In This Episode
Ira and Louis discuss Superman, Too Much, Emmy noms, new albums from Justin Bieber and Kesha, Jet2holidays, and the continued search for a song of the summer. Ari Aster joins to discuss his new film Eddington, his fave paranoid thrillers, and more.
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TRANSCRIPT
Louis Virtel [AD]
Ira Madison III And we are back for an all-new episode of Keep It. And I’m back. I’m Ira Madison III. I’m Louis Fertel, and where the hell were you? That is simply too long to be on Fire Island. Okay, I want to do some warning right now to people out there, particularly our community. There is a stomach bug going around. Get out. Yes, listen, several friends have had it. One friend is being tested for E. Coli, which is crazy. But from Monday until Thursday morning, when I basically was airlifted off the island, no, I was fine, but I like got onto the ferry, got into a Cadillac, and then zipped back to the city. I was like immovable. I was in bed from Monday to Thursday morning. That’s why I was still on the fucking island.
Louis Virtel Oh my God. Well, what an amazing advertisement for Fire Island. Go there, have a good time, and then involuntarily lose a good 40 pounds.
Ira Madison III Honestly, it was kind of great in the aftermath, you know, not during during it. Yeah
Louis Virtel If you live through it, it’s great, yes. This is how I feel about today’s Emmy nominations because guess what, there were a couple of avenues under which I was lightly, I don’t wanna say optimistic, but you know, put a little prayer out there for myself. Didn’t happen, I’m still an Emmy nominee because of last year, but I’m not one this year. So everybody, you know awards mean more to me than people, so just know that I’m upset and you should be thinking of me. That’s sad, but at least I know that.
Ira Madison III That’s sad. At least I know that I won’t miss your running bit of hi, I’m Emmy nominee, Louis Vertel.
Louis Virtel And by the way, why did I stop that? It’s still true, girl. Why am I not still shoving that in your face? You’re right, but- You should be. I know, you would be, come on.
Ira Madison III Um, we were in a show that won an Emmy. What was that? Remember Kiki Palmer’s turns up with the tailors that won something. Yeah. So what an Emmy?
Louis Virtel I mean, it was a Quibi show? No, it’s was a Facebook show. Oh, okay. I didn’t, I forgot that that existed. I know Catherine Zeta-Jones said that one drug show that was a facebook show. Then I thought that became illegal.
Ira Madison III Yeah, so we played ourselves in that. That’s so crazy.
No, Keke said the words Ira and Louis. It was shocking.
Ira Madison III Yeah, I’m going to go find that clip because that’s the only time she’s going to say our
Louis Virtel Yeah, she’s like peace out. Enjoy the 2010s where you belong Yes, looking at these nominations lots of things that get nominated every year that aren’t that provocative But I want to shout out an actress. I love this year Katherine Lanaza on the pit She who plays kind of the experienced doctor who’s like Educating the new interns and Noah Wiley’s like kind of main confidant on the show But something I love about this woman other than her performance is great Her series of three marriages, one of my favorites in Hollywood history. Currently, she is married to Grant Show, whom you know from Melrose Place. Ugh, please. But her two husbands before that, French Stewart of Third Rock from the Sun, and before that Dennis Hopper. Wow. That is a triad. She’s carrying. Yes. Imagine being married to Dennis Hoper. That must be terrifying.
Ira Madison III That is also three wildly different men.
Louis Virtel They have nothing in common. Her type is, can you believe it?
Ira Madison III Which also, do you recall that Andrew Shue was involved in that newscaster affair story?
Louis Virtel Wait, like, uh, like the old one? Like the, who is it, Jessica Savage or something? Recently, like it was the black guy and his co-worker. Oh, yes, yes. Yes, they were amazing. Yes.
Ira Madison III I was married to Andrew Hsu. Right, yes, I forget to think about Andrew Hsue and I’m thinking about Elizabeth all the time. I am, I was actually thinking about Elizabeth Hsu recently. I watched Raging Bull for the first time. Oh yes, with Cathy Moriarty, great nomination. Yes, and so I was looking up. Cathy Moriarty, and I was like, wait, I know this diva. And I was, like, that’s the diva from Soap Dish. Yes. Obviously. The most outdated role, amazing performance, yes. Right, she’s so good. And then I was realizing, wait everybody in Soap Dish at the time was like a heavy hitter. Yeah. And then, I was oh, Elizabeth Shue’s in this movie, and she’s also a nominee.
Louis Virtel And I always say about that movie, Whoopi was hot in it.
Ira Madison III Yeah, she’s sexy in it. Now, her nomination was, Elizabeth Shue’s nomination was four years after Soap Dish for leaving Las Vegas, but everybody in there was like doing it.
Louis Virtel Yeah. Oh, no, no. You knew everybody in that movie and Sally was, of course, sensational. Okay.
Ira Madison III At these Emmy Noms, there are some shocks. First of all, Sharon Horgan for Bad Sisters.
Louis Virtel Love her uh and i love that show yeah also good show good cast and also sharon horgan is just a veteran now she was a catastrophe uh uh she just has done a whole bunch of things uh divorce with uh sarah justica parker she was a part of but this is her best show bring that show up i know i it they really tried
Ira Madison III Maybe it’s better in light of just like that.
Louis Virtel Well, I mean, most things are better. Like, the Great Depression is better in light of just like… But first, I mean, I’m this year for Kristen Bell, which is pretty rad, another showbiz veteran. Probably her best role was Veronica Mars, but this show is eminently watchable. And I have to support the career of Jackie Tone, who is just a weirdo person for real.
Ira Madison III Yeah, she did a very weird episode of Keep It Once, where she revealed her relationship with our bi king, Jason Mraz.
Louis Virtel Yes, but basically the preeminent bisexual, now that you mention it, if I had to rank them all, it’s like how asexual, it’s only Paula Palmerstone. Who’s the other reigning asexuel in Hollywood?
Ira Madison III Yeah, where has Jason Mraz been? We really are erasing them. He is hidden under a hat somewhere with his little ukulele. Spike from the Peanuts comic. I also see under outstanding drama series, Andor is nominated and I promise listeners, I’m gonna start watching, okay? Like people keep telling me to watch Andor. They keep saying that basically what happened with Andor is sort of what James Gunn has said his idea for the DCU is. It’s not everything has to be the same. Sort of like you just take the idea that this is the Star Wars, but then you make whatever the fuck you want. And so I hear that it’s sort of like in the Star wars universe, but it’s really good and it’s not just a mess. So I’m going to watch that. I mean, I won’t be here to talk about it, but I’m gonna watch it.
Louis Virtel I’m so excited that the Star Wars universe is expanding. I keep thinking it’s going to be too small. It’s like a fucking airport at this point.
Ira Madison III Jesus Christ. Well, wars…
Louis Virtel Oh, sorry, it’s very hot button, yes, or whatever, hot topic, on the nose, I don’t know what it is. I said last week when you weren’t here, and Kyle Buchanan was, that Diego Luna is dating Oscar nominee Marina de Tavira, and they’re kind of my favorite couple right now.
Ira Madison III Okay, by the way, fun episode.
Louis Virtel Thank you. No, Kyle brings it. And he’s also got that low Ira Dulcet thing, who, you know, coming in on, like somebody who is doing radio and do the right thing, that kind of voice.
Ira Madison III Uh, I think I come in with a little Lynn Thigpen and the Warriors vibe, but yes. Ooh, I love Lynn Thighpen. Gone too soon, Lynn Thickpen. Yeah. Um, I still think that your vendetta against the Wolf of Wall Street has to be examined.
Louis Virtel I would love to know what people love about it other than it’s people screaming at each other and not in a cool who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf way.
Ira Madison III You just have to do lines while watching.
Louis Virtel Oh, I see. My lack of a substance abuse problem is preventing me from understanding the joys of this film.
Ira Madison III Was also very happy about Slow Horses being nominated for Drama Series.
Louis Virtel That I can be happy for Gary Oldman even after what he did to Leslie Manville, says something about his acting ability. One problem I do have, I’m sorry, the acting on White Lotus is a bit over-represented. Like, okay, I can support Gary Coon, but like, did we need Amy Lee Wood to get an Emmy nomination for that? I don’t know, I mean, like she was sort of memorable, I guess, but we’re talking about Patricia Arquette on Severance. Patricia Arquet wipes the floor with those performances.
Ira Madison III I mean, Patricia Arquette probably just, like, wipes the floors in general. I feel like she probably would moonlight as the cleaning lady on set, too. Just like, to be helpful.
Louis Virtel Right, you’re right. She’s like, yeah, whatever you need me for, sure.
Ira Madison III I think that The Bear is in for some trouble. Right. Well, they’ve already had their day. You know what I mean? So. Yeah. And they’re nominated for outstanding comedy series, but people are coming for The Bear lately. Like also it doesn’t help that apparently the show isn’t good this season. Right. I don’t watch it famously.
Louis Virtel I saw a season of it, and I just feel like I saw all I need to see. I just don’t have… You couldn’t bear it. I don’t… That’s enough. I felt like I don’t have anything else to learn from that kind of contentious restaurant relationship personally. Also Chloe Sevigny nominated for an Emmy for Monsters, The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story. I want to shout out Cooper Koch too, also nominated. Chloe Sevigne, I always say like, sometimes celebrities are more important as interviewees than as actors. And I kind of thought she was just that. But you know what, she’s got the Oscar nomination, and now she’s the Emmy nomination, so she’s proving me wrong.
Ira Madison III Maybe she’s slowly working towards the E.G.O.D.
Louis Virtel Okay. Oh, you think she’s going to like, in her late 70s, she’s really going to hit. Yeah. Yeah. She’s really like turning the beat around. Yeah. She has to give like three more sort of board performances in Whit Stillman movies before she will get to that, but she will.
Ira Madison III Now, speaking of our older actors, Harrison Ford got his first ever Emmy nomination for Shrinking.
Louis Virtel Wow, that’s so crazy. Another person who is always around and you forget that we don’t award him things. Do you remember when Bernie Taupin won an Oscar for co-writing that song from Rocketman with Elton John and he had never won a Grammy before? That was his first ever EGOT Award. Like some people just slip through the cracks entirely when it comes to awards. And he has a…
Ira Madison III What was his Oscar nom? Witness. Harrison’s. Okay, yeah, that’s a long time ago. Yeah, 1985. And he’s certainly been great since. It’s also like, he’s one of those people too where you look at his filmography, you’re sort of like, what would he have been nominated for though?
Louis Virtel Right, exactly. Because none of it’s really Christain-ish. Maybe Working Girl. Yeah. Or maybe the movie Presumed Innocent, which the limited series version here has a number of nominations, including Ruth Negga. What’d you call me? I wanted you to get it one more time. I didn’t know how well she was going to come out.
Ira Madison III We’re like a volleyball team, set and spike. Also, Kathy Bates became the oldest Emmy nominee for best drama actress.
Louis Virtel And she’s doing better than ever. People apparently love that show. It would be weird if I spent any time on that show, but I believe it exists and I support Kathy Bates. I just watched about Schmidt for the first time and she is rowdy in it. Good nomination.
Ira Madison III Yeah, Cathy is, Cathy’s my girl. I watch Matlock. I’m a Matlock head.
Louis Virtel I am that locked in. I feel like you will turn on network television from time to time just to check in because you’re a little bit of a, you missed the NBC Thursday night thrills of the night.
Ira Madison III Girl, I don’t just miss the NBC Thursday nights, I miss the ABC Thursday nights. I was recently watching clips from Revenge and talking with a friend about how, where are the primetime soaps? Where is Revenge? Where is Desperate Housewives? Where is even like an Ugly Betty or like even like a fucking Lost? Like where are the, I feel like we were at a loss of shows that you were watching Week to week. Everyone’s talking about it. There’s a big cliffhanger between seasons, and then you’re excited for the new one. Like, we’re really sort of missing that in the TV realm.
Louis Virtel Also, speaking of Ugly Buddy, the great Michael Urie was nominated for Shrinking. Also, love him. So venerable. You would want him in anything. He brings such good energy, such a good performer. And one last shout out, Megan Fahey for Sirens nominated also. And she’s up against Cate Blanchett and Disclaimer, Rashida Jones in Black Mirror, Kristen Milioti in The Penguin, and Michelle Williams in Dying for Sex. I do think Kristen’s going to take that, but that’s probably my favorite category of all of them.
Ira Madison III Well, it’s the only good show.
Louis Virtel Yeah, Kate really pissed me off with that one. Sirens. Let me put in my earplugs. Dying for sex, I still think Michelle Williams should have maybe been a more comic performer like a Phoebe Waller bridge or something. But anyway. Hmm. I’m dying up here. For sex. Up for sex! Remember that show? Apple TV Plus had an amazing year. Severance and the studio are two of the top nominees in those categories. And Adam Scott’s nominated for Severance. And I think he’s still one of my all time favorite keep it guest. When somebody likes REM that hard, I can only stand. Yeah.
Ira Madison III I love the studio.
Louis Virtel Me too. Oh, I love, namely the second episode where it’s all in one shot. Yeah, the Sarah Pauli episode. And Sarah Paul is so good at it. Oh my God, she plays that so exactly right. Gruddle Lee, fabulous.
Ira Madison III And let me tell you, the women weren’t talking that day. It was Seth Rogen.
Louis Virtel Yes. Precisely.
Ira Madison III That’s the sequel.
Louis Virtel And Severance is still a show that exists. Right. I guess the thing is people like to be in dystopias. I disagree. I want life to be good. I can’t explain it. You know what topias I like?
Ira Madison III FRUITOPIA
Louis Virtel How about Dinotopia, motherfucker? Yes. How about Mr. Eric Von Detten? Now we’re talking awards-y.
Ira Madison III Okay, now you’re being Topia Terzi.
Louis Virtel Ooh! Governor Sullivan?
Ira Madison III The films of Mike Lee? All right, well, we got a whole episode to get to. Superman came out and it was huge, so.
Louis Virtel Which kind of blows my mind a little bit, and I don’t know why. Like, maybe it’s just it’s not, it’s so disconnected from other IP. I was wondering if it was going to exist in a bubble. But yeah, I saw it too. I saw too. Me, Louis. I sat there for this movie.
Ira Madison III So we’re going to talk about Superman and all the shit going on with that movie. Also, Lena Dunham dropped a new series called Too Much and critics are calling it Not Enough.
Louis Virtel Megan Stalter’s in it, currently also of hacks, but mainly of the internet. And whenever people move from the internet to the small screen, I say, are we sure? Yeah, a smaller screen to a bigger screen, though. That’s true. Screens are actually lots of different sizes now. We can’t be calling things the silver screen and the small-screen, it just doesn’t make sense.
Ira Madison III It wasn’t the screens that got smaller.
Louis Virtel Heheheheheheheheh
Ira Madison III Gloria Swanson is our guest today. She might as well be that paranoid bitch because we have another paranoid bitch joining us this week. Ari Aster is here to talk about his new film, Eddington, and it literally feels like logging on the Facebook.
Louis Virtel It is a living nightmare, and this is a man who calls himself a paranoiac. Bitch, I know! I see it!
Ira Madison III So we have a lot to say to Ari Aster about this film, about his previous films, etc. And then also, Justin Bieber released a new album. So we’re going to talk about that. We’ll see how much swag Louis has. Oh, not this.
Louis Virtel Yeah, I’m worried for everybody. I’ll save my swag for the Kesha album, which also came out this week and we’ll discuss.
Ira Madison III And we will be right back with more Keeper.
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Ira Madison III James Gunn’s Superman flew into theaters this past weekend, giving superhero fans a glimpse into the new DCU and giving film fans a Bradley Cooper cameo for seemingly no reason at all. Critics are debating whether or not this movie has done enough to save the superhero genre, but if Capes and Krypton aren’t your thing, we’re also going to chat about Lena Dunham’s new Netflix series Too Much, starring friend of the show Meg Salter. But starting with Superman. Louis, were you dripping in corn sweat? Oh, God. I am right now. It’s a matter of-
Louis Virtel It’s a medical issue. He is so hot. He is gorgeous. I mean, of course, I am a survivor of Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood, so I am already very familiar with David Coren’s. And the politician. Yes, which that had its moments. I enjoyed Gwyneth on that. Here’s what I’ll say about this movie. It kind of felt like seeing Spider-Man 1 at the time, which was, it was all devoid of the turducken of IP that has become all these other movies. And so it felt relatively stressless to just enter this new world, even though we’re deeply familiar with it and the characters within it. We got to, oh, there’s Superman. He has that relationship with Lois Lane in this newspaper and he’s still got the silly glasses, whatever.
Ira Madison III No origin.
Louis Virtel Yes, it was just and by the way, they just launched you kind of midway into a story too, which was a bit controversial You’re not at square one the way you are at the beginning of spider-man where he gets the bite and all that but It was pleasant that way I found myself looking forward to this movie because ever everybody in it is so kind of casually charming I thought the best performance in it was Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane who I believe is kind of in Courtney Cox Drag in this movie. Did you keep She was giving Gail Weathers. Yes, by the way- Just a little bit. I think if Gail Wethers never happened, Courtney Cox should have been Lois Lane. Like, she’s very that vibe. Like, I work at the paper, but I’m also willing to be charmed by a man, you know?
Ira Madison III I really enjoyed her performance too. I think she’s fucking great. And I loved David, obviously. He just has this, like, Boy Scout thing to him, and he’s hot and manly too. It’s very much how you were excited for Henry Cavill for being Superman, but this one feels more like he could be Superman.
Louis Virtel This guy, like the boyishness plus the sort of heartthrob, it’s like if Elijah Wood became a superhero or something. You know, there’s like an innocent quality, but then also, yeah, a man, obviously. Corrin Sweat does sound like a Latin term for ab sweat. I also.
Ira Madison III I also like that Superman didn’t feel like a god in this film. He got beat up a lot.
Louis Virtel Yeah, and actually, I would almost say a fault of the movie is we didn’t get enough scenes where Superman got to charm us because there were so many scenes of him down bad. Yeah. Yeah. It’s like in the Sex and the City movie where like Carrie’s in a deep depression actually, 75% of the time. Or in just like that. 100%. Yeah.
Ira Madison III Well, that’s us, actually. Yeah. Also, my man, Nicholas Holt. He is gorgeous.
Louis Virtel In this movie, as… Ed, he’s so funny. Yes. Also, his vibe is Lex Luthor in this movie. First of all, he is full-balled, so he looks exactly like the guy from the band Live, Ed Kowalczyk. But also, he styled so future sex love sounds, which… Something about that, like, being bitter, that that era of fashion is over, I think would propel a Lex Luthor of today. So it felt very Smart.
Ira Madison III Yeah, I enjoy Nicholas Hoult in most things, to be honest. I actually don’t think there’s anything I dislike him in. He’s always fun, like even in the menu. Like he’s so good at that character. Even the movie itself is a little messy.
Louis Virtel That movie made me not want to go to a restaurant ever again. Even though I did think he was good in it, I thought Rafe was good at it, and I thought the amazing Janet McTier was great in it.
Ira Madison III Yeah, I know who you didn’t say was good. Okay. Cut off the mini-
Louis Virtel I will say, though, I do think I wish Lex Luthor got more to do. I didn’t think he got a lot of opportunity to be a villain in an interesting new way or like be really twisted. I did think…
Ira Madison III There was a lot of plot going on, to be honest. I got to a certain point, we didn’t get a lot of the moments of just like these two baddies going head to head, you know, which is what you always get from Lex and Superman. And I get they wanted to do something a little bit different, but I love their confrontation at the end, you now, where he’s yelling about why he hates Superman, et cetera. And it’s all there. It’s just that there was a a lot going on in the movie. Obviously there’s the addition of the Justice Gang who will become the Justice League of America eventually. And I thought it was fun adding these extra characters in, but maybe a little bit too much of them at times. Although Mr. Terrific was fantastic.
Louis Virtel They felt like they kind of interrupted the movie a little bit too often. I wish they had been introduced or ingratiated into the film a little more subtly because they weren’t as charming as Superman, Lois and Lex Luthor. I wish we had just gotten a bit more of that story. I like Nathan Fillion.
Ira Madison III But like the joke about the haircut was funny, but then we had to keep looking at the haircut
Louis Virtel Right, it was tough. Uh, and unchanging, yes. And also there was a side character, this like kind of bimbo girlfriend of Lex Luthor named Eve, and I thought that didn’t pop off at all. Lauren Sanchez Bezos? That’s right. She was very Topanga looking to me.
Ira Madison III Yeah, Danielle Fischl. Yeah, she plays an integral part in the film plot wise, but doesn’t really do anything else character wise, which was unfortunate. Also the same can be said for Jimmy Olsen. True. But I love that actor.
Louis Virtel The way she takes selfies, she actually belongs in the movie Eddington, like one of those damning characters of today who is, you know, who we all raise an eyebrow at.
Ira Madison III But overall, I would say I really enjoyed Superman. And I also find it so funny that Fox News and their ilk has come after the film for its immigration depictions. And you know, it’s not unsurprising because back in the 40s, people were upset that Superman was beaten up Nazis and Hitler before the US entered World War II, mind you. Right. Because we could have gone either way. You know what I mean? We weren’t sure. So it’s just, you know, a lot of the same history-repeat-in-itself shit where, like, the people in Fox News, Kellyanne Conway, for instance, complaining about Superman sound like people complaining about Superman in the 40s. Like, it’s almost like they’re doing a bit.
Louis Virtel Right, and that’s kind of the thing with her, too. It always feels like she specifically is doing a bit, too, but, um… They’re like, oh, we gotta hate Superman today. Like… These themes are definitely underlined in the movie, but truly, it is pretty funny that any movie that might even have, um, an element of kindness as, like, a moral backbone, these people take as, an affront to them. I mean, it’s funny. I mean it’s sad for them, in the world, and we’re all fucked, but it’s also, additionally, on an ironic level, so stupid.
Ira Madison III I will say, though, that the villain in the movie was definitely Netanyahu. Quite. Yes. I was like, oh, they were like, let’s throw all this. I think they actually threw all the immigration stuff to the forefront of the conversation so that they could back door in the…
Louis Virtel Hot stuff. Right. No, no. I think you’re definitely right. I want to say also about Lex Luthor. He’s literally calling shots in this movie. He has a headset and is yelling things like L2, L3. And he reminded me of Ed Harris in The Truman Show. And that is such a funny super villain take. Just to be, I’m in a booth and I’m basically the stage manager of this apocalypse.
Ira Madison III Yeah. Truman Show, by the way, a much more chic movie than you would remember.
Louis Virtel Yeah, that’s a movie where everybody loves the concept because everybody has that idea about themselves, like am I in a simulation, et cetera. But there are things in that movie that are really well realized, namely near the end. I think when the illusion starts to fall apart at the beginning, it feels a little stupid. Like, why are they so sloppy? It makes no sense.
Ira Madison III Yeah, um, another thing I really enjoyed about the movie was Crypto the dog. Yes, though he is.
Louis Virtel Quite CGI. Yeah. It felt like Clifford the Big Red Dog running onto screen in a way. I miss him. Where’s he been? I know. Reading, I guess. That’s his whole thing, right? I’m in a book, but I’m a dog and I can read? Very meta. Yeah. Because he’s already in the book.
Ira Madison III Let me read you. He’s not reading that book, though. No, I don’t think so. He probably reads it like Colin Hoover.
Louis Virtel Clifford enjoying a good like the summer. I turn pretty or something. He’s like a lot
Ira Madison III Overall, I would say that this was a nice reintroduction to the DC universe, which has sort of been a mess. Not that Marvel hasn’t been a mess lately, too. But Fantastic Four seems like it’s going to be good. Thunderbolts was enjoyable. So I feel like maybe these superhero movies are getting back to being fun again instead of being about here’s 9,000 other films that you have to watch to be able to understand this.
Louis Virtel Yeah, well, Vanessa Kirby’s in that fantastic four hour film, so I will be seeing that. I also want to say about Superman, the flirtations were so good, the relationship between him and Lois Lane, and there was an actual kind of flirty dynamic that, by the way, is something that most James Bond movies are lacking now. The last time we got something really good in that vein, I feel like was Casino Royale with Daniel Craig and Eva Green. But um, they’re and dynamic was so fun, and which reminds me, the last time I cared about Superman was the show Lois and Clark, which was so good. I’m so sorry, Lois Clark was so god. Terry Hatcher was fabulous on that show. Miss Terry Hatcher, of course. Yes, the great Terry Hattcher of Desperate Housewives.
Ira Madison III Which of course we had mentioned earlier by the way, I guess it’s the one of the anniversaries or people were talking about it more that vanity fair profile of the cast of desperate housewives from season one if you have not reread that in a while, please go back and reread it because it is One of the wildest things to ever happen in pop culture. You can literally see the divisions on Set and like see who hates each other and who doesn’t from this profile
Louis Virtel Oh my god, well that’s funny because I just ran across an interview with Katherine Juiston recently talking about Nicolette Sheridan How’d she show up late to work? And she just said she says flatly like not affected not being on anybody’s team. She’s like, yeah, so she was bad So funny, but we’re being too much right now, like the show Too Much, starring Megan Staltzer on Netflix, created by Lena Dunham. We’re so happy to have her back. Lots of interesting inspired cameos so far on this show. Jessica Alba was on the first episode. Will Sharp, whom we loved in The White Lotus, and Real Pain is back here. What did you think of the show and what you’ve seen? I’ve only seen two episodes so far. I will say that they’ve hidden how
Ira Madison III hot Will Sharpe is on the show. Yeah. Like he’s giving indie rocker, which is, yeah. And I’m like, okay. He’s not really freezing my monkey, you know? I don’t really want to go to the Arctic with him. But you know, he’s fine. That is to say that the show is fine.
Louis Virtel To be so far. I think it’s pretty good, pretty good. It’s like, first of all, I think you kind of know what to expect out of Megan Stulter performance. She delivers one specific kind of total mess girl who has like a weird optimism about her, but that optimism is also just as tragic. And she’s doing that, but I was surprised that as the episode wore on, you got more genuine acting moments from her too. Like she sort of settled away from shtick. And I feel like her work on hacks on HBO I was like. They basically just want her to recreate what she does online, which is fine, but like, I don’t know, it’s not really dynamic in a TV performance. So to see her get to expand her chops here has been quite gratifying.
Ira Madison III Yeah, I am really enjoying her about four episodes into the series, so I’m about halfway there. But the series itself is so interesting to me because one, I’m happy to have Alina Dunham back. I love her voice. I love girls, obviously, but the show feels so Netflix. And I get that it’s on Netflix, but does everything on Netflix have to look the same?
Louis Virtel Yeah, you’re right. There’s like a resting sort of nimbus cloud over this show that makes it like that kind of faux prestige-y feel or that feel that like feels like it’s compensating for a lack of actual written material on screen. Even though I think it’s like quite funny. I don’t know that I’m laughing out loud at what’s funny on this show. That’s not really the point of it. It’s too experiential, too slice of life to be like that, but.
Ira Madison III Yeah, I feel like the lighting, you know, particularly when you see Felix and his flatmates, for instance. You know, it feels very Netflix-y there. And it’s the question is, is Lena Dunham making a Netflix show or is she like bursting out of the Netflix formula, et cetera? It’s just, I don’t know, she had such a distinctive voice and vision on HBO. And what I love about HBO is that shows can look wildly different. You know, True Blood didn’t look like girls, didn’t like sex in the city, didn’t look like Arliss. Oh my god.
Louis Virtel Which we’re always talking about, yes.
Ira Madison III But if everyone that used to be like a punchline for anything, just referencing Arliss.
Louis Virtel Yeah, I guess it is a funny comedy word, like the syllable it ends on is funny, but like no disrespect to the great Robert Wall.
Ira Madison III But yeah, it just feels like it could be any other Netflix show, which I guess works for Netflix because those shows are designed for you to keep watching where you fall asleep, you wake back up like something’s playing.
Louis Virtel But you’re right. I probably won’t be sticking with it because I’m too busy watching the new season of Big Brother. Oh Thank God, okay. Let’s talk about real TV. Yes Can we talk about actual drama even though the theme of this season by the way, which is like a mysterious hotel It’s called hotel. Miss miss from 2004. That is a sin
Ira Madison III Also, Julie Chen saying, hotel.
Louis Virtel Right, she’s not sure what the word is. She’s not sure. And they’re not going to tell her. They’re like, let God tell her since
Ira Madison III An alliance. The concept for this season is it’s a mystery and there’s a mastermind who’s, you know, manipulating things in the house. Last year it was like the AI person manipulating things into the house and it got really old, really fast. But the mastermind at least seems more fun. I think that mystery element is them really trying to reheat the Trader’s nachos, which sort of were Big Brother’s nacho’s in the first place. I like the idea of just the cast being fun and they’re not too much going on with twists and turns, et cetera. It seems like a very straightforward season. And then they also threw Rachel Riley in there from Big Brother 12 and winner of Big Brother 13. And let’s just say that when Rachel Riley is not getting the most screen time in the second episode of the series, which aired on Sunday, that you know the cast is psycho. That is probably true.
Louis Virtel Yes, because she is divisive in my own head. Like I support what she is able to do on the show, which is in a sort of grading way, get what she wants. Like it’s weird that she can be so demonstratively grading, and yet it works for her in a way. Like it draws you into her. I remember rooting for that woman, Portia, to beat her the last time she was on the Show. What was wrong with me? Portia wasn’t good either. But I’m interested to see how she tangles with a list of… New cast members because it’s been so long since she’s been on the show.
Ira Madison III Well, Portia opened Pandora’s box because the producers were like, we don’t want Rachel going home. Yes, precisely. I think that Rachel will play this season a little bit smarter, though, because she did do poorly on Traitors.
Louis Virtel Right, I even forgot she was on it. That’s sort of the benefit of that show. When somebody goes out early, it’s just like, well, you’re out early. And it’s not really a reflection one way or another on how you play, people are just randomly eliminated. So it’s easy, at least for me to forget.
Ira Madison III So I’m excited for this season of Big Brother. I think that like I’m already watching the feeds. Oh, you’re in, okay. Yeah, I go all or nothing here. So actually, I’m going to go check in on the house guests right now. So we’ll be right back with more Keep It. But before that, some quick housekeeping. The media might have gone quiet about Trump’s reign of terror in Los Angeles, but cricket is making more noise than ever with new merch items that speak out against ice and the havoc it’s wreaking in our communities. The Friends of Immigrants tea sends the message that you’re standing up for your neighbors and the Don’t Poke the Bear California flag tea is perfect for those of us who love California and the immigrants who make it amazing. You can find both at crooked.com slash store. All right, when we’re back, we’re joined by Ari Aster.
Louis Virtel [AD]
Ira Madison III We are so excited to bring on today’s guest. He’s one of the most prolific indie directors of our time. And as we already said in this episode, he does paranoia like nobody else. You know him as the auteur behind Midsommar, Hereditary, and Bo Is Afraid. Today he’s here to talk about his latest project, Eddington, which hits theaters this weekend. Please welcome to Keep It, Ari Aster. And happy birthday, I’ve realized.
Ari Aster Oh, thank you.
Louis Virtel Your favorite activity, press. I’m sure this is exactly what you’ve long wanted for your birthday.
Ari Aster Yes, I asked for it.
Ira Madison III I had the pleasure of seeing this film last night at the Alamo Drafthouse and you chatted with Naomi Fry after it. Was that, have you been around people watching the film yet?
Ari Aster Yeah, yeah, I I I didn’t sit in last night, but I’ve sat in with a couple audiences and gotten Gotten a sense of it
Ira Madison III And how is this, I guess, audience reaction compared to sitting in with any of your previous films?
Ari Aster Oh, well, you know, I never have much objectivity. You know, I would say it’s a film that’s doing something different than my other films. And so the response is inevitably going to be different. Yeah. But every time I sit in, it feels like it’s playing more or less the way I intended.
Ira Madison III I laughed immediately, you know, with your Giovanni’s Room joke.
Louis Virtel Oh my God, the girl dancing to the Giovanni’s, there’s an Instagram reel that appears where somebody’s like, when you finish Giovanni his room. Anyway, it’s very funny. Good, good. I’m glad. But I read that you started writing this like at the beginning of the pandemic. And I have to ask you, like, what propelled you to even finish it? Because the news was already frustrating enough at that time. And it’s well incorporated into this movie. It’s a very of that moment movie. But it’s just compounded with all these of paranoia and infighting and… Misinformation and anti-mask sentiments etc. Just like how could you keep doing this is my question
Ari Aster Well, you know, it’s kind of hard to escape it, so you might as well grapple with it. And you know I mean, I started writing this thing at the time that the film was set, early June, 2020. And everything was feeling terrible. And I thought I’m gonna try to make sense of it or at least pull back as far as I can and try to at least describe. The structure of reality at the moment, which is that nobody can agree on, you know, what it is, on what’s happening. And we’re all kind of living in these different realities. We’re all living on the internet, which has kind of been the case ever since we’ve been able to carry the internet on our person. And we’ve been successfully divided. I don’t think that’s the innocent consequence of social media. I think social media is a tool that has been harnessed. And we’re kind of living out an experiment that. Is, you know, has clearly failed, but the people at the levers don’t seem very interested in slowing it down. In fact, it seems to only be accelerating. So anyway, these were all the things that were kind of on my mind when I started writing it and just wanting to Get at the environment.
Ira Madison III You started writing this in the beginning of the pandemic, and obviously now the movie is coming out and we’re in, you know, 2025 now. Were there moments in the film and or ideas that you had that you were writing that then you were like, okay, because the internet moves so fast, because culture has moved so fast because politics has moved fast. You know, were there any big changes where you were, like, well, this doesn’t really work anymore? Or do you still feel that you have the nugget of what you started with?
Ari Aster Well, that’s what helps about making a period piece, right? That I’m making a film that’s basically happening over the course of a week. And so, if anything, those things don’t stop being relevant. You almost want to incorporate more than you can because things do change. But I feel that we haven’t really metabolized what happened in 2020 or how seismic COVID was. And one reason for that is that, we’re still kind of living through it. Like, that was an inflection point and the consequences of it are still forming. And things are only kind of getting scarier and more dangerous. And yeah, and the film is, it’s a black comedy. And, you know, I guess a satire. But the, I think the really insidious thing about this moment is that it is dangerous and it is catastrophic and it’s disastrous. But at the same time, it’s ridiculous and absurd and impossible to take seriously. And so that’s the tone I’m trying to somehow strike Peace out. Sustain in this film.
Louis Virtel I hope this doesn’t come off as scolding, but a part of me thinks, based on how purposely frustrating the characters in your movies are, going back to Hereditary, how fraught the situations are, how stressful the movies are that you must have been bored by most movies growing up. Like I can’t even really picture you sitting through a normal drama and thinking enough is going on, or I’m feeling enough. So I guess my question is, who did you find yourself inspired by? Because I can’t even put you in. A sequence with, like, it’s not really Hitchcockian, it just, I’m interested who, like you think back to the most.
Ari Aster Wow, I mean, if I really start to answer this in earnest, I’m, you know, we’re gonna need like three hours. Yeah. But I, you just mentioned Hitchcock. He’s huge for me. Scorsese is big for me, Kubrick, Ingmar Bergman, Fellini, Shohei Imamura is a Japanese filmmaker who was working in the 60s and 70s. I mean, he was working all the way into the early 2000s, but he’s somebody who made these movies that kind of played with high and low, where it’s like they’re like high taste, very, very well-made, sophisticated films that were also kind of vulgar and obscene in certain ways that I find exciting. Um, Bunwell is somebody who does the same thing.
Ira Madison III You’re a Bergman fan, yes? I’ve seen you talk about his films so much.
Ari Aster I’m a big Bergman fan. Yeah, I think he’s a great filmmaker and a great writer. Yeah, I think he’s such a great director that it’s almost easy to forget that he is one of the great screenwriters. And I think that if he were a playwright, that he would be considered on the same level as somebody like Strindberg or Ibsen. But yeah, he’s a very, very important filmmaker. Especially because his movies are so neurotic and I I relate to that. I Believe you’re a neurotic I have to say
Ira Madison III Watching the films, I have to say. Last night you also talked a bit about, well, Naomi brought this up, I believe, but like JFK, you know, and the whole Oliver Stone oeuvre, you know, like the, because this is a film that’s about paranoia and conspiracies and sort of mass hysteria and I kept trying to think of other films beyond, you know, JFK or Nixon, you know, that are sort of about Conspiracies, I mean, I love conspiracy movies, but I feel like I’m usually drawn towards thrillers, like Three Days of the Condor, or like Blow Up, or something like that. And finding a film like this, you also likened it to a bit Nashville altments. And getting into the conspiracy mindset for this, is that a place that you found yourself? Dipping into in 2020 or was it something that has always sort of fascinated you from just watching?
Ari Aster I’ve always loved conspiracy thrillers. You know, you mentioned blow up. I love blow out as well. I
Ira Madison III Oh, yes, of course.
Ari Aster I love Three Days of the Condor. Although I think there are some very weird things about that film that make it interesting, but but flawed. I love Parallax View. Oh, yeah. Now we’re getting real paranoid. Yes, I could keep going. I think I think a very interesting film also for all the ways that it doesn’t work, but kind of works accidentally would be Conspiracy Theory, the Richard Donner. Mm. Um. That’s a movie worth revisiting, because it’s insane. But yeah, I mean, I was talking last night about JFK, because I find JFK to be a film that only becomes more interesting in retrospect for the way that it taps into the fever and the mania of conspiracy thinking, which I think is something that’s more relevant now than when the film was made. And, you know, the film has been widely dismissed and criticized for being like a rat king of like, you now, different conspiracies that don’t actually cohere. But that almost makes it even more useful to me. The fact that it, that, you it’s a film that kind of is like living on the momentum and kind of capturing the momentum of like. This detail, which leads to this detail which leads to this revelation which leads to this epiphany, you know. And I think especially the way that the internet has intensified this and the way that conspiracy theories have been proliferating and have been pushed into the mainstream. It feels like when I watch JFK now, I think like, wow, this actually feels like the atmosphere of. The country right now. And it’s crazy, you know, and it’s dangerous.
Ira Madison III I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Winter Kills, by the way, but it was screening in like New York. Okay, yeah, I saw, I forget which theater it was at. I don’t think it was At the Metrograph, but somewhere last fall, and I went to see it in that, too, about the J.O.K. Conspiracy. It’s just a crazy, insane black comedy. Our listeners haven’t seen it. They should definitely watch it.
Ari Aster It’s a very fun movie and it does the thing that I love, which is that it goes completely off the rails. It’s an absolutely ridiculous, insane movie.
Louis Virtel You’re also a fabulous director of performances. And there’s one I wanted to single out in this movie. Of course, Joaquin Phoenix is back. He was in, Bo was afraid. But my favorite performance in this movie was Austin Butler as this very charismatic, it can only be described as Justin Bieber-like man, who is like, there’s just like a, he’s kind of found religion and there’s like a real charisma to him. And he’s paranoia spouting, just a very 2020 internet person. Where did the inspiration for this character come from because it feels very well drawn out and he feels very much like he gets this character
Ari Aster Yeah, well, he’s sort of a lot of things personified. I was thinking a lot about QAnon culture. I was think about just different charismatics that had gained like a large following and had maybe some extreme views. And yeah, he was meant to be like a Pied Piper figure. Um, but I met Austin Butler, I would say about a year before making the film. I was having dinner with him and a couple other people. Um, and I was talking to him and I. I was already a fan of his, but talking to him, I was really struck by how sincere he is in a way that that’s real. Like he’s a, he’s really warm, sweet, funny. Earnest guy in a way that’s not like repellent or like, you know, it’s very inviting. And I found myself just kind of like sinking into his eyes. And I was like, and I just thought this guy would be a great cult leader. Absolutely. Like this guy, this guy if this guy was like this guy could be dangerous easily. And so after that dinner, I just I, I couldn’t see anybody else in that role. And I was so happy that he accepted the part. Because it’s a very important role and it comes right in the middle of the film. It’s kind of central, but it’s relatively small. And so I was thrilled that he accept the part
Ira Madison III That was terrifying, it’s compelling. It’s like you want his own film, to be honest. I have to ask too, since you’re such a fan of films and Louis brought up performances and people that you’ve directed beautifully, are there any actors that you love who are probably no longer with us, or maybe some who are actually, who you really just sort of like, you would love? To direct them in something or just performances you really love from someone who’s maybe no longer with us. And you’re like, wow, I wish I could get something like that out of them in one of my films.
Ari Aster Oh, yeah. I mean, so many people, you know, Peter Laurie is somebody I would have I would love to work with.
Louis Virtel Always hair-raising.
Ari Aster Yeah, those eyes are so great. I, yeah, so many people, I mean, so many of them will be obvious, you know, but Marlon Brando or Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, Barbara Stanwyck.
Louis Virtel That she can do right in fact.
Ari Aster Yeah, she could do anything. Edward G. Robinson.
Ira Madison III Wait, there is a, I just got this book because someone on the, someone I think on the New Yorker’s Instagram recommended it. There’s like a thousand page Barbara Stanwyck biography that was written by Victoria Wilson. And I cannot wait to read it. It’s only 1907 to 1940. Oh, that’s not even half of it. That’s it, like a 1000 pages of just that. You didn’t even get to.
Ari Aster Ball of fire there. Yeah. Yeah. Holy cow. Yeah. She was the best. She was best. I mean, yeah. There’s so many people. Sterling Hayden. I’m getting lost now because there are just so many. And, you know, there’s so many people that are alive that I want to work with. I would love to work with Isabelle Hubert or… Gosh, who else? I mean, so many, yeah, there are just so many amazing actors.
Ira Madison III Terrifying performances, oddly very sweet, warm woman to talk to.
Ari Aster Yahoo pair. Yeah, yeah, I’ve met her several times and we’ve kind of become friends and I I Love her. She’s so she is wonderful. She is great
Louis Virtel My final question for you is, going back to Hereditary, we had Tony Collette on this show once, who was an awesome interviewee, but do you have any specific memories of her doing anything insane on screen that you maybe didn’t anticipate as an acting moment that you either incorporated or didn’t because who has seen that movie does not think back to that performance and cannot believe what she fucking did in that movie?
Ari Aster Oh, man. No, I was blown away by a lot of what she was doing. Yeah, she’s a really, really impressive technical actor, just like really amazing and amazing to watch. But I mean, I felt that way about Alex Wolfe on that film, too. Yeah, he did great in that movie, but he did incredible things there. And, you know, I’ve been very lucky with the actors I’ve been able to work with there, you know, especially on Eddington, I mean. Emily. Emma Stone is so incredible. She’s, she is another person who, you know, she’s playing a character that is sort of at a remove from us because we’re with her husband who doesn’t really understand her. So we’re only, we only really get to see her from his point of view. And she’s able to do so much at that distance from us, you know with so much kept away. Like we talked about her character being something of a ghost. And I really think she did that. I love Emma Stone, loved Austin, really loved working. I mean, Joaquin is just, you know, amazing. And I love working with him and I think he’s great in this film and so funny and so, I think it’s such a complicated performance. Luke Grimes is great. Michael Ward is brilliant in the film. I love Michael Ward. Dede O’Connell, Clifton Collins, Jr., you know, it’s a huge cast. And I was lucky to have all of them. They’re all they’re all great.
Louis Virtel Deirdre O’Connell I’m gonna say kind of reminded me of if you if you remember black Klansman There’s an actress in that named Ashley Atkinson where it’s just like every time they open their mouth You’re like wolf This is a new version of racist that I have not seen on the silver screen and they are loud Wow. Yeah
Ira Madison III She’s so good. I loved her in Dana H and so like what I love what a theater actor is just tears up in a film like this
Ari Aster I saw Dana age two and that’s actually where I decided that I had to work with her.
Ira Madison III Her and Patti, by the way, like you’ve gotten great theater people in your films. Yeah, we interviewed Patti right after Bo’s Afraid. Yeah, Nathan too.
Ari Aster Oh yeah, no, absolutely. God, Parker Posey. But yeah, I loved working with Patty. She was great. Just to go back to Dana H, I will just say that’s maybe the most amazing stage performance I’ve ever seen. For people who don’t know what that play is, it is this recorded testimony given by this woman who went through a very, very horrible experience. And it lasts for about an hour and a half, and Dee Dee O’Connell just lip syncs to that recording, seamlessly, for an hour-and-a-half, and just taps into this woman, but it’s not her voice.
Ira Madison III And I had never seen anything like it, but it was mesmerizing. So I’m glad you mentioned that. Memorable. Yeah, wow. Thank you so much for being here with us. Well, thank you. Honestly, your movies are so engrossing and weird and fun to watch. I watch Midsommar probably a bit too much.
Louis Virtel Midsommar is like still an entire personality. Like if you love Midsomar, I know a lot about you. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, well, that’s a very funny way of putting it. Great. Thank you so much for being here.
Ira Madison III Yeah, thank you. Thank you, it was a fun conversation. Thanks for having me. Thank you to Ari Aster. Eddington hits theaters on July 18th. All right, when we’re back, it’s more keep it.
Louis Virtel [AD]
Ira Madison III Pop music was booming last week with the release of Kesha’s new album, Period, and the surprise drop of Justin Bieber’s Swag. We’re going to dive into both and discuss whether their new sounds are a joyride or a ride to nowhere. Let’s start with Mr. Bieber. Swag! Who has it?
Louis Virtel Louis, are you swagging? Oh, in my way. I mean, I wouldn’t put it in the dictionary under swag. I have to say with what I do. I have a little bit of a saunter about me. You know what I’m saying? Listen, svelte, white and gay? You think that’s like an acronym for swag or something? Yeah. Okay. Oh my God, svag, S-V-A-G, what if I’m that? He’s a real svag. Let me say about this album, I kind of appreciate the overall feel of it. I feel like it gets a little bit repetitive. That said, he sounds great on it. I think the vocal sounds fabulous. And I love the song with, get ready, Sexy Red. Yeah, I knew you were about to come.
Ira Madison III And stanning your girl.
Louis Virtel The First Lady of the United States, sexy rap.
Ira Madison III For the new poet laureate.
Louis Virtel Yes, please. Fat, Juicy, and Elector! Yes.
Ira Madison III I actually really like the Sexy Red song, too. I feel like the album itself is very, it’s very SZA-coded. Yeah, it’s moody. Yeah, It’s a dump of songs that he was working on and was just ready to put out there, like she did with Lana recently, like the addition to S.O.S. And… It makes sense because Carter Lang, one of the producers on this album, has worked on all of SZA’s albums. And also Bieber worked with Lang and SZA on the Snooze acoustic remix. So it’s that kind of vibe of releasing R&B music right now that everyone’s sort of into. And Bieber is nothing if not up on trends, you know? It’s also sort of like chicken or the egg with him, Right? Did. The, it’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business. Was that promo for an album that he was planning to release already, or did that viral moment make him capitalize by releasing songs that he had already been working on? You know, like you can’t really tell, but it’s dominating the conversation right now online.
Louis Virtel So congrats. He also has a song called Devotion with Dejan on this album that I think is fabulous. I have to really emphasize some of the vocals on this. He does, there’s no other way to put it, Michael Jackson-y things on this… Oh, he’s singing. Yeah, and it sounds really, really good. And it’s really, it’s giving you kind of like moody, traumatized Michael Jackson. You know, we’re talking mid-90s when it’s like, they don’t care about us players.
Ira Madison III Yeah, the song first place sounds really Michael Jackson-y to me. There’s like a little Prince moment on the album too. He’s really just in his bag with the references. And Dijon is a great producer who has also worked with Bon Iver. And he’s on the last Bon Ivers Sable Fable. He worked on the song Day One and also Pink Diamond with Charlie XCX, which is off of How I’m Feeling Now. So like Dijón has been… Bubbling around a lot lately. Also, do you know who Mick G is? Yes, but remind me. Mick G had an album in 2020 called A Museum of Contradiction, which is sort of like when I first discovered them. But then we got Two Star and The Dream Police last year, and that was really where Mick G started getting a lot of, I guess, attention. But their name is Michael Todd Gordon, and they’ve been working with people like Omar Apollo and Fredigan and Bon Iver as well. So, I mean, it’s not shocking to see someone like them pop up on this album, because Bieber’s always sort of like collecting people who are… You know, doing like the new thing in music, et cetera. It’s why he’s like listening to like Draco the Ruler, RIP, like on Instagram. And he’s hopped on the What the Hell He Remixed with Rob 49, which you’ve probably heard just from people saying like, what the hell he? Oh, sure. Okay. Yes. That’s how I’m greeted. Yes. Yeah. But I don’t know. I also kind of loved Bieber in his era when he was working with like Dark Child.
Louis Virtel But speaking of new eras, Kesha is also back with this album, period. I’m not going to say it’s a triumph of an album, like it’s not like in the short and sweet category of every track is like a banger for me, but I’ll say more than half of the tracks are and it’s thumbs up and I felt like Pitchfork kind of gave her a raw deal with the 5.1. And I would put it in the 6.9 category on this album. And I love the song. Red flag. Again, something that will keep me invested in the career of somebody is if they make sure to be funny. To me, if you’re funny in your lyrics, that means you want everybody to have a good time. I’m just instantly won over by that. And I don’t, I never find her, even at her most kind of like teary eyed and ballad spewing, to be self-serious. And she is so easy to root for in that way. So this, I find this album to be quite replayable.
Ira Madison III Mmm, well, I def thought it was funny. I like the jokes. Yeah.
Louis Virtel You’re like, she should submit a packet, but yeah.
Ira Madison III I’m not listening to this album again. I think that I have just realized that later era Kesha is not for me. Yeah. You know, and it’s, there are some songs on here that I really love. I love Boy Crazy. Oh, great song, great. Yes, I like, I think it’s not even the Dr. Luke of it all from the previous albums either. I just like a more frenetic upbeat, just sort of trashy vibe from Kesha, you know? And I think that. Obviously, you know, she was leaning more into ballads as she was going through her legal troubles and you know she was getting more into self-empowerment anthems and in whatever way that you can get yourself through that shit through your own music, like more power to you, obviously. But now that we’re sort of on this new album and we’re on the other side of it, I still feel like so much of the album is just not the Kesha that I’m want to listen to.
Louis Virtel It’s not as high-octane as old Cash on. That must be said. Outside of Joyride, which is of course like a wild barrel ride into wherever, yeah.
Ira Madison III Joyride and Boy Crazy, I want the party anthems. I went to see Kesha in concert when she opened for Rihanna’s Only Girl in the World Tour. And I was, we were more excited to see Kesha at the time, you know? Right, right. I just, I grew up on blow and…
Louis Virtel And you may not blow, I hear.
Ira Madison III Listen, your love is my only drug. Oh, you diversified. We love a thick portfolio. Even a song like that, you know, which has been going crazy on TikTok lately. I just, I don’t know, I missed the high octane, Kesha. Yeah, the BPM is too low on this album for me. I think that’s what it is. Got it, got it. Because she’s not really a She sounds good, right? But I wouldn’t really call Kesha a vocalist.
Louis Virtel No, no, no. I love the song Love Forever on this album though. I must say that too. And the last major song on the album, Cathedral, is such a flop. I always say, we were talking about this last week with the movies on the top 100 list, ending strong is often the key to getting the thumbs up or the thumb down. Like where something ends up is I think what people often remember. And to end on such a bad ballad is so unfortunate. I haven’t… The last many albums do though. Yeah, right, right. The last time an album ended this poorly was of course Love Angel music baby when long way to go with Andre 3000 closed out an album I thought was perfect and then it was suddenly so bad
Ira Madison III When snow hits the asphalt.
Louis Virtel We’ve got a lot. We’ve gotta bag talk, comp.
Ira Madison III What about English? Which is crazy because Andre 3000 and Gwen Stefani already have a better song on the album, Bubble Pop Electric.
Louis Virtel Oh gosh, what you could play right now, that should be a hit right now.
Ira Madison III Hey, Chani.
Louis Virtel When you’re going to get here?
Ira Madison III I do want to shout out some other music that came out this week that is fantastic. And that is one, the new album from Twice, the K-pop group. This is four. That’s the name of the album. It is so good. Like listen to that. And also, the album for the Netflix film, K-Pop Demon Hunters.
Louis Virtel Which is apparently the entire internet’s identity now. Like this thing came and swallowed everyone up.
Ira Madison III Yeah, so we’re standing K-pop this week. Also, global girl group Cat’s Eye released a really good EP. I love that song Game Boy.
Louis Virtel Does this have Gabriella on it? Yes! Okay, that song’s like alright. I’ve been so mad at Cat’s Eye.
Ira Madison III First of all one of them is always injured so every time you see them performed It’s like three to four of them instead of the six
Louis Virtel So, Manon will be just like an Antarctica or something. Like, where is she? Just not there.
Ira Madison III And I also am upset because I’m definitely too old to be going to see Cat’s Hying concert. I agree. So I’m going to have to wait until I get updates from my bestie, Drew. Well, until they start doing Matt Nays. Yeah, right, exactly. Yeah, that’s actually, that is sort of where I go see people like that or like Olivia Rodrigo, whenever she does Coachella in the future, et cetera, or like Billie Eilish, et Cetera, you know? Now that I’m in my mid thirties. Is that a tear escaping your eye? Okay. I’m too old to be, you know, first of all, I don’t even want to go to a concert when I’m dealing with just adults, okay? Yeah, right. They had to deal with kids and their parents? Absolutely not. No, these children discovering like party drugs? Absolutely not, let me be at Coachella on my mushrooms. Actually, I don’t really do mushrooms. I don’t know why I’m acting. I don’t know why I’m acting like a Mario brother.
Louis Virtel Yeah, no. Absolutely not.
Ira Madison III Or give you an extra life. They’re lies!
Louis Virtel Especially on a racetrack. I want to go faster right now and they’re doing nothing for me. Why am I chewing this thing?
Ira Madison III Yeah. Alright, when we’re back! And we are back with our favorite segment of the episode, Keep It, Louis. Yes.
Louis Virtel What’s yours? Checking in on a familiar debate here at the show. The song of the summer, which has been up and down and we landed on nothing for the most part. And I just want to say, keep it to a few people. Keep it to Man Child by Sabrina Carpenter. It’s been fun. We enjoyed it. Moving on. Keep it Zara Larsson. That name was thrown in my face several times. Joy you girl, I love the country of Sweden. I hope to visit sometime. That song is not it either. You don’t like the Midnight Sun? Not like that. Not as the name of my season that I’m in. Keep it to all the other contenders we had before. The song of the summer is Bitch in Ibiza by Justine Skye. Do you know this song? When you responded to my Instagram story, I was like, oh, Louis is locked in. You post this song, and first of all, because I know you know this is a fraught conversation. So when you used the phrase, song of the summer, I said, I’m gonna hold onto the table, I’m going to listen to this fucking song. And you were so right, which by the way is so maddening, this rarely happens for Ira. This song, like every song now, because we live in like early Beatles universe, is two minutes and five seconds or something. And I want it to be three minutes longer, but it’s got that instant replayability thing. It is just… Bouncing from the get-go a naughty song about just being in a club being in Ibiza or Ibiza pardon me I’ve never learned that It’s so fun and like all great dance songs It also sounds like it could be the debut single of like a fifth place drag race contestant So yes, I love the attitude of it the nastiness of it The only thing I object to and the lyrics are usually pretty funny. She says she’s blacked out on a lime or Rita? Limerita?
Louis Virtel Why are you drinking like someone’s aunt on a golf course? You’re an Ibiza.
Ira Madison III Listen, she’s on the plane on the way to a beast. Okay, that I’ll allow, that’ll allow. You know, but this song, I noticed it at first because the rapper Cakes2Killa posted about it. He worked on the track with Keto. She is a LA based songwriter and also someone named Noah He posted this song and I was like… Okay, just from the snippet, I was like, this is giving. And then you watch the Instagram just of like Justine Skye. First of all, an icon. She’s been earning her moment lately and it’s coming. I think she popped out with Kaytranada recently at a set and she definitely came out, I believe, for Alex Chapman at Ladyland. During Pride in New York. So that was fun. I just like, I am in love with her. Seeing her prance around on this plane, this jet for, I guess not, they haven’t really released the video yet, but just like some visuals for Instagram. The song is fun. Yes. Like it is, I wish it had come out a week prior or two weeks prior for Pride and when we were on Fire Island for the fourth.
Louis Virtel I mean, you’ll listen to the song, listeners, since you know we’re embroiled in this drama, but let me just put you in the mindset of the song. The phrase, just another bitch in Ibiza is played several times, and then you become another bitch in Ibizha, like you, it’s immersive. I don’t know how to say this. It’s like you’re in the theater of it. It’s black box. Have you been? No. I’ve never been to Ibiza either. I feel like that runs straighter than you’d think. Yeah. But whereas Mykonos is just straight up like, Sean Cote videos. Where is, um…
Ira Madison III On the Mamma Mia island. Right, near Greece or something? That’s where I’d like to go. The waters are super blue. Is it Crete? Is the Minotaur singing?
Louis Virtel Girl, let me get out of this maze said the miniature.
Ira Madison III The Minitoral. And me when my mom’s cooking corn.
Louis Virtel For dinner again so I love corn I’m from the Midwest as you are some friend of mine’s mom said to me once corn is for pigs and Americans in that order and I have never forgotten Where’s this bitch from? I know, Spain. Oh, wow. They’re nasty there. Corn is delicious. Elote, our south of the border friends, they had it all figured out too. I do love me some elote. It’s at Sweetgreen right now too. Why am I not a brand ambassador of theirs? Can I ask you that? I don’t know, actually. You seem like you would, I would love to get the Vertel Bowl. Oh, yeah. No, I think there was a Cat’s Eye Bowl for a second. It was not right. I don’t want to say what they were trying.
Ira Madison III Were half the ingredients gone whenever you went to get one?
Louis Virtel You can maybe get it back in a month.
Ira Madison III Yeah, that was the point of that salad. You know, they’re supposed to be cooking up a boy group next and I don’t really care about men, but I will care if the men are, like, if we’re going to bring back boy groups, we need to be bringing back like 98 degrees. Oh yeah. Like when people, like when, when boy band members were men instead of real boys and when they were hot. Right. When they were hot. Like, I don’t want any Wayfish twinks singing to me. No. Let alone dancing. Yeah. Like that’s kind of why I can’t get into K-pop male groups, because they’re just…
Louis Virtel They’re twinks. On the topic of gay pop stars, do we know who this Grant Nosh person is? I’ve just subscribed to him. I’m following him on Instagram. It’s like more athletic choice of on moves.
Ira Madison III Well, I’m not going to follow a 22-year-old on Instagram. I’m like, what do you have to say to me? But I’m going to look up his music. We’ll report back next week. If he weren’t 22, I would say he vaguely looks like anyone we would have seen at high tops 10 years ago. Right. And by the way,
Louis Virtel Some of them are still there, so stay worried. Ira, what is your keep it?
Ira Madison III Well, Louis, as you know, I only have like two more episodes left.
Louis Virtel I know. I’m annoyed.
Ira Madison III And I’m thinking about what I’m going to do when I leave.
Louis Virtel Yeah, we all are, bitch. Any ideas?
Ira Madison III Well, nothing beats a Jet 2 holiday. My keep it goes to people discovering Jess Glynn this week and calling her that Jet2 holiday girl because obviously Jet2 is a company in the UK that sells cheap holidays and Jet2 holiday, their slogan, nothing beats a Jet2 holiday. Came out, I believe in 2023, it’s like just an advertisement for a holiday promo. And they used the Jess Glenn song, Hold My Hand. The song has gotten replay on TikTok lately. And then I believe they even played a Hold My Hand on Love Island recently this season. And people were like, oh my God, it’s Jess Glenn. That Jet 2 girl, listen bitch. No, oh, come, you must go back to 2013 with us. Okay, that is so nasty. Longtime Keep It listeners will remember the time that I called Jess Glenn the white jaw stone.
Louis Virtel Hey, Jess Glenn is always gonna give it to you. Yeah, rather be. I’m still getting over how much play that song got. I mean, what an amazing song.
Ira Madison III Yeah, do not disrespect my grow like that. So, listen, I probably am going to go on a Jet 2 holiday. I love me holidays. And they love you there.
Louis Virtel I’m sure. Maybe you can learn a first language, as opposed to whatever that was.
Ira Madison III Just Glenn, anyway, that’s my keep it. Okay, very good.
Louis Virtel Disrespecting the girl. And as opposed to fell in love with the girl, was that, fell in with the boy was the Joss Stone cover of White Stripes she did that got famous, right? Yes. That was a pretty good cover. Oh my God, yeah, she did do that cover. Yeah, real bluesy. That was good era of music. Can we bring back those covers? Yeah, I don’t know the last time we got an amazing cover. I wasn’t a huge fan of that Frozen cover we got recently from Jade, even though I love Jade. Hmm, like where’s Harry Styles doing Girl Child? Yes. I think Harry Styles should cover. What’s that song? What would you do if your someone’s at home crying all along in the bathroom floor? I think you should do that song
Ira Madison III City high
Louis Virtel Yes, yes.
Ira Madison III Crying on the bed, real floor, cause he’s hungry. Yes, wow. They had that song and then they had that other, that was the height of the Black Eyed Peas were around. We neglected to mention this during the Too Much Convo, but the best thing that that series has done is bring Fergie back.
Louis Virtel The song London Bridge is important to the series. And as you know, it’s an important geographical document, London Bridge, you’ll learn all about the historical facts surrounding London Bridge. It is the world’s dumbest fucking song, but it really pops off still. And.
Ira Madison III Fergie shot a brand new video for the song with Megan Stalter just for the series. It’s pretty cute, it’s pretty cool. Is, yeah. I just hope this means that Fergie is preparing for a Black Eyed Peas comeback. That’s all we really want.
Louis Virtel Kennedy Center Honors, I mean, like, I know that, like that got taken by Trump or whatever, but come on, Black Eyed Peas. What they did to music is unforgivable. I mean they deserve prison, but also good.
Ira Madison III Um, anyway, that’s our show this week. We’re going to tap back in next week with having listened to that gay pop star. And then also I feel like you have a wait, it’s going to drop after I’m gone, but your girl Bonnie McKee is supposed to be releasing a song that may be song of the summer electric Yes, Electric Heaven featuring Kieza, if you remember her.
Louis Virtel Yes. Bonnie McKee also just performed at Precinct, a gay club downtown, and I please pray for Bonnie McKey, because the things she saw there, I feel bad. She’s so sweet.
Ira Madison III Yes, she’s a lovely girl and knows music so well, yeah. She made a post where she was like, people should stop being mean to Benson Boone. And then I’ve commented, well, maybe you should write a song for him, girl. Ding, yes. Yeah. Listen to Jenny’s Got a Boyfriend, great song. Thank you to Ari Aster. We will see you next week for more, keep it. Don’t forget to follow Cricut 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…
Louis Virtel 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 Ira Madison III, Louis Virtel, and Kendra James.
Ira Madison III Our digital team is Delon Villanueva, Claudia Sheng, and Rachel Gajewski. This episode was recorded and mixed by Jarek Centeno. Thank you to David Toles, Kyle Seglin, and Charlotte Landes for production support every week.
Louis Virtel Our head of production is Matt DeGroot, and our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East. And as always, Keep It as filmed in front of a live studio audience.
