EP. 349.5 — Last Looks: Shark Attack 3 Megalodon (w/ Jordan Morris)

Paul Scheer [00:00:00] It’s twister. It’s a twister. That’s right. Today we are talking about twisters, fiber optic cables. And would Jason accept a kiss from me? All this and more on today’s. How Did This Get Made? Last Looks hit the theme.

Music [00:00:18] [Intro Song]

Paul Scheer [00:00:38] Hello all you mama megalodons and elderly male tea drinkers. How are you? I’m your host, Paul Scheer. And welcome to How Did This Get Made Last Looks. Where you the listener get to voice your issues on Shark Attack 3: Megalodon. A movie the discord user Grays Tea Hound thinks should have had the tagline “We all die on a yellow submarine.” Or should I read it like (British) “We all die on a yellow submarine.” I don’t know why I put a British accent on that. Anyway, people, here’s the deal. Today we are going to do the normal stuff. Corrections, omissions. Plus, we’re going to give you a exclusive deleted scene from Shark Attack 3. But even more excitingly, we’re going to be welcoming writer podcaster Jordan Morris to the show. Jason and I are going to have a chat with him about everything. What has he been up to since our skyline episode? We’re going to get the inside scoop on what it was like to be in All About Steve. Plus, we’re gonna talk about his graphic novel Youth Group and get into. I mean, we get into a lot. We get into ska bands in a little bit. Anyway, that will be coming up in just a little bit. Plus, we will reveal the movie for next week’s episode. But a first thing first. Well, it’s not even first. It’s like fifth at this point. A big shout out to the Action Jackson 5. I love that name. That was a truly electric opening celebrating our Hot Shark Summer edition of the show. In a couple of weeks, you’re going to see Hot Shark Summer taking over 42nd Street, as our How Did This Get Made billboard is going to go up, celebrating all the shark movies that we’re doing all summer long. And here’s the thing. I love opening themes. But you know what? Maybe it’s time for us to settle down and pick one. We’re going to pick our favorite one for a limited time, and that will be our new opening theme. But don’t despair, because you can still send in themes for corrections and omissions. You win nothing songs and just chats. Okay, so, HowDidThisGetMade@Earwolf.com but keep them short. 15 to 20s is best. Now what’s going on with How Did This Get Made? Well, we’ll be back in New York City on Friday, November 15th for the New York Comedy Festival. Tickets are available right now. Use the code NYCF. Okay, just go to HDTGM.com for the ticket purchase link. Again, that presale code is NYCF. Also, Jason wanted me to let you know that season two of Star Trek Prodigy is now available on Netflix. So if you’ve never watched it because you don’t have Paramount Plus, you can check it out on Netflix. And guess what? Hush, hush. What’s that? Oh, it’s just a twister. How do I know? Because I’m in the movie Twisters. Very small part. I’m not going to tell you when. Well, I can tell you in the very last scene. So check out Twisters this week, and, while you’re waiting on the line for hopefully sold out shows as I enter into my, summer movie era, why don’t you bring a copy of Joyful Recollections of Trauma? You can also be listening to it, and I can also personalize the book for you. Just go to my website to find out where I’ve left sign books, how you can get a personalized signed book, and if you haven’t bought the book, why not people? Why not? No, it’s been amazing. I, I’ve been so overwhelmed. Thank you for all your reviews on Goodreads. That has been amazing. And I’m giving away a free book on Story Graph, which is like a competitor to Goodreads. So check that out as well. All right. Last week we talked at length about Shark Attack 3: megalodon. We had questions and we might have even missed a few things. Here’s your chance to set a straight fact check, if you will. It is now time for corrections and omissions.

Music [00:04:41] [Corrections and Omissions Song]

Paul Scheer [00:04:54] Thank you, John Cohen, for that theme song. Let’s go to the discord. Sean McBee. “How is it that when the mama Meg got blown up, John Barrowman wasn’t floating in a giant sea of gore? There wasn’t even a hint of red in that water, as if the torpedo, which had been fired from a sub that would definitely not be equipped with torpedo tubes, just atomized it.” You know what? Well, the answer is CGI, but no one has brought up that that sub would not be able to have torpedo tubes. I want to give you points for that, Sean. Matty Ice writes “I started watching Shark Attack three megalodon and immediately saw a film by David Worth. I thought, why is that name so familiar? And then it hit me. David Wirth was the cinematographer on Bloodsport, and even gave Bloodsport a five star review on Amazon. He was also the cinematographer on Never Too Young to Die. So this man is How Did This Get Made royalty.” You know what? You made me remember that review. And here is a little clip of me reading his second opinion review for Bloodsport. So. Enjoy.

Paul Scheer [00:06:07] This one is probably my favorite one today. Five stars by David Worth. And it goes something like this. “Of course, I’m going to give Bloodsport a glowing review. I was a cinematographer. It was John Claude Van Damme’s breakout film, and I was thrilled to be a creative part of it. I also worked out so well that two years later, in 1988, I was once again back in Hong Kong with JCVD as the director of Kickboxer. The budgets of both of these films combined were less than $5 million. They still do a ton of business worldwide. Became martial arts classics and launched the career of JCVD. Not bad for the price. Five stars.”

Jason Mantzoukas [00:07:01] Really think about that. He’s on Amazon writing reviews for movies he’s worked on.

Paul Scheer [00:07:10] You know what? That is why when I rated twisters on letterbox, I gave it four stars. I’m not going to give it the full five. And I’m saying many people, really complimented me for that. So there you go. Doctor Guts 1003 writes “This film was produced by New Image, a production company that was founded in part by three former associates of Canon Films. New image went through a few name changes over the years, but eventually became Millennium Films, which produced other How Did This Get Made films, including The Wicker Man, 88 Minutes and Drive Angry.” Okay, doctor guts with the facts. So what we’re basically saying is this is like the Miramax of Canon, like the indie arm. Okay, we got one phone call, so I’m going to make it like, let’s go to the phones. I’m just gonna say John from Massachusetts, what up?

Listener [00:08:01] Hey, Paul, it’s John from down by the water in relatively shark free Marshfield, Massachusetts. You mentioned that the end of Shark Attack. That last line is megala-who? And I think you would agree with me that they missed a perfectly good opportunity to have that last line be megala-done. Love the show. Kiss Jason for me.

Paul Scheer [00:08:22] I will not kiss Jason. No, I will, by the way. I’m not weird. I mean, Jason won’t let me kiss him, is what I guess I’m wanting to say. Anyway, yeah, you fucking nailed it. I guess that’s a megalo-done. Yeah. I like that. I like that for the end of the movie. And it just goes to show you how much time, they spent on the script. Let’s go back to the discord. Corgi herder comes after me. “Paul commented that fiber optic cables would need electricity. And while that is true, the cables themselves don’t need electricity. Undersea fiber optic cables need repeaters to amplify their signal, so they actually do carry electricity. Now, there, have been recorded incidents of sharks and other sea creatures biting cables. And this goes back to the 19th century, when they were laying down telegraph lines across the Atlantic. And sharks were actually attracted to these lines because of the electric current. The film has a kernel of truth. So that’s in there. But these incidents are so less common today because cables are better armored then the standard practice now is to bury these cables a few feet in the sea bed.” Well, Corgi herder, you came after me. So you know what? I’m taking you off the list. You’re not going to get the winner of the week. I’m sorry, but when you come for the king of corrections and omissions, which I guess is me. Unless it’s too good. No chance to win. JayXL writes, “Along with being a sloppy beat by beat remake of Jaws and having captain pendejo rip off that bit from Seinfeld, where Kramer steals the other folks lobster traps. Captain Pendejo’s story arc either intentionally or inadvertently rips off Jack Burton from Big Trouble in Little China and that we follow him around. And while he is the lead character, he is completely incidental to all the action sequences taking place. JayXL, I say nay, anyone with a line like he has about what he wants to do when he’s so wired that honestly, we don’t need him to do any more than that. He did do something. All right. So many great corrections and omissions this week, but there can only be one. And that one is the one caller, John, from Massachusetts with a brand new end line two megalodon. John, you win and you get this amazing song from Garrett Parker.

Music [00:10:45] [Winner’s Song]

Paul Scheer [00:10:50]  Thank you, Garrett, for that song. Remember, if you want to submit an alt movie tagline or chime in with your own thoughts about the latest episode. Hit up the discord at discord.gg/HDTGM or calls at 619-PAUL-ASK. Coming up after the break, Jason joins the show for a chat with Jordan Morris. And as always, I will announce next week’s movie. But first, I want to close the books on Shark Attack 3 by playing a few more of the amazing Second Opinion songs our audience sang at the live show. Take a listen.

Paul Scheer [00:11:19] And now it’s time for second opinions.

June Diane Raphael [00:11:24] Woo!

Audience Member [00:11:26] Hi. I’m Ethan, and I don’t have this accent, so bear with me. A megalodon is an aquatic dinosaur. It’s a gigantic specimen of what is known as shark life. They’re attracted to electricity cables that run straight through what is known as shark life. John’s got great instincts, so he gets in a submarine and fires a torpedo himself. He loves every bit of it. Shark life. Why is everyone so horny? You should cut down on your sex life by having a cold shower. Get eaten. Everyone’s eaten. And the shark keeps changing size every time it bites. A five stars.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:12:16] Great work.

Paul Scheer [00:12:18] And now it’s time for second opinions.

Audience Member [00:12:27] There’s some sharks in this house. There’s some sharks in this house. There’s some sharks in this house. How big o fish bear Amanda dish wet f Meg Lowe. You wish you were a bitch. Yeah, I get five stars on Amazon. Who this wet ass Meg, grab a bucket full of chum for this wet ass meg. Now that’s a second opinion on this wet ass meg out.

Paul Scheer [00:12:54] Amazing and great length.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:13:00] That was the perfect length.

June Diane Raphael [00:13:01] That is. And that was so good.

Paul Scheer [00:13:05] Now it’s time for second opinions.

Audience Member [00:13:11] My name is Simon and I’m representing the balcony. Please feel free to join in if you know the refrain. Shark attack. Doo doo doo doo doo doo. Captain Jack. Doo doo doo doo doo doo. But five stars. Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. Probably not, baby sub doo doo doo doo doo doo doo random church doo doo doo doo doo doo. Random boobs. Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. Sharks don’t growl. doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. Makes cat come. Doo doo doo doo doo doo with her tongue. Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. He’s so wired. Deep blue sea doo doo doo doo doo doo doo. Is more for me. Doo doo doo doo doo or make three. Doo doo doo doo doo doo. With the state. It’s up to you to do, to do, to do with your review. Doo doo doo doo doo doo Megalo-who? Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo.

Paul Scheer [00:14:13]  Yeah. Oh my gosh. Simon hits it out of the park. Two nights in a row.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:14:23] I’m shocked. We went through all of them before someone did that song.

Paul Scheer [00:14:26] I know, I know.

June Diane Raphael [00:14:27] And I didn’t know how much I needed it, actually.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:14:30] We got Britpop songs, we got hip hop songs, and we. And we got that at the end. I was certain that we. There would be every one.

June Diane Raphael [00:14:37] I was great.

Paul Scheer [00:14:39] But you know what? He closed it out just like that great line closed out that scene.

Paul Scheer [00:14:46] People. Are you checking out our Matine Monday? I’m sure you’ve noticed that every Monday we are releasing shark themed movies because we are in the middle of Hot Shark Summer. I mean, just go with us here. Anyway, we are closing out our Sharknado trilogy next week with Sharknado three. This week we had Sharknado two, so keep on. Check out these replays of classic episodes every Monday. And now, without any further ado, a little Just chat with Jason and special guest Jordan Morris. If you don’t know Jordan, he co-hosts the popular podcast Jordan, Jesse Go! He also wrote the Eisner nominated graphic novel Bubble and his second graphic novel, a YA horror comedy called Youth Group, just came out earlier this week. To play us into today’s Just Chat. Here’s a new ditty from John Cohen. John. Two. Two. Themes. Love it.

Music [00:15:43] [Just Chat Song]

Paul Scheer [00:15:56] Jordan, welcome back to the show. You might remember Jordan from our skyline episode.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:16:03] Or you might remember him from his star turn in All About Steve.

Jordan Morris [00:16:10] Thank you. Yes. God, that was a dream project. Love, Sandy. We’re looking for another another another project to do together. Do you want me to do my famous line from All About?

Paul Scheer [00:16:20] Yeah.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:16:21] That’s. That’s one of the many reasons that the audience has been clamoring to have you back on. Please, can you deliver it?

Jordan Morris [00:16:27] Of course. Yeah, I you know, I know why you asked me on. Okay. And I’m happy to do it. Excuse me. You know, you need unique New York. Baa baa baa baa baa baa. Okay.

Paul Scheer [00:16:43] Yeah. You know, it’s so funny when.

Jordan Morris [00:16:46] That wasn’t it. Those were my warm ups.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:16:47] Wasn’t the line this is warm up.

Jordan Morris [00:16:48] Those are my vocal warm ups.

Paul Scheer [00:16:49] Oh Oh.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:16:51] Wow.

Paul Scheer [00:16:51] Oh I forgot.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:16:52] Very rude. This is Jordan’s process.

Jordan Morris [00:16:56] Thank you. Yes, this is my I’m warming up my instrument.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:16:58] This is his craft.

Jordan Morris [00:17:00] This glue is making me high.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:17:05] Wow. And it’s so interesting because you’ve now been living with it for so long. It’s interesting to hear how their line has changed in your understanding and your interpretation.

Paul Scheer [00:17:13] It’s kind of like watching an actor revisit a stage role. Many years have passed, yet you bring something new to it, but also something that we love about the original performance.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:17:24] That that reading, though also sound sounded like it was informed a little bit by Fred Schneider of the B-52’s. Yes, know a little bit Love Shacky. This glue is.

Paul Scheer [00:17:34] Making me high.

Jordan Morris [00:17:38] And bring your glue box money.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:17:42] The glue trap is a little.

Paul Scheer [00:17:46] Trap.

Jordan Morris [00:17:46] Where we, well, chew our legs off.

Paul Scheer [00:17:50] It’s a song for, mosquitoes and flies like, it’s the Weird Al version of it. And you see them all stuck on a glue trap. Now, Jordan, since you last visited us, you were already a staple of one of the best podcasts out there. Jordan. Jesse, go. Still going on. Still going strong.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:18:13] Like. And that’s. I feel like that’s a podcast. Jordan. I feel like I heard you on podcasts before we started.

Paul Scheer [00:18:18] Oh, absolutely.

Jordan Morris [00:18:20] Yeah.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:18:20] How long has that show been going? At least 16.

Jordan Morris [00:18:23] Yeah, 16 or 17 years. At this point. We were the first podcast, you know, much like the Velvet Underground playing Cbgb inspired every one.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:18:32] Andy Warhol put you guys together?

Jordan Morris [00:18:34] Yes. Yeah, exactly. And, no. So, yeah, we started podcasting early. Jesse Thorn and I, we did college radio together.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:18:43] Is is this sound of Young America days?

Jordan Morris [00:18:45]  Yeah. So our college radio show.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:18:48] That’s the first time I ever heard you was on The Sound of Young America when I lived in Brooklyn. Got to be 1999. No, 2000 maybe.

Jordan Morris [00:18:56] Yeah, that that tracks. So, yeah, it was, you know, a.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:19:00] Little later than that, but.

Jordan Morris [00:19:01] Yeah, it, it broadcasted all of 37ft in Santa Cruz, California. But it did have a very early like real player streaming, component to it. So I think, yeah, it’s possible you could have listened. Yeah. And we were just kind of goofing around and interviewing comedians we liked. We were comedy nerds. So.

Paul Scheer [00:19:22] Well, I remember it was a big deal, because Human Giant was featured on The Sound of Young America. Yeah, that was kind of, I think after the Santa Cruz days, but it was also in the zone where it was like, that was our Terry Gross, right? It’s like, oh, if you guys approve of this, then we are in.

Jordan Morris [00:19:40] Yeah. So, so yeah, that was kind of like how we started, you know, goofing around via audio and. Yeah, when, when, Jesse and I graduated, we moved to LA, and he had the kind of beautiful idea to do our old college radio show as a podcast, and there just weren’t a lot of them. It was a very, like, niche, very nerdy world. It was like us and Mac tips and Harry Potter fanfiction and that’s it. Like, those were the podcasts.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:20:06] Wow.

Jordan Morris [00:20:07] So yeah, and we’re still we’re still chugging along and modestly popular.

Paul Scheer [00:20:10] But here’s what I’ll say. That show legendary. But now you come back to our show as, a two time Eisner nominated, writer, your graphic novel, which I love, Bubble, you know, and also you’ve been writing for, Archie Comics The Chilling Adventures as well, right?

Jordan Morris [00:20:33] That’s true.

Paul Scheer [00:20:34] You know, you are now, this is I think we all have multiple things that we focus on and do. And I feel like this. You’ve really been embraced by this role. You’ve written great stuff, but it’s really interesting to see.

Jordan Morris [00:20:47] Yeah. Thank you so much. Yeah. I mean, I know Jason’s a big comics guy. Paul, I bet you thought you’ve also written comics too.

Paul Scheer [00:20:53] I have, yes, I’ve written comics for Marvel, and I also wrote, some for DC, and I wrote one independent comic, which was the hardest thing that I had to do, because we were dealing with an Italian artist. And the book was a funny book.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:21:07] But don’t get me started. Don’t get me started on these Italian, like Mike Mitchell of the Doughboys says, like Mike Mitchell says, you can’t trust the Italians. You just can’t.

Jordan Morris [00:21:20] Why are these characters waving their hands everywhere?

Paul Scheer [00:21:24] But that was the hardest thing I really loved. You know, it was this hard to communicate, but I feel like you have this amazing relationship, with, was McCurdy, right? Yeah.

Jordan Morris [00:21:34] Yeah. The artist on my new book is. Called Youth Group. It is a Ya horror comedy about teenage exorcists. Yeah, kind of based on my experience growing up in, like, a goofy Bible study where, you know, youth pastor with a bunch of tattoo sleeves, like, turns the chair around backwards and tells you about a pretty cool guy named JC who was kind of the first punk rocker, if you ask me, you know? So, yeah, I had one of those guys, and yeah, I’d kind of always wanted to write about that weirdo little world and like, of course I love horror comedies. I love Shaun of the Dead and Buffy, and, it’s kind of be fun to, you know, mash in some horror specifics in that weird little world. And, yeah, the book is youth group, and the artist is Bowen McCurdy, who does a great, horror comedy series called Specter Inspectors, called some kind of similar demon fighting exorcism themes in it. Yeah. And they just did such a beautiful job with the book. It’s a lot of, like, character based comedy, and they’re their teens, so they’re like having, like, big teen feelings all the time. And like, Bones, characters are just super expressive. But you really like him, yeah. The style is kind of like anime meets early Disney. It’s just gorgeous.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:22:48] And this is just so people know, because maybe not everybody listening is comic savvy or anything like that. This is a graphic novel. This is this is when it’s out. We can read the whole thing. It’s not something that comes every month or anything like that. Right? This is the book. So yeah, get it now and you can read the whole story. It’s not an ongoing thing. It’s not, you know what I mean? It’s not like a little floppy comic.

Jordan Morris [00:23:14] Yeah. And. Yeah, you don’t need to know anything going into it. You don’t need to have read, you know, Detective Comics 835 to understand what’s going on.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:23:20] But then the introduction of. Yeah, I’m just kidding. Would it be great if I knew a specific about Detective Comics 830?

Jordan Morris [00:23:28] That would have been an amazing pull.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:23:29] When Asriel dies.

Jordan Morris [00:23:31] The introduction of Huntress.

Paul Scheer [00:23:34] But I will say that, what is really kind of cool about it for Jason and I, who are very vocal Buffy fans, it reminds me of Buffy in a way, like this book. It’s got this kind of fun, like what looks like a normal, on the surface youth group is tinged with this, like demonic possessions and exorcisms. And there’s a seedy underworld, to a very nice looking outside.

Jordan Morris [00:23:59] Yeah, yeah. And something. And it is set in the 90s, I should mention. So. Yeah, there’s, you know, puka shell necklaces and giant pants and, a few references to Smash Mouth in there. But, yeah, I.

Paul Scheer [00:24:14] There’s pagers, there’s pagers, and there’s pagers, tech.

Jordan Morris [00:24:16] There’s pagers. Yes.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:24:19] Are you curious, Jordan? Was that an effort to kind of dial in to your experiences from your childhood so you could play in that, or were you trying to be like, I don’t want there to be phones and G.P.S. and all of the technological stuff that mystery solving in modernity is really just about tech. Yeah. Versus in the 90s, if you wanted to solve a mystery, the you’re still talking about shoe leather. You got to walk around, you got to do a stakeout. You got to do it practically and physically.

Jordan Morris [00:24:51] Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think we all know at this point, like, cell phones and the internet are just, like, awful for storytelling. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Creates so many plot holes. It’s interesting. So when I first pitched the book to, Calista Brill over at First Second, they’re the publisher of the book. Great publisher. Love all their books. The pitch was set in modern day, so everybody had cell phones, and there was the internet and stuff like that. But it’s like, hey, we’re. I want to do this, but but why don’t you set it in the 90s? I think she could tell that, like, you know, I was drawing on a lot of really personal specifics. And it was interesting reading it back. The first time I, like, got the pencils back. That’s the kind of the rough sketch of the book that you read for the first time. I was like, oh, wow, this is really personal. And I didn’t really know it, but I was just putting in a lot of like my childhood anxiety and the feelings I was having as a kid whose family was kind of falling apart. And so I just put in a lot of real world stuff, and when I read it back, I’m like, oh, wow. This is like very, very confessional. I even kind of thought about your book recently, Paul, because like, you were a you’re a, you’re a funny guy who makes everybody laugh on this show and all these other places. But like, you have some super personal stuff that’s out there now, and I feel a little bit like that as a guy who, you know, just. Just wants to do funny stuff. But now I have this little bit of me that people can read about that is pretty vulnerable.

Paul Scheer [00:26:24] Well, I think it’s I think it’s always the hallmark of something that’s really that goes that extra level, which is sort of like it’s it’s not this generic like, you know, you’re not writing about like youth groups because you, you’ve just read about them or you’ve been you, you, you know, this world, you know, these things. It that personal element to it, these things that are going on. I think you can tell. And that’s why I think people like this so much is because it it’s what makes it incredibly unique. It’s like, yes, you might have heard of these things before, but it’s going to be told through an eye that is incredibly special. And well.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:26:57] It also like it rings just more true, you know, and you can when you’re when you’re just like, oh, wouldn’t it be funny if I did this story blank? Yeah. It is actually like, oh let me you know, they, they always say write what you know or whatever. But the specificity that you can bring to an elusive and even loosely autobiographical story are the specifics that people will gravitate to, rather than just the manufactured stuff. I feel like those little kernels that feel real or that feel authentic or that feel lived in. Those are the things that I feel like become the immersive elements of any story.

Paul Scheer [00:27:32] But now let me ask you this, because this is the question I’ve been thinking about this entire time you’re telling this story. And I love the style of this. I think Bones in an amazing job of this. But Bones is 26, right? And I imagine her version of the 90s is I mean, is she even born at this point? Probably. I mean, at the tail end of the 90s, right?

Jordan Morris [00:27:54] Yeah. So it’s interesting in the back of the book, there’s a little like spread from the year book, that Bones drew, and it’s gorgeous and it’s funny. And the publisher had the great idea to to stick actual photos of us in their In the Little Year book montage. Yeah. And so I found these goofy, photos of myself from high school where I’ve got a giant wallet chain that’s down to my knee. I am wearing a ska band t shirt. Oh.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:28:19] What band?

Jordan Morris [00:28:20] Oh. Say, Ferris.

Paul Scheer [00:28:21] Oh, of course, of course.

Jordan Morris [00:28:22] Yeah. You have to be one of the great Ska bands. Yes. You know, and just being kind of an embarrassing, drama kid. And Bones just has a photo of them as a baby.

Paul Scheer [00:28:34] Oh, my God, I love that.

Jordan Morris [00:28:37] Yeah. Yeah.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:28:39] Holy shit.

Jordan Morris [00:28:39] And so part of our creative process, like, before we started working on it, Bones asked me, would you send me playlists for each of the characters?

Jason Mantzoukas [00:28:49] Love that.

Jordan Morris [00:28:50] And like it, So we have like, a stoner character and his playlist is all sublime. 311 Smash Mouth. We have kind of a gothy mopey character, so it’s like Nine Inch Nails, Tool, Deftones. And so yeah, it’s a good way to get into a character’s head, but also like because we were doing it on YouTube, you get to see all that fashion, you get to see the giant pants, you get to see the the wallet chains, you get to see the Birkenstocks with socks. Just all the.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:29:18] Oh, that’s that’s interesting. I love that and I love that technique.

Jordan Morris [00:29:21] Yeah.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:29:21] Love that building the playlist. That’s a blast. Have you published the playlist?

Jordan Morris [00:29:27] No. You know, it’s a good idea. We should do that. Yeah. You know what? I’m. I’ll. I’m going to steal your idea. Jason. Yes. I’m going to find a way.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:29:34] Please that’s not even my idea. I that’s just like that to me. I would love to read a book that had some that to me had a component that I could be like, wait a minute, I can put on a soundtrack for this book. Yeah, while I read it. Fuck yeah, I love that.

Jordan Morris [00:29:52] Something I discovered. So we have a character who’s kind of a like, peppy, like, class president type, kind of an Elle Woods type character, and, like, her playlist has on, you know, like pop music. It’s got Spice Girls and Hanson and I’m like, oh, man, Hanson fucking rocked, didn’t they? And I was a punk kid, so I could never admit that. But Hanson rocks. Oh yeah, I loved revisiting Hanson.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:30:18] Like great, great pop music that era that’s like. Like you can’t that’s like incontestable.

Paul Scheer [00:30:25] What’s so interesting to me, I feel like when you’re in a school environment, you draw these lines of who you are by what you like and more importantly, what you don’t like. And I’ve been really interested to watch, my sons, my one son is ten, the other seven, and a lot of my ten year olds friends, unprompted, will say, Taylor Swift sucks. Like, it is a rallying cry that I’ve heard so many times, and my son is like, I like her. I’m not a big fan, but I like her, right? So he’s not like on the she sucks bandwagon. But I’m I’m also thinking like, oh, it’s going to be interesting for these kids to look back and go, oh, I might have been wrong about that, right? Like I look back at Hanson, I’m like, oh, Hanson seems dumb. Like it seemed dumb. To me. I’m. Yeah. We’re roughly the same age. It’s like. But you hear about now and I’m here. Oh, this is like. Like this is good. There there is talent.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:31:24] No, you’re right. And that’s the thing is, like, I feel like you get stuck in a I’m a this. I’m, you know, I’m a punk ska kid, or I’m a you know what I what? I was an alternative indie kid before that, you know, tipped, you know, into Nirvana becoming popular and stuff like that. I loved the alternative, the stuff that I could hear on college radio or or whatever. But then and so, like, something like popular top 40. If, if Taylor Swift existed, then I would have been like, oh, no, I don’t like Taylor Swift. Not because I didn’t like her music, but because she personified, like top 40 radio. Right? You know?

Paul Scheer [00:32:02] Well, now here’s the thing. And I think we should all do this. Save Ferris is playing out a lot, by the way, this summer, big time, they’re out and about like, they’re like tour dates nonstop.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:32:15] I could see them being on one of those tours that’s like there’s 12 bands. They each play for half an hour, and they all had like some modicum of success in that in that era. And so now they all gather together.

Paul Scheer [00:32:28] I mean, this is the tour that you can go see here in Los Angeles, Goldfinger, Save Ferris, Unwritten Law and Urethane. Not like, not I know what you’re talking about, but not like.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:32:40] No, no, that’s not what I’m talking about.

Paul Scheer [00:32:42] Yeah, it’s interesting that they are there.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:32:44] Jordan, will you be going?

Jordan Morris [00:32:46] Oh to that? Hell yeah. Oh, what a day. That’s it. Yeah, absolutely.

Paul Scheer [00:32:53] But I do love all that sort of stuff. I think what’s kind of interesting with your book is it will have that kind of cross section, like, yes, if you’re people of, our age, you’re going to enjoy the book on a certain level. But I think one of the coolest things is working with somebody like Bones to, I think, bring in to bring in today’s 14 to 18 year old, like, you know, that group because that I mean, that’s you know, that’s a big audience. And I think it’s it’s the way they’re.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:33:22] Going after that. You mentioned Buffy, but going after that, Stranger Things going after that audience that is tuned into scary, spooky coming of age stories. You mentioned earlier all the afterlife with Archie, Thrilling Adventures of Sabrina, like all the you know what’s forgive me, Jordan, you know the guy’s name who runs the Archie imprint now? Who does all of that? Right?

Jordan Morris [00:33:45] Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:33:47] Thank you. Who’s who’s done such an incredible job. Yeah with Franco Francisco, Franco Vega and all sorts of great artists and writers doing wild takes on the Archie story.

Paul Scheer [00:33:59] Well, that’s like, who did the Flintstones ones that are like that?

Jason Mantzoukas [00:34:02] That’s Mark Russell. Oh, yeah.

Jordan Morris [00:34:03] Mark Russell, beat us, beat us for the Eisner.

Paul Scheer [00:34:07] Yeah.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:34:08] Yeah. How dare you, Mark Russell?

Paul Scheer [00:34:11] But you’re going to be also going to some cons, right?

Jordan Morris [00:34:14] I am, yeah, I’ll be at San Diego Comic-Con.

Paul Scheer [00:34:17] Where are you at in that? Are you going to be in the artist alley? Where are you going to be?

Jason Mantzoukas [00:34:20] Are you in artist alley baby.

Jordan Morris [00:34:22] Why don’t I, why don’t I get my panel information?

Jason Mantzoukas [00:34:25] Oh, yeah. Yeah, please. I’m assuming Hall h.

Jordan Morris [00:34:28] Yes, Hall H, I will be, moderating the Fantastic Four panel. No. No, I’m doing a great panel. On, seven, 26th July 26th. The it is called using fantasy and graphic novels to understand the real world. And I’ll be doing that with, Lillian Pham, Vera Burgos and, Gene Luen Yang, who I think is one of the one of the greatest, comics makers out there today. So, yeah, we’re going to be doing that, 1:00, room 23ABC. So I hope people will come.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:35:00] I’m curious. Jordan, who are you? Because I’ve been to many cons. Yeah. And I always try and go and walk. And I walk through Artists Alley who at this point, either have you been or are you excited to see or meet, like in that comics world? Like when I met Chris Claremont and Bill San Kevin at New York Comic-Con, like 12 years ago, I lost my mind, you know, just because those are those are the guys that, to me were my childhood. Like the New Mutants, the Demon Bear saga, like that era of comics is so massive to me. So. But like, are there people like that for you that you’ve now gotten to interact with or that you see and are like, oh no, I don’t want to, I can’t, it’s too much.

Jordan Morris [00:35:42] I mean, I jokingly, you know, jokingly curse Mark Russell, but he, he’s a he’s a goddamn genius.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:35:50] Fantastic.

Jordan Morris [00:35:50] Yeah. I did, you know, a couple drinks and go up to him at the bar and say, way to kick our ass, Russell. And he also didn’t know who I was. Did not? Was not aware that he had kicked my ass.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:36:03] Which book of his did he win for?

Jordan Morris [00:36:06] He won for. Not all robots.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:36:09] Okay, I read that book.

Jordan Morris [00:36:11] Yeah. Funny satirical sci fi thing. Yeah, with a world full of robots. I am really, psyched. I have gotten really into Josie Campbell. Do you know the writer Josie Campbell?

Jason Mantzoukas [00:36:21] Oh, I don’t please tell.

Jordan Morris [00:36:23] She does a great series called I Heart Skull Crusher, which is.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:36:27] I do know that. I do know that book. Yes. I’m sorry. I didn’t know the creator’s name.

Jordan Morris [00:36:31] And she’s the. Also the kind of, like, showrunner of the, my adventures with Superman anime.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:36:37] Oh, yeah. Which I think is a fantastic show.

Jordan Morris [00:36:39]  Yeah. Oh it’s awesome.

Paul Scheer [00:36:41] Did she do Shazam or am I wrong on that?

Jordan Morris [00:36:43] She is. She took over Shazam from, Mark. Mark Wade.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:36:47] Oh, cool.

Jordan Morris [00:36:48] Speaking of legends. Mark Wade I would, I would, I would flip if I was ever near him. He’s. Well, he’s one of the best.

Paul Scheer [00:36:54] Mark Wade. It’s interesting. I do feel like, you know, there are these certain things that are happening right now. You know, in a time where entertainment is in a weird zone, there are certain things that are being, like, embraced by the right people. Like, I do think that there’s a comeback, like the fact that Ed Brubaker right now is being able to shoot criminal is so fucking cool. Yeah, right. Oh, yeah. You know, and it’s and, you know, we’re in this world where, like, things are being done, right. I listen to, our friends over in the Blank Check podcast. They’re doing a whole series on Martin Brest, who I love as a director..

Jason Mantzoukas [00:37:30]  Absolutely fantastic.

Paul Scheer [00:37:32] And they had on the, the directors of Bad Boys three and four, and it was so interesting to hear them talk about, Beverly Hills Cop, because they are very much, they came up as like Bruckheimer fans, and they wanted to make, like a Bruckheimer esque movie. I think that’s why Bad Boys three and four, actually work really well because it really captures the vibe in the spirit of what those movies were, and I feel like we’re in this interesting zone right now where. The like as kids, we might have been a lot more disappointed by people taking over things that we love, but now people that equally love it for the right reasons are able to take it over and actually make another good version of it.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:38:13] I know what you mean. And what’s interesting about it though, which is so funny. And when I think about it, it’s like, I love that. And I’m and I listen to that episode too, and I thought it was fantastic. They are also the directors of the shelved Batgirl.

Jordan Morris [00:38:25] Yes. Right.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:38:27] Which is I mean, at some point, some day I’m hoping we’ll all get to see probably together in some random theater that someone has rented out and it’s showing. But there is something about it, too. And I find this in the Star Wars discourse as well, which is, boy, aren’t all these people aren’t all these smart people. Leslye headland, these guys, that you’re talking about, aren’t all these smart people making great Star Wars? That’s for me, a 51 year old, right? Yeah. I’m like, hang on a second. I think the flaw in the logic is that all these people are doing great things for like me to receive. And I’m like, I want. And I assume it is. I want it to work, too, for like the Me’s that are now 12 and 13 and 14, I want them to be hyped on all this stuff.

Paul Scheer [00:39:14] But I think that it actually does work because I think what there is a like a true like, I do think the reason why Bad Boys was like a hit at the box office was because they just leaned into making something good that they want. It wasn’t like, how do we appeal to this audience? It’s like, no, no, let’s just make this movie our way and then it will work. I don’t know, there’s a weird I just I’m.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:39:36] I thought Bad Boys three was a blast. I’m excited.

Paul Scheer [00:39:39] Oh, I and I, and I yeah. And that’s and that’s why I’m like.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:39:42] The same directors.

Paul Scheer [00:39:43] Same directors. And you’re right. Like, but they are, you know, this is their way in and they get to go do this stuff. It’s like there’s a, I think a good rite of passage. Anyway, I’m excited about some of this stuff that is coming out.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:39:53] I was going to say the thing that’s interesting to me, the cut ties back, Jordan, what you’re talking about a little bit is comics and comics characters, especially ongoing comics characters. You can have impactful runs by multiple different authors, multiple different interpretations of these characters. You’re Frank Miller Batman is not the same as your Tom King Batman is not the same. Is your Scott Snyder  Batman? You know, you you have.

Paul Scheer [00:40:22] Well, Jason Aarons made Thor palatable to me. I never really loved Thor until Jason Aaron’s.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:40:28] But then you go back and you read Walt Simonson stuff. Oh, yeah. Like, oh, this is also super interesting, but it’s not like it’s not as immersive. You are really in like, Norse mythology.

Paul Scheer [00:40:39] Yeah. Right.

Jordan Morris [00:40:39]  Oh yeah. It’s so great to have just have different flavors of these characters. Right? Because I think we’re just in a zone where people are going to be making a lot of IP stuff. I think it’s just kind of how things are, and it can be a good thing. It could be a bad thing. But like the fact that we get to have so many different flavors of Batman is really cool. And if like, you’re, you know, not into the, you know, Paul Dini animated style Batman, you know, you’ve got another Pattinson movie coming if like, that’s your thing.

Paul Scheer [00:41:05] I have to say I just love that my own, my own personal like childhood by being in, the new Batman animated series done by Bruce Timm. No, which was cool, one of the coolest things of all time, because.

Jordan Morris [00:41:25] Can you say who you were?

Paul Scheer [00:41:26] I can’t I don’t think yet. I don’t think I can. I will tell you that as soon as this ends. It’s a fun it’s a fun part. But it’s not.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:41:32] I don’t think Paul can say it. I can say he’s Batman.

Paul Scheer [00:41:35] Yes. Hey put that down.

Jordan Morris [00:41:40] This glue is making me high.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:41:42] And that’s. And that’s his Bruce Wayne voice. The Batman voice is deeper.

Audience Member [00:41:47] Paul Scheer is the sexiest Catwoman ever.

Paul Scheer [00:41:57] But it’s. I guess it’s just there’s something right now where there’s a couple of things that have come out that have excited me in a way where I have not felt let down. And I’m not used to that feeling like, you know, it’s whether it is in the comic world, whether it’s in like, it’s just like, oh, these are things that I want to be good. And I’ve been. I remember watching sex and the city two with June, who was so excited to see it because she loves Sex and City one, and it wasn’t very good. And the look on her face, of seeing this movie thing that you love being bad and, like, now you get it. Now you get what, my.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:42:31] Like, the Phantom Menace. Yeah.

Paul Scheer [00:42:32] You get what my life is. Like you like getting so pumped for this. I was I was talking to friends.

Jordan Morris [00:42:38] JarJar replacing Samatha was a weird move.

Paul Scheer [00:42:44] Meesa horny.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:42:45] Yeah. I think it would be like. I think it would be like missa honey?

Paul Scheer [00:42:51] Oh, man.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:42:54] Here’s I have a question for you, Jordan. Just just because your your comic exists in that kind of horror coming of age horror story. Are there other things that were either influential on you or things that I know you talked about some of the mixes and stuff like that. Anything else like we talked about Buffy? Is there anything else, either in comics or other media stuff that you felt like? What informed the book?

Jordan Morris [00:43:17] Yeah, I mean, I thought about Shaun of the dead a lot.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:43:20] Oh, cool.

Jordan Morris [00:43:22] And like, Shaun of the dead is like, the funny stuff is so funny, but the horror stuff is real, right? Like the horror. That movie is very scary and really gory and like, it works as a horror movie. Like, if there’s no laughs in that movie, the horror stuff works. And I just, I thought about that a lot. I’m like, I don’t want this to seem like a spoof. You know, like, hey, do I like a scary movie starring the Wayans? Sure, absolutely I will, I will.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:43:47] No, but there have to be stakes.

Jordan Morris [00:43:49] Yeah. So, yeah. So I think I, you know, kind of resisted the urge to do, like, spoofy stuff where I’m, like, spoofy because it’s a lot about exorcisms, right? And I’m like, right. There’s a lot of, like, you know, Spaceballs scary movie type jokes you can make about exorcisms. But I kind of, like, roped in that instinct and just like, let’s keep the horror stuff real, but, like, make the comedy come from the characters because they’re just, like, goofy weirdos and they’re, you know, clashing in different ways. And I’m like, let’s, let’s try and make that the source of the comedy.

Paul Scheer [00:44:20] I think that honestly, what you’re talking about too is this thing, you know, why we love movies or TV shows first, to a certain extent is a great ensemble. I think you’re seeing that with bear. I think you can see that all the way back to the movies that we loved growing up. You know, it’s like it’s. And what is so interesting about it is when you look at a great ensemble, you can look at them and go, all these people are very different. I think for a long period we had people who looked identical and it was like, here’s a young guy, here’s a young guy here, like a bunch of young white guys that all look about like, I’m like, but you’re the nerd. You’re the nerd? You don’t look like a nerd. You’re just wearing a shirt that, you know, is like a Green Lantern shirt. But, you know, we’re supposed to believe that that’s the nerd. And I rewatch Independence Day to get ready for the holiday. You know, because they have to have just learn.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:45:04] You got to prepare. You got to prepare. You got to remember what we’re fighting for.

Paul Scheer [00:45:08] And I didn’t love that movie, like, a lot when I saw it the first time, you know, and I rewatch, it’s like, oh, wow, this is so fun. And part of the reason why it’s so funny is because you have Harvey Firestein in it and you’re like, oh, I this is you would never see that casting now. Like you’d never be able get Harvey Fierstein in there. We’ll get Jeff Goldblum in.

Jordan Morris [00:45:27] Judd Hirsch is an action star in this movie.

Paul Scheer [00:45:29] Yeah. Yes. I just think it’s important to, like, you know, embrace ensemble.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:45:34] We don’t do that anymore. Yeah, we don’t do that anymore. I think about this all the time. Like, a lot of times, our big action ensembles used to be a group of people, you know, a couple of leading men, you know, types and then a couple of character actors, a couple of comedians. And that’s the ensemble. You know, comedians die first, you know, character actors next. And the leading men survive. And now every ensemble is wall to wall hunks. Yeah. Everybody from the Joker to the to the romantic lead, everybody is absolutely handsome and fit and like, you know, my example is always the the Triple Frontier movie, where it’s Affleck.

Paul Scheer [00:46:17] Oh, right. Right. Yeah.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:46:18] Garrett Hedlund. Yeah, that’s Charlie Hunnam. And every single member of the team is a brooding hunk. And I’m like, this doesn’t happen this way.

Paul Scheer [00:46:28] Well, I am a fan of this book. If you are a fan of, great books you’re a fan of, I like, I would say I don’t want to just say it’s a supernatural book. I think what it is, is it’s a it is a personal book that is based in something that is from your life, that is, but then also amped up in a way that I think is incredibly unique. I think that that’s the thing that’s the secret sauce of this. And, you know, this is the year that I feel like you got to fucking take down, the Mark Waid, know who. Mark Russell.

Jordan Morris [00:46:59]  I love to fall back on his PBS parody songs. Different Mark. Right. Different Mark Russell. No. Yes. Yeah, I mean, I, I yeah, I’m I’m I’m stoked if people check out the book. I’m like, so proud of it. It’s so nice. And. Yeah, I, I can’t believe it’s coming out. I’m so, so proud

Jason Mantzoukas [00:47:19] Obviously people can go and right now buy the book on Amazon. But is there a way that, like, I, we’re always talking about, if you have a local comic shop, please buy the book from your local comic. Yes, for us if you want to. If you want to support our local my local comic shop, order it from Secret Headquarters. Oh, yeah, you’re in Los Angeles, California. But if. But if you have a small, owner operated comics shop, please go get it. Order it from there.

Paul Scheer [00:47:48] You know, because I’ve been in this world, for a little bit with the book. My book. I really recommend to everybody if you want the ease of use. Right. This thing where you’re like, I need, I want to support indie shops, but I, I don’t want it to be more complicated than just going to Amazon, right? Bookshop.org is amazing because they can, they the book is there, you can order it. But, but here’s the thing. If you can support the shop that you want to support so you can kind of pick it there, it’s sort of like it’s a great way to.

Jason Mantzoukas [00:48:20] Shop locally with the convenience of a web browser. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Jordan Morris [00:48:24] Yeah, definitely. Absolutely. Everything you said. Yes, yes, yes, yes to all this. Yeah. And so yeah, local comic book shop, will have it or they’ll order it for you if you ask. And, definitely your indie bookstores too. It’s a, it’s a graphic novel. So you can get it at an indie bookstore. And I will be, signing a stack of copies at Book Soup here in L.A.

Paul Scheer [00:48:42] Oh. They’re great.

Jordan Morris [00:48:43] Yeah. I’m going to leave a stack of signed copies at Book Soup. So if you want a signed copy, hit up the Book Soup website and they will mail it right to ya.

Paul Scheer [00:48:50] Yeah, they’re amazing.

Jordan Morris [00:48:51] Like Amazon or other.

Paul Scheer [00:48:54] Oh, well, this is. What a what a blast to talk to you. Welcome back. And if you wouldn’t mind, give us that line one more time.

Jordan Morris [00:49:03] This glue is making me high.

Paul Scheer [00:49:06] Ladies and gentlemen, Jared Morris get his book at any indie bookshop, you can get it at comic book shops called Youth Group. You can get yourself an autographed copy at Book Soup and, just support your local stores. It makes a huge difference. Thank you, Jordan.

Jordan Morris [00:49:22] Thank you. Thank you so much, guys. You’re the best.

Paul Scheer [00:49:25] Thank you again to Jordan Morris. And remember, his new graphic novel Youth Group is available in stores now. People, our next movie is one that is going to blow your mind. We’re going from the Mexican shore to an underwater grocery store. That’s right. Next episode we are continuing. How Did This Get Made’s Hot Shark Summer with 2012’s Bait. Okay, be aware there’s many films out there called Bait, but this is the one where a freak tsunami traps a group of people in a submerged grocery store. As they try to escape, they are hunted by white sharks that are hungry for meat. Okay, Rotten Tomatoes gives this film a 44% score on the Tomatometer, and Jamie Graham from Total Film says “Bait is more funny than scary.” I don’t agree with that. “And often feels like Deep Blue Sea meets the mist. But what’s wrong with that?” Well, honestly, everything because what you described there is not what the movie, I saw is. Anyway, take a listen to the trailer for Bait.

Trailer Audio [00:50:26] Where are all the people? Hello?

Trailer Audio [00:50:29] You can’t get out that way.

Trailer Audio [00:50:31] Oh my God, what’s that?

Trailer Audio [00:50:39] Where is he, Josh?

Trailer Audio [00:50:40] Get everyone out of the water! Out of the water now!

Trailer Audio [00:50:51] There’s a 12 ft great white shark in here.

Paul Scheer [00:50:54] All right, so remember, people Bait 2012. It’s a shark movie. Okay, it’s not a Jamie Fox movie. And the original title was Bait 3D. It’s available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Freevie, Stars. And look, let’s get into the library system and rent these things for free. And you can rent them on hoopla, Kanopy, and Libby. They are free digital media services offered by your local public library that allow you to consume movies, TV, music, audiobooks, ebooks, and comics for free. Also, a huge thank you to the ALA for bringing me down to their, annual convention. I loved meeting librarians. I loved hearing all about these platforms and how so many people watch. How Did This Get Made movies through them. So thank you. Librarians, I always have a respect for you, but to see so many of you in one room was just truly unbelievable. I mean, it’s the Comic-Con floor, but all librarians. That is it for the show. If you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, please rate and review us. Please make sure you are following us and have automatic downloads. Turn on. It helps the show and we appreciate it. Visit us on social media@HDTGM and a big thank you to our producers, Scott Sonne and Molly Reynolds, our movie picking producer Avril Halley, and our associate producer Jess Cisneros and our engineer Casey Holford. We will see you next week for Bait.