Aaaaah, it's June! ... So, for everyone living in the northern hemisphere, this means outdoor BBQs, breezy summer evenings, and more sunlight - just what the doctor ordered!  It's hard to imagine the month of June falling anywhere other than between May and July. But, guess what? It did. Before the Julian calendar was created in 46 B.C., the month of June was the fourth month in a 10-month year that began with March.  Anyway ... In this issue, you'll find: 

• Roy on the red carpet 
• Nick's brush with celebrity 
• Audio Bloopers
• Friends & Supporters 
• And much more!  

Nick and Roy conducted five interviews with young filmmakers at the 13th Annual Fort Myers Film Festival.  Listen to the podcast over the first few weeks in June to discover up-and-coming young talent. You won't want to miss these fascinating stories. 

Hint:  It's something you might find scrunched up in the back pocket of your jeans in June. If we've piqued your curiosity, scroll down for the answer. 

Being the popular A-list celebrities that we are, every once in a while an event comes along that Nick and I get excited about. We received a call from Eric Raddatz, the founder of the Fort Myers Film Festival. Eric asked if we would like to come down and cover the festival and do some interviews. I live in Fort Myers, so it was easy for me to attend, but Nick would have to travel 1500 miles. I asked Nick to start walking.

Between possible airline strikes and timing constraints, it wasn't an easy thing to do, but somehow we made it work. The opening night of the festival was amazing. Over 75 films were entered and I must say all the entries were really good. Having won this film festival in 2010, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Boy, was I wrong. Eric has turned this small local film festival into a vibrant and professional top-notch film extravaganza. 

Nick and I interviewed five filmmakers and talked about their quests in filmmaking. We learned about what drives someone to dedicate so much time and effort to being a part of the independent film industry. These interviews will be available over the course of the next few episodes. 

As for our experience, let's just say that Eric was the consummate host. From the media venue at The Luminary Hotel to the fantastic after-parties, it was just a memorable experience for us. On closing night, we attended a rooftop party on top of The Berne Davis Center overlooking the Caloosahatchee River at sunset. It was an unforgettable weekend. Click here to view some of the photos from the film festival.

Nick and I speak many times a week because of the show but we don't get to see each other face-to-face and in-person. Having Nick in Florida reminds me of why we don't see each other that much and why we should keep it that way. (just kidding).

Actually, the time we spent together was amazing: we shared meals, reminisced about the great times we've had over the years and Nick even got tickets so that we could watch the Blue Jays lose to the Tampa Rays. This visit reminded me why we became best friends in the first place.  

• Trouble Turning His Tongue 

• More Miscalculation & Mispronunciation

This month, we're featuring a person who has been a quiet, behind-the-scenes supporter of the show ever since it started almost five years ago. Paul Gatt is the remote coordinator at Newstalk 1010 and in a pinch, he's the person to call. He has a special gift of being able to figure out which button to press and which doohickey goes with what thingamajig. He is a wizard when it comes to organizing technical equipment and making sure everyone has what they need for a flawless, on-air product.

Nick and Paul met 29 years ago. They were fortunate enough to be part of many major news events together. From the 9/11 first anniversary broadcast in New York, to the SARS concert when the Rolling Stones came to town, to World Youth Day and Pope John Paul II's visit. They worked together at major sporting events, trade shows, street festivals, parades, and protests. 

Paul was the point person for all of these events. 

A huge thanks to Paul Gatt for always being there to troubleshoot with us and to offer sound advice. 

When I think back to the beginning of my radio career, I still pinch myself.  You see, while I was in college, I had the good fortune of being hired at NBC in New York City at the famous 30 Rockefeller Plaza.  One of my friends worked in the telephone room at the network, and he asked me if I'd be interested.  It wasn't my dream job, but it was a foot in the door. So, I jumped at the chance. 

About a week later, I was hired to answer incoming calls about television shows that were airing on NBC at the time. Some people wanted to speak to David Letterman, the hosts of the Today Show, or the producers of The Cosby Show. 

Speaking of David Letterman, one of those unforgettable moments at NBC was my brief elevator ride with the late-night talk show host. The switchboard room was one floor above the offices of the David Letterman Show, so this particular day, I was in the elevator alone waiting for the doors to close when David Letterman walks in.  He had his signature baseball cap on and white t-shirt. He was chewing on an unlit cigar.  

He made a beeline to the far corner of the enclosed space, looked over at me, and gave me a nod. I nodded back. Actually, that's all I remember being able to do. I remember my heart pounding out of my chest and my teenage brain ping-ponging back and forth with a million questions: Do I say something? Do I tell him that I love his show? Do I tell him a joke?  Maybe nothing is better? 

Well, the truth is that time wasn't on my side. Before I knew it, I heard the all-familiar "DING" and the elevator doors opened. He stepped out and the only thing I could think of was, "Have a good show!"  It turns out that the choice of words wasn't half bad.  These words made him turn his head and flash his gap-toothed smile.  

Next month, I will tell you all about how I worked up the courage to ask Don Pardo, the Saturday Night Live announcer, to record an outgoing voicemail greeting for me.  

Here are some wacky - but true - news stories that Nick and Roy collected this month, but didn't make the cut for the show:   

• He skateboarded for 57 days across the United States.
• Man steals backhoe for 10-mile drive to catch a flight.
• Man in Florida, (where else?), finds a splashing, hissing iguana in his toilet.
• Service Dog Gets His Own College Diploma
• Googly-eyed Uncle Fester Impersonator Gets into Guinness Book of Records 2023

Catherine from Witchita, Kansas writes:

Dear Nick and Roy, We love listening to your show every week. You guys have a way of presenting useless facts in an interesting way. Here is my question:  June seems to be a popular month for bachelorette parties, stags, and of course, weddings. Would you know why?

Response:   Thanks for your question, Catherine. It's a good one!  We have found that the tradition of a June wedding dates back to Roman times. The origin of “June” derives its name from  the Roman Goddess of love and marriage, “Juno”. The thought was that those who were married in the month of June, they were to be blessed with lots of prosperity and happiness.

If you are planning your wedding in the month of June, here is some really interesting information on an app called "BACH" that helps groups plan, and organize bachelorette and bachelor parties.  According to a 2023 Special Report, the average cost of one of these parties is US$10,800, up from $7,700 in 2021. That puts the cost per person at US$1,200 (for a 9-person party). 

The engraved rock in the photo is the world's oldest surviving beer receipt. This Sumerian (modern-day Iraq) tablet created in 2050 B.C. confirms that a scribe named Ur-Amma “... acknowledges receiving from his brewer, Alulu, 5 sila (about 4 1/2 liters) of the 'best' beer." The process now recognized as beer brewing began in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iran) between 3500 - 3100 B.C. — but fermented beverages were being made as early as 7000 B.C. in China.

Thanks for reading the Totally Useless VIP newsletter. We hope that you've enjoyed the experience. If it has put a smile on your face, please don't keep it on the DL!  Tell a friend about the trend. 

If you have suggestions for the newsletter or would like to send us feedback, please email editor@nickandroy.com