The Secret Gift of Christmas (Hallmark Channel - 2023) ft. Josh Johnson

[00:00:00] Hi, I'm Brian and I love Hallmark Christmas movies. I'm Brian. I like Hallmark Christmas movies I'm Dan and I despise Hallmark Christmas movies I'm Josh Johnson, and I am pretty indifferent to Hallmark Christmas movies, and this is the deck the homework Deck The Hallmark, it's his podcast

[00:00:31] Well hey there, hi there everybody It's a secret gift of Christmas Day, and we have a secret gift. That's not a secret I don't know I try to make a second one. It's not working. Josh Johnson's here. Josh

[00:00:47] I saw you all over my social media recently doing a bunch of like fun shorts and all that stuff and comedy and Then I go to your YouTube page and I see that you are like the hardest working comedian

[00:01:00] I've ever seen you're putting out new sets like all the time So for people that have never seen your work or anything like that tell everybody a little bit about your shelf. Oh Yeah, so I do stand up. I live in New York right now

[00:01:15] been doing Sam for some years and I write at the Daily Show and I just I don't know I whether it's news or it's it's different stories and everything I've always been able to write pretty quickly. So this year

[00:01:29] I just sort of made the decision to put out everything as I was writing it Oh, you know, I know that the common thing is to save it all until you have a

[00:01:37] Special coming up or something but I felt like I could connect with people better and I could Showcase what I do more if I just share pretty regularly. So I've been putting out like 10 to 15 minutes every week for

[00:01:52] I think like five months now Wow, and so it's been fun. Yeah, it's been good It is a little like now now that I know people expect it It has become a little bit of a stressor but overall

[00:02:04] It's a lot of fun and I get to I get to share stuff that I would normally Wait until I had a special to release if that makes sense. Yeah, I imagine doing something like that

[00:02:18] The the worry might be this could bomb and I'll find out on stage like usually when you have a special It's like I've worked the stuff out. It's good to go But when you're doing this I imagine

[00:02:30] You know, you never know how things are gonna read like respond people are gonna respond to different bits Have you had any serious bombs or has it been pretty good for you?

[00:02:41] It's been pretty good, you know, I think that for the most part you spend all those years doing open mics so that you can Tell a little bit better what's gonna bomb and what's gonna go well, you know, I think that the whole point of of

[00:02:54] Those early stages of comedy is so that you can become more discerning And so now sometimes I'll have an idea and be like that will not work I know for a fact it won't work, you know, yeah for sure

[00:03:07] It's like our show we have an idea like that won't work and then we're halfway through doing 250 minutes a week Josh every every week so There's no way around it we don't there's nothing gets edited out we all just we're just here and we're doing it

[00:03:29] But it's not people aren't here right in front of us like it's not like a comedy seller where if you bomb You're gonna know it real quick like we we have to wait. It's a delayed bombing We do hear back don't you worry here

[00:03:43] What's the difference between writing for a show like the Daily Show and writing something for stand-up? I mean at least when it's stand-up It's something you have to say and you sort of have to go by your word

[00:03:57] When you're writing for a late night show or any TV show you're usually writing something for someone else to say So it is a little bit of a buffer, you know if the thing

[00:04:08] Doesn't work or it is an opportunity to say things in a way that you would normally say them It is it it's good to write for other voices because it expands your mind towards jokes

[00:04:19] And I think that when I'm writing for someone else, you know, there are definitely Jokes that I wouldn't necessarily tell or just aren't Things that I find the funniest but I can write to them if that makes sense. Yeah, and then that way it's a way of

[00:04:35] Being able to share more types of jokes with people the Daily Show though It's in between hosts right now. So they've had like a lot of different people fill in has that been

[00:04:45] Yeah, I imagine that helps you even more like just trying to figure out the voice of each S&L experience where the new host comes in and you're like pitching

[00:04:55] For them and then you they kind of figure out what they want and what they like and then you go from there So, I mean for the most part, I think it's been a great General exercise in writing because yes, there's a new guest hose every week

[00:05:09] They all have different styles and voices and then on top of it I'm trying to put out a clip every week. So it's just it's a lot but luckily I feel like I've

[00:05:20] Building up to this point. So it doesn't feel I guess as stressful as it could be, you know And we asked you to watch a hallmark movie On top of all of that. Do you have a history at all with hallmark movies?

[00:05:34] Or is this your first one if I am at home with my mom and my aunt in Georgia we will either watch a lifetime movie or hallmark movie at least one per trip And it's not something that is

[00:05:52] It's not something that's planned. It's usually just when my aunt has control of the remote Yeah, yeah, yep and and then and then also my favorite is that My aunt never gets through the movie. She always falls asleep

[00:06:07] So then it's just my mom and I'm looking at the TV like why are we still watching this because at first You want to be polite in case she wakes up in like five minutes

[00:06:15] You know, there's been two and a half minutes of commercials. You could just explain what she missed But inevitably she falls asleep for the rest of the movie and then we watch it and we have our takeaways And it's a tradition

[00:06:30] And so you had to watch this one just out of your own volition. So there's that what part of Georgia you from? So I actually grew up in Louisiana. It's just I have family living in Georgia

[00:06:40] I got you where we're in Greenville, South Carolina. So we're right at the road. Okay like Atlanta We're like two hours from Atlanta. So yeah Yeah We gave you a goodie Those at home that maybe didn't see it

[00:06:55] I will give you the full rundown the secret gift of Christmas Originally premiered on the Hallmark Channel on December 15th 2023 and it went a little something like this The movie kicks off in the weirdest way

[00:07:11] Possible to establish it someone's a personal shopper. It's just a bunch of shots of our lead Bonnie Parker Picking out gifts with music that makes it seem like she's a magical being she's not a magical being

[00:07:23] She's just Bonnie and she's the type of person that gets her clothes Dry cleaned if she is even in the proximity of a construction site She gets a new client his name is Patrick Armstrong and he

[00:07:37] She meets at the construction site. He's jammed to some Christmas music. She startles him She introduces herself and he's like, okay. Well, this wasn't my idea at all I'm busy and and she's like that's exactly why you need a personal shopper and he's like good point

[00:07:52] He gives her some vague ideas for gifts and Makes two things clear one He does not like dressing up and two he does not like social media So really off to a good start with her because those are two of her favorite things Patrick is a widow

[00:08:11] father cuz Hallmark and he is Surprised when he hears that his daughter's music teacher Fiona Appleby got tickets to a fancy show from him And he's like this is not what I had in mind

[00:08:25] Then she brings a suit jacket for him to try on then she buys the workers shiny boots Dang it Bonnie. He tells you this is not what I want and she's like, okay All right

[00:08:37] He's like I want less perfect gifts and I want more like plants or something spoiler alert She does not listen but everyone is really into the gifts

[00:08:48] She is shocked to find out that Patrick's wife is dead because he talked about her a lot and did leave out that bit of information So when she meets her daughter His daughter she takes her to hot chocolate and this little girl just unloads upon poor Bonnie

[00:09:04] But Bonnie handles it like a champ and tells her that she's gonna try to hook her up with tickets to see Travis Kelsey's girlfriend live Patrick tells Bonnie to keep doing what she's doing because the gifts are a big hit and they agree to go

[00:09:18] Get Christmas trees together, but first she has to go on a blind date with her sister With someone who her sister set up set her up with it's a disaster Because this dude is going through a divorce

[00:09:30] And her sister is going to win the award for worst sister of the year What's not a disaster though is Bonnie and Patrick go into the Christmas tree lot they bond they talk about Christmas memories

[00:09:40] There's a weird plot twist in this movie where she refuses to be in her dad's wedding And that's really the end of that they do talk at the end, but it came out of nowhere kind of like the alien and signs

[00:09:53] Bonnie and Patrick go ice skating and he opens up about his dead wife And then after talking about his dead wife for a while shoots his shot and invites her to come over smooth on her way out they almost kiss but she interrupts their own kiss by

[00:10:11] Making up the fact that he has cookie on his face a weird way to handle that but you go girl It's time for the big Christmas event and Bonnie is there and so is Applebee

[00:10:23] Fiona Applebee is like how great is Patrick? I can't wait to go on my date with Patrick Patrick's the best also I gave away the tickets you bought me to a woman in need and Bonnie is like man

[00:10:33] She's a lot, but it's all good because I have a gift for Patrick's daughter Let's see Fiona Applebee do that. She can't Patrick and Bonnie slow dance. It's a moment Fiona Applebee is not having it. It is time for Christmas karaoke

[00:10:48] They sing jingle bells Fiona jumps up and says it's time for Patrick and I to sing Silent Nights as Bonnie Awkwardly walks off to stage it is too much for her to handle so she leaves

[00:11:00] They didn't do a close-up of bird poop landing on snow for a reason I don't know turns out. She accidentally dropped her necklace. I wasn't aware of that when it happened turns out

[00:11:11] That's what that was Patrick then goes to check in on her in a weird turn of events is like hey, I don't want to Like when people mention me on social media and she's like well you should spend more time with your daughter

[00:11:25] It's a wild conversations with many twists and turns, but ultimately she leaves a Bonnie spins the night spiraling out of control first She looks on social media and gets jealous of a karaoke video that Fiona posted then she deletes a post of her and Patrick

[00:11:43] Then she goes on an $800 online shopping spree. We've all been there girl She then gets a wise words from a Santa Claus the Santa who can say that is this it's not about the presents It's about our presence She takes that advice and she runs with it she

[00:12:02] Deletes social media. She loads up a burlap sack with a bunch of stuff to donate He gives his daughter the gift that Bonnie bought her for his own daughter

[00:12:11] It's a matching necklace of the one that she has but lost remember the bird poop then the daughter is like Hey Fiona sucks eggs. I think that you should be with Bonnie There you go

[00:12:23] Patrick goes over to Bonnie blinds Folzer brings her to Rudy's a place that I know about I was paying attention. He tells her that he digs her big time gives her the necklace back Gifts are a matching sweater and they kiss Tiny ones and now my friends wise

[00:12:43] The secret gift of Christmas We Did it? That was a lot. That was a lot. I need a break. We're gonna take a quick break. We'll come back We'll break this movie down with four segments here on deck the hallmark

[00:12:58] Brian can you imagine being named the prince of Christmas? It's actually a dream of mine. I know you know what the problem is is the title is taken taken by who Tyler Shaw That actually makes sense because listen to this guy his voice is too good Oh

[00:13:23] That is the prince of Christmas right now brand new song from Tyler shot is Christmas in your eyes and just in time for the for the Christmas holiday this week You're gonna want to add it to your playlist. It's Christmas in your eyes

[00:13:35] Dad what Canada in the whole world is known about for a long time He's sung in front of princes and presidents and all these famous people He's won a ton of awards

[00:13:43] You can listen to all of his Christmas music right now wherever you listen to music get in the festive spirit with Tyler Shaw today And it's not just Christmas in your eyes, Dan

[00:13:51] He has an entire album out plenty of Christmas hits and originals from Tyler Shaw check them out wherever you listen to Christmas music today Welcome back everybody. Wow what a day we have for you Josh Johnson's here. We're talking about this movie It's a lot

[00:14:10] It's time for the hot take it is where we share exactly how we felt about this movie per tradition Brian I will start with you No Harold why would we why would we we never have Brian?

[00:14:22] We almost should almost should for sure start with the guests, but we never have nope And now I feel weird about it because you pointed it out Brian. What do you think about this movie? All right? So thanks, Brian This just okay for me

[00:14:36] I was looking forward during watching this movie I was looking forward to this review knowing that it's gonna be pretty fun. I had so many weight What's I especially having a guest you want you don't want to take up all the time?

[00:14:48] So I had it really focused the hardest work I did he was narrowing down my weight what yeah to a select few that I felt The whole battle against dressing up is like grow up man like you look great in a blazer

[00:15:02] Chris Russell say he only wants to wear a hoodie I mean the guy like he do it for us like do it for everybody else you look great like just stop whining the whole

[00:15:12] Having a personal shopper just feels so expensive. Yeah, and like for some like I like giving gifts I like thinking of a good gift like when I think of an idea that I think is a really good gift idea I'm psyched I would never Outsource that

[00:15:27] Especially for like important people in my life your daughter like I don't know about or do know about depending on you know this this guy's feeling that day

[00:15:36] Or clients who I'm trying to really like have a really strong connection with I like the idea here of the two opposites But just overall was like oh man a little bit of a dud for me

[00:15:47] Josh you watched one of these a year. We gave you this one. What you think about this movie? There were a lot of weight what's there was also I think that my Biggest takeaway is that a shopping addiction is apparently not that hard to break

[00:16:06] They set it up several times in the movie that she has a problem And then when she's actually at the height of when she should be the most depressed when she's lost this Amazing man and connection to a young woman. She has an affinity for

[00:16:20] She decides nope no more addiction after buying the stuff by the way and all it took was a Santa that seems like he'd be on a registry How do you just know her name?

[00:16:34] I understand this is hallmark and understand supposed to be Santa, but it was a little bit of a jarring when once you're an adult The idea of a volunteer Santa is jarring

[00:16:48] You're like like when okay, so what I found out I don't know if I'm supposed to say this on the pocket Oh go for Josh said when I found out that Santa wasn't real I Was shocked at just how many men's laps I had been on

[00:17:08] Like looking back now you're like I that was just anybody with a lap Could have got it which is crazy and so That I think my biggest Wait, what was their manufactured? Argument so that the boy can lose girl

[00:17:27] Yeah, I mean like we were in this thing where you know the sort of boy meets girl boy falls in love with girl Boy loses girl and this happens so late in the movie I'm like when are they got to do it? Everything's everything's going so well

[00:17:44] Yeah, it's going well. It's like he was kind of rude once She likes him more later So then the rudeness didn't bother her that much at all if anything made her want to win him back more

[00:17:55] So then the argument when they had him say the line why are we even talking about this? It felt it felt almost meta Because he's the one that's like even though you did push me out of my comfort zone

[00:18:11] Which I still thought he was talking about the suit Yeah She was like what's that supposed to mean and then he was like I don't really like people You know talking about me on social media

[00:18:22] Even though I want you to post me and my daughter on social media on your very famous page And then she was like well, maybe if you raised your dog Also seem to come a little bit out of left field

[00:18:37] Little bit, you know and her feelings are hurt and she's in a bit of shock because she thinks he's dating someone But to go from have a great night to raise your daughter Yeah, it was also a bit jarring It escalated quickly sure. It's rough. Yeah. Yes. Yeah

[00:18:58] I'd yeah, but also he was like let's not talk about you brought it up Like it well you were the one that brought up the conversation to begin with why are we even talking about yes?

[00:19:06] Because you because you you said it you brought it up bud. That's yeah Yeah, this one's wild man We've seen a lot of movies and You kind of hope every year you'll get one like this. You never know if it's gonna happen

[00:19:25] And it happens. It was a ride. It was a roller coaster. It was honestly The mode the Is it the worst movie we've seen all year? I don't know was it one of the ones I enjoyed the most yeah This movie is a blast. It's insane. It's ridiculous

[00:19:42] And I got to say this movie reminded me of last year's colorblind movie also starring Chris Russell Chris Russell You're my boy you keep showing up year after year for dude like this type of movie where it's just

[00:19:56] everything you're just when you when you when they you think they're zig and they're zagging and it's just Wild ride. This is a ridiculous movie and I enjoyed every single second of it Dan. Oh, yeah, this movie's trash

[00:20:09] And the thing is is that it's just kind of like run of the mill bad For like an hour and then the last 20 minutes They just dump the whole bucket of wackadoodle just right in there the last 20 minutes This movie is crazy the character of Fiona Applebee

[00:20:28] Deserves her own date line episode or movie or whatever you want to do with that there is as Josh mentioned a question of Magical Santa which is the worst amount of magical Santa like

[00:20:42] To have a magical Santa that's just magical in the fact that he knows someone's first and last name and then winks at them The worst level of magical Santa you can have So many questions about how this secret shopping is done

[00:20:55] What laws are broken in the process and the thing is is that the two leads aren't bad in this movie But the movie starts off in such a weird way like she's a weird character really weird intro a storefront secret shopping business and then it just snowballs

[00:21:13] Into sheer lunacy by the end of this where it's like she's questioning his parenting a necklace magically drops off of her neck Magic Santa shows up to be creepy enough to call somebody it is it is a wild wild ride with

[00:21:31] How do I say this nicely some of the most inexperienced background like secondary characters. I that's what I'm gonna say I'm gonna assume that everyone in here that's not Meghan Ori or Chris Russell just doesn't have a lot of

[00:21:45] Experience acting because there there are some people that walk in and say a line And you're like they just before they said action They said the line three times themselves to memorize and they walked in and they said it and they left

[00:21:58] It was like when I was the lead in the church play as a kid like you crushed by the way Oh, I did cry was Billy. Yeah, of course I crushed it And yeah, the reviews are mixed. You're saying okay. I've heard the players called go-go Jonah

[00:22:11] So I did what I could with the material anyway, I've heard it called no go-jo My parents hid the reviews from Yeah, everyone around them is either the plot around them is just Whack them all crazy and then the actors around them are I think they're pranking them

[00:22:33] Like I think they're doing it on purpose And it is just it's like you're watching something that that Not this movie never feels like an actual homework movie, but everyone feels like they're doing what they're doing on purpose

[00:22:48] And I don't know how else to describe it and like yeah They think they're all in on it like they're all in on they know that this movie is wild And it doesn't make sense and I couldn't get past it Everyone besides the Leeds does have the

[00:23:04] Training video energy Exactly you ever watch a training video and someone walks in and it's like you're the customer It was like that and I forgot to mention one thing my biggest wait what moment. I'm so sorry. I left it out of the initial

[00:23:24] In the beginning, you know like when they set up the magical stuff and and she breaks the fourth wall first first line Because then I was like wait is she talking to a camera? She talking to me then she's talking to someone else and

[00:23:38] When she shops for that person and gets him that sweater And he's like if only I had one for my they play the sound effect and then his dog just has the sweater on And I'm like when did she do that then?

[00:23:50] Yeah, because if he doesn't know his dog has the sweater on Well, she just in the room with his dog beforehand put the sweater on him and then sat the dog down Yeah, yeah, that's brutal. Yeah. Yeah. My goodness. She's good. She's good. She's good

[00:24:09] It's time for all the feels is where we talk about what in this you gave us Christmas feels or any other feels Brian sure I got the most Christmas feels from her outfits Megan Ory right? Yeah, her usually I don't like outfits and stuff

[00:24:24] Don't really like stand out it felt like it every time we saw her she had something super unique Christmas yeah, and she had like a red coat and black like feathery boots at one point and I'd Stand on the hill forever and die on this hill

[00:24:43] That red coat better than Travis Kelsey's girlfriend Won't even say her name. So that's all I need to wow Super Christmas. Yeah her A phenomenal like Christmas the outfits and they really stood out to me in this movie

[00:24:58] Josh any specific feels for you while you're watching this movie Um, I mean I learned what a root ball was Yeah, that was either I didn't know that you could cut a tree down like like when they have the the male lead Chris was it Chris Russell? Yeah

[00:25:21] When Chris Russell is having the conversation with his daughter where he's like wait You want me to cut down tree keep it alive and then plant it in the backyard?

[00:25:29] That also felt nearly meta for the level of yeah, silly that it sounded and his character thought it was dumb And I didn't know it was a real thing Yeah, so I didn't either very Christmas. No, I should do that. Yeah, y'all should I am I live

[00:25:47] I live for bad karaoke. It is I don't know one of my favorite things on her like good karaoke good Like if you got the chop scope there crush it When someone goes up there and is earnest and is also bad

[00:26:00] It's perfect and it's what I want and I I loved in this specific movie Fiona Appleby And Chris Russell do a thing and it is a thing and It was magnificent that scene gave me all the karaoke vibes. Yeah

[00:26:19] Yeah, I actually really liked Megan Ory's just energy in the movie Yeah, I like we've not seen her in anything since dashing through the snow with Andrew Walker and I Think she should be in more of these movies She was very quirky and weird and fun

[00:26:34] And I and I was like that energy for the first 20 minutes of this movie I was willing to buy the crazy premise because I liked her But then the crazy wins out like a landslide but early on it felt like I really liked what she was breaking

[00:26:49] Yeah, let's take one more quick break and come back with some more weight what's in the what the hallmarks here on deck the hallmark Welcome back everybody we're talking about what is the name of this movie the secret gift of Christmas? Yeah, that's the one don't tell anyone

[00:27:12] It's time for the way what's where we talk about what in this movie made us go wait what? Brian anything stick out to you that made you go away. What a few I think a wait

[00:27:21] What for Pat the dad was that he had a daughter a lot of times He just spent no time with her hardly any time didn't want to think of her Christmas gift the Christmas all about that right Come on now

[00:27:33] Keep my kids as close to me as I can it's true. You're not a sick kid to work today. You believe this guy Dedication the Christmas tree and lights at the job site are nice touch. I feel like like OSHA violation. Yes, but Yes

[00:27:54] Possibly renovate a house without Christmas decorations you got to get string those lights Plug them in the generator the after-hours booty call from the music teacher was weird Did she work at the school or was she just like a regular?

[00:28:08] So we thought she worked at the school and then she goes to the lessons. It's clearly private Lessons but then a little better. She calls him and he's not even listening to her right He's literally not listening to her

[00:28:21] And and and gets like a pseudo date kind of out of that So weird and then the ice rink was magnificent If you're going for not an ice rink

[00:28:34] We're gonna put shiny white material down right and there's gonna be so much garland and lights that you're not even gonna notice That they're just walking there walking on this Shoulders and upseats hold each other walk to the bench and sit down and grab that hot chocolate

[00:28:49] No, like I've heard in other podcasts that rink scenes are terrible to film like the lighting is hard The sound is hard. So they it's like what if we didn't have yet? What if you didn't like great? Maybe don't do that like anything else

[00:29:03] For this specific skating scene no rink no skating none of it. It was just and nobody around So just so funny. I love that and then the end was magnificent again in the span of three minutes She deleted her business socials donated an s-ton of stuff

[00:29:22] Reconciled with her dad all via montage. Yeah, yeah Christmas miracle It is last 20 minutes have Plotting it to last a lifetime just fixed everything. Yeah Josh any other way what's for you that stuck out while you were watching this film? Um

[00:29:38] Yes, yes, and I'm realizing I said some of them too early now. Oh, you're fine. I jumped the segment. I apologize. I Okay, so I I was taken aback at how Sexy the teacher tried to sing Silent Night I

[00:30:00] Understand the position she said she thinks in this moment. She has to fight for her man Sure, okay, and she and she very like Mean girl nice girl Beck and the

[00:30:13] Beck in the lead to get off the stage like she was like so without further ado and then just stared and then She got ready to go and I was like why that was oh well You you have the material of an ex-wife That is crazy

[00:30:28] So then she starts singing Silent Night and it is is it has the vibes of Marilyn Monroe singing happy birthday Is this about Jesus She was she was coming to him all close and stuff

[00:30:47] And then he kind of matched it a little bit where he got a little deeper than when they sang the first song It was a weird I couldn't get out of it and then

[00:31:00] There was another moment that I actually wrote it down because I was so jarred. Okay one second Okay, there's a level of shock that the daughter has when When Megan Ory's character tells her that she's just a regular person

[00:31:24] Yeah, I could not get past for maybe 10 minutes and she asked a question that was Was not that delusional of what social media is like she was like is She kind of asked her the perfect question especially for a kid talking to an adult

[00:31:41] She was like do you think that you presenting as super happy as what gets you so many followers? And then she responds none of this is real Which is terrified to tell to her child nine year old

[00:32:00] Is your actual life like like I understand what she was trying to get at She was trying to say that when you look at people all happy or glamorous. It's not necessarily their real life

[00:32:11] But all that we've seen in the movie of her posting a social is what she's doing Yeah, so Idea that like no none of this is real you understand and then

[00:32:24] Obviously, you know you can only act as much as your as you're given but she looked at her so deeply horrified What is anything yeah, I couldn't get past it it was like it was almost like a philosophical question

[00:32:39] Yeah, what's asked? Yeah, she's having a full crisis. Yes. If this if nothing's real Then is anything real what I want the daughter to be like oh, so are you like a loser?

[00:32:54] Yeah, what's your transfer it over to the adult oh man anything else before I dive on I think that okay. These are very quick one is the exposition from Bernard cuz no one needed to know anything

[00:33:08] Actually, I hired you I got a car like I got a college and I need a job So my uncle hired me and you know he's not great with everything But he's good at his job, but he loves me

[00:33:22] That's one of those conversations where if you had it with a person real life, you'd be like, okay I gotta get out of here Yeah, you know how every renovating contracting team has a little school desk at the front

[00:33:37] And they sit a youngster down there and they have you there to take notes. Yeah, yeah Plot plot plot plot plot plot plot plot yeah, exactly do it exactly so then I loved when the lead was like let's take a

[00:33:54] Us like pajama selfie or whatever and the session's like oh no Let's not I just washed my face when she clearly has a full face of makeup on and like I Was one that was one of those things where I was like you would actually do less work

[00:34:11] Line or not have her made up in this moment and then the last thing was How the dad Chris is so Inept with his daughter But so adept with the teacher where he's like you need to get her a plan. All right I tell you

[00:34:37] And it ensues a crush that he probably Maybe saw coming like he seems to be oblivious to it, but he's also like I told you to get her a plant in Fake one if you had just got her a fake plan we wouldn't be in this mess

[00:34:55] Driving to rub my chiseled shoulders right now. If you would just got a big plan I Stop at night in my mouth Where it belongs oh I have a few if you can imagine there's This guy has his wedding measurements on file

[00:35:20] Yeah, what's like he has a file on his computer or on his work because he says Bernard has access to it So Bernard has access to his wedding measurements. No, I thought that Marco no the Taylor has access

[00:35:35] Okay, I thought he said get it from Bernard the Taylor Right, right. I don't know. It looks great. It does look great So I can't imagine a worse first date than sitting in someone's house because it's like how do you get out of it?

[00:35:51] Yeah, there's no way if it's not going well, right? I this is How do I get out of it? I can't I have to stay I'm stuck now in this house with you talking about what you're talking about

[00:36:03] That's tough for her. I would challenge anyone to take a drink anytime someone in this movie says social media page Cuz it's a lot, you know the social media page social media pages. Yeah, I don't want to keep piling on nephew Bernard

[00:36:18] But Bernard but I'm gonna take it. You know how I said I love karaoke In compared compared to Bernard I don't because Bernard this whole movie is pushing for the karaoke He's like you got to get back up there

[00:36:30] I mean you got to get back up there and then when karaoke finally happens they pan over to Bernard and Bernard's like Yeah This is what I've been waiting for Bernard is obsessed with karaoke

[00:36:42] Guys we you gotta plug in the mics. I don't I know I keep saying it just plug in the daggum mics If you're gonna show the end of the mics just plug them in he says

[00:36:51] She comes up Fiona Appleby and says that Chris Russell knows the perfect harmony to Silent Night No does not in fact He says yeah, we already talked about the mentioning on social media and then being like why are you talking about this?

[00:37:07] You brought it up. I love that she who is a social media influencer is scrolling social like Instagram on her laptop That's the most best way to do that when you're having a tough day Um This was so weird to me

[00:37:22] So he's you know gives the gift to his daughter that he did not buy nor did he know what it was She opens it up. It's like yay, and then she does the big push to hey Fiona needs to kick rocks you got someone better

[00:37:35] Yeah, and then he says I've got a good idea and he whispers to his daughter But no one else is around I notice that Why did he whisper? Yeah in his house To his own daughter

[00:37:49] He wants to avoid having real conversations with his daughter so much that when he does he does it in whisper That's just a move. That's a move. I don't I do know why he did that. Why did you do it?

[00:38:02] So he whispered to her because the ghost of his ex wife Can't hear whisper She does load up a full burlap sack goes to the table to Donate these things takes them all out one by one and then hands the person the Just hand it all over

[00:38:36] Last but not least he says I've got a new Christmas Eve tradition for us We're gonna go in here. We're gonna eat chowder Yep, and then we're gonna go back to my sisters for dinner

[00:38:49] Their new Christmas Eve tradition is chowder followed by dinner and that's just a lot for them But good for them Dano Um, I pretty sure the point of a personal shopper is so you still get credit, right? I'm not

[00:39:07] Personal shopper, but in all my experiences hearing about them The goal is is that they do the shopping and I still get to give the gifts Without anyone near clued in on it, but but like you're told the rundown of this

[00:39:23] But in this movie not only does she do all the shopping? Yeah, she does all the gift giving like a 6040 Takes all the credit for it At this point he didn't do anything He didn't like I like he didn't even find her

[00:39:40] Yeah, our dad the word secret is important He's the one who it's a secret from it's an important part of the secret shopping experience Hey, what'd you get my daughter? You're not getting out of me. It's gonna be a surprise for you and her

[00:39:58] Yeah, and here's the thing is why does a secret shopper need a storefront? That's a big one I don't why you are on Main Street there in a brick-and-mortar Why do you who is coming like?

[00:40:10] You know all of your stuff still in line like you don't need a storefront Yeah, I don't understand that um I am very concerned that a nine-year-old girl is a little Too excited about getting her dad back together with like back out there

[00:40:29] She is trying to set him up with two different women This daughter is setting him up with Megan Ori's character, but also She's setting him up with Fiona Appleby too. She goes to the music class

[00:40:47] You ought to show up to the dad's party. He knows the harmonies to Silent Night You need to get up there and sing it with them. You're invited Why are you doing that? Girl, why you doing think up until They sing Silent Night. It is a close race

[00:41:03] Silent night happens This has been doesn't even know fiana appleby exists Can I tell you about feel my girlfriend appleby for a second who is crazy? All right She calls him at nine at night and is like could we go on maybe the next time you bring

[00:41:21] Your daughter to music class afterwards will go to the Christmas market and he's like sure well the next time that she goes to music Class he bales on her and he doesn't go to music class

[00:41:31] So Fiona has been stood up big once at that at that music class The daughter's like you should come to the Christmas party Fiona then does not get an invite to the Christmas party emails Bernard and goes I was supposed to get an invite to this party

[00:41:48] Where's my invite and he sends her one? Then she shows up does the karaoke thing and kicks the girl off the stage Where they both sing the harmonies to what I can only describe as a country Western version of Silent Night

[00:42:04] They she's she's crazy. I mean this is why you gotta get the thirst to one's fake plants That's right He knew you know one fake plant would have prevented all this Yeah, I wouldn't even had eye contact when he came to pick her up

[00:42:20] That's right one fake plant and that's why if he had just you know Maybe been at little a little bit in charge of the gifts. Yeah is all I'm saying there is a street in this movie that has a Christmas tree every 12 feet and

[00:42:32] It is I saw Lane I thought initially that it was a Christmas market But then we find out because it's the street where she's walking and sees the magic Santa that it is just a residential area Every ten feet outside there is a lit Christmas tree

[00:42:50] Not even every block like literally 10 to a block minimum, but it is the 10 to a block Patently absurd Hey director. Good news is the trees are here. The bad news is Too many we went we did a few too many. Yeah And lastly are we to believe?

[00:43:11] Actually not last day I want more are we to believe that her dad is at a resort in this phone call? Yeah, because he's on a green screen and so if he's zooming in is he using one of those zoom green screens Are we supposed to believe that?

[00:43:27] That is actually a resort that he's at I Couldn't like I just I couldn't Figure that out and it let you want to be in my wedding Lastly Chris Russell and his daughter their house is decorated to the nines There is garland running along every doorpost

[00:43:55] Stuff everywhere. They don't have a tree and they're fighting over it And I like this is where he's taking a stand. He's like we've decorated the house stem to stern both floors

[00:44:06] Are just Christmas threw up, but I don't want a real tree. I don't want one. I just can't I can't do it That's the thing that I can't do

[00:44:16] That's all I got it's time for what the hallmarkers where we ask any questions that we still have after watching this movie I can't imagine there are any but Brian any questions that you still have I did have a question at some point a

[00:44:28] The topic of color seasons came up and she's like oh, that's not your color season or you're a winner or something Right and so I'm like, huh? What the heck could my color season be like I did look it up I took a quiz obviously

[00:44:43] The I was I'm not surprised. I ended up being a winter So, you know probably dark so what have you dark now we get to the what the hallmark segment What do you got there that was just my question about what color

[00:44:59] You didn't solve that yourself yeah, I Here's a winter everybody thinking about it for Brian. Thanks. That's great man. Good for you Josh. What color season are you? You know, I imagine That I'm a spring. Yeah, my my bubbly demeanor

[00:45:18] My color choices. I think spring is what I scream 100% I was gonna say that but I didn't I didn't want to speak on your behalf Did you have any what the hallmarks? Easily easily. Okay, so first off

[00:45:32] What hmm, I want to know the backstory of Marco because my man Marco The the store owner who has the measurements and just knows knows what's up at all times He's clearly foreign. They they stress that pretty hard with the accent that does not quite feel real

[00:45:56] Yeah, I don't know about you a little Canadian Yes, it felt it felt a little Someone really tried to thicken it up and put it on yeah, and and so I wonder what Marco is up to

[00:46:09] And how his business is thriving now that Chris is gonna get a whole new wardrobe. Thank God. I also wonder What dark places Ryan is at if you don't remember Ryan he's the one that the sister set Oh

[00:46:26] Who is clearly still going through it and who is the only one in his family suffering? Because she specifically says it must be hard on the kids and he's like no they love having bedrooms at two houses and

[00:46:40] Then he key he makes he makes some sort of like Insinuation he's been taken to the cleaners by her sister. I can't believe she's been left alone at a house Yeah Yeah, and then it seems like the ex-wife is very firm Happy with her decision

[00:47:00] So I wonder where he is now because even the woman he was set up on An ambush date with cuz I won't even call it a blind date because I'm day both people know they're about to go on a date

[00:47:11] This was a true ambush where they only ate mac and cheese and talked about his feelings And I wonder what's next for a person like that

[00:47:20] More than good one more than fair. I just trying to get that guy out of the house at the end of the night Like you're like you said yeah, like how do you get him out? Yeah

[00:47:31] Yeah, so we talked about the Santa and that he may or may not be magic I I typically if you know someone knows the name that's clearly like a wink wink nudge nudge That's magic Santa the one reason why I I'm wondering is because she is an influencer

[00:47:47] So they do this thing where he's like, I know your name wink wink This must be real Santa, but she has a big following. So Is he just kind of like going for it? He's like I'm gonna go full character. I know you I follow you on Instagram

[00:48:03] That's the thing I'm gonna do a Santa Claus like make sure to stop her to offer Offer her sage presence not presence. That's right that we all have heard a thousand times But he's he thinks I also love that in that scene with that advice

[00:48:18] That's the time they decide to add the chimes like when he does the advice is But I still isn't like she she is an influencer It's not out of the question that he a you know a street Santa would know her name

[00:48:34] But I lean towards magic, but I'm not 100% convinced Dana There's a scene where a Guy comes in to Chris Russell while he's renovating this house And he's like we're gonna do more business with you because of the Christmas gift that you sent us

[00:48:51] And his name is Harry and I just need you to take it to the tape and watch this performance. I I I've never I've never seen quite anything like it the only way I can describe it is that a background actor was asked to

[00:49:07] Move into the the front front ground It Was to see more of this guy. I want to know his story. I want to know what happened the day of shooting Which guy is he his name is Harry? He shows up at the house at the renovation house

[00:49:25] He has one scene he comes in he's like because of the gift you gave oh, okay the client. Yeah Yes The cigars Watch him deliver his lines with just the precision. I mean it is just you've got to go

[00:49:42] They probably had cue cards for oh my gosh musta and I just want to know more about him more about his character The backstory that's what I want to know 100%

[00:49:51] Well, we do have one more segment and unfortunately Josh you're not gonna be able to hear this because it's a video and it's not We haven't figured out this technology

[00:49:58] But you would love it because every day our friend Vic Webster an actor for the Hallmark Channel comes in and lets us know If there were any fistfights or action sequences that we missed it's time for a fighting chance with Vic Webster Someone

[00:50:46] Josh tell everybody about how they can follow you on the internet not in real life and check out all of your stuff That's not real though. So and that's not real Yeah, I am at Josh Johnson comedy on pretty much everything Instagram

[00:51:00] TikTok and YouTube I post new videos to YouTube every week and I also have a podcast called the Josh Johnson show that I talk about the stories from on the road and and just life and comedy with my co-host Logan Nielsen and

[00:51:18] Yeah, that's I mean that's about it. That's that's mainly what I do right now Is it real life? It is real life. Wow. Okay. It's me doing as much real life as I can and then trying to tell people about it

[00:51:33] All right, you let us know how that works out for you We're back tomorrow with another one until they remember the first to wish you a merry Christmas Oh Deck the hallmarks of bravel jam podcast is produced by Aaron Shea

[00:51:45] For more information on deck the homework you can go to deck the hallmark Com for more information on the deck the hallmark family

[00:51:51] You can go to bramble jam plus comm deck the hallmark is presented by philo tv for a free trial of philo go to philo dot tv slash dth You're about to hear some ads that help keep the lights on here in the old studio

[00:52:11] Thanks for listening or don't listen. It's really up to you at this point. Is that the end of the show? I mean, you're listening to me. Hi, but here they come. I promise they're coming. Yep. Here they are Happy day