Wolf and Owl - S3 Ep 65: The Squirrel & The Royal Albert Hall

Episode Date: December 18, 2024

It’s a very special occasion for the pod as we’re kicking off this episode with our very first guest - the Squirrel! It’s none other than Rom’s son Charlie, who has a quick chat with Tom before heading out to school. Then it’s on with the show and we’re talking… beard paint, aging with dignity, a mad time filming and a broken ankle, being more zen about things, Tom’s tricky gig hosting the Streets Of London charity evening at the Royal Albert Hall, Christmas preparations, committing to spending more time with our wives and moving house in the New Year. Plus, in a follow up to last week’s sauna chat debate, we answer an email question about how best to make new friends after re-locating to another part of the country. For questions or comments, please email us at [e-mail] - we’d love to hear from you. Instagram - @wolfowlpod TikTok - @wolfowlpodcast YouTube - www.youtube.com/WolfandOwlPodcast Merch & Mailing List - https://wolfandowlpod.com A Mighty Ranga Production For sales and sponsorship enquiries: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The holidays are almost here, but Amazon still has last-minute deals. Like makeup for the beauty lover, electronics for the tech pro, and home goods for the host who was too busy hosting to shop. Shop last-minute deals at Amazon now. This episode is brought to you by Dyson On Track. Dyson On Track headphones offer best-in-class noise cancellation and an enhanced sound range, making them perfect for enjoying music and podcasts. Get up to 55 hours of listening with active noise cancelling enabled, soft microfiber cushions engineered for comfort, and a range of colors and finishes. Dyson

On Track, headphones remastered. Buy from DysonCanada.ca. With ANC on, performance may vary based on environmental conditions and usage, accessories sold separately. Bring your weak shit, wear the wolf and howler That ain't just a mistake, that's an awful howler Both of them are known to pull up at your shows Have the crowd witnessing the murder like they're rolling with a gang of crows Fuck their censorship, let them see the whole thing They stay dressed to kill, never sheep's clothing Dark enough to turn the sun to the moon, you'll see nothing All you hear's a huff a puff and a... Expect killings, red spilling and flesh ripping Impressive innit, the death bringing its head spinning Just kidding, every word in this song's about two grown men

Dressed up as a bird and a dog Welcome to the Wolf and Our Podcast Wow, it's amazing It's incredible to look because We've got an exciting introduction here So I'm just gonna hand this over I'm gonna give this to you for like Two minutes and then I'll take you off because you've got to get ready for school.

All right. Okay. Right. So I'm not going to hear what Uncle Tom's saying to you. Okay. So just all right. So I'm handing over to one of our only ever guests on the podcast. Charlie Ranganathan. Here we go. Okay. Wow. How you doing mate? You good? Yeah. What animal are you going to be? Animal? Oh for this? Yeah, because I'm a wolf, daddy's an owl. Um, I don't know. What do you mean? Have a guess. An animal? Yeah. I don't know, a squirrel? A squirrel? Okay very cool. The squirrel welcome ladies and gentlemen the squirrel. What's going on in your life squirrel? Just school. Just school but breaking up on holidays right? Yeah. And what's, how's school been? How's school, is

it cool? Yeah how's house are you learning a lot? Um it's been a bit boring very actually not a bit very boring Some fun stuff last week Like we watched the movie what maybe did you watch um Christmas Chronicles? Oh school movie a lot of film Yeah, all right. Okay. Say bye. Bye. Bye Say this is the squirrel. I've been on the wall for now. Thanks for having me. This is a squirrel I've been on the wall for now and thank you for having me. Okay, great. Well done. Charlie Good to have you on. Good work my friend. Thanks How are you Tommy? Charlie actually asked to come on the podcast didn't he? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's

It's cool coming in. Did you notice any Ramesh vibes from him? Yeah, there was a Ramesh air to him. But also I think there's a confidence that I quite like, a chillness to him. He's very chilled in himself. Yeah, did I tell you about what he said about when he was eating this cake? Have I told this story? No, no, no, no. I said about what he said about when he was eating this cake. Have I ever told this story? No

He was eating a bit of cake for dessert the other day after dinner and He couldn't finish it and he said you want my cake and I said no, I'm alright Thank you. And then he looked up he got up and he pointed his ass and he goes do you want this cake? Well, it's pretty Pretty, pretty full on. Wow. I think it's. Is that one of your? I don't know how appropriate. That's not one of my usual, no, I know what you're about to get into.

It's not one of my usual flexes, that, especially around the kids. I wouldn't encourage the kids to be sort of pointing at their arses and offering it up as cake. Anyway, welcome to another Christmas, a Chris Kringle episode of the wolf and the owl Tom the Christmas special for years and years and years I've debated dying my beard and you've told me that you'd hate me. You'd reject me It would be a pathetic thing to do and here I am looking at you Looking like some sort of magician from 1987 because your beard is fully, fully,

like when I say fully black, I mean it's drawing light into it. You know the worst, the worst thing is right, so this isn't, I've not done this for me, I've done this for a part, for a film that we're doing at the moment. So they, they said they're gonna- No wait, I'm not in this, I'm not in this.

No, no, no, no, no, I wish you were. I wish you were. It'd be a lot of fun if you were there. Yeah, I know you wish I do. Sadly, the industry doesn't, so. Anyway, go on. But so the lady the other day said, it ages you, your beard, it's quite gray.

So they painted it. It's not dye, it's paint. So to be fair, I've been quite disgusting. I should have probably had a shower when I got in last night, but it was a late wrap. So this is not permanent, what I'm looking at now? No, no, no, no, no, I'm hoping it comes out. I can't do, mate, but you know what?

Catherine likes it. Catherine was like, oh, your beard looks nice when I got home. She was like, I like your beard like this. So what are you thinking you might make this a permanent thing? No, I mean, look, I think the truth is that it shows that maybe she's her eyes cast to sort of maybe an older, a younger man. Not sort of like, you know, I thought she found the sort of grace or sort of peppered speckles quite sexy.

I've obviously got grey and it's increasingly spreading across my face like a wildfire, but I I've obviously like Not my hair is a little bit longer than it has been in the past and more than one person has said to me I like your hair and beard. It makes it very distinguished Yeah, I don't I don't think that's a compliment that like It's like no distinguishing. Yeah, but that's not like attractive is it distinguished is like Do you know me? No, you look regal William Shakespeare was distinguished. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah Have you seen that on tiktok so that people want to fucking smash William Shakespeare? Me and you are coming into a realm now where we're almost unsmashable. Oh, yeah

Mate, that's my that's been my world. Okay. But we're not desired people. Can I say, by the way, that whilst the beard is doing a little bit to like, up my attractiveness to my wife, one of the other sort of caveats to this role is that they insisted upon shaving my chest and stomach. Well, actually, they didn't they they I shaving my chest and stomach. Well, actually, they didn't, I could have had my stomach left hairy because it wasn't in shot at the time.

But I sort of said it would be quite insane to have a V shaved in there and keep the stomach hairy. So they've completely shaved all the hair off my body. How does that feel? Like, so Catherine saw it and made a joke and said I look like a big baby. And then grace got into bed with us the following morning, and sort of looked at me and daddy like that and looked at my like sort of bald

stomach. Now the hair is coming back my stomach looks a little bit like Homer Simpson sort of chin. So we've got that stubble on it. Yeah, but you make a good point. We are now, I mean, first of all, we don't need to be, this sounds bad, doesn't it? But we don't need to be attractive or sexy, do we? Because one, we're married with children. And two, we're now heading into that realm where,

you know, mid to late 40s, we're sort of out of that game now, aren't we? I would say it'd be nice to be attractive. It's more sort of descending into our, descending into our 50s, and trying to do that with as much dignity as we possibly can. That's kind of the aim now, right? I mean, it feels very, yeah, sort of weird of me to sort of say that sitting here with a painted black beard. Also it would be nice to be attractive to our wives. That would be a, you know, the other, the rest of it doesn't really worry me, but sort of being attractive to your wife does feel... By the way, your hair is not grey. You've got like

a really, your hair's jet black, right? No, no, no, but I'm getting some bits in the side here. But the other thing is Lisa is, I think Lisa is, it's less about attractive and it's more sort of acceptance. Do you know what I mean? This is now her lot in life and this is the thing. It's like, do you know like if you've got like a shitty old car and you can't afford to get a new one

and you just think, well, this is what I'm going to have to do the commuting. Do you know what I mean? That the commuting Jimmy that's kind of that's kind of make it sound like you like you're you're you're sort of a disease that she's found out she's got like a disease of the blood or sort of like that she's got gout yeah just so much going so I let his formations looking quite distinguished how you how you k from without yeah you, it's sort of, if you turn the lights down low enough, you can sort of get a bit aroused, I suppose. But the good side is, it's over pretty quickly. You know, every time he starts to make a move on me, I think, well,

I'm 10 minutes away from this being over, so it's not that bad. Every time we have sex, I know that means it's further away from me having to do it again. So in a way, I kind of look forward to it. So, yeah, that's where I'm at. How have you been? Have you been? You've been good? Well, I just got back from I got back from Vancouver. I Was in Phoenix and then we flew to Vancouver from Phoenix and then I got back from Vancouver a couple of days ago. I

I can't go into details but What I can say is what I filmed on the last day of my What I can say is what I filmed on the last day of my Vancouver trip might be the maddest thing I've ever filmed in my life on any documentary. Yeah, I can't go into details, but it's just mad. Can you give us a taste of that? Can I give you a taste of that? It pushed my of further than they've ever been pushed over in my life that's all i'm that's a lot of things that uh...

uh... something that did happen with in order to get to the film at the walk down quite kind of uh... uh... hill and uh... as we're going down they sort of said oh you know just so you know the hills quiet uh... quite mostly so just be careful as you're going down. As soon as as soon as they give us a warning like that I immediately become incredibly

paranoid because I think if somebody's going to go over it's going to be me and I find those I'm not very steady on my feet I've got a weak core so my stability is not very do you know what I mean I can go over very very easily I'm the opposite of a weeb. This might be the sexiest episode we've ever done. I know. It just leaves to known if she gives me a slight nudge. I'm on my back like a fucking turtle. You're gonna have to flip me over. Anyway, our producer, our exec on the show, John, he was just walking down the hill and it kind of like looked quite innocuous. He kind of went over on his ankle and then there was a snap and he went down fuck couldn't get up had to Rush him to hospital. He's fully broken his ankle. Oh It was all right. I know and we're thinking about like all of the we've done some quite not dangerous

But like, you know, you obviously do some, not challenges, but like some quite mad stuff. And of all the things for him to get injured on, it was the, it's just sort of walking down a hill, but it was, yeah, felt for him. He's- Did he fly back with you? Well, that was the other thing actually,

because there's all these things that suddenly come up, it's like you've got taken to hospital, then you've got to get given a fit to fly letter by the hospital to say you're okay to fly back thankfully they did give him that letter but he's supposed to be going to Lanzarote over Christmas and that might not happen now so shout out to John it was literally an hour before rap but I know I know did you, so is it on the way to get this amazing, let's see this now is you've really, you're selling this,

this is a good sale for your new show. Well the broken ankle isn't on camera. So if that's what, if you're gonna watch the show because you wanna see a producer break his ankle, I can say you're gonna be disappointed. That doesn't come up in the end. So it'd feel quite mean-spirited to put in a guy who appears once in the documentary just breaking his ankle. I know, but it's the sort of thing that TV people do isn't

it? Oh my god this is real. This is like part of putting the thing together. Should we get him? Like Ben shouts at you going, run, run, run, John's gone down and you just going what, what? And then you sort of coming back up the hill and going, Johnny, you okay, you okay? Just showing like real compassion. Yeah. I had, I don't, I won't, it's very difficult. I've got to make sure this is anonymized.

But one of the times that I really did think about leaving television, like genuinely think to myself, what world have I got myself into, is when we were doing this documentary, and I'm not gonna zero in on who it was it isn't I don't want to give any names or anything and I'm kind of trying to be vague enough that nobody could ever find this out but basically a relative of mine described his wife dying to me right so my auntie right sort of described her passing away.

And it's quite an emotional thing. And. One of the people on the show said to me, it was off camera. One of the people said to me, do you reckon you can get him to say that on camera? That was a really great story. Oh, God. We know. And then I just sat there and genuinely I just went. First of all, I said, I'm not doing that. And then second of all, I said, I'm not doing that. And then second of all, I said, I'm just gonna go to the toilet. And I just had a couple of minutes of thinking about

why is I've got myself into this world where somebody can ask me that? Do you know what I mean? You know when you sort of go, what am I doing? What the hell am I doing? Do you know what I mean? It's probably the closest I've come to just like thinking, oh, fuck this man, I don't wanna do this anymore. Yeah, but people like to think that that's the stuff What the hell am I doing? Do you know what I mean? It's probably the closest I've come to just thinking,

fuck this man, I don't want to do this anymore. Yeah, but people like to think that that's the stuff that people want to watch on television. Well, it kind of is. There's an argument that it is. In terms of like, it was a bit of a... It was like a moment, I guess, but my argument would be... Also, that would require... You'd have to act that would require, like, that would be, you'd have to act that.

No, no. Because the second time you hear it, it's never gonna be the same as the first, right? No. And also that's disgusting to think that someone, someone's like your relative sitting there talking to you about that, and someone is, in their mind, is watching you be quite upset

listening about this, what's happened, and in the head of thinking, instead of thinking, God fucking hell, this poor guy, he's lost his wife, and, well, she's having to listening about this, what's happened. And in the head of thinking, instead of thinking, God fucking hell, this poor guy, he's lost his wife and why is she having to hear about this for the first time? This looks awful. Isn't thinking, God, maybe I should go and get him a hot drink or maybe sort of give them a minute just to sort of have this moment together.

They're thinking, God, if we got some camera, that could be the difference of, you know, that's a trailer. I have tried to enter a new phase in my life now somewhere, I'm being more zen about these things. Actually, what I'm trying to do is, as you know, I've talked about this for quite a while, I'm trying to not be judgmental of people. So yes, I'll do that. Yes, but let's look at the best case scenario in that situation. person is under pressure and they thought it's quite a moving story and they thought it would be if his uncle's comfortable enough to tell him maybe it'd be nice to get that on camera as

an emotional bait in there I'm trying to be you know German I'm being like yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah you've got to see it from other, but also the trouble, and being Zen is good, but you also, you have to know that you can't be taking advantage of and go, that is a quite cynical way of someone looking at a situation, I think. Yeah, well, I have, I was talking to somebody who's quite like,

what is happening to me? I'm becoming like some sort of spiritual guru. I was talking to this guy and he was saying, he's talking to me about getting angry about things. And he was, this guy's very chilled guy. And he was saying, this is like an amazing thing he said to me, he said to me, respond. If he said, if you've been disrespected

or something bad happens to you, respond, don't react. Because when you react, you do the wrong thing. If you respond, if you take a moment to think about what this actually means, and then respond accordingly, you'll always behave in a better way. I thought that was pretty good. Have I managed to do that? No. Did I snap at Lucy yesterday over something innocuous?

Of course I did, because I'm a piece of shit But but you know you're supposed to you know, but you're trying to learn right which is in kind of distant time I'm on a development journey Come on me Fassa, let's get in some trouble This Friday Destiny awaits you. You can grab your friends and experience Mufasa the Lion King in 3D. Everything the light touches belongs to me.

You'll have to take it. Don't miss the perfect family Christmas movie. Knowing swimmingly, if I say so myself. Disney's Mufasa the Lion King. Oh yeah, that looks good. In theaters Friday. Tickets on sale now. In the move towards electric vehicles,

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Help turn off hesitation, turn off doubt, turn off fears. With your support, the YMCA of Greater Toronto helps people turn off whatever's holding them back so they can let their potential shine. Help turn on confidence and connections and possibilities. From youth shelters to job training, mental health counseling and beyond, the YMCA offers hundreds of programs

that empower people to shine their brightest. See our charity's impact at ymcagta.org. Could I say that on the basis of you, like so on Friday night I did a hosted an event for an amazing charity streets of London. Was this in the Royal Albert Hall? Yeah, yeah. What a venue to play by the way I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I haven't spoken to you about this book because I saw it on Instagram But I saw on my way back. I wanted to say to you. What was that like? It was incredible I will say that you know that I mean you have you played your own show there

I've done I've done I've hosted the Teenage Cancer Trust No, I've done, I've hosted the Teenage Cancer Trust night there. Anyway. But that's a night of you've got other comedians, right? Correct. It's a big difference between musicians and comedians. It's like the level of the night changes significantly, right? Well, I did the Royal Variety there. Rob and I hosted the Royal Variety, that was at the Playden, but when I did the Royal the Royal variety there not when I we Robin I host the Royal variety

That was at the play did but when I did like my first ever like comedy set there I did it did it the Royal Albert Hall And one of the things that somebody said to me is because there's all these variety acts and stuff like that Do not expect to have a great gig with the advice. So it's given so So what so I basically it, in fact it was Flo said to me, and this sounds like a horrible thing to say, she said to me, just before I was about to walk on stage, she said to me, Ramesh, this is probably going to be a hard gig. I just want you to know this is probably going to be tough. So just go out there and play it as best you can. So that's

what I tried to do. That insight from Flo on Friday night. Or someone. So, number one, I turned up to, like you do, I mean, you have, I turned up alone. Yes, we don't normally rock with an entourage, do we comedians? Like you do, right? Me and you haven't... I turned up alone. Like, you know, it's between you and me. We don't normally rock with an entourage, do we, comedians? And there was...

Most people there had, like, an entourage with them. And, you know, obviously there's more to control when it comes to musical acts. And, like, I would say all the musical acts, lovely people, great people, but straight away it was this is exactly the sort of thing you say when you're about to describe car crash just lovely people great people I've got nothing against anybody else that was there. No I was the crash no so like so it was it was very it was abundantly clicked number Number one, I get there. And like when you're booking an act to host something,

you've got to know the parameters of that act, right? So I get there and I'm sort of going through my material. They're like, yeah, I do 10, 15 at the top, then start bringing on acts. And then someone comes to me and says, oh, you're aware that there's quite a lot of children in the audience tonight. And I was like, yeah, oh no, that there's quite a lot of children in the audience tonight. And I was like, yeah, oh, no, I didn't know that. No one had told me that. And they're like, so sort of no swearing and no material that could sort of.

That's a problem for you, all right. But anyway, yeah, and mine, by the way, and mine. No, no, no, but but me and you, but I was very nervous anyway, because I'm aware that a lot of people are there. I'm a bolt on. Everyone's there to listen to incredible musicians, play at the Albert Hall, you know, for homelessness. And then, you know, as an added extra, they've got a massive idiot between the acts. So then, I don't know about you, when you're told that you can't swear and to look at your material, every part of your act and everything you

plan to do when you go on stage feels that that's not the stuff you should be doing so you start going through your acts and going okay this isn't and also and also when people say no swearing well that also means is a lot of stuff that doesn't have swearing and is now unsuitable just because of the nature of it right no I mean that's the other problem. It's not just about taking swears out It's about some of your stuff I mean I know some of my stuff even the stuff without swearing eludes to something that I wouldn't want to deliver In front of a young eight-year-old. Yeah, exactly. It's like I remember like, you know

Should she know the shadow tennis bit right? Yes, it's quite innocuous I bet I'm in boy and I talked to you about that and you were like you kind of need to drop the c-word when you're describing the guy who's losing at shadow tennis because it's such a... That sounds like a note I'd give. No, but it was a great note and even when I did it for Sky I had to change it but then I could just say prick. All of a sudden you're second guessing prick.

So the shadow tennis which is probably sort of a family friendlyfriendly bit up until that bit, you can't really do. Up until the punchline. Yeah, the punchline. You can't do the punchline. It's basically what you are is a massive oaf just playing shadow. You become the guy playing shadow tennis. So I literally, and now with 15 minutes to go, I'm scrambling around thinking, okay, what am I saying when I get out here? So I get out and then I introduce it, and then you're doing filler between each of the bands going on and whatever you're doing your bit.

And then I'm chatting to someone about the gig and homelessness and stuff, and I'm saying to them about many, many years ago, losing, me and Kathy, losing me and Katherine lost their flat and we were in a situation where we didn't have anywhere to go. And I sort of was, I kept that to myself a little bit and I'd sort of got into a financial position. Yeah, it wasn't really my fault, but I tried to sort of almost hide that from her. Just because I'm so embarrassed. And I sort of got myself into a bit of a bad position and subsequently lost my relationship.

A lot of stuff went on. And I ended up speaking to someone from a charity and trying to sort of just get my head into all that. You know, about where I was at. You ended up going to a charity for some assistance. Yeah, but also this is what, you know, the journey of mental health, me of my mental health,

but also like being more open about how I'm feeling and where I'm at rather than trying to keep everything inside. So I was talking to one of the musicians about this and they were like, look, it's really, you're doing great. Yeah, funny, but actually that's quite an amazing thing to say on stage. Because yeah, and also I might say the acts are fucking

amazing, but the acts were very like, you know, the songs that I'm playing were very heartfelt songs. And then I'm coming on and I'm out to say the acts were fucking amazing but the acts were very like you know the songs that are playing were very heartfelt songs and then I'm coming on and I'm doing a bit about me looking like Tyson Fury. It's a great bit. I know but it doesn't it's not necessarily like Birdie who was amazing uh comes on sings these amazing heart foot did a version a rendition of the snowman you're walking in the air and then I come on yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah let's get scale somewhere so I decided to sort of go out do a bit of a joke but then just talk quite honestly about can I just sorry to interrupt but can I just say before you you do this you don't ever talk about this, right? So So you've said about it backstage and there's somebody said you should say that on stage

So you decide to share this story for the first time on? Stage at the Royal Albert Hall. What I would say to you is before you've even told me how this goes That is quite a big ask. Okay to share something that personal that is quite a big ask okay to share something that personal but also Ramesh you know me as well as anyone and and this is a clear indication of how the rest of the gig is going my stuff is falling that flat at the moment maybe I'll just open up a bit maybe I'll sort of like try and sort of like get some pity that maybe like instead of. Maybe I can go for the, I was homeless angle

in order to get some sympathy because the shadow tennis bits died on its ass. The Titan Fury bits got for nothing. So I need to actually. I've got a feeling that the bottom of this brunch stuff is gonna fucking bomb out here. So I go out and I tell this story and there was a... I don't know if you noticed it, there's a guy called Ralph Mattel who years ago

wrote an incredible song called Streets of London. Yeah. And he was the next act on. And he was from Croydon and I don don't know if I've really talked about this, but yeah, about a month ago, my grandmother passed away, and that was one of her favorite songs, the Streets of London,

and he was one of her favorite artists. And in that weird way that fate works, he was at the gig, and I'd spoken to him beforehand. Have you told him about how much that meant to you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, and it's an amazing, yeah, it's an incredible song. So I go out and this is sort of beginning of the second half and I sort of do a couple of jokes

and then I change tack and I tell the tack and I tell this story. And it's probably the best thing I did all night on stage because it got a really nice response. But there's another bits of story. And then I introduce here, I say about my grandmother and I just say that in the next act is Ralph Mattel. Yeah, this is this song more relevant than it probably ever has been, sadly. So but yeah, it's one of

my grandmother's favorite songs. And I get him on he blew the roof off the incredible to see. Anyway, then I go back about my jokes. And then I get like a succession of messages From this one guy who's like Oh, it was a great night of music, but you completely phoned it in What was that awful bit about you being home like, you know sofa surfing and the charities was so unfunny There's not even a punchline even a punchline. Oh my god are you serious? It was a joke. It was so fucking like. Like I was aiming to be fun. You know when you're like I was opening up my soul here and he was like there's no punchline to that joke. That routine was off. It wasn't a routine. It was like an admission of. Did somebody

really say that? Yeah I swear. It was like a number of messages. And he said, it was difficult to watch anything else you'd done, just so aggressive. And the bit as well, that he was like, you seem to phone it in. I mean, you've done those things. They're fucking hard. And you're trying to keep the energy up, but also you're aware that people are coming on and yeah well can I can I can

I do you mind if I step in in your defense here but the truth is is like as comedians we get asked to do a lot of charity stuff and quite rightly so we were in a very privileged position and so it's the right thing to do a lot of charity stuff and quite rightly so. We were in a very privileged position and so it's the right thing to do to sort of go and do these things. But one of the problems with doing comedy is you're sitting in direct opposition to what the thing is that you're raising money for. So like it's a, you know, often you're on stage

in aid of something very very serious and very very sad and you know you're trying to raise money for that. So to try and lighten it is actually quite a difficult job. Do you know what I mean? And actually it can be quite hard. And a lot of the times, I know this sounds horrible, but I'll often say, if I'm organizing one of those, I'll often say, can we talk about what the charity is

in a separate part of the evening and then just forget about it for the rest of the evening so everyone can have a good time you know if it's all comedians like you came and did the Crawley open house gig for me the other night and and you know I sort of talked about how good the charity was at the top and then what you want to do is you want to crack on with it right because at the end of the day like you've come to raise the money reminding people of it the whole way through the night

it makes it more difficult for the comedians. I know that sounds hard, but you want everyone to have a good night with raising money, you know, and you sort of get, not get it out of the way, but you want people to know what the charity is. But those are two conflicting things. The battle that you've got is that every song that comes on

is another reminder of how sad? You know or how poignant the the the the charities that you're raising money for so you've got a very difficult a very difficult Some would say impossible job on your hands, right? So with all of that in mind, I don't think You should be reviewed. You've given up your evening I don't think you should be reviewed. You've given up your evening to do this. You're well within your rights to eat shit for the entire night. The fact of the matter is, you're trying your hardest to host a thing for charity.

So the standard of your... You're trying your hardest. It's difficult. There's sad songs coming on. By the way, Tom, Lab designed for you to fail right let me just say yeah Okay, right. It's absolutely if somebody was going. Oh, do you fancy making Tom Davis cry tonight? Yeah, how about you? Right that is what that looks like okay is like a Charity gig where everybody's doing sad songs in between then get Tom to come on and do stand up in between. Yeah, that is the best one. I reckon we could really push him to crying on stage here.

Fingers crossed he ends up getting so desperate he tells a story about his own homelessness. That would be the absolute ultimate. Well, basically he admits to one of his life, which by the way, I've not even talked to you about or many people about. Something he's not brought himself to talk about publicly on any forum. Let's get him desperate now that he shares it.

A five minute conversation he had with Passenger. Of Freya Ridings was the thing that pushed him. So I think it's like... How low is it as a stand-up by the way that someone goes do that Do that's better what you've been putting out Yeah up to now, but you know, but the other thing is this I because when we did the teenage Cancer Trust gigs there's a comedy website that you'll know I'm not gonna name but they Turn up every year and review the night

They turn up every year and review the night. They can't do that. They do, mate. They can't review. By the way, that guy is the biggest disease in comedy. He's a despicable human being. But look, look. Some of the stuff. How he's still going.

But the point I'm trying to make is don't turn up. When people are coming to give up their time to do a charity gig for the teenage, don't fucking review it fuck off. You can't review it. Come if you want support the charity but don't don't come and like review it and I didn't think this comedian actually did their best stuff at the teenage council. Go fuck yourself all right. Yeah he's a worm he's a worm that guy. Anyway that's me but but that's my way. This is the new Romesh who

This is what I wish to point I by the way, but seriously don't fucking really and that's what I'm trying to pass the point I'm trying to make about this guy You've come you've turned up you've done your thing even if you're absolute shit, which he won't have been but even if you're absolute shit So what you gave up your evening for a charity thing you just just fuck off all right but you know the thing is that it's not and I'm picking that out as most people were very very kind very nice and I will say that it was a yeah isn't but it is an interesting thing that difference of comedians and musicians like hearing them all like you know in like you see like the the stuff they go through to prep to go onto stage right so they're harmonizing

with the backing sing and you know they're tuning their guitars they're singing their songs you know they're going through all this different stuff so that the sort of risk of failure is less for us it's so much do you for I can never I can't walk around doing my jokes out loud. I'll run the set in my head, but I can't, you know, you sort of know where the laughs are gonna be. For the most part in a tour show for example. The fundamental difference between, and I've done corporate gigs where there's been music on

in between and stuff and I've been doing comedy. The fundamental difference between comedy and music on stage is music doesn't require any audience response for it to be music. Whereas comedy, if there is no audience response, you are delivering a TED talk. Do you know what I mean? And so, like, you know, even if a crowd is flat,

which, you know, and by the way, this is not me taking anything away from musicians. Musicians, I'm not going to stop counting about how hard it is to do music. It's fucking impossible. It's impossible to get anywhere in the music industry, right? So I've got ultimate respect for anybody that makes any kind of inroads into that industry. But like, at the end of the day, if the audience are dead, you just do your song and you come

off. If the audience are dead and you come on to do comedy, people hate you. Right? Like, they hate you. They're watching going, is this what this person does? They're not thinking this is a difficult set of circumstances. They're not thinking, oh God, the audience are quite far away, aren't they? They're not thinking, oh, the mood audience are quite far away, aren't they? They're not thinking, oh the mood's not quite right for comedy, is it? They're thinking that person is shit and the fact that they make their

living from doing this is an affront to society and our ongoing existence. That's basically what happens. Like in the audience's defense though, right? So say your charity gig the other night, right? That's some of the best comedians around, you're hosting. And the energy is comedy, boom, boom, boom, right? So the energy is this laughter that's coached for the audience and the audience are there to laugh. And you were amazing that night.

You were doing new material, it was great. It was a really lovely night. One of the nicest gigs like that I've done because the standard was so high. But with music, music is a different emotion, right? It's encapsulating something, especially like something like, say for example, we were doing the Wolf and Owl Live

and you had Mark and Two Smooth doing the music he's doing. It's all very uplifting. So you can naturally follow it with comedy to an extent. Do you know what I mean? When you've got someone doing like a really heartfelt ballad and it's like it was incredible to stand on the side of stage and watch like James Bay or Frey Reilly sing these, but then the people are emotionally engaged in a different way. So it is a real ask to ask an audience then to completely change and someone to come out and be

wacky and funny or you know in whatever way you're doing it no matter what sort of your comedian comedy angle is. It's a juxtaposition. I've often gone to like venues where I've done comedy and watched somebody do music and I've looked at the audience and I thought getting a response like this from a group of people is just beyond me. It's like music touches people in a way like comedians can only fucking dream about. I remember going to watch, because I did like Manchester on the last day of the UK tour, a few months before, I think I said this, I went to watch Kendrick and obviously, you know, I'm not comparing myself to one of the greatest rappers of all time, but I watched his show

Somebody was walking up and I'm coming to see you in a few months It's gonna be a bit of a fucking different experience right but this is basically life-changing You're gonna leave mine and while you're having your kebab after as you're gonna forgotten what you went to see earlier that evening. Do you know, I've done a few like, Freya Rydings is a, her voice is incredible, like amazing musician, like she made the Royal Albert Hall feel like it was almost like a someone's front room, she almost like it was so sort of like personal and incredible how she sings and her voice is just like you sit and watch that and you're just like, wow, that's just so so powerful.

And we are just jesters, aren't we? Yes, yeah, we are. That's as good as it's gonna get from us. I'm standing there watching for our writings like make people like, look back in a sense of perspective of every moment of their life and sort of think back, think back and engage emotionally to stuff that's happened. Think about Christmas charity. And I'm standing at the start of the stage thinking, should I do the invisible dog routine?

I wonder if I've got a pun off one of the lyrics. She's just mentioned castles. I could do the stuff about going to Buckingham Palace. It's so difficult, but yeah, man, let's let it go. But word on to doing it, it's a good thing to do. Yeah, it's the guy. But word on for doing it, it's a good thing to do. Yeah, it's a good charity. How are your how are your Christmas? First of all, do you have to do a lot for Christmas? You personally, do you have to do a lot for Christmas? As in around the house?

As in like presents and like what's your level of involvement? Are you in? Are you hands on? I'm in, yeah yeah. Yeah I'm pretty hands on. I've got Katherine probably one of my favourite gifts that I've ever brought her. Right. Which is not an expensive thing. Well you mean you could tell, she doesn't listen to show. She doesn't really listen now, she's sort of not as engaged as she was. Melissa's very similar. Yeah, I, Christmas tree growing up was a lot of fun. I'm getting nagged about I need to do the lights

at the front of the house. But yeah, what about yourself? Are you present by? Not really. I've got to get like my, the kids, the kids are sort of, they've given us us a list so there's not a lot of there's not a lot of difficulty there but I've got a good Lisa and I have made a decision that we are going to basically are present to each other is

we're going to design a day out for each other so we're going to present each other with an envelope and in the envelope will be the details of what we've booked for each other because we've made this agreement that we're gonna present each other with an envelope and in the envelope will be the details of what we've booked for each other Because we've made this agreement that we're gonna go out for a date once a month. You see this is the thing you This is the thing. I mean Kevin of trying to do exactly this thing. Right? It's so you know, like I Mean your kids are older but with you know We had a really nice night at the wolf and Owl and then we went out again and we're like, you know what, we should do this.

We feel like our identity as a couple isn't what it was. Like, you know, so. Very, very, very common issue, Tom. Very common issue. But do you, you have those moments where you really have like an epiphany almost, where you sit together and you chat. You know, we were sitting the other night,

we were having some dinner, we started really opening up about how we were both feeling and you chat you know we were sitting the other night we're having some dinner we started really opening up about how we're both feeling and and like you know not to get too into it but me and you have a problem when it comes to like work we're workaholics like yesterday so it's Grace's birthday on Saturday, caffeine had gone to great lengths yesterday it's great Saturday gone or this coming Saturday? Saturday's Saturday gone. Right. And then Sunday so yesterday great Catherine of Guards a great links to organize an amazing day for like her like, you know, family and stuff. We're to Windsor the Windsor Illuminations, which is amazing to go to but and Catherine had done all this organizing. And then I got called into filming on Sunday. Last minute?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Last minute. Yeah, to work Sunday. Yeah, and I didn't push back at all on it. I didn't sort of go, oh, you know. And Catherine's fine with that. She's got you in, and it makes me quite sad to think she's got you, sir.

But there's not much I could do about that. But you know that thing where I look at it like this week on the run up to Christmas, I'm doing something nearly every day. And then you, and then you start thinking, I actually know I need to focus in a little bit on making sure we're, like we've got things to look forward to as a couple, as a family as well, but as a couple, that's the thing that sometimes feels like

we do so much for grace, because that's what you do for your children. But you think, oh, actually, maybe we should do a little, we need to focus in a little bit on us as a couple yeah yes I do agree I mean Lisa and I went on a little date yesterday so obviously I've been away but for the I've been away for the best part of a month on and off do you mean so so yesterday the kids were in a show so Lisa and I went out for brunch and then went to watch the kids in the show. We went for a little walk

and then went to watch the kids in the show. And it was really, really nice. But one of the things is like, you have kids or you don't have kids, whatever, right? Whether you have kids or not, this happens. You're in a relationship for a long time and then you start living your lives, right? And when you first got together,

you would go out and enjoy each other's company or you would like do stuff together, and then you just stop doing that and then you Then you're in a position. We sort of go well no wonder like I don't know if you have arguments or whatever I mean Lisa don't tend to argue, but you can fool yourself like Not you're being you're being how I describe it is you're being functional do you mean you're kind of do whatever you've got to do on a day-to-day basis but you're not actually

enjoying each other's company and what when you do enjoy each other's company if you're not making effort to do that that basically means slumping in front of the TV and trying not to fall asleep because you're fucked from the whole day right and so it has it so basically it's like that's what Lisa and I sort of mean slumping in front of the TV and trying not to fall asleep because you're fucked from the whole day, right? And so It has it's a basically it's like that's what Lisa and I sort of come to that conclusion I before okay We need to actually go out and do dates and shit like that the thing is there yesterday like When you go out you actually have to stop if this sounds so bad

You have to sort of get used to what it's like to be on a date Jimmy's haven't done it for such a long time and you'll be in a couple you say used to not being a copy so used to be talking to each other on the way to doing something else or organizing something or whatever or figuring out that you've got to go and So you actually have to be like oh we're this is our afternoon now We're actually just gonna enjoy each other's company and that takes a little bit of like and that's they shouldn't be like that You know, I mean it should be like It should be you're just you're just used to doing that thing

But the truth of it is is that that's a privilege to be able to do that people get busy people Are struggling so anyway the long and the short of it is I say long and the short of it There's no short. This has gone on for quite a while. But the long of it is, is that Lisa and I are trying to commit to once a month going out on a date without the kids. Because when the kids are there as much as we love, I mean, it's proper, it's gang gang with the kids, but it is a different dynamic when you're with your children. Do you know what I mean?

You're basically, you're getting somewhere that definitely does chicken nuggets. So, you know what I mean? You're basically, you're getting somewhere that definitely does chicken nuggets. So, you know, it's a bit of a different thing. So that's what we're trying to do. Will you push that further than, like, local? Will you try and go into town and do stuff like that? Like, go and get a shower? Lisa's like into the theater and stuff like that,

so we're talking about going and watching some bits and pieces. And you know, as I sort of enter my distinguished era, I just want to enjoy that with my wife, do you know what I mean? If I sort of, as I sort of enter my distinguished era, I just want to enjoy that with my wife Do you know I mean if I sort of been as I sort of descended to my sort of Henry the eighth look I Just thought I don't think you'd ever be Henry the eighth you've got like that I've got say you know you look a little bit like in a way go you know the new man United manager I'm a cool look about him. Yeah

You've got an amen look around you. Really, thank you. Seriously. Thanks. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, the hair, I think the beard. Yeah. I actually think this might be the best version of you.

Wow. I think the hair, I think your hair's reached a point now. It looks amazing. Yeah. Beard looks good. Yeah. I look like one of those Hollywood people, like Michael Madsen, who's trying to hold on to something

that's just not there anymore Or maybe never was there well shave my body. I've dyed my beard black Yeah, if you didn't know you say you look like one of those Hollywood people you are one of those Hollywood people Do you mean you're in movies? Do you mean like you have to shave your body for a movie or you're basically fucking wine-gozzling you know like when you when you When you when you when you have to when you have to you know when you have to tell us a story about having to do something you know I can just imagine you're on the safe side somewhere so Tom you've got a bit of a you're sort of regrowing aren't you yeah yeah well mostly

like a shaver body when you're doing movies you have to sort of there's a certain level of like change you have to make you just have to go with it so they ended up painting my beard black and to shape my body from top to bottom. As it turns out there was no top of scenes in the film so a bit of a waste of time. Not for me anyway. And what part are you growing now because we can notice even from sitting here that you seem to be growing your back hair out. Yeah, I'm hoping to braid it at some point. That's the eventual goal. It's a, you know, I've got a cameo in Sonic and I'm playing someone that's sort of a a cross between the hedgehog and the human. What is that big baddie from Sonic? What's the guy with the mustache?

Oh, Egg. You know, like you never hear about. Professor Egg? Yeah. Is it Professor Egg? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that could be the vibe that I go for.

I will say that for my part in this movie, I can't say me doing much, but I think it's a sad indication of the film if I'm the guy going out there and press. It would be like, yeah. But it's Gullisserman, you're in a film. So, what's your Christmas day? What are you doing? You having everyone around at yours? No, no, no, we're going to my sister's Very she she she smashed it last year because we're moving. We're in a situation at the moment where we're the big palatial residence So we've now we're now we're now I mean This is incredible by the way. Okay, can I just say as a stat? buried in mind

You'd say I mean your top 10 friends, right? Yeah. Yeah, I'm top three. Right, okay. So that means number three. So- No, no, I would say top two. Okay, so number two.

So I'm in your top two friends, right? Yeah. So we are now in a situation where you have moved into that house and are going to move out without me having visited. That's pretty bad, isn't it? Can I be quite honest about this, right? I love you today.

I love you too. And by the way, this house, we've rented this house. This house has never really felt like a, me and Catherine were talking about it. It's never really felt like a home as to, we've never quite felt that settled here. Do you know what I mean? It's not been a place that we've gone, it's never felt like a place where we've exceedingly had like loads of people over or it's felt like a, like I don't know, I don't know

whether that's just because it's a rented property. It just doesn't feel like, well it's not ours, so it doesn't feel like ours. And I think, yeah, I think it's just like, I was talking to my mum about this and my mum was like, about us not doing Christmas this year. And it just doesn't feel like it would be, I don't know, it just doesn't feel like our house. It feels like we're living it, we are living in someone else's house, right? As a rented property. Have you rented before? I have rented before, but I don't think, I can't

really relate to not feeling like your house. I mean, I don't... Yeah, no, no, no, I think loads of people rent. Do you know what I think it is as well? I think it's because the neighbors still speak about the people who lived here before, whose house it is. Like they still, like we're guests, like we're quite unwanted guests quite a lot of the time. Which has made it quite a nice reason for us moving. Although now we are moving, some people seem to have sort of like almost just gone. Oh, these people, they seem to be a bit more nice,

kindly in that, in a sense. When are you moving? Hopefully early next year. Well, yeah, hope you're early next year. Yeah, just doing all the bits questions of my teeth So that's what I was gonna say questions of eyes When do you when do you think an invitation will be extended to the so I'm literally With in a month of moving in I want you over Okay with a mom. Well, let's just say now the other thing we've got is that last year We met up didn't we at Christmas? Yes, not looking like this year is it well, we're around so the Davies which you know what?

This is a nice thing. Actually, we've planned nothing at all. We've got like a week like the other thing we even Catherine have got a date where we're gonna go into London have a little bit of lunch but we're literally last year we did a thing where we saw someone every day for that whole week between Christmas and New Year yeah it was constant so this year we're like it's not there's nothing in so it'd be lovely to see the man but you're away right you're going away. Yeah, we are going away. But I mean, listen, what I would say is it's nice to know

that on a year that you've actively decided to do nothing, there's space in your diary for me. Thank you. Real, real magic of Christmas stuff, that. Uh, OK. OK. OK. So this is one for you. We had quite a few. Okay.

Okay, Tom, this is one for you. We had quite a few... We're just going to do one email very, very quickly. Okay. And actually, I've been talking about you on my shoot. Well, I've been away. Because Cliff, shout out Cliff, the DOP on the shoot, he is a Big Wolf and our fan. We were talking about making friends. In fact we're talking about the sauna episode in particular. Yeah. And actually somebody who got in touch with me about the sauna episode

was James Corden got in touch having listened to that particular section and he said, because we're talking about the fact that I would never say anything in a sauna and you are very chatty We had a role play And he said to me that He's sometimes you and sometimes me depending on his mood. Oh, but anyway The point is is that Cliff and I decided because Cliff's a bit like me Decided that we're gonna be a bit more like you. And that, you know, like a bit more chatty, a bit more open to the relationships that the world can bring.

So with that in mind, this email has nothing to do with that, but it is sort of. Hello, Swan Wolf, Alan Cowell. I absolutely love the podcast, but no, not to compliment it too much, as I've been listening since the very beginning. But no, you two sweet souls make every week better. To get straight into my situation, I recently took inspiration from the pod to just go for it and apply it

to the job of my dreams. And I got it. It's with Dr. Martin, so please feel free to hit me up for that sweet discount. I was very kind of you. However, with taking this job, I've moved to Northamptonshire from another part of the UK and ended up in a new city where I know no one. I have no friends besides relationships I'm building with colleagues. So my question is, whether you two worldly gents have any advice with regards to making friends in a new place when you're an adult? For context, I'm 22 and an avid footballer, but struggling to find a team to socialise that way. Many thanks, boys, and hope Rom enjoys Arizona, the Scottish stag. I did enjoy Arizona thank you so much. Very very Christmassy in Arizona, I think I've talked about

that before but Tom you seem well equipped in this regard. So he's making friends with people at work, can't find a football team yet. What do you suggest? I'd say five-a-side football is a good way to go on a basis that it's one that you can, I think, I think, just in my experience, 11-a-side is all quite, could be quite a clicky thing to get into. Five-a-side feels like something as if, yeah, if you can play football and you know, I'm an awful footballer. But that said, I've moved around a lot in, you know, as we're just talking now, and we've moved to me and Catherine as a couple and me as I've moved around a lot in yes we're just talking now and we've moved to me and Catherine as a couple of me as a person moved around a lot I by the way I will say that you know you're saying that about you and Cliff I also like sometimes get the other side of stuff

where I'll get people you know it could be quite not like you know but people you know on the sauna video for example and other things can be quite not critical, but can be a little bit like, oh yeah, if you talk to me like that, I'll tell you a fuck off type thing. Yeah, people can, I've noticed by the way, a very, an upturn in the last, I've got a picture, sorry, I'm going to track tact a bit here,

but I've got a picture of me, Kathy Burke, and Paul Whitehouse, very innocuous picture of me with two of the two idols. Two of your heroes. Yeah and some of the comments on that that picture. Like what? Just aggressive like you know just aggressive. How can you be aggressive about that? Well one of them I'll try to try and find it somewhere, one of them was, who's the big in the picture? It feels insane considering it's me for the picture. Another one was, oh fucking, that looks like the wanker from Murdering Successville.

Oh, I've just Googled him. He's the wanker. He's the wanker. You're not helping your cause by reading out funny comments? No, no, no. They're amusing. But my point being, like, I've put stuff up that I go, all right, fair enough, I'm getting a kick in.

It's literally, like, anyhow, my point being, sometimes where you're saying about you and Cliff, I'm like, it's how I am as a person a bit, like, is that not a normal way to behave? So I I've always been like this. I've always been yes tried to be chai tried to be the you know Tried to be that I would not try to be that's just who I am But then I also realized that that's maybe not always the best way to be that sometimes actually it's you know Some people find that fucking annoying maybe like in my New Year's resolution to be, try to be a little bit more like you and Cliff

in a sense of not be like to be, hold back a bit and not be quite as... Oh God, we're gonna end up in a real situation of 2025. You're gonna be the owl, I'm gonna be the wolf. It's gonna be bizarre. Any hence. To our friend here, I'd say that it's very difficult as well, I think now, like, you know, pubs aren't what they used to be, you know, I think finding a place where you can go and play football.

Also, I think I know quite well the area that you're working. I actually live not far from where you are for a time, where Dr. Martin's is. So I think it's going to, like, yeah, if you've got music you're interested in going to that. I think it's, I think work friends would feel the place that you're gonna meet most people. But I've made friends from where I am now. I get on the same commute most days.

I travel into London, I travel back, so I'm on the train. And I've made three or four friends from just conversations where I'm on the train and I'll make a little bit of a joke or whatever or sort of comment on something. This is where I think I'm a fucking weirdo. You're not a weirdo, you're not a weirdo. This is a good address. No, but I will say something or I'll strike up

a conversation and then I see that person in the train a couple of times and that person then becomes someone that, you know, if I see around town, I can have a chat with. Also think, he's 22, me and you are old boys, he's half our age. Yeah, nobody wants to make friends with people in their 40s. No, do you know, the truth of it is I love chatting to Pete.

Do you know, the truth of it is I love chatting to Pete. I genuinely really enjoy conversations with people I've never met before. But the thought of like, I've got, you know, I haven't got that sort of time where I'm finding myself. When I was 22 as well, but I was still very much like this and I'd always chat to, yeah, be rebuffed probably a little bit more. But I'd say just be quite open to conversation. You never know when there's going to be someone you're going to meet and a friend. And it is always very, very unnerving going to an area where you don't know anyone. But I think the thing, for example, when golf was a thing where I met really good friends just for going to the golf club and then chatting to people. In other places we lived, I played five a side,

so you got to meet people through that way. So I just think sport or, like I say, pubs can be quite intimidating, I think going to a pub on your own. But also your work friends, you'll slowly find that people that you meet over time, work will become friends of friends and what's not. But congratulations, man. And Dot Martens is an incredible brand.

It's amazing. Yeah. First of all, Scottish Dag, I say congratulations on going for your dream job. Very, very happy for you. And if the pod is encouraging you to do that, then I've got to say absolutely delighted. I think Tom's right, you know, trying to get yourself in with those, you know, people are creatures of habit. So if you find yourself, I know Tom sort of said that pubs are slightly difficult, but people tend to go to the same pubs all the time. And so if you find yourself going to a pub

and making friends with some people and then you start seeing those people regularly, that'd be great. But I do think the work thing, I think what you're gonna have to do, in my opinion, and by the way, you're hearing from somebody that is terrible at this, so you can feel free to disregard my advice, is you're going to have to shelve your embarrassment

a little bit and be a bit more front-footed than you ordinarily might be in terms of your work friends and stuff. I'm not saying force yourself into their lives, but sort of, you know, there's something to be said for just being honest about it. And you know, maybe even after you've settled in for a bit and you've gotten with a few people sending out an email going, look, I've just moved to the area. Help. Do you know what I mean? I want to just sort of get to know people. And I'm pretty sure you'll find that people are open to welcoming you into their groups and stuff like that. And

just you're going to have to be a bit more because, you know, when you live somewhere you've grown up, those sort of networks just happen naturally. Whereas now you're going to have to artificially create that. And that means you're going to have to put your kind of, not your shame,, but you're gonna have to put your self-consciousness to one side for a little bit and just really go for it But look best of luck with that man. I'm sure it's gonna be really really great and congratulations on getting a new job Right Tom, yeah, it is about that time I go Please can you do us the honor of seeing us out of this little ting ting? Yo, I'm gonna keep this brief

and I'm gonna keep it short and chilled and relaxed. Hey friends, loved ones, listeners, the Animal Pack. It's another year where you've supported us through trials and tribulations, ups, downs, clouds, airplanes, in deep boats, trains. Wherever you've been listening, it's been a joy to have been in your ears. And it's always a nice time when you reach this time.

The twinkle of tinsel upon a tree or an angel winking from above. The twinkle of tinsel upon a tree or an angel winking from above. The cold air snap that makes you think, wow, here we are again. The winter has fallen and Christmas is here. A fat old man shuffling down the chimney, a fart after he scoffs a mimpy and then has a shot of whiskey. All magical times people, but before you know it, January will be here and we'll be questioning all our life's choices and saying, January will be here and we'll be questioning all our life choices and saying,

let's do this and let's do that and let's change who I am. And actually for the most part, who you are is pretty amazing. And as we travel and navigate through 2025, and there'll be the same ups and there'll be the same downs, there'll be the same roller coaster of life, I want you to remember one thing. The magic of Christmas is only 12 months away.

And if you can hold just a little bit of that in your heart through the year, and every time you feel down, remember tinsel, angels, an old man fighting in your front room. They're the laughs and smiles that we need every day. Carry them with you. Don't get too down. And remember, we're only a little short way from the 25th of December 2025. Peace, people. Yeah, we're quite away from 25th of December 2025, mate. I was over a year, but 2024 is pretty close.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that was the thing of like, yeah. Oh, right, sorry. Was that the point you were making? Oh, sorry, oh, sorry. But thank you so much, Tom. I actually closed my eyes and listened to it as if I was listening to the podcast. Not that I did.

You did, actually. It was very nice. Yeah, I really tried to get into it. Listen, if you are involved in Whamageddon, do not listen to this song. But JT, could you play us out with a little bit of Wham last Christmas? Actually, I think it might be my favorite Christmas song.

It's a beautiful song. But that's why I don't understand Whamageddon, even though I shared a I think it might be my favorite Christmas song. It's beautiful, so. But, um, that's why I don't understand Why I'm a-getting, even though I shared a post about it a few years ago. What is Why I'm a-getting? It's where, if you listen to, basically you have to not listen to it for as long as possible in the run up to Christmas. Oh, okay. From between the first and the, but why deny yourself such a beautiful song? Yeah. Such a beautiful, beautiful song. Listen, from me and the Wolf, as you settle into the last little bits of your Christmas preparation,

can we take this opportunity to say to you, we hope you have a magical run-up to your Yuletide affair. Not Yuletide affair, I mean I know stuff can happen after this party, but anyway, God bless everyone. Merry Christmas. Bravo. Very next day you gave it away This year to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special Last Christmas I gave you my heart Very next day you gave it away This year to Stop me from tears

I'll give it to someone special If you have a problem, opinion, feedback or anything at all please email us at wolfalpod.gmail.com. That's wolfalpod.gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you, mainly because we don't have any content ideas. Thank you.