The Best Men Podcast

Episode 11: Best Friends

• Michael and Sameer • Season 2 • Episode 1

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We're back with Season 2 of The Best Men Podcast! As ever join Michael and Sameer as they take the piss out of each other, debate life's big questions, whilst learning how to become better men!

With a new season, and a new format Michael and Sameer lean into the issues affecting men's mental health, those that are impacting their daily lives, and their humorous take on life's up's and down's! 

So with that in mind, this week's episode is all about Best Friends. Have you ever wondered why 40% of men go through life without a best buddy to call their own? Join us as we chat about what it means to have a best friend, why it's sometimes easier to open up to a stranger in the pub than a mate, and how Michael and Sameer haven't always been each other's best friends (at least for one Summer!) We also chat about where you could go as nearly 40 year-old men to find a friend, reflecting on Michael's story recently making a new-ish friend from Instagram! 

This week's episode is a gentle reminder to nurture your friendships, as well as a few suggestions for those that struggle to make friends on where you could find one! 

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Michael:

Welcome to this week's episode of the Best Men Podcast. I'm Michael and I'm Sameer, and if you found us, it means you're looking forward to sitting back and enjoying 30 minutes of two best friends taking the piss out of each other, debating life's big questions whilst ultimately learning how to become better men.

Sameer:

So sit back and enjoy this week's episode.

Michael:

Yo, yo, yo. Welcome to season two.

Sameer:

How's it going? How's?

Michael:

it going everyone. No, no, you're talking to me not everyone.

Sameer:

I'm talking to you and everyone. No, no one's listening.

Michael:

That's the problem, that's true. That's it going. How's it going? Everyone, no, no, you're talking to me, not everyone.

Sameer:

I'm talking to you and everyone. No, no one's listening. That's the problem. That's true. That's true.

Michael:

We only have our 10 listeners.

Sameer:

It's just me. You're talking to me. That's what you've got to focus on. I'm excited.

Michael:

I'm in the room Eyes.

Sameer:

I'm really excited. You sound like you're sort of almost Nigerian and Jamaican all in one. No, no, I'm really.

Michael:

I'm really excited.

Sameer:

Really excited. I'm really excited. Yeah, this is good. This is good we're doing season two finally, finally, we're here, we're here.

Michael:

We're only a month into the year, yeah, we're only a month into the year, month two, and we managed. I'm happy. I'm happy. Do you know what's cool? The fact that we couldn't do this for a whole month.

Sameer:

The thing is is what people should understand is we have been trying very, very hard to get this going.

Michael:

And do you want to explain why we failed at every attempt?

Sameer:

No, I don't know why did we fail we?

Michael:

failed because we were useless.

Sameer:

I think what people should know like, behind the scenes, it's just me and you doing this. We don't have a whole team, right, we don't have 15 people. That are just there. We have 20 fingers together. The most that we've got is 20 fingers, not 20 people. So what we've been doing is just trialling and error, and mainly error.

Michael:

Yeah, it went bad. It went bad for a long time.

Sameer:

It even got to the point that I think me and you were genuinely thinking we're gonna end the pod, are we gonna stop?

Michael:

there was it. There was a night where I was like good Sameer, I don't want to hear from you ever again.

Sameer:

I remember this night because you basically went listen. I need 24 hours away from this yeah, I need a communications block on this excommunicado.

Michael:

You are John wick, I was John wick. John wick as the.

Sameer:

Indians would say John Vic.

Michael:

John Vic. But yeah, we're back we're back.

Sameer:

We're back doing what we know what we know best talking on the pod talking crap.

Michael:

Anyone would have thought this was difficult. It is harder, it is harder.

Sameer:

It is definitely hard. It's not easy this stuff like. Originally. When we started this we were like, oh, it's going to be great, We'll meet each other every week. It'll be a laugh. Since then we've basically got a whole AV studio set up. So you know it's not easy.

Michael:

Do you know what's funny? The fact that this is actually episode four of season two.

Sameer:

Yeah, but no one's going to hear the first three episodes. Well, that's because we Audio in some video in others We've got like a massive echo in one of them. One episode was just me talking and you listening. Yeah exactly Exactly, so you know.

Michael:

I think we're good now. I think we're good to go.

Sameer:

So what's new?

Michael:

about season two. Then we promised our audience big things.

Sameer:

So I think what's going to be different about this season is a bit more of a specific focus on men's mental health Issues that I think are resonating with us are humorous takes on it.

Michael:

We're also videoing humorous takes on mental health. Yeah, exactly, yeah, it's not humorous. We don't want it to be too deep, too heavy, too heavy, too preachy, too learned, oh, putting the little accent on the eoc um, the other thing new about season two oh please is that we've learned that nobody wants to email us Because obviously we're not living in the 1990s.

Sameer:

Yeah, true, I think this is more a reflection of our age.

Michael:

So if you do want to contact us, simply DM us.

Sameer:

And this is something new we learned.

Michael:

What did DM say? Direct message. Is that what it means?

Sameer:

Yeah, direct message. Oh, okay, what did?

Michael:

you think it meant Del?

Sameer:

Direct message. Is that what it means?

Michael:

Yeah, direct message. Oh okay, what did you think it meant? Delivering message, delivery message.

Sameer:

I think it's direct. Okay, Either way, DM us on our Instagram. Slip it in the DMs.

Michael:

Is that what they say? Yeah, no, no, slide into the DMs Slip in the DMs is something that can get you cancelled. Diddy P, diddy does that.

Sameer:

Anyway, yeah, dm us If you're interested Enough about all that boring stuff. Exactly, that was just all process.

Michael:

Do you know what's? Quite fun. I'm going to say this first of all, go on, a big thank you To our sponsors, to our sponsors, no, a big thank you to everyone who has listened. Yeah, because whilst we were off air for around six weeks, we have hit a remarkable milestone which is pretty impressive for us. We have what is that milestone, Sameer, 500 downloads, 500, baby 500 downloads.

Sameer:

For me that was always like I told you this. It was a little figure that I thought if we can hit 500 downloads, I don't know why I said 500 but early on I said 500 downloads, happy with five honey, five, five bags, as they.

Michael:

As they say, if you're uh on top boy, exactly, yeah, um, but no, yeah, big thank you to everyone. That 500 listeners uh is, is pretty amazing.

Sameer:

I'm not sure it's 500 listeners. I know, I, I know, but I don't want to put out false information, misinformation disinformation linda, linda honey, listen, listen linda, I know you look a bit like trump, but you shouldn't act exactly like trump, elon and zuck have taken. That's what I call him who calls him that.

Michael:

That's how he's known now zuck.

Sameer:

Oh, elon and zuck have removed fact checking yes, so we will do that from this episode 500 listeners, which is a bit. In fact, we've hit 5 000. We've hit 5 000 just in this time. Since we started, we have gone up by 10. Are we live? Are we on facebook live? Uh, I don't think. Me or you should do next. We are not capable. We have barely barely Live Listen, listen, let's take it easy, linda, linda take it easy.

Michael:

How about this Will you promise the audience? If we get to season, ooh, the 10 people. If we get to the end of the season, the 10 episodes. We will do this live.

Sameer:

No, no, I'm not promising that, but I will promise a big surprise for the end of the season, is it? Going to be some food-based it prize for the end of the season? Is it going to be some food based it could be. It could be a little challenge or you know anyway.

Michael:

So during that blackout period or while we were on hiatus, yes, yes, we were amazed to see that people are still listening and downloading and actively participating.

Sameer:

We have a very low bar. For what success is the fact that people will occasionally listen, but the point is thank you for listening, thank, you for following us on this journey.

Michael:

Yes, if you do want to participate on the journey with us, if you want to write to us, if you want to suggest anything, if you want to answer any of these numerous questions that we ask each other okay, is a milkshake, a drink or a dessert? Just dm us yeah clearly say, yes, milkshake is a drink, and then we'll all be happy but you know just just content.

Sameer:

We want to hear from you as well yeah, yeah, we want, we want you guys to engage. We in fact, to be honest with you, I need a new co-host.

Michael:

So dm me your suggestions if you want to co-host with me if you're listening to us, let us know what you enjoy the most what's the best episode?

Sameer:

yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you want to hear more of?

Michael:

anything, any list about milkshakes, but just let us know yeah, exactly, no, I agree and also thanks to all the family and friends who are devout yes devout throughout.

Sameer:

Yeah, they've been very supportive, mainly because we basically just get into a room together for an hour or two and we don't talk to anyone else so it requires a bit of support.

Michael:

There I have I. It's almost like having a whole group of friends that you don't talk to anyone else, so it requires a bit of support there. It's almost like having a whole group of friends that you don't talk to. So just normal Anyway. So on the theme of men's mental health, this week's podcast theme is all about best friends Best friends, best friends, friend, friend.

Michael:

And the reason it's about best friends, yeah, is because I saw statistic that said that globally not in the UK, because I think the numbers a little bit less in the UK but globally around 40% of men, so that they don't actually have a best friend how okay.

Sameer:

How do you define a best friend?

Michael:

someone who doesn't hate you enough to not want to see you. I don't know what I think. Best friend is someone that you you're close are they. It's your closest friend that you are close to the closest friend that. Equally, can you have more than one best friend that duane the rock johnson does apparently does he hashtag rock Johnson.

Sameer:

Rock Johnson. It's either Dwayne Johnson or the rock, but I like rock Johnson, that's great shout out to the man rock John maybe we should get that sort of hashtag trending pending hashtag pending pending.

Michael:

Johnson. Pending trending Rocky. This is like a conversation between our dads.

Sameer:

I reckon this, this is one day our kids will be like why did you guys do this? Speaking of your dad, yeah, who's his best friend? My dad's best friend is a guy called Naveen. Yeah, but he also has another best. He has an India best friend and he has a UK best friend. Okay, his UK best friend is Kavalji. He's got best friends in different area codes. Okay, his UK best friend is Kavalji.

Michael:

He's got best friends in different area codes.

Sameer:

Yeah, yeah, exactly, he's the Ja Rule of the Indian community. Is it Ja Rule? Da-dum-da-dum-dum-dum.

Michael:

The Siskars In different area codes.

Sameer:

I love the fact that you were sort of aware enough to censor yourself on that word. He's got two best friends by area codes. Has he always been best friends with them? I mean, he worked with Kavlji, so you know he's been friends with him for like 30 years, yeah, and Naveen has been his best friend since childhood. Now what defines him as best friends?

Michael:

Like you say the top of his friends list? Yeah, top of his friends list, yeah, but what's, what's? How has he gone out?

Sameer:

and over and above. How have they gone over and about to become his best friend. So tough, so blackmail laundering naveen uncle's just been there like if. I think if you've been there since childhood, it's gonna be hard for you to not at least be in the top three like friends category. So he's been there since like day dot. Uh, they used to go and they used to get like samosas together on the side street and stuff.

Michael:

This doesn't sound like best friends. I mean, it's good, it's good.

Sameer:

It's kind of like us, it is replace samosa with greg sausage rolls. Yeah yeah, dad was always like the fiery tempered one and the vehicle was always chill, calm you know, so a bit like me and you, so your best friend is your dad uh, sounds so sad, doesn't it? Um, they're his best friends, right, and I agree. A best friend is like your mate above everyone else, your ride or die oh yeah, riding or dying, yeah, yeah.

Michael:

Well, the thing is like if so, if, if 40 of men don't have a best friend, what are they doing? Who are they talking to?

Sameer:

but okay, I have a question here. Does that mean they don't have a best friend? What are they doing? Who are they talking to? But okay, I have a question here. Does that mean they don't have any friends, or just not 40 don't have a best friend, like a close okay, a close friend, because the whole point is it's quite sad that it's like they're.

Michael:

Men are more, more willing to go and talk to a stranger in the pub that you meet for the first time, then have a best friend.

Sameer:

Yeah, then open up to their best mate.

Michael:

That's quite common, though, in this country.

Sameer:

Well, you reckon just going to a pub and like making friends with anyone or just like a stranger or whatever.

Michael:

You have a pint or a vodka tonic and then you start talking to like the random or the barman, but you know what?

Sameer:

Here's an interesting thing, I think, because, like, this generation drinks less, like it's definitely we drink less, less of those like conversations even those conversations are happening in a pub. Fewer and fewer people are going to a pub just for a drink are they having?

Michael:

are they having those conversations elsewhere? Like are men having those conversations on? Like gaming?

Sameer:

it could be yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe I mean, I don't do that, I don't know, I guess you don't either, so you don't go to the pub because you're not't game.

Michael:

No, we have friends that do. You got no game?

Sameer:

I've got no game to game um, I think, yeah, I think it's. It's a sad state of affairs if 40 of men globally don't have a best mate. Like it's really important to have someone to talk to. You know, I think it's mad, I?

Michael:

I, I mean there were. There was a time where I didn't talk to you in school, though yeah, yeah, and I don't even remember why we didn't talk. Well, there was the famous argument of 1997, where I don't, oh yeah that made the papers. I don't really know what happened, but the last day of school I said to you I don't want to talk to you. Is that what happened? And then over the summer, was it?

Sameer:

over the summer, over the summer.

Michael:

You didn't phone me, or I think you phoned me once and I didn't answer your call and then I never returned your call and then we didn't talk to each other. And then the first day of uh, first day of school, we saw each other and you're like you're gonna stop being a bitch now and I was like okay so, so hang on.

Sameer:

During that summer I would have been one of the 40 of men. Yeah, without a best friend yeah and I felt pretty sad that summer. Yeah well, you weren't going on holiday either, were you no? I was definitely not going on holiday. What would I have been doing nothing? The one person I spoke to chose not to speak to me it's bad.

Sameer:

It's bad that you need someone to just be there for you, like, even when you're not on, in fact, especially when you're not able to be a best friend to that person, to rely on them to be there to help you, to guide you, just to chat to you, mate. The times that I've called you where I've been, quite honestly, a bit of a shit, mate, like, like More often than not you will call me, you will send me a message, you will chase me when I'm being invisible, which occasionally Sound like I'm a dog.

Michael:

You'll chase me, you'll give me stick, you bark, you stay.

Sameer:

No, but I mean it Between. That actually did break me, break my line of thinking, but honestly I would say, say if we were like and you shouldn't do this like comparing like each other's best friend credentials you are more of a best friend to me, I think, than I am to you, because at least over the last, I would say, two or three years, there have been more moments that I've needed to call you and be like dude.

Michael:

I need some support here yeah, and you've always been there, you've all pretty much.

Sameer:

I can't think of a time when you haven't been there, and I like to think that if you went through a low phase yourself, I would be there as well yeah. I would hope so, and if I, didn't have that.

Michael:

If I can't have you, I don't want nobody, baby it's.

Sameer:

It's a bit romantic for us, but yeah. I would say if I was one of those 40% of men that didn't have a best mate as in you, I'm not sure what I would do. Where would I turn?

Michael:

But it's not. The thing is the moment that you have someone, everyone's all good. Yeah. Like Kim Kardashian said, she doesn't need therapy because she just uses her friends.

Sameer:

She said that apparently. I mean I can't quote it really, because I don't know why we just made it up.

Michael:

Well is this a fact check somebody. Fact check michael. Now zuck, elon and zuck get on it. Um, but uh, I don't know if I don't know if it's true, but kim kardashian says she's kim kardashian.

Sameer:

Please write in she's. We would love to hear from you. Do you need a therapist? You're?

Michael:

busy being a lawyer and all that now and and is she? An actual lawyer, gypsy and all this gypsy.

Sameer:

You know the lady gypsy that she's not a gypsy. No, no, I think you're confusing her with tyson fury.

Michael:

No, no, no, we will talk about tyson fury, but no, there's a woman I think her name's like gypsy something and she killed her mom, that's also tyson fury. Oh no, come on now. Come on, tune, in tune in tune.

Sameer:

In tune in, what do you mean? Tune in?

Michael:

right. The story is kim kardashian is on her pilgrimage to save people who are wrongly incarcerated. One of those people is called a gyp is called gypsy.

Sameer:

Was she? Was she wrongly called a gypsy?

Michael:

okay, here's what's going to happen. Either I'm right and her name is gypsy, or I'm wrong.

Sameer:

I'm happy for you to be right on this. I just find it. I mean you said Kim Kardashian is a Gypsy.

Michael:

No, no, no.

Sameer:

That's what you said. I said, kim Kardashian no, no, don't put your phone away now.

Michael:

There's no fact checking on this pod. No, Zuck wants me to fact check.

Sameer:

No that sounded a bit okay off color um right, okay, kim kardashian looks after gypsies and, as a result, doesn't need therapy gypsy rose is her name.

Michael:

Okay, she helped a woman called gypsy rose.

Sameer:

Now can I ask you an honest question? Yeah if you're to have another child, where in your list of names is gypsy? I mean, if you one to a hundred, where's gypsy on that list, I think? It's 99 yeah, it might be a worse, I know I think.

Michael:

I think you go 97, 98, no, gypsy 98, 99, 100 there'd be. There'd be a lot of names in there, really gypsies gypsies, pretty pretty.

Sameer:

Anyway, let's go back, let's go back let's get lost in attention.

Michael:

The point is yeah kim k said I don't need therapy because I've got friends so my question to you is this yeah, those, those when you've got friends, those 60, I mean they're all right. Everyone seems to be okay yeah, because they've got a best friend but 40 around 40 to 50 years old is the most prime time for people to commit suicide right so where do you go? As a 40 year old man, to go and find a friend.

Sameer:

Oh man, that's tough um, I don't know where to go, so I was reading this book. I'd be going there if I knew. I told you about this book, right, that I'm reading dr rang and chattergy romesh is new.

Michael:

He's doing books. Now is he Bloody Ramesh. Ramesh is everywhere.

Sameer:

Dr Rangan Chatterjee Shout out Great book. It's called Make Change. Last he says that there are a few different things in your life that you need that are basic human needs, and I think maybe I told you this.

Michael:

Why has that got to do with it? I'll tell you when do I go and find a friend I tell you.

Sameer:

I tell you because he answers the question okay, go find my friend. So he says there's a few things. You need friends, we establish you don't have the friend, you need family, okay you need health, okay, you need passion, some passions, some hobbies, like love, love, love making could be your passion if you're casanova, or table tennis, which is probably more up your street, um, or, and the last thing is work, I love making to tape with them.

Sameer:

Both have got to do with balls, uh, and the last one is work and god don't tell me about work each of these are like tanks that you need to fill, each of them you need to focus on and, ideally, in the perfect life, all of them are full, brilliant at work, you've got loads of friends, your family relationships are great, you've got loads of hobbies, um, and you are. You know, you're in good shape health-wise so again, let's just bring it back.

Michael:

So so I'm gonna answer, I'm gonna listening. How does a 40 year old man?

Sameer:

yeah, so I'm gonna answer it so one way in which you can get friends is to start doing more stuff in the community there we go tinder. I knew I knew you were getting somewhere doing more stuff in the community. There we go Tinder. I knew you were getting somewhere Do more stuff in the community where you meet people.

Michael:

Oh, grinding.

Sameer:

So, for example, if your passion is table tennis, go to a local club and join the Table Tennis League. You'll meet friends, they'll have similar interests and you might grow your friendship circle.

Michael:

I actually think the weird thing but different between men and women, other than than obviously the obvious that men are much more willing to accept a new man in their circle.

Sameer:

You've got to be careful so you're more willing to accept a new man to enter your circle. Is that what you're saying? I would, you would willingly accept a man to enter your circle no new man.

Michael:

A new man in your group you and deeply into your circle well, no, like the first time they come in, you want to be like welcome, you want to be welcoming.

Sameer:

We're going off on a tangent here.

Michael:

You want to be welcoming to new men in your circle. I'm saying men generally, yeah, more welcoming to other people.

Sameer:

What you think more than women. Yeah, definitely. Give me an example Like what. Give me an example of an activity where a man would be more welcome to gym. So you don't think women are, as accepted, going to a new gym class.

Michael:

I don't think that women I disagree with you.

Sameer:

Okay, going to like a new gym class. I don't think that women I disagree with you okay. I think if you're a woman and you're going to a gym, say for the first time, or going back to the gym and you go to a new class, you'd be welcomed just as much as a man would. I think it's rarer to see two men together than it is to see two women together.

Michael:

I think that men are you, are you gonna?

Sameer:

are you gonna continue down this track?

Michael:

I think no, my point is this. I want to take away my last comment. My point is this okay, when two strange men meet each other, they are more.

Sameer:

They're more likely to get on than two strange women, correct? Okay, how many two strange men do you know getting together just randomly?

Michael:

no, no, no, no, no no, I'm not saying two strange men go for a walk together, they randomly no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not saying two strange men go for a walk together, they meet each other. Go for. I'm saying in in society yeah when a man is waiting somewhere with another man, they will probably get on with each other better than if a woman is waiting with another woman. What? Has this got to do with anything. That's how you get friends right.

Sameer:

So your way of getting friends is just to like sidle up to some random bloke at the bus stop and be like all right, mate and he'll be like, yeah, all right, mate, and then you'll be like what are you watching at the moment? And he'll be like I don't know when you come home with me, do you think that's how the conversation would go? No, I think the conversation would go please tell me I think all right, all right I'm the other person at the bus stop.

Michael:

I don't want to be at the bus stop. I don't want to be at the bus stop give me a context betting shop right, which one Ladbrokes.

Sameer:

I don't know about that. Coral, coral. Oh nice fancy. There's a Coral on my high street, so imagine we're in on my high street. I'm. I've just gone into Coral, yeah, okay, yeah. I'm looking at the screens thinking where am I? Why am I here? Why?

Michael:

is it two in the afternoon?

Sameer:

You're betting on the horses. Whatever you say, I'm looking at horses. You come in.

Michael:

All right, mate, fuck off, go on, go on. Let's go Bad day, is it? Yeah, mate, I've just been betting on the horses for the last two weeks.

Sameer:

Oh, a bit of the GGs, and I've only been racing for a week. Oh, you've been betting money on the GGs.

Michael:

Yeah, whatever you say, oh, okay.

Sameer:

What else do you bet on Dogs? Oh, on the woof-woofs. Yes, yes, I'm trying to concentrate on these races. Listen, listen, and you are. You're distracting me. Is this your strategy?

Michael:

Listen, listen. I fancy going to see the dogs one night.

Sameer:

Go.

Michael:

I've never had anyone to go with. Do you fancy coming with me?

Sameer:

No thank you.

Michael:

All right, nice talking to you. See you later, dave. All right, dave Esh Patel, go and enjoy your evening.

Sameer:

This is the worst. This is the worst example, worst example of what we mean by making friends.

Michael:

Okay.

Sameer:

Rock up into coral and we basically try and hit it off. I'm saying what's a better strategy is like go to the gym, maybe you'll meet someone. Go to a class, maybe you'll meet someone. Say you're into yoga. You look like you're into yoga. Go to a class, maybe you'll meet someone Say you're into yoga.

Michael:

You look like you're into yoga.

Sameer:

Go to a betting shop. Same thing I would generally say try and do things that aren't going to be like degenerative, to your life Like, for example, I wouldn't say go to a shooting range and meet a friend. Probably not the best thing.

Michael:

No, I can't hear because you've got headphones in the shooting range. Hey, dave.

Sameer:

Dave Esch. That was a great shot. Great shot, dave Esch, you want to come back to mine. What are you shooting with 99 calibre? Nice, nice, see you later.

Michael:

No, no, you wait until they finish their round. Go back and go. Alright, Dave Esch, that was a really good round you had.

Sameer:

Thanks, bit Esch, that that was amazing.

Michael:

Do you know where you get that really nice.

Sameer:

Shooting jacket.

Michael:

I'd love to get one.

Sameer:

Barber, oh, what near you?

Michael:

Oh, why don't you Meet me there? Have a look, we'll go together.

Sameer:

This has never happened. How many times in your life has a conversation like this happened, where you've just Once. Alright, tell me I met Chef that way. Okay, go on. Well, where? At a shooting range?

Michael:

Where I At a shooting range. I slipped into his DMs.

Sameer:

Oh Slid, I think we've established.

Michael:

Oh, slipped, slid.

Sameer:

I slid, sorry, slipped is different, so you slid into his Wow, that's bold so you saw Chef on like whatever Instagram, insta. I said all right.

Michael:

Insta.

Sameer:

Yeah.

Michael:

I was like all right, chef, where are you getting those eggs from, is, is that what?

Sameer:

you called him chef? Yeah, did you not just call him by his name? No, Do you think that you work in a restaurant?

Michael:

No, Underneath him as his sous chef. His name was chef at the time.

Sameer:

What his?

Michael:

actual name is chef, no, but his Insta was chef.

Sameer:

Oh, okay, so you went. Hey, chef, love your work. Where do you get your meat from Eggs?

Michael:

Okay, fine, what do you say? Oh yeah, I get them from here. M&s, I can't go there because it's lockdown. This is so stupid.

Sameer:

Right, so your I didn't know this, by the way, so your friendship with Chef started on Instagram. When you asked him about his eggs, yeah, and he said, oh, I get them from this farm, or whatever it's probably going to be a farm knowing you.

Michael:

Yeah, and you went. Oh, that's a shame I can't go anywhere. Lockdown in it. What did you say next? Can I borrow some of?

Sameer:

your eggs? No, he said, do you drive? I said, yeah, he goes, should we?

Michael:

go? No, he didn't, and so I met.

Sameer:

This was your first conversation yeah and he said to a random bloke yeah on instagram that slipped or slid into his dms. Yeah, you asked him about his eggs and he said oh, they're here, you probably can't go do you drive. Shall we go together?

Michael:

yeah, and then this is mental we've met up in irl. We met up, yeah, and we got in the car and we drove whose?

Sameer:

car who's?

Michael:

got your car. He doesn't drive.

Sameer:

At the time he didn't drive do you think he just wanted a ride to the farm to get no? No, he didn't drive. He didn't drive at the time. He passed his't drive. Do you think he just wanted a ride to the farm to get eggs for?

Michael:

himself. No, no, he didn't drive. He didn't drive at the time he passed his test last year, I think. Shout out to Chef Well done.

Sameer:

And DVLA Sponsored by the DVLA.

Michael:

I drove him two hours to Stonewall During the pandemic. Is this a real story?

Sameer:

This is a real story when they have nice eggs. Yeah, what did you do? You just bought eggs and then left. I bought 120 eggs. Oh my. He bought them. You obviously didn't buy 120 eggs for your house, he bought me.

Michael:

A chicken. And he bought himself 240 eggs.

Sameer:

How many people does he think you're feeding? No, no, why is he buying? You're feeding. No no, why is he buying you 120 eggs?

Michael:

Well, because there's a bit of confusion there, because I thought a box of eggs was 6 or 12.

Sameer:

That's not a box, that's a carton of eggs, right right A box.

Michael:

A box Is how many cartons Is 10 dozen 120 eggs and you can only buy in boxes.

Sameer:

This is like the Costco of eggs.

Michael:

Yeah, yeah.

Sameer:

You can only buy a box of eggs from this farm, from the farm? Yeah, they don't do the cartons, so you went two hours and at no point did this come up in the car journey.

Michael:

No, it didn't.

Sameer:

By the way, Michael, how many eggs do you want?

Michael:

Just six.

Sameer:

No, he said 600?

Michael:

you want a box? I was like yeah, I have a box, amazing.

Sameer:

So you brought 120 eggs home to your wife. What did she say?

Michael:

I brought 360 eggs. What I?

Sameer:

had one box, he had two. Okay, how many eggs did?

Michael:

you bring home to your house 360 eggs. But then I gave Fine, how many eggs? Did you keep? 120 eggs, right, what? I said there I gave eggs to the whole community During lockdown. I would have given you some eggs as well, but During lockdown, yeah.

Sameer:

And they accepted this who.

Michael:

Your neighbours, people that loved it. I was like the egg king. People loved it. I was like the egg king, honestly. My neighbour was ecstatic. She loves eggs. How many?

Sameer:

did you keep six? No, probably 50, 90 you went to Stow on the Walt with a chef that you met on Instagram. Yeah, and at no point did you talk about. What did you talk about on the way there?

Michael:

Marvel films okay, cool life. Oh okay fine. I don't, I can't believe in all, in all these years you've never mentioned this story. He's a good friend of mine. Now I know he is. I know he is. I didn't realise this is how the friendship started that you bought 360 eggs. Honestly, it was a lot of eggs. Yeah yeah, I know, I was really surprised.

Sameer:

Right, okay, well, okay, there you go. Then. That's how you make friends.

Michael:

Anyone listening if you've taken anything from this story slide into someone's dms and buy eggs with them slip crack into their dms. You know the weirdest part? That wasn't the weirdest part, no, it gets worse. Go on. We went to the wild rabbit in king. Oh yeah, yeah in kingham. Yeah, shout out to the Wild Rabbit in Kingham oh yeah, yeah, yeah In Kingham. Yeah, shout out to the Wild Rabbit. Lovely place to eat. I've stayed there. I think she's on GMB GBM.

Sameer:

Great British menu who.

Michael:

The head chef of Wild Rabbit.

Sameer:

Oh, okay, also called Chef.

Michael:

Yeah, went there. He convinced them.

Sameer:

Chef convinced them Chef.

Michael:

Mentioned someone he knew.

Sameer:

Okay.

Michael:

Convinced this Line chef, like a junior chef, to basically get the grill going In the wild rabbit Outside the wild rabbit In a canteen thing, right, and got him to make us food. Okay, we couldn't eat it because we weren't allowed in the restaurant, right. So we went to a field and sat in the field eating lobster burgers and eggs.

Sameer:

Hopefully there was no eggs. It was like all that. Sorry, sorry, sorry. You have 360 of them in your car. You didn't think to crack a couple open. We were in the field. What were we going to cook them with? Well, you when the grill where you had the rest of the food. From here you go, line chef, take a couple eggs, Make me an omelette.

Michael:

Make me a lobster omelette. You know that never. That's a good idea. We never thought about. The eggs are in the car. We're like get the eggs, get the eggs, get the eggs.

Sameer:

Oh, now that you've got the eggs, I want to eat some lobster.

Michael:

All right, are you ready for this? Sitting in the field Turns out it wasn't a field, it was someone's garden this person saw me and this random sitting on the floor. They must have thought what is going on here Eating a lobster burger from the wild rabbit because there was nowhere to go. Were you breaking?

Sameer:

lockdown rules. Oh for sure, amazing, but for the best possible reason.

Michael:

For friendship, for friendship, exactly.

Sameer:

Anyway, back to this topic. I agree, I think more men, especially those 40% that don't have a best friend, should definitely try and find one.

Michael:

And that's our takeaway Find one. Thanks for listening. Get one.

Sameer:

Have you heard of this thing called men's sheds? I have.

Michael:

Yeah, there's a bench on my road from one of the men's sheds that built it.

Sameer:

Yeah, so describe to people what a men's shed is, because I think it's relevant to this topic.

Michael:

It's a place where you store your lawnmower. Uh, that's not what I'm talking about. My man, my shed is where I put my lawnmower.

Sameer:

Okay, what do?

Michael:

you know what a men's shed is. Well, when you grow up and you become a big boy, you have a man's shed instead of a boy's shed, no, a men's shed.

Sameer:

Like is this whole movement? Dementia, dementia, um uh. Set up in australia and the whole idea is that women now, this is a mass a long way to store your lawnmower. This is a mass over generalization okay, here we go. Women tend.

Michael:

Ladies on the pod, get ready to throw some hate this isn't me.

Sameer:

This isn't me, this is why away?

Sameer:

this is what some people say. I don't necessarily agree, but women who make friends with one another tend to make friends over. It's called sort of face to face, so they'll talk to each other, they'll share their um uh, you know, share their days, share their emotions, share what they're going through. Um, that tends to be the way that they communicate with one another again, not my opinion, the opinion of this person that made mentions. Men, however, tend to make friends side to side, and what that means is doing something and that I agree.

Michael:

Yeah, that's why. So let me just finish the thought. I'll go back to side to side.

Sameer:

Yeah side to side, so that means they will do something with one another. It could be fixing a lawnmower, it could be something practical, it could be mending a fence, something sort of diy related again, massive oversimplification. But this person who made the men's sheds basically created a shed. Loads of men go to it and do loads of diy stuff together and make friends. I think it's a good idea and I love that you've used that example.

Michael:

Okay, because that is exactly what I was trying to refer to at the beginning of the episode, whereby, side to side, you know you're speaking to dave esh while you're both looking at the horses on the monitor yeah or you're speaking to dave and he's at the pub and you're side to side at the bar getting a drink. Yeah, and I agree with you.

Michael:

Yeah, we, as men, will happily speak to someone side by side yeah, yeah, yeah over face to face yeah and that's why it's actually probably quite difficult, yeah, to have a best friend, because you have to look at them face to face and and deal with the hard things in life yeah whereas that side to side is a lot more well.

Sameer:

It's a lot less assuming yeah, and I also think I I know it's like it is a generalization and there are some guys like I think we're pretty good at like about our feelings and generally emotional stuff. I feel like I hate you sometimes.

Sameer:

Yeah, exactly, and I feel likewise. But there are a lot of men out there who maybe don't feel that comfortable doing that, and so they would want to do an activity like go to a snooker club, for example, or go play a game with someone or, like I said, like doing some DIY, and so I can understand the appeal for these sort of men's sheds. They're all over the world now and for anyone out there that's listening maybe if you're one of that 40% that doesn't have a best friend check out men's sheds. I think they're a really, really useful way to meet someone new.

Michael:

But it's an innocent place. It's not like. It's not like a dirty shed where you go in and you don't. No, no, it's not like a sex chamber.

Sameer:

No, no, no. It's not like sort of you go there and you're given a broom to clean up someone's shed, okay, it's it's like, uh, um, what's that?

Michael:

there's a program on like bbc, all about oh, the antiques, not the antiques where they fix it the fix, whatever it's called.

Sameer:

Oh God, what's it called you probably?

Michael:

watch it. I would, if you'd stop talking like I think, go on, the Repair Shop, perfect, that's what it is. Anyway, I would like to know, for any of our listeners, if you'd like to slide into DMs. I'll get it right one day. I will get it right one day and message us. Please tell us what sort of activity you've ever done to try and find a friend. Yeah, exactly, that would be good, because I think we could all learn. And then do you know what I would love to learn?

Sameer:

because this has been really bad advice from us. What bad advice we have given awful advice on how you make friends. I'm not giving.

Michael:

We're not supposed to be giving advice.

Sameer:

We're not supposed to, not the leader of Saudi Arabia.

Michael:

We're not supposed to give advice, we're supposed to listen. You're right, we're not Listening, but we've given advice. Shall I tell you what I told my daughter today You've got two.

Sameer:

You've got no friends. Go to a men's shed. Daddy wants a men's shed. Just go, will you Just go?

Michael:

Build yourself a slide. You've got two of these and one of these, so do double the listening.

Sameer:

People can't see what you're saying. What do you mean? Two of these and one of these Two ears and one mouth Could be arms.

Michael:

You've got two ears and one mouth, so you need to listen twice as hard. That's a good idea, and you, Sameer, need to listen to our audience twice as hard. Was good or not, or? Whether they should go to Coral. If they want to go to Coral, let them go to Coral.

Sameer:

I don't think they should go to Coral.

Michael:

That's their choice. We're not here to advise them, I know, but I just don't think we should be putting that out there.

Sameer:

Don't go to a betting shop if you can avoid it.

Michael:

Listen, if you go to a betting shop and you happen.

Sameer:

Send us a slip into our DMs and.

Michael:

Davos wants to invite you to go to Davos.

Sameer:

And hear about the climate and you want to go watch a rerun of Friends on Dave.

Michael:

Is Friends on Dave. I don't know, maybe no, it's on Netflix.

Sameer:

No, it's on Comedy Central. You don't even know.

Michael:

I do know, I do know, don't advise our audience, right, okay.

Sameer:

So this episode best friends. I think I might join that 40% after this.

Michael:

So I think that's probably all we've got time for. Smear Anything else you want to add to this riveting chat about being a best friend?

Sameer:

Do I want to add anything more? No, I think we covered it. I think it's important to have a best friend. I think if you don't have one, there's a bunch of things you can do to make friends out there and I, despite how we come across in this podcast, value your friendship. Oh, thank you.

Michael:

I think having a close friend is challenging at times. I think it takes a lot of work. I think you need to be relentless. I think that even if they don't pick up your calls, you still phone them, just in case, because that is the call that might stop them going to the betting shop, where they don't need to go to, where they might find a new best friend. But no, uh, best close friends and friendships require a lot of work. Yeah, and at the end of the day, it's probably worth it in the long run. It probably doesn't feel in that moment.

Sameer:

Either way, always put the effort in, and I would just add you never know, you might end up meeting a friend and then doing a podcast with them you know.

Michael:

And then who?

Sameer:

knows, and then everybody can celebrate your friendship. Hey, I see what you did there. Yeah, you're talking about me, I'm talking about you.

Michael:

I'll be talking about davish um anyway, thank you so much for listening. Um, remember, you can follow us. You can listen on all of the streaming platforms. You can slide into the DMs. I got it right oh, you got it right and let us know about your best friend or anything else on the topic or anything you want to hear us talk about. Thank you so much for listening this week and have a great time and remember when life gets you down, be the best.