#662: All Apologies

Summary

Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! Podcast #662: "All Apologies" (Jan 12, 2026)

Episode Overview

After a brief hiatus, the Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! crew returns for their 662nd episode, "All Apologies." This edition focuses on two major threads: the medical saga of core member Get 'Em Steve-Dave (Gidham) following serious spinal surgery, and a heartfelt, complex discussion of friendship, grudges, and apologies—most notably Ming Chen’s apology video to Mike Zapcic over a years-old Comic Con joke. Blending raw medical honesty, signature ribbing, and a deep dive into reconciliation within their circle, the episode is packed with as much unchecked humor as it is genuine vulnerability.

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Key Discussion Sections & Timestamps

1. "Get 'Em's Bionic Comeback" – [00:47–42:00]

• Detailed retelling of Gidham's recent spinal surgery, the medical journey leading up to it, and recovery.
• Honest admissions about pre-surgery struggles, incontinence, and emotional lows.
• The group's mix of morbid fascination, gallows humor, and real concern.

Highlights:

• Beard Negotiations with the Surgeon
  “The doctor... took it on as a challenge to see how much he could save the beard while still doing the surgery.” – B [02:21]
• Medical Ordeals:
  • Infection and recovery twists ("One of my incisions... was infected for two weeks") [02:00]
  • The cane saga and rushed surgery due to an earlier cancellation:
    “That person canceling may have saved your... your dick. Let’s just say it. Your dick. Functioning. Penis.” – D [08:49]
• Pre-Surgical Struggles:
  Incontinence, falls, “pissing your pants and not even knowing it” [10:38].
  “Yes, it is. It is kind of degrading.” – B [11:39]
• Hospital Experiences:
  • MRI claustrophobia and “squeezing the bulb” to bail [21:17],
  • Sharing a room with a Hasidic Torah-reciting neighbor—and makeshift solutions for peace (“I put the earbuds in. I was listening to Pandora on my phone.”) – B [23:38]
• Diagnosis Revelation:
  “He says, 'Yeah, it's a ossification of some ligament. It's mostly found in Asian people, but apparently you have it.'” – B [24:08]
• Internet Trolling:
  On Reddit and the online crowd criticizing Gidham’s health/lifestyle [26:13–28:03]
• Surgery & Recovery:
  The emotional moment when told a vertebrae will be removed, fears over loss of range of motion, and reflection on the surgery aftermath and painkillers [29:37–38:40].
• Rehabilitation:
  Early hospital discharge ("They came and said, OK, you're leaving at 11, and I still have a drain in me") [39:33]

2. "Ming’s Apology Saga" – [47:39–81:10]

• The Mike & Ming estrangement and the long-awaited apology.
• Dissection of the events leading up to and following a Comic Con joke that soured their relationship for years.
• Ming’s on-air play and breakdown of his in-person, on-film apology—and the group’s critique of Zapcic requiring video evidence.

Highlights:

• Setting the Table:
  “These are the kind of stories I want to focus on in 2026 on TESD. Feel good stories. Like friends coming back together...” – A [48:22]

• The Incident:

  • At New York Comic Con, Ming joked (in a viral post/video) that Mike was the culprit behind some mysterious poop on the con floor.
  • “I was trying to make a stupid joke. It was not appreciated like I thought it was, and I'm apologizing for it.” – E (Ming) [52:52]

• The Apology Video

  • Ming reveals Mike not only requested the apology be on video, but demanded a second, more “sincere” take.
  • The group debates if this is emotionally manipulative or understandable for closure.
  • “You wanted to bury the hatchet... I can't undo that.” – A [55:14]
  • "He wanted you to...grovel for me on video." – A [58:12]

• Meta-Discussion on Forgiveness:

  • Walt reflects on not missing the person but being furious with himself for being taken for granted.
  • “It’s the foolishness on my part...I was made to be a fool and I allowed it to happen to myself.” – A [83:49]

• Audience Reaction:

  • Ming notes some fans called his video a "hostage video" [71:35].
  • A recurring theme of keeping drama out of one’s life, but recognizing when something “stupid” eats at you [72:55].

• Group Honesty:

  • “If anybody out there’s wondering...maybe you better.” – A, on boundary-setting and resentment [84:31]

3. Lighter Segments & Running Gags

Ming’s Health & Return – [45:49–47:45]

• Ming’s health scare & hospitalization gets a lighter treatment. Admits to high blood pressure but overall improvement.

Sports & Convention Banter – [42:06–43:24]

• Ming’s VIP access to a Buffalo Bills game via Jason Lee; banter about con schedules and travel lifestyle.

Christmas & Life Updates – [93:08–105:55]

• How each spent the holidays – from quiet family time to Q's flu and Star Trek binge.
• Digressions on Stranger Things finale conspiracies and generational changes at home.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brutally Honest Medical Humor:
  “You could shit your pants and not know it.” – A [00:06], referenced later during incontinence discussion.
• Wake-up Calls:
  “If that’s not a wake-up call to go to the doctor...” – C [11:55]
• On Online Trolls:
  “Reddit’s a bunch of shitheads, but to come down on the guy when he’s this low...he’s got tubes in his nose, he’s got yellow...Betadine all over him, huge cut on his neck...He still can’t be like, ‘Oh, I hope he does well’?” – C [26:13]
• Apology Video Drama
  “Can you cut that part out?” – C (predicting fallout over the video revelation) [59:03] “That is a man that doesn’t deserve an apology. He should be giving out apologies.” – A [58:12]
• Bitterness/Personal Reflection
  “It’s the foolishness on my part that I feel like I was made to be a fool and I allowed it to happen to myself.” – A [83:49]
• Ming on Resolution:
  “It was a weight lifted off me. Yeah, for sure.” – E [77:22]
• Meta-joke:
  “This was just me before it was a reveal?...him just revealing how shallow a person...” – A [65:21], framing the episode’s theme.

---

Segment Timestamps (Quick Reference)

• Gidham’s Surgery Story Begins: [00:47]
• Incontinence/Health Struggles: [10:18–13:14]
• MRI/Hospital Anecdotes: [18:06–24:08]
• Online Trolling & Reddit Rants: [26:07–28:03]
• On Apology Culture & Ming’s Video: [47:39–81:10]
  • Apology Video Played: [52:52–54:03]
  • Discussion of Mike’s Demands: [54:07–56:15]
  • Group’s Reaction and Critique: [58:12–65:21]
• Christmas & Life Chats: [93:08–105:55]

---

Tone & Style

As ever, the TESD crew keeps things deeply irreverent, laced with their trademark “boys club” banter, but treads into unusually frank emotional territory when dissecting personal grievances and the effort needed for real reconciliation. The tone is pungently honest, often self-deprecating, peppered with running inside jokes, and at times sharply critical of themselves, each other, and online fandom.

---

Final Thoughts

Episode #662 “All Apologies” stands out as an unusually revealing, emotionally raw return for Tell ‘Em Steve-Dave! Gidham’s harrowing health saga is told with equal parts sadness and sarcasm. The long-delayed, cringeworthy apology between Ming and Zapcic sparks a much broader discussion about pride, regret, and the value (or futility) of trying to make peace with the past. Listeners who relish both the crew’s unique humor and their all-too-human foibles will find this episode essential, candid, and often surprisingly poignant.

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Tell ‘Em Steve-Dave!… and tell your friends!

Transcript

[A]

You could your pants and not know it.

[B]

Because I told them I was dribbling a little.

[A]

This is all boys club, man. If you don't like it, there's the door.

[C]

The room for femmes here.

[A]

Tell him Steve Dave.

[C]

Hello and welcome back to Tell them Steve Dave. After a few week hiatus, we're here in studio with Walt.

[A]

Hey.

[C]

With Q. And with a newly rehabbed bionic. Get them. Do you have. Do you have any bionic parts?

[B]

Just titanium.

[C]

Titanium?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Nice.

[B]

So titanium vertebrae. A bunch of screws and. Yeah.

[D]

Rebuild them stronger.

[C]

And it's not like he's looking pretty good. And it's not like that long ago that it happened. Right. Was it been a month?

[B]

A little bit, yeah. My surgery was on the fourth.

[C]

Fourth. Okay. So it's been about a month.

[B]

The third. Yeah, the third.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So he's already ambling about moving.

[D]

He looks all right. He lost a bunch of weight.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

You forget how like good looking get him is when he doesn't care about his. The way he looks at all and he lets it all go and then, you know, he starts losing weight and he's. His hair is a little, you know, his beard's a little manicured because he's got it tied up. And you're like, oh yeah, get him's a good looking guy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I gotta, I gotta wait to see how long till I can get my hair cut.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Because I still have. These are still technically open, so you're.

[C]

Not allowed to get haircuts.

[B]

I. They got to get like around the back. So. Yeah.

[C]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[B]

So. And then this was infected for two weeks. One of my incisions.

[C]

Oh boy.

[D]

Great times.

[B]

That's why I got to wear my beard to the side.

[D]

Yeah. I was wondering if you're going to take it as the sign. Do you remember you saying you were looking for a sign to cut your beard? And I wondered if the infection and the need to keep the beard away from it was going to be the sign. But I guess not.

[A]

No.

[D]

All right.

[B]

Yeah. I think the doctor tried to. He took it on as a challenge to see how much he could save the beard while still doing the surgery.

[D]

Gotcha. Gotcha.

[C]

Yeah. That was important for you, right, didn't you? You told him ahead of time you didn't want to cut it.

[B]

I was like, yeah. I said if you. If you don't have to cut it, don't cut it. Yeah, right. He's like, I'll see what I can do. So.

[C]

And we're.

[A]

That's the first thing I asked the doctor when he called me, I was like, did you cut his beard off? And he said no. Why? I was like, oh, I thought. I thought I had given instructions to the nurse when I left the other night to cut that rat's nest off his face. But at least you. At least you saved his mind. That's good too, though.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Thanks, doc.

[C]

He's got titanium ribs in his beard to keep it straight. So much has happened since we last. Yeah, tons, I would imagine.

[D]

I don't know. Nothing's happened.

[C]

No.

[D]

Nothing worth talking about.

[C]

Oh, yes, you're wrong about that. We. We had a longtime tenant move out of the plaza.

[D]

Oh, yeah. Bigger news for you guys than me.

[C]

What's that?

[A]

That's all he gets. Who get him. That's all. That's all.

[C]

Come on. The yarn lady's.

[A]

He's bringing up photos.

[C]

Oh, and I know he's bringing up pictures. Okay, my bad, my bad.

[A]

I thought he really thought the whole episode was gonna be an all game splash. Are you kidding me? You really thought you'd only devote less than two minutes to.

[C]

What do we got here? Let's see.

[A]

Tim almost dying. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[B]

We're back. We're back.

[C]

3.

[D]

I assumed we were gonna get back.

[B]

To it, so that's what my vertebrae look like now?

[A]

It looks like they left two fidget spinners in your fucking. On your spine.

[B]

Well, actually I was going through my.

[A]

Medical chart and you did say your doctor's autistic, right?

[B]

I think he is.

[A]

He was fidget spinning while you were fucking sliced open.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Whoops.

[B]

Well, I was checking my. My chart and they had to do an extra X ray because they lost the needle during the surgery.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

Yeah, I guess. Yeah, they. Well, they checked me and it wasn't in me, so that's all they really cared about. I guess when it's.

[C]

Agent's teachers just had like a knee operation or something. They left metal in her. Like they have to go and take it out and now she's suing. If only they left the needle in you, you could have made some bucks.

[A]

Really? You can sue because of that?

[C]

I guess so, yeah. Malpractice.

[B]

And then that's where there was no real.

[A]

I mean, unless there was significant harm. Is it just because you have to go back in and get it?

[C]

Probably because it's a major like invasive surgery that you have to go back.

[A]

You can't make any mistakes, huh?

[C]

Nope. Not if you're a doctor. Fucking replacing somebody's Knee.

[A]

Really? Because if you bring your car in.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

You're not misringing somebody. A quick check.

[A]

So many times I brought my car in and then they gave it back to me, and it still was fucked up.

[C]

Right.

[A]

And never once was I like, I'm gonna sue these.

[D]

Well, a moron at Jiffy Lube isn't the same as a fucking doctor.

[A]

Is that your scrotum?

[C]

No, no, they look at your balls.

[B]

And then that's the. That's where my spinal cord was being pressed on.

[D]

All right, that's gone now.

[B]

Yeah, that's that vertebrae.

[D]

That's why. Wide open.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Look at that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, people want to hear, I think the saga, like, from. From beginning to the very right now end.

[E]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah. I thought there was just gonna be like a three hour. Like, really.

[D]

I mean, the guy went in for sur. What more do you need?

[A]

Well, I mean, there was so many, like, you know, like, the emotional roller coaster. It was.

[C]

Oh, was there?

[B]

Yeah. Because I. I don't know.

[C]

I went in for my knee. I didn't. I didn't feel any emotions at all except pain. Is that an emotion?

[D]

It is in my world.

[A]

We could have made this, like, Shogun, you know, a miniseries. Gloss over it like, it was.

[B]

Well, I mean, a bunch of staples.

[C]

He's here.

[A]

Yeah, but for the grace of God.

[D]

He talked about how he's losing weight. He looks good. I don't. What more do you want?

[B]

I've been to the buffet already, so.

[C]

Yeah, you got to the buffet, huh?

[B]

Yeah, I did the buffet the other day. I had to.

[C]

I don't say the first day. I went there the day after.

[D]

Already on the buffet.

[A]

You're skipping all the good stuff.

[C]

I went to the hospital. Okay, we'll start from the beginning. I went to the hospital the first day after Gidham got out.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And. Or got out of surgery, you know, like the next day. And he was. You saw him too. He was not in good shape. He was like. They had a hard time. They had to, like, put him in a chair, sit him in the chair and shit. He looked pretty rickety. He didn't look good. Yeah, there he is.

[B]

That's right after.

[D]

That is a hell of an incision on that neck.

[A]

Yeah. Speaking of rickety, didn't they think you had rickets?

[B]

I was treated for rickets. Yeah.

[C]

Put them out in the sun.

[B]

I went in the first for my.

[D]

Posted so much on Instagram while it was done, I just figured everybody knows.

[A]

Really? You were posting on Instagram? I don't have that. So I don't.

[B]

I don't get Facebook as well.

[D]

I don't get the posts.

[C]

Yeah, he was all over the place.

[D]

Get him. Gals are all updated.

[B]

So as I went in on the 1st for my doctor's appointment.

[A]

Tell them. Tell them all the nitty gritty. Tell them about how you weren't really supposed to go into the 22nd.

[B]

Yeah. So I don't leave anything out.

[C]

We gotta make an hour.

[A]

And please, for the love of God, don't fucking leave out the cane story, which I've heard 17 times. I haven't been here. I haven't been here face. I've only been here like three times since your operation. But I've heard the cane story now.

[C]

An average of five times each visit.

[A]

How he has a green cane, but he originally had a black cane, but his father liked the black cane. So I gave my father the black cane. Did I hear it today? I think I did, right as soon.

[C]

As I came in.

[A]

I think I did, but I was trying to go to a safe place.

[D]

I learned that the cane cost $27. I learned that within minutes of walking in this room.

[A]

No, but really, though, like, you were supposed to go in the 22nd and by. You really need to track down that person who canceled their appointment because it could have saved possibly your abilities to walk ever again normally.

[B]

Well, I wonder what I would have been like three weeks later. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

[A]

Like, that person canceling may have saved your. Your.

[D]

Your dick. Let's just say it. Your dick. Functioning. Penis.

[A]

You know, like your. Your quality of life moving forward. Did you ask the doctor if they. If you can get that person's name so you can contact?

[B]

They can't. Yeah, they can't give out that information.

[A]

If you tell them the real reason why. I'm sure he would be touched by that.

[C]

He'd overlook his Hippocratic oath commitments.

[B]

Well, possibly he's nurse practitioner because she has a crush on Q. So.

[C]

Yeah, you can probably get the information from her, though.

[D]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

If you, like, got cue to like.

[D]

Maybe FaceTime or something, I'll flirt with her a little bit. Like, come on, honey, you can give us that info.

[A]

Come on.

[D]

The only hips I care about are those.

[A]

But what would you say your quality of life was on the December 2?

[B]

Was it December 1?

[A]

December 1. What did you say it was?

[B]

It was compared to now? Yeah. Not very good.

[A]

I would give it a number from like one to ten. Ten being like, it was absolutely great. One being it was abysmal.

[B]

I'D say three.

[A]

Horrific existence.

[B]

I'd say three. Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. It became like before he went and got this done, it was a real concern that he was gonna fall. Like just the way he was walk. Walking hard to watch. Yeah, he was like walking side to side.

[B]

And I fell a bunch of times. Yeah. I still couldn't get up off the floor on my own.

[C]

Wrong too.

[B]

Well, no, I would have to butt walk in here to the couch and then get up on the couch and then I could stand up. Yeah.

[A]

So what about the bowel situation too, though, man? Didn't you tell us that you were.

[D]

I should have just zoomed in this week. I feel drove down here for this. This is like the bowel information.

[A]

Well, again, because when you. Because you have a spine issue, you don't realize that.

[D]

Oh, you could.

[A]

You could shit your pants and not know it.

[D]

Did you shit your pants?

[B]

No. Close, though. Yes.

[D]

Well, I came close today. This is days.

[B]

No, I was. I was having some slight incontinence issues. So where I would just get to the. You know, I would have a little trouble getting to the bathroom. And then by the time I got.

[C]

To the bathroom, oh, 13ers are creaming right now.

[A]

This is. This is the raw.

[D]

This is humanity.

[C]

This is the real deal. Yeah.

[D]

So you pissed your pants a few times.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right.

[D]

That sucks.

[C]

This is when you were at the hospital. Pre hospital.

[B]

Yeah, pre hospital.

[D]

This is in the chair you're sitting in right now.

[A]

And are these. Are those the drawers that you gave Ruff to?

[B]

No, no, no, no, no. Oh, no, we didn't have any of those.

[D]

How does that feel? Like when you. When you. And I don't mean this is joke. Like, literally, like, is it when you piss your pants? Are you like, is there a sense of, like, this life sucks.

[B]

Yes, it is. It is kind of degrading. And the other issue was I. I couldn't feel my leg, so I couldn't actually feel if I was peeing down to make sure.

[A]

Right. You're like, hey.

[B]

And I would look down and see like, okay. Yeah, it happened.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

If that's not a wake up call to go to the doctor.

[B]

Well, I had already. I already gone, to be fair. Yeah.

[A]

People give him a lot of though. But it wasn't like it, like he just ignored it this time.

[C]

He did for years.

[B]

No, no, no.

[C]

Not this particular thing.

[A]

And getting on his balls and saying, I told they. Oh, my God. They want to say, I told you a lot.

[C]

I told you so.

[A]

Oh, my God. Right?

[B]

I Was so happy when my A1C results came back, because dumb mailbox head Tom and Chuck were like, you have diabetes. It's neuropathy. And I'm like, boom, a 1C is 5.7. It should be 5.6. I'm good.

[C]

And it was better than Lodondo's, right?

[B]

No, no, my liver functions were better.

[C]

Liver functions were better than Lodondo's. He's like, I can't believe it. He's like. Like he's a picture of health. He goes to Jiu Jitsu, all this shit.

[D]

I mean, I did a lot of drinking with Lodondo back in the day. Yeah, that guy's liver was doing some heavy lifting when we were younger men.

[B]

No, I had. Back in October, I had gone to the urgent care down here. Yeah. Because I had lost feeling in the bottom of my toes on my right foot. So they sent me to Bayshore ER because I told them I was dribbling a little, and they said, that's an emergency. Go over there. They gave me a CT scan because they said, we don't have our MRI machine. They just sent me out with muscle relaxants and an anti inflammatory. So then I went and saw my.

[A]

Doctor ask you for that. Like that, like the dribbling?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

They're like, are you dribbling? They're like, are you offer that unsolicited.

[B]

To who, the urgent care?

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, no, they were asking me. My.

[C]

Standing in a puddle. They're like, well, we surmise they were.

[B]

They were asking me all my symptoms, and I was saying, you know. Yeah. Like, sometimes when I get up, I dribble a little. I also fart a little. And that's.

[A]

You used that word, did you?

[B]

What, fart? Yeah.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[C]

You didn't even.

[A]

Yeah. You don't want to use the proper words at least.

[B]

Well, is that when you're.

[C]

When you're admitting to that stuff, Sometimes I rip one?

[D]

Yeah, there. There was one.

[B]

So that's considered saddle anesthesia with incontinence. So she said, okay, you have to go to the ER right now. So I went over to Bayshore. Bayshore got. Took me in. Like, I said, ct. They said they had no MRI machine.

[A]

Wait a minute. So wait a minute. The flatulence was the red. Was the red nog that were like, you got to go to the ER right now.

[B]

That's considered kind of like because you're not controlling your. That whole system down there.

[D]

So farting.

[B]

Yeah, because I couldn't hold it. I couldn't hold it back.

[C]

Oh, like, if you couldn't, you had to fart.

[B]

Yes. Like, I couldn't. It just like.

[A]

Yeah, he had no control. Like, if it was gonna happen, he, like, couldn't suppress one. Like, let's say it was like a cute girl was in the right. Was in the room next to him. Like, he was sitting in the waiting room. Like, he didn't want to let one go. He'd have no control. He would let it go.

[D]

How long could you.

[C]

Hours.

[D]

Like a fart camel. You just store it in your bag.

[B]

When I'm with a girl, yeah.

[D]

But.

[B]

Yeah, when I would stand up, like, knowledge it.

[A]

If you were sitting next to a cute girl waiting for the doctor to see you in the waiting room. Or would you.

[C]

Or would you just.

[A]

Or just ignore it?

[B]

I. I said it to my family on Thanksgiving.

[A]

You let one rip on Thanksgiving.

[B]

I'm like, just because. Because I. Because I was like. Just so you know, I get. If I stand up and I forward. I said, it's.

[C]

I'd like to make an announcement to everyone. Quiet, please.

[D]

Put that turkey down.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Before we start eating, put the stuffing down.

[A]

I liked it.

[C]

I don't know if you're gonna want to eat after this.

[A]

All right, let's dig in. Just kidding.

[B]

Just kidding.

[A]

That was. That was me. I didn't dribble your hand underneath your shirt.

[B]

Fart machines like Leslie Nielsen.

[D]

Oh, boy.

[B]

So after the er, I went to my primary care doctor. Now I now have a primary care doctor.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

It's not doctor.

[C]

Look at you.

[A]

Yeah, look like this.

[B]

This.

[A]

Like, this is a fucking. He wants to tell his tale because this is a fucking opponent to all those fucking mental midgets who are attacking him as, like, disregarding his health, not doing the right proper things.

[C]

Well, they're not exactly wrong about that.

[A]

In this case.

[C]

They are 100% for this case. Yes. In this situation. Yeah. They were wrong about it. His pone, okay?

[A]

He went through hell and back. This is all he lived for. This is what kept him al with the scene. He was like, inside a one bloodshot eye.

[D]

He was just, like, chucking Tom.

[C]

Wrong. Must pwn Lindsay too.

[D]

Ch.

[A]

Oh, I think.

[C]

Oh, Lindsay gave you some too?

[B]

No, Lindsay's like, I thought you were diabetic as well. You're wrong. Just because you gave up a kidney doesn't mean you're a doctor.

[C]

People counted you out, huh?

[B]

Yeah. So went to the primary care doctor. She said, okay, you need an MRI station. And that took two weeks.

[A]

They actually say that? I thought that was just on tv.

[B]

No, I literally. The order said stat.

[A]

It's just an er. They say stat everything.

[B]

No, like, she's like, here, here's your order. Go down to the. Because it's an mri. It's a clinic in Eatontown, so there's an MRI place attached to it. Way better than Tom's.

[E]

Tom works at a. Yeah, I remember.

[B]

What does he work at an imaging clinic?

[D]

Two things I know about Tom's has a vasectomy. He's had a vasectomy and he works an mri.

[B]

So I went down there and they're like, okay, it's going to take three days to get your doctor's approval for this. I'm like, no, my doctor's right down the hall. She said, I need the stats and see where it says stat on it. And they're like, well, oh, they actually.

[A]

Fucking rubber stamped it.

[B]

It literally said stat on it. Yeah, so. But it took two weeks to get the mri. So they did the MRI and they found a small synovial cyst in my lower back because that's what they scanned. But that was supposed to affect my left leg. My left leg was a strong leg at this point.

[A]

Did you tell the doctors, you're like, was that. Is that cyst anyway possible for me when I usually feverishly fingered.

[B]

I told him I had a cyst. I told him I had a cyst previously.

[A]

Anyway, I could report.

[D]

Did you put that in my chart?

[C]

That I digitally stimulated a clitoris so.

[A]

Bad that I got a cyst of my back and my wrist. Go ahead.

[B]

So she recommended an orthopedic surgeon. And the four doctors they recommended, none of them were in my network. So I was at a birthday party for my aunt, my father, and my other aunt was like, oh, my boyfriend went to this doctor, Dr. Salerno, and he's great. And I checked my. My insurance app and he's covered.

[D]

Great.

[B]

So I made an appointment as soon as I could. They're like, the soonest we can get you in is December 22nd. So this is the end of November, a month? Middle of November.

[A]

Yeah, over a month.

[B]

Yeah, over a month away. And I'm like, well, if you can put me on the list, please put me on the list. And then I reached out to my doctor. I said, hey, can you reach out to this doctor and let them know what's going on? Maybe like, the doctor saying what's wrong with me will get me in quicker. And then the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday morning, I got a call. They're like, hey, do you want, can you come in on the third? I was like, do you have anything sooner? She goes, I have the first. I was like, I'll take it. And so I drove there on the 1st, walked to the doctor's office. He looked at me, did a little quick exam and he goes, looked at my mri, says they did the wrong scan. He goes, you need another MRI right now. And I said, well, the last one took me two weeks. He says, go over to the ER because it's. His place is right next to Jersey Shore Medical Center. So I walked over to the ER, got admitted and I had an hour and 15 minute long MRI.

[D]

Oh, I feel great.

[A]

Yeah, well, he's terrified of MRIs, right?

[B]

Oh God.

[A]

Have an MRI.

[D]

I've had many MRI.

[A]

Are you.

[D]

I'm okay with him. There was definitely one where I was like, by the end I was like, get me the fuck out of this thing.

[A]

Really?

[D]

But it was, but, but that, I mean I've had in my life enough MRIs to know that it normally doesn't bother me. There was one I wasn't like, but I was like, get me the fuck out of this thing. I've been in here an hour or ever long.

[C]

Usually MRIs are like. I mean the one that I got recently was like 10, 15 minutes. Like with your knee, I think it's probably not the same kind of metal. Like it's not going to be.

[B]

Yeah, like I couldn't get it with. I could get, I think I couldn't get it with the staples, but I can get it with this. Because that's titanium.

[A]

Isn't magnetic?

[B]

No, it's not Feral. Not Ferris. Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So yeah, they had me on the lot it. But I Woke up after 60 minutes in the tube and I was starting to freak out, right. And then they had to pull me out to put.

[C]

Just banging on it. You can see the punch marks.

[B]

Like they're like we can't play music because it's so loud.

[D]

And I'm like, oh, they play music every time.

[B]

I guess this was a, a bigger MRI.

[E]

Uhhuh.

[B]

This is a 3 Tesla MRI, sir.

[D]

Not even in the tube yet, sir.

[B]

Sorry. I farted.

[D]

Oh man.

[B]

So, yeah. So after they.

[A]

Do you remember when there was a guy on a plane who farted so bad that if the whole plane got sick and then turn the plane like could you imagine it was on that level? It was like, hey, I goes, I got a cyst on my back. That's what happens. Deal with it.

[B]

Yes. I woke up after an hour. And I was about to hit. Pull the. Squeeze the bulb. And then they ejected me out to put the contrast in.

[A]

Squeeze the bulb.

[B]

There's a little. You hold a bulb in your hand, and if you want to get out, you squeeze the bulb. You're.

[A]

How close are you ready to squeeze the ball of how many minutes?

[B]

I was a minute away.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like you're ready to tap out. Yeah. Because I was just.

[A]

You're not ashamed of that? Like you're going to tap out. You know, your mind over matter. You can't.

[B]

I was. That's how. That's how I managed to last that much longer was what was. I was thinking a big. I'm like, I. I know I'm safe. I know. Yeah, yeah, I know I'm going to.

[C]

Be pulling in people soon.

[B]

But when they ejected me, like, I had him take the gowns and everything off because when I'm cold, I'm a little better. And then I did the last 15 minutes on my own.

[C]

You took your gown off?

[B]

I had him take the gown off, yeah.

[C]

You were naked?

[B]

No, no, no. I had my. I had my boxers and my.

[D]

This is how I do it.

[B]

I wish I had my. I wish I had my meundies on, but I did it. Yeah.

[C]

That would have been a great advertisement.

[B]

Oh, it would have been.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So then the next. Next. So that night, they had me in a hallway, and then they finally found me a room, and they got me in the room, and I was in a room. I'm sitting in the room, and I just hear, like, someone reading next, and I can't quite hear what it is.

[A]

And was it the Bible?

[B]

No, it was the Torah.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

So I had a different kind of Bible. I had a Hasidic gentleman next to me, and his wife was reading from the Torah all night long.

[D]

Did you ask her to throw a few prayers your way?

[B]

No, because I didn't realize. I didn't realize what it was. It took me a while to realize what it was.

[A]

Was it comforting?

[B]

No, not really. But I was just annoying.

[D]

Like any religion. Like, if some priest was, like, rattling.

[A]

Came all the way down from Pittsburgh to read to you while the guy's.

[D]

Trying to sleep next to the bed, I'd be like, full, Lance, get out of here. Let this poor guy sleep.

[B]

If they're reading English like you can kind of. It kind of goes. It drifts away. But when it's a foreign language.

[A]

I drove seven hours to read to you.

[D]

I thought it was gonna be 15 minutes. I didn't Think you'd be here reading all night? You gotta move on.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, I say, get him. It's like, yeah, like ghost dealers in a different.

[B]

That's what he spent. That's what he spent. His ghost dealers.

[C]

What he say, was it discomforting to. To listen to, like, another language? Because it would. It would be weird.

[B]

Like, just, like you're searching for common words, like. Like you're hearing. Yeah.

[A]

You didn't have any earbuds. You can just pop in and just drown it out.

[B]

They. They did, yeah. They gave me headphones because they thought I was gonna be sleeping in the hallway. So they gave me an eye cover. Earphones and little earbuds. So I put the. I put the earbuds in. I was listening to Pandora on my phone. So that's how I went to sleep. And then the next morning, around 6, 7 o', clock, the doc walks in. He goes, hey. Goes, you've got what I think is OP L. L. It's sausage.

[A]

You down with OPD.

[B]

Says you got OP LL. It's a ossification of some ligament. It's mostly found in Asian people, but you apparently have it. And we were finding it more in Caucasian.

[A]

Dude, your father was definitely Asian. Probably.

[B]

I think it's all the buffet food I've been eating.

[A]

Like, I bet you don't. You have to think, though, that, like, probably he. His father. His mother might have been Asian.

[C]

He's a big guy. He doesn't look. He doesn't have the build of a slight Asian man. He doesn't look like a Ming chunk.

[A]

From, you know, a punishing lifestyle. He probably.

[C]

He might be wispy in another country.

[A]

You know, in an Asian country, one.

[C]

With not as much food buffets.

[B]

So he's like, yeah. He goes, you need surgery. I'm like, okay. Like, all right. And he says, yeah.

[A]

Why do you think he tells you that, though? Is that information that's necessary? Like, it's usually only found in Asians?

[D]

I don't know.

[B]

Told you. I think he's on the. Like, we smell each other. So it's like.

[A]

Is that like, you know. Is that like him telling you about the. You know, my aunt was at the birthday party, and she has a friend who has a friend who was at a doctor. So is that the kind of. Same kind of information that might not be necessary that he needs in the moment, though?

[D]

I don't know. I don't have a complete picture of it. Well, what do you mean? At the party, Remember he, like.

[A]

Remember he was telling you about, like, like he has a. He has a tendency to go off on things that I think are not.

[D]

Relevant to the story. Okay.

[A]

To the story. And I wonder, like even in that moment, I wondered why he would even tell him about the Asian thing because this.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

That just makes you even more like, oh my God.

[D]

It's such a bizarre fact why people don't get this. How do I got it?

[B]

Well, apparently more and more because it's genetic. The thing is, it's genetic, so it's not lifestyle related.

[A]

Right. Another pwn.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You couldn't have done anything to prevent this.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah, pwn away, bro.

[D]

I know you want to go do it, man. This is it.

[A]

All those fucking dimwits on Reddit need a fucking comeuppance. They need to face the backhand of get him, Steve. Dave, right here.

[C]

It really should. I mean like, look, it's long been no secret that Reddit's a bunch of shitheads, but to, to come down on the guy when he's this low. Like, he's like, look at him, look at the picture of him. He's got tubes in his nose, he's got fucking yellow. What is that shit all over you?

[B]

Betadine.

[C]

Betadine all over him. He's got a huge cut on his neck and he still can't be like, oh, I hope he does well, not like he fucking deserves it.

[E]

I fucking knew it.

[D]

I knew it.

[A]

I'm the smart one.

[B]

He thinks he's so smart.

[C]

Fucking assholes.

[A]

That's a genius for you right there.

[B]

Could have 148 his way out of calcification on his spinal cord.

[D]

I wanted you to stay off Reddit. I can't tell you how much it's been wonderful for these past two years or so.

[B]

So yeah, he's talking about an operation.

[A]

Yeah, that's the fuel that kept him alive.

[C]

Yeah, it was touch and go for.

[A]

A little while if he doesn't have that to hang his hat on. And like I'm living just for that moment, like I want. I'm living a pone.

[D]

Yeah, I love a good pone. Unless it's the next guy, but you're talking about that.

[A]

He might just give up on the table. He might just be like, you know what? I'm gonna go see.

[C]

Hell no.

[D]

You can pwn your friends like you could be Capone, Chuck and Tom. And Tom.

[A]

Yeah, I think way too much satisfaction in poning your friends. Like I would. I thought you'd be more vested in pwning the Internet.

[D]

You can't Pwn the Internet.

[A]

Yes, you can.

[D]

They're not accountable.

[C]

We took a video. Video of him doing a cartwheel or something.

[A]

You know, they're stumped. They're fucking stumped. Stewing in their own shit right now. They're not like, how's that taste? How's it taste?

[D]

They're just sitting there sharpening their knives for the next attack.

[B]

They're going back, deleting their comments, being like, see, I knew I never said get him did that.

[D]

So now there are people online wishing you ill will. And you have the power to ban them and you still won't do it. No, you are. You are. You live life wrong.

[C]

Of free speech.

[D]

No, he looks. He's an asshole. I love you, but you're an. Just block them. Ban them.

[B]

No, we have a mod who all of a sudden came back and took power and he's been banning people left and right.

[D]

Good. Ban. Ban them all.

[A]

And there has to be a power single negative word.

[D]

I say banned.

[C]

We don't like this.

[A]

I think you need to go at this new mod who disappeared for years and now wants to come back.

[B]

He's being low key. He's being low key.

[A]

And take the keys back. You're the maestro. You. You. He went. You went to hell. Through hell and back. What he do?

[D]

Yeah, but get him didn't do any. He just let it run. Lawless. You can't look to him for any power. He just lets anybody do whatever they.

[B]

Want, say whatever, as long as they didn't violate the rules. Rules. They were okay.

[D]

You make the rules. Yeah, and saying like, somebody wishes your health goes bad is like, I don't know.

[A]

I don't know if it was that vile. I knew it. Like, oh, he's so smart. Oh, he. He has all the answers. Well, we're. Now, this is what it gets him.

[D]

You know, for like a gleeful, morbid, dancing on the grave. Just ban him.

[B]

There were people who are like, yeah, this is what he gets for living the way he did. And it's nothing really to do with.

[D]

Well, I might have said that at some point.

[A]

All right, so we are. So when are we. Where are we at in this story?

[B]

So the doctor came in, he's like, you need an operation. I was like, okay, okay. And then he was like, we're gonna take a vertebrae out. When he said, that is when I like, reality hits.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm like, oh, what do you mean, vertebrae? I was, yeah, take a vertebrae out. And like I said, he. I love this doctor, but he he doesn't make eye contact with you, so he's kind of, like, looking off to the side, drinking his coffee.

[D]

Another hallmark.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And so, like, my big question was, I said, what am I gonna. He's like, you know, we're gonna. We're gonna put this cage in, then, you know, fuse the three vertebrae. So my big thing was, what am I gonna lose? I said, if everything goes completely fine, I recover fully. What am I going to lose by losing that motion? And he's like, you're going to lose a little up and down.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

And I'm like, okay.

[E]

So I can.

[D]

And that's what you found it to be.

[B]

I haven't. I'm still healing.

[D]

So you haven't tried to look up?

[C]

Look up if you try.

[B]

I don't want to.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

I don't.

[B]

Like.

[D]

Yeah, like, nice and easy.

[C]

Nice and easy.

[A]

I'm surprised that. Because I would think it'd be almost involuntary. Like, it's impossible not to look up.

[C]

I was technically not as much as he loves helicopters and shit.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

When he's heard from some rotors in the sky, I'm sure it's like, fucking.

[B]

That was another thing. Everyone kept telling me, the rooms I'm in, what a great view they were. And I'm like, I can't see the view. Like. Yeah. I couldn't turn my neck to look at the view.

[D]

Did you ever see the view, like, when you got out of bed?

[B]

How was it eventually? Yeah, it was a pretty nice view. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

So are you literally saying that you feel you haven't looked up?

[B]

I have, like. Like, I wasn't supposed to move, but I have slowly started moving, but I haven't, like, really fully, like, tried to look over my shoulder, like, consciously.

[A]

Yeah. So I'm saying subconsciously, I would think it'd be impossible.

[B]

It's. It's just the pain limiting you from all the. The. The incisions and everything kind of made me. It was hard to move my neck at first, so it kind of, like, locked it into my brain, like, where to look. It's like you have to, like, kind of turn your head, you know, when you look.

[A]

So he tells you that, and then what does he say?

[B]

I was. He's like, well, he goes, if you want to post. He goes, but I can get you into surgery tomorrow. Or if you want to get a second opinion, think about it. He goes, we can get you in Friday. And I was like, you know, look, there's. I said, I'm nervous. As nervous as fuck. But there's nothing. I'm. It's. Nothing's going to change. Yeah, I'm just going to get worse. So I said, yeah, schedule me for tomorrow. So they scheduled me for the next day at 2 o'.

[C]

Clock.

[B]

So went through the night, you know, reached out to everybody, try to give some stuff to the hospital, like my computer and stuff. Next day. Next day was.

[A]

Well, you mean like donate in case you didn't make it?

[B]

No, no, no.

[A]

Here's my laptop in case you guys need it.

[C]

Not even organs, just possessions.

[B]

I just wanted my laptop because I knew I was going to be in it for a while.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

Because he's like my horse head mask.

[C]

I want you to have this nurse.

[B]

He's like, yeah, you're probably going to be rehab for a couple weeks and you're going to be out of work for a month, that kind of stuff. Surgery is going to be three or four hours. Well, Walt's kind of, kind of gone over that part. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So the next day was. The next day was the worst, though.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Was the waiting. And so like the night before, they had to take a special bath. CGC bath. It's a special chemical that like disinfects your body. And they had me do that the night before, but then they had me.

[D]

They were like, someone bathe you?

[B]

No, I had to do it myself.

[C]

Damn. They had to draw straws.

[D]

This is one empty chamber. The rest are filled. Whoever gets the empty chamber has to do it.

[A]

The times I visited him, every single person that came in was like a very cute 20 something year old. Every single one.

[D]

Wow.

[B]

Except Mary.

[A]

It would have been. It would have. I wonder if she's listening, bro.

[B]

What? No. Well, Mary's like 50, 60 years old, but she was like the. She has that gravelly smoker's voice, but she was the best.

[D]

All right. Burying poor Mary.

[B]

No, I love Mary. Mary was like. Mary was so kind to me.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Like. Yeah.

[A]

But would you have been able to suppress arousal if she. Let's say the 20 something year old's like, I'm here. I know this is gonna be awkward, but, you know, but I'm gonna make it. Try to make it as comfortable for you as possible. And then could you suppress?

[B]

I kind of wasn't having any feeling down there anyway. That was part of my symptoms.

[C]

Just starts pissing.

[A]

You got a piss motor.

[B]

So then they, they. So then I was scheduled for 2 and like 2 o' clock came and it. It's not. Not there yet. Like Nobody's there.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And I'm like, what the happening? But, like, I'm texting Walt and I was like, well, I said, at least he's taking his time. Like, you know, I mean, yeah, like.

[A]

He'S finding any silver lining he can. I'm glad that he's not here yet. That means he takes his time. He's not gonna rush through it.

[D]

He's not running late because he's a dope.

[A]

He just had a fight with his wife or something. He just lost the fucking gambling online or something.

[B]

Why don't I go with prize picks, code est.

[C]

Funny she mentioned that.

[B]

So then, yeah, they wheel me in a pre op. And what's that like?

[A]

Because I remember my wheel down. It was. It's tough. It's very, like, sobering.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. You're looking up.

[A]

Everything is under that white, cold light of a hospital lighting.

[C]

When you go into the. When you go to the operating room, it's usually cold in there too, right?

[B]

I have no clue.

[C]

Oh, no.

[B]

I knocked out. I do not remember. Like, I don't. I don't remember. People say you count down and stuff. I don't remember any of that. I just remember waking up in the. I remember waking up in the recovery room, and, like, I was wondering if, like, if they had called my father and Walt, and no one could tell me if they had done it. Like, well, they probably did.

[A]

What do you say? Like, did anybody call Walt? They're like, who the is Walt?

[D]

I know.

[A]

You're like, did you call my dad?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's like, I had two numbers.

[A]

Is that your gay lover, Walt? I mean, like, why the is it so important you call this guy calling your name?

[B]

I said, my boss. I said.

[A]

I said, oh, my God. What kind of monster is your boss that he's like, he wants proof that you're.

[D]

Making a doctor's note.

[B]

They were like, it's so good. It's so nice that your boss is so concerned about that.

[A]

All right, good. I'm glad you set him straight.

[B]

Oh, no, I.

[C]

Wasn't this giving you daggers when you walk in. Like, oh, here's the guy.

[B]

But nobody could tell me that they called him. They're like, they probably did. They probably did. I'm like, well, no, there's no probably. Did they or did they? And I'm like, okay, I need my phones and phones. So I got like. I got into my room at like, 11:30, and I'm like, where are my phones? And they're like, oh, we don't know And I'm like, okay, I need my phones. I said, nobody can tell me if they called them or not. I need to be able to at least reach out. Well, they're probably asleep. I said, no, no. Walt's not asleep until. My boss is not asleep until 3 o' clock in the morning.

[D]

He's my boss. You hear?

[B]

He's not asleep till 3 o' clock in the morning. He's awake.

[A]

As if your father would go to sleep not hearing whether his son fucking made a. You'd think he would go to sleep.

[C]

He might drift off, right?

[A]

What the fuck?

[B]

You know when your parents say they're waiting for you at home till you come home at night?

[A]

I never went to sleep after I went, you know, never. I could have. Never fall asleep until I know what's going on.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Ever.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah. No.

[D]

So where were your phones? Were they located?

[B]

Yeah, it took two hours. And a woman with the Toro was.

[A]

Playing solitaire on his phone.

[B]

And, like, one o', clock, I was, like, crying. I was, like, literally crying. And I'm like. I'm like, I need to know that people know how I'm doing.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm like, please find my phones. I said, I don't know if you know I'm crying. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, that's the anesthesia.

[D]

Oh.

[B]

Like, I was.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[E]

Okay.

[A]

You can bring out the. And you make it get like. It makes your flare. Look at him.

[D]

He's crying over phones.

[B]

Then I was watching Back to the Future, and I wanted to take a picture to send a Frank to let him know I was so. But, like, at 2:00', clock, they had finally got, as you can kind of.

[A]

Guess, my flaring up. That's why I'm sending you this picture.

[D]

The picture's a little blurred. It's because my tears are on the lens.

[A]

I know it's 3 o' clock in the morning, but I'm alive.

[C]

I'm sure Frank's like, what's going on?

[D]

Where are you now?

[B]

In the hospital. But that's when I took that photo. So.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And then. Yeah, then it was recovery, which was. I was amazed how quickly they got me out of the hospital. Like, it was three.

[D]

I'm not.

[B]

It was three days and I was in.

[D]

Look at that blood behind you.

[C]

Yeah, the sheet. Yeah.

[B]

I had a drain back there, too.

[D]

Oh, that is rough, dude.

[B]

Yeah. So it was. Yeah, it was.

[E]

It was.

[B]

It was rough.

[A]

There's no Mickey Mouse operation.

[D]

This guy had a vertebrae taken out. That's insane.

[B]

There was a lot of Oxycodone, which I. I enjoyed.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

I was telling Ming about it. Ming's like. He goes, oh, you must be flying. I'm like, no, I said. I. I said it just kind of takes the edge off the pain. Like it was.

[C]

Well, if you. If you're in that much pain, that's what it. Like, if you're not in no pain, then you're flying. But if you're in a lot of pain, that's what it'll do.

[B]

It was at least letting me get to sleep. Yeah. Let me get to sleep. Which was tough because, like, your back, your neck stapled shuts. Like you're trying to sleep. Yeah.

[D]

What did they do with the vertebrae? They throw it out or you have it.

[B]

Yeah, they threw that out because they said it's. It's all in pieces. Like, they didn't take the whole thing.

[D]

Oh, I see.

[B]

I did keep my staples, though.

[D]

Yeah, I saw that you sent me a picture of that, and I wish you had it.

[B]

So I'm gonna get some to Jimmy. I think he wants.

[D]

Jimmy needs to move on from that too, but. Yeah.

[A]

Okay, so you. Then you're in the hospital where you had the surgery for how long?

[B]

Show surgery was Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Saturday. Saturday at 12 o'?

[E]

Clock.

[B]

Yeah, Saturday, 9 o'. Clock. They came and says, okay, you're leaving at 11. I was like. Like, I still have a drain in me.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, okay, we're gonna take that out now then.

[D]

Yeah. They want you up and out. They want you.

[A]

Well, they brought him to a rehab in Red Bank.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. So then that. That was. That was scary because they. They wheel you're in a wheelchair, and they put you in the back of a van, and it's pretty much just you in the back of a van, like, all around you. They just like. They like these huge, extra long seat belts. They like, wrap around the wheelchair and stuff. And I'm going down the parkway at, like 65 miles an hour.

[A]

And it was weird. The. The hospital he was at for the operation was in Neptune. To get in to see him, you needed, like, six forms of id. You had to go through six lung.

[C]

Detectors or just your license. That's what I found.

[D]

One valid license.

[A]

I had a dog come over and sniff me. It was impossible to get in to see him. But when he got to Red bank, when I went over to see him, it was night and day. There was absolutely no security to see him.

[B]

It was really strange, except when Jimmy showed up. Jimmy and Michelle showed up, and they wouldn't let him in.

[C]

Cause there was people up there already.

[B]

Cause there was people up there. And then two minutes later, they let Brian Mary Beth up.

[D]

Poor Jimmy.

[E]

Come on in.

[D]

Oh, all right. What's up, bud? How are you? Good to see you.

[A]

Ming Chen just walked in. All right, get him. Get out of that chair.

[D]

Don't cry.

[A]

In the corner, he's recounting his. His surgery story.

[D]

Oh, yes.

[E]

Sorry, brother. Here, here. Merry Christmas.

[B]

Oh, thank you. Thank you. I got some stuff over there for you to sign.

[D]

Ah, right. Ming Chen tell you how happy I am to see this guy?

[C]

Yeah. Well, before we get into Ming Chen.

[B]

Oh, my cane.

[D]

Let me read 27 in case his.

[A]

Father'S got a black version. Gideon's got the green cane.

[E]

Sorry. I'll buy you another one.

[C]

Okay. Are we ready? Gidem, you mentioned Prize Picks earlier.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

No. We love Prize Picks here. This episode is brought to you by Prize Picks. Whether you're starting a new routine or making player picks for the first time, trying something new can be hard. But in life and on Prizepix, it always feels good to be right. With high pressure playoff matchups every weekend and elite hoops action almost every night, the action never stops. And Prizepix let you take control. Let's see. It has a new feature alert. Prize Picks now has early payouts. If your player gets off to a hot start, you now have the option to cash out those winnings before the game even finishes. Find your community on Prize Picks. With new Social Feeds feature, you can share Prize picks with your friends and copy lineups from winners with a single click.

[A]

Since we got Ming here, let's hear his picks. Who's playing in the Super Bowl? Ming?

[E]

I got Buffalo versus Seattle.

[A]

Really?

[E]

Yes.

[A]

That's a pretty good matchup.

[E]

Yeah, I mean, a good matchup.

[A]

Pretty good one.

[E]

Yeah. I give it to the Bills. They got a clear path to the Lamar Holmes.

[A]

No Jackson.

[E]

Right, Exactly. No obstacles.

[B]

Are you only saying that because they let you on the field?

[E]

Well, okay, I saw that too. There was that. They did let me on the field.

[A]

How did you get into. Into Orchard Stadium, into the inner bowels, where you're in the locker room, you're smelling Josh Allen's jock strap, taking selfies. How the did you get into that?

[E]

Melting the chalk strap of a guy making $300 million, man, it was awesome.

[A]

Does it matter if he's making $3 or 300 million? You're still smelling a dude number 17.

[E]

All day, every day. Yeah, I got more. I do a game. I go every year and Jason Lee happened to be there and he hooked it up.

[A]

Jason Lee from Walrats?

[E]

Yeah, from Walrats.

[A]

He's a Bills fan.

[E]

His son's a big Bills fan. His son's a star quarterback out in California and he.

[A]

So how does he become a Bills fan if he's out in la?

[E]

I have no idea.

[A]

Okay, so Jason Lee is the hookup for that. All access to everywhere in Orchard Stadium.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And this is the last year of Orchard Stadium.

[E]

Last year? Yeah, last year.

[C]

But how did you even know Jason Lee would be there?

[E]

He's part of our convention group and he got invited. Son wanted to go. So it all worked out.

[C]

All right.

[A]

You have to pretend to be his son too. Do you like? This is my 45 year old son.

[E]

My name is Earl's my dad, Soon Yi.

[C]

Let's see price picks put their users first. While withdrawals are fast and secure, prizepix accepts most major payment methods, making deposits into your account quick and easy this sports season.

[A]

You trust Arnold, huh?

[E]

I the redemption man, like almost every team gave up on him.

[A]

Redemption rated. It's only in fairy tales, bro.

[E]

I guess I like to see it, though. I like the Hollywood movie versions.

[C]

All right, download the Price Picks app today and use code tesd to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That's code TESD to get $50 in lineups AFTER you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. It's good to be right. We got three today. I'll do two and then I'll do one more later on. Factor New Year's big goals. No time to cook. Factor makes it easy with fully prepared meals designed by dietitians and crafted by chefs so you can eat well without the shopping or cooking. That's what my life. My wife loves. Not shopping and not cooking. Those are her specialties.

[A]

She loves not chopping.

[C]

Yeah. Oh. Oh.

[A]

For food.

[C]

For food.

[D]

There's an old Henny Youngman joke that says, my wife thinks shopping and cooking are places in China.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Henny Youngman was onto something.

[D]

He knew it.

[C]

Take my wife, please. He knew. He knew.

[E]

What the hell, man?

[C]

What goes on?

[A]

What goes all boys club, man. If you don't like it, there's the fucking door.

[C]

No room for femmes here.

[E]

And a racist and a sexist. I can see why it's so successful in this country.

[C]

There you go. What goes on inside? Quality, functional ingredients, including lean proteins, colorful veggies, whole food ingredients and healthy fats. No refined sugars. No artificial sweeteners, no refined seed oils. That means that your that meals that fit your goals and schedule. Healthier eating, calorie management, more protein. There's a hundred weekly rotating meals. There's options for high protein calorie, smart, Mediterranean, GLP1 support and ready to eat salads.

[A]

I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you said protein. That's. Gideon has to have an all protein diet now he has to take three times as much protein as he normally would, right?

[C]

Yeah, he's got a whole.

[D]

He's got a big thing away spine heel nice.

[C]

Jacked up like Arnold.

[E]

So weight gain 9000 like car.

[C]

I mean current Arnold.

[A]

I remember when I was a kid my mom used to give me because I was too skinny and the doctor said he's putting put on weight and she would make these chocolate chocolate powder and put it in a milk. It was so gross and fucking awful. Not like factor?

[C]

No, not after factor.

[A]

It's fucking delicious.

[C]

Their all new muscle pro collection is delicious. It supports strength and recovery. Convenience always fresh, never frozen. Ready in two minutes, no prep, no stress. Me and Q have been known to use factor and we will continue into 2026. So head to FactorMeals.com tesd50off and use code TESD50OFF to get 50% off your first Factor Box plus free breakfast for one year offer only valid for new factor customers with code and qualifying auto renewing subscription purchase. Make healthier eating easy with factor. Now we gotta find out what Ming Chen's been up to aside from fucking going to the Bill Stadium and fucking partying on the convention center and keeping from us what his health issue was. Never did find out why you're in the hospital for a week. Keeping it to yourself a little bit. All right. Because you said you were gonna. I texted him, I was like, how are you doing? Like I haven't heard from you in days. Like are you still in the hospital? And he's like, yeah, I'm getting out today, I'll text you, I'll let you know like what they, what the deal is never heard from them.

[E]

Yeah, I was in there for a week. They had to run some tests and yeah.

[C]

So looking healthy.

[E]

Thank you. So far so good.

[A]

All right, you've recovered completely. Are you on any kind of meds?

[E]

But yeah, I got, I'm on medication. A little high blood pressure. Oh no. Yeah, stuff like that. I'm getting old, man.

[B]

My blood pressure is good.

[E]

I have. Good for you, good for you. Everything else. Everything else not so good.

[C]

I take Meds for high blood pressure. No big deal. Yeah, I'm in the club.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

So I guess the big Ming news, though, is this apology. Should we play the apology first?

[A]

Yeah, let's hear the apology.

[C]

Hear the apology.

[E]

Oh, boy.

[A]

Well, then don't play it on air. Let him play it onto the mic.

[C]

Yeah, let me play it through this mic.

[A]

I mean, you know what these are. These are the kind of stories I want to focus on in 2026, on TSD. Feel good stories. Like friends, you know, coming back together and like, you know, these are the kind of things that, like, we have so much shitty news in the world.

[D]

A feel good year.

[A]

Yeah, I just. I don't want to talk about anything but, like, stories like this.

[D]

Okay. Wow. I'm excited.

[E]

Somebody didn't sound like he was feeling that good about this apology, but okay.

[C]

I was. A picture, but not the video. Ming, where's the. The video was on your.

[E]

Oh, it's on Twitter.

[C]

Oh, it's on Twitter.

[E]

On Twitter.

[D]

Me. This is true, man. I was. I've been in. I've been having a bit of a rough road lately.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

Nothing major, just like, real. Like, I'm constantly in a bad mood lately. Like, angry even more than usual. Little depressed. Yeah, Like. Like, it's been a rough few weeks and something must be going around. When isn't it? I got sick over Christmas again. I missed Christmas. It's just been one fucking ball kick after.

[A]

You should have asked for a bubble that you.

[D]

Dude, I need one.

[A]

Like John Travolta.

[D]

I'm in a rough spot right now. I'm like, really, really kind of, like, in a rough.

[A]

Yeah, I've been feeling the same way. I didn't really want to come and record today. I was just. I needed another, like, fucking month.

[D]

I don't want to do it either, but when you told me Ming was going to be here today, Ming, I. This is how much I love you. I felt for the first time in weeks, like, I was like, oh, fuck, I'm looking forward. Like, I haven't seen Ming in a while. I love Ming. I can't wait to see him. Like, I felt, like, genuinely happy that you're gonna be here today. And then when I walked in, they were like, oh, Ming's not coming. He can't make it. I was like, mother fucker. I felt like my heart drop a little bit.

[A]

He's gotta make us feel good, right? Like, he doesn't care about me or.

[D]

I see. Talk to you guys all the time.

[E]

I pulled it together.

[D]

Yeah, I'm real happy you're here.

[E]

That makes me feel good too.

[D]

Yeah? Yeah.

[E]

I thought you'd like to hear it's been a rough couple months as well.

[D]

Geez, man, what's going on around here?

[E]

I have no idea.

[D]

Molding walls.

[C]

I just lost it. Hold on. I got it here. I got it here. Don't worry.

[D]

We're vamping here, dude.

[C]

Yeah, well, it's a minute and a half long. Okay.

[D]

What is he. So I'm not. I didn't even know there was an apology afoot. Well, before the fact that I see that there's Janelle, Bob Stash window behind him. I think I'm getting close.

[A]

You don't know what we're talking about.

[D]

I don't know what we're talking about.

[A]

Okay. So did you know that it's been a rough. How many years?

[E]

Over two years.

[A]

Two year period where Mike and Ming that I knew were kind of.

[D]

Because of the shit on the floor.

[A]

Yes, we were on the outfit. You tweeted a joke, right? It didn't make it verbal, Joe. It was a tweet, right?

[E]

It was a video.

[A]

Somebody had like a dog or something had gone to the bathroom on the con floor.

[E]

Somehow. New York Comic Con.

[D]

New York Comic Con, This I recall.

[A]

Somehow. It was social media posted something about it, Right? Well, it was social media, not your tweet, but somebody had. I mean, how could this be a story, a real. A big story that a dog went to the bathroom?

[E]

It was a big story because it was. It was. Supposedly wasn't a dog. It was. Someone claimed it was a human but.

[C]

Shook it out of their pant leg or something.

[A]

Just a Twitter post though, right? Like, hey, look. Some like.

[E]

No, no, it hit all the, like the big comic book news sites, like comic book resources.

[A]

Oh, for sure. They wasted five.

[E]

Yeah, no, it was a whole story. So the big story wasn't like, you know, Avengers Day.

[A]

Right. It says someone just took a dump on the show.

[D]

Rich Johnston himself weighed in on it.

[E]

He's a pretty big.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

All right. So you took the opportunity, I thought, to make a very playful, innocuous.

[E]

I couldn't help.

[B]

Innocent.

[E]

Come on, come on.

[A]

Joke that you. That Mike of Mike and Ming fame of comic book manhead was at the con and he. He took the dump.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

And it did not go over as. As well as you thought it would.

[E]

It went over. It was like three light balloons.

[A]

Yeah, it was a zeppelin.

[E]

Yes.

[D]

And that was a two year freeze on the frame.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

All right.

[D]

Okay, so.

[C]

So he went down to the stash.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Christmas, right.

[E]

I actually did in October. So I actually been sitting on it for a little bit.

[A]

Wait a minute. This. This. This apology wasn't made, like two days before Christmas?

[E]

No, no, I didn't.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

This mind is blown right now.

[A]

Okay, let's hear it before I ask any questions. I'm not here to Shanghai. That's a pretty choice of word. Sandbag.

[E]

Yeah. As you can see, I'm at Jameson Pop secret stash. As you can maybe hear from behind the camera, the man holding is Mike Sapsik. So I decided to man up today. Came down to apologize for any stupid posts that I posted. Any pain I caused him in particular. The shitting on con floor post from. Was that three years ago now? Yeah, two years ago. I mean, it was not Mike Sapsik. I was trying to make a stupid joke. It was not appreciated like I thought it was, and I'm apologizing for it. It never. It didn't happen. It wasn't Mike Zapsik. I don't know who it was.

[A]

They never stepped forward.

[C]

It was a service dog, man.

[E]

No, no, no.

[D]

It was a service dog.

[E]

We'll talk about this later. Well, it wasn't a dog, but anyways, I. I'm truly, sincerely apologizing for this. I believe he's accepted it. Otherwise, he would have thrown my phone through the window.

[D]

Nice.

[E]

But I think. I think we're. I think we're good. Also should have probably say, tell him, Steve Dave, you don't know a dick about Mike's actions.

[D]

Whoa. All right.

[E]

But who does? But listen, I work each and every day to find out. Anyways, Mike, I'm sorry to the world. I'm sorry. But, hey, forward and onward.

[A]

I mean, Kobe Bryant was less sincere about when he cheated on his wife than. Than you are. You're, like, struggling. You're almost breaking up.

[D]

He's trying to repair friendship here, man. What's more important than that?

[A]

Nothing.

[C]

Not on. Tell him, Steve. Dave, while you're doing it, that was the one thing that I was like.

[D]

He has to do that for my team. Was that for mine, too?

[E]

Obviously it was. Obviously, the whole video was a request from him.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

That's the only thing he wanted.

[D]

Wait, what?

[E]

Yeah, I went in to apologize. He's like, all right, I just have one good condition. I need you to shoot an apology video. And I was like, really?

[D]

He's dragging over the coals, huh?

[A]

I need to humiliate you, I guess. But I was like, listen, Okay, I.

[E]

Don'T care if I was like, I.

[A]

Didn'T think you were going to reveal this because you told me this.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I told the only people I told that. I was like, I want to reveal this, but I can't because it will undo everything of your actions.

[D]

Reveal that he asked for the video.

[A]

That he demanded it. I want to reveal and show what kind of person he is that you walk in.

[D]

This is a sandbagging now.

[A]

It is because he revealed it. There's no sandbagging.

[B]

Because.

[A]

And I, out of loyalty to you, I was like, if I fucking reveal that he demanded it. Yeah, it will undo your actions. You wanted to. You wanted to bury the hatchet. You wanted to be friends with him again. You felt it was important. I can't undo that.

[C]

I could have. You should have told me.

[A]

Even though I want to. Because it is a fucking direct, fucking like nothing says it more what a. What a person he is is. It's like you come in and he's like, apologize on video to me. And apologize twice. Because the first one you said wasn't good enough, right?

[E]

I did two of. The first one was really not acceptable.

[D]

So why wasn't it acceptable?

[E]

I guess he didn't think he was. I was taking it seriously enough.

[D]

Were you told to mention. Tell him, Steve David.

[E]

Yes. I think you could tell that was not from my horror.

[A]

I told Kim. Didn't I say I would never reveal, I would never betray you telling me that. Because that is shitty of me, right?

[E]

To.

[A]

For you, for you to go down there. I was like, look, man, you fucking. It bothered you. You wanted to make it right. And the fact that he was like, well, he disregarded that. And that shows you he never cared that you guys weren't fucking talking. All that mattered to him was you've walked back in, you deem me important enough to apologize to. I don't give a fuck about that. I just want to see you fucking grab gravel.

[C]

Gravel. Yeah.

[E]

I thought it was a simple.

[A]

What did you miss in those three years that made you go like, I need him back in my life. What did you miss? Please tell me.

[E]

I was just sick of the drama or sick there. I.

[A]

What drama was there, though? You guys just weren't talking, right?

[E]

Yeah, but it was just stupid. I, you know, walk out of Red bank. Like I would cross the street so I wouldn't have to pass by the store.

[A]

Yeah, you can't, you know, going to the spot Castle, am I. Does it sound like I'm holding it against him? I just want to know what it was like, was. How bad was it eating you up inside? On a scale of 1 to 10?

[E]

It was eating me up pretty bad. Yeah. I just. I. I just wanted to resolve it. I was sick of all the stupid drama.

[A]

Okay, but how do you think, though, this is not going to cause even more drama by you now revealing that he forced you to make two?

[E]

Well, because you're making it.

[A]

On my mother's life, I said, I so badly want to drop a nuke on this.

[C]

Sure.

[A]

And just record heel. What kind of a trash person that is. What kind of a fucking man fucking. When their friend comes back in to fucking apologize, goes immediately. I want you to fucking grovel for me on.

[C]

On fucking video so everybody can see.

[A]

It and then post it. That blew my mind. We texted and I was like, I can't believe it. And I like it. It fucking ruined my holiday. Because that is a man that is fucking doesn't deserve an apology. He should be giving out apologies. He fucking tormented Rob Bruce. He took every chance he could to embarrass that man, a mentally fragile man, for seven years, every opportunity could. In front of a group, in front of a group of people he lived to try to embarrass him and try to fucking humiliate him.

[E]

I was there.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And then when you fucking stand up and come back in, that's what he does. That just blows my mind. I'm surprised you're telling this, though. I swear to God, on my mother's life, I was not surprised even mention this.

[C]

I'm going to get a call later on. Can you cut that part out?

[A]

I'm not going to cut it.

[D]

When he was asking for the video. I won't go so far to say I'm a mic apologist, but I always try and.

[E]

Sure.

[C]

See the happy medium.

[D]

Yeah. What did he mean as a joke? Like, was it like. Like, all right, well, we're gonna do this. Let's. It's kind of funny, like. Or was it a sincere, like, I want the world to know, Steve Dave reference in there?

[E]

I think it was something between. But yeah, that was his, though that was requested.

[D]

What was the request? Just that they don't know who I am.

[A]

Yeah. What don't we know?

[C]

Yeah, he should have come.

[A]

Can you explain? Like, can you shine any light on what.

[E]

No, I. I have no idea.

[C]

I just said it.

[E]

That's what you want me to say.

[A]

So I understand. Like, you're. I understand, but do you have any.

[E]

Insight into what that really.

[A]

What that comment mean? Like, we don't know him. What don't we know that we should know?

[E]

I have no idea.

[A]

I think I know enough. Well, I mean, there's no fucking. There's no way you could redeem this, Q. How the fuck you're telling me you had a friend come in that you haven't spoke to in three, two years?

[D]

Let's say it's not the way I would go. It's not the way they go. I would just be happy to see them come through the door and be like, okay, great. This is personal between us. Let's settle it. I might, as a joke, be like, you know I would. Sure. You just tell people, you know, it wasn't me that shit on the floor, but I wouldn't. I wouldn't have made. Have him make a video. And. So unless it was like, a humor involved and, like, let's make this fun, then I could see it. But if it was a sincere, like, you fucking. You get on. And you. You. You know, this is the only way to forgive you. That is a little weird. I mean, the guy did come into the store to see it, but.

[C]

And the only payoff is you get to be friends with a dickhead again.

[D]

I'm like, we're all friends with dickheads.

[C]

Yeah, that's true. That's true.

[A]

If there's anybody on. In the circle or who was in the circle that should be apologizing, it's. He shouldn't be getting apologies. That isn't. That doesn't rise. Like, if that is what you did is worthy of eradicating you for three years. I don't know. Like, I. Please. What was the thing that you were missing that you're like, I need that back.

[E]

I did. I. I just didn't.

[A]

I understand. But what was it that was.

[E]

I don't like anybody being mad at me. I don't like anyone being upset at me. And listen, I can't control what upset me.

[A]

Why'd you wait till December to release the video?

[E]

I. I thought Christmas would be a good time to post it rather than some random date. I thought maybe it'd go over a little better.

[C]

Christmas miracle.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

How did it go over?

[A]

Oh, I thought the ants were set into a frenzy.

[E]

Oh, yeah.

[D]

No, really, it was.

[E]

Oh, yeah. No, it didn't go over well with most of them.

[C]

Oh.

[D]

In a. In a funny way, they make a fun way. I don't where they were like, trader. Like that.

[E]

A lot of trader.

[D]

Yeah, a lot of Trader Joe, but nobody really thinks you're a traitor. That's what I'm saying. Like, maybe Walt does.

[E]

I don't know. We'll see about that.

[A]

I respect it, and I. I am not. I can't be the guy then. That just undoes it and puts you right back at square one with him.

[E]

Right.

[A]

You. You just didn't hear a mic, unfortunately. I don't know how you feel about that.

[D]

Why, you think Mike's gonna be pissed?

[A]

I would be. I would be. I. I don't understand how, like, he couldn't be, like. Because you're just saying, hey, what?

[C]

You told everybody your apology wasn't sincere.

[D]

Stand by his actions.

[E]

Yeah, it was a sincere apology. It was his request.

[D]

Well, did Mike apologize to you? Did he come by. Was he like, I'm sorry, too, or was none of that. I. I overreacting to a joke about.

[E]

He did not know.

[C]

Like, imagine the difference if you said, Brian Johnson shit on the con floor.

[A]

Oh, there's people online.

[C]

None of that.

[A]

Who are defending, who are taking that. I am. I take too many shots. And, like, what would you do if your wife saw online that Ming had said that you took a shit on the con floor? And I'd be like, well, first off, I mean, do you really think that my wife would actually believe that I took a. I defecated in public? Do you really think that it would bother me? I would just be like, tell my wife. I'd be like, well, that's Ming trying to be funny.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Just a joke failing. But, I mean, it's not that funny of a joke. Certainly. I wouldn't be fucking furious with him or. Or fucking say that. Hey, I can't talk to you for three years until you. Until you crawl back to me and.

[C]

Apologize, and I force you to apologize. Force your hand.

[D]

Wow.

[A]

It disappointed me.

[C]

That's the only way you could get on the other side of the street was by apologizing. Now you don't have to cross the street anymore.

[A]

In a way.

[E]

Yeah. Now I can walk on the same side of the street.

[A]

It disappointed me that you. Not that you did it, because I understand why you would do it. It just disappointed me in that I don't think it rose to the level of an apology. And I don't think he. I don't. To be honest with you, I don't even think he fucking cares if you. If you guys weren't talking for the last three years. That's just me, personally. My. From my perspective, I don't think he lost a wink of sleep that you.

[D]

Guys weren't well, how much have you guys hung out and talked since the apology?

[E]

I haven't really seen him since, so, I mean, it's been pretty big.

[D]

Did he come visit you in the hospital?

[E]

No, but I mean, nobody else did, so.

[C]

Well, you kept it so close to.

[A]

The vessel come and seen you, but yeah, you were being very cagey about what was going on. And I was like, look, he doesn't want to tell what's going on. I'm not going to now just show up and put him on the spot and make him uncle.

[D]

I wouldn't want anybody to visit me in the hospital ever to know. Yeah, don't. If I'm in the hospital, do not come visit me.

[E]

I appreciate a weird environment. Yeah, yeah, it's a depressing environment.

[A]

Look, he's not being forthcoming. I'm not just going to just barge in and be like, oh, hey, what's up? Hey, can I get a peek at that chart? No, I'll be like, I'm going to.

[E]

Respect your sodium is really low. Like, wow.

[A]

Oh, it's that kind of illness.

[C]

Oh, okay.

[A]

But, yeah, I just can't believe that.

[D]

Wait, so what you said before, Walt, about the show being about friends making up and good vibes for the rest of the year, that was just a wind up to this?

[A]

This was just be me before it was a reveal? Yeah, it was him just revealing that, like, how shallow a person that he is.

[D]

Sure.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Allowed me then to fucking.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Break the character that I wanted. Feel good stories.

[D]

Three minutes. Exactly how many minutes in a year and give me the percentage of what three minutes out of.

[A]

That is a very low percentage.

[B]

Yeah.

[E]

No, to me, it was a very simple request, if that's what it took to. If that's what he wanted, to bury the house.

[A]

But do you feel that you may have undone all this effort to make things right now by coming out and.

[D]

Saying, mike's not gonna hear this.

[A]

Oh, he's gonna hear.

[C]

He'll hear about it.

[D]

If he doesn't, Mike's not gonna listen to this.

[A]

Somebody's gonna tell him about it now.

[D]

Got nobody. Everybody out there, do us a favor, all right?

[A]

Let's keep it all right? Let's Jim down this shit. Let's Jim down this.

[E]

Okay, good. But in the end, it was an ants.

[A]

Know what I'm talking about when I say Jim down.

[E]

Went in on my own. I was not for.

[A]

You're a man.

[E]

I.

[A]

You're a man. And you fucking were like, I. This is bugging me. This is wrong. Let's Put to bed some of the speculation, too, because I thought it was gross that some people online were saying you did it out of financial motives, that you had a comic, that you had a comic book to sign. Because apparently there's pictures of you signing a comic with you and Mike's face on it. And they were like, well, he needed to sign those, get those comic books signed. They had to bury.

[E]

Absolutely not.

[D]

Are you gonna start podcasting again?

[E]

We haven't talked about it. I mean, I would love to do one every so often with them. Absolutely.

[D]

Right. Okay.

[A]

Are you upset that I'm this, Like, I don't want to make you have to come. Like, my point of view is like, this is lunacy, that you act like a human being. And this is.

[C]

This is what usually.

[A]

Sure, yeah. I found it offensive in the moment, and it was a struggle to keep it under wraps in terms of, like, I just want to set the world on fire, because this is fucking ridiculous.

[E]

No, I understand that. Yeah.

[D]

Watch it all burn. Like, how did it end when you, you two, like, where, where was.

[A]

I don't even remember the last one. But I'm not like, let's say I got the apology now. It doesn't matter, because I don't miss him in my life. I'm mad at myself for allowing myself to be taken advantage of. I'm a, I'm fucking super bitter that I was kind and gracious, and it was met with total, like, as soon as, as soon as that man saw person, not man, saw that. Saw that there was a different level. Like the, the power shift. Yeah. And that's. That's who he is.

[E]

I, I, I don't know. I missed that, per se, But I do. All the good things about Mike Savsky guy.

[A]

What are the, what are the, what are the things that you deem his three best qualities?

[D]

Oh, this is good, man. Because, you know Mike's listening now, right? Yeah. You can make that.

[A]

What are his three best qualities?

[C]

I mean, excluding his hair. He can't count his hair.

[E]

I can't count his hair.

[D]

Yeah, he's got good hair.

[E]

His comic book knowledge is second to none.

[A]

Is it second to none? Like, it's second to me. No, of course.

[E]

Of course.

[A]

Right there. Second to none.

[E]

Of course not. Of course.

[C]

Right. So I can't count that one. I can't count his hair.

[A]

But if that, like, oh, dear Lord, if you're going to be speaking at my funeral, please come with something better than. His comic book knowledge was second to none.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

Good.

[A]

Put a little Bit more thought into it than that.

[E]

I appreciate it. For better, for worse, his attempts at humor.

[A]

What was your favorite memories then?

[C]

I didn't see the. Post it at first. Posted on the letter.

[E]

I think Mike's a good guy. He's always been nice to pretty much everybody. Customers, fans.

[C]

Really?

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

I thought he was an asshole. The customers, always. That's not true.

[A]

No, that's not true. But how is that important to you personally, though?

[E]

I like hanging around good people.

[A]

Okay. All right.

[C]

Do you think it's mostly. Yeah. Yeah. Do you think mostly it's just because you just wanted to, like, not have that in your life? Like, this way your life is totally smooth with everyone. He was the one.

[E]

I just. I didn't want that. It was. Was one of the things my life was like. I gotta clear this up. This is stupid.

[C]

I agree. I agree with that. Until he's like, you better apologize on video.

[E]

Three minutes. Have this all taken care of.

[A]

Were you a little surprised that they request to do it on video?

[E]

A little bit. I didn't know. I. I didn't. Didn't see that coming. But I was like, that's what he wants. That's what he wants. That's simple enough. I can knock this out in. In a couple minutes, I'll post it. No big deal. And. And that apology, I was. It was a sincere apology.

[D]

It's like if he was just like, great, let's just take a picture together, you know, post it. Everybody knows we're friends. You don't need it.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

The second you put that video out there, you're opening it up to interpretation. Yeah, people are. I haven't seen the. You're saying that people on the comments of the video were savaging you?

[A]

Not many.

[D]

Oh, all right. Okay.

[A]

I mean, it wasn't like. I know. What's it. What's it didn't, like, trend. Right. Certainly not even worthy a few.

[E]

I mean, if you checked her, it was Tyler Loop missing a field goal and then apologies.

[C]

So.

[E]

I felt like, Yeah, I felt like Tyler walking to Baltimore right now.

[A]

So. No, no. And I went on. Because I saw some ants getting mean to you, and I was like, no. Mink thought this was important enough to him, so it's important enough to me, like, I don't want you.

[D]

Who said this comes off like a hostage video?

[C]

What info does he have on you? The next person goes, is this a hostage video?

[E]

I could see that.

[A]

I would never hold.

[E]

I did not have a gun to play.

[C]

Next up, Sunday, Jeff. Hostage video apology.

[D]

There's a photo of Minga with a back over his head.

[C]

He's all tied up.

[E]

But, yeah, it got dumb. I remember I needed Sunday Jeff to sign something, but before I went in, I called to make sure he was working that day.

[C]

Right.

[A]

To go in when Mike wasn't there.

[E]

Yeah, it was Sunday.

[A]

So you didn't think he was going to be there?

[E]

I didn't know. I had to make sure, though. I'm sure. And the moment I walked in Sunday.

[A]

Just before you walked in, you thought Mike wasn't there.

[E]

I had to make sure it was Jeff.

[B]

This is how bad it comes.

[E]

Please just answer the question. This is how bad it comes.

[A]

Okay. Oh, you mean okay, not the day. Not the afternoon of the apology video?

[E]

No, no, no, you don't. You knew it was a random day.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Oh, yes.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[E]

But I called it just to make sure Jeff was there.

[A]

Understandable. Yeah, it's. It's frosty. It's awkward.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Who wants that in her life? That's why I couldn't. I would never hold you to my grudges.

[D]

Well, you don't hold Sunday Jeff to it.

[A]

No, nobody, I don't. They're my issues, not anybody else's. But I just find I just am a little bewildered that it mattered enough. It wrote like it mattered enough to you. Because I don't think it mattered to him. I really don't. That's my honest opinion.

[E]

You'd have to ask him. But it mattered a lot to me.

[A]

Which is why I respect him. And I would have never revealed that. That you were basically forced to make a video. I would have never done it. This is how much the friendship meant to him was like. It was more important for an apology on video than the actual act of the apology. To me, anyway.

[D]

Yeah, it's a weird. It's an odd. It's an odd. I agree with you. I do agree with you. I think that if it was meant as, like a joke. This is funny. That's one thing. But you're saying it's not.

[A]

That's my perception that it's not. I don't think it was a joke. I think it was the fact that he had to do two of them.

[D]

Yeah, that's funny. I mean, kicking the telsie, Dave Hornet is pretty. I would have advised Mike.

[A]

I don't even think he was. I mean, to me, that's not. That's not a.

[C]

To say we don't know dick about Mike Zepcy is like. It's not an insult.

[A]

It's not an insult.

[E]

It didn't go over well, though.

[A]

It didn't. It didn't go well. You thought it would go over well, though?

[E]

No, no, I just thought it was a kind of a throw, so I posted.

[A]

Then why did you think it would happen? Like, you got. You had the apology. Did you think, like, well, if I don't post it at some point he's gonna be mad?

[B]

No.

[A]

So why put. Why'd you post it on Christmas Eve?

[E]

Well, obviously, he wanted me to post at some point, otherwise he wouldn't have me shoot it. So I thought Christmas was a good time to do it.

[B]

Would you.

[A]

You didn't delete it either?

[E]

No, it's still there, of course.

[A]

But you saw that it might. It wasn't getting the. The likes you had hoped. Did it get a lot? Did it get. Did it make any money on next.

[E]

I made no money off of it. No, no.

[D]

Yeah. Ming, you're a really great guy, man. You know?

[E]

Thank you. Yeah, I. I thought it was. I was just sick of the drama. I was like, let's just go ahead and take care of this, right? I wish. I wish I would have done it earlier, but there are a couple of times I wanted to do it earlier and there.

[A]

Why did it wait? Why did it take three years?

[E]

I don't know. There.

[C]

Because it wasn't worth it. That's why. That's the answer.

[E]

There was an angel on one shoulder, which is kind of my wife going, just take care of this.

[A]

Really? My wife was promoting a makeup.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Did you see the video?

[A]

Who is the devil?

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

You still married?

[E]

I'm still married, guys. But on the other show, was. Was the devil, and he's sitting to my. To my left.

[A]

Ryan Johnson advocated you not apologizing.

[C]

Not. Not on those terms. No way. Like, you have to make a video, you have to apologize to me, and then you have to post it.

[A]

No, no, but I'm not that. But. But he was. He. Did anybody ever from this camp ever tell you that you shouldn't make up?

[E]

No, no, no. Absolutely not.

[C]

Why would it matter to your wife, though? Like, did you, like. Was it a thing at home that you guys talked about a couple times? Yeah.

[E]

It was just so stupid. It was just stupid. What the hell are you. What are you guys doing?

[C]

But that's the thing.

[E]

It's so idiotic.

[C]

Like, it has to be more than about the shitting on the con floor. It just has to be. Because if that's it, that's a level of thin skin that, like, I Didn't think existed in the world.

[D]

And when did that start? Maybe this. The con shitting. I'm just trying to understand, like, maybe the con shitting joke came at a particularly high point of getting his balls busted by.

[C]

By.

[D]

By people online and stuff like that, and it was just the final straw. I mean, we've all been in that situation where you're so fucking worked up about something that an illogical straw is the one where you're like.

[E]

You.

[D]

Like, you know what I'm talking about. So maybe it was just the illogical straw.

[A]

But that joke, though, never, like, parlayed itself into something that haunted him. It wasn't like he went out in public and people are like, oh, my God, you're the guy that shit on the con floor. Remember? You think that people were labeling him as the guy who shit on the con floor?

[E]

Very possible.

[C]

Was he. Wait, remind me. Was he even at the con?

[E]

Oh, yeah, that's. Yeah, he was at the con, which is why I made the joke, because he was there. If you were there, you would have been. It would have been.

[C]

I would have been the guy.

[E]

You would have been the one who stood on the con.

[C]

I would have gotten the video apology.

[E]

If you wanted it. Yes, absolutely. Yeah. Unfortunately, you weren't there.

[C]

I know.

[E]

I wish he was there. He hadn't been there in a while.

[C]

I'd like to be known as the guy who shit on the con floor.

[D]

It's not too late. Every weekend, buddy.

[C]

Dude, I'll start on, like, smaller cons. He'll just drop a nugget, maybe fart.

[A]

How much better did you feel after it was all over with?

[E]

I felt better. I felt a lot better.

[A]

It was a. It was a significant weight.

[E]

It was a weight lifted off me. Yeah, for sure.

[C]

Well, prepare to have that weight back on you after years of shit.

[A]

Do you think so? Do you think it's possible you might be upset that you.

[E]

I hope I walked. It was a sincere apology, and I'm just telling you so.

[C]

It was sincere. It was just unfortunate that his. One of his terms was that it had to be on video.

[A]

At all. It was a bit. It was on video. He said that. It doesn't matter. I just.

[E]

No, no. That's what he wanted.

[A]

That's my perspective. That's what I took from it was the. The shallowness to turn that moment, which could have been a significant moment between two friends into a video apology. And that you want it posted.

[C]

You got fucking Shanghai.

[A]

It left a bad taste in my mouth. It left a Bad taste in my mouth until today. I feel good. I got it off my chest.

[C]

Oh, you're.

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

You feel good Flows out there.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[E]

No, I get it.

[A]

I.

[E]

When I posted on the floor, it was a video. So I ended with the video saying, he didn't do it. I get it.

[A]

Although you actually said that on video.

[E]

Yeah, it was a video. Yeah.

[A]

So, like, it's come full circle.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

Do you find that you apologize easy or do you. A person that, like, it takes a lot to get you apologize or does it come.

[E]

It depends on coming. It depends.

[D]

I mean, how often do you even need to apologize to people? You seem like a Generally inoffensive.

[E]

Very rarely.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Do you apologize to your wife or do you drag it out? And do you. Or like, do you do it easy or do like. You know, for me, it. It comes with some. Takes like a day or two to get over my. If I'm.

[C]

Ego.

[A]

Yeah. And you're. And you have to come be like, I hear you.

[C]

You know, come groveling back. It was my fault.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

It's my fault.

[A]

But so is. Does that come easier?

[E]

Fire up the video. Yeah.

[A]

If my wife was like, yeah, I want you to do it on video.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

On Twitter.

[A]

Then say, I sell comics. Those are no dick about Debbie Flanagan.

[E]

No. I apologize to my wife pretty quick. I mean, it's tough when you have to live with somebody you know. You know, you can't drop it off for a week.

[A]

Yeah. Wow. Yeah. I did not expect it to go like this. This. Yeah, I saw. I had. What I was going to do was like, I was going to be. I had a whole bunch of links about the proper way to apologize. I was gonna make it fun and see if you.

[E]

This wasn't fun.

[A]

It was fun for me. I don't know if you were having fun, though.

[D]

Oh, I think the audience was having a blast, buddy. I think.

[E]

No, all I'm doing is telling the truth. So whether that's fun or not, I.

[A]

Had the five worst ways to apologize, how to apologize, and why you should. Like the nine reasons why you should apologize now. And I was gonna see if they coincided with someone telling you to make.

[D]

A video and post it.

[A]

I don't have way too much time.

[C]

You know how long this took me?

[A]

When I texted yesterday, you want to.

[E]

Come on and talk about it?

[A]

I came up with these links within a half hour.

[E]

Okay, never mind. I take it back tonight.

[A]

Wow. I don't know.

[D]

It's out there, though, now. Yeah.

[A]

I think you might have another apology in you if you want.

[B]

No.

[A]

You don't think so?

[C]

Fire up that video camera.

[E]

It was a sincere apology. He heard it when I went. I apologized very sincerely.

[A]

And then what does it say about me, though, that it. It bothered me over my break? Like, does that say, like, how I'm kind of a terrible person, too, though, that I would.

[E]

That I don't think you're a terrible person. You guys have your own things you got to work out. So you guys.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

You got to work them out.

[A]

You'll ever get there.

[C]

The Walt Flanagan apology video.

[E]

Yeah. Yeah, that's.

[D]

How much money would I pay?

[A]

That's not the 500 tier. Coming soon.

[D]

Right here, buddy.

[E]

Sun deck. Name one thing that'll never happen.

[A]

Do you think it'll ever get there? In your honest opinion, you think it'll ever get to that.

[E]

That we all clear the air?

[D]

I.

[A]

Not we. There's no we.

[C]

Okay.

[E]

That. You and him. Yeah, I think so. Yeah.

[A]

Really? Yeah.

[C]

I do not.

[D]

I used to think so. I don't think so anymore. I don't think so anymore. But what if Mike came in here?

[B]

Mm.

[D]

Not, like, one day, and it's like, can we talk? Would you even get past that one step? Would you be like, I don't want to talk.

[A]

I would hear. Yeah, let's. Let's. Yeah, let's hear what you got to say.

[D]

And then if he sat down and gave you an apology that didn't shit on the contour, that whatever. What. However it meant it to you, it was a correct apology from Mike, do you think you would be able to. Well, take a step past that?

[A]

Okay, so I have the five ways not to apologize. If he goes. It was like, what? I apologize. Sorry if he says it like that.

[D]

No, no, no.

[A]

Because I also would be like, I don't know if I'm gonna accept this. No, no.

[D]

It's. It's. Whatever in your heart counts as a sincere, real apology.

[A]

I would accept it. But there would be. Like I said. I don't. There'd be. I'm not missing the person in my life. I am absolutely furious with myself for allowing myself to be taken advantage of.

[D]

Right. But if that would. If that addressed that, and he was like, you know, I see what you mean. And. And I. Whether I meant to or not, that's what I did, and I am sorry for that.

[A]

Whether I meant. That's also on the list. Whether I meant to or not. You shouldn't do. List.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

And any. But.

[D]

Okay, that's. That's fine. Then he's like, I see what I did affected you like this, and. And I'm sincerely sorry for it. I wish I hadn't done it. I'm here to tell you that I am. That I am sorry and you were right and I was wrong.

[A]

I mean, yeah, I mean, what I. How could I. What more am I looking for then, right? But I don't think it would change.

[C]

Well, there's so much history, like, because, like, Walt's not talking about certain things too.

[A]

It's like it's not the man that. That is. That he's back to being man again.

[C]

It's not.

[A]

It's not the person that is missing in my life that fuels this bitterness. It's the foolishness on my part that I feel like I was made to be a fool and I allowed it to happen to myself.

[C]

But you're like, your heart was in the right place. You can't really blame. You can't really blame yourself for that.

[E]

No.

[A]

I've done it too often, though, and I find that it happens with. It's not just him, though, as well, though. Like, my kindness is taken for granted. My. And too often. And I find like, okay, I really gotta stop trying to help. If it's not going to be anybody.

[D]

Anybody in this room.

[A]

No, I'm not going to get into it. No, I'm not. Like, if you're wondering if anybody out there's wondering. Yeah, well, maybe you better. If anybody right now is going like, what. What did he just say?

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Oh, it's nice to me. I up.

[A]

So. So what's. What's in 2026 for Ming Chen? What do you. What do you. Let's move on. Let's get off of this topic.

[E]

All right.

[A]

Yeah. What do you. What do you got coming up from. What's Ming Chen got going on?

[E]

More podcasting.

[A]

More podcasting. Starting any new pods where you are going to get. You're going to get behind the mic instead of. I know.

[E]

Behind the studio and traveling. I. Yeah, I don't really have time to pop too much behind the bike, which is why I like doing it here. So I'll be there. Thank you. Yeah, I just found out the other day that I'm coming back.

[D]

I told you you were coming back.

[E]

Thank you very much.

[D]

Jiggy, reach out.

[E]

Ethan.

[D]

Ethan.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

All right.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, it made me very happy. So, yeah, I'll be there.

[D]

Excellent.

[E]

I'll be there. Okay. I would. Can't miss that.

[C]

Nice Qs, baby.

[E]

Qs.

[D]

Get him's coming. We got Jimmy the Hair guy this year?

[C]

Yeah, that's a part. Will be down there.

[D]

Troy will be coming. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. What about your con schedule? Any. Any. Anything you want to promote?

[E]

I'll be in Albuquerque next week.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know if I'm gonna.

[E]

Do as many this year, though.

[C]

You go to Albuquerque a lot?

[A]

Oh, is that you think it factored into your. Your health scare here, your lifestyle?

[E]

Like, it could have been a little bit too much party. I did, like, 30. Yeah.

[A]

TSDA lost its fastball. There's no way I want to hear it from these clowns on social media.

[D]

The letter number 37 in front of me. My eye twitches as I hold it in. I'm like, they won't get it. Shut up.

[E]

But I hope to see you guys more in 2026.

[A]

So you're going to be home more?

[E]

I think so.

[A]

I would love to create a pod around you for the Patreon.

[E]

I would make sure that you're the.

[A]

Host and that, like, you know, that if you. You're telling me you're sincerely gonna have more time, I would love to have you more involved. You're a bitch to fucking schedule around.

[E]

To nail down the last five years.

[A]

That's why your absence on the Patreon, it was so big, because I'm like, I don't want to even ask him because he's never around. Because it's too much of a hassle. He's never around.

[E]

I think I'll be around more. So, yeah, let's come up with a clever name. I get the cool artwork.

[D]

Can I book you on an I buy comics?

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Oh, all right.

[D]

Nice.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. Well, what have you been reading lately? What's. Anything.

[E]

I have not been reading anything lately.

[A]

So I better start reading.

[D]

Get back in. That's great.

[E]

Well, now I'm allowed back in the store, so I can start reading.

[A]

We'll see about that. You might have to go on Sundays again.

[D]

You think you'll get that discount again?

[E]

We'll see about that.

[D]

Oh.

[A]

Well, it's good to see you. I'm glad you.

[E]

You're.

[A]

And you're feeling. Definitely feeling better, huh?

[E]

I'm feeling a lot. A lot better than a couple months ago. Yes.

[A]

And all kidding aside. Yeah.

[E]

And I miss not being. It killed me not to be here.

[A]

Oh. For the Christmas. Oh, yeah. It was awful to not have you around and not be a part of it. It was a massive hole.

[C]

Yeah, I agree.

[A]

But the good news is, in 2026, you know that hole you're gonna fucking Fill that hole.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

As only Ming Chen can.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Well, now that dogma got re released.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

Are you like residual checks for Ming Chen? Yeah.

[E]

I'm getting as much as you both. Both of you are, I'm sure.

[C]

This might be why you're doing fewer cons. You got so much residuals.

[E]

Oh, yeah. Swimming in checks right now. Yes.

[A]

What about the. What about the business you want to promote? The shared universe. Yeah.

[E]

They're still going strong.

[A]

Yeah. And how can. How can they contact you to book.

[E]

A shared dot com. Hit me up on. On. On Twitter. Social media. Yeah. Come in anytime.

[D]

How many locations now?

[E]

Got two.

[D]

Two.

[A]

Well, not the mall one, I guess. Had to close, right?

[E]

Yeah, the mall got demolished.

[D]

That'll do it.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

I was rent free anyways.

[A]

So you have an ad I thought you had.

[C]

I do have an ad still. Yeah.

[A]

Let's roll it in. Just roll it out. What a banger. To kick off 2026, we're at the saga of get him.

[D]

It was pretty funny how. Get him. His story was about 75 done. And then you're like, get the.

[C]

Out of that channel.

[A]

I'm sorry.

[E]

Trying to move on. We care about you too.

[A]

Yeah, I think get him loved every minute of that. Of that Ming Chen interview.

[C]

Right.

[A]

That was must see or must hear potting. I know from all the. That I've heard, he had to hear from me.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Bitching and moaning, smile on his face right now. He's so happy.

[A]

You know how much he was talking about him and his dad's cane? That's how much I was talking about that apology. I was going up. I was like, ron, it ruined your too. Listen to this.

[C]

Do you know Mike, forget it.

[A]

Just listen, young lady, I know you're on your way out and you just closed up a 30 year business that went to shambles because of Amazon and Michaels, but this is my problems.

[E]

Did you see this video on Twitter?

[D]

Flo.

[C]

Flo.

[A]

You Flo.

[C]

Go ahead, move out. I don't care. Yeah, that was the big news at the Yarn League. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah, that's right. We led with that. I tried up though that you really were like content to be like here two seconds.

[C]

He's fine.

[D]

He's fine.

[A]

I know, but there was. There was definitely.

[C]

There was a saga. You're right. You're right about that.

[A]

There was some gold to fucking mine.

[D]

He went to the hospital, pissed off his pants and then came home. I don't know how much of a story there is. So funny.

[A]

What's the ad though?

[C]

The ad is Raycon.

[A]

Oh yeah.

[C]

This message is sponsored by Raycon. Now that the holidays are over, it's the perfect time to upgrade your gear for the new year. We've been using Raycon's Everyday Earbuds Classic and they are amazing. Super clear sound, easy to wear all day for music, podcasts or calls. They block out distractions while still feeling comfortable, making them ideal for everyday use. And right now, Raycon is ringing in the new year with a sale. So grab them while you can. The Everyday Earbuds Classics are loaded with upgrades perfect for tackling your 2026 goals. Active noise cancellation, multipoint connectivity so you can pair two devices at once, and an ergonomic fit that actually stays put no matter what you're doing. Start the year off with a new look. The new colors are a vibe I'm into. Insert your favorite color here, like blush violet or cool mint. I actually did buy Mary Beth some cool mint radios.

[A]

Oh yeah, we even took our. After you're done, let's do a little bit of touch on how everybody's Christmas went.

[D]

Okay, Sucked.

[A]

I got my presents today. It did piss in my Christmas a little bit. This guy gets an apology. This gets an apology. This nut, this ass person, this ass clown gets an apology. You gotta be.

[D]

You don't know Mike Zapsig, but you.

[C]

Don'T know dick about it.

[A]

I didn't even open my presents. They're still under the tree. I can't get to go home.

[E]

Wow. Oh no. You open them.

[A]

Merry Christmas everybody. God bless us all.

[C]

Everyone get him's cane is in the corner.

[A]

Yeah, Tiny, get them.

[C]

They feel less like just earbuds and more like an accessory that matches you for the new year. Everyday features that can live up to Name Quick Charge 10 minutes, give you 90 minutes of playtime, up to 32 hours of battery life with the case awareness mode. Perfect when you're walking the dog or running errands, so you stay tuned into what's happening around you without missing a beat. Plus, over 3 million customers already love Raycons and they come with 30 day happiness guarantee. So if you don't love them, returns are easy so you have nothing to lose. The Everyday Earbuds Classics are here to help you crush your new year goals. Raycon audio products are having a site wide sale this January, so go to buyraycon.com tesd to get 20% off site wide. That's buyraycon.com tESD thanks to Raycon for sponsoring. All right, let's reiko.

[A]

So how was Christmas?

[C]

Christmas Was decent, I guess. It was quiet. We went down to my brother's house in Highlands for Christmas. We had it at my. We had, you know, Christmas morning in my house with me, Sage and Mary Beth. It was. It was unremarkable, I would say. Got some DVDs, got a jacket.

[A]

That's not what you want to hear, though. You need to create some.

[C]

You're right.

[A]

Yeah. You need to do something to amp up. Unremarkable and podcasting don't mix. Right. I Saw Comics is a perfect example.

[E]

If you say so, Walter. If you say so.

[A]

Oh, he's mad. He called me Walter.

[D]

Make an apology video.

[A]

You know, I was wrong. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry.

[D]

Take two. Take two. Do it again. That was a good enough.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, usually. I mean, in the past years, Johnson's were good for friction. Prime podcast, Gold Fight, fighting, arguing, people leaving the house, storming out. It's just too simple.

[A]

Aged out of that shit.

[C]

Aged out. Yeah. I'm 58. Edgar's 73.

[A]

Darren.

[C]

Darren's 49. 48, something like that.

[A]

You can't get it up over the silly shit anymore.

[C]

No, no, Edgar. No way. He's so, like.

[E]

Like.

[C]

It's a totally different person.

[A]

Really?

[C]

Yeah, than like the. The. The silk, like the just beneath the surface.

[A]

One more tussle, one more front lawn wrestling match.

[C]

Oh, no. I would destroy him.

[A]

Yeah. That's the circle of life, bro.

[C]

Remember eighth grade?

[D]

Remember senior year?

[A]

Smack.

[C]

Smack that cancer right out of you.

[B]

You.

[A]

That's Mufasa and Simba right there.

[C]

Yeah, nothing like that.

[D]

Everything the light touches is the Johnsons. It's good stuff.

[C]

Let's see. Oh, we're going to. Oh, as a matter of fact, if anybody, any ant happens to work at SeaWorld.

[A]

Oh, you're going to.

[C]

We're going to go there next words. Recording this on the 7th. So it'll be this upcoming Tuesday or Wednesday, one of the two. So if anybody works there and wants to drop a line to KMuse2mail.

[A]

Oh, no, no, fuck you. You put your own fucking emails. I am not your fucking secretary. You want free?

[E]

Take it to me.

[C]

Dude, I'm going to give up my personal email address.

[A]

I got to fucking do now. I got to.

[C]

Okay, just make.

[D]

Came Use three.

[C]

Make Amuse three.

[B]

Test Town General Store.

[C]

Testown General Store.

[E]

At Gmail.

[C]

At Gmail.

[E]

Okay.

[C]

All right, then get him before. Thank you. I understand, Walt. I understand.

[E]

Hook this guy up. VIP tour, everything, all of it.

[C]

Treat me like I'm Joey Fatone going there.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Behind the scenes. Yeah.

[D]

Yeah. A Fatone treatment, man.

[C]

Yeah. So. And I looked at the weather. It's going to be a little cool for swimming, unfortunately. So Sage was.

[A]

What'd Sage.

[C]

She got the trip to SeaWorld. She got a lot of clothes because that's what she wanted. I think that's about it really. She wanted a whole bunch of clothes. She got a bunch of shit from like art stuff, like art supplies. Markers and pads and stuff like that.

[A]

Q, you were sick.

[D]

I was, I was. I. There was four days in a row where I didn't even speak to a human. I was just on my couch like watching Star Trek.

[A]

And you got sick for Thanksgiving too, right?

[D]

Thanksgiving.

[A]

Do you think it's just holidays? It's like maybe it's in your mind.

[D]

No, I think, I think, I think that both holidays were preceded by trips to places where I was dealing with a lot of fans. And that's always what gets me sick.

[A]

I don't know if maybe it was like some sort of like, you know, thing where you're like, you get so like stressed out about the holidays.

[D]

Not at all. I. I was actually bummed because I haven't seen my nieces and nephews in a while and I haven't seen my parents because of, you know, I missed Thanksgiving and then that. So I was really bummed. It wasn't great, was it?

[A]

Flu?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

That was going around.

[D]

Yeah, I got it. I.

[C]

Some.

[D]

So I knew. I always tell you like I. When I'm talking to someone and I. And they. And they spit and I feel it hit my eye or like I'm like, I just go, I got sick. I say I got sick and I was in LA and I was talking to someone and. And blah, blah, blah. And I felt it hit the inside of my lip and I was like, I'm gonna get.

[A]

You ever think about like wearing some sort of protection?

[D]

Yeah. Mask and nobody fucking calls me a pussy.

[A]

Who's calling you a pussy?

[C]

I would.

[A]

One of those glass shields, you know, like a welder's mask.

[D]

I just, I just gotta stop going places and then. Yeah, so just watch Star Trek. I watched the original series and then I watched the movies. I mean it was a full on Captain Kirk, like fucking. Which is not the worst way to spend your time. You know. TS9 is great, but you know, for me Trek will always be Captain Kirk.

[A]

That's a nerdy Christmas.

[D]

I don't mind it.

[C]

I was watching a bunch of movies over Christmas and sat down to watch the Stranger Things finale.

[D]

I haven't seen it yet. All right. I saw the first three episodes.

[C]

First three?

[D]

Yeah, I heard it goes off the rails kind of.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, have you heard the conspiracy theory that there's another. The real finale drops.

[C]

I don't know. I don't know how much more we could take.

[A]

It would be a fucking balls out fucking move to throw a fake finale.

[D]

Why did it not end on it without telling? It didn't end on, like, a satisfying.

[A]

I don't think a lot of people were. Not like a lot of plot holes, like, tremendous plot holes that you would think were so sloppy that. That nobody could do this unless intentionally. And that it's a vecna vision. The ending where everybody lives and everybody's happy and there's clues and Easter eggs. Did I just give too much away?

[D]

Yeah, I'm sorry. I mean, I didn't think they were gonna kill one of the kids, so don't worry about it.

[A]

But there's a conspiracy that tonight the real finale drops.

[D]

Why tonight?

[A]

Because it's a week. It's every Wednesday, and it's also Jewish Christmas, and they will release them all on holidays. Oh, and there's a lot of compelling evidence for this. I mean, by the time this comes out, we'll know if there was. If it was all, like, some ridiculously rabid fans creating something that was not to be, but if the makers of Stranger Things have to be going, like, it was so bad that we fucked it up, that people assumed it was bad on purpose and they were. That we were creating something a better finale. I mean, there's. It's. It can't be good for them to see all this.

[D]

Oh, that sucks.

[A]

What's it called? Something gate, right? Or conformity gate or something like that?

[D]

Well, the first two episodes, like, I kind of like that the town was under quarantine and stuff like that.

[A]

You know what?

[D]

I thought all that was good. I thought the play was fucking awesome. I thought they were in a hot.

[A]

Streak, but I didn't mind. I knew there was gigantic plot holes. There were some things. I turned to my wife and I was like, this might be one of the sloppiest television shows I've ever seen in my life because of one particular scene. And I was like, I just can't believe they would allow that. And now to hear that it may have been all planned just as like, that's playing chess with the Internet. As the Internet went after them like rabid dogs about how.

[D]

Oh, really?

[A]

And now they're like, See, I think.

[D]

They just shit the battery. Shocked. If they had a secret episode, what would be the point of keeping that?

[A]

Because the Internet is absolutely. I don't know if you've heard about it, Ming, but, I mean, you keep.

[E]

I do. I haven't heard of that.

[A]

You don't keep up on the Internet no more. That used to be.

[E]

No, I do. Of course I haven't heard. There's a secret clandestine episode.

[A]

Oh, yeah. It's called Conformity Gate. Right.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

And it's the. The evidence that these fans are putting together is just so fucking badass.

[D]

Really.

[A]

It's like, whoa. I'm like, you got me. Believe. I think. I don't think we went to the moon now after watching and they're Stranger Things shit. But it is so cool. And if there is a another this.

[D]

Day can't get any better variety saying that the headline does not exist.

[B]

Ah.

[E]

That's what they want you to think.

[D]

Oh, that must feel bad to have such a popular show and then just be like, wow, they think we fucked it up. So.

[A]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. The makers of the show have to be, like, so defeated that they. They shot the bed so bad that people assumed it.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, this can't be it.

[A]

Yes. I didn't mind it as much because it kept me. It felt like a Marvel movie at the very end to me.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Nancy is now Rambo.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

I. That was something I noticed in the first episodes when she had, like, the. The pointer at the chalkboard being like, I want you here, here, and here. I was like, isn't this girl 7, 17 or 18 years old? Like, who is she talking to? Like this. Oh, that continues. Yeah, yeah.

[C]

It intensifies.

[A]

They kill. They kill innocents. If you want to call, quote unquote, innocent soldiers. Soldiers who are.

[D]

Nancy kills people.

[A]

Oh, my God. At least 50.

[D]

Really?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

They kill out with no ramifications. Everybody just goes back to their normal lie. I know I'm getting too many spoilers here, but. So, like, I thought that there had, like, there was so much compelling evidence that this possibly could be true, this conspiracy that I was like, if this is true, it is better than any finale. Any kind of, like, marketing gimmick. Since when, you know, I don't know if there's ever would ever be topped. But it appears, though, that it's not to be, though, which is disappointing.

[C]

Right.

[A]

At least I still got, you know, this episode fucking to make me sleep.

[D]

I thought it was a little sloppy when, again, I'm Only two. Two episodes in when, like, everybody was off doing dangerous things and exciting things. And it just cut to the kid sitting at the girl's bed sleeping.

[A]

Max.

[C]

Oh, Max.

[D]

Yeah. And I was like, wait, all. All this kid's friends are out, like, doing missions, and he's sitting here talking to an unconscious woman.

[A]

He loves her, though.

[D]

Yeah, but still, I mean, like, Hopper's in the underground, like, getting shot at, and this guy's doing hop. I was like, that's a little sloppy.

[A]

I thought, there's. To me, the sloppiest thing that cemented that it could be true that there's a fake episode is the father getting murdered.

[C]

Right. Right. Yeah.

[A]

And then showing up at the graduation, no worse for wear. It was so bad.

[D]

Well, he didn't get murdered. They said he was alive when he was in the hospital.

[A]

Nobody ever mentioned him, what his status was?

[D]

No, no, they did at one point. They said, both your parents are in icu.

[A]

But the kids never once addressed, like.

[D]

Dad, not up until that point.

[A]

Nobody mentioned that. No one care.

[C]

It's a real mom, strong show. Like, darn like.

[D]

Well, of course it is, dude.

[A]

The Internet went. I thought the Internet was totally unfair to Stranger Things in, like, how they attacked it over the coming out thing. I felt the coming. If you're gonna have a coming out thing, at least played into the fucking storyline, though. It had to be done, right? Like, Vecna was using his.

[C]

That.

[D]

I don't. I knew. I know, Obviously.

[C]

Obviously.

[D]

Will Byers gay. But I didn't know he was. I knew he was gay. I mean, just from watching the show.

[A]

But you know what? I don't. I felt it was absolutely done.

[D]

Well, he. All right, spoilers for you. Are you saying he comes out and gains powers? Like magical gay powers?

[A]

No.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

All right.

[D]

Because that makes me want to watch it.

[A]

It's just that he feels that Vecna is using his greatest fear of revealing that he is to his family and friends against him. So he's like, I gotta take. I gotta take control of this. I gotta take this power away from him and tell everybod.

[D]

And this is. Oh, well, that actually sounds like reasonable.

[A]

I'm also like, why? Like, the Internet's just nasty Internet full of jerks.

[D]

But did every. I'm assuming everybody responded in a manner that would not be a very 1980s way.

[A]

No.

[C]

That'S the thing. If you're trying to portray the 80s, it's like, I don't think they did a great job in that. It's like, it Was.

[A]

Oh this particular season five. Yeah. The 80s were not as. You didn't feel like you were immersed in any 80s.

[D]

Well they were on their. They were in a basically concentration camp. Like a town wide concentration camp.

[A]

I get it. But I. I felt there was little effort to paint a picture that this was set in the 80s though there's a few things that towards the end there's an Indiana Jones reference and everything but. What'd you do over Christmas? Do you watch Stranger Things?

[E]

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

[A]

I'm not cough.

[E]

You just spoiled everything.

[A]

No, I want to apologize.

[E]

Fall for a reason.

[D]

Do it again. Take two.

[E]

Let me get my video camera with my in laws in Columbus, Ohio. Spending with them.

[A]

Oh nice.

[E]

Yeah, my family came back. It was great.

[A]

How long were you there?

[E]

Like four days. It was fun, nothing crazy.

[A]

What'd you do for New Year's?

[E]

I. I stayed home, went out with some friends on for a little bit again.

[A]

Were you home on midnight?

[E]

No, I wasn't home at midnight. I was at a. At a little dive bar I hang out at in Long.

[A]

Drinking?

[E]

No, no drink. I haven't really been drinking that much so.

[B]

Good.

[A]

You don't need that poison.

[E]

No, no.

[C]

How are you doing? Are you still up in Addie's?

[A]

He's got a.

[B]

Since October.

[A]

He's going. He's got a date. He can start drinking again on Super Bowl Sunday.

[C]

Who gave him that date?

[E]

Everywhere?

[C]

No, not me.

[A]

I say don't go back and drink ever again. But that's falling on deaf ears, I think. Especially on Super Bowl Sunday.

[C]

Oh, but what'd you do on Christmas? Baby's first Christmas, man.

[A]

Stewed in.

[D]

Stewed.

[A]

Yeah, a lot of stewing. Those days are over. Zippity dooda.

[D]

He's not around. He is genuinely the happiest I've ever seen this man.

[A]

Tell him, Steve. Dave.