Hot Topics Part 2: Throwbacks, Chaos & Cinema

Hot topics continues, but be warned...there are major spoilers in this one!! 

We get into the shows that raised us, a very honest review of The Drama (8:47 - 30:30), moral dilemmas and what honesty actually looks like in relationships. Leading to the #1 hot topic for millennials…what are we consuming, and how is it consuming us?

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Wait, is this thing on Can y'all hear me?

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Okay, here we go.

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Just a dash. Just a dash. Now it's recording. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 0:32

Thank goodness. Y'all listeners, you could only you wouldn't even begin to understand the troubles that we're trying to go into trying to record this second part of this series today on these various beautiful topics. We're here live. We're here full of some of us are full of allergies and struggling with these sinus issues. Oh, not the phlegm girl. She said to a spit on that thing. I'm sorry, y'all. That was just too much. Too much.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Already unhinged.

SPEAKER_04 1:06

Unhinged.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

It's just started and it's already unhinged.

SPEAKER_04 1:12

We're back here, part two of this beautiful two-part series. We're jumping back into some more nostalgia. We're jumping into some more hot topics. Absolutely. We're definitely going to be doing a heavy movie review. There will be spoilers. So for those who have not yet seen the drama with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, I'm going to need you to.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Is it Zendaya?

SPEAKER_04 1:36

Is it Zendaya?

SPEAKER_00 1:37

I say Zendaya. That's one of the things. I feel like that's one of the mysteries. I think it's not I feel bad.

SPEAKER_04 1:46

Mother Z. Mother Z.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

I think it is Zendaya. Zendaya? Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

SPEAKER_04 1:52

I believe Robert Pattinson. Um they uh I'm gonna need you to skedaddle over to like think about Scooby-Doo while they're running in place. Do that over to your nearby movie theater um and take a peek because there's a lot to unpack in there, and we'll get there today. We'll get there today.

SPEAKER_00 2:12

Okay. All right. I'm actually very this is like a fresh, actually hot take on hot topics is we've not discussed this at all. We both saw it separately. Just by the statement you said alone, just about telling people to hop and skedaddle like Scooby-Doo to the theater. I'm like, okay, I'm curious what your opinion is on this movie. I'm curious like if we'll be aligned, but needless to say, happy to be back for for part two of Hot Topics. Can we show off our mugs?

SPEAKER_04 2:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Cause today I'm I'm rocking a mug that tells you how I feel, which is incredible.

SPEAKER_04 2:47

Incredible. I'm rocking a beautiful stitch mug, Ohani's family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.

SPEAKER_00 2:54

Okay, which is a great callback to the first episode. If you if you haven't listened yet, we talked about our nostalgia, nostalgia, but like in terms of like pop culture and like the things that inspired us growing up, favorite films. Um, and one of them, JP gave us a hot take on on Stitch the Live Action and what he thought about it. And turns out, you know, he wanted to be a fan. That's just what it is.

SPEAKER_04 3:17

I wanted to be a fan, but what I saw next to me was a trash can, and I said, There it is.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Okay, there it is. Period.

SPEAKER_04 3:26

Zippity boppity boop.

SPEAKER_00 3:29

So what are we getting into today? What's what's the 411?

SPEAKER_04 3:32

Okay, so the 411 actually before this morning, I went down a really um deep rabbit hole because I saw someone post on Instagram, they did a that's so raven themed birthday. I saw you sent me that, and doing all the iconic like disguises and costumes that they had, yeah. I just I've not that I forget, but I miss the the beauty that that show brought. I and just that attention to detail. I mean, do you carry a lunchbox?

SPEAKER_00 4:10

I I'll be honest, I did forget so many of the iconic moments and like episodes, like seeing all the different characters when she dressed up as her mom, reptile raven, like all these different, like just episodes that were so hilarious, and also just it was she was such an incredible actress, but also was such an incredible cast of people, and not just the three main people, you know, not just her friends, like the entire show was always so so funny. I loved that callback and that feeling, and I miss shows like that. I know that we've like aged out of it. Like, I'm not gonna be sitting here watching like that single right now. Maybe I mean I would, maybe, but I'm like, I thought to myself, like, what do the kids have today that's like that? But my other question for you when I saw it was what show would you pick, like that sort of party? It was like someone's 30th, and everybody dressed up as like a character from an episode of that so raven. What show would you pick like for your next birthday as a costume party?

SPEAKER_04 5:14

Oof, as a costume party. I think my two choices, because it's gonna probably be a tie, yeah, is Rugrats and Hey Arnold.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

Like Hey Arnold is so good.

SPEAKER_04 5:31

Just give me a cardigan with a little loose flannel at the bottom, looking like a little duck, quack quack penguin.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

For anybody who is struggling with that realization, I just want you to know.

SPEAKER_04 5:50

There was just a point where Arnold got ready one day and he said, Maybe I should tuck that shirt in.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:57

But honestly, it's it's fashion.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

I actually really love that. The first two that popped into my head, it's really interesting. The first one, and this is not even Disney, but the first one was Arthur. Just because I think Arthur is so fun. And the other one, strangely enough, even though like I I don't even know why my brain went there, but it was the sweet life of Zach and Cody. I just think I really loved I loved the theme song, but I also love like the characters that were in the show. They kind of had the same that sort of cast chemistry that that survey had, I feel like they also had in the sweet life of Zack and Cody. Like you loved every character, no matter how large or small their role was. It was one of those shows. So you like can dress up as so many different people, and people would understand the reference, you know?

SPEAKER_04 6:45

It's it's funny we're bringing like Disney Channel up too, because I know recently a lot of people have been talking about like who's the Mount Rushmore of like Disney Channel, yeah. And there was a clip with Brenda Song talking about like all these other faces, and I was like, okay, Brenda, if you don't put yourself on that Mount Rushmore, okay, Wendy Woo Homecoming Warrior. Okay, um, also that Christmas film where like it turned like they had the little machine and it would like change the weather, and little mama was like, I want it to be Christmas every day.

SPEAKER_00 7:16

What was the name anyway? We'll go down a rabbit hole. We'll go down a rabbit hole. But those, but that I was so glad when you sent me that clip. You sent me that reel because I was like, Oh my gosh, what what show would I would I do? What show would you do? But it was they smashed it too, whoever that person was. Like everybody was heating up the costumes.

SPEAKER_04 7:35

I'm gonna, we definitely need to flag and like tag the creator for it, but the fact that there was a binder with references, that's my type of party that I want to go to. Because you can't tell me that you don't know the material.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

I just thought of another good one, and then and then I know we have we have to shift the proud family, the proud family.

SPEAKER_04 7:58

What you and me, we've always been tight.

SPEAKER_00 8:04

The fact that I feel like when someone says the proud family, you have to break it to some part of that song.

SPEAKER_03 8:11

My favorite part is family, proud family, family, pro family, they'll push your buttons, make you wanna hug them.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

It's just that was a jam. Okay, all right, so what do you want to shift into next?

SPEAKER_04 8:34

Alright, so we're we're gonna go down. Um, let's tackle the drama because I feel like that is a real big one. Alright, so paint the picture for the scene. Alright, so in the drama, we have Zendaya and we have Robert Pattinson as a lovely couple preparing to get married.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 8:56

T T T T T. Clocky. Now, what we experience in in many relationships.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Do we want to say their names so that we're when we're referencing them? Yes. Okay, I'll tell you. So Robert Pattinson plays Charlie and Zendaya plays Emma. So that's that's the two characters we're talking about, Charlie and Emma. They're getting married. And then what happens?

SPEAKER_04 9:22

So keep those in place. All right, so what we step into is that, you know, we step into them first falling in love. It's very meat cute, it's very rom-com. They're at the coffee shop. Rob is like, yo, I like her. I don't know how to talk to people, so let me try to figure it out.

SPEAKER_00 9:42

No, but actually, though, I I thought that part was was cute. So, you know, he essentially he he's trying to figure out a way to approach her. He approaches her, but then eventually you learn from that interaction that she is deaf in the ear that he was trying to communicate with her. Communicate with her, and so it becomes like this sort of awkward meet cute, and she basically is like, How about we just start over? Right. And this man takes it literally and goes back to his seat and like does the action of contemplating what he was gonna do, and then approaches her. And so then we start to see like these little vignettes basically of how their relationship, you know, came to be and how they fell in love and all these different things. You're introduced to different friends in their life, and you're you're basically on the journey of the week of them getting married, you know.

SPEAKER_04 10:38

And I think so. A big theme in this full in this film is um replay or having the opportunity to try again and believing in that aspect, which if we take a second, you know, they long they missed a great opportunity for a song to be in this movie, replay by Zendaya.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna stop you right now, and I'm gonna finish the plot of the story, and then we're gonna go back to your analysis because already you've thrown off what the story is about.

SPEAKER_04 11:13

It's one, it's one of the many motifs. I'm just saying it will get there.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

I'm gonna finish out what the what the plot of the story is, and like JP said, there are spoilers. So I'm just giving everyone that heads up now. But and again, I'm not gonna give you all the different details, but along along the way, we I mean, I'm gonna get the the name of their other friends too. So they have another friend, um Rachel. Rachel. Ooh, child. They have they have a lot of different mutual friends. So they have Rachel, they have Mike, they are another couple, okay? Rachel is the maid of honor, and Mike is the best man. So while we're on this journey, you know, we have Mike trying to help Charlie with his vows. And while Charlie is writing his vows, we learn these different things about Emma, you know, about her humor and what he admires about her and what he wants to highlight. We the same thing with Emma. Emma is meeting up with Rachel, she's meeting up with another friend that they have, and she's just sharing like all these different ways that, you know, Charlie was her first love or whatnot. Anyway, fast forward, we get to their food tasting. Which I just want to say is the sidebar as an event producer, they are such assholes in that food tasting. The way that they are wasting these people's time and asking for more wine and more food, I was like, ugh, the privileged elite. That's that's all I'm seeing when I'm watching.

SPEAKER_04 12:30

First of all, and like in a real world, you that wouldn't be happy. One that would have never happened. You probably get an hour.

SPEAKER_00 12:37

Yes, you don't just keep asking for more wine like it's like freebies. I was like, this is not realistic at all of how these things operate, but sure, for the plot. For the plot they're there all night, like they're at some fucking bar, and they're starting to spill like tea, starting to spill secrets, and little Miss Rachel. Little Miss Rachel, child, Rachel, anyway, we'll get to Rachel.

unknown 13:02

Thanks.

SPEAKER_04 13:02

They decide thanks a lot. Thanks a lot, Rachel.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

So if you want, do you want to do what the tell what the plot twist is, basically?

SPEAKER_04 13:11

Yes, so the plot twist is, you know, for if you've seen the trailers, there's something going on. There's there's something in the air that's shifting the dynamic within Charlie and Emma's relationship.

SPEAKER_03 13:23

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 13:23

The plot twist is we're at, you know, we experience people are starting to tell their dark secrets based off Miss Rachel's question of a little game that she and her husband did before they got married was what is the what is the darkest or what is the worst thing that you've done in your life? The worst thing that you've done in your life. Which is insane, which is wild. After drinking all that time, and anywho's it's so um the twist is we learned that uh Emma's character at one point in time had contemplated actually uh doing a mass shooting, school shooting. Yes, and so in this moment you start to see all the dynamics of each of these relationships shift right immediately.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

So shout out to the actors for like Yeah, no, it was incredible the way that you could see how people were digesting and downloading the information. They kind of went through the motions of like, is this serious? If it, if it is serious, what parts of it are serious? Like, and the thing is, she just she just says it plainly, right? Like, this is the worst thing that she's done. There's no context, we don't know, we don't know anything up until this point. We just know that this is new information that we're receiving about this person. And the way like you see the different immediate reactions is, you know, it's intriguing for sure. And I think it definitely piques your interest as like what is gonna happen now. Like they are literally like a few days away from the wedding, and they just found out this woman like contemplating killing, you know, classmates and friends and whatnot. So it's a big deal. I'm not gonna sit here and minimize it for sure, and then what our travels continue.

SPEAKER_04 15:11

We start to real uh what we as viewers start to witness is that these two do not really know each other at all in their relationship.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Okay, wait, wait, JP, wait.

SPEAKER_04 15:23

Sorry, that was like No, that is we start to realize that there are some deeper, darker things that we probably should be exploring in our relationship to better understand where we are as we embark on this on this chapter we call love or marriage.

SPEAKER_00 15:42

Well, I apologize to the listeners for me cracking up like this and the viewers what JP just offered you was a personal analysis of what he believes. In reality, what we witness, let me do this objectively, which is why I was starting to take over telling the plot.

SPEAKER_04 16:03

I'ma I'ma let me let me have you control that that narrative I know.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

What we witness is two people, well, particularly Charlie, starting to realize that there is a lot of information that he needs to digest about this person who he thought he knew. So, like you start to see him really spiral around his vows and like whether Emma is actually empathetic, whether she is mindful. The trust, their trust is broken in a way. And even though Emma does go on the journey of explaining, you know, her backstory and the extent of how she ended up in this position, what you really start to see is at play is can we forgive people for things that we find reprehensible? Do we define people by their past? And is it dependent on like, you know, what they've done in their past? So I I I will say this though, to your point, because now I think we can jump into the analysis. I am in 100% in agreement with JP that my biggest issue with this film, I well, I had I had a couple of different issues with it. But I think my biggest one was I don't know if the plot twist to me was that believable, in the sense that if if I had found out that information, of course it would upset, it would shake me up. Sure. But I had a lot of trouble believing that full-grown adults couldn't sit down and learn the context of the situation and understand what Emma was dealing with at that time and what led her to be in that position of even making a decision like that as a child and who she is now and what she has overcome, what she has left behind. Like, you know, I was like, I feel like there should be enough wisdom and maturity to move through that situation so differently than many of the characters did. I also felt like there was a lot of tension in terms of identity. Like you have Zende a black woman who obviously is of mixed identity, but nearly everyone else, they had like interracial couples, and yet they never really explored the tension of that, which I thought was interesting because it comes up.

SPEAKER_04 18:11

I mean, Rachel is white womaning all over the place, and then also shows you some of the own bias and racism that lives within interracial couples because there's an interaction with her husband highlighting, you know, he's afraid of guns, and his comment is I'm not afraid of guns.

SPEAKER_01 18:27

Right.

SPEAKER_04 18:28

And then she makes the claim of you had an uncle, I believe, that like had a bunch of guns all over the place. And he says, My uncle was a cop.

SPEAKER_00 18:36

Right. It was such a and that's the thing. And and here's the thing, I do think sometimes films do that, stories do that, like they're not gonna answer every question for you. I feel like we're I feel like we're in an age where a lot of the films that were being offered, they have this mix of like wanting to send you down your own psychological exploration while also offering you like surrealist elements that make you question like, is this a reliable narrator? And like we're just watching people really kind of their inner turmoil, like that is the purpose of like, you know, how would you deal with this situation or how would you move through this situation? And I I can appreciate that, but if you're not offering me anything that actually presents like the characters, how they would actually move through that situation, like it just felt very one note to me. I'm like, okay, you've you've given us all this conflict, and I'm watching people spiral out like they are between the ages of 19 to 22, but I'm not seeing anyone actually address this the way an adult would. And yet you're trying to convince me that these two people are mature and established and getting married.

SPEAKER_04 19:46

Right. Like we're we're being fed these individuals that are probably like in the early 30s.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

Yes, I'm pretty sure they're like supposed to be like 33, like in our age range, basically.

SPEAKER_04 19:55

Yeah, and so it I think what's it's also an interesting narrative or perspective in the film, too, where these four individuals that have established a relationship and a rapport that they deem themselves very knowing or understanding of one another.

SPEAKER_00 20:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 20:13

But I feel like asking that question, who did it serve?

SPEAKER_00 20:19

Who did it serve?

SPEAKER_04 20:20

Who did it serve? Because what are you ready to receive the answer on the other end with Miss Rachel was not?

SPEAKER_00 20:29

Oh no, and I think the craziest part about that too, in that moment when Emma shares, you know, her darkest secret, was Rachel's reaction to saying that like one of her family members, I shouldn't even be laughing, that one of her family members had been in a shooting, and everybody was confused because they were like, What does that have to do with what's like it's terrible that it happened, but it's actually completely unrelated to the circumstance at hand. What I will say that I did appreciate about the film, and and to your point, your question, like, what does it serve? I did appreciate the idea that because that is a that is a pretty terrible like secret to hold on to. That is a that is a difficult thing to have gone through. And in in a lot of ways, the fact that the irony of her, like the way that she moved on from it and how she decided not to do it, I'm not gonna give that away because I think that actually is fascinating how they decided to like turn how they approached how they approached it, how they developed her character. I I feel like all of it was really strong ideas, but it didn't, I don't know if it really just landed the way that they wanted it to. I don't know if it really translated as impactfully. However, I did appreciate the idea of being presented like with the moral conundrum of like, how would I, you know, deal with receiving that information? Or if I Were Emma, would I ever share that with my partner? Because I do think it opens up the question of do you have to tell your partner everything? Are there things that you should keep for yourself? Like, what is true honesty in a relationship? You know, so I I did I do think it made me think about that a little bit, but ultimately I was like, girl, where I draw the line is that you lied about how you're how you were deaf in one ear, you know? Like if that, if if how you're deaf in one ear is a part of who you are in your identity, and there's a root story to it, you're gonna have to be honest about that, particularly with your husband.

SPEAKER_02 22:40

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:41

You know? So that part to me was kind of like, I see how you're trying to make this a complicated story, but I can unravel this puzzle and solve it for you pretty quickly.

SPEAKER_01 22:55

Literally, I was like, this is an age three puzzle, and I've already figured it out.

SPEAKER_04 23:01

Like I think what was interesting, like after we watched the film, that I think my my mind went to the question of what is the the most like the horrible the most horrible thing that you've ever done. Yeah. And having these characters say their stories, but there is this there are these unique circumstances where someone had a thought but didn't follow through, right? Where other secrets were they thought it, did it, had an even larger negative impact.

SPEAKER_02 23:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 23:39

And I feel like folks when they watch the film will will notice that. And the film takes you on this interesting journey to have you as a viewer maybe weigh in on is it as bad to just have the thought and not commit the action or the that thought, or is it worse to have the thought and not not follow through, or to follow through? It's like this weird, because when you when we see Charlie's example talking about bullying, yeah, but then later on, what we notice with some of his actions, it's just like you had the thought and you almost pushed it to where you committed to that action, and you're sitting there like, well, in your as that character, do you understand where your wife was?

SPEAKER_00 24:28

Yeah. So yeah, I agree with you on that. And I also I just want to say that I don't think that Rachel or Charlie or um Max, was that the name? Mike. I don't think any of them actually shared the worst thing they've actually done. No, I think Emma was actually the only one being truly honest because she was up on that bubbly, maybe Charlie with the bullying, but I just don't, I don't think it's true. And and maybe that's a hot take, but I don't actually think that they were sharing the worst thing that they've actually done, even if that is what Rachel and Mike shared with each other. And I'm also like, y'all decided to do that. Here's my issue with Rachel. You decided to do that with your husband. That was a private thing that you decided to do with one another, and it was whatever ritualistic thing you decided to do before you were married. How do you have the audacity to assume that this is what this couple wants to do, and you're pressuring them to do it? And on top of that, your husband didn't even want to share his story.

SPEAKER_04 25:28

You don't have the authority here, Rachel. The onus is not on you.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

Okay, I'm like, girl, the trend I saw with Rachel is that she was stepping on top of everybody's autonomy and agency throughout the entire film, including when we get to the end, and none of that ever gets resolved. And I there's a part of me again with these sorts of films where I'm like, is the idea for us not to have a resolution? It's just like this is just like a fact of life, this is just a figment of life that we see, like it's not, it's not supposed to like have anything that's super conclusive. I get that, but you did actually offer something a little bit conclusive, and then you just gave us a whole bunch of loose ends, you know. So that I also thought it was fascinating how Emma's parents really didn't seem to have an awareness of everything, and like the way that they shaped Emma's story versus how we see her parents are completely at odds with like the reality here. None of the realities are actually meeting each other anywhere.

SPEAKER_04 26:32

We are um it's like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all these timelines. Yes, all the branches are falling off and they're just not linking in. Can we call the TVA for those letterbox fans? You know, I would give it like a 3.54.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

I think I would give it a three out of five. Like, I I thought that there was a lot of potential, but I feel like they were really resting on having big names as two lead characters. And I thought that Zendaya and Robert Panson were fine. I don't think that like I was hyper convinced that they were a couple, but I could be convinced that they were like dating.

SPEAKER_04 27:08

I think there needed to not, you know, three maybe 3.5. I think there needed to be more dialogue for Zendaya's character because it's just I don't know. There were there were moments where I was like, we're doing a transition into a scene, but I was like, I would rather this character emote more and have it just like this is a perfect spot for a monologue, and for some reason a monologue is not happening.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

Yeah, but you know, I will say the last thing I'll say, or two last things I'll say, and then I'm done. The first is this movie also had like a couple of surrealist elements, and I mentioned before, like that's something I'm starting to see. I don't know. I think that like those surrealist elements were supposed to like help move forward the story, or kind of help like make things a little bit more um dramatic for you to like consider or engage with, or to question like whether the reality was like what you're actually seeing, you know, like making it a questionable narrator. I don't think it did that. I was like, I would rather, to your point, there be more dialogue, like the story actually be fleshed out more for me to have more context than you just showing me something that's like aesthetically beautiful. That's one. Okay. And the last thing I will say is I didn't hate it. I didn't think that it was a terrible film. I feel like there's a trend right now with a lot of movies that are being like so highly acclaimed, one battle after another. I had the same feeling, like where I went to the movie theater and I was like, okay, like I really didn't have any expectations outside of knowing that everyone kept hyping up these films. And I was like, okay, like I hope it's good. And I left, like, am I missing something? Like, I feel like I I'm not having the same reaction everyone else is having. Like, I'm not having this heightened reaction or like I'm so impressed. That was the same thing I had with the drama. I was like, okay, like it was a fine movie, like it didn't blow my mind, it wasn't the worst movie I've seen, but like it was okay.

SPEAKER_04 29:06

I would I'm just saying, if you got the AMC Stubbs list, okay. Check it out on Tuesday for five dollars. Or if you pay for the account and you can watch up to four hours, four films a week, put it into your put it into your rotation.

SPEAKER_00 29:20

The only reason I went to see it in theaters is because it was ten dollars at the Alamo, baby.

SPEAKER_04 29:25

Hey, we love a deal. But that's just our little take on the film. We hope you enjoy it.

SPEAKER_00 29:32

Yeah. Okay. So on to the next.

SPEAKER_04 29:36

Well, ultimately, the last thing I just wanted to say because uh in the film there was a lot of replay or like let's start all over, kind of that theme. And I'm just saying, at they could have put her song in there. Where 2013.

SPEAKER_03 29:50

Because she says, I wanna put you on repeat and play you everywhere I go, everywhere I go, play you everywhere I go. Put you on repeat and play you everywhere I go, everywhere I go, everywhere I go.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

Oh everywhere I go. Oh here's the thing though. Where would that go?

SPEAKER_04 30:14

Oh, that would definitely be just like at the end of the movie, the credits rolling, and like just put that song at the end.

SPEAKER_00 30:20

I actually feel like that she has other songs from her discography. That one song she did for Euphoria would would would work really well. The one she did with like Labyrinth or whatever, I might be making that up completely.

SPEAKER_04 30:32

I I just I just remember there's a paper she goes, oh oh oh actually we're not gonna. Speaking of which, I have not watched a new season of Euphoria. I'm still debating if it's worth time.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

I fell off euphoria. I fell off euphoria because there was something to me that was a little strange. First of all, what's the name of the creator? Sam something.

SPEAKER_04 30:55

Sam Levinson, I think.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

Yeah, I've I've just heard so many different things about Sam Levinson, not enough to like speak on him specifically, but I will say watching that show, I enjoyed it. I I like the first season, I thought, like, wow, this is groundbreaking in a lot of ways. It was incredible to see Zendaya like take on the role of Rue. Like, it's fantastic. I also was incredibly uncomfortable with like we're depicting high schoolers like having really traumatic experiences, not only with drugs, but sexually like there's something like that we do where we sexualize high school characters, and then as an audience, we don't pretend that it's strange that we're watching shows about high school, like underage kids having like really intense sex scenes, and it always makes me think like, who is this for? And like, what is the creator thinking like when they are you know setting this ecosystem in this world? Like, how are they thinking as adults we're perceiving or receiving this information? And so I've just always been like in a weird place with shows like that, and I think Euphoria always just takes it to like level 10. I think I like fell off when it was um Sydney Sweeney's character, like on the carousel, and she was just like humping a horror to leave. She was uh She was having like a whole like orgasmic experience, and I was like, I don't know if I want to see someone who's supposed to be age 17 doing this. Like, I don't want to like have any sort of sensory reaction to you're doing too much.

SPEAKER_04 32:25

Get off the damn ride, yeah. It's just it's too and wipe that ride down. What in that shit?

SPEAKER_00 32:36

But I always enjoy the clips, right? So I'm like, maybe I should watch it. Like, I know that the show is like good, but I've heard that the last season it's a time jump and it's a time jump.

SPEAKER_04 32:46

It's like it's weird because I mean, one, it's a time jump, great, and I think maybe just from their thought perspective, they were like, okay, it's now time to make them like somewhat full adults, and like having them j not justify their actions, but like try to put it in an age appropriate position where like the viewers are like, I can see why they're doing it, but I'm also like, you could have just started with them being that age.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_04 33:13

They didn't need to be in the hype because yeah, those actions, if they happen when they're 21 and older, yeah, you didn't need to necessarily have them starting at 16, 17.

SPEAKER_00 33:22

And I'm not trying, yes. Here's the thing, I'm not even trying to be a prude about it because I do know, like, obviously, like wherever they set this show, that is the reality. You know, you have you do have older men who are preying on younger women, who are preying on on younger trans people. Like, that is a reality. You do have teenagers with drug issues, like, it's not that any of that is unreal, but it's just interesting to me that like you're having us watch two teenagers have like very intense sex in their bedrooms. To me, there are moments where I'm like, how are we gonna have the opinions that we have about porn and about like underage, you know, sex and all these different topics that are very taboo or that people have a lot of strong moral compasses and codes about, but then we have shows like Euphoria, which are basically depicting those fantasies. Like, if you think that people aren't watching those things and not having other thought processes about it that probably we don't want them to be having, I think you're kind of looking at with rose-colored glasses. So, and and it's strange when you have people like Sam Levinson, when you continue to find out context about this creator and this person and how they behave in actual real life, and the people who have left the show, people have been uncomfortable with the creative direction it's gone in, it like you start, you're just kind of like, um, I don't know if I should be like co-signing this. I don't know, like, you know, if this is something I I actually want to be throwing my viewership and my dollars towards. So I always sit on the fence with with the euphorias of it all.

SPEAKER_04 34:55

But shout out to I feel like as a viewer, like I'm at this point, and this is for a lot of shows. I'm like, if there is a huge gap in time, yeah, I may just dip out early.

SPEAKER_00 35:07

I'm just like, that's real too, because what's the difference?

SPEAKER_04 35:09

It's just those moments where I'm like, and not just because like there's more new content out there, but I'm just like, I'm not invested in these characters anymore, and I'm just like, unfortunately, there have been actors that have passed, and so you know, where that story was initially going and like kind of the script. I'm just like, it's okay for this show to exist in my environment, and I know nothing about it.

SPEAKER_00 35:32

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:32

I'm like, and we're gonna see the clips come up in social media no matter what. And we'll reference it and give it to me.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

We're gonna enjoy the memes of what's her the character's name who was like banging on the door.

SPEAKER_04 35:46

Maddie.

SPEAKER_00 35:47

I love her. Are you taking a shit?

SPEAKER_01 35:52

At a party, you nasty! I love using that gem of her just banging on the door.

SPEAKER_04 35:58

Is this show about us? She said, Rue?

SPEAKER_00 36:01

Rue?

SPEAKER_04 36:02

When did you when did this happen?

SPEAKER_00 36:04

Who was it, Rue? I actually I yeah, so I enjoyed those clips. I enjoy like the world, but you know, I just think it it reaches a level of intensity that's not for me. And it's unfortunate because I feel like the other show that I had that same reaction to for a different reason was um have you heard of English Teacher? It was on F.

SPEAKER_04 36:24

Oh, um, yes, with Jordan Alvarez.

SPEAKER_00 36:27

Yeah, Brian. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 36:28

Oh, Brian Jordan Alvarez.

SPEAKER_00 36:29

Yes. And I really was enjoying the first season, and I'm the sort of person like when I like a show, I'm that nerd who's like, oh, I'm gonna go learn everything about like the producers and the creators and like how they came up with this idea. So I was just deep diving, like I typically do, and I learned so much about Brian Jordan Alvarez's sexual allegations. And I was like, whoa, you know, it like it just put such a bad taste in my mouth. And I think eventually, I believe the second season was canceled. Um, but he's still getting it.

SPEAKER_04 37:03

I think only I think they finished all two seasons.

SPEAKER_00 37:06

I think maybe a shorter season than Yeah. I think that they did end up canceling the show because I guess it it got serious in terms of the allegations, and they were like, we can't continue to be affiliated with this person. But not much has happened. Like he's still like, I think, booking jobs or whatnot. But it was the that was another situation where it was just like, and apparently the allegations had been shared prior to that show, like being aired, being developed, coming out, and like it just didn't receive enough traction, so he was able to continue, like you know, producing that show and then being on the show, so it was kind of messy how that whole thing unfolded, but that was another example of just like damn, I really was like enjoying the show, but then it was at odds with like my moral compass, and I'm just like, I I think I'm gonna have to just sit it down over there and let it be a what if.

SPEAKER_04 37:58

I feel like what's there's been shows that I'm like I'm I'm watching and like so I'm a big like superhero or like animated um cartoon fan. Yeah, and so I have co-workers that actually suggested a lot of new like anime because I've never really watched anime as a kid, and I'm like, I would love to step into that and like learn these stories, but um superhero-wise, I've been watching the show The Boys, um, that's like on Amazon, yeah, and I I watch it, I've you know, I've I've absorbed it, I've watched it, and I'm like, damn, you know, I really need to take a break from some of this like body horror or just like extremeness because I'm just like I'm when the season airs, I'm like, I gotta binge it, I gotta binge it. But also it's because it's been like a significant gap, and I really like the approach to it. Yeah, and now I'm like it's the final season, I want to watch it. And then they also had the spin-off about like the college. Oh, they had a spin-off, yeah. Gen V, which is supposed to be like some college students that are like joining kind of the group, okay, and they're trying to take out Homelander and all that. Okay, but it was it also started becoming a little bit too real in our world, where like if I were to turn on the TV, I'm seeing the scenarios being played out in our our society, and I'm like, oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 39:25

Okay, you know where you just took my brain, took me to Handmaid's Tale. I had to stop watching the Handmaid's Tale because it and very early on, I had to stop watching it, even though it was a good show, because it was just too reminiscent of the reality we were in. And I am the sort of person where it's not that I use TV and film fully for escapism, but sometimes I do. But to your point, even about like what you're ingesting, I know one of the things that we we talk about a lot is wellness, and something I've realized for myself is like I and it came up in the last episode we were doing, like when we were talking about The Pit. I know The Pit is an excellent show. I know that eventually I'm gonna want to watch The Pit. I am not in a headspace to be watching The Pit. Like, I can't that level of like just being so graphic, and that's what I think of with The Boys. Like, The Boys is another show I'd love to watch, but like that sort of body horror and just like language and the intensity of it all. I'm like, do I need to be consuming that right now, given the reality of what I'm already existing in? Like, I feel like I have to be so strategic and intentional about the content I'm consuming. Sometimes it's hard to know like, is this is art imitating life? Is life imitating art? Like, that's actually where we're at with it.

SPEAKER_04 40:50

Yeah, and also like I feel like for me, uh I get overly stimulated. Like, if I'm seeing so much of that intensity in the shows that I'm watching, um, even if like high, like like high energetic music, if I'm overstimulated in that sense, my wellness starts to take a toll. Yeah, because I'm noticing I'm whether that be the cortisol, just like I feel it in my body. It's as if I had so much caffeine that I'm just on high alert. Okay, and my mind starts to just get stressed out about like, what have you actually done that's been a breath of calm?

SPEAKER_00 41:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:30

Outside of like, you're watching the show that has this theme, you're watching the show that has this theme. And that also goes for sometimes, you know, I I love a good sad album. I love a good sad album. My ass be listening to some of the saddest songs to get me through my workday, just because if I'm twerking my ass at my desk, I'm not gonna get nothing done. But I've noticed like the certain, you know, YouTube will create an algorithm for me, Apple Music will, and I'm like, damn, I really need to at least put like this album in the middle of the day to know that I'm not going down this eight-hour track of yeah, just sitting in sorrow or.

SPEAKER_01 42:17

That's that's that's JPC.

SPEAKER_04 42:19

But you know what's the one that be getting me? And I it and it's again because it's an ABBA song, so you know you you don't necessarily think it would hit you, but the winner takes it all.

SPEAKER_01 42:30

The winner takes it all.

SPEAKER_04 42:32

I'd be I'm sitting there at my desk, my co-worker, shout out to my girl Anna. She just be like, You what are you listening to? I'm just like, I don't know, girl.

SPEAKER_00 42:40

Girl, it's going downhill from here.

SPEAKER_04 42:44

Because those first four lines, I don't want to talk.

SPEAKER_00 42:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 42:49

About things we've gone through.

SPEAKER_00 42:51

That song is heartbreaking.

SPEAKER_04 42:53

Though it's hurting me. Now it's history.

SPEAKER_00 42:58

No, it's definitely that's a breakup song, okay? That's that's a breakup song. And they ate it up in Mamma Mia. Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia.

SPEAKER_04 43:08

Okay, so Mamma Mia three, Mamma Mia three, give it to me. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 43:13

I'm actually I'm excited for Mamma Mia. I'm excited for Devil Wears Prada. I'm excited for all anything that has Meryl Street, basically.

SPEAKER_04 43:21

Yes, I need the I'm saying it here now, fans, viewers, everybody. If you find the Devil Wears Prada popcorn purse, please buy two and share one with me.

SPEAKER_00 43:34

You heard it here first.

SPEAKER_04 43:37

Because the clubs are about to be sick of me bringing that in with him.

SPEAKER_00 43:44

You went okay. I was like, you going to the club with a popcorn bag?

SPEAKER_04 43:47

I mean, I'll go to the club with you.

SPEAKER_00 43:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 43:49

You know what you know I always turn up to turn up with you at the club?

SPEAKER_00 43:52

It's true, you do always come with you.

SPEAKER_04 43:54

I'm 53,000.

SPEAKER_00 43:56

I like found a video of us going to the club and not knowing what the hell was. Playing, we were like, who is this?

SPEAKER_04 44:03

I it was that one bar in New York where again I had my 93,000. For folks that don't know what a 93,000 is, it's just a huge ass fanny pack.

SPEAKER_00 44:13

Yeah, pretty much.

SPEAKER_04 44:14

That's a crossbody. Yes, it's a crossbody, and it's a great bag. A great bag, but it's also it could be like a neck pillow because it's so big.

SPEAKER_00 44:24

Well, that's because of what you put in it.

SPEAKER_04 44:27

You gotta have your things. I'm just I love I love a good trinket.

SPEAKER_00 44:30

Your nicky neck.

SPEAKER_04 44:31

Anywho's my nicki necks. So we we go to this one, this one club, um, and it's dark as hell, as as one would expect it. But we put the bag, we put the 93,000 on the on the couch that's in there, and then we put your phone up on the bag so we could have a record us, because we didn't know what was playing. And we said we're gonna just jive with everybody else up in here to whatever this is.

SPEAKER_00 44:57

I still don't know. I feel like we figured out who it was. I'm not gonna embarrass myself now by trying to pretend that I remember. But I feel like I recognize the song after a while, like after the chorus dropped. Wait a minute, because we went on on a tangent, and I do want to ask you, because you were talking about like the music that you set for like when you're working, I'm curious. Like, what is your like wellness practice for setting yourself up for the day, like your work day, like your work week?

SPEAKER_04 45:29

I love this quiz.

SPEAKER_00 45:30

I'm really I'm genuinely curious.

SPEAKER_04 45:32

I love it. So typically within my workday, it depends. So if I'm working from home, um it is truly it is an easier vibe to get into for the workday. I got my like little um speaker system. I always start with uh this playlist called Coffee Shop Essentials. Um that's like curated on Apple Music.

SPEAKER_00 45:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 45:56

And it's a mixture of like no words and and and lyrics, so it's just a matter of like, I feel like I'm in a coffee shop. I feel like I can open up my laptop, I can kind of get my day started, um, and kind of go through there. Yeah, um, even before that, um, that's where like I kind of start like my little exercises and my stretches for PT. Shout out to my physical therapist, everyone, make sure to keep your back aligned, engage your core. Um, so I'll do that for like that hour before starting work or like before traveling in. But when I'm in the office, it's a little harder because that that's where I'm just more stimulated, where I'm seeing more people.

SPEAKER_01 46:35

Interesting.

SPEAKER_04 46:36

You got that fluorescent lighting, you got and also like the commute into work. Like I hadn't had to commute for like five or six years um before moving to the DC VA area. Okay. So I'm actually I I missed commuting because that's where I would get my mind in check.

SPEAKER_00 46:57

Yeah, I hear that.

SPEAKER_04 46:58

Because I love a good album that you can like listen to while you go to work. I'm with you, just feeling like you are in a movie and getting lost. Because I be I'm literally like Hillary Duff in the come clean video when she's at the window. Let's go back back to the beginning, and then you forget you're on the wrong train, so you are going back to the beginning, girl. But what about you? What's your how are you how are you uh expressing that wellness in like your your work day?

SPEAKER_00 47:37

Well, I really love what you said about like a playlist. I'm I have to start there because I will just say I also work from home, but I also share the same sentiment that no matter where I'm commuting, I always curate a playlist for myself. Like it helps me just get into I ask myself, like, what's the headspace I want to be? Like, what's the vibe? What's gonna help me like ground myself, you know? And I feel like I'm starting to do that, or not starting, that's something I do also working from home. But I also like in the morning, I definitely always start off with some sort of like gratitude practice, but also I try to get myself like it depends on how I wake up, right? Like sometimes I wake up quite anxious, like to be frank, and it's like I just have a lot going on in my mind, and I have to tell myself, like, it's okay to slow down, like it's okay to take your time. Um, so usually it's like what are practices I can do to help me just like ground myself. So whether it's like I'm listening to some sort of playlist, um, and most of the time in the morning, I feel like I'm typically actually listening more to like this is gonna sound so I don't know this is gonna sound weird, but like movie soundtracks. Like I love listening to she loves a good score. I love a good score. I think like, and I always enjoy listening to like movie scores when I am actually working. And there are some scores for me that are far more like they help me feel more productive. So for example, I love the Pirates of the Caribbean score.

SPEAKER_04 49:10

Girl, not her running through her office or at an event to the the song that Captain Jack Sparrow be running.

SPEAKER_01 49:17

Not when I'm running not when I'm running movies.

SPEAKER_00 49:28

That soundtrack will get me like focused. I'm like, I'm doing this, I'm designing this, I'm finishing up this spreadsheet, I'm writing up this agenda. Like, it gets me going. The other one is Amelie, which is a French foreign film. Beautiful. Jan Thierson is the composer, one of my favorite composers. I love his albums in general. He has other albums where one of them is just called All. And it's just similar to how you have like the coffee shop one, it's kind of like that, but it's like Sounds of the Park.

SPEAKER_04 50:02

So you'll is that the is that the show that Philip Asue was in on Broadway?

SPEAKER_00 50:08

I think she didn't know. And um, I think her name is Audrey Tattoo. She plays like the lead in the film version of the music there was a musical that was adapted. Um, but I love I love listening to like movie scores. I also really love Inception. I love listening to like, like you said, movie scores, soundtracks, film soundtracks. All of that I really enjoy, and it really gets me into a space of feeling focused. And the reason for that is I have tried like listening to music, like, you know, music that I enjoy, like contemporary music, secular music. I've tried watching shows, but I like want to actually sing along to the words, or I actually want to watch the show. The other thing I'll do sometimes is I'll put on a podcast, you know. But I feel like I always have something sonic to kind of help me ground and flow through the day. And it's so interesting because it changes with the weather. So now that it's getting warmer, I like want to listen to more upbeat things. Like if I'm taking a break during the day, I'll put on some Afro beats. And it's funny because as you know, I have Max now.

SPEAKER_04 51:12

My little cat few.

SPEAKER_00 51:13

Okay, I have a cat named Max, and like he's used to me like when I'm chill, but when I put on Afro beats and I start dancing around the house, he's like, What the fuck is going on? He's like, I'm out of here.

SPEAKER_04 51:26

He said, You know where I was before this girl.

SPEAKER_00 51:29

Right. He said, I don't know what the pitter pattering is going on with your feet, but I'm leaving.

SPEAKER_04 51:34

He said, if you step on my tail one more goddamn time.

SPEAKER_00 51:38

Did you knock it to my head one more time?

SPEAKER_04 51:42

He said, he said, hey Siri, play knuckin' and bucket. Oh, wait, she's gonna play. Hold on. I wanna I wanted to ask you, kind of, where did you think that this kind of approach to wellness came for you with this like association with music? Because for me, it definitely came from growing up in New York and just like in a Hispanic household, constantly music was always around me. And you already knew Saturday and Sunday, your ass was waking up at 7:30 cleaning to whatever your parents had on that radio, and I loved that experience because it was a shared experience, heavily like in my childhood with friends and peers as we grew up, and it did not leave me like till this day. I'm always just like, what playlist am I gonna listen to while I clean my house? Yeah, for those that need a playlist or just like an artist, please. When you were like just doing some deep cleaning, put on a Phil Collins playlist. Okay because that no, no skips necessary. Phil Collins was delivering. No, that man did not need to go that hard on Tarzan.

SPEAKER_00 52:55

Oh, I was gonna say, is it the Tarzan soundtrack?

SPEAKER_04 52:59

It's it's it could be the Tarzan soundtrack, but it could be any of his collection.

SPEAKER_00 53:03

I do love Phil Collins. He always has a great like bass line and a great drum in the background.

SPEAKER_04 53:08

You really need to just ease your way in. Start with S, S Studio.

SPEAKER_01 53:11

Like I was not expecting you to say Phil Collins at all.

SPEAKER_04 53:18

That's also because like I and Alex always makes fun of me for it, but he's like, I love light rock. You did, and that's just how I grew up with like just having clock me. And so what always comes up is I think it's Tiny Dancer. Oh, this is for those, you know, for those watching, you know, listening to Pandora back in the day. I would always use Tiny Dancer as like the first song to start the curation of that list. And so lately, on I don't know whatever I was listening to, I think it was within 45 minutes to an hour, it came back on. And he was like, it doesn't know any other song. I was like, first of all, it's been an hour.

SPEAKER_00 53:59

Okay, but the Phil Collins to Elton John pipeline is a great musical soundtrack to explain. I I agree with that, and there's something sonically about that era of time and music that is really satisfying and really enjoyable and really like allows you to still continue to be motivated in whatever tasks you're completing. I actually think that is a great um suggestion, like a great offer to people. I think for me, similar to you, when you said cleaning, that really like it took me back to very specific memory where on the weekends, you know, if we needed to go grocery shopping or run errands, my sister and I would go out with um my mom. We were always listening to music in the car in general, you know, and and it was always like 80s, 90s, and today, or it was Y100, or it was NPR. So I feel very grateful for that because it gave me such a diverse ear. But more specifically, we would come home and my dad, like we each had like different responsibilities. My dad, one of his was like mopping the house, you know, and without fail, every time we would come, if this man was mopping the house, he was dancing with the mop because there was some compa music, there was some salsa music, there was some Caribbean, there was some reggae, there was something on the the stereo, okay? Blasting, and my man's was getting down with the mop, you know? So you have those, like, those memories, and you that kind of builds a muscle memory around music and how you utilize music or when you turn music on. I always definitely have music on when I'm cleaning, and I think some of my favorite reels on Instagram are of people who are like, you know, oh, I'm just putting on some music while I get things done. And it's just them dancing around their entire house, it's them slamming things, it's them being completely distracted, or the people who are like, oh yeah, like me cleaning with like deep pro like bleach products, and then it's them like passed out in the bathroom.

SPEAKER_04 55:55

Just like because there's no reason why we were using a fabuloso kaboom CLR and a Lysol on that toilet. But you know what? That toilet was clean. And when you sat on my throne, my throne did not miss.

SPEAKER_00 56:14

Okay, you got there. You were trying to figure out how to get there.

SPEAKER_04 56:19

I was trying, you saw me freeze.

SPEAKER_00 56:20

I said, But it's true though. I think like always have the freshest bathroom, always have the freshest kitchen, always have the cleanest carpet shop. And part of that is the music motivation. I will say one of my favorite uh musicians to listen to is Gloria Stefan when I'm cleaning, okay?

SPEAKER_04 56:40

Musical too on your feet. Like, I'm waiting for that revival on Broadway. I'm waiting for that revival, I'm waiting for the revival of In the Heights, I'm waiting for the revival of um in the heights. Legally blonde, legally blonde. All these things.

SPEAKER_00 56:56

You're always good with you've got a great also musical ear, like the musicals that you enjoy. Those soundtracks are also really lovely. I'll get into that vibe too, where I enjoy a really good musical and I want to listen to that soundtrack. There was one point where I was all into the Hamilton of it all. I really love the Hamilton soundtrack.

SPEAKER_04 57:15

An album that's surprising for Broadway, for Broadway, bring it on the musical. Bring it on the musical.

SPEAKER_00 57:26

Shrek. Come on.

SPEAKER_04 57:31

If y'all out there streaming this and listening, turn the turn the music up a little bit. Turn the music up a little bit. I'll speak soft to turn the volume up. If you're hearing me now and you have not entered the world of musical theater, and you need musical theater to give you the gift.

SPEAKER_00 57:53

Give you the gift.

SPEAKER_04 57:54

Please turn on Shrek the Musical.

SPEAKER_00 57:57

Turn on Shrek.

SPEAKER_04 57:58

Turn on Shrek.

SPEAKER_00 57:59

Enjoy it. Enjoy Shrek.

SPEAKER_04 58:00

Do do the one to two. Yeah. Do that pipeline. Watch the watch the first film. Take a second and go, oh, they did a musical.

SPEAKER_00 58:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 58:08

Let me go check that out.

SPEAKER_00 58:09

It's worth it. It's worth it. I love that we've completely shifted away from like pop stars and contemporary and we're up in our musical bag. Our 80s and 90s bag.

SPEAKER_04 58:20

I'm just saying, and the reason the reason I also speak to this right now is because I'm hoping in the new year, um, a personal goal for myself is to do a little bit more creativity. And we've talked about it, but there is a cute little theater in in my town, in my area, and I would love to like volunteer my time, whether that be for like set design or something, but eventually build up the energy and the momentum to like actually audition for a show. Like I would love to do theater again. Like I just miss it so much. And especially when I didn't get casted as Angel back in high school. They said you could be ensemble and I could sit, and I'm leaving.

SPEAKER_00 59:06

Okay, first of all, once again, you've left me gagged. I didn't even first I I would love to see you in a musical. I would love to see you in a play. Like I feel like you just belong in the spotlight. I tell you this all the time. But also it makes me really excited to hear you say that only because I know that you've been embracing like the parts of you that are introverted. I know those are areas that you've been exploring and you've found like a lot of, I think, security in it. But I also know that there's just such um a passionate like fire in you and the way that you express yourself and you're even like just the way that you engage with the world, the way you engage with stories. And so it just makes me excited to see that you are in a space of pursuit, like wanting to pursue those parts of your your creativity and your personality and like the things that make you excited in that way. Like that, just I'm so thrilled by that. I feel like you would eat up a role in a musical.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:11

I stomp it. Stop it. Do you guys agree? Oh my god. Because in the words of Jennifer Hudson, girl, I don't like live in a nail spot.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:27

Clearly, y'all y'all heard the change, okay? You heard the pitch change, you heard the tone change, you you heard the jump, you heard from from chess voice to head voice. The man is cake.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:38

When I when I first hit falsetto in chorus in high school, and I was like, what the hell is that? I straight up, my teacher was like, Do you not sing regularly? I was like, first of all, the only reason I'm in chorus right now is because it was the elective I was given.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:52

Okay, period.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:54

But secondly, I was like, Yes, I love to sing. Yeah, just as I like to read like Matilda, I also love to sing. But when he was like, I need you to go here, I need you to be up here. It was like that scene with Brandy and Whitney, like, why are you down there? But granted, I was a bass.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:10

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:11

I was 5'7 in the back with everyone that's like six foot two singing bass. So if you had a dream, a couple of dream roles that you would like to be on Broadway or in the film or something, where would that take you? One role I would really love to do on Broadway is Donkey from Shrek. The characterization is there. Because look, look, these are my hoops. This I'm here. I'm here.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:43

You are so stupid.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:45

I'm here. And pivot?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:47

Do it. You could definitely do it. You could do the cadence, you could do delivery, you could do song, dance, rhythmic. You you got it all. I would definitely, I could definitely see you eating up that role. Oh my gosh, who would I? You are gonna laugh, but it's true. I would want to play either pain or panic in Hercules.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:09

And I would be your pair. I would have to. We we would we would eat.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:15

What are those?

SPEAKER_00 1:02:16

Yes. I'm obsessed with painting panic. I think they are really a hilarious comedic and underrated duo from Hercules. Just because I feel like that's such a fun show, and it's such a like a fun movie. I want it to be a show, but it's such a fun movie, and like those roles are so like enjoyable, and they're so standout, but you don't have to learn too many lines. That's where I'm at.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:42

Because you said the one thing you're not gonna give me is dialogue and expect me to be off book by tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:47

I'm not trying to be a leading lady, which by the way, another pivot. Okay, this is a drag race pivot, but you're bringing me here because I think you did you know that Anya Nerve was supposed to be in um In kinky boots. Kinky boots. And I, when we crowned our last winner, obviously they bring out our previous winner, which was Anya Nerve. In my opinion, I have not been hearing much about what Anya Nerve is doing. I don't feel like I feel like as a drag race winner, usually you hear more or you see them in more places. I didn't I really haven't seen her in a lot of places, so I was like, what's up with that? Like, she only she has less than 200,000 followers on Instagram, which also is like really strange to me. But I heard that there was like creative differences with her in kinky boots, and that that's why she didn't end up doing the role. Did you hear that?

SPEAKER_04 1:03:39

I did hear that. I think what's hard is like that storyline or like that narrative still hasn't like it really hasn't come to light, or I don't even think like Anya has shared much about it. Yeah, like what's the so it's so weird to like understand what's going on, and I think this was similar for Nymphya, where like the last two winners, there was this, like, there was this winner arc, yeah, but no one unless you were following closely, and I think what's hard with drag race winners is that they have created a culture now that we now are evaluating how the queens utilize their win in a year, not necessarily about the long run, it's you haven't been on the screen for a year. So, what are you actively doing? But also, the show's exclusively about branding, and I'm just like I'm super excited for our current winner. Yeah, shout out to Mikey Meeks, Florida got a win. Okay, Florida got a win for the queer community right there.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:44

So shout out to Mikey Meeks.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:46

Mikey Meeks, Wicked Witch flipping around, Mikey Meeks. Um, but like the finale number was amazing.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:56

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:57

Showed you exactly what to expect. Yeah, but I think as a viewer and for fans or for folks that I'm really annoyed with people saying like this is the worst season.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:06

I'm like Who said that?

SPEAKER_04 1:05:08

So many people are like, I stopped after Jane Don't left. And I'm just like girl, that that's again that that was a you decision. There was a video today of the little girl who was like, listen, if you're having a bad day, that means that you're the problem. And I was like, I that that's that. That's for them.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:25

If you're asking daddy, that means you're the problem. It's awful.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:30

She clocked them.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:31

I was just like, I agree with that, but I guess in this context, it makes sense. I mean, I will say them letting go of Jane don't the storyline. I understand where everyone's coming from. I'm I know I'm flip-flopping all over the place, but I'm saying that because I feel like something with Drag Race that like has continuously split the fandom is how heavily produced it is. And like there are people who really like don't mind that. They understand like that's in the world in the realm of entertainment. And they can still enjoy the art form. And also, all these freaking rue girls, like their followings, their claim, their fame, it all grows, whether you win or not. You know, like you end up winning something in the end. Molly cracked me up because she's like, so everybody's getting money. She's like, they get money, they get money, they get money. Like nobody, like, what is the what is the actual prize here if everybody's winning money? You know?

SPEAKER_04 1:06:22

So I'm like, at this point, where's my money? Because if crew got money because the audience is getting money.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:29

So it's just like everybody ends up, you know, benefiting from being a part of that show in terms of like following and acclaim. So I can let go of the heavily produced of it unless it's not done well. And I think that was really my greater issue with the Jane Don't of it all, where I was like, it just seems a little forced the way that you led to her departure. And that's whatever, though. Like I can still enjoy the show and the contestants that are left over, but you're not gonna convince me that that was a well-written storyline. You're also not gonna convince me that Jane Don't is miscongenial.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:05

It was just abrupt in a way that was like it was just weird.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:10

The miscongeniality of it all. I was just like, really? I was like, it it comes across a little, and I don't think that it is, because I actually think they genuinely all love Jane Don't and like she could be miscongeniality. It just is weird the way that the storyline was written for her to be the one who was selected for that. I don't think that's what people had in their mind as miscongeniality, so then it comes across as though they're just giving it to her because they feel bad, which may not be the case, but again, that's like the perception that it gives because it was poorly written and poorly produced. Now, I don't think that means that Mikey Meeks is undeserving of the crown. I think Nimi Coco ate up that entire finale. Like, chomp, chomp, chomp, the entire finale. And I'm just obsessed with Darlene. Her outfits were ridiculous.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:01

Like you, I just feel like watching that show, like, no, first of all, no one got hurt. It's not like anyone did anything crazy ridiculous, it was just like these people were authentically them, and you've seen them be that this whole show.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:16

It wasn't terrible.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:17

So, Kookie and Goofy, and then you had Versatile, and then you had Ultimate Dance Diva the House down boots. So it's just like it. I think what was interesting is like it's the first time I think in a while that there was a top three, and so my mind jumped to like season seven and eight. Having folks do individual created numbers, yeah, I miss that, and I want that back instead of a lip sync showdown, throw down. You can do a final lip sync, of course. Everyone loves it, but if we are truly moving away from drag race, like you, as a winner of drag race, are just a drag queen. No, we are creating true entertainers from this show. That's what you're producing. You're producing someone that's going to go into this, into this world, in this industry, and have a career. It's evolved.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:19

It's let's accept let's accept that mission and that goal. I feel like if we accept that and we understand how production is taking those things, and if queens are coming in with knowing who they are, but also still leaving some room for like vulnerability and finding those things out, like you know the formula. Like if you have a good time and you find the fun that's there, yeah, you can be successful whether you win first place or what you can successfully.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:50

Absolutely. I think I agree. I agree with that. I think that people will always have really strong opinions, and they're also at the same time always trying to reinvent the show. But I think I I enjoy it for what it is. I did not think that this was the weakest season by any means, or the worst season by any means. I don't think what happened with Jane Don't is the most controversial thing to happen on drag race. Right. I I don't.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:14

Um I also there are more serious things in the world than like drag race. So, like if you have to if you are emoting so heavily off of this show. It's like, girl. Again, wellness, wellness, yes, maybe think about how much you're digesting. That's why I don't watch like eight seasons of drag race at a time anymore.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:36

Or I'm like, if I want to watch it or just pay attention to how seriously you're taking things that don't actually need to be that deep and are supposed to be places of like joy and enjoyment. Like, don't don't be the girl up on the drag race like content who's like dragging people for filth and being serious about it. Like, this is drag.

SPEAKER_04 1:10:56

Like girl, if you don't put your phone down and go read a book, like people, the fandom gets serious, and I'm like, relax.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:03

This is this is not the end of the world. This is not brain surgery, this is you all don't even know this person. The parasocial relationships need to be put on pause. You don't actually know any of these people. They are entertainers, they are performers, and also this show was filmed a year ago. And these people have, since their careers have become more lucrative, they are happy, they are excited, they are in a sisterhood, they continue to enjoy the acclaim and the fame of being rue girls. They don't need you to cape for them, they don't need you to say that things were stolen from them or XYZ didn't deserve this or that. Like, actually, you're not a part of the conversation. It's okay, you're just enjoying it as a viewer, and just let it be that. Let it be that, and then go get back to your life because you have things to do, actually.

SPEAKER_04 1:11:52

I think you you you actually listen here. Listen, if you out there on the comments posting on someone that didn't win a show, a reality television show, or if you spent time posting on anybody's comments, just take a second and realize you probably have laundry to do, you probably have groceries to run, you probably should go to the gym, you probably should be doing anything else and putting that phone down. We're all guilty of it. But I just need you to take this extra second and go, should I do that?

SPEAKER_00 1:12:17

Okay. Thinking of things that we should do, because I feel like we gotta close it out.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:25

My last, my last question for you, because you you touched on it a little bit with with theater and wanting to audition. What are other goals you have like for the remainder of the year?

SPEAKER_04 1:12:36

Yeah, I think I think touching on 2026 reflections is definitely a good transition here as we come to the end of this episode.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:44

Yeah, I think this truly was a hot topic, by the way.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:48

We spicy Why is it so spicy?

SPEAKER_00 1:12:55

Wow, you ate that. I don't even know what character that is. That's new.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:59

That was, I think, just like a vocal stem from Instagram again. Just like vocal stems that in it. That's why I'm like character to be element. Okay, curious.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:09

Um 2026 goals.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:10

2026 goals. I think for me, the two major ones, and they also stem from wellness. It's redefining what creativity looks like for me. And I think part of that has come from I'm I'm in this new environment now where I have more resources to explore that. When I was living in like the suburbs in Colorado, I realized, especially because I was limited because I don't drive, um, there's not public transportation to get places so easily. I felt so secluded and being able to feel like joy from a creative outlet. What does that mean for me? But now I'm like, I have these things in my backyard, and I can take the time to nurture them and see if it actually adds up to what I want it to be. Or I can even just try and say, How far can I take this idea? Yeah, and if I have fun with it, great. But also, I think what comes with it too is one of my biggest things I always tell myself is like the worst thing someone can say is no.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:19

But don't let yourself say no first. And it's just something I try to, you know, really ingrained in my head. Yeah. And I it comes even from just like a lot of people get concerned with like asking for help with directions, like on the street or something. Like, just the smallest task, the smallest thing, like just try it out.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:40

Yeah, don't get any more.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:41

Someone says no, exactly. Yeah, and just try and reevaluating those expectations. I think you and I talked about that so many times. It's like I shouldn't be expecting that I'm going to get a leading role.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:14:54

When I audition for the first time, yeah. Get a sense of the community, get a sense of the area. Because listen, even if you perform well and get a role, you still don't understand the environment that you would be stuck in.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:10

Yeah, there's there's always gonna be new things that you're experiencing, or you know, obstacles that you feel like you have to overcome, even when your dreams do come true, even when you do meet the goal. Like, you know, I think the biggest thing to remember is like that there's always something to receive. There's always an offering, you know, to help you explore, to help you grow, to help you evolve. And I think it's such a beautiful thing that you are adopting that mindset of like, okay, even if I don't get the role on the first audition, hey, that doesn't mean I shouldn't audition again. Or that I or that I didn't meet this goal or haven't achieved something. Like going on the audition is achieving a goal. Like putting yourself out there in that way, believing yourself again, cultivating your confidence, cultivating your courage, all of those things. Like, I think it's so important to remember that you don't just wake up the next day and it's like, okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna achieve this goal and that's that. Like it's gradual. So it's it's just exciting to see that your motivation is returning in those ways. Because life can sometimes, you know, drain that from you. So it's beautiful to see that light coming back.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:12

It's like they say instructive musical in that one song. Life is disappointing.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:20

That was good. You ate that.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:25

But it's I I think I think something too. It's there's there's that rush and there's that thrill about trying something new.

unknown 1:16:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:16:36

And like being able to tell yourself, like, this is whether you've done theater before, or like if this is a completely new thing, the endorphins that come with like I'm trying something new and whether it goes well or not, like, you can hopefully look back on yourself and say, I did that. Yeah, did I eat that? That's that's for another day. But we're that's not that's not the goal. The goal is to have at least woken up that day, done something different, yeah, because we're so caught up in routine, and and that's the one thing about me. Like, I'm I'm really bad with habits. Like, I will read consistently for six months, take a long ass break, play video games for three months, take a big break, go do that. And I've been really trying to at least try something new for a year.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:25

I love that.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:26

And then be able to say, you invested time, you felt a sense of commitment, what did that mean like for you? And then that way, if it's something that I want to continue on, I have an example of doing so and where I can pull up from.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:43

I love even that mindset of like there's still so much time to achieve these goals, or to kind of turn something around, if there's something that you that's been in the back of your mind that you want to achieve, or that you that you want to put pen to paper, you know, and actually start to to ideate how do I make this happen? I think that that's a a beautiful offering to give people. And I'm very you have to definitely, I mean, I know you'll keep me updated on like how things continue to to grow with, you know, theater and and returning back to that community and returning back to that world. But I just think I also think it's just such a beautiful outlet for expression and for just like revisiting parts of your inner child, the the things that were magical to you, the things that made you excited, and the things that inspired you. Like that can be such an inspiring environment to be in with the people, with with the sets, with the music, with the storylines, you know, like it just allows you a healthy dose of escapism, you know, in a way that actually allows you to return back to yourself. So I'm very excited for this.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:47

I will say the first step on that journey, because this is a this is more of like a personal goal that I've always wanted to do, is signing up for tap dancing classes. I have always wanted to like learn how to tap dance. As a kid, I would pretend to do it like all through the house. But I'm like, if I baby, Fred is stare, I'm going to, I'm ready to put these ankles to work.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:17

Okay, and now the back is back and functioning. Okay. I love that. I love your goals for 2026. Period.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:28

How about you?

SPEAKER_00 1:19:30

How about me? I think mine, hmm. It's kind of in the same vein in terms of habits, like wanting to be more disciplined. Um, that's a big word for me, is always, I feel like discipline has always been my kryptonite. And not, and I don't think people would think that in terms of like how I am in my work life and how I am in my career, or even with personal projects, even with my podcasts. But when it comes to self-care, like exercising consistently, I'm very similar to you where it's like I'll do something for a couple of months and then I let's say I have a big event season, it's hard for me to get back into that routine I had because something switched it up. So I'm really trying to find just a, I would say, physical outlet that allows me to like consistently exercise. Like when I was in grad school, I love to rock climb. You know, I had a friend that I would run with all the time. So whether it's that's just like going on a walk like twice a week for like 30 minutes and listening to a podcast, I just want to do something that allows me to feel better in my body physically, um, which includes like going on more hikes. So, like I went on my first hike of the year, and that was just, I felt like the way that my body was being pushed to climb up that mountain. And there was just like, you know, you have that moment where you're just like, Am I gonna pass out out here? Like, should I say something to the people around me? Your body said, uh, girl, what are we doing out here? But then you make it to the peak and like you feel amazing. And I thought today my thighs would be incredibly sore, and they're not. Like, I feel good in my body. So, like that sort of enrichment of just like my actual physical health, I just want to be more intentional about, and I really want to offer myself that space of not just discipline, but like worthiness. Like, you know, like I know that like I can't if I want to be in a space where I feel good in my body and I feel good in terms of like how I'm breathing, going up the stairs, having a, you know, a delicious meal and not feeling guilty about like, am I actually taking care of myself? Then I know that comes with cultivating that discipline around the physical exercise. Because for me, you know, everybody is different. For me, like, even if I'm eating well, if I'm eating better, if I'm not physically active, I still don't have that balance that I need in terms of my health. So that's something for me that I'm like, I just want to be a little bit more disciplined about and offer that to myself. And I think the other piece is reading. I've been reading a lot more. Um, I got so many amazing book recommendations, but so far I've read four books this year, which I'm really proud of because that has just been a challenge of me for different reasons, but definitely growing up, as you're becoming an adult, your focus becomes so much more challenging to maintain. You know, sitting down and allowing yourself to read a book, it's not because I don't enjoy it, but my mind is going to a lot of different places. So actually allowing myself this space to sit down and just rest and relax and give myself over to a story has just been really beautiful. I was such a bookworm growing up. So it's beautiful to be returning back to that part of myself. Um, the last book that I just read was called, and I think you would like it too, but I'm gonna mention it because I think it's an excellent book. It's called The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett, and it's a novel about identical twin sisters who grew up in a small, like light-skinned black community in Louisiana. And they basically go on two separate paths down the road where one chooses to pass as white and the other chooses to live as a black woman. And it's about, you know, their two journeys and and it ends up intertwining in many ways, but excellent story. Like I've just been reading so many inspiring books, you know, not necessarily based in the present, just from stories that I might not have heard of or I might have considered experiences, perspectives. So I think I'm, you know, I love having a goal that keeps me grounded in myself who I am now, and like yeah, focusing on myself, and something that allows my brain to like explore and you know, and be in new environments and and in new perspectives and points of view. So I feel like those are the two goals that I'm I'm most excited about and feel just most committed to completing, you know, in 2026.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:01

That's so refreshing. I feel like something too to keep in mind too. Um a book club would could definitely be a great opportunity to and I think just finding a book club that is a little bit more flexible. So, like at our local bookshop, they do a book club pretty much weekly, but they do different genres. So you can sign up for them, you can come in and talk about the books. So I'm typically there for um the queer uh book club. Okay, and so they'll rotate different stories within the community, and it's just so refreshing because like you're meeting people that you know that live within the area, you have those part of the QA community, um, and then you have allies that are there, so it's just really refreshing. I will just say, everybody, if you're going to go to book club, just make sure you read the book.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:54

I knew you were gonna say that. I was like, why are you bringing up book clubs?

SPEAKER_04 1:24:59

I bring it up because I just want to give everyone a little reminder that everybody wants to hear what you have to say. Absolutely, that's the part of book clubs, you shouldn't go there expecting someone just to give their perspective about the full story. Yeah, because then you could have just did an audiobook or just like some other methodology.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:19

To that point, I think you have to know what's the right fit for you. Like, I you said book club, and I was like, I don't know because I also know like there's a pace that I like to move at. So, but if it's about also keeping yourself accountable, it doesn't have to be a whole club of people. You can find a friend, you can have a friend who you're reading the book at the same time with, and like when you catch up, you talk about that book. You know, maybe it's like the next time you have brunch or the next time you have lunch, you talk about where you are in the in the book so far, you know. That's something I do with friends all the time. And they'll be like, Are you at that part? Yeah, and I'm like, no, don't tell me. You know, so like I think like there's a way to keep yourself engaged. And to that point, I do want to say, um, I think a great way to maintain your goals, and this is something that I've had to learn over time, is not keeping them to yourself. Like, I think sometimes the hardest way to reach a goal is when you're only you're the only person encouraging yourself. It's a good idea to tell the people around you what you want to achieve. It's a good idea to tell the people around you what your passions are, what you're trying to pursue, what you've been ideating on, because you have no idea what their experiences might lend to what you're trying to do, or also the ways that people can just encourage you and help you feel empowered. I'm so excited to learn that you want to pursue theater again because it lets me know like, okay, this is a place and a space where I can encourage this person and also where I can keep my calendar open for future performances.

SPEAKER_04 1:26:49

Come on. She's about to see me do all this uh tipping and tapping.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:55

Okay.

unknown 1:26:56

Period.

SPEAKER_04 1:26:57

Tipping and tapping. All right, so we love you all. Thank you for another great episode. We hope you enjoy and have a safe and restful weekend. DJ, play the track, period. I love this.