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This week, Louis is joined by stand-up comedian and comedy writer Dylan Adler to discuss Rob Reiner’s Legacy, the new Rian Johnson film Wake Up Dead Man, and their top picks for the ultimate gay guy music video playlist. Walton Goggins also joins Louis to chat about the new season of Fallout, The White Lotus, and more.

 

Subscribe to Keep It on YouTube to catch full episodes, exclusive content, and other community events. Find us there at YouTube.com/@KeepItPodcast

 

TRANSCRIPT

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel And we’re back with an all-new episode of Keep It. I’m Louis Virtel, and I’ll be honest, it’s been one of the grizzliest weekends of news, maybe in this entire year, but we get to start off on a happy note because guess who’s here today? The delightful comedian. First of all, we have something very specific in common, which we’ll get into in a second, but the fabulous Dylan Adler is here. And I always run into you out, and I’m like, no, let’s have a formal hang sometime, and finally we’re doing it.

 

Dylan Adler Finally we’re doing it. We’re always out, the shirts are off, the drinks are flowing, and now I’m happy to be here in a professional setting.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. Wherever we are, it looks like the I’m a Slave for You video. I’m like near death sweating and shirtless and I have jewelry over my shoulder or something. So it’s nice that we can both wear shirts from wherever these are from. Shein.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, Urban Outfitters.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, precisely.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, yeah

 

Louis Virtel Welcome, welcome, welcome to Keep It. Thank you for having me. Now, you also, like me, were a late night writer. You wrote for James Corden.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, I did.

 

Louis Virtel And you were a very featured queer act on the show. You would do your little tricks as well as jokes.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, I would. I’m very, very grateful that they let me be a faggot on the show. And it was honestly like I really because like James is such a musical theater lover. So like when it came to like writing and like songs and stuff, I felt like I was like, oh yes, this is the wheelhouse. This is everything I love to do. So it was like I felt very happy that that was like the case. If I had to write for like Seth, who’s like wonderful, but I just I feel like have less in common with with him.

 

Louis Virtel That makes sense actually though. Did you like the grind of it, the getting up and oh, you’ve got to write something about whatever. Melania Trump today. You won’t believe what she said.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, yeah. Well, first, I was not used to waking up that early in like 10 years. Oh, it’s bone chilling. I feel like a farmer. Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. I know. I was like, whoa. OK, and I started drinking Celsius, which was new. And then I think like the it’s like every day starting with monolog from nine to 11 a.m. It’s like monologue jokes, which was never like my strong suit or my favorite. But then we would get into like, all right, segments, pitches. Musical comedy stuff, and that was the stuff I was like more excited by.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, so you just had to get through the morning to get to the like the rad.

 

Dylan Adler Get to the morning where I’m like, Melania, more like Bologna. OK, this is not getting on the show.

 

Louis Virtel I think Stephen Sondheim does that every time. He’s like, what does Melania sound like? You know?

 

Dylan Adler Exactly, exactly, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel I’m glad to hear about your experience because I would watch your amazing bits on the show and be like, oh, okay, good. There’s like another gay guy doing this out here in LA. You harken back to this other era when we had multiple talk shows in LA, and now it’s sort of just Jimmy, you know?

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, absolutely. You’re the you are the last standing gay guy right late night, I think

 

Louis Virtel I think in the whole city. That’s right. Everybody else is lying down. I think so. Literally. So anyway, thank you for your service, etc. Yeah, absolutely. Now, OK, to get into the aforementioned grizzlier news this weekend, the fabulous Rob Reiner. First of all, I had heard news that something had happened at his house, and it felt like it couldn’t possibly be as bad as it was. But it sounds like he and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, were murdered in their home. Their son is being held right now. Nothing has been officially declared, et cetera. It is a horrifying story. Rob Reiner already is so painful to talk about this man in the past tense because he was ever present. He was somebody who was obsessed with equity and for one thing, gay marriage. Like he was like part of the reason it happened. And before you even get into his fabulous movies, the internet has done a good job monologuing about the fact that he had this run of movies that was extra exceptional, starting with, this is Spinal Tap, his first movie. He did this movie, The Sure Thing, afterwards was really underrated. Then you had The Princess Bride. You had Stand By Me before that. When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men. Misery is in there. So these are just tremendous movies. And by the way, if all he ever did was play Meathead on All in the Family, one of the great supporting roles of all time. The perfect foil to Archie Bunker, that would have been enough, but what do you think of this incredible Hollywood legend?

 

Dylan Adler I mean, it’s just so tragic and I’m such a fan of his film. I mean Princess Bride was a childhood like favorite. Yeah. That was something that me and my brother and we watch over and over and over again. So it’s so tragic. And someone who was so ever present. And so, I mean Advocate for No One Prop 8 in 2008. And it’s someone who like exuded purpose, you know? It’s just sad. And and

 

Louis Virtel An enthusiasm for just movie making and encouraging other people to do really well. He’s of course the son of Carl Reiner, a Hollywood legend. I think everybody had the same thought. Oh my God, somebody has to tell Mel Brooks about all of this, which is so awful. But in all the movies I mentioned, there’s actually, other than the fact that there’s a comedic point of view involved, they have very little in common. You would not think the guy who came up with This Is Spinal Tap, which was basically an entirely improvised movie also did misery based off the Stephen King book in which. The camera follows Kathy Bates so closely, you can feel her breathing on you as she is the scariest Stan in movie history.

 

Dylan Adler It’s versatility. It’s incredible how he could really cross genres in that way.

 

Louis Virtel I also think The Princess Bride is probably the most watched of all of his films. As in, I think the fans of that movie probably re-watch it all the time. It’s sort of a genre unto itself, I thin, that fantasy but also silly comedy, you know?

 

Dylan Adler Yes, 100%. It’s so quotable, so iconic, and so memorable, and it’s a family movie.

 

Louis Virtel Are you a fan of the movie Stand By Me at all? I am. Okay.

 

Dylan Adler I enjoyed that move.

 

Louis Virtel I am a huge Stand By Me fan, and the more I think about that movie, in a way, it typified coming of age movies. You know, oh, these four kids are young and we’ll see what happens then, but there’s a real smartness in how it observes that they’re these four children who set out on an adventure, but their lives are all about to change. They’re all basically about to not be friends anymore based on where life will take them. You know, Gordy, played by Will Wheaton. Is this like really strong writer. And so you sort of get the feeling that his ambitions will take him somewhere really great. But the other kids are less advantaged. Riffer Phoenix in that movie is just so unbelievable. I feel like we’re due for like a cultural revisit of everything he did. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the movie Dogfight. It’s a movie about this, Lily Taylor plays this girl who was recruited to go to this dance and she only realizes afterwards that she’s been invited because all of these guys are in a challenge to pick the ugliest date.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, they’re soldiers in Vietnam. I’ve seen the musical, but not the movie. Yes, the musical here is really good. I loved it. It’s Pasek and Paul’s like first musical that they did together.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, it’s a very touching movie and they’re both really good in it, but this movie about these four kids, it is such an awesome, and one of our commenters, I believe, said this on the Keep It Instagram page, such an interesting exploration of masculinity. These kids are all like, one of them has a dad who’s really overbearing and he feels ashamed to be sort of a writer, and the other ones, they have to show up for each other in an emotional way, but also the walls of masculinity keep them from doing that. It’s just such an interesting. Deep Movie.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, it is. Those kids are fucked up. Yeah, they are fucked. They’re fucked up and all they have is like each other. It reminded me in middle school. Did you ever have challenge day?

 

Louis Virtel Is that like field day a little bit?

 

Dylan Adler No, it’s like where these people come in and they’re like express your feet and it was like an emotional Cathartic thing where all these kids are like crying and hugging and holding each other. It’s like I can’t talk to my parents about

 

Louis Virtel Oh, no, we did have that. Well, I went to public school and then you would have this pullout day where I grew up Catholic where like some guy named like Father Terry or something would come out and like you could sheepishly ask your question about masturbation or whatever. Or whatever.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, of course. Yes, we had that. We had that too.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, I wonder if I got anything from that or if I only became the hardened bitch

 

Dylan Adler You know, sometimes it backfires you know these programs aren’t always effective.

 

Louis Virtel No, right. I think I resist the name Terry. You know, it just feels ambiguous, you know what I mean?

 

Dylan Adler Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel So I’m still thinking about Rob Reiner’s legacy. By the way, very underrated movie in his collection. The American President, Annette Benning in that movie, such a dignified, fabulous character and it could have only been her.

 

Dylan Adler Uh-huh.

 

Louis Virtel Love her in that. And even fucking James Woods is standing up against our atrocious president right now and what he said about the murder of Rob Reiner, basically making it all about him. Can you believe it? When James Woods is coming out against Trump, maybe the tides are turning. The ghosts of Mississippi are out.

 

Dylan Adler He he he.

 

Louis Virtel Anyway, we have a fabulous episode ahead of us. We are, first of all, going to be talking about the new movie, Wake Up Deadman, the latest installment in the Knives Out franchise.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, yes.

 

Louis Virtel And I have to say, do you know what I love that is such an old movie thing? When movies are star studded.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, yeah. Give me nine featured roles. This one was star studded, you know, for sure. Even like big actresses, I was like, wait, that’s it for you?

 

Louis Virtel Yes, right. Yeah. So they just appear for a second and, you know, they give their little monolog and then they walk off.

 

Dylan Adler Perfect!

 

Louis Virtel I love one day of work for whomever it is. Judy Dench and Murder on the Orient Express.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah

 

Louis Virtel So we’ll get into that. Our interview today is the extremely fabulous and extremely cool to talk to Walton Goggins, whom we loved on White Lotus this season and really in everything else. I talked to him about how he played one of my favorite game show hosts recently. We’ll talk about that. And then Dylan and I will get inevitably heated and livid discussing gay guy music video night and our definitive choices for what belongs on that playlist when you have gay guys over to your house to watch music videos.

 

Dylan Adler I might cause a stir.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, you brought an actual list, like a scroll like Santa.

 

Dylan Adler I have a scroll, I have notes, and I have reasons.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, good. You’re playing it down. There’s like a rage. I’m excited. We’ll get into that right after this on Keep It.

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel  Wake Up, Deadman, the latest entry in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series, has hit Netflix after a very limited theatrical run. Daniel Craig reprised his role as star detective Benoit Blanc, and Josh O’Connor, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, and more round out the truly stacked cast. Dylan, before we get into our thoughts here, are you a fan of the first two Knives out films?

 

Dylan Adler I am. I love a whodunit. I loved the first one. I thought it was great. The characters, I thought Tony Collette was fabulous. The second one, I would say, is I still enjoyed it. It was my least favorite of the three because… Whenever the big… Can I get into it? Yes, please. Whenever the Big Reveal is, she had a twin. She was a twin! To me, I’m like, lame. That’s hack. That’s like lazy writing to me. It’s like, she woke up and it was a dream. I’m, like, OK. But like, still, I was captivated and I liked it. But as a twin myself…

 

Louis Virtel I was gonna say you are very famously a twin.

 

Dylan Adler I’m like, we’re more than just a plot device, okay? We are not a plot devise, we are actually real. And I hate when twins are played by the same bitch. I’m, like, excuse me.

 

Louis Virtel You know what

 

Dylan Adler This is TwinFace.

 

Louis Virtel It is, wow. It’s twin face. Also, you’re right, it is kind of insulting. Twins are not the same person.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, exactly. I know. So, for me, when me and my twin brother learned that Lindsay Lohan and Parent Trap was the same girl, it kind of ruined us for a week. Yeah. Yeah. We were like, Hallie and Annie. We thought they were really two different bitches. Yeah. We were, like, oh my god, they’re us. They’re so us.

 

Louis Virtel They’re not. You’ve been duped. Yeah, that is too bad. No, wait, what did you think of the movie Twinless? Did you see it?

 

Dylan Adler I didn’t see it yet.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, who are you?

 

Dylan Adler I know. I need to see it because it’s… And it stars somebody named…

 

Louis Virtel And it stars somebody named Dylan! Get on the level! And get on the level.

 

Dylan Adler Who’s also Wayzian. And I’m like, I need to get into this. I need support the fellow Wayzians community. But to me, I know it’s about like a twin who dies. And my biggest fear in life is my twin brother dying. So I was like, I know, it’s gonna be hard for me to see that.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, I wouldn’t run out to see that either if I were you, now that you mention it.

 

Dylan Adler I know. One of my biggest fears is my twin brother dying. And I’m like, I don’t know if I can see this right now.

 

Louis Virtel I don’t know that we really discussed twinless on this show, but I will say about it, this Dylan O’Brien guy, really, really good. It’s a very unusual performance. And he has to weave between being like believably dense, because like the wool is being pulled over his eyes in this movie, by another person who, this isn’t spoiling anything because it’s given away in the first 20 minutes, pretends he had a twin.

 

Dylan Adler Oh my god. Okay, okay. Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel So it’s all a lie, but he is so captivating and I was under-educated on him. So I’m sorry, there are other Dylan twin-oriented people out there and I’m loving them too, babe.

 

Dylan Adler God damn it, Dylan doesn’t even have a fucking twin. Playing, having a twin, that’s not good. Wow, Dylan Sprouse is also out there in the world having a twin. That’s what I’m saying. There are too many. Yes, I know. I mean, honestly, Sweet Life of Zach and Cody was great twin representation because those, honestly they were two very distinct characters, which is pretty great because like it’s like, yes, twins can be very different. Like Zach was like kind of like this budding proud boy. And Cody was like this tree-hugging pussy, and it’s like, yes, bitch, you know.

 

Louis Virtel They go together. Yes. Exactly. You’re right. Tia and Tamara were pretty similar.

 

Dylan Adler Pretty similar, which is great. I mean that was such a great heartwarming show too, but I like that Zach and Cody they were totally different

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. I do feel like Jack K should be the parent of every set of twins though. Do you feel like it sucks that Jack K hasn’t played your mom yet?

 

Dylan Adler I know I think she could totally

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, no, I’m rooting for that. I fucking love her, by the way. Okay, wake up, dead man. We’re here. This movie, first of all, I just want to say, perfectly entertaining throughout. And I actually appreciate that in this movie, he veered away from the zany of Glass Onion, because as you said, the reveal in that movie, that one is extreme. And Janelle Monae plays it pretty well. But by the end of that movie buildings are exploding and it’s fully out of Looney Tunes.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, becomes cartoony

 

Louis Virtel You know, and just the, like statues are exploding and stuff, whereas in this one, it felt a little bit more like a Brit Box limited series, you know, starring Olivia Colman, that’s called like Stony Brook. And it’s this church community, which by the way, already has kind of a whodunit feeling. I don’t know if you grew up in a church.

 

Dylan Adler I didn’t, but it lent itself to the genre.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. No, like when I would go to church every week, there’s a feeling of, and it’s the incense that helps. You sort of are like, what’s going on here? What’s in the tabernacle? You know, it’s just like, it a place that naturally like is full of secrets basically. And they play with that here. Yeah, Josh O’Connor is a priest and Josh Brolin is this like fire and brimstone kind of guy who gets murdered as he should. Like the prototype person who gets murdered in a movie like this. And somebody in the Parish is responsible. You know what these movies are always up against, I find? Glenn Close, and I’m gonna be spoiling a lot in this movie, so if you don’t wanna learn anything about the movie, you need to look away, but you should have seen it by now. These movies are up against the fact that the person who did it is almost necessarily going to be a big name. So if you’re watching the entire movie, and you’re like, what is Glenn doing? She’s just sitting in the background. She’s stewing, like how? And it’s like, of course she did it. Of course Glenn Close did it, But, honestly… All of her great roles that I can think of. And I’m talking about Damage is the TV show. I’m taking about The Natural, Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons. I feel like her strength is having a reserve of power that you don’t know where it’s leading or where it from or what’s going to be aimed at. And in this movie, when it’s revealed she ran this whole thing as this scary nun person hanging in the background. The way she reveals the whodunit is so much better than any other Agatha Christie I’ve seen. It becomes a huge acting moment for her. I don’t think enough of one that it becomes Oscar nominatable, but it really was a lot of fun seeing her be like, and I’m the craziest motherfucker here. Yeah.

 

Dylan Adler I actually did get chills during that moment. I thought the ending was wonderful. This actually might be my favorite of the three films. And when Glenn Close delivered that monolog, I just, I really, really loved her final monolog. It was so perfectly delivered and the writing was really, really good.

 

Louis Virtel I think the mystery is the best in this one too. And also like the explanation at the end is extreme. Like there’s a whole, a lot of theatricality to it that you might associate with something like Scooby-Doo, for example. But at the same time, it’s played believably and it’s not outlandish really, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. One thing this movie lacks that the other two movies were teeming with is lots of pop culture references. I have to say as somebody who grew up on things like Animaniacs, where I just want like a hundred jokes a minute about. Whatever, Liza Minnelli or Mark’s brothers or whatever they’re referencing. I love that shit. I didn’t miss it here because it was going for a more somber, secluded, cloistered vibe. But at the same time, it is a different feel than the other two movies. And he has to be applauded, though, because I think he could have basically made the same movie again and again and no would have protested, it could have been like. I don’t mean to denigrate the show, I like the show. But The White Lotus, where it’s like, we’re just gonna be in a new place, same amount of characters, same amount of intrigue, whatever. But no, this feels like, I would actually compare it to, did you see the movie A Haunting in Venice? Yes, I did. Yeah, it’s sort of like in those movies, the Kenneth Branagh, Agatha Christie, who done it. The first two were just decadent star-powered movies. And then the third one was this other one that was a little darker, sleepier, not as a booming with charisma actually, but like the intrigue was better.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, I agree. And I kind of like that there was an element of like, this is what happens when the wrong algorithm gets to you and you kind of go down this fuck the libtards. I don’t know. It was like there are references to that, but I really loved it.

 

Louis Virtel I also think like in the like the star casting in these movies I think a big appeal for the actors involved is they get to play things they wouldn’t normally get to pay You know like like Tony Collette in that movie gets to play so silly in a way She almost never does like Muriel’s wedding There’s like a tinge of that, but that’s not really what Tony Collett does most of the time You know and Andrew Scott in this movie plays a very conservative writer You know it’s like well, you will absolutely never play that again. You know

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, absolutely.

 

Louis Virtel But it really plays here and gives them a couple times to like say lines that are like, you know, really bitter and stuff, you now. What did we think of Benoit Blanc in this venture? Daniel Craig’s third outing.

 

Dylan Adler Yes. So whenever I hear the Foghorn Leghorn, I’m always like, what the fuck? But then it becomes a part of it and I’m like, OK, I mean, but there always is like a couple of moments of adjustment. I’m, like, I’ve never heard anyone talk like this. I don’t know if I’m from the Bay Area and that’s why. But there’s always like a little moment. But I thought he obviously did an amazing job.

 

Louis Virtel That reminds me of Tim Gunn on Project Runway was talking about the final collection of Chris March, a fabulous and since he’s passed away designer who had a crazy final collection involving animal fur hanging off of all the outfits. And Tim said… It’s like walking into the monkey house. At first you’re like, this smells. I can’t handle it. I can even deal with this. And then after a while, after like the third dress comes out, you get used to it and you get use to it. And then finally you’re like, it doesn’t smell at all in here. I’m having the greatest time, you know? And it’s sort of like, you just have to get past that initial hurdle of, you are making a huge choice that almost actually kind of feels half-hearted to me. Like, you it’s like, do you really mean to be doing this voice? But then you do get used it. Yeah, yeah, that’s it. That’s it and I like to picture him play testing it with his wife Rachel Weiss and she’s like no go go bigger

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah. I know, the one, he’s like, there’s a donut hole, but there’s a big hole where the donut should be in the hole. I’m like, okay, yeah, I’m still in. Yeah, right.

 

Louis Virtel It’s racist.

 

Dylan Adler I know. Yeah, you have to wonder. It’s like, where is this at? What is this accent?

 

Louis Virtel Has there been anything else this year, movies, TV, you’ve been obsessed with? Okay, I have been.

 

Dylan Adler Obsessed with the new season, Stranger Things. Oh, really? Yes. And I thought the last season was fantastic. It tied everything together so perfectly. I felt like the brothers had such a great vision for the whole series from the very beginning and it was tied together very perfectly. And I think the kids are performing their asses off.

 

Louis Virtel Would you say is just the appeal of this show like this is like a pop culture blind spot for me I’ve seen very little of it

 

Dylan Adler You know, it’s a great world to exist in. It’s kind of like 80s retro kind of world. And I guess the appeal is like it’s escapist, but also it’s it’s little like kind of nostalgic and kind of homey and heartwarming. These group of friends kind of like riding their bikes together in the town. And I don’t know, it’s also kind of a nerd spectacle. It’s very in the world of Dungeons and Dragons references.

 

Louis Virtel Right it does feel like the world’s most expensive cozy thing. Yeah, you know, which is great No, I mean we should be spending that kind of money on that thing It’s like a couple years ago when we had heard there was a potential Nancy Meyers Netflix rom-com that was gonna cost like a billion dollars like she said a billion or nothing and they went with well nothing But it’s like I can just picture the kitchen tiles we were gonna get on that I can this picture the you know the hanging beautiful knives in the kitchen and stuff, you

 

Dylan Adler Oh, yeah. But it is cozy, but it is also terrifying. Like, I watch it and get chills on my back and check underneath my bed to make sure Vecna, the evil person, isn’t there. Because it’s, for real, kind of psychologically disturbing. How do I know?

 

Louis Virtel Do not watch a show with an evil person named Vakna.

 

Dylan Adler I know. I mean, Vecna, that was a character from Dungeons and Dragons that they pulled.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, okay, cute.

 

Dylan Adler Uh, yeah, no, and Vecna I think is like coded gay.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, okay. No, I have friends in D.C. Who are obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons and they will start talking about it and they’re the loveliest people. I want to say hi to John, I want say hi Matt. And when they start going off about that, I am like so lost. And I’m so not magic myself. I’m what you girls call a muggle. And so they immediately go into that universe, I’m like, I wish I could join you. I love improv, which is, you know, that’s basically what it is, right? Improv. I was like, except Can we improv like hanging out with Helena Bonham Carter or something like something that would be fun for me.

 

Dylan Adler You’re like, let’s not be in crazy town right now. Let’s be grounded. I like that. Yeah. I mean like it is a whole, I don’t know, I love myself some fantasy. I love escapism and it is a comfort show at the same time. Scary as hell. And so, but is the show over now, correct? Almost. It’ll be over. Oh, that’s right. The second half of the season comes out. Yeah, exactly.

 

Louis Virtel Are you dreading it?

 

Dylan Adler Um, no, I’m like, oh, finally something I’m really, like, really good to look forward to.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, the only thing I’m really looking forward to TV wise in the New Year’s is Traders, which gets me every time

 

Dylan Adler Oh, okay.

 

Louis Virtel Are you reality TV oriented at all?

 

Dylan Adler You know what? I will watch compilations of the Real Housewives of New Jersey fights. Okay. Oh, you just want the pure action. I want the action because me and my Gateswin brother grew up on Bad Girls Club. Oh, now see, that I remember. That was a good time. Okay, so we went to- One-liners and punching. Yes. We went to public school where there were fights every week. And so we really loved the show. And we were like, the fights. Oh my God. Be just like, we were just. Captivated by how they started, what was said during them. Tanisha Thomas was a favorite, Natalie Nunn. We were just kind of intrigued and we almost, we would reenact these fights ourselves. And I gave my brother a bloody nose one.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, wow. No, I mean, these were beyond fights. These were beatdowns. I mean you would watch someone get decked on these shows.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, 100 percent. It was hospital potential with these fights. And you pick your favorites and like the house will sometimes like, it’ll divide into two, these two teams. And the reunions are always a mess. I don’t know. We have memorized a lot of monologs from the show.

 

Louis Virtel This is not quite related. I was just thinking about why I got obsessed with award shows when I was a really little kid.

 

Dylan Adler Uh huh.

 

Louis Virtel Do you know what I think is like critical in the development of certain maybe comedy brains, but also award show lovers? Did you grow up on America’s Funniest Home Videos?

 

Dylan Adler I would watch a lot of America’s Funniest Home Videos.

 

Louis Virtel Because I think when you’re a little kid, that’s the first show you see where you understand every joke. You know, it’s like purely physical, whatever. And then you get protective over who was the funniest. And then there’s a vote at the end about who wins, and there’s pageantry to it, and they interview the winner. It’s like Bob Segg would be like, oh you really did it with Grandma Got Dropkicked, or whatever the winner that was that week. And you’d be like yes, that was correct. Yes, justice has been served, whatever!

 

Dylan Adler Served whatever because that was the show my parents would watch them like oh finally I get it. Yeah, right. I’m

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, right. I’m invited. Bob is inviting me to the room. By the way, Bob resents every word coming out of his mouth on that show.

 

Dylan Adler Ha ha ha ha

 

Louis Virtel He’s like trying to have a good time. He’s, like, I have to put on a silly fucking voice for the kids again. Oh my God. May he rest, Bob Second. Anyway, I guess that’s our Wake Up Dead Man conversation. Any final thoughts? Where do you think they should go next and who would you like to see in a Knives Out movie?

 

Dylan Adler Oh my gosh. Okay. You know what? I really, I like the tone back. I really would enjoy another movie where I just, I don’t know, good story and good, engaging, like plotline. It doesn’t have to be like explosion. I’ve never…

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, it takes its time.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, it takes its time. That to me is the sauce. And I would like to see another film like that. Okay. I think… Well, Michelle Yeoh was in A Haunting in Venice. I think she could do a wonderful job.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, and also she’s not in that movie very long, so I believe we’ve owed another whodunit appearance by Michelle Yeoh. Great answer. I am going to go with, you know what? I think Barbra Streisand has one last movie performance on her. And if she played, you now, like an older white woman in a turban, whom, you know, is concealing something from us, and then maybe it’s revealed under the turban later. And I-

 

Dylan Adler I think the big reveal, she looks at the camera and she’s like.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, in jokes to her career. She’s been doing that since What’s Up Doc.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. Yeah, that would be nice. So Barbara Streisand, and by the way, her requirement is you have to stay within four miles from her house or something in Malibu. That’s when she did that movie, The Guilt Trip. She was like, well, I’m not going past like UCLA. I think you can easily do that here in California.

 

Dylan Adler Brian Johnson. One last thing about this final movie. I thought Josh’s performance was amazing. It was great. I think one thing that kind of made me chuckle a little bit. I can say this. I’m half, but he’s playing this priest, but sometimes he would come off so Jewish, like playing this priests. He was like, oh, I killed this box. And then I father Mary, holy son. And I’m like, boy, bitch, you’re a priest. Yeah, I don’t know. So I thought that kind of made me chuckle a little bit. I was like, but I thought his performance was wonderful.

 

Louis Virtel I would say that was an acting assignment too, in a way that I don’t think we’ve seen in any other Knives Out movie. You know, like Anadei Armis was like featured in the first movie and it’s like, what he has to do in this movie is way more complicated and interesting and cerebral.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel He was, uh, lovely. He really is good at everything. I still think about how he became very sexy in Challengers, and I’ve never had that feeling about him otherwise.

 

Dylan Adler You know, I thought the other one was the sexier one. Oh, no. Oh no.

 

Louis Virtel And that’s controversial. Mike face. No, I agree. No, blonde people are superior.

 

Dylan Adler And like, I don’t know, maybe I should examine that. Right, right. I don’t know, everyone was like, and I was like what? I don’t know. Yeah, but he is the bad boy in that one, so. Right.

 

Louis Virtel Right. That was just it. I can go for that occasionally. I typically go for clean cut though. Me too. You know, I’m like LFO. Give me the Ambercrombie, girls.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, I know. I particularly go for that. Yeah, not the bad person. We’ll hunt them down sometime at Hot Dog. You and I. Absolutely. I’ll see you there.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, what did you think of Wake Up Dead Man? Throw me all your opinions. When we’re back, the fabulous Walton Goggins joins us. But before that, some quick housekeeping. This week on Bravo America, the Love It or Leave It series, where reality TV meets real power dynamics. John Lovett sits down with the Girls Next Door star Holly Madison. Holly gets real about life inside the Playboy Mansion, what it meant to be framed as the main character on TV while being treated like an object behind the scenes, and why she ultimately walked away. She also talks about reclaiming her story and how the Me Too era changed, how people finally heard it. It’s dark, revealing, and a reminder that reality TV was never as harmless as it looked. Listen to all the episodes of Bravo America on the Love It or Leave It feed wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube now. All right, when we’re back, we’re joined by Walton Goggins.

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel This week’s guest is a sheer force on screen. You know him from his unforgettable performances in The Hateful Eight, Jenga One Chain, Justify, The White Lotus, and so much more. He’s currently starring in season two of Fallout, which hits prime video on December 17th. Please welcome to Keep It the fabulous Walton Goggins.

 

Walton Goggins Wow, okay, I’ll take that adjective. Sure. Thank you very much for saying that. That’s very nice.

 

Louis Virtel There is no other word for it. That is exactly what you are. I was just thinking about this show because dual roles, I really associate mostly with movies, and I think for good reason, it feels like so much mental homework to keep up dual roles episode after episode after. Can you talk about just the mental homework of doing this TV show?

 

Walton Goggins Yeah, it’s a lot, right? Because you have to kind of keep in your head a world that is experiencing a post-apocalyptic reality. And then you transition from that world and these flashbacks to what the world was like and the origin story of the dropping of these bombs, right? And I just read these incredible scripts, first and foremost, it starts with the words on the page. And I try to read them, you know, 200 times and just hold space for these two different people. It’s interesting when Cooper Howard is up for the day, I don’t think about the ghoul because the ghul doesn’t exist, right? It’s just him. And conversely, when I’m the ghool, all I do is think about Cooper Howard. And I haven’t really thought about that really until you pose this question. You think about everything that he’s lost. Of course, he doesn’t think about that all the time, but it’s certainly in the back of his mind. And I pinch myself every day because it’s a very unique opportunity to get to walk through those two radically different fields.

 

Louis Virtel I feel like this show, along with The Last of Us, has just radically transformed what we think is possible with a video game adaptation. And what is it like hearing from fans of the game who are just everywhere? Like, I’m not a video-game devotee by myself, but every friend I’ve ever had is. So I imagine they are coming up to you constantly.

 

Walton Goggins You know, I’ve had the unique opportunity to be in a lot of different places in the world over the last two years, including in Serbia. I’ve been in Serbia for the last little bit. And the number of people that come up to me on the street is still so surprising to me and the way in which they talk about fallout and this game and how much it means to them, right? And, you know, it started with The Last of Us, But it really started… With the people who, God, Todd Howard, in our case, and Bethesda, and the building of this game, the building up this world, which has been around for so long and has engendered so many fans across the world. But it’s the story. If you look at the story of Fallout or the story Of The Last Of Us, God, I wish that I could have written it, because the world is already defined. There are already kind of clear parameters. And in some ways, it’s almost four dimensional. And what I mean by that is everywhere you look in every corner of our world, it is filled out with history. Something is going on. But there’s also kind of a spiritual interior to all of these people. And the game, even though I don’t play video games and I’ve never played Fallout, but the people that I’ve talked to, there is an internal kind of complicated complex backstory to all of these people. And that’s certainly what we try to do with our original story within the canon of the larger game or the larger world of Fallout. And just make it as real and as believable as possible. And do it the way that the game did it, with a lot of humor and there’s a lot of satire, but when there are consequences, there are real consequences. These are real people going through, experiencing the ending of the world and the struggles of living in a post-apocalyptic world, the wasteland.

 

Louis Virtel Also, at this point, it dawned on me how many long running TV shows you’ve been a part of, how long you’ve gotten to really evolve characters on screen. I was wondering, what are your favorite evolutions of the characters you’ve been able to play as they’ve been on TV year after year?

 

Walton Goggins Wow, the answer to that question is very long, but I have been given the opportunity and had the good fortune to be a part of a number of stories that have gone on for a number of years, starting with The Shield. Of course, yes. I was 29 years old when we did the pilot of The Shield, I’m 54 now. I’m not giving anything away, I just had a birthday. Happy birthday, yes? Thank you very much, but the, I was waiting for you to say that. No, um. None of us knew really what this long-form, serialized, 84-hour explanation of the interior of a person would be like. And it was the Sopranos. They were number one. But we were number two. And in some ways, I feel like we were astronauts, you know, exploring the moon for the first time. Nobody had been given the opportunity to go on a serialized journey. Over that period of time. That’s the truth. What was the longest-running movie of the week? I mean, six-part series, something like that. How long is a movie? Two and a half hours? And we got to go 84 on that. So I became obsessed. The possibility of where and how one explores a character in this serialized television format. And given the choice, I made the choice to go back to television instead of movies. I’ve been lucky enough to do a lot of movies, but given the opportunity to go back in and see where you could take something, not knowing where it’s going to go, there is no, you have a beginning. We still don’t know what the middle is, and we still don’t know what ending is. I mean, we have an idea. But for all of these shows, any great showrunner will tell you, we start with this. We think it might go here, and we think it may ultimately wind up there. But the truth is, the story just dictates the flow of the river. And I’m obsessed with it. And given the opportunity to go on this journey and fall out with these two different people. It was just too great an opportunity to pass up.

 

Louis Virtel You’re an actor who seems to belong in everything. Like every time I’ve seen you in something, I’m like, oh, that could only be Walton Coggins. So my question is, when have you surprised yourself acting? Because it feels like everything occurs organically to you. I don’t know what is like kind of a jolt to your system.

 

Walton Goggins Again, that’s very, very kind of you to say, but the truth is I have a panic attack and can’t sleep every single night before I start a job. I’m just sitting there pacing in this suite that I have before we began this, you know? And that’s really a part of a lot of actors that I look up to, certainly in actors that I’ve talked to. I think that’s just kind of a part of the process that you have to go through the fight or flight. Experience and mostly for me it’s flight. I’m ready to like walk out of the door before kind of leaning into it and getting that first hit, if you will, like in a football game, only to make it, you know, this is, well this is much bigger than me. This isn’t really about me at all. It’s about this story and how I can contribute to it. And so when you step outside of your own narcissism and really look at it from that angle. Then it just becomes easy to turn yourself over to an imaginary set of circumstances. It’s not about you. It’s about these people that you’re playing.

 

Louis Virtel You talked about working with actors you admire, and I can never get the movie The Apostle out of my head just in general. I think it’s like now historically very an underrated movie, even though it was celebrated at the time. But working with Robert Duvall, who I just don’t think like we talk a lot about actors like Marlon Brando or people who changed acting. But in terms of somebody consistent brilliance, I don’t know that you can best Robert Duval and you worked with him at such a young age. Was it as sort of groundbreaking a moment for you as I imagine it must have been?

 

Walton Goggins It was one of the definitive moments in my life as a young storyteller. Yeah, I mean, I have a number of heroes and I’ve worked with a lot of those heroes at this point, but it started with Bobby and that experience and his generosity and mentorship to me at that time in my live meant everything, you know, everything. And it continued, you know, I worked with Tony Hopkins and had another kind of pivotal point in my life. I just had a long conversation yesterday. I can’t tell you really why, but it was the subject matter was Bruce Stern. And I’ve been a fan of Bruce’s for such a long time. And we worked together on the Hateful Eight and watching all of his performances and coming home or Black Sunday. Or the trip, anything that he’s done, you just watch him. He’s not, there’s no lines, not saying lines. There’s behavior, but the behavior just is so impulsive. And he just spends his time listening, just like Bobby, just like Tony. These are the fucking Jedis, man. These guys do it all. And so, I’m grateful that I was led and pushed. In that direction and looking at how they kind of approached this craft and the reverence that they have for it.

 

Louis Virtel I just rewatched Bruce Stern in one of my favorite movies. They shoot horses, don’t they? If you haven’t seen that again recently, what an incredible movie. I mean, the King of Marvin Gardens. Oh, yes, Jack Nicholson. Yes, of course, Ellen Burstyn. Yeah, that’s right. He’s a king. They’re all kings. You are so often playing characters you have to create for the small screen. But I was curious recently, you played in The Luckiest Man in America, the biopic of Michael Larson, the Press Your Luck contestant who gained the system. You played Peter Tamarkin, the real-life game show host. And one of the fireiest game show hosts of the 80s, I was wondering if that was completely new to you to have to actually mimic somebody.

 

Walton Goggins Well, I’ve done it a few times, but never been like the lead of a biopic. You know, there’s some works for a couple of things in my own life where I’m gonna get the opportunity to do that. But yeah, it was certainly one of them. And it was a big responsibility to me. And I watched, I was on vacation when I got that script and I was so blown away with how tight it was and how they decided to tell that story. And So much of what, everything that happened on camera, so much of that was real. And all of that really happened, or a version of that happened. And then everything that kind of happened behind the scenes, it was either told to them or they had an idea of what those conversations would be like, and it mimicked reality. And yeah, it extremely intimidating. And I watched Mr. Tamarkin. Over and over and over and over again and and read this story over and over and over again. And an agent friend of mine, a legend in this industry, texted me when she heard that that we were going to do this movie. She said, I knew Peter. I dated Peter. Get out in high school. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And so that just added to my anxiety. But we talked about him. And then the very first day, it was, as you said, I was wanting to throw up. Like, I had so much anxiety. And then we started. And then all of a sudden, you know, there’s Peter. We were having so much fun with that. And the cast and Paul and Brian Garrity and everybody that Maisie, everybody that was there, that we actually, at one point we felt so comfortable that we were doing 15-minute takes. We made a game show in real time up until it just didn’t work for the camera anymore and we had to turn the stage around. And I think that was so liberating. It felt like theater and just made it really easy to.

 

Louis Virtel Um, I have to ask about the white lotus because I think it’s one of the few shows I’ve ever watched where just the reveal and a scene will just be a character having an unexpected moment, you know, like, like small moments tend to build up on that show. And I was wondering if you had a favorite character revealing moment on that show for your character.

 

Walton Goggins I mean, Mike White does that better than anybody. Yes, I seem to notice, yes. He ratchets tension. In some ways, I feel like he’s a horror director, you know, like an emotional horror director that explores, you know the internal struggle that we can all relate to on some level. For me. There were so many of those small details over the course of making that. Obviously sitting on the sofa in episode seven after confronting the guy that was the nemesis of my life and having that moment of feeling like I finally mastered my anger and my trauma. And I’m starting to, I’m rising out of it. I’m in control of it now. I understand it and I’m moving past it. Only to realize that he isn’t. That was obviously a big one, but there was this conversation that Rick Hatchet had in therapy. Some of that was dialed back because Mike didn’t want to reveal too much too soon. But there was a moment in that conversation. Rick is just caught off guard with a question that she asks. And he really hears that for the first time. And because she’s a stranger, he’s given permission, or he gives himself permission, to really talk about his childhood, unexpectedly, right? It’s the second time that they sit down. And there was just a moment in there and a detail that was just him sitting on a sofa. End. You know, what is it like in therapy? I’ve been in therapy, and when someone asks you a question that you don’t expect, and all of a sudden it just triggers something in you and allows a door to open ever so slightly. And that happened, even though the audience didn’t get to see it, I got to feel it.

 

Louis Virtel I have to also ask about closing the book on The Righteous Gemstones, which was still this year. I mean, just you’ve had a wild, unbelievable year. And just what do you feel about that show in retrospect? Because I feel like among fans, it’s got to be the most just universally beloved show of the past like 10 years among people who saw it. I work at a comedy show and all of those people, that’s like they gathered around that show. So what, in retrospect, is this show’s legacy for you?

 

Walton Goggins Friendship with Danny McBride. His mind and the way in which he writes his worldview and the things that make him laugh, he’s the funniest person I’ve ever met hands down in my life and I know a lot of funny people, as do you. But I’ve had the opportunity now to collaborate with him over a decade. And I didn’t want that show to end because I don’t want to ever stop working with Danny McBride. And the truth is, I… And I guess the takeaway for Baby Billy for me was getting to explore, again, yet another person that is not so dissimilar than the other people that I played who was marginalized and lonely and misunderstood and deeply insecure. He just happens to be funny as shit. Because you can’t help it, you know? And I love him and I love Edie and. And Adam and everybody on that show, all of these top shelf, all of these people are some of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. But really, really Danny and the laughs that we had over those, those seasons. Well, thank you.

 

Louis Virtel Thank you so much for speaking with me. By the way, you’re such a compelling interviewee. Somebody should just make you do this for like 72 hours straight sometime and see what is revealed.

 

Walton Goggins Hey, thank you so much for the conversation. Really, man, I so appreciate it. And the thoughtful questions. Thank you.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, thank you for being with us today.

 

Walton Goggins All right, man. I’ll see you soon.

 

Louis Virtel [AD].

 

Louis Virtel Anyone who’s been to a gay guy’s house party knows how important music videos are to curating the vibe. And since we’re all in for a marathon of holiday parties, Dylan and I have tasked ourselves with creating the ultimate music video playlist. Simply put, no party is worth going to if these videos aren’t on the queue. Dylan, when you were given this question, what was the first music video that popped into your head?

 

Dylan Adler The first one was Paparazzi by Lady Gaga. Let me tell you something. Of course, the VMAs is the all and be all best performance of Paparazi of all time. People kind of underestimate and sleep on the music video, which is a cinematic masterpiece. It tells a story, the boyfriend kills the girlfriend, and then she comes back and it’s just a perfect narrative, and then, she kills him in the end, which Alexander Skarsgård played by him. And I think the finishing moment where she is… You know, she is getting her picture taken in jail. And then, I don’t know, I think it’s just the perfect ending to that.

 

Louis Virtel I think a crucial part of Lady Gaga becoming a superstar is how she embraced music video. How immediately she was like, it’s going to be hilarious, it is going to a full narrative, it’s gonna be expensive, you know, and I’m going to give you character choices.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, yeah. It’s a funny ass video. Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel It’s crazy. No, she was so fucking funny. I always say, the first time I had ever seen her speak, Perez Hilton was interviewing her. Very bad hair.

 

Dylan Adler Very bad, Arrow. Okay, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel And he goes, what is this dress inspired by? And she, of course, was dressed in a giant crystal shaped dress. That was sort of what she dressed at the time. And she goes, cocaine. It’s so funny. Like, just like, wow, you are abrupt and funny and know who you are. Yeah, yeah. OK, my first response to this, I go vintage immediately. Because by the way, Gay Guy Music Video Night is a trap. When I invited you, I want to see what you know. And I’m going to explain what you don’t. Okay, it’s Fully Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. I’m gonna get the guess, okay? It’s Knives Out. Yeah, if you will. Yeah. I’m going to go with Madonna doing Vogue at the VMAs in 1990.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, that’s a great choice.

 

Louis Virtel First of all, she is dressed literally in Glenn Close’s dress from Dangerous Liaisons, which she requested herself because Madonna is one of the greatest gay men who ever lived. But, you know, first of all no performance could be more lip synced. It’s totally lip synched. When this comes on at like a video bar, like at Revolver in West Hollywood, everyone stops and watches because the star power is captivating. Not only is she giving you a choreography in this Marie Antoinette theme, but it’s truly, I am- ordering these sissies around. There are gay men around her and she is stepping on them and kicking them and like throwing fans at them and then making out with them when she wants. So it’s like pure power dynamics. And I feel like when that video comes out, it’s like that makes you understand Madonna. And that’s when I begin the music.

 

Dylan Adler Steps on these faggots. She’s a fag hag who steps on their balls.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, right. And right, usually you have to pay for that kind of thing. And so my night always starts with mad respect for Madonna. So, okay, what’s your second?

 

Dylan Adler That is a great choice. Okay, my other choice, Mariah Carey’s Honey. Oh, of course. The James Bond of it all. The Honey music video. It is so well done. And then when she goes on the jet ski, it’s so sexy and it so perfectly captures the song. And then also like… Honey is just, she’s talking about cum. The whole song’s about cum, she dances with- Cum is a huge part of gay guy music video night. It’s a huge, part of, gay guy video night after. Yes, right. Um, but the thing is, like, she dance with semen on the sea. She knows what she’s taking about, like she’s not hiding the fact that she’s talking, honey, she like, yeah, bitch, I’m talking about come. Fuck you, Tommy Motola, I am going to sing about cum! I’m not going to wear things that cover up my neck, I talking about com.

 

Louis Virtel And also, you’re right. I think also something that’s fun about that in regards to Gay Guy Music Video Night is it’s a very liberating moment for her too. She’s definitely making music that she also likes way more than her previous music.

 

Dylan Adler Not one hundred percent

 

Louis Virtel You know, she always wanted to get into the R&B zone. Always wanted it to be sultrier. The Shaka Khan sample. See, there’s history. Always get history with Gaga music video. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Loving, loving, loving that video. In fact, I guess that would definitely be her best video. I think it’s her best. Yeah, I’m like thinking I like she directed fantasy when she’s on the roller coaster, and that’s fun. But honey is like the high octane.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah. Heartbreaker is also a good one too. Number two. Where she fights her alter ego at the movie theater. Yes, Bianca. Yeah. Yes, Bianca, so I like that. Bianca also was like kind of Asian vibes where I’m like, OK, girl.

 

Louis Virtel Well, it was also just like that 1999, like, you always had a straight, like a Feruza Balk. Like, like those were always in the movies at that time. Yes, yes. Okay, so something new… Mariah Akiyama. If… Yeah. A newer video I like to put into rotation. Charlie XCX and Billie Eilish. Oh, okay. Rowdy. Yeah, also queer vibes. Yes, Billy Eilish being like, you know what I like? And swinging it around being like, bring out the ladies. Yeah.

 

Dylan Adler That’s a that’s a hot ass video. Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Also, just like, it’s so fun, like, there’s such stars in the video, too. I really want captivating star energy in all the videos at Gay Guy Music Video.

 

Dylan Adler I agree, I agree. Okay, my next one is TLC’s Unpretty.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, because you need to have a reflective moment.

 

Dylan Adler Honey, I think it’s like, let’s all talk about the body this morning that all of us faggots have. I don’t know. I just love that song. I love that music video. Great song. Great video. Great song, great video. And I love the shoot. They’re in like a field of flowers. Yes. And then they go back to their zen moment where they’re not feeling unpretty. I don’t know. I just loved TLC and I-

 

Louis Virtel I also feel like the choreography in that video is lots of like looking down and pushing your hair out of the way

 

Dylan Adler Pushing her hair out and then there’s like some sign language that I think um that I think Left Eye is doing. Yeah right. Yeah and then theres like some like moves that are I don’t know. Oh yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Oh yeah, always tinged with the…

 

Dylan Adler I’ll say the Far East. That’s what I’m saying. I’m just saying it’s like there’s some Buddhist shit going on with the hands and I’m like it works with the music I think.

 

Louis Virtel Well, it’s very following like ray of light when we’re just like hand gestures were it and Hannah, etc, you know

 

Dylan Adler I know and then like there was butterflies and it was kind of like I don’t know I really I like the color palette I like that and I think gay guys have to reflect

 

Louis Virtel Oh, please. Fat chance. Fat chance! Yeah. Okay, here’s a weird older one. Janet Jackson, alright. You ever seen this video?

 

Dylan Adler Video. Oh, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel It’s like her throwback-y video that has like, you know, zoot-zooty action in it, and it’s got, it’s a great single of Rhythm Nation. And Cab Calloway is in it and Sid Sharice is in it. And this is again, part of my trap. Oh, Sid Sharce, you ever seen Singing in the Rain? What do you think of Debbie Reynolds? Postcards from the Edge, did you see that? Meryl was nominated for that, but not Shirley MacLean, who probably gave the better performance. What do think of that? Gene Kelly, what do you about Gene Kelly? Did you know he invented having a big fat ass and being a man.

 

Dylan Adler How about that? Yeah, men didn’t exist until that.

 

Louis Virtel Right, exactly. To me, to anybody I care about, you know, so I could go on and on. All of these things, like every good music video has references in it, right? And I know all of them because I run the references in this town.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, you do.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, so that’s just it. Just be aware. Yeah, if you come to gay guy music video night, it’s a quiz It’s a ques, you know, but also Janet

 

Dylan Adler Of course serves it in that video. Yes. My Janet Jackson pick is the Together Again music video.

 

Louis Virtel But you know honestly that I think is more the vibe of gay guy music video night It’s like more fun, and she is certainly gorgeous in the video. Yes

 

Dylan Adler Yes, and she’s with a giraffe. She’s in Africa. She is dancing. It’s beautiful. It’s beautifully shot. I love the video.

 

Louis Virtel I feel like every superstar has to do the one thing with animals eventually.

 

Dylan Adler Oh yes, Taylor Swift with Wildest Dreams.

 

Louis Virtel Wildest dreams are like, you know, Roar Katy Perry. It’s just like, yeah, because you do every other version of decadence at some point, and then you run out of them, you

 

Dylan Adler You know? Yeah, exactly. Every celebrity has to have a giraffe.

 

Louis Virtel Right, like, you know, camel or something, you know, anything.

 

Dylan Adler 100%

 

Louis Virtel That is a great video. Next, I’m gonna go with, oh, here’s an essential category at Gay Guy Music Video Night, Super Bowl performances. Oh, yes. And once upon a time, I would have said Beyoncé was the definitive one, then I would have said Lady Gaga. I think the essential one now is JLo and Shakira.

 

Dylan Adler That is a great

 

Louis Virtel Fucking performance. Well, first of all, Shakira, I always know she’s gonna bring it because also Shakira is like silly core. She gets up, she’s like, I gotta go make donkey noises or whatever. And we love it.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, yes, yes.

 

Louis Virtel But then Jennifer, who, you know, was snubbed for an Oscar that year for Hustlers, which we were all rooting for her in, she said, well, I still know how to do a stripper pole. So I’m going to go back to basics, as they say. And she hopped up on them. And then she did like lots of like Spanish tinge dancing. There was even a kind of political message in some of it, which by the way, she had never done before. So I was happy that she elevated. It was

 

Dylan Adler Okay, I forgot about that. I still sometimes will wake up and think, Let’s get loud. And I’m like, we have to get loud, you know what? You disagree. I fucking love JLo and I am done with the JLo hate. What has she ever done to you, bitch? I would love to see you have the career she has. Yes, right. She was.

 

Louis Virtel Great and hustlers. Also, my thing about JLo and actually it’s sort of a similar problem I have with Lady Gaga is I think their first album was so amazing that I personally think almost everything that has followed just hasn’t been as good. Like I love, if you have my love, Waiting for Tonight, Feeling So Good. That’s my favorite JLo song.

 

Dylan Adler When I saw that Super Bowl performance, I was like, she is a true triple-thread all-time performer. Like, she can dance the house style.

 

Louis Virtel And also for a long ass period of time, the woman has stamina unlike anybody ever. I saw her in Vegas with our former cohost, Ira Madison and a bunch of our friends. And it’s like, Jesus Christ. The athleticism is so amazing. Like you think pink is amazing for being able to fling yourself into the air. Jennifer’s on the ground moving around.

 

Dylan Adler Oh my god, no, that girl works her ass off. Alright, Dylan, what’s your next choice? Okay, my next choice is… Okay, Whenever Wherever by Shakira was my next

 

Louis Virtel Of course. Well, by the way, let’s just reflect on the early 2000s when we just gave the entire music video world to green screen.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, it was just her and talk about the animals.

 

Louis Virtel Yes, the horse.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, please behind her

 

Louis Virtel and also running with them, she actually outpaced the horses.

 

Dylan Adler Shakira outpaces horses. She’s on top of the Alps, I think. Yes, winning the Kentucky Derby. Winning the Kentucky, because she outran the horses to the Alpes, and now she’s singing it. I don’t know. I just love the song. And I think the music video, it just is a great image to think of when you’re hearing the song

 

Louis Virtel Also, that was such a great song for her to really emerge with in the States because, I mean, it’s a great pop song, so you remember it immediately, but the lyrics are so zany and in a way that only she can make where it’s like, if you’re really paying attention for artistry, you will get it from Shakira.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, my breasts are small and humble so you don’t confuse them with mountains.

 

Louis Virtel Like Virginia Woolf. Like what? Like what?

 

Dylan Adler It’s kind of poetic in a way. Yeah. And then she gets dirty at one moment. It’s like, oh my gosh, she’s getting dirty in the mud.

 

Louis Virtel Do you know what I think is essential to Gig Eye music video night right now, in the same rowdy choreography way, though there’s a caveat here. Any music video by Cat’s Eye. Here’s what I’ll say. Once you start putting on Cat’s eye videos, the algorithm says, here come 25,000 more. Because by the way, they do not stop making them. Yeah, you know, it’s like they’ve done like live versions of this or Commercial for that or whatever so it just goes on and on and so you have to be careful like you have To tell the YouTube nope we have to get back to Janet Jackson for sure you know for sure but like Always the conversation at gay guy music video night is which one is your favorite? You know the conversation will usually goes like oh my non has face Daniela always first in class with the choreography, but the eye travels to Yoon Chae You know there’s always like we’re trying to pick a favorite and then ultimately everybody settles on Lara because of queer credibility and also vocals

 

Dylan Adler Yes, yes, yes. You know, CatSci is big. Their music videos are.

 

Louis Virtel Yes. They were just at the Palladium here in LA. I miss them. I feel like an idiot.

 

Dylan Adler Idiot. Oh, yeah, I drove past that I was like

 

Louis Virtel That just it it was in the middle of town and we never get concerts in the middle of Town here yeah I could have taken my skateboard there

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, I always see you on your skateboard around

 

Louis Virtel You should wear elbow pads, Louis.

 

Dylan Adler I’m like, I almost just hit Mr. Vertel on his fucking skateboard. All right. Do you have any other selections? Cool. Gwen Stefani.

 

Louis Virtel This is an essential part of Gay Guy Music Video Night.

 

Dylan Adler I think it is rare for me that a music video will perfectly encapsulate everything a song will bring up inside of you emotionally. This really was the way it starts out with like a slow melodic version of the main theme when she’s walking into that like Lake Como house and then it’s the flashback, it’s the flash back. And I’m like, I get the chills because I’m, like, this is so perfectly encapsulating what it’s like to someone you were or might still be in love with who’s in a relationship with someone else and you’re like

 

Louis Virtel We’re cool. Also, no, it’s like you can’t take your eyes off this video, the editing becomes so lickety split in a way that really matches what you’re talking about, like that feeling of I’m blitzing through all these images of my past with this person, you know, I can’t stop, I can’t stop. And yet it’s also such a like beautiful song on an album that is like strictly bubble gum. And there is a bubble gum

 

Dylan Adler And there is a bubblegum quality to it, but it’s like… This was her Harajuku girl phase. Yes. Yes. And then Cool is like kind of out of left field. I’m like, wait, what? Yeah. There are no… I don’t see the Japanese girls in this.

 

Louis Virtel Music video. Some of the lyrics in that song, just wait till you get your little hands on L-A-M-B. I laugh every time. It’s so rude. And then of course she became who she is later on. It’s like the way in that video, she has nostalgia for an old relationship. I have nostalgia for what I once thought of Gwen Stefani. So it like works double.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it is a great answer beautiful beautiful the moment where they’re sipping the tea and it’s like they’re kissing I really get the goosebumps watching it. I’m like, wow, this is this is something else

 

Louis Virtel Also, you know what’s a classic gig, I think, when a blonde pop star has dark hair for a second, we’re like, oh, she looks amazing.

 

Dylan Adler All the comments are these faggots like, wow, she really pulls it off as a blonde and a brunette too. Right, they can’t believe it. It is like, yeah, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel You know, like Madonna, like a prayer, et cetera. Like these are all the famous versions of this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

Dylan Adler The fact that it’s love when blonde goes to brunette, vice versa.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah. The Sex and the City movie when she’s depressed so she goes brunette. I’m like, here, here motherfucker. Here, here. Yeah. Yeah. Something we’ve only barely touched on so far that must be acknowledged is award show performances. This is what Gay Guy Music Video Night always turns into because you remember the occasion of seeing it live perhaps. Of course. I am gonna bring up Kylie Minogue at the Brit Awards in 2002 performing Can’t Catch You Out of My Head. This is What Happened. She emerges in a CD player against a CD and the CD tilts towards the screen, who thought of that? Who thought of it? Was it Australia? Did they get together and come up with this amazing idea? She’s also like, I’m a stan, I love Kylie Minogue. And you know, it’s like Carly Rae Jepsen, where they really bring just a simplicity. Like they do what they do and Kylie does is great with choreography and actually Carly’s pretty good too, but it’s just about a pop hook and effervescence. Like they get on stage and you just want to be in like the thrall of their good vibes. Yeah. You know, and she really brings it every single time. In a way, Kylie Minogue sounds better now than she ever did before. I love the sound of her voice.

 

Dylan Adler I love Kylie and I love the fact that um I feel like almost in recent years because I feel like in a way that Kylie has been obviously popular with the gay community but I feel like it’s always been in other countries it’s obviously the most popular but I feel like finally at least in America it’s like now it’s like of course Kylie of course

 

Louis Virtel Right. And also she has so many years of hits to back it up to. So like, if you start to put it on with like some novices, then they’re like, Oh, no, wait, I do know that song. Or I do know that, you know, so it’s like, she comes back to you in a way like, oh, she’s been my friend.

 

Dylan Adler This whole time.

 

Louis Virtel You know, she’s the Glenda, you know.

 

Dylan Adler Oh my god all along she’s like Severus Snape it’s like oh my god this whole time you’ve been protecting me

 

Louis Virtel I’m so glad we figured that out.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Do you have one last one to send us off with?

 

Dylan Adler Oh my gosh, okay, you know what?

 

Louis Virtel Actually, or if you have a speed round, if you want to go through a bunch of them, you can’t. Okay.

 

Dylan Adler Hold the girl, Rina Sawayama.

 

Louis Virtel I love her, we had her on the podcast, fabulous. Are you serious? Yes.

 

Dylan Adler Yes, I think she is unreal that song that video gives me the chills also pop music scholar. She knows everything Oh, yeah, you know, yeah and she I don’t know It just is a song about literally taking care of your inner child, but you also could dance to it in a club I’m like, that’s great. Usually songs about that. You’re like, it’s like, you no piano ballad like my inner child Right. This one is like you kids like you dance you want to dance to its cathartic by the way

 

Louis Virtel By the way, you just put your finger on one of my biggest pet peeves in pop music, which is when a person does a ballad about being beautifully broken. My imperfections are perfect. Shut up. No, they’re not. Can’t work on them. What is this song?

 

Dylan Adler Shut up, Kelly Clarkson. You’re like, honey, better help is available. You’re listening to her just sing Beautiful Disaster. You’re, like, excuse me, don’t glorify mental health issues. Right. You can work on that.

 

Louis Virtel Today.

 

Dylan Adler Exactly. With my BetterHelp promo code.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, don’t worry. We did just do ad copy for them. Don’t worry, now you’re a part of it, bitch.

 

Dylan Adler Absolutely. Okay, and then I guess, you know what? Motivation Normani. The choreography is unreal. Choreography is unreal.

 

Louis Virtel That was, I think, sort of like a headliner of music video night, like three, four years ago. Oh, absolutely. But you should bring it back because the choreography is so.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah. The Beyonce references too. I think she is a true incredible performer.

 

Louis Virtel Should we pick one Beyonce thing for the road? What should we? Unfortunately, what comes to mind immediately is that performance of Lose My Breath where Michelle falls. It’s so wild. She goes down. She goes like the stock market down. Oh yeah.

 

Dylan Adler Oh yeah. And they keep, they’re just like, you better come back up, bitch. We’re not stopping at all. Yeah, yeah. They don’t, they don’t stop at all! Yeah. They don’t stop at all.

 

Louis Virtel Callie’s like, I glanced for a second, and now you better be back up when we move back through this. By the time we get to the…

 

Dylan Adler Bridge. Okay. A Beyonce moment for the road. Okay. Live performances of Renaissance where it’s comfy. Oh. Cozy. Cozy, cozy. That choreography is, I don’t know, it’s addicting. I can’t

 

Louis Virtel I’m gonna say it’s transfixing

 

Dylan Adler Yes. I just want like an easy, viewable, like video of that moment. I don’t know. When she does that choreography… Ch-ch-ch. In the robot machine. Yeah. I’m like, it’s perfect. It perfectly encapsulates that musical moment. Yeah. I can’t get enough of it.

 

Louis Virtel It’s like a sexy moment in like Brave New World or something. I’m like, wow, she’s really lost in the machine.

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, great answer. Great answer. Okay, what ones did we forget? Surely that’s not a complete list, though I have to say we did an amazing job. I think we did a great, great job. And we conquered the eras too. By the way, you got to put on like an old musical too. Put on like Cabaret or something. Yeah. I vote for the money song, but my friends aren’t money song oriented.

 

Dylan Adler Okay, yeah, maybe a little more maybe this time.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, right. That’s like, yeah, the Brendan Skinnells, that’s what they want to put on, you know what I’m saying? All right. What are your favorite gay guy music video night videos? I’m all ears. When we’re back, it’s our favorite segment of the episode. It’s Keep It. We’re back with the most scathing part of the episode. It’s keep it, Dylan, you’re a real bitch.

 

Dylan Adler And now’s the time to let it out. I am so, you know what’s been really grinding my fricking gears this week? With what, Marisa Tomei and my cousin Vinny? You know what, Instagram the app. I think it is packaged to us as this friendly, lighthearted Disney, look, we’re so, the algorithm behind it is truly, it sucks you in, you when you open it and you will see. Something that you must comment on or you’re an asshole, like your cousin getting married, someone is pregnant, you have to be like, congratulations. Suddenly that disappears and you’re like, where am I? I have to search for them to comment on this or I’m an asshole. And then like, I don’t know, Instagram knows who you are horny for and that there they are in the stories. And you’re, like, oh, here they are naked and I can’t look away. Right. Also… Instagram knows the bitches who you are jealous of and will assault you with their success, and it won’t stop. It’s just like, here they are, and then you can’t look away. And then how Instagram feels to me is Von Dutch, CharlieXCX, where it’s like, I’m your number one, I’m you number one. You’re not, I just live in that lot. You know, it’s just spurs mostly negative emotions.

 

Louis Virtel You’re stuck in a blitzkrieg of jealousy and aspiration horny.

 

Dylan Adler Horny and then also wait, someone’s married.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, yeah, no, you’re right the the horny part of the algorithm what they get right is how time consuming it is It’s time consuming that keeps you on the app

 

Dylan Adler I’m not mad about the horniness, I’ll say that, but I will say I’ve missed some work obligations.

 

Louis Virtel Steps in your career. You’re like you’re down for IMDB credits because of this. Or IMDB credits because of this.

 

Dylan Adler I’m so sorry, I’ll join the Zoom in five minutes.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, good God. No, also, by the way, Twitter, or whatever is less of it, kind of has the same problem where like you see something hilarious and then it zooms down immediately. I’m like, I guess I’m using the search bar to find your joke about whatever.

 

Dylan Adler Whatever yeah, you’re like I have to find whatever I was seeing because that’s what I wanted to see and now I’m seeing something I don’t care about right

 

Louis Virtel Wow. So you are really vexed by this. I’m trying, I feel like, do I see people I’m jealous of whatever? Like I’m not really jealous of Benny Drama, but it is that vibe. You know, I’m like, oh God, what’s he up to now? Oh, he’s hosting a podcast and that has like a hundred thousand views. But I’m funny. Think about that.

 

Dylan Adler Uh huh. I know. It just shows like Instagram is like, it is the barrage of success. Yeah. It is the Barrage of like, I got this. Look at this. I have this. It’s that for everyone. Like I feel it’s like Instagram. It is like myself included where it’s like you post about, oh I had this exciting thing happen. But then like you’ll see a barrage of it and you’re like, uh, I don’t know. It’s just like it just spurs a bunch of emotions. It feels like Von Dutch.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, that’s what you’ve maintained this entire conversation.

 

Dylan Adler I’m just living that life where it’s like they’re just right in front of you. I’m living that live on the…

 

Louis Virtel By the way, now that we’re back on CharlieXDX, I also wanna say that I love Spring Breakers with Kesha.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, yeah.

 

Louis Virtel Never get invited because I’m such a hater. Welcome to my fucking life.

 

Dylan Adler That’s good.

 

Louis Virtel I’m just living that life, you know what I mean? If you will. Okay, my keep it this week goes to a movie that I can’t say I was excited for because I was well prepared via the trailer for what I got. But that is what’s extra surprising about this. Keep it to the movie Ella McKay, which is a alleged rom-com, though I cannot deduce the story from one beat to the next. It is directed by James L. Brooks, showbiz legend, creator of The Simpsons. And director Oscar winner for Terms of Endearment, as good as it gets, among many, many other hits. In this movie, Julie Kavner, who plays Marge Simpson, is the narrator of the movie. And in fact, their relationship goes back before that. He created the Mary Tyler Moore spin-off, Rhoda, where Julie Kavanaugh won her first Emmy.

 

Dylan Adler Oh my god.

 

Louis Virtel So he’s been in it for the long haul. And like, I mean, to say I stand this man’s material and life is a vast understatement. He is amazing. This movie is the definitive bad movie of the 2020s. You ever seen The Room? No. Okay. In that movie, and The Room of course has stands everywhere, the thing about that movie is what you’re watching actually occurs in most movies. Oh, they’re having conversations. People reveal things about themselves. There’s fights about things. It all feels like aliens made a bad guess about how to make this, right? Ella McKay is the new The Room in that way, where a girl becomes the governor of the state she grew up in, the state is never specified, and all the other characters, star-studded cast, you’ve got Woody Harrelson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lodin, Mr. Cercheronan, among many others, and, all they are doing is looking at Ella McKay, a person I have invested interest in, and they are saying things like… We love you, Ella. You’re the governor. We’re so mad, Ella! What’s happening, Ella?” It’s just frantic over nothing. It’s like compensating for a lack of comedy material by overacting. Sometimes you just get mad at Jamie Lee Curtis. You were just going to be mad at her in this movie because she’s exasperated over nothing, and it makes you think about his old movies like Terms of Endearment, which has one of the great exaseration scenes in movie history when Shirley MacLaine’s like, Give her the shot about her dying daughter, Debra Winger. Everything feels like a shadow of a shadow of a Shadow of something that once worked in 1983. And all I can say is you kind of have to see it because it is agonizing from start to finish. And I have no idea how this got made. Also, Ella McKay is played by an actress named Emma Mackie which is too close to Ella McKay.

 

Dylan Adler Wow. And, you know, what you touched on something that I think is… Very funny. When you’re watching something that is, you know, because of, I don’t know, directing or writing that is like knock, you will be mad at the actor for doing what they do. And it’s like, you, know, it’s not always their fault. They’re just like turning out their pussy. But you’re just, like, wow, I did not need to hear this because I don’t care about this character right now. And I’m just kind of, but it’s, like in the structure of the script, but you’re like, I’m mad at this person.

 

Louis Virtel And also, in a way, I can’t stay mad at the actors because it’s the direction that’s the problem. It’s like, why are you screaming? Like, why is the director being like, amp this up even more? It’s, like, I would like one person to address Ella McKay like she is a person in the world, as opposed to a hard of hearing loser or whatever we think is going on that we need to be screaming at her. No, it is a absolutely baffling movie. And I want to credit my friend Elijah Olekia for this next video. Theory I have. On the poster for the movie, Ella McKay is leaning over and putting on her shoe like she’s in a rush and she’s getting her heel on. This is something that does not happen in the movie. But it has spurred something online, the Ella McKay challenge where people…

 

Dylan Adler Like pretend to put on a shoe.

 

Louis Virtel My friend said, do you know why that’s the poster? Because in that picture, she looks like Anne Hathaway and they want people to mistake Anne Hatherway for being in the movie. So anyway, I wanna say I’m onto their scheme, but I could be wrong.

 

Dylan Adler Okay, speaking of Jamie Lee Curtis, I fucking love Freakier Friday.

 

Louis Virtel Oh, of course. Yes. That’s a movie I fucking love. Well, Freakier Friday. Freakyer Friday. Wow, the sequel. Yeah. Why did you love that? Because I heard it was, you know, underlovable.

 

Dylan Adler I loved it! I’m a Freaky Friday fan too. Grew up on that movie. I thought it was so well done, so well written. And I thought Jamie Lee Curtis playing a 15-year-old girl who’s like, oh, I’m so fucking old. I’m gonna die. Oh, I thought he was brilliant. And I don’t know. Unexpected. It was very self-referential and satisfying.

 

Louis Virtel I do love when she gets to be really silly because I think she wants to be I mean this is let’s not forget This is a woman who is a children’s book author. Okay. Yeah, that’s the energy she brings into the world

 

Dylan Adler Yeah, yeah, she is a goofball. She’s silly. She is funny. And I think, you know, you can tell she’s having a fucking blast.

 

Louis Virtel Okay, so I will watch this and you know where I will watch it? On a plane where I know it is.

 

Dylan Adler Oh, you know that’s on United.

 

Louis Virtel Yeah, allow me. Yeah, next time I’m going to Chicago, which by the way is coming up. All my friends better hang out with me. Dylan, thank you so much for being here. If we want to find you online or in person, where can we go?

 

Dylan Adler In person, I’m doing live comedy shows in Canada. February 18th, 19th, I am in Vancouver. 26Th, Toronto. 27Th, Ottawa. 28Th of February, Montreal. Tickets are in my Instagram bio, which is my favorite app on earth. At Dylan Adler underscore on TikTok, my second favorite app at Dylan Adlers six. You know what? On X, at Dylan Hadler seven. So hit me up, follow me.

 

Louis Virtel I love all these variations you are. Thank you so much for being here. You are a deep joy. And by the way, find the video specifically. Go to the fucking TikTok. This is a hilarious man.

 

Dylan Adler Thank you for having oh my god, they were being so fun

 

Louis Virtel Dylan, thank you so much for being here and thank you to the fabulous Walton Goggins for joining us. And I want to thank all our Keep It fans for joining us during this strange, tumultuous, but honestly really, really fun year. There’s plenty more to come in 2026 and I bet it’ll be dicey but fun. Don’t forget to follow Crooked Media on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. You can also subscribe to Keep It on YouTube for access to full episodes and other exclusive content. And if you’re as opinionated as we are, consider dropping us a review. Keep It is a Crooked Media production. Our producer is Bill McGrath. Our associate producer is Kennedy Hill. And our executive producers are Louis Virtel, Ira Madison III, and Kendra James. Our digital team is Delon Villanueva, Claudia Sheng, and Rachel Gaewski. This episode was recorded and mixed by Jerik Centeno. Thank you to David Toles, Kyle Seglin, and Charlotte Landes for production support every week. Our head of production is Matt DeGroot. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.