Tune Talk 2.0 - Season 3 Episode 7: Better Man The Life of Robbie Williams

[00:00:03] I'm Robbie Williams. I'm one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But my story can't be told in an ordinary way. I've always seen myself a little less evolved. So that's how you're going to see me. With a lot of biopics, everybody is so terrified of damaging their own brand. I'm not.

[00:00:33] Robbie Williams had this extraordinary rise to fame. You got in. You add nothing to this. Then he basically gets told his career is over at 21. There's a real excitement that you're watching someone doing the impossible. My whole life has been a tightrope act. No safety harness could fall off at any moment.

[00:01:05] And a lot of the time, I do. What I've managed to achieve and what I've managed to overcome is the equivalent of stretching an elastic band from here to Mars. Expect this amazing emotional roller coaster. The highs, the lows. The spectacles. It's a very original story. But it's also about realizing impossible dreams.

[00:01:33] Do you want to fake me? Why the movie? Why the fuck not? This film is exhilarating visually with amazing performances. It's by the director of The Greatest Showman. Imagine how epic that is. Can I scream?

[00:01:53] Why the Greatest Showman has everything you would expect from a big musical. It's the same creative team, so we've really got to take this up and on. Come on!

[00:02:19] Michael Gracie, the director of The Greatest Showman, he's charismatic and mentally talented. I don't wanna ride. Yeah, he's a legend. That's what Michael brings. To have someone who cares so much about a project, it really makes you and everyone else wanna care about it more as well. I wanna prove I can make it on my own. Prove to who? Everyone.

[00:02:45] It talks to you on a level deeper than words alone can. It is incredibly impactful. It is absolutely powerful. That is the power of a musical. You get to present narrative through song, through dance. And when it's done right, it is incredibly exhilarating.

[00:03:23] This whole film is an impossible dream. Am I here? Can I be here? Even though I was there when most of this was filmed, I still don't understand how it was done. That's how he sees himself. He sees himself as a performing monkey. The film is magic. I was completely convinced that we could tell this story and get people to invest emotionally if Weta were gonna come on board to work on the visual effects. We usually do stunts and fights

[00:03:52] and then we were thrown into Dancing Apes. It's really just not how you would shoot a visual effects movie. Usually you try and make it as sterile and controllable in post as possible. And this was not that. At the one end of the scale you've got a phyto-realistic chimpanzee and at the other end of the scale you've got Robbie Williams. And where along that scale do we want to land? Now kick it. Yes you can!

[00:04:22] It's truly an honour to be able to play Robbie Williams. Jono Davis! I feel like I'm the first person alive that's performed in front of 20,000 people doing performance capture. To have Jono playing that role and giving us all that incredible powerhouse performance on set, we were just incredibly fortunate that we had both Jono and Weta. One, two, three, four! It's sort of blending the skills that we have at Weta into this one character

[00:04:50] and then taking it further because we've never done singing. But when I rock the mic, I rock the mic. We had to do a lot of motion studies there to sort of work out how you convincingly make all that sound and all that energy and all that breath come out of this CG character. It's not just moving the lips so much more than that. It's the chest and the breathing and the posture and the strain in the eyes and brows and stuff. All that tells that these songs are emerging out of this character. Weta Digital and all the artists there,

[00:05:19] I owe so much to all of those people who came together to make this happen. And that's what makes this so special. Robbie Williams, Aquarius, and we are at TIFF Toronto International Film Festival for my premiere of my biopic, The Batman. I feel like what a bride is supposed to feel like on a wedding day.

[00:05:54] I think they're just going to see a side team that they don't know. They are just going to get a look at something deeply personal. It's a spectacle, so I'm excited for everyone to see. Jono Davies, Robbie Williams himself. Enjoy the film and I look forward to seeing people afterwards. Thank you. It was really special for all of us and you did such an emotional roller-poster. This is the new bar for what a music biopic can look like. Feel free to join her. It's Robbie Williams!

[00:06:34] I'm Robbie Williams. I'm one of the biggest pop stars in the world. This is my story, but I'm not going to tell it in an ordinary way because I don't see myself how others see me. It's mine! To be honest, I've always been a little less evolved. I don't wanna ride! So let's take it from the top, shall we? I sit away.

[00:07:02] My dad was well enamored by the stars of the day. You can't learn it. You're either born with it or you're a nobody. There's an angel... Don't want to be a nobody. Contemplate my fate... You're enough. We'll work great... You got in! You're in that band!

[00:07:29] Look around the table. In five years, we're all going to hate each other. We'll be rich!

[00:07:59] Do I look like a pop star to you? I will not change a hair on your head. I prove I can make it on my own. Prove to who? Everyone. Songs are only valuable if they cost you something. If you're gonna laugh, do it on the inside, yeah?

[00:08:25] I don't give a fuck what they think! You give a fuck what everyone thinks. The story starts.

[00:08:55] 3, 2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0. America's return to space as Discovery clears the tower. Be released. Hello everyone! Welcome to TuneTalk!

[00:09:21] Tonight's podcast is being brought to you by our friends at Trophy Smack and RTA Media. So am I my own friend? First of all, congratulations on that beautiful intro. Fantastic. T'was, t'was. Bevan, what a great intro. I'm in shock. What about you, Jakey Boy? You're what? In shock.

[00:09:52] That movie changed my perception of a lot of things. I am utterly flabbergasted. I am bamboozled in a way. Bamboozled? I haven't heard that expression in a long time. Yeah. Sometimes somebody in my life told me, I am being bamboozled by a guy in a suit. I'm like, I just want to kiss you. But either way, welcome to TuneTalk 2.0.

[00:10:21] Today we're going to have a special. And let me tell you, we're preparing to do our production to see what the show is going to be about. And then Jake is like, fuck it. I want to do a special about Robbie Williams. I go like, what? He's like, yeah. Because... I've become a fan. He went and watched the movie, and he became a fan. I became a fan. A lot of people do the same when they go and watch the movie. I will say this. So this is the one thing.

[00:10:51] I'm very much a middle ground between the people who were like you that knew about Robbie beforehand and were like, oh no, this is going to be great. And what I've seen to be the typical American audience of like, you mean Robin Williams? Yeah. And now everybody's dogging on it. So here's the thing. This movie... So it goes without saying that Robbie Williams has had a crazy life. And he's done and gone through a lot.

[00:11:22] Most of which there's singular events in the movie and that happened in Robbie's life that most people identify with one of those things. It's just that Robbie's done all of them. However, on the off chance, because like for me personally, what really got me was the end where he had sort of... Basically any scene involving his dad. That's what really got me on an emotional level, particularly the end.

[00:11:52] But that's because I didn't have a very typical relationship with my dad and very much, very many of the same feelings for different reasons. So I understood that aspect of Robbie's personality where he resented his father for leaving, but he still, at the end of the day, just really wanted his father's approval. That's, you know, and it's really fucked up unless you've been through it. And then it makes total sense.

[00:12:20] Yeah. I mean, there's a lot of ways to relate with this movie. He, I mean, obviously personally, me being a singer, me always being the guy that kick out of the band, always being the rebel, always that I want to sing whatever I want, whatever I want. I don't want to listen to the record label. The abortion. I mean, the situation with his baby, how he gets forced because of the career. His adoration to the Gallagher, right?

[00:12:47] And at the same time, realizing that there's many paths to be successful. Yeah. But the most important is how lonely you can get becoming obsessed with your success. And how you need to reach out to the family to actually become successful. I think the movie touches you in summary, so many different worlds because Robbie Williams is the breadfabber of pop stars.

[00:13:16] Right. Right. He's the man of the people. I mean, I mean, yeah. So here's the thing after watching the movie is the thing that I get in some interviews, because obviously I watched a lot of interviews after I saw the movie here. The thing that I love and respect about Robbie Williams as a person is it's, I said this on average intelligence, it's real easy to give people the finger when you have fuck you money. Yeah. But Robbie's done that since he was 16.

[00:13:45] And yeah. And you know what? He's, he's, he can't fuck you money in a way that people don't imagine. You know, I didn't trade his network. Yeah. But he had the attitude before he had the fuck. He got the fuck you money in spite of, you know? Yeah. I mean, with, with the intro that we just saw, he said at the beginning, uh, for the people that miss, miss it, you gotta watch it when we finish. You need to rewind the episode and look that beautiful intro.

[00:14:14] He says a lot of people are afraid of, right? Exposing their brand and that, and that's something that he has the particularity of being himself, because people want honesty and he trusts him from music. He's, he's just a good guy with talent that he's a fighter. Period. Yeah. Well, and here's the ironic thing about that.

[00:14:35] So it's, I'm not going to say Hollywood exclusively, but celebrity in general is really weird in the, in, in the aspect of, they seem to want to beat the same drum until it's gone and then get pissed when you can't reinvent yourself. Yeah. Even though they've been pushing you to do the same shit for 25 years.

[00:15:03] And then when your sales or interest inevitably falls off because people get older, things change and you, you, you can't reinvent yourself. Cause you don't know how, then they drop you for the next thing that just turned, you know, 17, 18. And get pushed out into the limelight. But people who can reinvent themselves constantly always seem to have, like they go through highs and lows, obviously, but, you know, take Taylor Swift.

[00:15:29] She's a really good example of that too, where she's always kind of been popular, but Taylor Swift of today is not the same Taylor Swift. When, and was it 2010 or. For a start, you know, she thinks Bob, right. She started as a. Exactly. Yeah. She was a country artist. Yeah. Musically. What I, what I really liked about Robbie Williams is that he always been able to do whatever he feels to. And his lyrics are so simple.

[00:15:59] That they relate really easy to do. They're not complicated, but they're not stupid. They're not stupid. They're not, they're not stupid. They have a profound feeling for what he's going through. And I think that that's his biggest asset. The way that he writes. Is. And the, and the team around him, because we see it in the movie. I knew it from before. He's not a musician. He's a lyricist and a performer.

[00:16:28] He does. Oh my God. The scene where he's working with the producer. That's so real. Well, that. Because now every time you see a movie, you see the biggest studios. I know this is so real. He's the guy with the keyboard. Right? Yeah. And that's how it is. Big. Hello to Horacio Portales. Horacio was my first producer. When everybody turned the back on me. I remember that he got his keyboard connected to a speaker.

[00:16:57] I think it was a JVC speaker with blue. And he got this keyboard that it was better than a cast. It was a Tetron. A Korg, right? Right? And that's how we make my first single. And it was, it's so hard what he had accomplished, Robbie Williams. Because he didn't have the massive support of nobody. He's pure talent. And we need to understand that England has a different perception in art. That in the States.

[00:17:27] And that in every place in the world. In England, you don't need to be the perfect 10-10 to become successful. You need to be talented. Bro, if you don't even have to have teeth to get successful in the UK. Yeah, no, no. You don't have to have a lot of teeth if you do it. You don't have to be the perfect 10 in everything. And it's a complicated matter to control. Susan Boyle got famous. All right. If she can, which I mean.

[00:17:57] Adele. Yeah. Okay. Another one. Susan Boyle has the voice of an angel, though. Her rendition of I Dreamed a Dream is my favorite version. And that is including the Broadway versions. Okay. Yeah, I don't know. She's Susan Boyle is one in a billion. But how do I say this? Adele, like I was saying, Adele is a great example. Yeah. Why? Because Adele, she's... Now she looks like a rock star. Right?

[00:18:27] But at the beginning, you can look transformation from Adele from the first time to now. And it was a woman with a little weight in it. Her nose wasn't perfect. Her hair wasn't perfect. But her shit was real, dude. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It's important to be a performer. And in the case of Robbie Willen, a lyricist, then, like you say, he reinvented himself every album. Yeah. When he released...

[00:18:57] And he's always sarcastic. And he doesn't care. Like you say, the fuck you money attitude. When he released the Swing album, like 12 years ago, the name of the album is Swing Both Ways. Okay? Right? And you can tell how he is. He's just a guy that probably was too much a forward to his age. And that's why he didn't match in America.

[00:19:22] Because now, as the culture is today, he will be respected different. Yeah. And he's a missionary in many, many ways. Which I did see. This speaks to his sarcasm. I did see him on a red carpet somewhere. And they were asking him, you know, like, do you think that, you know, how do you think this will resonate with the people in America? And he's like, well, he's like, I would like to take a moment to thank the one fan in the U.S. He's like, hey, Angela, how are you? How's the family?

[00:19:54] He's really funny. I was looking with Jeff Graham. That's the name of the show in England, the famous one. Graham Norton? Graham Norton. Thank you. Oh, I love Graham Norton. He's in Graham Norton. He's like, so how was your treat? He's like, well, you know what? It was weird. So I parked my car. And then I see the paparazzi. And I'm like, here we go again. I can't have dinner. And I jump out of the car. And everyone is looking at me like this.

[00:20:23] And that guy actually says, hey, Toby? And everybody started yelling, Toby. And he's like, yeah, I'm Toby. He didn't know who the fuck I was. So that's really funny that he saw his situation like that. Sorry, I went for a little tea because I've been singing a lot. I mean, yeah. Thanks to that movie, though. I've gone down a bit of a rabbit hole. And I've liked a lot of what I've heard.

[00:20:52] And none of it, I would say, none of it has been bad. It just may not be my musical taste. But he's got such a long discography that it really doesn't matter. Like, you're not going to love everything because it's all so different. Yeah, I don't know. And that's good. They asked him, do you like musicals? And he gave the best answer that, again, we're going to feel related to. He's like, I like this musical. He's so much that make me believe that I'm going to love the other musicals that I hate.

[00:21:21] And then I see the other musicals that I hate. And I remember I don't like musicals. Right? Because I'm a guy. He say something in that spectrum. So I think it's really impressive. For the people that don't know, the actual release was December 25th. Then a little show, you know, here and there. And then they're going to be releasing in three days. Today is for 14th, right?

[00:21:52] Yes. The international release is January 17th, if I'm correct. Yes, that's what it said. So they started, I think they started the limited release in the UK in December. And here, too. Oh, was it that early? Because I couldn't even get showtimes until last week. No, no, no, no. It wasn't December 15th. You're correct. Because I watched the secret screening, remember? That's right. Yeah.

[00:22:22] Yeah. Which is funny because basically everything, at least on TikTok, everything online is from America anyway, is basically people like, yeah, this movie's bombing. And it's like, I didn't even know that, though. You told me before we went live that it hasn't even gotten its full release yet. Yeah. I mean, it's not a full release. So basically they already recovered 10% without releasing. I mean, basically, yeah.

[00:22:49] And when this movie hits the platforms, it's going to go into another level because it's going to be easier to see worldwide. People need to understand two things. We're going to see a biopic that is not boring because it has music. And we're not watching a musical because the story is really good. Right? Yeah. It's not a musical per se. I was going to say, yeah, I don't really classify it as a musical.

[00:23:16] I mean, it is in the sense that there's music in it, but it's a biopic about a musician. It's kind of like, I've had a couple conversations with people who say, well, I don't like musicals. I'm like, okay, but it's a biopic of a singer. Yeah. It would be really weird to not have any music in that movie. Yeah. And let's talk about the big monkey in the room. Let's say the big.

[00:23:48] The movie is so different because he's a monkey in the movie, an ape. And a lot of people have told me, I don't get that. Remember, we have this conversation. You know what I mean? I mean, I rehearse a little research and in this industry, you need to be an ape on the stage. Right? How do you call it? You need to be a dancing monkey. A dancing monkey. Right?

[00:24:17] Because that's the way to make it work. And I can't understand what people can be like. But as a performer, it's such a good joke because to get to that level, right, you've got to be the dancing monkey. There's like Susan Boyle, remember? She was a perfect talent. But it was skyrocket and then a stop and that's it. Right? Because she's not a dancing monkey.

[00:24:47] Well, because she was a bit of an, I will say, she was a bit of a novelty. It was mostly the surprise. The surprise of it all. Yeah, but when a surprise passed, it's not a dancing monkey. Well, you have to keep up with it, right? You have to continue to deliver. That's why usually surprises don't last because it's like, oh, that was cool. And then immediately. More nowadays. Nowadays it's complicated. Well, yeah, nowadays it's a whole different animal.

[00:25:13] Your surprise right now is that you start the show as a man and you finish as a woman. I don't live in California. Oh, you know what I mean. It's a joke. God damn it. Justin says, see, I would consider Rocketman to be more musical than biopic to the detriment of the film. I guess my point is I would argue musical biopics exist. I'm not saying this is one though. First of all, first of all, have you seen the movie, Justin?

[00:25:42] That's a good, that's a good question. Because actually I think there's many things about it that Justin would appreciate because Justin does like the silly. Justin likes the silly, but he also appreciates good filmmaking. And the jokes are good in the show. The jokes are good. I laughed several times. Now, for me, and I need to, we live in an era that you don't have to be the top guy all the time. I cry seven times in this movie. Seven.

[00:26:12] I don't want to throw spoilers to anybody. Right? But there's a scene related to the grandma at the end of the movie. That the last 20 minutes, I'm like, I'm done crying. That's it, man. Control yourself. Right? Yeah. I'm with my sister on the right, my mom on the left. Right? And I'm like, control, dude. Stop crying. I said, look, mom is crying. I'm like, stop, man. You've been crying like the whole movie. And then this scene goes around and running. And I'm like a water fountain, right?

[00:26:41] And he's... Yeah. No, the scene where the grandma, where he got the call. Because I'm trying not to ruin the movie for people. Yeah, I'm trying not to. I'm trying. It's really hard. The scene where he got the call. That was one that got me. I didn't cry there, but I was like, ah, shit. Because I've gotten that call before. Yeah. It's just hard, man. I know. I'm sorry for that, but...

[00:27:11] Let me just read the titles of the IMDb. Critics, right? Powerful, moving, entertaining, and heartbreaking. Nine of ten. Eight of ten. The better film for a better man. Seven, ten. Better man. Ten, ten. This movie has no right to be so damn good. Okay. I couldn't agree with that more. Because if you just look at the sum of its parts... It shouldn't be a good movie. It honestly shouldn't.

[00:27:41] But when you watch it... And again, I was kind of... And this is kind of the best... My expectations were not high. I thought this was going to be crap. You know? And... You're a tough cookie to sell, bro. I am. I'm a tough critic. I'm a tough critic. But I'll also say that out of my... Other than you, obviously. Out of my friend group. Like my local friend group. I probably would have been the only one that would have liked this movie. Because it's atypical.

[00:28:11] It's a little weird. Not going to lie. However, you need to give them the chance. Because I... Everyone that I recommend this movie. Right? They come telling me what you told me. Yeah. And they're like... Yeah, shit. Let me read it. 10 of 10. So impressed and touched by this movie. This is really good. 10 of 10. Ignore the haters. This is immersed. This is immersed. It is...

[00:28:40] Kudos to Michael Gray. 10 of 10. Wow. There's... 10 of 10. Don't listen to this clueless American. That's what it says. Generally good advice. Yeah. Insane and raw. Surprisingly effective and entertaining. Right? Breadless cinema. Emotionally packed.

[00:29:10] Brave, unflinching, honest and human. And we're talking about great qualifications. There's always an asshole, right? But... There's always assholes everywhere around. The point is... If you... Saying that you don't like this movie... Show more... More about yourself than the movie itself. Well, no. I'll give... So the point I was trying to make earlier... And then I got sidetracked... Is that... If... Somehow...

[00:29:38] You've not experienced anything like... The events that transpire in the movie... At all in your life... Yeah. You're probably not going to like it... Because it's not going to resonate with you. And it's just going to seem... It's going to... It's going to feel like... A bunch of random scenes... Where like... You might appreciate things... But if you haven't lived... One of those... Because... I'll put it to you this way. If you've lived all those experiences... It's a miracle you're still alive... It's a miracle Robbie Williams is still alive. Yes and no.

[00:30:07] I had this conversation. He consumed drugs, Jake... And I had this conversation. But as an ex-addict... His level of consumption... Was functional addict. Okay. Fair. It wasn't crazy. So... I had this conversation... Because you know... A lot of people know... They can just Google it, right? I went to... Two years of... Kylie... And I never was close to an overdose. I never was close to... Because it doesn't work like that. In the movies... They show us that. Right?

[00:30:37] Yeah. But it's not like that. And that's something... That I really respect about the movie. They show you... The side of... How it affects your life... Yeah. And the people around you. But sometimes... Don't destroy your life. When it destroys your life... It's a long period of time. Now... He wasn't consuming... Like Tommy Lee... In Motley Crue. But he was consuming. You know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Another thing that for me was... Like...

[00:31:07] Obviously close... Close to the chest. Right? Now that he's recovered is... Your life changed so much. So much. It's funny because... As a performer... Right? That didn't have the chance to be born in America... Or in England. I see Justin Bieber... And I'm like... I hate this motherfucker. Because I'm actually jealous. Right? No. That's not the reality. Why? Because... But... There's two worlds.

[00:31:38] There's three worlds. USA... UK... And the rest of the world... For entertainment. You don't believe me? Beatles? Beach Boys. Michael Jackson? Robbie Williams. Madonna? Kelly Minot. Or whatever. You know... It's... It's the two pinnacles of industry. Really rare is to... Find a Shakira. Really. It's really hard. So... Am I hearing that... There's going to be a cover of...

[00:32:07] What's the name of that... Damn Justin Bieber song? Is it just Baby? No. No. I will never make cover that. But my point is... Come on. When I see Robbie Williams... I don't feel jealous about the guy. I actually... Embrace... His success. Yes. And that's something hard... Because he's not perfect. He doesn't have the perfect face. He's not ugly... But he's not handsome. Right? He's not fat... But he's not slim. I don't know about that. I mean... I mean... He's a fairly good looking dude. Yes. But not like... Even in the movie...

[00:32:37] He says I don't look like a pop star. Because you see the other boy bands? The other guys in the boy bands? Fair. Fair. Yeah. Fair. What I'm saying is... Like I say... He's the perfect middle. Well, but every... Every voice... But he's a good singer. Yeah. But every... Every boy band has a bad boy though. Yeah. But he wasn't... Not as... Physically enhanced... Like the other guys naturally. Well... And I know I'm rare in this... But that's something I actually appreciate.

[00:33:07] Yeah. I mean... The guy is... Like I say... He's... He's one of us... That he made it. And I think that's really valid. Now... Let's go a little bit into the movie. The director... We talked about it. We didn't like... The Greatest... The Greatest Showman has one good song. And the scene's actually really good too. The rest of it is dog shit. But then he produced... Rocketman.

[00:33:36] Which I have not seen to be fair. Really good. I... I'm sorry that you didn't see it before. Because you will understand the path of... Greatest Showman... I'm gonna do everything that I always wanted. Rocketman... I'm gonna do what I'm supposed to do. Betterman... I'm doing exactly what I need to do. Right? That's the part of that. Even so... Director... Executive producer... Director... He learned. Yeah. But yeah... I mean... It's... The... The... The...

[00:34:07] The... The... The musical part of... I Don't Wanna Rock... When they get signed by the record label. That's a great... Dude... It's so good. The mutual art of the whole movie... Again... It's hard not to ruin it for everyone. But... When he gets expelled or... Caught out of the band... He's driving fast and then the car passes to the water. That... Is... You're talking about top cinematography to the level of...

[00:34:36] Right? Yeah. And the music's good too. Because that's actually one of the songs that I really dug from him. It's Come Undone. Come Undone is really good. Such a good song. What it says. That's exactly Robin Williams. Okay. Okay. So here's the thing though. And I have... I just have to shout my appreciation for this. The lyrics of the chorus start with... They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street. Yeah. Now you know what that is.

[00:35:08] And in the context of the song, it's just... Those are atypical lyrics. No. And yet... It's... It's such a damn good song. It's a damn good song. The way that he addressed... Um... Oh yeah. Sorry. I put Come Undone the lyrics and I got the Duran Duran song. I go like... What? Yeah.

[00:35:41] Um... Oh. Because I'm a scum and I'm your son. That's my favorite one. Oh. What's the other lyric? Um... If I ever hurt you, your revenge will be so sweet. Uh... They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street. I pray that when I'm coming down, you'll be asleep. If I ever hurt you, your revenge will be so sweet. Because I'm a scum and I'm your son. When I'm coming down. Uh... It's like... It's like... Go ahead. Go ahead. I just... I got chills just listening to you read the lyrics.

[00:36:11] Legit. Yeah. Just, uh... Honestly, for me, this is... For me personally, it's his third... Third? Third? Best song? It's up there. I don't know if I've heard Feel yet. I sent you my cover. Oh, okay. That's Feel. Yeah. Oh. Okay. Yeah. That's up there. I don't think I've heard his version. Well... Dude, obviously it's better. I mean, let's... Let's be honest.

[00:36:40] No, I wouldn't be doing a fucking podcast with you. There's a part... When I was singing it, it brought me to tears. It says, I sit and talk to God, and he just laughs at my plans. My head speaks a language that I don't understand. I mean, dude. And it's a guy that grew up, that didn't finish high school. Yeah. That grew up in a small, forgotten part of England.

[00:37:09] Right? So that's really good. But this one line, and I'm going to go with this. I don't want to keep reading the lyrics to the people, but... I don't want to die, but I ain't keen of leaving either. Before I fall in love, I'm prepared to leave her. That doesn't relate to every motherfucker in the world. Yeah. Everyone. Oh, and fun fact, though. Probably his... I don't know if it was his biggest hit, but I know it's up there.

[00:37:39] Angels. Did you know that he... Yeah, go ahead. Did you know that he did a Spanish version? No. Yeah. And I know. Bro. Yeah. I'm the mega fan. Oh. Lyrics are way different, though. Yeah. And a lot of people sing that cover, right? Yeah. Many, many, many, many, many. Like, I don't know. It's like my way from other generations.

[00:38:03] Like, in Mexico, they did an interpretation, not a translation, a tropicalization. Well, no, he did. And they make it about love. Yeah, no, Robbie Williams did. But everybody, they did an adaptation. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, he did a Spanish version. It's on his official YouTube. I got it. Oh, I see what you're saying. I got you. Okay. I see what you're saying. Yeah. Yeah, because I picked up on it.

[00:38:33] When you sing in other languages, then you just have a coach there, and you just make him the sound. Yeah. Well, because even the way he sings it is different. It's not as... Not raspy. It's not as harsh as he normally sings. Maybe this is too nerdy if you're not a musician. The English language makes you flow between the vocals. Okay. And the accents in Spanish make you hit the note differently. So it changes a lot. Oh, no. I can...

[00:39:02] You can hear it when you listen to both versions. Because that's... Yeah. I sent it to the girlfriend. And I even told her, I said... Ooh! I kind of prefer the English language, though. And she was like, send me the English version. And I was like, all right. Yeah, it's funny. There's people that sound better, you know? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. But then he's got a bunch of fun ones, too. Like, Rock DJ, I still just... What do you like better?

[00:39:29] The original version or the movie version? I kind of like... I don't know why. Maybe you can enlighten me. I feel like I like the movie version a little bit better. Not just you. You know who say the movie version is way better? Probably Robbie. Robbie will know that. He said that. He loved it. Why? Because the other one was releasing in 1999-2000. So the sound was really electrolyte. That's... Yes.

[00:39:58] And now, because I tell the wind... And that changed the whole dynamic. That's what it is. Yeah. Because even the intro, you hear the difference. Yeah. And I feel like the drums are... The drums are mixed differently. Like, they're the same, but I feel like they're a little bit louder. No, no. It's totally different. It's mixed. Technology changed a lot in 25 years now. Yeah. That's true. That's true.

[00:40:23] I'm going to just read the title of this comment in IMDb. A biopic that dares to be different. And that's the reality. If they put him like the Elton John 1 or... It will be a good biopic, but it wouldn't be unique. I was going to say it wouldn't be Robbie Williams. But now that he's a monkey, and that wouldn't be... Now you understand. When I was trying to spread the last joke,

[00:40:52] well, I'll be honest. I still don't know that I can justify the chimp thing, but I understand the logic behind it. I would still say if I was going to change one thing about this movie, it would be so small. But if I was going to change one thing, it would be at the beginning, when he's introducing himself to the audience, I would have... Show the back of the kid's head. You don't even have to see his face. But just have a moment when he's going through that where he looks in the mirror and he sees the chimp.

[00:41:23] And I'm fine with that. Yes, because you need the explanation. Sure. Yeah, I understand that's a new thing. And in real life, we don't need... Yeah, no, no. And in real life, we don't have the chance to get an explanation. Right. But it's film language, though. That's all I'm saying. And it's a minor thing. I understand what you're saying, but I think that this is what separates this movie from the others, that they took the risk not to do that. For sure. Fair enough. Yeah, absolutely.

[00:41:55] Absolute riot. Amazing movie. Excellent biopic. Plays like Great Tragedy. Yeah. Well, I don't know that I... I don't consider this movie a tragedy, though. No, I mean, that's what the people are saying. Almost perfect. Not what I expected, but it's still not groundbreaking. And that's an eight. The lad from Stoke who has born with it. That's a good review. Yeah.

[00:42:25] Good movie. Another failed American love. Well, that remains to be seen. But you know how people are. People like to talk about their assets without reading. Yeah, that's true. There's nothing worse than a person that is building a desk from Ikea and put everything in the floor. And it says, what I'm going to do? Read the fucking instructions. Yeah, they're right there. Yeah. They're right there. They're built for you to build them. Right?

[00:42:54] It's time for you to build them. And you know what else you should do? Yes. Go ahead. You should visit our friends at trophysmack.com where you can get, for any occasion, accomplishment, or accolade, a custom-made championship belt, or ring, or trophy, wall art, you name it. Like this one. Which I'm still maintaining. We're coming after Robbie for intellectual property.

[00:43:24] Yeah. But, all I'm saying, in fact, in fact, if anybody from, if anybody's from, if anyone from Robbie's camp sees this podcast, you reach out to me, I'll make him a belt. And I'm going to say something. If somebody from, from Robbie with William's team, look at this, and they want to solve this without Jake suing them, do you want to settle? Let me just call and say hello. Send him, send him on the podcast, and he can, he can answer for his crimes.

[00:43:56] But yes. I'm pretty sure he can make a video saying, hello, Jake. Sorry for this in your team. That would be enough. See, that's the thing. I, I, he seems like someone who would do that, but back to our good friends at Trophy Smack, in all honesty, and you'll be seeing more of them shortly, because on the RTA podcast, the RTA awards will be announced later this month. And that will be sponsored also by our friends at Trophy Smack. But I mean, seriously, this belt, legit six pounds. And there used to be only one custom design.

[00:44:25] There are now four. For the belts, for the belts and loans. And now you can customize championship rings. Their loser belts are still one of their highest selling items. Very popular with fantasy football, but basically any sport where you want to bust your friends' balls, you know, it's good. So visit our friends by clicking the first link in the description, trophysmack.com and enjoy, because when you get this, you'll be very excited to open the package in the mail. You will.

[00:44:54] It's going to leave this here for a minute so you can bask in its glory. It's really good, man. Oh, and you can upload, upload any art you want. Like I said, this is our logo. This is ours. And it's seamlessly integrated. No. Although I'm, I'm seriously. So we had a name for our ape and I think we're going to rename Robbie. I know it wasn't, but I think we're going to rename him Robbie. I think that's what supposed to be. Rob. Rob. I like Rob.

[00:45:24] Because we got robbed. By Robbie Williams. Anyway, trophy smack.com. I got a little thing to talk about the movie with you. It got, it got already 38 nominations. However, not all of them are American. Huh? Do you see a little boycott of like, they got 2025 outstanding achievement of character animation and live action production.

[00:45:54] The critics choice award. Best visual effects. Those two, those two. Well, we got to understand. And we saw it in our intro. The guys that did this, yes, they did the planet of the age, but they're usually created wars. Now they need to have the face express. And the breathing is different. Golden Globes. He was nominated just for best original song. What song would that be? The, the new one.

[00:46:25] Oh, I don't know. The forbidden road. That's the one that is placed at the end in the credit. Oh, okay. Motion picture, sound editors in outstanding achievement in music editing. Feature motion picture. But you see, they're not celebrating the script or the cinematography. That is really good. Anyway, the cinematography is good. Best, best voice acting. Best what acting? Best voice acting.

[00:46:56] Because Robbie's talking about that. Yeah, I was going to say, Robbie's doing that. But what I'm saying is, seriously, guys, the script is way better than fucking Kalina, whatever, bitch that won everything in the, that the woman is not even speaking Spanish. It's a disrespect. Imagine if I caught this podcast saying this. That's how she sounds. Well, if she,

[00:47:25] if she was doing that, maybe at least. Anyway, Washington, DC area film critics association. Okay. Now we're talking the Washington, DC area film critics association. Best movie. It's nominations. The Indiana film journalist. Best stunt. Maybe better. Better man movie. I got it. Best vocals.

[00:47:55] Utah film critics. Best visual effects. Hollywood music in media awards. Best original song. Best music. Theater film. Biopic or musical. Thank you. At least somebody. Someone's recognizing. But, but, but, but every, at least couple, but now let's go outside the States. Are you ready? Australian Academy of cinema. Best film. Best director of film. Best lead actor. Best supporting actor. Best supporting actress. Best screenplay on the film. Best cinematography.

[00:48:24] Best costume. Best editing. Best producing. Best original score. Best sound in film. Best casting. Best visual. Best soundtrack. And best original song. So my question is, why America? Why are you so fucking upset? You like the Beatles? Stop being a bitch with Robbie Williams. The irony is, I don't like the Beatles. No, but, but you know what I mean? It's unreal. That here is like best effect. Best global. And in Australia,

[00:48:52] I count 19 nominations. Because, in America, we're too busy celebrating the mediocrity that is Emilia Perez. And now before, before you jumped on my throat. Let me a favor. What? Emilia Perez. No. No, no. Emilia Perez. Please. Emilia Perez. Emilia Perez. Anyway. Well, I'm going to start calling you Jacob Boguer. Boguer. No, your name is

[00:49:21] Jacob Boguer. Jake Boguer. You're not Jacob Boguer. You're not. Hey, Lee says, anything was better than Emilia Perez. There you go. So, but, but I, because there's going to be somebody in the comments that jumps down my throat about this. It's got nothing to do with the fact that it's about a trans woman. It's just a bad movie. It's a bad musical. The lyrics are horrendous. The performances are, the acting is awful, bro. Yeah. Oh no, I'm getting there.

[00:49:51] And Selena, from what I saw, I haven't watched the entire movie yet, but I've seen parts of it. And, and here's the thing. I like Selena Gomez in this movie. It does. It, oh my God. No. Let me tell you something. What lack of respect you have for your culture. If you allow that they tell you to talk a language that doesn't exist because she's Spanish is bad, man. That's a lack of respect of culture. Lack of respect for her career. Lack of respect

[00:50:20] for her heritage. You know, Eugenio Derbez, Eugenio Derbez, you know, the actor, the Mexican actor. Batteries included. Sober aboard. Anyway, he got a couple of movies to the States. A few in a sec. He's the lead. Anyway, he's really famous in Latin America. Oh, I think I might know who he is. Comedy guy? He came and said, yeah, comedy guy. Okay, I know. Yeah, I know who you're talking about. He came and said, this is a disgrace. And the media in America destroyed him because he said that.

[00:50:51] Anyway, let me go to the AACTA. Best film. Best director in film. Best screenplay in film. Best lead actor. Best supporting actor. And best supporting actor. Best. And that, I mean, I get it. You know, the Critics Association in Central Florida give him one nomination. Best hybrid performance. You know, it's just...

[00:51:21] Well, any more, it seems like... Dude, he's supposed to be nominated as best movie, best musical in the Golden Globe. I'm trying to hope that because he was limited edition it's going to be in the next year. I would think so. Yeah. If they do that, I will shut up. I don't want them to win, but they need to realize that not your lack of knowledge... They need to... They need... They need nominations for sure. But like, going back to Emilia Perez, like,

[00:51:51] I had heard because Haley told me and... But I hadn't seen anything of it, so I'm like, okay, maybe it's good. And then I watched a review where they played some of the excerpts from the songs. I'm just like, how... Not... Like, it's not just a bad... It's... How the fuck does this person have a career bad? Two things. I mind the agency meeting when they meet with the studio. Listen, guys. I got a drug dealer

[00:52:21] that is a guy that I go in disguise. Transformers at Trust Central and he realized that he always wanted to be. Okay, yeah. I want to see that movie. That's what it got done because the right political time and it's Latinos. Ooh, Latinos. What we did in the last award, we gave everything to the Asian. Perfect. Trans? Latinos? Who are we going to use? What is the name of the guy from... The woman from Wicked? The singer?

[00:52:52] Oh, Ariana Grande. Ariana Grande. I'm sorry, Wicked. Damn. Who's going to get it? Who's the other Latina that sings? Hey, come on, bring her. You can tell that it was a negotiation in a closed door in Hollywood more than actually a project because if I sell it to you like that, it's not a bad idea. Well, but then there's the other. So apart from the movie just being technically bad from what I can tell, it's just very problematic because apparently there's a song where Zoe Saldana

[00:53:22] is going around and sing shaming all the politicians in this area of Mexico when it's like, bitch, you're the lawyer that works for the drug lord. Yeah, because like I say, what are we going to have? The lawyer will attack the politicians in Latin America. It's going to be good. I can't see the energy of agents and CAA saying we're going to make a lot of money. It doesn't feel like, dude,

[00:53:52] it doesn't feel like a passion thing for me at least. I don't think good for everyone but the next time it's really funny. If I want to play, I'm not going to talk about me. If a guy, I remember this example. There was a guy, white guy, quieter than you, blonde, good looking. He wanted to sing mariachi. He went to Mexico and he was accepted. In Texas, they don't let him play because he was American, right?

[00:54:22] How the fuck are you doing? Wait, wait. But then you have Jax Arrat fucking friends directing a Latino culture movie. So that double standard of how I'm going to be cultural, you know, it's just what I want it to be. It's not cool, man. I don't think I want to see the reviews. I was trying not to, right? But I've been trying to avoid the movie. I saw the trailer.

[00:54:51] I read some critics reviews, but I've been trying to push myself to avoid it because now, yeah, I don't get it, man. 6-10, 6-10, 6-10, 6-10, 6-10, 2-10, 8-10, 6-10. I just read you guys at the beginning of the show, 8-9-10, 8-9-10. It's like, good. Because this show is about better, man, not fucking Amelia Perry.

[00:55:22] Look, I'm just going to grab one. The worst representation of Mexico actual drug problem. I am Mexican and I can tell that this movie is awful representation of the narcotic problem in Mexico. the movie has a lack of focus. Okay, this review, I think, going to say it all, hard to watch. Jacks or Jack tried to do it too much. So, everything but Mexican.

[00:55:52] You know what I mean? I am always going to, you know that in the company we have a division, Jake, that we are cultural advisors. We don't get hired. The cultural advisor, the cultural advisors are lost for Latinos. But I cannot use the N word because somebody will kill me. No, hold a second, man. They can go and talk shit about a country,

[00:56:22] misinterpret the culture, misuse of the language, and that's correct? Is that correct? I don't think so. I don't think so. Anyway, fuck Amelia, let's go back to Rob. Well, hang on, before, before. I need to control myself. Well, before you go there, I'm just going to give you, since we talked about what good lyrics look like, here's what bad lyrics look like. This is the outro to the songs La

[00:56:51] Vaginoplastia. Oh, my dear Lord. And this is the ending. Vaginoplastia, just before you read them, the vaginoplastia is the operation that you do to your vaginal area, right, to tiny. No. That's not in this context. Oh, yeah. So the lyrics. Let's do it again. Oh. So,

[00:57:21] these are actual lyrics to an actual song that's in an actual movie. A man to woman, a woman to man, a man to woman, a woman to man, a man to woman, vaginoplasty makes this macho stand, a woman to man, a man to woman, vaginoplasty makes this macho stand. Please just stop. Please stop.

[00:57:50] And that goes on. Yeah, yeah, but please stop. Please, please stop. You need this. I'm going to pass you the control. So you control yourself. I don't want to control myself. you want to prove it to who you want to prove that you're the best to everyone. Let's go back to better, man. I don't know if you noticed the color corrections in

[00:58:20] yellow and in blues all the time. Not particularly, no. Although this movie looks yeah, the nostalgic is yellow. The aggressive is red. oh, okay, okay. I know what you're getting at now. No, that's, that's, I mean, this movie does it well, but that's, that's generally pretty common for flashbacks to be. No, no, but maybe I'm not talking about the ambience. I'm going to, I'm talking about the end color correction. Okay.

[00:58:50] Close second. Your pussy is hurting your chest. Oh, my neck. Well, that's flexibility. Anyway, the, the, the, the, the context of light design in the movie is fantastic. Yeah. People maybe don't know it, maybe a lot of you guys know it because you're following our podcast. The, the, the, color correction and ambience in blues

[00:59:20] all the time. This movie takes, and usually the director gets a, a color and just like you say, it goes up and down from that color, but not this movie. Betterman specifically paid the chance for the feelings of the, of the moment transcend the full correction, not just into the same level, goes to their level. when the scene when they're dancing in the yacht, it's so yellow and it's beautiful. And that is a really

[00:59:49] beautiful scene. Yeah. What was the La La Land? I never liked it. It's okay movie to me. See, I liked La La Land. Did you love it or did you just like? I thought it was very good. I wouldn't, I don't know that I'd say I loved it, but it was good. Did you love Betterman? I feel like I need to watch it again before I say whether or not because it's weird. It's very different. Yeah. But it's in the La La

[01:00:19] Land spectrum. What's that? It's in the La La Land spectrum. Oh, what? It's in the La La Land spectrum. The movie Betterman. Oh, okay. It's in the yeah, because that was another movie that was different. Different. Yeah. Yeah. Rocketman, La La Land, Betterman. Hey, they all and thanks.

[01:00:50] You're a podcaster, but we still love you. I have a face for radio and a voice for television. I want to ask you one to 10, your qualification for the movie today before you see it again today. One to 10. it's a nine. Good, good. It's not perfect, but the things I would have changed if it were me are very minor and they're preference things.

[01:01:20] Nothing is wrong with this movie. No, it's just a preference thing. Well, to be honest with you, for me, it's already next to Back to the Future and Empire Strikes Back. When I saw it, I called you. I know it was really late. I woke you up when I texted you. I said, man, this is the best movie ever. Yeah, for me, it's a 10. Obviously, I'm not saying that it's better than Empire Strikes Back. No, but I get what you're saying. In the level of the musicals biopic, I will

[01:01:50] watch this movie many times and enjoy it the same way. It's better than Bohemian Rhapsody. And I actually liked Bohemian Rhapsody. I didn't like Bohemian Rhapsody. I liked Queen. Don't take me wrong, but it feels boring. It feels like the same shit. I get it. Like I told you, there's a movie from the 2000s called Rockstar with Mark Wahlberg. They use the same template for Bohemian Rhapsody.

[01:02:19] And that's kind of boring because they didn't want to take the risk that Betterment took. They make the manager the bad guy. Yeah, which is weird because like with Queen, you could have afforded to take that risk a lot more with Queen than somebody like Robbie Williams. But again, they didn't want to mess with the brand and Robbie Williams doesn't care about the brand. He cares about his fans and his music. Period.

[01:02:49] Anyway, what about we do three recommendations of songs of Robbie Williams to close the show today? Sounds good to me. But before we do that, we have to let people know. If you too have a face for radio and a voice for television, then you should start a podcast. And you may be asking yourself, how do I do that? Well, let me say it. How do I do that? Well, you can contact us here at RTA Media and we can help you. We will guide

[01:03:19] you, help you. We want to hold your hand. I hate to do this. Anyway. But you can say, I don't know anything about it. We will guide you. That's okay. I don't know how to edit. We will take care of that. I don't know how to get guests. We can take care of that. We can help with that, even if it's just a CGI monkey. I just remembered that we got a guest for today. I just remember it. Yeah, we did. I confirmed in the morning. I just remember. That's what I

[01:03:49] get that text earlier. I'm like, what's up? Anyway, I'm just messing with you. I was going to say, you didn't mention anything to me. I'm just messing with you. So you see, we got a great communication. We can make everything work for you. We can post your podcast, make the social media, editing, post-production concepts. We can help you write the script if you want. Sorry, let's say that you don't want to talk in your podcast. We can make it work for you, putting

[01:04:18] the podcast is for you. We can make it work for you, your company, or whatever you want. Just let us know and we're right there. You know what? That's a good one that I actually didn't think about until you said it. Companies. What? That's why you had me here. That I'm the lead imagineer here, brother. Woohoo. I'm the lead imagineer of the company for a reason. I just don't want to feel. Feel it. Feel it. Feel the home that I'm leaving. Anyway, so

[01:04:48] okay, top three Robbie Williams moments or songs? That sounds good? You go first. Your first top three Robbie Williams moments or songs? There's a moment in the movie that I really appreciate. To touch on this, I find it really strange that Americans don't like Robbie Williams because his attitude is, I know he's a Brit, but his attitude is

[01:05:18] really... Rockstar Americans, yeah. Yeah, it would really resonate with Americans well. So there's a moment in the movie where he's performing with Take Five, his boy band, and he some reason, he doesn't have his microphone he's supposed to have for reasons in the movie. There's a reason. And then he takes it from the lead singer and starts singing the part, but as he does this turn spin thing, and as he does he faces the lead singer of the band, it just goes, flips in the bird. It's a wonderful moment.

[01:05:48] It's a good moment. Funny that you mentioned, I was watching an interview today and I'm going to name this a favorite moment. When they asked him how he felt about the gay LJ2 could be plus two plus one, all the letters that we had this week, movement, he said that as tech daddy started playing in gay bars, that's how they were called in the past, because he said in the place that I live in

[01:06:18] England, you weren't secure. You can go to a bar and you're not going to finish with your head open or have a good night. So our manager put us to singing in gay bars, in the gay community and they did that for 10 months. He said it's the first time that he actually felt love and knew that he was going to go perform and not be judged. His approach

[01:06:47] as human to all the trans movement and that, I think that makes him one of my favorite moments of him because he's just being honest again, saying I feel welcome without the need to be other things. They just welcome you because of this. Yeah. That's one of my favorites. Well, that's somewhat, I'm not going to say always because I've had experiences, but typically people that are historically ostracized tend to be more welcoming than the general public. So that

[01:07:17] makes sense, especially in the 90s. Yeah. Well, yeah, yeah, that was the 90s, correct? Second favorite song or movie? Okay, so I've already kind of mentioned it, but I'm really into Come Undone right now. It's such a great song. Yeah. Like, it's, the music's good, the singing's good, the lyrics are incredible. The melody's but just yeah. Yeah.

[01:07:48] Yeah, yeah, good call. There's the song, probably my favorite song of Robbie Williams. You need to be a really hardcore fan to know it and I wanted to recommend it to you, Jake, and to our audience. I will call and Hollywood will listen. If you haven't heard that song, you need to be a super fan. I showed it to you once. I was just singing or whatever and you listened to it. He, in the swing album, he played

[01:08:18] with the orchestra, the Albert Hall. Says, I will call and Hollywood will listen. Mr. Spielberg, look, just what you're missing, right? It's such a good comedic, serious song because everyone that goes to LA wants that dream, right? To save the box office. And I think that movie, that song, the melody is fantastic. It sends you. to the 30s and 40s with Frank.

[01:08:48] But it's such a funny and a sentence so serious during the industry movie, I mean, song, that you might like it. You might like it. It's totally a string piano orchestra. I will call and Hollywood will listen. You need to be a super fan of Robbie to know that song. Last moment, favorite moment of Robbie, in the movie, in real life, or in both, or a song? So the most recent song of his that

[01:09:18] I found that I really gravitated to is, and I really have a hard time describing it. You know the song, but do yourself a favor, listen to a song called Nick's Signals. Yeah. It reminds, so this is going to sound weird, but when you listen to it, you'll understand. It kind of reminds me of Brian Adams in a way, but it's more intense, and it's a little bit more contemporary, but.

[01:09:48] Like I said, how I made the meeting for Emilia Perez, I made Robbie Williams saying, I want to make a song like Brian Anno. Like what? With these lyrics, I can feel that. Because if you listen to all his songs, they have that intention. They start from a point. Yeah, that's good. Favorite, and I recommend this to you years ago, right? The Knuckwood concert. First

[01:10:17] moment when he says, my name is Robbie Williams, this is my band, and for the next two hours, your ass is mine. That's your ass is mine, right? It belongs to me? No, it's your ass is mine. Your ass is mine. Who fucking has started a concert like that? That concert is legendary. If you people want to see it, I was honored to have one of the first thousand Blu-rays that they came. I don't

[01:10:47] have it anymore, and I got able to watch it in 4K 10 years ago. You could see the individual strands of fur. Exactly. Robbie Williams in Latin America is huge. It's huge. I remember we watched it together, a bunch of friends of mine. It was really fun. You can watch it on YouTube right now.

[01:11:18] If you see how the screens move, production matter. They have three screens in three different dimensions, and depending on the sound they move, and when they open, the instrument comes in the middle, production wise. Anyway, that will be all for me. Thank you, Jake. I'm really happy that you listened to me today. And said, I got such a

[01:11:47] good joke for you. Such a good joke. I don't know how to translate that word in English. Damn it. What's the word? Oh, man. It will ruin the joke. I will prepare for next week. I was going to say, figure it out. Yeah, because remember that I listened to jokes next to any. Thank you for being with us today. This is special of Better Man with Robbie Williams and roll them up.

[01:12:17] That's funny. Nice. See you later, guys. Tune Talk 2.0.