The Ben Maynard Program
"Tell Your Story". Everyone has a story. Not just the famous. This is a guest driven program but when we are "guest free", It's just YOU and ME! I love music and we will talk a lot about it. Enjoy the ride!
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The Ben Maynard Program
EP. 74 THE CHRISTMAS SHOW 2024! Festive Chaos: Holiday Tales, Technical Glitches, and Christmas Cheer!
Picture this: you're planning an epic holiday-themed podcast episode only to face technical glitches and missing materials. That's precisely how our latest episode kicks off! Join us as we navigate this organized chaos, sprinkle in some housekeeping notes, and recount personal tales of how illness disrupted past Thanksgiving plans. Despite the hurdles, we're amped up for our Christmas special, ready to wing it if necessary, while expressing sincere gratitude for your unwavering support.
With the release of our 74th episode, we're in a festive mood, reflecting on over a year of podcasting triumphs. Delve into the memories of our top five episodes, featuring unforgettable conversations with luminaries like Kim Curry and veterans Larry Reedy and Ronnie Geyer. Larry himself surprises us with a call, filling the air with Christmas cheer and marking the podcast's growing international audience—shout out to Singapore, our second-largest listener base!
The spirit of the season shines through as we share cherished family traditions and holiday gatherings. Larry Reedy paints a vivid picture of his family's Christmas plans, and we brainstorm recording holiday greetings for our podcast listeners. The episode bubbles with warmth as we mix a unique holiday drink with Pepper, explore favorite Christmas tunes, and relish the joy of connecting through the podcast. From humorous family dynamics to heartfelt holiday wishes, join us for a lively, festive broadcast that's sure to uplift your spirits.#tellyourstory #familymatters #thebenmaynardprogram #twasthenightbeforechristmas #thebirthofjesus #thereasonfortheseason
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Well, hello everyone. How are you? Welcome into the Ben Maynard program. Thanks for being here. Let's see, let me do something here real quick and let's do what was that? Sorry folks, sorry, sorry, sorry. I'll explain in just a moment. Okay, so much for that. There we go there. It is Excellent, all right. So welcome into the Ben Maynard program. Again, thanks for being here. Before we get started, trust me, I'm like I'm frazzled right now. I'm missing a very, very important part of the show. Don't know what it is. I mean, I don't know what happened to it. It was something that I had in my show log here and it's not shaken out and yeah, kind of need it for the show this evening and I don't know what happened to it. I had it like literally five minutes ago and I don't know where it went to. Yeah, don't know where it ran off to, can't find it. And yeah, kind of lost without it.
Speaker 1:So, anyway, anyhow uh, before we get started we kind of have started right a little bit of housekeeping to take care of. Let me see if I can fix this here. You know, stream yard did some different things here. They did some stuff and I didn't. Oh there, okay, let's try this. Okay, and okay, we got that. Oh, there we go, excellent, all right. So, yeah, streamyard did some different things and I haven't been around for a couple of weeks, but anyway, we'll get into that in a moment. So, before we get started, a little bit of housekeeping to take care of.
Speaker 1:As you know, this program is available wherever you get your podcasts, so it doesn't matter where you get them. The Ben Maynard program is there. All you have to do is look for it, find it there, it is Okay, and then like, save it, put it like in your favorites and you'll get updates all the time whenever there's new shows. Um, so, uh, let me see. Oh, yeah, well, if you're watching on youtube, you know that it is friday night live and that means you want to be a part of all of this right here. So thanks for doing that. And if you are joining live tonight, then please, please, subscribe to the channel. Okay, hit that little notification bell so that you get your notifications as to when there are new shows.
Speaker 1:Give me a thumbs up. Okay, that means you like the show. So please give me a thumbs up, and then that means you like the show. So please give me a thumbs up and then leave a comment. All right, because you know I read them all. So leave a comment, all that good stuff, and, uh, I'll get into that in a second. Uh, oh, I should probably do this too. Since we are streaming live, let's hit the comments. There we go, anyhow. And last but not least, follow me on Instagram. See, I'm all frazzled because I don't have my show prep, or not my show prep, but I don't have my. I don't have my all the stuff I need for tonight. Anyway, whatever, I guess we're just going to wing it. Last but not least, follow me on Instagram. Simply Ben Maynard Program. All one word, all right. So, with that, plenty of ways to take in this show for your dancing and listening pleasure. And again, it is Friday night. We are live. Thank you to everyone out there that is watching right now. That is going to come on board.
Speaker 1:I did something silly today. Oh, by the way, I just got a text from Mark Roth. Well, if you're out there watching Mark, hello and Merry Christmas to you. Tonight is going to be our Christmas show, christmas show 2024. How's that? And so we'll get into some stuff, and I've got some stuff lined up. Of course, you know a big part of tonight's program is somewhere around the house. That I lost five minutes before coming on the air. What an idiot. Anyway, that's kind of the way it's been.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's recap what's going on. The last time we were together was December the 5th, and what's today, the 20th? So, basically, two weeks ago, two weeks ago, I did a show that was with garrett this, and it's a really good show. It's a really good show especially for those who, uh, you know, struggling with addiction on any level at all and, uh, it's, you know, it's doing quite well, um, on all the platforms. So, um, check it out, check it out. Garrett's, uh, it was a really, like I said, it was a really good show. He's a really good guy. We talked before the show, we talked after the show. Just, a really, really good guy, and what he does, that's just, I mean, come on, god's's work. So that was the last show that we had. You know that I've done and haven't been back since.
Speaker 1:And yeah, well, if everybody remembers and you were with the show a year ago it was actually right around Thanksgiving last year I got really, really sick and I was down for a whole week. I mean, I was in bed. Well, I got past Thanksgiving without any issues and I started vacation the Monday, right after Thanksgiving. So I basically I went to work the day after, which was, of course, friday, and then I've been on vacation since and and uh, I guess it was, um, it was shortly after. Shortly after, uh, I did that show with uh, with Garrett, uh started coming down with something and Catherine had been sick.
Speaker 1:I've been, you know, able to escape all that, but I don't know if what she had came and bit me, whatever it was. Now I really haven't been in bed, but I haven't felt well enough. It's just been kind of on and off, cold stuff and if I sound nasally, that's why. So I've just been kind of dealing with that. And then, of course, in dealing with that, then you all know, you know this is holiday season, a lot of Christmas stuff going on, and again, if you were with the show last year, you know that I'm really good friends with Santa Claus. Him and I have a really really special relationship and he had some stuff going on locally and he asked me to come out and help him out, and so of course, I can't say no to my good buddy. So we were doing that as well, or he was actually, I was just there helping. I was just kind of in the way, really. But he likes me and I like him and we've been friends for a long time, so it's all good.
Speaker 1:But that's what kind of has been going on and, like I said, fighting this cold in between all that and it's like, oh my gosh, let me see, I haven't had time to prep a show and now I don't really feel good, so I'm going to go up in the studio and be sick in front of everyone? Yeah, I don't think I'm going to do that. So I just kind of started putting some things off and I said you know what? I'm just going to wait till I'm feeling up to it and get back at it. Yesterday was like the best day in two weeks. It was great. I'm strong, baby. I am back. Yeah, I'm back for the attack.
Speaker 1:So and you know what, previous to me taking my vacation time and being off work. So, listen, oh, I'm sorry, before I go on, if I'm sniffling, if I have to clear my throat, if I cough, you get it All right, I don't have any cough buttons, so it's going to have to turn away from the microphone and let it go. But, yeah, prior to taking the time off of work, all these plans, ok, I'm going to put out, you know, I'm going to do two, three shows a week. I had a a list of content that I wanted to. You know, hit you with and and and get done. And then it was. You know, like, I said one thing after another, you know. So that's kind of what's been going on.
Speaker 1:But, um, you know, uh, one thing I didn't get to talk about gosh, we're going to go back a month now. Sorry, sorry, we're going back in time. But I know that I had mentioned to all of you that last month, november, I was going to see Aldo Nova at the Whiskey A Go-Go here in West Hollywood. And, catherine, I did. And, man, I shouldn't be shaking my head, no, because you're going to think something bad. Man, what an awesome show. Yeah, it was so good, so so good.
Speaker 1:You know, just, I can't say anything this time around that I didn't say last year when we had seen him. Just a great band and great songs. If you are a fan of Aldo, you know what I'm talking about. If you're not, go get on board, get on board, good stuff, just some good, hard, melodic rock and roll, and it was just a great show, great, great, great show. So I can't say anything different than I said the year before, just knocking it out, and I believe that was the last show of his tour for this year. So I'll have to keep my eyes open, uh, going into next year and, uh, let's hope that, uh, you know I'll be, I'll be out there seeing him again. No, no doubt about it, because it's just just good stuff, good, good, good, good stuff. Um, let's see.
Speaker 1:So that's kind of what's been going on for the last couple of weeks and, uh, so I want to hit you guys with this. Okay, of course, everyone, everyone out there, everyone that has a podcast, everyone that has a youtube channel, no matter what they always ask the listeners, the viewers, they'll ask their audience to subscribe. Subscribe to the podcast on whatever, whatever uh streaming platform it is, subscribe to the youtube channel, all that stuff, and I'm not going to be any different. I ask you guys to subscribe to the YouTube channel, all that stuff, and I'm not going to be any different. I ask you guys to subscribe to this YouTube channel every episode. I don't have a ton of subscribers, but you know, look, I also don't have, you know, a million viewers. I don't have a million listeners. So it's kind of what I expect.
Speaker 1:However, I am going gonna hit you with this. I tell you all the time tell a friend, so please continue, tell a friend, tell your friends, tell your friends about this podcast, about this program, whether it's on YouTube or they go onto, they go on to streaming platforms and listen, because most people do, most people go on. You know Spotify, apple Podcasts Geez, I don't know the other. You know hundred streaming platforms that are out there. I can't even name them all. You know hundred streaming platforms that are out there. I can't even name them all. But, um, you know, if that's the easiest way that they take in their podcast, that's great.
Speaker 1:I do the same thing. I have certain podcasts. I not. Everybody has time to sit down and watch what's going on here, okay, and even if you do generally. You set it up somewhere and then you whatever doing housework, or you're cooking dinner or working on the car, whatever it might be Look, the bottom line is I think it's more beneficial for me if you'll go on the streaming platforms and subscribe to this podcast.
Speaker 1:Subscribe to the program. Okay, trust me. I told you I don't make any money on this. I make zero, zero dollars. Haven't made one cent doing this podcast. I never expect to.
Speaker 1:That's not what I'm looking for. I just want some more numbers. I want people subscribing to this channel. I want people subscribing to the podcast on the streaming services and listen, leave a comment. You know what? Give me a. Give me a ranking too. I mean, you know, look, I think I do a pretty good job, so I think I deserve five stars. Give me a five-star rating and let's go from there.
Speaker 1:I don't know what's going to happen. I have no idea. That's how dumb I am. I have no idea Really. Honestly, the only thing that I hope happens is that more people just take in the show. That's it. That's all I'm looking for. I hope happens is that more people just take in the show. That's it. That's all I'm looking for. I just want more engagement from people, because the more people that watch or listen, the more people will get involved, the more people will engage and do their thing, and then the more friends I get, the more friends of the show I have. So anyway, let me do this right here. I want to change this banner because if you want to get involved tonight, call in, please call in. Oh, here's my, here's my phone so you can call in, take your call. Let's chit chat a little bit. Let's talk about what you're doing for Christmas, you know. Or if you've gotten all your Christmas stuff out of the way, let's talk about, chat a little bit. Let's talk about what you're doing for Christmas, you know. Or if you've gotten all your Christmas stuff out of the way, let's talk about it All right. So that's kind of where it is right now. And, yeah, let's just let's have some fun tonight.
Speaker 1:This I can't say for sure, but this might be the last show of the year. I'm not sure. I go back to work on Monday, so who knows what next week is going to be like. If I can, if I have some time and I can hammer out a show, I already know, really honestly, I know the next two? The next two how do you want to say shows based on a particular subject? I know what those are going to be. It's just a matter I got to put it all together and that's what I'm supposed to do. Being off work. I'm supposed to have all kinds of time. It just never happened. But so I don't know, I'm not sure yet. This might be the last show. May or may not be the last show, anyway.
Speaker 1:So, being that it is our Christmas show, I decided I would fix up for you. I put on a collared shirt, button up, you know, because I love you guys and I want to look good for you. So you know what I wanted to do. I did this, I did this last year too, and so I kind of want to do the same thing. Let me do this really quick. Ah, okay, here we go. I wanted to go over.
Speaker 1:I want to kind of do a little bit of a state of the podcast. Where are we right now, a little over a year into this, and tonight is episode 74. Sometimes when I stop and think I can't believe I've done 74 episodes. But then sometimes I stop and I think but wait a minute, you should have had 100. Because, look, I want to put out a minimum of two a week but obviously with work that just isn't going to happen. But nonetheless, 74 episodes, I think that's pretty good, that. That definitely averages more than one a week.
Speaker 1:So in the short history of this podcast, I wanted to go over a few things that you guys might find interesting. I find interesting. So there, let me take a sip of water, say that this, what I'm going to give you here, is all of the uh, the streaming numbers from the um, from the streaming platforms Okay, or the streaming services or the streaming apps, whatever you want to call them, okay. Basically all the audio stuff, the top five episodes, and it's really cool. Well, I don't say it's cool, but the top five episodes, from five to one. Number five is the Journey Top 20 that my buddy Spaz and I did that was late last year, so actually it was a little over a year ago is when we did our Top 20. And wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I don't know, I can't remember which order we did them in. I think we did our Journey Studio albums ranked. I think we ranked those first and then we did our top 20, whatever.
Speaker 1:It doesn't matter, it matters not. Uh then, the interview that I did with Kim Curry that was way back in I think that was in April or May Did that one with Kim Curry, radio Legend? That one's number four. Number three goes all the way back to episode number five that was when I had my buddy, brian Jaffe, on the show. All the way back to episode number five it's still in the top five to episode number five. It's still in the top five. Um then, number four is, uh, episode number 70. Yeah, a recent episode is is number. Uh. Wait, I think I said number four, I meant number two, because we're going five, four, three, two, sorry, so, uh, so number two is episode 70. That was the interview I had Veterans Day weekend with Larry Reedy and.
Speaker 1:Larry might be out there watching. He might be out there watching. I hope he is, because I did something silly. I'll get into it in a moment. Uh, did something silly earlier today and then the number one episode is the one right before that. That was episode sixty-nine. That was the interview with Ronnie Geyer. Uh, another veteran, and uh, he was in studio and yeah, that's that's the number one episode on the uh uh streaming services. So I think that's really cool. And when I look at and the previous, you know, I should say when I run up and down all the episodes, the stuff that has come out recently is doing very well and it's just like climbing up. It's doing really, really well. So, I don't know, maybe the show is starting to gain some traction here, I can't say, but nonetheless there was that. So I thought I would do this too. Ah, speaking of which, hold on a second here. Wait a second. Hang on a second here. Hold on a moment. Oh, I got somebody on the line right now.
Speaker 2:Hang on a second Merry Christmas man.
Speaker 1:Merry Christmas to you, larry. I got somebody on the line. Hey, larry, I'm bleeding through. I'm getting an echo coming through on my phone. Can you turn something down? I'm bleeding through. I'm getting an echo coming through on my phone. I see, can you turn something down? Okay, all right, that's fine, I'll be right here, larry, talk to you in a minute.
Speaker 1:That's my buddy, larry reedy. I'm just talking about him right now and he calls in holy toledo, that's good, he's gonna go fix something. He said he was gonna get on his. Uh, hey, he might have been watching the show. It might have been why I was catching an echo. Um, I was hearing myself. You probably were picking up on that too.
Speaker 1:Let me see something here. What am I? Oh, locations. You know what's really really cool about this? Peeps, peeps, people. This is awesome. This is awesome. So I've told you before that this show has streamed on six of seven continents and I'm still trying to work a deal with those penguins down in Antarctica and it's not going anywhere right now. But this is what's really cool. I think everyone would expect that the United States is the number one country that is listening to this podcast, and it's true. You'll never guess. Number two. I'll give you three. Wait, wait, wait, let's see Three. Two, one. Okay, this knocks my socks off. Singapore, singapore. Okay, wait, larry called, but let me call him. I think he disconnected. I'm going to call him right now. Get him on speaker. Get him on speaker here, singapore. Can you believe that I have no idea, larry, there you are.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I don't know, can you hear me? Okay now.
Speaker 1:I hear you perfectly right now.
Speaker 2:Okay, that sounds good, because I didn't want to get on Bluetooth because I thought it might be, you know, a little, a little bit garbled, so I'm, but I'm on my, I'm on the roadcaster, I'm just talking to you through that, and so I just want to wish you Merry Christmas.
Speaker 1:God bless you, larry. You thank you so much and you know. Merry Christmas to you and Nancy and the rest of the family as well. You know, for those of you watching, look, I'm sure you know because it's the Well, hang on Before I go on and wish everybody all that good stuff. Larry, I don't know if you were watching or listening, but your episode is number two. The numbers just keep getting better, but it can't overtake the number one spot yet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's interesting. By the way, I interviewed Jared Biss. Oh, you did. He's up Sunday. He'll be up on Sunday.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great Nice guy, right Nice guy.
Speaker 2:Nice guy Does good work.
Speaker 1:Does great work, does great work. I was talking about him just a few minutes ago. But uh, yeah, folks, uh again Larry, uh, larry's uh friend of the program here and uh calling in and just yeah, larry, that's so sweet, he's three hours ahead, it's past your bedtime.
Speaker 2:I go to bed late and get up early. I only get about five hours sleep.
Speaker 1:Oh, holy Toledo. Well, you know, I've been on vacation for the last couple of weeks and I go back to work on Monday, so I'll have a time of it, you know, getting getting back into rhythm.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't have to worry about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Don't rub it in, larry.
Speaker 2:It's been a long time since I worked.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Yeah, hey, and what you do now, that's not work at all, that's just fun.
Speaker 2:It's fun. Yeah, in fact I got my my three co-hosts. We took a sabbatical in the summer, so we're the wine and beer tasting. We're bringing, I'm bringing that back and, uh, we're going to start. We've tasted about all the beer, beer and whiskey and wine that we could. We're going to go to the local restaurants and critique whether it's a burger or chicken sandwich. Just have some fun with that.
Speaker 1:All right, excellent, that sounds good. Anytime you can get out and eat, that sounds fun.
Speaker 2:I've got my one grandson's a reporter in Jackson Mississippi and he sent me a text. I have to talk to him or he has to work on Christmas, but he spoke to a retired general and he general's interested in being on my podcast. Oh, that's great and he's evidently had a very, very interesting career. So, um, you know, I'll let you know and I'll talk to him. But he, he's actually, uh, he's been retired for quite a while and he's a he's interim police chief in a small community and right outside of jackson, mississippi all right.
Speaker 1:Well good, that's great, you're just. You just keep lining up the guests, larry, that's awesome you know, I.
Speaker 2:I haven't really been working at it but I've had some people call me that are very interesting A couple, a friend of mine, who does a lot of mission work. He's been on 28 missions, international and domestic. The domestic he partners with Samaritan Purse Okay, he partners with. Samaritan Purse, okay, and the International. He's been working with a couple orphanages in Kenya, africa. He's been there, I think, three times and then he goes to Costa Rica and he's also in the Southeastern Indiana Hall of Fame for music.
Speaker 1:All right, hey, Larry, speaking of Samaritan's Purse, isn't that the group that got really heavily involved with the relief efforts after Hurricane Helene down in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee area?
Speaker 2:Yeah, every disaster they're heavily involved in. I mean they do all the grunt work, they pick up the debris and do whatever they can to store up homes. My son, Larry's involved in that and with several people that I know, and they usually take a week and, uh, it's. They've been flood disasters, hurricanes, a little bit of everything and it's a it's a national program.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I thought I thought they were pretty, I think I thought it was they, they they kind of really picked up the ball where FEMA dropped it this last fall. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's like Tim Volz, the one I told you is a musician. Yeah, he said. You know. He says that hurricanes hit so hard. He said people don't realize things are embedded in the ground and somebody has to pull that stuff out. Oh, man, you know. He said they don't have time to go down and try and help rebuild a home or anything, but they're basically cleanup crew.
Speaker 1:So what kind of plans for the Reedy family coming up next week for Christmas?
Speaker 2:Organized chaos.
Speaker 1:I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it 43 people will be here.
Speaker 1:That's great, that is great.
Speaker 2:So you know, I would love to have somebody who's not part of this crazy family of mine come in, because they would need. They would either need a stiff drink or a tranquilizer to get through the day.
Speaker 1:Well, fortunately fortunately for me, Larry. I'm used to big family and I'm used to big gatherings, so you know what I want to get in and mix it up with the Reedys, that's what.
Speaker 2:I want to do. Well, we have fun, it's good and fortunately well. I've got three grandchildren that can't make it and we're not sure my one granddaughter and her fiancé. She's a nurse and she has to work Christmas, so it depends what time she can get off and if she can get over here in time.
Speaker 1:But she might miss it, but we're counting on her being well, you'll have a plate covered with foil in the oven ready for when she gets there oh well, yeah it's, there'll be food yeah, just a little bit right, but anyway, I don't want to monopolize your program.
Speaker 2:I just want to wish you a merry christ and a Happy New Year.
Speaker 1:I'll talk to you sometime in the future. You know it, larry. I tell you what you are, the real deal. I love you to pieces. You're not just a friend of the program, but you and me we're friends. We are friends Absolutely, larry you're the best.
Speaker 1:I love it. I love to you and the you're the best, I love it and love to you and the rest of the family. Give Nancy a hug for me. She won't know where it's coming from, but you tell her it's from Ben and she'll be all right with it, and then you guys have just an amazing Christmas and a very happy new year as well. Okay, my friend.
Speaker 2:One thing is a parting comment. One thing I'm going to try and get everybody to do is that you know they don't all come at once. So Nancy and I we're going to do a little, a little Christmas rambling on the podcast, and so when we're done with that on the podcast, and so when we're done with that, I'm going to pause my Rodecaster and my grandson, Teddy, is going to call me from Station in Mississippi and Jackson, and then, as everyone comes in, I'm going to say hey, if you'd like to say Merry Christmas to the audience, just get on the microphone here, introduce yourself, say I'm Larry Reading Jr on that meeting and I want you to hear about Merry Christmas. And his wife says the same thing. And I was thinking, well, that'd kind of be short and sweet. But then again, if you got 40, some people, and I'll talk 30 seconds, it's still big.
Speaker 1:That'll still take up a whole show right there. Yeah, I think that, larry. I think it's a beautiful idea. I've been trying to think how I'm going to do that myself. I certainly won't. I didn't do it last year, I certainly won't do it this year.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I want to get that going moving forward. I think that's a great idea. So, do you have a mixer? Do you have anything like a roadcaster?
Speaker 1:pro. I don't have a roadcaster mixer, I have a notepad mixer. It's uh, it's actually, um, it's more, it's, it's the. The mixing board is more what a musician might use. Okay, but I have been thinking about switching over to either the Rode mixer or even a Tascam, just because it's a little more user-friendly. So I think I may, in the future, move to that.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm sure you've got a pause button on your mixer.
Speaker 1:If I have one on the mixer, it's across the studio and I couldn't reach it anyway.
Speaker 2:Oh, I see, Okay, because you know that makes it kind of interesting, because you know I've got portable equipment too. Yeah, yeah, but the one thing that Rode doesn't have and nobody has on portable equipment. You can't pause it and I don't want to get into editing. Editing takes too much time.
Speaker 1:You are absolutely right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but anyway I want to try that and I think that would be kind of interesting and I just have to make sure I get the boys before they have a few beers or a few other drinks.
Speaker 1:It might be more fun after they have a few, who knows?
Speaker 2:Well, anyway, merry Christmas, happy New Year, ben, and nice talking to you.
Speaker 1:God bless you. My friend, We'll talk soon. Take care now.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Bye-bye. There he goes. Larry Reedy, oh, he's such a great guy, such a great guy. I'm so blessed to have met him. We haven't met face-to-face yet, but we will and I can't wait, I can't wait. He is, he's just, he's a gem.
Speaker 1:And, uh, I think, I think we're going to have somebody else coming in um, streaming into the studio in just a moment. So let me check something here really quick, cause I just I got a text message. Let me see, oh yeah, uh, let me see, I'm here, there, it is Bam yeah. So when our guest pops up, I'll bring them right into the studio and we'll chat for a bit. But you know, so, obviously you know, larry, we're talking about Christmas. But you know, um, so obviously you know, larry, we're talking about Christmas.
Speaker 1:And if you've got stuff that, uh, you know like Christmas traditions that you and your family, do leave it in the comments, call it in. I mean, we are live tonight so you can make a comment on it, or you can call it in, let's talk about it. I just, you know, this is just a great time of year, not just to come together as family and commune, which, of course, is beautiful. It's a tremendous reason for that. But tremendous reason for that. But, but, um, and and you know I I've said it before, I'll say it again that, um, you know, uh, I hold nothing back or hold nothing against anyone who celebrates Christmas and in any manner that they do. Uh, if you love just giving gift after gift after gift and you love that shopping stuff, great, if Santa Claus comes to see you every year on Christmas Eve dropping off stuff, as long as you're leaving chocolate chip, cookies and milk, I think you're going to be good. But I just never want to lose sight. I know I don't want to lose sight and I honestly look. I don't want the audience out there to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas and the reason for the season. And you know, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. And you know, while I'm waiting for, let's see, while I'm waiting for our next guest to come in, let me just go over this here really quick. Let me just read you a little something. Okay, it's called the birth of Jesus.
Speaker 1:In those days, caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, to the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby keeping watch over the flocks.
Speaker 1:At night, an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared, with an angel praising God and saying glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth. Peace to those on whom his favor rests.
Speaker 1:When the angel had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. The eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. So there you go, the story of Christmas. You're in the link I sent.
Speaker 1:Let's see what we can do here. Let's see what we can do. Hang on a second. Let me send another one. Hold on, hold on. This is what's great when you're live. You know this is a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1:Boom, boom. Okay, timeout for one moment. Let me see something here. I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this. Then I'm going out over here. If you can't see me on the screen, I apologize. I think you should be able to. I know I can't see myself, though. So let's see Pepper, there it is. Boom, let's go down to here and let's do this. And let's hold on. Folks, hold on, be patient. Boom and away we go. Okay, oh, let's hope that you saw me doing that the whole time. What are you going to do? Live broadcast here? Okay, let's see, just sent it. That's what technology is all about.
Speaker 1:So I just wanted to read you the true meaning of Christmas, the real story of Christmas, not to hit you over the. It's still okay to say you know, or to welcome Santa into your home and all that, but that's oh, here we go. Here's somebody I got you right there and let's do this. And oh, okay, people, all right, I want to welcome in a friend of the program, just one of the sweetest ladies out there, honestly, miss Pepper Ann. How are you doing? I'm good to the audience here, pepper. I sent a probably 30 minutes before I go live. I send an email to Pepper and I send her a text message and I said I said, hey, I'm going live. I know this is really late. You're probably in your pajamas, you know, come on. You know, if you got 10 minutes, come on the show. So what did she do? She texts me right back. She says I'm visiting friends right now. I'll be home at nine 30. See you then. And here you are. You're so sweet.
Speaker 3:I never let my friends down. I had to come see you. What are y'all up to tonight? I'm so happy to be here and see you.
Speaker 1:I'm happy to see you too. You look great. You look great, yeah, you look marvelous.
Speaker 3:We were just kind of celebrating the holidays, kind of going around and seeing the neighbors and passing out all the goodies.
Speaker 1:That's great.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Do you, do, you, do you do any baking for your friends and your neighbors?
Speaker 3:Yes, maybe more than I should.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we were all kind of getting together and kind of looking at each other's homes and just kind of this thing. You know, some of the neighbors go in different directions during the holidays so we thought, well, we'll see them before they leave.
Speaker 1:But yeah, yeah, well, you know that's kind of what my family does as well. You know, we just had our family Christmas last Saturday and it's just so that you know the whole family can kind of come together and we can be as one, we can share with one another and have a good time. We have a couple of traditions I conduct everybody, or direct everyone, in the 12 days of Christmas, and so I'm a little scratchy still. I'm still recovering from that and actually you may not be aware, but I'm actually really good friends with Santa Claus and he comes and visits our family Christmas and passes out gifts to the kids and you know. So we just have a kind of that stuff going on, but we do that so that everyone can go into their little groups and do their own thing and not be obligated.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that's exactly how we do it. And then, of course, we have family coming in. My mom will be here on Sunday and she'll be here through Christmas with some other family members. So you know everybody. Like you said, they all go in different directions, but you try to see them whenever you can.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, especially when you have kids and grandkids, it's hard to get them all together, like on that day you know you're dealing with in-laws and all that. So it's just, it's just easier to take. It's just easier to take a day a week, two weeks ahead of time, and get it done and let everybody else do their own thing.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, yeah, and it's less stressful for those who have prior commitments to go to places that they committed to. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, catherine and I, tomorrow we're doing something. We call it Christmas Eve Eve, although Christmas Eve Eve is what's Monday, I think. So it's not exactly. But we just have a party and we, you know, invite our friends and a few family members that aren't doing anything else, and we just say, you know, they all, you know it's, it's the whole thing. You know, hey, what can I do? What can I bring? And we say, don't do anything, don't bring anything, just show up. Yeah, we say this is our gift to everyone. Don't bring gifts, don't to everyone, don't bring gifts, don't bring food, don't bring anything, just yourselves and just come and relax and let's just, let's just be together.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because that's what it's all about. You know, it's the time of year when we have to remember those, those who maybe aren't, who don't have the people around them that they want, or maybe they do, and they just, you know.
Speaker 1:It's just a time to reach out to people, to our friends and family, all of our loved ones, of course. Yes, absolutely, absolutely. So things are good in Texas.
Speaker 3:Yes, things are really good in Texas. I I've actually been moving on to my next project and my assistant, or PA, Laura, has been checking me to make sure are you done? Have you got it completed? She's helping me stay on track. I'm trying to get book number two out there, but things are going really well. Yeah, that's great Just being on top of things. Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's great, that is, that's that's fabulous. And, uh, of course, you know, you know you're going to let me, you're going to, you're going to let me know when the book's coming out and you're going to, you're going to come back on and we're going to talk about it.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, yes, yes, have a new one come out. I will come back every time.
Speaker 1:When.
Speaker 3:I talk about books. I'll come back and just chat about anything.
Speaker 1:Well, first off, I was just going to say, too, you don't have to have anything going on to come on the program, you just have to let me know. Hey, I want to come on. What's going on, let's talk, let's just talk. Let's just chat. Let's knock back a beverage or something and let's talk. Wait, hold on, hold on a second. Speaking of Christmas and speaking of beverages. Okay, this is not my favorite eggnog, but it's eggnog. So I'm going to do this right here. I'm going to do a little bit of this, and I'm sorry to all you rum drinkers out there, I'm not, I don't know, I don't think I'm a fan of rum. I'm sorry to all you rum drinkers out there, I'm not, I don't know, I don't think I'm a fan of rum.
Speaker 3:I'm not sure.
Speaker 1:So instead we're going to put a little bit of Cin Rival tequila in there oh man A little tequila and eggnog man.
Speaker 3:that sounds wonderful.
Speaker 1:Hey, if you're cold, it'll warm you up quick, that's for sure.
Speaker 3:Let's do that. Sounds like the best holiday drink I've I've heard of all year let's just give it a little mix here, a little stir.
Speaker 1:Oh, it smells divine. Oh, let's see, I'm sorry I can't share this one with you, pepper, but you know, cheers okay.
Speaker 3:Okay, cheers, cheers.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, that was really good, oh, and what did you put in it?
Speaker 3:What did you say?
Speaker 1:what you put in it I put this Cin Rival. It's one of my favorite tequilas. It's an extra añejo.
Speaker 3:Oh my gosh, that looks wonderful Okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a nice tequila. I think it's got nearly five years age on it, so it's really really good. It's nice and dark and very, very flavorful, so it makes the eggnog taste even better.
Speaker 3:Of course it does Every time yeah.
Speaker 1:Hey, you know what, Just before I was a little concerned. I was thinking you were going to come into studio at the same time.
Speaker 3:Out of the blue, our good friend Larry.
Speaker 1:Reedy called How's he doing? He's doing great, he's doing great. He called in. He was like hey, ben, I you know, I know you were coming on tonight. I just wanted to call and wish you a Merry Christmas and you know so. He's just so great.
Speaker 3:I love him. I love him and his wife at Nancy. Oh my God, they are amazing. I need to send them an email Well wishes email, you know, and just be in a second with them. Um oh, I I can't believe I missed him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, he's, he's just the best. It was great. And I mean I've. I told him I thought he was up way past his bedtime and he said Nope, no, ben, I go to bed really late and I get it really early. So, okay, all right, that works for me, larry.
Speaker 3:He's ahead of all of us, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just a gem of a guy, and so I was really happy to hear from him. And so, yeah, you just, you know, I don't know, just in the last year plus doing this podcast, you know, I've just come across some just tremendous people and you are definitely one of them. Oh yeah, no, you are, I make. No, I'm not making it up when I say you're one of the sweetest women that I have met. You're just sweet, thank you. There's something in the water in Texas. It's got to be right.
Speaker 3:Well, I guess, so, I guess. So Maybe it's just kind of a Texas thing, I don't know, a Southern thing, maybe that and the way your parents raised you. Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's just Gotta give them all the credit yeah. It's great. You know, I love when you and I can spend a few minutes talking and you know, look, look people, I'll let you know the real ones, the real good ones. I'll call or text when we're not doing anything just to say, hey, and Pepper and I, we do that from time to time.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, oh yeah, you got to stay in touch. You got to stay in touch. And if I'm not, I told my family when we were visiting with the neighbors. They said, oh, do you need to go? And I said, yeah, we'll get home and I'll make sure. But if I couldn't, if I couldn't get back to the house, I would have probably done it on the phone, I would have called in or something, so I wasn't going to miss it.
Speaker 1:Oh you know that means a lot to me, pepper, that's just sweet. That is so sweet, so well, look, if you want to run back and get with your friends, then please do so. You tell them that I said what's up. Tell them I said hey, and listen. Uh, before you go, though I do, I truly want to wish you, your family, joe. I want to wish you all the best of health and a just a very Merry Christmas, a wonderful new year, and I can't wait to talk to you again.
Speaker 3:Oh, I'm excited. I'm excited about it too. Are y'all doing anything for New Year's? Are you going to do a show on New Year's or around?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know. I was telling the audience earlier that I'm not sure if this is going to be the last show of the year or if I'll do one next week. I'm not exactly sure, so we'll see how it goes. Keep everybody posted.
Speaker 3:If you do one next week, let me know I'll come back.
Speaker 1:Oh well, all right then.
Speaker 3:We'll find something fun to talk about.
Speaker 1:I may have to you, just haven't won.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, Call Larry and say come on, let's get on here.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, you know, and I wish Larry would do something with his Wi-Fi so he could actually, you know, stream in. I know, Because that would be even better.
Speaker 3:I know, I think his Wi-Fi might be a little slow, maybe, well he's out in the middle of nowhere on 40 acres.
Speaker 1:So you know, it's just one of those things.
Speaker 3:He's doing better than we are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, Absolutely so. Um, but yeah, God bless you and your family.
Speaker 3:Um, but yeah, God bless you and your family Um thank you.
Speaker 1:A very Merry Christmas to you. I thank you for taking a few minutes and calling in and just to check in and say what's up, of course, anytime.
Speaker 3:Every time you call me or you text me, I'll be here.
Speaker 2:That's a deal.
Speaker 3:I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and if you come back next week or whenever, let me know I'll be here, okay, well, excellent.
Speaker 1:Thank you, sweetie.
Speaker 3:Thanks, bye, everybody. Y'all all have a Merry Christmas.
Speaker 1:That's it Bye now, bye-bye.
Speaker 1:All right, all right, everyone there, she goes, there she goes. Pepper Ann she's just a doll, she really, she's just a sweet lady. She's I shouldn't call her a lady. It makes her sound old and she's not she's. She's looks better and she's younger than I am, so, um, but, but she's, uh, just a sweet woman, and so that she's just great. She's just great.
Speaker 1:Got something here in the way. Let's do this right here. Boom, okay, there we go, got it out of the way. Yeah, so that's great, that's awesome. I've never in the history of Friday Night Live had somebody stream into the studio during the broadcast. That's awesome. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, that's great. First time for everything, right, I mean, we've taken a few phone calls in the past, but haven't had a phone call and someone stream in as well. So awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, okay. So, before we move on as well, so awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, okay. So, before we move on, and we're getting ready to wrap up here, okay, we'll wrap up in a few minutes, because I'm going to let you guys Excuse me, I'm going to let you carry on with your evening, but I do appreciate you for being here, appreciate you for checking in, but I wanted to read another story if you don't mind, and it's one of my favorites.
Speaker 1:It's my favorite story about a right jolly old elf, you know, and so I used to read this all the time too. I would read it to my kids, and then I started reading it to my grandkids, and it's just, it's just awesome. So I have two books and I couldn't find the other one, but this one here happened to be right there on the bookshelf. Let me look. Let me look real quick.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't see the other one. The other one's my favorite one because it's nice and big and it's got a kind of an antique look to it, so it's really cool. But that's okay, that's all right, let's read this one and then we'll get into the last thing, and then I'll cut you loose. How's that? All right? All right. Oh, I've got to take a sip of water.
Speaker 1:All right, all right, let's get this done. It was the night before christmas when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that saint nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads, and Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down for a long winter's nap when out on the lawn there rose such a clatter. I sprung from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave a luster of midday to objects below, when what, to my wondering eyes, should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer With a little old driver. So lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick, more rapid than eagles, his coursers. They came and he whistled and shouted and called them by name. Let's get the right page here. Skip the page. Page Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen on Cupid, on Donder and Blitzen. To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall. Now, dash away, dash away, dash away, all, hold on. Oh my gosh, are you on, live? Yeah, I'm live right now. Well, they can't see you. Why don't you do this? I'm in the middle of reading. Twas the Night Before Christmas. I thought you liked when people call in. I do. I love it when they call in, so why don't I do this? I thought you'd take a shot when somebody calls in. Well, hold on, now this is the Christmas show. I'm drinking eggnog and tequila. Now, how about? How about, if we do this? How about if you text me your email? I'm going to, I'm going to send you a link and then get on your laptop and come on. I'll stream you in. Okay, I'll stream you in. So just text me your email address. Just text me your email. I will email a link to you. Okay, okay, all right, okay, all right. I'll talk to you in a minute. Can't even get through the story, all right. So now, dash away. You in a minute. Can't even get through the story, all right. So now dash away, dash away, dash away, all Okay.
Speaker 1:Here we go, as dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the housetop, the coursers, they flew with a sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too, and then into twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head and was turning around down the chimney, st Nicholas came with a bound. We're going to pause with a bound. We're gonna pause, ah gosh. Oh, this is great. This is great. It's the christmas show. It is the christmas show. Here we go, boom, copy email and we're going to uh okay, oh, need my keyboard. This is beautiful, this is beautiful. Okay, turn that off. T ah. Uh, no, can't do that. T Okay, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Isn't it great to hear me say boom, boom, boom, boom boom.
Speaker 1:Hey, you know what A lot of firsts going on tonight. Okay, let's do this and let's do this. Boom, let's send the link. Bam and away we go, and I'm back. If you missed me, I don't know. Let's see, I just sent it. Boom. Okay, all right, this is great, all right, so anyway. So let's put that over there. Let's hope I sent it to the right link because, as you know, my laptop sits across the studio so I can't even St Nicholas came with a bound. This is the first time I've been interrupted twice reading this story. Ever in the history of ever.
Speaker 1:He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of toys he had flung on his back and he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack. His eyes, how they twinkled. His dimples, how merry. His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a broad face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
Speaker 1:He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk and laying his finger on the side of his nose and giving a nod up the chimney, he rose, he sprang to his sleigh, to his team, gave a whistle and away. They all flew like the down of a thistle, but I heard him exclaim as he drove out of of sight. Merry Christmas to all and to all. Good night, how's that? Ah, one of my favorites, one of my faves. All right, let's find out what's going on here. We should have somebody on with us right now. Let's see. Let's see here. Yeah, so I was going to kick you loose, but I may have to keep you all here for a minute.
Speaker 1:Oh okay, I got it. Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. Yes, that is correct. Okay, okay, all right. So the content. Unfortunately that I somehow misplaced five minutes before going on the air.
Speaker 1:I wanted to go over my top 10 Christmas songs. I did that last year, but not everybody saw last year's Christmas show. I'll be honest. Well, I don't want to be too honest, although I think more people may have heard it. No, no, no, no, no. More people watched it than listened to it. It was a good show, oh my gosh, it was good. Anyways.
Speaker 1:So I can't remember them all. It's amazing, but if you have a favorite Christmas song, call it in or leave it in the comments right now. Hit me up. So I know that I had and I'm going to give you some. They're not going to be in any particular order now I screwed it up, but I know that on the list.
Speaker 1:Let's get over here, let's get over here. I know that on the list. Let's get over here, let's get over here. I know that on the list was Santa Claus. Yep, santa Claus is coming to town. Yep, that one, of course. There's about 4 million versions of them. Santa Claus is coming to town by Bruce Springsteen oh, I see you versions of them. Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen. Oh, I see you, I see you. There you are. Hold on Bam. Oh, and let's see. Hey, what's going on, ladies, okay, yeah, I can't see you both. There you go. You got to get yourselves in there, yeah, so I was just discussing. I was just discussing, uh, uh, like top. Well, I was trying to give my top 10 christmas songs, but, um, I had my top 10 list five minutes before I hit the air and I don't know where it went. I don't, I don where it is. I lost it and I had it, but anyway, so time out.
Speaker 1:Time out. Let me introduce everybody here. Wait a minute. I need names. I don't know. You can Come on, come on. There's only one name at the bottom of that screen there.
Speaker 4:Well, how do I change it?
Speaker 1:I don't know. Now Let me see.
Speaker 4:Oh, I can change it.
Speaker 1:Oh good.
Speaker 4:You want anything else on your name? You could put my last name too, you want anything else.
Speaker 1:What else are you going to put on there? I don't know, oh, okay, okay yeah, okay, I thought T going to put on there, I don't know. Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, okay, I thought I thought tess was going to put something like I don't know maggie the trollop or something like that.
Speaker 1:So, maggie the broad maggie boots, thank you for having us, of course, so everybody, as you can see, as you can see on the screen next to me, this is tess, this is my is my beautiful daughter, tess, and this is her friend slash roommate, maggie. Hi girls.
Speaker 4:Hi, hi, keith.
Speaker 1:Hi, well, thanks for coming on. How did you know that I was streaming live tonight?
Speaker 4:I saw your Facebook post.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 4:She's a number one fan. She keeps updating.
Speaker 1:She's not a number one fan, she's not, but. But this is fun. I'll tell you what. You know why this is fun? Because, because, um, I had, I had one of my past guests call in and he's three hours away in indiana. He called in just to say Merry Christmas and what's up, ben, and all that good stuff. And then, just a few minutes ago, I had a past guest on the show, pepper Ann. I sent her a link. She streamed in, just like you girls did. She was on just to say hey and catch up and all that good stuff. So this is something that I haven't done before when it comes to Friday Night Live, being able to stream other people in. So this is awesome.
Speaker 4:So thanks, like when you're not on live, like, do you have people like, or do you usually just have guests like in-person guests?
Speaker 1:I do both. I do both. I have. I'll have people, of course, if they're local, you know, if they live close enough, I'll have them. Uh, uh, come into studio and then, uh, but certainly the ones that are that don't feel like making the drive, or certainly if they're out of state, then then of course, then I stream them in. We do just what we're doing right here, maggie.
Speaker 4:That's awesome. Is anyone watching right now? Who I know?
Speaker 1:I don't know who is watching. I know there's some people watching. I have no idea who they are, though I mean yeah, yeah, there's no names revealed. It's weird People are watching, and thank you for watching, of course, but nobody calls in and nobody leaves comments.
Speaker 3:Man.
Speaker 1:I know, come on, get together, okay. So what I was doing and you better get some, yes.
Speaker 4:Where's my mom? I don't know. Is she not home?
Speaker 1:She was. I'm assuming she's still here. I'm assuming she hasn't left me, oh okay, Anyway, okay.
Speaker 4:so what were you going to say?
Speaker 1:Where's my mom? Come on. So anyhow, now you oh, I know what I was going to do. Now you're going to take pictures. Oh, we were on the Ben Maynard program. Look at you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's a big deal.
Speaker 1:So she went in there.
Speaker 4:This is like really like my, like my shining moment. It's our podcast debut. This is our debut.
Speaker 1:Well, no Tess, you no girl. Well, I also noticed that when test was on, it's your most, and you know what. I am so terribly sorry to break the news to you, test, but your episode is no longer my number one episode what is? Um, it is my kiss studio albums ranked. That, um, not only has surpassed your episode, but it's like, it's like, it's like taken off. Sorry, I'm sorry, tess.
Speaker 4:Oh, that's good. That's good for your channel though.
Speaker 1:Well, I guess it is you know what. Okay, maggie here, check this out. So if Tess had done like I like almost begged and pleaded for her to do, and shared it to her Instagram, where she has, like I don't know, three or four thousand followers and I have like 11, then that episode would have gained so much more traction and who knows how many, who knows how many uh uh views it would have on you on YouTube and who knows how many streams it would have on YouTube and who knows how many streams it would have in the podcast world.
Speaker 4:But also like the fact that she didn't and it got so many views is like impressive.
Speaker 1:Well, I guess I mean, it's impressive for me anyway, because I'm like I'm nobody, I'm a nobody and I think it was just. I think it was just honestly like on the thumbnail. They see, they see, you know stupid old me, and they see this beautiful young lady sitting next to me and they're like oh, I got to check this one out. She's hot, you know. So it's like one of those things, an old guy and a pretty young girl, and then they're, and then they find out it's Tess so so, but it's like she reels them in with her good looks and then they stay for her personality and her humor no, then they stayed for my personality and my storytelling ability, that's what so what's your what's like?
Speaker 4:your number one like christmas song well, let's do this.
Speaker 1:Why don't you give me like your top three? Each of you give me your top three christmas songs do you have a good one? From three to one, and if either of you say Mariah Carey, you know whatever I don't even remember the name of the song.
Speaker 4:I'll choke you both. What about Jingle Bells? Is that acceptable?
Speaker 1:If that's what your favorite song is, of course.
Speaker 4:What about how I Want for Christmas? It's you. Wow, that was good. I've been working on that one.
Speaker 1:As long as it's not Mariah Carey, that's fine.
Speaker 4:What about some Michael Buble action? Yeah?
Speaker 1:Okay, listen. I can't tell you. You just have to give me your listen. I can't tell you. You just have to give me your top three. I can't tell you what to choose.
Speaker 4:Okay, the Paul McCartney like Wonderful Christmas Time I like that one Simply having a wonderful Christmas time.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's fine, hang on. Hang on, I'm going to write this down.
Speaker 4:Ben, I know what yours is.
Speaker 1:Hold on, hold, hang on, I'm going to write this down, ben. I know what yours is. Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm writing this down. Okay, tess is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Christmas time. Okay, what's number two?
Speaker 4:What about Feliz Navidad for the culture?
Speaker 1:It's not your time yet, Maggie.
Speaker 4:I was just giving some recommendations. Oh okay, I got you police, now be done, oh come on, tess, you got to be prepared. Is this the one, and then you guys need to get yeah, go ahead. I was going to say is this your favorite one? I was going to play it.
Speaker 1:It probably won't. I won't be able to. The mics will mute it, so unfortunately I'm not at the point yet where I can play music on the show. Can you hear it? Can play music on?
Speaker 4:the show.
Speaker 1:Can you hear it? Oh, is that Billy Idol yelling at the Christmas tree? Yeah, that's a great song. Okay, here's what you're going to have to do. That's the album it's off of. You are going to have to what's that? You'd play it on repeat. I'll play it over.
Speaker 4:That's the album it's off of. You are going to have to Wait. What's that You'd?
Speaker 1:play it on repeat. I'll play it over. You bet I'll play it over and over and over again. You'll have to play that one front to back for Maggie, because that's such a great song. Okay, all right, you know what? Look here, here, here.
Speaker 4:Mistletoe Justin Bieber. Oh, that's a good one.
Speaker 1:What was that?
Speaker 4:Mistletoe by Justin Bieber.
Speaker 1:Oh, I don't know that one. Okay, I know, Mistletoe Okay.
Speaker 4:I should be playing in the winter snow, but I'm gonna be under the mistletoe.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 4:But I can't stop staring at your face, but I'm gonna be under the mistletoe. You shawty with you, you shawty with you, you shawty with you.
Speaker 1:All right. Okay, now, alright, you've given me two. Maggie, give me two, give me, give me number three and number two.
Speaker 4:I feel like, let's see, maybe like one of the oh Santa, tell Me by.
Speaker 3:Ariana Grande that one's good by who.
Speaker 4:Ariana Grande. Oh, okay, what is it?
Speaker 1:Santa Tell Me.
Speaker 4:Santa Tell Me oh and, santa Baby, santa Baby, santa Baby that one?
Speaker 1:Yeah well, I don't know. Is it Eartha Kitt's version? Is that who you like or whose version?
Speaker 4:I like Eartha Kitt's version.
Speaker 1:Okay alright. Did you come up with the number one yet?
Speaker 4:Um, well, I'm looking right. I kind of like, oh, down, she's an OG girl. Tess, did you come up with a number one yet? Um, I'm looking right. I kind of like, oh, the song from Lilo and Stitch.
Speaker 1:I have no idea. Um, okay, well, I also like Blue Christmas by Elvis oh oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, that one oh oh. I like a lucky maca.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's not from Lilo and Stitch, that's Bing Crosby.
Speaker 4:Okay, well, I will tell you this the World of. Color Disneyland. They have like um a christmas world color and they have a lilo and stitch segment and it's this song okay, maggie.
Speaker 1:What's your number one? Maggie, where'd you go? Did you go get a drink?
Speaker 4:oh sorry she was getting water. I had a little water break Probably. I feel like maybe Santa Baby might be my favorite one.
Speaker 1:That was number two.
Speaker 4:What did I say for number one?
Speaker 1:You didn't. That's why I'm asking you.
Speaker 4:Oh, that's a really that's a difficult question. Okay, I would have to say Santa Baby, and then maybe I'll replace my number two or my number three with Last Christmas.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 4:Last Christmas Okay, and the very next day.
Speaker 1:You gave it away this year. To save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special, okay, well, I don't remember my top 10, but I'll tell you this. I know that Santa Claus is Coming to Town. By Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band used to be really, really high on my list. It's dropped a little bit. But Little Drummer Boy by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, that's a tremendous, so soulful and so emotional. The delivery on that from Bob, great, great, great, great job. And then I came into this year hearing it for the first time. Never heard it before. Maggie, where'd you go? You're off camera. Come on now.
Speaker 4:Sorry.
Speaker 1:So then I heard, like, like I said, for the first time this year I heard carol of the bells by kenny rogers. Blew me away, blew me away really yes and and then my favorite Christmas song used to always be the Christmas song from Nat King Cole his version, until until about 1992, when I heard Mel Torme who, who is the writer of that song sing it on the Mark and Brian Christmas show, and it was just him and a piano, and, oh my gosh, just tears streaming down my face. It was so awesome.
Speaker 4:So that's awesome.
Speaker 1:But last year this song, this particular song, became my number one Christmas song and it still is again this year and it is God. Rest Ye, merry Gentlemen from Mercy Me.
Speaker 4:Ooh.
Speaker 1:And the breakdown in that song about halfway through. Down in that song about halfway through, there's a choir singing Carol of the Bells in that song, behind this big orchestra and it's so powerful all of it coming together.
Speaker 4:Oh oh my gosh, I just just like sob, sob, tears it's like a live orchestra that that does something to a man you have to, you have to check that one out, definitely check that one out. Yeah, so so great, so um yeah, with mariah carey, because you said what's your favorite MC song? How do you feel about MC?
Speaker 1:Oh, who's MC?
Speaker 4:Oh.
Speaker 1:Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey, I got you, I got you. You know I don't have anything, sorry, I'm just. I mean I'm hip, but you know, still I don't catch everything. But I don't have anything personal against Mariah Carey. But there's nothing to that song and it's just overplayed and there's nothing to it. There's no soul in it, there's no heart in it. You've got to have heart and soul, that's true.
Speaker 4:Like Santa Baby.
Speaker 1:Santa Baby has heart and soul.
Speaker 4:That's so real.
Speaker 1:You know what? Even a song like what is it, baby? It's Cold Outside. Oh my gosh, that is such a great song. It's so fun and it's so clever. My, my favorite version is by barry manilow and pamela holt. It's great, it's tremendous, um good stuff, but I don't know I could, I could go.
Speaker 4:I'll tell you that period, this is the good stuff. This is the good stuff. It's good stuff, but not as good as the Ben Maynard program.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're absolutely correct. So look, I'm going to tell you, like I tell everybody else, tell a friend.
Speaker 4:I was going to say a friend right now, but thank you for having us on the show. Thank you so much. And we told a few friends, we let them know when I, when you saw me, I was telling friends yeah, how about tell?
Speaker 1:oh, yeah, I was telling oh, by the way, check it out, I'm gonna call into my dad's podcast tonight. That's what you were telling them. So check it it out, because we're going to be on it.
Speaker 4:You know it was something like that, it was.
Speaker 1:I called it. I called it. No, it's fun, listen, I you know. I know I'm going to see you tomorrow, tess, but Maggie, you're more than welcome to join us. Why don't you just bang in sick to work or something and get on over here?
Speaker 4:Oh, thank you. What are you guys doing tomorrow?
Speaker 1:We're just having a big old Christmas shindig, just having some fun, some food, some friends, some family. That's all. It's going to be good stuff.
Speaker 4:That sounds awesome.
Speaker 1:Do you?
Speaker 4:guys have matching PJs.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, actually, catherine Tess and I have matching PJs this year. Yes, we're going to be like Papa Bear, mama Bear and Baby Bear.
Speaker 4:Oh, tess is a little baby bear, that's so cute.
Speaker 1:No, I will definitely stop by.
Speaker 4:Thank you so much for inviting me. No, I will definitely stop by. Thank you so much for inviting me.
Speaker 1:No, you should, you really should, you're more than welcome. I want to come meet you and meet the gang and meet Mr Whiskey. Yeah, whiskey's. Okay, I'm the real attraction here around the house yes, you are King. Yeah, but if you're coming, you got to have your pajamas on.
Speaker 4:I'll be suited up. She's always wearing pajamas Honestly, me too, though.
Speaker 1:Okay, but here it's got to be more than sweats and a t-shirt. That doesn't count.
Speaker 4:That's yeah, we have, yeah, something like a full suit.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 4:Like could I do like a little matching? Like did you want them to be? Oh wait, those are perfect, we have ears.
Speaker 1:There you go.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's awesome well, how we have a bunch.
Speaker 1:We have a bunch of those for tomorrow too, and thanks, girl, yeah so, um, I'm gonna let everyone else go too. So, um, I appreciate you two stopping in today for what possibly could be the final program of the year oh, wow yeah, it's not only friday night live, it is the christmas show, so um, anyway. Oh, that's why all the Christmas theme stuff today.
Speaker 4:Thank you for having us. This was awesome.
Speaker 1:You're very welcome. It's my pleasure, so I look forward to here. I'm being positive, okay, I'm projecting into the future. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Maggie.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, and if not tomorrow, we'll definitely meet soon, for sure.
Speaker 1:Cool.
Speaker 4:I want to come over.
Speaker 1:All right you can come hang anytime, it's all good.
Speaker 4:Oh, yeah, thank you so much Okay.
Speaker 1:Bye. All right, ladies, be good. All right, we'll talk to you soon. Bye, bye. There they go. They only added 30 minutes to the show. Sorry folks, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, All right.
Speaker 1:Look, with that, you know my number one Christmas song. Nobody called in with their favorite, can't believe it. I was able to rattle off five of them, like that. Tess played one of them. I think that one was my number five too the Yelling at the Christmas Tree by Billy Idol. I think that one was number five on my list. I can't remember. It's right there, but nonetheless, look.
Speaker 1:Thanks for hanging out. Thanks for being here. I greatly appreciate it. I'm gonna wrap it up and let you go. Um, yeah, I just want to wish everyone a merry christmas. You know, hope you guys just have a tremendous christmas holiday with your family, your friends, all your loved ones, and just be safe and take care of each other. Okay, okay.
Speaker 1:As you know, this program is available on all of the streaming platforms, all of the streaming services. Wherever you get your podcasts, that's where this one's available. So check it out. Subscribe to it, okay. Subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe to it on Spotify. Subscribe to it on Amazon Music. Subscribe to it on Podchaser, whatever, wherever it is. Subscribe, all right, and give me a five-star rating. Come on, are you kidding me? It doesn't get better than this, are you serious? Oh, I guess, while I'm wrapping up the show, I could do this. I'll look a little silly, but that's all right. So look again if you're watching on YouTube and you've joined us for Friday Night Live tonight, for the Christmas show version of this.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for being here, thanks for sticking it out all year long, and whether we're back next year I mean, I'm sorry, next week or we're not back till next year. Come on back. I welcome you back, can't wait. I love each and every one of you, but if you are watching, you got to subscribe to the channel. You have to subscribe, you have to give me a thumbs up. You got to leave a comment. Come on now.
Speaker 1:Engagement, people, engagement, all right, keeps me fired up. Listen. Last but not least, follow me on Instagram. Simply, ben Maynard Program. It's all one word, all right. So that is it.
Speaker 1:Tell 10,000 of your friends. Tell 10,000 of your friends, that's all. Tell 10,000 of your friends about this really cool podcast called the Ben Maynard Program. Tell them to check it out. All right, don't let come on Serious.
Speaker 1:All right, all my peeps in Canada, first off. I can't walk the streets in Singapore, and I can't walk the streets in Singapore, and I can't walk the streets in Canada either. There it is. I can't walk the streets in Germany. I can't walk the streets in the UK. Okay. So everyone else around the world, let's get on board, okay? And then when I hit your town, oh my gosh, I'll have to fight you all off with a stick. Yeah, right. So look, just tell 10,000 of your friends. Please do that one for me. Okay, make sure you're subscribing to everything. Subscribe comment rate. All right, I greatly appreciate it. We're done. I will see you guys soon. Oh, and here's my eggnog and tequila. Merry Christmas to you, merry Christmas to your families, merry Christmas to your friends and loved ones. God bless each and every one of you. Take care of each other. This is the Ben Maynard program. Tell 10,000 friends.