the Barbie song, you're hearing even the third single from Future Nostalgia. And I think it's important for people to hear it over and over again. Remember, we were in early Pandemic when some of this stuff was happening. A lot of that stuff is being forgotten. And so I really Think this is an important two year period where we have to be listening to the old stuff to process it as what it is.

[Sam Taggart]

This actually does make sense. You know, it's sort of like, I've never cooked, but I imagine sort of, you know, you have to like let the bread breathe a bit. Like she has the dough and she's letting it breathe and you have to like sometimes just let. Let it sit. Yes, I think that's really smart.

[George Severis]

I think someone who of course doesn't do that is Taylor Swift. I think someone who doesn't do that is even lately is a Charlie XX event. You're kind of like, what a roof.

[Sam Taggart]

You know who does it a little too much?

[George Severis]

Who?

[Sam Taggart]

Chapel.

[George Severis]

Really?

[Sam Taggart]

I think those girls. She's still touring this damn album that came out four years ago. I'm like, yeah. I'm like, girl, girl, girl, where do.

[George Severis]

You think you going?

[Sam Taggart]

I'm truly like, you've got to put out a new album, if only because this is getting weird. It's like watching a friend do the same set for years. It's like, yes, you can pull an old joke back, but you can't do the exact same set.

[George Severis]

You know what's crazy? Obviously we know people that do the same set over and over again. And often what happens is like, okay, you want to tape an hour of material and so you have to also have some filler in there. You have to bring back jokes you haven't done in five years, whatever. That said, when I was in Boston, we're talking, people would develop a five minute set and do it word for word for 10 years. Yeah, it was crazy. Like, and at least the people we know, the more sort of Brooklyn adjacent people. There's some joie de vivre in the improv of it all. When I tell you there are people I was there for. I lived in Boston for two years. I would then occasionally visit. I'm visiting, seven years later, I'm seeing the same set word for word.

[Sam Taggart]

It's tough. It's tough. It's tough too, because sometimes I'm like, well, we can't get into it. But I'm like, whenever I do that, I'm like, fuck, I want to kill myself.

[George Severis]

I know, but.

[Sam Taggart]

And sometimes I do and sometimes I do. Like, I. And I always know there's like one person who's seen me a specific amount of times out of specific venues, and they've seen me do the same step five years in a row. And I'm like, I swear, I'm actually practicing new Stuff, but just you happen to see.

[George Severis]

Not here. Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Just not here.

[George Severis]

So it is a new season of our podcast, Radiolab.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. What does that mean to you?

[George Severis]

You know, when you said we should address the fact that it's a new season, my immediate thought was, I don't care.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, that was interesting.

[George Severis]

I think it's one of those things that we know about and no one else is paying attention to. Everyone is just pressing play on the latest episode. I think it'd be one thing if we had a summer break that we were coming back from, but I was just like, I don't think anyone is thinking in terms of seasons. But then I was convinced by the power of Back to School.

[Sam Taggart]

The power of Back to School.

[George Severis]

It actually is the one season in the same way that. Or in the opposite way that awards season has actually lost its power over the years. I no longer care about the season of awards Back to School season. It's kind of like the only thing we have left that tethers us to time. Because school does start in September.

[Sam Taggart]

There's no getting around it. School starts. I think it's interesting that you feel this way. I mean, first of all, I of course love Back to school, and I want to talk more about that as a concept, but I personally feel that announcing new season starts now is so if there's anything a wedding taught me and if there's anything I'm learning, you know, wedding and even career, is everything sort of made up like, you are nothing is, like, bestowed upon you by a higher power. You actually just decide, like, I want attention now for this.

[George Severis]

Totally.

[Sam Taggart]

So, like, wedding was like, oh, actually, no one's going to be like, you should get married now. You just have to be like, I've decided I want attention now for this. And then like, saying, like, new season. It's sort of like, actually, we have to just decide that this is important, even if it, like, technically doesn't matter. Like, we have to decide among us, you're actually important.

[George Severis]

You're pointing to exactly my issue. If we were to decide it proactively, I would be in favor of it, but because it actually literally is, like, we just to give everyone a peek behind the curtain, we literally signed a. We're signing a contract for a new year.

[Sam Taggart]

Sure.

[George Severis]

So it is a literal. It is a literal new season that is, in fact, get this beyond our control. It just has to do with when the contract ended and the new one began. That's. It's like, how I don't like. It's like, How I don't care about birthdays because I'm like, well, I didn't accomplish anything. Like, my birthday is just time naturally passing. Whereas I do want attention for wedding, because that is something that I did.

[Sam Taggart]

You have chosen. Interesting.

[George Severis]

I think it's a bootstrap. It's a bootstrap American dream mentality. Like, I only want attention when I feel like I've earned it well, so.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't limit myself. I want attention both. I want attention when I choose, and I want attention when it's bestowed upon me by a date. So when it's my birthday, I'm ready to get attention, and when I'm ready to make something feel important, I'm ready to get attention for that as well.

[George Severis]

And I actually think you're. Of course, culture is moving in that direction because there's no such thing as quality over quantity anymore. It's just about pretending every. It's about not pretending. Every day is the big launch.

[Sam Taggart]

In a sense, every day is a launch.

[George Severis]

In a sense, every day is a launch. And you would think, it used to be that if you were to do a launch every day, you would dilute the significance of the launch. But here's what happens now with algorithmic recommendations is you do a launch every day just trusting that some people will see the Tuesday launch, some people will see the Wednesday launch, some people will see the Thursday launch. And you don't actually have to be embarrassed about launching three times in a row.

[Sam Taggart]

And on days when you sleep too late, that's a soft launch.

[George Severis]

Oh, well, yeah. And that can be even more powerful than a hard launch.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Okay. It's just like, if we hadn't celebrated a new season, would we have actually ever fake celebrated a new season?

[George Severis]

No. I know what you mean. I guess my thing is, like, well, you know, we can celebrate our tour. You know, we can celebrate doing a certain comedy festival that we are in the process of. In the process of signing the big paperwork for. These are the. These are the things that we have accomplished. But of course. And guess what? Here's the other thing. I have this guilt. It's the first episode of the new season. I didn't prepare something big. We're at the launch, and I forgot to wear my big suit that the brand sent me because I'm a spokesperson for the big brand. And, you know, and so I'm showing up to the launch. I'm wearing a shirt I've already worn in public.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God. Not at the launch.

[George Severis]

So that's my. That's My other concern is I'm like to. To set expectations as this is a new thing and not have something to back that up with.

[Sam Taggart]

That actually makes so much sense to me.

[George Severis]

And that's why I was. When we talked before this recording, I was like, oh my God. We have to decide what topics we're going to talk about today to prove that it's the big launch.

[Sam Taggart]

There's something I want to say which I wonder how boring this is, but c' est la vie. I think we have in a sense been on a summer break. Like we, we. Yes, it wasn't all summer, but there's our last episodes. We haven't. We haven't done like a straightforward episode in like over a month because we did a re release. We did the call in, we did the jo ep which is a book club ep.

[George Severis]

Not a normal app.

[Sam Taggart]

Not a normal app. So it's actually been quite a while since we've a normal ep.

[George Severis]

And guess what else? This isn't a normal ep.

[Sam Taggart]

Fuck.

[George Severis]

So this is actually the official month anniversary, one month anniversary of no normal eps. This has been no normal eps. Summer.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm going to say it. This is a soft launch. We are not. This is not a hard launch. This is a soft launch.

[George Severis]

And guess what? That takes the pressure off. I now feel suddenly comfortable calling it a new season because there's no pressure on me to hard launch.

[Sam Taggart]

Suddenly your clothing makes sense.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

The lack of the big suit.

[George Severis]

And not only does it make sense, it would be really pathetic if I showed up in the big suit. Can you imagine?

[Sam Taggart]

To the soft launch.

[George Severis]

To the soft launch. We're talking like this is a dinner at a buzzy restaurant. But not even a full buyout. It's like we just got the long table and it's family and friends. You know what I mean? Yes, it's sponsored by a brand, but it's like a minor candle brand.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. I mean if you're not doing full buyout and you wear a suit, that's crazy. Honey, they're gonna be talking about you. Yeah.

[George Severis]

Because guess what, what that implies is for. For me the big event is the non buyout soft launch. I could never even dream of going to a full buyout. Hard launch.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm like, it's such a soft launch. The. The long table. I'm even getting scared they're gonna make me pull out my credit card. That's like it's actually not confirmed whether or not we have to pay completely.

[George Severis]

And I think that's like the unspoken drama of the soft launch.

[Sam Taggart]

Yes.

[George Severis]

And we're, we're honestly, both of us are sort of like pissed the whole time because we're like, okay, so like have we made it or have we not made it? Like, is this soft launch covered by the brand or did they just donate the candles that on the table?

[Sam Taggart]

I'm addicted to soft launch. I'm talking about soft versus hard is. I'm realizing that most of my life is soft launching. I am addicted to soft launching. And sometimes, sometimes it's like have a backbone hard launch and.

[George Severis]

Can I just say something?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

I think soft versus hard is one of the most underexplored binaries we have. When you ask someone what are the main binaries in the world, no one would dare say soft versus hard. But I think it can be applied to so much. It can be applied to the amount of effort you put into something. I can sometimes be soft emailing versus hard emailing.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh my God.

[George Severis]

I can sometimes be soft. Well, not anymore because I'm of course married, but let's say I were single. I can be soft dating. Hard dating.

[Sam Taggart]

That's true. There's, there's soft going out, there's hard going out.

[George Severis]

There's even frankly soft consuming of like media or a book or anything and hard consuming like the, you know, the like second screen experience. You know, I'm watching Great British Bake off while frankly playing, having a full on conference call with my business team.

[Sam Taggart]

This is so interesting. I've been trying to practice hard leisure which is like really purposefully doing a leisurely activity. It's not enough to sort of lay around on my phone. Like if I'm being leisurely, I'm bringing my book outside and sitting under a tree like I'm hard leisuring.

[George Severis]

No, that's not only is hard leisuring important because I also just hard leisured for a full like I would say eight days. I was in Greece with my family and I deleted Instagram from my phone. I would redownload it exactly once a day to post a reel from our podcast because we're of course trying to put more content out there because it's a quantity over quality world that we're living in. But I really was like, I'm leaving my room and I'm bringing just my book.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm addicted to hard leisure as a phrase. I actually think that really sounds nice.

[George Severis]

Do you feel like you've succeeded? Because I do feel like for the first time in years, maybe even since pre pandemic, I like relaxed.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I Think I've actually succeeded. I think I'm kind of in an amazing place when it comes to leisure and media consumption. It's all very purposeful and. Thank God.

[George Severis]

Mm.

[Sam Taggart]

Wait, there's something about. Oh, I guess I wanted. Of course it's. It's. It would be. Would be remiss to not bring up penises when talking about hard.

[George Severis]

Soft. Right.

[Sam Taggart]

It's obviously implied in everything we've been talking about, but I just want to say it's not a quality. We're not saying hard and soft like some. There is a space for a soft and there is a space for a hard. And I actually, of course, my big critique is that people want their penises only hard. And I'm saying I want to see hard and I want to see software. I want both. There's a time and a place for both. And I'm sick of people pretending like the only value is a hard one.

[George Severis]

Where do you stand on semis?

[Sam Taggart]

I'm okay with them. Yeah, there's sometimes a dishonesty to semis that I don't appreciate. I. I was at the beach recently and there was, you know that, you know that gay guys are mutilating their genitals on a day to day basis.

[George Severis]

Crazy.

[Sam Taggart]

But I saw like a saline dick, which for those who don't know, you can inject saline into your dick and it looks like a big balloon.

[George Severis]

That's what inject me. I'm a free bitch means. From the Lady Gaga song Dance in the dark. Keep going.

[Sam Taggart]

So there was a guy that was kind of like saline to look like he had like a permanent semi basically. And then he had like a thong on and like a really loose pouch. So it was like a dangly. And I'm like, this is so unsexy to me. It looks like you have a dookie in your pants. You are walking around with a dookie and you're like jiggling around being like, look at this. And I'm like, it looks like a poo poo in your pants. This is not hot or sexy. It would actually be much sexier if it was normal size. And okay, so this guy had this saline dick. Then he had a necklace on that said daddy in guess what, the Barbie font.

[George Severis]

Oh.

[Sam Taggart]

In the Barbie font it's a daddy. And then it was like also like much larger than it should be. Okay. Then he gets his shirt on to leave and it says like, come in me, it's my birthday.

[George Severis]

And it's like, that's too many signifiers.

[Sam Taggart]

Coco Chanel Take one thing off. This is two much. You had me at saline dick.

[George Severis]

Like, I didn't. Clearly, he didn't have you at saline dick. You said, get that dick away from my face.

[Sam Taggart]

He's just like, I get what you're. I get that you're like a. A slutty guy. Like, I get.

[George Severis]

I know, I know, I know, I know. Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

And like, I just. It's truly just like, you have to have some depth in your life. Your whole thing can't be I am sex. Like, find some depth. Read a book. Sorry. This.

[George Severis]

I don't know.

[Sam Taggart]

I realized this guy made me mad and I needed a space to talk about it. It is tough because he's a listener. He's like, well, that was definitely me.

[George Severis]

You are definitely describing just one person. This isn't an amalgamation of different people.

[Sam Taggart]

This is one guy who was in front of me at the beach.

[George Severis]

The Barbie font is interesting because I wonder if he bought that during Barbie fever and hasn't realized that it's time to retire it, which is how I feel when I see people wearing the brat shirts or, like, the three six, five Party girl shirts. I'm like, do you want. Do we need to go somewhere? Like, I can give you a T shirt.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. I'm like, this is ironic, right? You're, like, playing with the form, right? You're, like, doing that thing where someone writes a book about four years ago.

[George Severis]

Oh, totally. Yeah, yeah. You're doing Eddington.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

You're actually going Eddington mode by wearing a Barbie font necklace.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn. Eddington mode is so correct.

[George Severis]

Eddington mode is actually, like, a pretty big concept.

[Sam Taggart]

Because I do think it's so funny to talk about the very recent past. Of course, I think it's one of the more interesting things one can do.

[George Severis]

Well, sometimes you'll see a post on a social media platform that's like, we don't talk enough about how good. The Giver by Chapel Ronin. It's like, well, it's still out.

[Sam Taggart]

Like, it's still in cycle.

[George Severis]

It's literally in, like, the Spotify new music playlist.

[Sam Taggart]

Eddington mode. Did you ever read that book that was called, like, a very recent history or something?

[George Severis]

Wait, the Corey Sika book?

[Sam Taggart]

Maybe it came out in, like, 2012 or 2013. It was about, like, 2008, and it was like a gawk. It was like, about a gawker.

[George Severis]

Cory Sika. Okay. Actually, it's funny you mentioned him. So Corey is obviously an iconic early Gawker person, one of the co founders of the all he's now at. Well, he was in New York magazine, and now I think he's somewhere else. Anyway, you know, my connection to him. When Gawker relaunched, he wrote an article about it for New York Mag, and in it he said, gawker is now mostly women and one parentheses, extremely gay man.

[Sam Taggart]

Okay.

[George Severis]

And then I was like, you know, obviously I was very flattered because I was like, what an amazing. Like, I was very flattered that someone I look up to as a writer, you know, would in his own way, like, pass the baton by being like, I was the gay guy during this era. You're the gay guy this era. And I, you know, I made some joke about it. We had a back and forth. Then I ran into him at some event, like, truly, two weeks later. And he introduces himself to me as though he doesn't know who I am.

[Sam Taggart]

Interesting.

[George Severis]

I was like, I'm seeing what mind games you're playing here.

[Sam Taggart]

Interesting. Do you ever build up when you're gonna meet someone? Like someone that you know from the Internet? I had this recently where I built up, like, I was like, oh, we're gonna be at the same event. Like, we are going to be at the same event. This is such a long time coming. And I can't wait for how funny this is gonna be that we finally get to meet. Yeah. And then they treat you like you're a stranger. And I'm like, no, we have an online thing going on. And it's not impolite. They're not ignoring you or something. They're just like, oh, hi, I believe we've met before. And I'm like, hello. Obviously we haven't met before. The whole point of this is that it's notable that we're meeting.

[George Severis]

So this is something I learned, I would say, like approximately 2019. I was like, wait a minute. I've never had a satisfying first physical interaction with an online friend. I was a little bit like. I was like, wait a minute. And it's the realization that people that are fun on the Internet are often weird in person.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And then of course, it makes you be self reflective because you're like, am I one of those people? Am I Not to say that I'm fun on the Internet, but at the time, I was very active on social media platforms and I was like, am I one of these people that is weird in person? My eyes are darting everywhere and I'm not making eye contact and I'm sort of being awkward and then going to my phone and being like, that feel when BAE is squad and then, and then it's going viral.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn. I, I'm really racking my brain to try to think. I want to disprove because I need optimism, I need to believe. And I'm like, but maybe you're right. Like I, maybe I have a fiction in my mind of like there's, there's a fantasy of seeing the person who you've interacted with online. And you just go like, you basically scream and you go like, I know, like, I can't believe we're finally fucking meeting. I think the sadder version is like, yes, people online are famously weird and they're going to be awkward when you meet them. But even worse is like building up. It's so sad to build up a relationship and realize it's one sided. Like, be like, oh, I have. I've thought of us as like Internet friends completely. That is fucking pitiful. And I do it often.

[George Severis]

No, I, I, it's been a long process to not do it. There was one time when someone I felt like was my Internet friend posted a literal fake news article. It was like from a fake, from like a, a website that's like meant to trick you. And I replied in my thinking as a, as a friend, like being like, oh, like this is fake, this is not real. And he took it as an attack. And then, and then was like, I never said it was real. Like, why are you, like, why are you, you know, talking back or whatever?

[Sam Taggart]

And I was like, whoa, that is scary.

[George Severis]

And then he afterwards tweeted something along the lines of like, Twitter people are so self aggrandizing and like, think they're right about everything. I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not, I'm not a Twitter person.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm your friend. I need to know who this is so bad.

[George Severis]

I'll tell you later. And meanwhile, here's what's scarier. The day later, we went back to having the relationship we always did. It's just like this. He's like, Internet is not real. I'm like, I can lash out if I want to. I can go back to being, to having conversations if I want to. It's like, it doesn't count.

[Sam Taggart]

If I were to talk to a therapist, which, as we know, I canonically don't believe in. If I were to talk to a therapist, it would be about. There's something about how that I actually get so freaked out when I realize the fragility of all relationships. Like, there is something where, like, that is my greatest Fear is you will message someone and they will, like, take you in a wrong sense and almost assume the worst. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like, take everything I say with a grain of like, and I love you. There is no ill will. There never will be. And if there is, I simply wouldn't be messaging you like. Like, you have to assume the best for me always. And people don't do that. And that's freaky.

[George Severis]

It's freaky. It's freaky. And our country is broken.

[Sam Taggart]

Our country is fucking broken, y'. All. Today you sent me a Tucker Carlson clip. Can we be honest? You sent me a Tucker Carlson clip.

[George Severis]

Well, okay, I wasn't, like, endorsing it, but I. You know, listen, there's something happening that we have to address.

[Sam Taggart]

Which is.

[George Severis]

Which is that these people are really funny.

[Sam Taggart]

It's crazy, this clip. By the time this episode comes out, it'll be long gone and well over, but he calls Pete Buttigieg a fake gay guy. And it is, like, then they talk about. They do an analysis of his career where they talk, like. Say he's, like, really climbing and whatever. And then they say that they want to ask him questions about gay sex to see if he could answer them. And it literally feels like. Like, it could be our words. I was, like, genuinely blown away. 1. I did think it was funny. And I was, like, kind of scared because I was like, this is such a valid critique. Like, obviously, he's not actually a fake gay guy. Duh. But I was like, but I see what they mean. Like, we have said this. Like, we have, like, referred to Buttigieg as, like, a archetype. And it's interesting. I was in a really. We were both in really bad moods today. We were reflecting on that before we started recording, and you sent me that clip, and it was the first light of joy that I felt today. And I was like, oh, my God. This is how people genuinely turn Republican. Like, they see a clip at a point when they are low and then they are Republican.

[George Severis]

I know it's tough to overstate in an era of, like. I'm sorry to use this term because I hate it, but, like, vibes based, you know, conversation in politics. Just the strength that just, like, looking at someone who looks like they're having fun has, like, you see that clip. I think Tucker Carlson is one of the worst people to ever exist. But you see that clip and you're like, he's, like, laughing. He's joking with his buddy. He's having fun. He's not. I mean obviously in other instances he is being completely self aggrandizing and annoying and self righteous and whatever. In this specific I'm saying if you're being inundated with little short form videos and then that one comes up, you're gonna laugh.

[Sam Taggart]

You're gonna laugh.

[Jacob Goldstein]

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[George Severis]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com America is changing and so is the world. But what's happening in America isn't just.

[Sam Taggart]

The cause of global upheaval.

[George Severis]

It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Jacob Goldstein]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[George Severis]

Tristan Redman in London, and this is the Global Story.

[Jacob Goldstein]

Every weekday, we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Sam Taggart]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[George Severis]

A new NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles.

[Sam Taggart]

@Nflshop.Com you'll find the latest jerseys, hats.

[George Severis]

And sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFLShop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere.

[Sam Taggart]

Else and show up ready for Every kickoff.

[George Severis]

And big play fan like a pro. And shop [e-mail].

[Sam Taggart]

I want to talk about this. Speaking of real gay guys. Yes, I want to talk about the Stephen Phillips Horst article, the peak of gay sluttiness.

[George Severis]

Yes, the peak of gay Sluttiness in New York mag. It's funny, someone the other day called it a personal essay. I would say it's a classic like reported trend piece. Yeah, it's sort of looking at, I think it's like diagnosing and I say diagnosed in a morally neutral way. It's diagnosing like a real thing, which is that we are in a very particular and new kind of moment when it comes to gay sex and gay socializing in large urban areas.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, it. I thought it was a very accurate portrayal. And so basically he was sort of talking about how, you know, G culture, drug culture is reaching a peak and like sort of anonymous sex culture is reaching a peak. And it wasn't sort of like a. But it wasn't condemning as much. It was just like holding a mirror and saying like, here is what is happening.

[George Severis]

It wasn't condemning at all. I think it was self deprecating just the right amount. Like he is making fun of himself. He's calling himself old. He's saying, I feel kind of. We've talked a lot about how being in your 30s is this chasm that you have to cross as a gay man because you are no longer a young 20 year old and not yet a daddy. So you just are in this invisible middle area. And he also correctly contrasts it to past eras of gay promiscuity and gay debauchery by sort of saying that it's like has this ethos that's very Silicon Valley and very like. It's like we're trying to maximize every second. Rather than seeking out pleasure, we're seeking out like productivity. Productivity. Yeah, yeah. And like for anyone who doesn't know, see, this is where it gets complicated because I'm like, you want to be talking about this only with an in group. I wanna. What I was about to do is explain what G is and explain what we're talking about. And I'm like, okay, well then we're almost like presenting this problem to a straight listener and having them gawk at a specific kind of gay lifestyle, whether or not we are part of that lifestyle. And I don't want to do that. And that is the criticism that Steven got is being. Is people being like, why are you quote unquote airing out our Dirty laundry, our being, you know, the queer community. And in this instance, like, mostly gay guys.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I thought it was an interesting critique because, like, obviously the fear. I understand, like, if that article gets in the hands of one single Republican, we are fucked. Like. Like, it is just everything that they dislike and would, like, try to shut down. But it's also sort of like, it's New York magazine. I'm sorry. The benefit of print being dead is only gay guys are reading this. It's fine.

[George Severis]

Well, on the other hand, though, what happens is everything is. There is this sea of unseen content, and at any given time, someone could choose, pluck out one of them and make that the story of the day. There is no sense of context anymore. Like, that thing, it could be something on someone's personal blog. It could be that someone. Do you remember this? Like, there was one random girl on Twitter that got a PhD in something that sounded fake. And she was like, it's my graduation. Like, I got a PhD in studying, like, olfactory aesthetics in 19th century literature. And then someone was like, oh, she studied smells. This is what they're doing in colleges. And then that became the story of the day. This is just a rant, you know? And so there's something about the. The sheer quantity of content that both makes you feel safer because you're like, well, no one's listening. But also, at any given time, your thing could be the thing that's plucked out at any given time. Any of our clips could be taken out of context and beyond Tucker Carlson. So anyway, but of course, that's not a reason not to write a trend piece for New York magazine.

[Sam Taggart]

I did find the critique to be like, we need to have this conversation with each other. To be honestly, brain dead. I was like, what do you mean?

[George Severis]

We are having it with each other. There's also not one conversation. There are conversations I'm having with my friends. And then I also want to read an article that is funny, well written, and diagnoses a problem and is written and edited by two gay guys that know this world and live in New York City. And like, sorry, but that's how it is.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I thought it was a really smart and funny article. I also thought the. The idea, obviously, this kind of relates to me talking about Speedo Guy earlier, Saline Cock, which is that, like, I have been bothered by that. The quantity over quality when it comes to gay sex. Like, there is the. Like, I want 11 loads is like, okay, calm down. Like, it's like, how about you have one load that's really fun. Like. Like, it is just like a numbers game is not. It's like a way to desexualize sex. And I'm like, what's the point if you're like, if it's not sexy anymore?

[George Severis]

Well, a recurring thing in Stephen's article and part of the Silicon Valley ethos of this whole thing is the attention to numbers and math. You know, when you are doing G, you can only take. It needs to be very carefully dosed. So the sort of stereotype which is, you know, which we have seen around us and is described in this article is that you'll see gay guys and all their apple watches will go off at the same time. And that means it's like, time for the next dose. You know, contrast that to a table of gabbing gals that are having their martinis. It just. It is less. Sorry, fabulous.

[Sam Taggart]

It's less fabulous. It's less fabulous, less glamorous.

[George Severis]

So there's that. There's the number of votes, which is another, like, counting. Counting thing. I'm curious about your experience with it because people talk a lot about a shift in. Again, I keep using the word vibe, a vibe shift. And this has been a real one for me. I was on Fire island this summer and I went to two parties in a row where there was no alcohol available. And the reason is because you can't drink when you're on G. And so the. The implication is that that's what everyone. That's the new norm.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And I would go so far as to say, even if that is normal, the nice thing to do would be to host a party and put various options out for people. And one of them could be, like, a bottle of wine and then think of tequila with a mix or whatever. But it's not just that the G is a new normal. It's that it's like there's an in group out, group dynamic.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. There's a bit of a Warring.

[George Severis]

Warring factions.

[Sam Taggart]

Because the people who drink alcohol are judgmental of the people that do G, and the people that do G are judgmental of the people that drink alcohol. Like, they're sort of like, okay, grandpa, you're still drinking alcohol. It's kind of like, okay, but like, like. Or they're like, you think G is bad for you, alcohol is bad for you. And I'm like, true. But it's like the. Socially, I'm like, but it's. There's a rich tradition. This is like the bad for you. That is.

[George Severis]

Yeah. None of us are doing anything Good for us.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. We're gonna do something bad. It's. It's confusing. I. It definitely. I mean, I almost like, in a. In a distance y way, how it makes me feel kind of old to drink alcohol still. I'm sort of like, oh, I'm like an old gay guy who, like, can't stop drinking alcohol. Like, this is so classic. But then I'm also like, wait, but I want to be, like, of the now. But I. Yeah, I'm.

[George Severis]

The culture does not appeal to me, I have to say. And I actually don't think I understand why you're using the word judgmental. And, of course, there's judgment coming in all directions. I like to think I'm not. It's not. I don't think it's judgment. I think it's, like, in the same way that I know I am not going to look good in skinny jeans, so I'm not going to wear them. That is something I don't want to do because I don't think it, like, is what would make me feel good.

[Sam Taggart]

You're telling me if there's a bitch rolls up in skinny jeans, you're not going to be a little judgmental? You're telling me a gay guy rolls up his gay jeans? Your eyes are rolling a bit.

[George Severis]

You know what else? I'm sorry, but, like, I hope this isn't too controversial, but. So Stephen's article came out again, it is described. It's basically like a. I would say it's like a portrait of a moment in time. He's describing a couple of parties he went to. He's describing a couple of events. He's describing a changing party culture, let's say. And so he is referencing certain parties in New York by name. He's referencing certain individuals and certain, like, nightlife personalities. And there has been a backlash in the nightlife community. That is the crux of which is, like, why are you naming specific people and places? Because it could shut down to get them shut down. These are vulnerable people. Also, there's this kind of weaponizing of identity because it's like, these are lgbtq, precarious performers and creators and whatever. And what's your take on that?

[Sam Taggart]

I mean, I think it's a valid critique, especially the names of parties. Like, there is something where it's like, if it reminds me. Do you remember that New York Times article about Zipolite that came out, like, four years ago or something?

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Well, basically, I went to Zipolite after that article came out, and that article was about how it had become like, a gay place and how there was all this cruising and, like, it was sort of debaucherous. And it was also a portrait of, like, shifting cultures where it used to be like, hippie nudists and now it's like slutty gay guys fucking on the beach. And the thing about that was, like, it wasn't. The residents of Zipolite, from my understanding, weren't like, oh, this sucks. But the police then had to be like, we're being embarrassed because we kind of, like, turned a blind eye to this, and now it's being published that this is happening. And so now we have to pretend to. Or not even pretend. We basically have to cover our asses and start doing raids so that we don't look like we're fucking letting this happen. And so people in Zeke Linte were talking to us about that article. Fucked things up in that way where it's like, the police had to do something because it was so public, because before that, everything was kind of. Everyone was at peace. And my fear is that there is. In New York, there is a blind eye being turned. People are aware that there's drugs and illicit stuff at parties. Like, that's. That's parties.

[George Severis]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

But now the police, like, have to not look embarrassed and have to, like, sort of raid these places. That would be my fear. And so I do understand a little bit where it's like, you. If you could anonymize the names of parties, that could prevent them from being so specifically targeted. But I also, like, it's tough because I don't know how seriously to take things. I'm often like, like, you know, just say it and see what happens. But I could see, I guess, how that is a valid critique with things like this.

[George Severis]

I mean, as always, both sides are right. But I also just think we journalism is like.

[Sam Taggart]

Is.

[George Severis]

Is a classically, like, amoral thing. Like, it just like, yes, you are always airing out people's dirty laundry. Like, and. And frankly, I think people, and especially younger people, have become so used to toothless culture reporting that is just parroting TikTok trends. And it's literally like, what does everyone think about performative males? And then it's quoting tiktoks that people have forgotten. Like, yeah, you have to get your hands dirty if you're going to actually report on the culture. Which, by the way, I don't, generally speaking, have the. The courage to do. Like, I remember when I was at Gawker, I was like, so many of the Things I would edit, I'd be like, I don't know if I would have the chutzpah to, like, write this myself with my name attached to it. And I think it's like, you have to have a very specific personality type to be able to, like, risk a certain level of reputation. Risk a certain hit to your reputation. Because obviously, if you report something correctly, there's going to be people that look bad. There's going to be people that feel exposed. There's going to be people with power that are mad at you. There's going to be probably people without power that think that you're exploiting them. Like, that's just. That is what the truth is.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I agree. I do think that's where Stephen. I'm like, genuinely so impressed with the article because I'm like, this is like such a cheesy word to use. But I was like. It was like, brave, like, to literally ostracize yourself in that way.

[George Severis]

And he is. He has been banned from parties.

[Sam Taggart]

Really?

[George Severis]

Yes. This has been part of the fallout.

[Sam Taggart]

I thought it was. So, yeah, it was cool that he did it because I was like, that is so. You're like. You're alienating yourself. It's tough. And he's always been really good at. He's got bite. In a crazy way.

[George Severis]

He does have bite. And it actually. I think I was actually talking to Lily about this. It's almost like there's two parts of his personality. There's the interpersonal. When you talk to Steven, he's so sweet and so funny and just very intellectually curious and smart. Whatever. Then his writing Persona is a different thing. It's also intellectually curious, but he's out for blood.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, he really, really is. Yeah, it's very interesting. I also found. I don't know what your experience is, but I found that when looking on the Internet, the reaction was very discourse y. And then whenever I talk to anyone in real life, they were like, oh, yeah, totally. I agree with that whole article. I thought it was genius.

[George Severis]

Well, guys, that literally relates back to the TikTok trend piece versus real life trend piece thing. It's like, yes, everything you see on the Internet is stupid. Not to paint in broad strokes, but it's like, can you imagine how much of a loser you have to be to get on the Internet and tweet that you disagree with an article?

[Sam Taggart]

Damn. Go off. Yeah, totally. Fuck.

[George Severis]

But again, I get. It's also like, there are different outlooks when you are working in nightlife and when you're working in these spaces, of course you're gonna see someone that is ostensibly a reporter in this instance as the villain. This is, you know, you don't want someone drawing attention to your party or to your event, but it's also also the risk you take when you want something to be buzzy and to be popular is that someone will write about it.

[Sam Taggart]

That's yeah, yeah. It's the toss up that's tough. Damn, I don't even know where to go from here to be quite honest. I'm like, it's so hard to find a new topic after. I know going into this that was a serious one.

[Jacob Goldstein]

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[George Severis]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com America is changing and so is the world. But what's happening in America isn't just.

[Sam Taggart]

The cause of global upheaval.

[George Severis]

It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Jacob Goldstein]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, dc.

[George Severis]

I'm Tristan Redman in London and this.

[Sam Taggart]

Is the Global Story.

[Jacob Goldstein]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Sam Taggart]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[George Severis]

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[Sam Taggart]

At NFLShop.com, you'll find the the latest.

[George Severis]

Jerseys, hats and sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFLShop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play Fan like a pro. And shop [e-mail].

[Sam Taggart]

Here'S something I want to talk about is so we both saw weapons and specifically I want to talk to you about like the gay guys in it. I want to see what your opinion on the gay performances was in weapons.

[George Severis]

You know, this is a tough one because, like, I can't tell how serious I want to be about it. Obviously it's funny when they were shopping for cereal and it's funny that they're Disney gays wearing matching Mickey Mouse shirts.

[Sam Taggart]

Matching Mickey Marsh shirts, seven hot dogs.

[George Severis]

But there was something about it where I was like, wait, so, so of all the characters, they're the butt of the joke. And again, I'm not offended by it, but I'm like, so if they're going to be campy and over the top and stereotypical in this way, then are you also going to do that with other stereotypes or are you going to have, are you going to, I don't know, have the woman character be like, I'm on my period. It's like everything else was played pretty straight. And then the gay guys were like a comedy sketch.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, it's like, so Josh Brolin is like a Republican coded guy.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

And yet he's like actually really reasonable.

[George Severis]

And he's like a hero.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. And then the gay guys are like literally just like doing a bit the whole time. But the thing is, the bit was funny, of course. And I was like, there's something about it where I was like, this is kind of for gays that would live in that type of town. I was like, they would be wearing Mickey Mouse shirts.

[George Severis]

And that's exactly, you're exactly right. It is classic. Like it's small town gays that were clearly when they were younger, bullied, went through a hard time and God, they came through to the other side. And one of them is the school principal and he has this hot husband and they're like, so they can't believe their luck that they are in this lovely domestic situation and they're eating 17 hot dogs and watching nature documentaries. So it is true that that would be what they're like, but it actually made me. Cause you know the guy. What's his name? Zach Kreger. He's like a comedy guy. And I'm sort of like, okay, so you have it in. You Sprinkle some more comedy in there. I mean, there was other comedy. There was. Obviously, Aunt Gladys is comedic, and the. The final sequence is comedic. But I'm like, you could have made the Josh Brolin character way funnier. Make him a crazy conspiracy qanon guy. Or you could have made the teacher even more of a mess with the alcoholism. Let's go, broad.

[Sam Taggart]

I do agree. I thought she was sort of miscast, to be honest, because I'm like, so she's an alcoholic mess. Why is she snatched as fuck and her skin is gorgeous? I'm like, we need somebody who's a little bit beat. Up.

[George Severis]

Up. I completely agree. I actually think the cognitive dissonance when it comes to insanely hot actresses on screen has reached a fever pitch.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, totally. Something's not connecting. People are like, well, if it's a woman, she has to be as hot as fucking possible.

[George Severis]

It's crazy. And she has to have, like, the most beautiful Christian girl, autumn, wavy hair.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, yeah. Those damn beach waves.

[George Severis]

That said, I do think Julia Garner is a great actress, of course.

[Sam Taggart]

To die for. And I want to say also about Zach Kreger. Did you see Barbarian?

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

Because he does have a way of, like, when is it Justin Long? Is that his name? Yeah, when he's like, sup, faggot? Like, answers the phone like that. I've, like, I've never felt more taken care of because I was like, he understands sort of that homophobia is real and you're allowed to show it. Like, it's like, that is. It's, like, not patronizing. It's, like, respectful to almost show, like, a gay stereotype where it's like, you actually do kind of get it. There's. I almost feel, like, respected when someone shows light homophobia.

[George Severis]

I know. I mean, I do think Barbarian. I'm like, did I like Barbarian better? I think you definitely did.

[Sam Taggart]

I did like Barbarian better, to be completely honest. I'm sorry. First of all, I'm sorry. I have that opinion.

[George Severis]

No, I think both of us also saw Weapons way too. You know, it's like, you. You're hearing everyone talk about it, and it's amazing, and Aunt Gladys is to die for and all this stuff, and of course, it's too late, and then there's no way to go but down because it's so overhyped. I liked. I liked weapons.

[Sam Taggart]

I liked weapons.

[George Severis]

And I appreciate the alcoholism allegory of, like, Aunt Gladys's alcoholism or is addiction.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, is that.

[George Severis]

Oh, okay, okay, so let me explain. I can't remember. One of the ways it's being interpreted is that Aunt Gladys symbolizes addiction. And so she. First, she can turn you against people you love, which she does with the gay couple. And then also when it's with. When she's staying with the parents, she's making them incapacitated and lethargic. And so the son has to step into parental roles by feeding them soup and taking care of them and all this stuff, which mirrors Zach Kreger's own relationship with his, I think, father who was an alcoholic. You know, it sort of, like, forces the child to grow up too soon and to step into the parental role.

[Sam Taggart]

Interesting.

[George Severis]

And what I actually thought, if you to take that to its conclusion, what I thought was interesting was at the end and sorry, there are spoilers at the end when you are told that some of the kids started talking a year later, it's like, so just because the demon was defeated, aka, you know, sobriety or whatever you want to say, doesn't, you know, the trauma remains.

[Sam Taggart]

Interesting. I did like the sad ending where it's like. It's like happy and sad.

[George Severis]

I agree.

[Sam Taggart]

I thought that was really cool. Well, that's interesting. I never thought of it like that.

[George Severis]

I do think the scene with the gun above the house was random.com footage.

[Sam Taggart]

Not found random af. I'm saying, who the hell? What the heck?

[George Severis]

What is this supposed to be in here?

[Sam Taggart]

I like that reading of it as, like, addiction, but I'm seeing so many people. I've seen people be like, hello, it's obviously about school shootings. And I was like, is it like, what is it? What is it about?

[George Severis]

I do think the school shooting is almost a red herring. Like, it said that sets out so clearly wanting you to think that. And then it's like, sort of not about that. The other thing that he said himself in an interview was that so, you know, he lost a close friend of his. And he said that each character represents a different, like, form of grief he went through. So one of them is angry. One of them is trying to blame someone. One of them feels guilty. Guilt and shame.

[Sam Taggart]

You know, whatever. Okay, sure.

[George Severis]

And I did think. I did think the multiple perspectives worked. And, you know, obviously, I thought Gladys was to die for.

[Sam Taggart]

Gladys was to die for. I will say the police officer guy was so hot.

[George Severis]

So hot.

[Sam Taggart]

I was like, give me, give me, give me. And I love when a new hot guy drops, you say, wow, there's another one.

[George Severis]

The police guy.

[Sam Taggart]

The police guy.

[George Severis]

Oh, honey, he's been around.

[Sam Taggart]

What's. What else is he.

[George Severis]

Alden Ehrenreich.

[Sam Taggart]

Alden Ehrenreich.

[George Severis]

He is in. He's in Solo, a Star Wars Story. I think that was his. One of his big breaks. He was in Hail Caesar.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I didn't see that. I did see Solo. I guess that's. I can see it now. That's weird. That's crazy.

[George Severis]

He's sort of. It's like, very nice to see him in this role, because I think for a while they were like, oh, he's hot enough to be a leading man. Let's try to make that work. But he is meant to be this kind of character actor.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Severis]

He was an. Oh, my God. He was an Oppenheimer. Our favorite movie. I actually don't remember that.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't remember him being in that.

[George Severis]

But you know what? Every guy was in that.

[Sam Taggart]

That's true. We were in that.

[George Severis]

We were in that. And we were really amazing.

[Sam Taggart]

We were amazing. We played the gay guys.

[George Severis]

Yeah, we were. We played the gay guys. We played the gay guys from Weapons, but in Oppenheimer. And it was really tonally inconsistent with.

[Sam Taggart]

The rest of the film, but people, like, loved when we popped in. Like, it was funny. Like, people that watch it multiple times, like, start to grateful that we were.

[George Severis]

Well, there was this whole meme where people were like, if only Christopher Nolan wrote women as well as he writes gay guys.

[Sam Taggart]

I would love to see Christopher Nolan do a movie about four gay guys living in New York City. I think that would actually be so deeply funny.

[George Severis]

I. I agree. And I would go so far as to say I understand that Christopher Nolan is an. Nolan is in his blank Czech era. Like, he has. He is the only filmmaker left who's able to make a movie like Oppenheimer that also does box office numbers. And that's just like, he has the magic sauce. No one knows how he does it. And so now he's allowed to do whatever he wants. But I'm like, they should make him do something.

[Sam Taggart]

They should make him do something.

[George Severis]

Like, make him adapt a little life.

[Sam Taggart]

Put a gun to his head. Yeah. And make him adapt a little lighter.

[George Severis]

Because I actually don't want to see him adapt the Odyssey. Sorry. Like, I don't necessarily. I mean, obviously, I will be there day one, and I will be sneaking into the premiere, and I will be taking photographs of the cast and saying, can you come on my podcast?

[Sam Taggart]

No. We need to see that damn movie the moment it comes out.

[George Severis]

Of course. But I also do want him to literally, I'm like, do a clueless remake. Do something out of the box.

[Sam Taggart]

God, it would be so funny. Yeah, I agree. He should be forced to do something. Every once in a while, someone should get forced.

[George Severis]

I know the way Hollywood works is wrong, because here's what happens is if you flop, then you're putting direct put in director jail. And if you succeed, then you're allowed to do whatever you want. And I'm like, where's the middle ground?

[Sam Taggart]

Where's the middle ground? Whatever happened to a middle ground?

[George Severis]

I mean, I guess the middle ground is, like, you have to direct episodes of, like, B rate prestige series. And it's like they're all directed by, like, former indie directors.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, that's true.

[George Severis]

So we want to talk about Steven's article. We want to talk about weapons. You wanted to talk about menswear.

[Sam Taggart]

I did want to talk about. I'm in a place where I don't know what to wear. I don't know what dressing up is. I don't know what fashion is. And this is surprising because I used to know and maybe I never knew. I think. Here's the issue. I think I knew what to wear as a normal person. I know what to wear to a dinner party. I know how to slay a dinner party. And people will be like, damn, I love that outfit. And I'm like, thanks, diva. If I'm being photographed even slightly, I have no idea what to wear. Things that you think are outfits are not outfits when you are being photographed all of a sudden. So I don't feel like I have a direction. And, like, I don't even have. I don't have a hero. When I, like. Like, I keep being like, okay, who do I want to look like? Who do I think does it? Well, I'll look at famous people all day long. And I go, not them. Not them. You show me the most fashionable man in Hollywood. And I go, he looks like a clown. I say, not that, that. And so I. I'm. I'm quite literally lost. And it reminds me, I had a friend one time who. Sorry, I'm literally monologuing. I had a friend one time who was like, I want a drink. Like, that doesn't exist. And I was like, what do you mean? And he's like, like, I don't want soda and I don't want juice. And I was like, okay, but. But then do you want, like, seltzer? And he's like, no. Like, he's like, I want a. A new kind of drink. And I was like, kombucha. And he's like, no, you're not hearing me. Like, I. I want a different kind of drink.

[George Severis]

Was that friend me? Because I, like, think about that approximately once a day.

[Sam Taggart]

Friend in college, actually, who really went on this tear. And I.

[George Severis]

Because I'm like, my white. I. I feel like the. I almost have this mental illness where I'm always craving a specialty drink that doesn't exist. And it, like, symbolizes my childhood somehow.

[Sam Taggart]

I mean, sometimes I'll think an Orangina is the fix. It's never the fix. And I buy an orangina and I drink and I go, this is. This is wrong. So basically, that's how I feel about fashion. And I don't know who to look up to or I don't have a compass in any way, shape or form.

[George Severis]

I know. You know, it's actually especially relevant because today Giorgio Armani died. I don't know if you saw that.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I did not see that.

[George Severis]

Have you seen the movie American Gigolo?

[Sam Taggart]

No.

[George Severis]

So American Gigolo popularized the Armani suit. It's like, before that, American men didn't know how to dress. And then after that, it was like, suddenly you were seeing these kind of, like, beautiful tailored suits everywhere. And. And I feel like when you look at, you know, one of my fashion icons, Robin Williams, when you look at, like, photos of Robin Williams on red carpets, and you're like, God, those pleated pants are like, they could be wearing him, but he's wearing them. Like, you know, whatever.

[Sam Taggart]

I think it's tough. I think, like, where I struggle especially is it's like, obviously you can wear, like, a suit and look nice. You can wear a vintage suit and it'll, like, look nice. But is there a way to do it without wearing a suit suit? Like, I'm wanting, like, a little more play, and I'm wanting, like, a little less formality. And it's like, your only options are, like, shirt. You can wear a shirt, or maybe tie, or you can wear suit. And it's like, okay, well, I don't want any of those. Like, I'm wanting another thing.

[George Severis]

I see what you're saying, and I actually. The thing is, so I think everyone wants that. And then I think the two solutions are, either you really go all out and look stupid, because. Because the thing is, nothing as a man, nothing is actually going to make you look as refined and as good as a suit.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

So you can try to do like the sleeveless thing. You can try to do unbuttoned shirt with tank. You can try to do some sort of formal short, but you just aren't. You can be pulling it off in a fashiony way, but you simply are not going to look as good as someone in a really well tailored suit.

[Sam Taggart]

Suit.

[George Severis]

You know, maybe the answer is take the L with the suit but then go wink with either accessories or the shirt.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I mean, you're right. When you're right, you're right.

[George Severis]

Or jewelry.

[Sam Taggart]

Or jewelry. Which ever since having a wedding ring, I'm sort of like, oh, I get jewelry now. Like, I'm like, it's fun to metal everywhere.

[George Severis]

I've been wanting more.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I want more. So if you guys are jewelry makers, send us whatever. We'll wear it on the Runway.

[George Severis]

I mean, I also think, think this episode is. Yeah, we'll write on the wrong way. This episode is very sort of ambiguously anti gay. But I have one more, I have one more anti gay thing to say. And I'm sorry to say this, but like, and this has been true now for a while, straight men, fashionable straight men are dressing better than fashionable gay men.

[Sam Taggart]

I was going to say. I was going to say, you know who I actually do kind of look up to fashion wise, who is currently alive and currently, you know, someone in our orbit, Adam Pally. He always is dressed so well.

[George Severis]

Really.

[Sam Taggart]

And he does suits, but he does them in a slouchy way and they fit right, but they're not super tight or anything. He does them in a CAS nice way.

[George Severis]

So here's mine. Seth Rogen. Well, yes, Seth Rogen looks so good.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

And he's also doing suits, but in a fun way. Now I'm just looking up photos of Seth Rogen. You know, this guy, I mean, and he's taking risks. I'm seeing here a brown shirt and a green jacket looking like a damn Christmas tree.

[Sam Taggart]

I have a real hang up around a suit. Whatever, whatever. I just feel like I'm being like teacher if I'm in a suit.

[George Severis]

What about a really, really beautiful sweater and then like nice pleated pants?

[Sam Taggart]

That could be good. That could slay a new photo. One day. One day I'll feel comfortable wearing a suit. That day is not today.

[George Severis]

I mean, are you comfortable wearing just like a button down shirt? No jacket and pants?

[Sam Taggart]

Maybe. But I, I'm like, how do you make that fun, though?

[George Severis]

You want something that doesn't exist.

[Sam Taggart]

I, I literally want something that doesn't exist.

[George Severis]

How do you feel about like a, a, a sort of fashiony scarf instead of a tie?

[Sam Taggart]

You know my ass can't queer it up. Any scarf. No, no. You know I can't do that. I'm literally like. And then it's like, okay, some people like instead of a suit will wear like a cool jacket and like. But no, like when I see that.

[George Severis]

Like a bomber style jacket that to.

[Sam Taggart]

Me feels like a stand up comedian who is self conscious.

[George Severis]

And you're not going to do like shirt with no collar, like a sort of. No. And, and to be clear, I do agree there. I don't.

[Sam Taggart]

Sherwin caller reminds me of when people were wearing. I, I keep. For some reason I have something about this. Remember when people were wearing the drop crotch pants?

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

That was crazy. Talk about poopy pants. That was literally like you had a dookie in your diaper. I was like this. That was so crazy.

[George Severis]

No, it's tough. I will say this. I bought a pair of sort of like pleated linen pants this summer and I was wearing them out.

[Sam Taggart]

You wore them around me?

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

At some point. They look great.

[George Severis]

They, I mean that was a game changer.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, those look really good.

[George Severis]

The, the two consequential fashion purchases I made this summer were my fisherman sandals, this black leather pair of fisherman sandals that were incredibly overpriced and then my, my linen pants that were not overpriced and were in fact from the gap high and low.

[Sam Taggart]

Also, of course it all goes back to New York vs LA where in New York you're seeing people, you're seeing style, you're seeing outfits. In la, you're not seeing outfits the way that I've been like, I need a new pair of shoes. I literally just need a new pair of shoes. But I'm like, but what would I possibly wear? Like I have no, no one is like, oh, they're actually crushing. I should do what they do. It's like everyone's just like wearing government issue tennis shoes and not slaying.

[George Severis]

You know what's in terms of your dilemma of not having a role model? This is like the tragedy of modern creator of the modern creator economy where it's like we've never had more people that are in many positions of power and yet none of them are inspiring me.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Like, okay, it used to be that only a certain number of people had access to beautiful clothing and beautiful products and you know, you had to choose between the three that were available. Now I mean, there are seemingly 15,000 menswear influencers. I think they all look stupid.

[Sam Taggart]

They do most.

[George Severis]

I'm not saying I look, I'm not saying I look better.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't think I look good.

[George Severis]

But I. But I'm like, what's going on?

[Sam Taggart]

I've been seeing this style of Internet video recently, specifically about la, where it'll be like, how do you to. How to have a night out in Los Angeles for your worst enemy? And it'll be like, go to this bar. It fucking sucks. And like I've been seeing a lot of them actually. And it's like WeHo edition or whatever. And I'm sort of like, okay, there's seven restaurants in all of Los Angeles. Like you can't just say like six of them suck. It's sort of like there's one street with restaurants in all of Silver Lake. Like, that's it. Of course you're going to name those. Like, it's not like off the beaten path. This is notably bad. They're all bad.

[George Severis]

That you're pointing to a larger problem which is like that kind of content, which is sort of like meme based critique, is at an all time low in terms of quality. It's at all time low. And I think that is very related to the whole performative male thing, which is complete just mush bullshit. Just like literally someone's brain leaking out of their ears and just being like, yeah, if he's reading Sally Rooney, he's performative. Like, what are you talking about? How about you jump off a bridge into the water? Water.

[Sam Taggart]

And I think water Now.

[George Severis]

I saw one that was so offensively stupid to me because I know that they are just parroting something they think is funny, which is that it was like two slides and the first one was like, if you like these things. And it was like, boy genius. Claro workwear, try this. And it was applied to work at Raytheon. And it's like, well, those are not related. You just heard that Raytheon is a funny thing, is a sign of someone being evil. It's like, oh, working at Raytheon is a sign that someone is a bad person. And then you think separately that boy genius is corny. And so you just utter put those two completely unrelated signifiers next to one another and you're just hoping that it'll add up to a joke. It's not.

[Sam Taggart]

It's not. George, you saying that made me filled with anger. I'm furious. I cannot. You're so right. There's so TikTok has heralded a new era of people hinting at humor.

[George Severis]

Yes.

[Sam Taggart]

It used to be people would have bad humor at dinner parties and sort of parrot a joke and you would be like, okay, they're not very funny. And then now it's like they're posting it. They're taking their non humor and they're posting it. And I'm saying, let's workshop it a bit, hit the mics and then you can start to post. It's we need a license to commit humor.

[George Severis]

Well, of course. And it needs to be issued by Donald Trump.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, he got the humor department.

[George Severis]

Well, Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson. Let me tell you something. Those are two funny girls. Those are. That is my Tina and Amy.

[Sam Taggart]

That's my Tina and Amy is Donald.

[George Severis]

Trump and Tucker Carlson. Let them host the Golden Globes. I will be laughing my little ass off. Can you imagine the jokes they're saying about Timothee Chalamet?

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I'm gonna laugh.

[George Severis]

No, it is a really big problem to go back to Steven. I think there are valid critiques to Steven's article. I think there are valid critiques to everything. And also I have a very particular outlook that I do not feel at all threatened by that article because it is not about me. Fine. However, if there is one true point I want to make, it's what I said earlier, which is that, okay, you don't like Steven's article, you write a experience based trend piece. Not about mafia girl, about mafia wife aesthetic. Something that is fake and never existed. Stop parroting dumb things that 12 year olds are saying. Do you have a brain? Go out of your house, put your phone down, see what people are doing and write it down. Guess what? Your Joan did end.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn, you're so right. You're so right. Cultural critique, it's, it's just literally lazy. People are looking at their phone saying, I saw four people do this video. I will write about it for the New York Times. And it's like, what? Stop it.

[George Severis]

Also, you want to comment on that culture? Have the courage to say, okay, I'm commenting and here's my comment. It's stupid. Stop trying to make. Stop trying to elevate it. Stop trying to elevate it. Did you listen to the Slate culture gabfest where they were talking about performative males? No, I haven't. They were just fully taking it seriously and doing an analysis of what they think it says about gender. That's literally even worse than just not, than ignoring it. You're lending a credence no, you're totally right.

[Sam Taggart]

You're totally right.

[George Severis]

You should say as a smart person. They have PhDs, those people. You should say as a smart person with a PhD. I think this is not worthy of my time.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I think this is fucking stupid. That being said, we. The point I wanted to say is sort of moot because we've been. We are I think literally doing it now. Well, no, we're doing. No. Okay, I'll say it anyway and we'll see where it lands. I think the problem with all these like sort of hater content of like, this restaurant sucks. This type of man sucks.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

Is like, I'm literally tired of critiques without solutions. I'm like tired of just being like, everything sucks. Because it's kind of like, that's actually quite easy to be your opinion. Like, I need to know. It's so much more vulnerable to be like, this is good. What is good? Let's. Let's quit being haters. Like, of course the restaurant 33 taps, that is a sports, gay sports bar in Silver Lake sucks. Like, it's not trying to be good. You don't need to Critique the bar 33 taps that sells boneless chicken wings and puts on the big game. Like, hello, it's not to be critiqued. Like, critique something that is of value, that is putting something out there.

[George Severis]

This is a classic defense mechanism of the intellectually unserious is critiquing things that are self evidently bad and thinking you come across as smart. It's like, no, guess what? My niece Denise could have made that critique. She's 18 months old.

[Sam Taggart]

With the right editor. Are you gonna make that critique with.

[George Severis]

The editing team at New York Mag? Are you kidding me? It would be front page news. I think that you are absolutely correct that it is a cop out to do critiques like that. And I would go so far as to say the other thing that I find abhorrent about it is that it's fully self hating without wanting to implicate yourself. Because guess what? All those people are going to those places. They are. All you're doing is going out and being like, I'm disgusted with my own life. So I'm gonna critique it as though I am living outside of this community and judging people. You are at that restaurant. This is your entire life. Your entire life is going to these restaurants, doing these trend based activities, being on Instagram and saying the dumbest shit imaginable. You have nothing to offer.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn.

[George Severis]

And you have the nerve to critique it. Sit your ass down and Order a chicken nugget with caviar on it because you saw it on TikTok.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn. You know, I have to say, we were in a bad mood, and I. The way that this episode is so going off alarm. I like, we are definitely chanting, channeling our moods into whatever this is. And I have to say, I'm in heaven. I'm in absolute heaven. I feel like sort of. What's that movie where the guy, like, freaks out in traffic and, like, is it called, like, Falling down or something? And he, like, yells at a McDonald's employee about breakfast not being open. I love not remembering this movie.

[George Severis]

What did you say it was called? Falling Down.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, there's a movie called Falling Down. Let's see. Yeah, that is it. Michael Douglas, he, like, loses his mind and just starts, like, popping off on stuff. 1993.

[George Severis]

Wow. You were right.

[Sam Taggart]

I was right. If you should not have doubted yourself.

[George Severis]

Look at me laughing at you. Laughing at you as though you're Aunt Gladys taking her damn wig off.

[Sam Taggart]

It's called Falling down, and that's what we're doing.

[George Severis]

Set in Los Angeles. All bet.

[Sam Taggart]

I'll bet, honey. Lot to lot to pop off on over here.

[George Severis]

Okay, wait. First of all, I have to watch that movie.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, me as well. I just sort of know it culturally. There's like, a famous scene.

[George Severis]

No, I. I agree. I think we're, you know, it's important to get this out, obviously. Yes, we are doing the same thing we're accusing other people of doing. We are critiquing without offering a solution. And I think in small doses, that is, you know, that is okay. But I think it has to come out like, I'm sorry, but you have to have a commitment to truth.

[Sam Taggart]

You have to have a commitment to truth. Well, because truth is beauty. Of course.

[George Severis]

Truth is beauty. And I will go this so far as to say you also have to have, separately, a commitment to beauty.

[Sam Taggart]

Of course, in this fucked up world we're living here, you're not committing to beauty, which is truth and truth beauty.

[George Severis]

If you're not committing to beauty, then you honestly, like, need to overdose on context pills.

[Sam Taggart]

Damn. This is when we hang up on this zoom call, I'm gonna over commit my life to beauty and truth, and I cannot wait to do so. I'm gonna do something so fucking glamorous after this. It's going to be so insane. You know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna get in a fucking pool and I'm gonna read a book.

[Jacob Goldstein]

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[George Severis]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the feature. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com America is changing and so is the world. But what's happening in America isn't just.

[Sam Taggart]

The cause of global upheaval.

[George Severis]

It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Jacob Goldstein]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, dc.

[George Severis]

I'm Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global Story.

[Jacob Goldstein]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Sam Taggart]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[George Severis]

A new NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles.

[Sam Taggart]

At NFL Shop.com you'll find the latest.

[George Severis]

Jerseys, hats and sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFL Shop.com has it all score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play fan like a pro. And shop [e-mail] Speaking of reading books like Just Super Quick Media Consumption by the way, for everyone listening and being like, God, this is good. They're unhinged. Like I wish they did this more often we do bitch. It's called twice a month on Patreon and all you have to do is pay $5 a month for it. So if you want to hear me having a full on mental breakdown multiple times a month, then that's what you need to do. And it's called patreon.com traderlab. But I want to know what book you're reading.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm currently reading the Shards by Brett Easton Ellis.

[George Severis]

So here's a question for you. Have you read any other Brett Easton Ellis?

[Sam Taggart]

I have not.

[George Severis]

Okay. Have you seen any adaptations of his work?

[Sam Taggart]

I've seen American Psycho.

[George Severis]

Okay. I've read Less Than Zero and Rules of Attraction, but a very long time ago, like in my early 20s maybe. Yeah, early 20s. I don't think high school. And I liked both of them at the time. I have not revisited them. You know, as a. As an adult. I will say Rules of Attraction, the movie. Have you seen that?

[Sam Taggart]

No.

[George Severis]

When I first watched it in high school, it was incredibly formative. And the way that, like, you know, Requiem for a Dream is formative, like if you watch it at the right age, it stays with you because it's like, about adult themes.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Unfortunately, I tried to watch it again as an adult and it is a bit clunkier than I remembered. But, you know, my good friend Jessica Biel is actually incredible in it. And of course I've seen American Psycho and love it, but I have not kept up with Bret Easton Ellis and I know that he's a real sort of folk hero among the. Among the how long gone class. And so I'm very excited to read the chart cards. I've heard great things from a bunch of different people. I know someone in the writers room.

[Sam Taggart]

For the TV adaptation and we both do.

[George Severis]

No, it's. I don't know who you're talking about. I know someone else that you don't know, but I would love to know who you know.

[Sam Taggart]

Well, Charles Rogers is in it.

[George Severis]

Oh, my God. Fun.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Who do you know? We can bleep these names, by the way.

[George Severis]

No, we don't have to bleep them. I guess I won't say her last name, but a friend of mine, her name is Julie, she's in it.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, okay.

[George Severis]

She's a. She used to be a writer, like a magazine writer and has gone into tv.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh.

[George Severis]

And she's very bright, very smart, very cool, very funny.

[Sam Taggart]

Love that. Yeah. I was talking to Charles and he was talking about it and I was like, wait, I never read that. Book. And then I was in the bookstore, and I was like, what do I read? And I was like, wait, maybe I'll try it before the show comes out.

[George Severis]

I'm. I. I do. I do really want to read it because a lot of people have recommended it to me. I am wanting to read. Read the Sally Rooney that came out last year that I never read.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. Have you started it or you were just.

[George Severis]

Well, I did. I mean, I read an excerpt of it, ran in the New Yorker a while ago, and I read it. So that's probably the first, like, 20 pages. But no, I have not properly started it.

[Sam Taggart]

What did you read when you were in Greece?

[George Severis]

Well, okay, first of all, I read the book Matthew Co wrote that is out this week. Oh. Matthew Co wrote a book called they All Came to Barney's. It is a memoir written by the former CEO of Barney's, the department store, Carrie Bradshaw's favorite department store for any Sex and the City gals out there. And I read that, and it was obviously incredible. And I actually was so glad I read it before Giorgio Armani died, because now I know so much about Giorgio Armani, who Barney's brought to America. Barney's was the first story that carried. Carried Armani in the United States. It was one of their big discoveries. And then there's this whole other section. You know, I. I don't know enough about Japanese fashion, but I'm interested in it. And there's this other section about how they brought a bunch of the big Japanese designers to America, like Conde Garcon and Yoji and like, Issey Miyake and all those people.

[Sam Taggart]

Interesting.

[George Severis]

Which is very interesting to learn about. So I read that. I read this other book that I had started a while ago and abandoned, called Ex Wife. It's about a woman who gets a divorce in the 1920s, like, during prohib. And it's literally like Sex in the City, but in the 1920s. Like, she is a divorcee and then starts living with this other divorcee whose name is Lucia. And they're, like, always going out and meeting guys.

[Sam Taggart]

Fun.

[George Severis]

And, like, sort of debating the ins and outs of, like, what is liberation? What is which of the things we're doing are liberatory versus, like, embarrassing? It's like, is it bad that I'm, like, kissing a different man every night? Or is it something to be proud of? Of? And it's very, like, very contemporary. Like, it doesn't feel like you're reading a period piece. So those are the two books I read. I just Finished All Fours. You finished All Fours. Did you like it? Okay.

[Sam Taggart]

I loved it. I thought it was so great.

[George Severis]

You need to read her first novel. It's so good. The First Bad Man.

[Sam Taggart]

I want to. I want to. People keep commenting on our Totec clip. The First Bad Man.

[George Severis]

Wait, really?

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah. And I don't know the connection. Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

I don't even remember. I mean, I read it so long ago, I don't even remember. I don't even remember what the connection would be. I just remember I cried on a plane while reading that book.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I love that.

[George Severis]

And actually, her book of short stories is also amazing.

[Sam Taggart]

Somebody commented Kubelko Bondi, and I Googled that, and it's from that book.

[George Severis]

Got it. Okay, maybe I'll reread it. I've been wanting to reread this book that was super formative for me called Satin island by Tomacarth. And it's about an anthropologist that sets out to do an ethnography of the entire world. But then it gets weird. I don't remember the details, but I'm in a mood where I'm like, I want to check in on things that I thought were good 10 years ago and see how I've grown versus how I've not grown. Yeah, it's like how I always have to rewatch the movie Adaptation, which was my favorite movie in high school. And every time I'm like, yeah, it still slaps.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, that's how I am with Austin Powers.

[George Severis]

Yeah, totally.

[Sam Taggart]

This has been an amazing episode.

[George Severis]

Has been an amazing episode. Wait. I wanted to address the US Open thing.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, yeah. Where you posted.

[George Severis]

Okay, so I just. I posted as a joke that I was a Faye partner, and that's how I got my US Open tickets. And I thought it was clear that it was a joke because I used the hashtag own your Faye, which I made up. And I also thought it was clear there was a joke because I. I had self, evidently, very bad seats, if you looked at my photo. And I don't think if Faye was sending influencers to the US Open, they would put them in Section 321. But people tell themselves stories in order to live, and people view Instagram stories and believe them in order to live. And so multiple people, to the point where I'm now no longer replying to each of them individually, thought that I was being serious. And I want to just address the big rumors and say, I'm actually, I paid for those tickets out of pocket, and I'm not a FIA partner.

[Sam Taggart]

See, there's a few things going on here.

[George Severis]

Totally.

[Sam Taggart]

One is people do want to believe. People want to believe, first of all, that everyone is famous. Everyone wants to believe that somebody. Like, everyone wants to look up to somebody. So people are like, oh, George is a FIA partner. This is amazing. That's my dream. That's always my dream. And George is living my dream. People want other people to be living their dream. They want to be jealous. So it's like, wow. Another thing that's going on is sort of you and I both do this where we think we are flops. We think we're like, obviously, the joke here is that I'm successful. And it's like, that's not shout out to I.O. at your wedding. She was like, somebody was telling me that somebody listens to our podcast that lives in, like, Massachusetts. And I was like, whoa, they do? How do they hear about it? And I was like, you still think you're, like, not successful? And I was like, oh, damn, you kind of clocked me a bit.

[George Severis]

Yeah, I mean. I mean, obviously, I know what you are saying, but I'm sorry. I do think that me being in, like, the very back row and thanking Fi. Yay. Is a little more obvious than you're giving me credit for.

[Sam Taggart]

I think if you told me today that you were a fi. A partner and they were doing this weird thing where they're sending you to the Open, I would say. Okay. I would say that makes sense. George is a FIA partner.

[George Severis]

Okay. I do think it is true that influencer culture has run amok so much that when I tell you over 30 people I know were sent to the US Open for free. Am I one of them? No.

[Sam Taggart]

Somehow they have 31st spots.

[George Severis]

It's just crazy. I'm like. And they're sponsored by the most random. It's like a mom and pop store that's sells recycled bags is sending you to see Naomi Osaka. Okay. But I do want to say one thing. All jokes aside, I would like a brand to pay for me to go to the US Open. And I actually don't think it should be that hard. I'm a very famous and beautiful podcaster, and I'm on record as loving tennis way longer than all these fake fans that are learning the rules on the spot because they were invited to go by tennis. Tiffany.

[Sam Taggart]

The thing is, you know, maybe they fear you because they know that you can't not be truthful. And, you know, they need someone who will be a mouthpiece for the brand. And they know that you have such amazing Morals that you can't possibly hide your own opinions in favor of the brand.

[George Severis]

You know what, though? Honestly, Other than, like, I'm trying to think. What. What? Sponsors of the USOBA are evil. Most of them. I'd be, like, really willing to shill for, like, Faye, I eat every day. American Express. I'll get an American. I'm a Chase girl, but I'll get an American Express card.

[Sam Taggart]

Like, what's on the credit card?

[George Severis]

Literally, no problem.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

Ralph Lauren. Are you kidding me? I love Apollo.

[Sam Taggart]

I love Apollo. Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

I wouldn't even have any moral qualms about sponsors. Just get in touch. That's.

[Sam Taggart]

That's true. I think you should invoice Faye.

[George Severis]

I'm going to invoice them and I'm going to say, you know, I did do free press for you because people believe me.

[Sam Taggart]

You even did copywriting. You invented their new hashtag.

[George Severis]

Yeah.

[Sam Taggart]

And, like, it's taking off. People are loving it also.

[George Severis]

They have never. It's like, okay, I'm gay in Greek. Like, Faye, it's a joke that it looks like fag. Like, you're never gonna take advantage of that.

[Sam Taggart]

See, I'm actually so glad you're saying it, because I had no idea how to say it, because I was like, faggy.

[George Severis]

Well, could be.

[Sam Taggart]

Could be. Live life. Faggy.

[George Severis]

Live life. That's the new hashtag.

[Sam Taggart]

That's the new hashtag. Well, yeah, you should invoice them, at least the price of the ticket, because you did do promo while you were there. To your very eager fan base.

[George Severis]

I know. And, you know, I had a really amazing time at the usop, and I want to say I love tennis and I love going there, and we're. I'll make you go with me one of these years. Well, not for. You know, we're not going to pay for it. Obviously. We're going to get some.

[Sam Taggart]

The cost will make us go together. Let's hope so. Let's hope so. It does feel. Talk about. There's always something where I'm like, okay, it's everybody but us.

[George Severis]

I know. I can't.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm like, so everybody got that but us. I'm like, so even. Like, something so stupid, like an ad for, say, just as a placeholder. Caster mattresses. And so it's sort of a joke that everyone gets to do this ad and we don't. We're the only podcasters on Earth who don't do that.

[George Severis]

What the hell?

[Sam Taggart]

Like, so. Like, so Everlane is like, we're the Only podcasters. Everlane doesn't like, like, what's the deal with that? Like, don't get me wrong, I don't. I've never had Everlane. I don't know.

[George Severis]

Yeah, guess what? I'll send you to better help. I'll. I'll lie and say it's the same as therapy. I don't give a. I don't give a.

[Sam Taggart]

So. So you're telling me Quinn said, just listen to us and was like, not them. Like, what's the deal? Like, what did we say?

[George Severis]

Remember early on when we were asked to list, like, brands we would, like, be willing to collab with? And we, like, really took it so seriously. We're like, I think Patagonia, they're not gonna advertise with us.

[Sam Taggart]

I love when we do stuff like that because. And then it just, like, never happens. God, life is so beautiful. I want to give a shout out to Panda Inn, a restaurant in Glendale. It is, I would say it's like a P. F Chang's. It's sort of like mall Chinese food. But there's something about a restaurant that is not fancy or not. Not actually innovative, but pretending to be fancy that I find so charming in a sort of suburban way. I feel at home when I am in this Panda Inn. I have been twice in the last month, and it's right by the movie theater, so I go to Panda Inn, then I go see an amazing movie. Or vice versa, depending on this time of the film.

[George Severis]

Film.

[Sam Taggart]

And I know we didn't say we're going to do shout outs, but I just. The spirit took me and I felt like I needed to shout out, panda.

[George Severis]

That is beautiful. And I want to give a shout out to the original Bridget Jones's Diary, which I rewatched on the plane back. Have you watched it recently?

[Sam Taggart]

I did. I watched it on a plane within the year.

[George Severis]

Were you not in heaven?

[Sam Taggart]

No, I was. It's to die for. It's actually to die for.

[George Severis]

Sorry, but, like. And I'll end on this. I will personally end on this. You can keep talking if you want, but this is the last thing I'll say because I feel myself, you know, I feel the meaning of my words being separated from the words themselves as I'm speaking. Of course, something happens at the end which I think is so emblematic of the decline of Rom com since then. And this is what happens. They've made up, they've kissed, they've confessed after each other. He finds her diary, and the diary has insults about him from when she first met him, it's like he's an idiot. Like, he's so pretentious. He's so unconscious annoying. And then he's like, oh, right then. And then leaves and starts walking away. She realizes what happened. She goes to chase him. She finds him and she goes, I didn't mean all that stuff. Like, I'm so sorry. He goes, oh, I know. I was just getting you a new diary. Now, here's what's going on there. Two things are happening. It's an incredible moment for his character because he's showing that he has a sense of humor and is caring and is also, of course, buying her a diary, AKA empowerment, her to keep telling her story as a female creator. But the other thing is, in today's world, that character would be offended by what was in the diary.

[Sam Taggart]

You're so right. There's no respect. There's no respect for people. People think we are too fucking stupid to see a character and think they would act reasonably. That movie is like, actually, you're smart. We think you're smart.

[George Severis]

Yes, he's a smart person. And it is playing with the audience's expectations because the audience is God. How could he believe that? Come on, can't he see it? And it's like, yes, you're right. He did see it.

[Sam Taggart]

You're right.

[George Severis]

That would be literally the instigating, like, inciting incident in a current Netflix movie would be like someone reading a diary and being offended.

[Sam Taggart]

Someone needs to take Netflix down. Enough is enough. We need somebody Trump, do something. Like, we have to get Netflix out of office. This is crazy what they are doing to our culture. Culture.

[George Severis]

No, it's really, it's really up. It's really up.

[Sam Taggart]

It's so deeply up. Like, I can't believe we're just kind of like a 15 year block. Hopefully it's only 15 years where we're going to look at media and go, ooh, like, yeah, that was that Netflix era. Oh, sucks. Yeah.

[George Severis]

And by the way, while we're at it, if you in any way, if you in any way boosted Love island usa, if you in any way spoke about it, shared a meme, you know, talked about it in your little group chats. You have blood on your hands.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, my God.

[George Severis]

You should be ashamed.

[Sam Taggart]

You should be ashamed. You should have to go into.

[George Severis]

You are a book burner. You are a Florida based book burner burner. You wake up every day and you burn To Kill a Mockingbird. That's what you're doing when you watch Love Island.

[Sam Taggart]

You Think you're innocent because you voted for Kamala? You're not innocent. You are part of the problem.

[George Severis]

Yeah, you probably didn't even know how to vote for Kamala. Illiterate. Christ.

[Sam Taggart]

All right. I hate the. The fire inside of me today.

[George Severis]

I know. It's crazy.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't know.

[George Severis]

I can't believe I have to go to an event after this.

[Sam Taggart]

I don't know how I'm going to get this out. I need to go be insane somewhere.

[George Severis]

You should go do some G.

[Sam Taggart]

God, the image of the muscle bear in the dark room with the apple watch going off. I was like, damn, this is fucking bleak. I know. Everyone support New York magazine.

[George Severis]

You know what else I want to say, actually, I thought to myself, is it a cop out that Steven didn't end up trying g as part of the article? And I decided, no, I think he did the right. I actually. Actually think it's good to bring back a certain level of, like, journalistic distance.

[Sam Taggart]

You're right. You're right. It would have been more gawkery if he had done it himself.

[George Severis]

Yes and no. It's like it would have been more like, you know, Tom Wolf or not. That's actually the wrong reference, but it would have been more gonzo. Of course.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah.

[George Severis]

But I almost think the ethos of Gawker was to sort of sneer at. At. At. At people in this.

[Sam Taggart]

That's true. In this way, I guess I'm thinking about Kate, Katie Weaver going yeah, yeah, Fridays.

[George Severis]

And going to. Going to yeah, yeah, TGI Fridays.

[Sam Taggart]

Classic. What a classic piece.

[George Severis]

I know. And TBT Riding that train ever since Mama.

[Sam Taggart]

I love all love, nothing but love. To everyone who's ever written for Gawker. Shout out to everyone who's ever written for Gawker.

[George Severis]

Literally. Shout out to Cory Sica. Shout out to everyone that, you know, wrote all about the issues.

[Sam Taggart]

Shout out to. Oh, God, all these names. Shout out to writers.

[George Severis]

Yeah, shout out to writers. You know, I'm gonna. I'm gonna write something soon.

[Sam Taggart]

I'm gonna write.

[George Severis]

I can feel it.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, I've got a Google Doc cook in there.

[George Severis]

Oh, I'm gonna get a Google Doc open and I'm gonna say chapter one, and then it's off to the races.

[Sam Taggart]

We open on.

[George Severis]

Penis in penis to vagina.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, God, love that fucking movie.

[George Severis]

Well, I can't wait to see you in New York.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, I can't wait to be there. I can't believe we just recorded for an hour and 40 minutes, just two of us.

[George Severis]

It's Crazy.

[Sam Taggart]

Just when you think we have nothing to talk about, I literally. And part of me is like, damn, I want to keep going. Like, I'm like, I know we need to end and you literally have an event to go to, as you always do. Meanwhile, I have fucking nothing going on. I'm gonna sit in my house.

[George Severis]

That's not true. I'm sure you have a lot of things going on.

[Sam Taggart]

I have nothing going on. I need to be back in New York.

[George Severis]

I know.

[Sam Taggart]

It's just not right, what's going on.

[George Severis]

I'm honestly proud of myself for not bringing it up more because. Because it is my instinct to bring it up more. But I know that, like, you can't do anything about it right now. So it wouldn't help for me to be talking about it all.

[Sam Taggart]

Yeah, see you in 2026. That's going to be hard.

[George Severis]

No, you're literally coming in a week.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, yeah. Oh, thank God. Thank God.

[George Severis]

In conclusion, we are on tour and you can see us in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles in late September, early October. Look up those [e-mail] Stradiolab and we're going to Vegas. And we're going to Vegas. Those first dates are all stand up dates. Vegas is actually going to be a Straighter Lab show, like a live Straighter Lab date. And that is, I want to say.

[Sam Taggart]

October 15th, I think that's correct.

[George Severis]

You can find it on our link tree. And please subscribe to Patreon for two extra episodes a month if you like what you heard [e-mail] radio lab. And if you are a brand, I would like to go to the US Open next year and I would pretty.

[Sam Taggart]

Much love to have any advertisers pop in. I just feel it's literally like, you know, I'm, you know, we. We cope and we say we're doing this because we don't do ads like that because we're like, so punk rock. We're so edgy. It's not true. They just never ask us. And so we cope by saying we're at Punk Rock Energy and just don't do ad reads.

[George Severis]

And I just want to say if you work in PR and have a client that you think would be good for this podcast that isn't fucking annoying and stupid and basic, then get in touch.

[Sam Taggart]

I would like to actually challenge all people in PR to have some ethics in who you work with, because you should get an email that says, I will pay you $30,000 for you to be my publicist. For the next three months. And you should say, I've looked at your work and it's not worth promoting. I've looked at your work and it fucking, fucking sucks. But thank you for the email. I bet. Next, keep working on yourself and I'll love to support you in the future. Yeah.

[George Severis]

And when you do end up taking on a client and write that email to send out en masse, I want you to take one look at it and ask yourself, why is this seven paragraphs? When was the last time I received an email that was seven paragraphs? Is it normal for emails to be seven paragraphs? Is that kind of how the form usually works? Or is it usually like one paragraph or even two short, short ones?

[Sam Taggart]

And we don't need. We just simply don't need paragraphs at all. We need maybe what they're promoting and maybe links to previous work. That's literally it. And honestly, even that, we're probably gonna say no.

[George Severis]

Sorry.

[Sam Taggart]

But damn, what is wrong with us today? I don't know.

[George Severis]

This is crazy. We're gonna be canceled. The season is not happening. Running.

[Sam Taggart]

We're walking it back. We're walking it back.

[George Severis]

When I say canceled, by the way, I'm not being a cancel culture joke. I mean literally canceled. Like a TV show is canceled.

[Sam Taggart]

Like how a TV show is canceled.

[George Severis]

I mean, I would never stoop so low as to go Bill Maher mode. So jot that down.

[Sam Taggart]

He's going mar mode, folks.

[George Severis]

You know, Woody Allen was on Bill Maher's podcast the same day Ronan Farrow was on Monica Lewinsky's podcast. So make of that what you. You will.

[Sam Taggart]

What is the deal with whatever.

[George Severis]

And you know who we had on Joe Firestone?

[Sam Taggart]

Joe Firestone, folks. Joe Firestone.

[George Severis]

Rest in peach.

[Sam Taggart]

Rest in peaches, y'. All.

[George Severis]

Rest in peach. Georgio Armani.

[Sam Taggart]

Oh, he's. He's in that big, big, beautiful peach in the sky now. Beautiful people in the sky.

[George Severis]

He looks so iconic. He's tailored to the gods. All right. Rest in peach.

[Sam Taggart]

Rest in peach. Xoxo Sam and George Podcast ends now.

[George Severis]

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

[Sam Taggart]

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

[George Severis]

Now get back to work.

[Sam Taggart]

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

[George Severis]

Created and hosted by George Severis and.

[Sam Taggart]

Sam Taggart, executive produced by Will Ferrell Hansani and Olivia Aguilar Co produced by Bay Wang Edited and engineered by Adam.

[George Severis]

Avela Artwork by Michael Fails and Matt.

[Sam Taggart]

Grubb Theme music by Ben Kling.

[Jacob Goldstein]

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[George Severis]

This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? Business software is expensive. Expensive. And when you buy software from lots of different companies, it's not only expensive, it gets confusing. Slow to use, hard to integrate. Odoo solves that because all Odoo software is connected on a single affordable platform. Save money without missing out on the features you need. Odoo has no hidden costs and no limit on features or data. Odoo has over 60 apps available for any needs your business might have, all at no addition charge. Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting, all linked and talking to each other. Check out odoo d o o.com that's o d o o.com America is changing.

[Sam Taggart]

And so is the world.

[George Severis]

But what's happening in America isn't just.

[Sam Taggart]

A cause of global upheaval.

[George Severis]

It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Jacob Goldstein]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, DC.

[George Severis]

I'm Tristan Redman in London and this.

[Sam Taggart]

Is the Global Story.

[Jacob Goldstein]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Sam Taggart]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[George Severis]

A new NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles.

[Sam Taggart]

@Nflshop.Com you'll find the latest jerseys, hats.

[George Severis]

And sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFL Shop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play fan like a pro and shop [e-mail] this is an iHeart podcast.