Everybody's got

Hello?

Hi Santa.

I just put on a naughty hat, I made it a reveal as I like to do.

I have headphones and I'm trying to wear the snotty hat.

Um, anyway.

Welcome to Review That Review the podcast dedicated to reviewing.

Reviews!

Yay.

We're just like Siskel and Ebert only instead of reviewing cinematic masterpieces, we

That's Chelsey Donn,

and that's @TreyGerrald.

And together we are

The Review Queens.

And if you want to support the show while getting bonus and exclusive content,

Oh, Chelsey girl.

I don't know if this naughty hat tipped you off, but Merrrrrry Christmas!

I want a hippopotamous for Christmas!

Only a hippopotomus will do!

Have you ever heard that song?

I haven't...

was that Liza?!

I don't know who it was.

some Child singer,

first of all, love it.

Second of all.

No, never heard that song before they wanted to hippopotamus.

Yeah.

It's just like a, some random, like, I guess Christmas song from back when like men went to

Oh Yes.

Cleaning in the streams was a big deal back in day.

Um, oh my gosh, 'Merry Ho Ho' as my mom says it is our Christmas episode!

It's true!

Merry Christmas queens!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate girl.

How was your week?

My week was great.

I had an audition today that I had not very much time to prepare, so that's always, you

And I had a good time and they got to work with my coach Taylor, who I love and adore.

So great, great day.

So far.

How about you trey?

That's nice.

You know, I've been having a great week.

We're still working on training hunter and you know, our dog Winnie knows

Right.

So, um, we're still working on down with hunter, but it's coming along.

We just have to remember.

Work on him.

Yeah.

But, um, things are good.

I'm glad that it's Christmas time, you know, people tend to be a little cheerier.

It is true.

I think it's the music.

Just hearing that hippopotamus song already made me feel better, you know?

I want a hippopotamous for Christmas!

Well, aside from all this Christmas joy, should we get

Would you like to

Lodge A Complaint?

I wa as a Christmas gift to myself, I would love to Lodge A Complaint if that's okay.

I really hate it when I'm eating and I have to sneeze.

Oh, you know, like just very inconvenient timing.

What, like, what do I, what am I supposed to do with that?

Like if I sneeze, it's just going to be terrible.

And

it does like kickoff that like rubbing your head and patting your stomach thing.

Yeah.

Well also there's food in the mouth, not to be gross.

You know what I mean?

Like there's just like a lot to negotiate.

Correct.

And, um,

did this happen to you recently?

It did.

It did.

It happened to me right before we were recording and I was like, I

I was, yeah.

I was eating a salad chewing on that lettuce and then I had to sneeze

I nailed the landing.

I was able to swallow and then sneeze, but it was stressful.

Like I was very, very stressed out in the moment.

There's certain things like, um, sneezing while driving also very bad.

Apparently when you sneeze, you close your eyes.

Oh, you're you're driving like with your eyes closed for a second, which is also terrifying.

So the timing of that, it's just like, I love a good sneeze.

I, I hate when sneezes get cut off early, you know, like when

So, so thank you, sneezes.

Cause I think it serves a purpose, getting the dust out or whatever is this gross?

I don't know, but like everybody's sneezes is right.

We got to write that book, but I, I like a good sneeze, but the timing of this knees or,

It's like bad Juju.

Then all of a sudden this news doesn't come out.

So a lot of thoughts around sneezing.

Yeah.

I hear you.

That is a, that's a great complaint.

I take Zyrtec every day.

I do my sneezing

complicated.

Anyway, Trey, what is your complaint?

Tell us, so my complaint I thought of, and then as I was like writing

Okay.

Well we have gross complaints that I

both of us, but here's the question.

How often do you wear your denim jeans before washing them?

I am a little bit OCD, so I wash them pretty often.

I'll be honest.

Well,

you wear them twice, twice, twice.

Yeah.

Okay.

So here's my, here's my complaint.

I will wear my jeans many times before washing them and I leave my wallet in my jeans.

And so when I am putting the jeans back on, there is no way to put the jeans back

I can't put it in without it flipping it.

Inside out basically.

Right?

So then I get my jeans on and then I have to do this weird contortion dance where

And it's one of those things that I don't even like acknowledge is happening, but I thought

I don't know why the pocket goes the wrong way.

Do you think it's wallet specific or you think anything in there would, would flip out?

Well, like when I have gone to the gym, it happens all the time at the gym as well.

Or if I leave like my phone or my keys in the pocket, those will flip inside out too.

It's not flipping out.

It's like, you know, the fabric of the pocket material.

It's just two sheets of fabric inside behind the Jean denim.

So you're pulling it up and instead of laying flat, as it is designed,

So then your leg goes in.

Instead of the pocket going towards the fly, the pocket is now going towards your ass.

Oh, I see what you're saying.

So then I have to stick my hand into my pocket.

It's a flip it to position it from going from my butt towards my fly.

Wow.

And then, you know, it's like, I am wearing skinnier jeans, so that's really a big

hassle.

Three days later, your pants are on thank God

three days later and I'm late and I still have to get my ice coffee and this traffic,

it is, it's just anything like that, that you're just like, this feels like it's too

There are ways to get around it, but it is something I would like to put on the

Cause it's something I literally don't think of.

I get it.

It's like when you mentioned like how many times in a day we are deleting junk mail.

So like I never registered that until you mentioned that, and this is another

And that just said, so that's my complaint.

And I'm so grateful to get all of this negative energy out because we have been

So as you all know, Chelsey and I each bring in a review from the internet

We read the review, break it down and rate the impact of the review

Assess That kvetch.

And in honor of this holiday called Christmas, Chelsey.

And I have found reviews that center around the holiday of Christmas and Chelsey, my

I hope you have some frankincense and myrrh for your journey.

Review That Review.

I forgot to tell you that I made a cocktail.

I never drink, but I have absolute Citroen in here with an sparkling energy drink.

And I think I'm getting drunk.

Yay.

Also, your straw is very festive.

It's like candy cane.

Yeah.

Very cute.

Try.

All right.

You guys today?

My Review!

is from TripAdvisor.

It is a one dot Review!

written by N Beth S.

Okay.

We got that from Fort worth, Texas.

The Review is of the Moscow ballet, the Nutcracker west cast, and just like quick little anecdote.

Cause I know I'm Jewish and you're like, oh, well what does that Jew know about Christmas?

Anyway, I was obsessed with the Nutcracker when I was a kid, I collected nutcrackers.

I went to the ballet every year with my mom.

Oh my gosh.

And every single year on Hanukkah, one of my eight presents would be tickets to the Nutcracker.

So I love the Nutcracker.

Was it usually well with my parents?

What I love that they did was we'd have eight gifts and we could pick.

Any of them.

So each day we would just like pick which one we wanted.

So it was, I usually knew the one in the envelope was probably the Nutcracker

Yeah.

So anyway, we're good.

I'm excited to hear what NBethS has to say.

Yeah, let's see what NBethS and her one dot Review!

think of the Moscow ballet's production of the Nutcracker.

The Moscow ballet, the best, right?

NOT!

First off, the music was CANNED!

NO live orchestra.

One of the most beautiful pieces of music in history, and we get to listen to a CD.

Then the usher informed us they were low on program.

And the three of us would have to share one, not really a problem because the program was pretty

The 13 principal dancers were very good, not excellent as I would expect a

The rest of the cast was sad, often unprepared out of sync, just making the moves and often not.

Well, the Nutcracker was a STUFFED TOY!!!!!

Seriously draw.

So Meyer did a poor job of getting hidden characters on and off stage.

And the entire production was full of local children, probably from area dance studios.

It was a fiasco.

If I wanted to see amateur dancers, I'd go to a local dance recital.

They were poorly rehearsed and made the production seem cheap.

And second rate, which it really was.

I paid over a hundred dollars per ticket for three of us after Ticketmaster's ridiculous fees.

And we would've been overpaying if all three of us had gone for a hundred dollars total.

This was my first Nutcracker ballet.

And I had been looking forward to it.

So very much the Moscow ballet, how could I go wrong?

Well, it did.

And it ended up being a complete disappointment.

It's no wonder half of the seats downstairs were empty.

Others must have heard about this trip to performances in advance.

Don't waste your time or money.

Oh, my God.

It's a Karen.

Wow.

Yeah.

I, when I really got thrown off there when like three fourths of the way through

Yeah.

But I think they, they must, I don't know.

I'll have a record or something.

They seem to know the music.

Tchaikovsky.

Well, Well, okay.

Even when you go to, okay.

I actually, I cannot speak to, like, I know that when you go to the met opera yeah.

The ensemble are like hired actors, basically.

They're not like opera people.

Sure.

So like, when you go and see the Nutcracker ballet, Like the chances that

Sure.

What's it like that when you saw like the Philly ballet?

I think so, but I think that's because Philadelphia has like a whole ballet

company, correct?

Correct.

Right.

Cause I don't know about ABT or, you know, I'm sure like the company members are in the back

sort of similar to an ABT, but like the ABT of Philadelphia, there were, there

but like, okay.

I don't know anything about the Moscow ballet, but I do know that like many of the

Where are they seeing this performance?

Is it in.

In

Texas.

So it seems like it's a tour of the theater, ballet, Moscow.

So

are you expecting this tour from Moscow to have 90 performers?

You mean touring

with them, but right.

Like you think like the guy that's playing, like the dancing frog, like in the third act as a

Like, I, that seems a little odd to me, but I get that NBethS has never seen this and to

performing.

Yeah.

There was enough that it was distracting.

I can see, I mean, I think the hard part is that they paid a hundred dollars a ticket.

I want to talk about that because it's expensive, especially because

Then there's all the sets.

Then there's all like the cost to put on this ballet.

What do you think of the Nutcracker being a stuffed toy?

Okay.

I wrote that down too.

That's very odd to me.

Why was it not a wooden

- Chelsey Donn: I know!

nutcracker?

I thought that, or like an actor playing the Nutcracker.

Well, doesn't he come?

Doesn't the Nutcracker come to life?

Yeah,

At some point

I think so.

Like, I mean, I don't remember guys.

I haven't seen it since I was a kid, but

- Trey Gerrald: Isn't there like a

- Chelsey Donn: Yeah, like

into real things?

Right.

Yeah!

So I feel like it usually starts with like a prop.

Right.

And ends with a person.

What, see, was Clara a Russian or what's Clara like a local seven-year-old?

I don't know.

I think according to this, they're suggesting that it was.

It was a local seven-year-old, which does make me wonder if you're right.

I mean, that makes sense.

If it's a very large cast, maybe they can't fly everybody in and they do need some locals.

And that would make me wonder like each city that they go to, they have locals.

So like if there aren't, the locals in Texas are not that great, but the

You know, are you getting a different performance or is it just that they're hiring locals?

Like they're hiring people from the US?

Yeah, I'm very confused by this because I would imagine, does, so I

So I'm assuming this is, she saw this in Fort worth.

I just, I think that if you are a ballet company, Like, if you're a ballet theater,

So it's con it's interesting to me that you would see a touring production of the

I would imagine.

So then are the kids like in a, like, I'm very perplexed by this?

Yeah.

Then someone has to train the, the ensembleypeople.

Like how did

I don't know, I mean, I guess I, I did appreciate that.

They said that the 13 principal dancers were very good.

I thought it was funny.

I said, they're not excellent as they would expect a Russian ballet troupe

I mean, at least they, at least they gave a little bit of credit.

Cause from the rest of the Review!

you would think that everything was terrible.

But yeah, I don't know.

I think that it's possible that NBethS has high expectations and that their assessment

Like maybe they're, they're sort of a, a glass, half empty kind of person where.

You know, 50, 60% of the show is great and you know, 40, whatever 50 is bad, then

But

I think what's coming up for me here is like, I appreciate that.

N Beth S really wanted to see the Nutcracker for the material.

Yeah.

But it does occur to me.

if you're going to the Nutcracker ballet, it's not going to be about the music.

It's going to be about the dancer.

Right.

Right.

So to me seeing that it's like canned orchestra.

Sure.

I mean, not the most ideal, but like, you're going to see the Moscow ballet company.

So to me I'm sort of like, okay, fine, like disappointing, but sure.

Also it sort of.

If you are that much of a purist, like, why are you going to the Nutcracker?

It's like, it's like going to see like The Lion King on Broadway.

It's like the lowest denominator for like the greatest of that art form.

Not to say that The Lion King is bad.

Not to say that the Nutcracker is bad, but like, you know, it is the piece that exists

So to be snobby about it kind of makes me annoyed.

I get the price I get that it's expensive.

And you felt that it was subpar, but

like, oh, I think that's an interesting point.

I didn't really think about it that way, but I think there is a certain amount of forgiveness

That was like that that's like a note, but like, you know, it is supposed to be holiday

I do want to talk about these ticketmaster fees.

Yeah.

Oh my God.

They're ridiculous.

What I mean, I understand that Ticketmaster has to make their own money

How much money just goes to the fees,

and the fees can be quite pricey.

Okay.

So do we think that this is a valuable Review?

To me, I find value.

I, I might have a different judgment call then NBethS but it is interesting

I think that's such a like shady thing to point out, but no, but facts are facts.

I know there was a lot of caps abuse.

Uh, I'm assuming you could tell in my reading a lot of punctuation abuse happening

Interesting.

Yeah.

I'm not anti caps.

I think it can be fun and it sort of makes things pop.

So I'm not against it.

But in this case I did feel like it was overused

Do you think NBethS is like aformer ballet person who wasn't hired at Moscow.

I don't think so.

I think similar to other reviews you had, this is a case of, you know, preference.

And am I a hundred percent confident that everybody else who sees

No, I'm not.

But I do think that N Beth S is being honest and I believe them.

I agree.

Which then, is this common.

It was like just going to be a temp, typical experience.

I mean, I, I would imagine that to me, I don't know if I'm viewing this wrong, but to me, I just

I hear you there, there are certain elements that they identified for me, like the CD.

I mean, not so much that they used a prerecording because yeah, we can't necessarily

So that's a little bit like, Ugh, I don't know if I'd want to deal with that for however many hours.

And also like the stuffed toy.

Like, there are things that they're dropping along the way that I feel like,

It might be indicative that the quality of the show isn't that great.

Same with like the amateurish children ensemble.

Like, I think that's sort of difficult to not notice that when people are moving

Yeah.

I mean, not that we want to like eliminate the kids, but it almost seems like

And like truncated the, the size of the ensemble, just to, to maintain the integrity of the show.

Like I wonder if everybody was at the caliber of these 13 principal dancers, if,

right.

Because they are saying they're good, but not excellent.

Maybe they would have given it like a three-star still, I don't think that

I'm not confident that end Beth S would have given a high Review!.

I do really like having a program.

And I, I really don't like when they're chintzy with that, um,

chintzy with the programs or chintzy with the info in the program?

Chintzy with handing them out.

That bothers me.

It makes me feel like I'm not a priority.

Do we feel armed?

I think so.

I think I could crown this.

What are you thinking on this?

Yeah.

All right.

So Chelsey and I each have our own set of one to five crown cards and in an effort to

The Queens are tabulating!

Are you ready?

Yeah.

Total Score!

Wow, Trey.

That's that's surprising to me.

Trey's holding up four crowds.

I'm holding up three grounds.

Sorry.

My screen is blurry.

So try, let us know why you gave NBethS four crowns.

I gave NBethS four crowns because while I might not agree with their point of view

Yes, I do think that it's important to note that attendance is low.

Not that that necessarily means that.

I don't really know what N Beth S is experience with ballet and the art form is

So I know that there was a lots of like spelling and grammar stuff, which I didn't actually see.

So to me, the impact here is like, let me research.

Is another performance by someone else that has live music.

If that is that important to me.

So for that reason I gave it four.

Cause I think it would make me question purchasing the tickets.

What about you?

Why did you do three?

I did three for all the same reasons that you just mentioned, but I, I think

Excellent comment.

There, there was something in that assessment of, they were very good, but not excellent.

That felt a little bit.

Let's just give the Moscow ballet, nutcracker west cast a nod without having

So for that reason, I decided that I needed to give NBethS three crowns.

I love it.

I feel like I'm, my chestnuts are roasting on an open fire.

Mine too.

I mean, if I had them.

There's A Reply!

OMG there's a reply.

Oh my God.

Okay.

Yeah.

All right.

Now the reply is from, uh, it's kind of written in Russian, but Ballet Mosque vol, and then

Um, and.

Dear NBethS, I'm sorry to tell you that Moscow ballet, the Nutcracker west cast

And they inserted a link.

Our company didn't tour in the USA in 2013 and 2012, the art director of the company Nikolay

And since that time, the theater has changed a lot.

We do not tour abroad at the moment because we changed the repertoire

Now I'm confused because.

So they're stating the Review is for the wrong organization?

That's what I thought at first.

And then my like shade Dar started to go off a little bit for a couple reasons.

So they're saying that they didn't tour in the U S in 2013, which is when, um, this Review!

was written, but it seems like they did tour.

Other times, they also talk about somebody that got fired.

And that to me implies little, is he getting fired because he was doing a bad job and

That's what I was going to say to you is that it feels like

They've denied that this was their company.

And then they're explaining that their company has had a whole change of things going on.

So that's why I was like, wait,

and then the other thing that made me go, Hmm, was that NBethS in there, Review!

mentioned that the program was full of merchandise and they mentioned the pro the like

So just makes me feel like if there was lots of merchandise, it was probably, I would

I don't know.

I don't know that this reply makes me like a hundred percent sure

This reply makes me think.

We licensed our name to somebody else for purposes of a tour.

And then we realized that the caliber didn't meet the caliber of our local Russian ballet.

And we pulled back.

That's what I think.

Can you read the two names that are being spoken off?

Uh,

oh yes.

So the, the way that it's listed in the Review!

now it is a review of the ballet Moscow.

So there, there, there might be a world in which Moscow ballet, the Nutcracker west.

Is sort of a step sibling, like an

umbrella

company, correct.

Of theater, Bali, mosque out.

And because this review is dragging down the average of theater, ballet,

I have no doubt about that.

they wanted to make it clear to anybody that is reading this.

Review!

that's thinking about going in Moscow or whatever that this is not, we're not affiliated

theater.

I don't know how this makes me feel.

It makes me feel more confused.

And it just makes me want to say support your local artists just

Yeah, I think that's a good point.

It's interesting.

It doesn't make me feel swayed.

It makes me feel more.

I shouldn't even attempt to see the thing.

Right.

I know.

Well, that's, I, I feel like it's, it's just coded in a way that it's

We're different now, you know?

Anyway, I thought that was interesting.

I was excited to read the reply because usually the replies are, are very

Or like, please, you know, email us at this address so that we can make it right.

Or whatever it is.

But this I've never read a reply like this before.

Anyway, that's it.

Good job.

Very fun.

Thank you.

Okay.

So let's take a quick break.

And when we come back, we can get into RQ T's Review!.

Woo.

Love that.

All right.

BRB.

Hold your crown.

We'll be right back.

Chelsey.

And I are so excited to share this exclusive Review Queen offer from super chewer.com.

Now from the makers of BarkBox super chewer as a monthly subscription-based service

That is loaded with two tough toys, two meaty chews, and two full-sized bags of treats that are

Super chewer is offering listeners of Review That Review one extra month free when you use our link.

Super chewer.com/queen.

Sign up right now at super chewer.com/queen.

it's game time.

Chelsey let's play One-Star-Zinger is on the Meryl-Go-Round

' VOICEOVER: I don't feel like an icon..

Most of the days, I feel like I can't.

That's with an A!"

Trey and I have each picked a rotten scathing, pithy One-Star-Zinger and

Just the queen Meryl, who does it all

before the clock runs out.

Alright Trey.

Where is your One-Star-Zinger from today?

Okay today I have a One-Star-Zinger from amazon.com.

This is written by Tracy L.

And this is for the children's book, entitled Santa's Husband.

Oh, kinda like kinda like Hanukkah, mommy and Santa's daddy or whatever.

Sure.

Yes.

I imagine this a companion piece.

Well, the book is written by Daniel Kibblesmith and it is imagining that Santa

Oh, okay.

And I have not read the book, but the cover of the book, Mr.

Claus is a person of color.

Okay.

So Tracy L'ss, one star, Amazon review's, subject is Santa is married to a woman

Isn't gay or black.

Oh my God.

Santa Claus.

Isn't real.

Santa Claus is a fake character.

Why can't Santa Claus be gay and black?.

And so Tracy L Santa Claus, isn't gay or black.

All right.

Sorry, Tracy.

Trying to diversify.

Geez, Louise.

All right.

Trey.

I think today you're going to be strapped into Blitzin.

Why Blitzin?

Because Rudolph always gets all the attention.

Got to spread it out a little bit.

Rudolph is not the only reindeer in Santa's arsenal.

So you're strapped into blitz in.

All right.

I'm going to give blitz and a carrot and I am ready.

All right, let's do it.

3 2 1, GO!

Disaster

Santa Claus or black Yankee

Santa Claus.

Isn't gay or black.

Melodrama

lifetime

Southern calls.

Ain't

really good.

Oh, thank you.

I must have had a lifetime of ignorance around me in order to really embody that.

All right.

How many with that?

Excellent queen.

All right, my queen.

What about you?

What is your One-Star-Zinger for today?

Plus his

for today?

My One-Star-Zinger is for Christmas lights, I guess I'll say the whole

This is your view from Amazon for.

C nine Christmas string lights, outdoor indoor extendable, 50 led 49 feet waterproof green wire

Its supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

I was going to say, should my R sound cutest be like, is this title going to

infuriate me?

Well, they got all their bases covered.

Exactly.

All right.

So this, review is written by Patricia.

It is obviously a one-star review.

The subject is they are not bright at all, and the Review!

is returning them.

They are so dim.

It's ridiculous.

That's really funny.

Alright, so I'm gonna strap you into Donner!

Yea next to each other

and also Chelsey Donn.

Hello?

Oh my gosh.

And the Donner party.

I mean, let's not affiliate my people with those people whom we

thought.

Okay.

I'm glad you cleared that up.

Okay.

Yes.

All right.

So, oh my God.

And you talked about sneezing while eating.

What does that have to

was that I didn't

see each other.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Good.

All right.

So you're strapped into Donner and, um, all right, let's go.

You ready?

Yes.

I'm ready.

3, 2, 1, GO!

Adult film,

opera

diva.

We're hurting them.

They're so Tim let's retake musical theater, but turn

them

game, show

magic show.

We're tearing them.

They're so dead.

It's ridiculous.

Disney.

I love that.

Your Disney's always like a chipmunk

yeah.

It's it's it's Mickey.

Chipmunk.

Yeah.

Okay.

You got six.

Very good Queen.

Thank you.

That was fun.

Review That Review.

All right.

We're back from that rousing game break.

And it's your turn Trey.

All right.

So today I have a one star review from Yelp also written by a Tracy.

Whoa.

I didn't realize that.

Oh, wait.

It's also Tracy L okay.

That's weird.

Was your zinger also TracyL?

Yes!

Very weird.

And I didn't realize that until this very moment.

Okay.

Oh my goodness.

But I think it's, um, I don't think it's the centrist yet.

Okay.

Once this is one star review, written by Tracy L on Yelp for that's weird.

Very weird.

Yeah.

The Christmas Tree Shop.

I really liked the Christmas Tree Shop.

I've never been.

I've been many a time.

So this is specific to I'm S I'm kind of, I kind of don't want to say the city.

So I'm just going to say in New Jersey.

Great.

Horrible place of business!

Managers do not care at all about employees.

They talk down to them and treat them like absolute garbage.

It's disgusting.

The store manager, Linda, has no idea how to run a business and has absolutely no class!

During their morning meetings.

She would constantly yell at employees.

Very nasty woman.

There have been men hate H times where I've seen several managers talk to the employees

The store is almost always a mess.

Filthy.

The products are of terrible quality.

They have sometime called and as is section, which is basically them trying

The store is disgusting.

I recently saw not one, but two customers approach, customer service, having cut their hands

And all the only thing they did for those customers was clean up their cuts and

What kind of business is this horrible, horrible, horrible will never step foot in that store.

Again, you can get better quality products for similar prices, anywhere

Starting with the disgrace of managers they have there.

Wow, Tracy L not to be confused with Tracy L you know what I mean?

So I thought this Review!

was interesting because I think this might be our first example

of a former employee,

of a former employee.

Good job, Trey.

I haven't come across anything like this.

Like this is one of those reviews on Yelp, where if anybody went on Yelp and did like

I think that this would be like gone in a second because there's so much evidence here.

What's really funny to me is if this is not an employee...

then they must've been in that store all the time.

Like how much are you hanging out?

Like, what are you doing?

Are you, are you filming a documentary about the Christmas tree shop?

Like,

well,

it ha no, they, they reveal their hand because they say during their morning

So like, you have to be an employee to be in the morning.

I guess, unless again, you're like lurking in the corner.

I, it just doesn't make any sense to me that they would give so, so much blatant, like the meeting

It's like, were they doing that?

Because, because they signed some sort of, you know, agreement.

So they're going by, they stole Tracy L's name and they've written this Review!

to try to be anonymous?

Do you think that the Christmas Tree Shop has an NDA for their employees?

I just I'm, I'm questioning Tracy L here, because honestly, with

I would have preferred that they say, listen, I used to work at the store.

Right.

And I know firsthand how terrible it is.

You can say I'm a disgruntled employee or whatever it is.

But here are the things that I personally saw while spending time in the store

It is interesting.

They don't self identify.

Otherwise I would think that this would go on like Glassdoor or like, because

It's dangerous.

They know about the band-aid incident.

They, they just know too much.

Right.

So then, okay, so then is it valuable because you want to patronize a store

I mean, Chick-fil-A cares about their employees.

I'll never step foot in there.

Right?

I'm going to say no, I just, I don't trust Tracy L.

I don't know what their agenda is.

I don't know.

the circumstance under which they were fired or left working this store.

I do know that they, they just feel a little bit shady and a little bit almost unhinged,

What what's happening here.

It feel it's, it's almost an episode.

It's interesting that they say they will never step foot in the store.

Again.

I wonder if they were fired.

Do you think Linda fired them?

You know what I think, I think there was a really bad morning meeting and Linda just

And she took off her Christmas Tree Shops, smock and walked out the door.

That's what I think.

I bet someone cut their hand and they went to Tracy for coupons

And then Tracy brought it up in the meeting and Tracy fired her.

I mean, the grammar!

I was just going to say, I, I.

It is...

we could hardly get through it.

They, they say shelve S H E L V E.

So it's not shelf or shelves also.

Like there's multiple run-on sentences.

It was very confusing.

Do you, so do we, I don't know.

Do we think that tracy is being truthful?

I think that Tracy is, I don't know.

I do believe that it probably is dirty and I do believe that like maybe the quality

It's like, I've never been in a store, so you like it.

I like Christmas tree shop.

It's sort of a misleading name for what it is.

It does have a Christmas vibe to it, but it's an all year round store and it's a discount store.

Like they have a ton of, it's sort of like a Ross or a TJ Maxx except it's new products.

Interesting.

Not that they're not new products at those stores, but I'm just saying it's,

And it is, you know, kind of cheaper stuff.

Let's say you were going to throw a party or something like that.

And you wanted to get like a Punchbowl, but also like cute napkins for your thing.

And maybe a cheeseboard, like if you wanted sort of a variety and then also maybe a cozy blanket.

Sure.

Why not a variety of items you could go to the Christmas, Christmas tree shop.

And the reason I think in my mind, I compare it to a TJ Maxx or Ross.

It's almost like an outing, you know, like when you're just like, I need something to do,

I bet I'll find something that I could use.

And it's cheap enough where it's like good retail therapy, if that makes sense.

Yeah.

So do we think that if Tracy, I was a former employee, do you think

I mean, none of it matters to me.

I'm not going to apply there.

Yeah.

But, but, but that being said, Trey, beyond the apply there.

I mean, which I guess is implied because they're saying management is terrible.

They're not telling us they worked here.

They're presenting this Review!

as if, I mean, though, of course they're giving it all away, but they're giving

That is true.

Why do they not just say that they have a preface?

Yeah.

All right.

Well, was it humorous?

No.

No.

It wasn't humorous.

Would you hang us on your fridge?

I wouldn't, I wouldn't hang in on my fridge.

With a pretty

bow and like magnet from the Christmas tree shop,

I would buy the pretty bow magnet, but I don't think I would use it to hang up.

Tracy l's review.

So before we crown, you should know that two people have found this useful.

Also I can see Tracey L has only written two Review!

Tracy, Tracy just made this account, but that's not their name.

You don't need to be a detective to figure this one out.

You know what I mean?

I bet her name is Lacey and her last name starts with a T.

Yeah.

So this is really Lacey T writing under the pseudonym.

Tracy L they're

obviously not very good at cloaking the truth.

All right.

I could crown this.

What do you think?

I can crown this.

All right.

Let's crown it

The Queens are Tabulating.

[laughing]

What?

Are you ready?

I'm ready.

Total score!

I'm holding a one crown and Trey is holding up a half crown.

I gave the one crown because all right, maybe it, maybe it's dusty.

I don't love the idea of a place abusing their staff.

And for that, I'll give it the one crown.

But my one crown is very suspicious because I don't trust Tracy L

I know if I were online and I were looking at reviews, I would immediately think

There's no way I could have a full stop after this Review!

and say, no, I'm not going to the Christmas tree shop.

So for that reason, I didn't think that Tracy L deserved more than a crown.

Why did you cut your crown in half, Trey?

Everything that you just said, ultimately, I'm not coming to Yelp

Yeah.

It colors my opinion, but other than it might be dirty and low quality products, which I

There's nothing to learn here because.

I don't trust the narrator.

And so that's why I gave half a crown and the spelling, good Lord.

Oh yeah, you're right.

Should have taken another half crown off for that spelling.

Anyway.

Sorry Lacey.

Sorry, Lacey T!

Good review, Trey.

I really, I enjoyed that.

Um, all right.

My Queen.

So I think that we have reached the most Regal portion of the show.

Who are you inducting today for

My Royal highness.

Thank you so much for asking.

Trey.

You're welcome.

All right.

My Royal Highness today, I think is very important and I I'm, I'm not going to get full clamped.

I'm going to, I'm going to try not to get for the cleanse.

When I do this, I'm going to give My Royal Highness.

To Jonathan Larson.

And if you're listening and you don't know who Jonathan Larson is, Jonathan

It's obviously incredible.

It's been running for years and there's tons of people that are the biggest fans of the show.

And Jonathan Larson is an epic artist and he passed away at 35 way way before his prime.

And perhaps the most tragic element of his passing was that he actually passed away the night of

So he never got to see the success that Rent became.

And

I just want to interject.

Yeah,

it would be as if Lin-Manuel Miranda died.

The day of the first preview of the off-Broadway run of Hamilton, correct.

Never getting to see the phenomenon and ultimately the course change that Rent

It has never been the same since Rent.

Never.

And that's a really good analogy.

I think for people who don't understand and who, who weren't so involved with, like

Very young age and you know, this past week I watched Tick Tick Boom on Netflix,

It's so good.

If you have even like a shred of empathy, please bring a pack of tissues with you because I was

And first of all, he, uh, Jonathan Larson, I should point out also wrote tick, tick, boom.

And besides the fact that it's such an epic show, it really Chronicles Jonathan's life and beyond

We want to do something that is bigger than, than us.

We feel we're meant to express ourselves in a certain way, and we don't always get to do that.

And we don't always get to make the money that we want to, that we want to

Knowingness that this is what we're meant to do with our lives.

And watching Jonathan go through this experience and live his whole life as if he's running

But what was so beautiful is that he managed to do it.

He did get it in.

He got in right under the wire and he has his work that he shared with all

So, uh, I'm so full clamped.

I love you, Jonathan Larson.

I wish I got to know you personally, and I'm so sorry that the world was deprived of you,

Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

It's very interesting.

I just have to like interject here I am someone who never saw Rent on Broadway.

I saw like the recorded final performance, but I never sat at the Nederlander theater and saw it.

And it wasn't my thing.

I was in love with miss Saigon.

I was in love with Les Miz, but my friend from preschool, Rachel Broadwell, who's a listener.

She gave me the cast recording to tick tick, boom.

And I was, obsessed.

I may be a unique person in the fact that like, I could sing you the entire

And I can, I only know the highlights of Rent and I have, when I saw Rent Live, when they did

Because he died before he died in the preview.

Like that's like the heartbeat of the most amount of work and tweaking and changing that happens.

So that's just a random consideration.

And then also it is interesting to note that tick tick boom was based

So the numbers and some of the banter and patter, when he passed away, I believe it was

And, and, and there are videos on YouTube where he was literally doing

And that was how the movie made it seem.

They really did a good job.

Have you not seen it?

It's epic and they did really make it seem like that.

So that, that is interesting to know.

Come to your senses, which is a song from tick tick boom used to be one of my, like

I'm embarrassed to tell you that it was one of mine.

Stop!

Are you kidding?!

I had it in my book.

So embarrassing.

What a connection.

That's amazing.

Ooh.

I feel heavy.

Like Nita, get a breath out.

I really do feel the clumped.

All right.

Tell us, trey.

Who are you inducting for your Royal Highness.

I'm going to induct the Bad Christmas Movie Bingo Game.

Okay.

All right.

So let me tell you about that.

So my husband has a coworker colleague named Kiwi Callahan and Kiwi, and her

Wow.

So it's, it's bad Christmas movie, bingo.

And what it is while like lifetime, or hallmark movies are going and

And so you're watching like a honky-tonk Christmas in Nashville, and everyone has

So just for example, so then you're trying to get bingo.

So some of them are, this is one of the random cards.

They all have different things.

This one is clearly filmed in summer, picking out a Christmas tree together, holding a

Oh, look a small town, a widow or widower.

Oh my God.

That's so true.

The wacky older character.

Yeah.

Quirky Inn or bed and breakfast.

Anyway, it's so hilarious.

They created this a couple of years ago, you can go to badchristmasmoviebingo.com to buy it.

I'm gonna buy it.

I have a friend that I know will love this.

It's so good.

It's so funny.

You should get it because this really has helped with like the Christmas, what are we going to do?

And we've already eaten, like, it's like where we've opened the presents and it's like,

And just like the activity of trying to beat everyone, um, with the cliches of those

So that's why I'm inducting Bad Christmas Movie Bingo by Kiwi and Matt Callahan.

You are My Royal Highness.

Love that can't wait to buy it also like thank you.

Cause there was someone my Christmas list that I didn't know what to get

So yay for that.

And I've never met Kiwi.

I don't know Matt.

I'm not inducting them because I know them.

David knows them, which is why he got it to support them.

And it's like a lifesaver with family drama in my family.

So.

All right.

That's it.

Merry Christmas, Chelsey.

Merry Christmas, Trey!

That's it.

That's our Christmas round on the Ferris wheel.

Q life of reviews and truth.

And um, any air holes.

Thank you for joining us today.

If you like, what you heard, will you please do us a favor?

Talk about it around that Christmas ham.

Okay.

Tell a friend.

And if you don't like it, tell that annoying relative that's

Um, we would love you to join our mailing list so that you can stay up to date

You'll be the first to know when we're doing raffles, et cetera.

Uh, you can join our mailing list at ReviewThatReview.com scroll all the way down.

You'll see the little box.

We also have a link in our show notes below!

Hit up our voicemail box 1 8 5 0 Review zero.

You can follow us on all the socials at TheReviewQueens.

I'm @ChelseyBD and that's Chelsey with a Y.

And I remembered that I'm not Trey today.

And I'm @TreyGerrald.

Become a member of the Royal Court when you join our Patreon at Patreon.com/ReviewThatReview

and remember, ignore the haters you're queen

gender non-specific queen.

Obviously, bye!

Bye everyone.

Merry Christmas.

Merry ho-ho.

Ho, Ho Ho!

Review that Review is an independent podcast, certain names have been redacted

Executive Produced by Trey Gerrald and Chelsey Donn, with editing and sound design by Trey

Our cover art was designed by LogoVora and our theme song was written by Joe

God, Chelsey.

I think I might be a little tipsy!

Oh yeah.

You never drink!

I never drink.

So like this one little shot of Absolute Citron is making me feel bubbly.