You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio. It is our one on this Tuesday, Dan and The Dane's Dan Patrick Show. Buccaneers come back to beat the Saints. The Buccaneers now six and six and headed towards winning that division, controlling that division. I don't know what that means, a division that's out of control, but they're controlling that right now. And they left time on the clock for Tom Brady trailing by thirteen in the final three minutes a game. This is one of those things where if you turn the game off, you're not alone. But how does tom Brady get down thirteen points at home? That to me is not alarming, but certainly something to take note of. They didn't do anything in the first three quarters, and then all of a sudden, Tom Brady was Tom Brady. But you start to look at a bigger picture here with Tampa. All right, they're gonna win their division, They're gonna host a playoff game. They are twenty seventh scoring offense, they're dead last in rushing yards per game, bottom half of the league in red zone scoring percentage. You did pick up a win, you beat a four and nine Saints team, but I don't know how much hope that provides for the Tampa Bay fans looking at a bigger picture here with Tom Brady, and with Brady, of course he can make a run. Everything's anything's possible. We've seen that with him. But I thought what was alarming is what they didn't do in the first three and a half quarters, not what they did in the final couple of minutes. There Also, Tampa's had more touchdowns in three minutes than then the Broncos have had in their last one seventy one minutest day, say this is the day. Say good morning to those watching on Peacock that's our streaming partner, and listening to our radio affiliates around the country. iHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio, those chatting on chat row Operator Tyler standing by to take your phone calls. Play of the Day, poll question, stat of the Day. Stat of the Day brought to you by Bendy America, the official trading cards to The Dan Patrick Show. Make sure you sign up for the DP Show newsletter, available daily at six eastern three Pacific, recaps everything going on in the show, gives you a heads up a sneak preview of things as well. Go to Dan Patrick dot com. You put in your email address in the box that slides out bottom right corner, and we will send you a recap of the show every single day. This program brought to you by Discover. Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount at any time, and that's amazing. Learn more at discover dot com. Slash redeem rewards terms do apply. Here's the Saint's head coach, Dennis Allen on facing Tom Brady. When you play Tom Brady, when you have a chance to put them away, you have to be able to put them away. And I felt like we missed some opportunities to put them away. Yes you did. You had your opportunity. Mark Ingram stays inbounds, gets the first down, then the clock keeps ticking. All of a sudden, you're taking time off the clock for tom Brady to try to mount that comeback, scoring a couple of touchdowns. Mark Ingram was a little banged up, went out of bounds instead of going for the first down, instead of staying inbounds and letting the clock run, and that provided the window of opportunity for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers to pick up the win. Heisman finalist that has been set and one of the finalists, Max Duggan from TCU, will join us coming up next hour. Caleb Williams, c J. Stroud, Stetson, Bennett Junior, the third and you know, no Hendon Hooker, out of Sight, out of Mind. It was a great story there for Tennessee, but then got hurt and didn't get the call to go to New York. But we'll talk to Max Duggan, TCU quarterback a little bit later on, and he was Ralphie and Christmas Story. Peter Billingsley, the actor, producer a Christmas Story, Christmas and a friend of the show. He's going to join us. I had a conversation with him a while ago and it's up on dan patrick dot Com that scene. And I did talk to Peter Billingsley, who doesn't who didn't prior to this sequel coming out talk or want to talk about being Ralphie in a Christmas story. But you know, he's trying to graduate into other things. He's a producer, he's a writer. He works with Vince Vaughan the over production company. But Ralphie didn't want to revisit Ralphie, but he did, and we had a great conversation. I've known him for a long time. And there's a sequel that's out now to Christmas Story, and Peter will join us a little bit later on. The Phillies got Trey Turner and they spent three hundred million dollars on him and eleven years. That's a big deal, A big deal. Wow. Now the money is not what's as important to me. I always look at the years, because what's Aaron Judge going to get if Trey Turner got eleven years at three hundred million dollars? I like, how you know the Yankees? You know, they were trying to get a bargain with Aaron Judge and they were like, all right, well let's see you go out there and bet on yourself. Now, all of a sudden they got to overpay, and they're gonna they're gonna really overpay. Either them or the Giants are gonna overpay. It seems like those are the only two teams that are involved. The Mets get Justin Verlander. I was curious about the timing of this because Jacob deGrom is looking for a five year deal and all of a sudden he goes to Texas. Next thing, you know Justin Verlanders and New York met but I'd like to know, oh the timing of that that did the Mets go hey, if he wants this for this, check on Verlander? Or did Verlander's agent check on the Mets, because I think the Yankees were also involved in this. But Verlander for two years for what eighties some million dollars or a five year deal for Jacob deGrom for two hundred million, I'm going to take Justin Verlanders. As great as de gram is, I just can't count on him Verlanders. At least he makes starts. I mean, he had twenty eight starts this year. Granted he's thirty nine years of age, but man, I probably wouldn't want either one of those pictures, you know, But that's fiscal sanity that's kind of seeps in. Yeah, PAULI do you think the Mets owner is thinking more in short term? Verlander for two years, I could pick up one title. That's all I need out of him. It's worth then I'm a legend forever. Verlander in eighteen and nineteen led the league and starts with thirty four starts. He was thirty six and thirty seven years old. In two months, he'll be forty. He led a league in era, he led a league in wins he was two. I mean he's not like good for his age, he's great for any age. Yeah. I think that they were looking at maybe a Max Scherzer type deal where you get that three year deal for one hundred million dollars but ends up being two years for the match. Yes, set nec counter and if you with on a like two or three year deal, it's not that big of a deal. No, right, it's not that huge of a miss. Rather than five years. Crap, we're stuck with this dude for another seven years. Yeah, but you might get that with Trey Turner. Yeah and all he I mean that's a lot of money, great player, a lot of money, but a guy who depends on his legs speed. Yeah, Paul, you're sleeping on the bigger story. Kate Upton back in New York City, not the bonus for everybody. I saw her in the street one time and walking, you know, she was just walking around where she lived, kind of midtown, and I remember seeing her one time on the street and now she's been on the show. But I was with my daughter and I think we were going to work out at Soul Cycle and then she's like you and Kate Upton. No, no, no, my daughter, oh no no. But I remember seeing Kate Upton on the street and my daughter goes, you know her, I go, I didn't, I like a same thing to her, And so I didn't. I thought. I mean, it's not a great story. I'm just saying that I did see her on the street one time in New York. They never looked the same way you think they do when you see people on the street. You know, I always get on You're a lot taller than I thought. Oh for your age, you look okay, you know, those kind of things there. But you know, Kate Upton was Kate Upton before she met justin Verlander. But good to have her back close by. All right, Setan, what do you have for me? Well, damn, we could start with the Heisman Trophy. We could start with oh here one actually that goes with a bunch of our guests today. Would you rather win uh Heisman Trophy or a Best Supporting Actor supporting supporting I'd rather win the Heisman what yes, yeah, as a supporting actor, I you know, I know what that limelike is, light like but not having been nominated. But you haven't been yet, not yet yet, not yet. If Samler ever gives me a bigger role, then that would help. Yeah, smarm and winning Best Supporting Actor or Actress doesn't guarantee you any success. I'm sure you could look down the list of supporting actors and actresses actresses who've won, Yeah, and they've just had, you know, okay careers. Yeah. I remember reading an interview with Elizabeth Shoe I think it was, and she was she won an oscar for leaving, and she was like, I thought my career was set. I'd be getting movie roles, all this stuff nobody called, Yeah, how's that happen? Yeah, there's good and bad for Best Supporting Actor, Like Timothy Hutton won, he had a good career. Lewis Scots a junior, you know, he won for Officer and a Gentleman. Good career, Michael Caine, great career, okay. Sean Connery got Best Supporting Actor for Untouchables. Obviously, he crushed Denzel Washington for Glory, so they went way higher after that. Joe Pesci for Goodfellas, Gene Hackman for Unforgiven, Little Bill who great role, Tommy Lee Jones and the Fugitive Kevin Spacey, usual Suspects, Cuba Gooding Junior, Jerry Maguire. That helped his career a lot. Yeah, well he didn't really do much after that. Didn't he like snow Dogs or something like that? Snow Docks two? Yeah? Benicio del Toro for traffic. Okay, we should compare each of these two Heisman winner. Okay, So would you rather be the Heisman Trophy winner or be the best supporting actor this year? Yeah? It's nice. Pretty Yeah, there's no Oscar house presented by nies On or there where Baker Mayfield's running around in there. How many Doctor Pepper commercials are they doing? Yeah? Brian Bosworth is your sheriff there? And of Fansville or whatever it is. Yes, Todd, I think most supporting actors would probably take the Heisman over their Oscar. Thank you, Todd. Welcome. How about the best Actor? That's something about best actor or high supporting is actually the better one? Yeah? You think it's a tougher question. Would everybody take best Actor? Yes over the high school? Yeah? Well, I don't understand the difference between best actor and best supporting Actor. Half of the time the best supporting Actor is the main person in the movie, but they put him in that category so they can win the award, right, Like, wait, you're the star of the movie, but you're the best supporting Yeah, yeah, yes, time. I always go by how I'd want my bio to read, or if I was invited to some Gaelo or speaking engagement and I was introduced, and that's how it's how it sounds to me. What sounds cooler Academy Award her Best Actor or Heisman Trophy winner, And to me, the Academy Award would ring true more for the lead actor, not supporting. I don't know if we forget who won the Heisman. I think we forget who wins Best Actor. Here's the comparison. Would you rather be Eric Crouch from Nebraska or Adrian Brody from The Pianist or Pianist Pianist? Would be careful about that list. I would rather be Adrian Brody. He's been another movie. Yes he has Eric Crouch's career by choice. Yes, stop there yeah, any other comparisons there? Nobody else is doing Adrian Brody and no one's doing that All day. I'm gonna be Forrest Whittaker. Yeah, yes, Marv Best Actor and the Heisman seemed to be career achievement awards. Maybe not so much anymore, but it used to be. It used to feel that way. Like Herschel Walker probably should have two Heisman trophies if you're going by that, Yeah, you know, app she don't want for Scent of a Woman, Yes, yes, right. Herschel kind of got penalized by not having two. That's kind of like Leonardo DiCaprio. I think he was over five when he finally got his award. Herschel should have had two. Leo should probably had two. Well, he should have won for something other than what he won for The Revenant. Was like, all right, whatever, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, career achievement, Scent of a woman who ha yes, time, Look but don't don't tell me every inch three feet to yarn. We need a hundred yards. Who's with me on any Sunday we can do? Here we go? Who Jamie Jamie Fox or Johnny Manziel Jamie Fox. M he's a lot of good movies. I don't know what he's living. A fantastic life, billions, especially when you're compared to Johnny Manzel, no offense. I should have thrown someone better out there. Johnny was leading an incredible life, and that he didn't realize that he wasn't leading an incredible life until everybody went, dude, what's wrong with you? What? What's your career arc? Here? Okay, we're thinking about these. Okay, it's not good radio if we're thinking thinking about like, if you add in, you could be a non quarterback Heisman winner because those seem to be pretty rare. That's rarefied air these days. You win the Heisman without being a quarterback. Well, do you want to be Davante Smith? That's so so far. Yeah, that's not bad considering how Heisman winners usually pan out in the NFL. That dude is killing it. Yeah, but you're still the quarterback, Davante Smith. You know, we're gonna forget about him. People probably have already forgotten about him. Like that's right, that dude won the hun Is that guy from was it? No? No? No, no, the other really fast one? Yeah? Yeah yeah. If Wattle doesn't get hurt, Navante Smith doesn't win the Heisman, Yes, my last one? Okay, Will Smith or Baker Mayfield. Will Smith's career in m slap you for Will Smith? Who? Okay, Will Smith Reggie Bush both had problems with their who. Will Smith had a problem on the night he got the award. Reggie Bush had his ward taken away literally and figuratively. But Will Smith, Reggie Bush. Let me take a break. I understand need to take because there's Kim Kardashian's involved in this, the Wendy's commercial, um slapping Chris Rock. He's got a movie now coming out. Will Smith does all right, let me take a break. Wow, didn't know that we'd start out like this. Wait, you're applauding. I didn't think this was a good thing if we crushed that for a second, Marvin, were you applauding? I couldn't hear. Oh, come on, what callback not necessary? Not nice? Accurate, but not nice? Okay, I was clapping. All right, let's take a break here, we'll come back. We'll settle on poll question back. There's Marvin here. You can just vot hear it. And I'm clapping hard too. Take a breakback after this. Thanks for listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday morning nine to noon Eastern or six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for the Dan Patrick Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R or stream US live on the Peacock Act. Let's bring in Max dug In the TCU quarterback. Who do you think should win the Heisman? You know, whoever they vote for? Well, who would you vote for? Yeah, they're all you are the polity little politically correct answer. No, No, I do you think you're the You're the best candidate. You know, I don't know. I don't really think about it too much. On came from my dad trying to be the whole guy. They're all great players. You know, if I would be able to get voted and win it, you know, it would be a tremendous award. But you know, they're all really really good players. Well, I think just getting there is pretty amazing. If if you look back in the spring, where you weren't even going to be the starting quarterback, yeah, I wasn't. Yeah, And what was your reaction to that? Yeah, you know I was. It was disappointing in my eyes, you know, that you didn't win the job? Was disappointing myself, but uh, you know I wanted to help the team. I want to be here at TCA when when we were winning, help this team, you know, get back to, you know, being talked about on national level. What hurts today? After that game? You know, obviously body wise there's a lot, but you know, within, you know there's a lot of emotion. You know, you go an undefeated season, you know you want to win a conference championship, a league championship, and you lose that game so closely, you know, the last second field goal. Um, there's a lot of emotion. But you know we can opportunity to go compete and ask championships. So you were out of breath after you ran the touchdown. You just you can't call time out. You still got their two point conversion. How gassed were you? Yeah? I was pretty tired. Um, you know I had a couple of long runs on that drive. But you know, it's trying to do whatever we could to try to make a play, trying to give us a shot to you know, maybe to get a two point conversion sentated overtime. But yeah, I was pretty winded after that after that drive. Okay, explain to me what happened then in overtime that you didn't get the ball those last two plays. Could you have changed the plays if you wanted to at the line of scrimmage. Yeah, So we went in with two plays that we felt, you know, pretty good, good about you know plays I've been success for us. Obviously, we're giving it to Kendury, our running back that you know has been successful a lot this year, especially down on the one yard line. Um, you know, run a run scheme to you know where our guys, you know, we're confident in and you know can't. They made two good plays. You know, they stopped us at the one both times. Doesn't happen a lot, but you know, credit to them. What do you know about Michigan? Yeah, you know, you know that they're a phenomenal team, great team, will coach. They got you know, dudes all over their field, whether it's on offense defense. You know, they run the ball, well, throw the ball, well, you're not gonna get a lot of shots on a lot opportunities defensively. You know, they play their game. They're big, they're athletic. Um, they're gonna make things difficult on us. They trust their guys on the back end, So it's gonna be fun. How'd you get invited to the MAVs game last night? Yeah? So it was a family member of mine. Yeah, so I went with them and ob J was there last night. Yeah, you're seeing courtside. You didn't get court signed. No, I didn't get courtside. I'm not on that level. If you win the Heisman, you'll getna get courtside there. Yeah. Maybe did you talk to OBJ? No, I wasn't able to see him. I just uh, they put them up on the Jumbo chron I think you just send U send by Mica and Digs. I think did you meet Luca? I did not know. I was not. I was not giving any heck is going on here, Matt, I was. I was just with a family member, you know, invited me to the game. You know what, if you wore your jersey, if you wore your uniform, that might have helped you maybe get a lot of little preferential treatment. Maybe who do you model your game after? You know, I don't know if there's a single person that I really modeled my game after. Um, you know, I grew up a I grew up a Green Bay fans that you know, you watch far Van Aaron Rodgers and try to be that kind of gun slinger, you know, different arm angles fill were trying to make that play. Um, other guys in the league you watch, you know, like Joe Burrow what he does with you know, pocket mobility and movements inside the pocket, of being quick, trying to you know, go off of that you take you know, Kyler and Russell in the run game of you know, making plays with their feet and being dynamic. So there's a lot of things you kind of you know, pick and choose that you want to take from guys that try to put into your own game. You know, you go back to that COVID chest that you took. If you don't take that COVID test, what do you think happens? Yeah, I don't really know what happens. Yeah, I think I probably go on the rest of my life a couple of years, and you know there's probably bigger implications that happened to me when I'm you know, kind of older and um, you know, out of athletics, you know, not as in shape things of that sort, you know, getting up there and you know, I really don't know what happened. I don't really kind of want to imagine it. So well, Yeah, I mean you had a nine hour heart surgery procedure because you test positive for COVID. But then what did they tell you after you tested positive? Yeah, see I set spots for COVID. And then you know in college athletics, they did, uh, all these heart screenings because they're trying. They're worried about the mido carditis I think was what was going on in COVID. So they have you do EKG, you know, ultrasound on your heart, all these tests and then when they did the EKG, they found you know, a little um you know, WILF Parkers, the White Centers, what I have. It shows up on an EKG pretty easily. So, um, they kind of saw it. Maybe go through a couple of other tests and then how to kind of sit me down and tell her what was going on? Did you know if you could play football? Yeah? Initially I didn't really. Um. I thought, you know, when I say you have a hard issue, you know it's pretty serious. You don't have to have surgery. Thought, you know football was probably over. So well, got a big game coming up against Michigan, and do you have the outfit picked out for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Yep, I got one picked out. So there's a you know, a little shop down here for worth that you know, got me right? Okay, what are we going with though? Because we're gonna be seeing this for years and years and years to come, so yeah, I know it'll be it'll be a good little tribute to TCU. It'll get on Saturday, so yeah, you'll be able to see it. Okay, little little purple in there, yes, sir? All right? Are you getting to your haircut before the Heisman ceremony? Yeah? I need to. Yeah, it's kind My mom's starting to get on me about it. I don't think I about to cut it. I don't think you mess with the street bank you're on here. I think he's said that you don't want me. You want me to talk to mom and just tell her, hey, come on, Samson. Sampson didn't cut his hair. Yeah. Yeah, my mom's starting to call me in, you know, give me some angry phone calls about my pictures. M Well, congrats on the great season there and good luck against Michigan and the Heisman ceremony. Yeah, appreciate it. Thanks for having me on Thanks for listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday morning nine until noon eastern six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and you can find us on the iHeartRadio app at FSR or stream us live on the Peacock app. This is Steve Cavino and Rich Davis, and together we are Cavino Enrich, Cavino and Mitch. Thanks, buddy, that's right. Cavino on Rich, Fox Sports Radio's newest hit show, heard weekdays from five to seven eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Every Cavino and Rich shows available as a podcast. Just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe of such a rocking dude. The show features our unique take on sports, injected with some fun and relatability. Listen to Covino en Rich five days a week on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Rich give me a hell yeah. Peter Billingsley, actor, filmmaker, producer. You can bail if you want to, Peter, but it's great to have you back. A Christmas Story Christmas currently streaming on HBO. Max and Peter is a producer, co writer, actor in the movie and the top movie on the platform since premiering on November seventeenth. You're so, you're in two of the biggest Christmas movies of all time, two of the most famous ones, Christmas Story and then Elf. Yeah, what questions do you get asked more about Christmas Story or Elf? Definitely Christmas Story. The interesting thing on Elf. Favreau asked me to come in and do a little part in it, and I didn't take credit. I just said, let me not take credit in the role. And so it's been fun to see people realize that I'm in health and they make this connection and then they're like, well, why didn't you take credit? And I said, well, it's kind of more fun to see your face like this now when you realize it. What question do you get about Christmas Story? Well, I'll tell you. For me, Dan, it's nice to be back with you because it actually, I think this is our third time. Doesn't really feel like the Christmas season for me personally until I get a chance to talk to you. You're like the Christmas Story whisperer for me. You've pulled out a lot of a lot of good stories. I think probably most is it's more a statement, which is like people wanting me to understand how much the Parker family means to them and is their family. It's just like you don't understand that's my dad, that's my brother, that's my family, that's my life. And this film is touched on such a deeply personal connection. It's in the thirty nine years Dan since we made the movie. But why do certain movies take on a life of their own long after? Like a slow Burn Shawshank Redemption. I mean, yeah, for sure, I mean did okay? I think was Oscar Contender. But then it's just one of those movies. When you turn it on Shawshank, I have the same reaction. That's late at night and I turn on, I'm like a damn, now I have to finish it. It's like you can't turn it at all. But you're not in Shawshank just to let every exactly. But when you go back and take us back when you first audition for Ralphie So, I'll tell you a funny story about that, which Bob Clark, the director, told me about So as a kid at the time, I was I think it was around eleven years old. You get all these auditions and it's kind of a circuit, and you'd have many of them a week. You go and you read, and then maybe you get a call back. So I went to read for Bob Clark. You read your scenes and I hear nothing. About three months later, I went up to do a screen test in Canada where they do all this mixing and matching, and so we had to read for I had to read for Flick and Schwartz and everybody else, and they do these chemistry reads and so all the kids learn their lines. And it's funny because they always say to you, now, don't worry if we tell you to leave early. It's not a bad thing. But we know that's not what you want. You want to survive to the end. And I got through the end, got apart. Bob later told me I was, and it's just how the schedule fell. I was the first kid he ever read, and he thought in that moment, oh my gosh, this is Ralphie, this is my guy. But I can't obviously hire the first guy that I read. So he went on a three month journey of reading and seeing kids, and it kind of led back to me, you have to wait three months to find out that you were the right person. Sometimes, yeah, it's just sort of the way it falls. And a lot of those auditions you do them, then you figure all right, well that's gone. You know, you just sort of you just sort of move on. But nobody knew Dan at that time. I mean about how these things take a life. This movie, you know, it took twelve years to get made. Bob Clark, the director had to throw his salary in to get it done. Nobody wanted to do this movie. Full of voiceover said in nineteen forty, you know it was not a sexy leap off the page script, How do you act with your eyes as Ralphie? Because your eyes are so important in telling this story where you don't have to say anything, as much as it felt like you were telling a story about saying anything. A lot of people have asked if you know, or even said, oh, those glasses, what a great idea, what a great prop Look, I cannot I cannot see you now. I was born with a horrible vision. I was diagnosed because I was a front row student without a front row student brain. The teacher said, I don't think he can see because you still have the glasses from a Christmas story. I do. I have some of those, yeah, and I mean these are even similar. But I think one of the things I love about Ralphie is a character, and one thing that we really pulled forward to the sequel was that he's a dreamer, you know, and he lives in his head and so much of and I think that's relatable. We all are we, whether we admit it or not. We fantasize about where our life could be, where we might want it. And by the same token, he's kind of a nightmar in the sense that he envisions things going horribly wrong. So he kind of lives in his head. So I think the expressiveness of the eyes comes out of the fact that he's in there and all that voiceover he's just constantly thinking. How long have you been sitting on trying to make a sequel? I've thought about it for a while, for sure, but it's been about four years that we've actively been the developing it. And the kind of impetus was I listened as I said, three nights a little now or never. I think we're not getting any younger, so to get the band back together we had to kind of do it now, and it started with Nick Shank, who's written a lot of movies for Clin Eastwood, is a friend and we started kind of breaking the story and Nick has such a great tone, and we wanted to start with that grittiness of the world in the tone. But you're reconnecting with your childhood friends one hundred percent. Yeah, Ralphie's a father now, he's sort of an unsuccessful writer, so he's in a place where he's not really where he wants to be. And it kind of starts with the passing of the old man and he's forced to go back home and try to put on a Christmas like he had growing up in the face of all that, so he reconnects. He moved through town. It takes place in nineteen seventy three, so we had to grow sideburns, which was nice. And I'll tell you Flick played by Scotch Schwartz, won that contest. He's got some real solid mutton. But you know, you try to do that and I don't know if you try to distance yourself from Ralphie as you were growing up, not really. I mean, I've had the good fortune of being able to do a lot of other things and kind of have another career behind the scenes. A lot of people run from that. I think you and I have talked about this. You will have kind of somebody that has a wildly iconic role, and they'll just say, oh, I don't ever talk about that. You know, we can talk about anything else, but not that. It's like, well, we kind of want to talk about that, just for a moment at least. But I didn't have that. Plus, as I said, all the approach of fans to me with this movie, it's pure joy Dad. I mean, people like, if you don't like receiving that, you're in the wrong business. The original you're in Indiana, but you shoot it in Ohio. That's right. Yes, we shot in Cleveland and Canada. Both. We shot the exterior in Cleveland and then the interiors from the studio in Canada. This one we shot in Bulgaria, which I know, like why, well for the economy, I mean, I mean Christmas in Bulgaria, says the Midwest like Bulgaria, but actually interestingly looked like it when you when it is sort of the leaves are off the trees and the snows on the ground, but it actually allowed us. We built eleven houses, so we built the Parker House to bump this house next door, and then eleven houses on what's the old Cleveland Street in the movie. So it really feels like you're transformed back into the world. And that was sort of another reason of why do this movie. We had to have the resources to be able to do it right. I describe it as we had to play offense. We wanted it to be great, but you got to play defense. You got to protect obviously against something that's become borderline sacred now in the first movie. And so we had the right resources. Also got to produce with Vince Vaughan, my good buddy, which was great, and we had just really a great eighteen um and so the way it was worth it, and we're really really happy with how the movie turned out. He's Peter Billingsley, actor, filmmaker, producer. Christmas Story Christmas currently streaming on HBO Max. When did that lamp become in vogue that people had to have that? Were you involved? No, that was that was sort of Gene Shephard, who wrote all the source material and was radio host UM for WRS where he started and did the narration in the movie he was his brain child. I mean, what a wildly creative concept. And what I love about it is it's like the old man doesn't care what it is. He just won something and he's going to make it a win. It didn't matter what was in there. So at first he goes, it's a statue, he could care less. And then it's like, oh no, it's a lamp. Even better, and that thing. People started replicating them, and you know, now they're everywhere. I see them. You drive around, you see him in people's front room, went even fred Gila. I mean, he's my favorite line in the movie. He was such a brilliant comedian playing the straight role. But he, Darren was so funny, so funny, but also so dramatic, so intense. And you look at that dad, right, that feels like a dad. He feels like he's an inch away from just snapping or breaking into violence. You know, it's cold. You can tell his work sucks. Whatever he does. He's filling up ana freezes, changing bald tires. I mean, but with all that, you also never doubt the love in the home, you know what I mean, Like it's it's just there, that kind of loyalty and love, and so that's what I think makes it feel very real. I just I'm starting a podcast and so I and I'm breaking down Christmas movies. You've inspired me, Dan, I think all of our Christmas Story conversations have give me the confidence to make the leap, and we're breaking down Christmas Story is actually one of the movies. How much ad libbing took place in the original A very very little, so little in fact that even the swearing that I did when I'm beating up Scott Farcas was scripted on note cards by Jane Shephard. What do you mean note cards? Like little note cards like this? So he long hand wrote on the front and back and I think it was three note cards. And I was given them a couple weeks before and said commit these to memory, and I had to memorize them. And it was gibberish. But you know, when you're filming, you have multiple angles, so they wanted it to be consistent when we covered it. So, I mean, even it wasn't just like yeah, just kind of mumble something and be angry and start screaming. It was no, you need to say this. It was like a very precise script. They've been working on it for twelve years, so bout the time we went, the level of preparation was unlike anything I'd ever seen, I know at that time. So you're eleven or twelve, and you're getting into dangerous territory of now kids can make fun of you, or you're at an awkward time. I didn't know if school was tough. You're wearing the bunny outfit and you know, there's there's a lot of things that they either embrace you because you're a star, or they make fun of you. What was school like for you? It's, yeah, some people embrace you, a lot of them make fun of you. But I was a homeschool kid because you're traveling somewhere, Okay, So I tried to. I mean I unceremoniously got left back in the eighth grade, partly because of my grades, but mostly because I just wasn't there. So I took my geed when I was I think fifteen, and then was a high school graduate at that point. Um, So it was really a sort of sort of a life of tutors um and classroom and you know, on set school teachers and then was doing homeschooling at home. I was traveling a ton now, so that that probably helped cushion a little bit. You still have the bb gun I do, Bob Clark, the director gave me. I don't know, I might be the only original one and has a nice plaque on it. And the other prize possession is and this is the only one that was ever made as the original Bundy suit. And those are in a climate controlled fault that I keep. They're actually valuable. Now nobody thoughts we just you. You always take a little something, you know, when they're wrapping out in the costume departments and disarray, you're like, oh can I have this? Sure you hung out with Vince Vaughn and the Swingers era, didn't you, Well, yeah, yeah, I'm at Vincent nineteen eighty nine. That feels like that's that's the real Vince Vaughan is who we see in Swingers. So many greats nights to Vince, but for sure, just that charming, funny, great loyal friend who loves to go out and have a great night. And there's also no one better to get you out of a funk if you're in one. You know, he's just got a contagious energy. It's fun and was easy. Ann was great at not taking no for an answer. You didn't take no for an answer because you got the sequel made. And it's great to talk to you again. It's always great to reminisce there, and thanks for joining us. Yeah, thanks Dan. Always always good to see Mary at Christmas here. Yep, you two. Pete. That's Peter Billings, actor, filmmaker, producer A Christmas Story Christmas and also as a podcast, Cinematic Journey on Spotify, which focuses on holiday films.

You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio. It is our one on this Tuesday, Dan and The Dane's Dan Patrick Show. Buccaneers come back to beat the Saints. The Buccaneers now six and six and headed towards winning that division, controlling that division. I don't know what that means, a division that's out of control, but they're controlling that right now. And they left time on the clock for Tom Brady trailing by thirteen in the final three minutes a game. This is one of those things where if you turn the game off, you're not alone. But how does tom Brady get down thirteen points at home? That to me is not alarming, but certainly something to take note of. They didn't do anything in the first three quarters, and then all of a sudden, Tom Brady was Tom Brady. But you start to look at a bigger picture here with Tampa. All right, they're gonna win their division, They're gonna host a playoff game. They are twenty seventh scoring offense, they're dead last in rushing yards per game, bottom half of the league in red zone scoring percentage. You did pick up a win, you beat a four and nine Saints team, but I don't know how much hope that provides for the Tampa Bay fans looking at a bigger picture here with Tom Brady, and with Brady, of course he can make a run. Everything's anything's possible. We've seen that with him. But I thought what was alarming is what they didn't do in the first three and a half quarters, not what they did in the final couple of minutes. There Also, Tampa's had more touchdowns in three minutes than then the Broncos have had in their last one seventy one minutest day, say this is the day. Say good morning to those watching on Peacock that's our streaming partner, and listening to our radio affiliates around the country. iHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio, those chatting on chat row Operator Tyler standing by to take your phone calls. Play of the Day, poll question, stat of the Day. Stat of the Day brought to you by Bendy America, the official trading cards to The Dan Patrick Show. Make sure you sign up for the DP Show newsletter, available daily at six eastern three Pacific, recaps everything going on in the show, gives you a heads up a sneak preview of things as well. Go to Dan Patrick dot com. You put in your email address in the box that slides out bottom right corner, and we will send you a recap of the show every single day. This program brought to you by Discover. Redeem your rewards for cash in any amount at any time, and that's amazing. Learn more at discover dot com. Slash redeem rewards terms do apply. Here's the Saint's head coach, Dennis Allen on facing Tom Brady. When you play Tom Brady, when you have a chance to put them away, you have to be able to put them away. And I felt like we missed some opportunities to put them away. Yes you did. You had your opportunity. Mark Ingram stays inbounds, gets the first down, then the clock keeps ticking. All of a sudden, you're taking time off the clock for tom Brady to try to mount that comeback, scoring a couple of touchdowns. Mark Ingram was a little banged up, went out of bounds instead of going for the first down, instead of staying inbounds and letting the clock run, and that provided the window of opportunity for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers to pick up the win. Heisman finalist that has been set and one of the finalists, Max Duggan from TCU, will join us coming up next hour. Caleb Williams, c J. Stroud, Stetson, Bennett Junior, the third and you know, no Hendon Hooker, out of Sight, out of Mind. It was a great story there for Tennessee, but then got hurt and didn't get the call to go to New York. But we'll talk to Max Duggan, TCU quarterback a little bit later on, and he was Ralphie and Christmas Story. Peter Billingsley, the actor, producer a Christmas Story, Christmas and a friend of the show. He's going to join us. I had a conversation with him a while ago and it's up on dan patrick dot Com that scene. And I did talk to Peter Billingsley, who doesn't who didn't prior to this sequel coming out talk or want to talk about being Ralphie in a Christmas story. But you know, he's trying to graduate into other things. He's a producer, he's a writer. He works with Vince Vaughan the over production company. But Ralphie didn't want to revisit Ralphie, but he did, and we had a great conversation. I've known him for a long time. And there's a sequel that's out now to Christmas Story, and Peter will join us a little bit later on. The Phillies got Trey Turner and they spent three hundred million dollars on him and eleven years. That's a big deal, A big deal. Wow. Now the money is not what's as important to me. I always look at the years, because what's Aaron Judge going to get if Trey Turner got eleven years at three hundred million dollars? I like, how you know the Yankees? You know, they were trying to get a bargain with Aaron Judge and they were like, all right, well let's see you go out there and bet on yourself. Now, all of a sudden they got to overpay, and they're gonna they're gonna really overpay. Either them or the Giants are gonna overpay. It seems like those are the only two teams that are involved. The Mets get Justin Verlander. I was curious about the timing of this because Jacob deGrom is looking for a five year deal and all of a sudden he goes to Texas. Next thing, you know Justin Verlanders and New York met but I'd like to know, oh the timing of that that did the Mets go hey, if he wants this for this, check on Verlander? Or did Verlander's agent check on the Mets, because I think the Yankees were also involved in this. But Verlander for two years for what eighties some million dollars or a five year deal for Jacob deGrom for two hundred million, I'm going to take Justin Verlanders. As great as de gram is, I just can't count on him Verlanders. At least he makes starts. I mean, he had twenty eight starts this year. Granted he's thirty nine years of age, but man, I probably wouldn't want either one of those pictures, you know, But that's fiscal sanity that's kind of seeps in. Yeah, PAULI do you think the Mets owner is thinking more in short term? Verlander for two years, I could pick up one title. That's all I need out of him. It's worth then I'm a legend forever. Verlander in eighteen and nineteen led the league and starts with thirty four starts. He was thirty six and thirty seven years old. In two months, he'll be forty. He led a league in era, he led a league in wins he was two. I mean he's not like good for his age, he's great for any age. Yeah. I think that they were looking at maybe a Max Scherzer type deal where you get that three year deal for one hundred million dollars but ends up being two years for the match. Yes, set nec counter and if you with on a like two or three year deal, it's not that big of a deal. No, right, it's not that huge of a miss. Rather than five years. Crap, we're stuck with this dude for another seven years. Yeah, but you might get that with Trey Turner. Yeah and all he I mean that's a lot of money, great player, a lot of money, but a guy who depends on his legs speed. Yeah, Paul, you're sleeping on the bigger story. Kate Upton back in New York City, not the bonus for everybody. I saw her in the street one time and walking, you know, she was just walking around where she lived, kind of midtown, and I remember seeing her one time on the street and now she's been on the show. But I was with my daughter and I think we were going to work out at Soul Cycle and then she's like you and Kate Upton. No, no, no, my daughter, oh no no. But I remember seeing Kate Upton on the street and my daughter goes, you know her, I go, I didn't, I like a same thing to her, And so I didn't. I thought. I mean, it's not a great story. I'm just saying that I did see her on the street one time in New York. They never looked the same way you think they do when you see people on the street. You know, I always get on You're a lot taller than I thought. Oh for your age, you look okay, you know, those kind of things there. But you know, Kate Upton was Kate Upton before she met justin Verlander. But good to have her back close by. All right, Setan, what do you have for me? Well, damn, we could start with the Heisman Trophy. We could start with oh here one actually that goes with a bunch of our guests today. Would you rather win uh Heisman Trophy or a Best Supporting Actor supporting supporting I'd rather win the Heisman what yes, yeah, as a supporting actor, I you know, I know what that limelike is, light like but not having been nominated. But you haven't been yet, not yet yet, not yet. If Samler ever gives me a bigger role, then that would help. Yeah, smarm and winning Best Supporting Actor or Actress doesn't guarantee you any success. I'm sure you could look down the list of supporting actors and actresses actresses who've won, Yeah, and they've just had, you know, okay careers. Yeah. I remember reading an interview with Elizabeth Shoe I think it was, and she was she won an oscar for leaving, and she was like, I thought my career was set. I'd be getting movie roles, all this stuff nobody called, Yeah, how's that happen? Yeah, there's good and bad for Best Supporting Actor, Like Timothy Hutton won, he had a good career. Lewis Scots a junior, you know, he won for Officer and a Gentleman. Good career, Michael Caine, great career, okay. Sean Connery got Best Supporting Actor for Untouchables. Obviously, he crushed Denzel Washington for Glory, so they went way higher after that. Joe Pesci for Goodfellas, Gene Hackman for Unforgiven, Little Bill who great role, Tommy Lee Jones and the Fugitive Kevin Spacey, usual Suspects, Cuba Gooding Junior, Jerry Maguire. That helped his career a lot. Yeah, well he didn't really do much after that. Didn't he like snow Dogs or something like that? Snow Docks two? Yeah? Benicio del Toro for traffic. Okay, we should compare each of these two Heisman winner. Okay, So would you rather be the Heisman Trophy winner or be the best supporting actor this year? Yeah? It's nice. Pretty Yeah, there's no Oscar house presented by nies On or there where Baker Mayfield's running around in there. How many Doctor Pepper commercials are they doing? Yeah? Brian Bosworth is your sheriff there? And of Fansville or whatever it is. Yes, Todd, I think most supporting actors would probably take the Heisman over their Oscar. Thank you, Todd. Welcome. How about the best Actor? That's something about best actor or high supporting is actually the better one? Yeah? You think it's a tougher question. Would everybody take best Actor? Yes over the high school? Yeah? Well, I don't understand the difference between best actor and best supporting Actor. Half of the time the best supporting Actor is the main person in the movie, but they put him in that category so they can win the award, right, Like, wait, you're the star of the movie, but you're the best supporting Yeah, yeah, yes, time. I always go by how I'd want my bio to read, or if I was invited to some Gaelo or speaking engagement and I was introduced, and that's how it's how it sounds to me. What sounds cooler Academy Award her Best Actor or Heisman Trophy winner, And to me, the Academy Award would ring true more for the lead actor, not supporting. I don't know if we forget who won the Heisman. I think we forget who wins Best Actor. Here's the comparison. Would you rather be Eric Crouch from Nebraska or Adrian Brody from The Pianist or Pianist Pianist? Would be careful about that list. I would rather be Adrian Brody. He's been another movie. Yes he has Eric Crouch's career by choice. Yes, stop there yeah, any other comparisons there? Nobody else is doing Adrian Brody and no one's doing that All day. I'm gonna be Forrest Whittaker. Yeah, yes, Marv Best Actor and the Heisman seemed to be career achievement awards. Maybe not so much anymore, but it used to be. It used to feel that way. Like Herschel Walker probably should have two Heisman trophies if you're going by that, Yeah, you know, app she don't want for Scent of a Woman, Yes, yes, right. Herschel kind of got penalized by not having two. That's kind of like Leonardo DiCaprio. I think he was over five when he finally got his award. Herschel should have had two. Leo should probably had two. Well, he should have won for something other than what he won for The Revenant. Was like, all right, whatever, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, career achievement, Scent of a woman who ha yes, time, Look but don't don't tell me every inch three feet to yarn. We need a hundred yards. Who's with me on any Sunday we can do? Here we go? Who Jamie Jamie Fox or Johnny Manziel Jamie Fox. M he's a lot of good movies. I don't know what he's living. A fantastic life, billions, especially when you're compared to Johnny Manzel, no offense. I should have thrown someone better out there. Johnny was leading an incredible life, and that he didn't realize that he wasn't leading an incredible life until everybody went, dude, what's wrong with you? What? What's your career arc? Here? Okay, we're thinking about these. Okay, it's not good radio if we're thinking thinking about like, if you add in, you could be a non quarterback Heisman winner because those seem to be pretty rare. That's rarefied air these days. You win the Heisman without being a quarterback. Well, do you want to be Davante Smith? That's so so far. Yeah, that's not bad considering how Heisman winners usually pan out in the NFL. That dude is killing it. Yeah, but you're still the quarterback, Davante Smith. You know, we're gonna forget about him. People probably have already forgotten about him. Like that's right, that dude won the hun Is that guy from was it? No? No? No, no, the other really fast one? Yeah? Yeah yeah. If Wattle doesn't get hurt, Navante Smith doesn't win the Heisman, Yes, my last one? Okay, Will Smith or Baker Mayfield. Will Smith's career in m slap you for Will Smith? Who? Okay, Will Smith Reggie Bush both had problems with their who. Will Smith had a problem on the night he got the award. Reggie Bush had his ward taken away literally and figuratively. But Will Smith, Reggie Bush. Let me take a break. I understand need to take because there's Kim Kardashian's involved in this, the Wendy's commercial, um slapping Chris Rock. He's got a movie now coming out. Will Smith does all right, let me take a break. Wow, didn't know that we'd start out like this. Wait, you're applauding. I didn't think this was a good thing if we crushed that for a second, Marvin, were you applauding? I couldn't hear. Oh, come on, what callback not necessary? Not nice? Accurate, but not nice? Okay, I was clapping. All right, let's take a break here, we'll come back. We'll settle on poll question back. There's Marvin here. You can just vot hear it. And I'm clapping hard too. Take a breakback after this. Thanks for listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday morning nine to noon Eastern or six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for the Dan Patrick Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R or stream US live on the Peacock Act. Let's bring in Max dug In the TCU quarterback. Who do you think should win the Heisman? You know, whoever they vote for? Well, who would you vote for? Yeah, they're all you are the polity little politically correct answer. No, No, I do you think you're the You're the best candidate. You know, I don't know. I don't really think about it too much. On came from my dad trying to be the whole guy. They're all great players. You know, if I would be able to get voted and win it, you know, it would be a tremendous award. But you know, they're all really really good players. Well, I think just getting there is pretty amazing. If if you look back in the spring, where you weren't even going to be the starting quarterback, yeah, I wasn't. Yeah, And what was your reaction to that? Yeah, you know I was. It was disappointing in my eyes, you know, that you didn't win the job? Was disappointing myself, but uh, you know I wanted to help the team. I want to be here at TCA when when we were winning, help this team, you know, get back to, you know, being talked about on national level. What hurts today? After that game? You know, obviously body wise there's a lot, but you know, within, you know there's a lot of emotion. You know, you go an undefeated season, you know you want to win a conference championship, a league championship, and you lose that game so closely, you know, the last second field goal. Um, there's a lot of emotion. But you know we can opportunity to go compete and ask championships. So you were out of breath after you ran the touchdown. You just you can't call time out. You still got their two point conversion. How gassed were you? Yeah? I was pretty tired. Um, you know I had a couple of long runs on that drive. But you know, it's trying to do whatever we could to try to make a play, trying to give us a shot to you know, maybe to get a two point conversion sentated overtime. But yeah, I was pretty winded after that after that drive. Okay, explain to me what happened then in overtime that you didn't get the ball those last two plays. Could you have changed the plays if you wanted to at the line of scrimmage. Yeah, So we went in with two plays that we felt, you know, pretty good, good about you know plays I've been success for us. Obviously, we're giving it to Kendury, our running back that you know has been successful a lot this year, especially down on the one yard line. Um, you know, run a run scheme to you know where our guys, you know, we're confident in and you know can't. They made two good plays. You know, they stopped us at the one both times. Doesn't happen a lot, but you know, credit to them. What do you know about Michigan? Yeah, you know, you know that they're a phenomenal team, great team, will coach. They got you know, dudes all over their field, whether it's on offense defense. You know, they run the ball, well, throw the ball, well, you're not gonna get a lot of shots on a lot opportunities defensively. You know, they play their game. They're big, they're athletic. Um, they're gonna make things difficult on us. They trust their guys on the back end, So it's gonna be fun. How'd you get invited to the MAVs game last night? Yeah? So it was a family member of mine. Yeah, so I went with them and ob J was there last night. Yeah, you're seeing courtside. You didn't get court signed. No, I didn't get courtside. I'm not on that level. If you win the Heisman, you'll getna get courtside there. Yeah. Maybe did you talk to OBJ? No, I wasn't able to see him. I just uh, they put them up on the Jumbo chron I think you just send U send by Mica and Digs. I think did you meet Luca? I did not know. I was not. I was not giving any heck is going on here, Matt, I was. I was just with a family member, you know, invited me to the game. You know what, if you wore your jersey, if you wore your uniform, that might have helped you maybe get a lot of little preferential treatment. Maybe who do you model your game after? You know, I don't know if there's a single person that I really modeled my game after. Um, you know, I grew up a I grew up a Green Bay fans that you know, you watch far Van Aaron Rodgers and try to be that kind of gun slinger, you know, different arm angles fill were trying to make that play. Um, other guys in the league you watch, you know, like Joe Burrow what he does with you know, pocket mobility and movements inside the pocket, of being quick, trying to you know, go off of that you take you know, Kyler and Russell in the run game of you know, making plays with their feet and being dynamic. So there's a lot of things you kind of you know, pick and choose that you want to take from guys that try to put into your own game. You know, you go back to that COVID chest that you took. If you don't take that COVID test, what do you think happens? Yeah, I don't really know what happens. Yeah, I think I probably go on the rest of my life a couple of years, and you know there's probably bigger implications that happened to me when I'm you know, kind of older and um, you know, out of athletics, you know, not as in shape things of that sort, you know, getting up there and you know, I really don't know what happened. I don't really kind of want to imagine it. So well, Yeah, I mean you had a nine hour heart surgery procedure because you test positive for COVID. But then what did they tell you after you tested positive? Yeah, see I set spots for COVID. And then you know in college athletics, they did, uh, all these heart screenings because they're trying. They're worried about the mido carditis I think was what was going on in COVID. So they have you do EKG, you know, ultrasound on your heart, all these tests and then when they did the EKG, they found you know, a little um you know, WILF Parkers, the White Centers, what I have. It shows up on an EKG pretty easily. So, um, they kind of saw it. Maybe go through a couple of other tests and then how to kind of sit me down and tell her what was going on? Did you know if you could play football? Yeah? Initially I didn't really. Um. I thought, you know, when I say you have a hard issue, you know it's pretty serious. You don't have to have surgery. Thought, you know football was probably over. So well, got a big game coming up against Michigan, and do you have the outfit picked out for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Yep, I got one picked out. So there's a you know, a little shop down here for worth that you know, got me right? Okay, what are we going with though? Because we're gonna be seeing this for years and years and years to come, so yeah, I know it'll be it'll be a good little tribute to TCU. It'll get on Saturday, so yeah, you'll be able to see it. Okay, little little purple in there, yes, sir? All right? Are you getting to your haircut before the Heisman ceremony? Yeah? I need to. Yeah, it's kind My mom's starting to get on me about it. I don't think I about to cut it. I don't think you mess with the street bank you're on here. I think he's said that you don't want me. You want me to talk to mom and just tell her, hey, come on, Samson. Sampson didn't cut his hair. Yeah. Yeah, my mom's starting to call me in, you know, give me some angry phone calls about my pictures. M Well, congrats on the great season there and good luck against Michigan and the Heisman ceremony. Yeah, appreciate it. Thanks for having me on Thanks for listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday morning nine until noon eastern six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and you can find us on the iHeartRadio app at FSR or stream us live on the Peacock app. This is Steve Cavino and Rich Davis, and together we are Cavino Enrich, Cavino and Mitch. Thanks, buddy, that's right. Cavino on Rich, Fox Sports Radio's newest hit show, heard weekdays from five to seven eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Every Cavino and Rich shows available as a podcast. Just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe of such a rocking dude. The show features our unique take on sports, injected with some fun and relatability. Listen to Covino en Rich five days a week on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Rich give me a hell yeah. Peter Billingsley, actor, filmmaker, producer. You can bail if you want to, Peter, but it's great to have you back. A Christmas Story Christmas currently streaming on HBO. Max and Peter is a producer, co writer, actor in the movie and the top movie on the platform since premiering on November seventeenth. You're so, you're in two of the biggest Christmas movies of all time, two of the most famous ones, Christmas Story and then Elf. Yeah, what questions do you get asked more about Christmas Story or Elf? Definitely Christmas Story. The interesting thing on Elf. Favreau asked me to come in and do a little part in it, and I didn't take credit. I just said, let me not take credit in the role. And so it's been fun to see people realize that I'm in health and they make this connection and then they're like, well, why didn't you take credit? And I said, well, it's kind of more fun to see your face like this now when you realize it. What question do you get about Christmas Story? Well, I'll tell you. For me, Dan, it's nice to be back with you because it actually, I think this is our third time. Doesn't really feel like the Christmas season for me personally until I get a chance to talk to you. You're like the Christmas Story whisperer for me. You've pulled out a lot of a lot of good stories. I think probably most is it's more a statement, which is like people wanting me to understand how much the Parker family means to them and is their family. It's just like you don't understand that's my dad, that's my brother, that's my family, that's my life. And this film is touched on such a deeply personal connection. It's in the thirty nine years Dan since we made the movie. But why do certain movies take on a life of their own long after? Like a slow Burn Shawshank Redemption. I mean, yeah, for sure, I mean did okay? I think was Oscar Contender. But then it's just one of those movies. When you turn it on Shawshank, I have the same reaction. That's late at night and I turn on, I'm like a damn, now I have to finish it. It's like you can't turn it at all. But you're not in Shawshank just to let every exactly. But when you go back and take us back when you first audition for Ralphie So, I'll tell you a funny story about that, which Bob Clark, the director, told me about So as a kid at the time, I was I think it was around eleven years old. You get all these auditions and it's kind of a circuit, and you'd have many of them a week. You go and you read, and then maybe you get a call back. So I went to read for Bob Clark. You read your scenes and I hear nothing. About three months later, I went up to do a screen test in Canada where they do all this mixing and matching, and so we had to read for I had to read for Flick and Schwartz and everybody else, and they do these chemistry reads and so all the kids learn their lines. And it's funny because they always say to you, now, don't worry if we tell you to leave early. It's not a bad thing. But we know that's not what you want. You want to survive to the end. And I got through the end, got apart. Bob later told me I was, and it's just how the schedule fell. I was the first kid he ever read, and he thought in that moment, oh my gosh, this is Ralphie, this is my guy. But I can't obviously hire the first guy that I read. So he went on a three month journey of reading and seeing kids, and it kind of led back to me, you have to wait three months to find out that you were the right person. Sometimes, yeah, it's just sort of the way it falls. And a lot of those auditions you do them, then you figure all right, well that's gone. You know, you just sort of you just sort of move on. But nobody knew Dan at that time. I mean about how these things take a life. This movie, you know, it took twelve years to get made. Bob Clark, the director had to throw his salary in to get it done. Nobody wanted to do this movie. Full of voiceover said in nineteen forty, you know it was not a sexy leap off the page script, How do you act with your eyes as Ralphie? Because your eyes are so important in telling this story where you don't have to say anything, as much as it felt like you were telling a story about saying anything. A lot of people have asked if you know, or even said, oh, those glasses, what a great idea, what a great prop Look, I cannot I cannot see you now. I was born with a horrible vision. I was diagnosed because I was a front row student without a front row student brain. The teacher said, I don't think he can see because you still have the glasses from a Christmas story. I do. I have some of those, yeah, and I mean these are even similar. But I think one of the things I love about Ralphie is a character, and one thing that we really pulled forward to the sequel was that he's a dreamer, you know, and he lives in his head and so much of and I think that's relatable. We all are we, whether we admit it or not. We fantasize about where our life could be, where we might want it. And by the same token, he's kind of a nightmar in the sense that he envisions things going horribly wrong. So he kind of lives in his head. So I think the expressiveness of the eyes comes out of the fact that he's in there and all that voiceover he's just constantly thinking. How long have you been sitting on trying to make a sequel? I've thought about it for a while, for sure, but it's been about four years that we've actively been the developing it. And the kind of impetus was I listened as I said, three nights a little now or never. I think we're not getting any younger, so to get the band back together we had to kind of do it now, and it started with Nick Shank, who's written a lot of movies for Clin Eastwood, is a friend and we started kind of breaking the story and Nick has such a great tone, and we wanted to start with that grittiness of the world in the tone. But you're reconnecting with your childhood friends one hundred percent. Yeah, Ralphie's a father now, he's sort of an unsuccessful writer, so he's in a place where he's not really where he wants to be. And it kind of starts with the passing of the old man and he's forced to go back home and try to put on a Christmas like he had growing up in the face of all that, so he reconnects. He moved through town. It takes place in nineteen seventy three, so we had to grow sideburns, which was nice. And I'll tell you Flick played by Scotch Schwartz, won that contest. He's got some real solid mutton. But you know, you try to do that and I don't know if you try to distance yourself from Ralphie as you were growing up, not really. I mean, I've had the good fortune of being able to do a lot of other things and kind of have another career behind the scenes. A lot of people run from that. I think you and I have talked about this. You will have kind of somebody that has a wildly iconic role, and they'll just say, oh, I don't ever talk about that. You know, we can talk about anything else, but not that. It's like, well, we kind of want to talk about that, just for a moment at least. But I didn't have that. Plus, as I said, all the approach of fans to me with this movie, it's pure joy Dad. I mean, people like, if you don't like receiving that, you're in the wrong business. The original you're in Indiana, but you shoot it in Ohio. That's right. Yes, we shot in Cleveland and Canada. Both. We shot the exterior in Cleveland and then the interiors from the studio in Canada. This one we shot in Bulgaria, which I know, like why, well for the economy, I mean, I mean Christmas in Bulgaria, says the Midwest like Bulgaria, but actually interestingly looked like it when you when it is sort of the leaves are off the trees and the snows on the ground, but it actually allowed us. We built eleven houses, so we built the Parker House to bump this house next door, and then eleven houses on what's the old Cleveland Street in the movie. So it really feels like you're transformed back into the world. And that was sort of another reason of why do this movie. We had to have the resources to be able to do it right. I describe it as we had to play offense. We wanted it to be great, but you got to play defense. You got to protect obviously against something that's become borderline sacred now in the first movie. And so we had the right resources. Also got to produce with Vince Vaughan, my good buddy, which was great, and we had just really a great eighteen um and so the way it was worth it, and we're really really happy with how the movie turned out. He's Peter Billingsley, actor, filmmaker, producer. Christmas Story Christmas currently streaming on HBO Max. When did that lamp become in vogue that people had to have that? Were you involved? No, that was that was sort of Gene Shephard, who wrote all the source material and was radio host UM for WRS where he started and did the narration in the movie he was his brain child. I mean, what a wildly creative concept. And what I love about it is it's like the old man doesn't care what it is. He just won something and he's going to make it a win. It didn't matter what was in there. So at first he goes, it's a statue, he could care less. And then it's like, oh no, it's a lamp. Even better, and that thing. People started replicating them, and you know, now they're everywhere. I see them. You drive around, you see him in people's front room, went even fred Gila. I mean, he's my favorite line in the movie. He was such a brilliant comedian playing the straight role. But he, Darren was so funny, so funny, but also so dramatic, so intense. And you look at that dad, right, that feels like a dad. He feels like he's an inch away from just snapping or breaking into violence. You know, it's cold. You can tell his work sucks. Whatever he does. He's filling up ana freezes, changing bald tires. I mean, but with all that, you also never doubt the love in the home, you know what I mean, Like it's it's just there, that kind of loyalty and love, and so that's what I think makes it feel very real. I just I'm starting a podcast and so I and I'm breaking down Christmas movies. You've inspired me, Dan, I think all of our Christmas Story conversations have give me the confidence to make the leap, and we're breaking down Christmas Story is actually one of the movies. How much ad libbing took place in the original A very very little, so little in fact that even the swearing that I did when I'm beating up Scott Farcas was scripted on note cards by Jane Shephard. What do you mean note cards? Like little note cards like this? So he long hand wrote on the front and back and I think it was three note cards. And I was given them a couple weeks before and said commit these to memory, and I had to memorize them. And it was gibberish. But you know, when you're filming, you have multiple angles, so they wanted it to be consistent when we covered it. So, I mean, even it wasn't just like yeah, just kind of mumble something and be angry and start screaming. It was no, you need to say this. It was like a very precise script. They've been working on it for twelve years, so bout the time we went, the level of preparation was unlike anything I'd ever seen, I know at that time. So you're eleven or twelve, and you're getting into dangerous territory of now kids can make fun of you, or you're at an awkward time. I didn't know if school was tough. You're wearing the bunny outfit and you know, there's there's a lot of things that they either embrace you because you're a star, or they make fun of you. What was school like for you? It's, yeah, some people embrace you, a lot of them make fun of you. But I was a homeschool kid because you're traveling somewhere, Okay, So I tried to. I mean I unceremoniously got left back in the eighth grade, partly because of my grades, but mostly because I just wasn't there. So I took my geed when I was I think fifteen, and then was a high school graduate at that point. Um, So it was really a sort of sort of a life of tutors um and classroom and you know, on set school teachers and then was doing homeschooling at home. I was traveling a ton now, so that that probably helped cushion a little bit. You still have the bb gun I do, Bob Clark, the director gave me. I don't know, I might be the only original one and has a nice plaque on it. And the other prize possession is and this is the only one that was ever made as the original Bundy suit. And those are in a climate controlled fault that I keep. They're actually valuable. Now nobody thoughts we just you. You always take a little something, you know, when they're wrapping out in the costume departments and disarray, you're like, oh can I have this? Sure you hung out with Vince Vaughn and the Swingers era, didn't you, Well, yeah, yeah, I'm at Vincent nineteen eighty nine. That feels like that's that's the real Vince Vaughan is who we see in Swingers. So many greats nights to Vince, but for sure, just that charming, funny, great loyal friend who loves to go out and have a great night. And there's also no one better to get you out of a funk if you're in one. You know, he's just got a contagious energy. It's fun and was easy. Ann was great at not taking no for an answer. You didn't take no for an answer because you got the sequel made. And it's great to talk to you again. It's always great to reminisce there, and thanks for joining us. Yeah, thanks Dan. Always always good to see Mary at Christmas here. Yep, you two. Pete. That's Peter Billings, actor, filmmaker, producer A Christmas Story Christmas and also as a podcast, Cinematic Journey on Spotify, which focuses on holiday films.