#4444 Bolstering On A Budget

Summary

TBTL Episode #4444: "Bolstering On A Budget"

Release Date: April 14, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh
Podcast: TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live

---

1. Opening Remarks: Trust in Science

The episode begins with a spirited discussion about the public's distrust in science. Luke expresses frustration towards those who dismiss scientific methods without understanding them, highlighting the essence of trial and error in scientific progress.

Luke Burbank (00:00): "How do you not trust trial and error? Going back years and years and years..."

2. Celebrating Milestones: Episode 4444

Luke and Andrew enthusiastically welcome listeners to the landmark 4444th episode, sharing personal anecdotes and setting a light-hearted tone for the show.

Andrew Walsh (02:24): "Let the fun begin."

3. In-Depth Interview with Metallica

The core of the episode features an extensive interview with members of the legendary heavy metal band, Metallica. Luke recounts his experience interviewing the band, emphasizing their genuine personalities and philanthropic efforts.

a. Metallica's Charitable Endeavors

Metallica's commitment to philanthropy takes center stage as they discuss their initiatives to support trade programs at community colleges. By providing essential equipment, they lower financial barriers for students pursuing careers in fields like dental hygiene and firefighting.

Luke Burbank (35:28): "They buy all the tools, and then people can, you know, go through the program, get their certification, and get a really great job out of that."

b. Band Members' Personal Stories

Each member shares heartfelt stories that reveal their down-to-earth nature. James Hetfield speaks candidly about witnessing homelessness and his desire to make a tangible impact.

Kirk Hammett (31:53): "I just wanted to get in my car and find this person and just try to, like, like, say, what can I do?"

c. Reflections on Band Dynamics and Longevity

The conversation delves into what makes Metallica endure in the music industry, contrasting their positive dynamics with other bands known for internal conflicts. The hosts appreciate Metallica's balance of fame and genuine camaraderie.

Andrew Walsh (38:34): "I think Billy Corgan's kind of like, known to be a little bit of a, you know, a handful at times or whatever."

4. Personal Tidbits: Reading and Furry Friends

Outside the Metallica discussion, Luke and Andrew share personal insights, including Andrew's dedication to finishing "The Count of Monte Cristo" and their evolving relationships with their cats, Bananas and Bingo.

Andrew Walsh (16:15): "Because Bananas was... I've been sleeping downstairs. Viv and I... playing cards and watch TV."

5. Acknowledging Support: Donor Messages

The hosts take time to thank their generous donors, featuring heartfelt messages from Phyllis Fletcher of Seattle and Laura from Podgorica, Montenegro. They highlight the importance of community support in keeping the show running.

Phyllis Fletcher's Message (51:08): "I'm writing this in February and I don't know what will happen between now and when this is ready, but all I can do is hope."

6. Addressing On-Air Mistakes: Pronunciations and Facts

Luke and Andrew exhibit their candidness by addressing errors made during the show, such as mispronouncing "San Rafael" and incorrectly stating that Oracle Park was built on the same site as Candlestick Park. They engage in a humorous yet insightful discussion about the nuances of language and local pronunciations.

Luke Burbank (63:53): "I do think the word 'supplant' is kind of... it's like the same as 'replace,' but it felt different in the moment."

7. Closing Moments: Upcoming Tradios and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, the hosts tease an upcoming tradio live stream and reflect on the day's events. They maintain their trademark blend of humor and sincerity, leaving listeners with a sense of community and anticipation for future episodes.

Luke Burbank (82:31): "Have a great Monday, take care of yourselves, and please remember, no mountain too tall."

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Trust in Science:

  "How do you not trust trial and error? Going back years and years and years..."
  — Luke Burbank (00:00)

• Landmark Episode:

  "Let the fun begin."
  — Andrew Walsh (02:24)

• Metallica’s Charity Work:

  "They buy all the tools, and then people can... get a really great job out of that."
  — Luke Burbank (35:28)

• Band Member’s Empathy:

  "I just wanted to get in my car and find this person and just try to... say, what can I do?"
  — Kirk Hammett (31:53)

• Personal Reading Journey:

  "I could have spent more hours at my house just relaxing and not thinking about going and getting on a flight."
  — Luke Burbank (06:00)

• Acknowledging Donors:

  "I'm writing this in February and I don't know what will happen between now and when this is ready, but all I can do is hope."
  — Phyllis Fletcher (51:08)

• On-Air Mistakes:

  "I do think the word 'supplant' is kind of... it's like the same as 'replace,' but it felt different in the moment."
  — Luke Burbank (63:53)

• Closing Encouragement:

  "Have a great Monday, take care of yourselves, and please remember, no mountain too tall."
  — Luke Burbank (82:31)

---

Conclusion

Episode #4444 of TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live masterfully intertwines an engaging interview with Metallica, personal anecdotes, community acknowledgments, and moments of genuine reflection. Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh deliver a rich and relatable narrative, ensuring both long-time listeners and newcomers find value and connection in their heartfelt discussions.

Transcript

[Luke Burbank]

I hate when people be like, man, I don't trust science. Then you're a scientist. That's how it starts. That's all they doing. I don't trust this.

[Andrew Walsh]

Then they try it over and over and over and over and over again.

[Luke Burbank]

Until somebody's like, I think we got it. That's all science is. How do you not trust trial and error? Going back years and years and years and years, People tell me, I don't trust science. I'm like, you need to get in there, start doing some experiments, get you a beaker.

[Andrew Walsh]

TBTL DBTL Comin across the airwaves full of love through the sky. Rated by Independent Research, the most popular.

[Luke Burbank]

West coast program in the history of radio.

[Andrew Walsh]

Do you believe that?

[Luke Burbank]

I do if you do. But it's absurd. Gazpacho soup just burned my lips. The gazpacho? Yeah, it's been sitting out.

[Andrew Walsh]

It warmed up.

[Luke Burbank]

It warmed up so much that it burned your lip. Let me explain something to you. If you're expecting something ice cold and you bring it up to your lips and it's room temp, it's going to feel like your mouth's on fire. It's gonna feel like your body's on fire. Comes a time in every young man's.

[Andrew Walsh]

Life when.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm not really sure. I'm not really sure what young men are doing nowadays. Let me know, all right? Hello, good morning and welcome, everyone, to a Monday edition of tbtl, the show that just might be too beautiful to live. It would appear we are in the.

[Andrew Walsh]

Midst of what the kids call a crash. Out.

[Luke Burbank]

My name is Luke Burbank. I am your host, oh La La, coming to you from San Rafael, California. California got Sunshine, where I'm recently learning it's not pronounced San Rafael, even though there is an errant e in the name, which I think is a little misleading, a little uncalled for. San Rafael. But what a beautiful place. What an absolutely spectacular Monday. I. I am loving it here.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm sorry I'm tan. I like to be tan. It just feels good.

[Luke Burbank]

So excited to bring you all episode 4444 in a collector series.

[Andrew Walsh]

Let the fun begin.

[Luke Burbank]

What a fun round. Number 4444. Make a wish, everybody. It's episode 4444. My wish to become close personal friends with the members of the heavy metal band Metallica just came true, I guess. I was just interviewing the guys and. Oh, hey, King of Rock. You're out of your depth. They were so nice. As I wrote on Instagram. Regarding the lead singer, one James Hetfield. You know, for a guy who wrote such songs as Creeping Death and Nothing Else Matters, to name a few. Real sweetheart of a guy. As were all the dudes in the band. That's what I've been down here doing today. But now I am all ready to talk to this guy. I consider him to be more or less the fifth member of Metallica. He is the longest running cobra of this show. Maybe best known for his depictions of the tall ships.

[Andrew Walsh]

You see what happens when you feel a stinger in the abs.

[Luke Burbank]

He's also the owner of an amazing set of abs. He is Andrew Walsh and he's joining me right now. Good morning, my friend.

[Andrew Walsh]

I am so glad I said abs on that tape both in soundcheck and you playing it here. I got a little on edge. I got a little nervous instinctively of what I was going to say there.

[Luke Burbank]

And yet by definition we should know that it would be something that's at the worst PG because of the, of the story of those, of those little weird phrases.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, we always question this and then listeners have to remind us what we did on our own show. I think that might have been from an episode that you were not present.

[Luke Burbank]

For and you made a whole list of them or something.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, and I think I was quizzing our friend Hannah. It's all coming back to me. It doesn't matter. But I guess for my sake, I'll finish this thought. This is what happened. You are out. Hannah Brooks Olson, my co host on the Spotless podcast, co hosted TBTL with me that day because we're both obsessed with cleaning. I gave her a quiz on how famous lines in movies were cleaned up for their television broadcasts. And that was one of the fake answers because we all know the real line is, you see what happens, Larry? You see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

[Luke Burbank]

In the Alps, that's right.

[Andrew Walsh]

So there. Okay, I got straight. What do you got going on? You talking about?

[Luke Burbank]

Speaking of fill ins, I'm, I'm, I've already lied to the listeners once today on the show. I mean that I'm aware of when I started by saying, well, hello, good morning and welcome.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, did you say that?

[Luke Burbank]

I was thinking earlier today, muscle memorized that. And I told myself I was in the lift coming back here to the hotel from where we were filming. And I was like, it's, it's not even a little bit afternoon. It's 2:18pm as we're recording this. Usually the show's been Posted for an hour by now, but because of the, the vicissitudes of. Basically what it comes down to is Metallica's schedule. And then that little like, you know, greater than, less than sign. And then the, the, the small part of the arrow points towards Metallica and then the wider part points towards my schedule.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, I think you have that backwards.

[Luke Burbank]

Isn't it the little one eats the big one.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, okay, so it's greater than. So the bigger one should be trying to eat the big, the little carrot.

[Luke Burbank]

So it should be the icy. So the arrow should be wider on Metallica's schedule and then gets narrower and the point should be at mine.

[Andrew Walsh]

I assume I don't know your guys's business, but that would indicate.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, yes, what I'm trying to say is Metallica's schedule is more important than my schedule. And we were trying to figure this out over the weekend of how we were going to. I mean, truthfully, here's what happened. Andrew, I don't think this is interesting to even probably you. It's barely interesting to me. But can I take you through the journey yesterday of trying to figure out how to schedule everything that was going on, including TBTL today? So I had struck a deal with, with our producer on the story. I said if you. I said I need to do TBT before we go out to do this, this shoot, so the earliest that I can be there is 11:00am and then the producer said, sure, absolutely. And then forwarded me an email from one of the handlers of Metallica. This was yesterday. It said the guys might want to be there earlier than 11 to. To record this stuff. It's going to be kind of a moving target. And so then I was. I had already sent you a note asking if we could start earlier on Monday and Tuesday. And you had actually, I don't know if you'd responded, but anyway, you had seen it. I got the read receipt on that and so I knew you were. I figured you were probably already making some sort of calculation for that. And what I didn't want to do then is just follow up with a. Like actually now maybe we're. Well, what happened was I sent you a follow up that said, look, let's just do TBTL after I'm done filming with Metallica. It's just going to be easier and cleaner that way. And then right when I hit send on that, I got another message from the producer saying, oh, 11am Works now. Oh, so we could have done it at nine. And that was the plan. And then I was like, I don't know if nine's gonna work. Let's do it after the show. And then I just. I don't. I respect you too much, Andrew, to send you another text saying we're back to nine.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was excited to see that we were off of nine. That would have been the important question is, what's going on tomorrow? Oh, as I spill water all over the place.

[Luke Burbank]

Is everything okay? Is the equipment sure? I can't see you because we don't have eyes on each other today.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's fine. It turns out my water bottle was just filled with confetti, so it was.

[Luke Burbank]

All just in the snakes got a couple of springs in it.

[Andrew Walsh]

So what's going on tomorrow? And again, this isn't even about the show or entertaining listeners. Now I'm just curious what's in store for me tomorrow because apparently my schedule is the small pointy end of your schedule.

[Luke Burbank]

Apparently you're beholden to my schedule, which is beholden tomorrow to the schedule of Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica. He was the only one we didn't interview today. And so anyway, here's what ended up happening, Andrew. Yesterday, I was supposed to fly down here last night. And when I realized that you and I weren't going to talk until after Metallica, I realized, oh, I could actually take the first flight down from Portland to San Francisco on Monday morning. I could have one more treasured night in my own home. Which, you know, yesterday as I was watching the Mariners triumph over the Texas Rangers, I was just kind of enjoying a nice Sunday at my place. And I was like, I would love to not be on a countdown to going and getting on an airplane. So I decided instead to forestall that. So instead of leaving at like 7:30 on Sunday night, I decided instead to have an absolutely fitful night of sleep, constantly thinking I was not going to wake up when the alarm went off at 5am to drive to the airport and fly down here in the morning, which is what I ended up doing. I don't know if that was the smartest trade. I probably should just come down last night. But there was I just the idea that I could spend more hours at my house just relaxing and not be thinking about going and getting on a flight Sunday night. That was so appealing for me that I decided to do the much kind of more stressful early Monday morning thing. And so if I seem a little even more drained than normal, it's because I've already kind of lived an entire day here as you and I are Talking. So I want to apologize to you and to the listeners for my level of energy.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, your energy doesn't seem off to me. My energy's great because I love recording in the afternoons. I've had a whole day. Originally, I was going to. Literally, I was like, who? Sweet. I can go to the gym before the show. And I thought that would really wake my brain up. But I'm not going to lie to you. And this is going to sound real. This is not a real wimpy to people who don't know, but my God, my cat, who is a very loving cat and loves playing with me, but has just recently become a little bit more snuggly with me, decided that he was going to actually, like, kind of sleep on me this morning. That's a little bit rare. Now, I mentioned to you last week that one of our cats is. Is sick and, you know, probably not around. Yeah, Bananas is, you know, she. We think she's got a cancer. As John Wayne said in the movie. It's not called the Duke that Your cats, Annie, get your cats. There's some movie that he would always refer to having cancer. He's. It's near the end of his career and he has cancer, but he keeps telling people that he's got a cancer. I got a cancer. And so anyway, that's what's going on with Bananas.

[Luke Burbank]

Is he a cowboy in this movie?

[Andrew Walsh]

He is. He's a cowboy. I wasn't sure if you're asking because of my imitation of John Wayne. I realized just because I think of.

[Luke Burbank]

Him only as being a cowboy, but maybe he also did, you know, maybe he did a movie towards the end where he was, like, just being a guy his age, living in the normal time frame of when the movie was set. Like, was John Wayne? Like, did he ever. Was he ever allowed to be in a movie where he wasn't saying, you know, well, that'll fix them, you know, and being like an old salty rooster Cogburn type.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. Because the only two things that keep in mind, I'm not a John Wayne head. So I. Oh, here, John Wayne, John Wayne. I'm going to build an airport. Name it after myself. I am not somebody who, you know, knows John Wayne's catalog that well. I just know that, like a lot of families of my generation, we had, for some reason, one VHS tape of a John Wayne movie that was near the end of his career and it had that plot line. He was an elder cowboy at this point. I think he was trying to make right with some People that he loved or something like that. But all I can picture him ever doing is cowboys or World War II movies. Right.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, right. I forgot about that whole phase.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, Those are two. Those are two.

[Luke Burbank]

Was it the Shootist?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, Luke, how did you find that before me? I'm over here frantically. We had it. For some reason, I have no idea why. A, like store bought copy of the movie the Shootist, who I think might have been written by like Louis Lamour or Louis Lamour or one of those western, like, kind of paperback writers.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. Let's see. I'm. Yeah, I'm. I'm feverishly scrolling here to see if it's a. If it's a Louis Lamour or not. By the way, I do love. Oh, don't give me John Wayne's entire Wikipedia page. Please give me the Shootist's Wikipedia page. The Shootist sounds like something that you would call a marksman if you didn't know the term marksman.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, yes, it really does. It sounds like something.

[Luke Burbank]

I was one hell of a shootist.

[Andrew Walsh]

I know you don't want to throw me under the bus, but let's just be honest. It sounds like something I would say in the middle of a sentence when I can't quite get marksman.

[Luke Burbank]

I kind of love it. I mean, honestly, I love it as a. As a name. And I have a feeling that maybe it's explained in the film, but let's see.

[Andrew Walsh]

Very wrong about the novelist is Glendon Swarthout. If I'm saying that name right, I'm.

[Luke Burbank]

Going to be honest with you.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't know who that is.

[Luke Burbank]

It's Glendon Rafel.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. But if, If I'm. If I'm ever trying to guess at who wrote like a, you know, a Western, I'm going Louis L'Amour.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's good. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, honestly, that's the safest bet. You have the most chances of being right with Louis Lamour.

[Andrew Walsh]

And is it definitely Louis? You heard me stumble on that. I think I covered it twice. I gave you an A and a B on that. Because I wasn't.

[Luke Burbank]

Here's what I know. I think you know, I had like in seventh grade, there was a bunch of. Whether it's Louis Lamour or Louis Lamour, a bunch of those books, like in the back of the room on one of those kind of like little racks that's like circular and kind of turns. These would just be the books that were in the class in case you, you know, it was reading time and you didn't have anything. And I feel like whatever teacher was in charge of that classroom called it Louis Lamour. And so it went into my brain as such. That does not mean that's how you say that person's name. That means that's the first way that I heard that person's name said.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, does this have Jimmy Stewart in it, too? Yes, but it makes sense. If you look at the last name Lamour, it looks like a French or French influence last name, which would make. Make even more sense that it would be pronounced.

[Luke Burbank]

It did have Louis Stewart. Had James Stewart. Jimmy Stewart had Lauren Bacall.

[Andrew Walsh]

And Lauren Bacall.

[Luke Burbank]

It had a young Ron Howard in it. Andrew.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, that's right. He plays a kid or like, I think like maybe a young. Like a teenager. He's not as young as he was in the God Happy Days, but.

[Luke Burbank]

Or, sorry, you know, Mayberry, usa, whatever that was called.

[Andrew Walsh]

The Andy Griffith Show. You're bringing it all back. Yeah. And that's right, because I think Jimmy Stewart played the doctor who diagnosed him with a cancer, I believe. Oh. All of that is to say because our cat upstairs is sick, we've had to do this thing where we're. I think I mentioned this on the show. It's just been weird. Kind of my headspace has been a little bit odd lately, too, because it's like I've been sleeping down. We don't want to leave one of the cats totally alone for the night. Bananas, in what we believe are her probably final weeks or months has. Now that she has an entire floor of the house to herself, she's feeling a little bit more brave to kind of roam around a little bit. And I think she and Genevieve have been having some good snuggle times, which was really important to Genevie. When the cat started to get sick, she was holing up in this place that was kind of hard to get to in the basement. And she just spent her entire days there. And it was sad to think that this would be our final moments with her, however long it lasted. Right. And so we decided let's just take advantage of the fact that we do have a house that we can kind of separate into top and bottom by closing some doors. And also just to kind of recreate that great upstairs downstairs magic. So Genevieve has a bell that she rings upstairs, and then I have a cloche with a bunch of food in it. So I stayed. And then when Genevieve rings the bell, I go upstairs and I bring her in banana's meals. And me and Bingo are downstairs in the Basement. And Bingo, I think maybe because he isn't getting quite as much kind of like, you know, family interaction as he usually does, he's become a bit of a snuggle bug. At least last night he slept next to me.

[Luke Burbank]

Gotta be with these animals.

[Andrew Walsh]

Apparently so.

[Luke Burbank]

Got a nega Mandrel. This is. This is. Come on, man. This is the game 101.

[Andrew Walsh]

I. I know. I read the book.

[Luke Burbank]

You've got a neg. Bingo.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's sick. I'm not gonna lie. It's sick. No, but I really, honestly had every intention. I had my gym bag packed up, ready to go. I was gonna put on my gym clothes, go there and, like, do that. But honestly. And I really was like, I was awakened time for it. But bananas was. Or I'm sorry. Bingo was like, you know what? I'm gonna make a nest right on your belly and legs. And I was like, okay, Bingo. And he just laid there. And so I read. Luke, what do you think I read? Let me give you a hint. I am now 98% done with this book.

[Luke Burbank]

A book that my girlfriend is considering starting reading. And I said, why is everyone in my life reading the Count of Monte Cristo?

[Andrew Walsh]

Just tell her she has to read the unabridged version.

[Luke Burbank]

I was trying to explain to her your process of switching between the digital and the print version and that they're not the same. And she was like, that just sounds so maddening. I was like, I think it is.

[Andrew Walsh]

It was because. Yeah. And because it is also a book that was translated from its original French. So you. You get that with translated books. Anyway. You don't know kind of which version you're reading or who translated and what. What. What stank they bring to it. But then also, it turns out I had, like, a generally abridged version that was still, like, at least as big as the Bible. And then it turns out the digital one was unabridged. And I've been like, sometimes I'll put it down for an entire. I think there were times I put it down for an entire month. And now. Anyway, I'm very near the end now, and it's amazing. Everything is really wrapping up. There is some shit that happened. So, I mean, I. Luke, I would love to see a photo of myself when I started reading this book and see how much more hair I had. I think I have balded significantly since I started this book lo those many months, if not years ago.

[Luke Burbank]

But I am lapse of you just.

[Andrew Walsh]

Like one of those.

[Luke Burbank]

A photo every morning of you over the course of many years reading the Count of Monte Cristo.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's amazing. But I gotta say, there were some things that happened so long ago in the book and so long ago in my own life because it's taken me so long. I'm now at the end of the book and literally it says I have about 40. Because the digital book will sort of estimate how much time you have. It says I have 45 more minutes to read in this book. And just now they've reintroduced something that was introduced so early in the book. And I'm like, I can't believe it. That thing. Because I had this little thing in the back of my head. I'm like, why did they show those bandits earlier on in the book? Was that really all that necessary? And now, finally, in the final, final chapters, it's all coming together. And so I sat there this morning. I did not go to the gym. I read about 2% of count of Monte Cristo with bingo on my lap. And you know what? I'm coming into the show with some good energy today.

[Luke Burbank]

I support that as a decision for you with the. Just going with getting the bingo, love. First of all, I want to say I am all joking aside, I am impressed at your determination to finish the Count of Monte Cristo. Like, in a. In a day and age where so many of us are struggling with our attention spans and how hard it can be to read, you know, a conventional book cover to cover, particularly one that's challenging and where you. Like you said, there's the translation issues, etc, like, you know, I. I tip my cap to you, sir. That's amazing. Also, all of the things about, like, you know, the jokes about, like, you're doing something and a cat decides to come and sit on your lap and you're like, well, now I'm trapped here. I didn't understand any of that until I got Bubbles.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's real, isn't it?

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. I mean, I. I had lived with previous cats. I had, you know, inherited a cat in a relationship. Pagoda. I had actively, I guess, been part of the getting of a cat with Olive, although that was really more Carrie's decision. But I liked that cat, Olive. But Olive was just a wildling. It wasn't until Bubbles that I understood, like, oh, this cat coming and choosing to sit on my lap is a rare. It's like a. You know, it's like a king moon. You might get it, you know, two times a year, but you better enjoy it when it happens. And so I actually totally understand that phenomenon of, like, the Cat is sitting on your lap, and that is now the only thing you're going to be doing until the cat decides to go do something else.

[Andrew Walsh]

And, you know, it'll be interesting to see if Bingo continues to move in this direction, because I think he will as he gets older and he loses a little bit of his kitten energy. Not that we want him to lose his energy and be too lethargic, but as he just gets older, I think he's, like, going on three now or something. He might do this a little bit more like my old cat, Theo. That wasn't an issue for me, because Theo would sit on me 247 if he could. He was a very sweet boy, and in some ways, I actually do have some regrets that I didn't. That maybe I blew him off too much. I was just telling Viv, like, I mean, how many times was I sitting in this armchair in our old apartment and playing. What was that game I used to play on my fake iPad all the time? The Hearthstone. Yes. You weren't even playing it. I would sit there and play Hearthstone, and then Theo would jump up on my lap and try to sit on my iPad and, like, try to nuzzle me. And how many times I say, theo, just go play with Genevieve. Like, go. And now I'm kind of like, oh, I missed that cat. So I try not to take, you know, take those things for granted anymore. But also, like, since Bingo isn't in the habit of doing this with me all the time, doing a little bit more and more. It was really hard. I didn't want to, like, I didn't want to teach him that if he tries to snuggle up with me, that I'm gonna blow him off. So it's the opposite of negging. So that's my. It is really cute, though, as he and I cohabitate here in the basement for a while. And by the way, we are allowed to visit Genevieve and Bananas from time to time. We are. We already have kind of a language, but we were developing. We're really bonding in a way that we don't even have to talk to each other anymore. I mean, we could talk or not talk about soup for hours. But the other, I think, actually was just this morning. I was. You know, we finally got up. I'm cleaning up the house. I'm kind of straightening, getting ready for the day, and then I open up one of the windows in my studio here, one of the basement windows, just, like, a crack. And then I look over, and Bingo has jumped up Onto my vcr. Now, he cannot get from my desk onto that ledge. It's too far of a jump for him. But without even hesitating, I realized all I did was bend over. I kind of bowed. He hopped up onto my back, and then hopped up on. Like, we don't even. He doesn't have to ask for it anymore. I just know what he wants when he wants me to bend over a little bit so he can use me, literally, as a step stool.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, you guys are a couple of tricks away from being one of those, like, Russian cat shows that travels around. I mean, that's step one, using you as sort of a platform, a step up. Next, you know, you get Bingo climbing up something and balancing on a plate up top and all this.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was just kind of wondering who. I mean, I was almost wondering if maybe I would be his trained monkey, you know, the thing or cat, maybe in this case. The thing about it is. And I think Genevieve would be the first to say this as well, like, I know we dote on Bingo a lot, and everybody loves their pets, but the truth of the matter is, I think Bingo is the most interesting member of this family, including me and Genevieve. And it's not super close. Like, the cat's got a lot of personality.

[Luke Burbank]

I have to say that maybe handful of times that I've been around that cat, I've been absolutely bewitched. And I do think, yes, everyone thinks that their pet is some kind of a, you know, amazing, special, unique, you know, gift to the planet. And they are for you, if that's how you feel and you're hearing this right now, they absolutely are. But I can say that kind of object. You know, objectively speaking, I think Bingo. Because the thing is. And again, this is the weird compliment about a cat is, like, they're kind of like a dog. But, like, I do think Bingo's kind of socializing and just wanting to be around people and also interact, because, like, Bubbles is very fascinated with people and she will follow. Becca was telling me that there was a maintenance person for the apartment building that was doing some kind of appliance check thing the other day, and that Bubbles was just following this guy all around the apartment. But. But. But that's. But then if this guy were to turn around and try to, like, pet Bubbles, she would scram, whereas Bingo. My senses would just nuzzle right up to, like, Bingo is unbelievably social animal, in my experience.

[Andrew Walsh]

You try to help. Yeah. I do feel you go, oh, you're.

[Luke Burbank]

Using a 38 for that. Okay. I guess, you know, if you're not worried about stripping the nut out, then probably go for it.

[Andrew Walsh]

As you know. I could talk about cats and sleeping in and reading the Count of Monte Cristo. I could just go on forever and ever. But I did just get a weird pang of feeling weird about the show. You just were hanging out with Metallica, and I'm talking about having a cat sleep on my lap and how much that means to me.

[Luke Burbank]

Do you have a story? The World of tbtl. I would put bingo on the level of celebrity as any member of the rock band and the authors of and justice for All Metallica. Did they do a thing called Injustice for All? Was that.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, that was one of their albums, I believe, right?

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, it is. I will tell you this. It's. It's kind of weird. Not weird. It's. It's interesting for me to be doing an interview and actually at this point, a couple of interviews with these guys that are so revered by their fan base. I'm not part of that fan base. So what I actually kind of know a lot about now is their, like, charity organization that they've started. That's actually a very interesting idea. Legitimately, like, they donate huge amounts of money to trade programs at, like, community colleges. And so there's a lot of things where, like, let's say that you are interested in going into dental hygienistry or a firefighting program. Like, they have one at Oxnard and at the community college. But you have to buy, like, to do the firefighting thing, you have to buy a certain amount of equipment just to participate in the class. And that equipment is pretty expensive. It's like some boots and other things. And so they, like, buy all of those. So that. Or like, in the case of the dental hygiene program, you have to have these tools, which are like thousands of dollars. You have to bring them to, like, your first class. And that's a huge barrier for folks. Well, they buy all the tools, and then people can, you know, go through the program, get their certification, and get a really great job out of that. So it's a. It's a super cool thing that they do. That's what I'm, as we would say, read in on what I still don't really know is anything about their music. And I was in, like, Metallica HQ here in San Rafael, if that is how you pronounce it. And I almost felt like, God, this is so wasted on me, because they're like. They're just. They're Coming in, out, they're tuning their guitars. They're rehearsing there right now. I'm. We're filming the rehearsal. I'm not there for the filming of the rehearsal. I'll probably watch some of it tomorrow. But like, I'm just in this room with the guys from Metallica who are just like a. Being super nice to me and the crew and really friendly and like just being super normal chill dudes and are also like working their shit out for this world tour they're about to go on. Just re familiarizing themselves with these songs. And I'm just thinking like, there is somebody, There are some buddies. There are a lot of buddies out there who would absolutely give anything to be in this room where I am. And I'm like, this is cool. I like these guys. They're nice dudes when they're little band Metallica. You know, it's, it's, it's probably, it probably helps me actually, you know, do a better interview because I am in no way overwhelmed by the fact that I am meeting the guys who made this music that I'm largely unfamiliar with. Like, if it was even Wilco, who I've interviewed before, I would be geeking out much harder.

[Andrew Walsh]

Or even when I went, okay, right. I mean, they did, they went fine.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, Jeff Tweedy is pretty impossible to mess it up. He's such a sweetheart. Same with Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips. That's another big, big band in my kind of heart and with my affection. And I got to interview him and, and, and them. And that was a little intense, but still went pretty well. Like, like it's. Again, all I can say is, is they were, they were so nice and very, very like, what? So we started off talking to the lead singer, James Hetfield. And what I really appreciated about him was he was really thoughtful with his answers. Like, I would ask him a question, he would pause for a second, he would really kind of take it in and he would really try to think about like, well, what do I think the answer to that question is? You know, and you could just tell that he wasn't just like, like, you know. And I wonder if I was asking him more about the. Like, what, what guitar did you use on this song? You know, or something. I don't know if he would have a stock answer for a lot of. I don't think I was asking him about stuff that he has gets interviewed about a lot. So he probably doesn't have a ton of stock answers. But it was just, I really Appreciate his authenticity. Just like a really nice, really very, very. Just relatable kind of down to earth guy. Same with Robert Trujillo, who. Who was telling these stories about, like, he used to do construction. So he. When he was in his twenties, he. He was. He's like the bass player. He would do construction and he said that he'd be like, hanging drywall and they'd be listening to, like, Black Sabbath to get, like, hyped, to try to get through the day. And he was like, the fact that, like, now I'm in Metallica and we make that music that people are listening to to get hyped, to get through there, like hanging drywall drop. He's like, that just is really, like, super exciting for me. I just love the idea that we get to be kind of part of that. Again, super down to earth. And then this guy, Kirk Hemmett, who's the. The guitar player, we do this whole interview and he's. Again, he's a very, really genuine guy. And. And we're done. Because they have to get to rehearsing, and I don't want to. There's so many. When you get to this, like, a band that's at this level, there are just so many people who work in the orbit of these bands and are like, each person has someone who's responsible for trying to keep them on schedule. And I can see people in the background just kind of pacing a little bit quicker, kind of like, you know, we're going off schedule here. So I'm like, okay, well, thank you so much. You know, I think that's probably all the questions. And then he just goes like, oh, can I say one more thing? And then he starts telling this story where he becomes very emotional. He starts crying. He's talking about watching TV and seeing somebody who's unhoused being interviewed the other day. And they're wearing a Ride the Lightning T shirt. And he's like, I just wanted to get in my car and find this person and just try to, like, like, say, what can I do? Like, give, give. You know, here's some food. Here's a little, you know, money to help you out. Like, there was something about him seeing somebody who's experiencing homelessness who was wearing their T shirt. And he just starts crying. And it was a very powerful moment. I don't know if there's room for it in the story or not, but it was a deeply human moment. And it was not like, oh, this guy is like, you know, he's not, you know, NME's number eight, all time heavy metal guitarist or something. Like, funny part about all about, particularly this guy Kirk Hammett. And then to some degree, James Hetfield, the lead singer. But, like, the amount that of people who are just obsessed purely with their guitar work and where it ranks on the list of. Of whatever the, you know, the greatest of doing this are, like, that's a whole world I can't even enter. A, because I actually don't give A, and B, because I don't. It's not a thing I track. But, like, when. When Hetfield sat down, I forget we were making some kind of small talk before, and he was talking about equipment or something, and I was like. I was like, yeah, you must. You know, there must be a lot of. A lot of people writing a lot about what kind of guitar, you know, you're using on this song or what kind of a, you know, amp you're using. Goes, yeah, I don't even. He goes. I don't even know. He goes, yeah, I hear there's a lot of talk out there. Oh, by the way, he didn't even know that at Coachella this weekend, where, by the way, Bernie Sanders made an appearance. I don't know if you saw that.

[Andrew Walsh]

I. Is that why. I saw a photo of him in front of the Misfits logo. I saw some photo of Bernie Sanders standing in front of a wall that had.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, because Danzig or the Misfits were there. I don't think I knew Glenn. Was Glenn Danzig always a Misfit.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. As his band.

[Luke Burbank]

I didn't know he would. This show.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

This is a real.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's then Sam Hayne. You want to get me going on Sam Hain. You want to talk about shit.

[Luke Burbank]

So he had. So they had two things. I just think of him as Dan Zig.

[Andrew Walsh]

It was Dan's. It was. I think. I mean, boy, I'll embarrass myself, but I'm pretty sure.

[Luke Burbank]

No, no.

[Andrew Walsh]

Then Sam Hay. Because Sam Hain. Because I had their album Luke November Coming Fire, which, I mean, you want to talk about the kind of music that you and your family would. I mean, it's literally like. It was like devils, like demons. Coming up from Fire on the. On cover of Samhain 3, which has never been released, I think as anything but a cassette tape. I saw a bootleg interview.

[Luke Burbank]

Danzig, I'm bringing you so you can Cyrano de Danzig.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay. That would be. Yeah, I'm a. I'm a. I'm a. I wouldn't say I'm A big fan, because there are real big fans out there. But I definitely dipped my toes into that Misfits. And even some of the. Even some of the danzig water. Certainly don't drink the danzig water.

[Luke Burbank]

No, no, no. You're going to want to boil that.

[Andrew Walsh]

First, especially because I dip my toes in it. But, yeah, have. I have a. I have a special. There's a. Yeah. My heart for these guys. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm impressed. So I think that's probably explains why Bernie Sanders was in front of that Misfits thing, because I did know that they played and he was there, which I just think is just. I don't know why. That just cracks me up, by the way. I think it's a good move. Like, I think it's cool. Oh, but here was the thing. So we're sitting there, we've been talking James Hetfield, and I've been talking at length now for like an hour, and now we're pretty much wrapping up. And I was like, hey, what did you think about Weezer covering Enter Sandman at Coachella? He goes, what do you mean? I go, yeah, they did that this weekend. Everybody was re tweeting it and putting it out there because it was, you know, everybody was geeking out on me. And I go, am I the first person to tell you this happened? He goes, yeah, I'm just really bad at social media. I don't know what goes on. I usually find out from someone like.

[Andrew Walsh]

You, these guys are older than us, obviously, because they were huge stars before, while we were still youth. Right.

[Luke Burbank]

So, yeah, I think he's like 60 or something, but I guess I just thought it's interesting. It would be an interesting world to have accomplished enough musically that when another super band, at least in terms of popularity, Weezer, does one of your songs and everyone's freaking out about it at the big music festival of the world this weekend, which is Coachella. None of that hit your radar? Nobody texted you, hey, did you know the Weezer guys are covering inter Sandman? Like, it's like, I. I was surprised that I was the first person hipping him to this, but again, that's just. Is probably his world. He's A, seems deeply not hung up on himself and. And B, not terminally online the way I am. So good for him and all that is.

[Andrew Walsh]

Did you ask him if he knows who Weezer is?

[Luke Burbank]

That would have been a good piece of tape. What. What's your take on Rivers Cuomo? You know, all that is to. Do they make anything good after Pinkerton.

[Andrew Walsh]

That actually is because I'm not, I'm not a Weezer head at all. And it wasn't until kind of react recently, like literally the last couple of years that I was talking to a friend of mine who is a Weezer head, that I realized that that is kind of a. That is like an indie rock kind of conversation. Right. Like Weezer went from being totally beloved to like really, to some fans, really letting them down.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, I mean that, that's a tough one. I think there would have been a time in my life. I. First of all, I'm also not a Weezer aficionado, but certainly, you know, the Sweater song and things like that were. I was kind of. And that's all. I think that's. That's before they became crazy mainstream. But like I. Ten years ago, I probably would have had more. I would have been more invested in a conversation about when Weezer, quote unquote, sold out. But I think at this, at my, you know, here in my middle age, here in my dotage, I would just say like, I don't really care if people like the music, they like the music. If they don't, they don't. Like, nobody needs me weighing in on when Weezer stopped being a fun thing for people. Because what I can tell you is the people at Coachella were friggin loving Weezer. You know, like they're playing island in the sun, which is undeniably a catchy tune. And the, you know, the people at Coachella were flipping out. They were absolutely loving it. So I don't want to yuck that. Yum. I don't. I don't think that does anybody any good.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was, I was like, oh, that's an interesting cover. I, I heard that as you saying that Weezer did a cover Islands in the Stream. I was like, oh, that's an interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

Now that would be pretty funn if they did it since Islands in the sun was such a hit for them.

[Andrew Walsh]

I literally don't cover Islands in the Stream. This is what I mean when I say I literally do. I'm not a Weezer head. I don't know if I know the song Islands in the Sun. Like I never had any records or anything.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know very little about it. It was very. It was on an island in the sun. We'll be playing having fun and it makes me feel so fine I can't control my brain. Does that rendition in any way ring and will that get us? Was it good enough that it'll get us pulled down anywhere. Andrew, the real question.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, I think the real question is, can I use that in tomorrow's intro tape?

[Luke Burbank]

If you would like me to die a little inside. You sure can, sir. You sure can. I have to release ego Death, my friend. It's all about ego death. But anyway, all of that is to say they were just all extreme, extremely genuine, nice dudes. And I have a feeling now tomorrow is Lars. He's the wild card. Oh, he's the guy that still hasn't gotten over Napster.

[Andrew Walsh]

But he's. I mean, they're all like kind of notoriously nice guy. Can you.

[Luke Burbank]

No, he's.

[Andrew Walsh]

Can you be notoriously nice?

[Luke Burbank]

He was on. Wait, Wait, when I was on the panel, when we were doing it in San Francisco many years ago. And he seemed extremely nice and open and friendly. So I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm expecting good things from that. But I was also thinking, I wonder if part of their longevity as a band and also the fact that they just seem to be actually, like, they're still playing freaking stadiums. You know what I mean? Like, they're a big deal still. I wonder if that is on some level related to the fact that they're actually pretty good dudes. Like, I just wonder if, if you have a band where it just gets to everyone how kind of famous they've gotten and how much money they've made. I wonder if it's just really, really hard to maintain a band made up of people that are just kind of not nice dudes or nice people over the long term. You wonder about, like, Smashing Pumpkins, whatever's. I mean, I don't know if they're playing in their original lineup or not, but I think Billy Corgan's kind of like, known to be a little bit of a, you know, a handful at times or whatever. Like.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, I just wonder. I don't think, like, they're. I don't think the main lineup is playing on this and whatever that latest tour was. I don't think. I think they're. They. He's like. I mean, I know you didn't ask, but, I mean, I think they're famously in him and Darcy, right? Was the bass player Darcy or Darby? No. I mean, I think it was really, really toxic. That always kill. I always hate hearing those stories. And I. I am not a. I'm not a Metallica. I mean, I'm more of a Metallica fan than you. I had like three or four records, like, in my youth. And honestly, talking about Metallica like This makes me want to literally put on headphones because I wouldn't want anybody to see me listen to Metallica, because I think that would be. I would. I don't know, I'd be, like, very sel. Conscious about it. But, like, I am very much, since talking to you about this, very much in the mood to put on Master of Puppets in my headphones and just, like, go. Go back to being, like, 16 years old for a little bit. But it does bum me out when bands I love, like the Smashing Pumpkins, just show. Show themselves to be so toxic like that.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, these guys seem to just not be that way. I mean, and they also were, like, very. You know, there was that documentary, Some Kind of Monster that was about the stuff they were going through, although they were also the executive producers of that. So that's always a little bit. That was. That always tempered it for me. I thought it was a really good documentary. But also the fact that they had final say is something that being said talking to them today. They did not seem like guys who were overly obsessed with their own image or the story of them. Like, they really just seemed like they were kind of. In fact, the thing Hetfield kept saying, which I guess I didn't really know about him, was he was like, yeah, you know, we were doing this thing where we were donating to food banks, and then they would have us, like, have this oversized check. And he was like. And I just wanted to die. He was like, I hated it so much. And I just said, like, can we not. Can we please not do that? This is mortifying. And so they stopped, and they stopped doing that. And I think when we were talking about this months ago, before I stormed off the black carpet in a huff, I think somebody reached out to us and said, yeah, yeah, I'm friends with someone at a food bank somewhere. That. Or some kind of an organization that got a big check from Metallica. That was just a surprise. Somebody called up, asked some questions, and then. Then this money came through, and it was not, you know, it was not particularly promoted. It wasn't like nobody showed up with a large check to take a picture and print it in. Metallica Weekly, which seemed to check out with the story of they really are doing a lot of this stuff without really trying to draw any extra attention to themselves. So one thing that I recommend, one.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thing that you said that will stick with me because it's stuck with me for the past, I don't know, 10 minutes or something since you said it.

[Luke Burbank]

And I know that long Time for you.

[Andrew Walsh]

It really is. I can't remember usually more than five minutes.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't feel that way.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, no.

[Luke Burbank]

Such a. You teed it up. I'm sorry.

[Andrew Walsh]

No. And I know that we should wrap up. Actually, I'm looking at the time here. I'm sorry to extend this, but it's worth a conversation or worth maybe just, like, reiterating and then. And then we can all think about it on our own time, but like, that idea of. Okay, so what's the guitar player's name again?

[Luke Burbank]

Kirk Hammett.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hammett. Kurt. Kirk Hammett. So him having.

[Luke Burbank]

Not to be confused with Kirk Honda.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, no. Doctor. Doctor Honda. Him having this. This feeling of seeing somebody wearing a Metallica shirt and saying, hey, you know, this is somebody who I could. I. Sorry, I'm getting buzzes here. I forgot. I told some listeners on social media that the show was posting late today, but I forgot to put it on slack. And now I'm starting to get that. I just got. I don't know if you could hear that. I don't know if you could hear the buzz in the background.

[Luke Burbank]

The line was buzzing. You mean you're getting pinged?

[Andrew Walsh]

It's my fault. I'm meant to put it on slack. Anyway, I'm sorry for being so distracted when I was supposed to really be on my A game because we got to record in the afternoon today, but.

[Luke Burbank]

Afternoon.

[Andrew Walsh]

Andrew, that idea of looking at somebody's life and saying, wow, that person is in dire need, right? And then to have the amount of wealth of Metallica or as a member of Metallica and say, I could, without a lot of impact on my own finances, literally potentially change that person's life. And now a lot of things go into extreme poverty. You know, what is the word? I should know this better. But, like, what is the word where it's. You kind of can't get out of it? It's cyclical or whatever. We don't know the journey of this person who he saw being interviewed. We don't even know if he's a Metallica fan. Honestly. Like, people wear shirts that they find all over the place. It doesn't really matter. But either way, he saw himself on this person's shirt in need, and he can think to himself, like, if I could track this person down without even putting much of a dent in my bank account or even a dent at all, I could. I could really potentially help this person's. At least bottom line, if not life, right? And then I started you. That's not how he. That's not how you paraphrased him. But that's sort of how I heard it, for better or for worse. And it just got me thinking, like, yeah, and to a certain degree, you, me, many people, not everybody, but many people listening to this are kind of in a similar situation. Not to that degree, but I could. You can. I could take a chunk of some sort of savings. And it's like, it's both. Like, it gives you sort of hope, but also it's kind of like. But where do you draw the line and where do you. What is the best place to put resources? You know what I mean? Is it to stop one person and try to help them? Because that sounds amazing. But is it better to instead invest in institutions and organizations, which Metallica is also doing? And just to underscore what you've been saying, we have a friend, I think she said it's okay to say the name of the organization, but I won't. But you and I have a mutual friend who works for a really good nonprofit organization that does incredibly important work for women who are in various types of needs. And she said that I think before she started working for this organization, or might have been right as she took the job, she found out that the Metallica very much on the down low when they were in town for some sort of like rock and roll related activity, like cut a check for a big chunk of money that went to their organization. And it was not on the front page of the Seattle Times. Like, I love that they're doing these things on the down low just because it's important to them.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, they. The percentage of their ticket sales just automatically, they literally never see it. It just goes into a fund that is then distributed within that community. And actually. And then we can maybe, speaking of charity work, we can thank the dazzling donors. Like, the thing that Hetfield was saying to me was, he goes, I go, when did this kind of start for you? Thinking about trying to use this, you know, sort of building fame and wealth that you were having to try to help other people? Goes well, it kind of started when we had people that would start coming to, like every show and they would. I would start to see them and I'd be like, I don't even know how they got to the next city. And they might be like, kind of sleeping outdoors. Like, these are fans that are just like basically Grateful Dead. You know, they're deadheading. But whatever the Metallica version is. And he was like. And we would have like, there'd be so much food backstage that would not get consumed. And then we started being like, well, can we bring some of this food to these people that have just been, like, outside the venue for X, you know, for all this time? And then we started setting up a system where we would take all of the stuff that didn't get consumed and it was still, you know, know, safe to eat. And we start taking it to local food banks, you know, and just trying to figure out how do we cut down on the waste and how do we. So that was the sort of beginning of it, but I thought that's pretty funny that it was basically like, you're like, whatever, the Metallica version of a Deadhead. Some guy who's just like, basically dedicated his entire life to just going to see Metallica everywhere they play. But side note, he's probably pretty, you know, struggling financially because he's made this decision just like, outside of James Hetfield's, like, do you. You. Can I get you a tuna sandwich? We have a platter of them in here. It's like a very relatable, sort of thoughtful thing. Back to your larger question around. Just like, you know, the. The questions of how to best. How to best direct the resources, and also the fact that you're absolutely right. Most of us, you and I and the people hearing this, there isn't. There is an increased amount of charity that we could be activating right now in our life. And the question is, where do we. Where do we draw our personal line as far as our lifestyle is concerned or our level of savings or our. You know, because on some level, it's like, really none of us should be indoors until all of us are indoors. You know, like, that's the. A really extreme version of it is if I have anything that's making my life more materially comfortable than it needs to be, and someone else is suffering, why would I have that thing? Why would I have, you know, two ballisters, they're called. They're basically these pillows that are kind of like a long kind of cylinder. And you put them. I have this sectional couch in my living room, and these ballisters are, like. They're very convenient to rest your arm on or even your head on if you're taking a little Sunday afternoon nap during the Masters, which I might have been guilty of.

[Andrew Walsh]

Perfect.

[Luke Burbank]

And they're just like. They're basically decorative. They're somewhat functional. I think they were $40 a piece. I bought them. Like. Like, do I need $80 of ballister? I'm Ballistering on a budget.

[Andrew Walsh]

Andrew. Okay, there you go. I knew we were getting, we're getting somewhere near a show title.

[Luke Burbank]

You're getting in the neighborhood of, of a show title. But like, you know, you can just. Any of us can look around our life and we can kind of go, is each and every item or is each and every, you know, thing that we have chosen to prioritize our own finances on, is it worth it for me to have 5% more comfort when that could go to help someone? And I mean, I don't have, by the way, I don't have the answer to this. Like that's the thing. It's kind of a, it's a personal decision and it's really hard to know. You just have to kind of do what makes sense for yourself. But what I do think to go back to the, the Metallica Scholars, which I just love the idea of something like I graduated from Metallica. Uh, you're a Megadeth guy. We're rivals.

[Andrew Walsh]

I graduated Metallica cum laude.

[Luke Burbank]

I love, I love. It's like I, oh God, don't even get me. My brother in law is Metallica you. And then my other brother in law is, is Megadeth State. And those. Actually there is a Dave Mustaine collection connection there. Those guys, they, they, they are, you know, he was in Metallica and then, and then was kicked out and then went on to found Megadeth, which is a pretty popular band in its own right. But the thing about the, the to keep going back to this dental hygiene thing. The person that I heard that I heard the story thirdhand, but one of the students said that she didn't have the money to buy this equipment she needed. And because she got the equipment for free, she was able to take the course and she was going to be able to get a job making six figures. And she was somebody who I think was a single parent. And like the, if you take like the next 30 years of earnings for that person that was activated because Metallica, you or whatever gave donated $3,000 worth of equipment. I mean it's shocking the difference in a person's life. Life.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. And just.

[Luke Burbank]

And as I always.

[Andrew Walsh]

And then the, and then the stability for their family going their kids and.

[Luke Burbank]

What is their kid's life going to look like? You know, being, you know, hopefully in a household where there's a living wage being paid to their parent and, and like, you know, as I say on this show a lot, it's, it can be very expensive being poor and like it's crazy to me that something like a thousand dollars, which is, by the way, not an insignificant amount of money to any of us, including me, but like a thousand dollars. If you have the thousand dollars, you could then take part in a program that would then mean that you could have a really good paying job for the rest of your adult life, or you don't because of the thousand dollars you don't have that your life takes a totally different path. And that looks like whatever that looks like. Like, that's wild to me, that that's. That can be the difference for someone about the whole rest of their at least job life. And so it seems like a pretty smart and cool thing these guys are doing, kind of trying to. To sort of intervene at this moment where a thousand dollars could be leveraged into being hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime. Pretty smart stuff from. From some heavy metal dudes. We was hoping for some razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle. That's right, man. Razzle dazzle. On your mark. On your mark. Get set, get set now. Ready, ready, go, everybody. Razzle dazzle. All right, like we said, we've been talking a lot, lot about charitable giving today on the show, and we've got to thank some very charitable people who are giving to tbtl. They are donating a dazzling amount of dough to keep this thing going. And my goodness, Andrew Walsh. Look who the first name on my list is today. None other than our friend Phyllis Fletcher. P. Fletch. F. Fletch. What's your name? Fletch. Full name?

[Andrew Walsh]

Fletch. F. Fletch.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, P. Fletch in this case, but yes, Phyllis Fletcher of Seattle, Washington.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, Phyllis, of course, Phyllis is a great, great friend of ours personally and friend of the show for the longest time and also just celebrated a birthday and also just got carded after celebrating said birthday, which I know was a pretty good feeling. Happy Blurs day, Phyllis.

[Luke Burbank]

We love to hear it. You know, Phyllis and I were hanging out on Friday because Phyllis came as if if Phyllis is not doing enough for TBTL with this generous donation and all the love and support and the medical advice, which we'll get to in a minute. But Friday night we did Livewire at the Nordstrom Recital hall at Benaroya. And Phyllis, who's on the board of Livewire, got up and did like a. A member pitch, basically said to the room of folks, hey, if you think this is cool and you want to keep it going, can you join? Absolutely. Obliterated the record for the most people we've ever had sign up to be members.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, wow.

[Luke Burbank]

Like by a factor of a thousand or something. Like it was crazy. So yeah, Phyllis's contribution to my work life on various levels knows almost no bounds. Here's Phyllis's message. LOL. You're almost 49. You'll soon be eligible for shingles and pneumonia vaccines. It's right around the corner, just like the polyp they took out of Luke. So I guess, I mean, I am about to be 49. I'll be 49 before you're 49.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm a little bit older than you. Like you're May, right?

[Luke Burbank]

Huh? That's right. It's a real May November relationship. You and me, Andrew. Anything that keeps you on the planet gives me more tbtl. That's why I keep bullying you with peace and love. I feel like this is directed right.

[Andrew Walsh]

At you, Mr. Walsh, because I have not had. I'm holding the card, not dancing. It's colonoscopy and it's got a phone number to call. I gotta do this right now. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Although I'll tell you, it was so much. Well, the, the preparation, the, the getting ready for it as I documented on this show, was, you know, it definitely took some, some discipline. The procedure itself, absolute piece of cake. And I will say I felt pretty giddy afterwards. I think that was the after effect of the drugs, you know, So I mean, that's one of the things that the people will tell you is that it's a pretty good high off of whatever, whatever the stuff they're giving you is. And I can, I can confirm it was a pretty good high.

[Andrew Walsh]

Know your audience now you're speaking my language.

[Luke Burbank]

That's, you know, kind of, that's rockin buzz. I'm a rockin buzz. Nice, nice party down reference. We love it. Little Ken Marino.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Shout out to Captain Will. That would be our friend Will. Who is the. Is Will still in charge of the pilots union for Alaska?

[Andrew Walsh]

As far as I know, yeah. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I keep wondering if I'm going to ever get Captain Will on a flight because I flew Alaska this morning. What a, what a thrill and a treat that would be. If I ever hear the pilot come over the PA and say this is Captain Will. I would be pretty stoked about that.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes. I'm not sure, I'm not sure how much he is actually in the pilot.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that's what I'm wondering. I wonder if being in charge of the union means you're mostly being in charge of the union as Opposed to, you know, putting up those miles, shout out to Captain Will Bobby Pape and to my classmates Ivan Chabra and Michelle Neptune. To Brandon, Lucien and dates with Kate Baba Booie to you all. Oh, Phyllis. Baba Booie. Baba Booie Baba Bowie. Howard Stern penis.

[Andrew Walsh]

Can I say something here?

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Andrew Walsh]

This is a message to Phyllis, and this is a message to the person who called our voicemail line saying that they've alerted a couple of fellows who I believe are associated with the Howard Stern show that we are doing a tradio live stream this Saturday. What are the names of the two guys who do the pranking of tradio type of things?

[Luke Burbank]

It would be Richard and Sal.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes. I got a voicemail from somebody who said, I want to let you know, I've let Richard and Sal know that you guys are doing a tradio live stream on Saturday. And I had to look up Richard and Sal. I'm like, oh, these are the guys that Luke is always talking about. Yes, from Howard Stern. Who? The exact kind of broadcast that we are looking to do. I will not stand for it, Phyllis.

[Luke Burbank]

I would absolutely sit for it. I would lie down in the road for it.

[Andrew Walsh]

I know. That's where I realize you and I are going to be at odds here, because that would be like, I don't want. I mean, dream come true is obviously an overstatement, but you are a big fan of the Howard Stern show. Getting pranked by the merry Pranksters over there might be an actual kind of an accomplishment for you, something to brag about. Whereas for me, it'd be real.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, I like real bucket list stuff. The problem is it would be, I mean, two things. One, I. I highly doubt that they're going to take time out of their Saturday to try to mess with us, but this is a good chance to remind folks. It's the 19th, right? Do I have that date?

[Andrew Walsh]

That's right. It's this coming Saturday, 10:00am this coming Saturday. That's right. Pacific Time, 10:00am yes, siree.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay. Yeah. This Saturday we're going to be doing this tradio thing. I mean, it would be insane and it would make me so happy if they called and tried to prank us. The problem is it also would kind of. The prank would be less effective because when it works really well, is they're calling, you know. You know, Dauthin, Alabama. I think that might be where Bruce and Lake Stevens now lives. What an odd town for me to pull out. Oftentimes they're calling somewhere kind of in the deep south where there's just like a kind of a affable, you know, kind of affable hillbilly who's, who's, who's trading around, you know, he's hosting the show that's trading these various things. Things and just the, like, how apoplectic they can get. This unsuspecting tradio host. That's the real fun.

[Andrew Walsh]

Right.

[Luke Burbank]

As soon as I heard one of their voices, I would know immediately. Even though they're going to be doing an accent, I would know immediately it was them. And I would then not know how to contain my joy dough. I would not be getting fooled, unfortunately. Also, I have a feeling I will know each and every person who calls in on Saturday because that's how tight knit this community is.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, it's a good point.

[Luke Burbank]

So if we, if we suddenly had a guy who sounded vaguely like Richard from the Howard Stern show, hey, Bob, just want to call in, see about them chickens you're selling.

[Andrew Walsh]

I am going to be.

[Luke Burbank]

That's Richard Christie, But Richard, Chris. 100%.

[Andrew Walsh]

This might be putting ideas in other listeners heads, though, to like, try to get us. I want everybody to know that I am going to be so quick with the hang up button. You have no idea. As my mom, as my mom used to say growing up, I will hang up on you so quickly your head will spin. My mom didn't say she was going to hang up on me usually, but you use the phrase so fast your head will spin, you know, and, and I will hang up on you guys so quickly your spin. But again, thank you for your donations.

[Luke Burbank]

Absolutely. Phyllis says to every 10 who sees me in the wild, if you see something, say something to me. P. Fletch, I want to meet you. And then Phyllis signs off.

[Andrew Walsh]

Courage.

[Luke Burbank]

Now more than ever. P. Fletch and Phyllis, for real, for real. Happy blurs day. And also, thank you for just being an absolutely vital part of this whole situation, this TBTL thing, and also the other one, the livewire thing. If we can just get you somehow working for my CBS stuff, then we'd really have the holy trinity of job life. For me, that would be really possible probably only because of help from folks like Phyllis. So thanks, Phyllis. We appreciate you. Love you. And couldn't do this without you. Maestro, on your mark. On your mark. Get set, get set now.

[Andrew Walsh]

Ready?

[Luke Burbank]

Ready, Go. Everybody rattle.

[Andrew Walsh]

Settle.

[Luke Burbank]

It's Laura Gosling of Podgorica, Montenegro. Is this the first? I mean, Laura's been donating for a while. I recognize Laura's name, but I don't recognize Laura as being in Montenegro.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm pretty sure. What do they say about people who move? Moss doesn't grow on Laura. Is that an expression? No.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, a rolling stone gathers no moss. There's no grass growing below Laura's feet. Feet beneath.

[Andrew Walsh]

Is that. What is that?

[Luke Burbank]

Grass doesn't grow under her.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, I've never heard that one before. But yeah, it's clearly messing that up. But yeah, I think Laura is a bit of a rolling stone.

[Luke Burbank]

Looks like it. Once again, time for the dazzling donor message comes around and I get to answer once again from an overseas post. Okay, this is starting to check out. Podgorica Montenegro. I'm not giving you a pronouncer this year because you mocked my pronouncer for Accra two years ago. So I guess Laura was in Ghana, I guess a couple of years ago.

[Andrew Walsh]

Did we mock a pronounce?

[Luke Burbank]

I'm sorry, I feel like I must have just done an ophabia Quist Arctin.

[Andrew Walsh]

I cried. We're all thinking it. Don't worry. They address.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't think that's mocking. I think that's celebrating of Fabio Quist Arctin's amazing style on the radio.

[Andrew Walsh]

I might. I. This. This. I don't know. This feels like an Andrew was being pedantic about the way maybe something was written out or something.

[Luke Burbank]

I would say don't beat yourself up. I mean, once we've established what actually happened, then I would say beat. Beat yourself up.

[Andrew Walsh]

You'd hand me a tire iron.

[Luke Burbank]

I would be first in line to give you the implement with which you would beat yourself up. But in this, I don't think it's early Andrew to know if you messed this up. I think I. I think I probably went all you never want to go full oqa of on it. And I probably did. Yeah. Okay, let's see. Laura says in all seriousness, though I continue to rely on TBTL for a moment of sanity in an increasingly difficult and trying world. One day you diverted into extended sock and colonoscopy talk and like many tents, I was here for it. I know you don't take credit for the community, but you have created a place for us to build relationships around the show, sharing a sensibility and anchored in the lore of the show. I'm writing this in February and I don't know what will happen between now and when this is ready, but all I can do is hope. And we continue to resist the current political situation. And please support any causes among the gazillion currently exploding know also that your federal workforce is doing its best to try to continue doing the right thing. Wow. That makes me think that Laura is part of the federal workforce and is currently in Montenegro and is unfortunately probably doing just the kind of work that is not currently valued by the sitting administration. And so, Laura, we're wishing you the absolute best and we are so grateful for your support over the years of the show, and particularly now when you are out there yourself, presumably with your work, under some sort of cloud of suspicion, maybe not yours, than others like you. And so we hope you're doing okay out there and we really do appreciate it and we'll never, ever make fun of your accra pronouncer again, unless I.

[Andrew Walsh]

Forget and actually do it. Here I go once again with the email. Every week I hope that it's from a female.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, man, it's not from a female. All right, we have been receiving a series of messages about two different things that I apparently screwed up. And interestingly enough, they're both here in what I will call the greater Bay Area. Andrew, did you notice that?

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, they're both related to the same conversation we had, or I might be missing what you're saying here.

[Luke Burbank]

I think that there they were. The original conversation was unrelated. The original conversation regarding can Oracle park and Candlestick park was because we were just talking about what a great day of baseball it was when the Mariners were playing in the San Francisco Giants home opener.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

And I think that was because we were thanking a dazzling donor who was in San Francisco and we were telling them that it's not their fault fault that the Giants. And it was okay, it was okay by us if they took joy in the Giants being the Mariners. And then we went on to talk about that, that baseball stadium and then we were wondering if it was built in the same spot as Candlestick Park. And then I did a quick like, and this is, this will be important later, a quick like Internet Wikipedia search of this and was trying to figure out if Oracle park was built on the same spot as Candlestick Park.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

And I said it was because of what I read on Wikipedia. Now, many people have explained that is not the case. They are in different places. I was mistaken and I agree that I was mistaken, but I do think that the writing on Wikipedia, again, if you, if you're a person who's trying to co host a podcast and kind of looking at this sort of with one eye, if I read you this statement from Wikipedia, which is, which is the thing that made me think it was built where Candlestick park is, is the stadium. They're talking about Oracle Park. Now, the stadium cost $357 million to build and supplanted the Giants former home, Candlestick Park.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay, interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

Supplanted is a weird word. I saw supplanted and I just said, okay, supplanted means replaced in my mind, which it did. It replaced it, but it did not replace it on the same geographic spot. But I do think the word supplanted is, is kind of. I'm not. I don't want to totally blame whoever wrote this up on Wikipedia, but it certainly gave me the wrong impression.

[Andrew Walsh]

That is interesting. I've never thought much about the word supplant, but I plan on spending the next 45 minutes doing so. Now, I like that I'm on a.

[Luke Burbank]

Mostly supplanted based diet.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't know that I've ever used it before. And I just looked it up now to see if it had any. Like, is there anything specific about the word supplant that doesn't make it just synonymous with, with replace? Apparently the dictionary definition is supplant means supersede and replace. And so I guess, But I, but I say that kind of, I guess, sort of in defense of you. Like, supplant feels like it has a. It feels like it has a different meaning than replaced to me, but I guess it doesn't. And I think I might have made the same assumption, especially in the moment. I mean, I just want to, you know, we did not get any, like, kind of people saying, you guys are idiots. It's, you know, Candlestick park and Oracle are in different places. We got a bunch of emails from people who love their city and love talking about the history of Candlestick and the Giant. So we got some really nice long emails about this. And that's why I got the San Rafael thing. So the San Rafael only ties in, not to do with any of these parks, but just that you also mentioned in this conversation that you were going to be in, in the Bay Area and in San Rafael. So that's, that's the tie in between these two things.

[Luke Burbank]

But what's funny is, so San Rafael is spelled San San, as you might imagine. And then the, like, if you met someone, if someone introduced themselves to you and their name was Raphael R A F A, E, L, you would be surprised if they said, my name is Rafael R A F A E, L. But. But the thing is, I think, because I must have just heard San Rafael referenced or something. I don't know if I've ever been here. I actually, interestingly enough, for all my travels and having lived in California for a while in la, I actually have not spent a ton of time in the greater Bay Area. Like, it's not a place that I feel like I have a pretty clear handle on. Particularly I'm out here, I guess, in Marin now is where San Rafael is. But I feel like I'd heard the name San Rafael, and I was looking at this thing that looked to my eyes like it's San Rafael. And I think when I said it on, like, Friday or whatever, like, I'm gonna be in San. I think I. I remember my brain locking up and going, I'm gonna say San Rafael, but I think that's gonna be wrong. And it was.

[Andrew Walsh]

And I got one note from listener Lane. Like, we. Again, we'd heard from a lot of people on this, and Lane says here it's not pronounced correctly as it would be in Spanish around here. The locals pronounce it more like San Rafael. As a Spanish speaker, it drives me nuts. But there's a lot of that around here. And it reminds me of Los Feliz. Yes. But not only that, but specifically, I think it was like, last week on the podcast, I listened to too much the Dan LeBatard Show. LeBatard was out in LA, I think, you know, wheeling and dealing for some sort of Meadowlark Media documentary or whatever's coming out of the shoot. But he couldn't get over the fact that they call Los Feliz Los Feliz instead of, you know, Los Feliz. Yeah, exactly. It's like, what? They're not. They're not saying it right.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, there was somebody. And this would be a much more interesting story if I could remember the details, but there was somebody that I was listening to or watching recently, and they were talking about the neighborhood of Los Feliz in California, in Los Angeles, and they were calling it Los Feliz. But the reason it galled me slightly was because I feel like the larger conversation was them kind of flexing about their Angelino. I don't want to say roots. Roots, but, like, there was something where the fact that they were mispronouncing Los Feliz while they were trying to make some other point about the Los Angelesness of something.

[Andrew Walsh]

Sure.

[Luke Burbank]

That struck me as like, you gotta, you know, you gotta know you're Los Feliz or you're doomed to kind of look foolish. But again, we talk about this a lot. Just about every place has A couple of those things where they're just. Again, in Portland. It's a street that looks for all the world. Like it's Couch street, but it's cooch. There's just lots of play. There are always a few things that are just kind of like a. It's almost an initiation into the local culture. If you learn the way we've all agreed to mispronounce this, then you're in.

[Andrew Walsh]

I mean, obviously Concord, New Hampshire was a big one for sure. Showing up there from Ohio and, you know, having to be, you know, corrected that it's not Concord. But also, even, like, I hear people say Oregon a lot and like, I'll bet you I grew up. I'll bet you if I grew up. Up even referencing that state. I was saying Oregon, I don't know. But yeah, like that one who aren't from around here. Just like. Yeah. Why wouldn't it be called Oregon?

[Luke Burbank]

It's a very New York thing. And it very much plays into a. Probably a sort of west coast chip I have on my shoulder. Like, I feel like it's. It's a. I. I'm not saying everyone who says Oregon is trying to do this, but first of all, Michael Bloomberg, I promise you of Bloomberg Media, one of the wealthiest men in the world world, if you woke him up out of a dead sleep and said, what is the state that's just to the south of Washington state? He'd say Oregon. And there's something about a kind of a New York person saying Oregon because they just never actually were listening when someone from Oregon said where they were from. Because it's just like, why would you. If it's not. If it's not Manhattan, what are we even talking about here? This is all my, like, chip on my shoulder. I'm not saying that's actually what's going on in the person's mind, but that's what it feels like to me as a west coaster who then lived on the east coast and heard so many people call it Oregon. Like, I just. Like, it just seems like you should be able to pronounce every state in the Union if you've lived here long enough. Like, I don't think it's Arkansas. Like, you know what I mean? Like, I know how to. I'm not bragging here, Andrew. I'm not bragging, but I do know how to pronounce every state in the Union, it seems. I bet you do as well.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, the one that always tricks me is Neath Dakota. Is it Neath Dakota?

[Luke Burbank]

It's yeah, I'm so.

[Andrew Walsh]

I feel like I'm so close with that.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, you're getting. You're getting every day. All the work is paying off. All the hard work is paying off. So listen. TBTL and by that, I mean me. Luke apologizes for the error in both the location of Oracle park not being built, where Candlestick was, and then with the fact that it's San Rafael. And I'm gonna walk around San Rafael for the rest of the day with my head held high, knowing that I know how to pronounce how. I know how to pronounce this. The way the locals are pronouncing. And again, what a town. Like, I. You know, obviously I started by saying I had to get up pretty early today, but by about 8am When I was in the lift cruising up here through Marin and going through, like, Sausalito and they've got the houseboats that are out, and it's like the sun was out and it's just a beautiful day, I was like, oh, I get. I get why people are so hyped on this place. Like, it is really, really spectacular out here.

[Andrew Walsh]

You know, I am also not familiar enough with the Bay Area writ large. I only got to take, like, kind of one trip out there. And it was more like, you know, San Francisco, Oakland. And this was probably like, wow. Actually a while ago now, like five years ago. Remember I told you we went to San Jose and saw the San Jose Giants game? I think a double A baseball game.

[Luke Burbank]

Bay Area and back down.

[Andrew Walsh]

It was so beautiful there. And then. Yes or no? I'm sorry. On Saturday, Genevieve and I decided to do something somewhat stupid. I. Okay, hold on. Really quickly. Let me. Let me tell you a three minute story about how the power of advertising. I was watching the Mariners game, and it wasn't even a commercial that I saw. Instead, it was one of those little interstitials that they do to promote one of the, like, vendors inside the ballpark.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay.

[Andrew Walsh]

And in this case, they were doing a little profile on the. Well, it used to be a food truck here in Seattle called Marination, which is like, I always thought, Hawaiian barbecue place. I always thought it was a. Here's the deal. When I saw.

[Luke Burbank]

Isn't that Korean?

[Andrew Walsh]

No, it's Hawaiian. Well, you can maybe Google it. Here's the deal. When I saw Marination trucks around Seattle years ago, I always thought it was a barbecue place. And then I'm watching the Mariners game and they're saying that, you know, marination is available at the t Mobile park now and they're doing a little profile and they're showing this like really. They're showing some like loco moco or whatever. Some really fun. Right.

[Luke Burbank]

By the way, Hawaiian. The Internet is telling me Hawaiian.

[Andrew Walsh]

I mean, I thought so I was just there on Saturday. So I was like, well, I think.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm messing that Hawaiian, Korean.

[Andrew Walsh]

I mean, there could be fusion and stuff. You know what I mean? Like, I didn't want to, I don't want to. I don't want to say something completely incorrect in case there are like, you know, maybe like a influence there. But having said all of that, I'm just watching this baseball game and maybe I was just like in the right hungry moment or whatever. But they were kind of showing both people preparing food at marination in the ballpark. But also I think maybe showing some of their now restaurants because they're not food trucks anymore. They have like three locations around Seattle, but they're all pretty far away from where I live. The closest one is down in. Not Mount Baker, but what is Columbia City. Yeah. And so I told Viv last week, I'm like, at some point let's take a drive down there and have some marination. I love that kind of food. And this little interstitial just made it look so dang delicious. And so, and also like, no joke, like Veeves and I, obviously this can make our relationship sound dark or something. But with everything that's been going on and with, you know, kind of sleeping, we're sleep. I'm sleeping downstairs, she's upstairs. It's kind of like we're not like hanging out as much as I like. No, that's sort of, that's sort of on me. I mean we are like. We played cards. We played cards and watch tv. In fact, that's what kind of plays into this. We were driving down there, we just, I was like, let's just. Even if it takes us 45 minutes, which it did, it was like, like a 45 minute drive from North Seattle down to Mount Baker on a sunny Saturday. But it was just fun. We're just like listening to music and we were, we went down there, had some lunch. It was pretty good. Honestly. Honestly. I mean it was really good. And if I lived in that neighborhood, I would go there all the time. But I didn't need to drive 45 minutes for that. I could have gone to Kona Kitchen up here. But all of that is to say it was a fun, beautiful, sunny afternoon. Drove down there, saw people getting excited for the like Saw some. Saw some people already lining up for the Mariners game that wasn't even starting for another three hours as we sort of.

[Luke Burbank]

I thought you were going to say you went to the baseball game to go wait in the line for the marination at the game.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, we just went to Marination, like their restaurant down there. But anyway, all that is to say we're driving back and somehow, and I don't know how this happened, we start just waxing on how much we love the movies. So I Married an Axe Murderer and how it's like somehow without trying to be a movie that captured the essence of the 90s, like your singles or your other kind of grunge forward movies that were clearly like sort of grunt forward, but like there's something about. So I Married an Axe Murder. I think Genevieve was saying how much she likes it. And I said, yeah. The thing about it is it's totally timeless too, which is obviously the opposite because it is so, so stuck in the 90s in this way that speaks to us. But it's also such a love letter to San Francisco. Like, it made me want to go to San Francisco. Go. Let me get to the end of this. Incredible.

[Luke Burbank]

Did that food truck. Did they open the hard hearted Hobbinger of Haggis? Are they selling that AT T Mobile now, this season?

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't know if it's AT T Mobile yet, but it's in my neighborhood. Let's see if it migrates south. We come home later on Saturday and then we're playing cards and I think maybe we're watching the Mariners game. Actually playing cards, watching the Mariners game. Mariners game ends. Genevieve's like, let's see what's on to be or something. What's on. But. So I Married an Axe Murderer and I love to be seeing it, like, kind of. We didn't catch it right from the beginning, but it was enough of the movie to still, like, take up like a big chunk of our time. I still. I still like catching a movie midstream sometimes. I just don't feel like we get enough of that in our lives.

[Luke Burbank]

Right. In other words, like in the way we used to when we had television, maybe even cable. But you turn to that whatever channel USA or something.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And it's just like the movie's happening and now you're just watching it from there. You're not having to go back to the beginning or just feels like somehow like a lower level of commitment because you're just releasing yourself to whatever the TV is already doing.

[Andrew Walsh]

Exactly. And so we're just like, we're, we're flipping and then all of a sudden, like almost immediately, the movie comes on and Viv and I look at each other like we're just talking about this movie and so we watched it. And all of that is to say your little love letter there to the Bay Area. And also happening to catch Soy Mary, the next murderer, really makes me want to get down that way. Way.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. That's kind of the feeling I'm having today. Even though I am here, which is like, this is not a place that I've come to recreate very much. It's always been, as I can remember, it's almost always been work related. And it might be worth just coming here and enjoying this great place for. You know what else they have here that I've never seen before? And I could be wrong about this. Now that I've righted two wrongs, let me try to end on another potential wrong because we got to give people something to email about. Exactly as I was coming out here in the car. There's. There's a restaurant that's. It's an Amy's. It's called Amy's Drive Thru. But the font is exactly the font of, you know, the Amy's kind of soups and things that you can buy. It's got to be related because it's the same my. And I. And I was looking them up. I think it's all plant based, but it's these. The. The Amy's is written exactly like the Amy's on the cans of like fake chicken noodle soup and stuff that I buy. I think that they must have decided to open up a couple of actual drive throughs where they sell like Amy's foods but not the, you know, frozen stuff or the canned stuff. I think it's like, I don't know why it's so intriguing to me. I've never seen like a frozen food achieve escape velocity from the freezer section to being an actual restaurant I can go to. There's no Red Baron pizza place where I can go buy a fresh made Red Baron.

[Andrew Walsh]

Mm. And yeah, it's very interesting that it's like. And that it's like fast food, you know, like in the. It looks I'm on their website now and it's like.

[Luke Burbank]

And you agree that's the exact same font?

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm less familiar because I don't buy those. You do because I'm a meat eater. But I will definitely take your word for it. I'm just like Trying to find like history or something to like actually tie these things together there.

[Luke Burbank]

Amy's Kitchen is I think the, the, the actual name of the company. And yeah, I've only ever just bought their like pre made frozen stuff. And then again I think, oh, there's.

[Andrew Walsh]

Another one that's like this font is exactly this font. Yeah. It's got to be the same.

[Luke Burbank]

It's got to be the same company. Right. I don't know why I was like, we went by it and I was like. I was like starstruck that the frozen foods I buy also have a brick and mortar.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, no, that's really, that's actually really. I'm now I'm trying to figure this out on the fly. There was something in forbes back in 2021. It looks like the owners of Amy's Drive in through reimagined fast food is vegetarian. Okay, so that doesn't mention specifically that is. There's no chance that you and I have this backwards that it started as a restaurant first.

[Luke Burbank]

It's. There's a high chance. Andrew, did I not tell you? We're going to end the, we're going to end the show on a mistake.

[Andrew Walsh]

That would make more sense.

[Luke Burbank]

There's a hundred percent chance that. Well, not really. There's a 90% chance that it. Maybe it was a restaurant and then they spun it off into the. I mean that's the normal way this works, right? Is like there's something that's popular and then, and then you go ahead and maybe sell it in place where you don't have a restaurant or the brand is so strong. Like you can buy TGI Friday. Don't you actually buy TGI Fridays?

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh yeah. I think I'm like wings in the freezer section. You know what Luke though, I can clean this up.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay, good.

[Andrew Walsh]

This is from the Today show. They are not doing a good job of putting a date on this article. Oh, here it is. 2017 frozen food brand Amy's Kitchen is getting into the fast food game. And the first line is fans of Amy's Kitchen grocery line, listen up. You may be able to cruise through the drive thru to grab the company's healthy eats one day soon. So we have confirmed that it did start at the grocery line. Exactly that's.

[Luke Burbank]

And that night might be tonight. Depending on how far I venture out of my hotel room room. I might be door dashing some veggie fast food from Amy's.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm actually legit. You are right. What an interesting model. I now want to think of other. We got to wrap up. But I want to think of other foods that started as a grocery line, then became a restaurant.

[Luke Burbank]

I would. My guess would be that's a pretty short list.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. All right.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, because one thing is if you're making, you know, if you're making a profit in the frozen food, you know, it'd be like, imagine what's who. Bird's Eye. It'd be like you go to a restaurant, it's like Bird's Eye, like the vegetables.

[Andrew Walsh]

Vegetables, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

They've just expanded to a full brick and mortar. Because really the brick and mortar is where you lose all the money, is my understanding.

[Andrew Walsh]

Would you like peas or corn or. Peas and corn, sir?

[Luke Burbank]

Also, we have these little medallions, carrots that nobody wants, but if you like those, we've got those as well.

[Andrew Walsh]

So. All right. Yeah, so, yeah, let us know. So tomorrow when we are doing tbt, I'm asking for both the listeners and myself.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Andrew Walsh]

Where will you be in time and space?

[Luke Burbank]

I will be here. I'll be sitting right here.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

I'll probably still be food drunk from eating multiple items from Amy's fast food, but I think we're going to try to do it before Metallica. So I have bad news, my friend. And that is we are going to try to shoot for an earlier dial up tomorrow. And that is good news for the listeners, though, who've been anxiously awaiting today's episode, which is still in process. Although I guess we're hearing it. It's, it's. It has been posted. But tomorrow maybe we'll come at you even a little earlier than normal. So look for that. All right, Andrew, thanks for your flexibility today. I will say your energy top notch if we can, I don't know, put. Do some kind of a creative experiment where you go to like we put you in a sensory deprivation tank and trick you into thinking it's 2:00pm or.

[Andrew Walsh]

Every day the show at 2:00pm I.

[Luke Burbank]

Mean, that's another option. That's another way to. It's another way to look at it. I think the, the deprivation, sure.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. Tricking my body into thinking it's a different time seems slightly more complicated than.

[Luke Burbank]

It involves a lot of like shining various lights in through the windows of the basement.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Messing with your internal clock. There's getting bingo in on it. Bingo. Has to be asking for food at the wrong time. We need a lot of people to make this conspiracy happen, but I think we can do it there.

[Andrew Walsh]

Rooster sound effects involved. Exactly.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, thanks for listening, everybody. We'll be back here tomorrow with more imaginary radio. In the meantime, have a great Monday, take care of yourselves, and please remember, no mountain too tall.

[Andrew Walsh]

And good luck to all.

[Luke Burbank]

God damn it. That was one of the nicest episodes of TBTL I have heard in a long time.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank you.

[Luke Burbank]

Power out.