Fantastic Four: First Steps - A Hilarious, Nuanced Discussion of Hot People in Space on a Mission

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Do you

want Robbie to read that quote, Cole?

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Or do you want to say it?

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Are you okay with me saying it?

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Hottie.

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Oh, I want Cole to say it.

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: 00:00:10

So we're really going with.

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We're certain It's Hottie Potatie time.

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: 00:00:17

You have no idea.

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Cole is so mad about that.

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Hey, what time is it?

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Say the thing

That's not really something I say.

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What time is it, Ben? No.

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: 00:00:28

What time is it? Ben?

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No! Johnny.

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I'm here

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because Robby was going to see it already

with his.

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And I want to keep them happy.

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Yeah, and then we wanted to see it,

and Connor wanted to see it, and I just.

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I trust Robby.

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You're a busy guy, Robby.

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We appreciate it.

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I also fell asleep in it.

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And it might have been.

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It might have been my day.

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Like I had baked

the whole bunch in the heat.

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Like it was a tough day.

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So perhaps, and I do.

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I'm a little nervous to do this today,

because I think it deserved me

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seeing it twice before talking about it.

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But as I told Cole, having an uninformed

opinion has really

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stopped me from talking, so I'm sure

I'll bring something to the table.

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I just don't know how much I'll need it.

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When did you see it?

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Cool.

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They're like.

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You're sad.

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You're real sad.

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You're like, I have friends.

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I have two friends that are kind of

seeing this with me right now.

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They're just in different places.

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This is my part. I have a podcast

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with, like, every cool person out there.

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But I have friends.

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What have one of my accordion

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player

crushes sees me walking into this movie?

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I'll never recover.

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No, it's still a no.

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Yeah, we're definitely

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going to get you a shirt.

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But I did text Cole, Robby,

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because I do I again,

as my my goals in life

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and for this podcast

are hang out with Robbie

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keep Robbie is my friend

and then the success of this podcast.

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So I was like,

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oh no, I don't know what I'm going to do

about this one because I didn't love it.

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And so I texted Cole and I was like, dude,

I don't know if I have anything to say,

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which, you know, I always unfortunately

has anything to say.

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But like, cool just wrote back, oh,

I have a lot to say.

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And so you may not

have liked it, but you have

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things to say.

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Pretend she alert was even dropped.

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Though.

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I by Cole himself.

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Oh my God.

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Coffee?

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It's not pretentious

if you mean it in your heart.

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It may be pretentious.

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Oh. Yes.

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This is individualistic.

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Heteronormative as well.

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ever have.

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Dressing.

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And I

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You did not.

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I think I think one

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reason I don't want to talk about it

is because it's not for me.

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Like. And I don't know what the goals are.

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Right? Like, is it like to totally follow

the comic book?

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And is it for comic book people

who are like, who cares what you like?

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You don't like it? Like it

matches the comic book?

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Or is it people

who are super into Marvel movies

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and they have it and like it's doing

all these things like, I don't know

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or I don't understand,

I'm sure I'm probably missing stuff,

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but my actual thing was

it was so nothing happened.

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Like, I was like, this is just like

Mission Impossible, you know?

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Like it's

sort of like we're chasing a box.

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Like it just was like.

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Like it didn't feel like nonsense.

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It felt like it just felt so flat.

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And then the only and then the next layer,

it also felt extremely predictable

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because I knew what was going to happen

from the jump.

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So I was like,

oh no, we're going to worry.

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Mom's going to die or mom will die.

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Like perhaps they will take out mom.

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Perhaps we've got a lot of foreshadowing

that like, moms

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die and mom, mom, mom, mom, mom,

mother Earth, my right.

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There's like this very weak

metaphor of Mother Earth.

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And then, like, you're not going to

kill off Vanessa Kirby.

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You're just not like,

the baby is not going to die.

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The baby's not going to even be in danger.

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Believe it or not, I would

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hate to speak for all non marvel

watching humans, but it it.

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I can accept that.

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Perhaps that's why I didn't like it.

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Like perhaps it was doing a lot of things

great that I like.

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Did not understand.

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Yeah.

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I think so.

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I heralds your end.

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I herald.

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Galactus.

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Yeah.

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The trolley problem.

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Did call children.

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What?

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Yeah.

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Don't answer. Don't answer that. Robbie.

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That was great. That.

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Did you know what I did think?

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Of course.

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I did like the way that Mr.

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Fantastic, too, is like the problem solver

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and the, like logic of it

all that he like.

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Like I like the way that they, like.

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Sue would call him out

for being like you did.

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Think about what happens

if we just, like, kill the baby.

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Like you didn't run that equation.

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You didn't think about it

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like I thought that that I said

that that needed to happen too,

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because that is true to his character

and like, at odds in their relationship.

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And I also don't have children.

And this is in part why.

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Because I definitely would have

to run that equation through.

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What was the year?

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I could not understand the year either.

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What was the year? I.

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Know to editor.

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It wasn't up long enough, but.

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Yeah.

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The Pan Am building

is the Pan Am building?

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Yeah.

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That's like an old.

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It's very odd.

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Like, g. Like these people can save me.

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Yeah, yeah.

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Really, like, very simplistic.

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And made

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you think a lot about improv

and, like, long form improv and, like.

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And how that, to me, informs

all the things that I love.

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Right?

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Like callbacks and like bookends

and, like, picking something up

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from a different scene and, like,

surprising in another scene. Right?

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So it might be like there's two characters

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talking about cooking, and then all of a

sudden you're like, had two monsters.

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And then all of a sudden, like,

the monsters are the cooks, or

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like some big surprise or like two things

that don't go together do,

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which I think the Marvel movies have done

really well, where it's like,

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I don't know that that thing would happen

in this movie, or like,

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I had no idea those were connected

somehow.

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It's really gutsy.

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It's magic when it works, and you do have

to just be constantly surprised.

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But one of my favorite, I, I was texting

one of the moms Lucas brother shows.

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So it's like Ed Hersman

and Jason Mantzoukas,

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brilliant improvisers,

and it was like a: 1030

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It's like the last show at the theater.

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And I was told not to like not to cut it

like they would cut themselves.

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They would decide when the show was over.

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And I am a rule follower,

so I cannot comprehend such things.

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So like an hour hit and I was like,

I guess I should

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probably like whack them out.

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And so I black them out

and they were basically like, no.

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No. No.

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And so I like black them out

and they turn on the music

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and like I'm like trying to like

pull them off stage. Right.

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It's like the owner of the Magnet

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Theater and Jason

Mantzoukas is the height of his fame.

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It was his league days.

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And you kind of hear the audience gasp

because they've done this show.

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It's like this, like cult show that like,

people like you have to be in the know.

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But like, I think the new had been

to every single one, right?

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Like they'd ask you

at the top of the show, like,

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how many of you,

how many shows have you been to?

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And it was like this whole thing anyway,

so everybody knew that I had messed it up.

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And you just hear them go,

oh, I think the electricity went out.

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Oh no, the radio is on.

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And so I like turn the lights back up

and you just see like as I'm doing it,

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Mandzukic hits the lights like a little

fake light switch and it clicks back on.

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And then he starts hitting the space

like stereo and like turns off the music.

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And I was like, oh God, I

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but it's hilarious, right?

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It's so like I totally messed up

and like I'm mortified.

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But they just were.

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And then they played for like another hour

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and I just was like,

I'm I'm obviously not here to like,

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block the show out, but like, it's like

such like they worked with the mistake,

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you know, and it's like such a surprise.

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And I think of that one just because like

I was involved in like the mess up of it.

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But like when you can do that

kind of like improv bravery in film

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or like major pop culture stuff,

I just think it's so cool.

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And I felt like Marvel did that, like it

had this real, like bravery and surprise

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and the like it would be like,

this doesn't work, but it's got it does.

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And we can't like something

greater than us.

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Some magical alchemy has happened.

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And now here we are.

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And like,

I think that is so cool and exciting.

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And I saw Thor Ragnarok.

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With a with a boy I was dating.

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Shout out Hunter!

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You have no idea.

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I got so mad about that.

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I, I just gonna say that's

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why I didn't like it

is because nobody grew like that's.

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Exactly.

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There's like.

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No, nothing changed and nobody grew.

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And you could argue that, like the uncle,

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Human Torch,

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like he grew a little,

like I'm not impervious to pathos.

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Right? So, like, the end did get me.

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I might have cried a little. The end.

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Because you can't have a baby,

and I'm not going to have tears

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like I fell to the monster.

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That is pathos at the end.

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And I did like it when when Human

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Torch, like, went to go save the beat,

you know, he was like, tell.

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So Franklin,

the uncle, the Human Torch loves him.

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Whatever the name was, the Uncle

Johnny loves him like that game it did.

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Even though I knew

what was going to happen.

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It got me and like, heat her.

Maybe a little maybe.

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But they didn't really set him up

as like an irresponsible, dumb

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dumb entirely,

but like that, that he had some growth.

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But the rest of them,

nothing changed and nobody grew.

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And that's

that's always when a story falls

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really flat to me

when there's just like, no.

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So they have this thing,

the genie, like, yeah,

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they had this like problem to solve.

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But like, really

there wasn't any real conflict.

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And there was like

nobody had like a real arc.

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There wasn't really a hero's journey.

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Like they were heroes

and they stayed heroes.

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When those things are lacking

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in a story,

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I find I often find them flat and it it.

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I am a big fan of formula and like

I mean I literally study

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stories

to exacting points to see what works.

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But in this case,

I think formula got so in the way.

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And then the I just,

I felt like there was no real character

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journey.

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Yeah.

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That's what made it. And that's.

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I mean, all of that is still alive

and well today.

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Do not get me wrong,

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but it had a very like

the idea of the sort of like, almost

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of that middle class

and it being so aspirational

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or upper middle class

being so aspirational,

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had that felt to me

very retro like, like I,

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I feel like we at least now know that

that's like a myth that doesn't exist

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and no one's inspired,

like aspiring to it anymore,

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because the stratification of wealth

is so dramatic.

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They had like a real nuclear family,

even though there's four of them

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and one's like a rock man

and like one's an uncle.

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So I had this weird, like, nuclear family,

heteronormative: 1950

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And I think it's because, like, the car

also looks like a station wagon to me.

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Like, and you have these, like, heroes

who go on TV and talk about it.

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And everybody

kind of does trust and believe them.

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Like there's a lot of trust given

to the fantastic Four that we just don't

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I don't know, it's interesting

calling your interesting points.

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Did you.

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Because you do.

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Because here's what I'm hearing from

call is you saw like this worker unrest.

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And you saw poverty.

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I didn't either,

but I slept through half the movie.

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So I've just been assuming that I missed

this, like, poor undercurrent.

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But, Robbie, it sounds like you didn't

necessarily see it either.

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Am I? I'm.

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I it did feel to me

a little bit more utopian.

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And it did feel like there was a working

class.

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And like, the Fantastic Four was not.

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You know, they were more, you know,

but there was like, a huge, like, trust

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in, like, the systems.

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And there was a clear hierarchy and

I didn't see it as like extreme poverty.

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But I again, I may miss things,

but I did see it as like a working class,

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but like a working middle class in which

they were like all nicely dressed.

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They all look like they were fed.

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They didn't seem like

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they were like unhappy about not eating or

their kids were in danger.

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It felt like they were really happy.

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And part of and that the Fantastic

Four was additive and had help save them,

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you know,

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it was like very propaganda heavy,

but it felt like

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the people were very like, willing.

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And I think

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you can only come from a willing place

if you're like, meet needs are being met.

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Like I was in Russia for like three weeks

a few years ago,

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and I was surprised by talking

to so many people who were like,

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I know everybody thinks we want democracy,

but we actually like socialism

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because at

least I knew my basic needs would be met.

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Like, maybe it wasn't great.

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Like maybe like maybe these,

like darker years that were dark

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weren't ideal

and aren't what we would want.

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But like, democracy is even worse for us.

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Like,

I would rather be guaranteed like a house,

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a car, education and food,

even if it's not great.

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But like, everybody had needs met

and so they were okay.

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And then like their biggest problem

was like, oh no, the ship is failing

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and it's going to hit my kid,

or this thing is falling from the sky,

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it's about to hit my kid.

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Or these like, strange, weird monsters

are showing up that aren't in our world.

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And the Fantastic Four comes in helps.

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But it didn't feel like anybody

was like asking,

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like more food, higher wages,

you know, like I didn't see it.

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But again, I slept through a lot of it.

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Which isn't to say that you didn't read

something in the text call that was there.

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And I just like my own middle

class blindness.

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Missed it.

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That was it.

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That's.

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: 00:29:15

Yeah.

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Yeah.

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: 00:29:51

I still don't get that. Oh.

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I want to hear what Ravi had to say.

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I wanted to introduce you to someone.

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This is our son, Franklin.

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You know my story.

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Sure.

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I've never seen a pregnant superhero

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that felt new.

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That's a I.

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One of my favorite stories you've ever

told, Robbie, is about, Connor's birth.

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And so I love. I love that that, like.

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Like the Emily would see that, like,

sort of like rocket ship falling apart.

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Intense insanity.

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She's like, yes, that is.

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That's what it's like.

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I was glad I thought that they were going

to keep her pants on,

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and I like, I really thought like Disney

was just going to be like,

336

: 00:32:10

well, we're just going to keep that.

337

: 00:32:12

And so I, I don't know why,

but I really appreciated it.

338

: 00:32:14

When you see her little pants split off.

339

: 00:32:16

So yeah. Okay. Good. Good.

340

: 00:32:17

That was really bothering me. Guys.

341

: 00:32:21

I was also.

342

: 00:32:21

Kind of disturbed by it

because I was like,

343

: 00:32:23

I also didn't need to see that,

but I also did

344

: 00:32:26

a little bit go floating away

345

: 00:32:28

and I was like,

okay, now the baby can arrive.

346

: 00:32:31

No, I mean, I there's still a few things.

347

: 00:32:33

Yeah, it's a very big baby.

348

: 00:32:37

Anyway,

349

: 00:32:38

yeah.

350

: 00:32:47

I, I have that in my notes to say.

351

: 00:32:53

I mean, Vanessa Kirby

352

: 00:32:55

is in my favorite movie,

which is Hobbs and Shaw.

353

: 00:32:59

A absolute banger classic of a movie.

354

: 00:33:05

Which I love.

355

: 00:33:06

And we will watch and review

and I, I'll say it again,

356

: 00:33:09

my favorite movie subs

to, And Nessa Kirby is in it.

357

: 00:33:13

Shout out to Hobbs and Shaw and Vanessa

Kirby.

358

: 00:33:19

Yeah.

359

: 00:33:23

But but but this one is just good.

360

: 00:33:28

It's not.

361

: 00:33:28

It's not unique to me.

362

: 00:33:29

It's just it's a it's an excellent movie.

363

: 00:33:36

So we're definitely.

364

: 00:33:38

I can't believe

I haven't brought it up yet.

365

: 00:33:40

I don't know why I didn't bring it.

I haven't pitched it.

366

: 00:33:42

We've got to watch it.

367

: 00:33:44

Have you not seen it, Robbie?

368

: 00:33:45

Oh, wait.

369

: 00:33:46

You are in for a ride.

370

: 00:33:56

Well,

371

: 00:33:58

ready yourself.

372

: 00:34:25

Perfect.

373

: 00:34:28

It's a it's a great movie.

374

: 00:35:00

No, it's a what?

375

: 00:35:01

It's a it's a it's a what?

376

: 00:35:04

It's a it's a.

377

: 00:35:16

I did like when she said.

378

: 00:35:17

I don't think talking

is the most important part.

379

: 00:35:19

I thought that's what you're going to say.

380

: 00:35:58

Sundays at seven on the dot.

381

: 00:35:59

No matter. What was.

382

: 00:36:01

And that's how they knew

they were preggers.

383

: 00:36:03

Right?

384

: 00:36:23

Johnny,

uncle Johnny says that Uncle Johnny.

385

: 00:36:26

Silver Surfer and uncle.

386

: 00:36:29

And so, yeah, Silver Surfer was like.

387

: 00:36:31

Because Silver Surfer says that

388

: 00:36:32

because she did that for her village

and that's why she's still alive.

389

: 00:36:36

But now she's like going around murdering.

390

: 00:36:39

Yeah. This is strong quote.

391

: 00:36:40

That's kind of the thesis of the movie.

392

: 00:36:43

I'm not sacrificing my son

for this planet, but I won't sacrifice

393

: 00:36:47

this planet for my son.