1 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,209 S1: Hey, Jenny KURTIS here. This week, we're sharing an excerpt 2 00:00:08,210 --> 00:00:10,670 S1: of Chris Porter and I sitting down with Nicole Pye, 3 00:00:10,670 --> 00:00:13,820 S1: who played Flight director RF Patel and Micky Shallower, who 4 00:00:13,820 --> 00:00:17,480 S1: played the tenacious reporter Christian Yancy. We're jumping into the 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,350 S1: complexities of the dynamic relationship between AAVE and Christian in 6 00:00:21,350 --> 00:00:24,799 S1: a conversation we affectionately call Earth's perspective. 7 00:00:26,750 --> 00:00:30,020 S2: Right. So the only time we're actually on earth in 8 00:00:30,020 --> 00:00:32,720 S2: an episode is the opening press conference to the pilot 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,880 S2: where our of and Christian kind of get into it. 10 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,449 S2: How does that set the stage for who these characters are? 11 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:44,750 S3: Well, I think that ours is looking for any opportunity 12 00:00:44,750 --> 00:00:50,030 S3: to make known that things aren't as peachy as the 13 00:00:50,030 --> 00:00:52,850 S3: head of NASCAR would like to make it seem. And 14 00:00:52,850 --> 00:00:57,260 S3: so he is trying to use the questions that are 15 00:00:57,260 --> 00:01:01,760 S3: being asked to get people asking more questions about it. 16 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,300 S3: Because if everything is being swept under the rug, then 17 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:07,279 S3: what he needs is like what I feel he needs 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,630 S3: like public outrage in order to uncover and maybe get 19 00:01:11,630 --> 00:01:14,000 S3: some tech to have any sort of corporate responsibility. 20 00:01:14,220 --> 00:01:16,339 S4: Yeah, and RV is really looking for the truth. And 21 00:01:16,340 --> 00:01:18,980 S4: that's exactly what Christian Yancy wants. So they both are 22 00:01:18,980 --> 00:01:21,650 S4: kind of on the same mission, which I think is 23 00:01:21,650 --> 00:01:22,430 S4: why they connect. 24 00:01:22,910 --> 00:01:24,100 S2: They're disrupters. 25 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:25,670 S4: They're disruptors. They sure are. 26 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,819 S3: Truth seekers. Truth seekers, as you said. Yes. Yes. 27 00:01:31,650 --> 00:01:34,730 S5: So episode one basically began with an extended conversation between 28 00:01:34,730 --> 00:01:37,130 S5: Patel and Yancy, arguing at this press conference, as we 29 00:01:37,130 --> 00:01:39,589 S5: just pointed out. And while Patel has had a few 30 00:01:39,590 --> 00:01:42,470 S5: communiques with the eighth on in a couple of episodes recovered, 31 00:01:42,470 --> 00:01:45,290 S5: audio asset number four has brought you both back together. 32 00:01:45,290 --> 00:01:47,450 S5: And we realized that there's a lot more going on 33 00:01:47,450 --> 00:01:49,760 S5: with these two men than we first thought. There was 34 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,850 S5: more happening in that press conference scene than was let on. 35 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,920 S5: What kind of a headspace is going on for the 36 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:55,370 S5: two of them? 37 00:01:55,730 --> 00:01:57,530 S4: Well, I think Christian is still searching for answers at 38 00:01:57,530 --> 00:02:00,230 S4: this point. And this conversation he has with all of 39 00:02:00,230 --> 00:02:03,470 S4: is very eye opening and he realizes that he knows more. 40 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,710 S4: And NASCAR in general knows more than they are putting out. 41 00:02:06,740 --> 00:02:09,410 S5: One of the questions between these two is who's in 42 00:02:09,410 --> 00:02:12,110 S5: control at any given moment? Mm hmm. Because I think 43 00:02:12,110 --> 00:02:16,040 S5: they both think they are themselves, which is not necessarily true. 44 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,980 S5: But in this particular recovered audio asset, we do, in fact, 45 00:02:18,980 --> 00:02:22,670 S5: learn that Patel was playing Yancy a little bit. He 46 00:02:22,669 --> 00:02:25,490 S5: was using this as an excuse to be the disruptor. 47 00:02:25,700 --> 00:02:29,139 S3: Mm hmm. I'm going to respectfully disagree with our writer. Yeah. 48 00:02:30,250 --> 00:02:35,389 S3: You know, it's just like I like going into this conversation. 49 00:02:35,389 --> 00:02:39,359 S3: I feel like I was desperate for something, and there 50 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,619 S3: was so much desperation with a lot that he does 51 00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:46,639 S3: that he has to resort to means that he wouldn't 52 00:02:46,730 --> 00:02:50,330 S3: otherwise resort to. So he is in control. I think 53 00:02:50,330 --> 00:02:51,710 S3: that he's trying to. 54 00:02:52,130 --> 00:02:54,800 S5: Be an excellent point. Totally manipulate you manipulated him. But 55 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,840 S5: it was from a point of desperation I think you total. 56 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,450 S4: He has so much on his shoulders that relies on 57 00:02:59,450 --> 00:03:02,389 S4: him and I think he's using him and he manipulated 58 00:03:02,389 --> 00:03:03,380 S4: him in a good way. Mm hmm. 59 00:03:03,470 --> 00:03:06,950 S2: Well, so here's the thing. We recorded this in the pandemic. Right? 60 00:03:06,950 --> 00:03:09,500 S2: And also, just because this is how you get clean, 61 00:03:09,500 --> 00:03:12,770 S2: audio recording actors have to record separately. So you were 62 00:03:12,770 --> 00:03:15,770 S2: each in the booth alone? Well, I mean, you were 63 00:03:15,770 --> 00:03:20,480 S2: recording with me, so obviously, obviously an amazing scene partner. Yeah, 64 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,720 S2: but we thought it might be fun to finally hear 65 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,810 S2: you guys do this scene with each other. So we've 66 00:03:26,810 --> 00:03:29,780 S2: provided you with this script since we're talking about recovered 67 00:03:29,780 --> 00:03:32,120 S2: audio set for. Let's just hear it with you guys 68 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,780 S2: finally interacting with each other. They are across the table 69 00:03:35,780 --> 00:03:36,380 S2: from each other. 70 00:03:36,740 --> 00:03:36,980 S3: So. 71 00:03:37,250 --> 00:03:40,280 S2: Chris, can you set the scene for the world they're 72 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:40,910 S2: in right now? 73 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,660 S5: So remember, most of the phone lines and communication lines 74 00:03:44,660 --> 00:03:47,330 S5: are down. And this is very much just sort of 75 00:03:47,330 --> 00:03:50,480 S5: a shout into the wilderness of they're hoping that someone 76 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,020 S5: else is out there with a working phone as from 77 00:03:53,030 --> 00:03:54,980 S5: a point of desperation, as Nicole just said, he has 78 00:03:54,980 --> 00:03:57,380 S5: some information that he needs to convey and information that 79 00:03:57,380 --> 00:03:59,810 S5: he's unable to secure himself. So he has to make 80 00:03:59,810 --> 00:04:03,140 S5: this phone call to Yancy, having sent some sort of 81 00:04:03,140 --> 00:04:05,930 S5: ability that he might be able to pursue this line 82 00:04:05,930 --> 00:04:06,530 S5: of questioning. 83 00:04:06,620 --> 00:04:09,710 S2: And one of our favorite directions my favorite directions is 84 00:04:09,710 --> 00:04:13,730 S2: that this is a very dark and stormy, thriller esque conversation. 85 00:04:13,820 --> 00:04:14,570 S4: Oh, yeah, that's right. 86 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:15,530 S2: Mm hmm. Go. 87 00:04:17,890 --> 00:04:21,779 S4: It's Christian Yancy. Hello? 88 00:04:22,110 --> 00:04:23,450 S3: There's a man and I want you to speak to. 89 00:04:23,670 --> 00:04:24,270 S4: Who is this? 90 00:04:24,930 --> 00:04:27,000 S3: How do you have a working phone, by the way? 91 00:04:27,330 --> 00:04:28,620 S4: How do you have a working phone? 92 00:04:28,710 --> 00:04:30,540 S3: Our building is basically a Faraday cage. 93 00:04:30,930 --> 00:04:32,880 S4: Sounds nice. I just use aluminum foil. 94 00:04:33,390 --> 00:04:34,109 S3: And the phone lines. 95 00:04:35,260 --> 00:04:38,510 S4: That part isn't quite legal. I'm tapping into your phone lines. 96 00:04:40,420 --> 00:04:44,080 S4: I'm assuming this is an ask calling, Mr. Patel. 97 00:04:44,470 --> 00:04:48,190 S3: We're using international contact lines for emergencies and critical information. 98 00:04:48,940 --> 00:04:51,910 S4: Yeah, And everything you use to monitor that phone line 99 00:04:51,910 --> 00:04:54,370 S4: was wiped out by the flare. So here I am. 100 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:55,690 S3: Did you try to call Semtech? 101 00:04:56,260 --> 00:05:02,529 S4: Multiple times. And always went to voicemail. Voicemail was always full. 102 00:05:03,490 --> 00:05:08,600 S4: You're right. No one is there. Can I call you 103 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:09,680 S4: are of No. 104 00:05:09,950 --> 00:05:11,330 S3: I don't particularly like you. 105 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:12,860 S4: This call is going well. 106 00:05:13,070 --> 00:05:15,320 S3: But there is someone that I want to talk to. 107 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:16,820 S4: So talk to them. 108 00:05:17,270 --> 00:05:18,320 S3: They don't want to talk to me. 109 00:05:20,390 --> 00:05:22,280 S4: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. 110 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,169 S3: And I'm sure this man wants to talk to someone. 111 00:05:25,190 --> 00:05:27,410 S4: Or is it the friend of my enemy? Is my. 112 00:05:27,410 --> 00:05:27,740 S3: Enemy. 113 00:05:27,770 --> 00:05:29,060 S4: Mary, it's Christian. 114 00:05:29,540 --> 00:05:31,070 S3: The man's name is Murray. 115 00:05:31,779 --> 00:05:32,630 S4: And what's his connection? 116 00:05:33,260 --> 00:05:34,310 S3: He used to work for NASCAR. 117 00:05:34,820 --> 00:05:35,900 S4: And there's a lot of those people. 118 00:05:36,650 --> 00:05:38,549 S3: Then he quit to work for some tech. 119 00:05:39,260 --> 00:05:40,010 S4: No shit. 120 00:05:40,250 --> 00:05:42,410 S3: Then he quit Semtech and went into hiding. 121 00:05:42,589 --> 00:05:43,640 S4: No shit. 122 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,400 S3: He lives in the Dakotas. I'll text you his number 123 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:47,779 S3: now that I know you have a working phone. 124 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:49,490 S4: I'll call as soon as we hang up. 125 00:05:50,180 --> 00:05:53,690 S3: Let me ask you what's stranger? The fact that no 126 00:05:53,690 --> 00:05:55,820 S3: one picks up at Semtech or the fact that they 127 00:05:55,820 --> 00:05:56,990 S3: still have a working phone. 128 00:05:58,370 --> 00:06:00,470 S4: Ah, I'm sorry I got under your skin at the 129 00:06:00,470 --> 00:06:03,289 S4: press conference. Just looking for answers. 130 00:06:03,500 --> 00:06:06,830 S3: Mr. Yancy, you didn't even remotely get under my skin. 131 00:06:07,460 --> 00:06:09,290 S3: You gave me the opportunity to make a statement that 132 00:06:09,290 --> 00:06:11,900 S3: Miss Bryant wouldn't approve of, and in a way that 133 00:06:11,900 --> 00:06:18,109 S3: would make it seem unintentional. If anything, I should thank you. 134 00:06:18,740 --> 00:06:20,300 S4: Wait. What are you saying? 135 00:06:20,810 --> 00:06:23,089 S3: I'm saying there's a lot at stake. There's a lot 136 00:06:23,089 --> 00:06:25,040 S3: of cards to be dealt. There are a lot of 137 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,490 S3: hands left to play. Call Murray. 138 00:06:31,250 --> 00:06:31,580 S2: Yes. 139 00:06:35,010 --> 00:06:35,370 S5: Right. 140 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,060 S2: So Bill KURTIS, who we cannot have, hop on the 141 00:06:39,330 --> 00:06:42,180 S2: mic today. But he is standing in the control booth 142 00:06:42,180 --> 00:06:44,760 S2: and just gave you guys a standing ovation because this 143 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,000 S2: is his favorite covered audio set. 144 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:49,320 S4: Thank you, Bill. 145 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:53,100 S5: Hi. There were two fun stories because if we wanted 146 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:56,670 S5: to share this, one was that please say aluminum. 147 00:06:58,529 --> 00:07:02,820 S4: Energy. Aluminum. I can say the word. 148 00:07:03,420 --> 00:07:06,510 S2: But in the recording process, we got a little stuck 149 00:07:06,510 --> 00:07:06,840 S2: on that. 150 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,270 S4: Stuck on that word. I don't know what happened, but 151 00:07:09,270 --> 00:07:11,790 S4: it was like aluminum, minimal and minimal. 152 00:07:12,270 --> 00:07:15,990 S5: The other thing was one of our last lines, which 153 00:07:15,990 --> 00:07:18,239 S5: in the booth, in the queue actually said, Hey, can 154 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,040 S5: I switch the order of this? And we said, Yes, 155 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,470 S5: that's actually better than what's on the page. So the 156 00:07:22,470 --> 00:07:24,510 S5: way that he just read it was the original script, 157 00:07:24,510 --> 00:07:25,680 S5: but he changed it to. 158 00:07:26,340 --> 00:07:28,710 S3: So the original is. Let me ask you what's strange, stranger. 159 00:07:28,710 --> 00:07:30,660 S3: The fact that no one picks up at Semtech or 160 00:07:30,660 --> 00:07:32,520 S3: the fact that they still have a working phone line, 161 00:07:32,670 --> 00:07:36,030 S3: and I believe that I changed it to what? Stranger? 162 00:07:36,450 --> 00:07:39,120 S3: The fact that Semtech has a working phone line or 163 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:40,200 S3: the fact that no one picks up. 164 00:07:40,290 --> 00:07:41,400 S4: Yeah, I like that. 165 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,490 S2: And we didn't argue. Mikheil flipped and he was like, 166 00:07:44,490 --> 00:07:47,040 S2: Is that okay? That that seems better and really good. Yeah, 167 00:07:47,330 --> 00:07:47,790 S2: that's fine. 168 00:07:47,790 --> 00:07:48,120 S5: That's good. 169 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,640 S2: That's good. But like, that's the really fun part of 170 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:56,010 S2: recording with actors who come with opinions and make many better. Yeah, 171 00:07:56,850 --> 00:08:00,390 S2: we all have to have opinions, so I don't know 172 00:08:00,390 --> 00:08:01,860 S2: if you guys actually have an answer for this, but 173 00:08:01,860 --> 00:08:04,650 S2: was that at all different for you reading with each other? 174 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:05,640 S3: 100%. 175 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,150 S4: Yeah. It was different. Like, I don't know, it felt 176 00:08:10,380 --> 00:08:12,720 S4: way more into me. I don't. There is something interesting 177 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,410 S4: about it. Yeah. Ah, of. I'm sorry I got under 178 00:08:16,410 --> 00:08:18,820 S4: your skin at the press conference. Just looking for. 179 00:08:18,930 --> 00:08:22,380 S3: Some. Mr. Nancy, You didn't even remotely get under my skin. 180 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,860 S3: You gave me an opportunity to make a statement that Mr. 181 00:08:25,860 --> 00:08:27,900 S3: Bryant wouldn't approve of, and in a way that would 182 00:08:27,900 --> 00:08:31,980 S3: make it seem unintentional. If anything, I should thank you. Wait. 183 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:33,479 S4: What are you saying? 184 00:08:33,870 --> 00:08:37,020 S3: I'm saying there's a lot at stake. There's a lot 185 00:08:37,020 --> 00:08:39,000 S3: of cards to be dealt. There are a lot of 186 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,910 S3: hands left to play, Murray. 187 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,689 S4: But I don't remember what it was like recorded before. 188 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,570 S4: That's must be different. Well. 189 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,390 S5: Like one of the themes that's absolutely come up because 190 00:08:53,390 --> 00:08:55,280 S5: we recorded this in the middle of a pandemic where 191 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,860 S5: everyone had to be isolated and had to be alone. 192 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,830 S5: Is that a lot of that actually did boil through 193 00:09:01,070 --> 00:09:05,599 S5: into the performances of people at the time. So just 194 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,660 S5: because of that, have you ever been in a situation 195 00:09:08,660 --> 00:09:10,699 S5: like that a part? You know, it could be the 196 00:09:10,700 --> 00:09:14,959 S5: pandemic where you are trying to reach out to a 197 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,420 S5: friend or a family or some sort of support system, 198 00:09:17,420 --> 00:09:19,370 S5: and you don't even know if you can access them. 199 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,520 S2: If so, did you use that in this show in 200 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,890 S2: any way? Did you use any real life influences to 201 00:09:24,890 --> 00:09:26,570 S2: get into your characters? 202 00:09:26,990 --> 00:09:29,179 S5: And the answer could just be, Yeah, it could be now, and. 203 00:09:29,179 --> 00:09:30,790 S2: It could be You're a fucking actor and you did 204 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:31,160 S2: your job. 205 00:09:32,510 --> 00:09:33,530 S4: I'm a fucking actor. 206 00:09:35,030 --> 00:09:37,370 S3: I mean, that seems like a process question for me, 207 00:09:37,370 --> 00:09:40,250 S3: and that is not particularly. 208 00:09:40,250 --> 00:09:43,280 S2: One of my processes. What was your process for. 209 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:49,490 S3: Imagining the circumstances of the situation? Do? Yeah, I mean, 210 00:09:50,210 --> 00:09:52,850 S3: just going back to it, I think it's very different 211 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:57,069 S3: actually interacting with an actor in any sort of live situation. Yeah, 212 00:09:57,110 --> 00:10:01,910 S3: because everyone has their own cadence to things, everyone has 213 00:10:01,910 --> 00:10:06,500 S3: their own feel for it. And that's kind of the delicious, 214 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,079 S3: you know, process of being an actor is that you 215 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,140 S3: get to, you get to play. Yeah. With whatever people 216 00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:12,500 S3: give you. 217 00:10:12,770 --> 00:10:15,170 S4: And also like the way that you would say something 218 00:10:15,170 --> 00:10:17,660 S4: to me, it could totally change the way that I 219 00:10:17,660 --> 00:10:19,670 S4: deliver back to you. Acting is reacting. 220 00:10:19,670 --> 00:10:21,290 S2: People just as, like. 221 00:10:21,290 --> 00:10:24,500 S4: I said, that comes, but it really is like as 222 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:26,900 S4: annoying as that saying it sometimes it really is true 223 00:10:26,900 --> 00:10:31,670 S4: because just this conversation, I felt different things and I'm 224 00:10:31,670 --> 00:10:33,910 S4: the same as you. I can just imagine the situation 225 00:10:33,910 --> 00:10:36,240 S4: and I'm like, okay, who is Christian Yancy? Who am I? 226 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:37,590 S4: Is Christian Yancy in this situation? 227 00:10:37,610 --> 00:10:42,110 S3: Yeah, I think that part of what we do is 228 00:10:42,230 --> 00:10:45,830 S3: we prepare as much as we can beforehand and then 229 00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:48,859 S3: come in and then get thrown a set of different 230 00:10:48,860 --> 00:10:53,030 S3: circumstances sometimes or get thrown in the same circumstances, and 231 00:10:53,030 --> 00:10:54,679 S3: then we just deal with it. I mean, that's part 232 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:56,929 S3: of the preparation that that's the boring stuff. 233 00:10:57,050 --> 00:10:58,880 S2: That is not boring to me. I love. 234 00:10:59,000 --> 00:10:59,750 S4: I think it's. 235 00:10:59,929 --> 00:11:01,160 S2: All about preparation. 236 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,220 S4: I think it's fun because also I don't really get 237 00:11:04,220 --> 00:11:07,100 S4: stuff like Christian Yancy. He's he's way more interesting to 238 00:11:07,100 --> 00:11:08,660 S4: me than a lot of the things that I would 239 00:11:08,660 --> 00:11:10,910 S4: necessarily get. And I get to kind of be this 240 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,360 S4: guy with an attitude. I don't know. He's like abrasive. 241 00:11:14,390 --> 00:11:16,970 S4: So for me, my process I guess, is just at 242 00:11:16,970 --> 00:11:19,090 S4: home in my own mind, living in sort of who 243 00:11:19,100 --> 00:11:21,950 S4: he is. And then I guess I forget about it, 244 00:11:22,130 --> 00:11:24,170 S4: then come here and we talk and then it'll sort 245 00:11:24,170 --> 00:11:24,770 S4: of bleed in. 246 00:11:26,750 --> 00:11:27,620 S2: So there it is. 247 00:11:27,620 --> 00:11:30,050 S1: A bit of the behind the scenes stories, the process 248 00:11:30,050 --> 00:11:33,560 S1: of the actors and an in-person reading, and that's just 249 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,439 S1: part of the conversation. Check out the solar panel on 250 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,840 S1: our Apple Podcasts premium channel to hear more.