Newcomers: Scorsese, with Nicole Byer and Lauren Lapkus - Casino (w/ Hunter Harris)

Episode Date: May 14, 2024

Lauren and Nicole are joined by journalist Hunter Harris to not only discuss the 1995 film Casino starring Robert Di Nero, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone, but also get to the bottom of why Martin Scorsese is considered The Internet’s Baby Girl. Also covered are everyone’s past Vegas experiences (both positive and otherwise), the merits of the Amazon Prime Video trivia feature, and Sharon Stone’s iconic dresses (including the one from The Gap she wore to the 1996 Academy Award’s ceremony). Follow Hunter: Instagram, TwitterSubscribe to Hunter’s Newsletter Hung Up Next week tune in for our next episode covering Gangs of New York (2002)! Like the show? Rate Newcomers 5 stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Nicole and Lauren to read on the pod!Follow the podcast on Letterboxd.Advertise on Newcomers via Gumball.fmGet Exclusive NordVPN deal here → https://nordvpn.com/newcomers. It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a HITGUM original. I was a hell of a handicapper, I can tell you that. I had it down so good that I ran paradise on earth. I had one of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas to run. For ten years. for 10 years. You know, if I did it, I'd have to run on my way. Nobody's gonna interfere with you running the casino, I guarantee it. Mickey, you're a guy. Make a lot of money for us.

Also, keep a good eye on him. Alright. Look at this place, it's made of money. What do you think about me moving out here? I just gotta tell you, it's no joke out here. You gotta keep a low profile right off the bat. They don't like guys like us You like your money a lot Settle down I want a family You got the wrong girl. You'll be set up for the rest of your life. You don't know me

You got the wrong girl. You'll be set up for the rest of your life. You don't know me. What do you know me to? Three months? They had it all. They ran the show. And it was paradise. While it lasted. Frankie!

They found a guy who's heading the desert. That's no good. We got a problem. He doesn't listen to me. Maybe he should get lost for a while, take a vacation. Can't make it any clearer, son. I would just get out. I'd try to do everything for you, even though I knew. Deep down inside, you would bury me.

I buried you, you buried yourself. I have to be able to trust you with my life. Can I trust you? Can I trust you? You want me to get out of my own town you only exist out here because of me He's a meat! He's a loose cannon. No! Thomas! You realize what you can do? You can get us all killed? You wanna get rid of me? Here I am. Go ahead, get rid of me. Oh, wow, it's Newcomers and I'm Nicole Byer. I'm Lauren Lapkus.

Boy, oh boy, we're working our way through the filmography of the esteemed director, Amadda Jante. We also have producer Ali and producer Anya here. We are doing 10 episodes this season, so we have picked all the essential movies that we are completely unaware of, of Squarespace's super long and prolific career. But of course, we can't get to everything. But today, we're going to be discussing the film based on Nicholas Poledji's book, Casino, Love and Honor in Las Vegas.

It's 1995's Casino. And guess what? It's available for free on Starz or for a fee on any other major streamer. And guess what? We going to talk about it. So we're going to spoil it. So we're gonna spoil it. So if you don't want the spoils,

the spoils, if you don't want the spoils, you gotta watch. Imagine if we just talked about it and never said like what really happened. Like you don't wanna spoil it, no spoilers. So it's kind of about a casino. We are so excited for our guests today. Hunter Harris is a screenwriter and TV film

and pop culture critic who has written some of your favorite celeb profiles in New York Magazine and GQ and who writes producer Ali and producer Anya's favorite newsletter, Hung Up. Welcome, Hunter. Thank you for being here. Thank you. I'm so excited for this. We are so excited to have you. Hunter, let's jump the fuck in. Are you escorcesese head? Oh, of course. Are you kidding? I mean, I have been, like, OG since I was, like, truly in high school and started watching, like, Goodfellas, I guess, but there is, like, a baby girlification of Barton Scorsese happening on the internet right now that I'm, like, enamored of.

Wait, what do you mean? Oh, my gosh, like, everything he does, he gets the girls in a tizzy. Are you kidding? We don't know. We don't know. Tell us everything. No, we don't know. Okay, well, first that he is always running his mouth, telling the truth about Marvel. A. B.

Whenever Eminem was performing at the Oscars, like literally 20 years too late, Barnes for says he like eyes closed, immediate meme. Everything, his little hand claps. I feel like he's always going viral. His daughter's TikTok. Like, everyone's ramp happy. Yeah. That's amazing.

I mean, I don't know about the little hand claps. He always is like doing something funny. Like at an award show where he never wins, which we can get into that later. It is weird that he never wins. It's getting weirder and weirder as we go through this. I'm like, it seems so political all the time that when things win that you're like, he hasn't been just like given one, you know?

Right. It is embarrassing that he won an Oscar for The Departed. I mean, maybe like one of the more... That's a spoiler. That's a hot take. Sorry a spoiler. That's a spoiler. That's a hot take. Sorry, sorry. And it is a spoiler.

I didn't know when he won the Oscar because we keep getting the notes that are like, still hasn't happened, but wow. Yeah. Okay. That's exciting. Well, that's good to know. We have something to look forward to.

Mm-hmm. Let's talk about our quick thoughts about Casino in general. Hunter, are you a fan of this movie more than others? Where do you stand? I think this might be my favorite movie, like ever. Oh. I know, crazy.

Like, it's just a movie that I keep coming back to. I think there's so many, I mean, it's so funny, but it's also so like sad in a way. And there's so funny, but it's also so sad in a way. And there's so many individual scenes that have me giggling and cackling. And also I love Sharon Stone. Yes. Like maybe one of my favorite actors of all time.

So this is just, I mean, definitely her best performance. Maybe her most performance too. There are just a lot of things to be, I mean, I love the fashion, I love the production design, I love the music. There's really something for everyone in this movie. Yeah. Sharon, so this was our first time seeing this. Sharon Stone is amazing in it. And like those scenes where she's like going crazy with him, I'm like, it would be so fun.

It seems so amazing. I overall was like, it feels long. I felt kind of spoiled by some of the previous films that were like two hours under. And like, this one, I'm like, oh, we're really leaning in now. So I think we're getting into the part where he starts to let things go on longer. Yeah, I agree, Lauren.

They are getting longer, but I did love the fashion. From Goodfellas to this, I was like, who is the costume designer? Because whoever it is is fucking crushing it. And Sharon Stone, the unraveling of Sharon Stone, I thought was just incredible. Her little wig mullet by the end. I say, yes, this is a woman who's making choices. So, yes.

I also love the Sharon Stone that like, as the movie goes on, she's like wearing like more and more push-up bras. And so by the end, it's just like, oh my God, tits out. Like, it's such a funny little character detail that I am obsessed with. That's great. Okay, so we have a segment called Spotted where we see if this movie has any of the following celeb sightings. Do we have one of Marty's boys? Do we get Robert De Niro? Sure do. Do we get Harvey Keitel? No. Do we get Joe Pesci?

And yes we do and I love him more and more. Every day, I'm more excited. Honestly, I was running late, because the end, I was like kind of sad, and I was like, I don't really want to talk about the way Joe Pesci dies in this movie. It really upset me. I know.

I think about that scene all the time. Like, I just couldn't imagine being an actor and having dirt in your mouth. I know, it was so... I was literally like... I had my mouth open like... Like, it was like, what's happening? So chilling. It is chilling.

It's brutal. And of course, Leo is not in this one. But don't you start to... As we're watching, Nicole, don't you feel like, oh my God, they must be having so much fun getting back together every time. They get back together for murder and mayhem! Ha ha ha! It's so cute.

And then do we get Marty's mom, Catherine Scorsese? No, but yes. We do in that scene where the guy is yelling, that narrows it down. Oh yeah, that one scene where that guy was yelling. Is it like in a deli or something? Where is... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, okay, so that was her. I wasn't sure. She gives him a look like, oh, my.

Like, he's like swearing and she's like... I feel like I read that that was, like, improv. Like, she was really reacting to him swearing. Because then she has that line, like, there's so many people here. Like, you need to, like, watch your language. Which feels like clearly, like, she's talking about being on set. Oh, my God, right, because there's nobody but... Oh, God, I love...

That's really cute. Like, Martin tells his mom enough to be like, oh, whatever she says will work in the scene, but he's like, I won't tell her about the scene. Kind of like in Goodfellas, where he didn't say that they had come from a murder. He was just like, your son's coming home for dinner. So it was like, it was just so perfect.

I know she's so natural and it's so great. It's really it seems so fun to throw her in there. And then do we get Marty himself? I don't think so. Right. But I might miss him again. But I always miss him. Yeah. I hear I feel like he was maybe the director of the. Of like the show, the variety show that Sam hosts, you know, like toward the end. But I don't quote me.

I can't remember. I really feel like we just miss him a lot, but maybe. Yeah. I think it's because we don't know what young Squasazy looks like. That's true. That is true. Okay. We'll take a quick break and we'll jump back in with all of Casino in the world.

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Ooh baby, we're back. So, okay. So this was released December 14th, 1995. So Martin really loves giving a little Christmas treat or a Hanukkah treat or a Kwanzaa treat for everybody. It was written by Nicholas Pledger and Marty Scorsese. So Nicholas Pledger wrote Goodfellas, right? That's the one. Or the book that was based on. The book was Wiseguy. And Marty Scassese. So Nicholas Pledgy wrote Goodfellas, right? Yeah. That's the one.

Or the book that was based on. The book was Wiseguy. Right. And then adapted it with him. Look at us. Look at me. Knowing shit. Wow. I'm learning here on this podcast. Wow. We're teaching you.

This is amazing. OK, so let's jump into the plot. So in 1973, low-level mobster and sports bookie, Sam Ace Rothstein, Robert De Niro, is sent to Las Vegas to run the Tangiers Casino, which is funded by the Teamsters and secretly controlled by the Chicago Outfit, a mafia organization.

Taking advantage of gaming laws that allow him to work in a casino while his gaming license is pending, Sam doubles the casino's profits, which are skimmed by the mafia before they are reported to the IRS. Impressed by his work, the bosses send Sam's childhood friend and mob enforcer, Nicholas Nikki Santoro, Joe Pesci. He's got great outfits in this. And his associate, Frank, Frankie Marino, Frank Vincent, to protect Sam and the whole operation. But it's not long

before Nikki's temper and recklessness gets him put in the black book, banning him from every casino in Vegas." I, right off the bat, I was pretty excited because I, the look of a casino is very intoxicating and like fun to look at. And I liked the drama, I liked the, I mean, it's, the mafia stuff is so fun. It is fun. I think I just, I don't know, I want it like more Vegas,

if that makes any sort of sense. And then I get that when you work in Vegas, it is like mundane, but I also want it like more glitzy. I don't know, I don't know. I just like want it more twinkle. That's the insane thing to say. I want it more twinkle.

What the fuck is that note? Like what? Marty, can you make this twinkle more? Do you guys like Vegas? I do. Oh my God. I think Vegas is like the most fun I never want to have ever. Like I love it when I'm there.

Then I like, okay, I need to get back to New York. Lauren, do you? I hate Vegas. Wait, why? Why? I mean, I've been and I'm there, then I'm like, okay, I need to get back to New York. I hate Vegas. Wait, why? Why? I mean, I've been and I've had fun, but I, every time I'm like, this actually is kind of the worst place ever. Like, it's like...

It's like dirty. It's dirty, it's hot, there's people who live underground. There's people trying to take money to smoke everywhere. But you can see Cirque du Soleil and Chris Angel in the same night. Where else can you do that? You know what, that's true. I feel like I don't take advantage of the shows.

If I were to go now, I probably would. But when I was younger, it was all just about like, free drinks at the table while you do, you know. Although I did see Penn and Teller one time. And it was like my favorite story, because I, well, all my friends and I ate gummies, and we went to see Penn and Teller, and then the one who talks lost his voice.

So he had, he was like fighting to talk, and he was like, talking like that? Like he'd be like... And it was just like, it was an incredible show because you're just like, the other one can't help you. Like, he can't help speaking. He doesn't speak and that's the bit. That's so funny.

It was kind of amazing. But yeah, I think I just get, I get drunk and then I'm like, ugh, I feel like shit and then I leave and it's like, ugh. That's why you gotta see shows. Last time I was there, I think I feel like shit. And then I leave and it's like, oh. That's why you gotta see shows. Last time I was there, I think I saw like two shows a night or like a show every night, drove a Lamborghini around a track and then had,

yeah, there's like a racetrack, like 20 minutes outside the strip or whatever. And then also there was like a hockey, an NHL hockey parade, cause I guess they won the Stanley Cup and that was funny to watch people in 100 degrees celebrate ice. Do you know what I mean?

Like, it was just like, what is happening? That's why I like Vegas, it's bizarre. No, it is, it is. I don't know, I've just always been like, I can't keep doing this. Every time I go, I'm like, this is too much. I don't know. But you know what, I also think it was a time in my life where, like, everyone's sharing a bed,

and it's like, I've never really gone where, like, I'm an adult now and I can, like, be by myself. Get a suite for $26. It's a different Vegas. It's a different Vegas when you go as an adult. I'm just... So meanwhile, Sam meets and falls in love with a Vegas socialite and former sex worker,

Ginger McKenna, played by Sharon Stone. Sam convinces Ginger to marry him and start a family despite the fact that she has hesitations and tells him she doesn't love him in that way. On their wedding day, Ginger cries on the phone and she talks to her former lover, the con artist turned pimp Lester Diamond, James Woods, who is in a really great movie called The Specialist

that all of you should watch. When Sam catches Lester accepting money from Ginger, he sends Nicky's crew to beat him up. In her unhappiness, Ginger turns to alcohol. Wait, we didn't talk about the part where Robert De Niro can sniff out people cheating and then takes them. They were like cheating with Morse code, which I was like, oh my God, that's like pretty

ingenious. But then he like snatches him up and then says, uh, can you do that shit with your left hand? He's like, I don't know, haven't tried. He's like, you're gonna have to try it now. And I was like, oh my God. I know, I know. When they're kicking that guy's ass, who's like the big, has his feet on the table.

Mm-hmm. And he, and he's like, then he's one of Joe Pesci's guys and he's like, why'd you kick out my guy or whatever? He was making asses, I would have fucked off. Called him the F word, which was wild. And so... Yes, Marty loves the F word and he loves the N word.

Hunter, how do you feel about that? I think it's about, you know, a world. I think it's like believable that these people are kind of ignorant and also racist. But I don't think, yeah, I can consider it like they're failing, not his. Okay. Fair. It takes me out a little bit because I'm like, really? I feel like I'm getting the point without hearing it. Yeah, I mean, I can see that. But these are about people who are like murdering other people. Like, they're... They're not good people.

They're doing all the bad stuff. And I think that, you know, Ooby doesn't cast a lot of judgment on any of it, so at least it's equal opportunity. Alright. Meh. Okay. Ha ha ha! But I, on another note, I like Ginger. Ginger's fun and I liked watching her pass money from

person to person. And I liked that she was just like this like queen of like, I don't know, grime. Yeah. Watching her work a room was dynamic. Yeah. Whether she folds the money in her palm. I tried to do that so many times. It never works. Like... Yeah, she's amazing. I am like, the scene where she gets engaged to him and doesn't, like, says, like, I don't love you

and then like still agrees to it. I was just like, oh, I'm sad now. Yeah. I have to say I love her wedding outfit though. Like, the skirt set is so cute. And the wedding scene, I think, is one of like the more dynamic scenes in the movie where we hear the voiceover of her ex talking to her

and she's like sobbing on the phone. That feels like- Yes, and then when she has their daughter and she's like, see how daddy loves me, gives me so many jewels. Or whatever, it's like, her priorities are what they are. Getting them jewels. But she's, yeah, and she's like a terrible mom, and it's really fun to watch. I always think about these child actors watching like this horrific shit.

Like, so there's that scene where like Sharon Stone and Robert De Niro, like doing Coke around their daughter. And she's like, she's just like watching and like she watches Sharon Stone just like snort coke. I'm like, how are you how is that explained to this child? Like what's what's the story here behind the scenes? I would love to watch. Right? I mean, my favorite scene with the daughter is when she and James Woods are in the background of a scene and they're like, messing with each other. Like, she's trying to kick him, and he's trying to bully her back.

And then the next thing he's like, okay, we're putting this kid in a boarding school in Bolivia. Like, I'm done with her. And that was pretty fun. Hey, I might... My brain was just jogged by what I watched last night, which was Irish Wish, very different movie. Oh. And she's talking to... Wait, which was Irish Wish, very different movie.

And she's talking about- Wait, you would say that's a different movie? It's just a little different vibe, but she's like, I'm gonna study Bolivian snakes or something, I don't know. I don't know. You gotta watch Irish Wish, there's a lot going on. Is it crazy?

Oh my God, I've heard the worst things. No, it's honestly not. It's like, it's very, like, it's almost prude. Like it's like, you kind of go like, they're holding back. I want some action. It's like a rom-com, but like there's not enough, you know, kissing and stuff. That's my complaint.

I mean, we are horny people. And if it's a rom-com, let's see that rom. I want some rom in the com. So Sam makes an enemy and County Commissioner Pat Webb LQ Jones for firing his brother-in-law Don Ward, John Bloom for incompetence. Webb pulls Sam's casino license from the backlog and secretly arranges for the gaming board to deny Sam. Sam blames the incident on Nicky's recklessness and the backlog and secretly arranges for the gaming board to deny Sam. Sam blames the incident on Nikki's recklessness

and the two get into it in the desert after Sam tries to convince Nikki to leave Vegas altogether. I, okay, so I mean, we're still in the casino world but I feel like we move out of the casino world like, well, it is a long movie, but I feel like we move out of it way sooner than I expected. Mm-hmm. And like, it became, but I liked so much

how it becomes more about their relationship and this like side stuff going on. But like, I mean, the more assurance Domi got, the happier I was, honestly. The more like wrestling on the floor and fighting and like screaming. I was like, yes. I definitely like the back end of this movie

more than the front end. Yeah. Yeah. I like the pacing like the back end of this movie more than the front end. Yeah. Yeah. I like the pacing of the back end more too, because it got more clippy. Yeah, but that's, I, yeah, this movie was a little uneven for me altogether. I liked it, but I, yeah, I just really liked the back end better. And Hunter, like what, what is it, like, what are you loving at this point? Yeah.

I want to like, I want to get completely on board. Well, this is the thing I think and I felt this when I first saw it, like, I think the narration, like the voiceover in the first act is very, very heavy, which probably completely turned me off. But a lot of that stuff, a lot of these observations are very like dishy and kind of gossipy and fun in a way that I'm entering into this world and I'm being explained its codes and the moods and, you know, all of the ways that it operates.

But once it starts moving along a lot quicker, like once we get into like the ginger stuff, like once the wedding happens, then it the pace picks up quite a bit. But I think, I don't know, I just, I like this idea that Sam is, that we're watching him kind of just become more and more gregarious. Like everything about this movie is like so tacky, it's so over the top. In the first part of the movie, he's wearing all of these muted dark colors. And then I think in a scene around this point in the movie, he has a banker come over and Nikki is talking to the banker,

kind of bullying the banker. And then Nikki's like, you're wearing a pink suit or you're a pink robe. Are you John Barrymore? Like, who are you? That stuff I think is the richness of this movie, where you're really like at some point, he's wearing a pink cardigan over like a pink button down and they're having lunch on a golf course.

It's like, who are you? Yeah. You're from Kansas City. But I do think that, yeah, it's like not as much about the casino, but it becomes a lot larger, like the ecosystem of Las Vegas as it was. And that's kind of going to Vegas now, it's like, I'm going to Vegas to see Usher. I'm not like nostalgic for these like Teamster mafia run hotels.

Like, my God. I do agree. I love the robe that he's, he's like wearing a pink pajama set. And I was like, oh my God, I love this character turn. But I will say, I think I figured it out. I think if I saw this movie further away from Goodfellas,

I think I would like it more. Because I loved Goodfellas so much, and the pacing of this is very kind of Goodfellas. You know, the wedding felt kind of like, you know, a little bit like Goodfellas. Um, the demise of the characters felt a little bit like, but it is a different movie and it is a different vibe. And I think I will return to this movie in like a month or two, and I probably will like it a lot better.

I think you're right, because we're really in the world, like we're binging Scorsese, which I feel like no one does. We're like no one does. We're like super in it. Anya, were you talking about how there's that song? Were you the one who mentioned how that song from I think it's from Goodfellas was used in this movie, the Rolling Stones or something? I can't remember which song it is. I think it's Gimme Shelter.

That's like in it one other time with him. And then I thought that was interesting because I was like, I love his choices of music. It's like, it does so much and he picks really great songs and like it really helps you get into the time period and everything too. It was interesting to me to use that song again. I was curious why. I'm just like, there's so many songs. It's a good one, but it's like, oh, it really had an impact during that scene in Goodfellas when they're like looking for the bodies

and all that stuff. And then this was just like, oh, here it is again. Is it supposed to be like a sort of callback for the fan or like he just likes it? I just wonder. I don't know if you know. Great question. I'll Google it while we're talking.

I would always assume that he just liked it, but I've never watched these movies sequentially. So it's like, yeah, you just use that song. Maybe you got like a two for one license. Thank you. Or maybe it's like an interior decorator where they use like the same lighting pendant in different homes, but they like really like it. It's like the go-to. That's dumb. homes, but they like really like it. Okay. Back to this plot. So when the Midwest mob bosses realize that someone in the casinos is skimming

off their, the top of their cut, they send incompetent mobster Artie Piscano, Vinny Vella from Kansas City to oversee the Vegas operation. Piscano details every interaction about the casino in a notebook, which is so dumb. When the FBI wires his store for an unrelated investigation, they turn their attention to the operations at Tangers. Wait, I gotta look up which guy that is. Vinny, wait, what's his last name?

Vinny Vella? Yeah, Vinny Vella. I just have to see him. Okay, yes, this guy. Yeah, okay, first of all, writing down everything you're doing in a notebook. So dumb. What are you doing?

It's like in Goodfellas when they were like, don't call from the house. It's his princess diary. Yeah. It's his diary. He's just writing what he's up to. Yeah. It's full diary. He's just writing what he's up to. Yeah. It's full of other details as well.

Dear diary, today I took extra money. It's just like... So funny, it makes me think of the jinx at the end of the jinx when he's like in the bathroom. Did you guys all watch that documentary? Yes. No. When he's like in the...

Oh my God, you... I don't want to... I am going to spoil the ending, but maybe you already know that. It's okay. I do. It's this horrible murderer person, and then he, like, in real life, he is in the bathroom just, like, talking to himself, and he's mic'd, and he's like, I did it, I killed them all, I did it.

Like, he's like, literally, like, just says it. You're like, you could just not say that, and then that, no one would know. How about that? Um, but I was like, it's just, you know, you don't have to give yourself away so easily. Mm-hmm. And is that how that man got arrested for murdering? Because he was muttering to himself in the bathroom?

I do think it was a huge part of his complete takedown. Was like, they were like piecing it all together. There were a lot of great clues and like evidence and everything. And then he literally goes like, I did it. And then he's just like, I didn't. Idiot. I think he's dead. I hope. OK, so.

Meanwhile, Sam tries to get a divorce from Ginger, but she kidnaps the daughter. This is when it starts. This is when I mean, I mean, I was like in 100 percent. So she kidnaps their daughter, Amy, and plans to flee to Europe with Lester. Sam coaxes Ginger back, but then overhears her on the phone planning to kill him. He kicks her out of the house. Ooh, that was such a good scene. Where she, because she keeps doing like, I feel like she is a little sloppy with love,

because she's very smart in business, but like on their wedding day, calling her ex and crying and him coming to find her. Uh, her calling him to be like, I want to kill him or whatever and him being home. You can't wait till he's at work. She was barely whispering. Yes, she was at full volume being like, let's do it. (*BOTH LAUGHING*) So he kicks her out of the house,

then he relents and takes her back in. I was always like, what's going on there? Then after confiding in Nikki about her troubles, the two start an affair. That scene when she kisses Joe Pesci, and then he puts her head straight down, I was like, that's insane. Like I couldn't tell.

I would trade places in a heartbeat. Nicole is heavily attracted to Joe Pesci. Love him. At any age, mostly old. Truly now, if he knocked on my door right now and said, leave everything, I'll take you, I would go. I really hope this happens. I mean, I think there's still a possibility for this. Maybe he wants to be a dad, like the rest of them.

Like, the second, ninth-old with a newborn. Yeah. I know, I just saw a post of Robert De Niro, like, being, like, loving about his daughter, and he's like, she's so sweet, she makes the world better. And it's very, very cute. She's a tiny baby. Um, and I also was wondering in this scene,

is she really trying to have an affair with, is she actually attracted to him, or is this part of some, you know, I couldn't tell in this scene, is she really trying to have an affair with, is she actually attracted to him, or is this part of, you know, I couldn't tell if it was like, something that she was like really wanting to do actually. I feel like he enables her, and that's kind of the attraction. Yeah.

Like, she can still have access to the same lifestyle, but like without a lot of the complications that she has with Sam. Yeah. I don't think there's like any actual desire there. I felt like she was trying to like drive Sam away. Like, I feel like she's like trying to put wedges between her and Sam over and over and over again, but he keeps being like, but I love you, but I want you and I can take care of you.

And she's like, well, I can be taken care of, even though I don't love this man. So I feel like she wants him to throw her away so she can be like, he threw me away. Yeah. I really love Joe Pesci's heels in this. I don't know if you've ever seen them. I don't think I clocked that. There's a point where he's like in like the desert

or something and he walks up and he's like yelling and he has these little heels on and it's like, it was a perfect era for short kings to wear some couple extra inches and not in the form of New Balance's. It's a cool style. So Sam finds out about the affair. He wants nothing to do with Ginger

and Nikki in turn ends the affair. A furious and drunk do with Ginger, and Nikki, in turn, ends the affair. A furious and drunk Ginger crashes her car into Sam's driveway, and though she manages to take her share of money and jewelry from the bank, she's arrested by the FBI as a material witness. This whole scene. Boy, oh boy. Was so incredible.

It's so incredible. He's like, I don't want her in the house. I don't want her in the house. And then she's like, it's my house too, it's my house. And then the cops were like, let her in for a little bit. No, she's dangerous. Look at her. Look at her. And it's like, I just love that because it's like, you helped kind of, like, why are you keeping her? You're making her go crazy.

And I do love that Scorsese does not make women just unhinged. He shows you each step that helped get her there that is aided by men. That men have done this to these women over and over. And when she backs into the car when she's driving erratically and these cops are just watching, I'm just like, oh, it's, it's poetic, a neighbor look. Like, oh, I loved it. And then grabbing all the money and then he's throwing the money at her. Was that this part

where he where she's like in the closet and he's like, just throwing piles of money. Is this enough for you? or was that earlier? Oh wait, that might have been earlier. I think that was earlier. Then she leaves and goes to the bank and when she's trying to give the bank or the security guy money and he's like, I can't take this mess, she's like, take it, take it.

He just holds it with his arms down at his side. Also, wait, why did Sam give only her access to that money? That was like his like life insurance policy, basically. So if he had been like incapacitated somehow, she would be the only one to like, be able to like take out the money and like pay his ransom or something. But he said in the beginning that it was because he trusted her, which was obviously... But that's so wild because she literally says, I don't love you.

But I guess that's like, again, showing men. Like, a man is like, oh, she'll change for me. Eventually, she'll love me enough to be able to be in charge of this. Mm-hmm. Wait, do I love this movie from top to bottom? I'm really convinced. Oh! I feel like just one thing I want to say about Scorsese is that like he casts, he casts things

so well with all the side characters are always so authentic feeling. Like just the people with like one or two lines, like they always crush it. It feels so real. It helps so much. But he does an amazing job with that. Like all the little like the workers at the casino and like the people at the bank and everything. It's like you get this like really rich scene from everyone even if they have a small part. It's really nice. I have to say I love the that kind of like cowboy slot machine manager who he's like always fussing with when he's like well either like why are the best machines in the back? manager who he's like always fussing with when he's like, well, either like, why did, why are the best machines in the back? Like what he's Robert De Niro being so irritated by this man is so funny to

watch. Like he's like, I'm like trying to bring you along and it's like, it's not connecting. Like you need to go. Yeah. I, that's a, that's a good scene or, you know, a character or whatever. I do agree. Like the side characters are so fun. Yeah. It's even like these, like the little moments when someone's just like there to like move a body or something.

I don't know. I always just feel like it's, it's very real. Yeah. I like the cash out lady when Sharon stones, like take, take some for you. And she's like, Oh, okay. I like her. She didn't do anything. And I was like, Ooh, I'm glad she's like, oh, okay. I like her. She didn't do anything and I was like,

oh, I'm glad she's getting something. And it is a testament to the costumes and the hair and makeup and everything too. It's like everyone becomes instantly a part of it. Even when there's somebody where you're like, I feel like they're not delivering that line well, you still think it feels authentic. Like it's like, oh my God, that's how that guy talks

or whatever. It's not like other movies where you're just able to look back or zoom out it's like, oh, that's how that guy talks or whatever. You know, like, it's not like other movies where you're just like able to like look back or, you know, zoom out and be like, wow, that person, you can like see them in their trailer and like, you know what I mean? I read once that they had cast an actual like assassin in this movie and he like does a kill on camera. Oh my God. And out of prison. Yeah. And then the... Wait, what? Yeah, no, I Oh my God. We've been out of prison, yeah. And then the...

Wait, what? Yeah, no, I swear to God. He does a kill on camera? Not a real kill. Oh, my God. I was like, oh wait, and nobody cares? We're all just like, oh yeah, this is gonna save you, keep making them.

Keep making movies. No, I'm sorry, he like... So he's like, this is how it's done. Yeah, basically. And then the guy who plays Sam's attorney, like, was a prosecutor in Vegas who, like, prosecuted a lot of like mafia crimes. That is cool. That's okay. Yeah. And in Goodfellas, there's that moment where they're going to be in the witness protection program and the guy from the FBI is a real guy who does that, which that's probably happening more than we even realize. Maybe that's part of why it feels authentic and cool. It just adds a lot of texture. Yeah.

So the FBI moves in and closes the casino. Green decides to cooperate with the authorities. Piscano dies of a heart attack upon seeing federal agents discover his notebook, which I liked. That's sad. That's sad. Yeah. It's so like, oh no. Oh no, not my secrets. Oh.

I think I'll die. Nikki flees Vegas before he can be caught. The FBI approaches Sam for help, but he turns them down. The aging mob bosses are arrested and put on trial, but decide to eliminate anyone involved in the scheme to stop them from testifying and prolong, prolonging their coming sentences. Ginger flees LA and ultimately dies of a drug overdose, which Sam suspects might have been orchestrated by the mob.

She dies of a speed ball. Yeah. That was really sad. Yeah. I wanted that's really sad. Yeah. I wanted better for my sister. Yes. When she's like walking or like, I don't know, trying to move down the hallway and she's like on the wall. I was like, oh, no, baby girl. I know. How how huge was Sharon Stone?

Is this like her like peak moment with like, I mean, like I feel like I'm not this familiar with her oeuvre. This was after Basic Instinct. Basic Instinct is legs open, going closed kind of scene. That's that. Yes. Yeah. That's funny because I also haven't seen it,

but I know that moment. Yeah. I feel like it's used so much. It's famous. Yeah. But yeah, this was after that moment. Yeah, I feel like it's used so much. It's famous. Yeah. But yeah, this was after that. So she's already a pretty big star, but I think this was her first and only Oscar nomination.

Wow, so this, I mean, this must've been huge. Yeah. Well, she deserved it. She was very good in this. I know, she's amazing. I truly, I'm like, I also want to know, cause I know he likes improv, like how much of those fights is improvised,

because it just feels so authentic. Like, there's a lot of like talking over, it's just things that we don't get in the way things are made now. Or maybe just have always been, but just this feels special that people are allowed to like, it's almost like acting classic where you get to like, go just do it, just like get in there and like yell at each other and like have a fight and like, it's almost like acting classic where you get to like, go just do it. Just like get in there and like yell at each other

and like have a fight and like make it real. And it just feels so, it feels so great to watch. Okay, just chiming in since we're talking about it, this is in our trivia later, but it's said that all of the fights between, or all of the convo between De Niro and Pesci was totally improvised. And that's because Izzy would tell them where to start and where to finish and they would go for it.

That's amazing. Oh, I love that. And confirming Sharon Stone only won Academy Award nomination it was for. Wow. Okay. I love that they are able to improvise. And it's also really interesting to it feels like they just know the world so well to be able to improvise all of the dialogue in this movie about this. How is that? I do feel like a lot of their dialogue, like specifically, was mostly about trying to rein the other person in. Like, De Niro being like, okay, you're being too flamboyant, you're blowing up my spot,

you're like, gonna get in the black book, you're doing too much bad stuff. And then Pashu being like, okay, like, you're getting too big for your britches, no one cares about you. Yeah. It does feel very, like, brotherly in that part. It's controlled. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Well, and that's also interesting with the narration,

is like, so much of that stuff is explained in narration, so you don't need the scene, which is kind of what I'm loving so much about these movies, is that the scenes feel so slice of life because they're not trying to propel the plot by talking it out. Like you get to just go, and that's when that happened. And like you just explained it like over top,

which is kind of great. Okay, so Sam himself is almost killed in a car bomb and believes Nikki to be responsible. Before Sam can take revenge, Nikki and his brother, Dominic, Phillip Suriano, are ambushed by Frankie and their own crew and savagely beaten and buried alive in to be responsible. Before Sam can take revenge, Nicky and his brother Dominic, Philip Suriano, are ambushed by Frankie and their own crew and savagely beaten and buried alive in a cornfield. This is so sick.

And then the mob bosses, having had enough of Nicky's behavior and suspecting his role in Sam's car bombing. So they take him and they just dump him alive in the ground and start throwing dirt in his mouth. And the way the bodies bodies fell onto each other, it was so gross. It was so sad.

It was. And very brutal. That scene at the beginning with the car exploding. I loved it because you can see the dummy. Okay, wait, literally, I was gonna say, so like, I'm watching at Amazon Prime and they have this thing where if you move your mouse at all, it tells you like a million details about the scene.

No, I love that. No, I know, but I was kinda like, it pointed out the first second, they're like, you can see the dummy. I'm like, I haven't started the film. I haven't started the film. And now you're calling out something that's fucked up. I wouldn't have noticed that,

because they move so fast. But then I rewound it like eight times, so I was like, wait, what? And then it's literally like they just like flip-booked a dummy into the spot and it just has no connection to a real person. It looks nothing like a guy. It's like a mannequin. It's like from the store. Yeah, they went to a Macy's.

And they were like... It's so crazy, because also the production value is so high, feeling with everything else. They're like, they just put this actual mannequin in there, and then he just sits like a stick and then gets blown up. And I was like... But I... I was like... Because later it's done so well, him getting out of the car, that I was like, I don't know if I needed...

to see the dummy, do you know what I mean? No, I don't know if I needed to see the dummy. Do you know what I mean? I don't think we needed it at all. I think we could have just zoomed out and had it be fire. Yeah. Yeah. Which is what he does so much when cars explode anyway. And he's moving. But it was a treat to see. I said, ooh, baby, this was fun.

It was great. Honestly, I was like Amazon. And then I just was afraid to like swipe ever, because I was like, you're going gonna just make me feel like things aren't looking good like I'm like liking something and then you just like see the see the flaws come up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just a little aggressive. Okay, so with the mob now out of power, the old casinos are purchased by big corporations and demolished. The corporations build new and gaudier attractions, which Sam laments are not the same as when the mafia was in control. Sam subsequently retires to San Diego and ends up right back where he started,

working in sports betting for the mob. Yeah, I mean, kind of a sad little ending. Mm-hmm. I truly, I just, kind of a sad little ending. Truly, I just as we're, because we're so in this world right now, I'm just thinking so much about the actors and the relationships that they have. And he's Robert De Niro's had like multiple journeys now that we've seen where it's like this sad, fucked up character had

them, they have a sad ending. Yeah. Or like, it feels like his journey with Scorsese. Which I like. They're really like real feeling stories and really, it's really cool. And I, as mainly knowing him from Meet the Fockers, it's a really interesting shift. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

God, that's so funny. Also, I think it's interesting that a lot of these, like, sad characters, like, take a like a turn into entertainment. And I'm like, what does that say about us? I know. I know. I stand up for a talk show. I'm like, oh, no. Why? Yeah. Why does he have a show?

We skipped over that part. Why does he do a show? That he's like juggling on camera, and that's like the lowest point of his life is pretty funny. Yeah. And that's like what we strive for. We're like, please, I hope I get... I hope I get to juggle. And then he hosts the show.

He hosts the show in the casino, but I didn't really understand why. Yeah, no, I didn't either. And then Joe's like, Joe Pesci is like mad at him. Like, wait, wait, you got a show now? You fucking Joe? Like, but I told, like it is, it is a recurring thing. Like, but also is this based on anything true or no? It is?

Yes, it is based on a real person. Oh my God. So all these people that he is drawn to end up doing this with their life. Like, Ray DuBois does that. That's so interesting. Yeah. And these, I mean, it is interesting how these are all kind of like based on real people and real books, or like originally books, but like,

they're the stories... They seem like stories I would never find. Mm-hmm. But he's finding these stories that are really specific and have similar character arcs. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I think there is something kind of a through line

throughout a lot of Martin Scorsese movies, is like this feeling of being cast out of Eden and that we had paradise for like one brief moment and now we kind of like messed it up in the end. Like that's strongest in this movie, but it's also like Wolf of Wall Street. It's also in some ways, um, King of Comedy. It's also like Goodfellas definitely obviously. Raging Bull has that too. Yeah. A little bit of like taxi driver too with like the civil shepherd stuff. That that is kind of our current theme.

Yeah. Well, the reception for this movie was mostly favorable for Casino, though it's often seen as Scorsese's lesser film compared to Goodfellas and some were critical of him retreading old territory. And that makes sense. I mean, I think we like went crazy for Goodfellas, and it does feel like it's... it is wanting some of the same magic. And it does get it in certain parts for sure,

but then Goodfellas is just so tight. Mm-hmm. Yeah. But I have to say, Casino is about excess. We're talking about Vegas and people who never know when enough is enough. Like, people who are going over the top constantly. And so I think the length and how some parts go on, some things go on for far too long,

and some scenes I'm like, wait, what just happened? Feels like a part of the language and nature of this world. I like that. I'm like, all my soap box down. No, I think it's great. We need the soap box. This is like how we... This is how we learn and grow.

Yeah, but the reception's interesting to me, Cause when did Goodfellas come out? That was like 90, was it just a year? I think 1990. Yeah. Oh, so like five years before. I guess I could get the reception being like, Oh, it's like, uh, being compared to Goodfellas. But I feel like if I had a five year gap, I would really enjoy Casino and be like, I guess it retreads old stuff, but like I loved it. That's what I mean. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, the only Academy Award for the movie was not, uh,

was a for Sharon Stone for best actress. She ended up losing. Who did she lose to? Do we know Susan Sarandon for what? Or Dead Man Walking was it called? Oh. Or something like that? Great movie. Never seen it. I haven't seen it.

I haven't either. She won the Golden Globe, though. And I love this little detail. She wore a gap turtleneck from her closet to the ceremony after a delivery mishap the day before ruined her Vera Wang dress. And so she's literally wearing a navy gap turn, like with short sleeves. And she looks phenomenal. Yeah. She doesn't need anything else.

Yeah. She looks amazing. That's really fun. That is fun, but also devastating because it's like suck. You're nominated and your dress is messed up. Yeah. I would not be happy if I was wearing a gap troll neck after all that. I feel like I would go out and buy something, but you know. Something? It was a 90s gap though. It was head on over to Bloomingdale.

90s gap is like, yeah, peak gap. Uh, here's some trivia. We already said this, but it's rumored that most of the dialogue between De Niro and Pesci was improvised with Scorsese only telling them where to start and end. The costume budget for the film was a million dollars. That feels nice.

Robert De Niro had 70 different costumes throughout the film. Wow. And Sharon Stone had 40. Both were allowed to keep their costumes after. That's so good. Oh my God. I wonder if they still have stuff. Like that's fucking archival. Yeah, that's amazing.

That gold gown? You know how to keep that? Oh my God. Oh my God, what a dream. Joe Pesci's wife at the time of filming, Claudia Harrow, played Trudy, the co-hostess and bandleader of Aces High. Harrow and Pesci divorced and she remarried, and she was convicted in 2002 counts of attempted murder

for hiring a hitman to try and kill her other ex-husband, a stuntman. Okay, this is what I was trying to find about her before, because I was like, Googling his wives, and I was like, something's going on with this one, I need to do a deeper dive here. This is insane. So she tried to kill...

She's like living in a fucking Scorsese movie. She hired a hitman to kill her stuntman husband. This is like nuts. That's so crazy. She's like living in a fucking Scorsese movie. She hired a hitman to kill her stuntman husband. This is like nuts. That's so crazy. I do need that HBO miniseries. Yeah, we need something about this. And then, I mean, he must have been happy they weren't together anymore,

but I guess also he was at risk, because she was trying to kill her other ex-husband. Whoa. This is, that's intense. That's, hiring a hitman is so crazy. Yes, that's wild. So her ex-husband had recently filed for divorce, was shot four times in the chest, neck, left hip, and right eye, and he lost his eye.

Oh my God. And she was sentenced to 12 years and four months, and was, she's out in the streets. She was released in August of 2019. Oh, my God. 12 years feels actually kind of shockingly long considering what some people get for things like. Mm hmm. I mean, and he wasn't killed, right?

I mean, it's like that. But it is. I mean, she should be there for 12 years. I'm just saying I think the system is so fucked up that like people don't usually get that. That's crazy. In the DVD commentary, Sharon Stone said that her first two auditions for Scorsese ended up being canceled for scheduling reasons and her paranoia convinced her

that the director was blowing her off. I would definitely think that. And when Scorsese's team contacted her a third time, she turned them down and went out to dinner with a friend instead. Well, it's so bad. Whoa. Squire says he tracked her down and showed up at the restaurant where she was dining

to make a personal appeal. Whoa. And that's for the internet. That's really cool. Wouldn't you think if you kept getting canceled on twice by Martin Squire, he'd be like, he doesn't really want me to audition. He's just not that into you.

That's what I would think. Yeah. I was like, my agent's pushing this. And he's like, no. Yeah. And he's like,'s just not that into you. Yeah. That's what I would think. Yeah, I was like, my agent's pushing this, and he's like, no. Yeah, and he's like, I definitely don't want you. In a Vogue article from 2020 on the fashion of Casino, Sharon Stone recounted how she prepped for the role of Jerry. She said, I worked in Vegas before, so I knew people there.

And once I knew I was making myself available for the film, people started calling me saying, I knew Jerry. If you want to talk, I'll meet you at 1 a.m. On the corner of this street. I'll be wearing a blue shirt and we can talk. And we would meet secretly and they would give me information about her. One anecdote she remembers from a close friend of McGee's was,

her favorite song was BB King's The Thrill Is Gone. After Scorsese asked what she was listening to all the time on set, she recounted the story and it ended up in the film soundtrack. I like that. Scorsese listens to his actors. That is really cool. And yeah, she must have had headphones on with a Walkman. I'm on a Walkman. Well, you know, it was 1995, yeah.

Yeah, it's definitely a Walkman. She's just rewinding the same tape over and over again. Yeah. That's really cute. And that's crazy. It's so... Everybody's so secretive and, like, sneaky with these worlds. Like, I'll meet you on the corner and tell you about this woman. It's so, everybody's so secretive and like sneaky with these worlds. Like I'll meet you on the corner and tell you about this woman. It's like, is that necessary?

We have to do it that. Yeah, we're talking now. Do you wanna just like say? Wait, wasn't her name Ginger? Who's Jerry? But I think the real woman is Jerry. Oh, I see. Jerry McGee.

Okay. That is wild. Okay, let's take a quick break and we'll be back with more Casino after this. It's time for the new Academy Awards! Despite his films being nominated over a hundred combined times for Academy Awards, Marty's only won one. And we're here to correct the record, presenting the prestigious first annual New Academy Awards.

Okay, so we're gonna read off categories and nominees, and then we'll all pick what our favorite thing was in the movie. So the categories, best dressed. The nominees are Sharon Stone in the golden white chevron sparkle dress with the white fur. I mean, that's incredible. Sharon Stone in the blue leather jacketvron sparkle dress with the white fur. I mean, that's incredible.

Sharon Stone in the blue leather jacket and mini skirt with the white go-go boots. I love that one. Sharon Stone in the gold applique high neck dress. Also really cool. And Sharon Stone in the purple lace top and pleated pink high-waisted pants. Oh, that was a great look.

Yes. Yes. All of these are so incredible. They're so good. I mean, the one with the sparkle and the fur is so, like, casino feeling. That feels really amazing. But I love the go-go boots and the short skirt. That's so cute.

I don't know. What's everyone's favorite? I have to say the gold gown. That's, like, so glam. Yeah. I'm going with the gold gown. That's like so glam. Yeah, I'm going with the gold, the gold. It's gotta be. It's gotta be the gold. The new Academy Award goes to the Chevron Sparkle dress.

Congratulations. Best line delivery. And the nominees are, I mean, God forbid they should make a mistake and forget to steal Nikki. In the end, I had to put his fucking head in a vase. In a vice. No, we didn't talk about the vice. That scene where he's squishing the guy's head.

I have to fast forward every time. It's like too gross. It is very gross. I literally could not believe it was happening. And then his eye pops out and the guy's, then he says who it was that he's protecting. And he's like, you let your eye pop out for that. I have a good trivia about this too, that Marty put that in to like try to get to get like whatever it is, MPA, like so that they would try to cut a

difference that scene. And so he could keep his other scenes. He was like, I'm putting something really grotesque and that will like throw them off the tent. And then it like they didn't say anything. So he like edited down a little bit and left it in and it's wow. Wow. That is cool. That's very fun. A lot of holes in the desert and a lot of problems are buried in those holes, but you got to do it right. I mean, you got to have a hole already dug before you show up with the package in the trunk. Otherwise you're talking about a half hour to 45 minutes worth of digging.

And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all fucking night. Nikki! Nikki! I mean, that's a pretty great little monologue. I like the vice thing because it's so fucking crazy.

That was... That really... The deaths in this, I mean, he was getting really... I mean, like, the buried alive, the vice, like, he got a lot of, like, really gory deaths. I feel like from the hammer to the hand to the end, it just heightens in such a spectacular way. Yeah. Yeah, it's not all in such a spectacular way. Yeah. Yes.

Yes. Yeah. It's not all just the sort of like anonymous gunshots that we get in other ones. Um, yeah, I think, I mean, I'm going to go with the vice. That's my vote. I'm going with vice too, even though I said vase, but reading's hard for me. So I say vice as well. Yay.

Congrats to that line of the movie. Okay. It's time for score, says he, it's time for reviews. We love to read reviews from Letterboxd and share our own. So we'll be giving the film a one sentence review ourselves and a star rating. And for anyone who doesn't know, Letterboxd is a social platform where people can

write reviews of films and we are on there at Newcomers. Hunter, are you on Letterboxd? Do you use Letterboxd? No, I'm not. It feels like when the people who are, who've been on the show are like, they are like on it. Love it.

Like they're like fully locked in. Hosting. Yes, it's a world for sure. Well, okay, anyone who wanna go first, we're gonna have Anya and Allie also weigh in with their reviews of the films or the film. And I mean, anybody feel confident about their star rating and what they want to say?

Well, first, I'm going to read this letterbox review from Nick Wilbert. As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a casino. Four stars, it can be that easy. It doesn't have to mean anything. It doesn't... to mean anything. It doesn't... I could go first.

Okay, I'm gonna give it four stars because of the fashion, the drama, the goriness, and I will return to this in a couple of months to see if I like the pacing better since I'm too close to Goodfellas. Very long review, but that's it. I love it. Any, or Allie, or Hunter, anybody want to go?

I'll do four stars, give Sharon Stone her Oscar. Yes. And I'll also do four stars. And I don't know if anyone here watches Roni, but as Countess Luanne said, money can't buy you class. Wow. I feel like there is some Countess Luanne energy in Sharon Stone. That is some of those outfits.

Yeah. I truly was like, what is Roni? Like, Rice-a-Roni? And then I was like, oh, Real Housewives. I get it. Okay. Get in there. The atria's silent, yeah. I'm gonna say five stars.

And I can't think of anything pithy. I mean... You can just say you like it. Just the fight in the front yard is everything. The way she, like, hits his car intentionally on the way in and on the way out is, like, the funniest thing in the world to me. Okay, I'm gonna also do four stars is the funniest thing in the world to me.

Okay, I'm gonna also do... I'm gonna do four stars. I like to give myself somewhere to go, and I think I gave Goodfellas five. Um, four stars. Best Sharon Stone performance, the fighting, the money, the costumes. It's all just so fun. A great spectacle to look at.

That's my review. I really loved it. A great spectacle to look at. I loved it. It really was. It was a good spectacle. It was a fun, it was a very fun visual journey for sure. Yeah, it was visually delicious. It was. Well, Hunter, it was visually delicious. It was.

Well, Hunter, thank you so much for being here. Do you have anything that you want to plug? Yes, I write a newsletter twice a week called hung up. It's hunterharris.substack.com. And then I am on Instagram as at Hunter H. Thank you. Thank you. Well, please go out there if you're listening to this and leave a review for newcomers on Apple podcasts and rate the podcast on Spotify.

Five stars only. Doi. Doi. We're going to watch Gangs of New York. Nicole, have you seen that film? Sure have not. You know I haven't. I haven't either and I'm scared.

But we get Leonardo DiCaprio. Yay! I mean, he really is such a cutie. He is. This is our first Leo moment. This is like kind of big. This is the start of their relationship. This is our introduction.

This is their first date. You know? I can't wait. This is exciting. Okay, well, we'll be back with that one next week and we will see you then. Bye bye. Toodaloo, bye bye. Newcomers Newcomers is a Headgum Original hosted by us, Nicole Byer and Lauren Lapias.

Our executive producer is Anya Kanovskaja. Our producer is Ali Khan. Our theme music, editing, sound mixing, and mastering is done by Faris Manchi. Listen to new episodes wherever you get your podcasts every Tuesday. That was a Hidgum Original.