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Kaneda's Pinball Podcast Saturday Morning Spectacular - November 29

Kaneda Pinball Podcasts YouTube Lives·video·1h 33m·analyzed·Nov 30, 2025
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TL;DR

Kaneda's Saturday stream covers Beetlejuice pricing, Stern's collector problem, Franchi's move to Spooky, and pinball tournament culture critiques.

Summary

Kaneda hosts his Saturday Morning Spectacular livestream on November 29, discussing pinball industry dynamics, personal anecdotes, and community tensions. Key topics include Spooky's Beetlejuice pricing ($5k over sticker), Stern's struggling collector base and three-tier pricing model, Christopher Franchi's departure to Spooky, tournament player behavior complaints, and competitive pinball dynamics. Kaneda reflects on personal reconciliation with estranged family and criticizes league tournament culture.

Key Claims

  • Beetlejuice spots are selling at approximately $5,000 over sticker price

    high confidence · Kaneda directly states 'I think $5,000 is kind of like the new benchmark over sticker to get a Beetlejuice.'

  • Harry Potter CE and Beetlejuice will become foundation games for modern pinball collections

    medium confidence · Kaneda: 'I think that Harry Potter, I've been saying this, Harry Potter and Beetlejuice will probably end up being the new foundation for modern pinball collections that people are building.'

  • Stern has lost collector base and needs to reconsider three-tier pricing model

    medium confidence · Kaneda: 'I think there's a real issue with Stern. You know, I don't know what Stern does now. Like how does Stern survive completely losing collectors... How do they continue to make three-tier model?'

  • Stern's Spike 3 platform uses a cheap Raspberry Pi processor

    medium confidence · Kaneda: 'the Raspberry Pi that Stern put into Spike 3 is so cheap. I I I'm worried about them, man.'

  • Christopher Franchi was mistreated by Stern over artwork/artist sales at shows

    medium confidence · Kaneda recounts incident with 'Gary' overreacting to Franchi selling Beatles/Prince artwork, calling it inappropriate artist treatment

  • Goonies license for pinball is exclusive to one manufacturer

    low confidence · Kaneda: 'I did hear that this the Goonies license is exclusive. I would highly doubt we're going to see two Goonies machines.'

  • Stern's bomb (printed circuit board) costs approximately $3,500 to manufacture

    high confidence · Kaneda cites previous podcast interview where distributor/operator leaked information: 'it was like 3,500 bucks for us to the Stern bomb on a machine' and notes Stern made them edit this out

  • Multiple John Wick machines appeared on Amazon at $4,500 but orders were cancelled

    low confidence · Kaneda reports Amazon John Wick deals but listener confirms 'those 4,500 Wick orders got cancelled.'

Notable Quotes

  • “How does Stern survive completely losing collectors, you know? How do they continue to make three-tier model?”

    Kaneda @ ~22:00 — Core critique of Stern's business model viability given loss of collector base

  • “I've never seen a man work harder, fall on his sword more times than you, and really do everything a grown man can do to get back into the good graces of Stern.”

    Kaneda @ ~28:00 — Assessment of Christopher Franchi's relationship with Stern before his departure to Spooky

  • “Franchi Gremlins, Franchi Goonies, Franchi Back to the Future. It's one big f you to Stern.”

    Kaneda @ ~29:00 — Characterization of Spooky's (via Franchi) aggressive IP acquisition strategy against Stern

  • “The way some of these tournament players treat other people's expensive pinball machines is disgusting.”

    Kaneda @ ~46:00 — Strong criticism of tournament player behavior and treatment of machines

  • “I threw my drink in Tim Sexton's face... the dude deserves something.”

    Kaneda @ ~54:00 — Admission of past incident at NYC Pinball Championships; context of tournament ejection

  • “Whenever you go to a pinball show and you look into the tournament room, it looks like nobody's having any fun.”

    Kaneda @ ~60:00 — Critique of competitive pinball culture and atmosphere

  • “I think men have more of a an advantage... when you're shaking a 3 to 400 lb machine around.”

    Kaneda @ ~65:00 — Commentary on gender dynamics in nudge-based tournament pinball

  • “Derek doesn't talk to me anymore simply because I didn't vote for Kamala Harris.”

    Kaneda @ ~15:00 — Personal anecdote about relationship breakdown in pinball community over politics; notes Derek 'rage quit the hobby'

Entities

KanedapersonChristopher FranchipersonSpooky PinballcompanyStern PinballcompanyBeetlejuice (Spooky)gameEvil Dead (Spooky)gameStar Wars (Stern)gameThe Walking Dead (Stern)gameTMNT (Stern)game

Signals

  • ?

    business_signal: Stern bomb (PCB) manufacturing cost leaked as ~$3,500; distributor forced to edit podcast episode after revelation to media

    high · Kaneda cites prior podcast guest from 'The Pinball Company' who disclosed cost; 'Stern flipped out... made him reach out to me to edit out that part'

  • ?

    business_signal: Stern losing collector base despite three-tier pricing model; model sustainability questioned with no clear recovery path identified

    high · Kaneda: 'I think there's a real issue with Stern... how does Stern survive completely losing collectors... How do they continue to make three-tier model?'

  • ?

    community_signal: Kaneda's past incident at NYC Pinball Championships (drink thrown at Tim Sexton, ejection from tournament) reflects deep tensions in competitive pinball culture

    high · Kaneda admits: 'This is the thing about politics... This is why I threw my drink in Tim Sexton's face... he deserved something'

  • ?

    community_signal: Political divide fragmenting pinball community relationships; Derek (Kaneda's former best friend/tournament figure) ended friendship over 2024 election voting differences and 'rage quit' hobby

    high · Kaneda: 'Derek doesn't talk to me anymore simply because I didn't vote for Kamala Harris... he still won't... reach out... he was literally my best friend... He canceled me as a friend'

  • ?

    competitive_signal: Spooky Pinball aggressively acquiring premium IP licenses (Goonies, Gremlins, Back to the Future) via Franchi, characterized as 'one big f you to Stern'

Transcript

youtube_auto_sub · $0.000

0:09
Sunny day. Sunny day. All right, let's do this. Let's get the headset on. We've got um
0:25
Let's move that pillow. Let's move that pillow. Move. Ah, [sighs and gasps] beautiful day. Beautiful day everybody. How's everybody doing? Welcome to Canadas Saturday morning Spectacular where we talk about everything going on in pinball. It's it's um it's a beautiful sunny Saturday here. I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving. Hi from Barcelona.
1:03
Get some morning show in Wisconsin. How's everybody doing? I'm feeling good today. I'm feeling good today. I I love Thanksgiving. I love the fact that Thanksgiving just turns into like a very long weekend of food, family, football, you know, reconnecting with friends at the local bars. this, you know, I'm building new relationships with people here locally. Um, but it's just so much fun. I just feel like everyone's in the right mood on Thanksgiving. I think Christmas gets a little lonier for some people. Gets it's cooler. Um, Christmas also like doesn't always fall on a Thursday. I think I love the fact that Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday and it's like, you know, it's beautiful sometimes. I don't even know when Christmas is this year, but it when it falls on like a weekend, it I don't know. It just feels like everyone's working too hard and then you crash into New Year's and then I don't know, there's just like that somberness of New Year's. I always felt like New Year's Eve was the most depressing holiday. Ah, you didn't overheat. How's everybody doing? Welcome to Canadas Pinball Saturday morning spectacular, baby. Oh, we got we got less people than normal, but you know, people are just getting the notification. Sometimes people forget. I also just think people are busy this weekend traveling. You know, the one thing you don't want to do is turn on Canada's Saturday morning spectacular when you're at a relative's house. You know, it's not, you know, like what are you? They'll be like, "What are you watching? Who is this clown?"
Harry Potter CE (JJP)
game
Derekperson
Tim Sextonperson
Lyman Sheetsperson
Pennyperson
NYC Pinball Championshipsevent
Zombie Yetiperson
Goonies (upcoming Spooky)game
Gremlins (upcoming Spooky)game
Back to the Future SLE (upcoming Stern)game
Chicago warehouselocation
Axl Roseperson
The Pinball Companycompany
Killianperson

medium · Kaneda: 'Franchi Gremlins, Franchi Goonies, Franchi Back to the Future. It's one big f you to Stern.'

  • ?

    industry_signal: Major undisclosed Chicago warehouse serves as dropship distribution hub for majority of pinball dealers/distributors; Kaneda has detailed photographic/video documentation

    medium · Kaneda: 'this has been probably one of the best kept secrets in all of pinball... legitimately a humongous company... most of these dealers and distributors are shipping their product from... I have all the information.'

  • ?

    licensing_signal: Goonies pinball license believed to be exclusive to one manufacturer; rules out competitive multi-manufacturer licensing

    low · Kaneda: 'I did hear that this the Goonies license is exclusive. I would highly doubt we're going to see two Goonies machines.'

  • $

    market_signal: Beetlejuice commanding $5,000 premium over sticker price; secondary market indicates strong collector demand and pricing power

    high · Kaneda: 'I think $5,000 is kind of like the new benchmark over sticker to get a Beetlejuice.'

  • ?

    personnel_signal: Christopher Franchi departed Stern for Spooky Pinball; positioned as retaliation/escape after mistreatment by Stern management

    high · Extended discussion of Franchi's 'journey' and past mistreatment by 'Gary' over artist merchandise sales; now securing premium IPs (Goonies, Gremlins, Back to the Future) for Spooky

  • ?

    product_concern: TMNT 4K criticized for printing quality issues despite quality artwork; playfield difficulty (brutal left outlane) affecting player enjoyment

    medium · Kaneda: 'you know, like I feel like for some reason... Zombie Yeti's art on it isn't as like crisp... the way they printed it... it's not as like vibrant... The game's too hard. I don't think it's fun because it's brutal.'

  • ~

    sentiment_shift: Kaneda expressing frustration with tournament pinball culture and player behavior; characterizes competitive league players as 'leeches' with poor machine treatment

    high · Kaneda: 'The way some of these tournament players treat other people's expensive pinball machines is disgusting... I have seen people kick machines, slam them...'

  • ?

    technology_signal: Stern's Spike 3 platform uses inexpensive Raspberry Pi processor; concerns about animation rendering/performance and cost-cutting implications

    medium · Kaneda on The Walking Dead: 'the Raspberry Pi that Stern put into Spike 3 is so cheap... I'm worried about them'

    • 2:42
    Ah, glitching for me. What's up, guys? I might have to lower the shades a little bit. Hold on. It's coming in right from there. It's hot.
    2:57
    There we go. Some better lighting. Some better lighting. [sighs and gasps] you know, you know, I haven't really um I haven't really thought about the fact that it's going to be it's going to be December on Monday. You know, we're going to get down to that countdown to Beetlejuice on the line. We're going to get that countdown to Stern's next cornerstone in January, like first week of January. Got me a 4K TMNT. Is it a good deal?
    3:38
    Like $4,000 on the dot or like $49.95? Um, you know, I always felt TMNT was uh one of Stern's most beautiful world under glass games. It's a weird game to me. you know, like I feel like for some reason, again, just like Yeti's art on it isn't as like crisp, you know? It's like the way Stern printed it. It's not his art that's the issue. It's like the way they printed that game. It's not as like vibrant as I want it. Um, and you know, look, the only thing that ruined TMNT I is the the left out lane is so so brutal. The game's too hard. I I think it's not fun because it's brutal.
    4:25
    You know what? We talked about at the at the Thanksgiving table, and it was the first time in 30 years that me, my twin, and my older brother all got together with my parents. Uh, I I I think I've said this before, but me and my twin brother were estranged from my older brother for about 30 years.
    4:49
    And if you know what um having an arangement situation is like, it was is hard. I mean, I I grew up in my 20s and 30s and even most of my 40s. We never got everybody together for the holidays. So, we used to have to like schedule holidays and Thanksgivings. I woke up many Christmas mornings uh just by myself in New York City just cuz I just you know if they were spending it with him then I didn't go home and it was bad. It was bad. But everybody's reconciled after all these years and you know unfortunately it took a a tragic loss to bring everybody together but a lot a lot to be thankful for. Um, so yeah, I had a great Thanksgiving. It was very special. And we we talked, you know, we talked about we talked about um conspiracy theories. It's fun. It's a fun thing to talk about. We talked about the moon landing. We talked about flat Earth, hollow earth, did God create the planet, all the good stuff, you know, as we as we chow down on Turkey. Happy Saturday everybody.
    6:01
    Man, I gotta crack the window. It's hot in here. Hold on. Hold on.
    6:12
    Okay. Oh, that's good. That's nice. Ah, good morning, Tux. Tux, we're thinking about you, brother. Man, we're thinking about you. Love you, man. Tux is is one of the good guys. One of the good guys. I met Tux years ago down at TPF.
    6:37
    Tux. Isn't it crazy like Derek doesn't talk to me anymore simply because I didn't vote for Camala Harris. Not to start out with politics, right? But he still won't he still won't uh reach out. And I see him on a pin side and it's really weird. It's still It's still crazy to me that he was literally my best friend in all the pinball and we were so close for years. I mean years. He was supposed to go to Tokyo with me next year for my 50th birthday. And it's crazy because he like rage quit the hobby. He he canled me as a friend because I didn't vote his way politically. And then and I don't even like Trump. I just don't want I just didn't want Kamala Harris. Like I and I told him that. I'm like I don't like Trump but I like my money more. Not that that's not that he's done a good job either. This is the thing about politics. Like I can admit that Trump has done a horrible job with the economy. Horrible. Like he he's everything's so expensive. Wages are not going up. The tariff stuff's not working. Nothing nothing's working really. Okay. But all that being said, having a conservative in office for me is just better for my dollar. And it's just I don't know. I just feel like they have a little bit more common sense. And again, again, it's just the party of common sense is going to win moving forward. Anyway, all that under the bridge now. Uh, crazy that he still runs back into pinball and hasn't even just been like, "Hey, man, sorry for doing that." It's crazy. No, he went he went full like rage. I mean, he's and and look, I respect Derek. He's full he's he's very he's as far-left as they come.
    8:14
    I I just think it's weird to not when you know what's in someone's heart and you know that they're a good person. I think it's really sad to allow politics to override what's in someone's heart. And I think it's sad.
    8:34
    Yeah. No, the little stuff never matters, man. We um we we take way too much for granted every single day. So um so let's talk about pinball people. That's why we're here. Let's talk about I love the fact that the spooky Beetlejuice spots are starting to just kind of even out now. I think 5,000 is kind of like the new benchmark over sticker to get a Beetlejuice. I do think um you know like what's crazy is that's that's 5,000 over before Butter and Topper people are spending too, you know. So there's going to be um there's going to be a lot of money some people put into this game. I just think Beetlejuice, much like Harry Potter CE, I've been saying it for a while. I don't think it's a game that's going to go in and out of people's collections very often. Uh if you if you got a chance, hopefully you listen to my podcast this morning. I want to first and foremost thank everybody here who's a Canad club member, whether you're listening on Facebook or YouTube uh and you sign up for the show every single month. I'm super happy to have you as a uh as a listener and I really am thankful for every dollar. Oh my god, Killian, get in here. Look at Oh my god, Killian, get in here. Look at this. Get in here. Okay, say hi. Hi. Hi. The elf is here. You look just like him. The elf is here. You look just like him. I love that. You look amazing. Kill, just close the door. You know, my mommy's going to have to You know, my mommy's going to have to make the hat cuz only only one bag came with a hat. There wasn't There was two bags. And one's missing a hat. one's missing a hat. Yeah. Yeah. Cass doesn't have a hat. Yeah, Cass doesn't have a hat. Yeah, one didn't come with a hat. Uh oh. Uh oh. So my So my hat drama hat drama hat drama in the the bag are the same size. the bag are the same size. Was it supposed to come with a hat? Was it supposed to come with a hat? Yeah, because my one came with a hat. Yeah, because my one came with a hat. All right, we'll get you. We'll get a All right, we'll get you. We'll get a hat. Oh, [sighs] it feels good when he opens the door. It's like hot. I don't know why I'm so like I just got back from the gym. Um, so here's the thing. I think that Harry Potter, I've been saying this, Harry Potter and Beetlejuice will probably end up being the new foundation for modern pinball collections that people are building. And I think it's a good thing. I think there's a a real issue with Stern. You know, I I don't know what Stern does now. Like how does Stern survive completely losing collectors, you know? H how do they do that? How do they continue to make three- tier model? I I think they're going to have to seriously seriously start thinking about what they do to reestablish their their model because remember when Stern had the three- tier model, there was nobody else. There was maybe one other company, two other companies and you know the games were half the price and they used that model to get all those orders from distros and you know if you weren't distributing Stern games you you weren't making any money. Nowadays I I I think it's um you know they just I I don't know I don't know how they keep everybody like ordering these games every day. Like it just doesn't make sense to me. You need a Franchie in your foundation. Franchie, if you don't put the Delorean on the side of the Back to the Future SLE, you and I are going to have problems. It's right there, man. It's right there. Same angle as the Batmobile. It's right there. And I want the one with the um I want the one from Back to the Future 2 with the uh what is it? The juicer in the back to to to to gas it up.
    12:49
    Is it weird if a distress says you got a Beetlejuice spot but hasn't taken a deposit? Uh yeah, Joe, I don't that should that doesn't make any sense. Uh the reason I don't like whoever is doing that to you is you don't have a contract of sale yet. And until you have a contract of sale, I would be very nervous just taking someone's word for it. All the deposits have been paid by now. So, I I don't like that deal. And I think it's um I think you should get it in writing. I think you do you have a show game or a regular game?
    13:32
    I a please. Well, look, you know, we we've been talking about it. Franchie Gremlins, Franchie Goonies, Franchie Back to the Future. It's one big f you to Stern. I I love that Franchie kind of had the you know, Franchie, let's talk about your journey for a little bit, right? I mean, you kind of you you've seen the highs and lows, the ups and downs. You made the the best produced podcast in pinball history. I I've never seen a man I've never seen a man work harder, fall on his sword more times than you, and really do everything a grown man can do to get back into the good graces of Stern. And I and they just never really reciprocated properly when the timing was right. And I know that like maybe Jeremy, you know, reached out, but but by the time they did, I have to imagine it was just too late and it was the principle of it all. And also, you know, I was there, man. Like, I was there. So, so few people saw it happen, man. Like I was there when when Gary just like went psycho just because you know we were selling we you were selling a few Beatles you know Prince like it was stupid there there was no that was that was inappropriate the way he handled it and it was a um yeah it was just just kind of show you like how overreact how they overreacted and how they don't even understand the way art works at these shows and with with artists, they do it all the time. Yeah. So, but we're so happy, man. I mean, I think everybody when you start to look at the the hobby, and I really do mean this. I I really think people want to start supporting companies and people and places where they really feel a a strong connection to the individuals, to the personalities, and they want it's the same reason why you buy from this dealer or that dealer. You know, you want to help people out that you you like. And Franchie is one of those people where we just feel good about buying his creations. I like I like Christopher Franchie. I like it. I like him because he's broken. And you know what I mean by like I'm the same way. Like I'm a broken human being. I like him that he's not like always he doesn't always say the appropriate thing. I like it that he jumps in and defends his work. I like it that he sometimes flies off the handle. I like people like that. Now look, he and I would probably say, "Hey, it's nicer when you kind of can get calm and collected and not overreact because, you know, sometimes when you overreact, you have to wake up and then deal with the consequences of such behavior." But much like myself, I relate to someone who who does continue to improve and get better at everything. Is that not what life is about? You know, as I as I raise these little kids, you're always trying to just improve and get a little bit better, a little bit more professional, a little bit um more polished as we get older. I think by age, like, you know, by your 50s, you know, you kind of have to have to realize like you're too old to be at the bar the night before Thanksgiving. You know, you have to you sometimes when I see some people like too much at the bar, I'm like, "No, no."
    17:14
    Yeah. No, David. He crushed Evil Dead. Oh, let's see. It's so hot. I [sighs] don't know why it's so hot. I need to open the door. Hold on. I think Brenda has the heat on. Mesh is not breathing.
    17:36
    Get a little bit of breeze through here. [sighs] I'm not I'm not as animated today screaming about pinball because you know. Okay, so we've got spooky. Let's go around the horn. Evil Dead Beetlejuice bangers. We've got Stern Star Wars is dead on arrival. The Walking Dead. Let's talk about The Walking Dead, man. Like, I've been people have been sending me clips and they're like, "Hey, man, look at the look at the animations." I maybe it's just the way they're filmed. I think it might be that cuz sometimes when you film, I don't know if they're laggy or not, but like the Raspberry Pi that Stern put into Spike 3 is so cheap. I I I'm worried about them, man. I I feel like while they made the screen bigger, I still just think Stern is just trying to reduce their cost and it they're kind of stuck now with a platform that looks like it. Look, I got to I got to be candid here. If Beetlejuice is 10 grand, Stern is look like 8,500.
    18:45
    I'm going to play in a tournament today. Do you ever actually play pinball? Um, no. I've never played pinball before in my life. I'll tell you this, gang. And you know, if you're a tournament player and and you enjoy spending hour upon hours upon hours in pinball tournaments, I hold nothing against you. Years ago, I'm I'm gonna be completely candid. years ago, I entered a pinball league and I hated it cuz everybody was so annoying and competitive and it was it wasn't any fun and I literally would be in this bar for three hours and I just thought it'd be more fun like drinking. And now look, some of you have pinball leagues that are fun that like no one takes it too seriously and you're all just there to have beer and play some pin and put up scores. And if it was like that, I absolutely would enjoy playing pinball more in a league. But with the league I joined in New York City, what it was like competitive, it was aggressive, and it was annoying. And so I just decided to not join any more leagues. And I also didn't want to spend three hours to win 40 bucks.
    20:11
    We don't have any retro Ralphs in our league. Um Chris, who really has Goonies? Do you think Spooky has Spooky has Goonies? Now, I did hear that this the Goonies license is an exclusive. I would highly doubt we're going to see two Goonies machines.
    20:29
    So, I I mean that's that's where I'm at with pinball. I'm I'm happy for people that play it. I will say this, in my experience in this hobby, I've experienced a lot more rudeness and rude behavior. And the people that tend to hate me the most are are the people that don't listen to my content and they're tournament players. So to me, those people like they they act like they're entitled to this hobby and they don't like the conversation around price and new in box because they never buy anything new in box. To me, they're more like leeches who just, you know, they they they literally and the way some of them treat this I I mean this when I say this, the way some of these tournament players treat other people's property is disgusting. Let me repeat that. The way they treat other people's expensive pinball machines is disgusting. I I have seen people kick machines, slam them into other machines next to it, like throw stuff at like disgusting. Would you I I I literally have never seen such childlike behavior to keep your ball in play.
    21:45
    I mean, think about it, gang. Where do you always see where is most of the drama in the pinball world? Does it happen amongst new? No, it's happening league nights. Look, this is why I threw my drink in Tim Sexton's face. If we want to go there, let's go there. The reason why Tim Sexton got a drink thrown in his face. And yeah, I shouldn't I shouldn't have done it, but like we live in a world. What was I going? I was going to hit the guy, but he deserved to get he deserved he I don't condone violence, but the dude deserves something. And at least he got a a vodka soda, which you know what? It was It was a brand new drink. He if anything, hopefully he got a few a few ounces of vodka in his mouth. I was cheering for Lyman Sheets's girlfriend and he gets all like, "You're standing in FRONT OF THE YELLOW LINE, CANADA." And then he gets on a chair and he announces in front of everybody, Canada has been banned from this tournament. Please escort him off the proper like a loser. Like, what are you doing, you loser? We're at a pinball tournament. I'm cheering for somebody. And the reason why he kicked me out is because the woman that Penny was competing against was mad that I was cheering for Penny. Okay? I wasn't I wasn't cheering against her. She was mad that her competitor had someone cheering on her behalf. Talk about petty catty lame. Now, look, I'm going to go out on a limb and say maybe Kenade is not the most popular guy with um you know, certain pinball leagues and and and but I've never been disrespectful to anybody in this hobby. I I don't care who you are. Like, I've never been disrespectful other than that, you know, Timmy Sexton experience, but I've never like, you know, I've never gone on any stupid like missions against people. I've never said there shouldn't be this league or that league or you know these people shouldn't be allowed to play. I've never accosted anybody. I've never said anything inappropriate to like anybody. So like other than the stuff I say to manufacturers which I'd say to their faces, right?
    23:52
    I just know this. Whenever you go to a pinball show and you look into the tournament room, it looks like nobody's having any fun. That's it. Who's making Peewe's Big Adventure? I hope it's spooky.
    24:06
    I thought one of the rules at tournaments is and that I bet nobody follows is quiet when someone is playing. So like you're playing this loud game and you got to be quiet like it's golf and tennis. How silly is that? Why would you have to be But why would she complain if I'm rooting for someone else? Penny wasn't complaining.
    24:30
    Well, he kicked me out of the tournament. Yeah, those the New York City Pinball Do they still do the New York City Pinball Championships? Do they still even host that thing? I I don't even know. Maybe I I haven't I haven't followed if it went on. Maybe it stopped after CO. Who knows? Men are now competing in women's tournaments. Um
    24:59
    I um yeah, I saw some uh some big uh some big conversation around that at some um was it some tournament down in like North Carolina or something and I don't know, you know, the way I look at it is probably the only solution is to have separate leagues for people. You know, I've always found it funny though that the like is the funny thing about pinball is like when you think about like see if you had a nudge if you had no nudging tournaments can are there tournaments with like no nudging ostensibly men and women without because you could argue like men don't have an advantage in pinball over women. They they clearly do when it comes to like nudging and moving around a 300 pound box. So, absolutely. I think men have more of a an advantage. Would anyone disagree with that? I because I I I it's a it's physical when you're when you're shaking a 3 to 400 lb machine around and you're slapping at it like it's it's absolutely it's not apples to apples. Now, if you had a nudge-free tournament, then absolutely there would there'd be no um you know, there'd be no advantage.
    26:17
    So, I love it when like kids get up there and win. That's always my favorite. My favorite is when like someone will get up there like like be like 13 and win the championship or be like, you know, autistic like was it Robert? Like is it Robert G? I should know his name. He he's amazing. Like I love it. I love it when these kids just get up there, put headphones on, and just get to business and just like wipe the floor with everybody.
    26:47
    You You know what's funny though, and you guys listen to Canadian Pinball Podcast, uh, you know, my my show's never really been about gameplay, per se.
    27:00
    You know, I this hobby is fun for me because I I 100% would like to play more pinball. I am in a little bit of a pinball desert right here. Uh that's about to change and I'm I'm I'm talking to people about changing that. So, when that does happen, you will get a lot more gameplay from me. So, I'm excited for you guys to see some of that. So, just, you know, a lot of fun stuff is in the works and it's uh it's I think you guys are going to enjoy it when you see it. And I think the uh the final indictment of Canada that he doesn't play enough pinball I think will be a thing of the past a year from now, six months from now, maybe two months from now. We'll see. We'll see. Um, you know, I definitely have enjoyed looking at these photos of the warehouse in Chicago where everybody drop ships from. So, what's funny, gang, is like this has been probably one of the best kept secrets in all the pinball that everybody knows that there is legitimately a humongous company that is where most of these dealers and dros are shipping their product from. They they it love watching it. I love watching the pictures of it. I love the videos of it. I I have all the information. I can't wait to give them a call. Hey, I' I' I'd like to be in on this. What do you got, Jimmy? How many, you know, seeing Stern machines piled to the ceiling? What do you got?
    28:37
    It's just It's funny to me though that uh there there's like nervousness. It's It's like nobody wants, you know, one of the my favorite shows ever was with um oh god, what's his name? Was it Chris or Ben?
    28:57
    Who's like who did I interview that time that leaked? He basically leaked and he wasn't supposed to how much the bomb is on a stern machine. It was um why do I want I want to say like Chris something from pinball the pinball company. I think it was the pinball company. great guy. Him and his wife, successful operator, distributor. Um, yeah, it was like 3,500 bucks for us to the stern bomb on a machine.
    29:35
    Stephen, see, I I I that's what I want. I want to go get wasted and play pinball.
    29:44
    How do you know he's right? Uh because he was a hu he he literally was about to get a game made by Stern. I also know he's right because Stern flipped out on him and made he they made him reach out to me to edit out that part of the show.
    30:04
    I would say the bomb. Now again, I mean, let's just use our brains. The bomb on a stern game if a pro is 66 6700 right I would say the bomb on a stern Ellie is like five
    30:22
    you got to remember they're handing over I think they're handing $2300 over to a distro to sell you like like when you think about that $2300 $100 per LE. The problem is they make you to get that LE margin, you've got to absorb the premiums and the pros as well. You know, did you guys take advantage of any of these Black Friday deals? People selling like uh you know, forklift injured games with scratches on the bottom. Amazing that there was like I I think Zach had like five machines or four machines all with the same damage. I guess it happens with the shipping, the forklifts. Um, it is a it is a clever way if you think about it to sell new and box below map pricing. Um, I'm not sure if like insurance companies like if those are writeoff games or whatnot, but I mean there was about four or five of them. It was funny to see that stuff. Yeah, there's a John Wick on Amazon for 4500.
    31:31
    I don't know, man. I don't know. I I I I worry about a lot of the older stern inventory moving anywhere. Like I just there's got to be
    31:42
    there there's got to be like um thousands of games unsold at prices nobody wants to buy them at.
    31:55
    Wow. So you can get a John Wick for 4500. Is it new in box the John Wick on Amazon or is it like one of these resell games?
    32:06
    I love that like we got Chris Chris uh Chris L on our Patreon. Chris Loreno Loren Renzo Loreno Lorenzo. He loves John Wick. Swears by it.
    32:23
    That's I bet Amazon just does that on their own. They had four
    32:31
    I mean, yeah. I mean, John Wick Pro though, it's like one of those games where I wouldn't really want it no matter the price. Like, you know what I'm saying? I wouldn't even want to spend 4,500 on it.
    32:45
    Those 4500 wick orders got cancelled. Are you sure, Stephen? So, someone's saying that those orders never even went through.
    33:01
    I've always wondered and been curious back when you started, why did you decide on the Akira character for your podcast? Um, so I I have always I'll give you guys the quick story on this. Uh, I went to boarding school in 1990.
    33:23
    Let's see. 1990. Oh man, I'm trying to think the years. I graduated in
    33:32
    spent two years there. I'm trying to do it for I went to boarding school in 1992 and 1993. Okay. Now, when I was a kid, Akira, like I I watched the VHS tape when in the in the 80s when it came out, like it was like 86, 87, but it was like one of those like films that, you know, one kid had a copy and I remember like watching Akira, as you should say it. Uh, it's like Canada. It's Canada. It's not Canada. It's Canada. Canada. Um, I remember like just it it just blew my mind. And then what was really when we got like surround sound systems in in in boarding school and in college, you know, when you really listen to that thing on like a good home theater, it it like laser disc Akira. But anyway, I just always loved the character of K Canada. I just loved I thought he was like the coolest dude ever. And so whenever I would sign up onto forums, I would always make my online screen name or avatar Canada since like I was a kid. You know what's crazy? Canada was always my name on my G&R forum. And I I mean I liter You thought you thought I was bad on Pinside. I like trolled G&R for like a decade from like 1998 all the way to like 2008, right? And when I met Axar Rose for the first time, the first thing he said to me was, "Are you Canada?" Because he knew like he would read the forums and stuff would get get to him and I was like brutal at times. Um, so I I kind of feel like that was an amazing full circle moment for me in my life of like the first thing Axel Rose ever said to me after he shook my hand was, "Are you Canada?" I feel proud about that. Um, by the way, Guns and Roses has two songs coming out on Tuesday. They're they're they're like it's like new old stock. They're they're releasing a song called Nothing and a song called Atlas Shrugged, which I think they're just going to call Atlas, which is kind I always hate when they like they change the names like at the last minute like that they change like Street of Dreams to the Blues or the Blues to Street of Dreams. just like why doesn't the US dub of Akira have like three of the original Turtles voices in I don't know I love I love the original dub of Akira um and also like when you just when you just appreciate the artwork of of Akira you know 26 frames per second and the entire thing is illustrated you go back and you look at that movie and how smooth it is 26 frames names of illustrations every second. There was really like not much like that ever before. And when they were finished filming the movie, they threw out those cells like they were sawdust and and literally in the mid9s there was a catalog to order the like cells from Akira. And it was cheap like you could get like 500 bucks here, 800 bucks there, like a few hundred bucks. Most recently at auction, a nice sale of Canada on his bike just sold for $100,000 for one cell. Now, the reason like I was tempted to buy it. The reason I don't want to buy original cells from an anime is I did a lot of reading on it and to preserve them. You really aren't even supposed to put them in in in normal light and you shouldn't even have them out. Like they should be covered in a drawer like with paper over them and you know in a climate controlled place. And I'm like, well, what would be the fun in that? Like, if you can't display it on the wall, like for $100,000, like you could just hire someone to make you you for like a few thousand you can get the most amazing custom. I get it's not originally from the movie, but I would want to walk into the room and see something that is magical instead of having it stored away cuz then you're just like owning it to resell it one day.
    38:00
    Little did Axel know he was talking to the sixtime Trippy winner. Yeah. Um, look, Akira would make a great pinball theme.
    38:14
    You need to use the Akira theme song as your podcast intro again for a throwback. Well, you know, I'm you that I I still do use the Canada. I just it's just it's the it's the same song. It's just a different It's a different section of the song, you know. So, yeah, I know what you're talking about, though. You're talking about like the
    38:42
    See, like I I don't have that part going. I have like the like just the the kind of the ending of it. All the music in in in Akira is like just phenomenal.
    39:01
    I start I I I gotta be honest. I was a little buzzed last night. We started Stranger Things season 5 and I can't get over how old the kids look. I I don't know if it's good or not if you guys invested in it yet, but I spent the whole time being like, "These kids look so stupid. They look so dumb." Like it the it just doesn't work anymore. like how old they look.
    39:23
    That's the Pink Panther. But you know theoop I don't know when when that when those dolls are coming to life it's so creepy. Akira is like an acid trip movie though. Like I after the like most people remember the first 15 minutes then it gets really trippy.
    39:44
    All right. I heard good things about Stranger Things season 5. So, I'm going to I'm going to get into it. I need to do better at not starting stuff when I'm drunk. You guys ever do that? You You guys ever get drunk? Let's watch it now. You know, men are like that. Like, we get drunk. We're like, "Let's do it now." You know, like we we go in with such good intentions and then 10 minutes into the movie, you fall asleep. That That's like me as an adult. Let's do it, Brenda. Let's start it now. And then I'm asleep in five minutes.
    40:21
    Franchie's got a steelbook DVD of a Kira. Yeah, man. I mean, I'll take it, Franchie. Let's I'll swap you for something.
    40:34
    Yeah. Hey, Michael. What's up, brother? Michael and I met up the other day. Michael's a great guy. We're gonna we're gonna have some fun, brother. Um Yeah. My kids are just too they're too young for Stranger Things. I I I will say I I love watching my little boys and you know I can't wait for them to grow up. I'm enjoying every day with them at this age though. It's so adorable. Like watching them. It's like Cass looks like a little Cabbage Patch doll that that's had too many v too many vodkas. And Kill is like his daddy. Kill's just like Axel Rose. He's like a primadana. The moment something's not going Killian's way, he just like throws the mic over his shoulder and cancels the concert. [laughter] It's like, and I'm always like, "Well, where do you get that from?" And I'm like, "Well, sounds a lot like his daddy." Like entitled behavior where he melts down instantly. Sounds like Canadas kid. What's your feelings on JP Dwin leaving Jersey Jack Pinball? I think it's a I think it's a humongous loss for Jersey Jack. I think it's a tremendous gain for Dutch Pinball. I think it's going to make Back to the Future insane. Um, and you know, I guess the question I have is did he leave for good or maybe he's just taking a break? Maybe they didn't need him as much on Sonic. I don't know. I can't imagine anybody would pay you more than the Abbis family. I don't know. Maybe Joe um Camnikau paid him more. I don't know. Uh, look, I highly doubt they let him go. I think he must have wanted out. I think it's that simple.
    42:15
    You know what I'm saying? I I I highly doubt he they had a choice. I I I mean that. I I know Brett. I know the people over at JJP. I Sometimes people just want a a new opportunity. They want to go somewhere else. You're going to automated for their yearly party next Saturday. Um, absolutely. I always go. I got to put it in the calendar though. I never tell Brenda anything. I never give her a heads up and I'm like, "Oh yeah, by the way, I'm going to automate it." She's like, "What?" I got I got to make sure I make sure she's not doing anything. Do you think he got backlash from AIG since he was the head of the art department? Um, that's a good question. I don't I don't think so. I I don't think that's why he's leaving.
    43:08
    But you know what? That's not a bad guess. That's not a bad guess. I mean, uh, but I don't think it was his fault. I, you know, again, like the whole they they corrected that pretty quickly. I remember seeing the dragon for the first time, how small it was on the playfield and be like all this all this hubbabub for that. But it is what it is. Yeah.
    43:39
    Well, when people say he's the best by far, um, yes and no. And here's what I mean by that. I think some of the Jersey Jack stuff on the display is like way too crowded and I think some of their I even think Harry Potter to be honest has too much going on on the screen at once. I've said this my two favorite like uses usages my two favorite usages of the Jersey Jack screen are dialed in in Guns and Roses. I I think on all the other games, I've got to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of how they've utilized that large screen. I think Dialed In and G&R did it the best. Hobbit had too much on it. Wizard of Oz had too much on it. Um, you know, Pirates of the Caribbean, forget it, man. Like, you need you literally need someone over your shoulder explaining Pirates is like the most complex thing happening. Same thing with um I guess Wonka was better. I I would I would put Wonka as the third best use of the screen and then maybe um Toy Story after that. But again, like it's just it it was always like just too much, you know? Like it's like they always had to crowd it with so much stuff. So, you know, I've always said this about Jersey Jack. The the when they simplify it, it the the real beauty comes out.
    45:18
    How bad is the Walking Dead display? Can we talk about this for a minute? Can we talk about like Stern Pinball has a their logo on the screen, their logo? That's like watching a Marvel movie and the Marvel logo is just permanently watermarked in the upper right corner. Has Stern Pimma lost all taste? Like, is nobody over there got any taste or style at all? Now, is that just placeholder or is that going to stay there? I don't know. And it's not my fault for making fun of it because I shouldn't have to wait for licenser approval. They should have showed the game after it was approved. But it looks terrible. It looks terrible.
    46:08
    I I I'm so embarrassed for Stern. Star Wars displays garbage. This one doesn't look good. I think the last good display they had was like I think Jaws.
    46:25
    You know what I don't like is like why did why doesn't why didn't Jaws 50th get a bigger screen.
    46:33
    I've been I've been saying I think Stern's going to offer the bigger screen upgrade as a as a thing. I'm not sure if it's going to happen. It would seem to make the most sense. But I mean, think about all the money they can make if they got everybody upgrading the screens. I just don't like the way it looks. It It really is. You know, David just hit it here. Like bigger screen with less graphics. Like what are they doing? Like they they they've got a bigger screen and they haven't effectively gone full screen on anything yet.
    47:07
    Yeah. See, Pat's Arcade just said this, too. The background animations are choppy. Is that true in person, though, Pat? Pat, have you played it in person? I think everything looks choppy when you film. When you film a screen, it makes everything choppy. I Pat I' I'd be curious if you've played it though. They already mentioned they would offer it eventually. Where did they mention that? Pinball Studio. Like I Pinball. Where did I miss that? Did George say that somewhere? Dude, I played it yesterday. Animations look good. So you played The Walking Dead and the Stern logo was staring back at you the whole time and you think that looks good? I think it looks I just think it looks silly.
    47:57
    I just think it looks it looks really like that was a weird design direction. Now I I what everyone's waiting for is whether or not the show clips are going to make it into the game and be animated over that. I I don't know. I don't think anyone's seen the final code or what it's going to be.
    48:16
    Um, AC/DC being next is silly. I really I I really hope Stern makes a Batman a new Batman. Sad boy, baby, you're back. Yeah, man. I was waiting for your arrival. It's the only dude that arrives with 50 bucks on the table every time. Apologies for my late arrival. I literally just got done with a late night booty call. Jesus. Okay. Um, almost 8:00 a.m. on the West Coast. How about that? Walt Wood shirt, baby. The best. Where's Walt? I mean, I got to I got to order one of his t-shirts. I um I really do wish Walt would just come back and I I I don't understand why he he lasted all of 20 minutes on the Canada Club before he rage left because of a misunderstanding. He got self-modderated apparently by like the bot on Patreon and just raged out and then then quit pinball altogether. all within a span of an hour. It was the most uh literally I'm at I was at the Japanese Jazz Bar and I'm just like I have no idea what was happening.
    49:26
    I don't understand how these companies keep releasing halfbaked games. Well, the the reason they do it cuz idiots buy it when it's halfbaked, you know? Like I I wouldn't buy any I wouldn't buy any Stern new and box now. I don't care what the Stern is anymore unless it's like a dream theme that's got 80s or 90s nostalgia. I think every stern is such an a wait and see and save money on it. Like absolutely they have lost all new inbox FOMO. There's no need to buy any of them. Like The Walking Dead remastered is a good example. Like no one cares. Like anyone who anyone who buys that game for 13, I get you might want to hold on to it forever, but you're not going to. And also, here's what here's what sucks is you're going to go buy it for 13,000 justified and then you're going to see him sell for 10 in just a few months. So, I don't see that's the part I don't get. Why did you need to buy it for 13? If you if you're smart, you're looking at the market. Why would you want to spend 3,000 more than you have to? That's the part I don't get. I'm not saying don't get the game. I'm just saying only an idiot would buy it new in box right away. They're going to sit. They didn't sell out. They're gonna sit. They're gonna go down in price. Would you want a Batman 60th if it didn't do the art? If I didn't do the artwork? No. No. No. Absolutely not, Franchie. So, I guess this is is Franchie. So, you're you're uh they they they haven't they haven't contacted you, I assume, and they're not doing it. You know what's funny about Stern is they literally should do Batman 60th. There's demand for it and they won't simply because they don't want to pay franchie again.
    51:22
    Yeah. You know what must have happened to the up Stern must have put a cease and desist on that guy making the up updated screens from Jack Bar. People
    51:37
    here in Australia paid 20,000 for Foo Fighters Ellie and now they sell for 14,000.
    51:46
    Um well, you know, yeah, but but here's the thing, gang, and it's all from like Foo Fighters on the last three years, three to four years. You got to remember those people didn't know that yet. So I I give people a a pass. No one knew that these $13,000 Stern Elles would crash down to like 8 to10,000. So you know, so consistently when Foo Fighters sold out quickly at 13, you know, it was still the COVID period. Like people were still going crazy. So, like the the what? Hold on a second. The elf is eating. I got Let me just see. Hold on one second.
    54:33
    Oh my god, that was beautiful. Dude, by the way, how amazing would A team be as a pin? Like, look at that. If you made a pinball machine with the A team and the cabinet looks like the van and the topper is the spoiler of the van. Nope. Let's make Dune. [snorts] Um, the So, Killian was like, "The elves are eating." And I went down there and they're both dressed like elves eating the pasta with the marshmallows and maple syrup. It's the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Brenda is doing the holiday card right now. It's incredible. Ah, man. How's everybody doing?
    55:19
    Um, so the Jaws 50th topper is just the same topper with the red frame around it. Did you guys know that or is this an exclusive?
    55:30
    So the the so you know like the Amnavville the woman swimming the billboard has just got a red frame around it.
    55:52
    Get your Black Friday deals forklift damaged. You can have it today. You'll never see the damage. [snorts] I wouldn't mind buying a game with a forklift scratch uh underneath the game. You literally would never see it.
    56:17
    I don't know, man. Like Stern's days of flat plastic laziness are are are really going to have to come to an end.
    56:27
    It's It's really embarrassing. So, um, can I ask a question? When David Vaness showed the the line going, Todd Tucky did the video of those guys on the line at Barrels building the Winchesterers. Did those games go out? Like, did they did they get completed that week and go to customers? Has anybody unboxed one yet?
    57:12
    The new Evil Dead code is awesome. Earning spooky tokens to play some wizard modes is a great idea. You know what I like about, you know, what what Bug was saying in the interview in the featureette about Beetlejuice is how as a company, as as an organization, they just continue to look for things they can improve in a pinball machine. Everything from code to sculpts to toppers to the area around the speaker grills, you know, they on the apron. Does Stern feel like they do that? The Stern feel like a company that really looks headto toe on the machine and says, "How can we improve everything? How can we make every aspect of pinball better with our new platform?" And and that's the thing. It's like, "Nope. Nope. It's same old same old. Flat plastics, cheap this, bad artwork, lazy design, cheap gloworm, job of the hut. It's just it's embar I'm embarrassed for them. Star Wars is so embarrassing. To put out Star Wars in 2025 as the best you can do as an organization that knows how to do so much better is embarrassing.
    58:35
    You know, I hear so much um I I I don't know about Kong. I I I don't know. I have to play it more. I just hear I hear so much uh polarizing stuff around Kong.
    58:50
    Barrels of Fun had a social media post about the production schedule for Winchester. They did. All right, let's find it. Hold on. Let's find it.
    59:02
    Barrels of Phone. Still don't love the name, but whatever. It's grown on all of us. Let's see what they got here.
    59:18
    Uh, okay. A little update everyone on Winchester. The games that have shipped so far were built by the prototype engineers. In the week before Houston Expo, we started the training for the second production line on building the games. It has been slow so far as we are also waiting on mass quantities of parts from a couple vendors who have missed their ship dates. This week marks the point where the engineers step back after training the production line and the line takes over building the games. It will be slow until the end of the year as the machines are going through double and triple. They this is the same thing they said around Dune. I mean they they said the same exact thing. Double and triple quality control before we ship them to ensure the line has the process down correctly. Look, I mean I'm not going to complain that they're doing quality control, which is good. It's not like Stern where they ship out Star Wars and you can't get the Death Star shot. Um, there is a set of machines going out the middle of next week after the Thanksgiving holiday. Remember that we ship in sequence. That includes internal orders and distributor orders. So, there is no way to tell exactly when your machine will go on the line. I never understood this like wh why why is it impossible to know when your game? We know everyone is excited and we are too. Thanks for your patience. We intend to ship all machines by the end of spring, first of summer. Okay,
    61:14
    Um, let's see. It plays epic a million times better than Potter. Neil McCrae won. Neil, I'm not sure if this is the Neil Mcgra the the uh but here he is. [laughter] Neil, the Neil, the thing is, Neil, we we love you and we also don't take you seriously at all anymore. I mean, it's fine. deal. We You're you're like a constant and we know how you're going to feel about everything. We know you don't like JJP. You've never liked JJP and so you'll always take every opportunity to praise something as you crap on JJP.
    62:11
    Dude, no one cares what you think. Neil, um, I have I Neil, I have over 700 paying subscribers that care what I think. Nobody would subscribe to you, bro.
    62:28
    All right, Neil. Neil, I don't understand, man. You're like, you're so nice in person and like over the internet you you get like this. Like, have you been laid in like a year, bro? like you get really cranky on the internet. So I I know it's not the real deal. It can't be the real deal. It can't be the real Neil. It's too It's too easy.
    63:02
    Well, well, why are you so cranky? I'm I'm seriously curious like why you get so cranky on the internet? It's also, Neil, that the thing that's funny about you, bro, and I mean this in all sincerity, is you say nobody cares about my opinion, and yet here you are hanging out on my channel. You hang you you hang out on my Facebook p. Like, I don't go to your anything. You know what I'm saying? like you willingly step into other people's content and need to like be heard while at the same time you insult those content creators. That's weird to me. You know, you know, you're like the guy that like spent high school in a locker and nobody gave you any attention and then you got money and now you think you're cool. It's funny like bro like and like all you got to do is be cool but you don't know how to be cool. You really don't. You live ren Neil. If you think I wake up for one day and and like think about you in my head, bro. Like you you literally have no idea, bro. Like nobody wants to be you. You're not living rentree in people's heads. You're just everywhere like pinball. Like you know what I'm saying? You're at every show, you're hanging around, you're at every launch, you're like it's it's it's like you're unavoidable. It's not it's not you're not living rentree in anybody's head. I can guarantee you nobody nobody wakes up and like has you in their head.
    64:46
    Can we just block him? Look at him. Look at Look at the spam. Yeah, we can do that. Let's do that. Let's um
    64:59
    you know you know what I can do? I can just hide him on this channel. Should we block him? Yes or no? He'll just show up somewhere else like a It's so weird. He's like so nice in person and then he comes on here and is insulting. Like it's just strange. Like I really I really feel bad for the guy. Like he clearly he clearly like just has a like he he's named after an astronaut, but he's like I don't know, man. He wouldn't fit inside the space suit. Here we go. He's gone.
    65:46
    All right. It's fine. I don't even know if that was the real Neil, [laughter] you know. It's It's fine. It's fine. It's like It's weird, but it sounded like it like that. He gets very aggressive like that. It's weird. So strange. Like I will say this. I don't understand like anyone who does that who like goes in to somebody else's house and then complains about being in their house. It's the same way. It's the same way Emily got blocked, you know, cuz she was doing the same thing. It was like clearly you're disgusted by Canada and it's okay. Like you don't have to like Canada, but to show like what's weird to me would be like waking up on Saturday morning and like, "Hey, I'm going to go spend 90 minutes hanging out with someone I don't like or can't stand."
    66:43
    Well, okay. So, he's gone. He's gone. Neil's gone. The the the fake Neil McCrae might be gone.
    66:51
    Yeah, Emily changes boy. Do you remember when she said that? Like as an insult. How many boards have you changed? You know what's funny about that is I actually had changed a node board number eight on my Batman. Also, like changing a changing a board on a game isn't hard at all. I I That was like a weird a weird indictment, especially on the newer games. You you don't have to solder anything to change a board.
    67:26
    Yeah. Have you ever heard Neil's podcast? It's like ain't going to win a Trippy. I'll tell you that. Again, I I mean this when I say this, Neil is like so nice in person. When When I meet him at shows, it's all fine. It's so It's like this effect the internet has on him. That's the part like that turns him into something else. I'm I I'm I'm the same everywhere, man. And people who know me, I just hung out with Mike Jenis, what's up, brother? You know, there's no difference. Like I'm I'm I'm not gonna be this like internet tough guy like Neil gets and then like in real life you're just nice. Like it's just weird. Like I again back to pinball.
    68:14
    H I think he's mad about the image. Where's that image? Hold on.
    68:20
    Oh, the new Stern cabinet goes together like IKEA furniture. Damn. Yeah. Like I don't I don't a Stern's got a cheap problem. They've got the the perception that their stuff looks cheap is not an easy thing to overcome. They've done it to themselves though. They you know they started removing foiled decals from the LE. You know, you like like the funny part of it, too, is like, oh, real real mirror translate, like why' you ever take it away in the first place? The moment we start thinking that like uh a real that real glass is expensive, I don't really care. To me, I've always I've always felt a little like h like I'd rather, you know, I' I've always felt there there's like people haven't got creative enough with translite areas. I way do you see the translite on Raza? I think you're going to be blown away. It's like it's got like it's got like a lighting going on that no other translite's ever done before.
    69:29
    And um I think Raz is going to really um here's what I here's my um here's my take on Raza. It it's going to they're going to sell all 333. It's definitely like a beautiful game, but I do think Steve Bowen's code is going to be just a disaster. [laughter] And look, I'm saying this because I love Melvin. Uh I just think Steve Bowen getting inside that guy's head on a game that's about aliens crash landing on a amusement park that creates zombies that come out of the ground. I mean, I feel like Steve Bowen, you know, is not capable, nor is anybody, of unraveling the insanity inside John Papa's head. And I think the code's going to be horrendous. And it's not going to be Melvin's fault. It's just going to be cuz you got to remember like the game's been coded. The game's been animated. Like the co like Melvin's not going to redo all that. Robert Mueller spent a fortune on it. So like what you see is what you're going to get. There might be a few tweaks here and there, but but Melvin doesn't have like a software team redoing these games. So, it's just going to be it's going to be another novelty game. I think there's going to be more to shoot at in this game than Alice. I think it's going to be a better game than Alice, but that's also not saying that much.
    70:57
    Is Is Jamie here? Is Jamie in the house? Jamie, what's up, bro? Jamie, um I didn't text you back, but um I will give you um I will give you the the street and time to be Jamie. We're going to do um I need you guys to be available at 4:45. I'll tell everybody this. 4:45
    71:21
    on the corner of 53rd and 3rd. All right, I'm not telling you anything else. Just be there on the corner of 53rd and third. At 4:45, you will be underneath the lipstick building. That is the building where Bernie Maid off robbed all the money on the 13th floor.
    71:50
    Let's do it, brother. I love this time of year between the between uh Thanksgiving and New Year's. Few things going on in my head. One is I hope I don't get fired. Our company was just acquired. So, um, you know, that always comes with downsizing, so we'll see what happens. You never know. Two, I just like enjoying the holidays with kids and family, and I love New York City during this time of year. I I I the city during the holidays is the best. Let's Let's have some fun. You know, for any of you guys, I would love to host you at at my bar. And the plan is to get a spot here where I'm at. There's all this money. There's all these people. There's there's no spots to go like chill, play some pins, drink some beers. It's like it's it's bad. And I've been to all the hot spots in this area. And I'm telling you right now, there's a market here and someone just needs to do it. It's going to be me, man. It's going to be me. It's going to be Mikey. It's going to be the local and we're going to get everybody. It's gonna be fun. Barcada, baby. Pinball, baby. Every Dennis Nordman game is about Dennis Norman. [laughter] Oh, man. Oh, man. You guys are funny, man. It's a funny community. Do you guys miss Do you miss Neil already? Neil and uh Neil and Emily should do a podcast together and they should just call it like why Canada sucks episode one. He doesn't play pinball. He doesn't change boards. Nobody cares about his opinion even though he's won favorite pinball podcaster six years in a row. And then I got, you know, I got I got defeated by the weighted system. I thought the Twippies were coming back. Jamie, are they coming back? Jamie, you'd be the one to know this. I thought I thought the Twippies were going to come back. I I have no idea what happened. The Twippies should just be like one category, favorite podcaster, and everybody gets one vote and the only option should be Canada. We should just do it that way. Jamie, be real easy, man. We could do that award show like in in 10 minutes. And the winner is
    74:29
    I'll tell you more next week. Well, you're you're running out of time, man. Tell us now. [snorts] You know, we haven't heard a lot from Colin recently. I wonder what he's doing over there at the Kineticis. Does anyone here I I mean this. Does anyone here subscribe to the kineticis or this week in pinball? Like I every time I ask this like nobody nobody admits to it. Does anybody here subscribe to this week in pinball or the kineticis? Anybody? Anybody?
    75:06
    I mean I'm surprised like hiding hiding hit pieces about Canada behind the payw wall hasn't really worked out well for people. Did he notice that trend like a month ago? Be like, let's say how bad Canada is. Behind the payw wall. He's horrible. Behind the payw wall. Learn more about learn more about why this man is terrible. This father of two. He's terrible for pinball. He's been entertaining us for 12 years. Eight of which he did the show for free. He's horrible for pinball. I couldn't do what he does, but he's bad. He's bad. Stay away from his content. He doesn't change boards. I don't change boards. I cure the boredom of this hobby by doing stuff every week, sending out emails,
    75:55
    you know, like when people are like, "Oh, this weekend pinball sold." I was like, "For how much?" Five bucks. How much? Like what's it worth? Nothing. Not worth anything. Not worth anything.
    76:14
    You know, the the thing is is w with all of this, if you reach a point where you can't laugh at the absurdity and in and like what we're into and how much it costs and, you know, as I think about our boy Tux and and other people that are, you know, just appreciating every day above ground, you know, it's just like the fact that so many people spent so much time doubling down on like their anger and their feuds with Canada is funny, you know, and you know, look, I've been really happy that that Don Jenis uh I don't really have any issues with I don't the only one right now I mean it's like Emily Neil Emily Neil and Gallet it's like get a room you know I don't know like and the whole thing is this is like the people that always get kind of like blocked, if you will, or banned, if you will. They do it to themselves. Like, they don't they you can't run. You can't kick down someone's front door and tell them how horrible they are all the time. Like, there's there's a there's an you know who told me once there's an art to trolling was Crazy Levy. He's like, there's an art to it. You got to know when not to go too far. And I think that he's right. He's right. Takes a lot to get banned by me. any new rumors about Project Pinball's revenues and Okay. Well, look, um, I haven't talked about it and I don't [sighs] I look, I don't know what to tell you. I will say this. Ever since I was given their expenses and their numbers, I I never heard from them, which was interesting. I mean, I I just they they didn't comment. Um, it's clear that there is a significant amount of money being generated by Project Pinball and I think there is a significant gap in where the money goes.
    78:24
    I remember when Ken Cromwell raised like $50,000, guys. $50,000 and he gave it to Project Pinball. And I remember there was like very little followup of where that money went. There was not $50,000 in machines placed in hospitals. And I also know that the greatest air cover or like defense mechanism to do anything would be to do it behind a charity that's about helping kids with cancer or sick children. Like I don't you know what I'm saying? saying it like it just it feels like a crummy exercise to try to you know what I'm saying? Like I I don't it's not my I I you know what I'm saying? like they know what they're doing and and if they're doing it all if it's all kosher and they're not making big salaries and they're they're they're really using all that money for the right cause, then they should sleep at night. If they're taking big salaries and they, you know, they know what they're doing is a little bit shady and they're getting rich off of that charity, then karma will get them, not Canada. Like that's just the way I think about it. I again like I just I don't I I'm not an investigative investigative investigative investigative investigative I think. So investig investigative journalists. You know what I'm saying? Like I'm not I'm not like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. My job is not to go like try to expose corruption with charities. Um,
    80:23
    well, that's the thing is like if if if they're only taking $43,000 a year in salaries and they're generating like $800,000 in expenses, the numbers don't quite add up because the numbers of machines being put on location don't like, you know what I'm saying? like something's there there's just a large chunk of money that seemingly is going somewhere and again like I don't know like but that's what people keep you know people keep sharing and wanting me to like expose more I don't know what good will come of it
    81:11
    uh well that's the other thing Joe is like a A lot of the maintenance of these machines is volunteer. People are volunteering their time. So like I it's like when you have all these expenses to maintain the machines yet all the maintenance is volunteering,
    81:40
    This has been like gang, this has been going on for years. I don't I I don't know what to tell you. I I I don't know what to tell you. What I do know is that the auction stuff is where I h I think the shadiness lies. And I think the the amount of money they're generating during these auctions to me is where the shadiness lies because those those auction amounts are significant revenue coming in. and like, okay, so like what happens when you generate, you know, $80,000 off of Beetlejuice alone or something, you know, you're doubling up on five, six games and you're selling them for 24,000. What where's that money go?
    82:55
    But anyway, it it is what it is. like I you know I don't know I I I I would hate for there to be any anything fishy going on over there but it's I I if everything is public then it there there should be an ability to kind of clearly map a road to everything.
    83:33
    yeah, we can move on. What do you guys want to talk about? We're almost We're almost at time.
    83:45
    What do you guys want to talk about? You guys brought it up. I didn't bring it up.
    83:54
    What do you guys want to talk about? We got in the next like five minutes. You tell me. Anyone buy a Predator? Who's a good DRA for Dutch? I think Dutch only has two distros.
    84:15
    Um, do you did you see Loser Kids top five of 2025? One dude gave Evil Dead an honorable mention and the other didn't even mention Evil Dead. Credibility lost.
    84:31
    Um, I didn't see it. Um, that's [clears throat] kind of that's kind of nuts. I I don't know like were there even if if you do top five of 2025 how does um I don't even know like what Harry Potter I would say the top two games of the year have probably been like Potter and from just I mean isn't Evil Dead like even on the it's like the pinsside top 100 list it's it's it's high portal on the list. That's a that's a joke. [snorts] Yeah. I mean, I I I I've like not even I haven't even mentioned Multimorphic in any shows in months. I I don't I don't even know like have have the portal machines even gone out. I I I just can't still can't get my head around the fact that some of the greatest engineering is happening at a company that if they just made normal machines, they'd be so much more successful. I I don't understand why Jerry just continues. He doesn't even want to like just try it, Jerry. Just try making a normal game. He won't do it. You know, he has to like reverse engineer everything to make it work. And it's just I I don't know. It's it's it is what it is. Like he knows it. Everybody at his Thanksgiving table knows it. Jerry could have been so successful. Like, I've never met a dude that like, "Dude, you should be a millionaire. You You could have been a pinball millionaire." Instead, you know, after a decade, I don't even think they've sold I don't even think they've sold a thousand machines in total. I think it's maybe around half that.
    86:32
    Well, you know, you you know, Jerry's whole thing is and and it's the biggest mistake people make in any any industry, especially a creative industry is his product is a solution in search of a problem. Okay. So, when you when you go down a road of we're going to we're going to do this cuz this whole modular it's all meant for people that live in like one-bedroom studio apartments. Like nobody who has a house see like I'm I'm the perfect example of like someone who should should want a multimorphic. I don't have a lot of room. I could have, as he puts it, 28 games if I bought his platform. But then you think about the reality of it, like where do you store all these modular pieces and the modular kit now for Portal is the same price as a full game. It's like $5,000 for the kit. So then then all of a sudden even just the financial like value proposition is gone. And what Jerry needed to do years ago was just get get a user base big enough to justify what I think is still the best thing he has going in his game, which is connected play. I connected play has always been Jerry's biggest most fun element. Whenever I would play the games at the shows and the games were connected and the the colored blocks are lighting up and you're competing against someone else, it was fun.
    88:23
    Chris Turner will sit there and hear you out. [snorts] Yeah. Well, look, Chris is a good guy. Chris is Chris Chris does not need from what I'm I've heard, Chris does not need this pinball thing to put food on the table. Let's just say that. I think he comes from a very successful family, lives in a compound, I heard, and he's such a nice guy. Now, Chris's only issue is he needs a he needs a partner that gets it. That's it. I look, you know what? I I love Chris's engineering. the the problem with with Chris's like beautifully clean under the playfield. It just it's hard to lift the hood on that and and then like and then spend a lot of money on it because it it does feel like, oh man, I I could have put this together in my garage. It's that clean. It's beautiful. So, he's like in a way like overengineered pinball to look so easy to manufacture. Uh, it's hard though to charge like 8 to9,000 for that. Yeah. No, I mean, look, this is the this is the double-edged sword, right? It's like, okay, I I'll use a car argument. An an electric car is an innovation, right? Like, you can make the car cleaner. There's no gas. There's no oil. There's no pistons. There's so much less happening in an electric car, but it's hard to charge $100 to $200,000 for an electric car because it doesn't have the V8 engine, doesn't have the turbo, it doesn't have all the things that we value, you know, that we place value on. So that's like when you take an And that's why electric cars tank in value because nobody wants nobody values them. you pull up to a car show in a quiet EV and like nobody cares.
    90:35
    So, um, that's where it's at. I'm getting a notice that my battery is low, which means the timing is perfect. Don, thank you for the 10 bucks, brother. I appreciate it. Um, thank you so much, man. I'm gonna like this.
    90:55
    It's a great time to be in pinball and a lot of stuff is going to happen and I can't wait to cover it. Gang, I hope you guys had an amazing Thanksgiving. From my family to your family, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for subscribing to Canadas Pinball Podcast. The month is ending on Sunday. Uh I know that resubscribing sometimes people are on the fence. We always lose a few every month, then they come back. But I really do appreciate it. In a world where inflation is crazy, I am never raising the price of entry for Canadas Pinball Podcast. I bet I can make more if I made the minimum 10. I I I might because the thing, if I made the minimum 10, I might lose 100 people, but other everyone else might stay. I don't want to do that. I think I'm giving you the the val more value than you're even paying for. And I So, I really do appreciate it. I really do appreciate you guys sticking around. Um, and I think for those people out there that say nobody cares, nobody care, they do care. I think people do care. I think people would miss Canad Pinball Podcast if it went away every week. I think they would miss it if we stopped doing these shows. I think our community in a strange way has become one of the most positive, fun places to talk about pinball. I'm glad that people like Mr. Franchie hang out here. Bug and Luke usually hang out here. We got Jamie here. We have a lot of Jenga is here. Don is here. Like, you know, you know who hasn't shown up? Retro Ralph. I don't know if Ralph has really really embraced I don't think he's like I don't think he's made up fully. I I I you know what I'm saying? I think he shook hands, but I haven't seen him here and I and I miss having Ralph here. I think he should hang out more. I think it's part part of like making amends with people is being present, you know, and it's it's been, you know, I'm on a chain with Don and Jenis and we we chat and have fun all the time. We're going to do a show soon where we look at pictures of all the drop ship facilities in Chicago. It's going to it's going to blow everybody's mind. It's going to we're going to lean into it and expose something that everyone knows is true and we're going to we're going to do things a little bit differently in Canada dealership land. It's coming. It's making everybody nervous in that space. I love it. They they know they know that it just comes down to uh how big your community is and they know that this community is the best. Um so everybody have a great Thanksgiving weekend. And thank you, Fizzy, for the two bucks. Um, I love you guys and I can't wait to uh to share more news with you in in the next few weeks. So, get ready. Uh, and and I will explain how the spooky games will go. It's going to be fair. Everyone's going to have a shot to get one that's a club member. So, no shenanigans, no no no auctions, no nothing. Okay? So, just just wait. Drop ship, baby. It's coming. It's coming, man. I can't wait. I can't wait. They know it, man. They know it, man. They're all Oh, man. It's funny. It's funny to me if if you knew everything I knew. All right, everybody be good. All right, let's end it there.