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From Wondery, I'm Raza Jaffray. And in the latest season of The Spy Who, we open the case file on Mans Klubben, the spy who gave London its Christmas tree. If you stand in London's Trafalgar Square at Christmas, you'll see a towering sparkling tree. What you won't see is the story behind it. The story of Mans Klubben, double 07 author, Ian Fleming and a secret mission to Norway.
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Are yours gonna be all about Wales? Yes.
Money, there's a sparkly hat. No. Wait. You have a special 1 too. What?
You don't have to switch with hat. So there's right next to you, daddy, is a bunch of different hats. There's a sparkly version. I also got you some antler ones if you wanted. That 1 I got for you money.
Oh, I love fun. Yes. And if anyone gets Oh.
That's really that's really something.
Jacob, are you in need of, a hat?
Or do you
want wear a spark.
Are you still pushing your merch brand? Do you wanna get that out on that? This is actually a friend of mine's thing,
but I'll wear that
guy. Want sparkly?
I think I'll go sparkly.
Like a sparkly guy to me.
You you just feels like a sparkly guy.
Okay. Welcome everybody to the Christmas episode.
Happy holidays. Happy holidays. Tingle jingle.
Okay. So we have really fun guests. Of course, people will know you, Anna Kendrick. People know you, Kristen Bell. People are going to a lot of people will know you guys, but a lot of people will be meeting you.
Yeah. Gabe Gibbs.
Yeah.
I got to see you for the first time perform. What were you guys doing? What was that called? The cabaret show?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
A cabaret show. Yes.
Okay. Great.
And legally, it's cabaret show. That's how it's pronounced.
And, first check-in the great category is you're a Michigander. Yeah, baby. Yeah. If the hat didn't sub
Oh my god. Thank you guys for the hat. The lion's hat. Oh, so good. Go team.
And where are you from in Michigan, Gabe?
I'm from, like, Rochester area.
Right. Yeah. We talked about that. Exit 69 Big Beaver.
That's right.
That was your exit. That's right. That's a for real thing. It is. Anna, you don't know that about Michigan, but
I don't know anything about Michigan.
Big Beaver Road is exit number 69 Okay.
On I-seventy 5. Yeah. It's locked in. Yeah.
I did
it on purpose.
You had
a field day with that growing up. I We were all learning to drive, like, where
you gonna drive, though.
I probably like Big Beaver 69.
Some nasty city planners.
Yeah. Wow.
Just someone out on
the fence. Festivals.
And then where are you from?
I'm from South Florida. You are? Yeah. Okay. But get his name.
Oh, Jacob.
Jacob Jeffries.
Yeah.
Yeah. And you and Wabi Wab already know each other?
I yeah. I know Wabi. I met Wabi at a pool party. Right? A long time ago?
Yeah. That's right.
That's right.
Was Wabi in swimwear? I was
gonna ask that. We might have we might have been in swimwear together.
Was he wearing a Speedo?
No. But picture it. It could be fun. Well, you
you told us that he just shaved his pubic hair.
No. No. No. Not just. Wow.
We
1 time you did it 1 time and
did a
landing strip for funny stuff.
We were talking about whether a Brazilian had the landing strip or not. Oh. And then somehow we learned, this was just a couple weeks ago, that Wab gave himself a landing strip just to make Natalie laugh. Wabbe, in the comments, I'm sure you've seen people love that.
Of course. Who doesn't love that?
Yeah. It's fantastic.
He's a wascal. Okay. So we're gonna sing a bunch of songs. We're going to, learn some, backstory on Christmas, favorite presents, that type of thing. We're gonna eat a lot of cookies and sweets.
Wabi Wab, of course, always makes really delicious cookies and rice crispy treats. And then I have a surprise too, a culinary surprise. And so we'll be breaking to, chow down at some point too. And then we'll do a gift exchange, and that's the run of the show. So what I would love to do instead of trying to describe, Gabe, your genius, I would love to start with a little taste of your
Sure.
Yeah. Your
Sure. Your
focus as a musician.
Jacob and I can can switch. We can switch real quick. A little shuffle rue.
And this one's coming.
Oh, also huge shout out to Wabi Wab because the the garage looks insane.
Oh, yeah.
I It
looks like beautiful.
I especially love that the sorting hat is wearing a Christmas
hat. Oh my god.
It's very it's a nice top. Cute.
Oh my god.
Also, the crow is wearing a lot
of the Oh, he is. Which
is so cute.
And thank you, Lincoln and Delta. I stole the tree out of their bedroom, and they don't know that.
That's the tree from their bedroom?
Yes.
I thought you threw it out because they were all saying the needles were falling. And I was like, thank god he threw it out.
No. I threw it in here. I threw it in.
You know what I like? I like an old candy cane ornament. It's very classic.
Yeah. You would with some white lights.
Yeah. Well Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah.
Candy cane ornaments are really for colored lights.
Sorry. Before we kick off, just a quick vote. I know where you 2 stand. But are you a white light or a colored light person on your Christmas tree?
I can't really decide. I have, scared people away by bringing them to my house around Christmas time because I really go crazy.
You do? Yeah. Harder than we do.
All signs of mental illness come forward much time.
How many
trees? I have, I have a silver and gold room that says, like, monochromatic. So that's all, you know Great. And then I have a green and brass room. So that's more like traditional warm.
Right? Warm. And then, I started a couple years ago, I started collecting antique ornaments Oh. From, like, the fifties sixties, and, and that's kind of my, like, candy colored explosion room.
Do you need new pants, mom mommy?
Do you
need slip right off this couch. It's like, you know, I love the theme, and I love holiday, and that that really definitely love
the fun.
In the living room,
I was wondering, like, who who did everything, and I didn't I I mean, I assume it was sort of everyone, a a team effort. I don't know. No? No. I was I there's there's some touches in there that I'm very impressed by.
I like to have a theme every year. We've done Whoville and the Grinch. We've done vintage Christmas. We've done a couple different things.
Candy?
This year was gonna be candy Christmas, a lot of pepperminty stuff, and then Wicked came out. And I said, psych. We're gonna rip it all down, which I did, and then went for the Wicked theme and did everything pink and green, but I love a theme.
Yeah. No. That's, like, a problem, and, and we're the same. Yeah. Yeah.
And it's
it's not a problem. Okay. Okay.
So the thing I hope people are tracking is, like, just a month ago, Anna said I you know, Kristen texted me, and I really felt bad. I ghosted her because I was just nervous. And then we fixed that, and then you guys started texting.
Oh, just wait. Yes. You'll never see me again.
And now you're singing together. I just have I have so much, optimism about where this is going. Now we find out about this spectacular design, Christmas display.
Yeah. This is exciting.
This is exciting. Okay. Although, I think the last time I saw you 2, I did say I don't know if it was in the episode or not, but I did say, oh, if I had to sing with Kristen, I would be very nervous.
Did say that.
And I would wanna, like, get prepped for months months. And did I have a knot
in my shoulder? No, ma'am. No.
So is all do I have a knot in my shoulder? Yes. I do.
Oh, it'll
be sad.
Did I pull out some of my eyebrows this morning? No. I didn't.
It's a secret.
I think I think you're I think you're you're Delusional. You're delusional. Because I felt all the same things, and I'm sweating. In fact, I even put on a red tank top because I know I'm gonna start flashing when we start singing, and then take this off.
Also, let's make sure your visitor badge is still on here.
Why you would
be so
sure. She wanted to brag that she helped kids today.
Oh, that's funny. That's
why. That's really cute. I went to I
said children's hospital. That's strange.
Okay. Gabe Yes. Why don't you rock our world a little bit?
Yeah. This this is a tiny bit of setup, if that's okay. Yeah. Broadway does these things where they take existing they're called jukebox musicals, and they take existing people's music and turn them into Broadway shows. And so I've been having fun on the Internet and elsewhere turning things that I think should never be made into Broadway shows into Broadway shows.
And, they're on your Instagram. You have the most, entertaining Instagram of all. What how do what what do people go to for that?
It's just Gabe Gibbs at Okay. Gabegibbs. Wonderful. Thank you. It's also insane that I'm about to
play these out loud in public.
Here we go. This 1 is, from a fictional, Fergie musical.
I'll be
playing the role of Fergie. Just once. I want someone to ask me ask me out on a date and ask me the questions I've been wanting to get asked like,
what you gonna do with all that junk with all that junk inside your trunk? And others like, what you gonna do with all that ass?
Oh, all
that ass inside those jeans. So I can tell him, I will make you scream. With my humps, my humps, my lady loves.
Oh my god. It's so good because it's also really great. Thank you. It's rare that something's really funny and also really great.
Thank you.
So what is your background, Gabe? You you have you been on Broadway?
I have. I was in
the Book of Mormon, the 1 the South Park guys wrote. Oh my goodness. Original? Yeah. No.
Not original. I ended up, standing by for the now late great Gavin Creel, who just worked with us. He was there in that company for a while, toured with it for a while, did it at the Pantages, which was cool. That's a cool theater.
And then now you moved to LA how many years ago?
Yeah. I've been in LA for, like, almost 10 years now.
Oh, okay. Okay.
Yeah. Just bopping around the comedy scene
Sure. Sure.
With my with my wares.
Yes. Yeah.
Okay. I have a favorite, and I've requested that you play it, and I think that's next.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
This is from again, I will be playing the titular role. I'll be playing the role of Missy Elliott in this Missy Elliott musical. Are you a Missy Elliott?
I'm so excited.
Hell, yeah, dude.
Is it worth it? And
you work it.
I'll put my thing down, flip it, and reverse
it.
If you got a big, let me search you and find out how hard I gotta work you. Is it worth it?
Oh my god. Incredible.
Those are the bits. Oh my god. Those are the bits. Oh my god. Incredible.
Those are the bits. Oh my god. Bits. Oh my god. Incredible.
Those are the bits. Oh my god. Those are the bits. Oh my god.
Those are the bits. Oh my god.
Those are the bits. Oh my god. Those are the bits. Oh my god. Those are the bits.
Oh my god.
And there's a couple good hour and a half every night on her little space age mat.
I got a homey like that.
That's so sweet. Okay. So we've got, we've got quite a few Christmas songs to get through and, quite a few great singers. So I think we should hop into A switcheroo? Switchback.
Let's do a switcheroo.
Yeah.
You're so playful when you say if you've got a big 1. The the the No.
The expression on
your face, I was like, oh, I hate it.
Yeah. I
hate it. Yeah.
Yeah. Yes.
Because it's
that pleased with yourself kind of Yes. I mean, I wouldn't
but you know.
Theater acting.
Yes. Good. Super Bowls. Good.
That no 1 behaves this way except musical theater people. I was
praying you'd say it. I'm not allowed to say it. Oh, it's It's too dangerous. But
born out that's what it's born out of. It's born out of theater people who don't live in reality. And so then we take these songs, and we make them insane.
In fairness,
I don't want them to live in reality.
Of course. They're singing. They're singing.
I'm in love with you because the reason he said he's not allowed say it is because sometimes he come at it too hard because I'd be like, yes. I agree. A lot of it is cheesy. And, yes, I agree. Nobody walks like, when you see a musical theater actor walk across the stage, they're always in, like, an earthquake windstorm.
And that's that's never how people walk, and I love it. I love it. And I can agree with you that's sometimes really silly. But then sometimes Zacks will, like, dig in, and I'll say, like, uh-uh. No.
That's my medium. So I like
I think that's true of, like, ballet and opera. Like, they everyone has their own kind of set of rules and gestures and, like, the the world is different. So Yeah. I think musical theater is similar where Yeah. You're like, well, yeah.
I mean, in ballet, they go to sleep like this.
Right. And, you know,
like, I and we go, yeah. Okay. You're sitting. I'm I'm
it's true because I'm into the
medium. I guess if you came hard at ballet for sleeping like that, I'd feel a little bit more like you you were, you know, a little bit more critical of everyone, but I think it's just because we discuss musical theater so often because I bring it up.
Exactly. We just have not yet talked. In 17 years, we've got not gotten around to ballet yet. Yeah. But other than the fact that I was in ballet for some period of time
That's true.
Yeah. Yeah. A tiny I had 1 recital, and my dad who was never around did come to that. And he watched the thing, and then when we were leaving, he said to my mother, okay. That was his last recital.
There's no more of that.
How old is that? Michigan.
I I similar to that.
Probably 7.
Yeah. Lame.
Yeah. I know. That is
a bummer.
Yeah. That's something you could do in 1982. You could unilaterally say, that's the a wrap on that.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
I'm a dad. He's he's not around, but I still have this veto card.
He missed an opportunity because, Easter egg. Someone's coming here in a bit to help with the singing
Uh-huh.
Whose son is a dancer.
The best dancer.
He's 11. He's the best dancer in the world. And Perfect 10 Charlie, his father, posted a whole thing a video and a whole thing about it, and he called himself a dance dad. And there's nothing hotter
A dance dad.
Than a man calling themselves a dance dad. So your dad missed out. He could have been a dance dad and, like, that would have been hot.
Cleaned up. Yes. Yeah.
Okay. What is the first song, my love?
Why don't we start out with a classic?
Yes. Why
don't we start out with something with the 3 of us? We're gonna hit you with 1 of the hot Christmas classics.
Oh, wonderful.
What are we getting to begin this?
Would it be disrespectful if I'm enjoying a snack while you guys
are singing?
Or encouraged.
Prefer it.
Okay. Great.
Dinner theater.
Great. And what's my start? Okay.
God rest ye merry gentlemen. Let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray. Oh, tings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
In Bethlehem in Israel, this blessed babe was born and laid within a manger upon this blessed morn to which his mother Mary did nothing take and scorn.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. From god, our heavenly father, a blessed angel came, and unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same. How that in Bethlehem was born the son of God by name.
Oh my god.
That's a slog.
Hannah, do
you do you wanna do a a musical at any point?
Like like on stage? Yeah. Honestly, I, I've heard, you know, from folks that it's just so much harder than you think, and it's harder than you remember, and I barely remember because I was 12.
Yeah.
So the last time I did a live show, like, a stage show, I think I was 17. So, yeah, I really like the part where I just have to, like, get my voice ready for recording or filming.
Yeah.
And then I don't have to think about it anymore. Yeah. Even when we did we did a bunch of the last 5 years live as much as we could, which wasn't a ton, but, that I didn't like having to kind of, like, live like a soldier and not, like, drink and not have cheese. And Yeah. I'm just such a big fan of cheese.
Sure. Sure.
I didn't know. What show were you in when you were a kid?
High Society. Sorry. I didn't know. No.
I didn't. Son of a bitch.
And who were you in the last 5 years with? Jeremy Jordan.
What what's happening?
That's almost a
huge burn,
but I
It wasn't a burn you know our that, Lincoln's like
0 0 0 0. She's obsessed.
She can't even say his name without being like, Jeremy Jordan.
Oh, I see.
She loves him so much. She asked for Jeremy Jordan t shirts for Christmas.
Are there such t shirts?
No. But I just got 1 on Amazon that said Jeremy. It's so Yeah. Name, I'm sure. It's not like Brandon or some sort of Oh, no.
I don't think it
just says it says Jeremy Jeremy Jeremy
on it. And then
I don't think that's what she wanted.
Well, that's all they had. So what's his what's his Riz? Like, why is she so
obsessed?
Hottie, hottie, Broadway, hottie, hot Broadway.
Hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty, hotty,
hotty, hotty, hot
It was Gavin Creel who just who just passed a couple months ago. He's he was, like, he was the dude. He was, like, people my age that were doing theater were looking up to him, and he was the guy.
Did you go to the thing Kristen went to?
Which 1? The memorial.
No. I
didn't. I didn't. You went.
It was really beautiful. Yeah. I'm
really And
they dimmed the lights. Yeah. Yeah.
It's a classy theater tradition.
Mama had the best week of her entire life. She almost didn't come home.
I did. Yeah. I didn't. I did. I did end up coming home.
But in my mind, I'm still there. Yeah. I talked to them on FaceTime, and both Dax and the girls are like, you look you look different.
You look 12 years younger. On those FaceTimes, I was like, oh my god. Mom's 26 right now. Look at her. Your face was yeah.
It was so youthful. You're with all your Broadway friends that that does something so special to you. Yeah. That's very, very sweet. Stay tuned for more Armchair Expert if you dare.
Hello, ladies and gerbs, boys and girls. The Grinch is back again to ruin your Christmas season with Tis the Grinch holiday podcast. After last year, he's learned a thing or 2 about hosting, and he's ready to rant against Christmas cheer and roast his celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. You can listen with the whole family as guest stars like Jon Hamm, Brittany Broski, and Danny DeVito try try to persuade the mean old Grinch that there's a lot to love about the insufferable holiday season. But that's not all.
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Hello, ladies and gerbs, boys and girls. The Grinch is back again to ruin your Christmas season with Tis the Grinch holiday podcast. After last year, he's learned a thing or 2 about hosting, and he's ready to rant against Christmas cheer and roast his celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. You can listen with the whole family as guest stars like Jon Hamm, Brittany Broski, and Danny DeVito try to persuade the mean old Grinch that there's a lot to love about the insufferable holiday season. But that's not all.
Somebody stole all the children of Whoville's letters to Santa, and everybody thinks the Grinch is responsible. It's a real Whoville whodunit. Can Cindy Lou and Max help clear the Grinch's name? Grab your hot cocoa and cozy slippers to find out. Follow 'tis the Grinch holiday podcast on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad free by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Should we I think we should hear are you guys ready to play your song? I'm also I have 1 quick question, ergonomically. Can is it easy to to sing Seated? Is that not a challenge?
It's a little harder.
It is. Right?
Maybe not for this 1. But, I will say I this is not this is the opposite of a flex. You know, this is the opposite of flex. I am worried about distorting on the mic because I I not that I am, like because I'm so my voice is so big, but it's because, like, I I have to get very loud to Yeah.
Yeah. Hit that show.
Notes. So I just wanna make sure that that you know? I don't know. Rob Rob is prepared. I'm riding it.
Okay. Hold on.
He's riding it like a
riding He's
riding it
like a running board.
Too. He rides
it like a Brazilian strip. Oh, yeah. You're smart.
Oh, this is great. You've gone on your knees.
That's Yeah.
That's, like, compromise. It's more the right? It's gotta be this? So you're down. No.
No. No. No. I don't wanna stand.
No. Then it just gets awkward. Right? When you stand up, and then if it doesn't tell me
if you have this.
If you stand and you go, like, oh, I'm gonna need to stand and you don't hit it. Fucking the worst.
I'm not That's
why I see.
Yeah. You don't absolutely sore.
I'm like, you know,
you're doing a lot for Right.
Like, that's eliminated real machine standing. Why didn't it work?
And you've got a built in excuse.
Like, I'm
like, I was I was sitting. Can you imagine what that would have sounded like if I was standing? Mhmm. Yeah.
Yeah. It would have been perfect.
Yeah. That would be my preferred
approach.
Sure. It's nice to open a gift that's tied up with a perfect bow. But the greatest present of all was given to me long ago. It's something I would never trade. It's the family that we pay.
Pay because when we're together, I have everything on my list. And when we're together, I have all I wished. All around the Christmas tree, there'll be dreams coming true. But when we're together, then my favorite gift is you. I would travel miles and miles and I would follow any star.
I'd go almost any place if it's any place you are. Because when we're together We're together. Forever real at home. And when we're together, we stay safe and warm. Doesn't matter where we are if you're here with me.
Because when we're together, that's my favorite place to be. Because when we're together, it's a holiday every night. And when we're together, then the season's bright. I don't need the bell to ring them. We'll know when it's here.
I'll wait. Because when we're together, I could stay forever. And when we're together,
it's my favorite
time of you.
Beautiful, Ryan.
What? Do you
have anything that did you bring anything special?
Yeah. I've I've actually brought a a little gift, if that's okay. Well, I brought 2 gifts. 1 is in the fridge right now in the house, which my sister, who is a huge arm cherry, huge, huge, huge
Oh.
Couldn't let me show up without having us make some homemade Emily burger sauce.
No. Amazing. Which Oh,
boy. Sugar free as well. We've made it sugar free.
Oh, I
love it.
But that's great. That's some added bone. Yeah. Not She must be a genius. She really loves this
show. She
loves this show.
Yeah. You sound so smart.
Yeah. Yeah.
And passionate and a ball.
She is the best of us, really.
Aw. Okay. I just so you know I wanna make it very clear. You're the, you're my all time queen of the bell the ball. You're the number 1 singer in my heart of all time.
So that you know that. But I do need to talk about Anna's voice for a second. I when You have notes? No. You're like a racehorse.
Do you racehorses, they can, like can it walk? I don't know. Is it gonna and then all of a sudden, it fucking takes off, and it's just like Right. Or like a a car, a motor, you guys will know, with a huge cam. It sounds like it's not even gonna roll, and then you hit the gas and it's fucking out of there.
Yeah. There is something so just
Powerful.
And it just, like, it it just shoots into the air. It's really I love it. I don't think I heard you sing enough. Perf tambor.
Is that what it is?
It's I mean,
tambor is so
tambor. Yeah.
Yeah. Clear.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. That's so nice.
Really? That's the unteachable part too.
Yeah. Yep. No.
You can't teach timbre.
No. Can't teach timbre. No.
That's what they say.
You can't teach timbre.
You can't teach timbre. Can't teach timbre new tricks.
Did you feel like after pitch perfect, everyone was saying that to you? Like, oh my god.
No. I mean, I think Pitch Perfect, the singing in Pitch Perfect actually, like, I I there was some reason that there was, like, a performance that my mom sent me, I don't know, where they were dancing to the first movie, and I was like, oh, I haven't listened to this in forever. And I was like, I don't sound that good. Oh my god. Because I think I was just sort of trying to because they make us they they make us learn so many weird harmonies, like
Mhmm.
And you're you're playing the percussion, and you're, you know, like, you're playing the guitar or whatever. Like so you're just trying to, like, actually learn the notes, and there's not a ton of time for you to decide, like, your musicality for each song. So I was like, oh, Sounds good.
Oh my god.
Well, you sound amazing. I'm having a real time realization.
Okay.
I cannot believe I have not put this together before. The thing the song that I've listened to probably the most in my life is you and Justin Timberlake singing True Colors. Shut up. And I just now am realizing that that's you because now I know you to some extent that I I've, like, removed that as put it in its own compartment. I used to watch that video on repeat.
You've been waiting.
Think you knew that because we talked about the fact that I was walking by UCB. You were sitting behind the counter, and I walked in, and you were currently listening to that song at work.
Talked about it, but I didn't I didn't realize it was our friend, Anna Kendrick. And, I mean, I did realize, but this Monica did not realize it in her heart until right this Saturday.
Say the video, are you talking about the Cannes performance?
There was a performance you guys did. I just watched it on YouTube over and over and over and over on your
You were both really sick. And my god.
And Were you sitting or standing?
I was standing. Thank god.
He had
diarrhea is what I remember from the story. Yeah. Justin Timberlake had her, like, explosive diarrhea
is what
I mean. But he's so he's so sweet, and, I we were both really, really sick, but he is, like, you know, 1 of the great all time, like, pop recording artists, peep you know, whatever. So, we had, like did a very, very simple, version of True Colors. And, like, right before and we just kept drilling it and drilling it and drilling And then, like, right before we were about to go on, he was just singing his part to himself and added in, like, 20 riffs or whatever. And I went, are you gonna do it like that?
And he was like, no. No. No. No. No.
No. No. It's fine. It's fine. It's fine.
It's fine. Because I was like, no. No. No. You have you still have access to, like, so much of your voice that I, like, do not have right now.
No. It's the most beautiful thing to do with that. Sweetly like, no. No. No.
It's gonna be exactly how we did that. It's gonna be fine.
Have you guys ever heard my version? I have to cover my face because it'll make everyone uncomfortable. This is like a rule, Monica. Okay. And I see your 2 cowards.
That's why I love you. I'm so long way, so don't be afraid.
So sad.
The wet and go.
I saw the whole thing because I had a backstage cast to
that 1. I saw the whole thing. BTS.
I think you got there because of Timberlake.
Timberlake. We were talking about her Timberlake.
I think that's how you got there.
Oh my god. Oh, yeah.
Yeah. Wow.
You searched Timber, I think. Wow. Best
timbre. I love that.
Oh, that was fantastic.
Right before this, we Gabe was mentioning the Emily Burger sauce, and you said you had 1 more thing.
Oh, I do have another gift, if that's okay.
Yeah. No.
There's a 1 gift limit here.
This day has been field field.
I'll take that from the top.
I'll take that again. Great.
Please do.
Everyone reset back to 1.
Keep it rolling, Rob. Yeah. I must stand, sit. Doesn't matter. It'll come out the same.
Standing is the opposite of sitting.
Sitting. Yeah. I do have another gift actually for you guys. If if you don't mind, I it goes like this. The day has been filled with holiday cheer, but I know that it can't last.
So before we run along, I wrote a little song about the king of this podcast.
Oh. 0, wow.
Oh, Wabi Wab's the reason I signed up for this pod. Sure the hosts are fine, but I'd wait in line for that audio god. Monica is chic as hell, her fact checks make it clearer, but without the work of Wobbly Wobb, you couldn't even hear her. Dax is wise, the kind of guy you'd hang out
with gladly, but he's nothing in comparison to that decibel daddy. Because Monica and Dax, I'd say no thanks, I'll pass. Just Kristen and Anna, I would've made other plannna. Wobbywob's
the reason I'm here. The rest is bupkest. Wobbywob's the reason I'm here.
Feel free to cut this.
Wow. It's about goddamn time, Robert.
I love
the gift.
I write him like a running mule, so he deserved that. You wanna poke poke your
your face?
He'd rather not. No. Absolutely not.
Oh, that was awesome.
I love this. Incredible.
The best, and I was totally, like, going between you and Rob's face, and you'd never know something weird was happening. I mean, I'm sure if you know him well, there's, like, micro expressions you could read, but I was, like, is he does he,
like, is he listening to what's going on? Is it crazy?
Can he hear? That's a plot twist.
He can't even hear.
Gabe, do you have a favorite Christmas present you remember from your your childhood in Michigan on Big Beaver Road exit 69 in Rochester?
The first thing in Michigan on Big Beaver Road X at 69 Rochester that comes to my mind is getting a getting my first, like, brick cell phone. At the time that I was texting, I had a crush at the time. And so it was the kind of texting you did where you had to do the a b c. T
9. T 9 text input.
T 9. She knows.
T a b. That kinda thing.
Yeah. There
was a lot of
that cell phone.
What grade?
I think it was 6th grade that I got my first phone.
And you had a big old crush in 6th grade, early developer.
6th grade. So it's
2 gs.
What's up, Shouty?
Ah. G 2 g.
And I imagine then too, you had some limited data on your hands.
Oh, yeah. Oh, for sure. Precious. There was no yeah. It was not it was very limited.
Yeah. You gotta be real efficient with that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
A lot of text to the same number showing up on the bill at the end of the day.
Jacob, do you have a favorite gift you got?
Yeah. I can recall a a nice dyno GT bicycle waiting out front 1 Christmas morning.
You son of a bitch.
Yeah. Blue red, white,
and blue.
Wed, white, and blue.
Would it have made you so long wait?
Yeah, dude. I was cruising all over the neighborhood on that thing, man. It was great.
You had a fucking Dino.
You remember Dino GTs?
Yeah. You're a dick. Yeah. I had a I had a fucking mongoose.
I was
gonna say kids either had Dino's or mongooses. No.
Kids had mongooses, and they wanted Dino's.
Cool.
Yeah. Yeah.
What did your old man do for him?
Nah. He sold insurance.
Oh, I
bet he did quite well.
Yeah. Yeah.
He had 1 client. I don't know.
I don't
think he did well, to be honest with you. He was always on the phone with Muriel Jacobs. I don't know who the hell that was.
It was supposed
to sorry, guys.
I got
Shout out Muriel Jacobs.
Gates' pseudonym.
Do you have 1?
Maybe an Easy Bake Oven.
Yeah. I mean,
that's a,
yeah, that's a real dream because I also, you know, love a little baking moment, but I also love slightly underbaked baked goods. And the easy Easy Bake Oven really delivers on that.
It does. Yeah.
It's not very good.
Gets there.
It's a light bulb, right, that cooks the food?
So you
get, like, warm cookie dough, which is really what I wanted in the first
place. Yeah. Yeah. That's right.
I'm bad at, like, birthdays and Christmas because when I, like, know of something that I really wanna get someone, I'm too excited, and I'm like, I just give it when I I can't, like yeah. I can't do the delayed gratification.
I'm bad at birthdays and Christmas as if there's a bunch of other gift opportunities. You're just straight across the board bad at gifts. Because you're bad at birthdays and Christmas.
Bad. But, but every, like, every now and then, there's a fucking winner, and, like, I cannot go, like, well, Christmas is in 2 months, and I'll just save it. I I can't do it. Yeah.
When you think of somebody, you get it, and then you give it. Yeah. Yeah. That's lovely. I feel like you're like that.
And I
don't want anyone to think I'm being rude not asking you, but we both know.
I won't remember.
You have no clue. No. We have been on vacations to places that she's she's like, I'd like to go to Colorado once. We've been couple times. You know, that kinda thing.
Not me, Anne.
I'd like to throw in in the mix Please. That we got you, a chandelier Oh. From Perry. Now that I remember. Crack on down.
We shot the, the season finale, the the the series finale of The Good Place in, Greece and in Paris. And when I was in Paris, I went to the, flea market there. And I was looking all around, and I loved it so much. And I saw this white terracotta chandelier that's kind of, like it's huge, and it's, like, there's all these little, like, white terracotta birds all over it, but it's very it's kinda minimalist. It's very chic.
Just trust me. Okay.
Very good.
Very well. I said, how much is that? And he said, and I was like, okay. Thanks so much. It was way too expensive.
And then I left, but I came home talking about it, and I was like, oh, Monica. I gotta talk to you about decor. I saw this chandelier, and I loved it so much. And then 10 months go by. I mean, like, a very, very long time.
Maybe even a year over. And Monica had the realization that she could track down someone I was who lived in Paris that I had known, who could go back and
see the show. You guys are both
love with? Laurent? No. No. It is not.
No. That sounded bit.
Just sign up. There
is a great masseuse in Paris. I will I mean, half of it is just like hair play, but it is out
of this. And there's a dinner involved
and you
go to his apartment?
We went to dinner. That's not really on the docket.
It's not 1
of the services he offers. Mm-mm. But then Monica tracked down this chandelier from our beautiful friend Tibor, and they gave it to me for my 40th birthday, and now it hangs above my bathtub. It's You have to go beautiful. So beautiful.
I'm gonna
It's really special.
What's your favorite gift you've ever received on Christmas?
By far and I just shout out to Laura LeBeau because we are broke as hell, but she went hard on Christmas. We had great fucking Christmas. She would go in debt, and she always gave us a good 1. And I was I must have been 5 because we lived in this shithole. And, I came out, and there was a a plastic Indy car, like, the size of this table.
It was a probably, like, would be a Power Wheels now. I don't know if that was the brand back then, but it was a little car I could drive. Mhmm. And I drove it until the battery's dead, then I charged it, then I drove it. And then I drove it.
And the embarrassing part is I drove it way too long. Then we moved into a neighborhood, and I was still I was driving it at, like, 11. Sometimes I get nostalgic, and I would drive it down my neighborhood street. And I would be super embarrassed, but I still would do it. Yeah.
I just the steering wheel broke, and I steered it with pliers for a while. Yeah.
This wasn't the Firefox, was it?
No. That was my worst present because my, grandpa, papa Bob, he bought my brother and I these Firefox remote control cars. We wanted them so bad. And then my uncle and my brother played with them before Christmas for so long that they were broken, and then put them in the boxes, and we unwrapped them, and they were broken. And then they were sold out of Firefox.
Oh, no. And then this is my chandelier, my, the what's the sled's name? Oh, snap. Rosebud. This was my rosebud, and Kristen found a Firefox on eBay or somewhere and got it for me for Christmas.
And she healed that wound. And it, it it broke within 10 minutes of driving. So I I can't even blame my uncle.
These are pieces of shit, these fire. Yeah. They were the easy bake ovens, essentially.
Yeah. They were the easy bake oven of the RC car world for sure. Yeah. Okay. What other songs do we have?
This one's a song that everyone's gonna know. But Gabe and I like this particular version, which is Mel Torme and Judy Garland, which we're gonna do it with them in mind
Okay.
Because it's very clear during this recording that they are sauced. Okay. They're little
little tips.
There's yeah. There is some word mangling. There's there's just it's just
Good for them.
Mostly on the Judy part.
Mostly on the Judy part.
Because Judy is pretty gassed.
Yeah. Yeah. She had
a hard life. She really did. Did she? Yeah. Yeah.
What was her Yeah.
What was her stroke?
Well, she we Britney speared her. Yeah. Oh. Just the first Britney Spears.
Okay. Yeah.
So yeah. So we have this little 1 prepared, in the
Rob, cue all the crickets.
Oh my god. Are there crickets in here?
So fucking many. I told you this. Someone was having a very emotional moment on the couch. And the second they were having this emotional moment, the crickets started
how'd you do that? If you hit them, they they'll come.
They're in the
garage. You know you know we need to get? Nice. A snake.
Good idea. Well, let's have a snake in here.
Oh, yeah. We're just wandering around the podcast. The snake. You got it. Well, what if we brought I got even even better idea.
Can you
not know what Monica's number 1 fear in life is?
Yeah. Snakes.
Upper butt.
Snakes. Me too. Upper butt.
Coming out of your toilet bowl? Yeah. Going out your butt from
the toilet.
They go all the way up into your they Did they come out your mouth? No. No. No. Come out your mouth.
Do you know have you fact checked this? Yeah. It's a real rumor. Rumor. What if Erica brought Norbert over, their lizard?
Although he last time I heard, he wasn't eating for a while, and she was very nervous. Yeah.
He's upset about the election. He's on strike.
He's on strike.
Okay. So this is Garland smashed and
This is Mel and Mel Torme
Yep.
Trying to keep it together.
Yeah.
All through the years, we've waited. That's
a great Mel Torme.
Waited through spring and fall, though
this one's gonna know it. Yeah. To hear silver
bells ringing and wintertime singing, the happiest season of all. And I wish that Judy Garland would start singing right now.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose.
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir and folks dressed up from head to toe.
Everybody knows
a turkey and some mistletoe,
help
it hard to sleep tonight.
They know that
Santa's on his way.
He's loaded
lots of gifts and
toys up on his sleigh.
And every mother's child is gonna spy
to see if rainbows
ring know how to fly.
And so
I'm offering this simple phrase
to kids a
drum 1 to 92.
Although it's been said many times many ways, Merry Christmas to you.
Should we have a goadems in old English? Sure. Love and joy come to you and to all your loved
new
You
did. You're doing great, Mel Tormann.
Thank you. Thank you.
You guys just need 3, 4 more songs, and you gotta show. Stay tuned for more Armchair Expert, if you dare.
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Rainbows really know how to fly. Yeah. So good.
Nod to
it at all. It just that's what she wanted to sing. It came out of her mouth. No one's gonna argue with it. It's Judy Garland.
Wait. That didn't really happen.
Yeah.
Yeah. That's good. Just did the track.
Yeah. She said rainbows really know how
it was. Yes.
Did she do the Gibson Toy?
Yes. Oh,
wow. Because I'm looking at it because I was like, that is crazy that hilarious. Then I looked and it was like, she like, Christopher crossed out the rainbows. Sure.
And I'm
like, oh, that wasn't an accident.
No. No. No. That was
class. Oh.
0, hilarious.
She was zossed. Yeah. Gone.
That gets you out of the copyright issue. Just throw rainbows in.
It's great.
And for
those who don't know, it's it's titled the Christmas song, but that is really that's an incredible version. That's my favorite version, and I really wanted to try it
with you. And they kept it too. They're like, she said they're like, Mike, you she said rainbows. Right? Yeah.
Just keep it. Okay.
Well, I think that.
The rainbows over the rainbow. I of course. Yeah. Yeah.
I thought I was like a nod.
Maybe the rainbows is her being like, get it. Yeah. Wow.
She was. And I think that was live because I think Mel was playing.
Yeah. There's a video online that you can see of him playing. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah. Because most of the a lot of those songs from way back when, they were just taken from live performances. They weren't, like, doing them in the studio. They were like, you can hear the live tracks on
Oh. Yeah. Oh, man. That was funny. Delish.
Do we wanna do our our our culinary surprise?
Oh.
I just wanna say that we were talking yesterday in a fact check, and I was lamenting about how bad I am at giving gifts. And then Monica said, well, think of, secret turkey so fun because you have to make it.
Mhmm.
And then I thought, okay. That's what I'm gonna do.
Oh, great.
So we'll all go outside. There's a buffet set up.
What?
And we'll make a plate, and then we can eat and, open presents.
Okay. Sounds good.
Sound good? Yay. Wow.
A buffet.
People can pee if they need
to. Wow. Oh,
my word of the day today, it was bah humbug. No. And I learned the full meaning. In 17th century, 18th century, somewhere on the cusp, bah essentially meant not. Right?
It was a sign of disagreement. And humbug meant a hoax or a befooling trick. So if you didn't like the merry season, you'd say not. This is a hoax. Oh, interesting.
Okay. I'll
open 1st. Mhmm. I always thought it was too much. It is. Oh, it is.
Oh, yeah. Okay. It's a phrase.
Now full disclosure, I have helped for Kristen's Christmas. I don't wanna act like, she has a stylist, Nicole, who has the best taste of any person in the world. Everything Nicole gets, Kristen wants. So 3 years ago, I was like, hey, Nicole, since you know what she's gonna want, could you help me? So I have a lot of help, but I still I feel unethical about that, so I still get some stuff on my own.
So if this is a miss, it's because Nicole had nothing to do with this.
And look at this.
Is you is wicked theme for your
Now that's where Carly comes in, I think. Because I just did the wrap job, and I did not, affix the ribbon.
I did.
Oh. I
knew it would be you or her.
All the games you 2 play, I
see. Also, shout out to Carly for
get Dax to lie about wrapping this.
And then go,
you got trapped.
It was a total trap. I walked right into it. And then shout out Carly for putting out the, the buffet outside.
Oh, incredible. Did you
do the garlic bread too?
She made the garlic bread. I made the spaghetti sauce.
Both are absolutely delicious. Our listeners have heard a lot about the spaghetti, so I want them to it's good that they get to see it Yeah. In action. It's incredible. The prank is in the title on this book.
Oh.
Yeah. That's there you go.
That's right.
That's right.
Yep. That's exactly where it goes.
Panda prank with a shoe footprint, like, from a murder mystery. Oh.
You're a hiker?
I am a hiker.
Oh. Wow.
Nice. Oh, really nice. Oh. These are sleek hiking shoes, buddy. Thank you.
Yeah. Some collab between panda prank and Nike.
I love Those are gorgeous. A sexy shoe. Mhmm.
Oh, thank you.
This is a hit.
Oh, thank you.
1 for 1.
1 for 1.
Yeah. Because I
should quit I should just return the rest of your presents, actually.
Love them. Why is the box so big?
Well, if you love them so much, you'd be putting them on. That's what I would do, a pair of shoes I love.
What's what's panda prank?
They're like, they do, you know, 1 off designs of existing brands is my understanding of it.
Oh, cool.
Yeah. Because now I'm in their algorithm because I bought 1 pair of shoes, so I see every single pair of shoes they design, and they're all pretty cool.
Nice. Okay. Jacob's not eating, so I'm gonna give him his present.
Do I
have a present?
Yeah. You got a present.
What the heck?
Also, I learned at the buffet bar that you're in Wolfpack, which drive I can't believe I didn't know. That's so embarrassing to me.
I'm the newest member. It's totally okay. Oh, This looks delicious. Is this wine?
Yes, it is.
Thank God. I love wine. I wasn't sure what it was.
And then reach on
down in the
Reach on down. Reach on down. Reach on down the road.
Let's go. Oh. What is this?
Do you
know I love this wine bar? And I live you still live next to it? Wait.
I was just guessing.
Wait. No. Did you know this or no?
I just guessed.
No. Someone told you?
Who told you? Kristen does her research.
Beeswax. Wow.
Woah. Santa told me.
Santa told me.
We have we have 3 world class present givers in this room right now.
I have to throw yeah. This is an amazing gift. Thank you so much. I have to, shout out Justine's Wine Bar in Frogtown.
I love Justine's.
She's the best. And I I I used to live right next to it, and it was too convenient, and I had to move.
She drove you out
of your neighborhood. No. No. No. It it this is awesome.
Thank you so much.
I couldn't live within 5 miles of Emily Burger.
Yeah. That's
I I would be dead within 6, 7 years of
the day.
Okay. We're gonna we're gonna thank you.
It's a huge beaver.
Here we go.
The biggest beaver you've ever seen.
I love beavers.
Oh my god.
Tell everyone what happened to yours.
Okay. Oh. Somebody talk to my wife because what happened to mine was I don't know how it happened. I was on the phone with my AirPods on, turned my head in some way. I'm dramatic.
I don't know what
happened. Theatrical.
Yeah. I'm
a theater kid. Yeah. You you know, you're you're given what you're given. And my 1 of them flew out and went under the fridge in a way that I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to fish it out, but the fridge in our apartment is so stuck into the space that it's in that I can't get it out. So I have the case and the other AirPod, and I can see where the AirPod is, and I cannot get to it.
Aw. I've used magnets. I've used
It's excruciating. It's brutal.
It's absolutely brutal. So this is huge.
Anna, you're not gonna like this, but
Oh, no.
I didn't know. I didn't think I didn't bring anything. You don't
need to
bring anything.
You don't need to bring it.
Yeah. I'm not doing your Christmas show. You're doing Okay. Our Christmas show. I we were interviewing you.
Mhmm.
And Oh, god. What did I say? Oh, god.
You were talking about going to your audition in your combat boots.
I know what this is. Oh.
And I said
I know what this is.
Yep. And it broke my heart that you wouldn't have the best boots a lady can have.
Wait. How did you find out my shoes?
I asked you your shoe size.
That's right. And I thought it was for I thought I I can't believe I didn't, like, think. Well, I they asked for my shoe size. Where am I where might you be wearing, like, silly elf slippers
or something?
That would have made the most sense.
Oh my goodness.
Now watch how nervous Kristen is because she was a part of me looking online for these.
I tried to be.
Yeah. And there were ones I like where she was like, hon, absolutely not. And then I just waited till she left, and then I decided. Okay. Yep.
I hope they're the absolutely not ones.
They were not. They're a compromise, but I still love them.
They have fur. They're fur.
With the boots with the fur with the fur hoodies.
For you, Shorty? Platform is Those are sweet. Talking.
I I
love a platform too. I'm here for it.
I love it. Thank you so much.
Side zipper so you don't have to talk with the laces.
It feels really nice.
Yep. Thank you.
Because, in yeah. In my last episode, we were talking about, my audition for my Broadway show, when I was 12, and, I was wearing combat boots and ducks, asked if they were Doc Martens, and I said, no. I think they were, like, the Payless knock
off or because we couldn't afford that.
So this is amazing. Can't ever wear the
can't wear that.
Oh, loved it. It's a great brand, Payless. It's just Docs for me were the thing.
Yeah. Yeah.
Okay. Great. See, she loves hers. She's about to put hers on.
Grab paper is green and pink on the inside?
Yeah. It's a win.
Damn. You really did
all that. I really did all that.
Oh, god. Oh, god. I'm gonna knock over everything.
Monnie, can I present you with a present? Sure. I also have to say 1 thing. Mhmm. I bought you something.
Thank you. It says it came. Yeah. I searched the entire house today. It's not here.
It's okay.
I reordered it. So
Thank you.
Wait. But in in the meantime
I don't need things.
You're a woman of means. You can buy your own shit. Things.
Yay. Oh, sweet. The original mouse. Dax drew this.
Wow.
And I used it on my gift guide, and now it's it's on our sweatshirt for the
I thought she should have the original.
This was the original drawing. I love it. Sick. Thank you so much. What does it say?
The world's all time most special mouse in quotes. Sometimes I think you guys forget this is a podcast because we didn't say those were AirPods. We didn't say these were docs. You know? Oh,
hey. That's why I said, is this 1?
No. No. Because I'm like
Jacob, we're looking for someone to turn the entire show over to, so this could
be fucking perfect. Woah. Wow.
Suck on
you. Can I say
these are these are on the Doc Best?
Oh. Man. Thank you.
I I don't know what I think that maybe I own, like, 1 pair of Doc Martens in my early twenties, and I don't know. I found them very stiff. Maybe I was a knockoff or maybe I got the wrong pair or something, but immediately, these feel cool.
They used to be way stiffer.
Is that right?
Yes. Because I'm like, wait. I was expecting these to be, like, kind of a pain. Yeah. They feel amazing instantaneously.
And there's
a hack. You put them in the freezer overnight. Sure. You take them out when they're cold and put them directly on. Because when leather's cold, as it as it will sort of, I guess, melt, essentially, it will form to your foot.
Shut up.
Mhmm. Oh my god. These feel amazing.
Also, if we're not doing a good job talking about the items, I guess you should just watch it on YouTube.
Yeah. Oh. Yeah.
That's the move. Run. Wabi wobb?
Yeah. I want I I yeah.
Sorry about
that. Get you seated for this birthday boy. You got your own song, but that's not where it ends.
Also, the present I got you 2, I need you to open at the same time.
Okay. I'm excited to see how mama handled this. I just wanna say for this 1, Kristen spent at least 7 and a half hours on the phone this week and was unsuccessful. Wow. Was that a good setup?
Merry Christmas.
Oh.
4 nights at Tarina Resort.
Tarina. Tarina. Oh. Have you ever been?
It's really nice. So it's
it's so fun. It's so close. Your kids will love it. There's a little slide. Uh-huh.
It's the the fucking buffet is the best in the biz. Hearts.
It's good for parents and adults.
Mhmm. Oh, Jesus Christ. Again, be sure.
Thank you.
Fuck up, William. Thank you.
Thank you. This is great.
Great. Any more I think do we Yeah.
We need lot more. I got presents for you too.
That's for me.
Yep. Okay. That and the big 1.
That and the big 1. And what's that for money?
Monica.
Okay.
Thank you
so much.
You got me out of the armchair expert, wrapping paper.
Oh. Good old wrapping paper.
Oh. Good old wrapping.
Okay. You wanna go first? Ladies first.
It's from Wabi Wab Hollis.
Who's again, I gotta say, when I said there's 3, exemplary gift givers in this room, Wabi Wab is
He is pretty amazing. I'd also like to comment on the paper because what I'm not hearing is a bunch of, like, crazy crunchwrap because this paper, there is a real there is a hierarchy with wrapping paper, and this 1 has a fabric
type quality to it.
It almost feels like like a dress.
Oh, maybe you should wear it as a dress. Okay.
But it's delicious wrapping paper, Wobbly Wobb. Real high end. That must've cost you a
great end.
And is that because Oh, I mean Amazon.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Far out.
No. I mean, that would make sense to me.
Yeah. That's what on a set it would be. Wow. When you get that stupid fucking shopping bags, you know, my grocery store aren't rubber.
Okay. For the for the listener, there's a wrap That was a present inside the wrap present. Wrap with an Oh.
It's the nesting doll. Skeleton inside of a sink.
Kind of like the hat on the hat. Is there gonna be a hat?
Oh,
boy. Oh,
he did it.
Oh, he got you. No. No.
No. Oh, no. And this paper is a smellograph.
Shut up. Oh. 0. Pass it again. Pass it.
It's dunking. Smellograph.
Oh.
Pass it. Oh, it's
duckling. Smellograph.
You guys, that's what it's
Now, again, if you're if you're listening, you can't smell it. And even if you're watching, you can't smell
it. YouTube. Yes.
Chat on YouTube. You can smell it.
Yeah. There's just a button you click to smell great. I
know. That is That's
a gift in itself.
Smells it. Yeah.
Okay. Wow.
Did you spray something, or is it that how it goes?
Oh, it come back. Wow.
God. It's really nice.
I'm telling you. He's He's got, like, a little workshop at his house.
The high end wrapping store. We're down the actual gift.
Is there a store or are you being
What? You think
your gift also didn't come here? That's supposed to come today?
Oh my god.
Oh my god. It's my dream class. A real picture?
No.
Yeah. I spent time dreams. In my dreams. Oh, and it's a picture. It's a picture of me okay.
Well, for the listener Uh-huh. And not the viewer.
There's a sweater coming.
Oh, thank you. Oh my gosh. How sweet. But this is the real gift. It's a picture of me with Mary Kate and Ashley, and I look like I'm friends with them.
You're in
the sweater that's coming.
It's so cute. Iconic. Unbelievable.
That's right. Love it.
And I I'll buy these pants for sure. Ugh. Okay. This 1 this 1 can live like that, and that's a manifest because they're gonna come on at some point. Thank you, Rob.
That's so sweet. Okay. Now I need you guys to open. But you can you open yours of this too?
No. Grace.
Quick, quick, quick.
For the listener, it seems to be a race, and Dax is in the lead.
He has a redoastate
Los Angeles, California.
Oh. 0, these are really nice.
Know about these?
Oh. What is this?
Olive oil.
Oh. It's olive
oil, but they were personalized.
It pairs nicely with Elk.
And says wabi sabi for wabi wabi.
Oh. Wow.
Personal life. Who don't know, Jax has been on a real kick of eating elk lately. And so in the mornings, he has elk and eggs, which makes the house smell terrible, but it's actually pretty tasty. And then you he gets, like, a 160 grams of protein during breakfast.
Oh, yeah.
That's a lot of
And now I'll get a little I'll get a little old Megan
and then 2.
Yeah. Yeah. And let's both say something at the same time. 3, 2, 1. Oh.
0. For the listener, I almost just rubbed lips.
Wow. K.
Here we go. Yeah. Just not I've ever since I learned that about that landing strip, I'm just having the most confusing feelings about you.
Oh. Now she's opening the present
for Broadway.
At 1 point that you didn't have enough
knickknacks behind you and Monica had more.
Oh, Rodman and Isaiah Thomas, 8889.
Nice. Was nice.
We're too young, but that was the team. Oh my gosh.
That's great.
Was that in eBay?
Nope. It was Target.
Oh. 0,
great. Target had that. But Yeah. Had those 2 guys together from 1989?
They won back to back titles.
No. Yeah. But the Target had that.
That's I know. I know.
I know. That's wild.
Yeah. A very yeah. Very deep cut for Target.
Right? Yeah. Amazing.
Oh, this is great. Oh, this Wow.
And you got a big
1. 0, I got a biggie.
Woah. Oh.
0, great. And this has a YETI wrapping paper, not to be confused with the cooling brand. An actual YETI.
Oh. Does this smell? Is it a salad wrap? Having trouble opening the package?
I'm gonna here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna play a game where you guys will see it first
And try to describe
it to you?
Guessing on your reaction, I'm gonna see if I can figure out what it is.
Oh, guessing on our reaction. Okay.
Okay. Well, it is for the it
is a is it is
it is a Oh
my god. Car accident? Oh my god.
A piece of art. It's a piece of art. Oh.
Okay. So Gabe, it seems like it might be a bad car accident. Is that what it is? Oh. 0, it's, someone eating a corpse?
Oh. Wow. Rob, that's beautiful.
So it's this Australian artist, Bella McGoldrick.
Oh, wow.
It's a pencil drawing?
It's beautiful. Circle.
Oh, really?
I was
gonna ask. Yeah.
15 of 20, I read at the bottom. Oh, I love limited attention.
Your eyes aren't that good. How'd you get that?
Check my work.
No. You'd you got it, but we both know you and I are blind.
That's true. Yeah. I don't know. Somehow, I caught it. Wow.
Oh my god. That's gorgeous, Wabi Wabi. Thank you. Counsel? Wow.
Thoughtful son of a bitch. 321 321, we say something. You're not coming back in.
I'm sorry. The name of the artist, Ross.
And then you 2 have
Bellamy and Goldrick.
Beautiful.
We have 1 more?
You 2 have another 1 for me.
Oh my gosh. Okay.
They're the white boxes.
Okay.
Wait. I know this paper.
3.
Well, Monica, they don't deserve this. No. No.
What? They make boys.
I'm about to find out. Oh.
0. They do make
boys. Yeah.
But let's make sure I mean, also, obviously, we can return if things don't fit. But it was imperative that everyone in this room had something from the row based on how much we talk about it. Wow. Wow. Beautiful.
You're welcome. But if it doesn't fit, obviously
Oh, wow. Let me see. Oh, yours okay. Yours a little thinner. Yours more of a springtime.
Mine's more of a hill to hit the slopes. Yeah. Oh, thank you, mom.
You're welcome. That's beautiful.
And I got a rose sweater too.
It all
worked well.
All came out the wash. Okay. So we've had our pasta. We've had some desserts. It's time to land the plane hard with some more music.
So musical director, what's our next offering?
Monica requested Auld Lang Syne. I did. I love
it. 2,
3.
Yay.
Yay. Yay. I don't even like that song, and I loved it.
I like this music. Thank
Thank you. That was very special.
Oh, that was good.
It was really fun to sing that for the first time 2 days ago. And,
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Because it was like, oh, we don't really know it yet, but that was already so fun.
I like to picture my whole year when I hear it.
Oh. Wow.
The 1 you just had is the 1 you're about to?
The 1 I just had, it's bye.
It's bye too.
You were doing, like, the Apple photo thing.
Yeah. And what's the verdict on this year?
Oh. 0, it's a complicated year. Yeah. But,
but
a good it's a building year.
Oh. Building building year. Wow.
It's like deep.
That I'll ask me.
Hit me. It's like Oh. How how Yeah.
What's the verdict on this year for you, Dax?
Oh, it was it was good. It was good.
It was a building year.
Yeah. I'm stronger for
it. Yeah.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. No. I had a great fucking year. It is. I really did.
A lovely year. We had
a lot of fun trips. Kids just get more and more and more interesting and funny and more fun to be around. Yeah. We had a great year work wise.
Yeah. And I had a great year.
It was a good year.
And I can't
remember. To get
Erica, we have a closer. Yeah.
We're gonna bring in a closer, closing pitcher. Oh. And this a lot of people know perfect 10 Charlie, and they know he's married to Erica. And they've met perfect 10 Charlie on here, and now you're gonna get to meet Erica on here.
And if you listened to synced, Erica had made an appearance on synced, and people were like, she needs to be on every episode.
A boss bitch. Yeah. She's a tough, cool, radical, the kind of gal that Kristen falls in love with.
Yeah. Erica's a very powerful presence.
Assertive.
Very decisive, assertive. She's also can she can wail. She's got such a beautiful voice. Hi, Erica.
You're no stranger to some side zippies.
Welcome. I
think this
is d for me. Right?
Oh, this is oh, cozy.
Yeah. Cozy.
It's tight. Cozy. Hi.
Cute sweater. Thank you.
Hi, Erica. Welcome to the program. Hi. We gave you an intro, but you weren't in the room.
No. I'm here now.
We're saying your praises. Pull that mic a little closer to yourself.
So Hi.
Although you got a big old Yeah. I'll I'll show
you. You'll
You'll That's
right. I'll turtle it.
Well, Rob said he's gonna ride it. Do you want this for when you ride it?
He's gonna ride.
He's gonna ride?
Anyways, in our intro, we said your, people know Perfect 10 Charlie. Yes. Yes. Now the beautiful bride that That's right. Yes.
Here.
Takes a big woman to live up to those looks, and boy, does she do it.
I'm a pitch hitter today.
We nailed it.
Get it.
Musical theater jokes. Love.
Well, earlier you said pinch hitter.
I did.
And so she said she's a pitch Oh. Hitter. Oh. Yeah. Like
a Pitch hitter. Yeah.
Yeah. Mhmm. Great.
It's a
really cool your kids are typically cool.
Oh, yeah. They're generally rocking
this pool.
The name
of today. Right?
They're bullies though.
That's the only thing I don't like about them. They're always shoving guys in lockers. And it's
singing about it.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Okay. I also just wanna say, for my money, this is my favorite Christmas song in the world. This is number 1.
You say that right before we
start? Pressure. Yeah.
Oh, that's too much pressure. Okay. Just broke up. I broke 1 of 1 of the rules. 1 of the That's alright.
Theater rules.
But I love that you love it, and that way is why it was important to get it because Charlie Brown Christmas is very important to us.
It's the not it's the 1 it's It's
the 1 to watch. Yeah.
It's who brought you to the party.
That's right.
It's
our 1st Christmas cartoon.
That's right.
I'm gonna tell 1 second story. This is my mother encouraged me to do this. Back in the old days, I was trying to explain this to our children, and they could not conceptualize what I was saying. I was like, girls, there was only 3 channels. That's it.
And and and if you didn't see it, you missed it, and there was no way to record it. And these bastards in Detroit, you had 2, 4, and 7, they would counter program. So you'd have the Grinch on channel 2 at 8, and you would have Charlie Brown in channel 4 at 8. And you had to fucking pick, and you were 7. And it was not cool.
And my mother said, you should write a letter to the stations. And I did. I wrote a letter to the stations, and they did not respond.
Oh. Yeah. Well But
I do think streaming might be a a result of that letter.
Right. And now you can watch it. It's on what is it on? Apple Plus?
Oh, right now, Charlie Brown's on Apple Plus, and I think everyone can watch it for free right now. I think Apple that particular cartoon can be watched on Apple Plus for free.
And it's
the 1
to watch. Yeah. Charlie Brown's
on Apple Plus. Night.
Christmas time is here. Happy less and cheer.
Fun for all that children call their favorite time of
year. Snowflakes in the air, carols
everywhere. And joyful memories there.
Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer. Yeah. There
we go.
Now we're talking. Plus.
Now Christmas this year.
Amazing. Oh my god. Beautiful.
Guys, that that is so hard, what they just did. Yeah.
That is so cool.
This was, Kristen. Is she in oh, you guys just did this in your choir class. So she's just coming off of hearing it with, like, 25 of you singing. That's right. Just wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart because I know that's not how you wanted to do it.
And Dax is like, just sing it alone. I was like, I cannot sing it alone. That will ruin the integrity of the arrangement. I must have Erica pop in into the alto part. That's right.
That doesn't align with your values.
We squish that.
Getting it up here.
It's time
we made it happen.
Defining it.
Thank you. That's right. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Tell us about your choir class. You wanna tell the world about your choir class?
Yeah. So fun.
Well, we were talking a long time ago about how if you're an adult and you have hobbies, like, you like to dance or maybe you played baseball in high school, you could go do that again. You could join a league. You could, you know, you could take a
dance class. You can do it.
Yeah. Just for fun. And so we were like, you can't do that anywhere singing wise. And so we're like, well, do we have to make it? Right?
And Erica, who knows everything about publicity and marketing, she was like, let's beta test this. And after I looked that up, I was like, yes. Let's do that. And we, like, basically emailed, DM ed a bunch of, like, local singers that we know, some that aren't local, some people that we know that have different jobs, but just, like, really, really wail. And, 1 of the coolest things is when we first started and then now it's, like, probably 30 5 of us.
Yeah. And about 25 or 28 come every week, and it's, like, that's sort of rotating.
You got a bogey too. Right? You guys all have a guy no 1 knows, which I love. Oh. Now you probably do.
He's the best. Yeah. Absolute best. We don't know how he got there, but he's incredible. And now he helps us set up, and it's wonderful.
He bakes bread. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And the You're not supposed to eat stuff from strangers.
Well, we are eating
in this choir. We're eating
a lot of stuff from him now. Bakes something. We bring wine. We sit around. We harmonize together.
Love a potlight. Look. It's not for you. And 1 of the first times when we were at a theater, there was a security guard at the theater, and halfway through the class, he starts just riffing.
Oh.
And it was the most beautiful sounds
we had ever and we were like, woah. Woah.
Woah. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Wait. Wait. What? Sir?
Sir? The Goodwill hunt
was gonna sit.
Get on in here.
Yeah. He was singing with us.
We've had a lot of drop ins of, like, very cool people, and it's just been, it's been very soul fulfilling. Lovely. Yeah. It's such a cool thing you guys do. It's so casual.
Yeah. We just socialize.
It's great. I can't go to my AA meeting anymore, but that's okay. I'm sure, we prioritize the right thing in the house.
With Mondays. With Mondays. With Mondays. Yeah. It's going back to his original day.
Oh,
I'm so glad you guys have that. Kristen's always so happy when she comes home from that. It's so nurturing to her, her beautiful little soul. Mama, thank you. You put this whole thing together.
Thank you.
You you rehearsed. You you swindled everyone into coming and doing this, and, thank you so much for doing that. Erica, thank you for popping by. Yeah. Gabe, thank you so much.
Jacob, come on now. We'll be even more excited. Anna
I'm off mic, but oh.
0. Uh-oh. 0.
0. 0. 0.
0 my
god. You're using your mic for bad. Of
course I am. Anymore. Alright. I love you guys. Merry Christmas.
Happy holidays. Yes. Love everyone here.
May everyone get a dino this year. Follow armchair expert on the Wondery app, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of Armchair Expert early and ad free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wondry.com/survey.
Join Dax & Monica for our annual holiday spectacular with as we harmonize holiday hymns with Kristen Bell, Anna Kendrick, and Gabe Gibbs, divulge Anna's Christmas candy colored explosion, learn the etymology of Bah Humbug, sing why Wobby Wob’s the weason for the season, and heal the childhood gift wound. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.