Josh 0:00

But I like introducing Steve Irwin voice as if we are in the wild with him. And so if my dog is looking through the window, it'd be like, we're coming up behind this animal. We've got to be careful. We don't want to startle it. Look at the size of it.

Pamela 0:26

You're listening to Premeditated Opinions, because yes, we thought about it, and then we said it anyway. I'm Pamela.

Josh 0:33

And I'm Josh, and we are just two people who somehow share a brain and decided to weaponize our brains with microphones.

Pamela 0:40

Each week, we unpack the chaos from politics and religion to petty internet fights and existential dread, like it's our unpaid job.

Josh 0:48

We are not experts. We are just way too confident. So with all that being said, let's get started. Why do you talk so weird?

Pamela 1:02

Listen.

Josh 1:02

Exactly. What's the history of listen? Has that just been a Pamela special?

Pamela 1:13

I don't know. I feel like I don't know where it came from. It's been a... A thing. I know at least since we moved here.

Josh 1:22

Okay.

Pamela 1:24

I don't know. I don't know.

Josh 1:26

I very much enjoy it.

Pamela 1:27

So I honestly didn't even pick up on it until I think you said something about it. And I was like, and then it just has become a thing that now I'm aware of.

Josh 1:37

Yeah. Oh, yeah. I didn't know that the Genesis was after you moved. I thought maybe that was a Kentucky thing.

Pamela 1:45

Listen. I don't know.

Josh 1:48

Yeah. Well, so, I mean, to that end... We now are in a podcast where people are hearing your voice with some regularity, and you've gotten some attention for the way that you sound. What's that like for you?

Pamela 2:04

What's funny is I didn't even really realize I had an accent until I moved here, and I started working with people up in the Northeast.

Josh 2:15

Oh, yaah.

Pamela 2:15

And then they started pointing it out, and I'm like, I don't know what you're talking about. Because I've always been, I guess, insulated to Louisville. And then it kind of just became a thing. So I can't hear it. Sometimes I can. But I just feel like I'm talking just like you. I don't know. But I will say, when I go home... It thickens. And when I'm animated, like when I'm unhinged and on one, it'll tend to... Yeah.

Josh 2:59

It crops back up a little bit, intensifies.

Pamela 3:01

Yes.

Josh 3:02

Yeah.

Pamela 3:03

And the only time I've heard it is I was really nervous and I did a... One of my very first YouTube videos when I was trying to do breakout as a YouTube star. I recorded myself for the first time on my phone and I was nervous. And when I played it back, I was like, oh, my God, is that what I sound like?

Unknown 3:31

Yeah.

Pamela 3:31

And my husband was like, well, it's a little thicker than usual. I was like, I don't know.

Josh 3:37

Do you hear Josh's accent?

Pamela 3:43

Josh has an accent?

Josh 3:44

Yes, he does.

Pamela 3:45

He does? Like, it's... I mean... I feel like Josh sounds like an old country guy. He's got a very kind of raspy, like, I don't know.

Josh 4:00

No, it's definitely there. Y'alls are a little different, but I always enjoy it. I think it's a lot of fun. So what I'm curious about, so you say you can't hear an accent for yourself and it sounds like for Josh.

Pamela 4:16

Not in the moment.

Josh 4:17

Sure, sure. Do you think... I have an accent or other just Texans in general. Like, do you hear it differently? Cause I don't, I definitely am in the same camp as you and that I don't think I can hear my own, but I'm told, um, that I speak with an accent, but I wasn't even born here. I've just lived here a long time.

Pamela 4:34

So listen, I can only hear an accent if it's thicker than mine. And there are distinct accents. So Louisville has a distinct accent. Tennessee has a distinct accent. Texas has a distinct accent. I think part of the issue is I've always been in the city.

Josh 4:58

Okay, yeah. Rural Texas is its own thing for sure.

Pamela 5:01

Yes. And so there's a difference when you live in the city and there's that accent and then you get to more rural areas. Because I remember being a freshman, and I went to ROTC camp. And there were some girls there from Muhlenberg County. And I was like, and it was thick. And I came home with a thick accent. My parents were like, you don't talk like that. And so it diluted over time. And I think being here, it has diluted a little bit more. Like I said, when I go back home, it's different. I don't know. Like I don't even know if my parents have an accent. Like I can't hear it.

Josh 5:54

Yeah.

Pamela 5:55

Like... I can hear a very Northern accent. It's kind of one of those. If you're from a specific area, like Boston or Brooklyn or Minnesota.

Josh 6:07

Very distinctive. Those easy to pick.

Pamela 6:10

I can pick up, but most people just sound normal.

Josh 6:13

Well, and so I, I've enjoyed goofing around with accents, um, like just as entertainment almost, uh, which I've, I've done a decent amount. So my, my kids love it when I do, uh, Bruce the Shark from Finding Nemo. Hello. My name's Bruce. It's been three weeks since my last fish on me honour. I made my head be chopped off and made into glue. They like all that stuff.

Pamela 6:38

It is. I love it. I love it. Because that is not an easy accent.

Josh 6:44

Yeah. Australian is its own thing. I like doing Steve Irwin because I'm so excited about everything he was doing. But I like introducing Steve Irwin voice like as if we are in the wild with him and so like if my dog is looking through the window it'd be like we're coming up behind this animal we gotta be careful we don't want to startle it look at the size of it.

Pamela 7:12

oh it's so much fun

Josh 7:12

and I do that with tremendous respect and affection in my heart for the late Steve Irwin who is a treasure please no one hear disrespect I am a massive fan his children are amazing his wife is amazing

Pamela 7:25

we're just culturally appropriating him it's fine

Josh 7:29

Right but honestly I think he'd have a laugh so it's fine yeah but I like so I have this weird thing I'm a very auditory learner and It serves me very well. It served me well in school. I can listen to a lecture, retain a lot from that lecture. I am a note taker as well, but most of the way that I absorb information is auditory.

Pamela 7:49

That's so wild because I'm the complete opposite. I'm a visual. I have to see it. And sometimes I will close my eyes in order to visualize what someone is telling me because I can't.

Josh 8:01

I totally get that. I think it's just the nature of the fact that I've been such a long time musician and that's just the way that my brain collects data. A weird little byproduct of that is if I am immersed in an environment that has an accent, I will start to involuntarily do it. I am not trying to. It is subconscious. I don't realize it at first. There was this time I had gone to England on my way to somewhere else. I had a long layover there and I actually missed a flight. It's a different story for a different podcast episode. It was quite the ordeal. I was in London for a little more than a day and was trying to get to Kenya. I was by myself and I've just been around the Brits all day. And I was in an elevator. And the elevator opened. And I had bags with me and all this stuff. And I was trying to get off the elevator. And I almost ran into this person that was on the other side because I'm wrestling these big bags that I had with me. And I swear to you, I heard this come out of my mouth. And I was like, whoa. I looked at this person. I go, 'Oh sorry'. And it's like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. What am I doing? What am I doing?

Pamela 9:34

My bad.

Josh 9:34

Yeah. But it's completely involuntary, but it also can be fun because I can absorb accents.

Pamela 9:43

Well, and that's an accent, I think, because it is English and we hear it so much and Canadian accents and things like that. I think that would be kind of easy to pick up, but you're not going to hear me picking up a Mandarin accent or a Russian accent or... And I don't know. I don't know why that is. But there are just certain ones that...

Josh 10:08

You should probably try it live on the air right now. I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

Pamela 10:14

Listen.

Josh 10:16

No, I hear you, though. And a lot of those... So a lot of the... more intense sort of heavy accents like Russian, like Scots, Irish, um, like, There are parts of that accent that I can mimic, but it's so intense that I have to hear it first, and if I hear it, I can do it back to you. But it's not something that I can always just...

Pamela 10:47

So you're a mockingbird.

Josh 10:48

Basically, yeah. Exactly that. But I really enjoy all that. So for you, kind of coming up in the part of the world that you did, is it ever a deterrent Is the accent ever a liability? Especially for somebody... I say this not at all sarcastically, but someone with just a weapons-grade brain like you have, which you absolutely do. You're a brilliant human being. But there are some stereotypes around the way that that sounds. And I wonder if that ever was a problem.

Pamela 11:28

And I'm guilty of it as well. So... You know, we launched the podcast this week and it's so funny because a lot of the feedback I got was, wow, your accent, like your accent, your accent. And I was like, oh, okay. So I remember in high school in JROTC courses, we had, they would teach us life skills and we had, we went through the junior achievement curriculum. And one of the things that our sergeant majors had told us was basically to drop our accents once we hit college and career age like because you will lose credibility having a southern accent people see it as you're less intelligent and he's like so you know work on it and we're like okay so I'm supposed to learn how to drop my accent in Louisville?

Josh 12:34

Right

Pamela 12:34

Like, okay. What sense does this make? Someone with my accent is telling me not to have my accent and to drop it, and I'm like, what's step two? I don't know what to do here. And even then, I never heard it. I never picked up on it. It really became apparent, one, when I started working with consultants who were outside of the country and they would have trouble understanding what I was saying. And that was kind of mind-boggling for me because I'm like, I don't understand why you can't understand what I'm saying. When I... started working as a consultant. And again, just working with different people around the world, that's one thing that would always come up is my accent, my accent. So, you know, I don't know if it has ever... been an issue. I haven't received any feedback saying your accent's a problem or anything like that. But I do believe that there is a perception. And you could be an astronomer or you could work at SpaceX. You could be a rocket scientist. You could be a brain surgeon. But if you sound like me... People are going to question your ability. They're going to question what you know. And sometimes I have wondered if that has held me back before, even just subconsciously, unconsciously. I don't know. But one of the reasons why I started the Data Cowgirl brand is because I kind of wanted to create a space for... Women in particular, but it's really, you know, open. But to create a space for really intelligent women, you know, can be in the tech field or not. But who just feel like they struggle with credibility due to their accent. And so to me, the juxtaposition of data and cowgirl, that I was really drawn to that because it's like we are highly intelligent, but we are from the South. We are Southern.

Josh 15:18

Well, and it's a feature, not a bug. There's some really wonderful traits that tend to permeate people from the South that make them very desirable to be employees, to be on teams, to develop products and content and all of that. There's a work ethic that typically comes with a lot of people from the South. There's a friendliness, a humanitarian leaning that comes with a lot of people from the South. And that, I think, is a wonderful thing to have alongside you in a professional environment. And so it's a bummer that the accent can steer people a different direction and allow for a lot of...

Pamela 16:03

Stereotyping?

Josh 16:03

Thank you.

Pamela 16:05

Yes. So, and I want to comment on that, that I have noticed that a lot of times when people hear that I'm from the South, which I don't even know, like Kentucky has always been on the fence.

Josh 16:21

Yeah.

Pamela 16:22

Like they're Southern when it benefits them and they're Northern when it benefits them. But they were really Switzerland. But... When people hear my accent, they automatically assume that I'm probably Republican, I'm probably a Christian, you know, all of these things that are typically associated with... The South.

Josh 16:46

Right. You only listen to bro country music.

Pamela 16:48

Yeah. Yeah. And I'm not saying that I don't participate in some of those assumptions, but that's not me.

Josh 16:59

Yeah.

Pamela 17:00

Like, I'm... I guess that's one good thing about Louisville is, you know, with it being such an indie city, like, I really didn't grow up in what felt like the South.

Josh 17:12

That's interesting.

Pamela 17:13

Yeah. Yeah. I definitely grew up feeling like I was a city girl.

Josh 17:18

Yeah, I can see that. Yeah. And, you know, the insulation of being in an environment like that and... But also with it having such an indie bend, I could see how you would benefit from sort of multiple perspectives. Like, you know, there's still a southern hospitality element to things, but there's also a we're going to do things our own way and in a way that makes sense for us and all that, which I really appreciate.

Pamela 17:48

Well, and I feel like there's a little bit of this unconscious... bias I guess where going along with the stereotype that southerners are typically blue collar

Josh 18:02

right

Pamela 18:03

and then the northerners are the white collar

Josh 18:05

right those northern elites

Pamela 18:06

exactly so we you know you're looked at as a hard worker but maybe not necessarily the smart and it's like I'm a work smarter, not harder every day.

Josh 18:21

Yeah.

Pamela 18:21

Like I am. Yes.

Josh 18:25

Yeah. I'm with you on all of that. And I think that there's, I, I, I, I love that you have such an identifiable trait. I think that's a lot of fun. It sucks that it has been a liability in some ways, and it sucks that anyone who sounds like they're from the South might have to try and explain themselves or have more ground to cover before people take them seriously.

Pamela 18:52

Yeah, and then you fold in... Being a woman in tech, it kind of just feels like one more thing stacked against me to gain credibility.

Josh 19:05

I always thought that your branding around the data cowgirl was really freaking smart because it definitely differentiates you from freaking everybody that I've seen within the professional circles that you run in. But I also... you know, right at the front of it is data. And so there's, there's this implication of, yes, I am Southern and I like my boots and my hats and, and, you know, I, I enjoy this part of the culture and I have a lot of things to offer professionally and, and, and an asset to whatever team that I'm on. And I've always thought your branding around that was really, really smart. Um, and so, yeah, shameless plug. If you're not following The Data, Cowgirl on Substack, you need to go do that right now. Pause this episode, go hit follow, then come back to this episode. Um, But yeah, I... I was born in the Pacific Northwest, actually. Yeah, I was born in Boise, Idaho, but I wasn't there for very long. And then I went, kind of bounced around a lot as a kid, then landed in Texas when I was nine, I think. And we moved a ton before that, actually. Lived in several different states. And for me, there wasn't ever enough consistency of me being in one place to pick up an accent as a kid. And I think that that has sort of... uh, created a situation as an adult where I don't have what I think is a super distinguishable accent, even though some people will tell me otherwise. Um, I think I sound pretty neutral, but then again, like I was talking about, I tend to absorb whatever I'm around. And so like I hang out with you and Josh enough and I find myself saying, I'm mana, and sprinkling in my own listens, uh, you know, because it's effective. It's, you know, uh, I like it, but I also, I think it's interesting that that's gotten so much attention since we've launched this podcast and I could see how that would be both something that is endearing and kind of fun for you and something that is highlighting maybe, uh, Maybe it's something sensitive.

Pamela 21:19

Yeah, I mean, it's fine. It is what it is. I can't really change it. I mean, I guess I could try.

Josh 21:24

What would that be like? Do you think you could actually– you don't have to do it now. No, but I'm asking the question, if you focused on it enough, do you actually think it's something that you could change?

Pamela 21:35

Maybe, but here's the thing. I don't know. what to change.

Josh 21:42

Ah, okay.

Pamela 21:44

Like, I don't know how... Like, I don't know how to explain it. Like, I've been told I elongate my I's. So that's something. But even then, I struggle. Like, okay, my friend Mike loves when I would say, so we worked together at,

Josh 22:05

Okay.

Pamela 22:05

And we had this one girl that worked with us. And every time I said her name, he would just, he'd be so tickled. I, though, don't hear.

Josh 22:17

Yeah.

Pamela 22:18

What... So.

Josh 22:21

So if you can't hear it, how do you fix it?

Pamela 22:22

Exactly. So her name is M-A-Y-A.

Josh 22:27

Okay.

Pamela 22:28

Maya.

Josh 22:30

Maya.

Pamela 22:30

Maya.

Josh 22:32

Maya.

Pamela 22:33

Maya.

Josh 22:34

Okay. I feel like you're skipping a syllable, but it's fine.

Pamela 22:38

Maya. Maya.

Josh 22:42

God, I hope she's listening.

Pamela 22:45

She might be.

Josh 22:46

But no, that's... See, to me, that's all just fun. Like, it's never...

Pamela 22:51

But like, I don't know how to... Maya.

Josh 22:53

Yeah.

Pamela 22:53

Maya. Maya. I can't. I can't.

Josh 22:57

The word's about to become a sound.

Pamela 22:59

It is.

Josh 22:59

Ted Lasso style.

Pamela 23:00

Yep.

Josh 23:02

Okay, so...

Pamela 23:02

So listen.

Josh 23:03

Exactly. So how much did the engagement of Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift change your life?

Pamela 23:16

I'm so excited. I feel like we manifested that.

Josh 23:19

We probably did.

Pamela 23:20

I feel like we did. We talked about it, and then... Well, we didn't talk about the engagement, but we talked about her, and that's close enough.

Josh 23:27

Right, exactly. Yeah. We brought the right energy to the situation.

Pamela 23:30

Even though they were already engaged, that's beside the point. No, I'm excited. To me... Normally, this is not something I would put a lot of stock into. Just like with the royal weddings.

Josh 23:46

Sure.

Pamela 23:47

I'm like, oh, that's cute. That's cool. Whatever. But I think, honestly, I think it goes back to the climate. And this is something that can bring us some joy.

Josh 24:02

Yeah. Yes.

Pamela 24:04

And distract us a little bit from the hot mess. that is happening in Washington right now. And so I look forward to it. I mean, I love her.

Josh 24:16

Yeah.

Pamela 24:17

And he seems like a great guy. You know, I listened to the podcast, their New Heights episode, and I just, it was fun.

Josh 24:28

Yeah.

Pamela 24:28

You know, and I'll be honest, I've not paid much attention to Travis Kelce. I just have no need or desire to.

Josh 24:38

Yeah, totally.

Pamela 24:38

And I always thought it was a little odd because I was stereotyping football players in my mind. So I remember just thinking, like, this is an odd match.

Josh 24:52

Yeah.

Pamela 24:53

Like, I wonder... I know what the appeal is for her. Sure. Or, like, toward her. I don't know what the appeal is toward him.

Josh 25:02

Sure.

Pamela 25:04

But after listening to that podcast, I was like, okay, I get it. Like, he just seems like a down-to-earth, normal dude.

Josh 25:13

Well, and honestly, both Travis and Jason Kelsey, who Jason Kelsey had, I think, a 14-year NFL career. I mean, multiple times in the Pro Bowl. That dude, you know, he's a legit athlete by himself. And then, I mean, obviously it runs in the family. And so, um,

Pamela 25:30

I mean, they, they, they can't, they come off as your typical, just Midwestern guys, Midwestern family. Um, he doesn't seem, at least from what I could tell, he doesn't seem full of hubris.

Josh 25:46

Right.

Pamela 25:46

You know, he's got humility. He's, he can laugh at himself, which is, you know, one of my favorite things. Uh, Yeah, they just seem like a really– they just seem happy.

Josh 25:59

Right.

Pamela 26:00

And

Josh 26:01

for the level of fame that really both of them are at, but specifically Taylor, the level of fame that she's at means that absolutely everything is under a microscope. Absolutely everything is scrutinized and talked about. She can't hardly blow her nose without people wanting to analyze her actions.

Pamela 26:22

I think people just want somebody to hate. I think they just– She's an easy target. And so when people are feeling insecure about themselves, they just sling mud at her. And the great thing about her is she just lets it fall off. She's just like, whatever.

Josh 26:40

We've obviously talked about her on another recent episode, so I don't want to rehash all of that. But at the same time, this is kind of big news, especially for anyone who's following a American pop culture, but I enjoy the fact that they seem to work at just being normal people within these really ridiculous lives that they live. And I think, and you know, I don't have any actual facts to back this up, but it seems like they're the types who would almost laugh at their own existence a little bit. It's like, can you believe that this is the things that we get to do? And, and Travis Kelsey, like just him as an athlete is, He doesn't have Taylor's wealth by any stretch, but make no mistake, that dude is one of the best paid players in the NFL. He is a stellar tight end.

Pamela 27:42

I don't know why that tickles me.

Josh 27:48

Do you want me to talk more about his tight end? All by himself, he is famous. And all by himself, he is very wealthy. And all by himself, he has been and won multiple Super Bowls like in whatever category you want to put him in he is one of the best in the game and so for him to have the humility to be like no I'm going to match myself up alongside somebody who is famous on a level he will never achieve who has wealth on a level that he probably will never achieve And for him to be so openly supportive of her and kind of a fan of hers... I actually think is kind of an amazing model. Like,

Pamela 28:40

So I will say, and I know you haven't finished. So on the podcast, he talks about showing up on one of her shows. He's on stage. He looks out and he is overwhelmed by the size of the crowd. This is a guy who's won multiple Superbowls and is still intimidated by being on stage with her and him, actually being able to see somewhat through her eyes of what a superstar she is and what... the amount of pressure being on that stage looks like. And the way that he kind of describes just his admiration.

Josh 29:27

Yeah.

Pamela 29:28

And he may not describe it, but you can hear it in what he's saying on the podcast of just he knows. He knows his place.

Josh 29:41

But again, what a great example. Like. He is...

Pamela 29:46

And he's willing to embrace it.

Josh 29:48

Yes, absolutely.

Pamela 29:49

And he's embracing it, and he doesn't look at... I think the thing I'm most impressed by, at least from what I can see, again, I don't know these people, never met them, this could all just be a smokescreen, but... He doesn't let it make him insecure.

Josh 30:13

Yes, 100%.

Pamela 30:14

Like he is not out there cutting her down, making her feel small. Like he is encouraging and boosting and supporting and all of these things for her. So I kind of glimpsed that when I was listening to the podcast, and that garnered a lot of respect.

Josh 30:32

Yeah. Yeah, and he also, you know, it's very clear that their families are close. Like, you know, they talked a lot about that in the podcast and there's a... A whole segment that they talk about some health struggles that Taylor's family went through. And it just seems like, sure, is she a billionaire? Yes, she is. She has wealth beyond what I can imagine. And fame beyond what I can imagine that, honestly, I'm wildly uninterested in. I can't even imagine walking through life with that level of fame. No, thank you. But... they've also just had some really human experiences that seem like it's kind of pushed them closer together. And I'm not trying to do like some long expository, uh, segment on their relationship. But at the same time, I, I stand by the fact that I think it's a pretty good example for a lot of people like my nine year old daughter who really idolize Taylor Swift. And, um, you know have listened to endless hours of her music and all of that and now it seems like at least from the outside looking in and obviously we don't know the ins and outs but from the outside looking in it seems like she's in a reasonably healthy certainly happy relationship with another very famous person and they seem to be just figuring it out in a way that kind of gives me a little bit of hope.

Pamela 32:03

And I think that's why I'm so excited about this. I'm genuinely thrilled for them and looking forward to... you know, what comes.

Josh 32:14

Yeah. Well, and if she's proven anything, she's proven that she writes about her life. She cranks out.

Pamela 32:21

Oh, that next album's going to be juicy.

Josh 32:23

Oh, man. I think it's going to be all sorts of new and a little bit different.

Pamela 32:29

It's going to be like fights in the kitchen and he didn't make the bed.

Josh 32:36

He left my car with no gas in it.

Pamela 32:38

Oh, Jesus. That is cardinal sin.

Josh 32:43

No. Yeah. I mean, it is an interesting, like, just pop culture element. And I... There's been some dialogue around Travis Kelsey being dumb. And... Maybe he is. I don't know. I remember watching the parade a couple years ago after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, and he got on the mic, and he was obviously drunk, and he was celebrating with his teammates for winning a Super Bowl.

Pamela 33:13

Heaven forbid.

Josh 33:15

Exactly. That was kind of my attitude. I was like, well, yeah. What do you expect? This dude has been just working his tight end off. He's been working so hard.

Pamela 33:33

Sir!

Josh 33:35

He's been working so hard and he's celebrating with teammates and it's a special kind of moment for these dudes who've been working really hard. I couldn't care less if you're drunk at your celebration. Whatever. Don't drive. Uber home and as long as that's happening then I don't really care. But there's There's something about the dumb jock stereotype. Sure, from the outside looking in, it seems to kind of fit Travis Kelsey to some degree. And at the same time, I'm not at all convinced that that is who he actually is. And I want to be cautious about... Taking away something that is inherently a good thing by trying to cheapen it with analysis of him in that way. And what I mean by that is... So one of my favorite TV shows of all time is Ted Lasso.

Pamela 34:38

Oh, yes.

Josh 34:39

It's greatness.

Pamela 34:40

Yes.

Josh 34:41

And we could do whole segments on Ted Lasso, and maybe we should. But... One thing about that show that I've thought about a lot is I think that that show celebrates some of the most fun parts of being a guy. and some of the most fun parts about being a guy on a team and doing things alongside other guys who are all trying to kind of move in this common direction with this common goal in mind, and the camaraderie that comes out of that, the relationship that comes out of that, the conflict and the conflict resolution that comes out of that. And so there's all these narratives throughout the course of that TV show where you sort of have somebody who is– having a problem and then finds reconciliation. And there's also moments of that show that come across as kind of silly, but in reality, it's one of the best parts of being a dude. Like, I've been a guy on sports teams. I've been a guy in bands and things like that where we're all together kind of moving towards this common thing. And there's a scene in Ted Lasso that I love that it's where... the team captain gives a haircut to one of the other players in preparation for this player going on a date. And it's this big deal because the captain of the team doesn't really give out these haircuts very often. It's sort of a special deal. And so every time he like makes a move with his clippers, like the rest of the guys in the room are yelling and celebrating and throwing their hands. And it's silly and it's ridiculous. And you know what? It's freaking awesome. Like it's, that is the ridiculous way that men can connect. And we struggle with that inherently anyway. And so I'm always a little bit hesitant to downplay, you know, somebody like a Travis Kelsey who, yeah, on the surface, does he seem a little bit like a dumb jock? Yes, he does. That's if I'm just going to embrace this stereotype for what it is. Yes. From the outside looking in, but also for starters, There's some real camaraderie and relationship that comes out of the kind of life that he has chosen to lead. There's some real conflict resolution. There's some real struggle. There's some real overcoming a lot of hurdles to get to the point in his career where he is. So whether or not he's the smartest guy in the room, he's going to be one of the hardest working. And isn't that... a pretty awesome starting point for a healthy relationship like I might not have all the answers but I'm willing to work with you on it I'm willing to listen to what you have to say and consider those things I'm willing to listen to leadership like coaches and things like that and take advice like I just I'm not convinced that he is this downgrade that people kind of paint him as because I think a lot of the experiences that he's had are part of why he could be successful in this kind of relationship.

Pamela 37:50

Okay, let's be honest. If Taylor Swift... was looking for someone just like her, she ain't gonna find it.

Josh 37:59

Right, yeah.

Pamela 37:59

Okay? So, you know, already there's an impossible bar if that's what she was looking for.

Josh 38:08

Yeah.

Pamela 38:09

But that's not, she doesn't want someone just like her. Right. Like, she doesn't care about any of those things. Right. And it's apparent in the fact that, like, yeah, I mean, he's still, you know, famous and all of these things, but I think that if she found someone like him who was just a Joe Schmoe. You know? Okay. You know, like for her, it's not about... stature and all of all of those things

Josh 38:37

We've done a long segment on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and that wasn't necessarily my intention but at the same time I really I think there's kind of some interesting stuff to talk about and it helped me bring up Ted Lasso which is also just

Pamela 38:50

so yeah the new season's coming out

Josh 38:53

right okay so how are we feeling I have I have opinions how do you feel

Pamela 38:57

I'm excited

Josh 38:58

okay

Pamela 38:59

because I just I love this show I do feel like Like there were some loose ends.

Josh 39:05

Yeah.

Pamela 39:06

And I would like to see those kind of tied up. I don't know. Is this supposed to be a last season or?

Josh 39:15

Off the top of my head, I don't know.

Pamela 39:17

Okay. Okay. So, but I am leery because, you know, a lot of great shows end up, overstaying their welcome

Josh 39:29

a million percent

Pamela 39:30

and you know I one of my favorite series is The Office and after about season I think they should have cut it at season five or six yeah once they started pulling in like Will Ferrell and all that like it's just and Michael Scott left like it just kind of went off the rails

Josh 39:50

yeah

Pamela 39:51

and I'm like we're losing the plot here yeah but you know people love the show. And same thing with Game of Thrones. I love Game of Thrones. That last season pissed me off so bad because they rushed through it.

Josh 40:07

And

Pamela 40:08

I'm like, I would have rather you just not produced it than to throw together that piece of crap. Like I was furious. Furious. Because it was evident that it was rushed. And so I guess I'm a little leery and that I want to make sure they do it right.

Josh 40:31

Yeah. Well, and I have some confidence. So I I'm going to nerd out on the show for just a minute. But so Brett Goldstein is the actor who plays Roy Kent. He is also one of the executive producers of the show and one of the developers and writers for it. And that guy is brilliant.

Pamela 40:50

His standup is really good.

Josh 40:52

So good. He's so funny.

Pamela 40:53

And you see him as Roy and then you see him and I'm like, My brain is having trouble that these two are the same people.

Josh 41:02

Absolutely. So the fact that he's still involved gives me some confidence. I was ready, even with the loose ends... I was ready for them to be done after that final season only because I felt like they had caught lightning in a bottle so much. And I was like, oh, man, don't. I agree with every word you said. Don't overstay your welcome. We can let this be great and end it and leave us wanting more, and that is a good thing. In many ways, one of my favorite TV shows of all time is Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad did that. It ended after five seasons, and it ends brilliantly Now, they did tie up a bunch of loose ends, but it left me wanting more. And that show also, like... Man, they would come out of nowhere and just hit me in the feels sometimes and just make me think about... There's a line I have stolen from that show many, many times. I think it's at the end of the first season and they all just lost the match that they were playing. And Ted's in the locker room and he says, there's something worse than being sad. And it's being alone and sad. And none of y'all are alone. And I think about that once a week. I think that is so poignant and good. And so that show really has a special place for me.

Pamela 42:37

Same. Yes, same. There is nothing like it. The fact that you can go from splitting side laughing to crying in the same episode.

Josh 42:52

Mm-hmm.

Pamela 42:53

And it's done just so well.

Josh 42:56

Yes.

Pamela 42:56

So, so well.

Josh 42:58

And I know you and I, because we've talked about it before, I know you and I are on slightly different sides of Juno Temple's character, Keeley. And I hear the critique, and I know that she can be a little annoying and intense, but actually one of my favorite parts of that show are some of the different relational dynamics, and I love the relationship that they establish between her character and Rebecca.

Pamela 43:23

Yeah, so I will say that was... Toward the end of that season... when we got to see a little more of a human side to Keeley, like I liked her a bit more, but I just, I don't know. There's something about, I don't know if it's the character. Yeah. I don't want to say it's the actress, but there's just something that just kind of in the early just grated me. Yeah. Grated my skin. I'm like,

Josh 43:53

yeah. Well, if you haven't watched Ted Lasso, you need to get yourself an Apple TV+ subscription just for that. Like it's three seasons. You'll haul through. of it it's absolute greatness and yeah

Pamela 44:05

it'll change your life

Josh 44:05

it will change your life yeah I mean honestly like I think about that show

Pamela 44:10

I do too

Josh 44:10

an obscene amount so yeah that's that's worth your time and football season's about to start so it's gonna be lots of tight ends in our future and we've got that to look forward to.

Pamela 44:21

I see what you did there Well that's it for premeditated opinions where the thoughts were fully baked and only mildly regrettable

Josh 44:30

and if you enjoyed today's episode congrats on having truly excellent taste in podcasts and also opinions

Pamela 44:36

send this to someone who needs to feel seen dragged or both we'll be back next week with more unsolicited insight and emotionally responsible spiraling

Josh 44:45

and until then please stay hydrated and behave yourself in the comments

Pamela 44:51

but if you don't share them with us