1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: Everything is very soothing in a Hallmark movie. Yeah, like fires, 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: fires are always roaring it, eating is always happening, it, 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: tons of hot cocoa. I'm Susie Bannacharam and I'm Jessica Bennett. 4 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: And this is In Retrospect, where each week we revisit 5 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: a cultural moment from the past that shaped us. 6 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 2: And that we just can't stop thinking about. 7 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: Today, we have a special holiday version of In Retrospect 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: where we're going to talk about the past and present 9 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: of Hallmark Christmas movies. Hm, yes, have you ever watched 10 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: a Hallmark Christmas. 11 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 2: Movie, Susie, I'm proud to say the answer to that 12 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 2: is no. 13 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: Well, I cannot say the same. I have watched. 14 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 2: How could I have guessed? 15 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 1: So many Christmas movies this season that the other day 16 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: Mike walked in on me watching one and said, Mike 17 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: your boyfriend, Mike my boyfriend, and said, how many of 18 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: these have been already watched this season? And I did 19 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: not like the judgment in his voice. I was like, 20 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: what is that tone, mister, No, he was actually laughing. 21 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: He thought it was hilarious, but I feel like some 22 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: judgment about it. So I thought it would be interesting 23 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: to query why I'm so interested or into these movies. 24 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 2: Okay, I want to hear that. But also, what is 25 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: a Hallmark? 26 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 3: What makes something? Are these movies produced by Hallmark? 27 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 2: Like? What am I missing here? 28 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, this is a great question. Hallmark Christmas movies 29 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: are made by Hallmark. 30 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: Like the card company. 31 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, the card company. The maximare on the Hallmark Channel, 32 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: which is where Hallmark Christmas movies are aired. 33 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 2: What channel is that? Like, that's a channel on tele. 34 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: That's a channel on television as part of the cable package. Yes, okay, and. 35 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 2: I don't have cable growing up, so okay, yeah that. 36 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: Makes sense, but this is very confusing for you. Okay. 37 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: So actually it started as the combination of two religious 38 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: channels that came together and became a Christian network called 39 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,279 Speaker 1: the Faith and Values Channel. 40 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: Oh my god, that makes sense. Why they're like so strident? 41 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: Yes, well they're not actually striding. They're very soothing. But 42 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: we're gonna get to that. 43 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 2: Okay, we'll get to that. 44 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: And so it started as a religious thing. Then there 45 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: was a rebrand in two thousand and one and that's 46 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: when it became the Hallmark Channel, and the original content 47 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: had very explicitly religious and traditional themes. Okay, And it 48 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: wasn't really until the twenty tens when the channel began 49 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: to be known for these made for TV movies romance comedies, 50 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: and then really it begun to be known for Christmas 51 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: movies in particular when it started this thing called count 52 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: Down to Christmas in two thousand and nine. 53 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 3: Count Down to Christmas coming this October Holy on Hallmark. 54 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: And that is literally like every night to Christmas, they 55 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: premiere I don't know if it's every night, but they 56 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: premiere all the new Christmas movies of that season. 57 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: Okay, so you've been really busy. 58 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: I've been very busy. That's one way of betting it. 59 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: And the idea is that these movies evoke the same warm, 60 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: traditional values that Hallmark greeting cards. And I don't know 61 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: if growing up you ever went to a Hallmark store, 62 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: but I always loved the Hallmark store. They have greeting 63 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: cards and ornaments, and so it's supposed to evoke those 64 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: same feelings in you. And I should say that I'm 65 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: not the only one watching these movies because that's how 66 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: I feel. 67 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 2: Talking to me. Yeah, I think I'm the minority here. 68 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 2: People love these. 69 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: To give you an idea of what a big business 70 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: it is. It is literally defying the fate of most 71 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: other cable channels. Hallmark is one of the most popular 72 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: cable channels on television. New York Magazine recently did a 73 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: piece called Nobody told Hallmark Channel that cable is Dead, 74 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: and in it it mentioned that it is not uncommon 75 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: for Hallmark to have the most watched program in all 76 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: of cable on any given night, Wow, especially during the holidays. 77 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: Okay and per Nielsen, Hallmark Channel is the number two 78 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: most watched entertainment channel of twenty twenty three, just behind HDTV, 79 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: but ahead of other channels that people watch a lot, 80 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: like TNT and USA and Food Network. And also in 81 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: the last week of November, they premiered seven brand new 82 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: Hallmark Christmas movies and that pushed the channel to be 83 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: the number two most watched channel across all of cable, 84 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: not just entertainment cable, meaning that it beat Fox News. 85 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: And of those seven movies, six of them were watched 86 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: by more than one point seven million people on their 87 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: premiere night, so that's just the people who watched it 88 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: on the first run. Most of these movies are run 89 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: over and over again, and they've made for this season 90 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: forty original movies just to air in twenty twenty three. 91 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 3: So what are they about? Like, is there really that 92 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 3: much to say? Why are there so many movies? 93 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: What are they about? 94 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: Well, they're all very formulaic, they're all very very similar. 95 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: They have a lot of rules, there's a standard story format. 96 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: Now some of this is starting to change a little 97 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: bit as these shows have become more popular and as 98 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: there's more diversity and inclusion. But the traditional formula is basically, 99 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: this a relatable single, sometimes very recently single, like a 100 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: girl who's just literally broken up with her boyfriend or 101 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: isn't single scandalous, but her boyfriend is a big dumb 102 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: jerk and you hate him right away, and it's clear 103 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: you're supposed to hate him. 104 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 2: That's always a boyfriend. 105 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: It's always like a boyfriend, yes, And so this single 106 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: girl has lost faith in love. She's pursuing life in 107 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: the big city and somehow she ends up in a 108 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: small town for some reason. She's either going home for 109 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: the holidays. Okay, Sometimes she's a reporter who's working on 110 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: a story about a secret Santa that nobody knows the 111 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: identity of okay, okay. Sometimes she has an accident and 112 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 1: she has amnesia and she's like God all down and 113 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: she falls in love but she doesn't know who she is. Like, 114 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: it's always some ex case for why she's now in 115 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: this idyllic. 116 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 2: Town, like snow. 117 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: There's snow everywhere. And a thing that Hallmark actually says 118 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: themselves is that a classic Hallmark Christmas movie has to 119 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: have Christmas in every frame, meaning every single shot the 120 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,919 Speaker 1: movie has to have some element of Christmas, like an 121 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: ornament or a tree or a PUCKI like, there has 122 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: to be something visually that indicates its case. 123 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 2: So like there's no Jews. 124 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: In well, now there are Jews. Now They've released like 125 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: a few Hallmark movies that are Honka movies. So the 126 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: match maker was right, Hanka on Rye on Hallmark. But 127 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: that is fairly recent. So again we're just talking about 128 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: the basic formula that has existed for years. We'll talk 129 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: about kind of what's happening now later. But so here's 130 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: this girl. She's in this small town and she meets 131 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: a handsome local man, a kind of modern prince charming, 132 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: and almost always he is also single, but sometimes he 133 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: also has an awful girlfriend who doesn't appreciate how sweet 134 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: and perfect he is. And his job is always something 135 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: like baker. 136 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 2: Or are you living a Hallmark movie? 137 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: I'm kind of living a homework movie. Is a baker 138 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: your Yeah? He really rejects that comparison, because trust I've 139 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: made it. 140 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: Yes, all right, So they're bakers or bakers, or there. 141 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: Are firemen, or they are the owner of the local 142 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: Christmas tree lots. Okay, they're usually small business owners or 143 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: small town kind of charmers. And while she spends time 144 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: with this charming stranger, he reminds her of the simpler 145 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: joys of small town life. So community and warmth and comfort. 146 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: Everything is very soothing in a Hallmark movie. Yeah, like fires, 147 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: fires are always roaring, ice skating is always happening, tons 148 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: of cocoats showering hot co coat like caroling, caroling, there's 149 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: always caroling. So often there's also I just want to say, 150 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: a child involved. Okay, Sometimes the man has a child 151 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: and his wife has passed. They try not to talk 152 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: about divorce a lot, but sometimes he's divorced, and less 153 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: often the woman has a child, and the child is 154 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: always like adorable and precocious, and the way the formula 155 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: works is there's also kind of a formula to the 156 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: story structure. So she gets to the town, she meets 157 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 1: the stranger somewhere, they start to get to know each 158 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: other a little bit better. There's a near kiss about 159 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: three quarters of the way through the movie. 160 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: Okay, you can time it. 161 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, And then eventually there is like a challenge they face, 162 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: or a challenge to their relationship or a misunderstanding that 163 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: briefly pulls them apart, and then they're brought back together 164 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: by the end. And there is one perfect chaste kiss 165 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: at the end of every movie, and that is the happy. 166 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 2: Ending, and that's end. 167 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: That's it, and that's the end. 168 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 2: So wait, tell me some of the ones you've watched 169 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 2: so far this season. 170 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: The thing is, I can't really tell them all apart, 171 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: so like I won't be able to tell you all the. 172 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 3: Name, but I've watched so romantic like what it's a 173 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 3: general plot. 174 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: So yeah, there's really a romance component to all of these. 175 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: But I want to say that the fantasy isn't really 176 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: just about romance. I mean, that's certainly part of it, 177 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: but it's also just kind of an idyllic world where 178 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: everybody loves their family, and everyone's really supportive of each other, 179 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: and everything is incredibly optimistic, like it is a world 180 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: that is very different from the world we live in, 181 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: and so there are these rules that govern this world. 182 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: And some of these rules are explicit. Hallmark executives have 183 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,959 Speaker 1: talked about these rules, and some of them are less 184 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: explicit but clear. If you are a consumer of many 185 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: of these films, which I am, so here are some 186 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: of the rules that I have put together for you. 187 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: So it always has to be too conventionally attractive, very 188 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: classically American, traditionally white main characters. In recent years, there's 189 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: been some diversification and race and sexuality, but that's kind 190 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 1: of the standard setup. And then a lot of the 191 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: stars are not super famous, but they're recognizable from some 192 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: sitcom or teen show you watched as a kid, so 193 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: like Lacey Schever of Party of five fame and Danica 194 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: mckeller from The Wonder Years who played Winnie Cooper. Holly 195 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: Robinson Pete from twenty one Jump Street was the most 196 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: prominent black actress on the network for a long time. 197 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: Now there are others. Even Megan Markle was into Mark 198 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: movies when she was just an actor from suits and 199 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: not married to Prince Harry? 200 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 3: Do these pay a lot of money? Like this is 201 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 3: this like good money for actors? 202 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: Yes, actually a lot of actors compare the Hallmark system 203 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: to the old school studio system because actors can sign 204 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: exclusive contracts with these networks. It just means that there's 205 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: steady work, good pay, decent hours. Like it's the kind 206 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: of thing where if you get into the Hallmark system, 207 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: which is actually not easy to do, then you can 208 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: have steady work every year. And these movies shoot fast, 209 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: so it's a very efficient process. 210 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 2: It's like a journalist doing corporate work on the side 211 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 2: kind of. It's a fun their art. 212 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: The Christmas movies generally get shot in fifteen days. There's 213 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: like minimal takes. It's really efficient and affordable. Yeah, most 214 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: of them are shot in Canada, so they use existing locations. 215 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: They don't have to use sound stages. So there is 216 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: like a whole industry around this that just churns out 217 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: these Christmas movies and it's a year long process because 218 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: they have to all be made and ready to go. 219 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 3: And like, if you're an actor, is this the kind 220 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 3: of thing where you're like, don't put that one on 221 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 3: my website. 222 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: I think actually a lot of these actors get really 223 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: into it. Like there's an annual convention every year called 224 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: Christmas Con, which I wanted to go to for this episode, 225 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: but they rejected me. They said they didn't have room 226 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: for podcasters this year. So I'm just like, very offended. Wow, 227 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: But a lot of the actors from these movies have 228 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: been posting from Christmas Con, Like Jesse Metcalf, who's one 229 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 1: of the male stars who used to be an actor 230 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: on Desperate Housewives. He was posting from there just a 231 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: couple of days ago. Chad Michael Murray from One Tree 232 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: Hill is one of. 233 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 2: The great This is basically a world that I just 234 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 2: had no idea. 235 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: No idea existed, but it is a whole universe. 236 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 2: And Okay, so they're proud. 237 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: So they're proud of it. I mean to dismiss them, no, 238 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm sure there are some people who you 239 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: know wouldn't be but I think you know, if you're 240 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: a working actor and it's been a while since you've 241 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: been cast in something, and you get plugged into the system, 242 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: this is a great way to have regular work. And 243 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: I think they all. 244 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 2: Become a lot of chunky sweaters. 245 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think they've become friends. It's like uplifting content. 246 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 2: Okay, great, so okay, so let's go. 247 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: Back to the role. So the rules are the vibe 248 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: has to always be uplifting and a little magical, like 249 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 1: there's no darkness in this world. The world makes sense here. 250 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: There's no evil, there's no war, there's no bamin. Okay, Yeah, 251 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: it's kind of nice. So very deliberately, there are no politics. 252 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: The former CEO told The New Yorker for an article 253 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: once that the only thing we promote is pet adoption. 254 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: We make no apologies about that. It's very clearly apolitical. 255 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: And I think that's because the accusation was always that 256 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: they were conservative because they came from a religious background. 257 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: But they're actually trying to stay out of politics. And 258 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: I want to mention another thing which I think makes 259 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: them very soothing, which is there's rarely economic hardship of 260 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: any kind. Like yeah, yeah, small towns and small businesses 261 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: aren't doing great in the real world, but in these 262 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: small towns, the small businesses. 263 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 3: Detroit businesses on the street shutter or whatever, everything is viable. 264 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: Sometimes there's like a challenge like business is down or 265 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: Dad wants to retire and sell the business, but that 266 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: challenge is always met and everything is fine by the 267 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: end of the movie. And another thing that's interesting is 268 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: that there are usually some hyjiinks and disagreements, but they 269 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: literally cannot be too angry. When the New Yorker reporter 270 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: who did that article I mentioned was on set, she 271 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: witnessed a scene where the guy seemed really angry and 272 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: the director was like, cut, like you got to take 273 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: it down a notch, like you're too mad. 274 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: They're not like doxing each other on Twitter. 275 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 1: Nobody is doxing each other on Twitter. Nobody is having 276 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: like a crying jag and like throwing things. It is 277 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: a very civilized world, okay, and the relationshi are all 278 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: basically healthy. Sometimes there are mad cap misunderstandings, but at 279 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: the root of this are good people who just love 280 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: each other, families who get along. All the children are 281 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: adored and cherished. Parents are either kind of saints or imperfect, 282 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: but only because they're misunderstood. And it's very important to 283 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: note that there's also very little sex in these rightbe 284 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: like just like chaste kisses near kisses, but there's no 285 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: heat in these movies. It's all very safe. 286 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 2: Do they get a rating? 287 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: No, I mean, if they got a rating, it would 288 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: yeah miss PG. Yeah, but it's I mean, I think 289 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: it would be less than I don't know what less 290 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: than PG is, but it would be done it less 291 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: than PG. And you know, I mentioned the Christmas and 292 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: every frame, and what that means is that there have 293 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 1: to be heartwarming holiday themes all through the movie. Christmas 294 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: tree decorating, cookie baking, coco, Christmas lights, snowball fights like, 295 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: there have to be a million cliches about Christmas kind 296 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: of thrown in, and then ultimately there's always the happy ending. 297 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 2: So why do you like these? 298 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 3: I mean, let's be but this sounds horrible, This sounds 299 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 3: like so corny. 300 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 2: Why do you like this? 301 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: Okay, that's a great question. So first of all, yes, 302 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: it's incredibly corny. And obviously I know you well enough 303 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: to know that you hate corny things, so I knew 304 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: that you would find this hilarious but also disturbing. And 305 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: so I have spent a lot of time thinking about 306 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: it in the last couple of weeks as I've been 307 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: thinking about what we're going to talk about, and I 308 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: think for me, it just represents a certain kind of 309 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: Americana and small town life, which as an immigrant, is 310 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: what I thought America was, like that idealized version of 311 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: America is what you imagine America is when you come 312 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 1: here and your life is nothing like that. You come 313 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: from a world where there certainly is war and politics 314 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: and danger, and your life has just been completely thrown 315 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: into disarray and you're far from your family, like you 316 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: don't have this sweet world, and you imagine that that's 317 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: the world everyone else has. So I think for me 318 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: they represent this kind of comforting idea that there is 319 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: a part of the world that makes sense, right, and 320 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: you know, I. 321 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 3: Feel it makes a lot of sense until you realize 322 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 3: unfortunately it's not like it's not. 323 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 2: But yeah, that makes a lot of sense. 324 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, what you're saying is is that it's a fantasy, 325 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: which of course it is. So now I obviously know that. 326 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 1: I mean I think I always kind of inherently knew that. 327 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: But the reason I think it's kind of important around 328 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: the holiday season is I think that's a time where 329 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: people really feel not having those fantasy family life, Like 330 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: if you're someone who doesn't have a big family or 331 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: doesn't have a family you know, or lost your parent 332 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: or whatever. This is a time where you feel very alone, 333 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: you know, like the holidays can feel really isolating, and 334 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: so I think a lot of people just watch these 335 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: movies as a way to feel the warmth that they're 336 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:29,240 Speaker 1: not getting in their personal lives, right, And I think 337 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: also the formulaic nature is very appealing to me. If 338 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: I'm honest, I don't really have to be watching. It's 339 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: a second screen activity, like I usually just put it on, 340 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: and I know the basic plot points are always essentially 341 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: the same, so I can be doing other things. I 342 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: can be like texting or doing. 343 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 3: I feel like maybe the few times i've I don't know, 344 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,120 Speaker 3: been in other people's houses where they've been played, they're 345 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 3: like they're on in the background, and like you can 346 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 3: go in and out. 347 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: It's kind of like background noise in a way. And 348 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 1: sometimes they're good, like you're like, oh, this is actually 349 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: kind of entertaining me, and so you dial in. But 350 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: for the most part it's just this sid of soothing 351 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 1: Christmas background, Like there's. 352 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 2: Right with like some nice music, yeah. 353 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: Like some Christmas music gets played, some adorable children come 354 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: out in like costumes. You know. It's just like a 355 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 1: kind of nice vibe to have in the background. It 356 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: kind of makes my brain feel smooth like butter. Okay, 357 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: that's how it feels like. I have a lot of anxiety, 358 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: as you know, and so sometimes I just want to 359 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: watch something that just like irons out all the kinks 360 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: in my brain. But I thought, what would be funny 361 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: would be for me to describe to you the plot 362 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: of the most popular Hamewark Christmas movie of all time, 363 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: because it's fairly deranged in ways that I find really amusing. 364 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: This is definitely a movie I've seen more than once. 365 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: I don't know if I've ever seen it like start 366 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,399 Speaker 1: to finish. Because the other thing about Homemwark Christmas movies 367 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: is I have cable, right, which a lot of people 368 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: don't have. But if you have cable, well, one of 369 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: the benefits of it is that you just happen upon them. 370 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: You know. It's like you're just flipping through channels. 371 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 2: And you're like, are they on other channels too? 372 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: No, But they did make a deal this year with Peacock, 373 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: and so now some Hallmark movies are available on Peacock, 374 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: and now lots of other people make Christmas movies. But 375 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: you know, it's kind of one of those things where 376 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 1: if there's nothing else on, I'll just default around Christmas 377 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 1: to Hallmark and just like have it on in the background. 378 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: So this movie, I can't just like wait to tell 379 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: you all about it. So this movie is called Christmas 380 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:36,239 Speaker 1: under Wraps and it stars Candice Cameron Beret, who is 381 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: arguably the Queen of Christmas movies. She has been in 382 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: so many of them. She has starred in four of 383 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: the ten most viewed Christmas movies on Hallmark. Okay, this 384 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: movie debuted in twenty fourteen, and it to this day 385 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 1: holds the record for Hallmark's highest ever broadcast premiere. Like 386 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: it is credited by Hallmark executives as being the breakthrough 387 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,199 Speaker 1: moment for Christmas programming on the channel, and it re 388 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: airs every year. So an important thing to kind of 389 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: understand about the ecosystem is that they make all these 390 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:12,880 Speaker 1: new movies every year, but then they mix in all 391 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: these old movies that you remember, and that's also kind 392 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: of part of the appeal. It's like when people watch 393 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 1: Friends over and over again, like it's kind of familiar 394 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: and soothing to have one of these show up. So 395 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: here's the story of Christmas under Wraps. After a breakup. 396 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: Doctor Lauren Brunel played by Candice Cameron Beret is forced 397 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 1: to move to Alaska for a new job. 398 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 2: Okay, Alaska. 399 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, so she's been passed over for a prestigious fellowship 400 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: in Boston and her boyfriend breaks up with her. 401 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 2: Everything I've worked for my entire life is gone. 402 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: She temporarily accepts an offer to go practice in a 403 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,439 Speaker 1: small town called Garland, Scarland, Alaska. Get it, it's got. 404 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 2: A Christmas theme. 405 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 1: No, the towns are never real. Okay, the towns are 406 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: always like these Evergreen or whatever big names, and this 407 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: job is supposed to be temporary while she waits for 408 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 1: another chance at the Boston fellowship. When she gets to Alaska, 409 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: she meets Andy, who is a handsome local handyman. Welcome 410 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: to Garland, doctrepreneurs. She quickly starts to fall in love 411 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: with Garland, but as Larren becomes more familiar with the town, 412 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: she starts to notice some odd things. Most people in 413 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: this town actually work for. Andy. The adorable handyman she 414 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: met when she arrived, his father, Frank, who owns a 415 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: warehouse business called Holiday Shipping because okay, their last name 416 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:48,159 Speaker 1: is Holiday, and Frank likes to eat cookies for breakfast. 417 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 2: Oh wow. 418 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,400 Speaker 1: And she can't quite figure out what Frank's business exactly 419 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: is beyond shipping, but she starts to get to know 420 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 1: Andy better and it turns out that used to be 421 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: an architect in Seattle, but he moved home because his 422 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: dad really needs help with the family business. 423 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 2: Okay, okay, what is the family business? 424 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 1: Donlanta? 425 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 2: Okay, okay, Christmas wait, just wait. 426 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 1: He confides in Lauren that he's ambivalent about his future, 427 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,919 Speaker 1: and here is the almost kissed moment. And then later 428 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: there's an emergency and Lauren is summoned to the holiday home, 429 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: but when she gets there, she realizes it's not a 430 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: medical emergency that she's been summoned for. But there's a reindeer, 431 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: and the reindeer indeed injured Rudy presumably short for Rudolph, 432 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 1: who is injured. His ankle is injured, and it's a 433 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 1: crisis because they need him to be well for the 434 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: Christmas eve Dot festival. Okay, okay, So still she's like 435 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,120 Speaker 1: things here are strange, but. 436 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 2: She's like, I don't get it, I don't care. 437 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 1: What is happening here? That feels what did it all mean? 438 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: And you know, but she's smart, so she's starting to 439 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 1: become suspicious something strange as a foot. Well she is 440 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: a doctor, right. 441 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,120 Speaker 2: So okay, and so how to fix Rudy's foot? 442 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: She patches up Rudy's ankle. She does, yes, and everyone 443 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 1: is extremely grateful, and then some other things happen. I 444 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: won't get into, but it's important to note that somewhere 445 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 1: in all of this, Andy gets Lauren a Christmas tree 446 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: and they decorate it together. 447 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 2: This is the best Christmas I've ever had. And then 448 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 2: they kiss. 449 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:40,959 Speaker 1: Nope, the kiss doesn't come until the end. It's just 450 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 1: near kisses until the end. I'm sure they bake some 451 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 1: cookies or go ice skating. I don't remember all the 452 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: fun Christmas ectoky, but that's like how there are Romance unfolds. 453 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: And then right after all of that comes the challenge. 454 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: Lauren finds out that a spot has opened up in 455 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: Boston after all, So she tells Andy, ok that she's leaving, 456 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 1: and you know, she can't give up what she's wanted 457 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 1: her whole life, and they're both really sad. And the 458 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: question here is, Jessica, is this going to be the 459 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: first time that a Christmas movie doesn't have a happy ending. 460 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 3: Oh okay, but maybe the happy ending is like getting 461 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 3: her executive shop. 462 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: Okay, you are clearly wrong about that, Like what are 463 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: you even thinking of? The happy ending is never that 464 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,719 Speaker 1: the career girl goes back to her career, right, she 465 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: always discovers that small town life is better than her 466 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: like New York career. 467 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 2: So wow, okay, so what happens? 468 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: So that's so silly, but obviously I'm wrong. There will 469 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 1: be a happy ending. Before Lauren can leave, Andy gets 470 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:44,120 Speaker 1: a call that his father has collapsed, and so they 471 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: rush to be by his side, and Andy is so 472 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,439 Speaker 1: worried about his father's health that he realizes that he 473 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 1: has to help his dad with the business. Again. No 474 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: one is being explicit about what the business is, right, 475 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: but in seeing him and his dad come together, Lauren 476 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: has a real zay of her own. She's decided she's 477 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 1: going to stay in Garland. She turns down the fellowship, 478 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: and she goes to find Andy at the Christmas festival 479 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 1: to tell him, and then they kiss and it is 480 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: a happy ending after all. But one last thing. It 481 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: turns out that Frank is in fact Santa Claus. 482 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:24,399 Speaker 3: Okay, so does that mean she's I guess she's not 483 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:25,679 Speaker 3: gonna be Missus Claus. 484 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 2: Well, she's gonna be a homemaker. 485 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: One day she's gonna be Missus Claus. She's gonna be 486 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: a doctor. And the way we find out that Frank 487 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 1: is in fact Santa Claus is he comes out in 488 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: a full Santa outfit in a sleigh being led by 489 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: Rudy the reindeer, and then it like goes up into 490 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: the air your way, and that's how the movie ends. 491 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 3: Are these like okay, like this is like kitch, Like 492 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 3: this is like ella, wel this is so ridiculous, or 493 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 3: this is like like I don't get it. 494 00:26:59,280 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 2: Where you want to watch? 495 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 1: That's a great question. 496 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 3: Maybe it's just like you're trying to get away from 497 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 3: your family. Well, I mean I think that's some of it, 498 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 3: and this is something to do. 499 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 1: Some of it is like you're just trying to look 500 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: for entertainment anywhere you can find it. I think that 501 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: for a lot of people who watch it, Like for me, 502 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 1: it is kitsch, Like I find it hilarious, Like it's 503 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: unintentionally a comedy for me, right, Like I'm like he's 504 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 1: stay on a clause like that's the story. 505 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, Okay, that's like, it's funny when you tell it. 506 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: Right, But I don't know that that's how it's intended, 507 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: but certainly how I receive it. So I think, like 508 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:32,919 Speaker 1: I would love to hear from people who have different 509 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: reasons why they love these movies. For me, it's always hilarious, 510 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: and the more deranged the storyline, the more I love 511 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:40,119 Speaker 1: it because I'm just like, what's. 512 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 2: Happening, Yeah, that's fun. I could see that. 513 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: You can kind of see that, right, And I think 514 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: there are people who putat like Hallmark Christmas games like 515 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: drinking games, where like when something happens, you know, there's 516 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: a lot of ways to make it fun. But I 517 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: think what's interesting is it. Candice Cameron Beret herself is 518 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:00,439 Speaker 1: like a really interesting part of the Hallmark universe because 519 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: she really is the Queen of Christmas or the Queen 520 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: of Hallmark Christmas. But you know, I don't know how 521 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 1: much you know about her, but she's quite conservative. She's 522 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,879 Speaker 1: an openly conservative celebrity, obviously of which there are not 523 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 1: a ton and she's been creating content for the channel 524 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 1: since two thousand and eight, and her first Hallmark movie 525 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: was called Moonlight and Mistletoe and just FYI, Tom Arnold, 526 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 1: Wasn't it just okay? But in twenty twenty two, she 527 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: announced that she was ending her contract with Hallmark and 528 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: she was going to go to this other channel called 529 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: the Great American Family Channel, which she claimed was more 530 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: in line with her traditional and religious values. And this 531 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: created a controversy because it seemed very much like a 532 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: veiled way of saying. She rejected that there were now 533 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: LGBTQ themes and more diversity in the stories, and this 534 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 1: is what she said at the time, my heart wants 535 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: to tell stories that have more meeting and purpose and 536 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: depth behind them. I know that the people behind Great 537 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: American Family were Christians that loved the Lord and wanted 538 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: to promote faith programming and good family entertainment. 539 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 3: Where they're like some gay uncles in Missletoe and Mischief. 540 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 2: Holiday Missletoe and whatever. 541 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: So they had started to kind of introduce characters that 542 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: were obliquely gay, like they would have two men who 543 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: were friends. They would never explicitly talk about their being gay, 544 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: but you could kind of get a sense. But at 545 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: this point they make movies where there are two leads 546 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: who are gay and who end up together. There has 547 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: been a push towards more diversity and inclusion on the channel, 548 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: and there was kind of this scandal because at some 549 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: point there was an ad on the channel from a 550 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: wedding registry site where two lesbians kissed, and a conservative 551 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: group started to organize a boycott, and initially they pulled 552 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: the commercial, but then there was a boycott of the 553 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: channel from the other side, and competitors like Netflix and 554 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 1: other streamers who now make these movies touted that they 555 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:14,239 Speaker 1: have more LGBTQU diversity. So Hallmark reversed its decision and 556 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: said it would reinstate the advertisements and work with GLAD 557 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: and other LGBTQU groups to have more inclusive programming. All 558 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: of that happened in twenty nineteen, so that was before 559 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: she kind of made the statement that made it clear 560 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: that she wanted more Love of the Lord in her programming. 561 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: And she said this thing which was very coded but clear, 562 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: which is she was like, Hallmark is now a completely 563 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: different network than when I started, thanks to a change 564 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 1: in leadership by Candace. 565 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 2: By Candace yeah. 566 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, honestly, I don't miss her, but this 567 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: was like a big thing in the Hallmark universe. 568 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 3: So I think I I mean, I have no connection 569 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 3: to Hallmark movies whatsoever except for one thing, which is 570 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 3: that my friends that I grew up with Neil bloodsoe 571 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 3: we went to high school together. 572 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 2: He's like a pretty. 573 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 3: Well known Hallmark actor or like this type of still 574 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 3: family versus Hallmark whatever, Like he was on very you know, 575 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 3: he was a successful actor in other realms, and he 576 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 3: started doing Hallmark movies. He starred at one point in 577 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 3: something with Winnie Cooper whose name I forget, but who 578 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 3: you mentioned earlier, Dank and mckeller, Oh yeah, Dank and mckeller. 579 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 2: And then when this all. 580 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 3: Was happening, he took a stand and was like, I'm out. 581 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 3: If you can't support LGBTQ issues, that's not a network 582 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 3: that I want. 583 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 2: To be involved in. 584 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 3: And so there were all these headlines about Neil my 585 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 3: high school dance tolo date. 586 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 2: Being the right kind of ally. 587 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 1: Okay, So I just googled this and you're right, So 588 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 1: this is actually exactly what we're talking about. Neil, I 589 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 1: guess had also gone over to Great American Family. So 590 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: basically Great American Family was started by this guy who 591 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: used to run Hallmark, this guy Bill Abbott, who sort 592 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: of created this concept, and after all of this stuff 593 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 1: happens with the lesbian ad, he abruptly leaves the channel 594 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 1: in February of twenty twenty, and he starts trying to 595 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: recruit the famous actors of Hallmark to come over to 596 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: Great American Family, which he sort of strategically says is 597 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: going to be more traditional, but never explicitly says that 598 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: it's not going to have inclusion or LGBTQ, etc. So 599 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:40,080 Speaker 1: when Candice makes these remarks two years later, it becomes 600 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 1: a controversy, and Neil was, I guess signed on to 601 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,959 Speaker 1: make some films with the Great American Family Channel, and 602 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: he said he would no longer do that, So hopefully 603 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: he's still making Hallmark movies and wants to come on 604 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: and tell us all about that, because I want to 605 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: hear everything about that experience. 606 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I'm curious. I don't know. 607 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. See, now, aren't you more curious about what it's 608 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 1: like to be part of this world? 609 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 2: Kind of? 610 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 1: Not? Really? Well, Neil, I really appreciate you, even if 611 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 1: your friend Jessica from high school can't understand why. 612 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 2: No, I appreciate what he did. I just don't know 613 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 2: that I need to watch the movie anyhow. 614 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 3: Okay, so is there a movie that you're currently watching 615 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 3: right now? 616 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: Oh, I mean, I don't like always even watch a 617 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 1: movie to the end. Sometimes I'll just watch take an 618 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:33,840 Speaker 1: hour of it and finish. Like I'm not like Dvring. 619 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 2: The movie I gotcha. 620 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: I'm not like, in the middle of a movie, I'm 621 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: trying to think if I watched anything last night. I mean, 622 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: I'll just sort of flip through channels and sometimes there'll 623 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: be one that I know. There's another famous canvas Cameron 624 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 1: beret one where she plays twins, like she plays both parts. 625 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: They're sisters that are estranged and they swap lives, and 626 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 1: for some reason, even though that movie is very bad, 627 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: I love it. So whenever that's on, I watch it. 628 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: There's a lot of theme around Royalty, so it'll be 629 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: like small town girl gets asked to be a nanny 630 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:11,760 Speaker 1: in fake European country like Genovia, you know, and she'll 631 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: go there to be the nanny, and she'll fall in 632 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: love with like her charges brother who happens to be 633 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: the prince, you know. Okay, there's a lot of these 634 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: kind of Yeah, I mean, essentially that's what it is. 635 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 1: It's a fairy tale about what life could be like 636 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: in a fantasy. I remember once I actually brought this 637 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 1: up with my therapist, like it was a holiday season 638 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: where I was feeling a little depressed and I was like, 639 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: I just like, why don't I have a family like this? 640 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: And she was like, what are you talking about? 641 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:47,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's deranged, Like these are fantasies. 642 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: Nobody has families like this, Like this is not the 643 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: real world. And yeah, I mean honestly, what I thought 644 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: in that moment is I can't believe I people someone. 645 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:02,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, like, get out of New York City, you careerist. 646 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, do you think that? I take it. 647 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 3: You can take your baker boyfriend with you, because clearly 648 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 3: he belongs in a small town. 649 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 2: Open up your little bagel shop. 650 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: And I just want you to know that I do 651 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: want to move to a small town and open up 652 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 1: a bagel shop. And Mike is like, no, I want 653 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 1: to live in New York, Like why would I want 654 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: to go to some small town. So I don't know, 655 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: he's just like refusing to participate in my fantasy. But okay, 656 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,359 Speaker 1: I guess that's a happy ending of its own, because 657 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure if I ended up in some small town. 658 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:35,800 Speaker 1: I'd be tearing my hair out in like a week. 659 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 2: So or maybe you would love it, maybe I would 660 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 2: love it. 661 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: I think we can leave this episode here. Do you 662 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:43,440 Speaker 1: feel like you know everything you need to know about 663 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: Hallmark movies? Yeah? 664 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 3: I think I know enough, and I will file this 665 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 3: away in my head and I'm still never going to 666 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 3: watch them. 667 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:55,399 Speaker 1: All Right, Well, I feel like my job here is done. 668 00:35:55,400 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 2: Then great work, Happy holidays, Susie. 669 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 3: Just before we wrap this episode up, I wanted to 670 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 3: take a moment to acknowledge some of the ideas that 671 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 3: our listeners have been sending in. So every week we've 672 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,440 Speaker 3: been asking you to tell us what you think we 673 00:36:14,480 --> 00:36:17,879 Speaker 3: should explore, and as we wrap up season one, we're 674 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 3: getting ready to tackle all of these new subjects for 675 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:20,759 Speaker 3: season two. 676 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,799 Speaker 2: And we love some of these ideas that have been 677 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 2: sent in. 678 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, we've had such great response, and I 679 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 1: just want you guys to know we read every email 680 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:33,480 Speaker 1: and every DM and I love all of them. And 681 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:35,319 Speaker 1: I always say that I kind of want to write 682 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,200 Speaker 1: a thank you note, like a handwritten thank you note 683 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 1: to all of you. So if you DM me your address, 684 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: I probably will do that. But yeah, let's go so 685 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 1: over some of these ideas because you know, we have 686 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,759 Speaker 1: great episodes coming up, but hopefully there'll be an opportunity 687 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 1: to incorporate some of these. Yeah. 688 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,040 Speaker 3: One that I am really excited about came from Beth Lipton, 689 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 3: who actually sent it a couple of great ones about 690 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 3: Lilith Fair and the riot girl. 691 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:57,880 Speaker 2: Era of the nineties. I was always so upset I 692 00:36:57,920 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 2: didn't go to Lilith Fair. 693 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 1: I know too. I mean I have seen Indigo Girls 694 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: in concert like five times, so I feel like it's 695 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:06,280 Speaker 1: kind of the closest you're going to get to Lill Affair. 696 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,160 Speaker 1: But I am really sad I missed it. 697 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:11,280 Speaker 3: And there has been a funny TikTok going around recently 698 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,279 Speaker 3: of a young person being like, what there was a 699 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:21,680 Speaker 3: festival that was all women, So I think good fodder 700 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 3: for us. 701 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, and also maybe it will inspire someone to make 702 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: another Lill Affair, like I would totally go to that. 703 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: Now that's sent in another good idea about doing something 704 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 1: around Sandy's transition in Greece, like how she had to 705 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 1: become a bad girl together die And I love that. 706 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:40,879 Speaker 1: There's a great thing in here about something I don't 707 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: know about, but I feel like, I should do a 708 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 1: lot of research on which is Mariah Carey's Glitter Meltdown. 709 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 1: I'm like, I want to know everything about that. 710 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:51,520 Speaker 2: I don't know what that is from Maddy Lambert, Yes, 711 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 2: that's Maddie. We'll look cut up. 712 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:55,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's a good one. 713 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,839 Speaker 3: But all of these are so great and we hope 714 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:01,040 Speaker 3: people and listeners will keep keep sending them because we 715 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 3: really do look into them and maybe we'll pursue them. 716 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 1: So thank you, yeah, thank you so much. We really 717 00:38:07,320 --> 00:38:13,400 Speaker 1: love all of you. This is in Retrospect. Thanks for listening. 718 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,480 Speaker 1: Is there a cultural moment you can't stop thinking about 719 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:19,840 Speaker 1: and want us to explore in a future episode. Email 720 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:23,279 Speaker 1: us at Inretropod at gmail dot com, or find us 721 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 1: on Instagram at in retropod. 722 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 3: If you love this podcast, please rate and review us 723 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:31,000 Speaker 3: on Apple or Spotify or wherever you listen. If you 724 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 3: hate it, you can post nasty comments on our Instagram, 725 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 3: which we may or may not delete. 726 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:38,160 Speaker 1: You can also find us on Instagram at Jessica Bennett 727 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:42,240 Speaker 1: and at suzb NYC. Also check out Jessica's books Feminist 728 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:44,120 Speaker 1: Fight Club and This Is eighteen. 729 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 3: In Retrospect is a production of iHeart Podcasts and the Media. 730 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:51,839 Speaker 3: Lauren Hanson is our supervising producer. Derek Clements is our 731 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 3: engineer and sound designer. Sharon Attiya is our researcher and 732 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:56,480 Speaker 3: associate producer. 733 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 1: Our executive producer from the media is Cindy Levy. Our 734 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:03,759 Speaker 1: executive producers from iHeart are Anna Stump and Katrina Norvelle. 735 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 1: Our artwork is from Pentagram, additional editing help from Mary 736 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: Doo and Mike Coscarelli. Sound correction and mastering by Amanda 737 00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:15,319 Speaker 1: Rose Smith. We are your hosts Susie Banacarum. 738 00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:18,839 Speaker 2: And Jessica Bennett. We're also executive producers. For even more, 739 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,400 Speaker 2: check out in retropod dot com. See you next week.