Two In The Think Tank - 84 - Bill Watterson - Calvin and Hobbes

Episode Date: May 31, 2017

This week's episode is about the creator of Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Watterson. About his life, how he came to make Calvin and Hobbes and also how he's a super cool guy, none of us knew anything about him but are dedicated fans now. Plus he's from Ohio! It's a super loose episode, not one for those who don't like dead end tangents and bad riffs! Twitter: @DoGoOnPodInstagram: @DoGoOnPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoGoOnPod/Email us: [e-mail] the show and get rewards like bonus episodes:www.patreon.com/DoGoOnPod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey everybody, Jess and Dave, just jumping in really quickly at the top here to make sure that you are across all the details for our upcoming Christmas show. That's right, we are doing a live show in Melbourne Saturday December the 2nd, 2023, our final podcast of the year, our Christmas special. It's downstairs at Morris House, which usually be called the European beer cafe. On Saturday December the 2nd, 2023 at 4.30pm, come along, come one, come all, and get tickets at dogoonpod.com. Are you working way too hard for way too little?

There's never been a better time to consider a career in IT. You could enjoy a recession resistant career and a rewarding field with plenty of growth opportunities and often flexible work environments. Go to mycomputercareer.edu and take the free career evaluation. You could start your new career in months, not years, take classes online or on campus, and financial aid is available to qualified students, including the GI Bill.

Now is the time, mycomputercareer.edu. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit PlanetBcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. Hello and welcome to another week of Do-Go on episode 84. Don't mind if I do my name is Dave Warnocky and I'm doing it. We're the Matt Stewart and Jess Perkins. I did not agree to that. I'm doing it with my friends.

Hi Dave. Hi Matt. Hi Matt. We are friends seconds earlier. But seconds before the mics went on. We were singing the Golden Girls theme song to each other to remind each other which is I don't remember that do you remember that one? Thank you for being a friend. What is he talking about? I go into my mind again

Jay get out of there get out of it dirty place. It's so dirty of it. You're dirty little bit there with Betty What it's yucky in there and some other Golden Girls? Name the others. Why are they golden day? What have you done to them? Betty Brown. Betty. And Betty Blue.

Jack White. That's her dad. And Jack Black. And Jack Black. They come together. He's like, yeah! They come together. So what you said?

They come together make sweet sweet love. Okay, you got a Betty White. Okay, this is taking a weird turn early. Wait, what? That's in the extended version of the Golden Ghost theme song, which apparently you guys have never heard even though we were were seeing it, two weeks ago, and the second to go on, I feel this is a personal betrayal.

Apart from the personal betrayal, how are you? I am well. Thank you. How are you? We need a just health update because you have been in the wars. Yeah, I'm feeling better, I'm not 100% yet, but I am feeling better. Okay, percentage out of 100. Oh, 70? Right, but if you're feeling good,

would you say you're 100 or is 100 like when you're on holiday on the beach or something? I think like 100 in terms of beating this virus that I had. So which would restore me back to normal, I think like a hundred in terms of beating this virus that I had. So which would restore me back to normal, where I would probably normally feel around 60%. So I'm negative 70, is what I'm saying. And I gotta get back up to normal and then beyond. Well, just doesn't understand, Matt's just, you know.

Isn't that negative? Did you only just understand that? I mean, you did just point out earlier that she thinks there's a hundred seconds in a minute. I don't. I do not. I don't. I don't.

I don't see that. They're going to think I did say that, but that was just a joke that Dave made. Just told me I have one minute to get my yogurt in the fridge and come back and heat record on the show, and I said, well, that's fine, because it just says 100 seconds in a minute. And all how we laughed. Me the hardest, because I know the truth. That's fine because it just says 100 seconds in a minute. And oh, how we laughed. Me the hardest because I know the truth. It's out there.

Yeah, the real truth. Minutes really are 100 seconds. You bloody corporate slaves. What a conspiracy. It's just a whole mark holiday gone wrong. Well, you don't even know. You haven't even scratched the surface, mate. Well, please tell me it's a conspiracy style episode because just not ready to go mad.

Oh it is not. I'm always ready to go. For a conspiracy or any reason? Any reason. Oh. What do you make of that? Yeah I'm always ready to go holidays fights. You've ever been in a fight? Yeah I have a brother. Nice. Did you ever win those fights? God though he's 70 years older and very strong. But I came to bloody good guy. Maybe you could have ambushed him with a chainsaw or something. Yeah I caught that he can't kill me when a chainsaw or something. Yeah, cop that, you can't kill him when you got no last time. And then he strangles me to death.

I should have chopped off the arms first. Don't we forgot to do? Let's check in on old MJS over there. Matthew, how you doing? Look, I thought you needed the time to finish your report. Yeah, because if you were typing away, you'd be distracted by your computer. You take every idea you did notice that of course we know that you take every last little second we always rock up and we're like all right we're meeting eight o'clock and then we do not start till about nine o'clock often because Matt it's not just because of you but you do take advantage of the time yeah do I love that a little bit of flavor so how are you is the question sure I mean I

like to I build my reports like a like a fine meal Like a fine meal, please tell me how you build your meals. Well first Here we go first thing you want your carbs, right? So what are you what are you thinking today? Pastor sure me too every night of the week great doctor recently told me I can't do that anymore, but that's okay Dr. Ristie Dr. Ristie said I can't see Look it doesn't matter. I was a she RISTY Doctor RISTY said I can't hear it. Oh, who do you go see? It's Doctor RISTY. Oh, she Look, it doesn't matter. Oh, the she

Well ladies can be doctors. Yes. I have a lady doctor Jess. Wow, and I don't apologize for that nor should you Okay, okay, so you got your carbs according to Doctor RISTY. Yeah No, that's not a name Oh, great. So you usually you change the names because you don't want to name people. We've changed the name and now you're worried that she's given the wrong name. I mean Dr. Ristie, man. It's not an ideal name for a medical professional. Great name for a medical professional in a porn film, though. Is Ristie universal term?

No. No, okay. I reckon people could figure it out use your imagination I'm using mine Use your wrists Crack that wrist Cubs cubs, yeah, yeah, I'm good. Thanks, yeah, oh, thank God. Okay, great now we can start the report and then you want to put the Oh, thank God. Okay, great. Now we can start the report and then you want to put the flavor. Oh, yeah, I think like it maybe like a tomato, some sort of a tomato based

sauce. Oh, yeah. But what do you want to put in that sauce? So far? MSG. I've I've I've sprinkled a little MSG. Great. A little bit of a little bit of olives. Uh-huh. Oh. I've also put in a little bit of mushroom. Oh, can I make a suggestion? Yeah. A little bit of zucchini. No.

Fair enough. I don't know. A little bit rejected. Look, I like that you've tried to be involved, and I definitely fit in this world, but I just personally don't like zucchini. I didn't say zucchini. Oh, please throw a handful in.

Chuck it in. Chuck it in. Resty style. Yep, so we've got mushrooms and some olives and some zucchini. Wow, we're going to- Are you starting this? Are you starting this? Oh, you're starting this? Okay, um, then-

The list is demanding more. Okay. People have got pens and paper at home taking down this recipe. From there, I normally, I personally, and this is not everyone, but I like to put in a little bit of kidney beans. Oh, yum. My favorite of the beans. Sure. The big, the beautiful one there.

Full of all the good stuff. Beans. Full of beans. And, yeah, that's kind of it. I mean, you could sprinkle a little bit of herbs if you've got any in the garden or maybe You some oregano, some salt, some pepper, pepper, maybe some thyme, maybe some rosemary, a rosemary, rosemary, rosemary, rosemary, the neighbors. If I don't move up, get them in the pot. We just put, well, not all of them, Dave. We just get them to put their fist in the bowl

and let them marinate. And then they just, they lick their hand for dinner. That's how they like to do it. And I'm willing to oblige because, you know, less dishes to clean up. Also, Rosemary are both bears. Hmm. Maybe. Hey, should we do this show? Oh my god, I... Yeah. Yes. We are going to do this show. Is that what you were thinking?

Well, and that I've said multiple times. Well, I'm on board. Great. Take us away. Just get this one out of the way. Because it does not feel good in here. Do you want to start us off with a question? Yeah, I'd love to.

Thank you so much. I think this is a good question. Because in a lot of ways that's the only kind of question I ask. Okay, yep, disagree, but that's all right. Okay, it's interesting. I'll note that down here. Who is the most beloved human and animal duo of the last 35 years? Human and animal.

Christopher Robin winning the prude. Can I say question for the prude? That's not it. It's not it, but it's not that far away. Oh, so of the last 35, you said... Yeah, I think I'll be kidding them all, but... I got it. I got it.

Free willy and the kid from Free Willy. Oh fuck, she's not, got it. An hour on this. Yeah, um, Fred Wiles are actually mammals. Interesting. Okay. Follow up, guess, flipper and Elijah Wood. No. Okay. Elijah Wood and someone else in Bordered the Rings. A killer Wiles, mammals Dave. Dave will know this. I feel like he would. Or a killer Wiles not really Wiles. They're not not really whales. I think they're technically... They're sharks. They're a dolphin.

Oh, fuck, that's sick. Yeah. They're actually a toilet duck. It's one of those things that when you find it out, you're just like, what, how is that possible? Like to might as being a fruit. Exactly. It's very similar to that.

You're now, now you're going home and you'll say, oh, there's an orca. Next to my toilet ready to clean those hard-to-reach places. And those hard-to-remove stones. Yeah. Yeah, like I remember when I found that out. Blue my mind, it changed everything. It changed everything.

Yeah, now. Okay. Okay, what was it, so far? You were closer with the first one, but I. Oh. But also, I have a funny feeling that this is a more of an American thing than a worldwide thing So it's more like a car I vaguely heard of it. Yes, but I didn't know it super well So I'll give you maybe another guess each and then we'll I'm gonna

You go because I think I know it so animal and human Garfield oh, that's very close. That's a very good idea. It's very close. I was going to say Calvin and Hobbes. Yes! Oh, Jesus said that well. How do you know of that? Calvin and Hobbes.

Yeah. Because I know of Calvin and Hobbes. What? So what is the thing that's been in Australia? Mm-mm. Wow. I know what it is, but I don't know anything about that. Tell me what you know.

One of them is Calvin. Yes. There's another one, Hobbs. Yes. Together, they have a line of comic strips. Yes. Yes. But I think they're quite big in America.

The only thing I knew about them was there was a robot chicken sketcher, so ages ago, and it's kind of like, you know, it goes a robot. Yeah. Yeah, Seth Green's one. Yeah, and it's kind of like you know it goes over yeah yeah Seth Green's one yeah and it was it was based on that and and so Calvin gets a toy tiger for his birthday which I guess is how the real thing happens as well I'm very worried that if you're to gonna talk about that and you don't know how the hell they look anyway I'll post that clip so you'll it'll make more

sense if you I think I still found it funny Ten years ago whenever it was but I just did not get the joke sure I think I figured it out based on the thing okay Anyway, this week's topic is there create a bill Waterson Waterson Waterson Waterson

Is that the word you had to listen to the pronunciation? Yeah, dear, but it was in a man I listen to an American guy say it so it didn't really get me any closer how it should be is it Waterson it's with two T's that's all what a son what a son what a son I'm gonna say What a son what a son I'm gonna say with a like a slight action So it's a couple of self. I think that way it'll cover me. Okay, I Don't think in a court of law. I like it say you say it around. I'll be like no, I'm doing an accent. I'm doing you I'm slurring my speech. That's all I'm drunk officer. So back off. Yeah I'm drunk in a courtroom

And and Bill what a what a son Now look is also the personal hero of golden hat suggestor of this topic tray Maverick personal hero of golden hat suggests of this topic, Trey Maverick, which can possibly be a real name. We've talked about Trey before. Trey Maverick. Maverick is an incredible name. Trey's good. They follow it up with Maverick.

I just cannot believe that someone's got a name that good. Are you asking Trey to produce a birth certificate? I am asking Trey to produce the goods. I think every gold hat that's been... I'm gonna go on that. Every gold hat man should give us their birth certificate. Just prove that. What was the whole Obama birth certificate thing called? asking trader for just the goods. I think every guy had been there. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him.

I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him.

I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him.

I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. I'm gonna go and have him. You're amazing. He was born in Hawaii. We all know that. Dave. Didn't they end up having a produce? He actually did produce Adversity, even though I was ridiculous. Maybe to shut them up and then Donald Trump was like one of the No, that's just an extract. Oh man. He didn't and then and then since he's like, no, I never really

Anyway, let's not get all let's just do the goddamn report. Let's not get bogged down in the leader of the very bloody world Yeah, mate. Let's talk about what I said Bill what I what I said was born. I don't know if you ever had that nickname Let's go on what I maybe yeah, what I like it what I was born on July 5th 1958 in Washington DC you know who else spend some time there occasionally who Trump oh No relation You know who else spends some time there occasionally? Who? Trump. Oh! No relation. No relation. His parents were named James and Catherine.

Oh, we know them, what life's name? Yeah. Oh yeah. It's exciting. Quite good, right? At the age of six, he moved to Shagrin Falls, Ohio. Ohio! That is great.

I'm already happy with the story. Excellent. I'm happy. I got it. Bye. I'm going of Shagra Falls, whatever you just said. Shagrin. Good bye. Much much. Shagrin. Shagra Falls. Shagra Falls.

Shagra Falls. I am from Shagra Falls. I did get sidetracked when I saw that he lived in Ohio and I started sort of dreaming of visiting himself and I started looking at it. I literally lost an hour and a half. Just dead diving into this Ohio hole. Ohio hole. So Ohio hole.

Oh, I like, oh. And I just started looking at the maps, and it's such a weird little pocket of America there. It's so close to all these different places. You know how the states are on top of each other basically. And then like Pittsburgh is like right near the border of Ohio and stuff. Man, when we get there,

we're gonna go to all these sick places. I'm gonna say a penguin's game. Okay. All right, so my penguin's gaff. Okay. All right, so my mums, like one of her best friends, one of her friends is from Ohio, and they're both teachers and they have traveled a lot and stayed each other's houses, and she used to be the mayor of like a small town in Ohio, and my mum was telling him about how you know we have loses in Ohio and they're like come on over we've got a small comedy festival what I've got to do more research about what what is a comedy festival in Ohio that's like a trap

that is like they're trapping us it's a very small like you know maybe 10,000 people if there is I would perform to 10,000 I'm'm fine with that. Absolutely, I would, yeah. I'm not a snob, I'm not a diva yet. But not a soul less. Oh God no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You got a whole town there, producing their birth certificates. If it's not four figures, I thought Dave would have found that more annoying

than he did, he just smiled. Like, like he didn't even care. He didn't get it. Oh, he didn't get it. He's like, yeah, four figures. I was kind of six-figure man. Oh my God. Let's just do the report. So anyway, I was looking up, uh, Sugar and Fools. It's a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and it's been home to a few other notable people including Scott Wheelland, yeah, because Cleveland does rock. He was the singer of Stoem Temple Pilots while he was alive and Mark Foster singer from FOSTA the

people. Oh the other kids with a pumped up kicks you better, round better, round. I'm just going to cut you off the edges. Bill's father James was a Peyton attorney and his mother Catherine, at one point, was on the Shagrin Falls City Council. Oh! Only one step away from my mum's friend's friend.

Ha ha ha ha! Bill has described his childhood as pretty normal. I generally stayed out of trouble, he said. I did fairly well in school. Nailed. And despite his famous comic being about a child and his imaginary tiger friend I've mentioned that but that's what it is. He didn't have an imaginary friend himself growing up.

My brother did. Did he? Yeah, it was a tiny little horse. Apparently he used to get upset because he's quite a lot older than me so I didn't ever witness this but apparently he used to get like upset if I'd left the house I'd forgotten the horse like I remember its name my mom remembers and she used to just like oh no Here he is like pulling out of her handbag. He was here the whole time. Yeah tiny little horse That is a real nerdy thing and you can remember anyone having an imaginary friend

Yeah, I reckon that's you say nerd, but I think that's something really fun about it. I think so, it's super cute. That's gotta be, there's gotta be some sign that you gotta, like, an over-sized party of probably. Probably. I just, I know I keep yelling at you for getting distracted, but I just binge-watched a series on Netflix called Moon Boy. It's Chris O'Dowd, did?

Oh, yeah, really good. Have you seen it? Yeah, yeah. It's so good. Like a lot. And it's all about a kid who has an imaginary friend and Chris O'Dow you seen it? Yeah. It's so good. And it's all about a kid who has an imaginary friend and Chris O'Dad plays the imaginary friend. It's so good. Really, really good.

They speak in an Irish accent. Yeah, because it's in Ireland. It's in the 80s. It is in the 90s. I think it's the late 80s, early 90s in Boyle. It's really funny. It's so great. His family is very funny.

Very good. Very good. Dave. Oh, I have to check it out. You must. It's a fear to feel good romp It is a bit of a romp and Chris. Oh dad's just bloody great isn't he? He's a real charmer. He got better looking Diddy since I take her out. Oh, yeah, yeah

It's like yes really oh my god. Oh, he's a definite drink He's gorgeous and he's tall and his eyes got those big blues You know, I'm a sucker for the big blues. Oh, yeah, I've got to wear glasses in here He's wearing sunglasses at all times just to stop me from just ripping everything off him I thought it felt weird as I said it I'm so sorry, I'm out to get one We're done sitting here naked, but with glasses on. It's you ripped everything else off She finds him hideous and as long as the glasses are on. Like cyclops. It's a real power you hide behind that.

Yeah. cartoons like peanuts and pogo, which I've never heard of, helped inspire Bill. And he developed an early interest in drawing. At around the age of eight, he drew his first cartoon. And when he was- Like you said, the age of eight, he his first cartoon and when he was like he said the age of eight he was like that is not early Oh, well, it's all relative good point. He sees 200 years old Do we mention that he is some sort of giant tortoise? Could live for a few centuries. Yeah, I should have probably brought that up earlier

Now under Trey Maverick is so enamored with him I can't eat drawing tortoises, that's amazing. That is amazing. So when he was in fourth grade, apparently he wrote a letter to Charles Schultz, the creator of peanuts, and got a real buzz when he sent a letter back. Oh. Of which I have no details of. He can do it.

He can do it. He can do it. Sometimes. He had many hobbies he did can you think many kelvin and hobbies don't hate me for that we suck sometimes yeah people get that there's layers of irony on top of these bad ones right they do they're just, these guys suck sometimes. He continued to draw throughout his schooling, creating superhero comics with mates

and contributing art to the school newspaper. Oh. So it's real, he was a go-getter. Well, first schools have newspapers. Yeah. I remember that my school did not have one of those. Definitely didn't have one. It's one of the memories.

Days, have any. Apple memories. None memories. Yeah, have any. Apple memories. Yeah, I also remember avoiding thinking about a newspaper, because I knew I wouldn't want to remember it. I remember one. Nintendo's time. Wow.

One time at uni there was a spoof newspaper of the herald sun called the Ferrell Scum. Oh, that's good. Oh, that's very good. Fight the power. Yeah, take him down. They really tore him down. They really tore to a torn down. From 1976, what I attended, Kenyan College in Ohio, studying for a Bachelor of Arts, focusing on political science. So no real drawing stuff there. He was just

sort of keeping that on the side. A college he drew political cartoons though for the college's newspaper. And he also painted a copy of Michelangelo's famous creation of Adam painting as a mural on his dorm ceiling. Oh, that's really cool. Like the Sistine Chapel. Yes. Only the dorm. The Sistine Dorm. The Sistine Dorm. Just a lot of like 19 year old dudes, jacking themselves. What, looking good. God touching Adam. Jacking themselves. I don't know. Oh yeah, Rub your fingertips.

Oh, it's a haze. Wait, is it good? Is it because of... You sell those a bit bliss-famous? No, no, no, no. I just, I didn't like the tone. I barely listened to what he said. I just didn't like the rubb-yaw and I was tuned out.

Oh, I can't remember. It was an intellectual art joke. So. All right, mate. We've all seen art. With some of us are creating it right now. I think I not. No, I think I rest the development.

It's already squeezed out all the humor from that painting. Don't you think that's so great? I don't know if you can get any more. I'm going to try. It's a squeezed dry. Let it go. Oh, yes, all right. On a side note.

Not the only thing squeezed dry after looking at that painting. Am I right? Those guys on the door. Jack in it. You regretted it all over again. A broken down a barrier. You know, like in history some barriers are broken down and then it makes it easier for the people to come off from. I thought I'd broken down the Jack in it barrier, but I had- And it wasn't easy for you to come after him. I thought I'd broken down the jacket at barrier, but I had... And it wasn't easy for you to come after them.

It wasn't easy. Wow. It was just as difficult the second on the second coming. Second coming, batter. What going on here? On a side note, you know how college teams have mascots or whatever, especially in America. Love them. Did your uniis have one?

Oh my god. One's here. Yeah. I can't. My first uni definitely did. And it was a moose. I was never told to. That's cool.

In any sporting activity at uni. You were? Yeah. Yeah, I played basketball at uni. Yeah, I see you had a moose. Deakin, I don't know if they, I don't remember they're being one. Yeah, I see you had a moose. Deakin, I don't know if they, I don't remember they're being one. Yeah, I think, is Griffins a thing? Is maybe Monash Griffins? I can't remember. Yeah, I did

not, yeah, I did not try hard enough there. No, I could have, I could have done well at uni. But yeah, the one I think of is Teen Wolf, the MichaelJ Fox ad, they were the beavers. And that's one that I was remembering, because I always felt weird. They're wearing like, he becomes a wolf and he becomes a real big star, but they're still called the beavers. Surely you'd change your name to the Teen Wolfs. So you're going to change your whole school based from one student,

who's going to like graduate eventually and leave, and then 10 years down the track, and you're like, why are we the wolves? Oh, as opposed to the beavers where you've got like a clear ongoing story because every year there's a new beaver who plays in the team. Exactly. Okay, well that, yeah, now that you've satellites out, I feel stupid. Anyway, they're an example, apparently the Kenyan college athletes are referred to as the Lords and Ladies.

Oh, I love that. I love that so much. That's great. I agree but it just really caught my attention. What's the mascot? Just a woman. Just a knight and a lady in a tall hat. You know those like those. Yeah they're really tall. There's like cone. So they had like something at the top. Like a little bit of a nail. Yeah. Is that words of turban? Yeah. I don't know their lords, their high priestess.

Oh, I always get those too confused. Maybe evil lords. No, they're the great knights or some of that. Grand dragon, a strong dragon. How do you know? They're all so stupid. What's a lot of documentaries? After graduating in 1980, Bill landed a job as editorial cartoonist at the Cincinnati Post.

Cincinnati is also in Ohio, I did not know that. Didn't I know that. There's so many city names I know in America. Isn't that one of the biggest ones? Yeah, it is. It's actually the third largest in Ohio. Let's not forget my wrestling move for Cincinnati Result as well. Oh yeah.

Right. It's a fun name Cincinnati. Yeah, it's fun to say. It's a fun comedy. It's also a great riddy. Yeah, it looks great. Right. This is a fun name Cincinnati. Yeah, it's fun to say. It's a fun comedy. It's also a great reading. Yeah, it looks great. God, it's so nice. Do you reckon Dave, I actually wrote this in as a question

for you since so Cincinnati, well, you are proud to say you hate geography. No, it be upset. I don't hate it. I just don't understand it. Right. Which way is up? I'm ignorant.

Feel free to answer. But I show. So since the night is the third largest city in Ohio, what are the top two? Cleveland. Yes. That is number two. What's the number one? I don't even know if I knew this place. Um. They all start with C. Cleveland? Columbus. Ah! Columbus so high. Yeah, but it feels like that's one of those ones that there's probably a Columbus in

every state. Because, didn't he go there on a boat or something? I also found out that Ohio is in the Midwest. Did you know that? Yep. And I've heard that people refer to the Midwest before, right? And I always pictured it to be in the middle of the West. Interesting.

What do you think Midwest means? I would have thought the same. It blew my mind. It's actually North Central America. Why do they call it the Midwest then? I don't know. Apparently, it was officially known as the North Central region But that may have made too much sense. So they changed it in 1984. All right to Midwest. Okay

It there would be a I'm sure there's a psychological reason it's west of something. Oh very good and Mid of something. It's all about perspective. It just doesn't understand geography What is it not west of something? Oh, she got you there. Well, it's west of something. You got to pick a point. Yeah, and maybe the point is different. And therefore, now it's Midwest.

Yeah, it's west of like New York, say, just, right? There you go. Midwest. Hey, Jess, do you say hella a lot? Because a little while ago someone tweeted saying that they never heard it outside of Just, right? There you go. Midwest. Hey, Jess, do you say hella relot? Because a little while ago someone tweeted saying that they'd never heard it outside of California or something hella.

You said something it was hella. Yeah, so then like the Mona Lisa episode was like right at the beginning. I'm sure I did. She's got a good memory. No, it's because of the screenshot they attached to the tweet. All right.

I mean, yes, I remember it very clearly. I've definitely said he hello a few times. Always ironically. There are a bunch of celebrities also from Cincinnati. Why more actually? Because it's a much bigger city than the suburb of Shugrin Falls. These include Bootsy Collins. Oh, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.

The holder of the funk. There's a mighty bush there, whatever they say. These include Bootsy Collins, Oh, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum,um, Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum Simpson is going. Me too. Anyway, he- Here is another report on Eclipsion. Yeah, so I'm just a little side report here. Eclipsion, where is he now? Jessica Simpson is obviously by far the superior suit backpacker. Fuck. Do you mean just what just happened? I don't know it.

Are you going to say she's by far the superior superior Jess Yeah, but I said she's the superior Simpson What a fucking idiot she's the superior Simpson her sister Ashley has done nothing a long time Wow, that's the first yeah, okay. What's Jessica done? I say to myself every morning in the mirror Nicholas. Hey, what's Jessica done? I say to myself every morning in the mirror, Nikola Shay. What's Jessica done? Look, I think they all achieved great things and they should be proud of themselves. Go Cincinnati.

So what I got this job at the Cincinnati Post, but his bosses were not impressed with his work. Apparently, because he had lived in the suburbs of Cleveland his whole life. He didn't know too much about the Cincinnati political landscape. Well the Razzle Dazzle. Or the Razzle Dazzle. And so he-

Kid, what's your favorite wrestling mode? The Cleveland Double Park? Oh, he's got a lot to learn now. So they really weren't impressed by his work and maybe partially because he didn't really have an understanding of the local politics sure and he ended up getting the sack within a year and having to move back and get him a free sack you think I'm a sack that's nice like a Hessian sack I know it was a Hessian sack but did it have potatoes in it it had those dogs was it empty and they said

use this to clear out your desk. You're fucking fired. Oh, oh. Yeah, it was a real roller coaster. Yeah, at first it was like great. Yeah, I need a place to throw stuff into. Oh, they're giving me some potatoes. This is so nice.

I'll hold it open. And you just put the potatoes in. Chuck of the spuds, all right. You chuck of the spuds. You quickly realize that every bag's a potato thing? Chuck of the Spuds, all right. You chuck of the Spuds. You quickly realize that every bag has a Hessian lining. And he had to get the fuck out of there. Wow. That's deep.

That's beautiful. So he's back living with his parents, and this is around the point where he kind of bailed on the political cartoons. Decided that wasn't really a thing. And he returned to what made him fall in love with drawing in the first place. Comic strips. He started working hard creating comic strips, trying out a few

different characters and he'd send them out to newspapers in the hope of getting published, but he was left disappointed time after time as he was rejected by Cindy Loppa amongst other newspapers. Back then she also had a newspaper the Cindy Lauper the Cindy Lauper you're sure it was actually it was called the Cindy Lauper true colors It's very on brand I And girls want to have fun and

I'm all out of Cindy Lauper reference. We need kinky boots and I'm all out of Cindy Wilford reference. That's all you need. Kinky Boots. Damn it. During this time, to make ends meet, he had to do some soul destroying work designing ads for car dealers and supermarkets. He didn't sell soul destroying, I've added that in.

He added that in. As someone who would never associate themselves with the advertising world, in any way, who would never sell themselves out or do it. Acting in a commercial say. Never. For example, standing in a line. You draw the line there.

I draw the line a line. Yeah. So I'm sort of a confectionary ad. No, thank you. Look, I don't know what you're insinuating. Matt's in an M&M ad. He is. That's what I'm insinuating, Matt.

Well, if you'd spelled it out in the first place, we would have saved each other some time. M and M spelled it. He has since said that this time was very important, though, as it helped him realize that doing the kind of work that he wanted to do was more important than money, because he was earning decent money doing these things. But he wasn't lovin it. Maybe it was sold destroying. Referencing this tough period he has said since, to endure five years of rejection to get a job requires either a faith in oneself that borders on delusion or a love of the work.

I was deluded. No, I loved the work. Right. And I guess it was that love and dedication that kept water in the game and led him to his big success. He workshopped a few different characters, but eventually settled on his iconic duo of Calvin and Hobbs. Calvin, a rowdy young boy, and Hobbs, a toy tiger who came to life, but only went alone with Calvin. I think that's sort of our work, so. What is he get these ideas?

So basically, Hobbs are a living, and they're more fit tiger. Nailed it. To Calvin. But to the rest of the characters Hobbs is just an inanimate stuff to weigh. Capace. And they go on adventures. They go on adventures.

And their rocket can, and their et cetera is nailed it. I'm going to look into this. It's more. I've read a few and they're nice. There's some nice ones. I don't know heaps. I just have friends who they have fun. I think it might be one of those ones we're growing up with it would make you really into it. Yeah. Is it funny? It's humorous. I think it would be like a gentle humor maybe. Yeah. I think it's sort of like... Oh, here we go. You know, it's... I kind of feel like it's putting up a mirror. You know what I mean? You read it and have a good heart look at yourself Dave. Right, and just ask, where's my fucking tiger? Yeah, so to speak.

I don't think Calvin had put it quite like that. He wouldn't put it like that, but... He's a child. I don't know that word, but he's like six. He's but a boy. He's but a boy. He's but a boy. That's his alter ego.

But a boy. He's a slippery. Okay. boy he's butter boy he's butter boy that's his alter ego butter boy he's so slippery okay tell me more he can try and man a pan I'm liking this butter boy butter boy the main part him down a slide on a hot day he'll melt butter boy the main characters were... Butterboy, you should say it. The main characters were named after 16th century French Theologian, John Calvin, and 17th century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Well, that's cute. Yeah, so they're named after...

Pick good names. I like Hobbes especially. Yeah, Hobbes, cool. That's very cute. Hobbs. No, picking out of all the sort of French cool sounding philosophers going, naming him after John. Well, yeah, I mean, he cut that bit out, didn't he? What's your problem with John's? You love the John. It's all you ever do.

You always go to the John. I do. We get in here, we set up, we're like, okay, we're ready to go. I just go to the John. Do you love John's? If you're talking about pissing into their mouths. Yeah. This is where I remind you that my father, John Perkins, listens to this podcast. That's fine name for a 21st century kind of guy, but the 16th century Frenchies. Frenchies. You know, there's more to some of them than their name But if you get to pick anything for your character Didn't choose John chose Hobbs

Pretty great to disagree I've made it sound like what I went through like a lifelong struggle before he found success But an actual fact he was just 27 when he started producing Calvin and Hobbes for many. So 27's a magic number, is it? I don't know, I don't know if that's what I was saying. I think it is. That's it, I say really. This is our year, baby. Coming up.

Coming up. I have plans to join the 27 club, so I've got to get famous and die all within one year. So. me too. I made that joke. I made that joke when I was 26 to. 40, six years ago. So that's just a little something that you got your kids will go through. It's not watching you guys grow up before my eyes.

But it's amazing. Doing jokes I made years ago, etc. It's amazing that you were able to predict theth Club hundreds of years before it even existed. You're old. As soon as I saw Janice Joplin, I'm like, yeah. She's going to die. She is going to die. She's in my club soon.

That's a cool plot for a film. The 27th Club is actually just a serial killer. Oh. It's a good plot for a fan. Copyright. Nobody write that. It's ours. Stop it.

Put that pen down, young man. Stop it. Ah. Watching you from inside your ear holes. Yeah, imagine if we could. Can't we? I just assumed we couldn't. We just hadn't yet.

We just thought. We would never abuse that power. Or would we? I think everyone should know that we would not Oh, I get it. I mean, you're winking at me. Oh shit. Are you working way too hard for way too little? There's never been a better time to consider a career in IT You could enjoy a recession resistant career in a rewarding field with plenty of growth opportunities and often flexible work environments. Go to mycomputercareer.edu and take the free career evaluation. You could start your new career in months, not years. Take classes online or on campus, and financial aid is available to qualified students, including

the GI Bill. Now is the time mycomputercareer.edu. In 1985, selling it to Universal Press Syndicate, he finally, after all these few years in his mid-20s of struggling, gave his work a national audience. The strip debuted on November 18th 1985. Jess, where were you? Where was I in 1985? But a twinkle in my father's eye. He's... we're gonna have to talk to you about some other things as well, biological and... What? You'd... Spirm starts in the eye, doesn't it? Oh no They tell it tell her

It's the nose yes You come from your dad's an office So bad at geography She gets her eyes and nose confused. I said, is that ow! This would be poking myself in the eye. My god. What? And you would you were poking yourself in the eye when you were saying is. You were pointing to the wrong thing. I don't know who I am anymore.

So at Dave Fooge on November 18th 1985 in 35 papers. And this is when he's only 27. This is when he's 27 and by 1987 the number had grown to more than 300 newspapers. Wow. Making the fastest growing comic strip of the 1980s in all of America, maybe the world. Probably America. Oh, love America. That the world. Probably America. I love America. Including Ohio, which is in America.

Which is where water was in. Thank you. And it made him like some sort of a celebrity, almost instantly, like 27. Like 27. Living the celebrity level. Oh, would we call 27 more like 20s? Nah, it's probably still mid-Irachim, probably still mid-20s. Will it be 20s? Nah, it's probably still mid or I can probably still mid 20s.

Well, it is. It's a few things I'm having to explain to you today. When time moves on, so does your age. So by 1987 he'd aged two years and became 29. That is definitely. Which I think at most. I think at most. I'm way from the 20s will go.

Just looking at the map saying, which way is up? I don't like this. I don't like it either. You're gonna have to say some smart things soon. Good luck. Otherwise we're all being bad feminists today. Wait, but if it was Dave. Dave can be dumb.

That's fine. But I can't be dumb. Exactly. There's a lot of pressure on you from the patriarchy. Don trying to change me. I want to be dumb. I'll be dumb. Exactly. I'm giving you permission to be dumb. Thank you. I'm the feminist here Who go on man? I'm the feminist here. That's the best. I'll be the feminist here. Back off tuts. I'll take this one. You don't know how to be feminist. Shhh.

Um, so yeah, it was a big book I wrote. Give it a read sometime, if you can. Get your daddy to read it to you. Good man's plan in bad, David Warnocky. So yeah, it was a big hit. Raiders loved it, and it was, you know know the story kind of follows their mischievous adventures With a comic strip and they raiders are all they viewers. Oh Is that a little comic book? Are you trying to be intellectual again?

I think you're fine They're actually looking with their eyes. Well, I've done some research. How am I? They're actually looking with their eyes. Well done some research. How on my eye? Sooby-doo can do do, but Jimmy Carter is smarter. It's the other way around, isn't it? Fuck. But what about, um...

I thought it was. In 86, whato became the youngest cartoonist ever to receive the National Cartoonist Society's Rubin Award, which is the industry's life honor. He just gets a sandwich. Like, give him a Rubin sub. You got pickles, got some coleslaw, fuck it. That sounds real good. That sounds great. That's what I know.

The highest sandwich. The highest sandwich in the whole industry. The whole industry. Yeah. Wow. How old is he at this? How old is he at this point? What is this? This is 86. Oh, this is 86. So we've gone back to you. He's back to 28. Matt, that's try to move on. We won't let it. Only 28. That's really a frustrating, isn't it?

Yeah, in some ways. It's not too late for you to pick up the old Cartoonie pen. But you are behind. Yeah, you are well-bought. No, you. I am. are well, but I am I'm gonna find it quite difficult to To win a Rubin by 28. Yeah, because 28 was a long time ago for you. I can't even remember it. I bet I Was so young and stupid. Oh Just like some people I know maybe I'll just grow into smarts Do you're here? Do you know growing to some smarts? No I'll just grow into smarts. Do you agree? Do you think I'll grow into some smarts? No. I'll be the feminist here.

So he sort of, he doesn't give many interviews right, but he does seem to give quite a few to this publication called The Plane Dealer, which was one of the first publications to run the comic. P-L-A-N-E, P-L-A-I-N, P-L-A-Y-N. P-L-A-N-E, P-L-A-Y-N. The Plane Dealer. P-L-A-N-E, P-L-A-I-N, P-L-A-Y-N. The plane dealer. P-L-A-I-N. And so no high-end public patient. It's a no-hation. It's a no-hation, yeah.

Probably, publicly home. In 1987, what I said, he was to the plane dealer. He said that he was shell shocked by the attention that the celebrity aspect of the job had taken him She's respectful to our veterans Uh, taken him... and taken him aback But she... you know, he's... wow It's not the same as shell shock No, I know, it's sort of dead right here clearly Is that taken aback? Is this being taken aback?

Yeah, nailed it. That's perfect. Thank you Do it again? Oh wow, the range!, I felt that I can I connected with that I like the fuck out of anything I thought you could stand in lines, but you can be taken aback Dave you give it a go No, see you wrote no I went forwards. I got taken a forwards Is that a thing is there a role for that? So he's taking a back and I'm going to edit out all that visual stuff we just did. He was taking it back and he said, I really can't stand it right. He really appreciated the fans but he couldn't understand why they would want to know so much about him and his life.

Like he didn't like that. I got that. He's like just read the fucking drawings. What do you need to know about me? I have some guy. Hmm. Interesting. With the comics popularity growing exponentially, Universal Press Syndicate were keen to start selling Calvin and Hobbs merch, which as we know, with the Simpsons and many other cartoons, that's where the big dollars are made. But despite what is relative youth, he walked to the beat of his own drum,

and as such he refused to allow the licensing of his creations for merchandise. But he did hire Amanda follow him playing a drum at a weird beat, and he walked to it. Or you better fucking believe you walked to it. Sounds expensive. Yeah. You better start selling some merch if you're gonna get that with it Do you have the feeling that he's making a bit of money though? Yeah, he's making some money for sure because he's it's becoming very popular He's definitely making money. He's just not he's just is choosing not to make crazy money

He said that if he did that it would turn his characters into television Huxters and T-Shirt slogan ears and deprive me of characters that actually expressed my own feelings. Great. Doesn't sound like any late 20s person I've ever met. Yeah. It does. Deprive me of my feelings.

My feelings, my character. For the enemies of Ryder, right? You don't know many, like riders or... I don't know. Intellectuals. Intellectual types. Orators. Maybe I do.

I hate you. We don't know what Dave does outside of this studio. That's a very good point. You've never seen me outside of this room. Unfortunately though, his deal with universal press was signed when he was an eager unknown. So the contract was very one-sided against him. If universal really wanted to, they could license his characters against

his will, but he eventually won out, and I guess he uses popularity as a bargaining chip to renegotiate his contract so that he would receive all rights to his work. Wow. So he sounds like he's a pretty pretty good businessman as well as a And these just small comic strips like four or five cells at a time. Yeah, they're just the ones you read in the paper sort of thing Like a Garfield or all those sort of guys or a Fred Bassett. He would be Like a Fred Bassett. Is that international? It's like famously bad. So bad. And just nothing really happens.

What's the other one? What's the Viking? Oh, hey girl. Hey girl. My dad loves hey girl. Come on, hey girl. There's a couple of hey girls cut out and stuck in my parents' fridge. The Wizard of Id. Wizard of Id.

Snake tails. Snake tails. What's the flower? Say the other flowers Yeah, one of them slap they always slap them they're all that slapstick in that comic, which I respect yeah You big slapper That was not Did you hear that yeah, you piece of work marking down on my feminist list?

You big slapper. I was thinking how um... I'm calling the police. Okay, that's gonna sound weird out of context. Hello, my friend just called me a big slapper. Hello? He there? Officer? They've died of shock. They fainted. Oh, that's good. Do you think the way was quite protective of his character's remind me a bit of the Mary Poppins author? Do you reckon? P.L. Travis. Yeah, only she wanted to avoid turning him into cartoons, I guess.

So it is impressive when people sort of control their creation and don't want to sell They don't want to sell out, I guess. It's like it's real art. We wouldn't know what that is. We are very keen to make any money we can from this art that we make. Yeah, look. Do you think this is art? No. Nah, good go. Dave? It's a, it's a, it goes beyond art. There it is. It's new art. It's a, it transcends art.

It transcends. We're floating above art. Looking down at art, spitting. If we were at the Louvre, or the Louvre, Louvre, we wouldn't, they wouldn't be able to put us on a wall. We'd be We'd be sort of like wearing you know a hot air balloon above Outside outside the building. That's on above. So we're just in a hot air balloon in Paris. Is what you're saying? Yeah, that's that that's how That's that's how much we transcend probably being shot at by the French Air Force. Yeah, because we're dangerous

We're dangerous. You're not in the loop. We're dangerous. You know. How many fucks do we give? What's the opposite of sub? What? Oppositive sub. Unsub.

Unsub. We're unsub, artists. OK. We're one beat above. How many fucks do we give? 15, 20. Really? Each. And that's, you you know 60 fucks given bro and that's just what I

got in my pockets so okay yeah cool if you give me some time I'll collect more sick go go around in the couch so we're the opposite of what I'm so weird episode I'm sorry So we're the opposite of what I'm sorry So anyway despite pressure he he has maintained that position of no merchant us even till today I think I admire him for that You I sound like you guys sort of do too. Yeah, absolutely. I reckon I would definitely in his position. I reckon I probably would have I would have okayed and tried tried to control it. Yeah, from there. Yeah, just remember like on the simpses Matt Grainings still gets

the final say on merchandise. Yeah, I think he almost always yes. He's like crusty in the simps. Yeah. crusty pregnancy tests. It's my upper lip always supposed to bleed this much. I think so. But because he said no, it hasn't been able to, like anything, it hasn't been able to stop unofficial merch happening. And I found out something in the research that I'd seen at Calvin logo a lot.

And this widespread unofficial merch is a sticker of Calvin pissing on a brand logo. Like the logo might change depending on what, like in Australia the two big race car brands or car brands Ford and Holden. So Ford lovers will have a Calvin pissing on Holden and vice versa. Take that.

Yeah, real good stuff. But I'd seen that a lot around. Had no idea that was Calvin. There you go. If Hobbs was there, maybe I would have had a body some sort Had no idea that was Calvin. There you go. If Hobbs was there, maybe I would have had a body some sort of an idea. Sure. Just look like a little boy to you.

Just a little boy. So boy, take him a slash. Eat what I was actually mentioned, those stickers, saying, I clearly miscalculated how popular it would be to show Calvin urinating on a Ford logo. He miscalculated. Not good. Someone had to say it.

Jess would have if... Just the way he looks me dead in the hour. If the roles were reversed, Jess definitely would have been the one to say that. Yeah. And you know, you've really opened us both up to, um, any line ball calls from now on is going to be brutally shut down by this. So thanks a lot, you've really opened us both up to any line ball calls from now on is gonna be brutally shot down by this. So thanks a lot, you fucking idiot. I'm shaking now, I'm not gonna go for any.

Like as normally it's a safe place, you can have a crack at a decal vanating or whatever you say. Absolutely not now. And that's fine, but you've fucked that forever on Dave. This meant to be a safe place. I'm proud of yourself In 1995 when the strip was at the heart of its popularity more like stripper I thought just gonna show me High-fived him was going for anything running in any word else is gonna change In a lot of ways. I'm at a very important part of the story

Okay, we just so are you asking us to shut up? Alright, talk about the strippers. You fucking piece of shit. So, 995 and the stripper was at the height of its popularity. It had been running for more than, it had been running in more than 2400 newspapers. Whoa, that's huge! Huge amount of newspapers. And reaching an audience in the hundreds of millions. Which is also

quite big. At this point, and they'd been running for 10 years, what has sent a letter to the thousands of publications that carried his comic strip, the letter red, dear editor, I'll be stopping Calvin and Hobbes at the end of this year. This was not a recent or easy decision decision and I'll leave with some sadness. My interests have shifted, however, and I believe I've done what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines and small panels. I'm eager to work at a more thoughtful pace with fewer artistic compromises. I've not yet decided on future projects, but my relationship

with Universal Press Syndicate will continue. That so many newspapers would carry Calvin and Hobbes as an honor. I'll love long be proud of. And I've regularly appreciated your support and indulgence over the last decade. During this comic strip has been a privilege and a pleasure, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity. Sincerely signed Bill Watson. Wow, well, I bowed out on top. Yeah, like right me the opportunity. Sincerely signed Bill Watson. Wow. Wow, bad out on top. Yeah, like right at the peak.

Yeah, well. It was still growing, I think. It was like it was big and super popular. And something that mean going for about 10 years? 10 years for 3,100 installments. And that's when he retired the comic. The final Calvin and Hobbes ran on December 31st, 1995. Oh, wow.

I've got no idea. No. Yeah, it's one of those things that are still sort of in the zeitgeist. That's really cute. Yeah, it definitely is. And people who genuinely mourned it's passing. They still do apparently. The plane dealer that paper was talking about before, published an article written in 2010.

It was 15 years after the last issue. And the author of the article, John Campanelli, he sounds like a big Calvin and Hobbes fan too. I like this one, one little mini paragraph of his article he said. Unlike other popular art of the era, the films of Kevin Kossner perhaps, or the music of Brian Adams, shall. Calvin and Hobbes has not been time-stamped and filed away. It is endured even thrived. Cop that, Cosner. Now, in the article, he also quotes Lucy Cazwell, who curates a cartoon library and museum at Ohio State University,

Go Buck Ours, where the majority of the original Calvin and Hobbes strips are kept nearly all of them are there, the original. Wow. During she said, still people come up to me and they grieve the loss of Calvin and Hobbes. It's genuine. But Caswell urges fans of the strip to focus on what what Oh gave them, which is what she calls a gift. Not, don't focus on what he took away.

Focus on what he gave you. What he gave you. Wow. I mean, it's the same thing as what he took away. Appreciate the 10 years you had, though. This is what she says, which to me, this feels crazy, this has to be said, but anyway, this is what she said. I think we have to respect his choices. It seems to me that any creative person has the right to decide if they are or they are

not going to make their art. That ultimately has to be their choice. She's not wrong. She's absolutely not wrong. Oh, you're wasting everyone's time. Of course they don't have to. But she's saying it to people like, honestly, I know it's hard. But if someone doesn't want to do something, you can't make him. Now, now chain him up.

Make him write the comic. Threaten his, so weird. Threaten his kids' lives. Make him write it. Page by page. What? His fans sound like the big fans, possibly Trey Maverick Just real just dedicated Fans who are just like it's like their their lives have been ruined

When he took it away, so they've sort of like really turned on a movie Anyway, I was sort of almost wrapping it up here as But that's 22 years ago. Yeah, He's never gone back. Never gone back. He never resurrected Calvin Hobbes. He has lived mainly out of the spotlight since he retired. According to biography.com, he lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife, Melissa, where he keeps a low profile and declines most interview requests. He says he has no regrets about ending the strip when he did.

No regret. No regret for Bill. It's always, this is what he said. It's always better to leave the party early. This is what he said, again, with an interview with the plane dealer. If I had rolled along with the strip's popularity and repeated myself for another 5, 10 or 20 years, the people now grieving for Calvin and Hobbes would be wishing me dead and cursing newspaper for running tedious ancient strips like mine instead of inquiring fresher instead of acquiring fresher, lively, a talent, and I'd be agreeing with them. What a cool dude! I think he spun on.

I love it at the end. That's real good. So I think what happened, you're like, you quit at the peak and people miss it. Whereas you just ride something to the ground and then they're like, you've ruined the legacy. Yeah, the soon soon's anyone. It's not even like it's not even about it being

at its absolute peak as well. Like, even if it had sort of peaked a little while ago, I hadn't quite reached its peak. Like if he's done with it and doesn't enjoy doing it anymore, then the quality's gonna diminish anyway. He's after with a real nice one too early like it. It's like, their landscapes covered in snow, and they're talking about it like it's a blank sheet of paper, and they just go, look, the world's full of opportunities. Let's go explore and they walk off into the distance.

Oh, that's nice. It's real sweet way to end it. Wow. I just, I don't think I'd ever have the balls to walk away and not regret it or think about it all the time. Yeah, I mean, if it's the right time, then you probably wouldn't. I'm, I've got the kind of personality where I'm not super decisive. So I think I'd find something that really difficult.

I'm pretty sure I'd take too long. We're gonna do this for a hundred years, haven't we? I'm keen to do this for a hundred years. I want to still be doing this when we're, well when we're in our 50s so you'd be 83? I'll be in my 50s. 150s, am I right, ladies? Yeah! Am I right, ladies?

Yes, anyway, so that is the story. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late.

I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I'm a bit late. I for a bit, doing landscapes and stuff like that. And he's come back, he did some work to raise some money for Parkinson's, finding a cure for Parkinson's for the, I think maybe the Michael J. Fox set up there, Teen Wolf himself. Yeah, so he's done bits and pieces, but yeah, basically he's, he's really like his bibliography and stuff has really slowed up Since the mid to late 90 that's amazing He's telling and loving his life for the life. He made enough cash to cruise along. Yeah, I think he's still like his books like he

He released books compiling all the the comics and they've sold hundreds of thousands Continue to sell like he'd he'd still be making money out of those things. It's all still floating about. Wow. Yeah. I just think he's a mad dog. I love a guy.

I can just go, I'm not a joy miss. I'm going to just go do stuff I like. I wonder what that is. But he can't find out because he doesn't bother doing interviews, apart from the bloody plane. I mean, you probably tried to contact him, him right? I did of course. I always do Try to contact all my topics Second wheels they were difficult

Steer-burkin wheels. Where are you? Please reply to my previous email Of Matt where are you? Yeah, I just yeah, I know I just have a stab at email addresses. Birkinwills at BirkinWills.com. BirkinWills. BirkinWills. Birkin the score wheels are at score 69. I try, I do try a few different ones. They don't have the rest. They don't have their own email. I was not Birkin. BirkinWills and Wills at Birkin. No. BirkinWills at BirkinWills. They're old school.

Yeah. Wills, did you subscribe to a viagra thing again? Sorry Birk. This is a shared email. Know your boundaries. Dave, I did mean to bring up. I've gone through our emails recently. Oh, no. Well, I'm honestly impressed with this guy. I can see why he would be a personal hero to our personal hero. Trayn Maverick. The Maverick himself. What a name. The man in the myth of legend, Trayn Maverick. And I've just got to give you a look at this guy.

Because I think if you liked him already, you're gonna love this classic photo of him, which is what comes up the most. We'll post this. This is probably the photo with the show. Great. I was not expecting that over. Oh, wow, he's a cool dude.

He's a cool dude. Look at that mooo and those glasses. They are enormous. How old is he? Does that have a date on it? No, that was yesterday. That's what he's Instagram. He hates his website meticulously.

Does Bill Watson have Instagram at? Uh, no, he doesn't. Oh, this morning? Yeah, he's a recluse, but does post-regulier on the ground. Hey guys, here I am not doing very much Again, just letting you know just checking in with the selfie to let you know no interviews today Thank you. I will not be making any comments. Thank you very much. You just post screenshots of the interview requests They captured just no little gifts of him got no no no no

Not today will today be the day no No, no, no, no, not today will today be the day no Hope you listen to podcasts about him no doubt no doubt I would he's got a big Google alert going Yeah, I look I listen to a podcast about myself people talked about you for an hour God, I'd have a lot to say when they oh, yeah, geez. My brother is seven years older. Thank you and goodbye My brother is seven years older. Thank you and goodbye. That's an I've won fun fact about you. I used seven years older. He's a little fun fact. I've probably mentioned it. His name is Michael. Very uncommon name. He named after a 16th century French four-star.

He is! Our are our teests Michael and Jolo Correct now. We've got to thank the man the magic the myth the legend train Maverick Of course we're suggesting this topic being one of our golden hat patrons But you also'd like to do thank not until I'm not gonna thank him until I see that certificate on my desk Where were you born Hawaii? I fucking doubt it. Wow. Sorry the golden hat berth The movement. I just choose to believe. Personally. You do? Yep. Do you believe in love? You know where I think Tri actually is from? Austin, Texas. I think. We'll have to go there on the American tour. Why would you guess? Why would you say that if you think? That could be a huge insult to try if you're wrong. How Austin's not insulting to anyone.

You don't know that. I'm pretty sure Willie Nelson's from Austin, so grow up, yes. Good point. What I'm trying to lead us to is we need to thank some patrons as well. People that donate to patreon.com. So let's do go on pod.

We'd like to give you a shout out now Matt Who would you like to think I'd love if I could I'd love to and you can oh thank goodness from the bottom of my heart I'd love to think Daniel super early Daniel Dan the man down the man Dan the man super early have a sip on us. You know what I'm doing tonight Daniel Sipper super early, please don't tell us What are you doing? I'm just gonna go homeipper, Sipper Ellie, please don't tell us. Yeah, nobody wants to talk. What are you doing tonight? I was gonna go home have a beer and have a little

super-rely, you know, enough of my fave. You were gonna have a beer anyway, I reckon. No, no, ah. Super-rely, super-rely. No, ah, no. Ah, right, okay. Is it, yeah, what, what is this an in-squisition? How dare you?

In-squisition? Is that what it is? Well, put it, whatever terms you like. But it's not on. This is a safe place. We can have a siperelli if we want to have a siperelli. I mean, I think you've had a few too many siperelli. Something you've had a few siperelli.

Sipa! You just love that name. Are you having pre-show super-release again? No. You gotta stop at the pre-show super-release. I think it's great if we're saying it wrong. It's entire time. I'm confident there's a chance.

I'm confident there's a chance. I think Super is from California as well. So he won't mind me saying that he is hella cool. Right, because hella is okay in California. I think, yeah, I didn't, yeah. Sure. Okay. Thank you Daniels for being really, I would also like to thank, if I may,

generally, if I may please. I'd love you too. Thank you so much. I would really like to thank a man who I assume is related to my friend Sophie that I went to school with because they share the same surname. Oh, okay. Right, okay, that's the same surname. Oh, okay. Right, okay.

That does. That's the wild step. That gets you a lot closer. Yeah, and there can't be that many of them. So I would like to thank Matt. Big bullbag. So fee, big bullbag. I mean the yachts.

Lovely girl. We'll always have grade four. No, I would like to thank Matt Flanagan Oh Flanagan that very uncommon name I would call him flano If we were mates. I'd call him 48 48 and it sounds like a random number Uh-huh. That's the first thing we came to mind right where would that? Which probably makes it a bit random yeah Came from the depths of my heart.

I assume that was like some sort of some kind of a football club reference. Probably not. Like Matt Flanagan. Matt Flanagan. 48. 48, because he's really great. Nailed it.

Great. And I agree. I think Matt Flanagan is fantastic. He's flantastic. Fuck. Oh, now I'm gonna get, what I'm gonna do tonight. I'm gonna have a little sip of rally on a beer, and I'm gonna eat a little fruit flanagan.

Great. You know you should have after that? What's that? You should have yourself a shepherd's pie brought to you by one golden patron himself, Zach Shepherds. Zach. That's who I'd like to thank, Zach.

Return of the Zach. You heard those sheep. That's who I'd like to thank. Zach, you heard those sheep. That's what Shepard's doing right? Oh yeah. See, smart. Yeah, smart, didn't realize. Yeah, I'm pretty smart. What going on upstairs? I like that there's two golden hat people

on one of them, so train every exact shepherd. You guys should get together and get hang out. I'm gonna be nice. I'm gonna be lovely. Take a dip in the golden hat. I'd love if everybody could just hang out and I'd love it if people met through our podcast. I'd love a friendship to someone.

I'd love a marriage. Oh my God, that would be the best. Let me finish sentence to you. Oh, wait, you and I are getting married? Or a listener is marrying me That's right one wait hang on if you don't know no white. I made a man We start to chat he goes. Oh, you have a podcast. He listens to my podcast. We happen to get married later does that count? It's pretty good. Yes, take that take that

Take that with your happy marriage and your future and your security Yeah, dog. Hey, Zach Sheppard's from Queensland go Marones. Am I right? I know all the teams I'm so sorry That you're from Queensland. Oh, no, I love it so much gonna be up there soon. Oh, yeah, Maddie's going on a road shop there Yes, be soon very soon. Maybe near it's actually putting himself. Yeah, I don't know. I'd have to look up his address Do I do I have access to that? That'd be weird wouldn't it? Yeah, probably probably Probably won't do that don't turn up at his house. Okay, that would be weird That'd be too far. Hello.

Where am I staying? Yeah. No, you're right. That would be too much. Wouldn't it? Wouldn't it? Matt, don't do it, please. You know what I'm like when I got an idea in the head.

No, but I really must urge you to ditch this idea. Or you'll end up in a ditch. Okay, great. Yeah. Hey, great. We can't trust a golden hat patron. Who can you trust? You're not wrong. So I'm saying.

You're not wrong at all. Now we will be back next week with another episode. It is myself reporting and I don't know if we said this on an episode but we've changed the rules up here. Matt did the golden hat this week because your topics were last four or five months Matt, people have been able to vote through Patreon. It's been so much fun. But now you've handed the reins over to me.

On the baton reign. So for the next few months you'll be able to vote for my topics. Which must feel good, right? For you to now vote on what Dave's going do that must feel like real power Well people have vote I've started voting on my topic for next week and by the time this comes out the vote will have closed I'm about to close it It's so so close there's only a few votes in it all three options I did not have a single vote that was close Every time one one with over half the votes. Oh, I'm talking

Miniscule percentage B's dig. Half. Half a B's dig. Down to like two, three figures. I told you I'm a six figure plus man. Anything other six figures is small for him. It's pocket change. Okay.

Dave, can I borrow $10,000? Sure. Thank you. I don't even need a back. Sick. Matt now. Strike, strike. Dave, can I have a million dollars? Sure, no questions asked.

Hang on. I don't even need a back. Dave. You blew your chance, yes. I'm sorry. You're only getting ten grand. No, it's still taken. What a lucas.

Let me have that. And then I borrow money from you, too. Matt. Yes. Can I have $200,000? What are you needed for? Living. Okay.

Thanks, Maddie. You're gonna die with out of it. And of course you can have the money. Thank you. Well, if you want to vote for my topics or supply Jess's love demands for cash. Hit us up on patreon.com. So I do go on post.

My bank details are a BSB. I don't know what they are. You could also hit us up on social media of course all the links are in the description but if you want me to say it out loud it is at do go on pod on Facebook Instagram and Twitter was love to hear from you guys. Topic suggestions are always very welcome. The hat is getting huge. Hey, more the Mario. Yeah. At this point it's a 10 gallon hat. Oh, oh, big odd hat. My neck is getting sore. You could take it off. Hey Dave, tell them to review. Oh, yeah, we don't often say this, but it does help us get out there review and review. And we will just dance for you. To come and make it do something. Hey Dave. I

choose just reviewers. That's what I'm trying to say. Dave, tell him to also go to my comedy page and Instagram. Something you should never do is go on Jess Perkins at Jess Perkins. Well done. Jess on the school Perkins. Avoid that forever. Tell him to avoid mine as well. Do not avoid Matt's. Now I'm trying to fuck this reverse psychology. He's really working on it.

Yeah, we all have do have individual accounts. Our Twitter has outgrown us all now. So, that was a tough day. There's more people in our kids. Doing better than us. There's more people following us. So you can always see if you're following us on our Twitter account.

Follow individual accounts, but anyway, we'll be back next week with another episode. The very close vote will be revealed, but until then, I believe I will say goodbye. Bye! Bye! This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit PlanetBcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want, it's up to you.

Over the last 10 years, Bombus has donated over 100 million socks, underwear and t-shirts to those facing homelessness. If we counted those on air, this ad would last over 1,157 days. But if we counted the time it takes to make a donation possible this holiday season, it would take just a few clicks. Because every time you make a purchase, bombas donate an item to someone who needs it. Go to bombas.com slash locked on and use code locked on for 20% off your first purchase.

That's bombas.com slash locked on code locked on. Are you working way too hard for way too little? There's never been a better time to consider a career in IT. You could enjoy a recession-resistant career in a rewarding field, with plenty of growth opportunities and often flexible work environments. Go to mycomputercareer.edu and take the free career evaluation. You could start your new career in months, not years. Take classes online or on campus, and financial aid is available to qualified students, including the GI Bill.

Now is the time, mycomputercareer.edu.