We Made It Weird #202

Summary

You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes

We Made It Weird #202 – Summary

Original Air Date: January 10, 2025
Hosts: Pete Holmes & Valerie Chaney

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Episode Overview

This episode finds Pete and Val podcasting from their home in California amid a difficult period marked by devastating fires in LA. The couple reflects on recent events and how communal support and creativity can provide solace. In classic “We Made It Weird” style, the conversation weaves between earnest discussions, tangential humor, pop culture riffs, and metaphysical pondering. There are deep dives into the role of creative flow, their personal dynamics, reflections on childhood, and the making of Pete’s new standup special—peppered with jokes, impressions, and intimate observations.

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Table of Contents

1. California Fires and Community Support (00:18–03:15)
2. Intentional Escapism: Lightness Amid Hard Times (03:17–08:27)
3. Bonus Episode Structure & Holiday Banter (08:27–10:33)
4. Playful Riffs: Water Snakes, Dirty Jokes & Corny Church Facts (10:33–18:43)
5. Family Portraits and Photogenic Wisdom (14:39–19:02)
6. Self-Effacement & Church Upbringing (19:02–20:38)
7. Social Media, Memes, and Public Etiquette (20:38–23:40)
8. Jim Henson Documentary, Muppet Archetypes & Creativity (23:40–36:34)
9. Creativity as Spiritual Practice & Flow (36:34–49:27)
10. Metaphysics, Nonduality & the Art of Merging (49:27–61:50)
11. Behind-the-Scenes: Taping Pete’s Stand-Up Special (66:16–79:12)
12. Back to Jim Henson, Purpose & Creative Sacrifice (79:12–end)

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<a name="fires-community"/>

1. California Fires and Community Support (00:18–03:15)

• Host updates: Pete and Val check in from northern California, acknowledging the hardship and heartbreak caused by LA area fires.
  • “It‘s been really hard and heartbreaking…so many lives affected by these fires.” (Val, 00:44)
  • They offer practical support (e.g., resource documents, Airbnb offers, Instagram accounts @MutualAidLA/Google Docs, Baby2Baby for basic needs) for listeners seeking help or hoping to assist.
  • Val: “If you are, like us, feeling sort of helpless…there are a lot of great resources…” (01:06)
• Community spirit: Stories of mutual aid and neighbors helping one another, e.g., checking on houses, provide hope and a sense of connection.
  • Pete: “As old Mr. Rogers said, look to the helpers... it’s been really beautiful.” (02:45)

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<a name="light-escapism"/>

2. Intentional Escapism: Lightness Amid Hard Times (03:17–08:27)

• Mental health balance: Pete and Val discuss the value of distractions and laughter during crises, giving themselves—and listeners—“permission” to experience joy or levity despite difficult circumstances.
  • “Sometimes entertainment, sometimes laughs…this is a very lot of laughs up top and then also some…classic [We Made It Weird].” (Pete, 03:34)

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<a name="bonus-banter"/>

3. Bonus Episode Structure & Holiday Banter (08:27–10:33)

• Show format: A “bonus” episode with Pete and Val catching up, riffing on their marriage and relationship lingo (e.g., “life partner,” “partner in crime”).
  • “It’s the only show that gives you a bonus episode you weren’t expecting, hoping for, or needed…” (Pete, 08:30)
• Playful rapport: Their chemistry sets the tone for a meandering, comedic episode.

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<a name="water-corn-humor"/>

4. Playful Riffs: Water Snakes, Dirty Jokes & Corny Church Facts (10:33–18:43)

• Water snakes: Quickly devolving into innuendo, comparing childhood toys to “Fleshlights.”
  • “Water snakes are the most sexual thing anyone’s making.” (Val, 09:31)
• Euphemisms for masturbation: Comparing and ranking such expressions (“wank,” “feeding the chickens,” “shucking the corn”), blending crude humor with Midwestern innocence.
• Corn/maize bit: Extended riff on the origins of the word “maize,” corn mazes, and the dry delivery of these “facts” in childhood education. Pete pitches a movie scene based on this (“Field of Dreams but with corn mazes”). (12:19–13:35)
• Childhood corrections: Pete proposes that everyone in their 20s loves correcting people about Frankenstein’s monster and “maze” as corn.

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<a name="family-photos"/>

5. Family Portraits and Photogenic Wisdom (14:39–19:02)

• Church directories: Reminiscing about the social import of church photo directories, family posing rituals, and Val’s dad’s disinclination for performative smiling.
  • “My dad's wearing a sweater and a sport coat…very photogenic. And he gave me a tip.” (Pete, 15:39)
• De Niro cheese trick: Anecdote about Robert De Niro actually saying “cheese” for photos.
  • “The greatest actor...can’t fake a smile for a photograph without the cheese trick.” (Pete, 17:22)

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<a name="church-upbringing"/>

6. Self-Effacement & Church Upbringing (19:02–20:38)

• Val’s family: Her father’s tendency to downplay his talents, attributing them to humility or church culture (“all the glory to God”).
• Worship leading & modesty: Pete remembers being uncomfortable with performative acts of piety (“point to the sky”), noting the awkwardness of deflecting praise.
  • “Just makes my vagina so dry.” (Val, 19:32)
• Snoop Dogg reference: Val enjoys Snoop’s meme-worthy self-congratulatory acceptance speech (“most of all, I’d like to thank me…”), contrasting with religious humility.

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<a name="social-media"/>

7. Social Media, Memes, and Public Etiquette (20:38–23:40)

• Social media aversions: Pete discusses his efforts to avoid social media, tips like deleting apps, and old-person anxieties about screen time.
• Pet peeves: Both hosts rant against people watching videos with volume on, or talking on speakerphone in public.
  • “What is going on with everyone watching videos, volume on, and making phone calls on speaker?” (Pete, 21:20)
• Etiquette nostalgia: Reference to 90s “douche” archetypes; Pete jokes about wanting to “make America shame again.” (22:51)

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<a name="henson-muppets"/>

8. Jim Henson Documentary, Muppet Archetypes & Creativity (23:40–36:34)

• Jim Henson: Idea Man: Discussion of the new documentary, including how watching it provided much-needed comfort during the stressful fire period.
  • “For that hour and a half, we were just in the 70s making puppets.” (Val, 35:05)
• Kermit, Miss Piggy, Muppet roles: Extended (and hilarious) bit about the incongruity of hearing Henson’s “Kermit voice” in domestic fights (24:18–25:18), Muppet actors’ range, and how their real voices color their characters.
  • “Jim Henson sounds like Kermit the Frog. Can you imagine hearing through a wall, like, ‘Shut up, bitch?’” (Pete, 24:18)
• Relatability of Muppet identities:
  • Val identifies with Miss Piggy (“her only talent is her confidence…deep down she knows she stinks but the only play she has is never admit it.” 29:05–29:18).
  • Pete relates to Fozzie Bear, discusses “Kermits” as Woody Allen or Bob Dylan types—mid-affectionate, creative, elusive.
  • The couple likens their own dynamic to Piggy/Fozzie, celebrating mutual appreciation rather than “chasing a Kermit.”

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<a name="creativity-flow"/>

9. Creativity as Spiritual Practice & Flow (36:34–49:27)

• The Artist’s Way & the War of Art: Val explores the thesis that creativity is a spiritual calling—aligning with health and wholeness, and that anxiety/depression can be linked to creative block.
  • “The whole purpose here is to open the channel to creativity and collaborate with the creator…any misalignments...come from a lack of being connected to your creativity.” (Val, 36:20–37:17)
• Pete’s creative resistance: He voices reluctance to push certain projects forward unless they feel “essential”—reflecting on whether art really “changes the world.”
  • “If that project existed, the world would be exactly the same. It’s not adding anything—it doesn’t need to exist.” (Pete, 39:16)
• Bill Lawrence’s advice: “If you’re writing a script and any scene could be lifted out…the story would go the same—you don’t need that scene.” (Val recounting, 41:30)
• Creative routine as regulation: Val contemplates pursuing creativity as a daily practice for regulation and fulfillment, as opposed to constant self-analysis.

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<a name="metaphysics"/>

10. Metaphysics, Nonduality & the Art of Merging (49:27–61:50)

• Rupert Spira & nonduality: Pete waxes philosophical about oneness, knowing, and how “the art of living” is to experience beauty and love as unifying states.
  • “Beauty is recognizing that an object shares your inherent nature…you get lost in the sunset…for a moment, you weren’t there, it was knowing knowing itself as a sunset.” (Pete, 49:29)
• Creativity as cosmic expression: They riff on the idea that creativity is inherent to reality—a spilling over, a playful, messy dance.
  • “Rupert would say just because it’s its nature to overflow out of itself in the same way that it’s the sun’s nature to shine…” (Pete, 52:16)
• Direct experience: Pete describes “touching” sounds/feelings with an imaginary hand as an exercise to realize the non-separation of self and experience.
  • “Once you make love to it…you experience it…you have to merge with it.” (Pete, 57:16)
• Val’s attention lesson: A story from Tara Brach about a child’s compassion for ants after spending time observing them, illustrating the transformative power of focused attention.

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<a name="special-taping"/>

11. Behind-the-Scenes: Taping Pete’s Stand-Up Special (66:16–79:12)

• Emotional aftermath: Pete describes the build-up and immense vulnerability hangover post-taping his new special, likening it to planning a wedding.
  • “Taping a special is no joke…the amount of, like, just…you’re carrying all of this…” (Pete, 67:10–67:27)
  • He details parallels with previous specials: a tense or “stiff” first show, then a looser, energized second show, and how separating from Val’s comforting hug before the second taping was a pivotal, almost “warrior”-like moment.
  • “There was a key moment backstage…mad and nervous. And I broke away from you. Not in a rude way…The hug is for after the show.” (Pete, 73:47)
  • “You had to leave the Shire…obviously, I’m the Shire.” (Val, 77:18)
• Performance psychology: Pete recognizes he needs “to put himself in a hole” emotionally to unlock his best performances—i.e., using nerves or frustration as fuel.
• Catharsis and gratitude: The return to Val’s embrace after the show is depicted as more rewarding for the trial endured (“all heroicism is like pushing away the comfort in the interest of the shoulder-slumping, cry-face kiss…” (Pete, 76:49))
• Appreciation for collaborators: Shoutouts to director Ricky, Val, and Matt for their “sweet” support and for making the special possible.

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<a name="henson-purpose"/>

12. Back to Jim Henson, Purpose & Creative Sacrifice (79:12–end)

• Jim Henson and sacrifice: They circle back to Henson’s readiness to endure discomfort for creative service, seeing him as an emblem of devotion to something bigger than oneself.
  • “Jim Henson, in moments like that, knows that the Golden Ambrosia is on the other side of sticking yourself in a canister.” (Pete, 78:47)
• Closing affirmations:
  • “We missed you. Hope you had happy holidays and New Year time.” (Val, 79:39)
  • “Be excellent to one another.” (Pete, 79:50)
  • (Playful debate about the Bill & Ted/Wayne’s World origins of ‘be excellent’)

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Notable Quotes & Highlights

• “As old Mr. Rogers said, look to the helpers. And it's been so beautiful seeing the help.” (Pete, 02:45)
• “Water snakes are the most sexual thing anyone's making.” (Val, 09:31)
• “The greatest actor...can’t fake a smile for a photograph without the cheese trick.” (Pete, 17:22)
• “Creativity is a spiritual calling—aligning with health and wholeness.” (Val, 36:20)
• “If that project existed, the world would be exactly the same. It’s not adding anything.” (Pete, 39:16)
• “Beauty is recognizing that an object shares your inherent nature.” (Pete, 49:29)
• “Taping a special is no joke...while you’re leading up to it, you’re thinking…this is the haircut for the special.” (Pete, 67:10)
• “All heroicism is like, I’m going to push away the comfort in the interest of the shoulder-slumping, cry-face kiss.” (Pete, 76:48)
• “Jim Henson…knows that the Golden Ambrosia is on the other side of sticking yourself in a canister.” (Pete, 78:47)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:18 – Introduction and response to LA fires
• 03:34 – Intentional escapism and podcast tone
• 10:33 – Water snake/childhood lewd humor
• 14:39 – Church directory/family photo reflections
• 17:22 – Robert De Niro "cheese" story
• 23:40 – Jim Henson documentary, Muppet archetypes
• 36:34 – The Artist’s Way & creative flow
• 49:29 – Nonduality and merging with experience
• 66:16 – Pete’s special recording: process and psychology
• 73:47 – Breaking away from Val’s hug
• 78:47 – Jim Henson’s sacrifice for creativity

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Tone & Language

The episode maintains Pete and Val’s trademark blend of warmth, banter, tangential humor, sincerity, and spiritual/philosophical musing. It’s a conversation that feels both intimate and expansive—funny, nerdy, and affirming for fans old and new.

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For New Listeners

This episode encapsulates the idiosyncratic spirit of “We Made It Weird”: comedy as coping mechanism, deep dives on creativity, earnest autobiography, and living out weirdness in private and public. If you’re looking for both laughs and insight during challenging times, this one is both an escape and a meditation.

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Final note:
The episode ends with Pete and Val encouraging listeners to “be excellent to one another” and “keep it crispy.”

Transcript

[A]

You made it weird.

[B]

You made it weird. You made it with. Oh, yeah.

[A]

You made it weird. Yes, you did. You made it weird with Pete Holmes.

[B]

What's happening? Weirdos.

[A]

Weirdos.

[B]

I was gonna say everybody. It's been so.

[A]

It's been a minute.

[B]

Wild.

[A]

Yeah, it's been a minute. This is a great episode. We are obviously in an interesting time in the country, Val and I obviously, being here in California. Thanks to everybody who's reached out about us. We are doing fine. We live north of the city, so we've actually been seeing people that have been coming up from la, friends of ours, family. And it's been sort of a respite.

[B]

From the trouble, but it's been really hard and heartbreaking.

[A]

Heartbreaking and devastating. Yes.

[B]

To just see so many lives affected by these fires.

[A]

Yes. And it sounds. Or I'm worried it'll sound trite to be like, our heart goes out to them, but it truly does. We're with you. We're thinking about you and what we wanted.

[B]

Yeah. And I wanted to share this. So if you are, you know, like, us feeling sort of helpless and wanting to just wondering how you can help or if you are in LA and you need help. There are a lot of great resources that are coming up on Instagram, but one of them is like a Google Doc sheet that just has. It's constantly being updated with just different resources. So, like, where you can send your animals if you have to, like, be in a hotel or different shelters and places that. There are.

[A]

The Airbnb thing, too, you can get, like, if.

[B]

Yeah, if you are.

[A]

If you ping in L A, you.

[B]

Can ping in la.

[A]

Free.

[B]

Yeah. Airbnb is offering free places. So this is called. I don't know how to pronounce it, but it's M A L, A, N. Milan. Milan. So if you go. If you go to Mutual. If you go to. At Mutual Aid la on Instagram, you can get access to this Google Doc sheet that has updated resources and. Yeah. And then I also know baby to baby is doing a lot of really great stuff, like getting diapers, formula, like, all these things you don't think about when you, you know, when you really are processing that you don't have either access to your home or everything has been.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Is gone. So. Yeah, I just wanted to share, like, some way that. That we could help, because it's definitely. It's a. It's a big thing that's happening.

[A]

It's weighing heavy. It's weighing heavy for sure. And as old Mr. Rogers said, look to the helpers. And it's been so beautiful seeing the help and Absolutely. We even have friends that are like going down and checking on houses, getting things for people and stuff. It's been really beautiful.

[B]

Yes, that's right.

[A]

And as we've lost power and had people coming by, there's been like a sweet kind of communal aspect to it as well. But all that is to say we're feeling it and that's a great way to support.

[B]

Yep, that's right.

[A]

That being said, this is a pretty normal episode.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, it's not fire chat.

[B]

It's not. I think I've been appreciating getting little watching things or listening to things that give me a little break. So I hope that, that it's in.

[A]

The spirit of that being needed. I mean, in the middle of this, I did like an interview about something very silly and I was like, we were just like, let's just lean into sometimes entertainment, sometimes laughs. So this is a very lot of laughs up top and then also some. It's a classic. We made it weird.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If you've never listened to this, this is the bonus episode. Val and I catch up. Obviously we are life partners. I make the same, same joke as the episode and I'm going to be on tour, you know, go to PeteHomes.com for that. It seems silly, but we are going to run the ads. We hope you can support the show. It's how we pay the staff and everything. So, Katie, roll these ads. These are things we actually like and then we'll roll into the episode. Go ahead, Katie, do that thing. So I don't know how your holiday season was, but if they, your gifts were a little bit of a letdown, like maybe you got a novelty toilet mug, maybe a callus remover instead of the incredible, amazing, comfortable, stylish, perfect fitting, perfect looking clothes you wanted from Chubby's will fix that. Chubby's has you covered. Give yourself the gift of Chubby's and make up for that disappointing package underneath your holiday tree of choice. I personally love Chubby's. I'm obsessed with them. They're classic line swim trunk. I swim every day and I love their classic line swim trunk. They get so many compliments when I'm doing my New Year's Day river, cold, plunge, shout out, out. Then they look awesome. And they have. This is a game changer. A built in boxer brief liner that is super comfy. A lot of bathing suits don't have that extra length to the liner and it makes such a difference. They look amazing and they feel amazing and they're lightweight and breathable. Polos are so comfortable they make my other polos blush with embarrassment. What's more versatile and easy go to look than a polo or they're everywhere Pants everywhere. W E A R the funniest pun in clothing. They're everywhere pants. They're so comfortable and perfect for every occasion, work or just a lazy day at home, live streaming yourself, playing video games, or if your New Year's resolution is the gym, their ultimate training shorts are perfect. That's what you want to be working out in. Your squats will look great and you'll look great limping back to your car because you haven't done squats in six months. So for a limited time you can use code weirdo chubby shorts.com and you'll get 20% off. Don't miss out. Chubby's is here to help you take on 2025 in style, starting with the comfiest, most versatile gear you've ever worn. And for a limited time, our friends at Chubby's are giving us 20% off our listeners for 20% off with the promo code weirdo@chubby shorts.com that's 20% off your order with Promo Code Weirdo. Support our show and tell them that we sent you and no matter where the new Year takes you, Chubby's has the gear to keep you comfortable and looking your best. We're also brought to us by our friends at Mud Water. I am obsessed with Mud water because often in the middle of the afternoon I want a kick. But I don't want more coffee, which is like licking a car battery. It's too much. It's jolty. Mud Water is completely different. It's not just energy, it's energy in a warm, grounded feeling. Not too much caffeine. It's not jittery, it's earthy and solid. So when 3pm runs rolls around you can give yourself that extra boost without the jitters. Mud Water is organic, gluten free and vegan coffee alternative that's so chock full of goodness it's no wonder it makes you feel amazing. My energy is up and even more important, my sleep is improved now that I'm getting more natural energy and drinking less coffee. Powered by functional mushrooms and superfoods to boost your energy, your focus and your immune system. Every ingredient and Mud Water serves a purpose for a clean, natural boost. And their OG blend, which is what I like, contains their cacao and chai For a hint of caffeine, but also like a hot chocolatey kind of flavor. It's awesome hot. I also sometimes just throw it in my smoothie because I love the taste of it and I love the boost that it gives me. Lion's mane for focus, Cordyceps for natural energy, and both Chaga and Rishi to support a healthy immune system. Mud Water is like coffee's chill yoga loving cousin who just went on a spiritual retreat and came back wearing pink Crocs and won't stop telling everybody about it because they are Zen without the chitters. Jitters. Chitters. They're Zen without the jitters. Packed with adaptogens, antioxidants, and all those other fancy words that will make you feel superior to your coffee drinking friends. Head to Mud Water. M U, D W T R. Who has time for vowels? Mud WTR mudwater.com and grab your starter kit. For a limited time, our listeners get 43 up to 43 off your entire order. Free shipping and a free rechargeable frother. When you use code weird, that's up to 43 off your core. Your order with code weird@mud WTR.com after your purchase, tell them we sent you. Please support our show. Tell them that you got it from this one. Stay energized and refreshed all new year long because life is too short for anything less than natural, delicious energy. All right, everybody. Welcome to We Made It Weird.

[B]

Valerie, get into it.

[A]

Hello and welcome to We Made It Weird. It's the only show that gives you a bonus episode that you weren't expecting, hoping for, or needed. Where me and my life partner.

[B]

Oh, God, could you imagine? I don't mind that term, but it's.

[A]

Just my life partner.

[B]

This is not what we call each other.

[A]

Valerie and I are life partners. What if I said my partner in crime?

[B]

Oh, God, that made my witness worse.

[A]

You know those water snakes, they give you, you know, like a water snake? It's hard to hold it.

[B]

Yes, I know water snakes.

[A]

Those are wieners, right?

[B]

100%. And they're Fleshlights.

[A]

Put a water snake in a microwave for, I'm guessing like four seconds. Oh, that thing can't withstand more than four.

[B]

The plastic will melt.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you have a good four and you're almost. You're in business.

[B]

It's like, do you want.

[A]

You are my partner in crime. The crime is ruining water snakes.

[B]

Water snakes are the most sexual thing anyone's making.

[A]

So sexual.

[B]

Because they're. It's a fleshlight. Obviously. But then also too hot to handle.

[A]

Too cold to hold.

[B]

To hold it, you have to sort of, like, give it a Jerk. Jerking off.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We got dirty immediately.

[A]

It's not that dirty.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Jerking off. Jerking off. Of all the ways you can say it. Look at this. Jerk off. Well, that's pretty bad.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Wank.

[B]

Wank. I knew you were gonna say wank.

[A]

You knew I was gonna say wank.

[B]

Wanking is nice.

[A]

Feeding the chickens I've never cared for.

[B]

I have never.

[A]

You'. Have you ever heard feeding the chickens?

[B]

No, I've heard.

[A]

Have you never been feeding the chickens and been like. Because you put grain in your hand and you do a little.

[B]

Are you kidding me?

[A]

Jostle. Jostle. Look, the farming community has been sleeper hilarious for a very long time, and some farmer was out there shucking the. I know this is an audio podcast, but you shuck the corn also. That was. Oh, that was one of my questions on Hollywood Squares. Spoiler.

[B]

Ooh.

[A]

Was before toilet paper. What did we use to wipe our butts? And I said the answer was corn. But it.

[B]

Corn.

[A]

Corn. You see it coming out. Use it to get it away.

[B]

That's where the myth that corn doesn't digest comes from.

[A]

It was actually because you wiped too aggressively with corn, or as we call it, maize.

[B]

Nath is the life partner.

[A]

You are a true talent. I've missed you.

[B]

I've missed you.

[A]

I've missed you. I was gonna say everyone that listens to this podcast knows I'm obsessed with when things are over. And I think when you're in your 20s, that's your golden decade to correct people on Frankenstein's monster.

[B]

Right? Yeah.

[A]

Then I had another one. Do you remember what the other one was?

[B]

I know there was another one.

[A]

Oh, boy. But then maize. Like to know that the natives, the Native Americans, called corn maize.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is your first taste of a factoid. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like a weird flex that you're like. Or as they called it, maze.

[B]

It's like a. It's like a good joke area. It's one of those things that you learn and you put it in your pocket for, like, next time we have corn with my friends at the pub.

[A]

Or as we call it, I'm gonna.

[B]

Something about maize, and they're gonna love it.

[A]

It's always been funny.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think, because growing up, every time someone told me the natives called corn maze, it was completely humorless. So it became very dry, like a church laugh. You know what I mean?

[B]

Right. And then the thing is that There are corn mazes.

[A]

Amazemes.

[B]

Amazement. And that's gotta be a joke. Like people have maze.

[A]

I've certainly heard it.

[B]

But when.

[A]

But what I'm hearing, I'm not upset. When a maze maze.

[B]

When people. Again, going back to funny farmers, when they made the corn maze, did they know? Did they call it that? Did they make it that way?

[A]

Because it's a joke. That's hilarious.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

A farmer is growing corn.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then someone said, this is the scene in the movie. He's looking at an ear of his corn, admiring it. It's been a good season. Someone says, you know what the natives called it? And he goes, of course. Maize. And then he looks up and the camera follows his eye to the field of corn.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

We've also, at this point in the movie, established corn ain't selling like it used to.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The community is trying to buy his land for a shopping mall. JT Foxtrot is trying to buy his land.

[B]

Foxtrot.

[A]

A new Foxtrot Mall. Mr. Foxtrot. Isn't it true that employment goes down in areas where year malls pop up? So he doesn't want that fox drum.

[B]

No, no.

[A]

So he gets it. In that moment, I'm gonna build the world's best corn maze.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And he saves the community.

[B]

We figured out how to make field of dreams without baseball.

[A]

Do you remember? You've done it. You've found your way into my heart. The vacancy sign on my heart just switched to no vacant.

[B]

Wait, illuminate the. There's a light on the vacancy sign. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. It's weird that you turn something on to say that there's no more vacancy.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Yeah. You think you would turn it off, but that's not how it goes.

[B]

No. The given is that there is vacancy. And you have to effort when there's no.

[A]

No vacancy. Which gotta feel good as a hotel owner.

[B]

Which there's like some sort of metaphor there for like, you know, like, let your heart be like a hotel where the given is vacancy. It actually takes more effort.

[A]

Yeah. It's like it takes more muscles turn people away. We've probably said this a million on this podcast, but even as a kid when they were like, it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. And I was like, yeah, but it takes no muscles to just don't have a face.

[B]

Which is why you have that picture where you're doing total neutral. Have we talked about that?

[A]

I don't know. But my brother, who's with us, not.

[B]

In this room, but at Our house. Yeah.

[A]

Yes. We called that the lounge lizard photo. And the lounge lizard photo was the church portrait. So there was a church directory, which, I have to think back, growing up was probably, like, a hot social.

[B]

Oh, it was the yearbook for the church. We had one, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's a big deal.

[A]

It's a big deal. You want to look good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Not too good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Nobody's wearing a tuxedo, but look good.

[B]

God, if anyone wore a tuxedo to a church directory, I'm gonna do you one better.

[A]

Could anyone have any humor at all?

[B]

No.

[A]

Nowadays, I am positive I'm gonna say 40% of the photos have some comedy element.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Like a funny tie, a funny face.

[B]

Do you think there's something.

[A]

Yeah. An online directory, maybe.

[B]

Yeah, maybe a little. Maybe it's moved on.

[A]

Like, but my father would wear his. Like, I think he's wearing, like, a. I have the photo in the studio, in the podcast studio.

[B]

I know.

[A]

And my dad's wearing, like, a sweater and a sport coat.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

He looks like he's having a great time.

[B]

Yeah, he does. He has. He is a very good smile.

[A]

Good. Photogenic. Which is so funny because now that he's over 80, he just stopped. He won't do it.

[B]

He doesn't. What do you mean?

[A]

Every photo of my dad is mid him saying, just take the photo. Like, it's like in the middle of a. I'm not gonna. I gotta get. It's like, there's the picture.

[B]

Every picture I've seen of him recently. His mouth is slightly open.

[A]

He's doing a sentence. He's saying. It's a real flex. It's a real power move to be like, hello, girl. I look in your fucking. There it is. But when he tries. Very handsome, very photogenic. And he gave me a tip. Been feeling a lot of fondness to my dad.

[B]

What if the tip was say cheese?

[A]

Well, you know that Judd.

[B]

Who is it Al Pacino?

[A]

No, it's De Niro. Judd Apatow is taking a picture with Robert De Niro. Like, I don't know. It was a red carpet, but it was like a lot of people were taking pictures. And he. He's like. I hear like. And he's. This is Judd's bit, by the way. Full credit.

[B]

I love this bit.

[A]

What is that? And he leans into Robert De Niro and realizes that Robert De Niro is going, cheese. Cheese. The greatest actor, one of the greatest of all time. Can't fake a smile for a photograph without the cheese trick. Still leaning on the cheese trick.

[B]

That's one of my cheese favorite stories.

[A]

It's.

[B]

That ever existed.

[A]

It's unbelievable. It's a real treat.

[B]

Oh, my God, it is.

[A]

My father's tip was not the cheese tip. My father's tip was to laugh. And I know I've said this before, but, you know, for all of the psychology and unpacking that we've done with my family, which I'm very grateful for, and frankly, micro update here. Been feeling cleaner and freer than I ever have in my life. My therapy's been going wonderful, and with that comes, like, an easing up. Like, everything feels a little bit less complicated and wonderful. So then it can make it a little bit more clear. The gifts that you got from your parents. And one of them is. And this is not a fawn. And this is not a. That could be true. It's true. Remember, your brother was like, your dad didn't really teach, like, go get it. You know, like, go. Your dad. Your.

[B]

Well, what's weird, my dad was doing.

[A]

That, but he didn't self.

[B]

But, yeah, he. He, like, it wasn't like, the wisdom that he was gonna hand down to us.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Really.

[A]

Which is, you know, not to talk to. If you're uncomfortable, take it out. But, like, your dad downplays a lot of, like, I remember, I've told you this a million. He plays the piano really well.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I was like, I didn't say this, but I'm like, jesus Christ, you're incredible at the piano. And he was like, oh, I just picked it up here and there. And I was like, that's so weird.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because my dad would be like, practice, focus. You know what I mean? He wouldn't. Or if you played it cool, it would be so obvious that he's playing it cool. But your dad really did seem to be, like, deflecting. Like, that's not why I'm doing it. But it is. But it isn't.

[B]

Well, I think it is the church. There's like.

[A]

Yeah, there's something churchy about it.

[B]

There's like a. You know, like, all the glory to.

[A]

God, the pointing up. I told you that in my life. That was like, such a shift was to be like, it's not wicked or wrong or sinister to accept applause, but when I would lead worship and that would clap. This is appropriate, I suppose. You just, like, point to the sky. But even that is just so performative.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Just makes my vagina so dry.

[B]

I know. I. I know, I know, I know.

[A]

I love that you Just roll with that.

[B]

Yeah, I know. I remember even when I was, like, fully in the church thinking it was gross when, like, people would thank God in, like, that, you know, the way, like, when they would win a Grammy.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Like, and I thank God, and that's why.

[A]

Well, look, sorry.

[B]

I love the Snoop, you know, have you. I love we something. Listener, dear listener. Something that we've been enjoying is seeing how different our algorithms are with the memes that they give us.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And one of the memes that is going around my algorithm is a clip from Snoop Dogg's acceptance speech for something where he goes. And most, most of all, I'd like to thank me. I'd like to thank me for all the work I've done. I'd like to thank me for, you know, like, giving it 100% or whatever. And the meme is like, moms after. After Christmas.

[A]

Love a meme.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Love a meme. That's fantastic. Sorry, we're kind of going off the subject, but I feel like that's okay. I've been again. I get this really weird feeling when I'm looking at things on the Internet. I already feel like an old person. So everyone here knows I'm. I'm Trey. Pretty vocal about being off social media as much as I can. Sometimes when I'm on the road, my tip is just take it off your phone and then if you really need it, install it. It's so prohibitive. Like, I'll be sitting on the toilet for what I think is a long sesh. Turns out I'm there for less time than it takes to download YouTube, you know what I mean? So just maybe don't entertain yourself for five seconds.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And also, public service announcement. Full Andy Rooney, full old guy. What is going on with everyone? Watching videos, volume on, and making phone calls on speaker. This is another one of those things where, like, in the 90s, the most depraved thing you could do was be so self absorbed that you'd be talking loudly on a phone. Or. Or, you know what I mean? Like, I guess it wouldn't be the 90s, but the 2000s. You'd be like, oh, my God, what a. Like, set up that someone's a douche in an action movie.

[B]

Is. He's loud on the phone.

[A]

It's the guy in Die Hard. Hans Booby. I'm your white knight. That guy that gets shot. Spoiler. He's allowed on the phone guy. Cause he's just inconsiderate. That. And I've already said this, but like flipping through channels in a dark room, like someone who can't even watch one television channel. That's the most deprived thing in the world. And that's all we're doing. But that's all fine. Go. Go and go with God. Okay, Go with God. But I don't understand, like middle aged women, 22 year old men, everyone's just rocking speakerphone phone calls in an elevator.

[B]

Yeah. Like going through reels with the volume on.

[A]

And that too. And I'm sorry, but like in speakerphone.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Also the speakerphone.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Where they're just like, okay, I'm in an elevator. I'm gonna be in my room in a minute. This is a real call that I just heard. And I was like, where's your shame? Like, shame. Shame isn't one of the feelings in Inside out. And I think it should be.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

I'd like to, I'd like to make America shame again.

[B]

Well, embarrass or disgust I think covers shame.

[A]

And maybe it's not great, but like. And we've, we've covered this ad nauseam. But like if I, I'm so triggered by being feeling invisible or inconsiderate that if I order an oat milk latte and then they say, okay, what kind of milk? I'll Just for a flash I'm like, yeah, okay, you're my enemy.

[B]

So you're saying you're my enemy.

[A]

Oh, I see. You've made a insignificant enemy today, my friend. You're going to make me say oat twice. Here's another bit because I love doing the bits up top. Without a doubt, we're going to get into the, into something the needy, greedy. We watched the Jim Henson documentary. It's called Idea Man.

[B]

I don't know. I have a lot to say about that documentary.

[A]

I'm very glad. Duncan Tressel is great in it. But Jim Henson is obviously incredible.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I loved. He's almost like a Mr. Rogers kind of quality. He's so pure.

[B]

But he also isn't. That was the, the shock. Yeah.

[A]

Well, that leads to the bet.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he and his wife didn't vibe.

[B]

And like the kids remember him being up them fighting, fighting all night through.

[A]

A hotel door, like hearing them fighting. And they, they eventually got divorced. And there's no disrespect or shade here. I'm just saying, like Jim Henson sounds like Kermit the Frog.

[B]

Exactly like Kermit the Frog.

[A]

So can you imagine hearing through a wall like, shut up, bitch. Oh, is that what you want. You want half of my money? Well, come and get it. Cause it's right up your own ass. And she's like, hiya. I just like anything with that voice. We need to have a serious conversation. Your mother and I. Yeah. Or having a hard time.

[B]

It's not your fault. Anytime.

[A]

It is not your fault. Guys, I can.

[B]

Kermit, I could never. I couldn't get over it the entire documentary. Because he.

[A]

And Frank Oz, too, is.

[B]

And Frank Oz.

[A]

Ernie.

[B]

No, he was. Oh, I. When I heard him, he sounded exactly like Miss Piggy to me.

[A]

Like, he sound like Miss Piggy.

[B]

Like, obviously he's doing a higher register in that.

[A]

This is. Before we cared about casting like that, because now it would have to be an actual pig. But back then, it was Frank Oz.

[B]

Yeah. He was like, jim, I think we have to get a. I can't really do it.

[A]

You're making the bit funnier. They had meetings where they're like, I don't know if we're gonna.

[B]

How are we gonna get to ad this project? I don't know. The producers just pulled out.

[A]

They pulled out. The financing is gone. The finance. It is not easy being green. Another guy's looking at the. At the numbers. He's like. And Fozzie is Miss Piggy. Let's just say it. Similar voice.

[B]

Yeah, similar voice.

[A]

Hey, I can't do it. Not today. Not today, Satan.

[B]

Not today, Satan.

[A]

So go ahead. That was. That was the bit I couldn't wait to get out. I feel like there's a good chance that's a podcast bit. It's hard to get people to laugh. And he's so magical and wonderful. I almost don't want to, but it's pretty funny.

[B]

Yeah. I loved. I didn't really know. I. I remember hearing that, like, he didn't like the way that he got boxed in to being like, the puppet man. Well, yeah, but I didn't. That's all I knew. I didn't know that he made, like, trippy ass, like, short films.

[A]

Oh, yeah. I didn't either. I'm saying that, like, I did.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You ever try and get away with that? Oh, yeah. Even though I didn't either.

[B]

Totally. I definitely do that. And I really feel like I know when people are doing that.

[A]

Would you have known with me just now?

[B]

No.

[A]

No.

[B]

This is like when I was.

[A]

Yeah. I think I could have gotten away with it.

[B]

I'm always noticing what people are wearing. And you're like, close your eyes. What color is my shirt? Remember this on the pod no, this just happened. And I was like, green. It was red. Anyway, so I just got busted that. I don't. I don't.

[A]

I love it.

[B]

People are doing that.

[A]

But these numbers are plummeting. We are going to be bankrupt, people. Wake the fuck up. This isn't fucking funny. Everyone's laughing. No.

[B]

Why are you laughing?

[A]

It is really serious. Focus up.

[B]

Oh, Kermie. I really want to try to do Miss Piggy better.

[A]

Kermie.

[B]

I can't really do it. Oh, Kermie. Oh, Kermit. Oh, Kermie. I, I, I think there is a part of me and I wonder if you see Scrooge.

[A]

Scrooge. Scrooge. That nougat.

[B]

Scrooge.

[A]

You're welcome to just two lunatics trying out. Voices trying to do. Come on, man. I'll say it a million. I would never make this. No, it would never be. It won't. Bullshit.

[B]

Good.

[A]

It's too good.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I, I actually completely agree. It would want to keep it moving. It would be like, well, clearly people are going to want some sort of fact or something. And I'm like, no, the show is oh, Scrooge Tiny Tim.

[B]

That was good. That was really good. I do think this is a. This little side tangent, but I really feel in, like, my chorused core that I relate to Miss Piggy. I was thinking about this last night and I was like, but what about me really relates to her? Because that's not like.

[A]

Well, Kermit and Miss Piggy are the same. They're misfits. It's not easy being green. Every kid knows the feeling of not fitting in. And Miss Piggy, I think, is just the female version of that.

[B]

And I really related, like, the primary feeling that I had growing up was that I. That everyone around me, like, had a gift, like a talent, and I didn't really have a talent.

[A]

And that's. That's what they pointed out about Ms. Biggie, is that she's not good.

[B]

Her only talent is her confidence. Gravitas. Yeah.

[A]

And so she knows she stinks. Deep down, she knows she stinks. But all the only play she has.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is to never admit it.

[B]

And I think that's the way that I was when I was, like, 10. Like, 0 to 10.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I was like, you know, I was like the. The queen of the crop. What's that Cream?

[A]

Cream of the crop. Queen of the. Of the South.

[B]

I think I was just like the. I was just walking around that church in, like, platform shoes, and I would, like, lead the kids and songs And I was going big to, like, clueless. And I thought I was, like, as pretty as her. And I was very, like, confident.

[A]

You're going piggy.

[B]

I was going piggy. And then adolescence just was, like, too hard of a reality check that I never really came back from.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But I really think there is a. There is a version of me that still lives in there that is like, totally Miss Piggy. And here's another way.

[A]

I wouldn't love you if you didn't have some Miss Piggy in there. I love a Miss.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

I love Miss Piggy.

[B]

Thank you. But. But I also relate to her. Her unrequited affection for the good looking guy, for.

[A]

For the cool. Well, that's why I've been chomping at the bit quietly over here, because I have a lot of feelings about Kermit. I'm not a Kermit. I would like to be a Kermit. But to me, Kermit is Chalamet. Kermit is. Bob Dylan is a Kermit. I think Kermit.

[B]

I was like a scandal noted. A Woody Allen. That's how I think of him.

[A]

I'm gonna agree.

[B]

Similar to Bob Dylan, though, but.

[A]

Oh, shots fired. I'm just kidding. I just think the scandal shrouds Woody so much that I don't think you can say, you know, like, Bob Dyl.

[B]

Dylan, you mean, like. Because then that's saying that Bob Dylan.

[A]

By the Transitive Property. We're not saying Woody Allen's a genius songwriter. Have you heard him on the clarinet? Jk. Anyway, put that to one side. Who cares? What I'm saying is there's like a. Well, first of all, Kermit's skinny, so I feel like to be a Kermit, you had to have been skinny. And I know that might be silly, because to be a piggy, you don't. Because she's big boned, as we would say in the 80s. But you don't have to be a big bone to be a Miss Piggy. I'll concede that. But I feel like there's something. Kermit is. Whoops, Am I. Am I fascinating? You know what I mean? Oh, you found my journals. And I accidentally wrote Tale of Two Cities.

[B]

You're right.

[A]

And I am Fozzie. I have a rubber chicken. I have a scarf. I'm wearing my dad's borrowed hat. And I'm going up and I'm like, hey, would you. I can't do it, but we can all hear it.

[B]

I do love a Fozzie.

[A]

I love Fozzie.

[B]

I love.

[A]

He's the best.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then Joe derosa is Gonzo. I mean, that's all we. All we know.

[B]

That's all we can say.

[A]

All we know is Joe derosa and Al Pacino are gonzo.

[B]

Or is Joe derosa the. The like crab or like. What is that thing?

[A]

Oh, he's a prawn.

[B]

The prawn. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. I don't think Joe's the prawn.

[B]

No, you're right.

[A]

He's gonzo.

[B]

You're right. But I. I do think, like, if I Miss Piggy, I was. I. There have been times in my life where I've been, like, chasing the Kermit, who is just like sort of mid level interested in me.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And I'm just like, hi, I love you.

[A]

Can I say I relate so hard to Miss Piggy and being like, oh, imagine. Imagine getting in there.

[B]

Yeah. Starting to sound like Lara bites.

[A]

Lara Bytes is doing a very good new take on sort of that energy. I don't even want to say it's a Miss Piggy energy, but that gravitas, that's one of the things that makes Lara so funny.

[B]

Yes. But then I love for myself that I ended up marrying a Fozzie because you don't want to marry somebody who's not that interested in you.

[A]

No.

[B]

You want the fuzzy who's like, I can't believe my luck. I can't do that.

[A]

Sounded like Miss Piggy, though.

[B]

That was good.

[A]

That's what I know.

[B]

I love this.

[A]

Mike Birbiglia has trained, trained, trained, coached, suggested that his daughter, when they say, what does daddy do for a living? She goes, walker. Walker.

[B]

Which is a very old. Like that was what she did when she was 2.

[A]

Yeah. I'm sure she. Now she's probably rolls her eyes and she's like, well, where to start?

[B]

I do like that.

[A]

Jk. Mikey.

[B]

What I was gonna say about the doc is, first of all, I think I will forever remember watching it because it was not to get too much into this part, but because, like, there are these fires happening in LA and it's just a very stressed out.

[A]

Yes. Just so you know. I think we'll talk about that in the intro.

[B]

Yes, I figured we would. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

This'll be after we cover the morning of that.

[B]

But. So it's been like a very sad, tense time. Like my body has been so stressed out just checking in on friends and feeling really helpless that, like, so many of my friends are going through such a hard time and there's nothing really much I can do right now for them. So that's the, like, state my nervous system has been in for the last two days. And then your brother came last night because he lives in LA and he's coming to find refuge and he suggested that we watch the documentary, which I wanted to see. And I had just totally forgotten about it. And the, like, it really was the gift of, like, film. And in the best way where I was transported, like, for that hour and a half.

[A]

Yeah. We were just in the 70s making puppets.

[B]

Yes. And I. And remembering the, like, very specific heart warmth that comes from the Muppets. Like, it's such a specific feeling that's the through line through all of the Muppets stuff that, like, my body just knows and, like, rested in. It was like, oh, this room. The walls are felt and everything is soft and beautiful colors and, like, I can just take a little nap in this room. And it felt so good. And I really was so inspired by the creativity. And this is the main little nugget that I wanted to talk about is, like, I, I, I'm not going to say I'm doing the artist's way. There's been a pause. I've done the artist's way.

[A]

I was on the way.

[B]

I was on the way.

[A]

Lost my way.

[B]

I've lost my artist's life way. But I, I had done it part of it before. And, you know, sort of the thesis of that. It's very Steven Pressfield to the get out there or the war of art.

[A]

The war of art. Get it right.

[B]

It's like your, your whole, well being, like your whole purpose here is to open the channel to creativity and collaborate with the creator.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Or the creative energy that made this whole life happen. And you can either flow with that or you can ignore and resist it. But, like, all these things, like, you know, and this is oversimplifying their work and I'm so, I'm, I understand it's not this simple, but I'm just expressing the thesis of, of this, which is like, any misalignments, like, anxiety, depression, even a lot of, like, chronic pain or physical cases, they would say comes from a lack of being connected to your creativity.

[A]

Right. The artist way says that as well.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

And, and I mean, yeah, I think.

[A]

There'S something to that. Can I, I do.

[B]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. But, yeah, jump in.

[A]

I'd love to jump in because I was just talking to somebody. I was talking to our friend Sam yesterday because One of the. I don't want. I won't even say silver linings. But one of the things that has been very loving and sweet about this trying California time is that, you know, where we are, a lot of people lost their power. And so they were coming to our house, and there we were, like, hanging out, and it was very communal and very sweet. And there's a baby crawling around, and Leila's playing with a little friend, and I'm hanging out with Sam, and Ariela's at the table doing her work, and you're in the office doing her. And it was just like, oh, wow.

[B]

Loved it.

[A]

I love how forced together we are. And we kept talking about that. I was like, we could just do this, but for some reason, we don't. We don't want to be embarrassed. We don't want to be impolite. We don't want to impose all these things. But we were talking about creativity. And, you know, I'm really fascinated now that I've had ideas, even ideas that are completely fleshed out and even in some cases, written, like, kind of done, like, in the tweaking stage. And then I. We've. You've heard me talk about this, These projects on the show a lot. Why am I dragging my feet? Why won't I just do it? And, like, people would be like, oh, you know, or have conversations. Maybe it's a fear of success. Maybe you don't want your life to change. You know, that's one of those early things. It's like, you don't want to be, like, better than your friends, do you?

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

And I get that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I didn't think that was it in my case, because I'm already way better than my friend Jake. Hey. But. But the truth of that joke is that I have. I've already gotten over the fact, like, I can be a creative person. I'm okay with that. So I didn't think it was.

[B]

Given yourself that permission.

[A]

Totally. Right. And then I was like, you know, what it is, is, like, if that project. And it's not just one project, it's several. If that project existed, the world would be exactly the same.

[B]

Oh, interesting.

[A]

Did I not tell you this?

[B]

No.

[A]

Yeah, I've had that. Like, one of the movie ideas in. In particular. I was like, why won't I push this? I was like, because if it existed, the world would be the same. It's not adding anything. It's not. It doesn't need to exist. Whereas Val and I are working on a show right now. And I'm like, that needs to exist. It would heal people. It would touch people, would also entertain and make people laugh. But it's also like, the world would be different if that show exists. So, like, even something so it doesn't have to be, you know, whatever some example of Shakespeare, big mouth changed the world. A show like that about puberty that really looked at puberty in an honest and deeply funny way. The world was different and then changed. How every cartoon will be. It'll be a post big mouth idea.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because it'll. It'll at least it'll be an option to be that extreme and that loud and that wild and that honest and all that sort of stuff. So I was like, now that I'm 45, I. And I'm feeling myself, it's harder for me to get jazzed about ideas. I'm not just a young man playing any bucket like a drum. I'm just like, I want to do things that are me going. Answering a call, like you're saying, like answering something sort of divine like this feel. Even if it is like big mouth, this feels like what I should be doing. This feels like I'm uniquely equipped to make this. And I think that's why I get stodged up on so many ideas and can't move forward is because I'm like, because if that thing already existed, everything would be the same.

[B]

Yeah. That's really interesting. Well, a couple things about that. One is Bill Lawrence, the creator of Shrinking Ted Lasso, Spin City, which I didn't know he created Spin City. And I used to love Spin City Scrubs. He. He says if. What does he say? He says, if you're writing a script and any scene could be lifted out and it and the story would go the same, then you don't need that scene. So I can. I'm thinking of it in terms of like a life, if you have a life. And any.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What you're saying is like, if any project could just be lifted out and nothing would be changed, then, like, don't invest your time and energy in that project. But I also do wonder. Just let's play in this pool for a little while and see how it maybe works with or against what you just said. I really have been feeling. I've been enjoying adopting sort of the creativity as my spiritual practice world view that is taught in the artist's way, where it is like, is it really that simple that we just are. We were created in a creative reality and we were born to keep Creating in whatever way that looks, that can look like, like so many different things, but like, you know it. And I'm sure a lot of the people listening know it just sort of that flow state that you get in where you feel like a clear channel and you feel like something is being handed to you and you are documenting it by making it as quickly as you can. And, and it's also like not that effortless. Often it's very effortful.

[A]

But it's J.K. rowling on the train to London where she thought of Harry Pot Water in its entirety, I believe.

[B]

Yeah. And you just are. And then you, you know, there's like really hard moments, but that kind of hard feels very different. It feels like good. Like you wanna, you want to. It's like explain exercising.

[A]

It's how I've been in my experience told exercising can be.

[B]

But I'm just like, I'm wondering if it's that simple. And like, so instead of me being like, okay, like, how do I, you know, giving my energy to all these different other ways of regulating. I'm. I'm not saying I fully believe this, but I'm like, what if instead of being like, how do I regulate, what do I do with my anxiety? Like, how do I process all of my trauma so that I can like, you know, move past it? Like, I do think there is a place for that. But I'm, but I also am wondering if I'm in the stage of my journey now where I'm like, what if I just put all my energy into clearing that channel.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that I can be creative and showing up for my creativity every day, at least for a little bit of time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And will. And what I have, what I do know, and I've said this on the podcast before, is like when I was making my short film and every stage of that, I noticed my body didn't hurt. I didn't have the same aches and pains. I didn't feel scared of life in this sort of low hum way that I do all the time. Otherwise, like, I felt like bold.

[A]

And you had purpose.

[B]

I had purpose. And I felt like playing and I felt like it was.

[A]

And you were participating. Yeah.

[B]

So that was the thing that struck me about Jim Henson is I think someone even says, like, I don't think he was afraid of anything. Creativity creatively. And it really seems like if the documentary is to be believed, he didn't. He wasn't the type of person who had like a lot of anxiety or neuroses.

[A]

No, it was except about being boxed in.

[B]

Like, stopping his flow, stopping his creativity. Yeah, so that's the question that.

[A]

No, I was inspired by that, for.

[B]

Me was, you know, because I am in this. I can get in this zone where I do feel like the scary story that I'll tell myself is I'm too afraid to ever really do anything. Like, I'm just too small and afraid. And I'm like, watching him not seem to have any of that. I'm wondering, like, it's a chicken and egg thing, you know, like, is he not afraid? Is he creative because he's not afraid? Or is he not afraid because he is prioritizing his creativity?

[A]

Was this in the documentary that Paul McCartney said, I never did therapy. I always just did music because I heard that somewhere else. Then it seems very similar. Like, he was so in his flow and all that sort of stuff I did with any documentary, I always get a slight feeling of. I'm like, I don't think you're giving me the whole picture here.

[B]

And that's possible.

[A]

Which, of course, there's a whole. I'm not saying it's some dastardly secret. I'm just saying, like, there was a lot of. Like, there. You know, I don't. There was a lot of. This is a dead icon. That's all. I'll say it's a dead icon. People are going to be dead iconing.

[B]

And it's made by Ron Howard, who is just like. He's not gonna be like, let's find the. The shadow.

[A]

And I didn't want that either. That's why we all tuned in. None of us wanted the tell all. Yeah, I have a couple thoughts about that. One of them, I was like, you know, speaking sort of big picture. I think for a lot of people, what we consider art, writing, music, painting, photography, whatever poetry, whatever it might be that might be the right. That might be how they engage in the flow of the world. I'm just putting back to you as the thought experiment. I'm like, I feel like some people, their lives might just be their art project.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

And it's like it never even crosses their mind to write it down or create it or showcase it. But I'm also like, I feel like the divine agenda of creating and expressing and exploring and evolving and growing. I think everybody's involved in that, including the stiffest stiff in Boise, Idaho, that just works and sells insurance or whatever. I'm just trying to say something ordinary. Their life can also be art, and they can also be in the flow or not in the flow. So I can get very liberal with that same. The problem. I know you can. The problem is I'm like, I bet that guy in Boise selling insurance would probably enjoy a directed. Like, I'm gonna make something out of nothing. Like, your life can be art.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then it's like. But then there's something about looking into the portal and becoming like a blank piece of paper and saying, like, what would you like to write on me?

[B]

Exactly. Yeah. No, I think we are creating a life every moment. So I don't think it does have to be anything like, outside of that. I do think the one trick of, like, if you're gonna keep that channel open and be creating a life, the only thing you have to do is really be seeing it that way.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I do think I can speak for myself. There's been huge swaths of my life where there. That all felt really blocked up and not like that channel was not open and I was. I was creating a life, but it didn't feel like a. Yeah, you know what I mean?

[A]

Look, I'll talk out the other side of my face and be like, yeah, someone else could make a documentary about an. Like a very dull, dull. You know what I mean? Person and find the art in it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I don't know if it's just like everybody's doing. I don't know. I don't know.

[B]

Well, I think you are pointing to something which is that it doesn't have to be like you're writing or painting or whatever, like these. The art. I do think it's more about a state of being that people do. Truly. I know we made the joke, but, like, get from exercising or like, you know, riding their bike cross country or.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Climbing mountains.

[A]

Well, okay, so Rupert Spira Alert talks about in the non dual understanding. It's like beauty is recognizing that an object shares your inherent nature, that everything is made of the knowing of it, including you and your body and your mind and including a sunset. So there's this recognition and then love is recognizing that you and I share our essential nature. So it's not a relationship. It's the dissolving of relationship is what he would say. It's standing sort of naked as the exact same thing. Same with beauty. You see a sunset and you merge with it. We even use words like that. You get lost in it. Get lost in the sunset. It's because for a moment you weren't there. It was just knowing. Knowing itself as a sunset. So there's this selfless or unifying quality. So love and beauty being like, that's the art of living. So I think if you're living in a way that's conscious and mergy, that that is art no matter what you're doing.

[B]

Yes, I agree with that. And that's interesting because that. I'm wondering if it's just one of the ways, like, if when we are, the things that we like, really love, that sort of align us and give us that fulfillment might be things that mirror the nature of reality, which is love. So loving is like the number one. We feel so good when we're falling in love, when we're get, you know, when people are actively loving us. Because the truest nature of reality is love. Okay? But then also we love stillness because the truest nature of reality is totally still and present. You know, we love the ocean because a true nature of reality is this sort of in and out, in and out, in and out. You know, and then we love creativity because, you know, there is a mysterious force that will make a green shoot come out of ashes. And we don't know what that force is, but that is the nature of reality.

[A]

Right, this. So to mythologize it a little bit, there's a God that is completely sustained, content, perfect and whole, and yet it elected to divide and split and dance and forget. And this is all just sort of like a metaphor, obviously, but it's like in the name of creativity or in the name of exploration, or in the name of, like, Leela's name, play or.

[B]

Dance, which I would think all of those things fall under creativity. Sorry, go ahead.

[A]

Rupert would say just because it's its nature to overflow out of itself in the same way that it's the sun's nature to shine. The one's nature is to play and express and spill over. And it's sloppy and it's messy and it can be scary and it can be all these things, but then there. I'm totally with you. But I love this conversation because I'm like, yeah, so there's something very similar if we go with the consciousness only model, right? That. That God is consciousness, that God is the knowing of behind all knowing. And we think like, but how did God create anything out of anything? It's like, I always think it's crazy that you can do that too. You can hear the sound of a violin in your head, or you can picture Babe Ruth's tiny legs. You can picture. And so you're doing. You are conjuring up. Thoughts are, well, springing out of you constantly, feelings are coming and going. You are created and you are creating, and you are creation, and it's not that far from going. How could one perfect knowing make a universe? It's like, that's what we're doing.

[B]

That's what we're doing.

[A]

That's what we're doing. And the only way that the universe is known is with knowing, which is just more of the same stuff. If you think that matter is real, it's hard to think, how could one knowing make matter when you consider that matter is only known by knowing. And I know this is getting kind of trippy. I just mean I touched that this pillow. And the only experience I have of it is knowing the feeling of it. And the feeling of it is made of knowing. I know this is really trippy. But then matter isn't really a thing. It's a. It's. It's a. It's a modulation or it's the activity of knowing. It's. It's knowing. Momentarily dancing as a feeling and momentarily dancing as a texture and momentarily dancing as a feeling. Thought or. And you realize, boy, you really touched on something I love talking about. You realize that, like, today we were talking about how smelling, how drinking is more immediately satisfying than eating. Like, if you're really thirsty, you drink and you feel it. But it's so weird that, like. Oh. Actually, what brought it to mind was that smelling is tasting. Like you smell something and you kind of know what it tastes like, but really look at the data, look at the raw input of that. Smelling is tasting. It's both knowing. One is something you know, and you say, that's a smell. One is something you know, and you say, that's a taste. And they both.

[B]

Yeah. Trace it back.

[A]

And where are they happening?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In the same place. My voice is happening in the same place right now for everyone. As your thought about what I'm saying, you might be thinking, this is nonsense. Well, this is nonsense is overlain. It's blurred. It's in the same field, for lack of a better term, as your feeling of your butt in your seat, as your thought, as this sound. And really, sight is just the most elusive one. It's the most seductive one. But sight is also just knowing. It's funny that I talk to you where I'm like, I don't know what I care about, and then I start talking about this and I get real lit up.

[B]

No, you really do get. It's also so funny because I'm with you. I. I mean, as you Were speaking. I was. I really went there. So I know everything you're saying. But it also is. When it's not totally your mode, it's. It can sound really dry. And I think I'm just. It's. It's crazy that it's taken me this long to realize, like, this is your offering. Is that you get so worked up.

[A]

About something that's really dry.

[B]

About something that's really dry.

[A]

I'm the only one that's shouting about it. Yeah. No, I'm. I say what Rupert and other teachers that I love are saying. But I. I shout it.

[B]

You're, like, so excited.

[A]

And it's not performative. It's because I believe it. But Rupert would say if you're. If you're. It's easy with a sound. For some reason. If you hear like a bird chirping in the distance or my voice or whatever, it's like. He says, reach, close your eyes. Hear the sound of my voice, and then reach out an imaginary hand. He says this. He goes. Made of pure sensitivity and touch. What sound is made of? It's such a helpful exercise. Or touch what a feeling is made of. Like, you might be like, I'm a little hungry. Go and touch what is what you're labeling Hungry made of. And then go touch what the sound of a bird is made of. And you really start to get. It's a tantric experiential knowing. Not just a. A fun philosophy. An experience lived in. Knowing that a feeling and a sound and a thought. A sensation of perception. All of these things are only made of the knowing of them. Which is the most boring thing you can say and is the most exciting thing you can say.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Once you kind of. This is gonna sound crass, but, like, you make love to it. Like, you experience it.

[B]

Well, yeah.

[A]

You have to merge with it. That's why I'm not surprised. Tantra is a type of lovemaking.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which is very like, let's merge and let's recognize that all that's happening is. It is very sexy. So there's something about.

[B]

Yeah. Because it's. It. It's funny. It's the opposite of how it sounds. It's like if you just are thinking about this as a concept, it is incredibly dry and void. Like, it's the least sexy sounding kind of.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

But if you are experiencing it, then it's like to. To reach out a hand of pure sensation, sensitivity, and touch. Sound. The sound of a bird is to be so much with that sound.

[A]

That's what I mean, it's that, like.

[B]

Yeah. Everything is so vibrant and alive and getting your full attention. Yeah, it's.

[A]

No, you're absolutely right.

[B]

It's making me think of Tara Brock talks about this thing about intention where she. Her son, got an ant farm and just spent, like, hours and hours watching these ants, you know, move. I might be getting the details of the story wrong, but the message is the same. And then he went to school that day, and she picked him up, and he was crying, and he said the kids at school were stomping ants on the sidewalk. And it's like, if he hadn't had that ant farm and given his focused attention to the way ants live and really, like, merged with them in this way, he never would have noticed that.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So it's just, like, how powerful it is to give life our full attention.

[A]

It is. And there's also. See, this is. I love that. So beautiful. So I don't want to feel like I'm changing or going back a click, but there's something.

[B]

But. But I heard that story in the knowing. Sorry, I just go back to the point of the knowing.

[A]

You're. The sound of you telling that story was bringing me back to the more interesting thing. I'm just kidding. No. When you were talking about that merging. And again, in the interest of making this more alive and interesting, it's a little bit like. It's not sneaky, but it's indulgent. If you hear a bird chirping and you close your eyes and you. You're asking yourself, what is that sound made of? And you're trying to run an imaginary hand through it, and you're saying, where does that sound take place? And recognizing that it takes place in you, and that it takes place as you. That it's made of the knowing of it and that you are made of the knowing, and you are the same thing as that sound.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

My body is a. Is like a series of sensations.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I experience those in the exact same way as I experience a bird chirping. And that is merging. That's recognizing that me and the sound of a bird are experienced differently through thought. I tell myself, I am not that bird.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm not that bird. That bird isn't one of my thoughts. How do I know that? Well, you heard it, too. All right, well, now we're getting pretty lava lamp, pretty chunky, funky. But if you didn't hear the bird and I did, I would say, oh, I guess it was one of my thoughts. And. And it would be exactly the same to me, right? It's like this test. I always think about this as when I say lemon, like the fruit. A lemon. A lemon. You see a lemon. I know I always talk about this, but they proved this. They had people. Science got curious. They had people looking in a visor, looking at a blank white screen. And they would say, one of the things they would ask is if at the end of the experiment, did we project anything? Like, did we put anything on the screen? What did you see on the screen? And they would say, lemon. And they would for half a second flash a lemon. And then they would say, did we project anything on the screen? Of course, they would camouflage the experiment better than that. And everyone would say no, because they couldn't discern the difference between a screen flashing a lemon or your mind flashing a lemon. And the whole non dual thing is like, what's the difference? What is really the difference is no out there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

There is no lemon on the screen or lemon in your mind. All of these boundaries and borders, and that's what love is, is recognizing. No boundaries, no borders. I am a bird tweeting. Let's do some ketamine. All right, we'll go to the. We'll go to the mids here and then when we come back, we haven't talked about my special. I wanted to talk a little bit about how that went. And then we'll bid you adieu. But as I always say, this show is sponsored, literally. Katie is paid, the lights stay on. Joe is paid, all our people by these ads. So if any of these are up your alley, they're things we really love. Give them a try. Katie, roll that beautiful bean footage. I don't know what your New Year's resolutions are, but if it's not to get a bidet, a tushy bidet in your life, then you're doing it wrong. Everybody out there listening. You need a bidet. You need a bidet. You need a tushy bidet. Wiping your butt with some paper and calling it a day is not enough. Get some nice pressurized warm water on your butthole. You heard it here first. I hope you didn't hear it first. I hope you already have a tushy bidet. Guys, if you're convinced that the best version of yourself is what you are right now, when you don't have a bidet, you're wrong. All that hair, the spicy wings. Come on, do yourself a favor, get a bidet. It's a resolution that isn't a pain in the ass. Tushy bidets fit on your toilet in under 10 minutes, improving your health and saving you time and money every time you bomb that bowl. And what point did we decide having like a plunger in a wet grocery bag just sitting by your toilet was okay? It's not okay. And since I've had this tushy bidet using way less toilet paper, which is great for the environment, great for my bod, it also means so many fewer clogs. I haven't had one. No more clogs because you don't use as much paper. It's amazing. It's. I mean, often the paper is just an afterthought. Do you understand? You're just kind of checking the work and the work is good. I love my tushy bidet. It is a game changer. Once you try it, you're going to be grossed out that you ever didn't have one because it's so much more clean, it's so much more hygienic, and it's honestly just the only way to do it. Tushy is the modern bidet attachment that instantly transforms your bathroom habits and your butt health for life. The tushy bidet easily attaches in under 10 minutes. No need for additional plumbing or electricity. Washing with the precise stream of fresh water removes 99% of bacteria compared to wiping with toilet paper. Think about, if you had poop on your hand, would you just wipe it with paper? You gotta get water in the mix. Get water in the mix. Installation is simple, takes about 10 minutes. Tushy bidet gives you two in one benefits. Reducing irritation and preventing micro tears with soothing water instead of scratchy toilet paper. And you gotta get. You got to do it. I think I've oversold it. Just do it. Support the show and support your butthole. Instantly improve your health from the bottom up. For a limited time, our listeners get 10% off their first bidet order when they use code weird at checkout. That's 10% off your first bidet code. Your first bidet order@hello tushy.com with promo code weird. We're also brought to us by our friends at Magic Mind. No surprise. Got a box right here on my table. It is the biggest life hack game changer I have ever discovered. You know, you see me talking about it on social media. Why? Because I love Magic Mind so much. It is a performance drink. It is not just coffee. It's not just going to shoot you to the moon. It's got Matcha, which is just the right Amount of caffeine. It's got adaptogens, which help you calm down and relax and feel natural. It's got nootropics, which help you think, or nootropics, depending on who you ask how to pronounce that. And it even helps your immunity. And it tastes fantastic. I take a magic mind always 15 minutes before I go on stage, 15 minutes before I do this podcast. I even sometimes take one in the middle of the day just because it's a wonderful little boost, a little bit of caffeine, about as half. Half a cup of coffee. But the adaptogens smooth you out, dial you in. Don't expect jittery, expect focus. It's like flow state in a bottle. And you can get 20% off your first order using promo code WEIRD at MagicMind co. That's MagicMind co use promo code WEIRD for 20% off. Back to the show. All right, we're back. So we're already close to an hour here. So we won't dally.

[B]

We won't dally.

[A]

We shan't dally.

[B]

You.

[A]

These numbers need to be going up. Am I the only one thinking about the shareholders? My ping pong eyes are up here. They were looking at his dick. I don't know. I don't know. I just wanted to say that I filmed my special and since then, to start there, they went great, went fantastic. And then the feeling since I've just been waiting to come back to life. I've been waiting for some and I'm just like, mushroom. And now that I'm. I don't know if it's because I'm older or if it's because I'm just getting more honest with what a labor, like a child bearing labor it is to, like, push a project over a mountain. But, like, now that I am a little bit more in touch with my feelings and everything, I'm like, oh, my gosh. Taping a special is no joke.

[B]

No joke.

[A]

It's no joke.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The amount of like, just. I won't go on and on about it, but, like, while you're leading up to it, you're thinking, like, I'll get a haircut. This is the haircut for the special. It's what makes it fun too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it's a little bit like planning a wedding. This is my jacket. This will be the jacket for the special. This will be the shirt for the special. It'll be the city for the special. This will be the set for the special. And you're carrying all of this. And Then when it's done, I would have liked to say that it was the special instant. Like, ah. But I've been processing it.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

I can't even look at it. Ricky sent me a cut. I'm like, I can't even look at this. There's such a vulnerability hangover. I watched a little bit. Ricky, if you hear this, just to see the angles and it looks great, but it's funny. I also. The big thing I wanted to share was listeners of the show will remember that when I did my special, I'm not for everyone in Minneapolis. The first show, the AC was off. I was sweaty and it wasn't very good. I was in my head. And then the second show was very, very good. This one, incredibly similar. The. The crowd, by the way, everyone who was there was amazing. I did notice that because it was like a 7 o' clock show on a Friday, People were having a hard time getting there. So there were, like, empty seats, even though the show was sold out. And the vibe in the room was a little bit like, we made it. We made it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It wasn't, like, easy for them to get there.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So that was a consideration. I'm like, we should have done 8 o'. Clock. But anyway, went out, started doing the show and was fine, but also very in my head, very like, this is it. This is the special. And like, Nightmare of Nightmares. I'm in the first five minutes and I'm like, what's the next part? And just for half a second, I was like, I don't know. And I couldn't remember it. And just luckily just kind of surrendered to that and trusted that my body knew the next part. It's like, let the throat do it. Don't let the brain do it. And then the throat. I've done the special so many times this hour. So many times. It picked up the slack and it kept going.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it was very. Not quite, what do I do with my hands? But it was like, where do I stand? Where's the spotlight end? Oh, I wish I could walk out to the edge. I love walking out to the edge of stages and leaning over. The crowd can't do that because it'll be a bad shot and I'll be out of the light and thinking these thoughts.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Thinking about weirdly famous people who like my standup. And I'm like, they're gonna see this. This is the special.

[B]

Doing it while you're on the stage.

[A]

While I'm doing it, going like, it's not Billy Joel, but I'M like, I wonder if Billy Joel will like that bit. So in my head, yeah, still doing it, but feeling this weird energy of the lateness of the people. Maybe probably projecting that, but mostly just feeling kind of stiff. But this is the fascination. The reason I mentioned the one in Minneapolis is I'm like, maybe that's just how it has to go. You do two shows, you do one word perfect and you end up using some of that.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And then the second one, I go out mad. Now this is. This, I think is. This is a little embarrassing, but this is how I really think about doing stand up comedy. There's an athletic component and there's even like a war, like battle component. And we're about to go out and in between show one and two, the weirdest thing is like my manager and my, you know, you guys, everybody was like, that was great. And in my mind I'm like, that was not great. That is not what I want, obviously. What are you going to say? You have to. But also, you also thought it was great.

[B]

It was better than you think because you were in your head. You weren't there.

[A]

I wasn't even there.

[B]

We were there.

[A]

I wasn't even there.

[B]

And my perspective of it is that it's really good to have. I. I told you, I was like, if I was directing this special, I would say you should do one that's so clean. So like mid energy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it's not like extreme.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And we'll end up using that and like word perfect. Like, let it be the one that is the playing the music. Let it be the Bert. And then the second show can be the Ernie and you can play knowing that you have the Bert. Yeah.

[A]

Gotta get the Bert first, though.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But for me, I was shocked that I was like, weird. I've been doing this 20 some years. This is my sixth special, if you count my album. And I'm like, okay, shouldn't I be used to this? Shouldn't I be able to go out and do the first one? Fine. And then I was like, I think I have to put myself in a hole, even if that hole doesn't exist.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

That's what I'm saying.

[B]

It's the Michael Jordan.

[A]

That's why I'm embarrassed to say. But I'm going, I'm fabricating it. And there was a key moment backstage where I'm like, mad. Like I feel mad that I didn't fucking tear it up. And then I go get mad. Yeah, I heard, like, I didn't really hear a voice, but it's all knowing anyway. But I heard a voice that was like, get mad. I want you mad, and I want you nervous. And I was like, oh, I have the chills. Cause I'm like, oh, my God. That's what it is. There was a higher knowing just in my body and my brain and my whatever that was like, you need to be nervous and you need to be mad because you need to go out. The first set, you were asking. And the second set, I want you to go out and I want you to tell and I want you to drive the bus. Yeah, I don't want. That doesn't mean a dick. I was still receptive and porous and present, of course, but it was, like, different. It was like, I'm going out. First show, I went out and was like, hey, thanks for coming. I'm gonna be out in a minute. Second show, I was like, none of that. I'm the fucking headliner. I'm not doing that. I come out and we start the show. There's no throat clearing. We're gonna do it. This is the part I couldn't wait to share on the pod because it really meaningful to me. So second show's about to start. Matt's off stage. They're about to play my intro music for me to go out. And you gave me this really tender hug. And I really were in the side stage. I wanted to just melt into you like a baby. Like, I was like. And then the voice went, no. Mad and nervous, and I broke away from you. Not in a rude way, obviously, but I was like, the hug is for after the show. So I broke away, stood up straight, claimed, like, a physical kind of power and taking up space, but, like, also a distance. I was like, this is not you and me watching Blossom on the couch. This is fucking go. And I never have moments. I have very few moments like this in my life, although more than, you know, auditions and stuff. But this was a big one.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I was like, stood up. And it felt like a battle with full respect to actual warriors that actually do real things. I'm not trying to, yes. Claim it's a metaphor. It's. It's a way of understanding. But I remembered, and this is so corny and cheesy, but there's a moment in the movie 300, which for some reason I'd recently re watched, where Leonidas draw Dread Butler. He's going off to war, and he wants to go and hug his wife or kiss his wife, but he doesn't and it's so cheesy. I actually don't think that movie aged very well because it's so earnest. And the voiceover is. Goodbye, my love is what he wants to say. But Leonidas has no room for tenderness like that. That's literally what I was thinking. I was like, I'm going off to fight the Persians.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then I went off so hot. I wish I had that bod and that cape and that shield. I'm just kidding.

[B]

No, no.

[A]

But I went out. I'd rather be Fassbender. I'm obsessed. But I go out full fast Bender energy within five seconds. Exactly the same as Minneapolis. Me and the audience merged. We clicked right away and we were off. And it was perfect. And I loved it. It was about an hour and 15. Finished. Walked off. And we actually got this on camera. There you are on the side stage. And that. That version of me swelled back up. Meaning the. The full me. Yeah, like the warrior guy got off stage. And again, last time, I'm gonna say how embarrassed I am that I'm like, warrior. I'm just saying, like, I went from this, like, competitive mode to seeing you. And it was deeply emotional. My shoulders go down. And I saw the footage. I kind of look like I'm gonna cry. And I hug you and kiss you. And it's like one of the best. I had like, a little. I had to go, like, in Lila language, you have to go to school. You have to leave your fucking family. And there's teachers in classes and you don't know what it's gonna be. So my life has gotten soft. And I'm like, no, I remember that you need to fucking cake some dirt on your hands and pick up a spear and go out. And then after that, I was like, this is incredible. And. And for four weeks now, I've just been fucking farting around the house.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And it's been really well earned and truly amazing. So that was the story. The moment of breaking away from you, from the hug. I'll never forget that. Because every impulse was like, just stay in your safe lover's arms.

[B]

Yeah. That's great. I'm so proud of you.

[A]

Push it away. It's the whole thing.

[B]

Yeah, I know. Yeah.

[A]

And I have a few of these. But I'm just like, that is her. Like, not take me out of it all heroicism is like, I'm going to push away the comfort. Comfort in the interest of the shoulder slumping, cry face kiss. That was a million times sweeter. Yeah, a million times.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Over a million. So much better than the. The hug before.

[B]

Well, you had to leave the Shire, and obviously, I'm the Shire.

[A]

You are the Shire.

[B]

That is how I love everybody, but especially you, is that I. It's like, I'll be your Shire, baby.

[A]

You were the Shire.

[B]

And you have to leave the Shire to go on, to go to Mordor.

[A]

This is it, Mr. Frodo.

[B]

But then you get to come back.

[A]

And it's the furthest I'll have ever been from home.

[B]

Exactly. And he's. It's also Kermit.

[A]

It's the furthest I'll. I'll ever be from home. Let me carry the load.

[B]

Oh, it's so good.

[A]

And my frog foot. He puts his frog foot on the table.

[B]

My karate chop. And we're back. Well, I'm proud of you. It was incredible. It's so impressive to watch. And that's the thing. It does go back to the creativity thing, where it's like, you know, especially. Let's bring it back to Jim Henson. Why not? Like, there's something so specific about, like, puppeteering is you're always in an uncomfortable position. Literally, like, physically. And they talk about putting him in a canister in the swamp to film the.

[A]

And he doesn't hesitate.

[B]

There are so many songs about rainbows. And he, like, yeah, he would do it a thousand times. Like, doesn't even think about it.

[A]

That. That's. You're hearing me perfectly. Because Jim Henson, in moments like that, knows that the Golden Ambrosia is on the other side of sticking yourself in a canister.

[B]

And not even that. I think. Yes. That it's that. And it's. You're in service of something bigger than you, which is the creative project, whatever creative project you are channeling at that moment. It's something bigger than you. So you do it, because it's not about you, really. And you did it. You did it real good. I'm excited for people to see it. It's so fun.

[A]

I'm excited for it, too. And Ricky, who directed it, is so incredible. And to have gone from the last one with you and Matt to this one with you and Matt, it feels really, really sweet.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, check it out. Well, when you can. You can't check it out yet, but yeah.

[A]

Yeah. No, I'm not worried about selling it or any of that. I know people.

[B]

I wasn't.

[A]

People will say it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right, everybody.

[A]

Yeah. We're glad you were here.

[B]

Yeah. We missed you. It's been a couple weeks. Hope you had happy holidays and New Year time.

[A]

That's it.

[B]

And that's it.

[A]

And we love you. And stay safe.

[B]

Stay safe.

[A]

And our heart goes out to everyone in California, obviously.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And. And be. Be good. Be excellent to one another.

[B]

Oh, you can't say that. That's Brett's catchphrase.

[A]

It is?

[B]

Yes. Brett Goldstein, every episode.

[A]

Be excellent to one another.

[B]

And now.

[A]

And now.

[B]

What is it? It's like, now more than ever. Be excellent to one another.

[A]

Well, you know, it's from Bill and Ted's.

[B]

Well, I'm. I. I don't know that.

[A]

No, you didn't know that.

[B]

I'm not, like, on a quote level with Bill and Ted's. I, I. It usually takes me a second to figure out which one is Bill and Ted's and which one is Wayne's World.

[A]

Oh, wow. I know.

[B]

I actually like that I'm a 90s. I know it was the 90s, but I was.

[A]

But you were growing up in the 90s.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, you need excellent. Wild Stallions.

[B]

I know.

[A]

That's Wayne's World.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

Be excellent to one another is what George Carlin says. It's like how you say goodbye in the future.

[B]

Oh, that's cool. Yeah, that makes that really cool. I always thought that was, like, a very sweet thing that Brett said, but now it's kind of cool, too. It's sweet and cool.

[A]

Oh, good. I'm glad I've cemented that.

[B]

It was cemented. All right, everybody, go ahead and keep it crispy.