The Steves summon their royalty expert, Ronnie Diamond, to discuss the 2017 instant-classic, A Christmas Prince, along with what's making them happy in pop culture today.
What's making us happy?
A Christmas Prince discussion topics
Ending- Any music or audio clips were borrowed from the original source material.
The Steves summon their royalty expert, Ronnie Diamond, to discuss the 2017 instant-classic, A Christmas Prince, along with what's making them happy in pop culture today.
What's making us happy?
A Christmas Prince discussion topics
Ending- Any music or audio clips were borrowed from the original source material.
Hello returning happies and new listeners. This is Steve
Stephen:Benson, and this is Steven Martin Bennett. And welcome to a lifetime of happiness.
Steve:The podcast, where we take you on our journey through some of the movies, TV shows, and other bits of pop culture that are helping to keep us happy. We'll hopefully bring a smile to your face along the way
Stephen:today. We're heading to the completely real and not at all made up country of Al Jovia to kick off our Christmas movie filled month of December to discuss the instant classic Christmas.
Steve:Yes. And of course it wouldn't be a Christmas prince. If we didn't invite our Christmas princess onto the podcast. Welcome to the show. Ronnie,
Ronnie:thank you for having me guys. I'm happy
Stephen:to be here. It w it's lovely to have you, and, you know, we wouldn't want to discuss royalty without our royalty X.
Ronnie:I've known to be in and out of the monarchs here and there. From time to time,
Stephen:you, you brought down several countries that way you have.
Ronnie:I have toppled great empires masterful game.
Steve:Yeah. So before we get into that, what's been making you happy since the last time we spoke Ronnie.
Ronnie:Well, since we last spoke a lot has been changing and I won't go into all the crazy details, but I'll give a short sweet list of, so Brandon and I moved to new Delhi, India. We are living in the Hyatt residences right now. So it's basically like a hotel, but it's an apartment. It has a kitchen, it has a living room. It has a bath. And I have, it's kind of like. Kondo, I went away. And so we're there. Brent started his new job. I've met a lot of the the, the wives it's the wives club, but the ladies at lunch, cause there was a whole group of us that really moved from Toulouse to new Delhi at the same time. So it's kind of cool that we have that in common and we have that support system in place and it's, and, and, and the dynamics are good and the chemistry is good. So w we're all spending a lot of time together. It's not as though anyone's alone or out of it. And so that's great. I'm really thankful. And I have that. I'm happy for that. We got our car the other day, which is a Jeep keep compost Jeep coMMpass compound count. I just love a Jeep CoPath and then so, and then we found an apartment and. And I think, I think we get the keys soon, but you know, of course there's no, we can't really move in until our, our container with all of the furniture and the things like that come across to see, sit in the port and blah, blah, blah. Next thing to do is really to figure out dates and tickets for Christmas to my family. Oh, oh. And I forgot this. We went to Dubai. I'd never been to Dubai and that's something to talk about because I did not think I would. I went into it with very critical Eagle eye and I think I was, I was more impressed than what I thought I would be. And very, very it's the future. The city is clean. It's new, it's modern. It's the future. And if I can just get up to date on women's rights, gay rights and drinking, whenever you want and wherever, then we'll be ready to move there to,
Stephen:Did you get to, like whenever I heard first started hearing about Dubai, I heard about their manmade islands that are in the shape of like Palm trees and stuff like that. Did you get to see those. Yeah,
Ronnie:it's all right there. You just take a boat where the hotel we stayed at was it's called the Grove Grosvenor house and it's a huge Marriott property. It's at the marina. So you can see all of that stuff, really. Not from, not necessarily from our room, but from the property, not from far away, there was so much to do. And the two things I didn't get to do, because while I went to the expo, which was the coolest thing ever, and then I went to their huge underwater zoo and massive aquarium. Amazing by all standards. And but the next time I'd really liked to go to that, you know, the tall building that the tallest in the world, the book, the Burj Khalifa, and then I'd also like to visit their botanical gardens because my friend who Keisha had told me about them and sent pictures and they were stunning, it was just too hot to go when I was there and there. And this is in the winter remember, right? I mean, this is almost we're well into November. So it was, it doesn't mean the other thing, they had this museum of the future. And I really want to check that out because they are the future. So to see their future or their impressions of what the future will unfurl into for all of us, just to see and imagine it's probably like, it's really, I felt like we were at Epcot center
Stephen:now for them being of the future. Did they have a lot of clean energy or was it based off the oil that is so readily available in that.
Ronnie:Right. Well, that's just it, I mean, that's a fantastic question because, you know, they're, they're small. I mean it's kingdom, but it's really only, I mean, we free translate Emirate almost. It's really like a principality in a way. So it's kind of like a Monaco and a little bit Monica, or like a, you know, just like a Dutchie like Luxembourg or something inside us. But the thing of it is that's the reason why they developed that way. They actually do not get along with Saudi Arabia, their neighbors and cousins at all. They chose to develop and go head first into the future. And that's the way they've been able to make their money, to sustain themselves, sustain themselves, and really to develop and grow to the center for banking. There's a, the center hub for travel that, I mean, you can go there for vacation. And actually, I mean, we, would've never even thought this in the eighties or nineties, even really. I mean, probably not even when we were in school, you know, at university, Steve, I just don't think that's something we would have given it thought. And I certainly wouldn't have got given it any thought until recently. I'm 100% glad I did. The people are super warm. They're nice. It's diverse. And there isn't any trash in plastic form or people
Stephen:yes. Darling had what is been making you happy, especially this weekend? Well, this weekend
Steve:I've been really happy that a Pokemon brilliant diamond and shining pro came out. It'll have been about a week and a half since it came out when this episode airs. But it's just been a lot of fun going back to the center region. Yes. Have you been enjoying it's your first time around with the diamond and
Stephen:Pearl games? Yes. I've been having a lot of fun with it and it's just, I mean, they're always a good time and this one is, you know, it's fresh for me. It's not for a lot of people, but it is for me. So it's been a really good time and I always enjoy it. Cause we get to do it today. And one of the other things we've been enjoying watching together is this show on CBS called ghosts, which is based on the British sitcom of the same name, where this couple moves into an old home. The female is injured with a head injury and all of a sudden she can see the ghosts that are living in the house and it stars rose and MacGyver, who is the star of a Christmas prince.
Steve:And so I love seeing her I've loved her since I found her in ISO combi was my first real experience with her. And she's just so charismatic that everything she does, she brings a magic to the role.
Stephen:And this show is really smart and witty and it's so well written and well acted. I really appreciate it. Ronnie, you would love this sitcom. There's one of the ghosts that is. From the 18 hundreds and her family used to own this mansion and the land. So she feels very strongly about history and manners and the aristocracy. And we were watching it and we're like, well, we know what ghost Ronnie would be.
Ronnie:You see an old relative of ours, perhaps one week, one week when we no longer think of, you know, you say that I really, I was like, I haven't seen this. I want to see it. Of course, I need anything you recommend for the most part 99% of the time, you know, I would watch it. And but the other one of you, because they're usually like the same things, they hold many genres of things. And I think that would be something that'd be good. I don't know what I have access to right now. And whatnot. I think in the apartment, we'll have the cable. We'll have more options here with cable really. Then we did in France as it relates to American and American shows in English. But I know right now, for example, my Disney plus does not work. Yeah. And that's a big problem. So,
Stephen:and so this, you would be able to watch on paramount plus over if you can access paramount plus in India, you'd be able to watch it on there. Yes. And
Steve:yes. And if you have access to wow presents, plus you'd be able to see what Ronnie would be like if he was a full fledged professional drag queen and drag race, UK season three, kitty Scott claws. Yes. And as the season's gone on, Ronnie, I just think of you every time that Katie opens her mouth, because it would be just you, if you went full on drag for a profession,
Ronnie:I thought my name was Ms.
Stephen:but I love the so it's kitty Scott clause. But when you say that it's, Kitty's got club. But yeah, so, and every time she talks and she's so funny and witty and smart, and we're both like, yup. That would be British Ronnie
Steve:drag queen. And just as we were making that just as we were making that connection, they had a runway where it was like, see themed or whatever, and, or movie themed. And she came out as rose from Titanic with a full drag,
Stephen:the whole hat and everything.
Steve:And I was just like
Ronnie:thievery, you know what, as you bring that up, we, we would be remissed if we did not talk on this very quickly as it has been managed mentioned in the past, but now fine. The gilded age arise. And if I have to sell one kidney to make sure I watched on the day, it airs in January, that kidney will be gone.
Stephen:You have HBO, max and India. That would be awful. If you didn't have access to it.
Ronnie:The prince said they have it. And he said, we'll have it. So it should be, if not working, we're going to have to fit. You may have to hold a cell phone up to the television. And for me with the closed caption on, and I had a load volume.
Stephen:Okay, well, if you're in, I will just zoom watch it together or
Steve:something. If there was one person we'd do that for, it would be Ronnie. Yes. That would actually be really fun.
Stephen:It would be like us. We back in the day, when we used to watch TV together, when you and I lived together in Cincinnati,
Ronnie:Oh, that was fine. Well, we watch it. We watch your TV a lot longer than that. It's true.
Steve:Yes.
Stephen:So we actually do have a movie that we watched this week.
Steve:Yes we did. And we watched a Christmas prince
Stephen:and I will fully admit whenever I first heard about this, I was like, hell no, because I had already been hearing for years about the hallmark movies and the lifetime movies, especially the hallmark movies from certain people. And I was like, yeah, blah, blah, blah. And you know, I still actually, haven't watched a hallmark movie except for the one that Sherry McKinley was in. But I decided, you know what? Go ahead. I'm sorry.
Ronnie:No, no. It was just gonna say the people who hate them and it's mostly, everyone will also be, this will also be the same people, Howard stern included, by the way, I heard this from Brent. He's the one who told me that. I think he says racist things that I'm not really a fan, but then Brent told me that. He said, he'll sit there and watch them too. People like to have it on. And although it's usually the same theme and this and this, the setting, people love the setting of the snow and the Christmas town. And that's why, that's why they're popular. But you know, hallmark movies, much like Chick-fil-A and cracker barrel are things we should be boycotting, but I can't help myself. I admit to my own hypocrisy.
Stephen:And I think one of the reasons that people like them so much is that their comfort food in movie form that it's two hours of your life. And you know that it's not going to, you know, it's not going to throw anything out there. That's going to upset your world. At the end of the day, it's going to have a happy ending. And, you know, I had a different viewpoint back in the day, but these days I think there's something to be said for comfort movies.
Ronnie:I think that, I think it balances out. I think, I think we need a little balance inside of sometimes. And I think a little bit about, you know, flutter valley, happiness, Christmas treat town sort of thing with all the negativity and going in theme with, you know, a lifetime of happy people need to have people need that nourishment. It cannot all be as be negative, bad, dark and hateful.
Steve:Yes. It's nice to kind of mentally tune out for a movie. And what are you do you love about at Christmas prince in particular? My love. Go for it. Ronnie, since we both love
Stephen:I loved the castle in particular. Yes. And I loved rose MacGyver, but I say we just dive in and go for it. Sure.
Steve:Christmas prince is a 2017 Netflix original American Christmas romantic comedy film directed by Alex Zam written by Karen Shaler and Nathan Atkins and produced by Amy
Stephen:Zam previously directed the 2017 Woody woodpecker movie, which I have not seen as well as 2000 threes inspector gadget to, I didn't even know they made, I didn't know, they made it a second inspector gadget. So that's wonderful. Shaler also wrote two other Christmas movies. Every day is Christmas and Christmas. Which I'm guessing are probably lifetime or hallmark. And Atkins was previously an assistant editor in 2006 is 24. Which I used to love watching 24 and went on to write the sequels of the Christmas prince movies all by themselves.
Steve:Yes. And lastly, Amy Crowl has produced over 40 Christmas movies over the past decade, including the Christmas switch series, the holiday calendar holiday in the wild and Christmas inheritance
Stephen:now. Oh yeah. I did like Christmas inherence. Oh, the holiday calendar. Wasn't what I was thinking of, but that was the one with
Steve:Bonnie, from a vampire diaries.
Stephen:I wasn't, I was thinking it was, what is that called? Whenever you have the calendar that CA counts down to different calendar. Yeah. So that's, that's what a holiday calendar is about that magic advent calendar she had. Ronnie, have you seen the holiday calendar on the. I
Ronnie:only sell the first part. Like I think it was last year or so. And I'm going to be able to go back and see it if it's still there. But there was one that it was either tier two where they inherited a house from the end. It's very similar to that. If I recall, I don't think there's magical powers involved, but
Steve:there should be. Yes. And speaking of Netflix, Christmas movies, Christmas inheritance, and a Christmas prince were the first two movies where Netflix was dipping their toe into the holiday movie market. And that was back in 2017. And how did that go for
Stephen:them? Christmas prince went extraordinarily well, Christmas inheritance, not so much, but as of last year there were 21. Netflix Christmas originals and 13 more coming out this
Steve:year. Yes. So with Christmas prince, we can really thank them for creating this new age of Netflix holiday specials. And I, I like, we've watched a couple like hallmark or a lifetime ones that we found on like Hulu on demand and things like that. And I still find something about like, Netflix ones just seem to be like a little bit higher quality.
Stephen:That's exactly what it is. That's exactly. But, and you know, but if we ever want to see all the actors and actresses, we grew up with in the nineties, that's where the hallmark and lifetime movies come about. And the
Steve:gov Lindsay Lohan is coming back for one this year. I
Stephen:am so excited. Oh, she is always the person that like, I want good things for her. And you know, so Brittany is out of her conservatorship now. Paris is in a stable relationship and got married and has a
Steve:reality show about it on
Stephen:paramount Plaza. And now Lynn, Lindsay is acting again and I'm like 2007 is probably looking at them going good job girls.
Steve:Yes, exactly. And well, while Netflix doesn't generally release their viewership numbers or like the budget or, you know, what revenue or whatever, the trend that this movie created along with the fact that there have been two sequels and it is part of a cross movie, Christmas universe with a princess switch. Yep. We can assume it did very well.
Stephen:Yeah. Netflix did announce some numbers. So on December 20th, 2017 in a tweet Netflix said to the 53 people who have watched a Christmas prints every day for the past 18 days, who hurt you.
Steve:And I love that. Like how self aware they are without that.
Stephen:Yeah. Like, but you know, it's a fun movie, but. Every day for 18 days. I don't know what movie I would watch every day for 18. I
Steve:can only imagine that they got a child in the house. Oh
Ronnie:really? I know which movie you'd watched every day.
Stephen:What is it? Hall Titanic. No that's
child.
Steve:It would be you just here. Speaking of that, what movie could you see yourself watching every day for 18 days in a row? In my life. So,
Stephen:It would have to be one of my top three, whether it's clue death becomes her or the princess bride.
Steve:Yeah. So when you were young, sir, didn't you watch a movie multiple days in a row and it bled into your dreams and
Stephen:yeah, the summer I was like nine or 10 Halloween four was out on video and my baby. Let me watch Halloween for actually every day for a month. So I guess I have watched a movie every day for over 18. Yeah.
Steve:And I can only assume that this like house, those households, like how young children cause young children, especially are more likely to be the type to watch something over and over and over and over
Stephen:and over again. So when I was growing up, I used to spend two weeks, every summer with my cousins, the deems and the year that little mermaid came out, Lindsay used to watch a little mermaid at least once, sometimes three times a day. So by the time I left their house, I knew the movie word for word
Ronnie:that's normal for children. That's normal for children. I mean, really, I don't know how the parents can do replay, replay, replay,
Stephen:replay. It's kind of like when your mother used to take Cheerio's to church so that you and your siblings would stay quiet.
Ronnie:Hey, you know what? I was 16 and it was really difficult for me to sit there and not talk and write notes during prayer. I cannot be perfect in every way. I am not married Paul, but I was like,
Steve:I still can't imagine you still can't imagine you being silent for an hour.
Ronnie:And, and of course my parents have to sit in the very first one. That's the, that no one ever sits in the very first one, but the second one,
Steve:now it's still sitting there now. Now the movie stars at rose MacGyver, as we mentioned as Amber Ben lamb
Stephen:is prince
Steve:Richard. Alice Creek as queen Halena
Stephen:and honor Neve as princess
Steve:Emily. Yes. And as we mentioned, we know rose from ISO combi and we're both loving her in
Stephen:ghosts. Yep. Yep. Ben lamb, he might look familiar because he was Edward in the divergent series Owen case. And now you see me too.
Steve:Yes. Meanwhile Allen Creek was Nancy in the the witch and Gretel and Hansel, and was ear the, as guardian physician in Thor, dark world. Yup. And you know, and you know,
Ronnie:and you know, she's really more poppy she's, she's a theater, a theater actress. Really, most of her work has been in the theater like Shakespeare. She, I mean, I prefer to see her in the role as you know, where she, she, she tends to key David with a, with a breast in the bath.
Stephen:I think you're just remembering your days out yesterday.
Ronnie:Yeah, I did go out as best sheet again,
Stephen:honor Nipsey, who was definitely a scene stealer and the movie is a new face to most of us. But some people may have seen her as Scarlet and miss you already with Toni Collette and drew Barrymore or as Christine in the movie, the bookshop.
Steve:Yes. And as we mentioned, this movie created a trilogy and all three films were filmed at palace castle in Synea Romania with other filming locations in boots, harass the romaine Bucharest, the remaining capital, which is about two hours from
Stephen:Yeah, Pella's castle is a Neo Renaissance castle in the Carpathian mountains on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and will Laci up built between 1873 and 1914. It was constructed for king Carol the first. And if you were to build it today, it would cost roughly$120 million us. Yeah. Yeah.
Ronnie:And so, and you know, he wasn't even a Romanian, he was a whole Zoeller in German prints. So don't be confused by any of that. He was no more Romanian than the men
Steve:and the moon.
Stephen:Now the plot of the movie, as deep as it is very deep, very deep. And I don't want people to get lost in the symbolism and the metaphors that are presented,
Steve:but don't worry. We will break it all down down, because this is a fully spoiled podcast. If you don't want spoilers for Christmas prince, make sure you pause, watch it and come back.
Stephen:Yeah. So picture it Christmas. In New York city, we meet Amber, a junior editor who gets dumped on by the editor by a writer. Before meeting her, we meet her two friends, Melissa and Andy. Then she gets got called in to see her boss max, and we get exposition about the fictional country of Al Davia. It's prince Richard. Who's a Playboy and he has yet to take the throne. After his father passed away. Last year, Amber then goes off to her pops rescue. And she shares that she finally has her big break and then off, she goes to Al Davia. Yeah.
Steve:And one thing that I really was impressed with this time around is a lot of times, you know, this is clearly the opening where they're setting things up, but it happens in like five minutes. Like we know exactly what's happening. We know exactly where it takes place. We know exactly like we meet her friends, we meet her like Amber, we meet, we get an idea of all of their personalities together. And the movie started and like kind of hits the ground running. And so I really feel like they did a great job with their pacing and characterization, right from the
Stephen:get-go like five minutes, you know, that family is important to her. Her mother is dead. And so she and her father are very close and have traditions, you know, that she wants to be a writer that she's good at what she does, but she's being overlooked for whatever reason. And that she's a good friend. Like that's a lot to get into a character in five minutes, but they do a really good job of it. Yes.
Steve:And one thing I also noticed this go around as well. I'm not as familiar with the English Royal family as Ronnie is that definitely seemed like they were, they were kind of poking fun or like basing it off of the, you know, their former you know, Playboy prince who's since settled down. But did you see any sort of similarities or pokes that reality with this.
Ronnie:I mean, the problem is with the family wins or there have been some many first we have prince Harry, of course he's settled down quite a bit. He said he settled down so far. He's in California, but that's, but that's in their blood. And I did see some similarities here because it wasn't just, he, who was the party, France, his great uncle prince David, the, the duke of York who was once king Edward, the eighth abdicated for that twice divorced, Mary can call it. Oh yeah. Well, in sense, yellow pill term, I get that old through who, who nearly toppled the monarchy herself, and then we can go back even further. This is in there, this is in the blood, it happens. And so even his great grandfather Edward, the seventh, who was Victoria queen Victoria successor, he was a big party or in a Philander or two. So yes, the similarities do run deep and look. Forever and we'll see him. Hopefully I didn't, I don't know. I didn't think we'll see them with with the next in line and the heir apparent, but, but we it'll come up before we're dead and gone. That's for
Stephen:sure. I'm sure. But yeah, I agree with like right now with w who we have coming up, it's going to be a bit more refined. Yes. Yeah.
Steve:And another thing that this beginning part of the movie made me think of, or brought me back to as a couple of years ago. My love when we had our trip to New York city
Stephen:Christmas time in New York is purely magical between the weather, the people, the lights, the decorations, the tree, the ice skating, like it, it really is like you're in the middle of your very own Christmas movie when you're there in December. It was like, there's no other place I've been in December that has liked that it was, the energy was lovely. And I don't know, after, you know, us living in Florida for so long, and then we were in central park and it started to snow and you're like, it's beginning to snow.
Steve:Yes, it was beautiful.
Ronnie:Were you two able to wear what you two able to wear scarves and gloves?
Stephen:Oh yeah. It was really cold
Steve:essentially being from Florida and now it gets down to 50 and we bring out our boots in winter jackets. So the fact that it was down in the thirties, we were bundled up and going
Stephen:and we even bought toboggans from a street. And you got one that looked like a tiger. And then I had one that had rhinestones on it.
Steve:Of course we did.
Ronnie:There wasn't a street vendor. That was a homeless Santa. You took the, from that poll man and his friend, the wizard.
Stephen:Well, they didn't, they weren't able to run fast enough to catch us. So their loss,
Steve:yes. We all
Ronnie:have
Steve:obstacles. Yes. But as much as we get to enjoy New York for just a moment or two, we are whisked away to Al Davia.
Stephen:Yup. So at the airport, some Brando and a beard steals, ambers cab. And so she has to get into one of those bus vans with the rest of the. And they get out to the castle only to find that the press conference is canceled. And the press secretary says that though, the prince is planning to take the throne at their annual Christmas Eve party. There will be no more press conferences. So the press is like, and not wanting to go home empty handed Amber, because it is a palace. And of course there's no security. Amber sneaks in a side door and gets mistaken as miss Martha, the new American tutor for. Princess Emily. And, but she was set to arrive after the new year. You Americans not following protocol, but Amber is brought in to meet the prince and shock of all shocks. The prince is the rando who stole her cab. Oh my God. They already had a meet. Cute. And we didn't even
Steve:know, oh, oh my goodness. And of course it started off Rocky, which never happens in romcoms.
Stephen:Gosh. And then she sees the queen followed suit by Emily. Who's all like all I have a tough life, so I'm going to be rude and mean to everybody, but just wait. My tiny Tim routine won't last for long.
Steve:Oh yes. Good. Now what were your initial impressions of the Royal family here? Ronnie.
Ronnie:Oh, I love it. And I think actually, you know, when they have Alice Creek play queen Halena, that really gives it some, I believe that really helps to support it. It gives it the gravitas that it needs, that someone has to be in a role that carries enough weight to actually allow all the silly people, to be the silly people and the, you know, the fun, loving to be the fun, loving, and the spoiled children to be the spoiled children. Someone has to actually look like a Monarch behave like a Monarch sound like a Monarch and also be sweet and kind, and that's not really an easy thing to do because for a queen you're not only the mother of your family, but for your country. So, I mean, I think that I love that that set it up very well for me right there. And I was, I was happy. I think that's great. That's really great. I agree with Steve there entirely that there's no way you would have gone in with security, not these days.
Stephen:No. And I do also love Sarah Douglas as Mrs. who is kind of. The the house mother, well, she's like the chief of staff for the palace and her, you know the rules, the protocol and the things like that. Then also add some credence to the believability of everything, because you would expect there to be someone in the palace that is making sure that all of the extra people are following the rules and following along, like if Ronnie wasn't able to be one of the Royals, I could see him as the head of the house, making sure. Everything is being respected and treated properly. And given the due service that it is required and that's
Ronnie:correct, fortunately, I'm a noble blood and have no problem interacting properly in this session session, you know, in all sincerity though, I have to tell you, you know, most of the Royal houses do provide protocol sheet, whether or not the visitors read them, understand them, even though they're usually simple bullet points is, is very interesting, you know, the only fall. Okay. For former first lady, Michelle Obama, you know, she's criticized and she's beloved. However, but her one foot Paul that she did was she went to hug the queen. That was a no-no. You never do that. Another thing was was, you know, with John Kennedy,
Stephen:what I was going to say, well,
Ronnie:you're Royal majesty.
Stephen:Oh yeah. JFK and. Yeah, Jackie O totally just didn't care about protocol at all when they went over there and it was, it was big scandalous and she actually ended up apologizing a year or so later. Like I screwed up and. And, but what w you know, I know Michelle Obama hugged the queen and people are like, oh, you shouldn't have done that. But if you look the same day, the queen who doesn't usually do it, put her arm around Michelle Obama all around her
Ronnie:back. That's exactly right. And and my understanding was that they, you know, they'd still even write letters to this day. It doesn't matter what I've heard. So, I mean, I, if it's, you know, the, the queen is gracious enough to overlook those sorts of things. They've been pulling it back to the, you know, the chief of staff there know that our girl it's that type of person, who's usually the one who's most upset right. To the queen. The queen was dancing in. You know, the queen has been a lump more open-minded and avant garde over the many decades on many topics than you could possibly imagine. So it's usual the staff you're really more conservative than even the Royal sometimes.
Stephen:Yeah. And speaking of these Royals, the prince said he grew that beard, which would have taken months. Yes. To make sure that he was in disguise from the press that might've been looking to see him. And so it's
Steve:already kind of characterizing him because in the beginning they were like, oh, he's a Playboy. He lesbian in the tabloids and lesbian with all these women. And he said, now he's like, no, I don't want to be in the public eye. Meanwhile, Emily, we learn has to find a different. Spinal. Yup. Yes. And she's run off her previous tutors. So the most recent one with a
Stephen:mouse. Yep. And Amber, of course I'm doing the thing that all leads and romcoms do. She's that pretty clumsy girl. And she ends up breaking a 15th century, Ming porcelain vase. And as soon as it broke, I could hear Ronnie gasp in my head
Ronnie:to the dungeon off with her head. No excuse, no leniency, no mercy, no turning a blind.
Steve:Yes. And that made me just wonder, like, why, like I understand it is a trope in romcoms for the lead to be clumsy, but like, do people find that sexy? Like if I were to like break something where you're like, oh,
Stephen:how hot? So I think what it is my main boss, I think it's a thing. You can add a personality quote flaw in there that, you know, it's not somebody that chews with their mouth open or, you know, somebody that pushes down old people. It's, it's a personality flaw that you're like, oh, they're not perfect. Look how endearing they are. She probably trips in high heels.
Steve:Oh,
Ronnie:so, well what's my character flaw. Oh, wait, there aren't any, we
Stephen:don't have that kind of time. And honestly it would be, do you want it in alphabetical order or just off the top of my.
Ronnie:Let's go on now.
Steve:Yes. Amber is first tutoring session session with Emily starts off Rocky because she brings the mouse. Yup. But we quickly see them bonding and then they go out together to check on Richard who's practicing archery. Emily then invites her to be the plus one at a pre Christmas cocktail party.
Stephen:Yep. And it's really cute that Richard's like, oh, I'm a bit rusty on all of my archery and he's at least hitting the target, but he's not hitting the middle of it. And They decided to let Emily shoot from her chair and she hits it right in dead center. And then like, oh miss Martha, which is ambers fake name, you should try it. And she goes to shoot it. And she shoots it through the window, right past miss Admiral's head right into a horses button painting.
Steve:Yes. Again, you know, so clumsy that, that prince must have had a raging hard on just watching her make a mess out. And he's like,
Stephen:oh, look at this comment. I must bring her later.
Ronnie:I stepped through the I've stepped through the looking glass.
Steve:Yes. And while this is around comes, so we know that ultimately Amber is going to wind up with Richard. I find that if she almost has more immediate chemistry right. From the start with
Stephen:Emily. Oh yeah. Like, and you can tell. That they do this on purpose because if she was alone in her secret keeping it would have been a much different movie, but this, you show that the child, that everyone kind of overlooks is smarter than everyone gives her credit for. And then you realize that the person that gave such a hard exterior is actually the one that needs the most care and they're able to bond. And it creates this relationship that makes you root for Amber even more. Yes,
Steve:I agree. And Emily says in the next scene that, you know, part of is that Amber is the first one who treats her like a normal person, rather than like a porcelain doll, so to speak. And in that next scene, what happens? My love?
Stephen:Well, we also meet Richard's cousin, Simon, who immediately. Is that the villain, you can see it. And he is actually, yes, he is next in line to take the throne if Richard doesn't, because it only falls to male errors, which Amber and Emily both roll their eyes at. And yes, in this day and age, we should roll our eyes at males only being able to take the throne.
Ronnie:And we've discussed this before. And that in others, you know, on other themes and topics of maybes and certain things, and this is primogeniture and this is mostly at least for Western European at monarchs the constitutional mark and monarchies that remain that's mostly gone. I think I should, the UK, the United Kingdom was one of the last ones to do it a way with that. So, and I said, that would be of course first if you know, prince William and princess Kate, or the duke and Duchess of Cambridge, should they have had a daughter first. So they did. And they had prince George, but had princess Charlotte been born first, then it would have, that would have started that again. And then we would have had after two more Kings acquaint again. So that has been changed.
Stephen:Yeah. Yeah. Amber takes some time to FaceTime with her friends and you're like, oh, She does have friends that aren't here.
Steve:Yes. And it is a great way for her just to talk about how she's feeling without it just being her, talking in a room by herself, like a crazy person. So they do serve a great purpose and
Stephen:they're like, oh, you like cam? Yes.
Steve:And then later she finds him playing piano and they bond over dead parents as Amber, sheriff, she lost her mom to leukemia and they talk about kind of Richard's loss of his father and the pressure that, that puts on him to take the crown. Yeah.
Stephen:And then we have a family and friends, tree decorating Christmas party where the queen shares a special acorn ornament that the king had handmade, which a lot of his ornaments that they have there, the king made by hand. But he hadn't given the acorn ornament yet. Simon also makes a really shitty comment, like yeah, the king and made us these elephant ornaments that looked like bears. And I'm like the guy was just dead a year ago. Yes.
Ronnie:Yeah. I personally would have gone for the handmade wooden yes.
Steve:We meet lady Sophia, who clearly has a history with Simon, but seems more interested in, and you
Stephen:can immediately see that lady Sophia is not a good person. She from the casting to her voice, to the way she speaks and walks, you can see that she is right out of central casting as the evil female of the movie.
Steve:Yes. And so we now have the villains slash antagonist. And what are your thoughts on Simon and lady Sophia as the people who are going to make this hard for Amber and the
Stephen:prince? So, you know, my usual theory on villains is I prefer villains with a gray area and that you can have something to potentially root for or understand their motivation. Yeah. With Simon and Sophia, they're not likable. No. And like all, and, and I see what they're doing with this movie. You want, like, the audience is fully in Amber, Richard and the Royal family's corner against Simon and Sophia. And I see what they're doing here. And this isn't the type of movie where you really need gray area, right. Area villains. So it's okay.
Steve:Yes. And I think that they did do good casting because I mean, I feel bad for the actor that plays Simon, but I mean, he looks like a villain, just his face. He doesn't even need to open his mouth. You look at him and you're like, that's the dude. I mean, he
Stephen:comes back in later
Steve:movies. I try and redeem him and he gets redeemed dish. But even then I don't believe it. I'm like it look like
Stephen:a villain. No, but they do actually add the gray area later on with Simon. And he becomes that. Oh, you're so bad, but you're so much fun to have on screen. Like the, he almost becomes like the mustache twirling
Steve:villain. Yes. Meanwhile, I'm glad that we never see lady Sophia.
Stephen:Yeah. Bitch can hit the bricks. Yes. Okay.
Steve:Go ahead. Running. No, I was
Ronnie:just laughing. I wouldn't say a word, not one word.
Stephen:Oh, you would have found a way to get rid of lady Sophia in a heartbeat. If somebody was trying to come between the Royals.
Ronnie:Oh, that's true. You know, me, I was not a fan of the barrel
Steve:now, now, now it also made me think, you know, with them, they had a party for tree decorating. Is that something that normally would happen with Royals? Cause I know like normally at least for both of us in our families, like tree decorating as a family only.
Ronnie:That's the, I mean, that's a good question. You know, we don't, we know a little bit about like the, the British Royals for Christmas every year, which is this tradition started with queen Victoria. They always go to Sandringham. Sandringham is their Christmas home and they go there for a while and they're, it's a, it's a smaller day. Well smallers relatives and, and, but they're there, they do Christmas at Sandringham. They do do decorating. They do decorate the tree together for my understanding, or at least maybe the smaller children participate in it and things like that. They do do things like that. It's a very close, it's more close knit than you think they have a large family. I mean princess well at the time prince as Elizabeth and prince or princess, but you know, the queen. The duke of Edinburgh had four children. And with all of those grandchildren and now the great grandchildren, that's a large family not to forget to Queen's younger sister who's since passed the late princess, Margaret. She had children too. And so there are the families large and it's always been large.
Stephen:Yeah. And now like CRA decorating the tree at Christmas is, has always been a bit. Tradition in our family that we did as a family. Everyone took part in it. I mean, when I say family, there were four of us, mom, dad, Barry, and I, yeah. But even today, like, you know, yesterday I went up and mom and dad and I decorated their tree to. And it looks good. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. And at work, you know,
Steve:so yeah. Now we always try and do it before Thanksgiving and then, I mean, it's beautiful and it helps because in Florida it is a little bit harder to get into the Christmas spirit. And so it does feel nice having it up a little bit earlier to help kind of make you feel more like the seasons coming. But it's also just out of practicality because after Thanksgiving, what do you get to do at work
Stephen:decorate 28 trees. And it's a lot. And, you know, because we're decorating a a facility, a senior retirement community, and you know, one of the trees is 18 feet tall. So I have to get on the giant ladder to decorate the top of the tree. That's always my job and we do it for three full workdays. So I do spend 24 hours decorating for Christmas. So if we don't decorate before I do it, they're not getting done.
Ronnie:What about you better be careful on that ladder? There's no sugar plum fairy to my knowledge is going to come and rescue.
Stephen:Somebody always does hold the bottom of the ladder. And my theory is I will jump into the tree and let that fall before I fall off the letter. Myself. Yes. What about you running? What were some traditions with you guys? Decorating groups?
Ronnie:So mom, you know, mom and dad decorate really well. I think, you know, I think as they're getting a little bit older, I mean, and there's nothing wrong with this. This is a little bit, this was normal. I think it's a lot of work to do. So my sisters goes and helps and does a lot of that. Now I think you know, my dad's the one who really put, takes all the stuff in and out of the attic, but then Mike Matthew or Tim will help bring it down. Or Justin, my brother-in-law they'll help bring my dad bring all of this stuff down and they get it done. Mom likes it up for a while. I like it up for awhile. I think if you're going to spend the time to do that, why not have it up for a good, at least two weeks or two months? I know people think that's too long, but if I had, if I had my choice, I'd put it up after labor day can leave it to apifany
Stephen:because last year with the pandemic, we needed some extra Christmas. We put it up the first weekend of. Yeah.
Steve:And I like it. I like that. Yeah. And not to put you on the spot, Ronnie, but I know in America, at least, like, we're very big on Christmas getting earlier and earlier in terms of marketing and advertising. How has that in France and now in India, where you are like, when does the Christmas season start and what does it look like?
Stephen:Is there Christmas in India? Because I know that's a secular Christian, the holiday, like tell us more. Yeah. Fill us in on what Christmas is like over there.
Ronnie:Happy to provide some incidents implied. That's a fabulous question because it's exactly the same earlier and earlier, every year in Europe and in India, they both have black Friday. They don't have Thanksgiving, but they do have black Friday and more and more, even the hotels, the larger hotels are doing Thanksgiving themes. The hotel we're staying in, had a Halloween theme party that evening. Then the night, two days later, it was Devale. I mean, they just said they don't do like a Thanksgiving thing at all, but it goes straight from Halloween to Christmas. And interestingly enough, because you know, India has a ton of holidays, tons of federal holidays. The month, the month of November alone has 17 holidays. Well, and
Stephen:then, and that's what, whenever somebody is always talking about, you say, you should say Merry Christmas, not happy holidays. And what people don't realize is that there are 19 religious holidays in November, December and early January. So who are we to get rid of any of those other ones? Just for.
Ronnie:Yeah, we're also a country that anymore, bill Maher is now practically a conservative everyone's crazy these days. So, I mean, do you know what I mean? I really, I mean, on the spectrum, if you look at it, but I'm watching these clips, it's driving me tomorrow, but now they say Merry Christmas here, they will say Merry Christmas. And honestly, I didn't post these pictures. I mean, no, I think I did post these pictures in Dubai. I took pictures. When I went shopping as like the most, the stores and the, the, you know, the big mall of Dubai, the largest shopping center in the world, I think I posted like maybe 10, 13 pictures of the store windows and already in the stores already decorated for Christmas. One woman walked by him with a burger on and she walked right in front of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. And they, I mean, they had pottery barn. I have crate and barrel. They have everything. And so they do it. And it's, and people here's, the Americas is in India in particular. I mean, I will see a really, for the first time in a few weeks, but all of my understanding is they go all out for. They do Christmas dinners.
Steve:They do it all. Well. That's fantastic. Yes. They love it. Now back in Al Davia, Emily reveals in the next day that she knows exactly who Amber is because she checked her laptop and her belongings.
Stephen:I love that. I was, she was like, you went to the loose. So I looked at your laptop. How did you get in? Well, you have your password right on your keyboard.
Steve:Yes. And Emily says though she doesn't care in she'll help keep her secret because she wants the world to know her real brother and how sweet he is.
Stephen:And so FIA, evil Vixen that she has confesses her love for Richard and Richard is so hurt over their past. And so we don't know what it is yet, but Sophia is like, I'm really sorry that that happened. And then in very typical Christmas movie things, there's a benefit for the orphans of the village and reporters, like I know who you are talking to Amber and Emily's like, Leave her alone, or I will throw you in the Dungeons, which they don't have, but
Steve:it becomes a running show. Yeah. Three beat,
Stephen:allegedly. They don't have Dungeons.
Steve:Yes. Now Richard has set to talk, but he blows that off because he's basically having a snowball fight with the orphan, which
Stephen:is the, the quintessential humanization of any man in a Christmas movie. Yes, exactly.
Steve:Snowball fights with the orphans just gets Amber drenched.
Ronnie:Somebody flooded their basement.
Steve:Now, one thing though, as Amber is going around throughout the movie, she's taking pictures and just as a reporter, should girl needs to turn off the click. Whenever she takes pictures, it is going to give her away in a heartbeat. And then like, I know it helps for us so that we know she's taking pictures, but in real life, I would have been like your worst reporter ever.
Stephen:And like, whenever she's watching Richard play the piano and he does a lovely job. It should have given her a way when she was clicking the, on the camera, but no, she falls against the pocket door and that gives her a because, oh, she's so darn clumsy.
Steve:Yes, she is. Meanwhile, the next day, Emily nails her lesson on hyperbole and go out for us. They ride. Yes. And they after be a beautiful scene where Emily and Amber doing the sleigh ride down, they find Richard and have a snowball fight and they ha Richard and Amber have their first. And then
Stephen:Emily's like no fraternizing with the enemy and then throws a snowball. But the part that I really like in that whole scene was the Amber, Emily, where, you know, Emily puts on this really brave front, but you know, she goes, I don't know if I can sleigh ride. Am I going to break myself more than I already am. And Amber is like, you're not broken. This is going to be fine. And so they go down, they lose control and roll off the toboggan and hammers all freaked out. And then Emily's like,
Steve:yes. And I also love that when they come back, the queen sculpts, Amber, about not getting permission before going, but she also then makes that joke that, you know, she seems more jealous than that she wasn't included. Cause she's like, let me know, next time you go. I know my way around it toboggan. Yeah.
Stephen:I thought that was really cute. And Simon and Sophia had gone on an actual, like Cara dried with horses and they spy Amber and Emily and Richard having fun. And Sophia is super mad, jealous. Like this common is getting in the way of my plan. Amber follows Richard out on horseback, but she gets lost falls off her horse. The horse runs away. This Wolf comes up and then eats Amber. And she dies.
Steve:Yes, no, just kidding. But in a very beauty and the beast moment, the prince comes to rescue her from the Wolf and saves her.
Ronnie:We like that flooded our basement.
Steve:Yes. But he warms her by the fire in their hunting cabin. And we learned that Richard's last conversation with his father was him renouncing the crown because he hates being in the public eye and he and dad had a big fight. And that was the last time he ever talked to dad.
Stephen:Yup. And they also find out that there was a riddle about an acorn and you know, there was the whole darkness pack, a secret bear. And the love for far greater. Yes. Like there's a, and you're like, oh, I'm mystery. Maybe this'll be part of the plot.
Steve:Who's to say, who's
Stephen:to say, then there's an almost other kiss. And Amber finds a secret file. What's in the secret file, babe. Well, it shares
that
Steve:the prince was actually adopted gasp and that is a big surprise because the prince doesn't know, and it would also, as the law states, it currently, as they believe the lie is it would renounce his ability to take the throne to begin with,
Stephen:which is just a big damn deal.
Steve:And your thoughts on this twist?
Ronnie:Well, I thought when she opened up that document, Sergeant read the papers that those were the results from his STD exam nations. And what does his grace is?
Stephen:What would those results? And then
Steve:I forget
Ronnie:Mr. Good Noria enter the room. I mean, I thought that was. That's great because we now see, what is she going to do? We already know how she truly is inside. I think by the fact that we know that, you know, Emily knows her inside and out honesty. And so that gives us, we have an idea that this is not going to be an easy decision for her.
Stephen:No, because she knows this information. We can make my career. Yes.
Steve:But it also had destroyed for the Prince's life and she's starting to have feelings. What would you do in the, her shoes? My love
Stephen:I would not. You love me love. I honestly, I would immediately call the Royal family together and be like, look, here's what's going on. I lied. I found this, we got to do something. And the
Steve:movie would be over the,
Stephen:I wouldn't know, they would offer me a job in the palace until the prince was like, you know, That one writer who saved everything we're going to get married. Yes.
Ronnie:I just hired a new stable boys. So that job's out for you. You have to knock out that you can knock out the stalls.
Steve:Yes, no. And I was surprised cause it really was the first twist I going into the movie the first time around, I would have thought that the entire twist was going to be Amber, his true identity and that everything else would follow along pretty unpredictably or pretty predictably. So funny
Stephen:enough, I actually had a B plot that turned out to be just as important as the
Steve:A-plus meanwhile, the next morning, Sophia kisses, Richard on the cheek. And of course Amber sees, but walks away before she gets to hear Richard tell Sophia off. Yup. Amber gets a pep talk from her dad before Richard asks her out for a walk. They clear the air about Sophia, but right before Amber is about to tell Richard some truth that he kisses her. Yup. Now question, do you think she was going to tell him about the adoption about her real identity or about.
Stephen:I think starting with her real identity. What about, what do you think?
Ronnie:I think adoption first,
Steve:really? I think that that's what she was doing. That was what was eating her up.
Ronnie:It was, it was, yeah. Yeah. And, and th, and again, she wasn't completely dishonest about her identity because Emily knows, and Emily's not just anyone she's the princess. So literally she is the princess and she has all the facts she's in possession of the facts. So that could be, that can be, that can be finessed later, which end it is. But I think she knew that that was the most critical, the most crucial and the most essential piece of information to get.
Steve:Yes. Meanwhile, while this is all unfolding, the villains find her passport with her real identity, as well as the information about the princess adoption. Yeah. This
Stephen:scene was right out of don't tell mom the babysitter's dead. When the villains are looking in Christine apple gates' office and find her purse, like it was almost dead ringer for the exact same thing. And you knew it was going to happen, but you're like our, I hate Simon and Sophia.
Steve:Yes. Meanwhile, the next morning Richard visits, his dad's grave and voices that he will accept the crown, even though he feels he'll never be able to live up to his father's legacy, that he'll start his own legacy.
Stephen:Yeah. And I think that that's probably been the whole thing is that his father, the king was so beloved and he saw his dad do so many wonderful things for the. In his mind, you know, and I think we, we always see that no matter how old we are, whenever we think of our parents, like, I don't always see my parents at their age and me at my age. It's always, you know, parent child, not like two adults. And I think that that's his thing is he doesn't see himself as a learned and capable 20 something year old. He still sees himself as probably a screw up teenager or younger and knows that there's nothing he could do to live up to his father's legacy. Whenever we all know that our parents see the potential that lies within us.
Ronnie:All right. That was good. That's that's a good that's really, that's beautiful, Steve.
Steve:Thank you.
Stephen:That was just off the top of my head too.
Ronnie:Yes, it was beautiful.
Steve:You mean? Well, Emily, thanks Amber for teaching her that everything's going to be okay. And she's afraid of Amber going back to New York when it's all over and forgetting about her. Of course. Amber would never forget.
Stephen:I can never forget you. Oh, what was your name?
Steve:Yes, then it's then it's make-over time. But for the Christmas Eve ball where Amber looks just like a
Stephen:yep. And so whenever she arrives and my thought was okay, are they going to go the route with Ty, from clueless, where Ty showed up at the party and fell down the stairs. And everyone's like, and she's like, now I'm going to be that girl who fell at the party. And I was like, oh, Amber looks so beautiful. Is she going to have her Cinderella moment coming down the stairs? Or is she going to fall? And they gave her her Cinderella moment. But what I love is that she took her time slowly coming down the stairs, Emily says, go ask her idiot. And Richard comes over and they talked. And then he takes your hand and takes her back up the stairs. And I was like, dammit. She just came down though. Yes.
Ronnie:You know, anytime I servant gets out of hand, the best thing to do is quietly as possible. Remove them from the room without making a sale. And we have the true plot C from the C.
Stephen:So they go dance.
Steve:Yes. And then it's time for Richard to get coordinated, but then Sophia disputes, the claim reveals as adoption and Amber is identity all in one fell swoop. Yeah. Like
Stephen:bitch went all in and she was like,
Steve:Hmm, I object.
Stephen:And like, and then the Queen's like, yeah, it's true, Amber. You don't understand and everyone's mad and Richard's like, I'll never kiss you again. Get the hail out of my
Steve:palace. Yes. And in one moment
Ronnie:now we moved on to best little whorehouse in Texas.
Stephen:Yes. Richard and the queen have it's hard.
Steve:Yes. And one thing that I can say personally, as someone who is adopted is it is better to tell them growing up because I always grew up in new. And I can imagine when I, if I found out when I was older, I would have gotten the fuck out of there. I would've been like, fuck you all. But it was at the time where, you know, growing up knowing is definitely better than not, but I guess in their princely situation, it definitely needed to be a
Stephen:secret, especially, you know, with this, they didn't know what type of child he was going to be, who he might tell, who it would ruin the lineage of the monarchy. Coming along and I can see them keeping a secret. And also it's a movie.
Steve:Yeah.
Stephen:And so they decided to adopt, and then, you know, about eight years later, it looks to be the age difference. Emily was the miracle baby that came along and you know, it's a really heartfelt family moment and it's really nice. But while all of this is happening, what else is
Steve:happening? Sophie and Simon get married, but need the majority of parliament there and it's Christmas day and they need the Queen's presence as well. And so they're
Stephen:like, that's not going to happen. And Sophia's is like, you better make it happen. I'm the new villainous and I'm going to be queen and rock, rock rock. Yeah.
Steve:Yes. And during ambers, talk to her dad from the airport, she solves the mystery of the poem that king left before she flies away. And she runs back to the castle and
Stephen:she runs into Mrs. Avril and she's like, listen, I can help save everything. And Mrs. April's like,
Steve:Throw you in the Dungeons.
Stephen:But if you can save the day, I'll let you help. And so all this,
Steve:let me go play with my acorn.
Stephen:And everybody shows up to parliament and we find out what
Steve:that in the acorn, there is a letter and that is a decree that changed the law to allow Richard to become king with lawful rights to the throne. And he ends up becoming crowned king of L-DOPA
Stephen:via yup. And Simon and Sophia lose. Sophia wants a divorce now, like they were working over time to ruin things. Do you think that this. Like a little bit of, okay, you don't get what you want is the comeuppance they deserved, or what would you have liked to have seen happen to them? I wish that they were
Steve:thrown in the Dungeons.
Ronnie:They'd probably be ostracized really in reality, higher level of Royals don't get divorced that often. And when they do, it's a huge to think they would have had their best hope would have been an, a anomaly, but they were so public about it. But this is a fantasy, right? I mean, how often in constitutional monarchies do a design Monarch able to issue Royal decree, rarely, but you never know what kind of hybrid they have. Again, I, I just provide my own fantasy if I don't know the answer. And that's, that seems to supervise.
Stephen:Yes. And so we think that, you know, it's a happy ending Amber heads back to New York. And she submits her story to the magazine because. And it's rejected for being too much of a puff piece and Amber quits to start her own blog about king Richard and Al Davia to share the real story. Now, here's the question. Do you think any magazine at all would say no to this story? It's an inside scoop on a week with the Royals, like information that no one else is going to get, whether it comes off as a puff piece or not, that's going to sell issues.
Steve:I would think so. I mean, look at people magazine, that's mostly puff pieces and it's like the magazine with celebrity news. Yeah.
Stephen:Yeah. Like whether, you know, somebody is like, oh, oh, he's not like a partier. He does come off. Well, well, goodness gracious. Nevermind then. Yeah. I think people still would have picked up the issue. Well, I mean, exactly her
Steve:blog post ends up doing well as over 2000 views. Oh, I think was it 20,000? Yeah, it was a lot. It was a lot of views three days in three days. And it's new year's Eve and she turns down her friends to go on a triple date because her heart's still with the prince or now the king. Yeah. And just before midnight hits king, Richard appears forgives her and propose a saying all the right things like that. She could visit New York however much she wants that they'll take care of her dad's shop. If he needs the help and let her make, keep her career of being a journalist.
Stephen:I love that even said, you know, well, hell, I'll buy him a diner and Al Davia and he can open up a diner
Steve:there, or we'll just take the diner here and fly it over to Alberta, but he's offering her the world. So of course she says, yes, and they kiss as the clock strikes midnight and fireworks go up.
Stephen:It was, it was a good ending. I don't think the proposal was too soon. I, because they had a lot of one-on-one time to get to know each other. And they also went through some hardcore drama that shows you what type of people people truly are. So I think and also we know how long engagements last and Royal time it's going to be a while. So they're going to have more time to get to know each other better. But I think at this point they know each other at their core. So I don't think it's too short for a proposal for these two.
Steve:I definitely see the chemistry of, by this point. Ronnie, what do you think?
Ronnie:I completely agree. Plus, think of all the people we know who were flat. And they get married after two and three hours
Steve:at the waffle house
Ronnie:to boot.
Stephen:I thought it was a lovely ending. And I, this was honestly the movie that when we finished and I really sat there and I was like, I might have misjudged Christmas movies like this too harshly. This was all kinds of fun. And it
Steve:created a monster where we went on a binge for the next three or four years. And ever since then, every year we watched every Netflix Christmas
Stephen:movie and rewatch some of the other ones too, because we also love the Vanessa Hudgens Christmas switch movies, and the third one
Steve:just came out. So we're going to have to watch that, but we'll be rewatching the first one to cover in a couple of
Stephen:weeks. Ronnie and I, are you going to join us for a Christmas switch since it's another Royal.
Ronnie:So I, is that the one where they're twins? Yeah,
Stephen:well, they, they're not actually related. They just look alike.
Ronnie:Okay. So I, I only think I ever saw maybe like the first five or 10 minutes, something, I think this was just last year. I've started trying to really catch up with them last year because you know, it was the worst Christmas we weren't home. We were stuck away, you know, and it was so I did, but I think on this one, for some reason there was a distraction or Britain Brent came in at, I don't remember what it was, but we didn't, I did not see it so I could watch it and give you my initial time.
Steve:Yeah.
Stephen:And let us know what you think. Yeah. So I think you would be lovely for you to join us because I think you're also going to join us for homeless.
Steve:Yeah, it's
Stephen:going to fall of Christmas movies and, and
Steve:Ronnie and Ronnie. Excellent. Now this movie does continue. As you mentioned into what is, as of right now with Trelegy, there's been unconfirmed rumors or hopes for a fourth, but in 2018, we got a Christmas prince to a Royal wedding. And what was that movie about? My love. He was about
Stephen:their wedding. Not, you love me
Steve:love.
Stephen:And I'm going to scab you through the
Steve:phone? Yes. And in 2019, there was a Christmas prince three, a Royal baby. And what was that about? Ronnie?
Ronnie:What? An abortion of a dress?
Stephen:Yeah, it was close. It was about a baby.
Steve:Yes. So if you can guess what a Christmas prince forest tagline would be, what do you think it would be?
Ronnie:My transgendered prince.
Stephen:Christmas prince for, and maybe this is about something about princess Emily, something happening with her, like Christmas prince for the Royal kidnapping. Maybe somebody takes the toddler. Yes.
Steve:That could be, or I don't, I don't think it would happen, but a Christmas prince for a Royal divorce.
Stephen:Yeah. I don't think that'll happen. No, Amber realizes how good she has.
Steve:Yes. So any final thoughts on a Christmas prince? Either the film or the series? I like people to watch
Ronnie:it, watch it, watch it, watch a great time of the year. Do it, watch it, enjoy it. Smile, laugh, and actually be happy.
Steve:Yeah.
Stephen:Yeah. Agreed. I mean, we're still like, things are getting easier with a pandemic thanks to the vaccine and stuff, but it's still not the same. Like we still need some smiles. We still need joy. I mean, whether the world was back to normal, we always need joy. The world's the world's rough like this. This is some good fluff.
Ronnie:Yes. I think it's magic. I think it's its own magic. And I think what you two do are fantastic and I think it helps more than you possibly
Steve:narrow.
Stephen:Thank you,
Steve:Ronnie.
Ronnie:And that was my sincere side, not my joking side.
Stephen:And then I send, I sincerely take back a few of the things I say about you.
Steve:Mostly the ones behind your back. Yeah.
Ronnie:Which
Steve:were nevermind. Anyway, Merry Christmas, everyone, and listen listeners. We would love to hear from you on your thoughts on a Christmas prince, as well as what movie, Christmas movies you hope we cover through the months. End.
Stephen:Yeah. And you can get in touch with us via email.
Steve:how@happylifepodatgmail.com
Stephen:or you can get in touch with us on all the socials, whether that is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or tech talk at happy life pod. And until next time everyone stay
Steve:happy.