Liquid Death is Worth the Life of Your Thirst

Whenever RD and I record a podcast we always have a drink. You gotta keep that throat clean. You need to liquid because we talk so much. We don't want to dry out. I'm simple, for the most part. I have either water or coffee, depending on the time we record. We do these virtually as well. I live in Saint Louis and RD is in Ohio. It is easy and we have found out how to make it work. So I always see his drinks. I usually see zero calorie Gatorade or Diet Mountain Dew or some other diet soda varietal. He also has water from time to time.

Recently though he was drinking a can that looked like a tall boy. I thought he was maybe drinking a beer. I am not one to judge. We also do the recordings, for the most part, in the afternoon. More power to RD I thought. So I asked him why he was drinking a beer the first time I saw this. He told me he wasn't having a beer, he was having something called Liquid Death.

I scoffed. I made fun of the name. He told me their slogan is "Murder your thirst", and that made me cackle. I was judging this product without knowing what it tasted like. I was doing the thing I try not to do. He had it again during another record and I gave him the business again. I could see the full can now, and I saw the skeleton head they had on the can and I judged it some more. To RD's credit, he sang Liquid Death's praises. He loves it. He told me he orders cases of it all the time. I was still skeptical.

One day while my daughter and I went on an after school adventure we ended up at Five Below and they had some Liquid Death in a cold case. I wanted something cold and they had no zero calorie sports drinks. I had also had a good amount of flavorless water, the best drink in the world, throughout the day. I did not want any soda either as I am trying as hard as I can to cut back on diet soda. I do not drink full sugar soda. So I grabbed the Liquid Death and laughed to myself. I figured I was going to be right and RD was going to be wrong. I thought it was going to be a run of the mill sparkling water. I did not expect it to "murder my thirst". I got the lime flavored can and we checked out. I popped the top and took a swig as we drove off.

I was stunned at how much I liked the flavor. I could really taste the lime. It was strong. I like that when it comes to sparkling water. I want to taste the flavor. That is why I prefer AHA, and even more so, Spindrift to La Croix or Perrier. I want the water to be flavored. I want my lips to pucker a bit. The more I drank the lime flavored Liquid Death the more I realized I was wrong. RD was right. This stuff was awesome. I could not believe that I liked it. I also could not believe how much I liked it. All the past discretion and shade I threw Liquid Death's way was totally misplaced. I was wrong and I could not be happier to be wrong.

My daughter and I hit up Five Below yesterday and they had mango flavored Liquid Death. You better believe I grabbed a can. I drank it so fast that when my daughter asked to try it, I had to tell her it was all gone. She responded with "ALREADY DAD!!!, YOU MUST REALLY LIKE THAT STUFF!!".  She was shocked at how quickly I took down the 16 ounce can. I loved the lime, but this mango flavored one is an absolute home run. I love mangoes and mango flavored candy and drinks. This mango Liquid Death is right up my alley. I was such a happy camper drinking it.

I am sorry to RD and to Liquid Death for being such a hater. This stuff is good, and it does a good job of quenching my thirst. I am a fan and a convert. Now I think I'm going to buy a case. I suggest you do too. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Better Never Than Late on "The Kingsman"

Over the weekend we watched the two sequels to the movie "Kingsman". Let’s discuss.

I liked the first movie quite a bit. My wife did too. It is fun, gross, funny, action packed and has some good music. The story is also well done. As is the directing and acting. Colin Firth is really amazing in this movie. It is a departure for him, and he totally crushes it. He is the true star of it to me.

The second movie is okay. It is a solid sequel. It keeps the fun and ups the gore. The addition of Julianne Moore was solid as well. She chews the scenery, but that is what I assumed they asked her to do. The meat grinder in her village is wild too. But, it is not as good as the original. Most sequels aren't as good as the originals. There are exceptions, but the second "Kingsman" is not one of them. But still, I enjoyed my time watching the movie.

The newest one, a prequel called "The King's Man", was unnecessary. It is streaming on HBO Max and we had a free night at home Saturday. My wife really wanted to watch it to complete the trilogy, so we watched it. This movie is so different from the first two. There is no more of the fun. This one takes itself incredibly seriously. I don't know that I could pick out one single joke from the whole two plus hours. That is to be expected when Ralph Fiennes is the star of your movie, but he proved in "The Menu" that he can do jokes. He has decent comedic timing. But he is a more serious actor. But why place him as the lead in a movie trilogy that is supposed to be loud and goofy and silly and violent? That was miscasting in my opinion.

The story is also weird and hard to follow. There is a family in the beginning and the wife gets killed. Common story. But instead of going into the whole spy world thing that "Kingsman" has become known for, they focus on war. This is pretty much a straight ahead war movie. I did not expect that, and for me, it did not work. They have some wild follies, but even they came off as boring. Each bad guy was bland, except for Rhy Ifans. He played Rasputin and I feel like he was the only one that had seen the previous movies. He looked to be having the time of his life, but it also made him feel wildly out of place. He does have the best fight scene in the movie too, but it happens so fast and so early that by the end I had forgotten he was in the movie at all. The plot with Fiennes and his kid was so after school special-y as well. He wanted to go to war, his dad wanted to protect him, his dad loosened the strings and then his son, spoiler alert, dies carelessly in the war. It was so odd and felt like it was in a totally different movie. Even as they build the whole spy world, far too late in the movie, it felt tacked on. It felt like Matthew Vaughan, a director I really like, forgot what movie he was making until the very last few minutes. The major fight scene at the end with Fiennes and Djimonou Hounsou was boring. They also sorely under utilized Honsou. He could have been great in this movie. And then, when they were quickly wrapping things up, they tried to bring in fans of the original. They used the codenames, they gave them the look, but at that point it was far too late. They also introduced three characters, characters that seemed like they have big plans for the future, but it just fell flat.

I was not a fan of this movie. It lacked all the fun of the first movie. It lacked the gore of the second movie. They changed the tone far too much. I did not expect to see a hard war drama, but that was basically what we got. Oh well, they can't all be winners I guess. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Bengals and Cowboys are Two Franchises Going in Different Directions

I was watching the NFL playoffs with my son yesterday and I found that I had some new and interesting insights.

First off, the Bengals looked fantastic. I assumed with all the Damar Hamlin love and the talent that the Bills would be playing with more oomph. Maybe they did, but the Bengals matched and surpassed it immediately. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The refs took a TD away from Jamar Chase, he definitely caught that ball, but it still didn't matter. They got a field goal on that drive and took a 10 point lead into half. Then they only gave up 3 more points en route to a 27-10 victory and a second straight AFC title game matchup with the Chiefs.

What I noticed about this game, besides the thorough beatdown, was the confidence this team has. They play with a swagger. Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, Joe Mixon, Dax Hill, Sam Hubbard, Semaji Perine, they have this unmatched confidence. They never play like an underdog. They go into these games expecting to win. The Bengals have been a pretty moribound franchise since their existence. Not anymore. These guys are good, they know they are good and they have proof of winning big games to be considered good. I was in awe of their performance yesterday. I did not watch much of any regular season NFL so maybe this is new to only me. But I was highly impressed with this team. I was impressed with Burrow and Chase the most. They need to sign those two to big contracts because they could be the face of the league as soon as next year. The Bengals seem very legit.

As for the Cowboys, well, they have some soul searching to do. The Cowboys did what they do now. They have one good season sandwiched in between multiple mediocre seasons and their fans go nuts. They always think they will win the Super Bowl that season. I constantly hear the whole "How bout them Cowboys!" on ESPN during the regular season. And then they get in the playoffs and choke it away. That final drive was so frustrating, and I have despised this team my whole life here on Earth. I just couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I remembered that Mike McCarthy is their head coach and it all locked into place.

What struck me personally was how I felt afterward. I used to get all into the trolling of teams I don't like on social media. I'd always have something to say. I haven't done that these past two years and I continued to not do it yesterday. But I read comments. Boy oh boy were some of those comments frightening. But what I got from all of it was how bad I felt for these guys as individuals. Dak Prescott played a bad game. He has definitely regressed the past couple seasons. But who else do the Cowboys have at QB? Who else is going to get them into the playoffs? I mean, they are not very good to begin with, but to now question if Prescott should be the guy is laughable to me. Hopefully he can go somewhere he is appreciated because Cowboy fans don't deserve Dak Prescott. He is too good for them. Tony Pollard broke his fibula. He was clearly taking over for the overrated Ezekial Elliot, and then this happens. I mean, that is brutal for him. The NFL is unforgiving enough, and it is even worse to backs who have injury history. That kicker got the yips. There is no doubt about it. But it is not his fault they got beat. He made two field goals after missing four extra points. I mean, yikes.

This all really goes down to how poorly McCarthy manages the clock and the team in big moments. He did the same nonsense in Green Bay. The Packers were loaded with talent and he only got one ring, which he tried everything he could to not get it. The way the last two seasons have played out for the Cowboys with McCarthy leading the way should terrify the fans. He is a poor game manager.

That was how I felt watching these games yesterday. One team is ascending while the other is still looking for the heyday of the 90's. That is life in professional sports I guess. At least we got the two best matchups in the conference title games next week. Those four teams are very deserving. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Office Space" is Still an All Time Great Movie

Last week I was looking for an older comedy to watch. I have been revisiting movies that I thought were classics when I was a teen. The return rate has not been great for me. "Dodgeball" did not hold up for me. I have talked at length with people about how awful the "American Pie" movies are. They are very problematic.

So when I turned on "Office Space" last week I truly did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised that there were only a few problematic things in the movie. There are some not so savory words said by Michael Bolton. But other than that, that movie holds the hell up. I found myself laughing as hard as I did when I was 17.

The whole idea of the movie is very present as well. Most people hate their jobs. Most people don't want to go in on their day off. Most people have had the thought of getting rich quick. That is all here in the movie. I was so happy that it still made me feel the same way. When Ron Livingston recites the line, "I did nothing and it was everything I hoped it would be", it made me roll around laughing as much as it did twenty plus years ago. The stuff with his neighbor, and how he can hear everything and just comes over on a whim, excellent. When he tells Peter what he would do with a million dollars, and just blankly stares at him, loved it. When Michael Bolton is rapping at the beginning, while in traffic, that is super relevant and super hilarious. All the people mispronouncing Samir's name, that stuff is still going on today. Americans refuse to learn names that appear too tough for them to say. When Michael Bolton goes off on his name, Funny or Die has done a skit wherein Bolton plays himself saying the lines. That sketch came out only a few years ago. Bolton is in on the joke. I haven't worked in an office in eight plus years, but my wife does and I hear stories from her all the time. They may not have the same words or people, but the story is always the same. When people ask Peter if he has "a case of the Mondays", that most definitely is still going on I bet. I have to imagine most people do not like their boss, or they talk about them behind their backs. Bill Lumberg is the epitome of a crummy, no good, power hungry boss. He has such little power and tries to wield it with some kind of humongous authority. The way he treats Stephen Root's character is what I have to imagine most bosses do when they feel threatened. Peter is challenging Lumberg and getting away with it, so Lumberg takes Milton's stapler and keeps moving his office. It is a pathetic show of authority. Gary Cole does a masterful job in this role. This is an amazing performance. Jennifer Aniston is not doing her "Friends" thing, and I feel like this is one of her best roles ever as well. She is funny, powerful and commanding. She doesn't take any nonsense. She goes toe to toe with Peter.

The best thing, the thing that makes "Office Space" relevant still is the inner office dynamics. I used to work in an office and I know all of these people. Again, my wife has told me countless stories about all of these same people. The office clothes are so familiar. The way people speak to one another about TPS Reports is all too real. Having multiple different bosses is still a thing. And my personal favorite thing, the thing that I was howling at, is the one dude always nodding his head during an all office meeting. That person is an annoying teacher's pet and Mike Judge nailed it.

"Office Space" is a great movie and I am happy that it is not as problematic as some other movies from my teenage years that simply do not work. "Office Space" is definitely worth a rewatch. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Remember When We Danced and Did Not Care Who Was Watching?

Driving to school this morning I was made a witness to something I had yet to see, but was waiting for. My son goes to school early on Thursday's, so it is just my daughter and me for regular dropoff. I usually pick the music because I am an adult and I want to. Sometimes I do let my kids pick, and that happened this morning.

My daughter is really into these Netflix movies called "Zombies". I have only seen bits and pieces of one of these movies. She usually watched them downstairs by herself. This is by choice. I once asked why and she told me she "needs to focus". I cannot imagine the story is that intriguing, but she is 7 and she loves it. I guess there is a ton of music played during these movies as well. She did a one day show choir camp last week and one of the age groups danced to a song from the "Zombies" franchise. When the song came on my wife said that if she had this song she would have gone nuts. That was the song I put on for her this morning.

The song is called "Fired Up". As soon as the song started, she started to vibe out. She was dancing like no one was watching. But I was paying close attention. As soon as the song came on she started to bounce back and forth in her seat. She was going off. She then started to tell me all about the song and the movies. She asked me if I would watch with her. She told me all about the song. I learned everything from who was singing it to how that singer is revealed, spoiler alert, to be an alien. She was amped. Then she went back to dancing.

It was at this moment that I realized she was so into this song that she didn't care what anyone saw. I have had this feeling before. I know you all have had this feeling before. It happens to us all, and it seems to happen more the older we get. Her reaction to this song was like the first time I heard The Black Keys. I didn't care who saw me vibing out and dancing to their music. I went out and learned all the lyrics to every song on every record since then. I even learned some of their songs on guitar. The first time I heard Kendrick Lamar blew me away. I remember just bobbing my head back and forth to "Backseat Freestyle" and thinking it was one of the best rap songs ever created. I still do. That was the mindset my daughter had this morning. It was so awesome to see. She likes certain songs, but not like this. She will listen to Arctic Monkeys or Run the Jewels with me, but she has never reacted to any of their songs the way she did this morning. She will listen to artists like Emmy Meli and Karen O with my wife and I, but has never been grooving like she was this morning. And I am so pleased I got to see it in person. To see her having the time of her life, dancing the way she was dancing, having the time of her life, it made me so happy.

Music is a big deal to me. I love music and have very strong feelings about the music I like. Maybe this was my daughter's way of letting me know she will be the same, and I love that. It is so awesome to see your kids being kids and vibing out and having a good time. It is even better when you can see it in a venue or area you have interest in as well. This was a moment that I will never forget. This is a memory I will have forever and share with everyone close to me. This has made my day and been my favorite moment of 2023. It was the best. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Reads "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir"

Over the holiday I got Bob Odenkirk's memoir "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama". I have been a fan of his for quite a while now. I find him funny, charming, likable and a comic genius. I loved "Mr Show". I enjoyed "With Bob and David" very much. I like his bit roles in movies like "Nebraska" and "The Spectacular Now". I like when he shows up in shows like "Fargo". Or his bit parts in "The Office" and a ton of Tim and Eric stuff. He is just very good at what he does. Obviously I loved him in "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" is one of the best shows of all time. There is not much that I have seen Odenkirk in, or that he has written for, that has not landed for me. Hell, "Nobody" is an amazing action movie. More people need to see it.

When I got the book I was pretty pumped to read it. I know a lot about him, but this memoir is even more eye opening. From start to finish this book is as fun a read as there is out there right now, especially for comedy fans. The book entails it all. From his start at Southern Illinois University, to filming the final season of "BCS", it is all there. The book is a fast read too. There are about 270 pages, I am a slow reader, and I finished it in less than a week. Every time I picked up the book I would read more than I planned. That is the sign of a good book to me. When I pick it up and do not want to put it down.

The comedy nerd in me was in delight with every page. I love hearing about the early days of "SNL", and there is a good amount of "SNL" talk in the book. It was also eye opening to read the Chris Farley stuff. Everyone has their own take on it, but to hear someone who was close to him, who really knew him, reading Odenkirk's take was surprising, to say the least. I also enjoyed reading about his relationship with Robert Smigel. Smigel is a funny dude, but from what I have read, can be prickly. Odenkirk got along with him from their first meeting, and it was nice to hear a pleasant take on Smigel. The Del Close stuff was interesting to say the least. He seemed like a messed up individual, and Odenkirk touches on that. But he also talked about his influence on improv comedy. I was fascinated hearing about him meeting with people like Andy Dick, Janenne Garofolo and, most importantly, David Cross. The relationship he and Cross had seemed very amicable. They worked real well together. I'm sure they had fights, but nothing ever seemed to get out of hand with the two of them. They were a match made in comedy heaven, and they made some of the best comedy TV in the history of TV. I guess, with what Odenkirk said in the book, they were both similarly curt, so it worked.

I was most fascinated by his work on "BCS" and "BB". These are two of the greatest shows to ever exist. They did some wonderful things on TV and they changed the game as far as dramatic TV goes. I liked hearing how Odenkirk thought about passing on Saul Goodman. That would have been nuts, but luckily he was steered in the right direction. Then someone on the "BB" set talked about a Saul Goodman spinoff and everyone laughed. To hear about that joke, then to see the show come to fruition was pretty remarkable.

What I liked most about the whole book was how real Odenkirk was. He did not pull any punches. He did not censor himself. He told his story, warts and all, and that is nice in a memoir. He could've left some personal stuff out, but he didn't. He kept it in there and it helped me to understand why he went the direction he did. I appreciate that.

I recommend this book. It is great and Odenkirk is incredible. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "MILF Manor"

I mentioned a show awhile back that I was upset was being made, but said I would most likely watch it. That show is "MILF Manor", and I did in fact watch it last night. My wife recorded it, I was doing dishes and she mentioned that we had a surprise TV show to watch. I did not know what she was talking about because I had already forgotten about it. When I finished the dishes she showed me the show on our DVR and I just sighed and then laughed. She smiled and asked if I was ready. I was and we watched it.

This show is bad. It is very, very bad. I wanted it to be so much like "MILF Island" from "30 Rock". Unfortunately only one contestant got the memo of how absurd the whole thing is. Everyone else had some kind of story. One contestant spoke of her dead daughter. That was sad and felt unnecessary. Another lady talked about meeting her husband so young and "not being ready" for marriage. It just gave off vibes of a show that is actually trying to be a legit dating show. Again, this show has eight self proclaimed MILFs and they expect to meet young men that they can date, and, ugh, fall in love with.

When it is revealed, very early on in the pilot episode, that the men on the island are their sons, it doesn't land like it should. TLC didn't do this supposed "twist" justice. They just kind of played it off and moved on way too fast. Again, all eight of the women on the show have sons, ranging from 20 to 30, who like older women. They even ask a mother son duo about the show and they act as if this is all news to them. They are "shocked" by the fact that they are on the same island. I guess they each thought they were going on different dating shows on the exact same island. How stupid do you have to be? These people aren't that good at acting either. They don't sell the fact that they maybe knew what was going on before filming began. It is obvious when you see them doing interviews together. And after the whole mess of the meet and greet, they have their first challenge. This was some Oedipus level shit thought up by the masterminds behind this show. They had the moms wear blindfolds and made them feel up each male contestant. If they guessed which one was their son, they got the nicest room. Whoever guessed which body was their son's first got the nicest room. And each room got worse from there on down. Not that the rooms are bad, they just get less fancy the further down you finish. I mean, the whole idea of a mom not only feeling you up, but seven other young dudes. Come on, that is wild. I told my wife there is no way I would be comfortable with this if I were somehow duped to be on this show. And then to see these moms act the way they did, it is not a good look. They get way too drunk too fast. They openly hit on other moms' sons with no regard. The things that come out of some of their mouths are gross. I am as sex positive as it gets, but to hear a mom say that she has an "extremely high libido", knowing her son is going to watch, that is no good. To watch this one mom, the only one I feel got the memo about this show, tried to kick her son out of their room so she can have sex with another dude, and then tell her son to "stop cock blocking me", that was a bridge too far.

This show is bad. They do not have much of a story to go on. They are taking themselves far too seriously, especially considering the material. I am curious to see how long this show lasts, but I cannot imagine it will be around for more than a season. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make it a full season. "MILF Manor" is bad, and what is worse, they aren't in on the joke. They think this is a real dating show, and not some messed up experiment being done by TLC. Oh well, let's see where it goes from here. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "The Menu"

Over the weekend my wife and I watched "The Menu". I went into the movie not knowing anything, purposely, and that is the best way to watch.I will do my best to keep my review spoiler free.

The plot of the movie is rather simple. There is a restaurant on a secluded island and only the select few get in. I believe there were a total of twelve diners at the restaurant in the movie. The chef is devious, does some messed up stuff and makes the diners watch it all unfold. There is mystery, intrigue and even some good laughs. The movie is also scary at times. I found myself jumping here and there at certain points. The scares are not out of place either. They are not shoehorned in to frighten the viewer. They were necessary and crucial to the plot.

I really adored this movie. Being three days removed from watching it, I find myself still thinking about what I saw. I have also read a number of reviews and theories online since finishing the movie. The writer is stellar. As I mentioned, there are jokes in this movie that made me laugh out loud. I did not expect that from this film. There are also well made points about the fine dining world and how unnecessary that whole crowd has become. The acting was top notch as well. Anya Taylor Joy is becoming one of my favorite actors. She is excellent here. Her attitude and the way she carries herself was wonderful. Nicolas Hoult played off type, for him, in this movie. He is an asshole. He is one of these "foodies" who thinks he knows better than everyone else. Even the actors with bit parts, Judith Light and John Leguizamo to name a few, crush the scenes they are in. With this movie, and "Encanto", Leguizamo is having a real moment, and I'm here for it. But Ralph Fiennes is superb. He is so eerie, so emotionless, so scary. It is such a great role for him and he absolutely crushes it. My wife even said she thought this was right up there with Lord Voldemort as far as creepiness goes for Fiennes. He even gets off jokes and they absolutely land.

What I love most about this movie, what I keep going back to, is the way they send up the highfalutin restaurant world. This restaurant is on a secluded island that you have to take a yacht to get too. Sp pretentious. The cover to get in is astronomical. I believe Hoult's character says "1250 a person". That is nuts. The way the sous chefs all act is so ridiculous and cultish. I love a show like "The Bear", but even that takes itself too seriously with the food at times. "The Menu" is, for all intents and purposes, spoofing that world. They are making fun of that world. They are poking a hole in the theory that fine dining has become this show of fulfillment and how rich or poor you are. The lady who plays the restaurant reviewer is so perfectly skewered by Fiennes' chef. Her lackey is what I imagine all lackeys are like in real life. Hoult is as douchey as these upper crust "foodies" can be. He is always pooping out his phone to take pictures and then explaining why this food is so next level. Even Judith Light and her husband are awful. They are considered "regulars" here, but they cannot even remember dishes from previous meals. They continue to go to show off their status. It is too perfect.

I like this movie. I enjoy how scary and funny it can be at times. I thought they paid excellent detail to this renaissance in fancy dinner culture. They skewer it better than anyone has to this point. I have been watching a ton of "Top Chef" lately, and when I watched this movie I thought of how Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicheccio would have acted if this place were real. It would be hilarious. Watch this movie. It is on HBO Max right now. I cannot recommend it enough. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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For Some Reason Ty Decides to Watch "Morbius"

A lot of the movie podcasts I listen to have been talking about "Morbius" lately. A lot. It has been a very big topic of conversation for some odd reason. All this talk had me intrigued. I obviously know about this movie. How can you not at this point? I am also fully aware of the bad press and critical reviews it got after its release. None of this is news to me. But hearing funny people I like talk about how wild this movie is, it piqued my interest. I had to know what all the fuss was about.

So I watched it. I did not know where I was going to find it, but it is right there, front and center, on Netflix. I turned it on the other day and was floored by what I watched.

This movie is bad. Really, really, really bad. There are no redeeming qualities. There wasn't a single part of this movie that I found likable. I didn't get what they were trying to do with this little known character. I should have known something was off when it said "In association with Marvel". Marvel has given their name to crap like "Venom", but they only wanted "association" with "Morbius". Then, as the movie unfolded, I found myself quite bored. That is the best way I can describe my main emotion watching this hunk of junk. The movie is dull. It is gray and dreary. The dialogue is slow and quiet. The action sequences are filled with slow motion and stuff that every other movie before it has already done. I saw Keanu Reeves dodge bullets in "The Matrix" while I was still in high school. I've seen way cooler vampire imagery in "Blade" and "What We Do in the Shadows". I've heard better quips in every single other Marvel movie. This is just a flat out bad movie. I do not like Jared Leto. Never have, never will. I think one of the few movies where he is the main character that I enjoy is "Requiem For a Dream". He is barely in "Blade Runner 2049", and that is a good thing. He won an Oscar for "Dallas Buyers Club", but go watch his performance. It is offensive. Other than that he is not good in his movies. And "Morbius" is no exception. He is rough. He walks with crutches and that feels offensive. His line readings are dull and tired. He has no chemistry with anyone on screen. And he was supposedly real tough to work with on this set, which should surprise no one. Matt Smith, who is a very good actor, is given no favors here. His dialogue is bad. The direction he was given is wrong. He is being led astray in this movie. His talents are useless here. The female lead is a stereotype. She is just there to be a female voice. She is the only actor here who is any good, but she is given so little to work with. Much like Smith, her talents are wasted. Tyrese Gibson and Al Madigral are no good as the cops. They seem to care too little about vampires and their facial expressions never change. Madrigal is a brilliant comedian, but he is left to be the straight man in this movie. Again, another talented person being asked to do the things that they don't do well.

This whole thing is a mess. I finished it the other day and fell asleep for a few minutes during the final battle. That should tell you all you need to know about this dreadful movie. I was moved by people much funnier than me talking about this movie, but it was a total waste of time. I see why the critics were so critical of this movie. I hope they stop right here and do not make any more of these because they will not make any money. "Morbius" is bad. Even at 1 hour and 47 minutes it feels LONG. Don't watch it. Save yourself the time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Predicts the 2023 NFL Playoffs

The NFL playoffs are just around the corner. Today I come to you with my preview and predictions. I have not watched as much NFL as I usually do this year, but I am still very aware of what has happened this season. I read a lot of articles about the NFL. Also, take all of this with a grain of salt. I am going to try my best, but do not take this as gospel. I am no expert.

I will start with the tougher conference, the AFC. The Chiefs got the bye. They won 14 games and secured home field. I know some people will say the Bengals and Bills got screwed, but this is where we are. No going back now.

The 2-7 matchup features the Bills and Dolphins. This game is a walk. The Bills are loaded. They have all the talent. They are playing for Damar Hamlin. They can score at will and stop teams with ease. Add in the fact that the Dolphins are playing a backup at QB, this is an easy pick. Miami is coming, but not this year. Bills cruise.

The 3-6 is a bit tougher. The Bengals are facing the Ravens. Now, I have zero idea what is going on with Lamar Jackson. And if he doesn't play, this might be as easy as picking the Bills. But the Ravens have a very good defense. They can also slow the game down by running the ball. The Bengals though, they are explosive. They have one of the best offenses in the league. Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Seamji Perine, Tee Higgins and Jamar Chase are the truth. They can score at will. And their defense is serviceable. They can get the job done. We also have the fact that the Ravens are barely 10-7. The Bengals got this one.

The 4-5 is interesting and should be fun. We have the Chargers and Jags. I like this matchup. Two fun, young and green teams. They may treat this like a regular season game, and that makes it even more fun. I do like the Jags story, but it stops here. The Chargers are deeper, have a better offense and have some studs on D. Yes, the Jags are in a much better place, but so are the Chargers. They win.

That gives us the Chargers facing the Chiefs and the Bengals facing the Bills. These are good matchups. The Chargers may be able to keep up with the Chiefs for a half, but the second half is theirs and they cruise. The Bills and Bengals will be epic. I adore this matchup. This is what all fans want to see. This is the makeup after the Damar Hamlin game. And that right there gives the Bills the edge. The game is in Buffalo too. I like the Bengals a lot, but the Bills have something even bigger to play for.

So that gives us the Chiefs and Bills. I'd love to pick the Chiefs here. They are my mom's favorite team and I do like them. But the Bills are playing for Damar. They are going to leave it all out there for him and that will lead them to the Super Bowl. I have the Bills representing the AFC this season.

Now the NFC. Philadelphia got the one seed. They have the bye. They deserve it.

The 2-7 matchup has the 49ers facing the Seahawks. This is a divisional game meetup in the playoffs. That makes it more fun. All that is nice and all, but the 49ers are far better. Again, I like the Seahawks story and all, and have loved this Geno Smith revenge tour. But the 49ers are better. They are hotter and they have a far superior defense. They will win this low scoring game.

The 3-6 has the Vikings facing the Giants. Here is where Kirk Cousins blows it every single time. I live to watch him blow very winnable games. He is such a moron, so to see him fall flat on his face is wonderful. It is going to be great to see Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley beat him in Minnesota. I cannot wait to watch Brian Daboll get a playoff win in his first year as a head coach. The Giants are here for a reason, and Kirk Cousins will do his thing. YOU LIKE THAT! Giants are the first, and only upset.

The 4-5 pits two teams I loathe. The Bucs and Cowboys will be playing each other and I couldn't care less about this game. I despise these teams. There is no rooting interest. I'm sure Tom Brady will find a way to take the 8-9 Bucs into Dallas and win this game. Mike McCarthy has a bad track record and Tom Brady has a great playoff one. My pick is that simple. Tampa will find a way to win this one.

So that gives us Philly versus Tampa and the Giants facing the 49ers. The Eagles are going to cruise past the Bucs. They are younger, more talented, have a better defense and can control the clock and keep Tom Brady off the field. This is going to be an easy win for Philly. The same could be said for the 49ers and Giants. I like what the Giants are doing, but the 49ers are better. They will ride this momentum back to the NFC title game. That is where it will end for them. This is going to be a great game too. This is strength on strength. Philly is going to go at that defense over and over and over again. They will be relentless. I also think this is where Brock Purdy's "luck" is going to run out. The Eagles will win a very close, very fun game to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

My Super Bowl matchup is Buffalo versus Philadelphia. I'm going with the Bills. The moment Damar Hamlin went down this team came together even more. They already had the talent and the depth. They were already winning a good amount of games. They were already a favorite. And now with Damar Hamlin they have yet another reason to go out there and win a ring. I think it will be a good game. I think it will be close to the end, and I think the Bills will find a way to pull out a win. And they should just give the Super Bowl MVP award to Damar Hamlin. His health is all that matters, and to see his team win a ring will only help even more.

There you have it, my 2023 NFL playoff preview and predictions. Now enjoy some playoff football everyone. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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What a (Terrible) College Football Title Game

The College Football Championship game was played last night. Well, at least Georgia came to play. Let’s discuss.

This was not a fun game to watch, and this has zero to do with TCU beating Michigan on New Years Eve. Believe me. I watched that game, Michigan was under prepared and outcoached. They did not deserve to win that game. TCU took advantage of every single mistake Michigan made. They did what it took to have the right to play in the championship last night.

With all that being said, what the hell was that last night? I mean, sheesh. I am all for teams taking advantage when they are the better team, but holy cow. The final score, of a championship game mind you, was 65-7. Georgia won by 58 points. In a title game. That is simply not supposed to happen. I get blowouts. It happens all the time. But a 58 point win in the title game has never happened before. The biggest margin of victory prior to this was in the 30's. Georgia bested that number by 20 plus points. At least three touchdowns. Boy oh boy.

My son and I watched the first half together, he is 10, and even he was bored by halftime. When Stetson Bennett ran in his first score untouched, my son said it was going to be a bad night for TCU. TCU cut it to three with a quick TD in the first quarter, but they would not score again. Georgia did what they wanted, when they wanted to whomever TCU threw at them last night. I am, by no means, a Stetson Bennett fan. I think he is overrated, but he played like a first round pick last night. TCU could not tackle him when he scrambled. TCU's coveted secondary got absolutely torched. There were open Bulldog receivers all over that field. At one point in the game, when Georgia was up 52-7, a TCU defender finally broke up a pass and made the incomplete sign with his hands. They were down 45 points. And Georgia had a backup QB in the game. I mean, at what point do you realize you are getting your ass kicked and trash talk is out of the question? Oof magoof.

There was only one moment where I thought this may be a game. That was right after the TCU score to cut it to 10-7. I figured, if they can get a stop, go on a decent drive and get a score, this could be a good one. Georgia scored pretty quickly the very next possession, and the possession after that, and the following two possessions after that. TCU answered with zero points. I got up to put my daughter to bed and changed into my bedtime clothes. This all took about 15 minutes. Two of Georgia's scores happened during that time. That is crazy to me.

For all of the feel good stories, the switch from worst to first, coming off a 5-7 season and beating up on Michigan, I assumed TCU would come to play. They did not. Even their coach told them at halftime to stop playing scared. That is not the head space you should be in when playing for a ring. Max Duggan looked lost and petrified. TCU clearly missed their number one running back. Their top wideout was nowhere to be seen. Their vaunted defense, who turned Michigan over four times, got beat over and over and over and over again. When my wife got done with her night meetings she came and joined me. She saw the score and said "yeesh". She then asked me if the game would have been better if Michigan had played. I told her I think Michigan would have kept it closer, but not much. When it was 52-7 I told her it may be 28-7 or 31-10 if Michigan were playing. Georgia is so fast, big, physical and are pretty much unstoppable when they get in open space. That much was very clear last night.

So hats off to Georgia I guess. You definitely proved you were the best team in college football by a wide, wide margin last night. But what the hell was that TCU? I mean, yikes. Being that I had no rooting interest I just wanted a good game. This was as far from a good game as there can be. Oh well. Now I am already ready for 2023 college football. It cannot come fast enough. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Boy Was I Wrong About the 49ers, Broncos, and Packers

The NFL playoffs are set. I will do a preview and prediction, but that will have to wait for tomorrow. Today I want to talk about three teams that I was very, very wrong about in my preseason NFL countdown. I get a good amount of stuff wrong, but I do get some stuff right. I also like to think I know a lot about this sport, but sometimes I am just off. That is the case with these three teams I will discuss today.

First, the San Francisco 49ers. I was way, way too low on this team. I do not like their coach, there are some players I am not very fond of and I thought it would be a big learning curve for Trey Lance. It looked like it may go that way the first couple weeks. The 49ers looked a little lost, they had some offensive woes and Lance went down with a season ending injury early on. They could have folded there but they didn't. They have won ten straight going into the playoffs. Not only did Lance get hurt, so did Jimmy Garroppolo. No worries, Brock Purdy has been very serviceable. But it is this team's defense. They are so, so, so good. They fly all over the field. They hit. They make their opponents feel it. They can stop the run and rush the passer with the best of the best. The 49ers have an offensive minded coach, but this team is led by their defense. And their defense is good enough to drag them to another Super Bowl appearance. I still do not like this team, but I have never been a 49ers fan. Not even when I was a kid. But I was too low on this team. And their defense is very elite. I would be nervous to face them in the playoffs.

San Fran is the only team I was down on that I should have been higher on for this piece today. The next two teams are teams I was way too high on, and in hindsight I should have seen this coming.

The first team that I was too up on is the Denver Broncos. I assumed they were ready to make a leap. They fired a defensive minded coach and hired Nathaniel Hackett, Green Bay's offensive coordinator. They also went out and traded for Russell Wilson. I am not a fan of his, but he is a very good quarterback and has one Super Bowl ring already. The defense is also very good and not too old. The Broncos had the makings of a last to first place team, and to be a threat in the AFC to go to the Super Bowl. Well, Nathaniel Hackett was fired before the season ended. Russell Wilson is having his worst season as a pro and looks like he aged overnight. And the defense spends far too much time on the field and they got exhausted from being overworked. The Broncos were very, very bad. I see that they are interviewing a ton of head coaches, Jim Harbaugh included, who they think can work with Wilson. They have a ton to work on. They have a few pieces, like Jerry Jeudy and Bradley Chubb, but not much else. The Broncos are in need of a big rebuild. I don't know where they're drafting, but they should take a young QB. They need a solid running back. They could use some o line help. The Broncos need a good amount of work. They also happen to play in a very tough division. I could not have been more wrong on this team. I have not watched a ton of NFL this year, but I found a game of theirs last week and watched for a bit. Man were they bad. It was a tough watch. The Broncos are a ways away from being competent again.

Finally, I have my team, the Green Bay Packers. I assumed they would win the NFC North with ease. I did not, and still don't, believe in the Vikings. The Bears ended up having the worst record in the NFL. And I was high on Detroit, but I thought it was going to be a year off before they became a real threat. I just figured the Packers would walk. They had pretty much everyone back and they were a good team last year. This team never gelled. They never meshed. They were never good on either side of the ball. Aaron Rodgers, who I loathe more than anyone in the NFL, was flat out bad this year. He looked disinterested, he blamed everyone but himself and he is an idiot. I found it hard to root for this team this season because I despise Rodgers so very much. He had a bad year. I hope he is gone after this season. I'm done with him as the Packers QB. The offense also seemed to abandon the run far too early. You have two guys in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, but the Packers just did not use them enough. It was head scratching. The wideouts have potential, but when Rodgers doesn't work with them and help them out, that is a problem. The defense is a mess. They cannot stop the run, they give up too many big pass plays and they come and go as they please. Jaire Alexander is great, but he needs help. Rashan Gary is a good rush end, but he cannot stay healthy. They have dudes, but they don't have much help. And Matt LaFleur is very blah as a head coach. He is milquetoast. I have no real faith in his play calling ability. And the teams in this division are coming for them. Minnesota is a QB away from being a true contender. Kirk Cousins stinks. For real. The Bears have a great young QB in Justin Fields. They also have the number one pick. They will be back soon. And the Lions are coming. They finished 9-8. They beat Green Bay in Green Bay when they had nothing to play for. They have great pieces on offense. They need a true QB. They also have the makings of a very good defense. The Lions are on a good path. The Packers, on the other hand, stink. They should move on from Rodgers. They should build the offense around Jones and Dillon. Let's move on to the Jordan Love era. The defense has a few guys, they now need some more to help out. The Packers should be bad for a few years, build in the draft and in free agency and wait for 2026 or 2027 to be a threat again. But man was I wrong about them. I feel like I was the most wrong on them.

I was wrong on all three of these teams. They all did the exact opposite of what I thought they would do. It happens sometimes, but this year was so egregious on my end that I had to address it. So, there it is. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Last Chance U: Basketball" Season Two

I just finished watching season two of "Last Chance U: Basketball". This show is right up my alley. It hits all the marks for the sports fan inside of me. It is very cliche, very formulaic, very easy to follow, and I adore every second of it. This is the type of TV I'm interested in watching daily. This show goes down like a wonderful milkshake. It is comfort food. The cast of characters is great. The stories are nice. The way it unfolds makes it a fun watch. The editing is done very well. This show works on every level.

A while back I wrote about my love for the movie "Hustle". That movie and this show are the same thing for me. The only difference is "Last Chance U" is about real people. I am an avid college sports fan, I love basketball and I like to watch, if you will, "how the sausage is made". I like seeing high level college basketball, but at the bottom level. This show is about JUCO basketball players who may only have one or two more shots left to do something with the sport they say they love.

What I think I enjoy most about this show is how unabashed it is at showing us the true colors of the people involved. The coach is hardheaded, at times mean and demanding, but he also truly cares about these kids. He wants them to move on to bigger and better things. His staff is great as well. They are the level headed ones. They are the ones who console the kids when they get upset or angry. They also dream of bigger and better things for themselves.

What makes this show, why it is a joy to watch, is seeing the players and hearing their stories. It is fascinating because you get a real sense of why they are at this level and not playing high D-1 basketball, or even professionally somewhere. The kids they highlight all have had wonderful high school careers. A lot of the featured players were marginally high level recruits. They had D-1 offers, some went D-1, but they ended up at this JUCO for a variety of reasons. This season we saw a kid who didn't have the grades, another kid who was a D-1 player who transferred out of two schools and ended up at JUCO because of an injury, there is a kid whose father was an NBA player and he is living in his shadow. There are a number of reasons why these kids end up here. But when you watch the show and see how they act, and react to different scenarios, it all makes sense. I have told my son a million times that all the kids who play, and start, at D-1 schools were the stars of their high schools team. And the kids on the bench were also the stars of their high school teams. That is the same here. These kids were studs in high school. But now they have to actually work and fight for playing time. They have to out hustle others. They have to play system basketball. For some players it works. Other players, not so much. There is one kid in this season who has all the talent in the world. He is hyper athletic, can score at will, can create and do amazing things on the floor. He was stuck on the bench all season. He did not play defense, he would not show up to practice, he would gripe and complain on the bench. When asked to play system basketball, he was lost. But there was another player, a smaller, not as athletic player. But he ended up starting. He was an excellent defender. He was a pro at running the offense. He took charges all the time. He played with heart. That is why he got the spot. There are two big men on the team. One is the former D-1 player, who happens to be 7'1. The other player was lightly recruited, didn't get a ton of offers and has autism. He was the starter because of his never ending motor. This is what the show shows us. They want the viewer to see all the work that goes into finding the best way to build a team. I love that about "Last Chance U".

Watch this show. It is a sports fan's dream. It is exactly what I want put of a sports show. This is good TV. Check it out. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Rose Flavored Macarons, a Symbol of Mankind's Hubris

Last night my wife and I were enjoying some macarons she got at work. She was celebrating her fifteen year work anniversary and they gave her some gifts, a cake and macarons.

I love a good macaron. They are the perfect size for dessert. If they are made well they pack a ton of flavor. And they are light and crispy. It is like a fully filled sweet potato chip. And pretty much every flavor was very tasty. There was pineapple, my favorite, blueberry, pistachio, coconut, vanilla, chocolate and so on and so on. Last night there were about eight left and we split them. Four for her, four for me. It is all 50/50 in this house. I went through my final four fast. I was carving them. I had been thinking about them all day. That was because I knew I was going to suggest we finish them to my wife later in the evening. So I plowed through them. This was when I had the pineapple one. Man was it good. Then I moved on to my little bowl of slim pretzels. I like to mix salty and sweet.

My wife took her time. She did it the right way. She savored them, except for one flavor. She was eating her last four and started with a very pretty looking macaron. It was like a piece of art. The design on the cookie part was very cool. She bit into it and told me she didn't like that flavor. She asked if I wanted it, and since I am not one to pass on macarons, I of course accepted.

I popped it in my mouth and was kind of stunned at what I was tasting. It was weird. My brain couldn't comprehend what my tastebuds were tasting. It didn't match. Again, this macaron looked so pretty that I assumed it was going to taste great. I assumed my wife was going to eat it. But when I ate it, it was off. It did not taste good, to be brutally honest. I kept eating it, probably because I put the rest of it in my mouth all at once, which is gross. I get it. Maybe I also kept eating it thinking the flavor would somehow change. It didn't. When I finished my wife asked me if I liked it. I said, "it tasted like soap". That was exactly what I felt in my soul. It reminded me of what I imagined having a bar of soap put in your mouth as a kid. When I made this statement my wife said, "that must have been the rose flavored one". I thought she meant rose, like with the line above the e. She meant roses like flowers. I then said, "why would someone make that a flavor?". I was weirdly annoyed by this. I tasted it more and more after eating it and I just did not like it.

Sometimes I feel like these bakers and tastemakers maybe go further than they need to. Remember when bacon was in everything? I tried a ton of stuff, but it became too much. Or how about all the stuff with lavender in it? I like some stuff with lavender in it, but it became too much. And if you ever are lucky enough to meet my amazing wife, ask her about an iced lavender latte she got one time. It is a wonderful story. Or how about dill pickle everything except for pickles. It is a rough taste to have in your mouth. So why would someone want to eat a rose? It makes no sense, especially after having that rose macaron last night. It was soapy. It left a bad taste in my mouth. It was an unpleasant experience. Considering how delicious every single other macaron was in that box, I just do not get the justification to put something that tastes like a flower in with the rest of the good stuff.

I am not a fan of rose flavored food. I now know this. If you do like it, let me know why, or lead to some stuff you may think I'd like. But this rose macaron was pretty gross, at least in my personal opinion. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Vengeance"

Over the weekend my wife and I watched the movie "Vengeance" on our date night. I had heard about this movie a while back. I do not remember exactly where I heard about it, probably a podcast, but it intrigued me.

For those that may not know, "Vengeance" is a movie written and directed by BJ Novak, Ryan from the American "Office". His character is a podcaster who goes to a remote town in Texas to help investigate a possible murder. That is the Cliff's Notes version. The movie received pretty positive reviews, I like BJ Novak and I enjoy podcasts very much. It hit all the marks for me. And the movie delivered.

Again, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be, and that is a good thing. The movie constantly surprised me. I really liked the direction and sudden changes that they made throughout. BJ Novak took this personality, this famous podcaster personality, and flipped it on its head. He goes to this town because a girl he had a fling with suddenly died. Her family called him, thinking he was her boyfriend, and got him to come out to help investigate. At first it seems like she overdosed, but the family suspects foul play. Novak's character takes this story and flips it. He wants to do an episode of his show where a family won't accept things and give us other stories to justify a sudden death.

Outside of Novak the main cast is great. Issa Rae is his producer. She is wonderful. Rae is such a reliable actor and she always hits the mark. She was wonderful here. Boyd Holbrook plays a mourning brother and he is a delight. It may sound weird to call his character a "delight", but it is true. He is funny. He has a plan. He loves his family. He was very good here. Dove Cameron and Isabella Amara are the sisters and they are equally funny. They have little to do, but when they get time to shine, they own it. J Smith Cameron is the mom and she is perfect as a grieving mother trying to come to grips with her new reality. Eli Bickel is fascinating as the youngest brother that everyone dumps on all the time. He was fantastic. All the other bit parts, like a cartel leader, the brother's best friend, random town people, even Lio Tipton, who plays the deceased, do great with their small roles.

Surprisingly, it was Ashton Kutcher that really shined here. This is a role that is perfect for him. He got to play a music executive who has some dark secrets. He was so good. He was understated. But when he had a monologue to give, he really hit a home run. I was floored at how impressed I was with him in this movie. It gives me hope that he will continue to do stuff like this. This role proves to me why he is a professional actor.

I liked this movie a lot. It was a paint by colors murder mystery, but had more edge to it. The jokes were great. The story moved very well. Novak seemed to have a blast making this movie and it shows on screen. I love the route they took with podcasts and how they have gotten so big. But what I loved most was the way the finale unfolded. They could have gone one way but they chose, in my opinion, the right way to go. Even my wife said she liked the direction they took. They did it the right way, and the best way they could have finished the movie.

I definitely recommend this movie. It is on Peacock if you have that streaming service, and I'm sure you can rent it on VOD or Amazon. Go check this movie out. It is a good change of pace and totally worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Thoughts on Damar Hamlin

Last night my son was watching "Monday Night Football". He kept yelling up to me that something was going on. He said a player went down, I assumed it was a regular injury. He then said a cart was coming out. I thought it was an ACL. But then he said that an ambulance was on the field. Then he said that they were performing CPR. Then he said the game fully stopped.

I had to know what was going on. I told him to turn the game off when I turned it on. Why did I do this you may ask? My son is 10, he is a football player and he tends to linger on stuff for a very long time. I also turned the game on myself and saw what was unfolding on the field. It was, and still is, very frightening.

Bills defender Damar Hamlin was making a routine, albeit kind of violent tackle, and he simply passed out. He made the hit, adjusted his facemask, took three steps back and collapsed. The medical team rushed the field, like they do with any big injury. But when the ambulance came on the field, and the announcers said that the medical team was performing CPR, and when they cut his jersey off, this felt different. This was serious. This was bad.

This is what everyone worries about when CPR needs to be performed. Hamlin needed CPR to save his life on that football field last night. He, from what I have seen reported, suffered cardiac arrest. His heart stopped working last night. I read that they performed CPR for 9 minutes last night. They rushed him to the hospital after they got his heart to work again. They intubated him when he got there. They got his vitals back to some kind of normalcy. All the stuff the medical crew did on that field saved his life last night.

After he was rushed to the hospital I watched the game for a bit longer. This was scary. I was worried. I am still worried. Damar Hamlin is still in critical condition. He is still in the hospital. He will be there for a while I imagine. When all of this went down I watched the reaction from other athletes and pundits. It was, for the most part, very supportive. All kinds of pro football players sent immediate support. Everyone was thinking about Hamlin. All the sports pages I follow were filled with support for Hamlin and his family. His donations soared, upwards of 3 million dollars, throughout the evening. This is the good part of sports. People showing support and showing real feelings for a person whose life is still at stake.

Of course there are certain people, Skip freaking Bayless, who could care less about Damar Hamlin and his family. But he was an outlier. I don't even want to dignify what he said because it is appalling. He should be fired, but we will see what the company he works for does.

I want to shift the focus on Damar Hamlin. This young man has had a serious threat happen to his life playing the game he loves. This is scary. This is where sports aren't that important. This is the scariest part of having a son who is an athlete who also happens to love the game of football. He was still asking questions on the way to school this morning. I hope that they are able to find what the problem is and save Damar Hamlin's life. I want him to get out of that hospital. I want him to go home and be with his loved ones. I want him to be safe and sound. This is what I hope for. But most importantly I want this young man to live. Football is not the end all be all. He should not have to lose his life playing the game he loves. This is not what is supposed to happen to young men who are professional athletes. I can only sit back and think of Hank Gathers in a moment like this.

Be safe and recover Damar Hamlin. The world needs you around longer. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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SeedSing Classic: It is Time to Repeal and Replace Capitalism

Now more than ever the destructive narrative of capitalism is on display with the criminal greed being seen in our corporations and government. 

The post originally appeared on September 7th, 2015.

What do we really celebrate on Labor Day? History says that the day started as a reaction to the Haymarket Massacre in 1886. The deaths in Chicago that day brought to light the struggles of workers nationwide. Demonstrators at Haymarket Square that day were rallying for an eight hour work day. When we go back and look at how the heads of capitalism treated their workers, who were US citizens, it is frightening. The labor movement needed to strike, rally, and demonstrate just so the capital owners would treat the workers like real humans. We celebrate Labor Day because workers needed to demand, and risk their safety, for a humanity that the capital owners were not willing to provide.

Capitalism is anti humanity and it is not allowing us to socially evolve, it is time for a new economic system. The people at the very top of our capitalistic society are large carnivores that get rewarded for anything that they can consume. There is no humanity to the capital owners. We celebrate record stock markets, and forget we have such a small volume of people participating in the market. We complain about welfare queens, without accepting that some of our richest CEOs get their salaries enhanced by government subsidies. The devourers at the top of the economic food chain have made the people below fearful and reverent at the same time. Capitalism is not allowing us to grow as humans, it is keeping us in cages like the animals that the capital owners need to control.

The way capitalism is sold to the general public is through use of code words like freedom and opportunity. In the world of today there is very little opportunity or freedom for the people not at the top of the capitalism food chain. The use of freedom and opportunity have their roots in trying to keep people non-empowered. If you want to go out and start your own business, you do have that freedom. If you have a great idea that can change the world, you have the opportunity to pursue that dream. Our modern capitalistic system does throw up every hurdle imaginable so the current capital owners have a say over your success. The system allows for the commoditization of people who can steal and exploit other people's work. The defenders of capitalism use opportunity and freedom as defenses for these patent trolls. Capitalism does not create ideas, it creates ways to steal great ideas and give them to the carnivores at the top.

The idea of commoditization has reached a truly dangerous level in our society. We have used capitalism to justify putting a price on the our most important human needs. Healthcare is one of our largest, and wealthiest, industries. We all accept that doctors should be well paid because of their skill and necessity. Our ability to get healthcare, through insurance, is directly related to our income. That is insane. Medical care is a necessity for everyone in the world, why should it be a commodity? Why do we not question this? Most doctors are not builders and creators, they are administrators. When you go to the doctor, it is for maintenance or to discuss something out side of the norm. Your income level rarely dictates the maintenance you require. Your income level can directly relate to the need for a doctor when there is something outside of norm. Lower income people have more severe, treatable, medical issues because of how capitalism financially elevates doctors. Basic human needs like healthcare are not a commodity. Capitalism has set a value to our lives, that is anti-humanity.

The ability to communicate has been the greatest tool for social evolution. The printing press created a new world filled with scientific and social advances. The internet is just getting its legs, and changing the entire world for the better. Many of the innovations related to communication were not done in pursuit of economic riches. The internet was created by the government, and nurtured by the social system, to become the tool we use today. The engineers of the world create things that not only maintain society, but allow it to grow. The Wright Brothers looked to the government for support before they looked to the capital owners. Roads, rails, and bridges are designed and built by engineers with government support, not private business support. Why is it that the government has allowed business to commoditize basic needs like communication? The rise of the telecom deregulation was another sacrifice at the idol of capitalism. We have been told that private business can handle our communication better than the government funded engineers who built the network. Our reward is one of the worst communication networks in the developed world. The telecom companies get their money, the CEOs get their large paydays, and the citizens get a subpar product thanks to the tenets of capitalism. The telecom companies do not have any concern for our ability to communicate, their concern is only to gain money. Our government, and our cultural programming, have allowed for basic communication to be another commodity to be bought and sold. Due to capitalism the more wealth you have, the better communication available.

Capitalism is a wall that stops innovation. The ability to create a commodity out of basic social needs is a large problem. Your health is not something that should be paid for. Your voice and ideas are not things that should be granted by a company with no creators. Capitalism exists to give freedom and opportunity to those already established, and make sure the non established have very nearly no options to compete. We deserve the right pursue our dreams, and not be hampered by our inability to pay for health or communication. Everyone deserves freedom and opportunity.

Capitalism is one of the most destructive forces in history. We need to have a discussion on how to replace this carnivorous ideology with one that rewards innovation and creates an evolving society. In the future we will continue to discuss the pitfalls of capitalism, and start to formulate an ideology that will bring about a brighter future. We encourage your dissent and contribution. Your ideas are not a commodity. Come share them with us.

Happy Labor day. Enjoy this day of rest and remember that protesters died for the right to have a reasonable work schedule. Let us use this Labor Day to start a new movement. The old capitalistic ways need to be repealed, the replacement will produce true opportunity. We can find this new way forward together. The only thing we will lose are the cages the capitalists keep society in.

RD Kulik

RD is the creator and Head Editor for SeedSing. 

RIP Pele

Pele died the other day at the age of 82. That is a nice long life lived. He was a very good person from what I know. Also he was one of the greatest athletes of my lifetime.

I have mentioned many times on the site and the podcast how little I know about soccer. It's a sport I've never played, don't watch and am not all that invested in. I wasn't good at it when I played pickup soccer so it never stayed with me. I couldn't tell you who Messi or Neymar is without my 10 year old letting me know. I only know Diego Maradona for his off field antics. But I do know who Pele is, or was for that matter. His name has always been mentioned when people talk about the greatest athletes of all time. When "The Simpsons" did an entire episode about soccer, Pele showed up to play himself. I know what the Brazil soccer jersey looks like because of all the pictures I have seen in my lifetime of Pele. I understand the breadth he held in the sports world and the world for that matter.

Pele transcended sports. He was a global icon. He was the GOAT before any of us used that acronym. Little kids know who he is. I can go to a basketball practice for my team right now and the kids have no idea who guys like Shawn Kemp or Grant Hill are. I go to baseball and get side eye views when I bring up Vlad Guerrero or Dave Winfield. Young football players look aghast when I tell them Jerry Rice is better than any wide out today. Or god help me if I say Barry Sanders is the best back of all time. But all the little kids I have helped coach or know their parents that play soccer all know who Pele is. Pele is as synonymous to soccer as Michael Jordan and LeBron James are to basketball, but I don't think people would argue with you over Pele being the greatest soccer player of all time. I don't have any stats or anything like that to go off of because of my lack of knowledge in the sport. But the sheer fact that I know who Pele is/was, that I know he played soccer, that he revolutionized the game, that people asked him to come to America to play to try and make it popular, that should speak volumes to the person Pele was. There will never be another like him. Pele is an original. He was Messi before Messi. Neymar before Neymar. I remember when Freddy Adu was all the rage and people tried to say he was going to be the next Pele. Those shoes were far too big to fill and it never happened for Adu. That is because no one else could ever live up to Pele. He is the generational soccer player. If soccer had a logo it would be Pele. He was a do it all type player. He was also so great that, as mentioned before, people in the US enticed him to come play in America just to try and drum up interest in the most popular sport in the rest of the world.

Pele will be missed. He did live a long, fulfilling life. But still, when an icon like this passes it always leaves a dent. It always makes you go back and reminisce about that person. Rest In Peace Pele. Go play, and dominate, some soccer wherever you are now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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If You are in St. Louis, and Love Cats, Go Check Out Mauhaus Cat Cafe

My daughter is obsessed with cats. She loves them. I, unfortunately, do not. I have never really liked them. My mom has always been very allergic and that set me off as a kid. I did not like them because of what they did to my mom. I also do not like their attitude. My sister in law stated it perfectly, "dogs are roommates, cats are landlords". Truer words have never been spoken.

Cats do things on their terms. They will let you pet them when they want to be pet. They go to the bathroom indoors. The owner has to clean it up when it hardens. They play when they want. They climb wherever they damn well please. Cats do what they want when they want and no one will tell them to stop. Or if they do, cats look at them like they are the dumbest people in the world.

Yet, my daughter loves them. And since she loves them so much I have done research. My dad has done research too. I'm still not a cat person, but I am more willing to talk about them and pet them. I will never own one, but I am more willing to be around them in small doses. My dad found a spot here in Saint Louis that is perfect for a small dose meeting. We go out for coffee twice a week. This is our thing. We have hit up almost every hot spot in my hometown. But we had never been to this place called the Mauhaus Cat Cafe. We looked past it because of the CAT on the signage. But my kids are off this week for winter break. We are looking for things to do. My daughter hasn't had a day that has been specific for her. She has been along for the ride all week.

We broke down and took her and my son to the Mauhaus Cat Cafe this morning. My mom could not go so it was me, my kids and my dad. Luckily, Mauhaus still has a rule in place that you have to be masked. This eased my willingness to take my daughter. Any allergy I may have was negated by my N95. And they are strict about it, which I very much like. So we made our reservation. We had an hour to sit and play with cats. They have very strict, but very smart rules. You cannot pick up the cats. You cannot force the cats to come to you. You are the tenant in this scenario, and that is the way it should be. You can pet the cats and play with them if they choose to play with you. Right after we ordered our drinks we found a table and sat down. There was a cat already chilling right there. This hooked my daughter more than she already was. My son lit up immediately when the cat approached and nuzzled him. The cat did the same to me for a minute but quickly returned to my son. My dad was standoffish so this made the cats stay away, which is exactly what he wanted. We took my kids there for them, mainly for my daughter. And she loved every single second we were there. She was walking around to all the cats and playing with them. When one would sit down by her she would pet it. She kept telling me to take her picture. This is her utopia. I could see her face smiling behind her mask. It never left her face the entire hour we were there. She is still telling me about the cats we saw today. My son was a little nervous, but after that cat nuzzled him he was hooked. That cat was his buddy. It stuck around him for almost the full hour. And when that cat moved on another would come right to him. He might not want to admit it, but he had just as good a time as his sister. I was good with the few cats that made an appearance towards me. I did have to move my lanyard from my pocket because cats kept pawing at it. But otherwise it was fine. If a cat approached me I pet it and we both moved on quickly.

This was a perfect place to give my daughter her cat fix. She got a full hour to play with so many different cats. And as I said, she was smiling and happy the whole time. If you or your kids like cats and coffee, I recommend the Mauhaus Cat Cafe. The staff was great, the coffee was solid and my kids were thrilled. We had a very good time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to 'Who Me? An Extremely True Crime Podcast"

I subscribe to CBB World. For those that may not know, CBB World is a Patreon level of "Comedy Bang! Bang!". I have listened to "CBB" from the start, so subscribing to this was almost a no brainer for me. I have found a ton of new pods off this too. I mentioned "Hey Randy" and "Scott Hasn't Seen" on my best of lists last week. Shaun Diston is also a big part of CBB World. But there is one pod that has caught my attention of late.

This is a new pod. The host is Bobby Moniyhan, who I happen to be a big, big fan of. The podcast is called, and this is a big title, "Who Me? An Extremely True Crime Podcast". Moniyhan plays, as he puts it, The Batman. This is a Batman style podcast but it is all comedy and improvisation. This is one of my new favorite podcasts. I was listening to it earlier today on my run and I was cracking up. I find myself laughing harder with every listen. I find something new within each episode that makes me cackle. Moniyhan has this incredible control over the show and it works on every level.

To date they have had three episodes and each one has been better than the one before it. The basic story line of each episode is The Batman is trying to find who killed his parents. He will invite a guest and just start asking them questions without any warning. From there on out it is pure madness in the best way possible. Moniyhan is totally owning this show. He is so funny. His Batman voice is riotous. The way he complains about it makes it even better. The connection between him and whoever plays Alfred is just great. They are never in sync. Batman is always yelling at him. Alfred is always missing music cues. He is never ready. They have this great love hate relationship. It is perfect. In each episode the guests have been such a wonderful addition. The pilot ep featured Taran Killam as himself. This is great because of the friendship Killam and Moniyhan have. They worked together on "SNL" and they play so well off one another. The back and forth was tremendous. Killam's willingness to play and improv is second to none. I was so happy when I heard this episode because it grabbed me right away. I was in because of Moniyhan, and to hear him and Killam together hooked me even more. The second ep featured Ben Rodgers as Superman. Rodgers take on Superman was interesting and unique. He played him as a jock from NYC. His voice work sounded like Slyvester Stallone, and I am here for it. This was great because they kept bringing up the movies that the two of them have been in together. They kept making jokes. The questioning was hilarious. Moniyhan could barely get word one out without Rodgers making him crack up. I was in awe of the comedy I was listening to during that hour. I did not think it could get any better, but then we had the new episode that came out today. Nicole Parker was the guest and she was playing Gal Gadot. This was improv comedy at its best. I had to stop running a few times to catch my breath because I was laughing so hard. Parker was amazing. I do not know much about her, but damn was she cracking me up. Her take on Gadot/Wonder Woman was a thing of beauty. They brought up the "Imagine" thing she did at the start of the pandemic. This thread was wonderful. It was so funny. The jokes being made, man they were top notch. She busted out a Sarah Silverman impression and that was a home run. I loved that The Batman stopped down to tell her how great her impression was. When Parker as Wonder Woman kept asking him which question they were on, that is an old bit, but when it is done right it can beautiful. This was one of those beautiful moments.

I love this show. I find myself wanting more and more. That is a good thing. If you have the means and want, go get CBB World and listen to "Who Me?" ASAP. It is one of the best comedy podcasts in the game. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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