LEAVING THE MATRIX (then coming back)

Summary

Therapy Gecko - Episode: LEAVING THE MATRIX (then coming back) Release Date: March 23, 2025
Host: Lyle Forever
Description: An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing.

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Introduction

In this thought-provoking episode of Therapy Gecko, host Lyle Forever delves into the intricate concepts of reality, perception, and personal growth. Titled "LEAVING THE MATRIX (then coming back)," the episode navigates through philosophical discussions intertwined with real-life struggles of the callers, providing listeners with deep insights and relatable narratives.

Conversation with Jack

Timestamp: 02:06 - 40:06

Philosophical Discourse: The episode kicks off with a conversation between Lyle and his caller, Jack. The discussion begins with a reference to Jim Carrey's portrayal of existential angst in a scenario reminiscent of "The Matrix." Jack connects Jim Carrey's skepticism about reality to his own moments of feeling detached from the world.

Key Quote:

• Lyle [02:16]: "Nothing is real, man. And I'm just a guy and I'm crazy."

They explore the idea of "leaving the Matrix," symbolizing a departure from societal norms and grappling with one’s own sanity. Jack introduces the analogy of Sonic the Hedgehog as a catalyst that brought Jim Carrey back into the "Matrix," suggesting that engaging in mainstream activities can lead one to rejoin societal structures after a period of existential questioning.

Bell Curve Meme Analogy: Lyle introduces the concept of the bell curve meme to illustrate the journey of enlightenment and back into societal participation:

• Lyle [05:37]: "The bell curve meme. And it's like, okay, at the beginning of the bell curve is like a really, like. Is like, dumb, like, idiot wojack, right?"

They discuss how superficial engagements (like acting in popular movies) might represent a return to the "Matrix," balancing deeper existential thoughts with everyday activities.

Personal Struggles and Growth: The conversation shifts towards Jack's personal life, where he shares his recent struggles:

• Jack [11:04]: "I just lost my job and got dumped. No. Well, we broke up. I didn't get dumped, but."

Jack opens up about his breakup, job loss, and the ensuing anxiety. He emphasizes the importance of acceptance and incremental progress:

• Lyle [14:33]: "Acceptance can still lead you places actionably, right?"

Notable Insights:

• The balance between acceptance and resistance in dealing with personal pain.
• The role of perspective in overcoming existential crises.
• The importance of not isolating oneself and seeking support through friends and therapy.

Conclusion of Discussion: As the conversation wraps up, Jack expresses gratitude for being able to share his experiences, highlighting the therapeutic aspect of the podcast:

• Jack [19:51]: "This is a dream come true."

Lyle reflects on the power of shared stories and optimism, underscoring the episode's theme of finding hope amidst struggles.

Conversation with Amanda

Timestamp: 40:06 - 77:17

Vulnerability and Anxiety: Amanda joins the call, initiating a dialogue about vulnerability and anxiety. She commends Lyle for his openness:

• Amanda [40:15]: "You're being a little more vulnerable today. I'm digging it."

Lyle candidly discusses his own struggles with anxiety and the challenge of maintaining a balance between deep existential conversations and everyday interactions:

• Lyle [44:04]: "But this is just me doing therapy publicly for myself and talking these things out."

Balancing Depth and Normalcy: The conversation delves into the difficulty of sustaining meaningful yet balanced interactions:

• Lyle [47:09]: "It's about balance. I think balance is the issue."

Amanda offers supportive feedback, emphasizing the importance of self-care and setting boundaries to prevent burnout:

• Amanda [49:26]: "It'S bad for you. I say, I like that you caught..."

Cultural Identity and Relationships: The discussion briefly touches upon cultural identity and relationships, with Amanda and Lyle sharing their perspectives on Jewish identity and the complexities of seeking meaningful connections:

• Amanda [64:43]: "You're not the typical Jewish guy, if that's what you want to say..."

Reflection and Support: Towards the end of the conversation, Lyle expresses gratitude for Amanda's support and emphasizes the significance of shared experiences in fostering hope:

• Lyle [72:15]: "I appreciate it. You helped me out today by, again, being a foil for me to rant and whatnot."

Amanda reinforces the importance of maintaining connections and living authentically:

• Amanda [72:28]: "Yeah."

Conclusion

In "LEAVING THE MATRIX (then coming back)," Therapy Gecko masterfully blends philosophical exploration with authentic personal narratives. Through conversations with Jack and Amanda, Lyle Forever navigates the delicate balance between existential musings and the pursuit of personal well-being. The episode underscores the importance of perspective, acceptance, and the continuous journey towards self-improvement amidst life's inherent challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• Perspective Matters: How one views their struggles can significantly impact their ability to overcome them.
• Balance is Essential: Maintaining a balance between deep introspection and engaging with the world is crucial for mental health.
• Shared Stories Foster Hope: Listening to others' experiences can provide solace and encouragement in one's own journey.
• Acceptance and Action: Embracing one's circumstances while taking proactive steps can lead to meaningful personal growth.

Notable Quotes:

• Lyle [02:16]: "Nothing is real, man. And I'm just a guy and I'm crazy."
• Jack [14:33]: "I'm gonna have to live through the suck, and then we'll go from there."
• Lyle [44:04]: "This is me doing therapy publicly for myself and talking these things out."
• Jack [19:51]: "This is a dream come true."
• Lyle [47:09]: "It's about balance. I think balance is the issue."

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For more insights and engaging conversations, follow Therapy Gecko on iHeartPodcasts and join the community of listeners navigating the complexities of life with Lyle Forever.

Transcript

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[Lyle]

Hello.

[Jack]

Hi there.

[Lyle]

Hey, what's up? What's your name?

[Jack]

I'm Jack.

[Lyle]

Jack, what's up? How's life?

[Jack]

You know, I'm. I'm living. Is this the geck?

[Lyle]

This is a man in a gecko suits who is here right now talking to people. I was. I was watching An Instagram reel of. And it was Jim Carrey and he was at like some award show and he was like talking to some lady with a microphone and he was like, nothing is real, man. And I'm just a guy and I'm crazy. And I was watching this and I'm like, I really hope I don't sound like that sometimes. Although I got. I understood everything he was saying when he was talking about this is. Were this the sensation. Like, like Jim. Jim Carrey. I think when he's going insane, he's left the matrix. And I get what he's saying because I, I've also had times where my brain left the matrix, but I'm. I, you know what is full. The full circle is like, the Matrix is pretty good. I'm sorry, I'm talking over you. I'm just stream of consciousness going insane. But we'll get into just. The Matrix is good. It's good to be in the Matrix. The Matrix is great. I was. Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.

[Jack]

It's kind of funny because Sonic the Hedgehog, like brought him out of the Matrix.

[Lyle]

Wait, how did Sonic the Hedgehog. No, how. Wait, hold on. Tell me further. How do you believe Sonic the Hedgehog brought him out of the Matrix?

[Jack]

Whenever he was like, really like, he was saying like all the depressive stuff. It was like right before he started doing the first Sonic movie and he was literally like, I'm done with movies. Like the next movie that gets delivered to me would have to be like a script written in gold. And then he started doing Sonic the Hedgehog and he's only done Sonic the Hedgehog since then.

[Lyle]

So. Wait, so how is Sonic the Hedgehog wouldn't doing Sonic Hedgehog put him back into the Matrix?

[Jack]

Well, it kind of like snapped him out of it, you know, because he was saying like, nothing matters. And then I guess. Yeah, I guess I guess what you're saying. Yeah, he kind of pulled him back in.

[Lyle]

No, well, like being saying nothing matters. Okay, here, hold on. And I'm. By the way, this is a two sided conversation. I want to hear your opinion on this. I'm just gonna throw it out there. The. So when Jim Carrey is talking about how nothing matters and this, none of this is real and whatever. He has left the Matrix. Right. And then going to. To doing Sonic the Hedgehog is rejoining the Matrix, but par. But I think the. Because when you're doing Sonic the Hedge, when he's doing Sonic the Hedgehog, he is like when he's Dr. Eggman and he's doing a silly voice and he's, like, working and he's doing stuff, and he's, like, attempting to actively participate in life. He has rejoined the Matrix. But I think the. The hero's journey of leaving the Matrix ends with realizing that being in the Matrix is good. You know, the. Like, you, like. You know, it's a weird bell curve of, like. Yeah, you know that meme? Do you know what I'm talking about? The meme where it's, like, a dumb guy and he's like, what's that fucking meme? Hold on, I'm gonna look that. Do you know what I'm talking about, by the way?

[Jack]

I do not.

[Lyle]

Hold on. Bell curve meme. Thanks for hanging out with me while I do this. Okay, okay, the. Okay, the bell. Okay, the bell curve meme. And it's like. It's like a wojack meme. Do you know what wojack is? Yeah, okay, it's a wo. Okay, it's a wojack meme. And it's like. It's like, okay, at the beginning of the bell curve is like a really, like. Is like, dumb, like, idiot wojack, right?

[Jack]

I'm looking at it in the middle.

[Lyle]

You're looking at. Okay, you're looking at it, right? You're. Yeah. You're looking at it right now. Yeah, and it's like. Like, I'm looking at one right now where it's like I just do whatever I feel like. And it's. That's the dumb guy. He's like, in the bottom 1%, right? And it's like, that's like. That's living in the Matrix, right? That's like, I. I do the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and I play pickleball and I paint. It's like, this guy's a fucking idiot. Doesn't he re. And then. Okay, right. Okay, so. So at the. At the bottom of the bell curve is dumb wojack guy, right? And. And this guy's like, I do the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and I paint and I play pickleball and I go to award shows, and it's like, that guy is in the Matrix. He's an idiot. And then. Okay, and then. And then at the. At the top of the bell curve. Do you see? You see, right? You're looking at the same thing I'm looking at.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Lyle]

Okay, and then the top of the bell curve, you have the crying wojack, the guy who's, like, stressed, right? And that's at the top of the bell curve, and that guy's Going like, guy at the bottom is a fucking idiot. All right? He what? Doesn't he realize that nothing matters? And what. And he's an idiot. He's doing the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and he's fucking playing pickleball and nothing matters, right? And, like, that guy left the Matrix, right? And then at the end of the bell curve, the top, like, the high iq at the end of the bell curve, you see the guy in the hood? You see that? Yeah, that guy? That's Jim Carrey going back to do Sonic the Hedgehog. Enlightened, realizing that the end of the hero's journey of leaving the Matrix is the enlightenment is, oh, I'm gonna do the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and play pickleball and participate in life and society. That's the. That's, like the ultimate.

[Jack]

Yeah.

[Lyle]

And like, that's his fucking heroes journey. Is. Is. You start dumb. You're like, oh, I'm in the Matrix. And then you have an existential crisis and you go, what? What a idiot. Participating in life. And then at the end, the hero's journey is. Wait a minute. The act, the golden script, the. Whatever it is, Just fucking doing the fucking Sonic the Hedgehog movie and participating in life. That is the end of the enlightenment path, you know? So that's what I think.

[Jack]

I'll show you. And he plays Eggman twice.

[Lyle]

Yes. Yeah, that's the. I'll show you. So that's. That's what I think he's doing, is. That's. That's. He's at the bottom of. He's at the end of that bell curve where he's so enlightened that he's doing the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. I guess. I don't know. That's. That's. That's kind of how I look at it.

[Jack]

No, I. I'm right there with you. It's even better because, you know, you brought. He brought Idris Elba and he got Keanu.

[Lyle]

Mm.

[Jack]

He's spreading the information. He's spreading the happiness.

[Lyle]

Mm. And it's like, look, you know, it doesn't have to be this thing written in gold. It's amazing and beautiful. It's the fucking Sonic the Hedgehog movie, people. It's fun. It's just fun. Life. Life can just be fun and normal and, you know, it doesn't have to be this fucking script written in gold, you know?

[Jack]

I completely agree.

[Lyle]

That's the bell curve. What's your name again?

[Jack]

I'm Jack.

[Lyle]

Jack, what's going on in your life, Jack? Thanks. For. Thank you so much for letting me. I got really excited talking about that, so thanks for.

[Jack]

No, I. I was the right guy to talk to you about that.

[Lyle]

You're the. You were.

[Jack]

You were the.

[Lyle]

You were absolutely the right guy to have on the other end of the phone to entertain me while I go on this rant. So thank you for being that. What's up with you, man?

[Jack]

You know. You know, life. Life's. Life's definitely a lot right now, but I think. I think talking about Sonic the Hedgehog with the therapy Gecko helped quite a bit.

[Lyle]

Right. That's what. It's just. It's like. It's just distracting yourself, which is like a weird, nihilistic thing. But then again, you get to the end of the bell curve and you're like, no, that's the point.

[Jack]

Well, it's kind of like, I kind of have an exodia right now.

[Lyle]

I don't know. What do you do? What does that mean?

[Jack]

Like, in Yu. Gi. Oh, there's this. There's this card called exodia, and it's, like, split up into so many pieces because if you use them all, you just win the game. And I was like, I was sitting here, and I'm folding my laundry, and I was a little bummed out because I'm like, I couldn't go to Comic Con this year, and, like, all my buddies are at Comic Con right now, and now I'm going to be able to just be like, yeah, you went to Comic Con. But I talked to the therapy gecko holding laundry in my Shrek in my. In my Snorlax Crocs.

[Lyle]

I am. I want you to know I'm deeply honored that I'm. I'm a consolation prize for going to Comic Con. Wait, which is. Are you talking about San Diego Comic Con?

[Jack]

No, I'm in Missouri, so I'm in, like, Kansas City Comic Con.

[Lyle]

Okay. How come you can go again? I'm sorry if you said that already. I just.

[Jack]

Just finances and didn't work out. I. I just lost my job and got dumped. No. Well, we broke up. I didn't get dumped, but. So I'm just staying optimistic and finding a new job and folding laundry and talking about Sonic the Hedgehog.

[Lyle]

What does that mean to be staying off the mystic?

[Jack]

Like, I don't know. I get out of bed every day. I go to work. Like, I go like, a doordash, and I, like, do roadie, like, which is another, like, delivery app. See my friends. I get out.

[Lyle]

Mm. Wait, what? What? What Is what is. Missed what I. So I know that staying off the mystic is a metaphor, but what's the. What's the literal mystic like? You mean like the end? The drink?

[Jack]

Start. One more time.

[Lyle]

What is. You said, staying off the mystic. What is the mystic?

[Jack]

Oh, staying off the mystic.

[Lyle]

Oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Interesting. Okay. I thought you said you've been staying off the mystic.

[Joe]

That sounds.

[Jack]

That sounds cooler.

[Lyle]

It does. Can we just. Why? I want to just make that a thing.

[Jack]

Like Judge Dread.

[Lyle]

Yeah. Yeah. I kind of. I kind of. I kind of want to take that. Can we. Can we make that a thing? Staying.

[Jack]

I'm right there with you.

[Lyle]

Staying off the mystic. Like, we don't need to get into crazy shit. We can just live life like Galaxy.

[Jack]

Gas, which I've never done. But.

[Lyle]

What happened? What? You can talk about it or not talk about it if you want, but what happened with the Mrs.

[Jack]

I don't know.

[Lyle]

It's a.

[Jack]

It's a long, complicated thing. We were both just kind of getting to a point. We're both weren't happy and just, like, arguing off and on and, like, breaking up off and on. And I was like, we're almost at three years and, like, I don't want to say too much because I don't think she'll listen, but I don't want to, like, oust anything.

[Lyle]

Sure, yeah, sure. I understand that.

[Jack]

But it was just three years just didn't work out, and we were just both unhappy.

[Lyle]

Are you, like.

[Jack]

I don't want to be there, but just, like, have to move on kind of thing.

[Lyle]

Are you. I. So I. I understand. It's like a wee. It's like a. It is like, a difficult transition. But, like, do you. Do you feel happier? Like, what's your. What feel? How do you feel in your gut? I'm curious.

[Jack]

I feel like I'm so focused on trying to, like, work on stuff, on my life.

[Lyle]

Yeah.

[Jack]

Then I'm honestly not thinking about it too much.

[Lyle]

Yeah.

[Jack]

My mom asked me that the other day. She was like, you haven't talked to, like, it's been like, a month, and you haven't, like, talked about, like, so and so. And she's like, are you, like, okay with it? Then I was like, I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told my therapist of. I know this is just going to suck for a while, and I'm just going to have to live through the suck, and then we'll go from there.

[Lyle]

Yeah. There's kind of a. There's kind of a beauty in that acceptance. There's a beauty in that. Except there's a weird thing, and this is, like, philosophy bullshit that I don't know if I fully agree, but let's explore the idea because it's interesting. Is like. Are you still there, by the way?

[Jack]

Yeah, I'm here.

[Lyle]

Okay. I was wondering if the phone cut out. Whatever. But it's an interesting idea to explore, is like, okay, you. You've. You accept this is gonna suck. I will get through it, and I will move past it and be victorious and whatnot versus, like, resistance of feeling the pain and the suck and, like, how do I fucking make this fucking end right now? This, like, whatever. Whatever pain or whatever the fuck. It's interesting because resistance can often, like, I think, lead you to interesting places. Perhaps, like, I think. I don't know. I don't know. Like, there's a weird thing in, like. But also. But also acceptance can still lead you places actionably, right? Because you accept the pain. Because you could. Because you could be like. Like, I have a friend who's like, you know, he went through a thing with his lady, and he went, like, I'm gonna become like. Like, I don't know if it's. And he went, like, I'm gonna become the kind of person that I thought this relationship would make me become. And I'm, like, mourning the. The possibility of the guy that I thought I would become as a result of this relationship. And so I'm going to go do the things that I thought this person would encourage me to do. I'm gonna do them alone. And it's interesting because I guess. I guess as I'm talking to you, I initially was. I was thinking about this person, and I was like, is that a resistance to pain or is that actually, in a way, an acceptance of. Of pain and a kind of, like, let me take an actionable step to transform this pain into something productive, which actually is. Is a form of acceptance, I think, rather than a form of resistance. I guess resistance would be like, no, this is. This is gonna work out. This is gonna come back. This is. This is going to keep going.

[Jack]

I've kind of done that. I think that's kind of why I'm at a point of, like, because, like, we. We both agreed that we needed to do it, but I kind of, like, initiated it. And we both kind of, like, agreed. They were like, Like, I don't. Like, it got to a point where I didn't feel like I could, like, talk to my friends about it because it's like, we've had so many, like, micro breakups.

[Lyle]

Oh, yeah, that's. That's. Yeah. Once you get to the point where you're. Once you get to the point where you're like, you can't. You. You've talked to your friends, you've gone to your friends about an issue you're having, and you can't. You can't go back anymore because they're all gonna be like, you've done this dance 8,000 times and you just can't talk to us about it anymore.

[Jack]

Yeah. And like, my therapist even said that, like. Like, my friends are like, don't get me wrong. I could. Like, I've talked to my friends about, like, I got. I got drunk and played video games. We played through the fire and the flames on Fortnite. That's my buddy's house. And, you know, we did that. And, you know, that was. That was nice. But I feel like I'm definitely kind of just like. Like, don't get me wrong, it sucks. But, like, I'm just trying to. Like, I got a lot I want to work on. And, like, that was kind of one of the things we dealt with is like, I didn't. It didn't come across. I changed the ways I needed to and, like, I knew I needed to change in some different ways, but, like, I also was, like, working at Jimmy John's before. Like, I was, like, working at Jimmy John's and doordashing full time and just, like, miserable the entire time, like, when we first met. And, like, I feel like I'm at a much better place even with the stuff going on now than I was back then. So I'm just trying to. I don't know, I got to keep telling myself that I changed in ways that were good for both of us in ways that were good for me too, and just kind of trying to keep moving forward and changing in better ways.

[Lyle]

That's wonderful that you have great friends that you can just get drunk and play Fortnite with.

[Jack]

It is actually really funny because, like, my two friends that I just got to play it literally said they would never play it. Like, they said they'd rather die than play it for, like, years. And then one night I just randomly messaged them saying, we playing Fortnite tonight. And it kind of like unlocked them into playing it, and now one of them plays more than me.

[Lyle]

How do you. How do you know these two guys?

[Jack]

I met them in high school, and I used to be roommates with one of them, but he had kids so he moved out.

[Lyle]

Nice, nice, nice, nice. Are these the buddies that are at Comic Con right now?

[Jack]

Actually, one of them is. Yeah, I actually just sent a message in the discord saying, I'm on therapy gecko right now. And they said, prove it. And I said, watch the stream. And so I hope one of them got to hear me talk about his fortnite addiction.

[Lyle]

Cool. Cool. Hmm. What's your name again?

[Jack]

Jack.

[Lyle]

Jack, you say? You know what? I just. I keep coming. I. This is like. I know. I feel like on this show I say the same things over and over again, but maybe that's because I just keep coming back to, you know, a lot of the same conclusions. And this is just. Thank you. I. You're. I appreciate you so much. Just sitting on the phone with me while I rant about musings. It's like, I just keep coming back to. By the way, I just. I hope. I hope this doesn't come off in, like, a preachy way, because this is a lot of this. This is just me. This is like doing therapy for myself and me coming to my own loop of my. Of realizations over and over again. It's like. Like, perspective keeps being the fucking thing. Like, perspective just keeps being the difference between, like, people who I talk to on this show or just in real life where I'm like, that person's gonna be fine versus that person just fucked. You know, it's less. It's more about that than it is about, like, anything I think. And I. And I redirect that back to myself. I always. I redirect that back to myself because I. I wonder with myself. I'm like, am I fucked? Am I just fucked for, like, am I fucked? Or is it gonna. Am I gonna be fine? And it's like, well, it kind of depends on your perspective. And then your brain attacks you, and it goes, no, there's reality, and reality doesn't give a fuck about your perspective. But then. But then you. But then you turn around and you go, well, perception is reality. And you kind of argue back and forth with your fucking self on it. Um, if you want to go both ways. Yeah, yeah.

[Jack]

Like. Like, you have to keep reality in check. Like, I don't think there's any problem. Like, like, you got to feel your emotions. Like, that's kind of the thing I keep, like. Like running into here is like, I. Like, I. Like, in my head, I know I'm not being cringe about it, but in my head, I feel cringe for thinking, like, oh, like, I feel Like, I don't know who I am anymore. But it's also like, at the same time, I have to remind myself, like, no, I'm. I still. I'm still the same guy. It's just this is going on and, like, trying to not let my mind wander too far off.

[Lyle]

Mm. Mm. What's. What's the future look like for you? What do you. What do you want to do with your. In life?

[Jack]

Um, I might be getting a. Fingers crossed. I'm gonna be getting this cool new job in about a week at this. You know, like, when you go to Dave and Busters and you have, like, the card you put the funds on and then you can swipe it or tap it at the games. I'm gonna work for a company that, like, makes those, and I'd be able to, like, build the kiosks and, like, I run support for, like, the arcades and bars that use them.

[Lyle]

Nice. Nice. That's sick. Do you get to play games for free?

[Jack]

They have games in the break room. I. I was a little jealous. They had a. They had it just in storage, but they had south park pinball.

[Lyle]

Dude, I had. Dude, I had been searching far and wide to play the south park pinball machine. I finally played it. I forget what I think I played it in. When I was in Denver one year, I played the south park pinball machine. But. Yeah. Yeah, the cell. It's kind of a bad pinball pinball machine, actually.

[Jack]

That's sad to hear.

[Lyle]

Yeah. Wait, actually, I forget if maybe it wasn't. Maybe it's fine. I like pinball machines. They have a lot of stuff on them. What? What? Like. Like ones that have, like, 3D shit in them. I don't like. There's a lot of pinball machines that feel kind of lazy where it's like the theming of it is just like the. It's all just like, standard pinball, but the theming is, like, just like, shit plastered on it, and it doesn't feel like it has a lot of, like, depth to it. I like 3D. I like stuff in the pinball machine, you know, not just, like, theming at the bottom of just a standard ass pinball machine.

[Jack]

I like the Star wars ones where they have, like, the ships, like, flying out towards the glass, like.

[Lyle]

That's right.

[Jack]

I don't know. They just, like, slap like. Like a Deadpool sticker on there and be like, it's Deadpool pinball.

[Lyle]

Right, right. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly.

[Jack]

I got a weird question for you, Deck.

[Lyle]

Go ahead.

[Jack]

I. I used to ask this question to people while playing Overwatch. And I just. I've always wanted your take on it.

[Lyle]

Sure.

[Jack]

Jimmy Neutron, right?

[Lyle]

Yeah, boy.

[Jack]

Boy genius or menace?

[Lyle]

Why? Go ahead.

[Jack]

He has a nuclear powered canine. Like, how is that? Okay.

[Lyle]

In the sense that he brought sentience to something that.

[Jack]

And like someone gave him nuclear material. Like he has some kind of like nuclear reactor or thing powering his dog that he brings to school that he was built in the shed.

[Lyle]

Okay. That is whether or not he's a menace. I'm. Well, let's get into this is. It is interesting to think about how he sources his materials. Like, how did he get the nuclear. Whatever the fuck to get? Because he can't. He can't just make all this stuff from scratch. He has to get certain materials that are difficult to get. And did. Yeah. And did he get those materials through highly unethical means is kind of what you're implying.

[Jack]

Well, I'm like on Young Sheldon, he tried to do the same thing and the FBI showed up at his house and all he did was buy like smoke detectors, you know. Plus, I don't know, in the movie he got all the. Like he sent that toaster into space and then all the parents got kidnapped. Like that's kind of like where, where does the blame fall there?

[Lyle]

Yeah, yeah, I guess he does. Through science. It's the question. It's the science. It's the, it's the question that plagues scientists often of. We were so deeply focused on whether or not we could that we didn't stop to think if we should. And maybe a lot of Jimmy Neutron's inventions teeter on that. I'll say that. Here's what I'll say, and I'll say this, not having recently watched the show, is that I do generally believe that Jimmy Neutron has good intentions. That he wants to create things that serve humanity and his friends.

[Jack]

I could get behind that. He like accidentally causes the damage.

[Lyle]

Yeah. Yeah. What do you. I mean, what do you think?

[Jack]

I think. I think it's a double edged sword. I could see it like a lot of ways. But like, I also remember that, like, I can't remember if it was Sheen or Carl, but like he turned one of them into like a combination of like the Thing and the Hulk and like, I feel like growing that size. Like, I feel like you just like don't turn into that and then forget about it.

[Lyle]

Wait a minute. Are you talking about. Oh, dude, there's a gnarly episode. You know, I'm gonna rewatch this Today there's a gnarly episode of Jimmy Neutron that I forgot about. Do you remember the one where he makes Sheen a super genius and then Sheen completely loses himself and, like, his.

[Jack]

Head gets all swollen.

[Lyle]

Yeah. And his head gets, like, super swollen and it becomes like a God. Yeah.

[Jack]

Like, he doesn't forget that. Like, his memory is still there, you know, like, like, like the day after he's gonna remember, oh, I was a super genius and lost all of it.

[Lyle]

Yeah. Okay, I'm gonna re. Watch that. Maybe, maybe after watching that, I'll think he was a menace.

[Jack]

Watch the Jimmy Timmy Power Hour too.

[Lyle]

Dude, the Jimmy Timmy Power Hour was my shit growing up. Yeah, I gotta rewatch that. I gotta rewatch that. I bet. You know what? I'm not into, like, movies at all. I don't really. And I'm, I've never been into, like, serialized dramas or, like, movies or whatever. Like, I would gladly just sit down as an adult and rewatch the Jimmy Timmy Power Hour more than I would rather do that than watch, like, White Lotus. I don't know what that says about me, but I'm the same way.

[Jack]

I basically just watch King of the Hill.

[Lyle]

Yeah. I'm not, I, I, I have a, I don't have a long enough attention span for, like, to get into a whole movie.

[Jack]

I respect that. I'm. It, it takes very, it takes a lot for me to get invested in a movie. And like, I, I went out of. I want to. I went to film school for a year and then was like, going every weekend of the movies. And then just like, again, it all loops back to Sonic. It's like Sonic the Hedgehog came out, then Covid happened, and then I just. Not as big into the movies. But I also, like, I've hired everything, so it makes it hard.

[Lyle]

I'm really happy having this conversation with you right now because I was thinking about this earlier in our conversation is I, I sometimes feel like I have forgotten how to have conversations that are like, like, I, I really enjoy sometimes having very heady conversations about life and existential thought and the universe and meaning and self improvement and develop all this stuff. But I think sometimes I get so wrapped up in that world that I, I and I arrive at a place where I'm like, oh, no, I've. I think I've forgotten how to just have a fucking normal conversation. And then we started talking about pinball and Jimmy Neutron, and I was like, okay, I'm back. I'm back. I, I feel safe in the fact that I can Have. Have an express, fully presently in my entire body. Refined opinions about a pinball machine. That kind of gave me some relief. I was like, all right, I'm still. I can still live deeply in the matrix of. Of can I. I think I tried to talk about this on the podcast at some point, and maybe I just have dementia and I forgot. But this is a. This is a. This is a micro story that maybe you'll understand. I was at Target. The. I don't. This is gonna make no. If you're not insane is gonna make no sense. I was at Target the other day, and I was like. I was just having, like, insane, like, thoughts, like, out of Matrix thoughts. And then I was. I went. I was. I forget what I was looking for there. I think I was. I wanted to. But, oh, I wanted to buy foul almonds or whatever. And so I went up to one of the guys working there, and I was like, hey, man, do you know where the almonds are? And he was like, oh, they're in aisle three. And I was like, thanks, man. Appreciate it. And then in my head, I went, oh, I'm so back in the. In my head, I went, dude, I just went up to a guy in a store and asked him where something was. I'm so deeply back into the matrix right now. This is awesome. Like, there, like, do you know what I mean? Is that an insane thought to have? Like, like, oh, I'm so. I'm like. I'm like. I'm like such a real person right now. I'm at a grocery store asking a guy where the omens are and getting the omens and buying them. I'm like a real person right now. I am deeply entrenched in the matrix of the human experience.

[Jack]

No, I completely. I. I doordash, like, just a button. And, like, I definitely feel like I'm just, like, running, like, side quest over and over again.

[Lyle]

Yeah.

[Jack]

And then, like, I do something, like going to the grocery store or like, like I delivered to some hotel the other day, and like, the lady, like, talked to me and told me where to go, and I was like, that's rare. Normally they pretend they don't exist. And it's like, it was nice to feel like, that separation.

[Lyle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You feel like you're here. What kind of almond. What kind of nuts do you like?

[Jack]

So, funny thing about that. I can't eat any nuts or I'll die.

[Lyle]

Oh, you like.

[Jack]

All peanuts Tree nuts. On my birthday, like, two years ago, one of my friends accidentally gave me molecular, which Is like some chocolate, like peanut butter meat thing, I think. But I took like one bite and then I was like, oh, this has peanuts in it. And then I just. You know, I don't have an EpiPen because that's really expensive. So I just. I just had a McChicken and I brushed my teeth and then I was all set.

[Lyle]

Oh, I love. I love McChickens.

[Jack]

I. I agree. They just. McChickens should not be $2, so I'm saying it's criminal.

[Lyle]

Are they too. I. Why? They used to be $1, right?

[Jack]

There used to be a dollar and they like vary by location. So like the one near my house is like 260. It makes me sick.

[Lyle]

What? Yeah. What. Have you have the Shamrock shake recently at all?

[Jack]

I have. I have.

[Lyle]

How is that?

[Jack]

You know, it was. It was all right. You know, I had it while I was doordashing and it was. It was just kind of a nice little treat. It's been super windy here though, so I didn't get enjoyed in its full, like, experience with the windows down.

[Lyle]

Mm. Mm. What's your name again?

[Jack]

Jack.

[Lyle]

Jack. Jack. Jack. Jack. Jack. Jack. How old are you, Jack?

[Jack]

I'm 25.

[Lyle]

Cool. Cool. Hmm. What else?

[Jack]

Older or younger than you expected?

[Lyle]

I assumed you were like, around my age.

[Jack]

Okay.

[Lyle]

What else do I. Is there anything else that you want to talk about?

[Jack]

I think I mentioned all the big ones, you know.

[Lyle]

Okay.

[Jack]

The big chicken, Sonic the Hedgehog.

[Lyle]

Yeah.

[Jack]

What's your take on the Minecraft movie?

[Lyle]

I have. I have no take. I have no take on the Minecraft movie. I have no. The only thing I know about Minecraft is that like, kids like it and there's like, people wear a lot of T shirts of it. And you know, I was never a Minecraft guy. I have no. I'm very removed from. From the Minecraft universe. Do you have. Do you have takes on the Minecraft. On the Minecraft movie?

[Jack]

I just. I like that action figure they have that looks like a joke from like Awkward Team Hunger Force. Like a Jack Black, like, action figure.

[Lyle]

Oh, yeah.

[Jack]

He got like a middle aged dude.

[Lyle]

What's that episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force with the. I know, I know the exact Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode that you're referring to. What's the name of that fucking guy in the episode? Like Meatwad gets a. I think it's.

[Jack]

Like Carl or something.

[Lyle]

No Meatwad. There's an episode of Aqua Team where Meatwad gets a fucking action figure, but it's just like some guy. If you Know if. Write us in the comments if you know the episode that we're talking about. This was. I really enjoyed having this conversation with you, Jack.

[Jack]

This is a dream come true.

[Lyle]

This is a dream come. This is a fucking dream come true for me too, man. God damn. Shit. Fuck. Balls. You said it. All right, I guess. I guess. I guess. I guess we can end it. I guess we can. I guess this can be what it was. And, like, if you have anything else you want to. I, you know, go. If you. If. If you don't have anything else, I'm good to move on. But if you. If you have anything. If you have anything else, we can do it.

[Jack]

I'll leave you off with one of my favorite work stories.

[Lyle]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Jack]

I used to work at Best Buy in Kansas. It was. It was Super Bowl Sunday, and I was. It was early in the day, and I was in the bathroom. We had been open for, like, 30 minutes. And I'm sitting there, and this dude comes in and cracks open a beer on Super Bowl Sunday. And this Best Buy bathroom, and he just. He. He finishes three beers before leaving. And I. I gotta have my favorite radio call at Best Buy, which I just got to tell my manager. I was like, hey, some guy just drank like, three beers in the bathroom. I don't know what you want me to do about it, but I just. Just letting you know.

[Lyle]

Have you ever done that? You ever drank three beers in the bathroom?

[Jack]

I don't think I'm powerful enough. Like, I've definitely. Like, when I first moved out, I definitely had like a. Like a shower beer. You know, I think that's why PBR exists, but, you know, I don't think I've dived deeper than that.

[Lyle]

Jack is a pleasure talking to you. Thanks for. Thanks for being on the phone with me. Rant and ranting yourself. This was. This was good. I hope. I hope. Yeah, this was good. I hope you have a good rest of your life, Jack.

[Jack]

I hope you have a good rest of your life, Lyle.

[Lyle]

I'm gonna try my. I'm gonna. Jack, I'm gonna try my fucking goddamn best.

[Jack]

I believe in you.

[Lyle]

Have a good night, Jack.

[Jack]

Have a good night. Deck.

[Lyle]

What a great phone call. I don't. I don't know. Sometimes, you know, this was good. This I like. I truly enjoyed chatting with that guy. He was a good hang. He was a good. He's a good. He's a good foil to whatever the hell this is. Thank you, Jack. You're. You're an American hero today. Hello.

[Amanda]

Hi.

[Lyle]

Hi. What is your name?

[Amanda]

Amanda. What's your name?

[Lyle]

My name is Lyle. My name is Lyle. Nice to meet you, Amanda. What's going on with.

[Amanda]

Hi, Lyle? Oh, you know, just hanging out. But you're being a little more vulnerable today. I'm digging it.

[Lyle]

I'm. I feel like I'm always. It's interesting to hear you say that because I feel like I'm always. I'm always doing that and then wondering if that's a fucking good idea.

[Amanda]

No, you share nothing about yourself. That's only talk about other people's problems.

[Lyle]

That's not true. I compulsively rant about my brain a lot on here. I feel like.

[Amanda]

Yeah, but like, the second it's too much, we're done.

[Lyle]

Well, yeah, sure. I want to know about dinner the other night.

[Amanda]

I was anxious. I was on my phone, blah, blah, blah. I'm not a stalker, but I have a weird memory.

[Lyle]

But, yeah, I guess when? Oh, okay, hold on, hold on, hold on. Okay, so. And I'll talk about. So wait, first of all, did I. When did I talk about that?

[Amanda]

Because I forget live, like, this week, early in the week. But the second time that. Okay, so I guess the first night you did it, you weren't feeling it. I wasn't there for that. But then you picked up and you were happy. You talked to Casey, the mathematician, and he had something that you were interested in, but then he had to go on his lunch break.

[Lyle]

Oh, yeah, the salmon fishing guy. That was the last episode. Okay, so I guess for content, for context. I don't know if this is something I talked about.

[Amanda]

I was live for that. It wasn't like.

[Lyle]

Yeah, okay, so I don't know if this was. I don't know if this was fucking on the live stream or on the podcast, but, yes, okay. To give context to what you were saying, I remember talking about being at dinner with a couple friends, and I was just like. I was very. I was just on my phone, very anxiously writing stuff in my notes app, checking Instagram, like, looking at shit.

[Amanda]

And good for you for going to dinner.

[Lyle]

Good for me for going. What do you mean, good for me for going to dinner?

[Amanda]

No, seriously, like, when. Yeah, it sounds like you didn't fucking feel good. Sorry. But you went to dinner anyway, and you were like, man, I wasn't having a good time.

[Lyle]

Well, so, okay, let me. I guess. Let me. Let me explain this.

[Amanda]

Let me explain this with your anxiety, at least.

[Lyle]

Well, let me explain this. And everyone is wired differently. Everyone's wired way differently. I have for me right now. And, and, and honestly, I. I don't know. I don't know what the future holds. But for me right now, I'm the kind of person where, like, if I. Some people, when they get depressed or they get anxious, they withdraw and they're like, I need to be alone in my room, not doing anything. I'm. I'm the opposite. And I'm like, if I am alone in my room not doing anything, I get really depressed and anxious. And I am, I am like, I always. I. I have like a strong compulsion. I always want to be out of my house and around people as much as possible. I want to be out of my house and around other people and as much as possible. Until. Until my goal is to do that. Until I'm so exhausted that I am enjoying being out of my house. I mean, that's why I have. That's why I had so much fun touring and fucking doing all this.

[Amanda]

That's really good.

[Lyle]

Right? And so I, the, the. The anxiety, me being on my phone at dinner. The reason I was so anxious and I'm on my phone at dinner is because I, you know, I guess like, I was just being vulnerable, talking about existential crisises. All that stuff that I fucking talk about on here is I'm like, my brain works in such a way where I'm like, okay, I need to solve this problem. And if I am out to. If I'm out with my friend or I'm around people and I feel like I am not taking action on any of my problems in some way, shape or form, I get anxious and I'm like, on my phone, in my notes, app, script, this is. I mean, I'm kind of in a period of my life where I'm like, you know, I've identified certain things that I'm. I'm, you know, would like to see change in my life. And so I'm very anxiously scribbling down ideas and things and whatnot in a. In so that I can solve these problems. This has, this is how I've operated, I think, for my whole life.

[Amanda]

I think it's so good.

[Lyle]

I, I think it's how good I. I think it's how I'll probably operate for the rest of my life. It. Because when you. When I have a problem, it just fucking fucks with my head until I can figure out how to fucking solve it. And so I just get anxious and I'm not. And it's weird because I'm not present. But here's the thing. And you say it's really good, and I appreciate that. And I actually agree with you. And I do think for now it is. I do think it's good for now. But also, let me tell you something. It fucks me in some ways because sometimes when you're on your phone and it's. It's about balance. I think balance is the issue. And this I really want you to know. I really want people listening to this podcast to know I am not saying. And I never say any of these fucking things in like a coaching. I know the answer way at the end this fucking. Sometimes I know you know that, but sometimes I just want to reiterate that this podcast is like, this is me doing therapy publicly for myself, talking these things out. So this is just all for me is like the. The anxiety. Oh, okay. Here's what I was going to say. There's a weird balance to it, right? Where it's like, okay, sure, let me dedicate a part of my day and a part of my life and a part of my time to endlessly bang my head against the wall being like, I have this fucking problem and I want to solve it, and I'm not going to stop banging my fucking head against the wall until I solve it. And that's great.

[Amanda]

It's like Sudoku.

[Lyle]

It's like. It's like life. It's like life, Sudoku. But I think I've realized. I think I've realized that I'm like, okay, do that for some period of the day, but then afterwards, just be at dinner with your friend. Just.

[Amanda]

I just don't want you to stop coming on the podcast. And, like, I want you to be okay first and foremost. But, like, I sure. I personally see, like, I'm listening and it's like, oh, man. Like, it's wearing. And he doesn't want to do this anymore, and I'm scared.

[Lyle]

You know what the.

[Amanda]

Sometimes. Well, then you come out with a really good like. Like a really thing that, like, fills your cup, and I'm like, oh, it's fine.

[Lyle]

You know? Well, that's. I mean, that's what sucks is. Is. Well, it's not. It's not what's. You know, I'm not. I'm not gonna say that. I'm not gonna say it sucks. It just is what is. And now we're getting. We're getting so meta. And I don't know. I. I don't. I actually don't even care because I'm enjoying it. Is that it just depends on the day. Man, Honestly, like, like today and this podcast and talking to the guy I just talked to and even talking to you right now and whatever. I'm really enjoying this. I'm really feel present. I really feel good, and I'm like, oh, this is a great thing. But then sometimes I just show up and I'm like, fucking. I can't.

[Amanda]

Let me tell you something. It's not you.

[Lyle]

I think it is me.

[Amanda]

No, but. No, it's not.

[Lyle]

I. Well, okay, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna let you give your perspective, and then I'll give mine, but go ahead.

[Amanda]

It's just like, you're listening to these people call and talk to some of them varying on IQ levels, and it's like, their problems are not something that, like, you can even relate to sometimes. And if you do, you do a good job of, like, telling them. But, like, you're walking such a fine line of, like, your podcast and, like, actually caring about these people and, like, that's gonna drain anybody.

[Lyle]

Like, sure, sure.

[Amanda]

It's not.

[Lyle]

Yeah, sure. And you know what I mean is, I, I, I, I do agree with you on that. I will say that. I will say that I don't think.

[Amanda]

It'S bad for you. I say, I like that you caught. When, like, some days you're like, nope, thank you. I like that. That's good. That's a good boundary.

[Lyle]

I'm happy to hear. Yeah, I'm happy to hear that. Thank you for. Thank you for the support. That's really, that's very kind of you to say.

[Amanda]

I'm not kind. I'm not.

[Lyle]

I, I'm not making a judgment as to whether or not. I'm not making. Let me tell you this. I am not making a judgment on what kind of person you are. I only you can tell me what kind of person you are, but I can with absolute. I can absolutely, objectively tell you it. But it is an objective fact that I felt kindness from you just now in this exact moment. But I, I can't, I can't state any other objective facts about your life as a whole, but I can object. It is an objective fact that I believe that you lie in this very moment.

[Amanda]

I want to ask you something.

[Lyle]

Go ahead.

[Amanda]

How. How do you do it? Like, I'm like, I just told you. I'm not kind, but I feel like intellectually, like, I get sometimes what you get, and I get why you call it quits, and I get why you don't want to talk to certain people, but, like, I can't like, do what you do is like, yeah, no, thanks. Like, I. Those boundaries are. Are so hard for me to, like, say.

[Lyle]

I like.

[Amanda]

Yeah, well, it's not just being a woman either. Maybe it is.

[Lyle]

Well, I mean. Okay, well, I'll tell you a couple things. Is that one eyes. I actually really. I sincerely, really struggle with that because I want. I want, like, I fucking. I struggle with that because I want. When I have an interaction with our folks or whatever, I want to be perfect.

[Amanda]

You are nice. You're. You're like. You draw the line without being, like, mean.

[Lyle]

Well, I want to do that, but I don't. But I. You. You can't. If you put pressure on yourself to do that. If you put pressure on yourself to be perfect, you will. You're just going to want it. You're going to fucking kill yourself if you do that. Like, if you put pressure on. If you put so much pressure.

[Amanda]

I would love nothing more.

[Lyle]

If you put so much pressure on yourself to fucking be perfect, you. You fucking kill yourself. So I had a certain point, and I struggle with doing this, but I think I had a certain point. Have to just be like. And again, I don't know how good about. I'm kind of intellectualizing it, but at a certain point, you just have to go, like, accept.

[Amanda]

I just want to know how you take another phone call.

[Lyle]

The answer is that I drank. The answer is that I drank a Celsius before this, which makes me feel like a normal caffeine, makes me feel like a normal person.

[Amanda]

I don't think Celsius is that bad. And I'm an ICU nurse.

[Lyle]

But how do you do? You do well. How do you do fucking that. I mean, God damn, that's an intense job.

[Amanda]

I don't have to. They don't talk. They're intubated. They have a breathing tube. They're dead, and I'm keeping them alive.

[Lyle]

I mean, God damn, that's. I mean that you're. You're.

[Amanda]

I like it when they talk.

[Lyle]

Why not?

[Amanda]

I don't. Because then it's like, oh, man, your life sucks, you know, but mine is worse. So, like, equivalent.

[Lyle]

Wait, you don't like when they talk because you don't like when they talk because when they talk, it's depressing.

[Amanda]

Mm. Or, like, their problems I can't help them with or legally, I'm not allowed to or.

[Lyle]

Yeah, there's.

[Amanda]

You're right. Everyone is going through it, man.

[Lyle]

There's an episode of the show Louie that I. I really love, where it's it's Louis CK's TV show.

[Amanda]

Okay? I saw him live, like, after the scandal. Yeah, three years ago. Okay.

[Lyle]

Okay, so you've seen him before?

[Amanda]

I'm in Syracuse, unfortunately. I know how you feel about it, but.

[Lyle]

What do you mean, you know how I like. Wait, wait, hold on. How do I feel about Syracuse? I'm going to get back to this.

[Amanda]

Funny Bone is not the only comedy club.

[Lyle]

Hold on. I.

[Amanda]

Hold my.

[Lyle]

Hold on. Just. I just want to set the record.

[Amanda]

Straight about the casino.

[Lyle]

I just want to set the whole. Can I set the record straight? I had a fucking sick time at the comedy club in Syracuse, people.

[Amanda]

Yeah, but, like, you hung out in a parking lot. I told you, my memory is weird. I swear. I'm not talking.

[Lyle]

Wait, but, yeah. But, yeah, I hung out, though. You're 100% right. I did talk about hanging out in.

[Amanda]

The parking lot so much more.

[Lyle]

I hung out in the parking lot of a mall in Syracuse, and I had a sick time.

[Amanda]

Yeah, but, like, everyone besides you, just. Syracuse people defend themselves. So it's like podcasters are scared to talk shit, but I know they don't like it here. It sucks.

[Lyle]

You can. But look. Look, here's. Look, what I want. What I want to. I. I will tell you objectively, going to Syracuse for a day to do my Gecko show and then hanging out in the parking lot afterwards was a lot of fun. All right. No, it was more than all right. It was a great time. But would I want to live in Syracuse? I guess not particularly, but hold on.

[Amanda]

Okay, so I don't live in Syracuse. I live in, like. I live, like, 15 miles away. But I can't leave. You know, I can.

[Lyle]

Anyway, on the subject. Okay, so there's an episode of Louis. It's called. What's it fucking. It's called Eddie. And in it, I don't know if you ever watched the show, but in it, this. Do you know the comedian Doug Stanhope?

[Amanda]

Mm. It may be by faith, but I'm so bad with names. Like, so bad.

[Lyle]

But it's funny because that. Okay, so there's an episode of Louis that's kind of about the subject that we're talking about, and it's a little. I don't know what to make of it, but it's a fat. I really. I don't know what to make of it, but it's a fascinating episode, so.

[Amanda]

I'm gonna watch it.

[Lyle]

You should watch it and tell me. I'm curious. I'm curious what you will think. So, in it, Louie, the. He, like, does a spot at the Comedy Cellar in New York, and he runs into an old friend, Eddie, played by Doug Stanhope. And his old friend is, like, this comedian that he used to run with back in the day. And then, like, the open mic scene, and Louie hadn't seen show.

[Amanda]

It's a. It's like a series.

[Lyle]

Yeah, yeah, sure, I think. But so in it. Okay, so in it, as opposed. Okay, it's not. It's not serialized, if that's what you're asking.

[Amanda]

Like, I'm comparing it to my man's. I think you should leave.

[Lyle]

Yeah, sure. Yeah. It's not. It's not. Yeah, it's not serialized. It's not like a serialized drama. Okay, so in it, yeah, Louis is like, he runs into this comedian who he hadn't seen in a while, and they hang out and they pal around, and eventually, you know, they hang out, they pal around, and like, Doug Stanhope's character, like, kind of gets into some trouble. Eddie. Yeah. He gets drunk, and, you know, they're hanging out, they're talking about old times, and then eventually, Doug Stanhope's character says to Louie, he's like. He says to him, I'm. I'm quitting. I'm done. And Louis like, what? Like, you're quitting comedy? You're not gonna do comedy anymore? And he goes, I'm not quitting comedy, dude. I'm quitting life.

[Amanda]

Like, yeah.

[Lyle]

And he goes. He goes, I'm gonna go fucking upstate. I have one last show. I'm gonna do it, and then I'm gonna take a bunch of painkillers and I'm gonna kill myself. And then Louis goes, like, what do you mean you can't kill yourself? Like, he's trying to, like, talk him out of it. And then Doug Stanhope, he just laughs and he's like. He just laughs and he goes, look, I get you're trying to do a whole big speech right now, and I get you're excited that you're doing this whole big speech, but, you know, look, I'm not asking you to save me. I'm just. I just wanted to say goodbye to somebody, and it's really. It's really dark episode. Yeah, it's really, really. It's really.

[Amanda]

Unfortunately, it's.

[Lyle]

It's. It's really dark. But then Louie says to him. He's like. He's like, dude. He's like, dude, you can't put this shit on me. And he go. He goes on this rant, and this is kind of What? I guess this whole. This is. This is how it connects back to what we were just talking about is. He goes. Like he said, he has this line where he goes, I worked hard to figure out what my reasons to live are and I can't just Eddie or Louie. Louie. Louie says to Eddie, he goes, I worked really hard. Oh, okay. Eddie says to Louie, he goes, name one. Give me one reason why I. Why I should keep living. Eddie goes, give me one reason why I should keep living. And then Louie says, dude, you can't do that. You can't do. I'm not going to. Louie goes, he goes on this rant and he goes, I'm not going to play that game with you. I worked hard to figure out what my reasons to live are, and I can't just figure them out to you. And if you want to figure out your reasons to live, fucking go to bed. He. He goes. He goes, have a drink of water, go to bed and then wake up in the morning and try again just like everyone else. And, and I. It's. It was fascinating. I. I love that scene. I love that whole rant and I. And I kind of love it from. I love it from. From both sides because I'm thinking about it from Doug Stanhope's character where like cuz I've. I've. I've like been there in like a. Like a deep depression of like I've been there in a deep depression and I've been there wanting to be saved and realizing no one's gonna save me. And I, And I'm. And I just the way that Louie is like, fucking drink the whole thing of like, dude, drink a glass of water, go to bed and wake up and figure it out like everyone else. But I'm not giving you my. I worked hard on my reasons to live. I'm not giving them to you. I kind of felt that there's like, weirdly, even though it's a depressing scene, there's something, I guess, weirdly optimistic about it. About just like, look, man, no one's.

[Amanda]

Coming to save it.

[Lyle]

Of like, look, no one's coming to save you. But like, dude, we're all trying to find our reasons to live. Don't fucking kill yourself. Go to bed, take a drink of water, go to bed and try again tomorrow morning, right? And then, and then take. Take a drink of water and try again tomorrow morning and just don't. Don't fucking kill yourself. Don't fucking give up. Take a. Take a drink of water, go to bed and just Try again in the morning like everyone else. And I actually, that felt really powerful here. It like I'm imagining being in that situation, and I felt that way before, wanting to be saved, and you and you can't be saved. And then I also have had situations where I felt like I was in Louis position where I was like, shit. Where I. Where I felt like I was in that position where I'm like, fuck, I'm sorry, man. Like, I, I, I'm working really hard on my reasons to live. I'm trying to figure out what mine are. And I, I want to help you, but I can't just give them to.

[Amanda]

You is, you know, way better than take a sip of water and go to bed.

[Lyle]

But that's what. Hold on, hold on. Your advice is better, but hold on, hold on. This has nothing to. Just, I just. What's your name again?

[Amanda]

I get it.

[Lyle]

I mean, Amanda.

[Amanda]

Picture.

[Lyle]

Hold on, Amanda. First of all, Amanda, thank you for. Thank you again for sitting on the phone while I go. Thank you again for sitting on the phone while I go on this rant and examine this scene. I just love this fucking scene because I feel, I've. I felt like I've been on both sides of this scene, and I. And they're kind of inspired because it comes back to, like, the boundaries in a way of being like, I can't. And I'm trying, okay? And I'm. I'm trying to be. This is, this is an optimistic thing. Okay? This is a positive thing. Again, again, because there's the one side of it where you want to help someone, but you're like, I've worked hard on my reasons to live, and I can't just give them to you. And I know what that side feels like. And then there's the other side where you feel deeply fucking alone, and you deeply feel that nobody can help you. And I felt that way before. And then there is something about that scene that spoke to me in feeling that way, where I was like, fuck, man, just drink a glass of water, go to bed, wake up in the morning. Don't. You can't kill yourself. Don't kill yourself.

[Amanda]

Literally.

[Lyle]

Drink a glass of water, wake up in the morning and try again like everyone else. And that kind of is the answer. And so, again, I just, I love the scene because I felt it kind of deeply from, from both, from both sides of it. But anyway, that's, that's. That, that, that. That, you know, kind of spoke to me in a sense, and I feel like it ties back to the kind of meta. Of what we're talking about.

[Amanda]

It does. It does.

[Lyle]

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant about it.

[Amanda]

Anyway. Yeah. One more question.

[Lyle]

Go ahead.

[Amanda]

You don't talk about being Jewish that much.

[Lyle]

I talk about. Well, you. You say. I don't talk about being vulnerable. I'm talking about being Jewish. What do you mean I don't talk about being. I talk about being j. Jewish.

[Amanda]

How do you talk about, like. Yeah, I don't know. Anyway. Do you want a Jewish wife?

[Lyle]

Like, not actively a Jewish wife? No.

[Amanda]

Your mom need a Jewish wife?

[Lyle]

My mom would like a Jewish wife. I am indifferent.

[Amanda]

Yeah, you need a Jewish wife.

[Lyle]

Are you Jewish?

[Amanda]

I am, but yeah, I'm. You. You don't want me. I'm hot, but you don't want me that.

[Lyle]

Well, that's not what I was at. That's not what I was getting at.

[Amanda]

But you do need to do it twice. But you're not, like. I just want to say one more thing. You're not the typical. Like, you're not the typical. I don't even want to say it.

[Lyle]

Are you going? Are you? Are you. Hold on, hold on. Here's the thing. You're. Hold on. Let me say this because you're Jewish. I'm not offended at you saying. If you want to say I'm not the typical Jewish guy, if that's what you want to say, you're not.

[Amanda]

And I was gonna say, boy, I know you're 26, but. Or 27, whatever. I don't know when your birthday is, but yeah, you're not. You're not. You're way better. Well, just as Harry. Way better.

[Lyle]

I have. Hold on. I have multiple things to say to. This is. Okay, yes, I grew. I went to bbyo and I grew up around. I. I know what you mean by. I also, by the. By the way. I am. I embody a lot of typical Jewish stereotypes of, like, neuroticism and, like, a lot of. I feel very. I feel. I'm. I mean, I occasionally will find myself at synagogue once in a blue moon, but I feel like I. I do. I feel very, like, culturally Jewish. Like, I embody a lot of, again, the Jewish state, but. Well, what about you? Are you looking for a Jewish husband?

[Amanda]

No, I'm. I'm Jewish, but I'm almost, like, more agnostic. I've been on birthright, that kind of thing. Like, sure, I believe in tradition and preserving. I don't. I'm not a Zionist, but I just. I. I see what the moms see. You Know. And why. But, I mean, they changed our last name when we came over, so it's like, it was scarcely part of our identities. It's just like, here and there. I still have a Christmas tree. I didn't go to a day school or anything like that. But, yeah, I've just been interested because you're, like, not as loud about it as the people I went to high school with. And. But it's still important to you, and that's why I asked.

[Lyle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I.

[Amanda]

So, yeah, but you do, like, you don't say God bless, but you're like, I don't not believe in God.

[Lyle]

Judaism to me, is not about God or the Messiah. No, it's not about. Judaism, to me is about being. Judaism, to me is about being 13 years old at a Jewish sleepaway camp.

[Amanda]

Yeah.

[Lyle]

And you're. You and your friends are all standing in a circle rubbing Gold Bond on your balls. That's what. That's what Judaism is for. Judaism is like a culture. Judaism is a culture. Like, when I meet another person who's Jewish, I'm like, okay. We had similar traditions growing up and similar cultures. More than I. More than. It is about, like, you know, like, oh, I believe in something.

[Amanda]

Yeah, no, I get that. I totally get that. And I have friends who are, like, in and out of believing of something. Like, and, like, full. Their families are, like, full. Damn. Do it. You know, no Christmas tree, nothing. But you gotta talk to other people. My kids are about to make you lose your. Because there I've been, like, pushing their foreheads away from me each time. They know who you are. They know I call you sometimes.

[Lyle]

How old are your kids?

[Amanda]

They see, but they don't hear. Five and eight.

[Lyle]

Oh, nice. Nice.

[Amanda]

Yeah. They're so good.

[Lyle]

Wait, now I'm curious about. Go ahead.

[Amanda]

Huh?

[Lyle]

I was curious about your life. I feel like I just talked about myself for a while.

[Amanda]

Oh, God. While my life? You don't even want to know. It's, like, not cute, not fun. There's no solution, and you would hate it, but so would everyone. I love you so much. Please don't leave us.

[Lyle]

Okay.

[Amanda]

Okay. Is there anything else I want to say to the support Gekko? Go on, Twitch. Buy the subscription. We need him. You don't even know. I love only Geck. I love none of you. And, yeah, I'm Kitten Pawn in the chat.

[Lyle]

That annoying girl Amanda.

[Amanda]

Yep. And I also love Rhode Island. So maybe. Yeah. Do you live in Rhode island or were you born in Rhode Island?

[Lyle]

No, I have. I have no association with Rhode Island.

[Amanda]

What about where were you raised, Geck? I know, like, where you went to. Okay, Maryland. Sorry, I get, like, Rehoboth and Maryland, like, sometimes confused geographically. But, um, if you go, I want to go to the ocean this summer in Delaware or Maryland, whatever. I don't care. I want to see you there or in Syracuse again, so. And I didn't know the last time you were in Syracuse, and I was super bummed.

[Lyle]

I'll be back. I'll be back. I. I. Yeah, I'm gonna. I'm gonna. I'm. I'm. I am planning to tour again if. If people are willing. People. If people are willing to come out and see me again in 2027, I will be there.

[Amanda]

They will. They will.

[Lyle]

I hope so. I don't know. Every. Every. Every single day of this thing, I'm like, every. Every single. Every single day of this thing, I'm like. I mean, even the fact that you've been listening, I think you said you were listening since the COVID days. So every single day of this thing, I'm like, oh, yeah, if people are still on board, I'm. I'm still here. So, anyway, anyway, anyway, thank you. Thank you for your kindness, Amanda. I.

[Amanda]

You're welcome.

[Lyle]

I appreciate it. You helped me out today by, again, being a foil for me to rant and whatnot. So thank you very much, and thank you.

[Amanda]

And if I'm so excited, if you ever talk to Casey again, that guy who is in, like, his whatever for the, like, yeah, getting in from Denali or Anchorage. He was fishing. He just seemed like a dud, and he was, like, brilliant. He was like, a physics thing, Whatever. Anyway, yeah, keep on going, man. Go out to dinner with your friends.

[Lyle]

Okay, good, good.

[Amanda]

I'll go out to dinner with mine.

[Lyle]

Yeah, please do that. Do that. Go. Go out to dinner with your friends. Live your life. God damn it, Amanda. Gonna live, Lyle. Stay alive.

[Amanda]

Yeah.

[Lyle]

Okay. I'll see you. I will promise you, Amanda.

[Amanda]

All right. Bye. Bye.

[Lyle]

Okay, bye. Bye. That was Amanda. That was Amanda. This has been a good episode of People sitting on the phone with me while I rant, which is a dream. This is. I think that's. I. I, like, I feel like the callers are, like, their co hosts of the podcast. It's fun. I will, I will. I will pray. I'll pray for everyone. I will pray for everyone. I will pray for everyone.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Nikki Glaser]

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[Ashley Aede]

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[Nikki Glaser]

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[Lyle]

Hello.

[Joe]

Hello.

[Lyle]

Hi. What's your name?

[Joe]

Joe.

[Lyle]

Joe. How's it going, Joe? What's. What's new in your life? Well, have we talked before?

[Joe]

No, I've been listening to you through Covid. So, yeah, really excited.

[Lyle]

Oh, kick ass. It's always so cool to me. I feel like I lose track a lot of the Times of like, how cool this is, that this has been going for almost five years now. And people have been listening since COVID which has been five years now. So I'm happy. I'm happy you're still here. I'm happy that today, March 22, 2025, you're here and we're talking. I think it's cool. So what's up, dude? How can I geck you today? What's going on in your life, Joe?

[Joe]

Oh, man. So I have two things I could talk about. I can either talk about, oh, three, I guess. Work, personal, or my dogs.

[Lyle]

Which one do you feel the most compelled to talk about right now?

[Joe]

Um, let's do. Let's do work.

[Lyle]

Sure. What's going on with work?

[Joe]

Oh, man. So I have been with this large company for about, I'm gonna say about a decade now. So first job right out of high school, super fun. Started off out west, got the opportunity to like run a store, meet some people, and then got transitioned to kind of like the bigger picture. So I audited, I trained, and now I get to work out of like the headquarters, man. So I get to see the people that make all the impacts. And being from just working in the store to now making changes and being able to help people has been wild, man. And just being a dumb little 17 year old that was like a pot smoker, didn't think I was going to do anything. This was my kind of just job while I went through high school and college. And now like, it's real, it's my career. And it just blows my mind sometimes how even though it's something small, you could just like make it huge. And it's just the person that makes the difference, I guess. And all the people I've got to meet, oh my God. I've gotten to be in and see like 30 states out of the 50, including like Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, all the different places. And just seeing the people and showing them that it doesn't just stop at the, like, lower level, but you can do so much is just crazy, man.

[Lyle]

That's awesome. That's. That's fucking great. What. Can I ask what this company is?

[Joe]

You can, but I can't tell you just in case. But it's a. It's a really well known brand. They're huge, all over the world.

[Lyle]

Cool, cool. And okay, so you've been with them for a day. When did you start? You started with them when you were 17?

[Joe]

Yeah, 2015.

[Lyle]

Wow, that's awesome. That's great. Interesting. Okay, so no Problem? You're just reporting no problems. No nothing bad. You're just reporting something good. I like that. That's good. What's going on with okay, do you tell if you have more good things to report? I'm down to hear it. What's what's going on Personal?

[Joe]

No. Oh, personal wise? Yeah. Let's see. This is my first time being single for like two years. It's been awesome to not just like develop my career, but like, man, everything's finally going good, like for a year. Let's get you there. But everything's good, man. And I was able to listen to your stream the other day and really just kind of like connect and when you were talking about how you called your stepmom and you were just trying to reach out, but you couldn't vocalize those words, man, I have been there and antidepressants work and it's just being able to get off of them and now like see the other side and it's okay, man.

[Lyle]

It's gonna be good, you know? Yes. So I guess to expand on that. Yeah, I youi know, I don't shut up about it on the podcast, but like yeah, the this kind of like existential whatever that I was going through youh know, it's hard. I know a lot of people struggle with that stuff and it's great to hear. I love hearing I am always searching for stories of hope, whether it's on Reddit or just whatever. And so it's cool to hear one from you. So you felt like you were in a bit of a tumultuous time for like a year. What was what was tumultuous about it?

[Joe]

So I had been with somebody, I had known them for about 10 years. We finally started dating. It was just the worst toxic relationship. We moved across the country, did all this crazy stuff together and we finally broke up and I was able to just take a step back and obviously I was mad for a long time, but just trying to see how I affected everything and how at the end of the day it's like me putting myself in the shit. So trying to break that and having just that year of being alone with my dogs has been kind of life changing. It's been nice, it's quiet.

[Lyle]

Do you do you seek to eventually be in a relationship again?

[Joe]

If it happens, it happens. If not, you know, I am I think I'm finally okay being alone and it's it's different, it's cool. But yeah. Yeah. I think as long as I have my dogs and I can volunteer. You know, everything's I think's pretty good over here.

[Lyle]

What do you. Well, I guess a couple questions. What is it that made you finally okay with being alone?

[Joe]

Just stopping and acknowledging that, yes, other people are factors, but it's me. If you're not okay with being by yourself, well, how are you going to be good helping and lifting somebody else up in a relationship, whether it's work, individual, or even in like, an actual partnership relationship.

[Lyle]

Sure, sure. What. What do you. What do you do to volunteer?

[Joe]

Oh, I volunteered an animal shelter.

[Lyle]

Great, great. What's up? What's up with it? What's up with the dogs?

[Joe]

One of them, my youngest one, she just got in, like mid January, got diagnosed with epilepsy. She's three, so kind of shitty, but we got it managed. She's doing good and she's happier than ever.

[Lyle]

Man, that's awesome. That's wonderful.

[Joe]

Yeah. Yes.

[Lyle]

Great. So you're doing good. So. So it's interesting.

[Jack]

I.

[Lyle]

And, you know, I. I think I was. I weighing back and forth about talking about this stuff because it gets to feel. It feels like a loop sometimes. But, I mean, I'm interested in it. So you were doing antidepressants for a while?

[Jack]

Yep.

[Lyle]

How. How long were you doing?

[Joe]

Oh, I did them for about three years.

[Lyle]

Interesting. And what would. So I'm curious about your perspective because. So I'm trying antidepressants now, and I have the. I talk about it on the fucking show all the time. Is like this thing of, like, okay, how much of my dissatisfaction of life or whatever is like a chemical thing versus, like, external the events of your life, like what's going on in your brain versus what's just going on in your fucking life. And I have this hesitancy of like, well, no, it's about what's going on in life less than about the antidepressants. But then I. But then, you know, things happen in life and you're like, well, why am I not here with this? And then I'm like, well, maybe it is chemicals in your brain. And then you go on the Internet and they're like, oh, there's neurotransmitters that get up and whatnot. So anyway, I'm just ranting, but what were those three years like for you?

[Joe]

Yeah, so before I got on them, it was very much like a hole that you fall into that you can't really dig yourself out of. And my big thing was just overthinking negative thoughts.

[Lyle]

Yeah.

[Joe]

So on the antidepressants, it was kind of like you just like, they filled in those bumps in the road. So that was really nice. But then I got very scared of the, oh, my God, am I gonna have to be on this for the rest of my life just to be a person?

[Lyle]

Right.

[Joe]

So I integrated that with kind of not only talk therapy, but I also, for about a year after going to therapy and doctors did ketamine therapy. So that was honestly, like, in. It was in a very, like, pharmaceutical environment. It was very, like, done with doctors. But just that kind of experience was very mind changing. And again, I didn't have to do that long term. I did that for about six months to a year. But just seeing the different points of views, I thought I was the biggest thing. And all of my problems were insane and huge, but it. It means nothing as long as you kind of like, take a step back and realize everybody's going through. I think that's what really changed it for me. So I don't know if that helps at all. But, yeah, man, ketamine is crazy amazing when done.

[Lyle]

Okay, so, yeah, I was. Yeah, I have. I have a couple of friends who've done ketamine therapy. There's this fucking. A comedian that I was listening to on a podcast. I was talking about ketamine therapy, and I was kind of interested in it because I had a little period of time where I was like, oh, no, I don't know how to get out of this. And I was like, okay, maybe ketamine therapy is the answer. And then, you know, I have. I have crazy adhd. So I'm like, maybe this is the answer. Maybe this is the answer. Maybe this is the answer. Maybe this is the answer. So what was ketamine like for you?

[Joe]

So my big kind of, like, thing that I worked on was I identified myself a lot with my career. So just identify not only what the issue is, but how to work through that. So, yeah, my career is great, but what can I do outside of it to be a fucking person and to care about myself and just make sure I'm okay? So that was huge. And just like, my personal problems, yes, they're impact my mood, yes, they impact me and they make me feel shitty, but how is that affecting the people around me and how I'm, like, selling myself, I guess, or portraying myself? And it's just. You don't have to be just strong for yourself. You got to be strong for people around you. And it's just. Yeah, that.

[Lyle]

Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. It's weird. Yeah, it is. True. Like when you're fucking. When you're fucking depressed, you have. It's hard to. You can't, you know, you can't help anyone. You can't fucking be anything or do anything and then that leads you to.

[Joe]

Lose people and then, fuck, you're even more depressed and it's just a normal cycle.

[Lyle]

Yeah. And it's hard cuz you have to kind of go on the journey alone a little bit, you know?

[Amanda]

Yeah.

[Joe]

Which is shitty and different, but. Yeah, it's. It's been good. I live like a thousand miles away from my closest family. And if I had not gone through all the shit that I went through, I probably would not be here.

[Amanda]

So.

[Joe]

Yeah, man, ketamine. Ketamine's crazy.

[Lyle]

All right, cool. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Maybe I'll give it a shot. What's your name again?

[Joe]

Joe.

[Lyle]

Joe. Well, thanks. Thanks for sharing all this stuff, Joe. I. I'm happy to hear that you're doing better. You know, a lot of. Yeah. We live in a crazy world. We live in a crazy, crazy, crazy world. So thanks. Thanks for. Thanks for sharing a little story of hope. It's. It's, you know, it's good. It's good. Is there anything else, Joe, that you want to say to the people, the computer, before we go?

[Joe]

Nope. Get. Bless you and just thank you for all you do. I'll truly.

[Lyle]

I am, I am trying my best. Thank you. Thank you for listening, dude. I'll see you around the universe, Joe.

[Joe]

Yeah, have a good one. Bye.

[Lyle]

Bye. Bye. That was cool. It's interesting. I feel I'm. What I'm just gonna talk to openly because how I, I think it's just my fucking whatever is like. There's a weird thing about, you know, the self, the, the, the. The. The existentially putting your brain out on the table. Universe is weird because I think, my gut tells me this is like a weird loop of talking about your problems or whatever. They become stories that become ingrained in who you are. And I'm trying not to do that. But this is like a. This is a positive story. This is like. So it actually is, in a way breaking the loop to get to talk to this person who's like, you know, sometimes optimism is like all you have. Like, and, and it's weirdly the. I think for me at least is the. When you're drowning, it's like the thing you can hold on to. And so when you hear a story of a person who's like, yeah, I was on antidepressants and I was drowning for a while and now I can happily report that I'm doing okay. You're like okay, great, maybe there's hope for me and you hold on to the optimism and you don't know how long it'll take, but you're like, alright, I can. As long as I maintain this optimism, there is some form of hope. So shout out to that lady for giving some form of hope.

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