Handsome - Pretty Little Episode #99

Episode Date: July 10, 2026

Mae and Tig define what makes a house a home and name their fave music videos on a Pretty Little Episode that will have you saying "forget MTV... I want my Handsome"!Handsome is hosted by Tig Notaro, Mae Martin, and Fortune FeimsterSubmit your questions to speakpipe.com/handsomepodFollow us on social media @handsomepodMerch at handsomepod.comWatch Handsome on YouTubeThis is a Headgum podcast. Follow Headgum on Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok. Advertise on Handsome via Gumball.fm.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Pretty little episode. Welcome to the Handsome Pod. This is a very pretty, very little tiny, sweet little cutie little episode with me, May Martin. And me, tiny little Tignotaro. Hey, bud. How are you, May? I'm well, thank you, Tate. Good to hear it?

Yeah, I'm pretty well. Yeah, I didn't. It slept weird and then. How weird? Pretty upside down. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, I dreamed that I was cast in something with Catherine O'Hara and McCauley Culkin. The whole night was like take after take.

Weren't they in Home Alone? Yeah. Oh, interesting. So maybe my subconscious. subconscious was like. Yeah, maybe you are going to be in home alone seven or whatever's next on the list. Playing a little boy like the way, remember when Martin Short played a little boy and something? I like when you have an adult playing a kid and you don't, you don't refer to it. But don't you like when Martin Short just plays anything on the planet? Yes. Oh, God, he's good.

How are you? You're still in Colorado? I'm in Colorado. It's pretty cute how, um, social our sons are. You go to the park. I mean, well, you go to the park and boom, they have best friends. They're playing baseball. It's also funny to be in like small mountain towns. And yesterday when they were playing baseball, some kid, their age, shows up on a little dirt bike motorcycle.

And it's just riding through the, the baseball diamond and ramping off the baseball, the pitchers mound. And nobody even really flinched all like the local kids. Everybody just continued playing. And there's such little, you know, I think it's that thing of like everybody's so active, you know, probably not every mountain town, but people are so active that they just show up on their bike or walk up and they join a game of baseball and they don't have a catcher like a mitt or a glove to play with. So they just use their hat. Oh, that's cool. And they're all just like

no problem catching the ball with their hat and throwing and then the motorcycle comes through the diamond. A child on a motorcycle. This is like a Steven Spielberg movie like real kids. Truly. I was just like how incredible to have this kind of summer. And then these two older kids showed up with their shirts kind of pulled up holding some stuff in their shirts. And they walked out on the field. And I was like, what is going on here? This would never happen in Los Angeles.

No, absolutely not. So these kids have water balloons. And they just start throwing water balloons at everyone. And our son, Finn, went up to the kid. And he goes, what if I, if I bought you, bunch of more water balloons, would you leave? And the kid was like, yeah. And so, that's genius. To get more water balloons, but to take his party elsewhere. So we, that's really smart

bartering. Like yeah. Yeah, you're not going to get what you want for nothing. But if you have someone to offer, whoa, that's hilarious. Yeah. Anyway, it was just such a fun day that you You just don't even expect to have a 10-year-old drive onto the baseball diamond and ramp over the pitcher's mound and still do zigzags. And the locals just don't even flinch. That's pretty hardcore. Yeah. I mean, how much would you want to be involved in that when you were 10? Oh, my God.

I'd be, yeah, I'd feel like I was in a movie. I'd be electrified by the kid on the motorcycle. I'd want to be on the back of that bike. Yeah. I was electrified just sitting there. I was like, oh my God. Stephanie said, this is your fantasy of sports. Have I told you my fantasies?

No. My fantasies. I can't share all of them on this episode. But I have a fantasy of, well, not a fantasy, but I've always said what would make sports, like organized sports, team sports, more captivating to me. is if they like let a donkey loose on the field.

Yeah, you have to continue the game as normal, but there's a donkey. Yes. Okay. And maybe the donkey is just in the corner, chewing on grass, but maybe it's doing back kicks through the field. Yeah. You just never know what's going to happen. And Stephanie was like, this is exactly what you've been looking for in sports.

I just want like a curveball, so to speak, a curveball. And you just have to adjust your game and work around it. Yeah. Yes. And that's what these kids were doing. Nobody flinched. The kid on the motorcycle was driving around and he'd be like, you know, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, and they'd be like, hey.

And then he'd just keep playing, catching the ball with his hat. Is it a small enough town that, like, these kids probably all go to the same school? Yeah. Oh, cool. For sure. It's tiny. Did they remember Max and Finn from previous summers or is it, like, brand fresh slate every summer kind of? Well, there's both.

This was a new bunch, and then there's been previous ones where they're like, they can't wait to get back to town and play the kids. That's awesome. Yeah. So it's a little bit of everything. That's really good. What's going on in your life? What's the latest? What's the latest?

Yesterday it was Parv's daughter's birthday party, and we did a, she wanted a survivor thing like I had from my birthday. birthday, where like with challenges with kids. And I was like, this is a recipe for tears. Like this is. So there were no eliminations. It wasn't like real cut throat survivor. Okay. But it was, it was pretty fierce these challenges. These kids were really focused. I mean, for four hours. So she's into, to survivor? Well, what happened was a couple years ago when it was my birthday. You made her do it. When it was my birthday and we did it with all the adults, the kids just watched. And I think that was frustrating.

And so for years, she's been like, I want to do that again, but only the kids get to do the challenges and the parents watch. And we were like, but I don't, you know, we can't really have one winner. Like, that'll be. So we adjusted it and it was, and every kid won a trophy. Nice. But it's still done. Did you actually buy trophies? Yes, got trophies and with very creative things.

It was like award for best, most spirited, like best dance moves. Yeah, it was really good. And watching flower picking off in the distance. Totally some kids were wandering off at points. Yeah, here's your trophy. And then one kid had to leave early. And so one of the teams was down a player. And so the guys who host these games were like, we're going to need an adult to step in.

And I was like, put me in there, coach. I was so excited. And then I got into the puzzle making and I was thinking, I got to, you know, I'll hang back a bit. I can't just dominate the. And then I was awful at it. And the other team still won, even though one team had an adult doing the puzzles. Well, that's embarrassing. It was humiliating.

I felt awful for poor little Lucy and all the other kids on my team. That's hilarious. How many kids? Probably eight kids, so four on each team. And there was a tribe swap halfway through. And were they all from the same school? Where do the friends come from? Mix of same school and as sort of random old friends. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, it was all really exciting. And I got a 10-person tent that just pops up really easily. It's two minutes to set up. I've never been camping, but I thought, what if it's windy and one of the challenges it has to, you know, so I popped up. Did you bring your keyboard? I should have brought my synthesizer. And I'm the boy with a thousand bags. I always show up everywhere with like so many bags. And yeah, so I popped up this tent and then that was a big hit with it. There were two kids that were too little to play the challenges. And they were like 10 months apart toddlers and they just went into this giant tent and basically threw down.

Like they were just wrestling for hours, but laughing, but just wrestling for hours. I kept checking on them and they were like really just going at it, but laughing. Yeah, that's my life. Yeah, just like, okay, everyone are right here? Yeah, Max and Finn are always just on each other. Oh, really? They're just roll around. Yeah.

Yes, yes, constantly. Yeah. I'm, I think, anxious. Like, it's hard for me to go, yep, let them, let them, you know, trust their bodies. You know, when kids are being crazy and running around, I'm like, I, it's a real effort for me not to hover. Jump in. Yeah, yeah, especially just with like safety stuff. But normally they know.

Are you in Parvety kind of on the same level of safety concern or is one more? She's had more experience, you know, with kids and with Alma growing up. So she knows that they know their limits and that and she knows when to step in. Whereas I'm like, can everyone hold my hand all the time? Sometimes they don't know their limits. Sometimes they don't know their limits. Yeah. Yeah.

And then it gets messy. Yeah, but it was fun. Checking Allstate First could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking the strength of these reading glasses before I bought them from the pharmacy. I didn't see this problem coming. I'm totally okay with not wearing the most fashion forward frames, but I think I need stronger lenses. Yeah, checking first is handsome. So check Allstate first for an auto quote.

It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings varies subject to terms, conditions, and availability. all state North American insurance company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Should we get to our first question? Yeah, let's do it. Let's do that. Hello, handsome pod.

My name's Mel. I'm from West Virginia, but just ended my travel physical therapy career, which had brought me to six different states. I'm now here in the Denver, Colorado area with my wife, decided to take a permanent position. And it just has me wondering, what makes a home home? Like, did you all know that you were going to end up right where you are at some point? Were there signs? And you were like, yes, this is my home. I'm going to settle here.

Or did it just kind of happen? All of a sudden, you were there for 10 years and reckon that's the place you're going to be. Yeah, just curious what your answers are. As I ponder this question, leaving the Agabond life, I love listening to you all. Every week, it brings me so much joy. I laugh a lot. I have not missed a single episode. All right, Mel.

You know, the first house that Stephanie and I got, it was just like, oh, this is so beautiful and just had such an awesome vibe. But then after, I think it all boils down to what are you looking for and what do you need in your life? because after we had kids and we were looking around at our beautiful little home that is now our office,

we were like, oh my gosh, this is a death trap for kids because it's like spiral staircase and it just several levels, three levels to the house, I don't know, it just felt a little much and we were taking our, we were taking Max and Finn

to a very walkable area of Los Angeles. And that's when Stephanie was like, why don't we just move over here? Yeah. I was like, right, because we were in the hills. Yeah. And then now we're,

then we moved to a flat area where we could stroll them around and there wasn't like a huge drop off from our back deck into the backyard. It was just a couple of steps in case, you know, they were only a year when we moved into the house we're in.

So we were looking for, safety. We were looking for convenience. We were looking for a very walkable area because we had strollers and and also thinking down the road when they're old enough to head out into the walkable area. That'll be a really awesome option for them. Do you feel settled in L.A.? Or like do you feel like we're fluid if you're open to if things evolved or if you work? Very open. Yeah. I've gone up and down with Los Angeles.

I never intended to move to Los Angeles. I went through a breakup and then followed my friends to L.A. and thought it was going to be temporary. And then all of a sudden I was living there and tried stand up. And now I'm married with kids and have a career there. But everything kind of, and this isn't a bad thing. I actually love it, but everything becomes all about my family and mainly my kids. And they are so happy.

They love their school. They love their friends. They love their baseball league. So they lead the drive of everything. It would be a big change. I know ultimately, like, you do grow exponentially when you move and they'd probably, it would be enriching. but that first year of moving and leaving everyone, that would be really tough.

Yeah, well, I mean, they seem open. Like, their school ends at sixth grade, and they'd have to look for a new school. So we've had different conversations of, we kind of have this little fantasy as a family that we would travel for a year together and homeschool. Yeah, fuck middle school. That's the worst time.

Yeah, get out of there. Pimples on the road. Yes. Seriously. So I don't know. I think it really does feel like where my family, it's that, it's so cliche. Home is where they are. Yeah. That's where I want to be. That's, that is, I have such a deep ache in my heart and soul to be with my family. And so I think that is ultimately what makes it feel like home. Yeah. But those other things of like a stroller, we can't be in the hills. That's tough. Yeah. And I do love a walkable area. I've always felt like I'm not like I'm running behind some place that I'm going to eventually arrive and then feel settled.

And I don't think I've had that yet, really. Yeah. So I don't know. I still feel very nomadic. Even like owning this place, which is amazing. But I'm still like, yeah, I feel fluid. I feel like I haven't settled in my final form. So I don't know. But if I have enough of my. little things around me. I feel like it's a home. Like I remember leaving home in my teens and I had literally a duffel bag and a sleeping bag. Yeah. And yeah. And then I slept on that sleeping bag for years. I mean, like, yeah, until I was like 18 probably. I maybe even a little older. I was like just using this sleeping bag. And so that I felt like I had a few things and I knew they were mine. I had a, I had all the VHSs of the Twilight Zone for some reason. Got to have that. God have, though. It was a lot like my synthesizer. I was like, got to bring that from place to place. That's like my Sanford and son DVD collection. I mean, yeah, yeah. You can't leave one without it.

No. Yeah. But I think ultimately it'll, I think I want that feeling of settledness, but I think it's more about people instead of the place. Like I do get, I get stir crazy in one place. But I, yeah, I'm pumped to. I used to be like that. And now I'm just like, man, like I said, I just. want to go home. I want to be with my family. I want to. Yeah. I just want to be in the middle of it. I want that. Yeah. Yeah. Great question, though. I guess we're lending on home is where the heart is. It's crazy how all those cliches are true. It's so true. And Mel, we wish you the best. Yes. Yeah, but also enjoy the nomad time. Should we take another one? I think we should. Hi, Handsoms. This is Carrie. I am calling from Mara. My question is, what music video, so this would be on MTV or VH1, depending on what era you started

watching them, really is just seared in your mind for whatever reason. I can't wait to hear answers. Thanks. We both started smiling as soon as we heard music video. Very nostalgia based people. I know mine. Do you know yours? I know mine. Go ahead. Oh, shit. Okay, I'm going to to go with Freedom 90 by George Michael, which is all of the supermodels of the 90s in that era where they were, that was such a massive thing. And they're all lip syncing to Freedom 90, George Michael. And so something about hearing his male voice come out of these sexy women and they're singing like, the lyrics are sexy and I just, there was something gay enough about it. And they're, Cindy Crawford is in a bath.

Who else Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell. It's a hot video. And there's something about his voice coming out of their mouths when they live saying that I was like, put me in, coach. That's your second request for a coach to put you in. That was my callback. Yeah, watch it now if you haven't. Yeah, and it's such a great song.

Yeah. Mine is, you're probably too young to remember this on MTV, but it was one of my favorite things in the world. It was called the basement tapes. Oh, no, I don't know that. Okay, it was people that watched MTV at home. They had a band. They made their own videos. And then they sent them in and you watch the basement tapes on MTV.

and you see just regular old people making their best version of a music video and MTV played it. That's amazing. And it drives me crazy. I can't remember this band, but they were brothers. And maybe Thomas can Google it up, but there is a band of brothers that had, yeah, full on that did this. And they were all in red outfits. And I think about it all the time. And I wanted so desperately to be in a band on the basement tapes.

And did any of those basement tapes bands like become successful off of that show? God, that's a really good question. This band of brothers in red shirt in red shirt. Yeah, I feel like they were in like red leather outfits or something. But I really, really liked them. That's cool. And then they would play them, I think, more than just the one time. And then there was maybe a competition who won the basement tapes or something.

But it's so fun to see the low rent video camera. Did you see any of them, Thomas, like coming up on Google? Oh, were they called Rail? Maybe. Yeah. I can show you a picture. And they were all brothers? Well, it looks like there's a lead singer who's a woman, but then there's a...

That doesn't sound familiar. Similar. Here, I can show you there. Is that? I can't. It might be. Are you sure that's a woman? Because it's the 80s.

Yeah, actually, I'm not sure. Yeah, I think it's a guy. Yeah, it's the 80s. I hope there's someone listening to this who's like, has been thinking about the band of brothers from the basement tapes in the red shirts and is like desperate to find out. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, well, that's my answer. Should we hear Carrie's answer?

Yeah. let's hear what Carrie has to say watch her say rail from the basement dates. And my answer is for sure Rio by Duran Duran. The painted naked woman crawling across the sailboat I thought was, I think, just scandalous when I was a kid. And the other one is like a prayer by Madonna. It was just epic for so many reasons. And those are the two that I thought of. Can't wait to hear your answers. Love you guys. Thanks. That's great. Awesome. Yeah. We had much music in Canada and, and yeah, I definitely, I miss turning on and just.

Much music. Instead of MTV, it was called Much Music. Oh. It's still around, but it was like MTV where it was a constant stream of videos and weird little shows and it was pretty anarchic. Have they continued playing videos or did they do it MTV? Is MTV still around? That's a great. MTV is around as like a channel that they'll produce like like cribs or those shows but yeah i don't think the same thing exists where it's like music videos yeah i meant i miss it we had a thing called pop-up video where a music video would play and then go bloop bloop and then a little trivia we had that too oh okay yeah well that was fun thank you carry and mel thank you carry and mel all righty well if anybody's in Colorado Springs. I feel like Mel is pretty near there in Denver. Come on out. July 16th,

I'll also be in Rochester, New York, Calgary, Iowa City, Des Moines, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Cincinnati, Charleston, West Virginia, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Olympia, Washington, Fresno, Napa. And the list goes on and on. Go to tignotaro.com. What about you, May? Well, do you live in Guelph, Ontario or nearby? And would you like to come and see me play my music album? I've never played an outdoor music festival and it's my fantasy that people are actually there and know the lyrics and hang out and party. So please come July 17th to Guelph to the Hillside Festival. Oh, I don't think I clock that you're doing your music. That's awesome. Yeah, I'm playing my full album with the full band there and then in Northwest Territories. Yeah. Nice. Go to that, everyone. That'll be fun. And go to speakpipe.com slash handsomepod and keep sending us your questions and your answers.

Yeah. And until next time. Keep it. Keep it. Pretty handsome. Handsome is hosted by me, Fortune Feemster, Tignitaro, and Mae Martin. The show is produced, recorded, and edited by Thomas Wulet. Email us at handsomepod at gmail.com.

and follow us on social media at HandsomePod. What a podcast. What a podcast. That was a hate gum podcast. Checking Allstate First could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking the bench I just sat on after it rains. Oh, no. Turns out this bench is still wet after the storm,

and now I'm going to need to change my dungeries before I continue with my day. Yeah, checking first is handsome. So check Allstate First for an auto quote. could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.