So... Alright - Homework and Goodbyes

Episode Date: September 2, 2025

Geoff turns in his homework and says goodbye to a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Order now. Alcohol and select markets. Product availability may vary by Regency app for details. Wait, was that the group chat? Ah, sent a text to the group that definitely wasn't for everyone. You're good. Enjoy some goldfish cheddar crackers. Goldfish have short memories. Be like goldfish. So today. So today I wanted to talk about a couple of things. I wanted to talk about the end of a long, wonderful, successful, creative partnership. And I also want to wrap my head around that. And I also want to turn to.

and some homework. You guys have been giving me a ton of, and I say given, I've been asking for it, and you guys have been kind enough to give me tons of ideas for shows and things to watch, and I have been compiling a big list, and I blew through a bunch of it over the last few days, and so I have thoughts that I want to share with you on all of the television shows that you have recommended I watch. But first, and this is a spoiler for the other podcast I do, Good Morning, Gustavo. obviously I do a couple, the big one being regulation. But the other podcast I do is called Good Morning Gustavo, if you are not familiar with it. It is sort of the spiritual successor to a podcast I did called ANMA, A-N-M-A. And that was a podcast that Gustavo Sorolla, Eric Badour and I began

so that Gus and I could swap old stories and kind of reminisce over the early days of our friendship and our company rooster teeth and also our time in Austin. And we just finished our second season of Good Morning Gustavo. So I think that brings the total of those episodes to 16. Not sure how many we did in ANMA, but it must have been at least 50. It could have been 70. I don't know. It could have been way less. But I know it was a bunch. And we chose, and this is a spoiler. So if you don't want to be spoiled, stop listening here. But it's already come out, it's already happened, and this is my space online to talk about these things and my feelings of them, so I'm going to. We chose to end the podcast. We had a mechanism that we

built into the podcast when we started it, that at the end of a season, we do eight episode seasons. At the end of a season, the three of us would get together on camera and vote if we wanted to do another season. If any one of us said no for any reason, the show was over, we shake hands, We end as friends. No hard feelings. No justifications. No need. We just all had to be all in at all times. And if we ever get to a point where that's not the case, that is okay. We want to go out on top. We want to end it there. We chose to end it. I don't think Eric did, but Gus and I both independently, when the vote came up, chose to say no. And I've been reading a lot of comments about it online. A lot of people are bummed. A lot of people are sad. A lot of people don't understand why we chose to end it. I don't know if I can explain that to you in a way that will make sense.

A lot of this is complicated emotion and years and years of friendship and work to process. But my very, very, very, very, very good friend, Gustavo Sorolla and I began a creative partnership together. So long ago, I can't pinpoint the year. It must have been 1999 when we created our first website together. But I kind of want to take it back even further than that. If I want to talk about Gus, who he is, what he's meant to me, what he'll continue to mean to me, how necessary he was to my life and my career. I moved to Austin when I got out of the Army, 23 years old.

in Eaton Town, New Jersey was where I was stationed at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. I don't think that's even there anymore. Moved, kind of sight unseen back to Austin for a myriad of reasons that are not important to this story. What is important to the story is that I moved back to Austin in 98. I met Gus maybe the last week of 1998, and I want to say about two months later we became friends. I remember the night we became friends. I don't know if he does. He worked at the same company that I'd gotten a job at. I was a level one technician. He was a level two, so he was the guy that you would go to.

If you had a question, problem, issue, you weren't sure how to help a customer, got some sort of an error message you'd never seen before. You'd tried a bunch of stuff that didn't work. You would go to a level two. They were the experts. They would help you out. Gus was always very helpful.

He was very intimidating. He was very smart. He was all head. He was this tall, skinny dude with just a giant head. and these like intense eyes, and I felt like he, I'll be honest, he intimidated the shit out of me at the workplace because I knew nothing. I kind of got a foot in the door, honestly, through charisma and being able to shoot the shit about independent film. I really wasn't qualified to work at the tech support company. And so I was learning on my feet. I was learning quickly. I was

proud of myself on BMO, pick stuff up quickly. So I was bust on my ass and working really hard to get smart. But it was pretty clear to me that Gus was a different level of smart than I would probably ever get to in terms of the world we were living in there, right? So I was initially kind of intimidated by him. Went to this party for one of the other technicians at an apartment on a Friday night. And I got there a little early and was sitting on a sofa, didn't really know anybody in the company yet. Like I said, I'd probably only lived in Austin for maybe four months at this time, was really just starting to make friends, put myself out there. people kept coming in the front door.

I was like, you know, you did that thing where you're like sitting on the, sitting on a sofa with like a solo cup of beer in your hand, just like, you know, pretending to bob your head to the music, like some just vaguely smiling like you're having a good time. Just like kind of trying to make eye contact with somebody, but also trying not to make eye contact with anybody

because you feel awkward as hell. And you like, the door opens up. And every time it goes up, you're just praying it's somebody you know or recognize that comes through the door. And at one point the door opened and he came through. And I don't know, man.

He was smiling and he didn't look intimidating anymore and he was talking to somebody. And I just, I decided, I just remember thinking, I think I want to be friends with that guy. And so that night, we became friends. I started talking to him and the people he was talking to.

I mean, we had spoken before. It wasn't like the first conversation we'd ever had or anything. But we started to get to know each other. And that night ended up, moving downtown, and I think I went to Casino El Camino that night, maybe for the first time in my life, very, very good chance that it was the first time I'd ever been there, and he was there, and I never thought about that until this moment, that Gus and I maybe went to Casino for

the first time together, the night that we kind of became friends. I'll have to ask him about that. He might remember that completely differently, and he might have also been into casino before I was. I don't know that it would have been his first time. But anyway, that was the night that we became friends. And a lot of our friendship was video game based. We were both huge game, video game fans. We were really into technology. I was making zines and really into punk rock. He was kind of into indie music, but we were both very into the internet and the internet as an entertainment medium and playing on the internet and making websites and trying to be funny and through that shared interest, maybe six months into the friendship we made our first

websites. I want to say, yes, ugly internet. We ran for about a year. The whole premise of that website was, it was so pithy. It was so stupid. We were such little dickheads. We went out and we found super ugly websites. This is of an era when everybody had a website. There weren't industry standards. There were all these like web networks that would give you an award for like best website design and you would put a little banner at the bottom of your website that meant

absolutely nothing but then you were a part of their network and it was all this archaic internet shit, right? The way the internet first started to work as we were figuring things out and the result was not only did everybody have a website, everybody had a dog shit, ugly website

and Gus and I created ugly internet to rate other websites and then send them letters letting them know how ugly they imagine this imagine the humerus imagine how fucking rude we were that we would tear somebody's website down tell them why it sucks post a story about it on a while making fun of them and then let them know that we didn't like their website so we got a lot of negative backlash really quickly and it got to the point where somebody was kind of stalking us and we got scared and we realized maybe we were being absolute douchebags, and I think we were. So we pivoted and we created a website called

drunk gamers, where the premise was we would get drunk and review video games and play video games. And we did that, and that lasted for a couple of years. And that's eventually how we started making content with Bernie, rooster teeth kind of came out of that in its own way. And you know, the rest is history. But from the very beginning, from a party on the east side off of I think Oldorf maybe in maybe February of 1999 from that moment that Gus and I became friends until very recently we were creative partners from from the first day we started ugly internet until the day we sunsetted good morning Gustavo which I actually have that date.

I had Eric, check it out. Because to you, it ended, I don't know, like August 15th or something, whatever the day was. But for us, it ended March 28th, 2025. That was the day of our final recording. That was the day that our creative partnership officially ended. I'm going to do the math in my head real fast. It's 2025. We started making content together in 1999.

That's 26 years. It's wild to have a relationship, any relationship, that lasts 26 years. How fortunate we all are if we have a friendship that lasts 26 years. So to be able to have a friendship and a creative partnership, last two and a half decades and thrive and have very few speed bumps along the way. I count myself so immensely lucky to have begun a friendship with Gus that night at that party in that apartment on the east side of Austin in 1999. having no idea

that Sharon a couple of beers and a burger with him a few hours later would send us on a journey that lasts our entire adult lives and I had kind of processed and dealt with the ending of all of this a while ago was kind of caught off guard, honestly, when the episode came out and then the world realized

we were ending, because like I said, we did it in March. Not something I could have talked about in so all right back then, but I wanted to. So I guess this is my opportunity now, and it's weird to kind of be feeling it all anew and as if it happened yesterday again in some ways. I'm so unbelievably proud of our friendship. The body of work, that that friendship has produced, the enduring nature of our relationship. And I don't think I'll have another creative partnership in my life that last 26 years. I guess if it were to happen, that would be Gavin. It could.

I would love to break my own record, you know? No offense to Gus and I's record, but I would love to be able to look back on this and say, Gavin and I had 30 or 40 or 50 years or anybody, you know, it's something. It's not a competition, but I know that no matter what I do going forward in my life and what successes I have and what friendships, what creative partnerships will be forged, there will be nothing in my life like the Gus and Jeff show ever again. So thank you, Gus. You're not going to hear this.

That's okay. I don't expect you to. But thank you, man. We owe each other everything. I love you dearly. I can't believe what we made. I'm so proud of it. But I'm even more proud that now that it's done,

and we are, you know, four months on from the end of our podcast, from the end of our final production together. I'm more proud that we're still talking and texting and sending each other links and maintaining the relationship. And I just hope that I'm lucky enough to be able to say that in another 26 years. traveled the world with that guy created worlds with that guy rose to the highest highs of my life

and most definitely sunk to the lowest lows of my life I just don't know what I can't imagine going through any of that without him. So that's my bow on the top of the Good Morning Gustavo podcast.

It has come to an end. I am so proud of it, but it's hard to look at it and ANMA. I'll look at Good Morning, Gustavo, and ANMA as a unified thing, right? It is so hard to separate them from everything we did together, from every production, every convention, every late night, every early morning, every trip, every hotel room.

Every moment we spent together is rolled up into one big ball that's just us. I thought briefly about going back and listening to that last episode and just hearing it as you guys heard it. I don't think I'll do that. I don't know that'll ever be able to do that, honestly. I got a little emotional thinking about it. With Amex Platinum, access to exclusive Amex pre-sale tickets can score you a spot trackside. So being a fan for life turns into the trip of a lifetime. That's the powerful backing of Amex.

Pre-sale tickets for future events subject to availability and varied by race. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more at amex.ca. slash Y-Mex. Wait, I didn't get charged for my donut. It was free with his Tim's rewards points. I think I just stole it. I'm a donut stealer.

Earn points so fast, it'll seem too good to be true. Plus, join Tim's rewards today and get enough points for a free donut, drink, or timbits. With 800 points after registration, activation, and first purchase of a dollar or more. See the Tim's app for details at participating in restaurants in Canada for a limited time. Anyway, I saw some people question why we bothered doing a season two if we were just going to cancel it and that they were saying, like, should have ended it at season one, not done a season one, or if you're going to do season two, you might as well go to three or four, then it makes no sense. And I'm sorry, you feel that way. All I can tell you is we weren't done telling our story and we weren't done spending time

together when Warner Brothers decided rooster teeth was done. Wasn't even really a question about continuing. We knew we wanted to continue. Yes, scheduling is a part of it. It is hard. and harder to get together the older we get Gus is running Stinky Dragon and has an entire production company and product that he's dealing with

obviously I have regulation Eric has one billion companies he's a part of definitely frees up some time not to do it that's not why it didn't continue should we have ended it

after season one of Good Morning Gustavo I think we could have I was on the fence about it But I just wanted a little bit more time like that with my friend, if I'm being honest with you. I just selfishly wanted another eight episodes with him. And as for why we ended it after season two, instead of going for three or four or an infinite number of seasons, I think we both just felt in our bones that the time was right. I think that we kind of left it all out.

on the table. It wasn't because we were repeating stories. It wasn't because we ran out of stories to tell. We could probably go on forever. We have a shorthand and a chemistry together from decades of this stuff. But I think we both knew that in our lives, where we were, who we are now, that this was the moment. And I'm glad. I'm glad. I'm glad. I'm glad. because we both did it together and we felt good about it and I don't know

it felt like a good ending it felt like a fitting ending and now now I just get my friend Gus back and I'm pretty jazzed about that and that's going pretty well so maybe that is my bow on top of

Good Morning Gustavo and with that let's talk about homework you guys gave me a laundry list of things to do. Going back a little bit, there was an anime called Pluto you wanted me to watch. There was an anime called Freeran you wanted me to watch. There was a Boston beat down

Boston hardcore 90s documentary that you wanted me to watch. There was the Death Valley TV show you wanted me to watch. The Ludwig TV show you wanted me to watch. I wanted to watch Alien Earth and I'm supposed to watch the Death Valley movie because of the TV show. I didn't get to all of that, but I got to

most of it. I already talked about Ludwig and Death Valley both shows. you can watch on Britbox or if you're in the UK you can watch on whatever the fuck your TV looks like. Tremendous shows. Love them to death. I talked about them quite a bit in previous episodes so I won't beat those over your head. But I finally yesterday sat down

and I watched Pluto. It's an anime on Netflix and not big into anime. I've been dipping in and out of it most of my life. Holy shit. is that one of the best shows? That first episode, that first episode of Pluto,

one of the best episodes of TV I've seen in a very long time. I'm only two episodes in. They are heavy, meaty episodes. My daughter has already seen it. I was talking about it with her. She was like, buckle in and get ready because you're going to cry a lot.

I know you, you're going to cry a lot. She is not wrong. I've cried multiple times in the first two episodes. Just unbelievable storytelling. It is a noirish mystery wrapped up in Isaac Asimov's story about robots and free will and humanity and it is layered and complex and beautiful and heartbreaking. And I cannot say enough good things about the show. I've only,

like I said, it's an eight episode series. I've seen the first two. So, you know, it could completely derail. But I'm getting the impression it's not going to and it's going to continue to be this awesome. So definitely if you're on the fence or if you've never even heard of it, give Pluto a shot. even if you don't like anime because it is just a cartoon science fiction mystery story and it is fucking wonderful

but also wonderful in a very different way and I'm a bit surprised by is Freeran which is the other anime I was recommended that I did not think I would like because it looks like

you know an elf and very anime-ish fantasy story and but I turned it on and it's sucked me in fucking instantly too. What a really cool way to tell a story.

And I don't want to spoil... I really don't want to spoil any of Freeran because it is like a genuinely beautiful story. I've only seen the first three episodes so far. But I watched the episodes one and two back to back immediately.

Like I couldn't stop. And I will say it... Oh, man. watching it unfold is really is really the full joy of it you know so i'll just say this it's it's it begins where an adventure ends it's about a group of adventure or adventures on a i guess like a 10 year journey to conquer or vanquish an evil and you kind of pick up the story at the moment that they do it and then like what happens to life after that at least that's what it's about so far. And I don't want to say anything else about it because I don't want to spoil it. But it's, I'll say,

it's, it's just dripping humanity and beauty and depth. And it is very sweet and, and very heartwarming, I'll say. It really tugs at the heartstrings this show. And so definitely give that a try, too. If you want, it is definitely more in the traditional, uh, vein of anime, I would say, at least like in look and feeling. Whereas Pluto, I think, is a little less so. Both phenomenal shows so far. And I'm hooked. So thank you to whoever recommended them so long ago. I cannot thank you enough. Recently, I got recommended the Boston Beat Down 2 documentary, which was a documentary, like a 30-minute documentary on Boston Hardcore in the 90s. And it was recommended by somebody because they knew I liked some of the bands in it. I did.

I like the band Blood for Blood. There was a Blood for Blood live performance in the documentary that I enjoyed watching and it brought back a lot of memories. I wasn't crazy about the documentary. I'll be honest with you. It just made me sad. Thank you for recommending it.

I really appreciate it. It was cool to see that time again because I was that age during that time. But it's just a lot of fighting. You know? I mean, I don't know what else I should expect from a documentary called Boston Beatdown, but, and I understand that, listen,

I'm all about kicking Nazis the fuck out of a punk scene. You cannot have a healthy punk scene if it's infiltrated by shithead Nazis. And so, kudos to the punks and the hardcore kids out there who were fighting the good fight and keeping their scenes clean from racism and bullshit and misogyny. but I don't know man just watching all the violence just made me sad it really did I didn't

it kind of bummed me out so I don't know if I can recommend that one I haven't watched the Death Valley movie yet that's next on my list but what I have watched which was on my own list you know a while back I decided to go through

and watch all of the alien films because I realized there were a few I hadn't seen started watching Alien Earth only the first three episodes are out so far but I gotta say holy shit Is that a good show? Every, so rare that they take a movie property and they expand it into television and then in the process

improve the universe and the world by giving you more information about it. Usually it goes the other way. But I feel like every episode gives me more insight into this universe and I love it. I love everything about it. Timothy Oliphant's character is so fucking cool and weird. The story is engrossing. It's fun. I love the way it's enveloping. This is such an interesting way with the kids to tell the origin of all of this. And I talked about it a little bit in the regulation podcast, but I had a realization because the story starts in 2120 with a bunch of people being awakened from cryogenic sleep for the past 65 years, which means they would have gone into a deep freeze at 2055, which is 30 years from now.

So anybody on that mission, 30 years or older, in theory, exists on this planet. I am breathing, I mean assuming all universes are equal, I am breathing air right now with people who will someday board that ship and be cryogenically frozen to be unfrozen in 2120, which is just an insane thing to think. like I'm close enough. I've lived long enough in my life to be close enough in the alien franchise universe to share space with people who exist in it, which is just, you know, and I know you go back to Prometheus and we're going back in time, but I mean, just in the grand scheme of things like, I just think it's wild. I just think it's wild that the people on that ship are alive in theory when I'm alive right now and, you know, continue to be alive, hopefully. I recommend everyone watch Alien Earth if you like Alien. It is all. Also, crazy what you can get away with on television now. Holy shit, is that a bloody, dismembery, gruesome, intense show. They have done a really good job maintaining the intensity and the gore and making it feel like a full alien story. Also, without, like, just without it being too much, you know,

sometimes you get, like, a two-hour story and it's stretched out over a 10-episode arc, and they just, like, you just get worn the fuck down by it. That is not happening at all. I am annoyed by appointment viewing. I'm pissed off. I have to wait a week to get to the next episode. It's that good. And with that, I owe you Death Valley the movie still.

I still got to read Death Valley the book. I just am really having trouble reading right now. You ever do that? You just go through phases where you just, you cannot pick up a book to save your life. I'm definitely having that right now, and it's annoying. I'll be back next week with, honestly, there's so much in my notes.

I was just out of town taking Millie up to college, And I feel like over that weekend, I took 50 notes of things I wanted to talk about. So lots to discuss, lots of shallow dives to dip our little toes into. But before we do that, we need a song of the episode, which I have at the ready. I'm very happy to say. It is, I don't think I've done this one before, but if I have, I apologize. It is Donnie and Joe Emerson singing baby. You've probably heard it before.

But if you haven't, you're about to and you're going to love it. guess it's from the 70s. I genuinely don't even know. Donnie and Joe Emerson, baby. Let's actually, let's look that up while we're here. 1979. It was released on June 1st, 1979. Give it a listen. Add it to your playlist.

It's an earworm. It's going to grab you. You're going to love it. I'll see you next week. All right.