u/TitiCamarasayshello

Truly, one of the great emails.

I listened to the episode on Hitch last night - fun if not somewhat chaotic due to Bill, Van and Mina talking over each other way too often. There was a point during Hottest Takes when I had to hurl my headphones off my head due to how unpleasant it was listening to them crash their words.

Anyway … I really enjoyed Craig bigging-up King of Queens on more than one occasion during the episode, and here my’s Hottest Take: KoQ is the most underrated sitcom of the last 30 years.

That may not be the case in the US but it certainly is in the UK where very few people have heard of it, let alone seen it. That has been my experience anyway from speaking about it with friends, family and work colleagues. Genuinely, my brother aside, no one I know/come across has any relationship with KoQ whatsoever, and everyone should given how great it is. Funny and also dark in a way that you don’t see in most/all similar shows: there is an episode in which Doug, Kevin James’s character, tries to get his wife Carrie, played by Leah Remini, drunk every night after work because he prefers her that way. James and Remini are also two members of a fantastic cast, the star of which is no doubt Jerry Stiller as Arthur. Truly, one of the great sitcom characters of all time.

Anyway, well done Craig for giving KoQ its flowers on The Rewatchables. My sense from listening to the Hitch episode is that Bill, Van and Mina don’t have much of a relationship with it either. They, and everyone, should.

Pougatch, Keane, Neville, Wright, Mowbray, Shearer. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do me, er… Clive.

Cackled like a maniac when that suddenly played on today’s episode, which wasn’t ideal given I was on a busy bus at the time.

Less than seven hours before kick-off and I’m feeling none of my usual weariness or cynicism regarding the build-up to a game, either in regard to rhetoric or volume. It really is a big deal; from the significance of the game, to the history between the two teams, to the fact they haven’t met each other since 2005, to it being Messi’s first appearance against England … impossibly not to be earnestly excited about it.

Someone, please, give me a reason to be weary and cynical; I’m 45-years-old and don’t like feeling about football the way I did when I was 11. It’s really weird.

I posted on here a few weeks ago in praise of the episode on Domestic Disturbance and how it may have usurped the episode on The Town as my favourite Rewatchables episode. A bold call and one I felt I had to back up my relistening to The Town.

I finally got around to that today and can confirm that The Town still rules. Bill, Chris and Russillo in awesome form from start to the finish. The energy of the episode is off the chart, and the two widely-recognised best parts of the episode really are great: Russillo in defence of Blake Lively’s character, playing out what it would’ve been like to date her (“Ryen!”), and all his Boston militia stuff at the end. Honestly, I’m still chucking at the idea of them throwing snowballs at the Virginia guys.

In general, the episode is a love letter to Boston and there’s something also really great about that, and I say that as someone who has never been to the city. And it should be stressed: The Town itself is an awesome movie. Full of brilliant characters, brilliant set-pieces and brilliant lines. “There goes college socca!”

Sorry Domestic Disturbance, you rock but there’s a Rewatchables episode that, still, rocks harder.

Fair play to Lee Dixon (a phrase I’ve definitely not used before) but that was a really good intervention. Matterface leans into a lazy cliche and he comes in and, correctly, totally refutes it.

In general he’s been good during this game, and generally is when England play, largely because he sounds - and probably actually is - more engaged.

I finally watched Vision Quest yesterday. Have meant to do so for ages and decided to absolutely make it a priority after the Modine chat on the recent Pacific Heights episode.

Fun movie but, my word, I’m not sure I’ve disliked a movie lead character more than I’ve disliked Louden Swain. A weird, needy, selfish, this-close-to-being a-sex-offender … genuinely wanted Shute to kick his ass in the final scene even though I knew he wasn’t going to.

Having watched VQ, I immediately listened to the Rewatchables episode on it, from February 2020. Fun/weird hearing a slightly younger, slightly more excitable Chris Ryan. It also had Ryen on and, once again, he stole the show with his take that after high school Louden went on to start a cult. What a guy. Simply has to be on the pod more often.

I finally watched Vision Quest yesterday. Have meant to do so for ages and decided to absolutely make it a priority after the Modine chat on the recent Pacific Heights episode.

Fun movie but, my word, I’m not sure I’ve disliked a movie lead character more than I’ve disliked Louden Swain. A weird, needy, selfish, this-close-to-being a-sex-offender loser … genuinely wanted Shute to kiss his ass in the final scene even though I knew he wasn’t going to.

Having watched VQ, I immediately listened to the Rewatchables episode on it, from February 2020. Fun/weird hearing a slightly younger, slightly more excitable Chris Ryan. It also had Ryen on and, once again, he stole the show with his take that after high school Louden went on to start a cult. What a guy. Simply has to be on the pod more often.

So this is a post that no doubt will lead to me getting a fair amount of grief on here, but hell, it’s Friday, I’m giddy for the weekend and genuinely curious to see what people make of it (keep your abuse to a minimum, guys) …

I listened to the Ali episode last night. Really good stuff as ever but I did do a massive eye roll when the guys were debating early on if any athlete has come close to match Ali’s significance - sporting and cultural - in the years since he was at his peak. Michael Jordan was mentioned, as was Tiger Woods, Tom Brady and LeBron James; all valid candidates. But seriously, how were no football (soccer) players even half brought up in this debate?

I get football (soccer) is pretty low down in the rung of sports Americans are interested in, but surely you guys recognise its size and significance, and especially right now given there is a World Cup happening in your country. Let me make it clear to you all: it’s the biggest, most popular sport on the planet. End of. No debate. Fact. Therefore, when you’re debating the greatest sporting figures of all time, you simply have to register figures from football (soccer) history, and that’s the case if you’re in Buenos Aires or Boston, Munich or Michigan, Cairo or Chicago.

I know Chris is a big football (soccer) fan, so was really surprised he didn’t bring up any football (soccer) players in that debate, especially given he did bring up Allen Iverson. I love you CR, but come the fuck on my guy.

I’m genuinely curious my American friends: what is the general level of understanding of soccer (football) in your country, in regards to the scope of the sport and the incredible, iconic figures who have played it? For instance, do most Americans know who Diego Maradona is? If not - you absolutely should. He should be standard text for anyone who has even a passing interest in sport. The guy was superhuman in his talent, and combined with his backstory, the life he led, the impact he had and the level of global fame he reached, there’s a very strong argument to make regarding his status as the standout sporting figure of the post-Ali era In fact, I’d say it’s not even close. Diego is the answer.

Anyway, that’s me, a Brit, over and out. Bring on the spiky replies from across the Atlantic.

Donald Trump has said so many mad things as US president that we are now collectively at the stage of normalising the mad things he says. But we should never forget that they are not normal.

Henry Paker has said so many mad things as co-host of Three Bean Salad that we are now collectively at the stage of normalising the mad things he says. But we should never forget that they are not normal.

This thought came to mind as I listened to the latest episode of the pod on my way into work today. I smiled to myself as Henry told his ‘Chinese woman in the Apple store’ story, barely registering how mad it was given, well, it was Henry telling it, the man who brought us such tales as ‘going through hell while trying to buy a birthday card for my niece’ and ‘smashing a wall full of plates while working as a runner for a production company’. But then I thought: what if literally anyone else I have ever come across or known told that story? At the very least my jaw would’ve dropped through sheer shock and wonder, and almost certainly I would’ve laughed with wild hysteria. But none of that on this occasion. Instead I simply smiled, and rolled my eyes.

And that is why Henry Paker is the Donald Trump of comedy podcasts.