Hello and welcome back to if I'm counting correctly, the twelfth episode of the three hamster boys podcast. I'm your host Alexander. Joining me is my brother Nick and our father Jeffrey J or Jeff. The old man.
Sat up very straight for that introduction. Yes. At attention.
Yes. We have had a bit of a break. It's been a little bit of a while since we've been recording or been in the studio really. Christmas and traveling. And because of that, I feel like we're all a little kind of like ducks out of water at
this We're rusty. How about But eventually we will be. I think we're gonna have an episode where we can talk about our trip to to Germany.
Yeah. I mean, you and I were just talking about it. We gotta have an episode where we're drinking some Gluhwein.
Yeah. I'm there for it.
Yeah. Which our trip was great. We did drink a lot of Gluhwein and a lot of other other drinks as well.
A lot of great food too.
Yeah. Lot of good
as well.
But we'll save that for another episode. Today is a little bit of a different format. I think we're experimenting a little bit here instead of the 111 that we're used to. This is more of grid in if you can think about it. But the concept for today's episode is a person you'd like to to spend a meal with what that meal is and where. We're doing it in sort of a full course meal style, so it's going to be appetizer, main course, dessert, basically. Yeah. Anyone want to add anything about
Well, I think that we it's gonna be very personal. They could be alive or dead. You know, it it really is
Any real person. Any real person.
Any real person. Yeah.
From history or down the street.
Yeah. Exactly.
That's the that's the limitations.
Yep. Yeah. We're trying to go for a little bit more realism. Maybe we'll do a fantasy one later if we like this format. Yeah. But Nick, what are we drinking? Yeah.
Before we get into it, every good meal must have an accompanying drink. And today we're doing something more unique than what we have been. We have a cider, cideree that we went to, which was very nice. We went there a while ago. It was cold. We ate outside. We were the only ones who
We were outside.
I guess we drank outside. Yeah, we drank outside. But we got like two flights.
Yeah. And
tried a huge variety. And we haven't tried these bottles specifically. We made sure that we didn't taste what we got. Yeah. But we will say the flavors are very subtle.
Yeah. It's it's very subtle. It's the other thing is is that there are so many different apples that they were using. So it was pretty pretty remarkable. And so we we got three that were we thought were very unique and do it. The the one we really wanted to get was the pumpkin one.
Yeah. They had a pumpkin one for the season.
And but they they were only doing glasses of that. It was really disappointing.
I think it was more
of like a mixed drink. Yeah. A special thing that they were doing. But yeah. This one is the Red Hill. I believe it's using wine sap and pippin apples. This one is gonna be more of a traditional kind of cider for us. Very classic. Yeah. And a little bit lighter than I think our next one.
Which I think is perfect for an appetizer.
Yeah. So for us to start off, we wanted some as we always do, we try to start off with something that kind of gives us, this is the taste of whatever we're drinking.
Exactly. Alright. Let's begin.
Cheers. Cheers. Prost.
Prost.
We I will say, it's still very vibrant. Yep. I think it's of the more potent taste. It's like right in your face.
And the other thing that we noticed with all of these is that minerality of the water. So you have the subtle apple taste and then you have that kind of taste of the water.
Yeah. Prevalent. Mineral minerally is the correct term. Yeah. Right. You have it's it sounds a little crude, but it does taste like a metal. Yeah. It tastes
Well like a part of the part of the the cell here for this one is that it's Red Hill. This is a local kind of cidery. We are This area is known for its red clay.
Yeah.
So I don't think it's totally out of the ballpark to be like, oh yeah, it's kind of kind of minerally.
It's kind of like the water from New York for bagels. You can taste that water in the bagels. Mhmm. And so you can taste this water in this as you would expect.
What I think is interesting, I think I was going into this expecting a little bit of a sweeter cider.
It's a little tart.
Yeah. And I I was gonna say it's it's a bit more tart than I was expecting. I like this. I think this is a
It's lovely start.
A good opener.
I mean, would I would put it in the same range as like a table wine where it's it's not there to overpower the meal. It's there to compliment it. Yeah. Right. Add a flavor to it.
Yeah. Alright. Dad, why don't you kick us off? I think however presentation you want this to go, in my mind, I was mainly gonna go person, meal, place. Yep. But however you determine is the the
I will definitely be missing that. Yeah.
So so that so basically, I'm gonna tell you a background. So watching TV in the seventies, there was I was always trying to find something that I could learn from. I was always looking for things to learn. And two shows that were really popular in the seventies that I used to watch, and they were actually sixties and seventies, was Wild Kingdom from Mutual of Omaha, Merlin Perkins, you know, doing these wild animals, and then there was Jacques Cousteau who was showing the ocean. He's the one who invented scuba, and so Jacques Cousteau is who I really want to talk to, because as a person that was on submarines, underneath the water, he brought the ocean.
There's a possibility you could see a zebra at a zoo or whatever, but a lot of the times what he was showing under the ocean, you would never see anywhere.
The the way you transitioned that, I thought you were gonna say you could see a zebra underneath the water scuba diving. But but you're right. You're right. There's that zoo experience which is kind of more commonplace, especially I think here in America. Yeah. But like scuba is something entirely different.
Yeah. And and he was going to places he was going to Antarctica. He was going to places around the world and diving there and showing that thing. So I would love to talk to Jacques Cousteau, but Jacques Cousteau so in my mind, I think of places I've been in the world, and as soon as I thought of Jacques Cousteau, the next thing I thought of was the docks in Marseille, France. So this is the I ate pizza there once, and had this incredible pizza there.
So as my appetizer, I was gonna be in the docks of of Marseille looking out onto the Mediterranean, sitting there at a table at a cafe, and then having this cold seafood salad as an appetizer. And the the good thing about it was when I was there, I had the salad, I had a seafood salad and a seafood pizza. And it was whatever the catch of the day was. So I would, you know, the idea of just sitting there on a warm summer day, looking out into the Mediterranean, talking to Jacques Cousteau about all of his adventures, eating this very fresh seafood salad, just seems incredible to me. Very relaxing.
Probably a bottle of white wine next to us, and just enjoying And that whole scene is a great way to start off conversations with people that I I really looked up to and would like to meet.
I will say we were talking about this over dinner when you were not here. And our mother called you out. She said that's exactly where you're going for the first one.
It's true.
Well, it's it's the Mediterranean is such an incredible place. Yeah. And I I just have such great memories, whether it's Saint Tropez, or Nice, or Toulon, or Cannes. It was they're they're all just beautiful places.
Yeah. Sounds really nice. I like the idea of like sitting and kinda just talking, letting the other person talk about their adventures.
Having like an aquatic sort of Yep. You know, meeting point.
Yeah. Alright. Guess Nick, we'll send it over to you.
Alrighty. For my appetizer, we are traveling to the great city of New York. And we are finding any street or food truck that we could find late at night. Having some street tacos to to to begin the appetite. And I am going to be obviously eating with Epicurus, the Greek philosopher. Wow.
I was about to say, who is Epicurus? Epicurus,
little little rundown. He is philosopher that is particularly known for his just absolute selfishness of a human's life should be always to seek out the next pleasure. Wow. So he has a very hedonistic point of view, but also he he doesn't let society determine what makes him happy.
Right.
Street food makes me happy, so I get it.
Yeah. Exactly. And I he he he finds peace in just happiness. And in this like overwhelming sense of like, you should do something for the sake of doing it and satisfaction of that. Mhmm.
And I think he would be a great person to talk to, specifically in New York, I think. Yeah. You're gonna blow his mind. Well, it it would it would not only be like, look look how far from from where you have come, we are. But also like, you are almost surrounded by the very ends of what you agree with and what you hyper disagree with. Mhmm. Right? Because New York is a city of business and commerce. Right?
Yeah.
There are people that are spending their entire lives working. Yeah. And really not enjoying it. Yeah. But then you also have people who are chasing their dreams in New York. That's true. And really not caring about anything else. And I think just the dynamics with it. Late at night, right? You probably catch the people on both ends of that sort of spectrum.
If you're there on New Year's Eve, you're gonna be catching only people looking for pleasure.
I don't I don't think I would wanna go. I think it has to be like a random day.
Yep. Wow. Where did you find this person? I feel like when I'm thinking about philosophers, I'm thinking about like Aristotle, Socrates, Plato. Not I've never even heard of this guy, but like stoic?
Yeah. Well, I'm gonna be honest, I didn't know that much. But I did want to talk to a philosopher of some kind. Yeah. And the thing with like all the renowned philosophers that you usually know, They usually are attached to more scientific or political theories and philosophies. Yeah. The ones who are just about lifestyle, usually are only their names are usually disappeared and maybe their their motto is sort of etched in history. Yeah.
But the the the name of Epicurus is used today. Yeah. So that's In what regard? Epicurean? Epicurean.
Yeah. What are what are you saying to me right now?
I don't know the exact definition, but it it is.
When you when you like look at when if you're someone that goes after very good foods. Oh. Or or you're going for luxury searches.
It's so it's like an adjective to describe some
Epicurean.
Oh, they're like
They're in
the I guess they are seeking that
Yeah. You're you're pursuing like a luxury.
Like epicureus.com is like all recipes. Yeah.
Okay. I can't believe you knew that off the top of your head.
Well, yeah. I mean It's not used in our generation as often.
Yeah. I'm just
I I just meant epicurious.com. You're like, yeah. I've been there before
recipes. Yeah. So
But, yeah. No. I I wasn't that familiar with him, but I had heard the the the word before.
Mhmm.
And I would love to talk to someone like that. Because I think they're they would be a interesting perspective, and I also just wanted to talk to a Greek philosopher.
Yeah. Plus, I think that this is gonna sound the luxuries that we have today would be unheard of in Greek times.
Absolutely. Yeah.
Right? And so what he thought of happiness and pleasure is not as complex as what pleasure and happiness is today.
It would be really interesting to go further beyond Emile and just like leave him there
and observe. Or just go around with him and show himself. See what
happens. Okay. Didn't mean just like, see him.
Well, I mean,
it would be I I could have said like, a traveling train. Yeah. You know?
Yeah. Yeah.
But no, I I I think just getting into New York. Yeah. Mhmm. Finding a random taco stand that anyone can have access to.
Well, mean, I I think it was it would probably work in any big city. Can you imagine being in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong would be crazy.
Singapore or Tokyo? Yeah. Tokyo.
Tokyo would be crazy. I mean even Chicago.
Yeah. I was I was thinking
about Chicago. Yeah. I I just chose a city that I felt like showed the the ends of of each side.
Plus it has great diversity. You you see so many different cultures there.
Yeah. I have New York stuck on my head right now.
Nice. Nice.
I'm playing.
Alright. Your turn. Yeah. Oh my gosh.
So I think I'll do like dad a little background here. I think I in a serious note, look at myself and think like I perhaps lack motivation or conviction at times. And I thought about people that would kind of embody more of of that conviction, that motivation. I think it would be interesting to talk to them. So my first person that I've wanted to talk to is Greta Thunberg. She's a 22 year old political activist. Super young, but has been like in media forever.
Seems like it.
Yeah. I know. Mainly for like talking about climate change, and like waste, and things like trash islands the size of France, you know, in our oceans. And I kinda kinda really respect that. And I kinda really respect what she's been doing for like her entire life. And it was crazy to look up and be like, oh my god. She was born in 02/2003. Like that's that's crazy
to She's younger than both of us. Yeah. And
like in a way, in in I think a way that is easy to kind of fall down a rabbit hole of being like, oh my god, what am I doing with my life? But in the spirit of not falling down those rabbit holes, I think it would be really interesting to have a conversation with her to sit, talk about her life, hear stories that maybe are not necessarily as public in the media. And I think a good way of doing that would be over a hummus platter with some tea. Oh. She's a vegan.
I think that's probably not a surprise to anyone. But I was thinking, she's also Swedish. I'd love to go to Sweden. I'd love to find like a tea shop or a coffee shop. Get like a hummus platter. Get some tea after, you know, walking around in the cold for a little bit, come in, sit down, enjoy some hot tea, enjoy some cut up veggies and hummus, and just kinda kinda talk. Talk about her life, about her motivation, her desire to do things.
Or how she stays motivated. Yeah,
for real.
Because it would be whether you agree with her or disagree with her, there's always these ebbs and flows on whatever you do, especially if you're an activist. So there's got to be low times, there's got to be high times, there may be fatigue over the long haul because she's been doing this for literally years.
Yeah,
exactly. So I think that understanding how she motivates herself and whatever would be very interesting.
Yeah, think thinking about this now, when I put together my list of people it wasn't necessarily as apparent to me, but now I see all three of them have sort of this connection in the fact that, like, motivation or, like, that intense desire to do something. Nick and I were talking about this the other day. There is a a motivational speaker who's kind of memed on the Internet, probably for a good reason. But he has this this quote that I think is people know him for. I think his name is Eric Thomas, where he says he's like telling a story about this guy this young guy going to a guru, and the guru taking him out into the water and pushing his head down.
And he he says, you know, when when you wanna succeed as badly as you wanna breathe, that's when you'll succeed. And I look at myself and I just go, I do not have that dog in me. I do not, I don't want to succeed that badly. Like it is not there. I'd prefer to breathe.
And I think about that, and maybe it's like where I am in life, because I think my social connections are more important to me. Staying close with my friends, making sure that I have these relationships that I've cultivated and that I continue to cultivate.
I was watching somebody I can't remember who it was, but it was someone that was my generation. And they were talking about, what is the expectation for this generation of you guys? And one of the things he said was, you're very different from your point of view of our generation, on the most part. But in general, the idea of having this connection, this idea of being more part of a societal organization, is really important because you've just gone through COVID where you had really limited connection or a one dimensional connection with people just through digital.
True.
And I think that this desire to have a work life balance, to be able to say that I'm a positive input on the world and that I'm a positive input on the people around me is just so much more important now for what we've done for the last three years.
That's fair. And not to get too deep here, but I think also kind of in addition to that, but after my best friend, after Richard passed, I think there was that moment where I was like, that could be anyone. Yep. Right? And like, grief and loss is something that people experience every day, but I guess like, you know, when I'm 24, I'm not really
thinking about that. It's something that as someone that's 59, about to be 60, I see that. Yeah. But I but it's not something you see when you're 24.
Yeah. And, like, it it for me, it's like, oh, man. Did I did I spend enough time with him? You know? Did I spend enough time with my friends? Yeah. And, like, a part of that is, like, why I think right now in my life, like, my social connections, my relationships are more important to me, they're taking more of, like, a a highlight.
So what I would say is hold on to that thought from my third person. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. So I I think we got a little We got we got we got deep. But I
think that's that's okay.
For what I
remember, I think our last episode was a little quirky. So I think that's okay. I think our ups and downs are good.
Yeah. No, I agree. And I think that's why we wanted to do this. It's just more of a way to talk with each other. Yeah. Not saying we can't talk with each other not in front of a microphone or a camera or with alcohol in front of us, but
Makes it easier.
Yeah, different medium.
Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Alright.
I guess we're on to the next drink. We'll see you after a short break. We return. We are back.
And a new cider.
With a new cider in front of us, the glass broke.
As we were opening it.
As it was being opened.
I think that's a sign
of good luck. Adds character.
Or glass shards.
Yeah. Or glass shards.
I mean, you know. It adds something. Yeah. Maybe it'll add a little bit of flavor too.
If I start crunching on something Yeah. I'll know what I'm looking forward to.
Alright, Nick. What are we drinking next?
So from the same cidery, we have the Arkansas black, which primary apple for it is the Granny Smith and it advertises, promotes a very reputable apple. Although, I'm not really familiar with a lot of apple on apple apple typings.
Well, Granny Smith is what? Yeah. Yeah. Apples and brie and the green apple.
Know. Apples But this promotes vanilla, I believe. Yeah. And mineral strawberry or melon flavor.
Also, said it had tannin and a dry. So it's like a dry red. So it's a little bit different.
Yeah. This sounds like it's gonna be a little heavier, at least tannin wise than the last one. So something for us to to keep in mind. Alright. Yes. Alright. Cheers. Cheers. Pink.
Wow. I like that. This one is very good. I said that the one we had originally was a lot fuller than the ones we had. This one is even more so.
I I was about to say, I think when we were tasting the flights, our expectation was that they are all gonna be very kind of wisp on the wind to kind of it felt like we were wine smoliers. Yeah. Trying to taste the different notes.
Yeah. Like coconut with chocolate.
Yeah. You're
like, I
think I catch the flavor of this.
Yeah. I think there's a hint of nutmeg. This I think is is, like you said, a much fuller taste.
Can definitely taste the tannin. Yes. And I think you can it is a little bit drier because it's on the front of your tongue. Yeah. And I do like the apple taste. The apple's
good. And then I do taste some sort of like fruity.
Yeah. It it is
I can't place it. It I think it is fair to just say strawberry or melon sort of essence.
Or mango. Yeah. Yeah.
Well, hold Yeah. Something like watery but also has that like sort of tinge of of a fruit taste.
A little sweetness.
Yeah. Yeah.
This is great. I really like this one.
Big fan. Big fan.
Yep. Big
fan of this one.
So main dish. Main dish. Alright, Nick. Alright. You ready?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So my I'll I'll probably give a slight amount of backstory for this one.
Just in in the terms of like, this is someone that I admire for a from a professional sense. I grew up with a lot of classic movies, especially in the Disney category. And I would, oftentimes, enjoy a little Aladdin here. I would, enjoy a little bit of flubber here and there, And a huge variety of of movies that became a sort of classic household name. And the common factor in a lot of those was Robin Williams, a master class actor who I've only just absorbed more and more as I've gotten older to understand the art that he cultivated in
his profession. And one of your favorite movies.
Yeah. Dead Poets Society.
Oh no. Twist Marron, we gotta watch Dead Poets Society. He
is an incredible actor that I deeply deeply look up to. He was also a comedian. I like his stuff. He's he's they're okay, but I think his his acting really really highlighted his his range. And I think he is the essence that I admire the most of.
If you can laugh with them, you can cry with them as well. Yeah. Because he plays he can play such quirky characters that are so expressive and animated and so so, you know, passionate about things. But then when you see him in roles that are quieter, more serious, toned down, or even, you know, restricted. It really sort of makes you feel uneasy, and it it adds even more to the potency.
In especially, I mean, Dead Poets Society, we've already mentioned it. You know, he is such an expressive, passionate, you know, powerful, humorous, witty character. And then at the end, he's at a loss for words. And I think that speaks volumes. But we're not talking about the character, we're talking about the actor.
And even though he is no longer here, I would still love to have a conversation with him. I would love to pick his brain from a professional sense and from maybe like a more personal sense as well. And obviously we would do it. I would drive basically to the middle of nowhere, find a diner, and eat a burger with him.
That's awesome.
So this start up, I'd drive to the middle of nowhere. It was kinda scary for a second.
I I think the the best place to do it is when where to do it, I mean. Yeah. It's just find a find a diner. Find a diner.
Nobody else there, just you two. Yeah. Yeah. You got a waitress. And the waitress is bringing you coffee. Yeah. There you go.
You're just How you don't drink coffee. You're just chowing down on a greasy burger. I think that's the it's the ideal sense of like public intimacy that I think
Such a weird phrase, but it's also like a perfect description. Yeah. Like I get it.
Like you're you're it's like like going to an empty cafe. Yeah. Right? You're you're capturing this moment where it feels exclusive.
Yeah. But, it's not. It's like having a movie theater to yourself with, like, a friend or two.
Yeah. And I think yeah. I just love to to pick his brain. I think he obviously had a lot of had a lot of demons, but he has cultivated such a character and a consistent master class performance that I I just can't help but respect.
Yeah. That's awesome.
Wow. I don't even know. Okay. How how a conversation like that would go honestly.
Well, I think I think you you you I think you just ask him any question and then let the conversation flow.
I I think he's someone that would be able to smile and just go on a story. And I think I think that's that's what I would love. Yeah. You know? We're eating slightly, you know, over fried fries, a greasy burger that is definitely not good for you. And then maybe maybe a milkshake.
He's skipping ahead a
little bit.
It's part of
the main dish.
It's what am I gonna say? Water for everything?
Alright. I guess I'll go next and kind of in the spirit of not parasocial relationships, but kind of talking with with someone who who has a bit of a following here. Mine is similar and yet vastly different
Okay.
Than yours. I think for my second person that I'd wanna have a main course with is the internet sensation V tuber Iron Mouse. You are familiar with Iron Mouse. At home Yeah.
Because we watched Connor together. Yeah.
Was like at home we watched a lot of like Japanese travel stuff. And sort of slice of life. I guess it's technically more travel content. But like, People like Sea Dog VA. Abroad in Japan. Yeah. Abroad in Japan. Things like that. The Anime Man. Yeah.
We, you know, as a family, have seen some of those things. Obviously, love Connor's content. Connor does, like, videos and things with Iron Mouse, who is a Puerto Rican VTuber, who has who is, like, immunocompromised and cannot, like, really go anywhere. She's a very serious condition. So in in this regard, I'm taking a little little fantasy, a little leap here, and saying that if I was gonna go anywhere, I would go to Japan and have like real Wagyu beef with Iron Mouse.
Health complications aside. Right? That she's able to travel, that we're able to sit down and have a meal together. That's kind of what where my mind would go. I I just think that, again, a really interesting person to talk with. Not necessarily like I I don't I don't wanna sit down and have like dinner with an anime girl. I wanna have a conversation with like the real person Right. That is Iron Mouse. Because I I think it would be so interesting to to hear this part this person
Well, mean, I think yeah. I think that when I look at her, she is dismissing her condition and doing what she's doing. Right?
I think to the best of her ability.
Yeah. Best of her ability. Yeah. Which is which is always an admirable or heroic kind of effort.
Yeah. It's true.
Yeah. I think she was originally like v tubing from the hospital. Right. Which is crazy. But also, did you know that she was going to school to be an opera singer?
No. I did not
know Yeah. Wow. She can sing.
She has put on variety of concerts, released music. Wow. You know, as her persona at this point. Entirely talented. And I we've talked about Iron Mouse, because it is something to just like discuss, especially because we've consumed a lot
of Connor content,
and by proxy just seeing Iron Mouse as stated. But it's just she is incredibly hardworking. At least from you know, obviously, you can only assume so much from this sort of parasocial, like, two d, you know, barrier.
Literally. Yeah.
But, you know, anytime she's not streaming, she's saying, hey, you know, this has come up. Hey, I'm dealing with this. But otherwise, she's nonstop. Right.
I'm not sure if we talked about it here, but she did for a brief period of time become the most sub to person Mhmm. In the world Wow. On Twitch.
It's true.
Which I then I believe Kai Sinat broke that record. Yeah. But still, like, most famous, most popular, probably one of the richest woman in in the Twitch space.
Yeah. Right.
Which is crazy to think about. And she's talked a little bit about it, but like buying your parents a house is like kids. Yeah. I I can't even fathom that.
But once again, going back to what you're saying, what's the motivation? How does she? Yeah. Yeah. The ups and downs and
Exactly. Like, I mean, like, like, yeah. There are times where she's streaming and like, she had like a ventilator. Right? Like she she's, you know, super loopy on on meds or drugs and
Well, I I know that the one time that I I saw Connor, he was so embarrassed because he's like, what's that noise in the background? And she's like, oh, it's the ventilator in the back. It's a little bit loud. I'll try to turn it down. He's like,
oh. Yeah.
I'm sorry.
Yeah. Yeah.
But again, I I think part of that motivation is like loneliness in a way of like not really being able to interact with people and like looking for a community.
Being in the hospital is horrible.
Yeah. That's true.
He looked at you.
That's true. Shots. It's very it's not fun.
Yeah. I think it's also interesting too because, you know, we talk about Connor. Connor also has a chronic medical condition. Oh my
god, but he doesn't show it.
Yeah. Has hemophilia, which is something that we're very familiar with.
Yeah. I have hemophilia.
And I don't know. I think it's it's so interesting. Although, we've talked about he has to be a mild. He has to
be a mild.
The stuff that he gets up to
He does.
He he either factors so regularly. No. Which he does not. He does not. He's spoken about how he's like, yeah, you know, I do it when I need it.
Yeah. He's also joked that sometimes it's not worth talking to the Japanese doctors
about it.
Yeah. Oh my god. He is someone to look up to as someone with hemophilia. Yeah. Because he is doing incredible work. But also, he should not be a reference on how to handle your diagnosis.
I think a fan had to make and send him a medic alert bracelet Yeah.
For It's true. Because he did not wear one. Because he
just didn't wear one.
It's like crazy.
Is
so unsafe. Anyway, we digress.
Yeah. Anyways, I I think being in Japan, having real Wagyu beef, sitting down, having a conversation with the real person that is Iron Mouse in this sort of like fantasy scenario where she would be able to do that. I think would be really interesting. And it's kind of one of those things where it's like, yeah. You know, I think it would be fun to talk to to her and then be like, enjoy Japan, you know. Yeah. See you later.
It's true. It's true.
Alright. Dad finishes off.
Okay. So I'm gonna start with the backstory. When I was five or six years old, I heard the I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King. And so initially I was thinking Martin Luther King, but then I thought my journey so I've always taken to heart what he said, and I've always felt like that was my motivation to keep me going and and doing things. But but once I even at that very young age of six or seven, I immediately transferred over to looking at Gandhi.
And when I started looking at what Gandhi was doing, and they both were were totally captivating and totally motivating a huge amount of people and really wanted equality for it. I am leaning toward Gandhi as who I want to talk to. Okay. And the main reason is because if I was talking to Martin Luther King, would probably be in Mississippi or Atlanta, which is much more known to me than if I was in India. And so I decided to say Gandhi because it would be a very different and would be much more it would be a different spiritual feeling that I would have with him.
Because he was a very spiritual person, his religion, his belief system is what moved him to where he was. He was a lawyer, educated in England, and came back and and did this. So we would be in ready? Poor Bandur.
Where where is that? What
is that?
North, south, east, or west?
It is it is the West Southwest Side of India. Okay. And it is the birthplace of Gandhi. Oh, you're going all the way down. You're going to
the home team.
I'm going to the home home field. And the other thing is is that this place is known for having a lot of spiritual locations around
there. Okay.
So it's a it's a it's a really holy place for India. So I I thought, what a what a beautiful place. Once again, there's gonna be water there. Being on the beach Okay. Spiritual places around us, having this full vegetarian layout of all of the local Indian food, and then talking about talking to Gandhi about his journey, about what he faced and how he got through it, and having, at that time, 800,000,000 people on his shoulders.
That's true.
You know, think that we fail to recognize how large India is, and how much of a burden that is from that culture and how many people it is. And so I think that he was able to keep going when nothing else was working. And got them freedom and their own government and whatever. So I would love to just have because he was never overly outspoken. He was never overly wasn't showy or anything like that.
He just kept a steady thing. He went to jail, he did hunger strikes. He was just, through peaceful activists, he was able to free a whole nation. And I just think that understanding that journey, understanding what drove him for literally decades to do that Yeah. Is is something that would be inspiring to me.
It it does inspire me. It makes me always think about am I doing like you said, what is my contribution? What am I doing? How am I doing that? Plus it would be fantastic background or area Mhmm. And it would be incredible food.
Yeah. It's true.
So I just thought it would be kind of the great combination there.
I think Ghani would be interesting as someone like another person. I totally forgot your original person. Your first guy. Epicurus. Epicurus. Kinda similar to Epicurus in that I would be really interested to see Gandhi's thoughts and opinions about the today, like the day and age that we're living in now.
I will give you a little thought about this. Okay. So he was he did not believe that Pakistan and India should be separated. He thought that they should be one country.
Okay.
And that separation occurred when they created the government. So basically Pakistan was a part of India,
but
they broke apart. Right. And he was more of an anarchist than he was for he thought people should live spiritually and in step with nature and all that stuff. So he was never into the political side of it.
Right.
And so, at the end of it, he was very disappointed that Pakistan split off. Mhmm. But it was because there was two different belief systems, and they just could not come together. So that's how back it's kinda like West Virginia and Virginia during the civil war. Right. Okay. So it was like this break off of it. A little bit different, but Yeah. Was mentioning it. Probably a little different.
But but it was it was that kind of we can't be with you and that always broke his heart because because he felt like his people should be together and there should be peace love for each other.
That's fair. I guess it would be interesting to talk to him about that because there is a Pakistani nationalism and pride for being Pakistani. So it be interesting to hear his opinion and talk to him about that. But yeah, I just think the overall general state of the world
tech Yeah, just like vibe checking.
Yeah, vibe checking. Exactly.
Not What's going on? Not only that, but here's here's what's going on. The real The rest of that in the the rest of India stayed together was also in question. Yeah. Because there's so many different cultures and pockets and Sure. Very distinct parts of it.
Yeah. I mean, when you have that many people. Yeah. It it is you're obviously going to have like different areas or or different like sections.
There's boroughs in New York. Yeah.
That speak of That should speak
for itself. Yeah. You know, if you if you increase it by By 10. Yeah, by a lot a lot a lot.
Yeah. Exactly. Alright. Well, nice. I really liked this one. I'm a big fan of this one.
I'm excited about the third one.
Yeah. The third one should be interesting. So, we're gonna take a quick break, and when we get come back, we will have our third and final drink. Don't go anywhere. And dessert. We are back for our third and final drink. We have done appetizers or like openers, hors d'oeuvres. We've done the main course and now we are on to dessert and our third and final person.
But before that, Nick, are we drinking? We have a cider like champagne. Champagne like champagne like cider. One way or the other. Super bubbly. This is the Brut de Albemarle. Brut de Albemarle.
I don't know if it's coming up on the camera,
but they are just bubbling. Bubbling.
Well, when you taste champagne, the one thing you wanted to do is continually bubble.
Yeah. It's doing it. They've
done it.
And it's just it's totally effervescence.
I have I have a lava lamp here in front of me.
But yeah, it should be a light, but it is the driest thing we've had. And I'm very much looking forward to it. It should be a good celebratory end to our drinking. Yep. And something to look forward to.
Yeah, not much else really known about this, so kinda going a
little blind. We will let you know.
Okay, yes. Very dry. So I'm a big champagne drinker. I love really dry white wines.
Yeah. And this Yeah, I feel like this is hitting This
is really hitting. It's the minerality is not so it's present, but it's not so lasting. Yeah. The bubbles kind of clear out the minerality of the water. Yeah. I like it. It probably has the least depth of flavor.
It is a little one note. Yeah. Yeah. But it is lovely.
But, I mean, I think it does exactly what it sets out to do, which is this feels like a champagne, but in cider form, which is kinda weird.
Yeah.
And yeah, I I think if you're not a champagne person, this is kind of a good substitute.
It is sweeter than most champagnes.
Right.
Yeah.
So, that's why I do like it.
Right. I will kick us off here.
Let's see what dessert you got. Alright.
Following the trend of successful people or young people kind of dominating in their fields and me being like, wow, how do you do it? Obviously, Greta, twenty two years old. Iron mouse, I think 28. We're going a little up there in age. Not too much. I don't wanna date this person too much.
We're not going all the
way.
It's standing at 37 years
Oh wow.
You checked all
their ages. We have I'll I'll just go ahead and say it. Alex Golden Boy Mendez. Yes. Golden Boy is how I'll refer to him for the rest of this episode is a esports video game commentator host. If you've seen anything that has to do with video games, you have more than likely seen golden boy. He is quite literally like the golden boy for video games. He started out in Halo and kinda has moved to every other game since.
If there's any popular game getting launched, he's probably gonna be around.
Yeah. I mean like back in our day, Smite, he was there. Nowadays, it's more of like less nowadays, but like before it's Overwatch. Nowadays, it's more like Valorant, the game awards. Like he's just kind of been there, done it all kind of situation.
And as someone who loves casting and and would like to cast professionally, maybe. Who knows? I think he is kind of like a great example of someone who is just like I think it fits into my style of like, give me anything I'll do it kind of situation. Where there are some people who do one thing and they do that really well. Captain Flowers comes to mind here. A League of Legends commentator
It's true.
Through and through. Yeah. And he is just so good. He is like the the face of League of Legends commentary in a way.
It's true.
Golden Boy is the opposite of that. More of the the jack of all trades.
Would The generalist.
Yeah. The generalist. I wouldn't necessarily say he's a master of none, because I I like Halo is where he started, and I think he finds the most comfort there. But for me, that's kind of where I fit, where there's never been really a game that I totally wanna fit into or settle down into. I'm willing to cast anything and everything, and I'm willing to learn anything and everything.
Plus, you've met him.
Yes. Yeah. Oh, yes. We have the rarity.
Yeah. I have already met this person actually. When I was down in Orlando, and I was working the Halo Championship series. Kind of just like with my school, we went down there. I was working both like guest check-in and player check-in. And then they also moved us around a little bit, which was nice. So we got to see different like areas that they wanted work for. I was working in the shop and he came in looking for a shirt or something. I don't know. And we had like a conversation.
And I worked up the nerve to be like, I love your work. I didn't just be like, I love you. But I, you know, I love your work and I'm casting. I'd like to, like, hear your thoughts or, like, any thing that you would any sort of advice that you could give me. And we had like a a short conversation before he ran off to the Green room.
Mhmm.
And
this is pretty pretty cool. You're a fanboy. Yeah. A
little bit. For sure. For sure. And have a signed Halo poster that my my boss was like, here. Have a poster. Get him to sign it. Yeah. Which is great. I I loved my boss that that I love that to happen. But yeah, I think it would be nice to actually like have a full sit down conversation with him and and talk about casting, but also just like video games in general.
So what are you eating?
Yeah. So dessert. I think I think besides the state of of things right now, I think it would be California. We're getting milkshakes in like kinda like a ice cream bar kind of situation. You know, I'm thinking closer to like the diner kind of setting.
Yeah yeah yeah.
Like the red seats.
Oh, very classic.
Yeah. Yeah. Very classic. Just kinda sitting. Like greasy spoon kind of Yeah.
Kind of feel.
People watching while also just kinda talking about video.
So you're on some pure, like in Santa Monica, whatever.
That would be fun too. Yeah. Honestly I'm
seeing a diner right there.
Yeah. Yeah. A walk. Yeah. I would definitely be down to like take it to walk a little bit too. To go to the pier. That would be great. But yeah. I think that would be really interesting. And again, one of those weird rare ones where I've actually met this person before and at least from our short interaction, he wasn't a terrible person.
And also was because I was like, oh, hey, I'm I've worked with some people and like they weren't great. Like I didn't really enjoy them. They were not very nice people. And he was like, don't worry about that. Those people don't make it. Like Mhmm. They like they're not really welcome and they don't make friends, and they won't last. Which is kind of nice. I felt better. It was a little comforting. Yeah. A little comforting at the
end of Well, it's like you've always said is that no matter who you meet in your industry, you never know around the corner what that person will be doing.
Yeah. I mean, when I was taught, they said, be nice to the director and the person laying down tape. Because everyone is connected. Everyone's in the industry. That person who's laying down tape could be planning the next, you know, biggest movie. Yeah. They could you know, there's always these like cautionary tales about auditions. Where if you're walking into an audition and you're a jerk to the clerk, that gets to the audition directors, and you're already not hired.
Yeah.
Before you even say a
word. I would say, hopefully I brought you up better than that. Yeah yeah yeah. But I think we brought you up, you should respect and be respectful for everybody, you mean. Yeah. A lot of people aren't brought up that way. And so I think that it's a good tale no matter what it is.
It's true.
I think some people just kinda I think in whether it's esports commentating, whether it's sports commentating, whether it's acting, there is a, I'll say it. There's a bit of vanity. There's an ego aspect. Yeah. There's a bit of ego involved. And I think it's easy to let that run away with you when you're like, I'm in front of the camera all the time. I need to be perfect. People love me. Yep. Yeah.
And therefore, I should be treated better than other people. I think it's just making sure that that doesn't run away. Like you you don't get too big of a head.
Don't believe the hype.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.
I don't know. Still be nice to people even if you I don't know.
Also like, you're just the person in front of the camera. Yeah. You gotta keep the mentality. Like yeah, you might be the face of something. Yeah. But like there are people doing
There's 15 people back there like Yeah.
Running the show. Like doing so much hard work for you to have an easy time
to be honest. Exactly. And again, like for esports, you're like, yeah, you're the face right now but like there's other people who are probably more knowledgeable. There's other people who are running like the observation. They're making the plays that you're commenting over. There is like the director, the the people running the stream in its entirety and like those people are great at what they do too.
You
gotta give them credit. They're not below you or whatever. Yeah. You just have
to acknowledge everyone is doing their job. Exactly. Whatever's happening. Alright, Dan.
I talked for a little bit, but I'll pass it over to you to
So, my third person I also know.
I feel left out. I haven't met my first one.
So my third person is my dad.
Golden Boy is not my father.
I hope
not. My third person is also not my father.
And so my dad, he passed away very young. He was a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer at a very early age. He was I was 28 at the time. And so when he passed away, was living with my brother, so my brother had to deal with it right there. But the one thing that I always remember about my dad is that whenever we would have a family get together, my family loves making cake.
And so we always had this quarter sheet nine by 13 cake. And most people if it's it's a classic rectangular cake that you get at the shop or at the at a store or whatever. And how my mother would cut it for him was she would go across the short end and move the knife over. And when my dad said stop, she would cut all the way across the the the short end of the thing and give him that piece. So he could maybe get a quarter of a quarter she can, depending on how hungry he was.
Now, usually when he was eating dessert, he'd already eaten 10 hot dogs. And my dad my dad was a very small guy. He was five eleven, hundred and seventy, hundred and eighty pounds. But he could pack away food. And so what I would have for dessert is I would have my wife bake a cake, we would be at my wife's bakery, Crease of Cakes.
Oh, twelve lug. Because my dad always wanted to own a business. Yeah. And so him being there with us and having you guys there too because you never met him Yeah. Because he passed away before you were born, that just talking to him, laughing with him, we always had a great time. I would probably invite my brothers down too. Yeah. I'm you got them. Just so all of us are there. Just I think, you know, you say there's ego with it.
I I I just I would want him to be proud of what we all have done. Yeah. He was at our wedding, and he was line dancing with all the women out there. He he enjoyed a nice drink. He always drank beer, though.
He never drank hard liquor, but he always drank a beer. And he just always had a good time and was always full of life. And so I just think that it would be just so much fun to have him around the table with all of us just talking and having it up, and him seeing what I had become. You because I you talk about loss. We talked about that with your first person.
That loss is something that's hard to understand. The hard part for me is that, you know, six years later my mother passed away also, and so I did not get out of the ninety's with either parent. And so I miss my parents, but I really miss my dad. He was in the Navy also like me. Was a inspiration for me to join the Navy. I was
like more like you like him rather. Yeah.
And so I just I I would love for him just to be with us and just to hang out. Yeah. Because he was never he never cared about what people did or looked like or how they acted. He just wanted to sit around and have a good time with people. So that's my third person. Yeah.
Oh. Yeah. Nick, how are gonna top that one?
I can't really. I'm gonna be honest. That's a that's a pretty good one.
Yeah. I wasn't expecting you to say Crease at Cakes though, actually.
Yeah. I think he so he owned a tasty cake wrap because he always wanted to do his own business.
Yeah. Yeah.
And he never got the support that he wanted from my mom. Yeah. They they disagreed on it. My grandparents on my mom's side owned the businesses all the time. And so she saw kind of the hardship that's involved with running a business.
I mean, I feel like a guy in a way. I kinda see that too.
I see it too.
So yeah. I mean, you guys are seeing it also. So they were at odds when he did that, but if he could see us doing this and he would be the guy that would be, well, I'll come in and just wash dishes for you. Just let me wash dishes for
you. Yeah.
You know, because he he would just wanna be there. Yeah. And so I I just think it would be just so cool for him to see that.
Yeah. Wow.
Alright. Your turn, Nick.
Yeah. Okay. Yeah. My third person is someone closer to sort of spring boarding off of the Robin Williams pick and someone that I professionally admire to like a a very great degree. Yeah. Her name is Colleen Clickenbeard. She's a voice actress.
Oh, okay. A very famous voice actress. Even if the name doesn't like bring any sparks, like, you probably have heard her voice. Her
range and her character work has is incredible. It is she is Monkey D. Luffy. Oh, okay. She is the dub voice actress. She I think a lot of people would know most of her characters that she has done within the anime and sort of that space. But she's also a huge game voice actress. Yeah. She's been in the Borderlands series, And just a huge variety. And you'll just be like playing a game, and you'll just hear her voice. And you're like, that's Colleen Cliquindeer.
It's kinda like that Matthew Mercer effect as well.
Yeah. It's true. It's true.
It's Matthew Mercer.
There's there's a plethora of voice actors where you're just like,
oh, oh, it's a Troy Baker.
What are
you you know, like Terrence Strong. What the heck is it?
Yeah. You you hear them and they are sort of synonymous in this this voice acting space, especially the one the ones that I I deeply enjoy and consume fairly regularly. And yeah. So I would I would love to talk to Colleen.
Is she in the the Z and D series that we She
is not in critical role. Okay.
But that's that's a good question because those are all voice actors. Yeah.
They do.
They do
a lot. But she has just done so much. She kinda I she's like a voice actress I grew up with, basically. Like, basically most of my favorite anime. She's probably done the dub for. Or like at least ones that I like absorbed early on. And I think I'd want a really chill atmosphere that I could just pick her brain for basically as long as I can.
Until she says, alright, go on quits.
Yeah, so I will be in Iceland in a observation building looking at the northern lights and we're eating ice cream out of a mug with hot chocolate.
I
mean, you got me.
I'm there. That sounds great.
Maybe a shot of liquor in the
ice cream
as well. Know?
We had that at the Christmas markets. I was
about to say, didn't even think about that for hot chocolate until we were going to the Christmas markets and they were like, schnapps? And you're like, alright.
Let's see. Alright. Yeah. But no, she there's a lot of voice actors that I look up to, especially because like it's in the space that I, really want to really dive in and pursue. But she's just been a constant and for the most part she doesn't give off like unsavory sort of vibes. That's what I'm always afraid of. Like we talked about this a lot. We didn't know who exactly we wanted, but person was the hardest part
for most
of really difficult.
Because it's always like you have in the back of your mind, don't meet your heroes.
Right.
Because you don't know how they're gonna interact on like a personal level.
And I think especially for us in particular when we're thinking about people in our fields or like fields that we want to get into, a lot of them are very public facing, which creates this like this is my public face and then this is what I am behind curtain or closed doors. Yeah. And oftentimes it's difficult for many people to differentiate that or for us to even know how big of a difference is that.
Yeah, I think that for my people I know that they're not perfect. I know that they have warts and whatever because their goal was what was important. And I knew that they were imperfect humans when they did it. Gandhi had probably the bad side of it. Martin Luther King probably had the bad side of it. But those people are real people. They're not celebrities per se.
In a way though, would argue that they're also celebrities.
Right, mean I think there's a part of it that they have to be able to take on that celebrity in order to
They have to maintain some level of an appearance.
And I'm sure as long as you're talking with them, there's gonna be something that you will disagree with. Maybe there's something that you and Gandhi, you agree with Gandhi and his resistance against British imperialism, but maybe climate change, you and Gandhi just have different opinions.
Or anarchy. The idea of anarchy. Yeah, or
a political structure.
Sure,
you could be that. I think even in this regard though, especially with actors, you have so many stories about Tom Cruise not being super great or pleasant to be around.
Or generous to those around them. Yeah, exactly.
And it goes back to why you chose Golden Boy. Where it's like they are a persona in the field that you like, but you've had at least the
Yeah, at least I've had a positive interaction in the ten minutes that we had together.
A hint of a moment. Yeah. But no, I'd like to think that Colleen Clickingbeard would be a very good mentor at bare minimum to at least be able to talk with. She's been in the space for quite a while and she's been basically just killing it over and over again.
Which is longevity is always a hard thing to achieve.
I would say both easy and hard. I think when Nick and I talk about this, breaking in always
seems to be very But
once you're in, you're like a
household thing. If you have established a strong network, you can find a job. Yeah.
I'd like
to know that.
They just keep calling you back. Yeah. Or like, if you're in series, like, you're in in a long standing anime like I mean One piece you'll always have a job or
Or at least 1,100 jobs.
Yeah. Or if you're a main voice in like The Simpsons. Yeah. In The Simpsons or even like in the Borderlands series. If you become a mainstay in the Borderlands series or at least are like a reference, there are tons of voices there even if you're not one of the main ones. Yeah. Which she is one of the main ones. That's true. Yeah. She just has work as long as they're making Borderlands games.
And they will forever make Borderlands games. Well, I
don't know
about that one. Know? They keep making Call of Duty. That's true.
Yeah. Well, we'll see. But, yeah, that's my dessert.
So hopefully this was a unique take on it.
I think this was a different episode for sure. It also went way different than I was expecting.
Yeah. I think it was the most difficult to plan for me. All the other ones were like, Yeah, I could go with that. But this one I really had to sit down and figure out each moment.
Well, it's because we wanted complexity with it. We didn't want just, Okay, these are the three people I want to talk Let's come up with the environment and everything with it, to make it more interesting.
Building a scene
with this Yeah, exactly.
Before we go though, of course I've got to ask, what was your favorite drink of the night? I'll start with dad, then I'll go with Nick, and then I'll give my opinion. So, dad, what what was your favorite?
I thought the Arkansas black was really good. Yeah. However, I am a champagne guy.
Yeah.
And I loved this the champagne cider.
I had a feeling you might say that.
I just finished it. It was good. It was crisp. It was clean. I just I really liked it a lot.
I agree. It was delicious.
Well, I will not shy away from the Arkansas black in saying that that one was definitely my favorite. It was the fullest of the ciders that we had all together. It was so good. Such a refreshing taste on top of it and still had the minerality, but also wasn't overbearing in any sense. I feel like
a lot of times we each choose one, but I really did like the Arkansas black. I thought that was good. It was I think I've had a good bit of ciders in my day. I don't know where the accent came from, but I've had a good bit of ciders in my day. And I think the Arkansas black just had such a a full flavor. It was just enjoyable.
I think a lot of the, like, very popular ciders have kind of a fake taste to it.
Yeah. There is a sense of artificial layering on top of it.
Or like over concentration, I guess.
Yeah, yeah. Or it's just one note.
Or just one note.
These, you know, look how they're serving it, look how they're presenting it. They want it to be different than the can of whatever.
Absolutely.
I'm also really glad that we chose these three in I think our flight was good, but to be honest
I don't think it compares to these three.
I agree. I I think maybe there was one or two from the flight that we really liked. Not to say they're bad, but I think these ones in particular really really stood out.
Yeah. As soon as I saw the brute one, was like, oh we gotta
do that. Yeah yeah yeah.
That's what he said. So
Alright. Alright. Well, thank you all so much for watching. We'll catch you next episode. If you like us
Nope. Or you subscribe. Please don't it.
Awesome. If you like us or subscribe.
Or do both. Or do both.
Thumbs up. Yeah. Alright. We will catch y'all next time and see you soon.
Good luck. Bye. Good luck.