American Stage Actor

Should every parent be required to watch Netflix's Adolescence? Jonathan and Tom debate the Emmy-nominated series before diving into a bigger question: What drives some of us to push boundaries, while others cling to the familiar? Plus, find out the story behind Jonathan's unexpected media splash.

Transcript

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Tom: [00:00:00] What's up? What's up? What's up? We did it. 

Jonathan: We did it. Episode five. Here we go. Episode five. This is the No Homo podcast with Jonathan and Tom. I'm Jonathan. I'm Tom. 

Tom: Welcome everybody. Thanks for listening. Uh, today is Monday, July 21st. Thank you. We're recording you on Monday, July 21st record. You have to do 

Jonathan: that part.

Yeah. Because I'm never gonna get that part that right. So I'm just gonna leave that to you every time. Okay. Okay. So when it is, we're recording, uh, no matter when anyone hears this, this is Monday, July 21st, right now. 

Tom: And Jonathan is no longer making me read the log line every week. Uh, now you guys know what this show's about, and if you're just joining you'll figure it out.

Yeah, you'll follow along. It makes perfect sense. Yeah. We talk about all kinds of logical things that go, go together. 

Jonathan: Yeah. It's a very clear path. The, the through line is like very.

Do, I'm gonna do it real quick. Uh, uh, I'm gonna look up 'cause I wanted to tell you, I wanted to say I got some great feedback. Speaking of the things that we talk about in here, I got some great feedback on pillows, so I really [00:01:00] appreciate the people who Yeah. Spoke up. Yeah. We gotta tell the people about the pillows.

Yeah. People wanna hear about the pillows. Um, uh, snow, snow home was something that got, uh, recommended. From some people that I highly respect the snow home, and it's with an E, so Snow E Home, I don't know. And I, it sounds bougie. It's, oh yeah, it's definitely bougie. Um, but that's, it's a pillow, man. Treat yourself, you know?

Yeah. Yeah. Pillows. Pillows. This is shoes and tires. Someone told me this one time, anything that goes between you and the ground. Do what you gotta do. I think I told you that the best version, it, it wasn't you, but I'm sure you think that, I believe that you feel that way. It, it comes across, I would trust you.

These, well, someone told me that and 

Tom: I passed it. I passed, I recently passed it on last weekend in Shelter Island. Really? Yeah. I've, I've heard that same advice. It is, 

Jonathan: it is great advice, right? Yeah. Like it's just. Anything between you and the earth. You should, yeah. Don't skimp on it. Yeah. Yeah. So snowy home.

Um, and I had a couple other recommendations, uh, so I really appreciate it. We're still deciding, you know, it's not a one person decision, it's a group effort between my, my wife and I. So we are [00:02:00] still deciding. I promise I will. I know everyone's on, on pins and needles wedding. See pillow pillows you buy.

What other feedback are you, are you hearing these days? Um, well, I heard, um, what have I heard? I don't, I don't ask people like I, I I don't know, man. People are saying, um, what are people saying? Let's get into some feedback. Oh, I know. Can I, here's what I'll throw out there to you. Yeah. Someone asked me if you were, uh, if it was a joke or if it was genuine when you talk about having, uh, been trying to get him in my pants for 20 years.

Um, and how would you answer that? I would answer that to say it is. It is genuine and also can be taken tongue in cheek. It is fun. It's a fun flirtation there. It's, yeah. Yeah. But also like. It's like, I'm just joking. Unless you go and do it, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I, I 

Tom: definitely wanna get in your pants, that's for sure.

Like, that's, that's definitely a desire of mine. Um, I used to like really try 10, 15 years ago when you were single. Um, [00:03:00] but like. Respectfully try. Yeah. Um, in, in a way that 

Jonathan: we were still able to build a friendship throughout it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. I think that, and I've always said this, the person, uh, that was asking the, the no Homer that was asking, um, how I felt about that was saying like, if a, you know, it's, it's funny because like guys can joke about that, but if a, if a gay man joking about it, that it's kind of like a man saying it to a woman and that starts to get really dicey and I wanna be like, yeah.

Which happens all the time. Like it, like a decade ago, I remember. You helped me clarify my relationship with women because like, I was like, oh, I get it. Like I, I also, when I was single, am more than happy to have female friends and also wanna sleep with them. Like it's Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and, and then being honest about that balance and like, honest about how it feels and respecting both sides of that conversation.

But yeah. Um. I try to be respectful 

Tom: also, like I love your wife, obviously she's a good friend, so I would never, um, you know, these days I wouldn't ever, even if you wanted [00:04:00] to, I wouldn't without her permission. 

Jonathan: I really appreciate that. You do, you do make that clear. Sometimes you say, listen it, I love your wife so much that even if you wanted to, I would not.

I would not without her permission. You know, I have a big heart. You know, you're so kind, you're so selfless, and you're so good to my relationship, me and my wife. You're so good to us. I'm, I'm 

Tom: just looking out, so like, chill, chill, man. We gotta chill. We need permission. We, we've also been getting a lot of feedback.

We continue to get feedback on that in just like that portion of the show. We know many of you hate it. We know. We know, but we feel like this is our podcast. Yeah. And we're gonna keep doing it. And the show will be over before we know it. Yeah. Um, until season four comes back. Yeah. Uh, but we're gonna, we're gonna, we're gonna plow through it.

So I only have two things I wanna say about this week's episode. Great. Lay it on me. Um, does George Washington shave his armpits? It seems like it, 

Jonathan: right? Although, like he does, he's like a relatively. Hair-free man in general. Yes. So maybe not. Maybe he just like is low hair count. Um, but it seems like he But woof.

[00:05:00] Yeah, right man. Yeah. Woof. I 

Tom: was really excited about that shot. And right before it was Seima having sex with the hot gardener guy. Yeah. So those were two. Is 

Jonathan: it, is it fair to say I. I would say, and I don't know the original as well, but I would say this episode almost hearkened back to, uh, a more of a original IP kind of episode.

There was sex, there was a couple of different sexual situations, even like the, not that the jokes were funny this time around, but it seemed a little bit more like, I don't know, it seemed like the way that I expected it to be, even though it's. Uh, good per se. It seemed like there's sex. There's like, there's a woman who's married dealing with this kind of like, you know, and then very heavy handed from the editor.

Like it's, I mean, that was like, like every scene I was like, papaya or whatever he was in. Yeah. I was like, is she, is she still dreaming? Like we've established that she dreams? Like is each one of these just a dream? Oh no. This is real life. Okay. 

Tom: So, wait, do I, I dare say you like this episode. No, no, no.

Alright. My, my big question is Charlotte's Vertigo. Oh, do you think that's gonna come back? [00:06:00] It has to, right? It has 

Jonathan: to. I mean, if it doesn't, yikes. They also brought, they brought up Michelle Obama again, and they're pushing that. They're pushing that they have, whatever the opposite of Schrodinger's cat is, they can neither produce Michelle Obama nor not produce Michelle Obama at this point.

Yeah, I want neither to happen. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's bad. It's bad, but you're right. The vertigo and I, look, I, we applaud all working actors and any, any lifetime working actor. Great. And I don't want to judge actors by any. Every single moment. It was a, it was some heavy lifting to put on Kristen Davis to uh, ask her to calm down that hallway in full vertigo on a phone call.

Like it was like a lot. It's a lot, 

Tom: but is she really gonna have a health problem right after Harry had his, like, they can't bring it back. Is it really gonna be a thing? 

Jonathan: Like, it's just crazy. Did she have vertigo in the original? Is that a thing that existed for her? I don't think so. 'cause she was like, oh, it's back.

I was like, okay, maybe this is a, something also weird. This is real quick and we'll get out of it. But another for me. Yeah, we're, we're rushing right through this. We just, we just talk faster and don't spend any less time on it. [00:07:00] But it feels like, so twice they made the joke twice about, is vertigo real?

And then like, I forget what the first one said, but it felt like, it felt like. Tiptoeing toward anti-vax without committing to something down that path. Uhhuh, it was like, like, we're gonna kind of make fun of people with like soft diseases and soft problems. Yeah. Anyway. I don't, it feels like it has, the vertigo has to be something, but also how, how could the two sick people be.

The couple, how can they both be the sick ones? It's so ridiculous. Unless, unless it's being written by AI and the bot just got on a string here and this is the way the bot is going. Yeah. I, I want to congratulate you, dude. You had a big week. Um, thanks, man. Oh, well, I. Why don't you, you wanna tell the people I wanted, I wanted, I don't know what you're, I don't dunno what you're talking about.

I'm people. You dunno what I, I'm just a man of the people. So, 

Tom: American stage actor, Jonathan, Greg, uh, was featured in an article, uh, [00:08:00] in the Independent. Is that right? It 

Jonathan: is. That's independent. I don't know. I wasn't paying attention. So you, 

Tom: so, so let me recap for the listeners or the viewers, uh, Dak Shepherd, who's married to Kristen Bell at both actors, both very well known actors, both fair 

Jonathan: social, friends of the pods.

Tom: That's right, that's right. Pair of social Friends, uh, friends of yours. Um, and Dax, of course, has his famous podcast, which is called What? Armchair Experts. Armchair Expert. That's right. It's a great podcast. I've listened to. They do 

Jonathan: almost as well as we do. Yeah, 

Tom: yeah. Yeah. They're They'll catch up. 

Jonathan: Yeah. Um, we're pulling for him.

Tom: He posted a picture to congratulate her on Instagram. Uh, Kristen was nominated for her first Emmy, I believe. Yeah. For, uh, nobody wants this, which is such a good show. 

Jonathan: Yeah. 

Tom: So good. Um, she's so good in it. And if you posted a picture of her doing a downward dog, 

Jonathan: uh, naked. Yeah. What's it When One leg up, it's like the, 

Tom: yeah, it's a downward dog.

Uh, but with a leg up. Great.

All that yoga even. Yeah. Remember? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally. [00:09:00] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what that is. 

Jonathan: So she was in the classic downward dog with one leg up. That's right. Um, yeah. 

Tom: And he posted and there was a little cartoon or something covering her. Just like a sensor box. Yeah. Like a little box. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. And I was scrolling through Instagram one morning and uh, this past week and saw that post and, you know, it's a post that demands you stop and look at it. Mm-hmm. Because you're like, what am I looking at? And, uh, you know how Instagram will like, pull comments from people, you know? So without even having to go into the post, you can see, um, yeah.

So I immediately saw your comment. Yeah. 

Jonathan: Which, which was, do you remember? Uh, it was something like, 'cause she was wearing socks. She was wearing like, like calf high or like kneehigh socks and that's all she had on. So I said, I hope the makers of those socks are paying well for this UGC, which is user generated content for anyone who might not know.

Yeah. Um, yeah. Yeah. So it's just a, yeah. 

Tom: Yeah, so my reaction to the comment was, to be honest, a bit of an eye roll. I was like, oh, here, here's my boy. Trying to get in with Dax and Kristen, I'm sorry, trying to get in. Yeah, 

Jonathan: [00:10:00] yeah. 

Tom: Trying to get in. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

Jonathan: Uhhuh. 

Tom: Yep. And then I, uh. And then of course, a couple days later, you send me this article, uh, because, uh, the Independent wrote an article about the fact that Dax had posted this picture and it had stirred up a lot of, uh, attention.

And a bunch of famous people quoted, uh, Uhhuh, at least three famous people, 

Jonathan: quoted at least three famous 

Tom: people posted, not even quoted, posted comments on the Instagram, Gwyneth Paltrow being one of them. Uh, one of his co-stars from Parenthood, I forget her name, Maye Whitman. May Whitman. That's right.

Mm-hmm. And then, uh, actress from the Vampire Diaries, Nina Dore. Um, and then meanwhile, this is a quote from the article. Meanwhile, the American stage actor Jonathan Greg joked, I quote and then a quote, I hope the makers of these Cox are paying well for the CGC user generated content. 

Jonathan: I love it so much. I was so my wife article and I just thought she was like, 'cause I assumed this just like you.

I assumed that my wife saw that I had commented [00:11:00] on it and was like. Here's some follow up. And so me just being like an asshole. I was just kidding. She sent me the article and I texted back, oh, did they quote me? And she wrote back, yeah, American Stage Actor, Jonathan Greg. And I was like, BA haha. That's really funny.

And she was like, no, read it. I'm not that funny. That's what it says. I was like, what the fuck? Yeah. Yeah. But to me it's so, it tickles me. I love it so much because it, it, it tells me that, like this article, it like, I think AI was involved in this article too, not to be such a conspiracy theorist, but like some this, this journalist was like, oh, this is funny.

We'll do a quick little piece about this. There's some blue checks. Let's see who's saying what. And it literally was like. Computer. Tell me who Jonathan Greg is. I don't know this person. Tell me who it is. Yeah. The bot came back with like based on what I can find on the internet. I think he's a stage actor in America.

It makes you sound like 

Tom: you're performing at like the Royal Shakespeare Company or something. Well, yeah. Highly trained. Yeah. It's so good. But, but, so I had to actually look up [00:12:00] UGC, so when I read your comment and rolled my eyes, I had to take time to go to like Urban Dictionary, 

Jonathan: Uhhuh, Uhhuh, Uhhuh, to even know what you were talking about.

I am, I am carrying you into social media. Literacy, right? Yes. Yes. It's you cranky old man who doesn't want anything to do with any of 

Tom: this. No, I hate it all. And I had to go look it up and I'm rolling my eyes at you. The fact that you even commented and jokes on me, 'cause days later you're quoted 

Jonathan: just me along with.

Gwyneth Paltrow, you just, you and Gwyneth just put it in an 

Tom: international publication. 

Jonathan: And I'll tell you one thing, and I, I look, yes, everything you're eyerolling is, uh, legitimate. It is. I, I get it. Um, the reason, one of the reasons that I commented, I love Dax and Kristen. I, I love Kristen and I, I like Dax because I think like we probably, we would either fight.

Or be buddies either, we would either fight and then be buddies or just be buddies from jump. And I just, I just like the way he is. I think he's a blue collar guy mentality. Yeah. You know, like, I like him and she's so cool. She's so fun and seems so, so [00:13:00] cool. Um, and she like, in a little, little, little way, I mean, in a big way, but little in the grand scheme of things, like she's.

W she got me my first round of, of followers when I, when I went viral the first time, the first video I had go viral is because she reposted it. And that like blew my mind anyway 'cause I was already a fan. Like my, we are, we are, we are fans of Kristen Bell in this house. We like armchair expert as a podcast.

We love the Good Place. You know, like, so Dax and Kristen are, we are, we are fans. Sure. And so like years ago, whatever, the first time that I went viral was partly because of. Uh, Kristen Bell. Yeah, we owe all to Kristen. We owe Add all to Kristen. So, so Kristen, I know you're gonna listen to this episode and we just wanna say thank you.

We wanna say good luck at the Emmy's, and thank you. Thank you. 

Tom: Congratulations on your first Emmy nomination. Well deserved. Congratulations. Well deserved. Well deserved. So good. I love it. I loved the Emmy nominations coming out. I, I, I always get into them. I was a little heartbroken. That and, or. Didn't receive more love in the acting nominations.

Yeah. Yeah. I really felt like there were a bunch of performances that deserved it. [00:14:00] Um, Fort Whitaker was nominated, uh, I think for supporting for and or, and he's, he's, he's good in it, but, uh, that would've not have been my choice. Um, so I was a little bummed about that, but one of my favorite shows of the past couple years, somebody somewhere, um.

Has HBO Max show. Have you seen it? Yeah. Yeah. I love it. Love it. You watched the whole thing? Uh, yeah, I think so. I think we're covered. Yeah. It's three seasons. It just ended. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and it has not gotten any Emmy love and they just, um, announced that they were canceling after the third season, so they did wrap.

Wrap it up really nicely. Um, and, uh, Bridgette Everett is the star of that show. Yeah. She was not nominated for actress, which I was really hold, holding out for, but she was, uh, co nominated for writing one of the episodes along with the creators Hannah Boss and Paul Thorine. Um, Hannah and Paul, I've been following for years.

Uh, they, uh, are two of the founding members of a. Theater company in New York City called The Debate Society. Uh, they used to produce a, i, I don't know if they're still operating. These guys have moved [00:15:00] on to TV and film now, but Paul used to design all the artwork for the Astoria Performing Arts Center, um, where I was the artistic director.

So he designed all our show posters. Oh, wow. Uh, yeah. While he was writing. And so I'm so happy for him. Congrats, Paul. Yeah. That's so 

Jonathan: cool. And yeah, I 

Tom: mean, nomination and BJ and then Jeff Hiller was supporting, uh, nominated for supporting actors, Jeff Hiller. 

Jonathan: What a So good. What a talent. What a soul. What a.

I, I saw him in, um, uh, bloody, bloody, Andrew Jackson Off, yes. Off Broadway and then on Broadway and just like, he's so, so talented and like, I don't know, parasocial again, but like, seems like such a genuinely kind Yeah. Effervescent kind of person. Yeah. 

Tom: Yeah. He, he, he's amazing. And, uh, if you haven't seen somebody somewhere, I'd recommend that you watch it.

It's on HBO Max half hour episodes goes down really easy. Um, heartwarming, beautiful show about, um, 

Jonathan: being accepted wherever you are. Yeah. Um, and if you need a, if you ever need a, like a, a pif after some of that, you can watch Bridget's, uh, you can kind of rabbit hole down Bridget's, like YouTube of her. Um, yeah, like she, she's a singer and [00:16:00] she's like cabaret performer.

Yeah. Yeah. Her cabarets are hilarious. She's, she's just body with a huge voice and like just a like. Balls out all the time. Yeah. She's really fun. 

Tom: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Totally. That was my first, uh, experience of her. I saw her, uh, live. Oh, really? It was, yeah. I was Oh, nice. Was blown away. Like, who is this woman?

Yeah, for sure. Um, yeah. Yeah. And then adolescents of course, uh, uh, like swept a bunch of nominations. Probably a, uh, front runner for a limited series. Um, 'cause it's only a four part series that won't come back. Yeah. And, uh, the little boy in it was nominated for supporting actor. Uh, I think he's pretty much.

A favorite to win. If he does, he'll make Emmy history as the youngest, um, acting award here. Oh, I don't know the answer to that. I want to say he was nine when they filmed, but I'm not totally sure. Don't in true no homo fashion. Yeah. 

Jonathan: Don't, 

Tom: we don't research 

Jonathan: strong opinions on barely researched sources.

That's the, 

Tom: he's young. He, he, he, he's like preteen, preteen. [00:17:00] He might be a little older than nine actually. But, um, yeah, it made me think about, um, you know, I know a bunch of, uh, I wanted to ask you about this really, um, 'cause I don't, if I, if I'm correct, I don't think you have watched adolescence. I have not watched it.

That is correct. Yeah. And, um, I, I know, um, a bunch of parents, uh, in my life that haven't watched it because of the subject matter. Um, it, for people who don't know it. It, uh, you, you learn this pretty quickly in the first episode, so I don't think I'm really spoiling anything. Adolescence follows, um, the unraveling, uh, in a small town in the UK after a young boy, um, uh, commits murder, uh, of a, of a classmate, a young girl, and trying to understand what happened and what went wrong there.

It's a lot about social media, um, how online kids are these in it. Are online these days and what that does to, um, their, their lives and, and how they grow up. It's a heavy show. Uh, it's also like beautifully done. It's pretty affecting. Um, every episode is one shot. Each episode is an hour. It takes place [00:18:00] in a different location over.

I think the course of a year. Um, and each episode is done in one take. So it's one hour of continuous shooting. Um, and some of them are one of them, one episode takes place in the school where the kids go, and so you're going all over the school inside, out, inside again, and it's just one shot. It's amazing how they do it.

Um, and it's really, really affecting and, and a. Sort of a powerful message. I think sort of specifically for parents. Um, the, the show really indicts, um, you know, how online kids are, uh, I think I've said that and, and how the dangers of that and what it does in terms of bullying. And their relationships with other kids at school.

Um, and so I guess I want to ask you, like, as someone who doesn't have kids, why, what is the thinking behind a parent who, because I'm genuinely sort of baffled by it, why would a parent not watch something that could potentially help them raise their [00:19:00] kids and, and, and help their kids not be at risk for something?

Like what happens in adolescence? 

Jonathan: Um, I mean, you're asking me like why we haven't watched adolescence yet? Or like, if, 

Tom: or, or why a parent just 'cause you, you, I think you can better speak to a parent's Sure. Perspective than I can. 

Jonathan: Um, what is that thinking? Excuse me, sorry. Um, I think that there's, uh, a couple things at play.

One is, one really without getting into any of the parent, like. The, the psychology of it is like just time available and like, that's just, you know, like we've talked on the pod before about, uh, making time to keep up with the news a little bit, listen to a 15 minute podcast, you know, read one essay. Um, but the, the way that at least, and I can only speak from my wife and I, the way that we choose to spend our free time.

Mm-hmm. We have like, mm-hmm. I mean, you know, we have, frankly, two episodes of TV Max a night, like to get something in. Usually maybe we watch something, you know, like that's the hope. And we have, uh, a movie group shout out to COVID movie club. Uh, [00:20:00] so we've always got, we've got two movies every two weeks we've gotta watch also, um mm-hmm.

For our movie club. And so our time spent on entertainment is just pretty limited. Um, and frankly, like, it's not as far as like this show goes specifically. I wasn't against watching it. I like there are, there are shows, people that have been like, you don't, as a parent, you might not wanna watch euphoria.

You know, and like that came up with adolescence, so you might not wanna watch it. Um, I didn't actually, I hadn't heard much about it until you were telling me about it. And it sounds like exactly the kind of thing I would wanna watch. Like I love, I love cinematic achievement. I love like one shot Sure.

Episodes, you know, and like, and if it's moving, that's, that's great. Then that sounds all, that sounds very cool. And, and so like, something I would want to be a part of when it comes to specifically like stuff that's going to scare me for my kids or whatever, be uncomfortable to watch for kids. Part of it is like just there's such a, a prioritizing that's necessary because there's just not time.

Like I've gotta, I've gotta make sure to watch and just like that I've got two movies to watch. Yeah. Yeah. And frankly. [00:21:00] You know, uh, we've talked about it plenty. I'm not as plugged in as you are, but I'm, my wife and I are pretty educated. We're pretty plugged in, we're pretty aware of what's going on, I think, and it's, it's kind of like for the art of it, a lot of times I don't want, I don't wanna do that.

Then I'm also, I'm also reading about school shootings. I'm reading about the way that. Uh, the camp in Texas is avoiding paying its insurance and then there's a bunch of kids that die. Yeah. And I'm, you know, I'm reading about, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm in the middle of the pedophiles that are running things that are, you know, like there's so much that it, that does scare me and affect me about my kids in just the actual everyday life that when it comes to arts and entertainment, it's like not the first choice to choose something that's like gonna be hard for that.

Sure. And I think that, like, I get what you're saying. I, I, I get what you're saying, that it could be, uh, impactful and it could be, um, important. Also, it is arts and it is art, it is entertainment, right? So like, there's, it's, I don't know. On one hand it's like, I don't like Jaws, and when I go to the beach, I'm not gonna watch [00:22:00] Jaws again because.

Sharks freak me out. But you know, like, and that's a valid, you know, there's a thing there that can happen that's, that's generally a possibility, you know? But I'm not gonna choose to put myself in that mindset, um, when I go to the beach 'cause it just, it's gonna make me scared and uncomfortable. Yeah. And, uh, I, with, with, I, I think that it just comes down to like the time that can be spent.

Adolescence is one that I wanna watch. I do wanna watch that. I have not watched euphoria yet. I know that's kind of a lot of the same thing. Yeah. There's a lot of like teen, you know, just having problems and I understand that is all very real and I understand that those are, those are, those are situations that absolutely could happen.

One, my kids are young, you know, I'm not, I don't have teenage kids and frankly it's like. Yeah. I don't know. And I think part of it is the different, I, I don't know, I can only speak for myself. I can't speak for anyone else who does or does not have kids, but I am scared all the time about everything. Yeah.

Like I, yeah. My, my sons, they're in [00:23:00] my, my daughter and son are both in summer camp right now and they love the camp. Like on day four of last week, they've got two weeks in this, it's a day camp. They've got two weeks in this day camp. Um, and it's active and they're like worn out and they're having a great time.

But day, like four, I think last Thursday, my son like was having a really rough morning. He like would not let go of me and I, I dropped them off at camp and then I had to like, I forgot their water bottles, so I had to bring them back. And he was sitting alone, like he was like. Under a table, kind of like, you know, not like hiding, hiding, but he was on his own.

He was like being sulky and sad and like quiet on his own, and like, he can do that. It's okay to have one of those kind of days, but then I'm also like, is something happening here? Is there a, like, how do I get into this? What do I, how do I, how do I get him to tell me something without making it clear that I'm, like, trying to get him to tell me something, you know?

Like there's always it, there's been things where like, he'll, he'll tell me about things that like boys at school do or that like that his friends do that like, I don't love. But as part of growing up and part of life, and I want to make sure that I [00:24:00] can gain as much information as possible. Also with him still feeling comfortable talking to me about it.

Yeah. So I can't go to, I can't even show, I have to really have a poker face about how I'm taking in this information that is freaking me out. And most of the time it turns out those things are fine. Like I can get through it and realize like, it really is boys being boys. And I don't mean that in like a, you know, really just kids being kids.

Mm-hmm. Uh, but there's still like the fear of like, okay, is this worse? Is there something going on here? And how do I make sure to find out while still honoring the trust that he has in me? And it's just like, there's just nonstop thinking about it and nonstop being afraid of everything that is Yeah. You know, like, so it's, it's just kind of like when it comes to entertainment, I, I get that it is a piece of art that could also be informative and educational and like enlightening.

And sometimes I just fucking, like, I would rather just get high and watch something silly. I'd rather watch the righteous gemstones and just like laugh alone. Yeah. Yeah. You know? I get that makes sense. Yeah. 

Tom: I mean, I, listen, I'm not a parent as you know. Um, the closest I I will [00:25:00] come is, you know, my sister has three kids and, um, when she had them, I mean, I love them so much.

They're the closest I'll ever have to come to having my own kids. And, um, I, it's, but I, I can't compare. I don't know what it feels like. You know, you always hear when someone has a kid. It feels like your heart is walking around outside in the Yeah. Earth unprotected. And so I can, I can empathize with what that must feel like.

I can imagine that. Um, but the closest I can come to is my sister's kids. And I, I feel like my sister having kids is what politicized me at what made, it's what made me really start paying attention to the world and to politics and, and I feel like I watched adolescents hungry for what I would learn from it and scared for my nephew.

Um, and, and, and scared for what, what will the world be like when he's that age, six years from now, seven years from now? And will it be even worse? And you know, I hear from parents who when there's a school shooting, they don't even read the articles. [00:26:00] They shut it out 'cause it's too horrible because. They don't watch adolescence and they don't watch euphoria 'cause it's too horrible.

I worry that there, there might be opportunities to save kids if parents would maybe sort of look under the hood a little bit about what's happening in our world and, and maybe make. Different choices politically and when it comes time to vote in the elections, make different choices and talk to their friends and family about the choices they're making.

Jonathan: Yeah, I just, 

Tom: I just, I don't know, man. No, I get it. I get, 

Jonathan: I get scared. I do get where you're coming from. I think that there's like, uh, doesn't, I think that that's just not the only way. That is one of many ways to check in and to look under the hood. Right. Is like through entertainment and you're like, I look dude, I mean, I.

It, it, I'm an American stage actor. Okay. I, I, if, if anyone were to respect the craft, it's American stage actor, Jonathan and Greg, I'm not at all saying like, we should not pay attention to entertainment and art. Yeah. Like, clearly it can be a mirror to society that can, it can educate us. [00:27:00] Um, it just also like.

Like I, we, my wife and I are very aware of, uh, how like our kids are not online and they even, like, even they play fucking games on their iPad. If it's connected to wifi, there's commercials coming through all the time and we have to be diligent about what kind of commercial, what, what ad, what popup, what bullshit is beat is on the iPad at that time, you know?

Yeah. And our kids are still pretty young, so we are like. I'm not at all gonna pat myself on any kind of back about like how little screen time they have, but they don't have a lot of like, access to the internet. They're not like, my son plays video games, but we keep it classic. We, the actual NES that I grew up with, like mm-hmm.

We have a, a, I don't know, decade old or maybe a five or 6-year-old Xbox that my brother-in-law gave me. We have my wife's original Wii. Like none of it is connected to the internet. None of it is like, it's all pixelated, none of it's great. You know, like, so they're pretty. Right now, and they're young enough that they don't need, there's no reason for them to be online.

Um, and there's only the, the net, the net outcome is a, is a loss for sure. Uh, if they were online now, and I know eventually [00:28:00] they will need to be, and I know that like, that's the, but I think my, my wife, my wife is in schools already. And so we already have a pretty good, like, I mean, I'm not, I'm not gonna rest on it, but we do have an awareness of what is happening and how to, how to try to combat it.

And really the answer is like, you know, you can put up. It seems like the answer is, um, you can, you can put up as many barriers as you want, but kids are gonna figure out what they want. So it's just like, yeah. Building at home, making sure that there is the, the kind of trust and that they have the kind of like inherent uh, self-confidence that is, that is real, that is in themselves.

'cause they're gonna be bullies and it might be online, it might be in person. You know, there's like, the dangers are, the dangers are nonstop. Nonstop. Yeah. The world is terrifying when you think about, when you, when you realize your heart is on the outside of your body, walking around, unprotected. Um, and I, I just, I get.

I get that art is important, and I totally agree that art is important, and I totally agree that it is one way to learn some things and you can, you know, you can feel feelings and it can like, motivate [00:29:00] any, any, any direction, lots of different directions. Um, I like, and for me personally, and I can't speak to everyone, I don't know about what, like your sister and their family, I don't know what they're, where they are on any of it.

Um, like my wife and I wanna watch adolescence, we just haven't yet. 'cause, you know, just for timing, um, and like. I don't know, maybe someday we watch euphoria, but sometimes we just miss shows. You know? It's not, it's not like we are going to, we're not, we're not aggressively ignoring it because it deals with stuff that kids deal with.

Yeah. Yeah. It's like, that does sound hard. I don't want to see right now, while I've got a 6-year-old and a 4-year-old, what kind of drugs they're gonna get into, you know? 'cause like, hopefully I can talk to them and tell them to wait a little bit on drugs and they can, they can learn to enjoy them later in life when their brains are more wrinkled and they can handle that kind of thing.

Yeah, totally. You know, like there's only so much prep you can do, I think. And like. I, I don't know if you, if you gotta fit in, uh, and just like that and a couple of classic movies for your movie group. It's just not time for, for, you have to prioritize. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:30:00] Also, I, you know, like when the end of the day comes like.

This sounds, it sounds like genuinely, really good tv and I, for adolescents, I absolutely think we'll watch it, but I, I gotta be honest, like I love putting the kids to bed and getting almost too high and just watching tv that doesn't super matter, you know? Yeah, totally. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Is it an escape?

Yes. Is it, is it the most healthy? Probably not, but that's, you know, like for the moments, that's where I kind of, my entertainment comes in is like, what can I. What can I check out to? Sure. And this Sure. As a, as a benefit, as a, as a compliment to this, it doesn't seem like this is one that you can just turn on and check out to.

No. No. Not at all. Not at all. I remember one time I feel like, um, and I'm going off script here. This is not in our outline, but the, uh. The, uh, Hannah Gatsby special Nanette. Yeah. Um, I remember you asked me if I had seen it and I had just seen it and I, I said like, yeah, I really loved it. I don't think that it's really meant for me, but I really loved it.

And you said, I actually think that it's specifically meant for you, for me, um, [00:31:00] because I mean, she is speaking to. Straight men and like the middle, like the, the patriarchy and all, you know, like, and I liked the way that you put that because I, I, the audience for that show, like that show is not straight men, it's the other people who are affected by straight men.

But the message, there's a clear message for sure. The patriarchy. And I think the same thing here. Like there's clear messages for parents in these things. It's like a tough hang and it's like tough to Yeah. Confront and be with, um. And I think it just, I don't know. The best I can come up with is Jaws like, you know, you can watch it to be scared, but then you don't watch it for like, how to prep for the beach.

Yeah, sure, sure, 

Tom: sure, sure. I do encourage people to challenge themselves though with like, you don't always need to. Um, like I agree, I, I like to end my day with. Some cotton candy tv, it's easier to watch that right before going to bed. But I do like to try and balance it with something that, um, to, I mean, we're watching The Bear 

Jonathan: and Jesus, I've been in therapy for eight years to deal with this stuff that Carmi can't get through.

Like, I'm like, dude, you gotta step up man. You [00:32:00] got, you gotta start recognizing some of this yourself. But I still watch it, you know, like I Totally, there's some of that. Yeah. Yeah. I've 

Tom: not indicting you. I'm indicting the rest of America. I've been thinking so much lately about, um. Yeah, I, I mean I, the divide in this country and the conservative and liberal and like, I, I spend time sometimes thinking about like the conservative world outlook and trying to understand it.

And I have been thinking lately and I want to like sort of test this out on you. Like there, I feel like there are certain people that are born who want more. Who want to push, who want more than the small town they grew up in who are hungry to learn more, who are hungry to meet different kinds of people who want to try and make more money than their parents did.

Who want to try to pursue a dream, who want to live in the big fancy city, right? Like, yeah. 

Jonathan: And 

Tom: then there's some people that. [00:33:00] Don't want that. Yeah. There are some people that want to grow up in the town they grew up in. Maybe buy a house next door to their parents. Yeah. Take over the family business, not all of which is okay.

Like I, and, and I, I, I, I've been trying to tell myself like, I, I guess like I get caught up on, like, I, I wonder. Okay. I've been wondering like, is the f. The internet has sped up things so much. There's, we have access to so much information in a way faster that we didn't, so that people who don't want to move that fast, people who want to move at a slower pace, who don't want things to change as much.

Are being forced to confront things quicker than they're ready for. And so there's like maybe a backlash because of that, if that makes sense. I think about like sure. The gay movement and like the thing that put gay marriage over the top wasn't politics really. It was that time went by and enough people realized they knew gay people.

Jonathan: [00:34:00] Yeah, 

Tom: right. And like Will and Grace being in everybody's home over. Many seasons is credited with helping that movement. And so, I don't know, I think about it in like the, the, the trans fight right now. And I feel like that's mirroring a lot of what, uh, yeah, for sure. You know? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. What are your thoughts on all that?

Am I, well, 

Jonathan: I think that like, there, there's certainly that, that kind of like, whether it's social or more mental, emotional, like that inertia is mm-hmm. Certainly real. Like some people move and some people don't and there's not, neither of those are wrong. There, there, there, there's positives and negatives to both of those.

That's, those are just ways to be. Yeah. Um, I, I, I do feel like, um, some of the messaging around that has become, has been weaponized so that like, you're right, the internet has made, has made things a lot more accessible and people are having to. I mean, they're not really having to confront, but they're being told to confront these things 'cause they're seeing them online and they're being told, told to have an opinion about them.

And like I, the, I didn't grow up in a small town, but growing up in North Alabama, like it's one thing to like, [00:35:00] yeah, if you don't, you don't have to be on board with everything. You don't have to stay up late. You don't have to go out dancing. You don't have to, what, you know, whatever it is. You don't have to do those things.

You don't have to like art, you don't have to go to the symphony, whatever. You know, like whatever it is that you want, you can just do. But somewhere along the way it got tied in with like, if you, if someone is feeling like they're having to move too fast, then it's okay for them to be angry about it and to like yell about slowing down.

Like, I, if, if it's one thing to want to be slow and to not, to not know how to, to not be interested in how to like catch up with whatever progressive thing is going on, you know? But it's another thing to be mad at people from moving faster. And I think there's something like, there's some, somewhere along the way.

And I think that it was just intentional branding. It feels like conservative, like. As a kind of political, uh, you know, the Republican party and like, certainly maga within that is, is, but even before maga, like the really pinpointing the fears, like making those things fears, whether it's immigrants, whether it's [00:36:00] homosexuality, whether it's transgendered.

Like all of these things are like, be pointing at as things that people should be mad at and should be scared of. There's, there's problems here. There's something bad is gonna come from this. They're taking away your rights because there's more, because they have more things going up here when, when really it's like.

It doesn't fucking matter to me. Like, if it doesn't matter, that's fine. You don't have to be the mo, you don't have to be on the cutting edge of everything. But also, like, if it doesn't affect you, don't, don't make up a reason for it to affect you. You don't like, have to be mad about it. Mm. I think one of the things, and this, this is a thought I had about, um, a progressive thinking friend of mine, um, in fact a a gay friend of mine who, uh, you have another gay friend.

What's that? You have another gay friend? Well, just the ones that you've introduced me to. Okay. They all know that I'm your straight boyfriend. Um, good, good. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. I don't, no, I don't exist. I don't exist outside of your, you at all. Like when, uh, thank you. Thank you. Carry on. Carry on. Um, but we were, we were talking about like, it was more of a, a generational thing about like the, the kids today, [00:37:00] there's no patience for people to catch up right there.

And there is kind of like a speed with which young people seem to move. I think it's probably always this way, you know, like young people move faster and want to be moving forward. Um, you know, to, to scale. I mean, obviously there's some that wanna stay home, whatever, but like the people moving forward, a lot of people moving forward are like young people, college age, whatever.

You're getting outta the house, you're moving forward, you are learning new things. You're trying to like establish new, uh, perspectives on things and like, whether it's, uh, you know, pronouns or Yeah. Whether it's like whatever, uh, what, what words, uh, you know, like, uh, different nationalities or races or whatever, how we're supposed to address these things, and like, how do we, you know, what and who's.

Whose responsibility is it to learn those things when they change and you know, all this kind of like, things are moving fast. How do we keep up? And this, this friend was saying like, people are so impatient, they like, don't even gimme time to learn them new stuff. And to me it's like, sure. I think that's, I think that's true and there's something valid there, but it's like you gotta look at the way that you are doing it.

'cause if you're like, I would love, I'm here to learn. [00:38:00] I'm trying to learn. I'm not gonna get it right, right away. But I would love to learn what it is that we're doing here. Because really what it comes down to most of the time is fucking changing A couple of words in your vocabulary. Mm-hmm. You're gonna learn a new, you're gonna learn someone's new pronouns.

You're gonna learn a new word for a thing that makes people feel better. You're gonna learn, we don't say this thing anymore. 'cause it makes people feel bad. Like, that shouldn't be that hard to learn. And when you go about it with, like, these kids today are so impatient. They don't let me learn their, they don't even gimme a chance to run their dumb new words.

Like they're, they're, they're doing these stupid new kid things. Don't even gimme a chance to learn it. Well, you sound like a naive people sound. This was a gay friend that said this year. Yeah. That's why I think it's very a progressive gay friend. Highly ironic. Yeah, that's, I mean. And that was a point that I made was like, I mean, aren't you kind of like a part of this?

Like, don't you know what it's like? And I don't, I, you know, I can't speak to anyone's journey through any, you know, like, but like, it does surprise me that a person who is gay and has been through this exact same conversation in a different, you know, in a, like, like you were saying, that kind of, [00:39:00] that has moved forward.

The gay community has, has. It's not exactly an equal rights kind of thing. There's still a lot of problems, obviously. Yeah. And there are people who want to push back against it. But the gay community, through a lot of work and through a lot of time, has made a lot of strides and it surprises me that someone can have been through that and then still be like, yeah, but these fucking kids today, ugh.

They're just too impatient. They move too fast. They don't listen. They don't, you know, like. I think so much of it has to do with perspective about how you address it. If it's, if you're genuinely, if you're genuinely willing to learn and just like maybe a little slower or like don't have the, whatever, the bandwidth or the speed of brain to keep up.

Like that's one thing. And if you're just like, I guess I gotta learn this new dumb thing and gimme a minute while I learn your new stupid word for a thing, that's a different, you know, like that's, I don't think people have to be patient for that kind of thing. And. Has it, has it manifested in your life, this dichotomy of like, you, you were someone that moved to the big city?

Is that something? Yeah, I mean, I think so. I think that my, a lot of my family, [00:40:00] my, I think we brought this up a couple of weeks ago when I was talking about my sandwiches falling apart and my parents, you know, they were also young at the time and they like, would laugh at me and it made my anxiety even worse.

But my parents, I. Clearly did something right, because I'm the oldest of four and we have all gone on to do something. My sister actually has moved back to, uh, our hometown, and she, she's been in, she's lived in Chicago, she's lived in Atlanta, she's lived in Texas. She's lived all over the place and they're back now in our hometown.

And she made that choice. She has experienced over the world and her friends are still there and she wants to be there and raised kids there. Like that's, that's great. I have a sister in Atlanta. I have a Si a brother in Kansas City. Like we've spread out and we're doing things in cities or making the choice to have come back.

Home. Um, and we all have that, that drive, that that thing that is like, let's go. I gotta go do something else. Yeah. And then if it ends up coming back to a slow place that's, you know, or a more ent, whatever, you know, a a, a softer or slower place, that's, um, that's great. But we all have [00:41:00] that. We were encouraged to do that.

So like. It's tricky because I do think that my, like my parents and the people who raised me and the, the city in which I was raised and the culture in which I was raised is a, is a unarguably, inarguably, more conservative, uh, not interested in moving super fast kind of place and mentality, but also like.

Gave me the chance to go do that. And to some degree, like having been here and doing that, like there's, I'm not sure how much like actual locked in interest there is from a lot of those people. You know, like, they're like, cool, you're doing your thing in the big city. I don't know why you would do that, but good, good for you for trying.

And then they don't really care. Yeah. There's not like that much follow up to it. They're just like, cool. I guess you're doing that in the big city now. Yeah. What about, 

Tom: what 

Jonathan: about you 

Tom: like, yeah, I mean, I've been here for, I, I've moved here for college, so I've been here for. You know, 28 years. And I, um, still when I see extended family, when I go home, it's like, oh, Tommy from the big city.

Like it's a defining part of who I am, I guess. Um, I mean, I think part of the reason I. [00:42:00] You know, I, I, a part of it was I was in the closet and wanted to come out and wanted to go far away to do that. And I also wanted to, I didn't go that far away, but I wanted to be in a city. Uh, I wanted to be somewhere where there were gay people.

I knew I wanted to be in New York. I wanted to pursue theater. Um, but it did, it was also feeling a little bit closed in by my hometown and feeling like they, it wasn't the place for me. Um, and, and feeling like I wanted their. Wanted to see what else was out there. And, um, but I, I, I do sort of bristle at the fact that it's from my family become sort of, uh, part of my identity in a way.

Yeah. Like, I think it's, um, but I, it's like I don't go home and say like, oh look, it's my family that never left. Good to see you guys like it. It feels judgy. It feels judgy on their part. So I, I, I don't know. 

Jonathan: Yeah. Did you like, what was the, what was the sense growing up in your home about like. I don't know the cities.

You were a Yankee, so growing up for me, like Yankees were their own thing, you know? Yeah. So like, you're already in Connecticut, but like, I, I, I 

Tom: [00:43:00] never, we, we never went to New York City as a family. Um, it was just, I don't know. We didn't do it. Yeah. So my first trip was like a middle school trip to see the Statue of Liberty and New York felt so far away to me.

Jonathan: Yeah. 

Tom: Um, and I grew up two hours away from New 

Jonathan: York. What was your, what was that like the first time you came to New York? What was that like? Oh, it was thrilling. It was, it was thrilling to, to see New York City. It was 

Tom: like, um, yeah, it was, it was, the feeling I got seeing it for the first time is the feeling I get every time I drive back to the city and see it.

Jonathan: Yeah, it's, it's amazing to see that skyline come to view. You know, I go out of my way, like I take time to think about that sometimes now, because almost in this like same kind of lane I've been here going on pushing 20 years actually. Yeah, this. Right now, right now is 20 years. Um, Monday, Monday, July 21st is like, two is like 20 years.

And two weeks after I moved to New York, I just moved to New York. Um, but now I'm like older. I have kids. We have, there's like, I get, I get mad at the city and I know we like, have talked plenty about like our anger issues anyway, but I, [00:44:00] I, the city I'm, I'm feeling kind of like too fast and too closed in and too crowded.

But then I take a breath and I'm like, this is, but also like this, 'cause this is where. It all happens. Yeah. Like this, you know, this is one of the places in the world that like. Dude, just about everything comes through here. Everything moves through New York. Well, 

Tom: totally. And it's like, um, I feel this way about New York City and I feel this way, um, strangely about Burning Man.

Um, I, they, they feel similar to me for this one reason, which is, um, the majority of people in New York City have chosen to be here. Mm-hmm. 

Jonathan: Um, 

Tom: there's plenty of people that grew up in New York City, obviously tons, but the, the, the vast majority of people in this city have chosen to be here. And it is not an easy life and it is not, uh.

Affordable. And, uh, it's a, it's a hardship to be here. It's hard to get outta the subway every day. It's hard to fight through the crowds. Um, it zaps your energy, but it's also thrilling. And it is thrilling to be in a place where everybody wants to be. Yeah. Um, it's just automatically you're meeting a different kind of [00:45:00] person.

Uh, and I felt that way the first time I got to Burning Man for the first time. It's so hard to be there. You're living on a desert that's trying to kill you for a week. Um, it, it, it's, it's expensive to get there. It's, it's hard to figure out the logistics. Um, you have to be sort of crazy to be there. And so automatically every single person you're meeting at Burning Man has like a fire in them.

'cause you're like, I like you already. Yeah. Some, something made you wanna be here and you had the wherewithal and the spirit to get here. Yeah. So that automatically, like, you've passed a test and I want to know more about you. I, I always feel that way about New 

Jonathan: Yorkers as well. I love that about New York.

I just wanna take a moment and applaud you. I think that it did take four full episodes and 45 minutes into the fifth episode to bring up earning. Man. I'm impressed. That's honestly, I've been expecting it for hours. Wow. For episodes and hours. 

Tom: And I brought it up before you brought up CrossFit. So. At least neither of us is a vegan.

That's true. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. On that note, do you know what it's time for? I do. Who would you [00:46:00] fight? Who would you fight? Pow. Pow. How's my tempo? Is it better another, think it alone. Think it's, I just gotta get outta the 

Jonathan: way the, the clearly the problem was me. I, and I can own that. I can wear that. It's, I needed American stage actor, Jonathan Egg To step aside, it doesn't reference my musical theater background at all, so I don't even may, maybe that's, I just shouldn't be singing anymore.

I should stick to my stage acting, yes, that I'm known for internationally now. Yes. 

Tom: Shakespeare. Who 

Jonathan: would you 

Tom: fight this 

Jonathan: week? Okay. Uh, speaking of New York, this is a very kind of New York centric, uh, uhhuh, uh, fight for me this week. I would fight, uh, pedestrians who walk slow and think that they have the right of way because of some kind of like moral superiority and not just because of like their own safety.

Like I don't, I, few things make me more mad than when I'm in the car and someone's walking jaywalking or it's. Whatever. And they're like just taking their sweet ass time. Or maybe they'll even like, look at me like, whatcha gonna do motherfucker, if I hit you, you die. This is not because I'm [00:47:00] not, I'm not giving you the right of way because I like respect you more or something.

Or because you, like, I have to somehow genuflect and give you the space you deserve. Oh, Royal one who's walking, I just, I'm not gonna fucking hit you. 'cause that would be murder. And I would go to jail for that. Like, just keep it moving. Get outta the street. Don't think that you deserve the right to walk at your own pace.

You just deserve the right to feel safe when you walk around. Well, pedestrians do have the 

Tom: right of way though. No. 

Jonathan: Yeah, because the otherwise they would die. 

Tom: I have to be honest, I'm guilty. You, you're driving more now 'cause of, you know, where you guys live. You guys use cars way more. Um, I don't have a car, but I use one often.

I, I have a card that I borrow from someone. Um, and I, but I primarily, primarily am a pedestrian in the city, but I so very easily. Can switch from your anger to pedestrians. As soon as I'm driving, I'm right there with you. But the second I'm back to being a pedestrian, IGI flip back into owning the streets.

See, I will tell you this, I, I give, I give drivers dirty looks like, I dare you. I dare you to hit me. [00:48:00] I'm a pedestrian. No, you 

Jonathan: don't. That, that's, that, that's such a type of per that, like the root of that type of person is like, you didn't do anything to earn that. You did not, you did not somehow make yourself.

I'm not, you didn't alpha me. I'm not like giving space. I'm walking. I'm not 

Tom: gas guzzling. I'm, I'm green, I'm conscious. I'm saving the 

Jonathan: earth. Yeah, that's what you're doing is saving the earth. When I walk, I look, of course you get the right of way. Just like put a little hustle in it. You know that car. It's not like the drivers aren't just like seeing how much gas they can burn driving in circles around New York and they're just having to wait for you to move while you're doing something important so they can just keep guzzling gas.

Like maybe just put a little hustle in it. It's like if we're all gonna be here on the same team, be on the same team here. I go, of course, go. Of course you have the right of way because if you don't have the right of way, then you die. So I get that you should have the right of way, but you don't get the right of way because you are somehow superior in this moment.

You just, you just would die otherwise. 

Tom: Fair, fair, fair. I'll try to be better at it. [00:49:00] Um, the, the people I wanna fight this week are labu boo collectors. Do you know about Labu Boo. 

Jonathan: Okay. I did not until you told me about it last week. Yes. You told me. You set me up for this. You let me know this might be coming.

Yeah. And I had never heard of it. Yeah. And then you sent me an article about it. Yeah, yeah. And I said. Well, this looks really weird. And you said, yeah, this is the LA Booboo thing I was telling you about. And I was like, no, I fucking know. It's what you were telling me about. You have so little respect for my ability to, to carry a thought over.

Like

Tom: I just wanna make sure I was. Clear. So for those who don't know, LABU Boo are, I don't even know how to describe them. They're these new Toy Doll things that have like a scary monster face and like troll type hair. They look like 10,000 other toys that have been invented. Yeah. In the last 30 years. They look like a mashup of like Cabbage Patch dolls and monsters and, yeah.

Is it the, [00:50:00] is 

Jonathan: it the, is it the 2025? Uh, beanie Baby? It's slash Cabbage Patch case slash whatever. Yeah. And 

Tom: it's stupid in all caps and. These, some are selling up for to up, for up to $300. They're collector's items. Wow. Right. I think they're made in Japan. I don't know. And like, you know, there's a part of me that like the world is hard right now and people should find happiness where they could find it.

Yeah, absolutely. Who am I to judge? Collect your lab boo boos, but also maybe get an a Roth IRA and and maybe don't collect the lab boo boos anymore and put that money. There's all these articles coming out about labu boos and the rave scene. Ravers cannot afford lab booboos. I know ravers 

Jonathan: ravers need.

IRAs. Oh, they budget, they, they need, they're not budget conscious at all. These are No, 

Tom: it makes me mad and like I Yeah, sure. Buy a kid a la booboo for Christmas, but I don't think, maybe, 

Jonathan: maybe their Le Bubu spending is from their discretionary funds. Maybe it's like, maybe they've already got it budgeted out, you know, it's like they're gonna cut back on the, the, the party goods [00:51:00] necessary for a weekend and they're just gonna buy a la boo boo 

Tom: instead.

I guess so, but I think it's a sign of the demise of humanity, and it makes me sad.

Jonathan: It really does. 

Tom: Just 

Jonathan: to be clear. Find your happiness wherever you can. But I see this as the demise of humanity and it makes me sad. It does. 

Tom: It does. It does. Alright, that's the pot everybody. Thanks for listening. Uh, you wanna read this out? Sure. Yeah. 

Jonathan: Alright. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to like and subscribe to No Homa with Jonathan and Tom on all podcast platforms and YouTube graphics and music by Matt Ladner.

The opinions Express fucking a, almost the opinions expressed on this podcast are solely of those of the host and are intended for intent. Good Lord. I lost it all together. I can't do it. American stage actor, Jonathan, Greg, everybody. Oh, thank you. Have a good week. Oh, I gotta get back on stage where I belong.

I gotta get back to my roots on the American stage. I love you. Bye [00:52:00] bye.