A Very Howard Christmas + Superman Trailer

[00:00:00] Well, you'll try.

[00:00:20] Properly Howard fans, we are taking a break from our Few Good Films coverage to bring you a Christmas-flavored conversation between myself and Steve.

[00:00:28] We talk about our Christmastime rituals, and then we talk a bit about the new Superman trailer, which we're both excited about.

[00:00:37] Hey, if you want to do yourself a little favor this new year, consider becoming a Patreon member of the Lorehounds.

[00:00:43] What a great gift to give yourself.

[00:00:45] Check out the Woolshift dust coverage of Silo.

[00:00:49] Check out the Lorehounds coverage of Dune Prophecy and Skeleton Crew.

[00:00:54] Check out everything that's happening with them over at thelorehounds.com.

[00:00:58] Thank you again for listening to Properly Howard this year.

[00:01:01] Happy Hanukkah, happy Christmas, happy winter solstice to everyone.

[00:01:06] Without further ado, here is comic Steve Osborne.

[00:01:09] Might be a dog whining in the background, hopefully.

[00:01:12] I think at this point, people would be disappointed if there wasn't.

[00:01:15] At least some canine contribution to Properly Howard.

[00:01:19] He's very attached to Heather, and he's upset that she left.

[00:01:22] Right, Tim?

[00:01:25] There you go, Tim.

[00:01:26] Now, is it Tim?

[00:01:28] Is it Timmy?

[00:01:28] Is it Timothy?

[00:01:29] I call him Timothy James.

[00:01:33] Is that so?

[00:01:34] Yeah.

[00:01:35] It's not a question of efficiency.

[00:01:37] It's just...

[00:01:38] You've got to keep yourself interested.

[00:01:40] Right, like Laddy is more often called Lattison, as if that's what it was originally.

[00:01:45] I recently listened to an entire podcast series about Stevie Wonder.

[00:01:50] The Wonder of Stevie.

[00:01:52] It's a six-segment podcast.

[00:01:56] And it's very well done.

[00:01:58] I learned his full name, which I was very impressed by.

[00:02:03] I think you're going to like this.

[00:02:04] I think you're going to like this a lot.

[00:02:05] It's like, it's not actually Stevie, but Wonder is his actual only name.

[00:02:09] So it's not Stevie.

[00:02:12] It's not a variation of Steve or Steven, even.

[00:02:18] It's Steve-land.

[00:02:21] Wow.

[00:02:23] It's like the name Steve, you drop the last E and you add the word land.

[00:02:29] Like Cleveland.

[00:02:30] Yeah, so it's Cleveland.

[00:02:31] Yeah, okay.

[00:02:31] It's Steve-land.

[00:02:33] Steve-land.

[00:02:34] That's...

[00:02:34] I mean, if I ever were to take over Sebastopol, Steve-land is definitely on the short list of rebranding.

[00:02:44] Two middle names.

[00:02:45] Hardaway Morris.

[00:02:47] So, Steve-land Hardaway Morris Judkins is his real name.

[00:02:53] Tell you right now, Stevie Wonder sounds a whole lot worse.

[00:02:56] He originally wanted to go with his name, Stevie Judkins.

[00:03:04] And I guess it was sort of Barry Gordy's invention of, you know, come up with Stevie Wonder.

[00:03:11] But man, Steve-land Hardaway is so much cooler.

[00:03:14] It's so much cooler.

[00:03:16] For sure.

[00:03:18] For sure.

[00:03:19] All right.

[00:03:20] So, Ben and join me.

[00:03:21] Some Stevie Wonder Christmas music.

[00:03:24] And I wanted to ask you about Christmas music.

[00:03:27] Because I don't think I know your opinion.

[00:03:31] Like, it's very divisive.

[00:03:32] Some people hate it.

[00:03:34] Some people just can't get enough.

[00:03:36] They can't wait to throw on the old records.

[00:03:40] Do you use your record player to get in a festive mood around this time of year?

[00:03:45] I don't have any Christmas albums like that.

[00:03:50] But I...

[00:03:50] So, I used to be way more festive.

[00:03:55] You know, full decorations and, you know, the tree, the whole thing.

[00:03:59] I haven't had a tree in years.

[00:04:03] Don't do a lot of decorating.

[00:04:05] I might today go grab the stuff that's, like, nearest in the shed.

[00:04:10] And sort of just give it a smattering around the house.

[00:04:13] So, that way it sort of feels like it.

[00:04:15] But I used to, like...

[00:04:15] I mean, it was music.

[00:04:16] I'd be playing Nat King Cole's Christmas album.

[00:04:20] Elvis' Christmas album.

[00:04:22] That's what I wanted to hear.

[00:04:23] Okay.

[00:04:23] So, that used to be you.

[00:04:24] But not anymore.

[00:04:25] Not that I wouldn't.

[00:04:26] I just don't.

[00:04:28] You know, it's...

[00:04:30] I'm bad at being festive these days.

[00:04:33] And I don't know if it's because the kids are older.

[00:04:35] If it's just busier.

[00:04:38] Way too many dogs.

[00:04:39] It was just so many different things that could contribute to that.

[00:04:43] How many dogs is it now with Tim?

[00:04:45] With Tim, it's six.

[00:04:46] All right.

[00:04:47] So, yeah.

[00:04:47] That's at least four too many dogs.

[00:04:50] That's true.

[00:04:54] So, but I mean, I am not opposed to it.

[00:04:57] I don't have a problem with Christmas music in stores early.

[00:05:03] Like some people just have a really hard time with that.

[00:05:06] There are plenty of Christmas songs that I think are awful.

[00:05:12] Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is an unfortunate thing that's happened to our society.

[00:05:20] And I had a pretty good streak of never hearing it.

[00:05:22] And then I heard it yesterday, I think two days ago in the store.

[00:05:26] And I was worse for it.

[00:05:28] It's one of those songs that I really liked when I was nine years old.

[00:05:34] Sure.

[00:05:35] Because you hated your grandmother and you just sort of lived vicariously.

[00:05:39] And it hasn't gotten better.

[00:05:41] Let me give you a song that has really grown on me over the years.

[00:05:44] It's only gotten better.

[00:05:47] Oh, yeah.

[00:05:48] Oh, yeah.

[00:05:49] Are you kidding me?

[00:05:50] This could be the best best song.

[00:05:53] I was going to ask you that.

[00:05:55] Because I thought, I bet you Steve likes this song.

[00:05:57] I've never asked you about it.

[00:05:59] It's wonderful.

[00:06:00] It's a wonderful.

[00:06:01] To me, it's a year-rounder.

[00:06:03] Is that right?

[00:06:08] That's so good.

[00:06:20] Yeah, and you're right.

[00:06:21] I think my appreciation for it has only increased as the years have gone on.

[00:06:24] I didn't used to like this song.

[00:06:27] It just, for some reason, I thought it was, maybe it's like my appreciation of George Michael has increased.

[00:06:35] Yeah.

[00:06:36] But I cannot get enough of this song.

[00:06:38] And I agree.

[00:06:40] It's one of those times where I think like early 20s Anthony, if he met me, and it's just another thing he would be disappointed about.

[00:06:49] Right.

[00:06:51] In addition to everything else.

[00:06:52] In addition to what you've done to your body.

[00:06:55] Yeah, he's like, why are you adding?

[00:06:56] Like, of course, this has to be in it, too.

[00:06:59] Who did it become?

[00:07:01] I like this song quite a bit.

[00:07:03] That and Christmas and Hollis, I think, are two of my absolute favorites.

[00:07:30] Here's another one of my favorites.

[00:07:32] I don't know if it's as good as the other one, but this is kind of one of my jams.

[00:07:38] Oh, really?

[00:07:41] Again, another one that's grown on me over the years.

[00:07:45] Just recently watched the video for this, which is just, just beautiful.

[00:07:49] Yeah, I kind of hate this song.

[00:07:50] Oh, really?

[00:07:52] Yeah.

[00:08:06] You're not a Beatles guy, though, right?

[00:08:08] Not really, and I think they have a real hard time with a good portion of McCartney's solo work.

[00:08:19] I was hoping you'd say that.

[00:08:21] Because there are artists, and I think maybe this is...

[00:08:28] I'll get your take on this.

[00:08:29] Do you think that there are more artists that their star rises once they get rid of the boy band?

[00:08:36] Or more stars that kind of are diminished after the boy band breaks up?

[00:08:42] Well, I mean, how many...

[00:08:44] You start looking at the boy bands throughout history, and then you start looking at successful solo artists.

[00:08:50] Timberlake sort of feels like maybe the exception to the rule, right?

[00:08:53] I mean, I think...

[00:08:54] I mean, I guess Bobby Brown.

[00:08:57] Well, Michael Jackson.

[00:08:58] Sure, yeah, that's true.

[00:09:01] Bobby Brown.

[00:09:04] You know, there are a number of...

[00:09:07] I think if we sat down and looked at these, we'd probably come up with a dozen.

[00:09:12] But, like, New Kids didn't...

[00:09:15] Nobody flourished.

[00:09:18] Yeah, very surprising.

[00:09:20] Very shocking.

[00:09:23] I mean, Backstreet Boys, there's not...

[00:09:25] Like, there wasn't one that took off.

[00:09:29] 98 Degrees.

[00:09:31] Who came out of the Commodores again?

[00:09:34] Lionel Richie.

[00:09:35] Yeah, right.

[00:09:36] But that was more of a band.

[00:09:37] I don't know if I would put that in boy band.

[00:09:39] I mean...

[00:09:40] They were the young band, I suppose.

[00:09:42] I mean, that's...

[00:09:43] I guess you have to kind of define boy band.

[00:09:45] I think boy band has a certain, like, hey, these are...

[00:09:47] These are younger...

[00:09:49] Right.

[00:09:50] You know, of a certain age and sort of assembled because of their boyishness as opposed to their musical prowess.

[00:09:56] Because, like, in most of these cases, there's no instruments being played by them.

[00:10:00] They're all just vocalists.

[00:10:02] Well, okay.

[00:10:03] That's a good distinction.

[00:10:04] So, I think that you...

[00:10:06] People wouldn't normally think of the Beatles in those terms.

[00:10:09] Right.

[00:10:10] And I think that Paul McCartney is definitely one of these guys that, while you are not a big fan, I think a lot of people would recognize him as sort of a major musical player for a long period of time.

[00:10:27] And some people would use the term genius.

[00:10:29] I'm not sure if I'm willing to do that.

[00:10:32] But the documentary that came out four or five years ago, I think that we all have a different appreciation of him.

[00:10:38] I think that for a long time we thought John Lennon was the genius.

[00:10:44] Maybe because he was...

[00:10:46] Killed.

[00:10:47] Yeah.

[00:10:48] Yeah.

[00:10:48] Maybe he was assassinated and that happens to important people or something.

[00:10:52] But...

[00:10:53] And he becomes, like, his potential is more cemented now than maybe even his work.

[00:11:00] Right.

[00:11:00] Yeah, yeah.

[00:11:01] He's got the Cobain thing.

[00:11:02] Yeah.

[00:11:02] We reflect on his work in a way where we wouldn't normally, right?

[00:11:07] We have to, like...

[00:11:08] We have to savor it.

[00:11:08] So, maybe his solo work requires more analysis.

[00:11:12] Sure.

[00:11:13] Whereas Paul McCartney is moving forward still so we can kind of take it for granted to some degree, right?

[00:11:19] Also, I mean, after that documentary, it was very clear to me who the genius of that group was.

[00:11:24] And it was definitely McCartney.

[00:11:28] And I've been revisiting some of the wings, some of the solo work afterwards.

[00:11:33] And it's legitimately great music.

[00:11:40] And, again, never...

[00:11:43] I think Paul McCartney never sort of eclipses the shadow cast by the Beatles.

[00:11:50] Mm-hmm.

[00:11:54] And I don't know.

[00:11:55] I mean, maybe the odd Christmas song is a little bit of an odd thing.

[00:12:00] But that's in my rotation, man.

[00:12:03] I...

[00:12:04] I mean, it's definitely peppy.

[00:12:06] The Christmas songs...

[00:12:08] The Christmas song, if you can pull it off, if you can pull off the Christmas hit, it's something that can survive in a different way, in a different catalog.

[00:12:18] It's in a different category.

[00:12:20] It immortalizes you in a way that no other kind of song does.

[00:12:26] Especially if it's an original, right?

[00:12:30] Because to sing...

[00:12:32] To sing a classic Christmas song is...

[00:12:36] But to carol well.

[00:12:43] Okay.

[00:12:45] You know, so it's like if you get a Christmas album, like having a Christmas album, that's fine.

[00:12:49] But if you can have a last Christmas...

[00:12:53] I want to stop you there.

[00:12:54] I'm going to stop you there.

[00:12:55] This is definitely stage-worthy, and there should be something about, like, who's the best caroler of all time?

[00:13:04] You know, we have debates on, like, you know, who's the best musician?

[00:13:10] Who's the best basketball player?

[00:13:12] You know, who's the best actor?

[00:13:16] Why don't we have debates on who's the best caroler of all time?

[00:13:21] I think that that should go in the old Christmastime rotation.

[00:13:25] Now, do you have Christmastime jokes that only come out at Christmas?

[00:13:28] I don't.

[00:13:31] Not that I...

[00:13:32] No, I don't think so.

[00:13:33] I want you to know, whenever I drink eggnog, I think of a text you sent me.

[00:13:38] And I think it was, like, I sent you a text that said, what are your feelings about eggnog?

[00:13:43] And you replied with just two words.

[00:13:46] But there are two words that haunt me every single time I drink eggnog.

[00:13:51] You wrote...

[00:13:51] Do you remember what you wrote back?

[00:13:53] No.

[00:13:54] Sweet paint.

[00:13:56] Okay, I thought...

[00:13:56] I was going to say it was probably paint.

[00:13:58] Yeah.

[00:14:02] Yeah, right?

[00:14:03] Really great, you know, economy of words.

[00:14:06] Wonderful joke.

[00:14:07] It just...

[00:14:08] It should go in the old rotation, for sure.

[00:14:10] Yeah.

[00:14:13] Yeah, it's sort of...

[00:14:14] It's sort of...

[00:14:15] Like, I did that with coconut.

[00:14:18] And it really upset people, because I said, I like coconut, but it's a bit like eating

[00:14:26] tasty hangnails.

[00:14:32] Because of the way that they shred?

[00:14:36] Yeah, the texture.

[00:14:37] Huh.

[00:14:38] Like chewing on a hangnail.

[00:14:40] Because it ruined coconut for people?

[00:14:43] Yeah.

[00:14:47] All right, that brings us to Christmas beverages.

[00:14:50] So, I'm a big eggnog fan.

[00:14:53] I can't...

[00:14:54] I mean, it's just horrible for me.

[00:14:56] Are there any beverages that you only have at Christmas?

[00:14:59] Well, I mean, eggnog, I do...

[00:15:01] I will partake.

[00:15:03] Do you like yours spiked?

[00:15:06] You know what?

[00:15:07] I don't know.

[00:15:08] I've done it, and I don't know that I like that as much.

[00:15:12] No?

[00:15:13] It's weird.

[00:15:13] Because, I mean, it's like...

[00:15:14] I mean, I'll do it.

[00:15:15] Don't get me wrong.

[00:15:16] I mean, I'll spike anything.

[00:15:17] But I feel like if I'm going to have eggnog, I kind of want...

[00:15:21] Like, since it's something I don't have very often, it's just like, let's just do the

[00:15:25] eggnog thing.

[00:15:27] I think I feel about spiked eggnog the same way I feel about root beer floats.

[00:15:32] Oh, you like the ice cream, you like root beer, you don't want to put them together.

[00:15:38] I feel like I make both things a little worse.

[00:15:42] And I know most people feel the opposite, but that's how I feel.

[00:15:44] I feel like, ah, this root beer would be a lot better if it wasn't all creamed up.

[00:15:48] Uh-huh.

[00:15:50] Yeah.

[00:15:51] And for me, like, cheap eggnog is undrinkable.

[00:15:55] Mm-hmm.

[00:15:56] Oh, yeah.

[00:15:56] I like to get the ones that are in a fancy bottle, like a bottle that you have delivered

[00:16:01] to your doorstep.

[00:16:03] Yeah.

[00:16:03] Yeah.

[00:16:03] The old-timey milk bottle with the old-timey cap on it.

[00:16:07] Yeah.

[00:16:08] That's the only stuff I'll drink.

[00:16:10] And I can't drink a lot of it.

[00:16:13] But I'm into it.

[00:16:14] Now, you are a cocktail guy.

[00:16:16] Yes.

[00:16:16] Are there festive cocktails that you partake of?

[00:16:19] So, when it comes to wintertime, Christmas time especially, I will usually make a lion's

[00:16:25] tail cocktail.

[00:16:27] Explain the lion's tail.

[00:16:29] So, it's a, it's, I make it with bourbon.

[00:16:33] I use, you need a little lime juice.

[00:16:37] You need a little simple.

[00:16:39] And then all-spice grain.

[00:16:43] Really?

[00:16:44] Yeah.

[00:16:46] Interesting.

[00:16:47] So, this must have a bit of a kick to it.

[00:16:50] A little bit of a kick.

[00:16:51] It's got, like, it's very, it's just, it's, it is very, people, when I make it, refer to

[00:16:58] it, like, ah, it's like Christmas in a glass.

[00:17:00] Because it just has, it has a very, very, like, holiday-type flavor profile.

[00:17:06] Yeah, yeah.

[00:17:08] Yeah, it's, it's, it's really delightful.

[00:17:12] So, when we would have, if we would have parties towards this time of year, I would, I'd make

[00:17:17] them.

[00:17:17] And, man, it would, it would cause problems, because people really like it.

[00:17:22] Okay.

[00:17:24] Next topic, because you brought it up, parties.

[00:17:27] Mm-hmm.

[00:17:28] I've never hosted a Christmas party.

[00:17:31] I probably will never host a Christmas party.

[00:17:35] I've been to Christmas parties at your house.

[00:17:38] Yeah.

[00:17:38] Like, you will host a party from time to time.

[00:17:41] Yes.

[00:17:41] Um, I'm wondering, now that you're a little bit less festive, if that has gone away.

[00:17:49] Yeah, we haven't thrown as many parties.

[00:17:52] Um, just, uh, most of the times, I think, like, when I look back at the parties I would

[00:17:57] throw, I was probably less, uh, active in comedy.

[00:18:02] Oh, you needed a stage.

[00:18:05] Well, I, I think also, I just had more.

[00:18:07] Like, I haven't had enough attention this year.

[00:18:10] Right, exactly.

[00:18:12] Yes.

[00:18:12] Uh, I'm gonna need, I'm gonna need to, like, fill up my tank before the year's over.

[00:18:18] Totally.

[00:18:19] Yeah, so we just don't have as many free nights, and so it's just, like, because parties take,

[00:18:23] take some prep, take some planning, so that, you know, there's a run-up.

[00:18:28] Um, and I, it used to really go all out, and we'd do, like, everything would be themed,

[00:18:33] costume-themed, things of that nature, and we'd pre-batch things, and, like, I would be,

[00:18:38] I'd end up, like, tending bar all night, so I wasn't always having the greatest time.

[00:18:43] Um, so yeah, then, so that's when we started moving to pre-batch, and so we don't, we'd

[00:18:46] been to some Christmas parties, just went to, uh, you know, one the other night, you

[00:18:52] know, um, and we've had to turn some down just because we're so busy.

[00:18:59] Now, do you have regular relative obligations?

[00:19:02] We do, we did not do them this year.

[00:19:06] Um, there's always a, a gathering on my, uh, father-in-law's side of the family, so, um,

[00:19:15] and those can vary from, um, super fun to crazy awkward.

[00:19:21] Yeah.

[00:19:22] Uh-huh.

[00:19:22] And, uh, this year we just...

[00:19:24] That sounds like right in your wheelhouse.

[00:19:27] Yeah, no, for sure.

[00:19:28] I mean, it is, uh, it is, it definitely scratches my, uh, my schadenfreude itch.

[00:19:34] Um, but sometimes it can, you know, as with family, it can get awkward in a way that's

[00:19:41] like, well, we're gonna have to revisit this at some point.

[00:19:45] Um, so my idea of a Christmas party is this.

[00:19:48] Um, it's too many people.

[00:19:50] The temperature is not well regulated.

[00:19:53] Um, they didn't know that, you know, adding a bunch of warm bodies in a room is gonna increase

[00:20:00] the heat by 15 degrees past my comfort level.

[00:20:04] And I'm in, like, weird clothes that I don't normally wear.

[00:20:09] And then I maybe eat a few things that shouldn't go together.

[00:20:15] And, uh, all of that combines to make me really uncomfortable.

[00:20:22] You strike me as mostly uncomfortable in life.

[00:20:28] I'm always pursuing comfort, though.

[00:20:31] It's like trying to find that good Chinese food, right?

[00:20:34] Like, you imagine it exists.

[00:20:35] Uh, you have your favorite Chinese food place that you go to, but it's just okay.

[00:20:41] You know what?

[00:20:42] You always come back to this example.

[00:20:44] I love Chinese food.

[00:20:45] I'll eat bad Chinese food and it's fine.

[00:20:48] Yeah, we all do.

[00:20:48] That's our thing.

[00:20:50] No, I'm saying that even bad Chinese food is good.

[00:20:54] Well, that's what we've conditioned ourselves to.

[00:21:00] And I realize I'm taking out an entire country by saying this.

[00:21:03] I'm talking about Chinese food here.

[00:21:05] I'm sure Chinese food in China is also fine.

[00:21:08] I want you to know that I love it so much that I've, I sometimes I fantasize about making

[00:21:14] a trip to China just to go to some high-end restaurants.

[00:21:19] I don't even care about seeing the wall.

[00:21:21] Like, I will see the wall if you drag me there.

[00:21:23] But really what I want to do is I want to tour.

[00:21:26] I mean, that is my idea, but it's an ideal vacation for me.

[00:21:30] Sort of like when I go to New York and I say, ah, the Empire State, but I can kind of see it over there.

[00:21:34] But let's go to the Ghostbuster Firehawk.

[00:21:36] Right.

[00:21:36] That's right.

[00:21:37] Yeah.

[00:21:38] All right.

[00:21:38] So you're pro Christmas party.

[00:21:41] Yeah, I think so.

[00:21:42] But you'll acknowledge that Christmas parties are a little bit like Chinese food.

[00:21:47] Yes.

[00:21:48] But I will say, because I think I'm chasing an ideal.

[00:21:53] I always want, someday I want to have a Christmas party.

[00:21:55] I want you to be a part of this Christmas party.

[00:21:57] I think we need to make this a goal.

[00:21:58] Like a little bit.

[00:21:59] This is a life goal.

[00:21:59] Is I want a Christmas party like I would imagine Christmas parties would have been like in the 80s.

[00:22:04] Like on sitcoms, like we're like at a ski lodge or something.

[00:22:09] Like at a chalet.

[00:22:11] And I just picture us with our puffer jackets and our scarves on.

[00:22:15] We walk in.

[00:22:16] You pat the gloves because you're getting a little fresh snow off them.

[00:22:21] You take the puffer jacket off.

[00:22:24] And then underneath is a handsome sweater.

[00:22:28] And you hang your scarf up.

[00:22:31] And you're all gathered around.

[00:22:33] And just kind of like oak paneling.

[00:22:37] Like a Reuniti commercial is what I want.

[00:23:05] Reuniti, Reuniti.

[00:23:07] I want something like that.

[00:23:10] And I want us to just sit around and hobnob.

[00:23:12] And everybody seems like.

[00:23:13] And every time he sees.

[00:23:14] I remember seeing Jack Tripper do a ski vacation once.

[00:23:17] And I was like, yeah, that's the stuff right there.

[00:23:19] That's the kind of Christmas party I want to do.

[00:23:21] You want a ski lodge, but you don't care about skiing.

[00:23:25] Oh, no.

[00:23:26] No, no.

[00:23:26] I won't touch those things.

[00:23:28] But you do like the idea of a lodge experience.

[00:23:32] Oh, yeah.

[00:23:33] All right.

[00:23:34] Okay.

[00:23:34] Yeah.

[00:23:35] It's like, you know how I feel.

[00:23:36] The same way I feel about books.

[00:23:37] I love books.

[00:23:37] I just don't necessarily want to read them.

[00:23:40] I know.

[00:23:41] I know that about you.

[00:23:42] Now, we could make that happen pretty easily, Steve.

[00:23:45] That's not like a big thing on the bucket list.

[00:23:51] That's doable.

[00:23:52] We could make that happen.

[00:23:53] You say that, but then that would involve being around Christmas time.

[00:23:57] Well, I mean, look.

[00:23:58] One of your bucket lists was to do stand-up in New York City.

[00:24:02] You accomplished that.

[00:24:04] I can guarantee you that a lot more went into that than would go into having a Christmas party in a lodge.

[00:24:11] True.

[00:24:12] You need the light dusting of snow.

[00:24:15] Yeah.

[00:24:16] Yeah, yeah.

[00:24:17] And I want it to be with people.

[00:24:18] Well, here's the trick.

[00:24:19] I want it to be with people I want to be with.

[00:24:22] And that's the hard part.

[00:24:24] Yeah, that's never going to happen.

[00:24:29] That's impossible because a lot of your favorite people are just dead.

[00:24:37] That's fair.

[00:24:38] That's fair.

[00:24:40] Jack Tripper is not a real person.

[00:24:42] Mm-hmm.

[00:24:43] Yeah.

[00:24:46] I think I just want to have either a Reuniti type experience.

[00:24:53] Or like a Wrigley's Spearman type situation or juicy fruit.

[00:25:01] Okay.

[00:25:02] All right.

[00:25:03] Next topic.

[00:25:06] I've never gotten a Christmas card from you.

[00:25:09] Oh, yeah.

[00:25:12] I'm assuming that your family doesn't do like Christmas photos and sends out cards and things like that.

[00:25:18] I think we tried it once.

[00:25:19] Didn't stick.

[00:25:21] Okay.

[00:25:22] Well, maybe I have gotten a Christmas card from you.

[00:25:24] And I just.

[00:25:25] It's possible.

[00:25:26] I just don't remember it.

[00:25:28] So this is not something you usually do.

[00:25:31] But you probably do receive these things from other people.

[00:25:34] Yes.

[00:25:35] I'm the same way.

[00:25:37] It's sort of part of my Christmas time to kind of like, oh, this is what you look when you're trying to look nice.

[00:25:44] Yeah.

[00:25:45] Yeah.

[00:25:45] And I put them up.

[00:25:48] And it's part of my sort of my Christmas ritual.

[00:25:50] I've never actually sent out one of these things.

[00:25:55] Yeah.

[00:25:56] I feel like I have a.

[00:25:59] It's kind of my relationship.

[00:26:00] I had with a pen pal when I was in like fifth grade or something.

[00:26:05] They wrote all the time.

[00:26:08] Where was this person from?

[00:26:10] Finland.

[00:26:12] Wrote me all the time.

[00:26:13] And I think I wrote maybe twice.

[00:26:15] And it was like, like they were like genuinely interested in me and America and California.

[00:26:22] And I'm like, I wrote back.

[00:26:24] Yeah.

[00:26:24] I hung out with my friend, Jeff.

[00:26:28] Don't ask anything about Finland.

[00:26:33] Terrible pen pal.

[00:26:34] Where do you go?

[00:26:36] How many neo-Nazis do you live near?

[00:26:41] Right.

[00:26:42] Of course, you'd be asking me that now.

[00:26:45] Of course.

[00:26:47] All right.

[00:26:48] So Christmas cards.

[00:26:49] Now, I've told my children, you never have to write me a card like for any holiday.

[00:26:55] Like, don't ever feel bad about not writing me a card for Father's Day or Christmas for my birthday or whatever.

[00:27:00] Like, you can do it if you want.

[00:27:02] But if you don't want to do it, just don't do it.

[00:27:05] I'll never feel upset that you didn't write me a card.

[00:27:11] But I still get these cards.

[00:27:13] People still write cards.

[00:27:14] I write cards for other people.

[00:27:16] I do, too.

[00:27:18] It's the worst.

[00:27:18] One of the worst things we do as a people.

[00:27:22] We get a card that has somebody else's writing in it.

[00:27:25] And then we also write in it.

[00:27:27] So what are we doing?

[00:27:28] I can't do it.

[00:27:29] I have to.

[00:27:30] What are we doing?

[00:27:30] The card.

[00:27:31] Like, that's the that's the perk of buying a card.

[00:27:33] It's got the sentiment in it.

[00:27:35] Just to hear.

[00:27:37] I think the idea is you from me.

[00:27:40] I went down the aisle and I read all the cards and I found the perfect match.

[00:27:45] This expresses my emotions perfectly.

[00:27:51] No, that's not how it's done.

[00:27:53] It's not how it's done at all.

[00:27:55] It's whatever card catches your eye and you'll put up and you're like, oh, I guess that's not as bad as it could be.

[00:28:01] And then you say your name at the bottom.

[00:28:04] Yeah.

[00:28:05] It's a little bit like the fine print.

[00:28:12] I'm sure that a lot of this is just making me look foolish that I would put my name on this.

[00:28:18] But I want the car.

[00:28:19] I think the sentiment should be small on the back.

[00:28:24] And then the price of the card should be the biggest, boldest thing inside.

[00:28:28] I thought about you this much.

[00:28:32] I thought about you six dollars worth.

[00:28:36] I always buy blank cards because I do, too.

[00:28:40] I cannot stomach the cheesy, sentimental poetry or whatever it is.

[00:28:49] Oh, yeah, I know.

[00:28:51] But then you got to think of something.

[00:28:54] Yeah, I think I'm short, short and potent.

[00:28:59] If you can get it in one line, then that's the best.

[00:29:02] It's kind of wild to think about, right?

[00:29:03] Like.

[00:29:05] I didn't go, oh, I have this.

[00:29:06] I want to communicate something to you so bad.

[00:29:08] I just need I just I just need some paper.

[00:29:11] It's the other way.

[00:29:12] It's I got to.

[00:29:13] Oh, I need to get you a card.

[00:29:14] Now I have the card.

[00:29:15] Now I've got a manufacturer sentiment.

[00:29:18] It's like I needed an occasion to express this particular feeling that I'm thinking of in the car.

[00:29:30] I feel like if you get to line three, you're like, oh, no.

[00:29:35] Is this going to is this going to feel like I didn't fill up the card?

[00:29:38] Like.

[00:29:39] If it's one line, it's like, no, that person that person nailed it in one line.

[00:29:44] It wasn't meant to fill up the card.

[00:29:46] If you get to line three.

[00:29:48] Now you're like, what does this look like if it's only the top three lines of this card?

[00:29:53] And then you and then you you omit a word or you or you write your end weird.

[00:30:00] And now you're like, well, great.

[00:30:02] I'm already committed to this card.

[00:30:07] The thing is, how many things are you writing out like that these days?

[00:30:11] Like almost nothing.

[00:30:12] Like we've forgotten how to write.

[00:30:16] But we still hang on to this.

[00:30:18] This idea.

[00:30:19] I could text whatever I feel to you right now.

[00:30:24] That was the thing is we bought a gift card for somebody.

[00:30:26] Right.

[00:30:26] And the option was I could just email it or text it to him.

[00:30:30] Heather's like, man, I got to print it out so we can put in the card.

[00:30:33] I'm like, well, I could text whatever I was going to say in the card with it.

[00:30:37] And she was like, well, that's impersonal.

[00:30:39] I'm like, this is a this is this is a problem.

[00:30:44] Finally, do you have a movie that's on rotation?

[00:30:48] Christmas theme.

[00:30:49] We have a few that we go to.

[00:30:50] Yeah, but if you go to talking about things that like you appreciate more over time.

[00:30:56] National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is one that we we probably go to maybe the most.

[00:31:00] I don't think I've ever seen it all the way through.

[00:31:03] Yeah, it's become a pretty heavy staple.

[00:31:08] Elf will probably go on Christmas Day, maybe more backgroundy.

[00:31:14] And a diehard was on last night.

[00:31:17] I tell you what.

[00:31:19] Always with elf.

[00:31:21] Every single time.

[00:31:24] I'm surprised that Peter Dinklage is in that movie.

[00:31:27] Every time.

[00:31:28] Every time.

[00:31:29] Every.

[00:31:29] Whoa, I forgot.

[00:31:30] Peter Dinklage was in this.

[00:31:33] And you're a big diehard fan, of course.

[00:31:36] Yeah.

[00:31:37] And sort of without fail, you'll watch a diehard.

[00:31:40] And is it the only time a year you'll watch diehard?

[00:31:42] Yeah, because I because I mean, I know like I'll be in the mood other times.

[00:31:46] But like I since I know I'm going to be watching it at least once a year.

[00:31:50] That's like.

[00:31:51] So for me, this this really settles the issue.

[00:31:54] Is diehard a Christmas movie?

[00:31:56] If it is the kind of movie.

[00:31:59] That you only watch during Christmas time.

[00:32:03] It's got to be a Christmas movie.

[00:32:05] It's got to be considered part of the one of the great Christmas films of all time.

[00:32:09] Yeah.

[00:32:10] See that.

[00:32:10] And that's the argument that keeps going around is and it still goes on is the it doesn't

[00:32:15] qualify just because it happens during Christmas doesn't make it a Christmas movie.

[00:32:20] And and I don't.

[00:32:22] And I so I guess the the assumption in there is that there's something else that defines a

[00:32:26] Christmas movie that it has to have some other quality to it.

[00:32:30] And like it's either, you know, there's either some magic or there's some hope or whatever,

[00:32:35] which I would say that diehard kind of checks those boxes.

[00:32:41] It's kind of a Christmas miracle that he's able to do this, you know.

[00:32:47] Batman Returns is a Christmas movie that I will watch outside of Christmas, but it does

[00:32:52] hit a little differently during Christmas.

[00:32:57] And and that one's pretty Christmassy.

[00:33:00] I mean, there's a lot of it's specifically at Christmas and there's, you know, exploding

[00:33:05] presents and there's tree, a Christmas tree full of bats.

[00:33:09] Yeah.

[00:33:10] It ends with the phrase Merry Christmas.

[00:33:13] It's Christmas is all over the place in that in that film.

[00:33:16] Now, for me.

[00:33:19] And this really does dominate my holidays.

[00:33:24] I'm all about peanuts.

[00:33:26] And this is this is one of these things that has not changed.

[00:33:29] It's not like I appreciate it over time.

[00:33:32] I've always been a big fan of the peanuts comic strip.

[00:33:36] I always watch peanuts Christmas special.

[00:33:40] Always watch peanuts Halloween special, Thanksgiving special.

[00:33:44] And my most dominant Christmas catalog is the peanuts Christmas music.

[00:33:52] And so, yeah, Charlie Brown is kind of a big deal for me.

[00:33:57] I didn't think you thought much of peanuts.

[00:33:59] So I I used to religiously.

[00:34:05] Pour over, you know, peanuts, books, peanuts.

[00:34:10] I mean, I just I was always a huge peanuts fan.

[00:34:13] And I want you to know that I realize that when I say that.

[00:34:19] It sounds like I'm saying I'm a penis fan.

[00:34:23] And it's part of my enjoyment.

[00:34:25] Part of my enjoyment when I say that is to know that some people will misinterpret peanuts as penis.

[00:34:32] Yeah.

[00:34:33] So like when you say things like I introduced peanuts to my children.

[00:34:40] I'm not going to even comment.

[00:34:45] I love it.

[00:34:46] I always have loved it.

[00:34:47] Always will love it.

[00:34:48] I used to.

[00:34:49] I used to come out during Christmas, guys.

[00:34:51] You're just going to have to get used to it.

[00:34:53] Come to my house.

[00:34:54] You're going to see peanuts.

[00:35:02] So, yeah.

[00:35:03] It's just not Christmas without peanuts.

[00:35:08] Okay.

[00:35:08] Okay.

[00:35:09] Well, this has gone off the rails.

[00:35:11] Shall we talk about Superman?

[00:35:14] Sure.

[00:35:18] So I did not see this thing drop.

[00:35:20] You sent me a text.

[00:35:21] You know, asked me what I thought about it.

[00:35:23] I sat down and watched it.

[00:35:25] Tiny little.

[00:35:27] Little.

[00:35:29] Like mustard seed of hope.

[00:35:32] Sprouted in my soul.

[00:35:34] And I thought, uh-oh.

[00:35:39] Uh-oh.

[00:35:40] I'm building myself up.

[00:35:42] Yeah.

[00:35:44] Because for me, Superman is sort of like has this really prominent place in my heart.

[00:35:55] Specifically for Christopher Reeves.

[00:35:58] Sure.

[00:36:00] And the movies don't really hold up.

[00:36:03] And yet, I remember the experience of that.

[00:36:09] And how like it was up there for me with Star Wars.

[00:36:12] And nothing has really been able to match that.

[00:36:18] And I've almost came to the conclusion that the world has gotten way too cynical to make a Superman movie work anymore.

[00:36:31] Like that, that was the bygone era.

[00:36:33] You know, that was sort of the innocence of the early 80s where the Superman mythology could like take hold.

[00:36:44] And I thought, maybe that's gone.

[00:36:45] Maybe it's just gone.

[00:36:46] Maybe we need just, maybe Batman's what we have left.

[00:36:50] Mm-hmm.

[00:36:51] And then I saw that trailer and I thought, huh?

[00:36:55] Maybe?

[00:36:56] Just maybe?

[00:36:57] Maybe it could work.

[00:36:59] Yeah.

[00:37:00] I, uh...

[00:37:02] I feel the same way.

[00:37:03] I mean, I...

[00:37:04] And it's interesting.

[00:37:04] There's such a, um...

[00:37:07] An odd, like, faction of people that just really, like, are upset that Snyder is no longer attached to Superman.

[00:37:15] And, and I'm like, dude, those movies were rancid.

[00:37:20] I mean, Man of Steel was a tease.

[00:37:24] Like I said, it's half good.

[00:37:26] And then it just falls apart.

[00:37:28] Um, and does everything it was trying to do in the first half.

[00:37:32] Um, Batman versus Superman is...

[00:37:37] It's, it's probably the worst Batman movie.

[00:37:40] I can't say it's the worst Superman movie because, uh, Superman 4 exists.

[00:37:45] And, and Justice League is, is a trudge.

[00:37:48] I wanted to ask you about this because sort of post-Dark Knight, post-Nolan, when we measure these things by their ability to believably exist in our world, right?

[00:38:04] Mm-hmm.

[00:38:06] Does Superman have the disguise as glasses problem?

[00:38:11] Like, could it, could a Superman film actually work like that ever?

[00:38:16] Because you still run into the issue of, like, no, no one, no one knows who that guy is.

[00:38:23] Right.

[00:38:24] Because of his glasses.

[00:38:25] Well, the hair's a little different, right?

[00:38:26] It's a little, little pearly cute thing going on.

[00:38:29] You know, he acts differently.

[00:38:31] But, like, even in this trailer, like, he looks about six foot six in this trailer.

[00:38:35] Yeah, that's the thing, right?

[00:38:36] So it's like, if you want the guy to fill out the suit, he's going to fill out the everyday suit, too.

[00:38:43] And it's like, oh, here's this meek, gorgeous human.

[00:38:48] But his hair's disheveled.

[00:38:50] So it couldn't be the same guy.

[00:38:53] Right.

[00:38:54] Now, if he had, like, really big, like, sunglasses or something all the time, maybe, like, he would pretend to be blind, maybe.

[00:39:02] It's like how 80s films used to make really hot girls nerdy.

[00:39:07] I was just going to say, that's, like, Superman created that.

[00:39:12] He was the first hot nerdy girl.

[00:39:15] Yeah.

[00:39:16] Yeah, because when he becomes Superman, he just takes off his glasses and takes his hair out of a bun.

[00:39:22] And it is a fundamental problem.

[00:39:25] It's a fundamental problem that only works if you can suspend disbelief and think, no, this is a comic book world wherein this is possible.

[00:39:35] And if we're expecting these things to be hyper real, it just is never going to work.

[00:39:42] It's never going to work.

[00:39:43] So you almost have to lean into the comic book-y part of it.

[00:39:48] This trailer looks very comic book-y.

[00:39:51] Mm-hmm.

[00:39:52] A super dog.

[00:39:53] There's a super dog.

[00:39:55] Yeah, putting crypto in is a bold move that is about as...

[00:40:00] It's good.

[00:40:01] I mean, it's like it definitely is a service to the comic books.

[00:40:04] So it's not like it's just out of nowhere.

[00:40:07] But it, to me, in a trailer that uses the literal planting of a flag, it does...

[00:40:17] Crypto plants the flag that says, this is not Snyderverse.

[00:40:23] This is not going to be a brooding tale, per se.

[00:40:28] There may be some serious themes, but this is going to be fun.

[00:40:34] And that's where my hope comes from.

[00:40:37] I mean, look, I do love the grittiness of the Batman.

[00:40:40] But I am for a different Batman in a world that's a little more fun.

[00:40:46] He's wearing trunks.

[00:40:47] He's wearing...

[00:40:48] This Superman is wearing red underoos and boots.

[00:40:53] Yeah.

[00:40:54] Yeah.

[00:40:54] So...

[00:40:55] I'm here for it.

[00:40:55] Yeah.

[00:40:56] No, you walk in thinking, I'm probably watching a Scooby-Doo episode.

[00:41:01] Yeah.

[00:41:02] Something along those lines.

[00:41:03] And he seems to think, like, you know, movie one, I'm bringing in every DC villain and superhero

[00:41:11] from outer space.

[00:41:12] Yeah.

[00:41:13] So that way it sets a tone, right?

[00:41:14] It sets this is not going to be grounded in reality.

[00:41:16] This is going to be a world where, like, this already exists.

[00:41:22] These things already are here.

[00:41:23] Hawk Girl is a thing.

[00:41:25] Yeah.

[00:41:26] That's right.

[00:41:27] Yeah.

[00:41:27] So, yeah.

[00:41:28] So I feel excited about this.

[00:41:32] I don't hate the casting.

[00:41:38] Really happy about Lois Lane.

[00:41:40] I don't know if you've ever seen Marvelous Miss Maisel.

[00:41:43] But great actress.

[00:41:47] The music.

[00:41:49] Bringing back the original, you know...

[00:41:52] John Williams.

[00:41:52] Yeah.

[00:41:53] Yeah.

[00:41:53] Man, that...

[00:41:55] It's a really interesting choice to do that.

[00:41:58] Instead of, you know...

[00:42:00] So, I mean, there does feel like...

[00:42:01] But doing it with electric guitar.

[00:42:03] Right.

[00:42:03] It does feel like a touch of...

[00:42:05] Like, the concern is like, okay, is this how much fan service, right?

[00:42:08] But it's comic books.

[00:42:10] Like, that's everything.

[00:42:12] It's all fan service to some degree, right?

[00:42:16] And it does...

[00:42:17] I mean, choosing to...

[00:42:18] I don't know how intense some of the themes are in this movie.

[00:42:23] But the trailer really goes out of its way, like I said, to separate itself from what had come before.

[00:42:30] And like I said, there's a large group of people that, like, that's what they're about.

[00:42:34] They really like that.

[00:42:37] And, I mean, I just wasn't...

[00:42:39] It just didn't work for me.

[00:42:40] I just didn't...

[00:42:42] I didn't find the stories that were being told in the, quote, Snyderverse as compelling.

[00:42:49] So, yeah.

[00:42:51] I'm kind of curious to see how well this grand plan works.

[00:42:56] But the thing that I'm most excited about is the fact that this particular movie, that's coming out in July,

[00:43:02] is not going to be burdened with the idea that it has to connect to nine other movies.

[00:43:09] Right.

[00:43:10] This is your seed.

[00:43:11] So, let's just plant this.

[00:43:12] Let's make this one movie work.

[00:43:16] And we don't have to, you know, record all the action scenes ahead of time and then make the CGI work later.

[00:43:24] They can bake this cake exactly how they want to bake this cake.

[00:43:30] So, that's what makes me excited.

[00:43:31] I don't know if any of the sequels work.

[00:43:33] I don't care.

[00:43:34] I'm just kind of curious to see if Superman can still exist in this world.

[00:43:41] Yeah.

[00:43:42] Yeah, I agree.

[00:43:42] It's a bold opening.

[00:43:43] I think it's the right opening in that way that you can kind of go big.

[00:43:51] I do get a little bit like, ah, with all these different characters coming in, like how much of the movie is that versus, you know, like maybe we're seeing all this, but like maybe they just come in at the end, right?

[00:44:03] But we just see them.

[00:44:03] I don't know.

[00:44:04] But I really, you know, I do want Superman.

[00:44:09] I've heard that Mr. Terrific is a big part of this movie, so.

[00:44:12] Okay.

[00:44:13] But I want Superman to be well fleshed out.

[00:44:17] And by that I mean, we've talked about this before, is that Superman movies and movies about Jesus all run into the same problem.

[00:44:26] Yeah.

[00:44:27] They really focus on the super, but they have a hard time with the man.

[00:44:33] And there's a duality there that is kind of important, right?

[00:44:37] Like, I mean, how he exists as a person is kind of important or how he chooses, like he makes a choice to do that, right?

[00:44:48] I mean, he could just be Superman all the time, but there's a reason why he's not Superman all the time.

[00:44:55] And I think that's an important thing to sort of digest.

[00:45:00] Well, and I think that the way that most Superman movies try to do this is they try to bring in the Clark Kent element to show the duality.

[00:45:12] But the duality has to exist in Superman as a character, right?

[00:45:17] Right.

[00:45:17] If we all know that Clark Kent is just a facade, he's just an act, then any kind of life trouble that he has is diminished.

[00:45:32] Like, why should I care that Lois Lane doesn't like Clark Kent?

[00:45:36] She loves Superman.

[00:45:38] Guess what?

[00:45:38] He's Superman, right?

[00:45:39] So where's the problem?

[00:45:41] Right, right.

[00:45:42] We want to see, like, the real world infect Superman as Superman and not just Clark Kent.

[00:45:51] As long as he's only ever impervious as Superman, it's going to be the God-Man problem.

[00:45:58] Right.

[00:45:59] So, but this one, this one begins right off.

[00:46:04] Superman is bleeding in the snow.

[00:46:07] Yeah.

[00:46:07] And that's another really interesting choice, right?

[00:46:10] I mean, Superman's vulnerability is how we're introduced to him in this trailer.

[00:46:17] Which is exactly the opposite of what Superman's whole thing is, you know?

[00:46:21] Yeah, that's right.

[00:46:24] And looks like they might be doing something with a bizarro Superman.

[00:46:28] Yeah, that's what I was thinking might be the case.

[00:46:31] Something along those lines, which, you know, coming right out the gate with it instead of holding it.

[00:46:40] Just tell Superman 3.

[00:46:45] Do you think that there will be any winks or nods to Superman 3?

[00:46:50] Gosh, I hope so.

[00:46:51] I hope at some point somebody's got, like, tires around them and they bust out of them.

[00:46:59] CGI Richard Pryor.

[00:47:03] I might treat myself to Superman 3 today.

[00:47:10] All right.

[00:47:11] Yeah, when you said hope, that's a good way to say it.

[00:47:14] I am cautiously optimistic about this.

[00:47:17] It's kind of weird to say, isn't it?

[00:47:21] Given what the last 20 years of the cinema have been like.

[00:47:27] It's kind of weird to say that we're excited about any kind of superhero movie.

[00:47:32] Totally.

[00:47:33] Well, okay.

[00:47:34] I hope you have a Merry Christmas.

[00:47:37] I hope all of our listeners have a Merry Christmas.

[00:47:40] Whether you celebrate Honda Days or Targotathon, my heart is with you.

[00:47:47] All right.

[00:47:49] Maybe we'll go out on this, Steve.

[00:47:55] Just a banger.

[00:47:57] His hair is magnificent.

[00:48:01] Speaking of which, this is, like, the Christmas party they're at.

[00:48:04] That's, I think, exactly what I was describing.

[00:48:06] It's very reuniting.

[00:48:07] See you next week.

[00:48:07] Thank you.