
It's Time! (w/ Mariah Carey)
It's a moment. Mariah Carey? She's on Las Cultch, darling. Matt & Bowen adorn themselves with festive garb to welcome Queen of Christmas, adverb legend and all around music GOAT to the pod. M & B ask MC when to expect the follow up to Caution (and get an answer!), Mariah's "sensory" songwriting process and BTS of the creation of classic songs like "Hero". The three go on to discuss the iconic "Heartbreaker" music video villain BIANCA and her origins, how the Grammys trifle with Mariah and it's unacceptable, the formative Butterfly album's impact, how The Emancipation of Mimi put Mariah back on top, performing on SNL way back in 1990, memories from Mariah's iconic Tokyo Dome show, setting the convention of hip hop features on pop tracks, and the emotional rollercoaster that was writing and recording her terrific memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey. Also, the inspiration of Michael Jackson, Prince and Marilyn Monroe, the difficulty growing up biracial on Long Island, potentially rebooting Divas Live, beating Tina Fey at Mean Girls trivia, and casting the role of Mariah in Lee Daniels's adaptation of her memoir. Mariah reveals her top 3 favorite Disney rides, talks vocal stacking alongside the incredible Brandy, and ponders dropping her grunge album already! All this, Hoda and Jenna's emotional morning on Today, "Boxing Day" and Mariah's already iconic I Don't Think So, Honey on overhead lighting! Check out Mariah's newest collab with Amazon Music: it's a holiday decor line available October 31st at Amazon.com/MariahCarey! AND THEN A HERO *CAME* ALONG! We love you, Mariah. "Gimmeyalove" :)
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Full Transcript
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Inspired by a true story this series follows Molly who after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis decides to leave her husband and explore the full breadth of her sexual desires. She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend Nikki, who stays by her side through it all.
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All episodes of Mid-Century Modern are now streaming on Hulu. Hey everybody, it's me, Matt Rogers, letting you know tickets are on sale now to see me on tour.
The Prince of Christmas tour, that is. I'm doing my whole album, Have You Heard of Christmas, plus a lot more with the whole band all throughout December.
Go to www.mattrogersofficial.com to see me in a city near you. And now, Lost Cultruch.
Drums. Look, man.
There. Oh, I see.
Wow. Bowen, look over there.
Wow, is that culture? Yes. Oh, my goodness.
Wow. Las Culturistas.
Ding dong, Las Culturistas calling. And this feels like the culmination.
I don't know what to say. I think we pack it up after this.
After this, it's up to the graveyard with us. Yeah.
And to all the haters, y'all won. Yeah, y'all won.
And also, it's fine. It's fine.
We did the thing we needed to do for our life to be complete. We've peaked personally, professionally, journalistically.
Yes. And we're giving a festive moment today in honor of our guest.
It is, of course, September 26th at this time of recording. So it's not yet.
It's not yet on not yet because it's really not yet. It's really not yet, but as we approach its T word, it's just the anticipation is building.
I'm just even donning this Princess Diana sweater with the lamely on it, as it were. I'm feeling the festive spirit, even though it's not yet.
So those who know, the real ones know, okay, I want to take you back. It's April 11th, 2000, Madison Square Garden, my very first concert of my entire life.
My parents got me for my birthday, Mariah Carey, the Rainbow Tour, which really was a narrative about trying to hunt down Bianca. Yes.
I do want to find out if we ever got her. That B word.
That B word. The character from perhaps the greatest music video of all time.
You know, the other day I'm digging in my artifacts and I find this. So this is the cassette of Mariah Carey, Boys to Men, One Sweet Day, which I would play the F out in the car with my mother on Long Island.
That is a warranty. We have that in common as well.
And to say that this is wish fulfillment is beyond because this podcast exists and we of course ask all of our guests what was the culture that made me say culture was for me for me that is our guest and I cannot believe you're here we did meet briefly at Peloton yes it was not necessarily an exchange of words it was more an exchange of what would you call it support I think you helped our guests down from the podium from which she said it's T-word that year. Yes, the T-word being time.
The T-word being time. But it was a perfect prelude to this moment, which I think has been in the stars, destined for time eternal.
It's a major moment. I'm going to make it through.
I can make it through the rain. You can make it through the rain.
The rain during. But as a card carrying, platinum card carrying member of the Lamily, and I know I speak for so many people that are listening and watching this right now, we are so excited to welcome the greatest of all time, Mariah Carey! You really are here.
I'm here. I'm here, the prequel to It's Time.
Right, well, yeah, there's the not yet. Right.
Yeah. You really are here.
I'm here. I'm here, the prequel to It's Time.
Right.
Well, yeah, there's the not yet.
Right.
Yeah.
And then maybe I'm just like waving up at the world going, I'm here.
Yeah.
Is it ever too early?
When do you start decorating, I wonder?
I wait.
You wait.
Actually, I wait till I'm done with the tour.
Yeah.
Okay.
And then it's trees and ornaments. I like your ornaments.
Thank you. Well, it's from the Amazon Music Collaboration with Mariah on October 31st.
Go to Amazon.com slash Mariah Care. You can buy ornaments, snow globes, exclusive tour merchant apparel.
I mean, talk about the snow globes. How did you pick out the scenery and the dioramas of the snow globes? Yes, the dioramas.
The dioramas. This is a vocabulary podcast.
My gosh, you guys win. So the snow globes with the MC logo and it's glittery snow, I would call that, right? Yeah, I would say.
It's glittery snow. And that's my little caricature of me and some reindeer.
And I just, I thought it would look pretty with this kind of, the gold down here. Of course.
I love it, the adornments. The adornments.
It's very Rococo. The adornments.
I have to say, every time I use a word that makes you laugh, I feel very happy. You know you're a vocabulary legend.
You're a vocab legend. You're adverb queen.
I mean, I kind of like used to be, but I don't, it's not that I don't try anymore, but I don't, I don't know what the word is. I just, see, I don't know what the word is.
Well, there you go. You know that you really had me saying the word nonchalantly in third grade.
People were like, hey, Matt, what do you want to play at recess today?
I'm nonchalant about it just because of your songs.
Because of breakdown.
I listened to that the other day and I was like, I guess I'm trying to be nonchalant about it.
Who did I think I was?
You knew you were Mariah.
You knew you were Mariah and nonchalant.
I was using incessant before I even knew what the word incessant,
but I just heard incessantly.
And I was like, well, if Mariah is using that word.
It rhymed.
That's why I got away with it.
And not for nothing, but incessantly in a number one hit song.
They're not using words like that anymore in number one hit songs.
They're not.
No.
I don't think so.
I think, you know, in this TikTok age,
it's like everyone's got to be quick and it's got to be monosyllabic you can't throw a lee or anything in there the lees get them but I think the lees rhymes with the me's and I feel like you are singing from your point of view and so therefore it works it's the puzzle piece it's the puzzle piece we were reading in Vanity Fair and this recent interview you did by Rob Lodoni friend of mine friend of the pod it's been six years since Caution yeah can't believe that one of my favorite albums in the last decade brilliant wow truly truly thank you it didn't get the push and promotion that it deserved agree Agree. And sad about that.
You know.
Am I?
Yeah.
Are you?
That was bangers on bangers.
I was, I remember it was in like Gowanus
and you did that sit down
like that was really focused on your songwriting
and it was like around the release of Caution.
I actually went with my friend Mariah Smith.
Oh, yeah.
And so it was me and Mariah watching Mariah.
And it was like, that album was total fire. And it was like, that album was total fire.
And it really was, that conversation was about your songwriting.
And I think that like, that's what I get most excited about when it comes to you.
And so when we're asking about the new music, I just want to know, like, are you writing now?
Like, what's happening?
Like, what's inspiring you?
Yes, I am writing now.
But the more I talk about new music and that I'm doing this and it's probably coming out in whatever, a year or two years. Everybody gets mad at me because they're like, why are you telling us this? And then it doesn't come out in a year.
Oh, sure. You know what I mean? We ain't mad at you.
Some people be mad. No.
They just need to let you work. It just does feel like, you know, six years we already.
2025 is the year. I'm
saying it. And I will
concur. Okay!
You have a concur.
A concur is not a commitment. Like,
if it gets pushed, we'll understand.
Yes. It really
does need to happen. Yeah.
Yes. We agree.
We are over here
agreeing. We had caution on during a drive upstate, I remember, in 2018.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was just like, damn, every track, you know? I mean, I feel like you have this quality as a vocal producer where you, like, are clearly working with these collaborators that you love, like you're Jermaine Dupri's and you're Ryan Michael Cox's, but it's like, when do you you know as an artist, like that your stamp is on it, that it's done, it's ready to go? Because if I imagine that this process is like capturing a cloud and trying to like put it down into a words or a sound or something, like what is your signature as a vocal producer? Hmm.
Well, it takes a while. I run it down once and then I'm like, okay, that was cute.
And then, you know, I don't know how long I take a while, you know, so that I can live with it and just really let it sink in. Yeah.
And then I'll know like, okay, there's about five words that I want to redo the way,
the way I sang that. You know, I didn't like that.
Or it's okay, but I want to try something different. Right.
And that's a different process from like the song writing of it because, right? Because that's just getting it down. It's, how do I say it? It's an interesting, like, a sandwich.
Okay. Got it.
Yes, yes. Famously stacked.
He's famously stacked. But yeah, it's because it's so important to write this song first.
And then if you don't, take your time. And it's part of the process to do that.
Like, go in, change this. you know i mean you were talking about how hero was one of the songs that came the fastest to you on a writing level but then i imagine the production of that was a longer process it actually went the whole thing was sort of like at the same time it had it happened at the same time because they were explaining to me about dustin hoffman's new movie that was called hero and then i took a walk to the loo and started hearing that and then a hero comes along and with the strength to carry on and walked back in and said to walter a who i used to work with i I was like, this is how the song goes.
Like, can you start playing this? Yeah, and humming to him the, you know, so it's just. It's wild that that can come to you so quickly, and then it becomes one of the most famous hooks of all time.
Does that ever, like, feel strange? It's like one of the things that you thought of really on the way to and from the loo then becomes that thing that like really hits hard and maybe something you work on for a very long time like doesn't doesn't get to that point yeah well i wasn't trying to write this big heroic like anthem for the ages. An anthemic, heroic moment.
I wasn't searching for
that. Yeah.
But it, you know, it kind of happened. It's what arrived.
It's what arrived. But then some songs I am working on, you know, longer and maybe I'll end up liking them better.
Like a song like fly like a bird like i love that song and yet it's not hero in terms of like how major hero was in terms of success yeah but i still love it it's a grammy winner yes it is you don't have enough of those by the way five i'm like come on now they trifle with you they They really do. They play with you, the Grammys.
They toy with me. Can I ask what's a better vocal performance in terms of pop music than Heartbreaker? Can we talk about the end breakdown of Heartbreaker? I really want to get into this.
There's four different vocal lines of you coming on at the same time that all call back to different parts of the song. I remember hearing that song for the first time and being like, I don't know how she did this again but yet of course just like I don't know how she did this
I don't know how she did this again, but yet of course. Just like that stacking that happens at the end.
It's pure vocal performance. It's incredible.
And I wonder, is that something you're particularly proud of? Because to me, that is pop excellence. Thank you so much.
I mean, Heartbreaker is everything. I appreciate that very much because it's one of my favorites that I've done.
And that ending was just me figuring out, like, the song is written over a loop. Yes.
Right? So in order to do, like, all those different parts, it wasn't that difficult because it's all—it was pretty much the same than the song itself because of the way it's written over a loop yeah so then doing the little parts and having them interwoven with each other was just what it's like what i like to do so yeah yeah and just pulling it out and like isolating those hooks was just like a genius way to end that song and that last give me a love is just like it's just like that cherry on top that like, you could live happy for the rest of your day when you've listened to that. And just to speak to that moment and also that tour.
So when you're doing that song, do you see the video at the same time? Because that's probably one of the best music videos ever. You versus Bianca.
The Heartbreaker music video. Yeah, and I want to know where she is now.
I know. to find her she was low down and there was a girl on the set who was actually she was like a a stand-in yeah um and she was from a different country and because she had an accent and she's pretty girl you know And we're there and everybody's throwing popcorn.
Like, you know, we're throwing the popcorn.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And she got so mad.
She's a stand-in to be there and whatever.
The girl had popcorn on top of her hair, glued on top of her hair.
Like, that's what it was supposed to be.
And she got so mad.
She walked out. No, not her being a diva on your set.
Her being a diva on my set. No, no, no.
Yes. The injustice.
The injustice. Adding hours to the day.
It did. And then I went out to her trailer and was like, hi, we really didn't mean to do anything to upset you or, you know, she was just like.
Oh, wow. She was really giving Bianca.
She was. So, you know, Bianca, we were inspired all the more.
For that conflict. That tête-à-tête.
Where did the name Bianca come from? I just made it up. Yeah.
As you're wont to do. A creative genius.
It's another word that is pulled from whatever.
Yes. An immaculate conception.
I wanted to just say and also ask in addition, the Butterfly album. I think that, I don't know if this is true, but I would guess that of all the lambs, like and all the fans that come up to you across the world, that that's one that probably comes up a lot.
I know for me
I listened to it at a time when I was like
really like discovering myself and it will always be so important to me. And I guess I just wanted to ask about that album.
Like, does that have special significance to you as it does to your, I know your fans, that particular album? It definitely has very special significance to me. I think it's probably my best album.
I don't know how that doesn't have all the accolades from all those awards. It has zero accolades.
Zero, I don't get it. I think, I'm pretty sure it has zero accolades.
I was looking earlier just to check, and I was right had some nominations for it but not anywhere near the respect that that album deserves for not only what it did in terms of like the metamorphosis of you as an artist in your career but I know how it inspired so many artists. So many.
I mean I love that album it has a certain feeling when you listen to it like this and then there's
the it's just got a lot
of diversity like it's
it's I don't know yeah you go
from breakdown to
butterfly to my
all my all is
I mean we all know but
like my it's just like you I
again hit play on it I listened to a lot of
the discography this morning happily in
getting ready for this but just
like honey just the way that the album
I'm sorry. Like, it's just like, again, hit play on it, and I listened to a lot of the discography this morning, happily, in getting ready for this.
But just like, honey, just the way that the album starts, you know we're in a new era. You know what I mean? That's true.
It's innovative. It's just, it's one of those albums that, we had Kelly Clarkson in this chair, like, a year ago.
Standing you. Standing you.
Oh, really? Yeah, she loves my all. Oh, wow.
Yeah. That's so nice.
Yeah. But I mean, like, just that album and particularly The Roof.
Oh, The Roof. And I was so happy that you got so into- She was talking about The Roof? No, no.
Kelly was talking about my all. Oh, okay.
I'm talking about The Roof. Okay.
But she could be talking about The Roof because I said- That's not as well known. No, but you know what, though? But it's intimate.
The lambs know. It's very intimate.
That's a number one hit for the lambs I'm telling you so back in the day we did on this podcast we did a book club reading of the meaning of Mariah Carey oh really yes we did and because it is my favorite book and it is like I think it's a piece of music history it's a piece of music history it's the best celebrity memoir it's like 100% the audio book is the best celebrity audio book Did you like the audio? They could have had yeah, yeah, they could have stop playing in this woman's face Not that it matters what you think but like in a world where it will be nice It would be nice anyway, like they had it right in the beginning, but anyway, like what I'm saying is you mean the first the best new artist they got it right the first year and then they were like let's continue to sleep on her I guess like as if you weren't leagues ahead of everyone else and all respect to everyone else but anyway we love everybody we love everybody a famous line we love everybody but um I just remember you talking about The Roof. And that was such, it almost felt validating for me as a kid.
Because The Roof was not a track I could get over. It was like, you could feel the discovery.
Like, even just in the lyrical imagery, the rain hitting your skin, the way that you were waking up. I honestly think in that moment I was like waking up to being queer and who I was.
It's just such a vivid, beautiful song. And I want to say there actually was a moment where I was in third grade and we would go in and we would, we would have writing time.
Like you could write anything in your journal. So I just wrote the lyrics to the roof.
And then we had to hand the journals in. I love this story.
So my teacher read. Hated me.
No, no, no. She must have been listening to someone else at the time.
Maybe she had been playing Celine Dion because she thought it was my writing. And she goes, I don't know what you're going through, but you are a beautiful writer.
Oh, I love that. But literally, it's me talking about like, you know, like having this experience.
Finish the Moe. Yeah, finish the Moe.
I probably spelled it like M-O-A-Y. I know, but it says to me like, why do you pronounce it that way? I'm like, that's just how I always...
Yeah, I mean, but listen, like it worked. But I probably should have wrote Sprite or something.
Right. But just to know that, like, that's the kind of song that is.
Like, I didn't have to get it to really get it and have it be meaningful to me. And that's, like, a testament to your writing and that album and what must have been such an incredible breakthrough creatively for you at that time.
Thank you. Yeah, it definitely was.
Just to be able to be free to write and perform in the way that I wanted, as opposed to other people saying, do this. Even if I wrote Hero, that doesn't mean that's the only song or type of song that I wanted to write.
Right, and you were very famous for that type of song for a long duration of time. Right.
I guess. Yeah.
Well, no, you were. And then all of a sudden, this new person came out because you felt, I don't know, emboldened? Liberated.
Liberated, yeah. A good vocab word.
It's in the song we're talking about. That's the only reason I remember.
Yeah, no, no, no. Oh, yeah, of course.
Started feeling liberated.
Started feeling liberated.
Yeah, I mean, iconic.
But then your music got funnier, too, I think.
Do you think that that is, there's a link there?
Because all of a sudden, you started making jokes.
I had jokes.
But how do you feel about the jokes now?
No, I do.
I still do.
I just haven't put out a new album in six years, as you pointed out. And look, as someone who does not believe in time.
Yeah. What's time? What is time? You don't know what that is.
So then it's irrelevant, right? And it's also part of the process. It needs time to cook.
It needs time to develop. You've got to baste it.
It requires basting. It requires basting.
It requires basting. It's like Thanksgiving.
And then at the end you get a fabulous meal with people that you love. Yeah, of course.
Do you like Thanksgiving or are you wanting to rush through it to get to your season? I like Thanksgiving as well. You know the word I'm very you know the word I'm going to say festive.
Yes! And that includes the turkey day, of course. Yeah.
Because you're festive for Halloween, you're festive for Thanksgiving, you're festive for Christmas. Yes.
Yes. And 4th of July.
Well, yes. Of course.
Another great track. Thank you.
I have a song called Fourth of July. They know.
If you don't know,
it's ridiculous.
Why are you listening to this? I actually,
I made,
I remember I made,
at the time of
doing the,
The audio book.
The audio book.
I made playlists
for everyone who like,
for some reason,
didn't know.
And this is my
intermediate Mariah playlist.
Ready?
The Roof,
Hate U,
Clown,
one of the great tracks. I love Clown.
Clown is so good and we agree with you. Ex-Girlfriend.
Co-written by Candy Burris? Yes. Wow.
We love Candy. We love Candy.
Forever. The Distance.
Your Girl. I love you, girl.
Your Girl. Are you kidding me? Vanishing.
Sweetheart and All I've Ever Wanted. are my those are my wait it's so funny that Vanishing is on there after John just said I know right we were talking about about Vanishing just over there because your incredible performance of it on Saturday Night Live all those years ago hello hello that was a a fun moment Patrick Swayze was the host yes Yes.
And that was like early, that was like the beginning.
The very beginning.
If you were to walk back in there in that space,
like you would just,
you would have even more of a command on it, I think, right?
I don't know.
I think I had less, what's it called?
I wasn't quite as nervous back then for some reason. Sure, sure.
I don't know why. Totally.
I mean, it makes sense. I understand what you mean because I feel like there's this thing that, at least as it relates to SNL, people say that like, oh, the longer you stay there, the more nervous you are, which is, it shouldn't work that way.
It should work in the inverse where it's like, oh, it's, you should be more comfortable. And yet like something about like being on display or just having your work be like, I'm just talking about your work be celebrated.
It must mean that like there is this comfort that people are expecting from you. And it's a lot to provide that, I imagine.
Especially so early on in one's career. Right.
You know. Did you feel like it was very fast? Because in the book you talk about sort of, it was only a few years into your career that it was the Tokyo show that you really realized just how international and how big you were.
But before that, it was not. Well, because the Tokyo show was in a gigantic Tokyo Dome was ginormous.
Yeah. So, you know, I found myself there and it wasn't like being at even like on Saturday Night Live, which is bigger in many ways.
But this was spatially huge and across the world. Right.
Yes. You know, Conceptually.
And a totally different type of fan.
Yeah.
Probably responding in a different way.
Were they a very like engaged crowd?
Did they know the words in their own way or?
Well, my experience at that time was that everybody had to kind of be polite.
Yeah.
People in Japan were very polite.
And so it was like, you know, I would sing whatever the song was and then it would
just be...
Yeah, just like applause and then we're done.
Done. Punctuated.
And somebody came up to me and said
like, please don't think
that we're not appreciative
of your music. This is just our culture
and how, you know, it was so
nice that they did that because I'm sitting
there like, I don't know why.
Was that the show too where, or maybe not that show, but there was another show where you were trying to teach the crowd always be my baby. I think you performed it for the first time.
I think it was that one. And it was the da-da-da-da-da.
And you were trying to get them to do it and they were just like, we're not. We can't match those.
We can't match this three. Probably another one of your greatest ever.
Always be my baby. Oh, thank you.
How do you feel about just this standard now in the industry, in the music industry that you've set, which is, or this convention really where it's like a beautiful vocal can be paired with a great hip-hop feature. You know, like those two things are complementary, which no one at the time that you sort of innovated on that thought would work at all.
Yeah, Fantasy, Heartbreaker pioneered that. Yeah.
That was, I mean, there were other ones too. I'm trying to think of all the records I did, like Jadakiss.
I mean, even Breakdown at the time. Breakdown, Bone Thugs, and Harmony.
I mean, that was definitely unexpected. That is such a huge part of your legacy.
How does that sit with you watching literally everybody sort of follow the blueprint that you've set it's so interesting um but i you know i didn't even say odb which you know yeah fantasy probably the biggest one of the biggest yes absolutely and i really i wanted so much to work with hip-hop artists i really did i wanted to do my thing and then be able to listen to their vocals. Yeah.
You know what I mean? And so then luckily I was able to do it. But a lot of people told me, oh, this could be the end of your career.
You know, don't do this. That the worlds had to be separate.
Yeah. So crazy now because in music it feels like what is genre? Right.
You know? It's wild. Like you see like, you know, with Beyonce's album, Cowboy Carter, like yes, it's country, but it's also rock.
It's also Americana. It's pop.
It's all these things. Now it feels like if you're not blending genre.
What are you doing? Right. And having that moment at the Grammys with you and Miley last, this year felt like such a perfect encapsulation of that too.
And it makes everyone really excited for whenever the new stuff is coming. Not to bring it back to this, but it's like, I think you are really going to take advantage of this sort of flexibility.
Blending of it all. Yeah, I agree.
And I loved that moment with Miley. It, she's the best.
She was so great. And so deserving.
She sent me flowers. Yeah.
She sent me beautiful flowers after that. And I was like, she's incredible.
When she gave you your props there, I mean, like, she was like, no, you have to stay right here. I would imagine that she looks up to you and, like, feels indebted to you for what you've done, as everyone does and should.
Everybody has been there. Traffic was a nightmare.
You got home late and your dinner plans are out the window when you hear the inevitable tiny voice saying, I'm hungry. That's when dinner dread sets in.
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Go to chime.com slash disclosures for details. This episode is supported by FX's Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate.
Inspired by a true story, this series follows Molly, who after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, decides to leave her husband and explore the full breadth of her sexual desires. She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend, Nikki, who stays by her side through it all.
FX is dying for sex. All episodes streaming April 4th on Hulu.
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Okay, so I don't know if you've been outside lately, but I got to tell you, spring is springing and it's giving me that travel itch like it always do. I got big plans this spring and summer.
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Quince.com slash culturistas. Mariah Carey, we have to ask you the question.
That's the centerpiece of our podcast. The centerpiece.
The snow globe. The Christmas snow globe of our podcast.
Mariah Carey, what was the culture that made you say culture was for you? That formative pop culture, whether it be music, movies, it can be anything, that you can look back and be like, Mariah was becoming Mariah because of that thing. Huh.
Well, there's a few things. Yes.
Give it to us. I would have to say, looking at, time I was little, little Michael Jackson when he was a kid.
Yes. Yeah.
And then when he did like on Motown 25 when he was there making like history. Yeah.
Not the album but making history. You know, just being himself being on there moonwalking doing everything I mean it was just a moment where everybody was just watching that and also Prince I love Prince and it's so sad that he's no longer with us it truly truly is.
Yeah. I still listen to Prince all the time.
Yeah. And, yeah, I would say, like, Little Red Corvette.
Yeah. Prince.
Banger. Yes.
So good. So good.
And then, you know, my mother always loved Marilyn Monroe. And I walked into her room one time and she was watching, like when they would do those talking about like Marilyn was this and that because she had passed away years ago.
And she was watching one of those retrospectives. And at that point, they were looking at gentlemen prefer blondes.
And I didn't know who she was. I just saw this like doll like woman.
And I was like, oh my gosh. And I was a kid.
Yeah.
And. And I didn't know who she was.
I just saw this like doll-like woman. And I was like, oh my gosh.
And I was a kid. Yeah.
And my mother told me who she was. And then from then on, I was a huge fan of hers and looked up all her stuff from her life, books about her, books by Norman Mailer.
Yeah. Just like incredible.
Those are three very good answers. I mean, I feel like the thing that ties them all together too is they all have such iconography.
You know what I mean? Like you look at them and you say, that's Marilyn. There's only one.
That's Prince. There's only one.
That's Michael. There's only one.
And you see, you think of him doing the moonwalk and you immediately, that's a monoculture moment. And so do you think that that imprinting on them had something to do with the fact that you felt like almost othered and that you would grow to be, you knew you could grow to become an individual and there was something about them being so singular that you identified with? I promised myself I would grow to be someone that had a successful career.
Yeah. Because I did feel so othered and being of mixed race, coming from a family that was very dysfunctional, that was a difficult road for me.
And so I kind of had to adapt this strength that was like, you know, I'm going to do this. I'm not going to tell anybody that I'm going to do this, but this is what I'm going to do.
Move in silence. Move in silence.
Real G's do it. Move in silence until we're using our five octave range.
And then we're actually taking up some space. But yeah the three of those it's like there's there's vocal trademark there's artistic trademark there's aesthetic trademark it's like and those and those all kind of converge you know and like i mean you really are uh just a singular all-time great person and who's created all this joy i I mean, like, you know, you've created this world and this feeling that people will never detach from, that they'll always carry with them.
It's really incredible. Thank you.
I think also people don't realize how tough Long Island can be. Yeah, talk about the Long Island of it all.
I mean, like, it is, though. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's like...
Strong Island. Strong Island, baby.
Are you a seafood person? I know you love your linguine with white clam sauce. I do.
That was my dad's recipe. That's why.
Why? What do you think? I'm just a seafood person. Like, it's a Long Island thing? I'm just saying we're by the sea.
Where in Long Island are you from? Also, I'm from Islip, but my parents grew up in Lyndon Hurst. So I'm a South Shore kid.
Oh, okay. Why do you laugh? I laugh because I had such a traumatic experience growing up in a place that's so racist.
And that was a thing where, you know, my mother always wanted to live there or different places around there. And I had to be there.
So I didn't love it. Right.
To the point where like, you know, you go oh, the struggles that I've been through sort of define who I am but it's like there are certain things and experiences and settings in life where you go I think I could have done without that. Yeah, a few things.
Yeah. I mean not to get bleak about what you can read the book, but I honestly think it's so important that you speak so truthfully about that stuff because I think when we listen to your music, like when we listen to the song Outside, when we listen to Close My Eyes, and this is stuff that you really opened up about in Butterfly and had maybe sort of hinted at in your earlier work, but never really got into the darkness.
And then you started to let us in. In reading the book, that's just, it obviously had to be painful to be explicit about those things and also to know that there's other people's, you know, feelings and their people are going to have opinions about what you say.
But it's so important to be so truthful because, I mean, people by it and I want to know like do you feel like you felt like a reconnection to your fans again who had already felt that way about your music and then the book made them come back and like was it even more emotional hmm I loved writing the book I collaborated with Michaela Angela Davis.
Yeah, amazing.
And she's awesome. I mean, when I read the book for the Audible, it was 11 hours of rereading the book.
So all the time spent writing the book and then reading it over and having what's the guy that comes and The editor? Yes! James is his name. Hi James.
Hey. Hey.
It's time. Just going through this stuff with the editor and doing all that and then being like I'm gonna spend 11 hours doing this you know speaking this book right and it was right at the beginning of COVID right and so that was that and yeah I actually really loved the whole process.
The process of writing and reading it aloud. Did it feel therapeutic? Yeah, it definitely felt therapeutic.
I mean, I was crying when I was writing. It was a lot of just intense emotional kind of feelings.
But yeah, it was, it's still, I still, you know, when I see the book and people come and ask me to sign it and everything like that, I'm just like, you know, I feel proud that we did this. Yeah.
You know? Because it's an opportunity for people to connect with, like, the truth about your life. And I imagine reading the audiobook felt like almost like it is a performance.
Like besides the singing of the lyrics and your work and this thing that people connect
to, it is like you reading about your life experience is its own kind of showmanship
or something.
Yeah.
Well, it's a lot of exposure.
Yeah.
You know, you're exposing your life and these details that you already put out there. But then now you're going to read it.
And yes, sometimes I sang. Sometimes I, you know, figured out, okay, I'll sing this or I'll write this as a melody or whatever.
You know, but it's one of my things that I've done that I'm most proud most proud of yeah I would imagine too that like the fun moments of it were probably so fun to relive like even like obviously it was like a tense moment like the Divas live of it all you getting prepared and Aretha being like Mariah they're playing games they're playing games but that had to be so fun to relive in a way like that night that's that's actually been mentioned on this show many times. I know there used to be a skit.
Yes, there was. Yes.
You mean on Saturday Night Live? Yeah. It was Ana Gosteyer, Molly Shannon, and Sherry, right? Doing Shania, Mariah, and Celine.
Yep, yep, yep. Oh my God, that's so fun.
Yeah. That is like- Truly iconic.
They don't make a show like that anymore You know what I mean They have to But will it be as big ever I don't know Look how long it's been in existence You know what though I would say That's the type of thing now That you think they would reboot Because they're rebooting everything. You know what I mean? And so much success
comes with like, you know, we're seeing the cast
of Friends together again. Harry Potter gets
back together and does an eight part whatever
on HBO. Like, you know,
they did Mean Girls again, which I want to talk to you
about. Like,
it just feels like Divas Live, like
obviously we can't bring everybody back,
but like to have y'all come
back and like, I think all get together and some of the new generation, I think would be amazing. It could be.
It could be. I mean, I feel like this has been a really banner year in women and music, and I feel like it's the perfect period on the whole year for you to come back with.
With the Divas Live? With the Divas Live, but I'm also just saying like Merry Christmas
and it's 30th anniversary.
Yeah. It's like synergy there.
It's like you are the ultimate. We've been waiting for a year.
When so many people have like made these amazing pop efforts. And then at the end of the year, there will be Mariah's 30th anniversary during Christmas, which doesn't get bigger.
It doesn't get more timeless than that. What are you going to make tonight? How can such a simple question be so hard to answer? Well, it doesn't have to be, because a delicious, family-pleasing meal from Stouffer's is only a ding away.
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Spaghetti with meat sauce is always a winner. Or how about some cheesy chicken and broccoli pasta bake? Yes, please.
When the clock strikes dinner, thanks Stouffer's. Shop now for family favorites.
This episode is supported by FX's Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. Inspired by a true story, this series follows Molly, who after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, decides to leave her husband and explore the full breadth of her sexual desires.
She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend Nikki, who stays by her side through it all. FX is dying for sex.
All episodes streaming April 4th on Hulu. Look, we've all been there, right? That panicked moment when you can't get a hold of someone that's really important to you and your mind starts racing.
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Do you get tired of doing all I want for Christmas with you? No. She says no.
No, no. Darling.
It's so funny. We were doing, you know, my show in Vegas and I went out onto the stage during this one part where we didn't do the song I was supposed to do, which was Circles from Mimi.
I love Circles. I mean, I do it every other night.
But on this night, I was like, okay, we're not going to do that.
And you guys start playing the beginning of All I Want for Christmas is You.
And I'll run out there.
And that's what happened.
It was funny.
It was cute.
You like Vegas.
Because you keep going back.
I keep going back because people keep booking.
They keep booking and then they can come to you. Well, no, I mean people that work for me.
Wait, now that we've talked about Circles, I have to ask. So we talked about Butterfly and that's like a landmark.
Like that is like definitely, you think one of your best, like I think a lot of your fans would agree. But then there was Emancipation and of course all your albums are incredible,.
But Emancipation, what did that feel like? To release that and have everyone... Not that you proved everybody wrong, but obviously there was a period there where there was some tumult for whatever reason.
And then you come back with Emancipation, which is... Talk about track by track.
Oh my god. I mean, your girl I mentioned before, it's on my intermediate Mariah playlist.
I love that playlist. Yeah, no, honestly.
It's very tasteful. It's very good.
You'll love it. It is tasteful.
It is tasteful. And it's eclectic.
It's a diverse, eclectic, tasteful mix. Eclectic, tasteful mix.
It's very demure. It's mindful as well.
Yes! Not like other girls. I felt I was being mindful when putting it together.
Absolutely. This was years ago.
Of course. Wait, what do you think about All I've Ever Wanted being on there? Because that's an old one.
Yeah. You don't love? No, no, no.
I like it. I like that song.
Like, when I think about it. Yeah.
Yeah. It's good.
It's not like, I would do a couple of like kind of genre specific ish ones like one that with the Mimi songs that are just like your girl circles maybe fly like a break I can't name them all now but you know and then butterfly to the floor also that was on the other day and I was like god damn to the floor hits everybody's like that too. Never released though.
What do you mean? Like as a single? Yeah. That album was made of singles.
But then you went to the deluxe, right? And then we got Don't Forget About Us, which was a bop. Yes, I loved Don't Forget About Us.
I Wish You Knew is on the... No, I Wish You Knew is on that.
That? See, I listened to that song and for you to do that like arena moment where you're just like talking down. I just did it.
You did it? Yeah. That's a moment.
Overseas as well. Overseas as well.
Overseas as well. I knew that the album was strong.
Yeah. Yeah.
So, you know, when it did what it did in terms of the charts and then having it go platinum and then re-releasing and all that stuff, I felt so good. Yeah.
Of course. Is there a potential for it to be a trilogy where it's like 3MC or something? You have E equals MC squared, but then you have like...
The math is going to fly out now. The math is flying out.
I mean, I feel like there's something neat about it being like a three-part thing. A three-pronger? A three-pronger.
A three-pronger. Like a trident.
Triangle. Triangle.
Yes. I just call it a three-pronger.
A three-pronger is great. A jingle hopper.
Is there a chance of like another album with a different type of like naming it? Well, actually, people have drawn the comparison of cautioned into like that sort of like emancipation sort of like sound or like that like philosophy. And so like, I don't know, do you consider caution to be like the third installment of this or do you think like it's coming in the future? Like, is there a vision for this? I think it's coming in the future.
Oh my God. Yes.
Wow. That would be thrilling.
Okay. I just got chills.
And I hope you like it. Oh, please.
You will. How many times do you watch Mean Girls a week? Oh, I haven't watched it in a while.
Okay. Okay.
Sometimes even your favorite movie, you't, like, I used to watch Clueless, like, at least twice a month. Uh-huh.
And then I have put it away for now. I need to put Bring Mean Girls Back.
Yeah. And watch it tonight.
Honestly, tonight might be the night. It might be tonight because in honor of this moment.
Yeah. Absolutely.
Tina was here and she's thrilled that you love Mean Girls so much. She is.
Yes.'all play that trivia game Yes I won You did You do everything You beat her at her own film Beat her at her own film We love you Tina What about a return to acting For you Anytime soon Because you were Brilliant and precious Oh god Thank you Did you watch the new movie? No I I didn't. With Glenn Close? Yeah, I heard all about it.
What do you think about what you've heard? Well, I'm not a person that likes to watch horror. Yeah, it's hard and very scary.
Yeah, I don't want that to be in my head. No.
You know, I'll say no. I'll say no to that.
When you go to Disney, when you go to Disney World, because we know you're a fan. Uh-huh.
I am. Do you do scary rides? I do.
Tower of Terror. That's a classic.
It's so good. Truly a classic.
And they better never touch it. No.
You and Ariana Grande have the same feeling about Tower of Terror. She has written an entire notes app statement, a petition basically to Disney that she has saved.
And I can reveal this. she wouldn't mind me blowing up this this spot but she is like if you do anything to tower of terror in orlando there will be a revolt there will be right because they did it in la they made it the guardians of the galaxy which is cute which is not bad no it's not bad yeah but it's not the tower of terror it's not a classic.
It's raining. Yes.
It's boring. See, so, but you can do that kind of spooky scary.
Well, yeah, but it's also because it's a ride. Yeah, sure, sure.
But you're in it, you know? Yeah, exactly. You're in the spook.
Well, that's the thing is like, I don't like scary movies at all, but I can do a haunted house because I feel like I can run away. You know what I mean? It's like when you have me on foot, I'm very spry.
Mariah, I'm very spry. I understand.
It's not even get away from the terror. But when I'm sitting in a chair, it feels like it's happening to you.
Maybe you identify. Yeah, I hear you.
Do you have top three favorite Disney rides? Oh my gosh. Tower of Terror is up there.
Tower of Terror in Orlando. Yes, yes, yes.
Where, I used to like, and I guess it's not there anymore, Splash Mountain. Splash Mountain, it's now Princess Tiana.
Oh, it is? It is. So now it's called, we call it Princess Tati's Bayou Dip.
But it's called Princess Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Okay.
And the story goes that she has to collect ingredients and get her band together to create a performance at the end. And I hear it's cute.
Jennifer Lewis is in it. Do they still let that drop and everything? You still drop.
You still get your frills and your thrills. Well, I'll give it a shot then.
Give it a shot. Get down there.
Okay, so that's two. One more.
One more. What else did Disney do? Oh, my gosh.
Well, it's not Disney, though. What is it? I was going to say Harry Potter.
Oh, yeah. This is the NBC Universal show, too.
I love the Harry Potter. We love them.
Yeah. I love Disney.
Yay, Disney. But I do love them.
We love all the corporations. We love you all.
All the corporates in the land. No one should be left out.
No one should be left out. Speaking of corporations.
What? We have a very important question to ask you about two lyrics. Oh, yes.
Okay. We want to say if you have to choose one or the other of your two lyrics, these are two of our favorite lyrics that you've ever done.
Okay.
It's them chickens is ash and I'm lotion or you are mom and pop.
I'm a corporation.
I'm a press conference.
You a conversation.
That one.
Yeah.
That is for all time.
It's for all time.
And it really does say what you need to say.
I mean, you are you.
I'm all this. I'm a press conference.
You're a conversation. You're a conversation.
Hello. So wait.
And by the way, just like, not to call it bizarre, but that is. Where does that come from? Yes, yes.
What do you mean? When you get that riff together, where does that come from? Because it is, no one else would think of- It's truly original. It's so- It's truly original.
It's so singular. How does that come to you? I don't know.
I was just writing the song and that was just an ad lib after laying it down. Are you in the studio being like, play it back, play it back, play it back, and then giving different vocals again and again and again? Sometimes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sometimes I do that.
I think that's the most fascinating part of recording. Oh, yeah.
Like the stacking and the harmonies and like that has to be fun. The stacking and harmonies is so much fun.
Yes. Yeah.
Because then you get the sound that you want. Yes.
Yeah. When you write, are you hearing it as a full song or are you hearing the bare bones? Like when you are struck, is it like you can hear, is it like a turn of phrase that inspires you or is it like a melodic thing usually or is it always different? It's always different.
But if there's just like a melody that's coming to me and let's say I'm, somebody's the piano yeah and I'm like no play don't don't play you know but both of those could be different like melodically on top of each one sure because if you're just singing in front of the plain one, that's like, la, la, la, la, la, la. You can just make up anything and it's easy.
Something else you have to follow or work around what the keys are doing. Right, it's holding the center too much.
But do you have any sort of synesthesia you think about like you hear a sound, but you also sense something else, you see it or you feel it or like, does that like does that make sense it's yeah it's a sensory situation and you feel it and hear it and if it's really something that's going to end up being close to your heart then you just go in and do it and like how often do you write like are you writing like all the time like let's just say like, like, could you write tonight? Not tonight. I mean, I could, but I'm like not.
I'm staying in a hotel. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You need your atmosphere. Well, yes.
And it'd be nice if, let's say, I'm working with a bunch of different people right now. And let's say I say, oh, I want to go work with such and such from across town.
Yeah, from across town. My girl across town.
Yeah, across town. I know a guy across town.
I know a guy. I like him.
Yeah. He's all right.
He's all right. He'll do.
He's a character. He's all right.
He'll do. He'll do.
He knows. No, but, you know, so that's the thing.
I would say, let me go work with the guy from across town.
That's a really good, let's say, maybe probably keyboard player is what I usually like to work with.
And then, you know, we could pick up where we left off.
We could write something new, you know.
Say I had a different idea. Could we work
on this? And then
sing it to them.
But the guys across town...
Yeah, you gotta get there.
Are you going there or is he coming to you?
Probably we'll meet at a studio.
Somewhere in the middle.
Do you have a favorite studio you record in?
Is there an iconic place that you go that you feel like brings out a certain Mariah-ness? The iconic studio of my house. Yeah.
There you go. I mean, we were so happy during the pandemic when you were giving it to us.
Yes, those were great. Yeah, that we belong together in particular.
That was amazing. Thank you.
And also, wait, shout out to that thing you did recently. There was like you and Brandy together.
Oh, that was fun. We did the roof.
Yes. Yeah.
Yes. I need to see Brandy.
Hi, Brandy. Where are you? She's a legend too.
She's amazing. Just one of those like all timers.
All timers. I would say, have you ever? Oh my gosh.
Have you ever is one of those songs. Yeah.
You hear it and you're like, oh wow. And then you actually like, you attempt to sing it.
It's so rangy. It's so wild.
But that's another, because I think the beginning of that song is also like a hard work, all stacked. Yeah, yeah.
She loves to do that. Yeah.
She's really, she's great at that. Yeah.
Cause when we were working together, she was like, we were having fun stacking. Yeah.
Adding little parts. Because you guys together, your voices together, it's extremely complimentary.
Well, I love her voice. Yeah.
I love it so much. I remember, it was actually the night of the Grammys.
I was with Ari, and she was telling me, at the time it was not officially up, but she was like, Mariah's going to be on the Yes, The End remix. I was like, oh my God.
The Yes I was like oh my god that's gonna be such a gag and then we and then we saw Miley go up and then like I just remember it being such a nice moment where everybody in the room was just so happy for you it really was a nice moment yeah say even all the history that we have with the Grammy I know they can still make it right well they can't ever really make You're right, but they could do something. Meet in the middle.
Like we meet that guy across town. Meet that guy.
He can make it happen. Why not? We have our own award show called the Culture Awards.
Oh, you do? We're doing a big venue. We might give Butterfly a retroactive award.
Why don't we? Oh my gosh, that's amazing. Album of the year.
Album of the year. We're gonna do that.
We're an official awards body. We are an official awards body.
We are the cult. You can win the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar, the Tony and the cult.
It's the culture awards. It's the culture awards so you can win the cult.
The cult! It's like a cult but you cult it. You cult it.
So you know, stay tuned. I love that.
I'll write it down. You'll write it down.
By the way, whenever you call also from that album. One of the great songs.
That is a, that, and I mean, I loved it with you and Brian, but just how it was too, like that is, that's like all time Mariah to me as well. Thank you.
Whenever You Call. Love.
That's a good one. Also growing up, I remember there's an Irish band, Westlife.
Yeah. Love Westlife.
I mean, you have your own Against All your own against all odds you know track but then I liked it when I really I also really enjoyed the one you guys were featured they came up to the studio in Capri where I was working yeah and that's when Simon was Simon Cal it was Simon I think it was yeah yeah he was their manager and they came up there and we filmed it and everything. Yeah.
And the guys did their parts and I kept mine. Those are some cute guys.
They were adorable. They were adorable.
And I love that video because it is like one of those. And we need videos like this where it's just shot in the studio.
Everyone's singing. Everyone's just singing.
Yeah, yep. I mean, and you belt in that song.
Yeah. Oh, my God.
I love that song. Anyway.
Well, wait. Okay, before we get to I don't think so honey I have to ask one more question which I promised myself I would ask Can you drop that grunge album? I know right Drop it I'm so mad that I haven't done that yet But you don't have to be mad because you're in control Do it I am but who do I drop it with? Should start a label maybe just put it you know what would be kind of chic if you just put it out on like a garage band or something like a grungy thing I could do that it's a good album I want to hear it oh you haven't heard any of it no I mean we've heard we've heard like what you allowed us to hear just those little snippets, but we need to hear that.
Okay. And the fact that you just did that.
Incredible. That was just like, I was getting life from that.
Yeah, you could tell. Seriously.
But that's like the prince in you. That's like the genre thing.
It's like, oh, it doesn't matter. I'm a musician.
I'm an artist. I can do it in any kind of thing.
And it was jokes as well. There were lots.
See, I want to hear what the jokes were at that time. I mean, they're everlasting.
They are everlasting jokes. Everlasting jokes, title of that.
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Hey readers, it is so thrilling to tell you about a new podcast from the iconic, the incomparable Michelle Obama and her big brother Craig called IMO. You know, on Lost Culture Recess, we dive deep into the culture and get real with our guests.
Likewise, on IMO, Michelle, Craig, and their guests tackle questions from listeners just like you, offering practical advice, personal storytelling, and plenty of laughs. From dating and relationships to family and faith, Michelle and Craig give their candid perspectives to the everyday questions shaping our lives and the world around us.
Like their first episode where Issa Rae laments friendships that need to go. You'll hear Michelle and Craig's stories about being there for each other throughout their lives, from first crushes and fraught college years to landing at the White House to losing their mom.
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All episodes of Mid-Century Modern are now streaming on Hulu. Okay, so now we'll do I Don't Think So, Honey, because I'm happy we've now convinced you to release it and we can count on it.
Yes. I should.
No, you're right. Honestly, and just know that no one's forgotten about it after you dangled it, so.
Okay. We've reminded the people.
Okay. This is I Don't Think So, Honey.
This is our segment that we do
on this podcast
each and every time
where we take one minute
to rant against something
in pop culture
that needs a ranting.
And I'm going to do it
because two women
really tore me up this morning.
This is Matt Rogers.
I Don't Think So, Honey.
Time starts now.
I Don't Think So, Honey.
Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager
making me cry this morning.
I was already feeling
an emotional type of way
because I knew Mariah was coming and I was so excited. And then Hoda has announced she's leaving the Today Show and her and Jenna Bush Hager sobbing at each other.
Mams, you didn't have to be so legendary at us. That was so emotional.
They are so real. We've met them before.
They are incredible. Hoda, I support you in whatever you do, but not making me sob like this.
Seriously. I was on my way to listen to Mariah, get prepared.
And I had Hoda Kotb making everyone break down. It was like we had lost a great leader this morning on the Today Show.
All of them clasping hands like they were ready for the Titanic to go down. I'm like, oh my God, it really feels like the end of an era because it is.
Hoda, we love you. Please don't leave NBCUniversal for good.
Please come do some special reports. We love you, but also spend time with your kids and babies as it were.
And we love you, Hoda. And we'll miss you every day on today.
And that's one minute. I mean, it was major news.
The Times, Washington Post, they were all like breaking. Hoda Khabi announced that she's leaving today.
It's like, it's a major. It's going to be a huge void.
Oh, man. You take for granted Hoda every day on the Today Show.
Just a comfort. It was giving the Broad City finale.
Like, the two of them saying goodbye to each other. I was like, oof, these girls.
But yeah, we love you, Hoda. We love you, Hoda.
And Jenna. That was a really special moment.
Okay, this is Bo and Yang's. I don't think so.
Okay. Are you ready, Bo? I am ready.
This is Bo and Yang's. I don't think so, honey.
His time starts now. I don't think so, honey.
Boxing Day. The day after Christmas, sometimes celebrated in Canada and the US.
This is the origin of Boxing Day. It was a day meant for servants and poor people so that they could get gifts.
And now it's just an extra day to shop. So it's giving class, it's giving like class warfare either way you slice it.
You know, it's like a holiday for poor people. It's giving separate but equal.
Just lump it in with Christmas and don't extend the holidays. After the 25th, we're done.
This, our guest, this legend is off the clock. Don't make her work a second longer than she needs to.
Just implies that, you know, oh, well then people have to make a Boxing Day album. No, no, no.
25th, it's over. It's curtains.
The holidays are a time for joy and peace and togetherness and warmth and all these cozy things. The 26th, it's a weird number.
Five seconds. I don't like it.
12-26, we're in that dead zone between then and New Year's, and it should stay that way. And that's what I'm in it.
He says on 9-26. New Year's overrated.
New Year's overrated. Because it's like...
You know what? I had a great time just staying in the city for New Year's this past New Year's. Oh, yeah.
We stayed in the city and we usually do a trip. Uh-huh.
The trip on New Year's is always overrated. Definitely because you're
surrounded by drunk drivers
and all of that.
Stay local.
Stay local.
Stay chill.
Also, it's like when you're a kid, New Year's is fun
because you're staying up till midnight.
And then all of a sudden the novelty of that is gone.
It's like I'm up till midnight
each and every night.
I'm not a nerd. No, actually these days I am going to bed at night.
I am going to bed at night. Okay.
Mariah Carey. Are you ready? Do you have something on your mind? There's always something on my mind.
Yeah, yeah. We are excited to say this is Mariah Carey's I Don't Think So Honey.
Her time starts now. I don't think so, honey.
Listen, I can't with the overhead lighting. Why do they do it to us? Why? And I shouldn't even say us because it's not us.
It's me. I'm the one that gets the most tortured by the hideous lighting in every elevator, doorway, gym.
Not that I go to the gym, but I'm just saying,
it's hideous lighting.
The sun.
The sun is okay if it's at sunset.
Yeah.
And then I will gladly go outside
and put the,
you know,
the little hat on
or whatever.
And that'll be pretty
because it's sunlight
caressing your skin.
Of course.
But it's bad for you,
so you gotta be careful of that.
But overhead lighting,
I don't think so, honey.
No.
Please stop it.
Every place I go, shut the lights. 15 seconds.
Turn them out. I don't want to see them.
No more. Yes.
No more, honey. There's 10 seconds.
One more thing on overhead lighting. One more thing on overhead lighting.
It makes me sick. And that's what it is.
The fact that we got Mariah Carey's I don't think so many on overhead lighting is an all-timer. How did we do today? We did pretty good.
Are you guys doing good? Because these are like, you know, here and here. I noticed that.
You know that I said to them really, I was like, let's get this lighting together. We cannot miss on this, you guys.
I think people are catching up to you. With the lighting, they're trying, yeah.
You know, now it's like, we're going to clue everybody in on this. A classic gay guy's apartment now is no overhead lighting.
It's just mood lighting in different corners.
That's it.
It's a little sexier that way.
Those little orbs that are lit up.
It's orbs on the floor.
Yeah, those soft orbs around.
What's the home rig?
What's the home situation?
I feel that the best way is recessed lighting.
Yeah. And then you're walking and it's like splash of light, splash of light.
You know, it's not anything more than that that's needed. Sumptuous.
Sumptuous. I think that's a word if you can try to include that.
Try that for that next time? In a song and you know. I feel like I did that.
I'm sure you have. I don't know if I did.
Wait, there was a word. It sounds like a Mariah word.
There was a word just now in your album that thinks, honey, that caress. Caress.
Caress. Come on to me and go back in time.
Yes. Okay, wait.
Them babies, are you excited to take them to see Wicked? I'm excited to hang out with them whenever I can. Yeah, of course.
Like they're just always doing something else. Are they 13? Yes.
Now, that's the age. You had them on tour last year though.
Yeah, I did. They were 12.
They were 12. Now they're teens.
They're teens now. I know.
I can't think about it. I'm going to have to rant again.
Them babies are them teens? They're them teens now. This is so sublime.
Thank you so much for joining us. I mean, I just can't say enough.
Like I said, I think you're so much of the reason why I am who I am. And thank you so much for everything that you've given of your talent of your gift of your songwriting I mean we could sit here and talk to you forever you really are just the best and you will always be that for me and I'm so happy to meet you thank you so much the way you've shaped the culture and the industry and the way you've shown people how to navigate it is truly invaluable.
And we all think... There's a hero.
We end every episode with a song. And actually, this one, I really want more respect on this thing.
Okay, okay. Dream lover, come rescue me.
Take me up, take me down. Take me anywhere you want to, baby.
Now, and for the rest of that, you can listen to the fantasy record. Bye.
That's Music Box. That's Music Box.
Cut it out. Do not let me have all this knowledge and then flop at the end.
How can that happen?
No. I'm going to finish mine.
Oh, my God.
Thank you, Fred.
Lost Cultures is a production by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeartRadio Podcast.
Created and hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.
Executive produced by Anna Hosnier and Hansani.
Produced by Becca Ramos.
Edited and mixed by Doug Baehm and Monique Laborde.
And our music is by Hen Henry Kvirsky.
Hey everybody, it's me, Matt Rogers, letting you know tickets are on sale now to see me on tour.
The Prince of Christmas tour, that is.
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