#229 I Am Crossing The Streams (Bonus Ep59) – Great TV binge watching suggestions!

CTS Announcer 0:01

Looking for your next TV show or movie to binge? Well buckle up, grab the remote and settle into your couch for this special edition of crossing the streams. We're here to help you tune in and get the most out of those 50 monthly streaming channels you're currently paying for. So without any further ado, here's your host of crossing the streams. Jeff Dwoskin.

Jeff Dwoskin 0:30

Hey, oh, it is Jeff Dwoskin, your host of classic conversations and your guide through this bonus episode of crossing the streams. What is crossing the streams? It's where we answer the universal question. I just been something and now I gotta be in something else. What should that be? Well, you've come to the right place. We got your back over 112 hours of binge watching suggestions streaming on our YouTube channel just waiting for you. But if you don't have time for that you've come to the right place. Because the classic conversations podcast feed sends this bonus episode with three segments from three of our live shows right into your ears. You don't have to do anything pretty cool. In this bonus episode. In this bonus episode, we're going to discuss all the bag from Live episode 41 I am Duran from Live episode 60 and Munich edge of war from Live episode 59 You're in for a treat. And let's kick things off with Bob Phillips and I am Duran Take it away, Bob. And then now we're going to Bob. Bobby, we're excited. We're excited because here we are in Episode 60 Bought a new mic but now we actually selected that as the mic.

Ron Lippitt 1:38

Simon Lavon and John Taylor.

Bob Phillips 1:42

Who was announced as a finalist for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame today. I know so was Dolly Parton. What is going on this way?

Jeff Dwoskin 1:51

Dolly Parton deserves that and more

Bob Phillips 1:53

rock and roll when did she ever do rock and roll one Z country is still not in there and yet chic and Dolly partner

Ron Lippitt 2:02

I come on man. Julian's a toe Tapper.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:07

Let's talk about I am

Bob Phillips 2:09

okay, I am Durant. Okay. So I've gone at least two episodes without doing a documentary. And so you know, I won't I won't track except to say that regular viewers of this show know that I do these because I love them. I love boxing. I love everything about it. It's my favorite thing to watch and be a part of whenever there's a fight Roberto Duran is one of the most fascinating people ever to lace them up. This documentary is so good. It's so different than what what has been put out about him and other boxes before. First off, it features heavily guys like Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro. Let's see lots of other boxers Sugar Ray Leonard Marvin Hagler people that fought him real stuff that people who know Roberto are talking about. And one of the things and Sal knows this too, but I forgot that Roberto was in Rocky two way back in 1978. He played one of Sylvester Stallone sparring partners. Now Roberto was one of the best lightweights of all time, if not the best, lightweight, okay, he was still fighting it 135 pounds at a time and then Rocky, he played a heavyweight sparring part and that shows you how small Stallone really is. I think he's like 5758. So anyhow, that's the sort of a little bit of esoterica, but most people in the country, certainly not in Panama, but most people in the United States. No Roberto Duran for the infamous no mas fight. And that was that was a fight that wrecked his career, derailed it, I should say didn't wreck it. He became a pariah in his home country of Panama where he was a hero. beyond compare Tillman, he fought Sugar Ray in Montreal, the first fight in 1980, beet sugar Ray, handily just manhandled him Sugar Ray was not ready for this level of ferocity that Roberto brought to the rink. And Roberto was, was sort of a misunderstood guy. But he was, you know, he was a barrio kid. He was not cultured. He was not, in any way, schooled in how to deal with the media back then. And so he did things like after the fight, he's standing there at ringside. He's grabbing his crotch and looking at one night one in a letter and saying, I'm going to eff you after this fight, and he's he's making fun of sugar rays. He's saying, Hey, if you want a real man, I'm hearing all this stuff became you know, the bad guy and it didn't help him that he he looked like Charles Manson. I mean, he was a wild looking got black hair, black beard, coal black guys. He just looked menacing. The no mass fight is is the biggest part of this documentary, which which kind of makes sense, but it reminded me that Duran pulled off a feat that maybe no other boxer has done in his career and That is that he's had three acts. You said three acts in his career where a lot of fighters have won, most of them have won and they get beaten soundly and they retire or they try to come back and they don't win it and that's the end. Sometimes they have to we've seen fighters you know, they get they they lose a fight either closely or they get their heads handed to him, they come back and they win. You know, they fight their way back and win a championship and then retire will revert this happened to Roberto three times. And he's one of my favorite fighters a top two, at least because he he had that he had his first career where he was just the scourge of the lightweight division. He just murdered everybody just knocking people senseless. And that part of his career. The first part ended when he beat Sugar Ray the first time well what happened the reason why what people don't understand about the no moss incident is that he was forced to fight Sugar Ray in a rematch. He didn't know he didn't understand the contract that he had signed, he was forced to fight him within six months while he went down to Panama after after beating sugar RAM and you know, being even bigger here and ate and drank his way up to 200 pounds. And he was 147 pound fighter. They gave him eight weeks to lose 50 pounds. Now that's that's just crazy. That's insane. So now it's doable if you don't have to. You don't have to fight anybody at the end of that if you're just going to become emaciated. I mean, guys like Christian Bale have done it, you know, for roles, that kind of thing, but to expect him to fight them was just unreasonable. So he did what was expected of him and so he goes in the ring and if you ever watch these fights back to back you can see he's just shot he's got nothing. He's got no legs, he's got nothing. He just had to lose too much too fast. Well, he gave it what he could for seven eight rounds and Sugar Ray started clowning on him. He knew that he wasn't fighting the same fighter he fought you know, six months before in Montreal and embarrassed Roberto to the point you know, he was just doing you know, bolo punches and clowning and mugging. And Roberto said, I'm not I'm done with this. I know moss. That's what he said. And he went to his corner and people couldn't believe it. Well, I'm not going to belabor that point. But it destroyed his career for a while it destroyed his reputation in Panama destroyed a lot of things about you know, his life. Well attempted a comeback here in Detroit actually a fight that I saw back in 1981. against a guy you'll never hear this name again. Kirkland Lang, a British fighter who also manhandled Duran and one didn't hurt him just but Duran wasn't ready to fight. Well, finally, a good trainer got to hold him and said, Look, man, you're the same fighter that beat Sugar Ray and beat him bad. We can get you to the top of the mountain, but you got to get serious. So they put him on a you know, a weight loss program and they kept him in training instead of having these crazy ups and downs. And then he fought his way back into contention and fought a guy named David Moore who was a middleweight to junior middleweight champion in 1983. And nobody gave him any chance at all. This was a lightweight fighting a junior middleweight, a kid who was you know, 15 years younger than him faster, taller everything and Roberto goes in and just starches this kid just punishes him and knocks him out put bone done over and out second act right so here he comes. He's He's the top of the mountain again he is he is a junior middleweight champion in 1983. Two years removed, removed from complete ignominiously and embarrassment. He holds this title for a while. I think he had one defense and then he gets pitted with Marvin Hagler. No Marvin Hagler, as everybody knows was was just a, just a beast of a middleweight one of the best of all time, and he fights Duran a puffed up lightweight Duran goes in gives Hagler every single thing Hager can handle, and then some and a lot of people thought he might have won the fight. You know, it went the distance. Duran was defiant at the end sticking his fist in haggis face. I mean, he you know, he's probably five inches shorter. Anyway, that's continues to the second part of his career. Well, then he gets to his great chagrin gets paired with Tommy Hearns and Tommy Hearns. My all time favorite fighter just destroys Leonard in a way you don't see a lot of heat just from the opening bell. I mean, he knocked him cold and the second round just plays with him toys of them, knocks him around the ring and hits him with a right hand that would have knocked down a concrete wall. Somehow Durant didn't die, but he was knocked out on his face. It was over and everybody thought No. Okay, that's the end of Roberto. No, he didn't get up then. But he dusted himself off six months a year later and started fighting again. Everybody said a shot is this is that nope, proved everybody wrong again. He fought a guy named Ron Barkley who was a badass and middle way around the blade. Barkley who beat Hearns twice. So there was no it's yeah, it didn't make any sense that Roberto could go in there and fight this guy. Natural middleweight and and have any chance at all. Well, what does he do? He goes in and he knocks this guy out. I mean, so you have three chapters of a career that no flukes involved in this, there were no cream puffs there was nothing easy about this. And it didn't occur to me until this documentary that he had these three acts, these three defined separate acts that I don't think any other boxers had. I mean, Muhammad Ali came back Sugar Ray came back, but nobody came back in this way after being flattened, utterly flattened and destroyed. Well, not only that, the guy fought for 15 years after that fight. winning, losing winning, losing such a character is such a colorful guy. There's a lot more to this documentary that I can tell here, but but really, I wanted to touch on the fact that he accomplished that thing that I don't think any other fighter ever has. So if you want to watch something that sort of encapsulate cops, excuse me, encapsulates why these fighters fight why these champion fighters do what they do and how they do what they do. Watch this, and you'll just be shocked at one man's perseverance. It's amazing.

Ron Lippitt 11:05

Is he did they touch on how was his reception back in Panama?

Bob Phillips 11:10

He's a God in Panama now got it. So yeah, resume last thing is gone. No, it's all gone. He beat Davey more. You know, two years after that knocked him out became a champion. All was forgiven.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:20

Spoiler.

Bob Phillips 11:24

Well, you know, I'm assuming everybody knows the career like I do, but you don't have to be surprised by it to appreciate it. It's to me it's just a fantastic story of the other movies, Bob. Besides Rocky was he ever seen was he and other movies? Yeah, they didn't say that. In this documentary. I know. He's had cameos in different things, but never a big role because he refused to learn English. He just didn't give a shit. He insulted everybody told Larry Merchant to go for himself. He just didn't care hardly even now even in the documentary when he knows clearly knows enough English to communicate. He won't do it. He just won't.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:04

All right, fans of the show now Bob Phillips has an obsession with boxing and loves boxing movies and documentaries. And it's always a treat to hear him deep dive into that topic. Up next. Ron Lippitt with Munich edge of war. Take it away, Ron. Speaking of hilarious let's head on over to Munich. A laugh riot it is

Ron Lippitt 12:27

a laugh a second. So you know, listen, admittedly, I didn't watch anything this week. So I was coming to today's session about to retread something I had talked about a year ago, which is amazing that we have shows from a year ago. US right but but you know I'm like no, I'm better than that. This show is better than that. I'm gonna go and actually make this happen. So I did last night late and what did I do? I went to the algorithm which I do sometimes with Netflix, Netflix, tell me what am I going to like and sure enough this this show pops up and it knows my genre Munich the edge of war I thought it was gonna be like a documentary. It is a historical fiction. And, and I have to tell you, I really was surprised. It is an excellent, excellent film. So it stars Jeremy Irons, who plays the most impeccably brilliant Neville Chamberlain you have ever seen in your entire life. If you guys can picture Neville Chamberlain waving his his piece of paper that Hitler's fiddle, yeah, it's talking about talking about peace for our time. I'm telling you, Jeremy Irons is the absolute spitting image. So he's just anything he does is incredible. George Mackay does anyone know who George Mackay is? Because he's the new budding actor breakout star from the war drama 1917 That came out. Alive face

Bob Phillips 13:44

guy,

Ron Lippitt 13:45

he's got the long face by face. Exactly. So, so yeah, he's this pale face, British British guy. And he is a just the perfect cast for this because this role is one where you have to have a lot of range of just shock and amazement and also be able to carry the kind of pressure that I think that the show tries to put on it. So here's here's the setup. It's 1932. He's that expertise is best friends German, which I've learned since watching this movie, Eric actually lifted up in the 30s axpert really was an international school people from all over the world sent their best kids to Oxford, no matter what, no matter where they are from, they'll include Germans too. So his his best friend's a German and his contemporary and they graduate in 1932. And not before they graduate. George Mackay and his German friend have a big falling out because the German friend starts to exhibit Nazis, Nazism, tendencies about the rebirth of the great German nation and so on. So, so off they go, and they don't hear from each other for six years. And that's what the movie does. Fast forward six years. It's 1938. Hitler's in power. He's about to invade the SU debt and land in Czechoslovakia. George Mackay works for the British Foreign Service and he is sent to to Germany to help Neville Chamberlain translate these crazy meetings that they're having with Hitler. Hitler, by the way, is portrayed incredibly well by the German Acura unit you've never heard before. But what he portrays really well is just how absolutely off his rocker Hitler was during these meetings, he was purposely trying to trip up the British, the British envoy, just with how crazy he was speaking, and they talk about that quite a bit. But in the midst of what happened, and this is where it gets interesting a documents surfaces that is the actual game plan for Hitler, and his invasion of greater Europe, beyond the Sudetenland. And here, Neville Chamberlain is in Munich, about to sign a peace agreement with Hitler. And now their British are in possession of a document that spells out the entire game plan for the absolute conquering of Europe and beyond. And so Neville Chamberlain, is put into a position, what do I do? Do I sign this agreement that will stave off war for the for the short term, knowing full well that this madman is about to launch a war on all of Europe? Or do I tell this guy to go F himself and start a war right now? And it becomes a super interesting question, which I've done a ton of research since watching this movie to find out if this really happened, because what I've always grown up learning, Neville Chamberlain was the guy that made the bad deal that he was the laughingstock before Winston Churchill came to power, and that he's the classic example of believing what's put in front of you, and then being made fun of by everybody else. And you know, and he died not long after signing that agreement. But what this story comes to tell you is that what actually happened was a he signed that agreement, knowing that Hitler was full of shit that he was about to invade all of Europe, he signed that agreement, so that Britain would have a full year to arm themselves and get ready for war. And, and that, in essence, if you believe the story, Neville Chamberlain is a hero that was willing to go down with the ship and be seen as the fool in exchange for Britain having a full year to arm themselves. Is that

Bob Phillips 17:11

is that the conceit they're trying to push here? I mean, is that is historical fiction, right?

Ron Lippitt 17:17

It's historical fiction. I've looked hard to see if that document actually existed. There apparently is some truth that the British did have intelligence ahead of time prior to Neville Chamberlain going to Munich that Germany had no interest in peace whatsoever, which turned out to be of course, the case. But it just it was an interesting story, because it painted what happened in 1938, in an entirely new light. And I think it's kind of a, an effort to paint Neville Chamberlain in a way that doesn't make him to be such a fool. And I thought it was interesting. Well, if you believe it or not, I think

Bob Phillips 17:49

what I was asking, Is this revisionist history or is it is the facts that point to Chamberlain not being the buffoon that he was paying it? Yes,

Ron Lippitt 17:59

there are. There are now there are facts to show that Britain was in possession of intelligence prior to him signing that agreement. Now, was it an actual document with a plan and all that, like they have in the in the movie, I don't know that. They don't. But it's a fascinating story. And I think George Mackay as the envoy who goes to meet his friend back in Germany, who his friend is who gets in his documents because he has a complete falling out with what's actually happening in Germany, it becomes a super interesting story. And it's the classic story of where your loyalties are your loyalty to your country or your loyalties to your fellow man or your loyalties to the people you love. You know, where are your loyalties? And that's that's what the story is largely about in addition to the geopolitical drama it's a great spy drama there's a lot of spy nonsense in this lotta moments of this where your your heart's beating out your chest because you don't know what's about to happen if you like that if you're into if you're into dramatic you know, history and the telling I love that you guys know all things World War Two, so that's good for me but but the retelling of this and the dramatic reenactment of something that was very real and and some of the spycraft that went with it, I think makes us a winner has an ad for on Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the negative reviews from what I read was it starts off a little slow. It's true, it started starts off Cambridge, excuse me an expert and it is a slow roll but builds into a really good story that you can't wait to see what happens so sounds check it out. I

Jeff Dwoskin 19:25

think you'll like it. This is a recent movie. It's brand new. It made for Netflix. Right

Ron Lippitt 19:30

made for Netflix. It's produced and created by Netflix. It was directed by Kristian squacco who I butchered the name but he is famous for directing season three of the crown and also how are you may find interesting one of the best side characters in the show is August deal. Do you know obvious deal was augustea was the Gestapo officer in unfathomable bastards are waiting on in glory. Excuse me in glorious bastards just the guy he's the guy he's the guy that the in the bar scene that is interrogating the guys. And guess what? He plays the exact same character in this movie but He does it so well and he's such a drunk dramatic guy so it's it's fun man check it out I think you guys are like it's two hours one and done and I think you'll like the ride

Jeff Dwoskin 20:23

Munich edge of war Thank you Ron limit for that awesome deep dive into that. We've got one more for you make Manhattan frequent guest and friend of the show host of the scene snobs you're going to take us through fleabag? Take it away Mac. Hey, let's, let's go to mix. Mix second about fleabag. Yeah, make sense?

Mick Manhattan 20:44

I think it was 2019 where this show like started winning all the awards, like everything. It was almost like the size of Ted Lascaux that year.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:53

She won. Everything was. Yeah,

Mick Manhattan 20:56

I remember that. It's an amazing cast in the show. So Phoebe Waller bridge. This was a one woman show that she built up for, you know, she wrote for a stand up comedy storytelling night. And it just won tons of awards. And like started being put out there more and more. And then they adapted it, and she adapted it into a show for Amazon. And it's only two seasons. They cancelled it, which I don't I guess maybe it took too long or I don't know with COVID and everything but she said she loves playing the character but she's happy how it ended and it does end perfectly. So like you don't you can have her come back. But if you how many seats again, it's two really good seasons of a show.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:41

It literally was canceled. It wasn't that she just ended it.

Mick Manhattan 21:44

No, she said she'd come back to do a third season but they canceled

Jeff Dwoskin 21:48

so they had this huge, huge show. And then just said okay, we're done. We're gonna go with the boys.

Mick Manhattan 21:54

I think it was a huge show. Almost like 30 Rock was like it was always winning awards, but didn't have people watching it as much. Word of mouth is my

Jeff Dwoskin 22:03

My wife hates the show. I do whatever. She can't. I liked the show, but she does not like it unredeemed Well, now it's not that it says she doesn't like unredeemable central characters and the fleabag character Phoebe Waller and this is She's a horrible person. And so she just can't watch shows like that. She can't you know, you can't. I agree for it. And

Mick Manhattan 22:30

they all are like every Olivia Coleman plays a horrible character in this manipular the minute she's

Jeff Dwoskin 22:36

amazing. She's just for everyone listening out for reference, just won the Emmy for playing Queen Elizabeth and in the crowd.

Mick Manhattan 22:44

Oh, she's great. And everything. Brett Gelman, you guys, I'm sure you guys know, communion from here in America and he plays the husband of her sister on the show. And he is such a piece of garbage and it's perfect at it. Everybody on this show is just truly fantastic. Andrew Scott who's from Sherlock that falls in love with air but they can't do anything because he's you know, he's preseason, trying to stick to his vows like the whole show just has never loses steam. I just think it's good all the way through. It's just a really good story from beginning to end. And I just urge more people to watch it.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:23

I haven't seen Season Two season one doesn't even end with her being redeemed. I mean, it actually is the end of the season one episode it kind of solidifies the fact that what a horrible person right and so but I do agree I mean I enjoy I enjoyed season one a lot the every character is is hard to swallow but amazing. I mean it's it's definitely extremely well written and well acted I agree with you 100% On that man. I still have to get into Season Two she's the rumored to be the new Indiana Jones. Yeah. Yeah, she's she's she's in a rumor The rumor is she's gonna take over

Ron Lippitt 24:06

So wait a second. This is on Amazon right MC Yeah. Why have I never heard of this? Never heard of I've never. Yeah, this has escaped me. I might be only one. I think

Jeff Dwoskin 24:17

so like it's already won every award like Wow, well there you have it. They literally would go out there and go fleabag and then they do we need to read the other one.

Mick Manhattan 24:31

It was I will say Season Two. It's a beautiful weird love story between them in that and when it ends. She is redeemed in the eyes of the viewer. But she is still with leaving. But it's justifiable that by that point. And the whole point is like she lost her best friend and lover who she was truly in love with. And you know she died and it was her business partner. So it was like her just dealing with that loss with all All of these other horrible people in her life and her she just wants to connect with her sister but her sister has nothing to do with her. And it's crazy. Jerry didn't

Ron Lippitt 25:07

have it. Now look at Lee hasn't heard of it either. So I'm not the only one.

Bob Phillips 25:12

And Lee is up on it. She's She watches us regularly.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:16

Well, and Jerry's defense. He didn't say he hadn't heard of it. He just said he hadn't seen it.

Mick Manhattan 25:23

You're wrong. Get on it.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:25

That is Yeah, shout out to leave the biggest fan of all of our shows. Thank you. Yes, go lovely.

Bob Phillips 25:30

Thank you for watching. Awesome.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:32

Cool. So yeah, definitely check. Yeah, I would definitely check out fleabag Ron Yeah,

Ron Lippitt 25:37

yeah, I think Well, this sounds right up my alley, actually. So Thanks for Thanks for doing that.

Mick Manhattan 25:41

It's only half hour show. It's like two seasons of 10 You'll be you'll be asleep. You'll be asleep by episode three.

Ron Lippitt 25:50

I appreciate that.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:51

No, it's It's good. It's good. It's just it's if you fleabag characters like cilantro. Some people love it. Some people I see. Yeah. That was profound. Thank you.

Mick Manhattan 26:04

You're very yeah, see friend can't watch a show about women starring in and unless they get me tude?

Speaker 3 26:12

That's right. Don't like British comedy. I've never been a British comedy guy.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:18

See Jerry had heard of it, Jerry. All right. Thank you McMahon hadn't check him out on the scene snobs network. That was fleabag that's a lot. You got a lot of homework fleabag I am Duran and Munich edge of war. You're going to be busy for a while. So I'm going to let you go. Go hop on your favorite spot on the couch, grab the remote cross your own streams, and we'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 26:47

Thanks for listening to this special edition of crossing the streams. Visit us on YouTube for full episodes and catch us live every Wednesday at 9:30pm Eastern time. Now turn this off and go watch some TV. And don't forget to tell your family. I'll be busy for a while.

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