Silent Night, Jedi Knight! with Mark Hamill | 8

Summary

Episode Summary: "'Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast" – Silent Night, Jedi Knight! with Mark Hamill (Episode 8)

Date: December 15, 2025
Host: The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)
Guest: Mark Hamill
Producer: Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)
Announcer: Anthony Atamanick

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Episode Overview

In this merry and mischievous holiday episode, the Grinch welcomes legendary actor Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker, The Joker, and more) to his delightfully deranged Mount Crumpet studio. The Grinch, still at war with Whoville traditions (and gloating over his new rival festival, “Grinchapalooza”), is in top form—ranting about Christmas songs, dodging birds, and testing his truthfulness live on air. Mark Hamill joins for a playful, wide-ranging conversation about heroes, villains, the joy of voice acting, and the enduring magic (and absurdity) of Christmas. The episode blends irreverent holiday satire, pop culture nods, and an epic villainous laugh-off.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Grinch Rants: "12 Days of Christmas" Gift Disaster (02:34–06:19)

• Grinch’s annual misery:

  • Grinch vents about receiving all 78 gifts from the “12 Days of Christmas” song, sent by a mischievous Whoville prankster.
  • Compares dealing with the bizarre, bird-heavy gifts to a holiday nightmare.
  • Quote:

    "Do you know how hard it is to tell 12 drummers drumming to get off my property? Those guys can't hear a thing!" (03:09, The Grinch)

• Breakdown and parody of the song:

  • Grinch mocks each verse, highlighting his disdain for the Christmas excess:
  • "If they were your true love, they'd leave you alone and stop sending you all this weird crap." (03:56, The Grinch)
  • Performs his own twisted version: “On the 12th day of Christmas, my mortal enemies gave to me... 12 toddlers shrieking, 11 pungent poo bags...” (05:20–06:13)
  • Memorable moment: Mark Hamill chimes in approvingly: "You've been cringed." (06:13, Mark Hamill)

2. The Lie Detector Test: "Truth Teller" or Trickster? (06:19–11:26)

• Live lie detector segment:

  • The Grinch insists he’s never lied, volunteers for a polygraph to set the record straight.
  • List of probing (and hilarious) questions from Cindy Lou Who.
  • Highlights:
    • On stealing Christmas: "Yes. Duh. It's like my whole thing." (07:29, The Grinch)
    • Admits to liking a spa gift card: "I'm very pro sauna. It's hot and stinky. Plus, my posture and general vibe makes everyone uncomfortable." (10:23, The Grinch)
    • Confesses to tasting Max’s dog food, provides culinary tips: "It's delicious if you sprinkle on some sawdust and pair it with a glass of full bodied backwash." (08:52, The Grinch)

• Comedic banter with sound engineer and Hamill:

  • An on-air reverb/explosion moment:

    "Stevie, when I say 'The Truth Teller,' can you hit that with reverb, echo and an explosion? Thanks, babe." (08:22, The Grinch)

• Grinch in denial (about music and Christmas joy):

  • Squirms when forced to admit tapping his foot to a Pentatonix Christmas song:

    "That shouldn't count as a lie because I didn't know it was a Christmas song until I got to the chorus!" (10:48, The Grinch)

3. Main Interview: Mark Hamill Joins the Lair (13:24–24:51)

a. Breath Wars, Identity, and Villainy (13:24–16:53)

• Opening with banter over “Grinch breath” vs. Chewbacca’s:

  • "Take a whiff of my breath and tell me it's not way less offensive than Chewy's. Hold on, let me... I'm gonna breathe on you for a second." (13:41, The Grinch)
  • Hamill playfully responds: "It's different than Chewy's but... formidable. Very very strong." (13:58, Mark Hamill)

• Parallels of misunderstood outcasts:

  • Grinch sees himself and Luke Skywalker as kindred spirits—“misunderstood genius with daddy issues.” (14:24, The Grinch)

• Mark Hamill on the joys of voice acting:

  • "They cast with their ears, not their eyes. So you get to play all these characters that you would never get on camera." (15:40, Mark Hamill)
  • Hamill discusses how voicing the Joker surprised and delighted fans.

b. Heroes, Villains, and the Case for Chaos (16:53–18:46)

• Deep dive into villain archetypes:

  • Both agree “villains” rarely think of themselves as bad guys; they’re simply “misunderstood geniuses.”
  • Quote:

    "How is it villainous to see the way the world is going, think I'm the only person who can do anything, and I need to radically reform society in my own image?" (17:05, The Grinch)
    "Exactly, exactly." (17:16, Mark Hamill)

• Hamill revels in playing chaotic roles like the Joker and authoritarian villains:

  • “He really enjoys making other people miserable. And I know you can relate to that, Mr. Grinch.” (16:53, Mark Hamill)

c. The Villainous Laugh-Off (18:46–20:03)

• Challenge issued by the Grinch:
  • Grinch requests a “villainous laugh-off.”
  • Hamill rates Grinch’s attempts, offering expert feedback:

    “That sounds like you’re just warming up... not an actual laugh.” (19:29, Mark Hamill) After Grinch commits to a big, over-the-top laugh: "Well, that was diabolical. Yeah, you got it." (19:55, Mark Hamill)

  • Grinch is winded by the experience: “That’s exhausting. How do you do that all day?” (19:58, The Grinch)

d. Green Icons, Holiday Traditions, and Movies (20:03–24:51)

• Jokes about a group chat of “green celebrities”:

  • "I'm in a group chat with some Hollywood green guys. It's me. It's Shrek, Kermit, Hulk. Gumby's in there..." (20:12, The Grinch)

• SpongeBob Movie plug (“Search for SquarePants,” out Dec 19):

  • Promoted as an alternative to Christmas festivities.
  • Mark Hamill: "We hope that [the movie] can be part of your Christmas celebration. And, well, I love the title... It sounds important, but it's so not. It's just the usual inspired silliness." (21:00, Mark Hamill)

• Holiday rituals, movies, and marriage tips:

  • Hamill on family Christmases, watching movies, and his marriage’s secret: "Separate TV rooms... If I want to watch Three Stooges, she can go into her room and watch the Real Housewives of Whoever." (22:13, Mark Hamill)
  • Grinch quips about “Real Housewives of Whoville,” claiming they owe him money.

e. The Grinch Invites Mark Hamill to “Grinchapalooza” (23:04–24:51)

• Bold invitation:

  • "Can I count on you to skip the lame tree lighting and kick it at Grinchapalooza with me?" (23:26, The Grinch)
  • Hamill enthusiastically accepts: "Absolutely. It sounds like a lot of fun." (23:29, Mark Hamill)

• Meta convention talk:

  • Hamill describes navigating comic conventions under disguise after becoming famous.
  • Grinch suggests attending dressed as an accountant, “Richard Barnes,” or as himself to blend in.

4. Whoville Event Showdown: Cindy vs. Grinch (24:58–29:05)

• Competing holiday events:

  • Announcer builds anticipation for “Countdown to Christmas”—a duel between Cindy’s tree lighting ceremony and Grinch’s Grinchapalooza.

• Cindy Lou Who’s commercial:

  • Heartfelt pitch for community, caroling, and tradition.
  • "It's the glow of togetherness, the sparkle of friendship, and the joy of community. Because every single who in Whoville is a shining star." (26:33, Cindy Lou Who)

• Grinch’s counter-ad:

  • Wild party promises: explosions, dog dating apps, a dunk tank of piranhas, rogue bands (e.g., “Nuns N Roses,” “Fudge Rocket Fart Police,” and more).
  • "Forget about your old boring Whoville tradition of watching a big, ugly tree get lit up and start a new tradition. Watching a big ugly Santa Claus get dunked in a tank filled with hungry piranhas. Ho, ho, ho. Boy, that'll leave a mark." (28:06, The Grinch)

• Feud escalates, stakes rise for next episode.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Christmas excess:
  "Zero days of Christmas. That's my campaign platform." (03:52, The Grinch)

• On voice acting:
  "They cast with their ears, not their eyes." (15:40, Mark Hamill)

• On villain mindset:
  "They're misunderstood geniuses and they're unappreciated by the world at large." (17:27, Mark Hamill)

• Villainous laugh-off:
  "Well, that was diabolical. Yeah, you got it." (19:55, Mark Hamill)

• Holiday advice:
  "One of the keys to a successful marriage is separate TV rooms." (22:29, Mark Hamill)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 02:34 | The Grinch's "12 Days of Christmas" rant | | 06:19 | Lie Detector Test: "Truth Teller" | | 13:24 | Mark Hamill interview starts | | 19:03 | Villainous Laugh-Off Challenge | | 20:12 | Green icon group chat/Jokes | | 21:00 | Spongebob Movie/Christmas traditions | | 23:04 | Grinch invites Mark Hamill to Grinchapalooza | | 24:58 | Whoville Event Commercials/Battle Begins | | 29:05 | Next episode teaser |

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Tone & Style

• Playful, irreverent, and self-aware.
• Frequent holiday puns, satirical edge against Christmas traditions, and giddy insider geekdom (both Star Wars and Seussical).
• Mark Hamill is game for anything, matching the Grinch’s dry wit and holiday skepticism.

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This episode is a festive, fan-filled comedy showcase—a must-listen for Grinch and Mark Hamill fans alike. The interview is rich with pop culture mic drops, confessional comedy, and a hilarious celebration of misunderstood icons (with plenty of holiday shade).

Transcript

[Announcer]

Wondery subscribers can listen to Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast ad free. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Mark Hamill]

Wondery.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Now, listen, it's very important that no one interrupt me while I place this last miniature chair in my evil lair diorama. Okay? Total silence. What did I just say? Welcome to Grinch's Sad, Mad, but always rad Pad. How can I not help you?

[Mark Hamill]

Hello, Mr. Grinch, it's Mark Hamill. I'm here for your podcast.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Ugh. You're right on time. Come on up. It's not like I was doing anything. Oh, careful on the hike. Mount Crumpet is filled with all kinds of weird and wacky wildlife. Don't worry. Only about 85% of them could seriously injure you.

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, that's disconcerting, but I'll do my best.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay. Beware of the Mount Crumpet monkeys. Yeah, they're cute, but don't get too close. They give wedgies so intense you can feel it in your throat.

[Mark Hamill]

Ooh. Oh, no. They look friendly, but I guess they're not wedgie oriented, are they?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yeah, if you run into the Stanks. A newlywed skunk couple. Yeah, avoid them, all right.

[Mark Hamill]

Ooh.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay. Really toxic relationship, if you ask me. Anyway, lastly, if you happen to cross paths with a walrus, do not make eye contact. Okay? He's a real dick about that. Really?

[Mark Hamill]

Okay, I'll take your word for it.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh, and speaking of that, don't make eye contact with me either. Okay? I'll see you up here soon.

[Mark Hamill]

Okay. This is gonna be fun.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

From Wondry and Dr. Seuss, broadcasting from Mount Crumpet Studios, where the weather is cold, but the inhabitants are colder. It's Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast, as the Grinch is joined by his trusty producer who has the skills to pay the bills. Except for the 28k in overseas prank calls made from the studio, it's Cindy Lou who?

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

All systems jolly.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

Plus, the only one in the studio who's never tried to bite me, It's Max the dog. Now he's the color of moldy guacamole and twice as lumpy. It's the Grinch.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Nice try, announcer guy, but I'm actually thrice as lumpy as moldy guac. Get out of here, birds.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Did you get more pets, Mr. Grinch?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

No, Max has my ride or die. That's a family of four calling birds that I can't get to. Shut up.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Four calling birds? Like from the 12 Days of Christmas song.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Even hearing the words 12 Days of Christmas makes me want to barf.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

Hold onto your seats.

[Mark Hamill]

Keep on your pants.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

The Grinch is going on one of his rants.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay, gang, here's what happened. Some Whoville prankster sent me all 78 gifts from that annoying 12 Days of Christmas song. I'm still trying to get rid of them all. It's ruining my life. Do you know how hard it is to tell? 12 drummers drumming to get off my property. Those guys can't hear a thing. Oh, and day six killed me. After four full days of birds, I get the gold rings on day five. Then more birds. Six geese, and they're all laying eggs. What kind of bird? Crazy sick person. Plus, the song makes no sense. First of all, why 12 days? You know what's better than 12 days of Christmas? Zero days of Christmas. Also, you ever break down the lyrics to this song? It's a bunch of awful gifts that my true love gave to me. True love? If they were your true love, they'd leave you alone and stop sending you all this weird crap. Let's break it down. 12 drummers drumming. If you were really my true love, you would have tossed in a pair of earplugs. 11 pipers piping. The only new pipes I need are plumbing related. Whaaat? I had my world famous 16 bean casserole last night and it does not sit well. Ten lords a leaping. I wish they'd leap into a snowbank. Okay, then we got nine ladies dancing. You call that dancing? To me, it just looks like they all have major wedgies. Eight maids are milking. Gross. Also, I'm lactose intolerant, so pass. Seven swans a swimming. Great. Now the neighborhood pool's been contaminated with swan turds. Six geese a laying. Again with the birds.

[Announcer]

It's.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

It's like. You ever heard of histoplasmosis?

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Um, actually no.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

It's a disease caused by bird poo. Read a book. Anyway, where was I? Oh, five golden rings. Yeah, those I'll keep. But four calling birds. They should call a hoober and get the heck out of my cave. Three French hens. Oh, you're French, so you're fancy. With a little beret and your baguette. Au revoir. Back to the henhouse for you. Two turtle doves. Turtle doves? So that's why they keep snapping at me. And finally, a partridge in a pear tree. If you didn't know what a partridge was, folks, it's yet another weird bird. And this gift comes with fruit. Lose my number sen when I find out who sent me all these horrible gifts? I'm gonna get em back big time. With my own version of 78 horrific gifts. I've even re recorded the song Shout out to my girl T. Swift for the idea. Get ready for the 12 Days of Christmas Grinch's version. Max, hit it. On the 12th day of Christmas, my mortal enemies gave to me. 12 toddlers shrieking, 11 pungent poo bags, 10 nails, a screeching, nine Santa pants sings, eight moldy milkshake, seven snakes, a hissing, six leeks, a spraying, five slimy.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

Things.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Four screaming nerds, three garbage bins, two big shoves and a chopped down Christmas tree.

[Mark Hamill]

You've been cringed.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh, wow. Looks like the six geese laid some eggs. Because now there's a bunch of baby geese running around Mount Crumpet. Max, call animal control. Fine, but you gotta take care of them. I'm busy with very important things, like clearing my good bad name. Folks, yesterday some hooligan at the Buffalo Hoo Wings called me a liar. And I am many things, but certainly not a liar. In fact, I've never once lied in my entire life. Okay, so I told him I was the CEO of the restaurant, but only cause I wanted free refills. Okay? And that wasn't even a lie. I was the restaurant's most cruel, erratic occupant CEO. So in order to clear my name of these profoundly unfair accusations of untruthfulness, it's time for me to go against the advice of my lawyers and take a lie detector test live on air. Cindy, roll it in. And send. Do not take it easy on me. Nothing's off the table. I want to prove once and for all that I am an honest beast.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

All right, Mr. Grinch, you're all wired up. Let's get a baseline. Here's an easy one. Have you ever stolen Christmas?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yes. Duh. It's like my whole thing.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

He's telling the truth.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Booyah. See? Truth teller.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Mr. Grinch, how tall are you?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Six feet. Fine, five' eleven. If I comb my hair a certain way, I'm taller. All right, so it's not technically a lie. Shout out to my average height Kings.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Okay, next. Mr. Grinch, do you think I'm a good producer?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

No way. Let me finish. I was saying, no way do I think you're a good producer. I know you're a good producer. See? Ha.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Wow. Thank you.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You were kind of fishing, but you're welcome.

[Mark Hamill]

See?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

No buzz after calling you a good producer. I'm the Grinch, AKA the truth teller. Is Stevie here? Where's Stevie the sound guy?

[Mark Hamill]

Right here, boss. What can I do for you, man?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Stevie, when I say the Truth Teller, can you hit that with reverb, echo and an explosion? Thanks, babe. I'll try it in. One, two. I'm the Grinch, AKA the Truth Teller. Very nice, Stevie. I like what you did with the reverb.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah, I felt what you were asking for, and I just kind of played the dials in a way that was okay.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Stevie, this isn't a Dave Grohl music doc on the neve console. Okay, next question.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Okay, Mr. Grinch, have you ever tasted Max's dog food?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Of course. I find it's delicious if you sprinkle on some sawdust and pair it with a glass of full bodied backwash. Enough softball sin. Let's get into it. I got nothing to hide.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

If you say so. Let's kick it up a notch. Mr. Grinch, why do you have a lifelong ban from the Whoville Mall?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

That's due to a small clerical error.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Do you run The Finsta account? PrestyCuty2?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

The one that dm's the Whoville mayor? A new picture of gray moldy bread every day?

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

That's the one.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Pass.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Have you ever had any work done that includes D filler or a WBL Whoville Pass. Is it true that last season you locked John Stamous in the studio after his interview concluded and wouldn't let him leave until he divulged the secret to his hair care routine?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Total ridiculous, salacious rumor that I will not dignify with an answer. Pass. This thing must be glitchy because I am speaking the truth. P.S. he conditions his hair with endangered beluga whale mucus. There, I said it. Gah. I knew Stamos was just saying that to get me to let him out of his green room. Darn booger filled buzzer.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Okay, truth teller, no more passes. Few more. Mr. Grinch, have you ever put a holiday card up on your fridge?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Pass.

[Announcer]

Pouring.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Pass. Overuse. Pass. Overuse.

[Mark Hamill]

With that one, I was kind of going for an ORWELL Kind of 1984 feel.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Zip it, Steve. Holiday card on fridge. Yes, but only to throw darts at.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Alarming but true. Quick follow up. Have you ever received a Christmas gift that you actually liked?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

No. Fine. If you must know, I liked the spa gift card you got me last Christmas. I'm very pro sauna. It's hot and stinky. Plus my posture and general vibe makes everyone uncomfortable.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Definitely telling the truth. There. Almost done. Mr. Grinch, have you ever enjoyed listening to A Christmas song? Never Mr. Grinch.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay, so one time I tapped my foot along to what I thought was just a regular acapella tour de force from Pentatonix. But. But. But that shouldn't count as a lie because I didn't know it was a Christmas song until I got to the chorus. What? Come on, this isn't set up. That thing is busted. I'm telling the truth. I'm not lying. You're lying. The lie detector is a liar. Cindy, you bought a faulty machine. We gotta trash it. It can't be trusted. Die, lie detector, die. Yeesh. Good thing I destroyed that. Who knows how many people it falsely deemed us a liar? Facts, Stevie. Box up all the pieces and send it back. Hope you kept the receipts.

[Announcer]

And hey there, Grinch fans, if you and the family are enjoying the show, I have the perfect recommendation for you. After you've listened to every episode of Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast. Obviously, it's a podcast called the Cinnamon Bear A Holiday Adventure. The magical Cinnamon Bear, played by the one and only Alan Cumming, helps little Jimmy and Judy on a quest to find their stolen tree topping star. Along the way, they'll encounter some bizarre characters, including Mr. Presto, the magician, voiced by John Goodman, and Santa Claus himself, played by Ryan Reynolds. A little bit of humor mixed with a star studded cast. Did we mention Rachel Dratch too? And you've got a deliciously rich and rewarding holiday experience. Listen to the Cinnamon Bear, A Holiday Adventure only on Audible. And Grinch listeners can get audible for only 99 cents a month for the first three months. For a limited time, save over 90% on the best selection of audiobooks plus podcasts like the Cinnamon Bear. Just visit the Audible website and look for the limited time offer banner Happy Holidays.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch. Your heart's an empty hole. Your brain is full of spiders. You got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grey Ench. I wouldn't touch you with a 39 and a half foot pole. My guest tonight is no stranger to hanging out with an agitated furry beast for long periods of time in tiny, cramped spaces. So this interview should go just fine. Spoiler alert. My breath is way less stank than Chewbacca's. That's right. He's played the iconic role of Luke Skywalker in every form of Star wars content you can imagine, from the legendary films to numerous animated series and video games. And he's. He's even provided the voice for the Star wars theme park ride.

[Mark Hamill]

Hello.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Plus, he is the voice of the Flying Dutchman in the new SpongeBob movie, The Search for SquarePants, in theaters December 19th. Please welcome the Jedi Master himself, Mark Hamill. How you doing, babe?

[Mark Hamill]

Hey. I'm doing fine. Thanks for having me, Mr. Grinch.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh, you know, I mentioned in your intro. But let's settle this right now. Take a whiff of my breath and tell me it's not way less offensive than Chewy's. Hold on, let me. I'm gonna breathe on you for a second.

[Announcer]

Whoa.

[Mark Hamill]

It's. I gotta tell you, it's different than Chewy's, but formidable. Very, very strong.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yeah, there's some sharpness there. I had red onion.

[Mark Hamill]

Chewy, I don't know what he eats, but he's, you know, he's from Kzyzic. He's got all these various vegetables and fruits that, you know, I've never heard of or seen before, so.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay.

[Mark Hamill]

But he's got a heart of gold, so it makes up for it.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Mark Hamill]

I've got a tip for you, though. How about a breath mint?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay, I'm. That was very nice. Hold on. Just stuck in my back teeth. I'm fishing it out with my tongue now. I gotta ask you something, and it's not just gonna be Star wars talk. Don't worry about that. But I gotta get one thing out of the way. All right. The role of Luke Skywalker has really resonated with me. I mean, misunderstood genius with daddy issues. That's the first thing my therapist said to me at the end of our first session.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

So that's my entire aura, really. Are you feeling the same kindred spirit vibes with me?

[Mark Hamill]

Well, I've known you for so long. You know, I first read about you when I was probably in fourth or fifth grade. Yeah, I've always loved the Grinch who Stole Christmas. Now, on the one hand, I think you're misunderstood, but I also would hope that you would embrace Christmas. It's a wonderful time of year.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Mark Hamill]

It's a family getting together. It's not all about the gifts. I think it's about being grateful for what you have. And all those good things.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You really go for the jugg. I mean, we barely even met irl. I mean, I've been following your career for a long time. I mean, you can. You can do it all. You can be the hero, you can be the villain. And, you know, Joker, Darth Vader, any of these guys.

[Mark Hamill]

Listen, the reason I love voiceover so much is they cast with their ears, not their eyes. So you get to play all these characters that you would never get on camera.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

That's true.

[Mark Hamill]

You know, you could be a 6 foot 2 inch, muscular bodyguard. I couldn't get that part on camera, but I could get it in voiceover. Same with the Joker. I wouldn't get cast as the Joker on camera, I don't think. But that really turned my career around because no one believed it was me. I'd be in the grocery store and they'd say, that's not you. They treat it. They speed it up. They do something, don't they? No, no, no, that's me. We'll do the voice. So you're in the grocery store going, joker.

[Announcer]

Awkward.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh, my God. Oh. Shivers down my spine as I hear it. You know, you are the Joker to me.

[Mark Hamill]

Thank you.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, there's been a lot of jokers and, you know, Jack Nicholson.

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, my gosh, there's been a lot of great jokers and they're all a little bit different. And the reason I love playing him so much, it's just he creates chaos. You know, it's fun to come in and just mess up the heroes. And my Joker, mine is old school comic book, and he's gleeful with his misdeeds. He really enjoys making other people miserable. And I know you can relate to that, Mr. Grinch.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh, buddy, you're speaking my language. I mean, let's talk about that, okay? Because I don't even want to call these guys villains.

[Mark Hamill]

They don't think they're villains.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

No, it's. No, that's not what it is, man. I mean, you.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

You're just misunderstood.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Exactly. How is it villainous to see the way that the world is going? Think I'm the only person who can do anything about this and I need to radically reform society in my own image.

[Mark Hamill]

Exactly, exactly.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Using the full extent of my evil powers. As I say that, I'm starting to hear it.

[Mark Hamill]

No, no.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Well, I said it. I said it all. I'm like, oh, okay, Yeah, I think I get it now.

[Mark Hamill]

The thing is, they're misunderstood geniuses and they're unappreciated by the world at large. That's their goal in life, is to establish the fact that they're completely misunderstood and people should follow them. Not the protagonist, not Batman or whoever it is.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Do you have fun playing the baddie? Do you have fun being the villain?

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, yeah. I'm in a movie called the Long Walk, and I play the major. Now, the villain is the authoritarian state. But since I represent the state, if I do my job Correctly. Everybody in the audience will hate my guts because he's brutal.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

That's gotta be fun to play.

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, yeah, brutal. And the thing is, I was lucky because I was a military brat, and in Japan, we lived on the Marine base. So I would see these guys being put through their paces. I know who that guy was from the long walk because, I mean, it's brutal, you know, calling you maggot.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You scared me.

[Mark Hamill]

I was shocked. And I thought, wow, these guys, I mean, I guess that's the way you're supposed to build character. But you think they could be nicer about it?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

They could be nicer about it. And, you know, guys like the Joker, they have their nice moments and stuff.

[Mark Hamill]

Exactly.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, he's laughing.

[Mark Hamill]

Yes.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, that's gotta be the most fun part. I mean, you are a master. Can I just say, you are a master of the villainous laugh.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, do you want to have a. Want to have a villainous laugh off right now?

[Mark Hamill]

No.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Whoa. Just let me try one and you give me a rating, you know, 1 to 5. One being, you know, I'm not that scared of you. You're like a playground bully. Okay. And then five being a guy with a shrink ray on the top of a satellite. All right, here we go. Here we go.

[Mark Hamill]

That sounds like you're just warming up to really let loose. I mean, that's sort of a chuckle. It's not an actual la.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Okay. All right, here's a big one. Okay. Okay.

[Mark Hamill]

Yep.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You ready?

[Mark Hamill]

Yep.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Here's a big one.

[Mark Hamill]

Well, that was diabolical. Yeah, you got it.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

That's exhausting. How do you do that all day? Oh, my God.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah, it's not easy. Not easy.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I need a croissant or something. All right, let's go in the opposite direction. Let's talk about little. You know, we actually have an acquaintance in common.

[Mark Hamill]

Who's that?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You know, Yoda?

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, yeah.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You know, I say acquaintance because the dude hasn't been in the group chat for months. I mean, I'm in a group chat with some Hollywood green guys. It's me. It's Shrek, Kermit, Hulk. Gumby's in there. Elphaba comes by sometimes, but she's really busy right now.

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, wonderful. You know much more famous people than I do.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, where the heck is this guy? Can you text him or something? I mean, can you use the Force to contact him or something like that? I mean, I don't know where Yoda is.

[Mark Hamill]

I would say.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I gotta give it up to you for not going over to the dark side. I mean, it's really fun over here. You know, my favorite way to skip Christmas this year is to go see the spongebob movie. Yeah, the Search for squarepants. Is that the official promotional campaign for the movie Skip Christmas, Go see spongebob? Are you on board with that?

[Mark Hamill]

No, it comes out December 19, so it's a week before Christmas. We hope that that can be part of your Christmas celebration. And, well, I have to tell you, I love the title, the spongebob Movie Search for squarepants. Because it sounds, like, important, but it's so not. It's just the usual inspired silliness. And I love the cast. Not just Tom Kenny, but Bill fagerbaki and Clancy Brown. And, I mean, I shouldn't start naming them, because I can't stop.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

By all means, name Fagerbachy. I mean, just for the sake of getting to say Fagerbaki.

[Mark Hamill]

Isn't that a great name? Absolutely.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I'm just trying to figure out how many more times I could say fagerbaki. Fagerbaki. Fagerbachy. Because it just feels great.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah. Yeah.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I'm gonna spend my whole Christmas just sitting in my living room saying fagerbaky.

[Mark Hamill]

Well, you should take time to go see the spongebob movie. Of course. It might cheer you up. And you don't like that, do you?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, I like being happy.

[Mark Hamill]

You do? Okay.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You know what makes me happy?

[Mark Hamill]

What's that?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Avoiding Christmas altogether.

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, okay. Yeah. Well, there you go. Well, maybe you could go see it on Christmas Day and pretend it's spongebob Day rather than Christmas Day.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, do you and your family. Do you go to movies on Christmas or what do you do on Christmas? Tell me about it. Lay it on me.

[Mark Hamill]

Well, we all get together, obviously, and do the usual things. It's usually built around a big meal and exchange gifts and whatnot. But, yeah, we're big moviegoers. Although, I'll tell you, one of the keys to a successful marriage is separate TV rooms.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh.

[Mark Hamill]

So if I want to watch Three Stooges, she can go into her room and watch the Real Housewives of Whoever.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Real Housewives of Whoville owes me about 2,500 bucks.

[Mark Hamill]

Now, that one I would watch. The Real Housewives of Whoville. I would definitely watch.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Oh, it is drama central.

[Mark Hamill]

Yes.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I mean, if that's what you like. If you like watching people dump entire bottles of Martinelli's on each other.

[Mark Hamill]

Oh, no.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

And say, I trusted you and you didn't. Have my back.

[Mark Hamill]

No. That sounds like something I would watch.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Last question. You're no stranger to the Con circuit. Well, I'm actually throwing my own festival con gathering of the Grinchaloos called Grinchapalooza right here in Whoville the same night and time as the annual Whoville Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Can I count on you to skip the lame tree lighting and kick it at Grencha Paloza with me?

[Mark Hamill]

Absolutely. It sounds like a lot of fun.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Are you kidding me right now? I'm having a heart Swell. I'm having a heart swell. Oh, no.

[Mark Hamill]

Maybe your heart's growing a little.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

It's growing. There's no room in my ribcage for it to grow. Ah, no, no.

[Mark Hamill]

I didn't mean to do that.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I can't believe it. Mark Hamill, my hero. I grew up with you. From the Wing Commander games. I had him on PlayStation 1.

[Mark Hamill]

Sure.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

And we're clear. All right.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah. No, I haven't been to a Con in a long time. But I'll tell you something. I used to go. I was a comic book nerd and all those things before the space movies. But what happened was, after Luke then, you couldn't just go and walk the floor. I once wore a mask and walked around the floor, just be able to.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

See everything, you know, I go the opposite direction. The way I get around at Comic Con is I dress like a CPA named Richard Barnes.

[Mark Hamill]

Does that work for you?

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yeah. So maybe you could go to the Cons dressed as old Grinchy.

[Mark Hamill]

Yeah, that's what I should do. Exactly.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

And you could go to whatever booth you wanted. Well, Mark, thank you so much for coming on the Grinch show. I mean, this was just a real blast to get to talk to you about all this kind of stuff. And, you know, cool guys like us, you know, we gotta stick together.

[Mark Hamill]

Exactly. Exactly. Well, listen, it was a pleasure. I'm a longtime fan, so thanks for having me.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Thanks, mark.

[Mark Hamill]

Thank you, Mr. Grinch.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

We now return to our Countdown to Christmas Featurette. It's Cindy versus the Grinch End dueling holiday events held on the same night. Cindy and her Whoville tree lighting ceremony. And Grinch's Grinchapalooza. When we last checked in, Grinch had some serious wardrobe malfunctions.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

I look like a spaghetti and meatball dinner crammed into an uninflated balloon.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

But the competition for pre Christmas event supremacy is heating up. Both Cindy and Grinch have just released their own pithy and not at all passive aggressive or antagonistic commercials to promote their respective events. Let's listen to them now.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Time for Whoville's annual tree lighting ceremony that is brought to you by Christmas spirit, Whoville's number one deodorant and joy. Not a brand or company, just the emotion joy. Isn't that something? Because that's what the tree lighting ceremony will bring. To all those who attend, young or old, this year's tree lighting will be sure to continue traditions from years past, like Compliment Corner, because everyone deserves to know when their hair looks great. Thank you. And of course, we'll be caroling Silent Night in unison as we collectively gaze into the night sky. No need to visit Grinches Snooza Palooza when you can play a family fun game of pin the beard on the Santa or Sweater knitting for the needy. And we'll have special holiday performances by the Whoville Children's Choir, the Vienna Boys Band, the Toledo Toddler Orchestra, and the Idaho Infant Ensemble. So come one, come all, to this, this year's magical Whoville Tree Lighting ceremony. It's more than just lights. It's the glow of togetherness, the sparkle of friendship, and the joy of community. Because every single who in Whoville is a shining star.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

This holiday season. Catch the tree lighting ceremony and get texts now for Great cup of Hoo Doll. It's the Whoville event of the year, where crowd surfing is not only encouraged, it's required. Join us for a mega fest on Mount Crumpet, brought to you by our sponsors. I Can't Believe It's Not Eggnog and Puppy Love, a dating app for dogs at Grenchapalooza. We'll have live music, unpermitted explosions, legally blind ear piercers, a Santa Claus dunk tank, and two and a half hours of just sound check. Oh, and don't forget to bring your diarrhea meds because all our food trucks have the health grade. Get ready to dance, dance, dance to performances from who builds hottest artists like Nuns N Roses, Fudge Rocket Fart Police, Smashing Bumpkins, the Wet Willies, Lady Blah Blah Counting Toes, Fleetwood Whack and and Sheeran. And forget about your old boring Whoville tradition of watching a big, ugly tree get lit up and start a new tradition. Watching a big ugly Santa Claus get dunked in a tank filled with hungry piranhas. Ho, ho, ho. Boy, that'll leave a mark. What are you waiting for? Own RSVP to Cindy Lou who's Lighting ceremony and buy your tickets to Grinch a Palooza Palooza palooza for only $300 plus taxes and fees in Grinch's personal gratuity at www.loozapagrinch.com Grinchapalooza was taken.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

It's getting hot in her.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

Yeesh.

[Narrator/Announcer (Anthony Atamanick)]

Grinch and Cindy are really pushing each other's buttons with these attack ads. Tune in next time to answer the question. Will Grinchapalooza sabotage Christmas once and for all? Will Cindy Lou who seek revenge? Will Puppy love, the dog dating app lead to a class action lawsuit? Find out next time on tiz. The Grinch Holiday Podcast's Countdown to Christmas.

[The Grinch (James Austin Johnson)]

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch. You're a nasty wasty skunk. You heart is full of unwashed socks. Your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch. The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote stink stack stunk.

[Announcer]

Follow Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast on the Wondery App, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast ad free by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short [e-mail] survey if you have a tip about a story you think we should investigate, please write to [e-mail] tips.

[Cindy Lou Who (Anjuli Kunnapaney)]

Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast is a production of Wondery and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, starring James Austin Johnson as the Grinch, with Anjuli Kunnapaney as Cindy Lou who? And Anthony Atamanick as the announcer. This episode was written by our lead writer, Dan Cronin and Joe Redlingschafer featuring voice acting by Dan Cronin. Our sound designer is Jamie Cooper. Music supervision by Scott Velasquez for Frison Sync. Senior producers are Adam Azeroff, Jennifer Klein Walker and Brian Taylor White. Our associate producer is Kim Vikama. Sarah Mathis is our managing producer and Callum Plews is our senior managing producer. Carlos Hernandez is our audio engineer and Adrienne Tapia is our studio manager. Executive produced by Susan Brandt for Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Executive producers are Andrew Goldstein and Marcia Louie for Wondry.