Matty Matheson & Courtney Storer in conversation with Lisa Donovan

We're here! What up, MAD? Will Poulter! I can't believe it! We didn't even know Will was coming, you guys. That's super cool. He's so gorgeous. He's so handsome. Dude, We're the Millers? We're the Millers is fire! He's a good person! We start with that. Good person! He's a very good person. Not an imposter. I'm not sure why I'm here, because they're just gonna do this the whole time. We spent a lot of time together. Yeah, I'm sorry. No, don't be. Keep going. Then it must work for me. Come on. First of all, I just want to take a second to say thank you again to Mickey, because he's... That was really moving, and I'm from the Southeast, and he has actually saved people's lives that I know, but I just wanted to say that, because it's really important what he's done. Yeah, Mickey! We love you, Mickey! And now, I want to talk about the show. The show, Mainlining PTSD to chefs' living rooms. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! He's triggered! What up? I think probably we'll start real smooth with just, like, how did you guys get rolled into this, and I know it's probably gonna be... We'll start with Coco, because I think that's the obvious place to start. Well, I didn't really have much of a choice. My brother created the show, and my brother is Chris Storer, who is obviously family to me, but he's been the biggest inspiration. In my cooking career, he was probably the only one when I told him I was gonna be a chef that didn't tell me I was crazy. And, you know, early... Very early on, I think, you know, when I was kind of coming into food, I had crossed paths with this guy right here. He used to sit at the counter when I was a chef at Jon and Vinny's, and we briefly met. And then, a couple years later, I applied to go to MAD Symposium, and I got accepted. And I was you, six years ago, sitting in the audience, not really knowing anyone. And when I went into the tent, I saw Matty. You were also wearing a red hat then. Got a couple red hats. Yeah, still the same amount of tattoos. But Matty looked out for me at MAD, and I think it's really where we became buddies, and we got to know each other. And he was hustling, and I just remember at that time, he had started doing Vice. He was kind of spinning all the tops in the air, and I was like, how do you do it? And he was like, I'm just trying. I just try. I don't even know if I'm good at it. And at that MAD, it was called Mind the Gap. How many of you went to that one? Starting to feel pretty old now. But the biggest takeaway for me was building bridges. And I think Matty was a big bridge for me in my life, and really looked after me. And I remember Chris talking about... It wasn't called The Bear. It was something about Mortal Kombat or something. Long story. But he was like, you know, I really want to bring in the right people. And I was like, Matty needs to talk to you. Like, you guys need to connect. And it was the smartest thing I ever did. Because not only do they work well together, but Matty's like family to us, and it's just a gift. Man. You are so good at connecting people. You do take really good care. What? He's a connector. You're very good at connecting. Yeah. Like, just taking care of people. You know, connecting's nice. People are nice. Good ones should be together. Bad ones can fuck off. And good people should be together. Yeah. Yeah. And Coco, I love you, you know. It's an incredible thing to see everything you've done and been a part of. And you... Like, it is amazing. People are amazing. I love them. And Chris Torr is one of those people. And he just... He called... I don't know. It was fucking like... He called me and was just like, hey, could you consult? Like, I started off as a consultant, you know. I've had like kind of a raw dog career. And the... Yeah. He kind of called me and it was just kind of like, let's do this thing. Can you do this thing? And I was just like, yeah, I think I can... I don't know. Like, what is it? You know? Like, it is like a... It was just daunting. Like, much like being here is daunting. Doing something you've never done before is scary. I believe in being scared. Scared is good. And... And then he asked me if I wanted to act. And then that was even like... I was just like... He's like, can you act? And I was just like, I've never fucking acted. And so then that happened. Which... Figuring that out. But yeah, like it is like... You figured it out very well. You're doing... I mean, it's remarkable. You're a good actor, Matty. You're a good actor. I remember the line like that the acting... Let me tell you something. You know? Acting is like... I memorize... I don't know. I don't know if this is the right word. Phonetically, I think, or some shit. I have to just memorize the words kind of like the alphabet. Yeah. And I just have to memorize the words. Because then I thought at the beginning I could just kind of read the script a couple times. And then, you know, you go in and you act. You got none of it. You act. Yeah. And then you'd look at the script and you'd be like, this is stupid. This is stupid. Yeah, this is dumb. I'm not saying this. I'm like, you don't have a choice, buddy. Yeah, I don't have a choice. Well, I want to talk about writing. I do. I want to talk about writing eventually. Because we had a really good conversation about the writer's room. I want to talk to you. But the first thing I want to ask you, because I think it was Roman who said earlier, food creates a space for empathy. Yeah. And I think that's true. I don't think it always equals empathy, but I think it does create a space for empathy. And I think there's something really deeply moving about the way that the writing is so skewed towards a real deep understanding and empathy towards what we all know. or, you know, chefs who have worked in, anybody who's worked in restaurants. There's a real empathy being written into the script, into the language. The food is a character. The restaurant is a character. Can you guys talk a little bit about that development? I know that's a big question. But I think you guys have a lot to do with that, obviously. Like, you're the ones that have experienced that. And I'm just kind of curious how it goes. Yeah, but it's, of course, we're a part of that. But it is the community at large. I would say Chris has the biggest cookbook collection, more than I do. He is a huge food lover and enjoys the hospitality community. But I think bigger than that, Chris and I grew up in a very dysfunctional family system. And it didn't really set us up for success. You know, there was a lot of stigma around mental health awareness and addiction. And we couldn't really talk to anyone about it. And we didn't really have a normal family where, you know, our parents were taking care of us. We kind of had the script flipped on us young and were taking care of our parents in a lot of ways. And the only families we really knew were in restaurants. And we learned so much about empathy through people kind of taking us under their wing and making us an extension of their family. And you see that so much in how the show is written. And that's really Chris and Joanna, the other showrunner. But I think the tone that I've seen Chris set in the writers' room is really that kindness and people really are what function, what restaurants function within and how important it is to focus in on the individual and then also where the individual comes from that bring, where is their magic created that they bring to the table. Which is kind of, I think, what the show does a nice job doing. And it's a very complicated thing to go into. But the writers really listened to all sorts of different kinds of chefs. We opened up the writers' room to as many chefs as we could. I wish we could have even talked to more. You know, we read cookbooks and they read cookbooks and stories. They also had journals of mine from, you know, while I was cooking and learning. So they tried to take it all into consideration. So I know a lot of your personal experiences are, whether you're influencing it or not, because your brother knows your story so closely. Matty, did you like bring any of that to your work? Are you trying to impart, do you have like a goal with your character or with any of the... A goal of fact? Yeah. I'm just trying to walk. I don't know if you've seen the show. They made me kind of where I don't know how to walk. But you also, we were talking about the writers' room. Yeah. And you guys can kind of go in there and talk a little bit about the script and the reality of the script. Do you guys have any sort of like personal things that you're trying to sort of accomplish with the storylines or the messaging or the responsibility at large? Do you feel a responsibility at large here? Yeah. I just want people, like, I said this before, like, I'm just like, every single person here is broken. Yeah. Broken a million times. And we put ourselves together every day. And, you know, a restaurant is theater. The show is on. Service is on. Do you know your lines? Is your mise en place done? Are we good to go? How do we get there? By any means necessary? Or are we trying to help each other actually get there on a real level? Or are we just fucking kicking and screaming to the top? And it's just like, I think that kind of stuff is not sustainable anymore. And I think this show is like one of those things that we're trying to have, that empathy. We're trying to stick together. We're trying to get there. You know, people have emotional days. There's days when you are upset. There's days when you are angry. There's days when you're sad. There's days when you're happy. There's days when you're delusional. And it is like one of those things where I think it is like very much, like, I see it as like a human show and like a thing like that way more than like a restaurant show. And it is like a thing that, I don't know. I just, I want, I really hope karma gets it. And it is a thing that some people don't, you know. And I think that is the thing. Like you keep trying and trying and the people around you do believe in you enough. And they believe and they want to stick together. And the opportunity of this like mix match team, you know, striving towards a dream of this thing that is life on life's terms. It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a thing that they planned for. It was a thing that was there and then it changed. And then how do we take it? And it was dying and continue or create something new. And like, I don't know. But like, I, you know, like we're working with the writers. We're telling stories. They're helping us. Like they'll ask stories about our careers and things like that. And then we give it to the writers. And then the writers work. Like they're, they're, they're incredible. The writers room on The Bear. The writing is incredible. Yeah. But I think when, you know, I think about the word responsibility, I was terrified season one. I had so many voices in my head. I, I'm, I'm in a room with chefs that I have and will continue to look up to and have respected and admired for so long. And I'm like, oh man, I hope chefs see this and don't feel like we're getting it wrong. And it is very difficult to make a 30 minute episode about something so layered and different. And, and not all chefs. We're all so different. Um, but what I did think about is the little things like, um, how much rigor, the commitment, the dedication it takes to be a cook, to be a chef, to, um, have friends who don't understand why you can't see them on the weekends or make weddings or bachelor parties or bachelorette parties and, um, why you can't go to a christening. Like I have missed out on so many things in my life, um, because of my dedication to being a chef and cooking. And I really think it's, it's special to be able to kind of zoom in. And, and sometimes people don't understand when they go to a restaurant and they see a dish, just how painstakingly and wonderful and beautiful the process is, but how much chefs are thinking about food in this way. And they're thinking about the guest experience. It's not just chef, it's the team at large. It's everybody, you know, pulling their weight to make magic happen on that scale in any restaurant, no matter fast cash. And, um, that's what they want to say. And it's all about if they want to come to a restaurant with a guest, but it's people to come to their children and come to my gym. And so often, um, I always felt like people didn't really get it. Like, you know, my friends will be like, why do you want to work like that? Damn, you're always working. You have two jobs. You're insane. I was like, yeah, I'm not making much money, but I, something about it, I love and something about it gets us going back every day. And sometimes it's not about the money. It's about your passion and your love for this thing. And you don't quite understand and may not have the means, but it pulls you back. in like a magnet and so you know we tried to show that a little bit. I think I thought I knew what your job was until I saw it when you sent that video over and then I was like Jesus like what didn't you do? Like you were teaching. I didn't act. That's true. I was an extra actually. Can you kind of like give us were you really? Yeah. Oh. No but you can't see me. My brother's like you're not in the show. I'm like okay I'll just do everything else or no. But you like you taught all of the actors. Yeah. How to cook. The ones that didn't know how to cook. Yeah. Do you have a sizable team? You were cooking all of the food. Not at first it was Matty and I. Matty would be acting and I'd be like Matty fucking cook the stage. Yeah it was like on the pilot it was us. Yeah. On the first season it was us. And then I was acting and doing it. And I was like screwed. Like it was just like what? Like we were like setting the stage and like we would have like when I first got there like there's like everything's union. Yeah. And so it was just like I started touching stuff and everyone's like you can't touch stuff. And I was just like well I gotta what? So it was just like what the fuck is going on? Yeah. Like we gotta set up the fridges. And they're like no we just like the fridge it's TV. And I was just like no but the menu on the board and like the menu we wrote needs to be like in the fridges. And they're like no. And I opened up the fridges it's 50 pounds of carrots. And I was just like what the fuck is that? And so like then we had to spend the first week on the pilot. The first weekend I made everyone come in and I was just like yo we gotta set up the fridges so then like if the actors are acting they can grab go in and make a salad. So I'm gonna set up this whole thing to be a kitchen. And then that's when it kind of clicked in. Like I didn't think we even had like I don't know. It was the first time I ever did something like that. First time we did something like that. And so like I was just like oh I guess you guys thought we just had 50 pounds of carrots. Or like even in the walk in like. Don't you make a lot. No you don't make that. They had like it's just like a thing where I was just like yo on set like I was like you guys are reading the scripts. I was like these fools are it's broke. This restaurant's dying. They don't have cases of pickles. Also there's no pickles on the menu. And so like it was like one of those things where prop and all these things. Hot dogs. Hot dogs. Chicago-style hot dogs. They had okay they had spears. But it is like a thing where I was just like yo they don't even have they have in the script it says there's one pot. Why are there all these pots? So it's just like. They have no money. They got no money. There's no money. There's no money. There's no money. Who has money? But it is like a thing that like yeah like we did shit like that and had fun and like created the DNA of it. And like we're a big part of like what that was and the movements and how people moved in the kitchen and like that's like like it's funny like people are putting their hands in their pockets on set and we're like nah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Nails. You ain't putting nails in your pockets. Yeah. Yeah. Nails. Yeah. Nails are like I don't know. Just like small stuff that like ain't in the script and stuff and it's just like you're just finessing that stuff and watching people move around. and do things and also like the magic of editing and like creating intensity within those means. It's like yeah. The whole thing is it's intense. Yeah. And the stakes have gotten higher each season. You know. I think the scripts have gotten more complicated and the kitchen techniques and the methods and so each time with the cast we have to be very aware that they're very vulnerable. You know. We're asking them to come in and try and change from you know an Italian beef stand into a restaurant that's going for a Michelin star. That's a very big culture shift. And that meant that the cast had to be prepared to make that energetic shift. It happens you know between season two to season three and now with season four and it's just meant that we've brought on more professionals. So many people who have helped us on the show are in this room today and I want to thank you all for answering every phone call, every email, every text. Because I'm not Michelin. We're not Michelin. I ain't Michelin. I don't know if you can realize that. We dabble. I don't fuck around with the tire guy. We dabble. But you know it's a learning curve and I had to face my own vulnerability and I know what my strengths are. I definitely have really gotten to know my weaknesses. I think that that's a huge benefit of knowing yourself is being able to admit like the things that you're really good at and the things that you are not good at. And it's okay not to be good at everything. I think with chefs we feel like it's so scary to admit your vulnerabilities and if I walked into you know the room with the actors and acted like I knew everything then I was setting a bad example for them. And so it was so fun for me to bring in different chefs, people that made time for us so they could see different styles. I mean how Matty and I move in a kitchen is very different and that was such a resource for the actors to see how he picks up and uses tools is very different than me when I move around. You know if I've got to pick out that that veal stock scene where Sydney drops it is something that happened to me at a restaurant Animal in LA. I grabbed it, it fell all over me, I had to work the whole service. But it's like for muscle and body movement that was something I had to learn that it takes time to do those things and teaching that to people who have to do it on screen means that we have to coach them a lot. A lot of times between scenes. Sometimes we don't have the big ramp of time they'll change the scene or something and they really trust us to set them up for success. So we've got to be really there for them. And this is, am I right in thinking that this is the first time either one of you have worked on like a major television production besides like. Yeah, yeah, I don't work on, yeah. I've made like unscripted shit for years. Yeah, I did a lot. I've done so much. Yeah, I don't know. Like I've done unscripted shit where I'm like send me off to some place, eat some soup and talk to somebody. And then it's just like, all right. Or jump out of a plane or do some stupid stuff. And like, I don't know. Like I did all that. And then like this is such a different thing. It's like, I was like, like the stuff I've did is like mom and pop stuff. Like I'm just like low key indie stuff doing like this thing is like a beast. Like it is like a real TV set. Like a real network funded show like this is like, it's a true, there's 300 people, you know, that make it happen every day. You know, on set, there's like 100. You know, every day taking care of each other, doing stuff, all working towards this one thing. It's like, it is a trip. And it's just like, I don't know. And it's, I just thinking about the sheer quantity of people. I mean, we were having group meetings with set decoration and props department and telling them all the different like tweezers and tongs and spoons. And like it was so overwhelming for everyone. And it's such a collective of people to make this show function. My brother is so fast. The way he shoots this television show is nuts. It's banana-ville. He's, I see where I get it. But I had to keep a lot of composure because for Chris, he looks to me to like handle it. And that was more pressure than some crazy shots I've worked for. Yeah, it must be hard working with family on something that's already sort of like this really intense. Yeah, especially when it's largely inspired by things in our life. And watching it got me to understand Chris a little bit better. That was a gift, I think. It's also kind of complicated to be like, oh, wow, he wrote this thing. He's never said this to me. But I know it's about me, you know. And it's how Chris sort of speaks to me is through the work where I'm the opposite. I like to talk about feelings. Talk about it. I like to appreciate people. Matty knows. I'm a bit. I'm a bit. I'm a bit. I talk about them. I love talking about feelings. Yeah. I'm a, I. I. Love being sad. I think it's really important to address conflict. You know. I love conflict. Chris is like opposite. So, um. So that was interesting. Yeah. It was, it was very tricky. There's kind of like a, you know, we're, we're here to talk about build to last. And there's a bigger picture here, I think, for the, you know, I know a lot of chefs that can't watch the show. That just, you know, they, it's too much. They, it's too accurate. It's too spot on. Um. I just, the writing's so good, I couldn't look away. You know. I mean, it is, there are these moments where you're just like, you're starting to sweat. And you're just like sitting on the couch with your cat. But you're like having all of these feelings that you don't really want to be having. And, um. It's just like acutely accurate. But the writing is so spot on. And I guess I'm, you know, I, I know that maybe, I mean, we're here to talk about it. And I'm just like, you know, we're going to talk about sort of the bigger picture. So, for you two, maybe the show aside, is there, I don't know, how are you guys feeling about maybe some of the messaging? Do you feel like it moves the needle? Do you feel like it actually helping maybe the general public understand what's going on in these spaces? I'm just sort of riffing here because I think there's, there's, there's not really like a solid question around it. It's just sort of culturally, is this making making a change? I think it is. I wonder what you guys think. Um. Yeah, I don't, you know, it is like one of those things, I guess, you know, I like like Rick Rubin's thing where like you make something and you're not in control of like what the outcome is, you know? So it's just like, we like to, we were, Chris, Chris is our guy. Yeah. You know, he wanted to make a story and we wanted to help him make a story. And, um, how people feel is how people feel. Every, every single person in here has an experience. The, the experience that we wrote is, is, is, is a, a big part of Chris's life. And it's partly his story he's telling. And I think that through the eyes of a chef, but it is a, uh, yeah, I, I, I don't know. I, I think the awareness of like showing the difficulties, you know, showing a bunch of fools argue and, and chirp at each other and love each other and hate each other and everything like that. That's, that's kind of like a small, small little five person joint. You know, it is, it's very intense, especially when it's mixed with family. Uh, I've never worked with my family ever. So I don't know, you know, I can only imagine, or I'm very happy that I've never worked with my family because it seems intense. My dad teaching me how to do fucking math was like intense. I didn't like, I was like, it's like, dad, I'm failing. Cause I'm not listening to you the way you're, you know, I had a dad who would like, he would always say my teachers are stupid. Cause he would teach me how to do math differently. And I was just like, what? Like, I'm like, I don't know how to do either way. I don't, I don't know. I don't know how to do either way. Long division, grade four, dad, calm down. Don't get angry. But I'm like, I wouldn't want to work with them, you know, but it is a thing. Like, I think showing a restaurant difficulty and showing what it takes to get something on the plate and on a table and, and, and what services. And like, I think those types of things is opening up people. Like, you know, everyone's like, people are asking every chef in the world and I'm sorry. Is it real? Is it, is that what it's like? I'm like, people arguing. Yeah. It's intense. It's like, yeah, I don't know. Have you ever done something where every single day people are showing up eating something that a bunch of people are working towards and it needs to be perfect. And then if it's not right now in this day of age, fools are going to leave you a 3.6 on a fucking Google. And it's just like, you overdress your salad, you're fried. Okay. Calm down. Chill out. Everyone's in here. Maybe they had a bad day. Maybe, you know, there's a, everyone's here trying to talk about, being sustainable or being like having longevity or being that thing. And it's like, I think we're showing something that is in disarray. It is in disarray. We are in disarray. Well, and it's, I think it's like, like you're saying, like it's pulling this curtain back about the, I think, not to generalize because we all come from different places and all, you know, have different backgrounds. But, you know, I think we can all agree that by and large, there is a certain type of person that ends up in that kind of high functioning space in a kitchen. And I think this is, at least for me, one of the first times I've seen the family dynamic being shown behind the scenes and sort of giving, giving the story of why a person maybe comes to this work. And I don't think that has often been revealed, like to the general public in this sort of way that's been, and I just think it's really generous and we all needed it. Like my mom called me, she was like, you don't, are we that bad? Oh, wow. Imagine how my parents feel. And I'm like, no, it's not about being bad. It's just, we have, we all have these very, you know, most of us come from this very complicated sort of backgrounds. And it's, I just think it's like a super incredibly important thing to sort of help people understand what that dynamic and the high functioning perfectionism of a restaurant chef oftentimes can be, not for everybody, but for some people. I did want to talk a little bit about food as the character because I think it's so sharp in there. And can you just sort of like take us through, I know you've done a lot and it's changed and it's evolved from like season to season, but can you just sort of like give us a little nugget of how that starts and where it ends up? Yeah. Well, that's actually kind of the tricky part is Chris is a very, he'll write it into the script. So the conversations that we have is kind of, when I get the script and I'm like, okay, what this, this, like we can just use the cannoli as the example. If anyone has seen the show, the cannoli is an example of a memory, a food memory. We all have positive and negative food nostalgia. And the cannoli in our family was a mixed bag for us because we were forced to eat them as kids. And then they kind of bring up this nuclear family that was a little dysfunctional. And Chris and I wanted to illustrate and kind of bring it back to life as one of the characters shows the head chef, like, hey, I know this is a painful thing for you. Let's recreate it into something beautiful. And I really work very hard to kind of get into Chris's brain and also be myself, which is tricky to do because he's very visual and he has it already. And he's like, it's this dish from this cookbook. And I'm like, Jesus, I don't want to style by everybody, but also. And he's doing colors. Yes. Like he's very specific. He's like, it's red and it's purple and it's green. Like violet. Like this season's all about violet. It's a violet. And I'm like, dude, can we do something? Yeah. And I'm like, bro, can I like blah? And he's like, no. So it is hard. It is hard. And there's a collaboration there. And that's why it's good to have Matty because I can always say, hey, yo, like, should we fight for this or should we create it? Like this sort of like, hey, we have the chef brains. But, you know, is this telling the story? Because it's a real conduit. You know, the seven fishes, all of those dishes, that kind of reappear in the tasting menu here and there are very secretively. And if you watch, you kind of catch all the different foods come in and out of the show. We've got four minutes. And I think we're the last thing of the day. So we're kind of turning the corner on the day. And we've heard a lot today and a lot of really incredible things have been said. So I know we're talking about the show. But I have been thinking a lot about just what's sort of inspiring hope, which is kind of getting to be a difficult thing to like mine for these days. And so I just kind of want to ask a little bit of a cheesy ass question to end it because I think I'm curious and I'm looking, I'm looking as a person in the world, my peers and the people that I respect and care about the most. I'm kind of wondering, like in this moment, you know, maybe the big red tent aside, because this is a very inspiring and hopeful space. But I'm kind of wondering right now in the world for yourselves and Matty, I know like, you know, you're going to have like a really good answer to this. I feel really strong about this. I don't know where you're going to fucking ask. Hey, what about me? Classic middle child. Classic middle. What is bringing you the most hope right now? Yeah, I got one. I got one. You got one? Yeah. Okay, you go first. It's a big one. Let me hear what you say. Yeah, well, I think today has been very, very hopeful. And I think about, you know, seven years ago, the last mad to what we're talking about today, which are things that I wouldn't have ever thought 10 years ago, we'd be talking about mental health, addiction, resources, reaching out to each other, our community, the legacy, the responsibility that we have to keep it going, to be energized, to try to put yourself out there. And also, like, I just think about how I want to leave the culinary world better than I found it. And how much that resonates with all the speakers today is like, let's do better. Let's push forward. The world needs hospitality now more than ever. And I feel it in my bones. That it's like a really good time to reach out, be there for each other, and look after one another. Because it's very important and very special. And you never know the connections you'll make that will propel you into the next phase of your career. Or as a human being, too. Yeah, so hope is good. Hope is nice. We like hope. Hope is like the homie that's always there for us. He's never leaving us alone. They're never leaving us alone. And I think that, like, this is, like, it's so daunting being here. There's, like, legends and people here and beautiful things happening. And I think, like, this is it. I think a force of people getting together and trying to listen and understand and take away and do these things is, like, that's as good as it gets. You know, it is. And then we get to go back and try. We get to try. We get to try. And I think hope is trying. You know? I think it's, like, fuck. It's heavy. A lot of stuff is going on right now. And I don't know. Like, honestly, like, I think we need each other. Even right now. Like, I need you guys. I need Coco. I need you. I need, like, it is, like, a thing that's, like, now more than ever, we need that love. We need that empathy. We need to, that's what's going to, like, make this last. It is that thing. It's that understanding and willingness and open -mindedness of taking one another and helping each other. And I think that's it. I don't think it's delivery apps. I don't, you know. I don't know. You know? Like, it is one of those things. Like, it is, fuck. It's heavy. I don't know. I feel crazy right now. You know? You know? Like, it is one of those things. It's a lot. And I think the hope is us. I think helping each other, asking, you know? Asking is great. Being there for somebody is great. I think it's at that core level, you know? Yeah. I don't know. Like, even, like, I'm like a space cadet right now. Yeah, but you said it. I think you said it. Hope is us. That was, that's a really incredible way of ending this. Hope is us! Hope! Hope is us! You know? We nailed it. Zero, zero, zero, zero. Zero, zero, zero. Just happened. I got to ask the cheesy question. Thank you guys for letting me do that. And thanks for just doing such incredible work. Thank you all for having us. Thank you so much. I love you. I love you. Thank you.