Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 25: Kris loses his religion. that's him in the corner...
48 Plays6 months ago
This week Kris comes on and discusses alcoholism, finding then losing his religion along with the lessons we learned, talks about why theme parks are important to him, and more. Come on in, the water is fine.
Join the Masculinity convo on X & TikTok:
@txmpod
We are now on Discord as well. PLease excuse the growing pains there.
https://discord.gg/SrUmwFcu
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Hangover Stories
00:00:30
Speaker
That's my ludicrous alcohol collection. And in fact, that's not even all of it. I'm very close to a Maker's Mark, actually. it's It's right by my house. Oh, yeah. I like it. It's really good. It's a dis a it's a a really good, easy drinker. Yeah, is yeah it is. It's nice. And I do like a wax tipped. but that's i hurt Oh, you had to finish some the phrase. I almost got you. Fuck you.
00:01:06
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it is good. Fucking fucking prick. Jesus Christ. Hey kids, welcome to Toxic Masculinity with Ian and Stuart. This week we have Chris with us. How are we doing, guys? I'm good. I'm good. It's Wednesday? wednesday Wednesday. As of recording. and so i'm three it's um I'm on day three of a hangover. Chris, how are you doing, man? I'm good. I'm not on day three of a hangover, so I'm probably even better.
00:01:45
Speaker
yeah Well, you know, it's not a very, it's not a very, every, uh, week, your County Wednesday on Ireland final. Um, and the whole time gets drunk together. That's great. I saw lots of video clips and I saw Stewart suffering at one point. It was great. Absolutely mantle day on Sunday. It was the craziest thing. but I wish I was there. It looked so fun. It was really, really good fun. i I learned about three or four weeks ago that I'm too old to get drunk, which here in Kentucky went to a Louisville and went to a bar called O'Shea's and they have a nice outdoor patio.
00:02:31
Speaker
and my wife and i sat there till midnight or so and the next morning i was like i'd rather be dead i just this is not it i this is not 20 year old me anymore right okay so you're saying you had a hangover oh it was awful You got to keep drinking. You gotta drink through it up again you got drink until you get sober again. That's the Irish way. Yeah. All right. Real quick though, Stuart. Let's ask a first question. and We can discuss more alcohol maybe. cause we do they hand Maybe. Okay. I mean, I was about to go into the whole thing. I know. but I saw you thinking. That's why I didn't realize I saw the brain going.
Conservative Upbringing and Masculinity
00:03:09
Speaker
yeah Chris, what does masculinity mean to you specifically?
00:03:14
Speaker
It's a, that's such a ah broad question just in general, but like, it's funny because I was raised in a very, very, very conservative family from, I mean, my family's in Southeastern Kentucky. So like, that pretty much tells you like the level. Well, I for one am shocked.
00:03:39
Speaker
i So like it's funny because like they they raised me to be like if you get hurt you don't act like it like you play sports whether you want to or not and like the older I get it's like okay like it there are some things that I took from that but like also it's funny because It's hard for me to show emotion now and I feel like that's something that's defined as masculine which Technically shouldn't be but like it really is hard for me to do that now because I feel like that was so ingrained in me because of that It's like that's a weird path. Yeah, man i mean it's I I Open up to specific people. I'm sure if you've listened to anything with Brian, especially lately I have a really hard time being vulnerable and I
00:04:28
Speaker
The thing is the last show we did, I was asking my friends, why can you just tell me what you think of the episode? And it wasn't because Stewart and I had a chat about this. It wasn't because I was worried about people's reaction. It's because of how uncomfortable it feels to be vulnerable for me. Like it's very difficult. And I don't do it for just anyone so to like do it. And I mean our show's not huge but to do it and put out there and like the interverse or whatever we you want to call it is kind of a little like intimidating. That's a better name for us. Yeah, the interverse.
00:05:00
Speaker
But, uh, yeah. So, I mean, I get what you're saying. And I mean, I walked, I have scars and stuff. I don't even remember where they came from. Cause you just walk it off. I don't get some of that, you know? Oh yeah. So I have a little bit of my, my, my past is pushing, like pushing pole. My mom was very like hippie, like you do your feelings and this and that. My dad's like just stoic. Okay. What was modeled to me was stoic. The dude I've seen the man cry twice in my entire life in 45 years. Like that's all he is stoic. That's my mom up, makes decisions. That's it. That's pretty spot on to what I'm used to. so ah Chris, you said that m the first thing you mentioned was going away. I was thinking being from the South and being conservative. And do you think that those are a conservative but that that
00:05:54
Speaker
ah Suck in your emotions and tamp it down is a conservative thing. I just find it interesting because i if I lived in America I would very much not be a conservator. I wouldn't be classed as that in any form of fashion. And actually, I would say probably either with my family. m ah Although, weirdly, in Northern Ireland, we would sit a lot of my family would sit on the Ulster Scots side, which is what
00:06:28
Speaker
the people that went to America and made you not, so good times. and a If you know the history of that south region in America, Kentucky and all that, it's people from here. Good times. um but do you think that, to to to do why is that straight to you as a conservative thing? i That is an interesting thought. like I didn't even realize that when I was saying it, but I guess like in my mind, I do kind of correlate those things together. like I feel like more conservative families tend to be the, let's hit you with the belt, then you shut up and move on kind of people. like Yeah, I see where we're going from, but
00:07:14
Speaker
and because the the I don't want to say the left wing, but the... The rule. the liberal The liberal side are maybe more, let's sit down and talk about our feelings. yeah but do mean I'm not entirely convinced that is actually liberals or and or conservatives. I think that's a very particular brand of happy bullshit. you know what i mean from from From growing up in the 70s and 80s, I don't think
00:07:48
Speaker
I think everyone got hit with the with the slipper of the wooden spoon. Yeah. Do you know the name from from my youth? I can I can remember getting chased by guys very much so for doing stupid shit. Do you know what I mean? But I would never do it to my children. Jesus God. I think it more correlates to conservatives though like you know like the whole like every every Kleenex is a tissue but not every tissue is a Kleenex kind of thing you know what I'm saying like it's a little more common kind of thing that happens in conservatives like it's very rare you're gonna be in a conservative sort of family that's strict conservative and like
00:08:23
Speaker
religious and they're gonna be like let's just have a chat about your feelings it's very much at least in my experience from like friends and things i've had i have a friend from kentucky too and his dad is very much like get the belt out it you're gonna get your ass kicked and then we're done really but that is it it's not not just a trope Oh, no, it's a trope for a reason at least from our generation but You know that I know but for my generation everybody was fucking get the belt out and hit beat the child jo him It was I don't think it was I I really can't see I mean, I mean just kind I'm sitting here standing up for conservatives but know and but i don believe that I can't I can't I think
00:09:09
Speaker
from our generation, everyone kind of had that experience. I don't believe it's a specifically and conservative trade. And actually, because I'm actually with any, it really shouldn't be because, you know, they should all just love each other. I don't think it's a conservative trade as much as what I'm saying is that it's more aligned in people's minds with a conservative way of raising kids. No, I understand that.
Generational Perspectives on Discipline
00:09:33
Speaker
So I also think that even though we, I think also in this case, perspective and degrees of that kind of thing matter. Like maybe you got spanked, but in this, like the Southern people I know raised in Kentucky and other places, it was literally a belt and you had lines.
00:09:50
Speaker
It wasn't like a spoon hit and like it sucks. It was like, dude, you had lines, like, like him don't you know, spoons. I know they hurt the fucking belittle motherfucker. Fucking spoons. And Irish mama, you prick. You had a leather belt next time I see how you feel about it. I do things with a spoon to you. that you know We're going to have to ask rookie and Siobhan to leave the room. I don't think every conservative is like, I think to Chris, like, I don't know. I don't know if I'm explaining it. Well, Chris, what do you think? Am I close to what's in your mindset or? I think that's right. um Because it really is. and And I think the generational thing is probably true. Like I remember at elementary school,
00:10:39
Speaker
there was a paddle in the principal's office. like My friends would get that on occasion. It was like, now that's just crazy. yeah so like sit here any Even here, when I was in primary school, there was a cane that was various lengths depending on my how much of cunt you were. If you the big one, god damn. but You know how Stuart got the lot. I was a model child. It is crazy when you think about it now, isn't it? It is. It was absolutely fine. Do you know what I mean? If you came in as a child back when we were growing up and went, suss and suss hit me a slap, they'd go, what the fuck did you do?
00:11:34
Speaker
Wait, what do you guys think about like people like saying that kind of phrase where like kids need to be hit a little more often? like What do you think about the people that say that? Especially you, Chris, coming from that kind of background. Oh, I'm not a fan of it at all. like i I will not do that to my kids at all. You mean me? I have little taps with my hand on occasion, but nothing that's going to leave a mark. like just yeah ah An orange in a song.
00:12:02
Speaker
and so yeah money and mark oh my god
00:12:11
Speaker
yeah well What do you think about the people that say that do you what do you think the why do you think they're saying that? I mean, like i it partially is a general generational thing to me because like it's very often, like it's funny because if you look at like Twitter versus Facebook, I don't see that on Twitter, but I do see that on Facebook. like A lot of my friends from high school will like say that. like You can tell they like beat the heck out of their kids when they're bad. and like I always want to be like, dude, what's wrong with you? But where's the line there too? Well, yeah, absolutely.
00:12:46
Speaker
but it's like yeah why i don't um and I don't understand why you would hit your children I can understand why some people say they they need they need a good slap because actually some of them need a good slap. But that's not, maybe not a physical slap. I was going to say not a physical one necessarily. Maybe a mental slap. Do you know what I mean? A slap or respect. That's the thing. It's the respect because
00:13:23
Speaker
you know It's that view that kids today have no respect for adults and stand around in street corners being ball bags and shouting at old ladies and all that kind of shit. And you're actually going, but but it's the same it's the same thing as every generation has. like People forget yeah that when you were a kid, people thought you were a ball bag too. I was not. I was fucking off. You were in the hardcore scene with your baggy jeans or your cutoff jorts and whatever cut off And fucking standing around listening to your heavy music of Satan and fucking and seeing older people went.
00:14:08
Speaker
this is bullshit they're wrong they have no respect blah blah blah and it's the same and the people that grow up and end up being old people now with access to the entire uh interverse and Forget that they were they used to be the ball bags and they're called in today's teenagers ball bags. It is The way of the fucking world. Yeah, like Steve is on he said it. I don't want to be an old guy yelling at the sky but It's kind of funny it's really funny we turn into our parents
00:14:48
Speaker
um Oh no. This is not real music. It all sounds the same. be it It is. ah It is. It is. It is weird. So it is. So Chris, were you brought up like, uh, not, not to get too far into this, but you brought up, uh, Christian, are you still Christian?
Questioning Faith and Leaving Religion
00:15:09
Speaker
You guys do faith stuff since you're from Kentucky. I figured it's an interesting conversation. It's that, uh, that journey in its own is, uh, interesting one. See, look at that. It's like, I know the South. Like I didn't really like, you know, as a kid, it's Easter Sunday, Christmas Eve, whatever you'd go. And I didn't really do that often. I didn't really want to participate. And I hit like kind of a low point in my life at one point. And that's actually when I started going to church. um And like you fast forward 10, 15 years later, I kind of had a,
00:15:51
Speaker
I don't know if I believe this moment and then like ah since then i've I've walked away from it completely. So it was quite the journey. um ah My family, I'll still like, not not my family here, but my like my dad and everyone still goes to church every Sunday and all that. And like, whatever, you do you, I don't care. Yeah. Yeah. yeah But I think for a lot of older people, it's they do it because it's... They're trying to get in somewhere good too. No, I'm just kidding. it's just like it is It's something they do of a fucking Sunday rather than have a lion. Do you know what I mean? It's kind of the same here. you know a lot of It's a lot of the older generation who still go except for Easter and Christmas when it's it looks nice. Do you know what I mean? That type of thing. But it is a weird um
00:16:42
Speaker
Can I ask you without, I mean, if you're willing to get personal enough, can I ask you what led you to religion first? Like what, what was that thing that happened or whatever? I, uh, I was drinking a lot, a lot, like I started drinking before I was 21. Very, very, very, very bad. That never happens. It's almost like that prohibition to $21.
00:17:06
Speaker
Like it I got progressively worse and worse and worse and like I hit that point where I was like if I don't stop it's gonna kill me and I was kind of looking for anything and I that's kind of where it led me to um I mean since then obviously I'm holding a glass of bourbon now. I'm can control yourself Because it's good to drink even if you're not trying to get drunk alcohol tastes good. That's right. So you thought you were drinking too much, so you thought, I'm going to go in here with this dude to turn in water and wine. So if I see a joke, I have to kick it. It's like, it's my deep proposition, dude. Sorry. but Yeah. No, I can see. I can see that. It's going to feed you his flesh. Jesus.
00:18:02
Speaker
Just kidding. I don't mean to insult the Christians. i yeah I actually don't have a problem with Christians unless they're using their religion to like twist things and make things evil. I know a lot of friends. I have a lot of friends that are Christians and they do a lot of amazing things. So go for it and do your thing, you know? But most of them won't mind jokes because they'll get a shit joke or some shit back eventually. Yeah. But so that's that must have been I must have been kind of hard on path to waggle on through, but you've clearly come out the other side. Oh yeah, much happier. Nice, and still able to have a drink if you want. You don't have to completely abstain, so that's well done. Kudos to you. I definitely learned how to like control it when I came back to it. um and Funny enough, like
00:18:53
Speaker
craft beer emerging was a big part of it for two reasons. ah Most craft beers will make me sick if I have too many of them. ah But like, it's also like I like the flavors. that i'm saying that's what I'm saying need this to get drunk. It just tastes good. yeah That's why I like all the beers, man. I didn't drink a ton before craft beer started being a thing. And I was like, now there's so many flavors. I need to try some shit. You see it like a nice pineapple-y one. Yeah, dude. That's what I got right now, actually. I'm still drinking. Actually, ah one of my friends who goes to Ireland every year keeps telling me I need to go to Ireland just to have a Guinness there. So someday that's my goal. Yeah. I don't know if you don't have just one there, though, because yeah don't they don't have water. They just have Guinness.
00:19:40
Speaker
so But is why it is why Guinness, it is a water that makes the Guinness taste so fucking good though. So well and true story. But yeah, you absolutely need to do that. Yeah. It is a ah rite of passage for every man or woman who likes a paint. And it is cracking. I really am a big fan of Guinness in Dublin. um m In fact, everywhere. Everywhere. Literally everywhere. Yeah. I have a weird, like, my palate's weird now. I got the original straight of COVID and I couldn't taste for two years. one and Oh yeah, it was awful. And then like certain things don't taste right anymore. So sometimes dark beer tastes like garbage, so but I don't know what it's going to happen.
00:20:31
Speaker
like it's i miss
00:20:34
Speaker
Yeah i don't stewart might even speak to this though but the Guinness here that i've had in america tends to be a little more bitter and a little less chocolatey smoothie like i can still taste it. But almost always it's just a little bit it's a little more bitter if anything it tastes sweeter than me for some weird reason that's weird taste bitter i think it's your i think it's your water cuz there's fucked. Yeah, because I drink a little bit of beer, so I always expect Guinness to be a little sweeter, but it always is more bitter than I expected to be. but depend I can go more bitter, but depending on the age, the generally doesn't last too long in a keg here. Yeah. So it's pretty fucking quick. I don't last long over there anyway, so it's fine. Chris, what brought you out of it? Like, when did you realize this is not for you, for the religion stuff?
00:21:25
Speaker
Uh, it was recent, um, probably the last two years. I, so like, there were a lot of things. Um, I was very involved in church. I've, uh, I've played guitar for now for 25 years and, uh, I would play in the worship band. So I was there a lot. I practiced multiple nights a week. And there were times like I remember one specific night when really things started to turn for me to sour me. ah The worship leader like yelled at us like yelled and like I'm first off I'm a volunteer like I could walk out of this building and just not come back if that's what you want. But they were like you were playing somebody told me somebody was playing a secular song and I was like well it had to have been me because I'm the only one the instrument in my hand that you can identify a song and I wasn't.
00:22:15
Speaker
ah And that may be really bad so like that was a big turning point for me it was like if someone's gonna come in here and scream at me when they have zero information know nothing about what was happening and like it was little things in the background i started noticing then i started noticing how much they loved that money and if you didn't have it you were as important to. To me, isn't that, isn't it? Especially considering that was Jesus' whole fucking thing. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. you So what's it worship later? Sorry, I need to just...
00:22:48
Speaker
ah They're the person who will like generally do the singing or will play a lead instrument that's going to start the songs. or and and like The churches here, ah they it's a paid position like around here at least. They'll make like $50,000 a year to legit one day a week, get up there. and so it's not It's not a pastor or a priest. No, this is like a whole paid position. It's it's just it's just the bond vader. Yeah. More or less. That's that's is that Baptist? What is that? This was a non-denominational. Baptists are weird. Some of them don't like instruments. I know. It's weird. That's why I was like, is this Baptist? That is a big fans of an indoor below. Yeah, I went to I went to I went to a non-denominational once and they had like the rock band up there and I'm like, this is odd.
00:23:40
Speaker
Well, that's like I mean, I mean well the funny thing is I did once play a song That that was probably pretty bad. I played cowboys from hell while i would seen it's just do my warmup exercise i mean it's religious adjacent It is a pentatonic warm-up exercise That's what it is That's right That's amazing and me that's the that's the shit would get me kicked out. We're putting putting stuff into the middle of chains. Do you know what I mean? Dude, have you? so There's like, I don't know if you guys have watched. There's a whole TikTok. There's a whole TikTok. There's whole sections of TikTok with like dudes in like cri like religious bands and they just like throw random stuff in there to see what happens. It's so funny, dude.
00:24:31
Speaker
It's so good. They just look around after they do it and they laugh at the camera that they have set up and stuff. Oh, it's so good. Yeah. Shouting at volunteers seems... Yeah. A little excessive. Shouting at anyone is a dick move for a start, especially in a band. And I say that with with all full in-brain knowledge that that you have been in bands and have worked with actual drummers. So I know how shouting this thing is.
00:25:00
Speaker
and and and Anyone else who's been in the band knows that's exactly the fuck I'm talking about these players who I love very much and is a really close friend of mine is the biggest pain in the ass right now when I mix things Oh, no, my best player is is by and far my best friend. No, I love Jay. I love Jay so much But whenever I make something he's like, can you make this a little adjustment for my base? And maybe this and then like I'll do it like a week later He's like I'm gonna rerecord my bass parts. so I'm like fuck god damn it
00:25:30
Speaker
He just wants it to be right so it's I can't fault him, but it's a pain in my ass as much as I love it So that that that then that was the thing that started to unravel your... Yeah, that was ah that was a big like starting point. And it it kind of went from there. Like I said, like I realized how much more you meant to them if you had money and like I ain't rich. Yeah, exactly. Well, the... that's that's the you know It's like um people call... What do you call those crazy bastards out in California?
00:26:06
Speaker
I'm a Scientologist. That's the boys. People call Scientologists crazy. That's 42. Well, okay. Yeah. Their main headquarters is in Florida of all places. Go figure. That does not overly surprise me. But I mean, people call them crazy because they're essentially one of the new religions. Do you know what I mean? But they didn't get their playbook from, they didn't make it up themselves. Do you know, the more money you have, the further you get. on your design assumption, whatever it is. The more money you spend. Yes. It's not necessarily what you have. Yeah. Well, now that's the deal, you know, and but they didn't, you know, as I said, they didn't nick that playbook from from from from a dream, like, you know, it is very, very strange. You haven't I don't think you've I don't think you've gone too far north on the northern side of like Orlando Stewart, but there's some there's a big ass church in downtown Orlando.
00:27:04
Speaker
ah You can see it looks like almost like an arena. It's freaking huge. Yeah, yeah. we have We have one of those here. It's ah called the Metropolitan Tabernacle. This is great. I don't even know the name of it. It's just freaking huge. And I'm like, this is ridiculous. But yeah even on my in my town, so it takes me a mile and a half, two miles to get to four, I pass like four or five churches. And not to make a joke again, it just wrote itself. But one of the churches is actually used to be a bank, ah like a really large bank. You can see where the teler stalls are. And I'm just like.
00:27:40
Speaker
That joke in itself, I don't have to say anything. But actually, that church, they have um outside, they have ah ah like a cupboard, and it's just full of food people donate. You can just walk up and take food out of it, which is kind of cool. So I can't fault them for that. Yeah, you can get down with that. But that's the thing. It's not just um and it's not just the the American mega churches that are doing the mad crazy madness. like john it's i mean you look Look at the history of the Catholic Church. I say that being from Northern Ireland, I will piss people off.
00:28:12
Speaker
ah you know they They've got so much money and so much art, yet preach poverty and helping the needy. and ah so It never sat well with me at all. it was i'm not just because all They're all the same, it just doesn't. Sit well with me like i invited so wedding at the Vatican and I said I I can't go I'm gonna get I'm gonna light up on fire If I still do I'll come I want it to go. I will the Vatican means alcohol at the Vatican This is the thing. This is the thing I wanted to go and she was there was one of the last weddings I knew all I know of that like was blessed ah by the Pope but I The reason I didn't go is actually because the family was really wealthy and part of the wedding was hopping on a cruise ship through the Mediterranean and I didn't have $30,000 so.
00:29:01
Speaker
Yeah, I got invited but they they own like hotels and shit. so You got invited and you had to pay for part of the wedding? Yeah, because i wasnt in in a wedding I wasn't in the wedding, I was just invited as a guest. Well, fuck me sideways. Yeah. So I was like, yeah, I'm not going to be doing that. um I love you guys. I would love to come hang out, but that ain't happening. I would go to a wedding at the Vatican at the drop of a hat. I want to. well but And and i love I love a Catholic wedding. Catholic wedding is nice and quick. It's a good job, up and down. I'll be down you shaky handy. ah yes yes I just want to see this. just want to see this. I just want to see the history. ah the The worst ones I used to do wedding videos and, you know, videography is a video for you. Yes. Thank you for your 500 pounds. We will never watch that video ever. And and ah the worst ones were always the the the Protestant faith churches, but because
00:29:59
Speaker
every one of them without a doubt, the pastor forward slash um ah minister, whatever you want to call them, and a always took the opportunity to go, I've got an audience, free audience. and I'm going to get a bit preachy. Dude, even the even the Lord's prayer there is longer though, so you know. and That's how you know. that's the The Protestants have an extra line. exactly per
00:30:33
Speaker
than the catholic it's all we ready that That's how you know that's how you know. Take him out the back and beat him up. And you can tell when the Protestants are in the Catholic Church because they start to say it and they're like, oh. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You also know when the Protestants are in the Catholic Church because they don't know when they should be standing up and sitting down. They've got a lot of movement here. and a Catholic mass like to know there isn't so much kneeling, sitting, standing, standing, standing, standing, standing, standing, have a drink, have something to eat, take hands with everyone.
00:31:18
Speaker
yeah Get up. tovoov it's ah Yeah. and Donations on the way. Thank you. Hand you the tray. Not on the way out. We take you on the way out to maybe, but whatever but yeah, and so God, you should have done that would have been me. I'd love to go to the Vatican. I wish I could afford it. Tell Chris I am not the world's most religious person gathered. and I, uh, I might just, I have a, i've it's come to a recent light that I have a slightly neurospicyberian that makes an awful lot of sense that it never, it didn't make sense to me, even as a very young child. And I always asked too many questions.
00:32:09
Speaker
How does that make any sense? That doesn't make any sense. How can everyone come from two people? That does not make any sense. did they How did they populate the earth when they only had two boys? my mouth went I don't think this is for you then. And that was, that's no more joke like, I'm just trying to make it make sense. yeah But I still love the architecture and the art. so Dude, I actually like Stuart and I have talked about this before. I actually find religion very interesting. And for the people that use it for good, I fucking try to talk it all good for real. But like, I can't help but make the jokes. I make jokes about everything. And when things are dark, I make very dark, inappropriate jokes because this is how I deal with shit. I don't know. I don't fucking know.
00:32:53
Speaker
I know. But he okay, well here's just to to loop it back. you so So your family would be moderately religious? Your extended family? Whenever you decided to leave the worship band? but probably the wrong hand gesture. I'm currently doing devil's horns. I don't know the worship band equivalent is. it Is it a fist? A fist with a small halo above it? Okay. That'll do. Jesus. I don't know what the i don't know what the the Christian Rock band equivalent is, but how did your family feel about that? How did that make you
00:33:34
Speaker
it's it's funny like my my dad is the one that is the worst like every sunday he's like you should go to church today i'm like nope nope not gonna happen uh and then of course like if i get my guitar out my grandma's always like you know what he worships songs like i'm not gonna play him oh yeah you're like yep um and another is shout out the devil work shout out the devil is that a good one is that okay i
00:34:05
Speaker
ah What is it, Halloween and Heaven, Christmas and Hell? Does that work for you? Can I play that song? the the the Last time she asked, I believe I just played an Ario Speedwagon song. ah At least it's happy and uplifting probably. yeah me And probably anything by the Eagles would work. and Yeah, pretty much. to let you start Unless you start singing the lyrics, some of them might get a little... Yeah, yeah, yeah, but it just didn't work. Ooh,
00:34:41
Speaker
Like, this one doesn't have lyrics. but did it Did it cause any major tension in the family or...? ah but Some people don't and some people don't. Like, the people that I don't... want to say it too is really because I think it will cause tension and I don't want it to. So I just leave it alone. It's like, it's better if I just leave it neutral and don't say a word. Yeah, it is one of those things. Yeah. but i mean It's also like in general too, it's a personal thing. Like, you know, like,
00:35:13
Speaker
If you're Christian, unless I'm offending you, I don't really care. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings intentionally. So if I'm an atheist, it doesn't really matter. If we get along, we get along. Exactly. And it is a personal thing, but actually it took me a long time to realize that where my... You, Mr. Argumentative? No, motherfucker, you're kidding, right? My problem is I want to save everyone. Kind of like Jesus? No, I didn't say that. Dear Lord. Exactly. No, no. My problem is obviously it's the same as the flat earth argument. Do you know what I mean? You're kind of going, hold on, I need to
00:35:53
Speaker
I need to correct your the in your brain that are making me believe this. This does not make any sense to me. And people go, but you can't say that. And I go, but I literally just said it. to and you know people don't People don't like it. you know like and So now it's taken me a long time to come to the realisation, perhaps just And, and don't. Some things are just personal Stewart. Some things are just personal. Yeah. But it's, it's kind of, I guess it's part of growing up is realizing that some shit's personal. Do you know what I mean? And you know, you can't, you can't help everyone, you know? You can't save everyone. You mean? That's what you've got to learn. Obviously. Yeah. Geez. Exactly. Yeah.
00:36:43
Speaker
Chris what what kind of stuff have you learned and passed on the kids and things in your family from all of these experiences. I like I very much take away because honestly like part of my. I guess, departure, is the right word, ah was realizing that, like, because I was a conservative and Christian all at the same time. yeah ah And like, as I walked away from that, it's very much like, ah my big takeaway is
00:37:20
Speaker
I don't care what like if any part of this part of our society and in this state that you know is very very religious says this is the only way to be and this is the only way to view people like my big thing is I don't care what that person is what they are you don't treat them like crap like because I feel like a lot of Christianity is like well this section of people okay but that section No. So like, I'm very much like, I'm instill in their head and will beat into their head. Not literally, but will beat into their head. Like, I don't care who this person is, they're equal and you're going to treat them like that. Or else I will not be kind to you. yeah That's probably my biggest thing. That's the best thing you can teach your children.
00:38:13
Speaker
I hope so. this like but to Treat everyone as an equal and don't be a dick.
00:38:21
Speaker
so sort of our That's one of our what what are you up to three commandments now? Yeah is number one Yeah I'm very much too like I I've the older I get the harder I I have the harder time I have of shutting my mouth when I should yeah So really I went the other way I
00:38:43
Speaker
like i I very much like if I do something stupid, it's like immediate. Please don't be like that. Like that is not the example. It's not. but Yeah, sometimes it's kind of hard to bite your tongue. ah It took a long time to learn to do that. Yeah, it is weird, isn't it? Yeah. And it is a thing like I can see it in in my girls, do you know what I mean? Where they say stuff and you're like, you really need to think about what you're saying before you speak. And they look at me like I'm absolutely mental. and What do you mean? a voice like Your kids are totally your kids, man.
00:39:21
Speaker
Oh, I know. I'm aware. But it's kind of funny. So you when you decided I'm leaving the... I hate the labour of this, but I just have this other question. and I don't want to ask it because it's something you said there. and When you decided you were leaving the church situation, um You said there that at the same time you kind of left conservatism.
Impact of Religion on Personal Growth
00:39:47
Speaker
Did those two things go hand in hand for you? Could you not be non-religious, non-practicing religious or non-religious and still be conservative?
00:39:59
Speaker
I do think those things can be split um because like it's weird like I feel like that's another one of those things where most conservatives I feel like tend to be religious but there's also this section of them that will use the language as though they are but their actions are definitely not. I have no idea who you're talking about.
00:40:27
Speaker
So like, i I don't know that that correlates 100%, but I'd say it correlates a lot. Yeah. So I have friends that listen to this show. It's a husband and wife and their daughter is part of the LGBTQ community and they are avid churchgoers. And I know them to be awesome people, but if you talk to them, you wouldn't necessarily hear them. Like it wouldn't scream church at you. You know what I mean? Like, yeah. um They're sweet people. They're awesome. One of them, I think one or both of them are in the school system teaching kids and stuff, but they go to church every week. They're amazing and fun people and they listen to the show. And like I said, they're, they're all about like the LGBTQ stuff. So it's not, and there's all kinds of, all kinds of, it's kind of, it's all kinds of too. It's like, there's all kinds of shades of gray, like,
00:41:18
Speaker
There's Christians out there fighting against Christians, like you know what I mean? yeah Conservatives versus the liberal Christians. like There's all kinds of stuff out there. so i mean And like the comparisons we make, some people twist that Bible to do something evil or say horrible things about people. and Some people see the good side in it and just kind of stick to that. it's just It's the kind of thing that happens when you read a book that's got like such archaic language that's been yeah translated so many times, too. like Not every Bible's the same. and That's one of my big things. like but That honestly was one of my big moments of, wait, I mean, I didn't say this part, but another big moment was, I'm pretty sure I've never actually had a prayer answered. That seems a little weird. But the the Bible thing, too. like
00:41:59
Speaker
all those translations. But um yeah, there's all the translations and there's all the different um and famous people that just make their own Bible for the crack, like the Jefferson Bible, where he took all the miracles out of it, which is the one that a lot of presidents use, weirdly enough. and and But he took a lot of the magic out of it and made his Bible all the kind of the other bits and pieces. um which I thought was really interesting. and I always wondered what the Jefferson Bible meant, and there was a program on about it. I was like, ooh. King James is usually is a popular one. The Bible where he made it all about white people.
00:42:42
Speaker
Yeah, pretty much. This is a famous story that people, what is it, the cast stone story that everyone use quotes and I think it's only in the King James Bible. Here's a question for you that relates to the podcast. Oh my God. Was there anything you learned through your religious pathway that you think helped you be a better man? or you still hold true today as part of your masculinity, a part of your life as a man. That's a question.
00:43:22
Speaker
Interesting one beat me to the question I mean like I would say there definitely Changes like I wasn't I was a little wild um As you know people can be um And like I didn't really obviously like considering my circumstances I didn't get out of that wild phase at all like where most people do And like if I can give it anything, like turning to that and going to people who didn't really drink, or qui with the exception of a youth minister who did bring beer to my bachelor party, um but people who didn't drink and they like didn't really do things that I would consider bad, that I wouldn't consider bad now. but
00:44:10
Speaker
ah It helped me calm down and at least it gave me a better perspective on, okay, there are priorities that I need to have. And without those, I'm not getting anywhere in life. So I will give it that. Like it probably helped catapult me in the correct direction in life, if nothing else. yeah Do you think that was ah the religion or changing your circle of friends because I'm assuming you significantly change your circle of friends. For example, if you had of just rather than joining the Christian faith, joined a weekly D&D game of nerds who don't go out and don't fucking drink. What are you trying to say, motherfucker? I see you Beatty McBeard, you shut up, right? And I'm making light of it there, but do you think... You're probably right there. It was just being around the right group of people at the right time. And that time in your life, they were the right group of people for you. Yeah. And if they do any good work, that's the good work that they do do.
00:45:21
Speaker
and yeah and Honestly, like one of them ah big in the youth group became the drummer of a band I was in for quite a while, and I'm still friends with him. He's taken a somewhat similar journey as me, which helps. But yeah, like it's cool to like at least find a guy because I love to play in bands. I haven't done it in a while, but it was cool to find a guy where I could be like, okay, let's go play music outside of this environment and just do whatever we want. because obviously if i'm playing cowboys from hell i'm not like giving up that stuff why why is it always the youth pastors that start the shit like i don't mean in the negative way i mean they're always the one that start to shit like the only one that showed up with beer like it's true he's the ones i went to his house i'd go we played resident evil four all the way through at his house
00:46:14
Speaker
ah yeah but if you i question well no no if you put jesus on your side your nots good but yeah So, and that's kind of, that's kind of fun. Yeah. I mean, that's cool. What what other, was there any other values that you learned that you carry on besides just that? so It's funny. Like I was trying to think about that, but I'm not like, I'm not sure that there are, because looking back, a lot of the things that they try to teach you are like, really just don't like this group of people because of who they are. Don't like this group. At the same time though, you could learn by disagreeing with something.
00:46:52
Speaker
That is true. I mean, and maybe that's like Because I was never good at that part. like It was never okay to me to be like, like they're not doing anything. Why do yeah why do I care? like That's a good point. I hadn't really thought about it like that. So maybe they actually were enforcing my being okay without me realizing it. Yeah. I mean, we talked a lot too like on here. like We've said many times, like all information is good information as long as you learn to decipher it. Yeah. You know what I mean? So learning the opposite of what they're trying to teach you, like you just said, might have pushed you in a direction harder than you were before. Like you're more like, you're more like, fuck that, this is what I think. Like you went from, this is kind of what I think to fuck you, this is what I think.
00:47:42
Speaker
It just depends on how rebellious you are, I guess, in that in that specific thing. So I don't know. I have another question. Stewart has tons of questions. I like it. He likes makes me play devil's advocate so or beats me. We're going to go on another, something else you said there was about playing in bands and you haven't played in a band in a while and you missed that. Oh, yeah.
00:48:06
Speaker
I know what you mean because I've played in bands too and I haven't played in a band in a long time and I miss that and it's that and it's not even about playing in front of people but there's something about sitting in a room with a bunch of guys because and I don't say that because because women can't make music generally it's a bunch of guys that's true in the bands that you're in and there's that There's something about that hanging out and making music and playing a song and getting it to work and getting it kind of perfected and doing that thing that really makes you closer to each other. Yes.
00:48:49
Speaker
and feeling really good about yourself and give you that kind of sense of being a group thing. And is that the bit that you miss about it? i mean if i'm being honest like that That aspect in general, like there were like outside of playing in the band, there were even like ah small groups of people that I would get with. who like It was definitely one of those, like if the church knew some of the things we said, I would have been happy. I do miss that. because like i mean even you know I've got three kids and like work full-time and all that. so i've got My friend actually just moved from Bradenton back to Kentucky.
00:49:40
Speaker
and And like I've been hanging out with him. So it's just been nice to have someone to hang around again. That's not a ah tiny human. Yeah. It's having someone to talk. but um I think, man, we never really grew up. So boys need other boys to talk stupid shit with. Yes. Do you know what I mean? Because if we said half the stupid shit to our significant other, They would just look at us like we're absolutely mental. Yes. What are you talking about? I think it's a natural it's a natural thing too, because Stuart, even though we don't sit in a group, even our big group that we talked about before like before we started recording, eventually diverted into a guys group too. So we had two parallel groups. I was all men until recently. yeah we had one we have We have one imposter.
00:50:36
Speaker
more than welcome, obviously, but still it's it's weird because we we split off ourselves. But, um, that's just cause some of our humor is a little too dark, dark, little way too dark. but it is it is a thing and You kind of go, you know, I have read some stuff about that that men need to, um, it's like, why do men go and play golf on a Sunday morning? It's not really about the Gulf. Yeah. like yeah hanging out with other men and just, you know.
00:51:09
Speaker
It's like if people bring up fishing and people are like, I don't like fishing. I'm like, I don't like fishing either. I'm just going on a boat to drink and hang out. Well, like, I mean, seriously, like when I go to horror nights every year, that's my favorite thing. Like there's a group of people in Florida that I know I'm going to see when I go down there. And like, I look forward to that every single year. yeah Um, as far as the band thing too, I do that virtually with old friends. Like I started to want to write music with my old friends, but we all live in different states. So I, I got a group of my old friends together and we just send stuff virtually, use logic to write music. And we still have to talk about stuff all the time. So it forces us to talk and interact. And then yeah obviously we still merge, but we can sit and think about stuff when we write music now too, which is kind of fun. And then I do some stuff solo and have random people sit with me doing other stuff. And then I mix stuff with a bunch of other friends from all different states. So.
00:52:01
Speaker
I mean, as long as you got like the software, you can do that shit now. So I i have a friend actually, um, I just reconnected with them probably ah the podcast that I did for a little while, which I respect what you guys have done so far because I just could not like make the time work. but so I reconnected with the guy because of that podcast and he just built a little studio in his basement and ah He's ah like he's been doing something similar where he'll like he'll have someone do vocals over the tracks that he writes or something like that It's yeah we need
00:52:35
Speaker
We just literally send it my everybody does their own thing in their own house so it works and I mean Stewart's one of my best friends and he lives in a whole different country like that shit where it happens. What 10 years ago and probably would have been more difficult. The world is tiny no. It's very small so I mean. My my point to that is like yeah we all relate to it as a band but there's more than one way to skin a cat kind of thing you know. yeah Yeah, it's always a weird saying by the way, it's a very strange my life, you know, I'm going with the southern thing. We're talking to southern boys. Okay. People skid cats i know never hopefully never but never hopefully See more cats. I like cats don't have cats. ah We have a lot of cats around here
00:53:18
Speaker
And for the ladies, and for the ladies listening, that quick train of thought there about flipping saying about skinning cats. It's how men talk most of the time. We end up going, well, how many cats do it? How many ways is it? Dude, it's literally Silicon Valley where they talk about like jerking people off and they do like the whole equation. It's literally that all the time. like no matter Whatever is important going on, if something funny happens, we're going to start focusing on that instead because it's funnier. I don't think anything has ever been on TV that explains men more than that Silicon Valley thing yeah What if we just line up guys a similar height so you can go back and forth they need to at once
00:54:02
Speaker
That shit is so funny. It is. In fact, every time somebody mentions it, I kind of go, I need to yeah rewatch it. I need to rewatch it. That's so good, dude. That show is so good. Yeah. That's crazy. So what do you get out of theme parks, man? I know you're a theme park guy. That's kind of how you know me, unfortunately, for you. Yeah, I met you ah in person, finally in line for the opening of the Jurassic Park tribute story. Yes, you did. okay ah like is Because I looked around and saw Alicia I was like wait a minute know both of you like There's a weird bearded guy standing with Alicia Who the fuck is that? ah theme parks actually like are a big part of of My my life for a big reason um I was around three is I guess this was 2014 ish I was around 340 pounds and I I knew that because we did a ah thing at work where it was like, Oh, do your health screening and get $500 or whatever. So it was bad. Like my numbers were bad. My weight was, I mean, obviously coming up on 350. So I was like, I gotta to change something. And my wife was like, we should take, we just had.
00:55:17
Speaker
We had ah my youngest was old enough to like know what was going on. The, the next one was pretty small, but I was like, okay, well, like, I don't know what weight is like there. So I was like, I'm going to have to change something. So it actually like sparked a weight loss journey. I've gained a little back during the pandemic, but I actually lost a hundred pounds that's awesome because of theme parks and look for one man go to theme
Weight Loss Journey and Theme Parks
00:55:43
Speaker
parks. So. Uh, and, and the first thing I did when I lost the weight was go to Kings Island for the first time in like 10 years and jump on all the coasters. And it was funny because it was the moment of holy crap. Like I forgot how much I love this feeling. And then I found this Twitter on, and you know, there's obviously the good and the bad there.
00:56:06
Speaker
Uh, but i've met like an incredible group of people on there i've made tons of people that I consider friends now on there uh, so like theme parks because Honestly, like if we're being honest, making friends as an adult isn't easy. no like no So like I was ecstatic to to find this, this group of people. Um, I mean, and they're all amazing humans. I, uh, my last trip back in, what was that April? Uh, I went to the polite pig. oh yeah Yeah. I went with a guy named Corey. Um, I don't know if you know Corey or not. Maybe I know a couple of Corey's he's like Corey WDW or something on like that. I don't know him personally, but I'm here talking about you. Yeah, I went with him and and then Justin ah the Justin Orlando guy ah showed up and Polly and Chris both showed up and they started buying me a bunch of What are they called Florida punches or whatever? that i'm coming and I was like you gotta stop
00:57:13
Speaker
a stupid But like I love the community. There's some great people in the community. There's there's both sides. It's it's kind of weird coming down here and living here. You see a lot of a lot of mix and match. like A lot of people are chasing like attention. oh A lot of people are truly awesome. It's it's it's kind of like It's kind of like just about everywhere else, but kind of emphasize if you know what I mean? Cause the dynamics are so much greater and there's so many people here from so many different places. Yes. It's definitely an interesting place to live. I've, uh, I've met a lot of people down there. Like it seems like I meet a new person every time I come down there on a trip. It's, it's cool. Like I, I have met a lot of cool people that just come in like for vacations and stuff. I'll go out and meet them. Um,
00:58:01
Speaker
you know, because of the podcast, but it's, it's, it's cool to have met so many awesome and interesting people. Like my friend, Brian did the artwork for us for our show. It's going to come out soon. We got shirts and ah and a pint glass is coming. And Brian actually is, he works for the IRS. He always does art for us for our fundraiser, but he also does stuff occasionally for the Roosevelt's company that makes the shirts and shit. Oh, that's awesome. And him and his wife are so cool and Brian's so chill and like the sweetest guy on the planet. um You know, parallel Disney, if you know him, onto it he's yeah awesome. He's so cool. Every time he shows up, I swear he's handing me something if he needs me. um He's cool. like it's just um It's fun too because most of the people are creative, which is what I really like. like it's yeah It's kind of rare to meet somebody that's not creatives in some scope being down here for the likela parks and I like creatives a lot. I find them weird and interesting and I like seeing their talent.
00:58:57
Speaker
I mean, what one of the first people I met, ah well i I don't know if the, I know this person is definitely a ah either or for the community, but one of the first people I met was Sean. Oh yeah. So like he was like my introduction to a Florida theme park people. Sean and I have had some conversations. I like talking to Sean. I was thinking about getting him on here, actually. He's ah he's interesting. He's a good conversation at least. yeah Oh, he'd do he'd do well. Yeah, he's a good conversation. I sat at Disney Springs like four hours with him one night just talking. I went to I went to ah what what what was it called? I was invited to a melanin. That influencers like fucking nightmare. It was so fun. We were at ah this dude. Craig down here is really fucking cool. Sets these up.
00:59:48
Speaker
And, uh, we, we've done like, uh, he rents out movie theaters and we see new movies, like just, it's just us, like a group of us in the theater. It's like a small guy. And we did this thing at New York, uh, at the New York beer project. You just hung out together. There was games. There's all kinds of stuff here. I'll just bullshitting Sean was there. I got to talk to him face to face for the first time. It's really cool, man. There was only like. two or three of but two or three white people, you know, some melanin oh that with the mr little bit ah yeah it was there it was the it was the influencer's brunch, but that freaked me out most. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Yeah. He does it specifically for for for the people of color, but like, like I get invited because ah
01:00:29
Speaker
Yeah, Jaylen always brings me and that's how I met Craig and now Craig invites me he's like I'm I'm super thankful because that's a great group of people. They're fun. That's also fun. ah Yeah, I don't know, man. There's it's just interesting down here and also theme parks brought me Stewart. So that's unfortunately for me, I'm stuck with this de and i know the asshole But but man men humans like groups. They do. Do you know what I mean? We like to section ourselves off into groups. It makes us feel connected to each other. And sometimes these connections now happen over the internet. Sometimes they happen around something weird, like a theme park.
01:01:12
Speaker
Yeah, random shit. The most random shit. Because I've got so many friends now in America and they're all because of theme parks and a lot of my family don't. or They're like, what is happening? What's this? Yeah. you know ma about me first time How do you know these people through a podcast about a theme park?
01:01:39
Speaker
yeah I have you met these people? Yes, I visited them a number of times. and you know that it just ah you know But it no it's not any weirder than, who's that? Oh, he's my friend. How do you know him? He likes football. We like the same football team. We go and watch football again. We are friends. There's a really no difference. People find it odd. I think it's more that there's a similarity. There's a related spark, but then it all is about personality after that. You just have something to talk about and relate to, and that's how it starts. Because I barely talk about theme parks with Stuart anymore. It's not a thing we talk about that often. No, because we've moved on in life for that. Once you get to that actual people part. Yeah, you need something to start conversations with.
01:02:29
Speaker
I'm, uh, I have trouble shutting up. So like, I'm just fucking height I'm only kidding. The reason I'm kidding is because I usually have to edit out his pauses while he thinks oh at least part couple seconds. He's just like, Yeah. I mean, you're not wrong. Yeah. I mean, I kind of am wrong. It depends. I like to think about, but but this that we said it earlier, I like to think before I speak now. I know you do. And so I do, especially on here, because I don't want to try my best not to sound absolutely fucking true. Unless it's about healthcare care or religion, then it just goes off. You can't, you can't not make the jokes. So.
01:03:07
Speaker
well Well, I mean, I mean, my job's health you care about health this so i go because we were talking about healthcare earlier. We were talking about Dawn, which I was baffled by. You weren't understanding that, but that's okay. No, it didn't. didn't didn't for admit Anyway. Um, but yeah, that, uh, That's cool, man. That's a cool reason. All the theme parks for sure. Like weight loss or any stuff, whatever motivates you to be healthy. say that I had to look up what 300 and whatever pounds kilos. I was up there. The fuck does that mean?
01:03:44
Speaker
and that's That's for play to you, my friend. That's no, he got me. I was 300 of my biggest. And then I turned into like a fucking jacked motherfucker. My, my biggest. thumbback to noto jack I was almost 350. And I actually, uh, right before the pandemic, I was 20, I was two 18. I lost a lot. And then the pandemic happened and then I was just stress eat. So I gained something. Yeah, everyone you can lose it later. it It was the ludicrous amount of day drinking during the pandemic. It was fuck all that he was dressing. Listen, listen. any Stewart spent a lot of time falling asleep at 5 a.m. on Zoom with us, with a cat la with once with a cat laying on his face, which is fucking amazing. That's true.
01:04:30
Speaker
But yeah, dude, we would stay up. We we would be our friends in Europe, like a rookie and Stuart here and Lee and Tracy sometimes and and Claire occasionally and Claire occasionally, the other Claire occasionally. Yeah. Dude, we would get on there like. Midnight your time, right? Yeah, 11. Be like 11 at midnight their time and we'd be on there until like five, six a.m. for them. That's amazing. And they would, rookie would tap out usually like when it was around three or four for him, Stuart would hang it there and just till he fell asleep on the couch. like i here pretty much yeah But tell you that hanging out with that group of people was definitely the thing that helped get us through that pandemic years. All we did was drink and talk shit for hours.
01:05:16
Speaker
hours. Again, people need groups. Yeah, exactly. Shit the shit and you can't do it on your own. I think that's the important lesson. That's we podcast. Yeah. And the impressive thing about us was it never it was hardly ever about theme parks and it was not really gossip. We were just shit talking. Yes. Literally for hours.
01:05:38
Speaker
Absolutely. That's great fun. I like that. That's really good. That was really good. We need to do that again, actually, just because we're out of here. It's been a long time. yeah It's been a long time. and On that note, sir, I think we're good to do the last question. All right. Yeah. So Chris, thank you very much for coming on. I had a really fun conversation and yeah, it was great. I hope you enjoyed it. and But we can ask everyone this question. You're not going to enjoy this. No. So Chris, what is the manliest thing you've done this week?
01:06:12
Speaker
probably nothing
01:06:16
Speaker
that's pretty i See I was actually thinking about this before like I work remote so like I just sit in this room all day long it's that You know what it is. i I started a dynasty mode in college from all 25 Holy crap, that's pretty man
01:06:41
Speaker
That's good. App state. um so
01:06:47
Speaker
Oh, man, that's funny. All right. Thank you for listening, everybody. Chris, thanks for coming on, man. This is really fun. Thank you. All right. Take care, guys. Bye. Goodbye, everyone. Have a good week.