#4370 You Got Campbelled!

Summary

TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live – Episode #4370: You Got Campbelled!

Release Date: December 31, 2024
Hosts: Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh

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Introduction and Tribute to Andre Braugher [01:12 - 03:46]

The episode kicks off with Luke Burbank warmly welcoming listeners to the Tuesday edition of TBTL, coinciding with New Year’s Eve. Andrew Walsh immediately dives into a heartfelt tribute to the late Andre Braugher, renowned for his roles in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”

Andrew Walsh [01:35]: "I would put that drop we heard right there a moment ago, near the top of my list of favorites, the Brooklyn Nine."

Andrew Walsh [02:06]: "It's a very feel goody show, sometimes to a fault, but mostly to a degree that I really enjoy. And something about Andre Braugher especially is just so lovely and it breaks my heart when I turn it on now and he's making me laugh so ridiculously hard."

Luke echoes Andrew’s sentiments, emphasizing Braugher’s versatility and significant impact on television.

Luke Burbank [03:11]: "What a cool legacy though. I mean, what a sad thing that he's gone too young. But what a nice legacy."

The hosts reflect on Braugher’s contributions, highlighting his range from intense dramas to lighthearted comedies, and ponder whether future audiences will remember their tribute.

Andrew Walsh [03:18]: "I need to go back and watch that. You watched some of that, right?"

Discussion on "Homicide: Life on the Street" and TV’s Golden Age [03:46 - 05:44]

Delving deeper, Luke and Andrew discuss “Homicide: Life on the Street,” lauding its realistic portrayal of police work and its role in ushering in the golden age of television.

Luke Burbank [04:12]: "It cheesed it up a lot less than a lot of the other things that were out there portraying like police and policing."

Luke Burbank [04:58]: "Yafit Koto, one of the great hairdos, I believe, in network television and great name."

Andrew adds insights about Richard Belzer’s transition from stand-up comedy to his role in the series, appreciating his deadpan delivery.

Andrew Walsh [05:30]: "Belzer was the comedian long before he was on Homicide Life on the Street."

Richard Belzer’s Comedy and Legacy [05:44 - 09:08]

The conversation shifts to Richard Belzer's stand-up career, highlighting his appearances on "The Howard Stern Show" and his unique comedic style.

Andrew Walsh [07:01]: "He's like Jason from Friday the 13th. Wow. Strong Dan Campbell energy."

Luke admires Belzer’s comedic approach, contrasting it with mainstream humor of the early '90s.

Luke Burbank [07:37]: "But the thing about Belzer was because he was also a frequent guest on the Howard Stern show for years...he was very droll and very like."

They reminisce about classic comedy clips, blending nostalgia with critical analysis of Belzer’s performances.

Listener’s Vocabulary Challenge [16:05 - 20:25]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to a listener named Kristen from Thunder Bay, Ontario, who sent in a list of unusual words used over the past year. Luke and Andrew tackle words like “celerity” and “Rashomon,” showcasing their playful struggle with advanced vocabulary.

Andrew Walsh [18:50]: "Celerity. Celerity. And now that I'm looking at the definition, I feel like I'm vaguely remembering talking about this."

Luke Burbank [20:01]: "She accepted the invitation with alacrity."

Their banter highlights the duo’s chemistry and ability to engage with challenging content humorously.

Gus Van Sant’s Death Trilogy and the Movie "Jerry" [09:08 - 26:11]

The hosts transition to a detailed discussion about Gus Van Sant’s Death Trilogy, focusing on the film “Jerry.” They explore the movie’s premise, budget, and critical reception, appreciating its intense storytelling and minimalist approach.

Andrew Walsh [25:10]: "What's the buzz? I'm going to pivot towards Pivin."

Luke Burbank [25:33]: "It's interesting for the movie, Jerry. The budget was three and a half million dollars...it did $254,000 at the box office."

Luke praises “Jerry” for its artistic merit despite its limited financial success, while Andrew underscores the film’s emotional depth and realistic portrayal of its characters’ descent into madness.

Andrew Walsh [26:11]: "It was called the Death trilogy. So this is. Okay, so Happy New Year, everybody. The Death trilogy had."

Film Directors and Realism in Portrayals [26:11 - 35:04]

Luke and Andrew delve into discussions about various directors like Todd Haynes and Neil LaBute, debating their filmmaking styles and the challenges of maintaining realism in cinematic portrayals. They critique unrealistic elements in movies, particularly focusing on inaccuracies in portraying radio hosts in “Grosse Pointe Blank.”

Andrew Walsh [33:38]: "Gus Van Sant had. It was called the Death trilogy. So this is."

Andrew Walsh [35:04]: "It is. It is. I just feel like it's an incredible film."

Their critique extends to other films and directors, showcasing their deep appreciation for authentic storytelling and their frustration with common cinematic clichés.

Jeremy Piven’s Controversial Shift [40:44 - 43:56]

A candid segment addresses Jeremy Piven’s decline in public favor, discussing allegations against him and the hosts' personal disappointment.

Luke Burbank [41:41]: "There are Pivens inside all of us."

Andrew Walsh [43:51]: "I feel like you and I both know storytelling as well."

They reflect on how public perception can drastically change an actor’s career, expressing skepticism about the authenticity of Piven’s public persona.

Donor Acknowledgments [45:04 - 48:46]

In line with their commitment to thanking their supporters, Luke and Andrew take time to recognize key donors from various locations. Each acknowledgment is paired with humorous anecdotes, strengthening the connection with their audience.

Luke Burbank [45:48]: "Thank you, Jessica. Do you remember when Jessica used her own private little boat to go help soldiers evacuate?"

Andrew Walsh [47:57]: "Matthew Scott of Honolulu, Hawaii. Matthew Scott, thank you for the donation."

Their heartfelt gratitude underscores the importance of listener support in keeping the show vibrant and ongoing.

Closing Remarks and New Year’s Eve Preparations [48:46 - 49:10]

As the episode winds down, the hosts exchange light-hearted comments about their New Year’s Eve festivities, promising to continue their engaging content into the new year.

Luke Burbank [48:54]: "I'm gonna make sure that I do. I do. One pint of water for every pint of Guinness that I'm drinking tonight."

Andrew Walsh [49:10]: "Good luck to all. Happy New Year. Power out."

Their jovial goodbye leaves listeners with a sense of camaraderie and anticipation for future episodes.

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Notable Quotes:

• Andrew Walsh [02:06]: "It's a very feel goody show, sometimes to a fault, but mostly to a degree that I really enjoy."

• Luke Burbank [04:12]: "It cheesed it up a lot less than a lot of the other things that were out there portraying like police and policing."

• Andrew Walsh [18:50]: "Celerity. Celerity. And now that I'm looking at the definition, I feel like I'm vaguely remembering talking about this."

• Luke Burbank [20:01]: "She accepted the invitation with alacrity."

• Andrew Walsh [25:10]: "What's the buzz? I'm going to pivot towards Pivin."

• Luke Burbank [41:41]: "There are Pivens inside all of us."

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Conclusion:

Episode #4370 of TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live provides a rich tapestry of nostalgia, critical discussions on television and film, engaging vocabulary challenges, and heartfelt tributes. Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh blend humor with insightful commentary, creating an episode that is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. Whether reminiscing about beloved actors or dissecting complex cinematic narratives, the hosts maintain their signature camaraderie, ensuring that listeners are both entertained and informed. As they bid farewell on New Year’s Eve, the promise of continued engaging content leaves the audience eagerly awaiting future episodes.

Transcript

[Luke Burbank]

Excuse me.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hi.

[Casey]

You're.

[Andrew Walsh]

Casey.

[Casey]

Casey. You're unbelievable.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, thank you. Thank you very much.

[Casey]

No, no, no, seriously, I'm telling you, you blow me away. Why?

[Luke Burbank]

It's really nice of you to show.

[Casey]

No, no, no. I'm telling you what you do. It's really amazing.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's fabulous.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, well, can we get.

[Casey]

No, no, no. I'm telling you. I'm telling you what you do. I really get it. I get what's going on with you. It's amazing. Really great stuff.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes.

[Casey]

No, no, no, no. Really, do me a favor, say, coming in this week at number one, it's Lyle and Richie who's stuck on you, huh?

[Luke Burbank]

I really don't think I can do it.

[Casey]

No, no, no, come on, do it. Seriously, do it. Come on, do it.

[Andrew Walsh]

Coming in at number one this week is.

[Luke Burbank]

Lionel Richie was stuck on you.

[Casey]

That's great. All right, do Shaggy from Scooby Doo.

[Andrew Walsh]

Tbtl. So maybe this isn't exactly the most polished radio broadcast you've ever heard. It's not that bad, honestly. It is, but it's not. I swear, every time this guy talks, all I hear is a turkey goblin.

[Luke Burbank]

Huh. Meat from the street. Sounds like a fun treat.

[Casey]

I'm a poet and didn't even know.

[Luke Burbank]

I was rhyming those words.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's not how it works. That's not how any of this works. All right.

[Luke Burbank]

Hello, good morning and welcome, everyone, to a Tuesday edition of tbtl, the show, it just might be too beautiful to live. Happy Happy New Year's Eve Day to all of you. My name is Luke Burbank. I am your host. Right over there, my hard partying friend, the longest running cobra of the show, Mr. Andrew Walsh. Hello.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hello, Luke. I would put that drop we heard right there a moment ago, near the top of my list of favorites, the Brooklyn Nine.

[Luke Burbank]

Nine Drop.

[Andrew Walsh]

The Brooklyn Nine. Nine. I'm a poet and I didn't even realize I was rhyming those words is one of my favorite jokes that we play on this show.

[Luke Burbank]

And is that. That's Andre Brower, right?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, Rip. I know that. I gotta say that. Bums.

[Luke Burbank]

Would it bring me down on New Year's Eve Day?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. Why would I bring that up? Why would I bring up a funny joke said by a fellow who's passed? He's.

[Luke Burbank]

So let's honor him.

[Andrew Walsh]

And I just. I. I love. I do love that show. I love to drop in on that show. It's a good feel good show. It makes you laugh and like the characters. And I believe that the Actors behind the characters are truly, truly lovable. It's a very feel goody show, sometimes to a fault, but mostly to a degree that I really enjoy. And something about Andre Braugher especially is just so lovely and it breaks my heart when I turn it on now and he's making me laugh so ridiculously hard. And I remember that he's. He's gone way, way, way too soon.

[Luke Burbank]

What a cool legacy though. I mean, what a sad thing that he's gone too young. But what a nice. I mean, do you think, Andrew, do you think anyone will ever listen to this when we're long gone and laugh and laugh and drop till their socks come off? Do you think we'll have the impression this. We said this when we were memorializing Andre Braugher and it's an obvious point, but for him to be a performer who contains the ability to be the person that he was in serious roles like Homicide and things like that. And then as great as he was on Brooklyn 9 9, that's some range.

[Andrew Walsh]

You know, that's a good reminder. I really need to go back. That's Homicide, Life on the streets, right? Isn't that.

[Casey]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Like David Simon, early stuff.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, I need to go back and watch that. You watched some of that, right?

[Luke Burbank]

I did, yeah. I mean that was good for. I don't think the Wire was actually out yet. So that was some real gritty, you know, crime, you know, written from the perspective. Obviously. David Simon was a crime reporter for the Baltimore Suns. So yeah, had a pretty unique perspective on it. And yeah, I remember that was network television though. Like I believe that was. That was. You could watch that on, I'm going to say NBC.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. So that's my understanding of it. And again, you've seen it. I haven't, but that like it wasn't a breakout like the Wire because it still fit the format and the mold of more of a network procedural because that's what came before. Right. Only you knowing that, knowing what would come later with things like the Wire, you look at that show as being like something that kind of stood out in the format, in the restraints of. Of this format.

[Luke Burbank]

It was, I think for being on network television, it was really, really kind of didn't pull its punches and didn't cheese it up. It cheesed it up a lot less than a lot of the other things that were out there portraying like police and policing. And I think it's kind of credited with. In fact, I'm looking at a story in the Guardian, Homicide, Life on the street, the show that led us to the golden age of television. So it was kind of like. It was. Yeah, it was like, okay, this is, this is good. Now if we leave network television, we can start getting our, Our wires, our Sopranos, our, you know, other kind of real hard hitting shows like that. It also featured Yafit Koto, one of the great hairdos, I believe, in network television and great name.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, I don't know that name at all.

[Luke Burbank]

Yoda, he was just like one of the guys on the show. But then also you had Richard Belzer also Rip, the comedian, who was kind of a dead panning detective, I believe. Now here's the thing, though. What is it that they call Andre Brower's character from Brooklyn, 9, 9 down at the country club, because he keeps suing them.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, I.

[Luke Burbank]

Furious George, they call me.

[Andrew Walsh]

Wait, hold on, let me. Let me just find that right now. Hold on. Wait, Bell, I'm juggling so many ideas here. Belzer is a comedian. I never really.

[Luke Burbank]

Belzer was a comedian long before he was on Homicide Life on the Street.

[Andrew Walsh]

I never watched Homicide Life on the street, but I only. But when I see his face, I just. Because he's a law and order guy too, right? Like, not that he was on the show Law and Order. He truly believed in law and. Yeah, he was.

[Luke Burbank]

He just thinks the criminals need to be shown who's boss. Andrew.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, but. So I just know him as like Mr. Procedural. And keep in mind, I don't watch any procedural. So everything that goes on in that sort of like Law and Order, csi, whatever, versus like, I'm very. I just have no context for. At all. So I didn't know that he was a comedian.

[Luke Burbank]

That was his first actual thing. Well, first, I'm now on his Wikipedia.

[Andrew Walsh]

Tenacious Ray. That's. I had to. Tenacious Ray, relax my brain for a second. As soon as I stopped thinking about it, I remembered they call me Furious George, Ray.

[Luke Burbank]

Furious George, I believe, is one of them. It's one of the. Well, that. But he's also one of the monkeys that's in a monkey knife fight in international waters on the Simpsons.

[Andrew Walsh]

Really?

[Luke Burbank]

When they. Yeah, where they're on a boat. There was an episode of the Simpsons where they're on a boat that goes out into international waters. So the law doesn't apply.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

So there's a monkey knife fight.

[Andrew Walsh]

Remember the monkey knife fight? Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And one of the monkeys is named Furious George.

[Andrew Walsh]

I had no. I only knew that as George Kirby's nickname. The. The pitcher for the Mariner People call him Furious George because he's a bit tempestuous off the mound. I did not realize that that was a Simpsons reference.

[Luke Burbank]

I believe that's also the same episode where Drederic Tatum fights a horse.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

Also legal in international waters.

[Andrew Walsh]

That sounds right.

[Luke Burbank]

Tenacious Ray because of how I keep suing them.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes. Here, let me see if I can play that. Yeah, sorry, I. Sorry.

[Luke Burbank]

Why not? It's New Year's Eve day. Let's celebrate.

[Andrew Walsh]

Wow. You know, when we. Wasn't it yesterday that we were going through all of the shows that have a strong representation on in our dry opens, Brooklyn 9. 9. Did that come up in our conversation? I don't think it did.

[Luke Burbank]

And it should have, probably, because I'm thinking about the Backstreet Boys number. Yes. The one that we played today. The Street Meat. Is that the one we just played?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. But sometimes I do use that as a dry open as well. Speaking of here is this one. Okay. The computer is tabulating. Oh, you got category I9C3G6.

[Luke Burbank]

I9C3G6. Is that as good as it sounds?

[Andrew Walsh]

You have a robust sense of self and are well suited to leadership positions. Characteristics, strength, determination, tenacity.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, I suppose that's accurate. They do call me Tenacious Ray down at the country club because for the past 10 years I've been suing them for discrimination.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, man. Brooklyn Nine. Nine only comes in as a 13 count over the past four years. That kind of surprises me. But we have a lot of treasured.

[Luke Burbank]

Each one of those appearances. By the way, Richard Belzer was the warm up comedian for Saturday Night Live for three seasons.

[Andrew Walsh]

I really, I know that yesterday I made such a joke of blowing off our main topic, but today I actually want to get to the main topic, but I also want to hear. Oh, I guess there wouldn't be probably a lot of tape of him doing the warm up because that's not broadcast. That's like the warm up warming up the crowd, I should say.

[Luke Burbank]

Right? Yeah. I mean, how many layers of this can we. Can we sort of do? Andrew, like. So the plan was originally, hey, let's try to knock out some top stories that we promoted and never got to. And then yesterday we got totally distracted and then decided, ah, we might as well do this kind of word cloud today from a listener. And we're not even getting to that. We're talking about Richard Belzer.

[Andrew Walsh]

Wait. And we are going to continue to talk about Richard Belzer because now I have found a clip from 1992 from a list standup. And this was the era when I kind of first got cable. My family first got cable. And actually this is. Well, it's gonna get a little bit sad, but this is when my parents got a divorce. I'm okay.

[Luke Burbank]

You were using comedy to cope with me.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm okay. Yes. I was writing a lot of poetry. One of my favorite Onion headlines of all time is study shows. Children of divorce more likely to write bad poetry. My friend used to send that to me all the time. Cause in college I fancied myself a writer. But anyway, during this time in 92, I was living with my dad in Lakewood, Ohio, by Lake Erie Screw. On the shores of Lake Erie Screw. And I was watching so much stand up comedy. We had just gotten cable. So I was. And this was like the heyday of like VH1, had a couple of comedy shows. Comedy Central had a bunch of comedy shows hosted by Marc Maron, like one Drink Minima or two Drink minimum or that one was.

[Luke Burbank]

It was the golden era of people in front of brick walls.

[Andrew Walsh]

It really was. And terrible tapestry, according to this clip we're going to play here of Richard Belzer. But now that I see him as a young man on this stage in this. In this outfit that he's wearing, it's not a uniform. I'm like, yes, I do remember this ca. And I call people cat now. Oops. Okay, I'm gonna stop playing the theme song from that. And I said, I'm gonna stop playing the theme song from that. Oh, my God. Where is this playing? Luke, we got it. Everybody calm down. Here's Richard Belzer, 1992. Well, California's a good place to live because that's where all the. All the ex presidents come out here. You got Gerald Ford in Palm Springs. You got Ronald Reagan and Bel Air. Oh, oh, yes. Mommy, do you have my. Depends on you.

[Luke Burbank]

Because I'm gonna be out for more than an hour.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't want to. Reagan will not go away. He's like a science fiction creature. Reagan, he got elected in 1980. That wasn't scary enough. Then he got shot and he came back. Then they took three feet out of his colon and he came back. Then they took a piece off his nose and he came back. Then they drilled a hole in his head and he came back. He's like Jason from Friday the 13th. Wow. Strong Dan Campbell energy.

[Luke Burbank]

If only he could have known he was describing a full blown gambling.

[Andrew Walsh]

You got Campbell.

[Luke Burbank]

It's great. You know, you wonder about material from that era. Like it Sounds, you know, that sounds a little, a little hacky to me. But the thing about Belzer was because he was also a frequent guest on the Howard Stern show for years, I think, like in the early days when maybe it was hard for them to get people on. This is like before his, you know, homicide life on the streets and other, you know, law and order days. He was, I just think, stand up comedian who was willing to go on Stern. So they loved him. He was not a cheesy dude. In fact, he was very like, he was very droll and very like. What's the word I'm looking for? Just kind of like, not in the slightest bit hacky or sentimental. But that stand up comedy sounds a little hacky to me.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, certainly it's oven errand also. He's probably trying to, you know, he's just trying to be successful at this thing. And I think you have to put on a certain mask sometimes. Not everybody can go out there and be, you know, who's the incredible, who's the incredibly droll guy? Rich.

[Luke Burbank]

You mean Stephen, right? Stephen, right. On the Johnny Carson Show. Around the same era. Actually. This is 1982. I'm going to play this for you. I want to.

[Andrew Walsh]

10 years earlier. Okay, how good?

[Luke Burbank]

And maybe not good. I don't know what, what I'm trying to find out here is how many times can we not get to what the plan is on the show? No, what I'm trying to find out here is, is all standup comedy of the early 90s bad because it was happening? Or let's say the 80s because this is 1982. Was there just something that meant that no one could achieve escape velocity from just the comedy being lousy? Or were there people like Steven Wright that were somehow, even all those years ago, kind of doing something that was actually edgy and interesting? We're gonna listen to a little bit of Stephen Wright on the Johnny Carson. He's got a. Steven Wright has a shocking amount of hair in this.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, I believe that's how.

[Luke Burbank]

No, it's old.

[Casey]

Thanks.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm already laughing.

[Casey]

The Stones. I love the Stones. I can't believe they're still doing it after all these years.

[Luke Burbank]

By the way, Andrew, 82, 40 plus years ago.

[Andrew Walsh]

He's 13 years away from steel wheels coming out. I believe.

[Luke Burbank]

42 years ago. I can't do the math, but that's an insane thing to realize. In 1980, 1982, it was like, it was insane that the Rolling Stones were still touring.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's not even 20 years yet they probably got their start in the mid to. Mid to late 60s, right?

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, probably.

[Casey]

Watch them whenever I can. Fred and Barney.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's a really good joke.

[Luke Burbank]

It makes more sense too. You're right. We're only 20 years into it. That's a really, really good joke. All right, all right.

[Casey]

Last summer I drove cross country with a friend of mine. We split the Dr. We switched every half mile the whole way across. We only had one cassette tape to listen to. I can't remember what it was. It was good, though. I liked it. We were in Salina, Utah when we were arrested for not going through a green light. We pleaded. Maybe I was feeling good. I had just received my bachelor's degree in calcium anthropology, study of milkmen. I was traveling with my friend George. Some people think George is weird because he has sideburns behind his ears. I think he's weird because he has false teeth, but he has braces on them.

[Luke Burbank]

You know, Not a bad debut. Not.

[Andrew Walsh]

Not at all. And true to himself, like, definitely true to his character, you know, even if not all of those totally land.

[Luke Burbank]

Right.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's all there. He's not cheesing it up.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, no, you're absolutely right. It's not like he started off with the sort of take my wife please or why don't they make the whole airplane out of the black box?

[Andrew Walsh]

And then it found in Congress, which.

[Luke Burbank]

Bell got his voice over time. Like.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's his voice.

[Luke Burbank]

That. Yes, that's the joke.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's the joke. Although his voice is. His literal voice is a little bit higher there. You can hear the youth in his voice. Remember?

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, youth. So vaguely. All right, so how about this? Can we at least try to knock out, I don't know, a word or two? And can you remind us of what exactly the plan was and is for today?

[Andrew Walsh]

So here's the deal. In this case, I gotta say, I don't remember the thing that listener Kristen. And Thunder Bay, that's Ontario, right? Thunder Bay, Ontario. Kristen wrote in and said Last year a 10 cent in a list of words that you guys had used over.

[Luke Burbank]

I believe I met Kristen, by the way, at the after party at the get together after the Philadelphia event.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, cool. Chatted.

[Luke Burbank]

Unless we've got two folks living in Thunder Bay, which seems like a lot for us.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, that does. I mean, it could be a. It could be a hot, thunderous zip for us, but.

[Luke Burbank]

Thunderous.

[Andrew Walsh]

Sorry, Everybody involved. But anyway, apparently we must have talked about on the show. Ten sent in a list of words that we had said Over a year of episodes. This year, Kristen says I kept my own list of key WBTL wors w o r s. I'm sure there were others, but these are the ones that I caught and I put in my Google keep folder. So I'm guessing that these are just like, kind of like unusual words or slightly big words or like, you know, dipping into that famous vocabulary of yours that just sort of like, stood out to Kristen. And there's a list of probably, I'm going to say about 20 here, and I don't know how many we can get through, but my idea was just to lay these on you, Luke, and you just, like, you just freestyle it Robin Williams style. I want to know, like, just. I'm going to go in order. I'm not going to bounce around first.

[Luke Burbank]

I do feel like talking about my big vocabulary is like talking about Kim Jong Un's big arsenal of weapons. The real question is, is he going to use them responsibly?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, right. You have some anxiety about words.

[Luke Burbank]

I got plenty of words, but the question is, like, do I actually know how to operate them safely?

[Andrew Walsh]

I saw a Far side cartoon the other day. This isn't going to pay off. And it's not even that funny. And we have other things to do. But I already started the sentence. So here we go. On my page. A day. Oh, by the way, I already bought my. I'm all set for next year. My Far side Off the Wall calendar. I got it.

[Luke Burbank]

But this one is just the rap group the Far side, right?

[Andrew Walsh]

That's right, yeah. Who are touring, by the way. But anyway, I'm locked and loaded for tomorrow. Tomorrow's New Year's Day, of course. And I have my Far side Off the Wall calendar ready to go for 20, 25. But in the past couple of weeks, I saw one, a cartoon, and it's a. It's just a bunch of guys working in, like, a bomb factory. And it looks like there's a guy coming in, like, he's just starting his shift, and they're like, oh, here he comes. Never makes a dude.

[Luke Burbank]

That's a funny joke.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's a pretty good joke. Stephen Wright, take note. Okay, so you're uncomfortable with this, but I'm gonna lay some words down on you. I gotta say some of these. Like, the first word is celerity. C, E, L, E, R, I, T, Y. Now, I can say I've heard that word before, but I can't. I know off the top of my head what celerity is. I feel like you Must have used this. I couldn't have.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't think I know that word. I think we must have read it in an article, maybe, and then. And then, like, just either we stopped and talked about it and I've forgotten it, or we maybe didn't even. But I don't think I would have just used it, you know, kind of randomly in a sentence, because I couldn't tell you one thing about.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's spelled with a C. It looks like celery. It kind of makes you hungry. Celerity. Celerity. And now that I'm looking at the definition, I feel like I'm vaguely remembering talking about this. It is an archaic literary noun, so in other words, it's not used in modern parlance, but it's swiftness of movement. And I do feel like I remember having that conversation at some point where.

[Luke Burbank]

We realized alacrity's cousin.

[Andrew Walsh]

What is alacrity?

[Luke Burbank]

And is that to move with alacrity, I think, is also to move quickly.

[Andrew Walsh]

Is that on this. I'm looking at all the A words. There are a lot of A words. Ooh. A lot of. A lot of things we can't say on the radio here. No, Alacrity is not on the list, but hopefully that'll be alacrity.

[Luke Burbank]

I guess it's brisk and cheerful readiness. See that, Andrew?

[Andrew Walsh]

Wow, you were very good.

[Luke Burbank]

I just fired a typo dong over the Kamchatka Peninsula, and I'm starting a international incident. That's totally. Alacrity does not mean what I thought it meant. I thought it meant, like, to do something kind of quickly and briskly, but it means to do something well. Brisk and cheerful readiness. She accepted the invitation with alacrity.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

I was in the right city, but I was one neighborhood over.

[Andrew Walsh]

What about Rashomon?

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, that's. That is a. That's a go to for old lb.

[Andrew Walsh]

And that is, like. That's not just film, but, like, a story. That's a storytelling thing. Right. Sometimes I get that confused. It's not the. It's not the story within a story within a story. It's something else.

[Luke Burbank]

That's a matryoshka dog.

[Andrew Walsh]

Matryushka is what I'm thinking of. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Rashomon is that film. That's the same story as told from multiple different perspectives. Japanese director. There's also a book by Nagib Mahfouz called Miramar, which follows the same principle, this idea of a story, one event being told from multiple perspectives. But Rashomon is kind of the most Commonly cited thing and the kind that's really in my wheelhouse, that is. I've never seen the movie. Just know that that's what happens in the movie. That's like most of the references I make.

[Andrew Walsh]

And it's a type of storytelling. You were talking before. Before we were talking, like, months ago about Todd Salons. I don't remember why he came up on the show. There was an era where I think we. Salons and another director that I confused. The two of them. Who wrote Todd Haynes? Todd Haynes. I get those guys confused a little because Haynes is the one who will write the really kind of rough. Kind of Some real rough roll, I think.

[Luke Burbank]

Wait, which one? I feel like they've. Which one is welcome to the Dollhouse?

[Andrew Walsh]

I. Wait, I thought that was Salons.

[Luke Burbank]

Right, That's Salons. And then Hanes is like Happiness, right?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, exactly. And there's one with men in the title.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, in the Company of Men.

[Andrew Walsh]

That one is.

[Luke Burbank]

That was literally the. But I believe that's Neil LaBute, right? No.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, I always do this. I am. No, no, no. I'm only.

[Luke Burbank]

Because this is what we did. Like this when this came up on the show.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, no, I don't. Labute and Salons are the guys. I'm familiar with. Hanes I'm less familiar with. You introduced that Haynes is a Portland guy, I believe. I was nodding along with that. But what did Haynes do? Because I. Well, Neil abuted In the Company of Men.

[Luke Burbank]

He did Far From Heaven.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay. I don't know that he did.

[Luke Burbank]

That's. Oh, that's a Julianne Moore film about sort of like suburban ennui. He did Velvet Gold Mine.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay. I've never seen that. That's the biopic, or kind of quasi biopic about Matthew Hoople, I think, or David Bowie or.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, one of those guys. A kind of. Maybe it's an amalgam or something. I feel like that's. I'm scrolling through because I don't want to mess too much of this up. But, like, I feel like he's been doing. Oh, God, don't, Luke. Don't do it. Don't guess I'm. Who's the. Who's the director that did sort of. Is that Gus Van Sant, who did sort of like a triptych of biopics, but they were so. I think it's Gus Van Sant because he did one called Elephant and. Which I think is kind of a Nirvana one. And he did one that's kind of a Columbine one. And then he did one that's called Jerry, where it's like. It's Matt Damon and Casey Affleck just walking. And it's an incredible film.

[Andrew Walsh]

I didn't know these and I didn't know that they all worked together because I like some of. I like a lot of Gus Van Zandt's earlier stuff or maybe even mid career stuff, but I didn't. I kind of missed this whole thing. I'd heard of Elephant, but that's all I knew.

[Luke Burbank]

I think that he did this triptych of movies that were kind of like. There was some. There was a little kernel of a real event or real people, but then he sort of, you know, took them and then kind of like, you know, held, you know, ran that through the wash and then held it up behind a blurry lens. You know what I mean? It's not like a note for note thing, but they're like this Jerry story, which, by the way, again, incredible film. I can't recommend it highly enough. It's the only two people in the movie are Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, and they're literally just walking in the movie and then they lose their minds. And it was based on this real thing that happened when these two guys were road tripping from Boston to California, I believe, from the east coast to the west coast, and they stop in Death Valley to go on a hike and camp, and they get lost. And the one guy kills the other guy because the other guy said, please kill me. We're gonna die out here. And it turned out they were less than a mile from the trail and they'd been out there for 12 hours. And when they tried the one dude, the guy who did the killing, the dead guy's family stood behind the killer because they knew that the dudes just lost their mind out there. This guy didn't take. Go into the desert wanting to kill their son. So the family of the victim actually was like a character reference for the guy who's being accused of murder.

[Andrew Walsh]

Anyway, that was what Jerry then. Because that's what Jerry was based on. Here's what I'm learning. Gus Van Sant had. It was called the Death trilogy. So this is. Okay, so Happy New Year, everybody. The Death trilogy had.

[Luke Burbank]

Listen, I'm. I'm get. Feel like I'm getting a kind of a W on this. I'm vaguely in the neighborhood.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, you're absolutely right. Jerry must be the one that you just described. Elephant is the one that takes place in sort of a Columbine, but it takes place. It Looks like an Oregon or something. It's kind of just. And then Last Days was the final component of what he refers to as the Death trilogy. And Last Days is the one is a fictionalized account of what happened to Kurt Cobain. Right, Right. Interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, like, I would say, like, if. Wow, this is actually kind of. This is interesting for the movie, Jerry. The budget was three and a half million dollars, which is shockingly high considering they shot it outside and they were walking around. I don't know if that was, you know, just like, if it was pay for the actors or what. And it apparently did $254,000 at the box office.

[Andrew Walsh]

How much?

[Luke Burbank]

254,000. So not a big money maker, not a moneymaker. The movie, Jerry. But I. Again, I. If I would rec. I mean, it's an intense and weird film, but it's like, it's. It's. I just remember thinking it was an incredible piece of filmmaking.

[Andrew Walsh]

So I want to go back, though, and just clear something up. Nobody cares. But just for me, Todd Haynes is not somebody I'm familiar with. I don't know that I've ever seen a Todd Haynes movie. I was referring to the fact that sometimes I get Todd salons and Neil LaBute movies confused a little bit because they're both rough in their own ways. And all of this comes back to the Todd Salons movie. And I'm looking at a list of these now. I don't know. I think it might have been the movie literally called Storytelling, where I believe he either tells the. To go back to the idea of Rashomon. He maybe tells the same story from three different perspectives, but with drastically different actors. I know he does something where there is a movie. And I remember seeing this film. It's a movie that is divided up into three different parts. And I don't know if it's the same story retold or if one part comes after the other comes after the other, but he just casts it with wildly different. All within one film. Wildly, wildly different. I mean, from race to age to everything, just wildly. Like, I guess what you would sort of say, like blind casting, Is that what you call that?

[Luke Burbank]

Where you Colorblind.

[Andrew Walsh]

Colorblind casting? Yeah, just the wildly different people playing the. The different. The same characters, sort of.

[Luke Burbank]

Does it work?

[Andrew Walsh]

If you remember, If I recall, I was not a big fan, and I don't think that. And I think that might have been when I stopped watching his film ending, which makes me sad. Let me see here. Let me see if it was Storytelling.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I need to watch Rashomon because I'm looking up, that's Kurosawa, who I again.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, right.

[Luke Burbank]

Is one of those people that I just like. If you're a film person, you know, particularly if you're like a director, you're like, you cut your teeth on Kurosawa films. I can't tell you one Kurosawa film I've ever seen. I should just take a day and watch a few of them so I can actually say something with any level of being informed.

[Andrew Walsh]

You know why? You and I both know storytelling as well. And I forgot about this part. This is the one that the Bell and Sebastian album storytelling was made for this movie. So this is 2001 now. This is one where it's divided into two different stories. So it might have been another film. I was thinking of where he. He casts. Oh, here, the protagonist. Oh yeah. In Palindromes, a 13 year old girl named Aviva is played by eight different actors of different ages, races and genders during the course of the film, which features an array of secondary characters. So I was confusing storytelling with palindromes.

[Luke Burbank]

That sounds like hard for me to get through.

[Andrew Walsh]

I remember it being a bit difficult to get through. And I like a movie that doesn't follow the usual sort of conventions, so maybe I should watch it again. But I don't think I knew what I was getting into and I'm not super smart and it was a little bit hard to follow who was who, if I recall. But.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, as we've established on this show, I need my films spoon fed to me where the people are doing what I think a person would do in the situation logically and where they don't keep changing ethnicities.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, right.

[Luke Burbank]

That's gonna thr. That's gonna pull me out of the realism, the naturalism of the experience.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, one thing that you'll really like about palindromes is the 13 year old girl is a sports better Luke. But none of it is. None of it is realistic. It is.

[Luke Burbank]

She's. I gotcha. That's a silver lining playbook reference, my friend.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, yeah, anything that you know a lot about.

[Luke Burbank]

And then when that is true, I'm insufferable that way. I really am. Like, that's why I. I weep for the listeners of this show. I mean, they're pretty good about letting us know, but it's like there's just nothing. There's. There's nothing rougher than listening. You know, I heard Howard Stern going on about this a While ago, which was actually, you know, I've been trying to get. I've been trying to like, get a story on CBS Sunday Morning that somehow gets on the radar of that show. I don't know why, because I just want to be, you know, I'm gonna touch the hem of their garment. And I. But, but in fact, I heard them talking about a story from Sunday morning. Howard Stern talking about it and just kind of savaging it. It was a Mo Rocca story.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, yeah. And if that was your story, I don't think I would be.

[Luke Burbank]

It would be difficult for me. I'd be pretty bummed. And I just.

[Andrew Walsh]

If there's the one thing we learned from the Chris Fleming takedown of. Wait, wait, don't tell me. In 2024, I have medically thick skinned.

[Luke Burbank]

I've been seeing a. Some of the world's greatest dermatology minds, and they can't. They can't figure out how to solve my. The incredible thickness of my skin.

[Andrew Walsh]

Right, Exactly. Are you now you sort of thinking like, oh, I don't know if I want them to talk about.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, yeah, it's kind of like, do I want. Yeah. Do I want to get the attention of Howard Stern or not with one of these things? And what he was talking about was a story that Mo did where Mo interviewed the radio host Elvis Duran. Elvis Duran. Duran has been a New York City morning radio guy forever. And, and Howard was basically saying, like, I hate these stories about radio guys because they just show the same things. They show like the vu meter, the lights going up, and they show the microphones. I was like, oh, man, dude. If I would have gotten that assignment, that would have literally been what was in the piece. Well, what else in the show?

[Andrew Walsh]

It's radio. And people who don't work in radio like seeing things. I like seeing things inside of a radio station.

[Luke Burbank]

Howard is just. Was just in a bad mood. He also is. He's all over the map with this because he's like, you know, he's like, I never. He's like, that's why I don't do those interviews anymore because, like, they don't say anything interesting. And then meanwhile, he's like, doing sit downs with like, something called like, Dan's Magazine on Long island because they, they print his paintings or like any. He was. There was some betting website that found him one of the sexiest radio hosts. He started the entire show talking about it like, you're not media shy. You just like to talk about things where you're, you know, Feeling like you're being well received. But anyway, he was just kind of going off on this piece and about how he hates any kind of profile of a radio host because they never say anything interesting about radio. And it's all these kind of, you know, tropes and stuff, which is a little bit true. But I guess my thought on that is that's how I am about a lot of things, including sports, gambling and therapy. If you portray that in your film or your news story, and it's something that I have a little bit of knowledge about, I'm going to be so, like needle nose, like you like to say, Andrew, about the details. And I'm sure for the listeners, all of whom have their areas of expertise and interest, we're constantly. I'm probably constantly going into those territories and then just botching it.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. Like, I think that I. I remember one time having this conversation and trying to brainstorm about things that I'm persnickety about in movies. Other. I mean, I don't mean just about like the way I don't like cliche and stuff like that. But, like, is there anything that, when it's not realistic, it bothers me. And at first I thought no. And then I remember like, like, or maybe after having that conversation, I watched Grosse Pointe Blank, which I don't know if you've ever seen that, but Minnie Driver, I believe plays with.

[Luke Burbank]

Is she not wearing headphones?

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, not only that, I don't think she's wearing headphones while she's like, doing her job as like a radio host, but also John Cusack, who I think the story is, he's coming back to his hometown. He's like a hitman now, but he's coming back to his hometown for a reunion. And he and Minnie Driver get into this big fight in the radio studio and they're sort of like. But they're broadcasting it. But neither one of them is paying attention to where the microphones are at all. And I just kept yelling, like, what does this sound like to your listeners? It sounds like there are some people, like, way across the room and you're picking up a few words. Like, you can't just be fighting, like, near microphones.

[Luke Burbank]

So I hate that kind of stuff.

[Andrew Walsh]

Like, mic placement is definitely one that when I see that in a movie, I'm just like, what? That's not how.

[Luke Burbank]

That's not how that works, how any of this works.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hank Azaria also in there. And apparently there's a third Cusack. Did you know there's An Anne Cusack.

[Luke Burbank]

What? In addition to Joan?

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, Joan's in this as well. This is a Cusack family reunion. I love me some Joan Cusack. One of my favorites.

[Luke Burbank]

Who doesn't? Who doesn't? I feel like she's in a. Maybe I'm confusing her with my. You know, she's in an open tape. A piece of tape that we open with. I think that. Right. And it's. Of course, it's not the duplication. It's not the duplication investigation. That's Holly Hunter.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's Holly Hunter. But, no, no, that's not Holly Hunter. That's. And I'm sorry that I have to refer to her this way, because it's a disrespectful way to refer to anybody, but she is that former Mrs. Stamos, I think. Who's the woman who had a hyphenated last name? And part of it was Stamos for a while. Right.

[Luke Burbank]

Tiffany Amber Thiessen. No, she wasn't.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, no, no, no, no. Well, here, I can see.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, Rebecca Romaine Stamos.

[Andrew Walsh]

I think that's Rebecca Romijn in the movie Toys. Hold on. Toys. No. Come on. Really? Let me see. I get all.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't think Rebecca Romijn was a.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, no, no. Robin Wright.

[Luke Burbank]

Robin Wright.

[Andrew Walsh]

Who was Robin Penn? I knew she was married.

[Luke Burbank]

William Penn.

[Andrew Walsh]

I feel like I made that more disrespectful. That was Robin Wright in that. Which. That's all I know her from, is the movie toys, but good call.

[Luke Burbank]

Buttercup and the Princess Bride.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, as you wish. She's.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. I mean, that's Wesley, but that's who he's talking about, isn't it?

[Andrew Walsh]

I know. Yeah, I know, but. Oh, okay. So I do know her from other things.

[Luke Burbank]

And then she took over for Kevin Spacey in House of Cards.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, did she really? They kept that guy? Yeah, when they had to.

[Luke Burbank]

When they had to pivot on him, then it became her show, and I think had many successful seasons.

[Andrew Walsh]

Do you hear that? What interview was he on? Was it. No, it wouldn't have been Stern.

[Luke Burbank]

Kevin Spacey.

[Andrew Walsh]

Kevin Spacey was on some radio show, I'm gonna say, maybe like, three or four months ago, and he was, like, literally came to tears talking about how he has to sell his house in New Orleans. He had bought it, like, I think maybe.

[Luke Burbank]

I think I read. I like a. Read a description of that or something.

[Andrew Walsh]

Cry me a river, my dude. Cry me a river. All right, what do we want to do here? Oh, wait, you were Trying to think of a Joan Cusack vehicle, and then we'll move on.

[Luke Burbank]

I was. No, well, not a vehicle, but I was trying to think of a piece of audio tape that we play that has Joan Cusack in it. That, like, at some point I asked you like, hey, who is that? And you said, that is Joan Cusack. And I cannot remember. Yeah, I have this piece of tape.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's only four seconds long. It's one of my favorite pieces of tape that we don't use enough. This is not Joan Cusack. This is from a listener named Joanne.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay. Oh, my God. Your chlamydia is huge. I remember that. I can tell you the context of that.

[Andrew Walsh]

What is the context of that?

[Luke Burbank]

There's a plant called Clematis, and I believe that was a story about somebody that this person knew who was confusing clematis and chlamydia and told someone was complimenting someone's plant but telling them their chlamydia was huge.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't. Luke, I hope I'm wrong about this, and I want to be proven wrong. I don't think I have any Joan Cusack intro tape. I feel like I would remember that. I'm a big fan of hers.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, maybe so. Maybe it was wishful thinking.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. I mean, maybe we should. Maybe that should be a goal for 2025.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. There's a movie where somebody's, like, a secret agent of some kind, and Joan Cusack is their secretary, but she's actually like the. Of the brains of the operation. He's kind of keeping the whole thing running. Powerful Inspector Gadget vibes in the sense that Penny was always really making it happen for Inspector Gadget. I forget that film, but I feel like that was a really, really good example of Joan Cusack being. Being used really properly. Joan Cusack was essentially the co. Lead of that film.

[Andrew Walsh]

In my mind, Addams Family values. She absolutely kills it. That's one of Genevieve's favorite movies. Way she likes it. Way more than the original Addams Family movie. I believe I'm kind of clicking through some Joan Cusack stuff here, but she is a. It's funny how far down Toys is. She is.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that's. Wait, she's in Toys.

[Andrew Walsh]

She is in Toys. And I think that that's.

[Luke Burbank]

There's no scene. Okay, but that's Robin, right?

[Andrew Walsh]

That's Robin Wright.

[Luke Burbank]

And we don't have anything from Toys that has Joan Cusack in it.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't think I have. I mean, when you have the perfect tape from Toys, why would you ever Pull more from Toys. Let's see here.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, no, that's. I think, Duplication.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, well, actually, wait. I do. Oh, my God. You would love this. See, I don't know that a lot of people know the backstory on this, but, like, this Duplication Investigation tape was something that you were not a huge fan of. But when I was pretty damn new working with you, I just, like. I loved it, and I just doubled down. Here are all the. Here are all the pieces of tape I have, referring to the movie Toys. I have Toys Duplication. I have Toys Duplication Compressed. I have Toys Duplication Short Version One, and Toys Duplication Short Version Two. So, I mean, I could just chop and screw this any which way but loose.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. And maybe play them all at once.

[Andrew Walsh]

Over top of each other with one of them backwards.

[Luke Burbank]

By the way, I think that the Joan Cusack thing I'm thinking of is maybe gross. Point blank, she's playing Marcella. But I believe she's like. My memory is, she either is pressed into duty to do some kind of secret agent, or she's on the phone with John Cusack's character, helping him be his hitman person or something.

[Andrew Walsh]

I feel like, yes, yes, yes. I think she's his Joan. John. I haven't seen this in a long time, but you're absolutely right. John Cusack goes back to his hometown for this high school reunion or whatever, but he's still. I called him a hitman. Is he maybe, like, an actual. Maybe he's like an actual undercover spy or something like that? Like, maybe.

[Luke Burbank]

No, he's an assassin.

[Andrew Walsh]

But she works for whatever organization.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. His assistant, Marcella, that's Joan Cusack, informs him that he has received an invitation to his high school reunion, et cetera, et cetera.

[Andrew Walsh]

Interesting. Here's the only tape I have from that. This is Jeremy Fisherman.

[Luke Burbank]

So how's the family, man? Oh, you didn't know. Of course you don't know. You don't know. Parents are divorced. They got divorced. Yeah. My dad's shacking up with this woman. She's, like 20 years younger than him. She's like a biscuit older than me.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's ugly.

[Luke Burbank]

My mom's making ceramic nightlights. Takes, like, the plain shells. And how's your sister? Did you ever marry that guy Kenny? Kenny?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Did that ever work out? Come on, man. He did three years at Joliet. They put one of those bracelets on him like a LoJack, you know, they know where he is at all times.

[Andrew Walsh]

I think he's at Pizza Hut.

[Luke Burbank]

Right now.

[Casey]

So let's not go there.

[Luke Burbank]

No.

[Casey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

So you look good. You seem good.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank you.

[Luke Burbank]

Ten years, man. Ten years. Ten years. Ten.

[Andrew Walsh]

Ten years. I don't think I use that tape very often. I think maybe I just pulled it for a 10 year anniversary or something. But that lives large in our collective memory here in the Has Walsh household. Because Veeves and I can't say 10 years without screaming at each other in the style of. Of Jeremy.

[Luke Burbank]

Jeremy Piven, which. Which it raises the question, like, where did it go so wrong for Jeremy Piven? Because he was like, you know, Jeremy Piven was on top of the world, at least as far as people like us who are comedy appreciators. He was great on Ellen's show. He was great in the movie Singles. He was like. Like, I would. I would say that people were generally pro Piven. And then I remember us talking about how he dropped out of a production that he was supposed to be in because he claimed mercury poisoning because he had been eating too much sushi. How was that enough, though, to move him into, like, total villain status? Like, I feel like most people now of our ilk, if you say, like, Jeremy Piven. THEY GROAN. Did he do a bunch of other grow? Like, I don't think there's any allegation that he's, you know, been me tooing people or anything, but it's just like somehow all of a sudden, he went from being like a person who we liked seeing in things to a person that we all just think is kind of. Of extremely cringe.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm just glad you brought that up because, like, for Genevieve and I, Jeremy Piven has two kind of touch points for us.

[Luke Burbank]

There are Pivens inside all of us.

[Andrew Walsh]

What's the buzz? I'm going to pivot towards Pivin. It's a pivot. What do people say? It's a pivot towards something. Is that what everybody was talking about, making pivots? I feel like somewhat recently, but no Veebs and I always. When we think of Jeremy Piven, we think of how you and Jen just, like, hated Jeremy Piven over this, because I always confuse it. I always think that he was somehow connected to the Spider Man, Enter the Dark thing. But that was just. That was something else happening on Broadway.

[Luke Burbank]

That was more on Bono's hands than anyone.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, that was.

[Luke Burbank]

And Julie Taymor.

[Andrew Walsh]

But it was around the same time. I think it was like 2008, 2009. And I feel like you and Jen were kind of obsessed with both stories But I just. When I think of Jeremy Piven, I think of you guys is just crushing him for, say, for trying to get out of a Broadway play of some sort because of mercury poisoning. And I think he was already. I could be wrong about this, but I feel like he was already on not Succession, Entourage, Entourage at that point. And I think that that's like people start. I mean, maybe there's too much of him in his Entourage character, but I sort of feel like it just became a lot of. A lot of douchebaggery. I think I will mention that there.

[Luke Burbank]

Was apparently there was an allegation made by someone that he had groped them. He denied it. According to Wikipedia, he voluntarily took a polygraph test. And he said that he apparently passed the polygraph test. I'm just reading off of the Wikipedia page. I didn't want to be alighting anything, but I don't think that allegation because that's the first time even remembering that. I don't even think that was really like, on. I don't think that, you know, kind of rose to the surface of, like, things that people think about Jeremy Piven. I just feel he also did like, he has the pivot. Doesn't he have a pot? Didn't he do a podcast that we were really hard on him about too? Like, yes, you and I, a couple of years ago.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, yes, yes. And it was just like it was the.

[Luke Burbank]

It was the. It was the. It was the Jeremy Renner app of podcast.

[Andrew Walsh]

How you live in J. Piven. How you live in J. Piven. Wait, when's the last time they updated. I don't think they've updated it since we talked about it. The last one was published in July of 2022. The high watermark for celebrity podcasts, I would say. Oh, and guess who was on before that? Dear friends. But also, you can't have a podcast without seeing an appearance from the Sklar brothers at.

[Luke Burbank]

I see that. Yeah, I see that. How you live in J. Piven. I feel like that was. And really just the branding around how you live in J. Piven. The cigar with the cigar and the. Whoa. Excuse me. I was not trying to play the trailer for how youw Live in J. Piven. It just this. I think the problem was. And again, you don't know how much of this stuff becomes like, you sort of. It's become self fulfilling in a way, but like. Cause we're already like, this guy kind of sucks. But it just. It seems like this is the real Jeremy Piven. Who's been in there all along, and now he's just in full bloom, and it's like, not a guy that we really want to be around very much.

[Andrew Walsh]

And you know what I love more, more than Almost anything is two. We got to two words on this list of 25.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, you know what? That leaves us a lot of words to dig through tomorrow. Andrew, what do you think about that?

[Andrew Walsh]

I am actually having a lot of fun with this. So honestly, I think that there's something special in the idea of never getting to any of the top stories that we were going to get to. I don't know. I don't want to paint us into a corner, but let's definitely at least continue this list tomorrow, if you don't mind. Thank you for being a Tam.

[Luke Burbank]

Let's thank some donors before we wrap things up here on this New Year's Eve day. These people are just absolutely incredible for so many reasons. One of them, though, is that they're supporting TBTL financially, which is how this can be a show that exists. This is what's keeping us from going the way of how you live in J. Piven.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's right.

[Luke Burbank]

That's what felled. That's what felled that tall timber was that they didn't have folks like Jessica Doplan of Dunkirk, New York.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

Donating money.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank you, Jessica. Do you remember when Jessica used her own private little boat to go help soldiers evacuate?

[Luke Burbank]

I was thinking more when Jessica figured out why it was that a train sounded different from when it was far away to when it was next to you, to when it was going away from.

[Andrew Walsh]

You're focusing on the Doppler. I'm focusing on the Dunkirk. That's a classic Doppler Dunkirk situation.

[Luke Burbank]

It's another one of those. Also, it's a different spelling than Doppler. In fact, it might be Doppler. You've only got one P in Jessica's name.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay. Anyway, however you spell it, however you.

[Luke Burbank]

Say it, however you joke it, we appreciate you, Jessica. We also appreciate Jen Cohen in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

[Andrew Walsh]

Great. Thank you, Jen. Appreciate it.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, probably. I mean, I was gonna say not far from Dunkirk, New York, but I actually don't really know.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, I don't know. I wonder. I wonder if the drones are still buzzing around up there. Who knows? Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

That was a wild time. Connie Evans couldn't see any of that from Stone Mountain, Georgia.

[Andrew Walsh]

No. But she could see the laser show, which I have. Oh, right.

[Luke Burbank]

That's a Stone Mountain thing.

[Andrew Walsh]

It most certainly is. And it is culturally dubious at times. The south will potentially rise again, I believe is maybe the Connie's doing is.

[Luke Burbank]

A carbonophi set, much like your beloved. When your beloved Geor, a former Georgia resident, eats at Chick Fil A, she then donates that amount of money somewhere. That's what Connie is offsetting every ticket she buys to the Stone Mountain, Georgia Laser Show. I've been there by donating to tbtl.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank you, Connie.

[Luke Burbank]

Thanks. Matthew Scott of Honolulu, Hawaii.

[Andrew Walsh]

Matthew Scott, thank you for the donation.

[Luke Burbank]

Solid name, solid place to live. Matthew gets the show for three hours after everybody else.

[Andrew Walsh]

And it's more expensive. That's why he has to donate more.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. And we appreciate you stepping up, Matthew. Also thanks to Andrew Soth of Madison, Wisconsin.

[Andrew Walsh]

This is. I mean, I know we say it a lot, but this is a great distribution today. I mean, really. We have the American south, we have.

[Luke Burbank]

Hawaii, we have the Hawaii, Wisconsin, Washington. Kent, Washington, where Carla Beck is.

[Andrew Walsh]

Kent, Washington. Carla Beck, thank you so much for keeping.

[Luke Burbank]

Thanks for rounding it out. Thanks for. Thanks for helping us continue to plant our flag here in Washington state. Carla, we couldn't do this without any of you. Thanks for supporting tbtl. We appreciate it. Even on days when we only get to two of the words that our listener in Thunder Bay is wondering about, we'll get to a few more of them tomorrow. At least one. That's my prompt. That's the Luke Burbank prompt.

[Andrew Walsh]

Are we doing a show tomorrow or are we staying up all night tonight watching ball balls drop?

[Luke Burbank]

We're gonna be so friggin hungover tomorrow, man.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm gonna try even know how we're gonna give it a shot.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna make sure that I do. I do. One pint of water for every pint of Guinness that I'm drinking tonight.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's exactly how you survive, you know.

[Luke Burbank]

You know, my New Year's Eve, it's all Guinness, all Guinness, all water.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm gonna turn the bathtub water green.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. All right, thanks for listening, everybody. Have a great New Year's Eve. We will see you tomorrow with more imaginary radio. In the meantime, time, please remember, no mountain too tall.

[Andrew Walsh]

And good luck to all. Happy New Year. Power out.