#628: Keep it Unreal

Summary

Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! #628: Keep it Unreal (March 3, 2025)

Overview

In this episode, Walt Flanagan, Bryan Johnson, and Brian "Q" Quinn confront the fallout from listener backlash over recent jokes about Canada and political commentary. The trio debates the show’s direction, listener expectations, their responsibility as podcasters, and how to balance authenticity and sensitivity. The conversation blends heartfelt introspection, typical banter, and plenty of meta-podcast discussion, ultimately leading to a quasi-relaunch of "Tell 'Em Steve-Dave" and a commitment to "keep it unreal."

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Backlash and Apology Segment (00:27 – 17:32)

• Walt’s Apology: Walt addresses the controversy stemming from the last episode’s jokes about Canada and misinformation about UK free speech. He explains he received heartfelt emails from longtime listeners who are stepping away.
  • "Right off the bat, I have to issue an apology to our Canadian brothers and sisters." (01:30, Walt)
• The Pain of Losing Supporters: Walt shares the impact of a particularly supportive listener cutting off the show. The guys discuss how cumulative negativity about their comments led to this.
  • "She just finds herself—she… I just don't like you guys as people anymore." (02:27, Walt)
  • Q and Bryan express frustration that lighthearted joking could have this effect.
• Debating the Duty of a Comedy Podcast: They raise questions about the expectation to “do homework” before commenting on politics, and whether their audience really expects seriousness.
  • "How arrogant is it that I, a fucking failed comic book store manager ... now I can weigh in on all the fucking problems that the world has across the fucking ocean?" (07:40, Walt)
• Creative Course Correction: Walt insists future episodes will focus more on personal stories (Teddy the dog, busting on Get Em) to avoid further alienation.
  • "I'm just going to talk about Teddy, my dog. And I'm going to bitch about Get Em. And I am not going to weigh in on anything that I am not completely versed in." (03:29, Walt)

2. The Role of Listeners & Show Identity (12:11 – 24:54)

• Why Listen if You Hate Us?: Bryan argues listeners who dislike or “hate-listen” are still supporting the show, leading to a recursive debate about negative attention and the show's purpose.
• Losing Patreon Support: Walt references a notable thread about Canadians canceling their Patreon after the scandal, comparing it to sponsor losses for "Impractical Jokers."
• Concerns about Censorship and Fun: Bryan questions whether podcasting is enjoyable when the audience polices every comment.
  • “How the f*** is this fun?” (11:29, Bryan)
  • Walt and Bryan worry about losing the ability to be themselves if “maple syrup jokes” can endanger the show.
• Meta-Reinvention: The group floats "rebranding" the show—considering renumbering like comic books, dialing back defensiveness, and focusing on authenticity.
  • "This is almost like episode one of the new Tell 'Em Steve-Dave." (23:23, Walt)
  • "All new Tell 'Em Steve-Dave. Let’s build bridges, man." (23:44, Bryan)

3. Debate: What Do Listeners Want? (19:11 – 30:00)

• Superfan Feedback: The producer suggests adding "corrections and retractions" segments, akin to news outlets, to mend fences—prompting mixed feelings about correcting mistakes in real time versus maintaining show flow.
• Moving Past Defensiveness: They eventually accept that some audience critiques are valid and agree to focus on lighthearted personal content, anecdotes, and “what listeners can only get from TSD.”
  • "People just don't want to hear our viewpoints on the world's issues."(43:07, Walt)
  • "They want us to bust each on each other's balls. Lovingly. They want us to talk about our lives." (18:36, Walt)
• Satirical Pivot: The group jokes about embellishing their stories or outright making up content—"feelings over facts" becomes a potential new tagline.
  • "It can't be offensive, but it can be untrue." (40:54, Bryan)
  • "I never let the truth get in the way of a good story." (50:53, Bryan)

4. Slice of Life Stories and Lighthearted Banter (30:00 – 69:48)

Proving their own point, the second half is heavy on:

• New Marvel Movie Review: The hosts discuss the new Captain America film, lamenting its focus on old storylines and debating the merits of Sam Wilson vs. Bucky as Cap.
  • "I am shocked that it's a sequel to a 17-year-old Incredible Hulk movie." (29:18, Walt)
• Personal Updates: The crew shares minor life mishaps and milestones—a cortisone shot solves Bryan’s knee troubles (34:40), and Walt’s daughter inadvertently re-enacts a TSD classic by rescuing a neighbor’s dog (59:43).
• Going to Plays and Broadway Prices: Q laments Broadway ticket costs; the others debate theater economics and why big stars do plays (48:01 – 49:39).
• Matlock Recap: Walt’s binge of the new Matlock prompts reminiscences on old TV and deadpan jokes about aging audiences and show formats (36:26 –39:18).

5. Embracing Embellishment & Speculative History (50:00 – 59:01)

Mixing humor and tongue-in-cheek speculation, the hosts riff on:

• Presidential Sexuality: Q details internet theories about past presidents' supposed gay relationships.
  • "I'm just gonna assume all presidents are half gay." (56:50, Bryan)
  • "But the president just sucked 37 dicks in a row." (55:09, Walt, riffing on a running joke)

6. Closing: Feel-Good and Future Directions (59:03–70:42)

• Rescuing Dogs Legacy: Walt recounts the heartwarming story of his daughter saving a neighbor's dog just as he had years earlier, suggesting fate (59:43).
  • "That neighbor moved ... a new neighbor moved in with a dog. And the other day my daughter Alicia rescued the dog ... Fulfilling her almost destiny." (59:43, Walt)
• Teddy becomes a running bit: Walt accidentally kills a millionaire’s dream by revealing Teddy the rare dog has been fixed, not realizing the value. Comic dramatizing ensues, highlighting the unpredictability of real-life stories (61:45–67:50).
  • "He starts dancing and going and gyrating... 'Me and you, we're gonna be rich. I breed French bulldogs. I have never come across a long-haired Frenchie.' ... 'Well, I got him fixed.' And the dancing stops immediately." (64:20–64:39, Walt)
• Looking Ahead: The group discusses whether to renumber or otherwise formalize the relaunch of TSD, vowing to bring more approachable, real (or maybe just funny-unreal) content in future episodes.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:30] Walt Flanagan: “Right off the bat, I have to issue an apology to our Canadian brothers and sisters.”
• [07:40] Walt Flanagan: “How arrogant is it that I, a fucking failed comic book store manager, defrocked. Defrocked by Kevin Smith, that I have enough knowledge to… now I can weigh in on all the fucking problems that the world has across the fucking ocean?”
• [14:34–15:08] Bryan Johnson: “The maple syrup joke is not even a pimple on what these people say and truly believe... But if we're trying to keep it like a maple syrup joke is a thing that's all over the line. I'm just saying, at a certain point, you got to ask yourself, like, what is the point?”
• [24:54] Bryan Johnson: “I like the challenge of it. I think you're right, Walt. I think, like, if you drop the defensiveness, there's some... good points made.”
• [40:54] Bryan Johnson (joking): “It can't be offensive, but it can be untrue. I think that's our new tagline.”
• [59:43] Walt Flanagan: “That neighbor moved... a new neighbor moved in with a dog... my daughter Alicia rescued the dog... Fulfilling her almost like, like destiny.”
• [64:20–64:39] Walt Flanagan: “He starts dancing and this is real. He starts dancing and going and gyrating... ‘Me and you, we’re gonna be rich. I breed French bulldogs…’ ‘Well, I got him fixed.’ And the dancing stops immediately.”
• [56:50] Bryan Johnson: “I’m just gonna assume all presidents are half gay.”
• [50:53] Bryan Johnson: “I never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:27 – Opening banter; Walt apologizes to Canadians.
• 01:56–04:20 – Listener feedback, apology, concern over show's direction.
• 04:45–06:35 – Debating what topics are safe/fun to discuss.
• 11:11–16:03 – Should they keep going if podcasting isn’t fun? "Should we quit?" debate.
• 17:00–23:23 – Should they reinvent/rebrand after backlash?
• 29:08–30:42 – Marvel movie review (Captain America, Bucky vs. Sam).
• 34:40–36:39 – Johnson’s cortisone recovery and Matlock recaps.
• 48:01–49:39 – Broadway ticket prices and discussion about theater.
• 55:09 – Lyndon B. Johnson “37 dicks in a row” bit.
• 59:43–66:30 – Walt’s family dog hero legacy & the Teddy mini-saga.
• 69:11–end – Closing thoughts; considering a relaunch and renumber.

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Tone & Style

The tone veers between self-deprecating, exasperated, sincere, and gleefully irreverent. The guys acknowledge the seriousness of hurting longtime fans, but ultimately double down on their need to enjoy what they do—even if it means risking more “unreal” storytelling in the future. Some “cancel culture” exhaustion peeks through, but their affection for each other and for the show wins out.

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Closing Thoughts

This episode turns controversy into catharsis. TSD’s hosts deliver a blend of apology, introspection, and classic ball-breaking, all in their trademark no-filter style. By the end, they settle on a new (half-joking) mission: stories that might not always be true, but hopefully always entertaining.

Most important takeaway: The next era of Tell 'Em Steve-Dave promises less politics, more personal shenanigans—fact or fiction be damned.

Transcript

[Walt Flanagan]

President just sucked 37 dicks in a row.

[Bryan Johnson]

To be authentic to myself. Me and, you know, I just kept it real. People respect when you keep it real. You know. He told me he loves me.

[Walt Flanagan]

Tell him Steve Dave.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of Tell him Steve Dave. We got a full house here. We got Walt, yo. And we got bq.

[Bryan Johnson]

Hello, bq.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

How you doing, buddy?

[Bryan Johnson]

Good.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

You got a thousand yard stare. I don't know, like you tired?

[Bryan Johnson]

Back to work. Yeah, you know, it's like. Yeah, it's like back to work on like four different things at once, but it's good. Good things, Good things. Weather's getting warmer. It's in the 50s today. You know.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Let's talk a good 20 minutes about the weather to start off this episode.

[Bryan Johnson]

Let's wrap it up. Yes.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Did you hear anything about us talking about the weather?

[Walt Flanagan]

I heard us talking about other things that caused mucho problems since the last episode. Weather wasn't one of them.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Weather wasn't it?

[Walt Flanagan]

Now I have to. Right off the bat, I have to issue an apology to our Canadian brothers and sisters.

[Bryan Johnson]

We didn't badmouth Canada.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yes, I did. I was insensitive. You know, at a point where, you know, they're.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Are they pussies, these Canadians?

[Walt Flanagan]

Stop, guys, stop. Let me issue the apology.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Wow.

[Bryan Johnson]

Get him doing that. What went down?

[Walt Flanagan]

It was bad. It was bad. Deservedly so.

[Bryan Johnson]

What did you.

[Walt Flanagan]

I made jokes that were insensitive to the issues that are going on between America and Canada right now.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, for fuck's sake.

[Walt Flanagan]

Stop. Stop. Brothers and sisters were upset and I got a lot of upset people and including people who are so sweet and nice. Some of the longest standing listeners sent me an email that basically just broke my heart.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, man.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah. Broke my heart saying that she no longer can listen to us because she just finds herself. She. I just don't like you guys as people anymore.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, because we made a couple jokes about annexing Canada.

[Bryan Johnson]

I stood up for Canada. Wait a second. I certainly didn't say.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Some people did acknowledge that.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. I didn't say a single bad thing about Canada.

[Walt Flanagan]

I don't know if it was. The final straw was Canada and also some misinformation at the end of the episode. We definitely were wrong about something about free speech in the uk. It wasn't.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, how the fuck are we gonna be right about that? We don't live in the uk.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, I guess. What?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Again, I think we spoke in generalities where we were like, yeah, it's something about like Social media.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, no, it was.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It was.

[Walt Flanagan]

It was blamed again. It was just we didn't do enough homework to weigh in on it. And getting this.

[Bryan Johnson]

I gotta start doing homework after years.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, no, no, no.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, how much homework do I.

[Walt Flanagan]

You can follow my lead now. And my lead is just gonna be I'm just gonna talk about Teddy, my dog.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

And I'm gonna bitch about. Get him. And I am not going to weigh in on anything that I am not completely versed in because it just upsets people at the end of the day. That is not the goal. I am not here to. To make people upset and be like, I'm canceling all the.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Everything.

[Walt Flanagan]

You know, I'm no Patreon. No more. No more merch. It's. It. It's over. I don't like you guys anymore.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't. How can people not understand that? It's like, it's not a serious political show.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, I think that they make a.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Couple jokes and people like, I hate you now. Come on.

[Walt Flanagan]

They didn't say I hate that or.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't like you guys anymore.

[Walt Flanagan]

I find that I just. At the end of the day, I don't like you guys as people anymore.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Well, if you knew us in the first place.

[Walt Flanagan]

I'm not going to say your name, but she was such a supporter, so nice. Like, you couldn't have found a more nicer person for her to say that. I do think you have to look and see. Have we strayed from the mission statement? And do we need to. Course correct.

[Bryan Johnson]

But straight into what I don't understand.

[Walt Flanagan]

Just talking about things that at the end of the day, don't allow people to enjoy the show as much as they would if we just.

[Bryan Johnson]

How the hell are you supposed to.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Know what those topics are you're about to say? Don't talk about things that upset people. Everything upsets somebody.

[Walt Flanagan]

I have never gotten a complaint. We're like, hey, man, you're. You're fucking riding Gideon's balls too hard. I've never gotten that email.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I'll bet you never heard any about Teddy talk either.

[Bryan Johnson]

No.

[Walt Flanagan]

I got a good Teddy story this week, and that may be the only thing I could talk about. But all kidding aside, though. Yeah. Like to hear that people are like, I'm done. I will never support you guys in any way because you joked around. You know what? It's too new. I guess the wound was too raw. And all the implications of Trump making that ridiculous, like, proclamation that he wants to annex Canada at the end of.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

The day we thought it was as ridiculous as anybody else.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, I don't remember saying anything besides.

[Walt Flanagan]

That, but I shouldn't have made it.

[Bryan Johnson]

Like we shouldn't upset our neighbors.

[Walt Flanagan]

This is the first time. Time in decade.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

That it's my fault.

[Bryan Johnson]

They'Ve been racking it. Not so rare lately, buddy. I've been having a whole bunch of Ls lately.

[Walt Flanagan]

That's why I'm going strictly dog talk, strictly pissing. And I get them. Those are why I know where my. I know where my W's are.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, that's your wheelhouse. Can you afford me that email? I'd like to read it from the long time. Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Do you really want to hear?

[Bryan Johnson]

No, no, no. I definitely do.

[Walt Flanagan]

I don't want you. I don't want to tell her name. I don't want you guys like. I know how you guys are.

[Bryan Johnson]

I don't.

[Walt Flanagan]

Guys don't like criticism. I know you guys don't you, you get very aggro and defensive and you're ready to burn.

[Bryan Johnson]

He's already separating himself from us. You see that, you guys? He's drawing line to the sand.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Look at him.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

You're right, Fable, if you're on Braves.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Whenever something like this happens, we always get lumped together.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, I know how you guys handle criticism. It's not. You guys ever go like we need some self reflection.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Nope.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's like, oh yourself.

[Bryan Johnson]

How do we turn this into a year long bit? All right. Not this time. Not this time.

[Walt Flanagan]

Not this time. She's too sweet of a person.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

And I gotta know later on.

[Bryan Johnson]

I gotta know.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, I could. I mean, you want to give me something to write with it there. 148. You're at anything.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Do you got a pen? You don't have red at the hand. Okay.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, I mean, for my part, like, I mean, I, I, I, I, I'll. I apologize. I'm sorry. I, I didn't, I didn't know. Let me see. She's writing a name.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Get out of here.

[Bryan Johnson]

Really?

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah. The sweetest of the.

[Bryan Johnson]

That is. That is. We do need to look at our souls a little bit right now. You changing that tune.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I didn't know where she was Canadian.

[Walt Flanagan]

I don't even think she is Canadian. I just, I think.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Come on. Then. It was.

[Walt Flanagan]

It was a culmination of just too many talking points that just made her upset with the tone of the podcast. She likes light hearted kind of personal stories. I think she doesn't like a lot of listeners who bombard me with like, they don't want to hear us weigh in on the worldview. Who am I? How arrogant is it that I, a fucking failed comic book store manager, defrocked. Defrocked by Kevin Smith, That I have enough knowledge to. That now I can weigh in on all the fucking problems that the world has across the fucking ocean? Now I'm weighing in.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, Canada's not across the ocean, but talk about the uk okay, but as I recall, like, it wasn't. Wasn't. What am I missing? Because all I remember you saying is something about maple syrup.

[Walt Flanagan]

That was the joke.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's what got it. What? Oh, come on.

[Walt Flanagan]

But he was too shit of it. No, I'm not. I'm not kidding you, Q. You can't. This is the. This is why I don't want people say. This is not the appropriate response.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

You got the only response. You have to come with a little bit more humility. And yet your voice has to break a little bit because.

[Bryan Johnson]

But you didn't say anything.

[Walt Flanagan]

I did. I said the maple syrup joke. And it was not the time to make the joke, they're saying on a podcast. No, it was too new.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

So we have to wait a year before we can make maple syrup jokes about taking over. Nobody in this fucking room thinks we're taking over Canada. That's why we're joking around about it.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, but the things that Trump is talking about, though, doing are going to truly hurt Canada and their economy with the tariffs and shit and it's not a joking matter. The way their way of life and their economy is at stake. And you got us three yokels, you know, fucking sitting there.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Because I've never been made fun of.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, victimhood online.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I hear about you all the time. I never cry about it. Oh, yeah, that's right.

[Bryan Johnson]

We should.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I'm stunned. Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

That's why I say it broke my heart.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I think I could win her back.

[Walt Flanagan]

No.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, I think so.

[Bryan Johnson]

Let me just let this one lie. I tell you what, I'm gonna say this. If she's never gonna hear this. I don't know, but I think that the appropriate response, and I'm kind of proud of her because I do like her. Like, that's. That is surprising.

[Walt Flanagan]

She's a sweet lady.

[Bryan Johnson]

The appropriate response, I think, is what she's doing. She didn't have to write the letter and announce it, but. But I think, like, honestly, if, like, that bothers you, the maple syrup joke that much.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, no. I think it is a combination of, like, about almost over A year she's been having these thoughts of like, I'm not enjoying it the way I used to. I don't like these men the way I used to. And there's nothing we.

[Bryan Johnson]

You know, there are people who. Who, who I know rail against us online but still listen to the show. And to me that I'm just like, well, you're simply. Even if you don't play Pay for Patreon, if you just giving us that listener's number.

[Walt Flanagan]

No.

[Bryan Johnson]

Is helping us.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, they're not. What? They're listening. They're. Look, I don't want to also, I don't want to get too.

[Bryan Johnson]

What I'm saying is by just listening to complain is supporting the show.

[Walt Flanagan]

They're listening in the hopes that this is the week and it almost was last week with that maple syrup shit that they can dance on our graves.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, why don't we.

[Walt Flanagan]

They're waiting to dance and they're waiting for that comment that's gonna come. That's gonna be like. That's the. That's the fucking. Start the music. I gotta do a jig because TSD is dead and they thought the maple syrup was possible.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I didn't realize we came so close.

[Bryan Johnson]

I mean, do you guys ever think that maybe we should just stop doing this podcast?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Never.

[Bryan Johnson]

Cuz how the fuck is this fun?

[Walt Flanagan]

There's too many.

[Bryan Johnson]

How is this fun?

[Walt Flanagan]

Depending on us now, though.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but so what? Like, how is it. Okay, so maybe this show is including myself.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, I know, Q, I know you got a television show still me and been canceled for a decade.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

They can't do the concert.

[Bryan Johnson]

They just do it for that reason. Like it's not fun. Like it's.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Do you have fun?

[Bryan Johnson]

I. I have fun. I don't know what it's going to look like going forward now.

[Walt Flanagan]

What, you don't like stories about adorable dogs?

[Bryan Johnson]

I do not get them.

[Walt Flanagan]

You know that picture that still isn't.

[Bryan Johnson]

Hung up that Chuck, I'm with you. I'm with you. But what I'm saying is just like not trying to take away how affected they were by the maple syrup.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's not just. You know. And it's glossing over the UK comment too.

[Bryan Johnson]

Sure. Okay, but even the UK comment. Like, I don't even like. Okay, fine. But like you to treat this. To say that whatever we talked about is so off put. Like there are like way. Like. I just don't believe that we'd ever say anything that was like so crazy. But my. That. But my point is like if we. If a maple syrup joke is a straw that breaks a camel's back. And that is what we're podcasting under. And these people who don't like the show and don't like us still listen. Like, how is it fun? Like, it's just. How is it.

[Walt Flanagan]

There was.

[Bryan Johnson]

They should be. Support anybody who thinks that. That we're a bad podcast just by giving us the listener number. You're supporting.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't care.

[Bryan Johnson]

So you support what you hate.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, but here's. Here's the support at. The bottom line, though, is there was a thread about how many Canadians have canceled their Patreon.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

And there was a people. When I did. I did. I did. I did. I did that. That has to make you reflect. That's like a sponsor for on ij. Like, it was like, hey, the guys, we're losing sponsors left and right.

[Bryan Johnson]

That's. You're right. You're right to put it that way. But. But there's a certain point that it just stops being fun. I. But I have to. A show where you have to watch every single word that you say because a maple syrup joke might.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I've been doing that after that maple syrup debacle. No, I don't think I have been.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, yes, I let my guard down, but for the better part of a decade, I've watched my P's and Q's.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but if these people want the show to die, there's some that do. Right?

[Walt Flanagan]

There's some that not all. I'm just. There's. I think there's a small percentage, especially on the Reddit that listen in hopes that something comes out or there's a comment made that that's it. Now they're going to get their. Now they're going to pay. Now they're going to. And that payment is going to be where we lose the ability to make this be our job.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, that can't really happen. I mean, of course it can.

[Walt Flanagan]

You get enough, you say it's the wrong thing. I mean, we see there's people littered. The history is literate people said the wrong thing and they never could work again.

[Bryan Johnson]

But you look at the most successful podcast on the planet, and it's like those people are saying crazy that we. We wouldn't ever say who's like.

[Walt Flanagan]

I mean, not example of a comment, but like, example of the most successful podcast.

[Bryan Johnson]

I mean, you look at any of these podcasts that are excelling now, and it's like they don't like the. The maple syrup joke is is not even a pimple on, on what these people say and truly believe. Like, you don't believe that Canada is. Is only good for maple syrup.

[Walt Flanagan]

Of course not.

[Bryan Johnson]

You made a joke.

[Walt Flanagan]

I was a joke.

[Bryan Johnson]

But on some of those podcasts, there are people right now being like, yeah, fuck Canada, blah, blah, blah. And they're, they're, they're billing. They're making billions of dollars, these people, millions of millions of dollars. So it's like.

[Walt Flanagan]

But they're very divisive.

[Bryan Johnson]

I don't want to be that.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah. I don't want my dog.

[Bryan Johnson]

That's fine. But my point is, My point is, like, if we're, we're trying to keep it like a maple syrup joke is a thing that's all over the line. I'm just saying, a certain point, you got to ask yourself, like, what is the point?

[Walt Flanagan]

I don't know. I remember a BQ that would have been like, yeah, we talk about Teddy and fucking only Teddy jokes just a few years ago.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, I agree with that. I still agree with that. I don't want to say anything that upsets people, but like, the line can't be a maple syrup joke.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay. But it's the misinformation at the end too, about the uk. There wasn't an immigrant involved that caused the, that murdered children. And there were, There were tweets or social media posts that incited a riot. And there isn't a crackdown on free speech. This is so that. And it's that along with the incendiary comment about maple syrup.

[Bryan Johnson]

You're right. You know what?

[Walt Flanagan]

The perfect storm of the cause. People to be like, question their love of the podcast.

[Bryan Johnson]

I understand. I understand where you're coming from. And I'm down. Teddy and Gidem, let's do it. Yep, I'm down.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Is it too. Am I going over the line if I wish pam A happy 79th birthday today?

[Walt Flanagan]

Of course not. You know that.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

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

[Walt Flanagan]

Yes, you do. That's what people don't like.

[Bryan Johnson]

But I thought that's what people liked. I thought people liked that.

[Walt Flanagan]

Facetious fucking sarcasm dripping. Can I say happy birthday to my mother?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I'm just wondering because everybody's so fucking sensitive.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. You never know anymore, you know?

[Walt Flanagan]

You know, that's the thing, you know that you can. So even starting off on that is the starting off on the wrong foot. You look.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's true.

[Bryan Johnson]

Say your name. We speak your name. We speak your name. Except without saying it.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Just gonna write it up on the wall over there.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, man. But get him. You're saying that people pointed out that I defended Canada?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Some people did, yes.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, you were. Yeah. I don't think you were taking a task as much as I was. Yeah.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

You said Canada deserved to boo the U.S. yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

All right.

[Walt Flanagan]

And I agree with that, too. It was a joke. But I won't make jokes like that again. Not at the expense of our northern brothers and sisters.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

So, speaking of Teddy, who's not here today?

[Walt Flanagan]

No, we got. We got pam in her 79th birthday.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, it's her 79th birthday. In fact, it's today. And I came here instead of going over to hang out with.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, wow.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, this is the only time we could do the show.

[Bryan Johnson]

Did you know we were walking into this today?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

No.

[Walt Flanagan]

You didn't know that there was a major backlash to the episode?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Not. Not at all. Well, I don't go on Reddit.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, how many. I mean, get them. I'm not not letting you go on Twitter.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't see anything on Twitter.

[Walt Flanagan]

Back me up.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

There was at least four major posts with about a hundred. The episode has over 300 comments right now.

[Walt Flanagan]

Just the episode.

[Bryan Johnson]

Wow.

[Walt Flanagan]

Taking it. Taking it on the chin. We are.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

So we'll have to make this episode extra nice.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, no, I don't think it has to be nice. I don't think they'll want us to lose our. What's the word I'm looking for?

[Bryan Johnson]

That's not the word you're looking for.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

They want to dull down.

[Walt Flanagan]

When have we been edgy?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I think in the beginning.

[Bryan Johnson]

Really?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

In the beginning? By today's standards. Yeah. Maybe not back then, but like, if you look at it by today's standards. Yeah, we were.

[Walt Flanagan]

They want us to bust each on each other's balls. Lovingly. They want us to talk about our lives and things that are going on. They can get.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't think they want me to talk about my life.

[Walt Flanagan]

I think they do.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It's boring. It's far too boring. I don't do anything. I almost went out to dinner tonight.

[Bryan Johnson]

That's my fault. I might have to go to dinner because then I realized I couldn't. So I had to cancel plans five minutes after I made them.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

I know I'm probably not welcome, but can I offer a suggestion maybe. And maybe put a feeler out to see if the listeners.

[Walt Flanagan]

Let me just say this. I think is. What are they looking for? I think they're looking. They're not looking for us to weigh in on things that they can get those viewpoints in a million other places. They can only get the TSD effect from us. And if we are wasting our time weighing in on shit that we are not, we're. We're not really informed upon enough that we are wasting time.

[Bryan Johnson]

Sure, I understand.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I've gone out of my way not to talk about politics.

[Walt Flanagan]

Someone say that's not true, then.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Then I want to hear a clip of it. I want to hear people.

[Walt Flanagan]

You want a super clip?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I want. I want a mega clip. Yeah. I want a super cut of me talking about politics for the past two years.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, politics now can be even talking about the Canadian booing, the Canadians booing. That was. That was.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Now I got to run. Whatever I'm going to say by everybody is all right. If we talk about this this week, the Canadians. Why are we upset that the Canadians are bowing?

[Walt Flanagan]

Some Americans were upset, though. Some.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I was out.

[Walt Flanagan]

It was just. I wasn't. Let me go on record for that. I was not upset that the Canadians boo the anthem.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

All right.

[Walt Flanagan]

I don't know, but Gatum has a suggestion.

[Bryan Johnson]

Now we would be fun to do. It's like. It's just like, just. Just come in for the chastising and finger wag. Like the rest of the world is moving on from being fucking told what to do and say and getting their finger wagged.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

And it's just like, I'm across here.

[Bryan Johnson]

In a windowless room. Just that fucking anonymous people tell me why I'm an asshole and why. What's wrong with me and what I said was wrong and they think they're right.

[Walt Flanagan]

It wasn't you, though.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, that's right. I forgot about that.

[Walt Flanagan]

But get him. We would be absolutely fools to not take advantage of having a genius in our mist. Tell us what we should.

[Bryan Johnson]

I say we give him complete creative control of the show.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Go ahead. Just wondering maybe if people have problems like major news outlets do, you can offer correction in a retractive retraction correction in the next episode. Acknowledge your mistake. And, you know, I think that maybe they may be help. Yes. But I'm saying if any time in the future, if people. If, you know, a comment is made that's incorrect, you address the next episode and apologize for being incorrect. They said, and maybe that will help mend bridges.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, some of the comments I saw were like, why can't your fat ass do that in the moment? And they said I didn't. It wasn't me saying that. That was them saying that. Like, why aren't you. Why aren't you doing something like, why aren't you looking up what they're talking about? And then you can correct us in the moment?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Because I've also had comments where I get yelled at for distracting you guys by putting stuff up on the screen.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, no, no, yeah, don't point it up on the screen. Just be like, hey, guys, you know what?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

And interrupt the podcast. Ruining the flow. And last time I was so. Last episode was so great because the guys just ignored Giddam and just kept on going and didn't listen to his.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Mixed opinions. What are you gonna do?

[Bryan Johnson]

Listen to all of them and adjust to every single one?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yes, course. Corrected everyone.

[Bryan Johnson]

But I mean, look, like, I, I just don't understand how people, if they feel like we're saying the wrong things or spreading misinformation and you continue to listen to the show, you're supporting the problem that you claim to hate. So maybe just, you know, live by your convictions and don't listen to the show anymore.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It doesn't have to be a big thing.

[Bryan Johnson]

No, it's fine. Yeah, like, why would you support something that you actively don't like? You know, don't. Because then everything that's done on this show, if you continue to listen to it, everything that's done on the show, you're co signing by supporting and listening. So the only way to really show how you morally superior to us, to leave us alone is to just go away.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, but then if they're on Patreon, though, then it's like, that's all right, man.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, that's, that's where, that's where we.

[Walt Flanagan]

We ain't getting new listeners, though. We're only losing old ones.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, that's where it's on us to. Well, this is where they're right. It's like it's on us to create a show that's not shedding listeners.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. All right, so I don't hate.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

This is.

[Walt Flanagan]

This is almost like episode one of the new. Tell them Steve.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Dave.

[Bryan Johnson]

Can this not be reinventing? Can next week' the rebranding of the.

[Walt Flanagan]

All new telling Steve Davis.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I like that we rebrand with Q at one time.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, well, cue the laughs.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, cue the laugh.

[Bryan Johnson]

All right, let's do another look. Comics go to issue number one all the time. Yeah, let's start next week.

[Walt Flanagan]

Comic books.

[Bryan Johnson]

Comic book. Right, comic books. Let's, let's, let's build bridges, man.

[Walt Flanagan]

Let's start off. We want to kill the old numbering. Like this, the final.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

No.

[Walt Flanagan]

Why you like the Old number. Why? What is the benefit of having those numbers, that many numbers, 600 episodes. What's the benefit of that? I don't that saying. I disagree. You. I'm just curious what. But how you see it.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I think people have been like, okay, they've been around for a while. They're not new. And just on a personal level, I like to know that, like, we've banked this many episodes. I mean, God knows it's not going.

[Walt Flanagan]

To go away if we just start over with a number one. And maybe it's not so daunting of somebody to be like, oh, my God, 600 episodes. I cannot fucking get into a podcast that's 600 episodes.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

We talked about this, and we tried to. To go back and do, like, a primer. We got like, five minutes in, and we were like, fuck it. Just go listen to the fucking show if you want to.

[Walt Flanagan]

A lack of effort, though, that's like, you know, we're not putting in the proper effort, though.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

All right, tune in next week for 15 years worth of history. We'll catch you up.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. All right. I like the challenge of it. I think you're right, Walt. I think, like, if you drop the defensiveness, there's some. There's been some good points made.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I just don't. I think because I'm the type of person, if I see on TV that makes me mad or I see something in the news that makes me mad, it, like, I don't, like, say, Bill Burr. Bill Burr has become kind of woke in the past.

[Bryan Johnson]

You know, here he goes, two years.

[Walt Flanagan]

This is the last episode. He could do it.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Okay. Not once did I think of writing into Bill Burr or letting anybody know that I don't like Bill Burr anymore.

[Walt Flanagan]

You have made it known that you don't like people going woke, though. You commercially rail about Stephen King, you have a platform. You don't need to go on social media. You have that microphone to tell the world what you don't like, and then they fucking.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

They don't want to hear it. No, no, they don't want to hear it anymore. I'll just talk about things I like that'll be so fucking interesting to everyone.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Talk about Norm.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Talk about Norm. Yeah, Norm and Teddy. Norm and Teddy. News every week.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Norm, Teddy, Boris.

[Bryan Johnson]

Now we're shaping into something I like.

[Walt Flanagan]

I'm not saying it has to be exclusively about that, but I think people really like hearing our accounts of our life and where we're at and what's going on.

[Bryan Johnson]

What are you talking about? I Start talking about my life. I get told I'm name dropping and I'm big time gallivanting. All right.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Stop talking about all the stars.

[Bryan Johnson]

He knows. What do you want me to do? Like, he's out of touch. It's like, what does that mean?

[Walt Flanagan]

I have the solution.

[Bryan Johnson]

Who out of touch with you?

[Walt Flanagan]

I had the solution.

[Bryan Johnson]

Cares. Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

The solution is and. And insert a different name for that celebrity. And if the story is still as interesting. If it's not a celebrity.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Then tell it.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but, like, how do you tell a story about, like, getting fucking. Because I never. You're right. You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right.

[Walt Flanagan]

I'm not right, though. I mean, it's just a thought. I'm just a suggestion.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, you're right. I'll try. I'll try to replace celebrity names with, like, Joe. Oh, can't even use Joe. Like, I'm talking about.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, all right. There's plenty of names.

[Bryan Johnson]

I'll find. I'll find the name. A name for that. Yeah. Okay. Okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

What's the matter? Get him.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Oh, you're hitting the microphone cable. I was trying to write you a. No. Tell you to stop doing that so I didn't interrupt the show.

[Walt Flanagan]

All right, well, happy birthday to Pam. I'm. I see on the New York Times bestseller. Because every motherfucker I know is. Is emailing me saying, I picked up the book.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yes.

[Walt Flanagan]

Is she. Is she up there?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't know if she's on there yet, but she has to be on some kind of bestseller because same thing. I couldn't be more appreciative to everyone who has supported her. And I. There are people that are like, hey, man, I'm just buying the book. I'm probably not going to read it, but that's fine. Yeah. As far as she's concerned, it's a sale. And she's very happy with the way people are turning out.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah. Very cool.

[Walt Flanagan]

Listeners I've seen are promoting the book, saying they picked it up. TSD Town residence. Nichelle sent me a text being like, I picked up the book.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. He sent me a picture of himself with it. Yeah, she's very appreciative. It's not his.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's not his. Go to genre.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I can see that.

[Walt Flanagan]

Why do you think Michelle is. Doesn't have elves and fantasy in his toolbox?

[Bryan Johnson]

Too much of an alpha really is too much pussy.

[Walt Flanagan]

You think it goes down the net?

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, I do.

[Walt Flanagan]

Guys who are. Who are like, wait a minute. Would comics fall in the Genre of fantasy.

[Bryan Johnson]

And not anymore.

[Walt Flanagan]

You're the, you're the outlier. Then you, you wouldn't have a need to like spend a Friday night at home reading your comics.

[Bryan Johnson]

No, I, I, I made it a badge of like, I made it cool in my personal circle.

[Walt Flanagan]

How did you do that? Because I couldn't pull that off.

[Bryan Johnson]

It's authentic to myself, me. And you know, I just kept it real. People respect when you keep it real.

[Walt Flanagan]

You know, I had enthusiasm.

[Bryan Johnson]

No, I took shit free. I was a fucking. I took shit for reading comics all through high school, college, my 20s. Even in the start of Jokers. Like if you watch some of those early episodes, you see them ripping on me for fucking that Superman tattoo. But then you know those jokes now, who wants to be at the Deadpool premiere? And who wants all that shit that I got made fun of for years is like, is cool now. And now they're ruining it, of course. But that comes.

[Walt Flanagan]

Did you see Captain America?

[Bryan Johnson]

I did not.

[Walt Flanagan]

I saw it.

[Bryan Johnson]

Would you think, Because I had a waiter yesterday who loved it and he was like, you have to go see it.

[Walt Flanagan]

I didn't love it.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It was terrible.

[Walt Flanagan]

I didn't think it was terrible. I just am shocked that it's a sequel to a 17 year old incredible Hulk movie. That's what blows my mind.

[Bryan Johnson]

Like a direct sequel.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Right.

[Bryan Johnson]

It's more about that than anything you.

[Walt Flanagan]

Have to say that Hulk movie to fuck a follow what's going on. And I think that is insane. That that was the judgment and that was the like the writers room or whoever's the big wigs are like, yeah. You know what I think is a good idea? Let's base it upon a 17 year old hulk movie that nobody remembers and nobody really liked.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's bold, ballsy, but it, it didn't do the trick. I feel a Captain America movie should be about Captain America.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

And he should, he should warn his own foe. At least his own villain.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

And it was, it didn't have that in it. There was moments that were really good and there were moments that weren't that good. And if I was Disney, I would just be like, stop wasting time showing out the heroes fighting. Just normal dudes in fatigues.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, you have to do that with this Captain America. He doesn't have superpowers. What the fuck are we gonna do?

[Walt Flanagan]

But he's got the wings. He could fly. He's more than capable of beating up a couple soldiers.

[Bryan Johnson]

That's why he was the great falcon. He was a great falcon.

[Walt Flanagan]

There's a new Falcon in this too.

[Bryan Johnson]

Has he? I don't mean to assume it's a he.

[Walt Flanagan]

On this time. Your assumption would be correct. But let's not do that again next episode.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

You're right.

[Walt Flanagan]

You got lucky.

[Bryan Johnson]

W for Walt, rare W for you.

[Walt Flanagan]

Now people are gonna think you're not taking it seriously, though, now with that shot.

[Bryan Johnson]

Which one?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay. Yeah, you're right. You're right. Yeah. I. I like Anthony Mackie. I like him. I like him as Falcon. I wish they had gone with Bucky as captain. I can't get over how wrong I think the choice they made is. Where Bucky is from the same era, has fucking superpowers, has a connect. Is the opposite. Like, to take Cap, if you're gonna replace Captain America and you replace him with his mirror opposite. Exact mirror opposite. That, to me, is fucking awesome. You know what I mean? Like, that. And it worked in the comic, like, when Bucky was Captain. Mary is a great storyline. Falcon is.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Is.

[Bryan Johnson]

He's. He's a great Falcon. Like, I don't. He didn't need to become Captain America. Like, the story like that. Like, I don't know. Just. It wasn't there.

[Walt Flanagan]

But we know how Disney has been accused of forcing social issues. I believe this was the one that was actually worthy of telling on a big stage of African American becoming Captain America and part of the country being like, oh, Captain America. That I recognize. And another part of the country being like, you're not worthy to be Captain America.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, you got a lot of that in the movie.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, but I'm surprised they didn't, though.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

They kind of did that in them.

[Walt Flanagan]

And they said they did it in the TV show, which I barely remember. But is it worth seeing? I've seen worse Marvel movies.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, I'm gonna see it eventually.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, you probably should see it as a red Hulk float.

[Bryan Johnson]

But let me clear. I'm not like, why is he Captain America? I'm just looking as a comic book fan and having. Knowing both those storylines, the Winter Soldier becoming Captain America is a way richer vein.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yes, but.

[Walt Flanagan]

But the Falcon, Sam Wilson has become Captain America, though, too, in this.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, that's what I said. But even line isn't as good as when Bucky became Captain America, but.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yep.

[Bryan Johnson]

But hey, who. You know, I don't have any problems with him being Captain America. He's my captain.

[Walt Flanagan]

You sound like you're on defensive a man.

[Bryan Johnson]

He's my captain, dude. I will salute Anthony Mackie when I see him in the streets.

[Walt Flanagan]

I will Stop saying it, though, because then it just feels weird that you keep saying it.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, Then you're over. Overcompensating. He's cool. Why would he be cool? There's no reason he wouldn't be cool.

[Bryan Johnson]

Would he be a great Captain America? I don't understand. He doesn't need superpowers.

[Walt Flanagan]

I think they took Bucky the Sincere, making him in that Thunderbolts movie. That's a lot of Bucky then.

[Bryan Johnson]

I don't think they should have done that because I don't think they should take Bucky and put him into Suicide Squad. Like, Bucky's too good of a character to be like the. I mean, doesn't that just look like. Like, hey, it's our Suicide Squad, everybody, like, not saying it won't be good, but, like, I don't know. I think a better place for him to go would have been as Captain America. Plus, his Captain America outfit was fucking dope. Remember, Alex Ross designed it and it looks so fucking good.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

But.

[Bryan Johnson]

But hey, you know what, though? That's just a personal choice. It's got nothing to do with anything or anybody or anybody or any history of anything.

[Walt Flanagan]

We got an ad.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

We don't have any ads.

[Walt Flanagan]

No ads.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Ad free Ad free Friday.

[Walt Flanagan]

On purpose, right?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

On purpose.

[Bryan Johnson]

As an apology because everybody dropped us. Yeah, yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

All the sponsors are. We heard about that. Maple syrup. No, no ads today. Juggled them around. So it could be an ad free episode.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay, so what do you got going on at. At the Johnson household since last saw you?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Well.

[Walt Flanagan]

I'm saving my Teddy story for last.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

On a strong note.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

How was Sage's birthday?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Aside from doing basically nothing, I did get a cortisone shot yesterday in my knee after a year and a half. And it really made me wonder, like, I was sitting there and I was thinking about it for a long time, like, how much different my life would have been if instead of giving me opiates, the doctor had given. Just giving me a cortisone shot because it works perfectly. Like, I wasn't even aware that a cortisone shot would do something like that. But, like, my knee. Like, my knee was so locked up I couldn't walk. I was like, this is about a year and a half ago. I was. You know, when I would come in here and I would, like, gimping around, had my cane. Yeah, all that shit. It was all just because of arthritis in the knee. And the last time the guy gave me the cortisone shot in the knee and it. It worked. Perfectly. Year and a half later, got another one. And within a day, it's like. Feeling better? Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Can you sue?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, I. I'm not. I'm. I'm not sure because he said, this is like. This really, like, this is going to make my mother look bad, too. But hey, man, we keep it real here.

[Walt Flanagan]

Not anymore.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Well, I'll try to keep it as real as I can.

[Bryan Johnson]

Please don't.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

But Pam said to me that one time she was talking to the doctor because she went to the same doctor, and I guess they were talking about the pills and the doctor was like, well, he'll probably get addicted. But then we'll just deal with that then.

[Bryan Johnson]

Wow.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Now I was looking at my mother like, well, what the fuck? Why didn't you say something? But, you know, she's Pam, so I'm not really surprised. I didn't hold it against her. But, yeah, I might be able to get into some kind of class action.

[Walt Flanagan]

Suit against the pharmaceutical company or the doctor. Does she have him on? Is that on your chart that. He wrote that down. He's probably going to get addicted to this, but we'll deal with that.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That I doubt he would be. Really.

[Walt Flanagan]

That's the smoking gun.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

And that was.

[Walt Flanagan]

You don't need a Matlock to fucking win that.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Because he wrote that down. Oh, speaking of which, I started watching. Did you? Yes. I'm into the first two episodes. I like the direction it's going in. You're right.

[Walt Flanagan]

I could win you over.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I will say this. It's an old person show. It feels like a CBS 1980s show.

[Walt Flanagan]

It will. There will be times where it feels ageless.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

And it's not an old person's show. And now those are the moments where you're like, oh, this is well done. This is. There's something more here than meets the eye.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I mean, the problem is that, like, the only, like, real likable character so far is Kathy Bates.

[Walt Flanagan]

Otherwise her husband is super likable.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

He's dope. He's too doting, though.

[Walt Flanagan]

Wait till you get to the episode.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Where I'm only on episode two.

[Walt Flanagan]

So there's a couple episodes.

[Bryan Johnson]

Get him. I'm on a Matlock recap show. That's what tell us if Dave becomes Matlock recap show.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, it was Deadwood. There was all fine and dandy when I had the glazed overlook.

[Bryan Johnson]

But you didn't walk into this room and get told that everything you do is wrong.

[Walt Flanagan]

I did. That's the thing.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Every day. Every day.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, fuck. If you don't deserve every. Every criticism that is lit, that is thrown at you. You're out of your fucking mind that you don't think you're. You're above. Even the most baseless criticism has fucking merit.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Stubborns are going up.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, we go. Oh, the boner pills are back there. Nice.

[Walt Flanagan]

But, like, there's a moment where you know about the daughter, right?

[Bryan Johnson]

Yes.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay. There's a moment where we see her for the first time, and there's, like, flashback things, and the husband, with just facial expressions, rips your heart out. And you're like, that dude deserves a Emmy.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

When you just fall in love with that guy because he is such a nice sweetheart.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I haven't gotten to that part yet, but I'll keep an eye out.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's a good show. I mean, I like the way they.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Weave the old Matlock stuff into. Yeah, it's pretty cool.

[Walt Flanagan]

But there's a lot of why it's.

[Bryan Johnson]

A sequel to the first series.

[Walt Flanagan]

If they acknowledged that the show existed in her world, but it was a.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

TV show, and that's her. Like, her name is Maddie Matlock. So everyone's like, just like the old TV show.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, wow. Is that a choice that pays off, or is this a fun thing they put in there?

[Walt Flanagan]

I think it's. It's a show that. I think it's a choice that pays off because it would be ridiculous to be like, she's a relative of fucking. She's the original Matlock's cousin.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

She's doing.

[Walt Flanagan]

It would be just too outlandish.

[Bryan Johnson]

But. Or you could just not acknowledge the first series at all.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

But I think this is a clever way.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

A nice nod to the. You know, they play the music sometimes of the original theme.

[Bryan Johnson]

Get out of here.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, that sounds.

[Walt Flanagan]

I never saw one episode of the original Matlock, though. I was like, that was in my teen years and early twenties. There's not a chance I was watching tv. A lot has changed since then. It's like, what's on TV now?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It's appointment watching. Yeah. Matlock's on.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, good. My shows are on.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

All my programs.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

All of them. There was, like, a good solid decade of elderly lawyer.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

And detective shows like Diagnosis Murder, Matlock. Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

So that's all that's been going on. Nothing else?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Nothing else.

[Walt Flanagan]

You don't. You don't think that to yourself. Like, me, I got to do at least something out of the norm so that I could bring it back to the table.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I do.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I absolutely do. It Never presents itself because I, like, I don't have anywhere to go.

[Walt Flanagan]

Like, maybe I'm just going to get up on the roof and see if the shingles are good, throw myself.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's more likely.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Maybe, like, go somewhere and people watch.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. Mary Beth's like, he's doing it. He's doing it. Go on. People watch. I could do that.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I just don't get into enough. Like. I mean, we went to family lunch, Texas Roadhouse on Sunday. Nothing happened. We ate lunch.

[Walt Flanagan]

You know, you got to make something happen.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. When I used to make something happen, though, it wasn't bad.

[Walt Flanagan]

Like watching people shoot up episode or something. Like you got like, oh, yeah. Like, you're like, oh, my God, call the doctor. I'm dizzy. No, no, I'm just kidding.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, at the very end, I'm like, I was just around. I need. I need content. Because it has to be. You gotta understand. It can't be too offensive, but it can be untrue.

[Bryan Johnson]

I think that's our new tagline. Tell us you, Dave. It can't be offensive, but it can be untrue.

[Walt Flanagan]

I got the sunlight. Yeah, it's great.

[Bryan Johnson]

I love it. Now I'm in. I got my vision now. I love it.

[Walt Flanagan]

It.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

What are these, peanuts? I have a peanut allergy.

[Walt Flanagan]

Very fast. No, you're not.

[Bryan Johnson]

Shut up.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, pretend you're bloating up. Pretend you're bloating. I need this.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

I'm choking. Look at me. Someone help me. Does anyone here know the HL maneuver?

[Walt Flanagan]

Someone get me my EpiPen. You don't have an EpiPen. Brian, shut up.

[Bryan Johnson]

Why not?

[Walt Flanagan]

What are you. You don't. I need fucking content.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Sir, this is the third time this week. You need an EpiPen and Chili's.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Just pretend this is an EpiPen. Oh, I've been saved.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. I gotta start. Well, like, after something like Q West, we'll have tons of shit to talk about. That's a month away, though.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, yeah. You guys are gonna bank the stories, right?

[Bryan Johnson]

We'll bank.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay. I say at a minimum six between both of you.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

Six combined. Three each. Good stories to bring back.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Okay, I can manage that. Because then I'm in a situation where it's like those good stories are possible. Stories happening in my house are few and far between.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

You know.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to. Yeah, we're about a month away.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah, last I heard, it was basically zero tickets.

[Bryan Johnson]

There's one is one ticket.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's hard to sell one ticket, right? Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, that's all right. I'll just. Probably just pull it down and say it's sold out.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, you can say it.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

It can be untrue now.

[Bryan Johnson]

You're absolutely correct. I like this new feelings over facts era.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. I like this.

[Walt Flanagan]

We could have took advantage of it years ago.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

No, we missed the boat. Now we're jumping on people. Like, it's too late. It's too late.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, feeling over facts is wrong because it's not like we're dealing. I mean, the problem was we weren't dealing with facts. That's how we got into hot water, I think.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, I think we were. We just. People just don't want to hear our viewpoints on the world's issues.

[Bryan Johnson]

Gotcha.

[Walt Flanagan]

There's this one. We just want to laugh and they want to feel good.

[Bryan Johnson]

I agree with them.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, I come aboard with that. I think now that my defensiveness is draining away.

[Walt Flanagan]

I saw it and I knew it was going to happen, and I was like, oh.

[Bryan Johnson]

But now I am on the other side of it, so. So now I'm starting to absorb what you were saying a little bit more, and I understand the perspective that you've brought to the table, and I agree. I think it's. I think it's a good move for us. Yeah. Yeah. I like it. I like it.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't want.

[Bryan Johnson]

I don't. I don't want a fucking adversarial relationship with. With listeners.

[Walt Flanagan]

What was that?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

That was a note I was supposed to give him last week.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, okay.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

From Jimmy the Hair Guy.

[Bryan Johnson]

The Hair Guy. Cue. It's Jimmy the Hair Guy. I love you. This isn't real.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's real.

[Bryan Johnson]

I love you. I do not want money. I only want to hang. See you soon. Your pal, Jimmy the Hair Guy.

[Walt Flanagan]

See that?

[Bryan Johnson]

He told me he loves me.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's not Gingham's handwriting.

[Bryan Johnson]

But hasn't even listening.

[Walt Flanagan]

Got one seat left.

[Bryan Johnson]

He can. He doesn't need a ticket.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's.

[Bryan Johnson]

That's how all this started. I wanted him to come down. Well, whatever, Jimmy. Don't worry about it, buddy. It was a bit. Relax. It's okay. You don't have to come.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

What? I was just about to ask.

[Bryan Johnson]

And I love you too, Jimmy.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, Gene Hackman, wow. Yeah.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Did you read that search warrant?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

No.

[Walt Flanagan]

Tell us what was on it. Just don't go.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

They.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

We need facts.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

So as far as they know, it happened at least two weeks ago, right?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I read that, yeah.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

And they found, like, they were partially mummified.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I read that.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, you get mummification in two weeks.

[Walt Flanagan]

Wait a minute.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Partially.

[Walt Flanagan]

I thought mummification was something that man made thing that like they wrap you in gauze and.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah, it's still like to dry out the.

[Walt Flanagan]

But who wrapped them up in gauze?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

They weren't wrapped up in gauze. Like, their hands and I think they.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, so it's just.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

They're just like. They're like. Look like shrunken apples kind of.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay, that's in the search called mummifying. That is not the proper term. Decomposing.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

No, that's. They said the faces were bloated.

[Bryan Johnson]

I was saying it as a joke. I think he's serious. Serious?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

What's that?

[Bryan Johnson]

Because I started saying like, well, oh, wrapping them up in a moment. Yeah, but you mean it.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

There's no way you can get mummified.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I think. I think mummification taking out. Right. But if they start to liquefy, if the organs start to liquefy and all the, like the juices are probably leaking out, then you. Then you start to dry up.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

And how many weeks?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

At least at most two.

[Walt Flanagan]

That's the last time that mummification starts at two weeks.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Well, I'm just saying is that's the last time that anyone had spoken to them.

[Walt Flanagan]

Them.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

That was the reporting parties, which were the landscape.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Not a way for a legend to go out. But he's 90 and half a mom. He was 95.

[Bryan Johnson]

Here's the thing, though. I read an article about him and he spent. He retired from acting a little over 20 years ago. And the past couple of decades he spent in Santa Fe in like, putting himself into the community, being on the arts board. He took up painting.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

He took up.

[Bryan Johnson]

He wrote novels with like a local author. He. He worked with a gallery there. He's part of the art scene. And I have. I'm like, man, something's gonna kill you at 95. You know what I mean? Like, something's gonna kill you. But what a fucking great end to his life, man. Like, to find the place you love and to be able to become part of it and just be creative with your last few decades. It just sounded kind of beautiful for me.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Like you said like that. Not the very last.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but if somebody said, like, look, here's the downside of it. You get to spend your last two decades, like in that sort of environment. But here's the problem. Debating if you're a mummy, like, you're gonna fucking. Something bad's gonna happen. Happen at the very end when you're 95 and you're gonna end up dead on your floor for two weeks. I'd still be like, that's a good. I'll take it.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, I'll take it.

[Walt Flanagan]

I would, too. I would like. Yeah, that's the. I know. I got 95 pretty good ones under my belt.

[Bryan Johnson]

Two decades of just loving life.

[Walt Flanagan]

I mean, those two weeks that he spent on floor. He didn't know he.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. I don't know. I thought it seemed like it was.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Carbon monoxide because him, his wife, and the dog.

[Walt Flanagan]

I heard it's not carbon.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Not carbon monoxide.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, I heard that the theory that he died and then she committed suicide and killed the dog, too. Right.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Really?

[Walt Flanagan]

So there's a theory. Yeah, that is. I just heard it. I read it. It doesn't.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

You're acknowledging it's a theory. Yeah, yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's not even a theory. It's just an online gossip.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah, they found the dogs disgusting.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I don't want to hear it.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Since they found the dog in the closet, they suspect it may have gotten into the pills and then went into the closet and.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, man.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

But there were two other dogs that were still alive. One outside, one inside.

[Bryan Johnson]

Wonder what that house is going to sell for.

[Walt Flanagan]

I got a good dog story. Better than this one?

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, you're looking to end the show.

[Walt Flanagan]

No, no, no. How much time we got going on?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

12, 48.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

48 minutes. Yeah. Actually, I wanted to ask you about going to plays because you go to. You go to quite a few places.

[Walt Flanagan]

I've been to a couple plays in my time. Not as many as Q, though, I don't think.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Well, Q goes for freak, so I can't ask him.

[Bryan Johnson]

I go to plays for free. They don't give free tickets on Broadway, Don't.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

They don't.

[Bryan Johnson]

Every. Every single show I've gone to, I've paid.

[Walt Flanagan]

You.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Paid for, huh?

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. Because I really want to go see.

[Bryan Johnson]

I'm going to see Fatona in two weeks.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, are you going to see him? Yeah, Ming went to see him.

[Walt Flanagan]

I'm going to see Stranger Things in a few weeks.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's a play.

[Walt Flanagan]

Wow, That's a.

[Bryan Johnson]

That came over from London, huh?

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Whoa.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Huh?

[Walt Flanagan]

It looks so good. My Mrs. And my daughter Alicia.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, okay. All right. Not. Not. Rub.

[Walt Flanagan]

Rub.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Why would you.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

He only goes to college. She doesn't go to place.

[Bryan Johnson]

I don't know. I didn't know if you were.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, yeah, I go places. Yeah, but usually not. Not the theater, though. Okay, well, go ahead. I'm Sorry, go ahead.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

What was your question? My question. My question is why are tickets so expensive? I wanted to get tickets to go see Glengarry Gl and they were like. For like mid orchestra. They were like $275 a person. Is that average? Like I. Because I showed 20 years.

[Walt Flanagan]

What do you think a lead should.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Pull down a lead in one of those.

[Walt Flanagan]

What do you think you should get?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I mean more than the minimum I think because these guys are. They're big names. Okay, so that's what it is about. I don't know. Because. Well, all these guys are big though. Like everybody in the cast.

[Walt Flanagan]

What do you think? The musicians.

[Bryan Johnson]

They're not doing it for money though. I mean they get paid, but that's.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

No, these are all guys who have money already. I think they're doing it because they love it.

[Walt Flanagan]

But the, the musicians in the pit, the, the. The stage hands, the theater rentals.

[Bryan Johnson]

What you're paying for.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, I mean it's. It's an expensive.

[Bryan Johnson]

But how much? 2. 2 and change. 275 sounds perfectly.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It's not that much.

[Bryan Johnson]

That's right down the middle.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Okay.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. Especially for an orchestra. Like some of the. You could sit in the top for those seats.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. Like 110 if you sit up top.

[Bryan Johnson]

But splurge, baby.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, you see.

[Walt Flanagan]

Get the out of the house.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's why I was just thinking could be a story. Yeah. Like. I mean we're going up to New York. Maybe I'll get mugged. You know, somebody will set me on fire.

[Walt Flanagan]

Even if you don't just say you did.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, that's true. Yes. I'll have Mary Beth swear by it. That's a good idea.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Just say you were fall down alley by some tough looking thugs.

[Walt Flanagan]

That happened.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

That happened exactly.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, I like it. I like this. So, so going forward like. Like in a good way. People don't know if the stories we're telling are true or not in a good way.

[Walt Flanagan]

I mean I think they'll be able to tell though. I think you. I think I can decipher.

[Bryan Johnson]

Sure. But listeners should expect. Should expect that.

[Walt Flanagan]

Keep them on your toes.

[Bryan Johnson]

Some of the stories going forward are going to be completely made up. We should expect.

[Walt Flanagan]

I don't know. I don't know how you twisted me saying that. We're just not going to talk about. About world politics. We're gonna be lying about everything. People, get ready. Hold on your hats.

[Bryan Johnson]

If we can start making up stories. I think that's cool.

[Walt Flanagan]

I think embellishing like. Like you caught a fish and it became a giant.

[Bryan Johnson]

I always felt that way, though. I never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I don't know if we were just going through the looking glass into, like, complete fabrication.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Like, now we're saving people.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Also, there's been some speculation recently that JFK might have been gay with his buddy jfk. JFK and his friend Lem Billings. Here's a picture of them together. Now, this is not really the kind like you. You and I have been friends for a long time. Walt's been friends with you for a long time. We've never taken a picture.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but they're fucking around. Look at the looks on their faces.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Dude, I went down the rabbit hole on this.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

There's probably 500 pictures that look like.

[Bryan Johnson]

This with them just. Just bro them down.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Racing and growing down. Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

I mean, look, man, the guy. Fuck Marilyn Monroe, you know? What are we gonna do?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

You think? He's just like, I'm bored of women. Because it seems like it was like, when he was younger.

[Bryan Johnson]

It would have really changed my opinion of him even if there were. Like, he always seemed like a fucking poon hound.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

He did.

[Bryan Johnson]

So maybe the poons on men. That's all it says.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Although Joe Kennedy, the family patriarch, was reportedly suspicious of Billings close relationship with his son, the Kennedy family welcomed Billings into their exclusive family circle. And Billings said, john made a big difference in my life. He may have been the reason I never got married. And one historian wrote after the 63 assassination that Billings was probably the saddest of the Kennedy widows.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, I mean, would he be technically a widow?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Not technically a widow. No. No. But it did make me then look up other gay presidents.

[Bryan Johnson]

Well, who was the one that dressed up in women's clothing?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

J. Or Hoover?

[Bryan Johnson]

Hoover.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That was Hoover. Yay.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Supposedly.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

But these are presidents that were allegedly gay.

[Walt Flanagan]

I didn't know there were any gay presidents.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Me neither. Until I heard about this JFK stuff and then I looked it up.

[Walt Flanagan]

This is good.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

James Buchanan has faced speculation. Homosexuality. Yep. He lived with his future vice president for more than a decade. They were rarely seen apart. Many commentators at the time remarked on the parish closeness with Andrew Jackson, referring to them as Miss Nancy and Aunt Fancy.

[Walt Flanagan]

Do you think you.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Andrew Jackson.

[Bryan Johnson]

Sick.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Sick.

[Walt Flanagan]

How far away are we, Q. From an openly gay president getting elected? Do you think it's like. Do you think it's 2025 or do.

[Bryan Johnson]

You still have politics? Talk to me.

[Walt Flanagan]

Well, if you just say, well, I hope it's this year or in the next four years. Then we're covered.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, that's what I hope.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

Go ahead, Brian.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, really? Because I was hoping to be a lesbian, you guys, in your gay patriarchy.

[Walt Flanagan]

You're right.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Why would I assume a man?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. I don't know. We got work to do, boys. We got work to do.

[Bryan Johnson]

If anything, we've learned.

[Walt Flanagan]

Why would you assume a woman? You're just as bad as us.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I know. I'm sorry.

[Walt Flanagan]

It's a third sex.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

You're right.

[Bryan Johnson]

Boys, these are. You're heading into waters.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Let's see.

[Bryan Johnson]

Where were you on that one? Fucking asshole.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Shaking my head.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, you're not supposed to be doing that. You're supposed to be the special. Tell him. See, Dave finger wagger and these two were going off in questionable waters. Now, I didn't see any of your fingers raised.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

I apologize.

[Bryan Johnson]

All right.

[Walt Flanagan]

He can't raise his fingers anymore. Not without fucking almost blacking out.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

All the blood rushes to the.

[Walt Flanagan]

There he is.

[Bryan Johnson]

Walt's back, everyone.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Barack Obama.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Oh, yeah, I remember that lawsuit.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Conspiracy theorists claim that Obama used basketball pickup games to pick up men and had homosexual trysts with Representative Artur Davis, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Alex Jones of Infowars, not surprisingly, took the joke to heart. And it's a popular conspiracy theory amongst homophobes. Is what they say here. Lyndon B. Johnson. Wow. 37th president. Snoop.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Is that because he would apparently, like, bring people into him with the bathroom to show off his penis because it was so large?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's not what it's saying.

[Walt Flanagan]

The president just sucked 37 dicks in a row. I'm supposed to be here tonight.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

I hope I'm 38.

[Walt Flanagan]

My Dante voice.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

How about Dante on this game show? Show?

[Bryan Johnson]

What's going on?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

He's on this show called the Floor.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, Rob Low game. Yeah, he's on it. He's a.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

He was. Not only was he on it, he won 20 grand.

[Bryan Johnson]

Get out of here.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I'm not sure if he's still on. Yeah, he was a contestant.

[Bryan Johnson]

Hey, good for him, man.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

As I say, congratulations, Dante.

[Bryan Johnson]

By the time that gets into his pocket, That's a cool $8,000.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Nice tax talk.

[Bryan Johnson]

Now I have to learn to love. If I have to learn to love taxes. This is going too far.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Lyndon B. Johnson. They're saying that he was such a, like, anti gay guy that they're like, you're probably gay. Like, he was so, like, into the persecution of gay people. Alexander Hamilton who never got to be the president. But he did have a scandalous personal life.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but that was because he was. He was banging a woman.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

As well as his affair with a woman. Doubt has also been cast over his relationships with men. During the American Revolution, his letters to close friends grew more affectionate and flowery, with many describing Hamilton as feminine. In one letter, Hamilton described himself as a jealous lover. Over his friend's failure to reply. He says, like a jealous lover. When I thought you slighted my caresses, my affection was alarmed and my vanity peaked. Yup. Boner time. Abraham Lincoln.

[Bryan Johnson]

No. Honest Abe.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

I'm just gonna assume all presidents are half gay.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

In early adulthood, he shared a bed with Joshua Speed, who later became a congressman. Wait, what did you say?

[Bryan Johnson]

I said, I'm just gonna assume all presidents are half gay.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That'd be a good assumption to make.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

And then Bill and Hillary Clinton, of course. But Bill's such a poonhound. I don't see him as.

[Walt Flanagan]

But not George Washington, though, huh?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Not George Washington. Nope. These are the seven presidents. Well, six presidents and Alexander Hamilton.

[Walt Flanagan]

I thought with that wig and. And all the rouge. I always say, since I was a little kid, I was like. I remember asking my mom if George Washington was a woman.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, yeah. Wouldn't make sense. Would make sense with the makeup.

[Walt Flanagan]

I was just a little kid then when I said that.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah. He looked like an old auntie.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. He looked like Martha Washington, basically.

[Walt Flanagan]

But he was a badass, though. I didn't know it, but he was George. Yeah. It's a general in the army.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. Saved this country from the. From the Brits.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Hey, UK talk. Come on now.

[Bryan Johnson]

Come on.

[Walt Flanagan]

I know it was all 200 years ago, but still, it's still raw.

[Bryan Johnson]

We can't back down.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

He insisted on inoculating his army against smallpox.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Also, Michelle Trachtenberg died. Yeah. Which I was shocked at. She's only 39 years old.

[Walt Flanagan]

Do we know what happened to her?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Well, she had a liver transplant, like a couple. A couple weeks ago. And I think they knew that death was a possibility after the.

[Walt Flanagan]

Is that a common liver transplant? I know kidney transplants are and everything, but liver.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. I think livers are for, like, drunks. Right. A lot of times.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

I have a cousin who successfully. She passed.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay. So it's hard to.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah, it's with all the drugs you got to take for the anti. Rejection and stuff it.

[Bryan Johnson]

And you can never stop taking those. Right?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah.

[Bryan Johnson]

Oh, that's right.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's just me speculating, actually. Because they, the family didn't want an autopsy. I guess they're Jewish, so they're like, no autopsy. We just want a barrier immediately so that we won't know if it was liver or drugs.

[Walt Flanagan]

I like that little caveat there you call yourself. That is. That's good. That's good podcasting. That was just you speculating, you said.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, okay.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, that is good. Good, good, solid.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I can learn. Yeah, I can learn.

[Walt Flanagan]

You guys want to hear adult stories?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. Hell yeah. Poor Q just shaking his head, looking downcast.

[Walt Flanagan]

Help you save him till next week?

[Bryan Johnson]

No, no. You guys don't ever think about ending this podcast.

[Walt Flanagan]

How are we gonna end it again?

[Bryan Johnson]

I mean, we could just end it.

[Walt Flanagan]

You could drive over, you drive back to Staten island. You got a TV show to do.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Do.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, but how much long is that going to go, you know?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

And this will be your only source of income. You better dig in. You ought to dig your heels in, boy.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Yeah, or invest in a restaurant.

[Bryan Johnson]

Okay, you're so.

[Walt Flanagan]

Do you remember years ago I rescued my neighbor's dog that got out?

[Bryan Johnson]

Yes.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay, so that had to have been almost 15 years at the very beginning stages of telling Steve Dave. Well, that neighbor moved with that dog and a new neighbor moved in with a dog. And the other day my daughter Alicia was going out early in the morning to Dunkin Donuts and she saw the neighbor's dog in the middle of the street and she rescued the dog and brought it back to that same neighbor's house.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

Fulfilling her almost like, like destiny.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It's about me.

[Walt Flanagan]

I saved the neighbor's dog. Now she saved the neighbor's dog. I thought that was like some weird kismet shit going on, you know, I thought like, you know, out of the.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Same house is interesting.

[Walt Flanagan]

Same house, you know, same situation. Dog gets out, needs to be rescued and brought back to the house by a Flanagan.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Flanagans man. Yeah, they're rescuing canines.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, that's pretty good.

[Walt Flanagan]

Okay, that was the feel good story. Now I got a light hearted one that look to take us out on.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

See, that's where you should have embellished though, because Alicia's like, hey, there's a dog. Let me bring him back to his house. Should have been like the cars buzzing back and forth.

[Walt Flanagan]

She was on a major highway, four lanes.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

People drive up and down your block pretty quick.

[Walt Flanagan]

They do, yeah. It's essentially I like 6am yeah, everybody's.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Late for work, so fuck it. Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

But I feel good. Story is, so I have Teddy now. My French bulldo. My long haired French bulldog. And he likes to go everywhere with me and or needs to have somebody at the, at the house to watch him when nobody was home this particular evening. And I went over to the pizza parlor that I always go to the pizza parlor that I saved from a mini volcano, a little midget volcano. I don't know if I can say midget now in this new Tell them.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Steve Dave Error can't say volcano either. It's very dicey. Although I did see an official announcement to tell people to keep mulch away from their houses because it's been starting fires. It's like officially announced.

[Walt Flanagan]

TSD makes the World takes. But so this same pizza Paula that I have gone in there and save the plaza that they have a store in. I bring Teddy with me and when I get out of the car, we pull up and I get the spot right in front. He jumps into the driver's seat and just puts his paws on the window and he watches me go in. I'm just gonna go pick up my order and come back out. But we're so close to the window, you know, I could see him from.

[Bryan Johnson]

Sure. Inside the store. Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

And that's when the car starts fucking going and he starts driving. Holy.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That's what he could do now. I totally bought it too.

[Bryan Johnson]

I wanted to support it no matter what.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

I was like, what kind of car is he driving? Check it into gear.

[Walt Flanagan]

So I'm watching him from I sell what I'm picking up and I hear this voice and I am treated in there kind of like I'm invisible. They really, they're not very personable in this pizza parlor, which is fine. I don't need to be glad handed.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Is it the one in the Walgreens Plaza?

[Walt Flanagan]

No, it's the one in the Futon Plaza.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Okay, okay. Yeah, I know.

[Walt Flanagan]

So they're not very overly friendly, but that's fine. I'm not there, you know, I'd rather eat the pizza. But they're not really that friendly. And out of nowhere I just hear someone say, how old's your dog? And these guys never talk to me. So I don't assume they're even talking to me. And I was like. I realized when he's talking to me, I was like, oh, he's about four now. And he goes, he's a long haired Frenchie. I was like, yeah, yes he is. And he was just like, what color is he? And I was like, he's like white. And before I can even finish that, he gray. He Goes, he's a blue long haired Frenchie. And I was like, yeah. He starts dancing and this is real. He starts dancing and going and gyrating. And he starts going to his wife. His wife works here too. Babe, babe, they got a long haired Frenchie. He's like, holy, bro. He's like, yeah. He was like, he's like, me and you, we're gonna be rich. Rich. I raise, I breed French bulldogs. I have never come across a long haired Frenchie. He goes, he's like, you are going to be. You're sitting on a gold mines, son. And I'm like, I can't even get the words out right. And before I finally go, well, I go, we're not really sitting on any money. I said, I got him fixed. And the dancing stops immediately. He just looks at me like, what?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Why?

[Walt Flanagan]

Why the would you do that? And I was like, well, you know the situation. I start to tell him the history of the dog.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Not a breeder.

[Walt Flanagan]

I go, yeah. I go, you know, and I took the responsibility that I want to take the dog in and, and raise him and give him a good life, you know, because of the situation. You know, it's sad. His owner passed away.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

That is the right reasons.

[Walt Flanagan]

And I go, I would just feel terrible if I was like, you know, of all of a sudden, I just started, you know, the guy that trusted me enough to take him in was like, hey, he founds out I'm making money on the dog now. It'd be for all the awful reasons. I would feel like a heel. I can't even get it. Like, I want to say all this, but I can't get it. He's like, what the fuck?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

What the fuck?

[Walt Flanagan]

He's going really upset and he's just like, I can't believe this. I can't believe this. I can't believe he puts his hands in his head and just like, like he's gonna get sick.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh my God.

[Walt Flanagan]

He's like, he's just shaking his head. Why? Why would somebody do that? Why? Why, why? Why would somebody do that? And I'm like, I'm sorry, I don't apologize now. I'm like, like defending my actions to this guy and like, you know, it just wasn't something we thought we would explore.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

How presumptuous though, that he's like, all right, we got a mate. Like, like without even asking you, like, if you like forget that Teddy's been fixed and everything. Yeah, what if you're like, look, I'm just, I'm not into breeding like that. That's one thing that people shouldn't be doing is like breeding their own dogs, you know?

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah. You know that. That's a good point. I, I would, I was just so taken aback that they were even speaking to me. I was just like, wow. I, I can't believe it. And now. And after that, you know what they were talking about after I left that pizza parlor?

[Bryan Johnson]

What an.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh my God.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah, they probably the biggest idiot customer. Customer they have.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah. My ears must have been burning. Like all that about saving the plaza. Yeah. Nope, nope. They don't talk about that. They just. I'm the guy now that fixed the ten thousand dollar dog, right?

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Honey, make sure to spit his food next time.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, you almost can't go back there.

[Walt Flanagan]

I didn't even consider that. You really think that's a pos.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Oh no, no.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

It's a possibility. Probability.

[Bryan Johnson]

No, the guy was going to be rich.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Yeah. Like he was, he was rich in that moment and then he's like, oh, he just ruined it.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

The guy that killed his dream even.

[Walt Flanagan]

He has to realize it wasn't a personal thing that I did because against him.

[Bryan Johnson]

You should have just said, you should have been like he was fixed when I got him.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yeah, yeah, you're right. I should have that. But going forward, if this happens again.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah.

[Walt Flanagan]

I will be like, yeah, stupid.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, I could have. But can he just get another one and use it as a breeding.

[Walt Flanagan]

These are extremely hard. Long haired Frenchies are extremely hard to come by. They do retail for $10,000. The previous owner, his son brought the dog for her and they were pretty well off. They were for a $10,000 dog. And my vet even says when I came in the other day she was like, I just can't get over this dog. She goes, this is like the unicorn of dogs. She said, she goes, I heard they existed. I've never seen one in real life.

[Bryan Johnson]

He's a cool looking dog. I do like that dog.

[Walt Flanagan]

He's wild looking, but yeah, it's.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, but if you, if all you have to do is buy one for $10,000 and made it and have like a litter of puppies, like aren't you gonna make your money back immediately?

[Walt Flanagan]

I guess, but I don't know. I mean where are you gonna find someone that, that. Who would have thought that the guy who delivers pizza also fucking breeds French bulldogs?

[Bryan Johnson]

No, it's a crazy one, but I don't think, you know, I don't think he was at right to curse at you in his place. Of business. You were a customer. You were there to do what you were doing. Like what he opened his business for.

[Walt Flanagan]

I just think his. The disappointment was on a fucking massive. Yeah, like ripped right out from underneath him like the red carpet and all.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

His dreams because what the fuck is really saying? How could you be so stupid? Stupid?

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah. He's not even hiding it. He's basically like one more guy has.

[Walt Flanagan]

Never spoken to me before that and after that incident, he has not spoken to me once even I held dorm for one day. He didn't even say thank you. Just bringing out some.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

I will now salts the ground you walk on.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

When I lived in that area, I had a couple run ins with their delivery drivers. I stopped using them. Yeah, yeah. It was just too much.

[Walt Flanagan]

I like their pizza too much. They can. Oh yeah, yeah. They can call me stupid after I leave this restaurant. It's okay. I'm fine with it. It's okay. I get it. You know, you had your hopes and dreams shattered by me trying to be a good person.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

And like were these hopes and dreams prior? I guess like he was like imagining if he could.

[Walt Flanagan]

He said that he's just like. He never dreamed that he would just walk up on one. He goes, they're that rare. He said. And to have one just fall into his lap. He said it was like he was dancing over. He literally was dancing.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Right.

[Walt Flanagan]

Like his feet weren't even touching the ground. He was that happy. It was a lottery ticket. That one of those fake lottery tickets, right?

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

You flip it over.

[Bryan Johnson]

What a good run we've had, guys.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Come on.

[Walt Flanagan]

That's a story I would tell.

[Bryan Johnson]

I'm looking forward to the start of a new podcast next week. I am looking forward to it.

[Walt Flanagan]

All right, well, I mean, are we going to renumber it? I mean there's a lot of work that has to be done.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Right. Who's going to get on it, talk about it during the.

[Bryan Johnson]

Maybe like just keep it legacy numbered and then just like put it in the title, the new number.

[Walt Flanagan]

That's a good idea too, you know. Yeah.

[Guest/Producer (possibly Brian or another crew member)]

Asterisk.

[Walt Flanagan]

Asterisk.

[Bryan Johnson]

Yeah, something like that. It'd be great.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

We got to spread it around that now you can get it on the ground floor. Yeah, we'll make 15 year old references. No one will get.

[Walt Flanagan]

Oh, I'm going to stop doing that.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

We got to stop doing that too.

[Walt Flanagan]

Yep.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh boy. That's the wheelhouse of an old guy like us that was making ancient references.

[Walt Flanagan]

You know, we got to get out of our comfort zone as a lot of people on Reddit said we're just too comfortable.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

Oh, sorry.

[Walt Flanagan]

Tell them, Steve. Dave. Tell him, Steve. Dave, before you get it going again, before you get all riled up.

[Q (Brian Quinn)]

God forbid I should be comfortable.