#4608 People For The Ethical Spoiling Of Television (P.E.S.T.)

Summary

TBTL #4608: People For The Ethical Spoiling Of Television (P.E.S.T.)

Date: November 28, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

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Episode Overview

This post-Thanksgiving episode sees Luke and Andrew dive into a delightfully rambling Friday, blending reflections on modern customer service surveys, listener connections, and the ethics of language—plus an in-depth and spoiler-filled discussion of the TV series "Pluribus" and "The Chair Company." The cast stay true to TBTL's spirit, veering from Thanksgiving leftovers and dad-level life hacks to the intricacies of cult TV, with their trademark blend of gripes, self-deprecating humor, and genuine affection for their niche community.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Customer Service & The Tyranny of Surveys

[03:43 - 14:50] Andrew’s T-Mobile Screen Protector Saga

• Andrew details his cracked screen protector and his “dad move” of going to the T-Mobile store to overspend for the peace of mind of pro installation.
• Shares play-by-play of receiving and responding to the store’s automated survey—highlighting the mismatch between real satisfaction and corporate metrics.
  • Notable Quote:
    “It was a great experience, but I’m not going to go around suggesting people switch to T-Mobile because somebody put a $40 screensaver on my phone and wasn’t rude to me.” —Andrew [09:14]
• Exposes how the survey system expects only the highest ratings, prompting “wellness checks” over anything less than a perfect 10, much to the annoyance of logical customers.
  • Notable Quote:
    “How likely ON A SCALE OF 9 TO 10, would you be to recommend T-Mobile?…and then they can go, 100% of people gave us a 9 or a 10.”—Luke [12:32]
• General lampooning of customer satisfaction theater, and the “relentless pursuit” of five-star ratings.

2. Listener Connections, Media Nostalgia & PETA Mugs

[23:24 - 37:28] PETA Reaches Out

• Luke shares a message received from PETA, thanking him for using their “Two Birds With One Scone” and other animal-friendly idioms on TBTL—and offering mugs in gratitude.
  • Notable Quote:
    “Thanks so much for showing that there’s more than one way to peel a potato. Words matter and we can all choose to use language that encourages kindness to animals.” —PETA email [23:24]
• Andrew playfully laments not being recognized for coining “no Doug on this flight” and other animal-friendly phrases, exposing his own mug envy.
• Luke speculates, and PETA later confirms, that the mugs came courtesy of several PETA employees who happen to be listeners.
  • Notable Quote:
    “You have many listeners here at PETA, and several heard you mention using them…” —PETA (via Luke) [35:12]
• Tangent: Andrew browses the PETA gift shop, debating if it’s ethical to request a “Rat Pack” hat as swag.
• Both hosts acknowledge listener emails expressing nuanced feelings about PETA; Andrew reiterates their commitment to respecting multiple perspectives.

3. Listener Heroics & TBTL Community

[27:49 - 29:56] "Meet My Hero"

• Andrew shares a heartwarming childhood newsletter created by a listener (Aiden), declaring Andrew his hero for being a part of TBTL.
  • Notable Quote:
    “…somewhat disturbing depiction of somebody wearing glasses with a beard around a maniacal smile. And it says ‘Andrew is a podcarter. He makes a podcast with his good friend Luck [Luke?]. The podcast name is TBTL. I love this podcast so much.’” —Andrew [28:13]
• Both reflect with sincere gratitude on the unexpected and meaningful ways the show reaches listeners of all ages.

4. Spoiler-Filled TV Talk: "Pluribus" and "The Chair Company"

[37:28 - 66:59] Main Segment:
WARNING: Spoilers for “Pluribus” through Episode 4, “The Chair Company” through Episode 7

"Pluribus"

• Andrew and Luke break down expectations vs. reality for “Pluribus” (created by Vince Gilligan):
  • Both were riveted by the first episode’s mysterious, mesmerizing, high-concept sci-fi setup.
  • Subsequent episodes shift focus sharply to one character (Carol/Rhea Seehorn) and her emotional processing of the new world, to the frustration of both hosts.
    • Notable Quotes:
      “They’re just way over-indexing on how much I care about Rhea Seehorn’s character...I just wish it had been more about this phenomenon.” —Andrew [44:05]
      “I don’t need any more scenes of her throwing away gourmet food that showed up at her house...I feel like I get it already as a viewer.” —Luke [45:54]
  • Both critique as “unrealistic” that other un-assimilated survivors (in the group scene) react to Carol as if she’s “crazy” or overreacting, instead of being equally shocked and distressed.
  • They question narrative rules: why Carol’s emotions, specifically, can “kill” Pluribus members, and why this MacGuffin was contrived.
    • Notable Quotes:
      “I have a bit of a problem with the idea that...she can kill people by getting mad. Why don’t people die when the other...people get mad?” —Luke [49:37]
  • Praise for Vince Gilligan’s directorial signature and staging, especially Busby Berkeley–style shots and world-building details.
  • Both still find the show’s look/production/stakes compelling enough to continue.
  • Andrew confesses yearning for a “Three Body Problem”–style show with a broader POV and more direct sci-fi action.

"The Chair Company"

• Joyous, free-association recaps and quoting ensue, avoiding major spoilers but still referencing up to episode 7.
  • Luke celebrates the addition of the main character’s daughter as a real “friend and ally,” balancing the narrative.
    • Notable Quote:
      “There’s a sane person in the world who actually sees he’s onto something. That was a breath of fresh air for me.” —Luke [60:46]
  • Andrew nitpicks the shift in her attitude: from being worried about her dad’s mental health, to suddenly allying with him, though he acknowledges it likely aligns with a key evidence reveal.
  • They debate an in-story Wendy’s “Carvers” restaurant, unsure if it’s real or part of the show’s odd universe.
  • Both delight over the return of running gags like the shirt store and the show's ability to balance surrealism with genuine (albeit absurd) emotional beats.
  • Andrew felt episode 5 was peak, with episodes 6 and 7 a little heavier yet still highly enjoyable.

5. Holiday Listener Community & Blursday Messages

[67:00 - end (~75:35)]

• Quick promo for the TBTL Holiday Party (Dec 19, via Zoom), inviting listeners to reminisce about personal festive traditions.
• Blursday birthday and celebration shoutouts, with warm, sometimes hilarious messages from the TBTL community.
• Sweet dog adoption sub-tangent as both hosts reflect on their petless longing.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------|---------| | 09:14 | “It was a great experience, but I’m not going to go around suggesting people switch to T-Mobile because somebody put a $40 screensaver on my phone and wasn’t rude to me.” | Andrew | | 12:32 | “How likely ON A SCALE OF 9 TO 10, would you be to recommend T-Mobile?…and then they can go, 100% of people gave us a 9 or a 10.” | Luke | | 23:24 | “Thanks so much for showing that there’s more than one way to peel a potato. Words matter and we can all choose to use language that encourages kindness to animals.” (PETA email) | read by Luke | | 28:13 | “‘Andrew is a podcarter. He makes a podcast with his good friend Luck. The podcast name is TBTL. I love this podcast so much.’” | Andrew | | 44:05 | “They're just way over-indexing on how much I care about Rhea Seehorn’s character...I just wish it had been more about this phenomenon.” | Andrew | | 45:54 | “I don’t need any more scenes of her throwing away gourmet food...I feel like I get it already as a viewer.” | Luke | | 49:37 | “I have a bit of a problem with the idea that...she can kill people by getting mad. Why don’t people die when the other...people get mad?” | Luke | | 60:46 | “There’s a sane person in the world who actually sees he’s onto something. That was a breath of fresh air for me.” | Luke |

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00 — Andrew’s “Butterfield Diet” cold open/skit
• 03:43 — Andrew’s T-Mobile/survey saga
• 14:50 — Holiday gratitude and donor thanks
• 23:24 — PETA mug email segment
• 27:49 — Listener-made “Meet My Hero” feature about Andrew
• 37:28 — “Pluribus” spoiler-y deep dive
  • First 20 min: Big-picture impressions, character focus, critical analysis
  • ~47:00 — Group scene and “anger can kill” device
  • ~54:00 — Show’s internal logic and world/POV shifts
• 60:00 — “The Chair Company” thoughts
• 66:59 — Upcoming TBTL holiday party message
• 69:12 — Blursday birthday/celebration shoutouts
• 74:16 — Dog longing tangent and closing banter

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Tone, Takeaways, and Flow

The show maintains its classic TBTL energy: self-effacing, warm, tangent-prone, and gently absurd. Andrew and Luke’s chemistry shines as they pivot effortlessly between cultural commentary, life gripes, and their sincere engagement with listeners—peppering their banter with running jokes, silly riffs, and soundboard drops. TV spoilers are handled with repeated warnings and considered, thoughtful takes.

Ultimately, this episode is a celebration of the small rituals and communities listeners build around media, language, and shared experience—even as Andrew fusses over survey scales and mugs, peevishly but endearingly.

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For listeners who missed it:
You’ll get the satisfaction of hearty laughs, robust TV discussion (with fair warning for spoilers), affectionate celebration of the show’s own mythos, and another reminder why TBTL’s blend of humor, empathy, and dazzling digression makes it “too beautiful to live.”

Transcript

[Andrew Walsh]

This was me, Brian Butterfield, six months ago, before starting my diet plan. But just look at me now. I feel like a new man. Thanks to the Butterfield diet, the results have been incredible. Okay, here's your weekday plan. Breakfast, one cornflake toasted with low fat spread. Lunch, small raw potato peeled. Dinner, square of low fat turkey breast, baked bean in low fat tomato sauce. Then at the weekend, it's time for a reward. For 24 hours, you can literally eat anything. Pizza, birthday pie, pints of cream pork cylinders, potato grits, artificial bacon, large Macs sandwich casserole, chocolate quail's eggs, garlic pudding, fluffy ruffs, hoisin, crispy owl pop pasta pillows, bonbon bonbons, McFortune cookies, discount foie gras egg and ham slabs. During dinner, mince mystery meat quiche's Lorraine 20 cheese omelette. The Butterfield diet plan. Order it exclusively online at www. Full stop Butterfield diet. Full stop cold now.

[Andrew]

Tbtl.

[Luke Burbank]

I would like to get everyone's first impressions. Who'd like to jump in?

[Andrew]

Anyone? How about you, Ramon? It's just stupid, okay, could you elaborate, Ramon? Stupid how? Please be as specific as possible, Ramon.

[Luke Burbank]

I thought, well, this is a great.

[Andrew]

Bright group of people.

[Luke Burbank]

They're really into what they're doing. They're exciting, they're excited, they're doing cool things, they're wacky, and I fit right in. Hello, town jubilation committee. Yeah, I got something that's gonna make you a lot less jubilant. All right. Hello, good morning and welcome everyone to a Friday edition of tbtl, the show that just might be too beautiful to live.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, you're gonna love the liff and Tweedle out of this.

[Luke Burbank]

My name is Luke Burbank. I'm your host. I'm afraid I just blew myself coming to you from the Madrona Hill studio perched high above the mighty Columbia here on Black Friday.

[Andrew]

Don't stay in my house if you're dark sided.

[Luke Burbank]

Huge, huge Black Friday deals on this podcast today. This podcast is 100% free. Or also you could donate money to support it, but you get to decide what that is. So effectively, it's 100% off today here on episode 4608 in a collector series, Let the fun begin. All week we've been trying to get to these two kind of mysterious television programs, the Chair company and Pluribus. The past is history, the future's a mystery. And doggone it, we're gonna finally do that today on this Friday edition of the show. Also, I got just, I just received an amazing, amazing email. And when he said that, that shocked me, which I'd like to share with all of you. Oh, and we're doing a special Friday blurs day messages today. So we'll be celebrating folks who have been born in the. During this week and in the recent past. We're also going to say hello to the longest running cobra of the program. Maybe best known for his depictions of the tall ships. He is heading into this weekend absolutely locked in and laser focused.

[Andrew Walsh]

Everybody wants to be the beast, but.

[Luke Burbank]

They don't want to do what the beast do. He's Andrew Walsh and he's joining me right now. Good morning, my friend.

[Andrew]

Good morning, Luke. I'd like to tell you very quickly about something that I did yesterday and how it was followed up upon this morning with a text message. Okay, I had a little crack in my protective covering on my. I guess you call it a screen protector on your phone. You know, the pla. You know, it's the plastic kind. Now. My phone fell when I was in Ohio and luckily I had that protector on it. And then the protector itself cracked. Cracked. But I knew the phone was safe underneath. I lived with the cracks on the phone screen for a while, but I was like, okay, I need to take care of this. My plan was gonna be one of two things. Go back to the T Mobile store, buy a way overpriced screen protector like the one that I originally bought when I bought my phone, have them install it for me. Which I know is something that is very doable, but I just hate putting these things on phones. I always mess it up, get a bubble under there or something. Or I could go online on ebay and buy like some super, super cheap version of a, of a screen protector, which probably you would have the same diy, which I would have to diy, which I've done before. Like, I could do that. The thing is, I went, I don't.

[Luke Burbank]

Know if I even have one of those on my phone.

[Andrew]

You probably should. Boy, it really saved the day because I dropped my phone face down right on hard tile, like, you know, ceramic hard tile, and it cracked. But luckily it was the screen protector that cracked and the screen was protected. So anyway, I remember when I was buying my phone and I didn't want to walk out of the store without a screen protector, so I bought it. And they're $40 before tax at the store. And it's such a rip off, but it's like, well, it's a brand new phone. They get you, they get you in you know, in the. Where you're vulnerable, which is brand new phone. I don't walk out of here with it. Most people though, if they needed to replace it, would go on Amazon or ebay or something, find a cheaper alternative and install it themselves. But the thing was, not only do I like the fact that they put it on for me, but all of the ones I saw on ebay just seemed like they might not be as good. I don't want to get into the details on it. Doesn't matter. Point is, I decided to do something I don't usually do, which is probably spend about four to six times more money by just driving to the T Mobile store. It's kind of like feel like I'm maybe slipping into my dad and his relationship with the nerd squad a little bit. Like, I just don't want to think of our geek squad. No, he hangs out with the nerd squad, saves a little bit of money.

[Luke Burbank]

He goes to second Best Buy and hangs out with the nerd squad.

[Andrew]

That's right. He goes to rest by which is if you're not the best, you're the rest. No, that's.

[Luke Burbank]

Anyway, the B fell off years ago and they haven't had the budget to replace it.

[Andrew]

Swing in there. I'm sorry to make this so long because I. I really don't want to take up too much time with this. But the point is, I am just realizing now, boy, that is kind of a. That is kind of a Bob Walsh kind of man. Maybe an older gentleman sort of move to just be like, I'm gonna let the kids take care of this for me. I'm gonna overpay for it. So I go to the T Mobile store, I walk in, I ask them, I'm like, do you have any of those screen protectors? They're like, yeah. I'm like, they're like 40 bucks, right? And the woman who was helping me said, well, actually the best one we have is $60, but we have one that's also $40. I'm like, I will take the $41.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't think the street value of my phone is $60. And I still have the one that uses the, you know, thunder. Thunder, lightning, hurricane. Yeah, I don't even have a USB C. Like, I am really, really in the. I don't think this phone is worth $60 right now.

[Andrew]

So I did not go with the $60 one. I'm like, no, I'll just take the $40 one. The same one that I had on there. And I'M like, but I did say, you'll install it for me, right? And she said, oh yeah. And so we sit down at a little table and T Mobile store. By the way, I've been in there twice in the past, I don't know, six to eight months. That place is always hopping. They're, they're doing a, the walk in traffic at a T Mobile store in my neighborhood is surprisingly robust. Anyway, she's a nice person. We chat a little bit while she professionally puts this thing on my phone. I'm always a little bit conscientious of not kind of being too chatty, but you know, whatever. But I really enjoyed point is, I really enjoyed my experience. She was nice to me. I don't think I annoyed her too much. She put this thing on, it took about five minutes and I was out of there. I really appreciated the service, to be honest with you, and I was just glad I did that. I splurged a little bit. I didn't have to worry about it. Didn't have to wait for the, for the protectors to come to my house and then find out whether or not they fit and all that. So all of that is to say, today I wake up, I sit down on the toilet, I'm going to the bathroom. That part isn't important, but I just want you all to picture that. Happy Thanksgiving. Post Thanksgiving.

[Luke Burbank]

Talk about Black Friday.

[Andrew]

Too much meat. Anyway, I got this text message from an unknown number that says this is from T Mobile. Thanks for visiting us on earlier this week. Please tell us about your experience. To opt out of this, just type stop. Here's a survey for you. And I'm like, oh, you know what? I really enjoyed my I really enjoyed my experience there. I'll fill out the survey. It kind of happens. You answer one question, then they text you a follow up question. So the first question is it says 1 out of 4. How satisfied were you with the assistance you received from our team member? 0 to 10. 10 would be extremely satisfied. I wrote 10. Luke has extremely satisfied. Second question were you able to accomplish the reason for your visit? One means no. Two means partially. Three means yes. I hit three. Yes, I was able to accomplish the reason for my visit. It went really smoothly. Luke, question three out of four Based on your visit, how likely are you to recommend T Mobile to your friends.

[Luke Burbank]

And family on your podcast?

[Andrew]

Yes, please reply 0 to 10 scale where 0 is not at all likely and 10 is extremely likely. Keep in mind this is how likely are you to recommend T Mobile to your friends and family based on your visit. Now, listen, it was a great experience, but I'm not going to go around suggesting people switch to T mobile because somebody put a screensaver, a $40 screensaver on my phone and wasn't rude to me. You know what I mean? Like, I'm happy with.

[Luke Burbank]

That would obviously be an unhinged response.

[Andrew]

That would be an unhinged response. So, you know, but it's not like I'm not likely at all. So. So I just put five. It's right in the middle. I'm not extreme. It's not extremely likely that I'm going to recommend T mobile, but it's also not at all likely.

[Luke Burbank]

It's a non zero chance.

[Andrew]

So five, you know, just seems so that was question three out of four. Four out of four after I put five. Was sorry to hear that you're not satisfied. Please tell us why you gave that score. I wrote, yes, yes. And this is. I've been such old man yells at clouds lately. But like, this is another thing.

[Luke Burbank]

The thing is you've been answering a lot of surveys.

[Andrew]

I know. Well, that's true too. Most people would ignore it, but I just. Look, Luke, I told you I didn't have anywhere to be in that particular moment. If, you know, I'm sitting right. Sitting down. Okay. And so anyway, that was the joke.

[Luke Burbank]

That I missed the first time.

[Andrew]

It says, would you like to. Would you like us to. Oh, it said, sorry to hear that you were not satisfied. Please tell us why you gave that score. And I wrote, I am satisfied. Customer service was great, but I don't recommend mobile networks based on getting a new screen protector. And I'm just like, who's reading this? The robots? And so then they wrote, would you like us to contact you to help resolve a specific issue? No. Yes by email or yes by phone? I wrote one. There is no issue.

[Luke Burbank]

You should have said yes by phone. They call you and you go, I'm about to go recommend to one of my friends that they switch to T mobile, but I'm nervous to do it. Can I keep you in my pocket and put on the AirPods and can you talk me through it?

[Andrew]

Yes, so you'll be able to hear.

[Luke Burbank]

Me talking to my friend. But I need you to kind of like Cyrano de Berziak. This.

[Andrew]

I'm going to go to the bank and take out my life savings. While I keep you on the phone.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm going to keep you on speakerphone in my pocket.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Anyway, so I tried to just rectify. Would you like us to contact you to help resolve the issue? No. Yes by phone, yes by email. I wrote one as a no, there is no issue. And then they're like, sorry, your response was not recognized. Please respond with a number one through three. And this, I guess the heart of the matter is like, I was just trying to do this person a solid because she did a good job. She did. Exactly. And I. And I truly appreciated it. Quietly. Not. You know, it's just like, I didn't have to go on the podcast and tell this story. It's a boring story. I realized that. Let's see, 12 minutes in, I got to wrap this up. But it's just, I think that these surveys aren't really about service. I think they're more about, can we brag about our numbers when Luke Wilson or Billy Bob Thornton are pretending to be cowboys walking in a dusty way.

[Luke Burbank]

When they're separate, separating facts from fertilizer.

[Andrew]

And opening up cans of whoop up or whatever? Like, you know what I mean? They just want to say, it's the polls show.

[Luke Burbank]

Huh.

[Andrew]

It's the most respected or most. What would it be in this case? Most suggested mobile carrier or whatever we recommended.

[Luke Burbank]

They need to only give you the option of like 9 to 10. Don't give you 1 through 8.

[Andrew]

Right, right.

[Luke Burbank]

So in other words, how. How likely on a. On a scale of 9 to 10, how likely would you be to recommend someone else get T Mobile? And then they can go. 100% of these people gave us a 9 or a 10.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Right. And then, oh, hey, congratulations. Kind of like you can only get a medium large or extra large soda at some places. Right, Right.

[Luke Burbank]

Like, if they're trying to goose the numbers.

[Andrew]

Yeah, they're goosin.

[Luke Burbank]

Luke might as well goosin'.

[Andrew]

They're goosin.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

And the rideshare services, they're lateef.

[Luke Burbank]

Goosin it. Like if the Latif Goosin. Latif Goosin.

[Andrew]

If you have a choice between one through five stars on a rideshare surface, it seems to me that three would be. I got exactly what I expected. A car picked me up. I was never in danger. It was fine. I didn't necessarily, like, fall in love with my driver. We didn't have a meet cute, but it was fine. It was three. But if you put a three on any of the apps, you're like, oh, my God, tell us what went wrong, we're gonna have this person fired. That's just not how this should work.

[Luke Burbank]

And the problem, too, is that there was a decision Obviously that was made about what the threshold was for. Can we do a wellness check on you? And they set it at five. They could have set it at three like you said. They could have set it at two. That two or three, probably two or one would be where it might, hey, how do we make this right?

[Andrew]

Absolutely.

[Luke Burbank]

But somebody basically pitched this in a meeting and they said, we want to be truly excellent. We don't want to be the kind of company that settles for good enough. And the way we're going to do that is by. Is by super serving and White Glove servicing everyone who even puts a five. And it was like pitched as this, like, way that they're going to be truly excellent. But what it really means is just like you were just trying to be like, yeah, it was fine. I'm probably not going to like shout it from the mountaintops, but I don't have a problem with it. And they're like, okay. Next thing you know, T Mobile commandos are kicking in your windows, swinging in on those ropes.

[Andrew]

Yes. What's wrong? Are you okay?

[Luke Burbank]

And it was all because somebody pitched in a meeting that we are going to be truly excellent. And we're other places, you know, a five, they think that's good enough. But not here at T Mobile. We're going to open a can of whoop up on any employees who get a five.

[Andrew]

Anyway, those were my facts. Those are my fertilizer. Now you, I know, have a very. Please.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm excited to read you this email. Actually, you know what, though? Can we, can we do this first? Can we thank some donorinis and then. And then I'll read you this email and we'll talk a little bit about the chair company and pluribus here in a moment.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank you, baby.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, let's thank some donors here on this day after Thanksgiving. We had agreed earlier this week that we don't like the term Black Friday. Andrew. And now I've called it Black Friday.

[Andrew]

Like, yeah, I really dislike it. Yeah, I really dislike it. But you know what?

[Luke Burbank]

I will say I give Brown Friday is better.

[Andrew]

No, it's not. I give all of our donors five stars today. Luke, on a scale of meaningful five stars.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly. It's on a scale of negative 30 to 5.

[Andrew]

Exactly.

[Luke Burbank]

So this is. It's incredible what a high ranking. We're getting to Alex Pearl of Edmonds, Washington.

[Andrew]

Thank you, Alex.

[Luke Burbank]

I can't think of Edmonds, Washington without thinking of Rick Steves and without thinking of Livewire, December 5th with Rick Steves and Lindy west and Megan Hatcher Mays and broody brothers, please come see us at Benaroya Hall December 5th. We'll see you there. I don't know about Alex. Alex has done a lot for me already by donating. Thank you, Alex. Yes, thanks to Kathryn Urbati out there in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

[Andrew]

Hey.

[Luke Burbank]

Hey.

[Andrew]

Hot zip. Hot zip for team each other.

[Luke Burbank]

Wonder if it's snowy there yet. You know, when I was back in Minnesota in the Twin Cities, not when you and I were there with John, but in a subsequent trip, I was talking to the Lyft driver and he said last year they got one. I think one actual snowstorm.

[Andrew]

What? In the Twin.

[Luke Burbank]

In Minnesota, in the Twin Cities. He said they had maybe two max, but he said it only snowed once or twice the whole winter. Isn't that crazy? I mean, I just sort of picture that place being.

[Andrew]

I don't believe him.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know why he would lie. I mean, if anything, if he was like your Lyft driver back in Cleveland, he'd be saying it snows 11ft a day and I have no way to keep my apartment warm.

[Andrew]

He's star searching. He's trying to get that five star rating. And so he's trying to make it.

[Luke Burbank]

Sound like he's just from a negative 30.

[Andrew]

Just, just an easy, breezy, cool game. I don't know, it doesn't snow here often. I'm a cool guy. You're going to give me five stars in a tip.

[Luke Burbank]

Nancy Richardson is in a place where if it snows, you are in the movie Ernest Saves Christmas. Does that happen in St. Petersburg, Florida? It does. I believe in Ernest Saves Christmas. It's based. The movie is set in Orlando and it has never snowed at Christmas in Orlando. And then of course it does eventually, which is the kind of, the sort of celebratory ending of the movie when Ernest has saved Christmas. I wonder if that holds up the movie Ernest Saves Christmas.

[Andrew]

Well, I'll tell you one thing that bothers me about it right now. And maybe this is appropriate because we're about to get into TV conversation and, you know, we're going to give probably a spoiler alert because we're going to be talking about a couple of shows that we love that are still kind of like in their seasons. And so, but we want to talk about it. So let people know. Hey, listen, if, if you're, if you're watching this or still catching up, you know, listening, you know, maybe you're watching.

[Luke Burbank]

The show, watching TV shows, listening to us.

[Andrew]

Yeah, maybe you Know, spoiler alert. Maybe, maybe pause, maybe fast forward a little bit. Here we have a movie called Ernest Saves Christmas.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Andrew]

You're literally telling us how it ends. You're literally saying, come see this movie at the end, Ernest Saves Christmas. And I just sort of feel like, can we let the mystery be?

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, right. Yeah, you're right. That is like. It's not trusting the audience.

[Andrew]

It's not trusting the audience. Exactly.

[Andrew Walsh]

In the past, there have been many traditional ways to celebrate Christmas.

[Luke Burbank]

With songs, with gifts, with family and friends.

[Andrew Walsh]

There's a new way.

[Luke Burbank]

Ho, ho, ho.

[Andrew]

I can't stay mad at him.

[Luke Burbank]

Ernest. It's got Jonathan Winters in it.

[Andrew]

Oh, really?

[Luke Burbank]

I forgot about that. I think. I think that's Jonathan Winters.

[Andrew Walsh]

P. Worrell, he's back.

[Andrew]

Know what I mean?

[Andrew Walsh]

Back to save Santa.

[Andrew]

Santa's in the slammer.

[Luke Burbank]

Look at those beady, twinkling eyes.

[Andrew Walsh]

Back to save Christmas.

[Luke Burbank]

Back to save face, you dead meat. That's life for you.

[Andrew]

Isn't she a doll?

[Andrew Walsh]

Ernest C. Worrell, Mr. Suntime in the Mission they said couldn't be done.

[Luke Burbank]

On Comet, on Cupid, on Donder.

[Andrew Walsh]

In the movie they said she shouldn't be done.

[Luke Burbank]

I actually kind of like that line.

[Andrew]

Me too.

[Luke Burbank]

That's actually pretty good.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I'm not seeing Jonathan Winters in the cast, by the way.

[Luke Burbank]

And the guy was too young, but the guy has a very. Oh, I think it's very Jonathan Winters look in the movie, but he's not him. But it's like he clearly. People say, are you Jonathan Winters? And I say, no, I'm not. But I sat next to him and.

[Andrew]

I said, wow, does he look like him? His name is Gaylord Sartain. That's G A I, L A R D. Gaylord. I'm thinking. I'm saying that right, Sartain. And I'm looking to see what else this fella's been in, but he's got like, Jonathan, like that song goes, he's got Jonathan Winter eyes. It's amazing.

[Luke Burbank]

And they've especially in. In just the trailer for Ernest Dave's Christmas, which, by the way, I saw in a theater.

[Andrew]

Oh, did you?

[Luke Burbank]

Probably the Oak Tree Cinema near the Vibe Sports Bar.

[Andrew]

Oh, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

But my movie.

[Andrew]

Anyway, he was in Yeehaw. And then he's known from being in the Ernest movies and the TV series.

[Luke Burbank]

Ah, okay.

[Andrew]

So this is his main claim to fame. I think I saw Earnest Christmas on a laserdisc. No joke. I think one of the few films.

[Luke Burbank]

I do feel like it's the kind of movie that if you Just as the viewer in 2025. If you just sort of like release like if you just, if you just make yourself ready for the experience, for the absolute silliness of the film, it could be kind of fun.

[Andrew]

I could not agree more. And I might even actually literally write that down. Right now. There are a few movies that I want to watch this holiday season that because I don't get into like, like real It's a Wonderful Life for like. But I would watch. I told you I want to watch Mixed Nuts again. We were talking about that on the show. I think maybe off air. You and I sometimes talk about Mixed Nuts off air. And I will put Ernest.

[Luke Burbank]

That's premium content. And that's going to be next TBTLath. That's going to be a new level. If you want to hear us talk about the movie Mixed Nuts.

[Andrew]

That's right. We could do a watch along and then Pottersville. That, that, that movie with Michael Shannon where he's mistaken to be a Sasquatch. Nobody knows about this. I always tell you about it.

[Luke Burbank]

I always get stuck on the name because that's obviously a play on It's a Wonderful Life. Yeah.

[Andrew]

And it takes place during Bedford Falls.

[Luke Burbank]

Gets turned into Pottersville when George Bailey wasn't born. So that's a kind of. That's got me intrigued.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Now, is it a conservative coated Sasquatch?

[Andrew]

Well, it's giving a peace symbol, taking a very large stride and is it a qanon Sasquatch?

[Luke Burbank]

Sasquatch, like our friend Barry observed.

[Andrew]

Oh, that's right. In Idaho. Yeah. Shout out to Pottersville if you don't know about it. Michael Shannon, Judy Greer, Thomas Lennon, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks and then somebody named Ian McShane, who I don't know, but I'm sure does a bang up job, you know.

[Luke Burbank]

Did you watch Deadwood?

[Andrew]

No, I didn't. I should. Huh.

[Luke Burbank]

He was swearogen in Deadwood. Did you watch Hot Rod?

[Andrew]

No, but I love that tape.

[Luke Burbank]

I think he's Andy Samberg's stepdad in Hot Rod.

[Andrew]

That's the AM radio isn't what it used to be.

[Luke Burbank]

That's Chris Parnell talking about AM radio. So good for us. I'm not sure how snowy it is in Lake Forest Park, Washington. I bet. Not very snowy today, but that's where Mary Ellen Cavalon is. Thanks, Mary Ellen. Thanks to Danielle Cordaro in Akron, Ohio.

[Andrew]

Oh, Danielle's gonna be excited for the Chair Company talk, which is in that part of the world.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, as long as she's not in Delaware City, because that place is rotten to the core.

[Andrew]

It certainly is.

[Luke Burbank]

And then we've got Angie Panion in Naperville, Illinois.

[Andrew]

Nice.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you, Angie. Hey, thanks to all of our donors. Thanks for making this thing happen five days a week, even on Brown Friday. We are here doing TBTL for you because of your support. So thank you very much. Wouldn't be here without you.

[Andrew]

Hello and welcome to Top Story.

[Luke Burbank]

Dear Luke, we were delighted to hear you mention on the show that feed two birds with one scone along with our other animal friendly idioms has become second nature to you. Thanks so much for showing that there's more than one way to peel a potato. Words matter and we can all choose to use language that encourages kindness to animals. As a thank you, we'd love to send you some of our Two Birds with One Scone mugs if you could let me know your address. Signed West Burdett Press Officer, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

[Andrew]

I have mixed emotions about this because while I'm very happy about this for you and us, I don't say this often. I am a little jealous. I feel like I picked up that mantle so hardcore. I came up with two Dougs on a. Or I don't have a Doug on the flight. I feel like I use that a lot.

[Luke Burbank]

You said the other day, like completely, just like reflexively.

[Andrew]

Yes. And I feel like I really picked up the mantle but nobody knows who I am. So you.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't think it's that. I think I am the one who is loud and proud about my animal empathy. So I think I'm taking up all the oxygen in the room about that. But what I will tell you, Andrew.

[Andrew]

Is, well, where do you think you said this from? Tbtl or was it sent to one of your.

[Luke Burbank]

It was sent to my TBTL account. LucBtl.net from WesBurditta.org don't only send Wes nice emails, please. I just gave his email address as a press officer. Yeah, you're right. Good point. They're looking for attention. The other thing is from Wes's email, it sounds like there might be multiple two birds one scones mugs. And I will get.

[Andrew]

Oh, I appreciate that.

[Luke Burbank]

And I will bring or mail you one or more. Although you know, you got a one in, one out policy.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I've been sort of shirking that policy or sort of honking around that policy as you might say.

[Luke Burbank]

Maybe downstairs you could hide.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I'm going to squirrel in some away here and there, so. But yeah, depending on the Design on that thing. I mean, I like birds. I'm not a huge scone person. Hard to imagine a graphically designed scone.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, I have a feeling it's. And I say this with peace and love to the folks at PETA. I assume it's a design nightmare. I feel like that's actually part of what's great about it.

[Andrew]

Do you think that if I type in PETA, I bet you that the.

[Luke Burbank]

PETA gift shop, you could probably find one scone.

[Andrew]

Do you want me to spoil this for you, or do you want me to earn a saves Christmas this for you, or do you just want to wait for them to arrive? And where are they sending them?

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I sent them the address of the Madrona Hill studio.

[Andrew]

Oh, okay. Gotcha. So they asked for your. I didn't remember if they asked for that.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, but I. I'm. Here's my theory. I think one of our lovely listeners dropped a dime on us with PETA. In a good way. Basically, I would be pleasantly surprised if PETA was listening to the show on the daily. I think that's unlikely. I think somebody reached out to them and said, hey, there's a podcast that's really. There's one member of a podcast named Luke who's really been. Really been pushing the envelope on using these terms and in fact, invented the phrase no Doug on this flight.

[Andrew]

Right.

[Luke Burbank]

And should receive many, many free mugs and a lot of adulation. No, I think one of our listeners must have emailed them, and then they. I mean, again, I would be pleasantly shocked. Which is to say I don't think it's the case that they've even listened to one episode of the show. They just probably know there is a show and someone said, we're using these phrases, but I'm into it. I'm flattered to be. To whatever degree, we're on their radar. On their radar.

[Andrew]

Okay, so two things here. First of all, I'm looking at the mug. It's actually kind of cute. It's a white mug. It says, feed two birds with one scone. I mean, it does. It's not. It's not a, you know, some sort of huge accomplishment of design, but it's. It's not bad. The only thing that's kind of bad about it is I don't like the PETA logo. I've never understood why that E is a swirly E amidst, like, block letters of pt.

[Luke Burbank]

It is an interesting. That's an interesting design choice. And I've always noticed it, too, that.

[Andrew]

The way that they do the E.

[Luke Burbank]

Maybe it's because they're trying to set aside ethical.

[Andrew]

Maybe.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know why. That's why they wanted to really emphasize maybe just being ethical in your life, But I'm with you. I don't. I don't love the. The logo itself, but yeah, it's kind of. I mean, this looks like a mug that your Aunt Kathy would have.

[Andrew]

Yes. You're looking at it. You found it, too. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

You got a real country kitchen kind of vibe. Yeah.

[Andrew]

And you were right about it being in the gift shop. Now, what are the other things in.

[Luke Burbank]

The PETA gift shop?

[Andrew]

Yeah, you look that up. I want to tell you about something, and this is. I think I'm just double checking that it's okay to share. This was sent to me kind of privately, but I think it's okay to share. So you, of course, remember one time, very young listener, Aiden, one of our early young listeners, like regular listeners of tbtl. Will's son, Aiden.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, Pilot Will.

[Andrew]

I got a text message from Will and our friend Bobby the other day. Apparently Will was going through some old boxes of stuff that they had saved or whatever, and they found this, you know, scholastic. You know, like the kind of kids, like, educational company, Scholastic. This was probably in some sort of a workbook or something. And it's like a. It's like a fake newspaper that the kid is supposed to fill out, you know, and it says at the top, extra, extra, read all about me. And then it says the Blank Times. And you can fill in your name, the Aden Times. And this is dated. Looks like this is maybe from. It looks like 2020. Although I think that's too. I think he'd be too young for this to be 2020. I can't quite read that. But then there's a place for you to write your exclusive story told here for the very first time. It's kind of a parody newspaper. Bottom left hand corner. Yes. As Bobby pointed out below the fold, but still. I'll take it. There is a square that says, meet my hero. And then there's a little place where you can draw your hero. And there's a little round circle with, I'll be honest with you, somewhat disturbing depiction of somebody wearing glasses with a beard around a maniacal smile. And it says, Andrew is a podcarter. He makes a podcast with his good friend Luck. The podcast name is tbtl. I love this podcast so much, Luke. It says, meet my hero. Luke. How. How do you think you can keep both PITA mugs Luke, because I'm putting this on the. I'm putting this on the refrigerator.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, you should. That is so awesome.

[Andrew]

That really gave me feels.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm not saying really like you know we joke about the show and the quality of the show and all of you know, all the self deprecation, etc. And in doing all that I personally sort of forget sometimes that yeah, it is going out into the world and it is hitting people's ears and people of all ages and they're having their experience with it and that is such an incredibly, incredibly sweet thing to hear. I believe Aiden is benching about 180 now. I think he's joked. Last time I talked to Will he was showing pictures of Aiden friggin putting up heavy weight. So yeah, now I think who knows how much creatine he's on these days and if he's, if we're still his heroes.

[Andrew]

Well, I mean I think I paved the path for that. Right. He looked at me, he looked at my buff body. He said I want to try to.

[Luke Burbank]

Achieve, I want to, I want to have, I want to be an Adonis.

[Andrew]

Like Andrew, like my hero.

[Luke Burbank]

That's really sweet.

[Andrew]

I know that. Really sincerely, like got it really got me when, when I received this.

[Luke Burbank]

So can I ask you a question about. About I don't know, being a nudge. Being a nudge?

[Andrew]

Uhhuh. About are you going to be a nudge? I'm on me.

[Luke Burbank]

No towards PETA potentially. So I'm on the PETA gift shop and I really.

[Andrew]

Oh nice.

[Luke Burbank]

Really like this hat that says Rat Pack.

[Andrew]

You're going to ask if you can get the hat instead of the mug.

[Luke Burbank]

Or maybe a hat instead of a mug or. Are you looking at this hat though? Look.

[Andrew]

No, I'm looking for. Is it under clothing?

[Luke Burbank]

No. Maybe apparel, accessories. If you go to accessories. And the first one is hats. Look at this rat. It's kind of cool.

[Andrew]

Can I. Well I know that we, you know. No, no, it's cool. It seems like you're kind of hat to you like those kind of. What do you call them? Those forms, structure, structured hats. I feel like the move here though and I know that some, some of our listeners have. I was gonna say complicated. I don't want to say anything rude right now because you just got a nice note from them and I'm still in the business to get that free mug. But I know that some of our listeners feel that PETA is not a great organization based on some there and I don't really Want to weigh in on that Right now, I don't have strong feel PETA, but I sort of feel like the move here would be for you to buy the hat and support the organization. It's 35.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm buying two of the hats.

[Andrew]

I'm buying all of the hats. I'm taking all of the hats.

[Luke Burbank]

But it is really like, here's the thing. I'm right on the edge of feeling comfortable wearing a PETA hat. And this is what I mean. Nothing to do with PETA's politics or whatever. And yeah, we've had some people send some emails. I respect everyone's opinion on these matters. I still think any group that is out there pushing the conversation around or at least causing the conversation to occur around, hey, could we be a little nicer to animals? I think that's a good conversation to have. Now, when I say I'm right on the edge of being comfortable wearing a PITA hat, what I mean is, do my personal ethics line up with when you wear. Because the back of this hat that says Rat Pack, the back says PETA. And when I feel if you wear a hat from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, you better really have your Ethical Treatment of Animals in line.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

It can't be the. It can't be the one time I decide to go to Fogo de Chow.

[Andrew]

Right? Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

With my PETA hat on. Like, I feel like it's a lifestyle. You're sending a message. You're saying, I really care about animals. And then you better live accordingly as the person wearing the garment, if you will.

[Andrew]

Yes. And do you think it's weird that it's on a leather hat?

[Luke Burbank]

I think that it's on. The leather is from veal.

[Andrew]

Okay. So that's unnecessary.

[Luke Burbank]

Like the youngest, most, most supple leather they could find.

[Andrew]

Oh, man. They are not giving you any mugs if they hear this. Can I ask a favor? If you do any negotiating about other giveaways, could you get me this spaghetti strap tank top that says SeaWorld sucks?

[Luke Burbank]

How much would I have to pay you to. To wear a spaghetti strap tank top that said SeaWorld sucks?

[Andrew]

Luke, I know that this is a place where we all respect each other and ourselves, but I'm not exaggerating when I say it would be a literal sex crime for me to put this shirt on.

[Luke Burbank]

Against us, the rest of the world, even if I. I'm telling.

[Andrew]

You, if I was alone in my studio with the blinds drawn, this is a tiny little shirt. A tiny little shirt that probably only is supposed to come down to, like, above your navel. I don't know if you're looking at it, but it's like, if you were to see me in this, and even if you weren't to see me in this, just to know that somewhere I am wearing this shirt, it would be so offensive that it would be a crime.

[Luke Burbank]

TVTL breaking news. Andrew, I've heard back from Wes at PETA.

[Andrew]

What did you say? Did you ask, did you try to upsell to the hat?

[Luke Burbank]

No, no, no. I hadn't seen the hat yet. I didn't even know what I was asking for. I said, hi, Wes. How did you hear about us using the PETA terminology? Did you hear what I said there, Andrew? Us.

[Andrew]

I appreciate that.

[Luke Burbank]

Using the PETA terminology.

[Andrew]

How did you hear about me and my hero using the PETA terminology? There goes my God.

[Luke Burbank]

Dang it. Where's my karaoke machine? Someone's been touching my karaoke machine. I said, how did you hear about us using the PETA terminology? Did one of our listeners reach out? Best L. I gave him my address, and then Wes got right back to me six minutes ago and said, hi, Luke, you have many listeners here at PETA, and several heard you mention using them. Thank you so much for getting back to me. Your mug is on the way.

[Andrew]

Whoa.

[Luke Burbank]

So really, it sounds like organically, people at PETA are hearing us do this show, and I am personally very honored by that. Thank you.

[Andrew]

I'm honored by that. Now I'm even more in my head about me trying to stumble my way to delicately say that some of our listeners.

[Luke Burbank]

You're just trying to represent. I'm not being sarcastic here. You're just trying to represent all sides. And, you know, big organizations are complicated and. And have many sort of facets to them and elements. And I. I would imagine that you can. You can find examples of things that could be done in a more ideal way in a lot of big organizations. And I'm not trying to tap dance here just because I have a new best friend named Wes who I'm trying to get a free hat from.

[Andrew]

That. Really? You know that I kind of missed the. I kind of missed the lead on that. Huh? So there are a bunch of. There's just tons of people there over at PETA, and they're all listening to tbtl, but they're only hearing you. They're only hearing you use these phrases. They're only sending you mugs.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, they know I'm a friend to the animals. They know that I lie in bed worrying about if horses are cold. I saw a horse the other day. Becca and I were driving out to like a Christmas tree farm and it was really rainy. It actually wasn't even cold outside. I bet you this horse was actually like, I'm overheated right now. Like, it was not cold out. It was just rainy. It was. It was gross. It was rainy and muddy and I was like enjoying being inside a car. And then we drove by a horse that was just like standing in a field getting rained on. And I was just like, that's. That's a day ruiner for me.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Just so they hear it in my voice.

[Luke Burbank]

They know that I am a true empath.

[Andrew]

Yeah. I don't care about the animals.

[Luke Burbank]

Honestly.

[Andrew]

I just want mugs and hats and. And spaghetti strap shirts. Let's.

[Luke Burbank]

You're getting one of those now, buddy. Hey, let's finally talk Chair company and Pluribus. And again, yes, spoilers may follow here in this conversation. So caveat emptor.

[Andrew]

Is there any chance I could put in a request to talk Pluribus first? Because there's something specific. Chair Company it's just. That's fun. I would love to know how we just feeling about it.

[Luke Burbank]

We just like say things to each other from the show, right?

[Andrew]

Exactly.

[Luke Burbank]

That's mostly what it's about.

[Andrew]

I mean, when we first brought this up earlier this week about having a conversation about these shows, I don't know that I had any point I wanted to make about the Chair Company other than I just was excited for you to catch up. But I could certainly have a conversation about that. But there's one thing very specific on my mind about Pluribus that I've been kind of interested in talking to you about and seeing if your experience matches up with mine. Would you. Would you mind? Sorry. Absolutely. It would be weird, I guess, if you said no.

[Luke Burbank]

But I'm also. I'm 90% sure that I'm. I'm caught up on the show because I watched it last weekend and I don't think they put a new one out since then.

[Andrew]

Let's see, they come out on Friday. So there are four episodes.

[Luke Burbank]

As this is airing. There might be a new episode but released. But we haven't watched it.

[Andrew]

It had.

[Luke Burbank]

You and I had we both on episode three. We're at the same place.

[Andrew]

No, four. I've watched four episodes.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, boy, I hope I've watched four.

[Andrew]

I don't. I. I watched the last one late last night, so. Okay, so this is spoiler territory. I think I Warned folks before, but now we are getting into it. Now would be the time. Giving you a little bit of space there. But episode one sets everything up.

[Luke Burbank]

It's called Pest, Andrew. That's our new organization, People for the Ethical. Spoiling of Television. Hold on, I gotta make some hats.

[Andrew]

Hold on, I gotta write that down. People for the Ethical. Because I'll never remember that spoiling of television. And then shall I put in parenthesis, P, E period, E period, S period, T period. So the episodes as I remember them off the top of my head. I see. Now I'm worried. You are, I think, probably only I think you are behind on one. But either way, I was developing this theory anyway. Episode one is the really amazing episode, in my eyes, where you get the setup of what's going on. Obviously, you've watched episode one. Episode two. Our main character, Carol, is starting to deal with things. The big reveal of the world she's living in now is upon her, but now she's dealing with it. And she's trying to bury her former partner, right? Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

She's trying to, like, literally, her partner has died and she's trying to dig a grave in their yard and finding it's very, very hard to dig a grave. And this, like, by the way, it's very sad that it took me this long to realize the messianic implications. Did you pick this up? You know the woman, I guess, the. The part of the pluribus who gets on that old airplane and flies it over.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Did you get her? Look, when she's walking to the airplane, first of all, she's in the Middle East. She looks exactly like Jesus.

[Andrew]

She's wearing a robe.

[Luke Burbank]

She's dirty. There's 12 people at one point who haven't been pluralized. The 12 disciples, like, it's giving, as they say, it's giving real Jesus vibes to me.

[Andrew]

Oh, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Character.

[Andrew]

That was all lost on me. That's good. In fact, the way the woman is always looking at Carol, it has that very. And this is going to. I'm going to say something here.

[Luke Burbank]

Talk to the little ones and bring them to me.

[Andrew]

This is one of those things that I'm going to say that I understand if you'd be offended by me saying this, and I don't mean it insultingly, but there are certain people who are deep, who are deeply Christian, and they look at you a certain way. I'm thinking of specific women that I've worked with in the past at various organizations. And they kind of. They cock their head and kind of they always have this compassionate sort of. But there's a specific look to what I think of as, like, being very, like, front of mind Christian women who have a look and now that you're.

[Luke Burbank]

There's an.

[Andrew]

There's an empathy and there. And it's like one of those things where I. In other times, people would say, oh, well, you know, she's born again, or whatever. I'd be like, oh, yes, that makes sense. The. Right. The extra eye contact, the certain things. I've seen this sort of like, kind of subtle kind of facial behavior before, and I'm blanking on the character's name, but.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, I actually don't know her name either. But we'll feel like in this show is slightly defensible, because if they're part of the purpose, they are essentially just like a nodule sticking out of an organism.

[Andrew]

Okay, but wait, I do want to go back before we get to analyzing it, because I want to make sure. I want to see where you are. So there's the first episode, which we established. Episode two, she's trying to bury her old partner. Episode three, she's, like, on the plane. She's trying to contact the guy who.

[Luke Burbank]

The guy who speaks Spanish.

[Andrew]

Speaks Spanish, Right.

[Luke Burbank]

Think that might have been the last.

[Andrew]

Oh, damn. Okay. You're one behind. There are four out now, and now there's probably five as we speak. So that's okay because the last episode doesn't change what. What I want to talk to you about, which is this. Maybe. Maybe I might spoil a tiny bit for you, but it doesn't really affect the plot too much. But I loved episode one of Pluribus so much, Luke, like, not knowing what was befalling the planet. And the slow reveal of it was so, first of all, just. It had me on the edge of my seat, but it was also mesmerizing the way. I mean, Vince Gilligan's basic art direction is amazing. Anyway, I don't know if he's. I don't know to what degree he's directing these episodes, but it's such a.

[Luke Burbank]

You can just tell such a specific look to them, whether it's Better Call Saul, whether it's obviously Breaking Bad.

[Andrew]

Yeah. And then the choreography involved, too, with the, like. Kind of like when they're. When they're kind of doing their dealing out with their. With their little petri dishes. The petri dish scene. And there are several things that are almost like. Who did the famous dance numbers where the camera was a buckle? Yeah. In almost every episode, there's some sort of Busby Berkeley esque shot like so, so beautiful. But here's the deal. I loved episode one so much. But then episode one is all about what is this thing that's befallen the planet. But then from episode two on, the shift of the story is not about the sci fi. It's about how would one woman deal with this new reality. And we're getting a little bit more information about what's going on in the world. It's. That's eking out here and there, but it's all about one woman's. It's like Last man on Earth. I mean, tonally it's very different. And the thing is. And by the way, this is not a complaint about the show. It's just I realized this isn't the show that I thought it was. It's not the show that interests me as much. I kind of don't. They're just way over indexing on how much I care about Rhea Butler. Not Rhea Butler. Rhea Seehorn's character. I care always about Rhea Butler's character. It would be great to bring her in. I have a pitch. But anyway.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, I just said that we need the entire cast to be people that are named Rhea.

[Andrew]

There is a. And this is where I'm gonna spoil something for you, Luke, but apologies, but there's just a. There's a small part of episode four where it focuses on somebody else for a while and it is so mesmerizing and there's hardly any dialogue but you're glued to the screen. And I'd already sort of had this theory that like I kind of just don't. If this storyline is just gon really focus on this one person and her emotional journey with all this, which you can totally make an argument for. It's just not as interesting to me. And then we finally get another perspective and now suddenly I'm like, okay, now the show's gonna expand, but then it kind of shrinks back down again. And they're really asking her as an actor to do a lot. They're asking the writers to do a lot. And I'm. I just wish it had been more of a sci fi movie that was really more about this phenomenon. That's what's going on and maybe attempts to fight back that are taking up the plot.

[Luke Burbank]

I could not agree more. And I'm having. Even though I'm only three episodes and I'm having the same experience, which is I thought it was going to be. And maybe eventually it will, but they're taking their sweet ass time. I thought it was going to be her banding together with the other people who are not part of the Pluribus to defeat whatever this thing is and try to restore normal life. And I thought, well, they have to kind of give us a little character development on her. But it's like, I don't need any more scenes of her throwing away gourmet food that showed up at her house. You know, like this establishing of, like, she's flying in the very furthest backseat of the coach section of the airplane. Like this idea that she is not embracing the Pluribus world the way some of the other people who are like her have. Like, we get. I feel like I get it already.

[Andrew]

As a viewer, I get it. And it just sort of seems like they're kind of just grinding it in. It's.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, it's like. It's like, I don't need another additional hour of her stomping around and being mad about this and being like, am I the only one who's. Who's crazy? Am I crazy here? Are you all crazy? Like, that's fine. We've established that for the character. I'd really like to get to some alien ass kicking.

[Andrew]

Yes. Or at least more alien explanation or just let's see it from different perspectives. And again, I would say, and for people who are maybe listening and don't share these feelings, I want to be clear here. I'm not even saying this as a critique. I'm saying it as in, oh, this show is taking a different direction than what I was hoping for. And not that it's necessarily doing a bad job of what it is trying to accomplish, but what it's trying to accomplish is way less interesting to me. And I think when you see the beginning of episode four from somebody else's perspective for a while, I think it amplifies that even more. Now, this next thing I'm gonna say.

[Luke Burbank]

Is a critique, more of a comment than a question.

[Andrew]

Like, what I'm saying so far is just kind of like more of a matter of your taste in what you want to see. I do have some pretty major issues with episode two. The idea of these other. The few other English speaking, sort of, we'll call them survivors, even though I don't know if that's a proper word, but let's say survivors. And I think it's an interesting exploration. I understand on an intellectual level that it's an interesting exploration of how different people would have different reactions to this phenomenon because of Their current life status. In other words, you're suddenly realizing, oh, well, Carol is having this experience because she lost basically the one. The one person that was in her life that she loved. And now she's doing this totally alone. Whereas some of these other people who have survived, they're still quote, unquote, normal, but their loved ones are still alive. And that would totally. I mean, I think that I just want to make it clear.

[Luke Burbank]

And by the way, their loved ones are alive and probably being way more chill than they used to.

[Andrew]

And being chill. Yeah. And so. Because I feel like this is one of those things where if I offer the critique about. To offer, people will say, I don't get it. No, I understand that. That is an interesting perspective to offer.

[Luke Burbank]

Us about grief and about the way that our own experience isolates us from other people who have different experiences.

[Andrew]

Yes. But overall, her being in a room, was it 11, or is it 11 people on earth? And these are just like the six English speakers. I can't remember what it is, but their reaction to her, as if she is insane for being freaked out about this. And, like, you know, it's kind of interesting. One person is like, no, this is kind of great. Basically, all of these people are my servants and lovers now. Which is kind of gross. But also. Oh, yeah, that's kind of interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

That could be a response.

[Andrew]

Some of this stuff is.

[Luke Burbank]

Who, by the way, unsubtly. He's flying in Air Force One.

[Andrew]

Yeah, right. Yeah, that was pretty funny. But anyway, and so there are those who will take advantage of the situation. There are other people who will say, well, listen, my children and my parents are still alive and I would do anything to protect them. I'm not trying to, like, do, you know. So I understand there would be sort of these reactions, but generally speaking, people would still be freaking out. Like, they wouldn't look at Rhea Seehorn and be like. Or Carol and be like, oh, like, get out of here. You're upsetting them. And, you know, I understand that there are the implications of. When she gets mad, she can risk the lives of some of them.

[Luke Burbank]

Talk about that a little bit.

[Andrew]

Yeah, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't want to interrupt your.

[Andrew]

No, go ahead. I mean, that's basically my point. I find that those people's reactions in season or in episode two are really unbelievable. Like, and that, to me, really is. That's a core problem with the show from episode two. Like, that. That kind of sucked for me.

[Luke Burbank]

I have a bit of a problem with the idea that the Rhea Seehorn character can kill people by getting mad because it's. I mean, at some point, maybe it will be revealed or explained. But it felt to me like a device that they came up with to try to add some sort of special tension to the show about her feelings and her emotions and her feeling constantly. Like she can't feel her feelings because there's going to be a. An impact. But it's just like, why don't people die when the other, whatever, 11 or 12 people get mad? Like, why is she the only one that can apparently kill people by getting angry? And it just feels like, so random and like we don't really know what's going on in this version of the world. But that felt to me like they were trying to. They invented that. That was, I guess you could say a sort of a MacGuffin.

[Andrew]

That's like.

[Luke Burbank]

They invented it so that it would add some sort of. Some sort of special pressure on the situation. But I wish they would have picked something different because I just don't understand why. And again, maybe they'll give us a really logical explanation in a few episodes. But that one, to me, was also a little bit. Again, I'm. I'm enjoying the show. I'm definitely gonna watch episode four and five. It's like, I'm almost going. I'm having the same experience you're having, which is that it's not kind of the show that I thought it was going to be. But I guess because I'm only really watching two things right now, the Chair Company and Pluribus. It's kind of like, I'll give it an hour of my. Yeah, I'll give it an hour of my time. Because it's just the acting is really good. And like you said all the. The way that the set design is, like, it's keeping my attention, I guess, even though it's not like. It's not like I felt when I started watching Breaking Bad and. And got, you know, four or five episodes in and was like, oh, my God, this is so compelling. That's not the feeling I'm having, but I'm definitely, like, finding it entertaining.

[Andrew]

Did you. I always think, did you watch all of Breaking Bad? But none of Better Call Saul is.

[Luke Burbank]

That I don't even know if I finished Breaking Bad, if you can believe it.

[Andrew]

I thought you said that you did not watch that just maybe the first season or something, or.

[Luke Burbank]

I think I watched the first, maybe two or three. But I will say this. What a weird. Along with drinking coffee late at night, what a weird. Flex. But I'm very proud to say that I happened upon Breaking Bad well before any of the hype around Breaking Bad. I was literally like flipping the channels and I was on amc like this is before the era of the app. So this is like I have cable television and it was. And I'd never heard of Vince Gilligan. And I just caught, you know, got caught watching one episode of it and was totally sucked in. And I remember going around telling people, like, there is this show called Breaking Bad that is like unbelievably well done. And I was shocked that there wasn't more hype around it. And then of course there was lots of hype and then I didn't even probably finish the whole thing. But I mean, I think that those first few seasons of Breaking Bad are just some of the best TV maybe ever. And I do mean to, by the way, watch Better Call Saul to completion. I think I've watched maybe the first four or five episodes and I really enjoyed it. It's really just like a setting aside the time to sit down and do it thing for me.

[Andrew]

I want to go back to your nitpick about the storyline where if she's mean to the Pluribus, then she endangers them because I guess they're in good spirits all the time. But I guess when they're insulted or hurt in some way, she can literally kill them, which is like, I hadn't really thought of that aspect of it. The only real complaint I had, specific complaint was about the reaction of the, of the other survivors. I just felt that that was incredibly unbelievable, at least for that, early on in this, in this process. But you're pointing that out, really. I couldn't agree with you more now that you point it out like that. And it might even explain, like, maybe these people did have their freak out moments, these other survivors, and realized that they were endangering the others, the Pluribus, and so that's why they're so in line. Maybe. But that doesn't make sense either because we would have seen them having a convulsion or. Yeah, and they would have said you even went, you know, Rhea Seehorn or Carol would have seen it happening when she didn't trigger it if somebody else had triggered it somewhere else in the world. That's a really good point.

[Luke Burbank]

And yeah, and also that one character that's clearly set up to be the sort of, you know, the person that we don't like. The one, you know, the other survivor who's like really, really bad at Carol from the jump.

[Andrew]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I feel like she would have said something like, we all learned how to control our rage or something.

[Andrew]

You know what I mean?

[Luke Burbank]

But your point is even better, which is that Carol would have been seeing everyone falling down in, like, dead fishing on the ground, not from her being mad.

[Andrew]

Yeah. You know, one thing I gotta remember about the show that I always. When I'm watching it, I always have. I mean, when I say I gotta remember it, I mean, I need to take a beat while I'm watching it to try to remember, are they all seeing? And the answer to that is no. Like when Rhea, when Carol covers up all of her windows and Carol block my windows, you know, like, sometimes I just sort of forget because of the dynamics of them, because they're all knowing, because they're all tapped into each other's consciousness throughout the world. So this one being of, you know, billions of heads is all sharing the world's knowledge, but it doesn't mean that they can see through wall, you know, so she does have moments of privacy. That doesn't. I'm not going anywhere with that. It's just something that I always have to remind myself, like, oh, yeah, if she. Like, maybe I'm thinking about it for this reason. If she were to go up to one of the other survivors and whisper in their ear, we need to get out of here, and they could communicate that way and the pluribus would not know it. Right. Like, they can have private.

[Luke Burbank]

As long as that. Yeah. The person she's talking to is not a pluribus.

[Andrew]

If they were just in a room alone. As long as you can prove that they're not being bugged or anything, which they could be if they wanted to be. So it's just like, there are ways that you could, like, do this without upsetting them. And just the idea that everybody else just, like, got right into line right away in episode two, what, 48 hours after this happened, or maybe a week or whatever it is, just does not match the reality of the show. To me, it doesn't seem right.

[Luke Burbank]

It also feels to me like there's a little bit of. Of. And again, I really have a lot of respect for Vince Gilligan and his writing team based on the other shows that I've seen. But it feels like there's some parts that I don't know if they've totally worked out. Like, remember in the grenade episode, Episode three, I guess, and she's like, they bring her a live grenade and then she's like, well, would you give me A nuclear bomb. And the guy's like, we would ask you why you need it, but it's like, so would they bring her? It seemed like. It felt to me like they hadn't fully landed the writers and fully landed on what the actual rules are for what the Pluribus can and can't do. I mean, I guess the rule is they would have to bring her a nuclear bomb.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Or they would deliver her to a nuclear bomb, maybe.

[Luke Burbank]

But they'd have to do. Essentially, the rule is they have to do whatever she says.

[Andrew]

I guess so. I guess that's what that. That's what that scene is illustrating. And then there's another scene again, I'll tell you, because it's not like some sparkly fat. Well, no, I'll just. I'll just hold my. I'll just hold my. I'll keep my powder dry on what I was about to say. It doesn't matter, you. You know, basically what the show is. It's kind of becoming like each episode she learns one new thing or verifies one new thing about the behavior of the Pluribus so that she can, like, start to, like, kind of keep a record of how she can sort of jujitsu them against themselves sort of of. Right.

[Luke Burbank]

And it's obviously, it's not going to be like Independence Day. She's not going to be Randy Quaid flying in a fighter jet, bombing the Pluribus. It's going to have to be some way that she logics. She sort of logics her way out of it or something.

[Andrew]

Yeah. Which. And I guess this is one thing that I'll tell you about episode four, and I don't really blame the writers for doing this, but more and more, I am struck by the devices TV and filmmakers use that are so antiquated and unrealistic, but it's such a good way of visually telling a story or visually getting a message across. I think it took the industry a really, like, a disproportionately long time to give up on answering machines and listening to people's voicemails because it's such a great way to get information quickly across the audience. Right, right. But nobody listens to voicemails anymore. You know, I think they used phones ringing for a long time until they finally got used to, like, the buzz, buzz sound in shows. And I think the trope of this. I'm thinking of another show now, which, by the way, I was gonna. I was gonna say what Pluribus has made me do. What Episode one of Pluribus has made me do is wanna go back and re watch three Body Problem, which I recommend.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, I never watched that.

[Andrew]

That's much more sci fi. That is like, how are we gonna solve these sci fi issues? But there's still a lot of humanity. And I'm actually interested in your thoughts on it because there's some fantasy elements too. And you might not like it as much as I do, but I think you generally respect it or give it a day in court. But the one thing that they do in that show in one scene is there's a cop trying to investigate something and he still. It's like the Wire when they put like all the suspects or potential victims faces photographically on a bulletin board and then they take a red marker and they X off somebody who dies. Like, I just don't. So maybe people are still doing stuff visually that way. In episode four of Pluribus, she has a big whiteboard in her house that is revealed. And it's clear that she was using this whiteboard to sort of like work out questions about her novels or whatever. But I'm like, I just don't think that before all this happened, you were brainstorming on this whiteboard by yourself because that's the best way a writer can figure out her next book in her trilogy. You know what I mean? You'd probably be sitting behind a computer with copious notes. I mean, there are so many digital ways of doing this. So she takes her whiteboard and she writes what I know about the Pluribus or what I know about them or whatever, and then starts like writing out all.

[Luke Burbank]

That's a super helpful way for us, the audience, to get a quick download on where her mind is at, but.

[Andrew]

Doesn'T make any sense in the same way. I just don't think. And hey, listen, I'm not a cop. I've never. I've never met my.

[Luke Burbank]

You have been to a law enforcement.

[Andrew]

I never met my Irish wife at a law enforcement conference. It would be funny if Arnold Schwarzenegger ended up marrying that woman. But anyway. Yeah, so I just think that that is kind of a visual crutch that filmmakers can't give up on. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Do we want to talk for a quick moment about the Chair Company before we release these people, these fine listeners, out into the world once again?

[Andrew]

Sure. Yeah. We got to do blurs days too. I don't have any thesis or big questions about the Chair Company. I'm just still really enjoying it. I feel like episode five was the peak. Definitely six and seven I didn't like quite as much, but it's still good. It's just that 6 and 7 are getting a little bit more serious, but there's some. It's just so funny. I watch it. I watch it at least twice.

[Luke Burbank]

I really love the. And again, this is, I guess, a spoiler or something, but I really love that they finally gave him, like, a friend in this, I. E. His daughter. Like, I mean, he's got Mike sort of. But, like, I like that there's another. There's a sane person in the world who actually sees that he's onto something. That was a breath of fresh air for me, didn't it?

[Andrew]

I'm just a little confused about that now. I feel like I just. I'm looking for things to gripe about. But it's funny you should raise it because that's the one thing that. I mean, it's a weird show. There's tons of stuff that might not fit together. It's surreal, it's weird, it's funny. It's just absurd. But the one thing was, like, we were introduced that his daughter was concerned for his mental health. Like, is she concerned? And it was very clear. Like, there was a whole flashback episode about.

[Luke Burbank]

Because the Jeep company.

[Andrew]

Yeah, because the Jeep company. And we see her, like, she's listening to him tell the story, and then we see her, like, kind of behind his back, put a tracer on his car. She's concerned about his mental health. Then at some point, without any explanation, she's helping him solve this mystery. Is she worried about his mental health or not? Why is she sending him a message?

[Luke Burbank]

He broke through to her with the tattoo. The colored tattoo that is also the colors of the website of Delaware City.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that was the moment you. I think.

[Luke Burbank]

I guess that would be my guess. Like, yes, definitely. She's worried about him. But then there is a point where he presents her with empirical evidence that kind of also the whole conversation about if Wendy's is gonna start having a carver that just does ham.

[Andrew]

Is that a. Oh, thanks. You know, I only watched episode the last episode once, and I need to rewatch it to remember these details. I assumed that that was them doing spawn cons. Oh, I mean, that would be hilarious. I wanted to see is Wendy's Carvers a thing?

[Luke Burbank]

It seemed to me to be such a weird because, like, it's like a nicer Wendy's called Wendy's Carvers. And he's like, so is it going to be a Wendy's at all? Like, yeah, if It's Spawn Con. It worked because they talked about it. Now we're talking about it. A lot of.

[Andrew]

Yeah. What do you think? Is there a chance that, like, they were like, hey, we could get some money for doing this?

[Luke Burbank]

This is. Is. Are you finding a Wendy's carver on the.

[Andrew]

I am. Let's see here. It looks like. No, it looks like I'm. No, it looks like it's just something that is in the Tim Robinson universe. I think it.

[Luke Burbank]

That felt for some reason, that just feels like such a Tim Robinson, Zack Canaan, weird, specific thing. But then again, I just give them so much credit on everything that it could totally be Spawn Con. But I'm just, you know, because it.

[Andrew]

Felt like a joke of Spawn Con. You know what I mean? It didn't. It seemed like, hey, if we have to do this, let's just make it like a. Let's literally do a commercial for this thing. But no, I don't know what I find funnier if they had decided to do Spawn Con in that way or just make it up. But you're right. Like, it just sounds like something that popped out of their head. So it's maybe silly to think that.

[Luke Burbank]

I think this also, by the way, speaks to maybe a little bit. I mean, we're both enjoying the show so much. I'm just, like. When I watch it, I'm just blasting your phone with, like, things that made me laugh about it. Like the bonnet that he puts on this dog that he brings home that he's just. The whole way, he's trying to act like this dog has been with the family forever.

[Andrew]

Yeah, right. Maybe.

[Luke Burbank]

But. But the thing is, like, as it's getting a little bit more. You could say, in certain ways, it's getting more traditional. Like, now we have a coherent plot of what's going on, and he's actually getting to the heart of the issue, and he's got his daughter kind of helping him, and she's running part of the mission, et cetera. It's like I'm enjoying it more and more. And it sounds like you're kind of. You're enjoying it, but that's less. What you kind of care about or what's less entertaining to you?

[Andrew]

I. No, I. Actually, the reason it got me was because it had a pl. Like, I know that you've heard me say this a million times now, but, like, I was so thankful for the plot when it developed because I was scared it was going to be a little bit more aimless and bizarre. Like, friendship was. I Like the plot. I just. There was something. When I say episode five, I think episode five was just so good. It's not that I think that it's getting bad. I just think that it ramped up, up, up to episode five, which was so good. Episode six and seven are really good. And there's some funny parts. Some really funny parts. But it's just. There was something about the character. I can't remember his name, but he's in a wheelchair for as long as he feels he needs.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know his name either, but.

[Andrew]

There'S just something about episode five. Just like, it hit every one of the quadrants. Like, from plot, comedy characters just hit everything. Whereas episode six and seven, it's just like. Because of where we are in the plot arc, which is totally reasonable, it's just getting a little bit more intense. And so they're having to deal with, I think, a little. It just seems a little bit more serious at times. I will say I really liked the reintegration of the shirt store and that whole.

[Luke Burbank]

I wondered if that always in the plot or if the response to that guy was so strong that they wrote that back. They wrote that in. They wanted to go back to Tremblay.

[Andrew]

I would be shocked if they didn't have this all. They must have all the can before. They can't be.

[Luke Burbank]

Guy with the long sleeve shirt with the diamonds.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that. I love that hippie shirt thing. I love that whole thing with the diamonds. And then my dog is sniffing the part that it uses. Oh, my God, I love it. Yeah. No, no, that. To me, that felt like the most. I think you should leave of the whole thing. But I thought it was great. No, I'm still very, very into the show. I thought it was gonna be eight episodes, but after episode seven, with that ending of episode seven, I'm like, oh, this is where they're wrapping up the season. I'm actually a little bit nervous about episode eight because I sort of thought, like, you know, the show usually ends. There's some huge reveal at the end of each episode. Then it cuts to blow black. This one didn't do that. It had that long drawn out, like he's dancing and crying and smiling.

[Luke Burbank]

I would totally. If I were in. He's never been more relatable to me than when he's doing what he thinks is kind of a. A selfless thing and crying and staring at himself in the mirror. Crying, Doing a selfless thing.

[Andrew]

Yeah, right. And then that's a move I would pull. It seemed like Such that the end of the. The series or the season, like, so now they're going to reopen, open something and then close it down again in one episode.

[Luke Burbank]

Maybe next season is the desk company.

[Andrew]

Maybe it is.

[Luke Burbank]

He sits on a desk and there's a problem.

[Andrew]

Applying logic to this show doesn't make a lot of sense, but I will say that, like, they make it seem like he's got this, like, sort of like digital problem of either you blow up this whole thing and your wife loses her funding or you stay quiet and the wife keeps her funding. But I feel like there's another much more reasonable. And I know nobody's reasonable in the show, but what you could do is just go home and privately have a conversation with your wife and say, hey, listen, I know I've been acting funny. Here is everything I've learned. And now they've essentially admitted it to me. I was in her office. She confronted me. You got to believe me. I wouldn't lie about this. What should we do about it? Should we expose it? Or would you like to keep the money and stay quiet? You know what I mean? There is a but obviously he's not reasonable, so maybe that's a dumb thing to bring up. There's a right way to rock and a wrong way to roll? You can't just listen to your song. Just remember that life is number one. You can be having so much fun. Just remember that life is much fun? You can be nothing but one. All right, before we get into the blurs, Ace, quick reminder that the TBTL holiday party is coming up in a few weeks. A few weeks. Friday, December 19th at 8:00pm Eastern Time, 5:00pm Pacific Time, via Zoom, we're gonna be getting together all the tens of listeners who choose to join us for another holiday party. We'll be sipping some eggnog and specifically, specifically talking to folks about their favorite holiday traditions. If you have a story you'd like to share or a tradition you'd like to share, you can. You can raise your hand and we'll call on you and we'll chat. If you just want to hang out and not necessarily participate vocally, that's fine as well. It's just a hangout. It's a digital hangout with your pals. And if you want to sign up to get the Zoom link for that, just go to tbtl.net and hit that little blue button at the top of the page.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, please, please.

[Andrew]

Meanwhile, let's celebrate something else called blurs days. Apologies to Danny in New Hampshire by the way. One of our dannies, we did our blurs day recording a little bit early last week. And so Danny, unfortunately she got it in on time on paper, but we didn't work it in. So this is a belated. I'm sorry. That's on me, Danny. But happy blursday. Danny says happy blursday to me. Looking forward to some birthday bowling with family on my blurs. Sounds like that might have been last Saturday. So maybe the birthday bowling is over. How'd it go, Danny? Danny says, wishing all of the tens a happy turkey day. Happy blursday, Danny. I hope that polling was fun. Michael says I want to send a 13th blursday shout out to my five Lydia the less dead. Oh, and then in parentheses it says, Luke's words, not mine. Episode 3047 at the 1 hour 5 minute 30 second mark. She is an incredibly talented dancer, musician and artist and athlete. And I could not be more proud of her. Happy birthday, DJ Liddy. Lids. Love you. Kiss, kiss, bonk, bonk. So explain that. I'm sorry I messed that up. Just kiss, kiss, bonk. I added a bonk. Jamie says, Hey y'. All. Just want to send a belated birthday message to my dad, Troy. His Birthday is the 26th, the day before Thanksgiving this year. That's right. Heralded as Lenny Samaski's birthday. Sorry we're a little bit late on this one. Happy birthday, dad. I hope I was able to make your birthday a good one. Nice. Happy birthday, Troy. Aaron says happy blursday to my amazing 10 friendo Krista. Looking forward to celebrating you this weekend. You are really one of the good humans out there doing the good work. Appreciate you. Thank you for being a 10. Happy birthday your 10 friendo Aaron.

[Luke Burbank]

Nice.

[Andrew]

Very nice.

[Luke Burbank]

Very sweet.

[Andrew]

Eric and Luna say we want to wish a happy blursday. Okay, I already messed this up and I was gonna try to improv my way out of it, but I can't. I gotta start over. We want to wish Lindsey a happy celebration of living blurs day. Okay, what was in the box? How about emergency surgeries with super long recoveries? We are all so so happy that you're here to shame eat with us at our local watering hole and to endure record breaking long ass MLB games together. You are strong, compassionate inspiration to us all. Happy blurs day, Lindsay Lou.

[Luke Burbank]

Hope you're doing well.

[Andrew]

Indeed glad you're here. Indeed hope you're recovered. We're recovering well. Angela says I want to wish my incredibly talented and funny husband Justin W a happy birthday Happy birthday, Justin W.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, wow.

[Andrew]

Wow. Oh, wow. All right. I always edit these things, but I forgot to edit this one, so I'm gonna just read it. Sorry for everybody else who's been edited in the past. And you're getting a long one here from Arthur, who says, I'm turning 62 this week on Wednesday. And while I'm not much for grandstanding, I thought I'd try out some self promotion. I share my birthday week with my grandson Simon. So happy second birthday to Simon in Minneapolis. And I'd like to invite the Portland Tens, who walk their dogs, to come by 19th Avenue and readway street to get a treat from the dog treat station that I put up this year. We don't have dogs, but I enjoy giving out biscuits and tennis balls to doggos who eat them. Nice. Very nice. All right. Well, that was a little. Yeah. So there's a dog station. Have you seen these? I've seen them on Instagram.

[Luke Burbank]

No, I haven't seen them. I've seen the little libraries. Yes. But I don't think I've seen a little dog station.

[Andrew]

You know, what I've seen is they call them little. Instead of little free libraries, they call them little free stick libraries or something. And they'll, like, be a collection of sticks that dogs can grab.

[Luke Burbank]

Come on.

[Andrew]

And then. Yeah, and then there's. I've seen one with tennis balls and stuff.

[Luke Burbank]

So I was telling you how this week, earlier, way back on Monday, I was at that place called Cycle Dog, and it also has, like, you know, you can bring your dog there to play. And so there was a bunch of dogs running around, and my goodness gracious, it was doing a number on me. All of these adorable little dogs that I was saying hi to and stuff. And this one dog named Ranger was demonstrating this particular kind of collar, and we had him jump up on a picnic table, and he was just, like, sitting so still and being so good. Good. Was like, yeah. Really looking forward to someday. Someday getting a dog.

[Andrew]

Genevieve is. I think I've told you this. Been sending me a lot of photos of dogs, but we're looking specifically for dogs that get along with cats. So what I'm getting is a lot of photos of dogs snuggling with cats. And now I. And then I'm just like, well, we'll take them both.

[Luke Burbank]

That'll be the savage soul.

[Andrew]

Well, sort of. But it's also sort of like. It's sort of torture to see all these dogs and to read their stories and be like, I was reading the story of a dog who. Her favorite thing is to play with her toys. And yes, sometimes she'll take all of her toys and hide them so that she can protect them in her little cage. But she mostly just wants to chill out with you. The reading of the backstories. I'm just kind of like, oh, yeah, I would die for this dog today. I've never met this dog.

[Luke Burbank]

I didn't know this dog existed five minutes ago, and now I would literally trade my life for it.

[Andrew]

Exactly. And you see, like, five of those a day, and it's like a kind of torture.

[Luke Burbank]

Someone's going to get a pedophile mug.

[Andrew]

That's right.

[Luke Burbank]

Someone just earned a pita mug, my friend.

[Andrew]

Me.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, that's gonna do it for this broadcast week. Thank you so much for listening. Hope you all had a nice holiday week and got to relax at least a little bit and enjoy some good food. Wear me back here on Monday with more imaginary radio for you. I will be in Miami, so I'm with, I'm sure, many stories from my. My time travel, traveling there. So we'll see you for that. In the meantime, have a great weekend. Take care of yourselves. Go Seahawks. And please remember, no mountain too tall.

[Andrew]

And good luck to all. Power out.