Pheaturing Charles Fleischer And Joanna Cassidy

 

Hello, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Monday from Walt Disney World. Instead of Halloween, Disney decided to just celebrate the beautiful serenity of autumn. Cinderella smells like a pumpkin today! Because she slept in a pumpkin coach last night! Because she can no longer afford rent! Ride Ops, tell wheelchair guests "I know you're faking it." You'll be right 72% of the time. Cast Members, remember to refer to any fight, protest, or riot in the park as a "birthday party." Having breakfast in the park? Remember: "Dead roach on your plate, Your day will be great!" Now hiring clowns! Just regular clowns! Not to do anything scary! Certainly not to murder anyone! Just clowns who clown around, okay. Girls, take our quiz and find out which Disney Prince is your soulmate: The gay one, the ethnic one, the drunk one, or the poor one! New discount for people who hate theme parks: Don’t come here and save $149! Okay, let's see what is going on in the entertainment news. 

There is little doubt that "The Mandalorian Season 2" will be littered with more references to the original Star Wars film trilogy. However, it looks like the second season could also tease at an unexpected Jabba the Hutt connection. A photo from the premiere episode has hinted at the possibility that we'll be seeing someone from Return of the Jedi. The still from the first episode of "The Mandalorian Season 2" was shared on Twitter and it shows Mando in a tavern talking to an alien. Check it out... 

Interestingly, the alien in the photo happens to be a Weequay, who are best known for being employed by Jabba's palace in Return of the Jedi. One unfortunate Weequay even suffered the horrific fate of being thrown into the Sarlacc Pit by Luke Skywalker. Of course, this probably isn't the same Weequay considering that the alien species has appeared numerous times in other Star Wars projects. However, it's still cool to see this connection to Return of the Jedi considering that one particular Weequay ended up in the Sarlacc Pit with Boba Fett, who is expected to return in "The Mandalorian Season 2."

Disney+'s "WandaVision" is the only Marvel Cinematic Universe offering we'll be getting this year and the team behind the highly anticipated series is working extra to finish filming the show ahead of its release later this year which has yet to be announced. Production has been quite grueling and troublesome for the show's cast and crew, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And that is the reason why one of "WandaVision"'s lead stars Elizabeth Olsen opted to withdraw from her supposed appearance in the 25th annual edition of New Zealand's Armageddon Expo. Olsen was initially advertised to appear at the event to headline her own panel which would've also featured a Q&A session but the organizers announced last minute that she won't be able to join the event anymore due to scheduling changes for the show's filming, much to the chagrin of fans who bought tickets solely for her panel. We've yet to hear an explanation from Olsen who's been out of social media since early September and even though her withdrawal from the geek conference caused disappointment amongst fans, it's pretty understandable that she would prioritize the MCU spinoff series before anything else. 

Diehard fans of Marvel's one and only Spider-Man seemingly had their dreams shattered when Sony dismissed ongoing rumors that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield were set to reprise their roles as Peter Parker in the MCU's third Spidey flick. To make matters worse, we may have new evidence that could finally debunk Garfield's involvement in the film, as much of a bummer as that sounds. The British actor is actually in New York filming a new movie. One would assume that it's the untitled Spider-Man 3 given the fact that the Marvel Studios and Sony co-production is also filming in the said state. Well, I hate to break it to you though as Garfield is actually filming a different project. The 37-year-old actor resumed production for the Lin-Manuel Miranda-directed Tick, Tick... Boom!, a Netflix adaptation of the iconic musical of the same name. As much as I'd like to think that Garfield can pull double duty, obviously, it wouldn't be possible for him to film two movies at the same time so that could already be a dead giveaway that the rumors of him appearing in the MCU were indeed false all along. But considering Spider-Man 3 is scheduled to film until March next year, anything can still happen but yeah, it's all just wishful thinking at this point. I think I speak for a lot of webheads out there when I say that the potential inclusion of Maguire and Garfield in the project could spell great things for the MCU. Let's face it, if they pull the trigger, Spider-Man 3 has the makings of becoming the biggest crossover event in superhero film history and as I've said before, it would be a missed opportunity if it doesn't happen. Not gonna lie though, I remain hopeful. 

The Lincoln Project, which is a group of Republicans dedicated to stopping the reelection of President Donald Trump, recently put up billboards in Times Square criticizing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump for their comments about COVID-19, and what they called their complicity in the "Trump administration's failed response" to the virus. Check this out...

The Lincoln Project, which includes George Conway, husband of former Donald Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway, called Ivanka and Jared, "out-of-touch bullies" and "indifferent" to the suffering of Americans. Jared and Ivanka threatened to sue the Lincoln Project over the billboards, with a letter. In response to the legal threat from Ivanka and Jared, the Lincoln Project published a three page letter from their lawyers, tweeting "This will not be the last they hear from us." Some of the highlights include: "Peddle your scare tactics elsewhere." "Your clients are no longer Upper East Side socialites, able to sue at the slightest offense to their personal sensitivities." "The Lincoln Project's billboards, in any event, are entirely accurate." "Ms. Trump endorses the Trump Administration policies that have lead to an unacceptable number of American deaths every bit as much as she once endorsed that can of beans." "In the meantime, may I assert, that if Mr. Kushner and Ms. Trump are genuinely concerned about salvaging their reputations, they would do well to stop suppressing truthful criticism and instead turn their attention to the COVID-19 crisis that is still unfolding under their inept watch." You should read the letter, it's an interesting read.

Last week while out on a royal outing, Prince William got served, but not in the way you would think. Prince William appeared alongside Kate Middleton for her ongoing “Hold Still” photography project, created back in May in response to living during a pandemic. This appearance was specifically set to engage with the public, answering questions and hearing their thoughts on the project. But meeting with the public was apparently not the only errand on Prince William’s list. While out, Prince William was photographed on the sidewalk outside of a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, peering in presumably at the menu and several people eating just on the other side of the window. KFC, of course, could not pass such an opportunity up. Including an image of Prince William looking in through their window, KFC UK & Ireland captioned it by taking a line from The Lion King...

  Though this was hilarious enough on its own, KFC soon felt the remorse so many of us have felt at one time or another when we realized we’d missed an opportunity. KFC tweeted again...

People won’t be letting Prince William forget his longing look at the Colonel’s secret recipe anytime soon. The one thing everyone wants to know though is did he get a bucket of chicken? 

Instead of doing this blog thing I should be listening to this album...

Maybe not. Actually, I think I would dig that album. So, some NFL teams are changing their logos this year, just like the new Miami Dolphins one...

Hmmmm. Okay, moving on. Ever freeze a Disney movie on Blu-ray or Disney+? Its fun to do...

Ever wonder what Disney characters do after their movie is over? This is what Tarzan is up to...

He doesn't look happy. Haha. So, do you like pizza rolls? You should always let them cool down before you stick one in your mouth otherwise this would happen...

Ack! Hahaha. So, when you go to Disney World Mickey Mouse mouse ears are very popular, and there's all different kinds. Like this one for instance...

Hahahahahahahaha. So, today's two guests Charles Fleischer and Joanna Cassidy were in the Disney movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Did you know I auditioned to be in that movie and almost had a part? Check it out...

Hahaha. When I didn't get the part of Judge Doom I auditioned for another part.

Hahahahahaha. Okay, when I didn't get the part of Eddie Valiant then I auditioned for one other role...

Hahahahahahaha. You're welcome, people. My dad almost was in the movie too...

I love the look on his face. So, my favorite scene in the movie is this...

Blink and you'll miss it though. If I had a TARDIS I would go back in time and see Roger and Jessica and the parks, but knowing my luck Jessica might not look how I want her to look...

Yikes! That was actually a real thing, people. Okay, so, we all know when it comes to gifts, it's supposed to be the thought that counts. But is one bride justified in feeling a little disappointed that her fiancé made her engagement ring himself? And no, he's not a jeweler... he's apparently just a regular guy. The bride-to-be (well, hopefully...) wrote to the Phile to find out if she's being unreasonable. 

"My fiancé and I looked at a lot of rings. I don’t like traditional rings and I picked out a ring with a different stone, not a diamond that was priced at $149. This is NOT a money issue. He has a great job and makes plenty of money or I wouldn’t ask him at all. The thing is... he didn’t get me that ring. He made one himself. I do love that he spent time making this ring, BUT the little rhinestones keep falling off (they’re superglued on) and he has to repair it. It isn’t made of metal, so I can’t get it wet and I’m super paranoid about breaking the big stone. It just kind of makes me feel like I wasn’t even worth $150 out of one paycheck. I’ve seen ring posts on here where the woman wants something outrageous, but I wasn’t asking for much I don’t think. I don’t wear my ring all the time simply because it breaks and the stones fall out it definitely will not last. So, would I be wrong if I asked him what happened to the one we talked about and picked out together? I probably don’t need to mention it, but I have been wondering about it and feeling like maybe the engagement wasn’t as important to him as I thought?" The super-glued DIY ring situation is probably untenable. For now, put the ring he made away for safekeeping. Tell him that it has sentimental value because he made it for your engagement, but it has proved too fragile for daily wear, and that you would appreciate having a sturdy, more traditional ring as a symbol of his love for daily wear. Although you showed him an example you liked, he could have been confused and overdid the quirky funk when you said you didn't want a traditional ring. But are you sure it wasn’t a joke? I’m picturing some weird nonmetal ring with rhinestones glued on and I genuinely can’t imagine anyone seriously thinking that’s going to work. So there you have it. It's perfectly acceptable to question your fiancé's judgment if they get you a DIY freaking engagement ring. Come on, man! 

Hahaha. If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. Now from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York here is...

Top Phive Ways Disney Is Following The State's New Guidelines

5. All indoor attractions now held outdoors

4. Cast Members no longer allowed to kiss (exception: Andrea)

3. Only one guest in an attraction at a time

2. All water turned off throughout the park

And the number one way Disney is following the states's new guidelines is...

1. Guests politely asked not to die

Hahaha. Hard to believe we're 7 months into a pandemic that has killed over a million people and some people are still like "I won't wear a mask, because FREEDOM." And yet, we must believe it. Because COVIDiocy is an epidemic as widespread as the virus itself. "COVIDiots" are tough to reason with. Especially because their mere maskless existence could literally kill you if you try to talk to them IRL. So if you encounter one in the wild, the best and safest thing you can do is post about it. Internet-shaming may be our best tool against this particularly dangerous strain of human stupidity. 

Okay, let's take a live look at Port Jefferson, shall we? 

Looks like a quiet day there, and the Seawolf is not at the dock. 

Ambulances

Boo boo trucks

Jerry Walker 

March 16th, 1942 — October 23rd, 2020 

Mr. Nojangles. 

James Randi 

August 7th, 1928 — October 20th, 2020 

Abracadaver.

The 138th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...

The legendary Jerry Seinfeld will be on the Phile on Wednesday. 

Today's guests are two of the stars from the 1988 American live-action/animated fantasy-comedy film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Please welcome to the Phile... Charles Fleischer and Joanna Cassidy.

Me: Hey, you two, welcome to the Phile from Walt Disney World! This is so cool to have you both here. How are you both? 

Charles: I'm as good as I can get. I have taken my medication. 

Joanna: I'm just great, Jason. 

Me: Joanna, I saw a bunch of videos of you on YouTube of you on Johnny Carson. You were on that show quite a bit, right? 

Joanna: Yes, I was. 

Me: How many times were you on the show? 

Joanna: About four times. I loved being on that show. I would've been on it more but I didn't want to pursue it. I thought it would be a little awkward. 

Me: What was Johnny like in real life, Joanna? 

Joanna: Oh, he was incredible and he was lovely to me. He could not have been nicer, he was great. 

Me: I forgot you were in Blade Runner, apart from Roger Rabbit. You still look the same. What is your secret? 

Joanna: Well, thank you. That's very nice of you to say. Genes. Not the washed kind even though I do wash my face. I think eating right, exercising, my mother taught me skin care when I was younger. I always wash my face before I go to sleep. I rub my skin and take very good care of it. It's what important for me and women. I see women who go to bed with their make-up on. I'm horrified, I can't believe that they would do that. Being youthful looking is fun, people relate to me differently. 

Me: So, Charles, what was it like being part of such an iconic character as Roger Rabbit? 

Charles: Playing that character has given me a lot of positive responses from individuals. 

Me: How did you get involved with Roger Rabbit? 

Charles: Bob Zemeckis, the director had seen me do my stand-up and called me and said come in and audition for the Eddie Valiant character and after a couple of other things I got the gig. 

Me: That's cool that Zemeckis approached you, right? 

Charles: It went through his casting agent but sure. I gave worked with him many times. 

Me: Really? What other Zemeckis films were you in? 

Charles: Back to the Future and Polar Express. They used my voice and my face for a lot of the elves. They used my face and Steven Tyler's face. 

Me: Holy crap, that's a little scary. 

Charles: Well, it depends on what your tolerance level is. 

Me: So, Joanna, how did you get the part of Dolores in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 

Joanna: I met with Robert Zemeckis and I had a reading with him and I met both he and Spielberg. I guess they had seen me in Under Fire and Robert seemed to like it. I don't know beyond that, I cannot say.  

Me: Was it fun looking like you were living in the 1940s? 

Joanna: Yes. I went to a professional make-up artist, one of the only late greats and he taught me how to do 40s make-up. I did my own make-up in the movie. I had a wonderful hair guy. All the make-up people were terrific. Sometimes it's hard to sit in the chair, they had a lot of make-up to do on Christopher Lloyd. I just wanted to get in and out because they did a lot of hair stuff with me. Doing my own make-up was fun anyway. 

Me: Charles, how did you come up with Roger Rabbit's voice? 

Charles: Just like any time I play a character it depends on what they say and in this case what he looked like. He wasn't a human being so he couldn't like a human and couldn't be too high or too low because of his size so it was one of those magical conundrums. 

Me: How many times do you do Roger's voice daily now? 

Charles: If I did that everyday I wouldn't be interviewed by you, I'd be in a padded room somewhere. There's not an every day occurrence that I do Roger's voice. 

Me: When you first read the script did you think it was gonna be such a big hit? Honestly it could have gone either way and become a big flop, right? 

Joanna: I was happy to be in it but didn't know how it was going to translate into a major motion picture. It was such difficult working circumstances with all the special effects guys and Charles Fleischer under the camera in a rabbit suit. If anybody would have come onto the set they would have thought what are they making. It was just a very unusual undertaking. 

Me: Charles, what was it like wearing the full rabbit suit on set? Did you do that because you felt like you needed to get into character? 

Charles: Well, not to get into character but anytime as an actor I'm in a movie I go to the set and put on a costume. It's part of what I do, and it made sense to put on a rabbit suit as my voice was being recorded live on the set and I rehearsed right next to Bob. It was good fore the press kind of view. If anyone would've come on set and I wasn't wearing the suit they would say, "He doesn't look anything like a rabbit." 

Me: What did the rest of the cast think about your crazy outfit? 

Charles: Bob thanked me because he said it helped him a lot to associate my voice with the character, instead of working with an empty space. 

Me: I love the scene in the bar where Judge Doom comes in and breaks the plates and stuff. I bet that scene took a long time to shoot, am I right? 

Joanna: It did take a long time. Of course. 

Me: What was it like to see Bob Hoskins perform with nothing there, when they did all the "fake fighting"? 

Joanna: Well, he was just a major actor. Nothing ever stopped him. He was always in a good mood, he would always offer to do it a million times without thinking twice about it. He was amazing. 

Me: I wish I could have interviewed him. He was one of my favorite actors... 

Joanna: Well, we all have to go. It's not a shame, he left a body of work that is extraordinary. No worries there. 

Me: That is true. Do you have any favorite memories of working with Bob? 

Joanna: Aside from the fact that we had blast working together, it was amazing working with him. Every day was new, he was exciting, he was different. He just reacted so beautifully. It was just a pleasure. 

Me: Charles, what was it like working with Bob for you? 

Charles: He was a great human character actor. He was just really warm and funny and a theatrical man. 

Me: Joanna, what is your finest memory of the movie itself? 

Joanna: I don't have a favorite scene. I think all the animation is so fascinating and so extraordinary. 

Me: What about you, Charles? What is your favorite scene or what was the most difficult scene to film? 

Charles: I have no response to that. I consider things most difficult. 

Me: Charles, were you aware of Gary K. Wolf's book Who Censored Roger Rabbit? I read that book and liked it a lot. 

Charles: Well, when I found out I was doing it I looked into it but it wasn't the pursuit of my work. 

Me: Has Gary ever told you what he thought of your portrayal of his character? 

Charles: Oh, yes, he continuously praises me. He's a good guy. You should interview him. 

Me: I wish I could. Joanna, did you have a favorite cartoon or a favorite animated movie when you were a kid? 

Joanna: I'm trying to think now. We used to go to the Saturday cartoons. Popeye was one of my favorites.  

Me: I love Popeye. Anything else? 

Joanna: I'll tell you which one I loved... Road Runner. 

Me: Hahaha. I like it you didn't mention Disney cartoons. Hahaha. Mel Blanc played a few of his characters in the movie as a matter of fact. Charles, did you get a chance to meet Mel Blanc? 

Charles: Ummmmm, his son was there. I met him once at a studio but I just got around to saying hi. I knew his on-camera work from Jack Benny, so I knew of him prior. 

Me: So I read that you read that you were up for the role of Wonder Woman before Lynda Carter, is that true? 

Joanna: I was, yes. 

Me: Do you regret not getting that part or happy looking back you didn't get it? 

Joanna: I think it would have been typecasting. I don't think I would have gotten the Blade Runner role because of it. I think people get stale in that kind of monumental part. It's an iconic role bit if I had my choice of course I would choose Blade Runner to be in. 

Me: Charles, did you get to ad lib at all as Roger? 

Charles: Well, when I came upon with something that was relevant it came out in rehearsal. But I couldn't keep changing things because it had to match. 

Me: Over the years there were talks of a sequel or a prequel to the Roger Rabbit film. Do you know anything about that? 

Charles: There are always talks about it. It's been over 30 years, so you do the math. 

Me: Why don't you think they have Roger in the parks anymore or don't use him really with anything? 

Charles: Part of the problem is his owned by two different studios, Disney and Amblin so that's the main factor. 

Me: Was Kathleen Turner ever on set when she recorded her lines? 

Charles: No, a lady named Betsy Brantley was on Jessica's spot at that time. She was later replaced by Kathleen. 

Me: That's cool. Charles, Joanna, thanks so much for being on the Phile. Please both of you come back soon. 

Joanna: Thank you, Jason. 

Charles: It was a pleasure talking to you.

That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to my guests Charles and Joanna. That was cool. The Phile will be back on Wednesday with Jerry Seinfeld. Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Mask it or casket. Bye, love you, bye. Kiss your brain.

I don't want you, cook my bread, I don't want you, make my bed, I don't want your money too, I just want to make love to you. - Willie Dixon

Pheaturing Matt Schultz From Cage The Elepehant

 

Hey, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Tuesday. How are you? A man with some eyebrow-raising hobbies and habits was spotted on a security camera removing a Joe Biden campaign sign wearing nothing but his disdain for the Democratic nominee. The video, out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, shows the homeowner’s Biden-Harris sign sitting in the front yard of a home in the middle of the night when, out of the darkness, a supporter of Republican President Donald Trump (at least presumably), saunters up to it completely naked and starts to yank… at the sign. The sort of yanking that only ends up being a misdemeanor, fortunately. After a couple of tries the man is able to pull the sign out of the ground. He then wanders back off into the darkness to do God knows what with the sign. It’s actually presumptuous to assume this political sign was stolen by a Trump supporter. What if this is a Democrat and Biden supporter who wanted to promote who he wants to win the 2020 presidential election while high on PCP? A Trump campaign supporter who was tweaking out would want to show off with a Trump sign, wouldn’t they? Rep their presidential candidate. All I can say for sure is that whether this guy is a member of the Democratic party or the Republican party, in New Mexico, tweakers walk between the aisles. Or maybe this guy just has a super weird appreciation for Kamala Harris. It’s tough to get inside the mind of a man on his 68th hour of a cleaning supply and cold medicine induced blackout. Is this suppression of free speech? Or is this perhaps nothing more than an extremely New Mexico version of Freedom of Speech? Regardless, the naked vandalism cost Former Vice President Joe Biden one extra sign in New Mexico, and as the completely airtight and flawless theory goes, if you can’t see Joe Biden signs everywhere, is anyone actually voting for Joe Biden? 

Bad news "Home Improvement" fans, star Zachery Ty Bryan was arrested late Friday night for allegedly choking a woman that he had been in a relationship with. According to the Eugene Police Department, police were called to a North Eugene apartment Friday night after someone reported a physical dispute. When officers arrived at the scene they found Ty Bryan sitting outside of an apartment. According to an arrest report, the 27-year-old victim was in a relationship with Bryan and was waiting for police at a neighbor’s apartment. An investigation then found that during the dispute, the Hollywood star assaulted the victim, impeded her breathing, and had taken the victim’s phone from when she tried to call 911. The victim, whose name has not been released, declined any medical assistance. Brian was quickly booked into custody in Oregon at 1:01 a.m. on Saturday morning according to a booking report from the Lane County Jail. The actor was pictured grinning in his mugshot, which was released by the Sheriff’s Office. The actor faces charges of strangulation, and two additional misdemeanor charges, a fourth-degree assault and interfering with making a report. According to TMZ, the actor was released Saturday night on an $8,500 cash bail and there has been issued a no-contact order, which is typical after a domestic violence arrest. He is required to stay away from the victim and can contact her in any way. 

As one of the more horrifying stories that can come from remote learning caused by COVID-19, you can’t help but wonder what the right decision is anymore when it comes to deciding whether kids should be physically back in school or not. Many challenges have surfaced in online learning, but incidents like this one really emphasize the need and call for action to somehow improve conditions while students are forced to learn from home. A teacher witnessed a horrible situation during her e-learning session when she heard her first graders talking over their Google Meets session. According to Cook County prosecutors, she heard, “What is going on? What is happening?” in the midst of a silent pause in her class. When the teacher opened up her screen, she saw one of her students, a 7-year-old girl, being assaulted. The teacher immediately yelled at the other students to log off. The girl’s microphone was muted, and she called the girl’s name to tell her to turn off her camera, to which the abuser, 18-year-old Catrell Walls, picked up the laptop and closed it. The girl’s teacher immediately reported what she had witnessed to the school’s principal, who then called the girl’s family, the Chicago police, and authorities from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The girl was apparently staying at her grandmother’s house in a West Chesterfield neighborhood during the school day, and Walls was a relative of hers. The girl’s father, the school principal, and the school’s chief executive officer went to the girl’s home to ask her what happened. At first, the girl explained that Walls had just hit her. But then, when the principal spoke to her alone, she described the sexual assault, also explaining that it had happened before. She was then taken to Comer Children’s Hospital to be examined. The next day, Walls, a Chicago man from the South Side, was arrested and interviewed by detectives, and he admitted to what the class had seen on video, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He also admitted to committing multiple sexual acts to the girl since she was 6-years-old. He apparently broke down in tears, telling officers, “I don’t know why, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” His defense attorney is arguing that because Walls has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, his ability to control his impulses is impaired. Walls has been out of jail on bail following a previous felony charge of unlawful use of a weapon. And now he faces a felony count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim. Judge Charles Beach said, “This ongoing history of assault, for approximately a year, according to the victim, leads me to believe this is not something that will just stop because I have ordered it to. This history and his actions from this case lead me to believe that he is a threat to an individual and the community as a whole.” Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson said, “This situation is definitely disturbing and something that has been unsettling to me personally since I heard about it. But I also think it just makes me more committed to seeing our kids back in school, under the watchful eyes of their teachers who care for them deeply.” 

In a hilarious turn of events, the Department of Justice is suing Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the former friend and former adviser (unpaid) of Melania Trump, for violating a nondisclosure agreement, asking that she turn over all the profits earned from her book to a government trust. The lawsuit reads, “The United States seeks to hold Ms. Wolkoff to her contractual and fiduciary obligations and to ensure that she is not unjustly enriched by her breach of the duties she freely assumed when she served as an advisor to the First Lady. Ms. Wolkoff’s service facilitated her access to significant confidential information related to the First Lady’s official duties as well as to the more private aspects of her role in the First Family, along with indirect access to deliberative information, to which the First Lady was privy, related to the President’s official duties on behalf of the country. The United States accordingly seeks an order establishing a constructive trust on any profits obtained by Defendant from the disclosure of information in, or dissemination of, Melania and Me.” Wolkoff, the author of Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady, published the tell-all book in exposing First Lady Melania Trump, making the New York Times’ bestseller list even before it was published. According to the NYPost, Melania’s spokeswoman said, “The book is not only full of mistruths and paranoia, it is based on some imagined need for revenge.” DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec also explained that the federal suit filed in Washington, D.C., “was a contract with the United States and therefore enforceable by the United States,” and the Trump administration is threatening to sue over the book as well. However, Wolkoff has denied breaking any sort of nondisclosure pact and also explained that she’s working with First Amendment lawyers to back her up. In a personal statement, Wolkoff says, “The President and First Lady’s use of the Department of Justice to silence me is a violation of my First Amendment Rights and a blatant abuse of the government to pursue their own personal interests and goals. I fulfilled all of the terms of the Gratuitous Service Agreement and the confidentiality provisions ended when the White House terminated the agreement. With the publication of my book, Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with The First Lady, I have exercised my right to free expression. I will not be deterred by these bullying tactics.” I don’t mean to be insensitive when it comes to stuff like this, but the irony is just too good to pass up. To sue for Wolkoff’s book of supposedly classified information as a reaction to the book feels more like a defense mechanism as opposed to actually serving justice to someone doing something wrong. Now, I haven’t read the book, but such information seems more like gossip than breach of contract. There are more pressing matters regarding President Donald Trump that deserve the attention of the public than stuff like this. But that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a good laugh.

The playing of the National Anthem and the beginning of sporting events seems to be synonymous in the United States, but some have questioned as to simply why it’s necessary. When you think about it, the correlation between a football game and patriotism of the country does seem a bit disjointed. Now, some are questioning the point of a military flyover. Though it’s a spectacular sight to behold and a reminder of the might of the U.S. Military and does provide new pilots with flying hours to log, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are among some wondering if it’s truly worth of spending tens of thousands of dollars and helping pollute the atmosphere in order for a literal split second of awe at a sporting event. Prior to kickoff at Sunday’s Bucs-Packers game, FOX broadcasters were caught on a hot mic questioning the display, even mocking it at one point. Aikman: That’s a lot of jet fuel just to do a little flyover. Buck: That’s your hard-earned money and your tax dollars at work! Aikman: That stuff ain’t happening with [a] Kamala-Biden ticket. I’ll tell you that right now, partner." In other football news, Cowboys fans really going through it right now… The outlook on the 2020 season was bleak as soon as Dak Prescott went down with an obvious season-ending ankle injury during Week 5, but after one week minus their QB, it’s somehow even bleaker. After a 38-10 beatdown on "Monday Night Football" at the hands of the Cardinals, a Cowboys fan was seen being consoled by his girl while crying in the stands.  

Awe. Poor baby. 

Speaking of football, some teams are changing their logos this year. For example, check out the Titans' new logo...

Yesterday I had Tom Kenny on the Phile, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants. I mentioned the new movie is CGI. Well, the next movie will be live action and here is a sneak preview of what to expect...

Ewwww. Creepy. Hahaha. Did you know YouTube has been around for years? No? Check this old ad out...

See what I mean? Hahaha. Do you like pizza rolls? I don't, but I do know you should not eat them if they're too hot.

See? Hahaha. Man, is the Phile getting lamer of what? Now from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York here is...

Top Phive Things Said By Parents About The Things People Who Don't Have Kids Don't Understand

5. The biggest lie you've ever heard a non-parent tell themselves? "I wouldn't let having kids change my lifestyle. They'll just have to fit in around me." Classic. 

4. Non parent: my house is kind of messy. I need to sort my mail. Parent: Last night we lost a chair. 

3. Non-parent: So what do you like to do in you spare time. Me: Spare time? 

2. Non-parent: There's poop on my hand??!! I can't wash it enough! Should I bleach it? Should I boil it?? Aaarrrggghhh! Parent: There's poop on my hand? Yup. Normal Thursday. 

And the number one thing said by a parent about the things people who don't have kids don't understand is...

1. A dog year is equal to 7 people years just as a parent year is equal to 7 non-parent years. It's science. 

Hard to believe we're 7 months into a pandemic that has killed over a million people and some people are still like "I won't wear a mask, because FREEDOM." And yet, we must believe it. Because COVIDiocy is an epidemic as widespread as the virus itself. "COVIDiots" are tough to reason with. Especially because their mere maskless existence could literally kill you if you try to talk to them IRL. So if you encounter one in the wild, the best and safest thing you can do is post about it. Internet-shaming may be our best tool against this particularly dangerous strain of human stupidity. 

Okay, let's take a live look at Port Jefferson, shall we?

Looks like a dreary day there, right? 

The person who would proof read Hitler’s speeches was a grammar Nazi.

Not the best one, but if you spot the Mindphuck let me know. 

The 138th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...

Jerry will be on the Phile next week. It's gonna be good. Also next week...

I will tell you who the two guests will be at the end of this entry. Now do you want to laugh? 

A little kid's in school, taking a true-false test and he's flipping a coin. At the end of the test he's flipping the coin again. The teacher says, "What are you doing?" He says, "Checking my answers." 

Today's guest is is an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the lead singer and occasional guitarist for the American rock band Cage the Elephant whose latest album "Social Cues" is available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Please welcome to the Phile... Matt Schultz.

Me: Matt, welcome to the Phile! I'm such a big fan of Cage The Elephant. How are you? 

Matt: I'm good, it's my birthday in a few days so I'm good. .

Me: Cool. Happy early birthday. So, I never saw you guys in concert in person but I did see videos of you... and you leapt off the stage. Ever get hurt doing that? 

Matt: Actually our first tour ever was with the Queens of Stone Age, it was in Toronto where it kicked off because the only thing we had going for us at the time we had a publishing deal through a Canadian publishing company so they thought that we were Canadian. They said they needed an opening act, so let's get Cage The Elephant. So they took us on tour and the guys were making some noise to get the audience ready. Of course no one knows us and I ran out pretty ambitious to take the crowd and just jumped before even singing and as I'm in the air I'm looking down and I see two red cups and every persons hand up, not knowing they gave out two free beers to every single audience member. So, yeah, the sea of red cups parted. 

Me: Did they catch you? 

Matt: No. 

Me: So you hit the ground? 

Matt: Yeah. I hit so hard I think my shoe flew off or something. On that same tour it was laundry day so I was going commando and I had one little hole in the crotch of the pants I was wearing and I climbed atop the speaker stack and two songs in my pants turned into chaps. 

Me: Ugh! Yikes. So, what did you say or do?

Matt: I said don't blame me, I'm Canadian. 

Me: Are you ever afraid when you jump off a three story balcony? I would not even think twice about doing anything like that. 

Matt: The adrenaline takes over and I don't feel that fear. 

Me: So, where does the trust come from where you think you're gonna be caught by the audience? 

Matt: I don't know where the trust comes from. I guess somewhere. 

Me: Okay, I love your latest album "Social Cues," Matt. The song "Ready to Let Go" is so cool. Ready to let go of what? What is the story behind that song? 

Matt: I guess the idea for the song was formed with the idea when I took a trip to Pompeii with my ex-wife and I think things were kinda unraveling at that point. I just remember also at that same time period my cousin had passed away who was my best friend in high school and another one of my friends had taken his own life and different things that had happened. So I'm sitting there and looking at the cast of these of these people's physical forms, that they've been cased in ash and created a cast of themselves and these statutes and I was really remember relating to that. I was like, shit, I feel like this person. 

Me: So you felt stuck too? 

Matt: Yeah, I definitely felt I was harboring not necessary a secret but holding something's inside that made me feel frozen within the situation. I went back to the place where we were staying that night and stayed up. We were at an AirBnB overlooking the water and just started playing and wrote the beginnings of what became the song. 

Me: With your ex-wife nearby? That's not easy, right? 

Matt: I don't think it's something that's readily available at the forefront of my mind when I'm in it. Like when I'm swimming in a large body of water I'm not thinking necessary about something that is far off or even directly so I was just immersed in it. It didn't feel as difficult to write the material as the situation itself felt difficult. 

Me: Was it therapeutic to you to write like this? 

Matt: Yeah, for sure. I mean whenever I'm making a record or writing material I'm always looking for something. I'm always looking for a sincerity that first of I can believe in. Then if I can get to a sincere place hopefully that transfers to the music and I could find something in the music that I obsess over... in a good way and surprise myself with it. 

Me: Do you worry who might hear it when you're playing it? 

Matt: I have those moments. I think as time goes on and I continue to work at it hopefully that "voice" will work it, being in the creative works. Hopefully that voice gets quieter and quieter. Maybe it never gets quieter but I don't pay as much attention to it. 

Me: I don't mean worrying about people criticizing your work... 

Matt: No, I mean that as well. 

Me: Ahhhh. Okay. Just the idea I wrote this about somebody, they could hear it, you try to immerse yourself in the art of it and hopefully that will go away? 

Matt: Yeah. Something Isaac Brock said at one time. He said, "If you're terrified to sing it you're probably on the right path." 

Me: That's a great line. Okay, so, I try to not ask about videos bands or artists put out as I don't show videos here but I have to show a screenshot of the video for "Ready to Let Go." 

Me: What's happening here, Matt? 

Matt: I'm always looking fore the visual personality that pairs well with the music. And myself I'm always looking for metaphorical vehicles of those narratives. 

Me: So what's the blood the metaphor for? 

Matt: Blood's been a strong symbol I think throughout human history. Some of the words that come to mind are betrayal, redemption, love, hate, so it's pretty provoking. Did you like the video? 

Me: Yeah, but it was a little too gory for me... with those other people eating that nasty cake. But then I show some pretty sick stuff here on Thursday's for Throw-Up Thursday if I post on a Thursday so I can't really say anything. Your video is fake, the gross pics I show are real. Haha. 

Matt: It's funny you say it's too gory, but you should've seen me talking to the label. "Then we're gonna shave a sheep." They were like what? 

Me: Haha. Why a sheep? 

Matt: They have another strong symbol of innocence. A lot of it was trying to find some really powerful metaphors. 

Me: So, how is the video related to the song about your divorce and your friends dying? 

Matt: There are times in life where we worship the idea of being in love and maybe loving the person much more than they should be loved. That's pretty transparent of something's I failed at and so there was a lot of guilt involved as well. I think that's the idea of going ourselves or feasting ourselves on something maybe should have nurtured more. 

Me: What is it like getting on stage and singing these songs, Matt? 

Matt: I think that everyday brings its own adversities and troubles. And so living in the moment why I'm performing the song I don't have to necessary relive what I already lived. Maybe I'm channeling what's happening at that time to still be present and something that feels genuine and sincere. I think I owe that to the audience. But yeah, I've always felt that was pretty healing to myself. 

Me: Is it healing because you're sharing it with other people? 

Matt: Maybe. Maybe. I think one of the powerful things about music is the communal aspect of it. There are many times I am on stage and I am watching the audience probably way more than they know. Certainly as an audience member myself I'm not thinking about the performer watching me. I don't know, but also I think just revisiting those emotions and spending some time with them helps for some reason. I don't know, maybe I need to go see my therapist and talk about it and figure out what's going on there. 

Me: So, Beck plays on this album. How did that happen? 

Matt: We were both on the same bill in L.A. and we played a show together and we were invited to go back to his dressing room to say hello. So we did and he's a lovely human being, it was a lovely experience. Several months later he came through Nashville and played a show so I went to that show and we reconnected and had another great hang. Then as we were making the record we put together a short list of composers we wanted to do the strong arrangements. A lot of people don't know this but Beck's father is a world renowned composer. So he was on our wish lost and he came back and ended up doing most of the compositions on the record as far strings were concerned. So Beck I guess was just subconsciously in our minds and we were working on a song and had the chorus really happening for us and it was coming along really nice but we didn't know what we were going to do when we approached the verse. So Brad, my brother and I are sitting there pow wowing and talking about what to do and Brad said, "I feel like Beck would know what to do." So we sent the track to him and he was on tour in Asia and I believe in 48 hours he sent back two verses and four alternates. We were like these are good, these are amazing. He's an exceptional talent no doubt, and then just trying to figure out when we would perform the song together on tour came to life. 

Me: That's pretty cool. So, since the band first came out what has been some of the highlights of your career so far, Matt? 

Matt: On the previous album we won a Grammy for the Best Rock Album, we had top billing at some of the rock festivals. Things have gone really well. 

Me: Do you ever get star struck? 

Matt: I certainly get excited. I have not lost that feeling. Every time something happens, even if it's something I might consider small when I've been in this field far a while. To me it still hits me pretty hard. This most recent single, how well it's done, has just blown me away. Twelve plus years in its still working for whatever reason. It's pretty cool. 

Me: Not to mention being on the Phile. Hahaha. Right? 

Matt: Yeah, exactly. This is the crown jewel of any bands career. I had a great time. 

Me: Thanks, Matt, thanks so much for being on the Phile. Please come back again happy birthday. 

Matt: Thanks, Jason. This was fun, man.

That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to Matt Schultz for a cool interview. The Phile will be back on Monday with another Walt Disney World entry with Charles Fleischer and Joanna Cassidy from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. So bloody cool, right? Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. Kiss your brain.

I don't want you, cook my bread, I don't want you, make my bed, I don't want your money too, I just want to make love to you. - Willie Dixon