Ed Sheeran, Marriage Proposals and Sunderland

0:14Romesh Ranganathan:Hello! Hi, welcome to the Wolf and Owl email episode, Straight Down the Can. Straight what? Straight Down the Can. Straight Down the Can. We read your emails, we interact with listeners and all that kind of stuff. and I would say more videos would be nice what do you mean like people sending videos oh yeah it's a good shout I think like yeah like videos so we can sort of like yeah just watch the video so we haven't got to read the emails yeah we could do that if you want to send in a video please do send it in wolfowlpod.gmail.com even if it's just saying you're doing something completely crazy or a question something wild and also obviously you know if it's a really deep question yeah we'll have to show your face yeah I'd love to go and here's our first question and then it just, it cuts to you, not you.

0:59Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. And not even you, but the hypothetical you sort of delivering. That'd be sweet. That'd be nice. You could be part of the podcast. Yeah. I mean, you are part of the podcast if you just send in an email. Yeah, but part of history. Imagine the first video that we get. Yeah, that'd be so sick. Even if it's just you brushing your hair in the morning and thinking, oh, what's the difference between teeth and toes? Should we do the first one? Hi, wolf our swan and gat i need help with a rough idea on what i should be saying during a proposal i've been my girlfriend for nearly five years we have a daughter in a house together and i've been out to buy a ring as i'm finally going to ask a question on a seven year anniversary but seeing other people do it always seems they say more than just the words will you marry me yeah so i'm wondering what should i say when i get down on one knee do i just say the one line or give more than that would love to know what you both said in your proposals love the pod have been a long-time listener, even through the alien episodes.

1:59Thank you very much, the Nervous Numbat. What a Numbat. I don't know.

2:04Romesh Ranganathan:I'm just going to look up a Numbat quickly. Yeah, yeah. Well, I think it's a very nerve-wracking thing. So as we all know, that you proposed on a boat, didn't you? Yeah, I mean, that is a part of my stand-up. I'm in a new tour. There's a Numbat. Let me see. That's the sort of thing I might get tattooed on my back. So yeah. I'm not convinced that's how you pronounce it. Numbat. Numbat. Because it's numb, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. Could it be Numbat? Oh, shut the fuck up, Ramesh. Okay, go on. Give some advice. So, look, I think firstly, if you want to know how I propose, come and see my tour at Spudgun.

2:39Oh, my God.

2:40Romesh Ranganathan:Do you think you will sell a single ticket based on that? If you buy a ticket based on that, I will buy you dinner after the show. That's so dumb. Why? Because you're then losing more money than you make from the ticket sale. Okay. If you buy a ticket based on this, I will buy you something nice, like a gift that's sort of where we both do all right out of it. Or I do a picture with you. Or I cuddle you. I don't think you should be offering cuddles. I'll phone you. What about if I phone you? Okay. That's not a bad show. Okay. How will you, first of all, just. contact the email on this shouldn't be going through wolf out what no this is your thing okay contact me on Instagram so I brought a ticket due like because of purely as a result you should give them a code word to give you okay the code word is you know when we did yeah which was mango Takeshi's Castle and we said mango and people still say mango to me now love it for people that don't know at the end of one of the episodes we weren't convinced that anybody would be still watching so we said if you are watching say mango text us mango or message us mango So we're taking it for dinner.

3:48Romesh Ranganathan:Anyway, it turns out loads of people are fucking watching. It's Amazon. Yeah. Yeah. Watch it right through. So six months later, we just did our last dinner, didn't we? Saying Fluff Puff with a picture of you buying the ticket. I will, yeah. I will phone you. Where should they send that? To my Instagram. And give your phone number as well. And I'll phone you. And you'll phone you. And say thank you. So you probably should answer the email. Okay. So look, I would say proposal wise, number one, I found it very, very nerve wracking. You did yours as a wrap, didn't you? Yeah. Could you do it for me now?

4:17Do you remember it? Yeah, so it was Ed Sheeran was singing in Lego House. And it wasn't really a rap, I just sang along.

4:25Romesh Ranganathan:K-pop Demon Hunter's Saja Boys Breakfast Meal and Huntrix Meal have just dropped at McDonald's. They're calling this a battle for the fans. What do you say to that, Rumi? It's not a battle. So glad the Saja Boys could take breakfast and give our meal the rest of the day. It is an honor to share. No, it's our honor. It is our larger honor. No, really. Stop. You can really feel the respect in this battle Pick a meal to pick a side Participate in McDonald's while supplies last Okay, go on So I was like, I'm gonna pick up the pieces Of my broken heart If you say no to this marriage proposal Which is what this is It's a marriage proposal I want you to be my bride Did he do it with an Indian accent?

5:14um that was how i sing yeah my songs all songs sound like that when i sing them um uh i i didn't have any massive words i sort of she was catherine was you know on the front of this boat looking out at the sea i came out i was absolutely fucking sweating uh very nervous yeah uh i got on one knee and said like yeah where was the ring i pulled it out of my back pocket okay at the time your swim shorts no no no no no it was i had a very tight pair of sort of like yeah shorts on yeah uh so she could probably see the bulge of her ring uh from the but as she's breathing six it's at the back yeah even then she needs to check out your ass yeah cracked oak we had some champagne but yeah i word wise i think keep it simple yeah agreed i think keep it simple keep it from the heart like i think i said like from what i remember you were happy you've made me the happiest person well I hope this will last forever and would you be my bride really nice what did you say to Lise shall we

6:14Romesh Ranganathan:what did you say shall we baby oh really that's what you said shall we no in all honesty I think I was just very honest I think sometimes actually there's something nice about even if you have a bit of a stumble it's natural because you're expressing emotions and I think actually that's arguably better than having some really super polished thing. I think sometimes if you make it, I think we get caught up too much in giving somebody a great story. But also I think now that you've got to think there's so many social medias, so many videos of people doing these amazing speeches, these amazing songs and whatever.

6:53And years ago, that wasn't a thing. You might have a funny story about it, but for the most part, I think people kept it simple and it was from the heart. yeah yeah also i think it becomes a little bit who's it really about if you if you're making a real song and dance and a real long speech isn't it doesn't really become about the moment yeah rather than actually being like that you know you're up for this yeah no totally agree we got shit-faced afterwards which was really fun that's sweet we got really drunk together which was nice leveled out some cocktails yeah yeah um do you remember how was the first kiss after with Lisa after she said yes.

7:29It wasn't, what do you mean? No, no, you kissed her before. It wasn't sexual. No, no, no, no. But like, it's a beautiful kiss. Yeah. That moment of like, you know, it's like it's in your top five love kisses. Oh, come here, did I have a kiss, girl? When's the last, oh, we've all had this conversation. Yeah, we've all had it. Kissing's done now, isn't it?

7:45Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but I think that's in my top five kisses. Kissing so passe. You know, people that still kiss. Do you know what I mean? How often do you kiss, Lisa? Huh? How often do you kiss Lisa? Not that regular. Are you asking about sort of a passionate snog? No, but like a little, like a nice kiss. Well, when you say hello. Yeah, but like a nice kiss. What do you mean, like a nice kiss? Like, show me what you mean. Okay.

8:12Romesh Ranganathan:What, like long like that? Yeah. That's not that long. Jesus Christ. How old's Charlie?

8:20Romesh Ranganathan:I don't know. I can't really, no, not really, not for a while. So tell me to start with your kissing chart. Stop. Oh, wow. Yeah, about there. Okay. On the face. On the face? What, like there or there? No, on the lips. Oh, on the lips. Okay, yeah. Show me yours.

8:43There, probably.

8:44Romesh Ranganathan:Oh, my God, that's quite a long time. How often are you doing that? That's like probably twice a day. And how often is Catherine there? Waka waka! Twice a day you do a kiss that length? yeah we have a nice yeah when when uh it depends if i'm in all day and then probably three but yeah the morning and the evening so first thing in the morning no usually yeah as i'm leaving for work okay or we're like we usually try and drop grace off together yeah then we'll go to the station we'll have a nice kiss oh that's really sweet and then and then when at night like a soldier going off to war yeah um uh and at night yeah usually before we go to sleep i think it's those little moments of affection as you get out those little moments little hand touches little back touches they're nice just to feel together really sweet I've missed that with you actually touching you not the kissing I gave you a kiss this morning we don't feel as close physically as we have done on this podcast before we've been pushed far apart yeah I think that's somebody's responded to criticism yeah yeah John John's worried because we're really fucking about the sexual yeah there's a lot of sexual chemistry okay well look so in answer to your question Numbat that sounds so aggressive you said Numbat then that's what yeah I know but in answer to your question Numbat so in answer to your question Numbat no in answer to your question Numbat speak from the heart speak true speak honest and let your emotions guide you through what we hope will be one of the most magical moments of your life good luck as always bon chance we say we'd love to see a picture of the two of you post as you're doing it Not actually to just post like a big grin.

10:22Romesh Ranganathan:Well, if you know that you're like 10 seconds out. Yeah, video it. Yeah. And also, good luck with the wedding. If you need two crazy guys to turn up and crawl some mayhem and bedlam, I knew two fellas were around. Yes. Who are they? Me and you, you nutcase. Oh, bloody hell. He's talking about us. Okay. Should we do the next one? Do you know, I think we're quite close to going to a wedding for the Wolf and Hell. I feel it. I think me and you do it. We're not going to go to anybody. Let us be clear about this. I so wanted to do it. we're not coming to any of your weddings it's one of my life ambitions no we're not coming to are you saying this 100 % no 100 % no well 99 % no I just think it'd be fun for the first 10 minutes and then it's two people that don't know anybody at the wedding we'd stay for an hour we'd only go to the evening bit and do what do what do what talk me through walking into the wedding ok we walk in go didn't think we were going to show oh no ok didn't think we were going to show because I said 99 % sure I wouldn't oh man fucking hell it's Romesh and Tom yeah buddy here we are what do you call this music Tommy D play some tunes and then I'd probably DJ for a bit you'd get onto the decks and then you'd sort of like be busting some moves and then you'd probably sort of do one of your raps and then like we'd basically have a little bit of a dance probably hello number hello wife just want to celebrate the rest of your life it's me and Tom and we're here to say we're really honoured to be here on your special day yeah and then we just you know then we probably have a buffet i'd probably have a bit of a laugh with some of the older relatives you'd be sort of hanging out with the kids yes find tom in the cupboard with the nana um yeah and then yeah we just have a laugh then we go bloody hell that's fucking three and a half hours it felt like an hour yeah it's not gonna happen okay should we do the next one great though pardon i think no i don't think so found this photo of romesh floating around on Facebook and felt morally obligated to send it in because it perfectly captures the exact mood I imagine he's in for roughly 70 % of his life.

12:20Romesh Ranganathan:Or it's one of them watch lists of have you seen this man? Thought he might enjoy or at least Tom might enjoy. Romesh absolutely hating it. Love the pod. Keep it going. Cheers, Clay. Shout out Craig, by the way, for really absolutely sort of like coming in and really loving this new medium in which we're shooting. Because he sent a photo. Yeah, he sent a photo. More photos, please, guys. Should we have a look at the photo?

12:47i think that's i've never seen you pull that face

12:52Romesh Ranganathan:so hold on is this is this is this a selfie with that woman no so this is in sunderland that's the shopping center in sunderland yeah and that was the last day that i was in so you're hanging out with your mates that's so that lady that lady next to me is joe hinton yeah she's the company stage manager for the play i was in okay cool so i i just met her for breakfast right yeah and then she said she wanted to get some cakes because it's everyone's last day in sunderland that's nice i think it was i think it might mean show 100 okay so that's why so i said to i help her yeah and then i went there and um look i'm not complaining yeah but a lot of people basically i've been asked to go into lots of people asking for photos we said they couldn't leave their shop right so i had to go into different shots that's a nice thing though because it is a nice thing um but i was getting bantered quite heavily sunderland great place for banter yeah i mean they were giving me a lot of shit so they'd ask for a photo and then tell me what they thought i'd done that was crap oh really like in a jokey way yeah you know what was the main thing a nugget of truth pardon judge romish what got the biggest kicking of all the things that you've done that of shit um the uh robin romish versus football they didn't think the show was shit they thought i was shit okay okay um this podcast since it's moved to visual um big big listeners they're asking me what i was doing in a play yeah stuff like that well i mean look can we have a look at the photo i don't think you look moody actually what how do you think i look i don't know i think you look quite surprised more than anything else well that that was a photo taken by the woman that runs the cake stand okay i don't know why i didn't realize oh no hold on it wasn't it was sunderland john what's the name of sunderland shopping center do you know no anyway sunderland shopping center john by the way is a shopping center enthusiast no he's from newcastle he loves all shopping centers he faced john of a weekend uh john's single and he'll go to different shopping centers uh during the winter months and autumn he'll go to different shopping centers in england and then in the summer he'll go to big European ones.

14:58Romesh Ranganathan:What's your favourite one, John? Crawley's County Mall. Correct. The best. Yeah, you love it there, John. Failing that, Horsham Swan Walk. You can often see Johnny, he'll go to a food court at about 3pm and have a coffee and a Ben's cookie. Do you remember, do you remember when you used to regularly get ice cream from Baskin and Robbins? No. Did you ever do that? No. You know, Baskin and Robbins used to have like the little, every shopping centre they had like a Baskin and Robbins. Then you'd go in there get two scoops get some marshmallows I still have how often do you have ice cream by the way never really I said once a week take grace for ice cream I can't think of the last I mean the boys have ice cream all the time yeah I love ice cream I think it's just there's some joys about an ice cream yeah it's beautiful yeah really beautiful yeah anyway no shade on Sunderland no great place it's a great place and the people are great and it's wonderful can I say I think that isn't the most flattering picture of you I've ever seen you look more shocked than anything else yeah that was sorry so to get back to the point.

15:56Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. I think Sunderland Shopping Centre had heard I was in the mall. Yeah. And they sent to like people that are in charge of Sunderland Shopping Centre PR to take a photo of me and that's what that photo is. That's the one have you been using for PR? Well, they only took one photo. What? They were like, can we take a photo for the shopping centre? That's why Craig has got hold of it because they've put it online. Can we see that picture again? That is the picture that they're using to promote the shopping center number one how did they even address you they didn't say they were taking a picture clearly they did say I've seen you take hundreds thousands of pictures I've never ever seen you give that look usually I would say you're a good and this is I think a very credible attribute within your wheelhouse I think when people want a selfie of you, you're always very gracious and you do a nice selfie.

16:58That is the only picture I've ever seen of you where you don't look... It's not like you're giving the shtick, the moody shtick. I just look pissed off. I don't even... You look like you've never... Someone's had to explain to you what a selfie is or what a picture is. No, no.

17:12Romesh Ranganathan:Can I just say, I wasn't actually pissed off at any point during this day. No, no. So I don't know why... It looks like I'm furious that I'm having a photo taken of me. But I think I was surprised when they said... Because basically it said, can we have a photo? And because of all the other photos there, I assumed they wanted to have a photo with me. Yeah. But they went like this, can I have a photo? And I went, yeah. And then they just went like that. Oh, my God. So that's kind of what... Also, by the way, shout out for her. That's a really nice picture of her. Yeah, Joe looks great. Joe looks like the sort of person I'd just literally go for sage advice from.

17:45Romesh Ranganathan:Well, actually, I just advised Joe, previous to this, moments before this photo, on the purchase of a hoodie. Oh, really? So we'd had a really nice moment. Yeah, yeah. Do some shopping advice. It's a very nice, sensible jacket she's got on. Yeah. Reassuring. Like the sort of person who'd be good on a school trip. But that, I would say, if you didn't know me. Can I say that also, they didn't even clear the, like, I mean, the old lady on your right shoulder, bless her heart. Like, she's now into Sunderland folklore. She's into their biggest press promotion they've done in years. And she's in that picture.

18:17Unwittingly.

18:18Romesh Ranganathan:Yeah. I mean, it's unfortunate. Cue in for cakes. Yeah. it's not my proudest moment no but you're now the face of Sunderland shopping centre I wasn't really in a bad mood but it does look like I was in a bad mood I don't think you look I think it looks like more like yeah I just can't believe they've used that photo if I was you can I just say yeah you'd get it taken down no I'd just get a train up there and say look let's do this properly if you want me to be the face of Sunderland I'm not going back there really? no I'm joking I'm joking it was nice crowds were great Sunderland Empire is a beautiful theatre can I say that they clearly went out to Teatonic in Sunderland, quite nice.

18:53Can I say they clearly respect you and love you in Sunderland? Yeah, they do. The least that you, even if you just took a picture of you at another shopping centre that looked like, get a picture of you next to Millie's Cookies or something like that. They don't have a Millie's Cookies. All right, so just get a picture of you at a shopping centre like this, sitting on a bench. Yeah.

19:10Romesh Ranganathan:Well, actually, there's another picture that the cake stand took of me. Right. Carrying loads of boxes of the cakes. Then just say, I bet you're smiling in there because you love your cakes.

19:21No, but you do.

19:22Romesh Ranganathan:Vegan cakes. I bet you're absolutely... By the way, the glass house you've constructed yourself to throw stones from is fucking unbelievable work from you. The man who exhibits the sort of jealousy over a donut that you might do over a partner is telling me that I fucking love cakes. Are you taking the fucking piss out of piss? You love a cake. You love a cake, right? It's like you're having a go at me for being a bald white guy.

20:03Oh, mate. I think let's get on top of that. Let's get that picture. Get flow on it, mate.

20:11Romesh Ranganathan:If anybody's watching or listening from Sunderland Shopping Centre, I would love to... Actually, do you know what? I'm making the offer now. I'll do you an endorsement video. Wow. Oh, we could shoot it here. Because I had a great time there. It was wonderful. Beautiful Sunderland. I'd love to do a great video. If you're in the Sunderland area and you like shopping, head over to the shopping centre. Do you not even know the name of the shopping centre? Can we look it up, please? Head over to the shopping centre. The worst ad. Hi, if you're in Sunderland and you like shopping, why don't you go over to the shopping centre?

20:42Romesh Ranganathan:I don't remember it being called the Bridges. Can we see a photo of it, please? You must know it quite well. It's busy at the moment. It's the busiest time ever. I went in there once, bro. Oh, that's... That's it. That's nice. That's a good honest... Yeah, that's the one. That's the one. Okay, great. Looks a bit like Dundee's shopping centre. If you find yourself in the Sunderland area, why not head over to the Bridges Shopping Centre? You'll find yourself a lovely selection of retailers, as well as a nice smile behind the counter of everyone. I strongly recommend I went there while I was performing at the Sunderland Empire for Woman in Mind.

21:13Romesh Ranganathan:And I've got to tell you, I had some great performances, but the highlight was my visit to Bridges Shopping Centre. See you there. It's a bit of cakes. The cakes are great. And there's always people ready to have a chat and give you a little bit of that old famous Sunderland banter. See you there, friend. The Bridges Shopping Centre, Ramesh's favourite place to go. There we go. That's good. There you go. You can have that, guys. I give permission to clip that up and stick it on your old ting-ting. Okay. Cool. should we do another one hope you're both well and great to have you back it's perfectly time for me as i could use some advice from some sweet sweet souls don't need to be anonymous but please do not use my last name i don't think that i don't think that was written with a chuckle in it okay sorry i was just going with a different energy okay yeah i know but just try and have don't need to be anonymous but please not my last name okay that's too obviously too far the other way you know that i'm a 28 year old guy and currently single i've always been someone who enjoys being in a relationship and a companionship it brings and am yet to find the one recently i've been through another phase of dating where i met someone great but for timing and circumstance it hasn't worked out no one's fault just one of those but i take it very hard work feels like it doesn't matter every day.

22:40The joy from our hobbies feels dulled. I don't have a lot of friends close by, some great ones at a distance, but it often leads to me feeling lonely and I struggle to make new ones. No kids or other sort of avenues to do so. U2 are great role models for men who are in touch with their feelings and who perhaps worked out a lot of their lives a bit after the age I'm at now, which is something positive for me. When things were tough, particularly romantically, if ever hard to believe for two beautiful men how did you manage to pull through and how should someone who is maybe a bit worn down by the adversity keep believing and working towards the good things that could come one day hope glad you're back thank you in advance for any help um by the way i massively regret uh starting that email in such a weird insane yeah i know i need i

23:28Romesh Ranganathan:knew that i had a feeling that's where it was going i didn't i completely misread the situation and I hope that actually towards the end, I would. I would like to take this opportunity to say to you, I know that you don't like reading out loud and you're doing it really beautifully. Thank you. And I really admire you for doing that. Thank you. I don't want to sound patronising. Oh, thank you very much. I like it. So anyway, my friend, I think that the truth of the matter is, I think you're probably at an age, and I think most of us go for it. To be fair, I think at 46, I've weirdly found myself recently, I think in that place where you're, I've almost sort of come to just, just almost a realization that that just like friendships that have sort of fallen away and, and like, you know, move, you know, distance friendships or whatever, you know, people that used to speak to a lot, not speaking to quite as much.

24:21I think, I think it's really, really hard when you, when you're going through those sort of changes and realizing people grow, you know, growing in different directions, growing up people are having kids getting married and sometimes you feel like you're falling behind i spent most of my 30s really feeling quite a lot like that um and even by the time i think you actually sort of get in a relationship when you're with someone i think there's always another milestone that people sometimes feel they're getting to before you you can feel like you're lagging behind a little bit i'd say that a lot of focus i've sort of i've wasted a lot of time in my life worrying about those things you know up until meeting katherine would i meet the one and you sort of say about having relationships that haven't worked or I had so many of those.