Season Two, Behind The Scenes: “AGENTS EXPOSED”
TRANSCRIPT
MUSIC
[SOFT, INTENSE PIANO MUSIC]
Larry Hastings 0:05
Hello, this is Larry Hastings. Join me now for another episode of "Outside the Actor's Studio", where we dissect the minds of the greatest actors of this, or any generation. Tonight, we look at a world class ensemble, that of the cast of Mission...uh...Rejected. Rejected. Join me now...Wait a minute!
SOUND EFFECT 0:35
{SFX: A record scratch}
Larry Hastings 0:36
I thought this was going to be about me. I wanted to share my favorite curse word. It's Bumble
SOUND EFFECT 0:41
{SFX: A record scratch}
MUSIC 0:42
[MUSIC: Mission Rejected Theme]
Mission Voice 0:45
Mission Rejected. The story of the world's most unlikely podcasters...The Porch Room. Tonight's episode...Agents Exposed. With your host, Raymond Morse.
MUSIC 1:00
[MUSIC FADES.]
Ruk 1:03
Wow. So this is kind of surreal for me. I've sat in on some of your recordings, but I've never gotten to talk to most of you. So I'm honored that he asked me, but I'm also scared shitless.
Nazli 1:19
I hope we don't disappoint you.
Ruk 1:27
I've never done this before. You know, how hard can it be? Like he gave me a bunch of questions. And we're gonna start with the easy one. I think everyone should go around and introduce themselves and tell people what parts they play because I don't think everyone's going to recognize the voices right away.
Nazli 1:43
Very true.
Ruk 1:44
So should we start with Faith?
Faith 1:47
Okay. My name is faith Dowgin. I play Section Chief Zelda Anders. And that's it. I'm having fun. Happy to be here.
Ruk 1:56
Okay, so let's go down the list. So that would make on my screen. That'd be David's next.
David 2:00
Sure. I'm David Stanger and I play Bowden Montcrief.
Ruk 2:04
And I love Bowden
David 2:08
What's not to love what's not to love?
Ruk 2:10
Oh, I'm sure I can think of a few things give me time! And..Bob.
Bob 2:17
Hi, I'm Bob Killion. And I play The Admiral and host of other random voices including Security Guy and Archie and, uh, random other things.
Ruk 2:31
Perfect. Nazli?
Chris 2:33
Bob plays all the best parts. Because it's Bob.
Bob 2:37
Thanks, guys!
Nazli 2:37
Like, we really want an episode where Bob plays every single character. I'm Nazli Sarpkaya and I play MacKenzie McGrath.
Ruk 2:48
Who I think is a huge fan favorite because I see so many questions about McGrath.
Nazli 2:53
Oh boy. Yeah. So not prepared for this.
Chris 2:59
Buckle up, Nazli.
Ruk 3:02
Okay, Jill.
Jill 3:03
Hi, I'm Jill Ivey, and the recurring character that I play is Lex Hammond so I have to do (IN LEX'S VOICE) that voice...but I actually like Bob, I play a lot of different characters so you probably don't recognize my normal speaking voice be heard me play a dozen characters or more.
Ruk 3:19
Fantastic. Chris.
Chris 3:22
My name is Chris Klaniecki. He/him/his pronouns. I played two characters. Skip Granger and Coffee Skip. Both of them also prefer he/him/his pronouns.
Ruk 3:30
Are you Coffee Chris right now then?
Chris 3:32
No, it is it is past eight on the East Coast right now and I have work tomorrow.
Ruk 3:38
Well, last, but certainly not least, Ashley.
Ashley 3:41
Hi, everyone. My name is Ashley Banks. I play Athena. You know, Athena, you all know her. You all love her. You all will worship her. If you are maybe earlier in the series, I play Ocean Girl. Who is much nicer.
Ruk 4:01
Is she?
Ashley 4:01
Definitely not the same person.
Ruk 4:05
Well, that's a good place to start them because I actually have this question for you. Did you always know that Ocean Girl was gonna be Athena? And how different is it playing Athena this season as opposed to last?
Ashley 4:19
So yes, I did know. Well, yes and no. So, I knew before the recording had even started that I was going to end up being the mastermind. That was basically how Michael presented it to me. I did not know specifically what form that would take and didn't know that I would be Athena O'Brien until I think I got the script and everybody else found out. But I definitely knew that it was going in that direction. In terms of what it was like to to play her this season instead of last season... It's it's been tricky because I think her voice is much more normal than Ocean Girl's voice, which means that I have to be much more conscious of like, Am I just talking? Or am I voice acting right now? And you know, I'm never actually sure of the answer there, but I try my best.
Ruk 5:17
See, as a non voice actor, that all kind of confuses me. I just yell up the mic when I'm given lines for things. So yeah, I mean -
Ashley 5:26
That's kind of what I'm doing too. So, shh!
Ruk 5:31
Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone. So for everyone, and whoever wants to start, how did you all become involved in the show?
Nazli 5:41
I actually worked with Porch Room before. I met Michael, Pete and John, back in 20... 2013. Actually, the play that they wrote and produced was the first professional show I've ever done in New York. And we stayed really good friends and like, worked together on smaller things. And when they had the idea and wrote a few episodes, they asked me to audition. Fun fact, my audition for McGrath and Gloria!
Ashley 6:15
Funny how that works.
Nazli 6:17
I think the casting was right on point, though.
Jill 6:22
I've known Michael for God, like 15 years now. And we were still in touch sometimes. And a couple of years ago, he posted on Facebook that he'd been lured back to our college Shakespeare Company to direct a play. But he didn't want to be the oldest guy in the room. So he was asking alums who were still in the area interested in auditioning. And I was like "Sure, I don't have anything else to do. I'm self employed, I can make this work." And so I did this play. And that's also how I met Chris, and how I met some other people that pop up periodically on the show.
Ruk 7:00
Okay. Faith, you want to go next?
Faith 7:04
Sure. Um, so I married to one of the writers. But when they came back from Austin, and John said, we are going to do a podcast. I was like, Oh, well, that sounds like fun. And then I didn't want to say anything else. Because I didn't want to seem like anxious or needy. And so I didn't know how to keep talking without saying, Oh, my God, do I get to be in it? And he said, yeah, Pete's already writing apart for you. And I was like, Okay, great. This is awesome. So kind of, uh, luckily, all three of the guys have seen me act for a really long time. So I didn't have to audition, which was I was kind of grateful for nothing sucks more than auditioning for your husband, for a gig. So yeah, I just I just get to sit back and like, like, listen to everybody and laugh all the time, and then come in and be a killjoy, and go away again.
Ruk 8:11
So Chris, right.
Chris 8:13
So um, as Jill mentioned a few moments ago, unless this was cut, in which case, the audience hasn't heard this yet.vI was at the college where the the first of several Shakespeare shows is going up, and Michael was directing it. And I found out that it was gonna happen. So I answered the call. I was very lucky to be cast in his show. And I worked with him on several shows after that. And when he told most of us in the casts of those Shakespeare productions that, hey, I'm doing this side project looking for people to audition.I said, Yes, I'd be happy to. I need to spend more time with J.Michael DeAngelis. It's worth mentioning too - this is I think that's the first time I met him was at the Shakespeare production auditions. But it may have actually been a couple of decades before that. It turns out his dad is the principal of my elementary school. So his family and mine weirdly go way, way back. And it's fun to make references to our middle school field trips that nobody else gets.
Ruk 9:21
Did you see the principal a lot?
Chris 9:25
He would show up occasionally. (Laughter) Okay I'm going to tell a quick story. He would show up occasionally.Walk around and just like observe and, seriously, Mr. D is superduper cool. If you ever had a chance to meet him, you'd understand. He just exudes warmth and support. And he's pretty funny too. And then a good sense of humor, which is important for this. So I was in art class one day, this was third grade. And we were being tasked with making these paper mache masks. That was like our project for the next couple of weeks. And Mr. D came in when we were getting started. I hadn't figured out what's gonna do yet. People were gonna make like a devil or a goblin or a mermaid mask or whatever it was gonna be. And Mr. D came over to the table and he goes, he knew my name, which was cool and also surprising. He goes, "What are you gonna make Chris?" And I was caught flat footed because I didn't have an answer. And I was, you know, eight years old. So I turn this and "I'm gonna make a mask of you, Mr. D!" And he goes, "All right!" and he moves on. And I told the principal I was gonna make him so I did. And I think my family atill has like that tattered mask to this day. Maybe Mr. D is going to hear this story. And it's gonna be awkward for the rest of our lives.
Nazli 10:43
You should send it to him as a gift!
Ruk 10:44
I think that sounds more creepy.
Bob 10:45
Yeah. And why does this sound like a Skip Granger story? Not a Chris story.
Ruk 10:52
Bob?
Bob 10:53
Yeah. So I met Michael, and also, Chris, and Ashley and Jill, and another other number of other folks who've been involved in the show, when Michael directed As You Like It. One of my colleagues at the school where I teach, she stopped me one day, and she said, Oh, my friend, she was in a reading group with Michael. And she said, Oh, I have a friend who's looking for people to be in the show. You know, he needs someone who can act and sing and play guitar. So she's like, you should check this out. And I was very excited, too. And so I met up with Michael in this, like, tiny little audition space and got out my guitar and played some Bob Dylan. And he was like, Alright, great. And so I got to be in that show, which was awesome experience. Got to see Chris making random puns on stage in character. Got to act with Jill got to do some dancing and singing with Ashley. So it was a great experience. And then, you know, so naturally, when, when Michael was doing this podcast, I was like, Well, I'm, I'm 100% in. So...
Jill 12:08
I just remembered - Oh, I'm sorry, Bob. I was just gonna say the first time that we, because Bob and I have a bunch of scenes together in that play, and he hadn't been at that initial our initial table read, I think because that was when Michael was still looking for somebody to play that part. And I so I've just met Bob, I was running late. We walk into rehearsal and Michael's like, "Cool. You guys good to run the scene?" Sure. Hello, stranger! And the next thing I know we're we're reading the scene and Bob is on his knees with this like hilariously hick cowboy sort of accent. And I was completely unprepared and I could not hold it together for the rest of rehearsal. I just laughed all night. And so for the people who listen to Mission Rejected and get like all of those Bob voices and how amazing they are, just know that like, we are all laughing with you.
Nazli 12:58
But oh my god, he we crack up all the time.
Bob 13:01
I love you guys. Oh, shucks.
Ruk 13:08
So we have David and Ashley laughs should they fight to the death for who goes next?
Ashley 13:13
I would like to go next, if that's okay with David.
David 13:16
By all means, go ahead.
Ashley 13:17
Mostly because same. My meeting of Michael was also that production of As You Like It. I know I this is like when you're like last in the introduction group and you have to not copy what everybody else did. But yes, so I also met Michael in that same production. And that is also when I met Bob and Jill and most of the rest of the cast except for Chris. Chris and I went to college together. So hash tag, samesies. On to you,
David 13:52
David. Well, I'm gonna go in a different direction. I met Michael in college at Muhlenberg. And we both ended up in the Philly area together and had been trying and failing for a number of years to work together again, in some capacity. And every time we reached out to each other to do something, it was just butting up against something, some other projects. So he finally reached out to me about doing the podcast at a time when I was doing a fair amount more voiceover work anyway. And he goes, Hey, I want you to play this narcissistic out of work actor and I said, I think I can do that. So yeah, it's been a pleasure to work with these lovely people ever since.
Ruk 14:33
So I gather you guys all live in the same general area.
Chris 14:37
It sounds like we do. That's the magic of audio.
Ruk 14:42
Well, I mean, if you're all recording in the same room,
Faith 14:47
We sort of live in the tri-state area, like I live in New Jersey, John and I live in New Jersey. Nazli lives in New York, but we all would get together in Philadelphia because that's where the majority is.
Nazli 15:00
I mean, like, once a month, on a Sunday, I would get on the bus really early from New York, go to Philly. We would record for, I don't know, five hours, four or five hours, and then I would get on the bus and come back.
Chris 15:14
Yes, Nazli actually makes sacrifices. Unlike the rest of us pleebs.
Bob 15:17
Which is, which is awesome, because it's so good to have you at the recording.
Nazli 15:24
That's why I wanted to do it! A couple of times, you know, the first few times, Michael said, if you want to do it from home, but I wanted to be with everybody, because it just it's so much better. It's so fun. I actually look forward to those Sundays. If you...
Ashley 15:41
Yeah,
Nazli 15:42
Since this started, like the last year, we've been doing it from home. And while I mean, it is convenient, absolutely. It's just not the same.
Faith 15:50
A couple of live recordings that I went to, I really loved being at and I missed them. I didn't get to go to a lot because John and i have a young son. So we would, like he would go more often than I would because I didn't have a lot of lines, or I didn't have a lot to contribute. But the times that I did get to go, were so much fun. It's so much better to be in the room with everybody and watch them work and see their faces.
Chris 16:22
And try not to laugh at Bob's lines.
Faith 16:27
And try not to laugh at Bob's lines!
Bob 16:29
I love like...
Ashley 16:31
I'm convinced that he takes it as a personal challenge.
Bob 16:33
That's right. That's right. I love like just being together, like all of us it you know, you get that energy that you you wouldn't get normally. And I feel like we get to joke with each other. And like we get to, you know, we get to encourage each other like laugh at different things that are happening. And I feel like that really helps a lot.
Jill 16:53
We also get to, like we have more input sometimes to the script. And, you know, we might be able to say, Hey, that was really funny. I loved it when you did whatever. The the Porch Room guys that are creators are really open to feedback from the cast. And sometimes there's just a moment that happens when we're when we're taping that, like that joke just wrote itself, go ahead, put that in there.
Ruk 17:18
And so we do you kind of answered one of the questions here with this conversation, but it just was, like, how much of it is scripted versus how much is improv? And it sounds like it's a good mixture of both.
Jill 17:31
I mean, it's mostly scripted. I mean, we get beautiful scripts.
Nazli 17:34
Yeah, yeah.
Chris 17:36
Yeah, it's mostly scripted.
Nazli 17:37
It's like 98% scripted.
Ashley 17:40
Some of the some of the more, you know, like, throw away, not throw away lines, but like the witty quips, or like the puns might be more improv heavy, but this anything that's really moving forward, or I guess,
Nazli 17:55
Like, whenever somebody's shoving somebody or they're falling, they're like, just, you know, say some stuff. So it's like, more like ad libbing than improving, I think.
Ruk 18:04
Gotcha. So then,
Ashley 18:07
Or Bob. Bob is the exception.
Bob 18:11
I just feel like I get a lot of moments in the show that lend themselves to that. And then I just, well, just, but I take it, of course. I mean, why not?
Ruk 18:22
So this seems like a loaded question. But since we're talking about the scripts, who is your favorite writer for the show? And why is it Michael? [LAUGHTER] Right.
Nazli 18:41
I will tell you why it's Michael. [LAUGHTER] No, really, though. He always writes. I mean, I think they all do, though. I love when McGrath gets to eat. Talks with her mouth full. O I think they figured out...becuase, the first time they did it, I was giddy. Like I was so excited to do it. And then they did it again. And now I kind of asked them to do it. And I just love it. Yeah, but I think Michael was the one who started it with the sushi.
Chris 19:16
Nazli, now that you said Michael is your favorite, Pete is going to kill you off the first chance he gets. [LAUGHTER]
Nazli 19:26
Nah. They're all amazing.
Faith 19:28
Yeah, I mean, I'm married to one of them. And I still can't pick a favorite for the show. I love the pop culture references. I think John probably throws a lot more in. And so I probably get most of them. I get probably more of them than most people do. Because some of them are so obscure, but I live here and I have to hear those obscure references all the time. So I'm always amused by those and they always seem to be more his than anyone else's. And, and and i love i just i love the puns I love. Yeah, I can't pick a favorite writer because I think they all work together so well. And Paige also, like, wrote the Renaissance Fair episode, which I think is one of my favorites. So I think all all four of our current writers would like bring something that I don't think we could do without.
Chris 20:30
Yeah, I'll piggyback off of that, if I may. I think my favorite writer is the porch room. I think it's an excellent writing cohort. And they all complement each other very well. And they are stronger for each other. And so are we.
Ashley 20:41
Oh, I was so nice.
Chris 20:44
I dare to edit that out, Michael.
Ashley 20:56
I don't have a favorite writer, because having a favorite writer requires way more awareness in the moment of like, who wrote which episodes, which my brain just does not process. So I'm just like, Oh, this was really funny. That was really funny. You guys are so great. And it's just you're when you're writing, you're all one amalgamation of the writer.
Jill 21:20
I know that if there's a musical theater reference, then Michael is the one who wrote that script. You know, so there are there are a couple, like, I love and also all of the references that that Bowden makes that have everybody going like, Oh, I don't how old is this guy like his references span from the 60s to now and I don't understand. I know a lot of that is Michael too - just honestly from knowing him for so long, and also playing quizzo with him and knowing what his vast depths of knowledge are. But but it's it's so great the way that all of these scripts are really are cohesive, and it never feels like somebody's doing something out of character. It really feels like they're a team putting the stories together.
Nazli 22:06
I think they found these characters voices when they created the show, and they stay true to that.
Ruk 22:15
I agree. But what I'm curious with the musical. Do you all have musical backgrounds?
Nazli 22:22
Nope.
David 22:23
No.
Nazli 22:25
It was the scariest episode for me.
David 22:29
Yeah, that one was pretty daunting.
Ruk 22:31
It was probably my favorite episode, cuz I'm a huge musical fan. And I might have been pushing for a musical on this show since like season one. So maybe I'm to blame. Who knows. But I pushed every podcast to have a musical episode.
Faith 22:46
It's one of my favorite episodes, even though my personal role in it was one of the most terrifying things I've ever done. And I have been singing since I was a teenager. I don't like I do musical theater. I don't do like rock songs. So thank God, Pete. and I have known each other for a very long time. And he was willing to do whatever it took to get me through that song note by note. But it was a lot of fun. And it was great hearing everybody else sing because everybody sounded so amazing. But it was also nice to know that I wasn't alone and being terrified of it.
Ashley 23:24
Yeah. Thank God for Pete.
Nazli 23:26
Yeah. Yeah. Pete was amazing.
Faith 23:28
Talk about hand holding. Pete was like, Oh, hold your hand, how long you got, let's, let's record each note by itself and I will edit them all together to make a song. And like, he was amazing. He works so hard with all of us.
Ashley 23:41
Yeah, he was definitely MVP for that episode. And I'll say I have a lot of musical theater experience. But it's old musical theater experience. Like I haven't done it, you know, in a decade or so. Sorry. Just like Oh, no. Oh, no. But Pete really saved the day.
Nazli 24:02
And it was also scary. I mean, for me to go on discord and hear everybody else sing. And then it was my turn and I know everybody can hear it. Everyone was so supportive. Like I remember Chris constantly like unmuting himself and saying you're doing great. You're doing great. This sounds so good. Just keep going. It's okay, like, cuz I was just scared
Chris 24:23
It did. I mean, it wasn't a bald faced lie, I promise.
Nazli 24:32
Yeah, Pete was a rock. And it all turned out so well. It sounded so good. I listened to that episode multiple times that week.
Ruk 24:43
Yeah, I think I listened like three times a day it dropped. So yeah, I was so excited.
Nazli 24:51
Also, the songs were stuck in my head for a long time. I was singing them for a while.
Ashley 24:56
They're so catchy.
Jill 24:57
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Nazli 24:59
That's another testament to Pete.
Chris 25:00
Ear worms. Yeah.
Ruk 25:03
Who do I have to bug to get all these like, as tracks so I can just put them into rotation?
Ashley 25:10
Ask Pete.
Chris 25:13
Yeah, on Spotify.
Ruk 25:14
The Mission Rejected album. Yeah, Spotify. Let's do it.
Bob 25:18
I definitely had all of my housemates who heard me singing "She Got the Drop on You." Like every time something was happening. When it was like, unfortunate for someone, they were like, "Oh, she got the drop on you!"
Ruk 25:33
So Bob, do you have a favorite character to play?
Bob 25:38
Oh, man. I Well, I love playing the Admiral. Like, the admiral is so much fun. And I like when I first started doing the Admiral. Like when I when I came. Michael was like, Okay, I was like, confused. I wasn't sure exactly what what we wanted to do. So I think I did something that was kind of like, I don't know, Sean Connery-ish like "Oh, hello, I'm the Admiral." And like, man, Michael is, Michael is like, Michael was like, "No more, more manic!" and so he just became crazier and crazier. And I just love I love doing it. I love doing the Admiral and I like I definitely, a lot of times I need a glass of water after doing The Admiral for a while. It's a pretty raspy voice but but I love it. Security Guy is also a lot of fun, because it's basically just Worf from Star Trek, and I just do that voice and that's just a ton of fun. Yeah, and then just doing - kind of like throwing in random random voices here. And they're like, in the episode with the with the condo unit. I love doing the old man. In that one. I just love this one. This is based off of somebody I know. And like, that's just, you know, I love being able to do those little things.
Ruk 27:09
So this is a question that is, it's for Chris and Nazli. And I'm sure that's brought up everywhere...
Chris 27:19
Wouldn't you like to know?
Ruk 27:22
It's the whole will skip and McGrath hook up.
Chris 27:25
Next question, Your Honor.
Ruk 27:26
Would you want them to hook up?
Chris 27:30
I feel like if McGrath and Skip were to hook up, it would absolutely be a very well thought out and consent driven decision.
Nazli 27:46
And I think it would be if, if, if it happened. It would happen and then I think they would both like sit down and go. This is this is not a thing. Yeah, no.
Chris 27:58
Good try. Let's go back to playing Scrabble.
Nazli 28:00
Like, tried doesn't work. You know, I never thought about it until people kept asking me and like even when people ask it, I'm like, No way. No, they're not gonna get together. Like I'm like, come on.
Chris 28:04
I don't know why there's an expectation for a Platonic friendship to be anything more or less than that. Sometimes that is the pinnacle. And that's wonderful.
Jill 28:25
Well, let me tell you about the patriarchy.
Ashley 28:27
It's heteronormativity, Chris.
Ruk 28:31
Let me tell you how the internet likes to ship everything. Okay, Dave, which of Bowden's many roles Would you like to have played?
David 28:42
Oh, I think Lord Nero is the top of the list there. Yeah. Even though I was playing my brother playing Lord Nero, I think that comic book episode, I was a fan of comics growing up so that wouldn't was close to home and close to heart. And I, you know, with the superhero craze going on, I think I would love to dawn, whatever that costume was just the glimmer of description that we got from it. I think the costume alone would be worth it. So yeah. Lord Nero.
Ruk 29:09
Oh, awesome. So Well, I've got your attention. What is the future hold for Bowden and Gloria?
David 29:17
Good question. They, they had such a rugged patch sort of mid second season when that I always get the device name wrong, but it's sort of turned into that sort of, that's the one that's one it sort of turned into that that de facto lie detector and Bowden kind of laid it on the line there. And I think that was sort of a make or break it moment for them and they came through on a good on the good side of things. So my hope is good. I've often wondered what she sees in him at this point, but, but she seems to find the good name. So I'm gonna say positive. I'm gonna I'm gonna be helpful.
Ruk 29:56
Okay. So for everyone before we get back into specific stuff. What is everyone's favorite character that they don't voice?
Faith 30:06
I'm kind of partial to Mackenzie. I love that she's so badass. And I also love though that the, like, not only did the writers give her an arc, but I love that Nazli makes her so like, plays her the vulnerability that she shows through so well. Like, I'm personally jealous of Mackenzie and how she manages to be both badass and vulnerable at the same time.
Nazli 30:36
I appreciate that.
Bob 30:38
Oh, I was just gonna say I love Dave. I love your Bowden. And I like you know, it's it's one of my favorite moments was the when you were playing the portrait in the like Halloween episode.Like I love to hear, like, I love to hear the like, like super dramatic, like moments. Like I just I love to hear those. They just, they're just so much fun.
David 31:09
Well, and likewise, of the many characters that you play, I really kind of really love to...I've fallen in love with Archie. I think he's just such a suave, slick and the cockney accent does work so beautifully. So I'd love to take on Archie I think he's...
Bob 31:23
Love it. We'll switch sometime.
David 31:26
Sounds good man.
Jill 31:26
A character that only appeared in one episode but who I just absolutely loved was in our Renaissance Fair episode, Jeff the Bard, who was played by Jeff Barg.
Chris 31:37
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure nobody like gave him the music's for his songs. He just showed up recording day and was like, here's how it sounds and then he just did it. And it was perfect.
Ruk 31:47
That's kind of amazing. That's so impressive. Okay, Bob, since everyone likes your characters. Do you love it or hate Fitz?
Bob 31:56
I hate Fitz. [LAUGHTER] There's really no getting around it. I like there...There were a couple of times doing the Fitz voice where I was like "I hate I hate Fitz." Like I can't. I cannot stand Fitz.
Jill 32:12
Bob, does that voice hurt? That voice sounds like it hurts.
Bob 32:16
You know, it doesn't hurt as much as the the Admiral hurts more than the Fitz does. Yeah, for sure.
Chris 32:21
Whose character voice hurts the least? Let's talk about that.
Ruk 32:28
Now we've actually got a pretty good question for Faith here. I'm surprised considering I know who wrote these. We got to meet Zelda's wife Pat this season. What about their relationship would you like to explore more in season three?
Faith 32:43
Oh, that's a great question. So I love Sarah. I've gotten to meet her a couple of times. And she's fantastic. I get the impression that Pat sort of gets Zelda to be fun when when Zelda is not on the clock when Zelda is at home. I think that Pat is the person that convinces her to relax and be fun and be happy. I'd love to explore that a little bit in season three like them together at home, being happy and fun together. I think that would be delightful.
Nazli 33:21
And that dinner episode was actually one of my favorites. Listening to Zelda and Pat and how different they are like you could feel their different energies when you were listening to them. I thought it was so cool.
Faith 33:34
Oh. Cool.
Ruk 33:34
So Chris,
Chris 33:36
Yes. Now what do you want?
Ruk 33:42
Why does Skip wear flat bottom pajamas?
Chris 33:52
Right. So in the Harry Potter universe, there's this Quidditch World Cup that happens the Goblet of Fire at the very beginning. And there's an old wizard that shows up at one point I believe talks to Harry and Ron just like in the middle of the forest before the game starts. And he's wearing like a like a dressing gown that is heteronormatively expected to be worn by women. And he's being questioned about why he's wearing this And his response is "I like a nice breeze round my privates." And I think Skip just appreciate just you know, like, you know what, this way you don't worry about the sweat. Like you're just comfortable when you need to be comfortable. And plus Skip is very fond of the nice toilet in the in the condo. And I imagine that you know, like when you gotta go, you gotta go. Don't want to worry about this whole like, pulling things down.
Ruk 34:51
Right for a more serious question. Skip went through a lot this season. Do you really think he would have quit the EMF if McGrath hadn't stopped him?
Chris 35:01
I think he thinks he would have. I think that Skip as much as he likes to plan things and be ready for all sorts of possible outcomes, a lot of what he does is fairly reactionary. And I think in in that moment, during the musical episode, he felt he was ready to quit. And thank goodness McGrath stopped him. Because if skip and quit, the EMF would have been awful. Like he thought he was at rock bottom at that point, he wasn't even close. So thank you McGrath for pulling skip back from the edge and pulling him out of that hole. He was literally in a hole at one point in that episode.
Ruk 35:53
So Ashley and Bob, how exactly do you become one with the ocean?
Bob 35:58
Find out in season three.
Ashley 36:01
Well, for just five easy payments of $999,999.99. You too, can get a brochure to learn about the options available.
Ruk 36:18
Okay, Nazli,
Nazli 36:19
Okay.
Ruk 36:19
How do you think Skip and McGrath are going to be as roommates?
Nazli 36:23
Oh, I think it's gonna be a rough start. They're very different. I want to say at home but they're different everywhere. They're different when they're working. I think they're going to be annoyed with each other a lot. And I think McGrath is going to try to hide a lot of things that she does from skips so that he won't freak out. I think it's gonna be a little rough in the beginning.
Ruk 36:48
Yeah, I don't think I could live with Skip.
Nazli 36:51
Yeah, I don't think...
Jill 36:53
No!
Nazli 36:54
Me neither. But McGrath has a soft spot for him.
Chris 36:58
I'll chime in real quick on this. I know it wasn't my question. But I get a fairly significant Odd Couple vibe. From the friendship like very Oscar and Felix and my, my guess too... Michael's out here he's can't speak to this but um... is that there's going to be a fair amount of, yeah, a fair amount of friction, so to speak between like, yeah, who cleans when? Whose turn is it to? To? To wash out the shower?
Ashley 37:25
And what is your definition of clean?
Nazli 37:27
Clean? Exactly!
Ruk 37:30
Yeah, I see McGrath has like an organized chaos. It looks messy. But you know where it all is.
Nazli 37:35
Exactly.
Ruk 37:36
It's exactly like my boss at work.
Ashley 37:37
Is it weird that I feel like skip is like disorganized, organized organization system. If McGrath is organized chaos, we're like, everything's a mess. But she knows where everything is. I feel like skip has everything in its place, and yet somehow struggles whenever he's trying to find anything.
Nazli 37:56
That actually sounds... Yes.
Ruk 37:59
If you could take any one of the episodes and turn it into a theatrical production. Now this is for any of you. Which episode would it be and why?
Nazli 38:09
Well, for theater, I mean, either way, but for theater, I think the Halloween episode would be really fun.
Jill 38:15
Yes.
Bob 38:16
I agree!
Nazli 38:17
Yes, it wasn't just to see each person's worst nightmares come to life. Because I loved listening to it. But I would love to watch it.
Ruk 38:31
It's like we've covered everything else. And I'm out of questions if you can believe that at just under an hour.
Ashley 38:38
That's okay. We found a nice balance of sometimes not talking at all to let everybody else talk and then nobody talks versus talking over each other. And you know, once the editing done is done, it'll average out to an appropriate amount of talking at any given time.
Ruk 38:54
This has been this has truly been an honor and a pleasure to be able to talk with you guys.
Bob 38:59
Thank you so much.
Ruk 39:00
You're welcome. I'm so glad Michael twisted my arm to make you do this. [LAUGHTER]
MUSIC 39:08
[MUSIC: MISSION REJECTED THEME]
Mission Voice 39:08
Mission Rejected was created and produced by Pete Barry J. Michael DeAngelis and John Dowgin. This episode was written and edited by Jay Michael DeAngelis. Your host was Raymond Morse interviewing Chris Klaniecki, Nazli Sarpkaya, Dave Stanger, Faith Dowgin, Ashley Banks, Jill Ivey and Bob Killion. Featuring J. Michael DeAngelis as Larry Hastings and Kevin McGrath as the Mission Voice.
Raymond Morse is the host of 5 and 30 with Ruk, an irreverent, interview podcast featuring audio drama creators. Find it on Podchaser or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you enjoyed this behind the scenes episode, why not join us on Patreon for an extended peek behind the curtain? Patreon supporters received an extended version of this episode, as well as an ongoing look at the development of the season. Support us for as little as $1 a month, visit www.patreon.com/missionrejected for details. This has been a Porch Room production, copywrite 2021 Extraordinary Missions Limited.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai