This Startup is being Recorded

This Startup is being Recorded is a mostly improvised, comedic audio drama that follows a few executives building, and sometimes destroying, a company. This startup is fake - you’re not listening to an audio documentary. These characters are not real - you won’t find them on LinkedIn. They are making this up as they go along - for startups, this is normal. New meetings are released weekly.

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This Startup is being Recorded

E15 - Three Matts, One Meeting

February 09, 2022 • Valerie Garrison • Season 1 • Episode 15

Agenda:

Review pitches for branded content from Matt Matthews and Matt Matthews of Big Matt’s Content

Takeaways:

Reach out to Matt and Matt, by letter, with our decision
Matt and Matt are going to meet with their lawyers… as always
Whoever sees John first (or ever again) tell them hi from everyone

Matt and Matt Matthews were played by Austin Weiford and Andrew Farley. You can hear them both with co-host Leah Morse on the Better Movie Club podcast, an improv comedy podcast about movies that could be better. Find it on your favorite podcasting app or visit www.bettermovieclub.com for links.

Ben: 0:07

welcome to this startup is being recorded. This recording is improvised fiction. Similarities between it and the real world are entirely intentional. Now enjoy the recording.

Kate: 0:22

Uh, Hey everybody happy Wednesday. Um, w we have hopefully a meeting that'll fit into 30 minutes today, but we'll see, we do have a couple of folks joining us, um, around the content rebranding, um, uh, For the couple of new folks, we do record all of our meetings here. Um, you know, we just think it's really important for the history of this company that any employees new or future have the ability to really download all the information about us and become the most embedded employees they can. So I hope that's okay. Um, we're already recording and yeah, I guess the point of this meeting is to hear some of the pitches you have around content, um, which will go well with our new name. That is still to be decided, but before we dig into that, let's just introduce everybody. Um, maybe the Metta market folks can, can start. Um, I'm Kate I am the chief of staff here. I work under John. Uh, John of course is our CEO. Um, I believe he has met you both before. Right?

Matt Matthews: 1:27

Yeah. Yeah.

Also Matt Matthews: 1:29

Yep. Big John guys.

Kate: 1:31

You bring John guys.

Also Matt Matthews: 1:32

Um,

Eric: 1:32

Interesting.

Matt Matthews: 1:33

of John over here.

Eric: 1:36

Great

Kate: 1:36

Amazing. Um, most people don't have enough time with John to really become fans, but

Eric: 1:42

form an opinion at all.

Kate: 1:44

right. Um, anyway, uh, who, who else wants.

Thea: 1:49

Go Califia Metta Roba. am the chief creatives are at Metta market and, uh, excited to see what you guys come up with.

Eric: 2:00

Um, Eric Joyce Carter, chief product officer, I'm tired of saying formerly or soon to no longer be metal market. So really excited for this meeting. And hopefully we can make one more step towards actually having a name.

Matt.Yachts: 2:16

Uh, I'm Matt, uh, matt.yachts, and I'm the CTO here at, uh, Metro market and whatever. Uh, so yeah, Do you guys want to introduce yourselves for the, uh, for the.

Matt Matthews: 2:28

oh yeah, yeah, sure. Um, I am Matt Matthews for, uh, uh, big mats content. I'm

Kate: 2:36

Matt's car.

Matt Matthews: 2:37

to. Yeah. We, we had, uh, BMC are excited to work with you guys.

Also Matt Matthews: 2:43

And, um, I am Matt Matthews with big mats contents. at BMC are really excited to work with you guys.

Kate: 2:51

wait, sorry, which Matt?

Matt.Yachts: 2:56

yeah. Oh, you meant?

Kate: 2:59

Wait, are you both? You're both names.

Also Matt Matthews: 3:03

But two of them are,

Kate: 3:05

Well, you're all name, Matt.

Matt.Yachts: 3:06

Yeah. I'm I'm

Also Matt Matthews: 3:09

Matt.Yachts: 3:10

Yeah.

Kate: 3:12

Okay. Big, big, big mats content, I guess are what are your real names? I guess?

Thea: 3:18

map,

Matt Matthews: 3:20

my father,

Thea: 3:21

oh,

Eric: 3:22

got it. Is he a part of the company too?

Matt Matthews: 3:25

uh, he, he was, he's no longer

Eric: 3:28

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm

Matt.Yachts: 3:29

oh, I'm sorry.

Eric: 3:30

Yeah,

Also Matt Matthews: 3:31

My father was also, uh,

Matt.Yachts: 3:34

Oh no, no relation.

Kate: 3:37

and he was also part of the,

Also Matt Matthews: 3:39

Not part of the company.

Thea: 3:40

Okay.

Kate: 3:44

no relation to the company. Just a relation to the mat.

Also Matt Matthews: 3:47

Um,

Kate: 3:49

mat.

Thea: 3:50

Right.

Kate: 3:51

well, uh, no, we've got all our names out of the way. Um, do y'all want to get started and, uh, yeah, I guess jump right into what you've got and maybe give an overview too. Of course, for the stream of, you know, how we got started on this project and the goals and all that.

Matt Matthews: 4:12

Yeah, absolutely. Um, so when we were talking to John, uh, he told us you know, the, the rebranding, the whole meta issue with the names and things like that. And, um, we are a company who specializes in a branded content. so, you know, where would, uh, where would Tylenol PM be without the matrix or, uh, we, we, we like to, uh, w w we like to do content that doesn't seem like advertising.

Kate: 4:50

Okay.

Matt Matthews: 4:51

gets your name out there, and that gets the product in front of people. Um, so really

Kate: 4:56

Cool.

Matt Matthews: 4:57

with you guys. Uh, with the currently known as Metamarkets. Matt, did I miss anything? Do you want to,

Also Matt Matthews: 5:06

Uh, yeah, Matt.

Matt.Yachts: 5:09

Sorry me. Um, I'm not that familiar with your, with your company, honestly, that that's sounded right.

Also Matt Matthews: 5:16

All right. Well, I.

Matt Matthews: 5:17

me.

Matt.Yachts: 5:19

Oh, okay. That makes more sense.

Kate: 5:22

great. And I mean, as we talked about over the dinner, um, That we had with you without knowing that we were meeting with you? Um, yeah, I didn't know if it's just like monthly olive garden team dinners are really our big, big time to spend together. So it was surprising you were there last month, but either way, I glad John sent you. Um, and the breadsticks really brought everyone together. Um, despite, yeah, I don't know.

Eric: 5:55

that's on yours. That's one of yours. The family was.

Also Matt Matthews: 6:00

I mean, not with olive garden.

Eric: 6:02

Fast and the furious then fast at the various

Also Matt Matthews: 6:06

smaller,

Eric: 6:07

oh, um, nothing. Nothing comes to mind. What, w w what other family branding this there

Also Matt Matthews: 6:14

Uh, so there's a, there's a little, a little place behind the olive garden called tomato pasture. if you're there, we are family,

Kate: 6:23

Like physically.

Thea: 6:25

before the olive garden?

Also Matt Matthews: 6:29

um,

Matt Matthews: 6:30

timelines don't really matter.

Thea: 6:34

Got it. Yeah. I mean, great.

Kate: 6:38

I mean, timelines do matter for things like copywriting of, you know, slogans and whatnot, but

Also Matt Matthews: 6:46

it's not the same slogan when you're there. We are family.

Eric: 6:51

so are you ever part of the family or, or, or not? Yeah, that really makes you think I can, I can see how that's an ear warm, like I guess people. Oh, and what's what is this brand? Okay. Okay. Um, I'm I'm I'm I'm listening. Thank you

Also Matt Matthews: 7:04

to think about it. you to figure that out.

Eric: 7:07

tell. Okay.

Matt.Yachts: 7:09

It does. It does make you think it makes you question the concept of family who's in the family. What is it?

Kate: 7:15

Yeah. Okay. Well, I'm sure that's not one of the slogans he would come up with for, for us. Um, I assume so.

Matt Matthews: 7:23

Uh, hold on. I'm going to mark something out real quick.

Matt.Yachts: 7:27

sure. And, uh, just, just to put everything on the table, I don't recall what we talked about at olive garden, but, um, Bugsby are a world famous mascot. Uh, now a self-sovereign. Uh, out in the world, um, did recently do an appearance. I think it has yet to air, uh, on NCI S uh, and I'm, I just thought it's, it's branded content. Uh Califia and I thought we should be really clear, uh, you know, we are, we have been doing tie-ins. So just so that the mats are aware of that.

Kate: 8:01

yeah, though. Notably the embroidered couch that was also featured MCIs we are no longer stocking those. So if you have anything related to the embroidery, That would also be something to cut.

Matt Matthews: 8:13

Okay, good to know.

Kate: 8:15

anyway, I think we've taken up, you know, so much time dwelling on the olive garden, uh, tomato, tomato field or whatever that was a pasture tomatoes don't grow in pastures. Anyway. Uh, go right ahead. Maybe you hit us with, with what you've got. What's the best.

Matt Matthews: 8:35

Oh, you want me to skip to the best or

Kate: 8:38

Oh,

Matt Matthews: 8:38

we we've got a big idea that I was kind of holding for, like, you know, the finale,

Kate: 8:43

okay.

Matt Matthews: 8:44

But, um,

Kate: 8:46

Sure.

Matt Matthews: 8:47

I've got a couple other ideas here. Um, so I liked Bugsy. I like Bugsy as a character, like Bugsy as a mascot. I want to know.

Matt.Yachts: 8:56

sorry. It's it's uh, it's Bugsby there's a, there's a second before.

Matt Matthews: 9:00

Okay. I got a, um, hold on. Make some notes. Okay. So that idea is not going to work if he's got that B um,

Kate: 9:11

did you have a bug or slogan sorry, cutting you off. Uh, go, go ahead.

Matt Matthews: 9:18

Uh, so moving past that, um, but I, I do like bugs B, um, and think I want to know, um, sort of his story where he's come from. Um, I love that he was in an episode of, in CIS, uh, because this first idea, uh, we have to present you guys. Um, we like to call die from. Uh, so bugs be, would be a, a cop who is estranged from his wife. Um, he's traveling to visit, uh, for shark week and, um, he gets caught up in an international, uh, incident he saves the day.

Also Matt Matthews: 10:06

And just to add to that really quick. Are you guys from on bugs bugs be

Thea: 10:13

That's his name?

Matt.Yachts: 10:15

Yeah.

Thea: 10:15

Uh,

Also Matt Matthews: 10:16

because the bugs, the ID has really good.

Thea: 10:20

yeah, is, you know, our mascot and again, a, um, person in its own. Right. So we really, it's not a piece of creative that we can just change.

Also Matt Matthews: 10:34

Okay.

Matt.Yachts: 10:37

right. Um, I don't, I don't recall the content discussions about Bugsby from before I joined, uh, metal market, but, um, are we cool with Bugsby being a cop feeling?

Thea: 10:51

Uh, yeah, I don't really think that's that, uh, really. Fits in with the bug speak brand. I just also want to make sure, like, are we, when we're pitching these ideas, are we assuming that they're going to be like well-known actors in this, uh, ad marketing experience?

Matt Matthews: 11:15

Well, I think that the idea is for bugs, be themselves to be in this ad. Um,

Thea: 11:24

Okay.

Matt Matthews: 11:24

the face out there, get the brand out there.

Eric: 11:27

sure. Um,

Also Matt Matthews: 11:29

We, and we did get Bruce Williams for this Bruce Williams.

Kate: 11:34

You're already sourcing actors.

Eric: 11:36

Wow. He's great. In that Campbell soup commercial

Kate: 11:42

I think maybe some of us are missing the point of this, which is, this sounds extremely like a movie that already exists. That probably doesn't just let anyone make commercials that are based off of this.

Also Matt Matthews: 11:56

I'm going to stop you there,

Kate: 11:59

Okay.

Also Matt Matthews: 12:01

Matt.

Matt.Yachts: 12:02

Yeah. Oh, sorry.

Matt Matthews: 12:06

Oh,

Also Matt Matthews: 12:07

Yeah, just

Kate: 12:08

Can we, can we call him big Matt or something? Would that be better?

Also Matt Matthews: 12:11

Uh,

Matt.Yachts: 12:13

as, is that a thing between the two of you? Like, which one of you is the big mat?

Also Matt Matthews: 12:16

well, it's going to really upset big Matt who was

Kate: 12:20

I thought he was dead.

Also Matt Matthews: 12:21

in heaven now.

Kate: 12:24

Okay. Okay. That's fine, Matt,

Matt.Yachts: 12:29

But wait, I'm sorry, is, uh, Kate, you said this is already a, a movie. What do you mean?

Kate: 12:38

the name die from it's like diehard, but with one synonym

Matt Matthews: 12:43

Oh, I see.

Matt.Yachts: 12:45

I was, I can't believe. Yeah. Yeah. Love that. Yeah.

Matt Matthews: 12:49

No. Okay. So

Kate: 12:50

again, not the point.

Matt Matthews: 12:52

um, common misconception, uh, in the movie diehard. Uh, it is, Christmas is not shark week.

Eric: 13:01

Well, yeah, that actually brings up another question. I have. Well, since, since bugs has been an episode of MCIs, which is CBS property, uh,

Thea: 13:11

this up again?

Eric: 13:13

I'm just the logistics of this, then the licensing there's, there's got to be a non-compete from that. And discovery is, is its own network it's and there's no way they would let, they would let us run a discovery product if he's been on a CBS show in the, in the last six months.

Also Matt Matthews: 13:27

is a different shark week.

Eric: 13:29

Oh, there's another shark.

Also Matt Matthews: 13:33

It's

Eric: 13:33

Is this one,

Also Matt Matthews: 13:34

it's this is a week for sharks.

Eric: 13:36

it organized by sharks themselves?

Also Matt Matthews: 13:38

yeah, yeah,

Eric: 13:39

Oh, that's so great.

Also Matt Matthews: 13:40

sharks, you know, the shark.

Eric: 13:43

From the west side, from west side story.

Also Matt Matthews: 13:46

warmer, sh the sharks, you know,

Thea: 13:54

The one swimming in the ocean.

Also Matt Matthews: 13:57

it could be

Kate: 13:59

th the New York aquarium sharks, I don't know.

Also Matt Matthews: 14:02

Uh, I think you have it in your notes. sharks.

Thea: 14:05

they about actual sharks? Like fish, cartilage

Matt Matthews: 14:10

I'm sorry for the confusion. We're talking about loan sharks.

Thea: 14:15

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You want Bugsby to be associated with loan sharks?

Eric: 14:21

rare case where I might actually be okay with him being a cop, though, if he's kind of busting like, know, unscrupulous loan, shark.

Thea: 14:29

Yeah,

Eric: 14:29

college students back into the couch market.

Thea: 14:31

I just want to be, I just want to be really clear after the Mark Hammond fiasco though, since we are going down like a cop, like line that I refuse to work with. William Peterson, Sam Waterson, David James Elliott, Scott backlog, or Tom Selleck.

Matt.Yachts: 14:45

it's really too bad about Scott. Bakalin

Also Matt Matthews: 14:47

I'm going to cross some things out here.

Matt Matthews: 14:49

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're going to adjust our notes. Um, so sorry, I didn't know any of this coming in. Um, okay. Well, let's, uh, let's

Kate: 14:58

is that entire? Yeah. Is that tire three ring binder full of ideas? Cause I only scheduled 30 minutes for this

Matt Matthews: 15:07

This is, uh, this is my ideas notebook. Um, it hasn't, it hasn't all been generated for men to market. Um, it's just sort of, I

Kate: 15:15

okay.

Matt Matthews: 15:16

jot some things down,

Kate: 15:18

Got it.

Matt Matthews: 15:18

I get inspired or, um, to the movies or something like that. Um, so let let's table the let's table die from for now and just

Thea: 15:28

Yeah.

Matt Matthews: 15:29

it, it sounds like we have. Some, some to explore there, if we're going to go further. So, um, moving on, I know a cop was maybe not your, your bag, but, um, sheriff Bugsby. How does that grab.

Matt.Yachts: 15:52

I mean, that's just, that's it. Yeah, that's a cop also.

Kate: 15:56

Right.

Thea: 15:56

Yeah. Especially if you're, I would assume a sheriff at you're going with a wild, wild west

Also Matt Matthews: 16:03

Well,

Thea: 16:03

fear.

Also Matt Matthews: 16:05

we have a, we have a different spin on the classic sheriff. So Amity island shark week.

Thea: 16:14

Okay, can you just, again, just

Matt.Yachts: 16:16

Why's that?

Thea: 16:17

which shark week talking about the loan shark week.

Also Matt Matthews: 16:21

is the week that a shark ate so many people.

Matt.Yachts: 16:25

Oh,

Matt Matthews: 16:26

And he is to be clear. He is a loan It's just the one shark.

Thea: 16:33

Matt.Yachts: 16:33

yeah.

Thea: 16:33

commemorating the shark that killed people just wide

Also Matt Matthews: 16:38

Well, so

Thea: 16:40

a bunch of people

Also Matt Matthews: 16:41

sheriff Bugsy.

Thea: 16:42

people, but the shark.

Also Matt Matthews: 16:45

Sure Bugsy is trying to stop the murders during shark week bugs li.

Matt.Yachts: 16:51

It's a bug bugs

Kate: 16:52

bugs, beat second beat.

Matt Matthews: 16:55

Uh, yeah, I obviously I couldn't go through and update all of our notes when we learned that. So,

Kate: 17:00

But earlier you had it as Bugsy and I have it. A Lee did it. You weren't even consistent in your own.

Matt Matthews: 17:07

It's possible. We took separate notes.

Also Matt Matthews: 17:10

I took some creative liberties. I thought that's why we were here.

Matt.Yachts: 17:15

okay. I just have a question. So the, there is a week dedicated to a shark that, uh, a, a bunch of people, uh, and they are celebrating this week, but also sheriff Bugsby is trying to stop the shark. The shark is still.

Also Matt Matthews: 17:30

Well, in this university, sheriff Buckley.

Thea: 17:34

Okay, but share

Matt.Yachts: 17:35

Okay. We can.

Thea: 17:36

is the shark. That's still around, but the same shark, the rest of the town seems to celebrate in a week, commemorating him for killing a bunch of people.

Also Matt Matthews: 17:48

I see the confusion you're thinking of discovery is shark week, but this is Amity island shark week sheriff bugs li don't

Kate: 17:59

okay. I get that we have problems with names and the confusion, but like, I just want to point out again that this is the plot of a major movie of jobs. I, I don't

Matt.Yachts: 18:11

familiar. Yeah,

Also Matt Matthews: 18:14

of it.

Thea: 18:15

Okay. Can you I'm on both of these movies, I'm just going to be afraid. Totally with any sort of like art. And I don't believe that it has to be like really intentional about couches. I mean, that's really embedded in a lot of our marketing, but I, and maybe you can just walk me through with this concept so I could help to understand I'm not even sure. I see where subliminally this concept would, would lead people to want to buy couches.

Also Matt Matthews: 18:47

Matt. I thought John really liked this idea.

Matt Matthews: 18:50

Oh, he did. Um,

Also Matt Matthews: 18:52

Hmm.

Matt Matthews: 18:52

to, to, uh Califia to your point, um, let me ask you something when you, um, so suppose you find yourself without a place to live and you have to, uh, crash at your friend's apartment. W what do people call that?

Thea: 19:13

Ouch surfing.

Matt Matthews: 19:15

Right. Exactly. And when we think about couch surfing, we think about beaches. We think about sheriffs, and we think about shark week.

Thea: 19:28

Will there surfing in this, this plot line here?

Matt Matthews: 19:36

Yeah, the, um, the sharks, sorry. The sharks name is mouth mouths. Primary victims are surfers so

Matt.Yachts: 19:44

Servers and we'll we'll.

Thea: 19:47

message that if you couch surf you'll die.

Eric: 19:50

Right. It's like dangerous,

Matt.Yachts: 19:52

Yeah, not so subliminal. I think that's, that's overt, right? It's in the text.

Thea: 19:57

yeah.

Eric: 19:57

right?

Matt Matthews: 19:58

they're couch surfing on Metamarkets couches.

Also Matt Matthews: 20:01

Love this.

Matt.Yachts: 20:03

Um, interesting.

Eric: 20:05

Where the sheriff is going to protect them from cop surfing dangerous.

Kate: 20:09

okay. We, we,

Matt Matthews: 20:10

great idea, Eric.

Thea: 20:12

safe.

Kate: 20:13

no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

Thea: 20:14

I totally get that.

Also Matt Matthews: 20:16

We all

Kate: 20:16

no. I know. So we had a whole situation last year about how buoyant our couches are or not. And, you know, the whole

Thea: 20:26

yeah.

Kate: 20:27

fiasco. And I, I just really don't want to to overtly or subliminally tell anyone that they should be taking our couches into waters that are larger or deeper than two feet.

Thea: 20:38

Or replacing lifeboats with couches.

Kate: 20:41

Right. Unless y'all want to reintroduce the inflatable couch line.

Eric: 20:48

now.

Thea: 20:52

Yeah.

Matt Matthews: 20:53

Uh, so Matt, I think that the next idea, um, the gigantic USS gigantic, I think

Also Matt Matthews: 21:01

Yeah,

Matt Matthews: 21:01

pass on that one. If we're avoiding water.

Also Matt Matthews: 21:05

I've got, I've just got like a last idea in my notes. Sandlot.

Kate: 21:14

Sorry. Say that again.

Eric: 21:17

Sand a lot or Sandlot

Also Matt Matthews: 21:19

Sandlot,

Kate: 21:20

Say, say sand a lot since

Also Matt Matthews: 21:25

just Sandlot.

Eric: 21:26

okay. Like, like the, like the children's movie

Thea: 21:30

um,

Also Matt Matthews: 21:30

I'm going to mark that out. I'm just going to

Eric: 21:33

now, um, I want to hear more. They, they, they really squandered their, their remake. Maybe we can some life back to the franchise.

Also Matt Matthews: 21:40

uh, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm just going to.

Kate: 21:44

how do you all come up with these ideas, but it's clearly never seen a movie in your entire life. These are all very classic movies.

Matt Matthews: 21:55

Well, um, I'm not sure what you're implying. Um, we're not.

Also Matt Matthews: 22:01

ideas.

Kate: 22:03

I mean, I don't own a TV. I don't watch movies, but I frequently print out I B and read it to make sure that I am part of the, you know, social site Geist. Uh, I do you not do something like that?

Matt Matthews: 22:18

PR parallel thinking is something that a lot. do you know how many, uh, books and movies were pitched with a little magic boy who discovers he's a wizard and, um, uh,

Thea: 22:29

I totally believe in parallel thinking. I mean, I totally agree, but that usually. And so on one idea, and it seems like several of your ideas. I mean, unless you have some sort of way to tap into a creativity channel, but only contains blockbuster movies.

Also Matt Matthews: 22:50

Let me remind you. And seen an olive garden once. But

Eric: 22:56

last week.

Also Matt Matthews: 22:56

tomato pasture. When you're here, we are family.

Matt.Yachts: 23:00

family. I, yeah, I remember that that's really stuck in my.

Also Matt Matthews: 23:03

That was one of our classic ideas. Yeah. It's sticks. And you've all heard of tomato pasture. I mean, it's a staple.

Kate: 23:13

no,

Matt.Yachts: 23:13

honestly

Thea: 23:14

Yeah.

Matt.Yachts: 23:15

meeting now.

Eric: 23:16

Yeah, I do remember from the past 20 minutes. So.

Matt Matthews: 23:21

Okay. I think we're ready to move on to our big idea.

Matt.Yachts: 23:26

Oh, okay.

Eric: 23:27

Great. Great.

Also Matt Matthews: 23:28

Yeah,

Matt Matthews: 23:28

is, this is the big one. Okay. That's what we're calling it. The big. Um,

Kate: 23:34

Like big Matt. Sorry.

Matt Matthews: 23:36

exactly. This is sort of a prequel story. He bugs me as a child, um, who wants more than anything to grow. And

Also Matt Matthews: 23:49

Yeah.

Matt Matthews: 23:50

uh, possibly Tom Hanks. Um, he goes to a toy store. He dances on a giant piano, classic family commercial, the big one.

Matt.Yachts: 24:05

But yeah, that's a movie called big starring Tommy. That one does exist. I know I wouldn't to Matt. I would

Also Matt Matthews: 24:16

took that.

Kate: 24:17

Listen, let me print out the IMDP page for you. Uh

Also Matt Matthews: 24:21

on, hold on, hold on. We sent this to Tom Hanks.

Matt.Yachts: 24:25

Did you send it to him like 30 years ago?

Also Matt Matthews: 24:27

I don't know how we did it.

Kate: 24:29

Tom Hanks respond.

Matt Matthews: 24:32

it was a form letter.

Kate: 24:34

Well, think you get that counts as him agreeing to sign onto this commercial.

Also Matt Matthews: 24:39

Yeah, it sounds like you stole our idea.

Matt.Yachts: 24:42

again, this, this was, uh, a film in the, I think the 1980s.

Also Matt Matthews: 24:46

I don't, I'm not saying I know.

Matt.Yachts: 24:49

I, guess we'll be 40, 30 to 40 years ago.

Matt Matthews: 24:52

this may be good news. Um, if we know that Tom Hanks has agreed to play this role in the past, I think it's more likely that he will settle back into

Matt.Yachts: 25:03

we're a prize. Yeah,

Also Matt Matthews: 25:05

Especially

Matt Matthews: 25:05

know,

Also Matt Matthews: 25:06

gave him the idea.

Matt Matthews: 25:07

get get Tom Hanks back out there, name back in people's homes back in people's mouths.

Matt.Yachts: 25:13

just Califia. Just bugs, be a grownup bugs. We strike you as a Tom Hanks kind of.

Thea: 25:20

first bugs me age is on different timelines because he's not a human, you know, he has a longer lifespan. know this. So I, I just think like, and also the signs of age being in the creature bugs be is it's just very different than human signs of aging. So I think, you know, just putting us, showing a grownup bugs feed. Stymies our future creativity about bike speed will grow up into, but like second, I mean, this is, uh, you know, me, I enjoy original creativity and I enjoy the protection of creativity and list is a really big copyright, you know, issue here. Um, and finally, We don't need another SQL, you know, I think the creative department and only coming up with original ideas and not reusing any idea has made our position pretty firm on how we feel about sequels and trilogies. Other than those written by Tolkien.

Kate: 26:22

Um, Matt,

Matt Matthews: 26:24

Yeah.

Matt.Yachts: 26:27

yeah.

Kate: 26:27

the big, the maps from the big mat, the, I just Googled you, which is something I should have done before. It seems like you are embroiled in just like dozens of lawsuits about taking. Classic movies and turning them into ads or stealing slogans from other, and in all of these, you've tried to show extensive proof that you have not seen any of this. Uh, and I'm just, I'm not quite sure this is where we want to go. Is, is there anything definitively you can say or show to us to prove that you did not straight up steal this?

Matt Matthews: 27:08

I don't even own a TV,

Kate: 27:11

I have already told you how I don't own a TV, but I have the ability to print out. I am DB.

Also Matt Matthews: 27:16

No computer.

Matt Matthews: 27:18

no printer.

Kate: 27:19

That's why I use this three ring notebook. Huh?

Eric: 27:22

wait, wait. When the who's who's sending us emails from M Matthews at big mat consulting, Korea.

Also Matt Matthews: 27:29

Huh.

Matt Matthews: 27:31

Oh, those are our competitors.

Eric: 27:34

What's

Matt.Yachts: 27:35

a bummer. They got the domain. Huh?

Matt Matthews: 27:38

Eric: 27:38

there.

Kate: 27:40

what's their

Eric: 27:40

was kind of the mess we're in right now.

Thea: 27:42

And explain why you kept sending us snail mail to set up this meeting.

Also Matt Matthews: 27:51

And I, I want to clear my name. Maybe Matt stolen some ideas. I never have. The only thing I've ever stolen in my life was a car. And I served my time.

Matt Matthews: 28:03

Yeah, Matt has clearly is still an ideas and you guys work with him every day. So I don't understand.

Matt.Yachts: 28:08

Wait, we're talking about me now.

Eric: 28:10

That's open source. That's it's

Matt.Yachts: 28:12

Yeah.

Also Matt Matthews: 28:14

Matt.yachts.

Matt Matthews: 28:15

we believe in open source creative.

Kate: 28:20

It's

Matt.Yachts: 28:21

Well, when you put it that way,

Eric: 28:22

What do you have that existed? Like this or creative commons? There's there's a process for that. Uh, it's not the Hollywood studio process. That's the opposite.

Also Matt Matthews: 28:31

what is public domain?

Thea: 28:33

I believe in creative release, free mixing content. Like I do think that there's interesting things to be done at, you know, I Support a lot of my creative teams,

Matt.Yachts: 28:46

yeah. You know,

Thea: 28:47

spent on fan fiction, but this is

Matt.Yachts: 28:48

but maybe we're.

Thea: 28:49

far derivative from the original storyline.

Matt.Yachts: 28:52

we're being too hard on the mats here. And maybe this is just a mat thing, but I feel like we're, we're getting who me

Kate: 29:01

I think maybe just to like S because I've never actually directly asked you all, can we just go around real quick and state if we've ever stolen anything? And if so, what? It was.

Matt.Yachts: 29:10

Oh,

Kate: 29:11

So obviously Matt Matthews, the

Matt.Yachts: 29:15

you stole.

Kate: 29:17

stolen car.

Also Matt Matthews: 29:18

And your hearts.

Matt.Yachts: 29:21

No, that's,

Also Matt Matthews: 29:22

um,

Matt.Yachts: 29:23

that's a good one that I was thinking about that. Uh, but I'm not going to steal it. Uh, have I stolen? Um, yes. Yeah. I stole a pair of shoes from a roommate.

Kate: 29:35

Did you serve your time for that?

Matt.Yachts: 29:37

I don't think they noticed he had like 50 pairs of shoes and they just fit me really.

Kate: 29:43

Got

Matt.Yachts: 29:43

So, I guess, no, I haven't.

Kate: 29:46

Okay. Okay. Um, The last, Matt, do you want to go?

Matt Matthews: 29:51

I, uh, I've never stolen ideas. I did still one thing and, uh, I, I once, uh, stole my business partners identity.

Also Matt Matthews: 30:03

He did.

Matt.Yachts: 30:05

So from, from you.

Also Matt Matthews: 30:07

my credit's ruined.

Matt.Yachts: 30:09

Oh,

Matt Matthews: 30:10

It's actually much easier when you have the same name.

Matt.Yachts: 30:13

yeah.

Kate: 30:14

Oh, so you had the same name already.

Matt Matthews: 30:16

Yeah. Yeah.

Also Matt Matthews: 30:17

He started the, the way he started it was he asked, compare social security numbers to see if we had the same one.

Kate: 30:23

You shouldn't fall for that.

Matt Matthews: 30:26

For

Matt.Yachts: 30:27

yeah.

Matt Matthews: 30:27

nickname around the office was just a social security number,

Matt.Yachts: 30:30

Ouch. The weight that's much harder to remember and longer than.

Kate: 30:35

Yeah.

Also Matt Matthews: 30:37

I thought it

Matt Matthews: 30:37

but less confusing.

Matt.Yachts: 30:39

I guess it's very

Eric: 30:40

Let's try it. This ambiguation.

Matt.Yachts: 30:42

Listen, I do. I don't want to try this one more time. So maybe these mats are coming to us with stolen movie ideas. Okay. But

Kate: 30:51

gone through what everyone has stolen, Matt. I can't.

Thea: 30:54

you were just asking them that.

Kate: 30:57

no. I want to know for you too.

Thea: 31:00

Um, you know, only, uh, operate on a consent model. So I haven't taken anything from anyone that they haven't given me their explicit permission to take. Um, yeah, I would say that, um, that is effective from 2002 onward. And I won't talk about what happened before 2002.

Eric: 31:23

um, I. Every two weeks for the last 20 years, uh, I, when I go get a haircut, I sign up online for the buzz cut for$18, but I ended up getting a full haircut with like a shampoo, which should be$23. Um, I, at this point they, they liked me and they know me enough. So I don't know if it still counts as stealing, but at least at the beginning it was, it was partially theft.

Thea: 31:49

Right. What are they? Oh,

Eric: 31:57

oh, of course,

Also Matt Matthews: 31:58

That's the AFT.

Eric: 32:00

but not my, not my, not, I'm not the perpetrator of that death, but I agree.

Matt.Yachts: 32:06

I'm sorry. W tipping is theft.

Eric: 32:10

well, you, the, the big three tipping, taxation and time, and those, those are the real thefts in system.

Also Matt Matthews: 32:19

Guys like us, we don't need to be. Why, why do we have to give them.

Kate: 32:24

That's a whole nother

Thea: 32:26

tip.

Eric: 32:27

uh, no, I do tip, but I recognize that it's, that the system of tipping is stealing from, from workers. Like I PR I participate because I'm aware of the theft that the

Matt.Yachts: 32:36

Right. Because they should be paid a wage. Yeah. Yeah.

Kate: 32:40

Okay.

Thea: 32:41

sense.

Eric: 32:41

I think Matt

Matt.Yachts: 32:42

go a long

Eric: 32:42

a different page about this, Matt, Matt, and I might disagree about the nature of this.

Matt.Yachts: 32:45

It just.

Matt Matthews: 32:46

No, no, no. I'm with you.

Eric: 32:48

Oh, cool.

Also Matt Matthews: 32:48

Yeah.

Kate: 32:52

Well, we don't need to go read and talk about that.

Matt.Yachts: 32:55

Kate, did we, did we get to you? Do you

Kate: 32:57

Um,

Matt.Yachts: 32:58

have you stolen?

Kate: 33:00

did steal. I was unaware that it was stealing at the time, but, uh, when I was nine years old, I was. Unfortunately involved in a goldfish fighting ring. Uh, and I really hated that goldfish were having such terrible lives in pet stores. Um, and some nice people came up to me and said that they could give goldfish better lives. And we just had to create a plan to sneak them out of the stores, uh, which I, I thought they were like going back to the wild, but later found out it was a, it was a fighting ring.

Matt Matthews: 33:29

So what if one of these goldfish was named Nemo and bugs be had

Eric: 33:35

no, no.

Thea: 33:37

No.

Kate: 33:39

Okay.

Matt Matthews: 33:40

control when inspiration strikes.

Kate: 33:41

Sure. How about you write that down with your colored pencils or something?

Matt Matthews: 33:45

idea. Yeah.

Thea: 33:45

write it, down, leave a blank space where bugs people would have been and use it for your next

Matt.Yachts: 33:50

I just, I want to try, I want to try one more time. So Matt mats are bringing us these, these stolen ID. But we do believe we believe in remix culture, right? And it is a creative act to do mashups. So mats, why not pitch us one project? That's all of these projects together. That would be unique.

Kate: 34:14

and terrible, but I don't know. Sure. Go ahead. Try.

Matt Matthews: 34:20

So sheriff Bugsby used to be a child,

Matt.Yachts: 34:27

Yep.

Matt Matthews: 34:27

now he's at an airport for shark week and the.

Thea: 34:35

last time. Let's clarify with shark week. We're talking about here.

Also Matt Matthews: 34:38

Well in this

Matt.Yachts: 34:38

I think both.

Also Matt Matthews: 34:39

shark week. it's the shark week where everyone's getting killed by a shark

Kate: 34:44

at an airport.

Also Matt Matthews: 34:46

and, and discovers discovery. I I've never heard of it. Um,

Thea: 34:52

Okay.

Matt Matthews: 34:53

So,

Thea: 34:54

at an airport. It's shark week.

Matt Matthews: 34:56

yes, it's shark week at an airport. Um, I think there's a terrorist named Nimmo.

Thea: 35:08

And interesting.

Matt Matthews: 35:10

steals, uh, big speeds shoes and makes him walk on glass. Is this

Also Matt Matthews: 35:18

Matt Matthews: 35:19

well?

Also Matt Matthews: 35:19

for this project. She's desperate.

Matt Matthews: 35:23

Yeah. And for the part of,

Kate: 35:25

When you say, get hurt, do you mean you got a form letter?

Also Matt Matthews: 35:29

We got a form letter from Ellen. Yeah.

Kate: 35:32

not getting hurt. Okay. Keep going.

Matt Matthews: 35:34

for the sake of incorporating a big, I thought big speed would be.

Eric: 35:38

Uh,

Matt Matthews: 35:41

Um, so,

Matt.Yachts: 35:43

actually, I don't see.

Matt Matthews: 35:46

uh, so he has to walk across glass without his shoes and then reconnects with his estranged.

Also Matt Matthews: 35:56

And Ellen can't remember a thing.

Kate: 35:59

Let's muse on it guys. And we'll send you a letter back. seems like your addresses is actually within the, uh, tomato pasture building. Um, so we'll know where to find you.

Also Matt Matthews: 36:14

And I just want to leave you with this when you're here. We are

Matt.Yachts: 36:20

We're family. Yeah, I can't forget it.

Kate: 36:24

Excellent. It makes us feel so anxious.

Matt Matthews: 36:27

All right. Uh, we got to go and, we've got to meet with our lawyers here in a few minutes, so,

Kate: 36:34

That makes sense.

Thea: 36:35

yeah.

Matt Matthews: 36:37

Uh, thank you so much.

Kate: 36:39

Yes. Thanks so much.

Matt.Yachts: 36:40

thank you, mats. Good luck. Yeah. Actually tell, tell John, we said hi.

Eric: 36:44

You tell me, I'll tell John.

Matt Matthews: 36:45

Okay.

Thea: 36:46

Um,

Kate: 36:47

Great. All right, I'll just stop the recording. Carry.

Eric: 36:52

Okay.

Ben: 36:54

This meeting has ended. To subscribe to this startup is being recorded. Go to the podcast player of your choice and tap a button that likely says subscribe. More content is on Twitter at startup recorded, or shoot us an email with ideas, feedback, or your personal startup horror story. At hello@startuprecorded.com.

37:13

Matt Matthews and Matthews were played by Austin Weiford and Andrew Farley. You can hear them both with cohost Leah Morse on the better movie club podcast, an improv comedy podcast about movies that could be better. Find it on your favorite podcasting app or visit www.bettermovieclub.com for links.

Ben: 37:28

Kate is played by Valerie Garrison. Valerie is a product manager and regularly plays with the improv troupe letters to chicken online. You can find her on Twitter at the vulgaris Eric has played by Barry. Right Barry is a product manager at Spotify and a co-founder of high-wire improv. Find him by his name on LinkedIn, where he holds regular office hours or@highwireimprov.com Matt is played by Martin Maguire Marty is a senior web engineer and improviser in New York city. You can find Marty's comedy code and cats on his website at M M G dot R E. Califia is played by Robin Stegman Robin is a digital campaign manager for ocean Conservancy and is a comedian mostly found at Highwire improv You can find her on all the social medias And she does mean all at our steaky Thank you for listening.