1389 – Garfield’s Autumnal Adventure

Episode 1389 – Garfield's Autumnal Adventure

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who’s getting seasonal with you. We’ll be getting seasonal with Garfield tonight and, yeah, it’ll be good. I’m looking forward to it, and I’ll be pondering things and pondering Garfield’s Halloween Adventure. I think…whatever…yeah, maybe that’s…that might even be what it’s called. Who knows what kind of tangents I’ll go on? So, if you're looking for something seasonal with a seasonal special, we love doing this kind of stuff here at Sleep With Me, and this is a show…if you're new, welcome, by the way. This is a podcast to keep you company in the deep, dark night and take your mind off of stuff.

 

It’s for grown-ups, but a lot of different age groups listen because this show is kinda designed to be your friend, just like…in this particular one, almost like we watched a couple seasonal autumnal specials together and then we…you called me or we were roommates or we were on a camping trip or I was in the other room and you said, hey, tell me about that special again. It was different, huh? Yeah, it was. Yeah…oh yeah, I could talk about it, and then I’ll go on and on and on about it. But you don’t have to pay attention to me, but you could listen to me, but almost in a way that’s just distracting, that’s not super engaging. That’s the goal. My goal is to help you out if you can't sleep or you're just having a tough time in the deep, dark night, as I call it.

 

I’m not the first one, obviously, to call it that. So, yeah, I’m glad you're here, and if you're new, welcome. Give the show a few tries. See how it goes. Regular listeners, always good to have you back. Always good to be recording these seasonal episodes in mind with you, the regular listeners, 'cause I want to make it special, right? If you get that specialness and you get that feeling on a regular basis…you say, Sleep With Me does make my bedtime special, we really could use…we could always use your help through action whether it’s supporting the show directly and you get the best way to listen to the show, spreading the word about the show, helping out the sponsors, and being kind out there in the world. So, here’s a couple ways if you say, yeah, Sleep With Me is special to me, that you could give some special back. Thanks.

 

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, things you're thinking about, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, so thinking…thoughts, thoughts that have been thunk and thinking thoughts. These thoughts got me thinking. That sounds like…that’s…could be a decent…Shaboozey, what do you think? Or, anybody else? Probably Shaboozey, though.

 

Say, what do you think? Me…what if we could do…? Could we do…would it be alright if we did an album…in the spirit of Emmet Otter and the Jug Band Christmas? I mean, that part…we could do a holiday one. We could also do a autumnal one. This one would be the bedtime version of…you say, thoughts…what did I say? I’m thinking in thoughts, man. Kinda like a boat; I guess that was the analogy I was going for just because of this episode of Garfield. It takes…there’s a little bit of boating, row-boating. I think we could do…and then the video, it’s Shaboozey and I. I do like saying ‘Shaboozey’, so, I guess that’s…yeah. So, anyway, think about it. What does that have to do with a sleep podcast?

 

Well, thoughts could be keeping you up, feelings, anything related to those thoughts, emotions coming up for you, emotions that are left over…yeah, feelings, physical sensations, changes in time, temperature, routine, you could have something coming up, you could be in the middle of something, getting over something, going through something. Maybe it’s travel or guests. Maybe it’s your work schedule changed. Maybe something tough is going on, or maybe it’s like me, a kinda ongoing, interesting relationship with sleep, a lifetime with sleep. Whatever it is, I’m here to try to help, and the reason I make the show is kinda…there’s two sides to the reason, I guess, or twofold. I’m not good at folding things, so I try to stay away from those folding-based metaphors.

 

If there was a way to say ‘origami’ as…with…as, whatever, like a word that’s…a four-letter word for origami, they would say that, an origami instructor, or it was like a thought bubble or a word bubble. Like, they were in…if I was in…this is such a tangent, but if I was in a animated or illustrated comic strip or a animated show with…where I was taking an origami class, even if it was like my 5,000th class…probably 5,000 classes…we would have decided jointly after three classes to note; let’s not have…I don't think origami’s for you. Say, the unprecedent amount of papercuts alone…but it’s more of the folding, not the paper cuts, that…so, the origami instructor would say, a four-letter word for origami…or just say ‘origami’, but it would be all caps or whatever. You know what I’m saying.

 

I frustrate…believe me, I haven't taken an origami class because I appreciate origami teachers. I said, you don’t want me; believe me. Oh, I’m the most patient…no, no, trust me. Just trust me. Oh no, I’m…I have the greatest amount of patience. You do, currently, right? So, I’m just saving…let’s keep that patience for your origami students. You do not want me…as a matter of fact, I’ll just tell you; I think I have somewhere in my life encountered the Klutz books…Book of Origami or An Easy Guide to Origami. If it isn't buried in a pile somewhere and it doesn't have any stains from coffee or some sort of…just some sort of grease stain on it or it’s not crumbled or folded up…so, trust me. You don’t need me…you don’t…Origami and Me; I appreciate it. I like looking at it. I’m impressed by it, like so many things.

 

It’s not like I’m saying…it’s just, origami and me are not a match. It’s pretty simple. I don't know if we’d be friends. Now it’s like…feels like a dating thing. It’s like, yeah, no, we’ve agreed that we're not a match. But someone’s like, no, no, I got…trust me, just trust me; I can make you love…it’s not that I don't love origami. It’s to get back to that earlier…why I don’t use paper-folding metaphors, though in this particular circumstance, it’s kinda worked out…is because I’m not good at folding. What do you mean you're not good at folding? Well, under pressure, believe me, that I’m good at. Hardy, har, har. Folding paper…I’ve just never…I think it comes with my differences. It’s…yeah. I’m not…I’m a little bit crooked, and I think that comes…you say, you're folding’s off? I say, it’s been off my whole life. Well, don’t you want…?

 

No, no, I don't know if it’s fixable, and that’s okay. Or, you know, let the people that…it’s…I’m better off making metaphors and going off topic. I don't know, these may be the healthiest thoughts I’ve ever…just in case you're listening — I’ve recorded, whatever, 1,400-something episodes — you may be…if you just happen to be paying attention, these may be the healthiest thoughts that have ever gone through my brain, I’m pretty sure. I don't want brag, 'cause you say, well, I don't know how to feel about that for you. I say, well, yeah, that’s good, that’s good. That’s a very human reaction. But I’m just being honest. I don't know if I’ve ever had healthier thoughts go through my brain that…it’s okay.

 

I’ll never make…I mean, again, if I was watching one of my nieces or nephews…let me just…what, is this equivocation? I don't know what it is. But if I was watching my niece or nephew or something, one of them, and they said…by the way, this is true, too; they call me Uncle Baby. That’s my nickname from a certain portion of my nieces and nephews, and it’s not meant like…I’ve talked about this; like…it’s not like I’m a jazz singer. Like, Uncle Baby…man, I’m here to lay down the sax. It’s like, Uncle Baby…you could figure it out from…you know me well enough. But if they were like, hey, we want to make some origami, I’d be more than happy to do that. That would be the right context for me. I’m just saying the origami path for me is closed.

 

So, I think that…I could do another twenty minutes about this, but we gotta get to the rest of the intro. So, it could be thoughts, feelings…oh, why I make the show…twofold; that’s where that came from. Wow, that was like a twelve…that’s why I can't fold papers. I just went on a eight-minute metaphor about twofold. So, I make the show for two reasons or two main reasons. One, I’ve been there and I know how it feels; tossing, turning, trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, trouble waking up early, all that stuff, not sleeping good, all of it, and I know what it feels like for me and I know what it feels like when I’m not getting the rest I need, when I can't get the rest I need, when it’s pulled out from under me, and in the middle of the night and a bunch of other things.

 

I’m not sure what it feels like for you, but if we share some of that stuff, even the deep, underlying feelings beneath all that or the physical sensations or any of that and I can help you out, like I can relieve something that is uncomfortable for me or that’s a way to minimize it right now…and if it’s uncomfortable or much stronger than that for you and I can help you out, that’s cool, man. That’s important to me because easing your discomfort, it gives me meaning. Now, you may say, well, you can't relate…I’d say, well, if I can't relate to underlying feelings for you, there’s another piece of good news. You say, I’m going through something; there’s no chance you could relate to how it feels. I believe you, 'cause I’ve gotten…I’ve heard from a lot of people over the years.

 

I’ve been making the show a while now, and here’s the thing; there is someone listening right now in the world who can relate to how you feel, and to them it is important, and to them they are hopeful. They're like, wow, I know what that feels like and I know what it’s like. They're saying, I found this podcast and it helps me. I hope it helps you. So, they are rooting for you not only that the podcast can help you out and give you some relief or some sleep, but that one day, even if it’s on another sleep podcast, like the show doesn't work for you and you listen to something else, that you could be rooting for a new listener, too, that you share stuff with, 'cause that feels good.

 

Just like for me knowing that there’s people out there struggling with all these different types of sleep and stuff, that maybe me goofing around…and, I mean, tonight was a breakthrough, right? The healthiest thoughts I’ve ever thought, that it’s just me and origami aren't a fit. Talk about a love story. Somebody remind me to do something about this about Valentine’s Day. You say, this is the…that’s the opposite of a love story. Yeah, I mean, what could be more loving than agreeing…? I mean, now I’m personifying origami in addition to saying we're not a fit. But yeah, what could be more loving than saying…?

 

I mean, it is loving to tell the teacher, no matter how much patience you have, having me as a…as adjusted as you are and as functioning as you think I am on your first impressions, I’m pretty confident I could say that you do not want me in your origami class, especially if it’s more than five minutes and more…meets more than once a week. So, I think that’s a loving thing. That’s why I said, this is healthy, man. I don't know, I feel like a changed person. I’ve been origami’d. I’ve been unfolded and then…I feel like a swan or a goose. You say, which one is it? I say, well, it’s okay either way. So, that’s why I make the show. That’s one reason. The other reason…I’d like you call to become swans and geese, to be unfolded and then re-folded or whatever.

 

Sorry, my brain’s already thinking of stuff related to a Valentine’s version…a romanphlet of this. Okay, so, the other side…the other reason I make the show is 'cause you deserve a bedtime where you could get the rest you need so your life is more manageable tomorrow and that you could get the rest you need on a regular basis so you could be out there living your life and flourishing, and that’s important. You deserve a bedtime you don’t have to dread. So, those are the reasons I make the show. What I do 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, I get mixed up, I forget what I was talking about. I mean, we’ve…it’s been a tangent-filled episode already. That’s all part of the process, right?

 

Because this is a show you just barely listen to. You kinda listen to it. You're kinda paying attention, but you're not totally paying attention. It’s like background noise or a TV on in the other room or a show streaming under your pillow, a out-of-focus picture, sand running through your hands. So, that’s one part of the show that takes some getting used to. Oh, by the way, this show also takes a lot of getting used to for most people. I think, again, just like all this other stuff, that’s a good thing. If you got here, you were probably skeptical or doubtful. You were probably frustrated if you're new, or at least confused, and why wouldn't you be? You tuned into a show, a sleep podcast, and I’ve done about twelve minutes of talking about paper folding, and you may be confused. Or, how does this even work?

 

Why does this even work? That’s why I say, give it a few tries. That’s what most listeners say, because this show works kinda indirectly, just like friendship works. I’m trying to think of an origami metaphor but I can't think of one for…'cause all the folding…I mean, there’s probably some indirect thing. I can't…again, another positive thing; I can't believe when you're folding that stuff, then it looks like some…I say, whoa boy, it’s just…it is like magic to me. So, this show is a little bit like that where it’s like, all of a sudden you realize, oh, wait a second, I fell asleep. I listened to that show two or three times. I was like, when is this guy gonna start putting me to sleep? Then I realized I was asleep.

 

So, that does take some getting used to, and some people never like me or the show, or they grow out of liking me or whatever, and that’s okay. So, we have a website set up for that, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, and the reason we have that up is 'cause you still deserve a good night's sleep even if you don’t like me strongly, and that will get you to something to help you fall asleep, other sleep podcasts and sleepy stuff. If you've gotta vent, it gives you places to vent, too, so that you can move on and get to getting to sleep or just get to something that might work. So, what else do you need to know? A show you don’t really listen to…also, I don't put you to sleep. This podcast is 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 because my job is not to put you to sleep. It’s here to keep you company while you fall asleep. Yeah, there’s no pressure to fall asleep at all, 'cause there’s people listening who can't sleep at all or who need a break during the day, and I’m here to the very end whether you're awake or asleep, because my job is just to keep you company and distract you from whatever it is that’s keeping you awake or how it feels to have a friendly voice. ‘Cause I’m here to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your neigh-bore, your bore-bie, your bores, your Boris Borlaf, your boreman, your bore-bie…did I say bore-bie? Your best bore-friend f’eva to keep you company and just hang with you. So, it’s a little bit different, right? So, what else do you need to know?

 

Oh, structure of the show is the last thing I like to point out just because if you're new, you may be wondering why the show is structured the way it is, or if you're coming back or whatever. I mean, we don’t really change much, but the show is adaptable or…okay, the reason we structure the show the way we do it is to benefit the maximum amount of people we can. But if you start to become a regular listener and you fall into certain niches, there’s ways to adjust the show based on how you prefer to listen. So, the show starts off with a greeting. Almost everything we do starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, so you feel seen and welcomed in. Maybe I say something silly so you get a tone for what the podcast is.

 

Then there’s support because most people only listen to the show while they're going through something or they're not in a position to support the show, so the idea of paying for the podcast being optional means we can benefit a lot more people based on the people that support the sponsors or support the show. If you decide you want something without ads, you could get that at Sleep With Me+. But for most people, it’s like, it works for them. Then after the support is a long, meandering intro which we're about twenty minutes into or eighteen minutes into, totally separate from the support. It’s a show within a show where I attempt to introduce the podcast but it takes me eighteen to twenty minutes or so. Sometimes it takes less. But that is kind of a twofold thing, too.

 

The intro is meant to introduce the podcast, to follow a familiar structure, but it’s meant to be different and meandering every time so that whatever keeps you awake, in my theory or just my experience and what works for the people this show works for, is that familiarity but variety helps whatever it is…whatever’s happening in the background, it helps it be put at ease or distracted. It’s also like our hang time. When else am I gonna go on a tangent about origami? The rest of the episode when I go on tangents? No; it gives me a chance to give…to be a little bit more personal, and we're hanging out and winding down. So, you could listen as you're getting comfortable in bed, you're getting ready for bed, or you're doing some other chill activity.

 

While there is a percentage of people that fall asleep fast, we always recommend, one, supporting the show if you fall asleep fast on a regular basis; we need you. But you could also listen to Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me which doesn't have intros, but most people use the intro to wind down as a buffer between being awake and asleep, to ease into bedtime. That’s what’s has been shown to work and what works for me personally most of the time. Then after the intro is support, and then tonight I’ll be talking about Garfield’s autumnal special, and I don't know how long that’ll take 'cause I haven't recorded the episode yet. Then, I don't know, if I need more stuff, I don't know what I’ll talk about after, but I’m pretty sure I could talk about it for fifty minutes or so.

 

So, all told, we’ll be here about an hour, and I’m really glad you're here whether you're a new listener or you're a regular listener or you kinda come and go, and I really want to help you fall asleep. There’s a team of people that work on this show, and we all yearn and strive to help you fall asleep. So, thanks again for coming by. But if Sleep With Me makes your life better on a regular basis, I strongly encourage you to check out Sleep With Me+ so you get the joy of something that’s designed with how you listen in mind, but also the joy of being a part of this. But you could also…there’s other ways you support the show, like our sponsors and stuff like this, that I’ll talk about right now. So, if you do want to opt in, these are the ways to do it. Thanks.

 

Alright everybody, this is Scoots here, and this is…in this episode we're gonna be covering the autumnal adventure Halloween…Garfield’s Halloween Adventure from 1985. Apparent…so, I remember…I didn't even remember enough of this to do a Tale of the Tape about it, so I had to do…I watched it a couple times in preparation for this. Actually, I watched it last year I think twice, too. I was gonna do it last year. I was struck by a lot of things. One, I guess I wasn’t a super…I’ve never been…I don't have anything against Garfield; let me just put that out there first. I consumed a lot of Garfield, I guess specials, it looks like, in the eighties, 'cause there was multiple ones, and I had a general idea of Garfield’s style and voice. I also had kids at my school that had all the Garfield books, but we didn’t.

 

It was kinda like one of the early collectibles like Peanuts books, Garfield books, and maybe that played a part in how I felt about Garfield. My feeling that I didn’t have those Garfield books may have impacted…you know what I mean when you're a kid and you don’t have something and other kids have it and it’s a collectible and it seems cool. But now I realize I was mistaken. Those kids were really getting a lot…eventually…but it wasn’t ‘til I was not a kid that I read a lot of…I would read Calvin and Hobbes when I could, but when I read the Calvin and Hobbes books, it wasn’t until I could either…it wasn’t when I was a kid or even a teen. But I derived a lot of pleasure from that just like I derive pleasure from reading.

 

So, this special came out in 1985, but I did kind of look on Wikipedia, and if we have time, we’ll look at the Wikipedia article about it, 'cause I was like, why is this so archetypal? I think the reason is because it came out the same time as…when it was broadcast, it was broadcast with It’s a Great…It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, or That’s a Great…Go Ahead; That’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I’m kidding and I’m not kidding. So, I think that’s why it was traditionally broadcast as that. Now it’s on streaming. It is on…here’s the thing; if you get the streaming service, you can watch Poker Face, Season 1 and Season 2, which, while I can't cover Poker Face at this time, I love it, and I have…when I’m recording this…by the time you hear this, I’ll have already watched Season 2. But I record these pretty far ahead of time.

 

So…okay, so, I’m gonna look up Garfield on my pad for viewing here. It’s like, you gotta put a lot into it, though, which is wild. G-A-R-F…I forgot the F; that’s why. G-A-R-F…Garf…oh, there it is. Okay, great. I do want to say a couple other things about the special before I start playing it, which is that…so, it is…what is it? It’s twenty-four minutes and nine seconds long without commercials, even though on this service that I pay for, of course there’s…unlike…you know what I’m saying. I’m saying…but there’s commercials, right? But there’s not ones…the traditional commercial breaks there were. But this is the tightest twenty-four minutes and nine seconds. Is that what I said? I can't believe it. In fact, it’s kinda two specials in one, and it’s just impressive.

 

There’s…it’s somewhat of a musical or has musical numbers, and just…and that’s only in the first ten to twelve minutes, and it packs a bunch of them in there. So, the efficiency of the storytelling is mind-blow…I mean, I’m not…it really is mind-blowing. So, even now, after watching it…'cause I remember; I was like…I mean, in my opinion, 'cause I’m not…I realize this has a special place in a lot of people’s hearts, so I’m not trying to…I have no critical thoughts about this. I just have an emotional distance to this for some reason I don't even quite understand, 'cause there was a lot I like about it. But as a kid I just didn’t…I don't know. I know I watched it multiple times, I’m sure. I guess maybe we just didn’t have it on VHS to watch it over and over and over again. But when I was watching it last year, I was like, this is kinda dragging.

 

What is this, like an hour special? But no, it’s only twenty-four minutes. But I think that I mean that really as a compliment. I mean, when I was watching it just…like only hours ago before recording this, I was like, man, what they do in the first four to six minutes, it would take me…it would be like two episodes of a podcast. Okay, so, I’m at the opening shot. I just happened to get it paused, and it’s actually…the pause is really clear. So, compliments to the app. It’s a shot of a suburban neighborhood. It actually reminds me a lot of The Simpsons and even the art style and stuff. So, interesting. At first I wasn’t sure if it was dusk or dawn when I finally started taking notes. But even when I watched it a couple days ago, I was like, is…I was like, is this dusk or dawn? I didn’t say that specifically. I was like, is Garfield…?

 

Well, that question will be answered. There’s almost a little northern lights effect. I found I really do like this 2D style of animation, which I’m assuming is a little bit more within budget constraints, 'cause a lot of the backgrounds are still…well, I don't know the terminology, but they're…like, Garfield and Odie would move, but the background would be static…but that it was done in a way that was visually appealing to me. This particular scene is very visually appealing on pause. Actually, they live in a region…it makes me ponder where they live, 'cause there’s hills or…near mountains or very tall hills in their suburb where they must live. Okay, so, it starts out and we see…we get a panning shot ‘til we get to their house. Again, very much like The Simpsons, so much so that I’m like, wait a second.

 

Their house has a little bit more detail. There’s light coming out of one window. They must have a detached garage 'cause…and the house has a side door instead of a front door. So, we zoom in on the window, then we see with…we see through the window, and we're gonna go through the window into Garfield’s home. Oh, they have a planter box outside the window, or Jon does. Oh, by the way, if you don’t know who Garfield is, just in case…'cause I realize…I didn’t…I mean, there was a movie, but that was…I don't know if that was in the aughts, the tens, or the twenties or the nineties. So, Garfield was a book, a comic strip, I think a newspaper comic strip, and books. Then Garfield was animated specials. Garfield was also in movies.

 

Garfield was…has been a pretty…merch and Garfield toys…not on the same level as other stuff that I know of, but I could be wrong. As a plush, I’m sure some kids had Garfield. So…oh, Garfield’s an orange cat who loves lasagna, is in…lives in both worlds of these kinda animated characters. So, to Jon, the owner of Garfield, Garfield isn't just a cat. So, I’ve never seen the animated movie, so let me just say that. I’m pretty sure they're live-action animated movies. So, I have not seen those. But Garfield to Jon, the owner, and the animated specials that I know of, is an amazing cat but still a normal…the best kind of ordinary, regular cat, but also tests Jon’s patience.

 

Then Jon also has a dog, Odie, who’s a little bit more dog and puppy-like. Garfield loves lasagna. That’s probably…well, now I’m like, Garfield’s known for lounging, chilling, eating lasagna, and having a bit of ‘tude. He’s a bit of a snarky…he’s pretty witty. He’s a personality, that Garfield. Now, in this particular one, we're zooming in through the window of Jon’s home where Garfield lives. The TV is on, and Garfield is sleeping under his blanket. Now, again, let me give you another cult…moment in cultural history. Once upon a time, kids, we could only watch things on televisions or in the movie theatre. There was no other devices for consuming moving visual content. I don't know.

 

Not only that; there was a time in history…I think even when there…before there was cable, there was over-the-air television, which I’m sure you've heard about, maybe on some…in Epcot Center, I don't even know, where you would have learned this ancient history. But TV was broadcast over the air. Then we had cable TV. I think even in the cable TV area…era, content was not available twenty-four hours a day. One, the content was streamed out to us, but we didn’t have any control over it. It was linear. So, you could only watch what was on when it was on. But the broadcast day, as they call it — I’ve talked about this on other versions of the show — ended at some point and then started again, because so few people were watching TV between the hours…we’ll just say 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m or 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

 

It was kind of a cool thing. They would play something or they would have this thing. On Garfield’s, it just has a test pattern with a three. You'll see this still in movies. Actually, I’m pretty sure there was times even when I had over-the-air television that I tried to discover this, even as an adult that was in his cups, but I don't know. Sometimes fiction fuses with reality. So, Garfield is watching…the TV is on. It’s on a test pattern, and Garfield’s asleep, which again is another device for movies or of stuff of this era, 'cause when the test pattern’s on TV, it gives you a time of day, and usually the idea that the person has fallen asleep, 'cause you won't intentionally…with the TV on.

 

So, we have that bit of information. Okay, so then we zoom in, but we still don’t know…I still didn’t know if Garfield fell asleep and it’s late at night or it’s early in the morning. Okay, so we get there, and then we…then, this is so sweet. This is irony or whatever; they…the TV channel starts its broadcast day, so I would presume it’s somewhere around 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. The name of the channel is WBOR, WBOR, which I didn’t look up. I guess that’ll be another thing to look up if we have extra time to see if that ever…if it actually exists or if it’s purchase-able.

 

It’s like a easy viewing, easy listening station, but that’s also used as…to deliver humor, because what we find out is that the first program is a children’s program of very high energy, and it’s a high-energy person who likes…Binky, the…Binky, the person with…that wears a reddish nose and a hat and kinda pajamas and goes in a small car with a bunch of their other friends. Binky has a tutu on also, and immediately says, wake up, kids, and start doing your jumping jacks. Also, Garfield has bags under his eyes. He’s been woken up by Binky’s jumping jacks and loud, excited talking. But there’s a piece of exposition which we already know kind of from the title of the thing, but Garfield doesn't.

 

So, Binky says, yeah, get up and do those things, and you gotta be in shape for tonight, Binky says, because…and Garfield’s like, I gotta get this off. I gotta go back to sleep or whatever. So, Garfield’s looking for his remote control while Binky’s like, yeah, you gotta do more jumping jacks…tonight to get candy. But Garfield’s so tired, he starts…he finally finds the remote. He starts changing the channel or trying to turn it off…I think just turn it off. Let’s see what happens here. He’s grinding his teeth or whatever. Gotta get a lot of…tonight’s the night you get a lot of candy, says Binky. He’s a bit like Sideshow Bob. Then Garfield says, take that, Binky. Wait a second, did you say candy? Also, at this moment, on one of these scenes there’s a piece of hair caught in the film.

 

It must have been caught in…I don't know if it was in the final print. It’s a little piece of history. This is on Peacock, the version on Peacock. But Garfield says, wait a second, did he say something about candy? Then, yeah, Binky’s like, tonight is Halloween night. First, Garfield goes through a bunch of other channels and then finds Binky. So, yeah, you're gonna get to go trick-or-treating and get some candy. So, Gar…oh, I’ve never explained…I didn’t finish explaining; Garfield’s very happy about that. So, by the way, Garfield…also, when he’s not around Jon, he’s a fully sentient cat of…I’d say high intelligence, but he also is a bit like Richard Warren. He’s a bit consumed by what Garfield wants and what’s important to Garfield. Okay, but then Garfield launches into a song. 1:45…he’s singing, this is the night, this is the night.

 

I’m gonna get…I’m gonna put on my best disguise and knock on doors. He’s dancing. This is the night. So, we get a montage. He’s really dancing. Hitting the streets…and then we have the opening, Garfield’s Autumnal Adventure. So many good things to eat. Written and created by Jim Davis. Executive producer Jay Poynor, Phil Roman, producer…he’s singing about trick-or-treating. Garfield’s kinda singing and also, yeah, he’s mugging it up for the camera, I guess, putting on a show. Trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat, singing more. Then he goes back to bed. Oh, first, Halloween’s my kind of holiday. I don't like those other holidays. I like candy. But yeah, he dances. My kinda holiday…but now I gotta go back to bed. I like getting candy. Simple, clear…that’s…simple; that’s me. So, he goes back to bed.

 

The next time he wakes up, it’s clearly dusk or sunset. He says, hello, Halloween. Let’s get to it. The TV’s off. He’s excited about candy. So, he’s like, okay, we gotta get…I need a costume to get this candy, and a sack. So, the two things we need is a sack and…a sack to hold the candy and a costume so I can acquire the candy. First you gotta get out of bed, though. Then he puts his blanket back over him and he goes around the house. We first meet Jon, who is making a lantern of Jacking. He’s cleaning out his pumpkin. He already carved his pumpkin, but he’s still cleaning his out, I guess doing his final cleaning. He says…Garfield surprises him with his blanket. He goes, that’s not funny. Then he wears the pumpkin as kind of an outfit. Then Garfield makes silly faces, which Jon loves. It makes him very happy.

 

He’s like, man, that Garfield…I forgot how much I love you, man. You are a funny cat…cats that make funny faces. So, he’s like, man, I can't even be irritated by you, Garfield, or I can't stay irritated by you. Are you practicing for Halloween? Garfield’s…Garfield kinda doesn't…this is tough. I guess…we could see Garfield communicating with Jon, but this is for the audience only, maybe, 'cause he’s like, yeah, just like Scoots, I have a sense of knowing all. So, he’s like, I know everything about Halloween. Then Jon kind of explains what a pumpkin and a lantern of Jacking is. But Garfield also wonders if the pumpkin seeds are lasagna, which he finds out that it isn't. Then he’s…Jon’s like, I gotta do another lantern 'cause I wore this on my head. He lets Odie wear it. Then Garfield’s like, I guess I don't like pumpkin seeds.

 

Then Jon feeds Garfield…he offers Garfield a human breakfast. So, this is fiction, by the way, right? So, just remember that, kids, is that in this animated special only, cats and dogs can eat whatever they want. Not true in the real world, actually. Just like the cats don’t talk to us, they don’t sing songs, you can't easily put a pumpkin on your head the way Jon did. Also, it’s just fictional. Jon’s feeding his cat a gigantic human breakfast or offering it to him, including coffee or tea, and…'cause Garfield represents just a few of those seven things you're not supposed to do all the time. Not all of them, 'cause, yeah, he doesn't represent all of them, but just a couple of them. I guess the Phish song You Call Me the Sloth, Italian Spaghetti…maybe that would be…he’s like, call me Garfield; I eat a lot of lasagna.

 

Okay, so, he does offer him a human breakfast, and then Garfield’s like at first, no. Well, I’ll take a sweet roll. Eh, a croissant and bacon. Eh, you know what? I’ll take everything. Also, it’s interesting that it’s breakfast but it’s nighttime or eve…late evening. Time’s a little bit more malleable, I guess. But that’s cool. Then Odie’s drinking water. Garfield surprises Odie. Odie’s still wearing the pumpkin, so that surprises Garfield. It’s also…Odie’s very cute. Odie’s tongue is always out like a dog that’s panting with joy and excitement, 'cause Odie’s your prototypical puppy. It’s spelled O-D-I-E. I think someone older than me…anyway, somebody had a nickname, Odie. Okay, so then Garfield says, hey, don’t surprise me, Odie; I won't surprise you. Then he walks off.

 

Then…this is interesting and this is a dated thing that we still sometimes…well, it’s not dated, I guess. But Garfield decides to do material at Odie’s expense, which is…as if you were roasting pumpkin seeds, you were…Garfield is having a roast of pumpkin seeds at Odie’s expense. So, he makes a bunch of jokes about Odie, and kind of a little bit of a vaudevillian, Borscht Belt-style humor, kinda like, you know my dog Odie, the odious. Does that have to do with how dogs smell? Something like that but funny, I guess would be the difference. Okay, so he does material, but this is still only six minutes into the show. So, it’s like, you're somehow taking the time to do some stand-up type routine, and you're not…the time is still moving. I don't know how…maybe Garfield means defying time.

 

But this also helps Garfield realize, wait a second, if I bring Odie with me trick-or-treating, I can…we can gain twice as much candy. Odie can carry one bag, and he’ll get a bag filled. So, he goes to Odie. He says, are you familiar with Halloween? You want to hang with me? Again, this is another shot I really like. They're standing…even though it’s 1D or 2D or whatever, it’s a really great sense of depth and simplicity. They're standing in the front hall. The background is the front door, a table with…this is back when you had a telephone fixed to things and a lamp and some pictures and stuff and a rug. But he basically works this deal with the dog to come with me. Odie, we’ll go trick-or-treating together. This will be great. It’s a special night for dogs and cats to get candy.

 

If the dog carries the candy for the cat, you get one piece of candy of your own. Also, again, fiction; dogs and cats can't have candy. I had to explain this to my father once when he was giving jelly beans to Koa. I said, Koa doesn't eat jelly…that doesn't…I don't even have any idea…please don’t feed Koa any jelly beans. It was…I caught it early. Then they go upstairs. Jon does not throw anything away, apparently. So, they go into Jon’s storage and they walk through there. First they go through one box. Garfield dusts it off. Bow…his first bowtie, sunglasses, a hat, some smiley stuff, string, wax, and makes Odie look like some sort of goat sheep with…a humanized goat sheep or something. Then they find a chest that must have costumes in it. So, Garfield starts going through there. Then he breaks into song again.

 

So, pretty efficient. Now we're seven minutes in. So, I guess there’s not…it’s not a musical, but he dresses up like different stuff and sings a song; what would I be? What should I be? He dresses up as royalty, he dresses up as something that flies through the sky, or a kitty cat, but a different kind of…a different kitty cat, like one with glowing eyes. What should I be? It’s a really nice song. Oh, he dresses up as a space person going to a party, a person from another planet in a tuxedo, and…what should I be? Then he dances. He does dance in the vein of Peanuts a little bit. Then he goes, I got the costumes for us. Then we cut, so we don't know what the costumes are gonna be quite yet. But then we go to Jon. He’s eating lasagna. So, lasagna must have been really popular back then.

 

Maybe it was brought to you by lasagna. I don't think so, because it was a comic strip before it was a show or a special. That would have been interesting. But so, Garfield and Odie are dressed as the crew of Lady Witchbeard or their own independent branch of the same thing Lady Witchbeard’s into, sailing the seven seas. He’s like…just like it was dark like a pirate day. So, he’s dressed up. He’s Orangebeard, a pirate cat. Jon loves it, except he takes some of Jon’s lasagna. Odie’s his first mate, Odie the puppy. He calls him something else. But Jon says, you guys look ridiculous. Garfield doesn't like that, and…but he says, well, you change my kitty litter. He goes, are you going out trick-or-treating? He says, well, here’s some sacks. I know you needed costumes and you need sacks. Go out and enjoy it.

 

Garfield says, come on, Odie, we’ve got a village to pillage. I think he said something else, too. What…oh, he says, who are you? Well, we don’t be the welcome wagon, if that’s what you mean. Oh, that was another thing I would look up if I had to look stuff up. So, then they head out. Jon’s smiling as they head out. Bye, everybody. Don’t be late. They must have a curfew. Garfield eats the rest of the lasagna, too. Cat’s got curfew, man. Okay, so then we cut to commercial, at least, an actual commercial here, but we got another song coming up. I’ll tell you about these commercials, but let’s see if I can…the first commercial was the same one I saw before. It’s for brick friends. Then there’s stuffed mallow, like mallows that you could get at a place where you also have food with arches that are gold in a joy box.

 

Then there’s an ad for a movie which my daughter loves with Kevin…beings that love bananas. Is that the first one? Two…oh, one, two, three…I guess they're all on…oh, and then the newest one. So…oh, one, two, three, and then four, five. So, there’s five different movies with Gru and Kevin and everybody else. Okay, then we cut back to the house. So, I think there was a ad break in the original two. We see their house. They live on a corner. Huh. Oh, okay, so last time…so, that’s helpful for the first shot because…so, the first shot when we went through the window, that was the house on one part of the corner, but the front door…I was wrong. It’s on…since it’s on a corner, it does have a front door with a garage. The garage is attached, not detached, and they have a mailbox, also a weather vane.

 

Yeah, and they go off…they head out unsupervised, a dog and cat dressed as pirates, out into the night. Full moon. Very nice on pause, almost like a watercolor, the neighborhood, as they head out. Then they sing another song, like a Lady Witchbeard song, that’s a little bit of a story, like yo-ho, yo-ho, not a pirate’s life for me, but four winds, and Garfield’s going on an adventure. We also see other kids out trick-or-treating. As I paused it just now, there’s one kid as a pumpkin, there’s another kid as a Casper, another kid as Binky, and then another kid dressed very similar to one of the kids from Peanuts. Can't remember who, though. Is there a Penelope…Penelope…? There’s no Penelopes, huh? There’s Peppermint Patty. I don't think Peppermint Patty was dressed as that, though.

 

I don't know, kinda like a Lady Witchbeard type…but no, because they don’t have a pointy hat. Then they pass another person dressed that way. Odie…and this was always a question I had as I had a daughter, and then…should we get dressed up or…? Usually she would get dressed up for Halloween to go trick-or-treating. I always wondered…so, Odie’s having trouble processing this. Every other night I go out, there’s just humans. Now there’s these other beings everywhere. I always wondered what Koa or little kids thought of that. I mean, Koa never seemed…I mean, I guess 'cause she…maybe she sees by smell. But I said, doesn't the dog’s brain be like, what is going on here? But maybe not. I don't know. But that does happen to Odie, and Garfield says, hey, don't worry. These are just kids like us.

 

Which, I said, that’s interesting 'cause you're not kids. You're a dog and a cat. If you're kids’ aged, then you're probably actually young adults or in, I don't know, your thirties if you're kids. But that aside, he says, hey, Odie, don't worry about it. These are just kids dressed up. But then we get another piece of humor which is at first they show that one kid is dressed up, and the kid…then Garfield sings another song. So, song four; that’s at 10:41. I put ‘exclamation, exclamation point’. Four songs and all that plot in just ten minutes and forty-one seconds. It’s taking me thirty minutes to talk about this. It’s pretty good, huh? Okay, so they head off. So, they run…he says, see, Odie? This is just a kid dressed up as someone. He’s singing about this, though, how brave a cat he is.

 

I think this might be a Lou Rawls song, but I’m not positive. Then they see a Casper, but really it’s a large-footed being dressed as a Casper trick-or-treating. Garfield and Odie don’t like that. Then Garfield keeps singing, and they're walking past this fence. Again, great imagery. They see someone — so, this is at eleven minutes and eight seconds — dressed as Gargamel from the Smurfs. I mean, I don't even know if…I don't know if that show was on the air yet, but clearly, if you pause it and you're a little bit open-minded, you say, that’s Gargamel…that’s someone…it’s a costume, so it’s not Gargamel, but it is someone in a Gargamel from the Smurfs costume. Gargamel is a wizard. We even get a reveal that it’s actually Gargamel dressed as Gargamel. So, that’s the second reveal which neither…they say, Gargamel?

 

We're not Smurfs and we know you're non-positive. Still singing, we pass a third set, a background, another kind of…a metal fence. Garfield sings about being sassy. Another Casper, and this one…Garfield says, don't worry, I’ll check it, Odie. But this is a levitating Casper. So…but that was just more…it’s interesting 'cause the song was about how brave Garfield was, but then understandably, him and Odie are multiple…surprised multiple times. But one of Garfield’s inherent characteristics is he’s really not that brave. But they go trick-or-treating. They get to the first house, and Garfield demands more candy. The woman relents. First she gives them each…says, oh, what cute kids. But she relents and gives him more candy. He says, a thousand blessings upon your home.

 

But he also says, if you don’t give us more candy, I’ll alter your living room curtains. Then we get a short montage of them getting tons of candy and looking cute. Then for some reason they're walking on a dock. I don't know. Garfield says, we got a lot of candy. This is great. He removes part of his costume so he can walk easier, but then he says, by the way, we live on a river, Odie. If we could get to the other side of the river, we’d have a whole ‘nother neighborhood to trick-or-treat in. Is he singing this? He says, shouldn't we just be satisfied with the candy or is this my…one of my seven things that are non-positive about me? Then he says, yeah, let’s just take the boat across. Come on, Odie. We’ll go get more candy. Odie kinda rolls with everything. We also see that the dock…oh no, that’s the next dock.

 

Then they get in this rowboat, but Garfield is good at…very imaginative. So, they get in the boat and he’s still pretending he’s in character. So, he says, shove off, me matey. Put out the oars, 'cause they're just floating in the current. Odie just knocks the oars overboard. He says, okay, we're just drifting. Maybe we're gonna drift a long time. Also a lot of that going was like, yeah, I’m gonna get more candy, more candy, right? That’s the spirit of Halloween. So, then they're still going down…gibber the gibbish…he says, shave off the top side, bend the hatches, trim the main, sweep the sheets, give ‘er the givish, call my mommy. Shove off…top side…so, then we have a break; not a real break, but a break if you were watching over the air. Then Garfield’s kinda tired. He wants to go home and go to bed or whatever.

 

He said, I can't believe this. But Odie’s excited. They're in the mist. I gotta just be me, Garfield the house cat, gourmet, world traveler, amondabont or whatever they say or whatever that is. Odie says, hey, by the way, there’s an island coming up shrouded in mist with a house. Shiver me timbers; that’s when he says that. Land ho. So, they go up on this island. So, this is not even the midway point. We're at fifteen minutes. We get another pretty drastic shift in the storytelling, but I think for…very effective when you think about…this is a Halloween special; you were probably watching two to four back to back. You gotta have some Halloween oomph and the spirit of the season. So, I kinda like the choice in the sense of like, okay, first it was about trick-or-treating.

 

Now we're gonna give you a little oomph, and doing it in a way that’s kind of…flows instead of like, hey, now Garfield’s gonna tell you a story or something. So, they get to this island. Even though the skies are clear, it’s thundering and lightning for mood. They say, well, there’s a light on in the house. Somebody must live there. They're no longer trick-or-treating, though, I don't think. Garfield looks in. They see a warm fire. Maybe somebody’s chilling in there. Maybe not. Then this is where I say Garfield’s not that courageous, 'cause he says, Odie, why don’t you go in there and look around, more or less? I’ll open the door and you go in there. Are you ready? He can't get the door open, but so, he says, okay, let’s just go in nice and slow, then. This old house, light, windows…Odie, check it out. They go in the house.

 

The door opens very slowly. More thunder and lightning. We see a grandfather clock? Yeah, I guess so. It’s 11:45 p.m. Then there’s a nice easy chair in front of a fireplace. House doesn't look under the best of conditions, but Garfield suspects it’s deserted even though there’s a fire in the fireplace. Let’s get warmed up. This is more like it. So, they're cold; they’ve been in the rowboat. Then we see an older gentleman resting by the fire, but the thing is it’s just…the animation style is so different, and again, I think in a very archetypal good way, 'cause he’s actually…seems to just want to tell them a story, but he also has a very strong voice eventually. But Garfield and Odie weren't expecting the gentleman to be warming himself by the fire in his chair, so they're very surprised. He says, stop running around and listen up.

 

I’m gonna tell you a tale. He goes, this isn't the greatest night to come. He goes, this is a celebration night. Garfield’s like, okay, we’ll just head out. He goes, oh no, no, you're gonna stay and listen to my tale. This is a tale never told. Never been told before tonight. He’s got a green sweater on and red checkered pants. At first he kinda does a humble brag, I guess by definition a humble brag in his story, 'cause he says, yadda, yadda, yadda, I’m 110 years old. I said, wait a second, it’s…can I do the math? Yeah, he’s 110 years old. He looks great for 110 years old. As a matter of fact, I’d say I’ve never seen somebody look that good. He’s animated, but I say, that’s the best looking 110-year-old I’ve ever seen portrayed by major media, even in a cartoon.

 

Said, but I’m just gonna double-check, 'cause first he says…oh, he’s drooling there. He’s so excited to tell his tale, he’s drooling. But he says, are you familiar with the movie Barbie: A Fairy Secret? Garfield and Odie are not, so they look at one another. He goes, do you want to know a secret, a secret? They're like, what is this guy talking about? He goes, a hundred years ago, before there was a movie, Barbie: A Fairy Secret, I knew about a fairy secret…secret. They say, is there a echo in here? He goes, when you say that, there is, or you sing it. ‘Cause a hundred years ago there was a band of chalk fairies. Garfield says, chalk fairies? He says, yes, chalk fairies. He just holds up his hand; no more questions. They had a secret, a secret. Garfield doesn't say…he says, yeah, a fairy secret, a chalk fairy secret, in this case.

 

He says, that was a hundred years ago. By the way, I was ten and I worked for the fairies as their…I was…I would…I was their dust collector. I’d collect the chalk dust because we’d reuse it. It maintains their…whatever, their mass. They have to reabsorb chalk dust or fresh chalk. Never mind; I’m going off topic, he said. But he goes, the fairy secret a hundred years ago, even though I was ten…a hundred years ago I was ten, so Scooter’s math does hold up. He goes, this is where they gather for a fairy celebration. I don't know if it was never before or every year. Also…I mean, this guy is 110, but I think he had his dates wrong 'cause he says, at midnight Halloween. So, I guess maybe I’m wrong. Is midnight Halloween like when it turns to Halloween?

 

So, is…midnight Halloween is 12:00 the start of Halloween after the eve…12:00 a.m.; that’s midnight Halloween, or is 11:59 on the 31st that turns to November 1st Halloween Eve? But luckily for our movie or our special, I guess it is the transfer from Halloween to November 1st, because that’s when the fairies come to this particular house, or they're supposed to come once every hundred years. Just, tonight is the night. Under penalty of…can't even remember what happened in the Fairy Secret movie, but of loss of Bibble…you could lose Bibble, who’s Barbie’s…I can't remember. I may be mixing up my movies, too. But at the stroke of midnight the fairies are showing up to party, but they're chalk fairies, so you can't be here 'cause you’ll be covered in chalk and sneezing your nose off. By the way, this guy was a human.

 

So, Garfield and Odie are obviously confused by this whole thing. But he’s like, I’m 110 years old, you know? I can't be breathing in chalk, either, not like when I was ten. So, I guess Odie and Garfield are so confused that while they're confused, the old man takes their boat and leaves. I don't mean that pejoratively; he’s 110 years old. So, it’s like, you can't get much older than that, really. So, he heads out on their boat. Garfield’s like, that boat had our candy in it. While it’s okay to feed…he shouldn't have any candy; he’s 110 years old. Also, he said something about the chalk fairies coming and dancing and partying. We're not invited. He made it sound like it wasn’t a good idea to be here. So, then the…a very archetypal clock, grandfather clock sound rings midnight.

 

Oh, also during his tale there was a awesome sound effect of the fireplace, almost like a record. So, that was really cool. Okay, so then what happens is then the chalk fairies arrive. They come in a glowing ship, and they are made of chalk, like chalk you would put on a chalkboard back in the day, back before there was dry-erase boards…again, 'cause this was 1985. The chalk is kinda glowing, so it’s not just regular chalk. It’s glow-in-the-dark chalk, chalk with luminescent features. They can hear it. They're saying, do you want to know a secret, a secret? Just like the songs. They even sing the songs from A Mermaid’s Tale. So, Garfield…obviously Garfield and Odie are confused. Then the fairies say, time for hide-and-seek. If anybody’s not invited to the party, you'll have to leave if we find you.

 

If you can hide, you're welcome to enjoy the party hidden, but if we seek you, then you'll have to leave the party. Just…they're not familiar with the movie or anything, so…'cause I think Odie said something about a fashion fairy tale, and Garfield knows…no, no, it’s not a fashion fairy tale. He says, but that’s a fairy tale. The fairies are in that movie, too. Garfield’s like…I think he said a fairy secret, chalk fairies. Then there’s a glowing box of fairy party favors, and then Odie starts sneezing 'cause of the chalk. The chalk fairies are like, wait a second, we didn’t even say…we didn’t even start counting yet. No party favors for you guys. So, Garfield and Odie are like, we gotta get out…I don't know. We gotta get outta here 'cause of the chalk dust. So, they head out of the house. They try to get some air on the dock.

 

So, a extra piece of action that one of the boards in the dock isn't good, but Odie recovers from that. Then they…the chalk dust gets on their fur, and Garfield’s like, Odie, we gotta get this off our fur. ‘Cause remember when Jon met that Scooter and he would talk about putting chalk dust on the brick walls and how much he got…at school and that wasn’t allowed? Even the rain wouldn't get the chalk dust off the walls, according to the nuns. It turned out to be true. So, they go to scrub off in the river and then Odie’s like, I guess I gotta do the swimming for both of us, 'cause you're a cat. So, Garfield says, yes, please. So, they go swimming together in a river, so there’s enough to get the chalk off of them. Then they get up on shore and he says, I owe you one, Odie. You really…this was not a great night.

 

Let’s go home and go to bed. What a bummer. But then Odie points and he says, there’s our candy. There’s the boat with the candy. The name of the boat’s the Carolyn, interestingly enough. I don't know who it’s a tribute to, but probably somebody named Carolyn, C-A-R-O-L-Y-N. So, Garfield’s happy again. Happy ending, he says. We got the treasure. We got our candy. They walk home. There’s a cut, then there’s a closing segment, and Garfield says to Odie, listen, this is out of character for me, but you really came in handy tonight. I guess I was supposed to learn a lesson, 'cause this is the eighties. I gotta give up something of great personal worth and sacrifice because I learned a moral. So, I’m gonna give you half of the candy, your fair share, Odie. Odie licks him and takes off.

 

Then Garfield says, I think I’ll watch TV. He turns on the TV. The 105…110-year-old man’s on TV, and he’s been awarded a TV…a late-night TV special for a Barbie marathon. He’s like, so next up is a fashion fairy tale. He’s kinda setting it up, but that’s it. Then we get the credits, and there’s actually kind of art of…from the show, from the credits, and it’s really good. It reminds me of Mandalorian, of all things. Oh, the other thing is Lorenzo Music is the voice of Garfield, which is ironic for a bunch of reasons. One is that he worked on Rhoda and The Bob Newhart Show as well as being this prolific voice actor. That’s according to Wikipedia, though, so…I haven't looked it up anywhere else. But I was like, why is that name so familiar? So, that’s pretty cool. But yeah, that’s the Garfield special.

 

I’m just looking…Garfield is dressed up as a being from outer space right now. Then there’s them collecting their candy, them on a boat, and…yeah, 1985. What a year, man. So, I hope you enjoyed this. I guess maybe that’s why…I wasn’t quite aged out of Garfield or animation at this…in ‘85, but maybe by ‘87 I was. So, I don't know. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Don't worry, Bibble’s out there somewhere probably with Garfield. Also, Garfield has a stuffed animal, a stuffed bear. Maybe you could have a stuffed Bibble. Well, goodnight, everybody. I hope you enjoyed this seasonal episode, 'cause I love bringing you seasonal stuff. Thanks.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

Seasonal / Tale of the Tape

 

Origami

https://paper.gatech.edu/kinetic-joy/history-origami

https://lovepaper.org/paper-origami-its-history-evolution/

https://2newthings.com/origins-of-origami-looking-for-the-the-worlds-first-folded-paper-sculptures/

 

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (1985)

https://www.primetimer.com/quickhits/revisiting-the-garfield-halloween-special-why-was-it-so-scary

https://www.deviantart.com/joshvirgin/art/JV-Reviews-Garfields-Halloween-Adventure-1111009086

https://thecinephiliacs.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/garfields-halloween-adventure-1985-review-by-r-t-ewell/

 

Chalk / Chalkboards

https://familytreemagazine.com/history/timelines/history-matters-chalk/

https://pballew.blogspot.com/2023/06/a-brief-history-of-blackboards-and.html

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/17/08/tools-chalk

 

Lorenzo Music

https://travsd.wordpress.com/2022/05/02/the-legend-of-lorenzo-music-and-henrietta/

https://www.retrojunk.com/a/VAjCZcv5GX/lorenzo-music

https://cahss.d.umn.edu/articles/125-musics

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

I’m getting seasonal with you and Garfield tonight

Who knows what kind of tangents I’ll go on today

As if we had watched a few seasonal specials together

We could use your help through action

 

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; Shopify

 

INTRO

Thoughts that have been thunk

These thoughts got me thinkin’

Shaboozey, what do you think?

The Shaboozey / Emmet Otter Holiday Album

A Garfield rowboating episode

Maybe something tough is going on

An ongoing interesting relationship with sleep

I’m not good at folding things

Folding-Based Metaphors (FBMs)

A 4 letter word for origami

If I were animated and taking an origami class…

Trust me, origami teachers, you do not want me as a student

Encountering my abandoned Klutz guide to origami

I’m just generally not good at folding papers

I’m just generally a little bit crooked

I’m better off making metaphors and going off topic

These might be the healthiest thoughts that have ever gone through my brain

Is this equivocation?

Uncle Baby is here

Whoa, that was like a twelve-fold tangent right there

Rooting for each other in the deep dark night

Agreeing to mutually uncouple with Origami

I’ve been origami-ed

I’ve been unfolded and I feel like a swan

It’s already been a tangent-filled episode

sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

No pressure to fall asleep

Your borefriend

Explaining the intro and show structure

Talking about Garfield’s autumnal special

 

STORY

The Autumnal Adventure – Garfield’s Holloween Adventure (1985)

I don’t remember enough of this to do a Tale of the Tape

I don’t have anything against Garfield

I consumed a lot of his specials in the 80s

I personally didn’t have the Garfield books everyone else did

Why is this so archetypal?

It was broadcast with the Great Pumpkin special

You could view it on streaming and also see Pokerface!

24 minutes and 9 seconds (without commercials)

The tightest 24 minutes and 9 seconds you’ll ever see

Mindblowingly Efficient Storytelling

No critical thoughts, just an emotional distance

It would take me 2 episodes to accomplish what they do in 5 minutes

Kind of looks like The Simpsons

An establishing shot

Is this dusk or dawn?

I like this style of animation

They live near mountains or very tall hills

Through the window into Garfield’s home

Explaining Garfield

I’m sure some kids must’ve had a Garfield plush

I’ve never seen the live action animated movies

As far as I know, Garfield is an ordinary cat in these specials

Lounging, chilling, eating lasagna, having ‘tude

He’s a personality, that Garfield

Garfield sleeps under his blanket

We used to only be able to watch things on TV or movie theatres

Over the Air Television

Broadcast Days would end around 1am

He’s watching a test pattern on the TV

So we have a rough idea of the time of day

But still no specifics

This is irony

WBOR is the TV channel! Bore!

An easy viewing station

But the first program is a high energy kid show

Binky, the red nosed friend wearing a tutu

Garfield has bags under his eyes

Be in shape for tonight!

Garfield just wants to sleep

Tonight’s the night to get candy!

Garfield is intrigued by candy

There’s a piece of hair caught in the film print at this point

Tonight is Halloween night!

Garfield is fully sentient when he’s not around John

He’s a bit like Richard Warren, very self-interested

Garfield sings a song about tonight!

Garfield sings his song then goes back to bed

He loves the candy of it all

He wakes up clearly at Dusk

He needs a candy sack and a costume

First meeting Jon

Making a lantern of jacking

Jon loves Garfield’s silly faces

Garfield wears the pumpkin

Garfield wonders if pumpkin seeds are lasagna

John offers Garfield a human breakfast

Only in animated specials can a cat behave and eat this way

Garfield represents just a few of those 7 things you’re not supposed to do all the time

Garfield will take the whole breakfast

Odie is drinking water

Odie is a prototypical puppy

Garfield has a roast at Odie’s expense

Some Borscht Belt style humor

This episode is great at defying time

If Garfield brings Odie, he can get double candy!

A great sense of depth in 2D

Dogs can’t have candy

I had to tell my dad not to feed Koa jelly beans

Going through Jon’s storage for costume ideas

He makes Odie look like a humanized goat sheep

Breaking into another song!

Dressing up in different costumes

He kind of dances like a Peanuts character

Did lasagna ever sponsor Garfield?

They settle on Lady Witchbeard crew costumes

Jon gives Garfield and Odie candy sacks

We’ve got a village to pillage!

Okay, we’re cutting to commercial now

A commercial for brick friends and stuffed mallows at the Golden arches

An ad for a movie about beings that love bananas

Okay, we’ve established that Jon lives on a corner!

The garage is actually attached

An unsupervised dog and cat, out for a trick or treat

Singing a Lady Witchbeard song

Other kids are out trick or treating

There’s no Penelope in Peanuts, right?

Are dogs confused to see so many people out for Trick or Treating?

Garfield sings his 4th song!!!

I think this might be a Lou Rawls song

A large-footed being dressed as a casper

They see someone dressed as Gargamel from The Smurfs!

Was the Smurfs even on the air at this point?

OMG, it’s actually Gargamel!

Garfield sings about being sassy

Encountering a levitating casper

Garfield is inherently not that brave

Garfield demands extra candy and the woman relents!

A short montage of a lot of candy

Walking on a dock

How can they cross the river to keep trick or treating?

They get in a rowboat

Garfield is not brave but he’s imaginative

Just drifting on this boat

Garfield just has to be himself

Coming upon a mysterious island

We’re at 15 minutes

A pretty drastic shift in the storytelling

You need some Halloween Oomph

A light on in a mysterious house

11:45 pm on the grandfather clock

Warming up by the fireplace

An older gentleman rests by the fire

He wants to tell them a tale

They have to stay and listen

He starts off his story with a humble brag

This guy looks great for being 110 years old

He’s so excited to tell his tale that he’s drooling

Telling a fairy’s secret…secret

Is there an echo here?

A band of chalk fairies

He worked for the fairies as a 10 year old

Collecting chalk dust for the fairies

This is where they gather for a fairy celebration!

Is “midnight Halloween” into our out of Halloween day?

Regardless – the fairies are coming tonight!

Don’t lose bibble

You better not be here or you’ll sneeze from all the chalk!

They’re so confused and the old man takes their boat and leaves

A very archetypal grandfather clock sound

An awesome fireplace sound effect, too

The chalk fairies arrive in a glowing ship

Glow in the Dark Chalk

Fairies look for anyone playing hide and seek

A glowing box of fairy party favors

Odie starts sneezing from the chalk

Garfield and Odie have to escape the chalk dust!

Getting out to fresh air on the dock

They get chalk dust on their fur

Scrubbing off in the river

Odie swims for both of them

They cross the river

They’re gonna head back, but then they see their boat and candy!

The name of the boat is Carolyn, btw

Garfield is surprisingly grateful to Odie

He gives Odie half of the candy!

Garfield sees the old man on TV

He’s hosting a Barbie marathon on TV

Then there’s credits with art from the show

It reminds me of The Mandalorian

Oh, also, Lorenzo Music is the voice of Garfield

1985, what a year

I hope you enjoyed this

Don’t worry, Bibble is out there somewhere, safe and sound

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1389

Title: Garfield’s Autumnal Adventure

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; Shopify

Notable Language:

• Shaboozey
• Folding-Based Metaphors (FBMs)
• Origami
• Uncle Baby
• I’ve been origami-ed
• A lantern of jacking
• Prototypical Puppy
• Halloween Oomph
• Glow in the Dark Chalk

 

Notable Culture:

• • Shaboozey
  • Emmet Otter
  • The Shaboozey / Emmet Otter Holiday Album

• Garfield

• • Origami
  • Klutz guides
  • sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

• Pokerface

• • Peacock
  • The Simpsons
  • WBOR tv channel
  • Phish
  • Lady Witchbeard

• The Smurfs

• Barbie: A Fairy’s Secret

• Barbie: A Mermaid’s Tale

• The Mandalorian
• Lorenzo Music

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Thoughts that have been thunk
• These thoughts got me thinkin’
• Shaboozey, what do you think?
• The Shaboozey / Emmet Otter Holiday Album
• A Garfield rowboating episode
• Maybe something tough is going on
• An ongoing interesting relationship with sleep
• I’m not good at folding things
• Folding-Based Metaphors (FBMs)
• A 4 letter word for origami
• If I were animated and taking an origami class…
• Trust me, origami teachers, you do not want me as a student
• Encountering my abandoned Klutz guide to origami
• I’m just generally not good at folding papers
• I’m just generally a little bit crooked
• I’m better off making metaphors and going off topic
• These might be the healthiest thoughts that have ever gone through my brain
• Is this equivocation?
• Uncle Baby is here
• Whoa, that was like a twelve-fold tangent right there
• Rooting for each other in the deep dark night
• Agreeing to mutually uncouple with Origami
• I’ve been origami-ed
• I’ve been unfolded and I feel like a swan
• It’s already been a tangent-filled episode
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• No pressure to fall asleep
• Your borefriend
• Explaining the intro and show structure
• Talking about Garfield’s autumnal special
• The Autumnal Adventure – Garfield’s Holloween Adventure (1985)
• I don’t remember enough of this to do a Tale of the Tape
• I don’t have anything against Garfield
• I consumed a lot of his specials in the 80s
• I personally didn’t have the Garfield books everyone else did
• Why is this so archetypal?
• It was broadcast with the Great Pumpkin special
• You could view it on streaming and also see Pokerface!
• 24 minutes and 9 seconds (without commercials)
• The tightest 24 minutes and 9 seconds you’ll ever see
• Mindblowingly Efficient Storytelling
• No critical thoughts, just an emotional distance
• It would take me 2 episodes to accomplish what they do in 5 minutes
• Kind of looks like The Simpsons
• An establishing shot
• Is this dusk or dawn?
• I like this style of animation
• They live near mountains or very tall hills
• Through the window into Garfield’s home
• Explaining Garfield
• I’m sure some kids must’ve had a Garfield plush
• I’ve never seen the live action animated movies
• As far as I know, Garfield is an ordinary cat in these specials
• Lounging, chilling, eating lasagna, having ‘tude
• He’s a personality, that Garfield
• Garfield sleeps under his blanket
• We used to only be able to watch things on TV or movie theatres
• Over the Air Television
• Broadcast Days would end around 1am
• He’s watching a test pattern on the TV
• So we have a rough idea of the time of day
• But still no specifics
• This is irony
• WBOR is the TV channel! Bore!
• An easy viewing station
• But the first program is a high energy kid show
• Binky, the red nosed friend wearing a tutu
• Garfield has bags under his eyes
• Be in shape for tonight!
• Garfield just wants to sleep
• Tonight’s the night to get candy!
• Garfield is intrigued by candy
• There’s a piece of hair caught in the film print at this point
• Tonight is Halloween night!
• Garfield is fully sentient when he’s not around John
• He’s a bit like Richard Warren, very self-interested
• Garfield sings a song about tonight!
• Garfield sings his song then goes back to bed
• He loves the candy of it all
• He wakes up clearly at Dusk
• He needs a candy sack and a costume
• First meeting Jon
• Making a lantern of jacking
• Jon loves Garfield’s silly faces
• Garfield wears the pumpkin
• Garfield wonders if pumpkin seeds are lasagna
• John offers Garfield a human breakfast
• Only in animated specials can a cat behave and eat this way
• Garfield represents just a few of those 7 things you’re not supposed to do all the time
• Garfield will take the whole breakfast
• Odie is drinking water
• Odie is a prototypical puppy
• Garfield has a roast at Odie’s expense
• Some Borscht Belt style humor
• This episode is great at defying time
• If Garfield brings Odie, he can get double candy!
• A great sense of depth in 2D
• Dogs can’t have candy
• I had to tell my dad not to feed Koa jelly beans
• Going through Jon’s storage for costume ideas
• He makes Odie look like a humanized goat sheep
• Breaking into another song!
• Dressing up in different costumes
• He kind of dances like a Peanuts character
• Did lasagna ever sponsor Garfield?
• They settle on Lady Witchbeard crew costumes
• Jon gives Garfield and Odie candy sacks
• We’ve got a village to pillage!
• Okay, we’re cutting to commercial now
• A commercial for brick friends and stuffed mallows at the Golden arches
• An ad for a movie about beings that love bananas
• Okay, we’ve established that Jon lives on a corner!
• The garage is actually attached
• An unsupervised dog and cat, out for a trick or treat
• Singing a Lady Witchbeard song
• Other kids are out trick or treating
• There’s no Penelope in Peanuts, right?
• Are dogs confused to see so many people out for Trick or Treating?
• Garfield sings his 4th song!!!
• I think this might be a Lou Rawls song
• A large-footed being dressed as a casper
• They see someone dressed as Gargamel from The Smurfs!
• Was the Smurfs even on the air at this point?
• OMG, it’s actually Gargamel!
• Garfield sings about being sassy
• Encountering a levitating casper
• Garfield is inherently not that brave
• Garfield demands extra candy and the woman relents!
• A short montage of a lot of candy
• Walking on a dock
• How can they cross the river to keep trick or treating?
• They get in a rowboat
• Garfield is not brave but he’s imaginative
• Just drifting on this boat
• Garfield just has to be himself
• Coming upon a mysterious island
• We’re at 15 minutes
• A pretty drastic shift in the storytelling
• You need some Halloween Oomph
• A light on in a mysterious house
• 11:45 pm on the grandfather clock
• Warming up by the fireplace
• An older gentleman rests by the fire
• He wants to tell them a tale
• They have to stay and listen
• He starts off his story with a humble brag
• This guy looks great for being 110 years old
• He’s so excited to tell his tale that he’s drooling
• Telling a fairy’s secret…secret
• Is there an echo here?
• A band of chalk fairies
• He worked for the fairies as a 10 year old
• Collecting chalk dust for the fairies
• This is where they gather for a fairy celebration!
• Is “midnight Halloween” into our out of Halloween day?
• Regardless – the fairies are coming tonight!
• Don’t lose bibble
• You better not be here or you’ll sneeze from all the chalk!
• They’re so confused and the old man takes their boat and leaves
• A very archetypal grandfather clock sound
• An awesome fireplace sound effect, too
• The chalk fairies arrive in a glowing ship
• Glow in the Dark Chalk
• Fairies look for anyone playing hide and seek
• A glowing box of fairy party favors
• Odie starts sneezing from the chalk
• Garfield and Odie have to escape the chalk dust!
• Getting out to fresh air on the dock
• They get chalk dust on their fur
• Scrubbing off in the river
• Odie swims for both of them
• They cross the river
• They’re gonna head back, but then they see their boat and candy!
• The name of the boat is Carolyn, btw
• Garfield is surprisingly grateful to Odie
• He gives Odie half of the candy!
• Garfield sees the old man on TV
• He’s hosting a Barbie marathon on TV
• Then there’s credits with art from the show
• It reminds me of The Mandalorian
• Oh, also, Lorenzo Music is the voice of Garfield
• 1985, what a year
• I hope you enjoyed this
• Don’t worry, Bibble is out there somewhere, safe and sound