Zach's Whiskey Corner: Wayne's World / Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2023 ft. Ian Sulkowski, Brown-Forman

0:19 Hello everybody. This is Zachary Johnston and this is Zach's Whiskey Quarter, a special edition of the Film and Whiskey Podcast where I get to watch my favorite movies and drink some of my favorite whiskeys with the people I love in the whiskey industry. And today we have one of my favorite films of all time for my childhood, Wayne's World. We're going to be drinking one of my favorite whiskeys of 2023 with one of my favorite people from the whiskey industry. And let's first introduce our guests. Then we'll leave the whiskey as more of a surprise. So I'm here with Ian Skolkowski from Old Forrester. Ian, welcome. Thanks for having me, Zach. Stoked to be here, man. Oh. Stoked to have you dude. We just actually bumped into each other the other night randomly at Galaxy Bar and had a great cocktail made with some delicious old Forrester.

1:06 Yeah, yeah. It was great to see you there. Always good to run into you and you know, people downtown for happy hours. Yeah, we're in the middle of Whiskey Row November, so big brand push and doing a lot of happy hours. So that was a real treat to run into you, man. Absolutely. And so for the audience listening, Ian works with old Forrester and that's sort of how we met through, you know, working with the brand. I'm a big fan of a lot of what they do, but especially their special releases. So, Ian, why don't you tell us a little bit about what you do? Yeah, man, for sure. So I my current role is brand ambassador and it's a lot of fun. I get to be the face of the brand. There's APR element to it. So, you know, making cocktails on local TV, sometimes some of it's sort of field marketing work. So educating bartenders about our brands and you know, sort of bringing them into the fold to be Old Forester enthusiasts themselves.

2:00 But I really got started in the sort of home place of Old Forester at the distillery on Whiskey Row. So most recently whenever I was there, I was sort of working in and curating the Single Barrel program, which was a blast. So did that for a little over a year and then moved on to this current role. And I've been with the brand and some capacity started in 2018 December. So it's been a fun ride and just enjoy it every day. That sounds great. And since you're the guest, why don't you introduce which whiskey we're going to be drinking with Wayne's World? Yes, So this is a very special whiskey. This is our 2023 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. Nice.

2:44 That is one of the more coveted bourbons in the whiskey release calendar, I'd say. Absolutely, yeah. So this is the 23rd release of Birthday Bourbon. I know we'll talk about it a little bit more later, but absolutely this, this is very much a coveted whiskey. It's one that people seek out. And so we're very fortunate to have some today to enjoy here. Absolutely. When you when you recommended it and you're like right if we do this, I was like oh, oh please twist my. Army Twist my army. Yeah. Easy sell, right? Oh, for sure. Tell me about your relationship with the good, the excellent Wings world. Man, it's so funny.

3:29 I had not watched this movie, probably since I was in like middle school. Well, and I remember, so when I was sort of coming of age, Austin Powers was big, right? And so my sort of introduction to Michael Myers was those movies. And you know, all of the humor that at that time I I caught maybe like 30% of, but still thought it was hilarious and loved his impressions and his sort of spontaneity and delivery. And so he along with like Jim Carrey. I think I was being like two of the sort of comedy icons or movies whenever I was a kid and growing up and then actually wasn't until a little bit later. But I think, you know, whenever I was like starting to play instruments and play in bands and stuff because I was really into like classic rock.

4:10 Whenever I was in like middle school, high school. And my friends and I I think rented this one from the local video store back when those were still a thing and watched Lane's World. And I I don't think I got it as much. And going back and watching it as an adult was just so gratifying because it was it was really a treat. Absolutely, yeah. It's a very meta film, really. Yeah, like and it swings for the fences and kind of it still runs. Yeah, I age myself a little bit here, but I remember vividly going to see this film in Olympia, WA on a double feature. And the first film was Beauty and the Beast. And then this was the second film.

4:51 And. It was a packed crowd the whole time and I remember loving it as, you know, a 13 year old. It was just like hit perfectly for me at my age. I was with my half sister who was 10 years older than me, so we both would stay up late and watch SNL. So, and this was very my era too. So like ladies going to early 90s still hard and like Meyers and Harvey Farley, you know, all those guys, David Spade. So this was like my like you know how things like hit when you're like having your awakening from childhood into adulthood and they sort of like stick with you and it's sort of like you know same year that never mind came out and you know sort of that whole and being an Olympian Seattle kind of helps solidify all that stuff for me. So this is you know when I said in the intro one of my favorite films it it really truly is one of my favorite films and I appreciate that.

5:44 A lot of that is nostalgia for my you know team that I so don't I don't know I'm not unself aware of that nostalgia. But yeah, man, I that's why I'm really glad. You know, we could just chit chat about this movie and sort of yes. Look, it's going to be the first episode of the series. I feel like it's a good introduction to what's to come for the rest of the series and Zach's whiskey quarter. No, I love it. I love that you had picked something that's kind of just light hearted and fun that we can kind of, yeah, enjoy and talk about, Yeah. I mean, it was a bit of a slog if we were, you know, doing a Holocaust movie or something, right? Yeah. Whiskey and Auschwitz. Right, Right.

6:27 Welcome to Friday night. Great, now. But so, you know, rewatching is fresh as an adult. Like, do you What's your thoughts on this film? Thumbs up, thumbs down. I'd say thumbs up, definitely for, but for such different reasons than the things that I liked it for as a kid. I think the the things that I liked as a kid were, you know, you know, babes and schwing and I think sort of like funny, you know, references, you know, that, as you said, really land with you when you're in that kind of teenage phase. What really struck me this time was like how much more And there were like overt references to it, right. How much more. It is very much a film about, you know, relationships and, you know, authenticity to oneself and one's sort of true 'cause and authenticity to the people who were around you.

7:14 I was really struck by that in the relationship between Wayne and Garth, but then also just between like you know some some off lines from, you know, sort of lesser characters that come out throughout the movie. And I felt that there were some really good character arcs even for some of the minor characters. So that was, yeah, really fun to revisit for that reason. Yeah, it's, you know, it's kind of, it's kind of an amazing pedigree as well. Like obviously, you know, Lord Michaels and Mike Byers are sort of the heart from the SNL side. But you know, it was COVID by Bonnie and Terry Turner who went on to do like 30 Rock From the Sun in That 70s Show, which you know is pretty much up there at Pantheon of 90 sitcoms. And of course it's directed by Philip. Sorry, another piece of Ferris who's we've done some really amazing, amazing work.

8:04 And so there's just this kind of depth to it that I don't really think any other SNL movie quite has because it goes so far beyond just the sketch and really builds, like you said, this whole world where all like there are side characters that truly do have like cool arcs and really funny like this. This movie somehow has that magic trick where Jaime gets funnier every time you watch it because you notice some stuff and you notice the intricacy a bit more. Yeah. But yeah, it's sort of, you know, it's it's up there For me. It's also just the the secondary task outside of waiting Garth, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey.

8:47 Rob Lowe is phenomenal in this. That's. So good. Yeah, he's such a. Yeah, he's he's like the perfect foil, right? Yeah. And even just thinking about his, his sort of aesthetic, right he just how, how juxtaposed it is to Wayne and Garth and how, yeah, like the very slick hair and stuff like that. Like almost like Armani Baggy. Like a little bit baggy but still tailored and very like you know Quat and and yeah yeah right. And it's like he is, he's he's so good at at being at at at leaning into that world I think. You know, it's just like, not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but one of the my favorite jokes and any movie is so subtle.

9:29 But what? He's ordering Chinese food and just pops straight into Cantonese. And yeah, her Instantia Carrera is like your accent feels a little more like Kowloon Bay than Hong Kong or the Kowloon Bay. Such a perfect like, just simple, subtle joke but. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, just that he's so well by him. Yeah, yeah, he does. He, he leans into it so well. And then I again, I love, I love the very sort of quick trajectory from sort of Garth realizing when he's like, I don't think Benjamin very much like us, Wayne. And you know it's it very quickly obviously escalates into one of my favorite lines which is Garg saying if he was an ice cream flavour it would be pralines and Dick.

10:17 I thought that was that. That made me laugh so hard for some reason I was like you think he's going to say like vanilla or something like you use bland or whatever. That's yeah, no it was Pralines and Dick. I was like, that is hysterical. Amazing. Joke. What's funny? Sounds like so many went off lines like that, yeah? But what's funny is like Rob Lowe is technically just doing his job. Like he's not evil, evil, you know, like he's not whirling his mustache or anything. It's more he's just kind of like, yeah, he's an exec and he's a Dick, but also he's got to make this show work for his livelihood, right? So. It's also sort of interesting watching this again because like like there is this aspect to waiting guards of sort of Arrested Development that I kind of always attributed to it earlier on. Now looking back, it's like they're not really at risk. They're not.

11:11 They're fully formed adults and they know exactly who they are. Yeah, yeah. And that's. Go ahead. Sorry. I was just going to say I love that you say that because I think you're absolutely right, man. Like that was something that struck me so much too. Was that it? It's so tempting just to make those assumptions about about who they are as characters and you know it it seems as though it's setting them up to be that and then you actually get these moments where they like, you know are really you know. And what struck me is whenever Wayne is talking to Cassandra and is like and and he's learned Cantonese and he's trying to communicate to her and be romantic and like and they're like he's, he's, he's like quoting here Cagard. And like you know you don't you don't get the sense that he's just trying to be smooth, right.

11:56 It's like he's actually being very authentic and like you know we're seeing a side of them that is it's just, you know it's just like a sort of different layer to the onion. And it's like yeah, you know he loves you know rock and parties and like the goofy shit. But then he's also like, you know, actually interested in, you know, substantive conversation and like relating to people and meeting them where they're at. And I I found that really endearing, I think, to both of them as characters, both Lane and Garth. Absolutely. And also, and this is sort of the genius of the film with larity, with pure absurdity, like there are just, Oh yes, absurd comedic beats in this film. And it works with a balance where it's really, I kind of attributed that to like the Steve Martin of an all where it's like you have this like said Kierkegaard, you have these like real emotions and real character beats and you know there's notable growth and there's depths.

12:51 But then it's also like, you know, they they they have a gratuitous sex scene and it literally plays a gratuitous sex scene and it and it still works or you know, we'll get to the the ending. But yeah, let's just sort of walk through here and just we're not, we're not going to do beat by beat people. We're just going to go over the main plot and you know, sort of things we love about it and then we'll get to the whiskey soon enough, don't worry. So, you know, the film really does kind of pick up on just like the sketch because the sketch is obviously very isolated to the basement. They've had huge people come in like Tom Hanks and Aerosmith and all that.

13:34 But I do love the sort of whole, I guess, opening set piece where you different, you're brought into their world and you know, they they come out of the basement and Wayne is giving you those be he's doing narration, but he's talking to the camera, you know? You know, breaking the 4th. Wall as opposed to just narration over while they do stuff. I like that because well maybe it feels a little early 90s to do that, but it it feels authentic to who they are. And he would be talking to camera like that kind of reminds me in Letterkenny where they just randomly talk to camera and narrate to which they do very rarely but and then of course I think the big moment of the the first act is them in the car picking up their buses to go party. And I think it's become such an iconic scene of Sam, what what is it a little like?

14:28 What's the that car like? Not a hermit, but something like that. Yeah, it's almost. I know. I thought it was a Pinto. I don't think it is a Pinto. Right, that's all those shit cars from the 70s. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but it's just tricked. Out right the the Mirth mobile, I call it right. Yeah, the Mirth. Mobile. Yeah, what? My one of my. Favorite things about that scene that I that I totally overlooked previously and just picked it up this time was I think his name was like Phillip or something. But like their friend who's just absolutely shit faced and they go and pick him up. And you know like like Wayne has to promise Garth that he's not going to hurl. And then they get him in the car and they're doing the bohemian Rhapsody thing and he's he's like slouched over drunk and like looks like he's can't even keep his eyes open.

15:10 And then you know there are a couple of cutaways and then it goes back to them singing Bohemian Rhapsody and he's like fully into Bohemian Rhapsody. Yeah. Oh my God, It's so good because it's just such a it's such a funny switch that's turned on you. It's like. It's such a true moment, though, where you're, like, really drunk, but then you, like, get into something suddenly rally. Yeah, yeah. You're rally. Yep. Yep, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. It's also interesting like we're this isn't about this isn't a podcast about trivia and stuff, but evidently there is such a massive fight about which song to use in that scene that, like, Myers threatened to quit picture entirely unless they let him use Bohemian Rhapsody. No. Kidding.

15:50 And because he, he thought it would be true to them to sort of have that reverence for huge stadium rock in the 70s. We'll see where they love Alice Cooper, they love Aris, they love those huge 70s stadium rock bands. And evidently the studio really wanted just like something from Guns N' Roses, something you know, modern that the kids would listen to. And he's like, listen, man, we're not kids, we're adults. And and I think that's valid because then because that scene has become iconic and parodied and in in it technically helped bring Queen back in the 90s. There's a couple books, reports things written where Queen had sort of faded away entirely in the late 80s.

16:32 And this song helped like their record sales skyrocket again, which I always find interesting. But yeah, so they do this wonderful montage of singing the Bohemian Rhapsody. You see all of Aurora, IL and the suburbs of Chicago. You get a nice little montage tour there. Stop and meet your cop. They give them shit. You cop laps them off, You know? You smell, You smell bacon. I definitely smell a pork product of some kind. Such. Yeah. Such Genex. Crunchy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I liked one of my, again, just like stupid little things that made me laugh is that moment.

17:14 And there are a few other moments like this where they make it. One of them will make a joke like that and then they like, laugh, but like inaudibly. They just like silently. Kind of like, you know, like it's just so stupid, but it's just it's it's been deering in that way for some reason. I don't know but. Yeah, yeah, it's that. It's that perfect relationship you have with your best friends where, like everything, sort of an inside joke, right? But the brilliance of this film is those inside jokes are actually funny to everybody, right? Yeah. Yeah, in most cases, yeah. Then we also get the introduction to the donut shop with Ed O'Neill, which, I mean, this is Ed O'Neill. That is like sitcom hype. I mean, Married Children is huge. He's starring in movies and he just gave me those as this bat shit, crazy donut shop worker sitting like I remember cracking up in the cinema or in the theatre when I was like, and way in terms of cameras like and he marks here 24 hours a day.

18:12 Yeah. And then and it starts talking to the camera and Wayne runs. He's like, hey, me and Garth. Right, right. Yeah. Camera. I'm the only one who can do that. Yeah. Yeah. No, I love how and and the way he plays with the dialogue, too, man. It's just like it's he plays it so straight. And you're right. His dialogue, it's like every time we see him in a movie, he's talking about killing someone like very seriously. And it's it's such a weird shit that it's, like, so absurd that you just have to be like, Oh my God, like. The hell is this guys? Feel. Yeah. Kill him at at war. And you're called, right? You kill him at it. Eat a passion, murderer. It's happening. It's so out of place, it's great. Yeah, it's it's wonderful because his commitment is so fierce.

18:59 It's just it's mesmerizing. Yeah. Then, you know, we meet some more characters. Of course. Wonderful exchange with Laura Flynn Boyle as Wayne's ex-girlfriend. And this, this honestly became like something we would say for years when we get a present we didn't want because she brings him a gun rack as an anniversary gift. Even though they broken up. Right. And anytime we'd get some shitty gift and be like a gun wreck, I do not have a gun. We're going to necessitate a wreck. Just again, the delivery is just so pitch perfect. I left the whole, the whole what is Machita's, Machita's tiger? The whole scene is just free because again, we're on this sort of like first act journey and we're just meeting everybody still.

19:55 But all the characters are so well-rounded. You know, Loyal's like, I guess crazy ex-girlfriend, for lack of a better term. And I think it's proper to use that because there's a whole TV show called Crazy ex-girlfriend, so that that out of like character there. And from there, of course, we go on to the big sort of meet cute, the big sort of like, you know, inciting instant for Wayne, where we sort of propel on his journey his love story. When they go to a big club in Chicago, we got a great Chris Farley cameo and we meet Crucial taunt which was it's definitely a moment in cinema for 13 year old Zach.

20:40 I believe that I was like watching it like yesterday in my living room, I was like, God damn wow, I and I can't remember the actress's name, but I was like, she is just ferociously beautiful. And so yeah, yeah, yeah, just so magnetic. She's, you know, the front person and bass player in the band. Unless she said she's pulling off like Rockstar, Really. Well, like you don't for a second question whether or not she deserves to be on that stage or she's drunk it out or not. I can attest him to how well-rounded but how well acted these these characters are. And you get the, you know, the the Kung Fu moment where Wayne is like shocked into, you know, a cheeky 70s love song and seeing her on stage and.

21:25 Right, right, right. That whole sort of like moment, of course, when she comes off stage, she walks right to the bar next to Wayne, because where else would she go, right? But yeah, then it's sort of like the the first act sort of ends with an after party and we get more of the characters again. You know Laura and Boyle comes back, falls through a ceiling for some crazy reason and you get Wayne and she got her name on Tia Carrera character. God, what is her name? Well Cassandra, yeah Wade and Cassandra's set up to see each other again and you know they're sort of off to the races. We can't Rob Lowe. We already talked about Rob Lowe, but he's it's such a pre introduction to him as well because he's sitting in like his bed in a condo and it's the most 90s yuppie thing ever. And you know he's got a girl with him and he's like flipping through TV literally fishing for something to to work on. Like he's he's ignoring this woman in his bed to find work. On television.

22:33 Which I think is a very interesting way to introduce a character where he's that like focused. Right. It's so funny that you say that. I didn't, I didn't sort of like retroactively put those two pieces together. But yeah, that's you're right. That is, absolutely. Once we establish that he's ATV producer, it's like, yeah, he's totally scouting, right? Like, yes, this woman in bed next to him. He's just kind of flipping channels, like very serious, very intent. And I think it's, it's the girlfriend, right, who kind of stops him on the show. And he's like, oh, this show's great. And he like, doesn't get it whatsoever. He's like, like, you know, whatever these idiots doing, basically. It's just it's kind of lost on him. Yeah, but she's laughing and she like like it's a bad thing. It's like, well, there's an audience for this. Young people get it.

23:16 It's like the near. I don't have to get it, but I I get that people get it. All right. So then, yeah, Benjamin, Wayne and Garth meet at a ridiculous tiki bar with ridiculous cocktail, and this was another thing that this was funny in 1992. Be how excited they get over $5000, both of them before taxes. He's he's absurd. Literally dancing and singing. We've got $5000 for a solid minute. Well, I think it's just like it's just minutes before they have to like take the car the the Mirth mobile to the shop and I hate the bill was like $40 or something and they're like $40 and that like scrounge together cushion chain basically to like come up with 40 bucks.

24:04 So yeah, no, but. But you're right. I I absolutely. Take your point. But they're literally dancing in the street about like 5000 bucks. But that that whole scene too, where Rob Lowe is pitching them on the contract and just how he's sort of playing it back of like, you know, when they're like, well, you know, can we take a look at the contract? We're kind of between lawyers right now. But you know, if I could just have our lawyer look at it and he's like, oh, sure, sure, sure. You know, that's that's that's perfectly fine. I just, you know, figured guys like you, you know, you're not really interested in money. I can just tear up these checks right now, you know, for $5000 and then they're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, well, you know, let's let's back it up just a little bit. And of course then they sign their lives away to to corporate America and you know obviously don't read the fine print, but just the way that that plays out.

24:52 I I was so fun and so sort of indicative of of how different their characters are, right. And how perfectly Rob Lowe plays it, yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. And I look so that he goes on a goes on a date with Cassandra X right where he's got the, he's got the licorice feel in the car. He's like oh we need to get that. He's like when we got the money, right. So there there is some childishness there don't get me wrong. Yeah, yeah. But and then he buys a Strat and there's again this whole scene in the music's child. It's just it's just gold the whole way through from from him from Cassandra like lusting after the Strat, the light Strat.

25:38 And you know, it's the Jimi Hendrix sort of Strat with the Lamy bar and him just playing the 1st Court and the guy running over and stopping and pointing to no stairway to heaven. No stairway to heaven. And then a whole massive drum solo from Dana Garvey. You know, Garth, thank you. At the end, he didn't really do anything. And then we're back with Benjamin. They're at his condo on the whichever floor. He's stalking Cantonese and ordering food and Pepsi Cola and Mountain Dew and and and yeah, you were doing that joke. He's like Praline and Dick.

26:19 But the kid who knows exactly how to he knows exactly how to manipulate them because he had all access passes for Alice Cooper. And they are, they're completely went over again, like all that. We're between lawyers and they're just, there you go, they're done. They're good. Yeah, yeah, exactly. You're right. It's like, he's so smooth and knows with everybody like exactly what buttons to push, right. It's just yeah. Yeah. And that's that's sort of like what's interesting because they're so easy to manipulate in these beans and then when they're like standing in, which makes it so much more powerful when they do stand up for themselves and, you know, on the show.

27:02 But yeah, they go see Alice Cooper, which is, you know, they actually have a whole scene from the show and there's the infamous we're not worthy seeing Dallas. And back another great Alice Cooper explains Milwaukee Like Milwaukee Native American words, yeah. He's like very like erudite and like Professor Lee. And yeah, he's like explaining all of these sort of like, you know, tribal dynamics of Native Americans of the region and stuff. And yeah, it's it's pretty wonderful. Yeah, socialism and how it applied. And yeah, it's just, it's a wildly funny turn my Alice Cooper there.

27:42 And of course, then we're sort of like get into the I did the meet, you know, the conflict of the film because Wayne's World is being broadcast from a studio and it's going to be a real show. They have sponsors, Noah Vanderhoff, which is played by Brian Royal Murphy, you know, who's beautifully famous SNL, Bill Murray's brother, you know, this mass community career coming in, sort of doing his thing with this very kind of happy to be their wife who's very excited about everything. Yeah. Yeah, there's just so many jokes. There's just so many jokes in this set piece.

28:25 I mean, yeah, I trust us. I think I think my favorite part of this is and I can't I I maybe I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here where Rob Lowe is sort of trying to explain the sort of corporatization of the show and rationalize why certain things have been done and why the show is changing. Because Wayne obviously is seeing, you know, these marked changes in the aesthetic and the, you know, the sponsorships and and he says something like, what is it? Something about like, you know, I will not bow to our corporate overlords or something like that. He has a box of Pizza Hut and he's like holding the slice of like poses with it. And then it's just like a series of those where it's, you know, like, you know, for the next generation, we we, you know, we have to preserve our enemy hold of a can of peptics. It's like and what a generation it is, you know, like it's just that series of and it's one of those things too, where it's almost like they do it to the point where it's not funny and then it becomes funny again because it's like 5 different bits like that right in a row.

29:26 But that's just and then and then Garth is decked out in rebuy. It's just like it's just so goofy and funny. But I think it exactly. Yeah. But I also felt like too that was a really like kind of A and I hope I'm not reading too far into it, but I was like thinking about the timing of this and you know, 1992 and you know we're coming out of like the Reagan years and the the late Bush senior years and just the general sort of you know, I I think broad reaching corporatization of a lot of aspects of American light, right. Absolutely. And and I was like, wow, you know, this is, you know, pretty early for these kind of, you know, sort of salient points about, you know, compromising artistic integrity and individuality, you know, for the sake of like a corporate sponsor, you know, and and I know that others were doing it at that time. But it it was again, it gave some heart and some backbone to the movie, I thought.

30:24 Absolutely. And this is part of that sort of Gen. X ethos of like you never sell out like never, you know, you never go corporate no matter what. But then it's. But the way they sort of presented is it is yeah. Like you know, without that there, it's just so, so great. And you know like I said, this whole sequence, there's just so much great stuff from, you know their their true counting down and if you like not understanding like to not be silent when they're doing the two in one silently. You know, just little jokes like that that are, you know this little character beats to, you know I'm doing the the the blue screen to the different places where they end up in Delaware and that's the hi, we're in Delaware.

31:12 That's was another thing that just became so prevalent in pop culture for so long of course. But yeah, it's just such a, it's just a really fun part of the the the movie where you kind of you get into the meet and you start to see them, like actually they do start to kind of come out of their shells a little bit and have to play, you know, stand up for themselves. You see, you know, Garth with his gadgets, I mean, he sort of skipped over it at the club before. He's a gadget guy. Then he's like, my hand comes to life and he starts banging out of those Benjamins trying to explain how things are going to work and. Right, right. But yeah, it's just, again, it's just a fun sequence where you kind of get them.

31:58 They're fish out of water, but they're coming in their own and meeting everybody and lot of fun stuff going on in a big set. And this is also we're we're getting to the point too, right, where Mr. Vanderhoff right is at the presenting sponsor and he's supposed to come on for the interview and Wayne is like really pissed off about it. And then he holds up the he's holding up those cue cards and the the kind of like beat liquor like Mr. Smithers ask character. I think his name is Russell. He's like, he's like. Yeah, yeah. Russell's great. And he's like, he's like, oh, great. He's using the cue cards. And then we quickly realized that Wayne has written, like these really deeply offensive messages and, like vulgar messages about Mr. Vanderhoff. And my favorite was and it, you know, it's like they're sitting directly next to each other and Wayne is asking him these questions about his arcade, just like, So what's the difference between Miss Pac-Man and Miss Pac-Man? And meanwhile he's holding this sign that that the guy can't see that says my favorite one was this guy blows goats, I have fruit.

33:02 I. Have fruit. Oh, it's so. It's just so funny and like vulgar and goofy and. But yeah, him getting sort of the best of the corporate sponsor is is like a fun, triumphant moment and kind of like a pivotal moment right in Oh yeah, how how the movie progresses, thought wise. Yeah, because, I mean, it's him standing up for himself in his sort of his artistic integrity and like, yeah, I'll do your corporate sponsor bullshit, but I'm going to do it my way. And of course that sort of creates A rift between Garth and and Wayne. And they have their fight on top of the car waiting for the plane. The plane goes over at just the right time. So you don't hear you know Garth say all the bad naughty words.

33:45 Right, right, right. But then also Benjamin's already moved in on Cassandra and they're doing music video together with and again, everyone listening we're we're we're not going beat by beat, just sort of going through the the broad brush strokes. But yeah, it's funny because like this is where like the meat of the movie really is. And that, you know, he goes back to Cassandra's apartment and she's not there and it's, you know, he, he realizes that, you know, he's he does sort of have to take responsibility for his actions. But his actions were right. Like he wasn't wrong. But it's like things just because you're not wrong doesn't mean things don't fall apart.

34:29 It's sort of how it feels, right, like. Yeah, no, I think so. And I think, yeah, this is definitely a moment where both of the sort of primary relationships that he's had and established throughout the film are really sort of called into question, right, both with Cassandra and Garth. And it's. And you're right, it's like kind of a moment wherein he has to make a decision. And even though even though his actions were not wrong, he was acting by his own values and standards, he's still in some ways and sort of let the people around him down and he has to sort of compromise on those things in a way. Yeah. And he's kind of like because when he goes to the crucial part of the shoot with Saturn and Benjamin's there and she's trying to hold stupid Snake and it's too heavy, you know, the the lull looks ridiculous because right.

35:14 Benjamin's ATV producer, not a music producer, you know, it's obviously, it's like, you know, he's pretending that, you know he's the boss of everything. But you know, right, right. And that's he's the that's great too because she's like simultaneously trying to play the bass and hold this like massive Python. Then it's like not working. And she he's just like physically frustrated juggling these two things pretty good. And. You know, do we get this sort of like what Wayne thinks is a heartfelt scene where they literally flash on the screen Oscar bait. Right, Right. And crying, saying I never learned to read and like, dude, is that. Of course that's not true. She picks up like, she's like, dude, like if you're acting like a little asshole and right, you're not thinking of anyone else but yourself, you know, it's her big break too.

36:04 I mean it it does ring false because of who Benjamin is, but as far as she knows, like he's kind of on the up and up. Yeah, until of course, he's not. The whole third act of this film is like, it's sort of like almost a heist. Yeah. The film becomes in size where they're trying to get this regular producer that Chris Harley told them about randomly that you that you didn't even really pay attention to. But it comes back perfect plan pay off of Frankie Sharp records and they know his limousine is going through a certain place and they know that he watches satellite TV in his limo because he doesn't fly or whatever.

36:46 And so Garth gets Wayne, or Wayne gets Garth back on the sign because Garth, you know, can do technology and hardware and stuff like that. And they want to get Cassandra to the original basement studio of Wayne's World. And after do an audition for Frankie Sharp that they're going to beam straight to his limousine. And even Russell redeems himself who's, you know, the the the Miss or the Smithers to Benjamin, you know, it's kind of a sweet scene where they like hug it out and you know, he becomes part of the crew properly, right? And going back to your original point, like there's actual arcs for secondary and tertiary characters in this, you know, in that, you know, Russell really does help him out and sort of like he's kind of a arguable guy because he knows what the hell he's doing, right. He has a bit of a Cody.

37:39 You're right. I I love that moment. I I. That was just such a fun, wholesome kind of moment, you know, whenever Easter joins the crew and helps them out. Yeah. And so like again, there's sort of like the heist being, you know, getting the satellite signal to Sharp's limo. You know, you get this sort of like big triumphant moment where you know, crucial time plays in the studio and you know, you see the sharp limousine turn around. You know, and you know, obviously we're going to spoil this 31 year old movie because it's 31 years old. And the end of this film, to me is brilliant because there's so few films that do this, but they lutely fail. Like Sharp is like, yeah, you're not there yet, You're not ready. And you know, of course Santa's like Wayne. You ruined my career and Benjamin's there sort of laughing and everyone's all bummed out. And just like out of this was, I thought, brilliant when I was watching it out of nowhere.

38:45 Well, first of all, like, Stacey comes in and reveals she's pregnant and like the fire stars, burns the house down. It's just all disaster. It's a disaster. So we're going to Garth come back and they're like, why don't we do a scooby-doo ending? And then it goes and they have a completely different ending to the movie. Is scooby-doo on masked as an event Withers? Eventually what? Yeah, it's so goofy. And yeah, there that. Moment and then but it is right. It is it's jarring because when you first see like the limousine, like peeling out and you turning to go back and you're like, Oh yeah, of course. Like this is the big moment where she gets signed and then we're going to just come back and be like, yeah, it's you're not there.

39:30 It's it's not it is is really jarring. So I agree that. Yeah, it came out of no or it didn't come out of nowhere. It's earned, but it's also earned in like that's kind of reality and that's like, you know, I mean it goes completely off the rails after. That but still, right? Yeah. And then the But then the pacing of it is really fun, right? Because we get this could be do ending. We get the the happy ending, the mega happy ending. Yeah. Yeah, Mega happy. Exactly. Right. It's funny because I was a huge fan of Clue growing up and that that had the three endings as well. So I was just like the 2nd that I was like, oh, they're doing the Clue thing and I. Can't recall any other film in that time frame doing that. And it was sort of like such a like aha moment where somebody else had the balls to do this right. Whether you, you know, whether you like the Scooby-doo ending or the make a happy ending or not, it's still like that took balls to do like yeah, huge big budget SNL movie and they're like, you know what, No, these first ending going to be them fail.

40:34 But we're going to do 3 endings and they're all going to be equally ludicrous. Right. Right. Right. I I thought, oh, I I thought it'd be. Well, I didn't pick up on it when I first watched this years ago, but when I was watching it just last night, I thought I said the same thing. I was like it's fucking clue. It's it's the Clue movie at the end where it's like different end and it it's just like I was so tickled. By that and the fact that the middle one is literally a Scooby-doo ending, I mean, come on. Right, right, right. And it's kind of, it's kind of funny, like, without getting into Wayne's World too. But like, the happy ending is the real ending at the end of the day. Like, you know, Cassandra does get signed. She, you know, can launch her relationship with Wayne Arcus ends up with the hot girl from the donut shop that he was fantasizing over.

41:21 And, you know, we, we didn't say it before, but there's this brilliant Jimi Hendrix scene where Garth is like dancing to this beautiful blonde girl with her, you know, her blowing in the wind. That's, you know, very stylized but works just kind of perfectly for him. And the best part is, Penchantman comes in and he's like, you know, money looks great, but that's not everything. It doesn't bring happiness. Yeah, Ridiculously Sapri. So it works. It works because you have that scooby-doo ending right before. That's so absurd that it just kind of, it makes it all work. And that's the film right there. And it's, you know, 90 minutes of solid gold. Yes.

42:04 And yeah, I I agree. It's so it and the length of it too. I mean, it just keeps the pace so tight. And you know, there are moments that are like, you know, pretty clearly improvised or like, you know, jokes that are just kind of put in like there's this random or Shirley bit that like, but it's still, it still feels tightly paint, you know what I mean? Like it just, it it doesn't really. There's no point where. There's fat or it? Feels like it's lagging. Exactly like the fact that in a 90 minute film they could do almost a full on recreation of the Laverne and Charlie opening credits scene, right? And it didn't feel superfluous. Right, right, right.

42:45 That's to me, that's talent filmmaking right there in the Yeah, I was also reading right, though we didn't mention that much. But that scene where Garth dances to Foxy Lady towards the beautiful blonde in the donut shop, like they had to do that scene several times because it just wasn't pacing right where it wouldn't work. Like his Scarth is a little bit of an innocent, you know, where he's like, no, he's he's not a, you know, he's a fully rounded character and he's, you know, obviously a genius with hardware and software and stuff like that. But he's just like a a nice quiet guy. And so, like, they had to reshoot that scene a lot to sort of like get that character moment just right where he was still that like nice white guy without being too pervy, basically. Because when you watch that, like the way it ends as well with him getting sort of like shot back and hits a sad like shot back to reality, you know, it makes scenes like that work well because they were willing to work, work those scenes over and over again.

43:45 They were just right as opposed to like, oh, we got to get this done. So let's get it done. Yeah, yeah. Which is crazy to hear too, because as I was like researching for this, it was shot in like just a little over a month I think, right? It was like like 35 days or something. I think they took to shoot this movie, which sounded like crazy, a crazy short period of time for like a, you know, big movie. Really right. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I mean, it's a pretty big $20 million SNL Paramount Pictures movie. You know it's not. It's not some indie film. Right, right, right. And it also especially Mike Myers and Dana Kari, but also we mentioned, you know, Ed O'Neill, like these people were at like the heights of their career, right?

44:31 I mean Rob Lowe, of course, Brat Pack days, but you know Brian Dole Murray, you know he's an old pro, but it was like brash heights of their kind of comedic powers and really shines through and just the ability where it's word this correctly, but it's like it's not rushed but there's no fat at all. And even even like the the stupid throw Ray jokes, like Robert Packard showing up as the T1000 looking for John Connor, whereas Wade, he's racing to Cassandra holds up because that film, Terminator Two, is iconic. It's time, right? And so even that cameo, which is probably the most 92 thing ever, still holds up. It still lands.

45:17 Yeah. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. And so it's kind of funny how well, this for me anyway. How well this film does hold up. Yeah, I I agree. It it holds up so much better than I had expected it to, even. And it's just fun, right? It, it it, there's something about it that's still spontaneous, even though it is, as we said, a big movie. It's, you know, big stars relatively, you know, big budget. It's like it's still sort of feels like just dudes having fun, like you know and it's it it it feels organic I guess in a way that I I think movies felt like during this time period and and don't necessarily feel to me now if that makes sense. Yeah.

46:04 Or at least not movies of this scale, right? Right. And also, I mean let's let's be honest, there are a lot of movies from this era, especially comedies. There is so much cringe in just jokes they chose and the the parodies they chose that you know that it is the time. There's nothing, really nothing I found like cringy about any of the the comedy. Like there's no, you know, as an overused term, but, you know, there's no punching down. There's no sort of like, oh really? You know, it's really like just timeless sort of comedy. Oh, the car.

46:45 Merfibil's AMC Pacer, which. OK, yeah. OK, that's a randomness car. That is a super random car. So you know what? That's the film. Let's get into the whiskey and I'm going to let you take over here and tell us about the 2023 birthday Burlington Old Forester. Absolutely. Yeah, man. So this is an expression that is released once a year by old Forester September 2nd every year our founder George Gavin Brown's birthday and it is, it was actually the first vintage age statement Durban on the market back in 2002. So this is the 23rd release that we're enjoying this evening. It's 96 proof.

47:31 So it's these are proofed year by year just based on what that particular year that particular batch tastes best at, as determined by our Master Distiller Chris Morris, our master X-Men Master Taster Melissa Rift. So 96 proof. This particular one is 12 years old and there's not information. Some previous years we have had information about what warehouses and things like that kept it pretty general this year. But like all releases of Birthday Bourbon, to me this really gets that Rich Oaky still has the classic Old Forester Caramels fruit. Look it up, some sills on the nose. Yeah.

48:18 You get a little bit of, you know, a little bit of like red chili in there, like little oak spice, but it is, it is vanilla, velvet and caramel like. Yeah, that it does. It has a really decadent now. It's really rich. It's like if you could smell silk and feel silk as a snow, it'd be this snows. I love that. Yeah. Well, cheers. Cheers, man. Yeah. Thanks for having me on. And that silkiness delivers on the palate as well with just this wonderful sort of layer of it's interesting is that vanilla comes late. So it's like you get in with like a little bit of like spiced apple, a little bit of wood spice and then that that caramel comes back and then it kind of that caramel builds towards like this creamy vanilla mint palate that gives you this just lush finish. Yeah, with the like a little note of cherry tobacco on the end, a little motor hair Brandy on the end, and with that vanilla creaminess under layer buttercream I love. Yeah, I I love the creaminess of this year's release. That is, that is definitely a word that I have used to describe this one.

49:31 Yeah, it's so classical forester that that kind of exhale or that finish with that tobacco note that you had mentioned. You know, when we get these extra aged expressions, it's just like it's such a treat to get that extra little bit of, you know, kind of earthy, you know, tobacco Y leathery that we get on some of these. And it really comes through on this year's release. To me on that, on that finish, it's really nice. And the way back it to a second time, I get a little hint of a floral note that's kind of maybe like an orange blossom, but it's it's very faint.

50:12 It's sort of like, it's just like it's the nouns going a little bit further. Then you take that sip and you get a little bit more of that kind of dark spice bark like but like so like clove buds and al spice berries and. Like proper. You know, cinnamon bark sheets and things like that. So it's not brown and it's not really dry either because you still have that rich creaminess, but it's quite an eggnog either, you know what I mean, where they get that eggnog spice, but it's it's kind of like in the in the mid ground there where it's it's kind of like mold white or hot apple cider spice you know? Yeah, yeah, I could see that.

50:52 I I definitely got some like sort of FIG you know some of that you know Fig date kind of thing going on which I think complements then that that mold spice note that you're talking about really nicely. So we kind of have to address the elephant in the room because this is Birthday Bourbon. Yeah. You know, how do you guys release this? And like, how does it go out in the world? Yeah, no, let's. Go try it. Yeah, man. No, that's a great question. So the sort of most public facing version of the release that we do currently is the online lottery leading up to the release release date, I should say. So if you sign up for e-mail with Old Forrester, you'll be alerted to when the lottery opens up. Obviously it's closed for this year since we've already passed the release date, but there will be a number of bottles held at the Distillery in downtown Louisville. And just like any other lottery, if your name gets picked, you know your Goldman can come in and buy a bottle. So that's kind of the most viable way. They're wise.

51:58 Always keep an eye. You know, I I do this. I'm sure you do this. Zach and I know some of the whiskey loving public are sort of training themselves if they've not already done so to do so. But always standing the back bar and seeing what you can find that you know you never know where you can find a special bottle on the back bar. And and this one, I think it's so appropriate because it has a birthday in the name right. Right. Giving you, giving you an excuse on your birthday. Just splurge a little bit. Enjoy a pour of it. My birthday was last week so I cracked this one open and yeah man, it's it's really special release so. Yeah, I think that gets lost in the mix sometimes because you know those these special releases like they are very fleeting, you know?

52:43 Yeah, how it is, it's a special release. It's not supposed to be everywhere, but you also allocate out to, you know bars and restaurants who have contracts with Littles worse. So you will see this in really good high end bars, really good high end restaurants, you know, that have, like you said, look at that back bar, probably going to see one back bar if you have a nice whiskey bar in your neighborhood where you might see one of these. And again it's right there on the label, it's a special floor for a special occasion. And so, yeah, it's going to cost a little bit more because that's, you know, waves and breaks, but it is so unique. Also, it's unique year to year, like 2022's Birthday Bourbon, very different from this.

53:30 Like, I'd have to go back to my notes, but I don't remember that creaminess coming through quite as much. I remember being a little sharper, maybe a little grassier. Again, I'd have to go back to my notes. Likewise with the 2021, Like, there was a difference there, right? I remember that being a little more caramel spice or so. There's a lot of fun, I think. And you know, when you do go and see this bottle on the back or ask about the vintage because they might have one or two or three and you can kind of taste them side by side and get a sense of how much work is being put into each one of these releases per year. You know what Chris and Melissa did this year with, you know, with this one is something truly unique to this vintage.

54:12 Yeah. And so again, you know, you know, I, I know it's hard for people out there listening when you know, there's an elite whiskey where, you know, you can kind of get frustrated with accessibility. But, you know, not everybody gets to buy a Daytona Rolex cider, you know, and not everybody gets to wear, you know, the real Jordan ones. And you know, not everybody gets a Supreme sweatshirt when I want a Supreme sweatshirt. The difference being is you can find us in bars and restaurants and you can get a pour. Yeah, you know and and it's not impossible. And it's yeah, I And to that point too it is right. It's like it's it. It is as you said, you know you're going to pay a little bit more than you'd be paying for another pour but you know whiskeys for drinking and enjoying with people and for special occasions and you know I I'm as guilty of it as anybody as kind of the phone wall with some you know special releases that that are from other brands because I haven't and busy as first, right. But, you know, I mean, when it comes down to it, you know, I work in the industry my kind of day-to-day bourbon would just be Old Forester signature 100 per, you know, it's like, so yeah, I I agree.

55:25 I think it's it's a matter of enjoying it. And you know, especially if you can patronize a really good whiskey bar that's in your area for a special occasion with somebody special, you know, that's really the best way to do it. So. And I think I mean I I love them. Sit here. This is going to be definitely by by top of favorite burger the year, but also when this gets talking about a lot less. But the president's choice this year, remote Forrester, was just showstopper. So tell us a little bit about that. Yeah, man. So President's Choice is a really special product. It is. It was actually the first commercially available single barrel bourbon back in 1962 I believe was the year.

56:08 I believe the first one started with B I'm kidding. Yeah, lot of people believe that. A lot of people like to call me out and say that. Oh yeah, I know, I know. You know your stuff. But, but yeah, man, it's it's it's kind of cool because it is it's kind of not as widely talked about, I think in part because it was it was a brand that we ran during the 60s, I think the early 70s as well really during bourbon's sort of, you know, peak heyday as a spirit and then you know stopped subsequently producing it whenever the demand fell off and then only reintroduced it in 2018.

56:49 Whenever Campbell Brown was the president of the company. Whenever we, you know, opened up the Old Forester distillery to the public and that was the point at which Campbell started picking individual single barrels and offering them and and really up until this past year, it was just they were just sold in Kentucky and the vast majority of them were sold at the Old Forester distillery. That has since changed because we do a direct to consumer. So if you sign up for the old Forester emails, it'll there'll just be random releases where you can get an e-mail, you know, click the link, and we're now shipping to several states throughout the. US So so. Definitely keep an eye out for that. You know it.

57:32 If you're an old Forester enthusiast and you want to get your hands on a bottle of President's Choice, that would be the way to do it. And as you said, Zach, it's really, really killer juice. Usually those are, you know, pretty close to barrel strength. You know we're we're looking at the one 10115 sometime 120 proof range and then right in the neighborhood just you know knocking on the door of the birthday bourbon year. You know in terms of you're looking at 910 year old, sometimes 11 year old whiskey single barrel that are going into those President's choice. Releases and then so just to sort of round it off Rule of three since we're watching movies and comedy Kingage Kentucky then is sort of obviously a different label, still brown for me, still Louisville, but it's the it's the ABV long ranging but from the same warehouses, you know that's correct. Yeah, it's a it's a sort of like a a sibling, so to speak. Yeah.

58:36 And King is God. That's such a special product. And you know. If. I had infinite resources and access and everything. I I would love to do a president's choice birthday King of Kentucky plate because the the different flavor that it takes on the the our distillate takes on at the 15 to 16 year mark that you're getting into with King of Kentucky or 18 year in the case of one of last year's releases. It gets so much of this interesting, you know, like what the cognac folks call like rancio, you know, that like oxidized oh can like almost like menthol and just like big tobacco and like, yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

59:22 Yeah, we had it. We had it for a yeah, man, we had something at Kentucky together not that long ago. Yeah, the 15 year and God, it's just it. It is. It's just they're all so special and and they're all so different. And I think it's a testament to really, I mean, where the industry is at, but also just our ingenuity and and you know, the ingenuity of people like Melissa and Chris who were on the front lines of making these products, you know, and yeah, King of Kentucky's fantastic. And there you go folks. I mean we got the holidays coming up here. Treat yourself. Get yourself a triple flag Birthday Bourbon 2023, President's Choice 2023.

1:00:03 Top it off with a Kentucky 16 year old and you will have. A trio of masterpieces from ground, let me tell you. So let's let's sort of wrap this up. What are your final class on Wings World? Is it, is it something you're going to watch again? You feel like you know it's going to hit the rotation. You know, I want to recommend this to my friends. Something that I like, tried to champion just as a human being is what I call just like healthy male friendship. I think that like so much of being an adult male, and especially for like our dad's generation and granddad's generation was very stoic and very much based on solitude. And I just think that, you know, as the world becomes kinder, hopefully, you know, that's something that we can move away from and more move more towards community.

1:00:51 And I think that that was really the centerpiece of this movie and the thing that I most enjoyed about it. And I think Russell, the character that we joked about a little bit, actually had a lie at one point in the movie where he said and I learned that something like healthy platonic relationships can exist between adult men or something like that. So without without being too sentimental, I was like, I want to recommend this to some of my friends who I stay in touch with, you know, and you know, because it is it's just it's it's a nice celebration of of friendship in that way. And I I appreciated the wholesomeness of it. Absolutely, Yeah. And it that's that's a really good way to put it. Like this is. It is a wholesome movie in the end. Like, it really is, you know, like, which you would never guess from an SNL movie from the early 90s, especially one that does dip into absurdity so, so deeply. And yeah, that's like, this is sort of, you know, this film for me became kind of a a litmus test throughout the years where if you're going to be, like, really deep friends with someone, you know what I'd be you'd watch it and you'd be like, yeah, they'd get it.

1:01:55 Like, we can hang, right? But then that plays into what you're talking about. Like, you know, this is like it is a film is about bonding with with with people and that's sort of the beautiful beauty of it and why I think it's sort of transcends generations. And he still bolts up and still has fans and you know, new fans will come to it. I mean we just passed Halloween. You know my my feed was filled with people still dressing as waiting. Garth and it's been 31 years and that's that's kind of impressive. Yeah, that it's still bad. That's permeation of the culture has lasted that long and it is impressive. Also a birthday bourbon has permeated the bourbon culture and become such a cornerstone that lasted that long. Ian, thank you so much for doing this. I'm glad we were able to watch and talk about such a fun movie, but also drink such a beautiful whiskey. Can you tell the audience where people can find you, where people can find your whiskey, or where people can find Dole, Forester and?

1:02:59 Absolutely, man. Yeah. And thank you so much again for having me. It's been a blast. You can find me on Instagram at Imbibe with Ian the Mirror like Underscores between Imbibe and With. And yeah, you get the idea, you'll find me. But and then Old Forrester is just at Old Forrester. Follow us. Look for those special releases. Enjoy our products with your with your friends and with your family during this wonderful holiday season. And we're me now. This is Zack's Whiskey Corner for the Film and Whiskey Podcast. But follow me at ZTP Whiskey on Instagram or at brock.com, where I write whiskey reviews every single day. We'll see you all then.

1:03:39 Thank you everybody the.