Breaking Bread with Tom Papa - Episode 49 - Mikey Alfred

Episode Date: April 13, 2021

Mikey Alfred, Illegal Civ filmmaker and director of North Hollywood brings me donuts! And we grab a Quick Bite with one of my favorite people Marina Franklin!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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From binge all episodes exclusively on Paramount Plus It's time for Breaking Red with Papa Hey! Don't you know Hey, it's how we're going. Hey, it's time for Breaking Bread with Papa. Hey, don't you know? Hey, it's also a show. Hey!

Hey, everybody, welcome to another edition of Breaking Bread with Tom Papa. I am Tom Papa. I am here back in the booth, ready for another show. Thank you so much for being a part of it. You guys are the best. As you know, we've been coming to the studio when we can, as things are opening up here in California. It's very exciting. They actually said we're going to be fully back June 15th, which is right around the corner. I don't know what that means.

But we're being careful and we're making sure that we've all got our vaccines and we're very lucky to have a very talented individual with us today, Mikey Alfred. He is a filmmaker, which is how I got to know him. He actually cast me in his new movie, North Hollywood, which is an amazing film. He is an amazing eye. He's truly, truly an artist. He started out filming skaters. He was a skater, skateboarder, and he had this film and design angle to that whole life, and he was filming a lot of his friends and doing, capturing these videos. And he just started meeting different people in music and all this other stuff. And he just is, truly, truly artistic and has such a great vibe. I really just became pals with him immediately,

not just because he put me in a movie, which was a very generous thing to do. But we just kind of hit it off and we both kind of have a, just a love for all things creative. And he runs a company called Illegal Siv. I don't know if he runs the company or is the company, but that's a good place to follow him on Instagram. And it's just the whole skate life and the whole thing. And he puts all of that into this great movie, North Hollywood, which is really, I actually got to see it. And, you know, there's films that are about different subjects, but that would be selling the film short. Because you have to see it because of his eye. You have to see it because of the artistic manifestation of that world.

it's just shot in such a great way. You just know he's going to be making a lot of films and a lot of stuff for a lot of years. So I'm very excited to have Mikey on the program today and he's going to be here in the booth and I brought him some treats and can't wait to spend some time with him. Also, we're going to grab a quick bite

with Marina Franklin, who is a dear friend of mine. She's so funny. She has some specials out now. We were on the road together when I was mostly when I was living in New York. And she's just one of the great comedy friends of my life from New York and the comedy seller in that whole scene.

And we're going to grab a quick bite with her. We're going to give her a call there in New York and see how they're doing over there. I know the comedy seller is back open. So she's doing spots there. And this is all very hopeful. It's all very hopeful and all great stuff. so Mikey and I spent a lot of time together we share a lot of

a lot of good stories and good food as you will see and I don't want to spend any more time yammering away at the top because I'd like to get right to it and then we'll spend some time with Marina so enjoy thank you for being here and enjoy Mikey Alfred thank you so much for coming this is very cool

we have a lot of catching up to do and this is exactly why I did the show so I could sit with friends and share stuff and catch up and also ask you questions that you never get to ask your friends when you're just hanging out. You're the first guest to show up with baked goods for me. Everyone ever comes empty-handed,

which I never thought that they were bad people until now. What did you bring? I went to the donut hut. In Burbank. Classic spot. It's a classic spot. My mom always told me, you know, don't show up with your arm swinging. It's a good way to put it.

Nice. Well, I, uh, this is bread that I baked. Because, you know, I, I bake bread. And this, this is for you. Oh. That's, uh, that's, uh, a powerful sourdough loaf. Whoa. for you.

Whoa. The only caveat is it came out of the oven last night, so you're going to need to probably toast it. Maybe. They're usually better the next day, like this kind of like matures and gets better. So you're in good shape. Okay. But you're going to need a good serrated knife and like a bucket of butter.

Yeah. And you'll be good to go. That's beautiful. Thank you. I wasn't expecting that. Oh, really? I don't know what I was expecting. But that was...

Yeah. Yeah. I bake a lot of that. I got into it like six years ago and it's become a bit of an obsession. As you can tell, like, the whole podcast is revolving around Brett. It's taken over my life. Yeah. But it's like this cool little craft that you can just keep getting better at, you know?

I had just heard a story, the editor on the movie. Uh-huh. He is from Greece. Uh-huh. And he grew up in a little neighborhood there and he said, um, the, local baker the way he ran his business is he'll make bread in the morning he sets it out with all the price tags for the whole village right everyone comes and takes their loaf and puts their money into a bucket uh-huh he has no employees he's never there never sees the people he comes at the end of

the day he looks at the bread he looks at the money if it's off uh-huh he doesn't open the next day Oh, that's amazing. So everyone just respects it because they want their bread. Oh, that's so great. What a cool. Oh, I have thought so many of so many scenarios of like how you could do a bakery. And there is this element to bread bakers where they don't really give a care about the public so much. They're not, it's really in the craft.

And then there's, I mean, tartine, which is like the, like the legendary one that started this kind of like back to roots baking bread in San Francisco. They would only release the bread in this little bake shop. And from like four in the afternoon on is when you could get it. That doesn't make sense, right? I mean, people want bread in the morning. They want it, you know. And but it was the only time he could get it. And it was so good that people just.

started lining up. Right. And they came to the baker. That seems like a lot of bread people run these quirky shops. And I feel like the reason why is because in their actions, it's so in service of everyone else. If they were to be too like, okay, guys, like, we're going to make it so easy for you. It's so perfect.

It'd be like too much. Yeah. Like you still need that balance of like, I'm making the bread for you. Right. But I'm going to like make it hard. Yeah, but I'm also doing it for me. Totally. And that too. Yeah. 100.

Yeah. Really great. So yeah. So opening up like a small show because the baker hours are intense. Like if you do the thing where you just, you know, you roll into the people at the donut spot, I guarantee you there's someone in that shop at two in the morning. Getting those donuts ready for sure. You to roll in at six on your way to the construction site. You know what I mean? that's a hard baker's lives are hard unless you're a little arrogant and then you can kind of call your own shots totally uh all right so the other thing the other thing in this box um dang i love this starting yeah this is pretty good

yeah um this is um and also i knew i had this wine but i got stuff to do i didn't want to get drunk yet the next one when you come back we'll do it later okay and we'll we'll drink. Do you drink wine? I don't. I don't. I went to Italy right when we wrapped North Hollywood. Oh, yeah? Me and the producer. And I've never liked wine. I always thought it was like disgusting. And I thought, okay, no, now we're in Italy. We're going to try it. It's going to be delicious. Thought it was still disgusting. So I'm trying to work on it. All right. Well, yeah, well, this isn't going to convince. This bottle won't convince you for sure. This is not a good representative of good wine. It's cheap table wine. But I'm glad we got the hot chocolate. And just so our listeners know

that I got a text for Mikey, I was almost at the studio and he's like, no, on the coffee, but I'll take a hot chocolate. Son of a, all right. And I'm like, well, I am a host of, a good host would go back and get it. So I rolled back in. She's like, what was wrong with the coffee? I'm like, nothing. My friend doesn't like it. He is a sixth grader. No, but I really appreciate it. Yeah, well, yeah, my pleasure. And we should shout out the shop maybe. It's really, really good.

Yeah. Like really, really good. It has like a sweet. Yeah. It's called the ugly mug. It's here in Burbank. So this place is from, so we got the donut hut and Papa's bakery and then the ugly mug. And then here we've got.

I saw an interview of you when we first start work together, and just so people know, I mean, there'll be an intro to this, so they'll know that we worked on North Hollywood together, and that's when we first met. But I saw it, and I was like, who is this young guy making this movie? Like, and then we met, and then it was like, oh, okay, I know why he's making it. And we'll get into all that. You just, you're wiser than your years. But I saw an interview of you.

I don't remember when. I think it was right before that. but you were talking about your love of the godfather and the sopranos that you watch like the sopranos like a lot the whole thing like multiple times uh so i decided well i would bring you canolis because this is uh wow yeah yeah now you know from the godfathers it's that famous scene when right of course of course the guy gets killed and and he's like grab the canoles The guy's shot in the back of the car and stuff. This isn't a harbinger of bad things that are going to happen.

Totally. But here's some canola, so you can take these home with it. But I appreciate it. Yeah, no sweat. We're going to have diabetes after we go home. Let me turn these toward you. Yeah.

You can actually get some donuts too. All right. I'm going to taunt you. Yeah. I'm going to pop one out of the bag now. Yeah, have it. This is a box. So North Hollywood is

It's your first full feature of you producing and directing and writing And I mean you did the whole shebang Like you've produced things before and been in things and shot things We'll get to your history of how you started getting into filmmaking and stuff But did you feel like when you were Getting into doing North Hollywood That you had all the tools? at that point?

Like, you could, were you confident? Were you frightened? Because, you know, a lot of, it's a big thing to actually make the big mamajama. It's true. First of all, the canolae is really good. Is it? It's really good. Nice.

Sometimes people make them a little too hard. That one's soft. All right, good. All right, good. Yeah. Yeah. And then I got three of those and then three of the child. I don't know who you live with.

I've never had a chocolate canoli. It's a bit much. I like pretty plain. I like going a little simple. Yeah, like this donut here. That's pretty perfect. Yeah, solid. Same.

Because when you started out, and you started out, I mean, you wanted to do get into film as a kid yep and you started you were a skater and you had skater friends and you just picked up a camera and started is that pretty much how yeah how it happened yep i had an uncle uncle kevin and he would direct a lot of live concerts it's like when i was a little kid he had taken me to see like alicia keys and i seen him in the control room pointing the cameras, you know, I'm like five or six years old. I never forgot that.

Yeah. Seeing him in control of it all? That and is just being able to listen to dope music as a job. Right. And like, all you got to do is, you know, capture it in a dope way. I always looked at that as like, what? Like, what are we doing at school and stuff, you know? Right.

Bet you could do that? Yeah. I want to do that. Yeah. It is a funny moment, isn't it? As a kid, when you, you just think of straight jobs when you're starting out, right? Of course. A fireman, a policeman, a doctor.

It's what you see in all the books and things. Yeah. And then you, at a certain age, when if you were five, it happened for me when I was, like, in seventh grade, and I realized that comedian was a thing. I had no idea that was like, oh, he's my dad's age. I could do that. And he's telling jokes. Like that's his gig.

Yeah. It's hard to go to school the next day. Totally. It's like it doesn't even make sense anymore. No. For me. Yeah. But then you, when did you pick up your first camera?

Yeah. So it kind of started with my uncle. And then there was a guy named Kyle Adams. And he worked at an active skate shop in Burbank, actually. here where we are. And yeah, he used to let me borrow his camera. And it kind of started like that. Because you were skating?

Yep, yep. You knew the shop, you hung out. Mm-hmm. You see he's got a camera. Yeah. Everyone else wants new wheels. And I'm looking like, I want to film. Yeah, nice.

And it also became that thing of like, everyone starts getting good. Right. And you start getting hurt. Right. And after three, four, five times of being hurt, you're like, man, I really love this, but... Oh, really? Maybe I'm not, like, in the right lane within it. Right.

I can't believe the amount of injuries in skate. Totally. It's such a... I mean, of course. It's kind of similar to comedy, right? Where it's like a self-abusing thing. Mm-hmm. Like, you go up on stage.

Yeah. And if you bomb, it's like... It's a part of it, the same way you go out skating. Yeah. And you have days where you don't land one thing, you know, and you're trying something for six hours or whatever. Yeah. And you just, but there isn't, there isn't the sense of failure

that there is in other things that you mess up. Right? Like, you go up and you bomb multiple times. It could be a couple nights in a row. And you don't, I mean, it hurts and you're messed up, but you just, there's no part of your brain. that says maybe we should stop. Right?

You just kind of keep poking around. Totally. So you knew you wanted to be in the world, but you didn't want to break any more bones. Right, right. So it just became filming, and then very quickly that starts to become like, you know, if you film it pretty good,

you're sending people their footage, you know, you pull up, you know spots. Like I was always a filmmaker where I could be like, oh, you don't know where you want to go. Like, I know some places. and I'm showing you places you never been, everybody starts calling you, and it's like, let's go skate.

So as a kid, I kind of became that go-to person, like, in first just the neighborhood, and then it's like the valley and then kind of in L.A. When people would fly in from New York or something, it's like, oh, there's a list of filmers that they call. Oh, really? And it's like, you know, I became on that list, you know, and it's like that kind of thing.

Really? Mm-hmm. That's so interesting. It's interesting that that culture was trying to capture what they were doing, like, early on. Like, what was the, um, the skate movie, the, of the original guys, the, um, the Z boys. The Z boys. Like, there's all that footage. Like, they all just knew they were capturing something.

Right. I was at the beach yesterday, and I was watching these guys skimboard. into the waves. You ever see those guys? They like run from the surf. Totally. And they, when I was a kid in New Jersey,

I had a skimboard, and it was like this table. It was literally like this big chunk of a thing. And you'd wait, and it had to be flat. And the wave would go out, and you'd get on the little water that's left, and you'd run, jump on it,

and you'd ride for like six feet. And you thought you were pretty cool. Right. These guys were just going. going into the wave, airing out, flipping all over the place. They were probably in their 20s, late 20s. They weren't too young. Long hair, just total, that surfer thing.

And I was just watching these guys have a blast. And it's just everything from the skate world. It's all that whole Southern California thing. It is so appealing. Like no one's, you realize, I was thinking, no one's filming a 26 year old in Ohio right now. And no one's going on YouTube searching what that guy is doing. But this thing, this surfing, skating thing, man, it's magical and appealing to so many people from all over the world.

Why do you think it is? For someone that's kind of documented all of it. I think there's this like really. sense of freedom that comes along with those activities. And that's something everybody wants in their life. Where it's like, you know, you fucking have to like work and do what you got to do. Yeah. Where in our world, you have to skate and you have to still be on it.

Yeah. But like, you know, it's just a different thing. Yeah. Yeah. It always seems like there's always like the scrappy kids. Like you could tell like they came from. like some troubled home or something or like or no money they just had to like I always picture like the dad's left and the mom's fighting with the new drunk boyfriend and the kids just like grabs

his board and's like I'm out of here you know what I mean like there's definitely that but the way I view skating is it's like it brings together people from any background right like through skateboarding I've met everything like crazy from here to here really So, and I feel like that's like in anything, too, right? Like in comedy, when you say there's people who come from like, you know, it's rough. And then, you know, there's just people from everywhere. Yeah, but, you know, I was thinking about that actually because there's, there seems to be no, other than skill level, it seems like there's no class system in skating. Like there's no race, there's no wealth.

There's no, it's just, it's just like, it seems like void of all of that. Because it is so, just from the outside, watch, looking at it. It looks like just a mishmash of everything. And there, it's not even like it's a discussion. And like, there's none of that really in comedy either, but everyone's talking out loud about who they are and what they are. So I think that's why lately there's, you know, people saying out loud, no, look me, I haven't been represented or look at me, this is my, from where I come.

There's like all of that that kind of comes up where in skating it seems like because you're not, you're just physically doing, I think it seems more free again. Totally. Yeah. And it's like an activity where like with basketball, right? You could be such an asshole. Right. But if you're fucking good and you put points up on the board,

Like, yeah, it is what it is. Yeah. In skateboarding. Yeah. It's not like that, you know, it's not like basketball. Yeah. But it's a thing you can't even describe. But at the end of the day, you know, skating's like an activity you do so.

You see someone skating, that tells you everything you need to know. Right. Right. And their whole background and all that, yeah. It matters because people's background matters, but it has that sense of freedom for sure where you're not getting judged or whatever. Right, right. You're a skater.

But I will say, and I don't know if you guys are prejudiced against them, but I don't see a lot of chubby skaters. I don't know if you kick them out, if they're not allowed in the park. Right. But really, they're all skinny. They're all in really great shape. Yeah. And then the guys who work.

chubby. Yeah. Seemed to just always get skinnier. Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's so funny. And I think it's just through skating too, you know. Yeah, yeah, of course.

It's a crazy workout. Is it? Crazy. Yeah. It's your full body. It's like swimming in that way. Right. Right.

Oh man, watching those guys yesterday, they were just crushing it. And they were just so good. And then one guy said, it's not that I can't, it's not that I can't board. It's not that I can't board sober. It's just that I won't. And then halfway through, they're like, all right, let's go get some beers. And they took off.

Put on the show for everybody. It was like Olympic level stuff they were doing. Totally. So impressive. Skating's in the Olympics for the first time this year. Oh, really? Wow. It's crazy.

That is crazy. Wow. The history of the games this year. That's amazing. Yeah. Oh, it makes sense, right? I mean, the winter. I mean, right? Snowboarding and all that kind of stuff.

Totally. Do you know any, are you still really involved with that scene? Yeah, yeah. I mean, because, like, so do you know, like, the top people that are going? Yeah, so we released a video. It's called Godspeed, directed by Devante Jolly. Mm-hmm. And one of the guys in the films named Zion, he's going to the Olympics. Mm-hmm. Really? It's a trip. If you're just listening to this and not watching this, that was me eating a big piece of donut.

I would have responded with something better. It's really good. It's so good. Yeah. That's sugar. It's just the sugar classic old-fashioned donut. Yep. Oh, so good.

I got, oh, talking about old-fashioned donuts. Do you ever see that? The like waffle press? Waffle press? No. What is that? It's like a maple glaze? Yeah.

Oh, boy. Really? This is, we just call this show Diabetes. Oh, wow. It's so much thicker. Right. Holy shit. Look how it just exploded all over me.

Wow. So are you going to go to the Olympics? Are you going to go film it? I feel like I should. You should? Yeah. For real. Seriously.

I know. That is insane. That's insane. It's totally insane. It's like it's, it's covered. covered in candy. It's why it's insane. It's a donut that's literally covered in a candy coating.

Wow. Oh, it's so good. Well, illegal sieve. You started that, right? That was your puppy. So you're filming stuff. You have a sense of style. You have a sense of everything.

And you think maybe this could be a media company. This could be a clothing company. This could be a just a... We started it. So, in like, or sixth grade, we made a skate video called The Spark of Life. We premiered it at active with Kyle Adams and all those guys. Literally like, just the people in the video came than like our parents.

Yeah, of course. And the next day we're sitting in the homie's backyard like, all right, what's the next skate video going to be called? We ended up calling it illegal civilization. At first, that was just naming the video. Then that kind of became the name of our crew. So it's like, oh, I see. I see. Right, right.

And then we started to make t-shirts that just said, I see. And then it's like we'd give them to the kids at the skate park who are in I-C. Oh, cool. And then it just would keep growing from there and there. And as I got older and I kind of wanted to try more stuff, it's like I directed a music video for artists in Rex Orange County. Oh, yeah. When it came out, it like blew up and right now it's 60 million views or something. And then...

Which one? What's on? It's called Sunflower. Sunflower. It's Orange County. And then we did another video and it did well again and the artist was able to get a deal. And it became clear like, okay, I have a little ear. Right.

So then I was able to do some stuff in music with I see. Wow. Then like same thing with the movie. movies. It was like at first just skate videos, then it was making music docs. So I would tour with these different musicians in high school. Right. Went on tour with Out Future, Tyler Crater, Frank Ocean, all these people. Right. I make videos for them behind the scene stuff. That started growing into touring with a bunch of different musicians. And then I did mid-90s where I was the producer, did ballers, where we acted on the show, three episodes.

Sounds cool. Kind of took all of that experience, you know, with music, skateboard culture, film, and poured that into North Hollywood. Wow, that's great. And that was my first question that I asked, because it really feels like that. It feels that when you look at, it seems like a very organic, it doesn't seem, it just feels like it's your life. It just feels like, oh, this is just, you know what I mean?

There's people that show up and are like, I'm going to make a movie now. And I'm like, all right. Well, what tools are you bringing? Totally. Yeah. Because there is, when I said before that you're, you seem wiser than your years or older than your years, you on set is a calm and a confidence that, you know, I've worked with a bunch of people and it's only like the best who've been around for a long time

have that kind of a thing. There's a lot of frantic. There's a lot of, oh, no, there's a lot of, you know, there's a lot of that. And you don't have that because you made your first one in fifth grade. It's true. I appreciate you saying that. I appreciate that. Yeah. Oh, it's so great to be around. I mean, the first time when we met, we had coffee before we, you were a couple of, you're a kind enough to put me in that film. I was just, I just walked out of there like, oh, I'm going to be friends with this person because he thinks like I do. He's just creative and wants to do things and just had such a great vibe.

And it was like, yeah, it was walking on the set was like, yeah, that's exactly what you'd expect. You have the same guy that was having juice in the morning. So how did you get to? How, when you say like I just started making music videos, Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator, were you friends with these people first? I met them through my friend, Nakell. And at first, they had seen my skate videos.

Okay. And they're like, okay, I like the skate videos. I can see that you take it serious too, because I would put them out a lot and I was consistent. Yeah. And then it became like, just try to film some vlogs, like lifestyle. Right. And when I would film it, they just liked how I would keep it organized. And if they wanted it, I'll send it quick, you know what I'm saying?

Right. So I just got a good reputation, like, as a hard worker. Right, right. So people would hire me. Right. And didn't you go to school? Didn't you tell me a story about, you went overseas, right? So, no, when I was a really little kid.

Right. I went to Columbia in New York. Columbia. That's what it was. In my mind, I picture you on a plane. Right. Right. And did like a film class and hated it. Right. Yeah. And why did you hate it? Just because it was like... I'm sorry, how old were you? I was 12. 12. Yeah. And whose idea was it to go to Columbia? So my mom, she was Robert Evans assistant for 34 years. Right. Right. Legendary. And I had told my mom in sixth grade, you know, they, tell you at my school, St. Charles, they would say, write down what college you want to go to. And I just was like, you know, like, no. Because I'm not going to go. Right. And six grade. Yeah. And they're like, why? And I'm like, because I like to make videos. Right. I don't feel like I need to do that. And they're like, you know, what are you talking about? And my mom sits me down with him. And he's like, oh, so you like, you like, making videos. I'm like, yeah, he's like, would you want to go and do, you know, a film class?

He had a class. Is he wearing sunglasses? Yeah, of course. Of course. In the house. Was he kind? I'm sorry to interrupt the story, but just I'm going to see, like, you was a little kid. The best. Because he's so cool and he has such a thing. Super, super, super kind. Super kind. Like crazy. So as a kid, you're comfortable and chilling. And he's probably talking to like you're 25. Yep. Right. And the way we're sitting, it's like you're right here at the head of the table,

and then he's right here at the other corner of the table. Uh-huh. So he's not trying to make you feel like we're sitting mad far, you know? Right. Or you're coming to talk to me at the head. We're right here. Right, right. Wow.

Did he have kids of his own? Yeah, he had one kid, yeah. Okay. Josh. Okay. Josh. Him and Ali McGraw. Oh, right.

Right. Oh, man. Legend. Legend. Jeez. And you're just sitting there at his table and you're like, I want to make videos. And what is he, the idiot? And it's like, you know, yeah.

So I go out there and my parents go with me on the first day. No, but wait, but he says to you, you should go to take this class. Yeah, go to Columbia. Oh, go to Columbia, specifically. University do the film class. Okay. And it's like four kids. Like a summer program?

Yep. Okay. So, you know, I go. with my mom, do the check-in, you stay in the dorm and all that. Wow. And throughout the whole program, I ended up just leaving as early as I could every single day and going skating. Really? And I made a video.

I just... Were you uncomfortable? Man, for me, like, class. Uh-huh. I don't know what it is. I just couldn't do it. Right. There's something about, like, being institutionalized from a young age.

Mm-hmm. That just always bothered me. Mm-hmm. And, you know, I had family who dealt with that, too, and maybe it's some of that, you know, where it's, like, subconscious. You don't even realize it. Right. What, they didn't want to be in school? Just don't want to be, like, in a building with the windows with gates on them and looking at this person.

Yeah. Talk to us about whatever it is, you know? It's just, I don't know, man. School is just not wired for it. And even though it was film, still. Still, it feels like class. Yep. Right.

So you'd split and go skating? Split, go skate. And I'm glad I went, though, because it kind of gave me that experience to know that I did not want to go there and pursue my life in that way. And I'm really lucky because I had people around me and my parents and my family who fought me a lot on it, obviously. but also after a while, let up. At what point? And I'm asking this as a father. It was gradual.

Yeah. You know, at first it'd be like, you can't go skating. And then it's like, okay, you can go skate. And then, okay, you can only go on weekends, though. Uh-huh. Okay, now you can go every day after school. Uh-huh. Because they just saw that you weren't letting go.

You were passionate about it and... It was happening. Yeah. It was happening right. We can either fight or you'll stop. Right. You know what I mean? Right.

I'm not changing. This isn't an option. You're just, all right, fine. Totally. I just, a friend of mine is a mother and she said that she posted something like that she wants to write a book like, fine, whatever, as long as I don't have to drive you. It's like it's that. Your kid wears you down.

It's true. And you're just like, you know what? I can't do it anymore. I can't fight with you anymore. Just as long as I can go to bed and don't have to pick you up. Right. Right. But did it make you question?

Yeah. I mean, he says go to Columbia. It's Evans. He knows film. Right. He says go to Columbia. You go and you, it's not for you. Do you think, shit, this might.

mean films not for me? I wasn't able to even view it in that way. I was so like zoomed in as a kid. It was just like, I wasn't feeling that. Right. You know? Yeah. It was just like, nah.

Right. That's not for me, the class part. Right. Going to class, it's like that wasn't for me. Right. And that was kind of where I just stopped with it. Right. It never made me think like,

that's how everyone in film is going to be or think or whatever because even within skateboarding it wasn't like I just found my tribe the moment I started you know what I mean you have to take a second and like yeah okay within the big scheme of what you're trying to do like where right do you fit in like where do you find your people you know yeah yeah yeah so I always had that belief of like I could do film right It just might not be like taking that certain path to it. Well, yeah, you had to have, yeah, I mean, you've been shooting stuff already from fifth grade to you go there. I mean, you've had the experience. You know how to make it.

And then I would see my uncle. And it's like he didn't go to some school. And that's why people are hiring him. Right. They just like his work. He knows people and it happens. You know? Right.

It's like, I just viewed it in that way kind of. Yeah. Which is really true. And it's, it's, it's, but, like as a father. Right. Thinking of my kids saying, no, I'm not going. It's a tricky thing to be like, okay, because when you say, I mean, the thing that was different with you is that you obviously had a passion.

for something. Like there was like a... 100. Right? So it's not like you're saying I'm not going to school, but I'm just getting high in the yard. Exactly. Exactly. So I think that would probably make your mom feel pretty good. And it was in second Evans combo too that really helped where he didn't go and do school either. Right. Yeah. He was working and trying to make it happen from a young age as well. Yeah.

And he just kind of had a combo with me like, look, in whatever it is you're doing, you have to be studious. So he's like, when you go to college, half the people at college are fucking around. They're not even there doing their homework and passing tests. They're there just being, you know, living. Yeah. Partying or whatever. And he's like, that's true and whatever it is.

So it's like, whatever you're about to do, there's going to be people who just fuck around and wish. And then there will be people who really. or like, they're studious about it and they figure out ways to make it work for them. What a great thing to hear. And it was just like, damn. Yeah. Yeah. But doesn't that also, it probably gave you some kind of relief.

It did. Because it takes that abstract out of like, why does it happen for some people? Like, there's that kind of, especially in the arts, because you see people that are just, it seems so airy and fun and whatever. but to when I heard similar thing of like no you there is a there is a way to work at this totally it kind of like it made me relax like oh okay because I don't think that like going to a bar until four in the morning every night and hanging out with other comics is doing it for me totally really totally and it makes it to where you know you you might look in the mirror and be like okay like this is how I look at it at least I'm not

not like some crazy looking attractive guy. I'm not like buff and, you know, ripped or something. But I know I'm going to work hard. Yeah. I know that for sure. So if it just takes that and, you know, working smart too. Yeah. Right. Yeah. And knowing what you, you know, you've got some talent in what you're pursuing. So then you're just putting the work on top of that. It's a... And that too. It can't be second nature.

What do you mean? Sometimes people will be like getting into the arts. And it's too hard for them. They have to like, overthink it, you know? And it's like... Yes. It still should be natural though.

Oh, 100%. Like it's not for everyone. No. No. And if you're thinking about it too much of whether you should go into it, you shouldn't go into it. 100. Really? Like, it can't be like, well, maybe I'm thinking about trying to, nope, uh-uh, because it's going to, it's going to be too hard. It's going to be too hard. There's going to be so much. And you're going to hear too much no?

Yeah. Constant no. God. So let's talk about that with the no. because you made this great film and you've now you're in the process of getting it out to the people and everyone you've put it up in front of you've screened it for people and from Tony Hawk on down to kids probably bumming in the valley are really turned on by it and you've been trying to get it distributed during COVID and all of that which I'm sure is a tricky thing I don't even understand that part of the business really And now you seem like it's starting to come out.

Like you're starting to release it. Yeah. We tried to take the traditional route. Uh-huh. Keep burping from that hot chocolate. It's so funny because the thing that really makes me burp is donuts. I don't know what it is. I think it's the grease.

It must be the grease. Right. But I'll feel a donut for the rest of the day. But yeah, we tried to sell it the traditional way. First, we tried to make it the traditional way. no one would put the money up or do anything like that. You went and pitched it as a script? Yeah, we had to figure that out.

We did. All good. Then we tried to sell it the traditional way. Couldn't figure that out. All good. We got the opportunity to screen it at the SoFi Stadium. We said, yeah, let's go. Yeah, how did that happen?

The stadium's opening. So this was their first public event. And they wanted to do a drive- So they collaborated with Family Style Fest. Family Style got all these amazing restaurants, serving spoon, Simply Wholesome, John and Minis, etc., etc. What's Family Fest? They're like a drive-in movie festival that started during COVID.

Oh, yeah, yeah. And they hit us up like, would you want a show North Hollywood? And we're like, let's go. Wow. The tickets up on Ticketmaster. They sold out all three days, Friday, Saturday, December. And we did the screening. It was amazing. Yeah. Freaking a bunch of dope people came. And now we're going to put it up on our website. Let that go for all of April. And then in May

put it up on like Amazon. Wow. That's so great. I mean, this is, it's so great because, I mean, just the trailer is like it's a no-brainer. It's got so, I mean, it's shot so well. The style so great. There's so many great, youthful, energetic people in it that people know. The music is great. What's his name? Who plays the dad?

Vince Vaughn's in it. I mean, come on. I mean, it's a no-brainer. But yet, you get the thing made, you're happy with it, and you're hearing nose. Totally. You're hearing nose.

How do you process the nose? Because you obviously don't accept them. Is it like a, or is it a, all right? Well, in the process, it was a, because I just didn't get why it was happening. Right. But then the lesson kind of learned through it was like, who cares? Mm-hmm. You tried your best.

Uh-huh. Move forward. Right. So that's kind of where I'm at now. Move forward. Move forward in terms of like you can think larger, than, hey, you know, traditional distributor, can you release my movie? No. Dang it. You know, it's like, we can think a little bigger than that and go, okay, you know what, no sweat. Right. We'll go figure it out.

That's great. Because, I mean, that is really, that's kind of a, it's kind of, it's a, it's a lesson in two ways. It's a lesson in that, that's the way, that's just resilience and you have to kind of always do that. But it's also, this kind of new way that you can approach projects and stuff. There's the old way when I was coming up was you went to NBC and you said, I have this thing and they say, that's great. And then you work on it. And then they say no.

And it's over. And there's nothing you can do about it. And those days are over. I mean, everything that you said, it's like, okay, I'll knock on the door where I'm supposed to knock.

But then I don't have to kind of. to play by those rules because there's other ways to do everything now. Totally. And especially if the door's not going to be opened. Right. Yeah, right. Exactly. Because, I mean, you had to feel, were you nervous the first time?

I was going to say you had to feel pretty confident because you know that you've got something because of the response of the audience. What was it like the first time you put it in front of a real audience? Were you nervous? Or had you lived with it for solo? Not really nervous. For me, it feels more like I've done what I could with this project and with this piece of creativity. Right.

I feel like I express some stuff. And now I'm just hyped to like put it up. And I hope that in your life, it makes you feel good. Right. Makes you get away from whatever you're going through for an hour and a half. Right. I'm already thinking about my next idea, you know? Right, right.

If you love it, I thank you. Appreciate it. If you don't like it, that's cool. a little two. Right, right. It's all good, you know. Yeah. And I always have a problem with, with shifting gears of, because I feel like I'm taking the mojo off the thing. Like, you know what I mean? Like you're thinking about your next idea. And when you and I did that, um, that electric car thing together, we had some time because that was like a gap between. And you were already talking about, well, the next one that you're thinking about and moving on to. And do you have a

feeling like do you need to keep your psychic energy still pushing that thing that you made? Up to a certain point, yes, 100%, you have to have that full tunnel vision focus. Yeah, yeah. But then once you get to a more last quarter, fourth quarter part of the journey, yeah. You start to overwork it and overproduce it and you're overthinking and it's like, as a filmmaker, it's easy to get to that place. I'm saying.

Yeah. Where you're like... Because it's endless. It's just like there's something every day. Mm-hmm. And I feel to not like choke the baby that you just birthed your movie. Yeah, yeah. You need another project that you can like really tunnel on and the movie can like breathe.

Yeah. And start to walk and start to talk and start to scratch its finger. You know, you don't want to be like that over. protective parent. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. So I always feel like that second project helps me be a better parent to this film.

Right, right. Because there is that, there is a, I mean, I do too. I spread myself pretty thin with all these different things. And all of a sudden, I do reach a point where it's like, should I just be bringing all this power into one thing, you know? But you don't really have that liberty. a lot of the time. You just got to kind of react to these different passions and kind of keep them going. Totally.

Then you end up ignoring some. It's interesting. Films are very interesting in that even like some of the ones that we love, nobody really started loving them until 10 years after they came out. For sure. I mean, what a weird, they're like these living things, aren't they? They're like, what is it that all the... It's the most powerful art form.

Yeah. It encompasses everything. Fashion. The pen. Right. You know. Music. The art of acting.

Yeah. The art of performing. It has so much. It's all of them. Every single element. Oh, God. That's really true. That's why everyone wants to be in them.

Totally. And that too, it's the ultimate, like, mark of humanity because movies get remembered. Mm-hmm. And no matter what country it is, they have the movie library. Yeah. It's like such a dope way to kind of stamp an era and time, you know, with a film. Completely.

I know. Yeah. I got to drop this comedy thing. Appreciate this. Yeah, cheers. This water, I just got turned on to this water by my friend. This water apparently is famous water. It was on 60 Minutes.

It's this Italian water that's supposed to be Fugi, F-U-G-I. And people take it to make sure that they don't have kidney stones. Like it'll dissolve kidney stones. And people say that they live forever because of this. And the one side note is my buddy gave me a bottle of it before my son. second vaccine and said, you know, you're supposed to really hydrate. He's like, hydrate with this and you'll be fine. And 24 hours later, I was under my cover shivering. So it's not really magic. But it's supposed to have these qualities that are, and it's really tough to get. So, yeah,

we're going to feel good after this. Okay. For Yuji. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Nice. So you're always, how much time do you think about your own clothing and your own style? because you've got a very unique style. It's totally you. I saw today you came in rocking a pocket watch. And I had a pocket watch. I think it was right after college. I don't know.

It was around whatever it was. It didn't work. I tried it for like, I just couldn't hook it to my belt. You have a patience about your style, I would say. Otherwise you wouldn't be wearing the sweaters. Totally. In the summer in the valley. Right.

Did you always just have an aesthetic? Yeah, I appreciate the style compliment. I always viewed clothing as like an extension of kind of expression. Since I was young, so I would always make my own clothes. I see in high school, we had an office in downtown L.A. where it was two rooms. So the front room was my friend's clothing brand, FTP, and then the back room was illegal sieve.

And I would only rock my clothes, his clothes, or other people that we knew. So I was always trying to push everyone to like, make this, make this, because I want to rock it. Right. And yeah, man, I just always viewed fashion as like, that's art too. Yeah. Facts.

I always go back and forth with it because I like to dress. I like to, you know, I have a certain style, especially on stage and stuff. But then there's like, I have this, you know Dave Hill, he's a comedian. Dave Hill, he's also a musician, really very creative guy, has this very unique style. And we always talk about keeping your style in the down times. And not the down times of like the culture. I get what you're saying. You know what I mean?

Quick run to the store. Totally. Which we both have our limits. Like we both don't really own shorts except for when we go to the beach. Flip flops aren't in. There's certain like rules like we won't allow ourselves to break. But then there's like there is that. There is that thing of like, you could go further with all of it.

Like, you could just keep, you know what I mean? There's a line for me as well. Because it is a thing. Like it's, oh, for sure. Right? For sure. It's an effort. Totally.

But there's also like an effort in restraint. And there's like a nod to someone who can show some restraint with their style. What do you mean? Just meaning like sometimes you'll see someone where they have the colors and they went crazy. And it's like, yeah. But there's also a compliment to be made when someone is understated. Right. You know, right.

You have to look a little closer. Right. To kind of know that they are, you know, dripping. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't know which one I fall in. Yeah. Just as an observer, I can all.

give that compliment when someone has the more subtle style. Yeah. There's a really thing about, it's really just a, it's, there's a, I think the one of the things that's appealing about it, when people that do it right, is that they've matched who they are to what it is, right? Like there's that, like, you know, I have friends when I'm in New York, I'm always wearing hats because it was always just cold out and I have no hair. So I was always like, I was always rocking fedoras.

And people were always come up and be like, I can never. They look good on you, but I can't, how do you wear? I can't wear a hat. It's like, but I haven't done it so long that it was just a part of who I was and what I, you know what I mean? Totally. And then I would have a friend that never wears a hat and puts a hat on. And he all of a sudden seems like out of, you know what I mean? It is kind of like a little, it's almost like a conversation with yourself of what.

Totally. Right? Yeah. And you get dressed to like express, you know, importance of situations. It's a whole like another way to communicate. Yeah. Yeah. I was at the beaches today when I was watching the surf guys. Who, by the way, we're well into filming it too. Like the one guy just takes his phone out, which has been in his board shorts the whole time. And he's taking it. And really, racing down with like an inch from his buddy and filming him doing the whole thing. Yeah,

it was good. And there was this girl who was talking about style. It was like, I don't know, they were like, I don't know, college age. And she just had everything out, just like this gigantic cratered moon ass and this big belly with just like this tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny top and it was just like, all right, good for her. Just like, it's so funny. And I love that too. Yeah, right?

You go. Do you. Yeah, exactly. And there were some other people, like there was an older couple over there making comments about her behind us. Like you hear all those little beach conversations. They're like criticizing it. Embarrassing yourself at the beach like that.

And she, She's over there playing that whack-it game, just like screaming, her big ass hanging out. That's her thing, I guess. Yeah, yeah. And then, oh, man, that's a whole other conversation. I try my best not to wear like flip-flops out. No.

No. I'm not sure if I've ever had the toes exposed. At a pool. At a pool. If you're in a hotel. you're walking two from the room to the, but a stopping in the, and I always get uncomfortable stopping for breakfast at the,

and then going to the pool, it's like, oh, really? I'm going to have flip-flops in a restaurant. Yeah, no, no, we can't. I feel like we have to, like, for the good of mankind, someone has to not wear flip-flops somewhere. My daughter said to me during the pandemic, I don't think I've ever seen you in sweatpants before.

And she wasn't saying it because she saw me in sweatpants. She just saw me in jeans again or whatever. It was just like, I've never seen it. Yeah, I've never seen you in sweatpants. She's 19 now. She's like, I've never seen you in sweatpants. Yeah, don't own them. Right.

Why? I don't know. They make me feel lazy and sloppy. I don't have them. Totally. But then I was, but then I looked at a, and then I saw, I love sweatpants though. Well, there's a way, there's a, there's a, there's a total different, this is white, New Jersey guy, sweatpants, gray, pull with string. And then you see like, like, World Cup level soccer players wearing sweatpants, NBA wearing sweatpants, you know, an Italian team rolling in it.

It's like, oh, okay. Right. Damn. And I got, I guess they're joggers or something of Italian sweatpants, I guess. They don't call them sweatpants, though. They call them like working. And that's like a whole different thing. That's like, okay, those.

Right, right, right. Look at them. But you got to keep them fresh because. That's 100% true. Right. They can't get swampy. Exactly. Totally.

No. Totally, totally, totally. It can't be just all, yeah. It can't be all worn out. and, you know, there's nothing wrong with a V-neck t-shirt if it's fresh. Right. And it starts the collar up and stuff and you still think you're doing it. You're not.

You're not anymore. It's kind of an unfortunate, but you don't get many wares out of that stuff. No, you can't be just like, no, these are my Italian things. I bought them five years ago. They're still good. I'm like the Italians. No, totally. out.

No. That's the moral of the story. Yeah. No toes. All right. So before we go, everyone's going to see North Hollywood. It's happening. It's going to spread.

How deeper are you into working on the next project? And is the next project the film, or is it something else? So. I'm sure there's multiple things, but. There's a TV idea, and that's really all I want to say. Okay. I've never been able to do it in the past. I've always had a TV idea, and I've gotten close a few times.

But this time, because of North Hollywood, I feel like I have a different experience. And I'm just going to try again and see what happens. All right. Yeah, no more knows. Right. All right, that's great. And is there anything you want to ask me? Because we're going to go back to our regular life,

and you're not going to be able to ask any pointed questions. Totally. We're going to have to go back to our surface relationship. I want to make sure I ask the tough one right now, you know? Well, he doesn't have to be that either. So you said put this in a toaster? Yeah, slice it. Slice it.

Just toast it. Yeah. Butter. Slice it. You'll get rid of this. You're not going to really eat the. The booty. Yeah, the booties.

But you can, what I do is I'll slice that and then take like a tiny little baby slice of that just to see how it tastes. And yeah, see how it tastes without toasting. It'll still be soft and good. But throw it in a toaster and just throw some butter on it. You'll be in good shape. A little olive oil maybe? Well, there's a lot of different things.

Yeah. Mm. You can go olive oil. You can do a little avocado toast. Mm. You could grill some cheese on it. Mm-hmm. A little avocado, some lemon, salt and pepper.

Maybe a little red cracked pepper. Mm-hmm. Top it off. Yeah. Yes. You know what you're doing. Yeah. You'll get several days out of it.

But you need a good serrated knife. Don't be intimidated. Totally. Yeah. So, yeah. Well, thanks for doing this. Thank you. It was really fun.

I'm sorry you have shitty friends. That sucks I'm the first person to bring you something. Yeah. It's, well, it says more about you than it does about them. All right, that is it. Mikey Alfred, I told you, cool guy and generous. Let it be noted. He is the first guest, the first guest on Breaking Bread,

to show up with treats. for me. Very interesting. Very interesting. He might be the youngest guest that we've had, but a true gentleman, what does his mom say? You don't show up with your arm swinging. What a great, great line. And thank you, Mikey, and thank you for the donuts and a great guy. All right, now let's get on the phone and grab a quick bite with Marina Franklin. Hey, Tom, how are you? I'm good. I was worried about you because we're going to talk the other day and then you fell off your bike. Oh, yeah, I did.

Well, you know, I was, I was, yeah. What? I think I'm a daredevil sometimes. I was parallel to the sidewalk. And I thought I could just, you know, like really fast go. And, no. You tried to, like, jump the curb, like one of the, like, one of the, cool kids. I do jump the curve sometimes because I am a cool kid.

But on this particular day, I didn't do the math right. And I knew it as I was doing it. I was like, why are you making this wrong move? Why are you doing it? And then a guy stopped his car and got out and picked me up. And it was hot. And I'll do it all over again just for that. Oh, Lord, I seem to have fallen off my bike. Most action I've gotten in a long time. I miss you. I miss you. I've seen you in so long face-to-face.

It might be a year. Oh, yeah. I think it's more than a year. Good Lord. That's crazy. Well, you're performing at the Comedy Cellar again, and you motivated me. I'm looking at flights as we speak.

Oh, the CDC says, maybe you shouldn't fly though. Have you seen that? No. When did they say that? They go back and forth, man. They don't like commit. They're like my ex. Yeah. It's like which one? What do you want? Do you want to, are you going to, what is it? Why are you hanging around? Why are you teasing me?

You want me to fly or you not want me to fly? Like, because they're saying, yeah, but nah. And so it's kind of like they don't know. I mean, they're saying, you know what's happening is they're seeing the numbers going up. Yeah. And they can't really explain it. And so, and then there's that other variants that is out. It's called like, you know, one B-52 or some shit.

Yeah. I just call it B-52. But it's like a new variant. And so they're like, well, we kind of don't know. And that's the thing. They cannot say that because I guess that makes them look back. out and it puts fear in people, but that's what they're saying. They're like, we kind of don't know, but you can fly, but now everybody's flying,

and they're like, well, we didn't mean everybody get on the goddamn plane. Jeez. And so, like, my friend from Ireland is like, she was going to go home for her birthday. She goes, Marina, I'm going to go. I was going to go home for my birthday, but, you know, it was the one thing I wanted to do, but if I go to Ireland, I've got to stay in a hotel for two weeks. And the flight, everybody is coming back from Ireland and their jump passed in the planes and they're talking, so there's no way I'm going on the plane.

I don't have a horrible accent. I went out. That was good. Was that good? Yeah, that was really good. I thought it was like kind of Scottish a little bit, but, you know, it was a little Scottish tone to it. I think you nailed it. Well, I don't care.

I've got my vaccine. I'm all ready to go. I want to see your face. I want to sit at the comedy cellar and eat wings or nachos. I have to come. Yeah, the wings, man. Everyone's talking about those wings. I want those wings.

I don't want those wings, but I'm a vegan now. What? Yeah, I'm a vegan. I had some vegan wings last night that pissed me off. Why? They were so nasty. Oh, my God, I kind of lied to myself the whole time. I was just eating at like, yeah, this is.

This is like wings. Yeah. But you're right. It would be nice to see their time. And also it's like this, you know, the first moment back, you know, no one saw me fall off my bike, so that was good. Right. But I did go in and immediately I got this big hug from SD. That was the biggest moment.

Like, you know, because I haven't felt a hug in a long time. And by the way, I'm still very, I'm not hugging a lot of people. I mean, I will hug Esty, but I gave Wally Collins a side eye when he tried to come for his hug. You know, and then then Colin hugged me and Wally was standing there like, wait, where's my hug? And I was like, you don't make the cut. I was like, well, he took his hug. And then Colin was like, she likes white guys. I go, well, I know, I started dating brothers again.

I date black men. And then Colin was like. She does like black men. She likes white men more. What was the guy who helped you off the curb? Oh, I don't know. He was like Middle Eastern or something. I think that's the direction I'll be going in soon.

Yeah, like a mix. Yeah. I mean, I can do pretty much, you know, I can do other colors. Yeah, change it up a little bit. Why not? Yeah, I could go. I can go bright. You know?

Do you have the double vacs? I have, what do you mean double vacs? Double vaccine. Oh, did I have, is it complete? Do you have two shots? Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, two shots. Because the Johnson and Johnson, that's the ghetto one. That's the ghetto vaccine.

Where they just give you one. I mean, you know, look, it's all good. I encourage everyone getting what they can get, you know, when you can get it. But, yeah, I feel much better. You know, and there's a story about a woman recently. It just came out today, not to scare you, but, you know, she got the virus on the Johnson and Johnson vaccine two weeks or three weeks out. After she got the vaccine, she got it? Yeah, but there's a thing.

What people don't really understand is you won't die from it. So that's not a story that anyone should be putting in, you know, and I actually shouldn't have said it up. But the thing is that the point of the vaccine is that you won't die from this virus. So, look, I'm like a scientist at this point with this show. You really are. I know. I'm the worst. Everyone's like, don't talk to Marina.

She's crazy. But I am. She has all the facts. I have all of the facts. I talk to all the professionals. Well, Dr. Franklin, can I? can I get on a plane in May and come see you? In May, I think you should know more information.

So I would say that May is a good estimate. Is that a right word? Wait, no, May is a good time to like travel, to like, you know, kind of like say, let me just wait and see. Right. Okay. That's a good time because by that time, the CDC should figure out, what their feelings are about everything.

You know, like, do you love me? Do you not love me? What's going on? Well, no. We'll know if they're still going out with us or not. Yeah, you know, because by May, they'll say, because, yeah, because I saw a letter today. They were like, well, I know we said you should get up,

but not really. And then now the stories are coming out. Like, what would this D.D.C. person's family do for vacation? Oh, geez. You know? Yeah. What would Dr. Fosse's daughter do? Oh, God.

It's like we're back to last February. Yeah. But it's going to be fun to see you. I know. I'm coming. I don't care what the CDC says. I'm coming. My feelings are clear.

Oh, well, that's good, Tom. Because, you know, and then getting on stage is also, like, it feels great. Yeah, I know. I'm going to do a show this weekend. Oh, you are? Where? Yeah. Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha, Nebraska. Yeah. It's been a while since I've been there. I know, I'm excited.

Some steaks and... Yeah, you won't be a vegan if you get back to Omaha. Well, I don't know. You know, I was never really a steak girl. I'm going to be honest with you. Oh. Unless it's like a really tender. I know, we used to go for those steak dinners. You never knew that about me.

The whole time I was sitting at the table, I was like, I don't want to tell everyone I'm not really into this, but I'm into like them. He did a good job. I never knew. Oh, yeah. I mean, I like the whole presentation at, you know, like meat places. You know, they make salads nice.

They make potatoes better. They make the potato all, like, sour cream and all that. But, oh, I can't have that either. Oh, no. I'm one of those vegans where I was like, oh, that's right, I can't have that. Yeah, after you're halfway through the dish. I'm going to be honest with you, Tom. I have a deep dish Chicago pizza in my freezer right now.

Filled with cheese? Oh, yeah. Oh, boy. I'm saving it for a rainy day, and today is a rainy day. Yeah, you should do it. I give you permission. I got a first lose weight. No, that's the thing.

I got to lose like five more pounds before I eat this pizza. All right, you're the best. Be careful on your bicycle. Stay alive until I can get there. Okay. Bye. Bye.

I love you. I love you. Bye. Bye, Tom. Marina? Uh-huh. Hello? I feel bad.

Why? What happened? Well, it seemed like you wanted to keep going. And then you text to me and you were like, what do you mean? It's over? Oh, no, I didn't realize you were recording that. That's what I meant. There was a part in the way through.

I was like, oh, something tipped me off that this is an interview. All right, I just didn't want you to feel like you got shorted or anything. Well, I did want to keep talking. You know, I love to talk. But the thing is, I was also like, I was like, is this the interview? I was like, should I cook? Should I be banging pasta in the background? What's happening?

Yeah, it's just a phone call with my friend. It's okay. Wow, that's pretty cool. That was fun. Yeah, it's fun. I'm recording this, too. No. Yep.

You're kidding. Nope. I'm going to record every other, every conversation we have from now on. That's legal. I think some crazy things when I'm not thinking about it. All right, cool. That was funny.

When did I go up? It'll be this week. Oh, cool. Yeah. Oh, thanks, Tom. You're the best. You're the best. Bye.

Push. All right, that's our big show, everybody. Thank you so much for spending some time. with us. Make sure you like and subscribe, as always. Give us reviews, lots of stars, lots of things. Let us spread the word to keep this podcast growing. And I love that we're able to come into the space and do it and share. And this is exactly what I wanted to do. It's actually thinking when we had Mikey, like, it'll be cool too when we add another person. How cool would that be? We have a couple guests at the same time who have never met who's sitting in here. All things for

the future. Thank you so much again for spending some time and we'll see you next time.