Newcomers: Sports, with Nicole Byer and Lauren Lapkus - Rocky (w/ Rekha Shankar)

Episode Date: July 30, 2024

Lauren and Nicole enter the world of boxing with very special guest, comedian and Philadelphia native Rekha Shankar! The group gets into the interesting social dynamics that come with Rocky��s quirky pet ownership, the cultural obsession with impersonating Sylvester Stallone, and the lasting impact of yelling “Adrian!”.Follow Rekha: Instagram, TwitterJoin us next week for our episode covering Miracle! 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.fmSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a headgum original. You know, I've been coming in for six years. The six years you've been sticking it to me. I want to know how to come. You want to know. I want to know. Okay, I'm going to tell you, because you had the talent to become a good fighter.

And instead of that, you became a legbreaker. Some cheap, second-rate loan charge. It's a living? It's a waste of life! I feel if I break the guy's time, he gets laid off, right? Yeah, well, don't figure. Let me do the figure, okay, Rocky. From here and, just let me do the figure.

Come on! You want to hit on me? Come on! I'll break both jobs so they don't work for you! Rocky, do you believe that America is the land of opportunity? Yeah. Paul O' Creed does. And he's going to prove it. to the whole world by giving an unknown a shot of the title.

I need you help about 10 years ago, right? 10 years ago? You never helped me. You didn't care. Well, if you wanted help... I say, if you wanted help, why didn't you ask? Why didn't you just ask me, kid? Look, I asked me, but you never heard nothing.

Nobody's ever gone the distance from Crete. And if I can go that distance... See, and that bell rings and I'm still standing. I weren't just another bummed from the neighborhood. I mean, who am I getting? I even in the guys' leak. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it. Good luck. Don't leave town.

Oh, hey, I don't believe it. The champ is down. Don't stay down. Welcome to New Party Welcome to New Party, Welcome to Newcombe playing for the home team. It's me, Nicole Beyer. And me, Lauren Lapkis. And of course, we have Coach Allie watching along from the sidelines. This season, guess what? 10 episodes, 10 episodes of

sports movies that we've been told are the top cultural contenders delivering a knockout performance on the big screen. Today, we'll be watching the iconic boxing film that kicked off an iconic boxing franchise, which I didn't even realize until right now. I mean, I have like that. But franchise? Ninety-six's Rookie. And you better believe Rocky is streaming on Amazon Prime

where you can rent it for a fee on any of the other major streamers. We're going to spoil it. So watch it first if you don't want a spoiler. Our visiting contender today, please give a warm welcome to the pride of Philadelphia. Raka Shanker! Hello. Rika is a writer,

comedian, an actress who wrote for Grand Cruce, Starring Nicole, Anna Maniacs, and Magic for Humans. You might also recognize her from between two ferns with me or from her many appearances on Dropout. Welcome, Rika. We're so excited to talk about Rocky with you. I'm so excited to talk rookie with you guys. Okay, here is a question. What is your relationship to, one, the sport of boxing,

two, the city of Philadelphia, and three, Rocky. And you can answer in any order. Okay. One, sportive boxing, million-dollar baby the movie. When that came out, I was like, this is the best movie of all time because it was like sad. And I think it was the saddest movie I had seen at that time when it came out. So I'm like, that's a movie. I was really sad at the end of it. That's a movie. Philadelphia, it's where I'm from. But caveat, I'm the child of immigrants. And a lot of immigrants when they moved to a place aren't like, let's give you a piece of history. History kid. Look at the local cultural sites. They're just like, you live here. Go to school, go to bed. So they never like took me to things or like, we're like, here's Philadelphia touchstones. You should know. Go to Valley Forge Park. Let's go to the Liberty Bell. They're just like, this is where the house is and where the job is. You incidentally live in Philadelphia.

In the movie Rocky, I only saw kind of recently, but I did a deep dive on it. So I, I feel like it's like I've seen it, you know, a thousand times for the past 10 years. Yeah. What was the deep? The deep end was something you wanted to do. It was something I wanted to do personally because I did not know Rocky, and this might not be shocking to you guys, given that I know what you're bidding on the movie is. I did not know it was a low budget movie before watching it. No, I did, and I think I could tell that from the hat.

the hat was wild that didn't look like it was cherry picked by a costume designer the hat and the jacket I actually was like why is it so cheap I when I watched it it was like okay it makes sense that it was under a million but also sort of it doesn't to me guys I don't know I'm a believer in the movie

so I really want to talk about it with you guys I think it's the thing it's such a huge movie that you think, I don't know, what, Nicole? Why did he get a dog and then the dog disappears? Yes, that's an awesome question. So that is Sylvester Stallone's real dog. And I guess they just wanted production value to be like, those are his real turtles, cuff and link.

Those are his real turtle, and they're named cuff and link. That's what I read. And they're named cuff and in real life? In real life. And his real dog was named Butkiss. This is what I read on my deep dive. please do not at me or at Lauren Lapkis for any complaints at Nicole Fire for any complaints. You can't at me. I don't care. I'm like shocked by come for me about Rocky

I'm a cuff and link now he when he spoke about cuff and link I thought this is this is so weird I there was like he didn't even know though yeah yeah there it was like they weren't even but you know there was something about what he said when he picked up the two turtles and he said I had to take the little mountain away because they kept falling off. And I was like, that actually was kind of thoughtful. Like in a way that I wasn't expecting Rocky to be. Like I was like, oh, he's like,

oh, noticing the turtle's behavior. I should remove this from the tank. Like stuff that I wouldn't think Rocky would be processing. Right. But interesting. It's sort of like, you're saved the cat moment, right? We're like, ah, this man is nice because he likes animals. Like Tony Soprano in the first episode likes Ducks.

Like, we like this man now. Wow. Very textbook, but it worked on me. He goes into that pet store and starts mumbling weird jokes. I'm like, wow, what a nice man. When he was practicing, and I do want to dissect the entire film bit by bit, but when he was practicing what he was going to say about the moths getting stuck in his turtle's throat, again, I was just like, not what I expected out of this film.

This film had me, many of surprise, many surprises, but. And then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then. And then, and then. And I was, listen, I'm with you guys. I was shocked that that's what it was. That it wasn't like she wasn't there and wasn't, she was there and she was coming toward him. So I don't know why he keeps yelling it. It's because you, like, can't see his eyeballs are shut. Yeah. They're swollen shut. Right. They're sliced up. I couldn't believe.

Also, I thought there would be like more boxing. The beginning of the movie is no boxing. It's like he's just walking around in his weird little heels and then his converse is. His heels. Okay, wait. On that tip, let's do the shot clock. Okay. We're each going to have 10 seconds to summarize the film one at a time.

Allie's going to count us down and start the clock. and then she'll make a buzzing noise when we run out of time. Cool. So anybody want to go first because I feel like we all have our... Sure. I'll go first.

Okay. Ready? Three, two, one. A man who mumbles likes to box. He finds a girl, her brother is crazy, he punches meat. He doesn't win the boxing match.

That was good. Thank you. Okay. Rika, you want to go? Yeah, I can go. Okay. Three, two, one. An Italian man feels like a loser

and he's attracted to people that also are losers and he overcomes the odds of being a loser and boxes and becomes strong and at least ties with a man in the end. Okay. My turn. Three, two, one. A pork pie hat went to a pet store

and bought turtles and food and then he had a girlfriend and he said, Adrian! Adrian! It was so wild. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was going to be like... I love you.

I love you. I thought it was going to be like in... What is that movie? Where it's like Stella? Like I thought it was going to be like he's calling to her. Yes. And like it was just like he had no sense of like space or time actually. He was just like yelling weirdly.

Adrian! It was like a kid in a supermarket who lost his parent. That's so funny. It's like he can see here, but he's still scared that he's lost. Like he has it by process. Yeah, yeah. He's like, I'm in the dairy. I'll put you. Well, we got to take a time out.

We'll be back with another round of Rocky after a word from our sponsor. Okay, everyone say, ready, break on three. One, two, three, ready, break. And we're back. Okay, Rocky was released, December 3, 1976, a Christmas movie. It was written by Sylvester, Sylvester Stallone. I didn't know he wrote this. Yes, that's a bit.

Three days. Okay. Okay. Well, all right, then. It was directed by John G. Edvildson. And yes, he wrote in three days. I did see one of my Amazon facts that popped up,

which I'm sure we'll get into at the trivia section, but that Rocky or that Sylvester, he really wanted to, he wanted to sell this movie and they wanted to buy it from him for like a few hundred thousand dollars, and he only had $106 to his name, but he said no because he wanted to star in it. They wanted somebody else to star in it.

And he said no, and he insisted. And he was right because it did lead to him having a huge career. but I'm so curious who they would have cast Probably someone Who enunciated a little bit better Like not to hate on Sylvester Stallone Nice man I'm sure

But it was wild I had the subtitles Just mumbles I too had the subtitles on Because it also felt like Maybe the sound wasn't the best It's true It sounded really far away

There were points where I had the captions on I'm like oh that's what's being said I was like maybe if I was in a theater I would have heard that. But I did not hear it through my tinny speakers of my laptop. I mean, maybe it's because it was the 70s and the sound wasn't mixed or it hasn't been remastered. I don't know.

But we watched like other movies from that time. I think it might be a this movie issue. I think it might be the like under one million low budget kind of situation where like a lot of it's run and gun. I read something that like no one had trailers. pizza was for every meal he's using his own clothes everybody's using her own clothes

Adrian's basically in under five you know he used his own clothes and he only had $106 to his name and that explains the jacket and the hat that hat was so fucking funny it didn't fit his head

it was just like tilted to the side he at times I was like is he going to do a jazz performance Like, it just seemed, it seemed very fussy. Yes. Yeah. And it was, it was a leather, like, trench coat or something, right? Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Listen, you got to take huge swings. That's a boxing recommendation and that's a life recommendation. Go with an iconic outfit. At least it'll be remembered, you know? Well, that being said, the outfits, I was like, these are all Halloween costumes.

These are all amazing Halloween. If you are Adrienne for Halloween with that little green hat, and the glasses. I'm like, I would be that. That's a fun costume to wear. I like that. I didn't like his gray sweatsuit. It was really upsetting to me.

It was nasty. It's really ugly. And those are his clothes, from what I read. I mean, also his apartment was sick. His apartment was the dirtiest. We don't wipe anything down.

Don't you wonder, like, so like there's so many things with like, when things are old or when people are supposed to be poor or something and the wall is like dirty. I'm like, that's a bit ridiculous. Yes, poor people can wipe down walls. Right, right.

I will say something I read, again, at Lauren Lapis, at Nicole Byer, for any complaints. But I read that what, you know when the boxing manager comes to his apartment and then Sylvester Stallone, or sorry, Rocky's like yelling at him off screen for like a thousand minutes. And he goes, and this place stinks. Apparently. But the apartment did stink And that was a real thing He was thinking

Because I think he was improvising that And he just couldn't help but say it Because the room smelled really bad That's so funny It doesn't stink in here There's a lot There's actually kind of the C plot Lauren It's like it doesn't think

And then he finally admits Like it does actually stink here It stinks it doesn't stink Also That man was the reddest man i have ever seen in my whole life he was so red i was concerned that man he was probably like 35 and just like the sun he just looked a hundred he was he was scorched okay let's jump into the plot and of course uh feel free to chime in at any point with anything you want

to add okay so in philadelphia in 1975 a local boxer named rocky belboa sylvester stillone nicknamed the italian stallion fights mostly in small gyms and works as a collector for a mafia loan shark. After winning a match against a fighter named Spider-Riko, Rocky meets with promoter George Jorgans, Thayer David. Jurgens tells him that the flashy heavyweight boxing world champion Apollo Creed, Carl Weathers,

has selected Rocky as his opponent in an upcoming title about to mark the United States Bicentennial. I was like, why? Why does he just get chosen? I know, because he's like a failure, and basically the guy is screaming at him that he's not, he's not successful. And he wasted his talent.

Yeah. And he, and also the, the, the, the, the mafia thing where he's like, supposed to, he's like, you're supposed to break his thumb. And then he, like, didn't do it. Is he because he's so nice? I think it's because he's not, he's a turtle guy. Turtle guys don't break thumbs, you know? He's too gentle.

And I think, I think we're supposed to get a lot from Carl Weathers in like this two sentence monologue he has that's like, I need to fight. somebody. That guy's busy. Well, let's get a local guy. It's the bicentennial. Philadelphia's going to love if it's a local guy. Italian, style. And it doesn't get more Philadelphia than Italian. And you're like, okay. We've created all the dots. But I just don't buy that this big bicentennial, they're just going to pick a random person. Isn't there like, isn't there like a, like a track, a roadway to get to boxing? don't you have to like well yeah and there's like a gym full of guys who are like working their

asses off and like isn't it cool to think that you could be a kind of bad and Carl Weathers could kind of just pick you from obscurity to fight isn't there something really hopeful and beautiful there is there is all sports movies seem to be about i was like yeah rudy this man obsessed with Notre Dame who's like gotta play football even though I'm so tiny and then a league of their own is just like women playing baseball and now it's like an Italian boxing like it's it's almost like more on the end it's like Carl Weathers is unusual for having a particular fixation with boxing like a nobody or like these people who have a fixation are like women can't fuck a no shit let's try them out so they get obliterated or whatever that's that's the

Yeah. I mean, I think it's like the kind of what else can you do with a sports movie? And we'll find out this season other than have an underdog who gets to get to do the thing. Right? Like it feels like it's kind of like otherwise it's just like what is it? I don't know. I wonder if there will be any stories that we watch any movies that are not that kind of story. He's a loser in like a non-trading. He's like actually a loser. Right. He's not like. He's not like. I'm good at what I do And no one sees it yet He's like not great at what he does In any regard I was gonna say I think like his life He's a loser Like he kind of doesn't have it together

He's like He's like the worst To have a weird advice to girls Yeah He's like You're gonna be a whore if you hang out That okay that moment with that little girl So he's like he takes this

He like walks on the street And there's these like annoying kids Who are teenagers or something He grabs the 12 year old who's like so rough and tumble. She has pigtails and she's 12. And he's like, you're going to be a whore if you keep hanging out with these people.

And she's like, go to hell, Rocky. And we like never see her again. I was just like, who is this? Like, what inspired that? You know, he wrote it in three days. So he was like, I got to call a child a whore. That seems like a good idea. Maybe I'll do a rewrite on day four.

Never mind. I'll turn it in. But they wanted to. make it instantly. Let's do a little bit more of the, they did want to make it instantly. So they did it, which is I do a re-any way, whatever. Okay, Rocky is reluctant at first, but he agrees to go to the fight, or he agrees to the fight, which will pay him $150,000.

That's so much money in 1970, whatever. That's more than this movie costs. Which is wild. Wait, how much did this movie cost? I think it was like $800,000. Wow. So Rocky undergoes several weeks of. of unorthodox training, including using sides of beef as punching bags in a meat locker

where his best friend, Polly, Bert Young, works. This was sick to me. You're just punching dead meat and didn't like it. And his hands are all bloody. People are going to eat that. People are going to eat that. And here's something I take issue with. Their friendship, listen, men's friendships don't make any sense to me a lot of the time.

I'm like, you don't know each other. You didn't invite your best friend through your wedding. I don't know what your whole deal is. whatever this friendship was crazy to me this was really hard for me to track yeah yeah yeah they seem to hate each other um polly is like disgusting he's disgusting and aggressive all day but also wait maybe this is the best meat anyone's ever had because it's already been tenderized and it's that's true that you had a pro boxer yeah okay this is where it gets good to me is the romance part of it. I liked that

if I have to choose a part that was my favorite. Meanwhile, Rocky pursues Adrienne, Talia Shire, Polly's sister, a shy woman who's like so shy, who works at the pet store. She's like Boor Radley levels of shy. She's like running away. Like

she's got scrapings on her wall. She's like hiding behind things and like not, yeah. She works at the pet store where Rocky buys food for his pet turtles and fish. Polly tries to get Rocky a date with her saying that she's never had a boyfriend

even though she's about to turn 30 and Polly also offers... She was 30? Yes. And he said, I'm 30. She's a tough 30. He's a tough 30. These people are not 30. Yeah. Polly also offers to work as a corner man

for Rocky's fight and to work for Rocky's mob boss but Rocky turned them down for both. Eventually he woo is Adrian and the two start dating. So I want to talk about the romance element and how he woos her. because he like tries to talk to her at the pet store and she like runs away and then then he comes to her house to ask her on a date right is that how he just gets it going he just

comes over and then the brother like throws out the chicken she's cooking and like takes a full chicken out of the oven like throws out of the door she's like oh my god a pedantic correct correction it was a Thanksgiving turkey which is so fucking rude I don't eat me anymore but I'm like those take a really long time, right? Like more than a chicken or something? Yes, that takes like eight hours or something. It's so unbelievable fucking rare. But also, Polly's, Polly's terrible.

He's like hitting things and throwing out turkeys and shit. And I don't understand why they live together, even though they seem to hate each other. He like claims. He's doing like an arranged date. He's like, come to my house and fuck my sister. sister. She's a loser. And then he does. And then he's like, why'd you do that? Now she's a horror, like that little girl. Like, I hate his whole brain. Like, he's awful. Yeah. And he, he's like, he says when he's, like, breaking the apartment apart with, like, bashing everything. And he's like,

I only live with her because she's too stupid to live alone or something. He, like, says he's, like, helping her as if, like, living with him is so great. Yeah. That's his save the cat moment. You're supposed to sympathize. Yes. But I did like, after he smash up the apartment, Adrian's like, you want a roommate? She's so quiet in a way that I was like, I have never met anyone like this. No. Who's just like scared of the world?

I guess they wouldn't talk to you. I got to say that's a rough part. That's a rough part to cast and to audition for. Yeah. I don't know what the character description is. Like terminally shy woman. If a mouse became a human? Yeah.

Maybe she was a mouse from the pet store. Yeah. I feel like, yeah, I feel like the pet store scenes felt almost like little shop of horrors. Like it was like a weird like energy in there. And like he's like obsessed with the, I feel like her character was kind of like from a musical. It had a little energy of like something's happening there. And maybe you're going to hear something. But like we never do.

Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. You're kind of waiting for her to give us big speech about herself. And I guess she does when she tells her brother like I'm not. as much of a loser as you say I am. Yeah. But yeah, you don't really get the release or you don't really get why she likes Rocky

except for the fact that he's sort of imposed himself on her. Right. Yeah. And I think that that's like, that was like me kind of sad because I was like, oh, she's never had a boyfriend. And then this guy is saying he'll be her boyfriend, but he's definitely not the right person for her. Like she should be with someone smarter.

Well, I don't know why he likes her. I don't know why he likes her either. really listen all you need for me i just need to see two people kiss i just want to see kissing so we're the same we're the same yeah i do i do love a kiss i love kissing and even that i know i'm jumping ahead even their kiss was strange well i i did see a factoid on my app my amazon pop up that she had the flu yes i saw that too but oh no i know which is like so gross but like also whatever they they i don't know that would have been terrible to have to film that way of the flu and they're like we're not going to move it because we don't have any money we can't change the

days but like she when him liking her i feel like is this thing that like i do think this happens where like someone dumb no offense rocky like like can see how amazing she is because she's smart and interesting and like unique and so he's like glom on to that and like kind of pull her down but not see that he's doing that. She doesn't see it because she doesn't ever had a boyfriend and so she's like, yay,

but it's like you could actually be with someone better for you. I feel like they're on the same level. Do you? I feel like she talks about being smart and so I was like she's smart but I guess that's not necessarily shown in the movie. She's just like quiet

and unwraps his bloody hands and I was just like, why don't you wash your hands after hitting the meat and she's fine with it And then when he's like, no fooling around. And she was like, oh, okay. Yeah, when she wanted to like, suck his D. Yeah.

Suck his D. I think she wanted to. Quietly suck his D. It was like that movie, though, that when we watched, what was the boxing movie from the Scorses? Oh, Raging Bull. Where he's like, no sex because I'm fighting. Like, that must be some thing where like they're like, if you come.

It is a thing. In a lot of sports, they're like, if. If you come, then all the good sports juice in your body, weaves, and you become low-tee and bad. Wait, that's so funny. I need you full of cum to fight. Yeah. You know, the number one priority in this business has come. If everyone on, like, every sports team that we watch is, like, so full of gum.

Wow, you're clocking in at two pounds over your mom, all. What's going on? that's sick oh my god that's so funny just sports teams full of come oh my god they won't let it out they won't and neither will rocky rocky that's a nice specificity he did his yeah we it's nice to know okay so rocky is later approached by mickey goldmill burgess meredith who you might remember as the penguin in 1969 batman i sure didn't sure didn't sure didn't everything about Batman has left my brain. A former Bantamweight,

a fighter-turned trainer who works at the gym, Rocky Frequence about further training, Mickey convinces Rocky that he needs a manager in his corner, citing it as a reason he himself never made it big as a boxer. Rocky is not willing initially, as Mickey has always given him a hard time about his wasted talent. They get into a heated argument in Rocky's apartment, and eventually Mickey convinces him that he believes in him

And he thinks he's got what it takes And Rocky accepts the offer This is like so I was like men can't just be like Sorry I'd like to help you now They have to just like scream at each other Also his ears were so wild looking Oh my god

Well also I just want to say bantam weight is Is a fighter who weighs between 117 and 121 pounds Oh my god So they're like smaller guys Yeah wow Also called feather weight or something maybe Oh I've heard of feather weight

Yeah so maybe Yeah, so Mickey goes like you, Rocky's like, why don't you ever let me do it? Why don't you ever? You always tell me I'm a loser. And he's like, because you should have been out there, Rocky, you're really talented and you instead want to go be a hitman or something. And he was like, well, it's a living.

He's like, it's not living. And by the way, I really understand why everyone loves to do impressions of Sylvester Sloan because it's so fun. Yes, it is very funny. You just got to, you can't. Don't use the tongue a little baby. Use a guy. I will say, Lauren, I think your speech was better than what happened.

Because the unsatisfying parts of this movie for me were trying to follow the threads of friendship and, like, who has a bone to pick with who. And, like, to me, the story is, no, guy who didn't believe in me. You don't get to represent me now that I have a cool opportunity. But it was like, nope, okay. I guess you could be rude to me as much as you want.

and you still get to represent me. And like, Paul, it's like, nope, I'm not going to advertise for your company. You were rude to my girlfriend. You were rude to me. It's like, no, actually, I'm going to do it.

Yeah. It's kind of about selling out and having no self-respect. Nothing matters. Nothing truly matters. I also really liked when Pauli had the newscaster come to the meat place. And he's like, why do you? Why? And then Polly is just like in the background and they're like, get out of there.

And then he's like, I want to stay out of my girlfriend, Adrian. Hi, Adrian. I was like, I know. It's like, he doesn't understand TV. And then he's watching it with her and he's like, see how I said it? I'm like, oh, my God. And I was like, haven't they only been dating like a week? But I think for them.

Yeah, yeah. I think like going from she doesn't say a word. they are in an apartment together is like marriage or something. Yes, I think you're right. Because I personally felt like I was watching it thinking I guess a couple months have passed. But that's not true.

It was pretty quick. Yeah, because the timeframe of the movie is like, what, Thanksgiving to Christmas or something? Oh, yeah. It's like a month. Yeah. Wow. You love to see it.

She went from not wanting to talk to him to living with him in a month. Yeah. That's a love story. Polly becomes jealous. of Rocky's success and blows up at him and Adrian in Polly's apartments when he's bashing everything in. Eventually, Rocky agrees

to advertise the meatpacking business where Polly works for sponsorship event as part of the upcoming fight and both of them reconcile. Rocky trains extensively for the championship bout. In a now iconic training montage, we see Rocky train all around the city of Philadelphia, accompanied by his new dog butt kiss,

a surprise gift from Adrian. I loved that scene. She was like, I got you a dog. Do you like it? He's like, I love the dog. Keep your company where you run. Yeah, it's fun for me. And then we don't see the dog again. No.

I want to imagine, because I think giving someone a dog is a gift, it's a tough gift. You're kind of giving him a lot to do. And this is a man that does it. Also, every item he listed in his fridge was like, I got cookies, I got cupcakes, got brownies, you got frosting. I was like, why do you eat like a kid at a slumber party?

An elf? Yeah. But also I like that he had cupcakes in the fridge. Who does that? That's psychotic. Cold cupcakes? It's a nice specific. Sounds kind of good, honestly.

Like, I would have said yes. A cold cupcake. It's developed, a character development. But she kind of gave him a big problem. So maybe there's like a deleted scene where he, I don't know, he gives it back. He's like, I don't want this dog. His dog's taking up too much of my time. It's a huge dog.

It's a huge dog. I got a boxed dog. Is this dog a boxer? I got to say. That was funny. That was funny. Thank you. This is dog a boxer?

Wow. I said this is funny and then I got it. Boy, oh boy. It's good. I liked the training montage. It was very fun. That was the best part. Definitely what you see why it's iconic, the like the stairs and the, he's not good at the stairs, then he is good at the stairs.

Yeah. It's so funny that he cheers for himself. Like, I didn't understand the context of like pumping your fists at the top of the stairs. I was like, oh, it's because he climbed the stairs and went, I did a good job. See, I think the movie. Okay, here's what's kind of cool. This is a real loser. This isn't a fake loser like in other sports movies where it's someone that's like,

damn, that person is so fucking hot. Like in Creed, I'm like, Michael B. Jordan, you're going to win. You're super hot. You're incredible. There's no way you don't win. This is like, he's an actual loser. He has weird relationships with everyone around him.

I don't know what his job is. He's not good at all of his jobs. He's got weird hobbies, weird interests, weird personality. And then he climbs the stairs. And he goes, yeah, me. It's cute. I mean, I could definitely see myself filming something if I would ever

be by those stairs, right? You kind of have to know. Once you've seen that, you got to do something on those stairs. I don't know if I'm not promising I would run up them because I don't, there were a lot. There were a lot of stairs. It's too many.

I would never, I would walk slowly, maybe halfway up and then be like, yay, I did that. I also really liked when he was like running through town. I don't know, like a shitty street. Everyone's like, Rocky, hello. Like, I just, I

I love that everyone knew this man. Yeah. I read somewhere that those are not, because they couldn't pay for extras. Those are just like real people being like, oh, you're filming. And so those are probably just real people being like, hmm? Like spike in the camera. God, that's so funny. It would be so cool to be in it, though.

Like if you just were someone who was walking on the street and then you're like in that movie, that'd be cool. Yeah. And maybe not legal. I don't really know what the deal is like. I don't know. I don't think that's right. I don't know either. I think technically as long as you post signs, you're okay.

Yeah, reality TV rolls, yeah. You might be on TV. You're on Love Island, sorry. Oh, is that what it is? Like, if they have like a, if a reality TV show is out like a restaurant, you kind of agree that you would be on it. Uh-huh, just by walking out. Hmm.

All right. All right. Hey, if that's what they say. I don't know why we lost back on the match. Okay, meanwhile, Apollo is unconcerned about the match and puts more effort into promotion than training. The night before the fight, Rocky visits the gym where the match is about to take place and shakes his confidence.

I love it that they were like, go home. He's like, okay. And he comes home to Adrian and confesses that he don't think he could do it, but strives to go the distance against Creed, which no other fighter has done to prove himself to everyone. I did love that he's like, I think I didn't do it. And I was like, okay, then why are you going to do it?

Was this where they kissed? Or was it before this? They kissed before, I think. Before. Like on their first date. We need to talk about that kiss. Yeah. I think it was after the ice rink, right? Yes.

Okay. Oh, wait, we didn't talk with the ice rink. Okay, they go ice skating on their date. We just have to talk about that because he walks. Yeah, he like breaks into the, like, into the ice rink. And it, like, tells the Zamboni guy, like, we got to go on the ice. She needs it for her health or like something. And then they go on the ice and she's like skating around and he's walking next to her in his little clogs. And he's like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

And like, she's just like, keep skating ahead. And then they have the kiss where he's like, I want to kiss you. And he's like, you don't have to kiss me back. And I'm like, that's almost romantic. And then he goes and to kiss her. And then they do kiss and they fall to the ground making it. He takes off her glasses and her hat. It's very like, Clark Cantor's me like, oh, now you're hot.

Or like, you know, like she's all that. that like it's very she's all that it's like oh my god under those glasses you're cute yeah is she's all that inspired by this movie she wears like cat eye glasses doesn't she and then she and she has like well does rachel lee cook talk in that movie if she has no lines it could be big age she has no lines okay the fight takes place on new year's day with creed making a big showy entrance dressed as George Washington and then Uncle Sam, which I was like, this is so silly. That was very funny to me. I said why.

That was, I used to watch WWE stuff. If people come in with campy things, but I'm like, he was on like a fake boat on the Delaware River like George Washington on January 1st, not like July 4th. Right. I guess because it was the bicentennial and that's what they're celebrating. But it still was like, it felt really silly that he's wearing that. It was very goofy. Rocky's normal.

Rocky has the Shamrock Meat Company, inexplicably is helping Polly. Don't know why. You don't owe this man anything. Whatever has only been mean to you. Yeah, like, yeah, he's so mean to him. And he makes him tell him that he slept with his sister, which is like, it was gross.

And Rocky, which is so weird. Rocky has some morals. He's like, you shouldn't be saying that about your sister. Like, don't make me say that I slept with her. Like, he's like, you're disgusting. Well, it is gross. Why do you want to know that about your sister? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's like he's trying to hold in like a whole mouth of mountain dew. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Taking advantage of his overconfidence, Rocky knocks him down in the first round, the first time that Creed has ever been knocked down. Humboldened and worried, Creed takes Rocky more seriously for the rest of the fight, though his ego never fully fades. And the fight goes on for the full 15 rounds

with both combatants sustaining various injuries. This was disgusting. Rocky, he gets hits to his head and swollen eyes. He requires his right eyelid to be cut to restore his vision. Ugh. The blood they used was not good blood. Yeah.

It was thick. It was thick paint. It was like, yes. So they cut his eye at the top. Okay. So I was looking this up. I was like, what is the theory that like, okay, my eye is so swollen. I cut it here and create, move my lid to the bottom and then I can see.

Or I would cut down here. Right. I would go home. I wouldn't cut anything. Wow. You wouldn't go the distance, Nicole? I would say, I guess, for that reason, I'm out. I got to go.

Okay, Lauren, which part of your face are you cutting off to be? I would cut off. the whole thing. That whole damn thing. That was so sick, though. I was like, oh, why are they doing that? And his eye was so thick, and it was just, it was disgusting. Yeah, it was nasty.

That's your 800,000 right there. That's it, right, that is. The whole fight I felt was the budget, because I'm like, that's, it was a big set. Apollo has internal bleeding and a broken rib, and he struggles to breathe. And as the fight concludes, Creed's superior skill is countered by Rocky's apparently unlimited ability to absorb punches and his dogged refusal to go down. As the final bell sounds with both fighters

embracing each other, they tell each other there will be no rematch. Aw. I, okay, why did, Rocky just kept getting hit in the head. I was like, why aren't you ducking? Why aren't you bobbing and weaving? Why are you just letting this man hit you in the fucking head?

I know. I don't know. It felt like he would, I mean, I think he was, just trying to prove he would withstand anything at that point. And that is ultimately an awesome message to be like, listen. Every person in my life has been rude to me and I will always welcome them back. Yeah, that is what it is.

Yeah, he just gets punched in the head and is like, thank you so much. Thank you so much. I love it so much. Well, the fight is extremely well received by the sportscasters and the audience. Over the commotion and the cheers of the crowd, Rocky calls out repeatedly for Adrian. Adrian. Adrian.

Adrian. Adrian. Adrian. Who runs down as Polly distract security to help her get into the ring. As Juergens declares, Creed, the winner by virtue of a split decision. This, I was so confused, why they did that at the same time he's screaming Adrian, because I was like, who won?

So apparently, Creed won, because I didn't look it up. I was like, I'll wait till the podcast. Rocky and Adrian embrace and profess their love for each other, not caring about the outcome of the fight. She was just like, I love you. Imagine looking that man with a bloodied fucking face, a weird eye patch fucking eyelid that he's looking through

and going, I love that. I love you. She's never had a boyfriend, Nicole. Maybe she thinks that's what boyfriend is. She thinks boyfriend is skin. Boyfriend is blood. Boyfriend is skin. Boyfriend is skin.

His skin. Yeah. Boyfriend is bad. Boyfriend is skin. I really couldn't believe that that's what that moment is that we've all been talking. And I understand why everyone's been talking about it forever and why we've been referencing it because it is iconic. But it is so not what I thought it was going to be. And it was just the intonation was strange.

The timing was strange. Why it was happening. All of it was like, like I was like, ha. Oh, like, I just was like, oh, okay, that's what that is. I was kind of obsessed, but because I was like, I truly can't believe he was just standing there in a crowd. Aging! I thought it was going to be at the top of the stairs. Yeah, I thought it was going to be like outside of her home or something.

I thought there was going to make a moment of like something. Oh, yeah. Something happened in their relationship and he's trying to get her or something. But, yeah. I knew it was in the ring, but I thought it was like, I, I think. think it's what you said, Nicole, the fact that a very huge plot point is happening in the background, which is that Creed 1, I understand what that is supposed to accomplish. It's supposed to be like, I don't even care. But what actually happens is I don't know what's happening.

I didn't, I didn't hear what was happening at all. I was like, why is he doing that? Like, I just was like, I'm only watching him. Like, I don't care about anything. And I mean, I mean, I guess if that was the point, then it was achieved, but it was very, very distracting. Chaotic. It was so chaotic. Absolutely. Well, this movie was both a box office and critical success. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting

Actress. Was it Pauly? It must have been, because there's not really another, unless it was Pauly. Hollow creed. But kiss. Yeah. Oh, Carl Weathers. I got to say.

Oh, Carl Weathers was nominated. I have no idea. He was good. He was so fucking hot. My God. Yeah. I didn't know he was that jacked. I was a fool.

Very, very hot. It was Burgess Meredith who was nominated. Who played Mickey. The red, the sunburn guy? Yeah, the little guy. Oh. Oh, interesting. Oh, and Polly was nominated.

Oh, wow. It won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing. And it holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, okay. We're going to be like, I know everyone loves it. So it's, again, this is just, this is what happens to us every season. Like, yeah. Yes.

Except for Scorsese, actually. But, like, everybody loves something and we're like, what's going on? We're trying our best. I'm glad I've seen it now I'm just I am intrigued that people would be like that's one of the best movies ever yeah I thought it was like a little chaotic and meandering and I thought more boxing would happen it made a like it made a lot of money at the box office $225 million and the budget was just under a million um Rocky is notable for its worldwide percentage return of over 11,000 I mean, that's insane. And also, like, Sylvester Stallone must have felt so vindicated by that. They didn't want him to be in it. And then he's like, this is the biggest movie in the world.

Yeah. And I got nominated for a fucking Oscar and you didn't think I could do it. Yeah, that would feel amazing. Oh, my God. Now, here's what I'll say. Because I know, okay, we're seeing meandering. This movie is different than what I thought it would be the first time I saw it. I thought it would be like really polished.

And I think the behind the scenes like really informed my viewing. Like I like can't separate them now where I'm like, it's an underdog story made by an underdog. It's kind of scotch tape together. I don't know. I'm having fun. I don't get the romance. I don't get the friendships.

But I had a little bit of fun. I like that. Yeah. I mean, I think there's also, I sort of enjoy. with like these there's some like 70s movies that kind of feel like a little slice of lifey like it kind of just kind of seeing his life and then he does this big thing and I can enjoy that I am just intrigued by the character's life I'm like he likes to go to the pet store he likes to have turtles he likes to talk to a 12 year old he likes to everything he does is like so weird and like

not at all what you would think this which is that's fun but it's just like I would never have guessed that Rocky had two turtles named Cuff and Link. It's very... I love that this is what you're stuck on. Yeah. Kind of like the first scene of the movie. But it's like, it's such a weird trait. Like, he has turtles.

Like, I don't, like, not a lot of people have turtles. And then, like, he's obsessed with them. He's talking about their terrarium that they live in. I did, that did stick with me. It did. It's almost like it has like student film vibes in that way where it's like this student is filming their project in Philadelphia and they have access to one weird looking chair.

So now the movie is about the weird chair or whatever at their mom's house or something. Totally. It's like, okay, we've got two turtles. We've got a dog. I have boxing gloves and I have a little hat that's two small from my head. What can we make? We're going to make a boxing movie.

Yeah, I just, I liked the, like the, the back end of the movie more than the front. Sure. It was just, like, from the training montage on, I was in. Also, we didn't talk about why he drank his eggs funny. He drank his eggs and got eggs all over his sweatshirt. Yes, I think it was just like, he could have drank them slowly. Raviness for the eggs. Yeah, did you ever consider Nicole that he was hungry for?

for the eggs that he needed them eggs. No, I didn't consider he was hungry for them eggs. Have you ever eaten a raw egg? No, I'm never doing that. One, because that's sick. Two, why was his bed so small? I've moved on from eggs. Why was that twin so small?

How did they both sleep in that bed? Good question. It's rough. When you're in love, though, you can sleep in any size bed. That's a really beautiful call. I hope to sleep with my lover in a twin bed soon. And honestly, wait, someone brought up converse's earlier. Incredible advertisement for converse.

Yeah. Holy crap. That's not a shoe I even walk in. They hurt my feet. So sorry. I hope they're not your sponsors. The idea that Rocky did his draining montage in Converse, get out of here. I know.

I feel like in the 70s people would wear those basketball teams wore Converse and stuff. They're extremely unsupportive shoe, but they look cute. They do look cute. He looks really cute. That outfit was really giving the kind of 14 sweatshirts on top of each other, like you're trying to sneak onto an airplane without a suitcase. Oh, speaking of which, here's a good hack. If you have a neck pillow, take the pillow part out, shove clothes in it.

Yep, exactly. Oh. Oh, that's really great. You're allowed to bring a pillow and it doesn't count as you're carrying on your personal. That's really smart. Okay, I love it. My friend Poonam, it is her idea. I will not take credit.

But I was like, wow, smart. That is smart. Is this Puna Patal? Mm-hmm. She's so funny. She's the greatest. Sorry. She's funny.

Sorry. Sorry about it. She the best. All right. Let's hear a little trivia from the film. Stallone's managers shopped the script around to various studios, but they were repeatedly rejected because Stallone insisted he star in the lead role. Eventually, producers Ervin Winkler and Robert Chartoff offered to produce the movie

on the condition that Stallone work as a writer without a fee and as an actor for scale. They then brought the script to United Artists who were eyeing established actors like Robert Redford or James Kahn for the main role. And in order to get the film made, they slashed the budget in half, signed agreements that they would be personally liable if the film went over budget and mortgage their houses for the last $100,000. Whoa, wild. That is a, that is an underdog story if there ever was one.

And that's amazing. So they all got rich from that. They did. But also, imagine this movie flopped and then you're homeless. Yeah, that's, that's so crazy. You should never ever mortgage your house for a movie. And I think that's something that, like, that, this movie as it stands now, would not function in 24. Like if someone did that, if Rocky didn't exist and you were like, I have this idea for

Rocky and you tried to make it in that way and came up with that product, I think you'd be ripped to shreds for all the reasons that we just stated. And you would not make your return, I think. Yeah. No. Yeah, I agree. I fully agree. People would be like, what is this? Well, there's two mistakes in the film that they couldn't afford to fix. So Stallone wrote them into the script. When Rocky sees the poster above the ring before he fights Apollo, which hasn't been red shorts with a white stripe. There's an actual mistake made by the props department. Stallone came up with the idea for Rocky to point out the mistake himself.

That was so funny because during that scene, I was like, shut up. Why are you saying? Why does he care that his shorts don't match the poster? I was like, it actually doesn't matter. Like, the poster isn't supposed to be you right now. It's you in a picture. It doesn't even look like you. Okay, but guys, I'm a dumb little sap.

And when I saw that before I knew that, the fact, I was like, you can't catch a break. Damn, the poster's wrong. The stadium's against him. Wow. Incredible. Yeah. It did read that way a little bit, like, where it was like, this poster's not even

right. It's not what I'm wearing. But it's so funny that it's like, no, the simplest answer is correct. It's like, it's a wrong poster. Sorry. That's so funny to me. And I love that you, like, read into it like, oh, no, he can't win anything. I actually was like, shut up.

up go home but I'm like I'm totally tricked by like movie tropes like that sometimes I'm like damn wow that's actually beautiful subtle storytelling incredible yeah um oh here's another one likewise in the final scenes with Rocky's baggy robe the robe delivered on the set was far too baggy for Stallone so rather than hope people wouldn't notice the character himself simply points it out I mean you know I have to I actually do kind of respect that that he was because it's It's like, there have been, yeah, it's like there's something kind of funny about just accepting, like, this is all we have, but it looks really bad, but just go like, like, this looks really bad. And then you're just like, okay, like, yeah, it seems like it must have been intentional. And I work it into the character.

Everyone's against Rocky, the robe makers, the sign makers of the world, everybody, turkeys, whatever, whoever. I'm not going to wear a baggy robe. Rocky's dog in the film, But Kiss, was Stallone's actual dog, who he had sold. just before he sold the Rocky script because he could no longer afford dog food. When he sold the script soon after, he went and bought his dog back and put him in the movie. Oh, he, oh, that's cute.

That was a little treat. I'm going to come around so hard on this and be like, I love this and I love this. I mean, it's like, I can't separate it. It's so hard to. Yeah. Wait, Lauren, Rocky still has, or Rocky, Stallone still has Rocky's two turtles,

cuff and link to this day. Okay. How long do turtles live? Maybe focusing on the turtles wasn't so crazy. I think turtles live, like tortoises live for like, literally no one correct to me, 300 years or something psycho like that. Oh, no. Yeah.

So the Coffin Link could be in Rocky 100. We don't know. Turtles, lifespan, they can be into their 40s, 50s, or even 100. Okay, yeah, like what I said, 300, exactly what I said. Yeah, that's really, I mean, that's crazy. I hope he has someone who's going to take care of them in case they outlive him. I mean, that's really cute that he still has them. And I'm so curious, what he, he's in a little selfie here with the turtles.

And behind him, someone's holding a boom mic. So I'm curious, what is he filming with Cuff and Link today? Yeah, Sat-Ly, me and my girl. Rocky Five Cuffin Link, and they just box each other. I bring Cuff and Link everywhere I go. Really cute. Okay, let's take a quick break. We have to take another time out.

We'll be back with more Rocky after this. Ready? Brick And we're back. It's the Newcomers' Draft. We're going to recast this movie with present-day actors. Okay. Ooh. Who would we pick for?

Well, it's funny because this has a present-day counterpart, but obviously Creed is a much different movie. Oh, so that's the other perspective of this or something? Yeah, so Creed is. is basically like either their son or grandson of Apollo Creed is going up against somebody and Rocky trains him. Oh.

Rocky continues on. Oh my God. Written by Aaron Covington of Grand Cruy. Wow. Oh, I don't think I knew that. Yeah, yeah. That's really cool. Oh, how fun.

Crazy. Well, okay, who would you make... We don't have to cast him. Who would you cast as right? Who do you want? Who do you want to see? Who's, like, huge and, like, kind of goofy, like a... John Sina is, like, too self-aware funny.

I know, and I was, like, Channing Tatum. Oh. Okay. Channing Tatum could be good. Yeah. I feel like now it would be... Who's that guy from anyone but you? Glenn Powell.

Oh, Glenn Powell. Yeah, he's in everything. That's why it would be him, yeah. Could he be like... Maybe a Miles Teller? Oh, yeah. I can really see that. You need like the like, I think Rocky literally calls himself like a tomato or something in the movie.

He's like, what am I a tomato? And I was like, that is a tomato. You need someone that has like tomato energy. Tomato energy. Okay, who is Adrian? God, a plastic bag. I don't know, man. He didn't have much to do in this movie.

I want to say Marissa Tomei, but if we're doing Miles Teller, that's not really a match. Mia Gauth. Who's that? Oh. She's in, like, Maxine and... Oh, yes, yes. You can't think of another thing. But she seems...

I think she would be good. Or maybe Florence Pugh? Yeah. Whoever it is, they better wear that exact. same hat. I liked that green hat. Yeah, it's a nice hat. It's kind of like a turtle. Oh, my God. Is that why he liked Adrian? Because her hat kind of looked like little berets

looked like turtles. He thought this is actually huge. At the pet store, he's been flirting with her. He thought she was a big turtle. He really thought that. And he's like, I can't believe I married a woman. I got a turtle lady. Polly is like, why doesn't she have a boyfriend? She's a turtle. So she didn't. Yeah. And you're dating this turtle. You're like, stop pointing it out.

I mean, I just looked up the hat again. It really does kind of look like a turtle shell. It does. I think that's why he liked her. I like that, actually. Tortoise shell glasses. We don't know how deep this goes. Turtles all the way down is a phrase.

Okay. Turtles all the way down. Okay. You know, all of her, she had a little red beret later that was also cute. Look at this. And he complimented her on her clothes like a few times. Yeah. Yeah.

I do love that turtle hat and the big jacket. I might be this for Halloween. I want you to be. I might own everything you need. I have a black wig. I'm good to go. Who are the other characters you would need to cast? Mickey.

Do you ever cast, is it always human? actors, I feel like Mickey's like a cartoon. No, give us a cartoon. Yeah, give us a cartoon. Like Yosemite Sam or like, the like furry heart loony tune. I forget his name. Like he's like a, just like a cartoon duck. I don't know.

He's like playing a different movie. Yeah, with like a cigar. He's like, oh my God, I would love that. It's kind of like a Roger Rabbit like experience of mixing. I'm into it. Yeah, yeah. I love that. Or he's like that pig with a gun

What's his name? Porky? With a gun? Porky has a gun? Isn't there a pig with a gun? You know that pig with a gun? What's his name? Oh, Elmer Fudd. Wait, Elmer Fudd.

You're, okay, wait, actually, kind of huge. Porky and Elmer Fudd probably have the same, like, body type, but just different noses. Wait, Elmer had a... Yeah, you're right. Their heads are, like, exactly the same shape. They probably use the same cells to draw that.

Yeah. Lazy. Lazy, lazy. Lazy, lazy. Lazy. Do a different thing for the pig. Come on. That seems like a great cast.

I like it. This is going to be a good movie. It's going to be so good. Let's do our segment called Kiss Cam. We finally have a kiss. Named the best smooch from the movie or who you wish you saw a smooch on the big screen. We obviously had a great kiss with them where she was very sick and he made her do that. I got to look that up.

I'm curious about that. Wait, did they kiss at the end? No, right? He just screamed Adrian and she was like, I love you. And there was no kiss. I think she ran up to him and hugged him,

maybe kissed him on the cheek. Yeah, so, okay, so here's the factoid about this. Adrian's hesitation to kiss Rocky wasn't originally in the script. Talia Shire contracted the flu. I was worried about getting him sick, so she was very reluctant to kiss him

and it ended up being better than the planned scene. So it was kept in the movie. So she would have just, just kissed him, which I guess as the viewer, I would have been like, oh, she likes him. But in this version, I'm going like, she's not sure yet. And so that's also kind of interesting.

Yeah, I think it's hotter if she likes him. I go, oh, he did kind of break through some wall. And she does see something in him. But instead it read as like, if I must, if I must. Yeah, yeah. So that kiss wasn't what I wanted it to be. So if I had to imagine a different kiss. Oh, I want to add one more thing.

Yeah. It's Sylvester Sloan's favorite scene in the entire Rocky saga. And both he and Talia Shire see the scene as a birth scene for Adrian where she has awakened to a new life. Oh. I guess she does warm up to it in the scene. You see her, like, finding it hot. And I guess also, again, it's all the BTS, like, the backstory informing me watching it, but I'm like, I guess that's cool for her character

who's like, I've never been outside. I've never spoken to anybody. Yeah. My, my best friend is a bird and like, this is your first kiss and, and it's scary and whatever. And then you're like, actually, I like it. Yeah, you could see how she gets like intoxicated by Rocky. Yeah. But it's, yeah, it's funny that it is, it is funny to hear that that was just because she did it that way. He really was big on just weaving in whatever was happening in the moment and making it work. And that's improv. That's improv, baby.

There was a loose outline of it improvisation. If that was true for this, it was just like a few beats per page and they just kind of like. I mean, I would believe it. Yeah, they did it curb style. Yeah, is there when you wish you saw Kiss? Some of the boxers in the background.

I wish Polly kissed somebody because I feel like that might have, you know, calmed him down a bit. Yeah, that poor person. I could do with Carl Weathers having a kiss. He's so cute if he had like a spouse or somebody that was like, you're going to win, baby. And, you know, la, la, la.

That would be nice. Is he in the next one? I don't know. I have not seen Rocky, too, actually. How many are there? It was going to be no rematch. So maybe he's not in the second one. There are a total of nine movies in the Rocky franchise.

Oh, my God. Five in the main series to start it off. A one-off continuation close to 30 years after the first film and three Creed films that serve as a new storyline based off the originals. Oh. Wow. I did not. And they might do a prequel.

In July of 2019, Stallone said in an interview, there has been ongoing discussions about a prequel. How do you do a prequel? I don't understand this. For movies, like, there was talk of, like, a legally blonde prequel. How do you do a piece that is a prequel to the origin story, the thing that, like, changes the person? So it's just, like, what, L is in a sorority or, like, this is, like, Rockie is the loser? That was the first.

Yeah, we already know from the first half. What do you mean? You're totally right. Yeah, because... He's eating hokies? I don't know. What do you do it? The movie is when...

What makes him interesting? is when he does the thing. Yeah, we don't need to see him, like, walking around as a teenager. What if we saw him before he was interesting? I can't believe how many Rockies there are. I know there's so many. We could have done a whole newcomers. It is funny to me.

It's Rocky, Rocky, Rocky, Rocky 2, Rocky 3, Rocky 4, Rocky 5, and then Rocky Balboa instead of Rocky 6. At that point, it's starting to sound like Faus and the Furious. Yeah, exactly. You do really have to start giving them. different names if you're doing that many yeah and he's wearing the hat on the cover of one of them the more re the more recent uh oh sorry he's got the hat in creed do you think he kept the hat that's what that was sorry you thought there was something just hanging off his head and you're like it was a hat

he's got weird hair that's so funny remember him wearing a hat and it's like interesting and now it's all coming back wow that's one of those things that's It's like they love fan service. At Seasles Incorporated, they love to be like, she, we remember the first week. She, we know, did you like that little head? He's got the head on. Just so you know who he is. Does she know?

Do you like it? All right. It's time for the scoreboard. It's time for our reviews. Once again, this season, we will be reading reviews from a letterboxed. And then we will each give the film a one sentence review ourselves and a star rating. And for anyone who doesn't know, Letterbox, it's a social platform where people can write reviews of films. And you can see all of the reviews we've ever made for all of the movies we've watched on Letterboxed at Newcomers.

And this review said, this is from Josh. He gave it four and a half stars. I really like the part where Rocky is at the Meat Locker and he stops mid-conversation to poke some meat and quietly say, moo. I didn't clock that part. The moo. He walks by, he walks by and like pushes, he's like, moo. I can't believe I missed it. He's complicated. He loves animals. He loves hitting. He loves meat. He loves Adrian. He's complicated.

Yeah. Who wants to give their one sentence review first? I can go. Yeah, please. I love that it's a real loser to winner story that feels attainable to me. Yes. How many stories? How many stars? Stars.

I'm going to give it the backstory. If it was no backstory, the backstory is studio-funded film. He had all the money he wants. Two and a half. But with the backstory, three and a half. Whoa. Okay. Yeah, big time.

I'm going to give it three stars. Because, listen, I was real bored in the beginning. And then I didn't get jazzed until the training montage. I hate it the way he drank eggs. The bed was too small. I love the way he said, Adrian. Polly, he's a bad boy. And he needs therapy.

Three stars. That's good. Okay, producer Allie, would you like to give your review? I'm going to give it three stars. And there's the scene where Rocky is freaking out and screaming at Mickey and is sad that he doesn't have a locker anymore. And then Mickey goes, well, anyway, made me laugh so hard. And that was my favorite line in the movie.

That was great. Yeah, when he opens the locker and there's like pictures of a woman and he's like, where's all my stuff? This is my stone. It's my locker. I'm going to say, here's my review. There were four stars of this film. to me.

Rocky, Adrian, cuff, and link. The turtle, the turtle food has too many moths, three stars. Okay, wait. Rewind to kiss,

Kim. I want to see those turtles kiss unless they're like siblings or a father and a daughter or something, then I don't want that. Then we don't want,

we don't want turtle incest. No, thank you. Don't make them to that. No, thank you. that was so fun rika thank you so much for being here and dissecting this Philadelphia film with us as a local is there anything you would like to plug yes yeah um check out uh the latest season of Dimension 20 on dropout right now

never stop blowing up there are new episodes every Wednesday and then check out Check out reruns the grand crew on Peacock, RIP. Come on. Yeah. Give us some residuals. Come on. Come on.

Such a funny show. Check out Digman on Paramount. Thank you. The film is so funny in it. What the hell? And Digman's also very fun. I appeared on Digman. You did a character called Gasolina.

That was so funny. Yes. Thank you. It was very fun. Listeners, please write a review for newcomers on Apple Podcasts and rate the podcast on Spotify. And we'll be back next week with Miracle, a movie I know nothing about. I know nothing about. What sport is miracle?

Hockey based, I think. Hockey based, I think. Hockey based is a funny way to say that. I think it's hockey based. It's origin isn't hockey. Okay, we'll see you then. Now everybody say newcomers on three. One, two, three, Newcomers!

Newcomers! Newcomers is a headgum original hosted by us, Nicole Beyer and Lauren Lapkis. Our executive producer is Anya Kennevskia, and our producer is Alley Kahn. Our theme music, editing, sound mixing, and mastering is done by Ferris Monchi. Listen to new episodes,

wherever you get your podcasts every Tuesday. Dom Original.