Movies Mayberry Movie Club Week 2: Creep (2014)

What's your rating for this film?


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Cubo de Sangre

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For week #2 the club selected Creep (2014).

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Premise: A young videographer answers an online ad for a one-day job in a remote town to record the last messages of a dying man. When he notices the man's odd behavior, he starts to question his intentions.

Director / Co-Star: Patrick Brice

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Starring: Mark Duplass

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Trivia:
(via IMDB)​

  • Since the movie was based on a series of conversations between Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass, most of it was improvised. This led to a lot of scenes being shot, and as a result, the footage was screened in front of their peers. This eventually pushed the psychological black comedy into a psychological horror film after taking the advice of their friends. There is also footage of at least three other alternate endings.
  • The first of a trilogy of 'Creep' films. Creep 2 was released October 24, 2017, while the third installation in the franchise is in development.
  • The film is almost totally improvised. The film's 'bible' was only 'bare bones' - i.e., driving a car, while videotaping a dialogue of the trip.

Members: @the ambush @Bald1 @Cubo de Sangre @Dirt Road Soldier @MusterX @sickc0d3r @Tufts @Zer @Bobby Boulders @newjerseynick

Honorary tags: @chickenluver @JayPettryMMA @europe1 @the muntjac
 
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Sorry, but not really. This one didn’t really do it for me. I’m not generally a fan of the found footage horror genre to begin with, and Creep, armed with all the usual tropes, managed to remind me why. Silly, overused jump scares, predictably dubious decision making by the protagonist, attempts to build suspense with nothing but slow moving cameras or the usual blurry then focused add zoomed in stuff. Plus a disappointingly mundane climax, with a completely unimaginative reveal at the end. At least I stuck around for it with interest, which means something.
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I didn’t dislike it completely. The actors did a nice job, Duplass is always fun to watch, even if in this case just looking at his face and listening to the dialogue made me uncomfortable and sort of embarrassed (for him) half the time. The potential was there for a decent black comedy/parody. I laughed plenty of times. It’s just that most of the laughs came from the random silliness of it all.

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I think Creep would have been way better had they leaned in to that aspect, and not tried to reach for a horror/psychological thriller. It just wasn’t there. 5/10.
 
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Sorry, but not really. This one didn’t really do it for me. I’m not generally a fan of the found footage horror genre to begin with, and Creep, armed with all the usual tropes, managed to remind me why. Silly, overused jump scares, predictably dubious decision making by the protagonist, attempts to build suspense with nothing but slow moving cameras or the usual blurry then focused add zoomed in stuff. Plus a disappointingly mundane climax, with a completely unimaginative reveal at the end. At least I stuck around for it with interest, which means something.
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I didn’t dislike it completely. The actors did a nice job, Duplass is always fun to watch, even if in this case just looking at his face and listening to the dialogue made me uncomfortable and sort of embarrassed (for him) half the time. The potential was there for a decent black comedy/parody. I laughed plenty of times. It’s just that most of the laughs came from the random silliness of it all.

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I think Creep would have been way better had they leaned in to that aspect, and not tried to reach for a horror/psychological thriller. It just wasn’t there. 5/10.
This is interesting coz @Cubo de Sangre and I watched it for the second time yesterday and noticed that we had a different experience watching it this time. The first time it creeped us out more, and made us uncomfortable. The second time it made us laugh a lot. I actually enjoyed both times that I watched it, strangely for the reasons you did not. The uncomfortable and embarrassed feeling worked for me, because it made me feel the way Aaron must have felt. The bad decisions resonated because they made me think about how I have typically behaved when made uncomfortable by another person's weirdness or pushiness. For example, when Aaron wanted to leave and Joseph kept coming up with reasons why he shouldn't. I felt Aaron's behavior was very female, driven by the desire not to offend, the idea that he must be misinterpreting something because the behavior is so unexpected, and the need to be kind, and not make a scene. I feel that Aaron was, in fact, a very kind man, and that Joseph really used that to his advantage. He would not have been able to engage in this type of activity with a more stereotypical dude, who would likely have punched him after the first scare.

More coming.... I just woke up from a wretched dream about my mom yelling at me and my dad with dementia. He had Alzheimer's, died in 2000, and I rarely dream of him, so it sucked to wake up from one where he was at his worse. I remember my dreams in detail, and I'm going on two months of really intense ones. Aaron's dreams made a lot of sense to me in the movie. I'll let @Cubo de Sangre share his favourite quote from that scene <45>
 
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This was my second time watching Creep. First time I was bored and it popped up on Netflix so what the heck. While it started a little slow, it was definitely living up to its title. When it got to the bathtub scene I was like wtf? lol. Aaron wasn't doing much for me, but Josef started growing on me. Dude was so awkward that he became rather compelling. Between all the hugs and asking if Aaron considered that Josef might kill him with the axe, it made me wonder what my reactions would be. But hey, $1,000 for a day's work can make a man overlook some shit.

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Loved the Peachfuzz mask. The .gif @sickc0d3r posted of Josef in it and rubbing up against the door epitomizes the appeal of this movie. So awkward, funny, and creepy at the same time.

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I was surprised Aaron made it out alive, but the gravedigging DVD made it clear the danger wasn't over. A nice little misdirection there for a minute too. The wolf with the necklace was totally creepy. Same with the haircutting. Aaron's dream was notable in that it delivered perhaps the best line of the movie when he said something to the effect of "Then I realized he's giving me a tubby!". Had a good laugh at that.

Pretty sure I was hoping Aaron would survive, but when he agreed to meet you just knew it was all over. Loved the way that scene played out. Almost like slow motion.

On this second viewing it wasn't as creepy since I knew what was coming. Still found it totally compelling though. And yeah, I might have been more on Josef's side this time around. Is that wrong?

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Silly, overused jump scares,...

With those I wondered how much the film intended those to "work" on the audience. Or were they there more to not work, and instead just add to the awkward, creepy feel due to the obvious cheesiness in their execution. If it's the latter then I think they did a good job with 'em.
 
This is interesting coz @Cubo de Sangre and I watched it for the second time yesterday and noticed that we had a different experience watching it this time. The first time it creeped us out more, and made us uncomfortable. The second time it made us laugh a lot. I actually enjoyed both times that I watched it, strangely for the reasons you did not. The uncomfortable and embarrassed feeling worked for me, because it made me feel the way Aaron must have felt. The bad decisions resonated because they made me think about how I have typically behaved when made uncomfortable by another person's weirdness or pushiness. For example, when Aaron wanted to leave and Joseph kept coming up with reasons why he shouldn't. I felt Aaron's behavior was very female, driven by the desire not to offend, the idea that he must be misinterpreting something because the behavior is so unexpected, and the need to be kind, and not make a scene. I feel that Aaron was, in fact, a very kind man, and that Joseph really used that to his advantage. He would not have been able to engage in this type of activity with a more stereotypical dude, who would likely have punched him after the first scare.
Having had time to reflect a little, I’ve softened my position, somewhat. For starters, I didn’t give the concept enough credit (I called the reveal unimaginative, but what I really meant was lazy). In truth, the idea of a guy who hires people to come to his fake childhood house and then film themselves getting creeped out and murdered by a poor man’s Micheal Keaton is pretty freaking solid. It’s a nice start, at least. Where it still loses me is that it ultimately feels like it can’t decide what it wants to be, parody or thriller. Lots of potential, lacking a little in execution. Just one example, why did Angela call and what did she know? Does she call him every night to tell him a bedtime story or to remind him to take his meds or something because she knows what’s up, or is she oblivious and thinks he’s just “special”, or…? Her role ended up being to scare Aaron and wake up Josef. Seems like a lazy plot device, or maybe it is just that it created questions which inevitably lessened the overall impact of the story when they weren’t answered. In any case, I was never really creeped out at any point, and I was hoping for a somewhat satisfying mind fuck. I was mostly disappointed.

Also, the discomfort I felt from Josef was often more of the “I feel embarrassed for this actor trying to creep me out” type. It was too obvious at times, like he was trying not to laugh. This is a big part of why I think it leaned more parody than horror.
I do agree on a storytelling level that those uncomfortable interactions might have added to Nice Guy Aaron’s dilemma. Reminds me of that scene in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, where the killer explains how easy it is to lure people into his trap. They ignore their instinct to avoid being embarrassed or rude. And I also would add that this guy literally trying to scare away and creep out his victims is a neat touch. To your point, I wonder how many times he got socked in the face in the first 30 minutes and lost his prey. Obviously, the cancer story and the kid on the way were intended to invoke sympathy from the start, and then he could see how far he can push them without them running off.

I can see why you thought it would make for good conversation, so kudos for the choice. Certainly don’t have to really like a movie to think it is interesting.
 
Genuinely interesting fun film. I just watched the second one too. This is definitely an aquifer taste. I found the main lead to be quite entertaining, he is perfect for the role. Movie caught me off guard and it was a nice change of pace for the “horror” genre or wherever this film fits in. I gave it a 3.
 
Also, how the fuck do you give up on the cops after one phone call when you literally have documented the entire thing, know where the house he “rented” was, and then had your house broken into with a video of the guy left on your window sill? Nobody is that dumb and nice.
 
With those I wondered how much the film intended those to "work" on the audience. Or were they there more to not work, and instead just add to the awkward, creepy feel due to the obvious cheesiness in their execution. If it's the latter then I think they did a good job with 'em.
I definitely think it is the latter. My issue going into a film like this I am expecting them, so it’s kind of easy to dismiss as the usual. Goes back I think to my mixed feelings about parody versus horror. In reality, I might have missed the point. This is probably a film that would improve with weed :)
 
Just one example, why did Angela call and what did she know? Does she call him every night to tell him a bedtime story or to remind him to take his meds or something because she knows what’s up, or is she oblivious and thinks he’s just “special”, or…? Her role ended up being to scare Aaron and wake up Josef. Seems like a lazy plot device, or maybe it is just that it created questions which inevitably lessened the overall impact of the story when they weren’t answered.

Can't argue that. I've also wondered why she called. Enough so that I considered it was somehow set up by Josef.

Beyond that, one thing that's impressive with Creep is there's only two on-screen characters. I believe she's the only other in the film (unless we heard the cop's voice on the phone and I don't remember it). So chopping her out altogether would legit make this a two-character movie. Pretty rare something like that gets pulled off.


Also, how the fuck do you give up on the cops after one phone call when you literally have documented the entire thing, know where the house he “rented” was, and then had your house broken into with a video of the guy left on your window sill? Nobody is that dumb and nice.

Another good point. But when you think about it, what could Aaron prove that the cops would take action over?


I definitely think it is the latter. My issue going into a film like this I am expecting them, so it’s kind of easy to dismiss as the usual. Goes back I think to my mixed feelings about parody versus horror. In reality, I might have missed the point. This is probably a film that would improve with weed :)

I think the film is more quirky black comedy than horror. And thinking more about the jump scares, I wonder if the first few were executed rather ham-fistedly in order to get you with the one at the end. Gotta admit that one got me a little, and in the context of the rest, it seemed a fun and fitting way to end.
 
Last night was the second time I watched this movie, and strangely I had a completely different viewing experience. The first time I felt

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And last night I

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Since I knew what was coming, instead of being weirded out over Joseph's over the top behavior, I was amused. Joseph really brought it. He was shameless in his performance, a master at emotional manipulation, and found the perfect victim in Aaron, who was a sweet, kind, considerate dude who really should have had a man bun to go with that caring and nurturing personality.

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For Joseph to achieve his goal, he needed the right victim. He found that person in Aaron. I would expect, and correct me if I am wrong fellas, but had you accepted this job, and received the number of hugs and scares that came with it, you would have walked, or punched, after the second one. I counted at least 6 of each. Joseph was able to do this because he was hiding behind the story of being a cancer survivor and the victim of a brain tumour, and leaving behind an unborn child that he was making the movie for: Buddy. Most people with a heart would find this to be a thoughtful loving project, a beautiful gesture, and would have felt honored to be able to contribute. Likely they would cut a brain tumour victim some slack if he was behaving strangely. Joseph made of point of saying he was having cognitive issues, and dizzy spells. I certainly don't know how I would behave it that were happening to me, so I would probably focus on being accepting and non-judgmental. You would have to be a bit of a pillock not to.

It is possible our villain's real name was not Joseph... I wonder why he might have chosen it....

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Although that is likely a

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since when the sister called, she used that name.

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There was a fair bit of use of the colour yellow in this movie. Especially at the start. Aaron's car was yellow, as was the door to the house, the soles of Joseph's shoes as he ran up the stairs, a yellow bottle inside the house. A quick google of the significance of the colour says:

Yellow is a color associated with sun. It symbolizes optimism, energy, joy, happiness and friendship. It might also stand for intellect. On the contrary, yellow can indicate jealousy, betrayal, illness and danger. It is strongly associated with food, often evoking cheerful feelings.

When advertising long-lasting goods, yellow will not be the best choice. It is a very unstable and spontaneous color. Men often consider it as “childish”, so any products such as cars, watches or smartphones should not be advertised with yellow. Too much of yellow in a design can be truly overwhelming. At the same time, yellow in a combination with black will create a high contrast and indicate possible danger.


So perhaps the use of the yellow car shows that Aaron is an innocent, the perfect mark for Joseph. It was certainly never combined with black to look tough!

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That's for you @Cubo de Sangre! :rolleyes:

There was a fair amount of foreshadowing in the movie. I picked up on:
  • the axe outside the house, and later in the cafe when Joseph asks: Was there a small part of you who thought you might kill you with it?
  • When Aaron says: It might be smarter to wait in the car.
  • When Joseph says: Better get used to those stairs. And: I hope you are up for it.
  • All the scares, disguised by a playfulness we don't actually buy in to. In the woods after scaring him, Joseph says: You just had a near death experience. That is what it feels like when you’re going to die.
There were also clues that Joseph was lying from the start:
  • His house wound up being a rental. I noticed how impersonal it was from the start. It looked generic. Joseph tried to get around his by saying he painted the bears with his dad. This was also meant to disarm Aaron.
  • Int he cafe Joseph slips up by showing he did not know the menu. He overcame this by saying the menu had recently changed.
Joseph's physicality was very childlike in the movie. He had two speeds; slow and running. He controlled the tension and the mood with his movements, using them to keep Aaron off balance the entire time. They would be walking like two normal adults in the woods, and then he would take off running, leaving Aaron with no choice but to chase him or be lost.

The hugs play into this as well. When you are hugged against your will it really messes with your mind.

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PSA - Know your hug-ee and when in doubt, don't do it!

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You may not want the hug, but it feels rude to pull away, especially from a dying dude who is paying you a grand to make a movie for his unborn kid. By the time they get to the river, Aaron has developed an uncomfortable sense of familiarity with Joseph, and willingly plays with him in the water, laughs at the heart on the stone, and engages in a couple more hugs. It is that awkwardness that happens when you first develop a new relationship. It is over the top. You feel the potential and act in ways you normally wouldn't, because you are swayed by the other person's enthusiasm and desire.

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A lot of Joseph's dialogue is also childlike in his choice of words and in his delivery. He comes across as disarming, and the opposite of dangerous. He is creepy, but he has a brain tumour. Who is Aaron to judge him? Joseph also uses flattery and consideration to win Aaron over. He pays him up front, so there is no appearance of shenanigans. This also puts Aaron in a position of debt. He has been paid, so he owes Jospeh his attention and focus.
  • Oh my God. This is going to be a good day.
  • You have a really nice kind face.
  • Walk with me. Document me just how I am.
  • This is no longer a business transaction. It is a partnership and this is a journey into the heart. And I’m glad you are coming with.
  • Let's get some fresh air. Let me get you a jacket and make you a snack.
  • Let's go cure some cancer.
  • Heal those big ole tootsies.
Joseph has a way of taking completely inappropriate situations, and putting the onus of feeling weird on Aaron. The tub scene is a good example. Poor Aaron follows him into the bathroom as Joseph is disrobing for the tubby scene. This is completely out of line... but again, think brain tumour. Think baby who will never get to tubby with his dada. Is this is ok? Were gonna get much deeper than this.

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Joseph is so matter of fact, so transparent, that Aaron probably feels like a jerk for being so uncomfortable. To me this is master manipulation. Joseph then proceeds to control the tension in the scene from switching from goofy to serious as he speaks directly into the camera to his unborn son: Welcome to your first tubby, Buddy. His behavior in the tub is so embarrassingly over the top, that it is hard to take him seriously, or to see him as a threat. Then he becomes melancholy, and says: Can’t help thinking why wait…. I could just end it right now.

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He slips under water. This humour is so dark. Even his face under the water is funny. The silence builds as does the nervousness Aaron is feeling. No one wants to film someone drowning on purpose. And then in an instant Joseph switches up the energy of the scene and makes Aaron doubt himself by saying: It was the was supposed to be a joke. I have a weird sense of humor. Joseph is a master at

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And this brings us to Peachfuzz
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How do you take this guy seriously? How are you scared of him? Again he is being disarming and creepy. His story about his wife/sister, is straight up disturbing and uncomfortable, however. At this point the creepiness has been ratcheted up. It is this story that finally leads to action on Aaron's part. I was impressed that Aaron drugged him. Pity that it was only with Benadryl. He might have made it out of there had Angela not called.

Before this we have the shame sharing. That is also a way to control and manipulate another person. Get them to share a secret, that creates a bond, that makes them be willingly vulnerable. You ever done anything you are really ashamed of? Mind telling me about it? Give me the camera. Take the focus off of me for a second. Handsome devil. Aaron's story is sad. Joseph uses his words to flatter and disarm, and then changes the tone of the scene by silently staring at this camera. After building the tension, he builds it even more by showing him the pictures he took of Aaron's arrival. This is the first truly creepy moment that Aaron should have heeded. However, before he can think too much about it, Joseph barrages him with another apology in response to why he did it: I don’t know. I suppose I was nervous… if I got to know you before you got to know me, I'd be less scared. sorry. Would not have done it if I knew you then, like I know you now. I’m very ashamed and hope we can move past it. This nonsensical apology is followed by a 1000 yard stare where we actually get a glimpse of the real Joseph.

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The scenes in the house resonated to me as a woman of the times I have been hit on when I just want to be left alone. Aaron agrees politely to one drink. He tries to leave, but is held back by his desire to not make a scene, his compassion, his niceness, and his natural inclination to put the other person's needs above his own. Like a pushy dude at a bar, Joseph has a ready response for every reason Aaron gives for wanting to leave, including appealing to his need for money. I have an excess you have a need. It is simple. There is check in your boot. Gotcha. Means you need money. Cheers. Once again Aaron is in a position of need in regards to Joseph. Yet Joseph created this entire scenario. Aaron never asked for money, but because of the shoe trick, it feels like he did. Joseph makes it so that Aaron has to be rude in order to leave, and that does not appear to be in Aaron's nature. It is only the rape story and the missing keys that give Aaron sufficient motivation to drug Joseph. Did I freak you out with my rape story? Joseph keeps turning the tables on Aaron. It is master level gaslighting.
 

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The movie now shifts to taking place at Aaron's house. We have the same sense of relief that Aaron does that he was able to get away. His dream was hilarious to me. I enjoyed thinking we were watching Joseph, only to have the camera zoom out to show it is a DVD. The creepiness builds to show Joseph in Aaron's bedroom. This is a personal fear of mine after watching

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At this point, Aaron becomes Buddy, now that the charade is up. Joseph's apology for sending the DVDs includes: I wasn’t quite in my right head. You did drug me. Benedryl. Pretty cool move. Sending you a gift to clear the air. Third element in box. Dig a little deeper and press pause.... I love wolves coz they love deeply and don’t know how to express it, and they murder those they love. They have beautiful hearts but are misguided and occasionally murder things... Embrace your inner wolf. When you take a knife and stick it inside, it is full of beautiful stuff. See you soon BUDDY.
In fact, he was Buddy all along. Joseph has manipulated Aaron into killing, even if it is only digging a knife into a stuffed animal.

And we come to the final communication from Joseph, filmed at the lake we saw at the start of the film as Aaron drove through town. There is more gaslighting and manipulation:
  • I took the original disc and necklace from trash - thus making Aaron feel guilty for throwing them away.
  • I'm heart broken. It sent me on a spiral - making his grief Aaron's fault.
  • I had inappropriate wrong thoughts about what I wanted to do to you. That was a red flag and scared me. You were right to throw that away. We're not friends. Our relationship was based on BS and lies I made up. This is my attempt to be real and truthful and honest with you. I’m not sure I’m capable of it. I want to explain. I don’t know what is wrong with me. I’ve been pretending my whole life. I'm tired of acting. I have no friends. I've burned every bridge. You have no reason to trust me. Give me a chance to talk to you and explain myself to you. At least we will have closure - all of these self-effacing words guilt Aaron, make him feel pity, instill in him a desire to help and to find closure for himself.
  • Meet me at the lake at 11. It's wide open, so no need to be afraid...The truth is I am a lonely person. A sad person. I really need a friend. You are the only chance I have - more flattery, and guilting. Makes Aaron think he is the only person who can help, which appeals to his ego. The open location gives him a false sense of safety since we know how this ends.
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In his final words, Joseph says: You are the greatest person who ever lived Aaron. No matter what I did to you, you believed I was good and I would do you no harm. And that is why I will always love you. You are the favorite of them all. (Heavy breathing). Ok. Everything is ok. Not a care in the world. It is all over. He scares himself on camera, and reacts to himself screaming.

Then we hear Joseph on the phone describing the job to his next victim. And we see his VHS and DVD collection. I took a screenshot, but don't know how to upload the picture. I counted 44 VHS and multiple DVDs, dated as early as 2010.

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I would expect, and correct me if I am wrong fellas, but had you accepted this job, and received the number of hugs and scares that came with it, you would have walked, or punched, after the second one.

Money talks.


And this brings us to Peachfuzz
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How do you take this guy seriously?

The song and dance shit was great.


His story about his wife/sister, is straight up disturbing and uncomfortable, however.

Kinda low-key hilarious really.

PS. Great research on the color yellow. The symbolism seems to match up with what we saw.
 
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