1 00:00:15,210 --> 00:00:28,729 Speaker 1: Pushkin Johnny to what do I owe the pleasure? So 2 00:00:28,930 --> 00:00:30,890 Speaker 1: you know why I'm phoning you. 3 00:00:31,450 --> 00:00:32,089 Speaker 2: I really don't. 4 00:00:32,530 --> 00:00:35,169 Speaker 1: Well, I was intending. 5 00:00:34,730 --> 00:00:38,330 Speaker 3: To re release the Gregor episode for which it is 6 00:00:38,409 --> 00:00:41,769 Speaker 3: named for you, Okay, so that a new generation of 7 00:00:41,810 --> 00:00:43,729 Speaker 3: heavyweight listeners can enjoy it. 8 00:00:44,569 --> 00:00:45,850 Speaker 2: Oh, okay, when. 9 00:00:45,690 --> 00:00:47,249 Speaker 1: Was the last time you listened to the episode? 10 00:00:51,610 --> 00:00:53,409 Speaker 4: I mean, to be completely honest with you, and why 11 00:00:53,450 --> 00:00:56,010 Speaker 4: should I be anything other than completely honest at all times? 12 00:00:56,010 --> 00:01:01,050 Speaker 4: And forth right? Yeah, almost disturbingly vulnerably frank with you. Yeah, 13 00:01:01,130 --> 00:01:02,890 Speaker 4: I've never actually listened to the episode. 14 00:01:04,690 --> 00:01:05,530 Speaker 1: I can't believe that. 15 00:01:06,090 --> 00:01:07,970 Speaker 2: I really don't want to break last streek. 16 00:01:08,650 --> 00:01:10,289 Speaker 1: Of never listening to anything I make. 17 00:01:10,410 --> 00:01:11,810 Speaker 2: But I'm told those good I mean, a lot of 18 00:01:11,810 --> 00:01:13,610 Speaker 2: people paid me, a lot of compliments, people I'd meet 19 00:01:13,610 --> 00:01:14,370 Speaker 2: in the supermarket. 20 00:01:14,850 --> 00:01:17,770 Speaker 3: So so what I was thinking might be sort of 21 00:01:18,130 --> 00:01:20,130 Speaker 3: a nice thing for us to do is maybe listen 22 00:01:20,170 --> 00:01:24,570 Speaker 3: to it together. I guess for you for the first time. 23 00:01:24,810 --> 00:01:26,330 Speaker 2: I'm willing to do this. But are you telling me 24 00:01:26,370 --> 00:01:33,450 Speaker 2: that your concept for your brand new Alexander Pushkin hit show. Yeah, 25 00:01:33,490 --> 00:01:35,410 Speaker 2: it's going to be a podcast of me listening to 26 00:01:35,450 --> 00:01:39,610 Speaker 2: a previous podcast. I mean, I don't mean to like 27 00:01:39,690 --> 00:01:41,850 Speaker 2: ridicule you on your own hit show. But no, of 28 00:01:41,890 --> 00:01:44,450 Speaker 2: course not, are you out of your mind? We're going 29 00:01:44,490 --> 00:01:46,690 Speaker 2: to listen to a podcast. Who wants to listen to 30 00:01:46,730 --> 00:01:48,890 Speaker 2: a podcast, let alone listen to me listen to a podcast? 31 00:01:49,130 --> 00:01:51,410 Speaker 3: Well no, I mean we're not going to say okay, 32 00:01:51,490 --> 00:01:55,250 Speaker 3: all right, well with that. With that, I guess I'll 33 00:01:55,290 --> 00:01:58,250 Speaker 3: speak to you on the other side. Okay, all right, 34 00:01:58,290 --> 00:02:00,810 Speaker 3: I'll talk to you at the end. Oh but before 35 00:02:00,810 --> 00:02:04,490 Speaker 3: we get to this encore presentation, a word from our 36 00:02:04,490 --> 00:02:14,490 Speaker 3: sponsors bad time. 37 00:02:15,049 --> 00:02:16,809 Speaker 2: I was just just stepping out. 38 00:02:16,810 --> 00:02:21,090 Speaker 3: I was just you enjoy music, right, Yeah, this week's 39 00:02:21,090 --> 00:02:23,770 Speaker 3: show kind of deals with music, and it got me thinking. 40 00:02:24,570 --> 00:02:25,890 Speaker 1: I have a confession to make. 41 00:02:26,210 --> 00:02:28,930 Speaker 3: You know how sometimes like you have dinner parties and 42 00:02:28,970 --> 00:02:32,570 Speaker 3: they're great. I wanted to say, sometimes how you sometimes 43 00:02:32,570 --> 00:02:36,450 Speaker 3: play music? Yeah, sometimes I'm a little hesitant to come 44 00:02:36,490 --> 00:02:37,410 Speaker 3: over for dinner. 45 00:02:38,010 --> 00:02:40,250 Speaker 2: You're always hesitant to come over for dinner. Well, it's 46 00:02:40,290 --> 00:02:43,010 Speaker 2: not including Mary clods forty fifth birthday. 47 00:02:43,010 --> 00:02:43,570 Speaker 5: Do you remember that? 48 00:02:43,930 --> 00:02:45,730 Speaker 6: I do you know that Bumballeo song? 49 00:02:45,930 --> 00:02:48,010 Speaker 4: I can't find my Gypsy King CD because. 50 00:02:47,770 --> 00:02:49,730 Speaker 1: Your husband hit it. 51 00:02:49,730 --> 00:02:50,770 Speaker 5: It's killing me. 52 00:02:50,810 --> 00:02:51,650 Speaker 1: Killing everybody. 53 00:02:51,890 --> 00:02:54,730 Speaker 3: The reason Sometimes I have some difficulty with my digestion 54 00:02:55,570 --> 00:02:58,210 Speaker 3: these dinner parties. Is it's the Bumballeo song, It's the 55 00:02:58,250 --> 00:03:01,250 Speaker 3: Gypsy Kings. Oh this is great. You know what bumbalao? 56 00:03:01,330 --> 00:03:03,250 Speaker 3: Bumbalaya translates as. 57 00:03:03,610 --> 00:03:04,970 Speaker 1: What wobble wobble? 58 00:03:05,770 --> 00:03:06,570 Speaker 7: All right, we'll speak to. 59 00:03:06,530 --> 00:03:08,930 Speaker 3: You one thing before we go. Okay, I'm going to 60 00:03:08,930 --> 00:03:11,130 Speaker 3: say bum and then you say bumbalaya. 61 00:03:11,690 --> 00:03:21,889 Speaker 2: I do it, and then I'm. 62 00:03:23,210 --> 00:03:24,290 Speaker 1: From Gimblet Media. 63 00:03:24,810 --> 00:03:31,169 Speaker 3: I'm Jonathan Goldstein and this is Heavyweight Today's episode, Gregor. 64 00:03:40,770 --> 00:03:42,570 Speaker 2: This guy's gonna ram you from behind because you're going 65 00:03:42,570 --> 00:03:45,330 Speaker 2: eleven miles left, although you usually don't do it from 66 00:03:45,330 --> 00:03:48,050 Speaker 2: the right line. But okay, let's not get kill. Do 67 00:03:48,090 --> 00:03:49,130 Speaker 2: you have a driver's license? 68 00:03:52,010 --> 00:03:54,050 Speaker 3: This is Gregor and Me on our way to lunch, 69 00:03:54,490 --> 00:03:58,210 Speaker 3: and what you're hearing is typical when I'm driving. Gregor 70 00:03:58,290 --> 00:04:01,610 Speaker 3: comments on my speed. When I eat, he comments on 71 00:04:01,650 --> 00:04:05,010 Speaker 3: my table manners, and when I eat yogurt, he comments 72 00:04:05,050 --> 00:04:07,290 Speaker 3: on the way I lick the inside lid, calling it 73 00:04:07,330 --> 00:04:11,450 Speaker 3: both letchrous and unmanly. Some might say that Gregor is 74 00:04:11,490 --> 00:04:16,570 Speaker 3: overly critical, possibly even prickly, but I would not. I 75 00:04:16,610 --> 00:04:20,850 Speaker 3: love Gregor for many reasons. His loyalty, his generosity, his 76 00:04:20,969 --> 00:04:22,770 Speaker 3: being the kind of person will pick you up at 77 00:04:22,810 --> 00:04:23,490 Speaker 3: the airport at. 78 00:04:23,450 --> 00:04:25,410 Speaker 1: Four in the morning without even complaining. 79 00:04:25,969 --> 00:04:28,409 Speaker 3: But it's perhaps his courage to say the things that 80 00:04:28,450 --> 00:04:32,330 Speaker 3: were all not exactly thinking, but maybe thinking about thinking, 81 00:04:32,810 --> 00:04:38,650 Speaker 3: that is most thrilling. And so when he showed up 82 00:04:38,650 --> 00:04:41,969 Speaker 3: at my office mocking himself instead of me and speaking 83 00:04:42,049 --> 00:04:44,810 Speaker 3: in biblical parables, I was concerned. 84 00:04:45,330 --> 00:04:47,449 Speaker 2: Was it the Pharaoh and the Joseph story who said 85 00:04:47,609 --> 00:04:49,449 Speaker 2: the seven lean years and seven fat years? 86 00:04:49,570 --> 00:04:49,849 Speaker 7: Yeah? 87 00:04:49,890 --> 00:04:51,930 Speaker 2: I had this insight today that the fat years are 88 00:04:51,929 --> 00:04:52,570 Speaker 2: about to end. 89 00:04:53,049 --> 00:04:54,490 Speaker 1: Would these have been the fat years? 90 00:04:54,489 --> 00:04:57,049 Speaker 2: That's what I realized Literally this morning. I woke up 91 00:04:57,089 --> 00:04:58,809 Speaker 2: and I was like, wait, those were the fat years? 92 00:04:59,929 --> 00:05:05,049 Speaker 2: You know, in every conceivable way, financially, stability, prestige, all 93 00:05:05,089 --> 00:05:07,529 Speaker 2: the job stuff, and like creative accomplishment stuff. I just 94 00:05:07,570 --> 00:05:10,529 Speaker 2: feel like it's like going up and spoking. I'm watching 95 00:05:10,529 --> 00:05:11,369 Speaker 2: it go up and smoke. 96 00:05:12,690 --> 00:05:15,650 Speaker 3: Gregor is forty eight years old and by profession he 97 00:05:15,729 --> 00:05:19,369 Speaker 3: makes marketing videos for a cleaning product usually found in 98 00:05:19,369 --> 00:05:21,849 Speaker 3: the bathroom. I can't tell you the name of this 99 00:05:21,929 --> 00:05:25,609 Speaker 3: product for fear Gregor will lose his job. In other words, 100 00:05:25,849 --> 00:05:28,249 Speaker 3: he's not the Filmo tour he dreamt of being back 101 00:05:28,289 --> 00:05:33,330 Speaker 3: in his college days, underlining back issues of Kye to Cinema. 102 00:05:33,529 --> 00:05:35,689 Speaker 3: On top of that, he says that over the past 103 00:05:35,690 --> 00:05:39,210 Speaker 3: few years he's seen his career slowly sucked downward, not 104 00:05:39,330 --> 00:05:43,049 Speaker 3: unlike Oh, I don't know, the spiraling waters of a 105 00:05:43,089 --> 00:05:46,770 Speaker 3: sink unclogged by a chemical drain opener designed to flush 106 00:05:46,770 --> 00:05:48,650 Speaker 3: pipes and attack clogs at their worst. 107 00:05:49,729 --> 00:05:52,330 Speaker 2: What's that children's game where everyone goes around the chairs 108 00:05:52,929 --> 00:05:57,570 Speaker 2: musical chairs, chairs, and everyone sits down and you're like, oh, 109 00:05:57,929 --> 00:06:00,689 Speaker 2: that friend of mine became a CEO. These four friends 110 00:06:00,690 --> 00:06:05,449 Speaker 2: are like EVP, SVP senior whatever at their things. That 111 00:06:05,609 --> 00:06:07,330 Speaker 2: friend of mine wound up sitting in the president of 112 00:06:07,450 --> 00:06:10,650 Speaker 2: Estonia's chair, and then you're like the music stops and 113 00:06:10,690 --> 00:06:12,169 Speaker 2: you're left standing. 114 00:06:13,330 --> 00:06:16,089 Speaker 3: I've heard him reel off this list before, and Gregor 115 00:06:16,130 --> 00:06:19,210 Speaker 3: fully admits it. The success of anyone he knows, no 116 00:06:19,289 --> 00:06:21,890 Speaker 3: matter how thin, his connection to them, feels like a 117 00:06:21,890 --> 00:06:25,770 Speaker 3: reflection of his own shortcomings, including the ascension of his 118 00:06:25,890 --> 00:06:31,009 Speaker 3: elementary school's librarian son, who is now the president of Estonia. 119 00:06:31,489 --> 00:06:34,489 Speaker 2: The point of the story is, where's my presidency of 120 00:06:34,529 --> 00:06:37,690 Speaker 2: my Estonia? My circumstances I was. I was like, oh 121 00:06:37,770 --> 00:06:40,289 Speaker 2: things will you know, about to break through, about to change, 122 00:06:40,849 --> 00:06:44,249 Speaker 2: And now like you could say, well, this is just 123 00:06:44,250 --> 00:06:47,009 Speaker 2: to setback, it's you know whatever. Soon your ship's going 124 00:06:47,049 --> 00:06:51,089 Speaker 2: to come in. But it's just not you know. I mean, 125 00:06:51,089 --> 00:06:54,249 Speaker 2: that's just the simple truth, the uncomfortable truth. 126 00:06:55,169 --> 00:06:57,890 Speaker 3: Of all Gregor's stories about the success of his acquaintances 127 00:06:57,890 --> 00:07:00,770 Speaker 3: and friends, there's one story that he returns to most, 128 00:07:01,169 --> 00:07:03,729 Speaker 3: and not only is it the greatest success story of 129 00:07:03,770 --> 00:07:05,969 Speaker 3: them all, it's the one that touched his life the 130 00:07:05,969 --> 00:07:09,250 Speaker 3: most intimately. The story all begins about twenty years yars 131 00:07:09,289 --> 00:07:12,010 Speaker 3: ago in Manhattan, when Gregor was living in a small 132 00:07:12,050 --> 00:07:16,010 Speaker 3: apartment in Chinatown with his older brother Dimitri. One night, 133 00:07:16,410 --> 00:07:18,970 Speaker 3: they had a friend of theirs over for dinner, a 134 00:07:18,970 --> 00:07:20,450 Speaker 3: techno musician friend. 135 00:07:20,970 --> 00:07:22,570 Speaker 2: He was really poor at the time. He was living 136 00:07:22,570 --> 00:07:25,330 Speaker 2: in like I think in like a basement in a 137 00:07:25,410 --> 00:07:29,530 Speaker 2: warehouse or something for forty dollars a month. He was 138 00:07:29,570 --> 00:07:32,210 Speaker 2: an articulate, smart guy, still an articular smart guy, but 139 00:07:32,250 --> 00:07:33,890 Speaker 2: he's sort of an unlikely rock star in that his 140 00:07:33,970 --> 00:07:35,569 Speaker 2: hair had mostly fallen out even when we were still 141 00:07:35,570 --> 00:07:38,250 Speaker 2: in our twenties. But I watched his ascent. He played 142 00:07:38,290 --> 00:07:41,329 Speaker 2: the bigger and bigger crowds during this techno kind of stuff, 143 00:07:41,929 --> 00:07:47,450 Speaker 2: and then eventually he got a record contract, and I 144 00:07:47,530 --> 00:07:49,850 Speaker 2: at the time got hold of a very obscure set 145 00:07:49,850 --> 00:07:53,249 Speaker 2: of CDs which were field hollers Oooh. 146 00:07:54,650 --> 00:07:56,770 Speaker 3: Trouble, So I. 147 00:07:56,690 --> 00:07:58,330 Speaker 2: Thought it was really interesting stuff. I loaned him this 148 00:07:58,369 --> 00:07:58,890 Speaker 2: box set of. 149 00:07:58,890 --> 00:08:02,129 Speaker 7: CDs Ooh Lone Trouble. 150 00:08:02,250 --> 00:08:09,290 Speaker 2: So he then sampled it very heavily Trouble God and 151 00:08:09,369 --> 00:08:12,690 Speaker 2: created a record which got him very rich and very famous. 152 00:08:14,810 --> 00:08:28,929 Speaker 3: This guy you're speaking of, This guy's Moby, Moby, bald headed, bespectacled, 153 00:08:29,130 --> 00:08:41,490 Speaker 3: castle dwelling, multi million records selling Moby. But back then 154 00:08:41,690 --> 00:08:44,530 Speaker 3: he was just Gregor's pal who spent weekends at Gregor's 155 00:08:44,570 --> 00:08:49,010 Speaker 3: family's place and attended family birthday parties too. In bars 156 00:08:49,050 --> 00:08:51,970 Speaker 3: and during long car rides, Gregor and Moby had long, 157 00:08:52,010 --> 00:08:55,610 Speaker 3: earnest conversations about God and the things they believed. They 158 00:08:55,650 --> 00:08:59,970 Speaker 3: were living their twenties together, and those CDs Gregor lent Moby. 159 00:09:00,650 --> 00:09:03,530 Speaker 3: The box set Sounds of the South was recorded by 160 00:09:03,570 --> 00:09:08,010 Speaker 3: the ethno musicologist Alan Lomax. Beginning in the nineteen thirties. 161 00:09:08,170 --> 00:09:11,610 Speaker 3: Lomax and his fam John made thousands of field recordings, 162 00:09:11,930 --> 00:09:15,450 Speaker 3: mostly in the American South. These recordings are among the 163 00:09:15,450 --> 00:09:19,850 Speaker 3: most important in American music, preserving dozens of African American 164 00:09:19,930 --> 00:09:26,290 Speaker 3: songs from the early years of the twentieth century. Wait Sometime, Better, 165 00:09:26,410 --> 00:09:31,090 Speaker 3: Nola Sometimes. Another hit on Moby's album is called Honey. 166 00:09:31,490 --> 00:09:34,690 Speaker 3: It makes use of the song sometimes sung by Bessie 167 00:09:34,690 --> 00:09:38,410 Speaker 3: Smith Jones. Jones was taught these songs by her grandfather, 168 00:09:38,770 --> 00:09:44,290 Speaker 3: a former slave born in Africa. This is Moby's version, 169 00:09:44,730 --> 00:09:51,050 Speaker 3: So everybody feeling like I've here elected to play for you, 170 00:09:51,130 --> 00:09:53,410 Speaker 3: the live version of the song with all of its 171 00:09:53,450 --> 00:09:57,130 Speaker 3: foot stomping and audience cheering. It's how I imagine Gregor 172 00:09:57,170 --> 00:10:00,450 Speaker 3: hears it echoing in his head during those sleepless nights 173 00:10:00,770 --> 00:10:04,130 Speaker 3: when his Kishkas are slowly being corroded by battery acid. 174 00:10:05,250 --> 00:10:10,970 Speaker 2: Sometime when I discovered this, but I was like an evangelist. 175 00:10:11,010 --> 00:10:12,490 Speaker 2: I was like, this is amazing. You got to check 176 00:10:12,530 --> 00:10:13,930 Speaker 2: this out. He was over the house and I was like, 177 00:10:13,930 --> 00:10:15,730 Speaker 2: you got to take this home. This amazing stuff. This 178 00:10:15,810 --> 00:10:17,890 Speaker 2: is the best CD I've heard. I don't know how 179 00:10:17,930 --> 00:10:19,929 Speaker 2: long I've been listening to a NonStop rotation. I love 180 00:10:19,970 --> 00:10:22,410 Speaker 2: the CD. So it wasn't just laying in a pile, 181 00:10:22,450 --> 00:10:23,770 Speaker 2: and he happened to put it in his bag and 182 00:10:23,810 --> 00:10:33,530 Speaker 2: walk out the door. I said, I sold him on it. 183 00:10:26,730 --> 00:10:37,890 Speaker 3: And Moby makes use of several Lomax recordings on his 184 00:10:37,970 --> 00:10:42,170 Speaker 3: album Play, which went multi platinum. Play eventually became one 185 00:10:42,170 --> 00:10:45,730 Speaker 3: of the most commercially licensed albums ever recorded. At the time, 186 00:10:46,210 --> 00:10:49,050 Speaker 3: the songs were used to promote everything from luxury cars 187 00:10:49,170 --> 00:10:53,810 Speaker 3: to credit cards. And before Play, according to Rolling Stone magazine, 188 00:10:54,130 --> 00:10:57,170 Speaker 3: Moby was quote bumbling around New York as it has 189 00:10:57,290 --> 00:11:01,530 Speaker 3: been and then was there an intermediary step before that, 190 00:11:01,650 --> 00:11:03,730 Speaker 3: and then hearing it on the CD where he said, hey, 191 00:11:03,930 --> 00:11:05,130 Speaker 3: by the way, thanks. 192 00:11:04,930 --> 00:11:08,650 Speaker 2: No, I said, this is amazing thing. Next thing I 193 00:11:08,690 --> 00:11:10,690 Speaker 2: heard it's on the radio and I said, hey, can 194 00:11:10,730 --> 00:11:12,890 Speaker 2: I get that box setback? And then years of not 195 00:11:12,970 --> 00:11:14,010 Speaker 2: being friends. 196 00:11:14,490 --> 00:11:17,250 Speaker 3: And according to Gregor, that was all he wanted to 197 00:11:17,290 --> 00:11:20,570 Speaker 3: get his CDs back. He was looking for neither riches 198 00:11:20,610 --> 00:11:25,090 Speaker 3: nor credit, just the CDs, which he claims were only alone. 199 00:11:25,730 --> 00:11:28,330 Speaker 3: And so this is how it went. He began leaving 200 00:11:28,330 --> 00:11:32,090 Speaker 3: Moby voice messages by Gregor's count, about a dozen that 201 00:11:32,210 --> 00:11:36,290 Speaker 3: all went unanswered. Then, in a final act of desperation, 202 00:11:36,770 --> 00:11:39,890 Speaker 3: Gregor penned a song called Moby give Me Back My CDs, 203 00:11:40,650 --> 00:11:44,650 Speaker 3: which he sang into Moby's Answering Machine with accompanying karaoke 204 00:11:44,810 --> 00:11:50,210 Speaker 3: music to the tune of Brian Adams Heaven. After much cajoling, 205 00:11:50,490 --> 00:11:53,650 Speaker 3: Gregor dug up his lyrics, which I will now perform 206 00:11:53,730 --> 00:11:54,050 Speaker 3: for you. 207 00:11:56,170 --> 00:11:57,890 Speaker 1: Moby give Me Back my CDs. 208 00:11:59,170 --> 00:12:05,090 Speaker 3: The Recordings from the Field, the Alan Lomax box set CDs. 209 00:12:05,530 --> 00:12:06,730 Speaker 3: I think there were seven. 210 00:12:09,490 --> 00:12:11,370 Speaker 1: Those discs are all. 211 00:12:11,130 --> 00:12:15,250 Speaker 3: That I need, the ones I gave you from my house. 212 00:12:16,530 --> 00:12:22,010 Speaker 3: I think you'll be sure to see there were seven. 213 00:12:22,330 --> 00:12:25,450 Speaker 3: And that message, Gregor says, was met with over a 214 00:12:25,490 --> 00:12:29,650 Speaker 3: decade of silence. Did he ever explain, like, did he 215 00:12:29,850 --> 00:12:32,290 Speaker 3: just ever come out and tell you, honestly what became 216 00:12:32,330 --> 00:12:34,170 Speaker 3: of those CDs? No? 217 00:12:34,770 --> 00:12:37,210 Speaker 2: I think he was busy, like playing, like, you know, 218 00:12:37,290 --> 00:12:39,930 Speaker 2: a concert to ninety thousand people in Rykovic and drinking 219 00:12:40,010 --> 00:12:45,250 Speaker 2: champagne out of a prostitute shoe. Couldn't be bothered. Obviously, 220 00:12:45,290 --> 00:12:48,170 Speaker 2: I put an exaggerated value on the CDs. I'm sure 221 00:12:48,170 --> 00:12:50,570 Speaker 2: he could have sampled anything, and he had a plenty 222 00:12:50,610 --> 00:12:53,010 Speaker 2: big career before that and after that. I mean, I'm 223 00:12:53,010 --> 00:12:58,050 Speaker 2: not insane, but it was more that displaced feeling of 224 00:12:58,130 --> 00:13:01,210 Speaker 2: like I had this thing go off and bloom without me. 225 00:13:02,330 --> 00:13:05,290 Speaker 2: I'll tell you an interesting detail on that. Yeah, whenever 226 00:13:05,370 --> 00:13:07,210 Speaker 2: MOBI music comes on, I can't listen to it. 227 00:13:08,050 --> 00:13:09,330 Speaker 1: But do you think if you get it back you 228 00:13:09,370 --> 00:13:10,130 Speaker 1: won't feel that way. 229 00:13:10,170 --> 00:13:11,930 Speaker 2: I feel like I could work it through like therapy, 230 00:13:11,930 --> 00:13:13,970 Speaker 2: where I could then listen to the music again. You know, 231 00:13:14,010 --> 00:13:16,410 Speaker 2: there's a sense of what about my you. 232 00:13:16,330 --> 00:13:19,570 Speaker 1: Know, where's my gold album? 233 00:13:19,770 --> 00:13:23,329 Speaker 7: Yeah. 234 00:13:24,810 --> 00:13:27,410 Speaker 3: Gregor has theories about why nothing ever happened for him, 235 00:13:27,650 --> 00:13:30,570 Speaker 3: and they revolve around an aspect of his personality, an 236 00:13:30,610 --> 00:13:34,610 Speaker 3: aspect he refers to as a lack of affability. 237 00:13:35,010 --> 00:13:38,050 Speaker 2: Like a lot of times I'll say something completely earnestly 238 00:13:38,210 --> 00:13:43,330 Speaker 2: mm hmm, like past the water, and they're like, are 239 00:13:43,330 --> 00:13:45,930 Speaker 2: you being sarcastic? Like that happened to me all the time. 240 00:13:46,650 --> 00:13:48,810 Speaker 3: How could you ask for the water sarcastically? 241 00:13:48,930 --> 00:13:51,890 Speaker 2: I come across as being sarcastic when I'm not. 242 00:13:52,770 --> 00:13:55,610 Speaker 3: So it's almost like a handicap of it's a huge handicap. 243 00:13:55,810 --> 00:13:58,810 Speaker 2: I think it's fundamentally, as I understand my own life, 244 00:13:59,130 --> 00:14:01,490 Speaker 2: that is my cross to bear, that's what's wrecked my life. 245 00:14:01,650 --> 00:14:04,570 Speaker 1: Well, I think you would even like you told me that. 246 00:14:04,530 --> 00:14:09,050 Speaker 3: Story about where you were in the conference room at work. 247 00:14:09,450 --> 00:14:12,050 Speaker 3: They're like complimenting you on your new glasses or something 248 00:14:12,050 --> 00:14:14,689 Speaker 3: and saying, hey, what does your wife think of those glasses? 249 00:14:14,730 --> 00:14:16,450 Speaker 3: And you were like, how the fuck do I know? 250 00:14:16,650 --> 00:14:18,570 Speaker 3: I whyn't you ask my wife to find out? 251 00:14:18,770 --> 00:14:19,330 Speaker 2: Do you remember? 252 00:14:19,770 --> 00:14:19,970 Speaker 4: Yeah? 253 00:14:19,970 --> 00:14:22,930 Speaker 2: I don't remember. I mean so they said, like, what 254 00:14:23,050 --> 00:14:24,130 Speaker 2: is your wife think of that? I was like, how 255 00:14:24,130 --> 00:14:25,970 Speaker 2: do I know? Ask my wife? 256 00:14:32,730 --> 00:14:35,890 Speaker 3: Recently, Gregor and Moby have found themselves back in touch, 257 00:14:36,290 --> 00:14:40,690 Speaker 3: though in the most tangential impersonal way possible through group 258 00:14:40,770 --> 00:14:41,930 Speaker 3: emails and texts. 259 00:14:42,530 --> 00:14:43,690 Speaker 1: Gregor's older brother. 260 00:14:43,530 --> 00:14:47,090 Speaker 3: Dimitri, remained friends with Moby over the years, and Dmitri 261 00:14:47,210 --> 00:14:50,410 Speaker 3: recently had a baby, so he loops in Moby, Gregor, 262 00:14:50,490 --> 00:14:53,770 Speaker 3: and one other old friend on updates. This has evolved 263 00:14:53,770 --> 00:14:57,010 Speaker 3: into a small group of friends exchanging witticisms and fun 264 00:14:57,090 --> 00:15:00,490 Speaker 3: facts like did you know that the fatty flesh around 265 00:15:00,530 --> 00:15:04,090 Speaker 3: the elbow is called a wenus? So while the new 266 00:15:04,130 --> 00:15:07,210 Speaker 3: group email friendship isn't the same as the old close one, 267 00:15:07,690 --> 00:15:10,930 Speaker 3: it's still an open door. And so I couldn't help 268 00:15:10,970 --> 00:15:15,130 Speaker 3: asking the question, now that that door has swung open again, 269 00:15:15,370 --> 00:15:17,610 Speaker 3: do you see this as an opportunity to ask for 270 00:15:17,650 --> 00:15:18,890 Speaker 3: those CDs once again. 271 00:15:19,050 --> 00:15:21,690 Speaker 2: I was thinking about it, were you, just because it's 272 00:15:21,730 --> 00:15:24,610 Speaker 2: kind of a little symbolic of what I don't even 273 00:15:24,650 --> 00:15:26,850 Speaker 2: have a CD player anymore, right, But I was just thinking, 274 00:15:27,890 --> 00:15:30,690 Speaker 2: for talismonic purposes, it would be interesting to have them back. 275 00:15:31,250 --> 00:15:32,170 Speaker 1: Say more about that. 276 00:15:32,770 --> 00:15:34,010 Speaker 2: I think that it might soothe me. 277 00:15:34,850 --> 00:15:35,930 Speaker 1: Do you really think it would. 278 00:15:36,410 --> 00:15:39,410 Speaker 2: I'll actually give you the clarity which just came to me. Now, okay, 279 00:15:40,010 --> 00:15:41,650 Speaker 2: it's not instead of the money and the fame and 280 00:15:41,650 --> 00:15:47,970 Speaker 2: all that stuff, what it is is tangible evidence. Understand 281 00:15:49,050 --> 00:15:50,890 Speaker 2: you did this, you exist, you did it, you pulled 282 00:15:50,930 --> 00:15:51,290 Speaker 2: it off. 283 00:15:51,890 --> 00:15:54,330 Speaker 3: You want to be able to say, see these CDs 284 00:15:54,370 --> 00:15:55,450 Speaker 3: on the shelf. 285 00:15:55,090 --> 00:15:57,530 Speaker 2: That's the ones that I gave to mommy, Because for me, 286 00:15:58,010 --> 00:16:00,810 Speaker 2: this would just be a version of proof. 287 00:16:06,370 --> 00:16:09,770 Speaker 3: Wanting the CDs you lent someone decades ago and expecting 288 00:16:09,810 --> 00:16:14,970 Speaker 3: them back is of course insanity, but insanity's repeated often enough, 289 00:16:15,330 --> 00:16:20,250 Speaker 3: especially between friends, can begin to feel pacifying, lulling, even. 290 00:16:21,570 --> 00:16:24,490 Speaker 1: Excuse me, in a way, you just want your due. 291 00:16:25,210 --> 00:16:29,930 Speaker 3: Yeah, Do you think you can articulate that in a 292 00:16:29,970 --> 00:16:32,810 Speaker 3: way that would make it understandable to him? 293 00:16:32,810 --> 00:16:35,170 Speaker 2: Do you think I'm pretty confident I can't, because he's 294 00:16:35,170 --> 00:16:36,490 Speaker 2: still pretty sensitive. 295 00:16:36,890 --> 00:16:41,250 Speaker 3: Okay, pretty sensitive, pretty sensitive. Like the time Moby seemed 296 00:16:41,290 --> 00:16:45,210 Speaker 3: to bristle when Gregor emailed him about something totally innocuous, 297 00:16:45,770 --> 00:16:50,650 Speaker 3: a condolence for the death of Moby's friend David Bowie. 298 00:16:50,850 --> 00:16:53,010 Speaker 2: You know, I said some witty thing about David Bowie dying, 299 00:16:53,090 --> 00:16:55,410 Speaker 2: he wrote, like texted back, like the picture of him 300 00:16:55,410 --> 00:16:56,970 Speaker 2: and David Bowie in the cover of entertainment. 301 00:16:57,090 --> 00:16:57,970 Speaker 1: Let's back up for a moment. 302 00:16:58,010 --> 00:17:00,410 Speaker 3: What was the witty thing you said about David Bowie's death? 303 00:17:01,210 --> 00:17:02,650 Speaker 2: You know, like good night, funny man. 304 00:17:04,930 --> 00:17:06,050 Speaker 1: What does that even mean? 305 00:17:06,930 --> 00:17:09,250 Speaker 2: That's usually what I say when people die. 306 00:17:14,090 --> 00:17:16,369 Speaker 3: If this is a sampling of the hot takes Gregor 307 00:17:16,449 --> 00:17:19,290 Speaker 3: has in store, I fear that this newly opened door 308 00:17:19,330 --> 00:17:23,090 Speaker 3: between Moby and Gregor might not remain open forever. I 309 00:17:23,129 --> 00:17:25,290 Speaker 3: also knew that if he has any hope of ever 310 00:17:25,330 --> 00:17:29,850 Speaker 3: getting back those CDs, he'll need a middleman or interlocutor 311 00:17:30,530 --> 00:17:35,409 Speaker 3: or interlocutor. So, perhaps, against my better judgment, I allow 312 00:17:35,490 --> 00:17:38,009 Speaker 3: myself to be swept up by the moment. I just 313 00:17:38,090 --> 00:17:40,170 Speaker 3: don't know if this is going to lead to anything 314 00:17:40,169 --> 00:17:44,210 Speaker 3: but heartbreak. But why don't we go after the CDs 315 00:17:44,810 --> 00:17:48,409 Speaker 3: all right? And with that ringing call to arms, my 316 00:17:48,530 --> 00:17:55,489 Speaker 3: path was set and the mission begun. Say I'm Moby, Like, 317 00:17:55,570 --> 00:17:58,010 Speaker 3: how would you ask, Hey, Moby. 318 00:17:58,209 --> 00:18:01,210 Speaker 2: Can I have back those CDs? I've never understood any 319 00:18:01,209 --> 00:18:03,209 Speaker 2: approach other than a direct approach, So that's what I 320 00:18:03,250 --> 00:18:03,570 Speaker 2: would do. 321 00:18:04,730 --> 00:18:07,929 Speaker 3: After the break the Hollywood Hills, a surprise encounter with 322 00:18:08,050 --> 00:18:25,690 Speaker 3: Rue Paul and maybe Moby. Maybe the airline tickets were purchased, 323 00:18:25,889 --> 00:18:28,649 Speaker 3: the hotel was booked, but a couple days before we 324 00:18:28,649 --> 00:18:33,369 Speaker 3: were set to leave for La, I got nervous. If 325 00:18:33,409 --> 00:18:36,330 Speaker 3: Gregor already was in a bad place, could my meddling 326 00:18:36,570 --> 00:18:37,850 Speaker 3: possibly make things worse? 327 00:18:38,290 --> 00:18:39,970 Speaker 6: Hello, hey Annika? 328 00:18:40,250 --> 00:18:41,090 Speaker 8: Yeah, Jonathan. 329 00:18:41,490 --> 00:18:43,530 Speaker 3: I decided to reach out to the person who knows 330 00:18:43,570 --> 00:18:46,410 Speaker 3: Gregor best, his. 331 00:18:46,409 --> 00:18:47,649 Speaker 1: Wife, Annika. 332 00:18:48,169 --> 00:18:51,729 Speaker 3: So do you know about this this little project that 333 00:18:51,810 --> 00:18:53,609 Speaker 3: your husband and I are undertaking. 334 00:18:54,970 --> 00:18:58,129 Speaker 8: So I think that the is a strategy to like 335 00:18:58,169 --> 00:19:01,330 Speaker 8: ambush Moby and try and get him to give back 336 00:19:01,369 --> 00:19:04,529 Speaker 8: the CDs that he lent Gregor thirty years ago or 337 00:19:04,730 --> 00:19:07,209 Speaker 8: however long it was ago. Is that true? 338 00:19:08,050 --> 00:19:12,330 Speaker 3: You make it sound like such a classy operation. Yeah, 339 00:19:12,810 --> 00:19:15,769 Speaker 3: has Gregor brought this issue up to you before this 340 00:19:15,810 --> 00:19:18,609 Speaker 3: whole Alan Lomack CD issue. 341 00:19:19,330 --> 00:19:25,249 Speaker 8: So I met him on November eleventh, two thousand. Yeah, 342 00:19:25,290 --> 00:19:31,609 Speaker 8: and it came up pretty early in our relationship, so. 343 00:19:31,570 --> 00:19:35,209 Speaker 3: He yeah, like first date conversation, it was. 344 00:19:35,209 --> 00:19:38,090 Speaker 8: Definitely early on. It's very hard for him to let 345 00:19:38,169 --> 00:19:42,449 Speaker 8: stuff go. And like even like early on in our relationship, 346 00:19:42,490 --> 00:19:47,929 Speaker 8: we went to Spain together and we bought a bottle 347 00:19:47,970 --> 00:19:50,889 Speaker 8: of olive oil in some town or something and we 348 00:19:51,010 --> 00:19:53,689 Speaker 8: left it by accident in the rental car and it 349 00:19:53,850 --> 00:19:55,290 Speaker 8: still bothers him. 350 00:19:56,409 --> 00:19:58,729 Speaker 3: Do you know, I think I actually know that olive 351 00:19:58,730 --> 00:19:59,649 Speaker 3: oil story. 352 00:19:59,770 --> 00:20:05,249 Speaker 8: Oh yeah, Yeah. There is something that is in his 353 00:20:05,369 --> 00:20:08,369 Speaker 8: character that is very much like the Larry David character, 354 00:20:08,409 --> 00:20:12,210 Speaker 8: where it's like, you know, like obsessing about a very 355 00:20:12,250 --> 00:20:15,850 Speaker 8: small point. But you know, he's a very he's like 356 00:20:15,889 --> 00:20:19,889 Speaker 8: a very sensitive person, so it's just part of who 357 00:20:19,929 --> 00:20:23,689 Speaker 8: he is and part of his wonderful package. 358 00:20:24,090 --> 00:20:28,010 Speaker 3: Does this undertaking have your blessing or do you think 359 00:20:28,010 --> 00:20:28,809 Speaker 3: it's foolhardy? 360 00:20:29,570 --> 00:20:32,889 Speaker 8: I don't. Sometimes I worry about Gregor's feelings because he 361 00:20:33,090 --> 00:20:37,570 Speaker 8: is very hurt, very easily, and I don't know if 362 00:20:37,609 --> 00:20:48,250 Speaker 8: Moby is really that sensitive to his feelings. 363 00:20:50,689 --> 00:20:54,449 Speaker 3: I Gregor flew in from San Francisco. And I was 364 00:20:54,449 --> 00:20:57,369 Speaker 3: there to greet him at the Bob Hope International Airport 365 00:20:57,449 --> 00:20:58,129 Speaker 3: in Burbank. 366 00:20:58,330 --> 00:21:00,249 Speaker 2: So this is the dream factory I've heard about it. 367 00:21:00,770 --> 00:21:01,730 Speaker 6: It's beautiful here. 368 00:21:01,850 --> 00:21:06,169 Speaker 3: Even the underground parking lots smell like sentent lotion. We 369 00:21:06,250 --> 00:21:09,450 Speaker 3: have four hours before our appointment with Moby. We set 370 00:21:09,490 --> 00:21:13,489 Speaker 3: off in our economy sized carrio or similar to experience 371 00:21:13,609 --> 00:21:15,489 Speaker 3: everything LA has to offer. 372 00:21:15,889 --> 00:21:16,929 Speaker 9: Are you excited? 373 00:21:18,649 --> 00:21:21,450 Speaker 3: Yeah, you don't sound excited. 374 00:21:22,250 --> 00:21:24,050 Speaker 2: No, I'm full of anxiety. And let me tell you, 375 00:21:24,929 --> 00:21:29,169 Speaker 2: I feel an increasing sense of dread about the futility 376 00:21:29,209 --> 00:21:30,050 Speaker 2: of this undertaking. 377 00:21:30,850 --> 00:21:32,729 Speaker 6: You can get those CDs back, my friend. 378 00:21:32,929 --> 00:21:34,890 Speaker 2: Okay, whatever you say in a. 379 00:21:34,810 --> 00:21:36,810 Speaker 9: Plastic bag, which he'll supply. 380 00:21:38,050 --> 00:21:41,769 Speaker 10: You're gonna negotiate this look manage at which time of 381 00:21:41,810 --> 00:21:47,609 Speaker 10: my client's choosing the one plastic bag recycled acceptable, plus 382 00:21:47,850 --> 00:21:50,929 Speaker 10: one coupon good for any flavor from basket in Robin's 383 00:21:50,929 --> 00:21:55,210 Speaker 10: ice cream or any substant that too. 384 00:21:57,889 --> 00:22:00,249 Speaker 3: With just three hours and fifty nine minutes to go, 385 00:22:00,770 --> 00:22:02,609 Speaker 3: things were off to a rollicking start. 386 00:22:03,490 --> 00:22:04,409 Speaker 9: It's like not moving. 387 00:22:04,649 --> 00:22:06,530 Speaker 2: There's always traffic in Los Angeles. 388 00:22:06,649 --> 00:22:07,290 Speaker 9: Look at the traffic. 389 00:22:07,330 --> 00:22:08,409 Speaker 6: Are we gonna make it for movies? 390 00:22:08,810 --> 00:22:10,449 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're gonna be stuck in horrible traffic. 391 00:22:11,129 --> 00:22:14,450 Speaker 6: We have until two, No, we have until one. 392 00:22:14,770 --> 00:22:16,010 Speaker 2: Oh, really, we'll never make it. 393 00:22:19,689 --> 00:22:22,889 Speaker 9: Oh look there's the big Hollywood sign. Wow, what a sight. 394 00:22:23,010 --> 00:22:26,129 Speaker 9: Huh used to say hollywood. 395 00:22:25,649 --> 00:22:29,129 Speaker 2: Land Actually before that it was called hollywood Landville. 396 00:22:29,169 --> 00:22:34,489 Speaker 9: Is that true? 397 00:22:35,090 --> 00:22:37,090 Speaker 2: Do you want Mexican food? Do you ever eat Mexican food? 398 00:22:37,129 --> 00:22:38,129 Speaker 1: I love Mexican food. 399 00:22:38,369 --> 00:22:40,649 Speaker 2: And to make you turn yeah, go go go? This 400 00:22:40,730 --> 00:22:43,129 Speaker 2: is like a four lane uie, it's six? Really, go 401 00:22:43,129 --> 00:22:48,970 Speaker 2: go go go. Yes. When you knew to someone before 402 00:22:48,970 --> 00:22:52,129 Speaker 2: they were famous and you treat them like someone who's 403 00:22:52,169 --> 00:22:56,090 Speaker 2: not famous, sometimes they don't like that. Sometimes they're used 404 00:22:56,090 --> 00:22:58,290 Speaker 2: to the difference and the rock star treatment from everyone. 405 00:22:58,409 --> 00:23:01,770 Speaker 6: Can you try to treat them with a little more difference. 406 00:23:02,850 --> 00:23:06,490 Speaker 2: That's what I'm gonna try to. But the mask always slips. 407 00:23:06,810 --> 00:23:08,929 Speaker 3: In so far as me coming here with you, how 408 00:23:08,929 --> 00:23:12,169 Speaker 3: do you feel about me as an interlocutor? 409 00:23:13,010 --> 00:23:15,210 Speaker 2: I'm actually full of dread mostly because of that. 410 00:23:15,490 --> 00:23:16,570 Speaker 7: But what is that supposed to me? 411 00:23:17,250 --> 00:23:19,489 Speaker 2: Because I recognize that I need an interlocut I did 412 00:23:19,530 --> 00:23:21,090 Speaker 2: say that, and I do believe it. I think that 413 00:23:21,129 --> 00:23:22,730 Speaker 2: you're going to be allows the interlocutor. 414 00:23:22,929 --> 00:23:24,530 Speaker 6: What do you think I'm gonna embarrass you in front 415 00:23:24,530 --> 00:23:25,810 Speaker 6: of your yes famous friends. 416 00:23:26,090 --> 00:23:27,889 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, that's what you're afraid of. 417 00:23:28,010 --> 00:23:34,369 Speaker 3: Yes, No, But seriously you think I'm gonna blow this. 418 00:23:35,169 --> 00:23:36,850 Speaker 2: I just feel like you don't get the vibe of 419 00:23:36,850 --> 00:23:38,609 Speaker 2: what it's like when you're in like a guy's house 420 00:23:39,129 --> 00:23:41,729 Speaker 2: and you're gonna be like, say, nice toilets, what are 421 00:23:41,730 --> 00:23:46,090 Speaker 2: these made of? Porcelain? Ay, I'm gonna be like Johnny please, 422 00:23:46,889 --> 00:23:48,369 Speaker 2: and you'll be like, no, I don't know what they're 423 00:23:48,369 --> 00:23:48,689 Speaker 2: made up. 424 00:23:49,209 --> 00:23:51,210 Speaker 5: This is to me the final irony of this whole 425 00:23:51,250 --> 00:23:53,969 Speaker 5: thing that you're concerned that I'm gonna embarrass you. 426 00:23:54,250 --> 00:23:55,929 Speaker 2: I don't want you to trip me up in my game, 427 00:23:56,010 --> 00:23:57,730 Speaker 2: my stride, my cadence. 428 00:23:57,449 --> 00:23:59,090 Speaker 6: And what is it gonna be a part of your game? 429 00:23:59,129 --> 00:24:01,770 Speaker 2: Here to try and relax and be myself, but I'm 430 00:24:01,810 --> 00:24:03,409 Speaker 2: gonna be made self conscious when you're. 431 00:24:03,290 --> 00:24:05,330 Speaker 1: Like, do you validate talking here? 432 00:24:05,929 --> 00:24:07,330 Speaker 2: And I just need you to validate. 433 00:24:10,850 --> 00:24:13,570 Speaker 9: God, this is so pretty? What a pretty place to live? 434 00:24:14,050 --> 00:24:15,850 Speaker 2: Hey, well you're selling off CDs, you can live in 435 00:24:15,889 --> 00:24:16,529 Speaker 2: a place like this. 436 00:24:17,090 --> 00:24:19,730 Speaker 3: Worried about our being tardy, I decided to run down 437 00:24:19,770 --> 00:24:23,249 Speaker 3: the clock doing laps around Moby's very pretty block. 438 00:24:24,689 --> 00:24:25,729 Speaker 2: Little tiny houses. 439 00:24:25,770 --> 00:24:28,970 Speaker 9: They keep going straight. This is really pretty nice view 440 00:24:28,970 --> 00:24:29,649 Speaker 9: of the mountains. 441 00:24:29,850 --> 00:24:33,050 Speaker 2: This is his house right here where all right here? 442 00:24:33,169 --> 00:24:34,570 Speaker 2: I want to drive by it, this. 443 00:24:34,570 --> 00:24:35,649 Speaker 9: House right there at the corner. 444 00:24:35,929 --> 00:24:38,209 Speaker 3: We were passing the gates of his home over and 445 00:24:38,290 --> 00:24:41,689 Speaker 3: over when a half hour before our appointed meeting. 446 00:24:42,090 --> 00:24:44,010 Speaker 2: That's movie right there, is it? Yeah? 447 00:24:44,129 --> 00:24:47,249 Speaker 3: Oh Jesus, Moby emerges through the gates to get his newspaper. 448 00:24:48,250 --> 00:24:51,209 Speaker 3: Excited about seeing an honest to goodness famous person. I 449 00:24:51,250 --> 00:24:54,850 Speaker 3: instinctively slowed to a crawl and pulled over beside him. 450 00:24:55,010 --> 00:24:58,169 Speaker 2: Go say hi, no, no, come on, let him go 451 00:24:58,850 --> 00:24:59,409 Speaker 2: to keep going. 452 00:24:59,449 --> 00:25:00,409 Speaker 9: He just turned around. 453 00:25:00,530 --> 00:25:01,010 Speaker 2: He didn't see. 454 00:25:01,250 --> 00:25:01,730 Speaker 9: Yes, he did. 455 00:25:01,770 --> 00:25:04,769 Speaker 5: He turned around and we made eye contact, and like, 456 00:25:04,810 --> 00:25:07,090 Speaker 5: I slid right up to him, and he turned around 457 00:25:07,129 --> 00:25:07,929 Speaker 5: and he seemed scared. 458 00:25:08,050 --> 00:25:09,050 Speaker 2: That's exactly what I'm talking. 459 00:25:09,810 --> 00:25:10,490 Speaker 6: What did I do? 460 00:25:10,530 --> 00:25:11,969 Speaker 2: You're creepy, instance. 461 00:25:13,090 --> 00:25:13,369 Speaker 7: Creepy. 462 00:25:13,409 --> 00:25:14,850 Speaker 2: They don't slide up to people when they're going to 463 00:25:14,889 --> 00:25:15,889 Speaker 2: get their pretty That's true. 464 00:25:15,889 --> 00:25:17,769 Speaker 9: I really I really did slide up to him. 465 00:25:17,850 --> 00:25:21,290 Speaker 2: Yah, you did, like a creep. You're gonna go another 466 00:25:21,330 --> 00:25:24,209 Speaker 2: pass through when he comes up for his milk. 467 00:25:28,530 --> 00:25:31,369 Speaker 3: We walk off our nerves in a nearby park where 468 00:25:31,409 --> 00:25:34,810 Speaker 3: Gregor dispenses life wisdom to a passing toddler. 469 00:25:35,810 --> 00:25:37,770 Speaker 2: Enjoy it, kid, best, It's going to be for the 470 00:25:37,810 --> 00:25:38,449 Speaker 2: rest of your life. 471 00:25:40,050 --> 00:25:42,729 Speaker 9: Who says things like that to a Child's happy? 472 00:25:42,730 --> 00:25:44,650 Speaker 2: In love? His shirt said love. He's holding a little. 473 00:25:44,449 --> 00:25:51,290 Speaker 3: Girls outside Moby's door. We do some last minute strategizing. 474 00:25:51,409 --> 00:25:52,810 Speaker 2: Am I supposed to be the good cop or the 475 00:25:52,810 --> 00:25:53,770 Speaker 2: bad cop? I can't remember? 476 00:25:54,050 --> 00:25:56,049 Speaker 6: Well, I guess you were supposed to be the bad cop. No, 477 00:25:56,090 --> 00:25:57,449 Speaker 6: I'm the bad cop. You're the good cop. 478 00:25:57,530 --> 00:25:58,730 Speaker 2: I'll usually play the bad cop. 479 00:25:58,850 --> 00:25:59,930 Speaker 6: So fine, you're the bad cop. 480 00:25:59,929 --> 00:26:01,690 Speaker 2: It's twelve to fifty seven. It's not really one yet. 481 00:26:02,490 --> 00:26:05,209 Speaker 6: Hall Wait, oh, hello, Hi, I'm. 482 00:26:05,090 --> 00:26:08,369 Speaker 2: Sorry, we're early. It's twelve fifty seven. It's three minutes 483 00:26:08,369 --> 00:26:08,810 Speaker 2: too early. 484 00:26:09,530 --> 00:26:13,249 Speaker 3: Moby's personal assistant, a terrifyingly fit woman in jeans and 485 00:26:13,290 --> 00:26:16,889 Speaker 3: T shirt, leads us towards Moby's home. By rockstar standards, 486 00:26:17,169 --> 00:26:20,689 Speaker 3: it's pretty modest. 487 00:26:20,970 --> 00:26:24,209 Speaker 2: Hello, Hello, Hi, Sharman Moe and far too long? Should 488 00:26:24,209 --> 00:26:24,850 Speaker 2: I take shoes off? 489 00:26:24,970 --> 00:26:25,090 Speaker 6: Hi? 490 00:26:25,129 --> 00:26:25,810 Speaker 9: I am Jonathan. 491 00:26:25,889 --> 00:26:28,249 Speaker 3: Were led into a sunken foyer where a couple of 492 00:26:28,250 --> 00:26:32,449 Speaker 3: assistants are gathering equipment and making themselves scarce. Standing at 493 00:26:32,449 --> 00:26:34,929 Speaker 3: the top of the stairs, looking not unlike a bald 494 00:26:34,970 --> 00:26:38,969 Speaker 3: headed gray hoodie Norma Desmond is Moby Gregor and he 495 00:26:39,169 --> 00:26:43,169 Speaker 3: do not hug or even shake hands. They don't even wave. 496 00:26:43,250 --> 00:26:46,570 Speaker 2: It's been far too long, my friend where he's staying, and. 497 00:26:48,169 --> 00:26:50,729 Speaker 1: Gregor drops his bag and has a looxie. 498 00:26:50,730 --> 00:26:52,969 Speaker 2: Beautiful location, your beautiful assistant. 499 00:26:53,490 --> 00:26:58,129 Speaker 3: Everything he's even brought along a thoughtful gift, something to 500 00:26:58,209 --> 00:27:02,690 Speaker 3: cater to Moby's strict veganism and clean, healthy lifestyle. Fancy 501 00:27:02,730 --> 00:27:04,569 Speaker 3: all natural lemonades. 502 00:27:04,649 --> 00:27:10,609 Speaker 2: Something disgusting with turmeric, whoa, something awful with probioticene peppers, 503 00:27:10,609 --> 00:27:13,169 Speaker 2: something horrifying with lemons. 504 00:27:13,810 --> 00:27:17,850 Speaker 3: To our parched dismay. Moby takes the beverages and places 505 00:27:17,850 --> 00:27:20,769 Speaker 3: them in the fridge. Gregor and I are never to 506 00:27:20,810 --> 00:27:24,529 Speaker 3: see those beverages again. As we settle in and I 507 00:27:24,609 --> 00:27:27,889 Speaker 3: set up our recording gear, Gregor notices a pile of 508 00:27:27,970 --> 00:27:28,850 Speaker 3: video equipment. 509 00:27:29,090 --> 00:27:30,609 Speaker 2: Why do you have two C three hundred here? 510 00:27:31,810 --> 00:27:34,850 Speaker 3: Remember that slippery mask? Gregor mentioned the one hiding is 511 00:27:34,929 --> 00:27:39,490 Speaker 3: rough edges. Ten seconds in and it was already a slippin' Why. 512 00:27:39,290 --> 00:27:41,609 Speaker 2: Am I not involved that produce films all the time. 513 00:27:41,609 --> 00:27:44,090 Speaker 3: I can help you to which Moby rather than saying 514 00:27:44,129 --> 00:27:46,330 Speaker 3: he's worked with David Lynch and David Lea Chappelle and 515 00:27:46,570 --> 00:27:50,010 Speaker 3: probably all set on that front, instead says, I mean 516 00:27:50,090 --> 00:27:51,090 Speaker 3: you live in San Francisco. 517 00:27:51,209 --> 00:27:53,529 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I'm here all the time, not literally in 518 00:27:53,570 --> 00:27:56,090 Speaker 2: your living room, in your kitchen, though I could be 519 00:27:56,169 --> 00:27:56,889 Speaker 2: more Often. 520 00:27:57,570 --> 00:28:00,449 Speaker 3: Gregor can't help treating Moby like a nephew making his 521 00:28:00,490 --> 00:28:04,090 Speaker 3: first student film. That is, Gregor's treating Moby the way 522 00:28:04,129 --> 00:28:07,570 Speaker 3: he treats me. And this, of course is concerning. 523 00:28:07,689 --> 00:28:11,609 Speaker 2: First of all, even get that far, how could you? 524 00:28:14,889 --> 00:28:17,929 Speaker 3: At this point, Moby has mostly no idea why we're here. 525 00:28:18,369 --> 00:28:20,689 Speaker 3: I made an appointment with his assistant, but it was 526 00:28:20,770 --> 00:28:23,609 Speaker 3: left vague. So Moby takes the direct approach. 527 00:28:24,169 --> 00:28:25,129 Speaker 11: So what are you guys doing? 528 00:28:27,050 --> 00:28:29,769 Speaker 2: Well, this is an excellent question. Well, let's begin at 529 00:28:29,770 --> 00:28:33,730 Speaker 2: the beginning, around the time contemporaneous with your recent autobiography, 530 00:28:34,010 --> 00:28:36,290 Speaker 2: the mid nineties two thousands, and. 531 00:28:37,250 --> 00:28:40,249 Speaker 3: Like, after all of his braggadoccio about how he was 532 00:28:40,290 --> 00:28:42,770 Speaker 3: going to walk in there and demand the CDs back, 533 00:28:43,090 --> 00:28:47,850 Speaker 3: Gregor's nervous, being uncharacteristically mealy mouthed, unable to explain the 534 00:28:47,850 --> 00:28:49,250 Speaker 3: basics of our mission. 535 00:28:49,010 --> 00:28:51,530 Speaker 2: And so this conversation became down this kind of alleyway 536 00:28:51,650 --> 00:28:54,289 Speaker 2: of that facet of like, I was kind of like, 537 00:28:55,370 --> 00:28:57,289 Speaker 2: what is me? 538 00:28:57,410 --> 00:29:00,249 Speaker 3: Moby had limited time, so at the risk of embarrassing 539 00:29:00,290 --> 00:29:02,930 Speaker 3: Gregor in front of his famous friend, I decided to 540 00:29:02,930 --> 00:29:06,529 Speaker 3: step in and explain. So, can I tell my story 541 00:29:06,570 --> 00:29:09,250 Speaker 3: of you coming to last time I saw Gregor? 542 00:29:09,290 --> 00:29:10,970 Speaker 9: He came to visit me at work. 543 00:29:10,730 --> 00:29:14,249 Speaker 3: And you were kind of in this mood where you 544 00:29:14,290 --> 00:29:18,250 Speaker 3: were feeling like maybe those things that you were hopeful 545 00:29:18,290 --> 00:29:22,930 Speaker 3: about achieving were not going to be happening. And I 546 00:29:22,930 --> 00:29:25,570 Speaker 3: think you were in well Gregor looks on skeptically. I 547 00:29:25,610 --> 00:29:29,570 Speaker 3: try to explain to Moby Gregor's midlife malaise how everyone 548 00:29:29,690 --> 00:29:33,090 Speaker 3: was passing him by. Can you relate to the feeling 549 00:29:33,130 --> 00:29:35,209 Speaker 3: of like, have you ever, at different points in your 550 00:29:35,250 --> 00:29:39,969 Speaker 3: life felt like like surpassed by your friends or you 551 00:29:39,970 --> 00:29:40,370 Speaker 3: know what I mean? 552 00:29:40,370 --> 00:29:40,530 Speaker 7: Oh? 553 00:29:40,610 --> 00:29:46,729 Speaker 11: Yeah, Like there's always going to be someone doing so 554 00:29:46,890 --> 00:29:48,690 Speaker 11: much better than you that if you spend the time 555 00:29:48,690 --> 00:29:50,570 Speaker 11: to look at it, you're going to feel bad about yourself. 556 00:29:51,170 --> 00:29:53,770 Speaker 11: Like my nemesis, well, according to him for a while, 557 00:29:53,850 --> 00:29:56,370 Speaker 11: was eminem. So if he was my nemesis, I was 558 00:29:56,450 --> 00:29:59,930 Speaker 11: just being beaten publicly and badly because he was always 559 00:30:00,010 --> 00:30:05,650 Speaker 11: more successful, always selling more records, always more popular, always cooler, 560 00:30:06,250 --> 00:30:09,329 Speaker 11: And so depends on who I was comparing myself too. 561 00:30:10,209 --> 00:30:12,969 Speaker 11: Over time, like other people start selling more records, getting 562 00:30:12,970 --> 00:30:17,610 Speaker 11: better reviews, you start selling fewer tickets. And then as 563 00:30:17,930 --> 00:30:25,010 Speaker 11: the two thousands progressed, my career waned and other people's escalated, 564 00:30:25,290 --> 00:30:26,729 Speaker 11: you know, like I would go to visit my record 565 00:30:26,810 --> 00:30:30,410 Speaker 11: company and they'd have my picture behind the receptionist desk, 566 00:30:30,770 --> 00:30:32,730 Speaker 11: and then one day I show up and it's Jack 567 00:30:32,730 --> 00:30:35,529 Speaker 11: White's picture behind the reception system, Like wha what? 568 00:30:36,490 --> 00:30:38,610 Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean, I think the only way to hear that, 569 00:30:38,730 --> 00:30:43,090 Speaker 2: honestly is in the split screen between totally head nodding 570 00:30:43,130 --> 00:30:46,249 Speaker 2: one hundred percent agree and totally like easy for you 571 00:30:46,370 --> 00:30:49,530 Speaker 2: to say, because you're looking down from the mountain, looking up, 572 00:30:49,570 --> 00:30:52,770 Speaker 2: You're like, fucking knock that guy off the mountain because 573 00:30:52,770 --> 00:30:54,250 Speaker 2: all I need is mind billion dollars down I looked. 574 00:30:54,370 --> 00:30:56,850 Speaker 11: But really, the kick in the teeth of fame is 575 00:30:56,890 --> 00:30:59,370 Speaker 11: that if you don't have it, you beat yourself up 576 00:30:59,370 --> 00:31:01,170 Speaker 11: that you don't have it, and if you do have it, 577 00:31:01,290 --> 00:31:05,130 Speaker 11: you're miserable and you kill yourself. Literally, the most depressed 578 00:31:05,130 --> 00:31:09,410 Speaker 11: I've ever been in my entire life was the height 579 00:31:09,610 --> 00:31:12,650 Speaker 11: of my professional success. And I remember this one moment 580 00:31:12,770 --> 00:31:16,930 Speaker 11: so clearly. I was at an MTV Awards in Barcelona, 581 00:31:17,610 --> 00:31:20,489 Speaker 11: and there's this hotel called the Arts Hotel in Barcelona, 582 00:31:20,650 --> 00:31:23,170 Speaker 11: and it's so beautiful and at the tippity top of 583 00:31:23,209 --> 00:31:27,450 Speaker 11: the hotel they have four three bedroom apartments and I 584 00:31:27,570 --> 00:31:30,450 Speaker 11: was in one. P Diddy was in one, John bon 585 00:31:30,530 --> 00:31:33,130 Speaker 11: Jovi was in one, and Madonna was in one. And 586 00:31:33,170 --> 00:31:35,570 Speaker 11: so you'd take like one elevator to get to a 587 00:31:35,610 --> 00:31:38,329 Speaker 11: certain floor, then another elevator to another floor, and then 588 00:31:38,330 --> 00:31:40,370 Speaker 11: a security guard would wave you through up to. 589 00:31:40,370 --> 00:31:42,249 Speaker 1: Our hallowed floor. 590 00:31:42,970 --> 00:31:45,489 Speaker 11: And the first night I was there, I invited some 591 00:31:45,530 --> 00:31:47,450 Speaker 11: people over to like look at the view and drink, 592 00:31:47,490 --> 00:31:49,570 Speaker 11: and I kept drinking by myself, and I got more 593 00:31:49,570 --> 00:31:52,969 Speaker 11: and more despondent, and I literally, at the end of 594 00:31:52,970 --> 00:31:56,770 Speaker 11: the evening, before going to bed, was walking around this beautiful, 595 00:31:56,810 --> 00:32:00,730 Speaker 11: insane apartment crying, thinking about how I could get out 596 00:32:00,730 --> 00:32:06,209 Speaker 11: the window to kill myself. And the next day I 597 00:32:06,209 --> 00:32:09,769 Speaker 11: won an MTV award. So it's like, professionally, things couldn't 598 00:32:09,810 --> 00:32:12,050 Speaker 11: have been better, you know. The day before I'd played 599 00:32:12,050 --> 00:32:14,250 Speaker 11: a huge concert, selling lots of records. The day after 600 00:32:14,370 --> 00:32:16,930 Speaker 11: won an award, played more huge concerts, and I've never 601 00:32:17,530 --> 00:32:18,610 Speaker 11: been more despondent. 602 00:32:20,170 --> 00:32:22,210 Speaker 2: I appreciate your making up that story just to make 603 00:32:22,209 --> 00:32:22,730 Speaker 2: me feel good. 604 00:32:22,890 --> 00:32:26,130 Speaker 11: It's completely true, because I remember walking around this hotel 605 00:32:26,490 --> 00:32:29,410 Speaker 11: and these walls of glass only had these little bitty 606 00:32:29,490 --> 00:32:31,810 Speaker 11: like foldy open windows at the bottom, and I was 607 00:32:31,850 --> 00:32:33,489 Speaker 11: looking at that and I was like, Fuck, if that 608 00:32:33,570 --> 00:32:35,970 Speaker 11: window opened more, I would just jump out and die 609 00:32:35,970 --> 00:32:39,850 Speaker 11: because I'm done. You think when you get to where 610 00:32:39,890 --> 00:32:42,410 Speaker 11: you want to go, finally you'll be happy, but then 611 00:32:42,450 --> 00:32:44,729 Speaker 11: you get to where you want to go and you're 612 00:32:44,770 --> 00:32:47,050 Speaker 11: just as miserable as you were. In fact, you're even 613 00:32:47,770 --> 00:32:50,249 Speaker 11: even more miserable because you no longer have anything to 614 00:32:50,290 --> 00:32:55,650 Speaker 11: aspire to, and you feel this hopelessness because everything like 615 00:32:56,010 --> 00:32:57,850 Speaker 11: what's left to aspire towards. 616 00:32:59,530 --> 00:33:02,210 Speaker 3: It feels like Moby's trying to explain something to Gregor. 617 00:33:02,730 --> 00:33:05,650 Speaker 3: Moby grew up poor with a single mother and lived 618 00:33:05,690 --> 00:33:06,530 Speaker 3: on food stamps. 619 00:33:06,970 --> 00:33:07,690 Speaker 1: When Moby was. 620 00:33:07,690 --> 00:33:10,489 Speaker 3: A kid, his dad died in a car crash, and 621 00:33:10,530 --> 00:33:13,290 Speaker 3: a few years ago his mom passed away from lung cancer. 622 00:33:13,850 --> 00:33:16,770 Speaker 3: He has no siblings, so essentially he's alone. 623 00:33:17,770 --> 00:33:19,690 Speaker 11: I look at Gregor and I think of like, I 624 00:33:19,730 --> 00:33:23,450 Speaker 11: know his family very well, and from my perspective, like, 625 00:33:23,570 --> 00:33:25,289 Speaker 11: first all, he has a like I don't. Really I 626 00:33:25,290 --> 00:33:27,130 Speaker 11: have some aunts and uncles and cousins. 627 00:33:27,370 --> 00:33:28,050 Speaker 1: You have some other. 628 00:33:27,930 --> 00:33:28,730 Speaker 2: Siblings, I'm sure. 629 00:33:31,890 --> 00:33:36,850 Speaker 11: And and to me that still makes me feel like, oh, 630 00:33:37,090 --> 00:33:40,090 Speaker 11: he's figured out things that I don't understand. 631 00:33:46,930 --> 00:33:48,730 Speaker 2: Of course I'm very successful. That I have a beautiful 632 00:33:48,810 --> 00:33:51,330 Speaker 2: child and blah blah blah, two of them. Actually I 633 00:33:51,330 --> 00:33:53,090 Speaker 2: won't say which one. I have two children. One is 634 00:33:53,090 --> 00:33:58,489 Speaker 2: beautiful anyway, you know, the like a man's wealth is 635 00:33:58,530 --> 00:34:02,970 Speaker 2: measured in family, you know, And but it's not you. 636 00:34:02,970 --> 00:34:04,930 Speaker 6: You turn every time these things come up. 637 00:34:04,930 --> 00:34:06,090 Speaker 1: You always make them into light. 638 00:34:06,250 --> 00:34:07,769 Speaker 2: Well, that's what I'm saying is something you hear at 639 00:34:07,770 --> 00:34:11,489 Speaker 2: the in the South Park, right. But what I'm saying 640 00:34:11,570 --> 00:34:13,969 Speaker 2: is that that era when like it still seemed like 641 00:34:14,050 --> 00:34:16,210 Speaker 2: life had potential to go a bunch of different ways. 642 00:34:16,570 --> 00:34:19,570 Speaker 2: Now it seemed less. So it's not even squandered potential. 643 00:34:19,610 --> 00:34:22,090 Speaker 2: It's just like you could have been somebody becomes like 644 00:34:22,210 --> 00:34:22,610 Speaker 2: you didn't. 645 00:34:24,490 --> 00:34:28,530 Speaker 11: Every year you lose a little bit of potential, you know, 646 00:34:28,610 --> 00:34:32,410 Speaker 11: Like at this point, like I'm fifty and I'm like, oh, 647 00:34:33,330 --> 00:34:35,130 Speaker 11: most of my life. I thought at some point I 648 00:34:35,170 --> 00:34:46,690 Speaker 11: could be a father. I'm like, well probably not, and 649 00:34:46,730 --> 00:34:47,690 Speaker 11: I have one issue. 650 00:34:47,810 --> 00:34:49,489 Speaker 1: Yeah I really have to peek go ahead. 651 00:34:53,450 --> 00:34:57,410 Speaker 3: Well, movie was conveniently indisposed. I took the opportunity to 652 00:34:57,410 --> 00:35:01,690 Speaker 3: reiterate our mission getting back the CDs as much. 653 00:35:01,530 --> 00:35:04,370 Speaker 1: As it behoosy, like, just try to keep it tout the. 654 00:35:04,330 --> 00:35:07,170 Speaker 2: CDs, all right, I don't think we only have about 655 00:35:07,170 --> 00:35:07,730 Speaker 2: ten minutes search. 656 00:35:08,010 --> 00:35:09,170 Speaker 1: That's what I want to get to it. 657 00:35:09,250 --> 00:35:11,410 Speaker 2: Do you want me to wrestle onto the ground and no, 658 00:35:12,330 --> 00:35:13,890 Speaker 2: you have something, particularly money you want to say. 659 00:35:14,890 --> 00:35:18,850 Speaker 3: Moby emerges from the bathroom, cutting our conversation short, and 660 00:35:18,890 --> 00:35:22,810 Speaker 3: Gregor steps up to the plate and begins in the middle. 661 00:35:23,370 --> 00:35:26,530 Speaker 2: Yeah, I still listen to Sounds of the South on YouTube. 662 00:35:26,530 --> 00:35:30,330 Speaker 2: They have the full set. And as far as that 663 00:35:30,370 --> 00:35:34,170 Speaker 2: actual des set, did you hang on to that or 664 00:35:34,210 --> 00:35:36,930 Speaker 2: that is the CD the box, that's the actual stuff. 665 00:35:38,730 --> 00:35:42,530 Speaker 11: Yeah, they're somewhere. Most of it's in storage and Queens 666 00:35:44,970 --> 00:35:48,810 Speaker 11: so like this medium sized storage locker and it's just 667 00:35:48,850 --> 00:35:52,130 Speaker 11: like packed to the rafters with stuff. 668 00:35:53,730 --> 00:35:58,130 Speaker 3: Finally, it's my moment to be the interlocutor. I think 669 00:35:58,170 --> 00:36:03,210 Speaker 3: Gregor sort of wanted those CDs back if only to 670 00:36:03,290 --> 00:36:05,650 Speaker 3: put them on a mantle, to feel like I was 671 00:36:05,730 --> 00:36:08,650 Speaker 3: a part of something, like I mattered, I existed. 672 00:36:09,090 --> 00:36:11,330 Speaker 2: And I view this more like I handed you the 673 00:36:11,330 --> 00:36:13,090 Speaker 2: pen and then you wrote, you know, the great book 674 00:36:13,090 --> 00:36:15,250 Speaker 2: with it. It's not that I had some role in. 675 00:36:15,290 --> 00:36:17,770 Speaker 3: But like the guy who introduced Andy Warhol to the 676 00:36:17,810 --> 00:36:19,930 Speaker 3: can of Campbell's soup or what I mean. 677 00:36:20,010 --> 00:36:21,930 Speaker 2: This is not like a legal deposition where it's like 678 00:36:21,970 --> 00:36:23,489 Speaker 2: who said it? I mean it was fucking twenty five 679 00:36:23,530 --> 00:36:24,290 Speaker 2: years ago. 680 00:36:24,090 --> 00:36:25,130 Speaker 1: As Gregor and I parry. 681 00:36:25,530 --> 00:36:28,410 Speaker 3: It's almost like we forget that Moby's even there when 682 00:36:28,410 --> 00:36:30,450 Speaker 3: suddenly he pipes up one thing. 683 00:36:30,570 --> 00:36:34,450 Speaker 11: Just to be super clear from the album play, two 684 00:36:34,570 --> 00:36:38,010 Speaker 11: of the most remarkably iconic songs on the record would 685 00:36:38,170 --> 00:36:40,730 Speaker 11: never have been written or existed had I not been 686 00:36:40,770 --> 00:36:43,810 Speaker 11: given those CDs. Like I didn't know who Alan Lomax was, 687 00:36:44,330 --> 00:36:48,330 Speaker 11: and I that the box set called Sounds of the South, 688 00:36:49,650 --> 00:36:52,050 Speaker 11: I didn't know it existed, and I certainly like it 689 00:36:52,090 --> 00:36:54,570 Speaker 11: was an expensive box set. And there's no way I 690 00:36:54,650 --> 00:36:57,690 Speaker 11: was going to walk into Tower Records and spend sixty 691 00:36:57,690 --> 00:37:00,770 Speaker 11: five dollars or however much it was going to be 692 00:37:01,170 --> 00:37:03,570 Speaker 11: on a box set. I knew nothing about from an 693 00:37:03,690 --> 00:37:06,330 Speaker 11: archivist I'd never heard of, so like, those are one 694 00:37:06,410 --> 00:37:09,010 Speaker 11: hundred percent the result of me being given those. 695 00:37:10,410 --> 00:37:12,930 Speaker 3: Wait, so we're saying you're not. Gregor's not getting the 696 00:37:12,930 --> 00:37:13,650 Speaker 3: CDs back. 697 00:37:15,010 --> 00:37:20,890 Speaker 11: Okay, here's the story. Friend of mine, her mother died 698 00:37:22,050 --> 00:37:26,250 Speaker 11: in a very very sad, tragic way, and she came 699 00:37:26,330 --> 00:37:29,290 Speaker 11: to me and she started crying, and she said that 700 00:37:29,330 --> 00:37:32,930 Speaker 11: at the funeral they played the song Natural Blues and 701 00:37:32,970 --> 00:37:35,450 Speaker 11: everyone in the church was crying and it was one 702 00:37:35,490 --> 00:37:37,930 Speaker 11: of the most powerful emotional moments of her life that 703 00:37:38,090 --> 00:37:41,370 Speaker 11: wouldn't have ever existed if you hadn't given me those CDs. 704 00:37:41,650 --> 00:37:45,210 Speaker 11: So to me, that's more priceless and precious than any 705 00:37:45,250 --> 00:37:50,170 Speaker 11: sort of like objective, quantifiable metric. 706 00:37:52,490 --> 00:37:53,450 Speaker 1: How does that make you feel? 707 00:37:54,850 --> 00:38:01,570 Speaker 2: I mean it makes me feel like thinking about, you know, 708 00:38:01,690 --> 00:38:03,890 Speaker 2: getting a pair of bolt cutters and breaking into a 709 00:38:03,890 --> 00:38:07,050 Speaker 2: steady storage in Queens is not what I'm going to do. 710 00:38:07,130 --> 00:38:07,930 Speaker 2: That was my plan. 711 00:38:10,530 --> 00:38:12,930 Speaker 3: And so Gregor doesn't get what he came for. But 712 00:38:13,050 --> 00:38:15,850 Speaker 3: maybe not getting everything you want in the grander scheme 713 00:38:16,450 --> 00:38:18,290 Speaker 3: isn't so bad. 714 00:38:26,610 --> 00:38:34,130 Speaker 11: One practical issue. So I have two podcast interviews to 715 00:38:34,170 --> 00:38:36,890 Speaker 11: do today. You guys are the first and a second 716 00:38:37,050 --> 00:38:40,530 Speaker 11: you're in good company. It's with Rue Paul nice crazy. 717 00:38:41,370 --> 00:38:44,210 Speaker 11: I mean, if you wanted to, we could always drive there, 718 00:38:45,450 --> 00:38:46,650 Speaker 11: Like if you guys want to get in the car 719 00:38:46,730 --> 00:38:49,770 Speaker 11: with me. My girlfriend is coming here. She's gonna go 720 00:38:49,810 --> 00:38:51,650 Speaker 11: with me because she's an obsessive Rue Paul fan. 721 00:38:51,770 --> 00:38:56,730 Speaker 3: Oh wow, Moby, his girlfriend, Gregor and I pile into 722 00:38:56,730 --> 00:39:00,650 Speaker 3: Moby's Prias seen from the outside, Gregor seems happy to 723 00:39:00,690 --> 00:39:03,450 Speaker 3: be a part of Moby's life again. He's even feeling 724 00:39:03,490 --> 00:39:06,530 Speaker 3: comfortable enough to favor us with his famous John Travolta 725 00:39:06,610 --> 00:39:07,610 Speaker 3: imitation I. 726 00:39:07,690 --> 00:39:12,490 Speaker 2: Could drink pee go, I could drink tea John Travolta. 727 00:39:12,490 --> 00:39:14,850 Speaker 2: When she says, he says, watch your cough with me. 728 00:39:14,890 --> 00:39:17,810 Speaker 2: Sometimes she's like, in Manhattan, we don't drink coffee, we 729 00:39:17,850 --> 00:39:19,810 Speaker 2: drink tea. And he's like, so what, I could drink tea. 730 00:39:21,650 --> 00:39:25,130 Speaker 3: And then, for whatever reason, Moby takes over my role 731 00:39:25,330 --> 00:39:29,290 Speaker 3: of interlocutor and begins explaining Gregor's style to his girlfriend. 732 00:39:29,930 --> 00:39:33,890 Speaker 2: And Gregor is funny and. 733 00:39:33,770 --> 00:39:39,970 Speaker 11: At times like would maybe be here. It comes honest 734 00:39:40,330 --> 00:39:44,330 Speaker 11: in a way that people might be take offence to 735 00:39:44,810 --> 00:39:45,730 Speaker 11: or at Or. 736 00:39:45,850 --> 00:39:57,930 Speaker 3: As Moby's learning firsthand interlocketing for Gregor isn't so easy. 737 00:39:58,010 --> 00:40:00,850 Speaker 11: Hi, I'm here for RuPaul's podcast. 738 00:40:02,050 --> 00:40:04,730 Speaker 3: At the hotel, we're shown into a conference room where 739 00:40:04,890 --> 00:40:10,370 Speaker 3: we're greeted by Rupe Paul and his co host Michelle. 740 00:40:11,010 --> 00:40:13,370 Speaker 3: As I trail behind Moby for the first time in 741 00:40:13,410 --> 00:40:15,890 Speaker 3: my life, I feel a part of a bona fide 742 00:40:15,890 --> 00:40:17,210 Speaker 3: Hollywood entourage. 743 00:40:17,690 --> 00:40:20,330 Speaker 11: So we've been doing an interesting podcast because Gregor and 744 00:40:20,370 --> 00:40:25,290 Speaker 11: I've known each other for twenty seven years at all Yeah. 745 00:40:25,370 --> 00:40:28,810 Speaker 3: We watch as RuPaul interviews Moby, and when Moby says 746 00:40:28,810 --> 00:40:32,930 Speaker 3: interesting things like my mom was born in San Diego. 747 00:40:32,770 --> 00:40:35,490 Speaker 2: Was born in San Diego. 748 00:40:35,570 --> 00:40:39,810 Speaker 3: RuPaul responds with engaged interest, and when Moby off handedly 749 00:40:39,930 --> 00:40:45,410 Speaker 3: mentions a song, RuPaul and Michelle sing it, and as 750 00:40:45,450 --> 00:40:49,730 Speaker 3: they do, I find myself thinking only one thing, now, 751 00:40:49,770 --> 00:40:57,650 Speaker 3: this is how you run a podcast. Right. When Moby 752 00:40:57,690 --> 00:41:00,529 Speaker 3: and Gregor say their goodbyes, Moby tells him that he'll 753 00:41:00,530 --> 00:41:02,930 Speaker 3: be coming to San Francisco soon and he'll be sure 754 00:41:02,930 --> 00:41:05,570 Speaker 3: to give Gregor a call, and Gregor says he'd like that. 755 00:41:06,210 --> 00:41:09,010 Speaker 3: But before parting, Gregor can't help giving it just one 756 00:41:09,170 --> 00:41:10,050 Speaker 3: last nudge. 757 00:41:10,170 --> 00:41:12,170 Speaker 2: I have one more question for you. Can you just 758 00:41:12,170 --> 00:41:14,290 Speaker 2: tell me the name of the storage facility where the 759 00:41:14,330 --> 00:41:16,930 Speaker 2: CD is. No, it's for a friend. They need to 760 00:41:16,970 --> 00:41:19,810 Speaker 2: store something in Queens. No, there was one place. I'm 761 00:41:19,850 --> 00:41:21,170 Speaker 2: just saying, Hey, it's the same place. 762 00:41:23,570 --> 00:41:26,530 Speaker 3: Gregor's comfortable enough to joke around about something that had 763 00:41:26,530 --> 00:41:30,570 Speaker 3: once plagued him, and Moby's comfortable enough to uncomfortably laugh 764 00:41:30,610 --> 00:41:44,370 Speaker 3: along with him. All around it feels pretty nice. 765 00:41:46,250 --> 00:41:47,969 Speaker 6: So how did you feel about how that went? 766 00:41:48,210 --> 00:41:49,330 Speaker 2: I think it was cathartic. 767 00:41:49,730 --> 00:41:53,850 Speaker 3: No, really, seriously, With some time to kill before a flight, 768 00:41:54,290 --> 00:41:56,810 Speaker 3: Gregor and I decide to hike up to the observatory. 769 00:41:57,090 --> 00:41:59,050 Speaker 3: Do you feel like he screwed you out of your CDs? 770 00:41:59,130 --> 00:41:59,330 Speaker 9: Yet? 771 00:41:59,330 --> 00:41:59,610 Speaker 7: Again? 772 00:42:00,730 --> 00:42:03,570 Speaker 2: The honest truth is, he did give me a good 773 00:42:03,610 --> 00:42:05,529 Speaker 2: long song, a dance about how we all learned a lesson. 774 00:42:05,650 --> 00:42:07,410 Speaker 2: I didn't get the thing that I set out to get, 775 00:42:07,490 --> 00:42:10,930 Speaker 2: But in seriousness, I honestly feel, in a funny sort 776 00:42:10,930 --> 00:42:13,090 Speaker 2: of way, I got what I came for. 777 00:42:13,290 --> 00:42:16,570 Speaker 6: Which was what you didn't get your CDs. 778 00:42:18,130 --> 00:42:21,730 Speaker 2: You see, you're a petty person. What you just saw 779 00:42:21,970 --> 00:42:26,090 Speaker 2: and apparently were deaf you couldn't hear, was a reconciliation 780 00:42:26,570 --> 00:42:29,250 Speaker 2: with two guys after twenty five years of slight estrangement. 781 00:42:29,650 --> 00:42:31,050 Speaker 6: So you guys did get to be friends. 782 00:42:31,130 --> 00:42:34,690 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think we just buried the hatchets. This CD thing, Yeah, 783 00:42:34,770 --> 00:42:36,690 Speaker 2: that is a symbol. I mean, who cares about the CD? 784 00:42:36,810 --> 00:42:38,850 Speaker 6: But you one who cared about the CD. 785 00:42:39,330 --> 00:42:42,930 Speaker 2: Look, it's hard to come together and just hug it out. 786 00:42:43,170 --> 00:42:45,770 Speaker 2: What you just witnessed was a version of hugging it out, 787 00:42:46,250 --> 00:42:50,210 Speaker 2: two men having a good cry. That's about the closest 788 00:42:50,210 --> 00:42:50,650 Speaker 2: that I come. 789 00:42:53,050 --> 00:42:55,010 Speaker 6: Well, then, I think that was great. I think this 790 00:42:55,170 --> 00:42:55,930 Speaker 6: was a success. 791 00:42:56,210 --> 00:42:57,170 Speaker 2: I agree. 792 00:42:59,370 --> 00:43:01,210 Speaker 6: Still would have been nice to get your CDs. 793 00:43:00,890 --> 00:43:07,450 Speaker 2: Back, of course. I don't know if the rental car 794 00:43:07,530 --> 00:43:10,610 Speaker 2: you got there at any player, but it doesn't. It 795 00:43:10,650 --> 00:43:12,290 Speaker 2: would have been no better ending to this day than 796 00:43:12,330 --> 00:43:14,890 Speaker 2: to drive out of the parking lot cranking that CD. 797 00:43:15,090 --> 00:43:18,250 Speaker 3: Yeah, but the cars don't have nobody has CD players anymore. 798 00:43:18,290 --> 00:43:20,410 Speaker 2: And let me tell you something. If some of the 799 00:43:20,410 --> 00:43:23,010 Speaker 2: Mobi's song comes on the radio right now, I'd let 800 00:43:23,050 --> 00:43:25,170 Speaker 2: it play. I'd even sing along. 801 00:43:25,850 --> 00:43:27,610 Speaker 6: I'm going to find it out my phone and play it. 802 00:43:27,730 --> 00:43:29,410 Speaker 2: That's okay, you sure? 803 00:43:29,450 --> 00:43:31,690 Speaker 6: Because I actually downloaded. 804 00:43:31,210 --> 00:43:32,050 Speaker 9: It as best for. 805 00:43:37,450 --> 00:43:40,690 Speaker 3: Three days later, and much to his surprise, Gregor received 806 00:43:40,730 --> 00:43:44,450 Speaker 3: an email from Mobi. This might sound odd, the email read, 807 00:43:44,810 --> 00:43:47,450 Speaker 3: but I realized I never said a true, heartfelt thank 808 00:43:47,490 --> 00:43:50,770 Speaker 3: you for giving me those CDs, So, in all sincerity, 809 00:43:51,250 --> 00:43:54,130 Speaker 3: thank you. I'm sorry it's taken so long to say 810 00:43:54,770 --> 00:43:57,810 Speaker 3: thank you. Gregor said he was happier that the thank 811 00:43:57,850 --> 00:44:00,730 Speaker 3: you came three days later. This way, he knew it 812 00:44:00,770 --> 00:44:03,330 Speaker 3: wasn't just out of politeness, that it must have been 813 00:44:03,450 --> 00:44:07,370 Speaker 3: quote boring a hole through his head for days after 814 00:44:07,450 --> 00:44:10,810 Speaker 3: receiving Mobis thank you, greg immediately wrote back thank you 815 00:44:10,850 --> 00:44:13,810 Speaker 3: of his own, in the form of a joke, which, 816 00:44:14,010 --> 00:44:16,410 Speaker 3: if you didn't know Gregor, could also be taken as 817 00:44:16,410 --> 00:44:20,330 Speaker 3: an insult. But Moby did know Gregor, and so for Gregor, 818 00:44:20,730 --> 00:44:56,170 Speaker 3: it was back to being a normal friendship now that 819 00:44:56,370 --> 00:45:05,810 Speaker 3: the furnitures returned to its goodwill home, now that the. 820 00:45:05,930 --> 00:45:09,650 Speaker 9: Last month's rent is scheming. 821 00:45:09,330 --> 00:45:12,850 Speaker 1: The damage did not take this moment to this. 822 00:45:15,930 --> 00:45:17,930 Speaker 6: If we messed him, and we too. 823 00:45:20,490 --> 00:45:22,330 Speaker 7: Felt around from five to. 824 00:45:25,130 --> 00:45:25,450 Speaker 2: Things. 825 00:45:29,970 --> 00:45:32,570 Speaker 1: Well, so what'd you think? 826 00:45:33,530 --> 00:45:36,090 Speaker 2: The one one guy was really good? The funny guy, 827 00:45:36,130 --> 00:45:36,650 Speaker 2: he was great. 828 00:45:37,450 --> 00:45:39,370 Speaker 1: So let me ask you. 829 00:45:39,410 --> 00:45:43,850 Speaker 3: After the episode aired all those years ago, people have 830 00:45:44,210 --> 00:45:49,250 Speaker 3: continued to wonder, did Moby ever eventually, you know, go 831 00:45:49,370 --> 00:45:52,610 Speaker 3: to the storage unit and dig out your old CDs? 832 00:45:52,930 --> 00:45:57,810 Speaker 4: Whatever, number of years passed. Five years later, Moby text me, oh, like, 833 00:45:57,970 --> 00:46:02,330 Speaker 4: I was emptying out a storage container in Queens and 834 00:46:02,410 --> 00:46:03,930 Speaker 4: I found the box set. 835 00:46:04,050 --> 00:46:07,370 Speaker 3: So he so he he found he found the CDs, 836 00:46:08,530 --> 00:46:09,890 Speaker 3: so I said, So. 837 00:46:10,130 --> 00:46:13,090 Speaker 4: I said, let's meet at the Griffith Observatory and you 838 00:46:13,130 --> 00:46:15,650 Speaker 4: can have me them. He lives right near that, so 839 00:46:15,850 --> 00:46:18,290 Speaker 4: he said, great, no problem. I'm like, you know whatever, 840 00:46:18,370 --> 00:46:21,450 Speaker 4: ten o'clock on Tuesday, Great, no problem. The morning of 841 00:46:21,570 --> 00:46:23,410 Speaker 4: I'm like, okay, so like, I'm just coming into the 842 00:46:23,410 --> 00:46:26,370 Speaker 4: park now, just I'll be up there. No response, and 843 00:46:26,410 --> 00:46:29,730 Speaker 4: then I'm like, okay, I'm here and no response, and 844 00:46:29,770 --> 00:46:31,810 Speaker 4: he doesn't, you know, he doesn't show you're up there, 845 00:46:32,010 --> 00:46:34,610 Speaker 4: doesn't answer anything. And I said something like, you know, 846 00:46:35,370 --> 00:46:36,970 Speaker 4: if a teaser, I can just go by your house. 847 00:46:37,210 --> 00:46:38,650 Speaker 4: I mean, I know you're right here. I can just 848 00:46:38,690 --> 00:46:41,050 Speaker 4: walk over to it. And no response. 849 00:46:41,170 --> 00:46:45,050 Speaker 2: And then I think whatever the exact math was, but 850 00:46:45,810 --> 00:46:48,370 Speaker 2: maybe the next day he was like, oh, like, so 851 00:46:48,490 --> 00:46:51,330 Speaker 2: I was like preparing for an interview, preparing for a precedent. 852 00:46:52,130 --> 00:46:54,210 Speaker 4: I didn't need to see him. He could have left 853 00:46:54,210 --> 00:46:56,410 Speaker 4: it an envelope in the front porch or like give 854 00:46:56,410 --> 00:46:57,690 Speaker 4: it to his assistant or whatever. 855 00:46:57,730 --> 00:47:00,570 Speaker 2: It was. You know, in so far as this whole 856 00:47:00,610 --> 00:47:04,370 Speaker 2: experience was slightly not very out of slightly, it was 857 00:47:04,410 --> 00:47:08,490 Speaker 2: mostly symbolic. I felt like he was not ready to 858 00:47:08,530 --> 00:47:09,890 Speaker 2: do that symbolic act. 859 00:47:10,130 --> 00:47:12,330 Speaker 1: He's never given you the CDs back. 860 00:47:12,410 --> 00:47:12,490 Speaker 8: So. 861 00:47:14,330 --> 00:47:18,850 Speaker 4: There was not is not a resolution to that particular drama. 862 00:47:18,770 --> 00:47:22,210 Speaker 3: My goodness, until you never said, hey, why don't you 863 00:47:22,250 --> 00:47:24,170 Speaker 3: disdrop those CDs in the mail for me? 864 00:47:24,530 --> 00:47:30,810 Speaker 2: No, because I feel like too vastly oversimplify. I won 865 00:47:31,050 --> 00:47:34,730 Speaker 2: this story. I have a great life and a great 866 00:47:34,890 --> 00:47:37,170 Speaker 2: you know, family and all these things that are really 867 00:47:37,250 --> 00:47:40,050 Speaker 2: what mattered to me. So whatever it was, I was 868 00:47:40,050 --> 00:47:42,569 Speaker 2: seeing a hat and I came to realize it. 869 00:47:43,610 --> 00:47:45,850 Speaker 1: That was exactly what Moby was trying to tell you 870 00:47:45,890 --> 00:47:46,610 Speaker 1: in the episode. 871 00:47:47,570 --> 00:47:50,170 Speaker 4: I think sometimes you're not ready to hear things. You 872 00:47:50,210 --> 00:47:51,610 Speaker 4: can't force the flower to open. 873 00:47:52,130 --> 00:47:55,610 Speaker 3: So maybe it's really maybe you owe Moby something. Maybe 874 00:47:55,650 --> 00:47:58,210 Speaker 3: you have you ever told him that you know you? 875 00:47:58,650 --> 00:48:00,810 Speaker 3: Did you ever thank him for what he shared with you? 876 00:48:00,930 --> 00:48:05,090 Speaker 3: And no, do you do you want to do that? 877 00:48:06,850 --> 00:48:08,650 Speaker 3: I mean, should we call him right now. 878 00:48:09,170 --> 00:48:11,290 Speaker 2: And hear the wheels turning in your greasy. 879 00:48:11,010 --> 00:48:17,170 Speaker 3: Little So you feel like at this point, you know 880 00:48:17,250 --> 00:48:21,970 Speaker 3: what Moby for whatever reason isn't able to give you 881 00:48:22,010 --> 00:48:23,730 Speaker 3: back those CDs, so let them have them. 882 00:48:24,810 --> 00:48:27,330 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's all let go, let go of everything. 883 00:48:28,410 --> 00:48:29,489 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you one other thing. 884 00:48:30,210 --> 00:48:33,170 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's a radio station in Portland that for some 885 00:48:33,210 --> 00:48:38,529 Speaker 4: reason is streaming on the radio here and they play 886 00:48:38,530 --> 00:48:40,330 Speaker 4: a fair bit of Moby and they've played some the 887 00:48:40,330 --> 00:48:42,650 Speaker 4: other day and I listened to it. I didn't turn 888 00:48:42,690 --> 00:48:45,049 Speaker 4: it off, which I probably might have at a certain point. 889 00:48:45,410 --> 00:48:47,050 Speaker 1: You can listen to mobi music now. 890 00:48:47,330 --> 00:48:50,890 Speaker 2: I listened to the song and I was like, pretty 891 00:48:50,890 --> 00:48:51,570 Speaker 2: good song. 892 00:48:53,250 --> 00:48:53,890 Speaker 1: And that was it. 893 00:48:54,450 --> 00:48:57,290 Speaker 2: I mean I had some critical thoughts. 894 00:48:58,730 --> 00:49:01,570 Speaker 3: Of course, he did. Gregor, thank you all right, I'll 895 00:49:01,570 --> 00:49:03,450 Speaker 3: talk to you later, talk to you later. 896 00:49:03,490 --> 00:49:14,970 Speaker 7: Bye bye. 897 00:49:16,970 --> 00:49:19,810 Speaker 3: Special thanks to everyone who helped put together our original 898 00:49:19,850 --> 00:49:21,529 Speaker 3: Gregor episode way back when. 899 00:49:21,930 --> 00:49:23,250 Speaker 1: We'll be back next week. 900 00:49:23,050 --> 00:49:28,010 Speaker 3: With another Encore presentation, another heavyweight Biju, as well as 901 00:49:28,050 --> 00:49:31,730 Speaker 3: another update from one of our favorite guests, so stay tuned.