EPISODE 91: Lads, Crying, and David Attenborough

Summary

Podcast Summary: Strangers on a Bench – Ep. 91

“Lads, Crying, and David Attenborough” (Released June 8, 2026)
Host: Tom Rosenthal
Guest: Anonymous (Pseudonym: Michelangelo)

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Overview

In this episode, Tom Rosenthal sits down with a young, charismatic “lad” in the North East of England, capturing a candid, often touching conversation on a park bench overlooking the river and Newcastle’s famed ferry. Topics meander through friendship, growing up with a young single mum, generational masculinity, lessons from life’s mistakes, and the unique magic of being Geordie. The episode is full of humor, nostalgia, and Michelangelo’s spot-on impressions—from Gordon Ramsay to David Attenborough. At its core, it’s about vulnerability, family bonds, masculine pride, and the beauty in opening up to strangers.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Weekends, Friendship & Gambling

• Favorite Day (00:50): Michelangelo loves Saturdays: “It’s the middle of your weekend, so you can still go Central Point with me personally. I’ll go out with the boys…”
• Gambling Routine (01:24): Describes small-stakes online gambling, winning £40 from a £10 bet, rolling into £180 on slots, but admits losses usually outweigh wins.
• Use of Winnings (02:14): “It’s like a bonus on me pay.” Highlights the anticipation for payday and enjoying simple pleasures.

2. First Job in Hospitality (02:21)

• Positive People Skills: He naturally connects with customers, yet recounts a run-in with a difficult customer:

  “This big, massive like six, four tattooed, roid freak…” (02:33)

• Standing Ground: Expresses his attitude toward fairness in the workplace (“I am standing on business…” 03:30), but admits sometimes confidence waivers.

3. Romantic Mishaps & Confidence

• Missed Connection (04:10): Tells the story of being blocked by a co-worker from giving his number to a girl who caught his eye.
• Philosophy: “Never let anyone deny you. Let that be the last time.” (06:09, Tom)
• On Confidence (06:20): Has always felt self-assured, largely attributed to his mum’s boldness.

4. Family, Upbringing & Generational Ties

• Bond With Mum (06:43, 07:56):

  “Me mum’s quite boisterous…Oh, should be best friends. Oh, that’s truly best for him though.”

• Living With Granddad: “It’s just like living with a really old friend…” (07:44-07:54)
  • Rituals: Tea together at 9pm, granddad’s love for shandies, storytelling from shipyard days (09:16).
• Difficult Childhood (08:10): “Five to fifteen, I was the worst child…” Touches on anger issues, projecting pain onto family.

5. Growing Up With a Young Mum

• Mum Was 16 at Birth (11:17):

  “She’s really old to me, but then to me little siblings, she’s like this young…”

• Strong, Independent Woman (12:25): Repeated admiration for his mother’s resilience.

6. Masculinity, Emotions & Mental Health

• Crying and Vulnerability (28:56, 50:00+):

  “I am, I’m very emotional. I get that from your mother as well.”

• Lads and Emotional Openness: Rejects the “men don’t cry” trope: “I hate that stuff, stuff like that.” (49:52)
• Support System: Speaks to turning toward friends and, when necessary, to dad for emotional talks.

7. Aspirations, Uncertainty & Youthful Pressure

• Feels pressure to “grow up” and succeed quickly:

  “With lads my age, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves…” (32:56, 34:49)

• Jobs and Drift (34:01): Has held “about 30 jobs” by age 22, highlighting the struggle to find direction after school.
• Development Goals: Wants to “work abroad—be a holiday rep,” and hopes to learn Spanish.

8. Humorous Moments & Regional Identity

• Accent Battles (24:44+): Shares his impression repertoire—Gordon Ramsay, David Attenborough (42:30+), and Geordie/South Shields dialect rivalry.
• Geordie Pride: Emphasizes the warmth of northern culture vs. London’s perceived coldness (29:23)
  • Memorable Quote:

    “We’ve got the warm people up here, 100%.” (28:42)

9. Football Fervor & Emotional Highs

• Lifelong Newcastle Fan: Describes football as everything; family tradition (43:43).
• Carabao Cup Final (45:49): Tells of traveling to London, experiencing communal ecstasy, and crying for “solid 15 minutes” when Newcastle won (47:01).
  • Quote:

    “It was just carnage. There’s paint everywhere. It’s like a waterfall coming.” (46:34)
    “My dad’s never seen a trophy lifted, me granddad’s never seen Newcastle lift a trophy. And I’m like, they’ve never seen this…and I get to see it in my lifetime.” (48:08)

10. Reflections on Past Regret & Growth

• Toughest Day (53:55): Recounts an explosive childhood fight with his mum and deep remorse (“Why…I don’t get how I was wired that way.” 54:56)
• Redemption Ongoing (55:51):

  “I just wish I could have been better for me mum when I was younger…You only get one mum.”

• Ideas of Making Amends: Recognizes importance of expressing gratitude and remorse to parents before “tomorrow’s never promised.”

11. Lightness & Joy

• Most Joyful Sights (58:33): Old couples in the restaurant:

  “Been married for like 40, 50 years…you just see how genuinely happy they are.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Confidence:

  “I’m like, not necessarily the big moves, but I’m confident in myself.” — Michelangelo (06:20)

• On Geordie Life:

  “We’ve got the warm people up here, 100%.” — Michelangelo (28:42)

• On Men Crying:

  “The worst thing to do is keep that sort of stuff bottled in…that’s when the worst things happen.” — Michelangelo (29:05)

• On Regret:

  “I just wish I could have been better for me mum when I was younger…You only get one mum.” — Michelangelo (55:51)

• On Football Passion:

  “Football to me personally is everything…my dad’s never seen a trophy lifted, me granddad’s never seen Newcastle lift a trophy. And I’m like, they’ve never seen this…and I get to see it in my lifetime.” (48:08)

• Attenborough Impression Sign-off:

  “But this is David Attenborough signing off. And I will be back with you in the next episode. Thank you.” — Michelangelo in character (64:14)

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Timestamps–Important Segments

• 00:50 – Favorite day and weekend routines
• 02:20 – First job and customer anecdotes
• 04:10 – Missed romantic opportunity
• 07:44 – Granddad stories and living arrangement
• 11:17 – Growing up with a 16-year-old mum
• 28:56 – On crying and male emotion
• 32:56 – Aspirations and pressure on young men
• 42:30+ – Accent impressions: Ramsay & Attenborough
• 45:49 – Carabao Cup emotional recount
• 53:55 – Toughest day and regret about mum
• 64:14 – Attenborough-style sign-off

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Memorable Moments

• Impressions Galore: Michelangelo’s Attenborough and Gordon Ramsay, blended with regional dialect banter. “Look at this fish. It’s so raw it’s telling SpongeBob to fuck off.” (41:57)
• Raw Admission: Remorse over childhood behavior toward his mum, paired with gratitude for her sacrifices.
• Geordie vs. South Shields: Playful, affectionate regional rivalry (“sand dancers!”).
• Football as Family: Football not just sport but heritage, emotion, and community catharsis.

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Final Thoughts

This conversation exemplifies the power of anonymity: Michelangelo’s openness about regrets, masculinity and vulnerability, deep love for his mum and granddad, and desire for growth feels universal and intensely personal. Through laughter, confessions, and spot-on impressions, we see the making of a young man finding his footing. As Tom concludes, sometimes the most beautiful revelations come from opening up to a stranger on a bench.

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Sign-off:

“So today we’ve had a blast on the bench talking about life, talking about reality with spectacular views and the DFDS ferry going from Newcastle to Amsterdam. But this is David Attenborough signing off… Thank you.” — Michelangelo as Attenborough (64:14)

Transcript

[Interviewer]

Hello. Sorry to bother you. Can I ask you a slightly odd question? I'm making a podcast called Strangers on a Bench, where essentially I talk to people I don't know on benches for 10 or 15 minutes. Are you up for that? Do you want to give it a. Do you have a favorite day of the week?

[Michelangelo]

I do. I do.

[Interviewer]

It's only got a good one.

[Michelangelo]

I'd say a Saturday. It's the middle of your weekend, so you can still go Central Point with me personally. I'll go out with the boys through the day, or if I'm out of

[Interviewer]

the day with the boys, you've got

[Michelangelo]

the drinks, or we'll just.

[Interviewer]

How many boys are we talking?

[Michelangelo]

We're talking two of them. Mostly one of them drives because I don't drive me, myself. So it sounds like I'm using him for his call, but I promise I'm not. So we'll just sit and gamble. Or we'll sit another couple of paints

[Interviewer]

and just in the car.

[Michelangelo]

I'm not painting the car. Go to the pub. Sorry. But if we're gambling, we'll sit in the car.

[Interviewer]

Gambling. Love it. Do you ever win?

[Michelangelo]

I do. I won this morning. I played a really good movie. You went straight?

[Interviewer]

What did he. What did he bet on?

[Michelangelo]

So I had. I had 16 pound left in the bank. I just had a feeling. So literally, as soon as I opened my eyes, I put a tenner on, won 40 pound, took 20 pound out, kept 20 pound on, and then won 180 pound on. On slots. But it's like, just on all of my phone.

[Interviewer]

Oh, wow. So you just had a good feeling?

[Michelangelo]

I did. And it paid off. I couldn't believe it.

[Interviewer]

How often does it not pay off?

[Michelangelo]

A lot. You've got to make a lot, like, silly amounts.

[Interviewer]

So if you win big, the idea is you put some back on to see what else you can get.

[Michelangelo]

Yours, like. I won 190. I took 180 out and kept 10 on. Didn't win anything with the 10, but.

[Interviewer]

Okay. What are you gonna do with 180?

[Michelangelo]

Good question. It is the weekend tomorrow, and it's payday tomorrow, so it's like, big day. It's like a bonus on me pay.

[Interviewer]

What's it like where you work?

[Michelangelo]

It's great, you know, like, it's my first time in hospitality, but I'm quite good at, like, talking to people. So the. The hospital. The customer service side of things is. It's great, you know, it is. Like.

[Interviewer]

Has anyone been difficult?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, I do. I've got One story of a customer. Every customer I've had when I've been working has been absolutely like just lovely people in general. There was this one person, this big, massive like six, four tattooed, roid freak came in with his missus. He just jumped out of like 70 grand Range Rover. He'd ordered his meal, but he ordered two separate things that weren't included in a deal. So it was £15 for the two extras and then he came to get his bill. Why is me bill next for 15 pound? Because you ordered two things that you didn't that weren't in the meal. No. Well, you did, it's on your bill. Otherwise if you didn't order it, it wouldn't be on your bill, mate.

[Interviewer]

So that wasn't when you were there?

[Michelangelo]

No, I was in a deal with him.

[Interviewer]

How did he do it?

[Michelangelo]

Well, I had someone else working at the time and she like caved in and went, I'll just take it off your bill. And I was like, if it's me, I'm like, I'm sorry, but you, you've asked for the food, you've ate the food, pay your bill, mate.

[Interviewer]

Would you squared up to him. That have been your job.

[Michelangelo]

Do you know what it is? I'm all for standing, I am standing on business. But at that time when he stood up out his chair, I was like looking up at him like, what?

[Interviewer]

Maybe not today, business, tomorrow, this aftermorrow.

[Michelangelo]

So that's the only encounter I've had really.

[Interviewer]

Any like romantic encounters, Any little moments?

[Michelangelo]

Well, the questions, yeah. Right. So yesterday there was two girls, I think there were like the, it must have been a family, cuz there was two like older women and two older men and then two daughters. And there was this one girl, blonde hair, she looked really nice and she kept looking at us and I was at the bar, I was working with a lad at the time, it could be looking at him, I didn't know which one. So I was like. So I went, oh yeah, I'm gonna write my number down and give her it. You went, no, no, you can't do that.

[Interviewer]

Oh, I went, what?

[Michelangelo]

You went, no, like the boss doesn't let you do that. I went, eh? So then the girl I'm working with now, I went, am I not allowed to like give customers me number? She went, what are you on about? I went, what? Yeah, of course you are. Why wouldn't you be? Like, as long as it's not like, like you're not like in the middle of eating food. And I go, yeah, there's me number check on. She was about to leave, she was at the back of the queue and I was like, oh, that's me perfect chances. God's timing. And then he didn't let us do it. He took the took me number offers. But I think as well, it was sort of like a. If I can't get the number, I want to get the number. So I think it was one of them. So like he fancied her and he just didn't want me to give her.

[Interviewer]

That sounds rotten.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. I don't know.

[Interviewer]

Will she come back?

[Michelangelo]

I hope so, mate. I'll count down the days of us for extra shifts, everyone.

[Interviewer]

But maybe, I mean, maybe. Actually this probably gets lobbying. They might have booking information.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, do you know what it is? He didn't leave his number and it was the dad that booked it.

[Interviewer]

Called the dad.

[Michelangelo]

Excuse me, I'll get your daughter's number.

[Interviewer]

Would you do that though? If it's a send out, those numbers there, would you call that number?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, 100%. Imagine calling up if I felt really strongly. Aye, aye. I'd simply feel like, oh, so you came in the restaurant. I just thought you were really attractive. I just thought I'd try my chances

[Interviewer]

to the dad,

[Michelangelo]

but I could work, I could work. So you've got to sweeten the dad up though, I suppose, don't you? So I'd say you are very good looking. The other day when you came in the shop, mate, you looked smart as a door. Yeah, I would as well. Yeah, sure was beautiful, you know, like beautiful.

[Interviewer]

Are you the kind of person that grabs. Obviously you were about to grab the moment.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And then you were denied. Never let anyone deny you. Let that be the last time.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, if there's ever a reason, that was it to a T. Are you

[Interviewer]

the kind of guy that makes the big moves?

[Michelangelo]

I'm like, not, not necessarily the big moves, but I'm like, I'm confident in myself.

[Interviewer]

Have you always been confident?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, I feel like I have. It's always been one of me, one of my traits. Yeah, I suppose you could see.

[Interviewer]

Do you know where it comes from at all? Does it come from? Peggy's got it.

[Michelangelo]

I don't know. Well, my mom's quite like. Me mom's quite boisterous. Like, if. If something's annoyed me mom, she's gonna. She'll tell you.

[Interviewer]

Get on well with your mum.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Oh, it should be best friend. Oh, that's truly best for him though.

[Interviewer]

If I ask you to think of like a kind of mundane moment with your mum, but like a little gentle moment.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Anything that stands out of your time with her.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Oh, there's a lot actually, you know, like me mom, I was me mom's first, so there's a lot of like responsibility and sort of like, I wouldn't say pressure because obviously I've got younger siblings now. But it's a lot of like whatever I do, she'll be like, that's reflecting on your little brother. But there's been a lot of moments like I would went for food, I took her for food. It was just me and her and it's just good. I like just have that little bonding because we don't necessarily get to like really sit down and talk to each other like one on one because it's just got a newborn now as well.

[Interviewer]

Oh, whoa.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, I know, a little one, little one. Fresh, fresh, fresh mate. Oh God, he's lushing out, bless him. But he's hard work.

[Interviewer]

Like, do you have to get.

[Michelangelo]

No, it's not mate. I live with me grand. Out the minute.

[Interviewer]

With your granddad?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

That's sweet.

[Michelangelo]

He's just down the road as well.

[Interviewer]

What's that like?

[Michelangelo]

Amazing. It's. It's mad as well because it's not like living with your granddad. It's just like living with a really old friend. If you heard us say that, he'd kill us as well. But.

[Interviewer]

Well, you like the friend bit?

[Michelangelo]

Ah, yeah, yeah, I'd like to think so. But yeah, like me granddad's bond is poor. He's looked after since I was about 3.

[Interviewer]

Oh, beautiful.

[Michelangelo]

Because when I was younger, like about 5 to 15, I was the worst child on the planet.

[Interviewer]

Really.

[Michelangelo]

Like the person you say now was a totally different person than the person that you would have seen 10 years ago.

[Interviewer]

So hang on, so what was 5 to 15 you doing?

[Michelangelo]

Just not having that far that role, I feel like. And then just taking all my anger out on everyone else because I felt like the world owed us a favor. So I'd take that aggression and the sadness and the built up emotions out on mostly my mom at the time, to be honest with you.

[Interviewer]

Poor mom.

[Michelangelo]

And then it was whenever I was naughty, it was, right, go to your grandma's. So then my granddad be like, I wrote me grandma's. You go, what you done now? And then I'll tell him and he'll go, well, you know, you can stay here. And I'll be like, right. So I felt I'll eat there.

[Interviewer]

So he's always been looking after you?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, always since I was about three. Three. Like it's. It's lush eye.

[Interviewer]

What would you like to do together? What's your. What's your thing?

[Michelangelo]

He can't. He's restricted at the moment because he's had an operation now, but would walk into timeout, go for a couple of pints or we'd take the dog out for a walk. Just little chill vibes, to be honest. But it's been. It's been amazing. Yeah, it's good.

[Interviewer]

It's so lovely. What is? Living together now. Do you have any little rituals you do together?

[Michelangelo]

I. We've always got. We've got tea at 9 o'. Clock.

[Interviewer]

When you say tea, is that right?

[Michelangelo]

Correct. Sorry. And my granddad drinks shandies throughout the day. Throughout the day. Just poor, about 13, 14 cans. But he needs to. He's been drinking for about 40 years.

[Interviewer]

Oh wow.

[Michelangelo]

So if he stopped it, it just

[Interviewer]

wipe him out, I suppose Shandy's, you

[Michelangelo]

know, could be like whiskey. He always says, he goes, I'm not an alcoholic, I'm alcohol dependent. I'll go away. I grand. Whatever makes you feel better.

[Interviewer]

He's still going, ice.

[Michelangelo]

You'll be drinking as we speak.

[Interviewer]

You get together at 9 o'.

[Michelangelo]

Clock. So you sit down, have a supper and that's the only time I'll have a drink just with me granddad. Nine o'.

[Interviewer]

Clock. And so you're talking about the day, you're talking about life.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, just talking about work. And then he'll talk about his work. He used to work on the shipyards. Like he was a sprayer. Like every day is a different story.

[Interviewer]

Really.

[Michelangelo]

Honestly, it's so fascinating.

[Interviewer]

How do you activate each story? Like, how does each one start?

[Michelangelo]

So we'll be see something on the telly because he likes watching Deadliest Couch. The. What is that like the crab fishing in like it's like near the Antarctic. I'm gonna say.

[Interviewer]

Okay. It's deadly because it's.

[Michelangelo]

It's like the SEAs are like 30, 40, 50 foot waves. Like it's honestly, it's insanity. And he'll go directly. You could do that. Not a chance. I'd love to do that, me. I'd love to do that. I'd be a piece doing that, me. I'm like, I bet you rolling him out. And then you'll go on a tangent like from like a random story from work. I'm like, it's just, it's fascinating to think like Alex, obviously I've known him all my life and I'm still getting new stories.

[Interviewer]

That's beautiful.

[Michelangelo]

It's unreal, honestly, it's mint. And then I feel like these moments now as well with me granddad, he's just turned 60. I know it's quite young like for a granddad, but I'm just trying to cherish all the moments now because these are like the moments I'll remember, like the stories that. That's what I want to hold on to.

[Interviewer]

So there's been some young parents in your family?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

How can I ask you, how old was your mom when you had you?

[Michelangelo]

Me mum was 16 when she had hers and my dad was 17. Yeah. And she was 40 this year, which to me is insanity. Like she's really old to me, but then to me little siblings, she's like this young. Like, how are you? Get up. Ready for school. But then for me when I was in school it was right, get up now, get to school, get ready. Like it was just two totally different moms.

[Interviewer]

I mean, this is the first time I've had someone that's had a 16 year old mum.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Is it on a bench?

[Interviewer]

When did you first dawn on you that you had like a really young mum?

[Michelangelo]

I remember my mum's 24th birthday. I know that sounds like mad and I'm 22 now. I mean that's just crazy to me. Like she had me like at my age. I just thought like, I don't know how she done it and like she was a single parent.

[Interviewer]

What do you remember about his birthday?

[Michelangelo]

I just remember the balloons being up and all of our friends being around. And then I got shipped in my grandma, so forget. I remember the most of that.

[Interviewer]

That was during your difficult five to 15 days.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, 100%.

[Interviewer]

How many, how many children she's got four, including me.

[Michelangelo]

I've got, I've got two brothers on my dad. On my dad's side too. Yeah. But I don't, I don't really see them as much.

[Interviewer]

You see your mom's done well.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Oh, honestly, unbelievably the definition of strong, independent woman. Like, I swear I don't know how she done it. Especially with me. I feel like that would put anyone off having another thing. But she's, honestly, she's done amazing. I don't know how she's done it.

[Interviewer]

When you're kind of out and about like now, what would you know?

[Michelangelo]

What would, what would someone else think? Yeah, we've had ours at your girlfriend, I've had ours at your sister. And then me mum just takes them all as a compliment. But we've had. Honestly, we've had everything. Sister is probably the most common one. Yeah. Because I feel like I've got my mom's facial features, I've just got my dad's skin tone. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So that's beautiful. Right. It sounds like it's really been lovely.

[Michelangelo]

It is, it is.

[Interviewer]

And now you're just this good mate and you're not that far away in age.

[Michelangelo]

I am not mad.

[Interviewer]

But she. She still tells you what's what.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, 100. Still puts us in me place. The only woman, I'd say that can put us in me place.

[Interviewer]

You know, how often do you do something that. To piss her off? I mean, what's. Well, what's it. Right.

[Michelangelo]

It'll be on the rare occasion I do go out with the boys. I do take the 2 4. Yeah. Going over, stepping the mark on the drink and then I'll end up rocking up at the house like 7 o' clock in the morning and then that's when the domestic starts. But it's a very valid. Yeah, very, very valid excuse because why are you rocking up at 7 o' clock in the morning, like. Yeah. So. But that's genuinely sends you straight to granddad's. Yeah. Oh, tell us about it, mate. It's literally go get a shower, get your clothes and go. I'm like, wait, yeah, fair enough.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

But it used to be a lot heavier like on the arguments just over stupid petty stuff and I feel like that's when we're living with each other cuz we're so alike, we're just. But heads massively so then I moved to my grand as the start of this year and me. Maybe mom's had a stronger bond now that I've moved away.

[Interviewer]

That's a bit distance, isn't it?

[Michelangelo]

It's really important, 100%. But like she's got the kids now. Like she's got. I'd rather like just bail the wage, you know what I mean? Like she's got a. She's got a new boyfriend now. But I'm just like, I'll just.

[Interviewer]

Do you approve?

[Michelangelo]

I do, I do. He's a. He's a lovely lady. Really is. She used to be with him before she got me dad. All right.

[Interviewer]

She was pre 16.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. About 14, 15 I think she used to be with him and then circle the block, circle of life and came around. But he's lushing. He's not. Honestly, he's not got a bad bone in his body, like.

[Interviewer]

He's.

[Michelangelo]

He's a lovely lad, he is. If him and me mom have an argument, he's like, sorry, I'm so sorry. Because my mom would be like, you, you. There was one time my mom went out on the drink with our friend.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

And me mom's boyfriend, he had went to the shop and he'd went, oh, do you want anything from the shop? And she went, yeah, get us a Lucas Aid for the morning, like. So when I'm rough. So he went out, blah, blah. And then he went to the shop, dropped her off. My mom wakes up the next morning and then goes against that Lucas Aid out the fridge. Oh, I didn't get you.

[Interviewer]

You know.

[Michelangelo]

So that was World War 3, that. Me mam doesn't have a Lucas Aids in the morning, mate. It's hell on. It's hell on. Honestly, she didn't speak with him for, like, three days, you know. Oh, she'll hold a grudge, like. Oh, it's bad.

[Interviewer]

I didn't know Lucozade in the morning was a good hangover.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, it's a jolly hangover. Curly.

[Interviewer]

Is it you back it?

[Michelangelo]

I do, massively. Me mom's an original Lucasade. I'm more of an orange. It's got to be fizzy, though. It can't be lucazade, sport. It's got to be.

[Interviewer]

You just down it.

[Michelangelo]

Aye. If you're that rough, you will just neck it all in one and try not to regurgitate.

[Interviewer]

So your big drinking nights Friday, Saturday, we didn't get. We're still on what you do on the Saturday, by the way, this favorite Saturday. Well, you're with your two. Your two main friends.

[Michelangelo]

Two main friends.

[Interviewer]

So the three of you are a group?

[Michelangelo]

We're a group of five.

[Interviewer]

Oh, okay.

[Michelangelo]

But two of them have got girlfriends, so they're gone. It's more like a. Are you allowed out tonight? Which is just. I'm talking to a man, do you know, like, I can't wrap your head around it. But yeah, on the Saturday. So this Saturday, for example, we're going to the pub in timeout. We'll have a couple of drinks here, might go to the Salutation, which is a bar across the road, have a couple of drinks in and just see where the night takes them.

[Interviewer]

Do you think. Do you think girlfriends ruin everything?

[Michelangelo]

In terms. In. In what way? What would you say? What would you mean? What do you mean by ruin everything? I need to be careful. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

No, I say. I mean it annoys you. They kind of they get in the way of friendships.

[Michelangelo]

110%.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Like, absolutely.

[Interviewer]

So what happens?

[Michelangelo]

I mean, have you had a girlfriend half before? Yeah. Not at the minutes. It's not for me. It's just too like. It's having a girlfriend or like being in a relationship.

[Interviewer]

You don't like it?

[Michelangelo]

Nah, it's not.

[Interviewer]

Why not?

[Michelangelo]

Well, this early stage of my 20s, I've still got that. I feel like when I get like 25, 26, then maybe it's like sort of take it a bit more serious. But it's just like the demands and the. Just really high maintenance and I'm too like, laid back and nonchalant.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

So they don't like that I'm laid back.

[Interviewer]

Well, you could find someone who.

[Michelangelo]

I could. I could.

[Interviewer]

There's got to be someone.

[Michelangelo]

I'm just looking. It could have been. It could have been that girl. I tried to give me number but we'll never know.

[Interviewer]

The only one.

[Michelangelo]

We'll never know.

[Interviewer]

You'll be 90. I never loved again. So you. Do you think you've been in love yet?

[Michelangelo]

I have. 100, yeah. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

But that wasn't enough to stay together.

[Michelangelo]

It wasn't. And then I had like an on and off sort of situationship for about two, three years.

[Interviewer]

Oh, wow. That's a long time.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. I think in the, like, now that if I look back at it, I liked her more than she liked me. And then that's what I don't like. So I put my guard up massively. But she was genuinely. I'd say now, and it sounds mad, me seeing it, but she was genuinely probably the love of me. Like I'd see myself spending the rest of my life 100%.

[Interviewer]

Could it be. Could it flip? I mean, obviously it flips them different ways, but could it flip back the other way?

[Michelangelo]

I would love it to, to be honest, but I'm not going to force anything that's.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Not there. Like, if she was to reach out to me, I'm all ears.

[Interviewer]

When it. When you're doing the flip, you know, on and off. Who was doing the reaching?

[Michelangelo]

Mostly me. I like. For me, I feel like as a. In, like my generation of lads, you don't chase girls or like women. But like this one, I couldn't. I just couldn't help it.

[Interviewer]

Why wouldn't you do that? Why is there.

[Michelangelo]

I feel like it's sort of. Not like sort of a stigma, but like chasing a last. Like, you don't.

[Interviewer]

Don't do it.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Like, just let.

[Interviewer]

How do you do it. I mean, I feel like you gotta do a bit of chasing to work. Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Not 100%, but I feel like it's more just like of a pride thing. Like you've gotta drop your pride and drop your ego and just do it. Which is what I've done with her at the time. Now when I look back at it, I'd never felt so fragile in my life.

[Interviewer]

If you're not supposed to chase them, does that mean that they have to chase you? Like, traditionally, Is that what happens culturally? Who's doing what? I mean, is anyone getting on anybody?

[Michelangelo]

It's.

[Interviewer]

No one's chasing anybody.

[Michelangelo]

It's just a free for all, like, to be honest with you, genuinely, if you know what I mean.

[Interviewer]

What are your general methods? If you did. If you do like someone, what are the general methods then? If you can't really chase, what are your moves?

[Michelangelo]

If I'm in person.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

I'm gonna use the salutation and time off as an example. Like, there's a smoking area a bit outside, and if I like someone and I see her go out, then I might follow myself. Take my friend with me so I don't look like I'm on the. Suddenly start smoking, then suddenly just start smoking. And then I'll be like, do you want a tab? No, I don't smoke. All right. No bar. What's your name, anyway? And then it just goes from there.

[Interviewer]

Very good. What if they're not a smoker?

[Michelangelo]

If they're not a smoker and just ask for the name. It's a human at the end of the day. Hello, you already. What's your name? I don't know. I don't know why I was going to say Wendy.

[Interviewer]

You can say Wendy if you want. It's definitely a name.

[Michelangelo]

Or. What's her name? Wendy. Oh, you're right. Wendy. It's nice to meet you. I thought. You look really nice tonight. Oh, thank you. You do too.

[Interviewer]

Lovely shoes, Wendy.

[Michelangelo]

Nice. I love that. I'm loving that. I'm loving the cardi. And then I'd go like, oh, is there any chance I could get you. I'll get your number.

[Interviewer]

Talk about the cardigan again.

[Michelangelo]

Talk about the cardigan. We could talk about the cardigan all night long. Yeah, exactly.

[Interviewer]

Don't tell me your name. But how do you feel about it?

[Michelangelo]

Don't tell my name. Oh, Lovis. Yeah, I got my name from my grana.

[Interviewer]

Oh, so you got the same name as your granddad?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, yeah. So I got me granddad's first name. And I got.

[Interviewer]

What is the boom bus?

[Michelangelo]

It's just a massive rave. Loads of people on that bus. And it just drives around the coast. You've got to rent it, obviously, but.

[Interviewer]

All right. I thought you.

[Michelangelo]

500.

[Interviewer]

So I get, like, the number 17. Get out of the bus stop. That'd be so fun.

[Michelangelo]

You're rocking out, bouncing. I got. I got me granddad's first name, and then I've got my dad's first name and my dad's second name.

[Interviewer]

Hang on. That's. Okay, let's. Let's rewind.

[Michelangelo]

Let's rewind.

[Interviewer]

You've got your dad, you've got your granddad's first name, first name, Right? Okay. And then your dad's.

[Michelangelo]

My dad's first and second name.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Michelangelo]

That's my middle and second name.

[Interviewer]

Okay, Got it, yeah. So let's. For instance, let's imagine your grandfather's called Bob.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, Right.

[Interviewer]

Then you're called Bob.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And then let's imagine your father's called Michelangelo. Michelangelo. You're Bob. Michelangelo.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Which is your name?

[Michelangelo]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

Brilliant.

[Michelangelo]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

That'd be amazing. He could change it after today.

[Michelangelo]

Michelangelo.

[Interviewer]

Oh, so this is. This is the ferry? Is this the ferry?

[Michelangelo]

It's the Amsterdam ferry.

[Interviewer]

Oh, it's big, is it?

[Michelangelo]

I hate when people stand on the back and wave. You know, like if I'm at work and I'm standing at the door at work and people are on the back waving.

[Interviewer]

So you just turn around.

[Michelangelo]

Just turn around and go back in the shop.

[Interviewer]

It's the King. King Seaways.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Dfds. It's the main one. Newcastle. Amsterdam. Amsterdam at Newcastle.

[Interviewer]

Have you ever done it?

[Michelangelo]

I haven't. I'm doing it for my birthday next month. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Are you gonna be. I hope you'll wave back to you. Anyway, you'll be finally waving, waiting.

[Michelangelo]

No.

[Interviewer]

Oh, look, these kids are running along. That's like a scene from something.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, me. It's. It's unbelievable. See? Look at him waving.

[Interviewer]

Who's waving there?

[Michelangelo]

Them two at the boat.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yes. Let's do it. Let's do it. Do they know that we're waving? Do they know we're waving to them? Do they know we're waving back? Let's keep going.

[Michelangelo]

You might have a knee. Look. Yarn.

[Interviewer]

Yes. That could be a Wendy.

[Michelangelo]

It could. Exactly.

[Interviewer]

I was the one you were waving at. It was me.

[Michelangelo]

Black top.

[Interviewer]

Black top. I felt a connection.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, yes.

[Interviewer]

What is the furthest you felt a connection from in terms of distance? You know, in terms of like looking for someone a long way.

[Michelangelo]

Probably just in a ball though, to be honest. But just like across the room. But then I feel like if they sat with like a family, I don't like, I feel like that's not the time. But then yesterday, probably yesterday, yesterday, yesterday was the time because. Oh, honestly, she was absolutely stunning.

[Interviewer]

Ah, well, you know what, what do you think? You, you chime with personality wise? You know what?

[Michelangelo]

You. Me?

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

I don't know. I feel like I'm quite, I'm quite bubbly. I feel like talking to a girl now as well. Confidence is a massive thing.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Confident in themselves.

[Interviewer]

But why, why the bubbly?

[Michelangelo]

Just so like, so I can have a laugh. I feel like if I can't.

[Interviewer]

Oh, you need to have a. I

[Michelangelo]

need to have like, I need to have a laugh myself because I don't want to sound like big headed. Yeah. And it's not the way I'm intending this to come across. But people say that I like, I'm, I'm funny and I do like if I feel comfortable around people, I'll do like stupid accents in there. So I feel like if I can sit with a girl and do a stupid accent and then she does it back, I'm like, pop, it's meant to be.

[Interviewer]

That's what you'd be doing the next smokey area. Now let me do my stupid accent. What is the first one you go to accent wise?

[Michelangelo]

I've got. Do you know what it is? I've got, I've got a long list of accents.

[Interviewer]

Oh, really?

[Michelangelo]

I've got.

[Interviewer]

Okay, well let's imagine, let's imagine I was this guy as Wendy. Okay, what one are you? What's your, like your safest bet? You know what would be your kind of.

[Michelangelo]

I've got like. Oh, yeah. I say I'm on the spot now, see, So I crumble, I crumble when I'm on the spot. But I've got Gordon Ramsay. But Gordon Ramsay's just saying the F word after every line, so it doesn't really count.

[Interviewer]

In your own accent.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. No, like in a Gordon Ramsay accent. I wouldn't just say it in my own eye. No, no.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Michelangelo]

You've got Gordon Ramsay. I've got Gordon Ramsay. I've got David Umbra range. I've got Scotland.

[Interviewer]

Oh, sorry, that's not a person.

[Michelangelo]

Scottish. Sorry. I could do it.

[Interviewer]

I thought Scottish isn't too far away from Jordy. Do you call yourself a Jordy?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, 100%. 100% north side of the water.

[Interviewer]

If you're. If you were to swim across there, though, is that still.

[Michelangelo]

That's not Jordy Land over there.

[Interviewer]

So we're like, what. How far is that? Like 200 meters away from not being a Geordie.

[Michelangelo]

I mean, there's like. They still call themselves Geordies in some parts, but I feel like on that side, all of them, like, from what we can see.

[Interviewer]

So what are they? Makams?

[Michelangelo]

Sand dancers?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, sand dancers. Was that because it was like.

[Michelangelo]

I don't know the exact.

[Interviewer]

Is that a derogatory term for them?

[Michelangelo]

It's like an old Geordie sort of.

[Interviewer]

Oh, okay. See, so that's what you call them.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, that's not what they call themselves.

[Interviewer]

What do they call themselves?

[Michelangelo]

Muckams.

[Interviewer]

Okay. Right.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, I saw you on Ray Eye.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Michelangelo]

Sorry, I just.

[Interviewer]

I just ventured off sat. Is that because they like the sand?

[Michelangelo]

No, I think. Right. No, I think. Right. Don't quote us on this, but from what I remember being told, it's because of when loads of Arabs and Middle Eastern people all moved over there.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Michelangelo]

And it's Middle Eastern quite a long time ago. Sand.

[Interviewer]

When, though? Recently.

[Michelangelo]

Finale years. That's how you taking all jewelries, taking all Jordy. So lang in it. So.

[Interviewer]

Okay.

[Michelangelo]

That's what my guana calls them in anyway.

[Interviewer]

Okay, fantastic. And would you like. I mean, let's imagine someone rocks up and they're like a macum or whatever. First off, how quickly can you tell spider accent? Like straight away? Yeah, like, can you do a precision of them?

[Michelangelo]

I.

[Interviewer]

Was that not allowed?

[Michelangelo]

I can't.

[Interviewer]

Let's start with that.

[Michelangelo]

Come on, Shannon. Right, so you be like. So I'd say, me and my sister was going for fish and chips tomorrow. That's how I'd say. Normal voice. And if it was a matter, we'd be like, me and my sister's going for fish and chips tomorrow. It's just. I hate the way they talk, me and my sister like cheesy chips and that. Just speak horrible, mate. I hate. I'm not doing it anymore.

[Interviewer]

Do the impression. Is it even. Is it.

[Michelangelo]

Even if I do it, it is to mock them. I'm not gonna lie. Like, whenever I'm talking like that, I am, like, taking the piss out of them.

[Interviewer]

Got a new question yesterday. Woman in the. In the restaurant comes in. You know, we know we're going now. And you do get chatting straight away. She's across the river. What are we saying?

[Michelangelo]

It depends if it talks how I've just talked. I can't do it.

[Interviewer]

You just be flat. No. Flat no.

[Michelangelo]

Flat no. Even if she supported Newcastle but she still talk like that. I couldn't do it.

[Interviewer]

Does that exist you could potentially talk like that and support Newcastle?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. I just. Me personally, I could not. I hate a great around it. It's like nails on a chalkboard. Honestly, I despise it.

[Interviewer]

Does it do. Is that just you or is that a lot of. A lot of fellow George?

[Michelangelo]

It might be. I feel like it is a lot of fellow. Like when you go. If you go to Newcastle city center, a lot of like the older generation of men would be the same but like for me personally, I feel like I'm the only one that genuinely. I don't want to say hate because hate's a really strong word but really dislikes that accent. To be fair though, you get lots of people come over from South Shields come to the shop on the ferry of course, so. But they, they're lovely people. Well, just had a couple in earlier with the dog. Yeah, it's lush. Chill vibe. Right.

[Interviewer]

I mean do you think you. Someone said, listen to me the other day that when they're talking to London, I'm a Londoner.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

When they're talking to Londoners they're like, oh well it may be warm in London temperature wise, but we've got the

[Michelangelo]

warm people up here 100%. I've been to London myself. I went for the Carabao cup final.

[Interviewer]

The big one?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, the big one.

[Interviewer]

The one that.

[Michelangelo]

The one that you won.

[Interviewer]

First trophy for 70 years.

[Michelangelo]

Unbelievable. Honestly. Cried my eyes out.

[Interviewer]

Did you? Oh, are you a crier?

[Michelangelo]

I am. I'm very, very emotional.

[Interviewer]

Oh, that's lovely.

[Michelangelo]

I am, I'm very emotional. I get that from your mother as well.

[Interviewer]

It's important to let it out 100%.

[Michelangelo]

But I feel like as a man as well, the worst thing to do is keep that sort of stuff bottled in because a lot of people, a lot of people don't speak about it and then that's when the worst things happen for sure.

[Interviewer]

Is that your first time in London?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, it was.

[Interviewer]

Oh, you don't need to go back after that. It's not going to be better than.

[Michelangelo]

I know but I feel like the people to want to walk down the street here and you see someone else and you look up and they give you like a nod like just like a little or an eyebrow raise or something go oh yeah. And then in London everyone's like stone faced. That's the experience I had in. Anyway, everyone's like very cold and just stuck to the phone, walking. I mean, it's fair enough. Is it like I'm not like saying that's a bad thing, but everyone up here loves everyone. Especially if the sun's only.

[Interviewer]

Do you find. What is that like? If you can imagine a world without it. What does it mean for your good general spirit that people are like that? Do you think for you a lot.

[Michelangelo]

I go a lot off the energy I receive. Like I just love, I love being happy, like, if that makes sense. I just love like good positivity. Like I'm a very positive person. So I love getting that energy back and being able to give it out as well. Because life's too way too short.

[Interviewer]

So, so true. So true. The thing about it in London, I think the thing to remember is that people are people everywhere.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, right.

[Interviewer]

So what makes it possible for people to be cheery here is in everybody within reason. It's just that people just don't do it in London. But if I, you know, if I, if I walk past 20 people in London, I say good morning, they'll say good morning back to me.

[Poet/Performer]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

It's just that no one's doing it. Yeah, that's the problem. It's not embedded in the culture.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Ah, yell at me.

[Interviewer]

So it's like you can, they're there to be activated. Like you can get it out.

[Michelangelo]

It's just not instilled, but it's just

[Interviewer]

not instilled to do it off the bat.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know, they need it. But it's beautiful, so beautiful that it would be the case here that, you know.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You would have that and you could just. And you get that little bit of. Yeah, I just think you get so much. But those, those conversations are just so important for just for your mental well being, for your. Just a general health. I think the comedy of it doesn't actually need to be anything like that dramatic. Sometimes even just people acknowledging you, you feel like you're in the world and not this kind of like solitary beast,

[Michelangelo]

you know what I mean? If I'm like in the house by myself, I've got nothing to do. You've just got like a thousand thoughts going in your head. And me being at work now, nothing. Not like, not a thing.

[Interviewer]

So when you're in the house at a thousand thoughts, what are you thinking about? What goes through your mind?

[Michelangelo]

I'd say for me personally it'd just be bills. How can I do this better? How can I do that better? How can I.

[Interviewer]

What do you Want to do better,

[Michelangelo]

just develop myself as a person. But I feel like. But then at the same time, how

[Interviewer]

are we doing that? How are we doing it? What are we doing?

[Michelangelo]

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

[Interviewer]

So you want to develop yourself as

[Michelangelo]

a person, but I've got absolutely nothing else in there.

[Interviewer]

Okay, well, okay, let's. Let's re. Let's rewind. Let's rewind the development stage. I mean, say, say more.

[Michelangelo]

Basically, what I want to do, like, in terms of development is sort of like, I'm only 22. I've still got a hell of a lot to learn. Like, insane amounts to learn.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

But like.

[Interviewer]

And what would you like to learn?

[Michelangelo]

Anything, like, more like, about the actual reality of like, sort of life and like what comes with it. Because I feel like looking back at it, like, I might be 22, but I feel like mentally I'm still 16, 18. I don't feel like I've not fully grown up to how I want to be. Like, be comfortable in myself. Like, I still, obviously, I love the person I am. Don't get us wrong, like, but I just feel like I could do that a little bit better. And that's all, like, that's what I look for all the time is just develop myself more. I want to work abroad, so be like a holiday rep. So I feel like obviously the hospitality in here and the pulling paints and making coffees, blah, blah, blah, will help us in the future.

[Interviewer]

So what about language?

[Michelangelo]

I want to learn Spanish.

[Interviewer]

There we go.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, that's. That's part of my character.

[Interviewer]

So you just got to get. Just get on it.

[Michelangelo]

I do. I know. Nor tame like the present.

[Interviewer]

Here's what I would say, like, set yourself a challenge.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Find some. A simple job. You can do it there where you don't know anybody.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And just force yourself to do it.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, 100%.

[Interviewer]

And then after three months, or you know, even a couple of months, you're going to have a good grasp of it and then you go from there and that's just a basis. Then you just, you go, you know.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, well, that would dose.

[Interviewer]

So language could be one.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, language is definitely one. I just, I don't know. I just don't feel like I'm not where I want to be right now. I feel like with, with lads my age as well, we'll put a lot of pressure on ourselves and we've got a lot of pressure coming from, like, not me personally, but coming from parents to being like, you need to do this you need to be this. And it's like we don't even know what we want to be ourselves. Like we've got absolutely no idea. Like for me personally, I left school and it was just race. There you go, there's the real world. And then you sort of stood there. I'm 16 year old, I'm going, hold on a second.

[Interviewer]

What was your first job?

[Michelangelo]

I was doing roofing. It was really good actually. I really enjoyed it. Especially in the summer.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Unbelievable. That lasted three months and then I was at AE in a call center for about six months and then Covid hit. Oh yeah. And then I didn't guess. Nothing.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

For like a couple of years and then it was just in and I've probably had about 30 jobs and I'm 22.

[Interviewer]

Oh wow.

[Michelangelo]

It's not a good achievement.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, no worries. No, no bash. I think it's really good to try, like.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Have experiences to see what you like.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

I think having a job in a restaurant.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Having like a person facing job.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Is really great.

[Michelangelo]

100.

[Interviewer]

I think every, every one of the interactions.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You're learning, you know, every single one stuff's going in. You're probably much further ahead than you think you are. But also I'm with you. Like it was. Don't worry too much about the parents. There's loads of time.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Yeah. No 100%. It's just, I don't know, I just feel like with lads my age, the rails there genuinely is. There's so much pressure on. You need to do this, you need this, you need a house and kids by the time you're 25 now do

[Interviewer]

you think it's a different. If you're a 22 year old woman, does there any difference in your opinion would.

[Michelangelo]

In, in my personal opinion, I'd say there's a lot more leeway. Well lasses like girls my age or like they're all either dentists or beauticians. Like, like genuinely the orchestrated like they left school and went straight into beauty. Like they had something to go straight into. And then with lads like. I mean me, I, I didn't get any GCSEs at all. Not one, not, not a single one. Did you turn up? I missed one of them.

[Interviewer]

So you're in the exam hall.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What did he write down?

[Michelangelo]

Like? Nothing.

[Interviewer]

Were you trying at all?

[Michelangelo]

No, not in the slightest.

[Interviewer]

Do you think if you did try it would have been different?

[Michelangelo]

110% because like all the teachers used to say you've got so much Potential, you just don't use it. So I feel like the main reason was with the jcses in school. For me personally, it was understanding this stupid test. Like you don't realize the actual importance of it for when you leave school.

[Interviewer]

When did that moment. So you're five for 15. When did that. What tips you over the edge back into being a. Whatever, you know, just.

[Michelangelo]

I think it was genuinely me mom. Like I'm having these arguments with my mom more or less every day and it's getting absolutely nowhere. She's riled up and stressed when she doesn't need to be and it's, it's stressing me and not like, well I'm stressing there for any reason.

[Interviewer]

Was there any kind of flip moments you like it dawned on you that I don't do.

[Michelangelo]

There was a. There was police involved when I was younger that was doing stuff obviously I shouldn't have been doing. I mean mama caught wind of it and then rang the police. Like the police picked us up and took us to the station. And then that was when I was like, whoa, this is actually real. Like I cannot do this. Like this is not okay.

[Interviewer]

Can I ask you what you're doing?

[Michelangelo]

It was so. I was young, I was. I'm very easily influenced by other people. So it was, oh, do you want to take this drug? I go on then, I go on then and then I take it, go back home and I'm off my face and my mom says, obviously panics because she doesn't know what I've talked. I don't know what I've talked. So then I'm rocking up my home literally. And then she rang me dad at the time and my dad came down. I remember my dad raggling is about like my dad's 6 foot 7. Like he's like built like a brick house. Like he's huge. The next time something had happened, I can't remember off the top of my head exactly. And my mom had rang me dad and me dad went, look, I'm not going to shout at you cuz I get to know why, but I'm going to sit and talk you how my dad talked to me. And he went this. And it's going to sink in your head ten times more. And I'll never forget the conversation ever sat around his circular kitchen table, just me and him. He went, if you're going to keep on doing this, you're not going to be living with your mom. You went, you can stay with me. And he knew that I didn't want to stay with him. Like it's just, it's facts.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

But that conversation was like a switch straight away was like, I'm more scared that you've just sat and talked to us rather than you sitting and shouting at us. Cuz if he was sitting and shouting at us, I would have shouted back cuz I didn't care. But then he sat and talked to us and I was like, oh, like this is real. Like this is serious.

[Interviewer]

So he. So he did a good bit of parenting there.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, 100%. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

But you gave the impression this earlier in the conversation that he wasn't.

[Michelangelo]

That he hasn't been that active from what I remember and from what I remember my mom saying, he left me mom when I was about three. So then it was just me mom and it was. That's why I took all my anger out me mom, because I always blame me mom for it. I was like, it's your fault now I look back at it now and I just think, you doing. But then I was, I was only a kid. Isn't that like I didn't have a Scooby Doo? Yes.

[Interviewer]

Have you ever told your dad, have you ever said like, I wish you were around more?

[Michelangelo]

Nah, genuinely I haven't because I feel like I. I feel like it's not going to change anything in any way. Like it would probably be a massive weight off my shoulders, to be honest. More than anything. But it's just, it's. We're both accepted, like. But that's our relationship now is we're still texting that like all the time. Go to pitch house every now and then. But.

[Interviewer]

So that, That's a pub.

[Michelangelo]

The pitchers.

[Interviewer]

Oh, sorry. No, no, no, sorry. At least at the pitch house. So the pictures. Sorry, the cinema, the pictures you go to pictures with.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, we'll go every now and then. We'll go next week.

[Interviewer]

That's sweet. I mean, look, I mean, I don't want to make your life harder.

[Michelangelo]

No, definitely not.

[Interviewer]

But like, how old's your dad?

[Michelangelo]

40. 40?

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I'm gonna be 14 in a few months time. That's a weird thought. I feel like I'm more on your side than your dad's side. You see what I mean? But it's weird to think. Really weird to think.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

But you know, there's still so much time ahead. All being well with your dad.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Just because it has been one way, like, doesn't mean it can't be the best. It can like could be.

[Michelangelo]

Right. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Obviously it seems like you get on. It seems like you get on, like a household that's lovely.

[Michelangelo]

Like. Like my dad's part, like, the street accents. Like, we'll sit and do Conor McGregor accents for, like, 20 minutes and then forget, like, how we're actually speak. Hey, it's. It's man. Like, whenever. Whenever I'm with him, it's always. I'll forget everything that's going on. And it's just me and him, and we're always in tears by the end of the day, like, just laughing, like, that's great. It's good vibes. It is really good vibes.

[Interviewer]

But I think. I think he would. I think also he would take it as like a kind of. Yeah. This is me just guessing, but as a sign of, like, of your maturity. I'm not saying do this. I'm not saying. I'm just saying maybe when you're. Obviously when you're ready.

[Michelangelo]

I'm not saying tomorrow.

[Interviewer]

But, like, you know, the fact that you feel that he wasn't there.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And you feel a bit hard done by in that respect. And, like, that's something that's clearly, like, on you.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And you've lived through. You know, I think he would appreciate you just, like, you just take him aside and go, look, I feel like I'm old enough now to say it was a big thing that was missing. Yeah. I just want you to know how I feel about that. Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

100%. 100%.

[Interviewer]

And, like, you know, he. Sure, he would have his own things to say, and then you might have a little conversation about it, but then you'd be more free to have a good relationship. You know, it's probably worth it.

[Michelangelo]

It is.

[Interviewer]

You know, Where were we saying goes to pictures. Oh, yeah, that was it. I wanted to ask about the football.

[Michelangelo]

The football.

[Interviewer]

I know. I also want to do your accents.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

I feel like you're talking a good game. You're talking to Gordon Ramsay, you know, like, we can't not hear Gordon Ramsay.

[Michelangelo]

I do got Ramsay, but it's swearing after every sentence.

[Interviewer]

That's okay. This. This is.

[Michelangelo]

This is the swear for his own.

[Interviewer]

It's worth a swear.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, is it explicit, innit? Ah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

So it needs it. People don't expect it.

[Michelangelo]

Right. So I've got. There's a one where you get something on Hell's Kitchen. Right.

[Interviewer]

There we go. Don't worry if it doesn't work. It's okay.

[Michelangelo]

No, right.

[Interviewer]

You're safe space.

[Michelangelo]

He gets these fish over. Oh, what's he sees, man. Right. He Gets his fish and he goes, me. Mary, come here. Come here, will you? Mary. Fuck me.

[Interviewer]

Look.

[Michelangelo]

Look at this fish. It's so raw. It's telling SpongeBob to fuck off. Fuck me. And then he smashes this, smashes the

[Interviewer]

fish with his hand. That was really good. See you. That was genuinely good. You know, I was expecting it to be all right. I was expecting. I didn't think. I thought if he's got the confidence to this in front of his mate, it's got to be okay. That was a good. That was a solid nine. Nine.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. That far off. I'll take a nine all day for gold, I expect. So I feel like David one's the best, you know?

[Interviewer]

Come on, Nevada.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, mate, class. So we've got weight there, right? So I need a look at the wilderness.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, Try and if you can see the bit of wilderness we can

[Michelangelo]

see just through the gap in the clouds. As we can see, we have a seagull flying in the sky. We have the waves from the ocean. Very blue, Very, very vibrant colors, I'd say. See, you know what I mean? Me, me, David one's me best one. I'm. I'm holding that one.

[Interviewer]

He's about to be 100 as well.

[Poet/Performer]

Nah.

[Michelangelo]

Mad. What a guy, man, honestly. Legend. I'm glad I could do his accent as well. I can just keep his legacy going. I'll be the new.

[Interviewer]

You're never going to die, David.

[Michelangelo]

I'll be the new NAR for BBC.

[Interviewer]

So, football time. Am I right in thinking, like, if you're from Newcastle, like, everybody loves Newcastle, you just have to. Have to know the football team.

[Michelangelo]

If. If you're born in Newcastle, I feel it's inevitable it's going to get instilled in you.

[Interviewer]

So what. What does, like, the team mean to you?

[Michelangelo]

Generally genuinely like it sounds.

[Interviewer]

Do you have to say this, though? I feel like this is like North Korea or something. You know what I mean? If you were kind of. Could you legit say to me, I'm not that bothered and your mates heard it, they would kill you know what I mean?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. Oh, no, I am.

[Interviewer]

But you are really bothered.

[Michelangelo]

Football is like me now is calm. When I'm watching the football or the football's on, I'm a totally different person going mad, like, very serious.

[Interviewer]

Oh, you're okay.

[Michelangelo]

Serious as can be. But it's like football to me personally is everything. Like. I'm genuinely not even seeing it. See it like being brought up. I remember having Newcastle box set DVDs, DVDs that's how long ago it was. There was one time I was a ball boy for a Newcastle match. It was when we still had colochini in Gutierrez while playing Wolves. And I remember my dad recorded the. The match on his sky. He's still got it on his sky this day. Because there's one clip where it pans right. It pans to Gutierrez on the sideline. And there's me just sat there and like a good trench course Newcastle Trench Court just sat there. He's still got it on his skybox. I know. But I love me. I love a football me.

[Interviewer]

I love the phrase pan to Gutierrez. Great, great player.

[Michelangelo]

It's lush.

[Interviewer]

So can you think of the most emotional. You've been watching a football match?

[Michelangelo]

Would it be the Carboy Cup Final?

[Interviewer]

So were you in the stadium or just.

[Michelangelo]

No, I was just in a fan zone.

[Interviewer]

You went down just to literally so. Because people listening. A they might not be a football fan. B, they might know about football but not even know about this. Okay. So let's get. Let's give a bit of a rundown of the situation. So Newcastle, your team, the team you're passionate about. They haven't won anything for a long time. They've got a Cup final playing. They're playing Liverpool in London in Wembley. Okay, you must be dedicated then because you've gone down not to be in the stadium, just to be near them.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. 100%.

[Interviewer]

Talk me through that occasion.

[Michelangelo]

So we'd booked the Travelodge, right. But the Travelodge I booked was right, the total other side of London. So I had to get like a 40 pound taxi to the fan zone. Takes out the fan zone. He's only took the Liverpool fan zone. So me and my friends stood outside. Newcastle tops. Loads of Liverpool fans walking about where like oh like we're done for here. Rang another taxi. Can you take with a Newcastle fan zone, right. Took around and it's just literally a mob of just black and white shirts everywhere. Up and down the whole street. And then we finally got in because we're 20 minutes late. And you literally like shoulder to shoulder. Like you're scrunching your shoulders or trying to get past people. And then it's just the massive monitor at the front and everyone's standing on chairs. And then when we scored it was just carnage. There's paint everywhere. It's like a waterfall coming.

[Interviewer]

I say it's a lot of money G for the air.

[Michelangelo]

Oh mate. And then that. It's like that's one of their moments. Where everyone loves everyone, all Jordies and we're all together and everyone like you feel more like warmer cuz you're speaking to a Jordy sort of thing. Like in a place where you don't really know. It was just. Honestly, the vibes are unbelievable. It was immense. Immense.

[Interviewer]

One of the great moments of your life.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, 100%. It's something I'll tell me kids, like, and me grandkids.

[Interviewer]

And you cried at the end or each crying during.

[Michelangelo]

Cried at the end. As soon as that final whistle went. Waterworks, mate.

[Interviewer]

How long were you crying?

[Michelangelo]

Solid 15 minutes.

[Interviewer]

Oh, wow.

[Michelangelo]

And then the celebration started and then that's when I started getting like, yes. Like, yes, fuck it, go on.

[Interviewer]

When you take a 15 minutes of crying, which is really sweet, by the way, it's beautiful. Were you just like crying on a friend's shoulder? Were you in the corner somewhere? Were you on the toilet?

[Michelangelo]

It was like long, like. Like boofs. Sort of like bench, table, bench.

[Interviewer]

Got it.

[Michelangelo]

Someone just sat there, my head in my hands, like. And me, mate, mate, like, I felt his hand on me back. He was like, aries. No, I'm not Harry. I'm not Harry. No. Just continued crying for another 10 minutes. But it was. Honestly, man, it was unreal.

[Interviewer]

Do you think you would cry because there's so much. Yeah, I mean, maybe this is a bit getting too deep here. But like, if you think. Can you think of the reasons why you were crying for so long? Like, if you really think about it, what are they?

[Michelangelo]

Probably everything that I had built up for ages. Then seeing that was like happy tears, obviously, and then sad tears at the same time.

[Interviewer]

You mean build up in terms of just like in your life?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, just like miserable everything. Ah, yeah. Just like different emotions. But it would have just been everything piled up and then saying that and saying everyone around is so happy and like. Like my dad. My dad's never seen a trophy lifted me granddad's never seen a Newcastle lifter trophy. And I'm like, they've never seen this. And I get to see it in my lifetime. Like, it just. It felt so surreal and aw. Honestly, it was like something out with Disney film.

[Interviewer]

How long did that high last?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, I mean, like solid three, four days. We didn't. We got to London on the Friday and we didn't go home till the Wednesday.

[Interviewer]

Oh, amazing.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, I just stayed and just partied for like three days straight. It was the best time of my life.

[Interviewer]

That's incredible. Favorite Newcastle player. While we're here, of all time.

[Michelangelo]

Of all time.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

All time. I've got to see Shira.

[Interviewer]

I mean again. Is that a North Korea moment though? You don't have.

[Michelangelo]

No.

[Interviewer]

You don't have to say she Ra.

[Michelangelo]

It's got to be Shira for me personally. Just like me growing up. I got that from my dad. Like she ra Shira this and then great shy kid. I've got she Ra and it's a mad show but color Chini just because of his mad hair and there was a mad song about him as well. Did it? I heard the song.

[Interviewer]

No.

[Michelangelo]

What's the song or color Cheney, you're the love of me life for color Cheney I'd let you shag me away for color Cheney.

[Interviewer]

Talk to me about. We mentioned it earlier a bit about crying.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You say you cry quite happily quite readily.

[Michelangelo]

I cry a lot.

[Interviewer]

Have. That has always been the case and like. Have you.

[Michelangelo]

Have you.

[Interviewer]

You know obviously the classic is, you know that the lads don't cry. You know we're not supposed to cry all that.

[Michelangelo]

I hate that. I hate that stuff. Stuff like that.

[Interviewer]

How have you always been comfortable with crying?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. 100 like I feel like part of that reason is being raised by a single mom. Like I got. I've seen her at our lowest and I've seen her at our highest. Like I cry happy tails, cry sad. I never keep me emotions and like if I need someone to talk to, I've got me mates. I never. I don't talk to me mom about like personal stuff. I never, never do. I never have. I just don't feel comfortable doing it. I'll always go to the boys straight away if I'm feeling like really down, really down. I'll probably speak my dart to be honest.

[Interviewer]

So you could cry but can you feel like you can cry in front of.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, I don't care who I cry in front of. If you don't like seeing us cry, you're a horrible person.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Totally agree.

[Michelangelo]

I remember when I was younger Mimi mama in the old house while watching the film and I just grabbed a little cushion off his over did hold it up face. I was keep crying my eyes I wasn't sure and then I looked at her and she was crying. I was there. I know who I get it from now then. But like just like films like I'll sit and cry off I watch a tick tock I'll sit and cry the tick tock. I'm like it's a two minute video and I'm sorry I'm bawling my eyes out.

[Interviewer]

That's the power of communication, isn't it?

[Michelangelo]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

Are you on TikTok yourself?

[Michelangelo]

I am, I.

[Interviewer]

What kind of things do you poke?

[Michelangelo]

I don't post now. I don't post. No. I'm a serial reposter.

[Interviewer]

You should do your own.

[Michelangelo]

Do you know what all that.

[Interviewer]

No. You could do it. I mean, you got a bouncy character.

[Michelangelo]

I do, but I don't know, like. I don't know what content.

[Interviewer]

Talk about football.

[Michelangelo]

Aye, true. I feel like if I'm just being myself, like if I've done a day in the life of Michelangelo, give Bob.

[Interviewer]

Michelangelo. You should do it.

[Michelangelo]

Give it a go.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Do you know what it is? This might be me calling to do it, actually. So if I'm not bothered about crying, I can't be bothered about the TikTok.

[Interviewer]

Cry on TikTok, Jordan.

[Michelangelo]

You do that.

[Interviewer]

The crying.

[Michelangelo]

I genuinely probably would

[Interviewer]

every time.

[Michelangelo]

Mental. Mental debut.

[Interviewer]

You've got a, you know, really engaging personality. You know, I think you would be a good bet. Give yourself a chance.

[Michelangelo]

Especially Newcastle as well. I feel like you don't, like. You don't really get many Newcastle. Geordie. Content creators.

[Interviewer]

You can do this. I mean, I know quite a lot of content creator. You people.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know, if you do want and send it to me, I'll be happy to send it off.

[Michelangelo]

I owe me 100% on, you know, so maybe.

[Interviewer]

Maybe I could be a gate.

[Michelangelo]

Yes man. Oh, what a fellow.

[Interviewer]

Do you want to know how many followers I've got on Tik Tok? Guess.

[Michelangelo]

Ooh, I'd say two. 200,000 more. More on Tik Tok.

[Interviewer]

Three more.

[Michelangelo]

Five.

[Interviewer]

Keep going.

[Michelangelo]

A mil.

[Interviewer]

Keep going.

[Michelangelo]

Shouldn't mind. Shouldn't matter. A mil and a half.

[Interviewer]

1.7 mid. Last time I said I haven't posed anything for like three years, though.

[Michelangelo]

What?

[Interviewer]

Because it was an absolute pain.

[Michelangelo]

That's mad shit. That blew me, manger. I didn't even know who I'm sat next to either.

[Interviewer]

You just said next to a guy.

[Michelangelo]

Very true, very true.

[Interviewer]

That's another guy. I think he said next it. Yeah, you should do it.

[Michelangelo]

Ah. You know, you might open the. Open the.

[Interviewer]

I think there's something there.

[Michelangelo]

All right, I may try.

[Interviewer]

What I'm going to do, I'm going to ask you three more questions. I'm going to leave you alone.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, yeah, of course.

[Interviewer]

Do you want a heavy question? Heavy is 10, light is 1. What do you want? Give me a number. Oh, straight in there. Straight in there. With the heaviest, of course. If I asked you what you think was the toughest day of your life, can you think of what it might have been? Oh, that's suitably heavy, isn't it?

[Michelangelo]

That is very heavy.

[Interviewer]

You literally asked for it.

[Michelangelo]

It's a fucking good question to me. Toughest day of my life. Oh, I need to go into the vault for this, I think probably right. And I'm gonna go really deep. I wouldn't say necessarily tough. Can I change? Tough facade.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

When I was younger, obviously, from what I was explaining, when I was a bit of a. Bit of a knob head, there was a time me mum had a massive argument and it was sort of along the lines of, I hate you and I wish you weren't me mom. And I was launching toys on her from the top of the stairs and she's come running up like, bear hugged us to stop me. And then I've hit, like, I've hit her. And then like her lad at the times come running up the stairs. Keep what you're doing, what you done. And then I've looked at my mom, my mom's holding her face, crying her eyes out. And then I look back and thinking now. And it makes us actually want to burst into tears. But I'm like, why? Like how? I don't get how I was such, like such a horrible person. I don't get why I was wired that way.

[Interviewer]

But the thing is, you clearly weren't a horrible person. The thing about all behaviors, they all come from somewhere. No one wakes up and wants to be a horrible person. Right. So just going off what you've told me already, there are probably emotions and communication and feelings you didn't know how to express.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And so they came out in other ways. That's just what happens. Like if you, if you don't know where to channel your anger and your feeling, it will come up in the, in the nearest possible person. The closest person will be a punch.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, true.

[Interviewer]

You know, because it's like that's the safest bet is to hit your mum. It's the safest bet, you know? And also, you didn't, you know, you hit her as a small child, didn't you?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Or me at normal. So it's like, it's a horrible thing to have happened, but it's not, you know, you were never horrible. You just didn't have the avenues to express yourself.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah. I just wish I could have been better for me mom when I was younger.

[Interviewer]

You're clearly a really good person now.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

But what she'll care about is that you're all right. Yeah.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

100%, you know? So what you can do for her now is to be all right.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

So, like, you can make it good. You already are making it.

[Michelangelo]

Oh, I do. Honestly, like, no, like, I couldn't think of nothing worse than arguing with me mom. You only get one mom. And I look back at it now and I think I would be a shell of who I am now without me mom. Like.

[Interviewer]

And also, I mean, amazing, obviously, she's done it at, like, such a young age.

[Michelangelo]

By herself as well.

[Interviewer]

I mean, like, by herself at a young age.

[Michelangelo]

I don't know how she done it.

[Interviewer]

Fair play to your mom.

[Michelangelo]

Well, the. She's an absolute soldier. Absolute solder.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I mean, do you. I mean, I guess. Do you ever talk about this stuff with your mum now, is it.

[Michelangelo]

No, no, no. We're both emotional. Other things, but each other.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. But I don't know, like, what would you, like, look, if she was. I mean, if she listens to the podcast, she will hear you say that. But if you did say that to your mum or you just told me.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

How do you think that would go? I mean, do you think she actually was, like, welcome you saying that?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, yeah. I think we'd both sit and cry for hours on end.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I don't know. Look, I just think these kind of things happen when people get ill or this kind of stuff. I just don't know. I just think, like, with your dad, you know, you're saying it now. You said it when I asked you about stuff. Is it clearly, like, in your system?

[Michelangelo]

Yeah, yeah. 100% is holding you.

[Interviewer]

I just think, like, your mum would be so proud to hear you be, like, really thoughtful, you know, like, genuine remorse for that moment and those times. And also because respect for what she's done.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Like, that would only be positive, surely, that she would hear you say that, because famously, with parents, right. Like, the thing, the classic is like, as soon as I have my kids, you know, like, within days, basically, you're like, oh, my God, I've now seen my mother in a totally different light. I totally now realize, like, how hard this is. Not that long after my first child was born, I was like, mom, actually, thanks, mate. A proper, like, you know, genuine, like, this is really hard. Like, thanks for doing this. And she was a single mom.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

She did it on her own, so. So it's like, you know, you don't know when this is going to be. And you. I Mean you could.

[Michelangelo]

Tomorrow's never promised as well. That's a thing that plays on the back of my head, like if I don't see it or. Yeah, well, there you go.

[Interviewer]

That's. Well, that's your heavy question. Do you.

[Michelangelo]

A light one. Yeah. How are.

[Interviewer]

What is the most joyous sight you have seen recently? Not on a screen. Just. Could it to be a passing thing. It could just be a street. Something. The street walking about could be a small. Didn't have to be like a big thing.

[Michelangelo]

It's. I feel like it's. It's. I feel like it is quite cliche. But old couples.

[Interviewer]

When old couples come into work particular

[Michelangelo]

I'd say about 70s. They're in the 70s. Then you sit and get a talk to them and they've been married for like 40, 50 years and they just go like, what's the key? And they just go. Just as long as you're happy with the other person. And then. But you just see how genuinely happy they are, like to be with another person like that. And I'm like, oh, I did. That just brings like. It makes us feel giddy in that. I'm like, oh, it's lush, man. Old couples.

[Interviewer]

That is always a lovely sight, isn't it? That was a beautiful sight. Let's do. Because our view here is quite funny because we're like. We've basically got some cars. But through the gaps of the cars we can see the water and then across the water we can see the favor. South Shield slash.

[Michelangelo]

Where the sand dancer.

[Interviewer]

Where the sand dancers live. Are we gonna get in trouble? If anyone.

[Michelangelo]

Am I gonna get in trouble?

[Interviewer]

It's okay. They're not gonna be like, cancel that guy.

[Michelangelo]

No, no.

[Interviewer]

For saying that.

[Michelangelo]

That's just a slang term for people from social.

[Interviewer]

So that's what we can see. I sometimes get to describe what we can see, but we've kind of done that. Right. So we're going to do a slightly different game. I'm going to ask you and I'm going to do it too. To close eyes. You ready? I'm closing mine. You can close yours.

[Michelangelo]

Whatever you want.

[Interviewer]

You never close yours yet. Whatever you want. So what I'm going to get you to do is to think back to a scene in your life. Doesn't have to be like a big moment. It just has to be a moment you can remember really well. Like meaning something. You know, it could be from any point in your life. Recent, long time ago. Is there something that kind of comes into your head when I say that. Can you think of what that is?

[Michelangelo]

The first one I'd say would probably be me first holiday with me mate. It just turned me birthday and me mom said, what do you want for your birthday? And I went, odd. Love to go on holiday. I'm trying to write. I've booked you and your friend to go to Tenerife for seven days. And I went. It's genuinely the happiest I've been in the ages. I remember going and just being. Being abroad and thinking I'm by myself on my first holiday without me mom. I was like, what do I do? Feel like I've been chucked in the deep end. Fair enough, yeah. I'm with me friend, but I'm also by myself in a foreign country with. Without me right hand. So I just. I didn't really know how to deal with it. But the whole holiday was an absolute experience in itself. Like, I had the best time and then it was, I think, without any shade on my friend. The best part was coming back and seeing me mom 100%. I'd miss me mom too much. Seven days without me mom was too long. Way too long. Lovely.

[Interviewer]

Oh, amazing. How have you found the experience of talking to a stranger on a bench?

[Michelangelo]

Absolutely amazing.

[Interviewer]

I mean, you're a pro because you talk to change all the time.

[Michelangelo]

I know, but, no, it's. It's been. It's been really refreshing. I'm glad I went out for a tab when I did, otherwise I would have never seen you. And that's an absolutely mental thought to me. That solidifies that everything happens for a reason.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I've done today, I've done Whitney Bay. When I did a than timeout. Then at Time Mouth, I was like, oh, should I go to South Shields? Should I not? Should I go to North Shields? And I was like, on the fence, came here. Not really. People on benches, nothing much is happening. And then you're like, where do I go now? Like, you know, it's a bit windy. Should I now go South Shields? But will people be sitting on the bench to South Shields? And so I was like, so basically I'm an Ari, not know what I'm doing. I'm wasting the time thinking about. I'm not making it decision. So I just thought, I'll walk down there towards the ferry, Happy Deers. And then see it.

[Michelangelo]

It was.

[Interviewer]

I mean, it's a lot to think about in a way, but it's like. It's layers of miracle.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You know, whoever you was, it was your. Your person could have Said, you're not allowed that.

[Michelangelo]

She's lost. She's lost. You know, cuz I went in, I was like, so I've been asked to do this, like, this podcast. I was like, I can promote the business though. She was like, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah. We've got to mention it.

[Michelangelo]

It's dodging's yard on the fish key. We do drink and we do the best food on the whole of the fish key. I promise you.

[Interviewer]

Fantastic.

[Michelangelo]

It will not let you down. Best dish, Best dish for me personally, Cod and chips. It's the crispiest, goldest butter. Like, honestly, my mouths water and think of it. And we've got massive homemade chunky chips. Or if you don't want the homemade chunky chips, you can't get fries. Comes with a side of mushy peasant. Tall, tall sauce. You know, I mean, genuinely is the best fish and chips I've had in 22 years on this planet.

[Interviewer]

Love it. That's. You did. You've done very well there.

[Michelangelo]

I have.

[Interviewer]

Get that on tik tok as well.

[Michelangelo]

Do a little tik tok.

[Interviewer]

Do a little. That can be first TikTok. Big it up on TikTok. Great.

[Michelangelo]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

Well, mate, it's so nice to talk to you.

[Michelangelo]

It has. You too. I've had an absolute pleasure.

[Interviewer]

Been a privilege and an honor.

[Michelangelo]

Wait, I appreciate this. You too.

[Interviewer]

Miss, what do we do to end it? How do we end this?

[Michelangelo]

Oh, do you end.

[Interviewer]

You want to end it with an accent?

[Michelangelo]

Should I end it with an accent? Which one? What do you want?

[Interviewer]

Maybe let's. Okay, let it be Attenborough. Right. Right. Okay. But do Dave Atman and you're sign. And you're signing out of the. Of the program. This is your sign. This is your sign off. But for this. But for this podcast raise. And he's saying goodbye to the TV audience. You've now got to say goodbye to the podcast audience in the atom of the voice. Right. Good luck.

[Michelangelo]

Knee pressure. F me. So today we've had a blast on the bench talking about life, talking about reality with spectacular views and the DFDS ferry going from Newcastle to Amsterdam. But this is David Attenborough signing off. And I will be back with you in the next episode. Thank you. What was hitting? I was good. It's good that I'm taking that me. I'm taking it. Beautiful.

[Poet/Performer]

Talking, drinking like a Birkin man. Laughing, shouting. North and south different limbs but do the best they can. Fists and fingers no more stained by coal or wet with shipyard rain the hungry young must earn their crumbs by faster food and lucky numbers Time out there time of day Older days flow faster, so they say Life dancing

[Michelangelo]

take

[Poet/Performer]

a chance, say rough romancing that's the only way but the final whistle of life's gay tears are shed and show no change Old men grow weaker women stronger Mothers just get younger by the day. Tying mouth fair. Time mouth fair Dying mouth fair Dying mouth fair Sam.