Bad Dates with Jameela Jamil - Sharing Culture (w/ Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers)

Episode Date: July 13, 2026

This week Joel Kim Booster gets his two Las Culturistas sisters on the mic to talk about the pop culture you share with someone new. Joel makes it comfortable for Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers to get honest about the shows, movies, and games that double as relationship litmus tests — Fire Island as a first-date screener, decade-long TV trade, and the eternal Mad Men blind spot. Produced by Brian Baldinger and Anne Harris. Associate Producers are Maddie McCann and Katherine Calligori. Editor is Jacob Vaus. Executive Producers are Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Robert Cohen, Richard Korson and Bernie Kaminski. Subscribe to SmartLess Media on YouTube for full episodes, and follow @intimacycoordinatorshow on Instagram and TikTok for clips. Joel Kim Booster: @ihatejoelkim · Loot Season 3 (Apple TV+), Fire Island (Hulu), Psychosexual (Netflix) Bowen Yang: @fayedunaway · Wicked: For Good; Titanique; Las Culturistas podcast Matt Rogers: @mattrogerstho · Las Culturistas podcast; Have You Heard of Christmas?; Palm Royale Season 2 Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Bad Dates ad-free. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to another edition of Intivisci Coordinator. I'm your host, Joel Kimbooster, as always. And here, if you're just tuning into the podcast for the very first time, this podcast is about all things. Yes, you guessed it. Intimate. Sex, love, dating, relationships, etc., etc. And today is a very special episode because, guys, this is why I got into the game.

This is actually kind of why we changed the conceit of the podcast, is so that I could do episodes like this with two of my sisters. to people that I look up to in the podcasting space, and only the podcasting space, actually. And you'll be so pleased to hear that today's guests are Bowen, Yang, and Matt Rogers from the Lost Cultureistas podcast, etc. Before we dive into, you know, the intimacy of the titular intimacy coordinator podcast. Well, you're the titular coordinator.

I am the titular coordinator. The chiller. Let's take a second to touch down. And I just really want to quickly shout out. We just saw Chicago. We're 12 hours from seeing Chicago on Broadway. I have no idea when this. Fresh out the slammer.

Fresh out the slammer. Culture. We really did it. We really did culture. We for sure did. And so did Mateo. So did Mateo. Mateo did a great cultural turn as Billy Flynn in the show.

And you know what? I just realized he has a new, gorgeous connection to Liza because he has sung Cander and Ebb on a stage. That's true. With a famous. Liza, Krista Rodriguez. Christopher Rodriguez, who was also fabulous. Yeah, everybody was great.

And we should say we saw the first Asian Velma. Yes. That's true. She was phenomenal. She was. She could now get into those splits. Yeah. So today's piece of foreplay is, and this is a good one,

is because we're talking about pop culture in regards to relationships and dating today. And so this is a fun one. It is what is the piece of media that is like so important to you, the first thing you share with a new love or relationship? This is such a great question. And I think what's interesting about it and what I want to ask is there's an implicit thing of like, oh, so this is a piece of media that we can assume not everyone has seen. It's very, not niche, but like special to you. Maybe not everyone. You have an excitement about introducing this to people.

I don't necessarily think that's necessary for the question. because I think that there is like if it's just I think it's just about the importance to you like and it's not only like you your need to share it but also that it's important that they like it's interesting yeah yeah okay so I have an answer that it feels like it's pandering but it's it's really not it's just the truth okay so I started dating Fraser and one of the things that you ask each other is like what do you do etc and he hadn't seen like almost anything I ever been in. Which is hot. So the first thing we watched together was Fire Island. Oh. And he had never seen it. And he was very charmed by it, et cetera.

But I will say that is a good one because so many things in it are relevant to gay relationships and dating. So in a way, it kind of ended up having us talk about so many other things. Like he had never been to Fire Island and, you know, doesn't really have that kind of of proximity to those types of gay vacations. It's just not what he did. So it ended up being a real conversation starter, but it was not, that was not the intent.

The intent was just like, I want to watch something that you've done, and that was what I chose to show him because it felt relevant. So that's my answer, but I will say historically, historically, just to float us away from this, Mad Men is something I watch

with almost every single person I ended up doing. Pick an episode. Like, what's an episode that you would want, like, Fraser to watch? Okay, so... This is for me, too, because I've never seen it. Joel, it is so for you in a crazy way. I wouldn't just pick an episode I'd watch from the video. You just watch from the beginning, but it is so for you in a crazy way.

Yeah. Really? Yes. Because you can kind of tell, like, I don't know, it's just such an engaging, like, smart show and its dynamics are so well studied that I just... I never get tired of watching it again. So it's that thing where it's like, I can be. bear watching this again and I get something new out of it and

you feel like you're doing something enriching and you're eating your vegetables it's but every episode is a short film it's like you're eating your vegetables it's an amazing way to put it at that moment in time it was like Breaking Bad Men Um like this Girls Girls definitely Girls definitely Girls is

Oh you we did I made John Michael watch that and I will say Girls is um so much easier to watch uh because in an era where Lena, fairly or unfairly, is not the main character on Twitter every week that the episode comes out.

Oh, it would really define to cloud experience. Like, having distance from the discourse around the show, you're really able to approach it a little bit more objectively and not have all these layers of like her

and like the reaction to the show. And it is one of the best comedies of the 21st century. And people competing online to have a reaction that's going to be the most viral. Also, girls satisfies both of these things where it sort of does get across an experience that we all had, which is like, you know, it's that nostalgia thing,

which it is now of being in like Obama Corps Greenpoint. You know what I mean? And, and feels like smart, prestige, character study, TV. Well, because a lot of it was a response to, I think, like, it is, unfortunately, like, whether you want to believe it or not, it is a distillation. It is like millennial culture, like, like, in a show. Like, it covers so many of the different angles of it because it was a response to, I think, a lot of the, like, avocado toast and, like, you know, the things that were being put on us as millennials. Yes. And then it was, like, us, someone finally sort of from our point of view, like, responding

to a lot of that. And hipster culture. And hipster culture. And, like, startup culture. It was like Charlie. It covers a lot of. All those things. Yeah.

Debt culture. I mean, like, that was, if you really think back on it, like, it was even more oppression than we knew about, like, just how broke everyone was. Yeah, yeah. And just how fed up the generation of our parents we're going to be with like, um, being a part of that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I think that that the parent, the parental storylines in that show.

It's the first scene. It's the first scene of the whole. Literally. Yeah. But then, like, when they pick them up later, just like, like, like, the way that they study her parents in their phase of their life is also really. Yeah. First scene is her stuffing her mouth saying, I'm a growing girl.

She, you're eating it like they're going to take it away from you. And then the last scene is, the baby loud right yeah it's funny because i have a friend who um turned it off when she stole the money from the housekeeping oh yeah yeah and because he was like i hate this person yes and and and i think so many people yeah so many people i think misunderstood the fact that you were not supposed to like these people and i and it's a feature not a bug she's not the voice of her generation she's not the voice of a generation exactly and but by not being she sort of did actually yeah comment by the end anyways Bowen, what is your answer to this?

Okay, I'm gonna, these are all, I mean, I share a lot of this with my sister. Sisters, I'm gonna say film. Okay, my like, gross, like, letterboxy answer is gonna be like, perfect blue or like an in the mood for love situation. But then I want it, I want to balance it with, but then equally as important as like Josing the Pussy Cats and Charlie's Angels. Yeah, those ones first. Those ones first for sure. And then, okay, and then I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna,

throw in video games in there? Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's actually a great thing where you don't have to sit next to them and watch them play because it's on your own time, play this. That's very true of John Michael. He's like, you got to play portal. You have to play Bioshock. You have to play Mass Effect.

Like when I was dating, I played through all of Mass Effect because it's like one of his favorite games. All three? All three, yeah. Wow, I still have yet to embark on that project. And I've been meaning to, but it's just, I'm like, oh. You can skip number one. That's what I hear, but two.

Like, I have two loaded, but I'm like, aren't I missing something? Not really. No, no, no. But what is yours? Kingdom Hearts? Okay, no. I would never make anyone do that. That's an unintelligible story. I love those games. It is not meant to be understood, which makes it really tough to recommend. I love those games. Make no mistake. But I will say, Final Fantasy 10, Persona 5.

And I think one of the most beautiful endings to any video game is Tears of the Kingdom, Zelda. But then, and then for books, I want to do. recently finished this and I can't stop thinking about is The Lath of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin. You're in Ursula. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Have you read it? No, I haven't read that. You'll read it in like two days. It is this really scary sci-fi novel that ends up being a gorgeous love story in the end and you're like, holy shit, this is one of the best most romantic endings of anything

I've ever experienced. Those are really good endings. Any TV? TV, I mean, girls, Madman. No, Joel, it's so crazy. You haven't seen Madman. I was going to say earlier. Especially as a former playwrights.

It was an era of like this show is for boys. Understood. You know? It's about the women. And I've heard this sense. And actually Sam J has the best joke about it, which is I didn't understand why white men were so mad. And then I watched madmen. And I was like, oh, we took everything from you.

You used to be able to do all this. And now you can't. And I see why you're mad. Whoa. That's so funny. Yeah. Shout out to Sam J. One of the best show.

Oh, TV, I'll throw in there the Code Black episode of Grey's Anatomy. Oh, God, yes. It's very fair. I'm also now thinking, like, in terms of media, you know, one of my love languages and something that I do to almost, well, both of you certainly,

but I will take people to a theme park. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, that's big time for me. That's a big time love language for me. Is we go take a mushroom and have a goofy time at a stupid place. And that is the thing, and the beautiful thing about that

is it's like such you're doing such a it's an active service that you're doing too at the same time I don't like going to theme parks without you no I know everyone says because it's like once you've gone once with you it's just like it's so hard to like even know where to begin um and you know I haven't been to Orlando yet listen before we're 40 I want to go to Berghine and Orlando oh my God on the same trip you what's crazy is you'll be more exhausted after Orlando And I promise you this. I'll have wilder sex. Literally, the Orlando Gays are some of the horniest people in the world.

Do you know this? Rich Giusebiak wrote back in 2012, wrote a whole piece on Gawker about how he was on Grindr in the early days of Grindr at cruising at Disney World. Oh, yeah. And it's fabulous. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was like a really eye-opening sort of like,

I was like, thank God for you. Wait. Was it you guys that I was with where somebody in the Frozen cast like hit one of us up on Grindr and was like, I can get you into Frozen? You know what? Maybe. And the Frozen theme park show is not a hot ticket at this point. Stop.

Well, when we went, were you with me when we left after Let It Go? I was there. I was there. I was there. That was the same time. Oh, we were into Disneyland? That was the same. But you know what?

Also, I think the show in the Disneyland version of Frozen, I think it ends after let it go. Like, the story is just like, Elsa admitted to the castle. She embanded everyone. She decides to slay and it's over. That's kind of queer. I love that. I do love that. That's a good one.

Okay, those are mine. What are your turn? Well, the first thing I felt it very important to show JM was my best friend's wedding. Oh. One of my all-time favorite movies, the best rom-com of all time. Yep. I think, like, a trick you could not pull off in today's media landscape is taking the most beloved actress of all time and making her the villain of the movie. You could do it with Jennifer Lawrence.

I decided this. And Zendaya? Zendaya maybe. Jennifer Lawrence, I don't think is as beloved as Julia Roberts was. I don't know if anyone is as beloved. I was thinking about this universally beloved in that way. The reason why I think Jennifer Lawrence has not returned to the Oscar stage is not because they're not dying to have her there.

And I also think like she still is like incredibly popular. I think the stuff that she chooses is often a touch too challenging for people to to truly embrace wholeheartedly. Like, think about what she's done recently. It's like, Die My Love, which her performance is so fantastic in. But how can you wrap your head around the film? It's a rough watch, yeah. It's hard.

And not even that, it's not good. Well, famously, mother. Mother. And that's not even it. Like, there's been other ones. Well, and even some of her comedies, like, no hard feelings. No hard feelings. I love no hard feelings.

I think one of the, like, it was like a moment of like, oh, finally comedies are. funny again. Yep. But like it is a very challenging conceit for a lot of people to get on board. Right.

But she's not very likable. No. You know who I do think we could do this with? Because I think in a lot of ways is the closest thing to Julia Roberts that we have in the current landscape is Emma.

Emishstone? Emma. I was going to say her as well. Emma Stone, I think, is like pretty universally beloved by most people. Hasn't really done a big villain turn. Curella. Oh, right.

I think on the Julie Roberts thing Aaron Brockovich is one that I must add to Oh yeah God it's just the best movie of all that One of the most quotable I mean she has some of her most quotable ones That's all you got lady Two wrong feet and fucking ugly shoes

Vocal stim is always Really quite tired So she's so funny And also wait I thought you were gonna do Because Loen loves well you that But also When she's in her

And just in the script know that she made this work. In the script, it's like she's in her kitchen, she's got the neckwress. There's like shit everywhere garbage, and a cockroach goes by, and she goes, Who lives like this? Who lives like this?

And she was like, you know, that on set she was like, I think this is implicit. In the situation, they were like, you have to say it. The audience has to know, you are miserable, and she made Who Lives Like This work.

Julia! Also, also, I'm not talking. Also, I'm not talking to you, bitch. Just so, the fervor she came at Conchata with. I'm not talking to you, bitch. Excuse me! Get out of my face! Conchata Farrell.

We miss Conchata. We miss Conchata. The two television shows that I made him watch in succession, and we sort of traded off shows that we showed each other. But Gilmore Girls, we had to watch all the way through the sixth season. we did not watch the movies or the seventh season. Right. And The Good Wife, which I don't even know if you guys have gotten out of order. Both blind spots for me.

Blind spots for us. I'll watch Mad Men. You guys have to watch The Good Wife because it is the last great network drama. Can I tell you why that's not a fair trade? So many episodes. There's about a hundred more episodes of the Good Wife. But also, they go down real easy. A lovely full circle moment because he knew how important Gilmore Girls was for me.

He knew how much I was influenced. My writing style was influenced by Gilmore Girls. Like, I remember I turned. in one of the early drafts of Fire Island and they're like this is too long and I was like no no no it's we're all talking at Gilmore Girls speed. No everyone's going to do it at Lauren Gramspeed exactly and they were like what? And it literally is like the you know

the standard is like every page is a minute but like our movie is a hundred and forty seven minutes and I believe the or no sorry an hour and 47 so that would be a hundred and seven minutes and the the script is like 133 pages. Is it really? We're all Alex Boresteen. Yeah. We're all but but but but. But

But when I was nominated for an Emmy that year and win to the Emmys, and I think you guys will understand this is that it's this weird thing in Hollywood where once you're there, it's like not cool to care. It's like you're there and you're like, yeah, of course I'm here. This is just like what you're supposed to happen. Like this is my job. It's just a job. It's just work. And I was so grateful to have Jayam there with me because he stopped me at one point and he was like, hey, you've wanted this your entire life. Yeah.

Like stop trying to be cool. That's Padma Lakshmi over there. watch her on TV. Yeah. Like, can you, like, just,

like, like, settle into this. And we sat behind the Sherman Palladinos. Oh, that's cool. And it was the meme

because she did have a hat. Yes. But he, like, I don't even remember how we started talking at one point. And he had seen Gilmore Girls at this point. He had seen Gilmore Girls at this point.

And he, like, got her attention and was like, hey, um, he'd never tell you this. But Gilmore Girls is, like,

one of the most important pieces of media that, like, influence his writing. And she was like, oh, like what are you here for? And she was like, he was like, oh, Fire Island. And then like, the rest of the image, she was like, this is when you go to the bathroom. Like, go to go now.

Like, this is great. And then like, a couple months later, they sent me an email and they were like, we watched your movie. We were so honored that you would say you were influenced by us. Oh, how nice. I know. It was crazy. And I was like, and so like moments like that. Like, yeah, it is like so nice to have a someone who I highly recommend not dating someone in this industry. Yeah. And that reason alone. I'm gonna Well, there's other reasons.

Well, yeah, yeah. Here's the opposite question for this question is what are some pop culture red flags? Like what is something that someone can like that would immediately set off alarm bells or like turn you off? That's really interesting.

Not that we're too discerning. No, no. But I'll start because this is my answer for it. It's actually not something that they like. If someone is too anti-housewives. Yeah. Or if they're, you don't have to like housewives.

No. Because certainly J.M. does not like housewives. Although he is now invested in Liz and Alicia and Joe Allen, et cetera, in a way that is so funny. But he was never like, if you like housewives, you're dumb. You know, like people like that, I think are, like, that's a really big, turn off for me is I guess reality TV in general if your your opinion

at this point in our the year of our Lord, 26 and your opinion about reality TV is that it's brain rot and it's all bad and that there's no redeeming intellectual stim that you can get from them. I think that's a really bad sign for how

we're going to gel. Sure. But on that note and this is this is specific I'm going to go I'm going to pick from the reality television bushel but I was trying and I was even trying to get mad to like get into it because I was just like you know had a moment with it and I realized since it was such a crazy stupor if you are so deep on the 90 day fiance world I go I thought I thought about answering this that way too because I think it's honestly for me

and this is a this is a personal thing and I know I just like went road hard for bravo it's different It's different. The TLC reality shows, I find to be a little bit more. Like, Bravo is like taking advantage of these rich entitled women, sure. Like, but TLC is taking advantage of two 600-pound sisters. It's a little bit more exploitative. That's like, it feels a little different to me when they're like, it's like, yeah, I don't know. Yes.

And the thing that really sealed the deal for me was I was, watching like worst X ever or something on Netflix. And one of them in this current season or whatever, like in this batch of episodes that came out a few months ago, was about this guy. And I was like, he looks so familiar. And he like, whatever, has like beaten multiple women. Oh, geez.

Just a terrible person who should not be on television or whatever, should not be like given this kind of platform or whatever. But I was like, oh, and then like halfway through the episode, you find out he was on 90 day. fiancee. And during the filming, he was already, he already had like all of these battery and all of these, like assault charges on him. And even during, even during production of 90-day fiancé, they were like, yeah, sure,

put him on TV. And I'm like, that's where, like, it's too icky. It's like a slippery slope to be like, I love Bravo, but like TLC is bad. But I will say that like 90-day fiance, especially, it's like deeply sad. people that are clearly being taken advantage of that you are like stepping back and saying let's like document all of this yeah because it's like yeah it just it feels different because it is again like the women on bravo are coming from a position of power and privilege yeah and so it is like a little it goes down a little easier to be like laughing at them or with them sometimes right you know

because it's like i'm still it still feels like punching up a lot of the time 100% um now we could get into the misogy of it. it, but we won't. Yeah. And, um, but like TLC, it's like, it's like a lot of people that are like not doing well. Yes. I feel. And yeah.

And I, so it's not a red flag. It's just something that I go, well, let's examine like why you love this. And I, but not that, but I haven't really come across that many queer people who are obsessed with 90 day fiance. It seems like it's more, it's like over there. And like over here, it's like, oh, we don't, we, none of us watch, you know. like it's like I don't think that many queer people watch The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. Oh, I think I think at this point like being identifying as a Bachelor nation would make me feel like especially because I think they're airing this Taylor Frankie Paul.

I think they are tough. I think they were whatever. And again, it's a funny way I'm feeling about this question because like I guess my answer is like if something is just bad. But then like I don't have empirically good taste. And also it's funny, like, one of my only red flags would have been like, well, they can't be on a reality show. And listeners and Home Frazier is famously on Below Deck, a Bravo property. What is your experience with me dating someone on a show you watch and have watched? Oh, I will say that when we heard about this, JM and I, because Jay, uh, Below Deck.

I texted you first. Yes, Below Deck is one of the ones that J.M really likes a lot because he likes when they have jobs. because he can tell who's good and bad at their job. And he really likes to judge based on that. And he was thrilled when he found out you were dating Fraser because he has always watched that show and been like, that guy is really good at his job. He is very good at his job.

And like, he's very competent. And like, he was like, that's exactly what Matt needs. It's so incompetent. You know, he doesn't watch any Bravo either. He's just like kind of knows people from like Bravo events, but he doesn't watch any of it. And so sometimes I'll be like watching Bravo and the Housewives will be on. He'll be like, oh, what is this?

And I'll be like the network that you're on. Yeah, yeah. Like this is, this is like the whole thing. But it is funny. Did you have one? Well, you know, I guess like the Taylor Sheridan universe. Sure. If you were like someone who was like up to date on all of it, I'd be like.

I actually was just, I did an Atlantis resort with Brad Locally. Recession Indicator. but Brad was telling me that there are there's some like not not Yellowstone or wasn't Yellowstone I think it was Yellowstone there's like really fun like Slay Camp like

female centric moments Allie Larner is like apparently killing Landman yeah yeah yeah and we just met her she looks better than ever unbelievable and I got in her DMs after she she is looking incredible shout out to obsess

oh i mean trust me if i had more of a moment with her i've been like you don't get the credit for how much iconography you have provided heroes hello between heroes final destination obsessed legally blonde like

oh my god yeah that's like all you need is a couple and she's got four she's the adina manzel she really did like 2005 to 2015 it was her decade like in a lot of ways. Yeah. I think we're witnessing a new one

for her. Well she's just like fully booked and busy like award worthy performance on Landman is what is being said to me. I don't watch it. So maybe it's unfair for me

to say the Taylor Sheridan universe. I'm Sheridan curious. There's like he was describing some really outrageous scenes that I would like to see an actress perform. Isn't Helen Mary? Yes, she's in one of them now too.

Is that 1923? It's the prequel, yeah, yeah, yeah. And apparently... I think there's prequels on prequels, because the Faith Hillton McGraw one is like 1886. Whoa. Yeah, that's how they do it. We're just going back and back and back and back. It's like their Pokemon yellow, blue, red, green, silver.

Okay. And in what way? Well. Has a partner... What has a partner ever introduced to you that was new to you, if anything? Oh, this is interesting. Um, I recently, uh, someone, someone I'm seeing showed me is, is a true crime, watches all of it.

Oh, wow. Watches, and watches all of everything, really. It's, I'm quite impressed. But she put me on to death cap the mushroom murders. Have you seen this? Wait, is this the mushrooms are poisoned and, yeah. This was the, the woman in Australia who fed her in-laws and two of their friends, beef Wellington, where she put.

like death cap mushrooms in them to kill them and then she basically like goes about all these different like it's a I was it's quite a made it's on Netflix internationally I tried to find it it is only on prime in the state got it but I highly it was my like pride come down recover well it was my pride recovery so yeah yeah I was like I'm having a fabulous time um wait did you guys read this article recently that there's a there's a new strain of of psychedelic mushroom that everyone has the same hallucination who takes them. What?

And the hallucination is they see little tiny guys running around, getting in their cups, like, eating their food, like on their, like climbing up their body.

Small men? Little tiny guys. How long does it last? I don't know how long it lasts, but I am dying to try it. No way. Let's write the movie. I am dying to try it.

It's called a Lilliputian mushroom. Lipput. Yeah. Because of Gulliver's travels. And it's, It is, I'll send you the article. It is crazy. I thought it was fake because I was like, there's just no way.

But it's real. And how, wait, how did this, how did that come across your desk? I was somebody in Provincetown showed me the article. Wow, that's insane. Yeah, it's pretty nuts. True crime. Yeah, yeah, but death, I think y'all would like it. She, she basically, like, there's footage of her dumping a dehydrator into, they call the tip, like the, like the landfill.

She, like, dehydrated these mushrooms, crumbled them, like, put them in the beef wellington. It's just... See, I start... Well, she tries to kill four of them. One of them goes into a coma, survives, comes out, and then, like, unravels the whole story, her whole alibi. Oh, my God. It's incredible. Adaptation.

Adaptation. She was an air traffic controller. She gets... Stirty people. She gets fired because she... She was going on a bike trip around the entire perimeter of Australia. but then it ends up being a ruse where she ends up kind of like

locking down this guy, they get married, he leaves her, she poisons him over the course of many years with various toxins, and she is terrible. She's just terrible. Anyway, it's great. I struggle with true crime that's murder-based. I will be honest,

I do, but I do love a cult and I love, like one of my favorite recent ones was the catfish mom. who was terrorizing her own daughter. Oh, the one that Lisa Rina was in the Lifetime movie. Yes,

yes, yes. Um, that one. And then... It was the crazy. Have you seen that Lifetime movie? I've seen clips.

I haven't seen like the full thing. I actually watched it linear when it aired. I was like, I am so sad for this. And it was as insane as you think. It's just Lisa Rina with a bullied daughter. You find out it's Lisa Rina doing the bullying. She's like,

I am going to protect you from whoever this is. And the girl goes in her room and sits down. And Lisa Rina just no expression on her face, just, goes over to a computer that she has like a hidden computer and just starts typing horrible and nasty mean rumors about her daughter so that she can have control over her daughter's life. She's like, Mom, they said I'm fat today. That is crazy. You are not.

Come here. We need to give Renna like every view. She is one of our greatest performers. She really is. I will say the Catfish Mom documentary is very strange because you kind of go into it knowing the premise. And yet, the mom, the whole first half of the documentary, they're doing talking heads with all the parents. And she's like, yeah, and it was crazy. Like, we didn't know.

And, like, you know, we thought it was this person and, like, all this stuff. As though she wasn't the culprit. It's like mental illness to the max. Oh, I have to see that. Any cult I'm into, there was a recent, any basically low, relatively low stakes, like, not life and death. because like, like, there's the one on HBO about the guy, the cremation guy, who was just putting a bunch of bodies in the cremation thing. And for me, I was like, okay, well, who cares?

Like, you know? Lashes to ashes. It's just like, yeah, they're all just ashes. Who cares if it, like, there's a couple other people in there, you know? Like, I don't, it just didn't bother me. Right. But yeah, those are the ones that I really like. Wait, and this whole, this whole premise of media to show,

your loved ones is basically gay guy music video night but romantic Absolutely Really nice Yeah I'm trying to think like who's shown me I guess Henry like expanded My mind a little bit

In terms of musicians and stuff like that Dared and I like all Like all the same things It was just reimbled Yeah it was a hat on a hat situation And then I'll make that like Peep show

I don't know He does love He does love He you know what he loves Mindy Project. Oh. It's his favorite show. And we watched a bunch of episodes of it.

And like at the time, I didn't watch it. But we had Mindy on the podcast. And Fraser came because that's his number one favorite person is Mindy Kaling. He loves Mindy Kaling. Those are great out. And her, I don't think so, honey. It was actually, of the many celebs, like actual real celebs you've had on who've done real, I don't think so, honey is hers I felt was really in line with the spirit.

Well, she's a real comedian. The early. Yeah. That's like the thing is it's like when someone. becomes a real celebrity, you sometimes forget, like, oh, right, but they're like a real comedian. Like, everyone out there, like, Iowa is a real comedian.

Like, these people are legit, you know, born on the fires, like, can do this. J.M. really turned me on to British panel shows and Taskmaster. Like, our favorite show. And I still have yet to do Taskmaster. Taskmaster is so fun.

Do this. Start with the Jason Manzuka season. It's really good. And you can start anywhere you want, actually. But what I lie to you is like our collective favorite show. We watch probably that every day, some version of it, because it's been on for 21 seasons. And it's all on YouTube. It's the funniest shit. Like there's also like only connect count down to eight out of ten cats.

Like I am so well versed in all of every British comedian who it's fun because I actually have worked with a lot of them when I go over there. and do like the Melbourne Comedy Festival. I've met through that, many of them. And they're now the biggest celebrities to me. Like, Ashling B is like the biggest A-lister to me in my mind at this point because I've seen so much her work. How did J.M. get plugged into British TV?

YouTube. And this is the other thing. I think it's a generational thing. Is he, when we started dating, he used YouTube in a much more active way than I think I did. I used YouTube with that I wanted to look up a specific thing. He was really like, like, watching all of the video essays on like some esoteric, like, historical thing or like letting the algorithm like push stuff into his feed and stuff like that. Like, because I think it's like a slightly younger person thing that they engaged with.

Because like it was just very utilitarian for me. It was like a drag race lip sync that I want to show, a music video I want to show or something like that. I wasn't watching it beyond like smaller clips. I wasn't certainly watching like long form stuff. Also, kunk is something that he introduced me to. Cunk on Earth. Oh, Kunk on Earth, of course. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

One of the funniest. Also, something you should watch that's on Prime is, um, um, what's the, something about, it's the, the show where it's, um, over the course of eight hours, all these comedians in a room and no one can laugh. No one can laugh. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Last one laughing.

Last one laughing. Yeah. People love that. That reminds me of those TikTok said that, like, group of girls who are like, always they fill each other's mouse with water and then they're saying a joke. It's the little one who's like

I wanted to join the military but then they said that they would use me as a missile and then the women are like and then the little one just goes and they go like they just like it's so funny they're my favorite TikTok girlies. We have a piece of listener

we have a listener voicemail asking for some help Play the voicemail, please. Hi, Joe Kimbooster. I'm your fan, Clarence Pryor, from YouTube's Clarence and His House. I'm a fan of your rom-com Fire Island. I'm going to watch it this weekend for Pride Month. I got advice.

Is it possible for a gay man, like myself, with autism, to ever be in love? Because sometimes I feel like I'm out of struggle. but do you have any advice for that to help me get the confidence I need to ever be in love with a gay guy who likes me for who I am despite my loss? Wow.

Hi, Clarence. We love you, Clarence is so sweet. We know Clarence and we love you, Clarence, because you ride hard for Fire Island and don't think I don't notice. We all know. We all know. Probably the movie's number one fan,

and I appreciate it every time I see you. So supportive, we love you, Clarence. You carry the left. I love you. I mean, the short answer is absolutely. 100% it's possible. And I don't, and I, unfortunately, I don't want this to sound like condescending or like I'm trying to tell him about something he's probably already hyper aware of, but watch love on

the spectrum. Like, it is that. And like that is, those are examples of pure love. Yeah. And just like those relationships, I mean, the beautiful thing about that show is like some things, some of, some of those relationships have lasted. Some of them have been so heartbreaking to the public where we go, oh, my goodness, like, we thought those two people would be. But which just makes it a normal thing.

Yeah, it really does sort of, it makes you realize that we're all very similar when it comes to the issue of love and romance and relationships. Is that like, no matter what you're, where you fall in terms of neurodivergence, we all have the same, a similar desire to be, loved and to love. And I think that like, it's entirely possible, just as possible as for the three of us, for someone who is on the spectrum to find love. And like, I think it's about, and I think this is what I would say to you, Clarence, is that just don't waste time on people who don't fuck with you. Like, honestly, I think that's like what, it took me a long time to figure that out,

which is that, like, do not waste. energy on people who are not giving it back. Yeah. That is a big one. Don't pour energy into people who are not reciprocating it. That's great advice. I think if you want to think of it as not chasing romance, but to invite it in, you invite romance.

That's ultimately what a flirt is. I think if you open up the windows of your home, if you ventilate it with love to draft inwards, I think. that is a really interesting mode to try out if you want to Clarence. And I would say too, like, there are influencers and there are people who are on the spectrum who I think are talking about this. Yeah. And I think like it's very sweet of you to come to us with this question and I hope that any of what we just said is helpful to you. But I think like seeking out people who have the same POV and who are approaching things, who are sort of

experiencing the world the same way you experience the world, I think they're going to have better answers for you than I think the three of us will. And Clarence is a very gregarious person and a very spirited person and someone would be so lucky, Clarence. Yes, absolutely. Clarence, I think you are a sweet, kind,

great person who will absolutely attract something similar in your life. As you get older to it, I think it gets a little bit like you know, you start to put like an emphasis and a focus on the romance and sex aspect of it. And just think of it all as just like you're connecting with other people and human beings and let those feelings come. Yeah. You know, instead of trying, instead of aiming, you know. And it's the thing that we always say. And it's, again, this piece of advice is so easy to say.

It is so hard to follow. Yeah. But you have to be come to a place where you are good on your own, where you are happy with who you are. Yep. And like, and then it will follow after that because I know that like we've all done that work a lot on our own to like be secure and happy without needing something else.

Yeah, people in relationships are not necessarily happier. No, no, no, no. I mean, like it's just it's just the truth. Yeah. But I just, gosh, it's really wonderful. You know what? Oh my gosh. You know what I thought recently was, oh, every Pride Week, we're recording this, you know, close-ish to Pride in New York, Pride Week.

And I'm like, oh, every Pride Week, I've gotten just some great, like, theater experiences. You and I went to Fun Home that one year. We saw Jellicle Ball. I saw Can I Be Frank with Morgan Bassicus? That was incredible. I burst into tears. I, but then it, whatever, this is all just me on the way to send. that like I remember a time when the three of us and especially Joel and I when we thought our

experience was so specific as Asian men we're like oh god it's just so hard everything's so stacked against us in all these different ways um and I think there was like validity to that feeling but also like you're married to like this incredible person who is able to give you perspective as you're at the Emmys who is able to see you and your like accomplishments um and things outside of those accomplishments like your wedding was one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever been to. Those vows from both of you were incredible. I go, wow, we've come such a long way. And yet it didn't feel like that long ago that, like, you know, we were commiserating about how hard dating was. So it's just, it's just, there's no, there's no need to despair, clearance. I think that is

what's going to be really hard to get out of is, uh, and I'm still kind of trying to move through the bog of it where I'm like, oh, I really just, I think I'm out of it, but it's, it's taking a long time to like wash it off. To believe that you deserve. serve the good thing that is coming, that is developing in your life. Yes. Is a very difficult thing to do when you are so, like you said, in the bog. Also, I just want to say that Bowen made that comment about how your wedding was one of the most beautiful ones he'd ever been to.

That was before he went to the wedding he's going to this weekend, which is surely going to wipe out any memory of your wedding or any other wedding. And I'm sure this is going to be so much more beautiful. It's also in a very interesting space. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hoops down. Huh? Hoops down. Hoops down. Well, I said, I said, keep the hoops down. Keep the hoops down.

I say, leave the jumbo-tron down. I said leave it all down. Kiss cam at the wedding. Kiss Cam at the wedding. Kiss Kim at the wedding. Oh my God. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Kiss cam on Bowen and Danielle Heim.

Smooch. Smooch, mooch. This is time for our final question, which is a question I ask all our guests at the end of the episode, which is what is something you've seen So this is Postnut. Just so you know, like this segment should be called Postal clarity. Postal clarity. I think, well, I haven't gotten to the question yet.

Okay. It is what is something you've seen, experienced or heard this week that is making you believe in love. Oh. Wow. And again, this can be as metaphysical or as literal as you want it to be. So this was obviously pride. Mm-hmm. and just to pop off what you were saying

about going to see theater experiences and stuff like that, we saw Maya Rudolph in O'Mary. Our friend and yours. And I thought it was really amazing to watch a performer, obviously, reconnecting with and doing

like in a live theatrical sense what they were born to do. and what they must have like a lifelong love and passion for, which is truly just to make everyone just enter a different universe and laugh along with you. And just to see someone that's so uniquely and iconically at this moment aligned with their purpose was actually one of the more powerful things I saw all weekend because, you know, you can see people give amazing performances all the time.

But like, and you know, we're lucky to know so much. many talented people, but to specifically be in a moment where someone is like doing something that is... The thing that they were meant to do. And also just the feeling of sitting there watching her perform and reaching back in her mind to know that this is the Maya Rudolph from S&L when we were kids and like hearing and seeing that she's evolved as a performer, but also still is that girl. You know what I mean? Like that to me made, and this is not a real answer to that. to your question because I'm sure it's a romantic love question. It doesn't have to be.

But like, in terms of like passion and love for what you do and being proud of, you know, to be in an in an environment creatively, that was what I would say. Well, and I think it's a testament to Cole and that show because I, I, I just, I just done something with Jane Krakowski and she was telling me that like, no one who does that part or that show ever wants to. leave. Like they like it is like it may I believe it it sort of brings out the feeling that you were just um describing about Maya yeah it brings that out I think it every woman that has or every person that has done that part or that or had a part in that show um and yeah I just I I hope it

runs for fucking ever I I said to her backstage I was like you just look so happy and she goes every single person every single one of my friends who's come to the show I always said that. I'm sure, like, listen, she's been out of the live immediacy feature of performing for a minute. And I'm sure, like, as we all feel, nothing feels better than doing it live and in front of an audience. Like, as much as we love the paychecks that come with the TV and the film work, it's just nothing will compare to having that connection with that specific audience. Which is what you want to tell the kids, like, coming up now, it's like, oh, like, yes, like, do your. do your videos, do your reels and your TikToks, but also try to be in a room.

Like, the Javert girl is, like, out there, like, doing stand-up, but it's like, yes. Well, and it's, there are two different skill sets, and there are, there are, there are people that can do both, and there are many people. I can't do those. I can't do those real. I can't figure that shit out. That's not for me. And there are many people who have cracked that code who can't do what we do.

Uh, well, but the thing is, like, I think live and, like, like, It's just where people are truly like coming alive again. Yeah. I think I think it's swinging back around. I was just talking to Melissa about this yesterday. It's like you had told me that everything was morphing in the way that it is where it just feels like getting anything done in film and television in the way that it that used to be like, you know, there used to be like this paradigm, right? It's like everyone wants to get like a film or a TV series. and now it's just like, that's so hard and seems miserable.

And then here comes podcasts, which have become TV shows. You know what I mean? It's like everything is shifting to the point where it's like, wait, hold on a second. Why would I break my ass to battle with a network like for a very long time and then end up with a product that's watered down when I have a hit television show, basically? Yeah. You know what I mean? We have one already. Yeah.

Like, it's, it's kind of like, wait a second. It's like, the only reason to chase this shit is because that's the way it's always been. But it's,

it won't be the way it is for much longer. Yeah. These like, um, legacy sort of, um, old guard, like traditional ways of moving up in this industry.

Everything feels lateral too. It doesn't even feel like, yeah, up and down. Um, bone, do you have an, answer to this question. Believe in love. I mean, obviously, the Pride March was really, really

inspired and beautiful. Someone said this to you last night at the show, and I will say from the photos that I saw, it also really did affect me is the joy that you had as Grand Marshal. And every photo, every clip I saw, you were just radiating joy in a way that, like, it's so easy to be cynical about the Pride March these days. You know, like, we all have made the joke. And about Chase Bank, you know? But like, seeing you do that and the energy that you were giving is like exactly why it's still important. I will never forget.

I think it was like Dylan Marin or someone who said like, you know, like we all can crack wise about pride. Yeah, the same thing. It's like the corporate aspect of it. But it's also like that's not, it's, we have to realize like it's not for us. It is for like the person who's visiting who like is a teenager with their friends who like has an. does not have the typical entry points into pride.

I will never forget my first Pride parade when I was 16 going to Chicago, sneaking, like, telling my parents I was going somewhere else and driving down with Dan Woods to see the Pride Parade. And then as the Asian, like gay Asian group was walking by, marching by, I like got so excited. I like pushed to the front of the barricade. And my glasses fell off, flew. Someone bumped into me. My glasses flew off my face into the parade route.

And this Asian guy picked them up, came up, gave me a huge hug, and gave me my glasses back. And it was one of the best things that it had happened to me at 16 years old because I didn't know any other gay Asian people at the time. And so that was like an especially powerful moment where I realized how big the community and the world was going to be like eventually for us. And so like, yes, you're exactly right. Like the pride parade is for people like that. And there's this thing happening now in a lot of pride parades, across. the world, but especially in the U.S., which I think is nice and hopeful, it's like, in Francisco did this, and I think Seattle did this, where it's like, those marches were, like,

in conjunction with, like, labor periods. It was, like, very much like a labor-focused, like, class-conscious thing where it's, like, okay, like, let's just make this, let's not make this totally identity and let's make this, like, not even that, but it's like, let's just make this about this, like, collectivist movement beyond, like, queer identity. Yeah. Mine is, I'm sorry to do this to everyone, but I, so I, as you both know, I'm a prolific weed smoker. And I am taking a tolerance break currently, which is difficult to do.

Especially when you're a full-blown THC addict. Yes. And so Thursday was the, I was here in New York on Thursday. Was I in New York? No, I was in Boston on Thursday. Typical stoner mistake. Doesn't know where he was. Yeah.

And I like, had such a bad. anxiety attack because I was having all these intrusive thoughts about something terrible happening to jam while I was gone. And then the cycle, and then the cycle became like, oh my God, I'm manifesting something terrible happening in shame while I'm gone because I keep thinking about something terrible happening in Jane while I was gone. And I try not to, when I'm on the road, I don't put that on him. I don't tell him that that's what's going on because he's away and he can't really do anything. And I think like he rightfully is like sometimes frustrated because he's like I don't know what to do. I can't help you. But I finally got to the point where I was like,

I was like really in a bad way. And I phacetimeed him. And he was like, and I was worried that he'd be like, you know, like, oh, I can't do anything? But he just was like, hey, it's okay. Do you want to watch a show? Oh. And we just watched a show over FaceTime. And then I fell immediately to sleep afterwards because it was like, and it was this moment where it's like, I expect myself to be a problem for the people that I love. And then when they show up like that, when he did, it was like, oh, this is why I got married. So are the, is the reason why you're panicking because you have consuming thoughts about something happening to him? Yeah. Wow.

Really bad, intrusive thoughts. And it only, this kind of anxiety only happens when I am like detoxing from something, like caffeine or like. And I think, and I am trying to cut down on caffeine and I wasn't smoking weed. I think that is the real culprit. Caffeine. caffeine is It's a major drug, it's a major drug

And I also think that If you were on my level Is what you would do Full cold brew Coke zero At the same time Little bit of sativa And by a little bit I mean

The whole half joint Yeah the whole grand And a beta blocker And Whoa Who are you now You'll find out You'll find out

Exactly who you are When you get there Well well you heard it here first the Matt Rogers method cocktail cocktail the cocktail is just me showing up like and then later probably a cocktail very slow yeah real cocktail um

well guys that's the show we're ending on the Matt Rogers cocktail um is there anything you guys want to plug where can the people find you what are you doing these days what should we promote now other than yeah here's what I'll say you can always watch

both cultural awards because they're actually two completely evergreen comedies. Yeah, they actually really are. So if we keep going at this rate, we may have the most comedy specials of anyone if they let us keep going. Like if they let us have one every year

because they're not topical. Not really. I mean, some of it is, but there are references that will still hit. I mean... Like this past one was like as going to be an interesting, time capsule in the sort of summer house.

However the summer stuff like ages, like this will be a nice reference point for people. I was thinking... Some of the outfits. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Bowen, um, is there anything that you have coming up that you'd like to plug? Not really. Yeah.

I guess we have lost culturests this. Yeah, listen to us on Instagram, I guess. All on Instagram. Um, do I have anything that's coming up? Oh, wait, no, no. If you're in Montreal, I'm going to be doing JFL Montreal. If you're in Toronto, I'm doing JFL Toronto. Can you let us know how JFL Montreal is?

Because I am new JFL curious. Yeah, I am too. I'm really interested to see how that goes. We used to go every year. Yeah. I like one. That's been our show. If you liked what you heard today on the pod,

give us a rating five stars only, please. If you have a question or a concern or a piece of advice you'd like answered or a text exchange you would like us to analyze. But give us a call at 213, 375. 9-9-8-51. That's 213-379-9-8-51 or email us at intimacy coordinator pod at gmail.com

and we may get into it in a future episode. That's our show. I love you guys so much. Love you. Love you. Bye.