Suggestible - Back's In, Smell's Out

Episode Date: February 3, 2022

Suggestible things to watch, read and listen to. Hosted by James Clement @mrsundaymovies and Claire Tonti @clairetonti.Suggestible and the City Podcast: https://play.acast.com/s/suggestible-and-the-cityThis week’s Suggestibles:01:24 Love Stories by Trent Dalton12:46 Mr Inbetween20:15 Only Murders in the Building33:28 Molly of Denali33:55 Dads DocumentarySend your recommendations to [e-mail], we’d love to hear them.You can also follow the show on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @suggestiblepod and join our ‘Planet Broadcasting Great Mates OFFICIAL’ Facebook Group. So many things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Uber Teen Accounts. Invite your teen to join your Uber account today. Available in select locations. See app for details. Bing bong, bing bing bong. I went to sing it in the Sex and the City theme, but no. No, that's our other podcast, the last episode of which will be out about 24 hours after this goes out. Probably less even because it's got its own feed.

It's called Suggestible in the City. Correct. You should go over there and listen and give us a review. I think we've got like one review. No, we've got some reviews. It's the weekly, it's like the diminishing returns. The Weekly Planet, big podcast. The big dog of podcasts.

Here he goes. And the Suggestible, my less successful podcast. Can we start the year without the added addition of your giant ego in the room? And then the Suggestible in the city. Like a pink elephant that nobody wants. Everybody wants a pink elephant, Claire. Haven't you ever seen the movie Dumbo, that frightening nightmare of depression? Anyways, we're back.

We are. Hello. This is Suggestible, a podcast where we recommend you things to watch, read and listen to. My name is Claire Tonti. James Clement is here also. We are married and we are back, baby. That's right. We had a little bit of a break where we took the time to get COVID and still record and

work for some of it, for the Sex and the City thing. But no, we're feeling refreshed. We've both got new Google Docs ready to go for 2022. Correct. For all manner of suggestions, and we've spent a lot of our summer indoors watching television. So, boy, do we have some things to say. Do you want to start us off?

Do we ever. Well, well, well, yes, I certainly do. All right, so I have lots of books actually, which is very exciting. And I'm going to do the first one. Oh, God. This is awesome. I finally got some time to read some books in my own little hot little hands. Now, what I have for you, James, what are you looking at here?

That's my book. Is it the Christmas present I gave you that you did not open? I haven't read it yet. No, you haven't. I like Trent Dalton though. I like his other book or books. I haven't read it yet. No, you haven't. I like Trent Dalton, though. I like his other book or books. I know you do. And it's also called Love Stories.

And I wrote in an inscription that was very lovely and thoughtful. And you have not cracked it open at all. I didn't know you wrote a description. Yes, you haven't even read it. Let me read it now. I'll read it out. No, it's really, no. It's too embarrassing.

It's private. It's private. It's a private inscription. But it's lovely. It's romantic. And it'll make you cry when you finally bloody open it. I don't cry. Anyway. I only cry when Luke Skywalker shows up in the Mandalorian.

Anyway. Like a man. I thought I would do that thing where I recommend you a thing, and I buy you a thing, and you don't open it, and so then I force you to listen to it on the show. That's right. Here we go. What do we got?

And because what a bin fire of 2022 has already been, I've still lost my bloody sense of smell, mate. Can't smell a bloody thing. Really? I thought you got most of it back. No, it's still not back. Oh, I think your sense of smell is like at my level of sense of smell because my sense of smell is pretty much the same as it was.

I'm like a plebian. I'm a pleb now. I had a superpower. You've got normal person smell. I know. My superpower was my smell and it's just not there. Okay, here is the thing. This is why God

isn't real. Because why would he tell you? You look so worried that you're like, oh no. Or, he doesn't care. And also, I take umbrage with the use of the pronoun there, my friend. If God was anyone, God would be a woman.

No, God would be a man in a white robe with a beard and he's just looking over things going, this is fucked. I mean, if nature is gendered, which I highly doubt, but if nature was gendered, it's got to be a woman, mate. We create everything. We create life in our own little wounds. That's beside the point.

My sense of smell, my superpower, I can smell. And what's weird about this, actually, I have to say, and I'm sure there are listeners who've also had COVID who've lost their sense of smell. When I walk into a house, I immediately use my nose to sense what the bloody hell's been going on like a sniffer dog and I use it so often and it tells me so much. I did not realise how much I use my sense of smell in all situations

and I use it to kind of tell me whether a thing is bad or good or what's been happening with my kids or you or just like colours and just the world. You smell into nowhere I've been? Yeah, I do. No, not where you've been. Where's he been, this guy? More just like have you had a shower or not?

Do you need to, you know? Yes, I've had a shower. Freshen things up. And it's really disconcerting. Two showers a day sometimes. But it's really disconcerting. Two showers a day sometimes. But it's really disconcerting to me that things will have happened in my house. Yeah, yeah. I smell it.

Don't know what's going on. It's really disconcerting. Anywho, that's beside the point. So because of the bin fire of 2022, I wanted to recommend this book. A bin fire you can't smell, but go on. Anyway, Love Stories by Trent Dalton. If you ever needed a pep up, this is the pep up for you. It is a collection of beautiful stories that he has written

on a typewriter that he was gifted, that the mother of one of his really good friends who passed away and she gave this to him knowing what a heartfelt kind of big-hearted, gorgeous, softy he was or is. Yeah. Anyway, and he sat in Brisbane on the corner of a street and just got strangers to come up and tell him their love stories. Now, I'm going to read you this one that he wrote because it's just so beautiful.

How long is it? It's like two pages. Oh, my God. I know, but just bear with me because I know you're not going to read it otherwise. This one is called The Cross. I do plan to read this book, Claire. I take great umbrage, like Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter.

We all know you don't read books, mate. Come on. You listen to them in your little ears. It's not true. Anyway, I'm going to read this bit and then you're going to read the whole thing and you're going to feel terrible that you didn't open my cruises present over the summer when we were stuck inside doing nothing. Joke's on you.

I don't feel anything. Here we go. It's called The Crossing. All right. See this restless city. See the way that dad in the business shirt and tie reaches his right arm out to grip the left hand. Hang on.

I'm sorry. That dog is up to mischief in the other room, our puppy. I need to put her out because there's a bunch of stuff in there that she's just going to chew through. All right. I don't trust that dog. You just ruined the moment. No, I was never in a dog.

What are you up to? Now I'm regretting thinking about reading this out. Oh, no. I feel like maybe you just need to read it alone. I apologise. Please continue. No, I'm regretting this now. No, no.

I thought it was going to be good and now I'm regretting it. No. I have serious regret. It's only magical. I'm going to cry. Oh, God, maybe you're not. All right. Anyway, I'll just read it.

The Crossing. See this restless city. See the way that dad in the business shirt and tie reaches his right arm out to grip the left hand of his daughter, waiting for the little green man to flash and tell them when to walk across Adelaide Street and into Queen Street Mall. The girl's in her school uniform, looks about 12. And if she's anything like my 12-year-old daughter, she probably doesn't hug her old man as much as she used to. But look at them at the traffic lights. He's reaching for her hand instinctively because there are fast-moving cars about and at least six grumbling council buses.

He's probably been doing that protective reach for her hand ever since she could run. Nothing more terrifying than a wide-eyed toddler on the loose and approaching the ever-enticing push button of a busy traffic light crossing. It's true. She'd probably refuse his hand if her friends were about, but there are only strangers here. So he knows he can hold her hand tight and she knows she can let him. And for the next 10 seconds of that dad's life, he knows for certain that she's safe and she's secure. And he's so clearly and definitely doing the one thing he's certain now that he was put on this earth to do, to be a father for her. And I know for a fact he wishes

he could stop time here and now because he knows that she will grow. He wishes he could change the world and the way it spins. But he knows the only person with the power to change the world is her. She will grow because she must. She will soon discover the music of the Smiths and she will teensplain Johnny Marr's guitar playing to her father like she was the first person in the world to ever truly appreciate it. She will take two or three puffs on a joint at her friend Kayla's 17th birthday party and realise she gets a better high from the words of Emily Bronte. Her first car will be a second-hand red Toyota Yaris and she will fall in love with a boy named

Arizona who plays bass in a punk band called Forked Tongue and that boy will break her heart. She'll work hard for no money and then she'll work hard for lots of money. And she will meet someone true. And then one perfect and quiet afternoon, she'll ask her father to walk her down the aisle of Our Ladies of Victory's church in Bowen Hills. And they will hold each other's hands as tightly as they hold them now at this crossing. But there'll be no flashing green man to tell them when to walk down that aisle safely and securely. They'll have to make that decision for themselves, daughter and dad together. He

would do anything for her, but at the end of that church aisle, he'll have to do the one thing he never really ever wanted to do for her, let go of her hand. But for now, for the next 10 seconds of that father's life, she can stay right there in his grip. She can stay. Then comes the inevitable push button buzz of life and she lets go of his hand. She lets go of him. And she's off, two paces ahead of dad as she crosses the street and the little green man rushes more than anyone because the little green man knows that life's too short and moves too fast for fathers and that particular one in the business shirt and tie crossing the street has about as much chance of keeping up with his daughter as he does of stopping time. Oh my god Claire what are you doing to me opening the year with that? You are killing

me. You're breaking my heart Claire. You're breaking my little heart. Read the bloody book, mate. I'll read the book. I want to read it. I just haven't. Do you know why? Because I've been playing Transformers every day. I know, I know. When have I had a chance to sit down and read a book? I've been listening to political commentary and being like, oh my God, I hate this. I know. And that's why I think you should read this book. If anyone's feeling miserable about the world, just read it. It's just full of. Oh, it's heartbreaking, Claire.

I hated that. Why would you read that? Oh, what? No. It's just full of that. I already, like, because our daughter is not quite two, but I can already see in our kids, like, the ways, hopefully, in which they're going to, like, branch off and, you know what I mean, and the kind of people that they are already, do you know what I mean?

And it's just like I hate it. But also it's weird because it's also it's what you want, you know what I mean? It's like a strange combination of things, you know what I mean? That's why I get like a lot of video and stuff so I can like look back and be like this kid liked me once. Remember this? It's that funny thing, isn't it?

Where parenting is a series of little griefs and no one tells you. Yeah. Because they're this little tiny human being and they're them in that moment. But then that little person is three and four and five. And that two-year-old that you knew isn't there anymore. And it's replaced by someone that you love equally or even more. Yeah. But that person that you saw back then with their little quirks

is never going to be around again. No, that's right. And it breaks your heart but you also want them to grow, to be independent, to live away from you. Yeah. So your whole life is spent teaching this person that you love that you never want to leave you to leave you. Yeah, exactly.

Parenting is a giant cluster. God damn it. But it's beautiful and poignant and that's what Love Stories by Trent Dalton does because it reminds you, I think we get so in our heads about politics and all these big ideas about the world and the twisted kind of messaging that comes across the pandemic and everything else and it brings you this book right back into the small, beautiful, fragile, gorgeous, difficult, awkward bits of life, which is really about love

and the people that you love. Yeah. And they're just these fragments of ordinary people's lives that are so extraordinary. And I think we all need reminding of that. I agree. You know, take it out from the big big bad world and bring it right back in. Or don't have kids or whatever.

It doesn't matter. But it's not even about kids. There's like stories about people's pets or how they met or their like friendships or just like their parents and just the fragments of ordinary lives which I think are the most beautiful. And even just about people's love of food or music or, you know, there's a story of a woman who keeps a notebook and who writes three things in her notebook every day that she's grateful for.

And they're just these tiny things like found caramel biscuits in the cupboard. That is good. Or, you know, green leaves on a tree. You know, that kind of stuff. Anyway, totally go and get that book. And the hardcover version is stunning. It's so beautiful.

All right. Anyway, so that's my recommendation. God, Claire, you're killing me. You could have saved that to the end. My first recommendation is a series. There's three series that I just found. It started in 2018, ends in 2021. It's is a series. There's three series that I just found that started in 2018 and in 2021. It's an Australian series.

It's called Mr. Inbetween. It's described as a black comedy crime drama. It's set in the suburbs of Sydney, and it's about Ray Shoesmith, who is a hitman for hire who makes a life out of balancing his criminal activities with his obligations to friends and family. So he is a hitman, but it's like he does other, like, odd jobs and whatever. He doesn't enjoy killing people, it seems, a lot of the time,

but he has, like, an explosive temper, which he can also, like, control if he needs to, and he'll do just, like, odds and ends. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's not even clear as the show starts, like, what specifically his job is. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And then it's like, oh, no, he does a bit of everything

but mostly he just kills people. So it's got this fascinating backstory because it stars a man called Scott Ryan who wrote every episode of the three series and there's like roughly nine episodes a series like give or take. And it began as like an indie film in 2005 and he was involved with Nash Edgerton who directed every episode. Nash Edgerton is the brother of Joel Edgerton who was like a stuntman, a stunt coordinator and director.

He also doubled, he also did Ewan McGregor's stunts for Star Wars in Star Wars Episode 3. So he's got this whole background in filmmaking essentially. That is so interesting because, I mean, Joel Edgerton is so talented. Yeah, and like Nash Edgerton is an actor. Like he's in it for like an episode. He's incredible. Like he's done a lot of stuff and probably stuff that you've seen

but you're just not, you know, he's just not. Just not famous in a way. Why is that? Because of the roles he's done? Well, yeah, no, he's not. He's like he directs and he's a stuntman. So you're not seen, you know what I mean? You're not doing press conferences and, you know what I mean? You're not doing press conferences and you know what I mean,

in the way that you would if he was Joel Edgerton or Ewan McGregor or whatever. Who would you rather be, Joel or Nash? Nash, definitely. Me too. I was just thinking that because really that's – And I love Joel Edgerton. Yeah, me too.

But that's not what I – I don't like that kind of spotlight. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, that how cool that you can have this really incredible career working at the top of your field but you don't have to deal with all of the backlash that comes with paparazzi and having your life really examined. You can kind of fly under the radar and do all this really incredible stuff. I think that's just really cool.

Yeah, exactly. Anyway, so they made this movie in 2005 and it got like no traction. So Scott Ryan, he quit and so he started driving taxis and he did that for I guess like 10 plus years until Nash Edgerton, he told him, we've got funding, we can do this series. So he basically, he wrote and starred as this character and, you know, initially like the higher ups were like, can we get somebody like better looking or famous or whatever,

do you know what I mean? Because he just looks like a guy. And I think that's also what's good about it as well because he just looks like anybody, you know, and that's all. Like he's not like crazy ripped or he's not giant or do you know what I mean? He's like completely bald and he's just like a dude walking around in like T-shirts and you know what I mean? And I think that's what's kind of unassuming about him

because people when they go into an encounter with him they don't expect that he's got this like explosive level of like dangerous knowledge that he can you know put upon a person but he's also got this like moral code like he doesn't really kill anybody he doesn't like killing as as mentioned he'll give people a second chance you know know what I mean? Like things like that. And so he's very clever about the way he does it. But what's also interesting about it is the episodes are about 25 minutes each, roughly. The longest one, I think, is the very last episode, which is like 32 minutes.

And it's so tight, like in terms of like the writing and the directing and the editing. There's no fat on it like at all. And so it just moves along. But because so much happens, it feels much longer. And so some episodes will be, like, he'll just, like, run small errands or he'll just be at home, like, chatting to his friends. And then all of a sudden, like, a situation unfolds or he's asked to do a job,

which then becomes, like, a bigger thing or nothing. You know what I mean? It just kind of depends. It's also a lot about parenting. He's divorced and he's got a daughter and he's got a girlfriend played by Brooke Satchwell, who's a famous Australian actor who people would know if you're here. And the relationship between him and his daughter actually tying to what

you're talking about, it evolves because she starts the series at about, I don't know, 10-ish. And then by the time it wraps up, she's like 13, 14. And so she changes like like, as a person, and their relationship dynamic changes. His brother has a motor neuron disease and lives with him, and that's, like, a big part of it as well. It's fascinating and really, like, multifaceted.

Like, if it was just crime, it would be like, yeah, this is good. Like, the action is incredible. The tension is, like, yeah, this is good. Like the action is incredible. It's the tension is like amazing. You know, if you like Chopper, which is like a famous Australian film based on a real guy, there's elements of that, except it's a guy who's like. Is it like Two Hands? Yeah, totally. Like that's, did I say that to you?

I don't know. I think you have, but I also saw snippets of it and immediately, because it feels like that kind of like. And it's set in Sydney. Sydney's two hands are set in Sydney. The Heath Ledger movie, if people haven't seen it. It's incredible. But like as it goes along, you find out more about him.

You find out about his past, why he's like the way he is. You see him change and like reflect. He's like getting older and he's like, I need money, but I don't know anything else. Like I've just always done something, some variation on this. Yeah, in the, yeah. And you see him like box and train, but it's like he's not doing it to be fit. He's doing it so he doesn't get killed.

Like it's, it's just, it's some of the best TV I've, I've watched in like a long, oh, it's out there. It's like in the last few years, it's definitely in like your top fives or whatever. Yeah, you've seen that to me and that really blew my mind because you watch a lot of TV for work and for pleasure. That's a big call. And look, you know, and I don't say that like lightly. Maybe I do say it all the time.

But like it got recommended in a WhatsApp group, like one of the ones I'm in. I'm like, yeah, whatever. That's, you know. But then it's on Binge, which is an app I do not like, run by Rupert Murdoch. But it's also on FX, I think, in the US. I don't know where it is.

It's called Mr Inbetween. It's only three seasons. He's done. He's not doing it anymore. He says at the moment. It definitely could be more. But also for the moment, when it ended, I didn't get like, oh, man, I wish there was more of this.

So there is that, but I also felt like, no, this feels right. Is that the same feeling I got with Fleabag, even though there's been some movement on their Twitter account? Yeah, I don't know whether that is anything, but, again, it wouldn't surprise me if she came back to Fleabag. Yeah, but I do feel like at the moment it's such a perfect thing. Yeah. You don't need to add any more to it.

It's a bit like don't add extra seizing, you might spoil it. Exactly. You know? I'm actually going to watch that. You should. I mean it's very harrowing. And some episodes are like all action or like there'll be a crazy action scene at the start, like a drug deal goes wrong and then like ten people

are killed or whatever and then he's just like he picks his daughter from school and like the rest of the episode is that. Like it's just, yeah, really, really good. Check it out if you can. Very highly suggested. And I'm going to try, as suggested by a listener, that we repeat the title of whatever we are recommending at the end. Collings does link them below as well.

He does, but it's always good to just reiterate. Mr In Between. We can wait for clean water solutions. Or we can engineer access to clean water. We can acknowledge indigenous cultures. Or we can learn from indigenous voices. We can demand

more from the earth. Or we can demand more from ourselves. At York University, we work together to create positive change for a better tomorrow. Join us at yorku.ca slash write the future. Fabulous. Excellent. All right. Okay. So that really ties into my next recommendation. Oh, is it another book? No, I'm spreading my books out, mate. Who knows when I'll have another chance to read one.

No, I'm really excited. This year we've got Kid at School, possibly, hopefully, not at homeschooling, and also Child Care a few days. I love Child Care. I want to do it with myself, read more books. That's what I'm going to do. No, this is a TV show called Only Murders in the Building. Oh, yeah, something we both started and then I did something else

and now you've got it. Yeah, exactly, and I've watched most of it. So it's an American mystery comedy streaming series by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. It's 10 episodes. Oh, Steve Martin was actually involved in, like, the creation of that. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Steve Martin's great, man.

What a legend. He is, and he also plays music and he plays the accordion and he plays it in the show and it's just great. That's awesome. And obviously he's had some work done. Oh,ion. Yeah. And he plays it in the show and it's just great. That's awesome. And obviously he's had some work done. A little bit. It's still pretty good. But, you know, he's great.

It's interesting. I remember there's a joke about Steve, what Steve Martin's like famous for is like cancer jokes are funny until your friends like start getting cancer. Do you know what I mean? Like your friends start dying from cancer and we're kind of at the point where like people we know or around us are like, you know, they get cancer or whatever and it's like, this isn't very funny. Anyway, sorry.

Anyway, yeah, so it follows three strangers played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, who's also brilliant, and Selena Gomez, and they share an obsession with a true crime podcast. After a suspicious death in their affluent Upper West Side apartment building, the Arconia, the three neighbours decide to start their own podcast about their investigation of the death, which the police ruled as a suicide. Yes.

Now, the building, the Arconia, in New York is beautiful. It's this big, wide, tall. I don't know, actually. We could look that up. Hold on, Colleen. Our dog is barking heaps. Yeah. Do you want me to bring her in?

She's really distressed. Yeah. I'll go grab her. Hello, Zippy. Hi, everybody. We have up. Hold on, Colleen. Our dog is barking heaps. Yeah, do you want me to bring her in? She's really distressed. I'll go grab her. Hello, Zippy. We have a Zippy on the pod. Hello, Zippy. So the Iconia is this beautiful white building with a lot of affluent artists and celebrities, including Sting.

Oh, my God, Sting's there. I walked past and I think Mason already told me, but I'm like, is that fucking Sting? Yeah, and it totally is him. Do we know Sting will, like, pop up every, like, 15 years or something? Yeah, there's a really funny bit where he sings that, don't stand so, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me. And he does it in this really creepy way in a spotlight,

and it's just, like, perfect for that particular bit of the scene. So this show is a bit, is weird. Yeah, okay. And initially you're not quite sure of the pacing of it. You're watching it and you're thinking, is this a comedy? Is this a drama? I'm not sure if I get this. And then suddenly it kind of gets into its groove,

the chemistry between the three characters, particularly with Selena Gomez in there, you feel like it's a really surprising role for her to do. Yeah, because she's like a Disney. She's absolutely not that. She's like many things. She is incredibly multi-talented. I have no idea.

I kind of vaguely knew of her as someone who was a pop star connected with Disney. That was kind of all I really knew. And when I went to look at her career, it's so interesting. She is actually an executive producer on the comedy series as well. It's her first scripted television role since Wizards of Waverley Place, which was kind of her breakout role. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And in August 2021, ahead of the official premiere of the series on Hulu, Gomo's revealed that she was happy to have played a character that matched her actual current age, saying that she signed her life away to Disney at the start of her career and that she did not know what she was doing at the time. How old is she then? That is a really good question. She'd be like 28?

Yeah. Maybe. Let me find out. 29. Oh, she's 29. There you go. In September 2020, she was included on the Time 100 Times list of the most influential people in the world.

Didn't she date a Justin Bieber at some point or somebody like that? Yes, definitely. I'm sure she did. Maybe Zayn from One Direction. I feel like it was One Direction, actually, that rings a bell. Anyway, she is so deadpan in this. Yeah, she is. She's so deadpan. Again, from what I've seen. And super smart and sarcastic. Nick Jonas. Ah, there you go. And then Justin Bieber. Yeah, well, there you go. Anyway, so she's so different in this to how I pictured Selena Gomez as a celebrity. Yeah, right.

So interesting. So she's just super talented. Did you think she'd be like vapid or bland? No, not vapid. I just feel like maybe I thought she'd be more like Hilary Duff or something. Okay. Which is not a criticism. Ooh, that's a big slap in the face doll, Hilary Duff.

No, I don't know. No, I don't know. She's just really different. You thought like Hilary Duff in No, I don't know. No, I don't know. She's just really different. You thought like Hilary Duff in that show where she's like, I'm 30 or something. Yeah. What's that show called? I'm 30.

Look out, I'm 30. What's it called? I don't know. What are you talking about? She's like 40, but she's like, I'm 30. What's so sure are you talking about? She's like pretending she's an intern, but she's like 40. Hilary Duff is in it.

Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I know exactly the one in the advertising. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, I know. What is that called? Younger. Younger. Thank you.

There you go. Correct. Yeah, I don't know. She's just different to how I imagined in this show but she's so great. Cool. So the series has received critical acclaim with praise for the comedy approach to crime fiction and the chemistry of the lead actors. I love the art style of it.

It goes in really unexpected directions. Yes. And I just love it's the first TV show I've watched about a podcast. Sorry, everyone, there's a dog squirrelling about here. Our puppy is in here. It's the first TV show I've watched about a podcast where I actually feel like they captured the essence of what it's the first like TV show I've watched about a podcast where I actually feel like they captured the essence of what it's like to create a podcast, be in a podcast, be in

the world of podcasting. Do you get the feeling that? And the fans of podcasts too. Oh yeah, yeah. It's just got. Nerds all round. But genuinely. I mean also the people who do it.

Do you think Steve Martin and the other person who created it, whose name I have forgotten. Um, John Hoffman. In a great way. Do you think Steve Martin and the other person who created it, whose name I have forgotten, did they sound like fans of podcasts or true crime or something like that, right? Yeah, I reckon they must be. Because it seems as if they have a real understanding. Yeah, because Tina Fey is in it too and she plays like this kind of crime podcast star basically. Like she's this woman that's like, you know,

sold her series for like $30 million or something, like a big podcasting mogul. And she even does it really well. Yeah, she's terrific. Yeah, because I've actually met women or people like her, as in people who create podcasts who like are smash hits and all of that stuff. Not James Clement but, you know.

I'm like, no. much more successful shows than you. Yeah, I told you what I'm saying. There's like people like, well, I'm sure know this, but I'm like a very, we are very like mid-tier in terms of podcast. But I just found even the way that the mics they use and everything, it's just great and it captures the essence, I think, of what's cool about podcasting while also doing the whole crime genre and it keeps you guessing because of the twists and turns in the plot.

So really enjoying it. Dexter, the new season of Dexter, which finished up, which I've maybe talked about. You have, yes. You've talked about it multiple times. You must really love it. I liked it. All the time.

I liked it. I think it's like Michael C. Hall's terrific and various various other people are but there's a true crime podcaster in that and she's good but when you hear the podcast it's like this doesn't feel like a real podcast it's like who do you think it is and what kind of secrets are you dealing with or something i don't know maybe that's how they are is it just that we're like really thrown by them just like that podcast? Maybe it is. It's so awfully terrible. The worst podcast.

Yeah, no, this is the first time I've actually heard it sound because Steve Martin plays accordion underneath it. Very talented musician, Steve Martin. He totally is. And there's a bit where there's some sexy chemistry between him and a bassoonist in the building and she is in one window playing bassoon and he's in another window playing the accordion and they do this like little sexy banter back and forth with music

and it's just great. They're just funny. And Martin Short is so comedic and theatrical. He plays the director. I love Martin Short. He's kind of like a washed up director of West Side. I hope he doesn't get cancelled, any of these people. That's always my fear.

I do, I know. But he's just a real little joy bundle. He is. And he's like, yeah, he's got that big theatre energy, which I'm a big fan of. Oh, mate. Sometimes. Well, you're married to me, so that's my whole energy.

Yeah, that's right. It's a big theatre energy. There was a show that like no Stevie series, probably no one remembers, but there was a mini series called Merlin in the 90s and it starred Sam Neill as Merlin and it had Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Short was like an elf who got transformed into like a very handsome kind of debonair dude. And I just always remember, like I always think of Martin Short,

I think of like that and he's just so like theatrical and like pixie-like and yeah, he's just terrific. Yeah, he's really fun and he brings that to this and what's lovely about it is that each of the characters have a lot of secrets themselves. Yeah. And so they're one thing on the surface but another thing underneath. Yes.

And there's actually a lot of poignant moments as well and Martin Short's character is also like that. Yeah. He's just really funny. He's got all these big, he was like a really famous director on Broadway and then he just is now washed up because of these big failures, one of which was a musical called Splash where he convinced the producers. From the Daryl Hannah movie?

No, no, completely different. Isn't Steve Martin in Splash? Possibly. Yeah, anyway. And he convinced the producers to create a giant swimming pool on the stage but then the top of the swimming pool doesn't open properly and like all of the dancers like fall to their and get horribly injured.

Did you see that? No, he just talks about it. That's really funny. And the headline is in the newspapers the next day, Splat instead of Splat. That was like the Spider-Man musical where they did a lot of like live action web swinging and just for like months on end it was like they kept losing cast members because they kept

like swinging to walls and falling off and breaking legs and shit. That's really funny. Yeah. Anyway, yeah, so that's Only Murders in the Building. And also great funny. Yeah. Anyway, yeah, so that's Only Murders in the Building. And also great clothing. Yes. Very, very schmick. It is.

It's great. Everyone's got their individual styles and, again, particularly like a Martin Short. Oh, it's so good. He's got this beautiful purple scarf he wears. It's just really intricate. The set is beautiful and the costumes are beautiful and there's just, yeah, a really lovely, fun vibe to it.

So it's got all my favourite things. It's comedy but it's also still genuinely a gripping crime drama. And now there's going to be a second season, is that right? Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Does this first season work on its own? Yes. I think so. Sorry, everybody.

I've got a very wiggly dog. I know. Sorry, colleagues. I know. I should takeiggly dog. I know. Sorry, colleagues. I know. I should take a photo of you podcasting with the puppy. Sure. Go for it. Maybe you can do it while I read.

You can. Or I'll take care after that. Yeah, no. Come on, dog. Do you have any opinions on Otters in the Building? No. I wasn't going to say. So, yeah.

Actually, do you know what's funny? This is actually really funny. I can't imagine you saying anything funny. No, people are going to love this. So, basically, you can review the know what's funny? This is actually really funny. I can't imagine you saying anything funny. No, people are going to love this. So basically you can review the show. You can do it in-app. I'd really appreciate it. Oh, this is hilarious.

You can do it. What are you doing? She keeps trying to escape. Pass it to me. Spotify. You can do it through Apple iTunes. You can do it through various other. Stop eating the chairs in the pod studios, Evie.

Just like Jonathan Bercow. And maybe we've got it through various other platforms. Stop eating the chairs in the pod studios, EB. Just like Jonathan Bercow. Maybe we've got it read out on here. So he said, came for the suggestions, stay for the parenting advice, love this podcast and always enjoy listening to it. Do we have any email this week? Oh, yes, we certainly do. And I'm rusty because I forgot to bring it up before the show. Unbelievable.

I'm doing a Nick Mason just for everyone who listens to your other show. Oh, I call him Nick Minimum Effort Mason, you mean. Yeah, but he's lucky he's got a mind palace. He's a genius. That's true. He doesn't need preparation, mate. It's all up there. It's true.

You know? Except for all the times when he can't find a letter and I have to edit out ten minutes of silence. And by me, I mean colleagues. Don't peek behind the curtains. Stop it. Don't show them what's going on down there. Why can't I get into my email?

Because you're not hooked up to the right Wi-Fi, that's why. Oh, God. There's a different Wi-Fi in the studio, Clegg. Is that why it won't let me into it? Yeah, change it. Damn it. And I can't remember my password. Is this not the life of everybody ever?

I have to go and get my phone. Great letter. Fine. Go get your phone. All right. So I've got the letter. It's an audio one. And if you too would like to email the show with suggestions.

I would love to email the show. We'd love you to do that. It's one of my favorite parts of our job is hearing from you guys. So you can email the show and suggest. Well, you don't get the messages I get. This isn't Batman Begins. This is Twilight. I'm sorry I deceived everybody, all right?

All right. I'm sorry that I said like a really complicated trap. He's not sorry at all. He's been so excited about it for so long. It's the kind of thing you used to do when we were dating. You would just set up weird things and give me a fright. That's right. Now I've shifted all of my shenanigans to the internet. You have. All right. So you can do a voice memo if you would like on your phone in the

voice memo app and email it to suggestreport.gmail.com just like Nathaniel has. Here is Nathaniel's message. What do you got for us? Here we go. Hi, Claire and James. I'm Nathaniel from unceded land of the Omaha and the Oceti Sakowin, aka colonized Nebraska in the States. I was having a particularly difficult day potty training with my toddler when it turned unsuggestible and caught James's dad's doc suggestion. Just the thought of watching it after the description made me feel better along with hearing y'all's work together. Suggestible started right around the time my kiddo was born and your show has been there for me and my wife throughout it all. We've spent our first month in our new home, which has been such a game changer to have a better space to do my stay-at-home dad job,

especially a space that I own, which has an extra meaning for me as an indigenous person, as it feels like a bit of land back. I had a moment recently, standing on my back porch, looking out at my kiddo playing in the yard, where I flashed back to an old James description of home ownership and how great he felt standing outside of your first home. All that said, I wanted to suggest Molly of Denali as a show for parents and kids to watch together. Even though there are many differences between my and my son's tribe, the Oglala Lakota,

and Molly's and the show, the positive depictions of Native Americans is truly unique and does so much to educate others on Native American issues while also introducing life lessons for all. Check it out on PBS Kids. There's several free episodes available on their website and on their app. There's also a companion podcast for the show that is great for car trips as well. Wopila, thanks a lot.

That sounds awesome. Thank you, Samuel. That was such a lovely message. Wasn't it? I don't get lovely messages like that on my weekly plan. It's like, hey, fuckheads, just kidding. You guys are great. He brings some swear words into it.

I know. Also, Nathaniel has such a resonant voice as well. So beautiful. And I loved hearing his perspective in being an Indigenous person as well. Yeah, absolutely. It's just fantastic. So if you two have a story, we would love to hear it. Congratulations on all of that as well.

I know, right? I also feel like when I say that people who don't have that or don't want that, like that's not a dig. You've got your own particular, you know, journey. You know what I mean? Not that anyone ever writes in as like that. No one gets upset about that. But anyway, that was really nice to hear.

And, you know, he's carved out a piece of the world, you know, for himself and his family and being a stay-at-home dad and all of that. I thought he was going to say about that doc. He was just like, I can't watch that. I've been parenting all day. Yeah, what was the name of the show? We'll link that below. Molly of Denali.

Cool. Yeah, which sounds really excellent as well. To take care of that. Thank you, Collings. Correct. Molly of? Denali. D-E-N-A-L-I.

Perfect. Yeah. All right. Thank you so much.-A-L-I. Perfect. Yeah. All right. Thank you so much. That's been the show. So just how have you felt, James? First episode back. Pretty good, actually.

Pretty good. You know, we're kind of both of us are on the mend, which is good. We are, mostly. I'm back at the gym. I gassed myself so hard today I thought I was going to vomit. Not with actual gas. No. You just worked out really hard.

The instructor came over and was like, you all right? And I'm like, I had COVID and I think I'm also very unfit, so this combination of things. And he's like, what? And I'm like, I'm fine. Just give me a minute. Just let me quietly die in peace. That rowing machine, Claire, it doesn't get better.

All right. Well, I have a long arm, so I don't find it that hard. It's true. Clip down over there. Not that I've been able to go back yet because I did my back in. We sound like an old couple. I guess we are old. Anyway, my back was in, my smell's out, I've got COVID.

Now I don't know where I am. Back's in, smell's out. That's a great name for the episode. Back's in, smell's out. All right. Okay. That's me, Jessica. I'm Claire Tonti

James Clement is here also Happy New Year Happy New Year Hope you're doing alright I do too I'm sending you lots of love Yep That's it

That's the show That's it Bye You have to do something else now Everybody listening What? Everybody listening Oh me

I thought you meant I have to do something else You do too Because you can't do this again I have to go to bed Yeah you go to bed Alright Alright thanks to Collings For editing the show as always.

Wonderful work. Bye. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want. It's up to you. It's winter and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. Well, almost almost anything. So no, you can't get snowballs on Uber Eats. But meatballs, mozzarella balls, and arancini balls? Yes, we deliver those.

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