1388 – Universal Hollywood Autumnal Awesome Nights 2023

Episode 1388 – Universal Hollywood Autumnal Awesome Nights 2023

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who’s here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff. It’s time for some autumnal flavor where we get to look at…I think from 2023, right? Yeah, 2023’s autumnal celebrations in Anaheim and Buena…oh no, in Hollywood and Buena Park. I didn’t get to Anaheim for any autumnal celebrations that year. So, if you're into that, if you're…if you like a pumpkin carved or a kitty cat…you know, you like that stuff, everything in the autumnal season, we're gonna visit…in 2023 we visited two autumnal celebrations at Knott's Farm of Autumnal Joy in Hollywood…Joyous Hollywood Night…Autumnal Awesome Nights in Universal.

 

So, yeah, if you're into that kind of thing, these avant-garde reinterpretations or whatever, stay tuned, 'cause it’ll be…oh boy, will it be meandering. So, I’m glad you're here. If you're new, welcome to Sleep With Me, by the way. It’s a podcast here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff and put you to sleep. I love making the show. If you're new, this is…this show takes some getting used to, so just kinda see how it goes. I’m like a friend. I’m gonna…you say, tell me about your trips to these…Autumnal Awesome Nights? I never heard of that. It doesn't even sound real. Well, let me tell you all about it. First you gotta get a…you know, it’ll be like that. You know, we’ve all had that experience. So, then I was walking, right, and then you gotta…and then I took a left.

 

There’s a ride on your right; there’s a place that wasn’t open yet…that’s what the show basically is. So, I’m glad you're here. What we got coming up is support so that paying for the show is optional. Paying for the show is really only for the people that listen the most and benefit the most. Sponsors keep it free for all the new listeners and the occasional intermittent listeners, people going through a tough time, if that’s you. Regular listeners, what up? Good to hear from you. Good…or good to be heard, barely heard, right? Yeah, so, we got support coming up, then a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime, and then our autumnal episode. So, I’m glad you're here. I work really hard, and if this podcast makes your life better on a regular basis, we could use your help, and here’s the ways you could help the show back.

 

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake.

 

It could be thoughts on your mind, thoughts you're thinking about, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, so thinking thoughts, it could be thoughts…but yeah, feelings, anything coming up for you emotionally, feelings related to those thoughts or feelings that are about coming…stuff coming up or just…you know, feelings that are there, physical sensations, it could be changes in time, temperature, routine, you could be going through something, in the middle of something. Whatever it is, I’m here to keep you company and take your mind off of it so you could fall asleep, which is a bit different, right? I’m not so much here to put you to sleep as to help you make falling asleep more better? That’s…I’ve gotten more…they said, that’s not more better. That’s, whatever, a double…is that a double entendre?

 

I don't…it’s a double entender? Is it a double entender? A double more better. Even more better; it’s even extra more better. So, yeah, if you're confused now, you may be in the right place. This is a show to help you fall asleep in a different way than most sleep solutions I’ve ever been aware of, and I made it because I know what it’s like not being able to sleep, not being able to get back to sleep, waking up too early, dreading sleep days ahead of time or just not being able to sleep at all and then really wanting it or needing it, and then it gets even harder, or those feelings in the middle of the night. I know what it’s like for me. I don't know what it’s like for you, but I think we can connect on some of those underlying feelings. I hope we can connect 'cause I want to help you if we share any of that.

 

But here’s the thing; even if we don’t, even if you say, no, you can't get what I’m dealing with, I respect that. The good news is there’s enough people listening that somewhere in the world there’s someone out there rooting for you and saying, I do know what it’s like. I have been through something similar to you, and I hope this podcast can help you like it helped me, 'cause I didn’t know there would be something out there like this. I didn’t even think it would work for me, but it did. I didn’t know to search for a goofball talking about autumnal stuff, but now I listen to it on a regular basis. It’s made my life better. I hope it can help you, too.

 

Not only…so, that’s somewhere…someone…somewhere on planet Earth that shares our planet with us, shares something more with you, and they don’t know you but they're rooting for you, and not only they're rooting that you get the rest you need on a regular basis, 'cause that’s why I make the show, so you could be out there living your life and flourishing or at least not having to dread going to bed…at least say, well, I got that podcast to listen to…I also hope, like this person out there rooting for you, that you get to root for new listeners one day, 'cause that feels really good. I could tell you that because it feels really good…'cause I don't know where you're listening, right?

 

But I know you're listening to me right now, and I hope the best for you, and that feels good to me, and in a way that is counter-cultural and a little bit subtle, not flashy, indirect, but it matters. When you get a dose of that, thinking of some stranger in the deep, dark night and hoping the best for them, it’s one of those things that makes your life a little bit better in a big way, and that’s kinda what the show’s all about. I’m not moving any big rocks. I’m mostly looking at them, right? So, that’s what the show is about. The way it works is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents.

 

So, I go off topic like I’ve kinda already done, I get mixed up, I forget what I was talking about, I double back, my voice is not traditionally soothing, and also, the show does take a lot of getting used to. For most people, it takes two or three tries. At first you get here…you're skeptical, you're doubtful, you're tired, you're frustrated, you're fed up, you're trying to find something to help you fall asleep; now you got somebody talking about nothing. You said, I thought this was a sleep podcast with bedtime stories. How come you're not talking to me not like a baby…how come you're not talking to me in some sort of…one of those…like a voice or something? I say, well, 'cause I’m just here to hang with you while you fall asleep, to be your friend in the deep, dark night. So, that does take some getting used to.

 

For most regular listeners it took two or three tries, and then they realize, oh, okay, now I get it. He’s…I do get it. He’s not…this show is always going nowhere. He takes this nonsense seriously, and I didn’t know that I didn’t…I could barely…it’s like a podcast I barely listen to, and it’s like, yeah, TV on in the other room, a show streaming under your pillow, something just out of reach, a nice…something nice nearby to distract you, a mild distraction. So, it’s a podcast you don’t necessarily need to listen to but you could listen to it, like elevated background noise, a out-of-focus picture…I’m also not here to put you to sleep. There’s no pressure to fall asleep with this show.

 

I’m gonna be here over an hour whether you're awake or asleep, because there’s people who are listening who can't sleep at all or who need a break during the day, and that’s why the episodes are over an hour, so you don’t have to worry about it. But it’s also not my job to put you to sleep. My job is to be here as a friend and a distraction to hang versus putting you to sleep, to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your neigh-bore, your bore-bie, your bores, your boreman, your bore…chairman of the boreds, your Boris Borlaf —pretty apt in this case — your bore-bie, your best bore-friend forever or f’eva and keep you company and just…yeah, spend some time with you. Then you wake up tomorrow and you're like, wait a second, what was he talking about?

 

Does Knott's really have a cornucopia of autumnal joy? I would say, yeah, technically they do, and a…yeah, they do. Okay. So, yeah, I guess…what am I saying? That’s the way the show works. That’s why I make it. The structure of the show can also throw people off, so let me just…oh no, one thing I forgot; if you already don’t like me or the podcast or you tried two or three times and you're like, this doesn't work for me, or you tried thirty times and then you say, oh, it doesn't work for me anymore, or you're just like, I strongly loathe you, which is common for new people and regular listeners at some point…I become the…we get into the tall poppy phase and they say, Scoots, you don’t do it anymore. I say, that’s fine. I have a website set up for all that, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou.

 

So, if the show definitely doesn't work for you, just click one of those. It’ll bring you to a place with other sleep podcasts and other sleepy stuff or it’ll bring you to a place where you could let some of that energy out about me without doing it directly, and then move on to something that’ll help you fall asleep. So, yeah, that’s…oh, structure of the show; that was what’s next. So, that’s sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, by the way. But yeah, so, the structure of the show…the show starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, pump-a-pump-pump-pumpkins and more…pump-a-pump-pump; I like that. Pumpkins wearing pump…what are those shoes? Pump it up…Rebok…Rebok pumps. I think they were called something else. I’d like to have those now.

 

But anyway, that’s a eighties’ throwback. So…oh, structure…is that what I was talking about? Oh, structure of the show. The reason all our shows start off with a greeting is so you get…you feel seen and welcomed in and you say, I could check that podcast out. You get a idea of the somewhat silly nature or the show or a friendly nature. So, that’s the beginning. Now, there’s two versions of this podcast. There’s a story-only version called Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me that you could find out there. That’s just the stories of the show. But the version you're listening to right now is the full version, and the full version has a long…so, you have the very beginning, the welcome, then support so that paying for the show is optional.

 

If you prefer something without ads, you get that at Sleep With Me+. But most people that are…that only listen for like six months or something or they're just going through something or if you're new, the sponsors cover it for you. Then after the sponsors, totally separate from the sponsors, is a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime, not to put you to sleep. That intro is about ten to fifteen to twenty minutes long. Sometimes it’s eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen minutes, even.

 

The reason…well, the intro is supposed to introduce the podcast to new listeners, but also regular listeners have a familiar structure…oh, okay, but I have…I make every intro different — whatever, we're at 1,400+ episodes — because I believe that variety is a key part…there’s a familiar reassurance part of sleep podcasts, but then there’s a variety part, and having that variety keeps whatever’s…keeps us awake…keeps it distracted, at least a little bit, or makes it more effective, and it shows effort, righ? I’m not just here to dial it in. I’m here because I care and I want to help. So, that’s why the intros are different every time. Now, the reason the intro is fifteen to eleven to twelve to thirteen to fourteen to fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, to eighteen, nineteen, twenty plus minutes is also to ease you into bedtime.

 

It could be a short intro, but that…what I learned over the years is it doesn't work as well as easing you into bedtime. So, if you decide you don’t want the intros, check out Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me. But for most people, getting eased into bedtime and listening while you're getting ready for bed, while you're in bed getting comfortable, or while you're doing some wind-down activity, chilling out, is what works for me personally most of the time and what seems to work for a lot of listeners, is having some sort of wind-down routine that’s nice, and I can just be a part of that wind-down routine. So then you have something nice to look forward to every night whether…that’s just what works for me; oh, okay, I got my book, I know I’m gonna go outside first and I’m gonna do a little bit of writing or whatever I do.

 

You could find what works for you, and this podcast could just be one part of it, and maybe you even move on from the podcast. I love it when people graduate from the show, really. It’s cool. You're sleeping good now. So, that’s the intro, then there will be support between the intro and the story again so that the show could come out all the time everywhere and benefit the most amount of people possible. Then after the support we’ll be covering our autumnal house tours put on by a couple different theme parks. Or, I think…I don't even know how long it’ll take us to get through one of them. But yeah, so, I’m glad you're here. I work really hard. I yearn and strive. I really hope we can help you fall asleep. Thanks again for coming by, and here’s a couple ways if you're a regular listener we're able to do this for you on a regular basis. Thanks.

 

Alright everybody, Scoots here. This is our autumnal…well, I guess…I don't know how long this episode will be, but this is a look at…Ray, my daughter, and I, we make trips…well, I don't know, this will come out in 2025. Our lives have changed. Hopefully it’ll still be a tradition for us, but I’m not positive, right? So…but this was a 2023 trip. Our 20…or, no, 2020…yeah, 2025 is the year I’m recording this. 2024 was last year, which we unfortunately didn’t…weren't able to attend last year even though we were trying to, which is a whole ‘nother story. Ray could tell that one day. But in 2023 we went. I don't think I recorded a episode. We stayed in California. Just in case you've never heard one of this episodes before, I think this is the third episode we’ve done. Probably near you they have these.

 

Sometimes they call them houses of autumnal joy or cornucopia houses. There’s autumnal hay rides or cornucopia hay rides. Sometimes they're associated with trick-or-treating, but mostly the treats. Treat trails…and in the past, Universal and Knott's are famous for having these seasonal celebrations around autumn, a cornucopia corn-down or a corny cornucopia…other stuff…you know, whatever, to celebrate the autumnal season, particularly around the season of treating with trick…trickster treaters, you know? So, in 2023 we went to both. We tried…we made a trip. We actually looked at some schools. We drove down after school on a Friday or…I guess, or a Thursday. I don't know. Then we went to the one in Universal Hollywood, and then the next day drove to Knott's Berry Farm and went to the one at Knott's.

 

So, we’ll just run through these and see, and if I go over, then I’ll combine it with 2024 or something. But yeah, let me see what I remember. So, this is my first time going to the one…or any of us, the three of us, going to the one in Hollywood. We were…we had driven late into the night to get down there, and then we had looked at a school during the day. So, we weren't able to get to the park during…we were unfamiliar with the process. Now, value-wise, I think the one in California is actually a better price, but I don't exactly know why. I know we had to wait in line, and we were supposed to get in a little bit early, and then there was confusion and…of course, when there’s confusion, non-Scooter…Drew gets turned on.

 

But I was able to tell them, oh no, this is my…I think one person was like, that’s not my understanding of your ticket. I said, no, actually, it is. Just double-check with somebody. So, they did, and they said, oh, okay, I guess it is. You're right. So, we got in while the sun was still up, and…I don't actually remember…oh yeah, no, I do know what happened. So, we went to…I think the first thing we did was go to the Lower Lot. Now, if you've never been to Universal Studios Hollywood, it’s a working studio and a theme park kinda…I mean, they're not…they're overlapping. They're not combined, right? It’s built into a hill kinda facing North Hollywood and Burbank, right? Or Burbank for sure, but I think North Hollywood. So, there’s…you take these escalators down to the lower area, and there’s a upper area.

 

I haven't been to any other theme parks that have that. But it’s kinda nice. You have an absolutely unbelievable view, and it’s unique, and then it becomes part of your experience there. The one thing I remember from the experience of going to it not for the autumnal celebrations is that my daughter…every once in a while she’ll speak up and say, you know what? You've never…I’ve always wanted…this particular trip was a frozen pink lemonade in a cup, and you've always denied me that. I said, okay, why don’t you get yourself…? I think one of the escalator changeovers where you go from one escalator from another…there was someone selling it. But I remember we went to the lower…we wanted to be there right when it opened, in line early. Just like Ray says, get there before it starts or whatever.

 

I think we did everything we could in the Lower Lot, starting with the one…Otter Things had their own autumn…Otter Things Autumn, it was called. So, we started there, and I do remember there was a lot of surprises. So, it was…I can't remember exactly. It was based on Otter Things Season 4, which never came out, so I guess a fictional season, though there is a TV…it’s a parody, whatever, satire. So, there is a actual TV show, too, that has had four seasons. I think five soon. So, this was in the lower…was it behind Transformers, I think? So, you go down, you get off the escalators, you go right, you go down the street, and it’s on your left. Oh yeah, and behind it, which we’ve never been to there, is…Super Nintendo World was new, but I think that was already closed.

 

This time, you're only looking to do mostly…you're mostly focused on the autumnal houses. So, this was Otter Things Autumn, and I remember waiting in line outside for a while, and then you go inside, and then there’s the…my memory’s so poor. But you're looking at the modular housing for one of the characters on the show. She lived in this place where it’s like episodically modular…the episodically modular housing development, and all the houses are getting ready. It’s interesting when you think about…how would otters…in the world of Emmet Otter…we know how Emmet Otter spent the holidays try…thinking of others and how he could gift his mother something nice, and his mother thinking, this is how otters celebrate autumn. It’s interesting 'cause you would say, that’s a dam you're building.

 

That’s a autumnal dam you're building, really. So, it has…and at first you might think I’m being facetious, but think about dams otters build — but this is fictional, right — with all these autumnal colors. So, you kinda go from room to room looking at these dams that are homes or…different otter-designed homes. It was surprise after surprise. Then there was characters from the show that would pop out. So, it got to the point…so, they were just using the brilliant autumnal colors. It was a bit like leaf-peeping dams. But then the characters would pop out of the houses and say, hey, this is my house. So, then you start…I didn’t get it right away. I had to go through the house a few times to get the idea…oh, that one’s themed around Emmet, but no one’s…Emma, Emma Otter, and the other characters whose names I don't remember.

 

We're currently not making that show, so I just…it’s not in my brain, and I was there three years ago…whatever, two years ago. But I remember…and then suddenly you go…you get to go into a series of autumnal-themed dams and follow otters trick-or-treating. There’s oysters, which I said, wait a second, is that an otter or a sea…? That’s a sea otter. So, then you would see sea otters and river otters celebrating the autumnal season together, and even them fictionalizing human stuff and enjoying it and saying, this is how humans do it, but we otters do it differently, and we fictional otters created by humans based on parody and satire or something else human do it differently than that. So, I think there was lab…the otter labs.

 

That was what was beyond the burm in Otter Things, doing different things with…who was the character with the mystical powers? That was Emma Otter. No, Emmet Otter was…Emma Otter was the leader, right? Oh, it was…holy cow, this is stuff I made and I can't even remember barely anything. But I work hard, you know, on the show currently. But, yeah, there was a lab for different autumnal stuff. Maybe that was…I just wasn’t clear until now remembering that the tension in the thing…the storytelling was that the beings on the outside of the burm, they wanted to combine the otter world and the human world and have a kind of, whatever, generic celebration of autumn.

 

It was also a little bit of tension between these modular homes and actual otter dams, 'cause the people living in the modular homes, the otters, they said, this is great, and look at how we're decorating it. So, you went through these…at some point you were going through the dams and the modular homes and kinda seeing the plus sides of both of them. So, the tension was kind of in, huh, these are both good separately. Do they really need to be combined into one generic thing? Can't some otters live in modular homes and some otters live in traditional otter dams and some live in plus…fancy autumnal seasonal dams? Of course the answer is ‘yes’, right? So, yeah. So, that was one house. Then the next house…and I’m surprised…I could swear; maybe we recorded this, but it’s cool that we're recording it again.

 

It was based…I think…did we do this already? I don't know. This is fun, 'cause I remember talking about Craig Maizin. So, Craig Maizin works…created the HBO show based on the video game Only Some of Us Are Left Before We Go…Some of Those Mushrooms That Are Left, and there used to be a video game called Mush…All the Mushrooms That Are Left, and then Craig made a TV show, Some of the Mushrooms…Some of Us That Are…I don't know. I get it mixed up. They're in Season…they finished Season 2 recently. Now, this house was based on the rights to the video game only, and it was kinda built before the show aired.

 

So, there was some characters you would recognize from the show, but it was interesting 'cause it was a interesting take because it’s about leftovers and mushrooms and celebrating all the…you say, holy…I just shouted out shitakke and oyster mushroom. I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. Yeah, so…and other mushrooms…I don't know. Cordryceps is one. I think that’s a mushroom. It might be a fictional one for the show. I’m not positive. I think there’s other ones like functional…those are called functional mushrooms, like the ones in those teas. They’ve worked with…there was a hot cocoa we worked with that had functional mushrooms in there, and adaptogens. So…but I never played the game because I never had the console it was on.

 

Also, I’ve…I restricted from about…whatever year, 19…no, 2000-something ‘til like 2015, 2016, 2017. No video game consoles was I allowed. Then I got one for me and my daughter to enjoy together, but that was maybe 20…I don't know what year that was. So, it just wasn’t…I never got the opportunity to play this game. I’d like to for sure. One day I will. So, I’m looking forward to that. I guess I gotta say that, right? Looking forward to playing that game and then getting to know the show. That’ll be exciting, even better. But yeah, so, this is what you'd expect. It’s like a love letter to mushrooms if mushrooms became sentient and you were writing love letters to mushrooms.

 

So, you'd go in rooms and they…the whole idea…it’s a bit easy to explain, which makes it hard for me to explain, but basically saying, we realize some people don’t love mushrooms, but mushrooms are great. If you have…if you've tried mushrooms and you decided they're not for you, that’s fine. But I’m talking about the culinary ones, by the way, all of you guffawing that listen at 4:20 in the morning. But, no. So, I think there was a rap group in the…in there called Functional Mushrooms. Or maybe they were a new…is new wave rap? Is that a thing, singing songs about autumn? But the simple idea is that mushrooms are great and leftovers are great, so please don’t say it under your breath, like ‘mushrooms’. Wait, these…oyster mushrooms…oh, what’s the other one? There’s a big one. What’s that mushroom called? Portobello.

 

There was even a fake port called Portobello. I thought that was witty. So, all in all…okay, so…oh, what was the location? So, that one is…so, there’s…it was on the other…you would go under the Jurassic ride, Jurassic History, in a boat. You go under that one, and then the queue went around to the left. That was also a very popular attraction because the game was popular and the show was already very popular. Yeah, so…and a great show. So, we went to that one next. Then…and I think we tried to do all of these twice if we could. I can't remember the lines. Maybe this one…the line was too long. Then we had a little snacky-poo or got some water or something, 'cause I just remember taking a small break, but I also remember the sun was still out.

 

Then the next one, the house…I really like this concept, and I think we went through it…and it wasn’t popular. I can…I think we went through it three times in a row without any wait. But again, this was early in the day. This was called Holidayz with a Z in…Holidayz with a Z Takes On Autumn. Holidayz…oh no; Holidayz vs…instead of ‘vs.’ versus, VZ, but for…versus Autumnz with a Z, also. So, a lot of Zs, but more like…not like Zs like in the Last Mushroom ride, either. Not a ride; a house. So, Holidayz vz. Autumnz. This was kinda one of the ones that’s…I really like these. So, this is not based…the first two are based on popular things, pop culture, pop movie…video game and a popular TV show.

 

This one, they came up with the idea, and I really like it because…so, basically, conceptually, all the holidays have sentient representatives of them, clearly, like Santa Claus or Elf on the Shelf, Jack Frost. So, I guess you're already like, man, autumn’s like, holy cow. Easter bunny, the sand buckets, and things like that. But they all decide they've had enough of autumn, and they…so, they decide they're gonna celebrate autumn better than…of the autumnal season better than everything else. So, it’s like, it was…I don't know, I like seeing…so, for example, Santa Claus, instead of being in red and fur, you kinda go…so, you get to go to the North Pole. First, you're like…all the elves are like, where’s Santa at? Then somebody’s…I think he’s going trick-or-treating. Then the elves are like, that’s not right.

 

We should be able to go, too. So, then you go into another room and then Jack Frost, Rudolph, all of them are deciding on costumes. Then you got Mrs. Claus and Buddy the Elf or whatever. Not really; someone that looked like him making pumpkins and lanterns with Jack. Then you see the Easter bunny kinda doing the same thing. The Easter bunny was making Tofurkey, obviously, right, and working with mushrooms, strangely enough, non-sentient mushrooms, or mushrooms that are…haven't reached consciousness. So, that was exciting, seeing…and then…what do you call that guy? Not Abe Lincoln; Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam’s changing to autumnal colors. Cupid was there. So, everything familiar but changed, and then being ready.

 

‘Cause I thought they thought story-wise that they were gonna out-autumn autumn by celebrating autumn. But autumn’s a trick…oh boy, that was the ending. It was so good. Autumn as a season and as a sentient being that I’m projecting onto it is…when it’s celebrating, it’s doing its…it’s a trickster. So, then you have autumn in all the other scenes 'cause Santa’s gone from the North Pole, Easter bunny’s not in spring; Easter bunny’s in fall. Uncle Sam…that was funny; you had…in this case it was Janet the Pumpkin and she’s saying, you, I want you for this autumn, you know? So, I don't know, I like those ones that are themed that way because you kinda got to see holiday trees covered with pumpkins and stuff like that. I don't know, I guess you had to be there, huh? ‘Cause it doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

Okay, then I think there was two more houses on this Lower Lot. So, this Holidayz house, if you're familiar, and these other two houses…if you were gonna walk…you're on the Lower Lot still; you're headed towards Transformers. If you went left, you would be at Otter Things. If you went right, behind Transformers on that side were these three houses and sound stages or temporary tents. I’m not sure which. Now, these other two were based on movies that were out at the current time, I think. I think they were there. One was the Bruce Campbell tribute movie, which I think is a fictional movie, because…it was kind of confusing because the Bruce Campbell tribute movie…Bruce Campbell’s not in it. I think it had another name when it came out.

 

But basically, this one, it’s like people…I think it was cool because it was a lot of different people, a lot of different…even worldwide…in each scene. So, you had different homes around the world, around the planet, different peoples of our planet, different age, everything. Like around the world, one thing a large part of the global population can agree on is like, man, there’s something great about Bruce Campbell, the actor. It may be Campbell; it may be Campbell, but we all know him. You say, that is…that guy has a jawline. When I’m saying it now, I say, wait a second, Gaston is…he must have been the archetype for Gaston, and…or maybe…you say, holy cow, if there’s gonna be Beauty and the Beast 5, retire…you'd say, when everybody takes it easy…so, this one…think about this. Think about this concept.

 

I’m sure at the pitch it was much better, but they said, okay, we got this Bruce Campbell tribute movie coming out. I think a lot of what happens is it’s not always perfectly coordinated. Oh, 'cause the movie had a different thing. But like, this still worked great because everywhere you went…and maybe they got to have…this was a giant co-lab? I don't know the behind-the-scenes, but that they said, okay, you pick a global place; it could be a city, could be rural, whatever. You pick a person…so, kind of very method of Bruce Campbell on the two days…so, you picked one of the two days of the big autumnal celebrations here in the US, I guess. So, of course they had to make it…they did end up changing it around.

 

So, it was US…but that’s just how…the reality. It wasn’t realistic; it was beyond…but so, let’s just say you have someone and they're a Bruce Campbell fan somewhere on the other side of the world, right? They're getting ready and picking out their stuff. So, you go into their home or their workplace or their hobby place as they're preparing for trick-or-treating or preparing a celebratory family meal as Bruce Campbell, though, as if…I don't know. You couldn't tell if it was cosplay or…because I didn’t see the movie yet, or that they were actually Bruce Campbells. So, I guess I could have used more information, but that’s probably my…that’s definitely my fault.

 

But if you’ve always wondered how does Bruce Campbell celebrate the autumnal season of one of the major…or another autumnal holiday that a reasonable person would take the time to learn about…but I’m just kinda winging it trying to remember. They say, but it’s not Bruce Campbell; it’s someone…every person nailed it, I gotta tell you, in so many different ways. The quality of acting, directing, and writing…and this is just a live performance that’s repeated over and over and over again. Every person, they didn’t…somehow they got across that they were Bruce Campbell, including children or…yeah, a couple. Now, the kids had to be changed out, probably. It was just cool. Oh, there was also digital versions. So, even people beyond this realm or in non…in a digital realm.

 

Now, the next one, the next house is also based on a movie called Hey, Hey, I’m A Believer, which I think was…I always get it mixed up, the band, but this was The Monkees, right? So, maybe it wasn’t Hey, Hey, I’m A Believer. I wouldn't leave her if…'cause again, my knowledge of that era…I wasn’t around then. So, I don't know, it wasn’t The Beatles, but it could have been…again, maybe this was made to look like it. ‘Cause there was a Beatles movie that The Beatles weren't in that was supposed to be really good. I didn’t see it. But this was called Hey, Hey, I’m A Believer, which I think the next…wouldn't leave her if I tried, right? I think that is a Beatles song. But it was more like The Monkees, The Monkees group, which was kinda like The Beatles, but they were also television personalities.

 

They were…it was kinda like more modern versions, like a mocumentary. That was how it was themed, too. So, this is a bit meta, right? You're entering a mocumentary. It wasn’t The Beatles or The Monkees officially, but basically they're trying to make a cover album or a concept album about the autumnal season and kinda all the tropes in the best way possible. Like, at one point they're trying to make…they're trying to carve pumpkins and cook pumpkin seeds and write a…and then you go into the next room and they're unhappy with one another, because they say, no, no, no, that’s not how…and I don't even want to sing about pumpkin seeds and…are they seeds anymore? Then somebody…well, if we cook them, what does that mean? Are we…? Then cornucopia…favorite treats, favorite costumes.

 

So, kinda interesting that you're going…and then different people…obviously…and they didn’t have the same performers in each room, but this was, I guess…apparently in this mocumentary, they were working on this idea throughout their whole career. So, I guess it was The Beatles. I mean, but not…again, parody, satire. I just didn’t know if it was actually The Monkees, but I guess not. But so, even from when they were young in Liverpool to after they broke up or whatever, this theory of this mocumentary is this caused their breakup even though it’s a fictional version all this. There’s even other people that work with them being like, I can't believe my career’s over because of autumn, like a song…who knew…a cornucopia concept album? No one…everyone was like, that’s not gonna work.

 

I mean, conceptually…but you can't title it The Cornucopia Concept Album. Just too many syllables, clearly, and also spelling ‘cornucopia’…unfortunately I guess it ends not on a up note, because they release the album…'cause even after they break up, the two…and this, again, is a mocumentary, so this isn't to take away from anybody in any real bands, but two people are way more popular than the other two, and the other two keep working on it, but…and that’s kinda how it ends. So, I guess it’s like one of those open stories. Like, they're still there chewing on pumpkin seeds. One of them’s dressed in a cheap Halloween costume, and they're still kinda working on songs. So, that was I’m A Believer, right? Now, let me think of what we have left. Okay, I know there’s Upper Lot. There’s one, two…okay, three…is that it?

 

Let me just double-check all my notes here. Okay, got that. I guess there’s only three houses left, and they were all in the Upper Lot. Then there’s Surprise Zones. I was surprised…so, we’ll go to the one Surprise Zone last, and then there’s a show. Oh, I forgot about the show. Okay, so the next thing you do is go into the Upper Lot, and eventually you get up there, and then…was there only two houses? Back in some…you go in the back roads. I don't even know…where you don’t…oh no, there was also the tram. Okay, so, I’m trying to think of the order. I think we went on…the tram doesn't have as much of a line, or the line was always moving. So, the next thing we did was this…there was…based on this doll, the Chuckster.

 

Not the Chuckster from inside the NBA. Like Great Buddies. Kinda…remember My Buddy? I talked about it. We didn’t have any My Buddies in my house. My brother got one that my dad nicknamed something…let’s see, I’ll spread it out. He named it Kerosene Ken just 'cause the doll had a smell to it even though it was brand new. These were these larger-than-life dolls. Before…I think these are about the same…maybe American Girl dolls are not as tall. But My Buddy…Good Buddies were what these were called. The Chuckster is one of the Good Buddies, along with a bunch of other ones. Now, this one had a lot of animatronic effects 'cause it was all dolls.

 

So, all the dolls, they want to actually…they don’t really like the autumnal season 'cause it’s kinda like their down time and it leads up to…here’s a thing you should know; existing dolls in your home and plush and toys in your home don’t like the holidays because…I mean, I don't know, this was probably in one of the Toy Story movies, but they were like, this is when we get replaced or we drop on the preference list. Maybe that’s what happened in the first Toy Story when he got Buzz. I think it was for his birthday, maybe. But you get a new toy, you forget about your old toy. So, they know once trick…once those costumes come out or you start…I mean, 'cause then the kids are like, I’m trying to rock this new costume whenever I can.

 

If they're anything like me, they're like, oh boy, I got this costume; I’m gonna enjoy it. So, all the dolls…this was a beautiful thing, though. So, first you kinda see this through their eyes and you get the sense that there’s this looming discomfort with…as soon as September…even when…think about it from the dolls’ perspective or any toy; you get the summer season where you have unfettered access to the child you care about, then they go back to school, then you get the…you get some time, obviously, then you have the trick-or-treat season and you say, okay, now they got other things. They're not gonna be around all that…you know, I got some FOMO. Then you have the cornucopia season. People go out of town more. Whatever, you have…you might have kids over that…their cousins or whatever.

 

The toys might…they're like, I don't like being played with by this kid. Then you have the holiday season where you could be…what is that, usurped or whatever? So, they don’t like the holiday season…short thing. But so, this one, they start dreading it and then they realize that they can comfort one another. It may be a little bit like Toy Story, but this was more an emotional tale. Then they start to learn…I guess that’s the whole idea of making meaning, right? These…so, these are toys and mostly dolls, animatronic dolls or whatever. I mean, some boys may be like, you're playing with a doll? They might take exception to that. But whatever, it’s okay. But yeah, so, these dolls are comforting one another and then making meaning for themselves and then actually…and real meaning.

 

So, they start to kinda…you start to learn a little bit about their belief systems, and then they attach and make meaning, and they say, okay, well, why can't this also have meaning for our belief systems and our cycle of life? Maybe by focusing of being of service to other dolls and other toys and to our children, it will make this…these seasonal changes more palatable and have some depth to meaning. So, a really powerful message if you go through…'cause we went through it a bunch of times in a row when we got there, 'cause I think we got there at the right time. Or maybe we came back later at the night. This house was incredibly popular just because of the brand of the dolls.

 

It was transcendent, and there was a bunch of movies about it. Obviously the movies maybe have been more like them having adventures and stuff, so this was different, but people really seemed to enjoy it. Really a sense of like, okay, if this was humans, I wouldn't…this would have been too on the nose. But I actually…because it was seen through the eyes of toys, I felt great about it. I felt like, holy cow, I didn’t realize I would go here and have some sort of meaningful experience. So, kinda cool. So, that was…I forget what it was called. The Ultimate…Chuckster and the Friend…Good Friends Ultimate Holidays or something.

 

Okay, then right by that one…and this is…Epic Universe has a land based on this, and it’s similar to a style of public-domain beings that were…appeared in whatever that show…whatever the series was that we did at the mall, which I can't think of even though I make it…but about the three friends that went in the mall. They would encounter these characters from movies, right? Multiplex. So, this wasn’t called Multiplex, but let’s just say…I think it was called Friends From the Multiplex. So, I think it wasn’t exactly based on Multiplex, my thing, but again, these…so, Universal has their own characters that…their version of these public-domain characters. They had got in early on, I think, so they probably had the rights to them, or one or two. They kinda figured out a way to do it or whatever.

 

So, Victor’s there, the person from the opera, the opera singer from the opera house, the scientist who’s…the grouchy scientist, the man who couldn't be seen, all of them are there getting ready to celebrate the autumn season, too…wu-wu-woofy-poo, all of them. So, you go through their different domains and you kinda get all sides of it; how they host, how they go out and celebrate. Some of them are adults, so they're kinda celebrating…the guy who lives in the swamp goes out clubbing. Guess it gives a whole new meaning to the Multiplex Mash, right? But yeah, they kinda all…it’s just cool because it’s all these familiar locations, familiar…very iconic characters, in this case. So, very immersive set pieces where you're being immersed and you're kinda seeing things…you're in their world as they're preparing for these holidays.

 

So, really cool, really cool stuff. They're getting ready, they're picking out their costumes, decorating. A lot of decorating, 'cause you say, where…? The opera house…and then below the opera house and the lake…so, I’m gonna make the lake turn autumnal colors and leafs and…what do you call those? Cran…there’s a cranberry bog. I said, is that…? Oh, well, you're gonna need some cranberries later. So, that was cool. Then the last house is…was up on…closer to the entrance. I can't remember any of the Surprise Zones other than the one by this one, and this one…oh wait, there was another one up there, though, I think. Maybe not. Or maybe one of the ones I already described was up there.

 

But so, this one is…was…so, the zone and the house were based on autumn in Latin America, which you gotta remember is on a different hemisphere than us. They even said that. You go in and there’s…first there’s a teacher teaching a class of people that are kinda like me; not paying attention, not as thoughtful. So, she…it’s kinda cool the way they did the exposition, 'cause kids are asking questions, and this is acting. So, there’s kids not paying attention, too. Kinda…she says, yeah, well, just remember; this is…they're…so, it’s gonna be leading into their summertime. But also kinda…you get some of your other…a little bit wider of a celebration, right? They say, a autumnal tapestry immersed in the folklore of Latin America in a tapestry of autumnal joy.

 

So, this is kind of two-parters, because one is…it’s not…they do…the house has two parts. So, it has them celebrating in the same calendar time as us, but then as you go through the house, then you go through the summertime, which they made it warm and stuff…which is winter. So, you actually do see a little bit of the holiday season, the winter holiday season. But for them it’s summer, so then you're even walking through sand and stuff. But then you go into their fall season, and eventually you get there, right, 'cause you go through winter…or no; summer. You're already…it barely starts at the spring to summer, and then autumn, right? So, you get to their autumn.

 

Spring, summer, winter, autumn, fall, winter…okay, yeah, yeah. So, you get to their winter eventually, and that’s when you leave the house, when…just when it’s starting to get cold. So, this was the first house I’ve been in that was…a lot of weather effects and temperature effects. Not too much, but definitely enough to notice. It’s hot and humid 'cause you're in different parts of Latin America, right? You're in a drier part and it’s hot, and then even the wind at the end and the leaves changing and seeing the different…even though it was fictional set pieces, seeing like, oh, well, these are different forests than we have here a little. Some are similar and then some of the cultural celebrations and stuff like that. So, all in all, a really good house. Then outside, the same thing.

 

Yeah, river banks, markets, plazas, spelunking, forestry, rainforests, fog, rhythmic sounds, directional audio, corn…a lot of corn. A lot of smells, too, like of the riverbank, of leaves, of summer, I guess, which is sunscreen and ocean water. Okay, so that was that one. Let me just make sure…so, there’s two things left to talk about, right? Yeah, that was all of them. I may have misplaced one on the map. But so, there’s two other things you can go there for. One is the tram tour. So, that’s kinda cool. You only take the tram and it relocates you, and then you go through, and they have the areas…it’s kinda cool 'cause you get to walk through the areas that you normally drive your…the tram through, and you kinda go through.

 

This year they had…one, it was like a motel they already have there, the Kathy Bates Motel, a famous motel named after not ‘the’ Kathy Bates; just another Kathy Bates. But the setting there is…everybody’s on the road for the autumnal season, and it’s like the night before and after the big Thursday-night meal. Everybody’s…ends up again…similar where everybody’s trying to…everybody that’s staying at the motel is trying to come up with ways to use their leftovers or whatever foods they have like tomato…ketchup packets or other things so that everybody can eat together. So, they kinda end up having…the first night, it’s different 'cause a lot of people like to really go wild on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. So, that one is a little bit of…more like take-out food and stuff like that.

 

Then you have everybody on Friday…and then you go out of there, and then you see movies, 'cause it’s a big…at least in my opinion, a big day to go to the movies, like that weekend after that holiday weekend. In this one, it’s like every motel room that you kinda saw what they were cooking…you get to see one or two of the favorite movies. They're only showing shorter loops of movies Universal owns that were made in the last ninety years, I guess. So, I won't spoil it by saying the names of the movies, but it’s kinda cool. They're being projected out of the…just in another section that you go to. So, that’s just cool being…and then they had photo opportunities and stuff like that. Then do you take a tram back or do you walk back? I can't…I think you wait and then you get back on the tram and it takes you back.

 

Then they have a show, and the show is this water Jet Ski show, and it’s based…during the day it’s called Water World. It’s kinda based loosely on the movie Water World, or pretty closely. It’s a amazing show about stunt…stuntacular, right? So, this one is called Gourds and Gourds and Gourds. It’s very inventive. From my understanding is that this is a technical feat because everything is based on real gourds; technology, traditional gourd method…building methods. You also have root vegetables and stuff like that. So, they're doing stunts or using a Jet Ski made out of gourds, or a boat, or people wearing gourd shoes, like hollowed-out, dried pumpkins that are airtight, and walking on the water, dancing on the water, giant ones, and then there’s…the big finale is they start raining down, then this giant one falls down, splashes, and then people pop out of it, and you're like, holy cow.

 

Then even people running…like, what do they call that? Log-rolling. This one has people running on these gourds, even, gourd racing, gourd juggling, gourd throwing, gourd catching, gourd magic, like stuff disappearing and stuff like that. Kind of a feast for the senses. There was so many…I mean, again, I’m not gonna tell you any specifics 'cause I want you to see it for yourself, right? Yeah, so that’s…so yeah, that’s probably a good place to stop because…and I’ll do the Knott's one in another episode down the road or something or next holiday season. I’ll figure it out, right? But yeah, I’m glad you're here. Thanks for checking the show out, and check out…take your family members or celebrate how…you know, make meaning for yourself like the Chuckster and the good friends did. I hope you enjoyed this little tour of Universal Hollywood’s 2023 autumnal cornucopia celebration. Thanks, and goodnight, everybody.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

Trending Tuesday / HHN / Seasonal

 

Reebok Pump Shoes

https://www.shoepalace.com/blogs/all/the-history-of-the-reebok-pump

https://kickstory.co/en/journals/reebok-pump-pioneering-innovation-in-sneaker-technology-and-sportswear-history/

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28149048/inside-rise-fall-iconic-reebok-pump-30th-birthday

 

Universal HHN 2023

https://themeparkduo.com/2023/09/19/halloween-horror-nights-hollywood-2023-review/

https://www.insideuniversal.net/2023/09/review-halloween-horror-nights-2023-at-universal-studios-hollywood/

https://www.coaster101.com/2023/09/18/halloween-horror-nights-32-initial-ratings-and-review/

 

Functional Mushrooms

https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2024/01/functional-mushrooms-whats-these-fun-guys

https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/mushroom-coffee-worth-a-taste

https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/05/functional-fungi-uk-embraces-mushroom-coffee-as-latest-healthy-food-trend

 

The Monkees

https://www.biography.com/musicians/the-monkees-origins

https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2019/09/05/today-in-music-history-a-call-out-for-the-monkees

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/08/the-most-influential-pop-rock-band-ever-the-monkees?srsltid=AfmBOopi6t95GreMYARL6dbkKwJsJgIzvLCCeeAa_TFgyvYS4pmx4785

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Some autumnal flavor

2023’s celebrations in Hollywood and Buena Park

I didn’t get to Anaheim that year

Joyous Hollywood Autumnal Awesome Nights at Universal and Knott’s

A literal step by step walkthrough

It’s good to be barely heard

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Kindred; Odoo; Uncommon Goods

 

INTRO

Make Falling Asleep More Better

Is that a Double Untunder?

I know what it’s like

There’s enough people listening who specifically know what you’re going through

I didn’t know I needed a goofy guy talking about autumnal celebrations

Rooting for other listeners

Not flashy and indirect

I’m not moving any big rocks, I’m just looking at them

I’m just here to hang, not talk to you in a baby voice

I take this nonsense seriously

Your Borefriend

Knott’s Cornucopia of Autumnal Joy

It’s common to loathe me

The Tall Poppy Phase

sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

Pump, pump, pump it up

I’d like to get some Reebok Pumps now

Explaining the show structure

 

STORY

A look at the autumnal trips from 2023

Ray, my daughter, and I

We couldn’t attend events in 2024, alas

These are from 2023

The 3rd of these we’ve done

Houses of Autumnal Joy

The season of Trickster Treaters

Knott’s and Universal are famous for their autumnal celebrations

The Treat Trails

Cornucopia Corndown

We looked at some schools and went to both in 2023

My first time going to the one in Hollywood

We weren’t able to get to the park until the night

I think the Hollywood one is a better place

When there’s confusion, Drew takes over from Scooter

First thing we did was go to the lower lot

It’s a working studio and a lot on a hill

I haven’t been to any other 2 tier theme parks

My daughter really wanted a frozen pink lemonade

Otter Things Autumn, based on Otter Things season 4, which is unreleased

We didn’t make it to Super Nintendo World

My memory is so poor

Looking at the modular housing of one character

The Episodically Modular Housing Development

Building an autumnal dam

Different otter-designed homes

Leaf Peeping Homes

Characters would pop up to greet you

Following sea and river otters celebrating the autumnal season

Who were these characters again?

Otter Labs

Beyond the Berm

Tension between modular homes and dams

Why can’t everyone just live where they want to?

The next house – did we do this already?

Shoutout to Craig Mazin

All the Mushrooms That Are Left

This was based on the video game and not the show

Holy Shitaake

Functional Mushrooms

I’ve never played the game, but I’d like to play it some day

A love letter to mushrooms if they were to become sentient

A house for mushroom love

I’m talking about culinary mushrooms, silly pants

Is new wave rap a thing?

A fake port called Port-obello

It went under the Jurassic History in a Boat ride

Then we had a snackypoo

The sun was still out

Next house wasn’t too popular

Holidaze vz Autumnz

All the holidays have sentient representatives

Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, sand buckets, etc

They’ve all had enough of autumn

So they’re gonna celebrate the season better than anyone else

The Easter Bunny was making tofurkey and non-sentient mushrooms

Uncle Sam was wearing autumnal colors

Autumn as a season and sentient being is a trickster

You can’t out-autumn Autumn

Behind Transformers were 3 more houses

2 were based on movies out at that time

The Bruce Campbell Tribute Movie

Ironically, Bruce Campbell wasn’t in it

We can all agree that Bruce Campbell is great

Holy cow, Bruce Campbell must’ve been the archetype for Gaston

Living the life Bruce Campbell

Kind of like a Being Bruce Campbell

Walking in the steps of someone very much like Bruce Campbell

All these performers were absolutely nailing performing as Bruce Campbell

The next house was called “Hey Hey I’m a Believer”

But it wasn’t based on the Monkees

This was a pretty meta mockumentary

Making of a cover concept album about the autumnal season

Cooking pumpkin seeds and writing a song about it

A fictional theory on why The Beatles broke up

Cornucopia Concept Album – no way that’ll work

They break up over the course of the autumnal house

How many more do I have? 3

There are also Surprise Zones and shows

Up to the upper lot

I think we went on the tram at some point

A ride based on  The Chuckster (the doll)

Explaining the My Buddy / Good Buddy toy

Existing toys and dolls don’t like the holidays because they fear they’ll be replaced

Adapting to meaning as toys

This house was incredibly popular

It worked perfectly from the doll POV

I didn’t expect to have such a meaningful experience

It’s kind of like Multiplex

I think it was even called Friends from the Multiplex

Characters from the Universal Public Domain Universe

Victor, the Mommy, the Opera Singer, the Grouchy Scientist, the Man Who Couldn’t Be Seen, Wolfy-Poo, etc

Did you know that the guy who lives in the swamp goes clubbing? 

Very immersive set pieces with familiar characters

A whole lotta decorating

There was even a cranberry bog

The last house

Based on autumn in Latin America

It’s a different hemisphere than us, which they educate you about

Leading into summertime and not winter

An autumnal tapestry immersed in the folklore of Latin America

You move through the seasons

A lot of weather and temperature effects

Riverbanks, markets, plazas, etc

Rhythmic sounds, directional audio, a lot of corn

Taking the tram

The Kathy Bates Motel (not named after that Kathy Bates)

People en route to / from the big autumnal meal

People improvising cheap autumnal meals

Showing loops of Universal movies

A water jet ski show based on Waterworld

Stunt-Tacular

Gourds, gourds, gourds!

A massive gourd-based technological feat

Wearing airtight pumpkin shoes

Dancing and walking on the water

Then gourds rain down into the water!

Serious gourd-rolling

Gourd juggling and racing

Gourd Magic

A true feast for the sense

I won’t spoil anymore

This is a good place to stop

Make meaning for yourself this autumnal season

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1388

Title: Universal Hollywood Autumnal Awesome Nights 2023

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Kindred; Odoo; Uncommon Goods

Notable Language:

• Make Falling Asleep More Better
• Double Untunder
• Not flashy and indirect
• Taking Nonsense Seriously
• Knott’s Cornucopia of Autumnal Joy
• The Tall Poppy Phase
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• The Treat Trails
• Cornucopia Corndown
• The Episodically Modular Housing Development
• Autumnal Dam
• Otter-Designed Homes
• Leaf Peeping Homes
• Otter Labs
• Holy Shitaake
• Functional Mushrooms
• New Wave Rap
• Holidaze vz Autumnz
• Non-Sentient Mushrooms
• Hey Hey I’m a Believer
• Cornucopia Concept Album
• Stunt-Tacular

 

Notable Culture:

• • Knott’s Berry Farm
  • Universal Studios Hollywood
  • Reebok Pumps

• Stranger Things

• Otter Things

• Transformers

• • Super Nintendo World

• The Last of Us

• Jurassic Park

• • The Bruce Campbell Tribute Movie
  • Bruce Campbell

• Evil Dead

• Gaston / Beauty and the Beast
• The Monkees
• The Beatles
• Charles Barkley
• My Buddy toy
• Chucky / Child’s Play
• Universal Monster Movies
• Kathy Bates

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Make Falling Asleep More Better
• Is that a Double Untunder?
• I know what it’s like
• There’s enough people listening who specifically know what you’re going through
• I didn’t know I needed a goofy guy talking about autumnal celebrations
• Rooting for other listeners
• Not flashy and indirect
• I’m not moving any big rocks, I’m just looking at them
• I’m just here to hang, not talk to you in a baby voice
• I take this nonsense seriously
• Your Borefriend
• Knott’s Cornucopia of Autumnal Joy
• It’s common to loathe me
• The Tall Poppy Phase
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• Pump, pump, pump it up
• I’d like to get some Reebok Pumps now
• Explaining the show structure
• A look at the autumnal trips from 2023
• Ray, my daughter, and I
• We couldn’t attend events in 2024, alas
• These are from 2023
• The 3rd of these we’ve done
• Houses of Autumnal Joy
• The season of Trickster Treaters
• Knott’s and Universal are famous for their autumnal celebrations
• The Treat Trails
• Cornucopia Corndown
• We looked at some schools and went to both in 2023
• My first time going to the one in Hollywood
• We weren’t able to get to the park until the night
• I think the Hollywood one is a better place
• When there’s confusion, Drew takes over from Scooter
• First thing we did was go to the lower lot
• It’s a working studio and a lot on a hill
• I haven’t been to any other 2 tier theme parks
• My daughter really wanted a frozen pink lemonade
• Otter Things Autumn, based on Otter Things season 4, which is unreleased
• We didn’t make it to Super Nintendo World
• My memory is so poor
• Looking at the modular housing of one character
• The Episodically Modular Housing Development
• Building an autumnal dam
• Different otter-designed homes
• Leaf Peeping Homes
• Characters would pop up to greet you
• Following sea and river otters celebrating the autumnal season
• Who were these characters again?
• Otter Labs
• Beyond the Berm
• Tension between modular homes and dams
• Why can’t everyone just live where they want to?
• The next house – did we do this already?
• Shoutout to Craig Mazin
• All the Mushrooms That Are Left
• This was based on the video game and not the show
• Holy Shitaake
• Functional Mushrooms
• I’ve never played the game, but I’d like to play it some day
• A love letter to mushrooms if they were to become sentient
• A house for mushroom love
• I’m talking about culinary mushrooms, silly pants
• Is new wave rap a thing?
• A fake port called Port-obello
• It went under the Jurassic History in a Boat ride
• Then we had a snackypoo
• The sun was still out
• Next house wasn’t too popular
• Holidaze vz Autumnz
• All the holidays have sentient representatives
• Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, sand buckets, etc
• They’ve all had enough of autumn
• So they’re gonna celebrate the season better than anyone else
• The Easter Bunny was making tofurkey and non-sentient mushrooms
• Uncle Sam was wearing autumnal colors
• Autumn as a season and sentient being is a trickster
• You can’t out-autumn Autumn
• Behind Transformers were 3 more houses
• 2 were based on movies out at that time
• The Bruce Campbell Tribute Movie
• Ironically, Bruce Campbell wasn’t in it
• We can all agree that Bruce Campbell is great
• Holy cow, Bruce Campbell must’ve been the archetype for Gaston
• Living the life Bruce Campbell
• Kind of like a Being Bruce Campbell
• Walking in the steps of someone very much like Bruce Campbell
• All these performers were absolutely nailing performing as Bruce Campbell
• The next house was called “Hey Hey I’m a Believer”
• But it wasn’t based on the Monkees
• This was a pretty meta mockumentary
• Making of a cover concept album about the autumnal season
• Cooking pumpkin seeds and writing a song about it
• A fictional theory on why The Beatles broke up
• Cornucopia Concept Album – no way that’ll work
• They break up over the course of the autumnal house
• How many more do I have? 3
• There are also Surprise Zones and shows
• Up to the upper lot
• I think we went on the tram at some point
• A ride based on  The Chuckster (the doll)
• Explaining the My Buddy / Good Buddy toy
• Existing toys and dolls don’t like the holidays because they fear they’ll be replaced
• Adapting to meaning as toys
• This house was incredibly popular
• It worked perfectly from the doll POV
• I didn’t expect to have such a meaningful experience
• It’s kind of like Multiplex
• I think it was even called Friends from the Multiplex
• Characters from the Universal Public Domain Universe
• Victor, the Mommy, the Opera Singer, the Grouchy Scientist, the Man Who Couldn’t Be Seen, Wolfy-Poo, etc
• Did you know that the guy who lives in the swamp goes clubbing? 
• Very immersive set pieces with familiar characters
• A whole lotta decorating
• There was even a cranberry bog
• The last house
• Based on autumn in Latin America
• It’s a different hemisphere than us, which they educate you about
• Leading into summertime and not winter
• An autumnal tapestry immersed in the folklore of Latin America
• You move through the seasons
• A lot of weather and temperature effects
• Riverbanks, markets, plazas, etc
• Rhythmic sounds, directional audio, a lot of corn
• Taking the tram
• The Kathy Bates Motel (not named after that Kathy Bates)
• People en route to / from the big autumnal meal
• People improvising cheap autumnal meals
• Showing loops of Universal movies
• A water jet ski show based on Waterworld
• Stunt-Tacular
• Gourds, gourds, gourds!
• A massive gourd-based technological feat
• Wearing airtight pumpkin shoes
• Dancing and walking on the water
• Then gourds rain down into the water!
• Serious gourd-rolling
• Gourd juggling and racing
• Gourd Magic
• A true feast for the sense
• I won’t spoil anymore
• This is a good place to stop
• Make meaning for yourself this autumnal season