239: WEIRD Here To Help: Pandora's Cable Box & Mantis Pesto (with Gareth Reynolds)

Summary

Podcast Summary: "We're Here to Help" – Episode 239: WEIRD Here To Help: Pandora's Cable Box & Mantis Pesto (with Gareth Reynolds)

Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Headgum
Guests: Jake Johnson, Gareth Reynolds, Steve Berg, Eric Edelstein
Featured Callers: Annie, Aaron, Emma

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Episode Overview

This episode of "We're Here to Help" is a special “Weird Here to Help” edition featuring hosts Steve Berg and Eric Edelstein—alongside frequent collaborator Gareth Reynolds. The trio field eccentric, hilarious, and sometimes touching calls from listeners seeking advice. Highlights include pranks on a stubborn boomer dad over cable TV, the ethics of praying mantis egg sacks, and an update from a caller who sought spiritual cleansing from a “grumpy old man” entity. The banter is friendly, irreverent, and often veers into comedic territory, with memorable riffs on parenting, pest control, and the supernatural.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Updates

(Timestamps: 01:29 – 13:00)

• Gareth Reynolds opens with a humorous intro, promoting the "Steve Berg Sexy Calendar" and joking about fan interactions and Steve's misunderstood ethnicity.
• Anecdotes from the road: Gareth recounts fans being surprised Steve isn’t Black and witnessing Steve's post-show revelry.
• Steve and Eric riff on concerts attended, ticket-buying tactics, and how older musicians like Herb Alpert and David Byrne still wow audiences.
• The crew shares praise for Gareth's live show and his quick wit, setting the stage for a lively episode.

Notable quote:
"You break it, you bought it. That's my mantra for everyone dealing with me." – Steve Berg [09:15]

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2. Call #1 – Annie: "Pandora's Cable Box"

(Timestamps: 15:53 – 39:59)

Context

Annie from Rhode Island is frustrated that her boomer dad exposed her anxious 5-year-old to the terrifying "chair scene" in Ghostbusters, reportedly undoing six months of therapeutic progress. Annie seeks help plotting a harmless, psychological prank as light-hearted payback.

Discussion

• The gang brainstorms escalating, mischievous but harmless ideas to mess with her dad's routine and TV habits, including:

  • Planting an unclaimed syrup bottle in the fridge.
  • Having a phantom pizza delivered to his door.
  • Secretly moving or modifying his decade-old comb.
  • Sending fake delinquent letters from the cable company about "adult content."
  • Using a universal remote to change TV channels from another room for a poltergeist effect, tying back to the Ghostbusters scare.
  • Enlisting Annie’s son to convince Grandpa there are "slimy" ghostly activities in the house.

• The plan is ultimately to let these pranks bubble for a few weeks and film the reactions, reeling the dad in with a final reveal—and a lesson not to "F around and find out" with anxious kids and scary movies.

Notable quotes:

• "We opened a Pandora's box... the Pandora's cable box." – Gareth Reynolds [24:36]
• "This is beautiful parenting: proving even Grandpa gets spooked sometimes." – Gareth Reynolds [38:06]
• "He exposed your son to Gozer. It's karma, baby." – Steve Berg [37:50]

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3. Call #2 – Aaron: "Mantis Pesto Party"

(Timestamps: 40:09 – 61:27)

Context

Aaron, a delivery driver from Greenville, SC, adopted two praying mantises he found on her route. Both laid egg sacs (oothecae)—one possibly fertile. But the species is invasive, and hatching could mean 50–400 baby mantises. Aaron is seeking ethical, humane, and possibly creative solutions for the impending bug boom.

Discussion

• The group debates bug ethics with comedic flair:
  • Should Aaron destroy the egg sacs, set them free, or allow nature (and possibly mantis cannibalism) to take its course?
  • Eric pitches making the egg hatch into a “mantis party”—with green-themed food (pesto, spinach linguine, green drinks), and inviting guests to take home baby mantises as pets.
  • Steve and Eric go back and forth on culinary possibilities: should they… eat the mantises (with balsamic reduction)? Steve objects, Eric pushes for responsible, “nose-to-tail” eating if necessary.
  • After much joking, the group encourages Aaron to organize a mantis hatching party, give away as many as possible, ensure none escape into the wild, and enjoy the weirdness. Eating is optional (and preferably not the option!).

Notable quotes:

• "Who are we to play God over a mantis's life?" – Eric Edelstein [47:58]
• "If it was prepared right, with a rice, I wouldn't say no." – Eric Edelstein [48:35]
• "This is a pesto party... so many salads, green is good!" – Steve Berg [51:41]
• "I'm not into eating them. I do like the idea of a mantis party." – Aaron [56:47]

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4. Call #3 – Emma: "Exorcising the Grumpy Old Man Attachment"

(Timestamps: 61:36 – 75:22)

Context

Emma, who previously called in about three separate people claiming she had a “grumpy old man” entity attached to her soul, follows up after a remote session with a healer named Joel (recommended by Steve).

Discussion

• Emma explains her hour-long phone session with Joel:
  • Joel confirms Emma has a “human entity” attached, not a demon, and helps her through visualization and boundary-setting exercises to encourage the spirit to move on.
  • Emma expresses empathy for the lost soul, worrying about leaving it alone, but is reassured this is not her burden.
  • Joel teaches Emma to reclaim her personal boundaries—both spiritual and practical—a skill transferable to all relationships.
• Steve defends the validity and psychological value of energy healing. Eric remains skeptical but supportive, pleased Emma found peace and practical benefits from the session.

Notable quotes:

• "To me, this is science that's undiscovered... why can't energy be parasitized just like the blood?" – Steve Berg [63:35]
• "He said, you can’t be manipulated by this entity. It’s not your problem." – Emma [66:26]
• "If you feel good after, then who cares what the skeptics say?" – Eric Edelstein [72:27]

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Memorable Moments & Humor Highlights

• Extended riffing on the "bubbles on the pizza crust" as a sign of excellence (18:58).
• Over-the-top plans for poltergeist remotes and covert syrup sabotage.
• Chaotic yet oddly rational debate on the ethics (and recipes?) of eating invasive mantises.
• Playful healing skepticism: forcing Steve to justify crown chakras with David Lynch references (69:10).
• Callbacks to previous episodes, ongoing “Steve Berg will eat anything” jokes, and warm, silly birthday wishes for Annie.

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Key Timestamps by Segment

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Opening banter, calendar promotion, and concert talk | 1:29–12:56 | | Call #1 (Annie – Pranking Dad Over Ghostbusters) | 15:53–39:59 | | Call #2 (Aaron – The Mantis Party Dilemma) | 40:09–61:27 | | Call #3 (Emma – Grumpy Old Man Spirit Update) | 61:36–75:22 |

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Tone & Language

The show is unscripted, full of playful sarcasm, pop-culture riffs, and “dumb bits.” The hosts are supportive but never earnest for long—every segment is laced with comedic exaggeration, light rants, and inside jokes. The hosts try to help, but always in an atmosphere of inclusive, self-aware absurdity.

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Closing Notes

This episode is a quintessential listen for fans of improvisational problem-solving and comedy podcasts. Listeners get inventive prank ideas, an oddly heartwarming take on invasive species, and a surprising dive into spiritual boundaries—all delivered with quick wit and contagious laughter.

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For those seeking advice (serious or not):
Email [e-mail] to get your question on the show!

Transcript

[Steve Berg]

Quick Choose a meal deal with McValue, the $5 McChicken meal deal, the $6 McDouble meal deal, or the new $7 Daily Double meal deal, each with its own small fries, drink and four piece of McNuggets. There's actually no rush. I'm just excited for McDonald's for a limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Not Valver McDelivery.

[Jake Johnson]

Hey, we're Heredos. The Steve Berg 2026 calendar is here. Well, almost. It will be available for order on December 3rd at 12:00pm Eastern Standard Time. We are doing a limited run of 500 calendars, so get yours while you can. All orders will ship December 9th, just in time for the holidays. Visit www.heretohelpod.com to order.

[Nicole Byer]

With stays under $250 a night, VRBO makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. You could book a cabin stay with leaf views for days, or a brownstone in a city where festivals are just a walk away. Or a lakeside home with a fire pit for cozy nights with friends. Or if you're not a sweater person, we can call it corduroy weather. More flexible. And with stays under $250 a night, you can book a home that suits your exact needs. Book [e-mail].

[Gareth Reynolds]

And welcome to Weird Here to help. This is Gareth. I'm doing the intro for this week's episode. Very excited. These two are. These two hip cats are moving up the charts. Everyone loves Steve and Eric together. Everyone loves Steven, Eric apart. Everybody loves their their, their peanut butter and jelly. You could eat them on their own. I don't know. Although I have eaten jelly on its own. You know, I used to get pretty high pretty often. I will say we have a lot of exciting stuff coming up from the Weird Here to Help world. I'm going to start by mentioning the calendars. If you do not have a Steve Berg sexy calendar, you need to get moving. We will probably get into this in a different intro but we have ordered a lot of these calendars and when Jake said the number we were ordering, I thought as guys, this guy's getting out in front of his skis a little bit. I'm telling you they are moving and not only are they moving, but we're advertising. So get one now. That's all I can say. But we're approaching the holidays. It's a good time and we really are excited here at the show. We have a lot of fun stuff coming your way. I will just tell you a quick story from the road I mentioned this before I was out on the road and the amount of fans that came up to Steve Berg and lost their minds, and I actually got to see in real time people do the thing we've talked about. A lot of people think that Steve is not just, like, a Norwegian white man. They think he's sort of a. They just expect, like, a black guy. That keeps happening. And I got to see two people in real time realize that Steve was white. And not only white, Steve is. Steve is, you know, like, oh, this chocolate is good white. And I saw two people do the double take where they were like, what? And Steve's like, hey, how are you, sister? And they're like, what? This guy's just drinking Michelobs standing here. And I think we'd all rather Steve not be white, but unfortunately, that's the way it is. But I got to see that in real time. And Steve came to my room after the show with my buddy who opens for me, Luke. And Steve was housing beers. Steve had a bucket of beers. Steve was drinking so many Modelos. Then he went onto the wine, and then he started hiccuping. And he started. And if you've never heard a guy with a lisp hiccup, fly, don't run. He was like. He was going like this. I'll tell you the other thing. And then he picked up his phone. He's like, well, I should probably get a lift out of here. And so the second the hiccup started, Steve decided to order his ride share. So a little tale of the Birgi. I've also, I. I've been chatting to Eric Edelstein. They are just loving doing this. So we thought we would just give you a hint of the OG show on their intro. So this is me, Gareth, just saying, enjoy this episode. If we're here, we're here to help. And I'm telling you, get the calendar now. Okay. Because this. In 20 years, you're going to see these at a garage sale for 50 cents. Well, that's not how I wanted to promote it. No. We might be doing these more often. And you want to have the first one. Get the rookie card. Get the first calendar. This is when Steve didn't believe he was sexy. Because if we do another one of these calendars, Steve is going to know that people are like, ooh, he's hot. Whatever. Don't. We don't want. You don't want the confident calendar. You want. You want this one. You want this, Steve. This one where he's like, is anyone really going to buy this.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

A lot of people are buying this. I don't know why. Here we are. Anyway, without further ado.

[Eric Edelstein]

And we are live at.

[Steve Berg]

Here we are live. It is weird. Here to help with Eric and Steve, a quick Vandy Camp update. Oh, I did an all in apology to Arlene which she did accept and read on the air. And then I was shocked. I checked my dormant Yahoo account which is connected to Vandycam and I did get a code for the people who had the original Vanity Camp experience canceled, that canceled all this to go to the big Dick Van Dyke show on the 30th. So I don't know if I snuck in and if I bought a ticket, would that mean I would be walked off the grounds and. Or tased? We don't know. But Dick's birthday is surging. It's coming up on the 13th year. So if they do enough, if they do another show. I'm gonna try. Steve, I want you to try.

[Eric Edelstein]

And we fully. Look, look, I, I feel like we, everyone agrees Unban the man. Last week when we, I recorded with Gareth and Jake, we, we did a nice little segment on that and you know, pleading with them to unban you.

[Steve Berg]

I really appreciate it, Steve. And there have been some incredible weird here to help. We're here to chat. Fans ask delicately in the comments. Yeah, I think they know that my love for Dick is real and that it's since, you know, sincere. I took a whole lot of flack from all sides the last Vandy Camp special and defending Vandy Camp. And I think I'm at Vandy Camp is all about. And I've also been invited to a Disneyland celebration of Dick Van Dyke by some of the, some of the Dick Van Dyke fans that I called Disney adults also want an apology. So I'd like to also offer my apology here. I will see you at the Blue Bayou. And if you see me at Disneyland, you come up and say vandy Camp, I will buy you a drink. And that. That's that. This is very real. This is very real.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay, I believe it. I believe it. And make sure you order the Long island iced tea. They're expensive and you get a lot of boots for your buck.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. So you're probably, yeah, you're probably asking, have you gone to any concerts? Especially have you gone any concerts with Jerry? People answer is yes, Steve, I went and saw Herb Alpert.

[Eric Edelstein]

How was that? I love her.

[Steve Berg]

He is 90 years old.

[Eric Edelstein]

Oh my God.

[Steve Berg]

My wife is so cool because she uses a lot of Herb Alpert. On her Instagram at Jessrona Grooming. Please do follow her. And I said, herb Alpert's playing. He's 90. I know. I'm a parody of myself, literally. I know I get made fun of for this. I think it's going to be awesome. So I went there. Now, this is something also very valuable. I want to tell our listeners the ticket house of cards is crumbling. The inflated high ticket prices that they're charging.

[Eric Edelstein]

I hope so, brother.

[Steve Berg]

I promise you, every single Dodger game I went to this year, I would go park my car for free in the hills like a crazy person, sum it down, get in line to have my ticket scanned, and that's when I'd buy my ticket. I paid wind or face value every time. Most concerts, I'm finding, are way under face value. There's certain exceptions to this, but I'm saying at least 19 out of 20 tickets are way less. So we went to the Kodak theater, parked our car. She's a little skeptical, but she married a crazy person. You married us. You break it, you buy.

[Eric Edelstein]

I did.

[Steve Berg]

That's my mantra for everyone dealing with me. When Jake is on me, I'm like, you broke it, you bought it. You know what you got into here, bud? Yeah, we parked the car. We're sitting outside at a coffee shop outside. And then I'd watch tickets go down all day. She's skeptical. I pulled the trigger. We got two tickets, $50 each. We sat second row, dead center with the great man right in front of us. And I'll admit, sometimes all the caterwauling I get from everybody about seeing older artists has me skeptical of myself and my decisions. He started playing that horn. Oh, my God, Steve. First of all, he danced on stage. He played that horn. They had him soloing, so you knew it was him. It was incredible. It was so good. He brought his.

[Eric Edelstein]

He's been around for so long.

[Steve Berg]

He's 90, and it was amazing. Amazing. Then later in the week, I saw David Byrne.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Whoa.

[Steve Berg]

He was amazing. And then I saw the band. I'm internally grateful to you for getting me into the Brian Jonestown Massacre. And that. Yeah. Concert of the year. Friends.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes.

[Jake Johnson]

Wow.

[Eric Edelstein]

Great concert. Wrap up, right?

[Steve Berg]

For a week and a half. Come on. That's a hell of a. That's a hell of a show. Now, I did perhaps catch a bit of this flu bug at the Brian Jonestown Massacre show, and then I got my wife sick.

[Eric Edelstein]

Oh, no.

[Steve Berg]

But it got. It was worth it.

[Eric Edelstein]

Are you.

[Steve Berg]

I don't want to tell My wife that I'm great now. I'm rallying quickly. Nac is a miracle.

[Eric Edelstein]

Nac.

[Steve Berg]

Nac. It's a natural thing.

[Eric Edelstein]

Of course. I assume that coming from you.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. Come on, now. You break it, you bought it, Steve. You break it, you bought it. Come on now, babe.

[Eric Edelstein]

Come on. I'm glad your influenza is on the way. Was it like, just, like, fevers and achiness?

[Steve Berg]

Oh, yeah, A lot. A lot of mucus, Steven. A lot of mucus. And then. And then you feel awful when you infect your wife because she's taking such good care of me. And then she started to cough, too. I'm like, oh, no, I did it. And it's from a Brian Jonestown Massacre show.

[Eric Edelstein]

Worth it.

[Steve Berg]

That's not what a girl thinks of. One day, her. She'll marry a prince Charming. He gets her sick from going to a Brian Jonestown Massacre show.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, well, I think she had a pretty good inkling that was a possibility, to be honest.

[Steve Berg]

She broke and she bought it.

[Eric Edelstein]

She broke it.

[Steve Berg]

She bought it.

[Eric Edelstein]

Wrapping up here because we got to get to our calls. I saw the wonderful, the one and only our boy Gr. Gareth Reynolds perform.

[Steve Berg]

Yes. How was it?

[Eric Edelstein]

Dude? He's so. I mean, like, I. I've seen him produce dam a lot, but he's so good. It is so effortless. Like, it is he. And I, like, you know, I was telling him, too, I think last week, like, he is the fastest gun in terms of, like, coming up with bits, like, in a nanosecond. Like, it is so fun to watch him perform.

[Steve Berg]

Well, it's. And that's why it's so fun being in here with him, because the way that guy's mind works, it's on another level. It's a joy to behold.

[Eric Edelstein]

It was great. So, folks, if you are out there and you want to see Gareth Reynolds live, go to garethreynolds.com I believe and find him on tour. My God. Do yourself a favor. Eric is waiting to see him until Gareth is, like, 75, but.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Once he's. Once he's 75 and married to somebody half his age, that's forcing him out there. That. That's when I'll be going.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's what Garrett finally gets.

[Steve Berg]

But I heard that Gareth said going to a show in Omaha with you was like walking with Christ. Apparently, there's a huge buzz when you walk through the lobby. It was like Brando.

[Eric Edelstein]

No, we could do.

[Steve Berg]

There were a lot of fans there, Steve.

[Eric Edelstein]

I got it. Well, I got to Meet a lot of. We were here to help fans, and that was super fun. But, Eric, I think without further ado.

[Steve Berg]

Ladies and gentlemen, without any further ado, we are so thrilled to present a phone call to you right now. It's weird. Here to help with Eric and Steve.

[Eric Edelstein]

Hell, yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And we are brought to you by cachava. Oh, I love cachava. I talk about kachava all the time. I drink cachava pretty much every day. It really is the best. I take it on the road with me. It is the best protein powder I've ever had by far. Cachava is a great way to reset and get the nutrition that you need during the holiday season. If you're having one of those days where you feel like, ugh, I like, ate terribly yesterday. Kachava is the best way to just get back on the horse again.

[Sasheer Zamata]

It's the holiday season. I know you. You want to eat something delicious. You want a little taste. You got chocolate, vanilla, chai, matcha, coconut, acai, strawberry. All delicious food coma recovery made easy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Go to kachava.com and use code here to help for 15% off your next order. That's Kachava. K A C H A V A dot com code here to help for 15% OFF. Come on now. It's Christmas morning and the facetimes hit a little different when you can't be there in person. But distance doesn't mean you have to be disconnected. 1-800-flowers.com makes it easy to bridge those miles with gifts that say, I'm thinking of you. I am ordering flowers for my mother. I use 1-800-Flowers, and I'll tell you, they make it so easy. A gorgeous holiday arrangement is coming her way.

[Sasheer Zamata]

Let me tell you about a time when I just used 1800 flyers and I even used our own code, which is crazy to say, but I did. It was 1-800flowers.com here to help. I put that in myself. I saved up for 40 off of the Christmas bestsellers.

[Steve Berg]

But you know what?

[Sasheer Zamata]

I sent it to a sweet woman named Pam. A sweet, beautiful angel named Pam. I sent her a little lover's gift. Something to let her know that I was thinking of her. I think she is gorgeous. I think she smells as sweet as a 1-800-flower because she is my 1-800-flower. She is as good as it gets. She just gave me a little gift of a little coffee cup with a baby monkey on it. I said, cheeky monkey. And in return, I sent her a lot of flowers from 1-800-Flowers. So, Pam, enjoy the sweet smell because I enjoy the sweet smell of you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I use 1800 flowers all the time and I'm using it this holiday season. So you're going to get a bouquet. It's going to look beautiful. It's fresh, it shows up. I mean, really, it. It just. It makes you look good. So beat the holiday rush and save 40% off Christmas bestsellers at 1-800flowers.com here to help. That's 1-800-flowers.com here to help for up to 40% off Christmas best sell sellers.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, you're on the air east of the Rockies.

[Annie]

Hi, how are you?

[Steve Berg]

Hi, how are you, friend? What is your name? Where are you calling from? Okay. To give a fake. Either of them.

[Annie]

Sure. Well, it's my real name. It's Annie. And I'm calling from Rhode Island.

[Steve Berg]

I love it. Just so we get a little sense of who you are, you're on a desert island. You can only take one album, one book and one movie. What are they going to be?

[Annie]

I take Hickey by Royal Otis for the album.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay.

[Annie]

Can I do a TV show? Because it'd be the Office.

[Steve Berg]

Absolutely. It's all the same. Now, television.

[Eric Edelstein]

Is it the British one or the American one?

[Annie]

American one. Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Wrong answer. Just kidding.

[Steve Berg]

He's not kidding. He's not kidding. I'm sorry, you just got some rare judgment from Steve Berg.

[Eric Edelstein]

I missed your name. Your name is Ally.

[Emma]

Annie.

[Eric Edelstein]

Annie. That's right.

[Steve Berg]

Only two consonants away.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Knocking on the door.

[Eric Edelstein]

Great movie. I love Ms. Hannigan. Well, how about.

[Steve Berg]

Hold on, let us say a book, Ms. Hannigan.

[Eric Edelstein]

Let's start the book. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I jumped the gun.

[Annie]

Oh, my God, a book. Well, I have two little kids, so I haven't read an adult book in a long time.

[Eric Edelstein]

Lady Chatterley's Lover.

[Emma]

Okay.

[Annie]

What was that?

[Eric Edelstein]

No, that was a bad joke.

[Steve Berg]

Steve, guess. Lady Chatterley's Lover, which I. I think he might have psychic powers. Is it Lady Chatterley's Lover? Just say it. Just say it's Lady Chatter.

[Eric Edelstein]

Damn it.

[Annie]

No, only kids books are coming to mind. So Nailing the Whale. I guess I'll just have to read it over and over again.

[Steve Berg]

That's perfect.

[Eric Edelstein]

Sounds good.

[Steve Berg]

Perfect. I hope the snail wins. So what is going on? Talk to us. You're live on weird. Here to help. And I have some very exciting news. You're here with guest helper Gareth Reynolds.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Hi, Annie.

[Annie]

Oh, my God, that's awesome.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I was very sure they were not going to intro. Steve was ready to go without saying. I was on the call and I was ready to sit here.

[Steve Berg]

Gonzaga Broadcast degree. Right here, motherfuckers.

[Eric Edelstein]

Right here.

[Steve Berg]

Okay, bring it all back home.

[Eric Edelstein]

We're just helping Gareth write his set for tonight.

[Steve Berg]

We've all been rejected but we're trying hard.

[Eric Edelstein]

He did not like any of our ideas.

[Steve Berg]

He's a rooster teeth.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Annie]

Well, I'm so excited to be here. I'm. I'm hoping that you guys can help me. My kids are. Well, one of my children is why I'm calling. I went to my parents house on Halloween because it's my mom's birthday and she is a chef. So she was cooking her own birthday meal. So I intervened and was helping her cook dinner for her birthday.

[Steve Berg]

Good daughter.

[Eric Edelstein]

I had to stop. I have to know what the birthday meal was.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Settled down.

[Steve Berg]

Stop it all.

[Annie]

I know, I know, right? I knew this was going to come up. It was. You made a margarita pizza from scratch and she makes her own pesto. It was so fucking good. Yeah, it was really good.

[Eric Edelstein]

Was there bubbles on the crust?

[Steve Berg]

Yes.

[Eric Edelstein]

Because if you can, if you achieve bubbles, that means you are the real deal.

[Steve Berg]

So.

[Emma]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yes. That, that is like. That is the sign of a good pizza. Yola.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I just.

[Annie]

Yes.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah, we just went to one of those high roller pizza places.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

And it had bubbles in the crust. I'm shaky man myself.

[Eric Edelstein]

Difficult. I love.

[Steve Berg]

Okay, so you go over your midwife through cooking of a birthday meal on Halloween. Sounds like everything's going great. There's trick or treaters, there's candy, someone's given out a full size bar. What happened that led you calling into weird Here to help with special guest, Gareth Reynolds.

[Annie]

So my dad is, he's a boomer. You know, he's. He's of that generation. And he still pays for cable so whenever a movie comes on, he feels obligated to watch it. So my.

[Eric Edelstein]

I love this guy already.

[Steve Berg]

Mr. Holland's okay. I paid for this.

[Annie]

Yeah, Literally, he'll. He'll stop mid conversation to go watch Johnny Quest at 6:00'. Clock. He could be talking to him.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah, we know all this because we're friends with Jake Johnson, the last boomer. Tm. Yeah.

[Annie]

Yes, exactly. And I just listened to that episode. So anyways, my 5 year old, my 5 year old was sitting on the couch and my dad is, you know, standing in front of the television watching Ghostbusters and my five year old, unbeknownst to me, witnessed the chair scene and I came down into the TV area to tell them dinner was ready and my 5 year old's behind a pillow watching the chairs scene from Ghostbusters.

[Eric Edelstein]

For some reason I can't think of what the chair scene is. Can you describe it for me and the listeners?

[Annie]

So it's, she's sitting in the chair and she said I'm gonna have to call those Ghostbuster guys. And these hands burst out of the chair and grab her and then the chair flings across the room, flings across the room to a door. You know, it's like poltergeisty and so scary stuff. We went trick or treating, not a big deal. But ever since. So he's a very anxious child. We've been working really, really hard. He's been doing AM and the night before this I was commending him talking to my husband saying he's, he's come so far and I'm so proud of him. He'll, you know. Anyways, long story short, my dad undid six months worth of work that we've been doing in the three minutes he let him watch Ghostbusters. So my question is, I need you guys to help me to come up.

[Steve Berg]

With a way to hurt your father.

[Annie]

Get back at my dad without. I want to psychologically torment my father in a way that is funny but you know, like I just want to mess with him just a little bit. So like he notices something is off but he doesn't realize like someone's messing with him. And I considered, you know, changing the language on the television, but he's just gonna yell about that.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's good.

[Steve Berg]

You know, he's got that motion easy Boomers love that motion easing that makes.

[Eric Edelstein]

It all weird too. It looks like Canadian.

[Steve Berg]

They don't notice. Oh, this is, this is great. And it's payback because I'm, I'm, I can't watch horror movies kind of in general, especially before bed. It messes with me. Here's all this work you've been doing with your a kid and then one scene. And I'll say this, the original Ghostbusters holds up so well. It's so scary. And those practical effects. Oh, give me that. Or the AI cgi.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So good.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, it's the absolute best. So. And already like. Well, tell us just a tiny bit about your dad because I'm a in recovery for prank phone calling and I'm ready to be unrecovered at any second. So we can also involve calling him with some fun stuff. Tell us just a little bit about your dad. What did he do for work? What does he Love. What are his passions? Aside from watching every movie that comes on the cable? Because he plays.

[Eric Edelstein]

I love that he feels it's his job. This guy is amazing.

[Annie]

Yeah, he's. He's. He's strange. He's definitely like.

[Steve Berg]

He's.

[Annie]

He's really into, like running and riding his bike, but we live in New England, so that is about to have the end of its life right now. The cycling and whatever. Yeah, he's very regimented. He lives by a routine. So, like, I'm okay messing with the routine a little bit.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's great.

[Steve Berg]

Was he in. Was he in the military?

[Annie]

No, his father was in the navy. But I think it's. I think like that, you know, it's. It's how he deals with his life is just to be. You know, we always say we could set our clocks by. My dad, he does everything in 30 minute increments.

[Eric Edelstein]

So he's type A. He's type A.

[Steve Berg]

Okay.

[Annie]

Yeah, kind of. So, like, he. One thought I had was he's got the. This key ring, of course, with a million keys on it. And I thought about just like rearranging one key at a time because he would totally notice that. But my mom says that when he gets home, he hides his keys and his wallet, and she has no idea where he hides it.

[Eric Edelstein]

He hides.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Very strange.

[Annie]

One time I found it in a hockey skate in the basement.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's crazy.

[Annie]

But he moved in after I found it. Yeah.

[Aaron]

He's weird.

[Annie]

He's a weird guy. Everything he like, I kind of wanted to. I was like, maybe I mess with the cable somehow. Like, this is.

[Emma]

Like, this is payback he needs.

[Annie]

I really want to mess with them.

[Steve Berg]

And first of all, you're home because none of us are here because we had normal parents.

[Eric Edelstein]

I have got.

[Steve Berg]

So I'm gonna start with that right there and then I also want to say, I thought for a long time I would pay somebody good money to cut off the cable news to my parents. The house, it just scares them. Well, I wish they were watching Ghostbusters.

[Gareth Reynolds]

May I just say, I would rather go back to cable. I know that's boomer, but I'm ready to make the jump. I'm ready to make the jump back if we.

[Steve Berg]

We.

[Gareth Reynolds]

We opened a Pandora's box and the Pandora's cable box.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. Pandora's cable box. That's a good.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yep.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay, but what were you gonna say? Steven? I cut you off.

[Eric Edelstein]

No, it's okay, Garrett.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm not. Sarge.

[Eric Edelstein]

Jesus. You're lucky you're so Far. You're in Sunnyvale Rooster teeth right now. Otherwise.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It'S not rusty tea feathers. It's not rooster teeth.

[Steve Berg]

It's not. Ladies and gentlemen, Rooster T. Feathers is proud to present Gareth Reynolds.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Hey, my friend's got a lisp.

[Steve Berg]

Okay, what was your first idea of how to mess with this man?

[Eric Edelstein]

Well, I. I haven't had my idea. Real quick. Okay, so this sounds crazy. No, I. I would go. I would buy the most. Go to the grocery store. I would buy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Make friends with them.

[Eric Edelstein]

Maple syrup, like an Aunt Jemima or like an off brand. Something that's loud and proud, like a real weird syrup. And I would put it in the back of the fridge and talk to your mother, talk to everyone. Say, like, under no circumstance do you tell them that you bought it. And you're like, I don't know how it appeared. It'll drive up crazy. It's small, but it's nagging. He'll be laying in bed. Like, honestly, I'm a little weirded out. How does syrup just appear in my fridge? And don't put it in new. Put it in. Dump out half of it and put a used syrup bottle in the back of the fridge. I think it'll drive him mad.

[Annie]

Yeah, I think that could work.

[Steve Berg]

What if we also got a pizza delivered to his house? If he got a phantom pizza delivered that he didn't order? Like, my parents are boomers. Their door dash is kind of like a miracle to them. But my dad doesn't like the fee, so he wants to pick it up. A pizza showing up with his favorite toppings is a $20 investment to drive him a little bit batty.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's also exhilarating.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's. That's. Steve wakes up gooey from that dream.

[Steve Berg]

Eric. Right? But. But it'll mess with him.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He's got bubbles around his crust.

[Steve Berg]

He'll be so worried he's getting charged for this pizza. It will. It will drive him a little bit batty. And as he starts to eat it, he'll get weird. He'll get weird.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, I like that.

[Annie]

Yeah, he's kind of like. He's kind of like a weird guy. Like, he. He probably wouldn't eat it. Like, if it's not a special interest. Like, he's, you know, he'd be like, oh, that's weird. And just ignore it. Like, if it doesn't apply to him.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

He'd leave it out there and be super worried he's paying. So then you guys come over and just start eating it in front of Him. Well, I think we're building up something here of just a bunch of little weird things. Free syrup, free pizza. Yeah, we can also let him know he's won, like, a contest or something for, like, an indoor biking area.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Sarah, modulate. Modulate this a little. How are you liking the length of, like, does that feel far enough or do you want to go a little further with him?

[Annie]

I. Well, like, I want to go a little further. Like, I kind of want to. Like, he, for example, this was another thing I was thinking of, but I was like, you know, he'll. He'll pick up on it immediately, but he has a comb that he's had since I. My pig. I mean, it's my 35th birthday today. How long has this guy had this birthday?

[Steve Berg]

Are you kidding?

[Eric Edelstein]

Happy birthday to you. Yeah, I know.

[Annie]

This was a great birthday present, by the way, talking to you guys. So I'm 35. This comb is from a picture day from elementary school that he has, and he keeps it in the same exact spot. But, yeah, we'll brush the kids hair with it if they, like, have a bath at their house. And I was thinking of taking, like, a prong out a month of this comb just to mess with him. Just like something diabolical. But it's like. Yeah, like something subtle enough where he's.

[Eric Edelstein]

Gonna be like, with these things, I'm.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm gonna. I'm going to pitch more aggressive at you, Annie. You could start sending letters to him from the cable company saying that he is delinquent on some scandalous adult material that he's been ordering.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

And.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And then what you could do is when you get that humming, you could call back in and Eric could call him as the cable company and be like, sir, put me coach. Meet us at. Meet us at this parking lot. Give us $11. Yo, perv. Yeah, that's.

[Annie]

I like that.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay, that's one for you.

[Steve Berg]

We've got you pegged down for a cavalcade of Belgian women. 41. Yeah, you. We. You bring up a pretty good here.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Sir, sir, look, we know you're married. We're not going to tell the Mrs. But just pay it now. Pay the wife now.

[Annie]

I tease him because my mom, he couldn't figure out how to record his voicemail. So my mom recorded it, and I told her it sounds like he hired like, a hooker to. Because it's very sexy and weird.

[Steve Berg]

I want access to that voicemail. I am serious. I will make a. Turk, let me rerecord the voicemail. The Other idea I have, because this all started from his TV and his cable. One of the pranks I pulled when I was a kid that I feel the absolute guiltiest about was we got a tv. We immediately lost the remote. And this is when, like remotes were new. I mean, it was lost for years. And then my parents left. They gave my sister and I money for pizza. And then I faked a phone call. Hello? Really? Oh, that's interest. Okay. And Laura was like, what was that? I'm like, oh, it's just someone calling. I guess there's some poltergeist activity in the neighborhood. Because after three years I had found the remote. So I went, I feel very guilty. I got batteries for this remote. Then I went in the other room and started turning the volume up to ear splitting levels.

[Eric Edelstein]

Oh my God.

[Steve Berg]

She came running out screaming about a poltergeist. And so if you wanted to get one of those Radio Shack reverse universal remotes on Amazon, you could really have a good old time messing with him for like a $15 investment. When he's not there, you sync it up to the tv and the next time he is there standing, watching David Lynch's Dune because it's on and he's got to watch it, you start messing with that remote from the other room and it will drive him up the goddamn wall.

[Eric Edelstein]

Also, it's full circle because the. It was all instigated by Ghostbusters.

[Steve Berg]

Yes.

[Annie]

Yeah. Well, I like the remotes too, because he has to like line them up in order and they sit in a very specific spot. So if he can see all three remotes, he's going to be like, what the fuck is going on?

[Eric Edelstein]

This is so.

[Steve Berg]

And you're doing it from the other room. And those things have range systems.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I, I love it. If I were you, I would, I would find a way to. Maybe you could bring your mother in on. I would find a way to leave something recording so that you can have some footage of him losing his goddamn mind.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's exactly right.

[Annie]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm not going to lie to you, Annie. I, I like that a lot. My last pitch was kind of along those lines a little bit, but that might be the better one and the better payoff. I was going to say, you could say to him like, you know, my, my son really is freaked out. You put a movie on that scared him. Now he believes in ghosts and he's finding slime everywhere. And you know, that'll be like, what? And be like, I don't know, the kid's just Finding, like, slimer slime. And he'll be like, what? And then what you do is when you come over there, you put a little slime on the wall where he'll see it. And it culminates when you put slime in his shoes. So when he puts his shoes on.

[Steve Berg]

He'S hiding his stuff.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He's got a slime.

[Annie]

I kind of like that because we. We've been to. So both of his parents have passed away and like, we go. My mom's sister. I have gone to psychic mediums a times, and his dad always comes through. And his dad was a really big practical joker. So, like, he.

[Emma]

He believes in this stuff.

[Annie]

He just won't. He won't really admit it. So, like, I could. I could definitely go that route. But I did tell my dad, sorry, I know.

[Aaron]

We.

[Annie]

We tried to shame him into feeling bad, and he just said, why wasn't anybody watching him? Like, he didn't feel bad.

[Steve Berg]

Psychic mediums gives us so much more ammo, and it takes the remote to an even better place, so it might feel paranormal and the time goes to a whole other place. This, your dad is basically a weird here to help caller that just hasn't called yet. So we love this man, but it's time for him to get some payback.

[Gareth Reynolds]

The what's great. What's great, Annie, is that he was like, not my fault. So I think you're within your rights to do the remote thing. This would be my. I would just add on to that. What you could do is do that, film that, make it a thing you do for a couple weeks. When the complaints start to come your way, you say, let's call this podcast that I know about that deals in paranormal advice. And you and your dad call Bergie and Eric and Wally lays it out. Then you do the reveal that you've been doing it from a remote on air and that you've been doing it because of what he did to your son with Ghostbusters. And in future, don't fuck around and find out.

[Annie]

I know. I. I would love to do that. He'd probably get, like, really mad, though. He's like one of those dads that, like, you record them having a, like a mental breakdown because it's funny. But, like, I would definitely record him while the remotes. Like, I'll get my mom to record him while the remote's going up and down or the volume room, changing the channel or whatever.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, yeah, that'll play.

[Eric Edelstein]

That'll.

[Steve Berg]

The extreme version of this. And one, I don't think we need to employ yet because this is our megaton bomb. But if he has your son watch something else again, you can have him call into this paranormal podcast, and we can have a fake psychic and have his deceased father come through.

[Jake Johnson]

Okay.

[Steve Berg]

Too far, Eric.

[Gareth Reynolds]

But you've been cooking. But may I say one more? Do we like this idea? Since your son has sort of got a bit of heightened anxiety from this, do we want to get you guys over there? But before we do, you tell your son, you know, put on this movie he shouldn't have. It's not real. But we're gonna show him that even though he acts real brave, everybody has a little bit of anxiety. And we're gonna use this magic remote and make him think that the Ghostbusters need to come to his house.

[Annie]

Oh, my God. Yeah. People love that.

[Eric Edelstein]

That is such a great little icing. Okay. And I will throw in one cherry on top. Get that maple syrup.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why don't have it out.

[Eric Edelstein]

Put in the back.

[Steve Berg]

What are you doing? I'm telling you, Garrett, it's so we indulge him. This is a safe place for Steve.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's. That's just. That's just the dessert. Like, I think the idea.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What is it? We are doing poltergeist remote activities. And then he's just going to go, oh, by the way, I guess someone bought syrup four months ago.

[Eric Edelstein]

No, he won't.

[Annie]

Because bother him.

[Eric Edelstein]

It would drive crazy.

[Steve Berg]

It'll drive like, I'm thinking of my dad finding syrup. No.

[Eric Edelstein]

If I found half a used thing of maple syrup in my. In my refrigerator tomorrow morning, where I never have maple syrup, I'd be like, first of all, I call my wife, say, do you have. She's like, no, what are you talking about? I would be so freaked out.

[Gareth Reynolds]

We're talking.

[Steve Berg]

It has to slowly go down over the weeks. Like, you have to sneak and dump a little bit. And then he'll be so freaked out.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Look, you get. It's your world, boys. I'm just visiting it. But I would say this is like talking about, hey, we're gonna go hunting with a bow and arrow. And we're doing crossbow stuff. And then someone goes, and bring a toothpick just in case you gotta stab a boar. And we're all going, oh, we got, like, bows and arrows and stuff. And someone's like, don't forget the toothpick.

[Eric Edelstein]

Well, toothpick can be handy in a lot of situations.

[Steve Berg]

I just.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I don't. I don't think.

[Eric Edelstein]

I just want to clean up My pipe sometimes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What? Okay, listen. What a confession. See who you're taking advice from.

[Steve Berg]

They're too fake to clean his shelf, by the way.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Boil the paraphernalia, would you? It all just bubbles.

[Eric Edelstein]

Well, it ruins the pot, so I use a solution. But anyways, that's neither here nor there. No, it's everywhere. I think the remote control involving your son is so beautiful. I think that is a surefire hit. And if you feel like you have a extra gumption in. You gotta have some maple syrup in there.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Gotta.

[Steve Berg]

Gotta film it.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, you gotta film it. Because this is. And he'll love it. He'll love it. It'll be one of these classical things. People bring up a holidays for years.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And you know what? I would really.

[Annie]

He's gonna be like, yeah, go. Sorry, go ahead.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, I would. I would do it a couple times. I would. I would let it. Let it bubble a little bit. Let it. Let him be like, what the hell is going on? You know, do it once or twice.

[Aaron]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

A bubble crust.

[Steve Berg]

Let.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Let. Let your son in on it. Do it a couple times. And when he's really going bonkers, that's where you could just have a giggle and show him.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yep.

[Annie]

Yeah. Like, I. I think I'm gonna let it go for a little while because he's like, gonna be pissed when he finds out. But I don't like, you know, who cares? But like, my mom in on it.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. He exposed your son to Gozer.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, that's what I was just gonna say. So you kind of have a nice little justification in here that you were trying to prove to your son that ghosts are a. Not really around him in a scary way. Be.

[Steve Berg]

Even.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Your. Even his grandpa gets afraid of things like that. And it's okay to have healthy little fears like that.

[Steve Berg]

This is such a good parenting.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, it is.

[Annie]

Yeah. No, I love it. That's perfect. Thank you, guys.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah. And one question before we let you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Go maple syrup related.

[Steve Berg]

Steve.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I will leave the zoom.

[Steve Berg]

Steve, don't. Please don't.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'm not gonna say maple syrup. I'm just gonna say I feel like you got cut off. We were talking about your mother's menu on Halloween, and there was a margarita pizza. That was 20 minutes ago, but was there a size.

[Annie]

Yeah, yeah. She does. She does pickled onions that she made, so she does salad with pickles. Purple.

[Eric Edelstein]

Are they purple?

[Annie]

Purple, yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, of course.

[Emma]

Or red.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Whatever.

[Aaron]

Yeah, yeah.

[Annie]

No, she. She's a really good chef.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He's picnic Matlock.

[Annie]

I know.

[Steve Berg]

I love picnic well, one more thing with the red onions there.

[Eric Edelstein]

Picking.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm sorry, did you the brine?

[Steve Berg]

One more. I'm sorry. Was that cumin?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Excuse me. Nobody's around anymore, sir. Everybody left here an hour ago.

[Eric Edelstein]

Annie. Well, this is so fun. I think this is gonna be.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You gotta film it, Annie. And you, you have to return to this and let people know what happened.

[Annie]

Yeah, I absolutely will. Thank you guys so much. I appreciate it.

[Steve Berg]

And happy birthday.

[Aaron]

Happy birthday.

[Steve Berg]

Happy birthday.

[Gareth Reynolds]

We can't do the whole thing.

[Steve Berg]

Happy birthday to Annie.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I mean, when you're doing it.

[Steve Berg]

Happy birthday to.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right, Annie. Skip around the room. Skip around the room.

[Steve Berg]

Okay. Bye, Andy.

[Annie]

Bye, guys.

[Steve Berg]

Yay.

[Emma]

Thank you.

[Steve Berg]

Caller. Hello. You are here on Weird. Here to help with Eric and Steve. Who are we talking with and where are you located?

[Aaron]

My name's Aaron. I'm in South Carolina. In Greenville.

[Steve Berg]

No way. I've been to Greenville, South Carolina. I love it. Some of the best barbecue. I went to the Shoeless Joe Jackson house in Greenville, South Carolina. And then I went to Shoeless Joe Jackson's grave. I've been to a graveyard in South Carolina. What do you think about that?

[Eric Edelstein]

Eric also did a little grave robbing and stole his mitt that he was buried with.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, I wish. You know what Shoeless Joe's mitt goes for in an auction? No, truly. I love Greenville. I know. You know, I want say hello to Eileen at the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum. She's an incredible person. Took my dad and I to the graveyard herself. Aaron, let me ask you another.

[Annie]

Eileen.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah, right. Yes.

[Eric Edelstein]

Aaron, let me ask you a question. Is. Is South Carolina where. Because Eric mentioned barbecue.

[Steve Berg]

Is.

[Eric Edelstein]

Do they really put mustard on their barbecue?

[Steve Berg]

Mustard based. And it's amazing, Steve.

[Aaron]

Mustard based.

[Steve Berg]

Greenville had the best barbecue in the entire South.

[Aaron]

You got to go to Lewis barbecue.

[Steve Berg]

My dad and I went. It was amazing.

[Aaron]

That's the best barbecue in the country.

[Steve Berg]

No, I left Greenville like this. Wins. And for. You know, Steve and I are sauce guys. I love mustard. There's a medicinal power in mustard. When I had that Greenville barbecue sauce, I was like, this wins. This truly wins. And Greenville, wonderful people there. I had a blast in Greenville.

[Eric Edelstein]

Is that close to Charleston?

[Aaron]

No. Opposite side of the state. But they also have a Lewis barbecue in Charleston.

[Eric Edelstein]

Man, I don't know much about South Carolina, but I know I'd like to go.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah, go to Greenville. It's. It's really, truly an awesome place. I loved it there. And they also have an incredible minor league baseball stadium. It's all brick it's glorious. They can build a brick down there because there's no earthquakes. So I loved Greenville color. I feel like you and I are already friends because I'm like a big Greenville fan, right?

[Aaron]

Yeah. I feel right at home with you.

[Steve Berg]

Okay, great. So real briefly, tell us since I went to Shoeless Joe Jackson's grave in South Carolina. Now, if you were going to go to one famous person's grave on this planet. Oh, God, that's a good one. I feel good about it, Steve. I really do. Like, I improvised there. I just. I was favorite album and then I.

[Eric Edelstein]

Didn'T even think of that.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. And while we're doing this and giving her time to think, but like, yes, sanded, you know?

[Annie]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

Thank you.

[Steve Berg]

I went to Shoeless Joe's. I've been to Elvis's. I went to Laird Krieger's at the cemetery right by my house. No one knows. By Hollywood. 40s character actor Steve done very wrong by Hollywood. Okay, here we go.

[Aaron]

I think I'd go to the Carl Jung grave.

[Annie]

I feel like that would be a really interesting boy.

[Steve Berg]

Did you call into the right show?

[Eric Edelstein]

I'll tell you what. I am a massive Carl Jung fan. I have the red book. I have his book on dream interpretation also. He wrote an amazing book about. You know, he wrote an amazing book about flying saucers at the end of his life. I think it was the last paper he published.

[Steve Berg]

No, Seriously Thought that was part of the collective unconscious, right, Steve?

[Eric Edelstein]

He thought it was mythology in the making. But mythology, as if you're a Youngian. There is a kernel of truth to mythology.

[Steve Berg]

You talk to the right crowd here because we are big time young over.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Big time. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Steve Berg]

We're of the opinion Freud just had a really attractive mom and it made him weird. And now we have to suffer, right?

[Eric Edelstein]

That's exactly it.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, I love you. Go to Carl Jung's grave. Where is Carl Jung's grave? Do we know? We should all go.

[Eric Edelstein]

I bet it's.

[Aaron]

No. I feel like I should know if I want to go there.

[Steve Berg]

No. Well, I threw that at you.

[Eric Edelstein]

You weren't prepared.

[Steve Berg]

You're not a weirdo that visits graves like we do. I think you're clearly calling into the right place. You're home. You're one of us. So what is going on? And I have a feeling this is going to be pretty good.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Aaron]

Well, it's not related to young at all.

[Eric Edelstein]

But it always is, though.

[Aaron]

Somewhere down the line. So I am a delivery driver. And about five months ago, I was doing my route, and a praying mantis hopped on my leg.

[Steve Berg]

Leg.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay.

[Aaron]

And I didn't notice. And I got in my van and then realized, you know, a few minutes later what was tickling my leg.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

And then I let her crawl around on me for the rest of the day, and she stayed in the van, and then I took her home and got an enclosure and kept her, because I learned that people keep praying mantises as pets.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

Really?

[Eric Edelstein]

Really. You keep on referring to the praying mantis as a her, which I love, but how are you do. Were you able to decipher the gender? Oh, we're looking at a picture of this beautiful.

[Steve Berg]

Wow, look at that girl.

[Nicole Byer]

Oh, yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Wow.

[Steve Berg]

She is. Oh, that is beautiful lady.

[Eric Edelstein]

Oh.

[Aaron]

And the call will only go on to prove that she's a girl. That's why we're here. But I'll continue with the backstory a little bit so you can tell she's a girl because there are two little spikes at the bottom of her abdomen, and that's how you can tell in case you're ever cur.

[Steve Berg]

Look at those eyes. Are you kidding?

[Eric Edelstein]

It's beautiful.

[Steve Berg]

This looks like a colon. No, completely. Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

We're focusing in. Oh, my gosh.

[Steve Berg]

Friend. Oh, we love her. What's her name?

[Aaron]

I'm so glad. Her name is Manzanita.

[Steve Berg]

Oh. Oh. Are you kidding? With the praying man song? Are you kidding? No detail unturned. You're. You're truly home.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay. Okay. So. So you took her home.

[Steve Berg]

Look at those eyes. It's radiating. Steve.

[Aaron]

I took her home. I. I got her an enclosure, and I've had her for about five months now. She's molted a few times. She's doing well. And then about a month ago, I found another praying mantis on the same delivery route, and I picked her up, also a girl. Picked her up, took her home, got her an enclosure. And then my problem is, a week after I brought the second one home, who I named Polka Dot because she has two polka dots on her on her wings. A week after I took her home, she laid an ootheca, which is an egg sac.

[Eric Edelstein]

An ootheca. That's very esoteric sounding. I like that.

[Steve Berg]

Isn't it?

[Aaron]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

She laid a fact. I mean, she's. Babies are on the way.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Huh?

[Steve Berg]

Huh.

[Aaron]

Probably. So a couple weeks after she laid one, Mananita also laid one. And I emailed you guys in between these two instances.

[Steve Berg]

No.

[Aaron]

And so in that time, I learned that mantises will Lay that sack regardless of if they have. If they're fertile. But okay, the thing is, so manitas definitely doesn't have any eggs. A polka dot very likely does have eggs. And when they hatch, mantises lay 50 to 400 baby mantis.

[Eric Edelstein]

Oh, no. Wow.

[Aaron]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay, so you're. You're like, you're on the cusp of a mantis civilization living in your house.

[Aaron]

Correct. And I don't want to kill them because I've really, like, I've really bonded with these animals. And the other problem is, like, you know, I would just release them out into the wild. But I've also learned that both of the mantises I have are an invasive species called the Chinese mantis, and they kill off the Carolina mantis and a bunch of other native insects. So what you're technically supposed to do when you find them is just kill them. And what I probably should do from an environmental point of view is just squash the egg sac in case it's fertile. But I'd really like to come up with any other solution.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Because who are. Who are we to play God over here with a mantis's life? Also, if, you know, if you destroy, like, 50 to 400 babies, polka dot is not going to be thrilled.

[Aaron]

No, not at all. I mean, she might eat them.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

I don't know if she would really mother them.

[Eric Edelstein]

That would be the best case scenario.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. Would Manzanita eat them, too? And barring something else, Steve Berg will eat them.

[Eric Edelstein]

I will.

[Steve Berg]

For a very small, tasteful balsamic reduction. It is delicious. I will eat some mantis on a bed of millet. Oh, I would. I would.

[Eric Edelstein]

I wouldn't say no. No. If it was prepared right with the race.

[Steve Berg]

First of all, Eileen, I love this call. This call is the crux of who we. Karen.

[Eric Edelstein]

Aaron. Yeah, Aaron.

[Aaron]

Aaron.

[Steve Berg]

Sorry, I thought of the other.

[Eric Edelstein]

Strike one. Aaron.

[Steve Berg]

Strike one, boy. And a big one. A big O. Connie. From his knees. Aaron. I mean, I love this call. I'm wondering, I mean, can we kind of let natural selection happen and see the eggs? What if they just start eating them? And that is a wild thing about madness is that these babies might just be food. Yeah.

[Aaron]

And they might be. Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'm.

[Steve Berg]

Now. This is a reality show. I want to watch.

[Jake Johnson]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

I feel like better than Sandoval. Come on.

[Eric Edelstein]

I wouldn't want that on my conscious, like, ripping the sack off and like, just like, you know.

[Steve Berg]

System.

[Eric Edelstein]

Putting in a campfire, like, sounds like, like, like it also feel like, well, you're Supposed to kill. Like, they do with fishing a lot, where they'll tell you to, like, you know, do the. With, like, winter trout. They'll feel like, oh, you got to keep them and eat them. I'm like, why? Like, I, I, I don't need to be the arbiter of their life and death. I, I, I think, I think, oh, God. This is a real quandary we have.

[Steve Berg]

Well, who's the one saying one mantis is bad for another one? Like, who, who are the ones playing God with mantises? And what if they're like, like, what if they're, like, mantis racists? Like, oh, this mantis is better. This one's invasive.

[Eric Edelstein]

Mantis eugenicists.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. I don't want to be a part of the mantis Goebbels.

[Eric Edelstein]

I don't want that either, man.

[Steve Berg]

Non20 twi. We're trying to shine a light out, Aaron, Right? Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

You know, I am of the opinion that you let nature take its course, and maybe you invite Mantisopolis, the other one. You know, that. You think so? It's Polka dot who's got the, the fertile eggs.

[Steve Berg]

You'd think Polka Dot in Manzanita. And they're owned by Aaron, Steve. See, mine's like a steel trap.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

My wife just brought me herbal tea, bless her heart.

[Eric Edelstein]

I wonder if you invite. Let the babies happen. If they, you know, and if they're born, then I think maybe consider inviting Manzanita over for, like, a holiday feast.

[Steve Berg]

Right.

[Eric Edelstein]

Both just sit there and go to town on these little.

[Steve Berg]

And then it's bonding. It's like an episode of Laverne and Shirley. Like, you got two old broads just eating their prey.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

Come on. Also, Aaron, if I may, doesn't this sound like a remarkable excuse and reason to have a mantis party? Yeah, like, you invite people. Come on. If I got an invite to a mantis party to see these eggs open, and maybe they're gonna eat them, maybe they're gonna fight over them, whatever that is. That's a party I want to go to.

[Eric Edelstein]

Right.

[Steve Berg]

You can have mantis.

[Aaron]

Maybe everyone takes one home.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, my gosh. Could you imagine? What if you contain the mantises just to your friend group?

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah. And you just have to do that. Yeah. And I would also recommend having, like, a light pasta and a salad to have around, because, you know.

[Aaron]

Yeah. I can call in the whole Mac.

[Jake Johnson]

Yes.

[Steve Berg]

No, this is a pesto. This is. It's gotta be green foods.

[Eric Edelstein]

I, I think.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, Eric, I think Come on, Steve, it' I'm here. This is a pesto party. So many salads. Are you getting green juice?

[Eric Edelstein]

A pan fried chicken? Meatball? Oh, God. This sounds great.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, ridiculous. I want to come to this mantis party in green. Steve, I take you to Shoes Joe's grave.

[Eric Edelstein]

This sounds like a sicko. This here's a sicko suggestion. Is that. This is a sicko suggestion. I'm not saying I agree with it. You let the babies happen. You captured the babies. You work that into the pesto sauce, have everyone over, and then you dine.

[Steve Berg]

Are you kidding?

[Eric Edelstein]

Then the life wasn't wasted. No, we're using that. We're using the. The mantis meat again.

[Steve Berg]

It wasn't a bit like mirrors art. I said Steve would eat these. Now here, a minute later, he's trying to pitch him. Well, I'm hungry. This whole thing is. It's a craven excuse for Steven to eat more animals.

[Eric Edelstein]

I think if you put some olive oil, half a shallot.

[Steve Berg]

You looked at that animal's eyes. You looked at Manzanita's eyes. We saw the soul peering back. What if they're in charge of us all, Steve?

[Eric Edelstein]

I don't.

[Steve Berg]

That's.

[Eric Edelstein]

That's so big. I'll pay for it then.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah, you'll pay for it then. When you meet your maker. Me. Unless it's a scallop, I'm not gonna have any judge. Judgment.

[Eric Edelstein]

See, look.

[Steve Berg]

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'm just saying. Look, look. It's better than taking this. This pot off and then throwing it away, like in the trash can. That is sick. At least use the meat I'm talking about. Look, obviously, I think first dips goes to meat.

[Steve Berg]

Steve Berg's story.

[Eric Edelstein]

I think first dibs on eating the babies goes to Polka Dot and Manzanita.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

This is nature, babe. This is.

[Steve Berg]

No, no, no. I think they eat. It's fine. And the man is. Party gets even cooler.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah. Yeah. So I think you have a party. I love this party idea, by the way.

[Steve Berg]

Midori Sour, Steve Green. Neon green. Like Manzanita, right?

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, we can also, you know, like, I do think, like, it's one of these things, like, hey, we're gonna eat some green food. It's gonna be delicious. Also, if the. If Manzanita and Polka Dot don't eat the babies. We're eating the babies. But also, just make sure we're giving.

[Steve Berg]

The babies to friends and they get to have their own mantises. Spreading a wave of love.

[Eric Edelstein]

In Greenville, they're going to genocide all the other mantises in South Carolina.

[Steve Berg]

Not if we don't do people's homes. Not if they're in a little glass thing. Right?

[Eric Edelstein]

You're not an ent. Is it entomologist? Entamins. Entamins.

[Aaron]

Entomologist.

[Eric Edelstein]

Entomologist.

[Steve Berg]

Entamins is a baked good, Steve. Be less Berg. Be less Berg.

[Eric Edelstein]

How can I, babe? I really think you eat it and you like, you make it like a fine dining experience. If, if polka dot and mantis do not consume themselves. But under no circumstance do I think you should just throw the sack away like a sack of potatoes, like Eric seems to be suggesting.

[Steve Berg]

No, no, no. I want these to bloom and I want them to be pets for other people. I want the life to spread around.

[Eric Edelstein]

Look at the absence of. You're not listening to the facts. They're invasive. They're going to kill everything. They're going to wipe out South Carolina.

[Steve Berg]

Not if they're released out there. Not if they're in glass. They're already out there, buddy. She's found two on her thing. They're already out there.

[Eric Edelstein]

You expect her to find, find 400 glass casings for these things? They could be up to 400 babies.

[Steve Berg]

I, I, I, I think it's nature itself that these were supposed to bloom. If she hadn't picked them up, there'd be an egg. Oh my God. Oh my God. We are. Now we're debating one egg sack. The. It's already invaded.

[Annie]

It's so gross.

[Steve Berg]

Invasive has happened. Yeah, but they're gonna be cute little mantises. But look at that.

[Eric Edelstein]

Eradicated.

[Steve Berg]

That's no, they do not. Steve. They're already out there. The dye is killing cast. They're jumping in her delivery car.

[Emma]

Usually you usually grill these to eat them?

[Steve Berg]

I mean, no, people really eat. These people do eat.

[Eric Edelstein]

People eat everything.

[Steve Berg]

Hold on. What? Dude, people are invasive species, so get.

[Eric Edelstein]

Something out of it, you know.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, you guys are weird, man.

[Eric Edelstein]

Well, man, you know, like. Sorry, you hippie. Like, I don't know if you know how nature works, man, but I'm not.

[Steve Berg]

Even man animals Sack, you weirdo.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'll eat a manufacture on the air if it's, if it's prepped right?

[Steve Berg]

This is like some Bob Crane autofocused, so. Oh my God.

[Eric Edelstein]

You could definitely feel like a grilling was another way I would suggest.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, I thought you were doing a bit. Oh my God.

[Eric Edelstein]

I would put a foil lining down your grill. Wouldn't get the temperature. Super hot and I would just like, basically what you're doing is toasting them and then. And then afterwards I would put like, maybe like a dry, dry seasoning. If you add any kind of like, you know, know, sauce to it, you're going to lose the crisp. And they can just kind of sprinkle on top of everyone's crust. Well, you don't want to lose the crisp on those, Eric. It's like, it's. If you, if you don't respect meat and like, try to prepare it as good as possible. I feel like you're disrespecting the animal.

[Steve Berg]

All right. This is truly part of keeping the environment clean. And Aaron's into it.

[Eric Edelstein]

Look.

[Steve Berg]

And polka dot.

[Aaron]

I'm not into eating them.

[Steve Berg]

Bless you.

[Aaron]

I do like the idea. I do like the idea of a man. This party.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

Okay.

[Aaron]

And because they're also. They're so tiny.

[Annie]

Like when they're babies, they're.

[Aaron]

They're way smaller than your fingernail. Fingernail. So not bite size.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

Steve, if I just get like a. I could get like a Dixie cup or something. I could have a party. You guys could help me plan the party. And then once the baby's hatch, I have that party. And everyone takes one home that wants one.

[Steve Berg]

And then the rest of them, they're.

[Eric Edelstein]

Going to be in people's homes every other. I mean, like, mantises are going to escape. I mean, I'm sorry. Not everyone's going to be like, sweet. A sweeter like you. And take great care of these mantises. You.

[Steve Berg]

When you.

[Eric Edelstein]

When you start.

[Steve Berg]

She's around good people.

[Eric Edelstein]

You were worried about this, like, invasive species killing the other mantises. And I think we should remember.

[Emma]

Right?

[Eric Edelstein]

So just give.

[Aaron]

Yeah. Like, they won't be out in the wild.

[Eric Edelstein]

I think you gotta eat them.

[Aaron]

They won't be out in the wild.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'm sorry. I'm gonna fall my sword for this one. I think these things are a delicious meal, which we had.

[Steve Berg]

I think Aaron is on my side. What we're gonna do is give the mantises away to other people. And I'm gonna tell you this. This one pod, there's a million pods already in Greenville. Those mantises are here. Maybe it's the end of our sci fi movie. Maybe we're giving people the first clue to how the society gets overtaken. Those mantises are gonna head to Washington D.C. and it's over. But before that happens, we're gonna have a mantis party with green themed drinks like Midori Sour.

[Eric Edelstein]

I like that.

[Steve Berg]

And with pesto and with spinach salad and anything else green you can think of. Of green olives, Steve. There's a bounty. Green is good. Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

And I think Deco, the pasta Italian pasta brand, does make a spinach linguine, which I've had.

[Steve Berg]

It is very tasty. So grab another. Affected by tariffs and Deco's in trouble. So get it. Get the green pasta now, Aaron. Yeah, but, yeah, I love the idea of this Manus party and we want to be fully informed on everything that happens from this point out.

[Eric Edelstein]

And when you do decide to have this party, if you want some, you know, like, suggestions on how to make this party really sing, we are happy to help out with that.

[Steve Berg]

What about music, Steve? What's green theme music? Al Green. Al Green to start that.

[Eric Edelstein]

I love Al Green, too.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, incredible. I went to his church in Memphis. He said he loved it.

[Eric Edelstein]

There was a great band called Green river, which was Mud Honey before Mud Honey. It's a little crunchy, low tones, but I really like them. Yeah. That's probably good for starters because you kind of, you know, like.

[Steve Berg]

And then, you know, like, it's not easy being green.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah. The Green Knight soundtrack, which. One of the best movies of the 21st century. I think we got a good place. So, you know, Aaron, what are we thinking here? What are we thinking? How are we going to approach this? Is there anything you can grab onto that we've said?

[Aaron]

Yeah. I'm loving the party idea and I. I think you're completely right, Steve. I'm not going to release these out into the wild. So I think with the leftover mantises, because there will be up to 400 of them.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, my God.

[Aaron]

With the leftover mant. I. Hopefully manzanita and polka dot will eat them.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

And any other ones I'm. I'm still at a loss for. But I'm not going to eat them. I don't think I can do that.

[Eric Edelstein]

Right.

[Steve Berg]

Thank you.

[Aaron]

But maybe I'll rape.

[Eric Edelstein]

But you're hoping for cannibalism, which is so funny.

[Aaron]

I'm hoping it's for nature.

[Steve Berg]

With Harle Young Steve.

[Eric Edelstein]

I won't do it. Which would be perfectly normal because there's plenty of places in the world where they eat bugs and insects. But I'm just saying. I'm just saying, like. But Caleb is okay.

[Annie]

Aaron.

[Steve Berg]

I ate a cricket in Puerto Rico winning Rome. Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

It's not that big of a deal.

[Steve Berg]

It's the protein source of the future, apparently.

[Eric Edelstein]

It really is.

[Annie]

Yeah.

[Aaron]

And maybe I'll save Them for that future.

[Steve Berg]

Okay.

[Eric Edelstein]

Exactly.

[Steve Berg]

I love this.

[Eric Edelstein]

They probably freeze dry real well.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, I bet they do. I bet they do. And you know what? If I was in green Greenville with Steve and if Aaron wanted to, you would manage. I'd eat a man.

[Eric Edelstein]

You would eat a man? I could get your mess. I go wrong.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah. Oh yeah. Beer and a half. I'd eat them.

[Eric Edelstein]

Mantis.

[Steve Berg]

Aaron, it was a joy meeting you. Can you please keep us updated on all this? We want pictures of the mantises being born. We want pictures of the Mantis party. The mantis drinks, the mantis food and the al Green and Green river.

[Eric Edelstein]

And then you toasting them on the grill and putting it on top of your pesto pasta dish and eating them insane.

[Jake Johnson]

Like.

[Eric Edelstein]

You know what? Steve Berg was right. These are delicious.

[Steve Berg]

Please don't.

[Eric Edelstein]

Aaron.

[Steve Berg]

I'm sorry. My friend is Homerson.

[Aaron]

Thank you for your help guys.

[Steve Berg]

Bye. It was a joy to meet you.

[Eric Edelstein]

Good luck.

[Aaron]

You too. Bye bye.

[Eric Edelstein]

Hello caller, you are talking to Eric Edelstein and little Stevie Berg. How are you doing? What's your name? Where are you from? We hear you're a follow up. We're very excited.

[Emma]

Hi guys, this is Emma from Saskatchewan.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah, I was hoping it was you friend. I summoned you from the collective unconscious. Yes, it is so good to hear from you, Steve. I know exactly who this is. But Emma, please remind us.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah. And for the listeners, if you could give us a recap of what happened so that everyone can follow along. Perfectly.

[Aaron]

Awesome.

[Emma]

Yeah, I can do that. So I called in because three different times in my life I was told by three different random people that I had a grumpy old man attached to my soul. And so I had called in for some advice about this.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah.

[Eric Edelstein]

Oh yeah, I remember this one well.

[Steve Berg]

This is my favorite call so far. Not not to hurt any other callers feelings. This was also very controversial in the comments and people mocked and laughed me because I instantly said I got a guy that can help. But we sent Emma to this amazing healer that can clear this stuff up. So Emma, I want to talk to you about the journey one. I didn't know if you'd actually do this. I'm so thrilled you did. What went into your thinking and walk us through it.

[Emma]

Well, I was down to try anything and so you had forwarded that contact information for the healer and so I did. I gave him a call. It was over the phone healing session which I then I was feeling a bit hesitant about it. So I read online about this. Apparently this is very Common. Apparently a lot of psychics and healers do things over the phone, so I felt reassured after I read that.

[Eric Edelstein]

Right.

[Steve Berg]

Yes. And I've gone to him a bunch and absolutely had weird cosmic gunk. Cleared out. And to me, some people.

[Eric Edelstein]

Cosmic gunk.

[Steve Berg]

Cosmic gunk. And people were like, God, this is bunk. I'm like, to me, this is science that's undiscovered. I don't know why it's so crazy to think that we have parasites in our blood, but we can't have them in our energy field. But it outrages some people. So, Emma, you took the giant leap and we love it. That's the spirit of the show. What happened when you talked to our friend? I'm not going to give the healer's name here. I'll just say his first name. Joel. What happened when you had your meeting with him? Yeah, he's a Joel, but boy, is he powerful. And he was recommended by a very straight lace therapist. And I was shocked she recommended such a thing, but she knew I was open to it. This guy's helped me so much, and I was kind of sort of hoping he might help. Help Emma. So what went down?

[Emma]

So I called Joe or Joel. Sorry. And I. I had about a one hour session with him.

[Annie]

Him.

[Emma]

And he was pretty confident. He knew what was going on. He told me. And I felt reassured by this. He does think it is a human entity. So it's not like a demon or something like that.

[Steve Berg]

Interesting.

[Emma]

Which I was happy to hear. Wow.

[Aaron]

Yeah.

[Emma]

But you know what I will say he called people out. He said, there's no way anybody knows if this is a man. He said he thinks people are just making assumptions because this entity has like a strong and powerful aura about it. But he. He was like, there's no way to know if this is a man or a woman. So I thought that was kind of interesting.

[Eric Edelstein]

Okay.

[Emma]

And then. And so then Joel is talking, and I started to feel kind of bad. But then Joel gave me some exercises to not feel guilty about this. But what he believes happened is that he thinks that this was. It is a confused entity. And so when this person passed away, they passed away in a confused and scared state. And so as their soul was trying to travel from, like the earth plane to what he called the divine light plane, it kind of got lost because it was scared and confused. And so it just kind of latched onto my soul.

[Steve Berg]

Because you're a great soul because you're awesome.

[Eric Edelstein]

Right?

[Steve Berg]

But better soul to latch onto, Emma.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

Especially a Canadian So then I started.

[Emma]

To feel kind of bad because I was like, well, he was like, so you need to get rid of this. This attached to your soul. And I was like, well, if I detach it from my soul, will it find the light? And he was like, potentially, or it could continue to just, like, float off in a world of fear. And I was like, oh, my gosh. So then I was feeling a bit hesitant, and I told this to Joel. I was like, well, I don't know if I want to get rid of it. It means that this poor soul. He told me. No, he told me that this is the problem. He actually told me this is my problem and that I should work on this in life. Yeah. He told me this is like, probably.

[Annie]

Have a problem with this in just.

[Emma]

My normal life, too. Is that I'm.

[Eric Edelstein]

Please, go ahead. Please continue.

[Emma]

Well, he just said. He said that he just feels like, you know, I can't be manipulated by this entity. It's not my problem whether this entity is like, I can't control that.

[Eric Edelstein]

Did he give you. Did he tell you?

[Steve Berg]

I mean, like, oh, yeah, Steve, he's going to clear this. I told you he would clear it. He's cleared me of stuff. Well, so what happened next?

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah, what were the protocols? Like, how did he get rid of this energy?

[Emma]

So I was on a call with him for about an hour, and it flew by. It went by so fast. But he did a bunch of different tactics. He gave me, like, some. I would call it maybe, like, meditation almost, where he had me, like, visualizing things. And I don't know much about, like, energy centers, but I. For anybody who does. No one does, I guess, like, yeah, if anybody does. He said my spine and my own. And so we did a whole bunch of exercises around that. And then he had me do some exercises, like, kind of picturing my ancestors and how they could help me. And a lot of it was just. He told me that I need to practice reclaiming my own space and so not allowing other entities to attach to me and also kind of like, chewing this one away by saying, like, no, this is, like, my soul, my body. You need to leave. And so it was a bunch of, like. I would call it, like, visualization strategies.

[Steve Berg]

I love it. And then did he have you, like, do like, the crazy energy clearing stuff? Like, sometimes he'll have me, like, wave my hands around and actually kind of clear my own energy or field around me.

[Eric Edelstein]

I hope this is a bit Joel plays on you just because he likes to mess with you.

[Steve Berg]

Dude, I'M sorry. All right, now dance around.

[Eric Edelstein]

Do a pirouette. Okay, buddy. I'll do it.

[Jake Johnson]

Joel.

[Steve Berg]

I would do it, buddy. That thing is clear. I'm about to book a big job.

[Eric Edelstein]

Take off your clothes and run around the block. That should do it.

[Steve Berg]

Done, Joel.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Done.

[Steve Berg]

They're calling the cops, Joel.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'm in jail, Joel.

[Steve Berg]

I'm in county.

[Eric Edelstein]

My wife kicked me. Now, at this point, I'm in a rough patch, Joel. I know.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, people are seeing the skeptic side of Steve. I love it. Okay, so. So you started doing the clearing stuff with Joel, and then how did you. You feel?

[Emma]

Well, I felt so relaxed after. And also, I will say he did have me do kind of stuff like that. Like, he had me, like, reach onto my head and, like, I had to, like, imagine my hands glowing, and then I had to, like, physically, like, throw things, like, out into the room. So, yeah, I was also doing this. Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

And Steve walks. I want to briefly say, you know who believed in the crown chakra, Steven?

[Eric Edelstein]

Who?

[Steve Berg]

Your hero, David Lynch. That's why. That's why Lynn Kaplan always said that we cannot meditate while we're lying down because the crown chakra has to be clear, Stephen. It's got to be flowing. Buckle. So you started doing. Sorry for interrupting you there. So you started clearing all this stuff and. Yeah, there's a feeling of relaxation, and you can actually kind of feel the stuff leaving, can't you?

[Emma]

Yeah, I felt so relaxed after. I was like. I didn't totally see why people. People are doing this and calling in. It felt great.

[Eric Edelstein]

Good.

[Emma]

As far as the entity goes, I've never been able to sense it myself, so I feel like maybe time will tell. Joel felt very optimistic. He was like. I think he was like, I think this entity is, like, considering leaving and that you should just, like, continue doing this and building your boundaries and it will be gone.

[Eric Edelstein]

No. Does Joel say how he. How he has this, like, a hunch that it's. It wants to leave, or is he just, like, he can sense it from your voice? Because I'm. I'm. I'm like. And I'm not being, like, skeptical. I mean, I guess I suppose I am, but, like, I am, like, really interested in the. The mechanicians behind how he can tell off a phone voice from someone with. From another country?

[Steve Berg]

Eric, he looks into energy fields, right?

[Eric Edelstein]

But she. She's not in front of him. She's a phone.

[Steve Berg]

Oh, he can do it all through zoom. He could look at your energy field. Now, honestly, we should have you Do.

[Eric Edelstein]

Was this on zoom or was it a phone call?

[Steve Berg]

It doesn't matter.

[Emma]

Phone call.

[Eric Edelstein]

It was a phone call.

[Steve Berg]

It does not matter. He. He can sense it. You're thinking 1D, 2D. This is undiscovered science. This is 3D. This is, dare I say, 5D. Joel could look at your energy field, Stephen, and figure out what the hell's going on in there. And I think he's should.

[Eric Edelstein]

I don't want Joel.

[Steve Berg]

I think he should. Oh, man. Dude, Joel is my guy. Are you kidding? The stuff, the cosmic gunk, he's cleared out of me. It's why I'm such a beacon of light and friendliness right now.

[Eric Edelstein]

I don't think Joel's the reason you're a beacon of light. You're.

[Steve Berg]

No. Joel's cleared stuff.

[Eric Edelstein]

The.

[Steve Berg]

The. The signal. The signal was. Was unclear for a while there, Steve.

[Eric Edelstein]

Been a beacon of light. Give me.

[Steve Berg]

I'm trying. I have good days.

[Eric Edelstein]

I met you.

[Steve Berg]

Nah, Condor. Steve Condor. But, but, okay, but.

[Eric Edelstein]

But Emma. But you're feeling good about this. You feel the work, and that is all that matters. Because, like, if you're feeling good about this, then, like, you know, screw it. And like, when's the last time? Actually, because I forget from the previous phone call. When was the last time someone mentioned the old man spirit around you?

[Emma]

20, 19?

[Eric Edelstein]

Six years ago.

[Steve Berg]

Okay, well, she went to the indigenous gathering where multiple elders said yes.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yes.

[Steve Berg]

So what I would love, Emma, could somehow go back to those folks, other indigenous elders that are also tied into this stuff, that aren't as skeptical as my good buddy here. I have a feeling they would see that lightness gone. And if I may also, it sounds like this Joel healing session is something that you can carry over into life with non entities, with actual people of having bigger and better boundaries for yourself.

[Eric Edelstein]

I think that's.

[Steve Berg]

And not allowing people that you're not aligned with. Alignment with not allowing people that don't vibrate at your frequency. And we say stuff like that. It doesn't sound crazy, but that's all Joel's doing. And it's kind of giving you more boundaries for life. If I'm reading between the lines here.

[Emma]

A little bit, Emma, yeah, 100%. I thought it was a really positive experience.

[Steve Berg]

I'm so glad. I'm so nervous. And I heard back that you went and I sent the Venmo. I'm sure Jake Johnson will remember, but hold my breath. But I'm just so glad it was a positive experience because I felt a little nervous sending you out there. I was really, when I woke up today, hoping we would hear from you in here, because this is the call I'm most curious about. And the call that also pissed some people off that I said, I've got a guy. Most people laughed. And I know it's hilarious. I'm keenly aware. But I'm just so glad it was a powerful experience for you. Not just to maybe clear. Clear this, but also taken into life that. Like, hey, perhaps I'm letting actual humans encroach on my boundaries as well.

[Eric Edelstein]

This sounds great. Are you. Do you plan on working with Joel again? Are you kind of like, I think I get it. I'm good.

[Emma]

Well, I think and, like, Joel kind of agreed. He, like, he told me he feels like he's given me the tools now and that I don't need to call in again. Like, he's like, if you use these tools, you shouldn't need me anymore.

[Annie]

Anymore.

[Steve Berg]

But he's not a charlatan looking for more money. Wow.

[Eric Edelstein]

I didn't say he was.

[Steve Berg]

No, I didn't know. No, what I really want is I want a video on Jake and Gareth as they listen to this call. That's what I'm begging for, Natalie. Please bookmark it, because the steam coming out of their ears, I cannot wait. But, yeah, that's the thing, is Joel helps you do the work so you don't have to see him again. And he gives you tools. You now have a power sander and.

[Eric Edelstein]

A Dr. How many times have you seen him?

[Steve Berg]

I've seen him probably seven or eight. And I've referred friends to him. Oh, Joel's a big part of the scene.

[Annie]

Joel knows a mark.

[Eric Edelstein]

This is gonna take a dozen. Dozen?

[Steve Berg]

It's real easy to be a skeptic, Steve. You remind me of the atheists. The atheists have turned into their own religion, and they're just as intractable.

[Eric Edelstein]

I'm agnostic, thank you very much.

[Steve Berg]

No, no, I'm not saying. I said you remind me of the atheists now. Like the Bill Mars, like, there is no God definitive, like, well, you can'.

[Eric Edelstein]

That now you're telling me you're doing.

[Steve Berg]

The same thing you hated. You're insisting on dogma, and that's just not what I'm about. So. Emma, it was an honor to talk to you again today, and I'm so glad that it sounds like we actually helped.

[Emma]

Yes, definitely. I'm so grateful I called in. You guys had the answer. So thank you so much.

[Steve Berg]

It was an honor to meet you. I really Hope we get to meet you in real life.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Steve Berg]

Please enjoy Saskatchewan and the great North.

[Eric Edelstein]

Emma. Sorry.

[Steve Berg]

Yeah.

[Emma]

Thank you.

[Eric Edelstein]

Congratulations. I'm so happy it worked out. That's awesome.

[Emma]

Yes. Thank you.

[Eric Edelstein]

All right. Take care, sister.

[Aaron]

Awesome.

[Annie]

Bye.

[Eric Edelstein]

Bye.

[Steve Berg]

Bye, friend. A true honor.

[Sasheer Zamata]

We're here to Help is hosted by Jake Johnson and Gareth Reynolds. If you'd like to be on the show, please email us your question@ HelpfulPod gmail.com. and if you want to watch watch video episodes of We're Here to Help, you can go to our [e-mail] heretohelp pod to see our entire catalog.

[Steve Berg]

We're here to Help is produced by.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Rabbit Grim Productions executive producers Rob Hollis, Jeff Porter, and Natalie Hollis.

[Steve Berg]

Associate producer Jesse Thurston.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Editing, mix and master by Chris Faller. Theme song by Oliver Raleigh. The COVID artwork is by James Fosdike. Animations by Andrew Strlecki. And if you'd like to to see Gareth do stand up on the road, go to garethreynolds.com Remember, all the advice given on We're Here to Help is for entertainment purposes only, and all listeners should be adults and make their own decisions.

[Jake Johnson]

All video episodes of season one are available now on Patreon, and season two video episodes will be available every Monday starting January 20th. Go to patreon.com heretohelpod.

[Nicole Byer]

Hi, I'm Nicole Byer. Hi, I'm Sasheer Zamada. And this is the podcast Best Friend Friends. And we're here at Headgum. So this is just a podcast where we just talk? Yeah, we're best friends. Yeah, we talk, and then we have a segment where we answer questions and queries so audience members can ask questions about friendships and we can answer them to the best of our abilities. Yes, we are professional friends. We are professional friends. Subscribe to Bethlehem Friends on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Cast, or wherever you get your podcast and watch videos on YouTube. New episodes drop every Wednesday. That's the middle of a work week. I was deeply unhelpful to you during that whole thing. You were.

[Steve Berg]

I'm really sorry.

[Nicole Byer]

I felt the support. I was so okay. I was trying to be supportive.

[Eric Edelstein]

Yeah.

[Nicole Byer]

But I was like, I don't know. Reading seems pretty hard right now. It's a lot. I think you did good. Thank you so much.

[Steve Berg]

You're welcome.