That Was Us - Happy Thanksgiving | "Pilgrim Rick" (S1E8)

Episode Date: July 16, 2024

Thanksgiving comes early this year! That’s right, in this episode, we’re introduced to Pilgrim Rick and the birth of the Pearson’s favorite holiday traditions. A 3.4 mile hike, Police Academy 3, hot dogs with Kraft singles and crushed Saltines, a ball of yarn, and the hat of “Pilgrim Rick” are essential. Will Miguel ever get a chance to play Pilgrim Rick? No dice. Will we talk about Randall confronting Rebecca about her letter he found at William’s? Absolutely. Let’s break bread and dig in. Follow That Was Us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, and X! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of that was us, we'll be discussing 108 Pilgrim Rick, air date 1122-16. An unforeseen detour interrupts Jack, Rebecca, and the kids' trip to their traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Kate makes life-altering decisions. Olivia accompanies Kevin to Randall's house, and Randall learns a heart. heartbreaking secret. TD Bank knows that running a small business is a journey, from startup to growing and managing your business. That's why they have a dedicated small business advice hub on their website to provide tips and insights on business banking to entrepreneurs, no matter the stage of

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How are you? I'm doing well. How are you guys doing today? Fantastic. You were saying, Chris, just off camera, these episodes start to hit a little bit for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is there anything you want to specifically? I mean, it was just as, first of all, it was good to see Thanksgiving Randall.

Thank you. Forgot about Thanksgiving Randall. Thanksgiving Randall is one of my favorite things in the world. I found it in rewatching and I found it so, such a charming choice for the writers. Because you'd think it would be Christmas, Randall. Like if somebody asked you ahead of time? Yeah, that feels like the more traditional obvious choice. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And Thanksgiving is way better. Thanksgiving is his jam. Focused on gratitude, focused on family. But the way they pull it all together. Yeah. My question is, though, for someone who loves Thanksgiving so much, why is Randall not, like, a bit more of a prepper? Do you know what I mean? Not like a prepper, prepper, but like, why isn't he like the day before?

I'm like, oh, he just sets his alarm early on Thanksgiving Day. I'm like, I would have thought he had stuff in the fridge already. You know what I'm saying? You think there'd be a little bit more pre-planning. Sure. Correct. But I think the spontaneity of the day. I think it happening on the day means something too.

Sure. Do you know what I mean? And I feel like I had kind of forgotten and going back and watching these episodes. I'm with you, Chris. I think it hits different as a parent now. Yeah. I had a long conversation with my husband, which we'll get into after 109. Oh, goodness.

But I love that, like, wow, we really discover all of the traditions that stem from this one particular Thanksgiving that goes awry for the Pearson's. And just how, how, like, broadly it's. sort of influence the family four years to come. Right. Yes, man. The worst, the quote unquote, worst Thanksgiving. Yep. Is the one that creates all of the closeness and the tradition and the positive memories,

which I find, I think that's true for my life too. Really? I think, well, I don't mean like the horrible experiences are the things that I love the most. What I mean is like when unexpected things happen and you thought you knew how you wanted things to go, but the universe says, no, it's actually, it's going this way. And it's going to be, it's going to be much more enjoyable if you can make a pivot. If you just allow it and go with the flow. I mean, I feel like Jack Pearson really is the hero.

And he took that Dr. K advice that he got when his kids were born and was like, you know what, if you give me a lemon, I'm going to show you something. I'm going to add a little sugar to this joint. Yeah. I'm going to put a little vanilla in there. We're going to mix it up with some ice and we're going to turn it into something nice. Yeah. That's right. Yeah.

Yeah. This was like one of his more, you know, first like heroic moments in a way. I was like, oh, super dad is. It's pretty outstanding. Yeah. It's making it all work because I think we open this episode and recognized just how stressful Thanksgiving is for Rebecca. Let's start there. Let's start there.

Yeah. We start with Rebecca. making this, this cranberry sauce. Speaking of preparing on the day. Yeah. Listen. Yeah, but her cranberries, to your credit, yeah.

Stuff looked nice. Yeah. Like, I was like, oh, the red wine. I don't even like cranberry sauce that much, but I was looking at it. I was like, I would tear that. Some orange zest, some red wine. I was like, this is an interesting recipe. Turns out she was just making sangria.

Yeah. Totally. Edible with a little bit of a chew. That you could spoon. Yeah. Spoonable Sangria. It led me to my first question, honestly, are you a cook? I'm not.

You know what's funny? I'm not either. Thank God for editing. That's what I think when I watch those sequences. I'm like, oh, wow, they managed to make it look like I knew what I was doing when truly I did, like literally when the props department has to walk me through every single step. Yeah. Like, just the minutia.

I mean, that's how I feel about 90% of my acting career. Totally. It's just like, wow, they really made it look. They made us look like he knew what we were doing. Yeah, yeah. Thank you, editors. We appreciate you. So much.

And then so, and then Jack talks about how he was hoping that one day, like after his parents passed away, that they start to form their own tradition. So he sort of plants that seed right there, right? Right. You also now have two boys. They're still young, though, because it's the two boys that run into each other that knock stuff over. Yeah. What kind of rambunct. They're not rambunctious yet.

Are they? They're not quite there. Yeah, 18 months and three. So I see the makings of it, though, because they're close enough in age where they're almost, you know, they're definitely going to have that kind of relationship. It gets to a place with my two boys when they walk into the kitchen and I have something close. I just hold it up and I hold one arm out just to keep them away from. Yeah, keep things safe. You know, because I was like, just I know what's going to happen.

Yeah. I'm giving them the Heisman. Yeah. It's not going to. Yeah. Yeah. Randall has that first thing about, I don't like going there to his grandparent's house

because they take the pictures and then they go, okay, okay, let's get one with just the twins. Sure. Right? And then we have this note, and our producer notes are they saying that like, how much our kids pick up on? Even though we think that like innocuous things are happening

and they may not be paying attention. Sure. They absorb everything. Yeah, and if we've learned anything about Randall, He is a highly sensitive human as well. So of any of the children, he's going to absorb what's happening around him. And I think it's interesting that so far, my kids are very young, but the things that I think are going to affect them are just gone to the wind. Really?

And little things like, okay, my son split his eye open. Yeah. He had to have his face stitched up. We had to hold him down. Four adults had to hold him down while they, you know, while a three-year-old had his eyebrows stitched up. Yeah. I thought, well, here we go. This is nightmares for a month.

The next day, I'm like, I need to like approach this with him and like, just pick, is there anything you want to talk about? Like, how are you feeling about? Yeah. Not a memory. Not a memory. On to the next. Yeah.

I was like, at the hospital. When we got the stitches, was that, was that scary? And he just blank, just blank face. Like, well, we got to watch all those cartoons at the hospital. Is that what you're talking about? Like, no. But then other little tiny things about when I, like, yelled, not at him, but, like, just at, at what? Hey, remember when you did that?

Why did you do that? And it was, like, a year ago? Sure. Yeah. Buddy, you were two. Yeah. Like, you were nonverbal. It's the emotional impact that sort of, like, evokes the trauma.

Like, there could be a physical thing that happens, but it's the emotional trigger. So I think from him from Barry's like, oh, I had to get a stitch. Yeah. Like nobody was doing anything wrong. Right. Right. So it's like that had to happen. Right.

I don't know if you had to yell at me. It wasn't even at him. It was just like, I was like yelling to get someone's attention. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it startled him. Right. And dad's voice sounded different. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah. And so it's kind of the same with this episode and traditions. Like the things, like if you tried to make any of these things traditions, wouldn't stick. But because of. of how it all unfolds. Yeah. Generations and generations will eat hot dogs,

wrapped in cheese and rolled in crackers. With the saltines. Let's continue with that storyline, though, because they get in the car. They're on their way. What's a song that we're playing in the car? You can call me out. Call me out, baby.

Jamming on the one. Thank you that we got the rights to it. Sometimes you're trying to get the right to these songs. That feels like it was pricey, but. This was part of like the first thing that got me into, like into this episode, the next one was like, my mom's car was Paul Simon all the time. Oh, wow.

All day every, she had one group of CDs and it was a three-disc set of like Paul Simon's greatest hits. So like, as soon as Paul Simon hits, I go to a different age. Wow, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love that. They're driving in a car. To Rebecca's parents.

We've already sort of gotten an inkling to that there is a contentious relationship between her and her parents. Yeah, which we build out a little bit later. We do, for sure. Which is really cool to see, because who plays your mom? It's Elizabeth Perkins. Perkins!

Yeah, kill it. Love. And your dad, Matheson? Yes. Oh, God, this is great stuff. Yeah. We'll catch up. Things to come.

But they're driving and, like, was it just a swerve? What happened? A tire blew out. Tire blows out. Man, have you guys had this ever happened? Malcolm would, no. No, no. Had it happened.

And it is freaky. My wife is in the car. This is on the highway. She was swerving. She hit the median. Oof. Then Kareem from the median all the way over to the other side of the highway without getting hit again. And like everybody just has a collective sort of like moment.

And I got kudos to the kids in the back seat because the look on their face, that's it. That's the look. Like, you guys are okay? They're like, I'm not. Yeah. And especially in a 1990 grand wagon here. Yeah. Like that thing barely drives on all four tires,

let alone with one blown out. There's no airbags, barely seatbelts. Back in the day when like you just like, my favorite move, this would remind me. And this doesn't, there's not applicable to this particular thing. But if I'm in the front seat with my mom, have you guys all experienced this move when she has to hit the brakes fast? Yeah.

Yeah. It's my favorite. Yeah. It's my absolute favorite. It only happens with people who were alive when, before shoulder harnesses. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, now it doesn't happen.

It doesn't happen as much. I will every once in a while with Andrew because he gets to sit in the front seat now. I'll still, like, do it. And I was like, oh, you're fine. But it is instinctive. That would just break my own. I remember the children were always confused

when we would get in some of these older model vehicles because they would go to get the shoulder strap. And it's like, oh, no, no, no, it's just a lap belt, guys. And they're sort of like, what? Best of luck. Yeah. Off to grandma's house. I don't understand this.

It doesn't compute. Like, this is my like carpool life going to school as a kid. Yeah. So then we have, we got a hike. We got a hike. How far did we have to walk? 3.4 miles. Come on now, Mama, I knew you knew.

Yeah. They go on this hike to get to whatever lodge or to try to get the tow truck with a car. Sure. Hats off the casting, my man. Hats off to casting. Hats off to every. This is when the episode turns horror movie. Yeah.

Like the look of it changes, the tone of it changes, the lighting is like... You're like, is it Halloween or Thanksgiving? It is, it is spooky, yeah. My man's like, you're not going to get a tow truck today? He's like, why not? He's like, it's Thanksgiving. Yeah. And so it's like, all right, we got to pivot.

Yeah. Mom goes to the phone. Is this when you go to the phone the call? Let them know what's going on? Yeah. And then you're like, you know what? We're not going. They've already told you.

The kids have told you in the hike, right? Listen, anytime we go there, you know, grandparents are sort of whiling out, and they said, it's not just them. And they sort of be like, it's you too, mom. Like your voice goes to this weird place. You're aggravated. Yeah, and you're like, what are you talking about? And then you get on the phone, hats off to Mandy Moore, on the phone, talking to her mom,

and you hear the voice go up and you're like, you know what? A shift has occurred. You're like, you know, I'm not going to do this. to my kids anymore, right? And Jack is listening, and he's like, what's up? And she's like, I guess we're doing something else. We got to go to this. What's the name of the lodge? I can't remember anything. Pinewood Lodge.

Something like that. And he's so happy. Yeah. He's like, great. Great. Great. Got my wish. It's going to be wonderful. It's just our Thanksgiving now. We're going to make it work. And you get there. And then the casting department shows up again. Dude, my man who plays Pilgrim Rick,

I was like, you could not have come up with a better choice. This dude was so committed. So committed. And the thing is, if he wasn't committed, then Milo wouldn't have had anything to playoff him. You know what I'm saying? Like, this dude was great. And he's like, welcome the Pilgrim Red.

He's just a whole thing. He's like, oh, it's a bit. He's doing a bit. Maybe a question? Is he doing a bit? You show up in July. This guy's still on the Pilgrim hat. Yeah.

I wouldn't be surprised. So then we go from there, we get to the cabin. And it's like, okay, things are not great, right? There's no food options. No food options. The kids are cranky. Furnaces on and stuck on, can't get it off, what have you. So Jack's like, let me go see if I can find somebody from maintenance, what have you, see if we can fix this thing.

Get a knock on the door. Boom, boom, boom. He's like, everybody's like, hey, hello, what's up? What's going on? It's Pilgrim Rick. And she's like, are we okay, Philly? Yeah, we're good. We don't need you to get, come in here and fix the furnace.

He does a pretty good impersonation of him, too. He does a great impersonation of it. Pilgrim Rick. And you're like, you know what, bro, you stay out. Here to fix your furnace. Things are about as bad as they can see. I'm coming in. And it's such, dude, I mean, like, I don't even know how to explain it.

Like, the just sort of sense of warmth and joy of seeing this man refuse to let it go bad for his family. Yeah. Right. He just refused. Yeah. Right. He comes back with Police Academy 3 and wisely, Rebecca's like, is this good for the kids?

It's like, this between this and nine and a half weeks. We go, we go with the Police Academy. This was another, like, of my own childhood touchstones with the Police Academy movies. Police Academy movies are pretty great. They are not at all. Did they not hold up? They were great when I was a kid. Of course.

Of course, because we should not have been watching them. They should not. They are- Totally inappropriate. Totally inappropriate. We watched a lot of risque stuff. Yeah. But it was another touch point for me. I was like, okay, Paul Simon hits.

And then, oh, Police Academy 3, I forgot about Police Academy 3. It was just, it was another, like, kickback to, yeah, you make do with what you have. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, he comes back with sticks and we're going to put the dogs on the sticks, and it became fun. For the kids. We get to stick the hot dogs into the furnace.

First of all, what's a furnace? Wait, this room is heated by open flame? There's a gas. Component that we're sleeping? 164? I get used to be a metal box on the wall with an open flame on the bottom. This is how we do at pine wood, whatever. We have an open flame.

And we're going to roll it in the cheese and we're going to coat it in the crackers. And it becomes a thing, right? Yeah. And the last thing we see, I don't want to miss anything, but just that moment of them all lying in bed together. And Randall, being hugged up by his mom, saying like, I changed my mind about Thanksgiving. Like, I want it to be exactly like this

for the rest of my life, bro. Yeah, that was. Now listen, I'm not Teflon yet. So like the show always moved me. It's still, I've done this already. You're like, why am I still crying? Yeah, why am I still feeling all of this? Lord have mercy, it was so beautiful.

It's beautiful. It really is. And I love the tradition, too, of Kate's sweater was starting to unravel her itchy sweater. And Rebecca sort of came up with the idea of like, let's go around in like a circle and talk about what we're thankful for. And destroy this sweater. Let's destroy the sweater.

She's been itching in this sweater. Yeah. The whole episode. Yeah. metaphor yeah of grandma's there you know what do with grandma's sweater slowly unravel it with our gratitude this is a moment when i think in my mind as an actor have the producers come to me and told am i getting written off this show when i read i don't think this is going to work uh toby said what do you mean and chris sullivan reads i'm sorry what do you mean that's the end of

what do you mean this will work i think it'll work great what is what is What does Toby have to change? What does Toby have to change? Toby or Chris? I'll do whatever. I don't care. Whatever you need. You need to be the doctor.

I will go. I will diet. He'll die it. I'll make Chris Sullivan will make Toby die. No, it was. Don't think I wasn't worried. I'm saying like, did anybody come to you beforehand? No.

You're just like, okay, so this is it. So you're trusted. Trust. I don't know. Like I said, I didn't have a contract. Remember, I was on a one-year contract. He was on a one-year contract. but also first table read to first TV like first like I didn't know how any

this works I had heard stories about people being like oh this is how it happens and then my character got shot and that was it like and I was like oh here we go just some somebody who can who's been there it usually happens either at that episode or an episode before they'll come up to you and be like hey man I just want you to know you've done a great job we really appreciated everything you've done this we got sweeps coming up or whatnot and so somebody's kind of got to go and it's going to be your character And you're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, cool. Obviously, yeah, it's, of course, yeah.

Thanks for having me. Totally, my pleasure. I love that. My. Thanks for having me. This was so fun. I had so much fun, you guys. Thank you for the opportunity.

Oh, my God. Yeah. If anybody wants to know about the life of an actor, whenever anyone in a position of power comes to you and says, hey, I've got to say, you're doing a great job. What goes through our head is not, wow, I've been doing a great job. It's, oh, okay. But you're going to have to recast? Yeah.

Something bad's about to come out of their mouth. Something bad is about to go down. So, okay, so you have this conversation with Kate. And this is also one of these moments where I can't wait until Chrissy comes on. Me too, I was thinking about that. Because everything with Chrissy, it's just on the surface. That was in my notes. I was like, she has immediate access.

Her, like, trying to catch her breath to retain control of the conversation. Yeah, the breath. like was so real. Yeah. And such an interesting choice because it's obviously what someone would perhaps do in the moment in real life. But like normally as an actor,

like that's not necessarily the route you would take it. It was so beautiful. And it really grounded you in the moment of like, oh, this is such a conflicted person. This is someone who like clearly loves this person she's partnered with and is so. lost and just doesn't know what to do and this just feels like something has to change something

has to change and so like this is the easiest thing to do or this feels like the obvious thing to do or the self-sabotage thing to do like all of that yeah but i agree with you i can't wait to have her on so we can get into all of those we love you crazy man yes more that was us after these words from our sponsors Reading, playing, learning. Stellist lenses do more than just correct your child's vision. They slow down the progression of myopia. So your child can continue to discover all the world has to offer through their own eyes.

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Go to T-H-E-O-U-A-I-O-A-I-com and use code T-W-U for 15% off your entire purchase. That was a lot of letters, so I will say it again. That's T-H-E-O-U-A-I-com code T-W-U. Backtracking just a little bit because we go to the Overeaters' Anonymous Meeting and somebody's talking about how they just got gastric and how they lost, you know, seeing 30 pounds have come off or whatnot. And this was like a big, I think it was a bigger conversation

when we were shooting the show. Yeah. There was a lot of people deciding it and they were deciding whether or not it was safe for them or weighing the consequences of the possibilities of bad things that could happen versus what the good things were, et cetera. Because it's a real consideration. Several public figures were getting it.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So this comes up and there and that seed gets planted in that class. And you see her just listening and just sort of, and as I'm watching her listening, I'm like, my sister's not in a good place. Like that's like, I was just like, as I ran, I was like, she's not in a good place right now. So when she comes to sit down with you at the dinner and oh, happy, go lucky Toby is, you know,

he's living his best life and doesn't know. And she's just like, I don't think I can do this anymore or she says, when we go, we When I go, I don't think I should bring you home with me. And it's interesting, like, I didn't think I could fall. I told you I couldn't fall in love with a fat person. That's one of the bars that she drops. And you dropped back, but you did. You fell in love with me, right?

So now what do you do with that? And God, if you just saw, like, I mean, you saw it all happening. Like at the same time, like, I love you and, I love you and it wasn't a butt, it was a love you, and I don't know if I can become the person that I want to, if I stay here. I just went home and I smashed, was it donuts that she swirmed up killing or whatnot? And it's just sort of like,

I'm trying to find my North Star, but I've attached myself to someone who has a different sort of North Star. Yeah. Yeah, it's one of the first, not one of the first, I think it's happened earlier in earlier episodes, but it is a trend in our show to deliver, like, brutal honesty

with the most love and compassion that a character can muster. And it happens a lot, and it happens a lot in this episode and the next episode where I was just amazed at like the brutality is such a violent word, but like the rigorous honesty. Yeah. That is also delivered by the performer, Chrissy You,

with so much love in their face, which makes it hurt more. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, okay, so then we'll continue. you with sister. Sister leaves you and we don't know what's going to happen with Katobi. Everybody's already shipped them. I've shipped them. I don't know how everybody. I've shipped them. I like my brother-in-law. Tobias is a good dude. She gets on the plane. And this was a really, this was a moment for me of real sort of like checking oneself. I'm going to be honest. I've had a feeling like when I'm sitting on the plane and a big person sits next to me. Of like,

Oh, I don't get whatever, the armrest, whatever. I'm going to be perfectly honest, right? And I never until this moment thought about what the F they go through having to get on that plane and knowing that everybody is doing that ish, right? And it caught me. And I was like, oh, Brown, you can be fucking better. Yeah. Right?

And you see her come and be like, don't worry. I bought both of these seats, right? Like just before you even, like, have anything to say about it, you don't have to worry about me rubbing up against you anything because I got... Yeah. And I was like, fuck. Mm-hmm. Got me.

Yeah. Got me, man. Yeah. It's a real consideration, yeah. Yeah. And then the flight attendant comes up and is like, here's your seatbelt extender. And you could just tell that Kate is like, I got it, got it. Like, this is my...

The less attention I can draw to any of this. I just want to get to get to where I'm going. Sure. Just like everybody else, without making a scene, and be on my way. Right. I mean, it's the separation that we walk through life with, right? Yeah. As we separate ourselves from people in some ways to keep ourselves safe

or to keep ourselves, you know, moving through the world. Yeah. Until all of that gets broken down by a uniting experience. Yeah. Which is this moment of turbulence. Yes. Right, an excellent metaphor for a uniting experience, whether it's a pandemic or 9-11, or whatever the thing is that brings people together regardless, and she finds herself

after this turbulence holding hands with this woman unexpectedly. Yep. It's just, it's a, it's a, it's a moment of all the walls, all the walls coming down, right? For both of them. Yeah. A moment of acceptance, forgiveness. but also it really hit me like the like these seized again it's probably the place I am currently in my life but these seize the day moments yeah yeah don't normally hit me as

hard as this one we got you we're gonna have to we're gonna have to we'll get talk off camera you're right this is us we'll break this down at life cise the day it's also I don't know if you guys have had this but I know I've had something about a total stranger that you can just tell them. You can tell them the deepest, but you can't tell like the people who are closest to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I'm saying? The plane, train, whatever it is, the situation. And you're just like, oh, I'm never going to see you again. Yeah. I'm going to let it all out. Yeah. The stakes don't feel as high. I've been in this dude, he's been cheating on me this whole time. I'm getting the divorce. Yeah. Thanks for helping me. Yeah. Thanks for letting

me say that to someone. I haven't said that out loud before. Yeah. That's what you got from hearing that woman's like proclamation on the plane. And obviously, you see the wheels turning in Kate's head as well, like, well, what, what do I need to do with my life? Yes. To which she finally makes it to, to Jersey for, uh, for Thanksgiving. She comes to just like, right in the door. Didn't know what she walked into as an announcement. I'm getting gastric bypass, right?

She doesn't realize the moment she interrupted. I thought it was, I thought this, on this moment, this reveal was so well. and so well executed because I forgot the reveal was coming. I forgot the reveal was coming. Like, they set up your character in such a way that like, no, we do these things, that even when Beth says,

you're going to drive how far to get these tapes that I was like, yeah, no, but that's where, of course Randall's going to do that. That's Randall. It's potentially William's last Thanksgiving and his son is going to do whatever it takes to make it as comfortable as possible for them. Yeah, right.

Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I was like, there's nothing about this premise that bumps me in any way. Right. And then you go and you find. We find a letter, but I want to go back. I'm going to find a letter, but we're going to go back. Because the opening montage of Randalls to, you can call me out, is one of my favorite things.

Because I would ask first, I was like, can you guys play the song a couple of times? I know you're not going to play it on the day. But I want to hear it to see if I can get the rhythm. I just wanted to get that rhythm in there. Oh, you felt it, though. I felt that shit so deeply. And I just loved annoying the hell out of everybody to wake them up. Not because he's trying to annoy them.

He's like, I'm so excited, guys. T-minus nine minutes, T-minus eight minutes. You're going to do this. Jumping on Kevin. I was like, I really wish I were a fly on the wall for that. That's what I used to do to my brother on Christmas morning. Did you? I think it feels like Christmas.

Yes. And it's Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. It's Randall's Christmas is Thanksgiving, right? He goes through all this. Everybody's up and excited. He's down there. He's getting the bird ready. William comes in to help out, but he's a little tired. He's like, William, you sit down, you relax. Everything's going to be fun. And then his brother's there. And I love that, that, like, I had to do a couple with the English accent. And I had somebody tell me, he's like, well, maybe not with the English accent. I was like, no, you should use the, like, trust me. He's giving a bad English accent.

which makes it even better. You know what I'm saying? The reaction that I get out of Justin is he turns around, I'm like, hey, man, don't do none of your Randall stuff. Like, please. He's like, are you scared? Oh, when they were doing his stuff? Are you worried about what's going to happen?

You think I'm going to take you a woman? Make me very happy. Thanksgiving Dad's a hot dad? Thanksgiving Dad is a hot dad. That's right. It makes me very excited. And it's the juxtaposition, which I've enjoyed so much in the writing, that he got to go so high.

Right. And I think that's the thing about the show, is that, like, you're with us on the highs. So when we pull that rug out, man, bra. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So we go on us, Kev brings his, Olivia comes to the house. Shout out to Janet Montgomery.

Because I just want to say, real quick, like, she plays someone who's not likable, but she plays it very well, and there's layers to it. You know what I'm saying? And I just, like, really appreciate how it goes. But we'll get to that with Kevin's thing. We go on our hike, everybody's hiking. We have different side conversations. Williams taking another little break. This is when we find out, he's like,

how long is this hike, it goes, you know, it's 3.4 miles, what have you. He's so excited to have like his biological dad and his mom in the same room, and it's all just so exciting and exhilarating. He finds out about these tapes. He's like last Thanksgiving, you know, we just, all my sober friends get together

because we sort of not attached to our family, so we become a family. family of our own. We have a little jam session, and we record the tapes for posterity. And last year, I just listened to the tapes, and it was cool. And, you know, Randall's like, I'm going to get these deck on tapes. We finished the hike, come home. He tells Beth, she's like, why are you going to leave? And he's like, it may be his last one. He goes to Philly. He finds the tapes. He's very excited. It opens up this drawer. He sees a letter. And it was interesting because I was like, why are you snooping through this letter, Randall? Why are you looking at?

You know, that letter's not for you. But he recognized a hand. Right. Yeah. So when he comes back, and I'm going to tell you guys something, this is a weird feeling as a person watching me as the actor and the character. And I was like, I was watching me saying he's not happy. Like, and I got very sort of like tense watching it, right? Because you could tell it was just darkness. And you're not used to Randall being a dark cloud. Right. You know what I'm saying? Like Randall is the dude who. brings buoyancy to things. And so to see him sort of brooding, that's a Jack move. Jack will brood. Yeah. Randall doesn't really brood. And so to see him just like not having any of him.

So sitting at the table, mom starts off the yarn, you know, and she says the same thing every year, which first came from Jack from back in the day, and it's sweet and loving. And she throws me to yarn. I just like, I don't want to. And then Beth's like, hey, girls. Maybe you should go upstairs. Yeah. It's even like a...

Things are about to be said. It's about to go down. And like the way it gets broached, he just pulls out the picture and he says, why is there a picture of me in Williams' house that was sent from you, right? And Mandy, like, it's all... Mandy Moore, and she's just like, oh, I was gonna tell you, sir. Let's back up real quick because Beth, when she, soon as she walks into the house.

Oh, yeah. It's like, look, I don't know how things work in your marriage, but in my marriage, we don't keep secrets. And you're like, I'm going to tell him when it's the right time. I'm not going to do that to him on Thanksgiving because this is his day, right? And both arguments are valid, completely valid. Like, I wouldn't necessarily have dropped it today. But Beth was like, all right, now.

Because she said she's going to say it tonight, possibly, if you didn't. Yeah. Right? Turns out. Clock is ticked. That got taken out of either one of them. That's right. That's right.

I will never forget filming this scene. Yeah. It was such a complicated episode. You know, we were still on the precipice of introducing this version of the character present day. And it's so wholly intimidating. I think this is the first, like, kind of like the first real time that we were all together. It was like a large group present day.

John is there. I mean, it's like, it's a holiday. It was a big deal. And I just remember, like, watching that scene back now, I'm like, I could feel the same sort of, yes, like, like not being, like, my heart just racing. Yeah. And not being able to catch my breath and feeling like I was sort of on edge because I, I mean, this is a deeper conversation that I feel like kind of bleeds into 109.

But, like, the secret that this woman kept for 36 years, never told her husband before he passed. Like, no one knew but the two of them, right? Rebecca and William. And the idea that, like, she probably just at some point started living her life thinking, this is a secret that I will hold myself and he will hold, but when will our paths ever cross? Like, there's no way we're ever going to see each other again. So this is something I will die. I will go to my grave with.

So the prospect of this boat being rocked in this way, like I can't imagine the edge that this woman was living on for these past several weeks. Yeah. Oh, for these weeks. Yeah, yeah. Oh, this is like eventually like the dam will break. Like I have to tell him this is just too weird.

Right. She'd probably let her guard down a considerable amount leading up to this like thinking okay okay we're all adults now like this is not you probably don't even know if william couldn't still be alive oh correct yes right but yeah it's it's it's it's hard as an actor to disagree with what a character is choosing to do sure and i had a very hard time with this truthfully i just vehemently like just disagreed with how rebecca handled this Sure. I can understand, and that's how I was able to find my way into it.

I wouldn't have made that same choice. Yeah. So having to separate myself from the character was always, and again, that kind of pleads more into 109, was something that I had to contend with. I want to talk more about that, actually, as actors. Go. But I will say, go a quick side note, that I'm with you at the beginning of 108, I disagreed. And by the end of 9, you felt different.

I felt different. Yeah. Like I was actually moved. Like I was actually like... Same, same, same. Oh. Yeah. Like they're like the feet, it was, it was the fear that moved me.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And and... We'll get into. But as actors, but as actors, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's an interesting thing to talk about. It's a little, it's a, I'll talk about that. But like, I got to say, I have spent 30 to 40% of my career playing like, vile, white supremacist, like, like, characters. Really? Yeah, yeah.

You said six foot five, bearded, shaved head, you know, like vile... We know what you'd be good after. Come in, come in. Wait, sully. That's who we need. But to like put yourself... Like, my first big acting job was playing Milam, the murderer of Emmett Till. Oh, wow.

Like on stage, like crazy things like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. To have to, like, put yourself into that character and to understand that the character doesn't disagree with himself. No. Character thinks that everything is. I mean, obviously, there's conflict, internal conflict, but it is, it can be a really hard thing to do, but to accomplish what you accomplished, knowing that there's that conflict,

not only within the character, but within you as the actor. It's just, it's really something to watch. I think, I think one lends itself to the other with regards to. Mandy, Rebecca in this particular moment because she was conflicted. Yeah. Of course, yes. It wasn't cut and drive. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I think those sort of things are sort of like symbiotic in that way. Because to what you're saying, Chris, and I think we all know this. I'm just saying it because it's an interesting conversation. Like, it is nice to like your character. It is not necessary to like your character or their choices. What is necessary is that you understand why they make the choices that. that they make.

And the show always did a very good job, especially in the next episode of illuminating why she would have made this particular choice. Not putting the onus on you as a performer to explain this to the audience. Or the audience just to like accept it. Exactly. Right. So that scene, it ends with him with Randall sort of being like, this is something that you've kept from me my whole life.

If you had not kept this from me, like maybe I could have had a chance to have a relationship that now is gonna be fleeting because my man has terminal cancer, right? And he's like, he's like, he said like, I can't even look at you. Yeah. Yeah. Oh.

I'll never forget when you went, stop. Yeah. Oh. Stop with the hands. That was the first time we saw that character do that. Yeah. I was, I, just like, I, it's burned in my conscious of like filming that scene.

Yeah. Yeah. It was just there. there was no choice. There was nowhere to go. It's like you were so ultimately in control of that moment and what happened from there. And I think as a parent, like, it was just really sobering.

Yeah. Thank you. And I don't like watching it. Like, I don't like watching random be maddened, Rebecca. I love my father so much. But in that kind of pain, too. That's what was just like, oh, just unquestionable. Well, just, yes, you want to, you're like, as a parent, like, watching it.

You're like, what can I do to rectify the situation? And there's just nothing. Not in that moment. We'll be right back with more. That was us. Summer means two things in my household, the 2024 Summer Olympics and hydration. I'm very excited about the Olympics. Gang, I'm excited about the Olympics.

Gang, I'm excited about the Olympics. Olympics, and it's hot outside right now. This summer's going to be a hot when hydration is going to be incredibly important. Did you know that there's going to be break dancing this summer? What? Are you saying? In this Summer Olympics? Yeah, yeah, you guys, get ready.

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So liquid IV has so many great sugar-free flavor options, too. Hydration multiplier cotton candy is back for the summer. I did not know that. Plus, you can always grab a packet of white peach, green grape, raspberry melon, lemon, lemon, lemon, lime, one of my favorites. Just grab the liquid IV packet of your choice. Tear it open, get more hydration than just drinking water alone. With eight vitamins and nutrients in each pack and three times the electrolytes of leading

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And Miguel, I was like, wow. Okay, so now we're laying the groundwork for just how deeply he disregards Miguel. Yeah. And what an afterthought he is in his life. He said, like even like in their first conversation between Randall and Kevin is like, yeah, they're coming over. What about Miguel? He's like, what about Miguel? I was like, dude, he's not...

He's our stepdad, not ISIS. If that's not a... Yeah, exactly. If that's not 2016 for you, I don't know what it is. Not ISIS. Not ISIS. And so, okay, Kev is going to be with his family for Thanksgiving. He's doing the play with Olivia.

She says she goes to some bar, has, like, whiskey or what have you. And he's like, you should come hang out with my family. He's like, she's like, I don't want to be around the milk toast people that created you. He's like, oh. Let me break it down. He's like, you want to know about my family? Yeah. He's like, I got, I got a plus size twin who's still working on like her habits. I got an adopted black brother who just met his biological father who's like died of kids. He's like, my mom is married to my dad's best friend. He's like, you think we're boring? Yeah. Like you have no idea. She's like, you can see her be like, this sounds interesting. Yeah.

You know what I'm saying? So she decides to come home for Thanksgiving. And at this point, They knocked boots one time after they went to the wake. Yes, after that situation. So there's sort of like, you know, are they together? Are they not together? What have you? There is, what is it? She wants to leave why at a certain point.

Because it gets too intimate. Yeah, too real. It gets too real because Kevin regards her. He's listening and he brings her that. Right, that's right. The piece of pie. And Williams watching this. She's never made it to the pie.

Yeah. William's watching this. And so William goes sitting outside, getting a little bit of fresh. But the pie moment is also when Miguel pops in. And it's like, hey, pardon me. Do you mind? Excuse me. I know, I know that you guys.

It's so sweet. And I'm just wondering if this year, if I could wear the Pilgrim Rick hat. You want a white hat? That's fun. And Kevin, Kevin's response is. is a lot of things, but he literally says, no dice. Like, the lack of consideration for Miguel's feelings. He was like, can you believe this guy?

I was going to wear the hat. And that's another interesting shift. Because when Miguel asks, I'm still on the team of like, well, this is, it's the Pearson tradition. I mean, Kevin probably didn't handle that the best, but he's probably right. Here's the thing, too. At this point in time in the history of our show, Miguel, is persona non grata.

Correct. Like by public perception, they're like, we don't have enough information. Man. If they could just flash forward, if they could just flash forward, that Miguel episode in season six. And we'll have, we'll have him because I'm curious,

I want to ask him what that was like. Like if that's something that he felt or if not, we'll get to that later. I mean, you can't help but. You know John. I do know John. If anybody like was able to brush that off, it was him. But yes.

What will ask him? So, this fantastic conversation between William and Olivia happens outside. And she asks the actory of actoreist questions. Completely inappropriate. So inappropriate. But as an actor, I kind of be like, if I had like more of a relationship with the person, I could have seen myself asking this question. But I don't think I would have just been like,

but it also goes back to what you mean about like they have no relationship yeah and and and and her brokenness for all of its detriments actually is it I nobody asks dying people this question because they don't want to know sure but it's actually it's it's a it's surprising it inappropriate socially but also like very considerate yeah to be like how does it feel how are you feeling like I know you're sick and I know how does it feel to be dying Yeah, Olivia to William, how does it feel to be dying? And he responds, it feels like all these beautiful pieces of life are flying all around me, and I'm trying to catch them. The pieces are moving faster now, and I can't catch them all.

I can feel them slipping through my fingertips. I know it feels like you have all the time in the world, but you don't. So stop playing it so cool. Catch the moments of your life. Catch them while you're young and quick, because sooner than you know it, you'll be old and slow. And there will be no more of them to catch. I want a nice boy who adores you, offers you pie, say thank you. Yeah.

Yeah. You really get the sense that he had a profound understanding of what he was saying. Yeah. I thought that too. And because he's not with us anymore, the beautiful human being that he is. It's just like, wow. I thought that when we were watching the hike part of the episode, because I very viscerally remember.

remember it being a physically taxing exercise, physically taxing for the human, Ron, because he was suffering. And it was really hard for him to breathe. And I remember, like, him sitting was scripted, but also because he genuinely needed to do that. It really brought home knowing what was actually happening in real time in those moments while we were shooting this show and this season. you're right that Ron just had this intrinsic connection to what his character was going through and it makes it all the more poignant. It does indeed. But that is such a beautiful sentiment and I guess just like continuing in the fashion of what the show has sort of already laid the groundwork for

of these just like these pullable quotes of like, wow, this is instructions on how to live. Yeah. Yeah. sees that mickey-ficky moment, man, like hold on to it. And so it inspires, like when they go and the kiss that comes after it off of it, I was like, that's a kiss. I was like, okay. We lip locked up in this joint.

I was like, yeah, I felt that, you know what I mean? Which is so interesting because it's like, when we come to the next episode, it's almost like, she exposed herself so much that she just went all the way back in the opposite direction. Yeah. I was like, that was too much. I showed too much, right? Kev, then he's got the kiss. Next thing we know, he's got the Pilgrim Rick hat on.

He's going to come perform for his sisters. And I love it. Like a true actor, he's like, I'm not going to overplay it. You know, he's like, Dad may have done it this way. Like, hey, guys, Pilgrim, he goes. Less is more sort of thing. And then he checks and sees Miguel in the background. And he's like, you know what, man, I just have one of the best kiss.

This is my life. This is what's happening in the back of his head. He's like, I don't need this hat. I feel a little generous. I can let you wear this hat for a second. And Miguel is so touched. The look on his face got me. This is the moment.

This was the moment in this episode where I was like... He was so touched. Yeah. It was an amazing little... It's just small moments like that where a performer like John takes this thing. takes this thing and you see an entire world happen in moments. Absolutely. What I'm left with this Thanksgiving episode is like we build traditions.

We see how important traditions are to this family. We see what they're born out of. We see Jack sort of taking the lemon and making the lemonade and turning it into something beautiful. And then it comes full circle because now the thing that is beautiful, that has been upheld by his son to like make sure that it continues to be so has now once again been somewhat tainted by the fact that he feels betrayed. Yeah.

Right? Like there is something a secret that has been kept from him his entire life from the person that he probably trusts the most. Than anybody. Yeah. And we're left with that. A reckoning is coming. A reckoning is coming. We still don't know what's happening with Cotobio.

over here. Yeah, Chris Sullivan sitting in his apartment, wandering. He's, like, calling his agent, like, do I need to start auditioning for the thing to you? Texting the cat, but that was a great episode, you guys. Have we gotten 10 yet? I really like, is anyone seen 110 or anything?

Little did you know. There's more to come. There's more to come. The first, like, the tension between these two, because I think Beth has had to carry this tension of knowing this secret now. Yeah. like, what does that mean in terms of that relationship? Really wishing Kev the best things look like they're going to go good with Olivia or what have you.

And then we're wondering about sister and whether or not she's going to take on this surgery or not. So, yeah. Yeah. That's it. That was 108. Tell them about how they can reach out to us. Listen, we still want to hear from you. Yes.

We want to talk to you guys. We want to hear all of your stories and the way that you've connected with the show. so we have an emotional support hotline. Mandy, what's that phone number? That phone number is 412-50-3028. And Sterling, please tell me. We also have an email that people can send their stories. We do have an email.

We'd love to hear your stories. Please hit us up. That was UsPod at gmail.com. Were you about to say AOL? I'm almost saying it. Wow. That was UsPod at gmail.com. Send us your emails with all of your stories

the way you connected with the show. We want to hear from everyone. We love to connect with you. Speaking of connection, should we connect with some fans? Let's connect with some fans. Always a pleasure. Amanda Lee Moore.

Likewise. Christopher Sullivan. Sterling K. Brown. All of our producers remain unseen, but so important, we appreciate and love you all, as do we, our fans. For this episode's fan segment,

We asked our parent listeners out there to tell us about a time that they were maybe in over their heads. And we covered a lot of that, I believe, in today's episode. Sure it did. Yeah. Rebecca especially, I think, was in over her head. There's a lot. You're a lot going on. A lot going on.

You had three kids at one time. Yeah. Yeah, she's trying to make everything perfect for Thanksgiving. She's trying to get, you know, her kids to her parents' house, make it perfect for them, blah, blah, trying to do everything for everyone. The kids are fighting. Cranberry sauce ends up on the floor. I mean, it's a hot mess. It's too long of a drive.

First of all, let's talk about this. Six hours. Makes no sense. Where do they live? Where do they live? They live in Bethel Park. They live in Bethel Park. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Outside of Pittsburgh. Yep. At the end of the day, all of these calamitous, you know, tire blowing out, long hike. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Ending up in Pilgrim Ricks Hotel. Creates beautiful memories and lifelong traditions. That's true. That's true.

So for this episode's fan segment, we asked our parent listeners to tell us about a that they realized they were maybe in over their head and to share any words of wisdom for all of us. So here is what some of them share. Okay, I'm good, I need, I need all of this. Start it off, started it off, so? This is from Colin all the way from Belfast in Northern Ireland. My wife went out for the afternoon

for the first time since our son was born, and I was at home alone with a newborn and a two-and-a-half-year-old. He threw up everywhere while I was changing him, and my daughter whacked her head and was screaming. I felt completely stressed and overwhelmed. Then it passed and we got through. I've learned to ignore the wave of the feeling of overwhelm

because you get through. It passes and peace and calm returns. This two shall pass, bro. The good and the bad. The good and the bad. I don't think you're fully initiated into parenthood until you've had some other part of fluid from your child land on your body.

Yes, right? Absolutely. Be it vomit, be it poop, be it pee. I can remember holding the kid. Ryan went into the store to go grocery shopping. Me and Andrew were hanging out. And I was like, oh, his diaper got full. There were no extra diapers.

So I was just like, all right, we'll just wait until we get home. And then, like, he went again. And then it started to come down. And I was like, just sitting there and it's on there. And I was like, this will never happen. Before you have kids, like, this will never, I'm not going to let anybody just deuce on me. And then all of a sudden, yeah, yeah, you got deuce. Yeah.

Last week, I had throw up on me on two separate occasions. The same day. The same day. That's how it goes. Let's see what Brittany has to say in terms of her advice. Brittany says, and I like this, it's okay to not be okay. Take a step back, take a break, walk away. You can't parent effectively if you're not,

in the right headspace. Come on now, Brittany. Absolutely. You know what I'm saying? I remember that on a daily basis. You know? Because it is very easy to be reactionary as a parent instead of responses.

A response you get to choose. A reaction is involuntary. Take that breath, everybody. Yeah. Keep moving. Rachel and I call it the tap out. Yeah. I look at her, I go, I'm tapping out.

And she slides in and takes over whatever situation. And I'll be back in 20. It's nice when there's two in the house. So Desi says, I decided to let my one-year-old and five-month-old and my two-year-old and nine-month-old help make breakfast. Oh, my goodness. Wasn't long before pancake mix was in their hair, on their faces, all over the floor. I've learned to step back and embrace the chaos. Those hysterical laughs live on forever in my heart.

That is some dynamite perspective. That is the Randall in me, by the way, like loves. order. Yeah. Same. I don't know if I can have a little kids running around in my kitchen, but God bless you. We should clear. That's just two kids, right?

Three kids. It's a one year and five month old. Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. No, it's just two kids. It's just two kids. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Because I don't think that's generally possible to have a one-year-old.

I don't understand how this is happening. But this is, sorry. She's not counting by months, right? Yeah. It's important to count by months. I am specific when it comes to the age of my children to, but let me rephrase that. So let me read this again. So decided to let my one year five and five month old and my two year and nine months old.

Yes. Oh, make breakfast. Yes. We thought there was four. It was way more chaotic. Well, just doing this. The way it's written, one year and five month old and my two year. No, you're not wrong.

You're not wrong. Not at all. It's all good. Wow, wow, wow. Yeah, sometimes you just have to lean in. This is terrible laugh will live on forever too, and my mistake. Sometimes you've got to lean into the mess.

Yes, ma'am. And just let it be mess. Yes, sir. I appreciate that. Who's next? All right, Ashley wrote all of the newborn phase was something that got her in over her head. Yeah.

It's okay to not love it. It gets better. I'm a pediatric physician assistant and work with new moms every day. It helps to know you're not alone and your feelings are valid. That is so incredibly important. I mean, it's a highlight. It is.

I think, I mean, especially for moms and the idea that, like, you're supposed to be instantaneously in love. Yeah. Head over heels completely and that's the only thing that you're, like, allowed to see. And know exactly what to do. Exactly. It's the only space you're allowed. Right. Like, you're allowed that and everything else.

Yeah. Right? because it is, I always try to break this down because people sort of like, they like to talk about so when are you going to have a kid and are you excited and da-da-da-da, welcome to the club, and it's a great club. It's an awesome club.

It's the hard club. As soon as you join, there are no other members. Hard club. As soon as you join the club, everyone disappears. Everybody's gone! I used to have friends. I used to have friends. And now I'm alone in this house.

Yeah. It's real. So, like, I appreciate that. that sentiment very, very much. Thank you, Ashley. Jennifer, this is what she has to say. As a parent, I realized I was in over my head when I went through a divorce and was suddenly

on my own as a mom of two boys. My dad had recently been diagnosed with dementia, and my mom was overwhelmed as his primary caregiver, so I suddenly couldn't lean on them either. And they suddenly needed me too. It was a whole new reality completely foreign that I had to navigate and it was overwhelming. I don't know about words of wisdom,

but I would say I navigated through it four years later by just staying the course and taking it day by day, sometimes moment by moment, one task at a time, one foot in front of the other. Like that saying about taking the first step, even if you can't see the whole staircase. That is an MOK quote that she's saying, Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see

the whole staircase. Listen, that's a bar. Yeah. When you think about the totality of things that need to be accomplished, sometimes in a given day, like sometimes I feel like when I try to look at the whole elephant, I'm like, I can't put that in my mouth. Yeah. Right? You got to take it piece by piece. You got to take it moment by moment and trust that the next moment will be there. And then when you get to that moment, you'll know what to do. Yeah. Because otherwise, life, period. That shit. No matter the circumstances, yeah, because everyone's going to have different circumstances. Yes.

Certainly, yes. That is incredible advice. Thank you, Jennifer. Beth, a twin mum from the UK, says when the sonographer said there are two in there, not quite a big three, but still a shock, words of wisdom, repeat the mantra. It's just a phase each time a new hurdle appears. Yeah. That is the truth.

Yeah, yeah. The good, the bad, everything in between. Good phases. Yeah. Totally. It's like you can't sort of get any, nothing is set in stone. Yeah. You can't get used to any one thing because before you know it, it's going to change. Everyone's sleeping fantastically. And then someone's going through a sleep regression or potty draining or something. Parenting seems to be the ultimate Buddhist exercise and non-attachment.

Yeah. And trying to stay present. Yeah. Yeah. And trying to keep hummus off your shirt. That's too. It's not going to happen. Don't forget the deuce, Jack. Don't forget the deuce. I'm just. I'm just. I'm just. just saying it's real this is Sterling Brown reminding you don't forget the deuce thank you you guys for your advice yeah for sharing moments of being overwhelmed and ways of making it through it deeply appreciate your perspective it's helpful to everyone including us including us yes yeah certain lessons you can learn over and over again and also if you're if you have a friend with a new

child, reach out. Bruh. They long to hear from you. Come on, man. Don't forget about them. Yes. Amen. All right. That's it for this fan segment. Appreciate you guys. That was us. It's filmed at the Crow and produced by Rabbit Grin Productions and Sarah Warehound. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.