0:01

Okay, y'all, before we dive into this episode, I do. I, I recorded the intro in this conversation live, and so this is just a weird addendum I have to say. Uh, when we recorded this conversation, Scott Hoing was not on Dancing with the Stars yet he was not announced to be on Dancing With the Stars yet, and so I am so excited that our guest today is a Dancing with the Stars celeb these days. Um, my mom and sisters love the show so much and they're very excited. Um, and so that's thing one and thing two, uh, mark and Scott, their album is called, that's connected to the book that we're talking about today is called My Family. And there is a song on there called Yes Tomorrow that is a bop and I. I loved it and I can't get it outta my head. And you're welcome. And I'm sorry all in one. Um, anyway, those are my two asterisk addendums, so here's a weird interruption, and now on with the regularly scheduled, recorded, and edited episode. Gaze reading where the greats drop by trendy authors. Tell us all the who, what, and why. Anyone can listen. Comes we're spoiler free Reading from politic stars to book club picks where the curious minds can get their picks. So you say you're not gay. Well that's okay. There's something for everyone. Gays rating.

Jason Blitman: 1:47

Hello and welcome to Gay's Reading in this episode of What Are You Reading? As always, if you like what you're hearing, share us with your friends. Follow us on social media. We are at Gay's Reading, and I am thrilled to be here today with the dynamic Duo musical extravaganzas love. Love Fest readers Gay Scott Hoing and Mark Hoy.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 2:15

Hello.

Jason Blitman: 2:15

Reading.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 2:17

are you? How are you doing? Oh my gosh, thanks.

Jason Blitman: 2:20

Hanging in here. Of course. I won't show your book cover yet. We could have a reveal.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 2:24

love that.

Jason Blitman: 2:27

So I, let's just get down to business. What are you reading?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 2:32

What are we, oh my God. In our own book that we reveal Book. Okay. So these are some of the books we're reading. Do you wanna go first? We'll start with this book we're both reading together actually. Oh, cool. This is a fun one. Yeah. Yeah. We we do everything together,

Jason Blitman: 2:45

Hop on Pop.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 2:46

so we love, it's very inspiring. Is John Chu's viewfinder?

Jason Blitman: 2:52

Oh, fun.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 2:52

We're big John Chu fans in this household. Our two favorite movies of all time are like. Crazy Rich Asians. We based our wedding off of Crazy Rich Asians. Yeah. And Wicked. We've watched Wicked, I don't even think I want to say the number of times. Dozens. Dozens at this point. Like he's just on at the house all the time. It's like the new comfort movie. We're obsessed and it's just his storytelling and his. Cinematic. He is just, he's so inspired, you can tell, like it's coming from such an authentic place and he has this childlike passion for art and it just resonates and it, and we're huge fans. And we were reading his book and it's just full of banger quotes. Yeah. He is one of our favorite directors and just people in the world and we've got, the opportunity to meet him a few times. And he is just the nicest, most down to earth. He really is most talented. Man I've ever met. We like ran into him through a series of random events, three times in one month. And on the third time I was like, so we're friends now, officially friends. I was like, it's been enough times

Jason Blitman: 3:48

So fun fact about John Chu. He is a former roommate of a former Gay's reading guest, Jedi Jenkins, small

Scott and Mark Hoying: 3:57

in college. Small world. Oh

Jason Blitman: 3:58

I think so. Maybe I'm

Scott and Mark Hoying: 4:00

to USC too, and I didn't know he went to U USC until I read his book. Yeah, he went to U USC film school

Jason Blitman: 4:04

something like

Scott and Mark Hoying: 4:05

in the book. Yeah. What a

Jason Blitman: 4:06

Anyway, small world, I have to know. What does reading it together look like for you?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 4:11

Yeah. So we'll just read, like either listen to like in the car or we'll just read it together our own too and then talk about it. Exactly. And we

Jason Blitman: 4:18

like a little household book

Scott and Mark Hoying: 4:20

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And then usually Scott will read a passage and we'll talk about it and then maybe I'll catch up to him and read it after him too. So it's like a little mini book club at our house. And we love like fire quotes, like we, we'll have a note in our phone of just like our favorite quotes, which one of my favorite ones from viewfinder is a two word quote by John Chu, where he says Make something, which is honestly profound because. That's what you have to do. You have to find a way to make something, especially in the cinema world. Yeah, you can make a music video, you can make an entire movie on your phone. Like it's if you get creative enough, so it's like more about being creative and. The process of making art Yeah. Will manifest things rather than waiting for the gatekeepers to let you in. Yeah. And it was so inspiring just because it was so inspiring because just fell into my sake, just because, his parents are immigrants and he's an Asian American himself. That's, just paving the way in the industry and that is so inspiring to see because. He is doing the biggest movies, the biggest projects. When he when the wicked was being workshopped, I think, I can't remember, maybe San Francisco, wherever it was, or where New York or wherever it was. He went to the workshop with his mom and he was like, wow, this movie is gonna be, or whoever makes the movie one day is gonna create the most incredible movie

Jason Blitman: 5:37

Yeah, it had, its out of the musical had, its out of town tryout in San Francisco before it went to Broadway.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 5:43

heard some of the songs that got cut and stuff. It's yeah. It's so wild thinking about that. Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 5:46

So funny. Okay, wait. Two things. I wanna follow up on one make something the, there's a song from a musical called Prince of Broadway, which is like a musical review of the shows that how Prince, the famous late director and producer created. So he did the original Phantom of the Opera, and Sweeney Todd and Dan Yankees and this musical on Broadway. Took a bunch of songs from the show and, or from all of his shows and put'em together, but then someone wrote an original song for the end of it to sort of like inspire everyone on their way out. And it was called Do the Work. And it was, it's it is the musical version of what you're saying, right? It and it's cheesy as hell, but it gets me so emotional.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 6:33

earnest. You'll find. I'm, I love, I'm like live love poster so I'll love that.

Jason Blitman: 6:39

Think yes, I know. I'll send, I'll DM it to you so that you can listen to it. This might becau, I don't wanna cause a rift in the household, but what are our favorite songs at the moment, at the time of recording from Wicked?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 6:55

One, two. My favorite one, lemme think. Okay. Mine's, yeah. 1, 2, 3. Define gravity Wizard, and I define answers, but they are in the movie. Define gravity. Yeah. Actually overall defined Gravity. You know what it's like I listen to defined gravity so much that like the Wizard and I is the top spot right now. Yeah. But when I watch the movie, I am literally in like struggling for air. Yeah. Gasping for air sobs. Yeah. During defined gravity. Yeah. Oh yeah. It really lands in the movie too. And I think right now, because I have the lens of the first act slash movie, but also in that second act and soon to be second movie, as long as you're mine. For good. For good, no good deed. There's

Jason Blitman: 7:43

We are anticipating we're ready.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 7:46

say that whenever I hear the four. Good. Like motif of melody be played on AO te.

Jason Blitman: 7:54

I'm just obsessed that you talk that you said defying gravity lands every time, and I'm like, oh, that's the opposite

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:02

I know. It actually

Jason Blitman: 8:03

soars. It soars.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:06

it's ours.

Jason Blitman: 8:07

Oh my God's so funny. Wait, have you seen his In The Heights movie?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:12

love it. Good. Oh my gosh. That the scene at the pool, that choreography iconic. I love how much he loves dance. Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 8:20

Yeah, very dancing movies.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:22

up two. Like he is step up two his filmography goes

Jason Blitman: 8:27

Deep cut.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:27

Deep cut. Deep cut. But his big break. Yeah. Some say What's your favorite song or top

Jason Blitman: 8:33

Oh

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:34

if that's too hard

Jason Blitman: 8:36

I'm, I do have a soft spot for Wizard and I I think because there is like such deep optimism in there.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 8:42

and it's tragic. If you really listen to the lyrics, think about what happens to her.

Jason Blitman: 8:46

Yes, of course. And it's very Shakespearean because Shakespeare, Shakespeare was famous because, or for, for doing things like a prologue at the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, he tells you Romeo and Juliet are gonna die. So it makes you feel a certain way watching them fall in love. We all know the story of Wicked, or we all know the story of the Wicked Witch of the Wizard of Oz. So when she says, I'd be so happy I could melt. Or she says, we know as the audience what's gonna come. And so it's even more emotional

Scott and Mark Hoying: 9:19

Yeah. And John Chu actually planned the Wizard of Oz. Exactly, Exactly. Like Shakespeare. That was a prologue. So like the long game.

Jason Blitman: 9:29

Oh my God, it's

Scott and Mark Hoying: 9:30

No, I actually didn't know that. I love that. That's really cool. My

Jason Blitman: 9:33

Um, Also previous. Uh, Author on gay's reading is Gregory McGuire,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 9:40

No way.

Jason Blitman: 9:41

Wicked. And on

Scott and Mark Hoying: 9:43

our books is a Gregory McGuire, but yeah.

Jason Blitman: 9:45

what? Oh, and on that same episode I had Eden Espinoza, who's a former Alphabet.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 9:51

We know her. Oh my gosh. She's

Jason Blitman: 9:53

yes,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 9:54

the most iconic people in the world to us, to everybody really. Who was the first alphabet you saw on Broadway? I'm assuming you've seen the musical Alive Times

Jason Blitman: 10:02

I saw the original cast.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 10:42

in Your Life was changed for good.

Jason Blitman: 10:44

Are we done? Is this is the, are

Scott and Mark Hoying: 10:45

I feel like, I feel like there's two types of people. People who've seen the original cast. Yeah. And people who haven't. Exactly. And we're sadly in the latter house, we're sad in the la

Jason Blitman: 10:53

you're the other people?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 10:55

the other people, which is kind like a

Jason Blitman: 10:58

And I, I. Was, you know, a little homosexual in South Florida at the time, and so desperately wanted to see the show again before Idina Menzel left. And so I went again. I like saved up my, my pennies

Scott and Mark Hoying: 11:14

sweet. How old are you?

Jason Blitman: 11:16

mm. 16.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 11:18

Oh, that age is like, uh, I was just becoming an 8-year-old on the train by himself.

Jason Blitman: 11:23

no, no, no, No. I was like a grown person. Um, And there was an understudy on for Glinda, and it was Megan Hilty.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 11:30

Oh, iconic underst. That is wild. So you've seen Dina, you've seen Kristen, and you've seen Megan. Wow that's, that's so the lineup of all lineups. The

Jason Blitman: 11:42

and the, the Fiero at that time was Joey McIntyre

Scott and Mark Hoying: 11:45

way. Oh my gosh.

Jason Blitman: 11:47

from New Kids on the Block.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 11:49

on the block. I was like, oh yeah. Oh my God. Royalty boy. Band royalty. Oh my gosh.

Jason Blitman: 11:54

Oh my God. So funny. All right, wait, so what's your next book? You have a Gregory McGuire book.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 11:58

to be honest, I haven't read a lot of this book. We just started it because we actually were inspired from viewfinder. Start reading this. But it is Alfie player

Jason Blitman: 12:06

Yes,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 12:07

and here's why. Because if they do make a third movie, which I feel like they will, it'll probably be a prequel because this book just came out. So I'm like, they're setting up a prequel so they can build the world. And if I am gonna play a role in it, which is the goal, I should know the text. I should start doing the work now. That's what Ariana did. She spent years. Exactly.

Jason Blitman: 12:26

Right. This is, This is the equivalent of John Chu seeing Wicked in San Francisco. This is what we are manifesting,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 12:36

it with starting right now on this podcast.

Jason Blitman: 12:38

right? Oh, like you heard it here first. Everyone on gay's reading, Scott Hoing starring.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 12:44

Are

Jason Blitman: 12:44

Starring in

Scott and Mark Hoying: 12:45

tall, white, gay, lanky characters? You know, The thing is like, I start, start reading it and it's so wildly, wildly different, wicked, wickedly different from the, you know, the, the actual. Adaptation of like the, the play or the, the show, the movie. So they'll have to definitely make some creative choices. But you know what we trust, don't you? I, I, I'm, I'd be curious to see what they do. Like, So like, adapt the prequel that's based on the book, but then the book was based on the movie. Based on the book. So they'll have to, and if Galinda gave her the nickname, Alfie, how did she have in her childhood? Well, you know. Oh

Jason Blitman: 13:24

uh,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 13:25

so all these questions we're looking for answers. Great. Oh, okay.

Jason Blitman: 13:29

Scott, coming in asking the important

Scott and Mark Hoying: 13:32

The dramaturg of the World.

Jason Blitman: 13:35

I cannot believe you just used the word dramaturg on gay's reading. My husband is gonna freak out.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 13:41

I Urg

Jason Blitman: 13:42

No, it is dramaturg. That was correct. Yeah. Very dramaturgical. Exactly. Oh my god.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 13:48

See, we read, what would be the dream if they get the kids that played the Young Nessa Rose and the young Alphabet from Wicked, because they were so cute in the movie. They were good to play them in the book,

Jason Blitman: 14:02

doing so much manifesting

Scott and Mark Hoying: 14:03

literally manifesting it all. Our version of manifesting is just asking. We're like, John Cho, you're watching this. You're watching this clip.

Jason Blitman: 14:11

This is gonna, some tabloid is gonna be like, AIE is gonna be on Apple TV plus in 2029, directed by John Chu

Scott and Mark Hoying: 14:19

Starring

Jason Blitman: 14:20

Hoeing.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 14:23

You know the, honestly, that casting team and John, they're brilliant. Ariana, Cynthia, Michelle. Yo. It's like we have, they hit so hard with that casting. The casting is perfect. Scott, I believe in you everyone. In any girl who sings well. Yeah. Which we know a lot of them we're like, did you audition for Alphabet? And they're like yep. Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 14:43

Yeah,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 14:43

Start asking any girl, you know that sings they

Jason Blitman: 14:45

The amount of people who I know who's auditioned for it on Broadway, years and years and years in a row. Yeah,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 14:51

gosh, that's, I love a thorough casting because Yeah, and they slay. And they slay. One of our really close friends who played Alpha or Alphabet, her name is Jessica Vasque, and she is one of the. Best buzz of all time. And she, that was a, that was my favorite experience. Consuming art of any kind. Tears. Tears, all tears. It was

Jason Blitman: 15:13

and her story in general is iconic and I should have her on the show to talk about

Scott and Mark Hoying: 15:17

Are you sure? She is blowing up right now with her boss in the city

Jason Blitman: 15:20

Yes.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 15:22

I'm so happy for her. She's go get her, go. We love her so

Jason Blitman: 15:25

Do you have other books near you?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 15:27

Okay. This is a book. It's funny, I've never read this book front to back, but it's just so full of quotes that I'll just read it sometimes when I wanna be inspired. And it's the creative act, a way of being by Rick Rubin. It's a popular one.

Jason Blitman: 15:39

Oh,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 15:40

Have you got this one before? I,

Jason Blitman: 15:41

I, no, it has, it's come across my radar, but I've never even cracked it open.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 15:46

okay. It's so good. I have my favorite quotes.

Jason Blitman: 15:49

Yes. Oh my God. He is prepared.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 15:52

Okay, so sometimes with self-help books we're just like. Like philosophical people, it can be performative, but his is so real and I feel like his viewpoint, it's all coming from the point of making art, but I feel like it like transfers to living. Like how one should live. And he's all about flow and authenticity and like some of his favorite quotes, all that. All that matters is that you are making something you love to the best of your ability here and now. And I love that'cause it takes pressure off of it. And then he also says stuff like living life as an artist is a practice. You're engaging in the practice or you're not. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world. And I love that. And then there's another one I really loved. I'm just gonna skip these'cause there's 20 of them. Oh, all art is a work in progress. If you start from the position that there's no right or wrong, no good or bad and creativity is just free play. We're playing to play and ultimate, ultimately playing is fun. That is like my. MO across the board. It's like whenever, I don't know, like what to do socially, what to do with art, what song to write, what, if I'm ever lost on a creative problem, I just think what's fun to me? Yeah. What? And even if I'm like making a content, like video content for something, I'm like, what can I say right now that'll be genuinely dopamine inducing for me? Because that's what comes across essentially in the end. And so that is a really powerful thing I think.

Jason Blitman: 17:12

How do you, I have two questions. Thing one you just said, do something that's fun. How do you define fun?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 17:19

That's a good question. I think it's like. I think it's like the, this goes back to John Chu's book too. Here's a quote in his book about how don't write off adolescent enthusiasm. Like when you're a kid and you're playing a video game and you play it for seven hours and forget to eat because you're so obsessed. That sensation of like obsession, hyper focus is so powerful. And now I've I've realized that translates to something. That resonates with people. I realized that so profoundly that I almost expect it every time now, which is almost putting too much pressure on myself side. So like I'm like, I really want to be enjoying this. Like obviously there's gonna be valleys and peaks, like you're gonna hate the art all of a sudden and be like, this is the worst thing I've ever made. And you have to push through. But but like that inspiration, like when you're so stoked, you're like, oh my God, that would be so sick, Ming. And you can see it all. And like the, and another hard part is like a lot of making artists collaborating with other people. And if you don't explain the vision clearly, or fight for the vision or stay true to it it's like it can get lost. But but following that real I think that would be so sick and I can see it like taking a moment to be like. I have to pursue this.

Jason Blitman: 18:26

Would you say that going back to one of the first quotes you said was about doing something you love, because that stresses me out because I'm just like, okay, wait. Do I love this as much as I. Love that last thing I did, or will I love the next thing more? Am I loving the right thing right now? So would you say like that, those are both mixed together for you guys?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 18:48

Yeah. I think that I. I feel like we like always just do stuff that we love. Yeah. But I know that it's like, sorry, that was a really lame answer.

Jason Blitman: 18:59

No. What was

Scott and Mark Hoying: 18:59

like just that's all my brain has the ability.

Jason Blitman: 19:01

anyone is not watching and they're only listening, it was very sweet seeing the way Mark was looking at you and totally agreeing. So you were talking about collaboration too and working with someone. What was, so moving on to talking about your baby, your book. Your book baby.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 19:22

Baby, baby.

Jason Blitman: 19:25

Let's, do you wanna do a cover reveal?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 19:26

Cover reveal

Jason Blitman: 19:27

Not an actual cover reveal, but we could just hold it up.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 19:29

three. Okay. 1, 2, 1.

Jason Blitman: 19:32

Yay.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 19:35

Family. It's called Fallah Family. It's a Christmas. Sorry.

Jason Blitman: 19:41

I was gonna say you guys wrote this together.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 19:44

Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 19:44

What was that process like?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 19:46

Oh my gosh. It's the best. It's the best. Oh no. So we wrote our first book in 2024 years before that, but it came out in 2024. It's published in 2024 and it's called How Lucky Am I? And it was about these two little may flies who fall in love in their 24 hour lives. And then after we were like, oh my gosh, we had the best experience. Ever we have to write another book. And we were like, okay, what's something that means a lot to us? Something that like, we will forever carry, we'll want to pass along to our future children. And we love Christmas, we love the holidays, and we love our family. So we were, and we're in the process of starting a family and we're in the process of starting a family. So we were like, oh my gosh, we should make a Christmas book, a holiday book. All about the different types of families are in the world. Yeah. And also there's I feel like a lot of people say at Christmas time christmas is like sad for me'cause I don't really go home to family like we're in queer spaces. We all know queer people that don't get to go home to family. We wanted to make a book that like felt inclusive of all types of families.'cause family can be anything. It can be a mom in you. It could be a dad or two. Yeah, it could be a furry friend. Loves love whoever who. But also it can be chosen family, it can be anything. It can be just the, if the people around you that you love that's your family. And so it, it talks about all of those types of families. Yeah. And we start so what we found out from the first book is that writing a children's book is almost like writing a song. So we ki we, we went to it that way thinking, okay, let's like make the best Christmas song slash picture book we could possibly make. So Scott and I have written songs together before, so it's such a natural process for us. And so it was very like it's very lyrical. There's rhymes, there's stories, there's personal. Anecdotes in the song slash book. And it came very naturally. I think we were on tour when we wrote it actually a lot. Yeah. So we were on Christmas tour'cause we were in a really, we did a big chunk of it in that really cool hotel home. It were random thing. I was like, this is the coolest hotel I've ever been in. Yeah. So it was, it, we were already feeling in the Christmas spirit because Scott, the most incredible band pentatonics and they do, almost a, actually at this point, a yearly Christmas tour. So we revealing the festive we were feeling. Yeah, so it came super fast and supernaturally and weird. It's also so fun writing together because I feel like we both we both have certain things that we prioritize, that we can contribute. Like I was like. Writing melodies and you were like coming up with magical things and like it was really cool and he used the king of melodies. This guy, if there is some, I'm actually gonna sing one for you now, gay, he's, it's a superpower if you ever get a chance to see him, write music or anything the way that you can come with melodies, quickly, and passionately and they're so incredible and strong.

Jason Blitman: 22:26

Yeah, gross. Too gay. So fun. Did you guys grow up? I don't, this is such a silly question'cause I feel like all of us as children grew up reading children's books, but was reading important to you as a kid? What does it feel like, seeing your book, your words, your names on children's book?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 22:47

That's a great question though, because that's why I think it was so emotional. We were like screaming when we saw it. Yeah, I, that's so true. And I feel like we're like such kids at heart. Like we love, like this is like the world to us. We, this is like our dream is to create something like this together. Yeah. Like when people are, like, when people say something like, if you love animated movies and love Disneyland as an adult, then you must have like still wanna be a kid at heart. And I'm like. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. And you nailed it that we were so a kid at heart and we love, I, we like, I read all the children's book Giving Tree and stuff. Exactly. They're just so magical when you're a kid. Those stories are important to you. And also like when we read those stories as kids, not once ever do you even slightly see like a. Gay person in these books. Yeah. And so for May Fly, it's a queer allegory. And then in this we have lots of gay couples, every type of family, but definitely gay couples. And so we just wanted to like show that and normalize it as well. Yeah. It's so funny because one other book that we, that. At least I read Sky's not as much into this, but I love comic books. Like it's one of my

Jason Blitman: 23:49

Oh my God. Look at you.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 23:50

ever. So I'm such a kid at heart in that way. I grew up like reading X-Men comics, being obsessed with them. So in my head I always dreamed of like creating some sort of visual art like the X-Men comics or something. And a lot of X-Men comics are being like a superhero or a mutant is like such a metaphor for being queer, being different at something like. You're born with, but it's also is like your superpower and there's queer people in the Marvel world. Exactly. So cool. And that's why it was so important for us to put these like representations of these two dads in this book or these two moms, or single parent or whoever it may be. Like families are so diverse and special and each in own unique way that, that was like such an important part for us, like when we were creating this book is to show that.

Jason Blitman: 24:32

Does the single mom in the book work two jobs?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 24:35

Oh my gosh. She actually is re She does.

Jason Blitman: 24:36

She is Reba McIntyre. Okay. That's, I'm just, honestly, I'm, I was like sweating. I'm grateful you got the reference. I was like, oh God. What if that doesn't go over? Wait, tell me more about your comics. How did you get into them in the first place?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 24:54

So I just loved like. Like superheroes growing up. Like I was obsessed with Saturday morning cartoons and I would like, wake up early to watch like the X-Men animated series. And so like I remember like there was like a comic book shop down the street. I would pop down there, pick up my favorite copies and I always just loved that all these characters were started to. Verse, all of these like really amazing characters and all these like really cool, like these women characters who are so badass and so strong. And honestly, my favorite characters are always like the strong, like fierce, like super woman type character, like superhero or not. It

Jason Blitman: 25:30

it,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 25:30

a pissy doll, literally. Jean Gray and Storm and fried and La Frost, like all these characters were so cool and were like my, like childhood idols. So I was always so invested in their stories and would go to the midnight premieres of the movies when they'd come out, and it was just something I always loved. That's something I fell in love with Mark about. He'll, like every morning he'll check the Pokemon Wiki, he'll check the, all the new updates in the Marvel verse, blah, blah. And I just love the passion and the commitments to it.

Jason Blitman: 26:01

yeah. What is your equivalent of that?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 26:04

My equivalent of that,

Jason Blitman: 26:06

Yeah. What are you checking? First thing in the morning?

Scott and Mark Hoying: 26:12

just like the 17 emails I didn't respond to yesterday, people it's just music related things. I think my obsession's like songwriting or just making things like. I find it. So I like, it, like recharges me in so many ways. And I'd I try to write a song every night and it's funny'cause people will be like, you need to rest like you're a workaholic. I'm like, no. My version of rest. It's so meditative to write a song.'cause it's just, you're hyperfocused thinking of nothing else like yours. I'm zoned in. And then after I, I have all this energy, I could go to a party. I'm like socially ready. Yeah. And so that's

Jason Blitman: 26:43

oh, I love that.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 26:44

And seeing how hard he works too. It's like incredible because actually a fun part about our book is that it also, there is a companion children's album that comes along with it. So that is so excited. And it's out right now. So we're so excited because it's, Scott is the most incredible producer ever songwriter, every. Everything. Everything is related. He is a plus. And when we first starting writing the album, Scott was creating these incredible melodies, produc, producing out these incredible tracks, and it ended up being just one of the most amazing experiences we could have ever done together. It was it was really special too,'cause we didn't have a lot of time to get it done. And so we were. if we just do piano and a vocal and make it a lullaby, simple thing. But then all of a sudden we were like inspired and started to grow into this really cool arrangement. Yeah. And then we like got started asking features and we're like, oh my gosh. They said yes. And then our friend who's an orchestrator, we, he just texted me a video Yeah. And like of a memory and I was like, oh my gosh, Russell working this. Children's album if you wanna like orchestrate stuff for it, blah, blah, blah. And then he was like, oh my God, I'd love to. And he orchestrated stuff that night. Anyways, it all came together to be this like really magical special thing. Yeah. And it goes back to John Chu saying, make something. Exactly.'cause it's like a seed, it grows, you don't know where it's gonna go. Exactly. And it's called My Family. It. So it's like it's, and so every song is starts with the letters M-Y-F-A-M-I-L-Y. So first song is a married had a little lamb medley. The second is You're my sunshine. F is fall off family, so on, so forth. And it was so much fun. My God. Sunshine. We'll send it to you. We'll DM you it.

Jason Blitman: 28:17

I can't wait. I am so excited for you guys. Everyone needs to check out Fal La Family, which is out now. I love this love collab that we have

Scott and Mark Hoying: 28:29

Oh my God.

Jason Blitman: 28:30

that's what I'm calling it, A love collab. It's Stupid, what a weird thing to say.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 28:34

oh no. Love that code. Oh yeah. Cure

Jason Blitman: 28:37

oh yeah. QR code

Scott and Mark Hoying: 28:39

To the song that we're gonna sing for live Now. Hit it. And there's also the lyrics and the sheet music too, so you can sing along at home. That's fine.

Jason Blitman: 28:48

it is. It is a, it's a multidimensional,

Scott and Mark Hoying: 28:52

It's a multiverse.

Jason Blitman: 28:53

it's a multiverse. That is, it's now part of the gay's reading multiverse. We have Eden Espinoza, Gregory McGuire. It is John Chu's gonna be here.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 29:04

Joey McIntyre.

Jason Blitman: 29:05

my God, Joey McIntyre, he's gonna have a feature, isn't he? There was a great quote from a a children's theater playwright where he talked about how there aren't people that give enough attention to shows for young people, but to remind you that we were all young once and we still have that young person inside of us. So it's just a nice reminder that like that. We're just a kid at heart. Like we're not just a kid at heart. We are that kid. We're

Scott and Mark Hoying: 29:34

We're

Jason Blitman: 29:35

older now.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 29:36

later life. Exactly.

Jason Blitman: 29:37

Yeah.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 29:38

And yeah, and like that joyous, that joy you feel as a kid for things and new experiences. It's like it doesn't have to go away. Yeah.

Jason Blitman: 29:46

Yeah. Amen. You guys, thank you for being on GA's reading. Thank

Scott and Mark Hoying: 29:51

Thanks for.

Jason Blitman: 29:51

what you've been reading. Everyone go find Mark and Scott and all the places. Go buy the book, and we'll see you all very soon.

Scott and Mark Hoying: 30:01

Thank you so much. Thanks for having us, those such good question. That was fun.