Hollywood Handbook - Kevin Sussman, Our Close Friend

Episode Date: September 15, 2026

The Boys invite KEVIN SUSSMAN to tell them how he ended up with his own Big Bang spinoff after his disastrous attempt to get cast in the last Big Bang spinoff. Check out Stuart Fails to Save the Universe on HBO Max now!   Get a Hat Pack Hat here! Check out Sean and Hayes’s bonus shows at Patreon.com/HollywoodHandbook Listen and watch on the iHeartRadio App!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. On Big Lives, we take a single cultural icon. People like Jane Fonda, George Michael, Little Richard. And we pull apart the story behind the image. Discovering forgotten interviews that change exactly how we see these giants of our culture. We're here for the messy, the brilliant, the human version of our heroes. I'm Emmanuel Jochi.

I'm Kai Right. And this is Big Lives. Listen to Big Lives on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. In February of 2024, celebrated illustrator and children's book author Patra Mathers and her husband Michael mailed letters to dozens of friends and family members

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And I'm October Gonzalez. But you can call me Toby. We want you to join us on our new podcast, No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez. We get real about marriage, parenthood, sex, divorce, and all the nitty-gritty stuff we all think about, but just don't say out loud. You're probably just going to be some rich guy and he's going to whisk you away. Well, this is awkward. Listen to No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Actually, well, were you going to say something?

Agenda for me, number one, promote the show. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. No, I want to get to that. The audience goes where we tell them to go. We want to send them to you. We got to point the eyeballs at the screen when your show is on. You send them back when you're done. Yeah, no, we're going to need those back. So we can point it to the next thing. I mean, you know, and I always want the guest to feel special,

but you're not the only guest we have this week. And so they may be promoting them. We do got to point them. It can't only be your thing. So I just, we like to be up front. Like, it's not going to only be you. We're actually going to do, um, we're actually going to do another show every week.

We do another show. Yeah. Right after this one. I'm out of here. Oh, that's not what I was told. Exclusive. It's exclusivity. While we're in it, the feeling is one of, it's only us in the entire world.

You know what I mean? First thing we do is say, it's not only us. After that, it really frees us up to pretend that it is. Because we're all going into it, eyes open. When does that feeling start? It's like polyamory. Really soon. Really soon, I think.

Let me see. You know when it starts, Kevin? when you let it, when you let it, when you let us in. Not you, not you, not you, go away. Sorry. All right, I'm almost ready. His name's Kevin too. Yeah, okay.

Because when you let us in, we're going to get in there. We're going to get right in there. And we're going to talk about the show. So Stewart fails to save the universe. Is this the same show as? before. Mm-hmm. You mean Big Bang Theory?

Because it's a spin-off. Is it the same? It is the same. It's not exactly the same. It's quite different, actually. Okay. It's not shot in front of a live studio audience. People really liked the other one.

That's exactly what I was going to say. People seem to love that. People really like that show. Just in the interest of driving people to it and then letting them kind of decide once they get there, may be saying it is like the other show or it is the same show it's so much like the other show Oh yeah

That's awesome Oh that's comfortable Which show you're actually Watch that in your rocks It's like I'm watching this one and watching that It doesn't matter they're all funny They're all fun you know We're having a good time

I love hearing that So um So you're Stuart Wait wait Have you ever watched the original show? Oh my God Are you crazy? asking me that

okay come on has anyone are you nuts okay yeah I literally just said it has a live studio

audience so like yeah I think I've seen it I think that was me okay well it's fine I was literally

I was literally just hearing about it though I just listened to that and by the way when you when you I guess it was you

that said it had a live studio audience. Eyebrows didn't move up an inch. No surprise registered on my face. I knew that. This was my face. I knew that. Shoes and socks still on.

Yeah. Got knocked off. So I was completely comfortable with that idea and actually familiar with it already. Multiple cameras. Yes. And Stewart said it. Stewart was there. Yes.

And he says it's a new universe or attempts to. But this is what. what I want to get to. Stewart fails to save the universe. It's just us here. You can level with us. He saves it, right? You know, I...

He saves it, right? You'll have to tune in. Take us through it. Open on... The universe. Well, Stuart fails to save the universe. Zoom in. A spinoff of the Big Bang Theory.

It happens after the events of the Big Bang Theory. There's a multiverse, apocalypse. Really? That's not, that's all that gets. It's going to take a lot more. We weren't surprised by the

multiple cameras. Now there's a multiple verse. Sounds like some of the songs I write. Sounds like some of the songs I write. They're multiverse as well. One chorus. Yeah.

Two verses. This is a different kind of verse. I like that you said it takes place after the Big Bang Theory, which really everything does, doesn't it? Yeah, if you think about it, everything currently taking place. Open on the universe. Zoom in on a heaving set. Crash Zoom.

Fastest zoom known to man. On a heaving set. A heaving set? A heaving set? Of Knochers. Oh, what is here? Because this is on HBO. It's like porno.

Or you're allowed to have it. Strigley soft. Soft porn. Okay. Soft as porn. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

A heaving set. I can get soft in that. Hey, that's a different show. That's you. Right? Yeah. Hey, over here. Excuse me.

Point the camera over here. Stewart here. You know what I mean? Stewart. You're telling the camera, man. Oh, Stewart. Who's that? That's me.

I just... You say you're right at your own name? Okay. I did think I had seen the original show, but now I'm forgetting that Stewart's catchphrase was his own name. And it's been a little while since I refreshed. It's Stewart. Wow. Don't you remember that?

Okay. Now I'm going to get it. Okay. Stewart, Sheldon, Penny. And they would, yes. You, no, okay. He can hit Penny. Yes.

Yes, you give hip, Penny. And multiverse. And so you get passed over for young Sheldon. They say, here, we'll throw, you know, here's a show for you. We'll throw you one. Because you were pissed off. You'd been studying Sheldon all those years. You were bugging out.

To play the young version of him. Yes. And they said, I sent in myself tape. I don't think they watched it. You don't even think they watched it. You can't tell. After all you did for the show. When I send my self-tapes now, I say, keep your red receipts on.

I do want to know, I do want to be able to see when you've watched it. Wait, you have to send in self-tapes? Oh, yeah, yeah, for certain projects, for certain projects. I'm offer only, unless you ask nicely. You know what I mean? Well, isn't that still an offer? Ask nicely? Yeah, well, there's-

They're asking. They're asking to see me. Read, yeah. I see. Yeah. I'm offer only, meaning if you offer to watch a tape of mine, I will make it. So that's, it's a subtle distinction. Is there any other scenario in which you would make itself tape?

Do you sometimes make self-tapes when they haven't asked? When the muse strikes me. I mean, you know, if you think about it. I mean, it's not just for the money, right? Like, it's not, like, you're not just making self-ins. I'm not going to lie, but yeah, that's not what got me into it. I wanted to express myself. But it's like, okay, if someone wants to watch it, great.

But like, you're an actor, you're going to make self-tape. Oh, yeah. That's like what you, that's what you do. You know, you go insane without having that outlet of a self-tape. If I can't self-tape, even when there's no shows, you know, in production or sort of casting. Just put me in a straight jacket and lock me in a rubber room because I need that. I need that way to get this stuff that's in me outside, you know?

I'll become anyone in those tapes. How do you decide? That is really tough to narrow it down. I love the idea that I'm deciding. You know what I mean? I wish if I could just decide, if I could just pay. I mean, if I could just pick. Is it just the car decide what kind of juice to have in it?

Right. Mm-hmm. Simply a vessel. It's merely a vessel to hold the juice. Interesting, no? Yeah, no, that makes sense. Does the... And speaking of what on your...

No, go ahead. What head to be on? You mean like... this. Oh, okay. Oh, there's a hat there. Oh, and he's holding it up. Adam, how does hat get here? Oh, I guess Stewart actually is a fan of the show. It is a, it's a nice cap. We have had some guests make a choice. Some have decided to leave it in. Yeah. So maintain the structural integrity of the hat. That's what you are allowed to do. You pick. I think I'm going to take it out. Okay. And that was a test in you passed.

Kevin. Oh my God. Now you recognize me. Now I do because I feel like this is the real you and the hat pack. Oh, wow. I'm going to adjust it. Yeah, I think that's right. It looked like there was a little more room.

And it is what I like about you is unlike a lot of our freakish listeners. This hat's fine for you. You wouldn't believe the amount of messages. we get, can you make the hat 10 times this big? You're going, let me bring it in a snap. But we get so many. They're like, is there any

way? The hat is exploding off me and ricocheting into my family. My family is in trouble. So you did a self-tape for young Sheldon. Speaking of juice, you had a pacifier in and tried to drink juice

at the same time. During the self-tape. They ended up going in a different direction. Like I said, I don't even think they saw the pacifier bit. They just... They didn't watch it. What makes you think they didn't watch it? Well, I didn't get the roll.

Okay. We got a strike again. We got a strike again. I'm ready. Am I wrong? They're not watching that. How do we miss the chance to make the role that you have to at least watch it? Jusifer.

Jusifer To show about This could be actually One of the verses In the multiverse There's a baby Version of the devil And his name is

Jusifer Mm-hmm He needs his juice He needs it He has a ba-ba full of juice You know what I mean Yeah He's still evil

He's sort of adorable Yeah And Stewart can be able To save the universe From that You may fail Stewie type It's really just

Stewie Stooey Stucifer Stucifer Steuys the devil's the devil. Yeah. Just make the devil stewie. This is just an episode idea.

That's like another, that can be a whole spin-off to itself. We've got a season two, no? Yeah. We're already picked up for season two. Stusifer. Things are runaway fucking train. Want to keep that going.

Might not be bad to have Stucifer in there. No, I'm going to pitch that as though it were my own. Well, that would be great. And then if they like it, you can come back for more ideas. Maybe ultimately we all sit down, have a little, you know brainstorm sesh with the brass who's running this thing

who's our showrunner uh chuck lorry don't say chuck glory sorry no just for yes for me just in terms of the doors that are not open to me

why do you say that you're a talented guy I know that's the only requirement it's being the Chinese sphere I wish it was more about that in this town Yeah. What it's political. It's personal.

Oh. It's personal. Oh. Yeah. It's not. So I also have a mom. And I wanted to do a show, mom. And he wanted to do a show, mom.

And when they went with his show mom, which was totally different from mine. And I think there was room for both of them. I, um, send some emails. Yeah. Right? To Chuck's mom. To Chuck's mom.

Yeah. You think you deserve to be on screen and not my mommy? Look at this. And I was sending her photos. And I was like, now you send me photos back. It got to a point where Chuck did intervene. He asked me not to email his mom anymore. But he also asked me not to come in for any brainstorm sessions or really try to get involved with any of this project.

But he was nice about it, though, right? Oh, I mean, can we go back for a second? I just, she asked you to send her pictures. I said, here's some pictures of my mom. She never. This should be the show. You think now you send some back. You send me a photo.

Show me why you should be a show. Oh, you asked her to send you. I asked her to send you. I asked her to send. And this was all through Chuck. He didn't have like Chuck's mom. email how's he going to get that he's emailing chuck and saying do not read this yeah show it to your mom to mom yeah I don't even say your mom she's just mom me you know the show's not

called your mom or my mom the show is just mom right is my idea too um but Iza don't read it send it to her in a way him even reading it was sort of a betrayal a little bit of a violation wouldn't you say well are you sure then he read it So that, I can hear that hitting you where you live because, oh, you're not sure they watch the tape. Oh, he has time to read this guy's emails to his mom that he's not even supposed to read. Yeah. And meanwhile, meanwhile, he didn't have time to watch the juice pacifier in, swallow it on the tape by accident. Accidentally.

I know. Yeah. But still, it was a happy accident. It worked. You know? Mm-hmm. You really, you turned it into, you looked straight down the barrel. I said, I'll see that in three to five days, pull it out of my diaper.

And it was like incredible improv. I've seen the tape. Yeah. So your wife, it was one of the longest. One of the longest self-tap's ever. For it to pass. But now you have a hospital set, right?

That's right. Free hospital set for the self-tape. And your wife is not calling cut. Like she knows like, like, he's in it. You need to capture that. Don't break the illusion. She knows not to. not to call cut do you think the reason they didn't watch it was because it was three to five days long

no uh yeah i don't either i don't either i'm just asking if you thought that no i never never thought that this is adam hi do you think it was because my self tape was i sent in a self tape it was three to five days know the context of what we were just talking about i was just thinking about how i can't see your eyes today uh but you can't see you can't see you that right do you think so do you think it was because my self-tape was three to five that's a very winsome this guy knows how to work the camera what do you think this guy's really got it all he doesn't think anyone can know that yeah he moves a nosticism i feel like i know it that's not the reason but i well can see why that would be painful after all that

that you gave to the show. Physically. Physically. Emotionally. Financially. Those are really the only three areas. Those are the big three at least. Are there any others?

Areas for pain? Spiritually? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, wow. Heavy. I didn't think we were going to go there today. But yeah, let's get into it.

I mean, obviously, it's physically. painful to pass a pacifier. And financially, the hospital bills rack up. I mean, pacifier, they ain't kidding. Right. Yeah, oh, it's on fire, all right. We warned you. No, they'd name that thing right.

They got one thing right. And you're sticky from the juice. You've got the juice all over you. Oh, no. And so Chuck says, why don't you sit tight for a few years and we'll find something for you? We got to find something to work on together. Sheldon didn't work out, but we got to find something. We've all had that conversation and you go, I think I just saw something we could have worked on together.

I could have been young Sheldon. Really young. And it feels like lip service when that happened. But ultimately this one did come around. And when you first read the script for this, you must have been thinking, okay, wait, what? And no live audience. Walk me through that.

Yes, yes. How do I know what you're looking around? I see you in the early episodes of the show, really looking around in desperation for some sort of reaction. Like is this even happening? Does it exist without it being? I felt like I hit that line.

You're saying it feels like there should be some response to that. You would think there would at least be cameras. Yeah. No, nothing. Yeah. Nothing. Wow. Yeah.

They're showing something on HBO Max. I haven't seen it. Something's on there. Yeah. I assume they, maybe it's just audio. I haven't seen it. Mm-hmm. Could be a podcast.

Could be a podcast. Yeah. Those are hot right now. Mm-hmm. They are? Oh, yeah. Oh my God. It's a growth industry.

Yeah. No. Easiest time to get in and make a mark with podcasts right now. And we're actually considering it. I think you should go for it. I think we should too. You never know. You never know.

We're just so busy with this one. If it doesn't work out, you move on to something else. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That part I'm not as confident about. No. I think that sometimes it doesn't work out and you continue doing it. But that, I mean, like... That would be sad.

You never move on to something else. I think sometimes that does happen. That's my life. He woke up. That's Adam. Can I have context for that, Adam? What is there to say? Yeah, it's true.

It's true. It's a good point. But you've worked with Lapkis. Lapkis. Which means that, like, she spent the whole time sizing you up. Mm-hmm. Yeah. To...

Apex Predator. Basically, burn the bridge and the moat to keep you out of the podcasting industry. That's correct. I think that's why she took the job. Because she sends that you were a threat. Yeah, she's blocking.

Yeah. She's blocking. Yeah, she's never officially cast. She just kept showing up to block me from going into podcasting. We ain't out on second. long enough you end up in the scene. I mean, isn't that true? Yeah.

And she must have been talking about us, I guess, right? Because we've done podcasts with her, so as you look back on set, what's your favorite memory from set of Lapkets talking about us being funny? Or any time that. It doesn't even have to be your favorite.

Yeah. Anytime that happened. Right, right, right, right, right. And there's a couple you could rank them. Must have been the time. Mm-hmm. Oh, boy. Am I going to like this?

Sometimes she says an embarrassing stories. Now I'm sweating. Oh my God. She knows us pretty well, so sometimes she'll tell. We go a long way back. She has been on the show now that I recall. Okay. Yes. All right.

She's met you guys. Okay. Because that was, I was nervous that it was going to be. That may have been. That was her comment. Andy Richter. Is it possible that she was talking about Andy Richter? Maybe.

Okay. It's possible. She's met... She's just been on a lot of shows. She has met someone, though. That's awesome. Yeah. That kicks ass.

Hey, that's why we move here. Yeah. You know what I mean? Are you from L.A. originally? No. Okay. But you live here now? Congratulations, man.

Thank you. Where are we filming this thing? We filmed the first season, mostly at Universal Studios. here in LA. What? No, I mean, I'm listening. Oh. That's the face I make when I'm listening.

And I'm waiting. And, uh, but it's a Warner Brothers show. So maybe season two will. Check this out. Okay. Check this out. Stewart fails to save the universal. I may.

You're filming at universal. Stewart fails to save the universal. Young version of you. overlapping with another property Stuart Little fails to save the Universal. So to Stuart Little,

Universal would be as big to him as the entire universe is to us. I think if people go in thinking that it's the mouse, it's great. It's actually you. Mm-hmm. A, like a...

With more pacifiers, you keep swallowing them. Mm-hmm. And every each episode. You're more juice than man. Mm-hmm. Would each see? be one episode of swallowing and passing because that'd be very long episodes.

Three to five days, yeah. Per episode. Three to five days per episode. Yeah, but it's like a big brother live feed kind of model, you know, where people can actually just witness even you sleeping, you know. You'll be so small, forced perspective, I think we're going to use. It'll be interesting to see someone that size sleeping while a pacifier works its way through their intestines.

Yeah. And it's Twitch. Like this is like, these kids live online. Yeah. Well, they have those little cameras you get for the upper GI. Yes. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Do you like that idea or? I love it. I love it. I love it. Yes. Mm-hmm. I'll talk to Chuck about this. It's like we go, you know, so they say like, oh, are we going handheld on this thing?

But I'm like, are we going esophageal? Because I think that actually is the next wave of like really a truly immersive experience. Yeah. I mean, you got fans from this show already. And it's like, how can they get closer to you? I mean, so much this is fan service. Yeah, no. I don't think any of us have, you know,

have had that level, right? You're feeling it now. Yes. And it has started. And it has started. And it has started. I mean, imagine, who are you a huge fan of? Who's one of your heroes in this industry?

Who are your guys? Don't say us. Don't say us. But who are your guys? Um Don't say us You can't say us You can't say us That's the only rule

I'm cool with that Yeah Let's say Anthony Hopkins Okay Is a close Second So Anthony Hopkins

What's he from He was in silence of the lambs remains of the day yes Thor Ragnarok Huh? Thor Ragnarok

Now that's a movie Now that's an actual movie That's real Adam came up with one that's real Adam was able to name a movie An actual movie Especially for our listeners That they'll have some contacts for

And Silence of the Lams I believe it's actually called The Sheep Detectives So it is Which, you know, you were close and I just want to. Thank you for. Really close. Really close.

You're right. You're absolutely right. And I think it wasn't Anthony in that, if I'm right. I believe it was Nicholas Braun. Oh, Lily the sheep, I think is who he's. Lily was there as well. Did I say Anthony? The mystery solving sheep.

Yes. So you said Anthony. Are you sure? You said Anthony Hopkins, who I think is a, plays a bunny in the movie? This just came off the microphone and you think it's okay? we'll find out I guess magnet yeah so back on okay

but yeah so Anthony Hopkins and this is kind of like the science from the show in a way you know yeah this is like it's for like really smart people how do you get multiple you know universes or whatever and it's like ultimately it's these you know it's these forces

you're giving spoilers you're giving away spoilers but with the magnet this is a big part of the show so that's gonna be season two right It's this, we open on this. Let's move on. Okay. Okay, yeah. I don't want to get in more trouble.

You become magnetized. You're, you're spoilt. You're ruining it for the fans. Thor magnet rock. I don't know. But we, you know, the reason we ask who your hero is, is we just imagine, right, a live feet of the inside of their body. Wouldn't you be more excited to watch that than, basically anything else on TV or movies right now.

I'm not necessarily me. I'm not saying that other people would, I mean, I think it would do well. I don't know if it would be my thing. And Chuck is going to act like it was his idea as soon as you bring it to him. These were some of the pictures that Sean sent,

his mom. Not that long ago. I mean, so this is like, you know, you had the, interactions long after the show mom was no longer on the air. So, like, this is pretty... Fairly recent. Yeah, fairly recent. Yeah. Fairly recent. Yeah. No, I think there was a little bit of an attitude from him of, like, why are you coming to me with this at all? Which is never a great way to receive

anything. Yeah. But the lines of a communication are still open with him. Um, it... Is he... his email still is this email still what I remember it being which of course is Big Chuck the Pimp at

Yahoo.mail. Dot hold on dot wait a second dot is this email still going? It's starting to look like one of his title cards

dot net Yeah.epy.net. Yeah. Yeah, that's still where he's at as far as I know. And that way then the communication could still be open. I just got to get my email account back up. He acts like you're supposed to have seen everything he made like as soon as it came out. You know?

And I guess that's like pride of workmanship or, you know, like, oh, like you haven't seen. Like you don't know that came out so long. You're just finding out of a mom now and you're mad about it. You're emailing my mom about it. Good luck telling him that you're saving Sybil. That I'm just like, at some point I'm going to have a vacation

that is just a full Sybil fest. But don't tell him that. Because then all of a sudden it's like, you haven't seen that yet. I don't think he created that. Okay. Sorry. Go on.

Well, maybe that's why he doesn't like that I keep telling if that I'm saving. in it. Yeah, no. It's true. Did he work on it? He did, I think so. Mm-hmm.

Who created that, Sybil? Probably should hear her telling it. Maybe her people. Hey, I'm Tori Webster, and I host That Digital Take. If you've ever wondered how the internet really works, from influencer culture to digital marketing and pop culture, this is your inside look. Each week, I share what's actually working online, the behind the behind the scenes of building a career as a creator and real conversations with people shaping the industry.

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to let them know that they had died by suicide. By the time you get this letter, both Petra and I will be dead. Next stop, Wonderland. Petra and Michael were by all accounts healthy, happy, and in love. Why did they do it? And what did it do to the people they left behind? I would have given a million reasons to not leave this world had I known. I keep coming back to I truly hope that Petro was a thousand percent on board with the plan.

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The World Cup is over, but if you caught the soccer bug and aren't sure what to do now, check out our podcast, Big Kick Energy. I'm Cameron Dicker, the kicker from the Los Angeles Chargers, most accurate kicker in NFL history, but I was raised on the soccer pitches of Shanghai. And I'm here with Timmy Tillman, L-A-F-Sachers. star grew up in the academies of Germany and now under the bright lights of major league soccer. So, we know a little something about kicking balls. Maybe you're new to the game or you're ready to take your passion to the next level.

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. No. Studio audience. Did you guys have a warm-up comic? On the Big Bang Theory? No. On Stewart Felt's Save the Universe. It shows.

unfortunately it does show you guys are just entering a studio space that is unleavened you know what I mean like it like it hasn't gotten to like

it's not in the walls it's not in the rafters it's not yeah like it's like the fun isn't already like bouncing around the room you know by the time you guys show up to like take advantage of it. Yeah.

You could be good. Nobody has like a bag of spider rings or anything that they're giving out to people who may be won an impromptu dance contest. And that energy unfortunately does translate to the screen. Yeah. It's very austere. Nobody's been gived it up for. Nobody's been gived it up for.

No. No one has been gived it up for at all. These are good notes. I'm going to, I think, I think, Yeah, no, season two, I'm going to survive the hard part, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now I'm going to start givting it up

for people. I think if you came in really quick. There's not a lot, I mean, I guess I'll be givting it up to the crew. I mean, that could be nice. Would that be so wrong? You can sort of tell pretty hard.

I'm just, I'm taking notes. This is why I'm here. Mm-hmm. The crew? These are good ideas. The camera is me. Right? That's me.

That's my perspective. I'm watching the show. So if you give it up for me. Eyeballs. Now all of a sudden I'm feeling pretty good while I watch. And instead I'm watching like, okay. No one's addressing me at all. Literally no one has looked at me or talk to me the whole time.

You guys are saying that I should be givting it up to the camera, like the fourth wall, so to speak. We would appreciate that. I think I would feel bad. better, yes, even if in between scenes, maybe you would sit down and just talk directly to me. And only, only you. Hey, look, there's only one camera for the show. Gets a little lonely. Yeah.

Yeah, no, this is good. Mm-hmm. Okay. It used to be it was me and my friends. We're laughing. We got spider rig a minute ago. We actually ran around and grabbed a bunch of them. Got some of our sillies out as well.

And we heard there's pizza coming later. And so that was a feeling of community that is going to be tough to replace unless you are sitting down, looking directly at the camera, talking to me, you know, give it up for me. The pizza thing. What about lactose intolerant people? I've, that's, I've always, because there's always the mid pizza point. Mm-hmm. And these things are long. And if you're lactose intolerant, you're screwed.

Mm-hmm. But the people that are going to these shows are actually screened. They're not in communication with their bodies. That's not something, whether they're lactose intolerated or not, they would be the last to know. Is this just the Big Bang Theory or just multi-cam comedies and... You can hear from the laughter that they didn't even buy a ticket home. Mm-hmm. They have no plan.

They have no plans. Right. You can hear from just as they're laughing, just wandering around the studio. You know how in the, free range. You know how in the season finale or series finale rather of hacks, they sort of tease that Deborah Vance might be going to one of those suicide pods

in like Switzerland or whatever? I don't. Oh, you haven't seen that one yet. Well, you're on HBO. You may want to get in touch. I'm going to get around to it. I might want to learn your history a little bit. It's sort of suggested.

I didn't we establish that you could take years before. I mean, you're just getting around to Sybil. So that gives me about 15. I'm saving it, but don't tell you. That gives me about 20 years to watch. Well, in the series finale, at least the initial premise, I don't want to spoil anything whether she goes through with it or not,

but she is going to go and do an assisted suicide in a pop. And for a lot of the people in the multi-cam audience, it's how it was been described that way. Literally using those exact words. Because I'm not feeling anything yet. When does it start to onset? It's long. It's long. And by the way, the whole point is you won't feel anything.

Okay. So it should be, it should actually be a very peaceful experience. And just talking to two people you trust. And you just, when do they arrive? They're right, they're right behind that curtain. I do hear someone. It's popping off of there. By the way, in the bathroom, before I came.

I was going to ask about the bathroom. Yeah. I could have sworn I heard someone taking a shower to like, is that, do you guys live here? That's the Phantom of Eye Heart. Yeah. That's a Phantom of I heart. Yeah. I mean, who knows?

It's a guy. It's a guy of a mask. The thing is I walked in and it's an office and there's people with laptops, but I went in the bathroom and someone was taking a shower. So there is a guy in a mask. It's the actual mask from. the Chewbacama videos. And he...

Not the same one is the actual mask. Yeah. Of Chewbacama. Yeah. So... And it was really expensive, but nobody knows who it is. Like, no one like. It's just someone that, like, wanders around.

Mm-hmm. I think cleanliness is important. Smelling amazing. He does shower. He does, he does clean it all up. The mask doesn't smell amazing anymore. Just because it gets so wet in the shower. I would think

that the phantom of I her and no one knows if it's a he or she has to wear the mask because people are like listening to them in the shower. Yeah. And it wasn't like trying to determine their identity. Yeah.

They're shy. People don't know if it's a man or a man. And then sharing their bathroom activities publicly. Yeah. I can't wait to get on the pot and rat out the person who took a shower which is actually a nice thing to do. No, I'm just curious. I just had, you know. Oh, yeah, the Phantom of Eyeheart, who's actually, like, I think secretly sort of nice.

Very mildewy mask. Guys, I have a confession to make. Oh, Adam. Here we go. Yeah, that's, it's me. Okay. But I, yeah, I'm just living here until they told me that they're going to start paying me next year. So I think I can, I can probably move out after that.

Well, I don't, I don't, I mean. 27 or one year from today? I mean, that would be in 2027. I think it was January. I think it's FY2728 is how I heard it described Q3. I would just say when you take a shower, you're in there by yourself. Take off the mask, rinse it a little. Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you, Kevin?

I'm not going to see it. Maybe someone's in there too. baby. They get a little mask. Maybe they get to try the mask on. Maybe it flashes on them a little bit. Slower. Rinse it slower.

Rinse it's hoping it made me invisible. Wow, I don't want to deal with that yet. The desire to be invisible. He's pitching like sci-fi, like superhero stuff. Multi-verse. He can be on the show, like, you know. What are Stewart's powers? Empathy.

You can say, I guess so. Yeah, that's a good one. I'll go with that. He doesn't really have, it's not like a super power type of thing. He knows a lot about comic books. Mm-hmm. It's not really a power.

Okay. Just sort of an attribute. Literacy, I guess. The power of reading. Yes, he has that. Mm-hmm. That's one of his powers. Starting to see why the universe saving planned and didn't come together.

Yeah, it's... Literacy, maybe not enough to bring it over the goal line. This season at least. It's a start. It's a start. It's a start. It makes certain things easier. How many seasons are we going to do? I'm going for five to seven.

Five to seven. Five to seven. I'll mention that to Chuck. You work in ranges. Three to five days of the self-tape. I didn't say three to five days. It happens to be accurate. I heard it.

Pretty sure you said it, but I'm not saying you're not accurate. Somebody said it. Have you publicly mourned Dolly Parton yet? We can clear the table if that would be helpful. Handle that right now. Go stuff out here. You can roll around. We get an exclusive.

No. I mean, uh, I can right now. You're gonna want to. Yeah. Um, such a terrible loss.

A national treasure. Mm-hmm. It could be. It's not a question, though. So, so I'm right then. Yes. Okay.

100%. Okay. Um, beautiful singer. Yeah. Physically, spiritually, mm-hmm.

Financially. Hey. She sends you free books every month. Mm-hmm. Because you're a letter. You loved every. She knows you love to read. He sent you a free book every month.

And when I worked in her theme park, I got a college subsidy. Wow. Well, this is an unexpected discovery. Did that happen? What ride were we operating in the theme park? Rime? Ride. This is good.

Do you have his eye line for this? Okay. Mm-hmm. The Falcon. The Falcon. The Falcon. Named after her famous song. Maybe it's the eagle.

The eagle. I was more concentrated on making sure everyone is locked in. You're protecting everybody. Yes, that's right. You don't have to be distracted by the name of the ride. No, no. I was going to get around to it at some point. I'm locking people in, I'm strapping them in,

making sure they're not wearing jewelry. Hold the bar, yeah. Maybe here, I'll hold your glasses for. you man you don't want those to go flying off while you're on the falcon or the eagle yeah yeah height restrictions it's a lot of responsibility the height restriction being nine to five was confusing to me really i get the reference but it did seem um because usually you usually you're start from the lower number when you're talking about heights. Right.

Nine seems unnecessarily high. That's a big number. I don't think you're going to ever encounter that. It was a little confusing because that's the one area where it wasn't a range. What I was saying, what I intended was that you have to be nine

years old and up to five feet. You can't. You have to be a All incredible, nine-year-olds ride the eagle. It was one of their most popular, one of her most popular. Or was it the falcon? It doesn't sound like it could have been.

No? Just because so few people, I think, would meet the exact criteria to be able to ride it from what you're describing. They don't have to be exactly five feet. Up to. They need to be nine. And no, above. Above five feet. Okay.

And it was either the eagle or the falcons. And you're describing that as something that you wrote, that that's what you had in mind. My ride, my rules. Yes. You got to write while you were working the ride, you got to write the rules for college. That's such a beautiful. No, I didn't write the rules for college. I was working the ride for college subsidies.

Well, I can imagine it being something that you got used to while you're getting your subsidies. and so that when you go to college, you decide, okay, here are the rules. For college? No kissing. How did you know that was my one rule in college? Personally, it was just my own personal rule.

No kissing. You don't want to get sick. You know what I mean? College? You got to be healthy for class. Yeah. College is for studying, not kissing. And it's just like,

It's a cesspool of germs there. All the kids in there. Oh, my grubby hands. Yeah. The toy, everyone's handling the toys. They're all touching the same toys. Yeah. Not cleaning them before they put them back.

No one's taking showers. Hands in their mouth. Yes. Not everywhere. The little nap mats. The touching is bad enough. It's bad enough. No.

What else about the show? What time is it? What time is it? Right now? 43.29. What time is the show? What time is the show? What time is the show come on?

6 p.m. Pacific. How? On the TV or devices on HBO Max. Okay. Mm-hmm. And why is it on? And it's 9 p.m. Eastern. and then you work.

There's a range from the east coast to the west coast. There's a range of times. A whole range of times. That's like the show. Yeah. We almost live in a multiverse in a way

where the show is on at different times and all these different parts of the country. Everyone's having this totally unique experience, you know? It's all a little bit different where somebody's talking to me and I'm going, did you watch the show at 6 p.m.?

And they're going, you can't. And I'm going, What are you talking about? I do it every week, you know what I mean? And they're going, that's impossible. You know, I watch it at seven. And it's like this window into this other dimension. It's actually kind of cool, man.

It's like art imitates the show. Yes. Right. Hollywood Hamburg. On Big Lives, we take a single cultural icon. People like Jane Fonda, George Michael, Little Richard. And we pull apart. the story behind the image.

Discovering forgotten interviews that changed exactly how we see these giants of our culture. We're here for the messy, the brilliant, the human version of our heroes. I'm Emmanuel Jochi. I'm Kai Wright. And this is Big Lives. Listen to Big Lives on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. In February of 2024, celebrated illustrator and children's book author, Patra Mathers and her husband Michael mailed letters to dozens of friends and family members.

to let them know they had died by suicide. Dear honies, this is goodbye. By the time you get this letter, both Petra and I will be dead. Next stop, Wonderland. Why did they do it? And what did it do to the people they left behind? Listen to Death of an Artist on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The World Cup is over, but if you caught the soccer bug and aren't sure what to do now,

check out our podcast, Big Kick Energy. I'm Cameron Dicker, the kicker, from the lost. Angeles Chargers, and I'm here with Timmy Tillman, current L-AFC star player. So, we know a little something about kicking balls. Each week we'll tackle things like who's winning the Premier League this year. What do you think is harder? Scoring a penalty kick or scoring a field goal? Join us each week for a quick chat with your soccer-loving bros about the best sport in the world.

Soccer. Just don't tell my coaches I said that. Listen to Big Kick Energy on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, what's up? I'm Tony Gonzalez. And I'm October Gonzalez. But you can call me Toby. We want you to join us on our new podcast, No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez.

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