#4377 Mail Privilege

Summary

Podcast Summary: TBTL Episode #4377 – "Mail Privilege"

Podcast Information:

• Title: TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live
• Host: Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh (A and B)
• Episode: #4377 Mail Privilege
• Release Date: January 9, 2025
• Description: TBTL is a daily show hosted by two longtime friends navigating the world with humor and camaraderie.

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1. Episode Overview

In episode #4377 titled "Mail Privilege," hosts Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh delve into a variety of topics ranging from the inefficiencies of the U.S. postal service to personal anecdotes about listener interactions. The episode balances lighthearted banter with meaningful discussions, providing listeners with both entertainment and insightful commentary.

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2. Key Discussions and Insights

a. The State of the U.S. Postal Service

The hosts begin by expressing frustration with the U.S. Postal Service's handling of packages. Andrew shares a personal story about a listener’s lost package, highlighting systemic issues within the postal system.

• Andrew: “Cannot understand how this institution is failing.” [10:45]

b. Language Sensitivity and Apologies

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing the use of the term "douche." Andrew reflects on his discomfort with the term's evolving connotations and its use in popular media, specifically referencing Howard Stern.

• Andrew: “We need to just move on. We gotta stop saying now we.” [05:30]
• Luke: “She uses it on the Howard Stern show a lot.” [05:48]

c. Day of Mourning for Jimmy Carter

Both hosts acknowledge the closure of postal services in observance of Jimmy Carter Day, integrating a public service announcement into their conversation.

• Andrew: “It's a day of mourning for Jimmy Carter.” [07:49]
• Luke: “Give them a day off. Honestly, they deserve it.” [08:29]

d. Listener Packages and Mail Handling

Andrew recounts the challenges of managing listener packages, including bounces and lost items. A standout story involves a package from a listener named Michael, which was misplaced for over a year before being found at the post office.

• Andrew: “There was a package... it's in the safe closet.” [12:44]
• Luke: “It's been living in my head because you said it's really cool.” [12:55]

e. Upcoming Live Show in Seattle

Luke announces his upcoming trip to Seattle on February 4th to participate in a live show event. Andrew humorously navigates the logistics of attending without purchasing tickets, suggesting they leverage their connections.

• Andrew: “Should I buy tickets because Vith and I are planning on going?” [11:21]
• Luke: “I'm gonna put you both on the list.” [12:22]

f. Los Angeles Wildfires and Disaster Coverage

A heartfelt discussion ensues about the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. The hosts express concern for those affected and critique indifferent attitudes towards the disaster.

• Luke: “People are really hurting down there.” [20:12]
• Andrew: “There's something about these stories that involve major disasters...” [22:54]

g. Cybertruck Incident Outside Trump Tower

The conversation shifts to a tragic incident where a cybertruck was intentionally set ablaze outside Trump Tower. The hosts analyze the event's symbolism and media portrayal, questioning the motives and mental state of the perpetrator.

• Andrew: “He rented a very specific truck that represents something in our society right now, and I blew it up.” [40:19]
• Luke: “I think he was dealing with a mental health crisis.” [40:00]

h. Sleepwalking Listener Stories

Andrew shares anecdotes from listeners experiencing sleepwalking, highlighting the personal and sometimes humorous challenges it presents.

• Andrew: “She left this information on the TBTL listener line.” [54:16]
• Luke: “Hope you're okay up there, Bet.” [54:56]

i. Community Interactions: Grocery Store Security

Andrew narrates his encounters with a persistent security guard at a local grocery store, speculating humorously about being the store's "most problematic customer."

• Andrew: “He craned his neck over and tried to peek in my tote bag.” [56:46]
• Luke: “You were the most problematic customer in...” [57:53]

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3. Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Andrew: “We need to just move on. We gotta stop saying now we.” [05:30]
• Andrew: “It's a day of mourning for Jimmy Carter.” [07:49]
• Andrew: “Cannot understand how this institution is failing.” [10:45]
• Andrew: “People are really hurting down there.” [20:12]
• Andrew: “He rented a very specific truck that represents something in our society right now, and I blew it up.” [40:19]
• Andrew: “He was dealing with a mental health crisis.” [40:00]
• Andrew: “He craned his neck over and tried to peek in my tote bag.” [56:46]
• Andrew: “I think I'm the most problematic customer at the grocery store.” [58:15]

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4. Listener Shoutouts and Engagement

Throughout the episode, Luke and Andrew interact with listener messages, offering birthday wishes, acknowledging donations, and sharing personal stories submitted by their audience.

• Andrew: “Happy Blurs Day to Herschel who recently just turned 16...” [60:26]
• Luke: “Happy Blurs Day to Rockwell. Enjoy your day and the new year.” [61:54]
• Andrew: “Thank you, Greg, for justifying that expenditure.” [49:34]

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5. Humorous Banter and Lighthearted Moments

The hosts maintain their trademark humor, particularly when discussing the idea of renting cybertrucks and the imagined scenarios that follow.

• Andrew: “When you're up here on the 4th of February, do not rent a cybertruck and park it outside my house.” [44:09]
• Luke: “You two cybertrucks. They’re taking up more than one space.” [45:32]

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6. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on the whirlwind of events and interactions they've shared, teasing upcoming topics and encouraging listeners to continue supporting the show.

• Andrew: “Should I kill the fatted calf or hold off on that?” [17:01]
• Luke: “We will be back here tomorrow, though, with more imaginary radio for you.” [72:44]
• Andrew: “Have a great Thursday. Take care of yourselves.” [72:58]

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7. Themes and Takeaways

• Mail System Challenges: Highlighting inefficiencies and personal frustrations with postal services.
• Language Evolution: Navigating the changing meanings and sensitivities around certain terms.
• Community and Support: Emphasizing the importance of listener engagement and support.
• Disaster Awareness: Raising awareness about ongoing wildfires and the human impact behind headlines.
• Humor in Adversity: Maintaining a sense of humor even when discussing serious or personal issues.

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Conclusion:

Episode #4377 of TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live offers a blend of personal stories, social commentary, and humor. Luke and Andrew navigate through complex topics like postal service failures and natural disasters while maintaining their lighthearted rapport. Their interactions with listeners and candid discussions provide a relatable and engaging experience for both regular and new audience members.

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Note: All timestamps correspond to the provided transcript and are indicative of when quotes were made during the episode.

Transcript

[A]

Hi.

[B]

Hi. Where's Stevie? I don't know, but she will be back in 15 minutes. What are you doing?

[A]

I'm checking the mail. Did you know that you can still get mail?

[B]

Yes, I know about mail.

[A]

No, but I'm talking about, like, mail mail. Like a little man in a uniform with his satchel full of letters traveling door to door. That's a mailman.

[B]

And he comes to your house.

[A]

You.

[B]

You pay him and he gives you your stuff. I think it's free delivery.

[A]

I don't think.

[B]

How far into the 15 minutes do you think we are? TBT.

[A]

El.

[B]

The faces may not look familiar, but the voices. This zany radio team have developed a unique style of frolicking on the airwaves.

[A]

Basically, I just like coming in and having fun. Yeah, it's a great way to make a living.

[B]

Do you have any music, Carl?

[A]

Have the Internet radio?

[B]

I love Internet radio. You've come to the right place.

[A]

Cause I have that.

[B]

Where am I right now? I don't even remember. Who are you? Who's that handsome hunk of a clam holding those flowers? Are those or me? Aw, I can't stay mad at you, Goldie. Oh, my God. Man, we are seeing some we ain't never seen before.

[A]

Well, all right. Hello, good morning and welcome, everyone to a Thursday edition of tbtl, the show that just might be too beautiful to live. My name is Luke Burbank. I am your host.

[B]

Welcome to my world.

[A]

Coming to you from the Madrona Hill studio, perched high above the once again very foggy cloud fog Columbia River. It is episode 4377 in a collector series, Let the fun begin. Looks like the people running the malls in America have figured out how to save the stores in the malls, which is for the people who own the malls to just buy all of the stores, including JCPenney and Forever 21. Well, I guess I just have my.

[B]

First taste of the filthy side of this business.

[A]

We'll delve into that. Also, I had kind of a hectic morning, but I chose to take some time to email a reporter for the Spokesman review the newspaper in Spokane to clarify a neighborhood in Los Angeles. I wish I hadn't done that because that's how I'm using my time. Apparently on this Thursday, AKA this blurs day, because it is my birthday today. A blurs day, we will be doing the blurs day messages and we're going to talk to this guy. Longest running cobra of the show. Maybe best known for his depiction depictions of the tall ships he has been he's floated a number of new nicknames that he wants me to use for him when I introduce him.

[B]

Landru, Andy, Kane, Drool, Supply and Demand Drew, Androgynous, Deja Drew. Sipping on Jin and Druce. Delusions of Grandrew. One Night Standrew, Android, Scooby Dooby. Drew, Drewbacca. You can't handle the druth.

[A]

Seems like it's gonna really slow the beginning of the showdown, but I don't know. That's his wish. He's Andrew Walsh, and he's joining me right now. Good morning, my friend.

[B]

Let's get Drew back out of there. And the rest are golden. Golden, my friend.

[A]

It's so funny that you. You know, by the way, thanks to listener Byron, who sent that to me.

[B]

And not copying me on, it was great. I was not prepared for that. I love that.

[A]

I played you a. I head faked you in the. In the soundcheck. I played you a drop that I was not going to use so that you would be unprepared for that. But it's funny because when I was putting that into my audio system, I thought, yeah, Drew back. I don't like that. I actually literally have the thought, exactly. These. These are fine. I actually cut like two or three other ones out, but I should have cut Drew back out.

[B]

You know, I actually have something I want. I have a really important public service announcement for folks that is very relevant only to today, the 9th of January. So it'll live well in the long tail. But before we get into that, what was I about to. About Nick? Names.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I just love.

[A]

We don't. We don't.

[B]

Oh, yes, I do. Thank you. Yeah, I, you know, I think I used the real version of that word on a show somewhat recently. I don't remember. You know, you were saying you were there. I guess, you know you were there, but like, allegedly, just in passing quickly. And I can't remember exactly if it was last week or two weeks ago and it wasn't a huge deal. And I remember feeling somewhat weird about using it. And I was. And I remember even in the moment, you know how you just have a tiny spark of an idea that just flies by really quickly and then later on you might contemplate it. I think I was. I was thinking about it, like, I was like, wait, wasn't that a word that. That TBTL used to use a lot in the radio days? But no, you guys didn't. You have a different version of it or something like that, didn't you? In Jen Douche.

[A]

Nozzle, yeah.

[B]

Was it that or was it just now? We're just making it worse, honestly, here at the beginning of the show. So maybe I don't belabor this, but I did. I guess this started as me maybe apologizing for using sort of a crude. You know, it's not, you know, it's also gender. Yeah.

[A]

In a way that's kind of unnecessary.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Like. Yeah, yeah, they. They use it on the Howard Stern show a lot. And. But Howard Stern uses it in this way that it might be just like a New York thing. But he just. Yeah, he uses the term douche a lot. But it's like to describe a person in a way that isn't how I grew up with it. Like, douchebag had a, you know, a certain connotation when I was a kid. And it must be different in Seattle than it is in New York.

[B]

We need to just move on. We gotta stop saying now we.

[A]

You've made this happen.

[B]

But wait, hold on.

[A]

You manifested this term now?

[B]

No, no, no. But without saying the word again. We know the word. D back. D back. That's fine. Yeah, I think that you guys used to say that maybe all the time. Because I remember when I was brand new on the show, somebody saying maybe it's time to retire that. Some listener or something. And then I. And then I shadow banned them. No, no, but I in. Because this is the thing. I don't think it's just a catch all term for somebody that you're irritated at or something. It's a specific. In my head, you say that about a specific kind of person and you just said that you identified it with a certain kind of person as a young person and you feel like Stern is using it for a different kind of person. Can we just.

[A]

He's using it to be like when you as a person are sort of failing at things, you're being so. He'd be like, I grew up. I was a total D. Which I'd never heard it used. I'd never heard a person refer to themselves as the D. Right.

[B]

Whereas I think you and I probably have the same thing. It's somebody who has. Who displays a sort of. It's usually some guy who just displays a lack of glass. Always a guy displays a lack of ironic.

[A]

Because it's associated with the female body.

[B]

Yes, exactly. But you know, it's not just anybody that you don't like the looks of. It's somebody who is just sort of like thinks he's cooler than he is, but is cooler in this way that seems very declasse to you and I. And you know, I want to start. I want to start describing the things that this person might wear, but I don't want to, you know, make anybody in the audience feel bad if they happen to have a pair of the sunglasses.

[A]

Peace and love to our Ed Hardy.

[B]

Wearing fans if they happen to have a pair of the sunglasses I'm picturing on the back of a hat. I don't want to. I don't want to insult anybody there. Can I give you a quick PSA though, that I think is maybe somewhat interesting, maybe not, but psa. And again, this is only good for the next. Let's see here. About 14 hours, but the post offices are closed today. Today's actually.

[A]

Oh, for Jimmy Carter.

[B]

It's a day of mourning for Jimmy Carter. You're right. And I thought this was interesting. You and I were, I don't know, in a meeting or doing something. I was looking at my calendar a couple of days ago, and on my Google calendar, I have it set to show me holidays as well. You know, you can just click a box and it'll show you all the national holidays. And I noticed, I thought it was kind of interesting because usually it's just, you know, whatever, Christmas, Thanksgiving. And then it's. My calendar had updated to specifically say that like Jimmy Carter day is today the 9th of January. Or, you know, the same thing happened.

[A]

In my outlook calendar.

[B]

Kind of interesting.

[A]

Day of morning was. Was added to the whole thing.

[B]

Now that's a new experience, right? Like.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I want to say, like, you know, people that work for the post office, I'm actually very friendly with my postal worker here. She's awesome. And so, you know, give them a day off. Honestly, they deserve it. But I don't feel like they're spending it in quiet reflection on the life and times of Jimmy Carter or any of us.

[B]

Of course, I did give a little tribute today. Me and Genevieve both crashed and burned on Wordle today. And so I did put in the tip.

[A]

So it's a day of mourning for that as well.

[B]

This is not what Jimmy Carter would have wanted, but I went to the cause this is related to TBTL a little bit too. So I went to the post office today for the first time in a while. Tried to. I'd been. Or I'm sorry, not today. Yesterday. I went to the post office yesterday for the first time in a while. I had been going to the post office almost like a couple of times a week in October, November. I Think like, kind of because some of the TBT gifts had been kind of bouncing back for various reasons. You know, people move, you know, stuff that we're sending out for the TBT thon. So I've been sort of collecting them, resending them out. And so I sort of had this kind of routine of going to the post office, grabbing those things that bounce back, coming home, like relabeling them, sending them back out, blah, blah, just rinse and repeat, right? But then once December hit and we were starting to creep up to actual holiday times, I said, I'm going to chill out on the post office for a while. The lines are getting much longer as people are getting ready to send their gifts, you know, and I'm like, I can just chill out on this project for a little bit and then I'll come back after the holidays. Well, I finally went back yesterday and I had not realized that of course our wonderful, wonderful tens upon tens of listeners have been sending in tens upon tens of holiday greetings for us. Our large sized PO Box was literally almost overflowing with joyous greetings and little packages and gifts. I have not opened them yet. I wanted to thank everybody for sending those to us and apologies for not thanking you sooner. Overflowing. There was none of that. It was all good stuff. But what I'm going to do is I'm going to sort out. There's some stuff. There's some stuff in there for you, there's some stuff for John. I will try to ship those to you guys. Respect.

[A]

Actually, you know, I'll be. I'll be up in Seattle on February 4th to do that Chris Hayes thing.

[B]

So maybe we can do the show.

[A]

Live from your place and you can.

[B]

So that's a big reveal. You got that. You landed the gig.

[A]

I'm. Well, because you didn't want it.

[B]

Well, I was a little nervous about it. I mean, first, yes.

[A]

Then they reached out to you and then eventually they said, well, we'll have burbs do it.

[B]

Well, let me ask you this. We're just gonna have this conversation on the air. Should I buy tickets because Vith and I are planning on going or are my two friends who are on the stage, can they get me in or should I support the flex?

[A]

I'm going to flex. I'm guessing that Chris does not. I certainly don't get any remuneration for this, and I'm guessing Chris doesn't either. I'm going to go ahead and flex and say, I'll put you both on the List.

[B]

Thank you. Veeves and I were literally talking about that last night because literally don't buy tickets. Because I was like, well, I don't want to be like, you know, if you're supporting somebody who's, you know, like, you want to support your friends. I don't think that Chris is dying to get my. Whatever would cost $5 to get in or something like that.

[A]

You mean because he donates a significant.

[B]

Right. Well, yeah, exactly.

[A]

This show every year, so awful.

[B]

But Genevieve's like, wait, you're going to buy tickets? Like, you know Chris? I'm like, yeah, but you just. I don't know. I just always feel weird about that shit. So I thought maybe it would be less awkward if I asked you publicly on the show to a show that Chris is listening to. If you. If you guys could, like, pool your resources and sneak me and Genevieve in.

[A]

A second, I'm gonna go ahead and say I'm gonna put you on my guest list. I don't know what Chris does with his guest list. That's his business.

[B]

Are your. Is your camera. Is your screen on right now? Can you see how red I am talking about this?

[A]

You actually, you know what? You kind of are. I've never noticed this, but your. Your. Your sort of color has changed.

[B]

Literally. So embarrassed right now about that conversation.

[A]

Point is, I. I could come to your house and you could just hand me those nice, nice things that the listener sent us.

[B]

No joke. This is a huge. This is huge for me. I've been waiting. It's been a while since you've been over here, and there is a package. I think I mentioned this to you off air, and I believe it's from listener Mike.

[A]

It's been living in my head because you said it's really cool.

[B]

So listen to the story of this package, which is not in front of me right now, but it's in a safe closet. There's no lock on the door, but I think it's safe. Bingo's been eyeing the door, but he also doesn't have thumbs. So I think we're good. But I'm saying Mike. But it might be Michael. I think he goes by Michael. Actually. I'm going to go. Yeah, he emailed me, I don't know, over a year ago, about maybe a year and three months ago, and said, hey, like, how come you guys haven't opened the package I sent yet? It's pretty cool or whatever. And I'm like, I have not gotten this. And. And he's like, well, I sent it in you know, a long time ago. And he told me what's inside of it, and it sounds pretty cool. It's for you. It's not for me. But he sent it to the P.O. box, which is here in Seatt. And he's like, well, can you go check again? There's the routing number. It says it made it to the post office. I'm like, that's fine. And then I remembered there was a moment when if somebody sends a package to us that is too big to fit in the P.O. box, I get a little pink slip of paper that is like. It's almost like the slip that would be put in the back of a library book back in the day.

[A]

I occasionally get those at my own mailbox here.

[B]

Oh, do you?

[A]

Which is very sad because that's how infrequently I check my mail.

[B]

So every once in a while, go to the post office and pick something up. Yeah, yeah. And this one will, like. It'll have, like, the PO Box number of the person before me that they used the slip for. They're reusing these slips. So by the time I get. It's like at a million crossouts on it, and it's just a very well worn piece of pink paper or cardboard in my P.O. box, and I have to wait in line and get it. And when Michael was telling me that this package is apparently lost, I remembered taking that pink slip to a postal worker several weeks or a month earlier and giving it to them. And she went and looked and looked and came back and says, I can't find it. And she just took the pink slip. And I'm like, well, and I don't. You never know what the pink slip represents. It just represents some sort of package. And she said, well, I don't have it. I'm like, well, what do you mean you don't have a package for me?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so then when Michael's writing in, saying, well, why don't you. Why didn't you receive this thing? I'm like, I don't know, but I'm starting to think maybe that's what was lost. So anyway, that was well over a year ago. I went into the post office, I don't know, maybe in October. And I give them a different pink slip, and they bring out a couple of boxes, including Michael's lost box.

[A]

Whoa.

[B]

From over a year ago. I even pointed to the date. I was like, where did this come from? And the postal workers. I was back there. You had the slip. I'm like, no, look, this is From a year ago. This is a package that's been missing for a year. Where was it? He's like, oh, it was just back there. So anyway, I'm excited that. Knowing that.

[A]

Cannot understand how this institution is failing.

[B]

Right. The failing U.S. postal Service. So all of that is to say. I don't know if that narrative really made sense. It made sense in my mind, but there's this package. That listener, Michael, was pretty bereft. Is that too strong of a word? Was pretty bummed that you didn't bereft on the day of Jimmy Carter's.

[A]

Well, we haven't opened the box. We don't know what's in there.

[B]

Well, he told me.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Was that a seven joke? What's.

[A]

No, it could be. It could be cremains.

[B]

Right, Exactly.

[A]

We could be in bereft territory.

[B]

It could be bereft territory. So, anyway, I'm very excited, and I'm too nervous to reship it to you because it already got lost in the mail. 1. So if you're coming over here on February. What is that? The 4th. Yes, February 4th. May.

[A]

The 4th of February be with you.

[B]

You will open that up. And Michael, it better be good. This is a big.

[A]

I'm trying to get Chris. Oh, by the way, speaking of just airing out our production plans on the air, I also asked Chris if he wanted to stop by your house to do the show, and he said he's gonna try. How do you feel about that?

[B]

I feel like I need to vacuum.

[A]

That was the exact thought I had. Was. I'm inviting a major television star over to Andrew and Genevieve's house without clearing it with Andrew.

[B]

I will TBD on that.

[A]

It has to do with his travel schedule, but we're efforting towards that.

[B]

Great. Well, I will try to empty my waste paper basket here in my office and do whatever else I can to prepare the. I will. Should I kill the fatted calf or hold off on that?

[A]

No, no, no. You know me. I don't eat. Only if you do it ethically.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I only eat ethically. Killed fatted calf. And I only take time out of my morning to send an email to a reporter for the spokesman review regarding Glassell park in Los Angeles. By the way, thank you for being patient with me this morning. I had some scheduling stuff, so we dialed up a little bit late. But a little before that, when I was still kind of hustling around this morning for some reason, I was reading an article in the Colombian, which is the. The newspaper down here for. I don't think it's not based in Vancouver. Is it based in Vancouver? Maybe it is. Anyway, it's the. It's the. The local paper of record. And I. I love it. I wish they had more staff and more original reporting, but, you know, trying to support them. And I was reading an article in the Colombian by way of the Spokesman Review. So it was an article written in the Spokesman, which is the Spokane newspaper, about notable graduates of Gonzaga University who are dealing with the wildfires in Los Angeles. So this is a real bank shot. It's a reporter in Spokane trying to find a local angle on the fires in la. Republished in the Colombian, the Daily Columbian read by Luke Burbank this morning. And there was a reference to a producer who went to Gonzaga who now lives in LA and was out of town, or maybe an actor, actually. And they were. They were filming something in New Mexico, but they were getting ready. They were having their partner sort of pack up their stuff. They were getting ready to evacuate their house in Glasser Park. And I was like, nope, not a place. It's Glassell Park. And I went and I found the email of the reporter in the Spokesman Review. And I emailed her and I said, I think. And as I was writing this email, I was really trying to run it through the filter of when we get corrections, you know, and like, tonally, what kind of like, works for us versus doesn't work for us. And I was really trying to, like, turn down the, like, pedantic meter.

[B]

So do you start with your welcome.

[A]

Sir?

[B]

I'm just getting over this coffee. I actually like that it really adds a lot to your character. The sort of like the kind of a Luki the Sailor man.

[A]

Yes, but no spinach. Yeah. So anyway, I was trying to really, like, not be like, well, actually, or you're welcome or whatever. But I just said, I think you might be. I think you might have meant to write or maybe the neighborhood is Glassell park, not Glasser Park. And I actually double checked it before I sent the yes, because there might be a Glasser Park I'm not familiar with. And I sent it to this reporter and within one second, this reporter responded, oh, you're right. Thanks.

[B]

Oh, nice. Good.

[A]

So I think it was a good interaction. So if you're reading an article in the Spokesman Review today about notable Gonzaga graduates who are in Los Angeles and you see the word Glassell park, you've got this guy to thank for it. You're not reading Glasser park, have you?

[B]

And I'm trying to do this on the fly. Have you looked to see if they've updated it dated on the website?

[A]

I did not. I did not.

[B]

One of those games. Gonzaga wins fourth in a row, 93 to 80 over San Diego. I don't think that's it. Let's see here. Coaches send thoughts to LA county residents. I think this might be it here. Glhes it's the headline that I thought. One week after traveling up Pacific Coast Highway, Gonzaga Players Coaches send Thoughts to LA County Residents impacted by fires. But it seems like that's not it either. I will get off trying to fact.

[A]

By the way, now this, I mean, I just want to say to our listeners that are in Los Angeles and may be affected by this, we are thinking about, yes, this is an insane thing that is happening down there.

[B]

It is.

[A]

And, and it's, it's absolutely apocalyptic. And you know, I'm a Los Angeles apologist. I really love that city and I had such a great time there and, and love a lot of people down there. And this kind of weird, it's a, it's a corner of the Internet, but this kind of idea that like, because it's Los Angeles or because some of the people may have had, you know, really wonderful homes that we don't feel bad for them, this, this idea that it's like somehow people are not feeling, not expressing, they're almost being like, well, you know, serves your right or something. It's really, it's kind of upsetting to me because it's like, you know, again, I've reached out to over one ex wife in the last 24 hours, making sure that my old house in LA, and I should say her house is, is okay. She's okay. She's on the edge of having to evacuate, actually. But like, it's a really, really upsetting thing down there. And the idea that anybody would, would think it's like, well, La La Land, who cares? Or it's Pacific Palisades or whatever. Like that really bums me out because a lot of people are really hurting down there.

[B]

Yeah. You know, weirdly, except for some errant tweet from like Donald Jr. I haven't seen anybody sort of like, luckily I've been sort of shielded from that sort of attitude. I didn't realize that that's sort of a, sort of an approach people are taking towards this story because, like, it's probably because I lived down there for a very short period of time, a lot of the people in my Instagram feed are people either in with LA connection. So I'm just seeing a lot of either first person stories of just saying I am evacuated and waiting, or I'm hearing from people who are just like sending their love, but also saying, but I'm watching this. You know, there's something. You probably are not surprised to hear this. Like, there's something about the. These stories that involve like major disasters. I realize as I'm saying that I'm quoting one of our oft used drops.

[A]

It was literally a major disaster.

[B]

But I wasn't.

[A]

You know who that is, by the way.

[B]

Wait, hold on. Yes, I do. Hold on. It was literally a major wait. Yes, I do. I do. I know what that's from. It's literally a major disaster. Yeah, it's. It's Yo yo man, right? Is it Mark Strauss? Yeah. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Do you know the context of that particular drop?

[A]

It's something. It's, it's, it's, it's not from Yo Yo Man. And is it from what we do in the shadows? It could be something. It's a breakfast. He's talking about like they're having some kind of like, important family meeting. And he goes something like, yesterday's breakfast was literally a major disaster.

[B]

I don't, I can't. I can't. I don't know that I've ever seen the source. I only know your drop, but I could hear the voice in my head.

[A]

I think he's like a stepdad who's trying to get real with his kids or something.

[B]

Okay. Anyway, I'm going to stop guessing on that. I was just to complete my thought, which doesn't really need completing, is there's something. I don't know if I purposely do this or subconsciously do this, but like, I've been following the story and I'll read a story here and there and then I'll see people's like, sort of like concerns on Instagram. But I usually do not dig deep into the sort of kind of disaster coverage of it, if that's the right term. And I feel like it's not. What I'm saying here is like, I was having dinner with Genevieve last night and she said, have you seen all of the images coming out of there? And I was like, honestly, no. And it's not. And I don't feel like I'm not following the story. I'm following the story of the fires and kind of have a general sense of kind of the directions they're coming from. And again, we have friends down there who are literally leaving their homes and having to make incredibly tough decisions. But, like, when people usually say to me, have you seen all the images coming out of this story or that story? I don't know what I'm doing wrong or right. But the answer to that is usually no. Like, I haven't been, like, kind of watching a lot of video, and I feel like maybe I don't think it's this deep, but maybe I'm psychologically protecting myself from that stuff. I don't really know. Yeah. Because I feel like you're like, Genevieve, you're probably seeing tons of stuff, right?

[A]

Well, I think because it. It's. It's. A lot of people are posting stuff on Instagram and, I guess on TikTok. And also, I think I have pretty. I have more, like, Los Angeles connections than I probably would think I have. And in terms of just, like, people in my social circle and friends of mine who live there. And again, various exes. So. So, yeah, I've been seeing a lot of it. And it is just. I mean, I was sitting in my house last night and I was just thinking, like, what would I do if there was a fire just, like, burning up this hill coming towards my house and there was nothing I could do about it? I mean, this. And this is a, you know, a thing that people in la, again, in neighborhoods that I've spent a lot of time in, that they've been dealing with and that they, you know, have had to sort of figure out, what do you want to bring from your house? I was thinking last night, like, what would I grab? I'm still relatively new to this house, so there's nothing. And I've just lived here alone, so I don't. It's not like, you know, my kids, you know, have their, you know, whatever soccer trophies or things around here, but it's like I was just kind of thinking, what would I grab from my house if I had to, if I was going to be able to take an armful of things out? And what would you take?

[B]

That's an interesting question. I was just thinking, for whatever it's worth, while I buy myself some time, I turned down the radio yesterday and sort of caught. Not maybe it was near the beginning, but sort of midstream, just kind of a woman, I guess, recording sort of like an audio postcard for All Things Considered or something along those lines. And it was just her talking about her process of evacuation this particular time. But it sounds like she might have been through it before because she was also sort of giving advice to people, but then also getting Choked up and talking about how you gotta go around your house, you gotta choose these things. And you also. She said you have to go around your house with a camera, with your cell phone camera and record everything to go slowly for insurance purposes. It was. It was both. I know it sounds like I'm making it sort of sound clinical, but she was like, sort of giving advice, but it was also incredibly emotional. And she says, you're not going to be prepared for how hard that is to do, but it is going to make your life easier if you are not able to come back to your house. I've done this before. I don't know if I will be coming back here. It was an incredible. I wish I had the person's name. My apologies for not having it. I didn't know I'd be bringing it up, but it was incredibly, incredibly impactful. Really did put you there. Having said that, I don't know exactly what I would grab or do. I mean, obviously. No, this sounds. I mean, the computers obviously have a lot of stuff stored on them. A lot of very bad stuff that I would have to leave behind. Terrible hope that the fires consume and I can finally be cleansed, obviously. Like, I think I would. I would, you know, like, the TBTL archives are on my computers and hard drives and stuff like that. Like, I feel like. I mean, they also. They also live elsewhere, they are in the cloud. But I do think that I would say, okay, I have to grab that stuff because there's memories on some of these, on some of my stuff. So it's almost like the equivalent, you know, we do still have, because these and I are right at that age where we have shoeboxes of photos and actual photo albums that we were sort of keeping. In fact, we just stumbled on some recently that we're flipping through from the early years of our relationship with hanging out with friends, Boston and New Hampshire. And there are no digital records of those, so I'd probably grab those as well. I mean, those are the things that are irreplaceable, right? Like, aside from me and Genevieve and the cats, I guess. I think first about, like, photos and anything that is sort of connected to memories that cannot be recreated. I don't think I would go with monetary value first.

[A]

Yeah, I think that's what a lot of people. And again, I've weirdly watched, like, a number, including the comedian Whitney Cummings, who.

[B]

Was from Escape from Friend City.

[A]

That's the one I was thinking of. I was almost tempted to grab some of this audio because she's in her podcast studio in her house. And she's very emotional, but she's also saying a lot of stuff about podcasting. So, like, my little, you know, antenna goes up if I think, oh, this is an audio drop we could use. But it felt disrespectful. But anyway, she was in her podcast studio in her house, really, really emotional. Just kind of, like, going through, like, what she was going to grab. And it was, like, stuff that her listeners had sent her, you little mementos and things like that, as opposed to, like you said, anything that's, you know, particularly valuable, you know, from a monetary standpoint, I think it's just little weird stuff that is. That is not replaceable. I think that's. And obviously, photographs. And I saw some. Some footage of firefighters carrying photo albums out of people's houses. Right. Which is just like, you know, what a. What a kindness. Like, you know, in the midst of all of this disaster and danger and things, to just be like, we can't save this house, but we know these people are gonna want to have these photos if they can, you know, So I guess, by the way, that's a strong argument for the future that we live in, which is, you know, if my phone burns up, my photos aren't dead. Yeah.

[B]

Because they upload to the cloud. You know, hesitate to bring this up because I don't know exactly where I'm going with this. But again, going back to that. That. That sort of. That. That piece I heard on NPR yesterday from the woman who's talking, by the.

[A]

Way, that's a really. Props to whoever produced that at npr. That was a really good idea for. A really moving idea for a piece of tape. Yeah.

[B]

You know what? Maybe later on in the show, I don't want to try to Google and tell this at the same time, but maybe I'll try to identify what that was that I heard so people can find it and listen to it, because I thought it was, like, really, really compelling. And again, it was such a combination of both, like, helpfulness and information and emotion and really putting you there. But one of the things that she mentioned and a whole bunch of things that she was talking about was she also said, you know, I think she had already evacuated, so she's recording this after that, and she's talking about the experience of evacuating this time. And she mentioned she kind of gave a thank you to the police officers who were helping. I'm thinking of this because you mentioned the firefighters who are carrying the albums, and she was thanking the Police officers, because she said it was. There were a bunch of police officers on foot who were maintaining the slow moving traffic that was leaving. I don't know what area she was in, by the way. I missed the beginning of this, but whatever area. And it sounds like maybe they were going down a hill or something. There was a long, long line of slow moving cars of people trying to evacuate. And she said, I was really appreciative of the police being to keep everybody in line because otherwise people would be trying. People were trying to kind of get out of line and sort of. I mean, she didn't use the word cut, but essentially like cut. Right. And I. That probably spoke to me because I'm such a rule follower and I always get mad when people are kind of breaking the rules. But then you're like, but I love.

[A]

The idea in your car melting as the fire envelopes you. But you're like, but I'm not cutting.

[B]

Right, exactly, because that is sort of what I'm getting at. Like these are people who are, you know, I don't know the actual scenario, but like essentially running for their lives in a certain way. Right. And so at what point you. But you also need to maintain order because if it just becomes chaos and just sort of a stampede of cars, you know, that, that's not going to be helpful for anybody either. And I just sort of thought like, imagine that. Imagine me being, you know, peeved when somebody like kind of cuts me off in traffic here in Seattle when everything is just normal, but then you're like to like orderly leave and there's so much emotion and then somebody else is trying to kind of swerve around you so they can get out of, out of the way first. But then you're like, well, that person is also just trying to do what they can for them and the people in their car as well, you know. So anyway, that just sort of stood out.

[A]

By the way, I think the person you're thinking of was named Adria Cloak.

[B]

Okay, great.

[A]

Who was interviewed on All Things Considered? A Pacific Palisades resident.

[B]

Oh, interesting. I wonder if they interviewed her and then just cut out the interviewer because it was one of those things that seemed incredibly personal. It had the, it had the feel of somebody just recording it by themselves, like in their closet or in a car or something.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. It says the. This is Ari Shapiro's intro to it. She works. This person works for kcrw.

[B]

Oh, okay. That's why she's such a good.

[A]

Almost a colleague of yours.

[B]

Yeah, sure. Okay.

[A]

And she sent us this voice memo describing her evacuation experience.

[B]

Okay, great. So that you f. You identified the right one. And also explains why this was so. I mean, not that anybody's personal experience can't be compelling, but it was just, like, so well told, you know? So clearly somebody who is in the profession of telling stories, and that's probably why you stood out.

[A]

Well, I started to ask this, but we already know the answer, which is you didn't. So you did not see this, like, bulldozer clearing luxury vehicles that had been left in on Sunset Boulevard.

[B]

That's one of the few things that I did see. And I asked Genevieve. I'm like. I was like, veebs. I think it was on Sunset.

[A]

What stage of capitalism are we in, Andrew? Bulldozer clearing Mercedes Benzes that have been abandoned because of, to some degree, climate change.

[B]

It was so. It was so bizarre. And I remember saying to these over dinner, because I don't think Genevieve had seen that one. I said, well, did you see the bulldozer? And I was like, I think it was sun. I think it was on Sunset. And then we looked at each other. We're like, no, I must be misremembering that. That could have. But it was right on Sunset that they were bulldozing those cars. My God.

[A]

Insane. I mean, just again. And I hope I don't. I don't sound glib about it, because this is real people's real lives. I'm not that worried about the people with the $150,000 cars that were getting bulldozed. I'm not worried about their car. I'm worried about them. I hope they're okay. I am not worried about their car. But, I mean, that is just an insane visual.

[B]

Yeah, it really was. It just. I feel like I don't want to spin out of control. 2025 has had two incredibly insane visuals already, and we're only nine days in. And again, somebody lost their life. Somebody took their life. But that Tesla, I'm sorry, the truck. Cybertruck. The cybertruck burning outside of Trump Tower. You're like, wow, we're one day into this, and we have, like, this very darkly iconic image that sort of seems to, in some ways, represent the times. And now and then you have a bulldozer going down Sunset Boulevard bulldozing expensive cars.

[A]

You know, can I give you my. My thought on the coverage of that? By the way, those cybertrucks look like they're from Minecraft. That's what I finally landed on. Angles there's something kind of digital about them in a way that's uncanny. But the thing I don't love about the coverage is it did happen in front of the Trump, you know, hotel in Las Vegas. But I get mad every time that's referenced because I feel like it feeds into this persecution complex. Like, it's somehow, this is about Trump or Trumpism as somehow under threat. Like, in the way I forget where I was, but I was somewhere in the country before the election and I saw this, like, actually very well made sort of like sign someone had put up. Oh, I think I might have. Well, anyway, I forget where I was, but it was literally like he took a bullet for you. Like, and it was like the photo of Trump after the guy like, you know, tried to shoot him and missed. And it was, I was just like, this says everything. Like, these people took a huge amount of time out of their week to create this huge, like, I don't know, five foot by five foot sign thing that they put in their yard with a photo of Trump, you know, this picture where after he was, you know, almost shot and, and it was, he took a bullet for you. And I was just like, that's when I should have known maybe we weren't going to win. But anyway, anyway, this idea that, like, people are after Trump in a violent, dangerous way, it bugs me that he did this in front of the Trump Hotel because I think it. And this is just my, this is just my oversensitivity on the matter, but I just feel like it somehow lets. It makes people who think Trump is some sort of like, you know, messianic figure it somehow file. They file it under. Yeah, and they're blowing up things in front of his hotel.

[B]

That's interesting. You know, I hadn't, I hadn't thought of it in that way. And like I say, I, maybe I'm, I keep saying this and maybe I'm just making excuses for not having good reading comprehension, but, like, I sort of, I am sort of, sort of, kind of like reading the news through my fingers these days. Like, everything just sort of feels icky and bad and I'm just trying, like, sort of getting glancing impressions of things. And again, maybe I'm just always been. Just not great at reading the news. I don't know. But all of that is to say I hadn't thought of it in that context because my exposure to that story is whenever it was early breaking news, first you have this, and I'm not getting on board with this either, but you have this sort of almost gleeful before people knew what was going on with that story. This sort of gleeful. Look at this cybertruck on fire right outside of Trump Tower from the left. More of this sort of like, could you have a more like 2025 Moment app? 2025 Moment. In fact, that's why we're talking about this right now is because I sort of raised that in sort of in this context. But then, of course, we. We hear more. And there is. I did not know at first. I think a lot of the people who were posting that kind of sentiment didn't know either that there was a person inside there, that it was done on purpose, that this per, you know, we now know a little bit about this person and what this person wrote and that it was, you know, intended to end his life. But I never, until this very moment, talking to you now, I'm trying to square that with the location. Again, have we had any clarification about why this former soldier decided to do that? Was there anything in his notes? And I'm sorry that the show is so dark, but while we're here, am I missing a part of that story now?

[A]

I don't think so. I've seen a headline that said basically they interviewed people that he, you know, he was in the military, and they interviewed people he had served with, with, and nobody remembered him saying anything uniquely anti Donald Trump. So the headline was like, you know, guy who blew up cybertruck in front of Trump Hotel did not harbor anti Trump sentiment. I think he was somebody that was dealing with, like, a mental health crisis. And somehow in his mind, I do, for some reason, I like that he rented the cyber truck. I don't know why that. That detail is like, is, is, is. Is important to me, but it's, it's like, good. At least you didn't go spend $150,000 on this and then blow it up. At least it's on Avis's. This is Avis's problem now to deal with. I don't know why that matters to me.

[B]

Yeah. Now that we're just talking about this, I guess that's, that's what I was trying to square there with you. But I guess we just don't have answers. And these things are not, you know, these things don't have necessarily always clean answers, but it's. So, yeah, I rented a very specific truck that represents something in our society right now, and I blew it up. Up outside of, in front of the.

[A]

I mean, I don't think that was an accident.

[B]

Yeah, neither one of those are accidents yet he has not. We haven't read anything about like manifestos or anything like that other than his own personal struggles. So I was, wasn't sure if I was missing a key part of that.

[A]

No, no, I don't think you are. I think it was.

[B]

We just don't know. It's just.

[A]

It was very intentional and yet that nobody has a good explanation for what exactly his kind of theories were. And maybe he doesn't, maybe he didn't have any, any cogent theories about it. Here's my question to you. Importantly, critically, if you were at the Avis and they said, Good news, Mr. Walsh, we, we've upgraded you to a cyber truck, would you.

[B]

No, no, I would not.

[A]

Even just out of curiosity, because like they're supposedly actually pretty fun to drive. I'm. I've never driven one, I will never buy one, but I would be, I guess if it was offered to me, some part of my brain would be curious about the experience of driving one.

[B]

I have been. I mean, I don't think this is an exaggeration. I feel like I have been a passenger in large SUVs and have tried to shield my face from other drivers.

[A]

Because not even musk related automotive experience. Just like just being in a Canyonero kills somebody.

[B]

Like there was a. I, I feel like there was a moment where somebody was visiting like a family member or something and they rented a Canyon Arrow and basically, and, and you know, maybe it even made sense because we were, I think whatever, we were kind of taking a local road trip with some people who were visiting the Pacific Northwest or something. And I just remember, you know, or being at a gas station and getting out of this thing because I, I have. And probably back in, in this part of my life too was even maybe more judgmental and so therefore felt like everybody was judging me or something. So I think it would be, now that you say it, from a technological standpoint, what is it like to be behind the wheel of that thing and what is it like to press the gas pedal? I guess now you have piqued my curiosity a little bit. But I'd have to be on like one of those closed circuit tracks and everybody signs NDAs and nobody wearing a balaclava. Yes. And I go in, I take everybody's phone and I put them in one of those magnetic.

[A]

You'd be Luigi Mancione.

[B]

Wait, what is that? In what way does that.

[A]

Well, if we can make it darker, he's the guy that is alleged to have shot the UnitedHealthcare CEO.

[B]

I know, but why? Oh, you mean just.

[A]

Well, just that he was constantly masked.

[B]

Oh, that's right. His mask. Yes, yes. Sorry. I wasn't sure why you're invoking him there, but. But anyway, yeah, I would be like, you're right. I guess there is technologically something interesting about. Well, what is it like? Like, when you step on that pedal, like, what is it. What is it like? But I don't think, like, in the scenario you set up, like, I'm just at the rental car place or whatever this new mobile rental thing is where he rented it from. If they gave me that car, like, I just don't think I could just be like, okay, yeah, I'll give it a shot. And then also, like, I have to park that. The QFC to go run in and grab my prescription.

[A]

You know, I think I would. Well, this is weird that you're renting a car, but you're also getting prescription medications.

[B]

Well, what is this version of your life?

[A]

Is this.

[B]

It's a long trip. I need to make sure that I have.

[A]

You're on a lot of very intense meds that you need to take every hour.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

But I think I've now talked myself into actually taking the cyber truck if I'm offered it at the Avis, because renting a car is like watching TV in a hotel. It's not your real life. So I think I could. I could allow myself to. Because this is not real, Luke. I'm not. You know, I'm not purchasing this vehicle. I'm not using it to get around town, down. I'm. I'm in. I'm in a sort of vacation mode or a work mode. I'm not being my real self, and therefore I'm allowed to drive a cybertruck.

[B]

Let me ask you this, though. How do you deal? Let's assume, I don't know how many middle fingers per mile.

[A]

That's a good point.

[B]

These cybertruck people are receiving.

[A]

I want to. I mean, honestly, every time I see one, I want to fight the person who's driving.

[B]

And I sort of feel like that's what, you know, that when people see a cybertruck, they take a picture of themselves giving it the middle finger. Right? So if you're driving, let people. Let's say you're. Oh, God. By the way, when you're up here on the. On the 4th of February, do not rent a cybertruck and park it outside my house. Okay? I mean, if you rent a cyber truck, you gotta park it a couple of houses away.

[A]

That hadn't occurred to me, but that would be a great. Chris and I roll up in a cybertruck.

[B]

Oh, my God. Roll up in the cybertruck. Two town hall, two cybertrucks.

[A]

And then we just. We parked them kind of in a really, really jaunty way in front of your house. So they're taking up more than one space, like, you know, in a manner that says, like, we are narcissists.

[B]

No, just drive them. Drive them both. You know, you're absolutely right, by the way. I'm so embarrassed that I said one cybertruck. No, you each have cyber.

[A]

Take out your hedge with them.

[B]

You each have a cybertruck, but you gotta drive them and park them in town hall. Like so all of the people who are there to hear Chris talk. But then you park each of them. Them, not even the right way, but you park them across reserved parking spots.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Just like, ideally, like handicap parking.

[B]

Yeah, exactly, exactly.

[A]

But I'm gonna need you and Genevieve to buy those tickets because this cyber truck ain't free.

[B]

You know, that's a good point. I'll actually, I'll. I'll throw an extra couple of quarters into the. Into the jar too. But yeah, you. But anyway, my question for you was. Let's say that you. You're renting it because remember, you did rent a car up here one time and they gave you a huge suv. Do you remember that? You drove it to my house and it was a whole. It was sort of a whole thing. I think we. Oh. And I was living in the place that was like in Roosevelt with much harder parking, you know, and a bike lane outside, and you had that gigantic truck. If you're driving to my house and people are giving you the middle finger in your cyber truck, I could see you getting sort of defend. I could see you almost leaning. I can see you can see me.

[A]

Buying a cybertruck to prove them wrong.

[B]

That's your joker moment.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Next thing you know, like, next thing you know, you're becoming. Because you wouldn't. Even though you would usually associate with the people.

[A]

You come out of your house, and I'm just dancing my way down a.

[B]

Staircase.

[A]

In the rain.

[B]

You're asking me why I'm so serious. But anyway, yeah, I could sort of see you being defensive about the people.

[A]

I see myself doing that too. Like, going from like, oh, this is a funny bit to like, you don't know me.

[B]

How dare you.

[A]

To being like, you know, Andrew, I think Elon Musk makes some really good points.

[B]

Yeah, right. Exactly. Exactly. All right, well, I think I'm possibly responsible for some pretty sketchy content on today's show.

[A]

Should we thank some donors because this cybertruck ain't gonna pay for itself.

[B]

Yeah, we better hope we have more than six today. Thank you for being a tam.

[A]

All right, let's thank those fine, fine, generous donors who are keeping TBTL rolling with their voluntary donation of cash to us. This is a listener support reported project tbtl. We don't have any commercials because we are better than the other shows that have commercials. And also, no one has asked us if they could advertise.

[B]

That's not true. We've turned down several ads. We have.

[A]

Actually, you know what? We have turned down some ads. That is true. I, I, we should, I should be clear about that. I'm listening to a lot I was telling you the other day about. I'm listening to some stuff on Pushkin and, and then also I'm listening. I listened to the first season of this show, Cement City, which is really good, by the way. Highly recommend. But it has, it's an Odyssey production, which is like Odyssey, spelled au. Like audio.

[B]

Yeah. They're connected to one of the huge radio.

[A]

I think they own most of the radio stations.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Are they like the new, like Cumulus or, you know, who are these other, who are these other big entities who bought up all the radio stations?

[B]

Was Intercom.

[A]

Intercom. Oh, yeah. I used to work for Intercom.

[B]

Did you? Yeah.

[A]

I think Cairo was Intercom for a hotel minute.

[B]

That rings a bell. Before my time, maybe.

[A]

Maybe.

[B]

Although this is Odyssey, previously known as Radio.com is a free broadcast Internet radio platform developed by Odyssey, formerly known Luke as Intercom.

[A]

I love that Radio.com wasn't working for them. So they went from Intercom to. They were like, okay, let's just call it what it is, radio.com. and they were like, we're not getting. People don't understand what this product is. Let's rename it Odyssey.

[B]

Odyssey. Yes. I can't literally cannot keep these. Everybody's buying everybody. And I can't tell what's going on.

[A]

Anyway, all that is to say when I'm on my jogs and I'm listening to Cement City and I hear a Carvana ad. Andrew on Odyssey, formerly Radio.com. i am so glad that we have people like Bernie Schneider, who's in Grefelling. Excuse me, me, Greffelfing, Germany, Grafelfing.

[B]

You could have been there almost.

[A]

I bought my way to 100 case status this year. And I did not have to fly to green Germany. Although if I'd known Bernie was there, I might have considered it. Yeah.

[B]

Thanks for donating, Bernie. I do. I always wonder a little bit about the journey that brought Bernie to tbtl.

[A]

The Bernie journey.

[B]

The Bernie journey. Was Bernie listening in Germany? Is Bernie an expat? A US Expat?

[A]

I'm guessing Bernie grew up in Ballard and. And Bernie's life has taken him to Germany, and he's just brought TBT along in his pocket. I can't imagine somebody growing up in Grefelfing Germany and then being like, let me try to find this extremely boutique product that is tbtl.

[B]

I don't know that we did put up that billboard right in graf. Grafing.

[A]

I mean, honestly. And you and John said that was a terrible idea.

[B]

But no, look, steadfast dividends, Luke. It's paying dunes.

[A]

Thank you, Bernie, for justifying that expenditure. We appreciate you also. Look who it is. It's bet McElreath out there in Springville, New York. It's our buddy bet. Bet in upstate New York.

[B]

Hope your eye is doing better. I was going through some voicemails today, and BET said that she has recently taken to sleepwalking and banged her face. She was called. I'm sorry, I don't have it queued up. But she was saying she can associate with your eye issues that you were having with your stye, because now she's having to wear a lot of concealer because she. And I think it's okay for me to say this. She left this information on the TBTL listener line. But I hope you're doing okay up there, Bet. Luke, how is your eye doing?

[A]

Well, it is. It's getting smaller, the sty. But it's. It's very red. So I'm wondering. Yeah. If this is just going to be like a, you know, my constant companion. Because it's definitely going in the correct direction in that it is. It's. It's getting smaller in size, but it is not changing in color at all. It is still very red, and I still have to put concealer on it if I'm doing any kind of filming stuff. But it is. It's. It's more easily concealed than it was when I was, let's just say, interviewing Nikki Glaser before the Golden Globes. A story that somehow really reverberated through the pop culture. A lot of people reaching out to me. A lot of people very excited that I got to talk to Her. Her. And of course, it was the story where I have, like, a humongous growth on my eyelid while interviewing her.

[B]

Did you. So it. You. You were uncomfortable with the way it looked on screen at the end?

[A]

They did their absolute best. My buddy Scott, our cameraman, he used whatever filter he could to try to diminish it. I also noticed that before we did the shoot that if I was, like, smiling, it. It. If I was. Was like, smiling or being kind of exuberant with my face, it, like, did something with my eyelid that made the sty less noticeable.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

So the whole interview, I'm going like.

[B]

Oh, you noticed it to be during. I knew it going in.

[A]

So it was like, probably Nikki Glaser, to the degree that she remembers any of this, which I bet she doesn't, was like, boy, that guy is really exuberant. And I was just like, I'm trying to hide this die.

[B]

Oh, well, that's better than hiding the sty by being.

[A]

By being withholding or something.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Like.

[A]

But you can see in all the cutaways, I'm being like, ah, I'm. I'm really turning in a real Keith Morrison style of interview. He's the guy from Dateline who kind of famously has these weird cutaways. But anyway, bet. Hope your eye is. Is okay. And good luck with the. With the sleepwalking. Yeah, I don't know what's going on with Katherine Herman in Chicago, Illinois, outside of just being a wonderful, generous TBTL support order. Yeah. Have you been getting any voicemails from Catherine?

[B]

Catherine did not check in, but I don't hold that against Catherine. Chicago is a big city. It's the third largest city in the United States. There's a lot going on, and Catherine is trying to drink it all in, so doesn't have time to leave voicemails on the tbtl.

[A]

Catherine's got time to donate to TBTL and not much else that's right.

[B]

Outside of take it.

[A]

Absolutely. Thank you so much. Also, it's our pal Mag, Maggie Ainslie in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. What up, Maggie?

[B]

I also heard a voicemail from Maggie today. Thank you for calling in, Maggie.

[A]

Also about sleepwalking.

[B]

It wasn't about sleepwalking.

[A]

We're only accepting voicemails about sleepwalking.

[B]

And that is why I'm not playing it for you now. I can't. But Maggie was just, I think, checking in and happy with some of the holiday programming.

[A]

Nice. So nice to see Maggie at the Philadelphia.

[B]

Yeah, I wish we could have Kicked it more. Maggie. I'm sorry. I do feel Maggie's one of those people who calls in a lot. So I feel like I know know Maggie better than I actually do. And then I finally had a chance to hang out with her, but you had to give me Covid.

[A]

Luke, you decided to fake having Covid.

[B]

Yeah, I had to. Exactly.

[A]

You could be up in the. Up in the rafters of the Friendship center there. Thanks, Maggie. Thanks also to Kendra Peterson in Seattle, Washington.

[B]

Thank you, Kendra.

[A]

I don't think I talked to Kendra after the Philly show, but only because Kendra wasn't there.

[B]

No, but I am often walking around Seattle, Kendra, just looking for 10 look.

[A]

For a guy with a backpack and big headphones on who's recently been in a scuffle at the grocery store.

[B]

I went into the grocery store.

[A]

Andrew's gonna be your guy.

[B]

I went to the grocery store, that same grocery store recently. I hadn't been in a.

[A]

We really haven't unpacked this. But like, just the short version. Are you using that grocery store and is. Are things okay?

[B]

I use it very infrequently now because I kind of have bad feelings because I tried. They opened up a brand new grocery store in my neighborhood. I was very excited until the security guy at the door keeps stopping me because he keeps saying that I can't take a backpack in there. And the reason I need a backpack is because I'm walking to the grocery store and it's easier to carry groceries home in a backpack.

[A]

That was all part of the process.

[B]

It was all part of the walk.

[A]

To this grocery store.

[B]

And so we've had like now 2 negative interact. 2 things that I would describe as negative interactions. And then you had mentioned to me, Luke, that maybe what I should do is take my backpack and put. Put it, like take my empty backpack, put it inside of a tote bag, which I'm allowed to take in the grocery store and just carry the tote back in, tote bag in. When I get done grocery shopping, put the groceries into my backpack and leave. Now, I haven't tried that exact thing, but I've been planning on doing that at some point. Having said that, I happened to be in my car the other day and I was passing the grocery store and I realized, oh, I need to pick some things up. So. So I go into the grocery store for the first time ever as a. You probably as most shoppers are in a car with tote bags. No need for a backpack at all. So I take my tote bags out of the car. I take one tote bag and throw it into the other tote bag, as I always do. And as I'm walking in, I see the security guard. He doesn't make eye contact with me anymore.

[A]

We've had same guy, obviously.

[B]

Same guy. Luke, this is going to sound like the raving of a paranoid man, but I swear to God, as I passed him and he was sort of like pushing a cart, I gotta say, I think. I think the security guard is a good guy. That's what drives me crazy about this, is like, he's not some guy who's standing around with his chest pushed out.

[A]

No, he's a rule follower who would.

[B]

Be a super big rule follower.

[A]

He would be on Sunset getting burned alive because he wasn't cutting traffic.

[B]

But he definitely has his eye on me. And as I was walking in with my tote bag and another tote bag and Luke, I swear to God, he craned his neck over and tried to peek in my tote bag.

[A]

Omg.

[B]

I mean, I could be wrong. I was there by myself. I don't have any witnesses, but I was sort of doing this as you know, like I was. I was sort of thinking, like, huh, I wonder could I fit my backpack in here and get it through? I swear to God, I mean, I swear to God that that's how I felt in the moment. I can't swear to God that that's actually what happened, if that makes sense.

[A]

I bet it did. I don't think you're crazy. And also, he craned me neck. Do you think again, I know you don't like, totally want to get into this, but do you think you are his most problematic customer in the short time. In the short time that this SARS discount grocery has been open in your neighborhood because you've had two kind of incidents with him? Do you think you are. Because that would explain the craning of the neck if he's like, oh, it's that guy. Like, do you think when he sees you, he's like, it's that guy guy?

[B]

I do think when he sees me, he. There's a little bit of that guy. I think he does recognize me. I also think without disparaging my neighborhood, it would be an amazing, amazing if.

[A]

You were the most problematic customer in.

[B]

In North Aurora at a.

[A]

Just considering that as a discovery grocery.

[B]

Store in the oak tree parking lot with crimes in the street like, shit.

[A]

Us going down shit in your neighborhood.

[B]

Going down in my neighborhood. Yet there's a chance that I'm the Most problematic guy at the grocery store. Why am I weirdly proud of this all the time?

[A]

That would be amazing. Yeah, that would be like actually kind of cool. You can finally get that teardrop tattoo you've been looking into.

[B]

Council member Kathy Moore is filing new legislation to regulate me.

[A]

The Andrew Walsh bill.

[B]

Andrew Walsh acts.

[A]

You know who co signs that? Greg Lazon of Deerfield, Massachusetts, final donor today. What up, Greg?

[B]

Thank you, Greg. Thank you keeping this ridiculousness going.

[A]

Absolutely. Thank you to all of our donors. We could not make this happen without you. I mean, really and truly. There's a right way to rock and.

[B]

A wrong way to roll. You can't just listen to your soul. Just remember that life is number one. You can be having so much fun. Just remember that life is much fun. You can be nothing but it's time for the long awaited blurs days. Over the holidays we had some format changes and so we weren't doing blurs days. So my apologies. I meant to give people a warning about that. I did not do that. So some of these folks have been waiting for weeks to have their blurs days read. And so a few of these, especially the first few, are going to be very belated.

[A]

But that is consider them early blurs day wishes for next year.

[B]

Except when they mention should I adjust the ages that are mentioned. If that's the case, I need you.

[A]

To fast forward one year.

[B]

Okay. Fast forward one year. So anyway, but that I just want to let all the recipients know that that was on me. That was not on the people sending these in. Andrea says happy birthday to my self proclaimed 10 bud, Herschel, who just turned 17 by our new math. So this is in later on this year. This is a super early 17th birthday to Herschel who recently just turned 16 by the way. I could not have asked for a better adventure, buddy. And I am so proud of the person you are. You have been sharing TBT with me for nearly a decade. You will soon be a fully licensed driver and explorer.

[A]

I don't know why I thought you were gonna say attorney.

[B]

You are soon going to be a fully licensed attorney.

[A]

Even 17 is young to be a fully licensed attorney. My brain was saying attorney is the next word Andrew's gonna say.

[B]

I know I've said this to you before. It's a not interesting story and I'm gonna say it right in the middle of Herschel's blurs day message.

[A]

Herschel love loves this.

[B]

By the way, there is a promo that has been running on 710 ESPN, the local sports radio station. That I listen to, it's just kind of constantly in the background. I love the patter. And there's a promo, just a generic station ID kind of promo that runs constantly, and I've been hearing it for years. And they always say something along the lines of, you're listening to 7:10. No, they don't call it ESPN anymore. No, Seattle. Seattle Sports Radio.

[A]

And they say, covering this Radio.com, formerly known as Odyssey.

[B]

Yes. And that's what they say in the promo. And then they say, covering the Seahawks, the Mariners, and all Seattle sports. But every time a little voice in my head finishes that sentence for them and says, the Seattle Mariners, the Seahawks, and everything in between, I always think they're going to say, and everything in between. And then my brain gets confused because I'm like, wait, what's in between baseball and football? And that is not what they're saying anyway. But for years, my brain has been doing this little hiccup on this station id. Does that make any sense?

[A]

The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd. That's right. Baseball's back.

[B]

Is that relatable at all?

[A]

Absolutely, it is. And also, we know people there. In fact, a brother of mine works at that radio conglomerate. And also we know Mike Salk. I feel like we could. We could. We could reach out and see if they can get that copy changed. Because I think what you're describing is a better way to sort of say.

[B]

That, but it doesn't make sense. What would? Like the Mariners, the Seahawks. I think they. I think I switched the order. I think it's the Seahawks, the Mariners.

[A]

Those are the things that. They have the broadcast rights, of course.

[B]

But, like, what's in between? Husky Football is not in between those two. What I'm. What my brain is doing doesn't make it any sense. Unless you're just going for comedy.

[A]

I. It just sounds more. I don't know. It scans better for me. I like.

[B]

So your brain sort of does the same thing anyway, all of that. Let's see here. So this is again, from Andrea to Herschel. You're going to be a fully licensed attorney and driver and are exploring the world without me and running errands for me. Happy birthday to you. P. S. Happy birthday to me, too. Hey, Happy birthday to both of yous.

[A]

Cute.

[B]

Sorry for that. Long story.

[A]

Did you get your license? We. I asked you this recently, and I think the answer was you didn't because you had older friends.

[B]

Yeah, a lot of friends who are a year older than me and had Their license. So, yeah, we kind of had a lot of freedom, but I didn't actually have to be responsible for driving. What about you?

[A]

Which would be a theme in my life.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

In your adult life.

[B]

All of my.

[A]

All of my friends disinterest in driving.

[B]

All of my friends were one year older. And bus drivers weirdly happy. Blursday to Anders. Wait, it is pronounced Anders right now. Workaholics has gotten in my head.

[A]

Ders.

[B]

Yeah. A N D E R S. Happy Blurs day to Anders and Norfolk from Brad and Nolan. Enjoy your day and the new year. Happy blurs day, Anders. Dave says happy birthday to my wife Shelly. Another trip around the sun. And that damn house we're building in the mountains is still not done. But while I've been up there working, you've been keeping our household functioning while working yourself and entertaining our two dogs, Alfie and Holly. I love you.

[A]

Have you seen pictures of this house?

[B]

Maybe. I'm not sure.

[A]

This house is in California. Up in, like, I want to say Mammoth or something.

[B]

Okay. So. So safely away from all the fire, I hope.

[A]

I mean, is anywhere safely away from the fire?

[B]

Where's Mammoth? I wasn't sure. Is that LA A J Cent or is that in Northern California?

[A]

I think it's. I've never been there, but people when I lived in LA were always talking about, we're going up to Mammoth.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

And by the way, could be completely wrong about that. I just. I have this kind of vague sense memory of this being a home that they are building in some kind of alpine area, but in California.

[B]

Okay. Well, I hope that everything is going well, you guys are safe, and Dave says I love you to the moon and back. He's talking to Shelly. Not us. I love you to the moon and back, but also us. And us. Your numero uno employee, Dave.

[A]

Cute. We love love on this show.

[B]

We do. I am. I don't know if this is an inside sort of nickname or a typo, but I'm gonna read it the way it was spelled. Hi, mame. It's Big Son and Big Daughter here. We want to wish you the most purr fect birthday and remind you that you are as old as the Walkman, the Burton snowboard, the McDonald's Happy Meal leg warmers, and Strawberry Shortcake. All things you love. Think of all the things you did this year. Hung out with us, went to. Is it 0 con Luke x e R O C O N. Am I saying that right?

[A]

Yes. This person. Wait, what was the name of the Person.

[B]

Okay, so you have met the. We don't. I don't have the name of the receipt. I've been to this Miami.

[A]

I posted this thing.

[B]

Oh, you0. This makes sense. This is about you. So if it's pronounced 0 con. Let me finish this sentence. Think of all the things you did this year. Hung out with us, went to 0con Nashville. Had a great time at 0con Nashville. Met a really cool podcaster at 0con Nashville. We love you so much. From Elise, Liam, Righty. And cat.

[A]

Cute.

[B]

Yes. So what's.

[A]

Who's the person being wished a Blurs?

[B]

Mommy. Mommy. Or Mame. But that's all I.

[A]

There was like 80 people named Mommy there.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. But. Happy blurs day.

[A]

Cute.

[B]

How can I remember? I mean, you travel around a lot. The X, E, R, O, C, O, N. I don't remember that. Coming up in our conversation. What is.

[A]

That was a thing in Nashville that I hosted. It's a. It's an Australian. Wait, is it Australian or New Zealand? I think it's an Australian. It's sort of the. It's the QuickBooks. It's the Keurig of accounting software.

[B]

It was the accounting software. I think that's the name of the software. Okay, now I got it on the wrong tab here. Now I'm back over here. Mary says happy late blurs day to my daughter Kelly. Oh, this is. You know who this is from? This is from. From Mary, our resident rants and raves author. A person who mastered the art of getting in the sketch. Exactly. I love Mary. I love Kelly. Kelly. A recent 10 of the week in the newsletter, Mary says happy late birthday.

[A]

They were helping us make bracelets at the Eagles.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. I got to meet both of you guys. It was great. Happy birthday to my daughter, Kelly. Why, oh, why did I have a baby on January 3? Such poor planning on my part. Your blurs day gets lost in the shuffle. I hope you have a great year.

[A]

Else was involved in that.

[B]

Keep walking the streets of Seattle taking amazing pictures of the city. I don't know how you find all the nooks and crannies that make your art so interesting. Love your 10 mom and your 10 dads. Happy Thursday, Kelly. Great to meet you guys.

[A]

You know, honestly, mary, don't the 10 dad had something to do with the.

[B]

Timing of all of them?

[A]

Don't fall on your sword on this one. His sword had something to do with it.

[B]

Listeners Brett and Amy here. Oh, these are our friends in the U District, Listeners Brett and Amy here. Wishing our sweet 17 year old cat, crazy smart and funny. 5. Rockwell A happy blurs day. Oops, Luke, I didn't do the new math on that. So if this is a blurs day.

[A]

We were all doing it in our heads.

[B]

Oh, wait. But you know what though? This one I don't think is literally. I think this one came in this week. So anyway, we're good. Happy 17th Blurs Day to Rockwell. Let's see. He's long enjoyed the show, especially when he's contributed like his rendition of the Murder She Wrote theme on piano. His fever dream of a tomato, bacon, turkey and lettuce TBTL sandwich recipe. And there's no telling what he'll get up to on his new electric guitar. Exciting. Happy blursday Rockwell. A lot of people didn't catch that, but I was saying electric guitar to the tune of the Talking Heads. What song is it where they say electric guitar? You have any idea what I'm talking about?

[A]

Let's see. I'm. The only Talking Head song I can think of is Naive Melody. Because it is absolutely dominated the culture now. That's the home. It's where I want to be. Pick me up and turn me around. Do you feel like that song has absolutely just occupied, forcibly occupied, the brains of a certain kind of white person?

[B]

I. This is weird because I kind of got a little bit in the Talking Heads, like in the past couple of years. I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't recognize and I don't know if I'm just kind of not recognizing.

[A]

I think it's. The song is called this Must be the Place. Parenthetically Naive Melody.

[B]

Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Become the number one song. Sorry. This is gonna get us pulled down in Romania.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

No, but I feel like this.

[B]

This song went from naive melody. Okay.

[A]

I. This. This song went from being kind of like a bop to being like people are reading it at their weddings. The apartment building that I lived in in Portland had it inscribed in the tile when you walked in. This must be the place.

[B]

Oh, I did not. I didn't realize it's hold on the culture other than just like the Talking head seems to. The Talking Head seemed to appeal to a broad sword swath of this particular.

[A]

Song though, I think just really like maybe during the pandemic or something, it just became amongst the. The set that I run with. It just became like the soundtrack of what everybody was doing.

[B]

I did not know that. By the way, the song that I was talking about, where they say electric guitar is appropriately titled Electric guitar off of.

[A]

Oh, okay, sure.

[B]

Fear of music. And since we're parenthetically.

[A]

This must be the guitar.

[B]

This must be the. Let me see if this is the. Oh, wait. Oh, I'm. Did you hear what I just said?

[A]

That sound like High Decker.

[B]

I had High Decker going along. I was like, is this the remix? So there I actually. Not a bad needle drop as far as getting to the note, but okay. All of that is to say happy Blurs day, everybody, and apologies for everything.

[A]

All right, let's see. Oh, you know what? I want to talk to you about tomorrow. I feel like I have stumbled upon the greatest FedEx delivery guy maybe ever. And I'm already mourning the fact I'm mourning the idea that I won't be on his route anymore. He was just delivering something while we were doing the.

[B]

Okay, well, follow ups. But I should save them for tomorrow.

[A]

For tomorrow.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Tomorrow must be the place where we're going to be talking about my FedEx guy who is just absolutely rules.

[B]

I am going to have questions about his calves. Okay. I want to give you a heads up on that right away.

[A]

Okay, you know what? I'm going to level set on this and tell you I don't have a clear read on his calves. I will tell you he's very physically fit, though.

[B]

Can I quick. Can I try to send you something today so that will. It'll force him to go to your house one more time and you can kind of get a look at them dams.

[A]

Mail me that thing from listener Michael.

[B]

I don't trust this mail service.

[A]

If there's a guy you're going to trust it with, it's this dude.

[B]

Okay, I'll tell you. All right, Sounds good.

[A]

All right, thanks everyone for listening. Thanks for spending the time with us today. We are going to be right back here tomorrow. It's tomorrow. Friday already? What the. What the flip? This has been a weird week.

[B]

It has.

[A]

We're back back, you know, and like real life has started again, but it's also kind of raced by.

[B]

The first day felt like two days, and the second, it really did. It felt like the first few days.

[A]

You have it all written down. So.

[B]

And now. Now suddenly we're just zipping through it.

[A]

Yeah. Anyway, we will be back here tomorrow, though, with more imaginary radio for you. So please, if you can join us for that. In the meantime, have a great Thursday. Take care of yourselves and please remember, no mountain too tall.

[B]

And good luck to all. Power out.